It's been over a month, but I'm here today who knows about tomorrow

I am so far behind, in case you didn't know it, and I won't be catching up on the 3 back to back events today, but had to tell you a funny story. Apparently on Saturday no one felt the importance of telling me about the clocks being turned back...no I didn't see the news on Saturday as my house is a news free zone due to the elections which about did me in. But I digress...anyway, Sunday I was up at the crack of dawn getting ready for church (I go to the 8:00 a.m. service) and ran out of the house at the last minute hoping church was running late as I didn't want to go in after it had started. I arrived at church at 8:00, felt there was low attendance as there were only a few cars on the street. I climbed the stairs and found the doors locked which gave me pause and then I thought, "could this be the turn back the clock Sunday." I went around to the back door and it too was locked so I figured it was and decided to turn the day around by going to Dunkin Donuts ...yes I can always turn my negatives into a positive if food is introduced. Since I didn't like the slacks I had on as they were too long I decided to then go home and change. An hour later I returned to church, no one the wiser. Although the minister did mention he was glad to see that everyone remembered to turn their clocks back (I acted like I was one of the wiser ones and didn't mention my earlier arrival.) Since my day was so traumatic by 8:00, I decided I would take a day off and sit at home and stitch on my Christmas gifts. So I returned home, got into my P.J.'s and slippers, turned on a movie, got out my stitching and then mentally thought about calling the shop at 10:00 to let them know where I would be. As I'm thinking about the shop I remembered I hadn't done payroll, so I put on a jacket and went to the shop in my P.J.'s. Pat happen to be there so I felt I had to explain my attire. In fact I told her about the morning I had so we could all laugh about my stupidity. I then went home and had a day off...oh my, you know it felt good. Monday I got to work, worked a little while in the office and then went to open the shop. Sara had said she would open, but I noticed she hadn't shown up so I decided to just do it myself, secretly cursing her and mumbling all sorts of negatives as I put the flags out, etc. I'm standing behind the counter thanking my lucky stars I had come into the shop since Sara hadn't bothered, when I noticed the clock said 9:00 a.m. It took me only a moment to realize that I again looked at my kitchen clock which hadn't been turned back and came to work. So again, I was an hour early. So I closed the shops back up and went to the office. An hour later I arrived back at the shop and Sara also arrived (I take back every nasty thing I was thinking and some I said.) As I opened up Sea Traders door Pat was walking up the ramp. I said to her, "You are not going to believe this, but I did the time thing again this morning and opened the shops at 9:00 thinking it was 10:00" I'm laughing that this could happen to me twice when Pat said, "Well, that's why I'm here. I wanted to tell you that we forgot yesterday and Connie and I closed the shops at 3:00 p.m., thinking it was 4:00 p.m. When I arrived home I wondered why Bill wasn't ready to go out to dinner and found him in the shower. He asked what I was doing home and I said it was 4:00. He said it is not, it's 3:00. So I ran back to the shops to open them again." After she had said that much I said, "Pat, I can't believe you came back. I would have just said the heck with it." And then Pat informed me as she was putting the flags out 2 women came up and said, "Oh are you closing?" And then Pat said, "No actually I'm opening." Then she told them the story so they had a good laugh. Then Pat called Connie who went directly to her rug hooking retreat from work and as soon as Connie answered she said "it was your fault Pat." Apparently Connie found out while sitting at the tea served at the Dunes Manor from 2-4 everyday (I think those are the hours.) Connie turned to the lady sitting beside her and said, "They must have extended the hours of the tea today." To which the woman said, "No they serve until 4:00". After a little confusion Connie realized she had arrived around 3 instead of an hour later. So, as you can tell we are not working like a well oiled machine as yet, but at least we're here trying. Now that I'm back, I'll give you reports on our events later. Right now I have to get some office work done.

Have a great day and a better evening.

I'm back...........................

Important!!!!! For those joining us at Jamboree this weekend we are having the gentlemen who sharpens the scissors at Perfect face come to the hotel on Saturday to sharpen scissors...so bring anything you need sharpened, let me rephrase, bring any scissors you need sharpened with you for the weekend. It's been so long since I last blogged I hardly know where to begin. We're exhausted from the summer, are at the end for the hotel so rest is coming....we've already started welcoming our first retreat attendees, as Debbie, Phyllis, Stasi, Nelsa, and Becky arrived yesterday with more stitchers coming today to get an early start. While the weather has taken a turn for the cold, which we all know I enjoy, the days are warm and in the 70's and it's forecasted to be in the 70's all weekend...whoppee!!!! Last weekend we hosted the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild and as usual had a great time hanging out with the stitchers. So let me first say to them, thank you for letting us be your hotel and thanks for letting Sara and I hang out with you. Theresa Baird kept us fully entertained at night and it was a treat to be with you. Theresa designs the most amazing designs...only she does it for herself and the guild. I'm trying to get her to publish them but it's an uphill battle. She's be a great addition to the design community. They checked out on Sunday and Monday we began getting ready for the Jamboree stitchers. I thought I had ordered quite a bit prior to Monday, but there I sat all day Monday and Tuesday placing 3 day shipment orders to get stuff here by Friday....why can't I seem to get everything together earlier. Mary and Brian even got the Lasagna's done ahead for me and in the freezer...Sara and Michael did the cookies...which means I'm not up at the crack of dawn doing those jobs on Thursday. I even had my ornament exchange all stitched....of course I didn't have it put together, but Debbie and Phyllis shamed me into getting that done last night so I'll actually have it ready to give on Friday....oh, yea, baby I'm getting things done. Sara's been bugging me to get the 2011 Lauren Sauer piece on the internet so that's why I'm sitting here at 4:30 a.m. getting things done, but I wanted to show you what we're doing...I just love this portfolio piece, done in beautiful shades of green and pinks and oh, my it's just beautiful, and so many places to put your stitching treasures in...Love it!!! If you love it as much as I do you are welcome to join the class. There is pre-stitching involved so the sooner you let us know the better. We are also excited about the upcoming Betsy Morgan "Toy Chest" class (last picture shown) which we have taking place in April...April 15-17, 2011. Pictures of this piece follow. Plus she's added a couple more pieces you can purchase separately..so this piece just keeps growing. Stasi Buhrman brought her finished Toy Chest to Jamboree so attendees can see it...amazing piece. I'll have it up on the internet today on our web site under events along with the pertinent information. Check it out and try to join us for a fun weekend and beautiful stitching. I love these pieces so much I'm actually taking the classes and I can't wait. Usually I work the shop and let others take the classes, but I just couldn't pass these two pieces up, plus I had so much fun in Jane Timmers class last year, I've decided to start sitting in on the classes myself. I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't finished too much over the course of the summer, but I'm working like a mad woman now getting Christmas stitching done. My list seems to grow every year and I'm determined to get all the stitching done. Of course that means I actually have to stay awake long enough to get the stitching done. I'm telling you I'm getting slower and slower......I'm slowly crawling to my death I think and at the rate I'm going it's going to take forever...wow that and the rule that you can't die until you get all your stash stitched, good God, I'm going to live to be a 1000...oh, my that won't be pretty! I did finally finish the Libertyville piece which should have taken a week at most, but I managed to drag it out all summer. I really didn't work on it that much to while that explains it somewhat...really I should have finished it long ago. I also managed to screw up my Quaker Christmas which was all finished before the summer waiting for me to take it to the framer. I needed to go to Salisbury a couple of weeks ago so I thought I'd get the piece ironed and ready to roll. Well, I admit that while I tell customers not to steam or wet their overdyed pieces, I ignore those instructions when it comes to my own pieces and to be honest it usually doesn't matter. But this time...well... I stitched this piece with Gloriana's Elizabethan Green which I love and which bled out brown around some of the motifs. Yes, it bled....certainly not Gloriana's problem since I should have never used water, but I could kick my own ass around the block. I'm still trying to make a decision, but I think I'm going to antique the piece to made it useable. Damn!!! Did I learn anything? No, I'll still press with a damp cloth...perhaps antiquing will be my new craze. Family news....Sara and Vernon joined Weight Watchers at the beginning of the summer and both have lost over 30 pounds (needless to say I felt hiking the 5 blocks to the meeting might be too much of an effort for me so I didn't join them...as a matter of fact just knowing they were going made me reach for the danish). But I'm extremely proud of both of them. Sara has reached her goal weight...kudos to her...and she did it all without giving up her wine and booze. I think that's my problem, I no longer drink....perhaps I should start that first and then I'd be more willing to join in the weight loss regime. Well I'm going to end here since it's 6:24 a.m. and I believe I hear my refrigerator calling me to breakfast. Have a great day!

Sunday Night and all is well..(actually this was from 2 weeks ago and never posted...sorry)...............

I don't really even have any complaints as the town is emptying out with families having to get their children back in school. Today was a quiet day with just Greg, Molly Linksz (Justin apparently didn't want to take on the Stitch 'n Bitch group and stayed home) and Carol Boemmel here to stitch...well, here to stitch was probably not the correct term. As usual I didn't even take anything out of my tote, oh, wait I believe I did take it out but never touched it again except to put it back in the tote so the French Fry grease didn't get on it. Carol showed us her new mesh bags which while costly were wonderful and, of course, I'm going to look into getting them in Salty Yarns and Molly, bless her heart, actually took out her stitching and stitched regardless of what the rest of us were doing. The only thing Greg took out was the Biscotti he picked up at the store. We had a great time until 4:00 when I had to get to work in the store....so another Sunday and another Stitch 'n Bitch...fun times, fun times. This week we had a mini retreat with Staci Buhrman, Debbie and our Phyllis just out of surgery in July, who's coming to get some healing from the sun, sand and surf...O.K, perhaps sun, Alaska Stand hamburgers and Thrashers French Fries is more theraputic...we'll pretend it's sun and surf. We're excited to get back to our mini retreats...because Sara and I always act like we're part of the group....well, perhaps it's more I act like I am as opposed to Sara. Poor Sara has had a tough summer...last week she found a newly hired employee sleeping in one of the rooms she was suppose to be cleaning, along with the girl that had been here all summer and was training the new girl. If you wanted to hear a rant you should have heard her. She was firing people right and left...I hid under my desk hoping the storm would pass, but I don't think she's gotten over it yet. Tough time of year...too much family, too much work, not enough sleep, children bored and whining...yes, Sara needs a vacation and we still have over a month to go. But I do have to say...it gets easier now that we're slowing down, even if we don't have enough employees...we just close the shops earlier. I've been saying our closing time was 9:30 p.m. all summer anyway...I don't mind moving the time to 4:00 p.m. But I think my girls are staying on after Labor Day...who knows. Connie had Lana (one of our foreign girls) cleaning the floors yesterday and cleaning the racks...I hadn't a clue what the hell she was doing but seeing her do anything was such a pleasant change I didn't even question it. The other girl, who I happen to like almost as my Maggie (who left last week), saw me "balling" a skein of yarn for a customer who had purchased 3 skeins just as the shift changed (damn it) so Pat had done 1 skein, I was balling the 2nd one when Daniela came in and said, "Oh, I use to help my grandmother do that when I was young"...to which I said, "Oh, how wonderful...here you take the ball, finish balling this skein and then do the next one" and I took off. I returned when she had all the work done...yes, I love having others do my work. Good times...Good times! I do have one thing I'd like to say again, as I say it every summer. Ladies, a one piece bathing suit is often more beautiful on.... than seeing someone, old or young doesn't matter, wearing a 2 piece suit with their muffin tops, and jiggling stomachs. Today I saw at least 3 young girls who had stomach issues, which they apparently weren't aware of or were ignoring. Wear those bikinis in the backyard ladies...but out in public, put on a suit which will be attractive and now show the problem areas...and perhaps you need to be brutally honest with yourselves when looking at your reflection. No one wants to see your jiggling bits and pieces!

Still hot and humid.....however, read to the end for my latest rant!

and the misery goes on and on and on....but today I got a surprise visit from Molly Linksz and her son Justin as well as Trudy Edwards...yes, a good day and they helped buoy my spirits a tad. I do believe I laughed...as I did last week when Sandy Grigon and Joan DeLong paid me a visit. It's always nice to see a friendly face, because as you well know even though this is a friendly shop...some people just have to be grumpy when they are here....usually husbands who are sick and tired of waiting for their wife. We don't run into that a lot here because we have the rockers out front and the men can rock and watch the girls in bikini's during the day ... to say nothing of the ocean...and at night it's a parade that is well worth the look...oh, my people....I'm pretty sure that when people designed some of these clothes they were either high on weed or were doing it as a joke. At this point, it's only 8:00 p.m., I'm just trying to keep my eyes open, considering the fact that I've done little all day, I can't figure out why I'm so tired, but I definitely am. Well Debbie Brotzman just stopped in and kept me awake for a few minutes but now she's gone so I'm depending on customers to wake me up if I do fall asleep....embarrassingly enough...it's happened before. I got busy last night, Debbie came back and had to watch Salty Yarns while I had to work in Sea Trader since the girl in Sea Trader took a break, 30 minutes before closing...go figure! Anyway, today I decided to make my pilgrimage to Walmart, stopping by the post office to send mail orders on their way. One had to be weighed by the post office and the others were to go directly into the mailbox. I was so focused on getting the one order weighed by them and shipped off, and getting the mail I forgot to stick the others in the box....oops and didn't notice I still had them (I was carrying them in the mail bag which is open so you can see them...I don't know ...I was having a serious senior moment.) Anyway, I get across the bridge with traffic like you couldn't believe, when I noticed the packages...damn it all. Anyway, I continue to Walmart where I was able to get my goodies and checked out and then wheeled my checked out cart to the subway inside our Walmart. I parked by a table with 2 young girls approx. 13 eating their lunch and got in line, but made sure I kept my eye on the cart since I had already paid for everything. I was behind (and here is my rant subject) a grandfather or father who was friggin clueless. The little boy, Justin who was sucking on a pink pacifier, was probably close to 4 since he was speaking in sentences. Anyway, he was whining which is normal when you are standing in a line, hell if anyone had been with me I'd have been whining, however, the 2 boys behind the counter were working as fast as they could...they really needed 3 people behind the counter, however, that's beside the point. Anyway, the man tells the boy louder than he should have..."Well they're just slow" which I thought was inappropriate because they were moving as quickly as they could, but I wasn't going to say anything because frankly, I didn't give a damn! Anyway, after about 5 more minutes it's the man's turn to order and guess what...he was clueless...so now he's leaning over asking Justin what he wants and he was clueless so everything he asked the kid if he wanted Justin would yell..."I don't like that." I'm beginning to see why the line isn't moving well...and the poor kid behind the counter is looking at me like "what the hell am I supposed to do." I just smiled and shrugged and hoped someone would clue this man in .... and he finally orders a half of a turkey sub on wheat and the process starts to move on. It was now my turn and I start to spout my order when a woman comes out of nowhere and announces that Justin will only eat Turkey, mayo, lettuce and tomato which Justin had clearly shouted he wouldn't eat. Then she starts about the sub roll which apparently Justin wouldn't eat either and asked for a small child's roll (evidently these people had never been to a Subway)...anyway, she tells the kid behind the counter to take apart the sandwich he had done and put it on a wrap...and then she makes the mistake of moving away from the counter. Of course the kid ignored her and just shoved the sub down the counter for it's next stop. He looked at me, I smiled and gave a silent "good for you" and I moved on. But we weren't out of the part yet, because we had to get Justin, his brother who appeared out of nowhere and the man their drinks, chips and whatever. The brother took a drink off someone else's tray and had to be reined in and it was a mind boggling mess but we finally thought we got rid of the people and but the kids behind the counter were so baffled things didn't go well for the rest of us. I walked away and felt I should check my order and found one of my subs never made it into the bag so I go back to the register to find the woman behind me taking it out of her bag to give back to them since she had ordered a whole sub...then I look over to see one of the 13 year old kids walking away with my shopping cart with everything paid for. So I was busy trying to get the 3rd sub while yelling at the 13 year old. Then the man comes back up because he wanted a soft pretzel...I grabbed my cart, my subs and I left...it was just not a good day at Walmart. I'm waiting for the 5:00 news to see if an oriental kid from Subway jumped a counter and beat a man with 2 boys to an inch of his life....I will be applauding! I then stopped at the post office, sent off the mail order and arrived home for a wonderful lunch of a ham sub, only to find that he had put turkey on it....So much for my wonderful ham sub! O.K., if you are sending your husband, boyfriend, the gardner, grandfather, boy scout or whoever to fetch lunch for your child...for God's sake write down what the kid eats, don't stand at a counter and make everyone wait while you try to get out of a 3 or 4 year old what they will eat. Also if you're in line, don't wait until you get to the front to decide to discuss lunch with a child. Start as soon as you get in line...you are the reason the line isn't moving. You are the reason the rest of us wish we had brought a gun to Walmart. You're the adult for God's sake, take charge. There are people behind you waiting and frankly, we don't give a damn about you or your kid! It's just rude....and some of us have someplace to be! So be prepared or stay home and eat in your own kitchen, or be ready when you reach the head of the line. It's ridiculous!
And with that I'm going to eat some M & M's which I purchased at Walmart as a special treat when things aren't going well! Have a great day and be prepared to meet idiots along the way.

An Asshole is born every day ....

and the one born approximately 60 years ago just came into the store. He picks what he wants to purchase and this is where he became an asshole. He hands me $50 on a $36.04 bill and then says, "Oh, I don't want 96 cents in change...I hate change" and then he stares at me huffing, and I mean huffing. I looked at him because obviously he was use to the pennies left in 7/11's for those who don't like change...but my feeling is why should someone else pick up your sale...so I don't have a penny cup here. I have never taken change from one of those cups and never will. If I owe it I pay it. So believe me he wasn't going to get out of it no matter how much he puffed...and huffed. Then he says, "If I give you a dollar will that make a difference." So I then said, "Sir, you are going to get 96 cents back no matter how many dollars you hand me." He was shocked at this and couldn't figure out if I was telling the truth. Then he says, "Well I might just go get 4 cents and come back." So I said O.K. and just stared back at him. He could see he wasn't going to win, so he huffed and puffed and kept repeating endlessly...I don't like change, I don't like to carry change. As I went to hand it to him he said, "Put it in the bag because I don't want it in my pocket." Then his wife finds something she wants...the perfect opportunity for him to get rid of 17 cents of his change and he just ignores it and lets me charge her $50.17. Apparently he got use to his 96 cents and didn't want to give up .17 cents. Asshole! Anyway, other than that...we're busy today since it finally rained during the day. We've had some great stitchers in and met Sally from Canada and she was a hoot! Oops...it's 9:00 and Sara told me it's starting to rain again...oh, my, I might actually get out of here early...snowday, snowday...O.K., one hour off only but I'll take it...of course I'm not out the door yet and there is a "looky loo" here so I might not get out so early after all. One of the problems with rain is that when it starts everyone runs to the nearest shop, drips rain all over the place and just walks around until the rain stops. While I do the same if I'm somewhere, I shop in the stores I go in. Apparently that code of conduct is not universal. Oooh, my Looky Loo is out I'm out of here...talk to you later. Have a great day!

Oh, my God...I fell on top of my newest Grandson...

I was working in the office by myself (who was stupid enough to leave me alone?..in the office no less). Anyway, I heard my Michael call "Nana" and turned around to see him holding the baby. I asked him what he was doing with the baby and he just looked like a deer in headlights and said, "C.J. handed him to me because he had to run down Solomon." So I said, I'm coming, put him down on the bed and keep an eye on him. I got up, went into the bedroom, came around the trundle bed (the bottom bed was on the ground), tripped over something on the floor and went down like a ton of bricks...I hit the rail on the bed and got quite a gash, but the worst thing was I could see I was falling on poor little Izzie so I tried to grab a huge plastic container of Legos so that would keep me from going flat on Izzie and as I hit Izzie he flipped off the bed (thank God it was so low to the floor) and poor little thing he just howled. It scared me so I was screaming for Michael to run and get Mary as I was now prone on the floor which means it's a good 15 minutes for me to recover. Needless to say everyone came running as Michael was putting out the call to arms, Vernon, Sara and Mary all came expecting the worst I'm sure, but fortunately Izzie had just a small scratch on his head and I dare say I had the worst injury, however, it's a wonder I didn't have a heart attack between knowing I was falling on him and then trying to get off the floor...where's the derrick when you need it? Anyway, Sunday became a little mini Stitch 'n Bitch when Jennifer Humphries, Ellen Sweeney, Jen Ryan and Greg showed up to stitch. Linda and Candi were busy getting Candi ready for her first teaching job...new clothes, etc. Greg bought out McCabes in Fenwick so we had pastry to eat. I really shouldn't call it a Stitch 'n Bitch, because I didn't even bother to open my tote, Jen opened hers, did perhaps 4 stitches and thoroughly entertained the rest of us all day. Greg might have pulled his stitching out but it just laid there on his leg...but Ellen and Jennifer did stitch so legally we had a Stitch 'n Bitch. Today, Wednesday I woke up to a storm and it poured raining at points but of course by 3:30 it stopped which meant I was going to work. At this point I'm praying for a snow day. Yes I said snow...I've had with 90 degree hot and humid, I'm looking for snow.

I'm in hell..............

With the heat I'm experiencing I really think I've died and gone down instead of up. Is that possible and if that's what's happened I'm glad I went down there because I've seen an awful lot of you there as well, so at least we can have a Stitch 'n Bitch. Anyway, I know that in February, during one of the blizzards, after staying home and in my P.J.'s a few days I said I'd never complain about the heat again. Well, folks, I lied....I am now looking forward to those snowy days, and freezing temperatures and I say now, and I mean it as much as when I said it in the winter, I will never complain about the cold again. Honestly, I know it can't be just that I'm overweight (that's a nice way to state the obvious), or that I'm old (of course 62 is the new 32....at least to those of us 62 and up), or that I'm cranky....it's frickin' hot down here. I've lived here all my life and I've never and I do mean never seen the temperatures stay in the 90's and above for an entire summer. Never has my a/c been on for over 2 months in one stretch. I'm not loving it here right now, but would I want to be anywhere else...hell no, because I know you are all sitting in the same hot weather I'm sitting in, and at least I have the ocean. Lois Modrell was in last night and said New Jersey was miserable as well (makes us feel better down here knowing we aren't alone.) Lois also brought me a box of her favorite chocolates...a marshmellow and peanut butter dipped in chocolate...and I have to tell you they are delicious. Thank you so much Lois, you made my night! And no I didn't eat them all in one night but I did take them home so I wouldn't have to share! (Actually I couldn't figure out where to put them so that my Michael wouldn't get in them...we're trying to get his weight down for football and that boy is on the hunt for snacks). Kay Fletcher also dropped by to drop off books (books, a snack, and in the needlework shop...it doesn't get any better) for me (thanks Kaybe) and a football platter for our annual Superbowl sale in February (let's just say Kay is getting organized). Her Jack is still seriously ill so please keep him in your prayers. Greg, Candi and Linda were here on Sunday....Candi got a teaching position...she's teaching 2nd grade. I only hope she can keep up her enthusiasm once she has to deal with the school board, superintendents, and every other person you have to deal with when teaching...and then there are the parents....Good luck Candi! But it's exciting for her, she's so young and innocent and excited. So how are all the teachers out there getting ready to go back into the classroom. Are you as excited as the parents who get to wave goodbye to their problems as they foist them on you? Man, I wouldn't be a teacher if you paid me a million dollars...(uh...wait a minute, O.K. for a million I would teach for a year). Shop news: We changed the shop around, wait...I should say Pat and Renee changed the shop around for the influx of yarns I can't seem to stop ordering. But I think it works better than it did before so I'm thrilled with the changes. The only problem is, I really think we've run out of room. I have the Debbie Bliss yarn rep coming in Thursday morning and I just know I have no place for more yarn, but after all he is coming down here to show me the stuff so I feel a certain obligation to purchase. I don't seem to have a "Just say No" gene when it comes to this stuff. I just got a notice regarding the Just Cross Stitch Christmas ornament issue, so that should be here in about a month...or sooner...how exciting. I'll be honest I haven't done that much stitching this summer. By the time I get home I'm basically sitting on the sofa for about 5 minutes and then just falling over and sleeping. At first I was waking up around 4:30 or 5 a.m. and I'd do a little stitching, but in the last month that has ended and I'm lucky to be up by 7 a.m. So I'm still working on Libertyville....but I have knitted slouch hats for Mary, Solomon, and Israel. The only person I haven't done one for yet is Brian and he's the only one that's asked for one. I'm now in the shop for my shift....and the best thing is...the a/c is pumping big time. Of course, a few people come in and complain that it's too cold...too bad...in this heat it is all about me! So it will remain cold in Salty Yarns. I will say that if I didn't have to deal with people wanting to know where to buy string I would be in paradise in here. If only it was myself and those who really stitched...yes, paradise. Carol was in this morning with her knitting...had a problem...so we sat down and I'm thrilled to announce that I was able to help her correct her issue...does that make me an expert? (I didn't think so either...but at least I'm able to muddle through). But I need to get back to my cross stitch as I have so many gifts I want to stitch this year. It's been rather calm since I came into the shop...nobody asking me for string yet, although we all know they are finding their way here as I type! Patience...patience... I really need it when I'm in here. Alright...5 minutes haven't passed and I've already had a lady bring up a kit which has limited directions and ask if I thought it was a good beginner piece. I answered "no", and showed her to the beginner kits. Told her specifically which ones we recommend for beginners so of course she picks something else and brings it up and asked me if she needed a board to work it on. A Board...what the hell kind of board would you use to work a piece of counted cross stitch. Oh, My Lord...it's going to be a long night! What I love is she says she remembered she had to have a board to work it on. (Perhaps this is why she hasn't done it in so long....she couldn't find a board.) Anyway, this is the way my night is going...The heat has gotten to everyone apparently. I hope you aren't experiencing the same heat, although I know you are so we're all in the same boat...why doesn't that make me feel better. Anyway, I need to get off this blog...I'll try to write sooner than later. Have a great day.

Is nothing easy?

I got to work this morning bright and early, ready to take on the world...and that's about what I feel like I'm doing. First I open up e-mail, which actually worked today horray...and found a "your order has shipped", so I take a look and it says that the refrigerator that was ordered 10/9/2009 has shipped to the tune of $1700, and my credit card has been charged. So I'm freaking....10/9/2010 and you've shipped July 2010. Believe me, if I said I needed a refrigerator I couldn't wait 9 months to get it....I mean the snow and ice would have kept things cold in January-March, but with the summer we've had, well I just couldn't have waited. First I don't remember ordering a refrigerator off the internet, but I'm not going to swear I didn't look at them, but in October...hell that's around the Jamboree...believe me I'm too busy at that time to even think about it. Anyway, Sara gets home from wherever and I meet her with, "Sara, I'm freakin and don't know what to do." Her response..."I just love when I walk through the door and you hit me with I'm freakin'. Calm down and let me see it." So I show her we go on-line get the # of the company and call it and this guy says, "This was just an e-mail reminder that we are still here (like who gives a crap) and we haven't shipped anything out to you, and we haven't charged your card." Sara questioned why he send an e-mail saying he had charged the card and he just said, he hadn't it was a reminder only that he was there. After all was said and done Sara said "Mom go in and see if your card has been charged." It was at that point that I realized it was a card I had cancelled as there was suspicious activity on it last year. If I had only remembered that it would have saved us a whole lot of time. Anyway, just another freak-out on my part...they seem to be coming closer together, much like hot flashes...in this heat I'm just one steady long hot flash. And according to the weather report we're in for at least 7 more days of this. I know I complained about the cold, but I swear I'll never bitch again about it...at least I think I won't. Oh, yes, we're experiencing something in the shop that I can't stand. Yesterday Renee found what use to be a kit, however, now it's just the fabric and charms as someone opened the Lizzie Kate kit and stole the directions. I found 2 kits a couple of weeks ago with the same thing happening. Now what I want to say is this...for God's sake don't go to the trouble of opening the kits and stealing the directions...I can't do anything with what's left so take the whole damn thing and let me live in ignorance. I'll realize soon enough when I take inventory that things are stolen, I don't need a reminder every day. Yes, it sure is fun owning a little needlework shop on the ocean. Every day is a holiday! Oh, a woman came into the shop last night and Sara was standing there, took one look at her and eyeballed me about it so I could get a good look and let me just say this ladies, Just because something fits....doesn't mean you should wear it. The woman was wearing what looked like a Lilly Pulitzer skirt with a coordinating top...gorgeous..if she was the size person who could wear a short short skirt, but unfortunately she wasn't. She had a little size to her...not obese, and in a pair of loose fitting Lilly Pulitzer slacks and the same top things would have been good, but the short short skirt on anyone who is a little larger than a twig...While it may look alright to you in the front (and that's questionable) from the back where it lifts a little because of our butts...well this woman's business will be out there for all to see if she so much as bends over to pick up a penny. So before leaving your house, turn around in front of a mirror and pick up something off the floor...if you can see your VaJaJa...it's time to retire the skirt. FYI...the Prairie Schooler 2010 Santa is out and it's being delivered as I type along with 4 new Prairie Schooler leaflets. Along with that is the new Shepherd's Bush kits and their new chart...I'll have them up on the website today so take a look.

oops.....I forgot the pictures last night...

Honestly, I can't remember anything at this point. Last night I hit send without adding the pictures of the ladies. And since we made them sit there in that heat so I could have a picture...well, it was necessary that I actually post it. But first I wanted you to see the purse Janet sent me. Do you love the fabric? I've shown you some of the inside as well...so you could see that she added pockets on both sides inside and the girls on the fabric, aren't they fabulous. Look closely and you will see that each of them is dressed as a fruit. Love It!!!! I do believe I'm the pineapple, although the butts of the ladies as pears sure reminds me of my butt...so perhaps there's a little of me in each of the ladies. Anyway, I carry it as my purse and absolutely love showing it off. Thanks so much Janet. The next 2 pictures are the "ladies from New York"...the lobby at this point had to be close to 90 degrees (at least in my mind) but you would never know it looking at these girls....heat just didn't seem to bother them...at least in the lobby...outside yesterday just about did them in. As I'm looking at these pictures I'm really missing the ladies. I'm hoping they find their way back to us. Wouldn't it be great if we just had stitchers at the hotel....a retreat every day. My God, I'd never get anything done! Sara still lives her dream of turning the hotel into a needlework academy so who knows...one day. Isn't it nice to have a dream? Well on the weather front today it's just more of the same, 90 degrees with chances of showers. But then I see the flash floods etc., that are wiping out homes and I think O.K., sitting in a/c during 90 degrees days is just not that bad! My heart aches for those folks who are struggling with all sorts of bad situations...I can't imagine losing my home and all the memories contained within. Last week was a real good week as we had stitchers in the house...along with the ladies from New York we also had Mary Porter here for a few days, and Debbie Brotzman and her family were here for a week....2 weeks ago. So there is some sanity in my life...Always nice to catch up to what's happening in Mary and Tom's life, as well as Debbie's. This time last year Debbie was getting ready for her daughter's wedding and was stitching like a madman trying to get everything finished before the big event. And to have real stitchers in the shop is an absolute treat. People who know what floss is really called. Anyway, that's it for this morning (it's only 8:24 a.m.) and I have to get ready for another day so I'm sending this on....have a great day~!

What a day.....and it's still not over...

My day started much like so many others....I walk out of the house and hit the wall of heat....I dash for my car where I ride the big 2 blocks to work in the a/c....yes, I rode to work...shoot me! At my weight and with this heat...well you do the math...I wouldn't last to 9th street and they can't replace me yet, I'm still irreplaceable (or so I tell myself). Anyway, I get to work, put tickets on the table in Salty Yarns for the worker bees to tag the merchandise and I sit ignorant of all that's going on or not going on. I was busy with Jamboree confirmations which did go out finally so expect yours if you sent in a deposit, everyone except Nelsa. Yours is coming Nelsa, but each time I did a letter further down in the pile I'd find another letter from you so after 2 times I decided to wait until I got to the end of the pile. So tomorrow Nelsa your confirmation will go out, I promise. I thought I had Jamboree contained until Diane Austin called to make sure I got her fax....from May....which was a follow-up to her call when she spoke to Mary. Well, needless to say that made Sara and Mary both say I needed to let someone take care of Jamboree, which made me kick my own ass and get it in gear. So I'm now on top of it once again. O.K. Sara went behind my back and go the brochures out, but I did put them in the shop, I'm not completely worthless. Anyway, I get a call telling me 19 cases of Lang have arrived so I went into the shop to direct traffic only to find that the tickets are still sitting on the table. So I get Blake back on ticket duty (16 years old..brain is mush...no wonder it wasn't done.) Mary had told one of the boys from the laundry room to come help me so he arrived and he began moving boxes where Connie told him to move them only she wasn't watching him and he moved them into the storeroom instead. Of course after he had moved half of them I came through and asked where the boxes were, Connie said where we always put them, and then I notice the storeroom door open. Again, miscommunication and poor "Sharker" the young man from the laundry room then had to move the boxes again. After opening 19 cartons we found no packing slip...so then I couldn't even ticket the stuff. Honestly, it fries me that companies ship stuff without invoices or packing slips with prices on them. Between that and Trollbeads, I swear I'm going to kill someone. I placed an order with them on 6/21. They usually have a one day turnaround and yet I went into the 4th beadless. So I called them 6/30 and inquired about the order...I received an order but not the right one. It's this sort of crap that makes me furious. And of course when you call the company it's never their fault...computer glitch, bad day, hair giving the computer person a fit and she can't concentrate...always an excuse. But by the 2nd week in July we got the beads...and boy did we get beads. So our new troll display is up and running. It really is beautiful and shows off the beads much better than the old display case. Good purchase! I started this blog way back in the beginning of July, and today is the 18th. I seriously don't know where the time is going. It's almost over for us since business drops way off the third week of August.... Anyway, since I last blogged we've become somewhat of a water park...unfortunately we didn't want to. Last Sunday, I was asleep on my sofa, when at 4:30 a.m. (always never 10:00 a.m.) I was awaken to a pounding on my door. Once I stopped cussing I got up and opened to door to find a young man standing there and the first words out of his mouth were, "You aren't going to believe this..." and all I'm thinking is, "I can't believe you knocked on my door at 4:30 a.m.) Anyway, he started talking so fast I couldn't believe it...and I kept looking outside to see what water he was talking about. I finally asked him where the hell he came from, and he said, "The Lodge." Then I couldn't function because I was wondering how the hell does a tenant from the Lodge know where I live. But after about 5 minutes I started to focus on what he was talking about and apparently there was a flood happening in his apartment on the first level of the lodge. Water just coming down the wall. Knowing I didn't know crap about the water I called Vernon...after all why should I be the only one awake. After getting Vernon up I just laid back down and went back to sleep...I had handed the problem off to Vernon and I was satisfied I had done my job. I was a little concerned that Vernon might just fall back asleep, but not enough to actually get up and go to the Lodge to see what was happening. But when I arrived at the hotel in the morning I found that apparently in a room upstairs on the 3rd floor (of course...never the first floor units) which was unoccupied that night...a toilet cracked....no one there...and the water went through the room occupied on the 2nd level and then through the ceiling to the apartment on the first level. The tenants in the first level use to stay in the building where I am so they knew where they could find me. They tried Vernon and even said his door was open, his computer on, but no one would answer the door. (Thanks Vernon!) Anyway, when it was all said and done, because Mrs Sobnosky wouldn't give up until she found someone we got away with very little damage and in 24 hours we had it cleaned up and folks back where they started. Then a few days ago I got to the hotel and there's a look you get when there has been a problem...don't even bother to say Good Morning, because you just know it's not good. I'm not sure why Sara went to the basement ... but apparently needed something and found herself walking through water.
One of our 3 hot water heaters sprung a leak and flooded the basement which meant our paper supplies located there were ruined. I'm telling you this isn't as much fun as it use to be. I'm smiling less and less. Anyway, Vernon and Mike put a band aid on that so once again...nothing major (I have a feeling that band aid isn't going to last forever...but if we can just get through the summer.) But the sun shone on us this week with the arrival of the "ladies from New York, and Virginia". They had contacted Sara on facebook (if you recall she is now handling that while I handle the blog...she's posting pictures as much as she can)...anyway, she had mentioned that a group of stitchers had contacted her but told me little else. They arrived a few days ago and were so kind and gracious and didn't seem to mind my joining them each evening. I just love these ladies...several of them were knitting socks which I was fascinated with and so now, of course, I'm back on the sock trail. So I want to thank, Norma, Tina (or little Tina as she was know by me), Cindy, Janice, Kristin, Ruth, Caroline and Jeanne for being gracious enough to welcome me into your group. I had fun and learned so much...I can't wait until you return to show you the pair of socks, or perhaps pairs of socks you inspired. They should all get "A"s as well, for using the lobby as their stitching room. It must have been 100 in that place...honestly I thought I was going to die and yet they didn't even break a sweat...amazing...am I the only one who feels the heat? My word, I feel like a fish out of water with this heat. I was sad to see them leave today. I was hoping that a couple of the retired ladies would stay down here and help me run the shop and knit socks, I'm telling you right now, you will see a pair of socks from me in the near future. I know I said this a few years ago, but now I really mean it. If you aren't part of a regular stitch group you really should join. These ladies were having the best time just being together and you could tell they really enjoyed each other's company. And the tips you get from others...invaluable. For instance, using a plastic sandwich package holder as a bobbin. It was so small and there was yarn wrapped around it so I thought it was a cute little thread bobbin and then they informed me that it was the piece that goes around the twisted neck of a sandwich bag...now folks that's recyling at it's finest. Anyway, Norma, Tiny, Cindy, Janice, Kristin, Ruth, Caroline and Jeanne...we miss you already! Of course this being Sunday, Greg, Linda and Candi stopped by to stitch and bitch...as usual a good time was had by all. Linda has almost completed her Blue Ribbon project.."Schoolgirl Samplings" and it is beautiful. I can't wait to see this one finished. Candi spent the day pulling her painted fingernails off her fingers so not too much was getting done there. And Greg is trying to redesign a piece which meant he spent part of his time here taking stitches back out. Me, well I did what I do best, I sat and talked them through their stitching...somebody has to do it. And now..here I sit waiting...which I don't do well. I tried grabbing a little nap, but my head kept snapping as it fell backward...plus the last time I fell asleep like that...in the shop...I got caught and there's just nothing I can come up with to explain what I'm doing...the woman actually apologized for waking me up...(if I was the boss I'd fire myself).

Help...I'm falling asleep and I can't wake up!

OH, My God....I spent the day in the shop playing with Greg, Connie and Pat and now I'm suppose to be on the 4-10 shift and I'm so tired my eyes keep closing and I keep nodding off. But before I get started let me say, "Happy 4th of July!" O.K. now I can complain. I got to work today with the news that someone broke a pane in the front door at 4:00 a.m. and Vernon and Sara had them escorted off the property by the police. It was exactly this weekend last year when we had to deal with the crack whore...so Sara and Vernon were not about to put up with any crap from this couple...lessons learned! The town is a mad house from everyone coming in for the 4th...I'm telling you it's nuts down here. And we all know tonight is going to be awful...crowds of people and firecrackers going off day and night...oh, no I wish I was at your house! The weather has taken a turn...it's forecasted to be in the mid 90's. Oh my God, I almost choked saying that. I did turn on the a/c before I left home today, but to tell you the truth there's a breeze and it just didn't feel like it was in the 90's today. (now it's Monday...apparently I didn't post yesterday as was planned). Things are really quiet in here, you wouldn't know the season had finally started...I'm just sitting here putting up with the occasional, "Oh, it's a craft store!" And you know how livid that makes me! But I'm working on my attitude this year so I'm smiling and thanking everyone for coming in and waiting until they get on the other side of the door to say what I'm really thinking. You want to come in and look, I'm cool with that but when you have to make remarks...well I'm not cool with that. So if you are in my neighborhood, please feel free to walk in and look around, or just walk through, but please wait until you are on the other side of the door to make any remark about craft stores...because that is not what we are. We are a needleart shop and there's a difference....at least to us! Oh, my God, I just had someone ask for "string" meaning DMC and at the same time bought Belle Soie for a project? I don't understand that...surely she knows it's floss...oh, my..this is perplexing. Don't know what to think about that one. This past week was a tough one for us. We had to go to the attorney's office for depositions on the freight lift accident that took place last year. While I have tried to put this on the back burner, it was impossible since I had to be there. I was in the hot seat for 3 hours....and sitting in the office for 4 hours. Poor Sara and Vernon were there from 9:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Vernon was on the hot seat for an hour and Sara never got there. She has to go back to give her deposition. Considering the fact that I knew nothing...3 hours seems a little excessive don't you think? His attorney grilled me for 10 minutes on my name alone. Now that is excessive. Never wanting to make anything easy, I have gone through 62 years apparently signing anyway I wanted...using my given name, my nickname, leaving off my middle name once married and using my maiden name as my middle name and his attorney couldn't understand any of it. He treated it like it was a conspiracy to fool everyone, instead of me just expressing myself at the moment. Now I realize that legally I had to use my given name and usually do, however, when MOSHA took my statement I used my nickname, and you would have thought I committed a crime. Add to that Sara Rutka is my daughter's name, well his head was about to explode...I'm just sorry it didn't. That might have kept us all awake. And of course since he thought I was an idiot he just kept asking the same questions in different ways. Unfortunately for him, I have watched enough legal shows on T.V. to be able to see through what he was doing. With each new question however, I was getting madder and madder at the waste of everyone's time. Then my attorney objected to a question he asked, and said not to answer, so he asked me the same question in a different way....sixteen times. O.K., I digress but some idiot is in here talking to me about stabbing needles in fabric to get out aggression. She always brings her friend in to show her the embroidery (which we don't sell by the way...another none needleworker). O.K., so after that attorney gets done with me...I get the attorney for the freight lift who has taken a picture of a wooden box in our attic which has a return address of Tehran on it. He gives me the picture and asks me to explain what the writing means. I think at that point I should have said this was a conspiracy by the terrorist to kill us one by one...but I was so shocked I just looked at the picture and said, "my brother served in the peace corps during the Vietnam War and he sent items home from Tehran so since his name is on the return on the box I'm assuming (genius that I am) that the box belonged to him and my father put it in the attic...but that's just a guess (something I said often during that deposition). I though heresay was no good, but apparently my guesses were.I spent an awful lot of time saying, I don't know, I don't remember and No. Maybe that's why it took 3 hours. O.K., once again someone asked me what the "string" costs...and when I said 54 they then asked, 54 cents. Just once I'd like to say no, 54 dollars. What the hell would be it other than cents for God's sake, it's 5 yds of floss, not even silk costs $54.00. Oh, mercy it must be time to close...oops..it's 8:30...it's going to be another long night..at least I had the foresight to turn on the a/c before I left home...thank God! But if I think I have it bad, Nelsa Knight called today about her order and informed me she's going back to work tomorrow in a place without a/c. How is it possible that with 94 degrees you have no a/c? There was a time when we didn't have it here in Ocean City, but those days are long gone. There are days when a breeze is non-existent....you could die without a/c. I'm too old for this...I have to have it. I have been walking to work though, part of my new regimen to get somewhat healthy. Start walking and by fall I'll start walking further. In this heat walking to work is all I can manage. Debbie Brotzman is down this week with her family so sanity has returned to the shop. Love it when stitchers are in house, and know the difference between string and floss. Anyway, now I'm just babbling and bitching so I'll end here. Have a great week, in spite of the heat...stay cool and dry. Hope to see you down here during the summer.

Is it the heat that is making people dumber?

Or could it be that once again I've got the stinking rotten summer cold and I feel like crap, but today has been the worst day for stupid that I've seen in a long time...and naturally I'm the one they come to. Before my rant begins, let me say I started a blog regarding the last month, Lauren Sauer, my birthday etc., and it's still coming but today has been too much for me. The 90 degree heat isn't helping, but since I'm in and out of it I've got the friggin cold...damn it! So I'm not feeling tip top today and that isn't helping my mood....but dumb has nothing to do with my cold. It really started with the 10-4 shift...Renee has been out for 2 weeks on vacation (yes, she had the nerve to take her vacation during the summer) so I'm doing her 4 day shift and my 5 day shift so I'm working the shop double shifts Tuesday and Wednesday...crap!! Anyway, during the morning shift a woman came in, looked around, kept asking me questions, which I really didn't mind and challenging me to find things, which I also didn't mind, since that's my job. She picked out 2 of the designs on 10 ct. Betsy Ross and when I asked if she would like me to cut her fabric for it she handed me one of the designs. I chose the fabric, held it up to the picture, she said yes it's fine and I went and cut it. She actually went through Sea Trader to pay as I was already moving on to help someone else. After she left, Pat brought over one of the charts and asked where it went as the woman didn't want it after all. So Pat hands me the chart and it's the chart I cut the fabric for. So now she has the fabric for the wrong chart. I even had the name of the chart on the paper I put on the fabric so she would know what it was cut for. And naturally the fabric is much too small for the other chart pattern. You just know she's going to be calling and bitching about that. Then I go to dinner, come back and here is perhaps the 2nd dumbest woman, or could be the first..it's going to go down to the wire. Anyway she is in here with her daughter who is probably 20. Her daughter who apparently is crafty feels she wants to do counted cross stitch. So they picked out a bit picture, 18" x 7" design are and it's filled with houses. So the mother says, "This will be easy for her don't you think?" So in my best saleswoman voice I said, "No I don't think." There is too much detail and she may get discouraged. I would suggest she start smaller with less detail. I'll never understand why people ask for my opinion when they clearly don't give a damn. I show her what are nice beginner kits and I'm not talking for children, I'm talking 5" x 7" that are doable. But she ends back up at the counter with the same kit, where the idiot mother then says, "This will be easy for her she's crafty, she knits, don't you think? After all it's all half a stitch whatever that is so it's not even as hard as counted cross stitch." Sara happened to be in the shop so we just looked at each other and Sara said, "It's both half cross and cross stitch." Idiot mother asked was half cross was. I wish you could have seen her trying to grasp that answer. I of course shut down...decided it was best if I just didn't speak. Now the mother is talking about how much she stitches, does counted cross stitch and needlepoint, in fact she's done several needlepoint rugs. Then she asks for a hoop for her daughter's kit, which we got for her and then...wait for it...she asks for a hoop for her needlepoint. Now, for those who don't know...you use roller bars, you use stretcher bars, but you don't put a hoop on your needlepoint canvas. So I said to her, "you don't use a hoop on needlepoint, just stitch it in hand." I just wasn't up for the whole stretcher bar, roller bar debate. She decides she needs more needlepoint needles because she only has one at home. So I get her the correct needle to which she says, "Gee my needles are longer." So then we had to have the discussion that needlepoint needles are what she has in hand and I don't know what she's using at home, but if they are indeed needlepoint needles, then they have to be that size. But this woman wasn't done with me yet. She then wanted scissors for her daughter, and I suggested a $10 pair which would be fine for her. But she says nothing so I thought maybe she didn't want to spend $10, so I showed her an $8.00 pair of scissors and she still hesitated so I broke down and showed her the folding scissors for $5.00. Then she announces she doesn't want some cheap scissors so I said, O.K, then Dovo or Gingher are the best. She looks at the price of the Gingher and decides the $10 pair of scissors were cute and they'd take those. Then she says, "I think I'll get a pack of needlepoint needles for this new project." I said, "you already picked out needlepoint needles" to which she inparts, "Oh, I thought they were for the project at home." "The I had to say, needlepoint is needlepoint, your project at home is not going to take a different needle than your project here if the canvas is the same count. Well, I shouldn't have mentioned count, could have cut out my tongue, but it went right over her head anyway. By then she was moving on to a tote for her daughter to carry her stuff in. But after showing her what I had starting at $19.50, she decided the plastic bag I put the stuff in was just fine. Well out they went and and another happy customer was born. I was exhausted!! The nights here are still pretty quiet so I've been closing early...around 8:30 or 9:00. I still haven't taken the "open 10-4" off the door so people are constantly coming in to tell me my door says we're only open to 4 p.m, and that's getting on my nerves so I suppose by next week, with Renee here I'll go to 10-10 (Good Golly, that's 12 hours of my day.) Anyway, things have slowed down now so I might just get out of here at 9:00 p.m. I just wish I still liked to drink because right about now I could use a cold glass of something. Anyway, I'll try to get the other blog up tomorrow, but in the meantime have a cool, night and a cool day tomorrow.

Oops...I forgot to tell you...

Barbara Cohen was in yesterday and asked about my issue with the "man" who tried to come through my window and door at home. I've been to court on this issue and want to report what happened. First I got a letter from his attorney telling me he was sorry and would it be alright if we agreed to his doing community service. I never bothered to answer that letter and chose to confront him in court. I arrived at the courthouse and found myself walking off the parking lot with who I felt must be "the guy" although if I had to swear it was him I couldn't have done it. After all, this guy came in a suit and a tie and I couldn't see his arms to see "tats"and since he didn't have on his black t-shirt with a white skull...well, who knows who it was. But since he, his attorney and I were the only ones in the foyer waiting for the court to open, he attorney asked if I was Mrs. Rutka so then I knew. His client then said how sorry he was and how he was drunk at the time and was confused (you think?)...yadda yadda yadda and then showed me his deployment papers for Iraq. Actually though he did seem remorseful and well, haven't we all had a little too much to drink. So I informed him that what I really wanted was an apology, to which the attorney said, "Well I thought I said that in my letter to you." I looked at this jackass and said, "I didn't want an apology from you, I wanted it from the person trying to break into my house at 2:00 in the morning." I also wanted reimbursement for the damages. "The guy" brought money with him in anticipation I guess, so after some discussion with him grovelling at my feet for a while I decided to let him off with community service. After all, Iraq was calling. So the end result was...he got community service and paid for damages. I went home a better person. On a different note, my Michael spent the night with me last night (always exhausting with a 9 year old directing activities) and we decided to walk to work this morning and stop by the Alaska Stand for a breakfast sandwich. Since they weren't open yet, we sat on the benches to wait and heard a mother screaming for Stephen. Come to find out...this idiot left her 4 year old son outside the comfort station on 9th street...but she said "I told him not to move"...and of course he did. So she comes out of the bathrooms to find Stephen missing. Honestly some people need mothering lessons. Anyway, the people on the boardwalk were unbelievably helpful with bikers and just walkers fanning out to search. A few minutes later a gentlemen came by on his bike, heard what had happened and said to the woman, "a couple of women are holding him about 3 blocks from here until you are found." Good ending where it could have been disasterous. I guess what I wanted to say was God does look after children and idiots. Everyone should know without being told that a 4 year old cannot be left on the boardwalk by themselves. Having said that, when Mary was 2-3 she use to walk around in the area without us with her. This is her home, and although she couldn't talk, I felt she knew where she was. However, the police picked her up on 9th street twice and took her to the police headquarters and we got a call (not sure how they knew the first time who we were) and we had to go pick her up. I couldn't get the police to understand that she was in her home territory, they were getting madder by the minute. We finally had t-shirts printed with "I belong to the Lankford Hotel" on them and we put her in one every day before she took her little "walk". I'm thrilled to say she was never picked up by the police again....plus, I have to admit we kept a better eye on her. Like I said, God looks after children and idiots (and we fell into both categories there so we were doubly protected.) Have a great day...I couldn't get a picture of my Just Nan project because Michael and I were having a DS duel.

Oh my God...Summer has definitely started....

O.K., just in case you didn't notice, this is the second post today. But I just couldn't resist telling you this. When I arrived today Vernon said, "Make sure you ask Sara about the excitement this morning." So of course I couldn't wait. When she finally got back from taking Michael to school I got the scoop. She was opening up the hotel and heard someone screaming for help. She thought it was from the "animal house" at the end of the alley and didn't react at first. But then as the screaming continued she knew it was something different so she went out back and saw a man pulling a woman across the alley from the hotel next door...the woman had no top on....so Sara went over to the Paradise Hotel where she saw 2 women standing there watching the show. She said, "Are you the managers?" And they said, "yes, and we've already called the police." So the three of them stood there and watched the show. Of course my instint told me one of them should have done a little more than stand there, but he was apparently a big guy and they were afraid. He managed to get her in the car, but as he went to get in she took off and just as he was trying to flee in his car the police arrived and blocked him in. Apparently he didn't want to go (duh!) so guns were drawn. Meanwhile Sara figured at that point, with bullets about to show up perhaps standing there watching wasn't the best idea. So she came in and Vernon went out. He reported that they put the guy in the paddy wagon and the woman in an ambulance. And folks...that was before 9:00 a.m. I hope your day is going better! I'll keep you posted. Oh, yea, Sara has signed Salty Yarns up on Facebook and she is writing on that....she seems to be enjoying herself for now...not sure how long that will last since she gets very distracted playing Bejeweled with Staci Buhrman. Thankfully, I'm unable to do it fast enough so I'm not playing. Anyway, she's there is you are looking for her. I put the Jamboree info on the web so you can pull it off of that....and I'm working on the brochures. I'm also working on confirmations for those of you already signed up. ... hopefully I'll get it all done by next weekend.
Thanks for your patience.

I'm back....

I decided it was time to get back to the blog...not really feeling up to snuff so I'm not changing references made here. The heat has gotten to me and is dragging me down. However, I do have a new attitude thanks to Merry Cole who attended Spring Retreat and brought me this picture....looks just like me don't you think? And since I don't seem to have the willpower to lose it....I am going to decorate it. Thanks Merry...it gives me a smile everytime I look at it. Today I went home early (unheard of once summer is here), I simply couldn't make the day. So I apologize for not blogging and thank you for all your concern. You will see that this was written after the retreats so the info is dated, but I'm posting it anyway. Our first retreat, Spring Retreat went off without too many problems. The sun shone, it was a little humid, hot and we were fortunate that at times there was a slight breeze....until Sunday when I finally decided I was tired of being so hot and humid so I dressed for summer, only to find once I stepped out my door that it was winter. But I figured it would get warmer as the day went on so I went with the summer clothes. Hence...I had a horrible cold by the next day so I spent 2 days laying and sleeping on the sofa...I never picked up a needle so you know I wasn't well. Anyway, I rallied for the Delaware Guild Retreat and although I'm hacking up hair balls, I was in the mix all weekend and had a ball. O.K., back to Spring Retreat.....the numbers were large..we had around 65 stitchers in attendance. And regardless of the packed lobby, everyone was wonderful, got along and things went well. The stitchers started arriving on Wednesday when Sherry Prutzman and Debbie Liming appeared. Once the first stitcher arrives we are in retreat mode. I just love to see what everyone is working on, etc., Thursday brought several more stitchers and led to our annual Survivor Night in the lobby. Nothing is more fun than sitting with other Survivor fanatics like Pat Standish and Judy Welch and Joan Florance who I'm not too sure was into Survivor but came along for the ride, and commenting on what we're seeing. Everyone knows the lobby revolves around the Survivor show so everyone who isn't watching knows they can't talk during the show....at least no one but those of us commenting on the show. Somehow the rules never apply to me...my house...my rules. It's was a great night as things went our way and the right person got voted off. And since last night (wow..how long ago was that written) was the finale....at least Russell didn't win. I was astounded he won the $100,000 from the fans of the show though...what the heck was that about? Anyway, Survivor is over for another season....now what am I going to do with Thursday night? Oh, yeah, I'll be working in the shop at nights soon....guess I don't need Survivor I'll be trying to survive the summer. Sara was busy through it all cooking and preparing for the reception on Friday. Friday brought the rest of the stitchers and I can't thank everyone for showing up. And the patience of everyone. We started the Lasagne dinner on Friday night to ease the appetite of the early arrivals so they could survive until the reception Friday night. In the beginning we had many stitchers who couldn't come until they were done working on Friday and arrived just in time for the reception, however I think we now have everyone here in time for the dinner so I'm not sure we really need the dinner anymore, but it's part of the tradition now...so party on! But as anyone who has attended the dinner and reception know...there certainly aren't enough places to sit, but the stitchers remain orderly and friendly...no cranks on our list and I thank everyone for that. They either find a seat wherever, porch, their own apartment, etc., and you don't hear any complaints...for which we are grateful. It just shows what wonderful stitchers we have. I really miss the activities because I stay in the shop the entire time....holding court, discussing new charts, kits, etc., and looking at show and tell. Shiela and Trudy brought several pieces for me to look at. Shiela's biscornu collection is spectacular. The queen of the collection was Just Nan's 15 sided biscornu....it's inspired me to tackle that one. Hopefully I can get it together as easily as Shiela tells me she stitched it together. Shiela and Trudy brought us all kinds of goodies. The black and white cookies...well really they are little cakes with lots of frosting (yummo), I don't care what anyone says. Anyway, they are delicious. We were all eating them in private, but you knew someone was getting into them because there was always one with bites out of it sitting in the container. (of course many came from me...) Thankfully Sara and Vernon went on Weight Watchers so Mary, Brian and I got the majority of them. But food wasn't the only gift, on Saturday Shiela brought each of us a Clip It bag from Springfest. These are the hottest things going as several of the stitchers went down to Springfest and came back wearing these. They are little "pouches" which you can slip on your belt, or on your pocket and they can hold your money, cell phone, etc. so your hands are free. It's small so it's not like the "fanny packs" so cell phone, credit card and money are about all it will hold, but when you are walking the boardwalk how much do you really need. Stacy Stinson loved hers and still was wearing it when the Delaware Guild had their retreat. Sara thought they were such a good idea she's got them coming into the Bikini Shop to sell them. And if that wasn't enough, Shiela and Trudy also gave me a gift card to one of my all time favorite restaurants..."Sunset Grille". And not only did they bring us snappy grillers they also brought us the buns. Obviously Shiela and Trudy feel I need to pack on some pounds...so ladies I think of you with each pound I add. Needless to say I was having a great weekend. Dot and Mary came over to sit with me in the shop Saturday night with what I thought was show and tell. It was a scissor block with banding around it and something else. When I put the scissor block on the counter to look at the other item I noticed the banding had my name stitched on it. I couldn't believe my luck. Dot Freitag had stitched the banding on the scissor block and made me the Cat's Whisker's "Scissor by Any Other Name," in my favorite color, blue. Oh, my I couldn't believe my luck. Now I do have to add, that Dot was making it for Mary Porter who told her how it was my favorite color and she wouldn't mind if Dot gave it to me, so I not only have to thank Dot but Mary. I love it. I also have now loaded it with scissors. The weekend was filled with friends, stitching and a lot of that got done, plus food. As usual Kay Owens brought her famous sourdough bread which we are still enjoying, and Kay Fletcher brought her cookies filled with I think 10 different kinds of chocolate. Ummmm goood! Sara and I want to thank all the stitchers for their participation...you make it a fun weekend. Also to my Candi-girl who came in and cut fabric for 2 days with a smile on her face. I couldn't have lasted the weekend without her so Candi...thanks a million. She really was a God send to me....I don't think I cut one piece. Good times! And then we didn't get to take a breath when we had to gear up for the Delware Sampler Guild which was arriving the next weekend. While the group isn't as large as the the group that attends the Spring Retreat, these 17 or 18 ladies plus Kathy's husband (along for support) filled the lobby with laughter and beautiful stitching the entire weekend. They graciously allow Sara and I to join them (this isn't our event, we just host the group) each night so we can stitch with them, but more importantly see what they are stitching. I love stitching, no matter what it is...but I have to say their pieces are extraordinary. Especially Theresa Baird's original pieces. It is worth the money to join this guild just to get Theresa's original designs. But you won't have to join soon, because we've about convinced her to publish them....oh, wait until you see. They are spectacular. And they brought both Sara and myself gifts...one of which you see here. I love these rolls. I call them lipstick cases, although this is so large that the name doesn't fit this, but it's shaped like a lipstick case. And they used the Blackbird fabric...oh, my what a joy to get one of these. I can't believe they included us...and as you can see...it's my favorite color. Sara also got her favorite color...red. Sara and I have already filled ours with stitching tools, scissors, needles, etc. I love this guild. So another big Thanks to the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild. Now, I have started stitching again, and it's on the Siren's of the Sea. I'm actually almost finished but this is where I was when I wrote the original post. Now that I'm feeling a bit better, I'm going to try to get back up to date. Anyway, I'm still loving this piece...almost hate to see it end, but already have my sights on another piece, and of course, my Shores of Hawk Run is still sitting there staring at me. In any event....thanks for stopping by, I'll keep you posted more frequently and you know once I'm in the shop I'll be posting daily as I bitch and complain about things. Have a great day.

3 days and counting.....................

Actually 2 days since our first stitcher arrives on Wednesday, but Thursday is the date we have several stitchers arriving with the remainder on Friday. I, of course, am almost nuts trying to get "Goodie Bag" supplies in...in fact just getting the goodie bag in is a nightmare...not here yet...is it on the horizon? It better be since I put that stipulation on it, however it might get here on Thursday which means the early stitchers will be helping me get it together. I'm as nervous as a cat around a rocker. Anyway, as Mother's Day is coming up...shouldn't everyday be mother's day....I wanted to pass something along to all the mothers out there. Some of you have already seen it I'm sure, but I'm telling you, I'm bawling like a baby and it's not over goodie bags. These things just tear me up! In case I forget, have a wonderful Mother's Day Sunday...I hope your family knows how special mothers are.

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;

They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils

are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,

filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough

Doesn't come out of carpets..

Real Mothers don't want to know what

The vacuum just sucked up...

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'

And get their answer when a little

Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth

Is not measured by height or years or grade...

It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother.....

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't know everything!

14 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother? She wouldn't have a clue.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's so five minutes ago.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,

the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,

Because that is the doorway to her heart,

The place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,

But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she

Shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Don't forget to hug your mom.

Whewww...had a glitch in our system....

I cannot describe what a gorgeous day it is down here and it's so sunny and hot there are quite a few people on the beach sunning themselves. So if you aren't here...you are missing a great beach day. I of course, haven't gone on the beach to sun since I was 16....I'm as pale as a ghost. Anyway, we finally heard from Jackie who will be teaching here, thank God, in October. I've had several people ask about brochures, etc., but we found a glitch on Jackie's web site and have been trying to get in touch with her since. Well, she finally called us back today. And thankfully, she is still able to come. Apparently there was a miss communication somewhere and while we thought she was coming on the second weekend in October we found on her web site she had us listed for the 1st weekend in October. Thank God Sara looked at her sight. I seldom check those things. But anyway, we're on the same page and so now I will be getting the brochures done and in the mail and will update the web site. Thanks to all for their patience. Couldn't resist stitching the 2nd band on my Just Nan Sirens of the Sea last night and it was a joy. I simply can't wait to get home to start on it again. My policy was shot too hell as I stitched on it first, however, by 10:00 I felt guilty, put it away and took out the Shore of Hawk Run Hollow. I stitched on it for a couple of hours and got up at 5:30 a.m. and stitched until 8:00 a.m. Since I haven't decided about the Moon yet, I decided to start the 4th block and get this show on the road. While it isn't quite the fun of Sirens of the Sea, it's my fault since I'm making so many changes, but I have to say I still enjoy the stitch. I'll keep you posted with pictures as soon as I return home from the office. Sara just stopped by to let me know she heard from Jackie so I wanted to put it on the blog before I forgot. So I'll go now...have a great evening...hope you fill it with stitching.

Are you kidding me?????

It is this time of year where I have no patience for the idiots I have to deal with in the city government. Vernon just came into the office with a red "Stop Work" order sign that the city put on my home today. I said to Vernon what the hell is this for, we didn't put on new stairs or railings." (Obviously I have a short memory) Vernon reminded me that he and John added the new configured steps and put a short wall around the porch to give me more privacy in the summer.....back in January! The job is finished so of course we are complying with the sign since there is no more work to be done, we won't be doing any. Now really people...why would the idiot who took the time to put it there even go there. The steps are completed, the wall around the porch was painted and I've been using it since before the first snow. He just noticed now we didn't get a permit to do it? Why, because he wouldn't come out of his office in the cold of winter. Now that the sun's hitting 70 degrees he finally came out to walk the streets and see what he can complain about. I'm telling you ...idiots...that's what I'm dealing with. Honestly, it's all I can do not to march down to City Hall and give them a piece of my mind. I think I'll postpone that since I had a Bloody Mary for lunch. I hope your day is going better than mine! I called a company to order 70 of something for the spring retreat only to find they had 14 in stock with no more in sight! Crap...back to the drawing board.

O.K., who's the smartass....

I often forget that people put comments on the blog, and then I'll remember and go through a month's worth of blogs comments...by the way, thank you for your comments. It's always nice to see people are reading the blog. But as I'm going through them today I come to a comment that is an add for of all things.....are you ready ......"A Penis enlargement." While many people say I have "balls", a penis...well, not only do I not have one, I don't want one. How the hell did this get on my blog...and now...how do I remove it. I need an exorcism...of the penis comment!

Anyway, for everyone but the person who put this on my blog, thanks so much for listening to my rants, for commenting on my stitching and my blog. I enjoy it and it does give me a way to get out my frustration...which I know isn't the point of a blog, but I use what I have.

Have a great day! If you need or want a penis enlargement you can get all the info off my blog comments. I guess I can now say my blog is a public service announcement. Whoopee!!!

I've been busy stitching....

As busy as I am trying to get the hotel open, and working in the shops, and fighting off people trying to break into my house, I've still managed to find the time to stitch. As a New Year's resolution, I promised myself I'd work on UFO's this year. I've been busy bringing out UFO's and getting to work on them, and trying to finish a few. To reward (we all need rewards) my good work with the UFO's I've given myself permission to also work on new projects...but each night before the new piece gets worked on I make myself work for a couple of hours on something already started. So...having said all that, I've finished the Drawn Thread alphabet sampler...which I loved working on. (Please excuse the fact that an iron never touched these pieces before I showed them...I left my iron at the hotel during the Jane Timmers weekend and haven't bothered to bring it home yet...I figure if it's not here I don't have to iron). The amount of stitches to try is wonderful and makes stitching this a wonderful experience. I'm glad I found it in a tote and pulled it out. While there are stitches I hope never to see again, there were many that were a joy to stitch. All I have left is adding the few charms as embellishment. While working on that I also finished the Little Houseworks ornament, "Snowy Pines." I stitched this over one and had fun with it but I think perhaps it's a bit small finished, although I love it small, but I think the first two were a tad larger. I must have used a smaller count this time. I'm grabbing fabrics on hand instead of working on the 30 ct. called for. I love it anyway! Then I pulled out Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. I absolutely love this one, but the changes are driving me crazy. While I have gotten better at choosing fibers, the design aspects are more difficult. Thankfully most of the design aspects I'm changing just have to be left out...but the moon is proving to be more difficult. I want the moon in there, I just don't like the way it was done, so that I'm trying to change it to suit me. I've also run into problems with the color chosen as I'm not sure it shows up enough. Anyway, I spent 2 hours on it last night and should finish the lettering on the block tonight and then I'll have to figure out the moon so I can move on. But I love this piece so I can't wait to finish it. At the same time I started the new series, "Libertyville" (released in Nashville) "Home from Sea" by Raise the Roof Designs. If it's sea related or patriotic, I'm on it. So far we've only received the first 2 pieces so right now I'm up to date. (I was also up to date with Drawn Threads Alpabet Sampler before I put it away for 4 or 5 years...I'm hoping I do better with this one.) Anyway, it's always good to be on top of these things. And last night I needed a break from Shores and pulled out Just Nan's "Sirens of the Sea." Loving it. I adore Just Nan pieces as she using both over one and over two stitching on a piece and that makes for a delicate and interesting sampler. She does use a lot of color changes, but that's what makes it so gorgeous in the end. Anyway, I've only completed a small part of this but know I'm going to love every stitch. So I'm really pleased with my progress on all stitching....I can't wait to get home at night just to stitch. That's the advantage of living alone...no one to interrupt you or require anything from you....yeah, that's a real advantage to a any stitcher. We are busy in the shop getting ready for the Retreat. Renee and Pat have been extremely busy rearranging things and they've done such a beautiful job. Renee is somewhat of a neat freak....and the "new rack" has always bugged her because so many little charts were hanging off of it. I agreed, but hadn't figured out a solution...well Renee asked for the "boys" to come in and help her and they managed to turn in the 3 displays in the front to a place to hang all the little chart packs, etc. that use to live on the new rack. It really did neaten things up. Plus she then worked on the Halloween area and cleaned that up. Oh, we're almost ready for you stitchers...now if I can just keep Renee and Connie from killing each other we're be set! Well, as usual I'm waiting for goodie bag stuff. This is getting harder and harder. Finding the container I called a "Goodie Bag" is becoming increasingly more difficult to find. While I loved the "Bag" that was given at Jane Timmers, I just don't feel I can use the same bag twice so it makes it harder to deal with. I need separate "Goodie Bag" bags for at least 3 events a year. I usually find one I love and then struggle. I've struggled, finally gave up and had one done, but now I'm having to find stuff to put in it. Yes, I'm in Goodie bag hell for now.

Have a great day while I go Goodie bag shopping. The sun is out today and while it's a bit chilly, 50's it is suppose to warm up this afternoon and for the weekend it's suppose to be in the 70's. Thank God! Won't be long before I'm bitching about the heat. Bring it on...I'm sick and tired of the cold.