Last weekend of August

　

Aug 28

Intresting morning we had.

I woke up early, especally considering I went to bed around 11.. I was up before 6:30.. Ok.. I'll take my shower then. I no sooner got out of the shower and Jerry woke up. We talked about what we were going to do for the morning. Since it's cool out, we will take the dogs with us, "visit" a few yard sales then go to Ryan's for breakfast. We went to two yards sales and then returned the dogs to the camper.. Macon just would not shut up and I know some people do not want to hear a barking dog at any time of the day, let alone one before 8am on a Satureday morning. We didn't find anything we wanted at either yard sale. Out again, sans the dogs. and another yard sale. Still nothing we wanted/needed. We ate at Ryan's and I texted with B a little bit. She asked that I stop texting cause she packing to move. I knew that. it's not like I was asking her to run outside and call me. She's in a "Mood" again, I guess. Her News is.. instead of moving in with her cousin J, she's going to make payments on a camper, park it at a friends house, help pay on the power bill there, and live in it, at least until she can buy a good car, truck or van... and save up enough money to rent a place closer to work. I'll believe it when I see it. But at least she's got a place to move to, before the end of this month when she's got to be out of the place she's in now. She'll be putting a few things in our storage in town. We sent her the key through the mail.

After Breakfast, we made our weekly payment on the van and car. Read the note on his counter.. Now if we could just get caught up.. we could be in the running for some very nice items he's putting in a give a way.. no need to be present to win.. my luck,, we would win the big screen tv since we don't have a place to put one.

Found a couple more yard sales and was getting close to back home when Jerry's phone rang... he's needed at the job. There are some lights that are not on that should be.ok.. no problem we are just out gadding about looking for yard sales anyway. There is this tall guy.. I mean he make J look as short as I am when I'm next to him. First thing out of his mouth. is "I see they send the right man to fix the problem". (Love it when I hear good things like that) We walk through, the lights are in the shoe department.. and they are on.. Well there was some that were not on but the majority of them are on.. and he's like..." what the world they were not on just a few minutes ago..." It was just a few minutes after 10 when we got there. Um... they are on a timer and it's set for 9:50.. Ha ha.. but hey,, what it really showed that, even though J's only a temp employie.. he's willing to drop what he's doing "for fun" to come in and check things out. The man he talked to called J's boss, and when we got back in the van, J called his boss as well. If nothing else.. he now has a couple more "brownie points in his favor" It will be November before he can hire on with the company he's working through the temp service for. Most temp services have a 3 month contract,, this one is 6 mounth.. but at the end of that.. He's sure to be getting lots more money per hour.

a couple more Yard Sales and we were done with doing that. just getting too late to find anything good left at any of them.. We did find some game controlers and J found a lamp he likes for his side of the couch.

　

Sunday. Aug 29

The dogs let us sleep in this morning. We slept till 9am.. I guess it was all the rain we got last night. Jerry made breakfast. An egg sandwich for me and a sausage and egg sandwich for him. We just took our time this morning cause it was so late when we got up.. I told Jerry, I'll just keep the van tomorrow and do the laudnry while he's at work. He really doesn't like to have to wait for the machines to do the work. and then the standing around to fold things up.. We drove around for a little bit. Just out "Looking". and ended up back in Coaling, again.. it seems that every time we go out on the back roads, we end up in Coaling. Before heading home, I suggest we go do the shopping. We spent just over $70 for the two of us.. and there are things I forgot to get. Or, didn't get. I'm not paying $7 or more for three boneless, skinless chicken breasts that look like they came off a very young thin chicken.. I'm just not going to do it. Back home. put away the food. and watched two movies we picked up from Blockbusters. one more to go. I'll try to watch it tomorrow or Tuesday, it;s due back Wednesday. Jerry was watching the Crimanal Minds marathon and after a bit the dogs wanted out.. he took them out and I finished reading emails on line.. about the time I went to go outside, Macon barked.. I put him in his kennel and went outside. He hates to be alone.. in about 4 minutes I got him back out and he rejoined "the people". He almost barked a couple more times but when I said Kennel he stopped. He was content to sit and watch the world go by, after that.

Hello. a long post.

Hello. Here are a few things and items that I wanted to add to my blog and then time got away from me. and now it's time to add them.

Today, I woke up to a nice cooler morning that we have had.. It's put me in a mood to do some deeper cleaning. I've gotten the bathroom gone over. the closet walk through done, but not the shelfs in there.. the beds made and the counters of the kitchen done. I still need to clean under the counters, but that will wait for another day.

*****

We had an Intresting weekend. First off.. J is not usually a person to readly help someone else out. Not often anyway. Saturday, we drove around, checked out a few yard or garage sales. I found pie plate that will let me cook in the microwave without worrying about the turning thing in there dumping a dish over. The glass plate broke a couple of weeks ago. J found 3 music CD's. But since every road we took seem to keep taking us close to where we do our food shopping, figured we were being "told" to go shop and get that out of the way. When we came out of the store, J noticed that the car in front of the van had the hood up. J had seen the same man working on his car in a couple of other places during the week, and decided to ask if he needed help. While it was taking a while, I went back into the store and bought a bag of ice. just over $2 for 10 pounds of ice. The woman with him got out because it was soo hot in the car.. Saturday was her due date. out of her other 6 kids she's never gone to her due date. And she was not in labor yet. She had just gotten some of the food for a cook out her Mother was having. it was her Mom's birthday. After about 15 minutes of J and the other fellow trying to start the car "One more time" it was decided that I would take her to her mom's house, while they removed the starter off the car. She didn't live all that far from the store. But imangine the surprise at the house, when this older woman, a stranger to them, drove their daughter home, and helped carry in the grocries. I was offered something cool to drink and even a sandwich, but I knew I needed to get back to help J. I got back just in time, they almost had the starter off and once it was off, We took the man to the parts store. Granted it was only a block away, but it would have been one hot walk for any of us. While we were at the parts store, a woman parked her SUV in front of the car. Not too close but she thought she was in the way, and appoliges for parking there, cause she didn't think about it being worked on.. As she was pulling out, I noticed she was dragging something.. turns out to be the return hose from the cooling system to the reserve tank. Another man helped her fix it, Just as J was going to go over and help her. For a while there, Save a lot parking lot was a U Fix It parking place. The started was put back on. We made sure it would start before we left him.. J even put the tire back on the car because it was easier for him to get to it. The man we were helping most likely outweighted the J and I together. I do hope that they get to meet again. J usually saw him at the gas station he stops at on his way into work. It really felt nice to be able to help out someone else like that. Since I had all the stuff that needed to be kept chilled, on ice, I told J we needed to go on down to the bread store we also shop at to pick up his lunch stuff. Once home, J walked the dogs while I put away the food. They were sure glade to see us since we had been out for almost 4 hours.

********

We went to do laundry on Sunday but all the places were full with people waiting for machines. I told J if I could have the van on Monday, I'd just do the laundry while he's at work. sure but he was out of underwear.. I told him that's not really a bad problem since I know how to wash by hand. and if I hang them in the bathroom with the fan on they would be dry in just a couple of hours. and I was right, less than two hours from getting them wet a few dunks up and down in the water, a bit of a scrub. and a good rinsing.. then on a hanger to dry, they were done. Today (Monday)after getting up and making J's breakfast, I walked the dogs. I went with J to take him to work. He picked up a couple of 20 ounce cola's for me while he got a 2 liter for him. We talked a bit before he had to go in. We got to where he works at about 40 minutes before he had to be inside. We talked about what we would do if the day had been called off. (no such luck) We would check out a couple of job leads we got over the weekend. I came back to the camper, Did my own breakfast, then walked the dogs, again. Then went to do the laundry. I was done right at 10 am. I got in just before it got crowded in there. J texted me. today will be a 10 hour day.. Yippie.. maybe he'll have some overtime on next weeks check if this keeps up all week.

*****

Well Drats. Jerry just called as I was getting out of the shower.. it's an 8 hour day, not 10. Ok, let me get dried off and dressed and I'll be there.

When we got back to the camper it just didn't seem as cool as it should be.. Oops.. I forgot to turn the air to fan for a while in the am.. and it was frozen over. We had to let it run on Fan for about 40 minutes for it to thaw out and work right again.

******

While it was so hot Sunday. and I didn't want to watch what J was watching I went through one of my craft drawers. I found a picture of our youngest, and some fun foam shapes I want to use to frame it with. I have to do a wee bit of triming and since I want to make a tutorial of it to post here on my blog That ws as far as I got.. My camera battery needed charged up.. I'll be working on that soon, though.

Over the weekend J called our son and asked, if we paid for the parts, would he be willing to go to H's and put them on.. Yeah. So now we have to come up with enough money to cover the parts. Antoher reason to want the over time. J is stressing about the car not being worked on. That it sitting there is going to make it break down again faster. As much as I love H, the car sitting there is starting to cause some trouble between us. We just want it running.

*****

I didn't get any of my usualy work done yesterday. I just didn't get to much of it. I was going to put the showermat over the side of the tub when I got out. ( got that phone call.) Was going to make the beds, after I got dressed (had to leave in a hurry) I did have the dishes soaking in hot water when I left. ( the water cooled while I was gone) I did get them done, but only so I could fix dinner. Was going to cook pork chops, (too hot inside with the air turned off a bit) We had sandwiches and chips instead. I took the pork chops out this morning while fixing J's breakfast so they will be thawed in time for me to fix for dinner.

Hello.

Hello. Not much going on around here. Jerry is getting 40 hours a week, maybe.. After the few weeks of lots of overtime. this stinks. But we will survive on a less than 40 hour paycheck.

We rented Billy Jack Goes to Washington this week. I got it for me.. I don't think Jerry is intrested in it, but I have been wanting to watch it for a long, long time. I remember when Billy Jack first came out. My brother wanted to go watch it and Mom said no.. When it came to the drive in theater T talked my younger brother and I into finding enough Cola bottles to get Mom in. They were glass back then and worth a nickle deposit each.. Mom always said that if we would find enough money to get her in, She would take us to the movies each weekend. We would pop a huge bag of Popcorn and make tea to drink.. the only cost , really was her ticket since us "kids" were still young enough to get in for Free. I got mom "Hooked" on Clint Eastwood movies by the same method. Of course I didn't know that the Beguiled was "That" dark. Oh the movies we got to see.. That Durn Cat, Herby the Love Bug. The Computer wore Tennis Shoes. but that's taking me away from my thoughts.

Back to Billy Jack.. I think Mom was afraid that us "Kids" would want to go find where Billy Jack lived. Or want to live in a commun. (hey back then it was a good idea) Tom really enjoyed the movie and I was old enough to follow the plot line and see the irony of the story even then. But oh, Give Peace a Chance was sure a grand idea we all wanted. T had the album. with the picture of Billy on the front, with that black hat and that hat band. Yikes that hat band.. I had just learned how to make seed bead bands.. I had made a few slimmer ones into necklaces and T wanted that hat band. I don't know if he every tried to find it someplace else. No internet back then, to look for one. T got a dart board. We were tossing darts and he made me a bet. he bet me that I couldn't hit a higher score than him... and the pay off was.. if I lost I had to make the headband for free... If I won, he would pay be $10 over the cost of the beads and thread. The only time I every hit that board in the center was on that bet. Sorry T, I just had to write about it.

A sample of Teri's Craft Newsletter

Hello.

Sorry about not posting yesterday.. I took the day off from all but the very basic's of house work and caught up on some sleep.

One of my most favorite things to do is sit down with a bowlfull of beads, and plan on making something with them. I think it all started when I was 13 and My father gave me a seed bead kit. A few weeks later, I won a bet with my brother. He wanted a "Billy Jack" hat band.. On the toss of a dart he had to pay me $10 over the cost of the beads when I finished it.. of course I didn't have a pattern and had to go find an album to at least get an idea on how it should look... Yes, it took me a while to make it. I was still in Jr high school and had plenty of homework and my chores to do befor I could sit and do any craft. Mom was a stickler that all the housework had to be done first. When he asked for a matching belt. I laughed and said, no. I had no idea how to attach it to the leather. I made several Beaded necklaces for my Grandmother. A couple of years before I got that kit. I was in Colorado and in Summer the park offered Art and Craft classes to the kids.. We made beads out of cut up wall paper, rolled them on a toothpick, glued them. let them dry then shellaced them. My Grandmother still have them over 30 years later, and they still looked great.

http://www.beadjewelrymaking.com/Arts_and_Craft_Idea/ring_project.html

Beaded Ring and Bracelet

What you need:

1) Nylon Fishing line (Any size less than 0.25mm)
2) Round Seed Beads and Long Bugle Beads
3) Scissors

*****

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/sp_lesson.html

by Ria van Son, edited by Sunni Bergeron

I am Ria, a lot of you know me only as the Tease Sorceress. I live in the Netherlands in the harbor city, Rotterdam. I am 31 years young and I clay now for about 9 or 10 years . I started out with air drying clays and lately I work more and more with Polymer clays. Most of all, I make dragons and other fantasy figures; but lately I found out that making beads from Polymer Clay is so much fun!

From Sunni: Ria also teaches classes on how to make a variety of things with polymer clay. This is a lesson she cobbled up quickly one evening for your claying enjoyment. This is her first foray into written lessons, and I think she's done a wonderful job! In this lesson, Ria shows you how to make a safety pin bracelet from your favorite beads.

Materials:

• At LEAST a dozen safety pins. Depending on the size of the wrist you may use more or less.
• Twice as many big beads as safety pins
• About 6-12 beads per safety pin depending on the kind you use.
• 2 sections of black elastic cord (or the color of your choice) approximately 10 to 12 inches long.

1. Lay all the beads and safety pins out so they are ready for use and so you have a model on how to string them all on the elastic cord.	Click on the picture for a closer look. You put beads on all the safety pins.
Lay the safety pins so that one beaded side is up and, for the next one, the beaded side is down and keep alternating like this. This way your bracelet is equally wide on the top and bottom. If you want a wide one on just one side, use all the beaded sides up.	Click on the picture for a closer look. Then you start stringing them on the cord.
Click on the picture for a closer look. First start with one row.	You do not start with the second row before the first is finished! Or else your beads will be sure fall on the ground and, believe me, cats like beads!!!
When the first row is completed, you can start the second row.	Click on the picture for a closer look. When this is finished you make a knot in the cords so it will fit you.
And there you are, your own wonderful piece of jewelry!

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/eggstand.html

Condition any color of clay and pass it through your pasta machine at the thickest setting.

Cut 3 rings, one inside the other (right). I used the 3 largest Kemper Rose cutters and then cut another larger ring outside of them. To keep them round, I baked them before I separated them and used an x-acto knife to do the final separation.

While the rings are baking, make 3 or 4 legs for the egg stand (left). After passing the clay through the Pasta Machine at the thickest setting, fold it and roll it with a brayer to create a slab about ¼ inch thick. The outside surface can be as simple or complex as you want as long as the bottom edge is at least perpendicular to the outside edge of the bottom. I used a semi-ring for this example. I created a pattern from paper to use to cut out the legs so that they would be reasonably identical.

Cut stair step notches into the legs (right). The steps should be the width of each ring. Each step should start where the other ended. Using the smallest ring, arrange the legs around it and place the ring on the smallest stair step. Add a drop of TLS to secure the ring.

Place the other two rings on stair steps in the same manner, the largest being at the top. Bake and finish.




Here's the finished product!
Sally Haskell
© Photos and Text, July, 2000

http://www.janbrett.com/piggybacks/piggybacks_the_hat_pinact.htm

(note from Billie,, these would be very pretty with wraping paper as well as in construction paper)

Make Your Own Pinwheel

Moving air is wind. Wind is caused by warm air rising over cool air. You cannot see the wind but you know when it is around. Wind makes things move. Can you name 5 things that the wind can make move?

A pinwheel will spin as the wind pushes it around. Make your own pinwheel by following these simple directions.

---

You will need:

a sharpened pencil	scissors
white construction paper	a paper fastener
a plastic drinking straw	crayons, colored pencils or markers

---

How to make a pinwheel:

1. Print the pinwheel pattern. Teachers can reproduce this pattern on white construction paper with a copy machine. Be sure to cut the construction paper to 81/2 in. by 11 in. If you are working at home, print the pinwheel pattern. Cut the solid lines. Lay it on top of the construction paper lightly paste the corners down.

2. Cut-out the pinwheel on the solid lines only.

3. Decorate both sides of the construction paper pinwheel.

4. Cut the dotted lines from the four corners to the center circle. Try not to cut into the center circle.

5. Use the sharpened pencil to poke a hole through the four tiny dark circles. The pencil point also works well to poke a hole into the straw. Carefully push the pencil point through the straw about 1/2 inch from the top.

6. Make the tiny holes on the four points meet at the center circle.

7. Push the ends of the paper fastener through the holes on the pinwheel. then push the fastener through the center circle.

8. Place the straw on the back side of your pinwheel and push the ends of the fastener through the hole in the straw. Open-up the fastener by flattening the ends in opposite directions.

Now you are ready to try-out your beautiful pinwheel. All you will need is a little bit of wind to make your pinwheel spin round and round. Have fun!

http://www.getcreativeshow.com/seminars/cardboard_turn_applique.htm

(sorry, no pictures on this tutural, but it's great information)

Cardboard Turn Applique
By Mary Asper, Green Mountain Designs

Cardboard turn appliqué is a wonderful way to make simple shapes like flowers, leaves, hearts and those ever-frustrating circles come out absolutely perfect!!

Many sources are available for you to choose a shape to appliqué; cookie cutters, coloring books, books about appliqué - even magazines and posters have great shapes you can trace to make your appliqué designs, Lots of sharp points do not work well with cardboard turn, but, any type of curve or circle is a breeze!

To make your template, trace the design you have chosen on to heavy cardboard; framing matt works wonderfully. Oaktag is not really heavy enough to last, but even lightweight cardboard boxes make good template material. Draw the design twice, each far enough away from the other that you can add 1/4" seam allowance to one of the designs. There is a tiny little bronze-colored disc for marking 1/4" seam allowances that would work great here - or use whatever your favorite tool is for adding seam allowances. Cut out both the templates: one with no seam allowance and one with the seam allowance added.

Now lay the template WITH the seam allowance on the wrong side of your fabric. Trace around. I like to use a #2 sharp lead pencil; you could also use any marking tool such as chalk rollers, colored fabric marking pencils, chalk pencils, etc. Just avoid the blue or purple markers that disappear by themselves - these have been known to leave traces of themselves behind. Even the markers that wash out with water are questionable, so be on the safe side and use something else.

Then lay the NON seam allowance template on the design you have traced, centering so seam allowance is equal (or nearly so) on the OUTSIDE line

Using a doubled, knotted thread, baste around circumference of design, placing your stitches in the seam allowance you drew. Leave long threads at the end, Once done basting, lay the heavy cardboard template in the center of the fabric; tie off the ends of the thread securely, and give a final press.

Viola!! You will have a perfect circle - or a nice pointy leaf - or a heart with all its curves and points in the right places. And it's soooo simple!

To appliqué the design to your background fabric, use a fine quality matching thread. Silk thread is wonderful if you can get it; fine machine embroidery thread (60 wt.) works well; even a fine quality long staple cotton will suffice if you are careful with your stitches. Using a single, unknotted thread, bring your needle up from the back through the fold of fabric where the seam allowance is turned under. Hold on to the end of your thread for a few stitches, then secure it under the stitching later - Knots make bumps. If the point of your needle comes right up through the fold, your stitches will not show. Re-insert your needle into the background fabric, right underneath where you brought it out - making the tiniest of little stitches to hold your appliqué design in place.

Now that you can make any size, shape, or style of flower or vegetable that your quilt design heart desires, how about stems? Let's do BIAS STEMS.

1. Mark a 45 degree angle line on your fabric, a single line is fine. Use the 45 degree angle line on your quilting ruler, lining it up with the straight edge of the fabric. Cut across the fabric at this angle, making a bias edge.

2. Cut several strips of bias - how many depends on how long your vine or your stems will be. I generally cut mine 1 1/4" ; you may want fatter or narrower stems so adjust the width according to your preference. This strip will be folded in half. then stitched with a scant seam allowance, so be sure to allow yourself some room.

3. If the strips are long enough to do stems just as they are, then skip to step 4. If you need more length, seam the strips, RST, opposing the angles at the end and offsetting by 1/4". (Wish I had pictures I could show you!! Anyway - one angle will point up toward the left; the other point down toward the right. When you set the two together they will be 1/4" different on the outside raw edges; this is necessary with bias to make a smooth seam. Hope this makes sense!)

4. Press the bias strip in half, wrong sides together, pressing seams flat as you go. Do not use much steam, and be careful not to stretch the bias as you press.

5. Draw the design - vine, stem, whatever - on to your background fabric, using fabric markers as suggested above. Lay the bias strip with its raw edge slightly to the left of your drawn design, leaving about 1/8" of blank fabric in between , depending on how wide your strip is. Pin the vine or stem in place. A nice thing about bias - whatever curves or designs you can picture for your design will work, because bias bends nicely. The thinner the bias, the more of a bend you can get.

6. Stitch the bias in place, using a scant seam allowance. Be sure to catch both raw edges in your stitching.

7. Flip the bias strip over so it covers the design you have drawn and the seam you just made. The folded edge is now to the right of your drawn design, hopefully the bias is just about centered over the design. Pin in place.

8. Now appliqué the stem/vine in place as you did the cardboard turn appliqué above.

The cardboard turn method, as well as the bias stem method, can be used for invisible machine appliqué as well as hand appliqué, depending on your preference.

Now you're all ready to create a fabric flower garden of your own design - have fun, but don't neglect those outside *real* gardens totally, OK?

Links:

Jewerly making

http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/beadingprojects/Beaded_Jewelry_Making_Projects_Information.htm

http://www.beadjewelrymaking.com/bead_project.html

Pony bead patterns from Making Friends

http://www.makingfriends.com/ponybead/p_projects.htm

Polyner Clay projects. A great place for a beginner to start.

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/masterindex.html#lessonsprojects

A great chart on bead sizes

http://www.beadazzle.com/new_page_5.htm

love to blog hop

I love to blog hop. It's been a while.. if you note at the top of the task bar for blogger, there is a neat littlle button for "next Blog" You never know what you'll find.. Adult content is flagged so you don't get into something you don't want see.

While blog hopping today I came across this blog http://sailorandcompany.blogspot.com/2010/07/rawe-26.html

It's a blog party and it's fun to join. The simple explaintion for this party is.. you go to your second folder of personal picture and post the 6th picture that you find in it. I love the idea and here is the picture I found to add to the fun. Then post to the Sailor and company blog that you did it. Simple, right?

This Is Macon. While we stayed the winter at our daughters' home, he would love to come sleep on this bed on the floor. If he was Missing. (how do you lose a dog this size, right?) The first place to look was this bed in a back bedroom.

Hot in Alabama

What can I say, It's Hot in Alabama in August. it's suppose to be.. but not "This" hot !

Keeping the inside of the camper cool is working. two air conditoners working are keeping us in the mid 80's at least. Which is about 20 or so degrees less that what it is outside.

It's too hot too cook much. And I keep finding recipes I want to make, again.

My older brother just had a birthday.. Happy Birthday Thom. I hope you had some fun on your day.

The glass plate in the microwave broke. Jerry was making popcorn when it broke. Since I usually use it to make Jerry's lunch tea, I had to come up with something a bit different. So I take a clear, clean, 2 quart plastic bottle with a lid, fold the tea bags and push through the opening. Put the lid on and place out on the camper step to brew in the sun for at leas 20 minutes. Bring in, and let cool. I take the water I took out of the bottle and put in a small pan n the stove with 1/4th cup sugar and warm just enough for it to disolve into the water. Let cool. pour both into the tea pitcher and place in the fridge to chill. while I have the pan out, I make Jello as well. Done bofore 10 am and the camper stays cool.

Thought I would include my favorite cake I use to make while growing up.

Poor man cake

1/2 C Lard

2 C Sugar

2 1/2 C Flour

1/2 c Cocoa

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

1 C Hot Water

1 Tbls Vinegar

Cream Sugar and lard. Sift together flour, Cocoa and Baking Soda combine vinegar, water and vanilla.

Add each in parts to the creamed sugar mixture. Bake at 350o for 30 to 45 minutes.

From my childhood. Love this cake, it is a heavy cake. We never gav mom a chance to ice it, but any icing will work on it...