I'm Not Just Imagining This

We went back to Wegman's in Rochester last weekend because we were in town for the doctor's graduation dinner, and we stayed in the Holiday Inn that is right next to Wegman's, so we went in again to see if we were imagining it all. MyTreasure took a couple of pictures, just because we can't believe such a place exists. See me in the candy aisle--buying hostess gifts for someone dear to me who cooks me special dinners. And then, here is the veggie aisle. I still can't believe that there is a supermarket like this. Although, I have to admit, their prices are higher than I usually pay, and I would probably still find myself in my old haunts hunting up the bargains, but would definitely drop into Wegman's for their specialty items. I went out with red lentils, plus long grain brown rice, and MyTreasure picked up some well priced beer assortment 12-packs. I confess that Wegman's is pure suduction for a foodie like me! No wonder I need Weight Watcher's!

Speaking of Moving Up Day

Who would have thought when your "children" are pushing 40 that there would still be "graduations"? How many have we been to--with five of them, and multiple degrees, it has added up to quite a few. Sort of like the driving tests. I counted up how many times I had driven over to the place in Lindenhurst where the test is given, and then after consolation, driven right to the Motor Vehicle to reschedule the next appointment--I think it totalled ten times. I was so grateful when my youngest daughter passed on her first try.

This weekend we travelled to a "graduation dinner" for our #4. His residency is finished, and the department has a yearly dinner to send off the "graduates" to their new lives. It was very sweet, and we felt all the proud emotions that a parent feels watching their little fledgling mount the steps and shake the hand offering the diploma. This was a somewhat different, since he is 34 years old, and is already contracted for the job he wants, and there is not any uncertainty about his future--Thank Heavens! He certainly exceeded our expectations. Congratulations Dr!

Dude! Where's My Tank?

I read a little book a while back about Feng Shui, and I liked it a lot. It talked about the "chi" or energy within a space, and how certain arrangements of furniture can "block the chi". Sounds a little weird, but when it comes to my workspace, there are things in there that annoy me, and sometimes actually keep me from going into my sewing room. I have a large cutting table that is six feet when it is open, and it definitely blocks the space. But, I leave it open, because then I can just go ahead and cut fabric, without having to open up the table first. And the always set up ironing board--same deal.

Well, the really big problem is the bed. Yes, there is a bed in there, under that mound of fabric. When I want to work, I more or less clear off the cutting table by putting whatever is there onto the bed. Most of the time, I can keep track of what's in the mound, and don't lose much. But, a couple of months ago, someone was staying over, and I had to close up the table, the ironing board, and locate the bed, so that our guest could sleep in it, instead of spending the night upright on one of the loveseats in our living room. I have many, many patterns and articles all sorted into clear plastic envelopes, and I thought it would be a good idea to put them into the file cabinet in the attic. I came across one that I had marked "My Clothes", which are tissue patterns of ready-made clothes, that I trace around, and then reproduce. It works really well, since you have a garment that you know fits, and you won't be wasting your time on an untried pattern that turns out to be for somebody who is stick straight, or has an ample bust, with no hips--the complete opposite of what my body is. I dutifully climbed the attic stairs, pulled out the file drawer, and went through the envelopes, and only found doll patterns, and baby clothes, and polar fleece, etc. Back to the sewing room. Where is "My Clothes"? Closet, dresser, down to the bottom of the mound, baskets under the sewing table, pattern boxes--I know I saw it not that long ago! Over it all again, and nothing. Then I picked up some envelopes of doll patterns ("Naked Nancy" being one,) and there it is in my hand--"My Clothes"! Yay! Pull out Tank Top 2005, and T-shirt from Bob's Stores, and I'm good to go. I confess that I have decended to the level of functioning amid my self-made chaos. I don't guess I'll ever get it together, but, I get stuff done, even if the room isn't tidy. At least when we have company it turns back into a guest room, and then it looks all nice again.

The Lure of the Bargain

Last week I was in JoAnn's, and for the most part I try to stay out of there, since I already have just about everything they sell, in mulitples. But, I had gone up to the attic a while back and took a look at all my summer shorts, and they were pretty old and tired. I decided to sew up some new ones, and capris also. The old ones went into the bag for Big Brothers, who obligingly called a couple of days later and gave me a pick-up date.

I found a nice shirt in Penney's on sale, and I bought it in all three colors. It is the kind of thing you can layer over a tank top and is great for travelling. I bought it in all three colors. White was easy, but I didn't have anything to go with the other two colors--a magenta, and an olive drab. I hopped up to the fabric store in my attic, and found a knit that had that exact magenta--Yay! Shorts! The olive drab was another story. Enter a little flyer that I had picked up in JoAnn's. On the back was a bunch of squares that had sales, one of them being half off on their mark-down fabrics. The devil whispered in my ear "Go to Sayville, go to Sayville", and so I did. On a Sunday, no less. For a dollar a yard, I got flannel to make receiving blankets that I will donate to a NICU, and some denim with spandex for shorts, and for two dollars a yard a lovely floral, which will become a "designer sun dress", and pretty much a whole summer wardrobe for fifty dollars. Thank heavens the temps cooled down so that I can put some time in the sewing room, and get it all stitched up. I just can't find my tank top pattern, but it will turn up. I confess, I do love a bargain!

My Constant Companion

I started knitting a large tote bag from a pattern by Janet Scanlon that she calls "My Constant Companion". It is a "felted" bag, and for that process, you knit something big out of 100% wool, then put it into hot water in the washing machine, and it shrinks down. We've all done this over the years with certain of our most beloved sweaters, just not intentionally. I have one Fair Isle alpaca sweater that now serves as a pin cushion, but I digress. I confess when I started knitting "My Constant Companion" I did not think to take the name literally, but it turned out to be the case. I knitted, and knitted, and knitted, and the thing got bigger and bigger--big enough to keep everything in it while I was working on it--the extra yarn, the pattern book, my bag of knitting tools, snacks...



So! Finally done, complete with inside pocket, outside pocket, I-cord straps, and into the machine it goes. Wonder of wonders, it does its thing, and turns into a fine looking tote bag, all ready to hold plenty of whatever I decide to put into it, and maybe will turn into my constant companion, just like the pattern said.

The Perfect Pairing

For Mother's Day I was the recipient of a fine pair of hand knit socks, made from hand dyed yarn. You may notice that the colors match a certain group of beloved objects that we all make and consume every spring--the venerated Easter Egg. Not too many people would even consider wearing such a thing, however the the maker of the socks understands me very well, and knew that I would enjoy having them. But, I bet she didn't remember that I already had the perfect shoes to go along! They were quite the sensation at my last exercise class. If you haven't already seen "The Making of the Easter Eggs Socks", go to http://www.mothernecessity.blogspot.com/, starting with the May 13th post, and check out how the yarn was dyed. Thanks Necessity!

Grilled Stakes

Good Grief! We were FRIED at the Belmont yesterday. It was so hot I didn't know what to do with myself. I could have worn less clothing, but I was not inappropriately attired for the day, but we were just pouring sweat. I kept checking my shirt to see if it was changing color as it soaked up, but it was just drying out in the heat. The floor of the indoor grandstands was covered with a layer of condensation, since it is cement, and what with all the detritus of a 100,000+ crowd, it got to be ugly. No taking your shoes off no matter how many blisters you had!

Outside in the backyard it was a little better if you walked over to the shade, and there was a nice little breeze going on back there. The Catch 22 was the fact that the heat made you really thirsty. They were ready and waiting with all sorts of drinks, but for whatever reason (Newsday said low water pressure) the restrooms were locked. There were long, long lines for the many portapotties standing all over, so the incentive to do without liquid intake was real high.

Negotiating through the crowds of people cut down on the ability to get from the place where they parade the horses, and then through to where you watch the race. Inside the grandstand there was no air moving. At one point, my niece and I stood next to the open doors of a Budweiser refrigerator truck, until they came and closed them back up. Lines at the betting windows were very long, but the people working them were very patient, and working in that heat without any breaks, since there were so many bettors--when they were not taking in money, they were paying out. Definitely a long day for them.

Then came the big race that we went to see. Or actually didn't see. If I looked between heads I could see the big screen tv. The starting gate was right in front of us, but since all the fans were standing on the benches, I really couldn't see that either. I could see the back stretch, and the final turn when Big Brown faded and then was pulled up. Such a let down--so interesting to see the crowd reaction, which was dejection. Big Brown, Big Bust! We, however, were not all that dejected, since it meant that we were going to make money on our bets. MyTreasure got a very nice payout on his longshot win, and I doubled money on my safety bet.


Finally, we still had to get out of the track, and back on the LIRR. It was slow going, and did I mention that it was HOT? The train was air conditioned, but poked along, so that we missed our connection, and didn't get home until around 9:30. Happily, it was Saturday night, and all the restaurants were open, so we revived ourselves with beer and margaritas and burritos, and got home in a better mood than we were on the train. An adventure for sure! I confess I don't know if I will go again--the intrigue of saying "I was there!" lingers, even if the outcome was not what we hoped...this time...

Old Friends Are Often Characters

When my first born was about a year old a miracle happened: somebody thought up CTW and Sesame Street made its appearance on tv. There was nothing else like it, and as a parent, I was grateful for its arrival. It was the only program made for the very small viewer, and it actually showed them something useful and age appropriate in a format they could digest. The programs were also funny for adults, with subtle jokes children couldn't possibly understand, but mothers who were listening in could chuckle over. One of my favorites was a song called "Letter B" sung to the Beatles tune "Let It Be".

This was in the days before Fischer-Price, and so I got out my trusty crochet hook and came up with Ernie, Bert, then Cookie, and lastly, Grover. I started a Kermit, but he never got finished, due to design problems over his open mouth. I do recall I even sold a few off a little table at the Argyle Fair, back in the time before it became the extravaganza that it is now, and licensing and copyright laws made it illegal. There are moments in my life when I am organized, and I kept a notebook where I wrote down the original patterns that I had invented. Each of my kids had one character, and one by one they wore out and went the way of old toys, all except for Grover, who was still in decent shape and got sent to the attic.

Skip ahead to the pending birth of my first grandchild, now seven years old, who I affectionately call "Gracious!". A dinner table conversation brought back tales of the old dolls, and I went to the attic and pulled out Grover. The Professor, my son-in-law, was very taken with Grover, and I ressurected the patterns for Ernie and Bert, and brought them back into being. Then, I updated a bit, and made Elmo, who is a more recent addition to Sesame Street. These four lived at Chez Necessity until crowded quarters sent them back to Grammy's toy box. I confess it gives me pleasure to have them here, and when the kids come, these characters get their fair share of carry time. Grover is the original, and he is about 33 years old.

The Wages of Sin is Weight Watchers

I confess that I am tired of dealing with the relentless struggle with that creeping nemisis that has dogged me (and I'm sure just about everyone) all my life. My family always instilled in me that sooner or later I was going to put on weight, and even when I was very thin, I was told that I had a big fanny--which I do, only now it reallys IS a big fanny! Yesterday I took myself back--yes, back--you never just join once--to Weight Watchers. It works. I will take off the pounds that need to go, but I am very sad that I can't seem to make them disappear without so much effort. MyTreasure and myself, as well as our circle of friends and family are "foodies", in the class of recreational eaters. We enjoy eating, and cooking, and it is most definitely one of our amusements.

One of my biggest problems is that MyTreasure, who is 6' tall, has maintained his weight all these years--I bet never crossing the 165 lb. line. He is in our kitchen about every two hours, hunting up a snack, or grazing, as I call it. He eats everything that is put in front of him, and after I go up to bed at night, he finds his way to the dessert cart, and makes his choice. He doesn't eat junk food, and enjoys raw veggies with his sandwich at lunch. So, there is always plenty of eating going on here, at all hours of the day. I manage not to participate in most of his forays, and stick to my three meals a day, and yet, I am the one who puts on the weight. At one point, about 10 years ago, I tried eating just one meal a day--supper. I lost weight, but it took me months. I would have thought those pounds would be gone in a few weeks! Ha! What a joke. And, then I gained them all back. On pretty much no food. How does that work?

So, at least Weight Watchers got me back to eating three meals again, and I still do that. But I keep going up 2 lbs, 2 lbs, 2 lbs. I lost it again, but it took months and months. I got tired of keeping such close track, and gave it up for a while. But, now I'm back. I have a closet full of clothes that I don't fit into, and I had to make a decision--give them to Big Brothers, or give it another shot at WW. A dear friend decided to go, so I jumped onto her wagon, and another joined us, so we are the Three Musketeers for the duration. Thanks Lawyer Lady and Garden Fairy for being there! And who knows--maybe I won't be so lumpy by the Doctor's wedding Labor Day Weekend.