Some days are better than others for blogging

I am not sure that today is a "better", I believe pretty assuredly that it's an "other".

Ever feel like you are in an endless repeating pattern?....the caption for today's blog and this picture. (Thanks to the Carmike Cinema) Who knew, when I took this picture, that it would actually be purposeful some day???

This is one of those days that it is good, that it is intended, that I be at home. OK, so a few salty pretzels feel safe to eat, nothing sounds safe to drink, so the boy child is off getting his Mommy some ginger ale or Sierra Mist or something soothing. Perhaps after a few more wakeful hours my energy will return, my affect will improve and I might get something done besides park my butt.

It is a chillier day today than in a long time. 65.1 F. degrees to be specific. No rain yet today but the clouds look threatening. I would like to think the sun that shines between the clouds might beget a spree of sunshine. Dare we wish for such a thing as this? That lawn out there needs mowing in the worst way and recurrent rain along with conditions prohibitive for causing dryness aren't helping matters any.

Finally finished the Mulvaneys book and for all that was experienced during its' reading I thought the ending would some how have been stupendous. It wasn't. It was okay in an Average Joe sort of way, it certainly tied up some loose ends. There was too much in that book that I could relate to, it saddens me. The turns of events and the subsequent results were too relate-able as well.

I am currently reading a book that is NOT for the faint of heart. What drew me to the book was the fact that it's author was the key character in the movie Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs (who also wrote the book of the same name). It is called Magical Thinking and reading the definition of Magical Thinking in the beginning of the book helps to see provide insight to the reader.

Each chapter is a tale of truth from his life, so he says, and they are certainly vivid enough to believe that. If you have seen the movie, Running With Scissors, you are a step ahead of the game when reading this book. However, I, having grown up in a fairly sheltered upbringing in a quiet rural town during the '60's and '70's, still am not prepared for reading some things that I know exist in our world - I have heard of these things and known people who have done these things...still feel that proverbial kick in the gut, blush of embarassment at reading some of these things.

Although these things cause me to feel squeemish, they do make me laugh; but, I do wish some of the details could be left out, if for no other reason than to avoid blushing. I don't know who I might recommend to read this book. I like to recommend books that I have read. This book just might be too much for many or most of the people I know. Would they make a judgement about me after reading it? I would hope not, I didn't create the content. But the fact that I would read it and possibly even finish it, does that speak ill of me? I guess I will just have to throw caution to the wind, because I will be finishing the book. Should you read about it in this blog, consider that the book has been recommended to you. For if you will read my prattlings, this book promises to be a step up for you. Just be sure to be sitting and not standing on that step.

other pictures of the evening event

See.....we had lots of fun!

The day started rainy

like so many other days this summer. It down right poured for quite awhile, then the sky parted and the sun shined.

Had a relaxing day, did a little puttering, some laundry...was saving my energy for something greater to occur in the evening. I even got out of cooking supper as my wonderful husband knew I had an evening out with the girls planned!

We met at Ashley's and drove to Olean for our birthday get-together and hunt for favorite squirrels. Timmy Ho's now has Cold Stone Creamery ice cream and that sounded appealing. I was boring and ate an egg salad wrap with an iced cap. It was delicious, filling and much less fat. Barb and Robin joined Megan, Ashley, Marti and I - we had plenty of giggles. Then began the hunt for squirrels.

Megan decided she wanted the Knight in Shining Armor - so off we went to Armor Building supply. After I drove thru the lawn and parked in the largest puddle available, we bailed out and had our proverbial photographic way with the Knight. Ashley found her "S" but sadly the Knight had lost his heart. Onward and upward...the construction squirrel was just down the road and of course he was fitting for me, especially now that Todd is a Superintendent. Lastly, we went to Community Bank and Marti got her picture taken with the banker squirrel - which was fitting since she works for Community! Ashley didn't get to pick a squirrel as her squirrel hunt was a few months earlier.

Somehow we got the police involved, I can't remember how that came about. Perhaps because we were going to the donut place? We tried a few benign hijinks to capture the attention of an officer passing by and it just didn't work...so we went to the police department seeking one! He wouldn't get his picture taken with us, nor would he allow his picture to be taken (he didn't want to get fired...imagine that!). But he was willing to take our picture in front of a police car. I am not sure exactly why but by then we were all giddy with laughter about numerous nonsensical things, so to us this seemed hilarious! All in the name of good clean fun. And to think I used to have to get drunk or abuse substances to have such a good time. Thank you, God.

Perhaps tomorrow will be a bit more productive. If the sun shines I might get to mow the lawn!

Until next time...

A day of errands and such

Feeling a bit discouraged about lack of sales on Etsy.
http://sweetcindylouwho.etsy.com is my URL. I want to list more items but don't want them to sit stagnant, so I guess my next move is to list some stuff for auction on eBay. I love the philosophy and community of Etsy and would like to be successful on that site. I have read numerous articles about success on that site and am hoping that it will pick up soon, as I try some of these interventions (having this blog was one of the suggestions). I requested to participate on one of the teams and the input I received was to take better pics and need to have more of a presence on Etsy...that is hard to do without selling stuff! I shall keep on keeping on, prayerfully hoping that my work will pan out.

Time management is certainly an issue for me. On the days when I feel great and can get alot of things done, I am encouraged. Then there are those days where I get the basics done and that is it. But I tell myself, and my counselor reminds me, that things got out of sync over the years, it will take more than just a couple of days to resolve it all. Hmmmm, sounds good, eh?

It doesn't look good for racing tonight. It has been steadily, gently raining all afternoon. This morning started cool with sunshine, the overcast appearance moved in and then the rain. Darn, I was going to try mow the lawn today also. Perhaps the rain will hold off for racing tomorrow in Little Valley. I would like to go there since I haven't been there in a couple years.

Palpitations...still having them. It makes me a bit uneasy but no significant sequelae at this time, so I am just monitoring them at this point...nurse heal thyself, right?

I have almost finished the Mulvaneys book, couldn't put it down this morning. Should probably finish it in a day or two.

Met with the counselor at the alternative education academy for Steven today. It sounds like an excellent program and I hope that Steven will grasp this opportunity and run with it. He really is quite gifted in many areas and this is a wonderful venue for him to be involved in. I doubt he would agree to go back to mainstream public school again. It is a shame that his experience was that bad, for him to feel that way.

No profound realizations to share today. Hope you will visit here again.

Where do I begin?

Yesterday was such a productive day...it was wonderful. It has been a long time since I have felt so good all day long. I did have intermittent pain but it was tolerable enough to do what I did. This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but good days with minimal discomfort are treasured. Probably not even treasured enough.

For those who don't know me, fibromyalgia is something I have lived with for years and have accepted that it will fill my future as well. However, that is not my main focus, merely a statement of fact. It colors each moment of each day and often causes me to lose objectivity, surrendering to subjectivity. Is that such a bad thing?

But today, it is like I paid for yesterday's worthiness. Not in a terrible way, rather, with tremendous fatigue. It almost makes it feel as if I shouldn't be entitled to any good days, not that I should feel entitled to anything.

Now that I have verbalized, I will move on!
It was exhilarating to follow thru with each next moment. The most enjoyable part of the day would have to be my walk. I enjoy my IPOD so very much and I can walk for what feels like an eternity as long as the power holds up! This part of my day lasted for about 45 minutes and encompassed much of the village. I could smell rain in the air and once again this summer we were obliged with further water from the sky. As all things, it is purposed by God, so He knows why we have needed so much. If the precipitation continues we'll sure have a lot of snow to shovel!

I swore I wasn't going to do it, but I surrendered and finally made a few new pieces of jewelry. These beads were in a dish next to "my chair" calling out to me. No longer was I able to hold off. Nothing especially amazing, but was able to stave off further longings to bead. Eagerly I wait for completion of some other projects around the house to liberate the workspace I desire for crafting and creating - soon, very soon.

There go those dogs again - ripping and snorting and panting and jumping, just because someone walked by the front of the house! Yesterday George managed to open the screen door by himself, off for another adventure. When I finally found him (accidentally on my way to Megan's) he was SOAKING wet and stinking. So of course he had to traverse the entire inside of the van, spreading his wealth of malodor.

If the rain holds off tomorrow, it will be back to the races. Theoretically it could be Friday and Saturday. Friday in Freedom and Saturday in Little Valley, with Little Valley running the larger track. It has been a couple of years since my going there. In fact I think it is the first track I ever saw Todd drive at back when he was driving a standard big block stock car. The bug bit me then.

Who knows what tomorrow will hold. Plans include seeing Dorothy in the morning and in the afternoon meeting with the principal at the school. It is my hope that tomorrow will be more like yesterday; additionally, a good night's sleep tonight would be helpful. Another day of household duties gets me closer and closer to the project area being ready. That is encouraging in and of itself.

Time to potty the puppies for the last time today. Thirty more minutes of television then off to attack "We Were The Mulvaneys". It is a great book and has been enjoyable. I am not sure what I will read next, I should probably finish the other book or two I had started prior to the Mulvaney book. Good night all...sleep well.

It feels like a long day already

just by virtue of the fact that it was such a long nite. I slept a few hours, awakening with the feeling unrested. The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day. No rain in sight, low humidity. Guess I will start with some laundry then maybe mow the lawn! The possibilities are endless.

darn this photo thing

why won't this work...
ha...the upload pop up was behind my firefox window...silly me...

recent Etsy postings

new listings from this late night...

gosh darn it...having trouble with this again and I can't remember what I did to resolve it the other nite - for some reason it won't let me add pics...grrrrr

Late at nite or early in the morning...

...however you would choose to interpret that...

Had trouble sleeping again, after having 4 or 5 nites of decent sleep. I guess I can't have it all!

So I decided to do some Etsy posting and exploring. I am an Etsy newbie and have so much to learn. Learning the points of connection TO learn is a challenge as well. Some of the means I have tried, that seem logical enough to try, haven't panned out all that well. So I am going to keep trying and see how things work out.

I guess I am the only one in the house not sleeping, even my Rottie, Dozer, is snoring!

The round and round of the ceiling fan can almost become deafening at this hour. As the various sounds of night are occurring that one seems the loudest right now. But wait, the refrigerator just kicked on and I can hear the drone of the dehumidifier in the basement. That poor guy has been working hard this summer trying to keep the damp down in the bowels of the house. We have had plenty of the rain and on more than one occasion I have thanked God for no loss of power and well functioning sump pumps! Squeegy-ing of the floor as I may the water just returns. The cellar hasn't been dry since spring.

Perhaps a little reading will carry me thru. Might as well try. And why try to sleep at this point - the man of the house will be awakening in an hour and a half anyway, then there will be coffee to make and the lunch to pack....you get the idea.

Hope you are getting a better night's sleep than I am...

Time for Etsy

Today I sent out 3 eBay packages...nice to have a little business flow. I really need to post some new auctions, that seems to drive the most business to my store. Certainly a good idea to cover over the next couple days.

Currently I am taking a break from posting on Etsy. I am just itching to make some new jewelry but I have made a pact with myself that I WILL NOT until I get all this current jewelry listed. Although I must create fairly soon because I will need new items to display at the quilt store for consignment.

Todd is working on the race car, Steven is out with his buds, Kate is at Young Adult Small Group bible study and I get some time by myself. No TV, just the noise of the traffic - vehicles and pedestrians --- and the dogs charging the door everytime they hear an extra sound. Also heard is the expressway, now the interstate. It evokes sweet memories of my youth when I would stay at my grandmothers. You see, I recall when they constructed the expressway. Hacked away some of our hills for the thing. I remember staying over at her house when the road was starting to be used and then after. Windows open on a summer evening, hearing the cars hum by and then off into the distance...some how brings peace.

Occasionally a train can be heard. The tracks aren't real busy but it is nice to hear them active again after being dead for so many years. When I stayed at grandma's that was another common sound, as the tracks were less than 1/2 mile out behind her house. Then the tracks were much busier than today. It seems so much more is trucked by the semi trucks that pass along the interstate.

So enough for the thoughtful break, time to get back down to business and get those postings going! Wish me well with sales!

A new day of a new week---

---should be filled with inspiration and excitement. But the clouds seem to be suppressing that...

Up early with the birds, lunch packed, coffee made, kiss good-bye. Devotional reading, journaling, reading of the novel. that all was worthy of a nap - so I indulged and now the day is more than half gone. Of course, I had to check facebook and eat my raisin bran - those took time as well.

I guess my first inspiration is the disarray on the kitchen table and counter then on to laundry and the living room... I must work on the area needed to create my stuff. I am lonnnnnngggging to create and need that space.

The sun is now shining - must be a sign. Here I go.....

Finally! got those pic samples loaded

It seems that I have a real green thing happening...must be everything that caught my eye just happened to end up being that color! Not such a bad thing I suppose...





















I think the trash can is one of my favorites, how about you? And the folds of green...what do you think that is?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

still not working, not sure why

can't get those darn pics to work. geesh, I guess my learning curve is bigger than I thought.

here are some of those pics

for some reason having trouble putting pictures on this post..don't know why...will keep trying...

Went to the races and been racing ever since!

The races were great last nite! I have a bunch of pics and a video clip on my Facebook. It was perfect race nite weather - it had sprinkled early in the day and some of the clouds looked ominous, and indeed we did have a few nickle sized rain drops for a couple of minutes. Other wise the air was nice and clear. Damp had set in as the sunset, and I was still feeling it in my bones this morning upon rising! I slept in as long as I could stand to ease my aching bones. (Not getting any younger, ya know!)

Todd was in good spirits and appreciated all the help he got from his "pit crew". The guys he goes racing with are great and have been good friends over the years. No major damage to the car, he remained safe and had a good time. No telling how much water he used this afternoon trying to get the imbedded mud off the car!

This afternoon we helped to celebrate Brayden's 2nd birthday! It was a nice time and great to see other friends and all the kids had a great time. Steven was too busy hanging with his possy (sp?) to go and Kate is preparing her room for college studies beginning on Monday. Steven was supposed to start his new job tomorrow but they called him in today already. When asked how it went, "it was easy," was his flat response as if to add "of course." Gotta love those teenagers!

Once we got home from the White's it was preparation for the Pampered Chef show tonight. Garden Pizza was the food choice and it was an intimate number of gals so we had plenty of time for chit chat. Ashley's chocolate chip cookie bars were delicious as well. The aroma of the baking fresh garlic, pizza dough and veggies was mouthwatering and tasted just as good.

Another activity I was involved with yesterday was photographing things of (my) interest to print off and use as backgrounds for photographing my jewelry and other pieces to place on Etsy. It was great fun to try to "see" ordinary things as extraordinary. I will post a couple and see what you think. I am sure they are nothing spectacular as compared to many others' photos, but I was rather taken with a couple of them. The creative process has been calling me, I am in beading withdrawal for not having made anything new for weeks!

Off to the races!

Well, folks, I was gonna spend sometime blogging and so forth but it seems there is sun and the race track is ready to run. So I am gonna go with Todd and the fellas to watch #17 race his late model on the dirt track...just for fun, not necessarily for winnin'.

Hope everyone is having a good day --- more blogging later! (and hopefully some racetrack pics)

Just to post a few pictures...

Not much later...

...than my last post.

The wind has been blowing and the rain has been pelting. We have had so much rain this year - surely the water table is restored. Todd is just wishing it was winter and this was all snow so he could be snowmobiling!

He has been up at the Laws' shop changing things out with his motor (he fluently tells me all the details while I nod my head in interest). He plans to run at Freedom Raceway, Late Model class if they aren't rained out. He hasn't gotten much racing in this season and is like a little kid with a new toy at the thought!

The dogs are all a flutter as Dad comes home from the shop! Pet me! Pet me! they plea.

No time for beading, crafting or posting today. Too much else going on. I did get started on organizing an area I can call my own for all my projects. Prior to now I had been working from my chair in the living room with supplies gathered all about me. I think having a table with my good light and supplies all organized I clearly will be more productive. It will be better ergonomically as well.

Gonna watch the news and find out about how the tornado warning has panned out. It was west of us when it was announced moving east. There has been much of that weather activity around here this year. Reminds me of when I lived in tornado alley years ago.

My first day...

...in/on the blogosphere...

Until I get the hang of this I hope anyone reading this will be patient with my learning curve. This blogging gig seems like it can be a lot of fun and may evoke interesting comments from readers and insights from within that have laid untapped!

Being a small town gal, from a speck on the map, probably contributes to my naivete'. However, I don't think a bit of innocence is a bad thing.

My primary motive for starting a blog is to correlate with my Etsy shop, but that is not my only motive. I am sincerely looking to network with others and interact with the big world that lies outside my little speck.

I welcome discussions, retorts, FYI's, penpals, shop browsers...

Now a brief bit about me - married, female, 3 children, 2 dogs, 1 cat, small fresh water fish tank, bird feeder/watcher. We live in a rural setting, located down in a valley, that is beautiful during all four seasons. Nurse by profession and crafter by choice. I love rummage sales, estate sales, Salvation Army - you name it, I find treasures in many places and enjoy putting them in the hands of their ultimate owners.

I look forward to experiencing the blogging world with anyone who wants to come along for the ride! Most likely it will be like a Sunday drive in the country, but then again, we could all use a little more of that in our lives.

Here's wishing you health and happiness on this first day of my blog.

How'd I do so far???