fabric score

Oh, my last quiet day of the season, the kids come back tomorrow morning!

Yesterday I went to the Habitat for Humanity store... you'll never guess what I got. Before I went to bed the other night I made a list of things I wanted to do this week before my next classes start (Jan. 9) and one of my "to do's" was to SEW. I have been doing some stuff, used to make costumes for the church programs, etc... but have been seeing on line that making crazy dolls and stuffed animals is the new, funky craft.... so I have wanted to try my hand. I have always wanted to try quilting, too, and just got some books on fabric crafts and quilting from the library. My students all love making stuff from fabric, especially little clothespin dolls, even the boys.

I go to H. for H., with the last two dollars to my name before payday..... I see some fabric on a table, most yucky, one roll of white for $1 which would be good for faces, I troll around the rest of the store and find nothing worth spending my other dollar on, so I walk back to the fabric table and notice a box under it....there are all kinds of scraps in there, I poke thru a bit, and notice a sticker on the flap that reads "$1 - box". I drag the pretty heavy box over to an older woman working there, who is directing men bringing in some donated furniture... I ask her, "Is this the real price, one dollar for the box or for a bag full?" She asks an even older woman, who looks at the box and says, "Yes, a dollar for the whole thing. I didn't feel like sorting the whole box, so go ahead and have it all. It'll be good for quilters."

Bring the box home, dump it on the living room floor, and find not only scraps but big lengths of pretty fabric, some ugly fabric, lace, ribbons, pipe cleaners, pillow squares, a duck pattern, a teddy bear pattern, some squares already cut for quilts... it was a JACKPOT. My guardian angels scored a slam dunk for me today, I am a lucky girl. Some for me, some for my students, maybe even make some stuff to sell.

Yay!

Merry Christmas noise, noise, noise.....

Merry, Merry Christmas! Gifts for kids were a success, all the Rasta skateboard hardware, wheels and attire came in time for the almost 17 year old, the video game extravaganza arrived for the 14 year old, and the 13 year old girl is loving the Nintendogs and DS... puppy dog's name is "Pete", by the way, "Hamilton" was way too much for the voice recognition system. We did have a lot of fun today, I love this holiday. Eldest and youngest and I went to see Chronicles of Narnia today, Middle decided to stay home and have total access of the computer and television for a few hours. It was so hot and sunny, not very Christmasy. It rained this morning, I always hold out hope that a massive cold front would pour in and whip that rain into snow, maybe at least once this winter. So, the morning ended up with kid on couch with DS, kid on tv playing Soul Caliber III PS2, and kid on computer transferring rap songs onto his MP3 player, singing loudly with earplugs in his ears.

Which brings me to my thought for the day: why wouldn't a college educated woman not realize that the Nintendog game required LOTS and LOTS of talking by a kid that already doesn't stop talking? "Pete. Pete. Pete. PETE. Good dog. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Pete. Pete. Pete. Sit. Sit. Sit." and so on. Hmm. Soul Caliber III has it's share of user-yelling, too. Can't lay blame to the rap music though, Daddy bought that MP3. Perhaps I am not the only family member developing Alzheimer-ish tendencies.

The boys are in the living room watching Pulp Fiction. Nothing says "let's celebrate the birth of the Savior" like watching Vincent Vega, so says the boys. Jade is upstairs watching TV in my room. Rednecks outside shooting off fireworks. Ah, Christmas in the south. Boom!

living in the sun, dreaming under the moon

The kids are with their Dad until tomorrow. The house is quiet, but peacefully so.. I can remember the first few years post divorce, when they would leave I would just dissolve in tears around Christmas. They would leave on Christmas afternoon, so the build up of the holiday and excitement of Christmas morning would just come crashing down with the closing of the front door. My best buddy Harry used to save me by insisting on dragging me outside, to either walk up Sugarloaf Mtn. or walk through Atalya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park, etc. What a blessing that man was to me in those years! Now that Shawn is in Wilmington, he prefers to have them before Christmas and I get them on Christmas Eve. A bit of quiet before the day has been welcome, and a nice time to reflect on the year.

I have so much to be grateful for this year, and I am very aware of how blessed I am. It seems like every bad/sad/awful thing has occured to get me to this particular place in time... teaching children and disabled people, friends that I adore, and kids that are happy and doing well. Money is tight, but I am better off than most of the nation in that I have a place to live and food to eat, car to drive, etc. I could be married and be snuggled next to my soul mate each night, but I have friends that I love and joy in my day. I could be in Maine, but I have a phone that I can call home each day and SC is pretty darn mild this time of year. I could be skinnier, but my arms/legs/eyes/ears/etc. all work and I am happy to be healthy. All in all, I have lots to be thankful for, and for that I am grateful.

Merry Almost Christmas to All, and may 2006 be the best new year ever.

JP

living in the sun, dreaming under the moon

Finally figured out how to get photos on the blog!!

Here I am with the old haircut. got some bangs now, and it's shorter, not so messy. My daughter Jade likes this picture better than my other dorky ones.

Quote for the day

I wrote a letter to my friend Lee today, complaining about cleaning the house... and in the letter, I state the following:

"I am sick of cleaning. I really want to marry a wealthy man with a large staff."

of course, I meant maids! Seriously! I mean, don't go all Freudian on me, jeesh, I mean honestly, I meant domestic help!

But honestly, good for a giggle on a cold and rainy Monday.

More pictures, still learning....

Well now that I know how to put up photos, let's just get some up there! These are some stuff I have painted:

This is a wall hanging for my friend Nicole's baby, Kennedy.



My son Dylan wants to use the computer now, so off I go... he is very out numbered now that Dirk is in Maine... lucky boy will have the ration evened out soon... Dirk is coming home for Thanksgiving, YAY!!! I will now try to get a picture of the guys up here... cross my fingers....

Okay, I am an idiot... I have no idea how to turn the picture of the kids and Grandma eating lobsters this summer right side up. You'll have to turn sideways, sorry!

INFP - "Questor". High capacity for caring. Emotional face to the world. High sense of honor derived from internal values. 4.4% of total population.

Free Jung Personality Test (similar to Myers-Briggs/MBTI)

Arizona

I have a fantasy. No, it's not some kind of Penthouse Forum crap, it's an actual real tangible fantasy. It goes like this: I get really stressed out over my kids, my bills, my life... and I then hit a moment of madness next to calm where I think.... screw this... I AM MOVING TO ARIZONA.

I remember the first time I ever uttered it. My ex, Shawn, was deep in the throes of his affair with ***** and his guilt was causing the usual "blame the wife" stuff... me, 29 year old meek and mild virgin bride me at the time, blamed myself for everything he supposedly found fault with.... I looked him in the eye on the couch and said, "You know, you are right... I really am awful... I think it may be best for you and the kids if I just move far far away, maybe I should just leave and move to Arizona."

He looked at me with bewilderment, amusement, and probably fear of having to take care of three little kids and said... "Honey, don't even think of doing that!"

That clinched it. That peaceful feeling of release became then and forever my favorite fantasy.

Arizona. Don't know a soul there, but I love the pictures. I could drive out there, get a job... waitressing probably, although I can't waitress... okay, maybe a job at a school or painting.... I make friends, send some postcards to my kids and my mom, and live anonymously. Live simply, flirt with some nice tanned guys, and let Shawn take care of the kids.

Well, they are much older now, almost 17, 14 and 13.... and today was a prime day for the Arizona thought. I've done it all so far, alone for the past almost 8 years, and maybe I really should do this. Just .... go. My friend Lee, who I just told the secret fantasy to tonight, said that Shawn would be offering me money and incentives to stay immediately... kids would cramp his country club life way too much. And *****, imagine her horror... kids messing up her house daily instead of once or twice a month!!!

Ah, Arizona. How I love you.

Quiet Saturday

Just got off the phone with Mom, she did some Christmas shopping today (I haven't even started) and I finished some PTO stuff with Teresa, my neighbor, and then alternated from checking my e-mail (three accounts) and repainting the master bathroom. I am going thru a 'shabby chic' phase- i.e., everything is going lighter and whitewashed. So, the area in between my bedroom and the shower/toliet area that was formally bright salmon is now going to be a pale spring green. Most people would need to run to the store to buy primer, new rollers, brushes and paint... but lucky me always has tons of everything at my disposal. Even a full gallon of gloss white enamel to repaint the woodwork and vanity. Lord, I am a paint geek.

I just read this scary article that Pat Robertson (crazy Christian 700 Club guy) just denounced a PA town, telling them since they voted out creationism in their schools that basically they are asking for the wrath of God. I admit, watching the aftermath of Katrina the thought did cross my mind that God is pissed and ready for retribution, but who gives P.R. the right to give an apocolyptic warning to this poor town? The news, the world, the weather...it's all getting pretty depressing.

My solution? I leave off the news and paint, even if it is just another room in my house.

First

Here it is, my first "blog". I have been a voyeur for years, reading and enjoying blogs that other people have done and haven't taken the plunge... why? As much as I love to write, I am hoping that this will inspire me to be serious about my creativity. So, I vow to paint more, sketch more, write more, and change bad habits. Right after this third cup of coffee. Cheers!