A slew of thank yous

This post is dedicated to saying thank you to all of you who have sent me something recently. Here goes!

First - A huge thank you to the talented ladies over at Crochetville for the wonderful bookmarks that I received in the Bookmark Swap! I am in awe at the talent that each of you has! Here is a snap of the wonderful bookmarks that came in the mail this week:

They are from in order of left to right: 123Mama (Pretty White one) ** Terri - Ladysource (Hot pinkish Pepper Shape) ** Celeste (The pretty purple Norwegian Filigree with Lurex in it - Already being put to use in my tram book) ** Fran - a gorgeous white bookmark (Where is the pattern from??)
Kellyv (Sea colored Shell with some pretty beads) ** AngelFairy (Variegated purple and white) ** Micountess - Pastel Multicolored ** Crazycow (Mint green with multicolored border) ** TCsGirl (Pretty yellow flower with green "stem") ** Elizabeth (Green variegated on the bottom)

Many thanks to all of you - your bookmarks are wonderful!!

Second - I owe a thankyou to Priscilla - we are exchanging hooks - Inox for Susan Bates and I received the envelope that she sent - thank you s overy much!! The hooks are perfect!!

Third - Thanks Faith for the nice card and bubble gum! I've been putting a serious dent into both packages!

Fourth - I ordered recently some Monacco threads from Mimi at Crochetville. They came at the beginning of the week. Along with the thread I ordered, Mimi was awesome and sent me a hand made flower applique, chapstick holder (plus some chapstick), scrubbie, headband, keychains, bubble tape, assorted buttons and an extra variegated thread. I was in awe at her generosity! I am really excited about using my new threads! Thanks ever so much Mimi!! Here is a picture of the threads I ordered plus some additional goodies!



Time for bed but I will finish updating these tomorrow! Night night!

Blub...blub...blub...gurgle

Blub...blub...blub...gurgle

Thats me being drowned in paperwork, messy apartment, blog reading etc etc etc

I am still here, I am reading your blogs but finding the time to post is impossible this week. I am no longer sure which way is up, if I am coming or going etc etc etc

I totally forgot that this was Thursday until my Dad sent me an e-mail saying that he and the kiddies were going to BK and the Mall (my folks watch my niece and nephew on Thursdays) while on the phone I looked at the date and remembered that today was my sisters birthday and that yesterday was my brothers (well , tech. my brother in law, but hes been around so long that he is like a real brother to me!)

I have lots to show and a bunch of thank yous that are a few days over due....I have tried to send PMs at Crochetville and e-mails to all of those involved (you know who you are...I think) and will write up about it as soon as I can come up for another breather...I am waiting for files to finish downloading and killing time on my spare computer while I wait...oh goodie, here comes my boss - gotta run!!

Back from hunting for leprechauns!

Did not find any Leprechauns, but I did meet some great people and had a ton of fun with my friend Zori....I can not wait to go back again! Every time that I am in the city I fall a little bit more in love with it!!

Its way past my bed time so I will leave you with a few pictures. I am trying to catch up on everything fro my few days away - 200+ blog entries to read is a heck of a lot! Lots to tell and lots to show, but for now these will have to hold you over!



Psst - Secret Pal - that Guinness was drank for you! It was wonderful! I think that I drank enough Guinness for each of my readers!

Friday Update!! OMG Its Friday already?

Where did the week go? I can not believe its Friday night already! I am sooooooo far behind right now its not even funny....and this relates to work and crocheting! lol

Okay, some updates of what's been happening:

First, I'll show you my current read and a new purchase:



The first is Nora Roberts "Les Trois Clés - La quéte de Dana" - the second book in Nora Roberts Key trilogy (Key of Knowledge) in French! I read the trilogy in English and loved it so I decided to give it a go in French! Its reading really slowly (lots of words I don't know so I have to look them up) but I am on about page 50 after 2 days of reading!

And yes, you are reading that second book title correctly! That is Betty Barnden's Crochet Stitch Bible translated into French in all of its glory as La Bible Du Crochet! I am loving it so far - very helpful!

Second - Its been raining postcards at work this week! I have received 3 glorious new post cards from three wonderful people! Here is my current wall of postcards - the two on the left and the bottom card in the middle are the newest additions! All three were RAOK from Crochetville friends - I am signed up for PostCrossings but none have arrived - I have sent three out though!



Third - Today was an adventure at work! I caught a ride in with my friend Zori and we parked in the garage at work. After leaving the car I swore I heard a noise. Huh? I look around and hear it again "Ummmm....Zori - do you hear a cat???" We looked around but did not see anything, but kept hearing it meowing so I finally got down and looked under the cars, and there was the cutest little kitten that came crawling out for me. About 4 months old, Puss is staying the weekend at one of my friends houses. The day at work was broken up by taking care of Puss, petting, talking to others about him, and trying to track down an owner - he has been well loved and is not a stray cat it looks like so an owner has to exist.

Here is a few pics of Puss: (named that currently due to the high white boots on his back legs - I got a Puss in Boots)



Is he not just the cutest? He is really perky and very loving - he was constantly jumping onto my lap, butting arms and legs to get my attention. Very frustrating to type when the cat wants you to pet him!! We are posting found cat pictures to see if anyone claims him, and then we will work on finding him a long term home - I am gone too often to keep him myself...plus I don't think my landlord would let me keep him for more than a short visit! :(

So I bet you are all wondering why I am not keeping the cat this weekend....The simple answer is that I am leaving on a jet plane tomorrow for 4 days in Dublin!! It should be a good weekend! I adore Dublin so any reason to go back is good in my mind! I have a meeting on Tuesday, so I'm just making a long weekend out of it with my pal Zori. Hopefully you will not be too sad while I am gone! Its only for a few days - I promise to share some pictures when I get back!

They're Coming!!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo! I've been in shock the past two days and been unable to post this! (tee hee hee) After two years and six months of living in Europe my parents are coming to visit! Before this momentous occasion, I have had exactly one other visitor, and that was my Dads younger half sister (my half aunt I guess but since she is my age that seems a little bit weird to say) back in May of 2004!

I am so very excited to be having some visitors, and even better that its my parents! They are going to be here for 11.5 days! I am already planning what to do, where to go, and more importantly , where to eat! Are they ever in for a culinary delight! They say Paris and France are great for food...and they are if you want to spend the cash. But Belgium is awesome for food at an affordable price! I have two restaurants picked out already with several more being decided on!

Can not wait to see you September 23rd Mom and Dad! Are you ready to party that night with all of us until after the sun comes up? Its expected ya know! Maybe we will take some pity on you and wait and take you bar hopping on the Saturday...then again - I went out to the bars with you Mom on the day I got home from Belgium last time! Its only fair...tradition and all that jazz! :D

Psst - by the way - this is me with Dad and with Mom taken back in June while I was home! I always hate pics of myself, but these turned out half way decent for a change!

Les idiosyncrasies de moi!

I have had the privledged of being tagged by Lady Linoleum Thanks! My first "tagging"! So here goes....

id•i•o•syn•cra•sy - a structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group. Write down 5 of your own idiosyncrasies, then if you wish, tag 5 people.

1 - When really upset, I tend to swear in languages beside english....and occasionally make up the language!

2 - I often "forget" to blink which freaks people out (namely my sister D)

3 - I have issues with leaving a book unfinished to go to bed if its the first time I am reading it! (I'll read until 4, 5 even 6 in the morning if I have to in order to finish it! And yes, I re-read ALL of my books even the not so good ones becuase I might have been having a bad reading day!)

4 - My books must be grouped by author on my bookshelves, but once off the shelf disorder rules

5 - I can not eat anything that is looking at me! Examples - A fish with its head still on, the Cray fish with the bubbly eyes, lobster...nope, either take the head off, turn it around or cover it up, but if its looking at me I can not take a bite!


Now who to tag....hopefully I can tag people who have not already been tagged! I will tag Cordelia, Celeste, Faith, Debi and Mimi

A Note to my Secret Pal

Hi Secret Pal! I will gladly send you some lace....how about a bookmark and a butterfly pin? Leave your name and address and they are all yours! tee hee hee

Well since I can not send you some Banana Cake, I can leave my recipe so that you can make it yourself! Not the same, I know - but I don't think that it would taste very good if I mailed it to you.....would probably break some import laws also since its organic material thats not pre-packaged and sealed! LOL

Kimberly's Banana Cake
(This was a recipe from my Great-Grandmother Eva Hale Bell Williams)

Ingedients:
1/2 Cup Crisco      1.5 Cup of Sugar
2 Eggs                  3 Ripe Bananas (the browner the better)
1 tsp vanilla           2 Cup Flour
1 tsp baking soda  4 tbsp Sour Milk (add a little vinegar to non-sour milk)

Pre-heat oven to 350° and Grease and Flour a 9 x 13 pan

Cream Crisco and Sugar together. Add the eggs & bananas and mix well. Combine Flour & Soda together in a seperate bowl and alternate adding to the batter with the sour milk. Mix all of the ingredients together well.

Bake for 30-40 minutes

While good enough to eat without frosting, adding some Buttercream frosting makes it a delicious treat that everyone will enjoy!

My Buttercream Frosting - A box of powder sugar, a stick of margerine, a tsp of vanilla and add milk until you achieve the consistancy that you desire! Leftover frosting is great for Graham Crackers :)

Psst - I just pulled the cake out of the oven - the smell is wonderful!

Note: This cake does not rise that far - it is more of a dense moist cake! You did not do anything wrong! :)

Note # 2: Crisco is a dense solid vegetable shortening...along the lines of lard I guess, but a lot healthier - Crisco is billed as a healthier ingredient than butter or margarine! I can not find it in Europe, so I had a friend bring me some! I do not know what exactly to use as an alternative for those who can not find this - sorry! Anyone have any suggestions?

Lace Lace everywhere!

Here is a peak at what I purchased this weekend! While in Bruges!





I have finally turned my attention back to Christelle my Frog Princess! I just started back on her last night, so not a lot to show yet, but here is her current status!



On the agenda for tonight......laundry and baking! I have some bananas that are crying to be made into Banana Cake as long as they are not too far gone!! I think I might have enough for some banana nut muffins as well!! Yummm! This will probably be my first time baking in a few months! I have not had the desire....which is odd since I am known throughout the finance community at my company for my baking!

Man jailed for molesting sleeping woman on plane - Yahoo! News

Man jailed for molesting sleeping woman on plane - Yahoo! News

Do I now need to sleep with my mace in hand on my flights? Its one thing to be a particpant in the Mile High Club (oh ugh!! Have you been in an Airplane bathroom????) but to be molested while sleeping! I guess I've lucked out with all of my seat mates! While a few have been...ummm...different, they have not been bad! (Even met a guy that worked with some close friends of my family in North Carolina on a flight from DC to Brussels! It is a small world!)

Creep! What was he thinking?? "She smiled at me...she must be faking that shes asleep and wants me to touch her...yeah, yeah...let me grab a blanket down and cover her up.....here we go..." Frankly, some guy tries to put his hand down my pants, I'm not just going to pull his hand out - my other hand is going to balled into a fist as I knock him ass-over backwards into next week! And break his eardrums in the process as I am screaming at full force (was awarded loudest voice projection at band camp)....hope I break his nose!

"Gesundheit!"

"Gesundheit!" Am I the only person who was taught to say this when someone sneezed? Sure, I'll also use "God Bless You" or "Bless You" but not everyone always believes in God (or my God for that matter) so I would use the German phrase that my mum always uses! None of my mid-west american friends here do, so I was thinking that maybe its a southern thing that my mum got from her Dad??

Do you burst out with random "Gesundheit!" or "God Bless You" when you hear someone sneeze? My friend Zori thought it hilarious when we were in my apartment eating with my French doors open and someone down on the street sneezed and without even thinking about it I said "Gesundheit!" and kept on with my sentence!

Bruges was great as always (it is my 3rd or 4th time there now I believe) and while the weather was so-so, the city still has it charm.

For a quick picture of the city (more to come) I'll leave you with these two examples of the lace shops - what awesome work!! (clickable for bigger viewing pleasure!)



I did stop in to one shop and pick up a few little lace doo-dads. Now to decide what to do with them...RAOK....Secret Pal...a "Just Because"! Hmmmm.....

Frustrations of living in a foreign country.....

I was walking through the metro station today on my way to do my Saturday morning errands (post office, book store etc) when I saw a lady crocheting!! In the metro station large acrylic blankets (she was trying to sell them at the same time) I caught her eye as I walked by, smiled and told her that her work was very pretty (Ton crochet c'est tres belle) and kept going another 10 feet when it hit me - she's crocheting, using acrylic, and its from a large ball and not one of the expensive little balls that I can find here in Brussels!

Okay, back up! "Madam - parlez vous anglais?" (never hurts to ask) but of course her response was no. It always seems that my French deserts me at the wrong moment! Okay, I pulled out my tram project from my backpack to show her my hook! I point to her yarn and ask her where she bought it (Vous achetez ton wool ou? A quelle magasin?") She shook her head, rambled off rather quickly in French and shrugged her shoulders and said "sans magasin" No store! Argh!! I tried to pull out the lost American look and my ever so handy "Pardon" and she went through the same spiel of really quick French interspersed with "san magasin"! Why is it when she knows French is not my language does she insist in speaking rapidly! I ended the conversation with a very Gaelic shoulder shrug, a bewildered smile and a "merci madame" and walked away. So close!! So very close!! Argh!!

We are going to Brugges tomorrow now - my friends friend's plane got in 2 hours late so we decided to hold off and go tomorrow! Lets hope that the weather is Trés Bien!

Friday..Friday...hmm...Friday

Quick!!! Think of a song with Friday in the title! Can you? I know I couldn't! Sure I could think of songs with Friday in it....Happy Days theme song etc etc etc. Why are Monday named songs so easily remembered but Friday ones slip our minds? It took a trip to my favorite lyrics site: http://www.letssingit.com (Do NOT go to there if you do not have a pop-up blocker installed on your PC!!) And did a search. Amazingly enough there are a slew of songs with Friday in the title!

So to end the week as I started it, here is my Friday song: "Monday you can hold your head, Tuesday, Wednesday stay in bed! Oh Thursday watch the walls instead....It's Friday, I'm in love! Saturday, wait Sunday always comes too late But Friday never hesitates. I don't care if Monday's black. Tuesday, Wednesday heart attack! Thursday, never looking back. It's Friday, I'm in love!" By the one, and the only...The Cure! Were you singing along with me there? Not sure who I am in love with today since its Friday.....there was a really nice looking guy on the tram this morning....eye contact, shy smiles exchanged but not a word between us...WHY am I so shy at moments like that?!? I can flirt with the best of them, have a guy in a bar look twice, introduce any and all of my friends to the guy that caught their eye, but when it comes down to saying hi when out in public I freeze, turn my head and look the other way..... (That changed into another song in my head - ALW's I Don't Know How To Love Him...its a song day for me I think!)

Okay, onto the Crochet front - this is a crochet blog after all! My Weekly Tram Project is almost finished! This week was a cotton cloth! I am using the same colors and pattern as the cloth that Deneen sent me, so now I'll have a set of two! I have the main color finished and tied off. Its now onto the border which I should hopefully be able to get done tonight on my way home!

I finished two more squares last night for the 35 Squares Swap at Crochetville. 5 done, 30 more to go! I really liked the ones last night - as soon as I get some ends weaved in, I'll take pictures...perhaps wait until the end of the weekend as my goal that I set last night was to finish 5 more before Sunday night! I can do it!

Plans for the weekend? I am going out with some work colleagues tonight for drinks, dinner, more drinks and then some dancing to celebrate the birthday of one of the girls. Then tomorrow it is looking like a possible trip to Brugges (as mentioned yesterday) and Sunday is a day of relaxation and LOTS of laundry! My laundry basket is overflowing!

Okie dokie, that's the Friday update! *hugs* to everyone - I hope that your weekend is wonderful and great!

Traveling Thursday 2nd edition

Todays been an interesting day!

First of all, I received some Cabbage Patch Pattern booklets for the clothes that I need to make for Christmas Presents - thanks Fran!! You're a Star'

Second, I made a decision to purchase an item this morning. I sent a note to the lady who was selling it, only to hear back from my SP today that I have been very bad in ruining her surprise! I will post what it was once its been received - thanks Secret Pal - sorry for ruining your surprise! Was I ever shocked to receive your e-mail about it!

Third, I came home tonight and started finishing up putting away my stash and doing general cleaning around my apartment. I walked past my TV about 4 or 5 times before I noticed something a little bit....well different! Different as in it was a totally new TV! My landlords must have came in and left a new TV (its a furnished apartment) not sure why since the old one still worked and I never used it much anyways!

To finish the day, traveling Thursday! I was going to show one from one of my trips to Brugges Belgium, but since I am probably going back there this weekend and could potentially take a better picture, I will hold off on that one! Instead, I leave you with a picture of one of Amsterdam's many canals!

I can do better!

Have you ever finished a project, been really proud to have done it, but when you look at it again a day or two later you think "I can do better"? Well, thats what happened with Dot's Ditty Bag that I made a few weeks ago! I decided to do two - one for each of my step-neices Bekky and Gracie. Here is the output - a big improvement in my mind!



I also finished the fur scarf for Bekky (I finished Gracie's Fur Scarf back in June. I love how this fur works up...when knitting with it! I cried when I tried to crochet with it out of sheer frustration!



I have an envelope all put together and ready to go to the post office - I also picked up some really cute pencil cases for all 3 of my neices and my nephew at a store that was going out of business - forgot to take a picture of them before wrapping them up!

Stash Flash!!!

Well since I've started my crochet and knitting habit in December, I've suddenly seen a decrease in storage space in my apartment! Why you ask? The answer is simple...its been taken over by yarn, yarn and oh yeah, more yarn!!

I started to take pictures, realized I forgot the yarn I bought last week...okay added it in. Wait - wheres the yarn from my summer secret pal, threw that in. Then of course I had to add my newly received package from the Sea of Yarn swap. Which of course called for a total re-organisation of my yarn. Which caused me to realize I was missing all of the yarn from my current WIPs...lets just say an hour later I was taking pictures again, and as I sit here typing, I see at least 4 things of yarn I missed in the pics! I don't have a yarn problem...honest, I don't!! :-D

Heres the pics (all are click-able for bigger views!) :

My Stash - need more totes
Thread Thread and more thread
Acyrlics
My Cotton & Fun Fur
Recent Size 5 purchase & WIP Bags

Do I dare say that this is not all? I also have a "small" yarn stash developing in the US at my parents house...thread, cottons, acrylics and more all purchased via e-bay or during my last trip to the States!

Sea of Yarn Swap v2

I received my second Crochetville Sea of Yarn swap package today!! A huge thank you goes out to K. Anne for the wonderful goodie box she sent me!



I was amazed when I opened the box up at what appeared - a wonderful rainbow of size 10 thread, Peaches'n Cream cotton, some gorgeous 'ladder' yarn and Micro-yarn (so very soft!!) as well as beads, folding scissors, tea, burt bees lip balm, a hook cushion, Size 8 Susan Bates hook (absoluetly perfect!!) and a wonderful area of patterns and two thread booklets!

You are a gem!! Thanks so very much!

Just another Manic Monday!!

I wish it was Sunday.....Cause that's my fun day....My I don't have to run day....It's just another manic Monday!!

Hi everyone! Welcome to yet another Monday! Did you know that in Europe, the calendars do not go from Sunday to Saturday? They go from Monday to Sunday! Which if you think about it makes a lot of sense! Just your little bit of trivia for the day!

On to the weekend. My ankle is doing much better! I took it easy all day yesterday and did not even leave the apartment once! My hip is still a bit sore, but I fell pretty hard on it so thats not surprising me! I did manage to finish an additional 3 Snowflakes, including some of the Red with Lurex for my Dad's tree and an additional Peach for my Moms! Here are the picks (the white dots are actually the reflection of the red lurex!):


Also a big thank you to Deneen for the wonderful little package she sent to me as a thank you for helping out with The Christmas in July at Crochetville (I was an elf for this round and had a blast sending out little gifts) Merci Beaucoup Deneen!:

Rain, rain go away

It is raining....again. I don't mean those nice little summer rain showers, I mean full out downpour....for the third day in a row! We even have had thunder and lightning showers which are unheard of here in Belgium! Not sure why, but in two + years, this is only the second time that I can remember thunder and lightning! Add to that the torrential downpours, and its not a lot of fun!

And of course I had plans to go out all weekend! Went to dinner with friends on Friday night where I managed to fall flat on my back while walking to the restaurant! It was not a graceful fall - it was with flaying arms and legs! This was of course after I slid across my hardwood floors and wrenched my bad ankle! Needless to say I am on a self prescribed advil diet right now to take down the swelling and pain! My hip is sore and my ankle is tight, but I don't think any major damage!

Saturday I went to Ikea - ugh - again in the rain. Not a lot of fun since its a 5 minute walk to Ikea from the metro stop! Got into a fight while in line. My friend Zori had her stuff on the line first, so I helped her bag it up. She paid, and I turned around to get my stuff, only to have the two French jerks who were BEHIND me in line start thrusting their papers at the cashier so she would help them...umm, hell no! I did not wait in line 25 minutes to have you hold me up even longer. So I interrupted "Excuse-moi, mais je suis premiere" (Excuse me, but I was first) At which the French guys started yelling at me and telling me off...ummm...okay - why? You know that you were behind me, there is no reason that you should be mad at me for wanting to go before you....jerks!

I have done absolutely zilch on the crochet front this weekend! My current snowflake sits abandoned on my coffee table. Once I get my dishes done I'll think about starting back on it...Then again I do have the entire first season of the Dukes of Hazard waiting to be watched! My Dad was a darling and let me bring his set back with me...I've been waiting for the right day to watch them.....as its raining like mad, I think that it is a great day to start!!

Have a Happy Sunday!

Snowflakes on Thursday

Well, three days have passed in the Snowflake CAL, and I can say that I have finished three snowflakes! I am at least managing to do what I had set out to do - one snowflake per day!

Here are the pictures (my camera is not the best at close ups and details...ask it to take a scenery shot, not a problem. But close up??? Not a chance!

Tuesdays Snowflakes


Wednesday Snowflake (only finished one *sigh*)


And since I said that the camera takes better scenery shots, here is one of my most favorite pictures that I have taken with this camera - it was shot on the island of Santorini in Greece.


I've been thinking of making each Thursday be "Travelling Thursday" where I show a new picture from my trips around the globe - sound good?

Snowflakes in July CAL

Today marks my first day of participating in the Snowflakes in July Crochet Along over at Crochetville. It officially started yesterday, but I was not around to pick up my hooks and thread, so today was my first attempt! I've finished one regular size Snowflake tonight and one miniature snowflake!

(I will post pictures as soon as they finish drying and I can snap a good picture of them - they are currently on my makeshift blocking board (old ironing board cover). )

The regular Snowflake I made with size 10 Coats Aida thread in a light peach color.

The miniature Snowflake was made with DMC Babylo White Size 10 thread.

I am enjoying both threads (are they available in the US???) Both seem to be a better quality thread than I have used in the past! I am looking forward to making more snowflakes with these threads, as well as a doily or two....once the CAL is over of course! :)

Merci Beaucoup Mon Amis!

I need to say a big thank you to everyone who sent me Birthday wishes yesterday - it really meant a lot to me and helped make my day so much brighter! Merci Beaucoup!

I received my parents package at work - was I ever surprised by all of the goodies in it! As long as my teeth do not rot out from the chocolate and candy, I should be doing good! Here's peek at the package they sent - before and after I unwrapped it!


I also received a RAOK yesterday that was sitting on my desk when I got to work - perfect timing!!


I also owe a belated thank-you to Vera who sent me a wonderful little gift. A while back Vera announced that I had been the 800th person to comment on her blog! As such, she was going to send me a little something! Here is what she sent:


Many thanks to everyone!!
*hugs*
Kimberly

A FiberRAOK Thank you!

I was excited to find out that I had been approved into the FiberRAOK Ring - I've had it up on my blog for a while now and was patiently awaiting my approval into the ring - was I ever excited to receive it!

A big thanks to everyone who has stopped by my blog and said hello! *hugs* to all!

Another big thanks goes to Jenn for the cute e-card she sent to me - it put a smile on my face - thanks!!

I'm getting a package!

Well, my Dad has gone and done it again! He is always sending me something in the mail and then hinting about it on accident "So honey, did you get any mail today" "No Dad - why - should I be??" "Oops...oh crap, No. You're not...don't tell your mom I mentioned anything"

Well, with my birthday coming up, it appears that they mailed a little something to me a week+ ago to my work here. I should have gotten it yesterday, but with it being a holiday and all, I did not go into work! Not a problem - they were good about not saying anything! I get home from some errands today to find a nice little card in my mailbox at my apartment that was mailed out 4 days ago (wow - that was quick) and this time my Dad slipped in the card! He never expected that I would receive the card first, so he had written "Hope you received your care package and enjoyed it! We just thought it would be something different" I gave a little chuckle of glee and phoned him, waking him up in the process here is our conversation...

"Hhheello" Dad in a raspy 'I'm still sleeping' voice
"Morning Dad - thanks for the card" Me in a 'I'm gonna get you good' voice
"Huh....you got a card" Dad in a confused 'What is she talking about' voice
"Uh huh. I got my birthday card in the mail. I guess I'm getting a package to eh?"
. . . . . "Shit. Its your daughter" Long pause as he thinks about what he wrote...A short exclamation, and then the sound of him handing the phone to my mom.
"Morning honey...whats wrong?" Mom in a 'worried tone'
"Nothings wrong mom. I'm just calling to say thanks for the birthday card and to let Dad know that I've not received the package yet that he mentioned in the card" Me in a gleeful 'he is sooooo busted' voice
"Bernie!!!!!! Sorry honey it was supposed to be a surprise!" Mom scolding my Dad and apologizing

What a great start to my birthday weekend....I know that I have a package waiting at work for me on Monday which is my actual birthday!!! I'm going to be an old 27....I always thought that I would be married with 2.2 kids by now!

Thanks Mom and Dad - love ya both!! *hugs*

Wow...what a surprise...and WHAT???

First, please note that the subject title was said with extreme irony! I saw a blogthing on Misfit's blog, so away I went to check it out.....heres my version -

You Should Learn French

C'est super! You appreciate the finer things in life... wine, art, cheese, love affairs. You are definitely a Parisian at heart. You just need your tongue to catch up...

What Language Should You Learn?

Are y'all surprised with that one? LOL - I think I got the learning french down pat! Oui, je parle français mon amis! The man at the chocolate shop this morning said that I spoke it very well! Woo hoo! :)

Celeste - I thought of you when I passed one of the Beer stores (yes we have stores for only beer here - with 800+ kinds, its...well....needed!) and they had a huge display in the window for Chimay - I wish that I had had my camera!

Second - I saw this on Sara's Blog - and her comment to her result was "WTF" my comment upon the first reading was "Huh? A what?"

In a Past Life...

You Were: An Obese Executor of Sacrifices. Where You Lived: Ireland. How You Died: Suicide.

Who Were You In a Past Life?

What exactly IS an Obese Executor of Sacrifices??????? Why obese? Why suicide? I need more information here folks! Why did I kill myself? Was my job that horrible? Anyways - how the heck does someone get a job as an executor of sacrifices...what are the job requirements? Did I need prior experience? Sheesh - talk about leaving some unanswered questions in my mind!

Cordelia's Challenge and my ? Button!!

First of all - Good monring everyone!! Second of all, while doing my ritual morning blog read (I crawl out of bed, use the restroom, stumble to the computer, read some blogs, go back to bed for 30 minutes) I read Cordelia's Challenge to all of us out there in Blog Land! While none of my current projects are in the "almost but not quite" finished category (more or less then "you gotta heck of a lot to go" category) My challenge to myself is to start no new projects, to finish at least 2 of the 63 Square Squares, finish the current ball of yarn I'm using on my Evening Shawl, complete at least 2 squares for the Square Swap AND finish the head of my Frog Princess! A busy undertaking, but I'll have 3.5 days to do it all in! Check out WIP Road (aka the City of WIP) to see how my progress is going!

My advice for the day....while cleaning your apartment and vacuuming up the cat hair from your visiting fur-friend, DO NOT take your vaccum to your computer keyboard! I spent half an hour trying to extract my "?" button from the depths of my LAST vaccum bag...Gave in, ripped the bag apart and found the missing button....only problem is how do I clean up the mess since I can not vaccum it up with no bag in the bloody machine!! :)

Oh! Here is a peak at my funky french keyboard after I did surgery to replace the "?" key.....notice anything strange about my keyboard??



EDIT: An American keyboard is called a QWERTY based on its top row of alpha keys - the French keyboard is called an AZERTY for that same reason!

I can not really say which is easier - there are things that I like about both versions of the keyboards and things that I do not like about both version! LOL I do like the placement of the M and ease of using the special keys like !"&()"' but on the other hand I don't like using the Shift key to get to my numbers on my laptop (can not have your cake and eat it to I guess)