Everything can change in the blink of a cursor…

I had a trying day at the car shop, after a trying month at three other car shops, finding out dismal things about the beloved mini-van that is probably leaving our lives forever while costing us a fortune to do it.

We are a one car family. We need a commute car that my man and I can both drive to work…one car to the same area, twice a day, far, far away. We need good gas mileage! What if we end up with just one small car? Or even two, SMALL cars? Where will we put the three room condo, complete with screened front porch that we call a tent? Or all those folding chairs and boogie board for the beach? Or all that picnic stuff for another party at the lake? That car doesn’t define me, it defines my lifestyle, one that I’ve become very, very accustomed to.

Then I came home to a personal message from one of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy authors, Jamie McFarlane, asking me if I’d like to beta-test a new book he’s written. So there I was on my Kindle trying to answer with my silly stylus and the AH-NOY-ING autocorrect as if the offer would be retracted before I had a chance to respond. Is the suspense killing you? I said YES of course. DUH, what’d you think I’d say?

Man, I can’t wait to read this book before everyone else. I feel selfish and greedy to be getting my hands on it first and don’t even care that I feel that way!!! {deep pleasurable sigh}

And voila, I turned that frown upside down.

It’s here!

This time of year in Sonoma County is often referred to as the “Crush.” Little Joe helped me squeeze my first batch of concord grape juice. He lasted a little over a minute and said his purple hand came clean. When I showed him mine…

Grape Stained Hand

…he said I just needed to use soap, his came right off. Hmmm, maybe he didn’t crush long enough cause mine’s not coming off.

Got an entire bucket of grapes off one vine, only from the bottom vines.

photo (3)Wasn’t sweet enough to drink straight, gonna have to cut and sweeten it I think.

 

Tonight’s Unexpected Project

After a fruitless search for an orange pillow for #1 son to bring to class, my good friend Katharine said, “You should just make him one.” So I thought to myself, well I do have the stuff…

Thanks also to my small sister for providing the copious yards of fur that I had no immediate use for but excitedly accepted when offered!

After seeing what #1’s pillow looked like, and helping me sew and stuff it, #2 said he needed one. So of course, now #1 needs one for home too. Told them both the ones for home weren’t going to be anywhere near as big as the school one. Two was all I could handle tonight though, this was a LOT of hand sewing. #1 will just have to make do with his school pillow for now…

Pillows

While no animals were harmed during the making of these pillows, it looks like I plucked a bunny in my room!

And then there were 12, no wait 11, uh oh now 10!

Found this delish recipe on Pinterest tonight. Started out with 24 mini muffins, not so many left now. Both boys did practice some math when I had them tell me the difference as an explanation for why they couldn’t have another.photo

#2 son wanted to use my Kindle and usually won’t let up on me, but he saw the picture and decided I could keep it until I finished making these.

PS – Is it wrong of me to be drinking egg nog on a 94 degree day in July? I didn’t think so!

Peeping Toms?

No, really, neighbors to the rear, our high-powered telescope usually used to look at the moon and stars is not really pointing directly through the fence cracks into your backyard. Really. It’s just that we’ve discovered that we really like looking at the yellow and red bodied birds that flock to the feeding sock in our back yard up close and personal without scaring them off. Really. Honest.

Monthly Needle Felt Exchange

I really am loving participating in the monthly exchange in my Facebook group – Needle Felt Exchange. It forces me to do something creative at least once a month and it’s FUN!

This month’s theme was Circus. So I made a Circus Monkey, with a Fez, just cause he had to have one. Instead of framing this time though I made it into a pin. He’s going to live in Illinois.

Monkey
June Needle Felt Exchange Submission

He makes me smile.