434: Bliss has been crocheting for charity.

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Yep, that's what I've been doing for the past month or so.

It's been fun as well as a learning experience for me.

I've been crocheting for over 30 years and for most of that time, I've had an aversion to reading patterns. I'm not sure why.

Many many years ago, I made a cardigan for a baby cousin. I don't recall any problems reading the pattern and the cardigan looked like a cardigan when I was done.

But since then, I believe I've only made things I haven't needed patterns for.

Until now.

I don't remember how I came across Save the Children's "Knit One, Save One" campaign. After I read all the details, I decided I was gonna dive in and make some tiny little baby hats.

Although I was told that I made a hat for the same baby who got the cardigan all those years ago, I don't remember making one.

My first hat was flat panel that I stitched together and gathered at the crown. The idea of crocheting a circle was scary. I don't know why

But it was a pain doing it that way and I wasn't very happy with the way it turned out. So I made the remainder of the hats following the pattern for the round hats.

I completed nine (9) baby hats and a friend from one of my needlework groups gave me four (4) that she'd knitted a while ago.

The hats had to arrive by December 31. With the Christmas holiday falling in there, I thought I should mail them out at least two weeks early.

Well that didn't happen.

I got them over to FedEx on December 23.

Now I'm making scarves for the 2009 Special Olympics Winter Games. I'm almost done with my first one. I have enough yarn left for at least two more, maybe three. I'm doing a simple long panel, single crochet in the back loop only, to produce a stretchier item.

The scarves are due by January 15. Hopefully, I'll be mailing them no later than January 9 (a Friday).

I am so thankful to have the time, materials, skill, and motivation to work on projects for charity.

So many people have helped me in my life... I'm grateful for the opportunity to give back.

Amen.


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433: Busy Bliss

A sista has been so busy that blogging has just fallen by the wayside for a bit.

One of my cousins dragged me back to Facebook and I've been hanging out there for a while. lol

I've also been hanging out on Ravelry.com, which I joined at the suggestion of a few members of one of the needlework groups I belong to. (Which now number three.)

Of course we were busy getting ready for Christmas. I haven't celebrated by giving gifts in a while but this year I decided to change that.

God is always helpful and it was evident on December 16 when I logged onto Walmart.com for a little browsing.

The clearance section had a ton of stuff for $5 or less. I could not believe my eyes. So I ordered a bunch of stuff that I decided to give as Christmas gifts to my family and myself.

Now, I've been know to take the occasional side trip into the Land of Expensive Things I Want But Don't Need. However, I am truly Frugal and Practical in my heart of hearts.

Consequently, I didn't buy anything frivolous.

Yes, I know children don't want undies, socks, pants, backpacks, and tee shirts. But those are all the things I bought for Baby Bliss. I also bought her toiletries from the $1 section at Target.

Mr. Bliss got a nice shirt, toiletries and a backpack. He didn't need anything else.

For myself, I got undies, tee shirts, a backpack, and a pair of shoes.

Other family gifts were soft and warm socks. They came in lots of two pair for $4. I bought red, black, dark brown, heather blue and heather gray. Some came with one long pair and one bootie-style pair. I split all the pairs up, put each pair in gallon plastic zip bags, and tossed them all in a big bag.

I also bought two educational games from Amazon.com, Blokus and Bananagrams.

Mr. Bliss and I had played both at church one Family Game Night and agreed we wanted to get them for home.

Since she pestered us to no end, we let Baby Bliss open one gift on Christmas Eve. And since I told her Blokus was the only gift in the house and she couldn't prove otherwise, that's the one she opened. (I lied. The Nintendo DS that came from her dad and stepmom was here but I wanted her to save that for Christmas day.)

We played several games of Blokus that night before Christmas.

Mr. Bliss woke me up on Christmas Day as he was sneaking out to his truck at 5 a.m. to retrieve our gifts. I got my favorite candy, a cookbook, a stuffed animal, and my all-time favorite gift to receive for any occasion, cash. :o)

Baby Bliss's gifts from him were the same but different.

Later, the three of us went to Grandma's, where the two Bliss opened their gifts.

Dinner was at an auntie's house, breaking from the "dinner at grandma's" tradition that has been in existence at least since my birth.

And there was no turkey either. No complaints from me. I'm sure grandma loved it too as she's always the turkey cook and we'd had one for Thanksgiving.

The socks I bought as gifts were only for the ladies in the family. Each person was supposed to pick a pair of socks from the bag and feel free to trade them if they wanted.

If my aunt's daughter had come with her two girls, each person would have gotten one pair with two pairs left over. They didn't show so everyone should have ended up with two pair.

I think each of my two aunties took two pair and I know Baby Bliss and I only took one pair each. If grandma had taken her two pair, that would still have left an additional two pair to be had. Grandma ended up with the original bag at the end of the evening so I assume she has the two extras.

Saturday, Mr. Bliss came home with a game thingie for Baby Bliss's DS. It wasn't the game she'd been trying to con out of me but she likes the thingie well enough. Apparently it has over 40 games on it and she's found some favorites already.

I sure hope it keeps her busy with that DS because I don't intend to buy any games, accessories, or batteries for it. Ever.


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432: Time Keeps on Slippin'...

One of my favorite songs is "Fly Like an Eagle".

The version by the Steve Miller Band was my favorite as a young girl. Today I love Seal's version as well.

I don't know why I liked the song back in the 70s. But learning the lyrics all these years later has given me a real understanding of how I relate to the song.

First, it's timeless. The requests -- or demands, depending on how you see it -- made in the song are eternal. Or seem to be. I'm guessing that babies have been hungry, children have been shoeless, and people have been homeless in every era known to human kind. And people have been asking for (or demanding) remedies to those ills since the conditions have existed.

Secondly, it inspires me to action. I can't save the whole world but I know what I can do to help and I do my small part as often as I can.

Lastly, the song also inspires me to transcend my current physical body for what lies beyond. It reminds me of dreams of flying and of emotions I can't explain in words.

431: How Well Do You Wear Your Genes?

(my soundtrack: "Sunshine on My Shoulders" by John Denver)


Mr. Bliss wears his exceptionally well and I'm jealous.

Not that I would ever think of dying my gray hair, but it gets me kinda pissy that he was seven years old when I was born and his gray hair is almost invisible. Mine seems to sprout in the wee hours, while I'm doing laundry or blogging.

He also looks really young, that Mr. Bliss. He's welcoming 50 with open arms but his face could be mistaken for late 30s. No joke.

I saw a picture of him taken when he was 25. He looked 15. Seriously.

So I know his momma dyes her hair. But she still has a lot of it at 70+. (And everyone already knows she's best friends with Miss Clairol so I'm not revealing any secrets.)

When Father-in-law Bliss died at 74, he had a head full of thick silky strands of silver with a whole lot of coal black still visible. And he didn't look a minute older than 60 or so.

Now I'm not hating cuz my family has young-ish genes too. But Mr. Bliss inherited the Fountain of Youth genes.

Lucky him. *snarl*


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430: A night of Bliss with Maxwell.

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Well y'all, Friday, November 14 was my special night out.

I went to Greensboro to attend the concert of one of my favorite artists, Maxwell.

The show was won-der-ful!

Maxwell sounded a little hoarse but that didn't stop him from bringing the house down.

It had been quite a while since I'd had the pleasure of seeing him in concert, and like his other fans I had been missing him something awful.

We had relocated since I last saw him; several times over the past few years I've wondered if he would ever perform in our new town.

When I found out he had a show planned for November 14 in Greensboro I was torn. On the one hand, I was willing to drive up to 100 miles to hear Maxwell sing. On the other hand, I was wishing he was coming here and concerned that I would make a 75-mile drive to sit in a crappy seat.

In my home town, his tickets would sell out in a few hours. For several shows.

Miraculously, even though I wasn't even aware of his tour until four hours after tickets went on sale for my show, I was able to get an up-close seat.

Thus began a month of escalating excitement and frenzy.

As soon as I bought my ticket I began thinking about what I would wear. I had a general idea because I like to wear black for nighttime outings. Most of my anxiety came with trying to decide on my accessories.

I knew I was gonna make my jewelry but I couldn't decide on the color(s) or style(s). So I made several sets.

The week of the show I decided I wanted to wear real make up. So I got a make-over at Kohl's but didn't like it when I got home. I ended up going to the mall the day before the show to get a M.A.C. make-over at Belk. It was absolutely fabulous. My makeup artiste (a woman named Carol) knows her stuff!

(Turns out that she was supposed to go to the concert too but she couldn't coordinate her work schedule well enough so she decided to pass. I'm hoping she goes to his next show. Maybe we can ride together.)

I also got my skirt back from the seamstress the night before the show. She is another miracle worker. I don't know how she measures but she pulled out the tape, got behind me for a half a minute, then put the tape away.

Then I saw her write down three (3) numbers which of course I thought wasn't enough information.

Well maybe it was or maybe she has a great memory because the skirt fit perfectly.

When I went for my "fitting" (the night before the show) I only had to try it on wearing my shoes so M'lady could cut and serge the hem.

Amazing.

(Also amazing was the price she charged me. It was wayyyyy less than what I thought the skirt was worth. When I protested, she said it only took her about an hour. Okay but I was looking at the quality of her work in its totality. I gave her a little extra but I still thought she didn't charge enough for her work.)

Now back to the Pre-Party Pandemonium...

The day of the show was mega hectic around here.

Mr. Bliss and I didn't want to get caught in the rush hour traffic (it usually starts around 2 p.m.) so we set 1 p.m. as our departure time.

As usual, I was trying to race the clock.

By 11 a.m., I had everything gathered but nothing packed. I also needed to:

1. get my grandma.
2. get a shower.
3. get dressed for the road.
4. make sure I had my ticket, the directions to our hotel from home and from our hotel to the venue. I didn't; I had to get online again to print them all.
5. I also needed to make a bank run.

Although we left later than planned, my timing is getting better! We were out of here before 1:45.

Traffic was very light, thankfully. Otherwise I might have seen it as a bad omen and been panicky for the whole ride.

Despite the fact that Mr. Bliss wasn't attending the concert, he happily drove the 1.5 hours up to Greensboro. He knows how much I love Maxwell's music!

Not that I needed anything more to hype me up but we listened to Maxwell's CDs for the whole ride.

As many adventures as I've had in my life, this was my first time traveling out of town for a concert. I was happy to make the drive with my hubby but it would have been awesome if I had gone with a group of Maxwell fans.

There was no time for me to rest at the hotel. I had a lot to do before the show and only a few hours to do it in.

Several things involved crocheting and those were the most time-consuming.

I also had to:

1. polish my toe- and fingernails.
2. eat.
3. figure out how to wear a waist-hugging slip under a hip-hugging skirt.
4. write a thank-you letter to Maxwell.
5. get a shower.
6. remove a gazillion straws from my hair.
7. put on my makeup.
8. get dressed.

Right when it looked like I had some time to relax, I was once again racing the clock.

Thank you God/Goddess/Universe for the inimitable Mr. Bliss. He helped me get dressed and with my hair.

The end result:


A little after 8 p.m., we were about to walk out. Then I looked at myself in the mirror and began to hyperventilate. I knew I had everything but I felt like I was forgetting something.

All the way to the venue (a ten minute drive) I felt teary-eyed. I knew I'd better keep those tears in check though. No runny mascara or tear-streaked foundation for this concert cutie!

The opening act (sorry I can't remember her name) was good. She was very upbeat, had a good voice, and seemed to love what she was doing. Though I had never heard of her or heard her music before, she had me bobbing and nodding along to the beat.

Finally she was done. I felt the tension grow thick. Just like me, everyone was waiting on The Main Attraction.

Lucky me, my southern can was planted in the third row. There was a guy to my right and two ladies sitting to my left. The guy was pretty quiet. Initially I thought he was there with the lady to his right. As the night went on I wasn't so sure.

The two ladies to my left were true fans. We talked while the stagehands changed the set.

Then the lights went out and the screaming began.

Lights shone on the curtains.

The screams got louder. I felt folk straining in their chairs.

The curtains opened and I thought the hall was trembling around me as the screams grew even louder.

The band was revealed and the screams threatened to tear down the walls.

Then Maxwell came out and the screams rose to a crescendo. 

People got up out of their seats and it was on!

I was on my feet and screaming along with the crowd, overjoyed to finally get another in-person listen to the man whose music has stirred my soul for so many years.

I was so excited that now I can't even remember what song he sang first.

My first thought upon seeing him was that he looked so different to me with his new, less-is-more hair. I thought I wouldn't like it but change is good.

He and his band were dressed to the nines, in suits and ties. LaTina (his only female background vocalist) looked beautiful in a peach satin-y gown with an empire bodice.

The two young ladies to my left were just as ecstatic as I was to be at the show. One said it was her first Maxwell show. I was excited at her excitement.

The way Maxwell engages his audience is something to see.

I watched the crowd to observe their reactions to him but for sure, I got my party on.

It looked like folk were having the time of their lives and that increased my joy exponentially. I love to see people enjoy themselves and that night was no exception.

Maxwell, thank you for Greensboro. I can't live without my music and your sexy soul crooning is a part of my life!

Seeing you live and meeting a few new friends (I hope) has been the best night out I've had this year.

I'm thankful.

Amen.

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429: Counting down to my special night out.

Hey y'all.

I've managed to do half the things on my most recent to-do list. Actually I did three things on the list. Mr. Bliss got a ride home from work. After he got all cleaned up, we all watched telly for a while. Then I got dressed so we could get outta here.

Our first stop was the library. We all went in. I dropped my returns then sashayed over to the "holds" section for my reserved items. Baby and Mr. Bliss went to look for movies. They didn't find anything  but I already had three movies waiting for me.

We headed north so I could drop them at the mall to wait for me whilst I waited to have my skirt hemmed. I thought I would also need to get the waist fitted or something but I didn't. The woman who made my skirt is a top-notch seamstress and the answer to my prayers.

The skirt is a perfect fit, not too loose and not too tight. I was amazed. She also fixed the waist of a pair of jeans I couldn't wear comfortably even with a belt. Mr. Bliss and I both looked hard but neither of us could see where she did the fix. Incredible.

I gave her another pair of jeans and a skirt to fix for me. Of course I wish I had met her umpteen years ago but I am more than thankful to know her now.

We had quite a bit of time to talk while I was there. She and I have many similarities in our lives. I left feeling like we had bonded which is good. Our daughters are friends and I would welcome a new friend as well.

The mall is a hop and a skip from the Seamstress's house. I was there to get the Blisses in probably three minutes. We went to dinner at our favorite -- my favorite, any way -- restaurant across the street from the mall.

After dinner we drove up to Super WalMart. I don't know why it takes us so long to get out of that place. I think it was an hour this time.

The parking lots near our building were all full when we got home so I had to park across the way. I prefer not to park on that side because we have to cross in-and-out traffic to get to and from the car. With the way folk around here drive, it can be a perilous endeavor.

Such is the faux pas of returning home after dark.

We all carried bags in but funny how I was (and usually am) the only one who thought they needed to be unpacked before I ran off to do Other Things.

Half an hour after we got in, I see most of the bags still on the floor by the front door, where they dropped them. Two tins of biscuits and four quarters of butter were still sitting in a bag when they should have been in the fridge.

*sigh*

As if I didn't have enough to do already.

Now those other Blisses are sound asleep. And I'm still up, doing laundry and trying to figure out whether or not I'll have time to finish a few things tonight before my big outing.


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428: I should be dancing.

I have so much to do today that I literally don't know where to start.

Obviously some of it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Here's what I'm aiming for:

1. More clean-up needed in here!
   
2. Trader Joe's - need to get food, palm oil, and make contact with the field trip guy
3. Get Mr. Bliss from work.
4. Library - return and pick up items.
5. CVS or Walgreen's - nail polish remover, toilet paper
   
6. Final fitting for my skirt.
7. Wash and set my hair.
8. Work on gift for Friday night.

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427: Chill time.

Hey y'all.

Last week I went to the Mindfulness Sangha at a local church. It was a good stress reliever. I wanted to go this week too but Mr. Bliss worked late and I didn't want to take Baby Bliss with me.

She's been to daimoku tozos and yoga classes with me but there was always something to keep the children occupied at those events. She did ask to go with me to the sangha but I didn't think she would last for an hour of silent meditation. I also didn't think there would be any other children there and I was right.

My friend N___ has a son who is good friends with Baby Bliss. N___ came to meditation too last week. But her son stayed home with N___'s significant other.

N___ and I talked about this week's meditation the night of, both saying we wanted to go and disappointed that neither of us could.

There's always next week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Mr. Bliss will be home on time.

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426: Oh dear.

Poor Mr. Bliss.

I guess he was so eager to get home from work to see his loving wife (that would be me) that he didn't see the deer running full speed towards the right side of his truck.

Thank God for good ole Detroit steel. If Mr. Bliss had been driving a newer model truck (his dates back to the early 70s) I might be visiting him at the hospital instead of sitting here typing.

But now I have to take him to work tomorrow morning. In the rain... And rush hour traffic. Good that he works less than 10 miles from home.

On another note, I was reading RuPaul's "Lettin It All Hang Out" last night. I've always admired Ru's fashion sense, especially the Flawless Face she always presents us with. For years my dream has been to have Ru do my make up.

Well that day may never come but the beauty tips I found in the first chapter have given me hope that I too may one day achieve Drag Queen Glamour. But it won't be cheap because RuPaul swears by M.A.C. and I know what that kinda looking cute costs.


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425: How about that Barack Obama?

Hey y'all.

No, I'm not rubbing it in for those who supported/voted for the other folk.

I'm just celebrating.

Yes, still.

Sunday at church, I witnessed moving testaments from people who were overwhelmed by emotion as they expressed their relief and gratitude at the election results. All of them were white. (I've only seen four or five people of color in the whole congregation and we are two of them.)

Yet I'm not sure how many white people truly understand how Barack Obama's election has affected the global community of non-white people, specifically African-Americans. Not that the election was about race for me -- my own family is a huge melting pot of shades/races/cultures/languages -- but I know it was for many people.

However, the fact that Barack Obama was elected to the highest office in our nation -- and the ugly controversy it has sparked in many of the small-town minds who live around me -- speaks volumes about our nation as a collective group as well as the people individually.

For centuries we people of color have lived with white presidents as our leaders. Why will it be so difficult for some to be American citizens under the presidential dictates of a man of color?

Does it go all the way back to the primal fear of the "black men have giant penises" myth?

I wonder...

Any way, try to carry on folks. I know this is a really scary time for some. This might the time to learn meditation and other relaxation techniques.

But I promise you it won't be as bad as you think. After all, our president-elect was educated at Harvard, one of the whitest bastions of educational aspiration. So take a deep breath and let it goooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

While you're sitting back chilling, maybe have a good listen to some old Stevie Wonder tunes. I hear he's Mr. and Mrs. Obama's favorite musician.

And you know, if you still can't quite get with the program, here's a great idea for a peaceful protest. When President Obama sends out that second wave of stimulus checks, write something plucky on yours and send it right back!

That'll show 'em how you really feel.


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424: "His eye is on the sparrow..."

Hey y'all.

Three days later, I am still crying with joy and amazement.

The awe that fills my heart may never subside. For me, an African-American woman, to be living in the United States of America knowing that we have elected a man of color as our next president is so overwhelming that I can hardly put my feelings into words.

There are many who are saying that Barack Obama is the fulfillment of legacies, prophecies, Biblical promises, and more.

Who knows?

For some, it's their truth.

My truth is that the world is changing and I am so thankful that I lived to see the day.

Mr. Bliss and I have been talking to many people since that historic night. There is a lot of pride in the Black community and even among Whites who supported Obama's candidacy.

However, even in our own families, there were nay-sayers and McCain supporters.

*shrug*

To each his/her own...

For those of you out there who feel that you want to get more in touch with what this means to African-Americans, I'm here to help.

You can start by learning the "Black" National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing". Because really, it is a song about hope for all and I think Obama's election is our beacon.

And while you're there, check out the other "Negro Spirituals". You might find that you already know some of these songs.

Barack, mazel tov!


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423: For those who have passed on.

For all my glee and elation at Barack Obama's historic election as president of the United States, I am a little sad as well.

There are some who have passed on who I wish were alive to see this day. But if there be angels, I know they are smiling down on us today.

Number one on my list: Big G, my paternal grandmother.

Others who aren't here in the flesh (but I hope they're watching and shouting!):

1. Barack Obama's grandmother,
   
2. the wives of our slain civil rights leaders: Miss Coretta, Miss Betty (Shabazz),
3. our beloved Rosa Parks
   
4. our funny man, Bernie Mac
5. our hardest working entertainer, James Brown.
6. our senior sexy soul singer, Isaac Hayes
7. countless others who would have been ecstatic to see this day.

Amen.

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422: America has spoken!

Dear President-elect Obama,

America has spoken.

You are in the House!

We are grateful.

Amen.

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421: What do you really know about the Electoral College?

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hey y'all.

after a spirited conversation with a relative, i came across some very interesting information that led me to wonder what most people really know about the electoral college.

for instance, do you know how the electoral college came to be and why it still exists?

click here to learn the answers to these and other pertinent questions.

were you aware that there is no Constitutional provision or Federal law that requires electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their States?

go here to find out more about this thought-provoking tidbit.


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420: putting on my boogie shoes

getting ready to boogie outta here again...

i'm making tracks to do:

1. doc's ofc - get forms for mr. bliss to fill out
2. call K. S. re making a skirt for me
   
3. library - return, pick up, hang for a while, thank you card - library photog
4. WalMart -look for energy efficient heater, rechargeable batteries, soap dish,
   
5. post office
   
6. check for G.S. badge stuff and make list; submit to K___ by Oct. 31!
7. find paperwork to compare ins. plans for possible switch - due immediately!
   
8. check ins. co's website for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
9. remind mr. bliss to call doc's office re his appt.
10. add auto appt to my calendar
    
11. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
12. check out blurb.com
13. scan and print crochet patterns
14. feed my NeoPet
15. work on kitty's basket
16. start basket for S's kitty
17. work on baskets for K's baby
18. work on new bracelet designs
19. continue working on wrap for the show
20. baby bliss still needs to clean her room... God help us...
21. my office... *sigh*
22. 
    
23. 
    
24. sign us up for wellness stuff
25. 
    
26. add G.S. stuff to all calendars

next week:

1. $$ store - dry goods for G.S. celebration (utensils, small plates, cups, napkins)
   
2. 
   

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419: getting ready to run outta here!

for today:

1. Trader Joe's - get stuff for home schoolers fall party (cups, children's bars, water)
2. $$ store - dry goods for G.S. celebration (utensils, small plates, cups, napkins); 8 x 10 photo frame for Baby Bliss
3. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. - park @ home schoolers fall party
4. Sam's - get salsa and chips for church Halloween party, look for energy efficient heater
5. home - gather other stuff for the party
   
6. 6:30 p.m. - party @ the church
7. post office
   
8. check ins. co's website for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
9. remind mr. bliss to call doc's office re his appt.
10. add auto appt to my calendar
    
11. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
12. write thank you card - library photog (take tomorrow)
13. switch baby bliss's recurring monthly expenses to her account
14. compare ins. plans for possible switch
15. sign us up for wellness stuff
16. G.S. stuff - check for badge stuff (lists, forms)
17. add G.S. stuff to all calendars
18. check out blurb.com
19. scan and print crochet patterns
20. copy baby bliss's blank worksheets
21. feed my NeoPet
22. work on kitty's basket
23. start basket for S's kitty
24. work on baskets for K's baby
25. work on new bracelet designs
26. continue working on wrap for the show
27. baby bliss still needs to clean her room... God help us...
28. my office... *sigh*

i'm outta here!

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418: getting it done

what's on for today:
(some of it has already been done. thank you Spirit!)

1. call dealership re lost coupon for free brake check
   
2. make a doc appt for mr. bliss
   
3. URGENT - take grandma a phone
   
4. post office
5. call ins. co. for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
6. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
7. write thank you card - library photog
8. switch baby bliss's recurring monthly expenses to her account
9. compare ins. plans for possible switch
10. sign us up for wellness stuff
    
11. G.S. stuff - check for badge stuff (lists, forms)
12. add G.S. stuff to all calendars
    
13. check out blurb.com
14. scan and print crochet patterns
15. copy baby bliss's blank worksheets
    
16. feed my NeoPet
17. work on kitty's basket
18. start basket for S's kitty
    
19. work on baskets for K's baby
20. work on new bracelet designs
21. continue working on wrap for the show
22. baby bliss still needs to clean her room... God help us...
    
23. my office... *sigh*
    

tomorrow:

1. $$ store - get stuff for Oct. 29 home schooler's fall party (cups, children's bars, water); dry goods for G.S. celebration (utensils, small plates, cups, napkins); 8 x 10 photo frame for Baby Bliss
   
2. 
   

417: for tomorrow.

okay so i got some stuff mixed up for friday's list.

one reason i'm not a "joiner" is because i don't like being on other people's time. but this school year, i thought baby bliss and i could both benefit from being part of a home schooling group. and we have.

but it's also brought some confusion in the form of Events.

i'm glad we found a group for fun and excitement as well as more opportunities for learning and sharing.

how evva, we also joined girl scouts as part of our home schooling group stuff. it's not that i'm trying to do every event or even many of them. the problem is trying to remember which things are home schooling group only and which are girl scouts only.

sigh.

i know me and i know baby bliss. this will either get old by the time the school year ends and we'll take a break for summer. or this will get old by the time the school year ends and we will have had enough by the time next school year rolls around.

i'm hoping the summer break will be enough. i like it that baby bliss has something scheduled to do at least one day of every week. and i've met some cool moms in the group.

actually, the home schooling group events aren't as many as the girl scout events. not that we have to participate in all of those either but i want baby bliss to at least do the ones that involve other troops. i want her to meet at least one person who she can really bond with. that has been an issue with her for as long as i can remember.

i honestly try not to judge people cuz from my own life, i know things are not always how they appear to those looking in. still, there are just certain people/places/things that i don't want baby bliss around.

not that i intend to shelter her. i have seen first-hand how that often turns out to be the very wrong idea. and my momma didn't shelter me. i was allowed to hang out with the cousins who lived in the projects, attend parties with my friends, do sleep overs, etc.

but the world we live in now seems a whole lot different. not to say there were no pedophiles and other nuts hanging about when i was coming up. we just didn't hear about them every day on the news.

and there was no internet so we had no clue what nastiness could have been going on across the street -- and definitely not around the country or the world. now we hear about every raunchy priest, rancid gym coach, randy dad of a best friend. it's upsetting, to say the least. but it's also a reminder to me that as a momma, i cannot be too careful. a thing once done cannot be undone.

any way, i got all off track. this was supposed to be today's to-do list.

and so it is.

1. baby bliss still needs to clean her room!
2. my office looks like several Acts of God have swept through. clean it or lien it!
3. grandma wants to go to Sam's (we both need baking soda)
4. library - return High School Musical 2!
   
5. post office
6. switch baby bliss's recurring monthly expenses to her account
7. compare ins. plans for possible switch
8. sign us up for wellness stuff
   
9. G.S. stuff - check for badge stuff (lists, forms)
10. add G.S. stuff to all calendars
    
11. check out blurb.com
12. scan and print crochet patterns
13. copy baby bliss's blank worksheets
    
14. feed my NeoPet
15. work on kitty's basket
16. start basket for S's kitty
    
17. work on baskets for K's baby
18. work on new bracelet designs
19. continue working on wrap for the show

next week:

1. $$ store - get stuff for Oct. 29 home schooler's fall party (cups, children's bars, water); dry goods for G.S. celebration (utensils, small plates, cups, napkins); 8 x 10 photo frame for Baby Bliss
   
2. call dealership re lost coupon for free brake check
3. call ins. co. for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
4. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
5. write thank you card - library photog

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416: today's list of stuff

i'll be doing most of this today i guess...

1. baby bliss needs to clean her room! (what else is new?!)
2. need to clean my office! (tee hee)
   
3. bank run!
   
4. take grandma to Wally World: need yarn for Spec. Olympics scarf (Red Heart Super Saver, 1 skein each #885 Delft Blue, #311 White)
   
5. post office
6. switch baby bliss's recurring monthly expenses to her account
7. compare ins. plans for possible switch
8. sign us up for wellness stuff
   
9. G.S. stuff - check for badge stuff (lists, forms)
10. add G.S. stuff to all calendars
    
11. check out blurb.com
12. find bread recipe on Simple Dollar
13. scan and print crochet patterns
14. copy baby bliss's blank worksheets
    
15. feed my NeoPet
16. work on kitty's basket
17. start basket for S's kitty
    
18. work on baskets for K's baby
19. work on new bracelet designs
20. continue working on wrap for the show

next week:

1. $$ store - get dry goods for Nov. 5 home schooler's fall party (utensils, small plates, cups, napkins); 8 x 10 photo frame for Baby Bliss
   
2. call dealership re lost coupon for free brake check
3. call ins. co. for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
4. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
5. write thank you card - library photog

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415: what's doing for today

hey y'all.

i'm about to take a nap for a few hours. i'm waiting for mr. bliss to get up so i can make sure he takes care of something Very Important before he leaves for work.

i could have gone to bed and gotten up with him but i didn't. i think i'll start doing that though.

any way, as usual, i have a laundry list of to-do for today. thankfully all the real laundry i intend to do was finished about an hour ago.

today's list:

1. get some sleep!
   
2. baby bliss needs to clean her room!
3. call dealership re lost coupon for free brake check
4. call ins. co. for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
5. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
6. Sam's - get photos printed from CD
   
7. 1 p.m. - doc appt (me)
8. write thank you card - library photog
9. library - return, pick up, drop off thank you card
10. e-mail A___
11. post office
12. drop picture hooks at grandma's
    
13. switch baby bliss's recurring monthly expenses to her account
14. feed my NeoPet
15. work on kitty's basket
16. start basket for S's kitty
    
17. work on baskets for K's baby
18. work on new bracelet designs
19. continue working on wrap for the show

Wednesday:

1. Park Day
   
2. WalMart - switch plate for baby bliss's room, bread, find more yarn
   
3. girl scout's store - baby bliss needs her stuff!
4. healthy foods store: coconut oil, sesame oil, sea salt
   
5. edit shorts for subs: TMB, GNO, the other one (?)
6. where are my silver hoops, 2 Smart 4 U ring???

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414: new earrings

i made another set of earrings recently.

they were easier to make than most of my earrings, as the beads were already wire wrapped. i added the split rings and the ear wires.

et voila!

413: new bracelet (and matching earrings)

hey y'all.

here is one of the new bracelets i made.

baby bliss saw it when she came back from vacation and has claimed it for herself...





















these are the matching earrings:

if i want to wear this with my outfit for the show, i'll have to make another bracelet. the only reason i let baby bliss confiscate this one is because it's too small for me. i did start another but i'm in the middle of several other projects so it's not done yet.


addendum: i forgot to mention that these pieces are were created using recycled materials.

the bracelet is ribbon yarn with a cardboard core. the earrings are ribbon yarn crocheted over the plastic rings from 64 oz. juice bottles.

412: coming soon - jewelry photos

hey y'all.

this is a reminder for me, so i won't forget to do this. ;o)

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411: today's to-do list

hey y'all.

lawd, if my to-do list ain't a long one, i must not be breathing!

today's list (not necessarily in order of importance):

1. girl scout's store - baby bliss needs her stuff!
2. healthy foods store: coconut oil, eucalyptus oil (2), sesame oil,
3. a movie - maybe
   
4. switch baby bliss's recurring monthly expenses to her account
5. check balances on accounts
   
6. post office: mail grandma's rebate form, McD's monopoly requests
7. e-mail A___
8. find coupon for FREE brake check!
   
9. write thank you card - library photog
10. write commendation letter - Ms. S____
11. feed my NeoPet
12. print crochet patterns, proof of payment for medical expenses
13. call ins. co. for info re submitting proof of payment for medical expenses
14. work on kitty's basket
15. work on baskets for K's baby
16. work on new bracelet designs
17. try on show ensemble w/jewelry
18. post photos of new jewelry on blog
19. post on Craig's request for cardboard
20. post on blog request for ideas for cardboard sources
21. decide: am i making a wrap for the show?
22. edit shorts for subs: TMB, GNO, the other one (?)
23. where are my silver hoops, 2 Smart 4 U ring???
    

410: rocking the vote

i did!

it was a 2-hour wait but it was worth it.

baby bliss was allowed to stand with me as i cast my votes for country, state, and local leaders.

she said she can't wait until she's old enough to vote.


.

409: a little relief at the pumps?

hey y'all.

i just saw this headline:

Gas prices fall below $3

wow.

just when some folk are so broke that they've traded in their cars for bikes and foot power, it sounds like we can stand up straight and pull up our panties.

i guess W. and his cronies have had enough.

read the full article here.

408: maya angelou spoke to me

hey y'all.

i dreamed about Maya Angelou during my sleeping hours. she and i (along with some other folk) were at the rehearsal for a musical event. the stars were friends of ours.

i sat in the row behind Ms. Angelou and (i believe) Alfre Woodard. Ms. Angelou was engaged in a conversation with a young woman. nosey me heard the young woman make a most glaring grammatical error, one that i hear colored folk make all the time.

she said, "... and we was..."

Ms. Angelou looked around in horror. seeing me, she motioned me forward and lamented in a whisper how our young folk just aren't making the grade when it comes to speaking correct english.

i could only nod in agreement while silently being thankful that baby bliss is not among that number.

it also made me sad because i do know people who speak like that. adults...

.

407: dehydration + heating pad + caffeine + heat = heat exhaustion/heat stroke

hey y'all.

this is a health alert but do not read while you're eating or if you have a weak stomach triggered by certain words or imagery.

last weekend, i suffered a heat-related mishap. even now i'm not sure if it was the last stages of heat exhaustion or the initial stages of heat stroke.

i do know that i thought i was going to die and i wanted to die at home, not in the E.R. while running up a bill of tens of thousands.

here's what happened:

my back had been bothering me most of last week. friday evening, i decided to try the heating pad. it felt so good that i kept it on my back for hours, turning it on and off several times during that period.

my back felt a lot better saturday morning but i decided to use the heating pad again, in hopes of having a pain-free day.

late saturday morning, mr. bliss and i went out to run an errand. we decided to eat while we were out.

as we sat on a sunny patio awaiting our food, i sipped a glass of iced tea. (caffeine)

after 20 minutes of waiting, i began to feel nauseated. thinking i was feeling hypoglycemic, i felt it would pass when i got my food. (and if i'd been able to think clearly, i would have known that the tea should have helped with low blood sugar.)

well, the food didn't come and the nausea didn't subside. i told mr. bliss how i was feeling and that we needed to leave. (confusion? intuition? either way i had just been thinking that i needed to eat to overcome the nausea.)

by the time we got halfway to the car, i was doubled over. my body felt as if it were being bombarded. i was nauseated, had a headache, and i was salivating profusely as if vomiting was eminent.

by the time i was seated in the car, waves of nausea were engulfing me, my heart had begun racing, i felt like i was hyperventilating, and my bra felt like it was cutting off my circulation.

then i began to cry uncontrollably.

mr. bliss kept asking me what was wrong but i couldn't tell him.

i didn't know. i just knew i felt wrong and i wanted to go home.

i felt like my nervous system was totally out of wack.

mr. bliss asked if i wanted to go to the hospital (we were across the street from it and had to pass right by it to get home.)

no, i wanted to get home in a hurry.

when we arrived i was still crying. as he helped me up the steps, mr. bliss said, "i think you're having a heat stroke!"

of course i thought he was crazy. how could i have be having a heat stroke? i hadn't been overexerting myself in the heat, just sitting in the sun sipping my sweet tea.

the other factors (heating pad, dehydration, sun, caffeine) were not in my thoughts.

i made it to the bathroom sink, turned on the tap, then began rinsing my mouth and face. (i was still crying.)

mr. bliss put a cold compress on my neck and baby bliss made an ice pack for my head.

they put me to bed and nursed me for hours.

for several hours i drank small bits of water. eventually i ate a bowl of miso soup. and when i felt better, i did some research.

i must have gone to dozens of websites and they were about evenly divided on the symptoms of heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke.

which is why i'm not sure what really happened to me.

what i do know is that i didn't have any warning signs like profuse sweating that stopped or cramping.

so now i am on hyper alert. i've been drinking as much water as i can remember to, avoiding the heating pad (thankfully i don't need it), and making sure i don't feel too warm. because i read that once a person has that type of experience, it's likely to happen again.

don't know if that's true or not but i don't want to be a test case.

thank you God for mr. bliss. if it had been baby bliss and i out alone, i probably would not be here to tell this tale.

so this is a reminder y'all: please drink your water to help prevent something like this from happening to you.

.

406: sad news re bus stop babies

hey y'all.

we heard a horrible story the other day on the news.

a 12-year-old girl was waiting for her school bus when she was dragged into the bushes and raped by a 28-year-old man who had a long history with the justice system.

she wasn't as young as the children i talked about in my previous post but we know a sexual assault is traumatic at any age.

thank you God for the people who were able to help her.

everyone, please keep this young girl and her family in your prayers.


.

405: a man and his music...

hey y'all. 

 one day i woke up and wanted to see one of my favorite musicians performing. so i logged onto youtube and lo and behold, some wise and wonderful woman had left a love note for me in the comments module: his tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m. amazingly, "today" was the same day i just happened to be checking out his video. hallelujah! then i realized it was mid-afternoon and i panicked. his tickets have been known to sell out in the first two hours. but i prayed, crossed my fingers/legs/heart, and scooted over to ticketmaster dot com. i could have shouted to the heavens when i was able to find a ticket for a verycloseseat. i wanted to take baby bliss because she grew up on his music and she's already enjoyed two of his concerts with me. but two seats together were toofarintheback and costly as well. so i went back to the one-ticket search and my seat was still there. i bought the ticket. once upon a time, i listened to one of his CDs every single day for three (3) years. now i listen to his music most of the time but it's been every day for the past month or so. he hasn't given a concert in soooooo long and i've got a jones to see him live. yes, one ticket was kinda 'spensive but i've been a frugally good wife and mama:

1. 95-99% of our non-grocery shopping is done at the thrift store and walmart.
2. i haven't paid to have my hair done in 3 years. (and 3 years ago i only went one time.)
3. i get a pedicure once a year on average; manicures are less frequent.
4. i drive a hybrid, do my best to combine trips, and don't have to leave home to work so i save on gas.
5. there's a lot more i do to save more and spend less money but the rest would be too long and boring to type.

baby bliss was tear-y when she heard she wasn't going. oh well. she's had more vacations this year than any child i know. not intentionally. it just turned out that way. still. baby bliss should be thankful. (any way, he already kinda knows her since she was allowed on stage at the two concerts i took her to. i'm gonna take him a photo of her so he can see how big she's gotten since the last time he saw her.) this will be a Very Special Event for me and i'm planning everything very carefully. i'm making* my dress, making two sets of jewelry (so i'll have options), and hoping to crochet a shoulder wrap to wear over my dress. 

several hours ago, mr. bliss helped me find a sexycute pair of comfie sandals at the outlet mall. soon as i have time (probably this weekend), i'm gonna take some photos and post so y'all can see my stuff. 

* making = wrapping and tying 1 1/2 yard of stretchy black lace into a form-fitting dress. lol 

404: miracles do happen

hey y'all.

once upon a time, we noticed that baby bliss was walking on her tiptoes.

it didn't seem to be a problem until one day i noticed that she couldn't put her heels on the ground without pain in her achilles tendon. and she couldn't stand up completely straight without her back hurting.

so we slogged through physical therapy, orthopaedic docs, family docs and more. finally we were led to a wonderful doctor who understood the seriousness of the situation.

she understood the situation, something i don't think any of the others did. baby bliss had two visits with our wonderful new doc.

today baby bliss is pain-free and walking with her heels on the ground, no problems.

i am thankful.

amen.


.

403: the things we do for love

hey y'all.

my mama n'em are here.

again.

they blew in tuesday. my stepdad is staying for a few days; my mama is leaving tomorrow with baby bliss. they're headed for a weekend excursion at a beautiful beach locale.

too bad they're expecting rain all weekend.

oh well. at least my mama is leaving.

cuz i do declare, she's been getting on my last nerve since she's been here. i know she's not trying to but it's just how she is, being drama queen extraordinaire and all.

i was asked to accompany them on holiday but i declined. i like restful vacations and the last one i took with my mama was anything but.

um, wait. it wasn't so bad. but months after we got back, i began hearing about "all the food" i ate while on vacation.

mama say what?!

the meals were all smorgasbord style but only i ate one plate per meal and not one was piled high or overflowing the sides.

okay, so i ate a few desserts with every dinner. but they were all displayed in bite-sized bits so i grabbed one each of a few i wanted to try.

what -- pray, tell -- is so bad about that?

i know my mama is the planet's most righteous-eating vegetarian/sometime vegan/sometime raw foodist. but although we were visiting a non-u.s. territory, i am an american and i reserve the right to choose my own foodstuffs.

so there granny bliss!

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402: eating Jim Crow

hey y'all.

when i went to yahoo this morning, there was an article about racism in the U.S. and how differently blacks and whites see the issue.

which got me to thinking...

for as many strides as colored folk have made (and continue to make) in the good ole U.S. of A., if you're one who believes that racism is dead in this country, i'd like to know what pile of sand your head rests under.

i'm not talking about white folk being prejudiced against people with dark skin. people discriminate against other people all the time, for many reasons. and i'm not talking about the olden days of "whites only" signs and fear of the KKK riding down on you.

i'm talking about the very real institutionalized racism that is "business as usual" in this country, usually covertly. (so okay, maybe some really aren't aware...)

but something i learned when i studied Buddhism, that i recall every day: your life will tell on you.

and to that end, here's an article that gives a really good example of how some in our glorious nation are really living and how some are trying to force others to live:

Jim Crow -- The Remix

wake up people!

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401: busy bliss

hey y'all.

wow, i haven't blogged since sep. 10 but it seems like months since i've been here.

we bliss have been busy.

school is back in session and that always brings change, change, change to the house of bliss.

the biggest change is going back to a semblance of bedtime.

in summer, baby bliss is allowed to stay up late. i'm a night owl by nature and i suspect she is too. except that most times i can stay up all night, get 2 or 3 hours of sleep, and hit the ground running at wake up time.

baby bliss is more like my momma. even when they go to bed at a "decent hour", they prefer to laze around in bed for as long as possible the next day.

i admit that i was a homebody for much of the summer but i'm not a bedhead. if i'm in bed past 9 a.m., it's cuz i was up past 6 a.m. from the night before.

so any way, baby bliss and i joined a home schoolers group and we've been hanging out with them and having a high ole time. we also joined girl scouts and expect more fun to come dashing around the corner any minute now. ;o)

mr. bliss has been working his narrow tail off. he's been doing a lot of overtime to make up for the time when there was no overtime.

i'm proud of him. a man should work his fingers to the bone to take care of his family. *wink*

my momma and stepdad came down for a long spell a few weeks back. they left yesterday and took baby bliss with them. my momma convinced baby bliss that grandma is a nicer teacher so i packed up that rascal and sent her on her merry way.

but i know she'll be back sooner than i can toss her room for all those broke-necked barbie dolls she's hiding and hoarding. so i'm enjoying my freedom as much as i can.

this morning i was up at 8 and out of the house early to run my friday errands. usually we're doing school work so we don't get out until late afternoon.

today i was out before noon and got a ton of stuff done in 2 hours' time. *cheeeeeeeeeeze*

now i'm at the library. i was relaxing until i got a phone call from mr. bliss.

he hath summoned me home for dinner and a movie.

i'm outta here.

have a good weekend folks.

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400: bus stop babies

hey y'all.

school has just started and already there have been many reports on the news about incidents at the bus stops.

scariest so far: an adult -- who had no business on the bus -- stood at the bus stop with the children and the parents and hopped on the bus with a bunch of middle school students.

and no one said a word. i believe he rode all the way to school with them.

later, it was revealed to have been a prank by a local radio station personality.

supposedly, charges will be/have been pressed.

um, yeah.

and?

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399: flash drive delight

hey y'all.

technically savvy little minx that i think i am, why in heck didn't i know that a flash drive can also be used to boost hard drive performance?

.

398: more organizational skills required

so i put the one unit together saturday night.

after, i pulled stuff out of the closet so i could put the storage unit in the closet and put the stuff on it.

hmph!

the storage unit wouldn't hold all the stuff that needed a decent place to live. and that one unit looked very lonely too.

sunday, i decided to return to target for more units. this time i fiddled around with the tape measure before i left home so i'd have a set of guidelines for my planned purchases.

wouldn't y'all know that when i got to target on sunday, i still couldn't make up my mind about what to get? and the unit i'd bought the day before was no longer on sale. :o(

i did buy one though. i also got one of the horizontal shoe shelf storage units.

according to the measurements i'd taken, once assembled, everything would fit perfectly into the space where i needed it to go.

ha!

this universe is such an interesting place to live.

after i put the two additional units together, it was time to get them suckers in the closet.

which took a lot longer -- and more sweat -- than i anticipated.

ya see, i didn't figure in the spacing of Things Already in the Closet. nor did i realize the closet opening had several inches of outside wall (on both sides) that took up space needed to put anything wider than 18 inches inside the closet. (the bottom shelving was 24 1/4 inches wide; the space in the closet was 24 3/4 inches wide.)

after an extended bout of groaning and grunting in my effort to either move the wall or shrink the storage unit, i realized i either had to explore other options or undo the darned thing and return it.

then suddenly ding ding ding ding ding!

it came to me how i could get the thing in the closet without using witchcraft or having to tear down the closet wall: i needed to get to the wall space above and beside the bookcase.

there was about thismuch space between the far wall and the bookcase already in the closet. i scootched the bookcase over as much as i could then i moved the (2) metal baskets on top of the bookcase, a precarious venture cuz one was already overhanging the bookcase by several inches and i didn't want to take the baskets out. (they're interlocked at the bottom.)

miraculously, i was able to squeeeeeeeeeeze the thing in sideways by starting at the top of the closet wall. as i moved it down the wall, it fit... it fit... it fit!

no.

it got stuck.

a few inches from the floor.

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

i forgot about the darned molding that starts about 4 inches from the bottom of the closet. but it's only on the side walls and not the back. *sucking my teeth*

whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!

i ain't never been a girl to give up easily and that wasn't the time to make an exception.

i put my foot right above that shelf and i stomped.

et voila! it fit.

yeah!

putting the two smaller storage units on top was a piece of cake.

when i showed off my closet to mr. bliss later, he remarked that it looked like a "real crafter's closet".

*big grin*

.

397: back to school

hey y'all.

tomorrow will be our first day of school for the 2008-2009 year.

i just realized i am missing a few things but nothing major. still, i don't feel like summer vacation should be over already. i know baby bliss feels the same. 'specially since she'll be in bed at 9 tonight.

i told her 10 minutes ago to "get ready" for bed. that means brush teeth, wash face (and other pertinent spots), get clean jammies, and be ready to get in bed at 9 p.m.

she's already given me the evil eye several times since then. as if i care.

and she thinks she's slick. she came back to the living room, laid in front of her bookcase, and picked up a few books. so i'm supposed to think she really wants to read one. um yeah. i don't doubt it but i know it's a ploy to delay bedtime for as long as possible.

ha!

if she can squeeze a chapter or two in before lights out, she's more than welcome to read anything she owns. i told her to set her alarm clock for 9 a.m. and that's what i meant.

she is so blessed to be home schooled. i have seen small children in this city -- babies, really -- standing at bus stops in the dark. with other little ones, no adults in sight. scary.

aha. she just turned on the telly to watch "deal or no deal". but what do i see? she has on the same night clothes that i told her not to sleep in last night. bad choice baby bliss.

oooh, no she didn't!

when i told her to go change, she got an attitude, rolling eyes, lotsa lip, and stomping. like she pays rent here!

now see...

okay, it's light out time.

i just told her to come back, turn off the telly, and good night.

now.

it's quiet.

mr. bliss got called in around 11:30 this morning and i'm the only one up and around.

ummm, she just got back up to "get some water". and is still wearing the same pajamas!

the jonas brothers posters will be missing when she wakes up tomorrow.

.

395: getting it together

hey y'all.

i spent some of this weekend organizing the closet in my office. it's where i store my crafts stuff and that space was just getting out of hand.

shortly after we moved in, i bought two of those inexpensive sauder wood-look bookcases to go in my office. i hate the flimsy backings that go on those things. so i did the measurements and went to home depot (alone) to get a big sheet of plywood (?) cut to fit the backs of the cases.

(i had no idea that they would make me buy the whole sheet, they'd cut it, and then offer me the leftovers. of course it makes perfect sense but how was i to know before i knew? mr. bliss thought i was nutty for bringing the leftovers home but i paid for it and why should i leave it there for them to re-sell or recycle?

any way, if/when i get my staple gun, i can cover one or both leftover pieces and make a table top for the balcony or something similar.)

so back to this weekend.

one half of the closet -- or maybe that's 3/4s -- looked neat and the remainder looked crappy. and i couldn't find things when i needed them. bum-mer.

additional storage units seemed to be the answer.

walmart and target's websites didn't yield the prices i was looking for but i decided to go to target in person. although walmart usually has the cheapest prices, target sometimes has good sales on those things.

saturday was my lucky day because i found just what i was looking for and it was on sale. but i'd left home without measuring the remaining floor space in the closet so i had a hard time deciding which piece would fit.

*sigh*

eventually i settled on a smaller piece, knowing it would fit with space to spare.

home... anxious to begin transforming the closet, i wanted to assemble the unit right away. i opened the box, laid out all pieces and parts, then went in search of a screwdriver.

*screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech*

take the needle off the record.

there was no screwdriver to be found in nary a crack nor crevice.

*pffffffffffffffffffffffff* (me, blowing out hot hissy-fit air.)

mr. bliss had just given me the screwdriver a night or two before, when i did my "tighten up" rounds of all the door screws in here. but somehow it disappeared.

frustrated, i left the pieces in a pile on the floor next to mr. bliss's open tool box, hoping he would get the hint when he came in from work cuz i didn't plan to be here.

(turns out he didn't plan to be here either. he'd gotten paged in to work in the wee hours of saturday morning and didn't return home until well after dark.)

in the meantime, baby bliss and i carted our packs off to the library until closing. then we came home to drop off some things and call a friend who wanted to go doggie walking with us.

i packed some veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, baked beans, a bunch of condiments, and a box of tea to take around the corner to auntie's house, where we would be walking the dog.

my plan was to make iced tea and put the burgers on the grill while the girls fed and walked the dog.

good that i'm a "roll with it" kinda girl. cuz y'all know that nothing went as planned right?

murphy's law in action:

1. baby bliss's friend was scared of the dog and screamed shrilly every time the dog came near. which made the dog bark, which made the girl more scared. by the time she calmed down, we'd been there almost 30 minutes.
2. which led to me forgetting to put on the water for the tea.
3. auntie's grill was dirty and i didn't want to clean it.
4. the girls did not want baked beans or fries so i didn't cook either side dish because i didn't want to cart leftovers home.
5. it wasn't until after i put the water on that i discovered that although auntie has an ice dispenser on her fridge door, there was no ice being dispensed that day. and we didn't have enough time left for the tea to cool off in the fridge or freezer.
6. we were supposed to get a phone call from the girl's dad letting me know it was time to bring her back home so she could go to a farewell dinner with family. wouldn't y'all know it, my phone did not work at auntie's house. which resulted in a rudely-executed extraction mission by the girl's older sister.

as we were pulling out of the driveway, my cousin (who lives next door to auntie) came out to say hello. she and i chatted for a few minutes about family stuff. by then it was full dark.

my grandma says baby bliss and i like to "travel at night" and we sure do. instead of heading home, we headed over to grandma's to get her mail because she was up north visiting my momma.

we finally dragged our tails home, where i waited for mr. bliss to come home and reveal the location of the screwdriver.

394: grinding my teeth

hey y'all.

i am trying to overcome some residual effects of getting that crochet hook stuck in my hand back in june.

some days, i see horrible images of hooks getting stuck in my various body parts, particularly my feet. it's a bad feeling and it comes and goes at random, not just when i'm using the tiny hooks.

i don't feel any fear when i see the small hooks. but the negative thoughts are there...

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

393: the a-dams fam-uh-leeeee

hey y'all.

did i mention that we went to my family reunion earlier this summer?

i would have to go back to read previous posts to know for sure. lol

any way, i thought about it the other day when i saw the m and m's commercial about the adams family.

i teased baby bliss that we are the adams family because my mother is an adams by birth. our reunion was for my mother's father's mother's family -- the hawkins family -- but in the small town where my grandmother and grandfather met, most people were already inter-related by marriage and other kinds of mingling. *insert raised eyebrow here*

so there are a lot of adams on both sides. making us double kin or some such notion.

i was amazed to learn that our family tree has been traced all the way back to john quincy adams.

which reminds me that i need to e-mail one of my cousins. i compiled the list of names and e-mail addresses that will be used for next year's reunion and she needs it. she also has the document that shows how we're connected to john quincy, which i really want to see.

392: i need more practice on this one

hey y'all.

i've been up all night, doing a little bit of this and a little of that.

one of the things i was working on was this crocheted cross.

i need to work on it more or find a pattern because this one is crooked. when i get it right, i'm adding it to my "body" collection.

it's cotton thread worked single crochet in the back loops. baby bliss has already claimed it. she just wants everything i make but i'm gonna be watching to see if she wears it.

391: do you see what i see?

not very much...

this is our current weather. i was hoping for some golden rays. *sigh*

390: craf-teeeeeeeeeeee blisssssssss

hey y'all.

it's been a crafty week or so for me.

i finished this basket for my friend's son. it's now sitting on a stool, waiting for me to take it to the post office.

after she saw this one, baby bliss requested a basket for her room. when we moved to the penthouse, she switched over from pink to ocean blues and greens for her room colors. most of her containers are still shades of pink and purple so i guess she does need new containers. i started her basket on friday. it's shades of blue and green. i'll post pics when i'm done.

saturday we visited my sister. while we were there, i crocheted a cotton thread bracelet for my sis. it was a simple double crochet rib stitch done by crocheting in the back loop of the previous row. it's pink trimmed in beige and fastens with a cowry shell.

no pics of that one. :0(

i also finished a peach hat i knitted for baby bliss using the round knitting loom. it was superdooper easy. baby bliss said it's not real knitting cuz i didn't use the needles but what does she know?

i've been wanting to make hats for chemo patients for a long time and my yarn stash is overflowing with silky soft yarns to do it with. but i know how well i do at following crochet patterns. the knitting loom makes it so easy that i can almost knit blindfolded.

probably i can get 2 hats per skein of yarn.

i've been researching crochet patterns over the past several days for inspiration and information. i have an idea for a necklace in my head but i need a pattern for part of it.

thank you to all the crochet pattern writers who allow items made from their free patterns to be sold.

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389: peace and quiet

hey y'all.

despite the fact that i got bitten by a red ant at my sister's on saturday night and my foot is swollen up like a macy's thanksgiving day balloon, today was a good day at our abode.

no one harassing me via phone or e-mail and i was able to sleep in.

yay!

i was asked to water the garden for a relative who's out of town for the week. but it's been raining most of the day. unless we get high temps and lots of sun over the next few days, i probably won't need to do that.

baby bliss and i are free to enjoy our last week of lazy days in relative peace and quiet. *big grin*

i'm thankful.

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388: O and Joe

hey y'all.

it's official: Obama has picked Joe Biden, the distinguished gentleman from Delaware, as his running mate.

i'm sure the mill was grinding out the dirty laundry even before they inked the presses.

Obama said, "I want somebody who is going to be able to challenge my thinking and not simply be a yes person when it comes to policymaking."

well big O, looks like you've found your man.

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387: it's done

hey y'all.

well, i did it. i sent the Client a well-thought out e-mail with my resignation imbedded.

is it tacky to quit via e-mail? well, i work from home and 98% of our communication is via e-mail so it works for me.

i plan to follow up with a short letter via snail mail too.

freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-dommmmmmmmmmmmmm!


today's to-do list:

1. get some sleep! i've been up all night.
2. bank
3. target: organic blue corn chips, distilled water (they drank mine!), t.p.
4. hobby lobby: red saver yarn in delft blue, white
   
5. post office: basket to baby boy D___, check my p.o. box
   
6. supermarket: laundry detergent on sale 2-for-1
   
7. find my nephew's sneakers before tomorrow
   
8. start new basket
9. find baby bliss's artwork and upload to my laptop for future use
10. start crocheting hats; winter is coming!
11. print the button tutorial and make some!

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386: donate a scarf for the Special Olympics

hey y'all.

can you crochet or knit?

are you searching for a charitable project or want to do a good deed?

if so, the 2009 Special Olympics needs your help!

they need 5,000 scarves donated by january 15.

interested? go to this page for more info.

i know wal-mart sells the specific yarn needed. maybe hobby lobby does too. i'm gonna check out hobby lobby's website to see what's on sale.

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385: crafty stuff on overstock.com

hey y'all.

overstock.com sells crafty stuff.

maybe this isn't news to some but it is to me.

they have how-to books, yarn, sewing machines, craft storage systems and more.

yay!

not that i plan to get anything from them right now. but it's nice to know i can.

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384: How to Get the Life You Want

hey y'all.

in light of all the change to come in my personal/professional/home life, i'm posting a link to a great article i happened across while researching some crochet patterns.

enjoy!

How to Get the Life You Want - Kristyn Kusek Lewis

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381: Walt Disney World was wonderful!

hey y'all.

despite my fear and loathing of amusement parks, i have to say that we enjoyed a wonderful time in florida. and (of course) the disney parks and universal studios were the highlight of our vacation.

i am soooooo not the amusement park/carnival girl that i truly thought i would have a horrific time. but going with baby bliss and mr. bliss made it all magical. we could have been the poster family for a disney commercial.

that's not to say i got totally caught up in the commercialism of it all. i didn't forget that the magic of disney comes with a price tag. a hefty one if you don't research and plan.

the three of us did a 7-day trip and it cost us less than $1400. i'll do a separate post on the money-saving strategy we used.

2008 is disney's "Year of a Million Dreams", and our trip was a dream come true for baby bliss. i don't ever recall her asking to go to disney but when she was about a year old, one of her favorite videos was a disney sing-and-dance-along video.

i don't remember what it was called but i recall a few of the songs because she wanted to watch that video every day, all day long. one of the songs was a hawaiian-style number about a "hukilau"; another was about "going right down the middle of main street, u.s.a." i even videotaped her watching the video and dancing to it in her diaper.

back to our vacation...

i didn't realize that "walt disney world" is now actually four (4) separate theme parks: magic kingdom, epcot, hollywood studios, and animal kingdom. each park has separate admission costs unless you buy the park hopper pass. which we did.

universal studios is also separate and also has other parks attached to it: islands of adventure and wet 'n wild. we did universal studios itself but not the other two.

mr. bliss didn't go with us to universal. baby bliss and i did that one with the other girls from our group, my friend lady F. and her granddaughter, little miss D.

if you've never been to disney, a fantastic pair of walking shoes and/or foot-cushioning insoles is a must.

we walked so much at universal that by the time we left the park, everything below my boobs ached. no kidding.

everything was interesting and exciting, even for me, the woman who thinks she's seen it all. lol

as soon as we got into the gate, we were stopped by a photographer. she took our picture then directed the younger girls to pose for a photo that would include digital extras. it was fun and funny.

a few feet away, baby bliss joined the band that plays (i guess) daily near rodeo drive. she didn't really sing but i did get some shots of her at the mic and with the guitar player.


  

the band played "for the love of money" by the ojays and one of the band members asked the crowd which t.v. show the song was from. i wracked my brain and came up with nothing then thought he was joking. how could a t.v. show have that song for a theme without me knowing?

but baby bliss knew. she said it was donald trump's t.v. show but couldn't remember the name. i shouted, "the apprentice!" and won a string of red beads that i turned over to baby bliss. she wore them all day.

our next stop was the shrek attraction. the line was long and it was hot out. i don't think the ride had even opened yet when we got in line. but the line moved faster than i expected and they had fans blowing misting water every so many feet, so it wasn't too bad.

shrek was a sit-down-in-an-auditorium, 3D (or was that 4D?) attraction. it was better than i expected but for as long as we stood in line, it could have lasted longer. (we also had to stand in a sort of ante-chamber to watch and listen to some... i don't know what to call it... before we were allowed in the auditorium.

between rides we ran into lots of fun characters like the 3 musketeers, jack and jill, sleeping beauty, and some others.

the mummy ride was next. a roller coaster but a very short one and no long stomach-curdling drop-offs. (thank you God!)

waiting in line was almost as scary as the ride itself. not so much the length of the line as the interesting scenery the line wound through. part of it seemed to be underground which didn't feel so good to me. (i have a fear of underground places.)

(and there was a creepy guy behind us who seemed a little too interested in the children. he kept making conversation with me but i got the distinct feeling that he was trying to cop a feel or some other nonsense that would get him pulverized and me in the county jail. the girls were between lady F and i but baby bliss has a tendency to lollygag. i was careful to keep her in front of me and at arm's length.)

the roller coaster itself wasn't too bad but i haven't been on one in 20 or more years. so i got a bit whipped.

another thing scarier than the coaster itself was the lockers. no bags, purses, etc. are allowed on the ride so they provide lockers to store your stuff before you enter the building. the lockers are free (really? yes, really.) for people getting on the ride and/or for a certain time limit (45 minutes i think).

they are supposed to be secured by your fingerprint. all you have to do is remember your locker number.

wellllllllllllllllllllll how about when we got off the ride, i saw a group of people with a disney employee standing in front of the lockers. i heard the disney employee asking them their locker number but they couldn't remember it.

the method of locking and unlocking the locker is your fingerprint but it sounded to me like the employee could override the fingerprint requirement. and i began to worry.

i ran to my locker and yanked the little handle and sure enough, it was open! the skies immediately darkened and a storm of magnificent proportions lay poised to shut down the entire east coast.

my blood boiled and if i had screamed, they would have heard me in nepal.

i yanked my bag from the locker, thanking God the whole time that it was a bag and not a purse. i immediately searched for my change purse and the card holder i keep my debit card in. all was exactly where it should have been.

i thanked God and the sun reclaimed her rightful spot in the sky.

of course i wondered if my bag would have disappeared if there had not been a sign that said the area was monitored by video cameras.

our next destination: fear factor live.

one of the few things i abhor more than amusement parks is fear factor.

baby bliss loves it. go figure.

but since the other girls wanted to go, i put on my girl scout badge of fearlessness and trooped in along with the rest of the gross-out mongers. there's a picture of the set in the previous post.

baby bliss was overjoyed to see that the host was the actual guy from the t.v. show.

great for her.

i was too busy wondering if i would have to see (or hear) people getting sick from drinking ground up lizard toes sauteed with wombat eyeballs or watch someone sit in a pool of water while piranha swirled about their nether regions.

thankfully, the universal studios version of fear factor live wasn't as yucky as the t.v. version. the contestants were park guests so that probably helped.

there were times when i turned my head away from center stage but overall, it wasn't bad.

our next stop was the men in black attraction because it was raining and folk said disney rain capes were being sold in the m.i.b. store.

the jaws ride was on our to-do list but by the time we got there, the wait was over an hour.

um, we passed on that one and opted for the jaws exhibit/photo op. the younger girls formed a trio with a little boy from the crowd and they (accidentally) broke the line. i wasn't paying much attention and didn't see the line because it went off at an odd angle. i'm guessing the little boy's mom didn't see it either.

the children posed for pictures (since they were already there) and we went on our merry way. when i looked back over my shoulder, i saw the end of the line and followed the snake up to the front.

aha! but too late.

our day was winding to a close...

we stopped for more photos (as we had been doing all day), all the while heading for the exit. although i said i wouldn't, i bought a few souvenirs (at an amazingly inexpensive souvenir cart). we also stopped to play an arcade game (that i won), garnering baby bliss a big ole souvenir dog that shall keep her other big ole dog company for eternity.

back on the main road of the lot, i remembered the photo taken of us when we arrived at the park so full of life and freshly-limbed.

i thought it would be nice to have at least one professional photo to commemorate our visit so i stopped in the shop. it seemed our longest stop of the day.

first lady F couldn't find the ticket. then she found the wrong one. in the meantime i was asking if our photo could be located using our arrival time.

when the photos were finally found, burak from turkey, (the cast member who helped me) made the honest mistake of telling me i had options for the digital framing and characters displayed in the photos. :-)

yes, we were all dog tired but i took my time in exploring all the available graphics options. i was a little frustrated that certain combinations weren't available but in the end i got a product i liked and at a 10% discount with my AAA card.

our tails dragged and shoulders sagged as we walked and rode the moving walkways back to our parking space in the cat-in-the-hat section.

our first day of disney excitement was over.

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