Stuff

Thanks to all the stitch markerette's for all the wonderful new "toys"!!!! I received some great "puffies" in the mail and will personally thank you all tomorrow.

Work is actually pretty good. Busy, hectic, but I like it. I'm busy ALL the time, always running but it makes the day go fast . . . most of the time. Some customers can be real pains in the ass. Let's see.....like the woman who wanted to bring a 150 pound mastiff into the store....I told her "no" over the phone and a few days later she came in with him anyway. I think the story goes that the dog's leash got caught on a display and one of my colleagues yelled out "it's caught on the display" probably not knowing what else to say. She was pretty shocked at the sight of the dog to begin with. Well, the customer laid into her good for calling her dog an "it". Thing is....the employee doesn't even remember what she said because it was all so fast and she was just afraid a total display of Christmas balls was going to fall over. She may have even meant the leash was caught. Anyway...the lady called corporate and threatened that if she is not "compensated" (what ever she means by that) for the employee calling her baby an "it", she will bring back everything she's ever purchased from Pier One.

People are crazy. I mean, okay, I can see getting a little upset if someone calls your cat, dog, rat; whatever your companion happens to be an "it", but let's face it, not everyone in the world loves your dog, cat, rat. I am a TOTAL cat-mom and I don't get offended by comments like that. Why bother??? Its so petty!

Anyway, enough complaining.

I'm still trying to get some Christmas shopping done, but I have to wait till I get paid on Friday to do most of it. The worst part about working at Pier One is that I end up spending at least half, if not three quarters of my paycheck there. Well, I guess for Christmas its understandable. I just hope I don't keep up this trend! We've got some really cool things in the store and we've been selling out of stuff like crazy. So when I see something I like, I grab it.

Well, I will write more tomorrow or Friday. I want to thank each "lady of the stitch markers" personally but I do not have their names in front of me right now.

Yarn Aboard!!

I recieved my Yarn Aboard package on Friday. Wow!!!! How cool is this???
2 Skeins of Claudia Handpainted Sock yarn in "Purple Earth" - GLORIOUS color!!!! I absolutely love it!!!!
A set of double pointed needles & coils, 7 packs of various bubble gums (YUMMY), my initial "A" in a sticky note pad, a Fiber Trends sock pattern and a package of wool wash.

How lucky am I?????

My box is Henry Hudson and has seen 11 Ports of Call before mine. I will try to take pics with my cell phone since my digital camera is still on the fritz. I have to get the box out today to its next destination so hopefully my camera/phone will produce a nice pic.

Thanks Cindy!!!! You Rock!!!

Second Secret Pal Surprise!

Well I got another box from my Secret Pal 9!!! Again, thank you!!! This time it was a really cool cat felting kit, which I've been dying to try....and a beautiful knitted scarf!!!! Its starting to get cold here so I will be wearing it soon.

My camera is still broken - I haven't had a chance to send it out yet - so no pics. I will maybe try to take a few with my cell phone, but wonder how the resolution will be.

I apologize for not posting more. Like I said in an earlier post, I started a new job and I am FINALLY starting to get used to the demands of it and the crazy hours I have. I was so tired when I got home from work that I'd pretty much just get my clothes ready for the next day and go to bed. Guess it took me about 3 weeks to get used to it. I'm still tired, but can at least function (somewhat) when I get home. My hours can be anywhere like 7am-3pm or 12pm-8pm or 10am-6pm, etc. Every day is different and every week is different. I never have the same days off every week. Like this week, I was off Monday and now today (Wednesday). I'd rather have two days in a row, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

Anyway....thanks again to my Secret Pal. Its so much fun getting surprises in the mail. And I promise I will be more diligent with my postings!

Secret Pal Delivery! Thank You!!!

Got my Secret Pal 9 delivery last week. All I can say is WOW!!! Well, first off, I have to explain that I can't show pictures because my camera is broken AGAIN. I just got it back from service and the first time I use it, the exact same thing happened so I have to send it out again. Sheesh!!! Ok...so in my package was a beautiful tin wall hanging that you can put dried or silk flowers in with a fall theme, a pumpkin pie scented candle, guest towels with autumn themes, several different types of yarn, a pumpkin "candle" (a light that looks like a tealight for inside a pumpkin), cotton yarn & a pattern book for washcloths, candy corn (YUMMY!) and right now I can't think of what else. But a GORGEOUS package of things that was soooo much fun to open!!! Thank you SP9!!!!! (Funny, I could have sworn that I wrote about this when I got it...wonder if blogger never posted it) **I'm having some trouble with blogger and can't make paragraphs, so I'm sorry if this is all crunched together!

New Job!

Well I started a new job yesterday. I'm working a new Pier One that will be opening soon. I decided to go full time but now I'm doubting my decision. It has been MANUAL LABOR!!! We unloaded trucks, unpacked furniture, filled dumpsters, etc. This isn't what I had in mind!!! I'm figuring it won't be that bad once the store opens...until we get deliveries. My fingers are sore, my hands are all cut up, my back is killing me and I'm sure I'll have bruises. But some of the items in the store are so beautiful! I know I'll probably spend my first paycheck on stuff.

Here are my questions & answers for my Secret Pal 9
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I absolutely love most things by Cherry Tree Hill, Noro, Schaeffer and Claudia Hand Painted. I adore anything with sparkle to it. I really like most every kind of yarn and love working with new things.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I store my needles in a large handpainted vase in my home office. It was a gift from my niece with beautiful cats on it. I store my crochet hooks in a little plastic case that resembles an eyeglass case.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? I've been knitting for about a year now but not religiously. I enjoy it alot, but it took me quite a while to get a good hang of it. I learned from a friend of mine, the same woman who taught me how to crochet. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I'm still a beginner. There is so much I don't know yet!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes, Amazon

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) I love apple cinnamon, vanilla, pumpkin spice (my favorite), nothing perfumy

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? OMG yes! I love M&M's with almonds & Wintergreen Lifesavers and just about anything with caramel

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I don't spin. I crochet - I learned that before I learned to knit and am better at it, but hope to someday master the art of knitting. I also love making stitch markers and I also create eyeglass & ID badge necklaces, bracelets, etc. with Swarovski Crystals.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I don't have an MP3 Player. I like Evanescence, John Denver, The Beatles, Shakira, and alot of the new rock bands being played on VH1 these days. Quite Eclectic!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Blue, Pink, Red, Yellow, Black, White, almost anything! Any colors you just can't stand? pukey green! lol

10. What is your family situation? I'm married 18 years, no kids. Do you have any pets? I have 18 cats, 2 dogs and one evil rabbit. I've been into cat rescue for many years and (no, my house doesn't smell)!!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear scarves & mittens. Not big on ponchos, but I do have one with sleeves that I like.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Since I'm pretty new, I've been knitting mostly straight things, like wraps, scarves and sweaters that are easy.

13. What are you knitting right now? In the process of finishing a wrap for my sister and a coat for myself. I also have several wraps that I've either just started or have been experimenting with on needle size.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I LOVE handmade things. I love anything creative and like to see what other people come up with.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer straight needles, but of course, you can't always use them for everything. I don't have too many circulars yet. I like the Rosewood ones the best or any of the Lantern Moon woods, but Bamboo would be my next choice.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, I have both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? hahaha wow....about 2 or 3 years old!

18. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving. We go to my sister's house and do a "stupid gift game". You put the gifts in the middle of the table and roll dice for them. When they are all taken, you start stealing from whoever has the package you want. At the end of however many rounds you decide, whatever you have in front of you is yours. We've had gifts of a box with an onion, bottle of mayo, can of tuna & loaf of bread......a plunger......a huge bottle of Listerine......anything silly & stupid and just plain funny. It is so much fun and I look forward to that all year. I think I laugh more when we do this than at anything else.

19. Is there anything that you collect? I collect crosses. I have about 20 on my wall (even necklace sized ones) and cat figurines and old drawings & prints of cats.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? I have not yet tried the Noro Aurora. I love the Cherry Tree Hill Glitter Alpaca (I have two hanks of blue, but haven't had the chance to use them yet) What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? None, I just buy them when I see them.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Yes....everything is new to me!!! I can knit, purl, increase & decrease. I've tried fooling around with new stitches and have fun with that.

22. Are you a sock knitter? Not yet, but hope to be! What are your foot measurements?
Size 9 1/2 so thats 9 1/2 to 10" long by about 3 3/4" wide at the ball of my foot.

23. When is your birthday? 03/07

Its Time...

I finally get it. Don't ever let me forget.

PS. No one did this to me....I did it to myself.

WOW! I haven't posted in a really long time!
Wonder if anyone is even reading this anymore!
Well, too much drama going on in my life and I haven't felt like doing much of anything...posting, knitting, crocheting....pretty much nothing constructive.

I promise to keep this more up to date when I'm feeling better.

Introducing....

Wow, I haven't posted in a long time!
I still don't have my camera back so I can't take any new pictures of works in progress. I will, however let you see a few of my lovely furbabies.

First is one of my dogs, Buzz Saw. He is an American Bulldog. Isn't he just handsome? He is a sweetheart and a great watchdog.

Next is Teddy & Peeps when they were babies. Aren't they just precious???? You should see them now. Teddy is HUGE! He's only 18 months old and he's probably over 20 pounds, but not fat. He is just a really big cat with beautiful, puffy fur. And Peeps, being female is smaller but still has very thick, beautiful fur. She is my bestest buddy, follows me everywhere and absolutely loves when I just get out of the shower. I don't know if its because I'm warm and smell good or what. But she waits for me and begs to be held before I can even comb out my hair.

On the knit & crochet front, I've finished a baby blanket that will be donated to a local hospital. I belong to a crochet guild and that is our project until December. I've started on two more and plan to make several by the time we are to turn them in. I will post pictures as soon as my camera gets back.

I STILL haven't assembled my sweater. I'm just afraid to. It came out so good that I'm afraid that after I put it together I'm going to hate it. Plus it doesn't help that I can't sew my way into a paper bag, so I don't feel confident in that aspect.

I'm still looking for a job too. I've applied to several companies. I applied to six different positions with one of them! I would like to get in there so badly, but I'm not saying which one because I don't want to jinx it. Isn't that silly? But I can't help but think that.

I've also listed a few of the beaded eyeglass/ID lariats that I've made on etsy & ebay. I create the lariats with Swarovski crystal & Czech crystal. They are a piece of jewelry as opposed to just one of your run-of-the-mill lariats. They compliment your outfit. If you're interested, my Seller ID is "feralkkitty". The pictures aren't that great and the lariats look much better in person. I also take special orders.

Ok, enough self-promotion.

Yarn!

I got my newest installment of the "Yarn of the Month" club today. Unfortunately I cannot take any photos because my digital camera is in the shop. But I can at least describe what I got.

First is "Creative Focus Worsted" by Nashua. 75% Wool & 25% Alpaca. The color is a darkish purple/magenta. Its soft with a little haze to it. I can imagine that it would work up beautifully, but might be too fuzzy for felting.

Next is "Delhi" by Queensland Collection. 90% Wool & 10% Nylon. It has a little wave to the texture of the yarn with a black thread going around it. The color is mostly a chocolate brown but variegated with orange, pink, yellow & lime green. Its actually prettier than it sounds. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this one. I'll have to swatch it.

Next on the hit parade is "Soft Tweed" by Karabella. 100% Wool. Again, this yarn has a little wave to it and a little give. Beautiful color of a dark brown/black with flecks of off white/grey & orange/gold. For 100% wool its very soft and seems like it would be comfortable for sweaters.

Last but not least is "Style" by Conjoined Creations. 50% Soy Silk, 50% Wool. Ok...this one I LOVE. Its a variegated yarn with blues & a dark lime green. its 4 sts to an inch on #9 needles. Can't wait to swatch this one. It's so soft and just yummy! The color is called "Love Beads".

I will post pictures as soon as I get my camera back. Stupid thing....I took a picture and shut the camera off, then when I turned it back on again, the lens got stuck and I get a "Zoom Error" message.

I'm hoping to get back to my knitting & crocheting again. I haven't done a blessed thing in weeks. And I totally need to assemble that sweater I knitted. The way the weather has been here, I may need that sweater soon! God I pray for an Indian Summer!!! I'm not ready for it to end!!

Sorry to be such a downer lately, but my life just keeps getting better & better. (sarcastically, of course)

First off, on one pretty good note, my brother in law, who had the jaw surgery ended up having his entire (lower, I think) jaw removed and a steel one replacing it. He had cancer in his bone & lymph nodes. It was something like a 20 hour procedure. No one deserves this. I pray that he continues to recover & improve and can go home soon. He had never smoked or chewed tobacco a day in his life.

On another note. . . . . looks like my marriage is about done with. DH and I had some trouble about a year ago (big trouble) and he thinks I should just forget about it, which I can't. So today he told me that I am "never to mention it, never to ask about his business, never to have nothing at all to do with his business other than ask how his day was" ever again. Harsh huh?
I cried all day. (about the "trouble" I speak of, I'd like to say that it was NONE of my doing...it was all behind my back - and no, as far as I know, not an affair.....maybe-I still don't know what I believe on that part).

Anyway I need to pick myself up, get strong & get a job. He always told me he didn't want me to work, didn't need me to work and even bragged to my family about how he didn't want me to. Today he threw in my face that I quit my job 3 years ago. Why do men do this????

I probably shouldn't air my dirty laundry on my blog, but I just can't help it. I could use some advice or something. I need to vent. I know what I have to do, but my heart is broken. I don't know what brought on his "demanding" things today at all. He's been staying with his father since even before his step-mom passed away, so I wonder if someone is getting his ear or he's just living the "high life" and I'm not good enough any more.

We had an agreement that at the end of the summer, we'd re-evaluate his business and see where it stands. We'd see if we want to get bigger, get smaller or do something else. I guess since he realized it was the end of the summer, he didn't want my input on this conversation. I thought a marriage was a PARTNERSHIP. He apparently doesn't think so. He told me his work life and his home life are two separate entities and I should never ask him again about it.

I cannot continue on this way.

D'ja Ever Notice?

Wow, I know I haven't updated my blog in weeks. There has been so much going on that is not good, I really haven't had the inclination to post. However, I am in quite the philosophical mood tonite, so I will bore/entertain/enlighten/annoy (pick one of your choice) you with the voices in my head. (said tongue in cheek . . . . please don't think I'm schizophrenic)

In contemplating the events of the last few weeks, I've been puzzled by a few things:
Why is it that the people that you positively know disliked or even hated the deceased act like they are mourning the most, so upset, the most compassionate??? (Key word is ACT here)

One word.....GUILT

OR....is it?

In the days after a death, the one who is closest to the deceased is, often times, not thinking too clearly. The above mentioned people will be the ones who come around, scouting things out, just waiting for that "thing" to be given to them. Or in some cases, "everything to be given to them". At times they will offer to clean things up or "take some clutter off your hands". I've even heard someone say they took possessions of the deceased to (and this is an actual quote) "keep the undesirables from getting it". Who deemed these people able to decide if someone is "desirable" or not??

I call this the Politics of Death.

Sometimes, they are outsmarted and get what they deserve, which is nothing to very little.
For instance, one of my family members came by after my father's funeral and asked my mother for something "to remember him by". Knowing full well that this person never came around during my father's illness, let alone didn't come around much at all, my mother, who was onto her game, gave her one of my dad's shirts. I'm not even sure it was one he wore. Apparently this person was hoping for jewelry or some collectible that dad cherished.

Don't get me wrong, its not like I want anything. I realize I may come off as bitter, but that isn't the case. Its just that it never ceases to amaze me to what lengths people will go to "get their share". Even after my dad died, I have never even accepted anything from my mother that was his except for one of his jackets, and that was only because I was at her house and was cold and she told me to take it. It was the one fireman's jacket he wore all the time and it means more to me than any amount of money in the world. The note he wrote me on my 8th grade graduation means more to me than anything else. Yes, it is nice to be remembered but not necessary. I've always felt that the earthly possessions of the deceased belong to the closest family member. What ever they want to do with it is fine, but I always question any rash decisions.

I have a thermometer that was my Grandfather's. Its one of those little houses that the man comes out with the raincoat & umbrella if its cloudy out, and if its sunny, a woman with a pretty dress comes out the other side. Every time I see it, I smile. I remember sitting on the sun porch with my grandpa and him telling me the most comical stories that he made up, with that thermometer hanging on the wall above us. These are the things that are precious.

Its just that watching the hypocrisy is so infuriating. This is not one single event, but over my lifetime, I've seen it too much. I've even heard people talking about what they want and/or will get when someone dies (who isn't even close to death). I've also heard things like "that bitch isn't getting anything" and "when so & so dies, we'll be millionaires" and so on. And often-times, if not all the time, the actual bereaved person is totally clueless, either because they don't see it, or don't want to see it.

Sorry for the long post. I'm ranting and in a mood. I'd love to hear if anyone out there has the same thoughts & feelings or whatever.

A "So-Long for now", not really a "Goodbye"

I just re-read my post from yesterday and decided that I had done a very poor job. My thoughts & sentences ramble on and repeat themselves. Guess after a wake and at 1 am, my thoughts were racing. So I apologize to anyone who has read it and had to scratch their heads to wonder what the heck I was talking about.

Today was the funeral for my husband's step-mom. I think today was the first day that it really hit me. I hadn't cried since I found out, but just kind of felt sick. But today, as we were walking past the casket one final time, I just fell apart. And in the church I couldn't stop crying. The sermon was lovely and very touching. Then it happened......well, let me explain something first to anyone who isn't catholic. In the catholic mass, you sit, stand & kneel. The pews have fold down kneelers with pads that are attached to the back of the pew in front of you that your row can kneel on. Normally, you leave the kneeler up until you need it so there is foot-room. So it comes time to kneel. My husband puts the kneeler down and kneels on it, like any good catholic should do. However.....he put it right on my foot....and knelt on it!!! I was trying to be quiet yet couldn't say anything because the pain was so bad. Finally I got out an "you've got it on my foot" through my teeth and hubby didn't understand me!!!! I had to say it two more times before he realized why I was still standing up. Thank goodness he was the only one who knelt down on it, otherwise I think I would have lost a good portion of my foot. Okay, okay....at least a good bruise. But it still hurt!

Anyway....it was a very sad day. And I also picked up Gregory Peckory's ashes from the vet. I really hope that this is the end of anyone or anything getting sick or dying in a LONG, LONG TIME. It's been way too much.

Rest In Peace, Rosemarie. You are loved.

Sad Day

I know I haven't posted in a while. My husband's step-mom passed away this past Monday night. She died peacefully in the hospital. Unfortunately, my husband and father-in-law were on the way to the hospital at the time and didn't get there until after she had passed. However, I truly believe that when a person dies, its the way it is supposed to be. Maybe not horrible accidents and such, but I mean when someone is sick for a long time. Sometimes it seems like the person waits for a certain person to visit. So I think she didn't want the men present when she died. It may sound silly, but to me it makes sense. Its hard to explain. When my dad died, he seemed to wait until the people who were closest to him were in the room. It was really weird because I have a huge family and the only ones there were the ones he felt took care of him. And I truly believe that he waited especially for my husband, who stayed in the hospital with him every night. He was trying to ask me something that day, but he couldn't talk and in retrospect, I think he was asking me where Chuck was. But I digress....

We had the wake today and the funeral mass & burial is tomorrow morning. Even though she was still on chemo for her cancer (diagnosed about 3 years ago) I never in a million years thought this would happen. Of course, when she got so bad in the hospital this time, I kind of expected it, but before that.....no way. And she was a fighter. She fought till the end. I have a lot of respect for the woman. She had been through so much, yet she still worried about her family and volunteered at a battered women's shelter, all while working full time through it all.

Wakes are a curiosity, aren't they? As one of my friends so bluntly put it, its a bunch of people carrying on different conversations that have nothing to do with why you are there, and there just happens to be a corpse in the room. Harsh, I know. But true. When I go to the "great beyond" I want one of several things and I will leave that up to my family. One....garbage bag in the trash....no worries. Two....prop me up with a martini in one hand and Dean Martin playing in the background. Three....(and this one is the most logical)....John Denver music playing throughout the service....no casket...just a memorial service but more of a celebration. A party. Either celebrate my life or celebrate that I'm gone. I won't care. Just have a good time.

My sister told me she saw an obituary in the paper today that at the end said something like:
"In lieu of flowers, please have a stiff drink and toast John X"
Isn't that just fabulous??? I asked her if she had that drink and she thought about it and said, "you know....I should". We have no idea who Mr. John X was, but hey, we're all for celebrating someone's life.

Well, tomorrow is an early morning for me. I usually don't do well in the mornings but I'll have to leave the house by 7:30 am to make it on time. With rush hour traffic, it'll take me probably an hour to get to the funeral home. My husband is staying with his dad. Dad has kept it together so far, and I just worry about him. He's going to be lost without her. But I know that he knows that Ro would want him to carry on and be strong. It's going to be hard though. When my dad died 4 years ago, I took it very hard and still can't get over it. And my mom.....well, they were married almost 60 years so you can imagine, she still can't believe that he's gone. They started dating when they were 13 years old! Life is so hard sometimes.

The Five Bears

Today I was driving home from a friend's house and saw a mama bear and her four cubs crossing the road in front of me. I never saw a bear with that many cubs before!! I pulled over to take this picture and by the time I figured out how to work my camera phone (its fairly new), they were pretty far away. The other cubs had ducked into one of the big evergreen trees. This is them walking into a church parking lot. Even though I see bears often, I still am amazed every time. They are so beautiful. I won't get into the bear hunt controversy here, but I think if people were more educated about them, there would be less of a problem....IMHO. Anyway, aren't they just stunning?

When I rescued Gregory & family

This is how I found Gregory, Serena, Joely & Mama Kitty (who is not in the picture). Gregory is the one in the back. They were about 5 weeks old, but when I found them I thought they were 2 weeks old. They were malnutritioned so they were alot smaller than they should have been.

I owned a pet sitting service for 7 years, ending about 6 years ago. I still have two clients, but at the time I had over 120 clients. This one client, thought I won't go into details, had plans for these kittens.....to sell them to a testing lab. (I have to admit, I did alot of snooping to find this out - its a long story).

So I called a friend of mine who is an Animal Control Officer. He looked up every statute to make sure I could take these kittens out of the yard I found them in without repercussions. Since the homeowners never told me they were living in the backyard, they were officially strays so I had every right to take them. Funny thing....the homeowners NEVER asked me about them...if I had seen them, etc. They didn't care one bit.

This picture shows (clockwise starting at top left): Mizzy (the Maine Coon), Gregory, Serena, Joely and Toby (the white cat). They were only a few months old here. I have to look for a more recent picture of Gregory. But here you can see what beautiful markings he had.

Toby is now gone too. He passed away last year of complications of diabetes. He was around 15 years old.