EnigLdy~SheepFaced

May Days

Weekend Scoop:  I slept in till 7 on Saturday which caused me to drag around all day.  I got almost nothing accomplished except for attending GB's t-ball game, hitting some g. sales and running to the store with/for DH.  I felt like such a loser at day's end.  That caused me to push up the hump and get with it on Sunday.  I finished all the laundry including sweaters.  I cleaned the house including floors.  I pulled together all the thrift store donations, packaged up senior pics to mail, and finished the major part of cleaning out my office.  I took pictures to show you the improvement.  No, I'm not finished and yes, I still have quite a load in that room.   

 There are so many books on these shelves that I have several sitting on top of fabric in a basket.  As you see, I also have more chachkas than one person should ever own.  The next goal will be to downsize all of these items.  I have a huge azz bag of yarn that Project Linus will pick up.  I was going to take it to the assisted living home in town but when I called they said there is one lady who does "that sort of work."  One lady would be overwhelmed with the mass in that bag so I decided to give it to the babies instead.  They were thrilled with my e-mail asking if they wanted the yarn.  My cleaning binge is making lots of people happy.  The nest must be cleaned out.  Even DH remarked, "Wow!  You've done a lot of work in here."  DD said she didn't notice - leave to our kids to not notice!

Uh yeah, I know I need to tidy up the desk.  Don't you dare look under the desk!

Ideally I would like to have the table in the corner cleared off for bead working, reading, etc.

Need I comment?  I believe this is apparent what I need to do here.

These are feel good pics.  The "Moo" plaque is from DABetty.  The Aunt bear is from DNBird and the hat hanging from the aunt bear is a hat I wore as a child.  It had an angora poof on the point but bugs ate it.  I remember wearing this hat and I remember loving it.  It is funny the things our parents save from our childhood.  DH's Mom saved all of his brothers dinosaurs and saved DH's coat. She is giving it to me and I want to buy a vintage child's hanger and hang it on the wall somewhere.  The monkey is the female of a set that my Mom/Grandma bought for my uncle and I.  I am four months older than my grandmother's eighth child so him/I hung out.  A lot.  As adults we're as different as night/day.  I used to adore him but that changed when he never outgrew the teenaged drinking fun.  I guess he deserved the black eye that I gave him at age 6 with the bashing from my metal lunchbox.  Grandma Greg was none too pleased with me beating up her baby.  I believe she'd thank me today.  See how the hat hides the lightswitch?  I drive DH crazy.  He says that every lightswitch in the house is impossible to get to.  I have decorative switchplates that make it difficult to get to the switch.  Get over me.

Busy week ahead.  I have two t-ball games to attend, we're keeping GB all weekend and I'm having to attend the theatre meeting with GB on Saturday morning here on campus.  He was chosen to attend theatre camp and will attend from 9-noon and then stay with Granny at work for the rest of the day for a week in June.  I think he will enjoy it. 

Words to the Wise: Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes.

Is it Friday yet?

I didn't think I'd have anything to blog about so I took a picture of the teddy I knit and never sent off the kids in Guatamala.  Never found time to look up the addy, package the bear and head to the post office.  Some things just have to be skipped in the life of a busy woman.  He is lying on the softest fabric in the world that is a remnant I picked up from my recent trip to HL.  I had to go there to buy frames for DS's senior pictures.  I'm so anal that I even have to have control what frame they'll reside in.  Insane, I know, but I would hate showing up at the relatives house and seeing his pic in some cheesy frame.  Anyhoo - found this $15+ remnant for $10 and although it is a mint green, it went into the shopping cart.  Yum, I love remnants.  I'll probably convert this to a GB blankie over this coming weekend. 

This is enough to make OCD's, like DCR, heart stop.  Can you imagine? Exactly how does one live like this?  I wouldn't know where to start cleaning.  Probably the inability to be able to get to the sink would have me starting in the kitchen.  This reminds me of the contest "Guess how many gumballs are in the jar?" only this version is "Guess how many dumpsters it would take to empty this house?"  A lot of people live like this although I can only hope it is the exception rather than the rule.  I recently forwarded a news article to DC Ruthie about a lady who lived like this, a pile fell on top of her and she died.  It wasn't funny but I did find humor in the fact that it took her husband several hours to find her.  I would've been tempted to leave her there.

Words to the Wise:  People invite me to dinner not because I cook, but because I like to clean up.  I get immediate gratification from Windex.  Yes, I do windows.  Carol Burnett

I loves  me some Carol Burnett!

In lieu of knitting

I am half-way through the bag and hoping I have enough yarn to finish.  Since DD says she'll be stealing this bag from me I will have to buy more yarn anyway.  If anyone has Sari yarn they're wanting to destash please drop me a line.  I haven't touched the Hyphen-Boy bag recently so it lies on the couch sobbing.  Sorry!  I had to work on the checkbook and keep the creditors happy.

Since I don't have knitting pics to share I thought I'd tell you what is up on the reading front.  After finishing audio book Middlesex, I've had a hard time finding an audio book worthy of my ears.  I'm on the 5th try.  I'm not going to force myself to listen/read anything that makes me want to gouge out my eyes/ears.  Maybe Middlesex is just a hard act to follow.  My nightly reading book is this:
   Yes!  My first Michener book!  I am liking it.  This one is (so far) about a family of Mexican bull fighters.  The pages are very thin so I'm sure the book is deceptively thin.  Keeps me off the streets at night.

Work is still insane but a little calmer.  I was nominated (by the associate chair) for the staff excellence award.  Voting by fellow staff members ends today.  Should I win I will receive $1500, a plaque and tickets to school events that I will never attend.  The person I'm up against says she doesn't stand a chance.  We call each other Susan since we're like Susan Lucci and always get nominated but never win.  This time it is Susan vs. Susan.  Everyone else has already won and now it is down to the two of us.  Not really but it sounds hysterical.  We're campaigning against one another and I told her the reason she doesn't stand a chance is that I majored in Advertising.  We'll do anything to amuse ourselves.  Vote for Susan!

Words to the Wise: Count your age by friends.  Count your life by smiles.

Monday's Post

A score of 40 is supposed to indicate spoilage...

Do you have:
(1) your own cell phone
(2) a television in your bedroom
(3) an iPod   (it's a Dell DJ)
( ) a photo printer
(4) your own phone line
( ) TiVo or a generic digital video recorder
(5) high-speed internet access (i.e., not dialup)
( ) a surround sound system in bedroom
(6) DVD player in bedroom
(7) at least a hundred DVDs
(8) a childfree bathroom
(9) your own in-house office
( ) a pool
( ) a guest house
( ) a game room
(10) a queen-size bed or larger
(11) a stocked bar
(12) a working dishwasher
(13) an icemaker
(14 ) a working washer and dryer
(15) more than 20 pairs of shoes
(16) at least ten things from a designer store (you wouldn't believe what I find at g. sales)
( ) expensive sunglasses
(17) framed original art (not lithographs or prints)
( ) Egyptian cotton sheets or towels
(18) a multi-speed bike
(19) a gym membership
(20) large exercise equipment at home
() your own set of golf clubs
( ) a pool table
( ) a tennis court
(21) local access to a lake, large pond, or the sea
( ) your own pair of skis
(22) enough camping gear for a weekend trip in an isolated area
(23) a boat
( ) a jet ski
( ) a neighborhood committee membership
( ) a beach house or a vacation house/cabin
(24) wealthy family members
(25) two or more family cars
(26) a walk-in closet or pantry
(27) a yard
( ) a hammock
( ) a personal trainer
(28) good credit
() expensive jewelry
( ) a designer bag that required being on a waiting list to get
( ) at least $100 cash in your possession right now
(29) more than two credit cards bearing your name (not counting gas cards or debit cards)
(30) a stock portfolio ["portfolio" is kind of an overstatement]
() passport [everybody ought to have one!]
( ) a horse
( ) a trust fund (either for you or created by you)
(31) private medical insurance
( ) a college degree, and no outstanding student loans (aw, you had to qualify it with no outstanding loans. That'll be a while...)

Do you:
() shop for non-needed items for yourself (like clothes, jewelry, electronics) at least once a week
( ) do your regular grocery shopping at high-end or specialty stores
( ) pay someone else to clean your house, do dishes, or launder your clothes (not counting dry-cleaning)
(32) go on weekend mini-vacations
( ) send dinners back with every flaw
() wear perfume or cologne (not body spray)
() regularly get your hair styled or nails done in a salon
( ) have a job but don't need the money OR
( ) stay at home with little financial sacrifice
( ) pay someone else to cook your meals
( ) pay someone else to watch your children or walk your dogs
( ) regularly pay someone else to drive you
( ) expect a gift after you fight with your partner

Are you:
( ) an only child
( ) married/partnered to a wealthy person
(33) baffled/surprised when you don't get your way
() been on a cruise
() traveled out of the country
(34) met a celebrity
() been to the Caribbean
() been to Europe
( ) been to Hawaii
() been to New York
() eaten at the space needle in Seattle
( ) been to the Mall of America
( ) been on the Eiffel tower in Paris
( ) been on the Statue of Liberty in New York
(35) moved more than three times because you wanted to
() dined with local political figures
(36) been to both the Atlantic coast and the Pacific coast

Did you:
( ) go to another country for your honeymoon
( ) hire a professional photographer for your wedding or party
(37) take riding or swimming lessons as a child [both]
(38) attend private school
( ) have a Sweet 16 birthday party thrown for you

Looks like I'm only close to spoilage. 

Weekend update:  A tiny bit of knitting.  DD & I went for a pedicure on Saturday.  We had some entertainment from the owner's 4 year-old son.  He was fascinated with my knitting and insisted on holding the left needle.  I don't know about you but feeling the threat that at any moment he could yank out the needle left me a little nervous.  Like a dumbazz, I forgot that I had another 4 inches of knitting to do and bound off.  That put a damper on any further weekend knitting.  Not really "Kebin"'s fault - I had plenty to do and just didn't want to take the time to get the stitches back on the needle.  He was pretty entertaining --- I had some waxing done while I was there and his Mom told him what to tell me.  He says, "Close your eyes."  She promptly yanks hair and skin off my face.  Kevin says, "Did that hurt?"  How do you not laugh?  He loved playing with the retracting tape measure.  Kids tend to leave my knitting alone once I pull that out of the bag and ask them if they want to play with it.  You can tell I've been a parent/grandparent - great distraction method.

I go into work late today because I have am attending the annual boob smashing at 8:15 this morning.  I'm looking forward to it because it will be the last annual test for this year. 

I finished two more books that I need to add to the list.  Both were very good.  I am now reading a Michener book and hoping to zoom through 5 books on tape that will be due back to the library soon.  The one I just finished was 16 tapes long and used up most of the allowed rental time.  It was worth it.

Guess that is it for me today.  I hope everyone has a good Monday since it sets a precedence for the rest of the week.  Here is an idea of what I found a home for over the weekend:

Are these not the cutest?  They're bamboo knitting needles!

They're offered by Lion Brand and they also have sheep and flamingos.  LB must have a new marketing guy/gal because I keep seeing big things popping out of their closet.  I still haven't heard from their contest dudettes but I guess no news is good news.

I'm still working on the two projects: Sari Silk Bag and Hyphen-Boy Bag. 

I was going to post yesterday but the huge azz storm we had the night before made Mr. Computer act up when I tried to send pics to work.  Such is life.

That is all for now.  I have a busy weekend ahead so wish me luck and safety.  Helping people unpack sure makes the back sore.

New Project

I received the silk sari yarn from Paula .  Lucky for me she was destashing this yarn.  I've been hankering to make a purse out of this yarn and as mentioned previously, this allowed me to also help out a fellow knitter/blogger.  I printed out a pattern that I'm sure I'll change and it will head to the doctor with me this morning.  This is what I'll be working with:

Last night I worked a little on the hyphen-boy bag.  I love how easy it is to just do a tiny area and feel like you're accomplishing something.  Each tier contains 8 little areas that you work on individually.  I think I'm half-way through tier 6.  Almost half-way finished with all the tiers!

Sad news --- we had 6 little birds hatch in a box on a stand out near the garage.  I was checking their progress daily but knew it was only a matter of time before my cat found them.  Found them she did.  I guess yesterday must've been the day they found their voice.  It makes me angry but I know that is her job.  She doesn't know any better.  I felt bad for the bird Mom last night.  She kept hollering about it.  DH says she won't mourn for too long before she starts building another nest.  DH is getting the box out of there so she doesn't rebuild in such a dangerous spot.  I wanted to move the box but knew the mother would never find it or might abandon it.

I'm off.  Enjoy your day.

What a Mood!

I am dragging.  I had to return to work just so I could get some rest.  DD is all moved in to her new place.  Saturday I went home around 4 since we had the majority of the boxes unpacked and all that was left was hanging things on the wall and getting things into their proper place.  DH thought that I'd had enough and said, "Let's go home."  Sunday brought about the frenzy of cleaning the house and doing laundry.  I swept the floors and DH mopped, I washed/dryed 10 loads of laundry, put things in their proper place, and changed out the winter clothes for summer clothes --- all except the socks and pajamas.  I couldn't do any more.  Luckily, this only involves pulling the winter socks and replacing them with the summer.  We don't have a dresser in our room but three drawers under each side of the bed.  I had no desire to try and pull myself up off the floor so this will wait for me tonight. 

While pulling out the summer clothes from DGB's room, I pulled out all the purses and bags I've hoarded.  This is another example of not using something because you're so overwhelmed with the mass.  I had three large, wooden hangers draped with as many bags as it could hold without breaking.  Holy cow --- does one really need this many?  I cleared out 1 1/2 large trash bags full of purses/bags.  It is so well down-sized that now the summer purses can hang in my closet for easy viewing pleasure. 

I really like these bags: 

In honor of cleaning out the bags - I plan to make more using up a little of the stash.  Maybe these will turn into a Christmas present or two.

Words to the Wise: We cease loving ourselves if no one loves us.  Madame De Stael

Houston, we have a FO!

I still can't believe it.  They're on my feet and I am not believing that I'm finally finished with these frigging socks.  As I mentioned before, I do not enjoy sock knitting.  I may be eliminating all sock yarn from the stash.  Speaking of stash - mine will soon be enhanced by some Sari Silk Yarn that I purchased from Paula's destashing efforts.  I've been interested in knitting a purse from this yarn and hey, us knitter's have to stick together.  I help her unload an unwanted by adding it to mine.  Kinda like what DCRuthie and I do --- I clean and send to her house and she does the same.  We think we're getting rid of things but soon another box is on each other's doorstep replacing what we got rid of.  I think we may soon be sending bigger boxes just to outdo one another.  Unfortunately my house is larger (ie. more crap) so I don't think I'll ever get ahead of the power curve.  Summary: socks are completed, Sari yarn on the way and DC's stack to ship needs to be added to.  Oh - the pic of said socks:
Sorry the pic is so dark - I was up at 4 a.m. and the only lighting was out on the back deck.



Speaking of being sore --- DD and I worked for over 12 hours on getting the rest of her casa packed and moving the breakables and other things impossible to get the movers to move.  We got a lot done even though it doesn't look like it.  I love her new place.  I think her and DGB will be very happy in their new home.  She also got to enhance another mover's life.  DSIL is moving out of DMIL's home and into her own place.  DD gave DSIL her old couch.  How exciting is it to help someone else?  It feels pretty good and I could tell DD was proud to be able to help.  I've raised wonderful children and I, too, am proud.  The movers will arrive at DD's at 9:30 a.m. and I hope this day will be a little easier on this ol' bod.  We shall shee.

In addition to the hyphen-boy backpack, I plan on starting a purse soon.  Maybe today.  Backpack (bp) will soon be too large for traveling and will remain the "at home" project = justification to begin another.  I went to the "wall of projects" and chose it as up next.  Like I need another purse.  Maybe that will be another project - cleaning out the purses and donating to charity.  I've been trying to downsize my life anyway so maybe this (making new)  will give me the incentive to lighten the load by 20 or so purses.  Peeking in the closet tells me I will never use the crocheted (store bought) baby blue purse and there are probably many just like it.  I also need to clean out the knitting bag stash.  You only need one or two of each size, right?  I'll need to keep that in mind since I always justify holding onto things.  DD called me the worst pack rat yesterday.  I wouldn't let her throw things out - I'd put them in my pile.  I explained, "These aren't heading to my home to stay, they will be freecycled."  She just shakes her head.  I know I have a touch of OCD but I have a major dose of things not going into the trash when I know someone could use them.  When they don't find a freecycle home they go to charity and I get a desperately needed write off.  Everyone is happy ---- including the IRS who still wants my ass.  Although it doesn't please me, at least someone wants it.

I think that is all for now.  I have a near dead body to raise off the couch.  DD will need someone more religious than me to bring her back to life but I'm thinking of starting the ritual with large banging noises.  If it doesn't raise her I'm sure it will at least piss her off enough to speak.

Bargain Hunter

Sometimes I scare myself.  Not the kind of scare like Mom did to us growing up.  She'd stand at the top of the stairs and jump out at us when we'd get to the top.  Or she'd lie under the bed and grab us by the ankles as we walked by.  I wonder if any of us kids still have nightmares of alligators?  No, I scare myself with my nose for bargains.  DBoss sent me home at 3 yesterday and my car left the highway one exit earlier than the house and pulled into HL.  As soon as I entered, I knew I was going to spend more than I'd planned.  Near the entrance, they had two tables with boxes loaded to the gills (what does that mean?) with books/mags for 40-66% off.  I kinda hoped that it would be crappy books/mags like painting or wallpapering but no, they had such a great assortment that I stood there for over 1/2 hour digging.  Digging is my middle name.  I went home with $103 worth of stuff I didn't need.  Wanna see?






That is the stack of books - a bag to themselves since they were heavy.  Plus, I came home with this:






Who can resist digging through the fabric remnants?  There is also quite a load of discounted thread in the bottom of that bag.  Do you see the 6 skeins of dishcloth yarn for DC Ruthie?  At 64 cents/skein, I splurged on it for her.  She's got DH stocked in dishcloths so this is the least I can do.  Two of the books will probably ship out to her also.  They feature the crocheted "roll" stitch.  I know it as the brioche but it seems Annie's Attic has renamed it.  She needs more to do (hehe) so I'll put her to the task.  I also grabbed some cute remnants to make blankets for DCTracy's baby Teagan.  Lord knows GB doesn't need anymore and these remnants are pastel and would go better be more for a little girl.

The plan was to finish the sock last night.  Did I?  Uh, no.  Who knows what this evening will bring!?

Today is my Friday so I need to get to work.  I'm still dreaming of the day lazy girl leaves the office for good so that I can scoop up some of that good $.  Although, life will be easier after next month since it'll be the last payment to the two still on the dole.  A larger paycheck would be the added bonus of getting that job.

Words to the Wise: Becoming number one is easier than remaining number one. Bill Bradley

Bargains and Grandbaby

Here is the great bargain of the year:





Yes!  I still can't believe Mrs. "I'll sell you that thread for $5."  I love when they have no idea what they're selling.

Here is another pic of Grandbaby handy work:






I love the happy day note.  It's wonderful to see a happy child flourish.  I've got to tell you a funny story about Grandbaby.  Last Thursday we were at his T-ball game and GB was next up to bat.  He was behind the fence in front of us and he was practicing his swinging.  Granddad noticed that he had his arm down by as his side as he was swinging so he proceeded to make flapping motions with his arm and mouthing to GB to get his arm up.  All of a sudden you see the lightbulb go off in GB's head and he drops his bat and is trying to get his shirt up so that he can do armpit farts.  It was like, "Good idea Granddad, I can entertain the crowd while I wait."  We're busy motioning "No, no, not that."  I still giggle when I picture this scene.  Life is good.

The MIA co-worker has her ass back in the seat today.  It is amazing to me that they pay me a pittance of her salary and I do the heave ho of her job + mine.  I would love to take over her job along with her salary.  While waiting for:  1)  her to vacate the premises, or 2) the gods to fire her, I plan on looking for another job with much better pay.  The piddly ass 4% ain't cuttin' it for doing two jobs.  I'm having to jump in there and do things that I don't know how to do.  It sure seems that everyone else gets "training" and time to adjust to what they know and I get to figure it out and get it knocked out.  Hmm, cry much?  Waaahhhh ---- serve me a waaahburger and some cries.

I'm working on tier 6 of the bag and have about another .75" before I beging the toe decrease on albatross sock.  Pretty boring to show a pic of either so I shall spare you.  I'll have to think of sumpin' to share if I plan on blogging before finishing either of these projects.

Looks like everyone I know is moving this weekend.  DMIL, DSIL and DD.  Holy cow - tis the season?

Words to the Wise:  There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.  Helena Rubinstein