Thursday, April 30, 2009

Downsizing...

Well, BAE Systems (where my husband works) is finally feeling the economic bite. Next week they are downsizing 2% of their workers. When my husband got the e-mail today, he said none of the managers knew a thing about it. Whew!! I don't know what this is going to mean. He hasn't been their that long, and he's older, so he could very well be out of a job. I only work part-time and the hospital has a freeze on all raises and new hires. No overtime, no additional hours, they want us to go home without pay when it's slow. I really don't know if we can live on just my salary. We do have savings, but everyone knows how far savings go. I'm a little frightened about this. I'm pretty sure the laptop that I'm drooling over is going to be put on the back burner for awhile, maybe a good long while. I'm gonna do some more praying and hope that everything works out for the best. It's totally out of our hands anyway, because what happens...happens. It's fate, or ka.

Work day...

I've got to do some cleaning around here, it's kinda gross. (to me at least). I'm gonna do some laundry, quick wash the few dishes by the sink, then out to the yard to do whatever little bit I can before it starts to rain. It's a little balmy out, just a little chill, no wind, and thank god, no sun. I have light sensitive eyes, and while the sun is refreshing and reviving, it's also very hard on my eyes. So, wish me luck, here I go, into the yard of doom.
Hey...I can take some pictures...what a concept. Duh!

Laptop 2...

Well, now I've found a Dell Studio 17 that I built myself. I'll need to check out the specs with the other one Andy found, but if this one is equal I'll get this one. They are ending up being a lot more than I wanted to spend, but they should do me for a long, long time, and this one has a design on it. So cool!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Laptop...

I'm looking to buy a laptop computer. This is not an easy thing to do, there are soooo many choices. I found one, Dell Studio 1737, it's so pretty. Not that that should be the main reason to buy something, but it does matter. I printed out all the information and I'll give it to my Dreaded Middle Son to review then I'm gonna go look at it. Tomorrow hopefully!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Cleaning...

Yesterday a large pork tenderloin (that I had thawed, and wrapped in a plastic bag) leak blood all over a shelf and everything else that was on it. I noticed later that it had also dripped into one of the crisper drawers. So, I think just about any woman can attest to this, one can simple not clean just one shelf of a refrigerator. You can maybe wipe up a little spill here or there, but when it comes to something bigger, well, that's a good excuse to clean the whole thing. You get to find lost items pushed way back behind frequently used items. You get to carefully open lids, peer inside and wonder, "What is that?!?!" You get to throw out containers with just a smidge left in them. You get to remind yourself to date containers when you open them, (this is what we are required to do at work...date, time and initials) so why don't I do it at home?! It would make life so much easier. I wouldn't have to warn my husband (who will eat ANYTHING) that what he has in his hand is very old...he shouldn't eat it...I wouldn't eat it...just THROW IT OUT. Maybe I'll have to write myself a note!!! ha! ha! ha!
Now that I'm done and my fingers are all pruney, I stand in front of my open refrigerator and everything is all shiny and clean and Organized and new looking...until someone (my husband) roots around in it for something to eat.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Birthday cake...
















I made a Banana Split cake for my birthday. I know I shouldn't have made my own cake, but I wanted to take pictures, so...here it is. It looked so pretty when I got done, but I soon realized that the top to my cake plate wouldn't fit, and it needed to be refrigerated. I made room in my fridge, but when it came time to get it to my sister's, I had to hold the plate on my lap and hope it would stay put. It started to melt a little, so it was in kind of a sorry state when we cut into it. It was tasty though, but very, very sweet. The hot fudge was too much.

Birthday party...




My family, consisting of mother, sister, sister & brother-in-law, husband, firstborn and the baby, had a combination Russian Orthodox Easter/my birthday party today at my sisters. We had ham, sausage, hard boiled eggs, bread, poppyseed bread, potato salad, and jello. Yum! This bounty was blessed last night at the Easter service, (except for the potato salad and jello), and it is always eaten cold. It might sound a little odd, but that's the way it's done and the way it will continue to be done. I would never think of eating cold sausage, but when it's blessed, it tastes great. We also had birthday cake, which I will blog about, and cake balls, and angelfood cake. Ugh! No wonder I feel crabby. I suppose no one forced me to eat it though.
I got new measuring spoons and cups, some things to put outside by my pond, and money to go buy some plants for around my pond.

Sugar drop...

Oh my, I have to stop eating sugar. Maybe a little at a time (very little), but certainly not a normal portion of cake, or candy. I get so depressed afterwards. Right now I feel like I want to curl up in a corner and cry. I've been yelling at my husband, and all he's trying to do is help. I know what's causing my mood, but I can't stop the nasty comments coming out of my mouth, and I'm sooooo very tired.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

did I say friends???

Wait a minute...having people read my blog was NOT the reason I started one. I've been following other blogs and I thought it seemed kinda cool...so I started one (I secretly hate to be left out). I started it so I could have a journal of life, past, present and future. I've always been interested in journaling, seeing others with their little books with the pretty covers, pen in hand, writing thoughtful, soul searching words in neatly slanted handwriting. Yeah, well, I just couldn't do it. I tried, really I did. I don't like writing. I have crappy penmenship. I could never think of anything to say. BUT, blogging is much easier. It's quicker to type my thoughts than write them, and I can put pictures in here too! I can have a cooking blog, a garden blog, a kid blog, a pictures blog, a scrapbooking blog (no...forget that, I'd rather actually scrapbook with paper), a name picture blog, and a MY life blog. And it's all for me and my family. I don't need any friends to read my writing. (well, I really would like a couple at least)

Friends

I need some friends to visit my blog. It's lonely out here all by myself.

Birthday

53 years ago today, I came into the world, (almost in the car). I was the third girl for my mother and apparently we are built the same. (She also could be a bush woman; we could have gone out behind a rock and squatted) For some strange reason, the Doctors used to advise women to drink a little castor oil if they were close to their due date, and it would bring on labor. That is exactly what my mother did and exactly what happened. 53 years ago women dressed a little more formal, they wore girdles, nylons, slips, dresses, nice coats (unlike now, when we wear sweatpants and a t-shirt) and in the middle of the night, when she went into labor (thank you castor oil), before she would agree to get in the car, she had to get dressed. Totally dressed, girdle and all. Dad had his mom-in-law, who lived a couple of houses away, run over to watch my sisters, then raced my mom off to the hospital. There is hardly any traffic these days during the middle of the night, so you can imagine there was NO traffic then. He raced through stop signs and lights, going as fast as he dared, and where the heck is a cop when you need one? Meanwhile, I was starting to be born. He got them/us to the hospital, and a nurse went for a wheelchair for my mom, but Mom said "The baby's coming, I can't sit down." They got a stretcher instead, and sure enough, I was hanging part way out...butt first. (I just have to do everything the hard way!!) By the time my dad got through registering my mom, I was born. He got to the delivery room and it was all over...he missed it...well, he would have missed it anyway, because back then, husbands weren't allowed in the delivery room. Too germy I guess! ha-ha! My dad did get one treat though, he got to take my mom's coat to the dry cleaners to try and get all the blood out, I guess he was a little embarassed trying to explain. We give my mom a hard time about that every year. Poor thing, maybe I won't bring it up this year. snicker!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Mom

I try not to think of it too much, but I'm getting scared of the day my mother is no longer with us. I've lived three houses away from her for the past 30 years. She has ALWAYS been there. I can not imagine life without her.
I used to go sit and talk with her nearly everyday, but not so much anymore. The main reason, I hate to admit, is because my sister lives with her. She can be a little over powering. She hears that I've come for a visit and instead of letting mom and I talk, she takes over and an hour later, mom and I have barely said two words to each other, and I need to be going. If I only had some guts, I would say something, but I don't like arguments, so I keep quiet.
I do love the days I get to spend with my mom though. She gets so excited, jabbering away. It's fun to see her that way.
I think I need to make necessary changes to my life and see her more. Things happen all too quickly, and I would hate to have to say..."I wish I would have spent more time with her."
I love my mom!

Poppy seed




My 88 yr. old mother and I are going to Kramarczyk's Deli today to pick up some poppy seed.

The Russian Orthodox Easter is April 19 this year and it's a tradition to make poppy seed bread. This is sort of an acquired taste. If there should be a "new person" eating with us, we ALWAYS make the "new person" try a piece. Some of them Love it and some just wrinkle their nose and leave the rest sitting on their plate. We Love it.


But...it needs to be make just right. The dough has to be rolled thinly, and the poppy seed filling needs to be THICK. If it's too thin, or there is too much dough, we just complain, complain, complain. There will be pieces of bread dough all over our plates, from us picking the bread apart to eat all of the poppy seed filling.


The older I get, I've found out that I cannot eat too many pieces and still feel well. It seems to be doing strange things to my innards. YUK!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Wildlife

A few days ago, my husband comes rushing in the house and says "We have Mallards in the pond". Now, we have a collie. Collies like to heard things. We have fish in the pond. Ducks eat fish. So, you can see where I'm going with this...while ducks in our pond would be really neat, it is NOT a smart idea. They let me get quite close, I kept creeping up on them. She was getting a little nervous, but he was intent on grooming himself.




Mosaic Cross

Well I got those posts in the wrong order. So, you'll just have to see the finished product first. Scroll along to see the process.
And the last two are of the sides. So, what do you think? I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I still have to do a little touch up, and then seal it. I think we're going to put it in the center of the patio out in the courtyard. It will look pretty there. Maybe we can put up some benches. That's a project for another time!!



This is the back, or it could be the front. I call it the back because I did it last. The comma is made of dragon's tears. On Maundy Thursday, I had originally wanted to bring the cross to church and have everyone put a tear on the cross. That idea didn't work because the cross was too heavy and fragile (at that moment) to carry around. Instead, we had the people put a tear on a diagram of the comma.

The finished project, spotlighted at church. It got lots of oohs and aahs. Was it hard? Was it fun?

How much time did it take? How did you do it? Have you done a lot of mosaics?

Pinks

Side view

Front comma

Here I am working hard. It took awhile to come up with an idea. I looked at the United Church of Christ website and saw the comma. I started with a black comma, and put rust tiles aroung it, (they were the closest I had to red), then I added other solid colors, and designed shards to compliment the solids. The colors wrap around to the back.

I had many, many pieces of broken dishes. As I was working, I realized I had

less than I thought, and I had to go out and buy cheap dishes and tiles to fill in.

Mosaic Cross


Okay, here it is...the cross from beginning to end.
We started with a treated 8' 6x6 post. My sweet husband cut and notched
the cross piece, then put in some dowels. Next he wrapped wire around it
for extra support for the thinset.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Cross

It's almost done...it just needs to dry tonight, and tomorrow I'll get some grout and make it pretty. I'll post photos too. Right now I'm tired. My feet are killing me, I'm all puffy from water retention, between my shoulders is stiff, and my right hand hurts. (poor me)

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

1/2 way there

Well, this mosaic cross is taking way more time than I thought it would. I took yesterday off and worked on it most of the day. I got less than half way done. I have to work a good two hours tonight then I'm going to have to skip choir tomorrow so I can work on it somemore. Geez, I guess I didn't plan this out too well.
It sure is going to look nice when it's done!!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Thrift Store

I'm off to the thrift store today to pick up some interesting pieces (dishes, pots, cups, etc.) to use on the cross. Some of our church family left broken pieces, but they are a little boring and I think the cross needs a little boost.
I also need to pick up some Dragon's Tears before Maundy Thursday. We'll have spots left bare for people who wish to add to the cross, so they can attach a tear for themselves. Hopefully we can make some sort of design with them. Sometimes it doesn't pay to have a real concrete plan because it just backfires. My plan for this is very far away from concrete. I just want it to turn out well enough that I won't have to hide my face in shame whenever I look at it, or when someone comments on it.
The one thing about the church family, is that they are very appreciative of anything special done. They ooh and aah about it even if it looks horrible.

Easter

Kira and I sort of got "elected" to do an art/healing project for church. Our theme for Lent was Transformation and Healing. Our church is going through some big changes and bringing the "Artist and GLTB" people to try and save our church is one of them. The Art/Music committee decided to have some sort of piece made with broken shards of pottery. They know that my daughter and I are up for just about anything creative, so they decided we could create something. (well they did sort of ask). We decided on a large wooden beam cross that we could put in our courtyard. We need to have most of it done by Maundy Thursday, and finished by Easter Sunday. I just realized late last night that this coming sunday is Palm Sunday. We haven't even started it yet. Nothing like waiting till the last minute. So...looks like we're gonna be kinda busy tomorrow. cool!!! I'll post a picture when we finish.

tired...

Here it is, 12:30 in the morning. I'm sitting at my computer, my eyes are half shut, I'm yawning, propping my head up on my arm. My eyes burn, my ankles are swollen, I'm thirsty. Why don't I just turn OFF the computer and go to bed???? Good question. I ask myself that nearly every night, then I wonder why I'm tired all day. Hmmpf! Someday I might just listen to myself. ha ha

Friday, April 3, 2009

Dominic

Dominic is Molly's baby. A chunk of a kid. She hardly works anymore. Lucky her.

The baby!

My youngest...19 years old, several tattoos, piercings, smoker, ADHD, needs some motivation, a very loving and caring young man.

Middle baby...

My second born. Look at that face! What a sweetpea. He's all grown up now. 21 years old, graduated college with a Culinary Arts degree. He's a Sous Chef at Flame, Cooking with Fire.

Firstborn

My 23 yr old daughter. College graduate with a Biology major/Pshycology minor. Two Zoo internships. (she works at JoAnn Fabrics) SOMEONE give her a full-time, PAYING job!!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Murphy



This is a "Name Picture" I made for my great, great nephew Murphy. He is soooo cute I can barely stand it. He'll let anyone hold him, smiles, doesn't cry or fuss alot. Just wait till they have a second child. It will be just the opposite.

Orchids from inside the Como Zoo Conservitory.
What a wonderful place to go in the winter.

Canon EOS Rebel XS

I got a new camera. I'm going to try it out in a bit while on a walk by the river. There is a small island on the Mississippi that is home to a bunch of Herons.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Hard work

Well this is turning out to be a little more difficult than I thought it would be.