Cindi's blahg blahg blahg

Polar bear I not accept!

2010-10-26T08:44:00.003-05:00

Another story from 1001 Minute Stories by H.S. Chapman

A Frenchman went to an American and said to him, "What does a polar bear do?" The American answered, "What does he do? I don't know. Why he sits on the ice, I suppose." "Sits on zee ice?" "Yes," said the American; "there is nothing else to sit on." "Vell, vat he do, too?" "What does he also do? Why he eats fish." "Eats fish-- and sit on zee ice and eats fish. Then I not accept." "Why, what do you mean? You don't accept? What do you mean?" "Oh, non, non. I does not accept. I was invite to be polar bear to a funeral."

(I thought it was funny.)

Got a minute?

2010-10-25T08:29:00.003-05:00

A few months ago I picked up an old book at a junk store titled "1001 One Minute Stories" by H.S. Chapman. I'm going to share them with you if you have a minute!

A delightful little story is told of Prosper Merimee, the French author. He was once guest at a royal hunt, when hares, pheasants and other game were driven before the emperor and his followers, and the servants picked up the victims of the sport. Among all the members of the hunting party, Prosper Merimee alone had no trophy to display. "How does this happen?" asked some one. "Where game is so plentiful, the merit of the marksmen seems to me to lie in hitting nothing," replied Merimee, with grave courtesy, "so I fired between the birds."

Sadness

2010-02-28T12:28:00.002-06:00

There is sadness at Cris' house. Her dear mother passed away last night. Please keep her and her family in your hearts.

Dating Montage

2010-01-01T11:42:00.001-06:00

Lucky ladies that find these guys!

Rick's Thrill Ride!

2009-12-05T21:47:00.007-06:00

Each year on the day after Thanksgiving there's a phenomena called Black Friday - where everyday normal people turn into crazed shoppers. Guess what? It's happens at Lowes Motor Speedway too! NASCAR teams bring their merchandise to the race track for some end of the race year deals. To encourage buying, Lowes Motor Speedway offers shoppers a chance to drive your own vehicle around the racetrack for 3 laps when you spend at least $50. I knew Rick wouldn't pass it up - in fact LMS probably could have told him, he needed to spend 3x that and he would have jumped on it. Of course you need to sign a waiver and they gave you a set of rules - but it didn't take long to realize that rules were meant to be 'bent'. On paper you weren't supposed to go over 70mph. The official on pit row told us that we would be driving at least 90mph. In reality, 90mph was the speed going into the high banked turns. And it was over 100mph on the straight-aways. I was in the back seat screaming my head off, the dogs were shaking and Colson was laughing his head off in the front seat watching Rick live out a fantasy. I was happy for Rick. I'm sure he'll be back.

A Trip to be Thankful for!

2009-12-05T20:16:00.004-06:00

The week of Thanksgiving, Rick and I took a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit our daughter, Katie, and her fiance, Colson. We drove the 15 hours over 2 days to get there. We've done this before and it is a beautiful drive through Kentucky and Tennessee, and of course North Carolina. There were several memorable moments during the trip so I'm going to post the events of the trip over a few days.

Today I'll start with going to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Katie wanted to take her dad there for his birthday, Nov. 24. If you check out the website http://www.nascarhall.com/ it looks really cool! Race cars, memorabilia, interactive features and there's a restaurant too. You can purchase your tickets online to save yourself from waiting in line. When you pull into the parking garage there's a sign for early bird parking - park before 9:00am for only $7. There's only one problem....this place doesn't open until May 2010. So I took a picture of Katie and Rick standing under the sign 'Opening May 2010'. Katie is giving the 'thumbs up'.

It was pretty funny if you were there. We were all so excited temporarily.

I LOVE A PARADE!

2009-11-04T04:38:00.015-06:00

... especially the kind of parade that evokes the image of 'Americana'! Every year on the second weekend of September, the city of Marion, Iowa hosts a series of events as part of the Swamp Fox Festival. The festival includes a variety of activities with music, food, a craft show, a 5K run/walk, golfing, picnicking and a parade!
The Swamp Fox Festival draws it's name from Marion's namesake, Revolutionary War hero, Francis Marion. I don't know how long the festival has been in existence but what I do know is the parade meets all the expectations of parade-goers!
There is a stream of wacky vehicles, clowns, a shower of candy being tossed from parade participants, a marching band, political candidates passing out leaflets and the Shriner's Foot Patrol!
We attended the parade this year to watch my 77 year old mother-in-law ride her bike, along with others from the Marion Physical Therapy office. Weather permitting, she rides her bicycle several miles a day so riding the length of the parade route was a piece of cake for her and her side-kick, Pansi. Pansi is her 2 year old Yorkie that sits in the front basket and watches the world go by her.
The weather was perfect for the parade. We had a great time and here are the pictures to prove it!

Canoe Adventure 2009

2009-08-25T10:07:00.005-05:00

CANOE ADVENTURE 2009

Wow! I can't believe it's been 2 1/2 months since I posted anything! Somebody say something! It's hard to remember when and what I've posted when I also have a facebook page. Do you want to be my facebook friend? Invite me! My husband can't keep any of these things straight so he calls it Spacebook. Our family canoe trips have been resurrected. 15 years ago we did the trip on the Maquoqeta River and at times there would be 35 canoes. This year there were only 11 canoes afloat. The picture is from August 15 - a family canoe trip on the Upper Iowa River. We came upon a small pool that was fed by a cold stream. It was 35 degrees in that thing! As the canoe got closer to it my feet could feel the frigid water on the bottom of the canoe. Most everyone took turns getting in the cold water - just for the fun of it. Why not?? We were all pretty silly that day. Rick and I dumped our canoe once - and I lay the blame totally on him. We started going underneath a tree branch that was laying out across the river and I leaned way back. i.e. Rick didn't and the canoe went sideways in the rapids until it went over and soaked us, all our stuff and the 2 little girls, Lucy and Daisy. We didn't lose anything like others did that also dumped their canoes. Kyle and Jessica lost a cooler (which I'm pretty sure was empty at that point). Casie and Brecke dumped their canoe and Brecke lost her purse (on a canoe?) and her diabetic paraphernalia. They replaced her meds at Walmart that night so all is well. It was a great trip and I hope we can do it again next year!

bead and button mini

2009-06-04T19:06:00.001-05:00

No - this isn't Milwaukee and we aren't at the Bead and Button show. These pics were taken in the studio of Cristina Leonard before her and Anne Mitchell departed for Wisconsin. Anne lives in Tuscon but stops at Cristina's studio on her way to the big show in Wisconsin - making more cool things to sell!

Cris has more hammers than Home Depot.

Even though I couldn't make it to the show in Milwaukee, I had my own little bit of fun in Cedar Rapids. During a quiet period at Bead Haven yesterday, I got out hammers and made a few fun pieces. My 'Whatever' bracelet was made for the Bead Star competition - which made it into the finals but I won't hear where it placed for another couple of weeks. The other two disks were made yesterday. The pics aren't the greatest - if you can't read them, the one on the left reads 'One Day At A Time'. The disk on the right reads ' Singing My Own Song'. I love hammers! At Bead Haven, you can experience the joy of metal and hammers during the 'Metal Forming & Acid Etching class'.

Mother's Day

2009-05-04T19:28:00.007-05:00

In case you haven't read my 2009 Mother's Day Tribute - here it is again.

All That I Am.

While watching television one night, a commercial appeared for a product I don’t even remember.What made the commercial memorable is the comment made by the spokeswoman. She said, "Everyone thinks about their mother." While it may not be a true statement for everyone, it definitely applies to me.

I think about by mom a lot. I love my mom a lot - for reasons that would fill a book. If you ask me to describe my mother I would start with ‘cute’ and probably use some words like sweet and funny. But if you want to get to the nitty-gritty of what makes my mom so special you need to get beyond her physical appearance. She is honest and respectful. She has a wonderful sense of humor. She continues to expand her knowledge of all things - from politics to horticulture, from knitting to American history. She is an interesting person and a great friend. She gives freely of her time to all her children and grandchildren. She never asks for anything in return and we could never re-pay her for all she does. She is very independent, which can be a blessing or not. (Sometimes she wishes for someone in her life that could lift some of the burden of living alone off her shoulders - take out the trash, clean the gutters, cook her a meal – someone to go to dinner with, go to the movies, or take a road trip with. As her children, we can try to help in some of these areas but it’s not the same as a true companion.) Her mother loved her deeply. She loves her children deeply. I love my own children deeply. See the pattern here? But there are mothers who love their children and cannot show it the same way as my own mother has.

What makes any mother the way they are? Their upbringing? Their relationships? Their life experiences ? I’ve met people who describe their mother in ways that are not flattering nor positive. Their mothers have been labeled as cold, distant, and abusive. They have been called crazy, controlling, and accused of favoring one sibling over another. I’ve thought about it and it comes down to what I suspected all along. Abraham Lincoln was right. He said " All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother." While I owe my mother a lot, there are some that think differently about their own mother. What makes a person act in a way that makes their children suspect to their love. Maybe your mother was raised in an atmosphere lacking physical contact – she may feel uncomfortable hugging. Maybe your mother was a neglected child left to her own devices and now she may want to be involved in everything her kids life. If your mother was raised in an abusive relationship, the cycle can be hard to break and your generation may need to be the one to break it. Whatever the situation, knowing where your mother has come from in her life will help you to understand where you’re going, either together or by yourself.

So back to my mother – in my eyes, she’s the perfect mother. I can only dream to be like her in many ways. And I’m sorry for repeating myself but Abraham Lincoln was right. "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother."

My mother.....isn't she cute?

Sweet News!

2009-04-23T18:57:00.005-05:00

I hate that it has taken me a month to post something new. The good news is that the store has been so busy that it's kept me from other things. In a time when the businesses that I love to patronize are closing, I am extremely grateful that our little bead store is still very popular with the beading community. I appreciate all of our customers, but I don't think of them as customers as much as beading buddies. We all share our ideas, tips, techniques and whatever is the hot topic is in the beading world. I'm not going out on a limb when I say our instructors are the best! And they teach the best classes! Cris, Jeanne, and Julie (in alphabetical order :)

Again, I am the most fortunate of bead store owners to have such fine instructors with skills and patience beyond - just beyond.

You could check out our website for something a little sweet at the store. http://www.beadhavenbeads.com/ Or I can tell you right here.... Starting tomorrow, April 24th, each Friday we'll be offering our beading friends freeeee chocolate and carmels from Sweetopia. It's our little gift to you to help you start your weekend right! What could be better? Chocolate and Beads!

Thanks again to all of you, whether you have visited the store in person, or visited our online store. You have made our success possible - and we won't forget it or take it for granted.

A Day at the Beach!

2009-03-24T19:12:00.002-05:00

We returned from vacation yesterday and already we want to go back! Daisy had more fun on the beach than all the rest of us I think. She ran up and down the beach all day long. The first day she saw the ocean she barked at every wave. After that, she was used to the waves but then came the dolphins...so there was something else to bark at! Lucy tried to keep up with Daisy running back and forth but she wore herself out pretty early on. Lucy did so well considering her accident nearly 3 weeks ago. She knows the key words that dogs tune in to... 'Treat', 'Outside', 'Mom' , 'Dad', and 'gramma'! The vet said it could take 6 months before she is totally healed and as good as she'll be but I think she's doing amazing now - imagine how much better she'll be in the upcoming months. If I can figure out how to post the video of the girls barking at the dolphins, I'll do it, along with other pics that I took.

She speaks! She jumps!

2009-03-12T22:54:00.002-05:00

Lucy went back to the Dr. today just to be checked over again since the accident. At the animal hospital they were all amazed at her progress. It was all about 'Lucy!' No more antibiotics or eye ointment, no more follow up visits. Yesterday she barked for the first time since the accident. Today she went up the stairs on her own and jumped up on the sofa all by herself too! There are times when she looks like the old Lucy and then there are times when the lights are on and there's no one home. The Dr. said it could take 6 months or more for her to get healed as much as she will heal. I think she's perfect and I'll take whatever she'll give! Thanks everyone for the kind words and thoughts.

Daisy's turn for a boo-boo

2009-03-10T21:07:00.005-05:00

Today Daisy took a trip to Frey Animal Hospital to see the groomer and left with 2 little staples in her hind leg right above her heel - which I think must be fairly painful when she sits. (The groomer accidently cut Daisy with the scissors.) They put this blue collar on her but it didn't take long before she had it off. It was so big for her, she kept stepping on it and pulled it off. Before I even dropped her off at the groomer, I had already made up my mind that I was going to look for a different groomer for the little girls. When this incident happened with Daisy it just cemented the decision.

I also took a picture of Lucy today sitting in her kennel. She actually ran through the store today trying to keep up with Daisy. She's doesn't know her name yet - or maybe she's just ignoring me - but she's catching up on other things. I'll take Lucy in to the Dr. on Thursday for them to have another look at her.

Sensory Perception

2009-03-10T11:49:00.002-05:00

Lucy continues to make improvements. Yesterday, she responded to the word 'treat' - so we know her hearing is better. Rick was cutting up some cheese last night while making dinner and each of the girls waited patiently for a little piece. When he told them to 'sit', Lucy sat down. We're not sure if she understood the command or maybe she was tired of standing. Also, last night she actually started using her little nose to sniff around. If she starts sniffing around sometimes that's a sign that she might need to go outside and do a 'doo', which she has been very good at. She's still not her bouncy self, but I believe it will take more than 6 days for her to heal, so I'm going to be very patient with her. All the signs are good - which makes me a little angry when I remember one of the veterinarians told me I should euthanize her. But I'm not going to waste any energy on those thoughts any more. Lucy Lucy Lucy! How good it is to have you with us!

Baby steps!

2009-03-09T09:53:00.005-05:00

I just took this picture of Lucy and Daisy this morning with my camera phone so the resolution isn't the best - but I think you get the picture! (pardon the pun). This was a good morning for Lucy! She had breakfast and then we went outside to take care of other business. I put her on the cement driveway and after she stood for a moment, Daisy was jumping around her and trying to coax her into following her. She paused a little bit and then started walking back towards the garage. When she reached the garage door she stopped and did her job, then continued walking into the garage and stopped at the bottom of the stairs that go inside the house. That's a big accomplishment! She's resting now, which she does quite a bit. I'm okay with that - I think it's her body telling her to take it easy. Her cognitive skills are still very low, but today is only day 5 after being clipped by a pickup truck! You can see in the picture her front legs have been shaved down to her feet - giving her a chicken drumstick look. Also, her sides around her tummy have been shaved, leaving a strip of hair down the middle of her back - it's the Mohawk look! We're so thrilled to have her with us we don't care how she looks! But she shivers a lot and so she'll be wearing her t-shirts and sweaters until her hair grows back. Thanks again everyone for the calls, emails, and stops at the store! I'll try to keep this blog going on Lucy's recovery with ever notable change.

She's home!

2009-03-07T20:32:00.003-06:00

We brought her home tonight around 5:30! Hallelujah! She isn't her same self of course. My son said tonight that we have a 'Forest Gump' dog. For the first 40 minutes at home all she did was walk around the inside of the house....truly...that's all she did. She walked circles, always going to the left, around every inch of the house. She isn't very steady on her feet so she fell down a couple of times and when she found her food dish she leaned against the wall and just put her head down in her dish and ate and ate and ate! Daisy tried to get Lucy to play. Daisy would bark at her and jump around Lucy to get a response, but Lucy really isn't interested yet. She doesn't respond very well to her name, in fact, hardly at all yet - but it's early. I read online that canine head traumas can take weeks or months to recuperate. We're okay with that because she's had such a remarkable recovery so far. She's had one potty accident in the house so far. We're just keeping a real close eye on her and I imagine that's the way it will be for a long time. No jumping on the furniture and no stairs. We feel very lucky to have her with us. There are some wonderful powers at work letting us bring her home, including the medical and spiritual kind. More updates later, but she will be at the store again soon! Thanks again everyone who called, emailed, and stopped in at the store. Lucy would love all the attention, if she could understand. :)

Update on Lucy

2009-03-07T02:49:00.003-06:00

It's early - real early - Saturday morning. There is thunder outside and it's raining. Lucy is still at the animal hospital and I worry that she is frightened. I saw her yesterday morning. Then my mom and I went again in the afternoon. Rick, Daisy and I went to see her last night and saw small changes in her again. She tried several times to stand up, but she wasn't very successful. She would get up on her legs and then slowly lean over to the side and go back down. She just seems exhausted, plus she has a splint on her rear leg where they put a 'line' in her to hook up her fluid, so it makes standing and walking even more of a challenge.
She's been shaved in areas so the vet and vet techs can work on her without hair in the way. Her little legs have a poodle cut - she still has the little puffs of hair on her feet but her legs have been shaved. And there is a huge patch of hair missing from one side of her tummy, where they hooked up her heart monitor. Because of her head injury she doesn't seem to recognize us or key words that before the accident would have had her ears pivoting around. Things like 'treat', 'outside', 'Daisy', 'gramma'. We're hopeful that with time she will regain some of her old self, but if that doesn't happen, we're okay with that. I think of people that have had massive head trauma and the amount of time it takes for them to recover. Bob Woodruff is the first one that comes to my mind. He had an amazing recovery, but it didn't come overnight. I remember the ABC special about his injury and how he slept for a long time and the rehabilitation he had. I'm hoping Lucy wll have that kind of promise. We've got a lot of time and a lot of love for her so we'll just take each day as it is. It's weird the way things happen - Earlier this year I was knitting a sweater for Daisy because she is always so cold with her thin hair. I was using a pattern from a book and following the directions for the smallest size - which still ended up way too big for Daisy, but guess what - it fit Lucy. I thought at the time, she'll never wear this, it will be too hot for her. But now with some of her coat gone, and because of her condition, she does get the shivers. So tomorrow I'm taking the pink sweater with the stick pearl buttons with us to the hospital. If they release her, she'll have some protection and look great too. It hasn't even been 72 hours. I wonder what she will be like a year from now - so someone remind me a year from now to read what I wrote in my blog today.
Thank you everyone who wrote, called or emailed about Lucy. Maybe next week you'll see her at the store in her new pick sweater.

No more moosey Lucy - we're calling her Lucky Lucy!

2009-03-06T11:51:00.003-06:00

She isn't out of the woods yet, or even out of the hospital, but she shows small improvements in her condition every time I see her. At this point her accident is less than 48 hours old, so I'm very optimistic about her recovery. This morning the Dr. told me that if she can swallow on her own - which she is very soon to happening - that she might go home in another day. There is a long journey to a full recovery but I'm hopeful that she has that chance. The picture was taken this morning - Daisy being very vigilant over Lucy. Thanks for all the positive thoughts and prayers. Keep them coming!

Lucy needs your positive thoughts

2009-03-05T22:26:00.003-06:00

Lucy was struck by a pickup truck on Wednesday around 12:30pm. She is in critical care at the Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Cedar Rapids. She has head trauma. Her condition seems to change every time I visit her. Tonight I was pleasantly surprised to see her awake and blinking her eyes - and even licking her little lips. We took Daisy with us for every visit today. Even though it upset Daisy to see her little buddy like that, I was hoping it would help Lucy if she could smell Daisy there with her. When we got home Daisy scoured the house looking for Lucy and cried all the while. Lucy is such a sweet thing and I need her to come home to us. I'll try to update the blog with news of her condition, until then, please think positive and say some puppy prayers for her. Thanks to everyone who has come into the store with kind words and prayers.

Terminology

2009-02-13T08:21:00.003-06:00

Like most mornings, I looked at myself in the mirror this morning. Even though I never 'feel' my age, I can't hide it. Women just don't age as well as most men. Describe a man as rugged and weathered and it conj ours up an image of an handsome outdoors man. Describe a woman as rugged and weathered and you may as well post a photo of granny Clampett!

Mexican Paradise

2009-02-08T13:31:00.003-06:00

My husband and I recently went to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico on vacation. We had never been to Mexico before and even though we had researched it and also received advise from friends, we still we a little unsure what to expect. Everyone knows that you shouldn't drink the water, but what else should we avoid and what should we look for? We stayed in a resort called Marival that was all inclusive. That was one of the best ideas! Although gratuities were included, we still carried around a few bucks for extra tips and that was it! The resort had 5-star restaurants which included fare of Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean and a steak house. There was also a 'theme' buffet each night. Breakfast was awesome each morning at La Pergola. All the wait staff was super friendly. Enough about the food! The grounds were super clean and beautiful too!

We were vacationing with 2 other couples and when we checked in, the front desk asked us if we would like to 'upgrade' our rooms. Instead of separate rooms, they wanted to put us in a 3 bedroom, 2-level suite. After looking at it, we all agreed - YES! It was perfect, facing the ocean, huge bedrooms with their own bathrooms, a kitchen, living room and another bathroom. Two big balconies looking at the ocean. It was perfect. We were all together so we didn't have to go searching around the grounds for our friends when it was meal time, beach time, or happy hour! We had a lot of time on the beach and at the pool. We also spent a day on a catamaran whale watching, snorkeling, and having fun on a private beach. Another afternoon was perfect for renting jet skies and going out in Banderes Bay. We had left the beach, headed up along the coast and then as we went further out in the bay we came along the humpbacks! A female and a calf along with a male. It was an awesome sight!

The only somewhat scary thing that happened on our trip was a taxi ride from dinner in town back to our resort. The taxi driver was wild and crazy - driving way too fast and reckless for me! My friend Kami asked him his name. First he said it was Poncho, then quickly changed his mind and told us his name was Mario Andretti!

I can tell more stories later but here are some pictures from the trip.

Bizarro World

2009-01-26T20:21:00.002-06:00

This week felt like the Seinfeld 'Bizarro' episode. Things happened that took me totally by surprise. My husband used a tanning bed for the first time in his life. (We're getting ready for a trip to a warmer climate and he decided to get his 'base' tan down so he doesn't burn.) Also, he bought Pepsi Max for us to drink at home. This is a man who has never drank any soft drink other than regular Pepsi, so when he came home with Pepsi Max I was floored! Bizarro world didn't stop with my husband. My son also did something that made me do a double take. He took his girlfriend to work and then cleaned out her car for her. I mean really cleaned - vacuumed and everything! He's a very nice young man (26) but I've never seen him do so many nice things for a girl. It really makes me feel good that he has it in him to do nice things for her. I hope my bizarro world goes on and on!

Untitled

2009-01-23T11:10:00.011-06:00

It was just impossible to name this blog because of all the 'territory' it covers. I considered 'Sad News'; 'The Reality of Retail'; 'Come on People!'; 'Walmart World'; 'I Pledge...'; 'What's it Worth?'.
Let's break all these titles down... first, the 'Sad News' is another one of my favorite shops is closing. The sweet florist/gifts/home accessories shop 'Occasions' is closing its retail store. I have no idea why they are closing, but my guess is the economy got the better of them. This makes me sad for many reasons. 1) I shopped there. 2) The cute little gal who owns it is a nice person with a flair for floral arrangements and decorating. 3) It's another local owned business that is closing its doors. Ah....there it is - another local owned business closing. Did people not know about Occasions? Did people not find the charm inside like I did? Whatever the reason, they are closing. 40-60% off of merchandise - go ahead - swoop in and buy up those bargains now, because down the road your choice of shopping will be Walmart, Target, and other big box (small on service) stores.
So, now on the to 'The Reality of Retail'. In my mind, retail is the good twin and Internet shopping is the evil twin. (Don't shut me out until you hear my whole soap box diatribe.) I understand the necessity of Internet shopping - you've lost your drivers license, you've got a broken right leg and can't operate your car, you live 200 miles from the nearest town, the particular item you want needs to be wrapped in a brown paper bag before leaving the store,
or let's make it simple - you just can't find the specific item (or 'pacific' item as I hear it called).
Things on the Internet are cheaper. Cheaper prices and a lot of times cheaper quality. Do you ever look to see if your purchase is being shipped from overseas? Many are. When you buy a widget on the Internet, do you later have to call the 800# to ask questions about it? Or maybe you bring your widget into a local store and ask them to explain it to you. Local retail stores have a purpose other than selling merchandise. They provide services to consumers - or if they are a good retail store they should provide services. They direct you to the product you want, they answer questions, they demonstrate, they are friendly and helpful. That's what I look for in a retail store and that's what I strive to provide in my own store. Alas, answering questions, demonstrating use of a product, (and smiling all the while) won't pay the rent. People need to patronize the local retail shops. Which brings me to 'Come on People!'.... If you're reading this blog chances are you are already a beader (or blogger). Come on people! I know not every bead store will have everything you want - that's what makes it fun! It's the hunt! It's the quest! It's the camaraderie with your beader friends traveling from bead store to bead store! So come on people - before you log on to FMG looking for a deal - come in. touch. design. find your treasure without waiting for a package in the mail.
I think I'll consolidate 'Walmart World', 'I Pledge...', and 'What's it Worth' into one simple thought. Small business is the life blood of the economy. Is it worth the small savings to buy from the mega stores? There is a small town in Missouri called Kennett. A few years ago they had an adorable town square with shops and eateries. That's all gone. Walmart moved in. Yeah - they created jobs, mainly minimum wage - but at what cost? The mom and pop shops closed. Now the town is as dirty and ugly as you can imagine. My Pledge... is plagiarized from an Internet video I watched. In this video celebrities make pledges to make themselves better people, make their neighborhoods clean and safe, etc. They pledge to make themselves better, which will in turn make our nation greater. There is a web site http://usaservice.org/. where you can log in and find a local event or community organization that needs help. Unfortunately - or fortunately - there was nothing within 50 miles of my home that was listed as needing help.
So, I'll start without the use of a website, I pledge to do something to support the local economy more than I did yesterday. Currently, we buy our groceries at Fareway. We buy our dog food, and a host of other household goods at Theisens. Our small electrical appliances get parts and repairs at Stalker Electric. Home Appliance is the place to look for larger appliances and TVs. My used paperbacks come and go from Basically Books. Hard-cover mysteries can be found at Mystery Cat Books (along with great gift items). I have no qualms about buying 2nd hand - isn't that the best way to re-use and re-cycle? Try Attic Treasures, Curtain Call, Stuff! For art and gifts, there are several great local places like Campbell Steele Gallery. I pledge to support locally owned shops more today than I did yesterday. How about you? What is your pledge? Please share it.

Expressive Brits?

2009-01-13T09:15:00.003-06:00

I love to watch the PBS show Antiques Roadshow. (It just goes along with my love of history and art.) While watching it I find the differences between the American version and the BBC version comical. The Americans put their emotions 'out there'. When someone tells me that the vase I bought for $2 at a tag sale is really worth $1,000 - I would be jumping up and down with glee! Big smile - the whole bit. My mind reeling with what to do next. Sell it? Insure it? Display it or hide it? Now, go across the big the pond and picture the English lady who was just informed that a brooch that she bought at an antique shop for 2 quid is valued at 3000 pounds. Her face expressionless at first, then slowly the corners of her mouth turn up slightly - kind of like watching the Grinch when he is plotting how to spoil the Whoville Christmas - then the corners of her mouth revert to the straight firm line and she replies "Well then." Maybe she's in shock - maybe she is worried about getting it home safe from muggers. Whatever she's thinking, she's keeping it neatly tucked inside herself. I'd like to imagine that when she reaches home she draws all the draperies closed, locks all the windows and doors. Then, very lady-like, she prances around the drawing room loudly humming a song that she made up in her head.

Now speaking of ladies dancing....you should all take a look at this clip.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/693644/crazy_dance_lady/%20target

little hawks! and Christmas secrets!

2009-01-01T13:19:00.006-06:00

Hawks win Outback bowl! 31-10. Lucy and Daisy watched the game with us. Lucy was very happy with the win. Typical of Daisy, she was a little indifferent.

I haven't blogged for quite awhile. People who don't write blogs but like to read them might not understand that it can be a touchy thing to write a blog. Some bloggers put themselves 'out there' and spout off about everything and anything - offensive and sensitive - egg head and nogg heads. My blog usually is pretty light hearted and trys to stay away from topics that I don't fully understand - which leaves out everything! (not truly - but almost). Also, I love my family and would love to blog more about them. The reasons that I haven't are obvious to me. There were secret things in the works that I didn't want them to read on my blog! Things like the projects I was working on for gifts.
Christmas is over for another year so now I can share what I was most proud of. ....I made a Christmas stocking for my daughter's fiance, Colson. It was a challenge for me, as I really hadn't knit too much of anything for 30 years, let alone a Christmas stocking. Being the virgo I am, I ripped the thing out at least 3 times before I felt it was worthy of staying the course! I know Katie was more excited about it than Colson - it's not really a guy thing.
The story behind the stocking is worth mentioning. My husband's grandma knit all the stockings for our family (aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers, etc.) Grandma has been gone for around 8 years and no one else in the has tackled the knitted stocking. It took us at least 3 years to find the pattern after she was gone. (When we found it in her belongings I made a dozen copies of it!)
When Katie got engaged early in October, I knew the stocking would be a priority for me. After several false starts, I managed to kick it into high gear and get it done! Thanks to Joan Roberts for explaining some knitting terms to me. Now I'm ready to do it again!

Medicine and Mathematics

2008-11-06T20:31:00.003-06:00

In school I used to be good in solving mathematical story problems. Today I couldn't solve a problem with the best calculator Texas Instruments produces. My little Daisy (I really mean little - 3 pounds soaking wet) has been feeling poorly for the last couple of days. She has diarrhea and has been vomiting too. I read on the internet that brown rice helps - so I cooked her brown rice, but it didn't stay down. Then I read that you can give a dog Pepto Bismol - so I bought some today. Here's where the math problem comes in.... a normal adult dosage is 2 Tbsp. So what is the dosage for a 3 pound dog? I asked some really smart people (C & P) and I went with their answer. Daisy actully seems better! She even ate some of her regular dog food tonight! Yippee! So what was the answer to the question? Go ahead - give it your best shot!

Lucky penny or yucky penny??

2008-10-26T20:18:00.002-05:00

Here's the scenario. You go into the ladies room in a public restroom. There's a penny on the floor of the stall you're using. It's heads up! So....would you pick it up? Remember you're in a public restroom.....it could be a trap! Maybe someone put the penny there after they dug it out of the pot. Do you pick it up? wash it off? put it in your shoe? or pass on the yuck and let the next gal have all the luck.

It's started again!

2008-10-26T20:08:00.002-05:00

It's a flurry of snowflakes outside. (I hope you're happy Jeanne!) It's pretty... and it's pretty early for snow isn't it? The only thing that I really like about the snow is that it makes the little doggies do their job and come right back in. Oh - and I like the snow when Christmas draws nearer. And I like snow when I can stay inside where it's nice and warm. Oh - what the heck I guess I really like snow - except for the shoveling...

The lady's a winner!

2008-09-27T18:03:00.004-05:00

Wow! We came, we played and we conquered! Well, conquered is maybe a little strong. After going to the Marshalltown Bead Bash, mom, Cris, Julie and I stopped at the casino in Tama and played the slots. We made our way to the non-smoking section going through the maze of machines, little old ladies with blue hair and oxygen machines amid a haze of smoke. It was a lot of fun and Cris couldn't push those buttons fast enough! Don't you love the look on her face! We came back to Cedar Rapids with more money than we left with so it's considered a win but it probably wasn't enough to buy a tank of gas. After getting back to the Bead Haven, Cris and I went inside for a minute that turned into a couple of hours. We scavenged around looking for things to make molds and found some very interesting things...... from tree bark to a pencil cup. Come visit us in the store and take a look at what we made!

My birthday has blown by....

2008-09-16T04:48:00.002-05:00

Well, officially my birthday is over for another year. As birthdays go, this one was better than some! My first "happy birthday" came from my sister, then my mother (with the sweetest card and thoughtful gift), a text message from Susie, and a singing birthday greeting from my daughter in North Carolina.

My mom was worried that I had to 'work' on my birthday. I keep reminding her that being at the bead store is NOT WORK - I LOVE BEING THERE! But even though I love being at Bead Haven, I did take time out to enjoy a couple of birthday margaritas with my virgo friend Cristina Lucinda Barcelona Leonardo. I practiced my Spanish on the waiter and it went muy bueno!

My dear old friend, Paula, came into the store today too. It was nice to catch up with her.

On the journey home I listened to another singing birthday greeting from my nephew Austin, who lives in Cleveland. He is 17 now a very sweet young man.

So, back to the official birthday.... that's over....but unofficially, Cris and I both have some birthday celebrating to do later this month. We'll make sure to do it up good!

Happy Birthday to all you other Virgos out there!

Thanks to Cris!

2008-09-12T21:56:00.003-05:00

Thanks to my friend Cris! She went with me Thursday to bead shop - which meant she had to get up a couple of hours before the sun did. Cris - you were such great help even though you may not believe it! There's too much for 1 person to do and it gets overwhelming, so I appreciate all your help, including acting as chauffeur to me on the way home. One more thing, thanks for not making a big deal about me eating 24 Chick-O-Sticks within 15 minutes.

The excitement is building!

2008-09-09T05:07:00.006-05:00

I'll be going on the road Thursday to the big bead warehouse. At times like this I find it hard to sleep - my mind spins out of control, thinking of all the beads to look for and the anticipation of all the beads I haven't met yet.
I'm particularly looking forward to this trip since it's been almost 6 months since the last one. In a typical year, I'll make this trip 3 or 4 times, but everyone in the Cedar Rapids area knows that this year has been anything but ordinary. (We moved the store, weathered the weather and all the economic pitfalls with that.)
So come Wednesday night, I'll pack all the essentials to make the trip go smooth. I carry a small bag with me of special items I've had before and are now eluding me - particularly the opaque brown czech rondelles - a step ladder, empty tubs and shower hooks, paper and pens, calculator, a cooler for beverages and chocolate - oh and Garmina (my smooth talking GPS) - but I hate it when she keeps repeating herself "Make a U-turn", "Make a U-turn!" "Make A U-Turn Idiot!"
Back to the trip - My heart does little flip flops when I get in the car to go. Then it settles down until we pull up to the warehouse. There is goes again....flip, flop, flip, flop! And when I step inside I can't even hear myself think! It's a real test of brain-power! I keep telling myself to stay focused! (and Cris too!)
There's Czech glass, stones, crystals, shells, silver, copper, and everything I dream about. No place is safe from me in the warehouse - that's the reason for the step ladder! If I see a box on the top of a shelf my curiosity can't be contained.
At the end of the day, I'm so elated with my new treasures that even when I pay the bill my serotonin is so high I float right through it.
Then the excitement doesn't stop there. All the way home I'll be dreaming of what's in my car trunk, and what we can do with it. When we arrive back in Cedar Rapids, unloading the trunk is another heart palpitation. And I re-live these moments when my friends and customers come shopping in the store. It's a great feeling when I share the excitement with everyone who comes into Bead Haven. I'm Vanna White and you're the next big winner!

Stella

2008-08-25T22:22:00.003-05:00

No...this isn't a blog about Marlon Brando or A Street Car Named Desire. It's about Stella, a nice lady living in a nursing home and I'm not sure why. She's probaby pushing 80 but so what. Each morning she takes her shower, dresses, and applies her makeup - complete with powder foundation and lipstick. (You never know who'll meet around the next corner!)
At what age do you really feel old? I like to believe that age is still a state of mind. Have you ever known someone who was old before their time? Or someone who didn't act their age?? I have a great group of girlfriends that I've known since grade school. When we're together we have no concept of age. I wonder why everyone can't be like that. But then again - this is a double standard between the sexes. I don't want my husband acting like a 18 year old....

Puppy Power!

2008-08-22T16:49:00.000-05:00

Another pic of long-tongue Lucy and dinky Daisy, with personalities that are polar opposites! more later...

Blogging takes effort

2008-08-12T13:25:00.000-05:00

Picture me singing Neil Sedaka's 'Breaking Up is Hard to Do'.....only change the words to "Blogging is hard to do". Okay it's not hard - it just takes effort. Cris - cut me a little slack. I'm the busiest person I know. :)

I've been going back and forth to the hospital checking on my mother-in-law, Doris. She fell on Sunday and broke a hip. She's a very active lady and it's hard to keep her down in the hospital bed. Her fall ocurred when she was out on a bike ride and decided to get off her bike and walk it up a hill. Pansi, her Yorkie puppy, was in the front basket when it happened. Pansi is fine - better than fine - she's staying at our house with little Daisy and Lucy. I'll try to get a picture of all 3 and post it soon. Doris can't wait to get back on her bike.

My bead store is slowly adding products to the cyber store. http://www.beadhavenbeads.com
That takes a lot of time when I doing it mainly by myself. Mom has been helping take some pics.

I could write a ton of stuff that I think about when laying in bed at night....but now everything is eluding me. Ugh!

Welcome to my Blahg!

2008-07-28T01:10:00.000-05:00

I've tried to blog before and it got the better of me....no time or no original thoughts. However, lately I've felt very powerful so I'll give it another go. I've also resisted the 'blog' world because I still believe in the paper and pen. No one writes letters anymore...that's not true really. I write letters. I just never receive any. I have a hard time believing that people use journals anymore either. But I think that I will start a trend here and print my blogs and put them in a binder or something. The tricky part will be to keep up with it.