Peldyn's Musings

Fern Helps Out Rescue Dogs.

2010-09-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you who know me or have read a bit of this blog know that my pup Fern is a rescue dog. She shares our home with an assortment of rescued cats who love her as if she was a cat. Hmmm... maybe she thinks she is one? *grin*

As such we hold all rescue efforts near and dear to our hearts. What the folks at Pedigree are doing is so awesome and I hope that any of you out there that are bloggers pick up on this too. They are donating food for a shelter just for me writing this blog post and posting the link on the Life With Dogs' special link list .
*link below*

I am so happy to be involved with this project. My animals give so much to me and we want to give back :)

Peldyn

Want to join?

*Please note that links left at this post will not count. They must be entered into the link list here.

How often have you had a chance to have a 20 pound bag of dog food donated to a shelter simply for writing a blog post? It’s really that easy. Pedigree has upped the ante big time. And please spread this message: The food drive is not limited to pet blogs. Imagine if we could spread this message beyond our circles and see how far it goes? The numbers could be substantial. Here is the full scoop:

* Each year, more than 4 million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations. Pedigree created The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive to help shine a spotlight on the plight of these homeless dogs.

* This year the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive is raising awareness for homeless dogs by donating a bowl of food to shelter dogs for everyone who becomes a “Fan” or “Likes” The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive on Facebook. So far more than 1 million bowls have been donated.

# Special for BlogPaws West: For each blog that posts about the PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive through September 19th, PEDIGREE® will donate a bag of their new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide. It’s simple: Write a post, help a dog.

* Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19, the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers will host a Blog Hop, to help raise awareness for the “Write a post, help a dog” effort.

It is so easy to make a big difference. Please set aside a few moments to write a post. Include the bullet points above. Copy the pics if you’d like. Add whatever you’d like in addition to help get the message out. Because this is not limited to pet bloggers, there is tremendous potential. Know bloggers in other categories that might be interested? Please share this post with them, write one of your own, leave a link to your post. Let’s make this huge. It would just feel great.

On The Lock-Out Line

2010-02-28T16:20:00.000-08:00

I have been spending some time with my husband out on the "Line". This is not a picket line since the workers are not on strike. They are out they yelling at the buses as they pull in with replacement workers (known as Scabs) saying they just want to work! They also take pictures of the workers that have replaced them, pictures of any trucks with containers and the numbers so that they can be tracked to the docks. They keep tabs on who is crossing the line. So almost all of the Unions worldwide are supporting our cause and not crossing the line. The companies that are will be remembered.

Here is a typical night at the "Gauntlet" which is what the shift change is called. That is when the most amount of people are out to show support and when the most workers...ehm scabs are in and out of the gate.

Waiting for the first cars/buses to arrive.

Donna and Renee are so patriotic!

How many sheriffs does it take to get to center of a tootsie pop?

Here are the buses. They are busing them in from Mojave, 32 miles away and housing them as well. Now how much money is that costing????

Trying to shame the shameless, the management in that van. A tough job.

I could only look at them with tears streaming down my face. I hope I gave them nightmares that night.

Many of them tried to ignore us. Some of them even laughed. Those that saw me cry stopped laughing though. I don't think the scabs truly understand what is going on.

So now you can see how I have been spending a lot of my time. I have also been baking to bring food out to the people who are out there every night. I may not have much, but we all have to stick together in this. An injury to one, is an injury to all!

Locked Out

2010-02-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

For those of you who may not know. My husband and his fellow mine workers were walked to the gate and their work keys, time cards, work phones, etc. were taken from them Jan 31. My husband was not even allowed to get his work tools. They were locked out because management and the union had not been able to reach an agreeable contract. So instead of continuing talks the mine just locked the workers out.

So now my husband is out of work and the mine has brought replacement workers in. Probably from their borax mine in Argentina. I am sure they think minimum wage is great!

My husband is at the mine right now attempting to retrieve his tools. He bought them himself and he has about $15,000 invested in them along with a large rolling toolbox. I hope they are not giving him any hassles.

Gingerbread House

2010-01-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

We had such a lovely Yule this year. My daughter Keirnath drove up from Brawley with her boyfriend and my other daughter Tabitha and her family came over to open presents with us along with my third Tarah daughter and her husband. So it was a nice full house! My granddaughters received a gingerbread house kit from Auntie Keir and they were so excited to make it.

There were so many candies for them to use and I also got out the glitter sugar for them to use as well. I think they ate quite a few as they decorated. It was just too much of a temptation!

But even with the missing candies, the house turned out beautiful! The girls were so proud of it.

Who ever came up with these kits is just a genius. It makes it so easy and fun for the little ones. I think we will have to make this a tradition every year. It was just such fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. We had all the girls here this year except for my niece Brenna and her baby. I wish she could have made it, but I will see her soon. I have a nasty cold, but I still got the pies made.

Here is my Jack-O-Lantern Pie. Little did poor Jack know when he was sitting on my porch under the Halloween moon, that he would end up in my pie! Yummy, yummy!

Jack-O-Lantern Pie Recipe
1 Jack-O-Lantern cut in half, seeds and fibers scooped out and baked in 350 degree oven on greased baking sheet for an hour and 45 minutes or until very tender. Scoop flesh from rind and puree in food processor. You can package in 2 cup amounts and store in freezer for about 1 year.

4 cups Jack-o-Lantern puree
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 to 1 cup packed brown sugar (taste the pumpkin to see how bitter it is and add to taste)
1 teas salt
1 teas gr. ginger
1/2 teas gr. cloves
2 teas gr. cinnamon
1/2 teas gr. nutmeg
2 can evaporated milk
4 extra large eggs
2 pie crusts for 9 inch deep dish pie pans, or 10 inch pie pans (seriously, don't try the regular 9 inch)

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir together the sugars and spices and add to the eggs. Stir in the pumpkin puree. Gradually add in the evaporated milk. Pour into the pie shells. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 and bake another 40 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Serve with ice cream!

My daughter Keirnath brought her bunny marshmallow and her dog Luke. they played in the front yard with our dogs Fern and Howie. It was like a menagerie, LOL.

Keirnath reads to her nieces Chloe and Moiren.

Here Moiren is caught red-handed getting into the bag of chips!

Dinner was a success as seen by how little was left after the ravaging horde hit it!

It was such a beautiful day. I wish I could have had more photos, but we were so busy laughing and talking and cooking and eating that we really didn't think about the camera. Oh well, we still have memories.

Fall Fell

2009-11-22T02:13:00.000-08:00

Yes, Fall fell in just one day. All the leaves, in one fell swoop.

The cats were a bit unnerved by this phenomenon. I am sure they felt it was a conspiracy against them.

My youngest granddaughter, however was completely thrilled. She wanted to run in the crinkly leaves and throw them in the air.

Her delight is completely evident in her posture.

My husband however could only think of all the raking and sweeping he has to do now.
I think I will go roll in the leaves with Moiren. It sounds like more fun :)

Strike It Up

2009-10-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

My husband's company is in contract negotiations right now and there are rumblings of a strike. The company wants to take a lot of things away from the workers because they say the economy has been so bad and business is down. Now that is true business is down, but they forget to say that they are STILL making a very nice profit. Borax is still needed world wide. There are only three mines in the entire world. So why should they ask they workers to take it in the back? It they were in the red or even just breaking even I might understand. But they are making a profit! This makes no sense to me. They want to take away retirement. Sick leave. Increase our medical contribution from 20% to 25%. We don't even know how much the company is actually spending on our policy since they have not disclosed this to the union even after it was requested. They want to take away seniority and many other things. My husband asked me to go with him to the union hall with him on Tuesday as a show of support. I am seriously tempted to dress as a suffragette. Of course the irony of that may be lost on people. It is a toss up between that and a 1950's housewife. I am into sarcasm as well *grin*

Twenty Mule Team Days

2009-10-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Twenty Mule Team Days. This is a pretty big event in our town. It has been going on for years and we have been going for the 17 years we have lived in Boron. It starts with the parade in the morning and then everyone goes to the park were there are game booths, merchant booths and food booths. A stage with live music and sometimes pony rides for the children. I really look forward to the Chinese food booth. Orange chicken and Teryiaki chicken on a stick, YUM! Since we don't have a Chinese food place in town it is a real treat. There was also a food booth with funnel cakes. Chloe and Moiren shared one. They ate it so quickly I didn't get a picture!

One of the booths did free face painting. Moiren had a heart painted on her cheek.

Chloe with her gorgeous smile.

Moiren and Chloe on the playground.

I wished I had taken more pictures, but we were having so much fun the camera was forgotten about most of the time. Oh well. I still have the memories. *smile*

Highland War Babies

2009-09-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

I am finally writing about the wonderful time I had with my granddaughters at Highland War. My job as Nana was to keep them occupied so their mom and dad could have some fun.

This meant spending quite a bit of time at the playground (the event was at a park) or shopping Merchant's Row. Needless to say the little minxes bled me dry of money!

Not that I mind really. They have me wrapped around their fingers!

It was really nice to be at an SCA event and for once not to have to be working. I usually merchant and it is tough! I never get out to see anything. This time I got to see the late night bardic events and the tourneys. I also got to shop, albeit it mostly was for the girls and not for me *grin*. I got to see some of the battle that my son-in-law fought in. He is in the red tunic in the photo.

I chatted with friends I had not seen since last year and even saw quite a few people wearing garb I had made over the years. It was quite satisfying.

Everyone is now trying to talk me into going out to Great Western War, even if it is for just a day. I am thinking about it. I do miss the medieval/renaissance life!

The Tea Party

2009-08-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

My daughter Tarah is an awesome cook so when she decided to make an angelfood cake what choice did I have but to declare it a Tea Party Day! Tarah made some tea sandwiches and cut the cake and filled some slices with lemon glaze and blueberries and some with Nutella, yum! I made lemonade and passionfruit tea and made a call to my other daughter Tabitha to come over with her daughters Moiren and Chloe.

Of course what would a tea party be without HATS! We all wore hats and ate cucumber, ham and turkey sandwiches along with cake until we were bursting!

I poured out. It was certainly delicious tea! Moiren decided she needed a bit of sweetening. Well maybe more than a bit!

By the end of the day the entire sugar bowl was in her cup!

Then we had party crashers! Tom, my husband, even stole Moiren's hat!

Nebbie the cat thought she could snag a sandwich!

Nebbie then tried some lemonade, but it was not to her taste!

All in all it was a wonderful day! We will have to do it again some time soon.

Trampolines and Sunny Days

2009-08-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

We have been having such beautiful weather out here in the desert. In fact it has been almost unseasonably cool! Temps in the mid 90's nice breezes and only a bit of humidity now and again. Just the weather to take a walk or go out and jump on the trampoline. Recently I had been seeing some suspicious footprints on the trampoline and wondered when they came from. The cats? But they were pretty big. Phineas has big feet, but somehow I did not think it was him. So I looked out the window yesterday after letting the dogs out and saw Fern jump up onto the trampoline! That little minx! So I ran out and started jumping on it with her. Instead of being afraid of it like I thought she would be, she liked it! So I ran and got my camera to record it. She definitely had a great time and has a lot more stamina than I do, LOL! I think I will have to add jumping everyday to my exercise routine. I think Fern will approve.

The Red Hat

2009-08-12T13:46:00.001-07:00

Chloe in the Red HatOriginally uploaded by Peldyn

I have a cute red hat that a friend gave me. It proved to be irresistible for my granddaughters. They took turns wearing it and posing.

Moiren in the Red HatOriginally uploaded by Peldyn

I don't know what it is about the innocence and freshness of a young girl and a hat. It just has a certain charm. I know they caught at my heart :)

Of Hummingbirds and Other Things

2009-08-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

My front yard is a haven. My granddaughters come over and play in it. The cats lounge in the grass. I like to sit on the front porch and see the lightening when there are storms or the sunrise some mornings. Just a few days ago I was sitting outside letting my hair dry in the sun when I was checked out by a hummingbird. She flew up to me and hovered right in front of my face and stared me down for a good 10 seconds. I had the feeling that she was claiming the yard for her own and telling me that I was not welcome. Now, if you didn't know it hummingbirds are very territorial. I have watched them try to drive off other birds and dive bomb the cats. I have just never had one have the nerve to look me in the eye! I have two very large fruitless mulberry trees in my front yard and they are full of bird nests, some of them are hummingbird nests. I know this because one year my husband was trimming the trees and there was one nestled in the branches. It was made out of spiderwebs! From then on I am very careful to make sure it is not nesting season when we trim the trees.
Anyways, it did give me pause to think that my front yard was not really MY front yard. I just happen to have paid for it. I actually share it with a whole assortment of creatures that could really care less if I was there or not. I think they would be happy if I left and took the cats with me! LOL
On that note I will leave you with this video of Beru the cat and her problems with the hummingbirds in our trees.

The Long and Short of It

2009-07-29T01:42:00.001-07:00

shorts 011
Originally uploaded by Peldyn

With the hot weather I have been wearing mostly shorts lately and this pattern caught my eye recently at a yard sale. I loved the vintage retro look of it and since the style is back I snagged it up. I am thinking of making myself a pair of shorts out of it. I will need to go through my fabric stash to find the perfect fabric. I think stripes will be nice. I am pretty sure I have a light blue seersucker striped fabric that will be perfect for this project. I once hear that if you wore a style the first time it came out you shouldn't wear it when it comes back in style. WHAT? That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard. Of course they could be talking about micro-minis or hot pants, but that is a matter of good taste not fashion timing. I think these shorts will be just fine the second time around :)

A New Beginning

2009-07-24T14:25:00.001-07:00

Widget
Originally uploaded by Peldyn

Those of you who know me well know that I have been ill for quite a while and the last few months it has gotten much worse. After many doctors and emergency room visits I eventually found a gastero doc who diagnosed me with a gallbladder problem and sent me in for an ultrasound. There they found hundreds of gallstones! Finally an answer for all the pain and sickness. So in June I had surgery to have my gallbladder removed. My surgeon was wonderful and the nurses in the hospital were so kind. I have been recovering well and now feel ready to get back to my life! I am amazed now at how it feels to not be in pain. I didn't even realized how much pain I was in everyday. Now I know how much it really was now it is gone. And to be able to eat! I hope to gain back some of the weigh I have lost and to get into shape. This is a new beginning for me.

So here is a lovely picture of my cat Widget. She is a happy kitty. She kept me company while I was recovering :)

Blogger Glitching

2009-03-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have been having quite lot of problems with blogger lately. It has not been letting me comment on my friends blogs. It makes me sign in repeatedly and still will not accept that I am signed in when it comes to commenting and it is pretty frustrating. It even would not let me reply to a comment on my own blog the other day. I finally got it to accept me yesterday. I was at the comment box of a friends blog. I wanted to comment and it wouldn't let me, the google profile was not filled in like it is when I am signed in. I then clicked on the sign in box up in the upper right corner of the blog page. Of course I was actually signed in already as I always am so instead of doing what I usually do which is try to sign in again and then click back to the blog, I just hit the back button. It took me back to the comment box and voila! it had my google profile filled in and I could then comment! Now, I had to do this each and every time I wanted to comment on every blog. It wasn't permanent. But at least I have found some sort of fix. Now this never used to happen before. I don't know why it happens now and I wish blogger would fix it because it is pretty damn annoying. I also wonder how many people are having the same problem and if it is keeping them from commenting on my blogs? I am going to file a bug report on this if there is such a thing for blogger. BTW, I could not even post with my name and url or anonymously. Nothing, nada. So it was figure out some way to have it recognize that I was signed in or never be able to comment on a blog again. Major suckage!

The Flowers In My Garden

2009-03-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have been TRYING to have a garden for years. Notice the emphasis on trying. I have been thwarted at every attempt by nature, children and beasts. One year I had such beautiful flowers and had them well established. I thought, "This is it, finally I have the garden I want." But no, it was not to be. That year we had a freak cold snap with temperatures to 0 degrees and it killed off everything. EVERYTHING! Even though I had mulched all the plants and covered them well. I gave up last year and didn't plant since I was so ill, but this year I gave in and bought some plants and seeds. I have hope you see. I have hope that someday the cats will stop pooping in the flowerbeds and chewing everything in sight. The dogs will stop digging. The kids will stop using it as their personal Flower shop and Mother Nature will have pity on me. Gawk, who am I kidding? I am just spitting in the wind.

My Garden

The roses in my garden,
don't look so pretty and gay.
The kitties have chewed their petals,
and chased the ladybugs away.

The holes that are in the lawn,
could turn an ankle or two.
It's amazing how much damage,
a baby with a spoon can do!

My pansies' upturned faces,
are spattered with mud and creased.
From all the digging the dog did,
when he escaped his leash.

The marigolds have been trampled,
I believe that they are dead.
From the raucous game of tag,
the kids played on their heads.

So my garden is not the best,
in fact it's rather sad.
But look at all the fun,
my kids and animals had!
© April 17, 2003

I wrote this poem and I think it explains it all. One last look here at a pitiful little bloom in my garden.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2009-03-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

Having been ill for two weeks with a throat infection that literally took my voice away and with it any inclination to write, I am seriously late in updating my blog. The day I became ill Tom and I took Chloe to Disneyland to celebrate my birthday. This year Disneyland is letting you in for free on your birthday if you sign up in advance online. So cool! I did that and since I am a Southern California resident when we showed up at the park I also got another ticket for California Adventures that we get to use before the end of the month. Tom and Chloe got the extra ticket as well when they purchased theirs. We met up with a couple friends who have a yearly pass and spent the day in childish pleasure.

Here is Chloe and me with Jim and Kelly getting off the Carousel.

Tom, Chloe and me in a teacup.

Tom and Chloe

Like little monkeys in a cage on the Circus Train!

Unfortunately by the end of the evening I was pretty ill and had almost lost my voice. It hit fast and it hit hard. I was glad it waited until it was almost all over, but we missed the Fantasia show which was at 10:30pm because I just couldn't hold out any longer. Oh well, we will have to plan for next year!

Sigh Of Relief

2009-02-27T20:34:00.000-08:00

After being on tenterhooks for a week I finally got a letter in the mail from the radiologist who read my mammogram with the diagnosis that it was normal. Well, that is nice to hear! I have normal fibrocystic breasts. Hmmm... I had no idea that I had fibrocystic breasts. I have never had symptoms until now. I wonder if perimenopause can bring on symptoms? I certainly have THAT. The freaking night hot flashes that wake me up at 2-3:00am are just a joy! If I am lucky I can get back to sleep when I cool back down. If not I am in for along sleepless night and a groggy, cranky day. You certainly do not want to be around for that! Add to that the erraticness of my periods and my winning personality and I am a definite charmer. Of course I have to put up with my husband whining like a baby when he has the slightest cold so I am sure he can put up with my bitchiness. After all, I do tend to coddle him when he is ill. Men just aren't made to handle stuff like us women are. I guess in a way I feel a sense of entitlement for taking care of him for all these years. He can take a tiny amount of heat. God knows I am FEELING the heat now. We have many more years to spend together and I know this stage will be over is a flash. I just hope it isn't a hot flash!

A Smashingly Good Time Was Had....Well Not Really

2009-02-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

This semi tongue in cheek posting is brought to you today by the letters M, B, S, and O! Yes, I had a "mammogram" this week and had my "breasts" "smashed" and it was "owie"! I found that thing we all seek for but never want to find. The dreaded "lump". So after a few days of calling back and forth I FINALLY. I am emphasizing that word, finally got my mammogram scheduled for this past Wednesday. Took them long enough! Didn't they know the state I was in? I alternated between thinking Oh everything is alright, to sobbing disconsolately. Made me lots of fun to be around.
This is my first mammogram. I have never had one and it seems that my primary care doctor has been totally lax and should have had me in 10 years ago for a baseline mammogram and then at age 40 I should have started yearly screening mammograms. Needless to say I am in the market for a new physician. This is NOT the first medical issue she has let me down one, but hopefully it will be the last.
Now I am waiting for my results and hoping that the lump is nothing to worry about. Can you tell I really need a good stiff drink right about now?

A Baking Fit

2009-02-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

I must have lost my mind. I spent an entire day in a baking frenzy. I made blueberry muffins, cranberry muffins, french bread, cheese bread, multigrain bread and also cooked dinner from scratch. The whole house was toasty warm and smelled of spices and bread and we tucked into such a luscious dinner. I am surprised we did not burst. Especially since we ate every single muffin that I baked and half the loaf of multigrain bread and part of the loaf of french bread! Of course I did have my granddaughter there to help me bake and eat and I do have a 16 year old nephew who can eat his weight in food, but still! We should all be comatose! I have to admit though, that nothing is like making it all yourself. I get such satisfaction from baking and cooking from scratch. I really feel connected to the food in a way that you don't get when you just open cans and packages. I like knowing exactly what is going into our bodies. It will be even more fun when I get to plant my garden and the first tender lettuces and radishes come up. Oh yum! I am so looking forward to that. Spring, you can not come too soon for me!

Cute Enough To Eat!

2009-02-07T22:47:00.000-08:00

With all the depressing news I had to post this to put a smile on people's faces. I know it cheers me up when I see it!

I can just hear her say "Iz tastee and nutrishus!" This is our silly kitty Princess. Always curling up in small bowls or boxes. Now let's hope tomorrow is a better day!

Spiraling Downward

2009-02-06T11:39:00.001-08:00

The way this country is going it is hard to stay optimistic. I am a very upbeat kind of girl. But the news I heard today made me very sad and pissed off too. My husband's company is laying off over 13,000 employees world wide. We knew it had to happen with the economy and all. But the way they are going about it is just shitty. Seems one employee found out he was laid off when security escorted him out the front gate. That was it. No thank you for a job well done, just a rude hustle out the gate. Another guy tried to log into his computer and wasn't able to. When he went to find out what was wrong they told him it was because he didn't work there any more. Oh well, that is nice to know! My husband says they are installing time card machines at the front gate now so you can stick your time card in and if it accepts it you still have a job, if it rejects it you don't. Oh boy! I bet that is going to be so fun! Just the way I want to start my day at work. Hmmm do I or don't I have a job. Let's see. Eeny, meeny miny, moe, I guess you have got to go!

Now I know companies have to tighten their belts and cut out the fat. But whatever happened to common courtesy and having compassion for your fellow man? You can do this in a way that is appropriate. The way this company is going about it is not right. I wonder if they realize that they may be breaking laws in the way they are going about this. Not letting people remove their own property from their desks and such. Unfortunately I forsee possible lawsuits resulting from such behavior and I know that that is the last thing that company needs right now.

I am still trying to be optimistic but I do not see things getting better any time soon. This country is in for a very tough time ahead and I hope the new president is up for the challenge. I have hope.

A Hike In The Desert

2009-02-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

I got a chance to wear my cool new hoodie today. Of course I used a bit of blackmail to get his hoodie. Tom had shrunk an favorite sweater of mine in the wash and I kept harping on it to him, so when we were at REI on Sunday and I was gushing over this hoodie he said if I shut up about the sweater I could have it. No matter that it was $70.00 fucking dollars! You heard it. Never have I spent that much on a simple jacket, but I thought I better take the oportunity and run. Who knows when he will be this generous again! I also got a new shirt. (grin) I am not too evil am I?

So today we went on a 9 mile hike to an extinct volcano near where I live.
It was a gorgeous day in the desert. Temps in the 70's and bright sunny and clear. We took our pup Fern with us, some snacks and a sub sandwich for when we got to the top of the volcano. It was a nice hike until we got to the base. Then it was a bit of a tough climb. At the top the breeze was kind of chilly and I had to put my jacket on for a bit. Up until then I had it tied around my waist. Fern was running around like nobody's business until I got the sandwich out. Oh baby, she wanted some of that action!
Once that was finished off we sat for awhile and admired the view. Unfortunately though we had to make the return trip back. We used the bag the food had been in to pick up bottle and cans that litterbugs had tossed out to litter the desert. It felt good to clean up the environment that small bit. All too soon we were back at the truck driving back the couple miles home. I can't wait for our next hike!

Woah! What Happened to 2008?

2009-01-29T06:45:00.000-08:00

It seems like I just blinked my eyes and now it is 2009. What happened to 2008? It sped by so fast it made my head spin. So many changes. The girls moving on into adulthood. Brenna moving in with her boyfriend and now expecting their first child. Tarah getting married. I am just plain dumbstruck at how it has all slipped by. Is that what I have to look forward to? The years flipping by, faster and faster like pages riffled in a book? I want to savor each moment! I don't want them to slip by so quickly! I want a time out right now. I hereby declare that time is not allowed to move forward anymore. At least not until I have caught up!

The Goddess.. Or I Must Be Crazy

2008-07-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

Today starts my sale. My super duper no holds barred, finally try to get rid of all the scrapbooking stuff from my shop sale. I am a bit freaked out. I had held on to a slim hope of reopening my store with this stock. But in a few short months it will be two years since I have closed and stock gets stale and worn. If I have any hope of getting any of my money out it of I need to try and have a sale now. It is hard to let go, though. Hard to see your dream die. I need to move on to new dreams now. What they are I have no idea. I need to work on that I guess. I will, just as soon as I get this dang shoulder fixed. At least I still have the faires and my sewing. I did love scrapbooking though. I loved having a store too. I know I will again, but it is not going to be now. So if you are in the area and looking for a great bargain in scrapbooking or papercrafting supplies, look me up! I will be the one sitting in her yard with her head in the clouds.

Scrapbook Yard Sale
12579 Sugar St
Boron, CA 93516
760-608-1422

I've been Bitched!

2008-06-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise to find out that Etsy Bitch liked one of my comments enough to quote it on their front page! Yes, I have been bitched about! The Etsy Bitch blog says what we all want to say about Etsy and have not been able to out of fear. These ladies and one guy are ballsy and let Etsy have it in the chops. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it and offer up this link.

This is the link to the comment: Quotable Quotes

I also found out I can use this cute graphic if I want too. Isn't it adorable? It is for people who have been banned or muted in the forums. I was muted by Danielle when she was running riot in the forums and was unmuted by Matt himself and given an apology. He is a seriously nice guy and what a headache Etsy must be giving him.

Too cool huh?

A Cause To Sing About

2008-06-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite bands has ceased to exist, technically. I have adored The Actual ever since I heard them play at Warp Tour in San Diego 2005. They were old school and had a sound that I loved. I played the demo CD I got at the concert until they released their In Stitches CD. I loved all the songs and waited for more. But there wasn't anymore. They disbanded at the end of 2007 and the members have all moved on. I just found out though that there is a new group, Max and the Marginalized with the same sound as The Actual, since it seems to be the lead singer that started it. They have a political message and all their songs are free for download. What a cool concept! I am a political kind of gal so this type of music is right up my alley, can we say Midnight Oil? So here is a the widget to their site. Enjoy!

A River Runs Through...... My Booth?

2008-05-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I am back from War and what a War it was! Friday set up was a nightmare. We got there early hoping to beat the rain. There had been tornadoes, yes tornadoes in Southern California, on Thursday and the weather reports said the conditions were ripe for more of the same for Friday so to say we were worried was an understatement. So we hurried and about halfway through the heavens let loose. Here is a link to the video I took of the inside of my booth.
Video
Are we having fun yet? NO!!!
Saturday was not much better in term of weather, but we are SCA, are we going to let a little thing like water get us down? Definitely not. People were out in droves and they were buying in droves. I have amazing sales and made new friends and had a wonderful time all while shivering so much I nearly came down with hypothermia! Thank god medieval and renaissance clothing consists of wool and multiple layers!

I sold many wool Irish dresses and one of my customers kindly posed for this picture. Doesn't she look amazing!

Then the gods took pity on us and Sunday we had glimmers of sun. It almost got warm. Notice I said almost? I am sure it would have been considered a fine Summer Day in Elizabethan England. They were in the middle of a Little Ice Age at that time! All in all it was quite the experience. You can click on my Facebook link on the right to see more videos that I took, we did manage to have fun, I swear we did!

I am looking forward to warm weather now. I promise not to complain when I am sweating in my garb, I cross my heart and hope to die!

Remembering..... WAR!

2008-05-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

Next week is coming up fast. So fast I am almost breathless! It is WAR! Yes, time for Potrero War again. I am not ready, I am soooo not ready! I have too much to still sew and there are things to be packed and orders to be finished and, oh my. I am NOT READY! So I am sitting here remembering the years gone past when I was not ready for War and how great it all turned out.

Here is Chloe at a War gone past, eating her handchurned ice cream!

I have been doing this War since 1996 and it is a homecoming to us. A place where my kids have grown up almost. Tarah was only 6 when we started doing this event and now she is 18. The other merchants are my friends and we have had the same spot the whole time so my customers know where to find me. I guess Potrero is the one event I would mourn the loss of like I would an old friend if it ever folded. It means more than a place to make money, it means family, and memories to us.

Alex and Ian tied to a tree by the side of my booth by Tarah and her friends in 2005 at Potrero.

Moiren, my youngest granddaughter from last year.

On the Wings Of Faeries

2008-05-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

So we went to Tulare. Yes this is a wonderful faire for us. We did not vend there this time, but we still had fun. We brought our granddaughter as we usually do. She is of that special species, the "faire brat". Now that may sound like a derogatory term, but to those of us who do faires it is anything such. Faires brats are those children born and raised to the Renaissance Faire life. She is such as was her mother before her.
She goes to most events with us and charms everyone she meets. There is something fae about her look. Almost as if the faeries left a changeling child here for us to raise. I love her dearly. I remember one clear Potrero night as the gypsies played their music how she danced in front of our booth. She was only three, but her rhythm and grace was spellbinding. Soon we will be going back to Potrero again. I can't wait to hear the music and to see her dance. She will be wearing her faerie wings!

When it Rains it Pours

2008-05-10T00:18:00.000-07:00

So faire season is in full swing and the sewing is too. I have been working on my website as well. It seems there is a never ending list of things to do between family and work. I did manage to get new pictures taken of some of the new items I made. I think they turned out pretty nice! Tarah was the model this time and she did a wonderful job. I also put a shop on my facebook page along with a nice little slide show. It is looking really spiffy. I will have to make sure I add a button with a link here so everyone can check it out. New pictures taken at Tulare Renaissance Festival and a video were added too. The video is pretty silly. My husband is not the greatest when it comes to cinematography!

So life is continuing on under the onslaught of orders and now I must get back to that dreaded machine. People count on me for their costuming needs! Just make sure I get out for a little fresh air and sunlight now and then will ya?

Working Hard Or Hardly Working?

2008-03-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

So the party is over and the house is settling down a bit. I have sewing to do which is good, but trying to juggle working at home and taking care of the house and the teenagers is starting to drive me crazy. You would think that they could clean up after themselves, right? After all they are adults, or nearly so. Yeah, think again. I spend most of the day redoing their chores that they gave a half-assed attempt at and then I am exhausted, but I still need to attend to MY business! It was easy when I had my store. I could just leave in the morning and close the door on all the mess and clutter and not have to deal with it until I came home in the evening. Not so now. If I want to get any work done I have to clean first or there is no way I can sew. The mess stares me in the face. It mocks me at every turn. I have to sew in the dining room at the present and that is the worse mess spot. I am at my wits end some days when they leave it in an especially awful state. And to hear them talk to their friends they act as if THEY slave at home doing all the cleaning. I watched one child wipe a counter missing all the crumbs and not lifting a single appliance to wipe under it. Yeah, that was slaving in the kitchen for her.
So here I am not able to work on my business as I should, which is really important to me and to the financial stability of our household right now, because I live with slobs. Slobs who really could care less, I might add unless they want me to buy them something. Looks like the purse strings are going to be knotted closed for a while.

Whoever Said It Was Going To Be Easy Gets A Punch In The Eye

2008-03-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my daughter's birthday party. She will be 18. Yes, technically an adult, but far from mature. Far be it from me to impart any pearls of wisdom to this child though because honey, she knows it all! I am so out of it I may as well be in outer space. Soon she will be thrust out upon an unsuspecting world and I cringe for both of them. She has moxie, that I'll give her. Intelligence too so hopefully she will swim and not sink in this dog eat dog world. In a way I sort of worry about the world and that she may just end up taking it down a notch. Did I tell ya she has moxie? Sigh. But she is my baby and she will be leaving me soon. She will be off to live her own life and she will not rely upon me anymore. My heart hurts a bit at the thought. I look through pictures of that little girl with the blonde hair and remember how she followed me everywhere and always looked up to me. She now dyes her hair black and has a lip piercing (shudder). She now chooses her own path. And I have to let her. I never thought this would be so hard.

Brushing Off the Dust

2008-03-14T00:47:00.000-07:00

After a long illness I am brushing the dust off my blog and attempting to start it up again. I can't promise that it will be overly witty or pity, but I will try my best to be at least semi-sporadic. Is that good enough? Too bad, that is what you will get. (grin) I have three teenagers and a husband who might as well be one, 14 cats and three dogs. What do you expect from me? The Great American novel? Not going to get it. This is as good as it gets guys and that is not saying much. Now move over while I sweep up the cat hair, brew up a fresh pot of coffee and get comfortable. I feel the urge to sit a spell.

No Rest For The Wicked

2007-10-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

Since I am still sewing I have been unable to attend to my blog. I will be back to write more when I have more of a break.

Another Day, Another Dirty Dish

2007-10-11T01:22:00.000-07:00

So the sewing continues unabated, the orders still roll in, and my household manages to mock me at every turn. Now it is my sink. Yes even the house itself is against me. My sink is clogged. Not an ordinary clog mind you, but a clog to end all clogs. My husband used the plunger, draino, liquid plummer, muratic acid, a snake. He took the pipes apart and forced the hose down as far as it would go and turned the water on high. Nope, no dice. So here it has been three days of him trying to unclog this drain. Three days of not being able to wash dishes, cook a meal, clean my kitchen. If you think that is not that bad, I live in a small mining town with no real fast food restaurants. We have been eating sandwiches off paper plates and I for one want a hot meal so bad I could cry! But have you ever tried to wash a pot in the bath tub? Yeah, right I have a notoriously bad back and would end up in traction in a heartbeat. Hmmm... traction... hospital stay.....hot food....no kids..... nah the medical bills would kill us. But it is tempting, oh so tempting!

Sewing My Fingers To The Bone

2007-10-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say, no, I haven't died. I have just been so busy sewing I haven't had time to blog, read forums, clean my house, discipline my kids, kiss my husband or any of that sort of thing. Yeah, they are all pretty pissed about it too. The dishes overflow the sink, the husband is surly and the kids run amok. I may just move out!

Not Enough Time To Even Chew My Food

2007-09-27T15:34:00.001-07:00

As many of you know I have been battling an illness that has been debilitating. In the middle of all this my friends have had awful things happen to them and strangely enough my Etsy business is booming. Sigh. I have no extra time to be sick and cope with all this! I could really use a helper but my teenagers are not up to par. I would actually appreciate someone taking them off my hands. So here I offer up two teenager girls that excel at talking on the phone, shopping, spending money, and snotty attitudes and one teenage boy that smells, doesn't know what soap means and hasn't changed clothes in a month. I will pay you to take them. Please?

The Shirt Off My Back

2007-09-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

Or rather this shirt should be on YOUR back! Admins have repeated this phrase ad nauseum in the past couple weeks so it is time it was turned into a stylish article of clothing.
Subversion has never been so classy!

Shop at Funky Quail for more subversive goods!

And the Other Shoe Drops

2007-09-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

I hit a brick wall. Not a real brick wall, but a brick wall none the less. I went to see if it was true, if Emckinstry was gone. I clicked on my feedback from a pair of earrings I had sold her and there it was. The dreaded brick wall. You've reached an error: The user id specified is not a verified Etsy member.

I AM ERROR

I think I may cry now.

Worry

2007-09-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

It is pouring outside right now. Another monsoonal downpour and my husband is at work at the mine. I am sitting here in front of the computer crying because I am worried. It was just a few weeks ago that he was involved in an accident because he was sent to refuel a piece of equipment that was idling in the pit. The pit itself has been closed due to the heavy rain. Will he take a chance again? I don't know, it is his job.

A Community Call To Action

2007-09-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

All of the "Etsy 5" have now been revealed. Emckinstry, Eclipse, Blondezillabeads4fun, Quirke and Bencandance. As three of those banned are sellers on Etsy, I believe there should be an appeals process so that they may at some time to be allowed to plead their case for reversal of their banning. At this point they are not even permitted to change their avatars. This has had a negative impact upon their business at Etsy. Please send a polite letter to community@etsy.com to ask for an appeals process. If not for them, then for the rest of the Etsy community. We all deserve it, don't you think?

Show your support buy a TEE!! Being sold right now is this awesome tee with the proceeds going to Amnesty International.

Free the Etsy 5 Tee

And So The Truth Will Be Heard

2007-09-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

While Etsy continues its silence and any questions in the forums are locked at UEN the debate is continuing on what is the possible cause of the banning of 5 members of the Etsy community. So far Blondezillabeads4fun, Emckinstry and Bencandance have come forward as part of the 5 who were banned. The 5 received form letters with no warning stating that they were permanently banned at almost the exact same moment. This has led to speculation and rumours among community members as to the reasons for their expulsion. As of this time the exact reason is still not know but I am closely watching the UENfor further information.

Just in: Eclipse has come forward with her story as another of the banned members.

Spin Doctors

2007-09-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

So things have changed. Many people have ignored what has happened and will go on with their lives and businesses. They figure that it does not affect them. They do not have to worry about it. Maybe, maybe not. But an new undercurrent of fear is now in the forums. Some sellers are slowly moving on to other venues and new people may choose to not sign up. I am not sure what was supposed to have been accomplished by this. Did they meet their objectives? Or did this back fire as I have suspected and now they have let loose any hold they may have had.
And remember not all publicity is good publicity. So what kind of spin will they attempt to put on it? I will be waiting for that.

The Sound of Silence

2007-09-14T00:28:00.000-07:00

It was unexpected. There was no warning, no meaning, no reason. Why? I don't know. The people who were silenced do not know. They were not shown any examples of their behavior that may have been the reason for it. It was sudden and it was chilling. Who is next? Is is me? Is is you? Who? I do not know and we won't know until the duct tape is placed over our mouths.

And the Winner Is......

2007-09-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

The winner of CCCOE's August Challenge is
peggradyart with her entry:,
'Words of Wisdom from Hunter S. Thompson'

You can view more wonderful items in her store here:
peggradyart

She wins this first prize ribbon

-----------------------------------------
The FREE gemstone earrings goes to ******sparklepants******
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=78334

Wow, what fun!!!

Rolling Along

2007-09-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

So strange the things that life throws at you. My husband and I have been through just about everything a person can go through and come out relatively unscathed. This was evidenced yet again Friday night when my husband's refueling truck slid in the slick slurry from a monsoonal rain and flipped over twice at the Borax Mine. Other than some bumps and bruises he is fine. He could have been killed! If he hadn't been wearing his safety harness and hardhat he would have been, or at the very least severely injured. He has a nasty lump on his head that made it through the protection. I can imagine with out it, it would be many times worse.
So we take nothing for granted. Each breath is the sweetest and each day is the brightest. Life is here and now.

CCCOE-August Challenge

2007-09-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

The CCCOE Street Team August Challenge is ended and here are the entrants.

You will be able to vote for the winner in the Etsy forums starting Sept 4th and maybe win a pair of earrings from Sandy Simone Jewelry! I will post a link to the voting when it starts.

When the Time is Right

2007-08-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

Amazing how fast it can be when it happens. I felt so horrible this week. I had strained my neck overdoing it earlier this week. I wanted to get better so bad that I rushed things and ended up back in bed for two days. I then spent my time either in bed or on the couch. Then this morning I woke up and I felt different. Sure I still hurt, but I had energy! I felt alive! I took it slow though. I had after all, been an invalid for two weeks and just gone through surgery. I am pretty happy with this feeling, this feeling of being more myself. With my daughter's help I was able to make a simple dinner for the first time in two weeks! No one had to wait on me! I got my own water, still have to drink with a straw :( but I am doing it all myself! I sound almost normal when I talk, though I cannot raise my voice, so no yelling. I can sing, very softly or sotto voice, just not on a sustained basis. Ugh, does this mean I have to start cleaning my house?

A Long And Winding Road

2007-08-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Such is the road to recovery. I am getting stronger every day and my voice is starting to come back a bit. It is still not where it was, it is very soft and wispy. Hard to discipline children with a voice like this. I have a pot and a spoon that I am supposed to use to get their attention when I need them. I broke the spoon, sigh. They still didn't come to help me. I went to go out side and the dogs were so excited to see me that they were jumping on me. I tried to make my "eck" sound which means down. Didn't work. I ended up being puppy battered and had to beat a retreat to the house. This is very frustrating to me. I know it has only been a week and the doctor had said that it can take up to three weeks for the nerve to recover from the stress. I understand that intellectually, but there is still that little niggle at the back of my mind, that little worry. What if it is permanent? I had one of the best surgeons in the country. He did an amazing job with my surgery. There were no complications and I am healing well, all will be fine. I need to stop worrying. I tell myself this over and over. And I sing softly, "The long and winding road that leads to your door."

A Night At The Opera

2007-08-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I wasn't actually at the opera, and technically I wasn't fat. But the saying "It isn't over until the fat lady sings" was somehow apropos. I was the last one in pre-op. All the other patients had been wheeled away to their destinies. I was left alone and forlorn with a nurse and a tech who was cleaning the gurneys so I did what any insane person would do and belted out a few tunes to keep my spirits up. Vacation by the Go-Gos, Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush, Dona Nobis an Elizabeth madrigal, My Favorite Mistake by Sheryl Crowe, Tonight and the Rest of My Life by Nina Gordon (they asked for it twice) Linger by the Cranberries. I sang because I was not sure if I would have a voice to sing with after that night. I still do not know. It will be a few weeks before I know. I write this with the memories of those songs in my head. Memories of being a teenager and having a garage band. Memories of the lullabies I sang my babies to sleep with. Memories of making up special songs for each of my children and now for my grand children who will each carry on with their clear high voices. Who will each sing their own songs now.

Salvation Is Just A Keystroke Away

2007-07-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't buy indulgences anymore? (hides in case Martin Luther comes back from the grave to strike her down)

Eclectic Chef's Wire Competition

2007-07-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Wire Competition by EJA – Your Chance to Vote and Win!
The Jewelry Guild I belong to is having a very exciting competition and here is what they have to say about it:

Here's your chance to vote for your favorite wire project by the artisans of EJA and your chance to win a free gift bag that will include hand made jewelry and other goodies!!

Just visit eeja.org/wired.html and fill out the form. On July 25th, we will draw a lucky e-mail address from those that have voted. One vote per person. Voting on an item will sign you up for our newsletter that will inform you of future sales and other prize drawings.

Thank you,
Team EJA

EEJA.org

Now how cool is that? Go there and vote and maybe win some cool stuff!

Adventures in Cell Phone Shopping

2007-07-11T22:37:00.000-07:00

A long boring wait at a doctors' office with only back issues of Golfer's Digest and AARP Magazine had me desperate to pass the time while my husband had out patient surgery. I had my trusty Samsung Plum cell phone with T-mobile service and their T-zones, so I was looking at movies times and the BORING amazon.com interface when I realized that I could put in actual website URLs in a section of the screen. Wow. The first thing I did was put in www.etsy.com, a site where I buy and sell handmade crafts. Not too good. But I was not about to give up so I tried a couple more sites and here is my rating of each site with a list of their best features and a letter grade. I plan on doing more experimenting so check back for more of my Adventures.
Note: I did not actually checkout with any of my items so I am not sure how paypal's interface works, but that will be for another article!

Etsy.com:
This was the first site I visited and it was a total wash. You could not view shop products, you could barely view the shop banners. You really couldn't see ANYTHING. I believe most of the problems are because the site relies heavily upon flash and it is just not compatible with my cell phone browser. So no shopping of any kind here. Rating F

MintD.com:
On to the next shop. I was pleasantly surprised at how clean and clear this shop looked. It is a marked improvement over their regular website which seem a bit cluttered. Easy to use and easy to shop. The pictures took a bit to load but, man oh man, they were awesome and I was clicking on items to put in my cart like nobody's business. I could use every aspect of this site on my cell phone including the forums and the lookbooks and was extremely pleased with the experience. I highly recommend it. Rating A+

SmashingDarling.com
The last shop I looked at was very nice also. More cluttered than MintD, it was also a bit harder to navigate, but you could get to the shops, look at the products and put them in your cart. Definitely a good shopping experience that I will do again. Rating B

Injustice Prevails

2007-07-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

Posting in forums can be a risky business. There is no face to face contact to gauge vocal tone or facial expressions so it is easy to misinterpret meaning. While that may be, it seems so unfair when a long time forum poster tries to change her persona from one who is critical (she really cared which is why she pointed out where improvements could be made)to an over the top, silly Pollyanna. She was told that her critiques were unwanted, so she gave them what they thought they wanted. Sweetness and light and positivity ALL the time. What did she get for this? A forum muting from none other than the owner of the site. She was accused of mocking them. Hmmm... maybe. It was a silly mocking if that was what it was. Most of the other forum posters either thought it was hilarious or took it at face value and were happy with her! Did it damage or demean the site? No, but I can say her muting sure did. It made many of us question the direction this company is heading in and whether it is the same direction that we wish to go ourselves.

Can An Old Dog Learn New Tricks?

2007-06-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

I have been veering in the direction of metalsmithing for a while now. It takes a lot of hard work, commitment and some expensive equipment. I am worried about adding "something else" to the long list of crafts I presently do. Will it go the way of the 8 quilt tops I have that need to be finished and are stuck somewhere in a box? I don't know. I just know I am fascinated by the image of molten metal. It sparks a creative urge that I hope will take my jewelry making to a whole new level. If not, does anyone want to buy a used torch?

A Few Pictures to Remind Me

2007-05-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

I did manage to take a few pictures at War and will post some of them here. The first is my granddaughter and her friend making bracelets. Little girls sure do like sparkley things!

Here is the front of my booth

We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Program

2007-05-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

War is over.
All I have left are the wonderful memories and a ton of war dust on everything. I was able to reconnect with many old friends and we spent some time reminiscing. I have made many friends at war over the years and I have to wait until the next war to see them again. One positive is we never get tired of each other!
Now it is time to return to the mundane and wait patiently until the drums of war beat again.

Going To War!

2007-05-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am leaving soon and I am really excited. I am going to Potrero War where I will have a booth to sell my jewelry and costumes. From Friday through Monday I will take on the persona of Peldyn verch Hywell, a 16th century Welsh seamstress. I will speak forsoothly and dance at the ball on Saturday night. Afterwards my husband and I will walk through the lanes of Merchants Row by lamplight and then sing songs 'round a roaring fire. It is a time of enchantment and I get to partake of it!

I Love Lampwork

2007-05-23T22:08:00.000-07:00

I started buying artisan made lampwork beads and I am sooo hooked! Both Etsy and Ebay have some amazing artists that help to keep me broke. Here is my newest bracelet using beads from kreationsbykris at Etsy

Other noteworthy artists:

Denise Harbison of Whispering Beads on Ebay

Mardi Brown of Bastet's Beads on Ebay

hautemama at Etsy

All Sparkly and New!

2007-05-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have noticed the changes to my blog. I now have a beautiful custom designed blog from Ouissi of Memory by Design. I gave her an idea of what I liked and now I have this beautiful site that makes my heart sing! I am anxious to have her revamp my other sites online now. She can work magic!

Don't Stay In The Past

2007-04-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

Life is change. Things will not stay the same no matter how much we want them too. People come and go and life moves on. Embrace the change and have the courage to let life and people change too. Look back with nostalgia, but always move forward. To stay too much in the past is to lose the pleasure that can be found in the here and now.

Friendship

2007-04-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

What is real friendship? I think about this since over the years I have had friends come and go. I like to think that I make a good friend, but I think I am a lazy friend. I am horrible at writing letters, I never call. I rarely visit.
All that aside, I am the friend who will never judge you. I never let you feel bad about yourself and I always listen. When you really need me I will do whatever I can to help. Is that enough?

Now On MintD

2007-04-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

I have opened another store and I am very excited about it. I may even have my line of apparel on it in due time. For now it is just an experiment in other venues.

http://www.mintd.com/stores/show/206-Peldyn-s-Unique-Craftings

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Find Your Voice

2007-03-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I know there are a lot of people who may not like the way things are in this world, but they do not speak out.

I feel sorry for them being afraid to voice their opinion, because I once was one of them.

I am talking about the person who's dinner order at a restaurant is wrong, but doesn't say anything and eats a meal that is not right. The person who is overcharged and just pays it without complaining. The person who is made fun of and never defends them self.
The person who is with a group of people and someone makes a racist remake and they say nothing for fear of making a scene. The person who allows censorship to flourish because they are afraid people will not like their views.

I used to not speak out. I finally realized I was not doing me or my children any favors by keeping quiet. Sure I want people to like me, but sometimes wrong is wrong and we need to speak up against it.

It took me a while to come to this state. It happened at a local merchant meeting where the leader made an anti-semitic remark. I didn't say anything and I felt so dirty! I vowed to not ever let things like that pass with out comment again. Think about it, where would we be without the Rosa Parks of this world? Baby, just get on that bus!

What is this all about?

2007-03-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

I have been told blogging is the next great thing. Is it? It can seem so self absorbed and banal. I almost feel that I have started this under duress, but I do want to learn new things and be forward thinking. So am I now merely a follower? I do not know. But this I do know, to understand I must do.