This one woke me up with a start...

Something had been getting into the trash can and strewing it across "my" back yard (never actually been in the particular backyard in my dream).  I was outside in the dark trying to get everything picked up, figuring it was a bear (bear????) or raccoon that had done the damage.

Then I heard a "bobcat" snarl - except it was bigger than a bobcat, more the height of a mountain lion. It started running around me, first one way, then the other.  Then it started moving toward me...

THAT'S when I woke up.  Not sure why the thought of a bear was less scary, but who knows in dreams, right?

Well, all, it looks like the Pink Ribbon site made their goal of 500 mammograms for the month!  There is still some white on the ribbon, but I keep checking and if I am reading their graph correctly, they made it!  Of course, keep clicking, especially since the clicks will be doubled for this month.

By the way, if anyone knows of any similar "clicking for cancer" kind of sites, let me know. I will keep the Pink Ribbon site up, but would like to kind of focus each month on a different cancer issue.  Like I mentioned before, my mom died of cancer, as well as her mother and her oldest sister. (I am sure her other 4 sisters are worried like my sister and I are.)  I don't have a lot of free time, but I want to try to be proactive SOME way.

Anyway, good job everyone!!!

Yes, this is just my opinion.  And they say opinions are like rectums - everyone has one, and everyone else's generally stinks.  But I do have my reasons for making the above statement.

Hubby and I are having to quit using the credit cards.  Therefore, anything that was previously billed to the credit cards have to be changed.  AOL makes this VERY inconvenient.  You can not get a paper bill (actually, I think they just won't do it because I get conflicting info on this from whoever I talk to at AOL).  And, if you can get a paper bill or use an EFT, if you are not using a credit card, they charge you more each month. People at their help line are most UNhelpful.  They blithely suggest you use a debit card (my husband does not like debit cards because it is easy to lose track of what you put on them), or that you buy a prepaid credit card (once again, MORE cost).

Now, my husband has always used AOL.  I knew years ago they are not friendly to people not using credit cards, and have never liked that, so I had adamantly opposed using the company.  Well, since they will not work with us on this issue, we are switching ISP's.

Oy, is that a nightmare!!!  Switching all our AOL stuff over to other favorites lists is a night mare, and I had never used our current OS when setting up browsers and e-mail before, so nothing is QUITE like I remember it from a few years ago.  Needless to say, it has been....well, saying "an adventure" puts it in waaayyyyy to positive a light, LOL.

So, subsequently, I don't have much else to right about other than... AOL SUCKS!!!! :x

(Don't forget the Pink Ribbon link.)

Well, it is almost the end of the month!  The Pink Ribbon Challenge is very close to its goal, so everyone click that link!

My left arm feeling all better lasted, ohhhhhhh, about 1 night.  But, I found out I can use my heating pad at work, so it isn't hurting quite so bad.  Just wish I could get it healed.

I started a cardigan from the Interweave Crochet mag.  Not sure if I like it - I think the yarn they used in the model is thicker than mine, even though mine is "bulky".  Mine looks a little.... thin, especially considering I am using a Q hook.  Well, we will see how it all comes out in the wash.

Tomorrow is the first of my Two Days Off In A Row.  Yeah, it is important enough to capitalize, LOL.  Of course, I have to run errands all day, but I guess riding in the car listening to some tunes while running around is better than talking on the phone all day. And who knows, I might "accidentally" drive by a fabric shop. ;)

Well, until then, must get going!  Have a great one!!!

Sorry I have been AWOB (away-without-blog), but after 10 hours at work, I generally feel pretty drained and can't think of a thing to say! LOL

This particular entry is inspired by a post on almsthvn's blog ([link]). It is toooo funny, and her blog is so popular I am sure most everyone has seen it already, so you know what I am talking about. ;)

Anyway, I started searching for some chocolate wine recipes, and came up with some interesting things.

The Shallon Winery in Oregon does actually have chocolate wine - [link] !

Here is a recipe called "Wine Chocolate" - it is more of a hot chocolate recipe - [link] .

Yet another recipe from the same site, for "Chocolate Wine Balls" - [link] .

Here is a really neat idea for coating wine glasses with chocolate to serve wine - [link] .

I am going to keep trying to find a true chocolate wine recipe - I guess "collecting" online recipes is a hobby of mine, even if I don't get a chance to try all of them.  And I can always use the excuse of both wine AND chocolate having been shown to have antioxidant properties.  Or, hey, hormones works to!

So let's raise our chocolate-coated glasses of chocolate wine to PMS!  And pass me one of those chocolate wine balls!

Oh, yeah, since I haven't said it in a couple of days, click the Pink Ribbon Challenge link.  October is almost over, so let's help this site reach its goal!

Laters!

So Aleve is officially a wonder drug!  I took one dose last night, it knocked that pain right out of my left arm!  And this is after taking ibuprofen for a few days.  I thought the ibuprofen might work, since it is an anti-inflammatory - that's what I get for thinking!  Of course, now I only have 2 Aleve left, and they aren't that cheap, but now I am kicking myself for waiting so long.  DUH!!!!

I slept sooooo good last night with the pain gone! As a matter of fact, I am heading back that way to "celebrate" my second day off. LOL

Hopefully I can get back onto the crochet and sewing track now.  I noticed on my husband's latest issue of FHM there is a really neat crocheted bikini top, and the pic is just about big enough to possibly work out the basic pattern.

But,first things first.  Catch y'all later, and don't forget to click!!!

I have been waiting for today for a while - my first of two days off work in a row in a long long time.  Of course, when you think about it, we sit there wishing the week would hurry up, waiting for our days off.  Which means, most of the time, we are literally wishing our lives away.

I have several errands to do, not the least of which is a drug test of the "new" old job.  I hope I don't have to wait too long for that!

My left arm is killing my now.  I can hardly move it, and I haven't done anything strenuous to hurt it.  Also, the joint pain in my right index finger hasn't gone away.  I am seriously starting to worry something is wrong here, but since I don't have health insurance (yet) I can't afford to go to a doctor about it.  And it kind of puts a damper on any hobby-type-stuff.

Well, I am off to sleep some more - if I'm not wishing my life away, I guess I am snoozing it away!

Need I remind you about the Pink Ribbon Challenge? LOL.

Well, I am pretty excited - today is my first day at the new building.  NOW I get to see what all the broo-ha-ha is about.  They are supposed to be providing lunch for us.  I am already hungry!  And I just ate a whole wheat bagel, trying to get more fiber.  Pretty bad, huh?  Trying to stay away from sausage and egg biscuits and the like, but not sure if I will hold out.

Ahhh, well, gotta run!  Click the link, y'all!!!

So, here I am, all prepped to make food better for us than the frozen fare we have been subsisting on.  O.....M..... G!!!!!!  Here I was feeling guilty that canned chicken is so much more than "real" chicken, but it really isn't, by the time you factor in skin, fat, and bones.  And my husband only likes chicken breast, though I have snuck boneless thigh meat in.  Shhhhhh, it's a secret!

Well, I did buy some Greek seasoning - I would really like to try to make gyros.  I was picturing getting a "cheap" roast, and cooking it in the ole crockpot.  I am fairly sure any butchers who hear that are rolling right now.  OUCH!!!

OK, well, I DO have some roast beef in the fridge that needs to be eaten, so I was picturing seasoning the meat with my newly purchased seasoning, and making a stromboli with it since I have 4 rolls of refrigerated pizza dough in the fridge.  Gyro stromboli, yeah, I can picture it!  No cucumber to mix with the yogurt, but still sounding OK. Well, bless him, my husband wasn't in the "mood" for stromboli.  AAAAARGH!!!!!  He wanted canned spaghetti and meatballs, which he ate last night, which I failed to buy any more of today!  We ended up having chicken teryaki - yup, using the canned chicken. LOL

Well, I guess this just gives me time to buy a cucumber to make the gyro dressing.

What's worse than getting ready to get into the shower, seeing a large blob, putting on your glasses, only to find the blob is a gi-NORMOUS spider???

Actually finding the spider AFTER the shower.  :shock:

Luckily, this morning fell into the latter category, LOL. Ahhhh, the joys of the bucolic life.

It is my last day at the old call center!  Wednesday I officially start work for another company - same job, but hopefully the environment will be SOOOOO much better!

My husband has been a bit more sensitive to these things that bother me, which has also made me feel better.  Maybe he put himself in my shoes.

The knuckle on my right index finger is still REALLY painful - I'm not entirely sure what is up with that. I haven't tried to crochet since it "happened", to try not to aggravate it.  Hopefully it will heal soon.

My next "project" is planning on things I can cook more often.  With my new schedule, I will be home early enough that I should be able to prepare something in the crockpot, leave notes for my son so he can start it cooking before he catches the bus, and then we will have something to eat when I get home.  Plus, those 3 days off give me more time to cook for us better, also.

I am really grateful for all the people who take time to comment, even if it is just letting me know you clicked the Pink Ribbon link! :)

OW!!!!! I really hurt this morning - my back, my knee, my knuckles, my neck and my head.  I'm not really sure what to attribute it to.  I wasn't feeling well at work yesterday, so it may be a flu bug.  Or I may have slept wrong.  Or I might just be getting freakin' old.

Well, at least this is my last Saturday I have to work.  I can really use a day of sleep where I am not getting up 3 times with other people - just sleep until 9 or 10 fairly uninterrupted.

Still gotta get going today, though.  Yuck. :?

Thanks to everyone who has been showing me support since my post last night.  Things are still.... well, things.  I didn't go into all the details on my blog, not sure if I want to.  Maybe part of it is because my husband acts like there is nothing to worry about, and I am worried that maybe I am just a nut.

Anywho, I have to work today. :p  So this lame little post will most likely be it until I get home from work tomorrow - I am pretty much planning on making dinner then going straight to sleep tonight.

Take care!  Don't forget the daily click!

Well, thus far my entries have been pretty chipper... now comes the manic depression.

Since I had the phone tied up being online, hubby had his mom come over to say he would be home late - he is hanging with his friend from work.  He was late getting home Monday because his bud wanted him to go to the mall with him to find a present for said bud's girlfriend.

Now, this is really lame, but my husband is pretty much the only person I have to hang out with.  I moved here when I married him, and just have never been successful in meeting any friends.

So, yeah, I am jealous.  I also worry because all the women at work flirt with him.  Yup, insecurity kicking in here.

I know I am just overreacting, but it is still bothersome.

Ok, I admit it, I DID go back to bed - it felt good to snuggle back down under the covers and keep warm. :p  I haven't done much else besides eat some lunch and crochet.

Of course, my husband DID mention wanting to exercise when he got home, so of course I decided to eat a bowl of ice cream to offset that. ;)

Right now I have "Raiders of the Lost Ark" playing.  In the spot where Indiana is in the map room trying to find out the location of the Well of Souls, I SWEAR one of the little model building has something that looks like graffiti on it.  I freeze-framed it, but I couldn't make out what it was.  I believe it was at time index 54:45 or there-abouts.  Anyone else notice this?

Well, I am going to finish the movie.  Not too long until the melting and exploding heads. :) LOLOL

That just doesn't have the same sing-song quality of "spring has sprung", huh?  It is pretty chilly here, and supposed to get more so over the end of the week.  Guess I better work on getting that camisole perfected so I have an extra layer. ;)

Speaking of which, guess what I started yesterday? ROFL.

I need an exhaustive list of salty adages so I know what NOT to say, as VodkaB is a salt addict. We don't need her falling out of her chair too often and getting a concussion. ;)

Thus far, "banned" phrases include:
Off to the salt mine
Like salt in a wound
Salt of the Earth

Anyone have any others? (And notice how easily these phrases are getting tossed in anyway?)  I know, pure evil. LOLOL

As it is my day off, I am trying to decide if I want to snooze more, or be productive.  I'll let ya know later how THAT worked out!

Don't forget to click the Pink Ribbon Challenge!

I THINK I may have been replying to comments incorrectly, and now I am not sure if the people who I have replied to previously have seen my replies. :">  Anyway, lest you think I am rude if you have made a comment asking me a question and have not seen a response from me (generally when I have made comments on other people's blogs), please rest assured I am not being stuck up, just stupid! :p LOL

(Could my use of words BE anymore repetitive? LOL)

Off to the salt mines!

The camisole top is basically finished.  :)  It is pretty much wearable, though I would like to change a couple of things.  The cups are set a little far apart - I am going to try whip-stitching to pull them together.  I also want to wash it to take any sizing out of the yarn, see if that loosens it up and relaxes the pointy-look. :p LOL  I ended up making it lace up the back, rather than button, and didn't need the modesty panel once I added the rows neccesary to handle the lacing.

Hubby pretty much agreed with my evaluation of it, which was cool.  He also thought it needed to be a little longer.  So, the next one I will eliminate the space between the cups, work the body a little longer, as well as make the shoulder straps a wee bit longer, and probably round out the seam causing the pointiness.  Yes, there will actually be a next one since I am pretty pleased with this, LOL.

I was pleasantly surprised when I went to do my daily click at the Breast Cancer Site.  The number of mammograms that so far will be provided by this month's clicks jumped from 100 to 150 in one day!  It had jumped from 50 to 100 yesterday, but I thought maybe they just had a time lag in updating the bar graph, so it was really neat to see it jump again today.  To everyone clicking - thank you!

I found this REALLY fun website, unfortunately everything is knit. I tried knitting a few years ago, but it hurt my hands, which is why I stick to crochet.  I may have to get some needles now...

Just a note, these are a tad racy, though no live models are used.

www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer04/PATTzaf tig.html

If you are brave enough, and old enough, check out "320 Calories" - what a hoot!

Got the last rows of the camisole body finished.... I kind of tried to do that holding-it-around-yoursel f thing, since there are no buttons or button holes on the back yet... It doesn't fit!!!! And I CHECKED when I first started!!! I guess adding in all the extra work took out some give. :p  Oh, well, I have some ideas involving adding a center piece.  I am either going to just have a loose piece with buttons and button holes on it to have more room, OR I may just make what I think is called a "modesty panel", whipstitch it between the two sides, and lace up the back.... any other ideas MOST welcome!  LOL

P.S. PLEASE don't suggesting frogging all that work - it ain't gonna happen!!! LOL

First of all, for anyone and everyone who is clicking the Pink Ribbon Challenge link, be sure to go by and look at the progress!  Remember while you are there to click the funding link beneath the graph - nothing comes out of your pocket, but you can help make a difference!

Also, I only have 3 more rows to go until I start the finishing work on the camisole!  I am pretty stoked about that - I should be able to get those 3 rows done today easily.

I also started a project last night I should have done a long time ago - making a spreadsheet of the patterns I have.  It is surprising how things picked up from those 99 cent sales stack up. ;)  Speaking of which, next time I hit a 1 day sale, I better go early - none of the sale items were entered in the computers, so the cashiers had to enter everything in by hand, which took extra time.... I was pushing it to get to work!  Whew! LOL

Anyway, I have a whole glorious day off in front of me!:)

Today Hancock Fabrics has McCall's patterns for 99 cents.  I picked out five I want to buy - including letter shaped pillows for my son. :)  I don't NEED more patterns, but I like having them just in case.

I finished the first set of shell rows on the camisole, and have started a filet row. Just five filet rows, 3 shell rows, then I work on the finishing.  Gee, maybe I can finish in a week or so. LOL

It was pretty sad to find out this morning Christopher Reeve passed away.  When I was a teenager, seeing those bright blue eyes on screen was about the closest to one of those teen-idol-crush things I ever had, but I wasn't ever totally fanatical.

I hope everyone keeps on keeping on.  Thanks for reading. :)

Mental fog,that is.  My husband had a friend from work over last night for a little jam session, and then we watched a movie.  After that, I got kind of sucked in to "Desparate Housewives", which I found amusing.  However, sad to say, it is on a tad late for my schedule. :p  So, right now, everything is a big blur.  I hope I don't fall asleep behind the wheel on my way to work.

My progress is slow on the camisole.  I have 3 rows of the shell pattern - I can't remember if I have 2 or 3 more until the pattern changes.  Maybe I will eventually post a pic, although this is really just practice, I want to try it with softer yarn to try to get some of the "pointiness" out of the cup.

I started on the first pattern row of the camisole last night after finishing my job paperwork.  I got to the end, and found out I had added two extra stitches somehow on my base rows, so I had to frog that row and add stitch on either end to make it balance out. Hopefully, that won't throw anything else further awry down the road. :p

Plus, I found what I believe is a goof in the pattern.  If anyone else is working on the camisole from the first issue of Interweave Crochet, let me know if you think Row 6 of the body tells you to skip 1 too few st in between the dc and the next shell. If you don't skip 2 st, I think you are going to wind up with too many shells in the row, based on their count.

For anyone reading this far, don't forget to click the pink ribbon link on the left today - you can do it once a day!  It doesn't hurt much, I promise. Thanks!!!

I work as a customer service representative in a call center.  Right now we work for a contract agency, but company whose line I work for is building its own call center nearby, and those of us who qualify will transition over.  The deadline for turning in our acceptance packages is tomorrow.  I was mildly freaking out (major understatement) becaues I had not received my package yet.  UNTIL today!  Talk about cutting it short! :p

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago we had to rank 30 different shifts in our order of preference.  I was a bit worried because I don't have a lot of seniority where I work.  I figured I would get waaaaayyyyyy down my list of choices.  Well, shock shock, I got my second choice!!!  I will be working 4 ten hour days, which means my gas usage will drop by 20%, AND I will actually have one of my days off on the weekend!!! Granted, of the two days, I would have preferred having Sunday off so my family could get back to religious services, but this is much better than what I have been working. PLUS, I have Tuesdays off, which is very important to my husband so I can order his Hot Wheels online. :p

I will also get a consistent work schedule - no more of this working until 7:30 pm two nights a week, and 6 pm another night!  I will get off at 5:15 EVERY work day, meaning I get home in time to spend SOME time with my family on work days!!!  (This is really important because my drive is 50 minutes one way.)  Plus, the LUXURY of 3 off days - I am fairly swooning!  Granted, I will have to be up at ignorant o'clock the other 4 days, and my son will have to get up and off to school on his own, but overall I think this is going to be better in the long run than our current situation.

My dad IM'ed me today. He got married in March, and I haven't heard a lot from him since.  He is working 2nd shift 7 days a week now - not the kind of job he wanted, but I don't think he like feeling like a kept man by his new wife.  Anyway, the woman he married has a daughter a year younger than my son (she is adopted, so no, my dad didn't rob the cradle).  We spent our time complaining about kids who don't apply themselves - it is a little odd being on almost a peer level on this kind of thing with my dad.  And to think, he THOUGHT he was done with this parenting stuff!!! LOL  Anyway, I missed him and it was good to chat. 

I'm going to go finish my job package and then maybe crochet.  I am planning on listing some craft links associated with cancer patients over the next few days, so if you are interested in that kind of thing, keep an eye out!

I showed hubby my skirt last night.... He said it was too poofy and / or too short.  Since I can't lengthen it, I guess I will take the elastic out and take it in at the side seams. :p

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am adding a link to a site that provides free mammograms. Please click the button on the left and follow the link to the challenge - all it takes is a click from you, and you can click once a day.  I am not a breast cancer survivor, but we do have a familial history of cancer in general.  If I can find similar links for other kinds of cancer, I may add a new link each month.

I finished the other "Madonna cup" for the crocheted camisole.  YAY!  And I have started on the body, so both cups are actually joined  - it is looking rather bra-ish at this point.

I also FINALLY put elastic into my brown skirt.  This was after I had to thread the serger at 6 am (UGH!!!) to fix my son's back pack.

So, all in all, little steps are getting done on projects. :)

Next week, on Monday, Hancock Fabrics will be having McCall's patterns for 99 cents.  There is a fleece poncho pattern I want to pick up to make myself something warm for this winter.  They also are supposed to have fleece on sale for $1.99 a yard.  Soooooo, to justify buying the fleece I HAVE to get something done, LOL.

My son was online, and left for school.  I was about to move over to my screen name when he got an IM from someone asking if he had been in the homework help.  I said he was gone and asked if this person needed help, they said yes, with roots and exponents.  No problem, can eat those for lunch.

Thought I explained it well, the person asked me to make up 10 questions and check them when they e-mailed the answers back.  They built on each other - 2 to the 3rd, 2 to the 4th, 4 to the 0, 4 to the 1st, etc.  Well, got 2 to the 3rd right, but any power above that was wrong.  I patiently tried to explain 2 to the 4th was 2 to the 3rd times 2.  I got "whatever".

Whatever???? This kid contacted me for help out of the blue!!!  They said "Well, you go on and on about it".  I NICELY explained I went on about it because they didn't understand it yet!!!

AAAAARGH!!!! Now I know why I am NOT a teacher!

Now I really appreciate my son so much more.

Sorry for the rant, but, hey, it IS my blog. LOL

This one was a little morbid.  I was driving to work along a two lane road. I drive past a lioness and then a lion cub just kind of lounging on the other side.  (If you have ever seen a house cat laying out on a blacktop driveway, that is what it pretty much looked like.)  I start flashing the cars going the other way so they slow down.

(Now comes the morbid part.)  As I keep driving along, I finally see a male lion - he is dead in the road, on his side, his feet sitting on the road cut off at ankle height (or where my mind assumed the ankles would be).  Not really any blood - just the body and the feet.  Then, as I keep driving, I see MORE male lions, just on the opposite side of the road, all ages and sizes and different color manes, lying dead with their feet cut off.

I know, pretty odd and kind of gross.  Wonder what sort of issues I am having right now, LOL.

We were sitting in the living room when the house shook and we heard the boom. My husband was next door, and my son and I ran outside to see what was going on.  There have been several house explosions in this area lately, so adrenaline started pumping!  Apparently the moron a couple of houses over had a pile of brush, poured gasoline on it, and decided to light it up.  Thanks for the heart attack, bonehead!

Yesterday when I got home, not much got accomplished.  Well, at least not in terms of crafty stuff.  We had picked up "Total Recall" in the $5.50 bin at Wally World, so we watched that, then I cleaned the kitchen and folded some clothes so hubby wouldn't have so much to do on his day off today. :p

I always try to watch the episodes of "Oprah" with the people who have become rich, hoping to glean.... SOMETHING worthwhile, something to make staying home a reality.  There was one on the other day.  And, per the norm, I still have NO idea what I could possibly do.  Of course, that just makes me fit in with most everyone else. ;)

That is the sound I would be making right now.  I finished the left bra side for the crocheted camisole pattern I am trying out.  My husband said it looked like something Madonna would wear.

Plus, the cup does this weird curvy thingie on the armhole side. Hubby said maybe my yarn was just not as soft as the yarn used in the model, which is true.  I used some standard worsted weight nylon from my stash, where as the model is mercerized cotton.  However, I really didn't expect this!!!

Raspberries!