Afternoon with the Phantom

My birthday present from my son and dil was to go see the Phantom of the Opera. I love opera and was so disappointed when I went to see Madam Butterfly, the sadness of the whole situation didn't come across very well and the settings and costumes were dull and lifeless. If by chance you have even thought about going to see Phantom, run don't walk, it was breathtaking and no I didn't do my best Christine imitation, although it was coming up my throat and I suppressed it till I got home and then sang like a canary......well on steroids that is. It was a wonderful afternoon and would not hesitate to see it again. Now I will watch the movie again and sing some more....
I worked some more on the fiber bar and found some really cool stuff to spin, tomorrow....all day, that is my plan and I"m sticking to it.

Life's Gauge

You know, we are all very busy, some of us have busy stressful jobs. Some of us are raising families and have the pressures that go along with that. Some of us are doing Charity work and running ourselves silly. Do you know that your life is not gauged by how busy you are and how many minutes in a day you are involved in work, sports, hobbies, family etc? Did you know that this is as stressful as a 60 hour work week? Did you also know because you have stacked each minute of the week with "stuff" it is you that have taken this upon yourself and not someone else? So you shouldn't act like it is their fault you have to run, run run. I don't know what our lives are gauged on in the end, but I am quite sure it isn't how much pressure you have endured, that is the Martyr syndrome. I grew up with the martyr syndrome, not me, I think I learned through childhood survival tactics that if you want to be a matyr that is fine, it is not my gig. I am still in the learning process of saying "No" not in a mean way, but as a survival method!!! Yes you can use No as a survival technique, it really can save your life, a simple no. This is applicable in almost any situation, like.....Can you join this group, we need to suck your brains out of you and help better ourselves.....that would be a "Sorry no" Can you help our group solicit for ........,,,mmmm no although I am very supportive, sorry I just can't ..no
Once you get into the habit it is much easier to pick and choose if you wish, and wish is such a wonderful word!!! Wishing is a fun word....I wish I could, I wish I were...I wish I didn't join the bowling team and pool league and spread myself so thin, that I am ornery. We need to take time to breath, take time to play, take time for your family, not for babysitting for socializing. Our lives get so pumped full of time suckers that we need to stay home and read a book, watch TV, or a Movie, listen to an opera, now when was the last time you lit your candles, made yourself a drink of choice, turned the lights down low and turned on some classical relaxing music and put your feet up and relaxed, no conversation, just the sound of music....picturing the ochestra playing thier instruments, drawing the bow on a violin, cello. Your life is your responsibility and it will pass you by before you know it. Take time to play and relax, it is good for you and it will make you happier to face the day!!!
Warning: The relaxing thing can become addictive, I love to do fun relaxing Janny things, I am special and I deserve it, and so are you!!!! I love my addiction

Never ever update your computer

My lap top which I just got back and had to jump through hoops to get to sinc with my main computer, needed an upgrade. Some software needed it so I agree and hit the OK button and now I can't get to the internet???? I am so frustrated I could cry!!! You know when computers work they work great but when they don't, you sit there and look dumbfounded. I have tried everything and am now second guessing myself. Indeed I am worried that I will screw it up totally and I know it is just one click away from finding my Mac Airport, but I can't find that one darn click. I take deep breaths and am just tired of trying.

Twitter

I have just spent the morning doing trial and error to upload a photo backround for Twitter. Oh yeah just about the whole morning. I finally thought hhhhmmm google how to do it and voila!!! done!!! Isn't the internet wonderful, when it isn't sending you Penis enlargement stuff and hot babes that really want me, junk. It sometimes takes a lot of computer time to keep up with pushing your product or yourself. I wish I could afford to hire someone but that isn't happening and it really keeps me up to date on what is going on, also there is no depending on someone else to do your updates. I am so excited about the fiber bar that is to start in September. You can come in, mix up some fiber salad with all sorts of stuff, glitz, mohair, silk use the drum carder,make your batt and then top off the batt with some Special Croutons of silk cocoons, toy cowboys, noodles, silk rods, springs and so much more. You will be making a one of kind batt. Join in the fun, if you don't spin you will want to.

Do these glasses make me look taller????

I rarely take my glasses off when I go for a walk, but in the rain the last couple of days it was a choice between looking through raindrops on the glass, or no glasses!!! I can see far like an eagle but close has gotten even farther! So when I take my glasses off to walk, I feel short, so I put them on and I walk taller!!! How could this be??? When I was working we all got bifocals at about the age of 40 and we were all walking like Trigger the horse counting his age. We would put one foot out and test the water, then put our foot down gently and hope to land on it. We were all laughing at each other because of course we were in the same boat. So now, I keep my glasses on when I walk so I feel like the taller version of myself!!!!

Snuck up on me

It was early this morning and I took Iggy for his usual walk duty call. I was walking on a normally desolate sidewalk and he kept looking off toward the sunrise. Feeling that I too may be missing a beautiful sight I zoned out looking east too, and there she was a jogger almost ran me over and then got tangled in Iggys leash. I jumped in a panic and she kind of sighed??? There is a code among most people coming on on someone unsuspecting, it's called "excuse me" or "behind you" Waitresses use this and polite people not wanting to scare someone use it. She had her headphones plugged in so I guess that entitles utopia. I never heard her coming, I must be getting old. Not to mention the guard dog never once looked towards her, she was a light foot. Unlike if I were a runner, you would be sure to hear me clompping along, which brings me to a funny story. It is much better told in person because you need the visual. My son and I were going to brunch after a show, he suggested outdoor seating and I thought it a great idea, so off we go and park directly south of the seating but 1/2 block away. We were walking and all of a sudden my toe got caught on a raised piece of sidewalk, now everyone reading this will go, "Oh I know what that is" . I was a gonner, my feet were traveling about 1/2 a nano second behind my body, which was now horizontal to the ground from my waist up, to help get my balance I had my arms extended like the biggest Canadian Goose you can imagine. As I flew past my son he heard me coming with this clop clop clop of my birkies slapping the concrete, he looked at me in complete amazement and said I didn't realize you were in such a hurry! by the time he finished I was almost to the diners, and looking for a soft place to land....clop clop clop resonates in my head to this day!! I pulled back like a 747 taking off the runway and never fell. I was embarrased to say the least and I was sure everyone was looking. I said 'do we have to eat here?" my son said not if you don't want to, but, you looked pretty excited there for a moment!!" I wonder who raised him?

My beloved goes home to Apple

What am I to do, I really hadn't realized how addicted I was to my baby laptop. You see while I am in the quiet of my real life and behind the scenes of the shop, I am still working. I jot down creative thoughts, ideas, lessons and more. I write stupid blurbs about my life. I play Mai Jong or this other Amazon Expediton or something like that. I cruise, peruse and lurk, other blogs. I may have to turn on TV.... I know I will reach to my left side to feel the smoothness of his skin, next to me on the couch, the security of his presence, only to find the rough cloth of the arm on the sofa. PS I finally can bring him back to the couch after little Iggy ate the connecting cable, right after I brought him home. I will miss my little Apple. They told me he could return, as early as this week.....oh please tell me it's true!!! How quick we become engaged with a computer. Whenever I have a question about something, I turn to the net. This is the heartstopper, I may not be able to cook.....no recipes....no just kidding, I hate cooking anyway so that is a good excuse....no excercise, I actually do lift the laptop from the couch to my lap, does that count as lifts???? Oh well it will be back before I know it...I hope!!!! I can't wait to see what I forgot to backup!!! Yes I did say back up !!!!
That photo is not my laptop , mine has not picture, mine has nothing but darkness, no sound, like a black hole......

The lights went out!!

My blogging is now limited to my main computer. What this means is when I get this sudden urge to tell a story, I won't. My laptop which is my left hand companion in my home, turned black. I opened it and it was black , no sound to start up no nothing, the battery is charged...nothing. I did all of the finger aerobics that they suggest the push control, command and p and r, that requires fingers like ET? Nothing happened, I almost cried....good news, it is under warranty and Apple is great about that. Apple ranks high in my book, so this morning at 10am I will be standing at the door with my silver friend under my arm...hoping it was something stupid, something I did inadvertantly?? I really don't think so .....
My shop stinks, like a cross between stinky socks and poop!!! I have been hunting it down and nothing is coming up till last night I realized I got a shipment of 1 kilo of silk cocoons and silk waste....uuuhhhhh that is it, in that quantity it stinks, so I am also picking up a rubbermaid air tight container to box in that stink.
You see today was my day to stay home after taking Iggy to day care, they picked up my old loom and now I can open my new loom....I have to do the old rearranging, and juggling and keep the junk from filling in, but the World has a way of saying, go take a bath and get ready to do errands. Shucks!!!

Am I wrong???

I have a question for you? If I buy a sandwich and ask for extra bacon, I have to pay for it...right? I understand that one, but then how come when you say "No bacon" you pay the same?? Just take your two little fingers, and pick it off, and don't charge me more??? Take off the amount you add when I ask for more bacon?? and I know you are touching my food otherwise. so don't pull it's not sanitary, heck I really don't want to know what you do to the food. This same rules apply for drinks....a customer came in and was upset about having to pay $7.00 for a beer at a local restraunt, I said in all of my wisdom, "dont' drink beer there?" sooooo big mouth here goes to the same place and it's hot and I don't drink alcohol beverages but love stuff that kind of tastes different than soda or juice and makes me look all adult. So I order a no or as I call it faux mojito. They use ice, simple syrup, mint,lime and seltzer, that's it, no booze to pump up the cost to sky high rates, ....just simple syrup (bar suger liquid) mint (grows on roadsides) Lime (imported from Pick n save) seltzer (comes out of the soda gun) NO blender, no cutesy umbrella, maybe a slice of lime garnish!!!! $7.00??? I should have asked for the shot of rum in a glass to give to someone that would at least get a small buzz off of it. So to Sherry, don't drink faux drinks there either!!!!!! My bad!!! I should have asked for less ice, so I had more liquid. That's life
Have I mentioned the fact that I am on a quest for a Margarittaville machine....this is a really dumb quest and pretty much a "I hope this will pass idea" Once again I make all of these fun drinks to cool off in the summer and one of my favorites is Swamp Juice, a blend of Lemonade, Limeade, Orange, Grapefruit and I love crushed ice in it. It is a really refreshing drink instead of just Lemonade. I was watching QVC (I know) they had on this Machine that you put the ice in a hopper at the top and on the bottom is a real blender, so it crushes the ice and blends the drink all in one swoop!!! I held my finger from speed dial and took a deep breath and imagined all of the drinks I could make, Italian sodas and slushies and fruit smoothies and it has all of these setting you see, so the ice is smashed accordingly. To the tune of almost $400 smackeroos, oh but I can justify it, here is how....I can use it in the shop, it's summer we can all have a slushy, we can make Margaritas and on and on and then I got a hold of myself....self I said, NO....where for one would I set up this monster??? Who will clean this cutie? Who will carry ice to fill this nice little hopper???? So needless to say I am still using my one cube at a time ice crusher??? But I keep looking, I have found a close second at Target for $200 but it only has one setting...yeah baby I want the deluxe...over the top, never use all of the settings one.
OMG wait till you see the beautiful silk spinning stuff I got to make funky yarns!!!! The colors are to die for....for all of you non spinners it's going to make you want to spin....honest!!f

My life as a dog

Have you ever followed a puppy when it is on a walk? They kick up their heels and sniff the air and are happy about everything. When I walk Iggy it makes me smile, everything is a happy dance for him. He may be sniffing rotten apples, eating all kinds of stuff off of the sidewalk, whatever he does he is Happy!!! His little butt wiggles with excitement and a butterfly goes flitting by and he spots it, his tail starts to wag and he is thrilled. Simple pleasures, I want to be more like Iggy. I do take pleasure in simple things but life has a way of bringing me back to earth. I want to to be Iggy, he is the yarn shop dog, so he hangs around yarn and fiber and people hold him and pet him and he rolls on his back and gets belly rubs, not sure I want one of those, but...for the most part he really lives a great life....why can't we be more like dogs. Joy abounds!!!!

Fiber excitement

Well as you know I am working on Wisconsins only Fiber Salad Bar that starts in September!!!! I am getting some totally awesome items for the bar...it will be fiberlicious!!! I am waiting for a sample packet of silk stuff, cocoons, rods, and waste, in colors and some needing to be colored!!!! I will also have different items to add to your batt for spinning not just for making the batts. This is going to be so fun!!! This is my greatest pleasure is spinning, fun funky yarns that are eye candy!!! My flea market skein has lace pieces and metal and pieces of jewelry and coils of springs and so much more, I love it. I probably can wear it as it is....Then the other one I did with died cocoons, that I call Bella Donna, has to be knit from the skein winder because there is no way you can put it into a ball!!!!! Meanwhile as I am laboring away at all these ideas, Igster is next to me showing off his stuff....no pride whatsoever. Taking in the sunshine.

Confessions of a Crotch Knitter

All you addicts, I want you to watch something. Be aware of how every knitter holds their yarn and needles different!!! I have always been a huge propronant (i think that is a word) of doing what you want. Hold the needles with your ears but make the right stitch. For years I have had a label of not knitting right!!! I do knit right, just not like you or her or him. I learned to knit when aluminum 30" needles were the rage, well maybe not that long but when you are a little kid with short arms they might as well have been. Out of sheer frustration of trying to hold the long slippery needles and keep one needle from flying out of the stitches and bound and determined I would knit, I shoved one needle between my legs. I distinctly remember sitting on the couch next to my mom and so wishing I could knit like her. Her grace, her poise, her two long needles whipping close to my face and her not wanting to stop to show me how??? So I took it upon myself to knit, you see my mom was the kind of person that strived for perfection, I am sure I drove her crazy with my woohooo, laxidasical ways. Whatever is clever and works is fine with me. So I developed my own method, and knit off of one needle, this was NOT the right way to knit, it works for me??? So never changing my habits I became the Crotch knitter, oh yes, I could hide my placement of the needles quite well, propping it on a purse or gathering the yarn around the needles so as not to allow visible placement...oh and I do NOT put the needle in my crotch, but between by crotch and knees, mid thigh I believe is the proper word. With those huge aluminum needles it became the right height to knit off of. I am straying away from public crotch knitting but it does validate alot of knitters frustrated with holding two needles in mid air. I do it more in the privacy of my home, I knit very fast this way and make better time. I now call it proper picking, you see I don't throw my yarn either I pick. So when you are knitting, look around and you will see no two people knit alike, I love this, we have each developed our own method, and who is it hurting? So even if you think you are partaking in a universal craft, you are also doing it your own ewenique way!!!!

LIttle Pockets

Little pockets, little pockets, little pockets and they're all small like credit cards and they make all our big arses, look bigger just the same. (sung to the tune Little boxes)
What the heck is going on, I bought some hanging around t-shirts, and the pockets on a shirt the size of a bed sheet are the size of credit cards, looming over my breast? Can you say mini pocket? Then you look at jeans and they do the same thing, little pockets, on large size jeans, this is not flattering, it looks like a flea on an elephant. Now I don't say bigger pockets are flattering either, but come on...pockets are standard size for putting wallets into and other handy little things, how can you use a pocket just for one credit card? Is there a quota for material usage, OK this is a huge butt we are covering we will save money and put a tiny pocket on the butt. Another thing is why all of the ornate stitching on the butt pocket, I do not need a neon sign back there saying "Hey look how large I am???" Put the small pockets on small people, it looks stupid when the waif girls pockets touch both the side seam and the back seam of the jeans too and that is one pocket. Funny thing is, at work one day we had a big mirror above the sink in our locker room and I was changing clothes and was in my undies and ran to go pee and caught a glimpse of something big and white behind me...where did that come from???? When did that happen???? Careful ladies it sneaks up on you and then BAM there it is....big butt syndrome, with little pockets!!!! I think I may go back to sewing!!!!

Sheep Genius

Check out this wedding dress....she is a Shepard in England and it's from her own sheep, her grooms vest is wool and her ring pillow was wool also, she carried a shepards staff. Isn't that the neatest idea. Little Bo Peep!!!! It is raining here and we sure need it, it's a nice soaking rain and our Earth is greening up quickly. On the other hand we are supposed to have a really hot day but as of seven it is nice and cool. I was hoping to go to the State Fair but with my planter facitis, I am not going to push walking all day. I may do better at Renassance Fair it is dirt and softer to walk on. I may do better to just stay home and kick back. LOL Have a great weekend!!!

Bathing alone

This photo is NOT me!!! It was just too hilarious to pass up not sharing. But on that note, I have a secret little ritual Friday mornings. Friday is Puppy daycare and Iggy goes twice a week, he Loves it and he is so excited to go it is funny. So we get up and I quietly do the happy dance inside and I pack his lunch like a good mom. Off we go and I take him in and he is pulling to get into the door, I say goodbye and I leave and get into the car and make a mad dash home. Then the secret ritual begins, turn on a little opera, light some candles and draw a bath....mornings are not my favorite bath times but this one is special. I have bubbles and soap and no fur kid trying to climb in the tub with me. I lay back and relax, without risk of the added body in the already full tub. I close my eyes and savor the moment. I take my time and soak in all of the warmth of the water and Patchoulli bubbles and I am not being watched, my washcloth does not get stolen, my shoes stay where I put them, my towel is not getting jumped upon. I am not keeping one ear on the other rooms wondering what he is eating. I am relaxing, I don't want it to end, but the water is cooling and I am shriveling and getting alligator skin and it's time to open the shop...so if you come in and I'm all shrively and like jello, you know it's FRIDAY!!!!!

So much fun!!!

When I was very little, the first memory I have is playing. I love to play..my whole life revolves around playing and make believe. I used to get up and go to school and during school I was planning on what I was going to play at recess and then after school. My neighbor and I went to school together so we would hatch extensive scenarios about, he was an airline pilot and would sit on top of the picnic table and I was the stewardess and my place was under the table??? We flew all over the World on that green picnic table. We were going to get married and that was the way it was to be. We were explorers in Winter to the North pole in our warm winter clothes and tent poles were our walking sticks. We rode horses on my wooden horse in the back yard, I would sit in front of him just like in the movies. I don't know what set off the event we would be creating, we didn't watch much TV. Maybe it was a new piece of clothing, like a cowboy shirt, neither one of us were fashion plates? When I got older, I managed my life by trade offs. I could play if I did some crappy job first. Clean house, play after. In small increments I always got things done. This is how I live. I do bookwork and then I can play, so today, I got my end of the month bookwork done and made soap!!!!! I found sheep molds and yarn molds and alas another adventure. I dug out all my old soap making stuff and soap is cooling as I write. Now not being a patient waiter, I poured and walked away, far away, so that I don't go poking my fingers in the cooling soap. I am like a moth to a flame when it comes to paint, glue and any thing that is attempting to dry!!! I am not patient, I have to test it...just a little touch...very softly and then bloop....I make a mess. So I am barred from the studio, till the shop opens, I think it will be cool by then!!!! I can hardly wait!!!

Not Politically Correct

I am a small business owner. I do own everything in my shop, other than the building which, the bank and I are working on. I have business decisions to make and one of them is I pay cash for all of my purchases. I know this means that I don't have all of the size needles you need all the time, or the huge inventory of stock that some shops may have, but I do have peace of mind. I do not have wolves knocking on my door. There is a lot of buzz about the wholesalers not getting their money from shops struggling to pay thier bills. Shops all over America are closing and it's very sad!!! I have not gotten a buy out from the government, but then again I have not made poor business decisions and I don't carry the cadillacs and hummers of yarn, I carry what my customers can afford to buy on a regular basis. I don't buy into the exotic, I am more interested in classics. Behind the scenes I work hard at making my business work, while making it fun. I want to keep enjoying what I do. I am not getting one of those checks that let's me go to spas and resorts and celebrate the fact that others are funding my screw ups. If my customers buy, I buy. It's an in and out kind of business, so in a way we all are a part of this business, without you, I have nothing. It also means if I close the doors, everything in this shop is mine and paid for. So I listen to each of you and what you want. So why can't big business's? Why were auto makers still making gas guzzlers when all the consumers knew we were headed for a gas crunch, we knew why didn't they?? Now, we are giving them more money to buy clunkers? The dealers/ auto makers are getting help increasing their sales, with a bring in your piece of crap car and we will help you buy a brand new one. Where is this money coming from? What about us little businesses, no I don't want any money, I will be fine, but there are other business's that need help. I do not have a degree in business management, I am the first one to say I do not like bookwork or business junk, how come, I can run a business, not owe any money and am holding my own??? I did not learn how to do this during my apprenticeship as a Steamfitter. I understand the automotive companies employ 1000's of workers and small businesses employ a few, but why should they be punished. If we have so much money let every business get a piece of the pie accordingly, help out the little guys!!! I have never been a fan of Ford, but I applaud them for not taking any money from the government!!!! Ford is the patriarch of autos and are doing something right!!! Hats off to the business's that make good decisions and they can hold their heads up high. And thanks to all of you for your support in keeping Just 4 Ewe and my dream alive and well.

Counting our blessings

I am truly blessed by all of the people I meet. I am lucky to ask someone "How are you?" and I actually have the time to listen to their answer. I am someone that must come across as "approachable" well with the hair and all I guess I don't look, withdrawn and conservative. I was in Target the other day and a group of young boys said "hey cool hair" I said thanks and that opened the conversation to "hey wanna see a card trick?" sure, even though I hate, I mean hate magic, only because I can't figure it out for the life of me..LOL. So he showed me his trick and then another and they were good, then the little brat said, "so do you think that is worth a buck?" I lowered my voice and said to him, I really do think it is, but if Target catches you panhandling in their store they will kick you out!!! They themselves did a disappearing act!!!! I thought that was pretty funny!!!
So this Thursday is our Spinning Guild, I really enjoy this group. We have all levels of spinners and they are hungry to learn anything someone can show them. It is good when you can learn, when I take a class and everyone knows my spinning Guru is Judith McCuin McKenzie, I am quiet and sit like a sponge. I know it is hard to believe I can sit with my mouth shut, no wisecracks, and really absorb all I can. I am a lucky type of learner, I can see it and do it, that is unless it's math or bookwork? Now for the photo, that would be me...when I am in a nursing home, I will knit for sex, by that time, I will have forgotten how anyway...to knit that is.

Be still my rage

Breakfast with me mum at Cafe Hollander Wauwatosa, but they don't have the Hot Mess that they offer on weekends, you have got to try it!!!!
Man I hate to shop in stores!!! People are getting so disconnected with what is going on. They don't want to move out of anyone's way and it is just sad. I did some digging at Goodwill looking for sweaters to felt, and what is it with me and touching stuff that is dirty and then my eye itches and I have to itch my eye with my bacteria coated finger and it won't stop!!!! So I am embedding germs right into the eye socket waiting for some virus or something to germanate....I touch hand rails on escalators and my eye itches so rub it into the eye.....Ok so I left Goodwill with a sweater, a nice young man held the door for me which restores my faith in humanity.....that is till I go to Wally World!!!! What a zoo, you need not have a passport to travel anymore just go to Wally world (Walmart) I think there were three of us that spoke something that resembled English....I ask a clerk for a wallpaper brush and he snorts and walks into a different aisle so I try to follow him but am playing chicken with a woman headed for a sale or something free in the same aisle, and the clerk gives me a ...are you coming??? With eyes wide open and armed with a shopping cart, I said "Excuse me? I didn't want to run over another customer?" and he goes OK??? OK????? so from now on my shopping is going to be precursed with a Valium or Qualude or some sort of distancing drug of choice. It is very stressful to go shopping. I think the only place I love to shop is Sendiks, it is calming and everyone is nice and I don't even like grocery shopping but everyone is nice. Is that hard to do??? just be nice...!! That is where little shops like mine excel, personal nice people, well that is unless I just came home from shopping at Wally World. I think I am getting a sore throat,,,darn Goodwill.