A fun Tuesday night

In case you were wondering what I was doing Tuesday night here it is!


I got home from work and got a phone call from my sister's friend saying that she had two tickets to that night's game did my mom and Abby want to go the tickets would only be $70 total. The week before mom had said no but this week she said yes...
I talked Jim into driving in with me I figured we could just hang out on Yawkey Way and have a great time. Well when we got in the friend (who owns the sausage cart at gate B) had free VALET parking for us and got Jim and I two free standing room only tickets! He also stocked us full of sausages peppers and onions AND hot dogs AND sodas. So in we went! It was the best time EVER! Here are a few pictures from what was a great evening even if Papelpon bombed!

You have to love Varitek


Such a great shot of Schilling (none of Papelbon though)


We had such a good time

A rambling thinking type of post...

AGAIN WITH NO PICTURES!

But peek back tomorrow and you ought to be pleasantly surprised!

So I have two things I wanted to tell you and neither of them is really worth a post but together maybe they will be...

First off I just finished a book called "one shenandoah winter" and it really struck home with me. It was about a woman who was taking care of her uncle who they find out was dying of cancer. All in all the book depressed me BUT there was one paragraph that struck a chord. I am not sure it was a good chord but it was at least one I recognized. It said something to the fact of caring for poppa Joe had sapped Carrie of her anger, that quick wit that had hung with her all of her days was now gone - gone with the caring words and looks and touches she gave poppa Joe as she helped him journey into the end of his days. I FEEL THAT! I don't seem to be angry anymore - no more road rage, no more hurt feelings pretty much none of that. Even the energy that I used to have is gone. I can sit now I don't NEED to be doing something at every minute of the day, rest is something and it is now something I relish. I am still working out but more because I ought to than I want to... I hope that that changes someday!

Secondly a little story about my sister. For the first year that I can remember I am going to give her a birthday present on her birthday. You might wonder if she lives far away but that isn't the case, she lives right in town. It is simply that she is a Jehovah's Witness and she doesn't celebrate birthdays... This year however is a big birthday for her and Kat (an angel on earth) has explained to her that it is important for those of us who love her to bits and pieces to show her on the day we celebrate her life. And for this one year she has agreed! So next month I will be giving a gift and some strawberry shortcake to one of my all time favorite people. One of the very few people who can talk me off the ledge, I am beyond excited - mostly because it's okay with her! Another quick story about my sister she is the only one (other than my mom) who never forgets my birthday NEVER every single year she calls me up and leaves a message on my machine that says she is so glad that I am alive and that God brought me into her family. It makes me smile every year, every year I look forward to that call to me that means birthday! The only year she didn't do that was the year my grandmother died right before my birthday and she was afraid that we both would cry to hard so that year she sent me a plant saying just that!

Ooopsy I have a third thing I want to mention. The other night I ended up having to go out to dinner by myself (long story) and was sat next to a table of young 20 year olds. The young man excused himself to go have a cigarette and when he came back the ladies gave him shit about it. Well his reply kicked me (and probably anyone else with an IQ) in the chest. He said "Oh cigarettes don't really cause cancer, it's like everything else - Eggs cause cancer so you better not eat eggs, microwaves cause cancer so don't eat anything in the microwave, charcoal causes cancer so no barbeques, alcohol causes cancer so you better not drink, and the only thing that doesn't cause cancer is carrots but if we wait a few weeks that will cause it too."

I realize that we live in a time where they are discovering things rapidly but has ANY science or medicine ACTUALLY SAID cigarettes don't cause cancer? Nope not at all... I wanted to grab this man and let him know how much cancer sucks the life out of a family and if he can do anything to ensure that his odds are a little better he ought to do it!

Well I better leave this happy so:

Knock knock

Who's there

Just Wanda

Just Wanda who?

Just Wanda wish you a happy day!

I have been pretty good lately at updating this sucker

Though not at posting pictures....

ANYWAY
Be honest I can't wait to learn more about you all.This is fun. Hope
I receive it back from you.

Read through the comments below about your friend and then make sure you read
the instruction at the bottom.
Place an X by all the things you've done, or remove the X from the ones
you have not, and send it to all of your friends (including me.) This is for
your entire life:

( ) Smoked a cigarette
( ) Drank so much you threw up.
( ) Crashed in a friend's car.
( ) Stolen a car
(X) Been in love
(X) Been dumped
(X) Been Laid off/fired
(X) Quit your job
( ) Been in a fist fight - But I always say I will punch someone in the head if they are mean to a friend of mine (ANY OF MY FRIENDS)
( ) Sneaked out of your parent's house
( ) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) Gone on a blind date
(X) Lied to a friend
(X) Skipped school
(X) Seen someone die
(x) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been lost - Ummmm yeah the vast majority of my life
(X) Been on the opposite side of the country
(X) Gone to Washington , DC
(X) Swam in the ocean
(x) Felt like dying
(X) Cried yourself to sleep - More often than I care to admit
(x) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons - AND COLORED PENCILS!!! I made Shrinky Dinks this weekend
(x) Sang karaoke
(x) Paid for a meal with only coins - I used to work @ Uno's I would pay for lunch there all the time with change
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
( ) Made prank phone calls
( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Made a snow angel
(x) Danced in the rain - heck Jim and I have limboed in the rain at a county fair where everyone else was afraid to be out
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe - I am certain I have but just in case I will buy some this Christmas and tell J to kiss me :-)
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
(x) Blown Bubbles
( ) Made a bonfire on the beach
(x) Crashed a party
(X) Gone roller skating
(X) Gone ice skating

OK, here are the questions:
What time is it? 10:14 AM
What is your full name? Joy Laurel Clark-LaChapelle
Most recent movie you have seen in the theater? Little Miss Sunshine
Seen a ghost: no
Where were you born? [Boston , MA
Ever been toilet papering? No
Loved someone so much it made you cry? yes
Been in a serious car accident? yes, if you mean there was a lot of damage
Do you plan to have any/more Children? Hmmmmm
Favorite day of the week? saturday
Favorite Restaurant? Pacino's in Florida with Jim when it's warm and we cuddle
Favorite sport to watch? Baseball / football
Favorite Ice Cream? Why on Earth would I pick a favorite
Favorite Shake flavor at a fast food restaurant? Shamrock
Favorite food at a restaurant? pasta
What color is your bedroom carpet? Grey
What is your favorite alcoholic drink? Whatever Kat makes me
Favorite nonalcoholic drink? water
Tattoos? No
Body piercing? ears
What is your favorite vacation spot? Disney
Ever steal any traffic signs? No
Favorite Salad Dressing? Ranch
Favorite Holiday? Thanksgiving
Favorite food? Ice Cream
Favorite sound? Jim's breath when I lay on him
What do you do to relax? Bathy
How do you see yourself in 10 years? Same as now with a better job
Furthest place you will send this? ???
How many times did you fail your driver's test? ZERO
From whom did you get your last e-mail? Dee
What do you do when you are bored? BORED???????
Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest? Whoever reads it and wants to play
Who is the least likely to respond? Whoever reads it and doesn't want to play
Who is the person that you are most curious to see their answers? All
Favorite TV show? None
Ford or Chevy? neither
What are you listening to right now? office noises
How many pets do you have? I can't count
The chicken or the egg? I dunno
What would you like to accomplish before you die? Make a difference

Not for Marianne

Hey all,
I just thought that maybe you would like one of my all time favorite recipes... Okay okay we don't need to mention that I have actually never made this recipe but my Mum does and I love the way it comes out!

Mum's Banana Bread

Ingredients
3 mashed Bananas
3 Large Egg Whites
2 cups of Flour (all purpose is the recommended)
3/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Directions
Mix together bananas and egg whites until fully combined.
Sift in 2 cups of flour after that is mixed in add remaining ingredients and put in a greased loaf pan.
Cook at 350* for 1 hour

Do I have a life?

I stole this from Erin's blog. It seems that people are saying that if you’ve seen over 85 movies, that you have no life and to copy this list to your blog and mark the movies you’ve seen. There are 239 films on this list.

My count is 29! And that incldes one that I may not have seen all of but paid enough attention to that I knew the name. I am not sure this means I have a life.

Oooooh but last night was so much fun I think we started a new tradition. Jim and I went to Joey and Kurt's house and we hid Easter eggs and had a great dinner, it was lots of fun!

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
( )Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( )Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
( X)Neverending Story
( )Blazing Saddles
( ) Airplane
( ) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
( )Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( )White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( )Anger Management
(X)50 First Dates
(X) The Princess Diaries
(X) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
( )Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
( ) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
(X) Harry Potter 1
( ) Harry Potter 2
( ) Harry Potter 3
( ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
( ) The Grinch (I'm assuming this is the Jim Carrey one)
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( )13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
( ) Robots
( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
( ) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) King Kong
( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving Christmas
( ) Flubber
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
(x) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
( ) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number SlevIn
(X) Ocean’s Eleven
(x) Ocean’s Twelve
( ) Bourne Identity
( ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
( ) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
( ) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(X) E.T.
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She’s All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
( )The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
( ) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X3
( ) Spider-Man
( ) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
( ) Freaky Friday (The Jodi Foster one?)
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
(X) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
( ) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
( ) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
( ) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
( ) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
( ) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
( ) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
( ) Base-ketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
( ) Highlander (“There can be only ONE!”)
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
( ) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
( ) Hook
(x) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
( ) Kill Bill Vol. 1
( ) Kill Bill Vol. 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave(
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness (Shop smart Shop S Mart)
( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
( ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
( ) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
( ) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
( ) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix: Reloaded
( ) The Matrix: Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( )Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs (and in all honesty I am not sure how I got talked into this one - it traumatized me for a long time to come)
( ) Hannibal

Happy Birthday Needles

Today is Needles' 42nd birthday! In human years that is about the equivalent of living to 126! Pretty impressive for a horse that only cost me a dollar. She has long been blind and weak but she seems to suffer no pain and still can make me smile like few others

In light of that today I am going to tell you a story about my Needles... She has been my best buddy for such a long time that she is a part of me and I don't know what my life would be like without her.
When I was 12 years old I spent every waking hour at the barn, Needles and I would do EVERYTHING together (Break my back, climb impossible mountains, eat hamburgers... Yes at that point we both did eat "Uncle Mickey's" burgers...) Well one of my all time favorite pasttimes was to sit against her hind legs and rest my feet against her front legs and read a book, that way her body would sheild me from the sun or the rain and never once did she try to move for fear I would get hurt. I would sit there for hours and hours and let the world go by. Those are memories that I will never forget and I am so grateful to this beloved beast who gave them to me! Here is the only picture of her that I have at work...

Wow!

I can't believe that I haven't posted in almost a month. Sorry about that ladies. I haven't been too too crafty lately. BUT I have been having some fun on Swap-Bot. I have been sending out some really fun things and it really has gotten me to branch out onto some new crafts that I never would have tried before (No Erin not knitting) and I am enjoying it. If you haven't checked it out feel free to at www.swap-bot.com

But a few things have happened in the last month that might be interesting.

+ After 7 1/2 weeks in the hospital mom came home and promptly went on vacation... It's nice to live the life of a DIVA!
+ We got a cat! Her name is Punkin and it really suits her, she is just a love and she smiles when you pat her.
+ Tyler James turned one!!! My little baby is now a little boy. He has figured out how to crawl, stand up, and even WALK (holding on all the way) AND BEST OF ALL I swear he says Aunty!

Sorry this is boring, I meant to take a picture of Erin's finished bag but I didn't!
This is the most recent picture of mom. Hope you like it!

Picture-less post

What fun is a post with no pictures? Well probably none... But I figured I would just check in and tell you all what I have been up to lately.
~ I am continuing on my goal of 52 hats for the MGH cancer tree and think I am well on my way. I will take a picture and let you all see it.
~ I am also well into a poncho for the loverly Miss Michelle!
~ I am making a neck roll for a swap that I joined.
~ I finished and just have to mail the felted bag for the Fabulous Erin.
~ I completed and gave (that is the miracle part) a very SOFT hat to the wonderful Marianne.
~ I have managed to get myself back into a routine of working out every morning before work.
~ I am buying a cheap road bike so that I can get those rides in to clear my head.
~ I am seriously contemplating joining a yoga class (yes I have it at home but I think that going out someplace once a week would be good)
~ Mom is doing pretty well and it finally occured to me (today) to take my looming to the hospital with me while I visit. I always did this at MGH and it just never ever occured to me at the new hospital... DUH!
~ I have found Christina's in Inman Square can I say YUMMY?

So what have all of you been up to?

Happy Valentine's Day

I debated whether I should post this or not... It's not anything about crafting BUT it is about me. I love Valentine's day. I have always loved Valentine's Day! Even when I was a florist and it meant a day full of work more work than I thought a person could do I loved it.

There is something about a day full of love that seems so right to me. I mean there is no religious barrier, and no cultural no-nos, it is great and I love it!

Happy Happy Valentine's Day to each and every one of you! I love each of you and wish you a wonderful day and a lifetime filled with love!

Holy shit - a thought

So I just woke up with the weirdest thought. I was an aunt when I was 5 (or -2 if you include the steps which for the most part I do but they do not need to be a part of this equation), before I was 25 Christy made me a great aunt and in all probability I will be a great-great aunt before I am 50 and a great-great-great aunt in my lifetime! That is messed up... I don't even know anyone who is a great great great aunt. So since this is a post about my kin here's a few photos.
Hugging the tree is Kat
Jarred is holding Kasey
I've got Tyler
Jeff and Kelly are sitting at the table
Alicia is giving the best smile
Joey is walking
I toasted Stephen
Siobhan says hi to mom
Stefanie, Danielle, Bekah, and Kasey dance
Hanging with Abby
Joey plays with Gigi
Cheryl and Mom
Well blogger is having issues and I have to get to work I will post the pictures later!

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet.
People like to keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your head to your toes.


Here take this quiz it's fun :-)
http://www.quizilla.com/users/bisybackson/quizzes/

Picture post

Just a few pictures that I really wanted to share.
The first is Erin displaying how much making the sweater "killed" her.
The 2nd is Jim in the new sweater Tricia made him
Next is a hat I made for the cancer tree
Then the hat on the tree (can I add in here that it was gone to a new home the next day when I went to check on it - Yes I am that dorky)
And lastly my mom on Christmas eve in her BEAUTIFUL outfit my sister brought her back from India!

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”Six weird things about me:

1. I am afraid of the dark.

2. I am not a huge fan of vacations... I like my house and my family and I like being there with them!

3. I worked at a pet shop for less than a week!

4. I don't know my own style and think that other people know me better than I know myself!

5. Both of my middle fingers are crooked.

6. I knew from the moment I was 9 years old until the moment I married him that Jim was the man for me! I am so glad I waited for him to figure it out too!


I am tagging Michelle, Marianne (I don't care that you don't have a blog!), Danielle, Amy, and Christine

My Old fashioned Christmas!

We all know I am adament that we have an old fashioned Christmas this year. And in spirit I decided (with no time left until the big holy day) that an old fashioned Christmas HAD to have homemade stockings... So I made the first one! It took me a whole night and a morning at radiation. I used some off white yarn that my dad had bought for me and a lovely green that Tricia gave me and I just started looming. And I think it came out pretty good. Let me know what you think...

This looks like something I would have fun with

A new craft me thinks?
http://www.greensense.com/Features/Living/Crafts/Paper/beads.htm

I crafted I crafted I crafted!

This weekend I was at D's house and I actually crafted! AND the weekend before I came up with something to craft that was fun for me and useful! I feel like I have reached the end of crafts that are useful. How many more people are going to want a pair of my slipper socks? I might have hit that plateau... I either needed new friends or a new craft. Since I really like my friends I decided on the craft!

I am making a blanket for Comette. I am going to use all the left over yarns I have from this year and I am going to crochet it to fit under any saddle she may be using. I started it with a really kewl (circa 1970) rainbow yarn that I am obsessed with. Then after that I will just reach into the bag of partially used yarns and whatever comes out next is what I am going to use next! I think that making a few isn't a bad idea and that ought to take me a year or so...

AND starting next week I will have a few minutes of daily crochet time... Mom starts radiation and I crochet then (or buy oatmeal)

Crafting failure...

Running slowly through the mist, feeling muscles ask how much longer before they rest, breathing deeply... Looking over my shoulder to see my love right behind/beside me. Jim has rollerbladed with me a few times, while I run. It makes running even a better thing. I love the way I feel after the run but not always during the run. Sometimes I just want to quit and go home but never with Jim. It feels like a few minutes of just us time. No dogs, no cat, no phone, no nothing to interupt the two us. Together we breathe deeply and enjoy the quiet and the occasional rooster crowing. It reminds us of when we met. The 4-H fair a place of peace...

Ooopsy I haven't crafted in SOOOOO long lately. I have been cooking up bread like a fiend though, does that count? I say it does!

There is nothing like an early lunch where you go toast a piece of homemade cran-apple bread with some yummy grapefruit ginger marmalade on top. Made at a farm by a real person who you can say hi to and she will tell you about the year's crops. I feel like it is a peaceful way to enjoy. It's kind of like the ultimate comfort food. I just got to enjoy this lunch... I have had a piece each day this week and each day it makes me smile more and more.

Okay well a little about crafting. I haven't had a moment to do any. I thought about crocheting a straight panel so I could make these open finger gloves that I saw they were called opera gloves BUT I haven't gotten around to it yet... I have the yarn (from the great find Jim bought me in August.), I have the idea... I just don't have the time. I am going to scrap this weekend though (if I get the pictures) and I will post info about that.

Peacefully,
Joy

Someday… Somehow… Somewhere…

SOMEDAY: Last night as I lay in bed next to a sleeping Jim I started to cry. I wasn’t crying for any real reason… Other than someday we are all going to die. I fear not my own death but those of the people I love. They are my foundation, my earth if you will… What does anyone do without those that they love? I understand the concept of go on, but not really. And as I sat there last night and cried (quietly I didn’t want to wake Jim) I realized something, I am a very lucky person… For many reasons but I am thinking of these ones. I am loved and love so many people. And the VAST MAJORITY of them have been here for the important parts of my life. My parents (whom I love more than life itself) saw me graduate from high school, get my first job, grow up, cry more tears than I knew any one person could cry at once (they have been there for me through this more times than you could believe) have boyfriends, and ultimately get married. Shit my mother was there with me when I decided to live, she’s been there for everything. My Nana was alive long enough for me to love and appreciate a quality homemade dinner the importance of playing games and the peace of a clean home. My Papa was here to see me go into middle school and long enough too for me to love him and not even know that he wasn’t my blood. My blessed Bampi was given as a gift from Heaven and I got to learn to “rope rabbits”, “cut my head off” and know that there is always enough love to go around. Mimi, well she was there until it was okay to go. She waited until Jim told her he was going to ask me to marry him, she waited until Adam was graduating officially, Christy was about to graduate from college, her eggs were all in their nests and it was her time. I have so many other people that I could put in here, probably you! But I chose these people because they are either gone or ill. You probably know that my Mom has stage 4 brain cancer and 2 b lung cancer (and if you want the link to her cares page which I update with changes often send me an email or leave a message here and I will send you an invitation), and my dad has been ill for years… Though lately I feel like I can watch him fade a little more each week, it’s as if mom being sick is literally killing him. All of these people are my rock and someday they are going to leave me… How can I keep them around and at the same time let them know how much I love them?

SOMEHOW: How do I keep them around and at the same time let them know how much I love them? That question is asked and answered within the same question. Look! If you turn is around it says If I show them how much I love them I will keep them around longer. If I fill their bellies with healthy foods, cover their feet and heads with warmness and love, and speak the words they need to hear and I need to say they will be here forever, if not physically then assuredly in my heart. If it my heart and actions that make my loved ones immortal then do they need to be near?

SOMEWHERE: If it my heart and actions that make my loved ones immortal then do they need to be near? This is a question that tears at my heart. When my parents are gone do I want to live in the house that has always been “ours”. My address screams to me, it says “I am the happy home of Joy, Jim, Joan and Bob… I am their shelter from the storm. I am the place they come to when they need to shed tears, I am the location of many of their favorite memories, I have been here for a lot of their worst disappointments, I have worked hard to keep them together as a family… I have muffled tears, shouted joys, and spewed forth great gifts from my refrigerator and oven. I am their home.” When it isn’t the four of us anymore will it be home anymore? Or is my home ready to move on too? I don’t know… I guess I will know when the time is right!

For now here is a recipe for you to help make your home a little happier, more productive and well homelike, it’s what I will be doing this weekend.

1 ready made Keebler Pie Crust (I prefer the shortbread, the fat free
Graham Cracker crust is extremely dry)

1 pkg of instant pudding (your flavor of choice)
1 8oz pkg. fat free cream cheese (I use low fat to avoid a lot of fat and chemicals)
1 14 oz can crushed pineapples (in its own juice)
1 container of Cool Whip Free

Combine pudding (dry), cream cheese and pineapple. Stir by hand. Place in pie crust. Top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour.

I wish for you a peaceful weekend!

What a day what a day what a day

This one is for Marianne who noted that I haven't been blogging much lately.


Today mom had a TON of doctors' appointments which led to us being in Mass General for many hours 7:00 A - 1:00 P.
What does a person do with that many hours sitting? Well first I got up a few minutes earlier to get an AB workout in. And will run tonight (It is too cold in the morning to run for this heat lover). Then I grabbed my trusty loom and some yarn that mom loves and started the center panel of a 3 panel afghan for her. Today alone I got over 30 inches done! I am SO excited... The loom stitch is a little looser than what I would want for an afghan (not because she will be cold but because I am afraid it will stretch shape) so I have decided that I will edge it in single crochet to keep it stronger. Will that work Tricia? I am hoping so. After I finish this (or maybe before) I need to make 5 pairs of slippers because I promised them to Mom's church for their fair and then I think I will take a break from the constant looming. I have been working hard to get a 30 minute run in daily along with one of my many favorite workout videos. Do you have a favorite workout video? What is it?

This weekend I was able to get a shorter craft day in on Saturday after doing the walk for diabetes it was great and the food and the company was (as always) great. And we now know that Jim loves pumpkin whoopie pies and Marianne's apple crisp.
And Sunday was spent cleaning house and visiting with old friends... Next weekend we have company staying with us (really with my mom) for the weekend AND I might have overbooked myself to boot.
Saturday = Morning - NOTHING
4:00 wedding
7:00 poncho sections of blueman group
AS SOON as that's over Ginette and Patty's LAST party in som'ville

Sunday = Friends coming over for a beading party! I am SO excited about this... For many reasons but MAINLY because you guys will get to read about something other than looming! And then dinner with the guests and the WHOLE (as my Bampi would say) Fam Damily!

So next week there will be pictures... I thinking pictures of crafts being made and done ones too, maybe even a few of the fam.

Have a great one

Little gifts

I dropped off little hats I loomed for my friend Jenn's kids last night.
I made a baby hat (with beads) and bigger hats for the bigger sisters and now I am going to make one for Jenn because she fell in love with it!
I will post a picture of Jenn's when I am finished.

I have made a ton of pairs of socks on my loom (they are really more like slippers) and I am convinced that I must make myself a pair of pipi longstocking - esque socks to wear whilst skiing this winter. How much fun (not to mention how cute) will that be?

I could even make a matching hat! LOVE IT...

Also I have gotten back into running. Even with my lost iPod (how sad is that?)
I have gone back to the good old days AKA the 80s and pulled out a cassette walkman) and this morning I listened to Pleasant DeSpain
http://www.storypro.com/
Tell the story about Sri Lanka and the 3 Princes... Pleasant is known for Story weaves and this one was a little hard to follow. Here is a little about the 3 Princes:
Origin of the term "serendipity"
The fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip [my note: "Serendip" is the ancient name for Sri Lanka. This is originally a Persian tale] is based upon the life of Persian king Bahram Gur who ruled the Sasanian Empire from ca. 420-440 AD. Stories of his rule are told in epic poetry of the region (Firdausi's Shahnameh 1010 AD, Nizami's Haft Paykar 1197 AD, Khusrau's Hasht Bihisht 1302 AD), parts of which are based upon historical facts with embellishments derived from folklore going back hundreds of years to oral traditions in India and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. With the exception of the well-known camel story, English translations are very hard to come by.

In the camel story, the Three Princes use trace clues to precisely identify a camel they have never seen (lame; blind in one eye; missing a tooth; carrying a pregnant maiden; bearing honey on one side and butter on the other). This result of abductive reasoning is not what is meant by serendipity (the discovery of something NOT sought). Because of their cleverness and sagacity, they are accused of stealing the camel and are about to be put to death by Bahram Gur. Suddenly and without anyone seeking him out, a traveler steps forward to say that he has just seen the missing camel wandering in the desert. Bahram spares the lives of the Three Princes, lavishes them with rich rewards and appoints them as advisors. These rewards are the unsought (serendipitous) results of their sagacious insights.

There are other examples of the Princes receiving unsought rewards (marriage to a beautiful princess, kingdoms, wealth, etc.) from their accidental discoveries. The fact that they can make clever or accidental discoveries and breakthroughs is a result of their intelligence, wisdom and reasoning. The unsought rewards come later. Thus, stumbling upon a captive slave girl in a forest is a serendipitous occurrence. Deducing that the slave girl they rescued is actually a Princess is not the serendipitous moment – rather, this occurs later when they receive lavish gifts as a reward.

More contemporaneously, because we put great value on scientific breakthroughs and insights themselves (e.g., the waxy polymer residue (Teflon) in an uncooperative gas cylinder), these are considered to be the unsought serendipitous rewards of clever reasoning, hard work and luck.
Billie Susan N. 12/16/05

His story that he wove with it was about his father (okay that made sense) and baggage (okay maybe) and then his trip to Sri Lanka (Yup he lost me there)

I love to listen to Pleasant weave and often suggest to J that he learn how to do weaves but this one wasn't his best