I work to support my vacation habits

Speed Limits

2008-05-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

I love my drive to work. I drive on I-94 through the cities of Dearborn and Detroit to get to my lovely place of employment (which shall remain nameless).

I am just beginning to learn how to drive this stretch of highway even though I have worked here for 14 years.

I-94 equals the speed limit once you are in the city of Detroit. If you go the posted speed limit of 55mph, you will be overtaken by people driving 20 year old cars (and don't care) or jokers in their Yugos who believe that they pedal fast enough to drive in the left lane. Without turn signals.

Amazingly, when you leave Detroit and the speed limits increase to a posted 70mph, people actually slow down as this is where the police hide in plain site. In the 70mph area, people drive about 68mph.

Go figure.

Turn Signals

2008-05-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

When did turn signals on automobiles become an option? Do you have to pay more to get them?

Did I miss that part of driver's ed that mentions that you only need to use them when no one else is alone?

And why, if the speed limit is 70mph and drivers are driving 70mph - why do they put on the brakes when they see a cop on the side of the road.

Hello, people - you aren't braking the law, why are you slowing down?

Oh, yeah, I remember. It's not against the law to be stupid.

IBeady Friends Bead Cruise – January 2008

2008-01-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

What a nice cruise.

We left Fort Lauderdale on January 19th and returned on January 24th.

We had stops in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

During our travel at sea days, I beaded with friends - old and new.

Below is a picture of Sharon and I with a new boyfriend.

On Jamaica, a number of us did an excusion called

"White River Tubing and Safari" - it was wonderful!

Here's a picture of Alan on the river. I don't like my picture, so I am not going to post it.

With temperatures in Michigan hovering in the teens (or lower), it was a perfect time to go on a cruise with 18 of us – bead crazed babes and hubby. Poor guy! Although it is funny that one of the woman asked a friend of mine if that was the same husband that I had last year (he is – he’s lost 30 pounds and cut 14 inches off his hair). We left out of Fort Lauderdale and headed to ports in Jamaica and Grand Caymans.

Shelley, Lynn, Estelle, Sharon, Terry, Mikee (all from Ohio), Deb, Sherry (both from Virginia) Brenda, Tina (both from Florida), Marie-Minnesota, Caroline-New Mexico, Carol, Margaret (both from Chicago area), Connie (sorry, I don’t know where Connie’s from) , Jill and myself (both from Michigan) were eager participants.

Our first day on the Navigator of the Seas (Royal Caribbean), we had workshops, not organized classes. This was really good for those who wanted to have a spa treatment or hang out in the pool, or just bead on their own. Our “goodie bags” were fill of items donated by different vendors/companies in the bead world – Bead and Button publications, Beady Eye Girl, (remind me to fill in more names).

In Jamaica, there were several members that decided to go on the White River raft trip – Estelle, Margaret, Sherry, Sharon, Alan, me, Deb, Brenda and Tina – what a cool trip. We had a guide named Clayton who gave us a little history of the area. He did little to dispel the myth that Jamaicans say “yah Mon” after every sentence (although I wonder if he did it for us tourists). We were all outfitted with a life vest, jumped in a tube in a cool Jamaican stream, and away down the river. Some of the rapids were a good white water, some were ripples. We laughed and sang our way down the river.

Being that Alan and I do a tubing trip in Michigan every year for 4 hours – this 1.5 hour trip seemed way to short. But at the end of the raft trip in Michigan there isn’t a fully stocked bar with double shots!

Following that trip, we ended up back at the port where Estelle, Sharon, Shelley, Alan and I had lunch – which included a Red Stripe beer. I couldn’t leave Jamaica without having a local beer. As we were getting back on the ship, a few raindrops came out of the sky – just like the country was sad that we were leaving.

The next morning we found ourselves in the Grand Caymans – beautiful blue seas!!! We got on the tender for a little shopping and then joined our excursion on the Nautilus – a semi-submersible boat with huge windows. We toured over a couple of shipwrecks, and coral reefs to an area where we could snorkel. I enjoyed this, but since I couldn’t wear my glasses, I don’t know if I would do this again. I came out with a monster headache – partly because I had to squint to see anything, and partly because I was hungry. After our return to shore, we decided to head to lunch (we being Lynn, Caroline, Mikee, Terry, Alan and I) at Senor Frogs – great nachos, large enough for 3-4 people. Also, it had great cocktails!!!

Our dinners were reserved for the later dinner – which I think we learned that we didn’t care for as much as an earlier dinner. Several nights we ate at the buffet, which is where we learned that they have SUSHI every night. Open beading went on several nights until midnight or later. Many people went dancing and drinking in the evenings.

I sincerely enjoyed myself – as I have every bead cruise that I have gone on. I know that I got to know many of the beaders better this year.

Also, this year, I have inducted Lynn and myself to the “baby bling” category of jewelry buyers – this just means that we purchased jewelry, but not enough to be in the “Bling Diva” section of the cruisers!!!

Sheila Edna Thompson

2008-01-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

Sheila and granddaaughter, Isabel, Christmas 2005
Although my husband's cousin beat me to this post, in honour of Sheila's memory, I will do one also.

Andy posted in his blog about the death of my mother-in-law on New Year's Day. I received the phone calls from the hospital and the nursing home, and Alan and I drove to the hospital - she was gone.

Any person who has a loved one with Alzheimer's knows that this is one of the worst illnesses imaginable. Sheila didn't know anyone put her own son at the end - I was perhaps just a lady who came with Alan.

A couple of small stories: Last February, I received a telephone call from my husband. He was at the nursing home with his mom. He was laughing so hard, because of the news that he had to tell me. His mother just told him that she was getting married, the man was very rich, and she was 4 months pregnant (remember - she's 76 years old and in a nursing home). Sheila was so happy, and Alan was boing happy for her also.

The next one is when I was at the home just after her death. I went to pick up the belongings that we weren't donating to the home. I was on the intercom with the unit to have someone let me in, and a nursing aid was standing next to me. The aid was stunned - having seen Sheila just two days prior. She told me that Sheila was upset because her son, Alan stole her toothbrush and toothpaste. Sheila told the aid that the just telephoned her son and he was on his way back to the home with another toothbrush.

She did know her son until the end. And that's a good thing.

But Why?????

2008-01-08T05:16:00.000-08:00

If someone steals my identity, can I send them all my bills?

Let Sleeping Dogs...

2007-12-27T09:09:00.001-08:00

...do what sleeping dogs do.

I'm home from work today. Just a grey day in Detroit.

When I walked through the bedroom just now,

I saw a sight that made me smile.

Chloe crept under the covers of the bed.

Obviously has gotten a little warmer than she would like.

She didn't move while I took several pictures of her.

Something like this I couldn't pose - no way.

(The other two are under my workbench, near the heat vent, sound asleep.

Holiday work party

2007-12-26T05:53:00.000-08:00

One of my resident physicians, Mouhsen Al-Hakeem and I at the holiday party.

Yes, my husband was there.

No, he doesn't mind that I flirt with the young boys.

Happy Holidays!!

2007-12-26T05:36:00.000-08:00

All the best to everyone for a great holiday season,

Regardless as to which holiday you celebrate,

or choose to not celebrate.

Enjoy life, peace and the fellowship of your friends and family.

And the dogs, we can't forget the dogs.

Casie, Molly and Chloe wish that all the dogs have a warm blankie,

a bowl of fresh water and a good biscuit to chew on.

Love - Liz

Mini Kitchen Redo

2007-10-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

I like my kitchen. I really do. Once I became an adult and starting having my own kitchens, first in Germany, then when I moved into my own townhome, then when Alan and I got married; I always wanted a blue and white (Dutch blue and white) kitchen with yellow accents. Alan and I had the opportunity to purchase and move into my family home, and I knew what I wanted in the kitchen. Blue and white with yellow. Well, the best laid plans always change. I now have a yellow kitchen, with blue and white accents. Which is fine - I do love it. It's bright and airy. It's open to the dining room.

We decided that we needed a new refrigerator when we started getting puddles of water and ice inside the fridge. A beach towel to soak up the water weekly. Yes, we could have gotten the fridge fixed, but we also knew that this fridge was purchased by my brother Jim, whose reputation of being cheap is know in several states. Alan also wanted an ice maker in the fridge. We found one that we liked and went for it.

But, with the new side-by-side doors, we knew that we would have to move the microwave shelf that my father built in the house in the late 70's. Also that the cabinet over the refrigerator was going to have to be removed.

Alan found the microwave shelf on Ebay - it's aluminum - for a third of what a stainless steel one would cost. It's used but works great. Holds the microwave oven and our knife rack. Don't say it, I know it's a little tall, but I will just have to be careful. Besides, you know that Alan does about 80% of the cooking in the house. The utensil holder is from Ikea (doesn't everyone love that store????)

We thought that we might have to lose the 12 inch cabinet between the stove and the new fridge, but it's working out okay. The stove is in the doorway about 1.5 inches, but it's not blocking the flow of traffic at all.

I love the new look. It's really clean.

Three Dog Night

2007-09-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ah, peace. It didn't take long.

Casie, Molly and Chloe all relax after a hard evening of

chasing the ball, chasing the rabbit, chasing the squirrel.

(Will Molly ever learn that she's too slow to catch anything

but a stunned bird?)

Chloe is faster than Casie was when she was healthy.

We came in the house after finding that mystical, magical place to pee.

Which was the same place that we found last week.

It still took about 5 minutes to find it.

The pecking order is still being sorted out.

Chloe wanted Molly's place in bed. Molly said no.

Chloe slept part of the night on the floor.

Molly didn't care.

Casie slept through it.

Chloe is learning not to chase the cats. The cats will win.

We've learned to pick up the cat food because

Chloe knows where it is.

I think that we did a good thing by getting Chloe.
She's a good terrierist.

New addition to our family

2007-09-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

.....we rescued a 2-year old Rat Terrier Jack Russell mix. Name battle is between Chloe and Bandit. She's about Casie's size, but with Molly's colours. I picked her up last Friday. Completely housebroken, and already playing with Casie. Molly was being a bit of a meanie the first day, but that was expected since she's the little dog, and the slower dog.....but Molly wouldn't give up her place in the bed - Chloe has to sleep at my feet or on my extra pillow. Casie "loves" her - which you know what that means.

I picked her up in Dearborn - about 1.5 miles from our house. Originally she is from Ohio (we won't hold that against her). She's smart. She knows many commands - go outside, sit, down, no - and makes Casie look slow!!!

Not Tagged - but answers.....

2007-08-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

Rule 1: Without changing the first word after each letter of the alphabet, write a sentence that captures you/your essence.
*A* Accept that everyone isn't going to like me.
*B* Be who you are and who you want to be.
*C* Creativity and madness go hand in hand.
*D* Determination will usually get what you want it to.
*E* Expectations are for you and not everyone else.
*F* Feel free to give me a kick in the ass when I need it.
*G* Great, I don't have a clue.
*H* Help, I'm afraid that I have fallen off the wagon.
*I* Imagine all the things that I can accomplish if I put my mind to it.
*J* Jump in as it might be the last thing you'll do.
*K* Know that life isn't to be taken too seriously.
*L* Laughter is worth every second.
*M* Many things happen when you least expect it.
*N* Nothing will happen without a little bit of effort on your part.
*O* Of course you can.
*P* Patience is something that I have very little of.
*Q* Quick action on my end doesn't really mean that you will finish it when I want you to.
*R* Religion is private - my beliefs are just as important as yours, but they may not be the same.
*S* Stop feeling sorry for yourself - get over it.
*T* Tomorrow is another chance to fix what you need to fix.
*U* Usually, I will listen.
*V* Vote - if you don't vote, you can't complain.
*W* When you thing that things can't get any worse, they usually start to improve.
*X* (e)Xamine what you want out of your life.
*Z* (A word that starts with "Z" - I'll have to get out my Thesaurus.
Rule 2: Tag as many people as you want, but do tag at least one. This is an eye opening experience and can express to those who read it, things about you that they did not really understand before.
Rule 3: List who you are tagging.

One Word....

2007-08-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

...I just stole this from Melissa's blog, so I thought I would play along, too. There is no tagging, so if you want to play along, feel free to jump in and post it on your own blog. Please leave me a comment so I can check out your responses.

You get to answer with one word.

1. Where is your Cellphone? - purse
2. Relationship? - many
3. Your Hair? - curly
4. Work? - necessity
5. Your sister? - AWOL (both of them)
6. Your favorite thing? - beading
7. Your dream last night? - none
8. Your favorite drink? - margarita
9. Your dream car? - Microbus
10. The room you’re in? - office
11. Your shoes? - Born.
12. Your fears? - aging
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? - healthy
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? - hubbby
15. What are you not good at? - patience
16. Muffin? - yech!
17. One of your wish list items? - travel
18. Where you grew up? - Detroit
19. Last thing you did? - Lunch
20. What are you wearing? - skirt
21. What aren’t you wearing? - hose
22. Your pet? - dogs
23. Your computer? - dell
24. Your life? - interesting
25. Your mood? - pleasant
26. Missing? - Energy
27. What are you thinking about right now? - work
28. Your car? - Exploder
29. Your kitchen? - outdated
30. Your summer? - nice
31. Your favorite color? - khaki
32. Last time you laughed? - today
33. Last time you cried? - yesterday
34. School? - unfinished
35. Love? - Yes

It's been three years

2007-08-03T06:47:00.003-07:00

http://buzzardbabe.blogspot.com/2005/08/memory-of-jim.html

My goodness time flies - RIP Jim

Before and After the tree

2007-06-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

I will miss our tree, but it was time for it to go. I'll have to dig around and find the picture that was taken when the tree was about 5 feet tall - somewhere about 1980.

Memorial Weekend - camping trip

2007-05-31T17:26:00.000-07:00

We drove about 3.5 hours north of the city of Detroit, to a tiny spot in Michigan between AuGres and Tawas City. It's a nice little campground called "Brown's Landing" - very small, nice, clean and quiet! Here I am with a cup of hot coffee on a sunny and quiet morning - just enjoying how to relax when I get away for a few days.

We did run into a couple of celebraties during our long weekend - very exciting for us. It's not often that I meet famous people. Patrice is posing with Dora and Brett is probably arguing about the price of carrots with Bugs.

Bead Cruise 2007

2007-05-19T06:14:00.001-07:00

Here is the group in all their glory posing for the ship's photographer. This was very, very nice. We were organized by the photographer or by importance. It's either the taller in the back or the short people in the front. I'm still not certain.

Here is Bev Herman, one of the (in)famous Beadin' Buzzards and I relaxing before dinner or trips or something. Also, a picture of my husband and I as we left the ship in Cozumel. We were a little disappointed that our tour was cancelled, but we had a nice time walking through town, shopping and running into other beaders. We sat down for lunch and when I turned around to look around the patio, there they were! Yummy cocktails at this place! Alan and I bought some Mexican blankets; one is hanging by the front door, and the other I might make into pillows. But I might not either!

We landed the next day at Costa Maya - basically just a tourist town on the beach. Alan, Maggie, Sharon and I had signed up for the Chacchoban Mayan Ruin tour - an hour bus ride through the swamps, jungle and small villages (no shops, no gas stations, nothing!!!) to the ruins. They exceeded all of our expectations. I really enjoyed it. It was hot, it was humid, it was lots of stairs and walking and it was breathtaking. Going on a tour to see the Mayan ruins was the one thing that Alan really wanted to do, and I am glad that we were able to do this.

Beading? Oh, yes, we still beaded on the cruise this year. Lots of beading took place.

Another week - another loss

2007-05-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

And I am down another 2.8 pounds for this week. I'll take it. And Tina did take my tracker to review. She is going to point out that I need to eat less carbs/crap and eat more dairy, veggies and fruit. Stuff that I already know that I should be doing it.

But 7.8 pounds in two weeks is really good. I'm happy, and hopefully happy will jump start my motivation.

p.s. Weight Watcher works....

2007-05-10T10:12:00.001-07:00

.....I did what I should do, I wrote it down, I behaved. I ate reasonably, I counted points, I measured what I should have.

I lost 5 pounds in one week. After a gain of 3.6 pounds the week prior, this was a good week.

Tina asked me how I did it. My answer: "You asked me last week for my [weekly] tracker, so I was really, really good this week. I wrote everything down - everything. Even the bad stuff."

It worked.

P.S. Tina still wants to see my tracker next week and she's not kidding!

This is why you keep your animal's rabies vaccinations current....

2007-05-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

....because you never know when a squirrel is going to chase you and bite you.

Just like Molly learned this afternoon.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed it. The squirrel lept off the fence and chased Molly. Before I could get to that area of the yard, Molly was yipping, running from the squirrel and bolting for the back door. I wish, I wish that I would have had a video camera - it would have made money on one of those shows.

(Molly is fine, rabies is up to date until November. Vet said keep the bites clean).

Weight Loss Battle

2007-05-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

(p.s. This is Ramon, and not the physician who insulted me. Ramon is a sweetheart from Peru that will be leaving me in late June of this year.)

Yup, still fighting this one. And it's not a battle any longer, it's a war. Unfortunately, 2006 was the year that I gained most of what I lost in 2005. Not quite back to square one, but not too far off. I want to win the battles that will eventually lead me to win the war.

But why? Why do I do this to myself? Why can't I retrain myself to eat more healthy. What am I waiting for? I know that I don't want to have weight loss surgery, I don't want any more of the obesity issues than I already have (i.e., joint pain and high blood pressure). I don't want to have to ask for the seat belt extender on an airplane trip.

And I don't want the humilation that one of the doctors did to me one day while standing in line for food - which I was actually getting something healthy that day - salad, etc. He said to me "Why are you getting food, you don't need it." You could have heard a pin drop - there were only about another 12 people around. I wheeled around, looked at him and put my plate in his hand and walked away. I was so furious that I could have strangled him. I have still yet to forgive him in his highly educated ignorance - and I certainly am never going to forget him (imagine years from now "Oh I remember him - he's the a$$hole who insulted me").

I have eaten really good this week - especially since Tina, my Weight Watcher leader, asked to see my tracker this coming week. I have kept it pretty good - of course I have - the "teacher" asked for it!! Last Thursday, I had a bad evening and had too many snacks, and Sunday I had a few more merengues than I should have had. But basically I did okay. Time will tell on Thursday at noon when I weigh in.

But, I digress. Why haven't I been able to keep up with this? Do I think that little of myself that I don't want to take care of what I have? I know that when I hurt my knee last spring, I gave up with the exercise, but why should that affect what I throw in my mouth? Why can't I keep the momentum moving? What the f**k is my problem?

There are two WW programs - Flex and Core. In my tracker, I am trying to keep track of the foods that are on the Core food plan. They are supposed to be more filling and satisfying than the food that aren't on the plan. For those foods, I can use Flex points. I am just going to try to increase the amount of these foods that I eat, which should make me feel fuller and should help me with my weight loss.

Tina - I am doing this for you. Well, no I'm not. I'm doing it because I need to. Because I want to. Because I want to.

*edited on 5/9/07 because I realized that the whole WWW doesn't need to be bombarded with my foul language.....

Short visit from EnglishmaninNY

2007-04-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

We had my husband's cousin from England(via NY) for a short visit this weekend. The main purpose of the visit was to see his Aunt Sheila, who is currently in a nursing home secondary to Alzheimer's/dementia. On Friday, my husband and he didn't have a good visit. Sheila was pretty zoned out and didn't know much of what was going on. On Sunday, we stopped by again and "Bravo" - it was a good visit. Sheila was pretty animated (compared to the visits that we have had since Christmas) and knew my name (for the first time in 4-5 months), and understood that Andy was visiting from New York. Of course, she did ask him where he was from in England, because some portion of her brain registered the accent.

Hubby - look! My work is out there.......

2007-04-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

I was very pleased to notice that Robin Atkins featured Ganesha in a blog posting about Our artistic Inner Process

Alan - I am getting my name out there. And not for just being the bad Liz!!

Cozumel

2007-04-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

I'm back from vacation - another wonderful bead cruise. Still cropping many pictures, but wanted to get this one in.....

How much of a Michi-gander are you?

2007-03-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

You are 98% Michiganian

YES! You know the Great Lakes State, and have seen a beautiful peninsula - probably even two! You have seen The Island, and crossed The Bridge. Troll or Yooper, you're a true Michigan soul.

How much of a Michi-gander are you?
Create a Quiz

Spring???

2007-03-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

So maybe Spring isn't coming to Michigan.................yet........

Driving

2007-03-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

I don't understand how most of the people that cut me off on the expressway have religious bumper stickers on their cars.

"Honk if you love Jesus" - heck, I'm honking because you cut me off and you don't know what a turn signal is for.

I just don't understand it.

Ahhhhh, Spring

2007-03-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

I love spring. Sunny Spring days. Dogs happy to be outside. Flowers beginning to bloom. Seeing the first flock of geese flying north.

Alan having a quiet moment with his mother. Birds flying in and out of the tree in front of the house. Sudden rain showers beating on the window.
Spring. It's spring again and that's a good thing.

I don't understand...

2007-02-19T07:06:00.001-08:00

....the driving habits of many people in metro Detroit. I drive a section of eastbound I-94 expressway every morning to get to work in Detroit. It's a nice section of road - made especially beautiful because of the Superbowl in 2006 that was held in Detroit - this is the direct section of road that is between the city and the Detroit Metro Aiport (DTW). I don't understand the logic of the speed limits along the road. In the suburbs, the speed limit is 70 - and pretty much everyone goes 70mph, perhaps 75 - but pretty much travels in a pack (just like wolves). But as soon as the speed limit goes down to 55mph in the city, people actually speed up. I'll admit that I don't slow to 55mph - hell, I would be mowed down and eaten alive, but I do go about 65mph.

Is it because there are fewer cops in the city that travel the expressway because they are more concerned with catching murderers and drug dealers?

Is it because there are more donut shops in the city and it's coffee break time?

Is it because they know that they can get away with it?

I'll admit that I drive 10 over the speed limit in the city - and it pisses me off that I get monster sized SUVs and trucks behind me that still think that I am going too slow. Why on earth do you need a Ford F350 for city driving anyway?

Go around me. See if I care.

Star of David - completed!

2007-02-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

Religious Icons Part 5 - Ganesha

2007-02-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ganesha and mouse have more colour that before! I am going to remove the feet and do them again - I do not care for the way that they have turned out (especially now that I have finished his hand). I know that I can do better. The garnet necklace lays better since I have gone through it a second and third time. I just have the finishing of the head, the circle behind it and to decide what the complete background will be.

Ganesha is coming along nicely!!

Beading, still Beading - Religious Icons continued.

2007-02-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

I wish that this scan would show the colours a little better in this piece. The background is actually a pale blue and a midnight blue. The star is grey and hematite seed beads - or two shades of grey. The star is actually two pieces that have been woven together and sewn to the background of the curls. This piece is 7x8 inches. All I need is several more hours of beading and it should be finished. This is the most serious of the icons that I have worked on - and I don't know why I chose serious colours for it. The rich colors just seemed to work the best. I originally wanted to have a silver star, but after about 4 hours of work on part of the star - it just didn't look good, so out it all came.

My series of religious icons is growing. Last weekend, I was invited to a wedding of one of the doctors that completed his training in my program, Dr. Nikhil Goyal. As much as I would LOVE to go to his wedding - it's in India and way out of my budget. I took the icon that was on his invitation - Ganesha. I just learned the following about Ganesha: "By ancient tradition, the elephant-headed god, GANESHA , is always worshipped first in every ritual or festival. Ganesha has a pot belly, is short and is usually portrayed in a sitting position with one leg folded and the other touching the ground. Around his waist, there is a hooded snake. In his four hands, he carries a noose (human bondage to desires); an axe (destruction of all evil); a modak or sweet (joy) and a lotus (human evolution). His trunk, usually turned to the left, represents OM, the origin of the cosmic universe. Ganesha is the lord of all learning, the arts and of finer skills."

Obviously my Ganesha is a different model, because my Ganesha doesn't have a snake or axe or a noose. His trunk turns to the right. Sunil (another doctor) told me that Ganesha travels on the back of a mouse, which is why there is a little mouse in the picture. The bindi will be a red crystal and the necklace with the smaller red crystals as I was told that they are very important.

Messy Desk - before and after

2007-01-22T16:20:00.000-08:00

I have a problem.

I am not a neat person when it comes to my workbench or desk or counter. I am pack rat. I don't put things away and ultimately - madness prevails.

It's awful. You can click on the pictures to see how awful it really is.

Last last Friday night (it was a dark and snowy night), my beading angel - Sandy - came over to help me with my madness. She pointed me in the right direction with what to do, where I should start, and how I should progress. We made a lot of progress in one night. I still have a long way to go, but there is a huge dent in the mess.

My homework from this event was to look at all my beading magazines from 1998 to current (both Bead & Button and Beadwork) and decide what I wanted to keep, what projects I wanted to copy and what I wanted to get rid of. I decided on about 10 articles - and I am selling all my magazines, especially the ones that I haven't looked at in over 5 years. I think the auction starts tomorrow.

Now, I am afraid to bead because I might mess it up!!!

Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild - Quilt to honour Barb Davis

2007-01-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a year in the making! The Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild bead quilt to honour Barb Davis - long time guild member who lost her battle with breast cancer.

Isn't this wonderful!!

Ohm - Second piece completed

2007-01-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

I seriously need to get a life. Finished. The second piece of my religious icons.

Why did I choose to do icons that aren't main stream in American life? I work with many physicians around the world - Hindu, Sikh, Muslims, Christians, Jews - and I have learned that the world isn't just black and white. It's shades of everyone colour of every person who has touched my life over the years. Old boyfriends, lovers, friends, people I have met in my travels, pen pals from former years.

Perhaps it's my current belief that if one is truely not a hurtful person, if there is a reward - it will be bestowed on death. I believe that their is a God. But is it the only one? I don't know - and would never try and convince someone that there only one God. That's not my place on this planet.

I have at least 2 more icons planned in my series - a Star of David and a cross. Should I incorporate more icons into my series? If something was suggested, I might contemplate it.

I'm enjoying bead embroidery. I find it relaxing, almost meditative.

Friday Night Beaders (or the Loomatics)

2007-01-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

Sparkling Cherry Wine from Traverse City, Michigan will overflow a glass if the pourer doesn't know how to pour it correctly.

Molly has a birds eye view with Diane while everyone laughs.

Very little beading was completed on Friday night. Deb, Linda and Madeline share in some stories. Although, Jeanette brought a lamp over from the Verilux company and we compared the light from it, versus the light from an Ott Light. We did finde the Verilux light to be a much cleaner - a brighter, whiter light. Now, if this company would make a light bulb that would fit in my Ott Light, I would do it. But both lamps are expensive, and I can't justify a new light when my Ott light is just two years old......

Jeanette, the president of the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild holds Casie and Molly. I think that Jeanette is telling Molly all the good things that the guild has planned for the new year. Casie just doesn't look too excited.....

Religious Icons - Second Piece

2006-12-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

This is my newest work "ohm" - right here it has about 28 hours of beading in it. The beads are all size 11 seed beads, with an occasional size 15 in to fill in the spots that an 11 won't fit. I am working on a different background than I have on a couple of my other pieces - almost a basketweave texture. Working with the silver lined gold beads is a little hard on the eyes because they reflect so much light. I hope the finished affect is what I would like it to be. I do like the way that the reds have blended together in the piece.

The second picture has about 38 hours of beading in it - the background is going to take a long time. But that's about all I have to do is bead right?

I have the background of my next piece in Religious Icons which is a Star of David. I have it cut out and ready to start beading , I need to think about what colours I want it. And I am still researching what kind of a cross to use: Celtic Cross, Orthodox, Coptic? So many choices, and all so beautiful in their own way.

It really happened!!!

2006-12-25T16:37:00.001-08:00

Check it out......(hey, I have to blow my own horn, here!!)

Bead and Button February Your Work Gallery

Religious Icons Part 3

2006-12-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

Finished!! Now that didn't take to long did it?

Religious Icons Part 2

2006-12-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

Work on "Allah" has been progressing nicely. Thank you to Dr. AlQaisi for helping me with the placement and making certain it says what it should say. I am filling in the background at this time with a soft blue and tiny pearls. I thought that I would do larger circles, but didn't really care for the look of it, so I have opted for the smaller circles.

My next piece is going to be "Ohm" - Dr. Sunil Rao is helping me with this one. I would like rich, vibrant colours in this piece - like the colours I have seen in saris worn at events over the years. Rich reds with a gold background, I believe.

Looks like I have to place another order with Charlene Booth's on-line bead store for more seed beads!

Both Fadi and Sunil are doctors and Chief Medical Residents where I work. The other two Chief Medical residents in the program are Drs. Cristina Segovia-Ramachandran and Joao Cavalcante. All have finished medical school and their internal medicine residency. They have passed their board certification exams and Fadi, Sunil and Joao will be starting Cardiology fellowships in July 2007. Cristina will be working as a hospitalist for a year prior to starting her fellowship. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with them. Cristina is originally from Peru, Fadi from Jordan, Joao from Brasil and Sunil was raised in India.

Religious Icons

2006-11-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

Part one in a new series of bead embroidery pieces is "Allah" - the word for God in Islam. My thanks to Dr. Shaneela Malik for finding me an image that I could use, and to Drs. Lina Yassine and Fadi AlQaisi for helping me make certain that it's spelled correctly. I'm filling in the letters at this point.

Following this, I will have a cross, star of David and Ohm.

Who made the focal bead?? Help!

2006-11-20T14:11:00.000-08:00

I think that this focal bead was part of our Bead Cruise gift last year, but I don't know for certain. I need help in identifying the artist so that credit can be given correctly.

p.s. Regarding the holidays....

2006-11-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

....at 4:23 on November 3, 2007, I heard my first holiday song on the radio. This radio station is insane when it comes to holiday music - I believe starting Thanksgiving, it plays 24 hour holiday music The insane station!!

Just chop off my head and feed it to me for Thanksgiving. I will have to remember to take this one off my car radio presets.

The newest member of the Loomatics

2006-11-03T07:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our newest member of the "Loomatics", the beading group that meets in Dearborn Heights once a month. Proud mama is Tamaya - who for some reason won't let Marcelle pick up a needle for at least a couple of years.

Congratulations to the proud parents!!

The Mooses have been Framed

2006-10-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

Peterborough Petroglyphs - Ontario, Canada - finished

2006-10-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is a good size piece - the beaded area is 8.5 by 7.5 inches. I fused some interfacing on a picture from a t-shirt that I never wore. I loved the picture and didn't want to let it go. I used shades pale blue in the sky and tried to keep a circle pattern in it. On the rock surface were many rock carvings but they would have been lost in the beadwork, so I took a couple to enlarge so they could be seen. This will be framed to hang in the house.

Serengeti

2006-10-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

An update on my largest bead embroidery piece.

Very, Very Sad.

2006-09-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

I stopped at a store on the way home from work.

They were starting to put out their Christmas displays and merchandise.

I enjoy the holiday season as much as the rest of the world, but I don't want to see Christmas (aka "Holiday" to be politically correct) decorations in early September. I don't want to see them in September at all.

Sad. So sad. It makes me not want to shop at all.

(Except that I did get a nice pair of shoes in the store next door.)

Merry Freakin' Christmas!

Color in front of my face

2006-09-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

It's a grey Sunday morning as I sit in a suburb of Detroit. I was just watching the yellow finches out the window chowing down on the seeds in the sunflowers (having their breakfast) and I saw a beautiful orange bird. I looked it up in my bird book and it's a Baltimore Oriole - what it is doing so far west, I don't know. I think that Ernesto might have blown it off it's tracks and it's now hiding in our trumpet vine plant. That's cool - the plant is orange and green, the bird is orange and black. It reminded me of a post that I saw on Robin Atkins blog (http://beadlust.blogspot.com) the other day about color templates/palettes in pictures. I took a picture of the trumpet vine the other day, and now need to get a close-up of the flower to see if I can re-create the same colors in a piece that I have in the back of my head. What colors exactly are in the flower and how many shades of green turning to black do I have to work with.

I was so intrigued by what I read on Robin's blog, that I ordered Margie Deeb's book "The Beader's Guide to Color " right away. http://www.margiedeeb.com/html/product.php?productid=168&type=2

Here's another picture of the same trumpet vine - taken this morning. I went through the picture and pulled the colors that you see on the left side of the picture. When I look at the vine from my bedroom window, I see more orange in the flower than I do the pink, which is interesting, because in a close-up the pink is the more dominant color.

Now, if that oriole would just come back so I could take his picture.....

Peterborough Petroglyphs - Ontario, Canada

2006-09-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this piece since just before vacation. It's a t-shirt that I bought in 2004 from the Peterborough Petrogylphs. I never wore the shirt, but one day decided that it would be cool as a beaded piece. I cut out the shirt, and ironed fusible interfacing to the back for stability. Using mostly size 11 seed beads, I am doing mostly circles for adding texture to the piece. There are a few places were I have been working in 15 seed beads to get the detail of the man in the sky in the center and I'll add a few more to get the details of the carvings in the stone. I have enlarged them (as you can see in the pencil in the lower portion of the piece). I have three colors of blue for the sky, and an assortment of greens for the forest.

Newest Piece of Insanity

2006-08-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, a most relaxing week was spent in West Branch, Michigan. Do a search, not a whole lot there in the thriving metropolis. We stayed at a campground about 5 miles from "town" (But surely it's a town, it has at least 5 traffic lights now, a Home Depot, Tractor Supply Company, outlet mall and a Walmart) - with a view of the lake from our camper door. The dogs didn't mind their jail, which was appreciated. The temperatures hovered around the mid-ninties for most of the week - one day of rain.

I actually came back with a tan - and darker than the Egyptian in our program (thank you Dr. Youssef for putting up with my silliness). Gotta keep those dermatologists in business. (Hmmmm, does this piece need another scarab in it???)

But, I started on the above piece. I'll leave it for now for you to discover the secrets of the piece and what it says to you. I know what it says to me.

It says "It was too freaking* hot - like Africa." Stayed tuned for more announcements.

*Edited because I believe that the whole world doesn't need to know that I have a serious case of potty mouth.

Intermoosal Relations - Finished

2006-07-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

Last in a three part series - "What the World needs now, Intermoosal Relations" - finished it about 20 minutes ago. I really, really enjoy bead embroidery. I've learned a little about color, shading and, I guess, myself. In this piece, I added a "Screamz" head by Audrey Sunburn and a glass Buddha that has been in my collection for several years. I used sequins that I purchased from Jeanette Cook during my visit to Bead and Button show in June 2006.

My next piece - I am still debating what it will be. I have ideas of this piece, using religious symbols - Allah, a cross, Star of David and other religious icons, but I don't want to offend anyone with my religious ignorance. I have asked a couple of persons at work their opinions about it - gotten some advice, but still need to work out the kinks in what I would like to do.

Newest Moose Piece

2006-07-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

"What the world needs now, Intermoosal relations"!

Thanks to Red Ventling for the great name!

I really, really need to get a life, eh?

Bead embroidered cuff

2006-06-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

The bead embroidery on this cuff is made with size 15 seed beads. They are small. I wore this in Milwaukee this year.

Loomatics! Or would that be Bead-o-holics?

2006-06-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

From left to right: Diana, Tamaya, Sharon, Linda and Liz

What started out as a loom study group has turned into a group of Loomatics!! We are going on three years (oh, geesh, is it four?) of meeting one Friday a month in Dearborn Heights. At recent meetings, we have worked on our quilt squares, bead crochet, bead embroidery, bracelets, necklaces, and completed projects that were begun in Bead Daze classes.

Because we meet in homes, it's hard to have more than 5-6 people around the dining room table at one time, so the group is a small one. We bead, laugh, cry, watch the dog perform tricks for us, and get to know each other pretty well.

Next time you look through your guild member directory, why not call or email some of the members in your area and see if they are willing to meet? Mention it to people that you see at the meetings – open your home and your bead box to new friends. Find out if your local library has a public room that you can use for a small fee (and everyone will share in this cost) or for free. We have the same love of beads holding us all together.

My husband loves it when the group is going to meet because he knows that I will stop beading long enough to clean the house!

Another dog picture

2006-06-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

Casie will now be happy that her picture is up.

New pictures

2006-05-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Only because I haven't posted dog pictures in a long time

This was in a marketplace in Korea - it actually smelled wonderful!!

And this is in my back garden - six year old bamboo plants.

Finished!!!

2006-05-26T04:27:00.000-07:00

But what will I do next????

This was started on April 10th, finished on May 25, 2006.

I worked approximately 150 hours on this, mostly in the evenings (while listening to movies) and on weekends.

Stop all the clocks....

2006-05-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

W. H. Auden

Since I first heard this in the movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral", it has been a favorite piece of poetry.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West.
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Meeting of the buzzards

2006-05-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

Airport Annie made a short pit stop in Michigan - actually, only at the airport. We had long enough to get her out of the secured area, back in line for another boarding pass and then back through security. But for a Michigan buzzard and an Oregon buzzard, we couldn't be ships that pass through the night. It was well worth getting up early on a Sunday.

She's a sweetheart!!!

Mayan God - progress picture #2

2006-05-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

They found something!!

2006-05-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

I had an MRI of my knee on May 4th - not very exciting of a test. Basically you lay on a skinny table, your leg is immobilized and they shove you in a tube. I tried to take a little nap and thought to myself "Star Wars noise", "Star Wars noise", "Star Wars noise", ooops, "Star Trek noise".

Thrills and excitement. About the time that I said "I wonder how much longer?", they pulled me out of the tube.

But the best part, and this really makes me wonder how much of a sick puppy I really am, is that they found problems!!! I have:

1. Degenerative type tear of the lateral meniscus with large associated meniscal cyst (not a Baker's cyst)
2. Blunting of the body of the medial meniscus with a tear of the free edge
3. Patellofemoral osteoarthrosis

This could be a new injury or it could be a recurring problem from an old injury. And it doesn't really matter. I was just worried that nothing would be found, like what happened in 1999. My appointment with Orthopedics is on Monday, May 22.

Why I want to loose weight

2006-05-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

I don't want to be the largest American on a tour bus in Korea again. And I was. I hope that I am smaller than I was in 1999.

Am I fishing for complements? Not really. I want visual reminders of where I came from and where I am heading. And especially, where I don't want to go back to.

Looking back I wish that I had weighed myself before going to Korea. Because that is truely the highest I weighed in my life.

Pink Flamingos

2006-05-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Bev:

Well, I finished your piece last night and I wanted to tell you a little story. I knew that I was going to bead embroider you a flamingo - I figured that out as soon as I knew that we were going to swap. But I couldn't find a picture of a flamingo that I really liked.

So I asked Kat if her daughter, Jesscera, could draw me a picture of a flamingo. Within a day or two (actually, it was April 21), I received this great picture that was just what I wanted!

I've combined the two pictures on the attachment, so that you can see the inspiration and the result.

My only request is that in your will, would you have your family send this piece to Kat for her daughter?

I really enjoyed doing this for you. And since the swap isn't due until mid-June, I have lots of time to get it in the mail to you.

p.s. Bev - ask Marcie if the pink beads look familiar. They should, she had them in with my swap bracelet that I received on the cruise.

Mayan God - progress picture

2006-04-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Well, you can see what I have been doing in my spare time. Laundry? Housework? Walking the dogs? This is extremely enjoyable, and very relaxing. I like having fun with these pieces!!!!

When did vehicle turn signals become optional equipment?

2006-04-21T04:36:00.000-07:00

Gods, this burns my butt! Why don't people use the turn signals anymore? And from what I saw this morning, it's men - usually in big-ass trucks or SUV's*. Oh, is a turn signal too girly for you to use? Or can't you hold the "Big Gulp" from 7-11, steer, talk on your cell phone and flip me off while using your turn signal? Of course that's it - men truly can't do more than one thing at a time. And don't get me started on the "Big men in big trucks equals a tiny penis" theory. I haven't done research, but it does appear to be true when I mention it. At least, that's what I assume when I tell men my theory. They haven't shown me anything to indicate that it's wrong......

And when did speed limits become a suggestion rather than the law? I don't drive super fast because I am never going someplace that I really am that much of a hurry to get to, but I drive 5-7 miles over the speed limit most of the time (mostly to keep up with traffic). But these monster trucks come flying up on me and zip around me like I wasn't even moving.

When did defensive driving because offensive driving?

* This was from my own survey from driving in yesterday morning and today. Men don't buy trucks with turn signals any more. It's sad - the passing of an era.

Stalled but not giving up.

2006-04-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

2006-04-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

I finished it!! The "Phases of the Moose" is completed. And I love it!! This piece measures 7.5 x 8 inches and weighs about 1/3 of a pound. I finished it while I was on my Bead Cruise - which I just added to my blog.
My next piece is even larger! I worked on it several hours while waiting for my flight in Houston after the cruise. I wasn't certain if it was Incan, Mayan or Aztec in design when a woman asked me (who was also happy to see that "young" people still do handwork. I was just happy to be called "young"). A gentleman on the airplane told me it was Mayan. I might have to do some search for verification, but it sounded good to me.

Bead Cruise!!!

2006-04-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

If you like cruising the high seas and you like beads; then perhaps the vacation of your dreams might be a BEAD CRUISE. I just returned from a 5 day/4 night cruise from Galveston, TX to Cozumel, Mexico on a cruise ship. Classes were arranged and booked with instructors such as Dona Anderson, Judith Bertoglio-Giffin, Beverly Herman and Heather Powers.

Classes ranged from 2 hour open beading sessions with informal instruction on bead crochet to a full day of beading classes. Every participant received a bag full of gifts from the different sponsors, including a jewelry folio from Bead Girl Bags, lampwork bead from Lori Greenberg, beaded bottle kit from Foxden Designs, and much, much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first cruise – and with the added thrill of hanging out with about 45 beaders, adult cocktails on ship, a bead vendor on-board and a stop in Mexico? Does a vacation break get any better? I think not!

Our first evening on the ship was spent with dinner in the main dining room and our tables were arranged together. We could talk with beaders that we had only met “on-line” or were just meeting for the first time. There was open beading that evening, with door prizes, a bracelet swap and snacks available.

The next day was our full day class, and I was lucky to be in Dona Anderson’s “Marrakesh” bracelet class – a herringbone pattern with beaded dangles on it – it will be stunning when I finish it.

The highlight of the trip for me was the full day that we had docked in Cozumel. I joined up with two women that I met during the open beading sessions (one was a woman that I met in Milwaukee during the Bead and Button Show 2004) and we explored the town! When you walk into a jewelry show and the clerks ask you if you would like a margarita while shopping, that is civilization (I do know that the goal is to get you a little intoxicated so that you make decisions that you would never make at home)!

This was a fun cruise; the people that I met were wonderful, including my roommate Sue, from Vermont who I had never met before; the food was great and it was just a relaxing time. I am waiting for the details for next year’s cruise as I hope to be able to attend the 2nd Annual Bead Cruise!!

Singles Ad - pre Internet dating

2006-03-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone likes to read about a singles ad story that actually worked and that is how Alan and I met. During the winter of 1993, we both placed ads in a small publication called “Less than a 10.”

My ad was as follows:
Finally the nerve for this! But how do I start? I’m 34, blue eyes, curly hair, love traveling, Bogart movies, cycling, flowers, camping, flea and antique markets. I’m searching for a man to be happy with, to build a relationship with and to grow old with. Is this what you would like?

Alan’s ad read:
NMWM, 5’11”, 210lbs, smoker, brown hair, brown eyes, average looking, non-religious, short beard, employed, 32 years old. I’m looking for a meaningful relationship with a woman between 30 and 40 years old who loves children. Only sincere replies, please. My hobbies include fishing, camping, movies, watching sports. Also am a cat lover. Photo is unimportant, but phone number is desirable.

And the funny thing is that we answered each others ad with a follow-up letter. And we called each other. Our first date was in a Mexican resturant which I decided on. I wasn't going to marry someone who only wanted American food for the rest of eternity - I love ethnic foods - India, Arabic, Thai, Mexican, German, the whole lot. We met in the resturant at 7:00 and they asked us to leave about midnight - after they vaccuumed around us and dishes were done. And Alan (who started out in my life as bachelor #4) ended up as man #1 which is the important part, nicht wahr?

We were married on the first Sunday in May in 1995 - I want to keep our anniversary as the first Sunday in May because then you will never work on your anniversary (which is a very good thing)

The story of Buzzards

2006-03-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

Ah, the story about the buzzards. We certainly have been around the block several times, haven't we girls (or should that be ladies)? Many of us started on an internet group at BeadTalk - which I occasionally still post at. Then many of us moved on to a Yahoo group called "For Beadin_Desires." I believe that it had to do with jokes that weren't related to why we were supposed to post at BeadTalk. That always confused me that jokes weren't bead related, but prayer requests were. But, I digress.

Due to circumstances beyond our control and angry emails back and forth, we formed another group of Bitchen Biker Turkey Buzzard Beadin Babes. And many of the core group remain to this day. We have some great nicknames which are not dubbings (this is important for some reason. These are bequeaths of royalty. And some need some work. Very different, very regal, very confusing.

Crystal - Countess Crystal, Gazing Crystal Seer of the ForBeadin realm

Audrey - Lady Audrey, Nahani Warrior Woman Crone of the Wolf Pack in the Snow belt of the ForBeadin realm

Liz - Baronessa Alces Alces, Wild Realm of the North Urban Population area of the ForBeadin realm

Aim - Goddess of the Starseekers of the ForBeadin realm

Nikia - Queen of the Cosmos (a small parsonage near the Southwest border of the realm) of the ForBeadin realm

Annie - Duchess of the Western Realm and Goddess of Family and Peace of the ForBeadin realm

Sharon - Warrior of Wire and Youthful Crone of Copper of the ForBeadin realm

Kat - Baronessa Midnight Kat of the ForBeadin realm

Sharon - Multi-named/personality(?) Bar Belly Dancin' Ileea Karima from a duchy north of the border of the ForBeadin Realm

The one for Miki, which is sad because Miki passed away the spring of 2005 Miki - Her MOST Royal Highness, Queen of the World, and Empress of the Beads who doesn't do company cleaning any longer of the ForBeadin realm

These women/girls/ladies are all considered my friends, even though I haven't met all of them. I believe it's like the connection with Kevin Bacon - we have all met someone who knows someone who has met the others. Annie, Bev, Debb and Gene, Kerry, Ava, Kat, Sharon (both of you), Barb, Annette, Audrey, Crystal, Nikia - we are the Turkey Buzzard Beading babes - and I love each of you!!

It's my birthday!

2006-03-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

And getting old sucks. Although the alternative really sucks, too.

Diagnosed with high blood pressure, meniscal tear and cyst on the right knee, and peridontal disease - I learned that I have all of them this week. Fortunately, they all should respond to treatment.

So I will just do what I need to do, take care of this body, because it's the only body that I have. And I will dream of my cruise which leaves in 1 1/2 weeks.

Below is a preview of my next piece of bead embroidery. I received this picture from my friend, Bev. Something about it just spoke to me. I enlarged the picture on the copier machine to about 167% (or so), copied it to my piece of pellon for embroidery. I simplified some of the lines as on this piece, there would be lines of just one colour and lots of black on it. It's been drawn, and it just waiting for "Phases of the Moose" to be completed. Perhaps I'll have a chance on my cruise to start this..... It's a very Incan/Mayan design, but I can see an Oriental/Asian twist on this.

Update.....

2006-03-20T11:57:00.000-08:00

March 17th - good day to update my progress on this piece - I am almost 50% completed with it. I have been trying different ideas with regards to circles - small and large. It's been coming out nicely and I am pretty pleased with it. I have a bead show on Sunday in Southfield and I will be working on the piece there - something to do when I sit at the membership table, maybe catch the eye of some prospective beaders. I just have to remember to take my battery operated light so that I can see what I am doing. I am working the same shift as my friend Linda, so I don't know how much beading we will actually complete! I'll add a picture so I have an in-process picture of it.

Also - check out the new earrings and pendant (which sold off my neck last weekend)!

Am I insane or what? Don't answer that.....

2006-03-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

Am I insane or what?? I loved the first bead embroidery piece that I completed so much, I started another one!!! This one I have named "Phases of the Moose" and it's about 7 inches by 8 inches. I have beaded all the lines again with size 11 black opaque seed beads, and the moose are lines in size 15 black matte beads.

Oh - and the diet is stalled. I haven't made any progress since Christmas. My motivated has been lost - and I have an injury to my right leg. It's either a pinched nerve in my lower back or a blood clot. Seriously, I have a doctor appointment next week to figure out what is going on. I still need to get the PAP done (assume the position) but the Mammogram has been completed. On the good side, I don't have breast cancer.

Colours

2006-02-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

And completed in 20 days. I just need to get this matted and framed. I'm happy with this piece and looking forward to the next one that I do!

The colours came out differently than I originally thought about. I was going to do the moose in browns, and he ended up in blues and greens, with an orange antler. That was fun. I also did mostly circles, which certainly gives the piece an interesting flow in the design. It has a Barb Davis head on it, an eye bead, a wooden bead from a Buddhist prayer bracelet, and a pearl that I have had so long I forget where it came from. I think that I found it on the floor at a bead show. Being vertically challenged, I usually find nice things on the floor at shows - I'm closer to the floor than many.

I had colours that blended from one colour to another colour, usually in the same family of tones. I used everything from 22's (meaning beads that are 22 beads to the inch) to 11's and some hexes.

This was an enjoyable project.

I've learned something new

2006-02-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy bead embroidery. It might be my newest addiction. I traced around a moose that I had on some really thick Pellon and added the other shapes and lines. Those shapes and lines have been beaded with size 11 black seed beads. The moose will be completed in size 15 brown or black seed beads. The embroidery will be completely mostly in circular patterns, emphasizing the shapes that I have drawn.

I will be adding other items on the piece through it's completion, such as special beads that I have purchased through the years, perhaps some moose beads that I haven't use or one of the wooden beads that I bought while I was in Korea in 1999.

This is the first piece that I completed about 2 weeks ago. I really like the circular pattern that evolved around the Barb Davis heads. This piece is just one piece that will be placed in a "Bead Quilt" to be auctioned off to raise money for a breast cancer charity.

I'm pleased with the way that my piece turned out - with the yellow on the left representing the sun. The blue in the top stripe is the sky, followed by brown mountains, purple flowers, green grass, blue water and dark earth. I don't even know if I was consciously making these deicisons with the color choices as I was beading, or just picking up the colors that pleased me.

I'll update with pictures of the top piece when I complete it.

I've also recently inherited a great storage system for all those little bead boxes. Old wooden slide (like from a slide projector) boxes that the hospital was going to get rid of. I was gifted with 14 of these treasures!!! I can't wait to start filling them!

The saga just keeps continuing.

2006-02-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law, Sheila, has been in the hospital since very early on Thursday morning, Alan and I weren't going to cry "Wolf" until we knew what was going on - which we still don't know exactly. What we do know is:

Sam (father-in-law) called 911 late Wednesday night because Sheila fell in the bathroom and he couldn't get her up.

Her blood pressure was so low that the EMS drivers took her to the nearest hospital (Huron Valley), who transferred her to Henry Ford Downtown because of her medical records there and insurance.

Sam called me to find Alan because he wanted to go with her. Al had just left work, and he didn't hear his cell phone, so I called Paul to go over and check out what Sam needed. Sam, obviously, just got in the ambulance and went with her, but didn't tell us this.

She was admitted very early Thursday to a medicine floor, fortunately with physician that I know.

Sheila had a chest x-ray, Cat Scan and an MRI yesterday. They are looking for fractures of bones, and a mass that might indicate that she has had a stroke or series of strokes - THEY DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAS! They are just looking. This is on top of the kidney stones that we found out about that were blocking her kidneys last week. The stents have been placed, and hopefully she'll respond to the lithrotripsy (sound waves to break up the stones).

Yesterday, when I went to see her in her room, she was crying about how she couldn't get ahold of her husband - she was so worked up that she didn't know who I was for about 10 minutes. She was just crying and crying because she didn't know where her husband was. I later found out the reason she couldn't find Sam was because she was calling my house! I got her calmed down, she spoke with Sam. 15 minutes later, she forgot she just spoke with him, and she wanted to talk to him..

Last night, she called the house in hysterics because the hospital lost her clothes (she didn't have any, she was in her nightgown with no shoes when she went to the hospital) and she was going to go home. She said that she was in a hallway, she was in a chair, she was walking around, when the whole time, she was in the bed. It took Alan about 20 minutes on the telephone to get her calmed down. We talked to the nurse who explained that they moved her bed from one room to another because they had a man coming in, and two women (Sheila and another) needed to be put in the same room.

The resident in charge has my home number, my cell number, Al's cell number as do the nurses, and even the medical student.

Bottom line: We are working with the social worker on the floor who gave us a list of nursing home that will take the current insurance and will work with us getting her permanent placement in a home. Sam can't (or won't or doesn't know how to) take care of her.

So, how is your week going?

Edit Feburary 6- No cancer, no metastatisis, only minor changes due to aging on MRI, no changes in xray, no sign of stroke. No underlying changes. That's all good. Orthostatic changes due to dehydration. Will perform steroid test to check the adrenal gland, check for autonomic dysfunction.

It's been a year......

2006-01-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

It's been a year since I joined Weight Watchers and I have lost 44 pounds. The difference is really evident in the current picture here. I feel great compared to last year. I have lost a whole chin, and three sizes in my jeans. I can run (well, I can run a little), I certainly can walk three-four miles without thinking that I might die. My knees don't hurt (I was taking 1-2 Motrin 800's a day for my knees) except when the incline is too high on the treadmill.

I like dressing in fashionable clothes. I like people noticing that I am looking better, younger and more fashionable than I did last year. I'm wearing heels, and vee-necks, and turtlenecks have disappeared from my wardrobe. My husband loves the colors that I have started to wear. I actually have fit into clothes from my pre-husband days.

I have sold lots of my "fat" clothes on Ebay and I have used some of that money to finance a cruise to Mexico with my beading buddy, Sharon. I have given bags and bags of clothes to a weight loss buddy in Michigan. I have donated things to American Council of the Blind that needed to be moved from my closet to ANYWHERE else.

I want to loose another 50-60 pounds. If I do it in 2006, that would be awesome. If I loose another 44 pounds this year, that's just as good. But I know that I can do it.

Somewhere in this body is a skinny woman waiting to burst free!

List of Five Simple Things

2005-12-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

5 things I plan to do before I die:

1. Obtain my goal weight

2. Maintain my goal weight

3. Visit all 50 states

4. Live as well as I can

5. Be financially secure

5 things I can do:

1. Curl my tongue.

2. Run 2 minutes at 5 MPH

3. Realize weight loss

4. Tell the truth

5. ohhhhhhhhh, embellish the truth

(just because I can tell the truth, doesn't mean that I can't embellish it)

5 things I cannot do:

1. Naps

2. Math - I am a math atheist

3. Full marathon (who wants to?)

4. Murder

5. Wear spiky high heels

5 Things that attract me to other people:

1. Honesty

2. Kindness

3. Intelligence

4. Playfulness

5. Honesty

5 things I say most often:

1. Whatever (boy, does this piss the husband off)

2. Nicht wahr (basically, it's whatever in German)

3. Nein!

4. Shit!

5. Fuck!

5 people I want to do this next:

1. Brett

2. Paul

3. Bbarb

4. Joan

5. Kris

Little Miss Isabel

2005-09-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

Isabel Thompson is almost 6 years old and boy, does she have a personality. She is my niece, daughter of Sandy Fonseca and Paul Thompson. For a young girl, she is very opinionated and strong willed, which is okay - at least we know that she will be able to hold her own if necessary.
When Isabel comes to my house, I still haven't figured out if she is more excited to see me or my dogs. Molly and Isabel love to roll around on the floor and see if Molly can find a way to kiss Isabel. I do believe that Molly usually wins this battle, and Isabel then has to wash her face. I think that the dogs are winning. Just last week, I took this picture of Molly and Isabel sleeping. Hmmmm, Isabel not talking and Molly not licking. Something is really wrong.

Isabel recently moved to California to live with her mom, and will be missed in the metro Detroit area. However, winters in Long Beach versus winters in Michigan? Easy decision!

Take care Isabel! Uncle Alan, Aunt Betsy (or Auntie Liz) and the girly girls will miss you!

How I keep my sanity..

2005-09-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

Although it could be a matter of opinion if it really helps me keep my sanity - or if it is the reason that I am insane. I do beadwork. It is a relaxing hobby (well, to a degree) and it keeps me home.

The Santa Claus pattern is from a designer (note to self - credit this artist when you get a chance - Kris Raines???) who does some beautiful work. I have completed this necklace with a 4-strand braid in some beautiful Christmas colors. Yes, it's for sale to the first person to give me $250 for it. It measures about 2 inches wide, by about 4 inches tall and it is a pouch.

The Asian dragon is taken from a photograph that I took while I was in Korea. It's a temple dragon - and I have named this piece Soraksan - which was the name of a national park that I visited while I was in Korea.

I manage to complete a couple of large pieces every year and lots of smaller pieces. While I would like to sell on a larger scale than I do, with working full time, it's going to be really, really hard.

Since I have picked up the beads, I haven't gone back to any of the hobbies that interested me before. It's amazing how these little pieces of glass are so addictive!

Mr. and Mrs. Cool and Casual!

2005-08-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

So here is a picture from the fateful wedding. Alan looking like Mr. Cool and Casual - and me. Looking like a red-head and frilly. This is even way outside my normal comfort zone, but it was for a wedding and my sister didn't want me to wear black. So I humored her.

The wedding was very nice - there were a lot of family members there and it was nice to get a chance to talk with them for more than just a minute or two. My cousin, Amy and her husband Andy are so nice to talk with - even though it's been YEARS since we have talked, it was very easy to do. Cousin David still reminds me of John Denver - always have thought that. Al and I stayed in Dad and Pat's RV - they are heading out west for 8 months or so. I just hope that when I am their age that Al and I are able to travel - physically and financially!

But here is a picture that really shows the difference that at least 40 pounds makes on a person. I might have weighed more last summer - I don't know because I refused to get on a scale. But this really shows that I have taken Weight Watchers by the hand and I am watching the food that gets into my mouth.

Well, with the except my sister's wedding cake!

Memory of Jim

2005-08-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Jim - about 3 weeks prior to his death

It was one year ago yesterday that my brother Jim passed away from complications brought on from his liver transplant 14 years earlier. True, he wasn't a compliant patient, so I am not saying that University of Michigan didn't do a good job - they certainly did when Jim was being compliant. I do have some anger in my system towards Jim - who knew that something was wrong. He knew 6-8 months before his death that something wasn't "right". I have anger with Jim's primary physician, his internist, who should not have been refilling the prescriptions for the anti-rejection medications. That alone might have given Jim several more years.

Jim received his liver transplant at the University of Michigan Medical Center in September 1990. His recovery was lengthy, including a stay in the hospital from September through January 1991. Once recovered, Jim went back to school to learn a new trade, in electronics repair, a field that he worked in up to April 2004.

Memories of Jim:

Flaring his nostrils at the dinner table - timing this maneouver to coincide with my younger sister drinking milk. This technique usually resulted in my sister choking on her milk or laughing it up her nose.

Canoeing at Proud Lake Rec Area - actually, I just sat in the canoe because I was horrible at paddling and he said it was just easier for him to do.

Camping with Jim multiple years in Mio, MI - Jim really enjoyed going on this tubing weekend. He had a chance to meet and talk to many people - people that I don't even know if Jim realized that they were his friends....

Saturday afternoons - Living across the street with Jim, I had the pleasure (?) of Jim, with his trusty companion, Cinnamon, walking over to just sit and relax, chat with Alan and I. If it was summer, we were outside. Winter? Inside. Jim didn't care - he was just there with us.

I remember that Jim once told me that I was a gold-digger expecting men to buy me drinks at a bar. I asked him to clarify this. He then told me that if a man offered to buy me a drink, I should say no thanks. If the man offered a second time to buy me a drink after I said no, then he was a fool and I could accept without being a gold-digger. The same thing was true with a man buying dinner. Come to think of it - I wonder how Jim knew all this. He didn't date.......

All that said, I'll just end with one of the last things:

In a conversation near the end, with Patty (oops, Patricia), Jim and I - Patty said that she described Jim as "still waters run deep" - he thought quietly in his typical Jim fashion - and said "Patty, still waters don't run."

Two days later he was gone. His last meal was his favorite chocolate - Hershey's Kisses and his dog was under his bed.

Rest in Peace Jim - January 24, 1958 - August 2, 2004

Life does have it's twists and turns.....

2005-07-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

...and vacations are cut short by things that are unexpected. Back from vacation as there was a death in the family of my friend. She needed to come home to be with her brother and family. So here I am, back in the city.

Life is not always what we want it to be, but we do what needs to be done.

Week 24 of Weight Watchers - down 36.8 pounds. Very happy. A little frustrated that the weight loss has slowed down, but I am watching what I eat, measuring amounts and servings again (just like in the beginning of the year). I have 7.9 for my mini-major goal and I hope to hit that by Labour Day weekend.

Countdown to vacation....

2005-07-06T05:03:00.000-07:00

...We leave on July 15th, in the morning for along weekend of camping in mid-Michigan, a relaxing day of floating down the AuSable River in Mio, Michigan. We have a 4 hour (or so depending on the swiftness of the river) relaxing raft floatilla down the river, complete with adult beverages and Jello Shots. Life can't get much better than this.

On Sunday, we will move from our friends property and to a campground - actually, more of an RV park in Sterling, MI - Outdoor Adventures I'll be camping there for a week for free. Free is a good thing. Actually, Alan and I had to listen to their sales pitch for almost 2.5 hours over Easter Weekend to qualify for these 21 nights of free camping. But my travel friend Joan and I will be able to just sit and relax, do some floating on the river, bicycle riding and just a little bit of nothing. I just couldn't resist a vacation where it's just the gas and the food that we will have to pay for! And let's hope that the weather is better than we had below......

buzzard gathering

2005-06-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

So, do you think that this cop is at all intimidated by my gesturing? I personally believe that he looks pretty scared by this Detroit woman! He just stood there and was afraid to move while I gave him my opinion of what I thought!

I was just in Milwaukee over the last weekend for the Bead and Button magazine bead show. It's my fifth year going and it's just a weekend of shopping, beads and fun. This year our group consisted of myself, Sharon from Akron, Ohio, Audrey from Sharon, Wisconsin, Anne and Kat from the Des Moines area.

We all arrived at different times on Thursday (or very early on Friday morning) to the Courtyard in Downtown Milwaukee. The beaders were out in masses and it was a very busy weekend. One of my best purchases is from "Buy the Kit". I have a great kit from Nikia Angel - a herringbone lariat that is wonderful!! I also splurged on a kit from Cynthia Rutledge. Both these women put together some great kits and have wonderful ideas. It's hard to come up with that original idea for a pattern or a kit. One of these days, I'll have my thinking cap on and have a great idea.

Another item that I have bought was from The Craft Kit Company in the United Kingdom. This is the best storage system that I have found for my beads. It's a little pricey for my wallet, but I don't splurge like this very often. I have several of them now - Liz's case, Jane's case, and Polly's case. They are perfect for camping because everything is so contained and portable. Part of the fun is putting everything in the system - neat and tidy!

This was a really good year because we had time to enjoy the hot tub, pool and even see a little bit of the city!

2005-06-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

This picture confuses me. How on earth would you "disturb" petrified wood? Shake it and wake it up?? Yell and scream and call it names ("You are just laying there like a bump on a log!")? I still don't know exactly what this means. But it's a great sign - one of those that don't make sense. Like "Warning, Men at work" - you never see a sign saying "Warning, Women at work" - those signs would take over the planet.

Week #22 at weight watchers: I lost 4.2 pounds and have a 5 month total loss of 36.6 pounds. That's about 1/3 of the way to my goal. This was my second largest drop for the year. It's weeks like this that make it all worthwhile. That and the fact that almost nothing in my wardrobe fits - I've bagged up 4 bags of clothes to give to another person who is getting into the sizes that I have just left. It's been a slow journey in some respects, but a fast one when I just sit and think about it. I've been on a "diet" - I hate that word - since January and I haven't had to eat cottage cheese. And I like cottage cheese. It really shows that if you work the WW program, it works. And it works well.

It's a beautiful day.....

2005-05-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

.....in Downtown Detroit. Gotta love it. Sun is shining, it looks like a wonderful day out there. Of course, I am in the W**k place. Shhhhh, that's our secret. But the w**k is getting done, so that boss can't whine and life is sweet.

Weigh in today was down 2 pounds for a total loss of 32.8 pounds. 32.8 pounds in 20 weeks. How awesome is that? My pants are all too big. My summer clothes need a serious date with the tailor (i.e. Me) to take in some waistbands. I'll be damned if I am going to buy lots of clothes for this year and then buy clothes again for next year. It's very nice, when an item that I purchased over the winter, that I couldn't fit at that time, is getting very loose on me now! That is almost enough to make me cry (but I am not at that point in life where I cry over everything - that comes later....).

Another week - another loss

2005-05-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

I guess that I am a loser (I know, those of you that have known me a long time, know that this is something that I don't need to write - you know that I am a loser)!! But I am down another 1.8 pounds for a total of 30 pounds since mid-January. I am very happy with that. I have 14.6 pounds to go for my next BIG goal - and I hope to make that by the middle of July. I was going to say the end of June, but part of being on Weight Watchers is keeping realistic goals for yourself. And that two weeks can make a big difference.

I have recommitted to writing down everything that I eat - tracking the food seems to be a huge help. I have also been journaling - really - with pencil and paper - just like in the olden days (and before my ex-husband read my diary. Which explains why he is an ex-husband).

It's Liz on the Rocks!! It's the newest non-caloric drink!! And it's not a size, it's not a goal - it is all about attitude. And "letmetellyouthankyouverymuch", I have an attitude!! Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Although, if your hair matches the rocks, it's a good time to get your hair colored! This picture was taken in Red Rock Canyon in Nevada - after climbing on several rocks to get this stunning picture taken (it's got to be stunning.....okay - I feel stunning in this picture.). I had climbed on this rock when I was in Vegas shortly after my brother passed away and I had difficulty doing it. In April, I just climbed up and did it!

I love the Grand Canyon - it's just so..........grand!!! Words just can't do it justice!! We had a great day - the sun was out more than in, and the temperatures were perfect! We saw a condor (below) soaring over the canyon - it was beautiful!!

This summer versus last summer

2005-05-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know how much of a difference in these two pictures, but I certainly feel much better than last summer. There is a difference of about 30 pounds between the one on the left that was taken last week in Nevada, and the one on the right, taken in August 2004.

But I will say that the hair looks much better!!

Vacation was really great. We had a wonderful time, drove alot, saw alot of scenery, saw rattlesnakes and bushsnakes. Even saw a condor in the Grand Canyon - that was exciting!! Hubby and I really had a nice week together - no pressures, no phones, no blogs, no computers! Life was really good!

Pictures

2005-04-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is why I joined Weight Watchers in January 2005. No, not because I got a toilet brush holder for Christmas, but because I have gotten fricken huge.....

I felt good at this weight - I probably was still overweight, but I felt good!!

In Germany during the summer of 1991 with Tricia. This was another good weight - a little heavier than the summer above, but still not bad. This is what I want again and why I am doing as well as possible on Weight Watchers......

Look at Matt - he was such a little cutie when I visited him in Florida. Now he's 14-15 years old and somewhere in Oklahoma (where he doesn't call or write me - what a bad nephew!). This was a really good weight for me! I would freak out if I had those collarbones again!!!

We are off for the west!

2005-04-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in Korea in October 1999. I know that I am in at least one size smaller pant now, so when I return from my vacation, I will post another picture to see if there is a real visual or if it's just a fig-newton of my imagination, especially since that vest is making the trip (I love that vest, one of the doctors that I used to work with brought it back from India for me). I also promise that I won't wear white socks with anything but sneakers or Birkenstocks and never with shorter pants. Gods, what a geek!

Our flight leaves DTW at 7:35 this evening. We arrive in Vegas at 9pm and pick up our rental car and find a somewhere for dinner and a motel. Since we are just staying for the night, cheap is a good thing.

Saturday, we hope to get through the Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Lake Mead National Rec Area and into the Hoover Dam area (I just wrote Hoover Damn!!). On Sunday, the drive across the strangely beautiful desert of Arizona to the Grand Canyon! We hope to see several Native American/First Nation/Indian/Aboriginal (thanks Martiena, am I missing any designations?) sites - we have then all placed out on our maps and highlighted where they are and why they are famous!!

I can't wait to get to the Phoenix area to see my internet friend Crystal! We have been corresponding via email and with our groups for YEARS and it's about time that we met.

Off to the lands of sands, scorpians and sins!!!

P.S. Weigh in this week was down another 2.6 pounds for a total lost, since January 13, 2005 of 28 pounds. I am officially down a skirt and pant size, and have even found t-shirts that fit in an "L" - not XL. Also, I have gone through the closet and cleaned out 80% of the clothes that I don't fit any longer. I am giving them away, donating, anything to have them out of my closet - especially if I don't wear them any longer. It doesn't make sense to keep items that I don't use.

Waiting for vacation

2005-04-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhh, the anticipation of waiting for vacation week. Leaving in 6 days for a nine-day trip of the Las Vegas/Grand Canyon/Sedona/Phoenix area of the southwest. It will be so nice and so pretty!! A different kind of beauty than the rich greens of the mid-west of America. This trip is in celebration of our 10th anniversary, which is the first Sunday in May (I like saying that rather than May 7 because if it's the first Sunday in May, I will never have to work on my anniversary, nicht wahr?).

Joan is watching the girls, so I know that I won't have to worry about them while we are gone. Tom is watching the house and the kats, so they will be in good hands, also.

Just me and hubby and the beauty of the desert. I can't wait.

WW Update: Lost another 1.4 pounds for a total of 25.6 pounds since January 13th. Going to spend some time over the weekend, reviewing all the information that we have been given and see if I can improve on certain things. I know that I need to work on eating when I am hungry, not bored, and learning what satisfied feels like.

Spring in Michigan

2005-04-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Spring in Michigan is so pretty. The birds, the flowers, the urge to be outside hits fast and hard. I usually end up playing in the mud, and trying to trim trees and bushed when I have no business outside.

This weekend was a beautiful weekend. The sun cooperated, the temperature was nice. Hubby and I dug up plants and moved them, we trimmed the roses, moved the huge birdbath, raked out the garden beds and generally tried to make the yard look nicer after a long winter.

Now of course, spring also means that my allergies will be crazy for several months and I will live with the kleenex and allergy medications right next to me. It's one of the penalities that we pay to live in this great state of Michigan. My other other option is to stay inside for months - and that really isn't an option. I'd go insane. Then I would have to kill someone or chop my head off. Nope, that's not a pretty look.

You know that it's a nice day when the dogs lay on the grass and snooze! Or climb the mountain.....

Because Debb wanted it.....

2005-04-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

One of my beading buddies who lives in NM asked me for some pictures. Happy to oblige - and if I put them here - I won't bore everyone on the list who may not want to see them!! This one isn't the best picture, but it shows the difference between December 2004 on the left and March 2005 on the right (although I don't know if I really see a difference). Is this what you wanted, Debb??

This is the newest toy for our family. It is a 21 ft travel trailer by Ameri-lite and our new Ford Exploder to pull it. It's a dream!!! We will really enjoy camping in this unit - it's like grown up camping! It's actually going to be interesting to get used to it. Previously, if we wanted hot water for tea, we would run water through the coffee maker to heat it up. In this trailer, we just have to put the cup of cold water in the microwave oven and hit start - it's like magic! I had often thought that I wouldn't be camping in this manner until Alan and I were old and retired, etc. I guess that we hit the "old" part.

12 weeks

2005-04-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

I've been on WW for 12 weeks and have lost 24.2 pounds. If anyone would have told me that I would be able to loose that much weight in 12 weeks - and I never had to eat cottage cheese (which I do like) - I would have slapped them silly and told them that they were liars. It's actually a nice feeling......

Well, it's a nice feeling to loose the weight. I've never actually slapped anyone silly.

Second Month of WW

2005-03-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

If I would have known, years ago, that Weight Watchers really could work for me, I might have gotten off my sorry ass years ago. But WTF - it really doesn't matter. Happy Birthday to me - I've lost 24 pounds since starting this trend in January!

My clothes are getting too big.
My husband calls me baggy britches (which I guess is better than that other B-word that he could call me).
My cheeks don't hit the inside of my spectacles any longer - they stay clean longer!

Call me a happy camper! And speaking of camping, Hubby and I will be camping this long Easter weekend. It's supposed to be cold, but clear. We have to try out the new camper to make certain that the heater works!!

2005-02-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

It wasn't nearly as rough as I thought that it would be. Eating correctly isn't hard, it's just that you have to almost constantly think about it. Some of the things that have helped me are:

Not eating from the box or bag. Take out the correct amount and put the bag away. It's pretty simple when you think about it.
Drink water - plenty and plenty of water. This means a mug of coffee (who drinks a "cup" anymore?) then a glass of water. Keep water everywhere around you. Then you will grab it.
Exercise - who really wants to do it? Unless you are one of those geeks that loves to exercise, do we love it? Nooooooo - and I don't have a pocket protector for my shirts either!!! But I found a mini surround sound system on clearance at a CVS store (I know, that means that it is top quality, nicht wahr?), it's hooked up to a television set in the basement and I have been watching the Sopranos on it. Put in a good DVD for an hour and I can walk and walk and walk and walk!!

Something is working - I don't really care what - it just is. From January 13 to February 17 - I have lost 14.2 pounds. Rock on.

I'm just a mean person

2005-02-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

Having little dogs is so much fun because you can mess with them. During the recent snows, I was outside with the dogs, trying to convince them to do their "stuff." It's hard to squat and do "highly important dog stuff" when your little bits are in the snow. My hubby shoveled trails through the yard so that they could wander through, freeze their little paws, and generally look miserable. And bark at squirrels (because they deserve it).