tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31881166515745161972024-03-13T15:21:32.415-04:00Baa Baa Knit Stitch....have you any stash???Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-40419879644352863382011-06-18T18:16:00.001-04:002011-06-18T18:17:59.533-04:00Hey! I've Moved!If you're looking for my blog, I've moved! <br /><br />Head over to <a href="http://www.baabaaknitstitch.com">www.baabaaknitstitch.com</a> and come see me... :)Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-20405983611428439312011-05-20T09:09:00.004-04:002011-05-20T09:35:43.093-04:00Ponderings on Music and MeI was on the way to take care of some stuff with my mom yesterday, and I knew it was going to be stressful. I have playlist on my iPod that consists only of my favorite classical choral music that I play for comfort.<br /><br />Music has always been a big part of my life. Did the requisite piano lessons as a child. Played the violin for awhile. Played guitar, somewhat badly, and I have a banjo here that I swear I'm going to learn to play. It's on the bucket list, so I have to.<br /><br />But I've always loved to sing, and fortunately I've been blessed with what people tell me is an above average voice. Mezzo-soprano, thankyouverymuch, although I currently sing alto. I've been a part of choirs since I was in the 8th grade. At the girls school I attended from 6th to 9th grade, you were eligible to be in the main chorus when you got to the 9th grade, and they had an audition only group that I was fortunate enough to make. We always did a Christmas concert with the boys school across town. I still remember how wonderful it was when I heard all four parts of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" together for the first time, and how cool it was when we sang it in performance and the whole crowd stood up. I didn't know the back story of it at the time. <br /><br />The two schools merged, and I sang with the chorus there. We had to learn all sorts of classical pieces. I hated it. HATED it. I hated the repetition. Hated all those pesky eighth note runs. But my friends were in it. I remember sitting with my friend Karen, throwing Atomic Fireballs on the floor of the Chapel to break them apart and eating them during practice, and bothering the tenors sitting in front of us (just because we could). I didn't know at the time I was learning discipline and that those pieces I hated would become some of my best loved music.<br /><br />Went to college and sang with the choir there. Discovered the Bach "Magnificat" and how you could really freak people out singing a capella in Latin in the middle of a welcome center. Found out how hard it could be juggling finals and Christmas concerts at the same time. But I'll never, ever hear "Once in Royal David's City" without remembering processing through Glenn Memorial Church at those concerts. I also remember being mesmerized by the string instruments -- I had never sung with anything other than a piano or organ, and it was quite a thrill singing with an orchestra.<br /><br />After college, I didn't sing for awhile, and I missed it. I tried singing with a community chorus, but it didn't really work out. I had a major disagreement with the director's wife, who was trying to make me stand where I couldn't see the director during the performance. ALL my directors had taught me that I needed to look at them, and by golly, I was gonna do it. <br /><br />Then, I saw a sign on a local church advertising that they were singing the "Messiah" -- that very same piece with the "Hallelujah Chorus" and all those pieces I had hated in high school with all those blasted eighth note runs. My friend Cathy went there and sang with the choir, so I told her to tell her director that if he needed a soprano who knew the choruses to have her director give me a call. Jerry called the next day. I've been there ever since.<br /><br />I have to thank Jerry, because singing with him has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. I've sung the old familiar classical pieces I knew, and he's added so many new ones to my repertoire. The choir has become some of my best friends and it's my safe place during so many of life's storms. And where else can you find a group of people who will sing Beethoven's "Hallelujah" from the "Mount of Olives" a la Elmer Fudd? "Hawewujah unto Gods awmighty Son..."<br /><br />Today I'm going with the youth of our church to sing to one our members who is in hospice care. She always told me how much she enjoyed our music and how much she loved hearing us sing. I'm hoping this will bring her comfort... even more than my little playlist on my iPod brings to me.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-75417898052138690122011-05-15T19:56:00.003-04:002011-05-15T20:07:25.440-04:00Well, so much for thatOk. So, I said I wasn’t going to disappear, and I did.<br /><br />Well, a lot of stuff happened. Like the end of tax season.<span style=""> </span>This in itself tends to be a whole ball of crapola all wound up in a very short period of time.<span style=""> </span>Except that this year, I had an extra complication:<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5dOTCih-juLMAO6ugad0sRj5IHxfDjLNIWNXG_F0f4xiTHMNhzjttDssRXd0JYRrRRgqVsR76yF95wl-0pzp0D7_HW4ciWRsSx9a2MCJUftqlr0E7YCu3mqVV8vHeNy56_rZR_Cc2go/s1600/photo-4.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5dOTCih-juLMAO6ugad0sRj5IHxfDjLNIWNXG_F0f4xiTHMNhzjttDssRXd0JYRrRRgqVsR76yF95wl-0pzp0D7_HW4ciWRsSx9a2MCJUftqlr0E7YCu3mqVV8vHeNy56_rZR_Cc2go/s320/photo-4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607097420575732114" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;">Yeah, that’s my mom’s house, and that huge green thing is a tree.<span style=""> </span>It’s a tree that my Dad planted.<span style=""> </span>I used to jump over it when I played as a child, and he’d get all over me for doing it.<span style=""> </span>On April 15, there was a huge storm, and the tree fell onto the house.<span style=""> </span>All in all we were blessed; it nipped the corner where it could easily have gone smack into the middle of the house and basically destroyed it.<span style=""> </span>Instead, there was a hole in the roof, three rafters broken and lots of cosmetic interior damage to my childhood bedroom.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFRvSbPQEscVnxE-F2qfwE3XMjpFBpL9dM-snt6Ul4GpXiwVyS-hnA5t-e30kIHIHmzc_BO2_2xP_7RNhNGyKWl2yz0Nm1NnsvP0nc7ea_JOQRv0cL1Xgri_imxmSD05ZmNRccXG7Y4s/s1600/photo-2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFRvSbPQEscVnxE-F2qfwE3XMjpFBpL9dM-snt6Ul4GpXiwVyS-hnA5t-e30kIHIHmzc_BO2_2xP_7RNhNGyKWl2yz0Nm1NnsvP0nc7ea_JOQRv0cL1Xgri_imxmSD05ZmNRccXG7Y4s/s320/photo-2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607098548265356546" border="0" /></a></p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal">Mom was in the house when the tree fell, and she was understandably shaken up.<span style=""> </span>I had been unable to get her on the phone for about half an hour, knowing she was home, and I had already gotten in the Hummer and was halfway there when Richard got the call from the neighbor that the tree had fallen.<span style=""> </span>In case you’re wondering, I can now say with absolute certainty that an H3 will do speeds exceeding 90 in stormy conditions, although they do shake a lot when you get them up to that speed.</p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal">No power, no phone, no cable – Mom refused to leave. So Richard came up (Penny stayed home because insulation was everywhere) and we camped.<span style=""> </span>I came back the next day and finished returns and extensions; the day after, power and phone was restored (kudos to Georgia Power and AT&T) and she finally got cable back the day after.<span style=""> </span>But she lost the contents of two freezers due to the power outage – that was a lot of food to lose. </p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p face="georgia" class="MsoNormal">Repairs are underway. I’ll be really glad when they’re done, because it’s been difficult shuttling between here and there to supervise things.</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The next thing that’s been keeping me amused is the committee looking for an interim minister at our church.<span style=""> </span>I’m a member of the Presbyterian Church, USA, and if you know anything about Presbyterians, you know that we do everything “properly and in order”.<span style=""> </span>In other words, we go around the world to get from point A to point B.<span style=""> </span>It’s been a two-month long often frustrating process, but I’m hoping we’re about to draw it to a close. </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">And, to top it off, there’s going to be some changes with my business.<span style=""> </span>I won’t go into them just yet… but everything will work out for the best.</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">I realized a few days ago just how long it had been since I’d done any stitching when I took out a piece to start and began treating overdyed cotton as if it were just plain DMC.<span style=""> </span>I was completely mortified.<span style=""> </span>Between work, looking after Mom, and church, there’s not been much time to do anything I like.<span style=""> </span>I’ve been doing some fairly simple knitting, but not a lot.<span style=""> </span>Evidently, this is a signal that something has to change. I’ve got to learn to take care of the caretaker.<span style=""> </span>And somewhere along there, I’ll have to regain my sense of humor about a lot of stuff. </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">I did at least get two domain names reserved: <a href="http://www.doxietrek.com/">www.doxietrek.com</a> and <a href="http://www.baabaaknitstitch.com/">www.baabaaknitstitch.com</a> -- I hope to move the blog to the latter one sometime in the near future, so keep a look out.</p>Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-8338070791430676012011-03-18T23:07:00.006-04:002011-03-18T23:25:06.782-04:00Been a bit of a week...yeah, the usual tax season slogging about. Most of my clients have begun to wake up and realize "Say... perhaps I should get my taxes done." The next three weeks will be incredibly busy.<br /><br />Outside work is busy too. Our pastor is retiring on Sunday. I'm on the Interim Pastor Search Committee, chiefly because I'm the disbursing treasurer. Let's just say that our committee and the Presbytery are having a disagreement over some things, and I'm not really happy with the Presbyterian Way of doing things right about now.<br /><br />To top it off, I broke a tooth last week. It's tax season, so I must need a crown, right? (Four of my five crowns have now been acquired during tax season.) Went to the dentist yesterday - now, let me say up front that I love my dentist. Been going to him for 22 years. But yesterday, for some reason, the novacaine didn't work. Three shots of it didn't work. The tooth never got numb. (Cringe with me, people.) The drilling was Not. Pleasant. At. All.<br /><br />So, after a week like this, what's a person to do?<br /><br />Order more Wollmeise, obviously.<br /><br />I totally blame my friend Benne on Ravelry. Yeah. That's it. See, normally I'd just lurk around The Loopy Ewe to see when some Wollmeise might go up and then try to snag some, but Benne is wise and crafty. She's locked into the time on the Gen-u-ine Wollmeise website out of Germany as to when they put up new product. So she told me about it, and I promptly bookmarked it. By the way, they send you a pack of gummi bears when you order from them.<br /><br />So today, Benne let me know that they had grab bags up. What did I order?<br /><br />I don't have a clue -- it was all in German.<br /><br />But if it looks anything like this, we're golden:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgN1NynHiS5gYldtnsc2CvZbJh93cmtpXudqEt11XE8JLmbUCkG7FnVxtU1KYc52zwyUaat-t1KENg7cLlLG_kqRgn5kLX49m1307mMVGrul8dkkBbksT7WFkBodWpp5fy4oNlkl-jJc/s1600/wollmeise.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgN1NynHiS5gYldtnsc2CvZbJh93cmtpXudqEt11XE8JLmbUCkG7FnVxtU1KYc52zwyUaat-t1KENg7cLlLG_kqRgn5kLX49m1307mMVGrul8dkkBbksT7WFkBodWpp5fy4oNlkl-jJc/s320/wollmeise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585625239847980738" border="0" /></a>Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-85378335214294031432011-03-13T17:35:00.003-04:002011-03-13T23:46:49.419-04:00Is this thing on??...tap...tap...tap.....testing...<br /><br />Ok. I know I kinda went on radio silence there for (*cough*sevenmonths*cough*) awhile. I'll try not to do the disappearing act again. I could use the trite old excuse that things got busy, or that life got overwhelming... but all of you are way too smart to fall for that trick. Bottom line is: I'm lazy. And, I didn't think I had anything particularly interesting going on. You have to admit you get tired of me yammering on about business and taxes. I know the look -- it's that glazed over look people get right before their eyes roll back in their head... or that kind of glassy stare they give me right before they say "uh huh..." very earnestly and I know they have no clue what I've just said.<br /><br />Fortunately for me, Steve (my new business partner) is a fellow geek. He also gets excited about taxes, of all things. We were positively beside ourselves with one return with a total boatload of income that ended up owing no taxes due to all the taxfree bonds (srsly, we nearly blacked out the name and put that one on the bulletin board). And we just about threw a party when an audit letter came back showing zero liability.<br /><br />Dang, when you think about it, we're sooooo easily amused.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/doxietrek/5523598301/" title="Untitled by doxietrek, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5523598301_4e2a02c7c0.jpg" alt="" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Steve's the tall blond on the left. We've even got our name on the office, so we look official and all. The 720filer.com thing is stalled a bit. Our programmer kind of bit off more than he could chew, and he didn't deliver the e-filing portion. Let's say he's now our ex-programmer. Unfortunately, that means we're still filing these forms by hand, which is so not what we wanted at this point.<br /><br />So, it's now tax season. Outside of a laptop failure (what? you don't think that copy of Windows I have is legal? what is this box on my desk, then?) and subsequent laptop shopping (how fast is the hard drive? No. 2.3 ghz is not the hard drive. No. An I3 is not the hard drive. Never mind.), it's been going ok. We have an intern now -- and along with it comes the opportunity to <del>warp</del> shape a young accountant to be.<br /><br />Other than work, you ask? Miss Penny (aka "Princess Chunky Butt") is now officially 2 years old. She's grown into quite the beautiful pup, if I do say so myself.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/doxietrek/5048369544/" title="DSCN0397 by doxietrek, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5048369544_6f6fe8c9c8.jpg" alt="DSCN0397" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Of course, she rules our house with an iron paw. She went on her first vacation trip to Highlands this summer, charming everyone within her sphere of influence. She particularly likes to charm them out of food and is now up to 17 pounds of dachshund fury, which is how she got the "Chunky Butt" moniker. She had her annual checkup yesterday, and the v-e-t said the ugly "D" word... as in "Diet". Richard and I gasped in horror, since Penny can be quite the pawfull when she's hungry.<br /><br />Stitching and knitting? Been doing a little... not a whole lot. When I get in at night, I generally sit down and immediately fall asleep. But I did crochet these booties for a friend who is expecting a little girl.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/doxietrek/5518384887/" title="bootehs by doxietrek, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5518384887_5dd58099a0.jpg" alt="bootehs" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I was fairly pleased with them. I've got a lot of stitching here, and I put stitches in here and there, but I never seem to get anything finished. Perhaps if that stitching ADD wasn't so bad and I worked on one thing at a time, eh??<br /><br />That's my little catch up... I'll try not to disappear again. I thank those of you who contacted me and told me you missed my little blog. Makes me feel good to know you notice.<br /><br />And please, pray for the people of Japan. I have Japanese clients who were there when the quake hit -- we've heard from them, and they were in Tokyo -- and many of their employees are from Japan and have families there who are affected (to my knowledge, everyone has checked in and is fine). Japan is a strong country, but this has been a hard hit and it's going to take a lot of help for them to get back on their feet. Please watch out when you donate to relief organizations and make sure they're legitimate. Go to www.charitynavigator.org and check them out if you're not sure.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-92078769920462385312010-08-04T18:34:00.003-04:002010-08-04T19:54:33.186-04:00If you want to sell me something, just listen to meAh yes. The role of the salesperson. Particularly in computer stores. One would think that if a customer was in essence telling you exactly what they needed, the salesperson would sell it to them. Seems to me to be easiest sale of the day. No work involved. In essence, I'm pretty lazy, so I'm all over the fact that there's no work involved.<br /><br />As I blogged last time, I and some other gentlemen are involved in a venture to file the new tanning tax online. Accordingly, we needed a computer we could dedicate to transmitting these returns to the IRS -- talking to the IRS and to the customers all the time connected to the internet. We had some pretty specific requirements, one of which was that we would not be running a Windows operating system, so any machine used would be stripped of the existing hard drive and have two brand spanking new drives installed (running mirrored for backup) and using Ubuntu.<br /><br />(For those of you whose eyes are now rolling back in your head, I promise that's as technical as I'm going to get. Come back toward the light...)<br /><br />So one of my partners and I went to Micro Center. We got hold of a salesperson, George, who, bless his heart (and I mean that with all Southern inflection), didn't appear to be quite on the ball. We told him what we were doing with the computer. He had sort of the same glassy-eyed reaction I imagine many of you did at the paragraph above (keep in mind what this guy does for a living..). We made the mistake of saying the word "server" -- at which point, like some demented Looney Tunes cartoon, you could literally see his eyeballs replaced by dollar signs as he eagerly steered us to some of the most expensive boxes in the store.<br /><br />Uh no. <span style="font-style: italic;">Listen to me, dude</span>. I'm telling you exactly what we want.<br /><br />Much to George's chagrin, we ended up purchasing a much lower end box -- and then he had to call in <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> help when we told him specifically, in excruciating detail, exactly which hard drives we needed. Down to the manufacturer. Evidently dear, befuddled George couldn't guide us to that bin on the hard drive aisle. We threw those, a monitor and a UPS in the cart and beat a hasty retreat to the cash registers -- but not before a manager blew past us in the hard drive aisle without even an "excuse me". Rude.<br /><br />This was Thursday. On Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday, hubby did everything he could to get Ubuntu installed on this machine. Wouldn't run. He tried multiple versions. Wouldn't run. With each version he tried, the computer had difficulty talking to various parts of its innards.<br /><br />On Sunday morning, frustration had taken over in a major way. I decided that desperate times called for desperate measures: time to buy a whole new box -- and <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> from George. After church we went to Office Depot, where I'd had luck buying machines before and which had a Lenovo machine that looked like it would fit the bill. Told 'em I'd take it.<br /><br />There was a hold up. Turns out they had to verify the virus software.<br /><br />Excuse me? I just told you I wasn't using that Windows hard drive. I'm taking it out of the machine. I don't care about virus software (and seriously - last time I bought a computer that had McAfee installed I had to remove it because it slowed down the system something fierce).<br /><br />Oh no, their corporate office prohibited them from selling a computer on which they hadn't verified the virus software. So they finally bring me the computer. In an open box.<br /><br />Now, I'm a little ticky about things like that. If I'm spending hundreds of dollars on electronics that are brand new, I want the box to be sealed. I want to make sure that I'm the first person playing with them. (I've checked around too. I'm not the only person who feels that way.)<br /><br />Office Depot couldn't sell me a computer in a sealed box. Evidently it's against their corporate policy because they have to check it for my own good. Or it's against their religion. Either way, it wasn't working for me so I left.<br /><br />Across the street to Best Buy, where I tell the guy that two people have already pissed me off, and I'd really prefer it if he weren't the third. Asked him if he could sell me an HP computer in a sealed box. He didn't have a problem. We took it home. Installed Ubuntu. Worked the first time.<br /><br />...which left me with the box from Micro Center, which I put in the car and took back on Monday. The conversation with the customer service department began with "You might as well just get your manager now, because I'm not paying the 15% restocking fee..." - before I set into the litany of what had happened. Frankly, I think I scared the guy, but I got my money back.<br /><br />So we now have a bright, shiny new HP computer with dual 500GB hard drives and a static IP address that will be conversing with the IRS on a regular basis. I'm hoping they'll be more reasonable with the computer than they are with most of our clients.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-34946416965774700352010-07-27T09:00:00.002-04:002010-07-27T09:24:36.317-04:00I've been reminded......by some friends of mine who dutifully check my blog for my musings that I've been entirely too quiet since the last Danica rant. Frankly, the heat down here has sapped my will to do just about anything. I know I've lived in Georgia all my life, but <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span>. It's been a long time since it's been so nasty so early. And today I'm living the joy of getting a brand, spanking new central A/C unit installed upstairs. Woo. There goes a crapload of yarn money! Actually, we've been lucky to get 13 years out of the builder-grade unit that was up there, so we've been living on borrowed time.<br /><br />It's been so hot here that we're driving Penny down to the pool in the subdivision for some interaction with people. Last time we did that, she got out of the car, ran to the grass to take care of some business, then trotted back over to the car as if to say "you've got to be kidding; it's stinkin' hot out here! I need to be back in air-conditioned comfort, thank you." We take her to Starbucks on Saturday mornings for meet & greets, and it's even getting too hot to sit outside there. Gak.<br /><br />So what have I been up to?? Well, DF Judy came to visit, and I spent a lot of money. DF Teresa came to visit, and I spent a lot of money. You should be seeing a pattern right about now. :-) Actually, I had a blast with both of them, and their visits were far too short. Wish I could have gotten both of them here at the same time along with DF Ann... but maybe we'll work on that later in the year.<br /><br />During Teresa's visit we hit the Vera Bradley store, because it was her birthday and you get spiffs for going there on your special day. As it happened, one of the designers of the bags was in the store, and asked for our opinions... if you know me and Teresa, you can picture what happened after that. Even add in Richard's two cents. :) (Seriously, if you don't want to know, don't ask.) We also went to a needlepoint store and Teresa bought a canvas, and as it happened a teacher was there who was teaching a class on designing your own stitches -- and lucky duck that Teresa is, the teacher helped her pull threads and did a stitch guide for her right there! We decided that we needed to try to take her class in September, so we got on the waiting list. We also decided if we can't get into the class, we'll go down there and press our sad panda faces up against the glass until they let us in...<br /><br />Business is going well. As Richard says, I'm trying to make money off Snooki and The Situation by capitalizing on the tanning tax. :) Go to <a href="http://www.720filer.com">720filer.com</a> if you wonder what I'm talking about. :) Heck, if they're going to enact these stupid taxes I don't agree with, we may as well make a buck trying to help people comply with them, right? Actually, it's been a great experience working with some folks that I worked with many, many years ago and reconnecting. Never fails to amaze me how things go around and God brings people back into your life when they need to be there.<br /><br />Stitching and knitting? Not much, actually. I seem to have the attention span of a flea with ADD. I am easily distracted by shiny things and screaming at the politicians on TV (maybe that's my new hobby...). I have some fantastic canvases that I haven't started (it's really hard to stitch with a puppy who loves to grab the thread), and knitting is also a challenge (see aforementioned puppy issues). Yeah, Penny is a year and 4 months old, but she's still in full-blown puppy mode. I'm trying to enjoy her while I can. There'll be plenty of time for stitching and knitting later.<br /><br />I'm psyched because we've got reservations in Highlands in a couple of weeks. Haven't been in two years, because Oscar was too feeble his last year, and last summer Penny was just too young. This year I'm hoping to arrange a meeting with DF Mish from Ravelry! Woo! Hoping to blog again after the trip with pictures (to make this a tad more interesting...). :)Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-82409961449360561762010-06-27T15:20:00.003-04:002010-06-27T21:47:42.289-04:00Dear Danica...... In regard to the Nationwide series race you ran on June 26, 2010:<br /><br />Morgan Shepherd is not some old guy who is a backmarker in a lower series. He was winning Daytona 500s while you were still playing with your Barbie Dreamhouse.<div class="body forum_post_body"> <p>In the eyes of this NASCAR fan, who has also been watching since you were still playing with your Barbie Dreamhouse, you made a rookie mistake and came down on Morgan while he was holding his line.</p> <p>For you to come back and tap him like that, indicates you lack respect for the people who built the sport you’re trying to cash in on. Would you have done that to AJ Foyt? Mario Andretti? Bobby Rahal? Danny Sullivan? Juan Pablo? (I laugh when I think of you doing that to Juan Pablo, because your butt would be in the wall on the next lap so fast it would make your pretty little head spin. And he wouldn’t bother to make it look like an accident.)</p> <p>Step 1: <em>Learn the history of the sport and respect the men who made it.</em> You owe Morgan an apology. And throw in a set of tires for his next race. You can afford it off of one race’s T-shirt sales, K?</p> <p>Sincerely,<br />Doxietrek</p> </div>Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-10142106284279305192010-06-03T17:47:00.007-04:002010-06-03T18:38:19.190-04:00Beware the quietSo... I was thinking... things were pretty quiet around here. Not a lot going on. Things are progressing with the business. All's quiet on the home front. FedEx hasn't ticked me off in at least a month. We're rolling along pretty well.<br /><br />I should learn not to think.<br /><br />First of all, we did have a relatively uneventful Memorial Day weekend. Had a bit of a "staycation" where Richard was determined that we have fun, dangitall, if it was the last thing we ever did. To that end, we went to see Iron Man 2 (I'm totally convinced Robert Downey Jr isn't acting) and went to the needlepoint store in Buckhead where, of course, I spent too much money. Found a couple of cute canvases and got the threads to match.<br /><br />On Sunday we took Penny to the dog park that we discovered near our house. Rollicking good time, right? Uh, Penny didn't get the memo.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuIPxYgI4czJ2TmFCpxAZoApuhSIFUSz7K4KKigZwv7tAsAojhsYTfGuA7qeNLY4ZKCcHta1ldCOfr-uA7537LO6n3fFOrv2lIydpBldMQ_n7xcRtmO251EXACN_57McPGVwniR1XXBw/s1600/DSCN0354.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuIPxYgI4czJ2TmFCpxAZoApuhSIFUSz7K4KKigZwv7tAsAojhsYTfGuA7qeNLY4ZKCcHta1ldCOfr-uA7537LO6n3fFOrv2lIydpBldMQ_n7xcRtmO251EXACN_57McPGVwniR1XXBw/s320/DSCN0354.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478672153289120322" border="0" /></a><br />Maybe it was the fact that there were no other small dogs in that section of the dog park. Maybe it was foreshadowing of things to come. At any rate, the Pennster was Not. Happy. with the situation. For awhile she wouldn't even move. When we got her to take a few steps, she'd stop and <span style="font-style: italic;">stare</span> at us until we finally relented and brought her home to her comfy sofa.<br /><br />We spent the rest of the holiday watching a "Hoarders" marathon, cleaning house, and trying to convince ourselves that our house <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> wasn't that messy...<br /><br />Oh yeah... the quiet part. On Tuesday night, Penny was unusually quiet while the ladies from stitch group invaded the house. Their presence, particularly in open-toed shoes and flip-flops, would usually mean an evening of "No, Penny. No Toes." and chasing her down to retrieve the shoes she'd filched from underneath the dining table. She made off with a flip-flop, but her heart wasn't in it; she spent most of the time in Richard's lap. After everyone left... we found out why as she started throwing up. The third time, when I saw traces of blood, it was off to the Emergency Vet.<br /><br />Her Packed Cell Volume was high -- like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemorrhagic_gastroenteritis">HGE</a> high -- so Penny ended up spending the night in the hospital getting fluids and medicines to quiet her tummy. As it turns out, we got her there just in time -- she threw up 4 more times with even more blood. No diarrhea as is often seen in HGE. We left the ER around 2 and I was back at 7:30 to get her and take her directly to our vet for more fluids and medicine. Dr. Weaver wasn't in (drat!!), but Dr. Nunn did a good job taking care of Penny and keeping me well informed as to what was going on. They took x-rays of her tummy as a precaution to make sure she hadn't chowed down on a foreign object (I didn't think so, but I was willing to go along with it to rule things out). She got to come home late that afternoon, and DF Andy was gracious enough to come puppy sit for us last night so we could go to handbell and choir practice. (We have a music program at church on Sunday, and it was essential that we be at rehearsal.)<br /><br />This is Penny's second round of HGE. They don't know for sure what causes it. Dachshunds seem prone to it, and Oscar had it several times during his lifetime. It's fatal if untreated, and catching it early is best. I know the receptionist at the Emergency Vet thought I was nuts for bringing my dog in for throwing up three times, but I'm familiar with the symptoms and I knew she needed treatment pronto. The vet there was very nice; turns out she grew up with a wirehaired dachshund and currently does German Shorthaired Pointer rescue.<br /><br />So, Penny's now resting at home on a diet of roasted chicken. Tough life.<br /><br />During all this event with Penny, my friends on Ravelry, Facebook and Twitter were a lifeline. My friend Jen posted updates to Ravelry after I'd tweeted, and so many people tweeted their encouragement and prayers. I hadn't realized how much I'd come to depend on my extended cyber family for support during trying times. I know some folks don't "get" Twitter... but it's times when you're really looking for some comfort and support that you can throw something out there and get immediate response and can see that you've got folks who have your back. :)<br /><br />Today my friend and client Vicki Tag came over to bring some paperwork for the business, and she brought her little girl, Melia, with her. Penny recovered from death's door to have a vigorous play date with Melia! There was much stealing of flip-flops... much gentle nibbling of toes... and much squealing and puppy kisses all around.<br /><br />Sometimes a visit from a little girl is the best medicine of all. :)Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-86003974961413550772010-05-27T14:03:00.012-04:002010-05-27T22:24:46.286-04:00Catching UpWell, we've had a little time to recover from the trip to Pigeon Forge. Penny has sufficiently recovered enough take over again. We didn't think she'd want to go anywhere for awhile, but last Saturday she was stir crazy enough to want an outing, so we did the usual morning trip to Starbucks followed by errands. She made friends with a Papillon named Shiloh -- Richard and I decided it was a tossup as to who had the cushier life, Penny or the Papillon -- and she rode somewhat peacefully in her car seat while we drove her around. We were pretty happy about that, because that's exactly what we want her to get used to doing.<br /><br />I'm pleased to say that I have now survived my first colonoscopy. I knew it was important to have it done, because I'm at a slightly higher risk for colon cancer since I had an uncle die from it and since my father had a few issues... but to be honest, I put it off as long as I could. I'm here to tell you that the procedure itself is a piece of cake. You're taking a nice, enforced nap (using Propofol in non Michael Jackson-esque quantities), and I figure as long as nothing ends up on You Tube, I'm good. My only problem was with the prep. If you have no clue what's involved, I'll let you google it. I knew it was going to be unpleasant, but I had no clue I was going to be one of the small percentage of people who had a really bad reaction to it. I'm such a speshul snowflake. :) I got a clean bill of health tho, and they gave me an invitation to come back for another one in 5 years. I said we'd chat. Upon further review, I figure I've got no worries because the government healthcare probably won't pay for it at that point anyway...<br /><br />The new business is going well. You'd think things would settle down after tax season, but now we're in what I like to call the "flurry of letters" season. My current favorite is the Georgia Department of Revenue, which apparently delights in wasting taxpayer time and money demanding payment of taxes that have already been paid. Topping that is the NC Department of Revenue which seizes bank accounts of unsuspecting taxpayers after sending notices to incorrect addresses, after they've been properly notified of the correct address. And some people think we only really work 4 months a year... :)<br /><br />In the middle of all this, I have actually had an opportunity to (gasp!) knit and even crochet a little:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBL8MQecP3oyLps_o3Ska0xadNDblbzj-r4Ex1H7WW6qk5Mp-YmFWa8_-c3-WCSp1VGaPus17jmXdnG169NigdsbHHMpHRqPCsaSLhIw81cMxE9utJWdfCJfwYhy6Luea7xySO9lwDRY/s320/DSCN0349.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476016591278071490" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></span><br />Crochet dishcloths, pattern is <a href="http://foothillsofthegreatsmokymountains.blogspot.com/2008/03/tulip-stitch-cloth.html">Tulip Stitch Dishcloth</a>, yarn is I Love This Cotton by Hobby Lobby. You can get two cloths out of one skein. :) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFokjen9HfhJVtCqZZJgNP-Ah-zKamTWb5r1JxWRXJe4b6p8b1CHetvzgo6Cb6ADSHB61btGXIZF34DmFjFqs40Mpwu0USdpBSUzz4DYyQC89bSIzAei0g5zq7geqifBCdPsngw8OTG7w/s1600/DSCN0350.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFokjen9HfhJVtCqZZJgNP-Ah-zKamTWb5r1JxWRXJe4b6p8b1CHetvzgo6Cb6ADSHB61btGXIZF34DmFjFqs40Mpwu0USdpBSUzz4DYyQC89bSIzAei0g5zq7geqifBCdPsngw8OTG7w/s320/DSCN0350.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476018470508978194" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.peaches-creme.com/ladder_stitch_crocheted_dishcloth.htm">Ladder Stitch Crocheted Dishcloth</a>, again in I Love This Cotton by Hobby Lobby. It took only part of a skein, so I'm doing another Tulip Stitch cloth out of the rest.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjISrnQGrvqSZgYUPYsqW912O90wBuZAKeNZ-1XGUExDrtonVVUvijkQaz3r9JbecJLKmTkJCIY2zvFEjAmKoQIH1WV42aMOmrEWfld6j6ELd6-Qlz51AIXInKGc_Q-eQAmKSSusskl2A/s1600/DSCN0352.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjISrnQGrvqSZgYUPYsqW912O90wBuZAKeNZ-1XGUExDrtonVVUvijkQaz3r9JbecJLKmTkJCIY2zvFEjAmKoQIH1WV42aMOmrEWfld6j6ELd6-Qlz51AIXInKGc_Q-eQAmKSSusskl2A/s320/DSCN0352.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476020224924216338" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.islandofmisfitpatterns.com/2006/07/14/lacy-mock-cable-socks/">Lacy Mock Cable socks.</a> Yarn is an Ella Rae fingering/lace weight yarn that's doing well for socks. :)<br /><br />Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend! Take time during your fun to remember why the holiday is there, and if you see a soldier, say thank you. :)Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-83709810746201903812010-05-18T11:11:00.007-04:002010-05-18T11:42:38.436-04:00Marathon Shopping...and we're home from our annual marathon shopping trip to Pigeon Forge. Mom likes to go up there about once a year to check out the outlet fare. There's a Kasper outlet there and she generally has pretty good luck finding something (altho it's pretty difficult to find clothes when a size 2 is too large... yeah, she needs to eat more). It was a quick Friday-Sunday trip... but more importantly, it was Penny's first big trip away from home and staying in a hotel. We were anxious to see how she'd do.<br /><br />Friday morning we headed to Rome to Mom's house to get the van and head up to the mountains. We had decided to try to get Penny to ride in the puppy car seat; Oscar would never ride in it, preferring instead to "drive" draped across the lap of whoever happened to occupy the drivers' seat (generally me). Needless to say, this is not the most safe way for anybody to travel. Fortunately, Penny took to it like the proverbial duck to water...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TJntBpL-3FbhtOoAUAwaUfL25YvgMIanH3D8Q7bBqVkyMAoEc9OYOhbnWpTRVhlsJolSF9mKoKp0xUVJMOS4gBPB-YdE-ddbLsro0X65oLtQ_ZerG-xAHZEwYfHfsL76csGa3Rix_CI/s1600/penny+car+seat.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TJntBpL-3FbhtOoAUAwaUfL25YvgMIanH3D8Q7bBqVkyMAoEc9OYOhbnWpTRVhlsJolSF9mKoKp0xUVJMOS4gBPB-YdE-ddbLsro0X65oLtQ_ZerG-xAHZEwYfHfsL76csGa3Rix_CI/s320/penny+car+seat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472629654402922210" border="0" /></a>She'd look out the window, curl up and have a nap... she didn't even fuss when we stopped for fast food and deigned to eat a bite still parked in the car seat. Didn't whine or bark (except when we drove through a storm and it thundered, but that's another matter). We were very pleased.<br /><br />On the way up, we try to always stop at the Mayfield Dairy in Athens, TN for some ice cream. All of us found it very tasty!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMeG_JL537GR5VM5ZEKK1XT6KOF1pRSTTPR6bMZN6_DjxnFNjIM4t5WfXnoGTdHT9Yh2YW-esNLr4jPcdEgJ7aQm6LD1Qbd2Wvn0dcS8SXabzuzL0MrqvoZvkAlXWRb-QR5Yt34GoS1s/s1600/penny+dairy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMeG_JL537GR5VM5ZEKK1XT6KOF1pRSTTPR6bMZN6_DjxnFNjIM4t5WfXnoGTdHT9Yh2YW-esNLr4jPcdEgJ7aQm6LD1Qbd2Wvn0dcS8SXabzuzL0MrqvoZvkAlXWRb-QR5Yt34GoS1s/s320/penny+dairy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472632057238063522" border="0" /></a>We stayed in the Hampton Inn in Pigeon Forge. This particular hotel is located very close to the main outlets and is very comfortable and very pet friendly. We always stayed there when Oscar was with us, and their hospitality hasn't changed. Penny did exceptionally well in the hotel and only barked a few times when there were some unexpected loud noises.<br /><br />Mom bought a stroller for Oscar to use when shopping (DF Jill referred to it as his "Royal Carriage"), and Penny has inherited it. After some initial complaining, she settled right down in it and consented to be driven around. Sure beats walking, especially when your legs are so short!<br /><br />We shopped Friday afternoon, and all day Saturday. Did some damage, but not as much as on other trips. Mom did find some suits, which was the main purpose of going.<br /><br />As Richard said on Facebook, "We shopped till she dropped."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21biOUUN6AsnCADOuO2OdFKHXMEgOaFixpvvW_2Ru0IA_-Kod7p3qgLwQzxujQW1wBttqSC-d4PTXqiuYE9mGin5CyZsenjUKDVHjNvmUY0c9AFREMk8lTK_ZGo9RQ9vyLsjVuehaEgw/s1600/penny+pooped.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21biOUUN6AsnCADOuO2OdFKHXMEgOaFixpvvW_2Ru0IA_-Kod7p3qgLwQzxujQW1wBttqSC-d4PTXqiuYE9mGin5CyZsenjUKDVHjNvmUY0c9AFREMk8lTK_ZGo9RQ9vyLsjVuehaEgw/s320/penny+pooped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472634560308745362" border="0" /></a><br />On Sunday before we left town, we headed for the huge Flea Market that's just off the interstate. That's when Penny's patience ran out. She was tired of being in the stroller and nothing would do but that she be carried around. She decided to bark at people. She was In A Mood -- I dunno, maybe it was the Fleas. At any rate, we piled back in the van and headed south.<br /><br />So, it was a successful trip with the hound. It appears we have another little traveler, so we're anxious to return to Highlands. We haven't been there for two years. Hoping for a trip this summer!Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-37233551318870623552010-04-30T20:20:00.005-04:002010-04-30T20:49:25.405-04:003g DayI've been waiting, not so patiently, since March 12, for delivery of my 3g iPad.<br /><br />I dutifully saved my Christmas and birthday money, and figured that along with some money I'd make off tax season I'd have enough to afford the Cadillac 64 GB 3g model. (Color me naive about what tax season brought...) So the first day I could, I ordered it, along with a case and a power adapter.<br /><br />Apple taunted me. They released the wifi version. They shipped the case to me. They shipped the power adapter. They billed my card for the Apple Care.<br /><br />I started haunting the message boards on apple.com to figure out when it would be shipped. Consensus was that the prize would be in my hands on April 30, and indeed, I got email from Apple saying it had been shipped, and I'd have to be home to sign for it. (Lest you think I'm really nuts, rest assured I was one of many people anxiously awaiting the release. I didn't comment on the boards. Some of the people on there were thisclose to storming Apple headquarters with torches and pitchforks when they thought their shipment might be delayed till May 1.)<br /><br />I planned the day. Up shortly after 7; showered and ready before 7:30, just in case it came early. And I waited... and waited... and waited. Email said it should be at my house before 3. I tracked it on FedEx.com and discovered it was on a truck headed toward me.<br /><br />Around 2:30, I started getting nervous about the whole thing, especially given that my friend Cliff had taken delivery of his a couple of hours before. At 3:00, I checked the FedEx site again, to discover the dreaded "Delivery Exception" next to the tracking number.<br /><br />The explanation was "Customer not home."<br /><br />What?????<br /><br />Oh <span style="font-style: italic;">hell</span> no.<br /><br />I fear at that point, I sort of lost my temper. "Sort of" defined like the volcano in Iceland "sort of" spewed ash that stopped air traffic for awhile. I dialed up FedEx and had a chat with the person who answered to explain that I took offense at such a bald-faced lie being used as an excuse for the delivery person not doing his job. You see, this was the second FedEx package within 3 days that hadn't reached my home on time.<br /><br />They had rescheduled delivery for Monday. This was unacceptable in ways you can only begin to imagine. They said they wouldn't make the delivery guy come back since it wasn't medical equipment. So I'd have to go to their hub.<br /><br />After another tirade on me getting out in Friday afternoon Atlanta traffic, the person gave me the address. I asked for the phone number for the hub, and the rep said they didn't have one. "Bull" was my response. Every place has a phone number; they just didn't want me to have it. So they patched me through to the hub so they could give me directions.<br /><br />I asked when I could expect the driver to be back there... the person said "Oh, that's Mark... he should be here about 5:30" -- yeah, like he was supposed to be at my house about 3. I was in mid tirade again about their poor service when the doorbell rang.<br /><br />It was Mark. With my iPad.<br /><br />I can only guess that someone from FedEx called him and told him there was one po'ed little woman there and he best get over there with my package.<br /><br />His explanation was that there were multiple streets in my neighborhood with similar names. Ya think? And that FedEx was supposed to get them GPS units but hadn't. Dude, have ya heard of a map? Why not call me if you couldn't find the house -- you had my phone number? Would have been better than lying about it.<br /><br />I'm still appalled at the lack of customer service. Needless to say I won't be shipping FedEx anytime soon.<br /><br />But at least I have my toy.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxv9L-p3j9OL5Fu3ZW4aV1ZgJrX8D9BRl5FgP44J4v2w_1YgXcJqzGmrVH2-cqg6d7SwQn2DTC7LfdGzrwXA5XrvJAqpqgf7vtKAczxgIoYFibmnBa5sRNjfSYfjCcdaMzA_poeFljGY/s1600/IMG_0334.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxv9L-p3j9OL5Fu3ZW4aV1ZgJrX8D9BRl5FgP44J4v2w_1YgXcJqzGmrVH2-cqg6d7SwQn2DTC7LfdGzrwXA5XrvJAqpqgf7vtKAczxgIoYFibmnBa5sRNjfSYfjCcdaMzA_poeFljGY/s320/IMG_0334.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466096834448167122" border="0" /></a>It's soooooo kewl.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-50844746638366372272010-04-27T10:12:00.017-04:002010-04-27T11:24:23.779-04:00Stitches South, 2010My name is Jean, and I have a problem.<br /><br />Oh heck no I don't! I freakin' <span style="font-style: italic;">enjoy</span> myself!! And I had a particularly wonderful time this past weekend at Stitches South. Although I will admit that I didn't think the haul was nearly as big as it turned out to be. Reminded me of the time we were all at Spirit of Cross Stitch, and we asked our DF Cathy what she'd bought, and she replied "Not much" and then proceeded to dump this <span style="font-style: italic;">huge</span> haul onto the bed for us to see. We laughed ourselves silly over the astonished look on her face when she realized exactly how much she'd spent....<br /><br />DFs <a href="http://girlwithneedles.blogspot.com/">Teresa</a> and <a href="http://jackiecastson.blogspot.com/">Jackie</a> came to spend the weekend at my house. This was the first time I'd met Jackie in real life, and she is so delightful! We decided that in oh so many ways we were actually the same person (although she's a bit taller). Along with DFs Heather and Jill, we took a class on Thursday: "Fiendishly Difficult Stitches". Class was ok. I just took it because that's what everyone else was taking, and to be honest, I wasn't paying much attention. I was distracted by the yarn fumes coming from the marketplace that opened right after class was over...<br /><br />Shopping ensued, both on Thursday night and on Friday morning. People have been asking for pictures of the haul. Take a deep breath...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jb5uzbsFXeYM07xpCNpS1toi3W1MLjD4_BCXKz7GKL1ZIg0P_VLchrJF1_oCHqgK-W7qpgMGtdP4eJ2ypm_3YruFp_yiAqU_tpWTj7mS1wEzC-0djUn1lKRNm-6I-JioofgVwyIyhkc/s1600/DSCN0337.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jb5uzbsFXeYM07xpCNpS1toi3W1MLjD4_BCXKz7GKL1ZIg0P_VLchrJF1_oCHqgK-W7qpgMGtdP4eJ2ypm_3YruFp_yiAqU_tpWTj7mS1wEzC-0djUn1lKRNm-6I-JioofgVwyIyhkc/s320/DSCN0337.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464822577416721170" border="0" /></a><br />This is the "accessories" section of the haul. I got a set of Kollage square circulars (a size 8 is missing because it was immediately put to use casting on a tank top with some yarn from last year's Stitches South), Della Q project bags plus an interchangeable needle holder, some portable looms I'd been eyeing, and some Hiya Hiya stitch markers with holder.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTXcnN2x8imxepttRxR_5FaTXTS-WFyKfz8Wvv9UJVebSSn_c-zjAm7OmtTAf6Y3J0gQ1lBtHIf-fK0e9mgATsFMEht9an3_FMM99Z5tPcJDbnVreb30dh_BxHRx4UhuNik3_vleDOy4/s1600/DSCN0339.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTXcnN2x8imxepttRxR_5FaTXTS-WFyKfz8Wvv9UJVebSSn_c-zjAm7OmtTAf6Y3J0gQ1lBtHIf-fK0e9mgATsFMEht9an3_FMM99Z5tPcJDbnVreb30dh_BxHRx4UhuNik3_vleDOy4/s320/DSCN0339.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464823562838043282" border="0" /></a>Sock yarn: The four skeins on the left are from Miss Babs... center is Opal, right two skeins are very sparkly Kraemer with sterling silver woven throughout.<br /><br />Next up is my visit to the Quiviut booth. No, I'm not that crazy. I bought merino and some very nice hooded cowl patterns...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfxvZPPxXc1IdgH2BESN742qvSLfFLCLdSEwZcPJ1Nti7KIinQ1YAHtHndfiPRNvCyKQM9d8gZbj-bX0TxFOFEvqELByEbie-DnfsXmyVeScJQ4hpsF1ZNoSAdOkLNRKS_zJ_1LwYdGk/s1600/DSCN0340.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfxvZPPxXc1IdgH2BESN742qvSLfFLCLdSEwZcPJ1Nti7KIinQ1YAHtHndfiPRNvCyKQM9d8gZbj-bX0TxFOFEvqELByEbie-DnfsXmyVeScJQ4hpsF1ZNoSAdOkLNRKS_zJ_1LwYdGk/s320/DSCN0340.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464831707481209490" border="0" /></a>It'll be interesting to see what happens with the cowls. They're lace. And lace and I are currently in a mutual time out. Last time I tried... well... the result was ugly and it resulted in me temporarily losing all my religion.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIPjJyx3c4EbZZ5v2Gmp3jLj5AgOW1kj9ESWHzvLq93UerGnqrky3SFI8pThuQMD4IZCK4u6sSNmwGDBWcrdGuhr8OzxMREJ1WiuXUYS9tTGEnPc10rCU93sFbfw38AwxIXOJ18Nvx7o/s1600/DSCN0345.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIPjJyx3c4EbZZ5v2Gmp3jLj5AgOW1kj9ESWHzvLq93UerGnqrky3SFI8pThuQMD4IZCK4u6sSNmwGDBWcrdGuhr8OzxMREJ1WiuXUYS9tTGEnPc10rCU93sFbfw38AwxIXOJ18Nvx7o/s320/DSCN0345.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464832373722481026" border="0" /></a>I bought some books and patterns...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPHDnwKhNYNrXaSjlvO4X6odTCXtYWHTOERkmMniYV7YSOq2pSUdWfJFPojEwt_6_APeUy5AAvUH2refJQvXtp1wT-gzwR8X2z1-9-6r0zEWW9oW7mZ1GkLkk45mfYTDvbcLw0m6juBs/s1600/DSCN0347.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPHDnwKhNYNrXaSjlvO4X6odTCXtYWHTOERkmMniYV7YSOq2pSUdWfJFPojEwt_6_APeUy5AAvUH2refJQvXtp1wT-gzwR8X2z1-9-6r0zEWW9oW7mZ1GkLkk45mfYTDvbcLw0m6juBs/s320/DSCN0347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464832922218079410" border="0" /></a>And some more books and patterns, along with a kewl swift that is the subject of some debate at my house. You can't really see it here... but it's wooden and is flat on the tabletop. Richard says we don't need it; I disagreed.<br /><br />Finally, more yarn...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgORLF1cMMlU3TcUpiiBPLFkY_YqaNU1UdBtPKow174j1CJ9nsKCo7OHnUIW-xs6VZn3GYoDFqm9d7Wh5zk-ydUa4p8niZXkK_N67DZyFHIuIc9DTNzheR9JyyL59j6HbzjB_NzgaCwY/s1600/DSCN0343.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgORLF1cMMlU3TcUpiiBPLFkY_YqaNU1UdBtPKow174j1CJ9nsKCo7OHnUIW-xs6VZn3GYoDFqm9d7Wh5zk-ydUa4p8niZXkK_N67DZyFHIuIc9DTNzheR9JyyL59j6HbzjB_NzgaCwY/s320/DSCN0343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464833988035467666" border="0" /></a>Some bulky Noro was on closeout at Webs... Got a great deal on the Noro sock, and the Araucania cotton is something insane like 4400 yards, and I'm planning on knitting with it doubled and making some form of garment.<br /><br />Ordered and to come... some wooden purse handles with a cutout in the shape of a dachshund, and earrings from Sassafras designs made from knitting needles that had to have leverbacks put on.<br /><br />So, upon review, I probably bought just a teeny bit more than I thought. :)<br /><br />One of the best parts?? Got our picture made with the folks responsible for Ravelry!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFVcF8WO6FcwUiVK83z7GuaMUqdrxNbxihRgvsTluLhdOgU6DJlPrvC6wO0BJUcpYBAJ-FayGUEHeIBOf-fauV4qW9GsNws06HSq0CVTlydLLjqmyCA1UP9PlX2VhotJvhSolJVCQuK0/s1600/stitchessouthravelry.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFVcF8WO6FcwUiVK83z7GuaMUqdrxNbxihRgvsTluLhdOgU6DJlPrvC6wO0BJUcpYBAJ-FayGUEHeIBOf-fauV4qW9GsNws06HSq0CVTlydLLjqmyCA1UP9PlX2VhotJvhSolJVCQuK0/s320/stitchessouthravelry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464836962380765506" border="0" /></a>That's me in the middle, next to Casey, looking very... short. L to R is Teresa, Jill, Casey, Moi, Jess, Sarah, Jackie, Mary-Heather. (Thanks to Jackie for the picture!)<br /><br />Other than Stitches South, we made a trip to Perimeter Mall for shopping at the Pandora store and the Clarks shoe store... we ate at the hibachi steak place... Teresa and Jackie shopped at the needlework store that shall not be named for a little bit on Saturday (Richard and I sat in the car) and we headed in before the storms got bad... we did sneak out a bit later so that they could see DF Andy's townhouse and all of her beautiful stitching.<br /><br />Princess Penny, of course, had a great time nibbling our guests' toes. Teresa's toes, for some reason, are particularly tasty. Jackie got a great picture of her...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqUHswr9702xtzoTU_8RHJigCFqOix3vg_7FoY486CAT8yJB-Fm2t1DlHpUYZa_Bq1UkDiY8V5wpbB4xJgLiJSrroSxFy7RVpYEam5I9APjNvzFu0z-m1ETKL63V42c31-kj_zaBxQWw/s1600/princesspenny.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqUHswr9702xtzoTU_8RHJigCFqOix3vg_7FoY486CAT8yJB-Fm2t1DlHpUYZa_Bq1UkDiY8V5wpbB4xJgLiJSrroSxFy7RVpYEam5I9APjNvzFu0z-m1ETKL63V42c31-kj_zaBxQWw/s320/princesspenny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464837895296541746" border="0" /></a><br />All in all, a great but exhausting weekend full of good friends and good times! My bank account has a year to recover, and I can't wait to do it again next year.<br /><br />On another note... can you help a wiener dog out?? Pam (who created the beautiful February Lady Sweater) has a doxie with a broken leg. To help out with vet bills, she's designed this tres cute <a href="http://www.flintknits.com/blog/?p=187">baby sweater</a>. If you have a few dollars to spare, please consider making a purchase. :)Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-69539704733380972812010-04-15T00:01:00.000-04:002010-04-15T00:01:02.807-04:00Drumroll, please...Today is April 15. It's a big day for two reasons. First, it's the end of the first wave of tax season. Second, and most importantly, it's a new beginning.<br /><br />April 15, 2010 is the first day of business for Early & Smith, LLC, an accounting and financial services firm I've created with my new partner, Steve Smith. Steve is an <a href="http://www.naea.org/memberportal/Resources/ForTaxpayers/whatis_EA.htm">Enrolled Agent (EA)</a> and is becoming licensed to provide investment services to our clients.<br /><br />I've known Steve for nearly 20 years now, since we both <del>survived</del> worked at Universal Tax Systems in Rome, GA. He's a Northwest Georgia kid like me, and we share a lot of the same values.<br /><br />Bob is going to ease into retirement after this tax season, and Steve will be working with a lot of his clients. We're hoping to work together to grow the business a lot more.<br /><br />I'm excited -- I think this is going to be the beginning of a great new partnership!!Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-37775993567876561832010-04-04T22:34:00.002-04:002010-04-04T22:34:43.870-04:00States I've Visited So Far...<img src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chs=440x220&chtm=usa&chf=bg,s,336699&chco=d0d0d0,cc0000&chd=s:9999999999999999999999&chld=ALAZCACODEFLGAILINKYLAMDMSNYNCPASCTNTXVAWVWI" width="440" height="220" ><br/>visited 22 states (44%)<br/><a href="http://douweosinga.com/projects/visited?region=usa">Create your own visited map of The United States</a>Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-87348586696117868342010-04-04T17:59:00.005-04:002010-04-04T18:34:20.623-04:00I'm probably going to regret this......but I took the weekend off.<br /><br />I'd had it. Too tired to think about anything, and I considered myself a danger to work on anybody's stuff. The kicker was on Thursday, when I had one of the worst dizzy spells I'd ever had while I was at a client. Ya know... the room reeling, hold on to the chair for dear life, don't dare get up for fear of falling down kind of dizzy spell. I worked through it; it was probably a mistake because I found out Friday some errors I made that I'm going to have to correct. Upon review of the days leading up to it, it was probably also a mistake to subsist almost exclusively on Girl Scout Cookies, apple fritters, and caffeine -- did I mention the caffeine??<br /><br />So evidently it was time for a personal "ctrl-alt-del" and a reboot and recharge to get through the next couple of weeks. I decided to go through the Easter weekend and spend it with my "pack" of Richard and Penny and not work.<br /><br />Saturday we got up and decided it was time for a full pack outing. Started off at Starbucks for the first dining outside of the year. Penny delighted us by chasing petals blowing off the Bradford pear trees when the wind blew. She delighted the children stopping by with their mom on the way through Georgia from Wisconsin to Florida. From there, she went to <a href="http://www.topdogs.net/">Top Dogs</a>, where she scored some treats, and we put her in her stroller to go to the <a href="http://birdwatchersupply.com/">Bird Watcher</a> store to get her used to being in it in anticipation of a marathon shopping trip to Pigeon Forge with Grandma later this spring.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwVEbb2OBUuRmejJxhMr47cY7dJG5c7V9Riygrhx0F7XdZy92nkQmGQY24xIHIkd59euH70vqia_FJVD96qUGLEFASVXd5GJ6NLSR050VhebBjmxJ6tm8Cv5ZlXr3jHxNpVYDpQFOh_0/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwVEbb2OBUuRmejJxhMr47cY7dJG5c7V9Riygrhx0F7XdZy92nkQmGQY24xIHIkd59euH70vqia_FJVD96qUGLEFASVXd5GJ6NLSR050VhebBjmxJ6tm8Cv5ZlXr3jHxNpVYDpQFOh_0/s320/IMG_0325.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456408776534625218" border="0" /></a><br />We'll just say this experiment wasn't a rousing success. Think "toddler tantrum" and screaming dog. We're hoping that if we tire her out a bit more before we put her in it she might be more amenable to being driven around.<br /><br />From there we traveled to check out a new yarn store that had been opened by a friend of a friend of mine. <a href="http://lovinknitstudio.com/">Lovin' Knit</a> has just started up, and I had met Pat who owns it at the Starbucks (where else do I hang out?) earlier this winter when she was there meeting with some yarn reps. I think I'm known as the yarn-crazed CPA who accosted her while she was trying to do business... At any rate, turns out Pat knows Bruce, who I do business with for Aflac... (insert small world comment here). The store is very cute and Pat has done a great job getting some very yummy yarn in...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlm0MdaYzilxTA02zAJsT-i1aVYgUnng9ZMdXkSd1RUqdmQ2251gbRdvmsG86Xh72mnkLY19TbqOwV8ELkUVCkfww1gJNA_644k8-mx24_kSkKwvtXBM545l-bOzOz2OUFFDmdwAluEos/s1600/IMG_0326.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlm0MdaYzilxTA02zAJsT-i1aVYgUnng9ZMdXkSd1RUqdmQ2251gbRdvmsG86Xh72mnkLY19TbqOwV8ELkUVCkfww1gJNA_644k8-mx24_kSkKwvtXBM545l-bOzOz2OUFFDmdwAluEos/s320/IMG_0326.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456412293256951666" border="0" /></a><br />(Have I mentioned I have a little problem with yarn?)<br /><br />After the yarn shop, we went to another dog boutique (more cookies for Princess Chunky Butt!), a jewelry store (more Pandora charms!) and lunch (Penny enjoyed some bites as we ate outdoors with her).<br /><br />Today we went to church for Easter services (don't fall over... I actually put on a dress!), and after a grocery store run we've been at home for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Richard has wound one of those skeins of yarn for me. I think I'm going to go start a pair of socks. :)<br /><br />Till tomorrow, when it's time to work on the taxes again....Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-29910203999633170902010-04-02T12:52:00.002-04:002010-04-02T12:56:00.033-04:00Happy Easter!Wishing all of you who celebrate a Happy Easter and a Happy Passover. :)<br /><br />No chocolate bunnies here. Just one black and tan dappled wiener dog who seems to be on constant alert for any bunnies who may be lurking the front yard. Curiously, she completely missed the squirrel who took over the bird feeder off the deck and emptied it of seed.<br /><br />It's April 2, and I'm tired. Tax returns are still coming in. Will have an exciting announcement (well, exciting to me anyhow) after April 15.<br /><br />Back to work...Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-77512575016676405742010-03-26T09:26:00.003-04:002010-03-26T09:40:28.672-04:00Save the 88I love NASCAR, particularly Dale Jr. (as you can tell by the layout of my blog. He's now sporting a Grizzly Adams beard that isn't, in my opinion, attractive, but I digress.).<br /><br />If you follow NASCAR at all, you know that poor Junior has had a tough couple of (well, several) seasons. Poor guy can't catch a break. He seems cursed. He's had only one win (at Michigan and on fuel mileage at that) over the past few years and it looks like the only luck he has is bad. Either he gets caught up in someone else's problems, his car breaks, the tires give out, the engine blows... you get the picture. Or, aliens take over his brain and he misses his pit stall.<br /><br />Whatever the problem, it just hasn't been pleasant for those of us faithful in Junior Nation.<br /><br />There are a group of us knitters who met on Ravelry who are rabid NASCAR fans, and we have a chat during each week's race. We've run through several theories on Junior's problems. One was that his stepmother had a voodoo doll and was sticking pins in at random times. The one that seems to have stuck was that meteors are falling on Junior during the race and causing the problems with his car.<br /><br />We are of the opinion that the Hubble Space Telescope could be used to predict these meteors and that Mr. Hendrick should surely engage NASA in an effort to help his driver.<br /><br />Evidently there's another movement afoot as well. Yesterday I received this package in the mail:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1iTd8-XJ3PMLc_jVQm1HbF5Fm2uA9lsI-kSI_jv38XC_i-hsBRRHOnwAuGwQRKdWrpdda9NXZM71RMkA7fSMOoZsjRen9c98qjQtb7-esGR51iUFoOez4ADWLThL6rbP-L95NmEYGSU/s1600/IMG_0318.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1iTd8-XJ3PMLc_jVQm1HbF5Fm2uA9lsI-kSI_jv38XC_i-hsBRRHOnwAuGwQRKdWrpdda9NXZM71RMkA7fSMOoZsjRen9c98qjQtb7-esGR51iUFoOez4ADWLThL6rbP-L95NmEYGSU/s320/IMG_0318.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452935654215649042" border="0" /></a><br />I have blocked the return address so that the Society may remain protected from all who would wish Junior harm.<br /><br />Contained therein was equipment that would be necessary to be worn during the next race to ward off the oncoming meteors and hopefully protect Junior's car from possible harm and enable him to win.<br /><br />Penny and I are ready:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAjtYNfnQpA1ZmtvFaLtynCLZkbDe7-lJVcp4QV97izYgAxJkCTxkBkPNIc9Aapm39uhMcSElTM2CR1uFkGxI4ce9G3mbOh0B9AXdbkkrBzS76z2MzJYbOTNUYBF11mRuydQr8N5gJB0/s1600/DSCN0330.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAjtYNfnQpA1ZmtvFaLtynCLZkbDe7-lJVcp4QV97izYgAxJkCTxkBkPNIc9Aapm39uhMcSElTM2CR1uFkGxI4ce9G3mbOh0B9AXdbkkrBzS76z2MzJYbOTNUYBF11mRuydQr8N5gJB0/s320/DSCN0330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452936480611612802" border="0" /></a><br />Bring it on.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-50615684379219630482010-03-16T15:23:00.002-04:002010-03-16T15:34:09.707-04:00I'm AngryIt hasn't been the best tax season. Software issues have been a real problem. There's some other difficulties with the business. Family issues have piled on top of that.<br /><br />And then this morning, I discover some low life has spammed my blog.<br /><br />Her name, among what looked to be the Chinese characters, was "Karen". And she began her comments with "How Cool!" or "How Creative!" before launching into a barrage of what again appeared to be Chinese characters, clearly punctuated by a few words in English that I won't repeat here for fear of more spambots picking them up, and not for a good reason. It was ugly. I'm not a prude, but it's not the type of thing I generally want associated with anything I'm publishing.<br /><br />What was particularly painful was that the spam hit the post I made when Oscar passed to the Bridge, and the comment began "That's Cool!" Yeah, I know it was something automated or someone who obviously didn't care and would just sit there and type in the code I thought you had to enter to prevent things like this from happening. No, it wasn't "Cool". It still hurts like hell, right to this day.<br /><br />I've gone through and deleted the comment on all the posts the spammer hit. I didn't want to chance that anyone who reads my blog might come across them.<br /><br />I've had to turn on comment moderation. I apologize for the hassle it may cause some of you, but I just can't allow this to happen again. And I'm disappointed, because I always enjoyed getting a note in my email letting me see your comments without having to go to the blog to view them. That's over. All because somebody has nothing better to do than spread filth through the internet.<br /><br />No, I'm not stupid or naive. I know it happens. It just sucks that it happened to me.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-62338980016812192492010-03-12T00:01:00.000-05:002010-03-12T00:01:02.150-05:00One Year Ago Today......a little dachshund just south of Atlanta had a litter of pups.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span>We were waiting and watching anxiously. Our house was empty. The loss was tremendous since our beloved Oscar had crossed to the Rainbow Bridge. We knew that we wouldn't be a whole pack again until we could share our home with another dachshund.<br /><br />And that little dachshund mother took good care of a little black and tan dapple girl.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-a9OqZ5up4uau9_OAGU9hRVYgpBdA_2Anko_3m38ajygiS5taWSENBE7dIU_4eo1ayyExjWtdgk-k2yIZWvlfgf0g9SLwrBRyszrWt67rRxeUflz2pP-9rdYc0MvFTzp0QpJ2JRBdus/s1600-h/march+2009+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-a9OqZ5up4uau9_OAGU9hRVYgpBdA_2Anko_3m38ajygiS5taWSENBE7dIU_4eo1ayyExjWtdgk-k2yIZWvlfgf0g9SLwrBRyszrWt67rRxeUflz2pP-9rdYc0MvFTzp0QpJ2JRBdus/s320/march+2009+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447581269953445250" border="0" /></a> We talked about her. We speculated on what she was doing... how she was growing... whether she had her eyes open and if she was playing with her little puppy siblings. We called her "new puppy" -- afraid to call her by name just in case the unthinkable happened.<br /><br />And then, about 7 weeks later<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfu7DFQVWZHOamX5tTYF1LUAtBno9G8MohbfJdOVM6oEmlAQKW4tlHrwSBwTO3p_pNKO_tg1OPtD4_5Es1GSLVUhf-OtQCODI1UJ7yRUsYCOXq3D0w1bIbFDLBAWYtziRfkWBE7pqFdEA/s1600-h/IMG_1329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfu7DFQVWZHOamX5tTYF1LUAtBno9G8MohbfJdOVM6oEmlAQKW4tlHrwSBwTO3p_pNKO_tg1OPtD4_5Es1GSLVUhf-OtQCODI1UJ7yRUsYCOXq3D0w1bIbFDLBAWYtziRfkWBE7pqFdEA/s320/IMG_1329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447577405498907874" border="0" /></a>"new puppy" became Penny Jasmine, and she came home to live with us. Three perfect pounds of dachshund fury. If you haven't guessed, she's named after the character on "The Big Bang Theory", and sometimes she looks up when Sheldon knocks on the door and says "Penny!".<br /><br />It had been a long time since we'd had a puppy. We'd forgotten how tough things like teething and potty training were. And there were times I had to remind our little girl that there was only going to be one top bee-yatch in the house, and it was gonna be me.<br /><br />But she's loving. And she's a clown. And like all dachshunds, she thinks she's much bigger than she actually is (although she's now at 13 pounds -- she's a little fluffy or, as she prefers to say, she's big boned). She loves her food and her chewies. She's fierce from behind a window, and she's successfully chased all the thunder away with her barking. She's kept us safe from airplanes flying overhead as well as a woodpecker who had the audacity to hammer on the metal chimney cover.<br /><br />She's a bed hog. I wake up every morning with her snuggled up right at my shoulder. She doesn't dive under the covers so much, but she has her own way of taking over at night and making sure she's comfy.<br /><br />She's smart -- learned to use the ramps right off the bat. She knows all the basic obedience commands. Whether she chooses to hear them is another matter entirely. I long ago resigned myself to the fact that I live with a dog who is much smarter than I am.<br /><br />So, Happy Birthday Penny Jasmine! We love you, and we're so glad you're here. Thank you for all the joy you give us. And we'll get those birthday cookies ready.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31JscpsweucrqZhjtnsbMdgTMmrIXo4rDap8EY1c1_VjLt1OkTBx0kxd77rpWrJpniEzzJpBVr2s5D61N88zfWbrF-sFGhB9W2r5sV9JRXYXdnWFuXmUlpWNFLGnB3XYecIXuTDBKGdM/s1600-h/DSCN0216.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31JscpsweucrqZhjtnsbMdgTMmrIXo4rDap8EY1c1_VjLt1OkTBx0kxd77rpWrJpniEzzJpBVr2s5D61N88zfWbrF-sFGhB9W2r5sV9JRXYXdnWFuXmUlpWNFLGnB3XYecIXuTDBKGdM/s320/DSCN0216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447582947446440050" border="0" /></a>Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-86459988537581197422010-03-02T21:55:00.007-05:002010-03-02T22:32:29.083-05:00Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?The victim:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkQqlVBpqwj-3OiTbQa52GOrGQkYvjuriTgt-oYiRq9gfnTenqC0Qg3i2E9AK8nmfdUiHwrNVKzkkY2X2VzxTokH3ITOo2gQVGKPkrHgdKIXaPA6XfWmN4HcivrN2rP0e5Nweknk83y4/s1600-h/DSCN0304.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkQqlVBpqwj-3OiTbQa52GOrGQkYvjuriTgt-oYiRq9gfnTenqC0Qg3i2E9AK8nmfdUiHwrNVKzkkY2X2VzxTokH3ITOo2gQVGKPkrHgdKIXaPA6XfWmN4HcivrN2rP0e5Nweknk83y4/s320/DSCN0304.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444236334206458354" border="0" /></a><br />An unsuspecting ball of #8 DMC perle coton, color 739. Last seen being used as a lifeline in a knitted lace project. Mercilessly cut down in the prime of life.<br /><br />The Culprit:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCUBlmOmijFc0jo_jyfs94tA3Usd0AftRZXmN_t3zfjkH3Aykk9RjZ2InTqz-RqQ0FhQC2CMg8SiExqsXLCfPlvGkho-nrvdL-WQL5UlunSEPZ2mXnp4jbX1qIdFoAze-mYhUrGvkiko/s1600-h/DSCN0306.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCUBlmOmijFc0jo_jyfs94tA3Usd0AftRZXmN_t3zfjkH3Aykk9RjZ2InTqz-RqQ0FhQC2CMg8SiExqsXLCfPlvGkho-nrvdL-WQL5UlunSEPZ2mXnp4jbX1qIdFoAze-mYhUrGvkiko/s320/DSCN0306.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444239461135555746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZOpkTHGJLWJEc8HK1haCkYuPh_QxMOfAHhRHUqrYN5a7GzK-wP3ZH3KqbIgGtQem0pS8744crHCf45M4PWVqGuOhduOaE3OpstTBXVv0LKoa8T3YbqVEo8mK_uh2d2LMP_r3hXN86x8/s1600-h/DSCN0308.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZOpkTHGJLWJEc8HK1haCkYuPh_QxMOfAHhRHUqrYN5a7GzK-wP3ZH3KqbIgGtQem0pS8744crHCf45M4PWVqGuOhduOaE3OpstTBXVv0LKoa8T3YbqVEo8mK_uh2d2LMP_r3hXN86x8/s320/DSCN0308.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444245153431300178" border="0" /></a><br />Caught red-pawed with the victim wrapped around several chairs under a dining table.<br /><br />Culprit expressed no remorse for her actions and actually begged for a cookie when caught.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-44803136930858155232010-03-01T09:22:00.008-05:002010-03-01T10:03:08.287-05:00I have been informed.......that I needed to put up a blog post. People. Srsly. Look at the calendar. What the heck do you think I'm doing?? I sure as heck ain't lounging around eating bonbons. And some of you who are asking me to put up a post (ahem, Sandra)... I do your taxes. Just sayin'. So here goes...<br /><br />So I've pretty much summarized what I've been doing. :) Except.... I went through another round of The Crud. Oh, and I went for my annual physical and my doctor informed me that I was a "walking fracture" thanks to my Vitamin D levels (normal is between 30 and 100 -- my level was 6.3 -- leave it to me to be an overachiever no matter which way I go). Actually, I laughed hysterically over that one, even though it was wildly inappropriate to do so. My doc was so panicked that he had his office trying to reach me on my home phone and cell at the same time to tell me to go get the supplement. Poor guy. He's really great and has been a friend of my family for years... he was actually the one who found my dad's brain tumor and was so good to us during all that, so I'm thankful for him. But the Vitamin D deficiency, according to my reading, actually explains a lot of symptoms I've been having, and I'm hopeful that treating it will turn a lot of stuff around.<br /><br />We had some more actual snow, and the Pennster <span style="font-style: italic;">loved</span> it! She ran around like a wild dog -- wouldn't let me put her coat on her before she went out. She dug in the snow... sniffed... it's still so strange to have an <span style="font-style: italic;">actual dog</span>. Our little Oscar always treated cold, wet stuff as if it were acid and would look at it, turn around as if to say "No, thank you" and retreat to the comfort of the heating vent. Penny, on the other hand... well...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GUshurhILeTvSFaPPlX4lZq1_MI8cbdETR_0oCy6-MAf025QBal7uEyY4lUI_HK1PyyOXhxW7eb0Sd1wKig7mv74LBOfTVYx-9MIuSKqTliYtghRkFdT_gIovYtDPvLXfQfb4fPLoM0/s1600-h/PennysFirstSnow08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GUshurhILeTvSFaPPlX4lZq1_MI8cbdETR_0oCy6-MAf025QBal7uEyY4lUI_HK1PyyOXhxW7eb0Sd1wKig7mv74LBOfTVYx-9MIuSKqTliYtghRkFdT_gIovYtDPvLXfQfb4fPLoM0/s320/PennysFirstSnow08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443673786496495714" border="0" /></a><br />and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYHvOq4_dm1qbQf8ZsUTUnCvB5m1wmzRhiyASGUNMv9PUyKFUc4d2m9CFnuEKu4v_5KXRSU3dhShW8W58f71Xbj-plMrmZEUtI4JJn8HOj_jdgcfLk5R8rdENdZosRi70ge7qJ6Dgqn8/s1600-h/PennysFirstSnow19.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYHvOq4_dm1qbQf8ZsUTUnCvB5m1wmzRhiyASGUNMv9PUyKFUc4d2m9CFnuEKu4v_5KXRSU3dhShW8W58f71Xbj-plMrmZEUtI4JJn8HOj_jdgcfLk5R8rdENdZosRi70ge7qJ6Dgqn8/s320/PennysFirstSnow19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443674058426270018" border="0" /></a><br />We had trouble getting her to come in the house.<br /><br />Speaking of Oscar... we passed the year's anniversary of when he went to the Rainbow Bridge. Doesn't seem that long ago. I still miss him like crazy. Penny is soooo different -- which is what we wanted -- but Oscar was my little soulmate. Rest well, little man. I love you.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TONiyq2BSA3MvPvx_RHOs4ogRjnFSa_8UBAXLDsyBB-t2dYYZu4lunURY7me4FDpJ7fANYWx4H3nko27XnUzxvN6DrZmo3zEzXKXVtjUHINwqN_ZFU0YvrauUa_M1Q2f7fgi6SPnrBo/s1600-h/IMG_0032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TONiyq2BSA3MvPvx_RHOs4ogRjnFSa_8UBAXLDsyBB-t2dYYZu4lunURY7me4FDpJ7fANYWx4H3nko27XnUzxvN6DrZmo3zEzXKXVtjUHINwqN_ZFU0YvrauUa_M1Q2f7fgi6SPnrBo/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443675117909159122" border="0" /></a><br />Knitting, you say? Well, I did participate in the Ravelympics as a member of Team Fast Girls Knit Left from the NASCAR group. I managed to medal in a couple of events with some baby booties I thought would be the death of me. I ended up changing patterns and yarn for fear of cursing the baby after I had to keep ripping out and re-knitting a simple pattern. Turns out those size 5 double points were actually 4 size 7s and one size 6. Yay me for putting things in the right place. Eventually I got a pair of booties that looked like this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HewNZjGXejQeWrZA7FLayuJc_ngG7aD-8yoPAzKJ4JZWtkDTYrQjFCBAlGYpARabUUqDLEDkbcpm8unuQwbsxotFkI6lkedGgKtjXtnwA9lArdi_8e2XZV5Zvelewxq4Co7wT7CkPBM/s1600-h/DSCN0288.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HewNZjGXejQeWrZA7FLayuJc_ngG7aD-8yoPAzKJ4JZWtkDTYrQjFCBAlGYpARabUUqDLEDkbcpm8unuQwbsxotFkI6lkedGgKtjXtnwA9lArdi_8e2XZV5Zvelewxq4Co7wT7CkPBM/s320/DSCN0288.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443676356044462018" border="0" /></a><br />I also medaled with a crochet water bottle holder:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPvXspwutvKPD4-uXo-PRC4Y2BQsST3VFJYpm0WbWdurNj-ER9TEbbShV82O2oe7I3b073GVGFwJqKX4dTw2z9bke39PtXXero6a8-o5SKQioSrVSyysr9VbGRm1w1B-6Asc4i2YFGyw/s1600-h/DSCN0292.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPvXspwutvKPD4-uXo-PRC4Y2BQsST3VFJYpm0WbWdurNj-ER9TEbbShV82O2oe7I3b073GVGFwJqKX4dTw2z9bke39PtXXero6a8-o5SKQioSrVSyysr9VbGRm1w1B-6Asc4i2YFGyw/s320/DSCN0292.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443677038989262146" border="0" /></a><br />No stitching right now... I have a dog whose goal in life is to eat everything I pick up. She has extremely good taste and only insists on eating silks and expensive overdyed cottons. Won't touch cheap DMC and Anchor. Although, I did send Drema at <a href="http://www.needlecraft-corner.com/">Needlecraft Corner</a> a list of stuff to send me from the recent Nashville market. That scream and "thunk" sound you hear around the 15th will be me getting my credit card bill. It will shortly be followed by me on the side of the interstate holding a sign that says "Will do taxes for food."<br /><br />My friend <a href="http://sarahwinchesteroffiberarts.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/the-best-friends-ive-never-met/">Jen</a> recently put up a blog post about "The Best Friends I've Never Met". I got to experience a little of that myself recently when, after a particularly wretched day, I came home to a box containing all this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE6ouen-XFkQufpnxGnrwUh_5lTd_o9EY8lMcXC5NX94GdrCjfZcogbdG3615mfA-5kJ7bL5mfrtUOr_m-K-dY7_L38MWTI94mU1CzOQKRHUgBNpm4n5Mzubu4G5Qih91mLQHlL3jdv8/s1600-h/DSCN0302.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE6ouen-XFkQufpnxGnrwUh_5lTd_o9EY8lMcXC5NX94GdrCjfZcogbdG3615mfA-5kJ7bL5mfrtUOr_m-K-dY7_L38MWTI94mU1CzOQKRHUgBNpm4n5Mzubu4G5Qih91mLQHlL3jdv8/s320/DSCN0302.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443678881902217762" border="0" /></a><br />Homemade (and quite yummy, may I add) preserves. A hand knitted cloth with handmade soap. Stitch markers. <span style="font-style: italic;">Wollmeise</span> (pure gold to a knitter). A sweet note to go along with it. All from a friend I'd made on Ravelry who I've never met in real life. I won't embarass her here by naming her, but if she's reading this, and I hope she is, thank you again. You have no idea how much it meant to me and how much I value our friendship.<br /><br />Sometimes life hands you little surprises to lift you up when you need them, and God gives you people in your life to lift you up and help you carry the load when you need it the most. I'm thankful to Him for all of it. And thanks to all of you who read my little blog and miss me when I don't post. :)Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-27463507878796008982010-01-28T08:16:00.001-05:002010-01-28T08:16:50.475-05:00Dogs on ThursdayIt's Penny's turn again over on <a href="http://dogsonthursday.blogspot.com/2010/01/im-in-charge-here.html">Dogs on Thursday</a>. Head over and check out her post.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-32414716352326339772010-01-21T14:01:00.007-05:002010-01-21T14:50:56.773-05:00Maybe a sparkle of interest???The plague/crud/whatever it is continues to attack. Amazingly enough, I think the voice sounds worse than yesterday, yet I still have people calling me and complaining they can't undertstand me when they continue asking questions after the first croak. This is why there's email, people.<br /><br />I'm not firing on all thrusters, so I don't feel comfortable doing tax work. But I'm bored. I've got on the TV. The current administration comes on talking about a plan to screw up the financial system as badly as they want to screw up healthcare. I can't even scream at the TV. I text Teresa on IM. I text Richard on the phone. I make up words to old songs, such as "Where have you gone, Alan Greenspan, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you, woo woo woo". I watch the market plummet. Now, I <span style="font-style: italic;">can't</span> shut off this crap, because <span style="font-style: italic;">it's my job</span> to keep up with it, much to my chagrin.<br /><br />So I take out the knitting...<br /><br />Most of you are now thinking, thank goodness, she's finally going to stop droning on and on about the tax code and the cleaners and the current administration and "how Mr. Smith is running this country and how many languages Enoch Powell can speak and then he throws up all over the Cuba Libres..." (as I lapse into Monty Python, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcCuBWXd-hc">Travel Agent sketch...</a> srsly, if you've never seen this, it's a matter of cultural literacy). And she'll quit nattering about the cute dog.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchIUsoremeiAnSyRBlhviFZma5VKJ97DWxO2s7ktw0ymt8UCxG5ATjn29pPBlhu-HKAbfq08RDk230BtKl53gDUYHlze9fO-aY4HgkC4_A4FEie2Co2MN8w_XsB3MlEWw0Izestqwr8M/s1600-h/DSCN0263.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchIUsoremeiAnSyRBlhviFZma5VKJ97DWxO2s7ktw0ymt8UCxG5ATjn29pPBlhu-HKAbfq08RDk230BtKl53gDUYHlze9fO-aY4HgkC4_A4FEie2Co2MN8w_XsB3MlEWw0Izestqwr8M/s320/DSCN0263.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429275670489086114" border="0" /></a><br />(gratuitous cute dog photo)<br /><br />I've been wanting to try two socks on one circular needle, specifically because my attention span lends itself to SSS (single sock syndrome, for those of you who don't knit). My friend Linda does them on two circs, and I've tried it, but I find two circs in general really fussy. A few nights ago Richard and I carefully weighed and divided a skein of Dream in Color sparkly yarn -- I forget what the heck it's called, but it was on sale at the <a href="http://dizzysheep.com/">Dizzy Sheep</a>. My original intent was for it to become the wonderful <a href="http://bowerbirdknits.blogspot.com/2008/02/francie_29.html">Francie socks</a> that my DF <a href="http://sarahwinchesteroffiberarts.wordpress.com/">Jen</a> on Ravelry had gifted me the pattern for, but upon review of the pattern and my state of mind, I decided those had best wait for another day. I decided that the <a href="http://www.knitzi.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=80&products_id=245">Nutkin</a> pattern might fit the bill... challenging enough not to be boring, but not so challenging as to send me screaming (or croaking as the case may be) for the frog pond.<br /><br />First problem was casting on. Unlike The Magic That is Heather, I wasn't able to figure this out on my own... but fortunately others on the internet had kindly posted detailed photos of exactly how things should look. Got the stitches carefully placed on a size 1.5 47" circular needle and started to knit. I realized quickly that stitchmarkers were going to be necessary, as I kept pulling the cables too tightly and removing my "magic loop" (can you say "tense"?).<br /><br />It took almost an hour, but I cast on and got two rounds of plain stockinette knit. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEK-deAG8Oj9ILlUSZ_mc1sMkCIU6Et-TU8m5poJb8XOStMWh2kOanX7T_hA8WqmUUDgHWQlCeo2IsHGffb9t24F53Z0JMwyiFAJE2dGd__rju4iDDlE8XSe2KzoZcfGeWOv1F_pIqv0/s1600-h/DSCN0259.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEK-deAG8Oj9ILlUSZ_mc1sMkCIU6Et-TU8m5poJb8XOStMWh2kOanX7T_hA8WqmUUDgHWQlCeo2IsHGffb9t24F53Z0JMwyiFAJE2dGd__rju4iDDlE8XSe2KzoZcfGeWOv1F_pIqv0/s320/DSCN0259.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429278362475717954" border="0" /></a><br />I really hope I get better at this. I'll let you know when I get to the heels.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3188116651574516197.post-14723312831783586482010-01-20T21:07:00.002-05:002010-01-20T21:39:07.067-05:00Possibly the most boring blog post everSo here we are, middle of January. I'm happy to report that I haven't gone postal with anyone over their taxes yet... but then, it's early. We're using a new tax software package this year -- ironically from the same tax software company I worked for in the early 90s. Ownership has changed, but some of the same people I worked with are still involved. One of them is the salesperson who is also my tech contact... he's just getting back into the tax craziness after being laid off from a pharmaceutical company, and we have a deal that he calls me with tax questions and I call him with tech questions. Undoubtedly I think I've got the better end of the deal. :) At any rate, it'll be different getting used to a new package. Right now I've got enough to do finishing up W2s and payroll taxes. My new desk is installed in my office and is wonderful.<br /><br />Not much else is happening. I appear to have developed a case of the crud/plague/some form of upper-respiratory throat something that has at the moment cost me my voice. Delightful when you still have to speak with clients on the phone. I'm hoping for some pity.<br /><br />Made a big change to discontinue the cleaning service I had. Now, those of you who know me in real life are well aware that our house will never be a show home. We are, to say the least, cluttered... at worst, we're a candidate for "Hoarders". But we take pride in the fact that even tho there's clutter, the house is basically clean. Until a few weeks ago when I bent down in the kitchen with a paper towel to wipe up a spill and the paper towel came up black. I mean totally black. The day after it had supposedly been mopped. <br /><br />So I called a client of mine who has a cleaning business, and as luck would have it, she had an opening. She and her husband came today. Wow. Just wow. I am so very happy with everything she did!!! So Susan, if you're reading this, a big ol' Thank You from the three of us... oh, and if you live in the north Atlanta area and are looking for someone to help you out, let me know and I'll provide particulars... :)<br /><br />Penny continues to run the household. She's now 10 months old and is a Big Dog. Just ask her. She fancies herself to be a watchdog. Just let there be a noise of any sort -- car going by, airplane flying overhead, ant walking across the grass -- and she'll spring into action and into full barking frenzy. We haven't seen what would happen should she encounter Actual Danger, but I'm sure in her mind she's up to the challenge. This week we took her for a walk that was a full circuit of the neighborhood -- about 2.5 miles. That made for one tuckered teckel (as well as tuckered parents who walked her...).<br /><br />Until next time... stay warm... if you're around here, stay dry... and continue to keep the people of Haiti in your prayers.Jean in Georgiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10846133653704666843noreply@blogger.com2