Well, things are starting to wind down, I guess. This week has been a pretty big suckfest for Kris and his family, apart from his grandpa's death there is some other drama going on, but that's all been set aside for now. Grandpa has already been cremated and he'll be put into the urn with Grandma. The memorial service is scheduled for Saturday morning. Kris is feeling a lot better. We really appreciate all your comforting words the last few days, thanks everyone so much.

Kris is trying really hard to schedule a fishing trip this weekend, to use the lures his grandpa ordered and they never got to use. But, along with the funeral, it's also my sister's sixteenth birthday on the third [scary] and then festivities on the fourth... Tomorrow we get our new phones, and it's foolish how much I am looking forward to that. So, fishing isn't looking very promising this weekend.

Sara's starting up a cool new crochet project. Go check it out HERE!!

Other randoms:

My triple play pattern still hasn't come and I'm pissed! Almost two weeks now.

Two of my Christmas in July gifts have been received and I'm quite thrilled. I'll be mailing out a few more tomorrow, and hopefully doing a little more shopping.

Money is going to be rediculously tight this month... With this paycheck I need a new outfit for the funeral, money for my new phones, regular bills paid plus a credit card payment, Kris's and my sister's birthdays, and I only make $8/hr... Plus my check is going to really short next time around, from having all the time of this week, and my last check this month I miss because I will be on vacation... which means more [unpaid] time off. Thanks God none of my bills are very much and that I live at home, because I'm going to be flat broke this whole month.

Although, I'm suree I'll still be able to budget money for yarn.

Finally, Ro, I'm thinking about you - hoping there's good news from your appt...

Gotta run.

Tomorrow ...

I will be back to blog a real post but for now I just want to say thanks for your thoughts.

right now I'm going to bed!

Sigh

It's been a looong day. I'm exhausted in so many ways. I got the call from Kris 25 minutes after I got to work this morning... I left... Kris was/is very upset. He's lived 2 houses down from that set of grandparents for his whole life, then to lose them both within the year is really rough. Especially since just last night, hospice gave his grandpa about two weeks... no one expected it to be this morning.

Now we take it little by little, I guess. My heart hurts for my boyfriend and his family right now... especially his mom...

Thanks all for your good thoughts. They're very much appreciated.

*sad*

Kris's grandpa died today.

Lots of little gifties...

Woo-hoo... I've had fun being an X-Mas in July elf this weekend.
Look at all those envelopes! I finally got smart and quit buying them one by one at the P.O. - what a waste of money that was! I made Kris take me up to Meijers today to stock on shipping supplies, since my dad has the week off and won't be able to do my mailing for me. I'm going to mail half of them out tomorrow and then the other half on payday when I get some more cash... or maybe on Wednesday if I can get Kris to loan me some. I can't wait to get them out - the best part about this is the reaction, I love for people to be thrilled with what I sent them. So anyways, keep a lookout in your mailboxes, everyone, X-Mas in July is here, LOL!

Only four more days until my wireless contract is up with ATTturnedCingular and I'm so thrilled... We've decided to go with Verizon, as that's what my family and his family both have. Plus, they have a decent deal on camera phones until just after the fourth of July. I can't wait to get rid of my phone.. it's from the cellular dark ages, I swear. I go into roam in my room. :P Just have to wait til July 1, which is also payday. Yay, a new toy.

Didn't get much done in the crochet front today, I have been working on my secret project... I thought I'd have it done by tomorrow but it looks like it may be Tuesday as I've run into a little difficulty... But I want to get it wrapped up soon because I am hoping my Triple PLay pattern will finally come tomorrow and I want to get started on that right away. The weather has been so hot lately and shows no sign of letting up soon, a top like that would be nice to have.

The countdown is on for my vacation... not the one that got ruined to N.C. but our annual up north trip... I'm so thrilled! I love our little cabin. It's really "rustic" LOL, [read: no shower] but it's perfect for us. We're right across from the airport in Atlanta, MI. It's a small, typical up-north kind of town - lots of kids my age with multiple children and no non-smoking sections in restaurants. It's not a tourist destiniation, and that adds alot of appeal in it's own. In fact, there's only one hotel in town and *gasp* no McDonald's within a half hour's drive. The lake we go to is called Clear Lake, and it really lives up to it's name - you can see straight to the bottom in the deepest parts. There are also tons of other fishing lakes in the area, but we usually only swim at Clear Lake. We'll be going up for 7 or 8 days at the end of July, and I can't wait. I could tell y'all all sorts of good stuff about up north but I won't torture you until after I get back, LOL.

And then I get back, and the next week is my birthday... that's a whole other issue... I'll be two decades old! So, so weird... i'm not really sure what I want yet, but I do know I have to milk the present-giving while my parents are still willing, LOL...

ACk! It's late, time for bed!

Want to kill some time?

Ack! It's hot!!

Like, really freakin' hot! And sticky! I've been hiding in the AC all day, first at work and now at home.

Really nothing to update today. Working on a secret crochet project, still impatiently waiting for my Triple Play pattern to come. I thought it might be here today, but i only got credit card offers in the mail. (22.49% APR!! I'd have to be an absolute jackass to accept a card like that. Not to mention the one I have now has ZERO % APR. FOREVER. No catches.)

But anyways! Speaking of credit cards - the whole identity theft battle is beginning to be wrapped up. The guy was fired from my dad's work, and he's supposedly cashing in his retirement to pay off the debt, as opposed to filing bankruptcy. The creditors are pleased, because the bankruptcy has been dismissed and they can try to collect their money now. We're pleased, because the case we've compiled against him has been handed over to the county prosecutors and he will be having charges pressed against him. That's good news.

Okay, I'm off for now, probably will be back later...

Happy Birthday, Grams!!

I'm a bit late in acknowledging this birthday, since it was actually yesterday, but oh-well! Yesterday my grandma (my dad's mom) turned 85! I was chatting with her this morning and all that she has been through still amazes me. Want a little bio?

She was born in 1920 in Poland, the first of three children. She lived on a small farm and can remember gypsies traveling by when she was young. One of her stories is about how she disobeyed her mother and gave away a bushel of potatoes to a band of fleeing gypsies. In return, a woman gave her her fortune - my grandma, Marie, was told that she would have three children and would one day move to the United States.

One of her younger brothers died when he was 18 from brain cancer. He was sick from Christmas until March when he died. I'm pretty sure that it was shortly after this that her family left their home in Poland and sought refuge in Russia. They didn't want her other brother to be called into the military. They stayed in Russia for a horrible six months, with no food, no shelter. This morning she told me how they would each stand in a food line, one for bread, one for sugar... so they would at least have food for a little while.

It was when her family returned to Poland that my grandma was taken prisoner by the Nazis. Although she is not Jewish, it didn't matter... they took whoever they wanted, she says. Her mother, father and brother went back to their charred remains of a home and she was shipped to Germany.

I am thankful that she didn't face the same fate that so many did. She was sent to work and live with a very nice family. She cleaned, cooked and nannied... the children and parents alike loved my grandma. She made friends with some German girls and met my grandpa, Dusan, a Serbian prisoner. Luckily she was able to locate her family. She tells of how once she was given a three week vacation home but stayed for five... and she got letters telling her to return... That she was scared she would be sent to work in the factories, or worse.

She lived and worked for the same family for the five years she was in Germany during the war. Afterward, she married my grandpa, who was working as a police guard for British-occupied Germany. They applied for immigration passes to many places, including the U.S., Australia, Canada and several South American countries. Then they waited to be accepted somewhere. My uncle was born in Germany.

He was two when they made the trip to the States. My grandma remembers the boat and how sick everyone was - her and my uncle and the other passengers they were crowded on with. I am pretty sure the journey took two weeks. She's told us about Ellis Island and then the trip to Michigan, where she came because she had a cousin in the area.

My grandma settled with her small family in a small house in a neighboring town. My dad was born a few years later, and he remembers they had a cat. My grandpa worked afternoons as a janitor at Consumer's Power. I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been for my grandma to learn English, especially with two young sons who were learning it too!

They soon outgrew their little house and moved to a nice ranch across the street from where I live today. My grandma worked cleaning houses and businesses, and my grandpa took my dad and uncle fishing before he went to work in the afternoons. When my dad was old enough to drive, my grandma scoured the want-ads looking for the perfect car. My dad was five when my aunt was born, and my grandma had her family with three children living in the States.

My grandpa died when my dad was a senior in high school, and my grandma somehow managed to keep house and family intact without a driver's license or a steady job. I am fortunate to have lived across the street from her my whole life. My sister and I never had baby sitters growing up because we always had my grandma. She is a fighter and a worker and I love her so much.

Happy Birthday, Grams.

Time to go get the Kleenex and blow my nose, I've been crying for like the last five paragraphs...

(I forgot to mention that my grandma still keeps in touch with the children of the family she worked for, and in fact went to visit them in the 90's. She's also still in contact with her girlfriends from the war, the ones who are still alive.)

Hanging on by a thread...

is where the Pistons are right now. Everyone says we play best with our "backs up against the wall." (If only I had a dollar for everytime I've heard that phrase used this play-off season!!) But, I think we're going to need some kind of miracle to win two in San Antonio. I am at least hoping to push on to a Game 7!

I think that Jessica has an awesome idea with her 101 things in 1001 days. [She actually borrowed the idea from here - credit where it's due.]I found Jessica's blog somehow or another a couple days ago and since then I have been mentally compiling my list of 101 things. I'd like to have it posted here within a week or so, so keep an eye out, and it would be cool to see your list of 101 things, too!

Right now, one my things to do is finish up the last sleeve on my shrug. It didn't turn out quite as loose as I'd wanted, but I still like it. But now that I know I like it, and it's about 98% done, I have NO desire to finish that last sleeve. Don't ask me why. I've been thinking about my next projects... things I'd like to make for both Passport to Imagination and Pine Ridge Reservation. I have some things in mind and look forward to working on some afghans, something I haven't done since Christmas time.

I also need to send off the baby blankies I made for Children's Hospital and UMC, I can't believe I still haven't done it. I have five of them to send off, I think - I have got to get that done. Bad Natalie!

I'm going to go sort thru my stash and see if I have any more X-Mas in July presents... 'Night!

De-troit Bas-ketballllll!!!

I really hope the Pistons do well tonight. I think if we win it we really have a good chance back in San Antonio. If we don't - we're done for. I can't wait for the game to start! It's a great time to get some crocheting done, LOL... I've been making good progress on my flowery shrug - I just joined in the fourth ball and I think it'll fit perfectly by the time it's gone... If I don't get distracted I might be able to finish it up tonight. That would be nice, I'd love to wear it work to work tomorrow...

I finally went ahead and ordered the Triple Play pattern. I called all the yarn shops around me and not one of them carries it, or any crochet patterns for that matter. I found it here, on eBay, for a pretty good price. Last night I was looking longingly and Kris was like "Do it. Just buy it right now," So I did... i can't wait for it to get here. I think I'll make the first one out of the Cotton-ease I bought, maybe the second in Cara Mia or if I really like it some Pakucho cotton... I'm so excited. [Hey Andrea, how did you like the Pakucho??]

Deneen and especially Elizabeth have got me green at the stash they've recently acquired... It's taking so much resolve to not blow my last $30 on more yarn! I want more yarn can't justify spending any more on yarn when there's a wheel bearing getting really bad in my car and I don't have the $80 to fix it, LOL! The clearance sale was bad enough. I must stay away from eBay...

Father's Day's over, but now I have to stress about what to get Kris for his birthday... He will be 25 in a couple weeks, and again, I have no clue what to get him. Hehehe, he's getting to be an old man... It's fun to tease him about that. Not that we're very far apart, but since I can't even *legally* drink yet I can give him some good burns. ;) We've been together for awhile so I'd like to get him something nice, but I feel like the only thing he needs/wants right now are tools to fill his new box. Just doesn't seem romantic enough, I guess. At least I'm easy to shop for - buy me yarn and I'll be happy...

Off to watch the pre-game stuff...

Had more SEX today...

I traveled back to JoAnn's after work this afternoon, hoping there was still some Cotton-Ease left I could snag for Deneen. Luckily there was, and I was able to score two skeins each of the candy blue and bright red for her. (Same dye lots, even!) I couldn't stop there, though... especially not with two coupons in my purse! This time I got three more skeins of Cara Mia, in winter white, and the Pooh and Friends booklet I've been coveting! (I ♥ Pooh...) That's only what I got for myself though... I also picked up a couple more XMas gifts. I'm having fun amassing little presents, can't wait to start sending them out!

I also received a present today, from my secret pal. The postmark is from California... Hmm... I got a beautiful scarf she crocheted for me out of gold cord and a really pretty ladder yarn... (It also looks great as a belt, can't wait to wear it with a black tank and jeans!) She also threw in some of those adorable mini-Sharpies and a cute notepad. She said that this was just to hold me over 'til the next one... Can't wait to see the kind of goodies she has planned if this is just a "hold-over" package! Thank you so much, Pal, you've really brightened my weekend!

I'm off to go show off at the 'Ville...

"I've been a bad, bad girl...

I've been careless with a delicate man..."

[Not really, but I'm offering a prize (TBA) if you can name the song that lyric is from. Seriously!]

I had some quality SEX (stash-enhacement expeditions) today. Lots of it, LOL. JoAnn's has their Firefly something-or-other sale going on right now. So, innocent me, I wander in hoping to grab a couple things for XMAS in July using the 50% coupons I got in my email. Turns out, all their clearance was 50% off! I should've just turned around and walked out, especially since I actually had money to spend, but no. I ended up with this: That's not even including the XMas gifts! But the prices were so great, I couldn't resist. The Lustersheen (which I have NO idea what to do with yet) and the Cotton-Ease were only $1.50 a skein. The baby boucle was $1 a ball, and the CaraMia? Only $2.50 each! Down from like $8! I was able to get a lot more bang for my buck and even got some larger X-Mas gifts.

I also resolved the Father's Day dilemma. Actually it was a lot easier than I'd thought it would be! My dad and I were walking thru Wal-Mart today when he turned down the pillow aisle. Turns out he's been wanting a new pillow - so he picked out a really nice memory foam/down one and that's that. Simple and I know he likes it since he picked it out, LOL!

GUess that's all for now, I have some yarn winding to do so I better get busy!

Blog, Blog, Blog...

Want to blog while I have a minute, but I'm not sure I have anything interesting to say, LOL!

Crochet-wise, I have been trucking along on the flower shrug, which I restarted in black Microspun. The yarn splits, which is mildly infuriating, but it's so soft and looks really nice so far. That's all I have to report in that department, so if you don't want to read to my random life update, I bid you adieu.

Moving on - I guess I haven't tried very hard because I still haven't gotten an answer to my blog question. I did try moving the new skin to this blog but I lost my comments and permalinks, so I changed it back real fast... Now I have to figure out how to get those things to stay. I'd also like to know how you all get email notification on your comments - I gather I'm in the dark ages by actually coming to my blog and reading them. So, how do I do that?

Kris is all excited today - he bought a new toolbox. I, for one, never knew how goddamned expensive toolboxes are! When he said he spent $600 on one little tiny chest, I almost crapped. Here I am waffling over the $80 for that glass hook I really want but still don't have, and he just dropped six hundo without batting an eyelash. Once he calmly explained to me that the senior mechanic at his shop has a box that cost $20K (without the freakin tools!), I got a bit more perspective. The exciting thing for him is that this is the big step towards being a tech and not just a general service guy. Now that he has the space, he can buy the tools that will make him the big bucks. He's also pretty sure that his long-overdue raise will be coming in the form of a commision increase, which will make having that new box and the tools to fill it really quite handy. I'm just so happy for him! Things with his grandpa have been getting pretty rough ever since his grandma passed, and I know it's been really unpleasant for Kris. This at least is a very bright spot in a dull time.

Another bright spot, in my family at least, is that my sister Lauren finally got a job!! I've worked since I was a freshman, so it is a sore spot with me that she just finished her sophomore year and hasn't worked a day in her life. She definitely has the second child syndrome... lucky shit... but my mom has finally been getting fed up, so little Lauren had to get a job. She'll be working at Subway for, get this, $7/hr. I know it's not alot, but I've worked at my job TWO YEARS to get up to $8/hr!! Agh! It must be nice.

My last bright spot - I went shopping at Old Navy again today. I can't stay away! I liked the racerback tank I bought last time so much I went back and bought 2 more in different colors. I can't get over what a steal they are at only 2/$10!! Plus, since their flag wear was 2/$8 this week, I picked up a tank for me and a tee for he, hehehe, not matching though, I am not that cheesy. All in all, I got four shirts for $19. You can't even get out of Wal-Mart that cheap! The bargain hunter in me is happy... and the spendthrift in me says I can spend extra at the yarn store tomorrow! YAY!

One last thing for today: what do you get for the dad who wants nothing? My mom hasn't helped out with Dad's Day gifts since we were young, and rightfully so, I think, but I can never figure out what the hell to get my dad! His b-day is in May so we have a hard enough time figuring out something for that, then along comes Father's Day! My dad doesn't golf, he has a ton of fishing stuff, and he collects license plates but has so many that he's really selctive. Clothes are out, and you can only buy so many car-cleaning supplies before you exhaust that option! DVDs, CDs, and books are all out too, my dad's a talk radio kind of guy and won't watch/read the same thing twice. I'm so totally stumped, and time is running out! EEK! Help me! Why is always hardest to find gifts for those you know best? Does this only occur for me?

Gotta run, gotta go to work!

Clover Wreath How-To

Thank you, Deneen for asking how I made the clover wreath. I was kinda hoping someone would! I made you a very rough tutorial, LOL, complete with awful Paint graphics! (Go, Me!) I hope that it's clear enough to be successful! Like I said, I learned when I was pretty little, so I guess this would be fun for lots of ages. Without further ado:

Clover Wreath Tutorial

Step 1: Pick a bunch of bendy-stemmed flowers. Clovers are great, so are wild diasies. Make sure to pick them close to the ground so you get good, long stems.

Step 2: Choose two nice flowers with strong, long stems. These are your starter flowers.

Step 3: Take another flower and hold it in front of the starter stems. The head of the flower should be right on top of the stems and pretty close to the starter flowers.

Note: (The next couple steps will take some mastering to get just right. You'll want it tight enough to hold the flowers together but not tight enough to break the stems.)

Step 4: Wrap the stem of the vertical flower back around the starter stems, then up front between the two flowers.

Step 5: Now the stem is forward, bend it under it's flower and to the left.

Step 6: You should have something looking like this:Gently push the flower to the right and tug on the stem, tightening it together.

Repeat Steps 3-6 until you have a nice sized chain. You can leave it as a garland or make it big enough for a braclet, crown, whatever... End by wrapping the last few flowers the opposite way, with stems heading right, and tuck the tails in to secure. Joining into a ring can be tricky and honestly the easiest way to do it is with a paper clip or safety pin. You can use flowers to keep the ends together but it's not as sturdy and (for me at least) tends to pull apart. I'd just use a safety pin fastened between two "vertical bars." (Tunisian reference, the rows look similar, LOL) Tuck in the stem ends where you can and trim down what you can't.

Using bunches of two or three flowers instead of one will produce a thicker, fuller wreath, but it's a little more difficult to squeeze the stems in between the flowers when wrapping them around.

Wha-La! A clover (or daisy) wreath!

The good thing about...

... a weedy backyard like mine: is that I have an ample supple of clovers. Clovers are good for attracting fuzzy bumblebees, pissing off my dad, and crafting, among many other things. (Red clover tea is great to drink when you have a cold, for example.) Here's what I did with our clovers today: Made a clover wreath! My grandma taught me to do this when I was really little with the daisies that grow wild up at out cottage, but I haven't made one in years. (Please ignore my busted-ass ring, I'm not a hillbilly - I haven't had the money to get it fixed yet and I just can't stop wearing it.)

what a bizarre day...

Wow... lots of weird stuff has happened since I was here posting only a few hours ago! It all started just a short bit after I got up from my computer, when Kris got home from work. Apparently, while unloading a welding machine from his truck bed, he totally skinned his finger - I didn't know this and was greeted with "Get me BIG band-aid quick! I'm bleeding!" So, being the good girlfriend, I fetch a towel, band-aid, and peroxide to boot... We get the wound all cleaned and wrapped and are outside chatting about what to do for dinner when we hear a siren chirp.

So, we stroll to the end of the driveway and just as a fire engine is cruising down the street, a F.D. Explorer is whipping a U-ie and heading the other way. Within five minutes, tops, this is the scene on my street: We soon figured out that some storm earlier in the day had knocked down some power lines across the street. So, Kris and I go to my grandma's, who lives across the street, and we see that a line has in fact fallen down on her fence, and in the process started her compost pile to smoldering. Here's the smoke wafting thru the neighborhood, smelling like burnt shit: We got Gram out of the house and watched the action from my front porch. Turns out the wire electrified the whole block of fences... so the brave fighters went door to door telling everyone to stay inside. Wish I would've got a picture of my genius neighbor pruning the flowers agianst the fence with metal shears... and then one of the chief's face as he yelled at her! I missed those, LOL. But this whole time, at least an hour, they can't put out the burning compost cuz they can't spray anything at the live fence... so it just smoked and reeked... Anywho, here's the damage: That's where the electricity arced from the fence to aluminum siding. This is one of the down wires along with what's left of the compost heap:

That was just the beginning... My sister had a soccer game today, her team's regional finals (big stuff, LOL) and it's about a 1.5 hour drive to the field. Their bus got trapped in the lot by a car parked in front of the gates, and they were a half hour late leaving - on the way out they backed into a car in the bus - then it rained the whole drive there and the bus leaked! To top it all off, they played in the rain and lost 2-1. Plus, my parents got rear-ended in my dad's Jeep (you don't fuck with the Jeep.)

Hmm, what else? My sister lost my dad's cell phone at the mall, so my mom and I go to pick it up. (Like that makes any sense, us saving their asses...) I am waiting in my car for my mom to run to the security office, and what do I spy from my little eye?? A checkbook... So I go grab it... and it's a brand new book... with only 2 checks missing. Unfortunately, no phone number on the checks and from my hunting it's unlisted... So I can't let them know I'll be mailing it back on Monday - I'd be so freaked out!

I know I'm forgetting something but for the life of me I can't remember, so it must not have been that important. I'm just confused with today!

Lastly - I have been tinkering around with a play blog, trying to get a "blogskin" the way I want it. This the original, I need to know if what I've done to it is okay? Is proper credit given? I think I like the way this looks, but what do you think about practicality? Is it okay to manuever? Then, execution... how to I get that to this blog, just paste it all right in, correct? It won't screw up my archives or comments, I hope... I'm going to wait until I hear from someone, just to be on the safe side. But if you know the answer, please feel free to share!! As well as any contructive criticism, if you think it sucks please tell me so.

Have happy weekends, all!

P.S. Ro - Sending lots of good thoughts your way...

No crochet today

I haven't picked up my hooks in few days... i still need to frog the pink shrug and restart that, but I haven't bought the new yarn yet...

Yesterday was my day off, and a co-worker and I went shopping and out to lunch. We checked out another local Old Navy, and this one didn't have the cool swishy skirts either. I didn't leave empty handed though - I bought this racerback tank that is super cute and comfy, not to mention only five bucks! I think I might go back and pick up a couple more. I also got a new pair of sunglasses and another pair of flip flops... I ♥ Old Navy... We also went to Marshall's and to a great little grinder place for lunch, then we tried to stop by a new LYS, but alas, my attmpts were thwarted by time. This new LYS closes at 3 on Fridays and we got there just after 4. Figures. I didn't get to check if they have the Triple PLay pattern, but I will call when they open again on Monday. Jessi is on the look out for it too, so hopefully between the two of us we'll obtain it somehow!!

I can't believe I'm really all out of things to say already, but it appears that way!

A poll, she said

Okay. Here's the story - my cellular contract expires July 1. Kris's is already up. Right now he and I are both with AT&T turned Cingular, and we are less than in love. My signal is worse than it ever has been and I pop into roam in various places in my house. Plus, even though our calls are "in network" we are still charged minutes for them. So, we're shopping wireless companies... and I think we've got it down to Sprint/Nextel and Verizon... Their plans are very close in price and minutes, so what it comes down to is service - have you guys had any experience with either of these companies? What you like/not like? Why? Who should we pick??

Little bit disabled today...

I seem to be having issues with damaging myself lately... For the last couple days I've had a band-aid on left ring finger cuz I clipped my nails too low. *OUCH!* Then today, I was grating cheese for a Boboli and I grated my knuckle... Eew, I know! That's my primary fear when grating, too, is that I will shred my fingertips... It hurts. *whine* So, now I have one injured finger on each hand and typing is a real bitch.

We They finally put in my AC window unit last night. My room is the upstairs dormer and it gets so hot you can barely breathe up there. When it's 90 outisde, like it has been the last few days, it's at least 100 up there. So, my parents finally got the AC in, and I was thrilled... How bad is this - I slept 12 hours last night. Seriously. 11 to 11. That's wild. I usually get at least 9 hours, which is alot, but 12... Wow.

I've gotten about 4 more rows done on the pink flowery shrug, but I'm realizing that it's not going to fit me the way I want... I underestimated my size, surprise surprise! So now I haven't decided if I should continue and then try to find a little person to gift it to, or if I should frog it, buy some new yarn, and start over. I think it'll probably be the latter, I have some 40% coupons for JA's that I need to use up, and I'm thinking I'd like to do it in black... either Microspun or Cotton-Ease, if they still have it... or maybe some nice yarn from a LYS. Although, then I wouldn't use the 40% coupons, LOL.

The Christmas in July wishlist is quickly approaching, and I've volunteered to be an elf. I'm having fun perusing the wishlists for bigger gifts I can grant, and am pondering some littler ones... Things like folding scissors, tape measure, yarn needles - neccessaries for any crocheter; fun teas, body care products, and incense and candles that I can pick up at work; yarn... What smaller things would it make your day to receive?

Kris and I had a *serious talk* today, about getting a house. Not immediately, since I have to finish school and his credit leaves a lot to be desired, but sometime in the not so distant future. I'm not the apartment type, I want a yard and my own gardens, and he needs a garage, so that's out... Plus I feel like in our area apartment dwelling is basically just a waste of money, like leasing a car. So both of us know that when we move out we'd like it to be into a house of our own - but we've done nothing to get there financially, at all... So what we're thinking the first step is to set up a joint savings account. I'm not sure how difficult that will be since we're not married... Our goal is to save at least 4K a year. Hopefully by the time I'm done with school that will have added up to a nice down payment! Now, the real question is 'can we really stick to it?'

Gotta go shower and get ready for work!

Ugh.

Disappointing.

NORML has some interesting and optimistic things to say.

That's what I get...

for trying to fool around with my template, something I know absolutely nothing about. All my nice sidebar stuff is gone, so I'm trying to get that up again and then maybe I'll figure out how to change the skin...

Oh Happy Day!

Today was just one of those great summer days. It all started last night, actually, when I wove in the last tail on the Seraphina. Hooray! She turned out oh so nicely, and I can't wait for next Saturday, when I open and it will be chilly at work, so I can wear her. I love how soft the boucle worked up, and the colors are really beautiful... It was totally worth being a "poser!" Here's the finished product:

Then, this morning when I woke up it was blistering hot, and so so humid... perfect weather for wearing my new skirt!! Nope, not one from Old Navy - I found one at the mall on Friday for only $13!! It's great, exactly what I wanted, and I'm thrilled that it was so cheap cuz I got three tanks, too. I *really* need summer clothes, and am considering going back and getting the same skirt in either teal or brown, since it's such a deal and it's really cool/comfy too. Plus if I find some cute flats I could wear it to work, (no open toed shoes allowed there.)

Then, since I finally finished up the 'Phina, I started a new project today. I really loved Juli's shrug over at C'Ville, so after doing a swatch of the flower stitch, I started my own. It's slow going because I want to make sure my loops don't get stretched out. I haven't made much progress so far: but I really love this yarn. It's Sirdar Breeze, in the color Breeze Pink 70. I received two skeins of this along with 2 of the Breeze Wisteria and 4 skeins of a boucle in the Spring Yarn Swap, from Fatima, aka Scherazade. I have been hoarding this yarn, waiting for a suitable project, and this shrug is definitely it... I really like the feel of this yarn, it's very soft and smooth... I've noticed a little splitting but not so much that it's become a problem. I have a hunch this shrug will be slow going but hopefully more than worth it.

We barbequed for lunch, and I pigged on a strip steak. *yum* We also bought a box of Rainbow flavored Popsicles - totally neccessary on a day like today. The Rainbow flavored are SO much better than the classic cherry, grape and orange... The Rainbow have Strawberry, Tangerine, Lime, and my all time favorite EVER, bubble gum. I think half the box is gone already... I've had two three already. *blush* I also made berry shortcakes again for dessert... *insert Homer drooling noise* Packing on the calories today!!

I did go for a bike ride later in the afteroon though, and got so covered in sweat that I had to get in the pool... First time this year, although it's been open since April due to some technical difficulties. The water was 80 though, and it felt so good I didn't want to get out.

Family Guy is now so I gotta go... What a great end to a great Sunday!

Stupid JoAnns

I went there yesterday with my 40% coupons, wanting to buy some rainbow boucle. I wasn't sure if they had it in yet, but I figured I'd at least order some and look around for secret pal stuff. So I drag Kris into the store and back to the yarn, and they don't have it. We go to the help counter and ask the lady if I can do a special order for it, since they don't carry it online. She says "We can't order products from the website." I explain again that they don't carry it on the website, which is why I'm trying to order it. Then she asks if they carry it in the store. Um, no, that is why I am trying to order it from them in the first place. So finally she says that they can only order products they have in the store... "Hello?" I felt saying, "do you have a brain up there??" Why would I want to special order a product they have in the store when I could just walk back there and buy it?? Is this totally nonsensical to anyone else?? So, I didn't get my damn yarn and I didn't buy anything else either, and now I have four 40% coupons that are about to go to waste. Dammit.

The lady from the LYS never called me back either.

I wonder if I emit a "dick me around please" vibe of some sort. I'd like to think that I'm a strong person, but I swear sometimes people fuck with me just because. If my life was a movie there would be an extraordinary number of assholes in the cast. The people we get at work... AGH... It's like vortex that just sucks in the outcasts of society. I wonder sometimes how some of them make it through life - according to Darwin they should've fizzled out a long time ago, but they are still alive and making my shifts miserable...

Anyways, enough whining, I'm going to go outside and bask in the sunshine! [Finally, sunshine! YAY!!]

Security Breach

Trying to do anything on my computer right now is a MAJOR suckfest. We let our Norton run out about 2 weeks ago and haven't purchased a replacement... and now we have all kinds of scary little monsters! Everything is running slow and randomly shutting down, plus I'm wary of clicking any links cuz sometimes they'll just make my comp freeze up. This has happened a ton with commenting links, the last week or so I've not been able to comment anywhere without this stupid box having a stroke... I know there were a bunch of things I wanted to say but right now I can't remember a single one! Sorry everyone, for not commenting... I hope we'll have new protection software by the end of the week so I should be back up and running soon...

So far this week has been filled with work. I wish I had something more exciting to report, but I haven't even gotten much crocheting done. One row on the Seraphina is taking forever now, so I've been putting off the four or so that I need to complete the shawl. Plus, it's FINALLY started to warm up here so my enthusiasm is weaning. Not to mention, I really want to make that Triple PLay pattern! I called my closest LYS and they "don't carry any crochet patterns" (fuckers) so I asked if they could special order it for me. I was told that someone would get back with me, but I'm not getting my hopes up. My impression of the owner was that she was a real bitch, and one of those people who think crocheting is inferior.

I'm enjoying some Ben & Jerry's for breakfast this morning, LOL! If you have access to B&J's, you MUST try the Oatmeal Cookie Chunk flavor. Or the Strawberry Cheesecake, formerly known as Primary Berry Graham. Or the Heath Toffee Crunch. I rotate between these (and sometimes the Mint Cookie Crunch) and I could easily eat a whole pint in one sitting. Most of the time I don't. I just love me some good ice cream. The cheap stuff really is not as good. I worked at gourmet grocery store for a while my senior year, and they had a gelato counter. Once you eat gelato, it's hard to go back to regular old ice cream. I guess I've become a bit of a frozen dessert snob. I'm also an apple juice snob, but that's a whole different story.

Wish I had some pictures to finish off with, but I'm not sure I'd actually get them to load. I just like posts with pictures. I have to take a shower and get ready for work now - yuk.

I hope to be back commenting soon!