November 11, 2010

Happy Veterans Day to all my military friends.  Thanks for serving in the past, present and future.

Today is a damp day.  We are expecting rain and it sure feels like we will get it.  I stopped at the credit union today and blocked paypal from putting through any charges.  Hopefully I did it in time so that more money won't be taken out for "service charges" to occur.

I entered into a fabric post card swap and here is the one I made.  I haven't made one before but it didn't turn out too bad.  The pictures colors are off a little bit because of the flash and overhead lights but you'll get the idea.

That isn't dirty snow that I used although it looks like it.  That is a white on white fabric.

Just got back from a Veterans Day service at NIU.   It was nice.  Didn't take any pictures but will scan in the program later.  They gave out yellow ribbons for people to wear....which I am.

I wonder if they will do something special next year since it will be 11-11-11.

November 10, 2010

It is official.  Today sucks.  Actually this whole week has sucked and it doesn't look like it will get better anytime soon.

Most of the problems are stemming from two unauthorized charges in paypal.  I contacted them and my credit union which is linked to the paypal but one of the charges had already gone through (59.99) and they had denied the other charge (99.99) and charged me $25 for NSF.  So this morning, inbetween calling everybody...it appears I am in a catch-22 situation.  The credit union can put a block on the charges but in doing so, they would permanently block Paypal from using my account....even for those I *did* authorize.

Paypal can't do anything except investigate it, which they are doing but that doesn't mean they can stop the 99.99 from being submitted a second time.  If THAT happens, then either my bank will pay it (*I* don't have an extra $100) which means I will be short for other bills, or they will deny it (depending on if it comes in before or after auto deposit from paycheck) and I will be charged another $25.

Sigh.  Life sucks sometimes.

The weather today is at least nice.  It will be in the 60s again.  By Saturday night it will start to hit the colder weather again but not for now.

Catchya all up later.  It's noon and time to create a fabric postcard.

November 8, 2010

Today is suppose to be a little warmer.  Up in the 60s for a bit which will be nice.  We also turned back the clocks one hour so that was good but I still don't feel like I've had any more sleep...probably because I don't think I have.  :)

I don't know how Laura is doing.  Hope she is doing ok.  It is hard waiting for people to let you in on stuff.  Mom had a good day yesterday though.  One of her best ones in a long time.  Had a good conversation with her and she ate all her breakfast.  She even saw four birds at the birdfeeder which was good.  She missed them.

I'm brain dead today so will type more later.

November 4, 2010

A chilly day today.  Started off around 30 degrees F although it feels like it should be 30.  The wind is coming from the West Northwest at 9 mph and there is a slight chance of rain for this afternoon.  We'll see how accurate the weather man is today.  He is predicting only a high of 45 which will probably be true since I have to go out with Tony tonight after work.  Besides our normal weekly get together, he needs to get mom some more lipstick.  It appears that she gave me her lipstick because she didn't like it and now she can't remember that and accused the laundry service at the nursing home of taking her lipstick.  She gave it to me on Sunday because she didn't like the shade.  She has never worn that shade before and it would be too pale on her. I'll go with Tony and pick some out for her.  Perhaps see if he can pick up two tubes and then I'll keep one for when this happens again.  :)

The governor race still hasn't been decided on.  It is too close a call for anybody to "give up".  I've heard that they are now waiting for all the ballots to come in from the soldiers, etc.  It might be a month before it is decided.

I am looking forward to the 17th which is my next day off.  I plan on doing a lot of stitching that day. I still have to get Dan's birthday present done.  Connie is helping me with it but I will have to do the applique work on it.  I will have to get my mind to start to shut off at night though if I am to get everything done by Christmas.  There are four wall hangings that I need to do.  It sucks having all these ideas and no money to get the fabric to do them with.  Oh well, that just makes me use my creative juices and find alternatives.

November 3, 2010

Woke up about 40 minutes before work today.  I had a rough night.  My brain would NOT shut up and I refused to stay up to listen to it.  I think I will be tired all day today.  It's a dreary day out.  In the mid 30s and rainy.  Totally Fall Illinois weather.

I have now agreed to take over two swaps on the Quilting Board.  The coordinator has a dying mother in law and was listed as primary care giver so she is dealing with that right now.  I originally thought I had agreed to only take over one swap but she posted for both swaps.  In for a penny in for a pound.

One of the swaps is a secret pal swap.  I have been doing secret pal swaps for about 4 months so pretty much understand how that works.  The other one is for a Winter postcard swap.  I haven't made post cards before and will have to read up on that one.  It should be interesting.

The results from last night elections:

     Results not yet available     Democratic hold     Republican hold     Republican pickup  Our US Senate - Mark Kirk (R) - seat held by Obama14th Dist. US Rep - Randy Hultgren (R)Secretary of State - Jesse White (D)Ill. Atty. General - Lisa Madigan (D)
Governor's seat is really close at the time of printing for the paper on Wednesday morning.  Quinn leading with just 9000 votes.  
President Obama's senate seat went to Republicans
Another close race - DeKalb County State's Attorney - Clay Cambell won it over Sarah Gallagher Chami by a 54% to 46% count.

November 1, 2010

November finally arrived which means that the holidays are now coming full steam ahead!

Back to work today so I have time to take a couple of minutes to catch up on the blog.  That's what 15 minute breaks are for correct?  :) 

I had a pretty good weekend.  Mom was pretty coherent so we had a good visit and she ate all her biscuits and gravy.  That is one of the things that we are working on...trying to get her to eat more food.  She didn't complain about much so it was a very enjoyable visit.  I also heard that my brother Kerm was able to get out over the weekend to spend some time with his family and might be able to go back home around the middle of the month.  It's been three months now since his surgery and he is finally walking with a cane and can go up steps. 

I was also able to have a delightful chat with a friend while he drove home from visiting friends and inbetween that I even got some quilting done.  This candle mat seems to be a little popular but I'm not sure if I'll make it again.

After I did the candle mat I found another pattern for a candle mat.  I had material for the second one also so I fused it and will hand applique stitches to keep it on.  After putting it on the material, I think this would make a nice little wall hanging.  If nothing else, perhaps for mom since a lot of wall hangings are too big for her wall in her room.  Of course her not having enough room is because she has a lot of things up on her wall.  LOL.

This week should be pretty good weather wise.  In the 50s during the day and low 30s at night.  I woke up to 30 degrees F and had to scrape windows before going to work but was hard to scrape.  It might help a little bit when we change time on the 7th.  Not sure yet on that. 

Time to get back to work.  :)

Ooctober 29, 2010

Can't believe that October is almost over with.  The weather is certainly trying to convince us.  I woke up to a chilly 35 degrees but at least no wind.  I even had to scrape windows!  Much to early for that.  Of course the good part is that it should help everybody who has allergies.

At least it is payday.  I will officially have a minuscule amount of money for  about 1 hour.  Then I will go broke again because I will be paying bills.  Such is my life.  I am starting to get excited though about making Christmas presents and working on Dan's birthday present.  I am thinking of making him some pillow cases to match the quilt that I will be making him.  I also have a coupon for JoAnne's which will fit in nicely with that plan.  I just have to remember not to go overboard on it.

It appears that they have an interested party in the brutal killing and burning of the NIU student.  He is in Louisiana and there is talk about extraditing him to Illinois. 

Elections are soon upon us.  The paper spotlighted two politicians.  one from democrat and one from republication.  Not much choices.  One has a platform of wanting to lower taxes and to form a task force with local law enforcement agencies to combat gang and gun violence in DeKalb.  Served in US Army until 1990.  Got a bachelors degree from SIU and law degree from NIU and been a practicing lawyer in DeKalb Co. for nearly 20 years. 

The other one believe that gang violence is incrasing in DeKalb County and wants to combat it by attempting to reach out to kids before gangs can.  Wants to facilitate a Juvenile Diversion Program which would rehabilitate jailed ofenders and return them to society.  This would combat overcrowding in jails, lower caseloads in courtrooms and give relief to taxpayers.  Got a law degree from Chicago Kent and has been a career prosectuor and an Assistant State's Attorney in Cook Co. 

I should point out that the position they are going for is State Attorney or in the states attorney office. 

October 28, 2010

Today has settled down to be chilly.  43 degrees F, partly cloudy and with the wind (gusting up to 28 mph) it feels like around 35 degrees.  The high is only to be around 40 so we will have to see.  It should be the last day of high winds.  Last night a roof blew off of one of the apartment houses on Greenbrier.  A lot of students live there but it wasn't too bad.  Nobody hurt and only 15 people were affected.  Our Red Cross was there also and soon everybody was taken care of.  Some of the students just went home and started their weekend early and some were put up in a dorm room for the night.

I have to get a schedule figured out for getting Christmas presents done.  I have four to make for the office and then a couple of ones for friends.  It will be a busy time for me and, of course, I never have enough money to get it all done with.  Looks like another trip to the storage shed to look through fabric.  The four for the office I can use plain black for a lot of it (applique stuff) but I don't think I will have fabric for the backing, etc.  Today Connie is going to our local quilt shop at lunch and I invited myself to go with her.  LOL   She doesn't mind though.  She works only two buildings over so we are in the same area.  I will look at some fabric and see if anything grabs my eye.  I should leave my money at home though so I'm not TOO tempted.

I went to Tammy Tadd's with Connie at lunch today and picked up some fat quarters to get an idea of what color I want to put with the hearts that I'm doing.  While I was there I noticed their wool and felt work.  It looked VERY nice.  That is when I came to the realization that I would have to tear out or throw out my first heart that I had done for the 20 heart project.  I didn't like it.  Going there DID give me an idea though.  I thought about the thread that I had been using on the hearts and figured out that was why I didn't like them.  Then i walked past their display of embroidery floss and it dawned on me.  I could try and use that.  Couldn't wait to get home and try it.  I had to go out to eat dinner with my brother Tony first (chinese dinner -- yummm.  garlic chicken) but when I got home I found some gold embroidery floss and did one of the hearts with that.  I....LOVED...IT!  I found what I liked and immediately sat down to work on it.  I've posted here one of the hearts where the floss shows up better.  I'm still working on keeping everything even but I'm getting better.

September 27, 2010

Still have the high winds.  My bosses plane was delayed a VERY long time at the airport last night as he waited to fly out to Georgia.  Todays temp is starting at 49 degrees F.  The high wind warning is here until around 12:15 p.m.  Tomorrow it is suppose to dip down into 30s.  Guess this means fall is certainly here.

I have started a new project.  It is an applique project from my quilting board Applique Group.  All of us either know applique or want to know it.  This is to be 20 hearts for a wall hanging.  I have the  hearts roughly cut out and will trim them down probably during a lunch hour.  They will be appliqued on cream colored fabric.  We'll see how it goes.  I figure I need the help with appliqueing for some upcoming projects.

I decided that I wanted to do fall colors (and use up some fabric in my stash).  I think this will grow on me.

October 26, 2010

It's a fall day for sure.  Overcast, 80% chance of rain and a tornado watch for most of the day.  Haven't lost electricity today so I should be fine.  It's something that we get used to here in this area.  We get a lot of watches but not always the Tornado which is fine by me.

I finished my wall hanging with the pumpkin and Connie hinted that she wanted it for Christmas.  I gave in and surprised her yesterday with it.  This was a good idea on her part because I wasn't sure what to do with it.  I like making things but don't have room to just "keep" them.

This is a picture that she took when she got back to her office yesterday.  She put it right up and plans on keeping it there until after Thanksgiving.  I gave it to her early so that she could still use it this year.  I will admit that even though my stitching wasn't even on it, it did turn out pretty cute.  Certainly looks better from a distance (grins).

October 21, 2010

I figure the best way to catch up is not to.  There was too much happening to try and remember so I'll just start with today.  Today will be a cooler day.  The high is suppose to be around 53 degrees F.  The allergies aren't quite as bad today but I still have had to take an allergy pill.  Hopefully my last one for today.  On the bright side, my face hasn't swollen up like it did last year. 

The end of October is fast approaching and I have no idea where the time went.  I have not gotten as much accomplished as I had hoped but that is life.

Work is settling down now. We are headed into our busiest season.  Lyndon is on the road a lot which means he gets to pile on the work to keep me busy while he is gone.  I have just finished up an 810 piece mailing and I know that it won't be too long before we have to get ready for another one.  This is also the time of year when I need to kick myself to start on xmas presents.  I normally make items for my student helpers and graduate assistants.  Lyndon usually gets a gift certificate but one of these years I'll make him a quilt.  My original idea for him has to change since he has lost some of the pictures I was going to use in the quilt.  

My ideas for office xmas presents will entail a lot of applique work.  So does Dan's quilt so my little projects right now are to determine which method of applique I am better at and which I will like better.  I will have to stay in at lunch hours more to get some of these done which might not be a bad thing.  Since all of my work presents are going to African Americans, I want to do table runners (they can also be used for banners) which depict the symbols for Kwanzaa and/or the seven principles of Kwanzaa.  Wish me luck.

Today should be a