Party Time

Graysen's birthday celebrating starts next Friday with a joint party with best friends Mila and Owen who are 2 weeks older than she is.

I thought I had more pictures of them, but I guess they were all videos, and I'm still wondering how to get those off my phone.  This is one I froze from a video.  Five adults trying to get 3 babies to pose in a basket.  The expressions on Mila's and Graysen's face say it all -- SERIOUSLY?!  Owen things it's a great idea.

Emily and I conspired  together on the phone last night to plan a few things for this party as well as another one on her real birthday.  I spent the morning and part of the afternoon chasing after just the right fabrics and ribbons and things to make all 3 of them party hats.  What seemed like a simple matter was harder than I thought, but these are the things I brought home.

Fabric from Beth's Heirlooms in Wetumpka.  So many pretty things there.

Ribbons from Hobby Lobby (50% off).  Pleated ribbon from Beth's.

And this fox ribbon for no reason.  With kitty paw in the background.

Everything else.  I wanted to find just a simple party hat to use as a template, but as huge as Hobby Lobby's party section is, I could only find a pack of 21.   At least they're kind of fun colors.

I spent a little time merging some designs in Embird for the embroidery machine and got this one ready for approval.  Not glued yet but done enough to see how they're going to look.

I'll finish this one and do 2 more tomorrow and then do the bib and shirt in the same fabrics.

Emily showed she was definitely my daughter when she emailed me in the middle of all this planning and said she was just going to take a break and re-teach herself to knit and make a bathcloth.  And she did and is teaching her friend Stephanie to make them today.  I love how much fun they have and what good friends Stephanie and Brian have been.  Can't wait to see the results of their afternoon's work.

Suspicious activity on Pinterest

I got an email today saying there had been "suspicious activity" spotted on my Pinterest board. Whoa! That sounds serious. What could that suspicious person be doing? Stealing the same pins I have stolen from others. Rearranging my boards and mixing up my Gardening pins with my Things to Make pins? I can't imagine. Maybe that someone is renaming all my boards or peeking to see if I prefer knitting or crocheting. Well, I changed my password, so that will teach suspicious people to stay away from my lovely pins.

I do love Pinterest though. I ignore it for months, but then every once in awhile I will go back and look at things I liked or wanted to do (and see if I followed through - and usually not). It's a good place to park my whims. If I'm interested in felt Christmas ornaments today, I will probably lose interest by next week, but if I ever do want to remember where I saw that cute blue reindeer, I'll know where to go.

 Just now while looking at my Things to Do board, I realized I had pinned a rice heat/cold pack that I must have thought I would one day make.

 But now I won't have to because this was a Christmas present from my two of my favorite little boys, Tyler and Bronner (made by their mother).  I couldn't have picked a prettier fabric!  War Eagle.

 Yesterday was spent at the doctor's office with Mama and watching this week's "Downton Abbey" with Mike. It doesn't seem like that could take your whole day, but it pretty much did.

Sometimes we get nice interruptions from Guatemala.  This is a video of Lauren and Allyn "bouncing like crazy in their chairs."  This is something called What's App on Mike's phone, a way to text and send photos internationally.

These things are like magic to me.  We can Skype and have dinner with Graysen or watch her play.  She has no idea who we are yet, but I think we are a nice distraction for her and allows her to smile and reach for Mom's phone.  

 Yesterday, I took my yarn and knitting needles to make another "Doctor's Office Dishrag," but Mama had to fill out a new information sheet, and that involved my writing for her while she juggled pill bottles and insurance cards, etc., during which my ball of yarn got dropped and tangled. I had also left my instructions at home, and even though I've made dozens of these, I always forget how to start off. So I called Mike to read me the first 2 lines. "Cast on 4. Knit the first row. Row 2: Knit 2, YO, knit to the end of the row, increasing one stitch on each row up to 45 stitches." After that, I'm good to go. I got a few rows done in the back waiting room, but again there was juggling of pills bottle, walker, jacket, purse, etc.

 While she had her blood work done, I tried untangling the mess, but somehow I got the yarn wound around the handle of Mama's walker while I was admiring someone's Auburn slippers and finding out she hated cats. I was in a panic because I knew Mama would not be good with rolling along dragging a skein of yarn behind her, but it all worked out before we left.

I still have some untangling to do.  I have done a little knitting this week though.  Emily said Graysen needed some more bathcloths, so I'm working on her a couple.

This one is a birthday cupcake, in case the design is not clear.

The Sugar and Cream cotton yarn just doesn't make as soft a cloth as the Hobby Lobby brand - Love this Cotton, I think.  It does fine for dishrags that get used and abused and washed hundreds of times.  This one has a Snoopy design on it and is much softer.

I started sewing the sequins and beads on the Christmas ornaments.  It's slow going but perfectly fine when you have the computer set up with one of those Amazon Prime movies. 

I may or may not have made these jerseys!  I have been doing sewing for Stitchworks, making the blank jerseys, and Jen dyes them and add the lettering and stripes.  For my last sewing, I asked her to make Graysen 4 jerseys in lieu of pay.

They turned out so sweet, just in time for a birthday gift.  One Washington Huskies, one UNC, and 2 Auburn.

So almost another week gone.  The weather has been cold but sunny the past few days.

I haven't had a new picture from Washington lately, so I'll post some sweet snow pictures.

This was Graysen's first real snow except for some flurries.

 I'm not sure if it was the cold, the 6 layers or clothes, or being put down, but things are not going well.

The world looks better from Mom's arms.

 And best friends Mila and Owen to discuss things with.  Sweet babies.

Jane Austen on a rainy afteroon

My favorite kind of day.



It's Emma this time.



While I work on my felt ornaments.  Which are not exactly a piece of cake.  I've never been good with glue.  And neatness.

I started the tree first because it looked the easiest.  Wrong!  I was merrily sewing along and following the directions - until I got to the part where you put wrong sides together and stitch up.  I was sewing them with the right sides facing me, so when it
came time to turn one over, I had just a little discrepancy.  Nothing big but enough to make me have to trim.

I get to sew on the sequins next though, so that should be fun.

Emma is my movie choice of the day.  I can't believe my obsession with movies.  I've never cared much for them and TV not at all.  But since I've found the Amazon Prime free movies, I've watched at least one a day.  And every one of them good.  I guess it's a kind of escape for a couple of hours every day.  The one last night was filmed in Italy and the one the day before in China, one in Chicago, one on a farm.  The good thing about it is that if you find yourself not liking the movie, it's a simple matter to "escape" and find another.  I had one with subtitles up first this morning and then realized I couldn't do my project and watch the screen at the same time, so I had to put that one away for later.

Most of the morning, it seems, was spent in the vet's office.  Murray had to go for a checkup after his week of medications.  He did not go there with a sense of adventure like he did the first time.  Nope.  I had to lure him out from under the bed to even get him in his carrier.  The ride over was completely silent, and when we got there, he tried to become invisible.  I don't blame him.  The smells and the yapping from the dogs must have been overwhelming.

Murray.  The face of misery.

It has a good ending though.  His eye infection and worms are completely gone.  His ear infection is gone, but he still has ear mites, so he has to get ear drops once a week for 5 weeks.  And he has 3 more doses of the vile orange liquid.  He's already feeling great, back to hiding and pouncing, chasing, running full speed through the house.

Such a sweetie.

Graysen has her own email address now, and I can write her letters every day that she can read when she learns how.  I love that.

She can now climb stairs - with spotters.  I love how she saw her opportunity with the gate open and did some speed crawling to get to the stairs.


We remember one of her mom's first sentences being "I do it MYSELF," and this looks very familiar.

Do-Nothing Saturday

Nothing to say for today except that I did nothing all day that I didn't want to do.  I was up late watching the movie last night, so I did take a break and vacuum a few rooms and turn the dishwasher on.  Then this morning I vacuumed the kitchen. 


During the movie, we had some nice thunder and lightning, so all the pets needed to come in and be reassured - well mainly Darby - but the cats came in just to have something different to do. 


I can't even remember what I did this morning:  Slept late.  Ate breakfast.  Looked briefly at the ornaments lying on the table and decided I didn't want to get involved.  Watched a little of the Seahawks game with the sound off.  Watched a few taped PBS programs - 2 new gardening ones and a Fons and Porter quilting one.  Got a few ideas about starting seeds pretty soon.  Looked briefly at the wallpaper in the foyer and decided I didn't want to get involved with that either.  Ate lunch.  Watched another movie.  This one was "The Painted Veil," and SO good.  Beautiful photography, beautiful music, good actors. Based on a novel by Somerset Maugham.  I had never heard of it. 


Talked with Emily and Elise.  Elise seems to have been bitten by something - maybe a scorpion?  It looks awful.  Emily and I started talking about that first birthday party that's coming up much too soon - in 1 month.  Someone asked her what the theme was going to be, and she said, "Birthday Party."  She only wants a pink and gray birthday bib or shirt and hat.  I think I can handle that!


I got this package from one of my Facebook purchases.  I had seen the alligator outfit last year and like it a lot - but not at that price.  So I waited around until some other little girl wore it maybe once and got it for a third of the price plus an extra top. 

I'm still expecting one more sun suit and a little raincoat, and it will be time to mail them.  I love that I got them all 6  for around $100, and new I would have had to pay over $250.  All are in perfect shape except for one missing button..

Murray has wasted his Saturday about the same as me.

All the rain should be gone tomorrow, and we'll see the sun again.  Maybe we'll walk around in the yard and plan a garden.  Maybe.

Rainy Afternoon Crafting

For once, I've started on a Christmas project ahead of time - WAY ahead.

I decided that next year Graysen should have her own Christmas tree.  With her own ornaments.

Since she lives in such a beautiful place and is bound to be an outdoor girl, I thought of her when I saw these little felt ornaments.

I love kits.  Everything you need is right there.

So this gloomy afternoon, I got a cup of coffee and got started.  

First thing was cutting out the patterns and tracing them onto the felt.  

And cutting out the shapes.  Sometimes I like mindless projects like this, although I did read the instructions first.

I started with the tree first, and each layer had to be blanket stitched to the adjacent piece.

It's slow going but really relaxing, and with the sequins and embroidery touches, they will be pretty cute.

If this turns out nice and I enjoy it, I'll look for some similar ones to do, maybe some more woodland animals

We discovered a few months ago that if you're a member of Amazon Prime, you get to download free movies and books to watch or read on the computer and Kindle or Nook.  I was surprised at the number of choices and put half a dozen on my "Watch List."

I just came back to post that I watched the first of these movies, "A Map of the World."  I had never heard of it, but it got 4-1/2 stars from Roger Ebert.  It was hard to watch at times, and I really considered abandoning it in the first 15 minutes.  I'm glad I stayed.

I discoveredsome  old "Fawlty Towers episodes, and we watched one this afternoon.

  They're still just as funny as they ever were.  John Cleeseias excellent as Basil, really in anything, just a good actor.

My favorite is Manuel or Man-Well.  I hope these links open.  We can't stop laughing at his throwing the phone.

I always feel exhausted after I watch 30 minutes of this show, but it brings back such good memories of enjoying it so long ago.

Wal-Mart in the Rain

Going to Wal-Mart any day is bad enough but going there on a cold day is awful, especially with a cold steady rain to greet me on the way out.


Mama had wanted to go today, so I got ready to go and was going to get a few things myself, but when the time came she was feeling too bad and wanted to lie down.  I would have just gone to Publix for the few things I wanted, but she had a list for me, some with the Wal-Mart brand, so I went on.

 I did end up enjoying myself though with no one to rush me and time to wander around - time enough to decide I needed a bamboo adjustable silverware container instead of the metal one I had where the knives kept slipping out the back.

That metal tray went to live around the corner in another drawer to hold the can opener and the other 30 or so cute little things we think we just have to have.

I also needed a clear plastic shoe hanger to put in the pantry.  I saw a picture of this earlier and thought it was a good idea, but I don't really have the wall space.  I kind of made it do until I get in there and clean up more.  Even thought the light switch is behind the empty pocket on the top row, I think I like it.

I was also excited about getting one of those toys on a stick to play with the cats. but they didn't have one I liked.  Murray is very playful, and Stella acts like she might let down her guard and play sometime.  He finds his own entertainment, but Mike brought this box home from Costco, and it has perfect little doors for one cat to go in and hide while the other one circles peeks in.

I received this video last night, and I cannot watch it without smiling.  I think kitchen sink baths are about to become a thing of the past.

. 

I guess it's Murray

If he decides to forgive me for all the torture the past few days and keep on living here.


I wasn't too sure of the name Murray, but it does seem to suit him.

A cat is not going to answer to anything anyway, so a name is kind of superfluous.  Elise and I briefly considered Murphy as it is similar.  I tried Brig, short for Brigham, Elise's strange purple-gray cat from the 80s.

Ever since his trip Monday, he's been a little cool toward me.

The shots and neutering that I took him in for were no problem at all.  He was leaping around and playing within an hour of getting home, not even holding a grudge - yet.

But the next morning we had this to deal with.

Elise had taken him in without knowing anything about his background, and he looks healthy enough.  Thank goodness the blood work didn't show anything bad.  But he has 2 medications for conjunctivitis, 2 for an ear infection, 5 filled syringes with some sort of antibiotic.  One bottle of something for an intestinal infection and tapeworms, and 3 syringes of pain medication - which I'm seriously considering not giving him.  He feels better than I do at this point.  And another antibiotic in pill form.

I hope having half of it end up on the me and the towel I wrap him in won't hurt anything.  It's so cruel to put stuff in his ears and his eyes and then a pill and 2 more doses of liquid that he cannot stand.  I did crush the pill and put it in a little Creme Brulee flavor Coffee Mate and managed to get that in him without too much fuss.  He wouldn't drink it (of course not), but I put it in a syringe and shot it into his mouth with less of the head-shaking and struggling.  After that, I sweet talked him into letting me put the vile orange medication in his mouth before he knew what was happening.  The vet said to do it gradually, but that means that he sprays me 4 or 5 times instead of the once.  I put it all in at once and held the towel tightly around his head so he had to swallow and told him nice things.  I haven't even done the other 3 yet.

But who can fault him for finding the catnip package and having a little party all by himself?

Is there a problem?

I think he deserves a long undisturbed nap just for being a good boy.