I found it, I finally found it!...

And what might "It" be - my camera!! Happy New Year to me! Alexa was going to have a sleepover so we dragged the trundle mattress out from under the day bed in my craft room. All the stuff piled up on the floor of my craft room in front of the bed is now on top of it and I was able to search underneath with a flashlight and I hit the daily double. Not only did I find my camera but I also found my watch that I had misplaced even longer ago than the camera!

I found a picture of Abby in one of her favorite positions - sitting on our laps or legs as Norm or I sit in the recliner. She has a complete view of the family room, the outside through the Florida room and anyone coming in from upstairs. The queen oversees her domain! You can also tell it's an older picture because she has hair! All of this is gone now, ahhh...Hopefully she will be back to her glorious, cute as a button look within a couple of months. I consider this a good sign for the year to come. Got camera, got luck!

God Bless Us Everyone!

I want to wish all my friends, family and blog readers here in the US and around the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Three more shopping days til Christmas...

I've just about had it with retailers. They are playing mind games with me. The Christmas decorations and promos started BEFORE Halloween around here. For months I was working on the consumer delusion of having so much time until you really had to get serious about Christmas.

I fought if off, had it under control and then like Abby with the zoomies...it was gone. Did you realize we've PASSED the last shopping week until Christmas? Wasn't Thanksgiving last Thursday? I could have sworn I just watched the Rockettes dance past Macy's front entrance and Santa go HO, HO, HO as he turned the corner and passed a Duane Reed...

I had the "formal" tree up right after Thanksgiving, I even got the lights on the bushes out front before Thanksgiving. So how did come to pass that this Friday is Christmas!?! I'M NOT READY!!!

They really ought to give us more warning...

I'm Pictureless!...

You may know I've "misplaced" my camera. Don't you love those lovely euphemisms? Previously loved cars - Used car! Let's be honest here. Misplaced camera - all right, I lost it, I admit it... I'm convinced it's buried somewhere in my craft room but I haven't been able to find it. I had been planning on telling you all about some of the stuff going on but I keep getting an error message when I try to upload Alexa's SD card to my printer(I've been using her camera). I'm striking out all over so you will all have to use your imaginations...

Fool that I am, I invited five of Alexa's friends (the core group) over to decorate gingerbread houses. Each year Alexa decorates a gingerbread house whether it comes from a kit, or the Dessert Deli's house decorating event or a Wegman's house that we put together and then she decorates. She wanted to do houses with her friend Brenda, so I figured in for a penny in for a nickle and had five friends come over. Lex took pictures, as did I but they will not load!! So you need to imagine our dining room table, covered in a pink plastic table cloth and six chairs around. At each place is a 8D"X5W"X10H gingerbread house on a cardboard base. There are six snowman marshmallow peeps, one at each place setting, and a piping bag filled with royal frosting.

Running down the center of the table are various bowls of Twizzler - strawberry and multi-fruit colored, cinnamon dots, 10 packages of Necco wafers, gum drops and wreaths, square, grid shaped pretzels, hard holiday candies in different colors, mini fruit flavored and colored jelly half circles, marshmallow mini Christmas trees and stockings and fruit shaped Skittle type candies. Also three cans of decorative icing - two white and one green and turtle crunch crumbs (for dirt or walkways). Needless to say the girls made good use of EVERYTHING! The houses came out great and more importantly, Alexa told me they all had a good time and loved their houses.

Now picture this, not hard because you can scrawl back a couple of posts and probably see pictures of Abby. Abby was covered in matted fur on her tummy, and dingy fur on top, head and ears because she's been out in the mud and stuff in the backyard and it's been raining and or snowing lately. She's also a little stinky...but beautiful still.

I took her to the groomer on Thursday to get her monthly bath and cut and told Jackie that she would probably have to have her tummy shaved to get rid of the mats there and her side coat taken down a bit. If she had to have a puppy cut, so be it, but she needed a serious trim. I left puppy at the groomers and ran my errands and called back at 4:00 to see if she was ready. Well, it turns out we no longer have a stinky, dingy, and matted but beautiful cocker spaniel. We now have a clean, sweet smelling BALD cocker spaniel...This one I'm almost glad you can't see! Her head is still as it was but from the neck down fuggetaboutit! The one good thing, kinda, is that we now know how she gets up on stuff - she's got the longest legs! She looks about four inches taller when you see how long her legs are now that they are not hidden by hair! Same with worrying about her weight - she's a slim trim girl!

No pictures need for this...I've got a solid handle on our toned down Christmas. We aren't going to Long Island this year - saving money, letting hubby relax at home and no worries about the dog. As always I have Alexa's computer written, including pictures list. This year she improved it by adding coupons and discount numbers for on-line ordering - where applicable!

I'll try to post as soon as I get the tree(s) up. I'm challenged by Abby as to what I can put up and what I can't. That vertical leap of hers is scary and I'm not willing to have my tree and 30+ year old handmade ornaments damaged or destroyed. So an update will be posted.

On the work front I did a paper covered nutcracker, a Maya Road Christmas tree chipboard book for the store and I have to do 25 ATC's (altered trading cards) for a swap at work. I also have several things to mail, more shopping to do (but no more money at the moment!) and the ever dreaded Christmas cards to do...and can you see the top of my desk? No...you could for about 24 hours a day or two ago, but now, not so much ;-)

So take care, I'll post when I can find a camera, a workable SD card and whatever else! Enjoy, only 19 more days till the jolly red suited guy arrives!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

The first snowfall of the season. Just enough to make roads slussy and messy but not enough to call out the snow plows. Norm carved a path in the grass for Abby this morning. When I went out with her she wanted to eat the snow and then bury her nose in it and swish it around! Now I have not only a dingy, scraggly puppy, I've got a wet one too!

A Few Thoughts...

It's been awhile, I know. All kinds of things going on but nothing really noteworthy so I think I may just ramble a bit to catch y'all up.

Abby is a mountain goat - I bet you didn't know that cocker spaniels led double lives, did 'ya? You can't leave a chair out, anything within six inches of the edge of a counter or a glass on an end table - what, are you crazy! She climbs chairs, the couch, the back of the couch, the kitchen table - loves to grab all the napkins in her mouth and trot away dropping them as she goes saving a large enough amount to chew and spread all over the family room, in pieces, lots of pieces - many, many, MANY pieces - 'enuff said...This is Abby caught in the act of eating a magazine...

Alexa has a cold or something. She is a very resistant, resilient kid. She doesn't catch every germ going around the school or gym. She is rarely sick and when she is, her personality and actions are like a light switch turning off - makes it real easy to tell when she's just whining or is truly not feeling well. She's got the current rage going round - sore throat, cough, and low grade or no fever. I kept her home yesterday as it was a half day anyway but she went to school today. I'd really love her to be able to kick the sore throat...and yes, I'm keeping a very watchful eye on the temp for a relapse.

Yes, I still scrapbook! That was Alexa's question to me. Do you ever just make a regular layout? Something NOT for the store? Yes, Alexa, there is a scrapbooking mother in me. Here is a page to prove it - about you! I did this at the retreat last weekend along with three 2 page, 12x12 layouts, ten 8.5x11 layouts for last years vacation book, the chipboard Christmas tree I talk about later and a baby book for my friend Sarah. I'd write about the retreat but to be honest, much of he conversation is unprintable - we were naughty, big girls, but we had fun! (Sorry about the glare in the shot)

Christmas is coming, yada, yada, yada...I know, I'm a grouch :-( (welcome to my REAL world). We are staying home for the holidays this year. Money very tight, puppy concerns for traveling and staying in a hotel or even whether we should take her with us. Wondering how I'm going to put up a tree with danger dog in the house. She eats one of my handmade ornaments or faves and she is a dead dog!

Excited too because the store is going to be all decorated and we're doing our day after Thanksgiving Holiday Make 'n Take for the family the store will adopt for the holidays. I've already done two pieces for the store. I covered a wooden nutcracker (unfinished) with paper. I took the idea off the cover of a magazine and used the Basic Grey Eskimo 6X6 paper pack. Keeping with the BG theme only this time in 12X12, I covered the Maya Road Christmas tree chipboard ring album.

Keeping with my ever increasing cluttered-couldn't-find-my-head-if-it-wasn't-attached state of mind, I STILL haven't found my camera. I took Norm's to my retreat last weekend (if I can find it now, I'll see if I have any pictures to post to illustrate sentiments above). My craft room is still uninhabitable...and I don't even want to talk about the rest of the house (our bedroom is starting to look as bad as Alexa's!)

So, I think I'll go look for the camera (his) as I wait for the heating guy (third visit in week) don't get me started...and then try to make a dent in straightening up the house-I need a maid, butler, Merry Maid, cleaning droid, or whatever to do that. On that note (er, plea) I'll sign off and wish everyone who stops by a Happy Thanksgiving - a safe and successful Black Friday and best wishes for a good and healthy start to the holiday season!

27...

The New York Yankees win their, count'em 27th World Series!!!!

Go Godzilla!! Hideki Matsui - the first designated hitter named World Series MVP!!




The 'Core Four' - Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Petitte - #5 guys!

We are the CHAMPIONS!!!!

Back again....

Blog hiatus over, I hope. It's not like I didn't have anything to blog about, I've been busy all summer and fall. My big problem is I can't find my camera. If you saw my craft/computer room you'd understand. Have you seen that show 'Hoarders' ? Well, that's my craft/computer room right now. I'm convinced my camera is in here somewhere, I just haven't found it yet!

Abby is another reason. I can't let her up here because she'll just take off into any room she can and find whatever she can to chew up. She especially loves Alexa's room because Alexa never cleans up or puts away her clothes, clean or dirty... If I could fix Alexa's door so that when it closes it stays close (something is off about how the locking mechanism meets the jam) that would help. I'm putting it on my list of things to do.

But I do have a little update on our sweet little puppy. First, she's part mountain goat! She climbs anything and everything - the couch, chair, end tables, the kitchen table, counters if she can find a step up. She can fit through the slats of the stairs and tries to cut through those to reach the upstairs. So every once in a while I feel guilty leaving her alone as I go out and run errands. I love to bring her with me, but she wants to drive the car and she hasn't gotten her learners permit let alone her license...

I took Abby with me to run some errands last week. First, we went to the bank - but I went inside so no biscuit for puppy :-( then we went to Best Buy to pick up the copy of my hard drive as my laptop's mother board was being replaced (another reason for not posting - most of my current photos are on my laptop). Again, puppy not allowed in Best Buy. We also hit Starbucks, no lattes for puppies and the post box - Abby doesn't fit into the slot.

Then we went to Delta Sonic (local car wash, gas station, oil change and convenience store). I noticed that my MIL's car inspection sticker expired three months ago :- \ , plus it needs to be washed inside and out - all those puppy nose marks on the windows... Turns out they did do inspections I just had to leave the car at the bay door, leave the keys and they'd do it right away. I couldn't leave Abby in the car so we went for a little walk around the green area near the Delta Sonic. I was told 20 minutes for the inspection and we started back to wait at the outside waiting area. We were almost back to the garage when a truck pulls up and there is a DS employee inside and he says "We can't do your car" - Shocked, I said, "Why?" - turns out I kept the keys and didn't leave them in the car. So I hand the keys over and Abby and I walk around a little more and get the car back about a half hour later.

But, were not done. I put Abby in the car and walk into DS to buy my carwash and arrange for gas afterward. I go back to the car and the car is locked. I didn't think I left it locked, oh well, I'll just open it. I go fishing for my keys...and find them in the ignition. Locked in. Abby locked in. Back into DS and ask if anyone can help me get my door open. Longer story short - they can't. AAA, I think! What have I been paying them for all these years! I go to call and I can't get my phone to work! Back into DS to use their phone. 400 questions later, with continual assurances and promises of the quickest service they say they'll be there in no later than 45 minutes! It's an emergency because there is a pet trapped in the vehicle...

I go to wait by the car with Abby so she doesn't get too stressed. I'm still trying to figure out how the door got locked. Then Abby jumps up on the window ledge to sniff hello and it hits me. Abby locked the car! While I was inside DS she jumped up on the window ledge and pushed the button down. I was going to be right back to the wash the car so I left the keys in the car. Thirty minutes later, the window jimmied open by AAA we finally were able to pull into the car wash portion of DS.

It was a first for Abby and I'm not sure she really liked the experience. We go through the water, soap, drying, waxing and pull around AGAIN - for the inside cleaning. We sit down again outside and wait the fifteen minutes for the vacuuming, window washing and dash cleaning. I put Abby in the car and we...pull over the the gas pumps. I pump my gas and go back into DS for I hope is the last time. I paid for my gas, got my discount and decide to purchase a lottery ticket. Mega Million is $105 mil - gotta be in it to win it and my luck can't get any worse! Maybe this whole disaster is a sign! I'm finally gonna hit the big one!

I'm on my way out to the car, keys firmly in hand, puppy looking out the back window for me to return and I hear a voice behind me - "Mam, you forgot your lottery ticket!" I sheepishly turn around, smile, grab the ticket and go straight home, no more stops, no more chances, and looking for police cars all the way home...

And it begins again - I can hear the music!

Another September and school begins again today. Alexa and I managed to prepare for the start of the school year without either of us coming to blows. We did all her school supplies last week and supplemented her ever growing wardrobe this week. The rest of the house was clueless that she even started school today! Her dad and my MIL thought she started next week. Sure, that's why I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off for the past two weeks! So now I'm doing the happy dance - it truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

It was a little harder to take the usual pictures as she is getting so grown up. We finally got her hair cut last night and despite having that lovely Vera Bradley large tote her father got her last year, she went and bought a new Aero portfolio to be her usual styling self. She's not carrying so much because last week we did the ritual decorating of the locker. This year we did (or I should say I did) all four walls in a contrasting print of pink and purple flowers and purple solid. She also had the appropriate hand sanitizer, mirror, wipe off board, and metal racks - pink, of course.

Our garage sale was a success. We did a really good day on Friday. Before I started to bring things out at 7:30 a.m. I had a neighbor from down the street ask about Alexa's swing set. I put an ad on Craigslist at about 11:30 the night before advertising the sale and listing our swing set for free for anyone who was willing to take it. Boom! before 8:00 a.m. we had a taker and our sale didn't offically start until 9:00 a.m. We were busy the entire day and stayed open an hour passed our advertised closing. Saturday we had rain early in the morning. It cleared fairly quickly but we didn't do anywhere near what we did the day before.

Alexa made out like a bandit. She kept track of all her sales and even learned to haggle a bit and cut deals in order to sell her items. Her total take accounted for a quarter of our total profits! The good news is she wants to bank over 90% of it and only keep a nominal amount of cash. We must be doing something right.

Shameless Self Promotion...

It's been a while since my last post. I guess I went on summer vacation from posting. Now that's not to say I actually went on vacation. We decided (or rather our lack of funding and the puppy)that we couldn't swing a vacation this summer so we decided to do the next best thing - have a garage sale...

We've been collecting (or rather not throwing out) stuff for the last 30 years. Combine some things of my MIL and my late parents and we've got a lot of stuff. So this weekend August 28-29 is it. I planned the date carefully around Norman's work. Didn't want to interfere the beginning of the school year. In my fervor to assure Norm's presence I neglected to plan for my own...

I can't ask for the day off work because the Stamp Show and Convention is going on this weekend down in Hamburg. Sharon needs me at the store while she sets up the store's booth at the show. You'd think I'd be good for Saturday though, but no I've got a class scheduled, not to take but to teach and I've got 10 people signed up, 10 people! Heaven help me! So Norm and Alexa will have to run the show.

Lex has really gotten into it. She's a pricing and make money demon. She even told me that we might have to spend a little money to make money! She also wants to get personal credit for everything we sell that's hers. She's already counting her pennies!

If you are interested the sale is running Friday and Saturday from 9 to 3 both days. We have assorted household 'stuff', CD's, books, children's toys, games and books and a lot of craft supplies. Specifically, I have a lot of counted cross stitch towels, cloth, pattern books, my mom's cookbooks, and her baskets. My mom made baskets from scratch and I have a wonderful large collection of beautiful useful baskets. So stop on by if you are in the area. We're at 146 Ranch Trail in Williamsville.

There, that's my bid at shameless self promotion. Have a great weekend everyone I'll be back to posting once this weekend is over and the school year is ready to go. Next week I have to deal with clothes shopping with Alexa (oh, boy) and decorating her locker (trust me, you don't want to know!) and some serious puppy training with Abby. Here's a hint on the last one...