I will, for as long as I live, hate this date. I suppose it's how my grandparents felt about December 7th or how my parents felt about November 22nd. Dates that are associated with an event so unbelievably, horribly evil. It doesn't matter what time of year it is or why I may come across the date, but when I see or hear September 11th, it stops me short. 12 years later I still feel dread when I hear it. It is the single most terrifying day in my life. I remember the feeling of not knowing what was going to happen next. I remember living the next week or so in a fog. I had a hard time sleeping. I was scared for my kids and their future. I remember thinking that if I felt this way I just couldn't imagine how the people in NY, DC and PA felt. But...
It doesn't matter that it happened 3000 miles from my home or that I did not personally know anyone who lost their life or a loved one. It happened to my country...on my home soil. It happened to all of us. It changed forever the way we look at the world, the way we live in the world. It changed my children's future.
But, as horrible as this date is...we must never forget. We cannot forget things like 9/11. To forget is to chance repeating. I am not willing to repeat. I will forever remember what was perpetrated on MY country that day. I will never forget those who lost their lives. I will remember...no matter how badly it hurts. No matter how much the current administration believes it is now right to help the ones who perpetrated the evil of 9/11…I do not. And I will not forget what they did that day…I will not forget.
I will remember.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Friday, September 6, 2013
Wanting What You've Got
I read a lot of blogs. I love them. I love reading about other people’s lives. I guess this makes me a voyeur…and the over sharing world of Facebook and blogging are ripe for someone like me. But it’s also not a very good thing for me. You know, I’m one of those “the grass is greener elsewhere” kind of people. On any given day, after a session of blog reading, I find myself wanting to:
1. Live on a remote farm and raise chickens and goats…eat eggs and milk from said chickens and goats and make my own natural soaps and lotions.
2. Be a mother with young children, writing about their exploits and plastering their cute little faces all over the internet…while home schooling, cooking only organic foods and hand sewing all their clothes.
3. Own my own successful internet business where I only have to work a few hours every day and I rake in the dough.
4. Travel to exotic places, take pictures of historic sites, eat local cuisine and walk 4000 miles each day in an effort to see the whole world.
5. Have enough time in the day to create all the beautiful crochet projects that I can…and then sell them for exorbitant amounts of money on etsy.
Sometimes, when I read these blogs…they make me dissatisfied with my own life. Like I’m missing out on some really exciting and wonderful stuff…I always think about the Meg Ryan line in “You’ve Got Mail” where she says she feels like she leads a small life. I feel that way sometimes. And then I remind myself that small is good and you are important to those that need you. Which is a very good thing. And then I realize that all those things which I think sound glamorous really aren’t because I remember that:
1. Chickens scare me and I don’t like goat’s milk. And I’m pretty sure I don’t really ever want to make my own soap…I’m too lazy…Dial is good enough for me.
2. I’m pretty much over the kid thing…except for grandkids…I can’t wait for those! If I home schooled anyone they would end up an expert in history and know absolutely nothing about math. I hate to cook...organic or not. AND…I hate to sew…
3. I’d love to own my own business that I only had to work a few hours at…but I’m smart enough to know that nothing good comes without hard work.
4. I love the idea of traveling…the actual execution of it is another story…insert anxiety issues here. I love taking pictures but rarely remember my camera; if the local cuisine looked weird in any way…I would be searching for the nearest McDonalds…and I hate to walk.
5. This I would do in a nano second…but there’s a little thing called work that keeps getting in my way.
So, the moral of this pointless blog is, in the words of Sheryl Crow:
“It’s not having what you want; it’s wanting what you’ve got.”
I hope you are all wanting what you’ve got…and I hope you all have a super duper weekend!!
1. Live on a remote farm and raise chickens and goats…eat eggs and milk from said chickens and goats and make my own natural soaps and lotions.
2. Be a mother with young children, writing about their exploits and plastering their cute little faces all over the internet…while home schooling, cooking only organic foods and hand sewing all their clothes.
3. Own my own successful internet business where I only have to work a few hours every day and I rake in the dough.
4. Travel to exotic places, take pictures of historic sites, eat local cuisine and walk 4000 miles each day in an effort to see the whole world.
5. Have enough time in the day to create all the beautiful crochet projects that I can…and then sell them for exorbitant amounts of money on etsy.
Sometimes, when I read these blogs…they make me dissatisfied with my own life. Like I’m missing out on some really exciting and wonderful stuff…I always think about the Meg Ryan line in “You’ve Got Mail” where she says she feels like she leads a small life. I feel that way sometimes. And then I remind myself that small is good and you are important to those that need you. Which is a very good thing. And then I realize that all those things which I think sound glamorous really aren’t because I remember that:
1. Chickens scare me and I don’t like goat’s milk. And I’m pretty sure I don’t really ever want to make my own soap…I’m too lazy…Dial is good enough for me.
2. I’m pretty much over the kid thing…except for grandkids…I can’t wait for those! If I home schooled anyone they would end up an expert in history and know absolutely nothing about math. I hate to cook...organic or not. AND…I hate to sew…
3. I’d love to own my own business that I only had to work a few hours at…but I’m smart enough to know that nothing good comes without hard work.
4. I love the idea of traveling…the actual execution of it is another story…insert anxiety issues here. I love taking pictures but rarely remember my camera; if the local cuisine looked weird in any way…I would be searching for the nearest McDonalds…and I hate to walk.
5. This I would do in a nano second…but there’s a little thing called work that keeps getting in my way.
So, the moral of this pointless blog is, in the words of Sheryl Crow:
“It’s not having what you want; it’s wanting what you’ve got.”
I hope you are all wanting what you’ve got…and I hope you all have a super duper weekend!!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Tiger Says...
So I decided to come write this post because it's been exactly one year since I came to live at the Clem Castle. The family is pretty much the same except for the girl that brought me here. She moved away and didn't even take me with her. Can you believe that? I was kind of looking forward to getting away from the big guy that hounds me constantly when he's home. I know he means well, but jeez guy, give it a rest. I don't like you and no amount of cajoling is going to change it. He does not take rejection well at all. But I do have to thank him for taking me to the doctor when I was sick. I really HATED being put in the little cage for the ride in the car. I cried all the way there. But I guess it was worth it because I felt a lot better after the doctor gave me a shot. Oh, and there was that one time that there were about a thousand people AND a dog (shudder) in my house all at the same time. Mom cooked a bunch of food (of which I got none, mind you!) and all these people came to eat and talk and they caused such a racket. And the dog, well, I just can't even explain what the dog was like. I just went and hid under my mom's bed, it was all too much for me to handle. But after all the people and the dog left, the big guy picked me up and carried me around the house so I could see the coast was clear and it was ok to come out again. That was really nice of him, so I tolerate him, and I let him pet me when no one else is around, but that's as far as I'm letting it go.
I still like my mom the best. She says she's not a cat person but I beg to differ. She gives me treats and pets me whenever I want to be petted. She puts up with my "talking" when it's time to eat...I can be very annoying with that, but hey, I'm a cat...I want what I want when I want it. I don't get why that's so hard to understand. I mostly sit on the back of her chair and watch her play with that string she won't let me touch. That's really the only time she gets mad at me, so I try really hard to be good about that. But sometimes a cat just can't help herself. When things move, sometimes I just gotta pounce, you know?
I still like the boy a lot too. He is always good for some petting and cuddling when I'm in the mood. His room is cool and quiet. I like it in there.
My family has provided me with some really cool toys. I love batting them around the house and then taking off like a crazy cat and zooming all over the place. I mostly do it for the families reaction...they think it's hilarious so who am I to spoil their fun. They are very easily entertained.
I'm still kinda freaked out by the spinning things on the ceiling. I try really hard not to look at them but sometimes I just have to take a peak to see if they are still spinning. I peak and then look away quickly. So far they have remained on the ceiling, but I don't want to tempt fate by letting them know I know they are there. Hopefully someday they will go away...although I'm not holding my breath because my mom seems to REALLY like those spinney things. I think she's crazy.
When I'm not eating, sleeping or chasing toys I like to sit in the window sill in the living room or by the back door and look out the windows. It looks very interesting out there but I'm not allowed to find out. The one time I did venture out the back door I got into a lot of trouble, so I guess I won't do that again.
All in all, life is pretty good here at the Clem Castle. I pretty much have every single one of them (even the big guy) wrapped around my little paw. Yes, life is good!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Hockey in the Desert
Most of you who read this will already know about my love of hockey. I've written here before about the struggles of our beleaguered franchise. This will be another one of those posts...I just have to vent.
The City of Glendale (CoG) voted 4-3 last night to approve the arena lease deal and pave the way for the sale by the NHL to the new ownership group. There are still steps to take to get the ownership deal done, but this is the best position we've been in for the last 4 years. Still, I remain cautiously optimistic. Because we've seen deals come and go and we've been through 4 years of uncertainty and heartbreak. It's not easy to let that go. Now that the whole ordeal seems to be coming to an end, I have a few things I want to say. Here's my take on hockey in the desert...at this moment.
The name will change to Arizona Coyotes...don't really care as long as they stay here, they could call them the Glendale Coyotes of Arizona (take that Anaheim). Or the Roadrunners...I like the sound of that, you'll understand why later.
After watching the CoG vote last night I came to a couple of conclusions. CM Sherwood is probably the smartest person in the whole city. Vice Mayor Knaak should be the Mayor. And 1/3 of the city council are just buffoons and I have no idea how they got elected.
I am not a fan of Gary Bettman (NHL Commissioner) by any means but I do appreciate what he has done to keep our team here. And hopefully there are no ulterior motives...
I am extremely happy for the business owners and employees of the Westgate area. To think that a major entertainment venue could survive without an anchor tenant is folly. Thousands of jobs would have been lost, businesses would have gone under and the only thing you'd be hearing at Westgate is the sound of the wind whistling through the empty space. I am really irritated by those that continually want to lay the CoG's financial woes at the feet of the Coyotes. We have been living through one of the worst economic downturns in our nation’s history yet attendance was up over the last several years...keeping the businesses at Westgate afloat. I'm sure there are many more economical problems in the CoG than the Coyotes and Jobing.com Arena. The lack of vision on the part of some is really astounding. Sometimes things have to hurt before they get better.
I am excited to see what an actual, honest to goodness, real owner will do with this franchise...we have never had one of those and I am looking forward to the prospect.
There has been a lot of talk about how we don't have our own fan base. That when we fill the arena it's filled with Hawks, Redwings or Bruins fans. Well guess what people? We live in a melting pot. People move here from Chicago, Detroit and Boston because they love the weather not the sports teams. They grew up with multiple generations of loyalty to a team. They are not going to give that up just because they moved here. And quite frankly, I really don't care who comes just as long as there are butts in the seats. We are just now coming into our own as a major league sports town. The kids who were young when Coyotes or the D-Backs or the Cardinals came here are just in their 20's now and starting families of their own. That's how you build a fan base, but it takes time. You have to give it time...and good ownership. The Cardinals have just been seeing more of their own fans in the last couple of years. Go to any D-Backs game and you will hear lots of cheering for the opposing team. It's just the way it is in this valley and if you are going to be a true fan, you just have to get used to it. And then be the solution instead of the problem. Go to the games, support the local team, and bring a friend who's never been to a game. Grow the fan base.
Lastly, I want to say to those that think hockey doesn't belong in the desert and that this is not a hockey town (yes, I'm talking to you Canada)...I have been watching hockey in the desert for over 40 years. I went to my first hockey game when I was 10 years old. I fell in love and I've been in love ever since. They were the Phoenix Roadrunners back then. There was no Plexiglas surrounding the ice, just wire mesh. They didn't wear helmets or face shields and the goalies had the Freddie Kruger type masks. They fought more and whined less. My husband and I fell in love going to Roadrunner games. I still think the Roadrunner logo is the best logo in all of sports...ever. (I really wanted to include a picture of the logo but could not get it to work.)So yeah, I'd be happy if they changed the name to the Roadrunners...but the Arizona Coyotes is fine...and I love their logo too. I just really want people to know that there are rabid fans in this valley and state. One interesting tidbit I learned on Twitter last night...there were more AZ players in the NCAA Frozen Four than in the Final Four...not a hockey town, huh?
If you made it this far I want to thank you for bearing with me while I vented. I just have one last thing to say before I go. Quoting from a recent NHL commercial....
After watching the CoG vote last night I came to a couple of conclusions. CM Sherwood is probably the smartest person in the whole city. Vice Mayor Knaak should be the Mayor. And 1/3 of the city council are just buffoons and I have no idea how they got elected.
I am not a fan of Gary Bettman (NHL Commissioner) by any means but I do appreciate what he has done to keep our team here. And hopefully there are no ulterior motives...
I am extremely happy for the business owners and employees of the Westgate area. To think that a major entertainment venue could survive without an anchor tenant is folly. Thousands of jobs would have been lost, businesses would have gone under and the only thing you'd be hearing at Westgate is the sound of the wind whistling through the empty space. I am really irritated by those that continually want to lay the CoG's financial woes at the feet of the Coyotes. We have been living through one of the worst economic downturns in our nation’s history yet attendance was up over the last several years...keeping the businesses at Westgate afloat. I'm sure there are many more economical problems in the CoG than the Coyotes and Jobing.com Arena. The lack of vision on the part of some is really astounding. Sometimes things have to hurt before they get better.
I am excited to see what an actual, honest to goodness, real owner will do with this franchise...we have never had one of those and I am looking forward to the prospect.
There has been a lot of talk about how we don't have our own fan base. That when we fill the arena it's filled with Hawks, Redwings or Bruins fans. Well guess what people? We live in a melting pot. People move here from Chicago, Detroit and Boston because they love the weather not the sports teams. They grew up with multiple generations of loyalty to a team. They are not going to give that up just because they moved here. And quite frankly, I really don't care who comes just as long as there are butts in the seats. We are just now coming into our own as a major league sports town. The kids who were young when Coyotes or the D-Backs or the Cardinals came here are just in their 20's now and starting families of their own. That's how you build a fan base, but it takes time. You have to give it time...and good ownership. The Cardinals have just been seeing more of their own fans in the last couple of years. Go to any D-Backs game and you will hear lots of cheering for the opposing team. It's just the way it is in this valley and if you are going to be a true fan, you just have to get used to it. And then be the solution instead of the problem. Go to the games, support the local team, and bring a friend who's never been to a game. Grow the fan base.
Lastly, I want to say to those that think hockey doesn't belong in the desert and that this is not a hockey town (yes, I'm talking to you Canada)...I have been watching hockey in the desert for over 40 years. I went to my first hockey game when I was 10 years old. I fell in love and I've been in love ever since. They were the Phoenix Roadrunners back then. There was no Plexiglas surrounding the ice, just wire mesh. They didn't wear helmets or face shields and the goalies had the Freddie Kruger type masks. They fought more and whined less. My husband and I fell in love going to Roadrunner games. I still think the Roadrunner logo is the best logo in all of sports...ever. (I really wanted to include a picture of the logo but could not get it to work.)So yeah, I'd be happy if they changed the name to the Roadrunners...but the Arizona Coyotes is fine...and I love their logo too. I just really want people to know that there are rabid fans in this valley and state. One interesting tidbit I learned on Twitter last night...there were more AZ players in the NCAA Frozen Four than in the Final Four...not a hockey town, huh?
H-O-C-K-E-Y....I'LL LOVE HOCKEY TILL THE DAY I DIE!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Mothers and Daughters and Dresses...Oh My!
Wow, I was in a writing mood and thought...it's been a while since I wrote a blog post...I should do that. Little did I know I haven't written one since December! Well, I've written them...I just haven't posted them. So today I'm going to share something I originally wrote in February. At the time the emotions were just too raw to share. This is a really emotional year for me with the wedding coming up and all that entails. I was expecting to be emotional when it came time to go dress shopping. I had no idea what the emotions of that day would really end up being...
February 2013
Last night I went with my baby girl to watch her try on (and eventualy buy!) a wedding dress. I fully expected to cry, to blubber like the sap that I am. I didn't. I got teary eyed when she finally made the decision, when she finally knew that it was THE one. I was having extreme mixed emotions the whole day. I've talked often about the mix of emotions you feel as a parent. I think one thing imparticular left me unable to even cry.
When she talked about being nervous and excited to try on the dresses, it brought me right back to the time when I did the very same thing. Except my mother wasn't with me.
My mother lived in another city and was unable to come with me to shop for a dress. My mother-in-law came with me. She was so wonderful, but she was not my mother. I was sad she could not be there but I honestly NEVER thought about how she felt. Until last night. Sitting in the bridal salon, watching Beth try on dress after dress...it hit me. My mother missed this. I felt so sad in that moment. And so, I knew I had to hold back because if I let THOSE feelings go...it would not have been pretty.
I was feeling a little guilty. Had my young, 21 year old self been too selfish to try and figure out a way for my mother to be there? I don't remember the exact circumstances so I can't know for sure...but that was not a good feeling. My mother NEVER said anything about missing the event. She was great like that. And now she's gone and I'll never know just how she felt about that. So, on a night when I should have been feeling extreme joy, it was tempered a little with the realization that I had what my mother was never able to have. But, she would have been happy for me and not sad for herself. And even if she was, she never would have told anyone. I know she is happy for me...I feel it everyday.
I didn't set out to write this post this way. I wanted to talk about how hard and joyous it is to watch your baby girl turn into a woman before your eyes. But sometimes you just have to write what's in your heart and today this was it. I think it's really brought home to me the fact that my mom and dad are not here to share this with us. They would have been SO happy to see their "little peanut" get married. But I know their spirits are with us and that is very comforting.
I wish I could share a picture of the dress but we don't want the groom to see it before the big day. Obviously I will be sharing that with you at some point...probably shortly after October 26th :)
Thanks for letting me share all this with you. I hope everyone has a wonderful week! :)
[I apologize for any spelling errors...spell check is mysteriously abscent from my toolbar! I am nothing without spell check :'( ]
February 2013
Last night I went with my baby girl to watch her try on (and eventualy buy!) a wedding dress. I fully expected to cry, to blubber like the sap that I am. I didn't. I got teary eyed when she finally made the decision, when she finally knew that it was THE one. I was having extreme mixed emotions the whole day. I've talked often about the mix of emotions you feel as a parent. I think one thing imparticular left me unable to even cry.
When she talked about being nervous and excited to try on the dresses, it brought me right back to the time when I did the very same thing. Except my mother wasn't with me.
My mother lived in another city and was unable to come with me to shop for a dress. My mother-in-law came with me. She was so wonderful, but she was not my mother. I was sad she could not be there but I honestly NEVER thought about how she felt. Until last night. Sitting in the bridal salon, watching Beth try on dress after dress...it hit me. My mother missed this. I felt so sad in that moment. And so, I knew I had to hold back because if I let THOSE feelings go...it would not have been pretty.
I was feeling a little guilty. Had my young, 21 year old self been too selfish to try and figure out a way for my mother to be there? I don't remember the exact circumstances so I can't know for sure...but that was not a good feeling. My mother NEVER said anything about missing the event. She was great like that. And now she's gone and I'll never know just how she felt about that. So, on a night when I should have been feeling extreme joy, it was tempered a little with the realization that I had what my mother was never able to have. But, she would have been happy for me and not sad for herself. And even if she was, she never would have told anyone. I know she is happy for me...I feel it everyday.
I didn't set out to write this post this way. I wanted to talk about how hard and joyous it is to watch your baby girl turn into a woman before your eyes. But sometimes you just have to write what's in your heart and today this was it. I think it's really brought home to me the fact that my mom and dad are not here to share this with us. They would have been SO happy to see their "little peanut" get married. But I know their spirits are with us and that is very comforting.
I wish I could share a picture of the dress but we don't want the groom to see it before the big day. Obviously I will be sharing that with you at some point...probably shortly after October 26th :)
Thanks for letting me share all this with you. I hope everyone has a wonderful week! :)
[I apologize for any spelling errors...spell check is mysteriously abscent from my toolbar! I am nothing without spell check :'( ]
Sunday, December 23, 2012
On Traditions and Evil Panic Monsters
Merry Christmas from the Clem Castle to yours...
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| The first decorations that go up every year. Some pieces I bought and some were inherited from Dan's mom. |
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| This is probably my favorite spot. It's always too hot to burn a fire here in AZ, but I wouldn't give up my fireplace for anything! |
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| My two smaller trees and my mom's hutch. I love everything about this! |
Santa and Snowmen tree on the left, Teddy Bear tree on the right. This grew out of my love for teddy bears and wanting to have a tree dedicated to just that. Then, over the years it just sort of morphed into this.
There are some traditions that are not negotiable. Such as decorating. I have thought many times that I would just put up the big tree and the nativity and do nothing else. That's pretty much how my mom decorated. But, even though I do go a little over board, it makes me happy to turn on the lights and enjoy all the beautiful things I have collected or inherited over the years. My favorite tradition is our annual Christmas Eve dinner and a movie followed by Christmas Eve Mass. This is a tradition we started with our kids about 12 years ago and I am happy to say that even now that they are all adults, they still want to do it every year. We all pick out a movie, go to the theater in the early evening and after the movie we walk across the street to Chili's and have dinner. After dinner we go home, change clothes and head off to Christmas Eve Mass. It's been a wonderful tradition for us. A kind of way to wind down after all the hubbub of preparing for the holiday and a time to get rested up for Christmas Day...when we host close to 30 people every year for dinner. I love traditions, and these are my favorites.
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| The big tree and my hutch in the foyer. The stockings hanging on the hutch are Dan's and my first stockings. The are two of my favorite things. |
I have been making sure that I remember my blessings this year also. I am so very blessed by everything I have in my life. My faith, a wonderful family, a job, a roof over my head, food to eat...it's a long list. I really believe this has helped me to put the focus where it needs to be this year. Whenever the evil panic monsters start invading my brain, I just start thanking God for all the blessings He has rained down on me. My heart feels instantly lighter and the fact that I have not wrapped a single present yet, doesn't seem so important.
My wish for you this Christmas is a day filled with faith, family, friends, traditions and no panic monsters. I hope you all have a very Blessed Christmas, and remember.....
Jesus is the reason for the season!
Friday, December 7, 2012
Friday Randomness
Happy Friday!! Just a disclaimer: This is a very random post (and long). Kudos to you if you are able to follow along without feeling schizophrenic. I felt somewhat schizophrenic just writing it :)
Been a while since my last post. I go through this on a pretty regular basis. I get in the writing mood and then it escapes me for a while. When I was young I thought I was going to be the next great American novelist. Then when I got a little older and really found my passion for history, I thought I would be the next great American historian. But then I realized that I'd much prefer someone else do the historical research and I'll just read their books. Thank you, David McCullough. I discovered that what I really love is to read more than write.
Someone said to me once, "You know you're a writer when you wake up in the morning and that's all you can think about all day. All you want to do is write." I think that's when I realized that, while I love to write, I don't want to be an author. Writing is a way for me to purge all the thoughts that swirl constantly in my over active brain. I'm a big fan of getting things on paper (or a computer screen) where you can see them and they are tangible, not just swirly thoughts in your mind. I'm a true believer of pro/con lists...I've written many of those in my life. So, while I wish that I could be the next great American blogger, I know that's never going to happen. I love to crochet too much.
One exciting thing happened since my last post. My youngest daughter got engaged! It's a weird feeling. I'm very happy for her and I love her fiance...he's so good to her and that makes me happy. But at the same time, I can't get over the fact that she's old enough to be married. She seems so young to me still. And then I remember that at her age, I had already been married for three years. Just weird. The other weird thing is...I'm going to be a mother-in-law! That has so many negative connotations in our society and I am determined not to be the stereotypical mother-in-law. I have good examples to follow. My own mother-in-law was so wonderful to me. She treated me like her own daughter. And I will always believe that my mother loved my husband more than she loved me. She thought he hung the moon. Both of our mothers were perfect examples of what a good mother-in-law should be. Supportive, caring, compassionate and never a buttinski. They are both gone from us now, and I miss them both dearly. I'm going to try my best to follow their example. So, just when I was getting kind of comfortable with my role as mom to adult children...another new role and another chance to redefine myself. Change is good. Change is good...
Christmas is around the corner. I've mailed my cards but my house is still not decorated. Hopefully I will accomplish that this weekend. Last Christmas I wrote this...all about my attempt to downsize Christmas. I have to tell you, I was successful. And guess what? The world didn't end. Everyday I'm getting more and more used to this paring down thing. If you've been around here for a while you've read about my addiction to Hallmark ornaments. Or, Hallmarkitis as I like to call it. This year I went to the ornament premier which is in July ( I know! It's a sickness!). And, I haven't been back since. If you don't know anything about Hallmark ornaments, starting in July, they have several weekends where they premier new ornaments. I went in July and fulfilled my commitment to all the series that I have started and that was it. And...it's been OK. Every once in a while I think about it and wonder what cute little Santa or snowman I might be missing...and then I pick up my crochet hook and everything is forgotten. Now you understand why I've been crocheting so much this fall!!
Speaking of crocheting (I always do, don't I?). I've started another new project. At first I wasn't a fan of the colors but I knew they were perfect for the recipient. Funny, they've really started to grow on me as I've been working with them. Take a look...
This is in the beginning stages. I'm about half way done now and I have to say it is turning out beautifully. I'll post another picture when I've finished.
I'm sure you all remember this project. I complained about it enough. I was very proud to give this as a gift and I know that the new mom loves it so that makes me happy. The baby for whom this was made was born yesterday and he is gorgeous. Plus, we are getting cooler weather this weekend...just in time to be wrapped in a cozy afghan and matching cocoon.
I guess that's enough randomness for a Friday. I told you it was going to be schizophrenic. Thanks for sticking it out to the end. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Been a while since my last post. I go through this on a pretty regular basis. I get in the writing mood and then it escapes me for a while. When I was young I thought I was going to be the next great American novelist. Then when I got a little older and really found my passion for history, I thought I would be the next great American historian. But then I realized that I'd much prefer someone else do the historical research and I'll just read their books. Thank you, David McCullough. I discovered that what I really love is to read more than write.
Someone said to me once, "You know you're a writer when you wake up in the morning and that's all you can think about all day. All you want to do is write." I think that's when I realized that, while I love to write, I don't want to be an author. Writing is a way for me to purge all the thoughts that swirl constantly in my over active brain. I'm a big fan of getting things on paper (or a computer screen) where you can see them and they are tangible, not just swirly thoughts in your mind. I'm a true believer of pro/con lists...I've written many of those in my life. So, while I wish that I could be the next great American blogger, I know that's never going to happen. I love to crochet too much.
One exciting thing happened since my last post. My youngest daughter got engaged! It's a weird feeling. I'm very happy for her and I love her fiance...he's so good to her and that makes me happy. But at the same time, I can't get over the fact that she's old enough to be married. She seems so young to me still. And then I remember that at her age, I had already been married for three years. Just weird. The other weird thing is...I'm going to be a mother-in-law! That has so many negative connotations in our society and I am determined not to be the stereotypical mother-in-law. I have good examples to follow. My own mother-in-law was so wonderful to me. She treated me like her own daughter. And I will always believe that my mother loved my husband more than she loved me. She thought he hung the moon. Both of our mothers were perfect examples of what a good mother-in-law should be. Supportive, caring, compassionate and never a buttinski. They are both gone from us now, and I miss them both dearly. I'm going to try my best to follow their example. So, just when I was getting kind of comfortable with my role as mom to adult children...another new role and another chance to redefine myself. Change is good. Change is good...
Christmas is around the corner. I've mailed my cards but my house is still not decorated. Hopefully I will accomplish that this weekend. Last Christmas I wrote this...all about my attempt to downsize Christmas. I have to tell you, I was successful. And guess what? The world didn't end. Everyday I'm getting more and more used to this paring down thing. If you've been around here for a while you've read about my addiction to Hallmark ornaments. Or, Hallmarkitis as I like to call it. This year I went to the ornament premier which is in July ( I know! It's a sickness!). And, I haven't been back since. If you don't know anything about Hallmark ornaments, starting in July, they have several weekends where they premier new ornaments. I went in July and fulfilled my commitment to all the series that I have started and that was it. And...it's been OK. Every once in a while I think about it and wonder what cute little Santa or snowman I might be missing...and then I pick up my crochet hook and everything is forgotten. Now you understand why I've been crocheting so much this fall!!
Speaking of crocheting (I always do, don't I?). I've started another new project. At first I wasn't a fan of the colors but I knew they were perfect for the recipient. Funny, they've really started to grow on me as I've been working with them. Take a look...
I'm sure you all remember this project. I complained about it enough. I was very proud to give this as a gift and I know that the new mom loves it so that makes me happy. The baby for whom this was made was born yesterday and he is gorgeous. Plus, we are getting cooler weather this weekend...just in time to be wrapped in a cozy afghan and matching cocoon.
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