The weather has taken a turn for the worse....

Well, we've been having early summer weather...temps in the high 60's early 70's and sun just shining bright, but I got up this morning hearing rain and it's so gloomy out you just know summer is over. But that's O.K., I won't complain as the holidays approach we want it to be cooler...I could do without the ring, but again, 70 on Tuesday and Wednesday....thank you Jesus, enough said. We are gearing up for the Thanksgiving weekend....not only for the day off and a holiday of eating (my favorite kind), but also to see some of you in the shop again. Thanksgiving is a huge weekend in Ocean City with many coming down for the holiday. So if you are coming down, come on in and say hi. Sara and I, perhaps Mary as well, will be manning the counters. I'll also be the one trying to figure out how to construct some items as well. While I have spent the last few weeks stitching for Christmas, I still have to put everything together...ugh...not my strong suit. But I'm going into it with a positive attitude since I have plenty of time to do and I'll pray for the best. Brian stopped by the office and taught me a few more tricks on my Mac so perhaps in another year I'll actually be able to use it as well as I use my HP. (Stranger things have happened). Finished another project last night and perhaps sooner rather than later I'll be able to show you some of the stuff I've been working on. Right now however, I've got to get stuff put together, and framed. But I'm going into the Christmas Holidays with several projects almost completed and I've very optimistic at this point that I'm in good shape. Been working on the apartment....2nd guest room almost completely picked up...which I usually do about 1 day before Christmas so I'm feeling good. I also did the pickled peaches and pickled beets which has graced our holiday tables since I was a child. So I carry on the tradition...the only problem is I love them so much I start eating them the day after I've made them which means right before the holiday I have to make more. Oh, Crap...I've been hacked so now all kinds of crap is showing up in my e-mail. Damn...so now I feel I must apologize to all who have received e-mails thinking they were from me and open it up to find porn...yes, porn....I could just die. I'm so very sorry to all who have opened up these e-mails. Rainbow Gallery called to say his wife had the same thing happen a couple of months ago and I should now put my name and a non hacked message in the subject line...so for a while I will be doing that. Of course I've contacted AOL, and I've changed passwords, etc...which is tragic for me as I can't remember what the hell I'm doing so I know I'll never remember another password. But we must do what we must do. And for those who hack...shame on you! I don't know what joy you get in doing this but leave me the hell alone. I'm too old and too stupid to fix any of this. Well, I hope your day goes better than mine has. Have a great evening of stitching and I'll talk to you later.

It's a slow process.....

O.K., I don't blog for months and now I'm posting 2 in one day....it's all about the pictures I want to get up. Even with the "Mac for Dummies" that Vernon got me I couldn't figure out the error message after 2 pictures were uploaded so I published that blog and started a new one in order to get all the pictures up. Since I wanted to show some of the getups the girls wore to the C.A. Wells event, I decided not to give up on it, but to start another post. Who says computers can beat me....not I...I'm determined folks to get things in hand...so stay with me while I fight with the Mac. The first picture is Phyllis Yurack with her witch's hat and a lovely lace web cape...and that's Stasi Buhrman in the background who didn't feel the need to dress up. The next picture is Kathie Renard in the back with her Devil's horns on and the blurry mask wearer is Jackie Janovsky. The next picture is our Kay Fletcher wearing her feathery mask and I have to tell you those masks were really something. They didn't stay on long though, but they certainly dressed up the occasion. The final picture is Debbie Liming who wore a witch's hat all weekend along with her lace cape, and halloween earrings, well all jewelry was Halloween. And Debbie, who celebrates her birthday at this event every year keep in costume all weekend, even when we went out for her birthday dinner. Yes, a proud moment for us all as we sat looking perfectly normal with a woman dressed in her Halloween get up. Well, who's to say what is normal. The C.A. weekend is a time for stitching together, catching up and doing whatever we like. While some wereworking on Christmas gifts, it was hard for others as the people we need to stitch for were sitting there. So Jennifer Humpfries, who you see standing in the picture to the left of Kathie...devils horns...Renard, and I decided that we would work on our Betsy Morgan Toy Chest project. We didn't complete it but we know what we're doing and that's important. Stasi brought her completed Betsy Morgan toy chest so we had it to use all weekend...thanks Stasi...and if push comes to shove I can always ask Paola for help as she too finished hers on her own. And when I expressed concern about putting one of the pieces together, Paola offered to help or to do it for me. Yes, I'm on team Paola now. But I'm going to try to do it myself, after all it's all about learning, or is it? The rest of the weekend was spent talking and eating, both of which I excel in.

Christmas...I'm heading into it at full speed. I'm been stitching like a maniac and I've actually finished a record 6 gifts stitched....with another one just days away from being finished and I've had so much fun doing it. I'm also getting the last of the boxes unloaded, after about 5 years, of my stuff moved from the old place...another Go Team Go! That means that once I get the guest room straightened out this year...I never have to do it again. I can't believe it. The boys room is already back to winter status as I've put away all my summer clothes, however, I'm afraid my sewing room took a hit as it became the drop off point for all my bags of stuff this summer, but I'm slowly going through it and getting things put away.

Why is it I think every year I'll never let the crap build up again, and then it happens? Anyway, I'm a work in progress and so is my living space. As for the shop....well, Renee and Pat have been busy getting displays up and moving things around. They have done such a wonderful job....thanks ladies I appreciate all the hard work. And it's a good thing they did it because you know me....while I may want to help...I just am not moved to do it. And Sara...well she has Jamaica on the brain. She and Vernon and Michael are leaving for Jamaica the first part of December. So she's trying to get ahead on Christmas shopping etc., and so I don't want to ask her to help with anything. Knit and Bitch starts again today...hopefully someone will show up. I forgot about it in my enthusiasm about posting on the Mac and instead of bringing my knitting I brought my Mac machine. Perhaps someone here will be able to give me some instruction. The weather is so beautiful out today...in the high 60's, sunny and gorgeous...we could sit on the rockers on the porch and knit away....except that Vernon in his enthusiasm to close up the hotel has already put them in the lobby. So now we have to work around the chairs...which I'm willing to do as it is easier than fitting tables into Salty Yarns. We need a classroom over there....ummm, now where can I find that room? Well, I've exhausted myself and my Mac knowledge for today so I shall post my 2nd blog of the day. Have a great day and I'll talk with you soon.

Fall arrived and so have I..............

Yes, I apologize for the length of time between now and my last blog...no excuse except that I'm old, yes, I'm really feeling my age this year. I don't know what's different except that I am aging, only now it feels like I'm doing it at warp speed. Plus the amazing things going wrong with me, starting with the shingles which appeared in the spring, and the visit to the doctor's for that which meant going for blood tests which revealed the sugar spike and while I was dealing with that came the bronchitis and then the coupe de gras...plantar fascitis. Of course, over the course of the spring and summer I got the sugar under control, in fact I'm doing amazingly we

ll with that and the shingles, well that for me was just a couple of weeks of pain, and the bronchitis, well that lasted a tad longer than I would have liked, the hacking went on for a couple of months as did the exhaustion that came from it...but just as I was bouncing back from that the plantar fascitis hit and that lasted all summer. But I went to the doctors in September and now I have that under control so now I'm a ticking time bomb waiting for the next thing to go wrong. But in the meantime....all events are over so it's time for a recap, as well as resting up for the holidays which are right around the corner. At the end of September the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild had a retreat here and those stitchers are always a fun group. About 22 of the stitchers arrived on different days, a few always arrive early to get a jump start on the fun, and to get first pick at new stuff in the shop. These ladies do some amazing projects. Theresa Baird who you will hear more about as she has designed a sampler specifically for Salty Yarns, brought her collection of amazing projects designed and executed by her. She stitches on 40 count only (at least that's all I've seen) which is amazing enough to me, but the detail she gets. Mercy, it has to be seen to be believed. But all the ladies were working on amazing projects. There is no more fun that seeing what others are working on and getting new ideas through their inspiration. We had a week in between the Delaware Guild and the Stitchers Jamboree. While the attendance was down a little this year, we still had around 44 stitchers in attendance and three wonderful teachers. Amy Bruecken from Amy Bruecken designed a fall piece with a black crow sitting on a pumpkin and used the new copper wrapped thread from DMC to make tendrils around the stem. Many of the stitchers hadn't seen these fibers used so it was an education as well as a wonderful example of what to do with that fiber. I'd used it once before on the Sarah Elliott box of Greg's. We used it as fencing in a field, but I was unsure how to start and stop it. So this was invaluable to me. I like the dimension of the tendrils and the way Amy showed to incorporate the leaves on it. Needless to say, several people loved it as we sold out of the fiber during the weekend. Elizabeth Talledo illustrated the blanket stitch on a wool case stitchers had to assemble and included a couple of smalls for her piece which had the theme, "Day of the Dead". And Barbara Jackson showed the stitchers how to make a strawberry with her sampler strawberry. Several of the stitchers finished their wool case during the weekend, and I saw many of the strawberries being worked on. Phyllis Yurack was here for C.A. Well

s Memorial Weekend and she was well on her way to finishing Amy Bruecken's piece. So I would say the weekend was a success, thanks to the stitchers who came and enjoyed themselves, especially those who flew such a long distance, like Paola Botti who flew in from Luxembourg and the stitchers from California, Lara Skaggs, Pam Thompson and Kim Bowman. Jenny Berens who flew in from Kentucky and who realized she knew us from having attended the Moss Creek Retreat with her a few years ago...isn't it a small world? And then Barbara Nunez who informed me she was at the same retreat...and I didn't even realize that last year when Barbara was here. And 2011 we had our first male stitcher join us. I think he started off just wanting to be here with his significant other (I told him he could only come if he took classes), but joined in with the various stitching groups in the lobby and fit right in. He took home supplies to make a name tag for his next event. Go Ken! He was a delight to all the women here. Not only was he good looking but he had a wonderful spirit, and a desire to soak in all the knowledge regarding stitching that he could. He initially was taught years ago by his mother so he had done needlework years ago. We hope he joins us again, as well as Susan, his main reason to be here. And thanks also to Sara for all her cooking and goodies, and the designers who flew in and mingled with the stitchers. Thanks to everyone for another great Jamboree, and to all the gifts everyone brought. Cynthia Radley always brings treats and this year she brought a trio of delicious cookies which were gobbled up over the course of the weekend. And then she and Crystal Symansky gifts Sara and I both gift cards to our favorite spots...Sunset Grille save me a seat! Thanks Girls. Paola Botti flew over with her husband at the end of September, toured a few days and then stopped here for us to meet Lorenzo. Unfortunately we had the coldest weather we had since last winter while Lorenzo was with us. But he flew out 2 days after arriving and Stasi Buhrman picked Paola up at the airport and Paola spent several days with her and returned to us the Sunday before Jamboree weekend. We had our usual good times. Paola is an expert at finishing her smalls and we were amazed by the projects she brought to show us. She inspired all of us with her beautiful pieces. And both Sara and I were blessed to received 2 of her smalls, along with several other gifts. I'm putting my gift on the web site and you just have to see it. I will treasure it always. I should of taken a photo of Sara's but forgot. But it's a 15 sides biscornu that is amazing. Then Kim Bowman, Pam Thompson, and Lara Skaggs brought us things from their region. They brought a bag of Jelly Bellies (Sara's personal favorite), Ghirardelli Chocolates (well do you even have to wonder who's going to eat these) and the freshest garlic swag ever. I swear I've never seen such fresh garlic before in my life, big fat bulbs with their paper skins tight around them. I swear the garlic I usually find looks like it's shrunk inside the skin which is loose and falling off. You just know it's been sitting in the store a while. But this was fresh. Sara and I fought a little over it...I got some but Sara who is the garlic queen, got the most of it. That girl does love her garlic. And Ellen Sweeney who struggles every year to find me a new piece of my Polish ware went in a different direction this year and brought me oodles of lottery scratch offs from New York. We were both hoping I'd scratch off a winner, but alas, I had no luck but sure had fun trying. Thanks everyone for making our weekend so much fun. Sara and I have almost as much fun as the stitchers do. The weather was cooler this Jamboree but still beautiful and sunny which allowed stitchers to sit outside on the rockers and stitch while enjoying the sun and surf. We love the sun shining for this event just so we can sit outside. We had a week to

regroup and then the final event of the year...C.A. Wells Memorial Weekend event. As you may remember, this event came about when C.A. Wells cancelled at the last minute as we weren't her time. While the ladies still wanted to get together anyway, and we did, this has become such a fun annual event this year we decided we should thank C.A. Wells. We wouldn't have had this much fun if she had come so be insulting us she has provided us with a great event that we all look forward to every year. Sara decorated the hotel lobby for Halloween, and just about everyone brings a goodie bag so there are goodie bags galore for each person. Not only do the bags contain candy, but Stasi Buhrman made miniature cupcakes which were yummo, Stacy Stinson's contained a ceramic Halloween Cupcake with a candle inside (so cute), and Jennifer Humphries' contained a ceramic pumpkin votive. But every ones contained candy and some had notepads, tissues, nail files, hand sanitizer, etc. Fun, fun, fun. And as with all our events food plays a huge part. Stacy Stinson brought the cutest bread shaped like a spider which she hollowed out and put in some of her yummy dip (which she lovingly made). She also brought a delicious salad which Sara tried to gobble up by herself, and a dessert bar which was excellent. Jennifer Humphries brought cupcakes which I personally enjoyed (my sugar is still good) and I brought my usual Leek and Potato soup, strawberry pretzel salad, cheesecake and my famous chocolate dipped cookies. Jackie Janovsky brought her caramel pop corn, which I love, love love but apparently so did others ..darn it I was hoping to take that home. Sara made her pumpkin curry soup and her Chicken Caesar salad sandwiches which everyone loved. And this year, Sara made Bloody Marys which were enjoy especially by myself, Debbie Liming and Kay Fletcher and also made a green grog which was also enjoyed by ...well the same people. It's so decadent to drink around noon isn't it. I like to think of it as healthy since the Bloody Mary's usually have olives or celery in it and it is tomato based....yes that was the healthy part of my weekend. After that it went to hell in a hand basket. I ate enough chocolate candy to bury a normal person, and yet my sugar was still in the normal range. Unfortunately my weight has slowly risen again...so now I must get back on track...and with the holidays approaching. What the hell was I thinking. The weather didn't exactly cooperate....we had a north easter' on Saturday, but since we're stitchers we didn't really care and we were staying in anyway. We were amazed at the snow totals we were hearing from others as we got nothing but rain, and on Sunday it was gorgeous and back to sunny. But I know many were without electricity (that may have bummed us out but ours didn't go out so hurray!) Anyway, I'm getting back to a normal routine...working in the shop and the office, hiding from salesmen and watching enough reality shows to make a normal person go mad. But I'm also stitching like crazy. I'm determined to get some stitching done for Christmas and so far I've finished 2 pieces to take to the framer (whoppee...I'm done my part). I've also finished 2 pieces which I need to put together (ooops..this could be a train wreck)...but it's exciting to think I could actually stitch most of my gifts this year. A first for me...which makes it really exciting. I'm a stitching fool at night as I have no one who needs my attention...yes, I'm still living alone and loving it.

Good Ridance to Irene...........

The sun is shining, and it's become a beautiful day here in Ocean City. Last night we listened to the wind howling, rain pelting the hotel, but it was like a bad northeaster'...not a hurricane. The tides were high but didn't come over the sea wall, and this morning there isn't as much sand on the boardwalk as is usually the case. So aside from guttering and shingles blowing off, we made out well. Unfortunately the mayor, idiot that he is, allowed business owners and property owners back into town this morning starting at 9:00 (this isn't the stupid part), but is allowing the tourists back in starting at noon. Why is that stupid? Well, they bussed all the foreign students out of town on Thursday leaving us with no help starting on Thursday and will not be bringing them back from Baltimore (where they have been in shelters) until Monday. So meanwhile, we have tenants who have already called and are coming in today, since the town will be open for business at noon, and we have no way to get all the units ready for them. Nor will restaurants be able to open with no employees, so thank you Rick Meehan. Keep in mind we now also have to get all the preparation we did, reversed, so storm windows have to be taken down and that is always a little bit of a struggle as they are screwed in and heavy, and all the other things that we've put in storerooms has to be taken out and put back where it goes, and all the apartments have to have their porch furniture taken back out and put in place and we have a limited crew here. So right now Sara and Mary are tackling the cleaning of apartments, and Anna and Toot, two of our housekeepers from Snow Hill, have been called and while they are not thrilled (thinking they were off until tomorrow) they are on their way to assist. All the men are outside trying to reverse the preparations and because I threw my back out getting something out of my suitcase on Saturday morning I'm manning the phones. Salty Yarns remains closed until tomorrow, and I'm O.K. with that. Anyway, we're all in good shape, relatively, I could stand to lose a few pounds, but Irene really isn't responsible for my weight, and aside from that we came through with flying colors, as far as we know. I'm sure we will have some leaks due to shingles being blown off, but nothing that can't be fixed. And as always after a storm it's gorgeous out. We did get a few pictures and Andre who stayed here with us did reports every couple of hours from the front porch during the actual storm which he then put on you tube. This was Andres first time in Ocean City, he lives in Baltimore. He came to help us out this summer and while one would think he'd be leary of a hurricane, he simply couldn't wait to get out into it. So if you have a chance, you can listen to his reporting on you tube. I hope everyone who saw the storm pass their way did as well as we did and we'll be talking to you soon. I'll get our pictures up on the blog as soon as possible.

Saturday Morning...things are looking up

Last night was uneventful...Lee's wife and daughter (from Malibu's next door) came over and we played games while Solomon camped out in an apartment and Izzie, well it was business as usual for him, running around and getting attention. Poor Vernon was so exhausted from boarding up that he went to take a nap early in the evening and we never saw him again. But this morning he says he woke up around 1:30 a.m. and went back to bed 1 hour later and he and I were both first to wake up and are now sitting here doing our thing. The good news is Irene is downgraded and is now a category 1 hurricane, which is frankly what it was suppose to be when it came by our shore anyway, but you just never know. The bad news...it's still a huge storm and so we will be sitting here in the rain with wind gusts for almost 24 hours. But we'll take that and be thrilled that's all we're getting. The worst part for us is we have to entertain Solomon, Izzie and Michael for the next 24 hours inside. I'm not Sara will make it through this without plenty of alcohol involved....but you know I'll keep you posted on that! It's such a shame that everyone had to leave so early because Friday was gorgeous here. The sun shone, the beach was empty and the water was even calm. So it was really a perfect beach day. And last night the kids were able to stay outside and skateboard on the boardwalk, ride bikes,etc., which is not allowed in the summer. In fact skateboarding on the boardwalk is never allowed, so this was such a treat for the kids. I will say the police were vigilant and rode up and down the boardwalk all evening. And the best news...no looters at the Lankford. And I don't expect any with the rain outside so I think "ole sparky" is going to sit dormant once again. The only threat we've had is Izzie's diaper and even that wasn't so bad. But today...well it's raining here and it's what we will be looking at all day. At this point there isn't much wind, but the ocean is churning up. The waves have not started lapping at the sea wall though so that's good. We all know that will be happening as soon as the gusts are here and then we will have the sand being blown onto the boardwalk so there will definitely be clean up going on as soon as this is over, but hopefully it won't be that much to do and the boardwalk isn't our responsiblity so we don't care how much sand ends up there. We will have enough to do just undoing all the preparations Vernon made. He got all front windows boarded up, signs down, etc. Our lobby looks like winter, signs were taken down and sitting here, some of the tools used yesterday sitting here, screen doors removed and sitting here...and that's the worst thing....now we have to get it all back up to get open again. We also have enough water bottles sitting here to take care of our thirst for a month, but better to have too many supplies as not enough. Well, I'm going to get some stitching done. Yes sir, this is a snow day for me and that means I don't get out of my P.J.'s and I stitch until Solomon gets up and comes down for me to play with him. Michael sleep in my room last night, poor thing has been clinging to Sara, Vernon or myself for the past 24 hours. While he wouldn't say it, he was scared to death of this whole thing. I'm sure it didn't help that I couldn't stop watching the weather channel, however, last night while we played games with the kids I did turn it off to try to calm Michael's nerves. Now that I know it's downgraded I think I can live with it off today. So today the Lankford Hotel becomes Sally's funhouse....as we concentrate on keeping children occupied. They are going to be playing hide and seek throughout the building and for the first time they get to run the halls and slam the doors. Hopefully they will also take naps! I know I'm going to take one.....but first ... stitching. Have a great dry day and you know I'll keep you posted. And for Rich, Staci's husband, I'm going to try to get some pictures.

Update #2....and all is not as bad as it was...

First thanks to all of you who are following this and offering your prayers and well wishes and also to Carolyn who offered us a room at her house...we thank you but our conditions aren't as bad as we originally were told so I'm feeling more optimistic... Renee called to check on us and she and Greenie are hunkered down on 6th street and staying. When they came by her house to get next of kin information they didn't say a word about electic or water being shut off so Greenie has gotten to the bottom of this as we all felt it was illegal to just shut off utilities like that. Now we are being told that the secondary water pumps are being shut down but the main water pump will still be on and the electric from 1st street south is being shut off since the lines are all underground, but that is it. Now I'm thrilled they haven't buried ours...so we are feeling a lot better about our circumstances. There are quite a few of us staying who have businesses for a very good reason...with the town officials ordering everyone out....we have become targets of the unscrupulous whose only intent is to loot from the empty properties. We're old school down here and we will not allow that to happen. So I know that Lee at Malibus is camping out for the duration there, and the owner of the Green Turtle up at the north end has 2 people sleeping in the bar to protect his investment. We are becoming like the wild west down here. Meanwhile I may actually be able to use Vernon's taser, or Old Sparky as he likes to call it, and Renee and Greenie are armed and ready as well. So if looters show up they better make sure they are picking on empty properties because I won't hesitate to spark them up and throw them into the storm. Yes, I'll be kicking butt and taking names. Hopefully "irene" won't be kicking my butt. I've already had my first accident. Sara brought up the computers from down stairs and put them in the lobby where I promptly fell over them to the floor as all the workers were in the lobby getting their lunch. The good news....they said I went down very gracefully. The bad news...getting up was a red hot mess....and my knees are still killing me from the experience. But I lived through it and hopefully that is the last unpleasant experience I am going to have this weekend. The hotel is finally empty except for you know who, but the police did go up and spoke with them and the kids tell me he is loading his car, so by 5:00 it should be just us chickens here. Mary and Brian had decided to go, when we thought we wouldn't have electric and we're now trying to locate a place (Brian thought the Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania would be a good waiting out place but they are full so we're back to the drawing board). After calling Mary who was home packing just in case, she's informed me that Solomon wants a night of camping out in the lobby so I think Brian is being voted off the island alone. We'll see how this turns out. It's like playing Survivor down here...groups forming, people teaming up...oh, this could get ugly people. But you know I'll keep you posted. I will say this...it's eerie here...no one on the boardwalk and the beach is closed. They've worked for 2 days clearing the beach of all objects like the beach stand boxes and trash cans. The only thing you see are the life guards sitting on our porch to make sure no one goes over the sea wall. And there is an air of anticipation here....humid and every once in a while a breeze. The water is calm as it ever is and you just know it nots going to stay that way. Yes, folks we know the storm is coming but we just don't know when, and we don't know what the winds are going to be like. I only hope at some point I can sit down and stitch without feeling like I should be watching kids or cooking or blogging. This is like a snow day....only we're actually having to do a whole lot of work to prepare. And they've called off the first day of school...so Michael is thrilled and when Solomon finds out he is going to be so upset as Monday was his first official school day and he can't wait. Well, I've got to go get busy looking busy...I'll keep you posted.

It's 10:30 a.m. and all is not well.....

While we are preparing for the worse, covering windows with plywood, etc., the man who's children called the police is refusing to leave. Thanks so much buddy, we are on the police watch list because of you and you are now refusing to leave....well, interesting but aggravating...now we are going to have to call the police on him to get his ass out! In any event, they are going door to door to tell us that they are turning off water and electric as of 6:00 p.m. and it will stay off until Monday. Well, isn't that lovely for all of us that have food in freezers. They are also taking next of kin names. Are they watching a different report than we are. Supposedly, according to the national weather service, we are scheduled to have category 2 winds....which we have had many times before...and during which they didn't turn off electric and water. Now they are just plain making me furious. But, I'm now asking the children to leave with the grandchildren as I really don't know how we would keep them entertained for 3 days with no electric and for heaven's sake no water...please we do have to go to the bathroom. Thankfully I did my laundry last night so I've got all the clean clothes I need...but the bathroom problem is a bit daunting. Oh, well, that's the report at 10:30 on Friday....heaven only knows what will happen next. But you know I'll keep you posted.

Earthquakes and now "Irene".....is someone trying to tell me something?

We will be securing all flying objects today, and getting ready for a guest we would rather didn't come to the party, but "Irene" doesn't seem to care about an invitation. We are under a mandatory evacuation, however, that means little to me. I've sat through every storm that has ever come by to say hello, so I'll be sitting here through it holding down the building. And along with me will be Sara, Vernon, perhaps Michael, he's still undecided he may go with a neighbor back to her house in Preston. Mary, Brian and the children are undecided...Mary wants to stay but Brian is naturally a little concerned. We also have a few hotel guests who have asked to stay....so we don't know what we've got and we won't until 5:00 p.m. when the evacuation is suppose to be complete. All the foreign workers, which is really the entire staff of every property in Ocean City were required to leave yesterday so many of the businesses were closed last night...Salty Yarns of course, stayed open until 9:00 p.m., so stitchers could get their supplies before leaving or hunkering down. It's all a little daunting really. But I'm packing up my "stuff" and I'm moving into the hotel today so guests will see me there and know that I'm not leaving them to fend for themselves. So we're about to go on an interesting journey and one that I wish I wasn't going on, but I'll keep you posted as we sit here and wait. Earlier this week we had a first...I was sitting on the porch with Debbie and Phyllis as they were saying good-bye to the beach before heading home. They were here for the Jackie Du Plessis class last weekend. While we were talking I felt the hotel moving and thought "that's strange, there's no wind, no planes passing, no huge trucks going by" but I just rocked harder and put it out of my mind. A woman sitting down from us asked, "Is it normal for the hotel to move like that?" To which the Romanian foreign student replied...well I'm not sure what he said but it kept me from answering so I let him go. And then the woman's cell phone started blowing up and I heard her saying, "What, you have got to be kidding." She looked at me and said, "we just felt the after shocks from an earthquake which happened in Virginia." I feel like we're looking at the beginning of the end here...hurricanes and earthquakes? You have got to be kidding! Well, at least I have my needlework to keep me busy over the next couple of days. You know that is going to be the first thing I pack to take to the hotel. Although, last night I was unpacking orders from the recent show and there are several more projects in my "to do" pile. UPDATE....just got a call from Sara at Lankford central....our command center....and apparently one of the guests who didn't want to leave....their children back in Baltimore called the Ocean City police to report us and the police showed up at the hotel last night and told Sara we had to evacuate the tenants by 5:00 p.m. today (Friday) or we would be arrested (I guess)....so we are now evacuating tenants and workers....except, of course, us. We will be riding out the storm from our command center and will keep you posted. The day is beautiful, suns out and birds are singing...obviously they are clueless at this point as to what is coming to ruin their day! It's still suppose to be only a category 2 storm when it goes by us so I'm hoping that doesn't change. While I've been here for higher categories, I'd prefer it downgrade before passing here. And the saga continues.

I hope your day is going better than mine.

Am I on hidden camera or is this just God playing with me?

Two days ago, I was bragging that the woman who usually appears 15 minutes before closing had finally learned and showed up at 11:00 in the morning yesterday. When Cynthia Radley called to try to cheer me on I was telling her I was safe last night and could relax because "the woman" had already been in early in the day. Well...at 9:00 (O.K. so that was early) I looked up and there she was again...2 times in one day, are you kidding me. I was working a double and I had to put up with her 2 times in one day. This time she wanted to know what button to buy for the chart she had purchased earlier in the day....the catch...she didn't remember what the chart was except it had a cat on it. Well that really narrows things down! She felt I'd remember what she purchased.....duh, I can't remember 5 minutes later what I did 5 minutes earlier so trust me when I tell you I don't remember a chart purchased 10 hours ago. She's coming back today with the chart...probably at 9:30. When I arrived for work this morning, in the office, I was informed that Connie called in sick so guess who has another double? Yup, I'm up again. So I've been in the shop working, which I really don't mind since it's air conditioned and I'm getting orders placed. But just as Sara brought my lunch in guess who arrived for help with her knitting. The lady with the friggin' ice cream cone the other night. Yes, she didn't follow the directions given her at all, and made a mess of the yarn. So while my burger cooled down and the fries cold (that may have been God's doing) I'm showing this simpleton how to knit her scarf. She won't shut the hell up and continues to chatter to her family telling them how easy it is and- she then makes a mistake (and the worse part I saw her doing it and didn't say a word) and when she counts stitches realizes she's done it wrong and guess who had to take it apart and redo it. Did she shut up then...hell no, this little chatterbox kept right on telling her family how easy it is...even though I told her she had to concentrate but she never shut up for one minute. While she was chattering the family was pulling on the tape measures and picking up everything on the counter while others tried on the peepers. By the time this group left my lunch was cold...thank you so much! (I ate it anyway don't you know.) But now I'll just sit and wait for my 9:30 lady...yes life in a needlework shop can be tough! But I'd rather be here working in a/c than doing road work (are they my only two choices?) I hear it's going to go to the 3 digits again today or tomorrow...so what's new! I may never leave the shop again if that's the case. O.K., it's now Friday...usually a time for a big Whoppee!!! but honestly it's so darn hot out there I don't want to even think about it. So I'm once again back in the a/c and Salty Yarns. But today Renee was in this morning so I'm only doing the one shift...now that's reason to say Whoppee!!! The Hoffman order didn't arrive so no Prairie Schooler Santa for another 3 days...darn it. I'm tired of saying, "No I'm sorry while it's been published we just haven't got it in house yet." But we did receive the new Chatelaine chart by Martina..."The Sea Quilt." Of course it is spectacular...and I'm trying to figure out how I can fit this in to my already overpacked stitching line up. Last night in the shop I worked on my canvas work santa and I'm really loving doing this again. I thought I'd never go back to needlepoint, but canvaswork can be so much fun using the different fibers and different stitches. I can't wait to get a picture of this little guy and show you my progress. Tonight I've got to get back on the Bent Creek Quaker Noel row because Renee is sick of looking at the frame sitting on the cutting table. I just throw my stuff where ever and it frustrates the hell out of Renee....oops, sorry about that! Well I want to publish this before the info is another day old so I'll talk with you later. Wish me luck tonight...we're going into another weekend which means a whole new batch of people to see, some we love and others...well, let's just say they are a challenge to us. Have a great weekend and try to stay cool.

Well, we're into day 7 of the hottest temps in history

at least down here. I really can't say I can remember a time when the heat was this bad...the other day with the humidity it was 104...104 people, I'm pretty sure I could roast something just putting it in a pan outside. But, I'm thrilled to say I spend as little time as possible out there...I sit in "a/c" comfort in the shop or in my office, however, I do believe it has fried some brains out there. Either the people who are non-stitchers but fall through the door anyway, are suffering from fried brains or they are just stupid. You know I have to judge them! I'm pretty sure they are falling into both categories though...because I can tell some are just plain stupid! I had a first tonight though...I had a woman come in and ask if I would do her a favor...she sent her nieces and nephews on a scavenger hunt and their final destination was "Aunt Susan's favorite shop" and I was the lucky final destination. She asked if when the kids came in if I would hand them their prize...which I give her credit for thinking I was that honest because there was $40 dollars in the bag to be split among the 4 kids. Of course I said I would. I mean I am her favorite shop and well I thought it was really nice for her to do that with the kids. Of course when they came in with raised voices, etc., I started rethinking my decision, but they were nice kids regardless of the raised voices and after all they did find the shop. So that was my good deed for the day...and perhaps the last one I'll be doing for a while. After all, as the summer has progressed I've gotten rather cranky, if I do say so myself. My feet are killing me...by the end of the day they look like blown up balloons and not even my favorite sandal is giving me any comfort. But I'm so grateful for the a/c here and at home I hate to complain too much because I know things could be a lot worse. I haven't put a needle in fabric for a few days and that's making it worse as I know I should be stitching, but I got a new knitting book on Entrelac in and I'm just dying to knit...but too uncertain to begin. Pat's entrelac scarf was a true inspiration to me, so I've been harping on this since spring. The girls in the shop don't want to hear it anymore which is why I'm bringing it to you. I'm getting close to starting something though. Of course I said the same thing about knitting socks and I'm not even close to doing that. Crap someone just walked in with an ice cream cone...now you know they should know better...what the hell do they think the sign in the window about no food or drinks means. Honestly, this may just take me over the top....all I need is her dripping cone to leave ice cream all over the place. My night is starting to get worse. And this is the week I have a returning customer who arrives around 9:30 and wants to look for about 1 to 1/2 hours when she knows I close. I go through this every night with her for a week, every year. It never occurs to her that perhaps it would be better if she came in perhaps a few hours before we close...but then why would she want to do the right thing when she can annoy me for days. Yes, this is what I'm dealing with. And now the woman with the ice cream who I have to say could win the gold medal for eating it as slowly as possible, has made a purchase of yarn, which thrilled me because I thought she'd get out of here with her ice cream...but no...she is now looking around some more. Damn...she's driving me nuts, although that is a short drive at this point. Tomorrow I work a double in here so by this time tomorrow night I will have gone completely around the bend. Oh, yes..there is a God...she dripped ice cream inside the bag over her own yarn. Yes...life is sweet and so is revenge. But has she decided to give up the friggin cone...no..oh I'm wrong, she has asked where the trash can is and then promptly dropped the cone on the floor. But she then picked it up so I guess it's alright except there sits my Salty Yarns bag in the trash...damn woman. And, of course, I did have to mop the floor from the spills which I guess she didn't feel the need to clean up. The only thing that is salvaging the situation for me is she got it all over herself as well. Everyone else tonight has really been nice and most have left me alone, although that really isn't a requirement. Last night I was run ragged helping people. But tonight we're sort of self serve which has been nice because it's allowed me to get the new stuff and reorders out. We got in the New Mill Hill Christmas kits and we got Bent Creek's Christmas Mantle back in. Everytime we get these Mill Hill beaded kits in I fall in love with one of them, start to take one home and then remember how much bead work there is and put it right back on the rack...Thank God! But the "Believe Santa" is really tempting...I'm hoping I can resist. We also got in the new Maureen Appleton kits last week, and I've been eyeballing one of them. I'm still working on Bent Creek's Quaker Noel and still enthusiastic because I have the tray frame sitting here urging me on. Of course I think I mentioned the last 3 days I've been too busy to stitch and tonight frustration has kept me from it. At home I'm working on the Betsy Morgan Toy Chest...still and probably forever. Although Paola has finished hers and is going to bring it to Jamboree when she comes and even insinuated that she would help me if I needed help putting mine together. I feel she's being very optomistic thinking I would get it done, but I'm going to give it a go and perhaps I'll surprise myself. I'm so far behind though on everything I'm not sure this is going to happen. But at least I didn't take on another class like Debbie, Sara and the rest who are taking Jackie's class next month. I know my limitations, plus I already have 4 of Jackie's class kits not finished...only one has been stitched completely and the other 3 I haven't even started. Does this sound familiar to you? I know there are many of us with this happening so I don't feel alone, but I sure would like to get perhaps one of them finished this year. Plus a thousand other pieces and I've got to start on my Christmas ornament exchange that I do with Theresa Wood at Jamboree. Last year I waited for the Just Cross Stitch ornament book so I would be certain to stitch an ornament she didn't have (hopefully) and I had it done in plenty of time so I was thrilled. But I'm starting to stress already about it so I've been checking out a few things. Oh, my God, I hear the Trollbead's being moved around. I feel so sorry for the girls working in Sea Trader...this has been a Trollbead summer since we've had them on sale and I'm telling you they are kept busy each day with these. We'll all be thrilled when they are finally gone and we don't have to fool with them. It's exhausting! And I've only had to do it a couple of days. And unlike the girls who really do it correctly, I just pull out the trays and let them have a free for all. I use to really work with people on their bracelets, but no longer. I'm out of the trollbead mood apparently. I still love them and believe you me I've got a few bracelets, but I'm done measuring, making bracelets, etc. All I want to do now is sit on my big butt. Oh, my tonight could be a first...we have less than 15 minutes and the annual lady who loves to come in 15 minutes before closing hasn't shown up. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. Please, please keep her out of her tonight and tomorrow night. Tomorrow with my working a double I won't be staying here one minute longer than I have to. O.K. I've locked the door...a few seconds, O.K., a few minutes early, but a necessity I assure you. I can breath easier now even though we have a shop full of people because I know she won't be here walking around like she's got all night. And while I wait for the people to evacuate the shop I shall say good night to you all. I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow and that the heat doesn't do you in!

Good Lord, I'm way too old for all this....

I just got over the May retreat (yes, I do realize we're into the middle of July but I'm going somewhere with this)...and was ready to get back on track when the New York girls blew into town. Pat Ellis, Cindy Salow, Tina Rivellino, Norma Roberts, Roberta Grainer and Ruth Nobel. Well, those wild ladies kept me up each night so by the time they left I was exhausted and back to my, "Good Lord I feel like I'm 90" mood. I challenged Cindy to a stitching duel and that poor woman drove herself insane trying to stitch faster that I stitched. Sara had warned her that I loved a challenged and would sit up all night stitching just to win. What Sara and Cindy didn't take into account was the fact that I was still working on Renee's birthday gift which was due in 2 days. Actually I finished the Erica Michael's acorn fob for her but then decided to add the JABCO Acorn pin cushion as an added gift making it a theme birthday...so I really had to focus on the pin cushion and the Strawberry pretzel salad Renee had requested back in April when she tasted it at the Betsy Morgan weekend. So I was up all night all right, but I was putting the salad together and stitching the pin cushion. When I got into the shop and Tina informed me that Cindy had stitched all night, through the visit to Assateague and through dinner, I said the hell with it and kept working on Renee's gift. So Cindy won the challenge and a pair of Gingher's too boot. Next time Cindy you might not be so lucky so you better be prepared. I let Cindy pick the project and she picked Lizzie Kate's new inspirational boxer" I really enjoyed the stitch even if I did lose the challenge and did end up finishing the piece after Renee's birthday, and as you can see, and I'm now searching for the perfect frame. I'm trying on different frames in the shop. I'm showing it right now sitting on the fabric table with the Eastside Moulding frame on it. Sara's vote is for this frame so it might just be the final one. Anyway, Pat and Roberta were new to the group this year, at least new to coming to Ocean City, but they fit right in. Roberta even took a dive into the Atlantic ocean and fell in love with it. Anyway, I had a great time with the girls and can't thank Cindy enough for taking over in the shop and cutting fabric, answering the phone and taking an order, and acting as the personal shopper for the rest of the group. All I did was sit on my fat butt and we know I've perfected that event. (if that was an Olympic event I'd have the gold medal.) Anyway, thanks all for coming..it was fun. Can't wait to do it all over again next year...but this time I'm coming primed, ready and will get a lot of sleep before you arrive. Add the lack of sleep to the fact that on Saturdays, my only day off, I am Solomon's personal assistant, driver, entertainer, toy buyer and Coco's Palace playmate you can understand I hope why I've gotten behind on blogging. Solomon is my 3 year old grandson and thank God his 16 year old brother takes care of Israel, 18 months now, or I'd have him too...but as it is, I try to give Mary a break on Saturdays (5 days a week he is in daycare) so she can perform her job without him hanging on her, so I know Saturday is my day with Solomon. Coco's Palace is our favorite hangout. I happen to like it too because it is self contained, and last week I took my stitching with me and worked on my Quaker Christmas Row by Bent Creek (loving it). I only look up periodically to make sure he's still with us...my heart stops periodically when I can't find him, but sooner or later his blond curls can be seen coming down a slide. After 3-4 hours there he's tired and hurt because someone has pushed him or ignored him so our new thing is to head to Toys R Us where we head for the super heroes aisle. (this is so foreign to me I can't even begin to tell you.) After paying for some piece of crap that will be broken before I get home with it we head off for Ocean City where we arrive around dinner time, tired, beaten, but satisfied and filled with crap from a day at Coco's Palace eating whatever crap they serve...and trust me none of it is on my diet. I've been able to do better than my first week at Coco's when Sara had to drive me home I was so exhausted. I think last week I went home at 9:00 which is early, but beat the 8:00 the week before. But tomorrow, which is Saturday, is looming with no Solomon. Tomorrow he's headed to Baltimore for an audition. He got the call to audition for an X-man movie so we're keeping our fingers crossed for the little guy...but also realize he is just one of thousands who I am sure are lining up to try out for the same thing. Anyway, that means no Coco'a Palace for me (I think I'd look a little silly if I just showed up there with no child). Michael is back but he's headed out to lacrosse camp...and Izzie has his brother who is paid to look after him in the summer so I am child free....I swear I won't know what to do with myself. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the day off....well I'll still be working but a day off from child care. Although Friday became my day with Solomon as his daycare was closed so we were off to Walmart to find things for him to do on the car ride to Baltimore tomorrow. So I still had my day with him. I hope he has wonderful memories of me...I think he will....especially since he rules and I am here to serve him. Well, it's now Monday morning and I've decided to finish the blog. While I was child free on Saturday, my girls were both wrecks so my children were my problem. Mary was absolutely distraught over not being with Solomon while he was dealing with the audition. Brian rode by the audition spot when he arrived in Baltimore at 10:00 a.m. and saw the line had started to form so he decided they needed to get in line right away. He kept Mary informed about what was happening so he called about every 1/2 hour. Like every man, Brian didn't look in the bag Mary packed and just took Solomon's lunch box so he was missing most of the food, etc. So they were in line with a lack of supplies. When Mary found this out, plus the fact that at some point they moved the line out of the heat and into a room where the noise level went up, she became more distraught as our Solomon has a problem with loud noises and that includes rooms where the noise level is high. So he immediately wanted to leave. Meanwhile the auditions didn't start for some time and they weren't first in line. So Brian was trying to keep him occupied, calm, and engaged and Solomon was slowly breaking down. So I was dealing with Mary breaking down and crying during our first really busy weekend. Fortunately she would be crying, someone would come to the desk, she'd wipe off the tears, straighten up long enough to walk out with a smile on her face and greet the guests, do her job then come back in the office and cry because she felt perhaps Solomon was too young to be put through an audition. But around 3:00 we got the call that it was over and Solomon had done his job well. They got in for their audition and they asked if Solomon had prepared a monologue. He's 3 (well 4 next month) and while I think he's pretty smart..a monologue? When Brian said he didn't have one they asked him to sing a song and he stood on his mark and sang his little heart out. Oh, bless his heart, I can't believe he got through it. Anyway, while we were breathing a sigh of relief that his ordeal was over, my Michael, Sara's 10 year old, was melting down at Lacrosse camp. Vernon took him over to Salisbury University at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday for 3 days of camp. Apparently while he was excited to be there, he hadn't taken into account it was a lacrosse camp and therefore you would actually be required to run around and play lacrosse. So he was calling every half hour crying complaining that he was tired and wanted to come home. So while Mary stopped crying Sara was beside herself worrying about Michael. We really do not need this type of drama on a Weekend in July, but that's life. Anyway, Sunday was Sara's day to be upset while Mary was breathing easily. Sara went over to the university to watch Michael play but his mood continued which just about drove her around the bend. But she was determined he was going to tough it out and stay so she put up with his phone calls about every 1/2 hour all day, at least when he wasn't sleeping or playing lacrosse. Mary on the other hand was over joyed when she received a text from the audition people who informed her that Solomon was being called back along with 2 other boys for a second round of auditions. Because Solomon had such a long day on Saturday I decided to take him to Coco's Palace on Sunday. So I left Sara to deal with Michael and Solomon and I went off for a day at Coco's. We weren't there 1 hour when I noticed Solomon in one of the structures right in front of me screaming. I thought he was playing with other kids and they were holding his feet and not letting him crawl back through so I was thinking, " if those darn kids don't stop messing with him I'm going to have to intervene" when a mother (who was obviously more attuned than I) screamed and dove into the structure and grabbed Solomon who wasn't screaming causing he was having fun, but apparently he was caught and couldn't get free. I, needless to say, felt terrible that I was unable to assess the situation correctly, plus I now had a mother who thought I was incapable of watching any child and I had Solomon who was absolutely distraught. I just knew they were going to take away my grandmother status, as I tried to calm him down and offered to leave to take him home. But he was a trooper and after an ice cream cone he wanted to stay. Believe me after that I was tuned in for any sound that sounded like a distress cry. And at 3:00 I had to pry him away since I had to get back to Ocean City for work at 4:00. I was exhausted! So that's how my life has been going. And since this is suppose to be a shop blog I'll just say a little something shop worthy...I'm working on the Bent Creek Quaker Noel piece and I'm really excited. I love the tray they framed it in and have them coming from Eastside Moulding. The funny thing is I didn't even notice it until Cindy asked me about it. As soon as I saw how they had finished it I grabbed one for my bag and after the inspirational sampler I had to start this one. I'm changing a few colors however, as Sara and I both felt the brown, main color was a little drab for us. So I chose Acorn which is a bit more robust and I have changed the trees at the beginning to Seagreen (I think that's the color on the chart but don't have it with me at the moment) and I didn't like the red in the first large motif so I kept the entire thing brown, although I feel I should have done the middle cross in the gold color. But anyway, I'm loving this piece...I'm all about the Quaker stitch anyway, and I've pulled the other Quaker pieces Bent Creek have designed so I'll start on them next ... perhaps! At home I'm working on the Betsy Morgan chest since we are suppose to start putting this class piece together in the fall. This is a slow go for me since I'm exhausted when I get home and only work on it about 2 hours a day around 5:30 a.m. I'm certainly not as young as I use to be...why I remember when I could sit up until 2 stitching and then get up around 5 and stitch some more...yes, those were the good old days. Good Lord, the next thing you know I'll be talking about 5 cent cokes. I'll end here instead and go eat, another Olympic medal should it ever be a sport for me. Have a great week and try to stay cool and hydrated. I do have to admit one final thing...and only because the New York ladies knew I had the pictures. I downloaded the pictures into my new Mac computer and told the computer to erase the pictures off the disc....and then I couldn't figure out how to get them from the computer to the blog. So now I'm on the old computer and I have no pictures left in the camera so now I can't send you pictures of anything because I'm an idiot. I shall keep you posted on my idiot status and will continue to fight the Mac for the pictures.

Well, you can tell summer is here....

As anyone who has been in Ocean City in early June knows we are beseiged by June Bugs (high school seniors who don't have the sense God gave a billy goat), so by this time, the end of June, we are exhausted from having to put up with their nonsense...even those of us who won't rent to them have to put up with their crap...but this week most of them have gone back under the rock they crawled out from and we are now dealing with normal people...well, perhaps normal isn't the correct word either. I'm seeing many of my regulars who are on vacation and so I'm thrilled to see stitchers here. Vernon, on the other hand, saw something this week that set him back a bit. He was going up to the house to lay down for his every night siesta so he can work the late shift. He goes up after dinner so it's still light out, around 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. He comes around the building and standing stark naked, yes... nude.... people, taking a shower at the outdoor shower we have for tenants to wash off the sand from the beach was a Mexican adult male as if nothing was unusual. Vernon said, "Hey, put your clothes on and get the hell off the property." That would indicate to the normal person that perhaps they were doing something wrong. But this guy, of course could barely speak or understand English and couldn't figure out what the problem was. Vernon tried explaining that we have families on this property and no one wants to see his "junk" and in this country we don't strip down outside in front of God and the world to take showers, especially when you aren't suppose to be on the property in the first place. He had driven in to town with his family for the day and apparently wanted to take a shower before going home. Honestly people....does this only happen in Ocean City or are the Mexicans taking showers in your yard too? And this wasn't even a holiday weekend when we usually have to watch out for this kind of thing. I'm certainly getting too old to put up with this kind of nonsense. Well, I'm a bit tired this week so I don't know if I can take much more anyway. Mary's step daughter, Ana-age 6, is down for a couple of weeks and she and Solomon (who is usually in daycare) have been at the hotel everyday. Now for those grandmothers who don't get to see their grandchildren everyday I know this sounds like heaven, however...I do get to see my grandchildren everyday and so I have a slightly different take on having them in the office with me. They love to "help" me! I get to work and the first thing I encounter are Solomon and Ana and the first words out of their mouth each morning is "Can I help you work today." Mary and Brian have tried saying I'm not feeling well and they should leave me alone, but when they ask if I feel sick what am I going to do, lie? Well no I'm not. I've tried giving them little jobs and while Solomon does my check stamping quite well, apparently Ana wasn't paying attention and I got the hell out of Dodge only to return to find that she had stamped them wrong. (I just dropped the deposit off at the bank with a smile and told them I'd pick it up later.) I'm sure they think it's time for the girls to relieve me of duty as they probably think I stamped the darn checks myself. Anyway, yesterday I gave up and said, "Let's do something today. Nana's going to do something with you away from the hotel." I was thinking the amusement park but Mary informed me the parks don't open until late in the afternoon. So Coco's Palace was mentioned. I had no idea what that was but I figured it beat having them hanging on me in the office so we got them in the car and I headed to Salisbury with Ana talking a steady stream the entire way. Good news was...with the air conditioning running and the radio on I couldn't hear half of what she said. So 40 minutes later I pulled into Coco's Palace which is a kid's paradise of bouncy houses. So I paid and off they went and I sat at the table and read someone's travel magazine. Unfortunately all they had to eat was trash at Coco's, but at that point I didn't give a damn...I was sitting in air conditioning and all I had to do was smile periodically in their direction, get them crap to eat and hand them dollars for the air hockey table. 3 1/2 hours later they had eaten enough crap to kill a normal kid and I had loaded them with sugar and I had to get back for work so we loaded up and were heading home. Aside from answering the same question a 100 times, "Did the ice cream man come yet," while we were there (They wanted Sponge Bob ice cream pops and the Palace was out of them but told them the ice cream man was due there anytime....someone should have told the ice cream man that). But trust me we had enough junk we really didn't need anything else and they took something else in the end anyway so it wasn't like they didn't get any ice cream. So I delivered them to Mary and Brian full of junk food and sugar. Yes, I did my job and I did it well. So today I arrive and we're eating lunch and Solomon turns to Mary and says, "Mommy, I think Nana's taking us to the rides today." Mary looks at me and says,"Oh, Mom I'm so sorry..you don't have to do that..I'll take them." "No I said, I'll take them...what time does the park open?" Thank God it didn't open until 3:00 so I said, "Well, that won't give us any time because I have to be at work at 4:00, so I'll take you to Walmart and you can get some new toys." I really do need medical attention people, this was the dumbest idea I ever had. No...wait a minute..telling them we'd stop for ice cream was without a doubt the dumbest. After about 1 1/2 hours in Walmart we emerge with toys in hand and I thought..."well that wasn't so bad...the kids were pretty good...Ana was a little annoying at times but we got through it. So we stop for ice cream on what is the hottest day of the year and Ana gets her double scoop in a cone (against my better judgement) and Solomon announces he doesn't want any. I was going to let them eat the ice cream in the car on the way home, but seeing how it was melting I decided we'd sit there and eat it. Honestly Ana took one little lick at a time...it was unbearable to watch and it was dripping all over hells green acre. My frustration was growing and I finally said, "Ana, you have got to eat that faster because you are now wearing most of it as it's melted all over you." She informed me she can't eat it fast because she gets brain freeze, and then began eating slower if that is even possible. By now I was having a melt down and Solomon announced he wanted ice cream. So I got his in a cup and he started to pout and announced he wanted a cone. So back to the window I went...at this point the girl behind the counter was looking at me like perhaps she should call for medical attention for me. I got a cone and put the ice cream in the cup in the cone and Solomon decides he doesn't want it. By now my melt down is almost complete and there is Ana with ice cream on her legs, her nose, her shirt, her skirt and all over her hands and mouth, but still taking little tiny licks of the melting mess. Poor Solomon was about to melt so I told him to get in the car and then told Ana she couldn't get in the car until she finished eating and she better hurry up because I was about done. I had had it...and she perhaps sensed my mood and announced she was done. I poured water over any area of her body that I thought might touch my car seats and finally arrived home. I took one look at Mary and told her to remind me of this day the next time I thought it was a good idea to take them shopping at Walmart. But with their new toys they were happy for the rest of the afternoon (what little there was left of it) and I had an hour to sit at my desk and shuffle papers by myself. Yes the plan worked...well perhaps not as I had envisioned but at least I had some alone time. And then it was off to Salty Yarns...ahhh, air conditioned bliss. We got our new Leigh Designs hand painted needlepoint canvases in. While they are indeed beautiful...perhaps it would help next time if I checked out the price. When I realized the larger ones would sell for close to $300 I looked at Renee and said, "What the hell was I thinking." I'm now envisioning where I want to put these at my house as I'm sure I'll be stitching them for me. I really do need a keeper people. I should not be allowed at the Nashville Market on my own...wait a minute...Sara was there. I tried blaming her for the Leigh Designs, but she reminded me that she bought the exact same canvases 2 years in a row from her (she didn't realize we didn't sell them the first year) so in Nashville she said she wasn't even going into Leigh's with me. Ooops...I guess I'm at fault and can't find anyone to blame. I hate it when that happens. Well, the rain has stopped and people are coming in so I'll end here. I hope your day went better than mine. Have a great evening.

The sun has been shining...the temps are cool...it's a good day in the neighborhood

Despite yelling and screaming high school seniors, life is pretty good at this point in Salty Yarns, and Ocean City. I've gone 3 weeks without having a major medical issue....I've lost 15 pounds in the last 2 months....my diabetes is under control and the levels have dropped drastically so much so that I don't have to go back to the doctor's for 3 months now (that's dropped from every 3 days, to once a week, to every 2 weeks) so I'm thrilled. In fact if I can get my ACL # down 2 more points I'll no longer be a type 2 diabetic....yeah for my team! Of course I have to now maintain the course, plus drop more poundage, but I'm on the right track...yeah!!! I'm also fitting in clothes I haven't worn in a while so I've got a whole new wardrobe. Things in town are noisy and the high school seniors are no less annoying, but we're half way through it and we still haven't maimed any of them, although Vernon did spray one who was peeing on the property, but that didn't threaten the kids life....just got him a little wet which seemed O.K., since he was getting our property wet. This morning it is deadly quiet since all the little assholes are now asleep after yelling and screaming the entire night. Lord, help us that these are the future of the United States. We are in serious trouble here, although with what our current representatives are doing I have to wonder if it could be any worse. Honestly, it's an embarrassment to us that we are represented in Washington by these complete jackasses. Well, I can tell you now, they don't represent me or my opinion...does that mean I don't have to pay taxes? That would be sweet, but from the notices on my desk from IRS I don't think that's possible. I don't know why I spend my time filling out and filing forms since they are constantly writing and threatening me if I don't send them duplicates of things I've already sent them. And my taxes pay these people? Well, don't get me started on that. I'm not pleased to report that the people in town obviously didn't read my tips on dressing last year as they are making the same mistakes. So before coming to Ocean City do yourself a favor. Check your clothes...and remember...just because you can fit in it doesn't mean you should wear it. Also ladies, if you are in your 40's, I dare say 30's or above....don't wear your daughter's clothes. Again, just because you can fit in it doesn't mean it's appropriate. There is no one sadder than a 40 year old woman dressing in a teenager's outfit. You look silly...I wouldn't lie to you. Dress appropriately. And really, don't ask too much of spandex. A woman walked by the other day in a spandex skirt and really people...it was stretched so tightly I thought it would explode. And it rode up...because it was so tight....her cheeks were threatening to make an appearance (and I don't mean on her face). I was embarrassed for her and wondered why her friends didn't mention to her that she should donate that skirt to the nearest trashcan. That's another thing...give your friends a test to see if they will tell you when you look silly in an outfit. If they don't think you do or perfer you to look stupid so they look better...get new friends. Women need to be honest with each other. If your skirt is tucked in your underwear...we need to let each other know not let that woman walk outside to be humiliated. Now I have to say, last year a woman came in with bird crap dripping down her back, and I mean major bird crap. It must have been from a condor...I've never seen so much on one person. Anyway, after I noticed it I thought I should tell her, and yet, I couldn't find the right words so that she wouldn't be humiliated. I'm embarrassed that I let her go outside where others would be making fun of her. However, should she come in again this year...well I'm pulling her aside and handing her a paper towel. I'd want someone to do it for me, so now I'm going to do it for others. I won't however, tell you if you are dressing inappropriately. Then you will hear me just making noises and shaking my head while rolling my eyes. If you come in and see me doing this, check your outfit to make sure it isn't you I'm doing it to. While this crowd is definitely not "Salty Yarns" people, we've had a few old friends stop in while in town and they are always good to see again. With our move of yarns we've had a good response to our new and improved yarn department. And the girls in the shop are knitting up a storm. Even Renee who swore Crochet was her thing...hasn't crocheted a thing in over a year...she's a knitting fool. We also have 2 college girls who knit on staff part time and it's always great to see young people taking up the habit. I've been stitching up a storm as birthdays for others are flying by. I'm determined to stitch for others since everyone is always so wonderful to me stitching me gifts, etc. I've really enjoyed it even though June is a pressure month with Candi, Renee and Connie all celebrating this month. Candi had a double celebration as John finally asked her to marry him. Yes, our Candi is now engaged and he gave her a beautiful ring. We're all so excited. So I stitched the new Shepherd's Bush, Hold Hope, (Candi's favorite company) design for the beautiful box it's suppose to be put in and presented that to her along with a Pandora charm for her Trollbead bracelet. I stitched it thinking it would represent her holding hope for an engagement ring, so when I found out she got it before her birthday I decided instead of stitching the words Hold Hope I'd put the date and both their names on it so it would be a memory of their engagement. I loved stitching it (as I always do Shepherd's Bush designs) and the white box that goes with the design was so easy to use...putting the design in it. Usually I struggle with finishing but this was a no brainer even I managed to do. Winning project. Now I'm struggling with Renee's birthday gift. It's a good thing I have a couple of weeks almost to complete it. I'll need every day of it. Now that I'm feeling well, and I'm getting back to a normal routine I'm working on the catalog on the web site and I'll get more pictures to you. I still have to show you what Renee, Pat, Stasi Burhman and Debbie stitched for my birthday...beautiful. But in the meantime, I have to get to the bank before things start bouncing. So I'll just say have a great day....hope it's sunny and bright where you live. I hope you find plenty of time to stitch today.

Oops....I made a boo boo

Call me delusional, or just plain stupid, but in the last blog I thanked Sandy Grignon and Tracy Doverspike for my "Fun Girl" goblet...oops, it should have been Thank You to Tracy Doverspike and Pat Podziomek for the painting and the goblet. I am so sorry Pat, please blame it on my age and my inability to do 2 things at the same time. I was closing out the retreat files and at the same time trying to thank everyone....clearly I'm too old for this. But it doesn't make the gift any less meaningful to me. And my orange juice still tastes great in the glass so I thank you Pat and Tracy once again for a great remembrance of spring retreat. I hope the rest of you are staying cool and dry in this unbearable heat. We were hovering around 90 today and that's just too hot for me. I'm staying cool though by never leaving the air conditioning. I've stayed at the hotel since I got sick so I really am only outside for a few seconds as I run to my room. But tomorrow night I start my night shift in Salty Yarns and I am planning to return home since the boys replaced my air conditioner and I should be cool and dry there. So if you are in town, stop on by...I'll be sitting behind the counter stitching or playing on the computer, or perhaps even ordering more stuff...you know I love to do that.

Good Golly, What's Next?

Well, my intentions have gone to hell in a breadbasket yet once again, but I really do have a great excuse. As many of you know, this winter/spring has been my road to hell with medical issues. Now let me preface this with while I am obese, yes I've always admitted it, I've had a pretty smooth ride up until now. No major problems due to my fat issue. However, time is no longer on my side and this year I've had to start dealing with the crap of it! When I thought I had a sciatic nerve problem and ended up at the emergency room, it turned out the sciatic nerve problem was shingles taking a wild ride on my sciatic nerve. Luckily for me, a couple of weeks on the old pain killers and I was fine. However, since I didn't believe the doctor's at the medical center (nothing hurt to the touch) I went to my doctor who hadn't seen me since 2009. Therefore he wanted to know how my blood sugar was doing, etc., so I went in for blood tests. I knew this was going to be bad news as it was around Easter and I had finished off a bag of Chocolate covered peanut butter eggs. Well, the news was so bad I thought they were going to put me in the hospital, however, I promised to be good, go back on my meds and go back to his office every 3 days. Now when Spring Retreat hit I was doing alright...my numbers had come down...we weren't singing the Alleluia chorous yet, but we were on the way. I lost a few pounds and while that is a thimble of water out of the ocean it was a good sign. Shiela and Trudy gave me lots of info on diet and diabetic stuff while at the Spring Retreat and I knew I was going to beat this thing. Spring Retreat was such fun, but a flurry of activity and by the end I was a little run down and no longer the fun girl, regardless of the beautiful wine glass hand painted by Tracy Doverspike and Sandy Grignon who welcomed me into their "Fun Girl" group by presenting me with the goblet. You know, my diet soda tastes so much better in that glass! Anyway, that event was followed in 2 weeks by the Delaware Guild Retreat. By then I thought I was coming down with a cold (do you see where I'm going with this?), so I started taking my trusty NyQuil capsules. After 2 nights of popping those and feeling no better I thought I had perhaps the flu of some kind. Monday, May 30th, thank God we had someone who could take my schedule in the gift shop and I went home to lay on the sofa and veg out. Meanwhile Lauren Sauer's class was looming and I wasn't quite done (My goal of finishing last February definitely didn't happen) and I thought I'd take a nap, work on the class piece and pop more NyQuil. However, by Monday night I was contemplating a trip to the emergency room. The problem was I left my car at the hotel due to parking issues over a holiday weekend and I left my phone at the hotel. So as I laying on the sofa thinking, "oops, I'm too sick to walk back to the hotel, and no phone (I gave up my line land when Verizon accidently shut it off instead of my internet when I asked them disconnect it since their service was lousy) to call anyone for help...I'm apparently up the creek without a paddle." By Tuesday morning I knew I was in serious trouble and crawled out to the porch at 8:30 a.m. and flung my body into my new Mother's Day chair and just laid there waiting for Mary to come down the steps to work. I thankfully heard her door open and here she came with the children. One look at me and she knew there was a problem so my saying,"Mary I need help" really didn't have to be said. So everyone sprung into action and Sara was here quickly with my car to take me to my doctor who had been alerted that I was on my way. Needless to say I got right in and apparently it wasn't a cold but Bronchitis. I was thrilled we had put a name to it and thought, O.K., a little medication and I'm on my way. I moved into the hotel so Sara wouldn't have to run back and forth between my place and the hotel taking care of me and after a couple of days I was able to work on my class piece but Sara had gotten behind and she couldn't work on hers. So now I felt I had to get both finished...oh my! Working together Sara and I were able to attend the class and work on finishing our "Glastonbury Garden" and it was a delight. However, I'm hacking my way through the day which is not only annoying to me but anyone who is around me (can you imagine being in a class with someone hacking away). By the end of the day I'm exhausted from it and have been going to bed early and I've been told I'm not going to be done with the hacking for some time to come, so now I'm depressed about that. But optimistic that I'll eventually get over it. And the good news...on the Monday I came home from work to lay on the sofa I really didn't feel well enough to eat (that tells you how sick I was) and I was actually too sick to take on liquids as well which meant I also went off all my meds because I couldn't get them down. I didn't take on food or liquids for 2 days and in doing that managed to lose 10 pounds. So now I'm down about 30 or so pounds from January and that is a good thing. So anyway, that's whats going on down here. As I said we had Lauren's class this past weekend. Dana came down from New Jersey to join us and she really added some new fun to the group. Thanks Dana for taking the time...we love ya! The usual group was here, Debbie, Stacy, Bernadette, Beverlie, Jennifer, Linda, Candi, Sara and this year I joined the group. If you want a fabulous project...take this class. We learned so many new techniques and it was really not that hard and we came away with our dimensional pockets stitched together, our pin cube finished and one flat pocket attached. The class was easy going, Lauren helped everyone so no one fell behind and it was a joy to do. I cannot wait to get it finished. Debbie remained here after everyone else went home and she worked on hers all night. It's fun because Lauren is still here and sits with us in the lobby on Sunday nights each year and continues to help you do your finishing. I was in such pathetic shape by the end of each class Lauren took pity and would finish stitching whatever piece I happened to be working on. But this class comes very highly recommended. But make sure you take the class where it's going to be a pre-stitch because that way you are well on your way to having a finished piece before the class is over. Today we go back to normal as all classes and retreats are over until August. Sara and I are on our way to Michael's graduation today from 4th grade (who's brilliant idea was it to hold a 2 hour graduation from 4th grade?) I'm telling you this is a true act of grandmother love because I don't want to sit through 10 minutes of this, let alone 2 hours. I'm never going to get over this. When I was in school they ended school with the teachers giving you the "bum rush" out of the room yelling "Have a great summer!...here's your reading list...your teacher next year will be Mrs. !@!@$ and we were out the door. I have to say what 4th grader wouldn't prefer that as opposed to sitting for 2 hours. And then he doesn't get to come home...the ceremony is at 9:30 a.m. and he still has to finish out the day at school. Apparently they are partying the day away. And then...he still has school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday! Can you believe this? They have a different party every day. I'm telling you this is insane. I realize you have to be in school so many days a year, but to party...people...let the little people go home and go on the beach or where ever. I really can't say enough on this issue. It is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. I don't think Michael should have to participate, however, Sara has asked that I keep out of it so while I've expressed my opinion to anyone to will listen, I've tried to refrain from saying anything to Michael. He seems to be thrilled they are partying each day. So What the hell do I know? As for me...well, I'm going to be hacking through the event and praying they ask me to leave for the health of everyone in the room. (perhaps that was God's plan for me after all!) Have a great week people and in case you are in town....we are going on summer hours on Friday and I will be sitting in the shop at night from 4-9:45)

It's definitely summer................

Yes folks, summer has come to town...well, at least the people, perhaps not the weather exactly, although while many of you are experiencing rain, we are high and dry and hot during the day and cool at night. The town is full of car folks and the engines can be heard far into the night hours, but we don't care, we love our car people and appreciate the money they bring to town. Salty Yarns is experiencing a busy weekend with the Delaware Sampler Guild's retreat here at the hotel. Teresa Baird brought her pieces, which she designed and stitched on 40 count and you really have to see them to believe them. Gorgeous!!! I don't know how she comes up with her designs...unbelievable. Anyway, it's a fun group and since they put up with me, well needless to say I love them all! When they had their first retreat here I would just go plop down in the middle of them and talk. Sara had to keep calling me and asking me to come to the office where she kept giving me a stern talking too about my not being a member and how I need to stop bothering them. Try as I may, I just couldn't. Everytime I went into the lobby I'd stop and start talking to them again. Finally, probably in self defense they just made me an honorary member. So now Sara can't say a word when I go sit and talk. And they inspire me with the gorgeous pieces they are working on, well, Heather spent Friday night sewing badges on her daughter's girl scout uniform so I wasn't so inspired by that stitching, however, she inspired me as a mother. Is our job ever done...even at a retreat we're still working for the kids. I'll talk more on the retreat, but I started off by saying it's summer and I mean that because of the things people have said, and done here. First, Sara work up a couple of weeks ago to find a stranger sitting on their bed in the middle of the night. Of course as she was aware of a figure on the bed and knew the shadow was too big to be her son, Michael, she was a bit startled. Vernon of course, slept through it, but Sara woke him up and they marched the young man out of their room and out of the house. The next morning they found his hat and shirt in Michael's room. Fortunately Michael had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room and thank God they just left him there for the night. Meanwhile, this becomes more unbelievable when you realize that the person had to walk up 4 flights of stairs. My parents (it use to be their apartment) never locked the door as no one in their right mind would walk those stairs. There is an private elevator which you have to have a key to use so no one can get upstairs on that except family. But the other door...well, mountain goats aside, no one would climb the stairs, or so we thought...O.K., now we have to lock that door. Apparently, from the clothes he left behind, he was a university student from Penna. and lost his way. He didn't threaten Sara and Vernon, in fact when Sara woke Vernon up he kept saying, "I don't want any trouble Mr Vernon" but anyway, here we go...another summer and more weirdness. And the shop hasn't been spared to say the least. In Sea Trader we are purging a couple of lines and have put them on sale. One line is 40% off...and a woman came in yesterday and starting telling me how much she's always wanted one of these bracelets and she went on and on. She looked at the 40% off sale sign and turns to me and asks, "Is this a good deal?" It took a couple of seconds as I tried to find the proper response without insulting her, and finally said, "Well, when I see something that's 40% off the retail price I generally feel it's a good deal." And after 2 hours of going over and over and over and over each piece, and constantly saying, "I'll bet you'll be glad to see me go" she finally left with 4 pieces! She was exhausting. Then we had a gentlemen rush into Salty Yarns and ask if we had "cribbage boards." Renee and I just looked at each other and I said "no, sir we don't" and he announced we should look into that and get some so when he comes back next year he'd be able to get one. We're a yarn store jackass...chances are that's not going to happen, is what we were thinking, but all he saw was us smiling and waiting until he was clear of the door and then said it. I looked at Renee and said, "Well, the summer fun has begun." Shop news: Jackie DuPlessis' class in August is now on the web site under products so go and check that out. We are anxious to get the numbers for who is interested as Jackie's is a pre-stitch and she wants to get the kits out to the stitchers. So if you think you might be interested take a look at the info and let us know. And finally, I want to thank all the stitchers who came to the Spring Retreat. We were overwhelmed with people as 71 showed up and a few of them without reservations. This created havoc with goodie bags etc., as I order those in advance according to the numbers we have at that time. But we were able to pull it together and in spite of the overcrowding we had a good time. Everyone was most cooperative. Several of the larger groups stayed in their apartments and had mini retreats with their groups so that the smaller groups would have the chairs in the lobby and the aux. room. Regardless of the amount of people, dinner went off with no complaints about crowding...of course we moved the bar out to the front porch since weather was permitting and that helped get people out of the lobby. Anyway, thanks to everyone for coming...and special thanks to Jody King for her baked goods. She never disappoints and her skills in the kitchen were evident in her honey cake and sweet potato pound cake, both of which were gobbled up by stitchers. Kay Owens brought Sara and I sour dough bread which we've enjoyed each year...thanks Kay. Nelsa Knight and Janie and Sandy Singley all brought wine...and you know how Sara loves wine, so thanks Ladies. And Becky Gutin reading about my sugar problems (well I don't think I have a sugar problem, however, my doctor has informed me I have a serious problem so now I'm off sugar...damn) brought me a bag full of sugar free Tastecakes. And I have to tell you folks, they are good. Obviously not the sweet sweet cakes but they are moist and the artificial sweeteners satisfy your sweet tooth. I've been enjoying them since. I've also managed to portion control them...kudos to me. Unfortunately, while I was able to show self control with the Taste cake I lost all control with the cashew clusters given to me by Trudy Edwards and Shiela Fitzhugh. Shiela Fitzhugh is a diabetic so she was giving all kinds of useful information regarding snack foods. I did really well to begin with...each day allowing myself only 5. My mistake was taking the bag home. One night I felt I needed that little something and instead of just taking a few out, brought the bag to the sofa.....well I think we all know the end result of that. But I thought, O.K., I'll get back on that diabetic train tomorrow and I've learned my lesson, plus I'm out of Cashew clusters so that won't happen again. However, yesterday Karen delivered 2 more bags from Trudy...oh, oh..self control, I have to exhibit self control. I've decided to leave them in my office where I show more restraint (possibly because Sara and Mary are watching me)....the only problem with that is they know where the clusters are and I've caught them eating them. But they don't dare take them while I'm sitting here watching them so I'm sure I'll get plenty. Thanks to Becky, Trudy, and Shiela....I'm like a man...the way to my heart is through my stomach. Well, payroll is calling my name, so I've got to run. I promise I'll do better....updating that is. Have a great weekend.