OMG - Look What I Just Drove!!!

It's so not a good idea to tell the guy across the street about the car you really like - because he handles all the used ones that come through his Chevy dealer (the same guy that is currently driving a Dodge truck with a Viper engine in it - wth?). So, tonight, after driving my 112th mile for the day (to & from work, to & from practice), I pulled onto my street to see this sitting in his drive:

I WANTZZZZZ ONE!!!!

And then the idiot handed me the key....

And since it's been over 5 years since I drove anything with a clutch, and a lot longer than that since I had one you couldn't just dump into whatever gear, I umm, *cough*cough*stalled*cough* at the corner.

But then I barked the tires at the other corner up onto the main road!!

I think I used all of the 6 gears - don't know I do know it's a good thing there weren't any cops between here & where I turned around It has lots & lots of go-fast


Damn, I make this look good!


That is really cool - but wow, so not looking for another car payment. And I really hope my poor Mazda didn't see me driving the pretty red car.


I guess I'll hold out for the Boxster or '64 GTO :) Or the GREY R/T with the flat black markings :)

Lilies - An Update

Yep, lilies everywhere, and it's too early. Which means, about July, I'm going to have lotsa dead sticks sticking out of the ground :) Because I don't go outside during smog & fire ant season :) :)


We have a long weekend coming up, Memorial Day for those not in the US. I get to spend the whole weekend driving back and forth from the State Cup tourney, which is being played in Columbus, GA - 150 miles from my house. So, who else is driving 1000 miles and not leaving their state?? Anybody? WooHoo - I hate it. But Sunday & Monday's games are afternoon, so even staying in a hotel doesn't make sense - if you check out at 10 or 11 and the game's at 5, what do you do to entertain yourself in between? I don't understand why the State Cup has to be way the hell over there, when 97% of the teams are from Atlanta - other than they have a nice big facility, and all the other tourneys over Memorial Day are using up the fields in ATL.

I won't go into details about the play in game we had Saturday that allowed us to advance to the actual Cup. It was 3 hours of torture from the parent perspective. The team we played beat us in regular season 9-0 - they didn't have a single goal against them from ANYONE (clearly they did some massive recruiting last summer and stacked their team - uh, you can only go up one more division, boys). Well, we had them beat 1-0 when a fight broke out with 2 1/2 minutes to go - they were getting desperate, not believing they were losing, and with their home ref, on their $30K turf field giving them EVERY advantage, so a fight. It shoulda been called then, but no, after throwing 4 red cards, the ref made them finish. And because every one was hot and we were down 2 players to their one (one of their reds came off the bench), they scored at the very last, tying it up. So two 15-minute OTs, still tied, though they got their third Red (2nd caution), and we were again even at 9 players each. PKs - and our keep did an outstanding job blocking, so we advance! 5 Reds, 7-8 Yellows, including one for my kid (you know, Captain Obvious) - ummm, hey Ref, are you aware of what happens when a bunch of 17 year old boys get their testosterone up? Did it ever occur to you that MAYBE YOU ought to get it under control PRIOR to fists flying???? Stupid f&*%. I hope they paid him well - too bad they LOST. Yes, I am a poor sport - so? I hate playing against rich kids - they are AWFUL. The coach was shitty to our boys, too, as they were walking off the filed, saying "Have fun getting slaughtered by XXXX [one of those big teams we're playing in the Cup)". Wow, and you're supposed to be the adult??? GREAT EXAMPLE, Nancy (no offense, Nancy :D).
Hey, you like how I didn't go into any detail there? My stomach is still upset from the whole thing - not to mention the cleat marks the kid has all up his leg & knee. Rich little punk-ass kids...


So anywho - as for stitching, it would seem that I am still in slump. This is getting ridiculous. Though, I guess I haven't really had one in 4-5 years, so maybe it's all catching up to me? Anyway, I took Starry Nights to the stitch in at The Stitch Store on Monday. Can I just say that the two-layer chart is confusing as hell? I thought I had a HUGE mistake that I was going to have to frog - but it turns out I had it right - but it took some serious study to make sure. I am taking it with me tonight, too, in honor of Lori, since it's her chart I have, and I didn't find time for it yesterday, when I should have (No, didn't work on Noah yesterday, either). Here is where I am now:


My main piece for the week was MTM, and I didn't even complete a building - albeit that middle building. Which I had started last month. I really hate that building. And I think it is mostly due to the fact that the Waterlilies Caramel (?) and Pearl are so close in color, that I wonder why I'm bothering to pick each one out? At any rate, I think when I move to the 4th side, I'm starting with that horrid middle building and getting it DONE. I'm wondering if working upside down is hurting my brain? I could flip it, I guess - but it didn't bother me when I started this side. I think my brain just hurts, period. We'll see if next times goes better....


A detail shot is here.

This week, I'm supposed to get EGS out again - but still not feeling it, at all. I don't know. Maybe the dragon will come out again, maybe EGS, maybe something else entirely. I just wish my weekend was totally consumed with being in the car - and I am sure it will be too hot to take anything with me to work on. Good thing I have a nice fat book on the go - The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand. Great read so far - Atlas Shrugged is right behind it - unless Gabaldon's Echo in the Bone intercedes :) So... check back next week and see if I manage to stitch at all! For those of you NOT slumping, happy stitching this week!

The First Lily

About 3 weeks too early, we have lilies blooming:

My asiatics will be open maybe tomorrow. Wow - too early; it's going to be a long summer, I think. Glad I have new A/C....

A Minor May Update

Well, the last week of school has arrived, and I think I am more ready than the boys are - I am tired of getting them up in the morning!

As for stitching, last week was pretty much a complete washout. I had the bright idea to chart up the Bard's Sonnet 18, and pulled fabric & thread for that as soon as I got home on Monday, and worked on that Monday & Tuesday, at lunch and at the stitch in at the Stitch Store. I have it about 1/3 done, as I haven't touched it since Tuesday.

I also noticed, Wednesday, I think, that I made a mistake on Paula's RR, so spent Wednesday and Thursday nights taking out about 1/2 of what I had overzealously finished the week before :( :( :( I don't quite have it all back in yet, but almost - have to get that line of verse and the herringbone row below it back in. Sorry, no picture of anti-progress - you'll have to use your imagination.
My main piece for the week was supposed to be Lady & Unicorn. I got 4 stitches into it. Yep, 4 whole stitches. I actually think I put it up with the needle dangling from it - I'll have to check that out when I get home... Again, no picture of anti-progress.

So basically, let the Slump ensue!!
This week, I may or may not work on MTM. I'm going to the stitch in tonight (it has been moved to Mondays), but I think I'm taking Starry Nights. Don't know. Not really in the mood for anything, new or already in progress. Maybe I just need a break for a week or two? Anyway, check back next week to see if I am still slumping :)

NOT PICTURED: The 4' Black Snake that DumbChuck killed Saturday (after flinging it up in the air over his head). Ummmm, he chases birds, snakes, butterflies. What part of Coonhound is he not getting? Other than I don't think he's seen a coon yet, not counting the Maine Coon Cat that gets picked on frequently...
ALSO NOT PICTURED: The Brown Water Snake that Lucy stomped on as it was sunning itself on a rock at Elachee Nature Center later on Saturday... at least, I'm pretty sure it was a Brown - I didn't hear a rattle as it slid off into the creek!
It's going to be one of those summers...

A Sunny May Update

We went back to spring over the weekend, from the temps in the 90s during the week that cooked all of my irises, and which have caused all of my day lilies to bud already - I bet I'll have blooms this week, which is very early for them. 2 weeks of school left for the boys - I'm tired of getting them up every morning. And their to-do lists are getting pretty big - all the stuff they didn't do over Christmas break and spring break - yep, still on the list. And one of 'em better be coming up with a job....

On to the stitching. This week was supposed to be Samplar 4 Saisons, but I got Paula's RR piece out Monday, a Drawn Thread piece - An Open Heart, and I couldn't put it down!!I really love working on this piece, and did 2 of the big bands and all of the dividing bands between. The next bands have cut threads and reweaving, so I look forward to those. I don't do hearts and I don't do pink - but this is a really great design :)
The overall of this is here.

Finally, on Saturday, I made myself put the RR away and get out Samplar 4 Saisons - though I was also fighting a serious case of startitis (because the two new starts 2 weeks in a row didn't fix that, I guess). I didn't get a lot done, just a few motifs in about 3 hours over the two days. And still didn't get down to that tree :)

Other than that, nothing else accomplished last week. This week is Lady & Unicorn again, and I plan to go to the stitch in tomorrow night, but not sure what I'm taking with. I'm just ready to be done with school - so I can start getting ready for the new year in August, my Big Kid's senior year. And getting senior pictures taken over the summer, when he can schedule time off from the job he'd better have :) That's the news - happy stitching, everyone!!