I got a lot to catch up on since my last posts, Whew.  Made it through the biopsy with its complications and the test came out negative, Yeah .  Went to Mexico and had a great time.  Will share pics on that later.  Also made it to the sheep and wool festival.  At first I wasn’t going to go and didn’t even make reservations for a hotel which I usually do way in advance before going.  Then my friend Pattie wasn’t sure if she was going to go and I just wasn’t in the best of spirits either for it all.  So then the day before the festival it was really busy at work both Pattie and I were dog tired.  I schleped myself home and fell into bed.  The next morning Pattie called and was rearin and ready to go to the MSWF.  Answering the phone I said, ARE YOU KIDDING!!!   I was shocked and so surprised that all my energy came back and threw myself together.  Picked Pattie up and off we went.  We called my friend Ken and my brother and his family on the way up.  It was so all last minute but fun.  Here’s a pic of Ken and Pattie.

It was good to see Ken and Pattie had always wanted to go.  The weather was awsome for it and I’m glad we went on sat since on sun it rained all day.  But sat was overcast coolish with a breeze and not a lot of blarring sun so you didn’t get burnt or too hot touring around looking at everything.  We did more eating and visiting with each other first when we got there.  Then we toured around the booths and checked everything out.  I swore I wasn’t going to buy any more wool since I need to work with what I got for now and I stuck to it and didn’t buy any.  I did get a kit for making felted flower pins that was around 20 dollars and it makes 5 pins .  Did I mention that we did a lot of EATING, LOL .  They always have some of the best food and ya gotta have some funnel cake too.  Well we left the festival and went back to Kens since he drove and when we were saying goodbye Ken gave me this big ole bear hug and cracked one of my ribs, LOL.  I was like OMG!  .  So then we went over to my brothers house and had a blast hanging out with my brother his wife and my neice.  We had a blast, mohitos, ordered out chinese food and hung out just having fun .  Then on the way back on Sun it was rainy and we couldn’t resist the Lowes in Alexandria that had all these plants sitting out front so we got coffee and went and looked at them.  Well, heck they were all on SALE!!!  I’m talking some were just 1.50 a container with 4 plants in the container.  So we decided to get some plants and I decided I’ll get them and when I get home get the back patio all gussied up and planted for my mom for mothers day.  So we crammed the car full of plants, LOL.  Then about half way home there is this plance called the Virginia Bazzar.  We both always wanted to stop at it and never have so we decided to pull off and check it out.  Well, since it was raining there weren’t many people with tables outside but they have an inside with all these booths so we went in and checked that out.  Its like a big antique flea market kinda place.  Didn’t see anything we wanted or needed but it was fun to look.  We decided to come back when the weather was nicer in the summer and bet there is a lot more stuff then.  The traffic was not bad on the rest of the treck home and it poured off and on all the way.  So we were glad we got up there on sat since the weather was so much nicer.  Got home and put the plants in and will show pics of that later. TTFN  

http://www.purlbee.com/granny-square-project/  Here’s a link for a cool site that gives clear instructions on how to crochet a granny square.  I’m a granny fan and found this and thought it would be a good site for anyone interested in granny’s.  Check it out

Here’s the latest thrift store score.  WOO HOO  It was only 4.95 and all ready to be painted.  Not sure if I’ll paint it though.  Maybe a dry brush paint technique that I learned from my friend Sandy will do the trick.  After looking it over it looks like a handy mans work of art.  Still deciding if it will be a place for knitting stuff or an office caddy,  Hmmmmmmmm.  So much has been going on and I got sooooo many pictures to share just got to find time to blog about it all.  Have you been to Hawklets place where she blogs and sells her fibery goodness.  She inspired me to take more pics and blog about them.  So I’ve been trying to carry my camera with me everywhere so I can take more pics.  Here’s another cool thrift find …..

It’s perfect for my camera, phone and pen and paper.  Ha, I just look like a tourist wearing it everywhere I go.  Let’s see I’m all settled in the new business location and getting along well there.  The shop owner had a birthday and we had a belly dancer come and surprise him .  I went to Mexico with my partner and his nephew during the end of march beginning of april and got out of there before all this swine flu scare started.  Whew, Just glad it wasn’t all going on while we were there, Whew .  Actually I was just getting over whatever crud was going around here in the states.  It was a nasty year hear for the flu/cold because so many people came in sick and I was just over it all.  It’s really unbelieveable to me how some people come in sick as dogs to get their hair done and don’t even think that they are spreading something.  Next year I think I’m going to exercise more of a strickter policy on that and really draw the line with people that are obviously sick.  I’ve only ever told one person I couldn’t do their hair because they were obviously ill and needed to be at home.  Not to mention people that have open wounds on their scalps and wern’t able to receive chemical services.  Anyway, when we got to Mexico I just plain old started feeling better because it was in the 80′s and dry.  The only thing is that Mexico City can have smog if their arn’t any winds to blow it out of the bowl it sits in with the mountains around it and two volcanoes that are smoking, Ack.  The first few days of the heat with no winds took some getting used too cause my eyes, nose and throat were soar from the fumes.  But then after the 3rd day some winds came and blew all that out, Whew, making it much more comfortable.  I’ll start posting pics later when I get time……. Have a good week everyone

Okay, I’m all about how wonderful Susan Boyle can sing.  But I’m annoyed that there is this emphasis on how shes not quite pretty enough or dowdy etc. and how amazed people seem to be that she can sing (WHATS  UP WITH THAT).  At first when I heard about it I went on line to look it up and saw listings for it and read things like, Britains hairy angel and she’s 47 and never been kissed before.  What the heck is that all about.  It’s weird to me because its almost like wow you can sing but gawd yer ugly kinda thing.  Honestly that is just plain rude.  At seeing the video I was moved at how beautifully she did sing not at how amazed I was that she could sing.  I guess that is the price of fame people (the press) want to make of you what they will for their own needs without really knowing you as a person.  In the clips an shorts interviews I’ve seen of her she seems like a really down to earth delightful sort.  She seems to be strong enough to take the criticism.  You go Susan Boyle

Here’s a pic of this flowering tree that I enjoy seeing when spring starts rolling around.  It’s some kind of flowering tree but the flowers look like daisies to me.  It kinda makes me want to laugh or more like giggle.  Ha, its just plain fun to see it when it blooms .  I’m going to see if I can get a better pic of one before they are done blooming.  Will have to take a trip to the nursery to find out what this is called.  Well, today was a real treat because it was in the 80′s and balmy and breezy and just wonderful.  Ha, everyone was out and about in their shorts and t-shirts and flip flops.  All those scarfs, are probably flung on a door nob somewhere or the back of a chair just in case we get one more cold snap.  This winter seemed to be colder than last to me.  I wore my scarf constantly and even inside sometimes.  It was just freekin cold, cold, cold. 

In other news, sadly, Fluffy passed on a couple of weeks ago .  Came home and he was stiff in his cage just laying there.  thought he was asleep but he just layed there and when I reached in to touch him he was lifeless.  Poor critter.  It didn’t look like he suffered and just passed on in his sleep during the day.  He was 9 1/2 years old.  I think that is a pretty good lifespan for a rabbit.  So he’s in greener pastures.  So sad to walk by where he was on my way into the kitchen and he would be on his hind legs there to greet you every morning.  The other day when I was out running errands I was passing by a PetSmart and thought let me pull in here and get some hay for him and then it dawned on me that he was gone.  So took his cage and all the stuff he had to the CHKD and donated it.  So hopefullly some other critter will enjoy it. 

Happy Spring Everyone

  Okay, so here is the photo of Mwah in me new glasses.  So why in sepia you say.  Well after getting over this flu bug having lost some weight and looking really pale and clammy.  I just couldn’t get a pic that I thought looked good or that I was happy with.  So after taking a few mug shots they just didn’t look good if I was just sitting there so had to make some poses as if I were just walking into a room and getting an academy award or something, LOL.  So then noticed the different ways you can play around with the photos and get different effects.  Well, heck sepia can make you look like you got a tan and just plain make you look better.  So does an upturned collar and a smile .

Then I got to playing around with the other special effects and got some fun results.  How do you like Litho……The invisible man look.  Muuuwahahahahaha…………

How about solarized, OOOoooooooo.  Now solarized just doesn’t look right if your sitting pretty.  It really looks better if your making some kind of scary face or pretending to look like a superhero/nerd or something, LOL.  Ah, fade away and radiate……kinda neuclear isn’t it….. creepy  I knew I should have brushed my teeth before taking this pic, Argh.

Then you can play around with colour and fade to blue if you want to.   Blue is my favorite colour and I really like wearing it but not when it is wearing me, Ahhhhhhhh…………..

Who would have thought that a new pair of glasses could be so transformative, LOL. 

It’s been so cold here and we actually got some snow today.  It rained all day yesterday and I just stayed inside and cooked and knitted.  Yes, actually knitted.  Got out a shawl kit/project that has been taking me two years to complete for my mom and well it’s still in the works and got some major work done on it yesterday.  It was nice staying in and while the wind was outside howling away and rain, rain, rain.  If it was snowing we would have been barried in it.  Didn’t get the snow till late last nite and this morning and went out and swept it off mom’s car and it was like butter I tell ya, so easy to remove. 

So now I’ve pulled out the info spinnermom sent me about the add a bootee and will be giving that a try before I brave to go out to the bank and storage unit to get me bloomin swift that is still in there.  Been doing a lot of winding of yarn lately and every time I do I miss the swift and just better go get the thing to make it easier.  Keep your smile on and have a great week everyone

The pic in the far top left is the new booth space and the other two are of the former shop.   Finally made it into the booth rental space and so glad to finally be all settled in with that, WHEW.   Moving out of the shop was like any other move a person makes, CRWAZZZZY!  To top it off I had this flu thing thats been going around and was in high demand in the last week of having to be out of there so it was very challenging to do clients and then be outta there at the end of the month.  So took saturday off (except for two haircut emergencies that ABSOLUTELY had to bee seen), the last day of Jan, to finish things up and was still in there sprucing things up till 12:26am, LOL.  I just couldn’t move any faster and when I was cleaning up the place and dusting there was all this mouse crap everywhere in the back and in the office.  Thank gawd it was sun the next day since I ended up in bed all day sick as a dog.  Ha, I laid there so long that I got a neck cramp and was sore all over, whew.  It was freekin awful so spent that weekend sipping tea and taking it easy.  One nice thing about the booth rental is the fun we’ve been having those of us that rent there together.  There are 4 of us hairdressers and a nail tech.  It makes for a right cozy place and things can get buzzing in there.  Plus there are two that want to learn to knit so when we have some down time we get to putz with that .  Other nice things about it is that it has a nice sized refrigerator, a micro-wave, a nice coffee pot, and a washer and dryer in the building (That SO ROCKS !)  Plus, all I have to do is right out one check since its all included and the only other thing is my phone (cell) and supplies and that is it.  No more having to get to work early to turn on the space heaters or a/c, no more having to take time to go to the laundry mat. or have to pay for repairs and such.  Ahhhhhhhhh.   I’m just hoping that it will be more economical.  Business has really gotten slow and it just isn’t like it was 2 years ago.  So that just means being more creative and revamping things, hence the booth rental instead of the shop.  I consider myself very thankful and really am grateful for the opportunity to be able to go back to where I worked before and have it all work out the way it did.  In fact it is just across the street, HOW COOL IS THAT!!!   I worked there before 11 years and 3 months ago but booth rental wasn’t available.  A client of mine told me about the small shop across the way that was going up for rent and when I looked at it I decided to give it a whirl and see how it would go.  Well, after 11 years and 3 months I decided, been there done that and where I  worked before was offering booth rental and bada-boom bada-bing I did a little side step across the street .  Plus, my friend Pattie works there, too   Okay, so the pics were not behaving and decided to be first. 

  There are birds outside singing and the sun is out today and its not so cold either, WOO HOO .  It feels like spring is on its way.  Here is a pic of an amarylis that is showing its true glory. 

Okay, so now this picture is behaving and doing like I told it too, LOL.  Also, went and got my eyes examined yesterday at Wal-mart and then went and got a pair of glasses.  Being on a budget I just wasn’t going to spend a lot at this time on a pair of glasses.  There were some really cool frames that I really would have liked but I just wasn’t spending that much on them.  I don’t like the wire frames with those nose pad kinda things.  They are just uncomfortable to me.  Plus, didn’t want those teeny tiny kind either since I spent 500.00 hundred bucks on a pair one time and just never liked em and rarely wore them.  Plus, they were so light weight that when I was working I’d keep bumping them or they would fall off.  Any way, there were all kinds of frames any where from the cool wide band purple type for 139.00 to the awsome tortise shell for 99.00.  Then I just didn’t even want to spend that either so I kept looking and spyed these really wide eyed type and plopped those on my head.  I looked on the tag and it said they were only 19.00 dollars.  What!  Are these only 19.00 dollars, I asked the tech.  She muttered a yes out of the side of her mouth.  I told the tech that they really felt good on and she said, are you sure you don’t want to look at the bargain table they are 50% off.  Went and  looked at them and was not impressed they were all those tiny lenses and funky colours.  Maybe if there was an orange pair, LOL, but NOT.  So went back to the owl type glasses put them on again and was like I really like how these feel.  I have to wear them all day at work so they gotta feel good.  Looking at myself in the mirror I had to laugh since they do look like a Charles Nelson Riley type.  I could see the tech in the mirror behind me cringing, LOL.  I don’t care I’ll take these.  So we went to write up the order and she suggested the no line bi-focals and the glare guard and the varo shading stuff but didn’t want any of the bells and  whistles for now, I’m on a budget and just really need them for work.  Just give me my owl glasses with the lines and I’ll be outta here, LOL.  It all came to only 137.00 now that is what I call a bargain.  I’m just not sure of the response I’ll get.  Maybe it will be the beginning of a new trend. Suppose I could jazz them up with an ascot and a vest or hat or something.  Target has some cool hats and vests the last time I was in there, Hmmmmm.   One thing that is cool about them is that when I don’t have them on and I’m looking around for them they will be so easy to see and feel around for, LOL.  I’ll post a pic. when they come in

Heavens to mergatroid, its been freekin cold.  All I want to do is be bundled up and drink spiced tea.  By the time I finish up at work and its dark out all I want to do is get home, get in my jammies and get under the covers.  Brrrrrr………It’s so freekin cold that I haven’t been doing much knitting cause when I take my hands out from under the blanket they are too cold to knit.  I don’t like the heat blasting either since it just dries the air out and makes my nose so freekin dry.  I was so sick and had this twighlight zone of an area forming right up in my sinus’s.  Like a whole vast waistland called Dry Gulch.  I think I could even hear things cracking in there when I breathed in and out.  Not to mention the tumble weeds, but we won’t go there.  So I got a humidifier and some neosporin and q-tips.   I used a saline solution wash and thought I was going to pass out and then it was so painful and I hadn’t eaten all day and the salt water ran down my throat so I swallowed it and it made me sick and nausious since it was on an empty stomach.  Ha, then had to drive home in a traffic jam and made it to the Walgreens to buy one of only 2 left humidifiers.  One of my customers, a mom, suggested putting neosporin on a q-tip and putting that in my nose and SCAHZAM!!! it was such a relief.  She said, her mom told her to do that.  Behold the power of Mom’s.  So in 3 days with the humidifier and the neosporin my nose is soooooo much happier, Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  So, I’m a somebody who is really looking forward to spring.  I’m in the process of moving out of my shop and going into booth rental which will be a lot less hassel and it has an actual washer and dryer in the building, LOL.  That will be so nice.  Plus all I have to do is write one check and everything is included.  No more seperate bills for everything except for the phone.  I will miss the atmosphere which was quiet and relaxed.  My customers will have to get used to that.  So after the end of Jan I will be outta there and into my new booth .  Plus, I get to work with my friend Patty and still be an independent hairdresser, WOO HOO!!!!  Will take pics to show the new booth space.  Have a great weekend everyone!  

Ha, when they mentioned knitted jeans on GMA today it caught my attention and all of a sudden I had the image of an old woman knitting a pair of jeans.  Ha, and the other thing that got me was that I pictured an old woman in my mind as who was doing the knitting and I’m a guy and knit myself.  Why didn’t I picture a guy knitting or some hip chick.  Any way, I just couldn’t get the knitted jeans outta my mind today and everynow and then I’d play with the idea in my mind and come up with some funny images or situations like so many people getting into knitting their jeans that it caused havoc in the stock market because people no longer wanted the designer jeans.  Or seeing jean knit-a-longs and jean knit contests, LOL.  Too funny.  Well all this got me to thinking of how jeans were when I was in my teens and they were tighter and flared.  In fact all the clothes were tighter or more fitted to the body.  Then the big baggy look came in and I went on a jean vacation for awhile.  Remember the jeans that looked sorta like combat jeans and the ones that looked like you were coming out of a Michael Jackson thriller video, LOL.  Ha, then there is the spoof Saturday nite live did about mom jeans, ha, too funny.  Well, remember spiced tea or Russian tea as we used to call it and crock pot cooking.  These were popular when the skinny jean was in along with the avacado green appliances that my mom still has, .  When they were talking about conservation, pre-cycling and going back to more natural ingredients I felt like well when did that all go out, LOL.  I mean I remember Lilly Tomlin when she was in the movie the Incredible Shrinking Woman  and it was all about how everything in the environment had come together in some strange way to contribute to her shrinking condition.  Well, that was when all this conservation stuff was being talked about.  Red dye number 7 and msg.  Chemical fertilizers and preservatives in our foods.  Heck I remember in the 70′s my dad had to go and wait in line on the, odd day, for gas because it was being rationed.  Why wasn’t more done about fuel efficient cars back then.  Why not a move toward more earth friendly enegy and less dependency on foreign oil.  All the warning signs were there.  Hmmmmm. 

Well, as freeking cold as it has gotten again it made me want some spiced tea and to use the new crock pot my mom got us.  So now there is pork ribs with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and onions and some onion soup mix with some beef broth cooking away in the kitchen and an apple pie in the oven.  Here’s the recipe for the spiced tea if anyone is interested.  It makes a nice gift and has space food in it.  You know, Tang

Spiced Tea

1 lb. jar Tang

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup instant tea (you can get decaffeinated)

1 tsp  powdered cinnamon

1/2 tsp powered cloves

pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.  Serve 2 or 3 tsp per cup of hot water. 

It looks like a nice orange sun when you look down into your cup and gives the subliminal message that the sun is shining even when its not

I’m so ready to get this year started.  I’m going in to cut some hair and start to look over things to start getting organized to move out of the shop and into booth rental.  I’m moving forward and not looking back.  The guys who rented the shop/space before me came by yesterday and said the landlord called him to see if he was interested in renting out the space again.  So I think he is interested.  The owners want to keep the space as a hairsalon so that would be nice since its been spiffied up with fresh paint and mirrors and such.  I just want out of there and to get on with things.  Since the break up with my last partner and then a very sour attempt at another relationship along with the economy I just want out, LOL.  A booth rental will be different but heck I’m still in business and there will be a washer and dryer on the premises to do the towels, Ahhhhhh.  It will just be different and less things to worry about.  That last year when I was in the lease, and was hit with a health scare, finances, getting a second job (donut guy) it was all hitting the fan at once.  Looking back I don’t know how I did it but thanks to family and friends I survived.  SMOOCHES to all of you.  Oh, NEWS FLASH .  I’m watching GMA this morning while typing this and they said the new thing for this year in fashion will be knitted jeans.  Did I hear that right!  They got my attention, LOL!  KNITTED JEANS  .  I’m so curious to see what they look like.  Will it be for both men and women?   Hmmmmmm, does this mean that polyester is coming back.  Maybe its a new more earth friendly type of knit that is a blend.  Hmmmmmmmmm, it sounds good to me and since knitting is evolving as we do, Why not.  Ha, now they say the bow tie is coming back.  I like those, Woo Hoo, but its gotta be a hand tied one.  Okay lets see, they are saying whats new is noodle bars, the colour white, knit jeans, more naturally made items, and pre-cycling!  Sounds good to me.  I didn’t  do anything for new years eve.  When the sun goes down and its dark and cold all I want to do is go home and have some nice hot herbal tea and honey.  So got to bed by 10:00 but did manage to make some blackeyed pea nachos.  Wheeeeeeeeeee……..On that note.  Do you eat something that is a tradition for the new year?  Well, we eat black eyed peas.  This time around I just didn’t want to eat them as a side dish.  I wanted them to be the main event.  So decided to make blackeyed pea nachos .  Man-o-sakes alive they are yummy.  This isn’t the best pic but you get the idea and all made in the microwave.  Yummmy!!!

Here they are without the salsa and sour cream on them

So all you do is lay out the chips all nice and even on a microwave proof plate.  These chips are gluten free-how about that.  Then I like to pre heat the black eyed peas in the micro prior to putting them ontop (drain well).  Sprinkle over with finely choppped oinions.  Put in the micro with one of those splatter guard domes on top and zap for about 30 seconds at a time till cheese is melted how you like.  I like to zap for 30 seconds and then let them sit in the micro for a few minutes with that splatter guard dome plastic thing on it so it retains the heat and the peas are already hot so it all melts just right, Ahhhhhhh .  Then take out and top with your salsa and sourcream,  UM UM GOOD .  So there you have it blackeyed pea nachos.  You could even add black olives and hot peppers or what-ever you like to jazz it up.  I’m thinking of trying some ginger in the beans to give it a little hot gingery kinda flavour some time. 

Do you have something you like to eat for NEW YEARS?  One of my friends said they eat greens because it is the colour of money and will give you good luck for the new year.  Well I better eat me some of those.  LOL

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!