Hello.... I've worked everyday this week so I am way behind on everything.  I haven't forgotten my blog.. I've just not been home to add to it.  Today is the first day off that I've had and I'm getting my hair cut and colored today.  I had to go to Walmart to get a few things this morning.  I hadn't been there in weeks.  I've been trying to stay away because I always find things there that I want but don't need.  I'm trying desperately to get rid of stuff not accumulate more stuff.  I did really well this morning and only bought one item (a pack of pens) that I wanted and didn't need.

My Flip video camera came in this week.  I ordered it from Amazon and got it for 118 dollars and free shipping.  That's cheaper than I could find it anywhere else.  I played around with it a little bit yesterday videoing the dogs. 

I'm working tomorrow but will be getting paid holiday pay so I don't mind at all.  We never do anything on the 4th anyway.  I'm off Saturday so we can do our holiday celebrating (maybe going out to eat) then.  Hope you all have great plans for the holiday weekend.  Be safe and enjoy your freedom.

Just checking in so you won't think that I've forgotten about the blog.  Trying not to whine to loudly but I'VE BEEN SICK... am sick.  I guess it's stomach bug or something.  I woke up sick early Monday morning.  I haven't done much of anything since then except sleep and be nauseated.  A different symptom showed up today.. diarrhea.. so maybe this is the end of the illness.   I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired...

Today was another fun day.  I pampered myself and got a pedicure so I have pretty toes now.  But before that I went to the thrift store and got a bunch of shirts and tops.  I'll try and take some pics of them tomorrow.  It amazes me that I will wear clothes that someone else has worn.  I used to be such a snob I would never have done that but with age and knowledge, things change.  I do a lot of things now that when I was younger I would have worried about what people thought.  But now I just go head on and to heck with what people think.  Life is so much easier when you aren't trying to impress everyone.

Last night I played a little with one of the pictures of my flowers and this is the result.  I named it Toulouse because the colors remind me of the colors in some of Toulouse-Lautrec's art.

I sat outside yesterday and painted a little in a journal.  I broke out a new box of cheap watercolors.

A cold drink, sunshine and arting... what a treat.

Little Ollie man waiting to pounce on his big sisters. 

A bit of rough housing by all the Carlton babies.

And here's what the tomatoes I got at the farmers' market looked like last night before they went into our bacon sandwiches... yum...

 Happy Saturday to everyone.  I hope your weekend is going just like you want it to.  Hub was out of town last night so I had the house to myself.  Well, not actually to my self.  I did have 4 little furry munchkins here with me.  It was raining most of the afternoon and evening and they were unusually calm.  They slept most of the time while I worked on my wrap skirt.  Speaking of which, tell me why.... why...why... why.. do the pattern companies have such a size discrepancy between one pattern to the next.  My pjs that I made... I needed to use the small but with the skirt pattern.. I had to use the size 14.... What the heck??? 14.... I wear a size 8 in ready made pants, shorts and skirts so why did I have to use the size 14 pattern.  Now I remember why I quit sewing years ago... because nothing ever fit after I slaved over the sewing machine making it.  My wrap skirt turned out kind of cute.  The fabric is thicker than I thought it was but I'm washing it hoping that some of the stiffness comes out in the wash. 

I went thrifting at one store this morning and look what I got.  Just look at that cute little turtle.

And a craft magazine from 1976.  Those old crafts that we used to do back then are popular again...  How old was I in 76???  Uh... 23 years old... Looking back, everything was very "funky" during that time.  And I got this Country Living Scandinavian Look book.  I love Scandinavian designs and decorating.  I got all these wonderful things for $1.25.  Thrifting is the most fun kind of recycling.  Other people's trash are my treasures. 

I'll be working tonight and tomorrow night.  Amazingly enough and a good thing for the younger ones that I work with who would rather be out partying on Saturday and Sunday nights, I like working weekends. 

I am very proud of myself.  I started and finished a project in 2 days.  It actually took me probably 3 hours to make these shorts.  Back when I used to sew and knew how to thread the machine (it took me 20 minutes to figure that out yesterday) it would probably have taken me an hour from start to finish.   I love, love pjs but have never made any.. until now. 

Here's the pattern:

and the fabric:

and the shorts:

They are a little too big for me but will be ok.  The next ones I make I'll use the small size instead of the medium.  I'm looking forward to finding some odd fabric to make some more.  I think I want a pair made from skull printed fabric.  I know..I know... I'm too old for skulls... but I'm always rebeling against what I should do and what I shouldn't do... what is appropriate and what isn't appropriate....  I'm only as old as I feel.  I'm 24... lol...

Because I am in the "sewing mood" I went back to Hancock's today and got some pretty batik fabric and another 99 cent pattern... .  I'm making a wrap around skirt.  I wanted more but talked myself out of buying the other 4 that I could have got. 

I had to make another drug run because when I went the other day some of the prescriptions had expired and they had to call the doctor.  Our Target is in the same area as Hancock's so I just had to stop in there and low and behold McCall's patterns were 99 cents with a limit of 5.  I can't say no to that.  I'll share pics of what I got with you later.  One of the patterns is a pj's pattern and I got some sweet green and pink fabric to make some pj bottoms.  I think I'm going to cut them out right now and sew them up.  When I was buying the fabric I promised myself that if I bought it I would go home and sew it.  I'm so bad about getting in the mood to make something...buying all the supplies and then never even starting the project. 

This is what is going on behind me as I write.  Sleeping little angels.

And beside me, a yawning girl getting ready to sleep.

Maybe I should take a nap............................

I had to go on a drug run today... to Target that is... You know you are getting old when you start having to take a handful of prescription drugs each morning.  Thank goodness for insurance.  I can't imagine how much our drugs would be without insurance.  I take 4 kinds of pills.  Prevacid for my acid reflux, Prozac to prevent those nasty anxiety attacks, Vytorin for the high cholesterol I've had forever and Cozaar for the cursed high blood pressure.  Then I also take my calcium and one a day vitamin.  I use an inhaler twice a day for my asthma.  But other than that I don't do drugs... lol... I bought another one of the fabric shopping bags.  This one's bigger than the other one I bought a few months ago.  I'm trying to do my best not to bring home anymore plastic bags.  The earth needs all the help she can get in getting and staying healthy.  I also do my share of recycling.  I've quit buying water in plastic bottles too. 

I took a few pics yesterday for you.  Pinks, yellows and greens... oh, my.....

First two tiny tomatoes

I've been engrossed in some of my favorite blogs for the last hour.   I can get lost in artist's and crafter's blogs and stay there for hours if I let myself.  Right now the sewing blogs are especially enticing.  Embroidery and hand sewing has made a comeback.  I can remember years ago when everyone embroidered but then all of a sudden it went out of style but it has come back now with a vengeance.  Young crafters and artists are embroidering now and have added a quirky edge to it that it didn't have years ago.  Freeform embroidery is really fascinating. 

I went today to Kohl's and cleaned out my locker and picked up my check.  It was so nice to say goodbye to that phase of my life.  Hello new job and learning new things and making new friends.

I've got to mow the grass today.  And OMG it is so hot out.  Hello summer heat already.  I love the hot weather but I don't love mowing when it's this warm.  I bought some flowers yesterday that I want to pot too. 

Hope you are having a great sunny day today.

The weekend went by so fast and it's already Tuesday... OMG... Where did the time go?  Oh, now I remember... I worked all weekend.  Yesterday and today I've had me time... Actually, more like home time... cleaning the home time... I've worked so much for the last few weeks that the house was in a major state of disarray.  I've got it looking (and smelling...teehee) a little better but there's still more to do. 

I'm puppy sitting for my neighbors this week.  They are out of town for a few days.  They have a big boy.  He's a german shorthair.  He's such a big baby and doesn't like to stay out in the heat.  I just went over to check to see if he had water.  When I opened the door to the backyard he ran inside to his room and stood there as if to say, "If you think I'm going back out there, you are going to have to drag me".  So I let him stay there.  I'm so afraid I'll forget him that I wrote his name in red in large letters on a card and have it on my coffee table.  Maybe between the hub and myself seeing the card we can remember him. 

We are having steaks cooked out on the grill tonight.  I marinated them in beer last night and today.... A salad and potatoes and rolls make up the menu.... Yummy...

I "thrifted" today.  My favorite store wasn't a treasure trove of wonderfuls today like it normally is.  I did find a very cute pair of pj's though.  I've got them in the washer right now and will get to sleep in them tonight.

Here's a picture of Ollie's brother... Moo...  His mom sent it to me yesterday.  Isn't he the sweetest?  He's got those Ollie eyes....

I haven't written on my blog since Friday.  I think that's the longest I've gone without writing since I started it.  But.... 2 jobs is getting the best of me and taking away from my creative time.  So... I decided last night to turn in my resignation at Kohl's.  I really hate to do this because I will have been there 6 years in November but between the two jobs I have, Kohl's is the lesser of the two.  They won't work with me on scheduling, I don't make as much money there and I have to stand all night and I'm physically wiped out the next day after working.  So last night I made the decision to quit.  I've met some people there who will be life long friends.  In fact most of my friends that I have here I made there.  But this is for the best. 

Not much else to talk about.  I still don't have the tree limbs cleaned up from the tree cutting.  The guy was supposed to come yesterday and it rained and then the yard was too mushy for him to drive the truck across today so maybe tomorrow... My backyard looks like a tornado hit it.

Today I'm getting my hair colored and cut some.  I'm letting it grow out so not much cutting will be done.  I hate having the chemicals put on my head and I am trying to lighten the color each time so that eventually I might be able to go natural...

We actually went to the movie Monday.  We saw Iron Man... I'm a major Robert Downey Jr. fan so I loved, loved the movie.  This kind of movie is not normally something I would like but I sat through the whole thing and enjoyed every minute of it and him.  Note to self:  must go to the movie more often...