Maverick's

I just remembered why I dont like running.

2009-08-05T21:27:00.004-04:00

During my first week of running I started having some mild shin splints. Nothing major, just some minor pain and aches Well, they have reared their hateful, painful little heads. Today's running training was to be 6 intervals of 90 seconds of running, with 2 minutes of walking in between. I was also in need of a 3 mile walk for the 3-day training. I decided to just put the two together, and finish up the runs with a little extra walking.......I made it through the runs, while they were each increasingly painful, I managed to finish them. I then finished my cool-down walk, and started up on my last mile of walking. And then things started to fall apart. It hurt, a lot, a whole whole whole lot. Despite this I kept telling myself I could make it. It was only 1 mile, and I could certainly finish up 1 silly little mile. Then, up in the distance I see someone walking, only the longer I watch him, the more I realise he isn't walking but staggering, and stopping, and staggering, oh yes, and Mr. McDrunkpants didn't have on any shoes. I then decide that I do NOT want to pass this man, and slow up a bit hoping he will go down a side street, and away from my path. only he does not, and I am still quickly gaining on him. Unfortunately slowing my pace has giving my shin time to scream at me. I start to think their are evil little men dancing on the nerve endings in my shin, and surely they are wearing spiked shoes. I have to turn early down my street and head for home. I am too afraid to pass sir drinksalot, and the pain is now so intense I am ready to sit down in the middle of the street and cry. So now I sit here, with you, my bloggy friends, and two bags of frozen veggies for the next 10 minutes. I am so disappointed. I want more than anything to be able to prove to myself that I can do this 5k in October, and I do understand that it is still a ways away, but if the pain continues with such intensity, I don't know if I will be able to run. And this my friends makes me very very very sad. I haven't given up yet, but things better improve.

I've done a crazy crazy thing......

2009-08-03T22:53:00.003-04:00

I have two very healthy, very fit friends Kate and Michele, who are committed to distance events like triathlons, the 3-day, and running events. They have been a huge part of keeping me motivated to continue with my training. My team captain for the 3-day decided she wanted to sign up for a marathon in February of next year, and pretty much talked me into the half-marathon. Before that though, there is a 5k in Jacksonville beach. In my mind a 5k is a good place to start. Now I know many of you think 5k, that's only 3.1 miles! My issue is, I don't run. I don't like it, it hurts, my lungs burn, my legs burn, my feet hurt in short, i think running sucks! But somewhere in my mind I keep saying why not. Start small, surely you can run for a minute. Build on that, one tiny second at a time. I am just now starting my second week of running, and even though I still don't like it so much. It is something I want to prove to that self-doubting voice that has lived in my head for so many years, that I CAN. My one minute of running, is now two, and next week 3. Slowly but surely I will build my bridge. Maybe when I am fit, and no longer lugging around an extra 90 pounds I'll compete in a triathlon with Kate. I can't say never anymore! And to think it all started with a little walk. OK so 60 miles isn't a little walk, but I remember months ago when a 3 mile walk was pure torture. Now a 7 mile walk is nothing to me. If only those stupid blisters would quit rearing their ugly little heads!!!

Interview!

2009-07-23T16:43:00.001-04:00

I was recently interviewed for mandy's blog, check it, and her out here....

Two Roads

2009-07-16T22:48:00.003-04:00

Two Roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Why would you walk 60 miles in 3 days? Why would you give up your own free time to raise $2300? Why would to sacrifice your time, money, and energy? Because I have to travel this road.

My sister was everything. I found myself through her. She was an amazing scholar, writer, and strong beautiful woman. Fate, and cancer stole her away from me.

I can clearly remember the day she called to tell me she had cancer. Devastated is not nearly a strong enough word to explain how I felt. In my family, cancer is a death sentence. My uncle died of leukemia less than a month after his diagnosis. My father died of lung cancer, after a long, painful battle. And now, now my healthy beautiful sister was calling me from 1000 miles away to tell me she had sarcoma. I did not dare tell her how afraid I was. The pain I felt knowing she was going to have to call each of my family members and tell them she had cancer sucked the very breath out of my chest. I WOULD NOT CRY to her. She did not need my tears; she had enough of her own. I knew at that very moment she was going to be lost to me forever. Everyone I knew tried to convince me to be positive, and I tried to be. By all outward appearances it looked as though I felt she would overcome this, all the while there was a burning pit in my stomach that nagged at me, and told me otherwise. I was positive for her, knowing that being in a hopeful, healthy environment would improve her chances.

My sister, being the Bolshevik that she was, named her tumor Fred. We hated Fred. Drop dead Fred. They biopsied Fred, they cut Fred out in an operation that would ravage my poor sister’s arm. But Fred left Fredlettes. Fred had moved his rebel colony to her lungs. Not good. Not good at all. Yet, somehow, she still faced this with poise, grace, and an amazingly strong will and determination. She would get the Fredlettes too. The doctors tried to eliminate the hateful things. Chemo, radiation, painful surgery to cut out parts of her lung. But there were just too many, and they grew too fast. No amount of toxic cocktails, and slices with a knife would kill Fred or his minions.

My sister STILL did not feel sorry for herself, nor did she want anyone’s pity. She was so grateful just to have every day, no matter if it was a bad day full of pain, or a good one watching the Kentucky Derby with me all decked out in derby hats.

Over 2 years Fred did his damage, until finally on December 14, 2008 at the young age of 32 she flew up to heaven on the wings of angels. My rock was gone. I suddenly did not know who I was. I stood alone, and afraid to move forward. All of my life stopped. I was suddenly living in limbo. For many years I had contemplated the Breast Cancer 3-Day. And many times, I walked the other way.

I do not remember how I found out the actual date of the event in 2009. But there it was, the last day, November 1. Screaming at me. The last day of the walk in 2009 was my sister’s wedding anniversary. But, not only was the walk on her anniversary, she lived in Tampa for many years.

So there I stood, at a fork in the road, waiting, in limbo. When suddenly, fate dropped this gem in my lap. I knew it was a sign. Some higher power was at work, telling me that the path forward was right there staring me in the face. I could not walk away this time.

Many people do not understand my motive. “Your sister had sarcoma not breast cancer, why are you walking for breast cancer?” Cancer is cancer folks. It sucks, it hurts, it kills, and it takes families and rips them down. If by raising $2300 and walking 60 miles would save one single family from this fate, it would be worth it. This is not to say that facing this road did not scare the holy hell out of me. My initial thought was "I will never be able to raise that much money". I will never be able to walk 60 miles. But one baby step at a time I am traveling that road. Sometimes faltering, and even falling. But at each stumble and step I know my sister is right there beside me, doing what a big sister does best. She has given me courage, determination, and most of all hope. It is no surprise to me that her middle name is Hope. I have raised above and beyond the minimum, and though a few months ago walking 3 miles seemed impossible, I am not walking 7 miles back to back two days a week.

I met an amazing team captain, which could very well be my long lost twin. She graciously changed our team name to Walking for Hope. That small simple gesture was one I cannot thank her enough for, or every show her just how much it meant to me. Where my sister has given me silent support, Michele has held my hand, and kept me motivated, when I was ready to quit. She has praised me, and encouraged me. In only a few weeks she became the best friend I have ever had. I could never repay her for all the light she has brought into the darkness that my life became when I lost my sister. She has taken up some of that empty space left in my heart when my sister left. Of course there will always be a hole where she was, but Michele has filled some of that gap quite nicely. There are others too that have taken up residence in that pit in my heart. Kate, who also inspires me to keep walking, and warms my soul like no one else. And of course Liz, who was able to be there for my sister when distance kept me from her. She held Angie's hand, and did all of the things I would have done had I been able to. I may have lost my sister, but I seem to have gained 3 more in the end.

I walk because it eases my pain. I walk because it brings me closer to what I have left of my sister. I walk because I hate cancer. I walk, because standing there in limbo for the rest of my life is not an option. We must all move forward at some point in our lives, and if we really listen, and look closely we will discover what it is that is nudging us every so gently forward.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

~Robert Frost~

my cool surprise

2009-04-30T22:51:00.005-04:00

So this is where I went.....

And this is why I went.....

I bought this, and then got a ticket and stood in line for 2 hours.....

To meet her!!!!! (yea that is my large backside I am so generously sharing with you)

This was my reward!!!!! Now how cool is that!!!!! I think Kate and her family are awesome. Yes, sometimes Kate can be a bit anal and bossy, but it is truly out of love. Her book is fantastic, and it shows a side of her that we don't see as much of on TV. Also TLC was recording and I may just end up being on the show!!!!! How cool is that!!!!!!!! I hope hope hope they use some footae with me in it!!!

chickens!

2009-04-29T21:13:00.002-04:00

The other night I asked Monkey in passing if we could get a chicken. (if you don't already know my kitchen is overtaken by chicken decor, seriously it's gotten a bit out of hand) I did not imagine in my wildest dreams that he would actually agree, but to my utter amazement he said yes! Now we have to find plans for a suitable coop, and run, and I have to decide what type of chickens I want, and from where I will buy them! I discovered that one chicken would get lonely, so we will have to get two. Monkey still agreed! The man must really love me to bring home two more pets AND build me a chicken coop!!! I also have a surprise to share with you all from the other night, but it involves searching for the cord to my new camera, and downloading pictures. I've been staring at this computer screen however for 5 hours now studying, and I think it will just have to wait. Stay tuned though!!!!!!

Just a quick post to get in the groove.....

2009-04-15T23:58:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I just don't know what to say. I think I have a bit of blogger's block. I feel a bit uninteresting most of the time....

Th 3-day journey is going well though. I am 57% of my $2300 goal. Yippie!!! I am so amazed at the generosity of people! So much unexpected support is sooo heartwarming. I think I needed to go through this journey partly just because I was loosing faith in the human race. I have been so pleasantly surprised!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

2009-04-02T22:29:00.003-04:00

Today was my birthday! Nothing extra special, except for the fact that my mother made me the best gift I have EVER been given for ANY occasion. Mom and I have been making teddy bears to sell to raise funds for my walk. In the process of digging through our boxes of fabric we came across the extra scraps from my sisters' and my wedding dresses. Mom said something about using it to make bears to sell, and I was completely against that idea. There was no way I was going to give up that little piece of my sister. When I opened my gift from mom though, I was stunned. She had taken the scraps from our dresses, and made me two matching bears. There could have NEVER been a better gift. These bears mean so so so much to me. The timing, the fabric, the fact that I am doing all this work for the 3-day in memory of Angie. Just thinking about these bears brings a tear to my eye. Thanks mom, you took what I thought was the saddest birthday I have ever had, and given me a joy that I simply do not have the words to express. You are the best!

I want my damn sister

2009-03-25T21:30:00.003-04:00

I'm in a funk again. Or maybe I never really left the one I was in. I want my damn sister. Liz, Kate and I have all been thinking about her. I was ready to post an epic comment when Liz bared her soul here, but I figured it would be better to just get it all out on my own blog. I am starting to believe that there is NOTHING that really makes the pain better. I dont get comfort, in the notion that my sister didn't die in vain, or even to serve some greater purpose. Not even God could save her. He did not do it to punish her, or us. He did not do it to teach us a lesson, he did not do it because I had done some sort of evil. He did not do it becasue she had done something evil. Not long before she passed I read the book "when bad things happen to good people" , and it really changed my life. While it does not give the awnsers of why, it explains why there really is no awnser at all. God created nature, and along with that came disease and illness, which sometimes proves fatal. He does not pick and choose who is affected. It is just not the way nature works. He does however cry with us. He is just as sad to see one of us suffer. Our faith would not be what it is if God initervend on behalf of the pure of heart. While I do not believe that he controls us, or intervenes in the laws of nature, I do believe that he presents us with opportunity. My sister could just have eaisly fallen to cancer. The last time I talked to her I was completly honest with her, and the fact that I found it hard to be as strong as she was. She asked me "if someone told you tommorow you were as sick as I am and that you were not going to live what would you do?" My awnser then was the same as it is now. I don't know. But that is ok. I don't ahve to know. I have to take each day, and do my best to be greatful. To apreciate that I even woke up that day. She was in so much pain, and still she managed to have an amazing poize, and grace. I am ashamed that I do not wake up like that every day. It is hard to be thankful for each day when each day is another day without her. Her birthday was hard, and I thought once it passed things would start to get better. But they just haven't. My heart hurts, no matter how hard I try to ignore, or supress or hide it. What is worse, is that I can forget that she is gone. Since she lived in Arkansas, and I live in Florida we didn't talk constantly. I cannot count the times where I have thought about calling her, and only then remember that she isn't there to call anymore. I just expect her to be there. It does not help that I keep having a recurring dream that she did not die. She was my best friend. When I needed advice, or wanted to hear someone tell me good job, or keep your chin up, she was there. Sure, there are lots of people who will do that for me, but it just isn't the same. I need that bond. I want to feel that comfortable with someone. I want to cry to someone without having to feel like I have to hold back. I cannot be that free with anyone right now. Monkey worries about me constantly, as does mom. I do not want to add to their worry with my tears. I just want to sit down with someone who will hold my hand and listen, and let my cry. Someone who will cry with me, and let me say the not so nice things that are eating me up without trying to explain them, or repremand me for it. I'm mad, i'm sad, i'm hurt, and I want my sister.

Mile 32!

2009-03-12T21:42:00.006-04:00

I am now 32 miles into my training, and I think I may have actually conquered the stupid blisters! I took a little break to give my feet a chance to heal so I could really see if I had solved my blister problems. I had two 3 mile walks this week and I am so happy to say that I am blister free! My miracle seems to be a combo of large quantities of Vaseline, and these fantastic thorlos socks!

The have great padding at the toes and heels, but none in the middle where you don't really need it. I just hope that this wonder combo will continue to work when I am walking longer and longer distances. Unfortunately not all my pains are completely gone, because I seem to have developed some pain in the pads behind my big toes. I will have to do some investigating to see what this may be caused by and what I can do to remedy it. I probably need to invest in those $50 dollar insoles, but I am just feeling a little cheap at the moment. Fifty dollars is a lot of money for a little foam doo-dad. I suppose it is worth it though if it keeps me from pain. We'll have to see....

Moving forward....

2009-03-02T19:44:00.004-05:00

The time is now.

I feel as though up until this point I have been in limbo. Since my sister's passing I have been waiting. Waiting for days, waiting for things to happen, waiting for signs, answers, clues. I don't know that I have been given all that I have been searching for, but I know that now is the time for me to start a new journey. This year is going to be a whirlwind of change. I know that the 3-day walk is going to change me. I hope to be able to change my eating and exercise habits in the process. I am looking forward to the emotionally and mental changes the walk will bring. Not one person whom I have spoken to about the walk has said that it was anything less than life-altering. Proudly, I am now for the first time in my life a real college student. I put off taking any sort of courses for years for fear that they would be wasted on me. I never could decide what I wanted to do when I grew up. I am now enrolled, and working on becoming a medical transcriptionist. I will be able to find a job where I can work from home on my own schedule. I am just not cut out for a 9 to 5. I don't do mornings, and I am becoming increasingly cynical towards society. To be blunt I am sick and tired of the stupidity of the public. I do not understand how people make it through life when they cannot understand the most simple of concepts. Also, in the next year or two John and I will be thinking about expanding our family, and this position will make raising children the way I always hoped for a reality. I am beginning to feel like an adult, and not just a child playing dress up. I have known for a long time that I am much more mature than most people my age, but I am only now accepting this, and allowing myself to embrace it. I have fought it for far too long, and was not comfortable in my own skin because of it. I am ready to start leaving my mark on this world. The time to start moving forward is right now. I leave you with this clip from the 3-day. I only hope it inspires YOU to leave your mark, in whatever way that may be.

No good very bad day

2009-02-18T22:06:00.003-05:00

This is how we started our day.

Monkey meet the street. Thank God he ALWAYS wears jeans long sleeves and his helmet, or this could have ended in a trip to the ER. As it is, he is only suffering from a mildly bruised butt, and a VERY VERY bruised pride. Poor Monkey, he loves his motorcycle. It is/was his pride and joy. One of the few things in his life that he bought just for himself, for his own enjoyment. I am just so thankful that the only thing hurt was the bike. It can be fixed, a broken Monkey is much harder to repair.

Thank you all for your thoughts today, it made an incredibly hellacious day a little bit easier to swallow knowing that we were all on the same page. Hugs to you all!

Happy Birthday Angie.

2009-02-17T23:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Angie.

I love you.

I miss your smile.

I miss your laugh.

I miss your way with words.

I miss your grace.

I miss your style.

I miss your hope,

your faith,

your love.

I miss the joy you brought to everyone who came into your life.

I miss the way you used to hiss at things you didn't like.

I miss your red pen moments.

I miss you dumping wet barbies on my bed in the mornings.

I miss watching movies with you.

I miss your gumbo, and your enchiladas.

I miss you singing silent night to me on Christmas eve.

I miss the great herbal remedies you had for me at a moments notice.

I miss your long beautiful hair that always smelled like flowers.

I miss your hugs.

I miss the love of my sister.

I miss every single thing about you, great or small.

I miss you.

It's time to hide

2009-02-12T21:19:00.006-05:00

I am sorry I have sort of disappeared, and I apologize in advance for the coming week. You see my sweet sister Angela's 34th birthday will have been on the 18th next week, and I am finding it a bit difficult to face. I am still walking, and as soon as I am feeling a bit better I will definitely be back. I just need to go to ground (in the words of my own sister) until this passes. I love you all and will be back soon.

Not too much to say...

2009-02-09T21:59:00.002-05:00

Sunday's walk was fairly uneventful. Probably just as nice as Saturday's though. It's amazing what some beautiful nature can do for the mood. I am about 90% sure that the blisters on my heels are on the mend finally. They don't seem to have gotten any bigger, and still aren't causing me any pain. I am a bit disappointed in my digital camera though, as it seems to have decided that it doesn't like sim cards and keeps having issues with them no matter what kind i try to use in it. I wanted to take some pictures on my walk by the celery fields, but my sassy little camera decided that it just wasn't going to happen. I am not a morning person, but I am going to have to do my 3 miles before work tomorrow as I am going to be a lipstick model tomorrow evening after work! lol! One of the ladies at the church is a Mary Kay rep, and she asked me and my good friends Michele and Dee to help her out. She said I would get some make-up out of the deal, and I think it will be a lot of fun, so why the heck not!!! Hopefully it won't be too dark in the morning, it makes me so nervous walking alone in the dark. I'm such a scaredy-cat!

Training week 1 day 4

2009-02-07T23:01:00.002-05:00

Today's walk was simply fantastic. I don't yet know if the blisters got worse, because I covered them with 2nd skin bandages. I'm not quite sure what the difference today was, but I was just completely in tune. I walked down past the old celery fields, and got to see TONS of different kinds of birds. The weather was perfect, my feet were feeling great, there was great scenery. Once I hit my turn around point I felt so good that I decided to just keep going. I didn't want to push myself too much though, because I had forgotten my phone and had no way to call for help if I needed it. My goal tomorrow is to walk 6 miles. I am just amazed at how easily I have been able to adapt to all this walking. Last Sunday I struggled to complete a 3 mile walk, and today I was ready to push myself further than I had gone before. I feel like I really want to put myself to the test, and prove to myself that I can do ANYTHING I push myself to do. It has also done wonders for my mental health. Having an hour completely to myself every other day has be incredibly cathartic. I think about Angie a lot. I often feel like she is right there walking beside me cheering me on, telling my to take life by the reigns and go for it. I cannot imagine how I am going to feel in October when the walk is finally here. I want to thank you all again for your support and kind words. Knowing that you are all pulling for me and cheering me on is a great inspiration. I just hope that as this journey continues I find the fundraising as easy as the walking!

Training week 1 day 3

2009-02-05T22:01:00.004-05:00

You guessed it, the blisters STILL have not subsided. I was happy to discover that the spot I thought was a blister between my toes is not actually a blister after all. Unfortunately I am still fighting the same two blisters on the insides of my heels. While they are not getting a whole lot bigger, they again grew on today's walk. I stopped a few times to slather them up with Vaseline, and it did seem to keep them from getting a lot bigger. Today was supposed to be just another 3 mile walk, but it was only another mile to walk to Fit 2 Run where I bought my second pair of shoes. The guy who I bought the shoes from was there, and I showed him the little buggers. He re-laced my shoes so that hopefully my heels will be more secure, and not slip so much. He really thought that it was just that since I was only skipping every other day walking that the blisters I got from the asics were just getting enough friction to keep them from getting better. He also showed me a second skin blister kit, and I used it to bandage my boo-boos. I have tried covering them with moleskin, and corn doughnuts, and band-aid blister pads, but my feet sweat so darn much that they just fall off. Lets hope the adhesive on the second skin is stronger, and a bit more water resistant (yuck). I did however not have ANY shin ache today at work or while walking! I think maybe my legs just needed to get used to being active again. I was also really worried about being cold since it was only in the low 40's, but my nice new pants, and the great jacket mom helped me sew were just right. All blisters aside it was a pretty nice walk. I had no problems at all walking an extra mile. I am really surprised at how well my body has reacted to all this exercise. It has to be in total shock going from zero activity to walking 10 miles in a week. Yippee 10 miles, only another 7 or 800 more to go.....

Recovery...

2009-02-04T22:19:00.003-05:00

Ugh, thank goodness for these rest days in between. I dug out the heating pad last night and saw tons of improvment on the muscle aches I was having in my shins. Unfortunatly the blister that started on my heel on Sunday has indeed grown. Hopefully tommorows walk won't make it any worse. While I did cover it with moleskin on tuesday when I walked my feet sweat so much it just came off. I'm not sure what I will try to keep it from getting worse tommorow. I am doing everything I should to prevent the blisters, but they still seem to be rearing their ugly heads. I wore fancy wicking socks that had no cotton in them, I got good fitting shoes that were nice and meshy. I even bought bodyglide and smeared it on my feet. Damn blisters! I will conqure you!!!!! Hopefully tommorow's walk won't turn me into a popsicle, it is supposed to be unusually cold.

Training week 1 day 2

2009-02-03T22:32:00.004-05:00

Well, I decided that I needed to look into my shoe issue after I developed blisters so quickly, and was able to find a nice pair of Adidas shoes in a wide size. They seem to be a much better fit! Today was my second day of walking. It wasn't nearly as easy as my first walking day, because the muscles on the outsides of my shins was pretty sore. I managed though to walk through it , and with the help of some good music I started to forget the aching. I walked another 3 miles in an hour. Unfortunately one of the blisters I got from my first pair of shoes got a tiny bit bigger. I didn't put anything on it before I set out because it wasn't really bothering me, and since I had better fitting shoes, and nice fancy socks I didn't think it would be necessary. I did also get a new small blister between my toes. Hopefully I will be able to deal with these blister issues quickly and not have that problem for long. There was a woman at the shoe store that went so far as to promise me that I would get them during the walk. That however just made me more determined NOT to get one! I have 9 months to prepare, and figure out how to avoid the blisters, and I fully intend on doing it. Tomorrow is another rest day, and I am supposed to walk another 3 miles on Thursday, hopefully my shins will be feeling better and I won't have to skip out. Thank you all for your sweet words of encouragement, it really helps to keep me up and going. And if you have ANY tips please let me know, I can take all the advice I can get!

Training

2009-02-01T22:55:00.002-05:00

I registered for the breast cancer 3-day in Tampa this year! I even got a new pair of tennies and started training today. I was lucky enough to find some nice asics gel-frantic 3 shoes on clearance at Kohls. Now I just need to hunt down a second pair. Sunday this week was a 3 mile walk in 1 hour. When I set out it was more of an experiment than anything, because I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk that far, let alone walk that far in an hour. It was surprisingly easy though. I didn't really have any troubles with the pace or the distance. Hopefully I won't be changing my tune in the morning! I guess just because I am fully padded that doesn't mean that I'm not able to haul all this weight around. Hopefully all this walking and training will help me shed a lot of the extra pounds I have added on. I did however develop a few small blisters that I will have to deal with before I push myself too far. From what I have heard blisters are the mortal enemy of the 3-day walker. Hopefully I will get my battles with the blisters over with before October. If any of my dear blogging friends out there would be willing to donate towards my $2300.00 goal I will be forever grateful!!! Just visit the link in my sidebar, and follow the directions from there.

the good things

2009-01-30T20:55:00.002-05:00

Yummy cheap pink champagne,

A warm bed, laptop, jeans, music and bloggie friends,

this is a great way to relax after a long day at work!

It is the little things in life that make it complete.

My top 10 good things. (in no particular order)

1. Sushi.

2. Blue Jeans.

3. Opals.

4. My sweet animals, Charlie, Shelbie, Sunny, and Harry

5. Health.

6. The other half to my whole, John (monkey).

7. Good friends like Michele, Liz, and Kate.

8. Music.

9. Family.

10. Faith in God.

I started ANOTHER new craft project, naughty naughty!

2009-01-28T23:31:00.003-05:00

Just a sneak peak at a project I am working on. Any idea what these are??????

I wish I lived in Arkansas...(warning pic heavy post!)

2009-01-27T18:28:00.013-05:00

Here are a few pictures we took on our trip to Arkansas 2 weeks ago.....

This was taken inside Blanchard Springs Caverns. If I remember correctly these are called ribbon formations.

This is also in the caverns, these formations contain large amounts of calcite, which makes them sparkly and snowy looking.

This was probably our favorite formation, they call it the battleship can you see why?

This is in Cotter, not far from where most of my family lives, I believe this is part of the White River.

Bull Shoals dam.

We rode on a ferry in Peel over part of Bull Shoals lake.

Then we drove to Missouri with my cousin, her husband and Daughter and paid money to have rolls thrown at us! Monkey was really excited to eat here because he had seen this place on a show on the travel channel!

And of course, being the good rednecks we are we just HAD to go see the first, and biggest Bass Pro Shops in the world. This place was unbelievable! (we also visited the Bass Pro in Branson Missouri, but my cousins assured us it was NOTHING compared to this one. Wow they weren't kidding!)

Arkansas is such a beautiful state. There is so much history, and beautiful county there to explore. If I could ever convince my parents to pack up and go back with me, I would be there in a heartbeat. You can take a girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl!

Just another manic Monday......

2009-01-26T23:29:00.003-05:00

I don't usually mind Mondays, don't get me wrong I don't really look forward to them, but off all the days of the week, I like it more than most. If I could have erased the start to this week though, I would have puled out the biggest pink pearl eraser I could find. It was hectic, it was sad, it made my whole body ache. I knew last Friday that it wasn't going to be pleasant. I got wind of some not so good news that I knew was going to rear it's nasty little head today,and the fact that I knew it was going to happen, and I had no way to help, or warn the person whom it would affect ate at me all weekend. To make it short, one of the tellers that I work with had a shortage a few weeks back that we were never able to locate. It was, unfortunately of a decent amount. We all are certain that she did NOT take the money for her own personal gain. But since the company we work for recently merged with another, and all the suits higher up are worried about their OWN jobs, they came down hard. Too hard. This beautiful young girl who has two young children, and an ex that provides her with not even the smallest sliver of help. She is also doing her darnedest to go to school at night to become a crime scene technician, and get good grades. Now she has no job. It was much more difficult for me to work today when I felt I was working under immoral, unethical people. I fully understand that banks cannot just take losses and not do anything about it. This situation had me so upset for a number of reasons though. There is of course the most obvious one that this poor woman has two kids, no job, and no help. But that there was another teller working there about a year ago that had a terrible attitude, and because she did not follow our policies lost the bank 4 times as much money. She did not get fired until the third instance of the same issue. This was the first time this teller had been out a large amount. Normally she has a near-flawless balancing record. I also don't feel that they gave enough time to locate the outage. I wonder if mister high-and-mighty Napoleon in his fancy window office has ever known what it is like to struggle, probably not.....I will get off my soapbox now.

I do however, have better news to announce. I have decided to walk in the breast cancer 3-day in October this year. I have thought about it for a few years now, but I was so worried about being able to raise the $2300 that they require you donate to walk. But when I found out that the last day of the walk was my sister's wedding anniversary I took it to be a sign, and decided that this was the year to go for it. While she did not have breast cancer, I figure it is a great cause, and if they can manage to find a cure for breast cancer it is a great stride in curing ALL cancers, even the one Angie had. I'll be completely honest though, the thought of walking 3 days straight, and raising such a large sum of money scares the bejesus out of me! I will be setting up a link on my blog where my bloggie friends can help me towards my goal, and just be warned, I will be planning on pestering you for donations! I've got a long way to go, and I need EVERYONE'S help. Also check out Angie's best friend Kate's blog Going The Distance. She is competing in a triathlon this year in memory of my sister also, and I know she needs donations as much as I do.

I hope to have some of the pictures I took in Arkansas uploaded tomorrow to share with you, there just wasn't time to get them loaded today. I told you it was a Manic Monday

On the road again

2009-01-10T14:40:00.000-05:00

I begin this post far too early in the Tampa airport. I had to get up at 3am to get here on time so please bear with me if this post is fragmented. It is only a very rare occasion that I am up before the sun rises, or even shortly after it rises. I am NOT a morning person. I never really have been either. My sister used to have to fight and fight to get me up for school. Poor monkey calls me the grizzly in the morning. All of my coworkers know just to leave me be until I am fully awake. I wish it was the sort of thing I could fix. I can wake up and know that I am in a foul mood, but there isn't a thing I can do about it. I try to just keep my mouth clamped until I know I won't bite someone's head off. What exactly determines if you are a morning person or a night owl? Is it some sort of engrained genetic thing? Everyone I know in my family has no issues with the AM They can get up, make breakfast, spend 45 minutes getting ready, and all the while be sweet as pie. I, on the other hand wait until the very last second before I have to get up, throw on my clothes which I laid out the night before so that I did not have to waste time picking things out, and fly out the door. No breakfast, no coffee, just me, and my stinky attitude. Hopefully once I get on this stinking plane, I can cuddle up in my window seat, watch Juno, and take a nice nap. That is doubtful though......

I love these...

2009-01-07T22:36:00.002-05:00

I have fallen head over heels for Pashmina scarves. I had a very pretty fox orange one for at least 4 years that I probably only wore one time up until this year. While at church I met another woman wearing the most beautiful cream one, and it looked absolutely divine. At that moment I decided to start wearing mine at every opportunity. My sister was also fond of scarves, and it reminds me of her, and makes me feel closer to her. There is something so elegant and regal about them. It is nice that they are thin enough I can wear them in the heat here in Florida, but if it is a bit cold they still actually provide a nice bit of warmth without having to dig out a coat. Although mine are not "real" pashmina's like these I love them nonetheless. My one pashie has now multiplied into 3 and there is one more that I saw at Target the other evening that I fully intend on nabbing when I go to get some more of my favorite shampoo. I love them just as much as I do trench coats, and these great feather hairpins. I have gained the confidence to wear my trench coats, and scarves, but I haven't yet been brave enough to make myself a feather hairpin and wear it. They are a very bold statement, and I am just not used to bringing attention to myself. At least I have taken the step out of my comfort zone and started. Maybe someday I will have the self esteem to wear something that bold.

I hate packing.

2009-01-06T23:18:00.004-05:00

I don't like a single thing about packing. I hate that feeling that I may be forgetting something. I hate having the compulsive urge to unpack, and repack my bag because I don't know if I have put everything I wanted to bring in my bag. I hate having to worry if my shampoo is going to explode in my bag spewing that expensive eight-dollar liquid all over my clothes. I am headed up to Arkansas to spend some much needed time with my family. The weather up there is about 40 to 50 degrees different than this hellishly warm climate. I have lived in Florida for as long as I can remember, and I am ill-equiped in the winter clothing department. Not only do I have to worry that I am bringing everything I (and monkey) need, but I have to make sure that it will all fit into my bag, and still weigh under 50 pounds! I am sure I will forget something, I always do. Monkey is totaly at ease with the whole thing, I think so long as he gets up there with a pair of pants and a shirt he will be happy. Cold, but happy. He is a true Florida native, and he is going to FREEZE. (unless I can find a way to cram a space heater into my luggage...)

UGH I hate packing!!!!!

I think if I had pretty pink and brown toile luggage like this from Luggage Loft it wouldn't seem so bad though....

Christmas passed

2008-12-29T17:29:00.007-05:00

I have been reading my regular blogs today, and I couldn't help but notice that many of you are already putting away your beautiful Christmas decorations. I am beginning to think that my resistance to pack up the holiday spirit may be a bit abnormal. I don't have ANY intentions of taking down my Christmas tree yet! I Just said to monkey the other night after getting a deep pine-scented breath that I was going to be very disappointed when the tree was finally past it's prime. I absolutely ADORE the smell of my live tree. There is just no replacement for the warm homey feeling it gives us. We usually try to take the decorations on the outside of the house around new years, but we don't really have a set date. We get to it when we get to it really, but I have to know, how long do you leave up your decorations? How long is too long in your eyes?

Image courtesy of Country Living

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T22:32:00.002-05:00

The real story of the birth of Christ from the Bible

New International Version (NIV)

Luke 1
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For nothing is impossible with God."
38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Matthew 1:
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Luke 2:
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ),
24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

Matthew 2:
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6 "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.´"
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,
15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

Confessional...

2008-12-22T22:07:00.001-05:00

OK, I have a dark little secret. My entire life has been crafty. (no that is not my secret) If I were to try to count on my fingers and toes how many times my mother and I looked at some poorly made doo-dad while we were out shopping and she (or I in my later years) said "Oh! we can make that! Better too, we can add this and that, and change it so that this is like that! It will be so much nicer than this overpriced piece of junk" I am afraid I would come up very very short. I never needed anyone to give me inspiration, or come up with a great idea. I never even wanted one. But then there was this woman. A VERY famous, (to some notorious woman). Her crafts, and recipes, and home decor items are pretty much everywhere. Ask anyone form eight to eighty, and they will know exactly who you are talking about. Well, to be honest, I never much liked her. She was always too perfect, too bossy, too formal, too much of everything. All of my family knows what I think of her....Or at least they think they do. The truth is, I like her, her ideas, her home, her recipes, her website design, even the damn packaging she designed for the many things she sells. I was able to get a free subscription to her magazine with some frequent flier miles I had saved up from all the trips I've had lately. When monkey saw her magazine in the mailbox he said "who sent you this crap, everyone knows you cant stand ______" I finally had to admit that I like her. All he could do was laugh. I think he may have known all along I liked her. So I guess the secret is out. I cannot believe I am going to actually admit this, but,

I LIKE MARTHA STEWART! A LOT! A REAL LOT!

She's waaaaayyy cool.

(now no one start picking on me about it OK?!)

I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself..

2008-12-18T20:43:00.003-05:00

I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.

My beautiful amazing sister Angie passed away last Sunday. I could never write enough words to express what an exceptional woman she was in every way. She was far more than a sister to me, and I am trying my best to be strong as I know she would not want us to brew in our sorrow. She was tired, we all were. She did not want to suffer any longer. The memories we all have of her are each precious and beautiful. It was her greatest wish not to become a tragedy, and I fully intend to ensure that never happens. She never once felt pity for herself, and did not want others to feel sorry for her either. She wrote a poem about paper cranes I made when I was visiting her, and how though she could not fold the paper to make cranes, she could fold the words upon the paper to make beautiful cranes of her own. She would want me to make more cranes, and someday I will, just for her. May God bring us all peace.

Happy holidays!!!

2008-12-11T21:18:00.009-05:00

I know it has been quite a while since I have blogged, but there is an Elephant in my family's livingroom, and I am not yet prepared to deal with him. However, I do want to wish everyone a warm and happy holidays. I was lovingly gifted a live tree this year, and I took the opportunity to decorate it as I have always dreamed to decorate a tree. I have always wanted to do a tree in one or two colors, and since I had already hung my tradional ornaments on my windows, I decided to go for it with my tree. I am so happy with the result, and there is just nothing like coming home to the beautiful sight and smell of a live tree. I hope you enjoy!

A new friend!

2008-08-12T22:37:00.002-04:00

While having my afternoon walk with Charlie-dog tonight. (I only walk one dog at a time, Tuesday is Charlie's turn) I found a little scaled friend basking at the end of the driveway. I ran back inside calling for Monkey to introduce them. Why I would call Monkey who has a distinct dislike for snakes beats me, but I thought they should get to know one another. I later heard monkey on the phone with his friend Andy....."She comes calling me outside, and didn't tell me why. Then I find her at the end of the driveway pointing at a snake. What is the first thing my wife does? Yes of course, she picked it up, what else would she have done. Only my wife sees a snake and decides to make pals with it. What woman do you know actually likes snakes?" It's true, I can't think of more than 2 or 3 women that the first thing they would do to a snake is to pick it up. Most of them would have frozen in fear, and gone running and screaming the other direction. What can I say, I love snakes, I think they are a wonder of God's creation. They way they move is absolutely beautiful, and I love holding them and feeling the strength of their muscles pulsating. Snakes really get a bad name for no reason. They are fantastic for pest control, and a sign of a healthy garden. Poor snakes, ended up with a bad rap just because of a social stigma. Look at this creature, and tell me she isn't beautiful! I walked around with her for an hour or so, and then let her go safely in the backyard near my pond. I thought the pond was a much better place to call home than the end of the driveway to get smooshed!

Soap

2008-08-11T23:38:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am blogging about soap. Not ordinary soap, organic soap. WHY? Well, I have battled for a good many years with an extremely irritated scalp. I have been plagued by a constant stream of very irritated little bumps all over my head. These bumps would get so bad that I would often wake in the morning with open sores on my poor little noggin that both took ages to heal, and hurt like the dickens. Think open wound meets hairbrush, and shampoo. Shampoo in an open wound burns. It burns a lot. I got into a terrible cycle. I would wash my hair, and attempt to skip a day in between, then my hair would get so oily Exxon would call the house. I then had to go to washing every day. The only problem with that was that the more I washed, the more irritated my scalp would become. I went to a dermatologist who told me that what I had was seborrheic dermatitis
which is essentially dandruff. Now mind you, I didn't have "dandruff" no flaky skin, just a very irritated, bumpy, red, hot scalp. The Dr's treatment for this involved 5 different medicated shampoos that I would alternate daily. Not only was this expensive, it didn't work. All 5 shampoos just managed to irritate my head more. I decided that I was not going to foot the bill for something that just made it worse, so I went back to regular shampoo for many years, and just learned to deal with the pains. Until now. I have discovered the answer to my prayers. Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet shampoo. The key to my miracle shampoo? No parabens, and more importantly no Sodium laurel (or laureth) sulfate. SLS is usually the second ingredient in most normal shampoos and this chemical is what makes soap lather up. It can also be very very irritating to a small percentage of people. I also suffer from a fairly rare skin hypersensitivity, which in layman's terms means that my skin gets abnormally irritated at the slightest of things. If I were to take a Popsicle stick and lightly write hello on my arm or chest I would greet the world with a deep red howdy in about 2 minutes. I am now fairly certain that the two are related. I cannot recommend Burt's bees products more highly. They are about as pure as products from large commercial chains can get. I am certain I am not the only one plagued with such sensitive skin, and after having such a hard time discovering something that completely cleared up every last bump and hot spot on my scalp I felt it was only right to share the wealth. Try out their products, you just might be amazed!

( On a side note, you MUST use conditioner with this type of soap. When you put it in your hair, and lather up, your hair will feel quite sticky. That is totally normal. As soon as you rinse it out, and put on your conditioner that feeling will go away, and leave you with amazingly soft shiny hair. I promise!)

just a few quick picture updates......there's paint!

2008-08-06T23:39:00.003-04:00

Just thought I would show off a few of pictures of my living room remodel after we painted and finished the curtains. The curtains were actually a set of sheets I got at home goods, and re-worked, along with two solid white curtain panels I cut in half. I don't think I could have found a better pattern to match the retro feel of my room! I Have to apologize for the awful quality of my pictures, but I just can't seem to make my stupid camera take any decent pictures, unless they are macro closeups! I need a new camera!

Cubed

2008-07-31T22:17:00.004-04:00

I finally started making some definite decisions about the design in my living room, and after seeing this room. I am totally excited about my prospects!

So here is the layout for my room, I realize just looking at the pictures it was hard to tell what was where. This is where I started.

And this is where I am now!

Here is the room in color!

I went to Wal-mart to pick up a some ink for my printer, which by the way is still not working, and I found the cubes I wanted to use for a coffee table! Not to mention at $19 each, they were a real steal! They are just the right height for the sofa, and you can pull the tops off them and store stuff inside. Storage is always a plus for our poor cramped house! I haven't yet decided if I will paint or sew an accent on them yet, but they make a great coffee table, foot rest, chair, and storage area! There has been a bit of discussion about buying a third one, as I thought they weren't quite long enough to go with the ginormous couch we have.

My head is just spinning with ideas, I will post some more pictures as things develop! I have TONS in store, that is yet to come.

My giant decorating leap.....

2008-07-29T22:44:00.006-04:00

So I have decided to be brave, and actually decorate my living room...Monkey and I found this great static cling poster from the 2007 Sarasota film fest. We were bargain shopping, and got the biggest bargain of all...freebie! Man I love finding good trash!!! We decided to put the picture in a shadow box frame and light it from behind. I got some great help from my great friend Michele, about how to pull the room together with a great trendy retro feel....So, here's the room before,

And here is my inspiration.

I realise that the light in this room is terrible, and I fully intend on getting some true white bulbs, I really don't like that yellowy hue they give off.

I am going to take the rugs, and cut them up, then sew them back together into a sort of color blocked area rug. That was another super idea from Michele. Plus we were lucky enough to find the rugs on clearance at Wal-mart.

Now for some painting, and building of cube storage ottomans, and sewing of pillows....OOOOO I am so excited!!

Please please if you have any input let me know!!!!

I see a rainbow!!!

2008-07-07T18:12:00.005-04:00

Whew! What a week!!! All things are definitely looking much happier now. Rainbows only happen after the biggest rainstorms! My sister, thank God is home, and happy and did quite well in the hospital. I am so thankful that God has answered my prayers for her, and she was well cared for! Mom is doing quite a bit better in the rehab facility, and is already getting stronger. All her swelling has almost gone away, and the awful bruises she had are disappearing as well. Man oh man my family never does anything halfway!!!

On a lighter note, I was lucky enough to meet the guys from the boat The Wizard from Deadliest Catch!!!!!! They were at the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix, which was over the holiday weekend, and though I didn't get their autograph, it was totally awesome to meet them, I am such a junkie for those shows!!! Monkey decided it was high time I went somewhere other than the hospital, and the house, and demanded that we go out and see the boats. (I think he just wanted to get to go see all the big racing boats!)

Saturday night we went to see a local band Bukshot. The lead singer, Josh is a friend of ours. That was probably as much fun or more than looking at big boats, and meeting the Wizard's crew. We went with another couple who had been having a rough week, and the two of us girls had a riot, and probably a little too much to drink. =)

All in all, I just have to say, have faith. When things are tough, and you are doing all you can, and there is still things out of your control, just have faith, and pray, and things may look up sooner than you think. Have a great week, and take it easy!

Hello God, I really need an angel

2008-07-01T21:19:00.004-04:00

And I thought Monday was bad........

It is most certainly not like me to post about my family struggles, but I am just hoping the power of prayer can help us just a little. Both my mother, and sister are in the hospital. My mother broke her tibial plateau very badly on Thursday while trying to pass her motor-scooter license test. She stopped too hard, and the scooter landed on her leg just below her knee. She had surgery Friday night and they inserted plates and screws to repair it. She is now in a rehab facility, and will require a lot of time to heal, and physical therapy. With time, she will recover. My sister, being the private person she is I would rather not elaborate on, but she needs prayer as well. Any well wishes, prayers, and good vibes in our direction will be greatly appreciated. Oh yes, and a word to the wise, NEVER take everyday life for granted, you never know when your world may get pretty rocky, bad stuff can happen in the blink of an eye, so thank God for all the blessings in your life.

Melancholy Monday

2008-06-23T21:22:00.002-04:00

Image is an illustration by George Wooliscroft Rhead , & Louis Rhead from Lancelot and Elaine by Alfred Tennyson

I have not known what to post for days now....I am just not feeling like myself. My patience is beyond worn thin, and I have been exhausted. We have had a lot of progress on the boat, though the thing has still not seen it's maiden voyage. I would bet that is part of the reason I am feeling especially melancholy today. I had my little heart set on being out on the water Saturday and Sunday, but alas that was just not to be. We still have a few things that have to get finished before our vessel is water worthy. My most talented mother put in a lot of work to help me get the bench seats completed, and without her help I am sure the vinyl would still be on it's roll untouched. The deck of the boat is finished, the carpet is in, and the gas tank has been re-installed. Just some minor re-wiring, and engine tuning and we should be ready to set sail......I hope hope hope it will be ready by this weekend, we are both rapidly growing tired of tinkering with our little ship and not getting to sail in it. It was also quite sad to hear that the great George Carlin, and Scott Kalitta both died this weekend. They will both be greatly missed. I will try to get a few pictures posted in the next few days of the boat, and the goings-on around the house. (mom had a great idea for some boat accessories...) Hope for a better tomorrow, and have a great week!

My Two Dads

2008-06-15T21:09:00.002-04:00

I have two dads to thank for molding me into the woman I have become.

I was in the fourth grade when my birth father died. Robert Lawrence Truesdale, led me in life with a very stern, disciplined hand. I did get spanked, and I know I deserved it, but I cannot actually remember ever getting a spanking. I do however, remember what I got a spanking for. Talking back, throwing a fit, being snotty to my mother. I also remember some of my happiest times with him. I think he loved nothing more in the world than going fishing. We would go out into Robert's Bay, and I would catch the biggest fish of anyone, and then I would lie down and take a nap, while everyone else pulled minnows out of the water all day. He taught me to be strong, and to be respectful of everyone. He also showed me the bonds of a family, and the unbelievable strength my mother possessed. He stayed home until his last breaths, he was not the kind of person who wanted to waste away alone in a hospital. My mother, and her mother cared for him until he passed, and I still to this day cannot fathom the strength it took to see him that way, and care for his most basic needs until the end. I look forward to a day in heaven when I may walk with him, and hear all the stories he didn't have time to tell me.

A number of years later Michael Joseph Rigato entered my life. It was not until I moved out that I was able to really see eye to eye with him, and understand and repair the breakdowns in our relationship. Mike may be small, but he takes crap from no one, and he loves, and takes care of my mom like no other. The disrespect that I showed her in my teen years infuriated him, and like any teenager, I could not understand that I was being a brat, and that I, in reality, did not know everything. It can take a while to understand him, as he can come off as a bit harsh, and he is the kind of person who is always right, but he has taught me to stand up for myself, and to be passionate about what you believe in.

All I can say, is that a fathers love is like no other, and it does not matter if you share blood, as long as you share the bond of love. No one can take away the memories, and love a father gives you, and I am immeasurably thankful for the experiences my two dads have given me in life, that have made me who I am.

Without my dads, I am nothing. Thanks dad...

Much progress

2008-06-12T18:59:00.007-04:00

We had quite a successful day with the boat today!

This morning Monkey was able to remove all of the remaining support beam that was rotted out. We did not think there was any way that it was going to come out without harming the integrity of the hull. I guess Poseidon was looking down on us, and decided to give us a bit of luck.

Here he is just being his silly old self, I swear I cannot get him to smile like a normal person for a picture. (he is holding up a piece of old fiberglass that he accidentally broke by the way. At least I wasn't the only one to hurt our poor vessel)

This is what remained of the main beam after he pulled it out. The thinnest part of that beam should have been about 6 inches, and as you can see it was rotten down to about 2 inches.

Monkey spent a good part of the afternoon fine-tuning the new beam....

Monkey's childhood friend Andy came by after work, and was nice enough to crawl up into the hull and clear out the last remaining bits of wet rotten wood...

That is true friendship, when you are the skinniest person, and you volunteer to crawl up into a cramped space to clean out wood that looks like poop!

I decided to write a blessing on our new center support. I sure wish I had beautiful handwriting like my dear sister Mrs. Fox

And here is our new beam, installed and ready to be fiber glassed in. We even had enough time to get some resin poured around the beam before the afternoon showers started up.

Tomorrow Andy is off work, and has offered his services so that we can get the floor put in. Hopefully by tomorrow we will have repaired all the water damage, and be ready for carpet, and seats! That means I am going to be very very busy soon, as Monkey is not willing to just settle for plain seats, he wants decoration. Lucky me.....

Ships Ahoy!

2008-06-11T16:44:00.007-04:00

I know, I know it has been a bit too long since I last posted, but in my defense monkey and I are on vacation and we have been very busy.

On Sunday we bought a 1974 Tahiti jet boat with a 455 Oldsmobile engine in it. (YES a car engine, great for monkey to work on) The boat was delivered to the house on Tuesday, and we have been busting out butts ever since. These first two pictures are from right after we bought the boat, before we got into fixing her up

Monkey decided to pull out the deck boards on either side of the engine, as they were quite worn, and soaked with engine oil and battery acid. The previous owner had a battery explode in the compartment, so the wood was a bit of a mess. Upon further inspection though, we discovered that the entire deck of the boat was completely rotted through, including the center support down the middle of the hull. What a nasty disgusting mess. Rotten wood has the texture and look of dog doodie. DISGUSTING!

So, after pulling the carpet up, we got to the painful and messy job of cutting through ¼ to ½ inches worth of old fiberglass. Mind you , just because fiberglass is full of resin, that doesn't mean that once you take a saw to it, that the fine white snow that is covering every inch of you and everything around you doesn't react the same way as the un-resined stuff. Can I say OUCH. I have fiberglass in my arms, legs, and neck. I tried exfoliating every inch of my body in the shower, but I still have many parts that are quite itchy still. Not to mention that that stuff is terribly drying to the skin.

But we did manage to get almost all of the rotten wood and old fiberglass out of the boat. I did accidentally cut a hole in the hull in the process, but monkey swears that it is no big deal, and he will have it fixed in a jiffy. I was very very upset that I put a hole in our boat especially as I was being so careful.

Tomorrow we will just need to grind down the beam in the center of the boat, and then lay new supports, and marine grade plywood for the decking. We are going to fill the empty space with expandable foam also, so that there will be no way that water will be able to get in again, and rot the wood. The previous owner had re-done the deck, but did not bother to use marine plywood, and just used the regular stuff which definitely didn't help the cause any.

Other than our decking problems though, the boat is in great shape, even though the pictures don't really look that way. Monkey just needs to get a bigger carburetor, and re-do some wiring, and I need to get busy upholstering the deck seats. Then we will be out on the water cruising along! We really hope to get the boat done by the end of the month so we can go out to the water and watch the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix that comes to town every year.

I am off to go mock up some seat pattern ideas, so monkey can let me know what he wants me to do with the new deck seats. I will post again soon when we have some more finished!

Of government and weather vanes

2008-06-03T22:19:00.004-04:00

While at Target tonight buying cat food, Monkey and I went past the garden center in our stroll around the store, I got a glimpse of this beautiful weather vane. Of course the first thing he said was "what in the heck do you need that for?" why decoration of course! We are, after all re-landscaping the front of the house. I think it would be nice in the front somewhere. I just have to decide if I want to spend $40 on a yard decoration. It would probably be coming out of my stimulus check, which I am feeling very frugal and stingy with. I guess I will sleep on it and see. Plus I have to wait until Friday when the check is supposed to arrive. Maybe by then I'll be able to make a decision.

We can make that....

2008-05-29T16:31:00.006-04:00

I took my dear sister's advice about the fairy sleeves on my apron project, and went with this one. It was so much like the other apron that I decided that it would be easier to just add pockets to it, rather than try to change the straps on the other one. Granted, my uber-talented mother could have changed it in a jiffy, but if that much work isn't needed, why do it?

I was so blessed to be born into this family of mavericks!

My mother is a very accomplished seamstress, painter, and beader. She also makes the coolest sand casted candles I have ever seen in my life.

My dear sister, Mrs Fox can write, paint, and decorate like no other. She also makes the finest Derby hats I've ever seen (or worn).

My Aunt does great things with lampworking, bead design, and can sew pretty well herself.

My namesake, and grandma was also very good with the needle and thread. She made us ornaments each year for Christmas that I am still in awe of! Not to mention she was the most organized woman I have ever seen. (this lady cataloged her kitchen cabinets) Too bad those great organization skills didn't rub off on me...

I can never remember a time when we went somewhere with mom and saw some great crafty idea or item for sale that we wanted when she didn't say "we can make that!" My mother made wedding gowns for both my sister and I. Not to mention countless formal dresses for our proms and homecoming dances that were made, and modified a few times.
I will never forget my sister's painted couch, growing up our family had somehow inherited this god-awful yellow atrocity of a sofa, and when my sister moved out she was so lucky to get to take it with her....The next time I saw that thing, she had started covering every last inch of that giant ugly banana seat with acrylic paint in all kinds of patterns. Granted, when acrylic paint dries on fabric, it is about as soft as asphalt, but by god that was the coolest couch I have seen to this day. I wonder what happened to it?

I have to agree with Liz though that being raised in a clan of the most talented women does have some downsides. You settle for nothing less than the best quality in stitching. Shopping for art is nearly impossible. Buying jewelry doesn't make sense unless it's handmade, and you know who made it. Not to mention, gift giving, is the most time-consuming endeavor I have ever experienced. Nothing is ever good enough to give someone you know could make it better! I have spent countless hours mulling over what to give my sister and mother for birthdays and Christmas. I think the best Christmas we ever had was when we all decided that we were not allowed to buy our gifts, but they all had to be something we made. Even Mr Fox joined in. He made me the coolest cigar box purse I've seen yet! and yes, I still have it, tucked safely in my hope-chest with all my important keepsakes inside. I can only hope Monkey and I have at least one little girl that my family can corrupt. So long as I can keep mom from teaching her that a table is a chair and a chair is a table (but that's another story...)=

I need an apron for all this cooking!

2008-05-22T21:44:00.003-04:00

I have narrowed down my apron choices to three. I definitly wanted a pattern that was super retro. I was looking for something that reminded me of the old pictures of women happy in their kitchens cooking for their families. I think I will be using either pink and brown fabrics, or some sort of great chicken print, as my kitchen is decorated with chickens of every size and shape. I will only do chickens if i can find some cute pattern, since it will be something i intend on wearing often, and I want it to be something I am really happy with. I am absolutly in love with the whole pink and brown/ teal and brown combo right now also, so if there are no good chickens to be found I wont have any trouble finding my second chice. So, what is YOUR favorite pattern......

Number one....

I really like the sleeves and piping in this one, I am totally into the super cute ruffles. I wish it had the scalloped bottom like the second and third one though.

Number 2........ I like the piping on this one, the nice scaloped edge on the bottom, and the cute angled pockets, but I like the ruffled sleeves better on the first one.

Number 3...........

Tis one is quite different from the others except for the piping and ruffles, but I think it has a great quilted homespun kind of feel to it. I like the contrast of the fabrics against eachother, and the piping. I like that the neck band is quie thick also, I would be irritated at a thinner string trying to hold it up.

Suzi strikes again!

2008-05-20T19:42:00.004-04:00

Well it looks as though there was some sort of infectious bug on my mixer that has bitten me. After last night's adventure with the wheat bread I decided to try my hand at Banana nut bread, (sans the bananas at monkeys request). It was in my plan to make a chocolate cake, but I still feel a bit at his mercy, and I didn't think I was really up to the task of baking a cake after working all day, and then having to make icing and prep a layer cake. Not to mention I absolutely LOVE bananas, and it seemed a good follow up to the bread from last night. Plus I already had most of the ingredients. (always a winning factor)
So, I Suzi'd up and got to baking! This was by far a great deal easier than last nights adventure, and took nearly half as much time. But the lack in prep time definitely did not correlate to the end product.

I am quite proud of this loaf of bread,
it came out nearly perfect. I say nearly because I think despite adding about 20 minutes to the cook time it still is a bit soft in the middle. That was probably because I decided to try out my grandmothers old flour sifter, and in turn probably did not add as much flour as one usually would. I do not really mind the soft center, as I have always preferred a soft middle to my baked goods. I was never one to like a "crispy" cookie, I always wanted the ones that were gooey and barely cooked in the middle. One thing I must point out though, is that this recipe makes a HEAVY bread. Not heavy in the taste sense, but this baby weighs a TON!

I also have to agree with my sister, in that an apron would make baking a much neater experience. I now have two pairs of pants and shirts that are now coated in flour, and other baking ingredients. Maybe this weekend I will get busy and make myself one. I must find a great retro styled pattern tho......

The Christening

2008-05-19T21:54:00.007-04:00

I decided to let monkey choose what my first baked good to come of the new mixer was. Much to my amazement he was set on cracked wheat bread. My mind was spinning all day... Cracked wheat bread? Why on earth would a man who only eats white wonder bread decide that he wants to make me, who has never made a loaf of bread in my life, bake him cracked wheat bread?! Has he gone nutty?!

I set out to find a recipe, and that by far was the easy part. The next step was trying to figure out how to procure cracked wheat. Not terribly hard, but it still involved going a bit out of my way home from work to stop at a whole foods market. The nearest, and most convenient being the Granary. I gathered my cracked wheat, and decided that if I was there I had might as well get organic flour and do the whole thing the natural way. I walked out quite excited at that point to be making my first loaf of bread.......

I followed the recipe precisely, adding all the ingredients as directed, started up my great new toy, and waited for dough to happen. Dough did not happen.....the stickiest, gooiest, mess i have ever dealt with happened. I should have gotten pictures, but I was so concerned that I had ruined my precious creation, that photos were the furthest thing from my mind. So what did I do? I called the only person in the world who can fix anything,............MOMMY!!!!!! Mom pretty much told me what I already knew, "add a little flour, be patient and don't panic, it's only bread you know." So I did add little flour (OK maybe a lot of flour) and a little patience and faith in my new mixer, and I had, well, a sticky gooey mess. ARGH! I then decided that I was too far into this to give up, at which point I pulled out the trusty olive oil (thanks to Mrs fox's faith in the substance) and I slathered up my hands and my rising bowl and POOF! no more icky sticky.

My next fear, is this stuff really going to rise? If it was that sticky and messy did I fudge the recipe somehow? So I waited, and resisted the insatiable urge to peek under the towel for an entire hour. The timer going off on that oven caused me to erupt from the couch and bolt into the kitchen with such speed the dogs went haywire. Then fear took over, I did not want to lift that towel and find a flat pile of goo. Please Please don't let there be flat bread goo in there!!!! But, alas! There was not goo! There was dough! Real dough, risen and everything. By now my confidence was up, and I knew we were in the home stretch. Only another 40 minutes of rising and 30 minutes of baking, and I would have bread! 70 looonnnnnggg minutes later, I had this.....

Let me tell you, this was probably the most time consuming item I have ever decided to make, but holy crap was it worth it. I cannot remember when I have ever had bread that tasted so divine. The smell that was coming out of my oven was unbelievable! I don't think I have ever felt more at home in the 3 years we have lived at this house until now. There is just something about baking that makes you feel so at home. The two loaves have only been out of the oven for maybe an hour, and we are already down a half a loaf. one or the other of us keeps running in the kitchen to butter another piece of this divine creation of kitchenaid mixer mastery. At this rate I will be baking bread again by Thursday.

I have to say my thanks go out to my dearest sister Mrs Fox for teaching me that ANYTHING is possible with a bit of olive oil. My Mother for always knowing what to say, and lastly, my dear Grease monkey for deciding he wanted cracked wheat bread for the first trial run of the mixer. (though I am still at a loss as to how someone who won't eat honey wheat bread would want anything containing cracked wheat.) As I will be going to bed tonight with a happy tummy full of tasty warm fresh homemade bread.

Brand new shiny red...............

2008-05-18T21:25:00.011-04:00

Oh my GOD it has been waaaay too long since I last posted! I am such a bad blogger! Life just got in the way, it was much easier to read Mrs. Fox's and Liz's blogs than to post in my own! I was however glad to get to visit my awesome sister, and spend 2 wonderful weeks with her in Arkansas. The weather was fantastic, and I was completely in awe by the homes, the architecture, and the absolutely splendid landscaping there. The flowers were all in bloom and everything was just amazing. I promise I will be a better blogger from now on!

In other news,
LOOK WHAT THE GREASE MONKEY GOT ME (the grease monkey being my darling hubby, who just happens to be a maverick, and master of ALL trades himself, his main profession being a great mechanic)

I have dreamed of having a fancy Kitchenaid Artisan mixer for longer than I can remember, but I never in my right mind actually thought I would get one.
These things usually run about $300.00 and I couldn't justify buying a mixer that cost that much. Granted, they are worth every penny, but I just have a thing about spending that kind of money on something. There are a lot of ways I could spend that much money, and I most certainly have bought other things before one of these babies!
Anyway, the monkey and I went to a local pawn shop, he was in the market for a handgun, and the first thing I saw when I walked through the door was this beauty. Of course, I immediately oooohhhh'd and marched myself right up to it to inspect it. It had to be the only item in the shop that didn't have a price, so I of course prodded hubby to inquire as to what the owner wanted for it.

"Excuse me sir, what do you want for this red mixer?"
" oh, $100.00 it is brand new you know. Those things sell in the stores for like $300.00"
My heart sank, I knew hubby had made that much the night before at his night job, but I never ever expected what he turned to me and said next.....
"Is that what you want?"
I had to stop and pick my jaw up off the floor at that moment... "um yes (sheepishly)"
"are you sure?"
"yes very sure, are YOU sure?"
"If you really want it then yes"

Then, much to my amazement he offers the owner $90.00!! and the guy says "yea sure! I'm not going to bust you over 10 bucks, and I can see that fine fox of yours really wants it"

Now mind you yes I did shudder a bit at this complete stranger calling me a fox, but I know the guy, and I know he really meant no harm, and is actually a family friend of a kid Hubby went to school with. So, much to my elation, I went home happy as a pig in poo with a fine, shiny, red piece of master kitchen craftsmanship. It rode the whole way home tightly in my grip, with me admiring it the whole way.
Monkey is just like that, just when I am most disappointed, he swoops in like a knight on a white horse, and delivers flawlessly. Man I love him!

Now the dilemma is what to christen it with! I have lots of fantastic recipes that I got when my grandmom passed, but I haven't a clue as to what to try. It has to be something extra special, and baked just for hubby. I guess I should let him pick out something.

Funny thing about that mixer, it seemed to induce some kind of cleaning frenzy! First, the kitchen had to be cleaned so that it could take a place of promenence on my counter, why that invlolved completly emptying out the cubbords,
and doing a major overhaul. Yes, it did need to be done, and it was TERRIBLY satisfying to have the kitchen sparkling inside and out.

Then, for some reason it prompted me to continue into the bathroom for a marathon scrubbing session involving me, a sponge, the floor and my hands and knees! And it didn't stop there!

I also decided that the car had been filthy for far too long and it too needed a good scrubbing! That means it will rain tommorow, but at least the car will look good for one day.

Monkey should buy me stuff like that more often, it seems to bring out the home-maker in me big time!

Hope you all have a fine week!

Real Women!

2008-03-01T02:17:00.007-05:00

So I decided to share one of my great loves today, great classy 1950's pin-up art. Women in the 50's were loved for the beautiful curvy things they were meant to be, and a great curvy body was the way to go. None of these anorexic bony little things running around back then. I challenge you to find a pinup style drawing or photo where you see bones sticking out. Not a chance these were real child-bearing women! Amazons! Women who could do it all! Cook! Clean! Raise the kids! If only we could go back to those simpler times..... At least we still have great art like this beauty by Alberto Vargas, my personal favorite pinup artist of his time. (I like to think I look a little like this bathing beauty...)Enjoy! and happy March! (only 32 days till my big 25th birthday!!)

Damn You Danica!

2008-02-21T21:11:00.002-05:00

OK, I am going to get on a soap-box here....While my dear hubby feels that no girls should find a role model in "famous" women, I think whether we like it or not the girls of this world are bombarded by the images, and actions of the high-powered and famous women around us. Yes of course i would much rather have my daughter look up to a woman like my mother or sister, but sometimes girls are misled by the glitz and glamor of a famous person. I thought quite highly of dear Indy driver Danica Patrick until she decided to go dancing around in her skivvies for a couple Benjamin's. SERIOUSLY is that what we want our daughters looking up to? What will they learn form a person like that? Run around in nothing but your knickers and you'll have all the skills power money and men you could ever want?! Danica had relatively NO controversy surrounding her, she was a positive strong woman, Why oh Why did she decided to publish her half-naked (and yes smokin hot) body in the pages of some trashy men's magazine! Sorry Danica, but you SUCK! Damn you Danica! I actually thought you were a damn cool girl, next time keep your freaking pants on!

Never clean in the middle of a project

2008-02-03T01:36:00.001-05:00

AH! what have i done?! Alas, I started the most fantastic vintage 50's style dress, and it is nearing completion. Seeing as that tomorrow is superbowl sunday I knew it would be wise to leave the rest of the handwork (hemming buttons etc) so that when the big game begins (GO GIANTS!) I would have something to do so that my hand's inability to remain still for longer than 5 minutes wouldn't hamper my watching of the biggest football game of the year. This fantastic dress has a great jacket to go with it, which I planned to finish save for the handwork tonight, but in the meantime, I, with my dear hubby's help cleaned the house from top to bottom and I managed to hide the second half of the pattern instructions from myself!!!! I always have the habit of having the best of intentions when I clean, but i enevitably end up doing it when I am half-way through SOME project of mine, and I manage to loose some part that I needed to complete it! SO, word for the wise, NEVER EVER clean in the middle of a project, the clutter CAN wait. =)