So relaxing....

I have had six days of NO work.  I didn't go anywhere. I had no plans. But it was such a relaxing time to be away from the stress of work.

On Wednesday, Mom and I went to New Orleans for an afternoon of shopping, dinner and then a LSU women's basketball game.  We had a blast.  We went to the Disney Store (we no longer have one in our town) where I bought some gifts for the kids and then bought myself a brand new Eeyore!  He is so soft and cuddly.  That's my favorite Disney character. We also visited Build-A-Bear where we picked up the Darth Vader costume for my nephew Parker's bear.  It is too cute!!!

Thursday was a quiet day.  Just my parents and I.  My sister, who lives in Austin, couldn't make it home because she works retail and had to work on Friday.  She slept in and went to her District Manager's house for dinner and then to Old Navy for some shopping.  Can you believe the number of stores that were open on Thanksgiving?  It is just plain ole ridiculous!!!

Friday, Black Friday, was another quiet day.  I did do a little bit of shopping.  I was able to get a present for my aunt since it has to be shipped. I also bought myself a few things.  I've been spoiling myself lately!  Watched the Auburn - Alabama football game.  Good game.  Too bad Alabama won.  I also put up my Christmas tree and other decorations.  Pulled out the stockings for Duke and me. Spent the evening watching tv by the glow of the Christmas lights.  So peaceful!  I love it!!!  Friday evening was spent stitching (yes! stitching finally!) and watching episodes 1-3 of The Tudors.

Saturday and Sunday were somewhat quiet days.  Spent the time cleaning the apartment and wrapping a few presents. The LSU - Arkansas football was a close call.  LSU ultimately won with a field goal in overtime but it was strangely very unsatisfying.  Even after a couple of glasses of wine!!!  Even the new uniforms were not very impressive.  Nike used Notre Dame gold for our helmets instead of the usual yellow gold.  Not very impressive.

I have no stitching update.  I was too busy having fun and relaxing and just doing nothing that I didn't make any significant progress on any of my projects!!!  :)  But that's ok!!!

Returned to work today.  It wasn't so bad.  But I do believe that I have an aversion to work.  I was completely fine my week of vacation but at 7 pm last night I came down with a terrible headache and then woke up this morning feeling nasty.  I think it is psychosomatic. LOL! 

Tonight is Monday Night Football!!!  Saints are going for an 11-0 record!  Can't wait!

First Day of Vacation

Today is my first day of six straight days of no work!  I have to say, it is pretty overwhelming!  I am not used to having so much time off! I don't quite know what to do with myself!

I started the day off by sleeping in till 9 am!  It felt so GOOD!  Duke even participated.  In fact, he was still in bed when I got out of the shower!  I guess he was feeling lazy too!!!

Treated myself to a movie: New Moon!  I was so excited to see it!  I know there are many people out there who do not like the Twilight series, but I am not one of them!  I adore the books and have liked the movies.  I can so appreciate the depression Bella sinks into when Edward leaves her!  Although she goes on with her life, there is a hole that is left in her.  Ahhhh!!!!  Romance!!!!  True love!!!!  What a way to escape my reality!

Did do a little bit of Christmas shopping.  Can't say what I bought, someone who I purchase gifts for might be reading this and the surprise will be ruined!

Now on to a few household chores.  It always amazes me how just me and the dog can create so much clutter!  Mostly that I loathe cleaning too so it piles up and piles up till I HAVE to do it because I can't stand it anymore!!!!  Also made the cranberry salad that I am in charge of for Thanksgiving.  It tastes better when it has "sat" for a while!

I hope to get some stitching done later on this week!  So much to do and wow! the time to do it!!!

The week update

Not much to report this week.  Just a few things.

Ringing the Bells
This past Wednesday, my co-worker and I did our annual 2 hours of ringing the bells.  For those who don't know, this is for the Salvation Army.  We stood outside one of the mall's entrances for 2 hours and ring bells in the hopes that someone will donate some money.  I have to say, people were quite generous this year!  I think that this was one of our best years!!!

Closure?
Talked to someone this week who I hadn't spoken to in months. Falling out, lack of communication, growing apart, misunderstandings, dishonesty - that pretty much covers what happened.  Regardless, I'm always the type that I want to talk things through.  I want to know the truth. Even if it is ugly.  I can honestly say that in this situation it didn't help as much as I thought it would. It wasn't hurtful in anyway, just didn't end up being what I thought it would.  I'm not sure what I thought that ending would be. But I think now, I can move forward.  A little more wiser, a little more wary.

Fresh Market
Saturday was rainy and ugly which of course was not conducive to me having to run errands. But I did!  One of my stops was to the grocery store, Fresh Market. Does anyone have one of these stores?  I ADORE this place.  I rarely go because I ended up buying a bunch of stuff I don't need!!!  I wanted to make myself a nice dinner for Saturday evening (I've been craving some red meat!), so I went to buy a nice steak.  I ended up with a portobello mushroom and mozzeralla cheese beef pinwheel, a double stuff potato, and a greek artichoke heart salad.  Yummy!!!  But that wasn't all.  I bought cheese, hummus, nuts, cranberries (fresh!), cheddar cheese biscuits, dipping pretzels, pita chips, and olives.  I think that is it! LOL  This place is just awesome.  I love their prepared foods.

Football
I will have to honestly say that I have never been as upset and sickened by a football game as I was by LSU's performance on Saturday night against Ole Miss. We have a quarterback who knows only how to get himself sacked and a coaching staff (making really good money) who do not know how to call a time out. They might as well have just handed the football to Ole Miss with a red ribbon tied around it and say "Here you go. You win."  Today, Sunday, LSU is a complete joke to the rest of the football community because they spiked the ball with one second left instead of kicking a field goal which could have won the game for us.

Thankfully, the Saints had a great game on Sunday and are now 10-0!  First time in franchise history!  Awesome!!!  It is so much fun to watch them!

My Pretty Car
I am so sad!  On Sunday morning, as I was going through the parking lot, a man in a black Honda pulled out of a parking spot and right into the front driver side above the tire of my car.  My pretty new car!  I've only had her 6 months!!!  Now she has a big ugly dent in her.  I'm ok other being so very angry!  I saw him coming right into me but there was no where for me to go and I didn't have time to hit my horn. The other car?  A scratch.  One little scratch!  I can't even describe the sound of the car as it scrunched under from the impact of his car.  Made me sick to my stomach!

That was my week.  Definitely lots of downs but I haven't let it get me down!!!!  That's the important thing!!!! I have ahead for me a VERY short work week.  I only work Monday. Yay!!!  Then shopping, cleaning, and decorating is on the agenda!!!  Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Update of Last Week

Boxes for the Troops
Last week was Veteran's Day. In honor of the day, our little office of 8 put together boxes for the troops. Also, one of our co-workers is the wife of a Major in the marines who has done 2 tours of duty.  She knows first hand how much cheer a box from home can bring.  With the help of my friend Jill and my mom, we had enough stuff to do 11 boxes!  I LOVE putting boxes together for the military.  It's a way to do a good deed for others and to feel good about yourself without a bunch of hoopla!  We all agreed that this is something we would like to do on a regular basis.

Renaissance Fair

Saturday was a beautiful day!  Beautiful blue skies. Sunshine. Cool weather.  It was a perfect day to be outside!  I started the day out by getting my hair cut and colored.  Changed up my color a bit.  Went dark brown with lots of red in it.  You can really see the red in it when out in the sun.  I am so loving it. It was time for a change!!!

Celestine, Jill, Joy and I all piled up in the car and went to Hammond for the Renaissance Fair.  It was a great afternoon spent outdoors looking at the different booths, watching a Birds of Prey show, a joust and the numerous people in costume.  Joy and I had some fun at the hat shop trying on hats.  I swear that Jill and Celestine were there with us, they are camera shy!

Stitching Update

This past week I focused on the Mad Tea Party.  I was just on a roll and felt like I was making great progress so I just had to keep on with it!

Random Thoughts

Stitching Questions
I've had a few questions on why I chose to do 2 over 1 on the Mad Tea Party.  I have successfully completed 2 HAEDs using 1 over 1.  I am currently stitching Dragon Knot 1 over 1.  I decided to do 2 over 1 because I am always reading about other stitchers who do that and I figured, if they can do it, I can do it!!!  Also, I wanted to see what the coverage would be like.  I can say that so far it is very much like a tapestry.  The stitches are very tight.  It's a little bit more difficult, but I am going to continue on with it!!!

Happy Thoughts
I just wanted to share this picture with everyone.  This is my niece Cassady.  This picture captures her so well!!!!  When she smiles, you can't help BUT smile!!!!  I look at this picture when I am feeling alone and blue.  Brightens the day up INSTANTLY!!!!

Updates!

Stitching

I have an update on two projects!  Yay me!!! 

The first one is Mad Tea Party.  This one is a HAED being stitched on 25 count, 2 over 2, correction!  2 over 1.  Thanks Nancy!  You are so right!  I do mean 2 over 1.  Sometimes my brain goes faster than my fingers! This is the first time I've done a HAED with two threads. Typically I only use one.  I like the coverage but it definitely makes it a little bit more difficult.

The second update is the baby quilt I am doing for my newest niece. It is stamped cross stitch.  Let me say it again, for the thousandth time, I LOATHE stamped cross stitch!!!

Weekend

It was such a lovely quiet weekend.  I've been so sick these days, it was great to stay at home and rest!!!  I watched the LSU game.  Yes, we loss. We won't dwell on that.  I also watched the Saints!!!  Who Dat!!!!  Yay!  They are 8-0!!!!  First time in the club's history! 

I also made enchiladas.  Yummy!  I used my grandmother's recipe.  They aren't hard to make but after making them this weekend, I remembered why I don't!  My tiny apartment kitchen just does not have the counterspace to make them!!!  They create such a mess!!! 

Jill came over for dinner.  I always am nervous when cooking for others.  But the enchiladas seemed to have been a hit with her.  I even sent some home with her. And there is, of course, more for leftovers! Yay!  No cooking for the next few days!  That's always a plus!

Totally Free

A co-worker and I ventured out to a local bakery, Totally Free, today.  We just thought we would see what they have.  They make goods WITHOUT gluten, sugar, dairy and eggs.  Yep!  What is possibly left to make a cookie or a muffin? We got some chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles.  I love snickerdoodles.  I didn't love these snickerdoodles.  They were very thick and unusual tasting.

Work

Another fun, exciting week of work.  Can you hear the sarcasm drip from the words?  The little man is in a mood, and not a good one either.  I hope I make it through the week.  My tongue may not survive as I may have to bite through it to not say any smart ass remark.  Wish me luck!

Some more random thoughts...

Fun!
I have been having such a blast lately!  I wouldn't trade it for anything!  But there have been consequences!  Laundry is piling up!  Furniture is going undusted! Carpet is not being vaccuumed!  Recorded television shows are piling up!  Oh well!  As Scarlett always said "Tomorrow is another day!"


Social Networking Sites (this is completely my opinion and many may disagree)
Most people, these days, have either a Facebook profile or a MySpace page.  I have both (but have to admit, much prefer the Facebook profile!).  It always amazes me what people will put out there for EVERYONE to see!  I love my Facebook profile because it has allowed me to catch up with so many old friends and family who live far, far away but never has it crossed my mind to put on my profile anything that I wouldn't normally tell any of those people or post something "inappropriate" on someone else's profile.  I have seen other profiles with sexual references or scantily clad pictures.  How inappropriate is that?  Not only can the whole world see it, but some of these people have children and now their children have been exposed to this "behavior." Not to mention the ramifications it can cause in your professional life. I think that at times people have "brain farts" or perhaps they have no brain!?

Ok, enough of me grandstanding on my soap box......

Christmas!
Christmas is coming!  And as the HAED website has so graciously once again put up the countdown, we now know that it is about 51 days away!  And since I have been having so much fun, I am WAY BEHIND on getting my Christmas stitching done!  So my fingers have been flying as fast as they can the past few evenings!!!  To the point that I can literally say that I my blood is in the projects! LOL!  I've pricked my finger one time too many!

V
Who remembers from the 1980s the mini-series and tv show V?  About aliens who come down to Earth to co-exist "peacefully" with humans but actually looking to harvest us as food?  I do!  I was just a little kid but I remember watching it all. I'm not one for aliens but for some reason, the lizard alien people fascinated me! I have two questions: Who is going to watch the new pilot of V?  and Did the tv producers already run out of ideas that they are now having to re-make shows that didn't make it before?

Ok, these were just some random thoughts that have been rambling through my brain lately!  I promise that one of my goals this week is to put up progress pictures on the things I've been stitching/bleeding on!

Halloween Weekend

There was a time, not too long ago, had someone had told me that I would be having so much fun I would not have believed them!  This Halloween weekend was so much fun!

Friday night started the weekend off.  Jill and I went to a late dinner at Zea's where we had some great food!  Then we were off to the 10 pm showing of Rocky Horror at the local community theatre.  The production company that was putting it on is owned by a friend of mine, Chris.  They did an excellent job!  We laughed and smiled so much!!!  Gasps of shock as the actors came out in their lingerie and laughter as the actors mingled among the audience.

Saturday was a beautiful day!  Cool temperatures. Blue skies. A perfect day for Halloween.  Jill and I went down to campus to spend the day. First was the baseball team's national championship ring ceremony.  The whole team was there with the exception of two players.  One was in the Dominican Republic playing baseball and the other was Chad Jones, he was getting ready for the football game.

After the ring ceremony, it was FOOTBALL TIME!  We made it over to the hill in time to see the band come down the hill.  A great tradition everyone should see at least once!  Then on to the game.  We were playing Tulane.  So, while it wasn't exactly an exciting game, it was still a great night!  A win is a win. No matter who it is against.

It was a weekend of firsts for Jill.  She'd never been to Rocky Horror.  Never been in the new Alex Box Stadium.  Never been to an LSU football game. It was a great time!  A wonderful weekend!