Exercise has a peculiar effect upon me. Following any sweat producing exertion, I am unable to go to sleep at my usual time, and I gain weight and inches the following day. This first part is considered the bonus: Working out gives you more energy. The second I consider a reprimand: Vacuuming and weight lifting should be avoided at all cost.
Yesterday I vacuumed, lifted weighs, did ellipse training and swam. After going to bed at my customary 10 PM, I proceeded to toss and turn, as my mind was racing with thoughts of millinery. I’m sure most normal people experience this from time to time. At midnight I finally gave up, and got up, and allowed myself to drift into my hat room, to finish up the straw hat that I had mentioned in an earlier blog. The one I had blocked on the bowl from Marshalls.
My hand stitching was less than exemplary, but I did finish attaching the silk scarf that my mom had gotten me years ago at a garage sale. It functions as a tie back, securing the hat to the back of the head, rather than under the chin, as most people would guess.
Then I allowed myself some fun. I had been eyeing the directions to make the 3 Minute Hat Pin Rose for the last few weeks. This is a millinery method used in the 1920’s to create a temporary hat trim, allowing hats to be easily redressed, to co-ordinate with various outfits in a time efficient and economical manner.
Except that I was planning to make the trim permanent. In addition to the rose, I created a matching ruffle and sprigged it (Ha! For those of you who get the pun…) with gold stamen. I am currently all about stamen. They just make ribbon flowers come to life.
By 2 AM I had created the perfect trim. Usually projects completed in the wee hours (and judged lovely at the time) are subject to review, and a seam ripper, in the cold light of dawn.
Not so this time! I promise I will post a picture of this yet unnamed creation soon.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Bigger, brighter smiles for all. And chicken too.
The rain has finally stopped. As I absolutely adore rain, I do not say this with glee, but rather to reassure all of you who may have tuned into “The Weather Channel” and feared floods and calamity were upon us here in NE Houston. Instead the Rainbow and Noah Accords still stand, and it is a beautiful, if warm, day.
Yesterday I got a hold of myself and turned to. I worked out at the gym, and then I vacuumed, dusted and laundered our entire estate.
On the way to pick up B’s car from the shop we stopped to eat at Popeye’s Chicken, a fast food establishment near where I work, in an ethnically diversified area of Houston. I keep thinking I am immune to cultural shock, but I guess not. Inside we were treated to eye-popping smiles from all the counter help, their smiles enhanced by culturally trendy additions of “grills”.
You know, gold covered teeth sparkling with a diamond on each incisor. On both upper and lowers. This makes me think that either fast food workers make more money than I had thought, or that they have more comprehensive, and open-minded dental plans. In my world, getting one plain vanilla crown to address a single broken molar usually maxis out our dental coverage, and leads to discussions about tapping savings accounts or credit cards. Adding diamonds and details is simply out of the question.
In light of this revelation, I’m rethinking my skills and career path. With a little work, I think I can learn to say “Would you like fries with that citation?”
It’s a start.
Yesterday I got a hold of myself and turned to. I worked out at the gym, and then I vacuumed, dusted and laundered our entire estate.
On the way to pick up B’s car from the shop we stopped to eat at Popeye’s Chicken, a fast food establishment near where I work, in an ethnically diversified area of Houston. I keep thinking I am immune to cultural shock, but I guess not. Inside we were treated to eye-popping smiles from all the counter help, their smiles enhanced by culturally trendy additions of “grills”.
You know, gold covered teeth sparkling with a diamond on each incisor. On both upper and lowers. This makes me think that either fast food workers make more money than I had thought, or that they have more comprehensive, and open-minded dental plans. In my world, getting one plain vanilla crown to address a single broken molar usually maxis out our dental coverage, and leads to discussions about tapping savings accounts or credit cards. Adding diamonds and details is simply out of the question.
In light of this revelation, I’m rethinking my skills and career path. With a little work, I think I can learn to say “Would you like fries with that citation?”
It’s a start.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
June 2, 2006: A thankful heart that there was just a cat this morning.
Today there are new things to be thankful for. For instance, that this morning when I went to use the bathroom, there were no buffalo blocking my way. Not everyone on the planet can boast of that. My son can't, for instance. He camped over Memorial Day weekend on an island near The Great Salt Lake, and when, as he reported to us last night, he got up in the morning and ambled the 100 yards to the rest room, he discovered that a buffalo was already in line for the facilities.
There was a warning sign posted, stating that buffalo can be aggressive at times (perhaps before their first cup of coffee?) and that one should not aggravate buffalo in any manner. I would wonder what would constitute aggravating a buffalo. They are rather large, so they could afford to just be "big" about etiquette miscues. Like that whole mass slaughter on the frontier in the 1800's thing. Just move on, I say. Your genetic line was not compromised. Proof: You are here today! Look, you get to hang out in parks now, and have signs forbidding folks from bothering you. No one does that for me. People bother me all the time. But I get over it. So can you.
There was a warning sign posted, stating that buffalo can be aggressive at times (perhaps before their first cup of coffee?) and that one should not aggravate buffalo in any manner. I would wonder what would constitute aggravating a buffalo. They are rather large, so they could afford to just be "big" about etiquette miscues. Like that whole mass slaughter on the frontier in the 1800's thing. Just move on, I say. Your genetic line was not compromised. Proof: You are here today! Look, you get to hang out in parks now, and have signs forbidding folks from bothering you. No one does that for me. People bother me all the time. But I get over it. So can you.
June 1, 2006
Amazingly, half of the year 2006 is over. It is time to start something new, namely, in this case, a blog. So here's to my blog, which is dedicated to expressing myself about what is happening in my world. Those who know me regularly beg me to publish. You know who you are, and you must now shoulder the blame, or the glory, of yet another person nattering away in written form.
Expect millinery motivated musing, garden updates, research revelation, weather reports, and random observations of life as viewed through the eyes of a 52 year old woman. Who I am, for those who for some odd reason have stumble upon this URL, (probably thanks to Google blog search), is best summarized as follows:
Second Generation San Diegan, now living in beautiful Kingwood Texas, a forested community above Houston.
I have a BS in Home Economics Communications from Oregon State, and a Masters degree in Library Science from Texas Womans University.
I currently work part time as a reference Librarian for a community college.
I've been happily married to Bernie for 29 and 1/2 years.
We have two children, Laura, a cancer nurse (I am to lazy to look up the technical name), who currently lives in San Diego, and Jeff, who sells insurance products to credit unions in Salt Lake City.
My parents and Bernie's parents all live in San Diego.
Three cats shed in our home: Tiggie, the orange cat who worships Bernie, Tidbit, the multicolored wide load girl, and Hart, the grey and white "kid".
As promised, a beginning weather report: heavy rain and thunder.
As to millinery, I have two hats needing lining (Daphne style, for my hat friends), and a straw needing a silk behind the head tie scarf added. It was blocked on a bowl purchased at Marshalls!
As to research: Watching the Avian flu in Indonesia very carefully.
As to gardening: The volunteer cherry tomatoes are flourishing, almost chest high.
My fondest hope is that this blog will be a witness to a peaceful happy life, and that any and all readers will be in the midst of the same peacefulness in their world. Which is probably the only state of being that will allow anyone to have time to read this stuff anyway!
Expect millinery motivated musing, garden updates, research revelation, weather reports, and random observations of life as viewed through the eyes of a 52 year old woman. Who I am, for those who for some odd reason have stumble upon this URL, (probably thanks to Google blog search), is best summarized as follows:
Second Generation San Diegan, now living in beautiful Kingwood Texas, a forested community above Houston.
I have a BS in Home Economics Communications from Oregon State, and a Masters degree in Library Science from Texas Womans University.
I currently work part time as a reference Librarian for a community college.
I've been happily married to Bernie for 29 and 1/2 years.
We have two children, Laura, a cancer nurse (I am to lazy to look up the technical name), who currently lives in San Diego, and Jeff, who sells insurance products to credit unions in Salt Lake City.
My parents and Bernie's parents all live in San Diego.
Three cats shed in our home: Tiggie, the orange cat who worships Bernie, Tidbit, the multicolored wide load girl, and Hart, the grey and white "kid".
As promised, a beginning weather report: heavy rain and thunder.
As to millinery, I have two hats needing lining (Daphne style, for my hat friends), and a straw needing a silk behind the head tie scarf added. It was blocked on a bowl purchased at Marshalls!
As to research: Watching the Avian flu in Indonesia very carefully.
As to gardening: The volunteer cherry tomatoes are flourishing, almost chest high.
My fondest hope is that this blog will be a witness to a peaceful happy life, and that any and all readers will be in the midst of the same peacefulness in their world. Which is probably the only state of being that will allow anyone to have time to read this stuff anyway!
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