and, NO, I do NOT get a pass AND Avatar

With all this talk of being ill and all, I want to stress most definitively that I don't think I get a pass on my behavior.  In fact, I think I have to be more vigilent.  If you know you have a problem and have acknowledged it, then you need to do everything you can to stay in control.  You really should have NO excuses, right, well......I wouldn't go that far--hahahahahahaha

I'm reminded of a radio commerical for Dr. Laura that I hear regularly.  She must be speaking to a caller about depression or something and says in a very falsetto voice,  "I can't do the laundry because I'm very sad..."  And then in her voice says something like, "Boy, she really knows how to work the system."

I can't wait to post a picture of my bedroom wall.  I've been complaining that I can't get M to help me with the home improvements I want to make.  I said I'd be willing to do just about anything to get him going.  Well........  Last night, of all things for him to start working on, he started to "plaster" the ENTIRE wall with some type of repair putty.  I'm not sure how I feel about this because, most of all, it could very well turn into one of those projects he starts and never finishes.  Before one judges me as being pessimistic, I've lived with the man for almost 18 years and I've not had a shower wall for 12.

We've never liked the textured walls that are in every room of our house.  I don't like them because they collect dust.  M doesn't like them because he says they look poorly done.

I walked in on him starting this job and was stunned.  He didn't say he was going to do it or consult me first.  He got about 1/3 of a wall done.  Please note that it's not just a matter of putting this putty on the wall.  I guess it will have to be sanded down, too.  He must have been a mind reader and not in a good way because I had just decided to get paint next payday and start painting......

More marital silliness:

M calls me from Walmart last night.  He asked if I needed anything.  I tried really hard to think of something really good because he hardly ever offers.  The best I could do was to ask him to get me some chocolate (sometimes it's the best medicine).  I figured he was there buying Avatar, but I didn't let on.  When he got home he didn't have the movie--only a bunch of heartburn medicine and our candy (our medical Flex card expires at the end of the month so he was using the rest of the money in the account so we don't lose it).  I waited patiently for him to discuss Avatar and why he didn't buy it (which I could care less about because, even though I know it's a movie magic miracle of special effects, I don't like to instructed into political correctness and beat over the head with a political message by a movie) so I could get my fill of laughing at the absurdity of my shopper challenged husband.  (Hey, all in good fun!)  Sure enough he couldn't find Avatar to buy at our Walmart because they must have not been selling it or they sold out.

Pause, as I'm still laughing.....

S:  Remember, M, we are in the bad part of town and they lock everything up.

M:  Well, I didn't see any copies anywhere

S:  Did you go back to Electronics and ask anyone?

M:  Well, you know you can never find anyone to help you

S:  (silence)

M:  Well, I don't think they had it

S:  (silence)  Everyone is selling it, including the grocery store!  I saw it there tonight.  Our store isn't like my mom's where they have pallets of movies out in plain view.  The people in my mom's neighborhood would be very offended if movies were locked up, but our's is different.  I'm sure if you had gone back to Electronics and asked for a copy, they had some.

M:  (annoyed look saying You think you know everything and silence)

S:  (dropping subject)  Dinner in 15


He ended up taking C to Walmart after dinner.  She had asked him to buy elastic hair bands--that's a good one--and he bought ponytail elastics.  Guess what he found?  Avatar in Electronics on the shelf in it's theftproof display.

I got as far as the initial discussion of "Unobtanium" before LMBO and going to bed.

Instead

I could go on and on about my craptastic day, but I not going to.

Instead I'm happy to report that I truly believe A has overcome his Encopresis. He is having regular BMs at school and at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is taking a break from the stool softener and still have regular BMs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is in underwear during the day and at night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No accidents in weeks...................

and

I at least have something pretty to look at and listen to. The song is on my IPod and I have all the good parts bookmarked at You Tube.



We went to church tonight. I like the shortened services for Lent. We were out of there in 40 minutes and I enjoyed the sermon of the visiting pastor. I got in some prayer and left feeling rejuvinated and calm.

I'm still in my room hiding out with the computer tonight. Hey, I can't be all sweetness and light. I'm going to crash early tonight as I've been up VERY late the last three nights sewing my secret quilt project, surfing the net, and reading. I zipped through Elizabeth Scott's Something, Maybe (YA). I can recommend the sewing, not the surfing, and I loved the book. (Would that I'd of had a boy like Finn in high school.)

Quilting, My Stress..............Reliever

It's supposed to be that way. It ends up more often than not being so, but not because the reasons you might think.

I can never let a visible mistake go. I'm done apologizing for it! It has nothing to do with me being an unhappy person or a perfectionist. I don't prescribe to the motto, "better done than perfect." If I see a mistake and it's within my power to fix it, then I don't see ANY reason not to fix it.

This is MY way of thinking. To each his own!!!! If mistakes don't bother people and it's not a group project, then I don't care if YOU don't want to fix things and let them be. I'm not that way.

This doesn't mean that I'm a perfect quilter. Far from it...... But, I'm the type that doesn't let things be if I it's within my power to fix them.

The reasons my quilting stresses me out sometimes:

1) The goals I set

2) Thinking about wanting to quilt and not being able to

3) Worrying that people think my work is crap or that they don't get it

4) People misunderstanding me because of the above need to correct mistakes

5) Not being able to get a design or the colors right

6) The making of stupid sewing errors--the kind if I would just check twice to cut or sew once

These are just a few of things that can stress me out. I would never give up quilting because of any of them. However, we all know I run with scissors (to borrow a phrase) and that I don't play well with others. I do like to vent a little.....okay, a lot.

Last night I had a stressful quilting night. Brenda told me to "sew something". I've been wanting to finish the Quilt. GAQF is having another sale this weekend so I'd like to get my border fabric and it's just me that I need to have this top done to be able to make a good decision.

After church, chores, kids' bedtime rituals, and the replay of Burn Notice I talked M into finally watching The Taking of Pelham 123 that I've so long we should have just bought the movie. (I love Denzel and John so I've been wanting to see it. My review: good, but maybe I just wasn't in the mood for all the violence and bad language.) Movies=sewing

I had pinned Rows 3 and 4 together the night before. I sewed them without issue--seams all butted well, even the ones that didn't nest (just a luck of the draw with these blocks and their seams). Finished this sewing mid-movie so I moved on to sewing these rows with already combined Rows 1 and 2. Now, I swear I checked my picture to be sure that I was sewing the rows together correctly (i.e. so the bargello effect would occur).......... Pinned and sewed. Opened to press and oh, #$%!. Yeah, you got it. I had sewed the rows the wrong way. (Shades of Saratoga Lights, but not so bad--if you will remember, I had the whole top pieced and TRIMMED when I realized that I had sewn a block in a row the wrong way. This wasn't the first mistake in THAT quilt which made it that much worse.)

Calmly and quietly reverse sewed. LOOKED AT MY PICTURE and pinned the ends together. If I'm in the mood tonight and have the time, I will try again. I don't think we have anywhere to be?

Where Did it Go?!

It's Sunday night and I can't believe it! My weekend zoomed by....

We had a busy day. I slept in which I don't like to do because it's wasted time. I was behind today before I even got up.

I raced to Walmart this morning to reload my moneycard with my paycheck dated today. I bought myself another belated b'day gift of the Swifter Wet Jet. Sad to say, though, that I didn't get to try it out. I bought the girls some new sheets. I haven't managed to get anything else done for their room. We window shopped yesterday and they pointed out the sheets. Theirs are both so ratty that I went ahead and splurged this morning. C is still having a tug-o-war with her dad over her closet. He took the door off as planned months back and still hasn't got the stuff to fill in or cover the places where the hinges were. She's annoyed and so am I. I'm having such a difficult time getting him to do anything.

I told him that since the Log Cabin Quilt is almost done that we had to get going on our room so we would have a place to put it. He just rolled his eyes. I plan on getting my dresser cleaned off and cleaned out so he can get it out of there like he promised. I confirmed tonight that he will do it so I better get moving before he changes his mind.

I also bought a replacement crockpot today. I'm not much of a crockpotter despite some friends and my mom trying to get me to be. I mostly use the ones I've had to keep food warm at potlucks. I needed one today for the food I took to A's Blue and Gold Ceremony for his Boy Scout Pack. M decided he wanted me to make fried rice so I did. I also made some frozen potstickers and homemade eggrolls. I still haven't figured out how to roll them correctly and they looked horrible, but they tasted good! I put asparagus and chicken in them along with Chinese cabbage, shredded carrot, beansprouts, and onion. I have some wrappers left so I'm going to try to make some more. They're really not that tough to make, just time consuming.

The ceremony went longer than expected so I didn't get back up to the quilt shop like I wanted to. I'll have to head up there this week before I forget all the fabric I had picked out yesterday when I was window shopping.

Tonight was movie night at church. C, A, and I went. In honor of Purim, we watched One Night with the King. We didn't go to dinner since we'd had such a big lunch. The movie was good. There is something about a man wearing guy-liner. hahahahahahaha Luke Goss as King Xerxes was easy to look at. (I had to come and IMDB him and, who knew, but he's the same guy who played the baddie in Hellboy II and one of the main vamps in Blade II.)





The only knowledge I had of Esther's story was the Veggie Tales' version and I saw it so long ago. This version had a lot of intrigue and romance so I enjoyed it. Some biblical stories as produced for movie can be very dry and assume too much prior knowledge. I'd like to see the movie again because I missed a lot of the beginning because of audience noise, etc. We also had these silly noisemakers to spin when Haman was on screen which the kids used with glee.

It's 9:30 and I have so much left undone. I'm aching to call in sick tomorrow, but I won't. I don't want to let my boss down and have a poor start to my week.

I'll Watch Anything

I'll watch anything if it means I get to sew.

We hit the Redbox last night and rented three movies. We didn't have a lot to choose from since most of the good stuff was out. We took out three movies.

Z decided on Land of the Lost. I don't mean to offend anyone that likes that movie, but I couldn't believe how stupid it was. Z thought it was funny so I'm sure the movie was made for the 11-13 old male in mind. M thought it was okay for the sake of notstalgia.

We got a late start watching it because we had to catch up by watching this week's Burn Notice episode On-Demand. I didn't get to watch the movie I rented for me because I was too tired by the time Land of the Lost was done.

I didn't care what was on television because with them watching the movie I could sew without feeling guilty. I have five more Log Cabin blocks to finish after last night. I took a trip to GAQF to get the fabric I'm short of while I was out getting my coffee this morning. They opened the shop early just for me. Probably not, but it was open at 9:40 when I got there instead of it's posted 10. I gave up on makin it to Holly's for more charm packs for the siggie squares and purchased some Chez Moi instead.

I'd like to make a quilt with this line!

I'm also toying with an idea of making a quilt for my church's silent auction in the spring. The entire way the youth group is run in this church is another negative in my life so I'm not sure. How could that be?! I have honestly tried to help with fundraising ideas, but I'm constantly rebuffed. The old guard at church is very set in their ways.

M is taking S and Z to the youth group function tonight. They are going to the discount movie theater. He wanted to go. I'm letting him since they didn't decide to go see New Moon. I think they're going to see Planet 51 or The Spy Next Door. I'm not that upset because it will mean sewing time for me.

I think we'll be out a lot tomorrow. A's Blue and Gold Dinner is tomorrow. Oh, yeah I was just reminded of that today. I'm supposed to make an international dish that my kid will eat. oooooooooooooooo-kay............ It's movie night at church tomorrow night. We're watching a movie about Esther. S really wants to go because she wants to dress up as a princess and I guess the audience is supposed to be interactive with the movie, sort like Rocky Horror Picture Show. Booing and hissing when the bad character is on screen, etc.