Remembering!

Do you remember where you were when it happened?  I remember very clearly!  My first born was down for her morning nap, I'd just finished up with shower and getting dressed, was going to catch a few minutes of the morning news….

I remember calling my husband at work (a professor,) he was headed for his next class.  I told him to forget class and head for the nearest tv.  He did and so did everyone else.  While I was watching live footage, we all saw the second plane hit the second tower!  I wanted to wake my baby and go hide in the concrete culvert pipe behind the house!

What were your thoughts as this was happening?

 

 

They say it is good luck to find a four-leaf clover.  I have been posting one of these each day of March on my FaceBook page.  Thought I would share them with you.  If they are really good luck, then I want to share them with as many as I can.  I found them all in my front yard.  I haven't even started on the back yet.  (Can you spot the two with five leaves?)

A Loss!

A Tatting Goddess has left us!  From another blogger/tatter and from my tatting group leader, I learned that Gina has passed away after a battle with cancer.  I have enjoyed following her blog.  If you haven't, you should.  A Tatting Goddess.

Tatting Give Away?

Totusmel is going to be posting her 1000th blog post on Friday.  She is considering having a giveaway.  If you haven't seen her stuff, go.  Right now, go!  She would love to have 500 followers by then......she's at 498 now.......

!!! MAKE THE TIME !!!!!! and read this

http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html

Years ago, I worked in retail sales.  I treated every one who walked in the door the same.  Didn't matter if they had on a 3-piece suit or cut-offs and flip-flops.  They got the same attitude, answers, treatment and time from me.  I didn't do this because my boss said to.  I did it because I have been that person shopping.  I have waited for sales people to finish with their nice dressed couple in a furniture store.  Waited while they explained in great detail about the quality.  Waited while they showed the couple all the merchandise.  Waited while they offered coffee, snacks and waved goodbye to the nice dressed couple who didn't spend a dime.  Waited while they walked back to their desks, past me, the single person, who couldn't possibly want to buy anything, dressed only in a t-shirt and jeans (no holes, thank you!)  Waited for them to acknowledge me standing and asking a question in front of them.  "oh, did you need something?"  Gosh, wish there had been a manager around to point out a few flaws in the salesperson's thought process, when I walked out with a dining room full of new furniture!

http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html

It's not about whether you are right or the other person is right.  It's not about liking the "bad" people.  It IS about love and how we show it, or in most cases - don't show it.  We say more "bad" stuff about ourselves when we turn our backs on our fellow man (and that means female and male.)

Forgive me for jumping on the soapbox and shouting.  But the situation in our house and family for the last year has been hell.  Maybe not to you and yours, but to us.  When talking with a close friend about problems she was going thru (awful stuff that I can't imagine how she deals) the conversation turned to my family troubles.  I apologized to her for being upset over my insignificant issues when she had bigger problems.  She is so wise, that's one of the reasons I love her.  She said to not be sorry.  That in my shoes, what I was going through WAS of substance.  That we are all different, and that what may be hard for one is not hard for another, and vise versa.  (See, she is really smart!)  

Anyway, we, my husband and I, have felt so JUDGED by those around us.  Sometimes family, sometimes small group (church accountability/social/Bible study group,) other church members, neighbors, and sometimes complete strangers!!!  But none of them, NONE, have had the pleasure? of walking in our shoes.  It kept us from being able to find help, encouragement, direction.  From being able to vent, or even move on and get our heads above water. 

This is the hard part for me to admit:  We have a son who has finally been diagnosed as being a sociopath. He wanted to kill us, still does, and thinks it is funny.  He is a master manipulator and very, very smart.  We had to have him committed, one of the hardest things as a parent to do, for the safety of himself and the others in our family.  His lies brought Child Protective Services down on us.  Their surprise questioning of our younger ones left us to deal with their nightmares for a few weeks. (Don't get me wrong.  I think CPS is wonderful and have a very hard and important role.  Especially for those being abused.) (Ps.They cleared us quickly and have been a great source of help.)  At one point, he was back home and the rest of the kids bunked in our locked bedroom with all the boxes of things from the kitchen and house that had to be kept away from our son.  We had to monitor his every move from room to room, not able to leave him alone for a minute.  Every counselor listens to him and tries to "help" him and is snowed by him.  It has been a very emotional roller coaster in our house.  NO one would listen or believed.

 Through total accident, we came across another family (and then another one) in our own church that was going thru a, if not exactly then extremely, similar situation.  Surprise, we weren't the only ones feeling looked down on and judged, by those around us calling themselves "Christians."

Please take the time to read this link!

http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html

Who can you show love to this week? month? holiday? year?  lifetime?

Amish Friendship Bread Starters and baking

If you have been one of the lucky(?) people to be given a starter from a friend(?) then you know the amount of time and energy and resources this takes out of you.  And how great it tastes.  I came across this blog/site today and just had to share.  (Also lets me know where to find the info again in the future.)

http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/2009/01/take-control-of-your-amish-friendship.html#comment-form

The comments at the end of the post are VERY long, but worth the time to read as there is a mountain of information in there!  Enjoy!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Passing of a trusted friend

I had this as my Facebook post this morning.  Thought I would share it with you, too.  With all the idiot-ness of this past year and the trouble with our boys, I have not had much time, energy, or thought to post much.  Haven't even done much tatting.  We pray to have most of the nonsense over and done with by Easter? and maybe then I will be able to talk about it all.  And finally get back to tatting on a regular basis!   I did do some redecorating in our guest bathroom.  I will take some pics and post soon.  In the meantime....




Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:-Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm;- Life isn't always fair; - And maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies, don't spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge. His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,I Want It Now,Someone Else Is To Blame,I'm A Victim.Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Life lessons?

"A man of Wit would find himself sometimes miserably at a loss, if there were no Fools to divert him with their company."  CXLI

Since I am sooooo old.....

Since I am so old (according to my daughters, see 2nd post back) I thought it would be okay to post a life lesson(?). Here 'tis:

Light travels faster than sound. (This is why some people appear bright until we hear them speak.)

I will let you ponder on this immense knowledge for a while....... (-:

A Funny video

If you like Pirates of the Caribbean, make sure you have seen the official trailer for the 4th movie. Then go to this link to see an original remake of the trailer. I had to slow it down and rewatch a couple of parts to get it all. It will make you laugh.

What kids will say!

Daughter #1: (while doing some math homework) "Mom/Dad, do you know the number of the meaning of life?"

Mom: (with confused look on her face) "Didn't know there was a number."

Daughter #1: "It's 42."

Mom: (Speechless, and not sure what to say.)

Meanwhile...

Daughter #2: (looks at mom and dad with astonishment) "You mean you all are older than the meaning of life?!"

Ah, what joys children bring to our lives. LOL.

A little something . . . (not tatting related)

We are hoping to make it to the voting stage on Jan 3rd. See what we did here. Just click "skip" when the ads and music start. Then you will go to the one we did. It is called "Miranda's Homework." Hee Hee

Cool tatting blog with a twist

If you haven't been to Middia's blog, you must go. She tats and crochets. But she has put a twist on it, doing both. It is closer to needle tatting (I'm a shuttle tatter.) But being able to crochet at points has put interesting design elements in the motif that isn't doable with just tatting. Definitely not shuttle tatting! Check through some of her old posts to see what I mean.

Pearl Tatting - my first attempt

I got inspired by this necklace of Umi & Tsuru's and thought I would try it also. I worked with what I had on hand in threads and beads. Not bad, if I do say so myself. It is just long enough to slip over my head, but in case someone doesn't want to mess up their hair, I put a large tatted ring on one end and the flower on the other end. The flower is crocheted from the same thread and easily folds in half and passes through the tatting ring. The short piece of tatting is my "try" to see stitch count, etc. I think I will add a clasp and make it a bracelet.

Now, which neice or friend should I give it to? Hmmm . . . Ooo, I got it. I have a cousin who's oldest is turning 10. I wonder if she would like it? *** Big Smile *** Off to the post office, lickety split, for the birthday in on Friday.

Try and try again

I am really liking this earring pattern. I did another in the pink with white seed beads this time. Then I had a big blue drop bead and some nice multi colored blue (my sister's favorite) thread, so I tried it in that. Didn't have any seed beads that I thought looked good with it, so I left them out. The thread was much larger so it turned out much bigger. I don't think this pattern shows off the thread nicely, so I didn't even finish it.

Then I saw these red beads that I love, and knew I have a couple of those drop beads in a matching red. I almost ran for

my Christmas red thread to see if it matched . . .

Oooo! Can'twait for Christmas to wear these!!!! I don't think I am going to give these away, I like them too much! Is that horrible of me? (-:

Here is all four of them side by side. See the size difference in the blue, it doesn't look nice. The blue one is over 4 inches long. The others are only 2 and a half inches long. I thought I would like the pink one with the white beads better than the other one, but I don't. I think it actually looks better with the clear seed beads. But, hey, that's just my humble opinion.

Love Free Patterns!

Don't you?! I found this one here. I wanted to try it out first, so I used a thread that isn't my favorite, a dusty rose. The beads are just clear seed beads, except for the bicone at the bottom. It is the palest of pinks. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. Now I am off to try it with more colorful threads and beads. Toodles.

Christmas Tree Earrings

I didn't post the source of the white Christmas tree earrings because I was sure I had done it before. But after spending more time than I care to count looking through my old posts, I realize why it didn't seem to be there and I couldn't find it at first. I had used the pattern as a 2d image and made it into a bookmark for a round robin. The pattern is Linda S. Davies'. Can be found here. Check out her blog. She has some amazing things. Have Fun!

Not much new

Working on a Christmas ornament, so no pictures yet. Made myself a pair of the earrings I sent to my sisters. And contemplating making another pair of the Christmas trees. These have already been promised to someone.

No comment needed

Just had to share this beyond adorable picture. From this website.

Happy Friday!