Long Time Gone!

It's certainly been a long time since I've been on here!   Lots of things been happening!

One thing was my laptop died - May it R.I.P.

Not a happy camper about that either as it wasn't even two years old and during that time it had crashed 3 times where I lost everything (of course I didn't back up!)

Anyway - my old one couldn't be fixed so i had to get a new one.   Went a different direction and bought a different make.  So far so good...knock on wood.

Then on this laptop I tried to get into blogger...No can do - I could read but blogs but couldn't even get into my own blog to update or comment, etc.  So after some research I realized I had to download a different browser.  So long story short - i downloaded another browser but can't get it to work through my AOL account so I can open it separately and work on the blog - Still working on that but I'm a little challenged (okay a lot challenged) in the techy department!

Also my hand problems have been slowing me down on hooking - I have so many things I want to get done but can hook one day and then have to rest the hand for a few days etc.  Going for a shot in the hand end of this week so hopefully that will help -

So here are some rugs I've been working on for sale - and some I have pulled out of my tub which may have been posted here prior -

Last week I went to fabric sale  - I got some good deals -  I think I spend a total of $30

This is about 6-7 yards of wool - colors are off in my pic (of course)  but the top one is a rusty color (so pretty) and the other is more a dull red, and then a gray/beige/camel  color - all washed and beautiful wool -  This wool was $4/yard

This pile is hard to see but mostly nice sized pieces and even some yardage - it was fill a bag for $2.00 well I had that bag stuffed to the gills!

I also bought a tiny serger or $5, a large piece of linen for cross stitch for $0.50 and a few other little odds and ends.

Quentin was helping me so I gave him a wool bow tie - he wasn't happy!

Jonesy said don't even think about tying anything around my neck!

And of course Riley was helping me "fold" the wool after I washed it!  It's good to have all this help.

Not much else going on - from this pic you can see how BIG Quentin is getting - he's almost 11 months old already - can you believe it!  He's got some weight to him too and just getting bigger everyday.  He really is a character and still loves to play so much - Wherever you go in the house - you can be sure you have your "shadow" with you!

Well hopefully this post works and hopefully this computer holds up - Still trying to "adjust" some things and hoping the contraption my husband bought will be able to save the information from my hard drive on the dead computer!  We shall see....

Have a wonderful day!

Clean Ears

Perhaps you already saw this video?  

Well I had to try it and so did a friend of mine - and both she and I were shocked to find not a "silk" on our corn and it cooks perfectly! 

Pretty neat!

June 23, 2012

Lots of things represent June 23, 2012 in our family.

My Mom's birthday is June 23 - She turned 82 years old yesterday.

In 2001 my husband's Mother passed away on June 23 - She was 76 and her birthday would have been on June 25.

And now a new memory for the day - yesterday was my niece's wedding day.

The wedding was held at a place called the Stone Barn.  The wedding itself was outside by two ponds under the shades of some trees.  There were 7 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen and two flower girls.  The two little girls trotted down the walkway and then realized they forgot to spread their petals so they both went back up and came back down tossing the pedals!

The ceremony itself was short and sweet.  It wasn't a traditional ceremony but very nice.  They promised to love each other for who they are and other promises and were pronounced man and wife.  They walked up the walkway to a sea of bubbles (we were supplied with little bottles of bubbles!)

The reception immediately followed in a building past the ponds.  Inside of a sign-in book there was a large pic of a tree - you had to put your thumbprint as a leaf/branch of the tree and sign your name.  I thought this was a cool idea.  (Of course I haven't been to a wedding in about 10 years so maybe this is common!)  They also had pics of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents wedding photo's on the table.  Very nice.   They also had one of those photo booths where you put on goofy hats and take pics.  You get a pic and so do they and you sign their scrapbook.  Fun idea!

Lots of other little cool things and they did a great job of getting it all together.

So here are a few pics of the evening ( I didn't take very many - there were so many people taking pics it was hard to get any)

This was outside during the ceremony...

At dinner - the newly married happy couple...

Later in the evening... Cheryl (Mother of the bride on the far left) and the bride...

Maid of Honor - My niece Jessica...

My Mom and Dad...

My cousin Randy and my brother (father of the bride) Rusty...

My Uncle Bud and my cousin's wife Debbie...

The father and daughter dance started out very traditionally - then AC/DC blasted from the speakers and the blow up guitars came out.  If you know my brother this is perfect.  We were hysterical at this!

So all in all I'm so happy they had a great day for it - the weather couldn't have been more perfect and everything went off smoothly.  The happy couple will be leaving for their honeymoon on Monday to Punta Canta - sounds wonderful!

The Bubble Bitch

I know, I know, I know.  It's been a while since I posted - I even received several emails asking if everything is okay.

For the most part things are okay - I just haven't felt like I had anything to blog about lately!   Nothing much going on!  So I will just show you some random pics of the past few weeks.

I haven't really been hooking - a couple of weeks ago I took a huge piece of linen and drew about 12 things on it and one afternoon decided to start hooking.  Well I was setting everything up with my tub of worms next to me and putting my frame in front of me and when I finally sat down to hook - this is what I found...

Not to be outdone and realizing Jonesy had found a soft place for an afternoon nap, Quentin takes over...

He sure is giving me the eye that means DO NOT DISTURB. 

Riley of course can't believe his little brothers are in my tub (Of course he may be mad he didn't think of it first!)

Ever make sticky buns/cinnamon buns from frozen bread dough?   Last Thursday I decided to do that (and of course I picked an awfully hot day to bake!

I really don't have a recipe but you thaw the frozen bread dough and then roll it out in a long rectangle  - then I brushed the dough with melted butter, and  sprinkled a mixture of brown sugar and cocoa powder (just something I add) and cinnamon on the dough and roll it up.  I then cut it like you would a roll of cookie dough.  I place these little spirals/circles in a throwaway foil pan that I have put in the bottom of the pan melted butter, brown sugar, more cinnamon (cause I love it) , and chopped nuts (i used walnuts cause that's what I had!) and let sit and rise... this is a pic of them rising - i usually let it go for about 2-4 hours - this pic is about an hour into it...

Then you bake it for about half hour at 350 degrees...

Oh yummm...  the house smells so good.  As soon as I got them out of the oven I overturned them onto a cookie tray I put a piece of parchment paper and then slide it back into the pan

Oh they were so good - I had a "piece" from the first pan out of the oven and at that moment decided I can't have all these sitting around - so as soon as it was all down I loaded up the Subaru and off I went delivering hot buns to some family and friends!  Okay I won't like - I kept some for us too!  It's certainly easy peasy and besides the dough it's generally ingredients you have lying about the house!

Well from these pics you'd think all Quentin does is sleep - but that's not true - that boy is on the move continuously and if he does lay down, if I leave the room he's up and following me - mostly with a toy.  He  loves to play!  And can you believe that today Quentin is 9 months old! Wow! He's getting so big!

His favorite spot to watch the birds in the big tree (and notice Kathy - he's got that green toy with him - looking at me like daring me to touch it!)

Oh and I'm still not getting any hooking done - if they aren't in my worms then someone is sleeping atop my frame...

How cute is he - he just got done posting a pic on facebook of himself...

I think this is Quentin resting while the cinnamon buns were in the oven...did I mention he also helps with everything you do!

Again in one of his favorite spots - a rare moment of rest...

A friend gave me a mouse that squeaks (and sounds real) - Riley took to it and had a ball playing with it...

So besides spending days playing with the boys (in the air conditioning) I don't know what I have been getting into yet it seems like there isn't time to get anything done.  Go figure!

I did manage to spend a few days on the beach earlier this week.  I am whiter than white and was trying to get some color on my legs since there is no way I'm putting on a pair of panty hose tomorrow (for my nieces wedding) in this heat (it's outdoors!).  Well of course I managed to keep them white and get my shoulders a dark pink!  Well never fear - I tried that rub on tan stuff - I think I got enough color to get away with it - but I do hate that stuff - can't stand the smell of it!

And this pic is for Linda!  I can't use my powder room - it's been invaded by bags of bubbles - I can't close the door and running out of room to store them!  I have more over my washer and dryer too! LOL 

 

Okay let me explain - my husband can get all the bubble wrap he wants from work (they wrap huge machines and get parts in and just toss it away) so he brings home these bags of bubbles for my "rent payment" to stay at Linda's when I go to Grant Street (Rent is 2 bags of bubbles each visit!) for her husband for his business. Now this is what happens when I haven't gotten there for a few weeks!  LOL  Oh and did I tell you that Linda and Rick call me the "Bubble Bitch"?  Next time I get there I'm wondering how I'm going to fit all this in my little Subaru along with me and my hooking! (It's always a challenge - I think the most I took at one time was 9 bags!)   Anyway...let's hope when I do go next time it's not windy or my car will lift off in flight - Hey wait - that might be a good idea - no traffic! 

My Pop ended up in the ER on Father's Day again but he's home and everything is okay for now.    Thank goodness because I know he would have been absolutely heartbroken to miss his granddaughter's wedding tomorrow. 

My toe is still a little sore but no pain at all with walking anymore.  So basically healed from the fall!   Been having some issues with my hands again but working through that also.  Always something I suppose!

I have a question about blogger if any of you know.  I tried to go in and add some blogs to my blog list but when I it "add" - the screen to do so is off the screen to the left so to speak but I can't do anything with it and enlarging the screen doesn't work?  Any ideas? 

Anyway....like I said - it's been pretty ho hum around here lately.  I haven't been on the computer too much either but do wan to to sit down one of these days and get caught up on my blog reading and group postings, etc.  Wish I had a good excuse but I don't!

Have a wonderful weekend - and if you are in parts of this heatwave - stay cool!

Is It Really June! Wowzer!

Time sure is flying by again - always I should say! 

The bad news is since again for the past few weeks I have been unable to hook - something so stupid happened one night 2 1/2 weeks ago - I slipped on a grape - yep a grape. Went down hard on a tiled covered concrete floor - I had first thought I had broken my knee - it hurt so bad I saw white.  But I was extremely lucky only got a knot on the knee and the scrape was minimal - My shin bruised a little and swelled with the knee for about a week. My "middle toe" was broken and bleeding - it's still a tad swollen but so much better - just starting to be able to bend it a little and my arm and shoulder were jarred/pulled so wasn't able to lift my arm even to hook for a while!  That is improving every day.

The good news is it could have been worse or it could have happened to someone else who could have been really hurt bad!  So maybe it was a good thing it was me and not one of the older people.

Soooooooooooo.... I decided to go to Grant Street this week anyway!  Felt good to get the hook back in my hand - I used my floor stand with my traveling frame which I think helped me hook - and guess what! I finished the rug for my niece for her wedding! Even got it whipped! (Oh yea - forgot - it's not really done - according to Kathy a rug isn't done until it's labeled! So i have to label it yet!)

So here it is....

This is an adaptation of the antique rug sometimes called "Old Hearts" or "Blue Sam".   I know it's way more colorful than the original but I suppose at one time that rug was colorful!

Once again there were lots of laughs out in Chambersburg this week - Always a fun time and I sure wished I had my camera in hand late Wednesday night when I was at Linda's house but I didn't! When I did have it out at Grant Street I forgot to take pics like usual!

Nothing much else going on here - the "boys" have still been tearing up the house and Quentin will play 24 hours a day if you allow it - he carries his toys around and gives you those eyes - here are some pics from them in a rare "down time" mode this past week...

Jonesy and Riley ...

Weird boy - I think he is totally exhausted from playing so hard - See how big Mr. Q is! Wow is all I keep saying!

Have a good weekend - stay dry and cool!

This and That...And Other Things too...

Well not much has been going on here.  Just getting through day by day!

Last Saturday was the wedding shower for my niece (She's getting married June 23).  It was given by all niece Jessica and the rest of the bridesmaids and was in NJ at Desi's new home.

I drove my Mom down there and of course getting thru Philly to get to NJ was horrible with traffic (took 35 minutes to get 4 miles on the Schuylkill Expressway - also called the Shore-Kill!)  Anyway - we got there 10 minutes late but everything was okay - Desi wasnt' back yet - some of her bridesmaids took her out to get make-up done so the rest of them could decorate and get everyone and everything together.

It was a nice day with lots of food and lots of visiting.  She has an adorable house (wonderful for being only 25!) and has a great start to her new life!   Here are some shots from the day

Actually this is from the night before - Quentin was helping me package Desi's gifts - I found these gift bags with zippers for only a couple of dollars (reusable too!) so I'm surprised when Desi opened her gift he didn't pop out!)

Desi arriving at her shower...

My sister in law (Desi and Jess's Mom) with my other niece (Desiree's sister) Jessica (who was just "pinned" a few months ago and now is an RN at University of Penn)

My pics of her opening the gifts didn't come out because the sun was so strong but this is the "hat" they made with what bows they could scrounged up!  She didn't want to put it on but eventually did and then had fun with it!

Desiree and her Mom (in blue) and her future mother in law Jodi

Desiree with her Grandmother Ruth and her other grandmother (my Mom in pink and black) June

Desiree and Jessica - my two pretty nieces...

Desiree and her 7 (yes 7!) bridesmaids...

So this week I finally was able to do some stitching and whipping - these little mats and pillows I had hooked over a month ago for the PHM update but was unable to finish them because of my hand/wrist - Anyway - I had to work Thursday/Friday/Saturday at the co-op and it was pretty slow - so i got everything stitched into mats and pillows.  These little prim mats have gone to live at the Cinnamon Stick and hopefully will find new homes from there!

On the kitty front - Look how big Quentin has gotten - This was a few hours ago - he was picking on Jonesy

Guess Riley gave him a talking to for picking on his brother...

Riley was "talking" to me asking for more treats...

Like I said - not much going on here.  I'm hoping to get back to hooking on the rug for Desiree's wedding gift this week and hoping to load up the car with all my bags (wonder if there will be room for me?)  and head west later this week!  It's been a while since I've been able to go out so hoping nothing comes up!

Hoping your week is great!