Crocheted Swiffer Sock

Mari sent me a link to this fabulous crochet project. I just finished my first sock and have started a second one. It's a great carry along project, instructions easy to remember and it requires just a bit of yarn. The sock fits my swiffer and also the Clorox version I have.

I love this project for so many reasons:

1. You can use any left over yarn.
   It's quick and simple.
2. It's green---reusable, done with the disposable sheets
3. Save money too not having to buy more sheets
4. It would make a fun present---I'm thinking it may be a Swiffer kind of Christmas, house warming, wedding showers...

Afghan up for Grabs

I made this ripple crocheted afghan for Daryl's Grandma Jewel (colors chosen by her) a hundred years ago. I inherited it when she died. Does anyone want it? Speak now or forever hold your peace. It will soon be going to the Goodwill, unless I hear from you. It's a large blanket that will cover the top of a queen mattress. I'd love for you to have it. Let me know

.

Girl Power

I only have sisters




&

I only have daughters.

I know about girl power. And I see it everywhere I go.

This summer I am working 2 days at the Public Library. On Thursdays I help with the summer craft programs. Last week we made duct tape wallets. I made a pink one for daughter Beth. When I showed it to my co-worker, Sarah, she said, "Wow. Girl power." I think she's right.





I exercise at Curves. They have a new promotion going with TNT. I thought this poster screamed "Girl Power!"

In 2001, the Oxford English Dictionary added the term Girl power," defining this phrase as: Power exercised by girls; spec. a self-reliant attitude among girls and young women manifested in ambition, assertiveness, and individualism. (wikipedia) My usage of the term includes the qualities of being a girl, like nurturing, sensitivity, communication, being girly and also being part of the community of females.

First Day of Summer

What better way to celebrate the official onset of summer than to head south to Texas to help on a shrimp boat and then go deep sea fishing? That's what Daryl did today at the invitation of his friend, Fred. Before they drove off, Fred asked me if I was glad he was taking Daryl off my hands for a week. I gave him a thumbs up and he said, "When we return, I expect to see a picture of me prominently displayed in your living room with candles buring all around it. Funny Fred. This one's for you.

.

I Love a Good Clearance Sale

I saw this blue yarn on clearance at WalMart. I picked it up and it was as soft as something that's really soft. The yarn that was used on our Vacation Bible School name tags was scratchy and the kids don't like wearing them. They'd wear them with this yarn though. Most of the kids like blue best so I put the yarn in my basket and went to find out how much it cost. The price checker displayed "10 cents." Ten cents? Wow! I went back and got all of the blue and found one purple skein. I spent 90 cents on all of this yarn.

But that's not all. Knowing the yarn was such a bargain, I looked to see what else they had. This beautiful purple baby yarn caught my eye. I love yarn with texture. They only had three skeins but that should be enough for a baby blanket.

Price check: $1.00. Another good deal. This yarn is 10 1/2 ounces (larger skeins) and regular price is $5.37. So I bought all the purple and all the pink too.

The baby yarn made me think of a book I just read, "When You Believe it, You'll See It" by Wayne W. Dyer. The power of believing can make things happen. It's in scripture too, "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." (Matthew 17:20, RSV) I believe I will have more grandchildren. I have faith that I will have more grandchildren. Acting on that belief/faith, I'm going to start making baby blankets, boy's and girl's. Does anyone have any good pattern sugestions?

Speaking of grandchildren, I bought the blue yarn for my five-year-old grandson. He loves blue. I asked him what he'd like me to make with the yarn. His answer, "Thomas the Tank Engine." Does anyone have a pattern for that?

The A-Team

I've been looking forward to The A-Team and I finally got to see it today. I'd heard the reviews were bad. As I walked out of the theater, I was wondering what negative things could have been said about it. So when I got home, I googled "A-Team reviews" and found a scathing one by Eric D. Snider.

Eric complained that The A-Team movie was cheesy, preposterous, full of catch phrases and corny entertainment just like the TV show. What did he expect? If it weren't all of the above then it would need a different title. He even objected to the use of "I love it when a plan comes together." Give me a break. That is the signature phrase of the A-Team and, again, without it the movie would have to be called something else.

And preposterous? Well, of course. During the helicopter escape at the beginning of the movie, I thought they were going to reenact one of my favorite scenes from the TV show. The TV scene went something like this: The team was being chased by bad guys, Murdock was doing some fabulous flying and he led the bad guys into a mountain. Murdock pulled his helicopter up at the last second. The bad guys were no match and crashed head on into the mountain. Their helicopter burst into flames broke apart and fell in pieces down the side of the mountain. At the bottom, the bad guys scrambled from the wreckage before it exploded. Vintage Roadrunner violence where no one gets hurt. Preposterous? Yes. A-Team? Yes. Fun and entertaining? Oh, yes. The movie scene wasn't exactly like that. Murdock flew the heck out of the helicopter but the bad guys got shot down when they followed him over the border of Mexico into the United States. We never saw those bad guys again so maybe they weren't as lucky as their TV counterparts.

The A-Team are superheroes in regular clothes. They don't wear capes or drive bat mobiles and they can't spin a web. But they can do lots of other preposterous things that are just as entertaining.

Beth & I laughed a lot and had a good time. So did the soldiers who were sitting in front of us. Before the movie started, they were talking loudly and one of them said he was sure he wouldn't like "this stupid movie" and someone was going to pay him back for the price of his ticket. Once the movie started, we didn't hear another peep out of those boys besides laughter. When the movie was over and they exited the theater, they were in much better moods than when they'd entered. I'd say that is a successful movie.

A New Hat because

Mari had been looking for a hat to take on her honeymoon cruise. Walking home through St. Mark's Place I spied a hat with adjustable Velcro. I thought this might be just the ticket to insure a comfortable fit. The salesman attacked us, reminiscent of Tijuana. He said I could have the hat for $25.
Mari offered zero, as she wanted a hat to cover her entire head. The guy countered with $20, an excellent deal he claimed. But we didn't want the hat. What we wanted was to get away from him.

I almost never buy anything that isn't on sale. Woody Allen said that is the Jewish 11th commandment. BUT when I was in Dillard's and saw this hat, not on sale, for $18, $2 less than the incredible deal at St. Mark's Place, I bought it.

Beth so kindly took pictures of me wearing the new hat. The last one is trying to adjust my hair to wear it like a sun visor. Maybe not that great of a look.

Chelsea Market

Chelsea

Market,

located

in the

National

Biscuit

Company

Complex

(circa 1890),

is a smorgasbord of food and shops (New York Times). It is part of the Chelsea neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan, south of Hell's Kitchen and north of Greenwich Village.

When we visited Chelsea Market, World Championship Beard and Mustache Portraits by Dave Mead were displayed throughout the market. If you enjoyed the pictures of Mari and me, you should take a look at Dave's photographs. They will amaze and amuse you.

More photographs of our day at Chelsea Market & Chelsea Piers:

Senior Discount

Beth and I went to see Sex and the City 2 last night. I asked how old you have to be to get the senior discount. The girl said, "55." Woo Hoo! I'll take one! I only paid $5.50 to see a new movie at 7:30 p.m. It's great being old!

I almost went to see A-Team today but Beth said she'd see it with me so I waited. I'm looking forward to Harry Potter in November. What other movies should I see, now that I can afford them?

May is Gone

Saying good-bye to May, removing its badge from the side bar but unable to add June's badge celebrating "NOW." Nablopomo won't load up today. Maybe tomorrow.

God and the Subway

God is omnipresent. We aren't surprised to feel his presence in church, in nature, on the face of a new born baby, but in the New York subway, really?

It was our last full day in New York. We carried beach towels, lunch, umbrellas, sand toys, beach chairs, water, sunscreen, purses, coverups, hats, and other sundry items to the subway on our way to Coney Island. We got on the subway at the NYU stop looking ready for a fun day at the beach.

I was the last of us to get off the train when we transferred at Canal Street. Hurrying to keep up I stepped in a puddle of water (I pray it was water) and slipped forward, lost my balance and went crashing to the floor. My family wasn't even aware I was down. I watched them go up the stairs to our next train. Before I could even think about getting up, three teenage girls circled me, "Are you alright?" Outstretched hands helping me get up. Picking up my scattered paraphernalia and asking again, "Are you alright?" I was fine, embarrassed more than anything and worried my family would go on to Coney Island without me. I thanked the girls and told them how kind they were and rushed to catch up.

I made it in time to catch the next train. When my daughter asked me, "How'd you get dirt all over your arm?" I told her about my fall and about the teenagers who rushed to my rescue. She cleaned my arm. I didn't mention my wet dress.

It was a longish ride to Coney Island so I had plenty of time to reflect on the experience. Those girls offered me the hands of God. Their actions were God at work. I wonder if they know. And I didn't even say "God Bless you" or anything like it. So I've been praying for them. They come to mind often and I lift them up in prayer, that God might bless them as he used them to bless me. If you want to, say a prayer for these girls now.

Be on the lookout, God truly is everywhere. He can be found in the most unexpected places.

...