I went there today.
IKEA!
I decided I needed to get a few items and I didn't want to enjoy the crowds of December on Friday. I knew my husband would hate going, so this morning I took off and went for a drive. I ended up in Costa Mesa at IKEA. I bought what I went to get and added a few extras.
Needs:
We needed a new table for media storage. We finally got rid of the BIG Gigantic TV that took up half of my living room, and opted for something more suited to the room. So I needed a table to hold the dvd player et al.
Furniture is something that, for me, does not have to be expensive. I can live with IKEA and be perfectly happy. Yes, there were more expensive tables, but hey, why spend more money on a table to hold 'stuff'? This one matches the decor and wood coloring throughout the house and I like it.
Other random purchases:
I bought a 'soap' dispenser at another famous Bed, Bath and Beyond type store and it doesn't work. I paid an outrageous amount of money for it and I was depressed when it wouldn't dispense the soap. It drove me crazy. So today when I saw this entire set for $9.99 I couldn't resist. The other dispenser has been replaced!
And then it seems at our house we never have enough forks! I looked around the kitchen stuff and found a randomly cheap set of flatware for $9.99. I could afford that too! So this is what also came home with me:
Needless to say, I really like going there. There were all kinds other stuff I wanted to buy, but I rationalized the spending and stopped there other than a good stack of napkins! I got in and out in less than an hour and was home by 1:30. It was a nice day all in all.
22 November 2006
The Great and Spacious Building
21 November 2006
New Blogger
Hmmmm. I keep getting notified that the "new" blogger is available. Do I want to upgrade? I'm not sure. Would it be just as easy to move it to wordpress or bloglines? I just don't know. I guess what I'd really like to do is upgrade and then imporve the looks around here.
Just need the time to do it all. I don't know how I blogged, baked and took care of the house for so long. I keep finding I don't have enough time to get all I want to do. Hmmmmm. Must be the holiday getting the pressure up.
Have you migrated your blogger account? Is it worth the trouble? Flickr works with it now I've read. That's good. Oh my, I
m running late. I swear there'll be a better post here tomorrow!
Update: Blogger Beta version doesn't play well with Haloscan commenting. I want that to work on my new versions, so I'm holding off changing anything until it does. Just an FYI for anyone who uses Haloscan!
20 November 2006
Nesting Boxes Tower
Read More......
19 November 2006
Glass, glass, everywhere glass!
I have spent every waking moment doing glass work lately. I've neglected everything else except possibly a couple of other craft items I'm doing for a show in December. I have until Dec 5th to get as much done as possible so as to have a large table filled with beautiful items to sell to the ladies of Los Alamitos, CA.
Things like this:
and this:
or even these:
I have also been working hard on getting a website put together to try and have a small store so my internet buddies can purchase items if they please. I'd love it if they'd tell their friends too!
It should be up before the end of the week. So on Thanksgiving day when you don't have anything else to do, come on over and take a look! ;-)
18 November 2006
Liquid Yellow??
I got a call from my #2 daughter last evening. She said they were talking with the 2 year old granddaughter (little Miss) about Christmas. After a bit of chattin git up they asked her what she would like to get for Christmas.
Her response: A Car.
"What would you do with a car?" "I go driving!" Big smile.
Maybe we should go ahead and get her one. Heck she's two and a half.
It will be perfect for her! Not saying I'm going to, but it sure is cute! And she'd have a car just like mine, except mine's blue!
17 November 2006
Nightwish
The big guy and I have discovered a new band we like. Nightwish is a band from Finland, I think. They have been around since 1996 so I guess we have just been asleep at the wheel. Their site alone is really great. I love the artwork, the band bios and the history of the band. The pictures are great!
We discovered them quite by accident. We rented and viewed (well, I was working on other stuff while viewing it, so I couldn't really tell you what it's about) the movie The Cave. I don't even know what it's rated. Sorry guys. At the end, during closing credits, a song by Nightwish is in the background.
The song is Nemo which translated means No one. Interesting. It is our favorite kind of music. Progressive rock. Heavy rock with orchestral parts thrown in. Of the six albums they've recorded, we currently own Once. We will be buying the others soon, as their music is great for driving to keep all the frustrations in check. heh. They fired their lead female vocalist last December. (Bands just can't seem to handle the success) They are on a talent search currently and are accepting cd sample in their quest to find a new singer. If my daughter wasn't pregnant I'd say she should give it a try as her voice is quite like their departed singers voice. Did I mention that she once recorded back up vocals on a cd because a guy heard her singing some Sarah McLachlan in a Best Buy once. She's good, but that's her story to tell.
If you're not a fan of progressive rock, or you don't know what it is, go to their site and listen a bit to the samples they have embedded in to the site. It's worth a try.
Words to Nemo:
Nemo (Once)
This is me for forever
One of the lost ones
The one without a name
Without an honest heart as compass
This is me for forever
One without a name
These lines the last endeavor
To find the missing lifeline
Oh how I wish
For soothing rain
All I wish is to dream again
My loving heart
Lost in the dark
For hope I`d give my everything
Oh how I wish
For soothing rain
Oh how I wish to dream again
Once and for all
And all for once
Nemo my name forevermore
My flower, withered between
The pages 2 and 3
The once and forever bloom gone with my sins
Walk the dark path
Sleep with angels
Call the past for help
Touch me with your love
And reveal to me my true name
Oh, how I wish...
Nemo sailing home
Nemo letting go
Oh, how i wish...
16 November 2006
Final Salute
This is not a photoshopped image. When I first looked at it I thought it must be. However, I found out it was a real event. Not for publicity, not for press, not even for the 'story'. It was a final goodbye. Do yourself a favor and take some time, when you are alone and can cry as tears will come, and read this piece brought to us by the The Rocky Mountain News. It is their tribute piece for Veteran's Day this year. It deserves a pulitzer. Jim Sheeler is the author of the piece accompanied by photos from Todd Heisler. The picture above was taken by Todd Heisler. There is video related to the story that is also worthy of your time.
Politics aside, this is worthy of all of us. It explains the sacrifice and honor related in serving with the United States Marine Corps. OOORAH! and Happy Birthday. Oh, and by the way, thank you for your 230 years of service.
15 November 2006
We have a theme!
He's sitting on one of the new plates I made. I love the white with the blue! It turned out great. I need to slump it so it isn't just a flat piece of glass on the table. Soon it will have a nice curve to it and will be able to be used for a plate or a candle or just about whatever you want.
Also, here's a peek at the ornament exchange project:
Now, don't you wish you were getting this in the mail? You can, I am selling them for $10 each, send me an email if you want one for your home! Read More......
14 November 2006
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
A reminder....5 days from today,
all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies
and you will start to receive sale calls.
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS....
To prevent this,
call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.
It is the National DO NOT CALL list.
It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5)
years.
HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS!
13 November 2006
The Holiday Buzz
*~*~*~*~See update at bottom of post*~*~*~*
Every One is abuzz with descriptions of Tord Boontje's holiday line for Target this year. Well, I had to go see for myself.
I was very pleased with the many good things to see. I love the holidays and I love the festive decor Target seems to find each year. The ornament displays are beautiful this year with the Boontje's display toppers all twinkling and snowy looking. I could stand and watch them for ours I think. Well, maybe not hours, but they do life the spirits a bit.
I looked and looked for the garland Kim was able to purchase. It had sold out already. I should have taken Megan's advice on that! However I did score the cling on vinyl window decorations! At $5.99 they are worth the price. You get 5 sheets of vinyl "stickers" that adhere to almost any surface. So if you are an apartment dweller and are short on windows, these will stick to your walls too! I can see a sugar plum fairy door already!
The dishes are so pretty and the candlabra centerpiece is really pretty! Tord Boontje has really captured the holiday "winter" theme very well!
Update: I forgot to mention that at the Target site there are some really cute "freebies"! There are items to download for children to decorate Boontje style! They also have add a count down to the holidays calendar widget to download!
12 November 2006
Back in the day...
When I was first introduced to blogging I had a great idea. I wanted to write vignettes of people I had met or who had made some kind of contribution through my eyes. I worked it around in my mind and turned it over and over and was convinced it was a great idea.
But like a lot of other things I couldn't just do it. I had to work it through my mind until it was perfect. There it sat in the background waiting to be completed and perfect. I went on to establish other blogs. Food Chronicles talks about my adventures and observations in the food world. Cooper Chronicles talks about life in general and my crazy world.
Still in the back of my mind was the original web page I wanted to do. I had set it aside thinking I had to have a dedicated place for it, it's own website, it's own everything. I made it too difficult for me to bring forth. I wanted to collect stories of people around me so they could be remembered. A place where memories gathered and stayed. We have this wonderful internet where things linger and stay, I wanted to use it for this project. If only, if only....
Well, I have finally decided that perfection never comes. The stories do however. And I must begin recording them somewhere, so blogger will be its home for now. I've chosen the name (actually I chose it all those many years ago) Earthbound Chronicles. That's where all the other chronicles started. Earthbound will tell stories of loved ones, of unknown individuals to me, of dear friends, and random strangers whose stories should be told. I'll begin, with a few of my own and add more along the way.
First, for my wanting niece, I'll write about my brother. The father she never got to know. He was real. He lived. He gave. Just because he is now a memory, doesn't mean he never existed. This page and his stories will bring life to those who read them.
Join me on this new journey to the past. And get to know some people you didn't know, but probably should have. Earthbound Chronicles is for everyone. If you have someone that needs to be remembered, send me an email!
11 November 2006
Novice glass workers' fingers
I stopped by the stained glass store and as soon as the lady saw my band-aid she offered the perfect glass breakers. I can happily say they are wonderful. I hopefully will not get myself cut like the one in the picture again.
Still, the glass is going well. In fact as soon as I'm done here, it's back to the glass. I tried an experiment yesterday and it didn't work out. I got huge bubble in the glass so it doesn't look like it should. That one goes in the try again pile. Sigh.
Read More......
10 November 2006
And the databank says.....
This is pretty cool. I never thought my name was so unique. But hey, I guess there is something unique about me! Read More......
Okay now for a few experiences
I'm going with this freedom thing a bit and stumbled upon a life experiences post at another NaBloPoMo participants blog. It is a pretty good list and should give a direction in which to go in the future. Well, that is if it's not too crazy.
LIFE EXPERIENCES MEME
Bold the ones you've done (my comments are in italics).
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink. Watched as everyone else got drunk. That's way more fun, drunks can be pretty entertaining.
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain.
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive. Who needs a Ferrari when you own a MINI?
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid.
06. Held a tarantula.
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone. Sorry girls, full disclosure here
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it.
09. Hugged a tree.
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise.
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game.
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne.
24. Given more than you can afford to charity. Isn't that the point?
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment.
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can.
32. Held a lamb.
33. Seen a total eclipse.
34. Ridden a roller coaster.
35. Hit a home run.
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was watching.
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day.
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment.
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states Not even close!
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced.
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country How about danced with a foreign stranger, visiting here? And kissed him too?
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds Is there any other way?
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party.
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days.
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice Does the Venetian count?
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Gone to a movie by yourself.
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone Does childhood count?
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery I'm not quite that old ;-)
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds. I'd be happy with 30 right now.
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart.
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone.
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet Do kids' pets count?
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon helicoptered all over the top if it though
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours Oh Yeah.
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach Not sure it was actually "petting".
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream Soon!
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life My own
The list is big, I'm not sure it's that extensive though. There are things on it I'll never do like get a divorce. That's not happening. Or getting drunk on champagne; I was offered, even push a little at the sale of the bakery, champagne. I wasn't even tempted. Then there's the Dungeons and Dragons thing. Heh. No. Dr. Mario anyone?
There are some things I still want to do that aren't on the list like swim in the Great Barrier Reef, eat a meal on every continent, and go to Machu Pichu just because. So eveyone's list is different from others. It's what makes you, you. What will you add?
09 November 2006
Freeeeeeeeeeee!
I have been away from the bakery for a week now. I cannot express in words great enough the feeling of freedom that has slowly taken over my psyche. I have for a year been focused on keeping someone else's business alive. And, I enjoyed almost 100% of the time I spent there.
However, now it is time for me to focus on my own success. I have been told over and over again how determined I am. How I am like a shark that never stops swimming. Yet, I have not found an appropriate outlet for my aspirations, until now. Maybe I just needed to grow up.
I am at that second threshold in life, you know the one, the kids are grown and married. They're beginning to have families of their own. My home is emptier, yet not lonely. It is an old friend that I love. I love to sit here in the quiet and enjoy listening to the creaks and moans of the old place. I will miss it when we leave here. I just wish there was a way I could keep this one and have the other also. But then again, that would be greedy. I can only live in one house at a time and so there is really no need for two.
We will soon begin the next big adventure in our life. The acreage in Arizona is screaming to be built out. A home, a shed, a few "cabins" and a large gathering center. 10 acres of lavendar. It will be a working retirement for ourselves. My husband's career has been a career of giving, rarely taking, and because of his chosen vocation, it has barely kept a roof over our heads, and food on the table, and not a retirement account to speak of. So we now need to be inventive.
The lavendar farm will be the largest in our geographical location. We will have a yearly festival and we hope to be able to have a conference center and gathering location for family reunions. We have hopes that we can host continuing education retreats also. It will be a work in progress, the lavendar being first priority. I will also have the shed to do glass work and continue building that hobby into a sideline business also.
So here's to the future! Whatever it may hold.
08 November 2006
I know, I know, you've heard it all before
Many people don't seem to have aprobelm putting pictures of their children on the net. I see them all the time on blogs I love to read. Crafters especially share their work with the kiddlings as models or enjoying the crafts made by mom. I think it's great that they have loving families and are proud of their kids.
Then there's me. Miss Paranoid. I blog anonymously. My husband and children are referred to by number or nicknames. You have only seen a few pictures of relatives of mine on my blogs. I tend to stay at a distance from full disclosure. It's not that I don't want you to get to know me, not that at all. Except being the kind of person I am - a realist - and knowing what horrors lie beyond my world, my pollyanna persona, will not be exposed to the evil creeps for their own benefit.
Why are you needing to know this now? Well, a good crafter I love, love , love, has had her childrens pictures on the net since she began blogging. I am not providing a link to her site for you because she has asked for a bit of privacy right now. However, I must share this incident with you. She recently had a reader, of her blog, email her with a horrible link. The reader had come across my blogging crafter friends' childrens picture on an inappropriate site. They had taken the pictures of her darling babies, innocent and trusting and wonderful and had turned them into a creepy thing for creeps to enjoy.
I read and have had said to me that it is not really something to worry about. But folks this is not a snopes story. This blogger is real, her children are real, and her blog, as it was, was taken down and her childrens pictures removed. She has started blogging under a new blog name and is letting people know that she is not in favor of picture stealing or copyright theft at all.
So call me Chicken Little if you wish. But as far as your innocent loves, they are being stalked by the worst of all stalkers. Predators that are only concerned with their own gratification and greed. Please heed my warning and act accordingly, and use your own heart to make your decisions about your children and their images.
07 November 2006
Aack!
The power cord on my lovely Apple PowerBook G4 died last night. :-( I called Apple and they're sending me a new one. It will take 5-7 days. I live in the same state that they're mailing it from, so I assume they're mailing by Turtle Express. "When it absolutely positively is going to be free to the customer so whenever it seems to get there will be fine" method of shipping to get it to me. Sigh.
So I am working from the desktop in the other room. Which isn't such a bother, however, I have to be in that room to do everything and all my bookmarks and pictures and all that good stuff is on my laptop. Ick. The worst part of it was that I didn't notice there was a problem until the status bar said I was at 30% power and I went wait a minute. This is supposed to be plugged in, oh crud it is plugged in. What is wrong? Great! It isn't working. The Apple guy seemed to think this kind of problem happened all the time. Because he said, okay we'll send you one. Hmmmmm.
So my NaBloMoPo today is about my broken cord. How interesting for you! Not.
I will say the kiln is producing some really great things! I made a bunch of ornaments (well four at a time). I also was able to squeeze in some earrings. They are just little button earrings for pierced earrings, but they are so cute! I love them and would love to keep them all to myself. But seeing as I am now providing for my own support and the bakery has stopped giving me money in exchange for my life, I have to make these things to sell. Now I just have to be able to photograph them and put pretty pictures up of them and sell them. Yay!
I will be making earrings, (clip on ones too for those of you who don't like more holes in your head than are already there), and some plates for sale. Neato! I also thought about putting them on Etsy, which I may do, but they'll also be available here because you have to be a joiner to use Etsy and some of you may not want to do that. So I will go take a pic or two and put it up here later. That camera is going to pay for itself too!
Update: The power cord came today! Yay! I knew if I was in the same state it wouldn't take long!
06 November 2006
Grounded flower
It brought to mind the words: There is beauty all around....
Some other flora and fauna:
Go ahead and click on each one. They are so much better at full size. What a great camera! Read More......
05 November 2006
Soundtrack to your life
I picked this up at RTGs site and because it's a great Sunday morning activity, you should give it a try. Now follow the directions and see what music soundtracks you. I am surprised certain songs didn't get played and cracked up at some of the possibilities. Let me know if I should listen to your soundtrack!
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here’s how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool…
Opening Credits: Turn of a Friendly Card, Alan Parsons Project
Waking Up: I Believe, Diamond Rio
First Day At School: Bed of Roses Soundtrack,
Falling In Love: Do You Believe in Magic, Lovin' Spoonful
Fight Song: Summer in the City, Lovin Spoonful (really)
Breaking Up: Simple Lies, Endo
Prom: Mr. Wendell, Arrested Development
Life: Do You Close Your Eyes, Rainbow
Mental Breakdown: Inside Us All, Creed
Driving: Have a Cigar, Pink Floyd
Flashback: Bring Me to Life, Evanescence
Wedding: My Heart is Lost to You, Brooks and Dunn
Birth of Child: I Wanna Be Sedated, The Ramones
Final Battle: No Place that Far, Sara Evans
Death Scene: December, Collective Soul
Funeral Song: Hopelessly Helpless, Crosby, Stills and Nash
End Credits: The Lucky One, Alison Krauss
04 November 2006
A day out with the camera
Now if you want to see photos of what I ate, go to the food blog!
Read More......
03 November 2006
The end is near!
We are nearing the end of the political season. I am ready for it to be over. Go vote next Tuesday people. Exercise your right to be a U.S. citizen.
With all the campaign promises made and broken over the years this headline got my attention: POLITICAL AD SPENDING NEARS $2 BILLION DOLLAR MARK Can you imagine? (AdAge daily email alerts brought me this one.)
Boy howdy it did. Imagine what $2 billion could do to cure all the ills that have been promised over the years. It could do a lot to house the homeless, to correct an incongruency in prescription drugs costs to the poor, could help get a real alternative energy plan going and all sorts of other things that need assistance.
Maybe the solution to the political season is to have them send the money to the specific cause they're talking about. Then have the reports published on how the money was put to use. The best results could give us a litmus test on how dedicated the people really are to "changing the face of America".
Does someone else have a better idea?
Note: I am not this simple. Complex things pass through my head constantly. It's just not worth the energy to expound upon them as so many others do. It doesn't change anything, just adds warmth to our ever growing global warming problem as I see it. And to think, if I just would choose to vote for candidate x, she would stop global warming. hmmmmm.
02 November 2006
Snowflake try
This is my first try at a snowflake. I like the look of it, but I need to work on the process a bit more. What I didn't realize was how much the heat would "shrink" the glass. I need to remember that glass goes from a solid to a liquid and then back to a solid. When I wrap my brain around that... I'll get better results.
Well, today will be spent doing a few more experiments. I'll show you my losses, but the good ones will have to wait until December when the ornaments are sent to the recipients! Fun.
Hey it is all about the fun. ;-)
Footnote: It is really creeping me out that in the background of that photo the table looks so dirty. It's not bad, the white stuff is the dust from the kiln wash. Yes, though, I'll admit there is some sort of other stuff there. Ugh. Maybe a reshoot is in order. Read More......
01 November 2006
Shopping
Yesterday, we took one of those days. We started out at the new Crate and Barrel in our area. I had been wanting to go and yesterday the stars aligned and we were both available. The new store was a lot like the other stores I'd been in and I mentioned that it was nice the outlet store was so close to me so I wouldn't have to spend too much on stuff I could get there.
We moved to the furniture gallery. Sitting on a beautiful leather sofa, we chatted for a bit. Many, many sales people tried to get us to move with suggestions of assistance, but it was to no avail. We toured the second floor and found some nice things and ideas.
One of the ideas were the pineneedle trees shown above. They were pretty little trees cratively made by someone else. Hot glued needles on a cone. Hmmmm. Could this be done ourselves? Yeah. MOre than likely we could do this. Now we had to decide if it was something we'd want to do. So a snapped a quick pic and it went into the memory bin for another day.
All over the first floor were ornament inspirations. One of the coolest things they have available is the ornament tree.
These were ones that were part of their decor. I love the loopy look of it and would love to own one of them. It holds ten ornaments and would look so cute as a centerpiece. However, I can't see spending $49.95 on one right now. I'd rather have one of these instead. Priorities people!
I did buy a few small ornaments and a nutmeg grater. I couldn't be at C&B and not get a food related item, now could I? We then drove over to a place to grab lunch called The Hat. Pastrami sandwiches all around! The place was filled with construction workers! I even mentioned to sis that I'd never seen so many in one place! It was good food and a fun day was had.
I look forward to more o f these kinds of days.
Read More......
30 October 2006
Now on a lighter note....
I decided to go blog hopping yesterday and stumbled upon a great blog! Nicole is probably not a stranger to most of you, but again I've been in a bakery for the last year and have missed a bit of blogging. The blog is full of crafty goodness! She has great links and I spent the better part of an afternoon clicking away!
Nicole has teamed up with Cake+Pie for a fun event that I have joined. It is an ornament swap that is going global. You have until the FIRST of November to join in the fun. When I joined there were close to three hundred participants and I am sure there will be more soon. Join the fun, exchange some ornaments and get your holiday ornament swap in full swing!
26 October 2006
ARSON!
As I took this photo I noticed a air tanker on its way to fight the growing blaze.
This was at 9 a.m. or so this morning. The next photo was at 4:40 or so this evening. As I drove home it got darker and darker. It's only 5 p.m. and almost completely dark due to the smoke.
The worst news of this fire is that it is definitely arson. Four firefighters have died, with a fifth severly burned. Four heroes, lose their lives so someone could start a fire. The death penalty will be pursued if this person is ever found. The courts should just take him out and shoot him. Four families, possibly five, ripped apart by the senseless act of another. Then we have to consider the numerous homes lost, the people displaced, the animals lost, and the people affected by the smoke in the surrounding areas. It is difficult to take it all in.
My sympathies go out to anyone who is affected by this horrendous fire.
Read More......
24 October 2006
Hues
So when we left the theatre, the real show began. It was just about sunset and these are some shots I got on the way home.
I think our Indian Summer has come to an end. Now it will begin to cool off. The mornings will become icy and good, while the temps during the day are never harsh.
Can ya begin to get that I love clouds. ;-)
Read More......
09 October 2006
Yellow Roses
I didn't photograph them while they were fresh. Today I looked at the vase and realized they had just about completely dried. I love dried roses. Almost more than fresh. They have such character, and dry so well. No one misses the fact that they were once roses. Their fragrance is incredible. In fact, I think roses smell more fragrant when dried than when fresh. The leaves stay that really great color of green and I just can't imagine tossing them out.
They'll go into the drawer with the rest. I am gathering dried roses to make pot pourri. It'll be a nice assortment when I get it done. :-)
Read More......
04 October 2006
Behold your little ones...
My friend Lisa has great blog. She talks about raising her children, her life as a child, and all those things in between. She has a full plate and challenges herself every day.
You see, Lisa has Ethan. Ethan was born almost three years ago with severe disablilities. She has found inner strength she didn't know she had. Ethan is teaching her things, she now realizes are essential to her life and others'. Lisa has taught me many things, as she has others. If you haven't read her blog, you owe yourself the opportunity to get to know her and Ethan. You never know, you may just learn something too.
Just before my oldest daughter was born, in November of 1978, Gordon B Hinckley gave a talk in October conference at church. He quoted E T Sullivan and said this:
E. T. Sullivan once wrote these interesting words: “When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home out of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart, and she puts it into the baby’s mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies.”
I know for a fact that this is true. My first child changed me in ways that I could never describe. She gave me joy and happiness. She taught me how to be a mom, she sacrificed herself against the rock that was me on occasion. She challenged me, and she was a little miracle in my life. Never in my life did I think that I could do it. Be a mom, that is. But she helped me learn that it was not an impossible task, that children are resiliant and that they love you inspite of your worst mood. She taught me to enjoy being a kid, that kids can be serious, and a head like a rock is a force to be reckoned with and that moms and daughters can grow up together and be friends.
Today, my oldest, found out some great news. Yes, she already knew she was pregnant. That of course is the miracle. But today, today she found out that she will give birth to a son. A wonderful little boy that will prove her through the years. Prove her to be the kind of mom she can be, and has always been inside, waiting to be discovered. Congratulations, little one. Thanks, for being one of the greatest forces in the world, to me.
02 October 2006
CA Palm Tree
Look closely, see, there in the leaves of the fronds. Something strange. Strange green rectangles. Hmmm. what do they produce? I am not sure of the correct terminology, but the "tree" produces a bounce of cellular waves. Yep. There you have it. The well known California Palm Tree cellular tower. We have them in other varieties also. The Pine tree, Cactus and water towers.
I hear in places like Idaho they have grain silos that double as cellular towers. I'd like to see that one.
Read More......
28 September 2006
Evening sky
I wish it was something as fun as what s'mee did a few days ago. Hoever, not! Just working on important paperwork.
Read More......
19 September 2006
This
Then we went to Idaho on a portion of our vacation. Wow. I could not believe it. Everywhere we went there were lakes and rivers. The scenery was beautiful.
The picture shows the calm side of the river. So serene and inviting. Then you cross over the bridge and see this:
That is a lot of water! What a fun place to play.
This is what the locals call Monkey rock. On any given summer day you can find an assortment of young people splashing about and getting nearly drowned. It looked like a blast! Idaho kids have all the fun.
After the water goes over the falls this is where it goes from there:
In my best John Candy voice I say " Beautiful scenery, beautiful!"
Read More......
18 September 2006
The worst part about being a grandparent...
is that I don't have a wallet as big as Texas. Thank goodness! My granddaughter would have tooooooooo many things! Why? Because of places like this:
Baby Gadget. They show these kinds of things, just to entice me to buy! And to think I'm going to have another one in March! Oh My!
or this:
Go to Baby Gadget and buy stuff! Maybe it'll all be gone when I go there again. Please!
17 September 2006
News Flash!
After 60 minutes tonight the new Amazing Race is on! Yay! Yay!
So don't call me everyone. I'll be consumed by TV tonight. Any other time I take calls. But not during Amazing Race. Unless, of course, if someone is bleeding or worse. Join me in watching the best hour of tv worthy of your time. Most tv isn't, but the Amazing Race is!
14 September 2006
Complete the thought...
Never again in my life: will I let anyone hit someone I love. Not even spanking, thank you.
When I was five: my dad left my mom and brother for dead, me, he just ruffed up a bit.
High School was: Less than fun, as my parents moved from the beach (and the hottest guy ever) to a farm town my sophmore year.
I will never forget: the sound of my brothers voice the last time I heard it.
I once met: a guy whose uncle is Melvin Dummar (google it).
There’s this girl I know who: who could put her fist (to the wrist) in her mouth. She is now a quasi-famous (Broadway) opera singer.
By noon I’m usually: awake. I've been up for hours, but by noon I'm finally awake and personable.
Last night I: stayed up too late thinking about projects to do on Saturday.
Next time I go to church: Not counting tonight, Saturday evening, then Sunday too.
What worries me most: Is that politicians will continue to fight over the minutiae while us working class folks become less and less secure.
When I turn my head right, I see: a view of the front lawn.
When I turn my head left, I see: My latte colored wall with a couple of pictures hanging on it.
You know I’m lying when: I keep talking incessantly about the same thing. It's like I;m trying to convince you. In my mind I'm screaming to myself to just shut up!
If I was a character written by Shakespeare, I’d be: tragically in love with the wrong guy; my true love having died a horrible death from mistaken identity.
By this time, next year: I should have a bricks and mortar home built in Arizona!
A better name for me would be: Half. (I'm part of a trio of sisters, our last name being wit. My sisters, nit and dim.)
I have a hard time understanding: Why people gamble with their own money. Who likes losing hard earned money?
If I ever go back to school I’ll: I'm majoring in chocolate.
You know I like you if: I find some way of touching you. Whether it's a light tap, or a hug or just a quick brush of your shoulder.
Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferarro are: dead.
Take my advice, NEVER: think you can't drive a car with a clutch. Everyone can, given some alone time with the vehicle, far away from where they really want to be. Oh yeah, and you can't have a cell phone to get someone to help bail you out of the predicament.
My ideal breakfast is: A dutch baby pancake, three thick pieces of maple bacon, 4 ounces of grapefuit juice, and some really toasted bread with butter dripping from it. If I can't have that, just a quick scone and a hot chocolate, please.
A song I love, but do not have is: The Twelfth of Never by Johnny Mathis.
If you visit my hometown, I suggest: you send me pictures. I have no idea what it looks like. I was born and we moved away three months later. Never been back.
Why won’t anyone: build a car that runs on water. It's been invented. But no one will mass produce it.
If you spend the night at my house, DO: make yourself at home. What's mine is yours.
I’d stop my wedding for: to wait for my brother to return from Australia. In fact I did. I waited almost a full year.
The world could do without: Bed bugs, after reading that recent article in the New York Times I have serious concerns about ever staying in a hotel again.
I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: creepy. Nothing. I don't even want to lick the belly of a cockroach.
My favorite blonde is: 4 non-blondes
Paperclips are more useful than: I can't think of anything. I guess because I'm biased against paperclips, I really don't like them especially those big ones.
San Diego means: home. My childhood. The Zoo. When I was a girl you got in free if you were under the age of 16. I went every weekend with my brother.
I stole this from my friend RTG You can steal it from me! I'd love to read your finishes.
10 September 2006
Not this time. Never forget.
September 11, is not about me. It's about them. 2996 is a collaborative effort by volunteer bloggers nationwide, possibly worldwide. There are 2996 bloggers who have comitted to remember and blogging about one victim of the 9/11/2001 attacks on the world trade center. 2996 blogs are a lot to visit. A lot of reading to do. A lot of pain, and remembrance to consider.
I remember as a young girl my mother would always pause on Dec. 7 of each year to remember. Pearl Harbor day. Now it is almost a forgotten memory. I am not sure many people under the age of 20 could tell you the significance of the date. It was a horrifying event. One the nation hoped would never happen again. But it did.
Sept 11 must live in bright and vivid rememberance for each of us. We must remember the sacrifice made, the heroes killed, and the lives lost. We must each, in some way, remember the horror of the day. Maybe, just maybe, it can unite us. Not against a common enemy, but for each other. Instead of the "me first" mentality, we could begin to adopt a more genteel manner, a willingness to let go and let someone else be first this time. Open a door, assist with someone in need, look into the eyes of those you interact with on a daily basis. Maybe we can quit objectifying people and see the human being inside each of us and extend a bit of love to one another.
Remember.
02 September 2006
Check the blog descriptive, it's changed.
Everything you wanted to know, and then some.
ME-MEME... Like the description says...
All you ever wanted to know about little ole me!
1. How often do you blog? At least thrity times a day. I live for comments and it just makes my day when someone does leave a little something. ;-)
2. Online Alias: AIM: momrules411 (whatelse would I be known as except information mom?) However, I am not ever on AIM. Sorry if you IM me there and I don't answer. To the rest of the world i am either TMG or chronicler.
3. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? Oh yeah. Sometimes I just cannot hold my mouth. It makes me crazy when people allow an injustice to continue.
4. What do you do most often when you are bored? I don't have time for bored. And, you know what they say... "If you're bored, you're boring."
5. When bathing, which do you wash first? I'm a top down gal. Shower hits the head first and it's soap bubbles from there! I know some of you must be screaming TMI! TMI! right about now. heh.
6. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? definitely. anyone who has children has done this several times.
7. What color looks best on you? I'm a red person. Especially at parties where my sis will be. We usually both show up in a shade of the same color and then become the entertainment.
8. What’s your favorite drink? Silly as it may seem - ice water. What better, more refreshing drink can you think of? I love it. Especially at 6 in the morning.
9. Do you believe in heaven and hell as a real place that each of us will go to after death? For certain. Hell is commuting and heaven is where my cats live - my house. Seriously, I believe there is definitely life after death, and we will answer to our creator. We then will decide if the next life will be supremely awesome or we spend it in regret because we know how disappointing we have been to ourselves. That is, to put it in very simplified terms. There is a plan and we agreed to it.
10. Do you find that you have more online friends than offline friends? Not especially. I do have friends I have made online, that are great friends, we're just geographically challenged.
11. What was your favorite subject in school? Languages. I was a Bank of America Language Scholar speaking French german Spanish and doing a bit of signing. Today I can still understand a lot of each but my conversation skills suffer as there is no one to converse with in a foreign language except my #3 daughter. Her and I still speak a bit of french to each other. I also liked to run. I ran around the globe in high school if you count how many miles I did around the track.
12. Are you a perfectionist? If I was, I'd still speak three languages.
13. Do you spend more than you can afford? Never. My sister taught me something about money once. She said if money can't buy happiness, then let's spend it. It has become my mantra. I spend it when I have it and I'm happy with the life I have. Money is not a factor in my happiness.
14. Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have love before? That is such crap. My sis in law loved and the love of her life died very early in their marriage. She has been eternally sad ever since. I think sometimes she would have rather spent her life alone than in a constant state of wanting.
15. Do you consider yourself creative? Yes. In a wierd way though. My sense of humor is one of my most creative things. I love to laugh and find humor everywhere.
16. Do you give yourself the credit you deserve? Probably not.
17. Do you donate time or money to charities? Of course. I am just beginning to work on beginning a new charity in our community. They do not have a chapter here and I want to get it started. So that will be next. Their name is Shoes That Fit
18. Have you recently done something that you’ve criticized others for doing? Heck yes. Don't we all? It's so easy to do and I kick myself a lot because of that horrible trait. I am trying to quit and hope I can answer this question better in the future.
19. What’s on your mind? Three daughters in three states all growing in ways that are amazing. I think of them almost all the time and cannot believe what icredible people they are.
20. Say one nice thing about the people you are going to tag!
Well, Lisa totally tagged the group (because she's so smart and witty, and we all go to her place first!), so maybe I'll step outside the comfort zone a bit and reach out to someone new.
Kimis the most amazing artist with illustrator I have ever seen. I look forward to her Illustration Friday with baited breath each week.
Susan is the brightest music lover ever. Her take on the indie music scene is awesome. I love her stories about her family and the fact that she lives in hunka hunka city doesn't hurt either.
Janet is the pinkest girl I know. She lives in the LA area and I'm living a portion of my life vicariously through her. She's young, fun and a talented budding phtographer.
Last but not least is a newcomer to the blogging scene. Drum roll please........
the 3rd Sister has just started blogging. I am looking forward to reading her and seeing her grow online. She's a bit unsure on what to write so this should help her get into the scene of it all. Oh, and BTW, she's related to me too!
If you haven't been tagged by me, but you want to do the meme, go for it! Let me know and I'll add a tag for you.
Love ya, see ya!
01 September 2006
Public Service Announcement
In the last week I have had the opportunity to see a couple of really good movies.
I recommend you go rent Akeelah and the Bee if you haven't already seen it. It was uplifting and an overall feel good film. It's recommended viewing for everyone.
Then jsut this evening I chose to go to a movie at a theatre. We decided to see a movie I had not seen advertised. It is called The Illusionist. It stars Edward Norton. I am a fan of his acting abilities (you see he was in the Italian Job) and so I chose to see this film on his merit. WOW! Great film. Yahoo users gave it a B+ I'll add my A grade to their B+ and recommend everyone see it. It is well done and has some very good twists and turns. And best of all - it's a love story.
