Stunned

Today, my father has been gone for a whole year.
I didn't think it would bother me much.  Like I said, he's my daddy, but we clashed like water and fire, violently and loudly.
But.  There are moments.

Moments when the phone rings a little late in the evening, and I smile, and roll my eyes thinking it's him.

Moments when it just drifts through my head that I don't have a dad around anymore.  He's *always* been there.  And now he's not, and it feels.... Wrong.

He was a great dad, a great friend, a jerk, Eeyores role model, funny, smart, mean, sad, responsible, weird... And oddly enough, I find that I really miss him.

Love you daddy.

Critter, critter

So tonight, I came face to face with the reason I keep my backyard light on.
No, I didn't have my camera, and even if I had, it wouldn't have done any good, because I panicked and slammed the screen down.
  Sitting there at the window, *not* looking out into the side yard... (I have been forbidden to look out there until Sunday, because my mothers day gift from #1 son is apparently right outside my window) I figured I was safe to use that window, out of the rain spray, because I didn't have my light on so I couldn't see.  That's when something came strolling around the corner of the house! I'm pretty sure it was my irresponsible
neighbors cat, though I've never seen one of the ferrals *that* close to the house.  It could have been a fox... I'm close to positive that it had pointy ears.
I don't care *what* it was, I just about had a heart attack.  I don't think the critter was feeling particularly calm for the next few minutes either.  I mean really, how would you feel if you were out for an evening stroll and something just above you went, *inarticulate-gargle-noise* *SLAM*!  Well, the light's on now.  I'm still a little shakey, but that's just the panic subsiding.

Speaking of critters, my silly Easter cake this year.

Well, there's a filler for you.. more to come with big Mothers Day news!
And as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

I know, I know!

This was supposed to show Ddasha smushing Mona down between the mattress, and footboard, but this is what happened when the camera finally focused.

So.  Not a lot has been happening, which means I have no excuse for being a blog slacker.  I have also been a camera slacker, which is why, mostly, I've been so lousy about posting here.  I can say that I have gotten a ton of small chores done... You know, repotting plants, starting the seeds for the garden, not just dusting, but actually washing the things on the shelves...  And I've been doing a lot of yarn work.

My main client has been put in a nursing home, so I'm starting a whole new crop this next week, *that* ought to be interesting.
I hope to be able to remember to have my camera at the ready, and in the meantime, I'll be continuing to enjoy having open windows again!

Welcome spring!
And as usual,

Thanks for Noticing me!

Brrr!

I dare you to say "pretty bird" One. More. Time!

So I'm sitting here, on Sunday afternoon freezing myself out because I cannot bear One. More. Day. with closed windows.  It isn't even 40 degrees out there, but the sun is shining, and *most* of the snow is gone, and I find myself NEEDING the sight of green, and the smell of fresh, moist earth.  Apparently I'm not the only one, because my 2 sun- stealin', heat-suckin', insane cats, are sitting on the windowsills enjoying every breeze, and every scent.

I have *not* seen one of these yet.

The Solstice has come, and gone, and still there's snow on the ground, and Jack Frost is riding every zephyr, and I'm heartily sick of it!  Part of me wishes it would warm up already, and part of me is thinking, "Well, as long as when spring comes, we don't get a sneaky week of winter half-way through it this year!"  It may help if the tv ads weren't all about summer, and playing in the warm...

Oh well, enough musing on the weather, time to get some work done!  Happy Spring Peeps!
And as usual,

Thanks for Noticing me!

Our own pinstrosity.  Balloon ice marbles, didn't work out so hot.

Jealousy

I'd like to insert a link to the song *here*, but I'm not technically savvy enough to do it.

 I have too many interests, and not enough time, or ambition.  So I'd *like* to learn how to do that, and I'd *like* to learn how to sew and design well enough to make some costumes, (my mom was AWESOME at that when I was a kid), and I'd *like* to be the geek I know is in me.

I have piles of patterns in both knit and crochet, that I'd like to make, and books full of new stitches, and techniques.  I also have just enough agoraphobia to keep me home nights, and weekends, but not so much that I can't go shopping, or to work.

I have jealousy against those people that go out and do the things they love.  I'm always sure that the next time the opportunity arises, is the time I go and *DO IT*.  But there's always an excuse.  There are too many things to do, too many things that *need* to be done first, not enough time, not enough money, but it all boils down to finding my ambition.

The one thing I dislike most about my ordinary, dull life, is that I don't get to have cool stories.  If someone wrote my life as a book, there would be no takers.  Nothing exciting happened, or happens.  Which normally makes me extremely happy.  Exciting things are usually only pleasant after the fact, or exciting after the fact, or uplifting after the fact.  The fact is, that when the interesting thing is happening, it's usually pretty terrifying.  Sickness, action, adventure, travel....  Once you've overcome, and rested up, it's a great story to tell, but as it's happening, all you usually want is to go home.  Sleep in your own bed, have a decent cup of coffee, take a shower.

But there's still that niggle in the back of my head....  I want to go to a geek con, and meet actors that I admire, (or admired their characters) and other people that share my brand of oddness... I'd like to go to a big amusement park, and ride all the cool rides, just for the experience.  I'd like to try the color run, just because it sounds fun, (of course I don't want to die, so that's probably one of the most far out things that have passed through my brain).  I'd *really* like to make money doing things I love, and carrying out cool ideas I've had, but again, there are so many things involved in doing that, that I have no idea where I'd even start.

So instead, I sit here at my computer, and I blog about it, and I feel jealousy, not searing, all-encompassing, jealousy, but just a small bit, against those that go out and *do*.  All the well wishes in the world, and the "you can do it"s, won't be able to change me, or my situation.  I'm just glad I have a great imagination, a love of reading, and books, and blogs, to take me anywhere I'd like to go.

Happy Spring!  And...

Thanks for Noticing me!

Bad, bad, bad girl.

No excuse, I'm a slacker!  

So, Here are the obligatory cute kitties.

Looks like *I* am not allowed to change the station.

The elusive Misticus, Fatticus. Or as we like to call her, Mystique.

I Keep losing my cursor!

So, I've been busy...  I promise! 

FINALLY!!

I finished the shawl on Valentines day!!  Just a little late.  hee!

This tray used to have an ugly bottom, Thank you Aunt Lydias!

 

I used something too harsh on this tray the first time I tried to polish it, and it's apparently plate.  For *years* I have been trying to hide it, but I decided to finally make a mat for it.  This is Aunt Lydias crochet thread, in silver.  *love it*!

I'm not fond of the green, it was supposed to be a sage color, which would have been gorgeous, instead it's merely pretty.

 I finally finished My blanket!  It's MINE.  I took some time after finishing the shawl, the last of the Holiday gifts, to do some stuff I planned to make for myself, that has been sitting around, languishing in bags, waiting for me to make them.  I *was* working on a vest, in Chenille, that was supposed to be a partner to one I made for my mom YEARS ago!  But now, I'm volunteering 2 projects for the high school play, and I've finally been given clearance to make the sweater, and the yarn is in, and ready for pick up.

Red Wine Cupcakes... You've never had fluffier cupcakes in your life!

This is the easiest!  Just substitute a sweet red wine for the water in the boxed chocolate cake mix.    Oh, and make sure, when you buy red frosting, that you get enough for all the cupcakes, not *just under half* of them.   LOL!

So, that has been my month, How about you?

Thanks for Noticing me!

Whooopsie!

Yeah, I knew I'd be a slacker, but,  umm,  WOW!

 In my defense, before Christmas, aside from the shawl, (which *still* isn't finished!)  I made 6 pairs of slippers, 3 infinity scarves, and 2 hats.

Okay, okay, I know....

I'd love to know what they heard out there, because they went from dead asleep, to looking out the window in a nanosecond!

Of course I never got any pictures of the work I did! I'm going to have to get one of at least one pair.  I also haven't gone through the paltry Christmas pictures I have to edit them either.  Yes, yes, slacker, I know.  And now I've been commissioned to make a mobius type sweater!   Soooo, Woohoo!

So, how were your Holidaze?

As usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!