Can you say Pixma?

My life has gone back to normal, for the most part. I carted around two foreigners for a week and it's funny because you start talking like them in your head with broken English and in a sing song voice (they were Swiss and Dutch). They also remind me how unintelligent as Americans we are - they view the world and we stay in our own backyard. We did plant tours, something I used to do in my old job and I miss that. I am glad I left that job - it was a time and place that is gone but it was really great in many ways. I hate working for a big company (especially the way it has become) but having so many locations was great and I loved the traveling. They had a budget of $25MM for property which is enormous and I miss that. I miss the marketing and brainpower it takes. The stuff I'm involved in now is rinky dink. Plus the people were very proud of their plant/job and I loved learning about turbines and engineering stuff that is so far outside my box. At the end of the day, my former boss was a real jerk and I'm glad I left but I miss the job and my friends and the money. But the company has changed, the friends have left for the most part and I'm doing fine with money as it is. But I still miss it!
I really enjoy my Fri and Mon afternoons off - yesterday I just did alot of errands, which makes me happy. My car is inspected, I have shampoo, movies (In Her Shoes & 24 which somebody highly recommended that I start watching) and gifts to wrap.
I'm doing much better with the girls. It definitely has shifted and I just let go when I start to get aggravated about the little things. We're enjoying time together. I guess the saying is I'm picking my battles. I need reminders that they need to make their own mistakes and to let go of trying to control everything. Plus it doesn't mean they are going to turn to shit just because they mess up some social grace. ha ha. Not that bad but sorta.
DeWayne has gone to Tyler to see his Mom, who fell a couple of days ago. She didn't break anything but she lives for him so it is good for him to see her. We were there 3 weeks ago. I am meeting my friend and her daughter for lunch and shopping. And my new Canon Pixma printer scanner just arrived so I gotta go!

Toile Makes Me Happy

It takes so little... You may recall a few weeks back when my husband kindly suggested that I not buy fabric for curtains - that I had enough projects already. The words that rocked my world. My husband has discovered my two secret boxes of crap I-buy-and-sneak-into-the-house projects. Guess they weren't that secret. Can you tell it still bugs me, primarily because this man never tells me no! Anyway, I digress. Here are the beautiful curtains, that no, I didn't make, but bought in Canton and they make me very very happy and look mahhhvelous.

I went to a funeral today - the mother of my former boss. I didn't know her but she seemed pretty amazing. Her husband died when she was in her fifties and she raised 4 teenage kids on her own. She loved each of her 13 grandchildren and made them feel special. You could tell she was a real matriarch. Hearing about her and how she was a fine example of mother and grandmother inspired me and made me think about how I have been treating my nieces. I want to be a better person. Isn't it amazing how some people teach you how to be while others teach you how not to be. Eloise Blades inspired me and I didn't even know her.

It was funny - I wore pantyhose today for the first time since my father's funeral - 18 months ago. I can't believe I wore that shit for 28 years - 5 days a week.

Going to a Hero Arts party next Thursday at Lone Star. I love hero arts stamps - the bold simple ones (not the watercolor misty kind) - they fit me to a T. Think I'll crawl in bed and look at the catalog til I doze off... Good night.

Connected

Our friends at Time Warner Cable felt compelled to get us back on line/phone service yesterday... this after 2 weeks and four "technicians" (and I use the term loosely) later. I thought I was going to lose it Sat nite because of withdrawal symptoms. I am a news/net junkie. I need a new vacuum cleaner but couldn't surf epinions. I have to do some treasurer work for the AVHA. Not to mention all the blogs and emails I needed to read. I was besides myself and it wasn't a pretty picture. You know the aggravation you get when dealing with your medical ins. provider or obtaining a mortgage... well, that's how it is with Time Warner. All of our stuff is tied in with them, even the alarm system and for some reason it is just too easy to stay but that of course, is on the premise that it all works. If we run into more problems, I swear I will look at getting rid of them. I still have to write a complaint letter... but I'd rather show you this.

I have had this in my mind for a couple of weeks - it is for my father's wife's birthday. I like how it turned out - multi layered. Inside I put this:

In our family we all
collect rocks and we
give them to each other
as birthday presents.
That way we have more
money for cake &
ice cream.

I also made a sympathy card for my former boss (his Mom died). I picked up vellum 4 x 6 sheet with flowers in a pitcher for a quarter - I knew it would make a great sympathy card. I used yellow mat but it was too bright so I inked it with a pad and later realized I should have chalked it to mute it. Oh well.

Today is a wonderful rainy day in Houston! Yipee. I am going to my lss and take a card class which I hear is amazing. I worked my butt off last week so I am taking the day off. More on the butt off later - gotta go create!

Ketchup

I'm way behind, running behind, gotta get you guys caught up with life and what's going on. I'm focusing on the good and kicking the bad to the curb. We had an amazing weekend in Canton. Visited DeWayne's Mom and she's hanging in there. She's 86 and her husband is 90 with neither in really good health. But the power chair I ordered from the Internet looks and works great - I'm very happy with it. The weather was wonderful and we enjoyed spring especially the dogwoods. We walked til our legs hurt and bought lots of good stuff. Pewter tray with dragonfly so I can display my rocks once I add some sand. Cute cafe curtains in black toile with black checkered hem. Will look excellent once I find the right rod. I love toile and have to keep myself in check otherwise it would overtake my house. Got my very own pink crocs that feel fantastic on my pitiful feet - my left foot has really been bothering me and these are great! I highly recommend them. I found tons of vintage photographs and bought a dozen or more. I keep saying I am going to do some heritage pages and submit them but to be honest, I just like the photos. I just do. I never had grandparents so on some level I guess I make believe with the photos. Weird, eh?
But there was some sadness on Sunday that I need to share. My husband has figured out that I have projects that are not finished. Can you imagine? I really am bummed about this, ya'll. I said I wanted to get some fabric to make curtains for the kitchen and he said, naw, don't - YOU HAVE TOO MANY PROJECTS ALREADY - his exact words that I quote. I am dumbfounded and depressed. I really thought my secret was safe, nevermind the two storage bins holding albums and boardbooks and whatnot. He has me figured out and I just can't get over it. I thought he was oblivious but obviously not. Damn.
Monday was monumental - Dee got his first 30 day chip. It is red and is beautiful. I feel so blessed - it feels more like 30 months than 30 days. I am so grateful that we are where we are. He's working the program and there is nothing more that I can want. Honestly. I am learning alot from it also - things like reflecting and turning it over to God, reminding myself that I am not in charge. Its just good stuff.
I have to take a drive out to our terminal in Deer Park, which in my book is really close to Friendswood so I will stop in at Novel Approach and take a looksee at their brass stencils since that is the flavor of the month. They have great stamps so should be fun.
Oh wait - the other big news ... the other house is on the market. Praise the Lord - we never thought it would happen. It's only been vacant since September... we finally got the paperwork done and its listed. I just hope it sells soon. I'm so sick of paying two house notes - I can't wait for it to be gone.
It's all good for now... I'm just holding my breath and enjoying it.