tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51594509349775013892024-03-05T08:54:40.359-08:00Swatting at FliesOriginally, SEW MUCH FABRIC, SEW LITTLE TIME. A place to write about life.Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-61804775024773316472017-08-28T18:00:00.001-07:002017-08-28T18:00:38.339-07:00hi!Just saying howdy.Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-91944847511369437132016-09-22T07:10:00.001-07:002016-09-22T07:10:39.417-07:00Life has been Crazy. Just checking in. Using a small tablet, so cannot see what is being typed. Please excuse errors.Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-29385833545222946942015-01-24T22:53:00.001-08:002015-01-24T22:54:13.199-08:00Testing to see if this still works.Since Facebook has become so popular, blogging seems to have gone by the wayside. Am posting to see if anyone even looks here. Don't have many photos on this computer, so I just grabbed this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnppAyzj5EhmmBBWODkNxTCrremxyQ6wJiLhumCtsj_UPdO_DtZYgps8i8w5_2SKvKCsbHy-zS5Dt-l_ylaCOYAOZqK2EXXzkO29rYi5IY_fB2jrGaNrGX5we0_OjQTJD3v6FA79S4zXD/s1600/oldgram&j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnppAyzj5EhmmBBWODkNxTCrremxyQ6wJiLhumCtsj_UPdO_DtZYgps8i8w5_2SKvKCsbHy-zS5Dt-l_ylaCOYAOZqK2EXXzkO29rYi5IY_fB2jrGaNrGX5we0_OjQTJD3v6FA79S4zXD/s1600/oldgram&j.jpg" height="315" width="320" /></a></div>
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My grandmother holding her great-great grandson (my grandson) about 1997. There aren't many of these pictures.<br />
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Maybe it is time to start blogging, again?<br />
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Sue/Packrat/CindyPackrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-49332045160559949302013-06-27T13:03:00.004-07:002013-06-27T14:02:05.415-07:00Slacker<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some people are able to write about everyday life and even make routine chores sound interesting. Sadly, I'm not one of those people...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This post is full of woe, so have a tissue, or skip it all together. (Not all has been sad, though. Will do a <b>happy</b> blog another day.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This past year has been bad. We've "lost" three pets, one loved refrigerator, and one despised washing machine. The worst was three of our local young people getting killed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Carmen's (my daughter) cat, that was in our care, suddenly got sick and died. (Cat was notorious for eating things she shouldn't, so our veterinarian thinks she might have poisoned herself.) This cat had the sweetest little meow, and she was so loveable and cuddly and never scratched.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hMcaeNDltBR17NX0r5mpVQ1YWpb6m9SE6hjEmIS0l8gMogVWvMCno5719U_VJnHDjrt9zYK-Zvt0lbs_dK2WWbWGpVaagzvI3Xn63J2Y4YIF47UzW_d3dr7DNUxoUgzg-_hqWK6q2ATl/s527/v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hMcaeNDltBR17NX0r5mpVQ1YWpb6m9SE6hjEmIS0l8gMogVWvMCno5719U_VJnHDjrt9zYK-Zvt0lbs_dK2WWbWGpVaagzvI3Xn63J2Y4YIF47UzW_d3dr7DNUxoUgzg-_hqWK6q2ATl/s320/v.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Our gentle butterball (hound and border collie mix) hurt his back and could no longer get around. At 150 pounds, there was no way we could handle him. Also, he was in pain. Poor old baby. (He never barked and had the softest, silkiest coat. I loved to rub his long ears.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5XrdERjsmjvfmTvbGzxy3_GvBc1efX1sbUuYaX1qDulq3xBt40WV48yKz0zQgW_UATVEPDkvpx0REgZ1jFQtSNmG7JDbsFMg8bQlX2bgk38odPj7-vGG3ADJYsFhVj_qLE2vB38gAhYH/s746/d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5XrdERjsmjvfmTvbGzxy3_GvBc1efX1sbUuYaX1qDulq3xBt40WV48yKz0zQgW_UATVEPDkvpx0REgZ1jFQtSNmG7JDbsFMg8bQlX2bgk38odPj7-vGG3ADJYsFhVj_qLE2vB38gAhYH/s320/d.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Right after Carmen left for Russia in January, the washing machine caught fire. (The motor seized up.) Thank God I was home, because I had to use the fire extinguisher on it. Luckily, no damage was done to the house. I really disliked that washer, so other than the expense of getting a new one, its demise was a good thing.</span></span><br />
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Then, in May I had pneumonia. Threw me for a loop. Thank God, Carmen was home visiting so that she could help. Poor "kid". I still don't have tons of energy, but overall I feel better than I have in months.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">While I was recuperating, our beloved Old Dog (rotty/lab) failed very fast, and one morning she just couldn't get up. At at 15 years old, I guess this was to be expected. My heart is still broken... Even tho technically Old Dog was Carmen's, Old Dog was my baby and my shadow.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlPfXYtD3s96ni4D35edyfQJkFC9UAjmsk-fe9z3v6BX-AwkQt1Fzmra9ChB-8xQyidByYXK0gA6O1cVxDAYGtyyBK2nDvnhOn0qUzXL_epfV84LqPiCgoz420hTdQAauvVeygNyl9sF5/s890/e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlPfXYtD3s96ni4D35edyfQJkFC9UAjmsk-fe9z3v6BX-AwkQt1Fzmra9ChB-8xQyidByYXK0gA6O1cVxDAYGtyyBK2nDvnhOn0qUzXL_epfV84LqPiCgoz420hTdQAauvVeygNyl9sF5/s320/e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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THEN, right after Old Dog passed away, our old refrigerator quit. Everything in the freezer and some things from the fridge section had to be tossed. This is really silly, but I felt like another family member left. J & I bought that fridge when our first child was a baby. (Yes, we did have a newer refrigerator, too, so most everything that was left from the old fridge fit in the newer one.)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The last thing and the very worst,</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> three of our local teens were killed in a horrible fiery wreck.</span></span> My heart aches for their families. (This is a small community where most everyone knows and/or is related to each other.) J was one of fire department people help on this wreck. He is still shaken and very upset. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So sorry this is so morbid. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Right now, I really need to go to the office to input those pesky invoices so I know how much State sales tax is owed. Whoop-dee-doo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Happy</b> <b>blog</b> with pretty pictures will be coming.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Daughter is off on another adventure. </span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you are interested: </span><a href="http://canusing2.blogspot.com/">http://canusing2.blogspot.com/</a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<b><i>Hope this finds everyone well and happy.</i></b><br />
Hugs,<br />
Sue <br />
<br />Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-17096972381862630822013-03-22T09:01:00.002-07:002013-03-22T11:59:15.267-07:00Another sewing machine...<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Who knew that hitting the enter key in the title window would automatically publish the post?</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SEW<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> I bought <b><i>ano</i></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>ther</i></b> sewing machin</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">e, a Singer Stylis<span style="font-size: small;">t 457<span style="font-size: small;">, made in Great Britain</span>.</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Sorry, no camera.<span style="font-size: small;">)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0RpyB588yUEN1c-c245nh_EWekjwlMK_FsISUBph2b6mCjGrbiZmyEy4ZdO6jxsUekcnyffffA9cxQgeFKxCrJwXqwR70KL-sQlIjq5UacxrXByS1D4UUQ0TS9hAuJYSVBRfMb_G2p1W/s1600/singerstylist457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0RpyB588yUEN1c-c245nh_EWekjwlMK_FsISUBph2b6mCjGrbiZmyEy4ZdO6jxsUekcnyffffA9cxQgeFKxCrJwXqwR70KL-sQlIjq5UacxrXByS1D4UUQ0TS9hAuJYSVBRfMb_G2p1W/s320/singerstylist457.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I saw it on the shelf at Goodwill and grabbed it before it even had a chance to say "buy me". LOL </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The tag is marked "as is"<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">I</span>t<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>is m<span style="font-size: small;">issing the pressure foot attac<span style="font-size: small;">h<span style="font-size: small;">ment <span style="font-size: small;">and the two thread spool pins</span>, but the machine run<span style="font-size: small;">s</span> very quietl<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">y. The head<span style="font-size: small;">, cords, and foot pedal are</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> in excellent condition<span style="font-size: small;">. It is very clean on the inside, too, so I wonder if anyone ever used this machine.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">How many sewing machines<span style="font-size: small;"> does this make? I don't know for sure. Just off the top of my hea<span style="font-size: small;">d, I </span>counted twelve here at the house</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">(Yes, if someone <span style="font-size: small;">"borrowed"</span> one, I would know<span style="font-size: small;">.<span style="font-size: small;">)</span> My friend has one<span style="font-size: small;"> of my machines. Then there are several <span style="font-size: small;">in our (computer repa<span style="font-size: small;">ir) </span></span>shop that may or may not need work</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wedne<span style="font-size: small;">sd<span style="font-size: small;">ay, </span></span></span>I had a ball in <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span>town" <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Lewiston/Clarkston where we do our </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"maj</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">or" shopping</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">)</span></span>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I spent as much time as I wa<span style="font-size: small;">nted wan<span style="font-size: small;">dering through St<span style="font-size: small;">. V<span style="font-size: small;">ince<span style="font-size: small;">nt de Paul, Goodwill, Ross, TJMaxx, Safeway, Macy's<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">Maurices<span style="font-size: small;">, Shopko. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">I mi<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ght have e<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ven forgotten a coupl<span style="font-size: xx-small;">e of places.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> We even linger<span style="font-size: small;">ed over lunch at El Sombrero.</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(J had a chalupa; I had the fiesta salad. YUM)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The list was long<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">, and J had two jobs to do. <span style="font-size: small;">So I <strike>dumped</strike><span style="font-size: small;"> dropped off </span>J<span style="font-size: small;"> and went and did my thing. <span style="font-size: small;">We met for lunch and <span style="font-size: small;">got completely soaked dashing from the <span style="font-size: small;">restaurant to the car. Then I <span style="font-size: small;">dropped him again, and went an<span style="font-size: small;">d played<span style="font-size: small;">/spent more money</span>. Picked up J, and he dropped me at our pathetic little mall w<span style="font-size: small;">hile he went acro<span style="font-size: small;">ss the r<span style="font-size: small;">iver to Costco.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Vincent de Paul was kind of a bust. <span style="font-size: small;">I did buy a few vintage-ish <span style="font-size: small;">sewing patterns a<span style="font-size: small;">nd <span style="font-size: small;"></span>cookbooks. Nothing spectacular.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goodwill, however<span style="font-size: small;">, y<span style="font-size: small;">ielded: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">The sewing machine, of course</span> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>A <span style="font-size: small;">(19<span style="font-size: small;">60's?) </span>20" <span style="font-size: small;">unmarked "bride<span style="font-size: small;">" doll with <span style="font-size: small;">her <span style="font-size: small;">origi<span style="font-size: small;">nal earrings and dress.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> She must have been in a d<span style="font-size: small;">isplay case, because her hair is in good condition and the dress is <span style="font-size: small;">white with </span>only has one<span style="font-size: small;"> small</span> sta<span style="font-size: small;">in on the side</span></span>. <span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fabric<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">yards of fabic<span style="font-size: small;">! It comes <span style="font-size: small;">bundled in plastic bags so you <span style="font-size: small;">can only see what is on the outside, but it <span style="font-size: small;">like opening a treasure che<span style="font-size: small;">st. <span style="font-size: x-small;">This haul brought in </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">quilting, percale, upholstery and drapery samples, pre-printed pillow top panels, fake fur, lace (like for a sheer curtain panel), polyester garbardine (yuck), a piece that I'm sure is slubbed silk (beautiful pink),chiffon, a couple of pieces I can't identify, rayon, and even a couple of unfinished Christmas projects. Oh, and two yards of gorgeous flocked? embossed? Christmas/holiday fabric. It is black with wine and teal flowers and leaves that look like jewels outlined in gold. It is elegant rather than gaudy. It would make a beautiful jacket or vest.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mugs to match <span style="font-size: small;">some dish<span style="font-size: small;">es<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">legal s<span style="font-size: small;">ize printer paper, mi<span style="font-size: small;">sc. junk.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The stop at the mall was successful. Found several tops for <span style="font-size: small;">Carmen and me, all f<span style="font-size: small;">or </span></span>less than $10 a piece. Whoot! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Last but definitely not least, J bought me this: </i></span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbRDvZFkukUy-BG9AcXrVVbkxyxI-LUBKOT80TKtzyWaYVSH8TLrcHY-g0-_Pc8dvB2qFDECkIlw1D5v62WiInVHlI_TSBC-frWTYq9FPMMQGgYtZcDeuyhIscUD-e-Pj6idH_oTADxYb/s1600/machinetote.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbRDvZFkukUy-BG9AcXrVVbkxyxI-LUBKOT80TKtzyWaYVSH8TLrcHY-g0-_Pc8dvB2qFDECkIlw1D5v62WiInVHlI_TSBC-frWTYq9FPMMQGgYtZcDeuyhIscUD-e-Pj6idH_oTADxYb/s320/machinetote.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>A rolling sewing machine tote!</i></span></div>
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(Picture from JoAnn)</div>
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I think I'll keep J!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Disclosure: I am not <span style="font-size: xx-small;">endorsing</span> any of the stores or res<span style="font-size: xx-small;">taurants </span>mentioned in this blog. I have<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> NOT been compensated in </span>any way for mentioning them.</span></div>
Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-15757495052211559342013-03-09T17:58:00.000-08:002013-03-10T16:33:49.066-07:00Snowdrops and a quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk3KANNL6eEvZCZr4DyWuXYzpsFBUGs588htEpyEOGDCDlEraI7R-7nOwwiX8nhnzR_msXkTWLMSmrQk7RtMMg4Lk2hXVe-y0nccrV6TC2Ga6-KKOS5cupH8zGI0Zi5fJ4kCjYa-RNupE/s1600/snowdrops+mar813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk3KANNL6eEvZCZr4DyWuXYzpsFBUGs588htEpyEOGDCDlEraI7R-7nOwwiX8nhnzR_msXkTWLMSmrQk7RtMMg4Lk2hXVe-y0nccrV6TC2Ga6-KKOS5cupH8zGI0Zi5fJ4kCjYa-RNupE/s320/snowdrops+mar813.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Idz6prYsPybXgfP_f1_Sc6VU75d2hjcyrR6Z2imLxKI8KjXxGhn-4Hpue44QcT58FZvmcTOYnXiJ2aXs9RDIehcHTe3pShTEeLV8SVSFcXYf8fWi7gibRm7EqfqFqegYci53b1Rk0Aij/s1600/snowdrops+2+mar82013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Idz6prYsPybXgfP_f1_Sc6VU75d2hjcyrR6Z2imLxKI8KjXxGhn-4Hpue44QcT58FZvmcTOYnXiJ2aXs9RDIehcHTe3pShTEeLV8SVSFcXYf8fWi7gibRm7EqfqFqegYci53b1Rk0Aij/s320/snowdrops+2+mar82013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Snowdrops blooming, pushing up through the mulch.</div>
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March 8, 2013</div>
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This is the earliest I ever remember flowers blooming here!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No, I didn't</span> <span style="font-size: large;">:)</span> make this quilt top. See below...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSQke7XIZpnHodLLt8PmbxLxTwhGo1udmMfb1gB0Mg5c_wt4GruwdkhD36chwHVVQwUHy1owlCHFgMCQPwgjSP5IgLeo1S4qYMr1kXVWTyEzv12FQKVHk4ZW9tUvL3QSgy3-P3bxzCOaP/s1600/quilt+thrift+shop+view3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSQke7XIZpnHodLLt8PmbxLxTwhGo1udmMfb1gB0Mg5c_wt4GruwdkhD36chwHVVQwUHy1owlCHFgMCQPwgjSP5IgLeo1S4qYMr1kXVWTyEzv12FQKVHk4ZW9tUvL3QSgy3-P3bxzCOaP/s320/quilt+thrift+shop+view3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyE1Z9TY9RXkiGR79fLgRp2vyfLKS8h_0lKBbmhNsicYxeCusQvwfBJ2Xaq8a6NEJWb7gBPbiw4nsuom5CNAmejX17pDe6SHex27J0YrS1aHDPE8rANLEO0Z0Kilg3Q0ZT8vkK0ZDKn9P/s1600/quilt+thrift+shop+view+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyE1Z9TY9RXkiGR79fLgRp2vyfLKS8h_0lKBbmhNsicYxeCusQvwfBJ2Xaq8a6NEJWb7gBPbiw4nsuom5CNAmejX17pDe6SHex27J0YrS1aHDPE8rANLEO0Z0Kilg3Q0ZT8vkK0ZDKn9P/s320/quilt+thrift+shop+view+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Update</span>: A great (or not so great)
thrift store find??? Paid $<span style="color: #cc0000;">3.00</span> for the quilt top plus a full extra yard of the navy dot fabric (and a stack of scraps), 3/4 yard of the mustard (plus scraps), 1/3 yard of navy floral, and a stack of off-white squares and triangles. The colors aren't
anything I would have picked out to make a quilt, but actually seeing the combination, I like them - especially for the price! (Run-on sentence?)</div>
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Hope there is enough of the navy dot for the binding. I didn't think to measure the quilt before*...</div>
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Anyway,
none of the points match. Some seams are 3/4 inch wide and some are as
narrow as an eighth of an inch - all in the same seam. Some places
one edge of fabric isn't caught in the seam at all. None of the seams are pressed the correct direction, and most are twisted or bunched at the intersections. The big squares are all different sizes. </div>
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*Sooo, I'm
in the process of ripping the whole thing apart. I know. I'm crazy.
LOL </div>
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Don't hold your breath for the finished product...Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-81242370239488251772013-01-31T15:35:00.001-08:002013-01-31T18:00:19.847-08:00GAH!EDITED: Never mind. Would take hours to explain. Sigh.<br />
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On a lighter note - Happy Thursday! Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-70175569185319357502013-01-22T12:56:00.002-08:002013-01-23T18:08:26.368-08:00Highlights<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Highlights & updates<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">. Warning<span style="font-size: small;">: long <span style="font-size: small;">& boring. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">September 2012, daughter Carmen returned from 13 months teaching and traveling in Asia. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">S</span></span>he really enjoyed it, despite any rants and discouraging remarks. LOL <a href="http://canusing2.blogspot.com/">http://canusing2.blogspot.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Link to her blog.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_AsDCwpTZhktrgi-GiVUOrSN8uiu_R1FxtX7sGepyoJ5wcQp-Yd-Uyze-HWMAaWRn2G_OqaVYqhxASCMBtFxxPS1z8yBGArsuYZ2nO9w4DEoyNkTaFakIZXl7SzM_kGoVNrifk_13rj9/s1600/m&C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_AsDCwpTZhktrgi-GiVUOrSN8uiu_R1FxtX7sGepyoJ5wcQp-Yd-Uyze-HWMAaWRn2G_OqaVYqhxASCMBtFxxPS1z8yBGArsuYZ2nO9w4DEoyNkTaFakIZXl7SzM_kGoVNrifk_13rj9/s320/m&C.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thailand<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">with Matt</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCfhxlRocD8KwShFY_MQGH6peE29JwQfRBsbPS9iYnW-R6142XnsXa38L0yXvYXQod-xk2RrNbwRUDklfbGUWqlWoH5xw2XBYjwoVS11VA0XA9qhTNOv8Dokufztemwbu4vB_InBqn9Vx/s1600/carmen+lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCfhxlRocD8KwShFY_MQGH6peE29JwQfRBsbPS9iYnW-R6142XnsXa38L0yXvYXQod-xk2RrNbwRUDklfbGUWqlWoH5xw2XBYjwoVS11VA0XA9qhTNOv8Dokufztemwbu4vB_InBqn9Vx/s320/carmen+lantern.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">lantern festival</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I s</span>pent as much time with Carmen as possible over the next few months, because no one knew when or where she'd be off to next or how long she'd be gone. When she wasn't off visiting her friends<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> we just hung out here at the house and talked and talked and talked.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Carmen accepted a teaching job in Moscow, Russia!<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">far as </span>we know at this writing, the job <span style="font-size: small;">lasts through <span style="font-size: small;">May (and possibly in<span style="font-size: small;">to June) with chances of working for individuals after <span style="font-size: small;">the <span style="font-size: small;">contract<span style="font-size: small;"> is <span style="font-size: small;">fi<span style="font-size: small;">nishe<span style="font-size: small;">d.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So with that in mind, we've now made three more trips to Boise Airport and back. That's three four-hundred-mile round trips in less than a month. Thank God for beautiful scenery, <i>mostly</i> clear highways, and safe travels. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Trip 1: Carmen received, as a birthday present, a private tour<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*</span></span> of Warner Bros. studio lot and did some other (whirlwind) sightseeing. Carmen then took the train from LA to Santa Barbara. (Easy, comfortable and relatively inexpensive!) <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">(*A friend/former classmate works for Warner Bros.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our son, Dom, drove from Northern California to SB where they both spent a few days visiting their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and each other.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mqXDpd47quKCVHZpf8FOrd2kPhLhwHpSIGkfEMoeztXW4SvxyJwvIwj_eAuJvoOEP6nkmiMFo7oUqT5aMesfeq1C3zZuaGhOen6ntfx0pCzLoAVtIONplM6NNRnHpk450h9qrr_s_eb8/s1600/C+&+D+1212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mqXDpd47quKCVHZpf8FOrd2kPhLhwHpSIGkfEMoeztXW4SvxyJwvIwj_eAuJvoOEP6nkmiMFo7oUqT5aMesfeq1C3zZuaGhOen6ntfx0pCzLoAVtIONplM6NNRnHpk450h9qrr_s_eb8/s320/C+&+D+1212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dom & Carmen on Santa Barbara breakwater</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Trip 2: Back to Boise to pick up Carmen.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">TH<span style="font-size: small;">EN</span> </span></span>Hurry up and wait, hurry some more, wait some more. (Waiting for all the paperwork to get finished. Visa arrived with only a couple days to spare.)<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Trip 3: Friday, we headed south <span style="font-size: small;">to the <span style="font-size: small;">Boise area (again<span style="font-size: small;">)</span>. <span style="font-size: small;">There was some last minute shopping to do<span style="font-size: small;">.<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was very frustrating trying to find decent winter clothes this time of year<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. Everything <span style="font-size: small;">was</span> so <span style="font-size: small;">picked over. </span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">(Also, the <span style="font-size: small;">city streets</span> were <span style="font-size: small;">really slick<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span>, and the temp around zero degrees.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We finally did find Carmen a nice </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">down<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>coat<span style="font-size: small;"> on sale</span> for $30!!!</span>! <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">(</span>I a<span style="font-size: small;">lso bought a new winter coat<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: small;">The one I've been wearing is at lea<span style="font-size: small;">st 10 years old.</span></span> Yay!)<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">We <span style="font-size: small;">also spent <span style="font-size: small;">a couple hours</span> with my dad, so Carmen could say goodbye.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunday morning<span style="font-size: small;">, Bo<span style="font-size: small;">ise Airport, -<span style="font-size: small;">4 degrees F and foggy. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plan<span style="font-size: small;">e took off late, but <span style="font-size: small;">at least <span style="font-size: small;">it did. </span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">(<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Carmen</span> </span></span>ba<span style="font-size: small;">re<span style="font-size: small;">ly</span></span> made her connection in Salt Lake.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the way home, we saw a herd of elk g<span style="font-size: small;">razi<span style="font-size: small;">ng near the highway. No picture, because <span style="font-size: small;">the roads wer<span style="font-size: small;">e iffy right th<span style="font-size: small;">ere. <span style="font-size: small;">J didn't want to try to stop.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Middle of the night<span style="font-size: small;">/really early Monday <span style="font-size: small;">morning</span></span></span> <span style="font-size: small;">Carmen </span>called to let us know she made<span style="font-size: small;"> it to Moscow - <span style="font-size: small;">short one suitcase<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">, and to tell us that i</span>t<span style="font-size: small;"> was <i>warmer in Moscow</i> than in Boise.<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">(It is warmer <i>here</i> tha<span style="font-size: small;">n in Boise!<span style="font-size: small;">**)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">**<span style="font-size: small;">We live in "borderline" winter country<span style="font-size: small;">. This area can be really nasty or fairly mild. Just depends on Mother Nature.</span> Parts of Idaho have extreme winter<span style="font-size: small;"> weather</span>. Other<span style="font-size: small;"> areas have re<span style="font-size: small;">latively mild and very s<span style="font-size: small;">hort </span>winters - <span style="font-size: small;">what we call the <span style="font-size: small;">"</span></span>ba<span style="font-size: small;">nana belts<span style="font-size: small;">"</span></span>. Boise generally <span style="font-size: small;">is </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">warme<span style="font-size: small;">r and has a much shorter winter <span style="font-size: small;">than we do. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">We were in a drought<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> -</span> almost 5 months without rain -</span> blowing topsoil and all. Then<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">we<span style="font-size: small;"> received 26 inches of snow. It has settled some, but now more <span style="font-size: small;">is predicted. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj230eF5JuwXFGxZ7Dq5_LqPbceZG-i0m3lby39-7EFcK0hGqHy_J1dmuunz1IBMEGYzhQHjhSTgD2fkWGtjVP2ycLZkRMDSkQd4AbQCCa-j-Q3PXYn1q_0uB98Jpt41sCYfYO9PzIC8-6y/s1600/snow+looking+south.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj230eF5JuwXFGxZ7Dq5_LqPbceZG-i0m3lby39-7EFcK0hGqHy_J1dmuunz1IBMEGYzhQHjhSTgD2fkWGtjVP2ycLZkRMDSkQd4AbQCCa-j-Q3PXYn1q_0uB98Jpt41sCYfYO9PzIC8-6y/s320/snow+looking+south.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Friday morning, we <span style="font-size: small;">start<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">ed</span></span> out from <span style="font-size: small;">the house</span> in <span style="font-size: small;">beautiful sunshine<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> 30 degrees, not a even a little breeze. <b><i>Three </i></b>miles out of town<span style="font-size: small;"> the wind was howling<i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: small;">creating a ground blizzar<span style="font-size: small;">d<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">and <span style="font-size: small;">forming </span>large drifts<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span> A couple more miles we <span style="font-size: small;">were</span> detoured around<span style="font-size: small;"> this on the county roads. Thank good<span style="font-size: small;">ness for 4-wh<span style="font-size: small;">eel-drive<span style="font-size: small;">, because believe me, it was much worse than this looks. <span style="font-size: small;">Luckily, once we start<span style="font-size: small;">ed up White Bird grade, <span style="font-size: small;">conditions got better.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">(<span style="font-size: small;">Id<span style="font-size: small;">aho <span style="font-size: small;">County Free Press photo)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Random: Gasoline is 16 cents a gallon cheaper in the Boise area than <span style="font-size: small;">here. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also, thank<span style="font-size: small;">s to <span style="font-size: small;">J's uncle who lets us stay at his hou<span style="font-size: small;">se<span style="font-size: small;"> whene<span style="font-size: small;">ver we are down in <span style="font-size: small;">Treasure Valley (Boise area).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
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<br />Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-55304135243786679572012-12-31T16:06:00.001-08:002012-12-31T16:06:30.914-08:00Happy New Year!<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">May the New Year be kind to us all. </span></span>Cheers!Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-81288792047957426202012-12-21T22:44:00.001-08:002013-01-22T10:35:18.038-08:00Merry Christmas and a rantWish I had a camera... All the trees in the city park are wrapped with lights. So pretty and sparkly. I can turn around from my computer and see them out the window.<br />
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Since I can't show you the trees, here is a link to another bit of Christmas fun in my town. <b>Be sure to turn on your speakers and then click on the picture! </b>(This link works even if you do not have a Facebook account.)<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200104320959123">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200104320959123</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Merry Christmas</span></span> or <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Happy Holidays</span></span> if you don't celebrate the birth of Jesus.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy New Year, too!</span><br />
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***<br />
Disclaimer: I did not get to finish college. I am not a certified teacher. I am not an expert, and I make mistakes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Also, I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad if grammar isn't your "thing" or if you are a teacher. I hope you will understand when (if) you get to the end of the rant.</i></span><br />
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I was recently asked by a friend/former supervisor/retired teacher to proofread a 77 page evaluation done by the teachers and advisory board of a local parochial school for its accreditation with some organization related to the church. (This school is already accredited with the state.) The whole document is about how the school needs to push language arts,<i> <b>because for the past several years the students have scored low (on standardized tests) in all areas of language arts.</b> </i>(For us "older" people, this is what we would have learned in English class.)<br />
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History: This is the school where roughly 25 years ago, when I complained to the teachers that they weren't marking the punctuation, grammar, or spellings errors on my son's papers, I was told, "We only mark spelling errors in spelling class and grammar and punctuation errors in English class." (Believe me; I let it be known that wasn't acceptable.)<br />
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More History: Jump forward about 15 years. I was working at this same school as the reading "specialist" (and aide). Along with other duties, I often taught reading, language, and spelling to third and fourth graders. Most of the students used poor grammar (I seen, he done it, me and Jim gone to the store, etc.). I'd been quietly correcting their grammar when they were answering questions or just talking. Weeellll, suddenly we weren't supposed to do that any more. "It was damaging to the child's self-esteem." <br />
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My daughter (who is a college graduate and teacher of English as a second language) and I spent most of today editing the above mentioned document. The sad irony? <i> <span style="font-size: large;">Of the 77 pages in this evaluation, prepared by <b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">professional </span></b>educators, there were only three pages that did not have mistakes or inconsistencies on them. Even the title page had a mistake.</span></i> (We even let some things slide, and I'm pretty sure we missed some errors, too.)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Low scores, you say</span>.</span><br />
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Rant over.<br />
<br />Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-39815896352523537092012-08-22T12:07:00.001-07:002013-01-22T10:36:08.271-08:00book review<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWnqIzyR_P5hNVZDqp9vG9w4To2htSGn38g8yao0NSqQ87xQK-gvTb2Hp5pmVeJ8i3iMmrl1Vtgtk5fuMg8lZkGhgBSUVFRTUcRlPHyZUelJ7x6tdqb2-Qmyfuu7J0DvrlbIFM8fYH-cT/s1600/baldacci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><u><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWnqIzyR_P5hNVZDqp9vG9w4To2htSGn38g8yao0NSqQ87xQK-gvTb2Hp5pmVeJ8i3iMmrl1Vtgtk5fuMg8lZkGhgBSUVFRTUcRlPHyZUelJ7x6tdqb2-Qmyfuu7J0DvrlbIFM8fYH-cT/s320/baldacci.jpg" width="320" /></u></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Christmas-Train-David-Baldacci/dp/0446615757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345660352&sr=8-1&keywords=baldacci+david+train" rel="nofollow">The Christmas Train</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I loved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wish-You-Well-David-Baldacci/dp/0446699489/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345661427&sr=8-1&keywords=wish+you+well+by+david+baldacci" rel="nofollow"><u>Wish You Well</u></a>, so was really excited when I found this book at the thrift store. I'm sorry to say, <i>The Christmas Train</i> just didn't grab me. <i>AND</i>, I am fascinated by trains and enjoy the occasional romance. HoHummmmmm. I finished it, but just barely managed it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">There aren't any bad words. There is no blatant sex, but it is implied throughout the book. And, sadly the book seems to be written for people who read a</span><span style="font-size: small;">t about the 4th to 6th
grade level. There are a couple interesting twists at the end of the book, but they are "just there". They could have had so much more impact, oomph, surprise factor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A couple characters are fleshed out well, but the people I would consider the main characters are sadly flat. Maybe this was the author's intention, but it didn't work for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Actually, the book almost seems to be written by a young person rather than by a seasoned author.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If anyone else has read this book and has a different opinion, I'd love to hear what I missed out on. LOL</span>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-70792989945831046082012-05-18T20:04:00.002-07:002012-05-18T20:04:50.324-07:00Long Time...<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I miss my blogging buddies. I apologize for not keeping up with everyone. Because I spend an hour or more almost everyday "chatting" with my daughter, I'm not spending time reading or posting. Must catch up! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The one really new thing is that I <i>finally </i>signed up and took a quilt class. The quilt blocks are about half assembled. Will post a picture when the top is finished.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of my all time favorite books is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Green_Gables">Anne of Green Gables</a>. Maybe it
is because I have red hair. Maybe it is because I have always been
clumsy and have been known to cause some havoc and mayhem. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe it is because when things went haywire my mother called me her red-headed step-child.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Whatever, there is a link at the bottom of Carmen's (<span style="font-size: small;">my daughter)<span style="font-size: large;"> post that hopefully you give a laugh or two. Here is the link just in case. LOL <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OLOl_qPLWc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OLOl_qPLWc</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you are interested, here is a link to my daughter's blog in which she describes life in Seoul.</span> <a href="http://canusing2.blogspot.com/2012/05/but-i-dont-want-to-go-among-mad-people.html">http://canusing2.blogspot.com/2012/05/but-i-dont-want-to-go-among-mad-people.html </a>You will find spelling errors. Carmen said that at home she has to type really fast and post or she loses everything.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hoping everyone one is well and enjoying spring. </span><br />
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SuePackrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-23871472835507780052011-12-22T20:25:00.000-08:002011-12-22T20:25:51.019-08:00Wishes<b>Advent is almost over. Baby Jesus will be born and the Christmas season starts. With that, I wish you all a safe and wonderful Christmas. May it be merry and full of love and joy. For those who don't celebrate Christmas, may whatever you do celebrate also be safe and filled with love and joy.</b>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-37035977491982392962011-12-17T18:12:00.000-08:002011-12-17T18:12:08.908-08:00We*ndy Wh*ite - Mary Did You Know(This is a partial re-do of an old post.)<br />
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I'll just mention once again that I love Wendy White's voice. (Ms. White is a mezzo-soprano with the Metropolitan Opera.) <a href="http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=5153&issueID=331"></a><br />
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This video is not professionally recorded so it starts out a little wobbly, and there are some "schreechies". Please bear with it; I hope you will find it worth it.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">If a message says "Video no longer available" click on the play button anyway. Thanks.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1738445900"><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKjeRwp0RtY&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKjeRwp0RtY&feature=player_embedded</a><br />
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By Lowry and Green (?)<br />
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Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?<br />
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?<br />
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?<br />
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.<br />
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Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?<br />
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?<br />
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?<br />
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.<br />
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The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again.<br />
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb.<br />
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Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?<br />
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?<br />
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?<br />
This sleeping child you're holding is the "Great I am".Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-5347865053029799472011-11-18T17:34:00.000-08:002011-11-18T17:54:13.461-08:00More thrifting findsFirst, thank you, everyone for your lovely comments on my last post. Have had computer and internet issues, so have been lazy about answering comments, making new posts, and reading others' blogs. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2FxrMugbie9GH0jk3KZAIxf3eNUU30wDvVmGu_s2dG66jgJ354gsPRajogiBABQVgcIgg5zz2mSt-dRSmOOKGhAF6mV7r705h61i3QRVh5ypPWee92pBoQ7HQB1dXSEOHzrVxiyRBK-0/s1600/wicker+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2FxrMugbie9GH0jk3KZAIxf3eNUU30wDvVmGu_s2dG66jgJ354gsPRajogiBABQVgcIgg5zz2mSt-dRSmOOKGhAF6mV7r705h61i3QRVh5ypPWee92pBoQ7HQB1dXSEOHzrVxiyRBK-0/s1600/wicker+chair.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">16 inches high; the back is approximately 10.5 inches across the widest part</div><div style="text-align: center;">Perfect for an 18" or taller doll</div><div style="text-align: center;">$1.00 Perfect condition. </div><br />
As many of you know, I have been picking up used, mostly vintage, cookbooks for my <a href="http://canusing2.blogspot.com/">daughter</a> (check out her blog), two nieces, myself, (and any other family member who show an interest). I've gathered a pretty impressive amount of them, actually managing to get a few duplicates. If they are all different, it is going to be extremely difficult to decide who gets which books. <br />
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Today, as I was going through another sack of what I thought was just cookbooks, I found a forgotten purchase. I'm sorry; the camera battery is dead. No picture of the items, but here is the price tag. lol<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oIKxctcGBq-YMLkkyEXALxhRAVbdoWi5iVgKx_llPQuMo2lXUX-NuZmOK-HNep6mwxBf3MgdffJOpUInP0rypMWkcgGWJN1BmaQOSTg8EpKm2N7gkAgdW-CAclo1JysWW2FlhgLyN7Ue/s1600/gw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oIKxctcGBq-YMLkkyEXALxhRAVbdoWi5iVgKx_llPQuMo2lXUX-NuZmOK-HNep6mwxBf3MgdffJOpUInP0rypMWkcgGWJN1BmaQOSTg8EpKm2N7gkAgdW-CAclo1JysWW2FlhgLyN7Ue/s320/gw.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br />
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What was in a plastic bag full of stuff marked $3.99? <br />
<ul><li>12 brand new bobbins that will fit Kenmore, Necchi, Brother, and ? sewing machines.</li>
<li>brand new package of 5 sewing machine needles</li>
<li> tube (new?) of Liquid Stitch</li>
<li>Swing*line Tot stapler with staples (works!)</li>
<li>piece of white chipboard. It is about the right size for a pocket pattern. lol</li>
<li>brand new package of jump rings (for jewelry making)</li>
<li>2 new packages of "gold" bead caps (for jewelry making) </li>
<li>fine point red felt tip Shar*pie (not dry!)</li>
<li>4 pairs of scissors: bent (like the ones used to cut bandages at the doctor's), thread snips, small pair, a pair like applique scissors only I'm not sure they are pointed or sharp enough</li>
<li>6" "hem" gauge</li>
<li>tracing wheel</li>
<li>pair of brand new 54" white shoe laces</li>
<li> 5 new large spools of sewing thread: pale pink, 2 white, black, gray</li>
<li>a hand sewing needle</li>
<li>geese - well the outlines of four different size geese that are all alike. For applique???</li>
<li>a yard of one side of Vel*cro</li>
<li>a broken front piece of a DVD player</li>
<li>2 fabric remnants = about 5/8 yard gorgeous pale green fabric; 3/4 yard dusty rose broadcloth</li>
<li>4 small pieces of "odd" fabrics</li>
<li>And the best: An Olfa 45 mm rotary cutter with blade. A new one costs about $20.00 for this older style.</li>
</ul>Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone. Eat, Enjoy!Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-51994688082254873012011-10-10T17:51:00.000-07:002011-10-10T17:57:05.161-07:00Michelle, sewing machines, & S*ing*er Certif*icatesFor a long time, I thought I was the only one who was "silly" enough to have a whole "herd" of sewing machines. (People would just give me their unwanted machines.) Then one day while reading a blog, I noticed a profile picture that was of a sewing machine instead of a person. Not only that, it was a machine very similar to one I had just purchased at a thrift shop. (No pictures yet.) I just had to see who this person was. It was dear <a href="http://lifewithlou.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-singer-story-website.html">Michelle</a>. She has more sewing machines than I do, and her collection is growing all the time.<br />
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With help (and enabling) from her husband, Michelle "rescues" homeless sewing machines. She cleans and fixes up the machines, and her husband works his magic on the cases or cabinets. (Michelle, correct me if I'm wrong.) These wonderful machines are then displayed in her home instead of being hidden away.<br />
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Michelle has many really nice machines, but recently, she picked up a <a href="http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-class-66-sewing-machine.html">real beauty</a> (for a picture of a similar one scroll toward the bottom of the article). Then, she found out that Sin*ger is providing certificates for machines made pre-1970. Seems like a good thing to have some history to go with these older machines, right?<br />
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So, here is the Sin*ger that I bought at a yard sale approximately 33 years ago. At the time, I thought the price was steep (twenty dollars), but I knew the woman selling the machine. It had just been serviced (receipt showing she had just paid $35 for the cleaning and oiling!) and the owner assured me it worked. It did, and still does. Sews perfectly.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(click on photos for larger views)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6DdpwjwhVN8jCURIobCq6-TOCARlSzh8scbxuZJf2RSsEONwldTZL0iq8rXD_Va9WM1PmyL9ECRSc3FDvKiPnN2oa30p8fDlx90IGqxbvkiRQLIKDZEgnJkBJVLuFfekQSdwgZHYbcL6/s1600/machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6DdpwjwhVN8jCURIobCq6-TOCARlSzh8scbxuZJf2RSsEONwldTZL0iq8rXD_Va9WM1PmyL9ECRSc3FDvKiPnN2oa30p8fDlx90IGqxbvkiRQLIKDZEgnJkBJVLuFfekQSdwgZHYbcL6/s320/machine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The beautiful decals are worn, but this to me means that the machine was used rather than just stored away someplace. That is the original plate with the patent dates stamped in it leaning against the case. (One end of the clip is broken off, so I had a new one put on the machine.) The rubber bobbin winder ring is "new", and the bobbin winder gear may have been replaced with a newer (not new) one. (I can't remember if it was this machine or another one...) Because of the age of the machine the electric motor was probably added later and maybe even "fairly recently". The cords are "rubber" coated rather than cloth covered, and they are in excellent condition.<br />
Oh, the machine is so old that there is no reverse. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9XsuEkLQeUagubhgMIV9TyDi2HCBoVyFef-1sVLmKpeIQNrMAttDWPz1MwkZk_Pj2YxZ9fyrMOL2flFQ41EFdodhbERMJqKnU7EL9FCoFzMz-3qzkceiG44_xMRb-UXMwT4Po5gkx5tf/s1600/machine+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9XsuEkLQeUagubhgMIV9TyDi2HCBoVyFef-1sVLmKpeIQNrMAttDWPz1MwkZk_Pj2YxZ9fyrMOL2flFQ41EFdodhbERMJqKnU7EL9FCoFzMz-3qzkceiG44_xMRb-UXMwT4Po5gkx5tf/s320/machine+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">The underside of the machine.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The part of the wooden case has almost a woven grass/cloth fiber type covering. The covering is fraying along the edges, but the rest of the case is in excellent condition.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5v6-adxABptLSudZkIROVP_HhWrQ_RYK4XPVaUe4muzYhY08FpfSvBAHb_Ez0AFOljMtI4_Sd6Jqp5ovt3lZkdQlXp1IEkzZE7ntB4SMtiAW-NY8adDXO2RcEwP9FfzoOvlrrANZ8qBr/s1600/singcert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5v6-adxABptLSudZkIROVP_HhWrQ_RYK4XPVaUe4muzYhY08FpfSvBAHb_Ez0AFOljMtI4_Sd6Jqp5ovt3lZkdQlXp1IEkzZE7ntB4SMtiAW-NY8adDXO2RcEwP9FfzoOvlrrANZ8qBr/s320/singcert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>(Sorry about the name being wiped out. I had issues with photo*shop.)<br />
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I didn't need another sewing machine, but I fell in love.Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-28299583629836996812011-10-07T17:04:00.000-07:002011-10-07T17:08:53.145-07:00Vintage funThrift store finds:<br />
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(Click on picture to enlarge)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy78WbbWBJkUNGA9APjTaQSR2YomgQVzR0O7J1TJwpXK_0_znPSLl_kgJ6BKRuNmgCEr_G2RY5up0BgTKKQDKIjadLtpW4eopGa6rIzkLoqqGi_kHzXYOHvcVTG_5Ad_ZQIhjW9H-ZK9Sv/s1600/Western+shirt+1956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5KWL2VTTKqTxvr0qjFJKGdRhs6_ZmZX91O06PbDQ9qJvWKs9crVlr_w76LXw9tfwYLz0aPICD0B0cHWO7gkgAlnMJ3i5B1MuBputPNAdQOQGY2IoOrldsmm5bAdIsTQlddvmRiZ5k9vn/s1600/Western+shirt+1956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5KWL2VTTKqTxvr0qjFJKGdRhs6_ZmZX91O06PbDQ9qJvWKs9crVlr_w76LXw9tfwYLz0aPICD0B0cHWO7gkgAlnMJ3i5B1MuBputPNAdQOQGY2IoOrldsmm5bAdIsTQlddvmRiZ5k9vn/s320/Western+shirt+1956.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Western wear is still normal in our part of the world.<br />
This 1956 pattern is so out of date that it is almost in style again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaXx4BrNL-9K_MFPHLVh1ww0f_1v-6yVCmtRl3kqoyzCo4SJU8DHieJByls0Z9QZqy52n-07Bm1Guo0X6eGWixqSKp68C7AyO2sPoXj531VlfKIJj0t-Pwu83qtd0-6VA_LgYM2GRu3HS/s1600/gloves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaXx4BrNL-9K_MFPHLVh1ww0f_1v-6yVCmtRl3kqoyzCo4SJU8DHieJByls0Z9QZqy52n-07Bm1Guo0X6eGWixqSKp68C7AyO2sPoXj531VlfKIJj0t-Pwu83qtd0-6VA_LgYM2GRu3HS/s320/gloves.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Also, 1956.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Anxious to see if all pieces are here. Want to make a pair just so that I can say I have. lol</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl7KdP9SdIVAMwqxeT7gj6ZgVvSWc8iJJHsM7yRDVlBqj-3VCLBKCsuDP1GOmbl3QCxrkUv4qJsGlCGP0Hk3XuneR156iMu_YF6dlnV8qp2I_J5ujkVzuPBTpVj6XIXxLYwzHlLdX4_VJ/s1600/aug+1965+cal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl7KdP9SdIVAMwqxeT7gj6ZgVvSWc8iJJHsM7yRDVlBqj-3VCLBKCsuDP1GOmbl3QCxrkUv4qJsGlCGP0Hk3XuneR156iMu_YF6dlnV8qp2I_J5ujkVzuPBTpVj6XIXxLYwzHlLdX4_VJ/s320/aug+1965+cal.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Remember these? Found this calendar page in an old cookbook. The calendar forms a pocket that was used to hold receipts, recipes, bills, birthday cards, etc.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> In August of 1965, my fellow 4-H friends and I would have been frantically finishing up our projects so that they could be exhibited at the Western Idaho State Fair.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We would have been riding our bikes to school almost everyday until the class assignment sheets were posted in the foyer windows. None of us thought we wanted school to start, but we were always anxious to know who our classmates would be and which teacher we'd be "stuck" with. (Poor teachers!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">And, hopefully, we'd get one or two last camping trips in before school started.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMfHFL4WYWakNai67TYa0OBdc8LQVoYnZa2qal_cSCAtiE4FH8dBlcaBbOLp63MmMdBrY6HNA11ceYRvPwfvp_RVAnqTacOWVKvtwEyhi835W-jbJrnCyl3lNWz-6df_QZjb09k0RB7Lo/s1600/aug+1965+cal+recipe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMfHFL4WYWakNai67TYa0OBdc8LQVoYnZa2qal_cSCAtiE4FH8dBlcaBbOLp63MmMdBrY6HNA11ceYRvPwfvp_RVAnqTacOWVKvtwEyhi835W-jbJrnCyl3lNWz-6df_QZjb09k0RB7Lo/s320/aug+1965+cal+recipe1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVz_aXObkqI0t2DcTYUvI8DvWOkZsxztDHozQeM-wpTfMMA8lU5Emxfzo3Hwd_7Cvkhp_ZfgMrKSWyaTFAFcbbPkqM2tceSpkOPJMSKFVYnk4J3VlwWL3Wofa3zZlWpLFT7GZyN4qfDc1/s1600/aug+1965+cal+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVz_aXObkqI0t2DcTYUvI8DvWOkZsxztDHozQeM-wpTfMMA8lU5Emxfzo3Hwd_7Cvkhp_ZfgMrKSWyaTFAFcbbPkqM2tceSpkOPJMSKFVYnk4J3VlwWL3Wofa3zZlWpLFT7GZyN4qfDc1/s320/aug+1965+cal+back.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6mzJq68bch9oYffA9c1nxLrW8Umt9xDmgsVDj1-OCxAR9hB0Cjk9ZadVa3PcgugVp4ZB23W59RuJ6lwx6QtC6RuAbZUm1mTl_nZ74MyuW1RV3pGXl41x-nWAFfpEDZyTRLy4L-rA6E1H/s1600/aug+1965+cal+back+recipes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6mzJq68bch9oYffA9c1nxLrW8Umt9xDmgsVDj1-OCxAR9hB0Cjk9ZadVa3PcgugVp4ZB23W59RuJ6lwx6QtC6RuAbZUm1mTl_nZ74MyuW1RV3pGXl41x-nWAFfpEDZyTRLy4L-rA6E1H/s320/aug+1965+cal+back+recipes.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>I hope you can read the recipes. All look edible except one. Even it might be good; it just sounds awful to me. Please, tell me which one or ones you wouldn't care for. Let's see if we agree. :)<br />
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</div>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-34882464480871337592011-09-02T12:08:00.000-07:002011-09-02T12:13:37.636-07:00Bookcase<span style="font-size: large;">No, not mine. Unfortunately. <span style="font-size: small;">(click on picture for a larger view)</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBf9DexWfppySTtrw6mCzgu0JFwJUzND3mi8Sdna0K5cRLQqN0KjTTrUjwdC2aDLFcr6H9HY_qpND9a2KuIvpBDPIegOxUEhyphenhyphen0e9cl4VXY0Ja8MUMclfdaPiVi4y1SQCqzH7KKhdjPaZF/s1600/stair+bookshelves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBf9DexWfppySTtrw6mCzgu0JFwJUzND3mi8Sdna0K5cRLQqN0KjTTrUjwdC2aDLFcr6H9HY_qpND9a2KuIvpBDPIegOxUEhyphenhyphen0e9cl4VXY0Ja8MUMclfdaPiVi4y1SQCqzH7KKhdjPaZF/s320/stair+bookshelves.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">source: from an email I received from my dad</span>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wouldn't the animals have fun running up and down this all day? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Oh, my...</span> </span> </div></div>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-4680973121659650462011-08-02T22:01:00.000-07:002011-08-02T22:51:04.813-07:00Thrift store find<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2Bm-CePQVH7C47Mkzb676unEKWu52pA0-eLsfkEkhG4brWX0hB_06TT-AAaNEAAh-6dEdrjQdMKk1iNIUTDlt3etyqit9Y0CWj3gREv2yiCywmgxXVsXRtzeudPSu9-axu5f0JaqZbvV/s1600/book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2Bm-CePQVH7C47Mkzb676unEKWu52pA0-eLsfkEkhG4brWX0hB_06TT-AAaNEAAh-6dEdrjQdMKk1iNIUTDlt3etyqit9Y0CWj3gREv2yiCywmgxXVsXRtzeudPSu9-axu5f0JaqZbvV/s320/book.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Click on picture to enlarge)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Selected by The Child Study Association</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Illustrated by Theresa Kalab</div><div style="text-align: center;">Copyright 1950 by Whitman Publishing Co, Racine, Wis.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Printed in U.S.A.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SQ2AD-ZOgT1XWhXEQ2JicR7RV7PQh-qR10SvfC__bmAKuQM9tPTkuWbAwJYQnhlwGlRoju_XzhV60U6PaT0PiZRWhd0wEyTbU5-oSIww0At_SSQvnKbeyWS2u_nqkC0qlxcOL1-tMGOs/s1600/illustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SQ2AD-ZOgT1XWhXEQ2JicR7RV7PQh-qR10SvfC__bmAKuQM9tPTkuWbAwJYQnhlwGlRoju_XzhV60U6PaT0PiZRWhd0wEyTbU5-oSIww0At_SSQvnKbeyWS2u_nqkC0qlxcOL1-tMGOs/s320/illustration.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>(Click on picture to enlarge)<br />
from the story "Snow Pictures" originally from <i>Martin and Judy </i>Vol. 1 by Verna Hills (later Bayley)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This 11-1/2 x 8-1/2 inch book has almost 400 pages with a comfortable sized print on rather flexible off-white paper (now a little yellowed like old coloring book paper). The cover is heavy cardboard with a slick finish as so many books had then. The illustrations are black and white but absolutely delightful. Some are quite detailed like the one above and some are simple sketches or borders. The stories deliciously old fashioned. (These were the kind of stories that were read to me and were in our reading textbooks when I was in elementary school). Some are re-tellings of old tales and Bible stories. Some are adaptations or excerpts from other books. The copyrighted stories seem to be from about 1931 to 1945.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>I've only had time to read a couple of the stories, but this one really amused me: from <i>Gone is Gone, Or The Story of the Man Who Wanted to do Housework </i>by Wanda Ga'g. This is a classic tale about a farmer who thought that his wife sat around the house doing not much of anything all day and what happened when they traded places. I have known a few men (and women!) who would do such stupid things. Actually, if we are honest we all probably have done at least one similar thing - like leaving the food on the stove. (Well, if you haven't, I certainly have. Like now. The food is still out where the cats could probably get to it. Oops.)<i> </i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">It is obvious that the book was read but there aren't any torn pages or scribbles. A couple pages have had the corners turned down at some time, but not long enough to break the fibers in the paper. The owner's (?) name is written in pencil with childish handwriting (third grade-ish?) on the inside of the first paper page. I suppose this devalues the book. To me, it is wonderful. Who was this child? (I don't recognize the name as a local.) Where did she live? If not here, how did she and/or the book wind up here? If she lived here, where did her parents go or did her mother remarry? Who did the little girl marry? Is she still alive? Did she like to read? And, ultimately, why would someone get rid of such a wonderful book?</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the only example of Theresa Kalab's illustrations I could find. <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-PET-ANIMALS-Sit-PANORAMA-book-Theresa-Kalab-/150624227691">click here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are also many children's books written by Theresa Kalab and Theresa Kalab Smith. Needless to say, I will now be on the lookout for books illustrated and/or written by her. Also, I'm going to look through the children's books here at home to see if we have any.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">For those unfamiliar with Whitman Publishing Co. - I cannot imagine what my life would have been without them. They printed books that were affordable to the middle class. (Maybe not the highest quality, but obviously this one has withstood 60 years.) Besides these type of books, they printed coloring books, cloth books for babies, paper dolls, things that could be punched out and put together (like buildings, cars, scenes), at least some of the Trixie Beldon mystery series, and probably much more. (Whitman was a subsidiary of Western Publishing also in Racine. Western was the company that printed The Little Golden Books, some comics, and much, much more. Source <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitman_Publishing">Wikipedia</a>)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My price - 50 cents.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation from any company or individual discussed in this post. Opinions are mine from ownership and experience. </div>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-3993222086514771422011-07-26T10:11:00.000-07:002011-07-26T10:31:20.274-07:00Daughter updateIf anyone is interested, my daughter <a href="http://canusing2.blogspot.com/%20">Carmen</a> has started a new blog where she is writing about life in Thailand. Most of the pictures are on facebook, but she has shared a few <a href="http://canusing2.blogspot.com/%20">here</a>. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Photo credits: Matt and Carmen) <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;">Update: The links were working, now they aren't. If you get an error message, try clicking on the blog name. That has been working. Sorry for the inconvenience. </span></span></span><br />
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I've been trying to keep facebook and blogging completely separate, but I think I'm about to give up (keeping them separate, that is). I love to read blogs, but I truly dislike facebook - except for the picture albums. :) I'll think on this. Please share your opinion. I'm interested.Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-62361134893710638182011-06-27T15:39:00.000-07:002011-06-27T16:47:49.648-07:00Well Duh!Thanks again for everyone's nice comments. I'm no longer in pain, and am up and about almost as good as new. But, I am avoiding stairs, slopes, and uneven ground as much as possible.<br />
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If this sounds like more whining, it isn't. It is just to tell you how mentally slowww I'm getting. I'm so disgusted with myself that I have been laughing all day since the bulb went on about 10:00 this morning.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138;"></span></span><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">LOL</span></span><br />
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Sometime around Easter, I noticed a funny little white bump on the back of my hand. It kind of itched like a mosquito bite and after scratching it - oooo, what a mess. Then I had more bumps - all over my right arm. The bumps would open and weep or be scabby, and they itched like crazy. I was blaming the mess on laundry detergent, dish washing soap, bath soap, cold dry air, the animals, lack of sunshine. I tried anything I could think of on it. Vaseline seemed to help the most. So on our first day of sunshine, I sat out until I burned the top of my head, and my arms turned pink. The spots cleared up almost immediately.<br />
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Now for the* rest* of * the* story: <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Last fall, we took all the big pots of flowers and vegetables inside. We weren't quite ready to give up the last of the tomatoes and summer blooms.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">One of the pots had come from my mom's house. It had </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj73IH-7PsDVe-CDPr5yY6V4YRHL_-AM713kvzWa9r2y4jQPW4gg1wDBu-qcPWFt6f4Sj5kBYdiS3tBabiC9dmFGEv_Okbiq-BUPm5mbxztj7IJeF5HCaQLRZEB3sw17KoS0a2mdzWA6tw/s1600/dusty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj73IH-7PsDVe-CDPr5yY6V4YRHL_-AM713kvzWa9r2y4jQPW4gg1wDBu-qcPWFt6f4Sj5kBYdiS3tBabiC9dmFGEv_Okbiq-BUPm5mbxztj7IJeF5HCaQLRZEB3sw17KoS0a2mdzWA6tw/s320/dusty.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">dusty miller</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep8gdZ4W1TNo_np0dgjRdElnqgWoTduQYS6XlgxSMgqzdvf3VYqXwAYB0T0AiA9ny6oplDMSJgx8AllGK8YaegS2MZiN66JTwmLrB2jnxoPZVxI1G292mWpjw6y_Wz-aaeQ7VXioSxfBO/s1600/GAZANIA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep8gdZ4W1TNo_np0dgjRdElnqgWoTduQYS6XlgxSMgqzdvf3VYqXwAYB0T0AiA9ny6oplDMSJgx8AllGK8YaegS2MZiN66JTwmLrB2jnxoPZVxI1G292mWpjw6y_Wz-aaeQ7VXioSxfBO/s320/GAZANIA.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> mixed Gazanzia</div><div style="text-align: center;">and another pretty blooming plant that I've forgotten the name of.</div><br />
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All winter, this pot sat in front of the window at the shop. We let the blooming plants to go to seed, but the dusty miller kept growing and growing. Then a new plant sprang up. I just figured it was one of the others coming back from the roots or from a seed. Pretty soon I could tell that it was a different plant entirely than what had been in the pot. The green arrow shaped leaves on long stalks where reaching out to the sunlight. (Are you getting a clue?)<br />
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I'd walk by, admire it, and touch it. I asked J what if he knew what it was. He didn't. The plant matured some more. I was still admiring it and touching it. I noticed the "funny" leave configuration, but didn't think too much about it. (Are you laughing now?)<br />
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Finally, the plant was getting too big and flopping over where we were brushing it as we walked by, so J pulled it out and threw it away.<br />
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Then an article with pictures came out in the paper: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaOfuNM2WCBrqV-GU66UV_SSWhUpYCD3KWEuY5oQQ53TxJRlz3s6LoRhVcVsh47o-6I_UFEb4qYNI27SJW-EW4CZqxQpi4yz3t4yANbtFxpmxG5mgSW4MM0nNErZBg32pB6Mbon2zTc5I/s1600/Poisonivy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaOfuNM2WCBrqV-GU66UV_SSWhUpYCD3KWEuY5oQQ53TxJRlz3s6LoRhVcVsh47o-6I_UFEb4qYNI27SJW-EW4CZqxQpi4yz3t4yANbtFxpmxG5mgSW4MM0nNErZBg32pB6Mbon2zTc5I/s1600/Poisonivy.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Poison ivy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This is what J pulled out. J didn't react to it, but I had been handling it all winter. Took me until about 10:00 this morning to realize this was the cause of the mess on my arm. Well DUH! <br />
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(In our defense - this was not our "local" poison oak. This was poison ivy. It must have come from "imported" potting soil or dirt. Also, thank goodness, in the past neither J nor I have been bothered too much by poison oak. Sumac hasn't bothered us at all.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-90718730604088384142011-06-16T20:18:00.000-07:002011-06-16T20:50:58.237-07:00Idjit Klutz<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Daughter is out of the apartment she lived in for three years and is living in temporary "quarters". Holy heavens, she had a lot of stuff. (Yes, partly my fault. I figured she'd go to grad school and continue living there for a while.) What a job! The place was white glove clean when we left, though.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">---</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Remember, I'm not complaining...</b></i></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is 1:50 PM, Thursday June 16. The outside temp is up to (drum roll, please) <b>49</b> degrees, and wonders of wonders, it is raining. Updated: it is now 6:05 PM. Husband (aka J) said it is up to <b>51</b> degrees. Heat wave. (Always makes me think of the M*A*S*H episode when they sing <i>Having a Heatwave. </i>A tropical heat wave<i>. </i>Ya right<i>.) <u><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Update on the <i>Joke</i> (last post). We haven't had snow right at our house, but it did spit on us in Moscow a couple weeks ago. It has been rainy and cold, and no two completely nice days in a row since ???</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to Wednesday's paper, officially we were an 1-1/2 inches below record rainfall for the two months of May and June combined (not counting any rain we've had since Tuesday afternoon). Unofficially, we had already passed the record set in 1974 - the year of the floods. (Flood story another time.) </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>---<br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Oh, I get so aggravated with Blogger's editing abilities! Won't let me paste without highlighting everything. When I hit enter, nothing happens, or it takes several seconds for the computer to respond, and the cursor keeps disappearing. The header picture suddenly shrunk to a little tiny postage stamp size. I had to remove it and reload it - twice. Tried putting a clipart picture in at the top of this post. Locked up the whole computer. Had to reboot twice just to get Blogger to work again. GRrrrrrr. Vee has had troubles, too. Anyone else?</div>---<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeykgOvxRLbNc36f9wI6ASjFaH-VwlTc3OgeGIQeOb_R5iq57kDABYuaOu2fTAyF2bawalKv_WYZwJ42PJ7MNI_4GS6rfspCmjA_kohCph64qtaQQUEazORCuFETktKTGNMLtapHlpOZaH/s1600/doll+patt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeykgOvxRLbNc36f9wI6ASjFaH-VwlTc3OgeGIQeOb_R5iq57kDABYuaOu2fTAyF2bawalKv_WYZwJ42PJ7MNI_4GS6rfspCmjA_kohCph64qtaQQUEazORCuFETktKTGNMLtapHlpOZaH/s400/doll+patt.jpg" width="220" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click to enlarge)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">One of my thrift shop finds. 5 cents. Complete.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">(Two pieces are cut from main sheet with pinking sheers but never used.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is there a 23 inch doll in my "collection"?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I think my old bride doll might be about that size, but don't want to go upstairs right now to look.*</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">---</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The lilacs and flowering quince are now in bloom. So pretty. For a few days, one apple tree was gorgeous. (Blast it, didn't get a picture.) The spirea and peonies are just starting to open up, and the grape hyacinth and tulips are just now beginning to fade. No evidence of iris or rhododendron buds. The flowerbeds are full of tall grass, so everything looks so messy. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An aside, but when we were kids we used to do yard work to earn money. I always had to earn my own money for 4-H camp. Where are the young people now? </div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The "garden" now consists of two Early Girl, two cherry-type, and one grape-type tomato plants, two kinds of chives, one cilantro, one green bell pepper, one red sweet pepper, some catnip, and for fun a few snapdragons, pansies, a gorgeous hanging basket of petunias and ? (my mother's day & birthday present). I stuck some garlic cloves around the tomato plants; we'll see if they grow or just rot. (We container garden. Everything is by the front porch because it is the warmest spot this time of year and closest to the water spigot.)</div>---<br />
* Whine, whine, whine - don't read if you don't like whining and blood. Actually, this is kind of funny if you stop to think about it.<br />
<strike>Idjit</strike><strike> Idiot Stupid</strike> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Klutz here bunged up her knee. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(No doctor, cuz no insurance.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* First (sort of three firsts), just getting into daughter's car, I twisted wrong - I knew when I got in that I shouldn't do it the way I was, but I did it anyway. Then slept on the floor for two nights. Way too <strike>old</strike> out of shape for that. (The air mattress had a leak.) I was doing pretty well as long as we were packing and moving stuff. Then I drove home...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* Second (sort of two seconds), while still hurting and stiff from the first time(s), I went outside to catch an escapee (cat) and twisted my knee again. Very sore, but manageable. Then later in the day I just stepped up a step and SNAP. I thought I was going to faint on that one. I screamed. (Guess no one heard, because the cops didn't show up.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">* <span style="font-size: small;">Then yesterday, talk about being just plain dumb, stupid, idiotic. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I had absolutely no business being out on the uneven ground, but</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I went "chasing" another cat. (They aren't supposed to be outside, but pull every trick to slip out.) I hung my cane over the fence to pick up Miss Spooky figuring I could slowly make it back to the house. I was doing fine until someone went by and turned up their music full blast </span></span>right as they got in front of the house. Miss Spooky is aptly named and went scaredy-cat -crazy to prove it. Yes, I had her by the nape of the neck, but she twisted and clawed with all four feet, and I twisted trying to get away from her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, there I was standing in the middle of the yard half laughing half crying, feeling kind of sick, with blood running down my arm, and I couldn't move. My cane was twenty-five feet behind me, and the closest door into the house at least forty feet away. Stood for a few minutes trying to get my senses back, thinking surely someone I knew would drive by and wave. Nope. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(We live on a busy street. How come no one was out and about?)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ah, cell phone <i>was</i> in my pocket and husband was in town. No answer. Waited several minutes. Still no one went by the house. Tried my husband again. No answer. By this time, I was getting tired, really shaky, chilly, my feet were getting cold and wet, and I'm really mad. <span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Me get mad at husband? Never. LOL) </span> I finally called a friend to come and rescue me. Thank God she was home watching grandchildren, because she doesn't have a cell phone </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So the rest of the story is that I can go up the stairs, but not down. (Of course, there are two steps to navigate or negotiate with just to put the dogs out.) I can't squat or get down on the floor. So what do I do? I drop almost everything I pick up. (Getting good at touching the floor without bending my knees.) Getting off the, uh, throne, is tricky. (Now I know why toilets are generally taller in the handicap stalls.) </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Luckily, there is now a bed and a half bath downstairs, but </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I need/want a real shower and it is upstairs as part of a deep bathtub.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Last week in the middle of all this and way past bedtime, LA Dog starts shaking her head and frantically digging at her ears. I'm trying to put medicine in her ears, but can't hold her because it hurts too much. She jumps away and heads for the hills, er, cellar. SPLASH. She comes tearing back up the stairs spraying "water" everywhere. She's soaking wet. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Um</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, really, really bad words</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">.) <span style="font-size: small;">When I turned on the light to look there were even more bad words</span></span>, because t</span><span style="font-size: small;">here was "water" clear over the bottom step. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">So for two days we were without hot water because the water heater was sitting in sewage.</span></span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Luckily, the furnace was turned off because there were several inches of water in the bottom of it, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">So, with everything J has missed roughly the equivalent of three days of work to help me, work on plumbing, and clean up the mess.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">That, my friends, is the way our life usually is. It is always something.</span>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-31902634576951281092011-05-25T21:01:00.000-07:002011-05-25T21:03:56.558-07:00No Joke<pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">First, thank you everyone for your kind comments on the last post.</span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></pre><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Please note that while I'm posting this, my heart and prayers go out to those who have lost family, friends, pets, and/or property to flooding and winds.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now for the punchline of the non-joke: </span> </span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">(I'll post this and the whole thing will fizzle out.) </span></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The weather forecast for where I (The Songster, Adrienne, and probably Barb, too) live: </span></span></pre><pre><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></pre><pre><span style="font-size: small;">"THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 4500 FEET IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM
2 AM TO 11 PM PDT THURSDAY (May 26, 2011).
* IMPACTS/TIMING: A STRONG AND UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER SYSTEM
WILL PRODUCE SNOW IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN LATER TONIGHT AND
LINGER THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. THIS SNOW WILL CAUSE
HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: TOTAL 3 TO 6 INCHES BY THURSDAY EVENING.
</span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: small;"> LOWER ELEVATIONS COULD SEE 1 TO 2 INCHES BY LATE MORNING."</span></pre><pre><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: small;">
</span></pre><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our house sits just about 3500 feet above sea level. Guess I'd better get the hanging basket of flowers inside. Truly, I'll take the snow over the tornadoes.</span></div><pre></pre>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-89788234425865390762011-05-16T21:18:00.000-07:002011-05-16T22:24:19.646-07:00"serious" stuff revisited and new news.<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Sorry for the long absence. Work, laundry, many short trips, work, (did I mention work?) .</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">*** </span></b></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>The post before the last one was about <a href="http://somuchfabric.blogspot.com/2011/04/serious-stuff-here.html">annoying pagers and radios</a> . Well, I'm still living with the constant chatter (when I'm home). The fire department ordered new pagers. About half don't work. Husband is on his second new one, but can't trust it. It randomly goes off sometimes several times a day. The other day, there was a fire call (luckily no real fire), and the new pager didn't go off. He just happened to see the fire truck go down the street. If this sounds familiar, it is because it all happened <i>again</i> and <i>again</i>. </b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>One thing about having the radio on all the time - we hear all the ambulance, police, and sheriff calls. It's fun being one of first to hear there is a snow day, but it is awful when we hear an ambulance or police call to a friend's address or to a wreck. Since we live in such a small populated area, if a local person is involved, we almost always know or at least have heard of the person or persons. </b></div><b>*** </b><br />
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<b>Click on pictures to see a larger view.</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Almost exactly a year ago, I was staying at my daughter's while she was in Europe. Now, again, I've been running back and forth and spending quite a bit of time at my daughter's place. Why? Because at the end of May, Daughter</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LE-VWi4HpgmEHk5KimBTe_wqv9MY-mkLuG8Zwcs-BIuyZGyRZOjfKGJWosl7zdKV3pFAvv6KnLCnKErx0nWstctjeIScBH1ET07x9yHAGwsp8_eecf_YNWIsMlSZPGNA6RwG5dFd7iJ8/s1600/sweetie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LE-VWi4HpgmEHk5KimBTe_wqv9MY-mkLuG8Zwcs-BIuyZGyRZOjfKGJWosl7zdKV3pFAvv6KnLCnKErx0nWstctjeIScBH1ET07x9yHAGwsp8_eecf_YNWIsMlSZPGNA6RwG5dFd7iJ8/s320/sweetie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> at India Night in traditional clothing</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Reminds me of the sixties & early seventies)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
<b><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">has to be out of her apartment where she has lived for the last three years. Since she has lived away from home for six years, she has accumulated a whole lot of stuff. (We did the math. Less expensive to store the stuff than to replace it.)</span></b><br />
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<b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, in about eight weeks she's leaving this:</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzw373jf7d8EwalnqjD-40ftKPqMjsGM2smEb07ILBfqYYlPXfPWz4_IwjFHoRNeNx5KxR0KcuV22t9zi2vC-62ACX4SBEW4JWC0Gz3YTeb9cd6vgK1f8h7QvMBeug4xB1nlBO-HwJ78m6/s1600/quail3+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzw373jf7d8EwalnqjD-40ftKPqMjsGM2smEb07ILBfqYYlPXfPWz4_IwjFHoRNeNx5KxR0KcuV22t9zi2vC-62ACX4SBEW4JWC0Gz3YTeb9cd6vgK1f8h7QvMBeug4xB1nlBO-HwJ78m6/s320/quail3+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">quail enjoying the view. taken from front window of apartment </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfzbJ5TL-YPntUf_w3TOrgj2gSuHGRE8n0oM6HjhSaZ9wfOsBeZAlNNcMgSec8SQJ8E4hX6A1T9-FCGKHTc5b_3Zs7PsO-F5gubTgWOwTVtL389xbOipG47FDinMySvafSiqy3GhSHXB9/s1600/sd5+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfzbJ5TL-YPntUf_w3TOrgj2gSuHGRE8n0oM6HjhSaZ9wfOsBeZAlNNcMgSec8SQJ8E4hX6A1T9-FCGKHTc5b_3Zs7PsO-F5gubTgWOwTVtL389xbOipG47FDinMySvafSiqy3GhSHXB9/s320/sd5+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> a few miles from where Grandma & Grandpa used to live</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mI_yDj3gmhyHUWLJixWMZB5F45FeDTootUxf3LDyMB_FUExmTUaBRoQ_DOCywqA_oAsutbtB_Puvez4pLtsWQmd4NwtswTZzteoNyj21RytiDhsXq5mt_bUXqqeWXewvgwdSiCs_CPKt/s1600/m5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mI_yDj3gmhyHUWLJixWMZB5F45FeDTootUxf3LDyMB_FUExmTUaBRoQ_DOCywqA_oAsutbtB_Puvez4pLtsWQmd4NwtswTZzteoNyj21RytiDhsXq5mt_bUXqqeWXewvgwdSiCs_CPKt/s320/m5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">just outside Moscow</span></span><b style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, </b><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Idaho</span><b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKbYFLibi3KmX2-4dvBHGq0BZBOVr6G79f4wRnpYA5MOOJKZMYjmmv9eB-rto9o1mqt-I07SMl2xk1G-TvEHN3LbiwbIPJhwq8jX-bYzLUiiwbwdGWZtpic7oSYq35VMcpY_CpgwN_XuZ/s1600/moscowprairie+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKbYFLibi3KmX2-4dvBHGq0BZBOVr6G79f4wRnpYA5MOOJKZMYjmmv9eB-rto9o1mqt-I07SMl2xk1G-TvEHN3LbiwbIPJhwq8jX-bYzLUiiwbwdGWZtpic7oSYq35VMcpY_CpgwN_XuZ/s320/moscowprairie+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">deep blue skies like the blue in the upper right corne</span></span><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">r</span></span><b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbtfXsv-68b_aX7HGZ3HgdQQbfBoZ1gYguhyphenhyphenbRA-kVIP5YoGMKykZeekyjn9-qE8V9zftkvf14qjHxYoIc3A2nxQOTBQkVyRrnjpLtXt1vH1ozLTZwGnHCeTotdfblTCTdAjGVux6maAZ/s1600/cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbtfXsv-68b_aX7HGZ3HgdQQbfBoZ1gYguhyphenhyphenbRA-kVIP5YoGMKykZeekyjn9-qE8V9zftkvf14qjHxYoIc3A2nxQOTBQkVyRrnjpLtXt1vH1ozLTZwGnHCeTotdfblTCTdAjGVux6maAZ/s320/cats.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">her kitties</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VS5PJWHcqnncjExbPViV_7va0crK_ZroSGozufK4XHeotJyLe7a_OdQqRhqYJsUqFGnQuS7WrIyNUB8dDKp5BQkifp-GTm6s8FbtnpTrXDmhGhyrJs6YK5r5ue_otmxfqtceod8th2J0/s1600/admin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VS5PJWHcqnncjExbPViV_7va0crK_ZroSGozufK4XHeotJyLe7a_OdQqRhqYJsUqFGnQuS7WrIyNUB8dDKp5BQkifp-GTm6s8FbtnpTrXDmhGhyrJs6YK5r5ue_otmxfqtceod8th2J0/s320/admin.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">UI campus and lots of snow</span></span></div><b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwcvsm0Fkk9q0ciWUtRNNfBGUYXF7tqS2BxOyfYqDbY1mqbCyNcp5O0Ewi01vwom2RwQtiFvz4Y2b4aalymQLCah7jrkffdqaMDtDz2bo8p3QSf9ynTuTmDY6Gs5u7NyJedCKp5n6JXWH/s1600/sf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwcvsm0Fkk9q0ciWUtRNNfBGUYXF7tqS2BxOyfYqDbY1mqbCyNcp5O0Ewi01vwom2RwQtiFvz4Y2b4aalymQLCah7jrkffdqaMDtDz2bo8p3QSf9ynTuTmDY6Gs5u7NyJedCKp5n6JXWH/s320/sf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">near our favorite campsite</span></span></span><b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And, more snow - fresh this morning (thankfully, now melted).</span></b><br />
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<b style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> for here:</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmo146xWULN5MkyaLR4PWa1I7f0dPH8L4_X9ZBJMwL_b1p8Zb6sktNUMu18yW-Bm_IaL_YphKnjzsp9y7RURf8-IsrVeSalJQ0tyQqKrwXTXRtwpt2V57mN7ClGt_7ypwWgiR49BIAsjs/s1600/bangkok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmo146xWULN5MkyaLR4PWa1I7f0dPH8L4_X9ZBJMwL_b1p8Zb6sktNUMu18yW-Bm_IaL_YphKnjzsp9y7RURf8-IsrVeSalJQ0tyQqKrwXTXRtwpt2V57mN7ClGt_7ypwWgiR49BIAsjs/s320/bangkok.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFFiC1clQjOR2acT06FMxfY3tKxyVqCNW1hCJ90DD7Faf3yLy0k6OEsEgSHpS9G0uFfdj9m_qVOUC_KnqyQCQZP4kOZFVBszWFvhXGeR1Jka9lvZNvnfOsJhkezE3Yk4g5AIQi5HLC1DH/s1600/bangkok2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFFiC1clQjOR2acT06FMxfY3tKxyVqCNW1hCJ90DD7Faf3yLy0k6OEsEgSHpS9G0uFfdj9m_qVOUC_KnqyQCQZP4kOZFVBszWFvhXGeR1Jka9lvZNvnfOsJhkezE3Yk4g5AIQi5HLC1DH/s320/bangkok2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bangkok</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b>That's right. My baby is going to go to school in Bangkok. Then, if all goes well, she will go on to teach in South Korea </b><b><i>for<span style="font-size: large;"> a year</span></i>. That is clear around the world! </b>(Yes, I know you know where these places are. I'm just stressing how far away my youngest child will be. Sob.)<b> She hasn't yet been assigned to a specific school; so doesn't know where she will be living and teaching.</b></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b>While in school in Bangkok, Daughter has to wear skirts or dresses which must be long enough cover the knees. Guess who is going to be doing some marathon sewing? (Me, not daughter.) </b></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b>*** </b></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Still going to the thrift stores. Have found a few skirts that need to be altered. Have added several pieces to a couple of dish/china sets. Also, have purchased many, many sewing patterns at five and ten cents a piece. Cookbook collection is expanding. The oldest cookbook was actually a gift from my daughter for Mother's Day and my birthday. It is a first edition, dated 1897, in remarkable condition. (We found it in a used book store.) And, yes, I purchased another sewing machine. It's pretty. More on that later, tho.</span></span></span></b></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Enough for tonight. Except, blogger is irritatingly not responding to the changes I've made. Grrrr.</span></span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Hope everyone is well... </span></span></span> </b></div>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5159450934977501389.post-7153748390259894042011-04-22T11:17:00.000-07:002011-04-22T16:01:27.636-07:00Good Friday<div style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Update: 3:56 PM - No Mass - forgot that the Sanctuary is stripped today. We did have a service of Bible readings (lessons and the Gospel) and prayers and Stations of the Cross. Very solemn. </span></div><div style="color: #b45f06;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">The fish and chips were yummy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Friday" style="color: #674ea7;">Good Friday</a><span style="color: #674ea7;">. </span> Snowing. Cold. Sad.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZ59WQKkmte5X5gewMitKF-vpbrLs-gQovYt2t55gLGk-8TagXYIsZMgyxiQO8H42kBhhOfd9YcPD8ftkY1F-VDO4jfuPo4rKOcIEe3BPXOkel4hXVAG7QaUvYX-hpY8R3SACpznQFRWH/s1600/12th+Station.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZ59WQKkmte5X5gewMitKF-vpbrLs-gQovYt2t55gLGk-8TagXYIsZMgyxiQO8H42kBhhOfd9YcPD8ftkY1F-VDO4jfuPo4rKOcIEe3BPXOkel4hXVAG7QaUvYX-hpY8R3SACpznQFRWH/s400/12th+Station.JPG" width="217" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> 12th Station </div><div style="text-align: center;">(<span style="font-size: xx-small;">from Wikipedia)</span></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mass and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross" style="color: #3d85c6;">Stations of the Cross</a> at noon followed by fish and chips in the parish house. I'll admit that I'm not the most "religious" person in the world, but the whole idea of Christ being betrayed and being nailed to a cross - for us - really gets to me. </span>Packrathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986387347283221427noreply@blogger.com7