Sunday, April 1, 2007

Yarn Harlot appearance


Knitters Unite
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.
Having heard from Kim of her experience at this event last time (overflow room, faulty A/V equipment, etc.) I had suggest to Karen D that we get there as early as noon for Stephanie's 2:00 p.m. appearance.

When we (I'll include Amanda here too -- she of the almost-closed eyes -- she had knitting with her as well, you just can't see it on her lap) got to the Ann Arbor District Library just after noon, the room was already half full. Whew, I thought Karen and Amanda would think I was nuts wanting to get there so early. Who knew what an incredibly loooong day we were in for?!

Not as long as Stephanie's, though. Hers started at 3:00 a.m., almost landed her in Detroit on time, re-routed her (thanks to our fog) to Chicago, then didn't get her back to Detroit until after 3:00 p.m. I hope she got that -- make that MANY -- frosty adult beverages to make up for her travel day from hell.

I was due home at 5:00 p.m. so that E could get to his folks and help his mom out (my FIL is in home hospice care now, and she needs help moving him) before heading to the Sunday night tennis league he runs. Karen suggested that E bring the kids out (she wanted to meet Ben) and E actually managed it -- with only one frantic phone conversation about how he was "feeding Ben and getting Tess ready and trying. to. get. out. the. door."

Welcome to my world! Of course, I couldn't say that, 'cos it would have been bye-bye, Yarn Harlot, bye-bye, AADL, hello Dexter. After we made the exchange in the parking lot (cars and kids), Ben slept in his stroller for the next half-hour and woke only slightly confused and grumpy. After a several hugs and kisses from me and sis, and a bit of looking around while in Karen's and Amanda's arms, he was his usual sunny, flirty self. We'll see if Steph's photos show me holding him up with his bright-red hat on...


Jackal
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

Stephanie further made my afternoon by allowing those of us with babies -- outside or inside of our bodies -- to go first. I only feel bad that Karen didn't take advantage of our front-of-the-line status (Amanda had some plane woes of her own and Steph offered move-ahead privileges to anyone else with special concerns, so she came with me) and get her book signed. Perhaps we can right that somehow.

Loooong day, and such a busy weekend. I'm sure you're all falling over from my multiple posts. I'm working on that.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Clean tank, happy fish


Clean tank, happy fish
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.
We had our neighbor's teenager watch Jack while we were in Florida. Even though I asked her to give him only a *pinch* of food each day, and also gave her a glass to skim old food off the top, he still came back with his tank nastier than when we left (and I cleaned it the day before we left!)

I couldn't stand it anymore. I cleaned it this morning. Then Tess & I went to the library for storytime and...whoa!...baby animals. Tess was really looking forward to that part; she has taken on Ming-Ming, the duckling from Wonder Pets, as her personal imaginary friend. Too bad the ducks were more teenager than duckling. Still, she had a fun time feeding the baby angora goat (too adorable).

NOT a lamb
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.


This picture will go great in the new, COMPLETE SEI album I WON last night (still got my crop-drawing mojo!) at my first Paper and Glue crop last night. I had a BLAST cropping with Hailey and Shel, who are actually from my end of town. Despite taking the wrong Michigan Avenue exit (who knew there were so many?) on my way to their Canton location last night (no offense Ypsi, but I don't need to see you for a long, long time) (you either, BELLEVILLE) (that's right, I ended up in frickin' BELLEVILLE) I was able to get focused and get a lot done.

I won TWO drawings, a really cool 7 gypsies stamp (family) that I used right away, and that beautiful SEI Spring/Summer 8x8 album Halley had made up...she even sold me the "sequel," the Fall/Winter album, from today's drawings (sorry, ladies).

Best of all, I stayed until 1:00 A.M. (my usual haunt would've kicked me out at 11:30 p.m.). I will be going to one of their crops again...hopefully out Ann Arbor way? And I'm not just saying that because I won everything...

>insert evil laughter here<

p.s. to Shel...my DD bag came in -- it was at my MIL's, since she ordered it for me for Christmas. And I really like it after all! It's not pink & orange like I though, it's a pink & green & black floral pattern. Yum!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Only Two More Days...

...to donate on behalf of Ali Edward's son and her efforts to meet the Six Degrees challenge: Autism Speaks

E works with a friend who has two autistic boys. The statistics are more than a little disturbing, aren't they?

WRIF stickers


WRIF stickers
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.
I posted about my trip down nostalgia lane when I saw a WRIF van last summer; a guy from Ontario (hi Steve!) wrote to me immediately, looking to trade. I have about 150 unique WRIF stickers in my collection, he has over 700 (not including doubles and triples).

I finally found my stash -- in our furnace room, of all places, but none of the stickers seem the worse for the heat-- and spread them out to see what I had doubles/triples/+++ of (who knew I liked Whitesnake?! I have 7 or 8 of theirs).

I did a quick search on Ebay to see what these are going for -- not much -- and found a guy who has a lot of the same as me. I wonder if he interned there at the same time?

I'm especially enjoying some of the ones we altered in our spare time (sitting around listening to rival stations and writing up their playlists...I guess they have the internet for that now). In the bottom left, you can spy the black-on-white "Lost Boys" one I created (I was a huge fan of the vampire movie at that time). I also found a mini-motorcycle one that spells out my name, and three that we altered to read "Yabba" "Dabba" and "Doo" (I have no idea why...extreme boredom, I'm guessing).

Our sports teams at the time (except for the 1984 Tigers) were all deadbeats, thus we had some altered ones to read "Dead Wings" and "Pissons," (I never thought "Lie Ons" was all that clever, but Ive been bitter about our football team for years) although sadly, I do not have any of those in my collection.

Good times.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Happy (Half-) Birthday, Ben!


Six Months Old
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.
I've got the whole (so far) set over at Flickr, of course.

If he keeps smiling in the same increments each month, he'll be bursting by his first birthday!

Check out those three toothies at the bottom. Hee.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Back from Florida...

Whew! Got in about 10p last night (our flight, that is), got home and all got to bed...then took a 2 1/2 hour nap this afternoon. Bummer, because I didn't get any uploading or scrapbook organizing done. Now I'm trying, and Grumpy is...well, grumping...and I'm about halfway (!) through my pictures. Dang.

Anyway, they're in a set at Flickr with some comments...who knows when I'll get back to this blog, since Tess is on Spring Break this week. Double dang. Have fun looking and don't forget to comment if you see something you like!