Followers

26 February 2009

My car, the killer--UPDATED


UPDATED: I notified my insurance company. It's a comprehensive claim, since the deer hit me and I hit nothing else. Except the break, and then the roof when I realized what had happened. We're going on Monday to see if SO's friend who works there thinks it's bad enough that I have to keep the claim open or it's just cosmetic. I don't think the adjuster is too pleased that I'm choosing where the work is done, but SO and I are working as a team, and probably SO's friend will do more to help us see it's done right than random body shop guy. Not to mention, the place they sent the Neon took forever to assess the damages and he was rude to my mom. I don't like that. So, cross your fingers . . .


And at such a young age, too.

Yes, I hit a deer last night. In my not-even-5-month-old car. Well, I didn't hit it, not technically. I didn't go into the field after it; it came onto the road and in front of my car, and technically hit me. And dispatched itself. However, in the process, it pushed in the grill, and split the grill area from the bumper area. And caused me to fail in my efforts to not curse. I cursed heartily. With abandon. I was upset; I don't like to see anything die, and I don't want my new car messed up.

SO says it's not too bad. Of course, it has to be fixed. The last thing I need is a financed hoopty. My father said send it to the insurance. That's not happening. Not with one accident I caused and one I didn't in the same year.

So we're looking at the next best option: personalizing the car. I forget sometimes that my car is a Toyota, masquerading as a Pontiac. I'm driving an American tuner! When I was much younger, I loved tuner culture. It just wasn't financially possible or reasonable to have a tuner car. Now, it's a little more reasonable. If I am tight with my money and I use my tax refund, I can do it. We had been talking about tinting the windows anyway. So this just seems like a way to take care of two situations (I don't have problems, I have situations) with one solution.

I found a bumper kit online for $150, with the aluminum grill. I'd still have to pay for painting, but SO knows people who paint. He knows people who do ANYTHING. Of course, all this thinking last night set me off into, "We can do this, and this, and this, and this." So, as I am dancing around the bedroom, fantasizing about new powder-coated rims, new bodykit, tinted windows, new paint job, my tame little car being turned into a sexy black street machine, SO says, "And how do you propose to pay for this?"

Me: "I'll figure it out. Heck, if some 18-year-old can do it, I can too. 18-year-olds don't have good jobs."

Him: "Yeah, but they have more money. They don't have car payments."

Me: "You have a point. But I will do it. Yes, I will." And I pointed my finger at him.

So, we'll do one thing at a time. The bumper kit is the start, then we'll work on the others.

25 February 2009

WIP photo of My Kitty




I know, she doesn't look like much yet, does she? The grey is her cat and the pink and brown are her. I worked a little on her shoe and ankle today. I have to say, I really love stitching this piece, and I don't say that lightly. She is just a joy. Very delicate and such a lovely subject matter. I am gonna tweak the cat, he looks so annoyed in the original photo. I do not like that the pattern doesn't have the arrows denoting center on the two pages that are the center of the design. That is tricky, but I am working through.

So confused . . .

I didn't feel well yesterday. Not just "didn't feel well", but my head hurt so bad, I was nauseous, but if I had actually gotten sick, I think my head would have exploded. I think I need new glasses and far less stress. So I did the adult thing, went home sick and climbed into bed. Of course I got home right about the time the neighborhood kids were strolling the streets, and they seem to love standing in front of our house and chatting--I don't know what is so flipping interesting about our house, but it ticks off the pittybulls, and the last sound I need when my head is about to burst is a barking pitbull terrier. But I fought the urge to lean out the front door and tell them to move along, because I am ONLY 32, way too young to be that cranky lady at the end of the street. After all, I'm hip, I have a sunroof and XM, there's a 10 second car in the front drive, and we have pittybulls and a marsh. I can not be the witch of the neighborhood. So I told Caesar Beazer to shut up (he didn't listen, he just wiggled with delight), and turned on Bravo. Which helped my headache. Wierd, hunh? Or was it the grilled cheese?

So I pulled out my Lizzie Kate Christmas Flip-it bellpull. I am doing a SAL with some friends.

I have NO FLIPPING CLUE how to do this.

I read the directions. I swear. It mentioned starting at the top of the fabric and working down. I can't do that. I've tried. It never works out right. I count down 2 inches and over 2 inches and it still seems off center. So I found center and counted. That just TERRIFIED me, for some reason. I charted out the boxes while watching Real Housewives of Orange County, and it's just not working. By the time SO came home, I was in my jammies in a lump on the bed.

I don't think it helped that the chart is so small. Squinting doesn't help my frustration. Or that my tape measure was on the floor of the family room, and I knew if I walked by the door, and the dog started barking, I would lean out the door, with my wild sick person hair and my doggie jammies and yell at some neighborhood kid and I am trying to be a better person for Lent.

I am going to try over again, now that I am feeling better. But this was maybe not the right day to start. I worked on My Kitty, and she made me feel better. She's so pretty. I will try to get pix of her tonight if I get home on time. I work at the theatre tonight, then off at normal time tomorrow, then work til 10 on Friday. It will be a sleeping in weekend.

23 February 2009

Totally off-topic, but . . .

I am busy perusing the Oscar fashion pictures. As I sit here in in outfit that didn't cost more than $100 for the entire thing, and there is not one designer inspired piece in the ensemble, unless you count New Balance as designer, I feel the need to comment on their clothes. Not the actual Oscar dresses. Those are AWESOME. But the after-party clothes.


http://oscars.movies.yahoo.com/photos/95-best-and-worst-party-looks/37

How many of these people showed up to these parties, and were like, "Come on, I thought we were in a recession. Why didn't you TELL me we were supposed to dress up and look nice?" Particularly those who have WON Oscars? Celebrate, people, celebrate!

Just a note to our celebrity friends, chunky gladiator sandals are not an evening look. They're just not.

Good stash weekend

I stayed at Mom's last night. It was snowing when I left the house yesterday morning to go to work, and I don't trust the car that well in mucky weather. I mean it has bells and whistles that are supposed to make it safer, but I found out a month ago that just because it hits a patch of ice and the car makes a bonging noise that says you've lost traction, that was pretty evident to me. The bonging freaked me out and didn't really help the situation; I knew I was sliding sideways, I needed help getting control back. My former boss said anyone can point out a problem, a true leader comes up with a solution--the Vibe is apparently not a leader, LOL.

Anywho, the weather was much better by the time I got out of work, but I had already told Mom I was coming, so I went. And I had such glorious stash waiting for me. My order from 123 was there, as well as my BooClub from PTP, and an order from Needlecraft Corner. And the newest issue of Stoney Creek was in. That one is an OK issue, not that great, but it does have John 3:16 in it, which is one of my favorite Bible verses.

I realized, opening the envelope, I didn't buy as much new Nashville stash as usual. I got:

Photobooth Snowmen
Tree of Me--both by Bent Creek
Winter's Slumber by Midnight Stitching
Songbirds, by Stoney Creek--doesn't look that hard.
Mrs. Pearson-Carriage House; my mother didn't notice she's wearing a bird's nest as a hat

I also got some sheep charts--Red White and Ewe by Mosey n Me, because I LURVE patriotic sheep, and a chart Breeds of Sheep.

I also bought the evenweave afghan to do the kitty afghan from the Cross Stitcher. It was $15, and that's a cute afghan that doesn't look TOO tedious, so it was a good buy.

But now I'm done. At least for a while. At least til the economy settles down. Which I continue to believe it will.

The pets were very helpful while I stitched last night. We were flipping back and forth betwen the Oscars and Anthony Bourdain, and Felix kept climbing in my lap--you can't fight a squalling cat. At least the cat hairs I now have sewn into My Kitty make it authentic. Robbie sat in my lap, while my mother recounted Chancey's latest vet visit. My mother mentioned the Brucellosis vaccination, and my son looked at me with a horrified look in his eyes, as if to beg to not let them shove that up his nose. I don't know how he could get Brucellosis, I always thought that was a cow disease, and fair Master Robert does not "do" cattle. But I got it for Chancey before, so it must be something they can get. And of course, no leptospirosis vaccine--I don't know if that is something they still need at nearly 10 years old, but they're not getting it, because their grandfather had a reaction, and I don't do more than is absolutely necessary.

I worked out for a full hour this morning. I did 30 minutes of elliptical, which is the most I've done. About 20 minutes into it, the little lazy voice said, "Just cut it off at 20. 20's enough. You didn't make anyone a promise to do more. Come on, just do the other 10 on the bike." Does anyone else have a little voice like that? The kind that wants to do things you know better than to do, like buy a new shade of nude lipstick, when you already have 5, or skimp on the workout, or buy donuts? But I ignored it, reasoning that it was only 10 minutes, and I can do anything for 10 minutes. If it was 10 minutes of stitching time, or 10 minutes left of lunch, it wouldn't be enough; why act like it's killing me to do something that, if I don't hate it, I don't particularly enjoy, not like I like doing stuff outdoors. So I soldiered on, and I swear, when I got off that elliptical, my thighs felt tight like a teenager. I WON!

20 February 2009

This may be a turnaround

I got in some lovely stitching time last night. It was slow at the theatre--they upgraded our online ticketing software, and so people don't call as much to order tickets, they just do it online, which is fine with me, someone still has to hand out the tickets--so I got time to work on My Kitty. And it only took me an hour to get home, so it was 9:00 and I was in bed, stitching on her. She has a sock now. I am going to work on her shoes now.

And I am sitting here, staring at an old issue of TGOSM, and I want to work on some projects from there. But I have a couple other things to do. We are doing a SAL on the Lizzie Kate Halloween Flip-its, which I need to get started on, and the Christmas ones as well. They shouldn't take too long, ya think?

19 February 2009

Winding bobbins

I have decided if I have children, whenever they are bad, I will force them to wind floss on bobbins. I have spent time winding floss the last couple days--perhaps this is why I have been in a slump--and I hate it. Even having SO hold the skein while I wind it is not helping. I mean it is helping, because I'll take all the help I can get, but it's depressing to look at it all.

I know, why wind it if it bothers me? Well, my intricate filing system of the unwound skeins--some in a popcorn tin, some in a Fisher's tin, some in a tote bag I mean to stitch SamSarah Pearls for, some in some other items I am supposed to be finishing--it's not working. Even put in sandwich bags, it's not working. It annoys me. And, since I can't find a better filing system for myself--Flossaway bags are really just sandwich bags on rings and I am not big on the sandwich bags--bobbins seem to work the best. But they are such a pain to wind.

Not the least of which is because I can not seem to find paper bobbins in bulk. I don't like plastic bobbins. Never have. But you can find plastic bobbins, just not paper. I don't know where else to look. I looked on Darice's website, Janlynn's, even DMC, no one has large numbers of them. And I am not crafty enough to make my own.

Arrrrghhhh

I did do some work on My Kitty last night. We were watching "Twister", so she has most of a leg now. It's been a while since I saw that movie and it is really fun to watch. I have a wierd affinity for this movie, because the actor who rides around in the truck with Rabbit, who is also famous for the "Got Milk" commercials where he had to answer "Aaron Burr" went to high school in my county, and also I worked at a live theatre that summer, and people used to call us all the time to find out when the movie was playing, and the Twister callers always seemed just a titch nicer when we told them they needed to call the movie theatre than the Independance Day folks. Plus, the mistakes in this movie are FANTASTIC. But I did get to thinking, when this movie was made, didn't we have Doppler radar, that they had no way of knowing how tornadoes behaved and people had seconds to get out of the way? It seems like they understand tornadoes now really well. Or maybe they don't and I'm just too stupid to know.

18 February 2009

Could this be a slump starting

God, I hope not.

I haven't stitched very much. Yesterday at lunch, I went to see Mom. I think this is the first visit to her since I moved that I haven't taken stash home. But I didn't have a lot of time. And when I got back to work, there wasn't time to stitch.

I had to stop at the store last night after work to pick up groceries. Traffic was bad, and I couldn't figure out what we needed, so it was 7:30 til I got home, and then I had to clean my sewing room up. I don't think I have enough storage there, and it's sorta bothering me. I don't know if getting another roll-ey drawered thing and putting it in the other side of the closet would help, but something must be done. It's not tidy and I am not happy about it. I was so frazzled I didn't even open the package from Hand-dyed Fibers, at least not til today in traffic. And then I fell asleep.

I had every intention of going to the gym this morning. I've been going in the mornings, it gets my workout out of the way, I don't feel guilty and I still have lunch to goof off or stitch, but I woke up at 6 this morning and could not muster the will to get out of bed. It was dark, I was tired and troubled, and even the prospect of the sunrise, which I can say is the best part of these early morning drives, was unappetizing. And then it started snowing. So I didn't get up til 7. And was at work at my normal time.

I don't know. I hope this isn't the start of a slump.

17 February 2009

I started her

I am so bad. I started "I Love My Kitty" by Green Apple. I didn't get a lot done, though. I had to go out at lunch yesterday and all the people who were off were acting like the Pike was their personal Super Speedway. And I was going to Michael's, which is next to Circuit City, which is going out of business, and you mix an electronic story going out of business sale with a population that has the day off and money to spend, problems and traffic will arise. I have to go get the twins their cookies from Petco, which is in the same shopping center, probably not going to go to that one anytime soon.

I love stitching "My Kitty." OMG, those charts are SOOO clear. AND HUGE. The chart is surprisingly simple, and yet really pretty. I got a good little bit done, and I really like doing this. I want to buy some of her other charts.

16 February 2009

My weekend

Happy belated Valentine's Day, y'all.

Ours was pretty quiet round here. I was in a bummer mood because of work, and this nagging sinus situation, but we had a nice day. I bought SO a beard and mustache trimmer for his present, other than the sachet, and a singing dog I found at CVS and have to hide for the last 2 weeks. It's not the most romantic gift, I realize, but he needed it, and I realize now (yes, it took 32 years to figure it out) that the small things in life that show someone that you are thinking of them are so much more important than STUFF. I think I need to sit down after admitting that. But I did get him a nicer one, and I think he likes it.

He got me a teddy bear and a lovely card. And he fixed the closet door I broke. And we went to dinner. A new stufty, a repaired closet door, and a full stomach are AWESOME presents for me. We went to a little restaurant not far from the house. It was snowing when we left, so I was glad we didn't have any farther to go than we did. The restaurant was decorated in antiques, really cute. And the food was good and not really expensive. SO said we were so boring because we ordered the same thing, I told him not exactly, I ordered ranch dressing on my salad, and he ordered blue cheese. That doesn't make us boring, it just means we have similar taste. Besides, as I've aged, I realize the "boring" times in life are the best, at least they're the ones I remember the most.

I found another project or two to start this weekend. Green Apple's "I Love My Kitty" is one of my most favorite charts in the world, and I want to start it. It will be a pleasant break for me from my big projects, and it would just make me feel good to look at it. The other is from an OLD JCS from 1999, Raining Pins and Needles by Mary Garry. It looks pretty simple. I can do it!

12 February 2009

No stitching happened last night

I am slacking off on my stitching.

I started working out again. I've been losing weight very slowly since the car got killed and my teeth got redone. Not a lot, but the stress reduced my appetite, and there are so many foods that I can't eat now because of my teeth. All of my favorite super-fattening foods are out--candybars with nuts, candy apples, caramel apples, kettle potato chips, hard-fried chicken, almost anything superhard, sticky or crunchy will break my teeth--so it's easier. But I have lost a little, but I want more. When I went on BC pills and started working out, I lost almost 40 pounds in a year, and then I went off and gained it all back in 4 months. I could kick myself for that. But that wouldn't really help anything, would it?

So I'm back exercising. I have been doing it in the mornings before work. It's easier for me, and it gives me a chance to think, which I need. I bought some dance workout videos. It's funny, I don't view that as exercise; I used to dance when I was acting and singing, and it wasn't a workout, it was just something I did while I was singing, LOL. And this is fun; I was dancing in the car last night, and I didn't feel stupid.

But I've been tuckered out when I get back to the house at night. We went out to dinner, because SO wanted a steak and salad, and the only salad we have is chicken salad. I think I went right to bed when we got home--I was worn out. But it's a good thing, I'm down 12 pounds from my summer high weight. You can't see a huge change yet, but it's a start!

11 February 2009

OWWW

is the sound of me falling off the wagon.

I visited 3 ONS today. I bought the "Dance des Chevaux" and a bunny chart from Isabelle Vautier. The exchange rate made it worthwhile. I don't know whether it's bragging or complaining, but for 22 Euros worth of charts, I paid $27 including shipping. Which kind of makes me throw up a little, considering I was paying a lot more this summer. Oh, well . . . But I had to have that chart. I have the most WONDERFUL horse fabric, sort of a Renaissance print I bought here. I think I want to do a flange pillow in black velvet with a dog-eared corner, and have this peep out. So, you see, I had to have it! It matches too well. The other chart is I likey bunnies too, and it felt springy to me.

And then I needed floss, so I went to www.hand-dyedfibers.com. I want to do these horses in shades of grey, too. Have I told you I LURVE grey horses? If not, I lurve grey horses. Since I do not own one, I must stitch them. So I bought a bunch of different flosses, and some pale greens to do the bunnies on. I see them on a deep green, but it might be kinda neat to do them on a green/blue horizon-dyed in maybe a brown or a grey-ey brown.


I also bought the Good Huswife's Bird Keeper and Just Nan's Dewdrop from ABC Stitch Therapy. It really wasn't a lot. I like the Bird Keeper. A lot of the CHS/GH designs were of bird themes, and it tickles me that birds were used so unusually. I like my designs a little "off," and a bird cage as a dress is cool!


Before you think I am just a twittering nitwit today, I'd like to spread the word about a really good idea I found out about through a message board, from this blog. The stitcher wants to gather Christmas ornaments to give to people who have been affected by the Australian wildfires. Or other items, if they don't celebrate Christmas. I think it's a splendid idea. I feel badly, because I can't do anything from America, and a fire is one of things that scares me the most. But this is a way to help, and I like that, so I'm spreading the word!

10 February 2009

ARRRRGHHHHH

I was looking at Violarium today, planning how to spend my tax refund, when I came across this:



I could just cry. But they would be happy tears. I love this. It's elegant. It's by Isabelle Vautier. And, with the global economy stinking, it's not really that expensive. And the dogs did say I should buy what I want for Valentine's Day.

I am torn.

I have a huge shopping cart of Nashville stuff, that I NEEEEEEDDDDDD. Including the new Goode Huswifes, which are demented in a good way.

I think we know how this will end.

09 February 2009

SO's Valentine's Day present finished




I did the finishing on this today.It was pretty simple--aida makes hand-finishing a breeze, just count blocks. It's slightly mushy in the picture, but that gives the lavendar room to move around in there, and it looks shabby chic. I was thinking these little sachets would be a good way to finish some of the smaller designs I have, but I am not sure that I could stuff that much lavendar. Maybe if I went to the herb shop and let them know what I am thinking. They would be nice to have hanging in the linen closet on the back of the door, or in the closet, or in the luggage we have stored.

A Blissful Day off

I have the whole day off and all I have to do is go to the grocery store. It's supposed to be warm all week. I am half-tempted to go sit out on the deck and stitch, but I think I have a sinus infection brewing. And I have to finish some things so it is probably wise to stay inside. But it was nice to get in my car yesteday and have the roof open. I haven't had that opportunity, really, since November.

Anywho. Since I have been way behind in posting photos, I realized it was time to share those with you. First the finishes:

Like Feathered Wings, by Simply Old-Fashioned. With my conversion to Weeks Whitewash, Galvanized, and Mascara. I sent the designer an email the other week asking if she was still in business, but haven't heard. Her number is there to call, but I don't know if I am brave enough to call . . . a real designer. I am a dork. I like the colors, but I am still hesitant that you can see the white horse. But I suspect, when it is framed, it will pop off the fabric. Framing does wonders for things.




Next we have My Everything by the Sampler Girl, which was a joy to stitch. I placed it on the fabric I bought from the Quilted Cat, and it's just lovely. I am stuffing it with lavendar for a bed sachet, and ordered the lavendar the other Friday from one of my favorite drooley non-stitching websites, www.localharvest.org. If you haven't had a chance to go look at that sight, pour you a tall glass of something cool, get you a plate of something yummy, and go surf. It's like the Amazon.com of small batch and homegrown products. I have been in love with it since reading Barbara Kingsolver's wonderful book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, about her year of eating locally grown food. It showcases local farms (all across the country) and restaurants that ascribe to the localvore movement, and it has a great online mall for buying stuff, and the prices are good. I got a quarter pound of organic lavendar for $12 with shipping. No one here carries that sort of thing. At all. And I did my part to keeping a family farm going. Pretty cool. Anyway, the advert is over. I stitched this with a Dinky Dyes Oops pack skein, which matches perfectly. Really pleased with this. I hope SO likes it too, but I'm hedging my bets and taking him to dinner at a nice restaurant too.




And lastly, my WIP, Sleepy Hollow, by Cricket Collection on PTP Loch. This one has really caught the eye of SO, in a way not many of my pieces do. He wanted to know when I started it, and he really likes it. I am stitching the angel face right now, so I've made a few small changes. The angel's eyes her crown are stitched in glow in the dark floss, along with the words "Sleepy Hollow". I will probably end up doing Ichabod and his horse's eyes in the same, as well as the tombstone on the side panels. It does glow in the dark. I wonder if I could dye it, as I would love to have a glowing moon, but that is probably not going to happen. Maybe if I go over it in blending filament--I think Kreinik makes that . . .


06 February 2009

We have TUNES!

SO bought me a stereo for my sewing room for Christmas and I finally sat down last night and hooked it up. I love it! I had been sitting in there, singing to myself while I stitched, but that wasn't working out too well. This is a nice thing. And I even have a remote so that I don't even have to get up from the sofa.

My sewing room is a little disorganized right now. One of the closet doors broke, so it's leaning up against the wall. This is very annoying to me. SO thought the doors were really expensive to fix, but I went on Lowe's website, and they're maybe $60 for the doors, including the tracks, so I'll do more investigation on this, and get those fixed. I'm off on Monday, so I can go look.

I finally finished On Feathered Wings last night. I'm glad of that. It was a UFO for so long, two years. And the sad thing is, it didn't take that long to get it finished, once I actually sat down and worked on it. Maybe 3 weeks of focused effort, maybe a little more. And then I sat there and couldn't figure out what to work on next. That geisha needs finished. It is IMPERATIVE, but I don't know as I want her to be my next project. Though it would be nice to keep finishing UFOs. I have my Forever Friends bears to work on, too, but, til I have the floss that is what most of their color is, that's kind of a moot point. But I know I don't want to start anything new. After all, this is a month for finishing.



I would love to finish this design. I have the floss, I have the chart, I've seen the actual WIP somewhere in my stash in the last two or three years, but it's missing (I know, big surprise). I just have this ol' photo, from early 2007. This is actually kinda depressing, because it's on a really nice Silkweaver Solo. Where did I put this? Why did I not put it back in the envelope when I was done? I could just restitch it, but I hate that. I want THIS one back If y'all see it, please send it home. I miss it. I appreciate it. I'll finish it.

04 February 2009

Almost done

I should have Like Feathered Wings done by the end of the week. I really like my conversion. Especially since we saw the Andalusians the other week. These look enough like them to be a good momento.

I went shopping in my stash at my parents' house this weekend. You would think I have it all moved in by now. You would be wrong. But it's drastically reduced, we're down to one tub of charts, two tubs of kits, and a several tubs of magazines. It's calming, not sickening, to look through it. Yay. Organization is a good thing!

Anyway, I was searching on PatternsOnline for mice charts (I wikey mice veddy much), and saw the really cute Merry Mice Christmas designs, and I know I had that booklet. It's an oversized one, that is how I know I had it. I checked my binder of oversized charts at the house and it wasn't there, so I knew it was in the box o charts in the basement (remind me to get that off the floor before spring, please), so when I took the dogfood to Mom's, I looked in the box. Remember how I was freaking out because I swore I had that Miss Moppet stocking, and yet could not find it? How I managed to convince myself I had it confused with another stocking? I had a pattern for Hunca Munca and Peter Rabbit that I had my hands on (they were box lot purchases), and a Miss Moppet book, and I guessed I confused Hunca Munca with Miss Moppet. So I had my Vermilion kitten stocking all started and was cool with that. It works. So imagine my delight when I searched that box for the Merry Mice, and found Miss Moppet! I knew I'm not crazy. Well, relatively not crazy. Anyway, it's in my hot little hands, along with a bunch of Halloween charts I didn't know I had, and a horse chart from Barrett House that has a design of racing Thoroughbreds. I squealed over that one, y'all. Squealed. I have no shame. It's in my purse right now. Along with Miss Moppet. I was thinking of doing it for myself, but I do like the kitten one for me better and it does match SO's stocking better, so I came up with the brilliant idea of putting the kitties' names on Miss Moppet, or just, "My Kitties," and have it be their stocking. But then, I'd have to do a dog one or two. But then again, the dogs don't notice the small things. It's not Christmas, it is Christmas, life is good. They get a present, and they're like Randy in A Christmas Story: "A cookie, that's mine! A lamby toy, that's mine! Pup'onis, that's mine!" and then ignore the sweaters and instead get in a fight over the toy. The cats tend to notice things like a giant tree appearing in the living room--they must climb or eat it, or hide under it for Santy Claws. Such is life.

Miss Moppet takes a lot of floss. Which I may not have, but then again, I probably do. Do you know, and I hang my head at this, since I moved in Thanksgiving weekend, I have not touched the giant drawer o' floss in the garage? I guess partially because I have enough WIPs that I don't need to kit anything up. Hmmmm, that's not so good, right? Although I do need to go check for Anchor 261, because I seem to have stolen that from a UFO for another project, which is probably a UFO too.

So that's life here today. I decided I am going to try to do a Merry Mouse design for the Christmas class at the fair--after all, seriously, who wouldn't put a ribbon on cute mice? And I'll do that Miss Moppet stocking this year, far simpler than Christmas kitties. So 2 entries from one stash dive. Pretty good, no?

03 February 2009

Chancey update

Mom and I had a talk about Chancey last night. She could see I was upset. Chancey could see I was upset and was milking it. She was on my lap, and her brother wanted to be petted. She gave him such a look, and then wanted me to rub her belly. She claimed she was not a well woman. She also claims she needs a new fancy collar from the Yuppy Puppy Dog Boutique. I had to draw the line at that. I am not teaching her to use retail therapy to heal life's ills.

Anyway, Mom and I had a talk. She always calms me down. Mom seems to be of the opinion that the vet is wrong. They didn't X-ray her while coughing, and that is the only way to properly diagnose the condition. I do remember that my Dana had X rays. Plus, she's not coughing anymore. She hasn't coughed since the vet visit, and, as Mom said, "if someone poked you in the throat, you'd cough, too." This is probably true, but I'm not poking myself in the throat to find out. Plus, she's not on meds, they aren't watching her, she's just kinda floating freely. So we'll try the harnesses. They are way cheaper than any other kind of therapy that we used on Dana. She can still wear the fancy collars, but they are not to be load-bearing. I think she can handle that. Put it this way, she has no choice. I have the thumbs in the family. So I feel better, or at least more hopeful. And then we went over how Robbie needs his checkup. Robbie sees not the point of this checkup, but said he would go as long as things were not put in his nose or nether regions. I don't think we can do much about the nether regions, but I am in agreement about the brucellosis vaccine; Chancey and Felix have both had meltdowns over that over the years, and so, since I don't forsee Robbie charging into a herd of elk or bison in Suburban Maryland, I think we can forego that vaccine, LOL.

So that brings me to a much happier idea for today.

It's February.

Finish-it February.

This is the month to take out those UFOs and WIPs you've been avoiding, and stitch on them, in the hopes of actually finishing them. I've been doing this for a couple of years, with some mixed success.

I think the key is to pick things that you reasonably think you can finish this month. Don't take out a Teresa Wentzler you put 5 stitches into and think you'll get it done. It will not happen. Not for most people. I've determined I will finish my Like Feathered Wings, Cricket Collection Sleepy Hollow, and Sisters and Best Friends Fall Black Cat. I dislike the Sisters and Best Friends design a lot, and Like Feathered Wings isn't high on my list, but it's almost finished, so that is good. I don't know if I can finish Sleepy Hollow, but I can try. All of these projects have been on the go for at least a year, and it's time to get them done. And if they are hateful projects, I only have 28 days to deal with them.

Of course, you could always use the month as a time to finish those unframed projects you never got around to doing whatever with. That alone could take me a month, as I procrastinate like a fool. I brought my supply of glue sticks up from Mom's when I went the other day, in the hopes I'll get some finishing done, as it is rather stupid to keep spending money on them at the new house, when there's enough glue to make an art teacher proud at my mom's.

We have 28 days this month, let's make em count.

02 February 2009

A really sad kind of weekend

I'm sitting here, trying to keep from panicking, and not doing too hot at it.

My sweet Chanceypants, who I looked all over for, who I took two years to name, and who, along with her brother, is the joy of my heart, has a potentially fatal syndrome. Collapsing trachea syndrome. The same syndrome that my first Schipperke had when we adopted her. And died of, while I was holding her, praying and begging God to take her easily. And it wasn't; her heart was so bad, due to complications from the collapsing trach, it was hard. And I held her, and I cried, because it wasn't fair to put such a good dog through that. And I don't want Chancey to end up like my Dana the dillydog. And I worry that I did this to her. And I know it's genetics, but I feel responsible. Trach is common in small dogs, and it can happen quite suddenly, but she started coughing right after I took her out in the yard to play on Wednesday. She wanted to go outside. I was taking Robbie out, and she had this look like, "I want to be with you, too. Play with me, too" and how could I leave her in? Robbie hogs my attention and she just wanted to be with me. She must have pulled, or I must have pulled, but now she's got this, at least a very early stage of it, and I'm beside myself. And Chance may have another 10 years to live. Dana lived from when she was 4 til she was 13 with it, and Chancey will be 10 this year. But it scares me. I'm not ready to let her go.

Right now, they're not treating her with any medications. I take that as a good sign. We have to switch her out to a harness when she walks. And Robbie has to be switched over to a harness. That's another thing. They carry the same genes, although he, so far, only has a cataract and his anal gland issue. All those years he was in a showring, on a show lead, being shown. Could he have this too? That worries me, too.
I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can’t be helped--Frederick Perls