It's Getting Closer!

Well, I am exhausted from work! Thank goodness I took the bus that first takes the other route before heading down my street! I woke up when I was nearly to the mall where the bus changes what route it goes on! I would have slept right past my stop if I had taken my regular route! Plus at -35 degrees, I wasn't waiting outside for the bus for my route when I could hop on that one! Okay, my "intention" was to get off at a stop close to my house along the section that both bus routes travel and then hop on the next one for my route, but that didnt' happen. I guess that's what you get when you leave your house at 6:08 AM to catch the bus to work (which didn't arrive until 6:20 AM instead of 6:10 AM - grrrrr) and work with preschoolers who are absolutely hyped up on the fact that it is almost time for Santa Claus and Christmas!!!

As for me, I feel like I am scrambling to get everything done with working, preparing for Christmas, and trying to get other things accomplished at the same time! Augh! A co-worker asked for 12 more sets of dishcloths, 6 sets of were of a color that I have here, but didn't have them crocheted, I am trying to sew up two things for Nora and Levi, and I have the usual house stuff as well! And this year I am excited about having to clean my house (yes, you read that right, excited) because Mom and Dad are staying here (which is why I have to clean my, well technically apartment). Selena and Curtis are 'hosting' Christmas festivities, and Curtis's parents are coming from Saskatchewan as well, so it will be a full house, but also alot of fun times!

At least I work 7-3:30 tomorrow and then don't head back to work until Monday December 29th! Other people I know are off until January 5th after working tomorrow, but they will remain nameless! ;-)

Anyways, I wish you all a Merry Christmas as this will likely be the last post until after Christmas Day!

Last Craft Sale

Well, this past weekend I had my last craft sale of the year! It was held at The Bay in Downtown Winnipeg here and it went pretty well. I sold more dishcloths at this sale than I did at the other sales, but that was all I sold. I did however, get a custom order for a queen-sized blanket, and gave my name and phone number to two other people who were interested in a blanket in the near future. It will be interesting to see if they do call me and order a blanket.

Other than that, work is going okay, keeps me busy and on my toes. I had three days of vacation time last week (on Mon, Tues, Wed), and the children were very happy to see me back on the Thursday.

I am, as always, looking forward to the Christmas holidays and the time that I will be spending with my family!

I Pulled a "Dad"

So, let me start out by saying, "No, I am not playing hooky from work!" I have three days off this week because there were days available, and when my supervisor approached me to ask if I would like the first three days this week off, I thought carefully about it and then agreed. After all, I have another craft sale this upcoming weekend, Christmas is rapidly approaching, and there are going to be some big changes in my living arrangements in the New Year! So yeah, I needed some days off.

So today, Stacy and I headed for Sobey's because we needed a little bit of groceries, and it is "Dollar Days" right now.

Now I can almost hear you asking, how did I pull a Dad? Well, you see......

At the end of my transaction, the cashier looked outside and saw the snow falling, again, and wondered out loud why we were getting snow. I just simply looked at her and replied, "Well, it is December!" Stacy let out a small gasp and said, "Charlotte!!"

Now, I didn't say that to be smart-mouthed, rude, mean, or otherwise negative, I was just stating a fact. It is December. We are in Winnipeg. There is going to be a high probability of snow! (Just like in January there is a high probability of extremely cold temperatures!)

I guess I could have quickly made a "Stupid Sign" and handed it to her, saying "Here's Your Sign!"

But instead, I just pulled a Dad - stated a fact. And others felt it was inappropriate to say!

Ah, I learned from the best! ;-)

Life Lessons from playing Mexican Train

As I have been playing the game Mexican Train on Facebook recently, I have been struck by the realization of a few points to ponder that relate to the game of Mexican Train, as well as life.

1. The pieces that have the greatest points need to be played as soon as possible.
2. Just when you have everything lined up perfectly for your own train, someone else plays a double and leaves it open for you to have to cover it, thus messing up you own train.
3. When you see no way to get and keep your own train running smoothly for play, someone else steps in and helps you out perfectly.
4. Playing a double that you can’t cover tends to add several dominoes to everyone else’s playable pieces, thus messing with their trains.
5. It takes a bit of strategy, a bit of luck, and a lot of observation to play the game well!
6. Even if you do not win every round, try not to be concerned because after all, in the big scheme of things it isn’t really going to matter!

Craft Sale

Well, yesterday was my first craft sale that I participated in. The middle section of the table was my area, since Selena and I shared the table. Her items are displayed on and in front of the taller racks to the sides.
We had a lot of people who were browsing of the few people who actually came out to the craft sale. So I spent more of the day just having fun with Selena, making a new friend for the day (who I also started to teach how to crochet), and just generally enjoying the time out of the city.

Nora and Levi didn't get to see me much over the weekend, even though I stayed at their house, but what we did spend together was good!

Next craft sale is this weekend, and hopefully that one is busier!

When Things Go Different

So, I was strongly encouraged to update my blog, and I will start out with a little story from Friday night. I had stayed downtown to have supper with a friend while they were on their break from work (they work retail and were closing the store that night). This is of course, Halloween night, so on the bus ride home afterwards I was seeing children everywhere going trick-or-treating.

The bus turned the corner, but the buildings outside my window were all wrong. There was an apartment building but my street (which is the street the bus goes down) has no apartment building right after the corner. Well, the bus had turned down the wrong street, 1 block too early. So, he had to get turned around somehow and he turned another corner into what I thought would be a through street to the proper street. WRONG!! He had turned into a little cul-de-sac street, and had to get himself turned around in there. Well, there are of course cars parked on the street, but he managed (somehow) to do a proper three-point turn with that huge bus in that tiny little cul-de-sac. As we were leaving the cul-de-sac there was an onlooker who was shaking his head at the bus driver.

The passengers directed the driver to the proper street, and away we went on the correct route!



Oh, and if I don't update much in November there are two reasons:
1. I have two craft sales on back to back weekends
2. I am participating in NaNoWriMo again this year - basic idea of this is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I'll let you know how it goes!

Youth Rally

Yes, I know, I am not technically a "youth" anymore, but this year, as with the past couple of years, the Saturday night lesson and Worship Time was held at another venue and anyone in the congregation could buy tickets to go to it. This year there was a drama duo performing, as well as a lot of singing, and a lesson from this year's speaker.

It was an absolutely incredible night, and I was really glad that I went to it instead of continuing to fight with the bears that I am trying to get them to be made the way I want them to instead of the way the pattern says. After all, I'm only trying to modify the pattern, shouldn't it work on the first try??

;-)

Thank the Lord!!!

For those who have not already heard, Stacy and Grant (her fiance), were in an accident yesterday. I have had several calls from family and friends, and I think there are many who read my blog and thought I could update as many people as possible with one posting.

Yesterday, at around noontime, Stacy and Grant were driving her little Hyundai Accent in downtown Winnipeg en route to another location. They were already in the intersection when they realized their light was red. A semi was coming towards them, and hit the passenger door of the car. They were both taken by ambulance to the local trauma hospital in the city.

Grant's injuries are two fracture ribs, and a collapsed lung. He was released from the hospital today but is still in a fair amount of pain.

Stacy's injuries are fractures to the C4 vertebrae, the T12 and L1 vertebrae, and the "wing" area of her left hip. So basically, in the neck, in the lower back, and in a non-weight bearing area of the hip. She is still in the hospital waiting for a back brace, which she will be wearing for about six weeks.

Please be praying for her and Grant that they recover well, and thankful that they were able to only have these injuries as a result of the crash.

Got Another One Done!!

So, this summer I had two relatives weddings that were three weeks apart from each other. And I did a blanket for each of them. This one is en route to the happy couple, thanks to my Mom and Dad.

As far as crafting goes, now I only have a few sets of baby blankets to make, several sets of dishcloths for craft sales, scarves for craft sales, two more of these "wedding" blankets, and that's just the crocheting part of my crafting!! ;-)

Thank goodness I love crafting!

Trying Again

Okay, the pictures are a little mixed up, but they show some of the fun that we had together for the long weekend, and in celebrating Nora's birthday! Grandma and Grandpa were a big favourite for the kids, and the kids kept them very busy!

Long Weekend plus Nora's Birthday Party

Well, I tried to get some pictures to upload to this post, but I keep getting errors.

Mom and Dad came out here from SK, to spend the long weekend with all of us (Selena, Curtis, and kids; Stacy, Grant; and me). We also celebrated Nora's 4th birthday and had a surprise birthday party for her. It was a very good weekend, with lots of laughs, lots of eating, and lots of memories made!

Uncertainty

Okay, so, I don't own a car. I take the "bus", or public transit, in this large city. It is roughly a half-hour bus ride to work. Obviously I do not live close to work!

This past Thursday the public transit union voted not to accept the collective agreement that the City had proposed. And the union is now sitting in a potential strike action pose. And rumor is that Monday morning we will not be seeing and buses on the streets of Winnipeg.

Well, at least Google Maps says it should only take 1 hour 44 minutes for me to walk to work! ;-)

Gonna Risk It!

Okay, since most of you know that I am a pretty major crafter, I have been absolutely sitting on pins and needles since finishing the blanket for Ryan and Nicole. I have made a few blankets as wedding gifts, and dishcloths as shower gifts. Well, I have been wanting to post the pictures of these items, but realized that I could NOT post until after the wedding, and since they shouldn't be reading this blog before they open it, I am going to risk posting some pictures of the blanket, and then also of the dishcloths, since I didn't get to get out to Alberta for any shower, I included them with the blanket.

Walking, Bussing, and Shopping

So today I decided to go and get some shopping done since I wanted a new dress or outfit for an upcoming wedding, and needed new shoes for work, and needed other things like food and stuff. And instead of bothering Stacy for her car, I walked to the bus stop for the most convenient shopping area around the Kildonan Place Mall area. I went to Addition-Elle, and Walmart and got everything I needed. I, of course, got things that I wanted but weren't of absolute necessity right now but would be soon.

On the bus there was a brother and sister, both of whom were around my sizing, or more, and they were chatting with each other all the way there. At one point the bus went past a nightclub and the sister suggested to the brother that he should go there to try to meet women. His reply was, "If I thought I could meet a real woman there I might. If you were to take a toothpick, shave off half the wood, what you have left is about the size of the women that go to most of those nightclubs!" It took me off guard to hear a man say that bigger women are better, in his opinion, but then again, he was also a bigger man and that may have something to do with it.

I did my shopping, walked to the bus stop to head home, and bussed home. All in all it was a good day, and I have a better idea of how it will be to get around once Stacy and Grant are married and I have to bus or walk everywhere!

Annual Church Picnic

Well, I'm a little behind my sister's in posting about the Church Picnic, perhaps because I have been trying to also get some very important crafts finished as well!

This past Saturday was our Annual Church Picnic, and my first time to actually go to it. And I am so glad that I did go to it because I had so much fun. I met up with Selena, Curtis and kids, and Stacy and Grant there, and my boyfriend Clinton also came along with me. We all got T-shirts to wear that had different animals on them, but they only went up to a certain size. Well, Clinton got creative with how to wear his!

There were a variety of games to play in our teams, which included badminton, volleyball, horseshoes, frisbee, bowling, water squirting, hockey, golf, and other really fun things like chucking a chimp! Then there was a very good supper (picnic, barbeque, need I say more!). During this supper time Levi took a good face plant to the gravel, marking him up a bit.

All in all it was a really good day, and I had lots of fun!

Update on My Pet

Dearly Beloved,
We are gathered here today to honour the life that Phin the Siamese Fighting Fish lived. He swam, he ate, he swam some more. And as all fish eventually do, he has now gone on to the giant fishbowl in the sky, by way of the toilet bowl!

He will be missed, by all who knew him well.

Amen

(In case you missed the point, Phin died today, and I had to flush him!)

My Pet

I realized that I hadn't yet posted any pictures of my new pet - Phineas, or Phin for short! He is a Male Betta Fish, or also known as a Siamese Fighting Fish. I got him from my workplace for ECE Appreciation Week. So far he's just been doing a lot of swimming! ;-)

But hey, he's pretty cool anyways!!

PAR-TEE!!!!

So on Saturday, June 7, 2008 I was at a birthday party for my friend Amanda. She has been coming to Church with her boyfriend Jason for the past several months and she and I have become pretty good friends! She invited me and another friend, Robert, to her birthday party with her family, which was really cool!

I got to meet her Mom and Dad, and her Oma (Grandma), and Opa(Grandpa), as well as her little sister, and some of her cousins. We all had fun chatting, joking, playing Bocce, teasing Amanda, eating the wonderful barbeque food, and watching Amanda open her presents.

It was a beautiful day, for a wonderful birthday gal!

Watching the Kiddos

Hopefully that explains why the kiddos were at my house today. Selena and Curtis wanted to go out on a date to celebrate, hmm, let's see - anniversary, Curtis's birthday, and just to have couple time!

Stacy and Grant helped considerably with babysitting today!! The kids loved having so many adults watching them and played with each one of us so that no one felt left out! (Aren't they just so considerate!??)

It was a really good day with time in the apartment, two meals, and time out of the apartment. That was originally supposed to be at a park, but once we finally got outside it had started to rain (a 20 minute shower), so instead of disappointing the kids we went to an "indoor park" (the PlayPlace at St. Vital Mall). They had so much fun and Nora even made a little friend that she walked around the play place with and played with for a long time!

Been too Long!

Okay, this has been almost unforgiveable! Not updating my blog for a month! Yikes!

Although, a lot has been going on at Church with Bridal Showers, Baby Showers, Potlucks, and Baptisms. The showers naturally mean gifts, and for me that also means crafting the gifts. There were two baby showers and two bridal showers in this past month. We had several potlucks, one of which was in conjunction with a bridal shower. Plus I've been working, well, except for four days at the end of April to the very beginning of May!

"Spring" Cleaning

Well, today I decided it was time to get cracking at it, and get my spring cleaning started. Since getting my new computer, and the Microsoft Outlook that came with it, I have been revamping how I organize my "To Do" List. And so I started giving myself a due date for some projects, giving enough time to get them done around work, and crafting and such. Well, today I started one project - cleaning the shelf of my closet. That led to cleaning the floor area of my closet and sorting through all the stuff there, putting the things that I want to save in the three drawer plastic bin I moved to the storage closet about three weeks ago, and putting fabric out of boxes and into the plastic tote that had held some of the things that I am keeping. I also did several loads of laundry.

And while this may not seem very interesting to some, for me it was quite interesting to see how one little item on my To Do List spawned an afternoon of sorting, junking, setting aside for Freecycle, and reorganizing. I actually have space in my closet now!

"Parable" of the Lost Crochet Hook

Today I was working on a baby gift for someone, and the blanket(s) I make are done in a round with different stitches for the two parts. These different stitches also require different sizes of crochet hooks. Well, I got the main part done and went to switch hooks, and I could not find the next hook that I needed. So I searched through another storage container that I had just recently re-organized to be solely for my crochet supplies. It wasn't there. Then I dug deeped into the basket that sits beside my "spot" on the couch. It wasn't there. I started digging under and around the couch cushions, under the couch, under the end table beside the couch. I even rattled the little "garbage pail" beside my "spot" to hear if it was in there. It wasn't anywhere. So I went back to my crochet supply container to find another hook of the same size. I didn't have one. So, here I am, feeling really anxious because I need to have this blanket made for the baby shower happening this week, and I don't have the right size of hook.

I then had a quiet, small voice in my head that reminded me that I had finished the partner to this blanket the night before Selena and Curtis, and KIDS, came to my place. When the KIDS come over I put my scissors and hooks up on top of my entertainment unit so they are well out of reach. I go over and look, and it WAS there! And believe it or not, I wanted to burst into Stacy's room and say to her, "Rejoice with me for I have found my lost crochet hook!!" ;-)

Happy 30th Birthday Selena

30 years ago, you were born. With your full head of brown hair (compared to my 2-1/2 year old bald head) you became my sister.
A few years later, you were at home but I headed off to school. You go to stay home and play and you became my teaser (that I was at school).
Then, you also had to go to school and after a couple of years you showed how athletically inclined you were (compared to my lack of ability). Then you became my competition.
Fast forward several years to when you were teasing me about boys, wanted rides in my car, and needed this, that and the other thing. You then became my "tormentor".
Years later, and here we are. Living a 45 minute drive from each other, seeing each other at Church every Sunday, planning craft supply shopping trips, letting me babysit your kids while you and Curtis go get some stuff done. Talking on the phone once or twice a week, emailing each other, planning things together. You have now become my friend.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful sister, and a tremendous friend!

Opening Valentine's Gifts

At long last, on an absolutely gorgeous February morning, Nora and Levi were able to open their Valentine's gifts from me. Nora was very careful with opening hers at first, and then the ripping of the paper really started. Levi was extremely careful with opening his as well, and Selena decided to help him open it so he and Nora could get down to their classes. Nora was so excited to see puppies, and Levi sat down on his right away. He looks upset because he was told to get off the rug, take the picture, and then head for class. Selena also emailed me later yesterday to say thank you, and that the kids really love the rugs!

Oh Happy Day!!!

Oh what a wonderful, wonderful day, day Miles MacMillan will never forget! Yesterday morning, after Worship Service, Miles MacMillan (my cousin Alisha's guy) was baptized. He has been studying the Bible and attending Church services for a while now!

Valentine's Gifts

These are the latch hook rugs that I made for Levi (Noah's Ark) and Nora (Shaggy Dogs). Fortunately I kept these over on my "crafting table" and so they did not suffer the same fate as the growth charts did last night! Actually, the latch hook rugs are already wrapped and waiting for a chance to be opened by Nora and Levi. Oh for better winter weather!! ;-)

I finally did a MAJOR OOPS!

As most people in my life know, I am a major crafter. I sew, crochet, do cross stitch, and latch hook rugs. Tonight I cried over a major oops.
I had the two growth charts for Nora and Levi sitting in my cross stitch tote by "my spot" on the couch. I was working instead on crocheting some dishcloths for someone at work. I had a glass of Dr. Pepper on the table beside me and had just finished setting it down when it slipped and dropped right into the tote. Both growth charts were ruined completely even though I tried to save them. I did manage to sponge the pop off of the pattern chart and the paper shouldn't wrinkle too badly. I cried. A growth chart takes about 200 hours to cross stitch. Levi's had approximately 20 hours left to be finished, and Nora's was about 80 hours worth of being stitched. I don't know right now if I am going to try to redo these growth charts for them, or simply move on and stitch the family trees for them from the Precious Moments pattern book that I salvaged.
Oh, but I did move the tote once it was all wiped clean of anything sticky so that it is completely under the table beside the couch.

Some Cute Pics taken in December 2007

Figured I would let the pictures speak for themselves. All these pictures were taken sometime in December 2007, before December 25.

2nd Annual Sister Shop-a-thon

Well, Selena, Stacy and I did our shopping trip to the sales today, as we did last year. And the conversation eventually turned, at supper after all the shopping, to how much all of us actually spent in comparison to each other, and in comparison to what we could have spent on our items at regular prices, so when I got back home I did the math as I did last year around this time.

I bought four shirts, two skirts, two pairs of pants, three pairs of capris for sleepwear, two pairs of socks, and one pair of shoes. The total of all these items after taxes at regular prices would have been $503.92. What I actually spent on these items after taxes was $190.85. I think I did pretty good on the shopping today!