what to say

OK, so I've done something that I never thought I'd do. I signed up to walk/run a half marathon. I know, I freaking nuts!! Sarah and her friend Jenny do a half marathon every January in Disney World. And they told their Mothers, the only way we could come was to sign up and do the marathon. Which we did. What were we thinking. I think I had chest pains after I hit submit!!! LOL
Even though my daughter tells me you can train for a half marathon in 3 months, she's started my training now. Right now my goal is not to pass out at the gym - LOL. No, my goal is to walk a 15 minute mile - 4 miles in an hour. I'm not sure I can do it, but my daughter is confident that I can. Will keep you posted on my progress.

AH Ha moment

I had a ah-ha moment this past weekend. You know when something just clicks and you go - ohhh, that's it.
I was looking at my bathroom in my house, which I've only lived in 18 months. I LOVE MY BATHROOM. I love the color - the white tiles - everything. But I was thinking, 'I wonder how long you go before you have to paint again'.... In my other house, we did re-do the kitchen, family room, all bedrooms and baths - but didn't do it again. And we lived in the house 20+ years. But then I was thinking, when I was growing up - we moved alot. Approximately every 2 years. We'd move in a house, paint and then move. So growing up, I never experienced getting tired of the look of a room and re-doing it. Does that make sense? We just moved and then would paint our new bedrooms a different color and get new bedspreads, curtains etc. My house in Happy Creek - were I lived for 21 years - was the longest I ever lived ANYWHERE - by like 18 years. LOL

what a week

The week started out nice enough. Had some girlfriends over on Sunday afternoon to stitch and we watched the EAGLES win their football game.

Monday night I started my accounting class and believe it or not, I was kinda excited. Meet my friend at Wendy's for dinner and I had diet soda, 1/4 lb single and a side salad. I know, don't fall over - no fries I had a salad. We go out to leave for class and my car DOESN'T START!! Viv takes me to class and says after class we'll call her husband and he'll come jump my car. Class went well, there are about 7 of from last semester and it was kinda cool because the teacher told the class how well Viv and I did. Back to my car, her husband meet us there at 9 and decides it not my battery but my starter. Have to leave my car at Wendy's and then arrange to have it towed to Sears in the morning.
Long story short - it was the battery. Which was new in June 07, so I called where I brought it and they said they reimburse me the whole amount - which they did. Was very surprised about that but happy.

Then my shower has been leaking and since I know pay for water, needed to get it fixed. Called Mattaioni's in Downingtown and they came out. Very nice, fixed my shower and checked all my toilets and sinks for leaks - all is well. That only cost $180

And my garage door opener is acting strange. It wasn't working right - the only way I could close it was to hold the button in the garage. Then my brother Joe fixed it, and then Fred fixed it and it was working fine but this morning I could not get it to close from the car!!!!!!!! But then it is line 15 degrees out there. I'm hoping it's just the cold and not that I need a new garage door opener. I'll give it a couple of days. and see what happens when it warms up some.

Have a nice day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I can't believe it's 2009!! Where does the time go. So much has happened in the last couple of months.
I finished my first college class (in 35 years) with an A. I start my next class on January 12. Don't know how far I'm going to go with taking classes but for right now, I'm enjoying myself.
I hope to be more organized this year and blog more. Not a good start by not blogging until Jan 7!! LOL But we'll see how it goes.
I had bought a new computer in August and both my kids tried to talk me into getting a lap top, which I resisted and did do. Now I'm kinda regretting that decision - but I'll never tell my kids. It would be so easy to sit at night with the computer on my lap doing what I wanted to do instead of going downstairs to where the computer is.
Finished most of what I wanted to stitch for Christmas. Now I want to finish up some projects that I have started. That it what I'm going to work on this month.
Until next time -

First Thanksgiving

Here is Josephine on her first Thanksgiving. OK, I know I'm a little biased, but honestly, isn't she the most beautiful baby!! We had a great day until about 7:30 when she decided she'd had enough.

99

No, my post isn't about Agent 99, which is the only thing I could think of looking at the number 99. No, 99 is what I got on my first test in accounting class I am taking!! I worked very hard on it. It's been 35 years since I've taken any type of test. Class is going well. I really like accounting - the fact that everything has to balance. Next test is Nov. 3

Not much new on the cross stitching front. Too much I want to get done and not enough time. I'm working right now on my granddaughters Xmas stocking. She is due on Oct 28 and the cut off for getting something finished is Nov 1. We are cutting it close. But I guess she'll come when she decides too. If it's after Nov 1, she'll just get her stocking a little late.
I also have 4 other things I want to stitch. One is for my Dad and my sister Mary - it says FAMILY and underneath it says 'always, forever, no matter what'. Which is how my family is. Then I want to make this piece for Mary's mom and me - 'what happens at Grandma's house, stays at Grandma's!!'. Thought it was a good one to make this year.

In School

Well, I went back to school. I'm taking a class at Immaculata University. Right now it's just 1 class and I don't know how many I'll take. I'd love to get by BA but we'll see. If I do, can I have a party for graduation!!
But it's hard. I'm taking accounting 1. I am enjoying the class. I have to make time for homework now and in the process my cross stitch is suffering. But it's not forever and I'll get better at this studying thing.

Only 6 weeks until my grand baby gets here. All is going well on that front. Mary feels good and I can't wait. I think I already said it was going to be a girl - how exciting. It's strange to think that my son is old enough to be a Daddy and I think he is going to be a very good one. I have picked out the birth sampler I want to make and also I have to get working on her xmas stocking. I'd like to get it done so all I have to do is add her name after she is born and then get to the finisher so I can give it to her xmas eve.

What to do

OK, In 7 days, I will be in my townhouse for a year. Can you believe it. And my goal is to be totally unpacked by then. Also, my Dad is coming September 6th, and I know if he sees boxes unpacked he'll say, 'if you haven't used it in a year - you don't need it. Throw it away'. Well, forget the argument that I should have been unpacked by now, I know that. But what I did unpack this weekend was mostly my 'collections' of stuff ~ ceramic teddy bears, baskets, cross stitch stuff, and did I mention teddy bears, stuffed and ceramic. LOL

I collect bells. Honestly, I haven't brought any lately because I didn't know where I was going to put the f.....ing things. LOL My first bell is from 1969, I don't remember where I got it. Yes, I did put a little sticker inside with the date on it and who gave it to me. I have bells from friends who traveled, my siblings, my Mom & Dad and of course all the bells I brought when I/we were somewhere. It was a good thing to collect. So, I thought it was a good time to go thru them. I should have done it when I packed them up a year ago but wasn't ready then. I'm not keeping any my ex in laws gave me or my ex brother in law (unless they were really cool. but lets face it, most are just white ceramic bells with the name of the place stamped on it) or my ex. I am keeping the ones my Mom and Dad gave me, ones we got on our family vacations and bring back happy memories. Lets face it - I was married for 28 years. But what do you do with bells you don't want. I don't think there is a big call for a bell from IOWA to try selling them on ebay. LOL. Do you give them to good will/salvation army? And then let them throw them away so you don't feel guilty doing it?

Happy Birthday to me

It was my birthday on Monday and I was 55!! I have no idea how this happened. It has been an interesting year. A year on my own, with my own house and doing all things you have to do. I found out I can do things for my self. I anchored my corner cabinet to the way, I put the knobs on my bathroom cabinets and I changed the handle on my toilet when the old one broke. ALL BY MYSELF!!

I also want to say I have wonderful friends who remembered me on my birthday. It is so much fun to open the mail box and have birthday cards from people. They made my day and I appreciate it more than I can say.

And for my birthday, I brought myself a new computer complete with a new printer and monitor. Now granted my son found it for me to buy - but hey, I ordered it!! LOL

CAN'T BELIEVE IT

Had a call from my son this afternoon. I had sent out the baby shower invites saying it was a girl and I asked him if he wanted to call his Grandmother and tell her. He said no, he had told his Dad.
Well, she didn't know and did she not say 'oh well, you'll have to try again to get a boy'!! I can't believe she said that too him. Not congratulations, not a healthy baby is what is important. No, she starts in on him how he has to have a boy to carry on the name. I could smack her. Sarah went thru her life knowing that Jimmy was the 'favorite' because he was a boy. She never learns.

This and that

I went for the creative name. I'm trying to better about this posting to the blog stuff.
This week has been uneventful. I've been working on a baby sampler for Nola - isn't that a beautiful name. She as born in January to my girl friends daughter and I really need to get it done. I also have to finish a wedding gift and another baby thing.
I've started the wedding sampler. It's for Lauren, Evelyn's daughter. When I should her it to her at the reception, she got tears in her eyes and said' this is what my Mom would have done for me'. Which is why I did it. So, I need to get that done. I also want to do this little baby sampler for Tommy - a grandson of another friend. He was just born 2.5 weeks ago. It's only 6 x 6 and it's the alphabet done in 1 color with the baby's name on it. Should work up quickly.
I won't even start to list what I want to make for my grand baby. We are in the mist of planing Mary's shower. It's Sept. 6 and the invites are out. They are so cute. Now to plan the food.

Long time

Sorry it's been such a long time since I posted. We had the wedding for my niece last weekend and a good time was had by all. It was so much fun to see all the nieces and nephews - old and young - out on the dance floor. We were having a discussion about being on face book and how none of us 'aunts' can join it - or more to the point, none of our children, nieces, nephews will be our friends!! Then I told them I had a blog and I think I shocked them. They are like - you have a blog!! LOL Told them it was just about cross stitch, crochet and my life - yawn - boring.
I will try to put a picture up this weekend. My niece loved the Christmas stockings I did for them.
Now on to the next event - which is really 2. My sister Mary and her friend Laurie are coming labor day weekend. We are going to HAVE SO MUCH FUN. Then the next weekend I'm having a baby shower for my DIL. Ordered the invites not just have to plan the menu. I'm thinking a fruit tray, veggie tray, some finger sandwiches..etc.
I have to get busy and finish the baby bib I got - pink. Did I mention, they are having a girl.

Awhile

It's been awhile since I've been on - so a little catch up is in order. Been a couple of busy weeks for me. I've been to NYC twice, I've been to Chicago, Ocean City MD, 3 showers and 1 wedding and another shower coming up next weekend.
I went to a cross stitch retreat weekend the first weekend in May. My friend Tracey grab her ez-pass so we didn't have to stop and pay tolls. Well, news flash - you can't use someone else's ez-pass in your car - so the $4 in tolls we would have paid - could cost $104!! - that's $100 in fines. I received the first set of fines for the trip down first - I wrote a letter explaining what we did and to please accept my apology and my promise that I wouldn't do it again and just wrote the check for the tolls. I just noticed this morning that they cashed those checks - so keep your fingers crossed they won't be sending me a letter asking for the $50 in fines.
More later

End of April

Went out to dinner with my son and his wife last night. Only went to Red Robin - very good wings. But as I was sitting there, I saw a man walk in who looked so much like my cousin Paul, that I started to get up and my son was like - where are you going? And I said that guy over there looks like my cousin Pauly and I'm going over to say hi. My son proceeded then to say your cousin lives in Chicago and how could it be him. It really freaked me out - he looked so much like him. I think tonite when I get home, I'm going to look up his phone number and call him.

After dinner I came home and put my pj's on and sat down to stitch and watch Dancing with the Stars. I'm making progress on my project - I need it done by this weekend so I can drop at the framers. The wedding is May 11. I love Dancing - was sorry to Shannon go - but hey, someone had to. I really like Kristy but Marisa is doing such a fine job too. I just think it would be nice if a girl won this time.

I have my stitching weekend is this upcoming weekend. It is always so much fun to go away and be with people who as 'sick' as you are!! LOL

OLD

I was watching Good Morning America today and they wished Shirley Temple Happy Birthday. Now can anyone guess how old Shirley Temple is??? 80 - now don't we all feel old. I guess because she's in my memory as the little girl singing the 'good ship lollipop' that you don't think about hold she really is. She is such a part of my childhood along with Haley Mills - Parent Trap, Pollyanna - I love her movies too. Such a sweet innocent time. I think we need times like that again.

Do these sheos make my ankles look fat?

Since we are having some major spring days here, I decided to wear a pair of Capri's. I never know what to wear on my feet this early in the season because I can't do sandals yet, haven't gotten my summer pedicure yet. So I'm wearing a pair of slip on sketchers. But honest, they make my ankles look fat. How sad is that. Even though it is the first time I'm wearing them, they are comfortable.
Not a very productive week for stitching. Monday and Tuesday nights, I was so tired, I just sat there and watched TV. I hate when I do that. Wednesday night I forced myself to stitch and felt so much better. It kinda lifts the tiredness. So, my goal next week is to stitch at least 1 hour every night. I'll let you know how that goes.
Tomorrow I go to NYC to see Sarah :) We are going to take the 'sex in the city' movie tour. Should be alot of fun and I plan on taking pictures. So I'll try to post some next week. The only downside is that I have to get up at 6:30 and leave by 8:30. Now, it's not like I sleep really late on Saturdays - but I don't like to have to get out of the house early on Saturday. I like to lounge around. But to see my daughter - I'll get up early!!

TAX DAY

Today is tax day - and I had to write the biggest check I've every had to write. Being that I owe so much, I really should be living better - LOL We (my accountant and I) filed an extension, so hopefully when it is all said and done, I won't owe to much more.
Hope Uncle Sam was nicer to you.

Long couple of days

I need to feel sorry for myself..... It was a long weekend and I don't feel like I got anything accomplished. First off, I worked downstairs in my 'craft room' for 2 hours and it doesn't look like I did anything. I swear - if I say I need a new chart, kit, project, please SLAMMED UPSIDE MY HEAD. I have so many projects but when I look at them, I love the all. I unpacked 6 boxes and it doesn't look like I did anything. I know - it looks worse before it looks better.
Then I ran some errands and ended at the grocery store. I finally got home, the was a message from my accountant. Called him at 6:45 figuring I'd get his voice message and he answered. He then proceeded to give me the BAD news that I owe BIG TIME!! I got all upset but then calmed down because I realized that I had the money to pay the taxes and hopefully this year would be better. Also to get the divorce done - I signed off on the house. Basically saying that he could claim all the interest because he was the one paying the mortgage. Now I'm mad that I did that - it was just as much my house. but what ever.
Then I go to bed and I have a red raw rash on my legs about where the top of my socks were. Doesn't itch or anything - just looking UGLY. I go to bed and pray Sunday will be better.
Get up Sunday and I have a bridal shower to go to. Pick up my girlfriend Eileen and as we are walking out of her house, my heel gets caught on the door jam - and you see where I'm going with this - I fall flat on my face on the garage floor. When I felt myself falling and realized I couldn't recover, I helped myself fall - so I didn't hit the floor hard. Of course, I start crying, my girlfriend is trying to see if I'm ok before she starts laughing - which I was. Then we have to go back in the house so she can clean me up and when I look in the mirror, I realize I forgot to put my blush/powder on and my eyebrows. I look very pale.
Had a lovely time at the shower - seriously I did. And my girlfriends and I picked out a date for us to get together. This group of friends are my first original stitching group. We started getting together when Sarah was in nursery school!! She was 4 then and now she's 25. 21 years. We've let it fall apart the last couple of years, but I think we need to get it back together. I miss them.

Sunny Today

It finally looks like it's spring out. I am so tired of wearing sweaters and winter stuff. I've been trying to wear just long sleeve stuff.
I have to go on a diet. OK, I've said it out loud. I've just let it slide during the winter - and now I have to pay the piper. Let's just hope I don't eat the piper. My first goal was to stop eating after dinner and so far I've been good about not eating after dinner. I was getting into a bad habit of snacking while watching TV. Now I'm trying not to. I need to push myself to get out and start walking. I have good intentions of doing it but then I get home and I'm just tired after working all day. I know I'll feel better if I do - maybe next week.
I also decided I'm packing away my flannel pj's. It's April for goodness sakes. Going to put them away this weekend. I'm also going to wash my sweaters and pack them away for the year. I'm going to will spring here whether it likes it or not.
I finished stitching my easter/spring eggs - to bad Easter was so early this year. I have most of the stuff to 'finish' them - just have to get some yellow fabric and ribbon. I've been putting off starting a birth sampler for a friends daughter. Don't know why - the baby was born in October. I have so many things I want to make right now for people.
I have a wedding in May - would like to make them the Lizzie Kate - 'and two shall be 1'.
I have to make 2 xmas stockings for my niece, she gets married in July.
I have the family graph I want to make for my Dad for his 80th birthday in June.
I still 'owe' my girlfriends son a wedding sampler. We didn't go to the wedding but I still want to make him something. I made something for his 2 siblings. His first wedding anniversary is in July - that's my goal.
I need to finish a baby sampler
And I'll need to do another one - but the baby isn't due until July and we don't know what it is. so, I either have to do a gender neutral one or wait.
At this time - waiting looks good.
I also have some stuff I'm trying to crochet - I have a baby blanket I need to finish. My friends daughter is having a baby - any day now - and I hope to give it to her. I just hope it's a girl because it really is more girly looking. I'm also starting one that is more boy looking. Better get working on it because since it's not done - she's definitely going to have a boy - LOL

I confess......

I love candles. I love to burn them all over my house. On Sunday, I had some friends over and I lit candles. I had one burning in the powder room. And I forgot about it. Not to make excuses, but the door was closed. OK, let me explain. In my old house, my powder room had a pocket door - so it was always open. Which was good because it was a tiny powder room. My new house has a regular door. I totally forgot I had a candle in there until I went in there MONDAY night. Of course by then the candle was out - it ran out of candle stuff. LOL I have no idea how long that candle burned....I guess I should be thankful I didn't burn my house down.