Happy Easter

This is the earliest Easter Sunday since 1940, and we won't see another Easter this early for 200 years. That must be true, my morning radio show hosts said it :-) We are doing absolutely nothing to commemorate this Holiday. I did not go to church. I've not done a single card, or done a small basket for my adorable himself... nada. I did buy some Cadbury Chocolate Eggs, and some Cadbury Creme Eggs for people at work... and our awesome realtor, Karen Barrera & Associates left us some yellow bunny peeps.

I did the craft class yesterday, "Flower Fairies" - which wasn't as well attended as it would have been as next Saturday because of the Easter Weekend, but they still turned out cute. That's as close as I've come to doing anything crafty for Easter.



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I did get to a crop on Friday night, and scrapped 6 pages - very very very uninspired, but the pages are there, and lots of journalling to do on them! I did journal 2 of the 6, but it was just writing out what the back of one of the postcards said, so like I said, realy really very very uninspired. I had fun at the crop however!!

* * * * *

"Wild with a Glue Gun" ~ Getting Together with Crafty Friends by Kitty Harmon & Christine Stickler (c) 2004 is a book I got from Amazon not long ago. Some of the reviews on the site panned it, but this is something a fellow crafty friend, T, and I would certainly enjoy doing -- and it was way cheap on the 'used' Amazon aisle ;-).

Regular Crafting at my house would: [1] inspire (motivate/get my rear in gear) me to keep my house clean (reason enough, really) and [2] help me increase my range of crafty endeavors (always fun), and [3] possibly meet some new peeps!

To have a weekly craft meet would be so very fun and cool! Bring your own thing -- scrapping, cardmaking, quilting, yarn fun, things-that-require-glue guns... or maybe twice a month do your own thing, twice a month we learn something new... I dunno, I'll read this book, discuss with T and see what we think :-)

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Artists vs. Crafter

Consider this quote by Thoms Minotaur ~ “I think being an artist comes from within, like a state of mind. … an artist is anyone who can express what is going on in their head/soul through any creative medium, whether it be spoken, written, sung, played, danced, or put on canvas. It is the act of releasing and documenting thoughts and feelings that makes one an artist.”

I think that is a great definition of an artist. So many bloggers are artists in the comedic release of their joys, sorrows and attitudes of rearing children and of life. I would add photography to the above, for certain, for there is emotion and expression in photos, and I think to be a good photographer, it requires a way to access your own emotions to really be able to capture it in others.

So -- all us knitters (I don't knit but aspire), scrapbookers, cardmakers, beading enthusiasts... I think many consider themselves artists. And some might be, and many certainly are. But I know for certain that when I'm putting stickers and paper on a page of photos, I'm not expressing how I'm feeling, I'm thinking (key: thinking, not feeling) about the photos.

On this craft forum, there are creative people, for sure. And I think some of them are artists... they create things that express something (!)

I don't have a lot of regular readers of my blog, but I would ask this question - when can you call yourself an Artist? vs. a Crafter or a Crafty Person?

I would put forward that all Artists are Creative, but not all Creative People are Artists. I started thinking of this, and got the above quote from this About.com page, which has other more open and broad definitions of when would someone call him/her-self an Artist.

I'm in the middle of painting my first rock (!) and really having fun... went digging around the world wide web for more information on Acrylic Painting and have been surfing for an hour... I'll post photos soon... I'm having a grand time!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I want to write 13 Things about...

1. Favorite Musicals

2. Favorite Singers

3. Earliest Memories

4. Themed Scrapbooks

5. Books I want to read

6. The Teachers I've had

7. Performing Experiences (choir/theatre)

8. Ways to Spoil Myself

9. Habits to cultivate over a year

10. Organizing Goals

11. Favorite Quotes

12. Best/Worst Gifts I've received

13. Influential People in My Life

How's that for cheating on the Thursday 13?!?!?

Bloggy Giveaways...

I've never really participated or even pretended to be interested -- but I was at BooMama's site and she is giving away 10 Dave Barnes CD's. I'd never heard of him, but went and found him on my favorite music whatchamacallit, Rhapsody -- listened to 3 songs (On A Night Like This, What Am I Gonna Do and Until You) and really like him!! So I went to YouTube and found my favorite rendition of "On A Night Like This" -- and it actually was played on an episode of "The Office" -- and here it is:



Enjoy! And I hope a win one of his CD's!!

Anonymity -- eh... not really

Y'know, I can be all kinds of sarcastic. When telling stories that are negative... usually about how stupid people are... which doesn't show a very nice or kind side of me. [voices in my head going "but... but.... BUT!! These people are not smart! actually the voices are saying "these people are idiots!"]

I've been reading some absolutely hysterical blogs lately (I've added links to what I read on the column on the left)... and while I know having a sense of humor in writing doesn't always play out in person (and vice-versa), I would absolutely love to get some of these women together for coffee... we get the whole coffee house to ourselves and put 4 of us together at each table, rotate every hour or so and let the fun begin.

The other thing is that (as my father, who reads my blog - "hi dad!" told me) things you put on the internet never go away.

So - things we post on the 'net never go away. [*Full Stop] Check.

So I don't post the funniest things that happen because too many people know who I am, and I don't want to hurt any feelings or worse, **piss anyone off. This is not an anonymous blog.

I guess that is my rambling for today.


*Full Stop is what we would call a Period at the end of a sentence.

**I'm more afraid of what opinion would be of me for doing something wrong than actually doing something wrong. I guess this is good in a way because it has stopped me from making unwise decisions, but it also has stopped me from other things that who know, might not be so unwise.

7 Random Things About Me

1. I love Nag Champa incense. I burn incense when I'm spending time in my craft room and am going to be here awhile (not just checking email...). I like candles, but I'm more likely to burn a stick of Nag Champa than light a candle. Himself calls it my Opium Den when I'm burning incense.

2. I make really excellent cookies. The original recipe calls them "Flying Saucer" cookies, so-named because of the size of cookies the children would created with the recipe. I've modified it somewhat -- and I call them my "Healthy Breakfast Cookies" because they have it all: oats, cornflakes, coconut, raisins & nuts (and of course chocolate chips -- but they aren't part of the breakfast concept) I even took pictures of the cookies that I made for the TGC Fun Day we had yesterday at work (a la CoffeeGal), but my pictures do these fabulous cookies absolutely no justice.

I want to play with the recipe and see what 'healifying' the recipe would do -- you know, applesauce for oil; baby prunes for oil... I'll be sure and post my results when the time comes.

3. I love the smell of doing laundry -- the smellier the detergent and fabric sheets, the better. I recently read about the invisible film build-up if you don't wash the dryer lint trap with soap and water regularly -- and on this site it tells the story and it is a 'truth or legend' website, and says it is true. (just some helpful information in exchange for your wasted time reading blogs...)

I feel clothes are certainly cleaner if they smell good. (Yes, I know that isn't true, but that's okay)

4. I thought I was really going to get into beading... but I'm not. I like knowing a little bit for accenting my paper clay stuff, and for the one off project perhaps, or accenting fabric creations... but I'm thrilled to say I'm not going to have to have another "area" in my craft room just for that stuff. It all fits okay into a plastic painter's tray on a shelf. Whoo Hoo!!!

5. I want to travel the USA in a camper truck.... for at least 6 months, preferably a year... and visit every state and see -- at least -- the top 13 things (making that number up arbitrarily right now) that the state is known for. I bought a 1988 Reader's Digest Book titled "America's Historic Places" - 'an Illustrated Guide to Our Country's Past' and want to use that as a starting place. A Random Flip into the book puts me on page 275 - Texas, part of the "South Central States" and #6 in Texas is The Alamo. Second Random Flip leads me to page 114/5 in Georgia - "The Southeastern States" and number 4 is Stone Mountain Park, 5. is The Wren's Nest (home of the author of the Uncle Remus stories and so named for the bird found nesting in his mailbox), and number 5 is the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.

I would scrapbook along the way -- and do a blog, too. I'd visit everyone I know who lives all over the country.

And I don't want to wait until I'm retired. And it would be great if Himself wanted to come with me, but I also would enjoy the trip by myself.

6. I believe everyone should sing. I believe everyone can sing. I also believe not everyone should have to listen... that audience members are just as important as those up on stage, for without them those on stage would be alone. More and more science studies are proving that there is a harmonious balance that happens when we sing -- it is already proven that singing is better for your vocal folds than speaking -- much easier!! And if singing correctly you should be able to sing far longer than you can speak.

7. I always want to go back to college. I really think I ought to have been a teacher -- I love the idea of learning new things (that I want to learn... not necessarily about the things I am not interested in, such as chitin, or statistics (well ---- maybe stats for dummies), or Glycosaminoglycans, or even complex archeology (though I do remember at one point in my growing up times thinking being an archeologist would be fun -- me, who believes roughing it is staying at the Motel 8 instead of the Holiday Inn Express....!)

Caught My Fancy....

Painting on Rocks...

I watched a 2005 Carol Duvall show last night and Lin Wellford demonstrated painting houses on rocks... well ~ I'm inspired now! Talk about the perfect garden (she has a 'paint flowers on rocks' book as well as a paint garden art on rocks book)! Here in Arizona especially... no watering, it is movable....

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I also was researching above ground pools, portable pools.... and found an "endless pool" for above-grounds! This is great -- small pool, can take it with you if you want and is the exercise/cooling down I'm looking for.

Unfortunately, we're kinda broke at the moment so no pool this summer. Bummer

Thursday Thirteen - TV Theme Songs - belated

Thursday Thirteen - Fave TV Theme Songs (with a link to go and listen)

From November!

I did this today, but since I had it in the 'drafts' section of the blog, it published it in November, so I'm posting the link today...

eta:
*The Greatest American Hero

I love that song!

I should be crafting and organizing, but I end up reading about crafting and organizing.

There are tons 'o blogs out in blogland -- yesterday I found a site dedicated to crafty storage. It was so fun to look around at a bunch of different craft rooms and studios... but it doesn't get MY room more organized.

I want to continue scrapping my college albums and get them done -- the end of April is the retirement of the Tech Director at Pepperdine who has been there 25 years... he put the word out and I think a lot of former students might show up -- I'd love to have my albums there for perusing... along with a reunion in June.

Then there is the organizing part -- labeling, putting things away and then knowing where I put them... making page kits for faster scrapping when I actually to get to go to crops... making some cards with the cool new stamps and supplies I got -- I get inspired by these blogs but then spend hours on blogs and not on my own stuff.

It reminds me of that saying -- something about people who watch, people who do and people who wonder... I used to be a doer, now it seems I'm becoming a watcher.

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Went to see a high school production of Little Shop of Horrors Friday night --it was really excellent. The voices on those kids were terrific. This high school has quite a bit of money among the student population, and they obtained quite a bit of community backing so the sets were fabulous -- it really was a high quality high school show.

Next week some friends and I will check out a newer local musical theatre group, because I'm curious -- Cabaret. I've never seen the stage show, just the movie -- and I it is always different, so I'm looking forward to seeing it for a number of reasons.

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I'm getting the name of a well-spoken of voice teacher -- thinking I need to get back into 'legitimate' voice coaching/lessons for reminders of things I learned 20 years ago but have been out of practice with.

The only time I've ever lost weight was with the secret hope that I may get a certain part in a musical while I was in college. Maybe another carrot like that is what I need to get my rear in gear back to a fitness routine.

Trader Joe's

We have TJ's here in Arizona (all the California transplants probably demanded it, and I'm very thankful!)... so tonight I went in and shopped for dinner, knowing I wanted to make homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and knowing I needed chicken and noodles and more chicken broth, and the rest could be improvised once I looked up my favorite recipe site: www.allrecipes.com .

I tend not to call TJ's my 'regular' store -- it is small, with too many carts it is a pain to get around in, but it isn't that expensive and they have extremely cool stuff. This is where I get marscapone cheese and I think they have the best cinnamon graham crackers around -- a little marscapone on a TJ's cinnamon graham and it is like a wee slice of cheesecake. Yum.

I was happy tonight with what I found and the prices I paid, so definitely will be going more often on my way home from work. :-) And the Chicken Noodle Soup was awesome!!

Found this quote that just flew at me and stuck today:

"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must g i v e u p before you get it." ~ Author Unknown.

I've been thinking about my quartet and how much I miss singing harmony, but how much I'm enjoying not having to be responsible for it. I've been thinking about how changing our lifestyle and eating habits is going to take me giving up sitting on the couch vegging out watching the boob tube for 3 or 4 hours a night after eating frozen crap for dinner. And as much as I don't want to give up music right now - my health (our health) needs to be the priority, and it is hard to make changes.

Sacrifice.

Self-denial.

It isn't just about making right eating choices, it is all-encompassing. What do I want and what am I really and truly willing to give up in order to get it. Do I want it enough... whatever "it" is.

Start with the end in mind, as Stephen Covey says.... what do I want people to say about me at my funeral? How do I want to be remembered? "It" isn't all about me... what positive energy/vibe/influence do I have? How am I going to live my life once I know what my end result should be?

Tricky.

All the messages we get from advertising, media etc... is that we can have it all -- we shouldn't have to give anything up. I don't agree. Giving something up makes us stronger. And I am so weak. So very weak.

I haven't formed any conclusions. I am not sure where I'm headed in this self-discovery. I'm not even sure that I haven't thought it before now... and I'm just being reminded.

What am I willing to give up? In order for me to reach goals I have, I need to give up time, and time is so precious. hmmmmmmmmmm.

Feeling Better

Still have stuffy nose and head, but the fever off and on again is off... most of the aches are gone, and I can think a bit better. Not much, but a bit.

Got my hair cut before the Open House....



This is 6 inches of hair on the floor... It is a great cut, and feels good. I go back and forth with keeping it short and growing it -- I think I'll keep it short for awhile.

We watched Ratatouille (sp?) tonight -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at some point this week... and Jungle Book played pretty much the whole time my 5 year old nephew was here...

Need to get back into my routine now -- the house is in a bit of order -- need to make menus, get into an exercise routine and get back to scrapbooking. I'm missing it.

sick

achey.

head.


nose, stuffed.

sore nose and face from blowing...
dry mouth from sleeping with stuffed nose...

body hurts.
peeing every hour on the hour at night

Gilmore Girls Fest....

We survived -- and thrived -- and had a great time :D

And had a fabulous time.

I think I'm sick now, though -- this flu thing that everyone has had may have touched me - I'm hot, I'm cold, I'm headachey, my throat is scratchy and I'm wanting to cough. I'm achey and really exhausted.

Happy and Sad -- when I'm this tired I cry -- I cried during the Oscar speeches, I'm such a flippin' wuss.

So awesome to see my relatives -- less folks than last time at my Open House - but I'll blame it on the busy busy town Tucson is in February, March & April.... it IS Rodeo Weekend, anyhow!!

I do love my family, and appreciate them so much. And there is a possibility of being Oklahoma Land Owners in our future... lots to consider and think about in the next year or so.

sleepy time now

It is what it is.... letting go... procrastination finds another face

I have people coming to s t a y IN my house -- the kitchen is a mess. The guest room isn't even funny. My studio is obscenely neat on one side and tornado-hit-it on the other. Himself's bathroom is vile. I haven't grocery shopped. The back yard is a mess. I'm going to see the Putnam County Spelling Bee tomorrow night -- and while I have Thursday off and Friday off -- and my sister doesn't know it yet but she's going to (hopefully) help me with the finishing touches of getting my rear in gear for Saturday... I still will be a raving maniac in the meantime.

Not enough to do anything about it, though.

I'm "letting it go" -- and "it is what it is" -- which just means really, "I can't be bothered" -- but my little inner guilt voice is nagging and whining... and the judgement that will be upon my head because my house is d i r t y .... well... I'm not sure how my recovery will go.

Will it be with copious amounts of colorado bulldogs....
Gilmore Girls Fest (Season 1) -- or West Wing Fest (still haven't opened the last 3 seasons... and I missed a lot of stuff in there)... or other guilty do-nothing pleasures?

I need to wash my clothes -- I need to buy food and while I've sketched a menu I'm still unsure how all that will go.

ack.

COLD!!!!

Today is Freakin' Cold - yesterday it rained pretty much all day -- I had some great Volunteer Management Training -- went home early and went to a crop where I punched tons of Sizzix Birthday dies for Craft Class today -- am still in my pj's, with pants on and my robe, drinking coffee and procrastinating getting the rest of the stuff ready for class.

Himself was upset that there is a tiny imperfection in the cover of the console in the two-seater couch, so he made me call Sam Levitz and get a new one -- he was hoping they'd offer a price reduction, but since he didn't talk to them and I'm not the haggler/negotiator, we're getting a brand new couch delivered today.

We have to finish clearing out the guest/himself's room and set up the double bed and make it presentable for guests -- I'm so excited that we're going to have 6 people staying with us for a weekend -- it'll be crowded but I think we'll all have fun. Family from Oklahoma and California coming for the Open House a week from today. :D

oh, and I'm enjoying triple chunk brownie from Betty Crocker for breakfast with my coffee. yum!

Valentines Day 2008

I'm so lame... I punched out over 1,000 hearts for work and am so done with hearts... don't have a card - valentine or birthday for my wonderful himself who has given me the entire series of "Gilmore Girls" on DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So unexpected and so wonderful!!!!!

So I'm fixing a favorite dinner -- Safeway meat lasagna, salad in a bag, pre-made garlic bread, I'll make triple chocolate brownies and bought wine and Kahlua with half and half and whip cream & Dr. Pepper for our favorite drink "Colorado Bulldogs" and got some ice cream too --

I was going to make him breakfast in bed this morning, but that went out the window when I didn't go to bed until 11pm.

Ack. I'll have to make up a real home-made dinner after the Open House and when some of the work madness is in a lull.

*sigh*

Catching Up!

I've been away for awhile -- work has been crazy busy with an over-500 person Valentine Mailing... with yours truly Sizzixing over 1,000 hearts -- I was reimbursed $146.00 for the supplies and stuff -- and I can't believe I heard myself say... "I'm tired of going to JoAnn's" (!)

With the addition of another 180 names -- we decided that store-bought valentines would do -- and wow -- it has been awhile since I bought children's valentines. Things have come a long way baby! I bought Hello Kitty, Tigger (so cute!), Shrek, and Strawberry Shortcake -- I refused to buy Barbie Valentines... but they come with stickers -- and kids get to fold them and do more than just write their names! I remember when I was in 2nd grade and I think mom and I must have chosen a Disney Pack -- and I saved the best valentine (Snow White) for my best friend Laura -- the teachers didn't want kids picking through his or her stash for the best one to give to best friends, you had to rush around the Valentine Circle -- but I remember taking Laura's out and putting it at the bottom of my handful so when it came to her I just grabbed from the bottom.

But I digress.

Since many of the hearts were run through the Xyron machine, I kept those scraps for other smaller projects -- that adhesive is expensive -- but oh-so-wonderful. A mom who came in to volunteer at TGC... I put to work using the Xyron and the Sizzix... and unbeknownst to me she is a card maker/stamper who hasn't had a chance to get together with people who do that since her friend who got her into that moved away. awwwwwwwwww.... so I'm walking her down the garden path to the papercraft craziness.... I'll be sure and invite her to the next gathering *heh heh heh* She says she has hundreds of Stampin' Up Stamps -- I can't wait!!

But I digress again.

At Coffee Gal's blog she always does such a nice job of posting photos of things she is working on... I'm such a copy cat that I'm going to post a few of the things that I've been doing since January... along with photos of my "Studio" (studio sounds so much nicer than craft room, or even office -- doesn't it?)




The first image is of a paper clay pin -- paper clay is clay that once dry, is like paper -- you can color it with chalks, pens, pencils etc... add glitter, beads or whatever, then a final layer of glaze for protection and to help it last longer. I'm self-teaching myself a little about beading, so the hanging beads are just me learning how to do that and use the beading tools etc... very fun!

The second image is the Stampin' Up Demonstration I went to at my friend T's last week -- we also decorated a frame -- though like my craft class for seniors -- while it looks great, we didn't do a lot of creative stuff with it, we just copied the demo. I like the results, but I like taking the ideas myself and doing something different (I'm such a rebel)... the card on the left is an example of what I tend to do -- it is kinda different from the sample that was shown. I love the card on the right -- but it is pretty much exactly the sample that was shown at the class.

I try to give the seniors in my class options within the framework of what we're doing -- next week we'll be doing a pop-up card... I'll have all the stuff for the 'kits' - but leave the decisions on which paper they'll want to use, and which 'Happy Birthday' greeting pre-stamped or printed they'll use. That way they're all making the same card, but with their own 'stamp' of creativity on it. Some of them don't want to choose for themselves and do it exactly like I've done it -- but I encourage people to 'create out of the box' and do something different.

There is a balance, however -- too many choices leads to being unable to make a decision -- and we only have an hour. It is a fine line -- and sometimes I've been rigid in what they're making, and other projects give them tons of creative choice. The prep-time is longer for me/us when we're getting ready for the class, but I believe in the process and want to give them all the options I can.

Now for my Studio:



Picture [1] is what you see almost immediately upon entering; Picture [2] is the far wall, and Picture [3] is where I sit at the pc. (Coffee Gal's post is still on the computer screen ;-)

This is actually pretty organized -- but did you notice I have empty spaces??? Gotta get busy and put more stuff away!! I'll be getting a shelf unit that used to be in the living room (new couch photos later on down the post), so will have some more places to put things. I tend to like to put everything for a project in its own container -- rather than having all my components together -- for things like flower fairies it makes sense -- I don't use those materials for anything but making flower fairies -- but for paper crafts it doesn't make as much sense. It would be better I think if I put everything away like we do in kitchens -- utensils, consumables, embellishments... like with like -- and I've started labelling things more -- but I'm still unpacking from the move, so lots of things were put in with other un-like things and I'm still in that discovery mode... "oh THAT'S where I put that!!" :D

Now for the new couches.... for those of you who knew what my living room looked like (T is the only one who has been allowed over I think....) -- this is so different than what it looked like before. Oh. My. Gosh. It's awesome. Last night we watched Spiderman 3 -- it was great!!!



We also got a new Kitchen Armoire (Martha Stewart from K-Mart) -- and Himself was saying it was the best piece of put-it-together-yourself furniture he'd ever seen. Quite quality, as a matter of fact. Himself will finish painting the kitchen today and I'll get the kitchen put away tomorrow (fingers crossed).

The Open House/Housewarming motivation to get my house in order -- never fails!!

New Furniture!

REAL new furniture... virgin cushions that have seated none but our behinds! It is so exciting!

Himself and I went to Sam Levitz and bought a SET (I pushed for a set - loveseat and 3-seater couch) and they both have 2 recliners! (So that means 4 recliners in all :-) The love seat has a middle bit for storage of remotes etc... and a little tray. It's a 'aged-worn' brown Micro-fiber that we're having master-stain dipped, and, knowing how hard we are on the furniture, we bought the lifetime (10 year) recliner parts replacement deal.

We're going to get rid of two chairs (which I really love but they're way past their prime...), keep another comfy chair for the spare room, and himself has ordered a ceiling mount thingey for the projector. He built two additional shelves in the front closet, and we're slowly getting the laundry room so that it will hold spare kitchen appliances that we love but don't use very often.

Once we get the dining room table cleared off (this week), I want to get out the sewing machine (gasp!) and make some curtains... still not clear on what color scheme I'm going to go for in the living room -- we originally were going for a Movie House theme -- we have a couple movie-themed things that go on the wall, and we bought some classic movie posters, but I'm not sure...

When I get the Christmas Tree down (!) I'll really feel like we're moving along. I think the Christmas stuff is going to go out in himself's shed for the time being, until another shed can be built for a workshop for him. I have concern about Christmas stuff being outside in the summer...

Nothing like have people over to get your house in order!

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The trip to California was worth it. Giving my mom and myself a chance to hang out without our husbands.

I'm finally really angry at the entire house situation, and at how it has turned out. Mom's house hasn't sold yet, and L allowed the price to be reduced by $10,000 -- and they had an Open House on Sunday (don't know how that went yet), and we're really crossing our fingers it won't sell and she can rent it.

There's a lot going on there that isn't really for blogland, so please keep us in your prayers and good thoughts.

Mark Gungor ~ Laugh Yourself to a Better Marriage

You have to watch this -- 5:27 worth of funny funny truths.

I'm Back

Very Sleepy after the 12+ hour drive from San Jose to Cave Creek yesterday...

So thankful it worked out that I could go out for Uncle Bob's memorial.... seeing family, singing with other family at the funeral.... whipping my sister, brother and cousin in Hearts (only 'cuz I play the computer version every once in awhile...).

More later... home safe and sound and while very tired, I'm very thankful I was able to be a part of this gathering... and so very blessed and thankful to be a part of this amazing family.

Owwwww and *sniff sniff*

Well, my tooth extraction today turned out to be a "two for one" -- in that I got to skip 3 months of between time waiting 'cuz I got the post in the same day the tooth came out... er... disintegrated.

I still have 3 months for the implant to heal before getting the crown to cover the gaping hole... but it doesn't look any worse than it did before, which is good.

So that was the owwww. And yes, I've taken a percocet.


In other news that hurts, my great-uncle passed away yesterday. My late nana's brother, he was 89, and it is a miracle he lived as long as he did. He was affectionately known as SOB (Sweet Ol' Bob) and he will be missed. A large gaping hole will be in our family where he once stood as patriarch. He organized family reunions that kept the family together and are significant in my older-childhood memories, and his daughter is one of my favorite cousins. I cried buckets last night at work when I got the email that the doctor had said it was not good, and it turns out he passed away at 6:45 pm last night, right when I was in the flurry of tears.

Himself and I have the leather chair that was his a long time ago, and
it is kinda cool to have something of his in our house. He had a big booming voice, even when his health had declined so tremendously, and would call me "Carrie-Me-Back" (to old Virginie, I believe is the song...). He was punctual, a staunch Republican, traveled extensively with his wife and sometimes with his family; he was loyal, demanding and a force to be reckoned with. He was a pilot during WWII, and he and his wife dated two weeks before getting married back in 1945. He grew up poor, son of an Oklahoma sharecropper, and has written quite a bit about life with his 6 brothers and sisters during the depression - think "Grapes of Wrath."

I just accidentally deleted a memory of a long time ago... perhaps I'll write it again later.

A good man has passed away...

I've talked to me dad a couple times -- finally told him the 'drama that is my life' story, talked to my sister, and have talked to mom about driving out to N. California for the funeral.

There is so much going on at work right now though -- crucial things that need to happen that I'm in the center of or co-ordinating that I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to go. It will depend on how much I can get done tomorrow and Saturday afternoon after the TGC Auditions.

Not going to the memorial makes me feel ill.

A part of me knows it will be the last time I see branches and leaves of this part of my family tree... sad doesn't really adequately describe how that feels.

This is me and SOB in April 2005 ~ at he and CJ's 60th wedding anniversary. That wasn't the last time I saw him, but that was a great night of memories with the family.

A Story worth stealing (and posting on my blog from someone elses...)

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups -- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “Notice that all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it is just more expensive, and, in some cases, even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups, and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; your job, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The type of cup one has does not define, nor change, the quality of life a person lives. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”

hrmph

Went to bed at 10:30 -- almost asleep when himself came in at 11:30 -- could NOT go back to sleep -- got up and watched M*A*S*H reruns until 2:00 am.

So much for the grand "go to bed early and get up and be productive" plans!

Yeah Yeah.... make plans and God Laughs.

"Not Funny" as I used to say to my mom when she'd laugh at my 4 or 5 year old tribulations!

Busy Day Before Going Back To Work!

I got up early -- did dishes, loaded the dishwasher, turned it on AND emptied it all in the same day. This is a miracle, truly.

I emptied five boxes, arranged things in and on my craft shelves, went to Target to return the food processor that was missing a part, made meatloaf & broccoli with the last of the Christmas mashed potatoes (yummy), and even had bread and salad. AND made another meatloaf, uncooked which is in the freezer. AND cooked the rest of the ground beef and made taco meat.

I washed most of the dishes (I should really be 'shining my sink' a la Flylady... but my feet are killing me and I'm exhausted!), and looked at my "to do" list tomorrow -- which starts the beginning of my routine.

I resist routine -- in a big big way -- it rarely disguises itself as fun, and is usually something you have to 'get through' in order to get to the fun stuff. And I'm all about fun. [sidenote: I got one of those emails tonight that says should eat ice cream, don't put things off, spend time gazing at a butterfly's erratic flight through the flowers etc... well, I don't have a problem putting things off and spending time daydreaming, taking time to chat over coffee, tea and whatever fattening goody I fancy. My issue is being self-disciplined... following through. I'm so easily distracted by things that are more fun than swiffering my floors, picking up dog poop and emptying the garbarge!]

It is now 10:06 pm -- time to go to sleep so I can get up and accomplish most of what is on my list for my "morning routine."

Watching Movies...

Himself and I watched the original Sci-Fi channel's mini-series "Tin Man" last night (I love TiVo!) and it was quite good... Both himself and I love Alan Cumming (though he reminds me of a Scottish Pee Wee Herman), and I like Neal McDonough.

Tonight we watched "The Flying Scotsman" about Graeme Osbree, who achieved a variety of bicycle world records in the 90's. It also stars Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings) -- if you like Scottish accents and a good story - be sure and see it.

Today I talked to a number of family and friends I've not talked to in awhile, and started the initial stages of planning a "Quilters" (& Friends) Reunion in 2010 - 20 years after we performed the show at Pepperdine. For many reasons it was one of the best shows the Theatre Department ever put on -- and if it is done wrong, it could be slow and boring and suck, but the 7 of us who did it bonded in ways we never imagined, and the entire experience (which I almost missed out on) has become one of the most 'impactful' (I don't think that is a real word, but it's late and I'm being lazy) on me and my life.

One more day to do whatever I want, then back to work!

Inspiration

There are some blogs I read that make me want to write wiser, be a deeper thinker, not complain so much, and spread the vision of peace, love and joy.

I just finished reading "The Yada Yada Prayer Group" by Neta Jackson and it is an easy read, but makes some good solid points about admitting who we really are (or perhaps are not) in the eyes of God. So, today has been emotional... I wanted to get up and "Be Productive" - and I've only been somewhat productive. Dishes done, dishwasher unloaded... some craft things put away, a book finished, some recipes looked up and a plan for dinner on this New Year's Eve Day -- the last day of 2007.

40 years ago I was born -- and I was hoping to be more insightful and inspirational in my blog posts around that time... but life had some other things to throw my way. So how do so many people have a crappy crappy day/week/month and still manage to see the silver lining... AND be able to write about it?

There are days I just don't feel like expressing anything, let alone try and write. And then there are days like today where I post 3 times in one day.

Getting outside of ourselves I know is key -- yet I have to admit reluctantly.... that I think I enjoy wallowing in the self-pity. That is hard for me to say. I believe we always have a choice, and sometimes yes, we need to feel the emotion, perhaps even allow a little wallowing, and then choose to be happier, more content, thankful, joyful through the struggle of whatever it is we're going through.

So as Halle Berry has said, "Just put on your big girl pants and do it!" is a discipline I need to embrace -- and find the inspiration and allow cheerful words and silver linings to lift the clouds adn confusion.

Time to go to Target now ;-)

New Year - New Look

Inspired by Coffeegal -- Rascal is the mascot (isn't he a great dog?!)...

I'll have to get my links back up (yikes)... but otherwise, I didn't lose a lot in the old blog because I hadn't done a lot.

New Year's Eve Day 2008

Goals (not resolutions!) for 2008 (and beyond):

Stick with a routine of the following:

[1] Spend 15 minutes a day cleaning the kitchen

[2] Spend 15 minutes a day (6 days a week) on other house cleaning projects (i.e., bathrooms, floors, picking up the public areas)

[3] Do one load of laundry every day (5 days a week)

[4] Go to the gym 5 days a week. Note I'm not saying what I have to do there, or the time limit... but to appear and do something physical for at least 20 minutes would be the start of this goal)

[5] Really start bulk cooking (so reliance on fast convenience food is reduced) and hide vegetables in the recipes (I bought Jerry Seinfeld's wife's online 'hide vegetables in foods your kids will eat' cookbook, so will try to incorporate that in the recipes I try!) so himself's eating will be healthier despite himself.

[6] Aim for bedtime to be 10pm so I can get up between 5:30 and 6am -- get the housework/laundry done, and take 30 minutes for Bible Study, prayer, meditation and a cuppa.

[7] Do something 5 days a week toward scrapping for others (my client, my sister, my friend's 40th b/day album which will be a year late by Feb 9th, my mom's mother's day album of pictures of her & her brothers and sisters when she was really little)

[8] Do something every day toward scrapping my own stuff -- espeically the Life Goals/All About Me album -- as a reminder to what I'm aspiring to, to remind myself of what I have accomplished during my down times.

[9] Get my Handcrafted Card stash back up so I have a card that I've done ready for any occasion; I imagine this means stamping once a week at least.

[10] In order to get 7,8 & 9 accomplished, I have to keep my studio somewhat neat and organized. So this goal is to spend 15 minutes putting things away every day; putting elements of projects away after I'm done with them, and spending an additional few minutes labelling & generally organizing things in my room.

Starting January 3rd - after I go back to work.

and [11] - try to work on Christmas projects all year round, this season was so not festive... not organized... hmmmmm... wonder why in the world things were so unorganized and topsy-turvy ?!?! :-P

Merry Christmas

Things are better. L actually did not go to jail, or see a judge. The deputies just drove around with him in the car I think, and brought him back around 2 or 3 am Sunday morning. So that was a good thing.

I got our tree up with help from my pal T, and himself hung lights in the front of the house and how festive it is. The house is still mostly a huge mess, but that's okay. Himself and I had our Christmas, per our tradition, at 12:15 am midnight, after watching "Pirates of the Caribbean: Three" -- himself got the surround sound set up and so we had movie night.

I'm thankful for my friends who have listened to the story of 'the drama that is my life' and let me eat cookies, and roll my eyes countless times as the situations that we find ourselves in; for a great new house and roof over my head, for my amazing husband who spoils me more and more.

I'm so thankful for so many things, and while I ask that we keep the prayers, good vibes and energy coming... I know this is just a normal 'blip' in the road of life, that we'll all adjust and life will go on -- just as it is supposed to be.

We had a lovely time at friends for Christmas dinner -- played games and sang carols around the piano -- a very lovely lovely evening.

Again, I have so very much to be thankful for :D

Thank you my friends for the words of encouragement!!

... and the holiday fun keeps rolling...

Stepdad L was arrested tonight. Two Deputy Sheriffs came to the door at mom's (where I'm spending tonight and we're calling it Christmas, sort of) at 10:00pm - L was already in bed after coming home from dinner with his sister and her husband at the country club here... and the sheriffs just were here to ask him questions, and most likely give him a ticket for backing into a car as he was leaving the parking lot of the restaurant... they were saying it was a "hit and run" becuase L didn't stop and at least (at the very least) leave a note on the car he backed into; which is a misdemeanor. The sheriffs were completely prepared to just give him a ticket, collect his insurance information and let it go, but L was confrontational, a bit confused (he'd been woken from a sound sleep and had had a few drinks and was standing in his robe), then got belligerent and would not answer the questions.

When he raised his voice is when it got ugly -- and the Deputies were nice, very professional, very patient, and after 15 minutes of "wait, let me get this straight... I hit a bush and it is a hit and run?" [because all L heard was that he hit a bush and now they're arresting him... he didn't listen to the entire sentence - L backed over a curb, hit a bush AND the car on the other side of the bush] -- and "I'm going to bed, this is ****" or "I don't understand, who let you in here?" [mom had asked them in -- we didn't know what they were asking about, but I had a bad feeling about it].

There was an eye-witness who saw the accident, got plates, described L to a "T" *and* heard his sister say to him in the truck, "you hit it/them L" -- which is why the sheriffs came to the door.

This is a year of firsts for me -- first time I've been between two people, one of whom refuses to speak again to the other, and the first time I've witnessed an arrest happen to someone I know less than 5 feet away from me in his robe...

I'm at quite a loss for words.

And now it is looking like my family from OKC isn't going to make it out for New Year's, and we're not doing our Open House because we're not ready and the house isn't organized yet... my tree still isn't up, and it is just hard.

Quiet is good --

Dan Fogelberg

He passed away from prostrate cancer just this past Monday. I grew up on Dan Fogelberg songs, I love "Same Old Lang Syne"; "Along The Road"; "Longer"; "Leader of the Band" -- and more recently the his "Rhythm of the Rain" album.

I wouldn't say I was a huge huge fan, but I still cried after hearing on the radio that he'd passed away and then they played "Same Old Lang Syne" -- which makes me tear up usually anyway.

Acoustic guitar, often meaningful & poignant lyrics... I'm sad.

Not Feeling Creative

I don't have anything I feel compelled to say...

Am taking tomorrow sort of off -- but have to run errands for work - mail, mostly... and finish up some thank you letter's. I plan to go to the office to wrap himself's presents... actually have a Gi-normous list of things to do tomorrow... did deliver the Table Saw (main prezzie for himself) tonight -- he's gonna have 3 days before Christmas with which to play with it, so it doesn't make sense to wait until Christmas day to give it to him. My big present is a new car stereo -- YAY!! The CD player in my car is very tempermental. It will take the CD but not play. Or eject. The radio doesn't get to play either... so I'm getting one that has an ipod doo-hickey, and something I can hook my mini-disc up to, too... So I'm excited.

Himself got the shelves up in my room, and I want to get that organized... I love finding homes for my beloved craft goodies.

Had celebratory lunch with office co-workers at Great Wall of China -- pretty good - yummy potstickers and crabpuffs. I love crabpuffs. I found fun socks, (I love fun footwear), Lindor chocolate (Love Lindor chocolate - Milk Chocolate please), large silver initial ornaments, pretty gift boxes, and my ornaments -- everyone got the same thing, slightly different versions. They seemed to like it.

I'm feeling really behind -- so many things I was going to do differently this Christmas, like craft all year long -- ha! Moving wasn't part of the plan, so that threw a wrench in it. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Not sure what family will be here, I'm supposed to be checking out hotel availability & prices, but haven't -- work has been so busy and I've been really pooped... staying up late but not accomplishing much. Typical.

The TGC Winter Concert was really excellent. We almost sold out! We leave the year with $10,000 in the bank, so things are looking up compared to this time last year, I'm told. I'm so pleased. I love my job, love the folks I work with, and love what the organization is all about.

Not sure what I'm going to do yet to keep myself singing, though. Very torn, divided and on the fence about it. Going to Scottsdale twice a month would give me the opportunity to see mom more often -- and my frustrations would be less in some respects. Staying and singing with what I call 'my' chorus at this time is an opportunity that only comes like every 30 years... when we have the chance to actually win this region's contest, and I like the thought of being a part of that. And I can't afford to go to Hawaii this year for International.

And I thought I had nothing to write about!

Just for Coffee Gal ;-)

It's not a lot but:

I've been sick with a cold/sinus thing since my Root Canal Dec 14th

I have another Dentist appointment tomorrow to get at least 2 (maybe more) cavities done.

I have a Dentist appointment *next* Thursday for Root Canal & Crown #2

The permanent crown I had put on last week is wonderful -- that temporary crown really sucked.

I just pulled a literal all-nighter putting together the TGC Winter Concert Program in order to get it to the printer for them to be able to start printing this morning. Yes -- I left the TGC office this morning at 4:45 am -- heard Mrs. Grant & Bobby Rich at 94.9 MixFM start the morning show at 5:08 am with a review of the Impossible Question ~ which, by the way, was answered by my friend Gail, who sings fabulous bass with Tucson Desert Harmony Chorus & "Havin' A Blast" quartet. So cool! [The question was - 2 or 3 new ones of these are created every day, and there are tens of thousands around the world - what is it? Answer: Religions. Kinda scary...]

My card reader isn't working, so I can't get pictures off my camera. Hate when that happens.

Had a craft class last Saturday - spent 2 nights prepping with my friend T, who punched 240 circles and scored 240 triangles within the circles while I finished up the Perpetual Calendar project, which was suppose to be a 4 month on-going project and turned into 6 months. ack.
The class was one of the hardest they've done -- a simple project that is not easy... making a Christmas ornament from the circles -- and if I could get the pictures off my camera I'd post some!

The Saturday before that I sang at the Fellowship Square Villa 2 Tree Decorating Party ~ led a sing-a-long which was way fun... always is!

This Saturday is the TGC Concert, so I'm up to my ears at work....

We've moved -- and I'll post the drama later. We've painted two of the 3 walls that will be painted in the kitchen - a 'lemon fluff neon-in-the-wrong-light yellow' -- and hopefully himself will do what needs to be done to get the fridge moved to the new location, which will allow us to purchase a pantry type storage, paint the 3rd wall, and then allow me to really get the kitchen put together and get the massive boxes that are sitting on the dining table cleared.

I have 3 fabulous shelves in the craft room.... need about a dozen more, but I actually worked in the room for the craft class and just need to tweek some craft homes for my supplies.

In the meantime, I'm not sure when I'm going to get our tree up -- our front door and front closet (which holds the Christmas stuff) are blocked by dining room chairs, there are still boxes in the middle of the living room and nothing really put away yet... so I don't want to decorate it now, which is making me a little sad... last year my Christmas stuff didn't come down until March. All I'm saying is if I don't get it up sooner than later we might run into the same issues....

I'm re-committing to eating healthier ~ went online and looked for natural remedies and holistic approaches to sinus infections ~ and did you know that often times (according to Chinese Medicine) sinus issues are related to constipation (another area of the body that is blocked) and Candida - abundance of yeast... directly related to too much sugar. So I went out and bought Soy Milk, Stevia and ginger -- made some ginger, lemon & honey tea, am taking garlic pills, cutting down on the fruit juices and diluting with water, and while having a whole night of non-sleep hasn't made me feel better today, at least I'm breathing out of both nostrils most of the time now.

Also saw a lot of Craft logs/blogs/forums this weekend and I'm now in crafty mode and want to pursue doing that more than anything else.... could be connected to this time of year, I suppose.

Well... do have to go to work for a little while today -- much to do!

5:10 am - Why Am I Up?

Because yesterday himself told my mom he was never going to speak to her (or her husband) again, and L is never ever welcome in his(our) house, and mom only when himself isn't around.

Great.

* Surprise!!! *

The people that came to my 40th surprise party... some I've not seen in two years, some in a few months, and some I've not seen OR talked to in over 13 years (since after college)!!!

It was so cool to walk into the room and see my best friend, roomie and Quilters castmate J (from Texas) ~ and another excellent friend, college roomie and Quilters castmate, S (from Idaho), along with another Quilters castmate and excellent friend (from Mesa... not as impressive but I've still not seen her in two years...), R. Plus relatives I've not seen in Eons... it was way fun!!

Thanks mom and himself... who rocks, because *I got an ipod* for my birthday... yay me!!! Can't wait to start loading it up!!!! :D :D

Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope everyone has had a blessed few days with loved ones.

And Rascal was an outstanding dog up here at mom and step-dad's. Just outstanding. We're so proud ;-).

New Doors

<--- Before: Big Gaping Hole in the back of our new house... but isn't it a nice, neat hole?










<- After: oooooohhhh.... ahhhh..... it's a beauty, eh?

Better....

Monday night I was feeling really awful... Tuesday morning I just felt sort of rotten.

On Monday himself said I shouldn't go into work, but stay home and continue on the road to recovery. I have to admit the thought of it sounded good, but I went in for a few hours to put some things in order.

My house still needs to be put in order... figure out where the dishes should go in the kitchen... how to arrange my craft room... not to mention how to get the bathroom stuff figured out... how do we get so much stuff that is supposed to be in the bathroom? Good Grief. Baskets and baskets.... powder, lotion, sunblock, scrubbies, pumice stones, combs & brushes, hair gel, makeup, the girly stuff, himself's low-maintenance but still taking up valuable space shaving kit (not that he shaves, he's got a full beard) full of beard trimming stuff. The bathrooms have no towel racks, so I have over the door hooks for the towels, but they're woefully short on any kind of storage space.

My tooth is still tender, and I'm not feeling great, but at least I can breathe through my nose at night, therefore not waking up as if someone exchanged sandpaper for the insides of my throat.

I'll be driving up to my mom's and step-dad's for Thanksgiving today - himself will drive up with Rascal tomorrow. There's been a lot of drama between Rascal, my mom, my mom coming down to help me clean and paint and prepare the new house to move into after himself and dad worked for a week putting the door in, and step-dad L. Add to this my mom's sadness and emotions regarding me (and himself) not being in a position to buy her house. Maybe we are missing out, but the bottom line is that with L in the picture, there wouldn't be any peace. Mom wouldn't make us pay back the "Gift" of $50,000 equity that she and L proposed to help us get a loan for the other house... but L would be there pushing and commenting and questioning... and it would be miserable.

At least it will only be 7 or 8 for Thanksgiving... *whew*

oh yeah. And I turn 40 (only 4 more shopping days, 'cuz the internet will still be open *wink wink*) on Sunday. But that is another post.

I'm so thankful for so many things ~ himself, my mom, my dad, my family and good friends, my health, the abundance of blessings that we have. My thoughts go to so many good things, and I just thank God for all of us and all of it.

Moving... Root Canal... Doggie Drama.... Sick with a Cold

That about sums up my week.

*sigh*

Never had family drama with Thanksgiving before, don't recommend it.

Mom's here to help - yay!

Here comes the year of the dentist. joy oh joy.

Thursday Thirteen - Favorite TV Theme songs

Since I haven't done a Thursday Thirteen in I don't know how long, I figured no one would care that it is Sunday morning.

Blatantly Copied from Chelle

Thirteen Favorite TV Theme Songs (in no particular order):

The Adams Family

The Love Boat

The Courtship Of Eddie's Father

I Dream Of Jeannie // Family Affair (these two always end up sounding like the same thing when I hum them...)

One Day At A Time

The Facts Of Life

M*A*S*H*

Mork & Mindy

The Office

Friends

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

King of the Hill

Cheers

Bonus:

The Rockford Files

Welcome Back Kotter

Batman

Jeopardy

Mission Impossible

All In The Family

Green Acres

Hogan's Heroes


you can go here to listen to some of the above...

Thursday Thirteen

Wow... it's been so long!

Thirteen Places I have been (I really need to read some other Thirteens to get inspired...)

1. Scotland. well duh.

2. England. again, duh.

3. Ireland. The Republic of, not Northern.

4. Mexico - Nogales & Rocky Point

5. Turkey

6. Malta

7. New York City

8. Key West

9. Boston

10. Crescent City, Oregon

11. Oklahoma City

12. Houston

13. Chicago - the airport

Liked how I tried to get the extremes of the continental usa?

Monday Monday

I didn't have to work today. Today was one of the first Monday's I really and truly took *off*! Of course, I did go in for 3 hours on Saturday and 3 hours on Sunday. But the quality of 6 hours on the weekend versus the Monday hectic chaos is so different ;-).

My dad is here from Oklahoma - helping himself with the house. I'll post pictures of the window/wall they demo'd - and the beauteous french doors that are now installed. Dad came over today by himself to varnish/seal the back fence, paint the iron screen, and do some work on the bit of wall that will be the new home for the fridge in the kitchen.

Himself hooked up the 'net at the new house, so I've been able to pay my car loan, and look up the closits system I want to put at the end of the craft room. It isn't as cheap as I was hoping, but it is under $1,000... and it gives me a chance to catch up on blogging.


Rascal is sooo much better. He's still skittish around dad, but after a bark or two is calm and overall so much happier when people come into the house. New friend Coffeegal came over the other day and Rascal woofed and did his thing, but then was quiet and calm, and it is just such a change!! Walking in the morning has been a change too -- now that he has some guidelines and parameters.

Dogs 101 is the guy we used, Al Rossomando is the trainer/owner and he was terrific. I highly reccommend him!!

Things have been so busy... Had my work evaluation on Thursday... and no surprises there, which is exactly how you want that kind of thing to go. It only took them 3 months to realize that I am time-management challenged and have a confidence problem. The confidence isn't all the time, nor is it in all things. But there are so many new challenges with the TGC that I want to be sure I'm on the right track with decisions I make. Because, I will make the simplest task as complicated as humanly possible. Which will slow things down. And it will keep things disorganized because who can bother finding the folder in the file in the cabinet in the red section that is for the Ladybugs A to M?

One of the rules of simplicity is - duh - being simple. Keeping categories of organization to a minimum. You know what 2 by 4 hit me with that knowledge today? The Ikea website. Yep. As I'm surfing for cheaper craft organization ideas, I know that Ikea is the super-est place to go for that... and some little cartoon doo-ma-bob plays and now I will remember that in order to keep things simple one must keep it simple. It sounds so redundant when I say it like that.

The reason I'm even blogging about this issue is because I spent 2 hours this morning being overwhelmed by organizing my rubber stamps. And, for those that know, over half of my craft goodies are in Scotland... so I don't even HAVE all my stamps and inks and paper and books and and and.... *sigh* Anyhoo ~ Between Scrapping and Stamping there are lots of categories... do I want to have "flowers" or "Garden & Floral" ? Do Butterflies have their own category or do they belong in "Garden & Floral"? When I want to see what Butterfly stamps I have, will I look under "B" for Butterfly or "Garden & Floral?" See what I mean?

[side note: I'm using himself's laptop at the new house, because the other house has been disconnected... and it is a British Laptop, and the @ key is where the " (quotes) are on the US keyboard. It's driving me a little nuts. AND the ~ ~ sign, which I prefer over the regular 'ol dash- isn't anywhere close to where it lives on the American keyboard. So I keep typing I@m instead of I'm and it is getting a little frustrating. Know my pain. Thanks for reading]

Do I want Autumn to include Halloween and Thanksgiving, or do I want a separate category for each holiday? And really, since no banks are closed on Halloween, is it really a Holiday? Will I remember that the two stamps I have with the 'little old ladies' (2 ladies on one, 3 ladies on the other) are filed under "Little Old Ladies"? Does it matter? It isn't likely that I'll buy duplicates of the little old lady stamps... which is why the whole organization thing is key, so you don't buy doubles. I have 'sets' and 'backgrounds' and 'swirls & flourishes' -- and if I don't do all the stamps at one time I forget what category I decided the Single Stroke paint stamp goes in... borders? backgrounds? Can you see why sometimes I struggle with keeping things simple?

So, instead of figuring out what card the craft class will do in two weeks... I messed around with trying to organize stamps. And I did very little. I'm not happy with what I have done, and want to start again.. but Hello! Isn't that defeating the purpose of getting organized in the first place? I think so. argh. And also... we're moving. If you come into my house, you'd never know we were moving... *sigh* I'm sure himself is more than frustrated at some of the lack of moving that isn't really happening.

So ~~ in other fun news... coffeegal and sang at Splendido at Rancho Vistoso on Friday at their "First Friday" event... explained to me as a casual entertainment late afternoon event that the residents can come to before they go in to dinner. Coffeegal gives an entertaining description of the place on her blog. The smallest retirement apartment there is only 200 square feet smaller than my new house. There were probably a dozen people in the room, and coffeegal got to see me at my panicked worst... missing the turn on the way there because the road had one name for the street if you're going north, and another name for the street if you're going south... I had all the electrics plugged into the wall but not into my actual sound system so I exclaimed "there's no power!" -- then realize after trying new plugs etc... that the problem was me, the user, not the outlet. Then I panicked because the CD player wasn't working. Coffeegal was the voice of reason and calm and very sweetly said that the player was on "radio" and not "CD". Duh. I think she had a great time, lots of laughing going on there!!

The Activities Director was fabulous -- I'm sure she thought I was a loon, but that's okay.

Saturday was dad and himself at the house... finishing up the door/wall... some good conversation and bonding. Sunday was a late start but a nice breakfast at one of our favorite local breakfast/lunch places (which used to be the DMV and is where I went to get my driver's license), and then Sunday evening was a church singing thing, which started out as a favor and turned into a huge blessing for me. My feelings about my performance basically amounted to: it sounded perfect for God.

Tucson is such a small town -- or, the largest small town you'll ever live in. It is just amazing how people I know come back to me through other people or situations. Make sense of that! One of these gals is the friend who is the connection to the lady who organized the singing thing at this church Sunday night. This gal and I attend the same church. There are lots of things happening within the 'denomination' (I hesitate to use the term but it is the one people understand) that I've been raised in, and I've been feeling unsettled for a long long time. She is feeling unsettled too, probably for different reasons.

And isn't it ultimately between myself and God? And between her and God? But that, I'm afraid, is another post.

quick update...

There's so much going on and I want to write it all out and share... but man oh man it would take a long time...

So some high points
today, after singing with my new friend *waves at coffeegal*, I was on my way to help distribute polo shirts for the older two choruses for the TGC... and it was at Raytheon's open house - our contact guy had sent two flyers, the address had already been changed, the whole thing has been one headache after another (because of tight security all the no-no's on site....) and there's more, but no time for all that drama now... my point is -- the road into Raytheon from the road we were dictated to enter from was closed.

Yep. So I'm on the road directing/looking out for TGC parents bringing their girls to the performance giving them alternate directions to the place where they're to be singing.... And while it was a beautiful day - it was hot and sunny... I think that is why I might have a big headache right now (and I don't get many headaches..!)

Alls well -- it was just icing on the cake to the week with work that I've had -- which started last Friday.

On more fun notes:
WE ARE HOMEOWNERS.... (or as himself has says, "Don't call me a homeowner, you homeowner...!").

We got the keys Friday - ordered pizza and sat in our new backyard with Rascal, drinking warm diet 7-up... some photos...So Rascal had a ball burying his first chew in the back yard... our pizza was delicious... and now the painful part -- actually moving.

My dad is supposed to be here this week to help himself, who is off for the week -- and oh the plans!!!

There's the latest news --

P.S.

The weather's GORGEOUS!! cool mornings... warm afternoons... just fabulous weather all the way around!!! (after all my summer griping I wanted to say I Love the Fall in Arizona!!)

Yeah... it's been awhile!

So ~ We're buying a house... this house, to be exact.

It is quite close to Park Place Mall... about 4 miles West of where we're living now, and about 400 square feet smaller. Yikes. 3 bedroom, 1 and 3/4 bath, HUGE yard...

Rascal will be thrilled. We're supposed to get the keys Oct 26th.

It's a long story how we got from renting mom's place to buying our own place, not a bad story... just don't have time for it now.

Life is busy - -haven't taken the time to post, but have thought a lot about posting!!