A New Creative Outlet

After a very long and mentally exhausting day yesterday, I was pretty tired when I got home. DH arrived shortly after I did, with a quirky smile on his face and something hidden behind his back. This always scares me because I never know what he's going to produce. LOL! I was completely taken off guard when I saw what was in the bag -

I am now the proud owner of a Watercolors Painting Kit! I absolutely love watercolor paintings but I have never painted before in my life. Well...walls and fence posts, but those don't really count in my book. Nothing artistic about that. LOL! DH thought that with this break I needed a new creative outlet, something of my very own that I have come up with myself. A way to express myself in a different medium. To bring forth how I look at things through my own eyes. I can't even begin to explain how touched I was. My DH believes more in me than I do myself. Maybe this is a way to increase my confidence. I don't know. What I do know is that I can't wait to try it out so you might have to put up with some pretty interesting pictures for awhile ;o)

So far, it has proven to be a great stash week -

Drema, who always spoils me, sent Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Rhymes II by The Prairie Schooler, Captain's Inn by LHN, a piece of 32 count white Jobelan, two packages of Peacemaker Needles (#26 & #28), GASTs (I'm getting very close to having the whole collection!), WDWs and two skeins of Belle Soie (my new best friend!). I was finally able to track down Heart In Hand's Easter Sampler kit thanks to Lois :o) I was also sent two breast cancer patterns, a kit called Hope Blossoms by Cindy Valentine Designs and From The Heart (needleroll) by Lois Mouriski Bear. If I can find a tin small enough, I think I'll attempt it with Hope Blossoms. Katie, I'm going to need your expertise help with the needleroll. Just thought I would give you the head's up ;o)

I'm still plugging away with the last Harry Potter book. There are just not enough hours in the day! DH and I went to see Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix on Sunday night. I have to say that this is by far my favorite of them all. I was on my toes the whole time and the camera angles were awesome! I'm not sure if they have a new director or what but it definitely added to the movie IMHO. Just a note...I must have looked some funny coming into the theatre with my bright pink oversized straw :o) You see, I LOVE slushies but they have to be the "right" slushies. They have these "perfect" slushies at the theatres and nowhere else in the city BUT they never have big enough straws. On recent trips to Maine, I've found these "perfect" slushies with the "perfect" oversized straw. Needless to say, the straw came home with me. I coveted my orange pop slushie the whole movie :o)

Before I close, I just want to thank all of you who read my post "It's Time For A New Boob". Your comments were hilarious and I really appreciate the laughs that you gave me in return :o)

It's Time For A New Boob

LOL! You heard me right :o) I didn't think I was going to post about it on my Blog but hey, I've already covered farts, snot and underwear, so why not add to the list?

As some of you may know, I had breast cancer back in 2000. I had a radical mastectomy of the right breast followed by a saline implant. Because they removed so much tissue, there wasn't much for the plastic surgeon to work with so I was given a Fake Right B Boob (FRB) and my Real Left Boob (RLB) was reduced down to a B as well :o) Well, over the years my weight has fluctuated and of course with weight gain we all know it can add itself to any part of your body. That and gravity :o( Some of mine was added to RLB.

I never really gave the mismatch much thought. I was just happy that it looked like I had two real boobs. I doubt that anyone off the street, that didn't know me, would be able to guess otherwise. But, as 2007 started, I began to notice a big change between FRB and RLB. In the colder weather I only had one nipple and in the warmer weather I was lopsided. LOL! Talk about a dilemma! On top of that, trying to find a bra that fit was a nightmare! I couldn't find the one I was wearing anymore and most of the bras out there had under wires and are designed for two boobs that are somewhat symmetrical. When you can actually "see through" your bra, you know it's time for a new one ;o)

I knew I probably wouldn't find what I was looking for in the regular stores so I started investigating mastectomy products. Going with a breast prosthesis after my surgery was something I never even considered. The thought of carting around a heavy, jelly beanbag didn't thrill me at all. Then, about a month ago, I finally got the nerve to call and see what they had to help my unique, or so I thought, situation.

Well...let me tell you, they have quite the array of products! They have your full breast, partial breast, bras and yes, even nipples :o) DH was quite excited about the last one, dreaming of different areas on one's body to attach them to. LOL! For me, I needed something that was going to increase the size of my FRB so I went with a breast prosthesis that looks like a full breast but it has an indent in the back of it for my bump to fit into. I could not believe the difference when I tried it on. I actually looked like I had a "full rack" again ;o) I can even shift it around in different angles, lol!

Now the bras are something else. I don't ever recall having a bra that fit so well! The only difference, compared to a regular bra, would be the two "front pockets" for the prosthesis and the price. You think a Warner's bra is expensive... I joked with the girls about my new bras, commenting that I could use the pockets to smuggle floss across the border ;o) Once I have the prosthesis and the bra on, I don't even notice it. The weight disappears. It's almost fun to stick out my boobs now. Hee, hee!

The thing that shocked me the most was that Blue Cross covered the prosthesis 100% but would not cover the bras at all. Do they even understand? I mean, how am I supposed to wear my fake booby when I've got nothing to attach it with? It just seems weird. But guess what? I can have a new boob every two years! Imagine that ;o)

This whole experience just seems so funny to me. When I went and picked up my prosthesis, I ended up taking the wrong size home. Do you know how odd it sounds to call up and say that you got the wrong boob in the box???? How can you keep a straight face when they tell you that your new boob has a two-year guarantee???? I asked the girl if there was a maximum mileage as well ;o) You know, the five-year guarantee or 100,000 miles.

I hope I have not offended anyone with this post because that is not the purpose at all. This blurb was meant to be lighthearted and funny and something that I want my friends, family, readers to enjoy reading :o) I know all about the deep impact that breast cancer can have on oneself but I refuse to sit in a corner and feel sorry for myself. I don't mind talking or joking about my experiences, in fact, I hope that someday I can help someone out there that is going through the same thing. The boobs don't make the woman...our souls make us who we are.

Finish Thirty

Wow! If I had stuck to The 50 Project Challenge, I'd be more than halfway through it by now! Knowing how strong my will really is though, I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did to begin with ;o)

I just completed my second Biscornu -

The pattern for the top portion was in the July 2007 issue of The Gift Of Stitching. It's called Sweet Biscornu and it was designed by Periphaeria Designs -

On the bottom, I just made my own adaptation -

I enjoyed stitching this project but because of the heat and humidity, it took longer than usual. This time I used 25 count Light Taupe Lugana with Needle Necessities Passion Flower (#1941). DH had helped pick out the buttons :o) The finished size of this Biscornu is 3.5 x 3.5 inches. A little easier on the eyes than my last one. LOL!

Yesterday the humidity topped 42 C! Thankfully late afternoon brought heavy rain and cooled the outside enough that I even got goose bumps :o) We're in for another humid day today but the rest of the long weekend is looking good.

I'm officially done work until the end of December!!!! Woohoo! I can't tell you how well I slept last night. It felt so good. Now if LTD will just leave me alone for a few months so I can learn to relax, I might get myself back on track.

I now have the new Harry Potter book in my possession :o) I tried SO hard last night to get in few chapters but when I started reading the same line over and over again, I knew it was time to put it down. I'm so excited to read it though! Thank goodness Katie came to the rescue ;o)

To The Shores Of Maine

After a straight week and a half of this heat and humidity, I was coming to the end of my rope. The pain in my joints continued and I missed four days of work :o( On Friday afternoon, someone decided to grant me a short break for the weekend :o)

DH and I always wanted a roof rack for the car ever since we got it two years ago but we kept putting it off because 1) it was almost impossible to find one that fit our car and 2) it was a lot of money. DH did some research and located a dealer in Bangor, Maine. We got the call Friday morning that the rack was in so at the very last minute, we decided to pack up and head south.

On the way down, I decided I didn't want to miss my third chance to check out a new NS in Orono, Maine, so I twisted DH's arm to make the short stop :o) Fiberphilia is a lovely shop that carries knitting and some cross stitch items. I think she is slowly expanding but she has lovely taste. I picked up some beautiful fibers -

We arrived in Bangor late afternoon and went right to the store to get the roof rack installed. While this was happening, Brie and I seeked out a shaded spot to keep cool. When I saw the rack on the car I asked DH if we were ready to go. His reply was "They are just finishing up." The next thing I know, two more parts are being installed ON the roof rack. I told Brie that if DH came out with a kayak, he was in deep do-do ;o) It turns out that he got a great deal on two bike racks and a locking system. After seeing the big smile on his face, I couldn't say no. I couldn't say no anyway since they were already on the car! LOL! Needless to say, this was his birthday present :o) I'm happy though and this means we can finally bike the carriage paths in Acadia National Park.

Because the trip was such a rush, I had quickly made reservations down in Bucksport after going online and looking at different motels. We stayed at the Spring Fountain Motel and I have to say, my jaw dropped when we drove in the yard. It was a "dump", no two ways about it. I felt so bad. Luckily it wasn't expensive and the rooms were very clean. Would I go there again...maybe not ;o)

Bucksport is home to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory. It's only one of three in the whole world! This bridge is magnificent and huge! Unfortunately we had fog each morning so we didn't get to check it out. We're hoping next time we get down.

On Saturday, we headed down the coast on Route 1, in search of cooler weather. Our first stop was Camden -

This is one busy little town. I quickly spotted the Stitchery Square and picked up a few more fibers (second picture above). Again, not a lot of cross stitch supplies but any little taste is fine with me! LOL! At the library, we found a nice shaded spot to have our lunch. Brie was a big hit as always and she just loved the fact that she could go shopping with us :o) Before we headed out, we had to stop at Stonewall Kitchen and stock up on a few goodies. On the way back to the car though, DH got stung on his ear :o( Poor guy.

Our drive took us as far down as Rockland, where we headed out to the point and the Owls Head Lighthouse -

It was very foggy here so we didn't get to see too much. The temperature was significantly lower there and we even got goose bumps! There was no complaining from me though. I love seeing lighthouses. They have such an interesting history.

On Sunday, we decided to make our way home so we could get in at a decent time. This time we headed "up" Route 1 where we wanted to check out more of the Blue Hill area. After a few choice words with the map, we found the Holbrook Island Sanctuary. This beautiful spot is nestled between Smith Cove and the Penobscot Bay -

It's definitely a place we need to go back and explore some more. For lunch, we wound our way to Castine, a very small town rich with history.

The border crossing on the way home was uneventful and thanks to the increase amount in duty/tax free goods, we didn't have to pay anything on the roof rack! DH was quite happy about this. Considering the US border confiscated Brie's food, DH figured we deserved a break ;o) Home was there as we left it, hot and humid :o( I'm just happy I was able to spend three days in an air conditioned car and hotel room! I've got loads of pictures to share so check them out in my Picasa Album.

The shores of Maine contain so many places to see and treasures to find. I doubt we will ever visit or find them all in our lifetime. You know, I've given it some thought and I think DH and I should move to Maine. I even spotted an awesome place for us to buy! What do you think? ;o)

Look Who's 36 Today...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DH!!!!


You know I love you :o)

Finish Twenty-Nine

It may be hot-hot-hot outside but I'm still stitching ;o) Like I said in a previous post, I dug out some smaller projects for this week because of the heat and humidity that has been laying over us like a thermal blanket :o( This little Santa was a Monthly Mystery Kit from my LNS (okay, somewhat local) -

He was originally supposed to be an ornament but I made him into a pin keep. My first :o) I'm very happy with how he turned out and I got to learn a new finishing technique! I did a few minor changes. Click here to see the back. I love the fabric on the back but this picture does nothing for it. I'm sorry to say that I have no idea who designed this merry fellow. I'll have to check with the girls at the shop.

Animal House

The last time I checked, I didn't see any welcome sign anywhere near our house. I guess that doesn't matter because over the weekend, we had a few visitors come by :o)

On Friday night, DH went out and mowed the lawn. I "tried" to have a nap but the next thing I knew, DH was pounding on the bedroom window, telling me to come outside. I walked down to the bottom of the pasture and lo and behold this is who stopped by -

This is a male Ring-necked Pheasant and this guy must have lost his way or something. It says that these birds are native to the lower half of New Brunswick but they would be few. People raise them in their backyards and quite a few years ago we had one named Ringo ;o) Sometimes there are escapes and I believe that's what this guy was. He was very pretty though and much larger than the one we had.

On Friday I also noticed a new visitor that was claiming residence on our property -

This little red squirrel (we've never had one in the 6-7 years we have been living here) was hauling food all day long. I soon figured out he was somehow getting into DH's shed. Oh-oh! We definitely found proof on Saturday. The little turkey chewed the tarpaper at the roof line (DH had not put the final layer of shingles on) and had created a nice front door for himself. DH cleaned out the shed that afternoon and finished off the roof so hopefully this will deter Hammy from using our shed as a pantry ;o)

Finish Twenty-Eight

Dum da-da dum! This is Briar Rabbit by La-D-Da -

I really like this pattern but I'm a little disappointed with the color of the letters. They don't seem to stand out like they should. I didn't use the Needlepoint Silks that the pattern called for but opted for the DMC threads that were suggested. Maybe when it's framed, it will look better. I do love the fabric though and I used the same color, 18th Century Rook by R&R Reproductions, but I stitched the pattern on 30 count instead of the 35 count that was used. I can tell you one thing, the picture of the pattern on the leaflet does not do this pattern justice!

It looks like a very HOT and HUMID week ahead of us and this does not thrill me in the least :o( The humidity is hard on my body and the pain really hits the roof during these times. My hands and feet have really suffered this summer. It's almost like someone took a sledgehammer and broke all the bones in my fingers and toes. Not much fun. And most of us know that when I can't stitch, I get grumpy ;o)

Because of the icky weather coming up, I'm not sure if I will tackle the next block on my afghan or not. I did pull out a small project for this weekend but we'll see how I feel after that. We've been doing really well at keeping the house somewhat comfortable. No A/C here :o(

DH and I had a hard night last night and both of us are running on little sleep. We were both up around 5 am and as soon as we started talking, a certain someone (Brie) came tip toeing down the hallway and into our bedroom :o) DH picked her up and put her in bed with us. She spooned with me for a while, her head using my arm as her pillow, until I finally gave up and got up. She remained in bed until DH got up. Brie is a funny little dog! She is definitely a great source of heat in the winter but boy; she's not one you want to cuddle with when it's 30 C outside! LOL!

La Famille De Moufette

The Skunk Family. I'm sure that most of us in North America know what a skunk is but for those of you who don't, I want you to think of Pepe LePew from Bugs Bunny or Flowers from Bambi. They're cute as a cartoon aren't they? Now think about a cunning little rodent that digs holes in your lawn looking for grubs or turns tail and expels the most putrid of smells into the air.

Do you want to cuddle that? I think the skunk was first in line when Mother Nature was giving out defense mechanisms. LOL!

Skunk smell. It's hard to describe to someone who has never smelt it. Let me put it this way, it's bad enough to deter a determined predator! I've mentioned it before in my Blog that we have a sadistic bugger that lives around our house and every summer, always on one of the hottest and muggiest nights, he decides to let go and perfume the air with his Eau De Moufette. Sometimes it's so strong that we have to close the windows and sweat in the heat of the house. Duncan has been sprayed twice by a skunk. It's a smell that is extremely hard to get out of something. People have tried tomato juice, peroxide with baking soda and they even have a shampoo called Skunk-Off. Do they really work? Yes and no.

Last night as I was coming home, the car in front of me slowed down. I looked over to the side of the road and I just caught the tail end of a skunk family entourage. There was a mother with at least three kits. Talk about cute! Then this morning, I drove by the same spot and wasn't there one of the kits playing by the side of the road. Of course I didn't have my camera :o( Now I'm not "really" fond of these smelly creatures but I didn't want to see him get hit by a car either so I stayed on the side of the road until he went back into the bushes. My automatic response was to get out of the car but then logic sunk in ;o)

From what I've read, skunks are quite intelligent animals. You can even buy one as a pet! Just check out this humorous cartoon :o) Years ago when DH and I had all of our exotic animals, I had looked at skunks. Pet skunks have been domesticated so they are not all black with the white stripes but actually come in many different colors. They still come with their own cologne though but it's surgically removed. Whew! If you are looking at getting a skunk for a pet, make sure it's legal where you live. Some cities require that you register your exotic animal but others will not allow them at all.

Knock on wood; our resident skunk has not been around yet. Hopefully it will stay that way ;o)

I Won!

What did I win you ask? A quilt! DH brought it home last night. My MIL belongs to a quilt guild and they pieced together a quilt to raffle off this past weekend and wouldn't you know it, my name was picked out of the hat :o)

It's absolutely gorgeous. I tried to get the best picture I could so that you could see every aspect of it. It's huge though! I love the fact that my MIL worked on it so now it will definitely have sentimental value. I guess I owe her a dollar for buying that raffle ticket ;o)

On Friday, DH and I tried a new restaurant called the Back Nine. It was really good! Sweet potato fries...yum! Thanks Faith Ann for the recommendation :o) We made a few quick stops to check out new laptops but nothing caught my attention plus the fact that computer shopping in this city sucks. Why do we have to be in the armpit of the country???? LOL!

Saturday morning I was up at 6 am so we decided, last minute, to take a day trip down to Bangor, Maine. I stopped by Jo-Ann's Fabrics and AC Moore but was quite disappointed with their selections. I was able to pick up that extra set of 8 X 8 Q-Snaps that I wanted though. Since we had Brie with us, we were limited in what we could do. It was so hot that we didn't dare leave her in the car for any amount of time so that made shopping very awkward.

For supper we went to downtown Bangor and ate at Paddy Murphy's. It's a quaint little pub and the food was really good. Sweet potato fries again! Yum! My sandwich was made up of grapes, Granny Smith apples, pecans, chicken (all mixed with a sauce or dressing), tomato and lettuce on toasted sourdough bread. The best part about the trip though...I found personal sized containers of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and it included...the spoon! If you haven't figured it out by now, small things like this are what amuse me and make my day ;o)

Finish Twenty-Seven

I've completed my very first Biscornu!

I've been admiring these for so long and was pretty intimidated about trying to make one but after going through Mary Kathryn's instructions, I can't believe I haven't tried one sooner! Her website is awesome and very easy to follow. I started stitching Monday night and by suppertime yesterday, I had it completed and fully assembled. Since I have never made one before, I wasn't really careful with my sizing so my Biscornu turned out to be 2" x 2"! LOL! The above picture shows it with my embroidery scissors to give you an idea of size. I love it though. It's so cute :o)

I used 28 count Flax Cashel linen along with The Thread Gatherer's Silk 'N Colors Finnegan's Fog. I got the pattern at My Aunt's Attic but I'm not sure who the designer is. For the bottom of my Biscornu, I just improvised. You can bet I will be making another one of these in the future :o)

I talked to my lawyer yesterday after he had a chat with J. Unfortunately I cannot get a new caseworker at this time because J is the one responsible for my company :o( She is, however, to deal directly with my lawyer for the next little while :oP Apparently she did an about face with my lawyer explaining that she hadn't looked at my file for six months and that she made a mistake. Apparently she wanted me to continue working so that I could keep my stamina up. Ya, right! Nice try J! J, your words are so full of crap that I can smell you from here. There are a few more things to wrap up but it looks like things are getting straightened around. Unfortunately more money is being spent on the lawyer but I have to say, he is worth every penny just to picture the look on J's face ;o)

Finish Twenty-Six

As expected, block two of my afghan went much faster than block one :o) Here is Foxes And Birds by Sue Hillis -

I've got block three and four all kitted up and ready to go but I'm going to take a small break from the afghan. I've still been able to continue stitching on it as the temperatures really haven't been that bad but they are calling for hot and muggy all this week :o( If I can stitch at least one block per month, I'll be happy :o)

I want to send my apologies for not posting this sooner but I was waiting for one more thing to arrive before I did. Here is the final bit of my birthday stash -

Despina sent me the gorgeous Cirque des Cercles by Ink Circles. Does anyone have any wonderful ideas color wise? She also sent two skeins of GASTs (Chamomile and Holly Berry) and two skeins of Waterlilies (Cherry). YUM! I finally gave in and Carrie sent me her threads for my Sea Stars (by Ink Circles). Her threads are beautiful but I have yet to use them. The gift that took me the most off guard and surprised me the most was from my good friend Katie, or should I say...Katharyn ;o) Katie bought me the birthday package from Enchanted Fabrics and when it arrived, the card was signed Katharyn. Well...I didn't know anyone with that name. I looked over the envelope it came in but the return address was for Enchanted Fabrics. I looked at people who signed my Blog but then I realized that they wouldn't have my address. Basically, I was perplexed and perplexed good! Katie finally let me off the hook later that day ;o) This wonderful package contained three sizes of linen in 28 and 32 count (Royalty, Cafe Mocha and Bubblegum - this is an awesome color) plus a pattern (Friendly Stitchers by Brittercup Designs)! "Dumb dumb give me gum gum."

I really want to thank all of you who have signed my Blog and left wonderful words of encouragement. It truly means a lot :o) The LTD drama continued this morning when my lawyer emailed me the last two letters from my specialist that I requested. I had never seen these letters as they went right to the lawyer. I opened them at work and just about exploded at my desk. The words clearly stated "...cannot work during treatment..." I was LIVID! I was right too. J had played me. She lied right to me without batting an eye. At this point, how stupid does she think I am? I put the request in with my lawyer to have a new caseworker assigned to me as DH and I feel there is a conflict of interest. This is the second major lie I have caught her on and I'm just too scared to find out what else she has done as well :o(

07-07-07

WARNING!

The following post contains some pretty strong opinions and a few nasty words ;o)

They say that today is supposed to be a lucky day. I really wish yesterday was the seventh then. Just when I thought things were finally going my way, I let my guard down and that's when all Hell breaks loose. BIG MISTAKE! Dealing with LTD has got to be one of the WORST experiences one could have.

As I left work yesterday, I was told that I didn't need to continue working because my LTD was re-instated and I was once again covered 100%. I told my employer that I didn't mind working my 12 hours per week but if I they were giving me the rest of July off, then woohoo! On the way home I swirled around ideas in my head of what I wanted to do with my unexpected free time. Another big mistake.

When I arrived home the phone rang and it was work. They said I had to continue working my 12 hours per week. I won't lie, I was a little disappointed, but I figured I might as well bring in two incomes instead of one :o) My employer expressed their frustration with the situation so I said I would call my LTD caseworker and get back to them when I knew more of what was going on.

So it was back to my original caseworker - J. I don't think she was too happy to have me back. She indicated that I did have to continue working and then wanted to know about my treatment program at the hospital. I told her what I knew and explained that I wouldn't be able to begin until the second or third week of August because the specialist was away for the month of July. I quickly pointed out that if LTD had not dragged their heels, I would have been able to start MUCH sooner.

The topping on the cake came in two layers. J stated that I had to continue working while I was taking the treatment program. WTF? How was I going to manage 12 hours a week PLUS another 8 hours? Not her concern. She said the letter from the specialist stated that I could work while taking the treatment. Well that wasn't right because he specifically told me that I couldn't. Why would I risk my health and wait this long for treatment if I was told I could work during treatment. Not really making sense J!

Then she explained that my employer didn't want to break up my work hours anymore (I'm working three days a week - M, W, F - four hours per day) and that they would prefer if I would do two full 8 hour days. Again, WTF? My employer never indicated this to me. HOW am I going to work a full day when I'm completely exhausted after four hours (just ask Faith Ann and Katie what happens)? As it already stands, I cannot work two days in a row because I need the next day to recuperate. So, treatment is on Wednesdays and Fridays. That leaves a Monday plus another day during the week. That ain't going to work J!

I was SO mad and SO upset yesterday that I thought I would explode! I cannot believe the CRAP that insurance companies will put you through. They play you and J was playing me and I was a sucker and bit. While they are letting in the frauds, they are leaving out those that really need it. I'm not saying I will need it forever. I don't know. What I DO know is that I need help RIGHT NOW but the last thing they are going to do is make it easy for me.

WHY does there have to be such evil in the world? WHY can't good, kind and honest people make it? Because, if you're going to succeed and succeed up there with the "big dogs" you have to be nasty and dishonest. Kindness doesn't seem to get people anywhere anymore and that's such a sad thing. I'm so glad that we do not have children because I can't imagine leaving this screwed up planet to them. Sad...but true :o(

The Winner Of Round One

The good guys (me) – 1

The bad guys (LTD) – 0

THAT’S RIGHT!!!! IN YOUR FACE LTD! Good “can” actually prevail although I had many doubts along the way. The good news arrived yesterday morning from my lawyer :o) DH and I were still at the ocean and I just happened to check my email before we packed up to go. I tell you, dial up never took so long! LOL! The Long Term Dolts came back and approved my appeal until December 31, 2007 and then things will be re-evaluated at that time. I know that’s only six months from now but it’s better than nothing! I guess all those pennies thrown into the wishing well sure paid off ;o)

I can’t tell you how many times my hopes were shattered and how the thought of quitting seemed like such an easy way out. Deep down I am a strong person but this circus really tested those waters. I am extremely pleased with the result so far. My lawyer is wonderful and it was well worth the money that we spent. I’m not kidding myself though because we may be back in the same boat come next January but at least we won round one :o) I just wish I had that good news “before” the long weekend!

The weekend away was great and although we had showers, the weather was beautiful. Lili wanted to see a picture of Brie swimming so here it is –

This was one of her passes across the channel :o) We have one tired pup now and it was all I could do to get her up this morning before I left for work. It wasn’t all exercise for the princess though. This was her choice of travel when she was too tired to keep up with Duncan –

I have to say that I love those golf carts too! What fun little vehicles to drive. I guess that will have to placate me since I doubt I will ever get to drive a US Mail truck, seeing that it’s a federal offence and all to steel one ;o)

Finish Twenty-Five

I never thought this would end! Here is Mr. & Mrs. Noah from my Two By Two afghan by Sue Hillis -

I have no idea why this seemed to have gone on forever but it just did. I'm very happy with it though :o) So...block one completed, only 25 more to go as far as the outside of the afghan goes. I know, I know! I got myself into this. LOL!

I have decided to stick with the afghan a little longer and I'm moving on to block two. This one is not very large so I'm hoping it will go much quicker than the first.

DH and I are still at the ocean and here is a picture of the cottage we are staying at -

On Saturday, we did a quick cross over to Calais, Maine and picked up our groceries for the weekend. We dropped by Marden's but there wasn't a whole lot there unless you were getting married because they had wedding dresses for $9.99. I'm not kidding you! I check out the fabric department but nothing really jumped out at me. I did manage to find these though -

Yesterday, we went down to the beach just as the tide was coming in. In that area of the beach it was creating a channel of water flowing in so Duncan and Brie had a great time swimming back and forth. This was Brie's first swim of the year. She's such a little otter. Last night DH and I were able to see some of the fireworks from St. Andrews. I think we heard them more than we saw them though.

I'm off to spend another glorious day! I've been taking lots of pictures again so hopefully I'll have some to share soon :o)

Let's Celebrate!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

What A Show!

I'm not just talking about Johnny Depp ;o) You should have been at our place the other night when Mother Nature decided to put on the wildest of thunder and lightening storms! I think I was only asleep for an hour when it came through. We live in a valley and our storms are pretty intense. That was the most lightening I have ever seen at one time. Usually it's just a "flash" and then wait. This time there was one strike right after another, after another. Our room was lit up just like Canada Day. Poor Brie was sitting bug eyed in her basket but DH went and slept on the couch and she was able to join him and be comforted. Spoiled or what! LOL!

I normally don't mind thunder and lightening storms unless they are REALLY close. At my SIL wedding three years ago, the whole ceremony took place under a tent (with metal poles!) overlooking the ocean, with a NASTY storm coming down on all of us. The minister had to stop midway because the thunder was so loud. In the end, we found out it was VERY close, having struck a tree at the back of the property :oO I don't mind the rumbling of the thunder and actually, I find it quite soothing. Duncan, on the other hand, HATES these storms. He turns into a complete mess. Poor guy :o(

On Wednesday night I finally got together with the girls (Katie and Faith Ann) again and we headed out for supper and a movie :o) The last time we went out was in November so it was due. We ate at Seasons Restaurant and although the food was just as delicious as always, it was SO hot in the restaurant that all three of us were just melting by the end of the meal. We headed up to the theatres and bought our tickets for Pirates of the Caribbean III. All day I was just salivating at the idea of having a slushy (very important - must be pop slushies as the ice mixture is smooth and just perfect) so I was very excited to get my orange slushy and small popcorn. The girls thought my large slush might cause some problems during the three hour movie but I assured them that I'm a camel so no problem :o) They were lucky because what I "really" wanted was to have it available in bucket form. LOL!

The movie was good although I do think I need to see it again because there was just so much going on. Johnny didn't seem to have his same zeal as the other two movies and we all missed seeing his cute little run ;o) The appearance of Keith Richards wasn't bad although I don't think the make up artists had to do anything to make him look any worse than he already does. The monkey was hilarious and I think we all agree that there has to be a fourth one. We'll see.

So what is everyone up to this long weekend? DH and I were pretty up in the air and then at the last minute decided to head down to the ocean again. This time we are staying in the neighbor's guest cottage :o) It looks like we'll be here until Tuesday as DH took the day off and I don't have to work. I have my computer with me. I can't exist that long without it ;o)

Love/Hate Relationship

Have you ever had one of these? I've had an ongoing one for close to fifteen years now.

Imagine this...it's an overcast spring morning and it's the only day you have that week to sleep in. The window is slightly open, letting in the cool night air but you're huddled in your bed, warm and content. You crack open one eye and take a look at the clock. You immediately smile because it shows 6:30 am and you still have all morning to get caught up on your sleep. This is when you roll over, snuggle back down under the covers, and await good dreams. And then it starts...

phoe-be...phoe-be...phoe-be

You jump out of bed, trying to locate the noise. The window is thrown open but there's nothing there. For a minute you think you might have dreamt it but you know the noise was just too close for that. Not able to do anything, you return to your warm bed. And then it starts, again...

phoe-be...phoe-be...phoe-be

This time you know the noise is reality and it sounds like it's just outside your bedroom window. You check again but there's nothing to see. A few choice words are said as you are trying to keep that sleepy feeling and you fall back into bed. And then it starts again, only much worse...

phoe-be...phoe-be...phoe-be

phoe-be...phoe-be...phoe-be

There are TWO of them!!!! By now you are ripping your hair out trying to figure out what that noise is and where it's coming from. It only took me about thirteen years to find out that it was a...





bird. An Eastern Phoebe to be exact.

Every spring this bird was like a plague and every year I would be yelling out the window like some lunatic. But I never saw one. I never saw one until last year when this lovely bird showed up in our backyard and was flying around eating bugs. It was quite friendly and I was getting a kick out of watching it wag its tail :o) DH and I love to find plants or birds and then try to identify them and that's what I did. That's when I realized my nemesis was living in my back yard!

This year DH and I watched as a pair of Phoebes built a nest in one of our horse shelters. Every couple of weeks I would walk by and check in on the nest. A few weeks ago I thought I saw something in the nest but this past weekend confirmed it -

There are at least three babies in the nest and they are so ugly, they're cute :o)

I have since softened my dislike for this little bird. It's been a joy watching the male and female fly about, catching bugs. Hey, the less mosquitoes the better! They are earning their keep. Besides that, they have never irritated me with their call since they moved in. I think we may have a mutual, but silent, agreement ;o)

Finish Twenty-Four

Wow! I'm quite impressed with myself, two finishes within one week :o) I'm getting my grove back. LOL!

This is Checkerboard Bunny by Waxing Moon -

I know I wasn't too happy with it at first but under the right light, you can see the variegated floss -

He'll be a keeper :o)

I got more birthday stash this week -

Drema sent me These Are The Days Boxer Kit by LK, I Love Snowmen by Imaginating, Snow Heads (with buttons) by Sam Sarah, The Dog Did It by Stitchy Kitty, a pattern by The Trilogy (sorry can't say what it is because it would give the surprise away) and the Stitching Friends Tote by Trail Creek Farm. I managed to locate a copy of Noah's Ark by The Cricket Collection and a 2001 Bent Creek catalogue (great reference material). Kim sent me my 11 x 11 Q-Snap Hugger and was such a dear and included a 6 x 6 Hugger with a Canadian themed fabric :o) I can't stress how great these are so if you haven't checked out Kim's site yet, please do. Last, but definitely not least, Lili (expect an email soon) mailed me some gorgeous fabric and lots of wonderful French freebies! She knows me well because there were samplers AND bunnies ;o) Thank you SO much to everyone!

Yesterday, DH, Brie (dressed in pink) and I went to Moncton to visit my Gram :o) I haven't seen her since January and I was really missing her. Since DH and I were sick all spring, we didn't dare visit because that would be the last thing my Gram would need. She looked great though! She was so happy to see that we had Brie with us and Brie just LOVES her Great Grammy ;o) DH and I bought some groceries and we did up some roasted chicken sandwiches on sourdough bread with fruit on the side and lemon meringue pie for dessert. Mmmmm-mmm! Gram "claimed" she couldn't eat the other half of her sandwich but was more than willing to have some pie. LOL! We had a nice visit but I hated to go. Who knows, I may have more time on my hands soon and then I can visit her more often :o)

Finish Twenty-Three

Tonight was Stitch Night but I came home from work with a migraine so I just popped in to see who was there and what everyone was working on. There weren't a lot of gals there but it was nice to see those that were. The Show & Tell table had lots of lovely finishes :o)

Speaking of finishes, I finally have another one to share! This is Hope Tea by Fiddlestitch Cottage -

Part of it has been done for months now but I was waiting on the wording. I wanted to personalize mine so I played around with it on Pattern Maker and I think I am pleased with the outcome. It may look a little strange and it might even look off center but trust me, it's not :o) I centered the wording as per the chart, not the teapot lid. I ended up frogging the year though because when I had centered that based on the chart it was off so I had to re-center it based on the "V" and the "I".

I have a bit of fun news to share :o) The writer that interviewed me for the Beyond breast cancer magazine contacted me again and wanted to interview me for Better Homes & Gardens! She is writing an article on the Do's and Don'ts, Breast Cancer Etiquette. So pick up a copy of the October 2007 issue when it comes out. I'll be holding autograph sessions this coming fall ;o)

The Calm Before The Storm

It was a total blessing that DH took me down to the ocean this past weekend. My in-laws are away so we had the house for ourselves and the three dogs. Oye! Let me tell you, the trip down did not start things out on a good note. Having three dogs packed into a Kia Spectra 5 is like trying to pack up three kids for a road trip. Buddy acts like he has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Duncan either knocks you out with his breath or his farts and Brie is the one that doesn't use the bathroom before we leave.

Besides that, the weekend was wonderful. We had incredible weather, beautiful scenery and lots of relaxation (or as much as I could muster). DH and I went to Mary's and stocked up on salmon, homemade bread and lots of delicious goodies. I spent a lot of time taking pictures and I have quite a few to share with you :o) I even dabbled in black and white photography. I've put the pictures into my Picasa Album for easier viewing so check out Plants & Flowers and My Photography.

DH enjoyed kayaking every morning. I wish I could do it myself but I know I wouldn't make it far with my arm. He always comes back with such interesting stories and so far, he's had no witnesses so I'm beginning to wonder how many of them are just "fish tales" ;o) He's come across seals on a regular basis but this time he, somehow, crept up on a sleeping baby seal! DH said the look on his face was priceless. Too bad he didn't take the camera but he's always scared it will get wet. Next time we have decided to get him a waterproof disposable camera and we'll see how that does and how many of his stories are true. LOL!

We packed light this time but I did take my stitching with me. I left my Two By Two afghan at home because I didn't want to get into transporting it around and risk getting it dirty. I almost had a finish with another project but I was missing one color. ONE color! Never fails ;o) So I spent my time on Checkerboard Bunny by Waxing Moon and he is coming along much faster than before. Hopefully he'll be finished by the end of the week but we'll see how much the afghan calls to me.

The dogs had a whale of a time. They were constantly playing, running and basically acting like children on summer vacation :o) Brie had a great time tanning her belly. She even took the time out to give me a picture -

I can definitely tell you that there wasn't a peep from any of them on the way home :o)

There was a good reason why we got away this past weekend. Last week I got news from my lawyer that LTD was supposed to have an answer for us this coming week. Well...today was "the" day. Apparently I did well on my FAE and LTD feels that there is no reason why I should not be able to return to my full time job. What really put me over the edge was the FAE report. It was chalk full of incorrect information. If you don't remember me saying, the one giving the test was more interested in sharing her trip to the Dominican than focusing her attention on the test itself. She claimed I was there for 13 hours over the two days when in fact I was only there for 10 hours and 15 minutes and that DOES NOT include the numerous times she was late and I was left just sitting there. Any-way...the nightmare continues but hopefully I'll know more by the end of the week. Sigh! What I wouldn't give to be back in my sanctuary again.

The After Party

Whew! I "think" my birthday is finally over with. DH has been complaining that it has been stretched out close to month now but if people want to do that for me, why not! LOL! To be honest, this birthday was not too bad. I wasn't a complete mess leading up to it and although I have pondered a bit about my life, I have taken it very well. I have a feeling it's just because I have bigger things on my mind but at least I'm not letting another year get me down.

On Sunday afternoon, my in-laws arrived and we spent a lovely afternoon with them. My MIL made me a scrumptious Hot Milk Cake. Mmm...mmm...good! I LOVE this recipe and I love it so much that I'm going to share it with you :o)

Hot Milk Cake

2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Topping: 3 Tbsp butter, 5 Tbsp brown sugar, 3 tsp milk and 1/2 cup coconut.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar. Beat until thick and creamy. Stir in flour and baking powder. Mix well. Heat milk and melt butter and add to mixture with vanilla. Bake for 30 minutes in an 8 x 8 greased pan. Cover with topping and broil until golden.

DH and I didn't really do anything "on" my birthday because he was sick but this is what I found in the fridge that morning -

Last night my parents arrived and brought supper along with a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. Like I need that but hey, I'm not going to turn away "ice cream"!

I bet everyone is just dying to know what I got in the form of stash :o)

Drema sent me Sam Sarah's Doubles Big Fun (with buttons) and two skeins of The Thread Gatherer's Silk 'N Colors (Southwest Sands and Seafoam Green). Village Mountain Stitchery sent me Christmas Carols and the Snow Friends Zipper Kit by Bent Creek plus the Sweetheart Sampler by Blackbird Designs. With my $10 gift certificate with Daisy Stitches I got four GASTs (Holly Berry, Deep Sea, Harvest Basket and Picket Fence) and a piece of 28-count hand dyed Jobelan (Clay). I "finally" got my grubby little hands on Gigi's M Sampler. Incredible! And finally, I got a piece of 28-count Denim Blue Jobelan by Permin. Now...if A-N-Y-O-N-E can get their hands on this fabric, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE email me. I really want to stitch my Snowmen Gathering on this color but my piece is too small :o(

Last, but "certainly" not least, a very special gift arrived by mail all the way from the UK :o) Wendy sent me a gorgeous bunny all dressed in pinks (I added the pink ribbon pin to her apron) -

Isn't she precious! Her name is Hope and Wendy made her :o) She spared no detail. Hope will be taking up residence in my computer/craft room with all my other pink ribbon gifts so that way I can see them every day and I can be reminded of some very special people :o)

Happy Birthday To...

ME!

Yes, I'm another year older :o( Yuck! If I look back, I think I would like to be 24 again. Definitely one of my best years. I had just met DH and I was healthy and active. Sigh! So, instead of belly aching about how much my life has changed and how it's taken a completely different path than I envisioned, I'm going to post things that happened the year I was born. Much more interesting wouldn't you say? ;o)

In 1971 (the year you were born)

Richard Nixon is president of the US Charles Manson and 3 of his followers are convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder An earthquake in California's San Fernando Valley kills 64 people New York Times begins publication of classified Pentagon papers on US involvement in Vietnam The $70 million Kennedy Center opens in Washington, DC A four day revolt at New York's Attica state prison ends after being stormed by 1000 state troopers A new stock-market index called the Nasdaq debuts Walt Disney World opens Intel releases world's first microprocessor, the 4004 Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail Libertarian party established in USA Kid Rock, Denise Richards, Sean Astin, Winona Ryder, and Ricky Martin are born Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series Baltimore Colts win Superbowl V Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is published The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour premeires on television "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel wins Grammy for song of the year All in the Family premieres

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

Passed Out Cold!

Ever see a passed out Dachshund before? We'll here's your chance!

As you can see, Brie had quite a busy weekend :o) She was outside for most of it, playing with Duncan and following DH around while he worked. Don't worry, she is alive but why she finds this position comfortable, I will never know.

Shortly after, I got this picture -

Love those little chicken legs ;o) She was quite a sight let me tell you. It's scary how childlike she is. She has a nap every day but on those busy days when she doesn't, she sure lets us know that she's had enough. LOL!

Some people don't believe us but Brie really is a couch potato at heart ;o)

A Sneak Peak For This Week

You've probably been wondering what I have been working on since I finished Gathering Eggs! I'm sorry I have not posted pictures before this but I wanted enough done so it at least looked like something. LOL!

I know I said I "probably" wouldn't work on my Two By Two afghan by Sue Hillis until the fall but I just couldn't help myself :o) The instructions state to start with the middle panel but seeing as I'm a rebel I've started with block one, Mr. & Mrs. Noah. I've got Noah's coat all done -

All 26 outside panels are done one over one on the 18-count afghan so the detail will be very nice in the end.

When we went away last weekend, I had to quickly pull a project together because you know, a stitcher can't go anywhere without something to stitch! The quickest thing I knew I had everything for was the Checkerboard Bunny by Waxing Moon -

This is a freebie and I believe it's still on their website. I wanted to do this design because 1) I LOVE BUNNIES and 2) I actually had the Blueberry hand-dyed Jobelan. I am a little disappointed in the GASTs though because I've found they are not variegated enough. Does anyone find this as well? The only variegated cotton thread I have been completely happy with so far has been the Crescent Colors. Anyone else have a favorite?

So for now I will be going back and forth between these two projects. My only problem is that I have only one 8 x 8 Q-Snap so I have to move things around every time I switch >:o(

Big Girls Don't Cry

Ya right! I've had the most amazing week so far and I just can't get over the wonderful women that I am honored to call my friends.

The other day a package arrived from Karen and when I opened it up this is what I found -

It's absolutely stunning! Karen is such a lovely stitcher :o) I'm going to have to email her and find out how she put this pillow together. I'm still twirling it in my hands, trying to figure out what stitch she used. LOL!

On Tuesday I received a surprise email from Needlecraft Corner, letting me know that I have a gift certificate there waiting for me! The guilty party...Faith Ann :o) She knows me all too well. I'm really going to enjoy spending money that is not mine ;o)

Finally, yesterday another package arrived in the mail and it was from Jenn. My curiosity was peaked when I opened this carefully wrapped item -

It's just beautiful! Btw, it's a compact mirror :o) The backstitching that Jenn did with the gold metallic thread really pops with the gold that surrounds the mirror. Jenn, you are very talented and I love it!

It does bring tears to my eyes to know that each one of you has put so much thought into the gifts that you sent me :o) I certainly didn't expect anything. Thank you all so much and I only hope that I can be just as good a friend to you. This has been a fantastic birthday month so far and that's saying a lot since I despise my birthday. With all this fun, I would consider having my birthday moved to a monthly basis but I really don't want to age any faster than I already am! LOL!

Rejuvenated!

Tired and sore but…WELL worth it! When I got home from work on Friday afternoon, DH asked me if I wanted to go to Bar Harbor, Maine and how fast could I pack. Was this a trick question? Just in case it was, I was packed within 15 minutes ;o)

Pickles was taken care of and the two other kids (Duncan and Brie) were dropped off at DH’s parents on the way out of the country so we were officially childfree all weekend! The drive down was beautiful and when we got our first glimpse of ocean, there was a big sigh of contentment from both of us.

We arrived on the island about 7:30 pm their time and quickly scoped out a place to stay. We tried the High Seas Motel this time and we weren’t disappointed. It wasn’t a five star hotel by any means but it was very clean and roomy for the price range we were looking for. Once that was taken care of, into Bar Harbor we went to track down some food! We hardly got five steps past Rosalie’s Pizza when the heavenly scent pulled us in :o) They make their pizza from scratch and you can watch them twirl the dough. Um-um good! McKays Public House was the choice for dessert :oP

Afterwards, we walked around town. This is what Main Street in Bar Harbor looks like –

On Saturday, we decided to check out a couple of our favorite gardens. The Thuya Garden is a gem we found a few years ago. It’s hidden waaaaaaaaay up a hill and you can either hike or drive to it. Since it was so early in the season, not a lot was in bloom yet but I did manage to get a few good pictures –

The second stop was The Azalea Garden. It was started in 1957.

This is a BEAUTIFUL place early in the season. There are azaleas and rhododendrons galore!

We even spotted a resident along with her “nine” children :o)

Since we were on the other side of the island, we decided to go to Southwest Harbor for lunch. Here lives the DryDock Café and they have “the” most delicious Grilled Chicken with Portabella Mushrooms and Boursin Cheese sandwich! There are a few nice shops and we hit those while we were there. We also found a nice “summer cottage” for a cool $3.5 million :oO Once the batteries were recharged, DH and I went into Bar Harbor for the evening. We checked out a few shops that I wanted to see but I didn’t find any bargains. For supper, we decided to brave it and tried a new restaurant called Guinness & Porcelli’s and what a good choice it was. I had the Seared Duck Breast with Portabella Mushrooms and Pistachios. Mama Mia! It was so good we decided to stay for dessert :o) DH and I split a “dessert sampler” that featured a piece of Tiramisu, Cannelloni and a piece of Flourless Chocolate Cake. We spent a lovely evening walking around town and just sitting and watching the world go by.

We woke up Sunday with heavy hearts but DH and I still made the most of our time left. Shopping was the last thing to do so we picked up a few things that we had seen along the way. I can’t believe how restrained I was but I was mostly interested in relaxing and that I did :o) The puppies were picked up on the way home and it was clearly evident that their weekend was just as exciting. Poor Brie could hardly keep her eyes open and Duncan looked like he had a hang over this morning. LOL!

All and all, it was a wonderful weekend with beautiful weather, scrumptious food and heavenly views. Last but not least, I had my special DH with me and I want to thank him SO much for suggesting this trip. This time away was desperately needed and it has done wonders. We finally did something spontaneous so let’s keep it up ;o)

I took so many pictures that I have put them into a Picasa album for easier viewing. It might take me a few days to get the pictures all labeled so check back often.

Enjoy!