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.

TGIF

Had a great Easter last weekend. Sarah came home Friday night and on Saturday we got up and went up to Reading PA so Sarah could run in the Mt. Penn 15K Trail Run. These runs are alot of fun and I always meet the most interesting people. As we are leaving we 'kinda' saw white stuff falling from the sky and we are like - it can't be snowing!! Well, the closer we got to Reading - the more 'white' stuff came out of the sky!! It didn't snow long - but the ground was all white. She had a fun run - if you could call it that. It was thru the woods, thru the water, over the the hill - to grandmothers house we go - but you had to run looking down so you didn't trip over roots. But she did it.

Then we had lunch with Sandi. Sandi was my neighbor when I was in high school and has stayed close to the family. She is the one I go to when I need a 'mom' and she is my kids adopted grandma. It was nice. She is also very excited to be a great grandma.

Then we went to BIG LOTS - I love BIG LOTS. I got a table, 4 chairs, umbrella/stand for my deck. They are so cute (well as cute as a table and chairs can be!!). I also got 2 patio chairs - all for $217!! I'd been looking and everything I found was like $400 and that was at target. I figure even if I only get 5 year out of this set - it was worth the money.

First day of Spring

Hard to imagine today is the first day of Spring. I don't feel like we really had a Winter.
Been cleaning and organizing the house. I think the pink and green rooms are done. Except for getting the desk and chair for the pink room and putting the computer in there. But I have to get up to IKEA and get the desk and chair. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks. I think the rooms look nice. Been also working in the basement trying to get that organized. It seems the more I unpack - the more unorganized it gets!! I was looking for Easter decorations last night and can't find 2 bunnies I know I wouldn't have gotten rid of. Must have been packed in a different box - I'll try looking tonite again.
Sarah comes homes this weekend for Easter!! I can't wait to spend some time with her. On Saturday we are going up to Reading so she can run in the Mt. Penn 15K Mudfest. Should be fun. Then we are going to visit Sandi (family friend) and have lunch with her. There is also a BIG LOTS up there and I want to go look and see what kine of outside furniture they have. I need a table/chairs for the deck. Also want to show Sarah a chair in Macy's I'm thinking of ordering for the living room. I so miss my recliner...I need to get one.
We are having Easter dinner over at Jim's and Mary's house. I'm bringing the ham and I don't know what else. Guess I should talk to him and find out. Should be a nice day.

Why should it hurt

I talked to a girlfriend today. I'm going to her daughters baby shower on Sunday. Andwhile we were talking I asked her how her nephews wedding was because I couldn't go. It was February 23 and I had made plans with my girlfriends way back in September to have a stitching day.
They were inviting me and not Ed (the grooms mom has her own issues with Ed) and I couldn't handle being some place where he was. Sitting at the same table with our friends - or they'd have to split the group and some sit here with me and some over there with him. I sent in my regrets and when I did that my friends husband felt guilty and invited Ed.
Now my girlfriend this morning told me he came with a DATE. She said they all sat at the same table and she was on the other side so she didn't really talk to her but said she felt like she was betraying me if she did talk to her. Now, I have no interest in him - so why should it hurt. Honestly - I can't f...ing believe he took a date to something with all our friends. But then he is nothing if not selfish - he actually said to one of them that he couldn't think of the grooms siblings names!! He's known them since they were born and he can't f...ing remember their names.
I guess it just hurts because I'm afraid they are going to forget me and not be my friends any more. There is another wedding in September and I won't go if he is there.

Working Thru

This past weekend I spent in the basement. Organizing, going through stuff...I'm making progress. Since I'm not down the basement alot - it's a mess - you know that old saying 'out of sight - out of mind'. But I want to get it done and organized. And I know I keep talking about this. But in the basement is 28 years of stuff - and it's alot.
I have the storage area swept out and shelves up. I've been putting things in there. The one wall I think I'm going to call 'the wall of Sarah'. I have all her boxes there - school stuff, purses, Greece stuff, purses, memories and did I mention purses and totes. Some of the boxes have stuff in it that I am saving - baby books and memories.
And another reason it's taking so long is - it's just me doing it and I get tired.

House on Bristol

I've lived in my new house 6 months - can you believe it. I like my new house - it's all me. I don't have to please anyone and I'm decorating any way I want.

I love looking out the windows and seeing how my neighbors houses look. In my old house, Ann lived across the street and I took great comfort in looking at the window and seeing their outside lights on. It was my night light outside!! LOL But it was what I became use too. I still miss it.
In my new house, I don't have anyone living directly across the street. The units are both on an angle, but I look at the one to the left more often. I know people live there, I see a car in the driveway every once in a while. But I NEVER SEE ANY LIGHTS ON. Seriously - never. It's like a game I play now. I keep looking to see. Now, I guess they can be in the part of the house I don't see, but the side I see has 6 windows. Don't you think at some point I'd see a light on in one of them. I'll keep watch and keep you posted.

So, my 'outside night light' is the street lamp right across the street to the left of my house. Not as comforting as Ann's outside light - but it will do.

No Control

So, on Saturday I went down to my cross stitch store to pick up some charts and stuff I had ordered at the Superbowl party. That was all I was going to do...but in the morning my sister Mary told me to look at this chart for a Whitman Candy tin - too cute. I had to look for that. That was it. On Friday night, my friend Teri showed me the chart for the Quaker Turtles - BEYOND CUTE and I had to have it. Now, it's 2 things. Then in looking for that, I saw a cute scissor fob and scissor holder that I just had to have. The bottom line is, I have no control. I'm a stash-a-holic and I need help. LOL
Made progress on my 2 things I'm trying to get done. Will start the back stitching on the 1 tonite. I hope to have it done by Wednesday so I can give to my friend to take the framer. He is the best - Patrick I love you. You give something to him to get framed, and it is done in 1 week. I'm hoping to go one Saturday here soon to have something - re-framed. I have a pictures from my Dad. When ever he was transferred for his job, they game him pictures of the city. I gave Sarah the 2 I had for NYC - since she lives there. But I also have 2 for Boston in nice frames. I going to re-use one of the frames for a print I have. I just have to get down to Patricks and give it to him. Also have a picture/frame that was my Mom's that over the years has gotten kinda beat up. I'm hoping he can fix the frame - color the dings and put a new hanger on it.
Made progress in the house this weekend. Finally have the TV in the living room on it's new stand - thanks to my son Jimmy who came over and helped me re-connect everything. Brought a new TV for my bedroom with a sleep timer which I hooked up all by my self!! Pat me on the back. Then I'll put the TV that was there in the basement with the VCR. Slowly but surely things are getting done.