Crochet Projects

As I've stated earlier, one of my goals is to empty my 3 craft supply bins this year. I started on the yarn bin and already completed a couple blankies for Audrey and 2 baby blankets. The baby ones were just done in a big Granny square which is quick, doesn't need a pattern and comes out in a perfect square. I really don't like Granny afghans or at least the traditional ones so I've modified them into ones I do like. I'm not sure what it is that I don't like. At first I thought it was too much black so I did the Granny's Daughter afghan with an off-white but I've done multi-colored afghans with black before in a different pattern and I love it. So this is my problem in coming up with a scrap afghan pattern for the rest of my yarn. I found one that resembles a stain glass pattern but in stripes of varying lengths. Each section of color is done in 1-3 small granny squares, sewn together then edged with black. It looks nice on paper but whether it'll look good once it's done and if I'll have enough yarn in shades that look good, time will tell. My hope is to have an afghan for each bed in the loft at the cabin, along with a quilt and a pillow. I'll keep you informed of my progress (aren't you lucky!).

Giant Eagle Fuelperks

This is just another reason it's been good being in DuBois so much lately. They just opened a new Giant Eagle in town and they've had some good specials going on. They are specific to that area such as boneless pork loins for 1.77lb and eggs for .99 doz. Anyway, the last couple times we were down there they had a number to call to exchange your fuelperks for cash in the store. At first it didn't mean much to me since I use them but before we went to my son's for New Year's, I was faced with a dilemma. I had .20 of fuelperks that were due to expire at the end of Dec. and almost a full tank of gas. It just happened we had been in Cleveland the week or so before and got some cheap gas over there. Of course, I wouldn't use it unless I got at least 10 gal. of gas so I had to pass. Then when I saw the number again, I called and they put the cash on my card (it has to be in increments of .50 or $5.00 cash). That took care of my problem. Then when I was on empty, I got the other .20 in fuelperks. I guess they are doing that down there because, as of yet, they have no GetGo's. I think it's great and have been telling everyone I know. Of course at my retirees lunch this week, they didn't seem to be that impressed because they usually give their perks to their kids. I've never seen it advertised up here at all. We probably won't be travelling much for a couple months so I might have to use it again. We'll see.

My 100th blog post

Today I'm writing my 100th blog post! I think I did pretty well with keeping up with my posts, at least better than some others. I tried the mobile blog a couple of times but had difficulty with it, but at least I tried. This has been a wonderful outlet for me whether anyone is reading or not. I can't say I've been totally successful based on my initial intention for the blog. It was meant to be a list of things I've put off and then finally did. I feel like I accomplished many of those things but there are still many more to do. Maybe I shouldn't judge those things by what I have left (supplies, etc.) but what I've done. I should probably go back to those adjectives I talked about in another blog and say I think I've become more flexible in my list of things to do. I know I've become more lax in my routine since Oct. and that I'm not as proud of. I definitely haven't been cooking and trying new recipes like I had intended and I've allowed a bunch of excuses to limit my exercises. I've done some of the crafting I wanted but there is still so much to do. This is the part that is overwhelming. I find myself watching TV with my crocheting instead of tackling the pictures for scrapbooking. I know I have to give myself permission to fail or at least lag behind in doing some things. So here are my 3 things I'm most proud of:

1. starting my blog in the first place
2. finishing the t-shirt quilt and name pillows as Christmas presents
3. being able to take off when I want and be with my family, such as Audrey's field trip and concert in Cleve

Then the 3 things I'm not so proud of during this time are:

1. not following through with my exercise like I should have
2. watching too much TV
3. not developing and keeping a better routine during the day and night

Well, there you have it - my self-evaluation. I think I give myself a B- which isn't too bad. It's that incentive to do better that I'm going for. Now I think the next evaluation will be a year from the day I started my blog and I'll see how many I've done then. Thanks for reading!

P.S. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I found out how to print my blog into a book, pictures and all, so I'm thinking about that for my 1 yr. anniversary!

New Area Code

There's such a buzz around this area lately about the new area code (582) coming in 2012. We knew it was coming a while back but the details as to who would get it and the exact numbers were not divulged until recently. Ken Springhurth, our local activist, seems to be concerned primarily with the businesses and how they would be affected. My response to all the businesses is you have almost a year to use up your supplies and order new to correspond to the new area code and you'll probably be able to get a grant to do it so stop griping. You have all this technology at your fingertips to let your customers know about the change and also plenty of time, in my opinion. I feel it will be more of an inconvenience for the rest of us to redo our contact list and inform them about the change. But I still think it's doable and the decision has already been made. My only concern is how it will affect us with our eventual move to the cabin. That area is expected to stay 814 and I'm not sure if we'll need to get a new cell phone number or not. I'm not quite sure what will happen in Erie through Verizon. Will they automatically change our area code to 582 if we are still living here when it changes? There are many questions to be answered. One in particular showed up in the editorials this week. What happens to the numbers that have been disconnected and no longer in service? Someone said she recently called her old number and it was still out of service. I wonder if there are enough of them to make a difference and maybe not have to get a new area code. Hopefully they have thought all this through. One thing you absolutely don't do is mess with our phones, right ladies?

New Year's Resolutions

It's funny sometimes how my train of thought goes. Last week I got an offer in the mail for Oprah magazine for $12.oo plus an O bag. I didn't want to get it without first browsing the mag itself so during one of our stops at Sheetz, I bought one ($4.50) I read an article about new year's resolutions that stated instead of using nouns or verbs to describe what we wanted, we should use adjectives. It made sense to me. It makes you think about how you want to feel and how to get there. Take weight loss, for instance. If you say you want to be healthy and confident there are different ways to achieve that, not just through weight loss. I think it sets us up to be successful more often. The article also stressed that we should be thinking about positive things we have going for us instead of just things we want to change. Anyway, I read the whole article and decided maybe I'll subscribe, especially for that great rate, plus a bag. I'm a sucker for a bag I guess. I've never been a huge fan of Oprah, even though I admire her. I think what really ticked me off was when she would praise Bob Greene and how he helped her lose weight and then promote Hoodia (sp.) and the Secret when it takes will power and hard work. She, of all people, should know that.

Christmas Wrap-Up

It's time to wrap it all up for another year - tree, decorations, wrapping supplies, cards and sweets. For me it will be fairly simple and I'll do it at my leisure. It will give me time to sort through some stuff to make next year easier. When I take down the cards, I want to cut any part out, probably with some scapbooking scissors, to use as tags next year. I just have to remember to put them with the wrapping supplies. I already bought my cards for next year but in the past, putting them with the Christmas decorations has not been the best option. I get my cards ready early and I've forgotten that I had them and bought new ones. In a recent article, I read that I should put them with the Halloween decorations. The last couple of years I've not even gotten any of that stuff out so I guess that wouldn't do me any good. Besides putting away all the Christmas stuff, there are a couple others things that are typical of this time of year, such as browsing through the mail order garden mags, getting a folder out for 2010 tax stuff and making soup from all the bones I froze over the holidays. That one will certainly fit into my new diet plan for the new year!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone out there. I'm finally back at my blog. I'm writing today about innocence as seen in children. We bought my daughter-in-law a dance video game and played it with the kids Sat. night. I was so thrilled at how my grandson loved to dance and of all songs, he enjoyed "Girls just want to have fun"! He was totally uninhibited and enjoying the moment. I'm sure the competition involved spurred him on a bit but he was very good-natured even when he trailed behind. I'm afraid my kids inherited some of my husband and my lack of spontaneity and inhibited nature. When I was young I never would have tried anything new like this, especially in front of anyone else. As I aged, I began to spread my wings a bit and not care so much what others thought. I certainly don't care if someone else acts like a fool around me. So as I watched my grandson dance I found myself hoping he keeps it up even into his teen years and resists the urge to squelch his free spirit. I hope he stays young at heart forever!