Can You Believe Tomorrow is February????

I just can't believe today is the end of January - didn't it just feel like Christmas - New Years! Heck even Thanksgiving! Wow 31 days into 2009 already! Time sure flies!

Well all the wool is washed and put in tubs - the tubs still sit in my living room! I'm not sure where to go with them - Have to do some serous rearranging in my hooking room to make room for it - Plus a lot of it I want to dye - so one of these days I plan on spending a day in the kitchen just playing around in the dye pots!

I went over today to get the rest of the wool! She had another full bag - Oh my - plus inside that bag was two huge patterns - old ones - and get this one of the price tags on the one pattern is $5.00 and it's huge! I'll get pictures later in the week to show you - If anyone is interested in them - they are on burlap (burlap makes me itch like crazy so i left them out in the car until i find something to put them in) and one is started! They are both florals by Rebecca Rugs - never heard of that! There was also some more cut strips. I will be washing some more wool but not for a few days! There was also a cutter in the bag - but it's a plastic one - haven't played with it to see how it works.

When I got home there was package sitting there for me and then I see it's from my friend Kathy - and I just knew it had to be great. Check out her projects on her blog, http://woolfind.blogspot.com/, she occasionally posts pictures of what's she working on (and she has a link to her Etsy store when she's selling stuff) everything she makes is wonderful! Next week is my birthday and she sent me the most wonderful items! She made me a wool tissue holder - how cool is this - it will go right in my purse and now hopefully I'll find my tissues inside of a ripped up ball of them! She sent me a redware ornie heart which is on my feather tree, and she made me a SNIPPET BAG - too cool - I love it and the fabric is a great old looking print! (I had asked her to make me one that i fully intended on paying for- sneaky woman this one!) , a couple pieces of hand dyed wool which is beautiful, and a utensil you use to get your hot teabags out of the pot - very cool - will save my hands and of course a cool kitty card! I'm so lucky to have her as a friend in my life! She keeps me laughing! So THANK YOU KATHY!

This past week i got right on making a rug for the women that gave me all the wool - I did a "sampler" look to it as she's a quilter - Not sure what her tastes were so just did hit and miss and things like that - The bird i traced from a pattern from Kelly Belfast and the cat from a pattern from Debbie St. Germain. So thank for the inspiration ladies. The pic came out awful - the colors are much deeper in person - the bird is really old gold with red and a darker tan background - all the colors are "richer" in person. I finished whipping this rug this morning and put on the label and took it with me to pick up the wool - I think she really really liked it! She said it would be a wonderful memory of her "donation".

It was a pretty dreary week weather wise but the sun's been out the last few days! Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and lots of sunshine - I'm hitting the road to the Jersey Shore - it's nice to see the Ocean in the winter! Plan on spending some time with my friend who lives down there part of the week.

I'll end this with a pic of my two boys together this a rare site - I woke up in the back bedroom (I often sleep back there rather than our bedroom due to the pain i have at night in my arms) and when i move back there normally Riley follows me) Well sometime during the night Miles came in too! Too funny - i was wondering why i couldn't move when i woke up - I scrunched myself out from under them and grabbed the camera since it was shocking as Miles can't stand to be in the same room with Riley!

A Tiger's Work is Never Done

My name is Riley and I'm a Bengal - Mom and Dad call me Tiger Buns all the time they seem to forget I have leopard spots - That's okay - it makes me sound tough! Just wanted to tell you about my weekend - Geez - I never get a break around here - work, work, work - I know my Mom appreciates my help - she's always saying all these mushy things to me (believe me I won't repeat them here - bleechhh!) I don't think anything would get done around here if I didn't help - I got to keep everyone in line! Anyway - it's a tough job but someone gots to do it.


This weekend my mom left early Saturday morning and was home a little later - Her and Dad drug in these large tubs and I'm thinking - Oh boy - I know it's going to be work for me! Well I know Mom already told you about all that wool she got (Geez who knew tubs of wool could make someone smile like that!) Anyway - I'm here to tell you MY side of the story!


Mom kept that big white box filled with water all day and that other white box that makes that noise (but is warm) going too - All day! So she would pull these piles of wool out of the white box that is warm and bring them into the living room and me and her would sit there and fold all that wool . Here's the proof - just so you all knows - that I did most of the work -

Here I am trying to grab a piece that got away:

Oh - you weren't supposed to see this picture - I needed a break!

Dear God, Please let this be the last pile of wool - I'm tired of folding.

It took me all weekend but my work here is finally done - I put in some serious overtime I tells you. Here's Mom's wool all washed, fluffed and folded and put back in those tubs! Now see that sunbeam - I'm off to take a nap!

Uh oh - Just heard Mom tell Dad that lady that gave her all the wool called and found more! I best rest up for the next load - Like I said - A Tiger's work is never done!

Wow is all I have to Say

What do you think is in these huge tubs - I wonder what it could be?

Hmmm, All I know is when Mom brings things in the house - it's just more work for me - I have to supervise and inspect everything around here you see - and here I thought it was my day off -Okay - I'm getting up - just give me a minute to wake up my eyes.

I know, I know, I know what's in the tubs (I peaked don't tell anyone)

It's four huge tubs of wool! Oh please, its just wool - What we need more of around here is Shrimp and Tuna - not wool - I can't eat this stuff - so what good is it - I'm going back to my heating pad and taking a nap.

Early this morning I picked up these tubs of wool! Thursday my Dad was at Church folding bulletins with a woman named Betty - Betty asked my Dad if I would like some wool - She had "some" wool and knew I hooked rugs and would like to get rid of it. My Dad being a typical male tells her that he isn't sure he has to ask his wife! Well my Mom took control of the situation and called Betty later in the day and got the details. Apparently about 25 years ago she was living in California and stopped at a yard sale - A man sold her all this wool and a cutter for $20. She's a quilter and always wanted to learn rug hooking - but she never did - She's moved this wool about 5 times to different houses - her husband was a Minister and they moved a lot! So she wanted the wool to go to someone who could use it - She called me Friday and of course i said I would love to have it (What am i crazy - turn down wool?) So this morning i picked it up - I expected some wool - not this much! My word, I couldn't even judge how much wool there is - most of it is from recycled garments as you can see "shapes" of pants and skirts. All taken apart, all safety pinned together - whoever took this apart kept every available piece of wool possible - so there are many approx. 1/2 yard sizes, 1/4 yard sizes, lots of long wide strips and small pieces!

I brought it home and immediately decided to start washing it and sorting in - Believe it or not it wasn't even musty or dirty - I just felt better washing it - Actually there is so much I'm on my 10th load i think and still have more to go - it's taken all day so far!

I am just amazed at the generosity of people - She would not take any money for it. She even would not take her tubs back! She is just tickled that she has some free space now! I haven't decided on a design yet but I will be making her a rug to thank her - I noticed walking thru her house it's full of quilts, pincushion collections and antiques - so since that's my 'style"- I will make her something I like and hope she likes it too! Just need to come up with a design.

After I get all this washing and sorting done - I will have to find a place to store this - and I foresee a whole lot of dyeing in my future - out of all these tubs there was only two fabrics that were plaid! Hard to believe - it's all solids - There is some that looks hand-dyed but I think it is marbelized. What a day - tiring, but fun!

One of the tubs was half full of already cut strips - I put it in one of those huge ziploc bags and it's stuff to the brim - These are cut in probably a #3 or #4 cut - way to skinny for me (think dental floss) - Kathy said maybe her group could use it since a lot of those ladies use these cuts - I'm happy to pass them on.

Here's my helper helping me fold one of the loads of "blues" Here he is again supervising my sorting and folding and re-tubbing the reds, lavenders, oranges, etc.
And again - "Hey Mom, I think you should start washing the greens - they match my eyes"

"Yo Mom - No breaks here - there is folding to be done - Get your buns back here""

"YooHoo Mom, get a move on - I got myself an emtpy tub here to fill - get those greens folded"

And here's a pic of my little helper a little while ago - the poor guy has been up all day helping me - guess he decided I can do the job on my own for a little while. I'm sure his inspection of my work will continue after his cat-nap - let's hope I get the pawprint of approval!

So that's my day - it's 9:30 and i still probably have 3 more or so loads to do - I don't think I will have this all cleaned today as right now I feel like curling up like my tiger - I'm tuckered out myself!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Joanne

Getting Things Done!

Well the week blew by before I could blink - I tried to keep busy and get stuff done! I think I did okay - could have done better! Monday was a "snow day" - snowed on and off all day - we got about 5 inches around here. Not that that is a lot, but enough for me - I'm ready for Spring! On Tuesday I went out to Lancaster to meet up with my parents to pick up a piece of furniture for them (I have a Subaru so I wouldn't have room for passengers!) This pic doesn't show it but the trees were absolutely amazing Tuesday morning - all covered in the silver snow and that big yellow ball of fire was in the sky - actual sunshine! I left pretty early and the roads weren't 100% but the scenery was worth it!

Met my parents out there and we shopped and then had lunch and then went for the stand they bought - They replaced their TV and of course everything is flat screen now and wide - so their previous TV cabinet wouldn't hold their new one - Whew - their new cabinet just fit in the car! Followed them home and my Dad and I drug in their new cabinet and got everything set up - looks nice! But the nice thing is - guess who received their old one! Me! I was happy as I didn't really like my TV stand. Here's a picture of my "new" one!

My husband and I picked this up - this was a really tight squeeze to get in my little Subaru but we did it - of course when we picked it up it was like 12 degrees and this sucker is heavy (or I'm getting too old for lifting and moving furniture) This wasn't in the house 30 seconds and Riley was on top of it! I haven't put anything really on top of this yet - I'm hoping now that it's been in the house a week Riley will get bored with it and I can "decorate" - You can't see it but that is a quilt my Mom made years ago for me (bear claw design) and it's hanging by a quilt shelf - Well my guy Riley gets his butt up there! Scares me to death! Our TV used to sit on a stand on a swivel and was always afraid he and the TV would go flying - had pillows on the shelf to try to keep him off the shelf (it's only 10 inches from the ceiling) but no - i'd come home and the pillows would be on the floor!) Now at least the TV is safe from him in the cabinet and it's not as far as a jump! I may just have to put a cat basket up there - Not sure yet. My mom sent me home with the linen topper she had on the stand - and you can't see it very well but my Mom thinks the "lace" on this linen was crocheted by my Grandfather- I didn't really know him - he was in an accident with my brother and two cousins when I was 3 years old and died when I was 11 (he was in the hospital all those years) but he was a rug braider, awning maker, and much more - My mom's side of the family is very creative!

The rest of the week I cleaned out some closets, some drawers and organized things - felt good - no more socks with holes! Riley was my constant companion all week - it is too funnybut he was so busy "helping" me that by the end of the day his furry butt was dragging staying up all day without his cap naps - He just loves to see what I do next I think! Miles of course was down on his heating pad and would come up for a snack and drink and then right back to his heating pad. Poor guy just doesn't move as well these days!

Earlier tonite - i finally got on the computer to get caught up with emails and "blog reading" - still more to go - and this is what i see when i look down - My guy wants to play - he just sits there and stares at me until i stop what I'm doing and play with him!

We just played "rubber band" and "mouse" for a long while - now he's curled up at my hip. I'm hoping to get to hooking tonite - seems like forever since i pulled a loop!

Today I was taken out to lunch by my former employer and when i went out today I couldn't believe the weather - it was 53 degrees! (Earlier this week it was in the single digits!) It certainly gave me a spring in my step feeling like "Spring!" It's apparently going to be short lived but I did enjoy it!

Here's an adorable video - check it out - it just goes to show how nice it is to have friends! (Watch it to the end - it's less than 2 minutes!)

Have a great weekend joanne

Brrrrrrrrrrrr It's Cold Out There

Well it's Friday and I think this is the coldest day of the year so far - right now it's in the single digits! Of course we are complaining about the cold but remember years ago when entire winters were like this - I remember as a kid walking home from school and deciding if I wanted to go ice skating or not - it was never "is the ice solid" - just seemed most of the winter it was - and if we had snow it stuck around so often it was ice skating or sledding! Don't get me wrong, I am ready for Spring, but if we have to live in weather like this - it's a shame for the kids now a days - really how often do they get to go sledding or ice skating - I'm surrounded by creeks and never see anyone ice skating anymore!

A few days ago I was wondering what my "unknown" for the year would be - well I already experienced one and will have to be ready for a new "unknown" down the line. Funny how things can change in just one moment of time. Either way - I'm determined to stay positive and use my time I have to get things done and get some books I have been wanting to read read and get some rugs hooked!

Tonite I actually sat down to hook and couldn't find my hook! Last year I either misplaced, left it somewhere or lost one of my Hartman hooks - so i had another one I've been using for the past year - well that's disappeared. I'm thinking Riley knows where it's at and probably has it somewhere for safe keeping, (i.e. under the center of the water bed where i can't reach, under the TV cabinet, under the day bed, buried in a pile of wool) Tomorrow I will look for it - I did pull out another hook - one i don't care for and did a little hooking - but isn't it the same - just can't get my "groove on" with it! Perhaps if i would straighten up this room (yes it's a mess again) I wouldn't be having these problems!

I'm still trying to decide what Broadway show to order tickets too for my annual trip to New York with friends. Last year one of the shows we saw was Grease - it had the actors that they did that reality show the other year for. Have to say it wasn't all that great. I think it could have been so much better. So I'm having a hard time deciding this year. Hard to believe how many years some of those plays stay around! Love the whole New York experience though.

Hope everyone is staying warm and feeling good - So many of my friends are coming down with colds and feeling "off" - so wishing all my friends good health and love and laughter - don't forget to laugh - it does the body good!

joanne

The Bank Account

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each
morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved
perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After
many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled
sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description
of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just
been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'

'That doesn' t have anything to do with it,' he replied.

Happiness is something y ou decide on ahead of time.

Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is
arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the
parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful
for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day
and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank
account of memories!

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.

I am still depositing.

'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.

Wonder What the Unknown of 2009 Will Be?

Well we are now into 2009 - I was just taking a bubble bath - one of my favorite things to do and thinking about some emails I received rom a friend that will be going on the Searsport Rug Hooking Cruise next week. She is so excited and it was infectious - I'm so excited for her - no not jealous even though I would love to be going but circumstances didn't allow that to happen this year - but happy for her - she was asking all sorts of questions (I went last year - that was my first time on a cruise) Well it got me thinking how different we all are yet so much alike. Some of the questions were just the things I was wondering and worrying about this time last year - what to pack, who do you tip, where do you park, how do you find your room, what do you need to carry with you on the ship, is there a safe - all these little things - Well i'm hoping some of answers eased her mind.

I also got to thinking what will be my "first" this year?

Last year it was the first time in my 30 plus years of working full time that I was laid off a job and didn't have a job to go to in the morning - the longest I was ever out of work besides normal vacation was for 2 weeks or surgery on my arm - even then i was supposed to be out over a month but didn't stay out - Couldn't see "using the system" if there wasn't a need. Another first was the cruise last January. Another first was working a temporary job - never worked as a temp before. Let's see I'm sure there was more - can't think of anything - That's almost sad - I should be making more of my life !

So what will it be this year?

I wonder what my unknown or "firsts" will be? Hopefully whatever it is it will be a positive experience and not a negative or depresisng experience.

Are there any "firsts" you are looking forward to experiencing?

Well the weekend is just about over - it has been mostly a lazy weekend - we were supposed to get all this snow yesterday so i planned on just staying put (a hard thing for me!) We did get snow but not what they "called" for (the news is so dramatic with the weather these days). Today I managed to get out and chop the ice off my car and get out and do some things - also got a few things accomplished here at home too.

Need to make my reservations for New York - been looking online for a nice hotel that isn't too expensive (anyone have any one they can recommend!) and trying to figure out what other play we will go see - every year for the past 5 or 6 years I have been going to this event for Broadway Cares (it benefits Aids) - Broadway Cares. My husband usually buys me the ticket every year or my birthday - it's always fun couple of days - love to visit New York - doubtful i'd be able to live there - used to the small town!

Have a great week ! joanne

A Giant o f a Man

Gotta another good email and thought I would share - check out this guy - Amazing with a capital "A"!


http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=723

The Cab Ride

(I received this in an email today - thought it had a really good message) So wishing everyone a wonderful day, week, month, year - Take just a moment to think of others - something as simple as a smile can make someone's day!

"The Cab Ride

So I walked to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'. 'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?' 'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly. 'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice". I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. 'What route would you like me to take?' I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as anelevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once b een a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now' We drove in silence to the address she had given me.It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door.

The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse. 'Nothing,' I said 'You have to make a living,' she answered. 'There are other passengers,' I responded. Almost without thinking, I b ent an d gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.' I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, ~BUT~THEY WIL L ALWA YS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

You won't get any big surprise in 10 days if you send this to ten people. But, you might help make the world a little kinder and more compassionate by sending it on.

Thank you, my friend... Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance. "

Reality Sucks!

Sorry for the harsh title there - but it's back to reality tomorrow and I really am not looking forward to having to get up and go to work - Sunday evenings I always get that "dreaded" feeling but it's worse after having over a week off! Well anyway - we have to do what we have to do I suppose!

Today was a lazy Sunday - this morning I managed to get my challenge pattern transferred to my linen. Then I went out for a bit and it seemed everyone and their brother were out doing errands! I skipped some of mine and came home! Didn't do much except straighten some wool and clean-up from the mess i made hooking the last rug. Then I was sorting thru my wool for the challenge and it's all great wool - There was a piece of white wool and I just can't bring myself to use a pure white wool in a rug - never ever have and probably never will - so it somehow mysteriously fell into a pot of onion skins on the stove with another 1/4 yard piece of wool - If it hadn't found it's way in that pot then I betcha my cup of tea might have spilled on it! Here's the result - much more yellow/gold in person - never tried the onion skins before but at the rug hooking class I took in Maryland one of the women, Purple Beth, gave me a bag of skins (So i'm sending a big thank you out to her!) Love the results - can't wait to try it with some other colored wools to tone them down.

Now I'm ready to sit and hook - Always hard for me to start a rug - but once I get going then I usually become obsessed and won't stop (usually!).

Went downstairs to the "bunker" - Must be an All Boys Club today - my husband is down there watching the football game and on the big chest he has two cat baskets with blankets over them - and there i actually found Miles and Riley - each in a basket - next to other - a very rare siteing - so i ran upstairs and grabbed the camera. I swear they were looking at me like "go away, no girl's allowed" - As you can see, King Miles is on his heating pad - we leave it on for him day and night - i think it's helping him - you can see how much he's aging too - I don't like it when our furry ones age or they don't feel good. Riley was just tired from a day of following sunbeams around and then playing with everything he could get his paws on - it was a busy day for the tiger!

Wishing everyone a wonderful first week of the New Year! Hope all your dreams come true.

joanne

Another Saturday Goes By in a Flash

Hard to believe it's Saturday already - i have really enjoyed having the past week and a half off - I'm not ready to get back to reality on Monday morning when that alarm rings at 5:30 a.m.! Grrrrrrr



Today a friend and I went to see the movie Marley and Me - yep take several tissues with you - you will need them!


When i got home tonite - I went to get my mail and in there was a package from Mimi - = inside this puffy package was some beautiful wool for a challenge rug and after seeing the wool, I can't wait to get started - She also sent a pair of mittens made from wool sweaters - I love them and they have red in them - she sent me the perfect colors!

Tonite I decided to put my Challenge rug on linen - One nice thing was my serger was working perfectly (and that's unusual for me! Sewing machines and I have a bad history!) So I started transferring it and messed up - Oh well tomorrow I will turn the linen over and try again!

Here are my Mimi Mittens! They will be so nice and toasty warm:

Here's my guy Riley - he spent about 15 minutes smelling the mittens and all the wool from everyone - That certainly made for a tired tiger all those new smells!

Well wishing everyone a relaxing day!

joanne

2009 - Here's Hoping it Will be a Great Year!

Well I'm having a hard time even believing Christmas is over let alone it's 2009 - where oh where did 2008 go? In a way - I'm glad it's gone - I hate to wish away time as it goes too fast as it is (remember when we were 10 and the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas felt like 4 years - not 4 minutes?). Through the years I have had really good years and really bad years - this year definitely wasn't in the top ten - yet it wasn't the worst yet!

Let's see January 2008 - Started out with my Dad back in the hospital - this was a series of him being in (again) 4 times in a period of 3 months, and I was looking forward to going on my first cruise (rug hooking cruise) Two weeks before I left I got layed off from my job that I had been working at for over 10 years - it was a very weird feeling for me as I have never not worked full time since I was 17 except for the normal vacation time off and a two week period where i had surgery on my arm and couldn't work! But I spent a lot of time at the hospital sitting with my Pop. He finally found a doctor that figured out a plan of action for him and so far so good (knock on wood) he hasn't been in again since February. Cruise time came around and I enjoyed two firsts (First cruise and first time in Florida) Had a wonderful time and would do another cruise in a heartbeat!


Here's our ship - this was at the Princess Cay Island in Bermuda and it turned out to not be a very nice day - but still - a day in the Caribbean has to beat being home in the cold! We also went to St. Thomas and St. Martin's. When we were at St. Thomas we took a catamaran to St. John's to snorkel and swim - Wow what fun - I was with my friends so I was taking pics with my camera phone and sending them to my husband at work - I called him and he told me I wasn't very funny as he had to shovel snow that morning! And there I am sitting in a bathing suit and diving off the boat to swim in the Caribbean! LOL Apparently he wasn't very amused as I believe one time he hung up on me!

February thru April - Hmmm - can't really remember much during that time as I was really sick almost that whole time - It was almost a good thing I was layed off of work because I can just image the sick days I would have had to take. In March a friend and I went to New York and saw two Broadway shows, did a lot of walking and shopping, and eating out at good restaurants - I love to visit New York. The days passed very fast even though I wasn't working - i did get a lot of hooking done during that time - here's a rug i made - it's 7'-2" x 26" - it's a runner that i put in my hall when you walk in my front door - It started out just being all hit and miss and then i got about 25" in with the hit and miss and decided to add the cats - so each end has approx. 25" of hit and miss and then around the edges. Thought I would have to cut wool from my worm stash - but no i still had some left! I also helped teach punch needle to kids at one of the heritage centers in the area - it was a lot of fun - these kids were mostly home schooled kids and so open to learning - We had them make little coasters and punching with yarn.

May - Finally got to meet two of my online buddies - Kathy and Cheryl - out in Chambersburg at a fabric stash sale. Cheryl is from Indiana and she and her mother and sister were up visiting an Aunt - So that was a fun day!. May also brought damage to our house from a storm - so it was a huge expense (of course when I'm layed off!) so I had to come up with some ways to make some extra money!

June - I started interviewing since my unemployment compensation was gone and my old job wasn't back on track yet - even though I was going in to help out every couple of weeks all year - Everyone in the company was layed off but we all still helped out. End of June I started working again at a temp job - It was supposed to be for 12 weeks but I'm still there.

July - August - Work, work work

September - My husband finally got to go to England - he went with a friend and met up with some friends he's been corresponding with for over 10 years and never met - His Dad was born and raised in England and he has always wanted to go - Finally he did - He loved it - They actually went over to see a reunion tour of a band as his friend worked for this band s o he got to do a lot of interesting things. His time of course went by too quick - some day he and I will get back (i was there in my teens). September also started a busy time doing rug demonstrating at several heritage centers and also a couple of workshops i taught.

October - more rug demonstrating and more workshops - no free weekends at all!

November - Got to go to Vermont to the Hooked in the Mountains rug show, and also to rug camp - and taught more workshops.

December - End of year! More workshops and of course getting ready for Christmas.

So basically it was a good year and a bad year - even with the cut in money situation we got by - thank goodness for budgeting all these years and spending wisely, otherwise it would have been back to paycheck to paycheck - a feeling i really really never want to experience again like I did in my 20's and early 30's! Had a few ups and downs and have to say - it could have been worse!

New Year's Eve brought a really dreary day! It was cold and windy - went out grocery shopping and came home and curled up with the kitties for a while to warm up. Then I got up and got a bee in my bonnet - I so wanted to sit and hook but my hooking room is/was a disaster so I started tearing the closet and everything apart - man oh man did i make a mess - a big royal mess! I started at around 1:30-2:00 and didn't stop until 11:45 - I had even bought scallops and lobster tails to make for dinner - never happened! LOL

That's some of the "wreck" I made trying to get organized! Well I forgot to take pics of the after as I was tired, and sore (how come we find out we have muscles we never know we had) and just wanted to go to bed! But if felt good to walk in there the next morning and start the New Year.

And speaking of that - here's a pic of my little tiger enjoying the sunbeams that the New Year brought! He ate his breakfast and spent the morning there moving around following the sunbeams - nothing like a toasty tiger!

Spent the afternoon playing Bingo at the local Fire company and came home -finally made that lobster and scallop dinner - then sat at started a new rug - finally got to sit and pull some loops. Today I got up and it was dreary again and then started snowing so it was a good day to do nothing - so I did. I hooked all day and actually finished my rug! So here's the rug - still have to finish the edge - the pattern itself is based on a drawing by Kelley Belfast which she got the inspiration from an antique rug. Enjoyed hooking this one. I used only scraps on this..

Here's 4 rugs I did last year that were similiar - I decided to hook the above rug in the same style.

So looking forward to seeing what the New Year will bring - I refuse to make resolutions - that makes me feel restricted and then disappointed or a failure if I break them - so instead I'll just try to stay positive and be happy.

Have a wonderful New Year!