Currently Castle: The Complete Fourth Season By Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Tamala Jones see related My house started falling apart.  I had to get my life/household together before it collapsed around me. This picture is of the side gate that was falling over and my husband was going to replace it himself. Termites!

Currently Tomorrow Never Dies By Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher, Ricky Jay see related

Currently "I" is for Innocent (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries) By Sue Grafton see related Monday, Monday, ooohh... Back to the grindstone.  I completed this shawl wrap last night around midnight.  I used up the last bit of unlabeled thick, thin cone yarn in a golden sunshine color.  This time I used a size K hook to get a looser stitch.  Started out with chaining 52 stitches and double crocheted each row between the stitches.  It was fast, mindless, and so easy. The Christmas tree is up but not 100% decorated. Apparently there is one more box somewhere in the garage with the treetop angel. My cough cold is not gone and now I've got to go and be inundated with more germs this week. Ugh! I'm not sure what my next project will be and I'm waffling between a hat, scarf or clothing item.  Decisions, decisions.

Currently "H" is for Homicide (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries) By Sue Grafton see related There are 24 more hours of the holiday weekend to enjoy.  I'm still trying to get rid of a nagging cough and sore throat but my voice sounds 90% normal.  I tried to stay away from the large crowds but had to venture out on Saturday. It wasn't too bad and I was able to find parking and get in, leisurely shop and return home intact. I finished reading the Janet Evanovich's numbers mysteries that I had in my personal library and I'm now reading my way through Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries.  I'm currently on "H is for Homicide."  It was time for me to switch to another knit/crochet tote and I found one in my closet. This cable knitted tote is from Avon and I never used it as a handbag because it's open at the top.  I'm always paranoid that someone will reach in and steal something so now I try to purchase handbags/totes that have more secure closures like zippers or more than one snap/magnet. This bag caught my eye because it is cable knitted and I thought it was fun. I only carry my current work-in-progress, notions pouch and design notebook in the tote.  The current work-in-progress is a crocheted wrap. This should be the last of the unlabeled thick, thin cone yarns in the stash so I'm going to keep crocheting until the cone runs out.  I'll be glad to finally have these cones out of the stash.  Happy Birthday to my son, C! He is my Thanksgiving blessing.

Currently Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum Novels) By Janet Evanovich see related   I am enjoying my four days off doing absolutely nothing except: Decorating the house for Christmas Hacking up a lung Reading a book a day Eating Sleeping way past acceptable morning hours Showering Wearing non binding clothing and no cosmetics Knitting/Crocheting This crochet project became a shawlette because I ran out of yarn.  Inspired by the CocoBay Wrap pattern.

Version 1 - November 23, 2009

Version 2 - November 2, 2011

About Me also known as stuff that does not go on a job application/resume.  Or Things that are not really worth mentioning but I'm going to anyway.

Notable Achievements: (sarcastic)

A)  I graduated #5.

B) I won a piano recital.

C) I was #2 in a spelling bee.

D) I received the only "A" in a political science college class.

E) I was a Grand Lecturer in the International Order of Rainbow.

F) I am the first granddaughter on my mother's side of the family.

G) I won a car drag race.

H) I was asked to ride on parade floats because of who I am or what I represented. 

I) I was published in two Rubber Stamp Magazines.

J) I was published in a Crochet Magazine.

Nitty Gritty also known as the stuff that makes me, me.

1)      Two years later and I'm still the only widow from my immediate peer group.

2)      After being married for 28 years, 11 months, I am learning what it's like to be single.

3)      I have been blogging for nine years. 

4)      The only international travel I've done is to Canada and Mexico.

5)      I am number two – of – six kids. Boy, Girl, Boy, Boy, Girl, Boy.

6)      I know how to play the clarinet and piano.

7)      I knit and crochet.

8)      I have a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Sociology.

9)      I do not like to cook. I’ve been known to scald soup and burn toast.

10)  Music on my Ipod includes Backstreet Boys and NSync .

11)  I love to read. 

12)  I have three adult children. Girl, Boy, Boy.

13)  I have been stopped by the police for making out in a car.

14)  My 3^rd grade teacher would have multiplication table relay races. I was never fast enough. She made me stay after school to practice. She traumatized me.

15)  I have only received one speeding ticket, ever.

16)  I prefer green plants over flowers.

17)  I read Martha Stewart's blog. Envy.

18)  I prefer tea instead of coffee.

19)  I was a Brownie scout and Girl Scout.

20)  I do not enjoy camping or retreats.

21)  I was an usher for a theater company and got to see the $80. - $100. a ticket plays for free.

22)  I cannot sing.

23)  States/territories that I've visited... Utah, California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Hawaii and Washington D.C.

24)  My favorite superhero is Superman.

25)  My favorite song is Enrique Iglesias' Hero.

26)  I like spaghetti with lots of meatballs. Once we went to a restaurant that served spaghetti and one huge meatball. It was delicious but somehow wrong.

27)  I have had blonde, brunette, black and red hair, now a couple a gray strands keep trying to grow. I like being blond and it is fun.

28)  I won first place in a piano recital. I was not the best pianist. The scoring criteria was flawed.

29)  My first job was delivering newspapers. On foot, in the rain, sleet, hail and snow.

30)  I read the National Enquirer.

31)  I had Lasik eye surgery but as I'm aging I need to wear glasses again.

32)  I watch Chef Ramsey's shows. (Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and Masterchef)

33)  I like Star Trek. All of it.

34)  I am scared of the Twilight Zone opening monologue, music and show.

35)  I don’t like the wind. I’m blaming it on The Wizard of Oz movie.

36)  I have no fear of public speaking as long as I have something prepared ahead of time.

37)  I don’t like the circus or clowns.

38)  I lost a spelling bee with the word ACCEPT. This word is now forever ingrained on my brain.

38)  I had a childhood friend whose birthday was a week after mine and she would always taunt me by saying, “Age before Beauty.”  That is when I started not liking her. 

40)  I love buttered, salted popcorn or cheese popcorn.

41)  In my youth, I was cast as a dandelion (a weed) in a community play. The director’s daughter was cast as the Princess. The daughter wanted to "friend" me on Facebook. We are not "Friends".

42)  As a teenager I used to work alone in a 7-Eleven convenience store. Customers knew I was alone and they shoplifted all the time. I was never robbed for money at gunpoint. All they wanted was Beer.

43)  I don’t like chewing gum.

44)  One time the waitress at a restaurant noticed my name on my credit card and mentioned that she and I had the same first name. Then she blurted out, “how old are you?” After a couple of awkward seconds she went on to explain that she never met any other younger people with our first name. She said that it’s an old name. I lied to her about my age.

45)  I have a cell phone that is just a phone.

46)  My husband’s boss used to introduce me as Candy during employee recognition banquets. My name is not Candy.

47)  My daughter’s friends thought that I looked like I would be named Cindy. My name is not Cindy.

48)  I am sarcastic, accidentally. I don’t really mean to be, it just happens.

49)  I don’t necessarily like sarcastic people.  Hhhmm…

50)  I like to eat sunflower seeds. I enjoy the act of popping the shells.

51)  Cars I’ve owned/co-owned: Dodge Colt, Cadillac Seville, Porsche 924, Suburban, Corvette, Toyota Highlander.

52)  I usually only knit/crochet/craft one project at a time. It is rare for me to have lots of unfinished projects around.

53)  I have a Kindle but still prefer reading hardcopy vs digital books/magazines.

54)  I like romantic comedies.

55)  I'm older than I look. Good news.  I still don't know what/who I'm supposed to be when I "grow up". Bad news.

56)  I fell in love with my husband at first sight.

57)  I love my kids but I am not defined by them.

58)  I do not like elevators. I will take the stairs whenever possible.

59)  I was in one fashion show.

60)  I am not a team player. Unfortunately, life seems to involve teamwork. 

61)  I like stationery paper goods and art supplies.

62)  I have PS2 and Wii but I’ve never played them.

63)  I do not have cable/satellite/wireless TV. Don’t need it, don’t want it.

64)  I rarely feel the urge to buy the most recent technological marvels. I like to wait until all the kinks have been worked through and the prices drop.

65)  I have seven nieces and nine nephews.

66)  I have 37 cousins.

67)   My favorite meal of the day is lunch. I am a soup/salad and sandwich person.

68) Two of my former boyfriends are married to medical doctors. This has nothing to do with me I’m just fascinated by the fact. The laws of attraction are mysterious.

 

Currently Working Girl By Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack see related   I wanted to demonstrate how to make this crayon wax leaf but I decided at the very last minute to go with something even simpler because I still have laryngitis and can't do much talking.  This project would involve using a hammer and/or grater to shred/flake crayon shavings,  a hot iron and scissors.  I didn't feel like umpiring a room with people who had hammers/graters.   I opted instead to have them decoupage cans with paper punched leaves.  I showed them the finished project and provided the materials.  I came home to watch Dancing With The Stars and to finish the Elise Shawl #2 - Swish.

Currently Men in Black By Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Sergio Calderon, Keith Campbell, Willie C. Carpenter see related Crocheting with Moda Dea Sassy Stripes (discontinued) - Swish.  Still have a few more rows to complete on this Elise Shawl #2.

Currently The Fast and the Furious By Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster see related I am so glad to see the last bit of the donated, unlabeled, black speckled, cone of yarn. It's taken me over a year (August 29. 2011) to make it through the whole cone of yarn. I was able to get 6 knitted/crocheted shawls/wraps from the cone. The yarn is sort of nubby and it is difficult to rip out and to crochet with so I used a big hook and crocheted very loosely. Knitting would have been another alternative to producing a soft textured wrap but I knit very slowly and it would have taken me too long.   I have a short project production attention span and I need to see/feel results or I'll get bored and rip it out to start something else.   I used Doris Chan's CocoBay Wrap pattern for inspiration and just kept crocheting until I nearly ran out of yarn.  I have the slightest bit leftover that wasn't enough to go another row/round on the wrap. Size J hook, no border, I just single crocheted the last round.  Love the semi-circle wraps/shawls much better than triangular and rectangular ones. Now that the black speckled cone is gone, I can concentrate on getting through another golden cone of yarn.  I've already used the CocoBay pattern for the golden yarn so I may have to revert to another old favorite, either Eva's Shawl, Carmen's Shawl, Angel Wings or February Shawl.  Hhhmmm, I'm pondering the possibilities. In case you missed the college football sports news...UCLA 38 vs USC 28 !!!!!!!!!!!!

Currently Grease see related   Whew!  I'm so happy that it's officially Saturday.  I came home last night totally exhausted and went to sleep at 9:30 pm.  The project of the week was a Fall Foam Doorhanger. One side has their name spelled out in foam letters and the flip side has foam leaves and plastic jewels.  They also used glitter glue to add sparkle. My voice is completely hoarse but I managed to show the doorhanger, set up the materials and let everyone go at it themselves. Simple and quick...what could go wrong?!