Happy New Year

Yesterday I watched a new movie called "What the bleep are we thinking?" It is a good documentary type movie telling you how important positive thinking really is. So in the interest in making life even better, before I got up I reinforced some positive thinking. ie: How great my day was going to be, How I am going to make someone elses day better...blah blah blah
So I got up, took Joey out for our morning walk, she seemed Happy, and came in to do some printing for the shop. I get some signage done and simultaneously I am printing and laminating the printed items. Well that was my plan, because I am happy!! I get one thing printed and I'm out of ink...now I just bought this ink, how can I be out..(remember I'm happy) So OK, I am out of ink, after I close I will go get some...life will go on. So I feed a sheet of verbage into the laminater that is blinking it's ready, only to jam that puppy up? So I have hot plastic sitting in between rollers that you can not possibly get at, because they made it that way. I am now digging into, with a fingernail file, a plugged in, hot laminater!!! Later I am going to close up the store and I pinch the fat part....well it's all fat parts of my pointer finger in the sandwich sign out front. I swore a blue streak, inside my head and rubbed it thinking that will defer the pain....but I'm happy...Then carrying some big freaking box down the steps the cardboard ripped only to end up on my toe....that resulted in Ow Ow Ow..But I am happy..I think my life was better the day before I watched this movie? This has been a great year for me...it can only get better next year!!! I hope all of you, enjoy yourselves in this coming year!! Remember positive thinking!!! Bah hum bug!!!

Sharing

Sometimes I think I am pretty selfish. I am selfish with my time and space and things like that. But...when I retreat to my home, I find I really am not selfish at all. I share every aspect of my life with none other than my animals. I sit in my recliner and I can almost guarantee, I will have two furry creatures, one by my arm, one by my feet, purring and snoring. I take a bath and I have a cat that likes to be rubbed down with warm water sitting on the edge of the tub and the dog is hoping I will let her lick the soap. I cook and I have to watch where I walk, I have two animals circling under my feet. Anyone that has used my bathroom will attest to the fact that the cat seems to lurk by the door waiting for a new sucker to go in, and then he starts his ritual of looking as sad as he can into your eyes while you are perched on the commode. Reaching up with one arm like he is begging for you to pet him. I go to bed and I share that too with both of them, to the point that if I happen to move during the night the dog growls with disgust and annoyance, that I should bother her sleep. I guess when I look at it I am not selfish, just lucky!!! Lucky they let me live in thier house!!!!

My website is fixed!!!! Hurray!!!!!!!!

So Sorry!!

I want to Thank everyone that came to my Open House. It was fun and I got lots of flowers!!! Thanks! Also my website is down, not on your end, but on mine, I can't update it. Of course when I need it most I don't have it. It happened with the move. Tomorrow the IS guy is coming to figure it out...I hope. So when it can be updated I certainly will be doing some serious updates. Until then, I am standing at the top of the basement steps...peering down into a vast sea of brown. Brown cardboard boxes!!!

Mission Accomplished!!

Many of you have met my SIL Cheryl. She is the best Sister in Law anyone could have, she deserves a better name, she is more my friend, supporter, favorite critic. She has NO hobbies!! I know I said it...no hobbies!!! She is a hard worker, likes to shop and grocery shops more than anyone I know, but....no hobbies. While helping me move and carrying bags of yarn around for weeks, I think something rubbed off? Saturday during my open house, she was helping me and I had a pair of square knitting needles with some yarn on it, for people to try. She asked me about it and I showed her and she is addicted. I gave her a book and she is eatting it up....then she has the nerve to ask me, why I never told her it was so addicting? I guess she doesn't remember schleping the million bags of yarn and fiber up from my studio?? So now she is digging through drawers looking for more yarn!! I am so happy, she is finally hooked!!! You will now be seeing her at my Meetups and whatever else she can go to for her addiction!!

Take a deep breath!!!

The time is nearing....Only two more days...till O day!!! Will the Stockings be hung by the chimney? Will the chestnuts be roasted? Will I comb my hair? Probably not..but who cares, while time is flying past me, I am in my recliner, feet up, toe nail polish drying, playing on my laptop? This is how Jan works, wait till the last minute, then work your arse off. Have a panic attack and wonder what the hell is wrong with me? Go and graze in the kitchen...a little Attention Deficit Syndrome here...!!! OK, I'm going downstairs to work as soon as I am finished. Have I told you how much like Christmas it is around here? Oh my the UPS guy and I are on first name basis...I love him, he brings me gifts!!! I think he is a little worried about me, I heard him whisper "Stalker" to his coworker...as I stood in the door of his truck...What can brown do for you? Let me tell you!!! Well it's time to get dressed and assume my position at the window watching for a brown truck!!!

I'm dreaming of a brown cardboard box....

the ones that used to be so fllaaaatttt...While the dumpsters brimming, the store is gleaming with yarns and all my antique stuff!!! I'm dreaming of a.....HELP ME!!! Wake me up from this nightmare!!! NO more boxes!!! I am getting quite creative with them though. NIghtstands, window seats, lampshades..litter boxes. Did I mention ovens, add a lightbulb and by supper time I can have a semi warm TV dinner. Only 7 more days till the opening!!! For my fiber friends that are being kept very busy with Susans Fiber retreat it will be the following weekend!! I wish I could be two places at once. OK so I am checking out the new Louet Victoria wheel....I want to try to spin on it. It fits in a back pack how cool is that? Not that I am hiking anywhere these days. Unless of course it's up and down the stairs. I am sitting in my recliner, with my feet up sipping a cup of Alterra fresh ground coffee and to my left squished in beside me and my laptop are the dog and cat, co-existing side by side, actually head to head.....peacefully....for now. "Joy to the World"!!!!!

My new Open House!!!

For those of you that are getting, switched over to my blog, I better update it!!! I have made the move to my new Store/Home. That does not mean that I have sold my house, so if anyone knows anyone that wants to buy my old house...please help me!!!! I still am not totally settled into the new place, nor moved totally out of the old place...but I am working on it!!!
December 2nd is the Opening day, with the Christmas Stroll in the Market Place. There will be Santa and Carolers and a String Quartet, games for the children and lots of Christmas Cheer!!! That is from 10-4. Then my big Christmas Open House will be December 9th, from 2:00-8:00pm. I will have music, and refreshments....door prizes and Good Cheer!!! I sure hope you can make one of the two events!!! I will have weekly hours to be announced...I know I will be closed on Mondays, no one here at the mall is open Monday. Please stop by!!!
I am located on Hwy 32& Puetz rd. in Oak Creek. My address is 8615 S. Market Place....I can't wait to see you all!!!!

St. Joseph and the Home sale

This is the day, the D-Day....I am signing for the closing on my new store. I am having the POD delivered and I asked for an afternoon delivery but I guess they didn't read the detail instructions and are delivering it between 7-10:am. Let them find it by themselves then. I had dreams last night that they put the POD next door by Bob the dog walker!!! I'm sure I have met him once and he will be thrilled to open his garage to a POD!! This sounds kind of eeiry?
So to St. Joseph...I buried a statue of St. Joseph in the front yard facing the house and had a good Catholic pray while I kind of giggled, thinking this was hypocracy at it's best. Well my theory was I buried St. Joe and 10 minutes later, I would be signing papers to sell my house. After he was deep sixed, it rained and that night I had a dream he was floating out of the ground and down the curb to the sewer. (too many horror movies) It has been two weeks since he was divinely put head first into the ground and I think he suffocated? He isn't doing his trick? Maybe I should go pour some coffee on the sight...a little wake up call? I will be up to my elbows in alligators for a while, so posting will be sparse.....but there will be moments of collapse, so keep in touch.

Fiber Withdrawl

I am sitting here having fiber withdrawl. I have my wheels looking at me, but no fiber, in a house that is full normally? I am about to start digging open boxes looking for some fiber. The cat is even staying away from me for fear I may start spinning his fur. I have been cooking up a storm....real dinners!! I'm talking beef roast, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn....I even baked a cake!!!!! I am drawing close to the closing and not a bid on my home yet? I have St. Joe buried in the front...I guess it has only been a week since we deep sixed him. That thar is a photo of Betty Voodoo felting some dreadlocks for Toy Boy!!!

Too funny!!

I don't know if it was that I was at a wedding, or that I was overcome by the fumes of alcohol. But this photo says it all...I look at it and just crack up. My son stood up for his best friends wedding, and it was so good to see all his friends in the wedding party. It made me cry a little to see the kids that used to run in and out of my house, all grown up. It's not that it makes me feel older, even though I am, it makes me think how fast time goes by. I don't know where the years went from then till now. I look at them and they are all late 20', 30ish, they were just high school kids a moment ago. I was spending Saturday's watching wrestling tournaments, Fridays were football games. Now I am watching them get married off, one by one and soon they will have kids of their own. They were certainly good kids, I never had problems with them. All of them funny, witty and to verify that, they stopped before the wedding at a Magic shop and had all sorts of goofy pranks including a spring loaded microphone to interview people with, an exploding bouquet of flowers, that popped up from a hand full of paper. It was a good time, speaking of time it sure goes by fast.

Missing?

Last time I saw Toy boy, he was head first in a knitting bag. His feet were sticking out with his new black loafers on? I think I saw the bag, hanging on a chair in my now defunct kitchen? Another male in my life, thrown aside, discarded with out a care? But Ken I do care!!! I just didn't need you at the moment, my joy was temporary. You were not being attentive, caring, not to mention, monagomous. Yes I saw the photos of you, leering at other woman, deep diving into the breassstttssss of another. Showing your "Treasure Trail" to unfamiliar females. And the touching...it just kept going on and on....!!! Meanwhile you grinned at me with that frozen smile of yours...daring me to make a comment. Taunting me with that "What are you going to do about it?" look.... And you expect me to care? You expect me to miss you? Well, it is that time of month again...no Toy boy, not that one, the one where I take you to the Fiber Fanatiks. Where you get handled and sometimes new clothes....you really are a whore. See, I miss you when I need you...at least for a good laugh!!!!

Sorry to say Toy boy may be in a box? Have you seen him?

Remember my sewing room??

I just thought I would show you just how much I have busted my butt!!! This is the sewing room...now the show room. I am putting packed boxes into it, against my will but, they have to go somewhere!!! The showing is Sunday and I have the Sewing room and Living room done. You could say I am behind schedule. But I do have 1/2 of my office done, 1/2 of my bedroom done....and the kitchen is a disaster. The basement is a total wreck...and so am I !!!! Calgon take me away!!!!

Speak like a Pirate!!!

Tomorrow is "Speak like a Pirate" day!!!! No it isn't mandatory, but it is kind of fun. Let loose you mangie mongrels and shiver yer timbers. Have a good day!!! News flash!!! I have an open house on Sunday!!!! This is going to be ugly this week. I have a list of stuff to do, and, and, I need another year!!! Maybe I have been watching "Sell this House" too much. I am just so excited about moving that I don't want "Not selling" to steal that thunder. But aaarrrrrrrgggggg, I am pulling up mi boots and grabbing the ship by the wheel. I will be ready and mi crib is gewn to sell. Remember to Speak like a pirate!!! I miss knitting...

Click on me!!! yes right here.

Check this out wenches!! Knit like a Pirate!!! Yer all know about Speak like a Pirate day...don't chew? Well September 19 is official Speak like a Pirate day with a link to Knit like a Pirate. Now mind you, I can't even think of picking up knitting needles, due to increased muscle mass in my upper arms from packing boxes. I would break metal sticks for knitting at this stage of the game. I have also made my knee go into spasms from trying to carry too much at one time, because why make two trips when you can carry it all in one and kill yourself....no need taking all the crap off of the stairway walls when you can wipe it out, carrying two huge garbage bags of yarn, fiber, yarn, and more yarn and fiber. I want to play, I miss playing. I want to knit a black wool hat for a Soldier, I want to knit a pirate bag...for speak like a pirate day. When in reality all I can do is pack schtinking boxes, and speak pirate, in a week...Oh and I have a wonderful story about dog hair, being in the last place you can think of...no kidding

This is how I go, when I go like this...

When ever I go anywhere and it isn't hot out, or freezing, this is my co-pilot. She is intent to see where I am going and how I am driving. She is great company. I have some photos of my stalking victims ex home. In the honor of privacy I am not putting them on the Internet. But now I can stalk them from the privacy of my own living room. They have impeccable taste and I found out the colors I have been bouncing around in my head, for the living room is actually the color they have painted!!! Ha!!! Anne, I won't have to paint!!!!! Also Peggy, is a watercolor artist and I have been ogling her work, she gave me a painting of some red hot chili peppers for a house warming present. How cool is that? I am putting them in my kitchen. I didn't box anything tonight...I was a slacker...besides it was Cheryls birthday so we went out for dinner. I will hit it hard again tomorrow....after work!!!

This is what you can find!!

There are many, many acronyms for cleaning. I think they are SPACE, CLUTTER, STOP, DROP and ROLL all the crap up and wiggle your nose and maybe it will go away. So in taking a break....me mum, did some modeling. Yaaa Vooolllll mum!!!! It's a funny thing, my mom sits in judgement, overlooking each box that is getting stacked up. She has this way of letting you know she "can't believe, all the things you have?" Where do you have all this STUFF? After unpacking this sewing room, to pack it up. I am, myself in amazement on the amount of items one can have in a 9x12 room? I never thought of myself as a good packer, but I must be. To have 400 boxes come from one room, and still be able to move, maybe my mom thinks I'm Houdini. On the other hand, my mom has clothes she wore when they used to go to cocktail parties. She is saving this for some reason and maybe she isn't telling us? As a family we don't want to open any of her closets, she probably still has her first communion dress somewhere. So let this be a lesson to me. It's easy to sit and watch someone haul box after box of crap out of a small room, but be careful of what is behind your own closed door.

Calgon take me away!!!

What the hell was I thinking? How did I think this would get moved from on place to another? Moving fairies? Little elves that come in the night and pack and dust meanwhile I'm dreaming of my new little shop? I already have plans for my sign!!! The boxes in that photo are nothing!!! I have more in my living room, and upstairs. The realtor lady said just get it ready to show! I have to move to do that. I have a system worked out...3 boxes, 1 garbage, 1 goodwill, 1 move. So now I have to run to Goodwill to get rid of a bunch of bags. Not even a dent.....I can see a wall in my sewing room...a wall that I will have to paint in order to sell....so see Annie, I still have to paint. Thank God the weather is holding out, it is cool and I am working up a sweat. I have polished off two pots of coffee and have the shakes. My phone is ringing but I can't find it. Peggy and Bruce, oh yeah, I am on first name basis with the condo owners I bought it from. I am sure they have me pegged as a stalker. Peggy did catch me outside the window taking photos? They get a reprieve from me this weekend they are out of town. They probably have the neighbors keeping an eye out for me. I rented a POD, which is coming Tuesday so anyone interested in lugging boxes, I get home by 4:00pm. Actually my son is coming to help move the looms. I told him, he should consider helping me a whole bunch because this will insure he won't have to do as much when I croak!!!! Well my break is over, back to packing.

I can't contain my excitement

Through a series of unfortunate events, I have a dream come true. I am the proud owner of a little shop/condo, in a quaint little 1880's replica village. It has a bunch of little retail shops, and living quarters above them. I have drooled over this little village for many years, thinking it was an ever elusive dream. By a series of fortunate events, I happened to see an ad in the paper by owner and bid on it and it will be mine in October. My head is swirling!!! Now I have the undaunting task of cleaning the crap out of my house...18 years of it. I have to wear a mask with all the dust I am removing....oh excuse me the "Protective coating"
I have boxes all through my house one in each room and garbage bags one for Good will and one for garbage, the boxes are for packing. I have one box packed and now I don't know where to put it? When I look around I don't know what I packed? I need some chocolate!!!

Stonewood Village show

This is how my booth looked last year. It was 90' in the shade and I of course was sweating like a horse. You know when people say "I sweat like a pig?" Pigs don't sweat.?..now horses really sweat and need to be cooled down, I can relate. So now my story goes like this, it is too humid for muffin here to set up and sit in a booth all day. Needless to say I had to cancel the show and stay home, I am grounded. So I am playing beautician and coloring, highlighting and cutting my hair today!! That's one of my favorite boredom pass times. Now for the real story, my sister asked if I was taking mom along to the show today with me? Uhmmm...she said it would be nice so if you have to go to the bathroom or walk around mom can watch your booth.....hhhhhhmmmmmmm. That would be a "NO!!!!!" One time I took her and she was explaining to the people just how expensive my things were....not good. The last, and I mean very last time, because sometimes we never learn. I was at a very elite show, with very wealthy, shoppers. A very nice woman was making a purchase of a turquise neckscarf, but fondling it at the counter. Dear mom says "Isn't that a beautiful color?" Ok that was good....the lady replies "It's my favorite!" As I take the scarf to wrap it up, mom pipes up with a little story....I had a work out suit that color and I told my friends it was my POLISH (that is not what you do to your nails!!! It is a country in Europe!!!!!) workout suit!!!! The lady looked at mom as I was crawling under the table and said "I am Polish!" I gave my mom, one of those...looks...you give a very bad child...kind of like...I am going to KILL you!!! She looks at me with total surprise and says..."Whaaaaaatttt???????"
What did I do?" I kindly told that lady to please excuse my mom, but I just took her out of the HOME, and I couldn't get a sitter. The lady gently nodded and smiled, paid for her scarf and left.... last time she came along!!!

Joeys wanna be!!

My little fur niece, is very standoffish, but.....she loves Joey. So whatever Joey does, she does. If Joey sits on my lap, as soon as she leaves up comes my niece Maggie, and sits just like Joey and lets me touch her and pet her...a rare occurance. So I had to show this photo, as Maggie sets on my lap and gloats over Joey!!! I have another one showing her red collar for proof, but it looked more like I was restraining her. I am off tomorrow so I am going to go make myself a cappacchino and stay up late!!!

New Cargo pants for Toy boy

Beth from Krosha` is the first to make Toy Boy a new pair of pants!!!! Pretty snazzy and they fit pretty darn good.



I went tonight to Wednesday knitting at Krosha` and as always it is a fun group and we passed Ken around and ate Pizza and spinach dip and Beths store cat, Jack, decided to walk on the duct work, the length of the store.


I think he does this all night long and had to show off his mountain lion techniques to the Ladies in the room. Males you know....he had a captive audience and as he tight rope walked the duct work and showed his jumping expertise, you could see the pride on his face. Oh on a side note, I have been absent from blogging due to a broken water heater. Oh yes, yet another disaster on the home front. This was not just a not working water heater but a leaking river one. Why not? So after two days of no hot water I am once again in business and a hot bath was the first thing on my agenda.

Where's Lois???

HHHHmmmmmm, Friday I was out running around and had a need for yarn. So I stopped at Kro`sha to get a little fix. Actually I was looking for the book...Mason/Dixon knitting? I ended up spending grocery money. Which by the way means if anyone wants to invite me for dinner, my dance card is empty!!! The book is awesome and seeing as though it is my new addiction....you know how addictions go. Kim Ogle has written a really neat FairIsle mitten pattern, I had to have. So as I was driving to the front of Kro'sha my eyes did an immediate search for the little green Tracker? hhhhmmmmm I don't see it? Could it be? I do hope it's not in the garage getting fixed again? Nope, Lois was not to be seen. Probably a good thing, because she would show me what she is working on and I would need more yarn and on and on...Thank you Lois for not being there!!!!! Irishfest is this weekend and let me tell you it is a big event. My Aunt and Cousin come up from Illionois, every year to spend at least one full day on the Lake. They dress from head to toe in Greenery and drink Guiness and McSogal or something like that? We met them for dinner last night and this is a photo of my Cousin Sue, Aunt Ann, brother Scott, me mum, and sister in law, Cheryl (who I might add, has had a little wine!!!.) I look forward to seeing them each year, and wish it were more often. I finished spinning and plying the Yak, it is drying. I am babysitting this afternoon for the "babies" I am excited!!!!

Classic Cool

Well Toy boy is sporting his new duds. I realize the dress pants and tie are a little out of my league, but the sweater rocks. It fits better than any sweater I have made for myself. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment, most scarves fit but sweaters? Awesome!!! I found shoes and pants for him, although the pants are a unitard!!! Shirt, tie and pants all in one so you will be seeing them often or until he gets another pair of pants. Jeans would be cool. Like Betty said a flannel shirt, jeans and a chainsaw to boot, add a fishing pole, log cabin and call me Mrs!!!!! It is Friday, Thank God for Fridays!!!!! Tomorrow I have an Aunt and Cousin that come from Illinois for Irishfest so we will meet up with them for dinner. Tonight I am going to my sons for dinner and movie, or take out and a movie or a movie!!! and chips?

Toy Boy sweater

Poor Toy boy was feeling a little exposed, so I thought I might knit him a twisted cable sweater. It isn't long enough to cover his John Henry yet, so I had to lower it a little, I don't think it will be that long. Then again knowing my guage, this could be a sweater for the dog. Hopefully this will be another finished project...talk about huge undertakings!!! hahahaha I am using Mountain colors, I forgot which color but it is a wonderful mannish color.

Yak it up!!!

Yes I am spinning Yak, it is a wonderful fiber but reminds me of spinning cotton. It has a very short staple, so, much twist is needed, but not too much to make it stringy. It has been beautiful weather, and I am really enjoying sitting on my roof, soaking up the cool breeze that is causing some to walk by with "Sweaters" on? I wish I could say I was that "cool"? Unfortunately, I am still warm, but close to comfortable. Will this ever end? I am going to strangle "Precious" alias Big Mouth, aka Joey. I can't keep the front door open for fear that someone may by chance decide it is their right to walk their dog down our street!!! Or a squirrel, may sit in the front tree making faces at the dog, knowing full well she can't get out and rip her head off. Then there is little Peter Rabbit, that has to do acrobatics in the front yard while humming nananananananananaaaa. All this and then someone has the nerve to walk past our house with a dog? I have a deadbolt holding the jumping, barking hyena back to keep all trespassers safe, from the bolting wild dog!!! But this barking is driving me insane. So while I am on the roof, and someone walks by, Joey goes ballistic and starts her protective warning and I gently (Like animal trainers say) try to divert her attention, to something more calming...(like a tub full of water) and finally make her go into the house for punishment. Problem is she stares out the screen with this look like...what did I do? I love you mom? Big brown eyes staring and not flinching one bit. Intense...Ok she wins and we start all over again.

Camels anyone?

When I was in high school, I had a very good friend, her name was Linda. Linda and I behaved badly...all the time. We wondered why no one would ask us on dates. I will give you a synopsis of our outrageous behavior. We bought round sunglasses and took turns pretending we were blind and leading each other around.....We pretended to talk a foreign language, of our making......senior year we had an art teacher that found it easier to let us do "our" own thing in the hallway then disrupt his class, so we played on the stairway and found we could drag ourselves up and down the steps without using our legs, because our legs were paralzyed? We put a bugger on the wall to see how long it would be, before someone would touch it? And we would check on it. eeewwww, and we wondered why we didn't have dates? Senior project was to design and fly paper airplanes and see how far they would fly. We built ours out of cardboard and had everyone believing we were going to sit in it and fly off of the roof. Like that happened. We met these guys and told them to pick us up at 8ish by her house, we dressed in a dog and cat costume and I mean real furry ones, and while they were waiting for us, we came down the stairs meowing and barking....they left. Our last hurrah was a long time in the planning. We got our graduation gowns and skipped out of school and went and sat on the camels in front of the Shriners temple on Wisconsin ave. She has the photos, I have got to get them!!! She enlisted in the service and we wrote each other almost daily, she got out on a honorable medical discharge. We hung out the rest of the summer and our lives began to change. I met my first husband and she was dating his friend, it was a fun summer. She got married to the love of her life and began having children and I got married and we kind of went seperate ways. I missed our laughing till our stomachs hurt. We fell into the trap of growing up. With age comes death and as I have gotten older I read the obits, I must confess. I saw a photo of a familiar face and a smile that is inforgettable, in the obits. It was Lindas brother, he was a great guy and lots of fun. My heart sunk, but he must have touched a lot of lives they had a write up about him in about 5 different newspapers. I had to find my friend, and through the obits I found her new last name. I called her, and we couldn't stop talking. We are going to get together next week. I can hardly wait!!!! Meanwhile...Lois is sucking up to Toy boy!!! He's mine Lois....hands off!!! Ok you can touch him. I won't tell you what else she did with him...what happens at Jannys stays at Janny's.

Mosaic scarf

I finished a project!!!! AAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWwwwwwaaaaaaa, rays of light come down from the heavens!!!! The mosaic scarf is finished and "Toy Boy" really digs it. The weekend is over..how come they go so fast and the week drags? It kind of is right up there with, ice cubes shrinking down to nothing in the freezer? Socks disappearing in the washer....I have two things that have disappeared on me. Catapulted into the atmosphere, lost in oblivion, not to be found. Snowpants and earrings...now I figure someone may be wearing black zip up snow pants and my silver cross earrings to some ice fishing jamboree. I don't care about the snow pants anymore, I would only be able to pull them up to my knees, so they wouldn't be any help, but the earrings I dearly miss and after years I keep looking for them. My dad and I made them, together when I was in high school. It was my jewelry project and it was a nice silver cross set of earrings and necklace, very plain and simple and gone? Dad helped me cut them out with the coping saw and filing them and polishing. Then when my son enlisted in the Marines and was going off to Boot camp, the only jewelry he could wear was religious, so I sent him off with the cross and I wore the earrings. I took them off and vaguely remember putting them into something....(little box, dish, cup?) that was it, they vanished. Sometimes when I clean....I did say sometimes, I keep thinking I may run into them. They have been gone for over 10 years, I don't think they will be back. I hope who ever has them....is allergic to silver.

New Toy Boy

I read the Yarn Harlot blog, each day. With each day she gives us a glimpse of her wonderful, busy, life with husband Joe and three growing girls. Her traveling and writing and speaking to many many knitters. Then there is the, sock. The traveling sock...the sock that so many knitters and non knitters want to fondle. Some have no idea why they are holding a sock and getting their photos taken and others push to get a chance to hold the sock. I have to say, I am a little envious of the sock. It lays at the feet of Stevie Ray Vaughn...is held by famous actors and knitters and, and...yarn is sent to the Harlot in hopes of being chosen for the next "Sock" . Yarn is begging to be the next to sacrifice it's ply to become the next "Sock". Who would have thought, others would make socks to have their photos taken with the "Sock"? I'm sure sheep are starting to line up at shearing time wondering if they are donating their wool that will someday become ....the "Sock" yarn!!! Well move over "Sock" I have found a rival to the sock....the new, next, "Sock"!! It is the Toy Boy!! Naked Ken!!! Knitters everywhere will want to touch Toy Boy, they will want to knit for Toy Boy....scarves, sweaters, socks. He will be loved by every woman and some men. He won't wear out like the sock (and some men I knew.) He is easy to travel with and he doesn't talk. He doesn't need the remote and never messes with the toilet seat. He won't say he doesn't like the color of his sweater, or it's too tight, too big or too hot. He will be the envy of the "Sock" He will go to knitting parties and drink coffee with us and never complain, he will like it. He will travel and be blogged. So problem is the only Toy Boy I could find has on swimming trunks and a Tshirt, but it beat the Tuxedo Groom Ken, that one scared me. They also don't sell clothes anymore. So this is your chance to get your sweater, scarf, pants or any knitted or crocheted item, blogged. Toy Boy needs clothes!!! The first spread of a nude Burt Reynolds, was in Cosmopolitan, here is Toy Boy in his first centerfold. Have a great Friday!!!

A Northerner

The photo is my livingroom window curtain, which normally lays quite close to the window or window frame. But!!! and I say that with great relief...it is a wonderful northern wind, that actually 5 minutes earlier made the curtains stand straight out into the livingroom. This is great!!! It is cool, I did say Northern wind!!! So I am sitting here, sucking it up!!! I am having a cup of coffee, and relaxing....I am off tomorrow!!!! Welcome long weekend!! Now to watch Greys Anatomy.

Bagged!

I have finished the Mosaic knitting bag. I really, really like Mosaic knitting. There is no yarn to carry along and it doesn't get so messy as fair isle. I am still working on the scarf that I have a photo of earlier, I am a good way through it. I am actually committed to it and have been working on it each evening. Hey who turned the heat on again? Yesterday was soooo nice, I was out on the roof and in the hammock, and I was actually comfortable. This morning it was cool and then "BAM" in comes the heat...let the sweat begin. Remember the candy rocks in the photo? That is all that is left of them....I mean the photo. What can I say they are chocolate.

Childhood Memories

When I was a kid, my grandparents lived in Upper Michigan and we would go visit them, pretty often. This was a long trip for us kids, which meant, my brother 5 years younger and myself. About 45 minutes in real time outside of town was a Magical Place called Treasure City. It was in Fond du lac for local friends. When my dad got off of work, the car would be packed and we would be ready and excited for our weekend. What seemed like a million miles from home we would start looking for these signs on the side of the road. They were like sideways picket signs painted red with white lettering, and said things like..Treasure City 20 miles ahead. The signs were stategically placed and got closer and closer together and believe me we read everyone. Suspense on every sign....World's largest Man eating clams...Treasures from under the sea..Pearls from genuine oysters....Alligators....Baby alligators...... On and on these signs would entice us and our excitement would be uncontrollable. Daddy can we stop? We'll see...Both of us would discuss with great enthusiasm...Man eating clam....eewww how scary is that...Maybe we can see it eat a man? yeah maybe. Alligators, mom can we have an alligator? Daddy can make a cage for it, can't you Daddy? Hey it says Treasure city, only 500 feet ahead daddy slow down...daddy....it's right there hey, dadddddddyyyyyy. Aaawwww you missed the driveway, you can turn around, No I can't turn around with the trailer on, maybe on the way home. With great disappointment we would sit back down and discuss all the cool stuff they would have and how much we would buy and on and on, that would be on our trip home. Well this went on for years, when finally I think I was 12, we got to stop. Maybe it was our years of begging that finally broke their will, but we stopped. It had all of the coolest junk you can imagine, it was a kids dream. Every hokie gimmiky kid thing including Daniel Boone coonskin caps. Shells that when you put them in water they opened and little silk flags came out. Gemstones and shells and seahorses, and real baby alligators. But the most disappointing thing was the clam...the man eating clam. We both scoured the store looking for the clam, is it dinner time for this monster? Are we in time to watch it devour some unsuspecting shopper? Way in the back of the store about 4 feet off of the floor, all lit up was the infamous clam. Dead, dried out and painted bright pink!!! It was big alright, but it didn't open and close and eat humans? It was full of cheap junk for sale, trinkets. We didn't want to look disappointed, it would mean our parents were right about it being a gimmick. We just kind of walked away and looked for some junk to buy with our 50 cents. One of my favorite things was candy rocks. I would eat them and other kids would think I was eating rocks..that's how I planned this. I would put them in my hand and when they would say "Hey look at all of those cool rocks" I would gobble them up...it was a great scam, but after playing with the rocks for a few minutes I ate them all....so much for cool. I still hold a fascination for them.

You know you're a Redneck if.....

You get married at a Bass Pro Sporting Good store lobby!!!! Now seriously, I like Bass Pro, I can drop a lot of money there, it's like a yarn store. I can get caught up in the shopping frenzy with Scott and Cheryl just as well as I can get into the same frenzy with my Fiber friends. But really a wedding, in the main entrance, with thousands of strangers gawking in disbelief or wonderment? I personally walked in while Scott and Cheryl were window shopping outside. I wanted to get into the air and proceeded to plop down on one of the couches around the fireplace. I looked around and saw two guys in cowboy hats standing "at ease", I thought that looks weird, and then I saw a few woman all dressed up, feeling a little underdressed for this group, I started looking around a little more and moved from the center couch, which would have put me front and center on the wedding guest list. I moved to the outside window sill, and still trying to figure out why this woman, who let me tell you broke one of my laws of life...SPANDEX
Spandex should be made illegal for two body shapes ....one is mine, and the other is skinny women that look like cricket legs in spandex....I know it is comfortable but ppppuuuullllleeeeeezzzz look in the mirror.
So this woman had on a blue spandex casing with sparkles, and high heels that laced up to her knees...Ok I know I may offend some of you but I am a Birky baby, but I did do a good slutty dress look, back in the "Day". So here I am caught up in this wedding, (wondering where she found my old dress)? I had to, could not restrain myself from a photo op. After all, I was in line with three other wedding guests, and wondering where the heck Scott and Cheryl were? In comes the bride to the humming of the tune..."Here comes the Bride?" me included...what can I say I got caught up in the moment!!! In walks Scott and Cheryl through the door to the left there in the photo. Cheryl not missing a beat decided she would try to become invisible with Scott in tow...not happening. They pulled (dragged) me away from the Wedding and the gathered workers gawking in disbelief at the wedding in their store. Cheryl was pulling at my shirt, as I was scanning the area for the cake...where's the cake? I love wedding cake. I love any cake!!!

Quit lurking and Comment!!

I know there are a few of you that are lurking around out there. Reading and thinking man my life is exciting compared to hers. Leave a comment. For a short time I will take the security letters off to make it easier. The reason for the letters is to confirm you are a real person and not a computer spamming the blog!! It is so cool when someone you don't know or recognize comments. So this is kind of a weird subject but years ago I used to go to this restaurant in West Allis, called the Chalet. They had a good Fish Fry and Pretty darn good food. They also had a waitress that was very much like a typical flu, from Mels diner. She was very friendly and called everyone "Honey" or "What do you kids want?" She was a very nice lady. Now there is a thing called Six degrees of separation, which means we are all connected to one another by 6 or less people. It seems bizarre and you think, "How can someone know me in California, blah blah blah. I didn't write the theory, but the older I get the more it seems to be true. I work with a woman, who's mom has been ailing for some time. We share a small locker room and she works second and I work first so our paths cross at 2:45 when she is coming to work and I am leaving. We have a very nice group in our locker room, there are six of us and we all work in the trades. Well anyway, getting back to the story. The one woman's mother passed away that was ailing. I checked the paper for the notice and before I even got to the name, I saw a photo of the waitress from the Chalet...in the death notices...and it was the woman from my locker rooms mom. I was for a moment excited, I knew her mom!!!! I knew her, she was a fun waitress and, and, and she is my locker room friends mom? Wow....maybe we are all connected by 6 degrees of separation?

Mosaic knitting

I have found Mosaic knitting or slip stitch to be a lot of fun, easy but complicated looking. This is a small bag made with 50% soy and 50% silk. The yarn is called Karaoke, I will be teaching this in Spring at Fiberwood Studio. It is really easy and you are only working with one color at a time so there is no carrying all of those different colors. The color repeat on this was very long so I had to do some progressive knitting. In other words I advanced the colors by myself, not through the process of knitting. I have to wash the bag and block it and then add the handle and finishing touches. But I like it, so much that I am doing a scarf which I will show later. It has cooled off here some and it is a welcome relief. My garden or weed bed is pretty weedy and dry. I have some flowers in pots that I actually have been watering and they are doing well. If you want to get a good laugh read the Harlots blog, she explains her hat head and it is too funny. Her mom says it all!!!

Virgin Photo

I got it...my new camera! It is sleeker and more compact than the old one. That only means I can dig that much longer for it in my knitting bags. Remember those old ones that were the size of a lunch box? Couldn't loose them in a purse!!! How about Polaroids, they were fun, expensive but fun...the excitement peeling back the developing paper only to find another black, blurry photo. I tend to get attached to my camera, it is a big part of how I express myself, but I had no problem packing up the old one and sending it off today!!! Bye bye! So...that leads me to my first photo, Tinker. Now look at the first photo, he looks so cute and cuddly when he doesn't look at the camera. And he is..

But check out the evil face when he looks right at the camera....mean kitty!!! When in fact he is an affection whore. He was first to come out of his cool hiding spot to check out the new camera. I am beat, from the heat and I will do more tomorrow.

My Sunday Morning

I woke up to a very black and scary looking sky, it was relatively cooler than it had been the day before. I sipped my coffee and toyed with the thought of the Birthday party we were going to attend early in the afternoon. Then there was thunder, lightning and it seemed night was rolling in. The phone rings, it is a call of distress, it's my mom...my car won't start? I'll come over and pick you up and we'll decide what to do, it's too early nothing is open. I brace myself and venture into the stormy weather, fearless and brave...wind lashing at my face. Ok, I was panicking and crapping my pants whilest lightning is flashing all around me. Terror is freaking me out, and I am questioning what the heck I am doing running around in this storm. Oh that's right my mom's battery is dead. I take her to my house and leave her to go change her battery. My dad was a mechanic, he owned foreign cars for the last 30 years of his life and I figure he would have some metric tools. I go into the garage, and the swearing begins. It's dark in the garage, oh there's lights by the front door, but nothing where I need it. I find a trouble light and extension chord, things are going great. I think the wattage on that bulb was 40 watts? So I lift the hood check it out and begin my hunt for tools, maybe just a wrench, a generic adjustable would work? I find open end wrenches in American sizes but nothing in metric, this sucks. I am sweating and my asthma isn't being helped by this venture...I find a pliers that came from the Ark. I get the post clamps off and the battery holder, pull the battery out and off to the store I go. While I am in the checkout, my phone rings, it's my brother. Hey what are you doing? I tell him he asks if I need help and I say no but if he knows where some metric tools are in this huge junky garage? He says he is coming over to fix mom's front door, I say bring tools. I put it all back together, the car starts all is good and then the caped crusader arrives in time with the proper tools. Now I love my brother alot but he is anal to the point that I almost branded his forehead with the 40 watt trouble light. When someone does something he has this unconcious habit of undoing what they did and redoing it to be sure it's right. No one can do anything right but him. This pisses me off and he doesn't think he did it and I was watching him!!! We exchange nasty glares and I am holding the trouble light and his forehead is about 4" away....I take a deep breath and I mention the fact that I should press this on his head...and we both break out laughing. I really just wanted to deck him.......jerk!!!! I am making him a cape!!! All is well, seeing as though HE did it right. I hope to have photos of the puppies with their new outfits on.

Sweat Lodge

I could show you the inside of my house if you were really curious as to what a sweat lodge looks like, (remember I don't have a camera....yet!) but this is a Lakota sweat lodge, which isn't too different from other Nations. I actually am not sweating in the house but every once in a while I feel the urge to poke my head outside and see if it is "Really" as hot as it seems...Oh yeah, it is. I have moved from the couch to the recliner and back to the couch, then I peruse the kitchen for I don't know what and back again. I feel a tad bit caged. Tomorrow is the babies birthday, they will be one. I made them each an embroidered blanket with their name on it. Maggie's is Pink polka dots with Bambi, and Riley is dalmation print with a Dalmation tangled in his leash and his name on it. Joey will be bringing it to them in her back pack!!! I'm sure she will take this job, very seriously. Lois, I will post a photo of her in her tiger coat, that she loves to wear...really!!! My Precious is pretty wild, but when I needed her to fit a doggie jacket she assumed the position, stood still like a statue and allowed me to fit the jacket to her and was terribly serious about this job. It cracked me up, she never sits still. Gotta go it's time for me to take a lap in the kitchen once again. I think I am wearing a path.

Dear Fed Ex Person

I know they just sent my camera on Thursday, but I thought I might get it today....I heard a truck..I ran to the window. UPS...I got the tracking number, I am tracking it. I know it was in Aurora, Illinois on Thursday...today it is in Chicago and due to go out at 1:04am. Please let Fed Ex deliver on Saturday!!!! I will be waiting, early, 5ish. It says probable delivery on Monday...I'm sure it will be here tomorrow...pppuuuulllleeeeezzzzzeeeeee!!!!!! So my lungs feel like I am a chain smoker. I am seriously considering getting an oxygen tank. I want to get a full lung of fresh air, I am grounded to the house until Fall. I am not thinking about the future weather reports, I am thinking how great it is to be home for the weekend. I have been mosaic knitting, two projects actually. One is a small bag and another a scarf, kind of a "Man" scarf. Hopefully tomorrow I can put a photo up. Keep cool, check on old people and animals, and drink lots of water!!!

Bummed out!!!

I went to do a photo for the blog last night, and the flash didn't go off. Ok, the battery may be low, so I put it in the charger and today I put it back into the camera. Excited about the Mosaic knitting photo, once again the flash didn't go off. This camera is maybe 2 yrs. old tops. I love my camera, so out comes the book. The lightning bolt means flash, alright that is done and no flash, maybe it's too light. Down into the basement, no flash. OK, there is a support number to call, Hi, my flash won't go off on my camera....well you can send it in and it will minimally cost $110.00 plus $10.00 shipping and handling or behind door number two you can get another camera, a better and newer model for $149.00. Well is there a service center I can take it too? Yes the closest one is in Oak Park, Illinois. Great options...so I make a house payment or buy another camera. So with a matter of juggling finances I am getting the new camera. Can you imagine minimum 110 bucks? I guess for $40 more dollars I am getting the better deal, actually I think the better deal is they should fix the dam thing, it's probably only the light bulb. Oh and the cards that I use won't work in my new camera of course. Technology gets updated so quickly, sometimes it's hard to keep up. So I am anxiously awaiting my new technological acquisition.

Heavy Breathing

Heavy breathing for two reasons...we are under storm watch. I could just die during storms. I am better than I ever was, but that isn't saying much. My fear of storms goes back to childhood, doesn't it always. We had no basement, fear number one. The newspeople would be telling us to head for shelter, seek a basement, or a place away from windows and doors. You all know the drill. We had no basement and no place without windows or doors. I wanted to be adopted by someone that had a basement. So I would grab a blanket and sit in the corner by the back door. I think my dad designated that as "the spot". Meanwhile he would be walking around outside looking for the "twister" aaaacccckkkkkkk I would beg them to take cover and they would ignore me. Not an easy thing to do, I'm sure they thought I would outgrow it. My little fur nephew is freaked out by storms also, which brings me to a very funny story of heavy breathing.
We have a Monday night spinning group (spinning fiber not bike peddling crap) it was stormy to the point I had second thoughts of driving to my friend Lois's. In came all the "Bags" ( a term of endearment, for all of us woman carrying tons of bags, full of fiber and yarn.) We were about an hour into the night and it was storming, to beat the band. One of the woman had to use the bathroom and when she was through she came out laughing so hard she could hardly speak. Seems she was sitting on the toilet and could hear heavy breathing, very heavy breathing. The only place she knew someone could be hiding is in the bathtub. She slowly pulled the shower curtain aside a little fearful of whom she may find in the tub...it was the dog in the tub, freaked out by the storm. Trighton isn't around anymore but he sure has left a great memory.
I am breathing heavy because, I am going to do some "Frogging" after I post this. For those of you that are not knitters Frogging is a term used when you Rip it...get it....Ok, say it three times fast....Kermie....!!! My lesson today is when knitting a sock with a ripple pattern, don't use handpainted yarn....I'm sure I have heard this before, but needed to attempt it to find out for myself.

Kool Aid, Kool Aid, tastes great, wish we had some.....

This is the finished Kool Aid dyed wool, with it I am going to make a Fruit Loop necklace....ahhhh now I have your attention. I am going to felt little slubs onto chainette and make a loop and voila.

This photo is a picture of the demo necklace from my Felting class, "Accessories" at Fiberwood Studio. It was fun to make and thought Kool Ade dyed wool would only add to the fun. Tomorrow, I am going to go to Cathedral Square Market, it is supposed to be cool. Tonight I am going to a bonfire with makings for some mors!!!! First I am having a Cappachino in my new cup set!!! I have priorities.

Nano Nano

Wow!!! We had one heck a storm last night....even I woke up and moved to the recliner downstairs. I am very, very, scared of storms and I just know that the lightning will avoid the huge cherry tree in the backyard and opt for my bedroom ceiling!!! So I retreated to lower ground. This is actually, and I hate to confess to this, the time of year when I have a bedroll down in the basement under the concrete washtubs. I have a little nest down there, just for storms. A gallon of water, a crank/battery radio/flashlight, blankets and some fun stuff. I am virtually 10 steps away from my studio so there are lots of toys. I have had to run down there when I hear a warning siren and it ends up being a comedy of errors!! If ever you try to run somewhere within your home with a cat and dog, you will relate. ie; phone rings and the cat saunters in low gear swinging his tail, one foot in front of you, you can't go around, over, only over. Sirens go off, or sky gets a little threatning, I head for the basement. I have a dog on my heels that thinks we are playing and won't let the cat come down. I have my hand on the doorknob and the cat is playing roll over and stretch, two feet away as I am screaming to "Come Tinker!!! This only encourages him to do a Cello stance and lick his balls, at that point I say, "Kiss them goodbye, while you're at it," as I'm closing the door. This is one thing I am prepared for, the animals are not. They also love to walk all over me when I am laying on the floor, attempting to sleep, under the washtubs. I know just how heavy the washtubs are because I have tried to lift them and they are going to be there after I am dead and gone!!! Unless of course someone takes a sledgehammer to them, which actually crossed my mind, but after thinking the whole job through and the fact that I would have to carry each pail of broken up concrete up the stairs and then get rid of it..I have learned to love thier appeal. And the fact that they are my protection in a storm, is comforting. I have finished quilting the quilt, which is called, the Roman stripe. I have to cut and fold the binding and sew it on. Not bad for 12 years of work!!! Hey is anybody out there?