Weekend Update

No Expectations
This weekend was one where I was not expected anywhere and there was no one visiting!  It was a nice, quiet weekend!  I liked it!!!

Halloween
I love Halloween!  It's my favorite holiday.  This Sunday, my mom and I went to purchase my nephew Parker's halloween costume.  This year, he is going to be Darth Vader.  Yep, the villain from Star Wars.  It's what he wanted! 

Typically we also get my niece Marly her costume.  However, today she informed me that she wants to "make" her costume.  Meaning, she wants a homemade costume. SHE wants to do it.  I'm all for it.  It's the kind of costumes I grew up with.  I did make sure to let her know, she can change her mind at any time.

Also did some Halloween shopping today.  I got a really cool spider web to hang in the patio door!  I'm thinking that for night time, I am going to get some orange or purple lights to go around it! 

Stitching
This weekend I managed to get some stitching in while watching all of the many football games going on!  I worked on Dragon Knot mostly.  I managed to finish the SIXTH page!!! Yay!

A friend of mine asked me about the back of the project.  How "neat" it should look.  Well, just for her, here is the back of Dragon Knot:

Not so very neat is it?  However, with this particular pattern there are a ton of confetti stitches!!!!

Randomness

Besides the shopping and stitching, not much went on.  Did some cleaning and laundry.  Ran over to a friend's apartment a couple of times to feed the cats while she is away.  Watched football of course.  The Tigers managed to pull out a win and move up in the rankings to #4. Just hope it can last!!!!

Not ready for work of course.  But is anyone really?  Lots to do in a short week!  I am taking off, crossing fingers, on Thursday and Friday. Hopefully I will survive until then!!!

Have a good week!

Random Thoughts

Work
Ah work!  How I loathe it!  Just when I thought it was going to get better, WHAM!!!!!  Hit over the head with a 2x4!  I have one of the most clueless, ignorant bosses!!!  It is positively depressing.  If I could, I would quit right this instant.  If I knew I could support myself working at Michael's or Hobby Lobby, I would be there in an instant filling out an application for employment!!!! But that's not really a good idea, because I would probably just end up spending my paycheck there!

Dancing with the Stars
It's that time again!  Dancing with the Stars!  I sit down to watch these dancing pros and their partners and I wish that I could look as graceful as the pro (because the actor/D list celebrity is just absolutely terrible!).

I have to say that the men on Monday night really did not impress me.  I did like Donnie Osmond's performance, but he's been performing FOREVER!  He sort of has an asset in that!

The women I believe were MUCH better than the men!  Mya was beautiful and elegant doing the waltz.  But the suprise was Kelly Osborn!  I really expected to hear *bleep* *bleep* throughout her conversation, but didn't!  And her dance was just so good!  It was definitely a pleasant surprise.  I think that I have found who I will be rooting for in this season!

Stitching
I've done some stitching on Dragon Knot. I know, I've been promising an udpated picture. Sorry!  I've been lazy!  Plus it has been raining which when there isn't enough natural light in the apartment doesn't take very good pictures! I know, excuses, excuses, excuses! I also need to work on some Christmas presents.  It's probably why I am so tense, I'm not taking time out for myself! 

That's enough for tonight!  Only 3 more days of work!  Tomorrow I MUST remember to purchase a lottery ticket!  Can't win if you don't buy a ticket!

Saturday Night In Death Valley!

Ok, so I wasn't actually in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night but it was still a great afternoon/night!!!

I headed out to Jill's house for an afternoon of shooting, dinner, and then the LSU-ULL football game! 

Now, I have never in my life shot a gun. Not even a bb gun! Let alone even handled one. I figured that if I were to shoot one, maybe I'd get over my fears.  So Jill offered to let me shoot some of hers!  I have to say, I really enjoyed it!!!  I was shaking like a leaf but I actually didn't do that bad!  I actually hit the target a few times!!!  Jill had me try out 3 different guns.  What they were, well, you'd have to ask her. LOL  I know I started out very easy and progressed up to guns with a lot of "kick". 

Can you tell how tense I am in the pictures?  LOL!  But I really did enjoy it!!!  Definitely a great stress reliever! 

We then had dinner.  Which Jill and her husband did a great job cooking!!!  Loved the taco soup!  She even made bread pudding for dessert!  One of my favorite desserts!

We all went and got daiquiris and then came back to watch the LSU game!  It was a great game!  We won!  Even better was when Washington beat USC!!! Yay!!!!!

I have to say that this Saturday was so much fun!!!!  It was definitely needed and appreciated!!!

Swine Flu Paranoia Gets Out of Hand

A friend of mine sent this to me in an email.  It made me laugh so I thought I'd share it with all of you!

Stressed!

Things have been so crazy lately!  I haven't even been able to stitch like I want to.  And the clock is ticking down to Christmas!!!! 

Work
Work has been crazy since early August.  We lost two employees at that time.  We are typically a staff of 6 but we are currently a staff of 4.  We are all feeling the effects!  I can't even tell if I am coming and going these days!  On Monday, I was so distracted I actually stood in front of my apartment door getting frustrated because the door would not unlock.  I was using the car's key fob.  Did you know that no matter how many times you hit "unlock", it won't open your home's door? Ugh!!!!

About a month ago, we did hire a new person.  There is no formal training though for what we do and well, it is kind of like being thrown to the wolves.  You throw them in and hope they land on their feet!!!  But with all the activities going on with work, it's hard to sit and hold someone's hand.  Even more difficult when the boss is making the new employee cry!  Yes, cry. 

We have a new person starting tomorrow. We have a lot going on in our office as we have 2 board meetings and a convention all on Friday.  That's just Friday.  Next week we have a dinner event and 2 board meetings (one of which is out of state). How do we hold the newest person's hand and not run them off while we are running around like chickens without heads!?

Personal Life
Obviously work is cutting into the personal life.  I'm a pretty low key person.  I am typically home on the weekends, not really doing a lot.  I can't remember the last time that happened.  For the past month I have had something to do every weekend.  It's not really a complaint but it doesn't leave much time to stitch or take a breath!!!!  I think, fingers crossed, this weekend and the next will be fairly quiet!  I would really like to sit down and get some stitching done!  Maybe read the book that my Dad recommended and lent to me!!!

I'm also still dealing with the loss of my sailor.  Sigh. The head is so smart, the heart is so stupid.

September
September has not been a favorite month of mine for quite a few years now.  September marks the anniversaries of my niece Payton's death and my cat Buddy's death.  It's been 6 years since Payton died in a freak accident.  It's been one year since Buddy had to be put to sleep.  Not to mention the anniversaries of hurricanes.  Blegh! Isn't there a song that says "Wake me when September ends"?  Yep, pretty  much how I feel. Well, I think I would want to wake up for the LSU football games.

I really don't like to use my blog to gripe but I felt the need to write.  It makes me better when I get it out.  I'm a "talker".  But I don't want to burden others so I rarely do it.  But this is my outlet.  Writing.

Thanks for reading.

Never Rains in Tiger Stadium

Here in Louisiana we have a saying: "It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium"  I don't know who or when this was originated but I have to say, there have been countless times that I have sat soaked on a Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. This Saturday was one of those days!

The day started with clouds and lots of rain.  By the time Jeff, Parker, Lisa and I made it to campus, it had stopped raining.  We had a great afternoon of shopping at the Union bookstore and tailgating with friends!  It was so great to catch up with old friends!!!

LSU Cookie Cake!  Too cute!

Lisa and her godson, Michael Jr.

Parker (Jeff in the back)

Then on to the game.  It still wasn't raining.  Would our luck hold out?  Unfortunately, no. 30 minutes prior to the game as we were sitting waiting for the pre-game to start, it started to sprinkle.  It did this through the first quarter.  2nd quarter, the heavens opened up!  We did have our ponchos which kept our upper bodies quite dry.  But for some reason, our entire back sides (although we were sitting) were soaked!  I literally had to peel my clothes off of me when I got home! 

Great view from our seats!

But nothing can ruin a Saturday night in Tiger Stadium!  We won, of course!  Currently 2-0. 

Before the rain!

Thanks everyone!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and opinions. I really appreciate it!

I am going to finish Dragon Knot. I've really enjoyed stitching on it and when it is finally done (one of these days!), I have many options to choose from as to what to do with it!

I have been doing some stitching this Labor Day weekend and hope to put up a status on Dragon Knot and another project this week.

Question

It's half time of the LSU game so I thought I would take the time to type up this question and see if anyone has a suggestion!

I've been working on Dragon Knot for quite a while now. I've put a lot of time and effort into it. This was intended to be a gift for a friend of mine, my sailor. Well, sadly, my sailor is no longer my sailor. To keep a long story short, we have had parting of the ways that I doubt will be resolved. So, I am left with this gorgeous piece that I am going to finish but I'm not sure what to do with it after it is done.

Any suggestions?