Presents from Starbucks

My cat must really love us! Saturday we had 4 skinks in one day, and I just got my first one for today!! I catch them with at least 3 paper towels (don't want to touch them!) and set them free outside. Saturday, I swear Starbucks was going right out and bringing the same ones in!! He manages to meow with these things in his mouth. He rarely kills them, now he does scare the beejeebees out of the creatures, and they are usually missing their tails, but he doesn't kill them. And then I set them free, so they manage to live again in nature.

Dying Progress

Here's my fabric drying from my dying job. Not as gradual shades as I would have liked, but not so bad for my first time. The top picture is my two babies on the way to the lower deck. Bogie was posing with my fabric too, well actually, sniffing a treat bag I put there to get him in the shot!! Off to Beaufort with Mom & Dad to do some exploring, back on Wednesday! Happy Monday

Dying Progress

My drying rack (red spots on railing). This deck is not on the major traffic flow, so if the red dye stains the wood for awhile, not such a life and death situation. This is my version of "Gee's Bend" or maybe "Chapin Bend" is more appropriate. My fabric turned out fair for the first time try!! Not the gradual color change I was hopping for, but really fair for my first attempt. I also sketched my Piece Project out and then cut out my templates for each piece (9 different spaces to it).

Fabric Dye 101

#1 Rule of Fabric Dye - remember to wear your gloves!! I have to go to a wedding shower tonight, and my hands look like I've been hanging out with vampires all day!! Going to clash with my lime and teal pants, I guess!! I'd have a picture here, but my nails are purely ugly, so you just have to take my word for it!! #2 Rule of Fabric Dye - don't make fun of those other "dying ladies" that have "dye rooms" or a "dye sink". I used to think that was overdoing the "hobby", but no longer. Thank goodness for stainless steel sinks!! Never thought I'd say that, and you must keep that bottle of bleach handy, luckily Ken isn't here to see the counter tops before I cleaned them!

I am dying gradual shades of red. My "Piece" art quilt is going to be reds. At least the vest that is going to act like the trial run is red, not sure what colors the real piece is going to be. I have four shades, and I used cheap dye from Hobby Lobby on my first try. I'm excited to see how they turn out. Theoretically, I will have four different shades!!

Back update - still hurts, but nurse Ken brought home some of the heat belts from CVS. I slept with it on, the box says that the heat packets stay hot for 8 hours, but I'm on hour 16 and they are still hot!! I did make my own coffee (decaf, soy and splenda connoction - NO CAFFEINE!), but I'm not up to running vacuums or doing laundry, fabric dying went ok!!

Back Pain

Completely pulled my back out, on Bayer Back Pain, Heating Pad, Chinese Food, and Wine! Can't hardly move, but do have 3 wonderful nurses, Ken, Bogie, & Starbucks in that order too!!

Spell Check was invented for a reason

Perhaps I should do spell check and preview my own use of the English language BEFORE I hit publish, sorry!!

Another Manic Thursday

Going to the gym- haven't been in a week, ugh, it's going to hurt. Yesterday, I had my yearly physical, weight is still horrific (but hasn't changed in one year) but the nurse said I had grown one inch!! How do you grow an inch at 45. I haven't grown since I was in the 4th grade!! We did the measurement 3 times!! Of course, my blood pressure was up, my ekg wasn't so hot, but normal for me and my boobs are fibrous, even for me!! Guess what is the root of all of it, my beloved vanilla fraps!!! I know I can't have caffeine, but they are my only vice, I don't over-indulge in anything else, you would think I be allowed to have them, but NO. So, I've rededicated my life to no caffeine (again). I'm have sodium free v-8, weight watchers muffin and a protein bar for breakfast!! Plus Kevin, my adorable trainer and I are stepping up the cardio and Dr V raised my thyroid meds just a little to see if that won't jump start the weight loss again. My right ear also has fluid behind it, again. Not a good day at the drs!! So I think that calls for a fabric shopping trip!! Yippee!!
Ken says we might go kayaking again this weekend, yippee again. It's nice before the humidity sets in and the mosquitos can airlift you out of the kayak!
Off to do my crunches, I'll be sore tomorrow!!

Sewing Room Mess Blues

Why when you are hot to trot to start a project, your machine is buried under stuff and it takes you 2 hours to un-bury it!! I'm so ready to get started on my new project, but ugh the mess I've made in this room, while life was crazy! I just had been stashing stuff in there to get it off the kitchen table, so what a mess. I didn't even take pictures, too embarrassing!! I may, and I say that cautiously, may have found a way to store may fabric the best way for my limited space. I'm going to work with it for awhile. I actually used the draw style storage bins, minus their bones, just used the guts and put them on my own stainless steel shelves. The still slide like drawers, and the shelves are so close, nothing can get dusty. Maybe it will work, I've been through at least 4 different "systems" and nothing seems to work. I have too much fabric for the size of my room!! Will continue my project during Dancing with the Stars, maybe Billy Ray will finally leave!! Go Apollo!!

Baby Blue Birds and Crocs

Baby Blue Bird from Jean's Boxes!! Too ugly for words, but so cute at the same time!!
Larry won't cut the tag off his crocs, we called him Minnie Pearl last night!!
See what I started, we all wear them now!! That's me Milton, Larry and Ruth!!

Cedar Creek, Congaree Swamp

Went on a canoe trip with our Kayak and a rented one for me on Cedar Creek which feeds into the Congaree River. Only went for about 3 hours. Weather was perfect, I had a fleece on the first half of the trip and a t-shirt the rest. Only saw one turtle and a woodpecker, but the cypress trees with the Spanish Moss hanging in them were magnificent! The average tree is about 150 years old. Had to stop for a wildlife retrieval moment just now. Starbucks has brought in about 2-3 animals a day in the last week! Friday it was two lizards and a baby bird, just now it was a lizard! He's keeping me busy, imagine what he could do if he was coordinated and had front claws!! Anyhow, the trip was great, I would do it again in a minute, but I do need a paddle lesson, somehow I manage to get water in the boat (thank goodness my camera was ok!) We ate with Milton, Jean, Larry & Ruth last night, we were so silly! Milton had just completed shed 3, 30,000 sq feet with four bay doors, kitchen and bathroom facilities. I would kill for 1/10 of that for a studio!! He said it was going to cost him $9,000 to paint the floor, do you know how much fabric that would buy??? Ugh, Men!! We also examined Jean's bird boxes, she had four babies in one (pictures later), so cute they were ugly. I finally have some down time this coming week, I'm really going to try to dye my fabric now. I have designed on paper an amazing art quilt, called "The Beginnings of Piece" or "Nothing's Left to Chance". The design and the name all came to me in a matter of 5 minutes. I couldn't keep up with my pencil. It was so cool!! Can't wait to do it!!

Outward Hound

Now that Dad has a canoe, Bogie must have safety equipment!! The smallest lifejacket (x-small) just fits him, he liked it until I laughed at him and told him how cute he was. He hates being cute!! He's manly, or so he thinks!!

Sassy Settings

Why do cameras know when we really need pictures?? Of course, this huge event last night, and my camera runs out of batteries!!
Our Sisters in Service event: Sassy Settings a silent auction of 18 different table settings all with different themes went really well last night. We think we had about 200 people, and hopefully we raised more money than last year ( our yearly objective). The weekend at Pawleys Island and the Steve Spurrier Print were really popular but as far as tables went, my Birthday At Tiffany's went very well!! Everybody commented on my ideas and "talent". I have to say we all had really pretty tables!! We had wine, water, lemonaide and heavy finger food, including a strawberry and chocolate fountain!! One lady was even adding her own vodka to our lemonaide (just in her glass). We had a good night and raised money for a good cause, but boy are we tired today!! I will be getting photos from somebody else in a few days!
233 killed in Iraq just today, how wrong is that!!

Why?

Why do things like this happen?? My heart and prayers go out to all at Virginia Tech!

Cat in the Hat - Window

What do you do when your a cat, you want to go outside, but it's a rainy - windy day, you lay in the bathroom window!!!
My first draft of my Birthday at Tiffany's table stuff. The picture is bad, it's actually the real tiffany teal/blue and white. Below is my drawing for my invitation. It's actually not bad for my drawing!! Mom said it looked really nice!! My centerpiece has tiffany boxes in it along with the tulips. I'm still sewing the chair covers, they body of the cover is done, but the teal ties are not even started, but alas it won't take long!! I'm going to wear a black dress, pearls and put my hair up!! How cool and how dorky!! I love it!!

Sisters In Service

What is Sisters in Service you ask? A non profit woman's organization that helps working people/families in times of crisis. We've helped people that had their house catch on fire, helped people with meds, helped a man get a wheel chair lift in his truck, we've taken people to doctors who can no longer drive. This year besides helping financially we also adopted a building at our local nursing home and do birthday parties once a month. We have two big fundraisers a year, spring and fall. This lady is Milton's mother, she's 94 and was born on the 4th of July, 1912. Our spring fundraiser is next Tuesday and we are having a table setting display/auction/competition. My table is Birthday at Tiffany's, all done in Tiffany's blue with crystal and silver. I will get a picture of it as soon as finish some of my sewing!! Speaking of sewing, that's my agenda for today and all weekend. Ken bought a kayak and is going on a trip tomorrow down one of the rivers, so I won't feel guilty sewing!! My sinuses are finally letting up a little. My face was so swollen yesterday, even Ken noticed! Got to go sew!

Wash out that Grey

Bible Study and coloring my hair, that's my day. In between, housewife stuff and Sisters in Service stuff. In an amongst all that, my head is splitting wide open!! It's finally raining here, washing away the pollen, but the weather pattern is messing with my sinuses!! Wine, wine, wine, and both Starbucks and Bogie are begging for part of my lunch! There is a family down the street, that the Dad is part of the National Guard, he's home for a couple of days before going to Afganistan, the yard has welcome home signs in it and red, white & blue balloons. They've had it up for two days, and every time I pass it, I cry. They have a toddler and a new born, I hope he's ok over there. At least he's going to a country that had people in it that tried to hurt us. That's my soap box, don't want to be known as that blogger that hates Bush and what he stands for, oh yeah, that is me!! Still a very moderate Republican, still in support of the troops as they are just following orders, however wrong they may be, and proud to be an American where I can speak my voice. But, if something doesn't happen soon to boost the spirit of America's image in the world, we are going to be in trouble here!!

Bald Eagle

One of the best parts about living on Lake Murray (besides the obvious scenery) is the wildlife. We have had the same Great Blue Heron living in our cove for about 6 years. We hear him go out every morning to fish, he makes a horrific screeching noise when he takes off to fly. He sometimes fishes the bank of our lot, walking slowly along the shore looking for food. He loves to sit on the rolled up top of the pontoon boat, unfortunately, what he eats must come out. That doesn't please the husband very much. The last couple of weeks we have noticed him flying about with a friend. We are hoping it's a girlfriend, and maybe we will have little herons!! But yesterday took the cake, I saw a Bald Eagle. We have several up here, the electric company has made nests for them, and many people see them all the time. This is my third eagle since I've lived here, but man what a sight, glad to be an American and that bird is my symbol!!

I spent 4 hours waiting for my brakes to be fixed, didn't exactly have that much spare time, but what could I do. So, I'm knee deep in Sisters In Service work, our bi-annual fund raiser is next week. After that I'm going to try my hand at dying my own fabric!! I'll take pictures of the procedure.

Can't wait for warm weather again!!

Happy Easter!

All these pet food issues scare me. Lili and I went to Pet Smart and got Eukanuba brands for both Bogie and Starbucks, they said that's one brand that hasn't been recalled yet, and it doesn't have the gluten in it either. So far, Starbucks isn't keen on his. Bogie eats anything. Lili had a craving for a pet at the store. She wanted to adopt every animal there!!

She and I are making red velvet cupcakes for tomorrow. Our menu tomorrow is really low key, we at least have a honey baked ham, and heavy snacks for the rest of the meal. Hope all of you have a Happy Easter

Good Friday

Happy Good Friday Ya'll!! Lili brought home her Graduation Gown!! Man it seems like yesterday she and I were practicing her alphabet in the car!! The tail pic of Bogie is after the groomer finished. His tail had become so matted, the only solution was to take off the pretty long hair, but now his little piglet tail is so cute, we want to keep it like this. But that isn't the way a Maltese looks!! Plus his little rear is cold!! It is freezing here! 29 degrees for Sunrise Service on Sunday, eeeeeks!! Ken went from luscious pastel golf shirts to a wool sweater today! That other pic of sleeping beauties, is Bogie and Ken, this was how I left them Wednesday morning when I went off to Bible Study. Bogie has to come into our bed when we let him out of his room in the a.m. He prefers to stay in our bed until noonish, he's not a morning dog. Ken's office has been quite all this week, due to Easter so he's been sleeping in, thus my two favorite men, sleeping in little curls together! They were both out when the flash went off!! Bogie attempted to raise one eyelid when I whispered "good-bye" to them! Happy Good Friday!!

Starbucks Update

I know you all have been waiting for news on my precious Starbucks, well... the dr released him from the collar! Yeah, how do you restrict a majestic animal with that horrible halo thing?? Plus the poor cat barfed, which those contents stayed in the collar and were gooey all around his neck. He was modified!! The vet did say it was an animal bite, he found the other tooth mark, a bruise that really didn't break the skin. He's taking his antibiotics, making horrible faces while doing so, but he still loves me. How do I know, he brought me a dead animal just now!! You will see as this blog grows, he is a very generous giver of the dead animal kind. He even brings them to Bogie too!! We have ivy in the front and back yards, a breeding ground for animals for Starbucks to pounce on.

Went to Charleston yesterday, rode down there with a friend who needed to visit a relative in the hospital. The place was packed, you would think that was the only place to spend Easter!! The wisteria was just about finished, but the azaleas will be out next week. So the flowers weren't as spectacular as I would have hoped. Had a great lunch at 82 Queen. Friend Green Tomatoes with ham and mozzarella cheese with a corn mayo on freccacia bread. Yum!!

Bogie went to the Groomers and they had to cut his tail, he has a piglet tail! It was so matted and since he hates to be combed, it was a horrible mess. I'll add a picture later. Got to go to Bible Study!

Jicama??

Had Larry & Ruth over last night, had a great salad with Jicama in it. Being from California, I had heard of it, but had never eaten any. My salad had a southwest flair, black beans, corn, peppers, and I served it in a trifle dish, so that really set it off. We took a ride today, the wisteria is just everywhere!! I know it kills trees, but it is so pretty. We also got out and walked at the Riverfront Park. This is along the Broad River and we saw the old canal where they used to ship the cotton down to Charleston for Market!!

Starbucks is doing better, really tired of his halo. Ken has started calling him Halo now. Boggie thinks he's the nurse still, he's so gentle. It is amazing how animals know about injuries and when to be sweet! Lili cames back this way tonight, she's been partying all weekend, the Carolina Cup, one of many graduation parties and some concert with a group I've never heard of. (Really horrible music probably!) Have we mentioned she got into Furman!! We are so proud, she can't wait to start!!