The Picnic Cruise on the Clipper...

As promised, I'm posting some pics of our river cruise on the Gateway Clipper in Pittsburgh on the Three Rivers last Saturday. The pictures are pretty self-explanatory, so just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.....



















Oops...almost forgot...this was our SATURDAY SKY on the river....

Monday, monday....

Well, it's Monday and I'm sitting here watching the Steelers on Monday Night Football and missing the premier of Wife Swap. Supposedly, it will be replayed tonight at 1 am....of course I'm taping it. It's probably better this way since I would have been switching channels constantly for two hours.
Okay, onto my weekend. It started out pretty good with my Great Bookmark Exchange package from Karla. AWESOME!!!!!

Oh, how I love getting books in the mail....and as you can see she crocheted a beautiful bookmark as well as giving me a cute bee one and a few other goodies including great stitch markers which I do use and beautiful yarn. The colors in that yarn are so so pretty too....thank you sooooooo much Karla. Okay, so I started reading the book too...just couldn't wait....sometimes I'll read two books at one time....crazy, eh?
This weekend we also spent cleaning up the garden. I do have to tell you that I fell backwards into a box of newly picked tomatoes smashing them....now this was hilarious and I laughed so hard while laying on the ground, that Ed had to take a picture. He wanted me to post it, but when I looked at the picture larger than life on my computer screen, I opted not to upload it since it showed a little more of me than I want the zillions of bloggers who read my blog to see....at least until we know each other a bit better. (sorry, Ed!)
In other words, my shorts were hiked up a little further than he noticed while I was on the ground with my "tomato butt!" But I did manage to take an awesome pic of the Sweetie Man with his newly picked tomatoes in hand....or rather, in bucket.

He also managed to catch this beautiful monarch butterfly for me to take a picture of.
He released it unharmed so not to worry.
And, of course, you know I had to take a pic of the kids since they are growing like weeds.

Cutie pie, Eros!!!

Crazy Chloe!
Check out those ears.

They are really like that.....my son insist she has alot of Jack Russell in her....I say it's Rat Terrier.....I'll ask the Vet next week at their first doc appointment. Those two just love each other.....so much so that this evening Eros, the all black pup, just up and peed on Chloe while she was chewing on a rawhide. Chloe was so into that rawhide and so not wanting Eros to have it, she never flinched. He tried it again later in the evening, but that time Chloe noticed. I'll have to find out what that means when dogs pee on each other. UGH!
I have been crocheting but mostly working on my prayer shawl and searching for some upcoming patterns I may be needing but that's really about it. I have a couple of crochet pics to post but probably do that tomorrow.......I'm getting back to my regular crafting now which is good.....I need to to keep myself sane!!!
Alright, that's it for tonight. I wanted to show you pics of our picnic cruise on the three rivers this weekend but the Sweetie Man has to download the pics....so stay tuned later in the week.
Back to the football game...second half coming up and it's still 0/0.....GO STEELERS!!!!!!! Till tomorrow everyone!!!

Whew, what a morning!

Ok, I promise I'm not turning into a dog blog,(hey, I like that!) but when I woke up this morning and found Eros, the Mastador pup's crate, filled with poop (even on the ceiling of the crate, so much so that I had to take it outside and hose it off )AND the kitchen had a big pee puddle from the older dog (that I stepped in, by the way, while taking the pups out causing me to have to do an impromtu mopping of the kitchen floor, all before going to work mind you)....I just had to share these little tidbits on dogs with you that I got in this morning's email! (they certainly made me feel better) Oh, and by the way, thank you Alexis for the puppy play/fight information! Here goes......ENJOY!

IF A DOG WERE YOUR TEACHER, YOU WOULD LEARN STUFF LIKE:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
  Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
• Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout.... run right back and make friends.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
• Stop when you have had enough.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
• And finally, never trust anyone until you sniff their butt.

Dog Philosophy
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.
-Ann Landers

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.
-M. Acklam

Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
-Sigmund Freud

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
-Rita Rudner

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.
-Robert Benchley

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-Franklin P. Jones

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.
-James Thurber I

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise
-Unknown

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can. That's almost $21.00 in dog money.
-Joe Weinstein

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!
-Anne Tyler

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein I

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.

Hot Pepper!!!

Hey, remember when Ed was making all that salsa a week or so ago? Well, we decided to make a label to go with it. We're only passing it out to friends and family but we thought it would be fun to do it. Tell me what you think...

I drew the Hot Pepper Lady myself and I don't think it turned out too bad. Ed of course is the "word" man so he thought up the name and saying. Everyone got a big kick out of it. I told people that I just looked at my boobs in the mirror and copied them (yeah, right...I wish!)
Okay, just in case you were wondering, my son is fine...still coughing his head off, but fine. He went to to the doc yesterday at 1 pm. I figured he would call afterward but I waited and waited and then started to worry thinking, "OMG, he was sent for chest xrays or something." I finally called his cell and said, "Well?" He replied nonchalantly, "The doc said I have a cold!" That's it???? A stinkin' cold....what's up with that? I felt like a dork for being so worried and sending him to the doc over a cold. Anyway...he's fine...and if the cough continues he is to get some antibiotics.
Let's see, next...I want to know if anyone can tell me the difference between puppy play and puppy fighting. My little puppy, Eros, (who's growing day by day) and the middle puppy, Chloe, (male and female respectively) were for awhile playing or so it seemed. Eros, the younger male, seems to be getting a little agressive towards Chloe. One is eight weeks and other is fourteen weeks. They just sorta wrestled around at first, but now they bark, growl, and bite each other when they are doing this. Is this normal as they get older? I sometimes break it up with a squirt bottle of water but before you know it one or the other sneaks up on the other and nips the other's butt or pounces on the other and then it escalates till I either squirt them again or separate them. Sometimes they ignore each other too and sit and chew on things together. I've googled stuff but can't get a direct answer...I may have to resort to the Dog Whisperer or Puppies for Dummies! Let me know if you have any ideas or opinions on this one.
And last....I don't normally watch Dancing with the Stars, but I have to say, I enjoyed the Jerry Springer dance segment....I was a little worried he might drop over from a heart attack but it was fun to watch....not too bad. I don't care for Harry Hamlin or his fat lipped wife.....too much botox for me. And the Lopez boy.....like they said....lot of batteries in that boy's hips!!!! Wow!
Think I'm gonna get the Sweetie Man to do that one! Oh yeah! Okay, that's it for now...oh...I did work on my butterfly dishcloth....I'm getting back to my yarn now that the "kids" are on a crate, eat, poop schedule! So, till tomorrow, yinz guys!!!

Rainy Tuesday...

It's a rainy dreary Tuesday here and I haven't much to say. Just been taking care of the new kids and I have the marks to prove it. I woke up this morning with this huge 2-3 inch diameter bruise on my left hand....I was stunned as I tried to remember where it came from. Then it came to me that I banged my hand on a shelf while moving a dog crate. Then I wake up in the middle of the night itching from the "skeeter" bites I got while playing with the dogs in the evening in the back yard. Then I noticed that the 3 "war wounds" I have from the dogs using my hand as a rawhide where still there. I'm a walking dog toy! But I guess I asked for it.....I still love 'em!
On the brighter side, I got my new glasses which was a good thing cause I sat on my other ones and they were sorta slanted. These on the other hand are a bit stronger and things are a little blurry and curvy right now..when you get old and get these progressive things (three lenses in one) you will know what I'm talking about. You constantly have to be moving your head up and down in a continuous nod to find just the right spot to see correctly. After awhile it becomes automatic....but for now it's driving me a little nuts.
My son, on the other hand, has been keeping me up late with this chronic cough he's been having for the past week. I wanted him to go to the doctor and he wanted me to put it off, but I got him to go today. Hopefully, it's just allergies since he is prone to them. The constant coughing has been driving me crazy so I know it is doing the same for him. I just hope it is nothing more serious.....it's a Mother's worry I guess.
Haven't been doing any crocheting or knitting the past couple of days...not that I don't want to, but I tend to catch up from the weekend of doing nothing then Monday and Tuesday I clean up the mess of doing nothing. So tonight I may do a little of something just to relax and watch the premier of "Dancing with the Stars"....not that I like that show, I just want to see Jerry Springer dance.....for some reason I just can't imagine that. I'm most looking forward to next week's premier of Wife Swap with the Pirate family....I just love that show!
Well, that's it for now....off to lunch for more animal abuse...them abusing ME that is! Catch ya all later!!!

LG meets BG....

Well, Thursday was an awesome day! Little Goober met Big Goober (aka as Courtney meets Lucy day!) Courtney, her husband Kenneth, her second husband Trevor (not really, just her husband's best friend) and her Brother-in-Law (whose name I won't mention cause he is a Dolphin fan...but a nice guy!) met me at the nearby Mall for some lunch and just hanging out for the afternoon. We ate lunch at the local Eat n Park and when the waitress found out they were all from Tennessee and up here to see the Steeler game, she gave them a dozen of Smiley Cookies...now is that Steeler Hospitality or what!!! We are the best fans!!!! Anyway, we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling the mall, talking, laughing and taking some pics. Check us out (being silly of course!) ....





When the afternoon was over, they all headed down to Pittsburgh for the big Steeler kickoff game...and from the text messages Courtney was sending me as well as what I saw on TV, they had an awesome time! And WE WON!!!!!! Hopefully, LG will put some pics on her blog too!
It's really a cool thing to meet up with a fellow blogger. Courtney and I met in Crochetville being both Steeler fans back in February of 2006 and we've been emailing and talking every since. Who would have thought they would have driven all the way up here and we would meet. Turns out Trevor was born a few miles from here so he did know the way which was cool! It was a great day, and I thank Courtney and her entourage of men for coming up my way and spending the day! I really really had a fun time with yinz, guys! Hey, Ed wants to take me to Nashville....who knows? Till next time....GO STEELERS!

My kids....

Okay...everyone gets to post pics of their kids and grandkids but me. My son would make me take a dozen pictures in three different types of light in every room to see which one he liked best for me to post. Ah....let me think....no!!
Instead I'll give you more pics of the puppies....I promise I won't bore you too many times with this, but at this point in my life, with three "kids" (Katie the teenager, Chloe the middle child, and Eros the baby) my life is pretty tied up in getting these little ones adjusting to each other.
They are just like kids tho...it is so weird! The one good thing is that they grow up faster...don't talk back.....and I don't have to spend a zillion dollars on college. So, being as nothing much has happened today in my life, here is a pic of the baby after he decided that digging in dirt was fun....


Can't you just picture him saying...."Dirt? What dirt? I wasn't diggin', Mom!"

And the two youngest here are getting along very nicely so far. They still need to be watched but I can do it with them in the same room now. My son even has been pitching in without me asking, believe it or not, to help with them. Here's the two chewing on some rawhides after having run themselves exhausted around the house.

These two I'm concerned may be falling in heavy "like" with each other. I told the Sweetie Man, if I walk into the kitchen one day and see a scene from Lady and the Tramp with a string of spaghetti between them.....I'm calling the vet for some emergency neutering!
Well, that's it for tonight...gotta put the kids to bed. Hey, stay tuned tomorrow, for the exciting adventures of "LG meets BG"! Some of you already know what that means...but there should be pics tomorrow! Nite, yinz guys!!!

Lots of LABOR this weekend...

Well, after my dramatic poopy post, things have calmed down quite a bit in our household. Our little Eros is getting adjusted tho still pooping in his crate, but I sure that will stop with time. He has been going outside for the most part. This is a picture of him in all his sleepy glory.


Right now as you can see he is about 20 inches long and about 7 weeks old and is almost as big as Chloe who is about 14 weeks old. I will keep you up to date thru pics on just how big this little guy is going to get. He is so heavy already and eats alot for a pup. His little legs even have trouble carrying his weight now and his head is huge...but oh so cute. Chloe and him have supervised play once in awhile to get used to each other. Eros was crying quite a bit the first night so my neighbor suggested I place the cages facing each other close...so they are currently within a foot of each other with a little night light in between. Do I love these guys or what. Katie, of course, the elder, has the run of the downstairs which is good cause she is an excellent watch dog for me.
The rest of the weekend was spent helping Sweetie Man make a billion jars of salsa with tomatoes from the Garden. Check out these pics:


He was so tired when he was done but you could tell he was so proud of himself. He decided to call the Salsa "Ed's Naked Salsa" (made with the bare essentials). Cute, eh? There is a little story behind that name....but, ah....I think I will tell you when the kids are in bed.
Okay, next, we went to a big Craft Fair. Unfortunately I forgot my camera but I did take a pic of the awesome purse I got. The Sweetie Man insisted we buy it cause it was so "ME". Check it out.

We had a good time since it was also the best weather day of the weekend. Lots and lots of crafts in about 4 barns and around the grounds also. No yarn booths except one lady spinning.....but she wasn't selling the yarn only some weaved shawl things.
Oh, and I didn't really crochet or knit too much this weekend only this dishcloth...I'm sure you have seen this one...it's supposed to have the imprint of a butterfly when it is done.

Actually, I was almost done with this, but a certain puppy got hold of the sticks and pulled some of the stitches out. I thought I fixed it but apparently didn't so I just frogged the whole thing and started again. Oh, well...good practice.
I also wanted to find the Strata yarn by Red Heart at Walmart that was mentioned at a Cal I'm in. They had lots of different kinds but I chose this one.


I have no idea what I will make with it...probably a scarf just to see the stripes.
So, that was my weekend. Very busy but lots of fun! I'm definately learning alot about dogs which is really cool. And I learned how to can salsa...two different ways! So, till tomorrow, and over the hump day already...oh yeah...love these short weeks! Tootles.

It was a POOPY day....literally!

(be forewarned....finish eating before reading this blog!) Okay...now that that is out of the way, don't say I didn't warn you! Yesterday, I found out what is means to have the "S*#t" scared out of you! It went something like this......came home from work and told my next door neighbor, that we were going to finally take our puppy home with us. She was really excited because the others were going to the shelter and her house would be back to normal. Sweetie Man was coming home with a nice large crate for the Mastif/Lab puppy. She gave me the little sweetheart after her family kissed him good bye (they live next door to me within 3 feet actually!) and I brought the little fellow inside to meet his step-sisters (Katie and Chloe) I held him and they sniffed around all of his body parts, etc...(you know what I'm talking about here!) Anyway, he is so cute and laid back that he was even licking their faces. Katie, my older dog, got bored and left, and Chloe of course wanted to play (Think "ODIE" here from Garfield cartoons). I said, "Wow, this is nice! I'll take the pup outside for a little poopy pee party." Katie and Chloe followed me and that was okay...little more get acquainted action going on. I proceeded to place the puppy on the ground....it walked about 12 inches from me and happen to pass near Katie the elder dog (and grounds keeper) and brushed passed her while she was chewing a rawhide. WRONG THING TO DO! Katie pounced on that pup quicker than you can say....holy crap!!!! The puppy was screaming on his back with Katie on top....Katie nor Chloe expected that (don't worry Katie didn't hurt Eros, the pup) and it scared them also. I grabbed up the pup as it was yelping enough to bring the neighbors (who just gave me their precious baby) out to see what was happening. The pup would not stop yelping and as I was holding it like a baby trying to calm it, my neighbor called over...."you know it's pooping on you!" Actually it was pooping AND peeping on me...the stepsister dogs were upset and stepping in the poop as they scrambled to find out why the dog was yelping so loud and trying to follow me into the house. At that moment, Ed happened to drive up and came running out the back door to rescue me. Let me tell you...there was poop everywhere!!! The runny kind! Even on my glasses!!! (not a clue how it got there....must have been some projectile poop in the mix) I took off my clothes right at the door way (no one saw!) managing to throw my clothes outside near the cellar door to go in the wash. I got new clothes on but the pup apparently had not sufficiently "scared all of the s#*t" out of itself....so I got more on me. I managed to make it to the cellar and immediately put the pup in the washtub (he sorta quit yelping at that point) and gave him his first bath in his new home. While he was drying off....I changed my clothes for the second time in 15 minutes! We got everyone calmed down, hosed off most of the outside, (shoes, steps, rugs, etc...) and laid the baby pup down for a snoozer in his crate....after all that excitement....he slept!! We did check the pup for any boo-boos and he was clean! He did learn his first lesson tho....let chewing bigger dogs lie! And I learned mine......keep little pups from bigger chewing dogs!! After shedding a few tears (I was worried I damaged the pup mentally for life!)....Sweetie Man made us a delicious steamed crab leg feast with corn on the cob and lots of wine (which I needed at that point!) We went to bed with the Steeler game on, hoping Friday would be a less messy day....and it was....everyone is doing much better. We plan on keeping Katie the bigger dog at a distance from the pup and keeping a really good eye on the pup. Crazy Chloe is doing fairly well with Eros. I decided with Chloe's mischievous nature and full of energy personality, if she was human, she would be a hell of a fun person to go out with for a all girls' weekend....tho Sweetie Man said we would probably end up in jail!
So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.......we were supposed to go on a picnic cruise on the Gateway Clipper on Saturday but I changed the day due to good ole Ernesto heading up our way with loads of rain and wind. So we'll be spending the weekend chillin and making salsa and enjoying the "kids"! (Katie, Chloe, and Eros, that is!) I'll get some pics posted of the pup soon.....I have to get him in some good pics....in case anyone needs new wallpaper for their computer (wink!) Okay...till tomorrow...remember......POOP-R-DONE (I hope, anyway!)

Lookie what I got....

....it's an awesome pair of socks from Melissa! I now have my very own colorful handmade socks for MY FEET! We both signed up to Kaity's sock swap and she was smart enough to pair up two beginners....cause she probably figured we would take a little more time...and she was right. But it was certainly worth the wait!!! Melissa also sent me some goodies including some Zataran Dirty Rice (she's from Louisianna) that the Sweetie Man will have fun with! So thanks, again Melissa! Great job!

Next...check out these cool books I got through a mailer. It was one of those, try for 30 days and send back at our expense. I don't think I'll send it back cause it has alot of cool Christmas things...ornaments, baskets, stockings, etc... I really like it. The book on the right was a freebie that came with it. If you would like to check it out, go to the Needlecraft Shop and I think you may have to send them an email to request it, as it's fairly new.
Last, but not least, check out the awesome gourds we are growing. We started out with four plants but I accidentally mowed three down...oops! This plant went crazy on us and produced four 10 inch gourds....I'll be crafting on this guys next year, for sure!




Well, that's it for tonight! This is the second time I posted this blog...lost the other one somehow.....I HATE when that happens!!!! So till tomorrow....this is Lucy the Gourd Lady, signing off!

My Obit......

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Just kidding...I'm still here! But isn't that the funniest thing....of all persons to be missed by....Mr. Potatohead....sounds like a bad dream (okay, Karen...this is where you come in!) Sorry, Mrs. Potatohead.....your husband always did have an "eye" for blondes!! Get it...eye....eye on a potato! Never mind!

Got this from Dawn. Enjoy!

Take me out to the ballgame....

Our Saturday was spent in Pittsburgh attending a Pirate Baseball Game. It was SkyBlast night, so we are talking a sell-out crowd and the best fireworks ever...win or lose! We started out our afternoon walking across the Roberto Clemente Bridge...named after #21, one of the greatest players ever (at least in my opinion!) Those were the days when I was a huge fan! Anyway, this is an awesome shot of the city behind us.
This is a shot of what we were walking towards. I have no idea who that looney tune is in the right hand side of the picture, chewing on corn nuts, cause she couldn't wait for dinner...geez!
We had an early dinner at Outback Steakhouse and if you look directly below the sign in the next pic, you can see some arched windows which was directly across from our dinner booth so we got to watch a bit of batting practice while we ate before the game. That was cool!


It was a sell out game but you couldn't tell from this picture since we got in a little after the gates opened. But trust me...it did sell out. Practically everyone of those seats was filled.
This is my favorite pic, since unbeknownst to me when I was taking it, you could see the Pittburgh skyline in Sweetie Man's sunglasses. I thought that was neat!

The Pirates lost to Houston but it was fun anyway. The guy behind me got hit with a foul ball in the shoulder, the guy in front of me caught a t-shirt in the t-shirt toss, and I must have done the wave 1/2 dozen times. Got home close to midnight and crashed and then just chilled on Sunday. Now it's time for Monday and hopefully a quick week since next weekend is the long Labor Day weekend...oh, yeah! So, as they say in that good old song...."it's One, Two, Three Strikes..........I'M OUT....at the Old Ballgame!!!!!!!!

Tagged...I'm it!!!

Tagged by Sue at Good Yarns. And being as I'm a book lover....I liked this one....here the directions:

1. Grab the nearest book. Don't think, just the nearest book...
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog (Please include the book and author) along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag three people.

Ok, I promise I won't be as trashy as Brandy (he-he!)

"Maybe because of all of the walking, they quickly adopted the custom of eating a large midday meal before retiring for a good part of the afternoon returning from their hotel room from whatever distant quarter of whichever city they happened to be in, there to nap like newborns. And then when they woke, they walked. "Had enough?" Martin asked Claire one afternoon in Florence, walking back down the hill from the Pitti Palace. "No" she answered quickly.

Sounds interesting, no?
It's an excerpt from THE GAZEBO by Emily Grayson. Good book!!!

Okay, and now I think I'm going to tag......Ollie, Christy, Courtney
I'll be checking on yinz, guys!!
Now off to see the Pittsburgh Pirates at SkyBlast Night!!! Woo-hoo!!! (don't worry, I'll take pics for ya!) Tootles!

A little "book talk"!

I guess you may have noticed the Books to the Sky icon on my sidebar linking you to that website. If you are a book lover as I am, I really think you will enjoy this new site from Juli. She gives some great reviews on books that she has read. This is the same Juli who has The Great Bookmark Exchange which I challenged you all to join also. (remember, fellow book lovers?)
I don't really know how I got interested in books...not books on tape so much (I can't seem to keep my concentration on those for any length of time). I just remember enjoying walking to the library when I was young (when you could walk that far safely), walking down the basement steps (it was under some offices in town) and just loving the smell of it. All those books! (especially the Nancy Drews....which I still collect as you know) I still love to walk into a book store, particularly the ones with the coffee shops and just take a deep breath....it's aromatherapy for me. There is this certain fascination about books I can't explain. I mean I don't remember my mom reading when I was young nor did she read to me. Nor did my dad. They both read the newspapers and such, but that was about it. I found out later in life that my mom read alot before she had kids...makes sense...with four kids farely close in age...who has time to read? Once everyone was gone, and my dad passed away, she read like crazy. I, in turn, slowed down quite a bit, taking care of my own son and reading alot to him. How I wish she were around now, so I could have my very own reading swap partner...she read pretty much the same things I did and would try anything. I particularly remember one birthday when she turned maybe 70, we went to the used book store and got about 50 used Harlequins and romances for her. Ya know, she wasn't that excited when my brother bought her a new TV. She loved them. She said she loved to read them cause it took her to a whole other world. And when you think about it....it does. I mean really, a good writer will make you jump into the book......the characters will become people you really know. What I'm trying to figure out is....are love of books something you are just born with or something taught to you? In my case, I was born with it. I really never saw anyone else reading in my family. I did read to my son quite a bit...actually from the moment I brought him home from the hospital, whether he understood it or not. (Dr. Suess, of course) There were plenty of books available for him....but it never really caught on. Guess he wasn't born with the love of books as I was.
I also enjoy seeing what others are reading. When I'm on vacation, I'm always trying to look at the covers of the books of people reading at the beach. I find it fascinating to see what other people like. I even used to volunteer in the local library....just because. You would think I would have become a librarian.
Anyway, not to become long winded here on books, but I do enjoy them. Now I don't read as fast as I would like to....probably never finished a book in one sitting like some people do....I tend to get a little sleepy at some point. I have so many many books I would love to read tho....I'll try anything once. This is why the paperback swap website is so much fun too. I can trade what I've finished and get new at no cost. It amazes me how many people belong to that too.....it is rare that I don't find a book...whether it be fiction or non-fiction, kids books, crafts, etc... Every kind you can think of posted by people everywhere to trade for the cost of postage. They have now added a new site which is a CD swap. Sweetie Man posted 10 CD's so far and we've just sent one out that was requested. I haven't looked into this one yet since I'm more a reader than a music person. But check it out if you have CD's that you really don't listen to anymore or have downloaded on you I-pods.
Oh, and one more thing about books....there are alot of online libraries also that are pretty good. I've read a classic or two on them.. the whole book, chapter by chapter. http://www.literature.org/ And there is also a site called Book Crossings in which you randomly leave a book you have read somewhere (hospital, store, restaurant...etc) hoping someone picks it up...then you sorta track it. You can also see where in your town someone has dropped a book off...you'd be surprised! This could be anywhere in the world that's listed...but I did manage to find one that was left at a donut shop in town.
Well, that's about it for today. Hope you enjoyed my literacy blog today. And check out some of those sites I mentioned....you might find something you like! So, till tomorrow, amigos.......READ-R-DONE!!!

And the winner is....

Yep...that's our little Chloe Nicole on the right playing tug-o-war with big step-sister Katie. Chloe is definately very active and playful and she is definately not a lap dog. I don't know if there was ever a moment when she just would sit on one of our laps. I had to buy some Bitter spray to keep her from playing tug-o-war with my clothes tho. (She pulled my skirt off once) It is safe to say she does not like the taste of it. (the Bitter spray that is) UGH!
Katie, her big step-sister, is becoming more patient with this little one. I'm hoping some day I will see the two of them sleeping together in happy harmony. Katie is the Alpha dog tho and she has let Chloe know it on numerous occasions! Oh, well...it's a dog's life I guess!


This next pic is of the cute little bumble bee that Mimi made for me. I just love it and it sits watching me work. I brought my camera into work one day just to take a picture of him. He is soooooo cute!! Thanks again, Mimi!!

Check this out. Sue at Good Yarns sorta inspired me by her Prayer Shawl to make one of my own. Yep, it's being knitted. I don't particularly care for the " slippy" (Pittsburghese) needles. I like wooden ones instead and should have made a pair out of dowels but instead I bought these and ended up getting one size bigger than I needed. There are alot of boo-boo's in this but you really can't see them due to the pattern and the homespun yarn. I'm not sure who is getting this, but I do have someone in mind. I'll let you know once it is done...if it turns out okay.
And check this out. When I was at Knitty Gritty the Yarn Store while on vacation, I found this pattern for this cute little purse. Actually I think it is a Lily Chin pattern (is that right?) and the yarn is a mercerized cotton....anyway, it's really nice cotton yarn and this purse ended up being about 5 inches wide and 7 1/2 inches high. I think I may make another for me. Since it only took a total of one skein of yarn, it's for my One Skein Partner. I'm sure it could be done in ww cotton also. Hope she likes it.
Well, that's it for today, Hope you enjoyed the tour. Mozilla is treating me better which is why I'm posting this pics that I've been meaning to post for awhile. So, yinz guys, till tomorrow......KNIT-R-DONE!

Who is this girl anyway???

This was cool...I got it from Brandy (aka Crochet Nut). Gives you a little insight in the mystery of ME!!!

1. FIRST NAME? Lucy
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my mom's best friend
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last week I think.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No....I love it!!! I get compliments on it all the time...not to brag or anything.
5. YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Salami
6. KIDS? One nineteen year old son...(I'll trade ya "Mary" for him, Brandy!)
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yeah, I think I'm fun!
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? An on and off one (more off than on)
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Average I think.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yep...ahhhh,wee?
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Let me think..NO!
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Anything with alot granola stuff in it.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes...tho recently the puppy does it for me.
14. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Mint chocolate chip followed closely by run raisin.
15. DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE A STRONG PERSON? Physically and mentally (when my son's not around me) average.
16. SHOE SIZE? 8 1/2
17. RED OR PINK? Red
18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My body shape.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Mom and Dad and my Brother, Joe (who live in Heaven right now)
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Well, this is on the blog and not in the mail. Just do you own list and I'll read it. (I'm with Brandy on this one)
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING NOW? beige shorts
22 YOU COULD BE 18 AGAIN WOULD YOU? NO! (that wasn't difficult!)
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Katey licking the carpet and Chloe playing with a squeekie toy.
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Bright yellow!
25. FAVORITE SMELL? Ed's cologne (Royal Copenhagen)
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED ON THE PHONE? My son.
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Their smile.
28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON THAT SENT THIS TO YOU? I got this from Brandy's blog (Crochet Nut) and I thing she is really cool!
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Coffee and White Zin (not together)
30. FAVORITE SPORT? To watch..Football. To play...Tennis.
31. EYE COLOR? Green/Blue (depending on the light and who is looking at them)
32. HAT SIZE? Average (?)
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope...I look better in glasses...I look like I have a brain!
34. FAVORITE FOOD? Pizza
35. WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIE THEATER? Click (but I didn't cry)
36. SCARY MOVIE OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy Ending.
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Old Navy T-shirt
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer
39. HUGS OR KISSES? Big strong hugs!
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake
41. WHO WILL MOST LIKELY RESPOND? No response necessary.(again, I agree with Brandy)
42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Whoever has more to do then me right now!
43. WHAT BOOKS are you READING NOW? The Red Hat Society
44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? My Mouse (tee-hee)
45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Court TV stuff
46. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Birds singing
47. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
48. THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Barbados
49. WHAT IS YOU PRESENT OCCUPATION? Secretary
50. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? New Kensington Pennsylvania
51. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Got it from Brandy (how many times do I have to say that?)

Okay...that's it for tonight....I'm being lazy! Till tomorrow....KNIT-R-DONE!