New Look

I made a few changes to my blog tonight. I was going to do this while I was visiting my Dad, however, I can't get either of my laptops to go online. Neither of them recognizes the dial tone on the phone line. I will take them with me and try to get them to work while I'm there.

I finally got my ipod working today. I had to restore it to factory settings and put all the songs on it again. I didn't put all my pictures on it this time though. I'm going to rescan them and get them totally organized before I do that again.

I look forward to seeing my Dad and my nephew again. It's difficult to go back there. That old saying you can't go home again rings true. Things have changed so much since Mom and Mike died. I don't think I could ever live there again. My nephew and I talk about the "good times". I do think that each day we live as long as we are healthy and have people we love around us are the good times. Some of those people may only be here in memory and spirit, but they never really leave us.

on to less morbid things.....

Damn! someone came when I wasn't looking and bleached my hair white, at least at the roots! LOL So I colored my hair tonight. It's back to its "natural" reddish brown. I've promised myself after I reach goal weight I'll get it cut short and dye it a darker red color. I have an appointment to get my nails done tomorrow. oh and I'll do a pedi tomorrow too. Gonna be looking spiffy when I go see my Dad! He hasn't seen me since I've lost 35 pounds. He'll be surprised to see me. I haven't told him I was coming!

How Nerdy Am I?

Countdown to Graduation

Tonight was my last class for the paralegal program. Yesterday, my instructor emailed me the spreadsheet for the final exam, I did it and emailed it back to him. It wasn't difficult, just basics. I met a classmate and we went to Senor Loco's for dinner. Yeah, that kept me within my points for WW. LOL The countdown on the sidebar reads there is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes left. I'll be removing the countdown around midnight-ish. I will be able to mark that complete, including the 4.0 that I wanted so much. We'll be getting our grades in a week or so. We will walk in October. The past 13 months went by fast. It seems it was just yesterday that we started. I'll be taking a couple of weeks off and then get started studying for the CLA exam. "Stick" and I will be having a once weekly get together to study. We both will make an outline and time frame of what we need to study. We have numerous books to use for studying. The school and program director was going to throw them in the trash,so we students took them instead. Many of them had instructors manuals. We'll be able to use the workbooks and then check our answers.

I'm looking forward to getting on with my life. Still sending out resumes and looking for a job. If I don't get one soon, I'll go back to nursing for a while, until I can get a paralegal job.

I haven't posted in a while and I'll be making upn for that. There are quite a few things I've wanted to blog about but didn't have time. Next week, I'll be visiting my Dad and will play catch up then.

Silly Quizzes

You Should Learn French

C'est super! You appreciate the finer things in life... wine, art, cheese, love affairs. You are definitely a Parisian at heart. You just need your tongue to catch up...

What Language Should You Learn?

You Are Pinot Noir

Sophisticated and worldly, you probably know more about wine than most drinkers. You have great taste, and you approach all aspects of life with a gourmet attitude. You believe that the little things in life should be cherished and enjoyed... and of the best quality possible. And while you may take more time to eat a meal or tour a city, it's always time well spent. Deep down you are: A seductive charmer Your partying style: Refined. And you would never call it "partying" Your company is enjoyed best with: Stinky expensive cheese

What Kind of Wine Are You?

MISSING -- Stepha Henry (Miami, FL)

I copied this directly from Erica B's blog. I don't think she will mind.



Read the story!



If you're a blogger...it would be nice if you posted this as well to get a bit more awareness out there. Some folks have already begun expressing concern that this young lady's disappearance isn't getting the media attention similiar cases receive. Whereas that may be true...when you focus on THAT aspect of it...it takes away from the matter at hand...that this young lady is MISSING.

The BLOG WORLD is a media all it's own. This would be a good use for it. IN MY OPINION.

If you decide to post it...ask your blogging readers to do the same.

101 Things

#39-Follow Flylady. I had my own system/routines in place when I found Flylady. I tried to follow her routines but I keep going back to the ones I had in place because they work for me. I'm going to mark this as completed.

#49-Nails. I got my nails done today. In November, it had been 2 years since I had them done last. I always take them off for about a month to let my nails "breathe." But my hands were so dry and cracked from the colder weather, washing my hands all the time (I was a nurse at the time) and from stress, I decided that I would wait until they were completely healed before I got them done again. Now, in all that time, they have been completely healed maybe 4 times. This is very painful. Sometimes I would wake up at night and my fingers would be throbbing. I now use presciption creams and lotions and parafin dips on a daily basis. I really dislike not having long pretty nails!

My week

I went for the interview on Monday morning. The attorney came out promptly at 9:30. We introduced ourselves. "Follow me." she said. We went behind the desk where "Jerry" (not his real name) was sitting. She then said, "This is where you will be working. Take your jacket off so you will be confortable." What??? this is it?! I was anxious the whole weekend. I guess I need to try not to think about things, the way that I do. Certainly, all she could have done was to say, I don't think this will work. But, I am now doing my externship for a very nice attorney!

I have had to go clothes shopping several times this week. I purchased a few nice tops and a couple of pairs of slacks/trousers. I just couldn't see myself spending time and effort to tweak patterns to make clothes when I would just have to do it all over again in a few months. Better, I think to continue to amass a coordinating fabric stash, so when I do start to sew it will all work together.

And speaking of amassing a stash......The fabric I ordered from Ann at Gorgeous Things arrived on Wednesday. It is a luscious knit. The colors coordinate with a few other pieces I already have.

I have signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge for 2007. Some of the books I didn't read last summer will be on the list, some won't. I'm taking Cell off the list. I am still reading it, but it is one I keep in the truck. It may be months before I get it read. I have six from last summer, a couple are in progress and I'm going to add six more. I would like to read some light novels, but I probably won't have much time for that. I do like to read "text-book" type books. Books where I can learn something. Dummies types books, Idiot type books. So.....what to put on the list.......So many books, so little time!!!

Oh, and if you scroll waaaayyyyy down, you will see the button for the reading list. I think the top and skirt the girl is wearing is sooo cute! Would be fab for a summer's evening here in FLA!

Graphics and other things

Yesterday, after my WW meeting I went to Joann's Fabrics. Nothing was calling to me so I went to Barnes and Noble. My instructor, Paula, told the class that The Elements of Style would help with the communications part of the CLA exam.

I also got Photoshop Creative, a magazine on how to work with Adobe Photoshop. This is a powerful graphics program in which you can do almost anything.

Many of the digital scrapbookers use Photoshop. Many write tutorials so others can obtain similar results for themselves. Many scrappers also share freely their hard work in the form of "papers" and "elements" so that other scrappers WON'T have to do it for themselves. I am very appreciative of all their work. I tried to use a couple of the tutorials, adapting them for PaintShop Pro XI without much success. I haven't done any of the tutorials from their website or read any books about "Paintshop". So, I guess I shouldn't comment. LOL Actually, I think there aren't as many as for Photoshop. I do like Snapfire though. I have an early edition of Elements I like too. Perhaps I should just "dig-in" and study the Paintshop tutorials and search out Paintshop books, rather than lusting for an expensive graphics program......naaahhh, I think I'll just lust a while. LOL

Tomorrow is the day for my interview. I am more anxious the closer it gets. I found out last Thursday that I must have an externship by the end of this week. Something about putting it into the computer. So I'm feeling the pressure to do well with this interview. I hope the attorney will make a decision on the spot, although I know that isn't usually how things work.

On the crafty side of my life, I have picked through my fat quarters and chose some fabrics to make a couple of mats for the dogs' water bowl. They leave drools on the floor every time they get a drink, and with three dogs that is a lot of drool! Their old mat is in tatters. I also was finally able to print a proper sized heart for the Chain of Hearts Yahoo group. I'll be looking through my stash to see what I have appropriate for CQing. I'm still trying to find the silhouette of my son from when he was a child. I want to do it in cross-stitch. I have no idea which container I packed it in.

Lest I forget, I ordered from fabric from Anne's Gorgeous Things. I am going to make a "Stacy Top". This top is nicer looking than the one from Macy's! I tried to post a link, to the exact fabric, but I think she has sold out. There was only 19 yards left after I ordered.

101 Things Update
Friday I had a massage before my appointment with Dr Weller. I see her about once a month to be adjusted. Makes all the difference between walking upright and crawling. LOL It was wonderful! I haven't had one in such a long time. It was very relaxing. I had my eyes checked about three weeks ago and got new glasses. I'm going on Wednesday to order my colored (brown)contact lens. I have an appointment on Tuesday to have my nails done.

My Recipe

If austin were a drink they would be: 1 parts bitch 4 parts tranquility 4 parts alluring Get Your RECIPE Here!

What Color Purple Are You?

Dark Purple

To others, you seem a bit dark, mysterious, and moody. In truth, you are just a very unique person who doesn't care what others think. And you really enjoy your offbeat interests and friends. You've decided that life is about living for yourself - simple as that.

What Color Purple Are You?

What European City Do You Belong In?

You Belong in Paris

You enjoy all that life has to offer, and you can appreciate the fine tastes and sites of Paris. You're the perfect person to wander the streets of Paris aimlessly, enjoying architecture and a crepe.

What European City Do You Belong In?

I discovered I like to color! Actually, what I like is to take an image and use PaintShop and color it.

I like to see how different colors interact. I plan to use these images and make coasters or mini quilts from them. Just another thing on my to do list. LOL I know that this type of coloring is rather juvenile, especially considering all the things that can be done with a good graphics program. But, I enjoy doing it, and since it's mindless activity, it helps relieve stress.

I have an interview for a job next Monday at 9:30. I'm nervous about this. Not only will I be starting a new job, it will be a new career. I'm starting over AGAIN. The last time I changed careers, it lasted a little over two years. I did tech support. The company I worked for lost the account and I was laid off. I decided I couldn't wait for them to call me back and went back to nursing. I had been working about two months when they called me back. I would have loved to continue working for them but: (1) I had gotten used to the less than 10 minute commute to work, (2) at that time my monthly gas bill was $75.00. Can you imagine what it would be now? Anyway, I'm on my way again. Hopefully this career will "take". But who knows? I might change again in 10 years or so. LOL I don't think I will ever retire. Maybe when no one will hire me, or I get too senile. LOL

www.wishafriend.com

Weekends

I always look forward to weekends. Even when I'm not working. It's a time to relax and not think about things seriously. Time for gathering with friends and hanging out. Time to sew and craft and shop. Three of my favorite things! oh! and catching up on a few of my fav TV shows. I don't watch very much tv, but I do have a few favorites, Boston Legal, Nip/Tuck, and The Riches (LOVE Eddie Izzard, he's hot!). I keep up with Dancing with the Stars, but don't watch it any longer.
Several days this past week we have had smoke from the fires in Georgia and north Florida. It is awful. I can only imagine what it is like to live close to the fires. It's hazy and the odor of the smoke is horrible. It's difficult to breathe and there is ash on everything.
The odor and haze wasn't so bad this morning. I was able to go to my WW meeting and to Joann's Fabrics. They had a sale on McCall's, Butterick and Vogue patterns.
I picked up Vogue 8307 (when I try to link to this pattern the site tells me it isn't in the database yet, yet if you enter the number and do a search on the Vogue site you can see it), I plan on making the jacket in a charcoal gray wool melton and line it in red or bright pink. I also got Butterick 4986, and McCall's 5193, 5395, and 5314. I'm not sure what I will use to make these. I also picked up some tags for altered art and Quilled Greetings Cards.
I've been talking for ages about my SWAP. I'm slowly, very slowly, agonizingly slowly working on it. The truth is...I am just not going to start sewing on a new wardrobe until I get to my goal weight. I don't want to have to keep tweaking the patterns to fit me. Failure to reach said weight is not an option, no matter how long it takes. So, until then.....I'll just keep planning.
That's the way I am. I will talk and think about something for a while, depending on what it is, the "thing" I want to do may take a few minutes or a few years. But, once I make up my mind to do something, watch out! here I come! LOL
I have been reading other blogs and marveling at the beautiful green plants. Here in Florida it seems like we are always on water restriction. We don't have a lot of green in our yard. I wanted to do some landscaping this year, but it now low on the priority list due to me leaving my job earlier this year. I did plant some caladium bulbs a couple of weeks ago and they are coming up finally.

Everyone

who knows me, knows that I LOVE animals, all animals, but especially dogs and elephants. I only had one small dog when I was growing up. My Mom was "afraid" of dogs. I think it was more that she thought she would be the one taking care of it. So, imagine my surprise when in 1993 my Dad said, this is going to be my dog and she will be an "indoor" dog. My son named her Mica. Mica stayed with my Dad until early 1998 when she went to live with another family ( the little girl adored Mica), when it took all Dad's time to take care of Mom. My Mom passed on May 4, 1998. A month or so later the little girl suddenly developed an "allergy" to Mica and returned her to my Dad. Mica continued to live with my Dad until her death last year.

I didn't have another dog until I moved to Florida and married Walt. He had a tri-color Bassett Hound named Sebastian Benson Oglethorpe. Since then we've had several dogs. Some of them can be seen here.







Now, I have these guys. This is Buddy's nose and "Pea-Bee" with the "go-rilla". I don't have a good picture of Bear, Walt's black Lab. You can see other pics on the side bar.



I have several collections, shot glasses, thimbles and....elephants! I have glass elephants, wooden elephants, ceramic elephants, old elephants, and new elephants. I think they are so beautiful!
I have most of my collections packed away now. I don't have enough room to display them properly. I barely have enough room for the six book cases filled with books. And my wish list is over 700 books long. I love books. I love to read. Most of my reading these days is related to studying for the paralegal class. I will get back to reading for pleasure once I take the CLA exam given by Nation Association of Legal Assistants in December.

Yesterday

Yesterday, I got the things I needed to finish up my second bracelet. The beads are a lovely blue. I haven't decided what my next piece is going to be yet.
When my son lived in Florida he started an avocado plant. Eventually it got too big for a pot and we planted it (see it behind the scraggly palm) in our front yard. It would only get two or three avocados each year. The squirrels would usually get them. Thursday Walt pointed out to me that there are dozens of tiny avocados on the tree.

Hopefully we will have a bumper crop (I LOVE guacamole!) and we will start another plant.






Yesterday was the ninth anniversary of my Mother's death. I miss her so much. I see things I think she would like and then remember she isn't "here". Same with my son. They both left too soon.

My Saturday so far

I got to my Weight Watchers meeting early this morning and got my favorite seat. LOL
I felt really good because I met my 25 pound goal this week. I had hoped to make it two weeks ago but maintained, then I gained .6 last week. This week I'm down 2.4 woo hoo!
Afterwards I went to Joann's Fabrics (didn't have much time, I had an appointment with an optometrist). They had Simplicity patterns on sale for 1.99, but I couldn't find the ones I wanted in my size. Then I couldn't find the things I needed to complete my bracelet. (I got the beads from Fire Mountain Gems earlier in the week.) I'm just gonna send them another order and maybe I can make it next week. I just felt like doing something crafty this weekend.
I watched the Dr. Keith Ablowshow Friday. The subject was "Inside The Minds Of Female Body Builders". They have inspired me to get involved again. Back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth I was very involved in the lifestyle. I admired (and still do) Nicole Bass and Chyna (before her life started going downhill). There are numerous female bodybuilders that I admired, Kay Baxter, Kike Eloma, Lyn Conkwright, Georgia Miller Fudge, and Bev Francis. I know there are a lot more I can't remember. I didn't want to get as big as the ladies who competed in Ms. Olympia, but I liked the fact that when I "made a muscle" people took notice. So, on Monday morning it's off to the gym.
I finally finished another book from my 2006 Summer Reading List (see side bar). I have several of them started. I keep one in the truck and one in the car, and one next to my bed. I also read several magazines (one of the 101 things is to get caught up on reading them). I spend most of my reading time reading texts and studying for class. And of course, I spend time here on the pc reading blogs and doing research for class.
I still haven't taken pictures of Hannah, the lawn goose. I'm not sure yet where she is going to be placed. And she still doesn't have any clothes.

Blogaversary

It was on April 20, 2006 that I began my blogging career. I spoke of SWAP on my very first post. A lot of things have changed since I started.

I have left my job and am attending classed for a new career. I've lost 25 pounds (actually 24.6, but who's counting?)
I'm in process of finding the me I thought I had lost a long time ago. But I won't go into a long monologue on the past.

In Thursday night's class I found out that the paralegal course will be over on Monday or Tuesday July 23rd or 24th. We had been told it would be over the first of October. I was looking forward to having the whole summer off. I had planned to lose a bit more weight before I started sewing my fabulous new wardrobe, spend some time doing crafts, working on my 101 Things and spending time at the gym and the beach. Oh well! At least I'll be working and not living off savings.

I did another digital scrapbook page. I didn't put pictures on it, just "elements". Whatever that means. LOL I've a lot to learn about composition. It's a lot of fun though, mixing and matching the elements. I think it's a lot less expensive working digital than with real paper, inks and so forth. Although, I want to do that also. I still have altered books, greetings cards, ATC (artist trading cards) etc on my list of things to do.

On a positive note, I got the call from Art Stone Co. telling me that my lawn goose was ready to be picked up. She was picked up and brought home. I was going to take a couple of pics of her, but the batteries had died. I have them charging now and will take some tomorrow. She's very pretty. For some reason, I thought she would have a cartoonish face. It's quite feminine and the man who painted her even put eye lashes! LOL I can hardly wait to dress her!

Tomorrow I have to go to my Weight Watchers meeting. I had hoped to get to goal by the time classes were over with, but with a July end date. I know I won't be able to make it. I would however, like to lose another 20 pounds by then. We'll see.

Making Soap

After my Weight Watchers meeting this morning, (I maintained, it's better than gaining!)I went to Central Art Supply. I browsed for a while then saw some very pretty orgami paper. I got a pack of wavy striped papers. I have been doing some simple origami, but I figured I could use the papers for digital scrapping or for some greeting cards I'm planning on making later. I will be returning to that store with list in hand to get water color pencils, gesso and numerous other things for altered art.

I have to admit that I went to Tijuana Flats for lunch. The food there is amazing and I love the hot sauces. I especially like the one called "Slap My Sweet Ass and Call Me Sally." It's a sweet not hot sauce and I like to have it with the chimichanga. Yes, I blow all of my weekly points here. But, it's THAT GOOD! I don't mind not having the extra points during the week.

When I got home, I got out the kit for soap making and got started on that. Here is a pic of the items in the kit.

It didn't take very long. It was a learning experience.





Here are the soaps in the mold.









I think they came out rather nicely considering it's my first time.
Here are pics of the liquid soap and the bars wrapped in clear plastic.
















Things I need to do differently next time. I think I left them in the mold too long because they were very difficult to get out. I also had a lot of bubbles on two of the bars, maybe I poured them too fast? And I need to remember that the bottom of the mold is the top of the soap and place the flowers or whatever appropriately. All in all I had a nice time and will definitely be doing it again with other materials, additives, fragrances, colors and packaging.


Number 80 on my 101 Things list is half completed. I need to make bath bombs in order to be able to completely check it off as completed.

Today's shopping trip

I had an appointment with my chiropractor this morning, so I thought I would do some shopping afterwards.

First stop was at Joann's Fabrics. I used a 40% off coupon and got a soap making kit. I'm usually at a loss as to what I need to start a new hobby. What the basics would be, so to speak. This is something I have wanted to do for a while and is on my list of 101 Things. I'm going to get the Embossed Soap Bar Making Kit also. I'm looking forward to making soaps with different colors and fragrances and packaging them in pretty packages.

Next stop was at Art Stone Co. Inc. I have wanted a lawn goose for some time now. She was chosen and is waiting to be painted. Nothing special, just the usual goose colors. I'll be looking for patterns to make her clothes. Raincoat, apron, dress, swimsuit......LOL

Last shop was at Sam's Club. Where I got a few groceries and a book named The Secret. I have wanted to read this book since I saw Oprah's show about it. Many people have said it changed their lives. A personal friend called it very powerful and recommended it. So, I would have gotten it even if I had not seen it on her show.

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

I found this on Hanna's blog. I like little questionares like this.