Twelve Years and Still Going Strong

Twelve years ago in a quiet, private ceremony in our living room, Michele and I exchanged rings and promises to face together whatever joy and pain came our way. Five years after that we had a slightly more public (and definitely more legal) ceremony on a beautiful mountain in Vermont during which we again exchanged rings and promises. Although my first ring fell apart (we were existing on beans and rice at the time, so we did our best ringwise!), the promises have stayed strong and secure. I have no idea what the next twelve years have in store for us, but I couldn't be more blessed to be sharing them with my very best friend! The journey couldn't be more exhilarating!

Our wedding in Vermont

Carrot Creative

OK, well, I am clearly not the only one "crazy" about carrots. This video is awesome - it show a man making and then PLAYING (quite well) a carrot clarinet! TOO COOL! I think I may need to try this, too! This link was sent from one of my favorite coworkers, John, who has an awesome photography blog, A Second Look (though, sadly, I haven't seen any carrot photos on his blog. More's the pity!)


Also from John comes this link to Flute 'n' Veg. Oh, what I wouldn't do to be one of the Flute 'n' Veg musicians! I can play the violin, do you think I could make a carrot violin??

And, last, but not least, in case you missed it, I wanted to share Teresa's cleverness that she left in yesterday's post's comments:
"A museum devoted to carrots?! Are you sure YOU are not the proprietor or should I say "carrator" (as in curator)." LOL!! TOO funny!

Amd, on a completely unrelated note, voting started on my Etsy team's first monthly challenge. I'd love it if you'd head over to that blog and vote for your favorite entry!

Carrot Dogs - OH YEAH!!

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this, but I REALLY LIKE CARROTS. Well, today I was perusing my friend Carol's facebook page and she was saying one of the reasons she likes Rochester is "homemade Mac and Cheese Hot Dog with bacon, next to the Farmer's Market where you can also eat Carrot Dogs." Most of the text was just 1s and 0s to me once I saw "Carrot Dogs." I had to find out more, so I went to The World Carrot Museum, which has a page dedicated to Carrot Dogs on their site - which you should totally visit, it's SO interesting! I'm definitely trying these, so, anyone visiting me this summer for a cookout be forewarned: that's probably not a beef, pork, turkey, or tofu dog on your bun! (That wasn't at all meant to sound as dirty as it sounds!)

I'm In!

I got the official "you've been approved" message from the coordinators of my first ever juried craft show! I am so excited! As I mentioned, it's the MayDay Underground Arts and Crafts, featuring live music from local bands. If you're in the Rochester area, please mark your calendars for May 1st! You can find more information here.

Also, I completed my contribution to my Etsy team's monthly challenge. I'm sure you remember that the theme is Alice in Wonderland and throughout the entire movie, I thought, "Oooo, what if I took a crack at making The Red Queen's hot pads?" And so that is just what I did! I actually had a ball at it and learned a new technique in the process. I wanted to make sure that the hearts were extra secure so that I could advise a customer that the hot pads will wash and dry nicely, but I'm always a little leery of the security of applique on items people will use. So, I did a little research and found Dale Fleming's pinless piecing method for curves and other shapes. It worked like a charm, is as secure as piecing because it IS pieced, and the hot pads turned out great, if I do say so myself!

Blocks of Glass

I will likely never spend this much time talking to you about windows, but I am incredibly proud of ours at the moment. Michele and I have wanted, for the five years we have lived in this house, to replace the basement windows with glass block windows, but one thing and another always diverted our money elsewhere. It was finally the right time and I took today off to have it done. Oh, what a difference! I think they are just gorgeous and the basement is now so very bright and, well almost, cheerful! This is actually our first tradesperson-done home improvement project we did because we wanted to, not because something was broken!

The only thing I thought I would not like was that to install the windows, they needed to remove the sills and trim, which, besides the awning, front door, and a little trim on the sun porch, was the last of the green on the house. Losing this made me sad because 1. the house is WHITE and I may have mentioned that I LOVE color, 2. if we get rid of any more of the green, the big green awning will look odd, and 3. it's St. Patrick's Day and removing green seems sacrilegious. But, now that it's gone, I find I don't miss it at all! Our next tradesperson-done home improvement project is to get the house resided and, you guessed it, it DEFINITELY will NOT be WHITE!!! I think I have Michele convinced that yellow would be divine. And, I'm not sure if driving an 80,000 pound truck down the highway was distracting her, but when I said, "These windows make the basement so bright and cheery, now let's seal the floor and walls and paint the floor orange and the walls a bright, cheerful yellow," she said "OK, that sounds good!" I only wish I'd recorded that!

Alice

Michele and I went to see Alice this weekend. It was a beautiful movie, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The imagery was amazing, but I had the hardest time hearing and understanding what they were saying and at one point fell asleep - which honestly NEVER happens to me in the movies! We saw it in 3D, which was a first since I was a kid and a lot has changed. No more paper glasses with one blue and one red lens and the 3D effect was really amazing - I kept reaching out thinking I could touch something! Michele and I kept the glasses instead of recycling them because 1. we paid SO much for the movie and felt entitled, and 2. (the real reason) I wanted us to model them for you! I am actually very glad we saw the movie because my Etsy team just started monthly creating challenges (where each member who wants to participate will make and list something in their shop that is along a set theme) and this month's theme is Alice in Wonderland and, boy oh boy, do I have an awesome idea in my head! You'll see more of that later in the month, but for now, here's two cool cats in 3D glasses:

Yellow, Orange, and Green Attraction

OK, I just noticed, after Teresa's comment on yesterday's post, that I have pretty monochromatic palatte: most of the food in that picture is orange/yellow! So, I started thinking about everything else I eat and it's true. The bulk of my favorite foods are yellow, orange, or green (with a little red thrown in occassionally), which just happen to be my three favorite colors. There has to be a psychological link to explain my attraction to things that are yellow, orange, or green. And as I write this I look down and notice I have on a yellow shirt, green sweater, and orange sneakers - I'm sensing a pattern here!

Is There Such a Thing as Over-Organized?

I truly enjoy being organized to within an inch of my life. So much so that every Sunday I take an hour from my relaxation regime to make my lunches for the next week. I've always liked eating the same lunch everyday- in fact, if I change my routine to eat out or for some event, the day feels off and I feel hungry and unsatisfied - strange, I know! - and when I switch from my winter lunch to my spring/summer/fall lunch I have about a two week adjustment period to look forward to. Well, today as I was lining up the components of my next five lunches, I realized how pretty (and slightly crazy) it looked, so I decided to share it with you.

My body likes to be fed every two hours without fail or will make it's displeasure known, so I start my day with a smoothie (frozen strawberries, 1/2 a banana, strawberry soy yoghurt, 3 scoops of protien power, and Mango V8 Fusion). Then, I have a mid-morning snack of 10 baby carrots, which I quarter longways, dipped in spicy chipotle hummus. About two hours later, I have a salad. I have nothing against lettuce, but it plays a distant second fiddle to the rest of the goodies I put in my salad: shredded carrots (are you surprised?), scallions, apple, zesty sprouts, radishes, and red peppers. I put all those goodies in five individual containers and then as I'm packing each morning, I top off the container with romaine lettuce, spinach, and craisins. I don't add them until the morning because lettuce and spinach wilt and craisins bloat if they are added in advance. I take a little container of dressing and bag of crumbled baked tofu to top the salad just before I feast. About two hours after my salad, I have a cup of butternut squash soup - sometime I go a little crazy and have red pepper soup or spinach soup - I'm living on the edge! My late afternoon/pre-dinner snack is a cup of milk and a Kashi granola bar. Dinner can be whatever I want it to be, but I also make dinner for the week on Sunday and then divide it into five equal portions, and freeze any extra.

I get that it might sound a teensy bit controlling and a tiny bit, hmmm, let's say "over-organized," but it really saves me a lot of time and thought in the morning. That and arranging all five of my outfits and underclothes for the week, but I won't go into that.

Friends

When Michele first went on the road a little over a year ago, I had a few good friends who I still adore and am in contact with, but I've never been one to have hoards of friends, or want to. As I look back over this past year, I am amazed at the number of new friends I've made and how much closer I've gotten to the friends I had previously. Starting this blog has connected me to so many wonderful people who share my interests. Starting my shop connected me with even more and has been a fun way to have a better relationship with my sister. Even being lonely at home has had its benefits: it's made me reach out more to friends and get out of the house to do things. And in addition to being fun, my friends help me be accountable. For example, the group of Etsy friends who are challenging me and each other to list an item a day in our shops, or the friends who read my blog and wonder where I am when I don't post for a few days (sorry about that!). I am so grateful for the new appreciation I have for friends and for each and every one of you! You all are the best!

A Beautiful Weekend, or How Many Ways Are There to Consume Tea?

This has truly been a gorgeous weekend. The sun shined constantly yesterday. This morning, our pastor said that when the sun is out so consistently in Rochester, we all become like sunflowers, raising our faces to the warmth and slowly turning our bodies as the sun moves in the sky. There is truth in that statement. Today after church I started my day of rest and relaxation with a yummy sandwich and a good book on the sun porch, which was bright and warm. Soon, I couldn't resist turning my face to the sun, shutting my eyes, and taking a nap with the sun beating full on me and melting away the winter chill...which lasted for about an hour, at which time I awoke freezing because the clouds had come and, in winter, when the sun is not streaming into the uninsulated sun porch, it is quite cold! Oh, but it was lovely while it lasted.

Being chilly is actually a good lead-in to the rest of my plans for the day: my rendition of High Tea! This afternoon/evening, I plan to take a long soak in a tea bath while enjoying a pint of Haagen-Dazs Green Tea ice cream. After which I will lay in bed with a little plate of Vanilla Green Tea sandwich cookies and a wonderful pot of mango white tea. And I am off to enjoy and hope that you have the chance to turn your face to the sun and enjoy the day, too!

I'm Doing Another Show...I Hope

I hope to do another show - actually I planned to do five this year, but think I will likely do three - and I am crossing my fingers that I will be selected. This will be my first JURIED show! I'm a big grown up girl now! For those who may not know, a juried show is one for which I need to submit a portfolio of my work, have it judged, and that judgment is the basis of my admission (or non-admission) to the show. (OK, remind me that I'm a big girl if I don't get in!) the show itself sounds really cool: MayDay! Underground Arts + Crafts. It's an indie arts & crafts show that will feature lots of cool vendors and live music. It really sounds like fun and it's on May Day - the first day of my birthday month, so it seems like fate!

Off My Game, or Who Threw that Monkey Wrench

I am the type of person who thrives on a schedule and with a routine. Ruts - I love them! I adore eating and doing the same thing over and over and over and my favorite work experience was any which required me to wear a uniform. I like stability, routine, monotony, and patterns. That being said, the whole basement flooding episode threw me off my routine. For one who enjoys being settled, any breaks in routine are really difficult to come back from. I've really been off my game, neglecting my blog, neglecting my friends' blogs, forgetting things, missing appointments. That's one problem with leaning so much on stability, routine, and ruts: any monkey wrenches throw me for a loop! So, that having been said, I'm trying to get myself back on track and hopefully you will all bear with me!

Braggin' Rights Indeed!!

Before I'd even opened the mailbox today, I smelled something heavenly! I recently ordered some bath supplies from a new friend and Etsy seller, Braggin' Rights Bath, and today I received this delicious-smelling set of goodies in the mail. YUMMMMM!!! Tracy, the creator of all these goodies, makes the cutest and most fragrant bath and spa products. I ordered some organic cotton body cloths, lavendar soap with crushed roses (oo la la!!), energizing bath tea (yes, that's right, tea for my bath!), and the best of all: chocolate milk bath. I CANNOT WAIT to take a bath this weekend! I will definitely be making an afternoon of it after church on Sunday: A nice long soak in a tea bath with a good book and a pint of ice cream (I LOVE eating ice cream in the bath!!) followed by a pretty pot of tea (to drink) and more of that good book. What a lucky girl I am!

Squirrels and Carbon Monoxide

My sister's comment on yesterday's post reminded me of something I meant to tell you all. Michele and I do have a carbon monoxide detector in our home, but just one and it's upstairs. Our furnace guy advised, and I advise you all, that there should be one near EVERY fuel burning appliance or at least one on every level of the home, including the basement. Ones on the living level, like ours, are great for detecting CO coming through the ductwork, but not much else.

And, on a lighter note, Sara shared this link with me to support my intense dislike of those cute fuzzy-tailed rodents. This post rocks and I join with the author in saying "Game on!"

A Delightful, Carroty Surprise

Last week's craziness ended on a positive note. As I mentioned after installing the new water heater, we discovered the chimney was backed up with squirrel nests. Well, after a consultation with my doctor, she believes that most of the health issues I've had over the past year were likely due to chronic carbon monoxide poisoning. So, our flooded basement revealed a life-threatening problem. I told the doctor that as of Thursday I felt so much closer to my regular self - I'm sold that the problem was poor ventilation and am grateful that it was taken care of before it became a tragedy! (Michele suggested that the squirrels were trying to kill me so that they could have my garden all to themselves, but I won't follow the path of that conspiracy theory.)

Right on the tails of this hopeful report from my doctor came a package from my sister. She made me a carrot key keeper! Isn't it just the cutest?! It coordinates so well with my bag, but I think I may make myself a new one. A friend gave me a couple yards of carrot fabric that has been waiting for the perfect project. I think I just found it! Thanks, Kym!! 

Sanity, and Water, Is Restored to the Wescott Household

The Wescott household now has a new water heater and a clean and newly lined chimney. The old heater's tank wasn't really leaking - for some reason all the water that was flowing in was just flowing right back out instead of heading itself into the tank or maybe the gauge that tells the tank it's full wasn't working and it was overflowing. So, the tank was full to the brim and, once disconnected, 40 gallons of water came gushing out of the darn thing! The repair guy was pretty fast, but not fast enough to avoid at least partially swamping the floor again. Thankfully, he cleaned up this time! Now, about the chimney: after the new heater was installed, the repair guy called us down to show us how to light the pilot and told us in about 30 minutes we'd have lots of hot water. Ten minutes later he called us back down to show us that there was a problem: the fumes weren't venting up the flue! Oy vey! This was actually a problem we had with the furnace two years ago so we had the chimney cleaned out, a new furnace installed, and the new vent changed into a sidewall vent. So, I called ten chimney people and finally found one who could come out tomorrow. Well, the furnace/water heater guy said tomorrow wasn't soon enough and we made one more call and got a really great group of guys to come out within the hour. They very quickly hauled out the old liner - and the squirrel nests (have I mentioned that I don't like squirrels - dropped in a new liner, replastered the chimney above the water heater flue, and installed a new chimney cap (which they advised hadn't been properly installed previously!) Michele did make it home for all this excitement so it's been great having help with the clean up. Thankfully, the clothes seem to be washing up very nicely, so really we only lost a few small appliances and a bit of my sanity. But I am proud of myself that I took care of it on my own yesterday. Challenges help us know what we can handle, though I'd be content with a an absense of calamity for the rest of the winter. Seems easier to handle emergencies in the spring, don't you think?

Six Inches is About Six Inches Too Much

I wish this post was about the snow, but no, it's about the ankle deep water I found flooding our basement when I got home from work today. Just lovely - the kitties had to take a canoe to get to their litter boxes! Our hot water heater decided it didn't want to function properly anymore - it probably heard me talking to my dad about how we planned to buy a new one with our income tax return. Now, besides the pesky water there were two issues with the basement being full of water: 1. I tried every shut off valve I could find and only the MAIN SHUT OFF valve worked to get the water heater to stop spewing water, so I am currently unable to even flush the toilet right now (wouldn't be a good idea to visit me tonight.) And 2. I've sort of neglected to do the laundry for a few weeks, but yesterday I gathered it all and sorted it, guess where. Yes, you guessed it: on the basement floor in front of the washer and directly in the line of fire (or line of water, but you get what I mean.) I'm hope, hope, hoping that they're not ruined. I have about four weeks of clothes, so if three weeks worth are ruined that's really going to make it hard to class it up at work.

Now, I'm not one to wallow in self pity, so I thought I'd share with you what I'm grateful for today:

1. It's just the basement - I'm still sheltered and warm.
2. My friend Deb cancelled our dinner plans tonight (because she had a plumbing problem so maybe it's contagious?) so I got home when the water was only at 6 inches - imagine if I'd come home late tonight!
3. My morning smoothie was extra good today - I decided to add banana and it put it over the top.
4. As I was shopvacing out the water and hauling out sodden boxes and ruined appliances I found a brand new pair of gardening gloves - still in the bag! Very exciting!
5. Michele comes home tomorrow - she took a load to Florida, got stuck in the bad weather in Georgia, so hasn't been home for a few weeks, so this will be a treat.
6. The basement is more organized - got rid of all those boxes and storage - it was just taking up space!
7. I don't have to clean the kitchen - no water is an awesome excuse for a messy kitchen.
8. I'm getting a new hot water heater!
9. I was super productive at work today (which is good since I need to take tomorrow off to deal with the hot water heater!)
And 10. Well, I have my health. Oh and the Olympics is on! What fun!

Snuggie-licious, Daddy Edition

You may have noticed a comment on my last snuggie post from my dad requesting a snuggie of his own, so I whipped one up for him and sent it on its way. I used that pattern I talked about - it truly is just a blanket with sleeves! Gloria, my stepmom, altered it for him by enclosing the bottom so he doesn't get a draft on his feet and I think he's going to have her elasticize the sleeve ends so that they don't fall into his soup! Two alterations I may incorporate into my future snuggie. How fun! Well, I think my dad looks adorable, don't you?

The Swift Kick Seems to be Working

My battle against junk mail seems to be succeeding. I usually come home to an empty mailbox, except the good stuff that I actually rejoice over: Vegetarian Times, Fitness, Yoga Journal, American Patchwork and Quilting, and Clean Eating magazines and Netflix. I was surprised that it worked so quickly. The websites advised that it would take weeks, but I noticed a reduction after just one week! I thought it was a fluke, but it's been consistent. If you're at all interested in living a little lighter on the earth, think about reducing your junk mail, too.

Photo source for attribution. The author or licensor of this image does not endorse my work or me and their image is protected under an attribution license.

Home-Lovin' Bread

I made bread yesterday - real yeast and flour, rising bread. My sister makes bread all the time, but this is a second time in my life kind of event for me (zucchini and banana bread count as bread, but I'm talking about yeast-kneading-rising kind of bread.). At work on Friday, I had this fleeting thought: "Mmm, I would love to make some sweet potato bread. I wonder if I can find a recipe for sweet potato bread." And, of course, through the wonders of google, I found about a million recipes. I chose one at random: Sweet Potato Prune Bread. The uniqueness of that combination was right up my alley, though I decided against the prunes because I didn't have any at home. I went with apricots (because I 1. have a HUGE bag of them, 2. LOVE dried apricots, and 3. couldn't resist the orange theme of the apricots with the sweet potatoes - hey, it IS my favorite color!) This bread couldn't have turned out better if it had been made by someone who knew what she was doing! It is DELICIOUS!! If you decide to try the recipe as written, I'm sure it will be amazing, too, but I did make the following 3 substitutions: used soy milk instead of skim, apricots instead of prunes, and maple syrup instead of honey. My version is vegan, which excites me because my very favorite vegan friend, Cindy, LOVES sweet potatoes and this will definitely be something I make for her next visit! For now, I'm trying to save some for Michele (who will be home for Valentine's Day!!), but it's so good, I'm having a hard time staying away from it!!

Mouthwash Woes

As part of my new dental hygiene regimen, I've been following up my brushing and flossing with rinsing with mouthwash to kill all those pesky germs that cause gingivitis. Well, my toothpaste and mouthwash of choice are both Crest ProHealth. Since I've been paying more attention to my teeth lately, I quickly noticed that I was getting some increased staining. I honestly thought it was related to the copious amounts of tea I drink, so I didn't really think twice about it. Well, at this recent dental appointment, the hygienist noticed, too and immediately asked if I use Crest ProHealth mouthwash. I thought she was about to compliment me, so I quickly said "Yes, indeed, twice a day!" She said, "well, that explains why both the front and back of your teeth are so incredibly stained. The flouride in Crest ProHealth is very staining. I'll have to work hard to remove these." When I mentioned that I also use Crest ProHealth toothpaste, she said it's the same deal. She told me to switch to Colgate Total toothepaste and Listerine. So, I just happened to have a sample of Listerine - the blue one, not the original yellow - and started using it that night. I numbs my tongue the minute I put it in my mouth. After 30 seconds of swishing, I can't feel my tongue or the insides of my lips and cheeks. I thought it was a fluke, but it happens EVERYTIME I use it. It only lasts for 10 to 15 minutes, but it's really uncomfortable! I've been asking around and searching online, but no one I know has had the same experience. I have found a few accounts of something similar online, but no one states whether or not the numbness will stop happening. Michele says it's from the amount of alcohol in Listerine and I'm sure that has something to do with it. Not being a drinker, I wonder if the 21.6% alcohol numbs my mouth, does whiskey, vodka, and other strong spirits numb people up, too? Food (or drink) for thought, indeed!

August's Pay It Forwards

As many of you remember, in August I held a Pay It Forward giveaway and 10 lucky recipients were "chosen" to receive a gift. Well, for some reason I committed myself to sending those gifts by the end of 2009 (just four months!!) I'm not sure exactly what I was thinking, because the original rules of the contests I'd won said that the sender had a year to send out gifts. As I mentioned at the beginning of the year, I did not reach my December 31 deadline, but I have not forgotten and I am working diligently to complete something very special for each of the winners. Rest assured that the 10 luckiest of lucky people will be receiving something uber-cool soon. Because I like to plan and enjoy time-bound goals, my tentative date of completion is May 1 (still shy of the one year mark, but about five months later than originally promised. Hopefully the awesomeness of the gift will make up for its tardiness!)

We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

Thanks for all the lovely congratulations on my blogoversary!! I can't believe it's been a year and yet I can't believe it's been ONLY a year! So much has happened since the beginning of this blog. I've been looking back through the posts with amazement and laughter. We've defintely come a long way! Thanks, everyone, for joining me in the adventure!

Whoo Hoo! It's My Blogoversary!

More correctly, it WAS my blogoversary on Sunday as three of you guessed!  One year ago, I started While the Cat's Away to keep myself out of trouble while Michele was on the road. That hasn't really worked, but it's been a ball! Well, as usual, I cannot choose between the winners, so, Cindy, Sono, and Sara, congratulations! You've all won your choice of a set of hot pads, a picture frame card, two mini gift bags, or two Love cards. Email me at thequiltedhouse [at] aol [dot] com and let me know what you'd like. And now, all together:

Happy blogoversary to me!

Happy blogoversary to me!

Happy blogoversary dear While the Cat's Away!

Happy blogoversary to me!

A Mixed Review: My Post-Dentistry Report

OK, so maybe my expectations for my dental appointment were a wee bit high. There was no exclaiming in the aisles, no pictures were taken, no billboards made. My hygienist commended my efforts, but because in all the insanity of 2009 I somehow forgot to go to the dentist, my at home efforts didn't do as much as I'd thought. I had no cavities, though and that's a good thing. I do have to say, however, that I am not convinced that regular dental care, brushing, flossing, and mouth washing will stop gums from bleeding if you POKE THEM WITH A SHARP INSTRUMENT! I mean, really, isn't that the nature of the human body? We bleed when you poke us with sharp things. My hygienist assures me that if I keep up on my dental care she'll be able to impale my gums on her instruments of torture and no bleeding will commence. I'll believe it when I see it - hopefully at my 6-month checkup.

Flossing Appreciation

As you know, one of my goals for this year was to floss regularly. Well, I have flossed at least once a day everyday this year and am feeling pretty proud of myself. In about an hour, the true test of my success comes: a dentist appointment! This is what I expect to hear:

Dental hygienist: Oh my goodness, wow! I can't believe how amazing your teeth and gums look! I've never seen heatlhier gums! Sean, Phyllis, Cara (other hygienists) come over here and look at Michelle's gums!

Dentist: WOW!! Can we take your picture? We want to put your smile on our billboard!

I deserve at least a balloon or sticker or something, right? I mean, come on! I've flossed between 33 and 66 times this year!

Leaning Tower of Reading

I love to read - it's one of my favorite things to do. I find myself constantly in search of a good book to read and in constant fear of being without one, so I tend to have a few books laying in wait for me. Kind of like the book version of Elizabethan ladies in waiting. I am actually between books right now, but the four on the top of the stack are new acquisitions from the library, so I'll likely start one tonight. Ahh, nothing's better than starting a new book. Well, OK, chocolate is, of course, better, but other than that, nothing.

Hey, don't forget to try your hand (or mind) at my "Can you guess what today is" contest!

Guess What Today Is!!

Can you, can you? Can you guess what today is? It's an extra special day for me and possibly for one of you, too! If you can guess what today is, I'll send you a fabulous prize. It could be a set of hot pads, a picture frame card, two mini gift bags, or two Love cards. It's the winner's choice of one of those four. So, get to guessing. If more than one person guesses correctly, I'll used that fantabulous random number generator to choose the winner. Guessing stops Wednesday, February 3. Good luck!

All's Right in the World

Michele's home and I would like to say that it was her homecoming that did away with the last of my migraine. I think it definitely helped, but most of the credit goes to prescription medication, time, rest, and yoga. By the time I picked Michele up yesterday, all the pain was gone and I was ready for our planned night of fun. We did our two favorite things: ate out and went to the movies. We went to Red Robin, our favorite burger joint, which we love because any of their gourmet burgers can be made with a Boca patty! Yummy!! And we saw It's Complicated, which was about the funniest and sweetest movie I've seen in a while. I very highly recommend it! Tonight we're off to a dinner party with friends and then EARLY tomorrow morning, Michele is off to Georgia. It's a whirlwind, but every second is wonderful.

They're Baaaack!!

Migraines. I had them as a kid and they have returned to torture me as an adult. My doctor refused to perform an in-office brain-ectomy yesterday, but did give me a good plan of attack and some great meds to help. She recommended that I spend the day resting in a dark room, which I know is pretty typical advise and should have been pretty easy. When I got home from the med center, I realized that was harder than one would think. There is not one room in my house that has 1. no windows through which light floods or 2. drapes/blinds/shades that can be drawn to darken it. So I made due by laying in Michele's workout room - figured the bright blue walls with the sun glowing through the orange curtains would be better than the BRIGHT yellow walls and sunshine in the bedroom. Even when Rochester's gray, if there's snow on the ground it is bright! Maybe I'll buy a shade or two for the future.

Eye-Twitching Pain

I have had a headache since last Friday. This is an ache that no medicine I have access to will touch, so I am actually going to the doctor today! I hope that she performs a quick outpatient surgery and removes the offending part of my head.

An Oh So Gorgeous Scarf!

I am a particular lover of scarves. I must have about half a million of them made by my mother, step mother, and sister, or made from my own hands. Well, when my friend and fellow RNEST artist, Sarah (not football, sledding, snuggie, bad influence Sarah) offered to give away one of her hand woven scarves on my weekly post on the RNEST blog, I wept inside. My tears were 25% joy because it's absolutely gorgeous and 75% sadness because, as the hostess of the giveaway, I can't enter to win! But you can, and I hope you do. This is artisan-ship at its best! Check out the post here.

Auditioning Entertainment

After Teresa's heartfelt assertion that Enterprise is worth my TV watching time, I decided to stick with my plan and continue watching. It is definitely growing on me, but I find that I cannot watch three DVDs (12 episodes) in a row, like I would with TNG, DS9, or VOY. I can't even really watch one DVD straight through - I need a break after each episode. This wouldn't really be a problem, but I'm keeping each DVD for far too long, so I needed a new plan. To that end, I've been looking for something to mix in with Enterprise that will be a quick watch. After several suggestions from coworkers (and some strangers), I decided to audition Battlestar Galactica. I remember watching it as a kid (at least I think I do), so I hoped I'd enjoy it as an adult. Well, I just watched the first DVD (which I didn't realize was the four-hour pilot episode!) and I really like it. It's similar enough to Star Trek that it interests me, but not so much alike that I feel disloyal. The only thing I will need to get used to is that the new BG was a cable show, so it's a little more risque than I'm used to, but as long as my parents don't find out, I think it will be OK!

SOLD!!

Yesterday, I received an email from one of the women running Craft Hope letting me know that they'd gotton the two bags I sent listed in the shop. I thought I'd mention that today and post the link in case you were interested in either of them. Well, I went to the shop and looked and looked and couldn't find them. I thought, "Wow! I wonder if they sold ALREADY??" Lo and behold, I looked in their sold listings and there were BOTH my bags! Sold not today, but yesterday!! WOW!! I'm so excited to be sending them off to whoever participated in such a worthy cause!

Sunday-After-Church Ritual

I actually did enjoy the retreat and planning day yesterday, just as I enjoyed church this morning. Regardless of how much I enjoy church, by Sunday afternoon, after having spent all week and most of the weekend around people, I am really ready for some alone time. To that end, I developed a new Sunday-After-Church ritual for myself and really look forward to it. As soon as I get home, I change into one of my sweat suits (I have about 9 of the same style in different colors), make some lunch, brew myself a pot of tea - oh so lovely!, and take a good book into the parlor or onto the sun porch if it's sunny.

Depending on how much relaxing I need to do, I will use either my fat yellow twelve-cup pot or my tall, thin blue six-cup pot (which matches the set of "for good" dishes that my parents received as a wedding gift and my mother passed on to me.) The minute I take my first sip of my favorite African Red tea, all my stress melts away. I hope you have a relaxation ritual, too. If we all did, the world would be a much calmer place, don't you think?

[By the way, today was only a six-cup kinda day!]

Being a Good Church Member (Very Nearly Without Complaint)

We have a church retreat and planning event all day today. I know it's important, but it's supposed to be really nice today, so I would rather be playing outside. OK, let me get honest: I would rather be playing in my craftroom with an occassional sojourn onto the sun porch for a cup of tea, a snack, and a good book. But, with Michele on the road, I will be the only representative of the Wescott clan that can attend and attend I will. I'm sure it will be fun and it's such an important activity, so I will enjoy myself. It's over at 3 and I have promised myself an uninterrupted evening of crafting, chocolate, audio books, and soda (with maybe some dinner thrown in there for good measure!)

This is where I'd rather be, but what's new? If I had my way, I'd be in here 24/7 365!

Craft Hope

Teresa, one of my blogging friends, clued me in on this awesome group of ladies who are really doing their part to save the world, one craft at a time. They have a blog called Craft Hope on which they generally post crafting projects for others to make and donate to selected charities. Well, in the wake of the Haiti disaster, they opened an Etsy shop to raise money to benefit Doctors Without Borders. They opened the shop last Friday expecting to make a few hundred dollars, maybe a thousand or two, and have made over $20,000!
I wanted to bring this amazing group to your attention if you're a crafter because all the items they are selling have been generously donated by crafters like you and me. I also wanted to bring it to your attention if you are in the market for some beautiful handmade items. Defintely check it out. Teresa's working on some really great shopping bags (I have and regularly use a set she's made and LOVE them), I've donated the tote bags you see in this post, and there is such a great diversity of other items to choose from. Why not multi-task and get the item that you need while supporting a very worthy cause?

Sunny Skies

I love really sunny winter days so I has to capture this one. It was even sunnier and brighter because Michele was home to share it with me. I truly felt like spring (but I'm no fool! I know I live in Upstate NY and spring is a LONG way away!)

Giving Junk Mail a Swift Kick in the Pants

OK, one of my missions in life is to do less work. Another is to live lightly on the earth. Well, I'm not sure what happened, but it seems like within the last year, Michele and I have been getting massive amounts of junk mail. And it's my job to sort through it and shred what needs shredding and recycle everything that I can. My recycling bin is about 95% junk mail and I'm really sick of it. So, I decided to find that buttom I can push to sock junk mail right in the jaw. Yeah, right! It's not an easy job to stop getting junk mail at all, but I think I've taken all the steps needed and I thought I'd share them with you.

1. Go to donotmail.org and fill in their form. They will auto-populate the letters that you need to send to the mailing lists to get your name off them.
2. Go to DMAchoice.org and register with them. They will (1) help you stop being added to new lists and (2) direct you to contact information for getting off lists you are on because you have purchased products from the company or because you once requested a catalog or something.
3. Look through your junk mail and catalogs and contact the individual companies you are receiving stuff from who are not registered with DMA.

It doesn't work immediately, and it takes a lot of time to do it all, but I'm hopeful that it will (1) save me time in sorting through it all and (2) save some trees!

The Help

I've joined a book club organized by some ladies at work. Thankfully, we meet during our lunch hour, so I don't have to try to juggle another evening committment. The first book I am reading as a part of the group is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It is so good I'm having a hard time putting it down. Since I spent most of my time this weekend reading it, I've come upon two realizations (which, unsurprisingly, have nothing at all to do with the book in particular):
1. The snuggie commercial that complains that blankets are hard to use while reading because your arms are outside the blanket and get cold is right on the money! As you know, my house is chilly. When I'm laying down reading, I am usually covered with a blanket and usually have on a hood or hat, but my arms get so cold! So, although I tease my sister and my friend, Sarah, for their Snuggie usage, I am going to make myself one and you can, too, by clicking here!

2. Although I sell and am giving away lots of bookmarks and they are totally fun and easy to make, when I need to mark my place in a book, I tear a corner off of whatever paper is laying around. That's a shame, so I decided that in addition to the snuggie, I will make myself 5 bookmarks (I need 5 because I can never read just one book at a time!)

I Have a Dream

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day, everyone! Dr. King did indeed have a dream, and in so many ways it has come true . . . and in so many others we have a great long way to go. I encourage you to do what you can on this day, this, month, this year to end oppression and bring about equality. It can be an internal thing, like changing the way you think about people who are different from you, or can be an external thing like signing a petition or participating in a rally for something you believe in. Whatever it is, do what you can to make this world a better place and to make that dream come a little truer by next year.

Have a Heart for Haiti

By now we all know at least a part of the enormity of the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti. My mother had a church friend who hadn't heard from her family, but, after calling out the prayer warriors, she finally heard from them and they are well. There are many joyful stories and many that bring me to tears. Michele and I, like so many of you, have dug into our bank accounts and given what we can. When Michele comes home next she'll take the time to go donate blood - they are in such desperate need, so if you can donate, please do. Many of us are using the simple text message to send $10 to the American Red Cross - Verizon has already given $3 million dollars on behalf of Verizon users simply texting HAITI to 90999. We're all doing our part worldwide. In church this morning, Rev. Jim said that if you feel like you're alone doing just a little, it is very difficult to feel hopeful. I want to let everyone know that no one is alone in this effort. And I want to personally thank everyone who has done even a little something in the wake of this tragedy. And to that end, it's nice to get a little something as a "thank you!" for doing what you can. It would give me great joy to send each person reading this blog a little "Thank YOU!!" in the form of a quilted bookmark. So, for the rest of January, if you've given to the relief efforts in Haiti, go to my profile and email me your name and address so that I may personally thank you.

A Fly, A Mysterious Fly

There was a fly in my house this evening. I know that may not seem bizarre to you all, but it's winter. Don't flies die or hibernate during the winter? I mean I know that today we had quite the heat wave and got up in the 40's (I went out without a coat and felt just fine!), but did the warmth revive the flies prematurely? I think the warmth teased the insects into thinking it's spring.

Weather

We're having a heat wave here - it was in the 30's today and may well reach the 40's tomorrow. That's bikini weather in these parts! Unfortunately, that is also slushy messy roads, melting icicles, and overworking sump pump weather, but it is winter, right?

I cannot comment on the weather without acknowledging the catastophy of the earthquake in Haiti. I've been riveted by the reports and every time I hear one more I say a prayer. It definitely puts it all in perspective. If you are moved to do something to help, I urge you to search for a reputable organization and do what you can. Here's a good place to start. Tragedies like this one truly reveal our character as a loving and giving people.

OK, Now That's Cold

I don't believe I really need to say anything much - this picture says it all. I'll just say that this is the library at the end of our street. Brrr!!

The Perfect Tissue Paper

Oh, how I ache, so to distract myself from my post-sledding bruises, I've been thinking about my decision to really embrace The Quilted House brand by using only the company colors in my wrapping supplies - I wrap most everything in tissue paper and tie it with a ribbon before sending to a customer. Well, The Quilted House colors are yellow, orange, and green (my three favs), so I usually use yellow or green tissue paper and tie things with a yellow, green, or orange ribbon (it's easier to find large quantities of yellow and green paper than it is to find orange unless it's halloween or fall!)

When I was digging through my tissue paper box to find paper to wrap the bookmarks I mentioned yesterday, I stumbled upon some paper that Michele had used for my birthday two years ago - yes, I save everything! It is absolutely perfect for The Quilted House: it's yellow, green AND orange, and has stripes of ribbon, buttons, rick rack, fabric, and other sewing items! Now, my fingers are crossed that 1. Michele remembers where she bought it; 2. they still sell it; and 3. it doesn't cost so much that the wrapping is more expensive than what's wrapped inside it!

My fingers are additionally crossed that 1. I will soon be able to sit comfortably on my bruised posterior and 2. I will soon be able to stand and walk erect as opposed to my current state which resembles the hunched stature of one of the hermit trolls from the old-school fairy tales.

Fun in the Snow, or, Oh How My Body Aches!

Although I complain, I really do love winter. I love the snow, think it's really beautiful, just don't like shoveling it or getting my car stuck in it at the end of the driveway. Today I embraced that love of snow and went sledding with some friends. There are designated sled trails at a park not far from my friend Sarah's house and her friend Dave has five sleds, so we were well prepared to have a ball! And, oh, how we did indeed have a ball. Now the only problem with sledding - ok, there are a few - is that once you experience the thrill of going down a huge hill, you, that's right, MUST COME BACK UP!! The first climb back up almost killed me! I don't care what kind of shape you're in, climbing up a massive hill is torture! And climbing up a massive hill after totally wiping out on your sled is inhumane! (Yes, of course I wiped out! This is me we're talking about here. If I survive an activity without injury I obviously wasn't playing hard enough!) It was really a blast, but after flying down the hill, going airborne, and landing, still on the sled, on the hard-packed snow on my butt jarring EVERY BONE in my body and still having to walk back up the hill, I was just about done! Then, however, we moved to what we thought was a less challenging hill, but looks were deceiving. Little jumps were built into the hill, but you couldn't see them from the top, and I went flying down and then flying up into the air, did a little in-air somersault and landed on my previously bruised posterior - and still had to walk back up the hill!! Oww! It was hours ago and I am still having trouble sitting and I don't even want to think about how I'll feel in the morning! But you know what? I'll go out again in a heartbeat! What's life without a few bumps a bruises, right?

This is my friend, Sarah. She's

a bad influence. She invited me

sledding and organizes our

Thursday football games! I blame

her for my pain!

Charity In Stitches

By avoiding shoveling the snow, I've been having a lot of fun the past few weeks. I've been relaxing and playing in my craft room. I gave myself a few weeks off from making things for the shop and have been enjoying working on my pay-it-forwards (yes, they were due by the end of the year, but good things come to those who wait.) I've also been working on a flannel quilt for the bed in Michele's truck. It's so cute and I can't wait to finish it to show you all.  Another fun project is one that sort of benefits the shop, by getting the shop name out there, but really is all about the animals (not squirrels, rabbits, or ground hogs, though!)

Back in November, I found this Etsy shop, Vegan Craft Samples, that sells bags with 17-20 vegan craft samples and donates all the money from sales to an animal santuary or rescue program. I thought it'd be very cool to participate, so during my break I sewed up some very pretty bookmarks to be included in the Valentine's Day bags (on sale February 1st!) I had so much fun making them, but had even more fun wrapping them up! Oh, how exciting to send out 25 little gifts! The proceeds of the current bags and the Valentine's Day bags all go to the Pigs Peace Sanctuary, which rescues abandoned pigs from pounds and other shelters - most were abandoned after the pot bellied pig pet fad fell out of fashion (wow, try saying that 10 times fast!)

Flossing update: still on track, morning and night (even Friday night at 3 am!)