Burst of energy!

Yesterday I was hit with a burst of energy.  It was the first day since this year started where I didn't feel sluggish and icky so I took full advantage of it.  I deep cleaned my house from top to bottom and it felt so good to sit down and enjoy it all sparkly fresh and tidy that evening.  Just look at my living room -

My asthma and allergies may have been hating it but I absolutely love the final result of a clean house.

I sat down, to enjoy the fruits of my labor and work on my latest project when the unthinkable happened...

I ran out of yarn!

Pokey is coming home for lunch so I can have the car and go get more this afternoon.  I had handed him the ball band and asked the get one of each color but he said it was too much pressure to get the right thing so it was just easier to do the swap at lunch.  I had to giggle but appreciate that he takes it very seriously for me.

For supper last night, I made a delicious full roaster chicken that had hints of lemon, celery, garlic, and the standard salt and pepper.  It was so tasty and I had a full pound leftover so that next week, I can try my first ever curry!  Yep, that's right, I'm going to make Butter Chicken to serve over rice for supper on next Wednesday.  I promise to tell you all about on Thursday.  I've been wanting to try curry for a long time and I heard that this is mild one is a good place to start - it was Gordon's first experience with it too during his Great Escape series when he went to India.

Apparently Pokey is on his way home now so I better get my shoes on and make us some lunch so we can eat and I can get him back to work.  Here's a fabulous song to get you through the day since we didn't do our Tuesday Tunes this week...

338 days

That's how long it will have been since I've been to my happy place but guess what - on Sunday, the clock will start over!  Oh yes, today is a happy day in the PMM house and to make it even better, we haven't shared with Hobbit so when we go in 6 days time she will be surprised.

This event has been months in the making and through careful financial planning, stern resolve, and a money-mindset makeover it is coming to pass.  I am honestly very proud of myself for sticking to my plan and learning how to be a better financial officer for our family.

The proof, well it's a lot like real estate because for our family it's all about location, location, location...

Oh my castle... how I've missed you!

Sunday Snaps

One of my dear Slytherin nestmates sent me a Feel Better Box that had this cute Minnie Mouse...

some decaf teas, some cocoas, and a movie that I have been searching for for ages!

I also finished my 6th class - Muggle Studies - so I can focus on my Mission for the rest of the month.

Not too shabby for a week where I've spent a good portion of it sick as a dog and only just now feel about 95% human.  Imagine what it'll be like when I get the other 5% back!!

How to make a mama proud...

Attend fancy dress supper at school Solarium every month for fun...

and wear the perfect crocheted capelet from your mama with pride.

Coughs and sniffles

I've been down with a horrible cold/flu this past week but today I am starting to feel like a human again so I thought I would share what all has been going on in between the coughs and sniffles.

I made a hat, just for me...

I designed and made some slippers, just for me...

I finished a chicken purse, just for me.

Apparently, being laid up on the sofa makes me a selfish crafter but at least it makes me kind of a productive one.  I should get back before I wear myself out again... wonder what project I can take with me...

That's what I get for planning

Yesterday I had a most awesome day planned.  I was going to spend it crafting.  All of it.  It was going to be glorious... and then, it began.

First Pokey sent me a message on Skype stating that their office drama queen had to leave early (the day before her vacation started, how convenient) which would leave one person at the office and they requested that he stay.  Normally not an issue but we had plans after supper to run some necessary errands and such, plus Pokey wasn't feeling well and had hoped that since he opened that day at 7:45 that he might able to scoot out after the girls had all had their lunches.  Apparently not and he ended up being roped into the overtime which would be welcomed but begrudgingly since he was ill.

Then the school clinic called and Hobbit needed her inhaler, which she forgot on her desk after a visit to Nana's house over the weekend.  This meant that Pokey had to take lunch an hour earlier, pick me up and take me to her school with the inhaler.  Hobbit was a nervous wreck but did her best, worried the entire time which I totally understand because I have had an asthma attack with no inhaler on me and it can be scary until you can get to it.

After that crisis was remedied, I went with Pokey back to work so I could have the car for errands once Hobbit got home.  We swung through a drive-thru for lunch, he ate in the car as he drove back, and then I took the car home and had my lunch.  It was delicious but my day was officially half over by now and not a single stitch was made.

Once lunch was finished my mama called to talk for a bit.  We had a lovely conversation and placed a friendly bet on how many butterflies she will have quilted by the time she is done with the extension on my wedding quilt.  Afterwards, I was getting my daily overtired, lack of caffeine headache so I set the kitchen timer and laid down for a quick 30 minute catnap.

When the timer went off, it was black as night outside.  The wind was whipping around everywhere and the temperature dropped tremendously.  I was worried that I had not set the alarm correctly, Hobbit wasn't home and things were just wrong.  I checked the clocks - yes, more than one because I wanted to be sure and you never know when a clock will lie to you because they can be cruel like that - and immediately went to the computer to check the weather.  We were under a severe thunderstorm warning and Hobbit was just about to be dismissed and placed on the school bus.  I did a quick calculation and debate in my head about going to get her but it was too late.  By the time I got there, she would have been placed on the bus so the only thing I could do was wait it out.

She's afraid of thunderstorms.  I'm afraid of thunderstorms.  We are both worriers so this was not good.  To make it worse, a little boy told her that there were tornadoes in our neighborhood and at Pokey's office, showing her radar from his cell phone and saying the red was all tornadoes. She was worried the whole way home for her mommy and daddy. Hobbit got off the bus and broke down in fresh tears, telling me what happened. I wanted to wring that little boy's neck when she told me.  Thankfully, her bus driver is an angel of a man.  He called her to the front and asked if she was okay so she told him all what the little boy had said and Mr. K told her that everything was going to be okay, she would be home soon to see herself. He also spoke to the little boy when he was getting off the bus to let him know that what he did was cruel - and that cell phones were not permitted on the bus so he got a referral.

Once I got her in, dry and settled, I sent Pokey a Skype note to let him know Hobbit was home - and the events on the bus.  He then said that his lead was able to be at the office so he could leave at his normally scheduled time.  So I piled Hobbit in the car and we left to go get him, dodging horrible pockets of heavy rain and thunderstorms the entire way.  Once we collected him and made it back home, I was worn out.  We had our chicken nugget salad with tortilla strip toppings and I had the two of them in bed by 8 o'clock.

The house was quiet so I did what I had planned to do all day, I finally sat down to craft and the end result was well worth it to me.  While I was watching the finale in pairs figure skating, I finished up a hat that I had started at the end of my shift the day before and it was just in time too because it is a whopping 55*F with 23 mph winds.  Here is the fruit of my labors, in all it's glory, along with my cheesy self being tickled with the hat and the hair...

I turned the hat in for my History of Magic assignment and double duty as my first Disneylmpic item!

 So my day did not got according to plan but at least I now have an awesome slouch hat that I love made from yarn that was a complete surprise and two classes away from hitting all six again this month over at HPKCHC.  I can't say that it was a complete bust but I can say, that's what I get for planning because it never fails.  I make arrangements for a 'me day' full of crafting and the end result is never that... sigh.

Today though, I'm not planning on anything but laundry so maybe I can sneak in some crafting under the cosmic radar.  Fingers crossed, a row or two can get done before everyone gets home and the chaos begins anew.

Old school

Feeling a bit old school today. I'm thinking a bit of Cary Grant or Doris Day before work sounds perfect.  I hope you have a day that makes a smile creep across your face for no particular reason other than your heart is happy.

Now that's service!

This is super cool - I had written to Red Heart about a disappointing experience with two skeins of yarn in Team Spirit colors. They were rough and knotted in strange sections for joins. It was just an all around disappointing experience.  I was just letting them know that their new line needed a bit of work and wasn’t expecting anything or asking for anything. It was just feedback so that they could make some improvements and adjustments.

Y'all know I love me some Red Heart yarns - they are affordable, durable, and the variety is amazing... and apparently, so is their Customer Service.  Hobbit came in from the bus with a box and it was from Coats and Clark, Red Heart's parent company - it had four huge skeins of their With Love yarn inside - one Burgundy, one Gold, on Green, and one White to replace the icky and disappointing Team Spirit yarn I bought!

Now that is awesome service.

Weekend Wonderment

This is going to be my focus this weekend.  I have to work and we've got a road trip, perfect project.

Relief and thankfulness

See, happy face... this is what tickled looks like

Y'all know that I wasn't feeling right back at the beginning of the year - at one point I even went to the ER for a scary episode.  Then I had a bunch of appointments, no answers, even refused testing and took control... and I'm glad that I did because that was when we found the answer.

Let me start by saying that I have the most amazing doctor in the universe.  She brings the heart back into practicing medicine, just like Hobbit's pediatrician.  They believe in the old school way of doing things - listening to patients, talking to them, working through things together instead of just tossing medicine and odd tests at it simply because insurance will pay for it.

By listening to me, asking me questions and honestly hearing the answers, she figured out what is wrong me.  It's something that does need to be monitored but it's not something as horrible as what I was originally fearing.  I have Essential Thrombocythemia caused by a mutated gene handed down from my Poppaw.  I've linked it up but the skinny of it is that I have too many platelets in my blood which can cause clots which is the reason it needs to be monitored.

When I was talking to my doctor about my hands and feet going numb or tingling and burning, or my headaches, or my vision getting wonky, or my fluttering in my chest she listened.  She did not have me go through painful unnecessary testing - some of which was going to be really invasive but all of it was unnecessary because the results of my other testing showed that I was structurally sound - performed, looked, and sounded perfect.  She agreed that there was no need to go poking at my heart straight off the bat when all of those factors were present. Instead, she pulled a full blood work up which ruled out several things and confirmed others.  I am healthy as a horse sans this uncommon blood disorder - but I can manage it with a low does aspirin a day right now.  That's it.  Granted, she said to continue to omit the caffeine and that I should try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise in a day as well. 

That sucker is just over 13" long!

To mark my thankfulness, I gave back today.  I found a super sweet haircut that I really liked and made an appointment to have my hair done.  It wasn't just any old appointment though.  You see, I had them braid my hair very neatly and I donated it to Locks of Love.  I pray that my hair makes a child equally as tickled when they receive their new custom made wig.  To me, it’s just hair… but for them, it means so much more. I hope that my little gift will help them feel special - or even better, normal.

Busy day ahead

Got my bags all packed for a day full of hurry up and wait.

It's days like these that make me thankful that I am a crafter.  Sure, I may have to carry around an extra bag but at least I won't be constantly staring at my watching, heaving a heavy sigh, and glaring at everyone who walks by because I'm bored to death and tired of waiting.

Nope, I'll be sitting there with my bags at my feet and happily tying knots into neon yarn and hoping that it's not my name they'll be calling because I'd like to finish this particular round so I can  be ready for the next color change.  I won't be looking at my watch at all, my sighs will be contented ones, and I will be far from bored because I'll be doing what I love while I wait.  In all honesty, I'll probably be the happiest person in the room... unlike this room, where the happiest person is furry and has puppy breath...

I love my Buddy dog and his big cheesy smiles.  Seriously, I've never met a happier oversized puppy in my entire life.

Honestly, truly, and deeply

Not only is this a beautiful song, there is a beautiful moment between them at the end that brings me to tears. The love these two share, it's inspirational. Next December they celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary but watching them, listening to them, you know they are still newlyweds and always will be so. They respect each other, appreciate each other, motivate and encourage each other. They are truly bonded together and no one will be able to tear them apart.

I have loved them long before they loved each other but to see how honestly, truly, and deeply they love one another just brings me such joy. Enjoy.

It really is that simple

Life really is that simple... or at least it should be.  If it's not, make it so... if it is, rejoice in the glory of it all.

I think this is something that we crafters may already know.  We may not know it outright but we know it because we constantly create.  Have you ever lost your "crafting mojo"?  It's horrible, isn't it.  I've lost it once or twice and they were agonizing days for me.  I wanted to craft but nothing was catching my eye or coming out right so I put everything down for a few days... and those few days were gut-wrenching.

But when I got that spark back, oh my stars was it amazing.  I felt like I could do anything.  It was wonderful.  I think everyone should have that feeling - probably why I'm always bragging on Peanut's drawings or Hobbit's attempts at crochet.  I know that feeling of accomplishment and I hope with all my being that they feel that feeling every day of their lives... like they can conquer the world because they made that - be it a fabulous piece of drawn or fiber art.  They made it with their own two hands and it is unique and beautiful and fabulous.

So if you only do one thing this week, create.  A beautiful crafted item, a delicious meal, a fabulous story, or even a clean room.  Create.  Use your hands and your mind.  Work up a good sweat, literal and figurative.  Get dirty, literally and figuratively.  Scared?  Yep, it's okay because so am I every time I cast on a new pattern idea but I go for it because it's only yarn and I can frog it as many times as I need to in order to get it just right.

Create... because we should have those moments of glory where we can sit back and admire our work, beaming with pride and simply thinking, "I did that".

Love

February is a mushy gushy month and I'm okay with that.  There are lots of things I can get mushy gushy over - here are a few...

My latest design project - yes, that's neon yarn... and yes, I'm writing the pattern down for y'all.

HPKCHC - I love being a professor and I made this image and wrote the corresponding class prompt this month!

My insanely talented girls.  Hobbit designed and made her jewelry...

Peanut drew this self-portrait for her homework at university.

The love of my life, Pokey.  I could gush about him all day, every day.  My favorite shot from our honeymoon.

I thought today would be the perfect day to share a little love.  I hope you take a moment or two today to share a bit of love with the ones you love and the things you love.

That's why I spent some time with y'all today too!