A few more hours left to 2007

Wow-another year almost passed. I look forward to a new one and look back with sweet memories!

Another day closer to 2008

(ignore the glare)

Art of Late!
I got a new journal for Christmas and some tube watercolor paints. Never had tube watercolors before, but they are wonderful! I've done 2 entries as you can see right above this wording. This one at the very top is some scraps from my quilt -I finally sewed it together today!!!!! Wow, its been how many months- like 9 since I started it. Now I need to press it and then I need to add some flowers so I can stitch the 3 layers together throughout the middle of the quilt. I could do the edges ok, but not in the middle section. Anyhow- I am so happy to have done the edges-its actually usuable now- that I journaled today. The British flag photo is a working photo of the front of the travel journal I am putting together to take to London in Feb. with me. I am using a large board book and I am coloring the pages before I go, and of course doing the cover. I did that before we went to Ireland and it worked out great.

Art and my Dryer
Anyhow, Dave and Katie took off to visit his mom this morning- and they didn't ask me to go. First I thought I'd drive down to Absolutely Everything, but I know I'd buy tons of supplies and soend more cash than I really should right now, but then I saw my quilt pieces laying on my blanket chest- needing to be sewn together, and since it was just me and cats- and I could work in peace (well minus Leo wanting to crawl around on it)- so I did. Talk about happy. And the $22.49 part that fixed my dryer..yahoo! I know I need to go buy a new washer and dryer- but since I had to buy a new computer and my furniture is coming soon (I hope) and we had to put a new pump on the water system...I will wait until later in the spring for those purchases. I can afford $22.49 right now. Finally the pile of dirty clothes and towels is shrinking to an anthill size from a whole mountain range.

On the List

So still need to clean out the bathoom cabinet to put some stuff away and still want to take down the holiday decorations- can't believe a week ago we were heading into the Christmas home stretch- seems so long ago for some reason...need to learn how to crochet too- weird I can't do that since I knit- and I'm a really good knitter too. More snow due tonight, and I want to finish up some more photos in my Ireland books project, the Amazing Race is on shortly and I am into that show,and that's about it for tonight.

What's been up

2 recommended trips for your brain from me

Had some down days since the holiday rush finished.

Love down time!

I have been sleeping late (ahhh, its heaven), been reading my latest book -Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett which I am quite enjoying even though its not a topic I would usually chose, went out shopping in the snow Thursday with Katie and her friend Kristen, went to an open house at my friend's JoAnne's last night (which was nice to get out for a couple of hours) and saw Sweeney Todd. Except for the blood-easy enough to look away, enjoyed the movie IMMENSELY, even if I do find people bursting into song a bit of an adjustment. Didn't see the end coming, so I was a bit surprised, but that's great in a movie.
Also have been watching some DVD's, yesterday I scrapped some more Dublin photos (I either have take fewer good photos or restrain myself and not put so many into the books...either way...I'm horrible at restraint), been doing some cleaning/decluttering in small shots, still staring at my quilt to finish-which I just need to jump in and do. Talking about going to see National Treasure 2 today since I really want to see that also. Of course we had a major cat fight the other night- was ready to declaw Leo, and tonight we have the big game- win Pats and get a record for an undefeated regular season. Still have 3 more days after today and not sure what I will do with them...and it is hard to believe its almost 2008 and almost end of first semester at school too. And almost London in another 8 weeks. Wow. That's a lot.

Santa was good this year

A few holiday photos

A few stockings hanging on the fireplace.

Paper and boxes. The colors.

Hmmm. Wht's this? A snoopy doll. Katie always gets one.

A good shot of my 2 sweeties. Dave got a box of candy.

Mr. I love Christmas-there's paper, boxes, bows. Now if he could stop harrassing Emmie.

When I wish I could shake my magic wand and have everything back in place.

the day after

Hope it was a merry one for all of you out there in blog land- mine was- great visits to Maine and Massachusetts, nice day at home, need to clean today- my livingroom still looks like Santa's sack blew up ...but that's Christmas fun. Need to add my photos from the last 3 days, at some point...but feel like taking a step out of time here and doing my new years wrap up. So I;m a few days early, but guess that's allowed. I love being able to keep to my own schedule today...but can't believe the holiday is all over already.

NOW WE LOOK BACK BEFORE LOOKING AHEAD
Highlights of 2007: (not in any order)
1- going to Ireland and Philly
2-new dept. head at work
3-Katie getting her liscense
4-Dave finishing out back lawn and getting the rest of the house painted- now its all 1 color- our new choice, sage green
5-getting published 3 times
6-my art projects -they make me happy
7-my museum of the month project (made every month but June, Sept and October- but with some months being more than 1 museum-think I'll do it again in 08.) was a great successful and fun project
8-spending some great family time and having some great laughs
9-my lake job this past summer -1 morning a week, lots of reading time, a little play money
10-my investments are almost back to orirginal investment
11- having good friends and good times-always a positive
and...as I think of them I'll add to this list...because there's always more...
NOW WE LOOK AHEAD, JUST BARELY, BUT ITS A THOUGHT
For next year- want to do more Museum of the Month-lets see how successful I can be year 2 and my big idea, send out 1 submission a month. Think I can do it? I don't know. Maybe 1 every 2 months so it doesn't get to be too stressful and stops being fun. Something to ponder. Something to play with.

December 24th

In whatever language you say in it-
Merry Christmas!
More importantly- (I must remember this)
may you have love and peace in your heart!

Its almost Christmas- and I am CRANKY!

OK, today is the whine day.
I want a day to play and relax.
My dryer died and I am stuck with a wet load of bath sheets and a load of wet jeans.
I need to go to Maine today to visit my in-laws.
Tomorrow I need to go to Mass. to visit my family.
Why does everyone feel they need to see us at Christmas?
I don't get that. But then I'm a cold fish who doesn't want to be alone, but just be with Dave and Katie.
What I really want is a down day.
People here seem to think you should work right up through the 24th but still send cards, buy gifts and wrap them, have a wonderful meal, bake lots of treats, remember everyone on the planet...
I am cranky down deep- never mind my sinuses are killing me and when that happens my jaws, neck and shoulders always get so stiff and sore.
This is not a vacation weekend- this is a weekend of extra work.
Yesterday I had to shop, but I still need a few things like to go to the meat market and get a roast for Tuesday dinner.
I want to stay home and watch Christmas movies.
I want Christmas to be fun again.
I think people have forgotten about what Christmas is and society needs to stop asking so much of us.
I am not enjoying this, no matter how much I try to get myself in a good mood.
And I'm TIRED too.
Right now I say- get this done with. But I'm not sure I really deep down mean this.
But thanks for listening and letting me unload a bit.

Of course, if I just got up and did somethign rather trying to get my act together here...rather than dwelling and complaining...

Vacation!!! I'm so excited!!!

I'm on vacation! And its almost Christmas. Last day of school today- a day that's not so productive but a bit of fun...brought work home though-ugh! Take home tests that were due yesterday but because of the snow day I got today. Lets see if I actually do it.
Wish I could say I made these cookies today- but I made them a week ago. Hopefully will get to do some baking this weekend- along with getting a few last minute gifts , cards went out Thursday- 99% of my needed gifts got wrapped yesterday during our snow storm (just a few gifts left to wrap), need to get groceries and want to relax and have fun! The holiday rush and stress is kind of crazy as we all think we need to do all these things to have the perfect holiday.

Katie drove alone for the first time tonight-she took the truck to Alton to pick up pizza.

Am watching the Pink Panther Strikes Again DVD. Love these 1970's films-remember going to them with my Nana when I was teenager- also with my friend Sue- Inspector Clousseau (if that's how its spelled) by Peter Seller's is great. Walk down memory lane from my teenage years. Nana loved these movies, I can hear right now her laughing from when we watched them way back then. Miss my Nana- she was the best Grandmother ever.

Have decided I want to lose the 20 pounds of extra body weight. I want to be tiny again, like I used to be.

Got home today and found my house a mess. I cleaned some last night- just so I wouldn't get up on a Saturday morning to the usual end of a work week mess- wanted it to be livable for me so I didn't feel like I had to clean first thing...and then Leo chased Emmie and there were leaves all over the livingroom rug from my plants and Leo got into my studio and knocked stuff all over the floor...there's no escaping it, is there? I got anal and vacced up the leaves but tomorrow I need to pick up the pile around my work table in my studio.

So that is my night, my day, a few moments out of my life.

Back to the Clousseau and Cato in my movie!

Oh yeah!

Better not forget- my baby got her driver's liscense Tuesday- December 18th. Excited for her, but as a mom, a little scary for me too!

cool reflections!

COOL reflections of our Christmas tree in the bay window.

MORE SNOW TODAY! AGAIN! WINTER STARTS SATURDAY BUT YOU'D NEVER KNOW IT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE!

soooooo busy

reminder- don't take photos on a red table cloth again. It really distorts the color of the cones- left to right- greenish, blue, tan and red.

a holiday project I have been playing with for a bit...along with writing xmas cards, working, shopping, dealing with a newly discovered irregular heartbeat, snow, snow and more snow (Sunday, tonight and tomorrow), just dealing with the daily grind...and I still need to wrap!

These cones are great. I had a great time making them. The photos aren't quite of the fully finished cones, they're not quite done yet.

fabrics, ribbons and trims, chessecloth, copier cloth sheets- lots of fun toys and supplies in a big giant mess!

More winter and more fun

Its been a wild couple of day since Wednesday's post about my day in Manchester. Thursday we went to the Boston Museum of Science on our annual semester field trip with the Biology kids. Our principal didn't want us to go as we were suppose to get SNOW (again) but we said it wasn't going to start till 4 and if we left early we'd be back- well, we did leave early (after having the museum to ourselves practically) but the snow moved in early and it took us almost 3 hours to get back to Portsmouth instead of the usual 1 hour. The roads were terrible!!!!!!!! That's an understatment. Dave picked me up in Portsmouth as I left my car at a friend's since he had the truck with 4 wheel drive, and traffic never got over 20 miles an hour and it took us almost 3 hours to get back home- now it was 7:30.

By yesterday- all calm, and after school went shopping with my friend Joanne and then a bunch of us science dept. folks went out for Deb Quinn's 50 th birthday- no photos to show you- probably just as well, we went to the VFW to see the Groovetones- another woman from school is in this band- and they were good-played 50's and 60's music- danced- but the VFW wasn't any fancy club and many of the folks there were old- we were the youngest people there I swear-but it was fun. Deb took all the photos- should be a riot when I see them. Late night-not home until 11:30, after getting up a little after 4:30...

Anyhow- today its Saturday- more snow-major storm they say- due tomorrow- and today I cleaned- did some decluttering- have a cold- wen to the store with Katie to get groceries and Stonewall Kitchen for a few small gifts (THINK I AM FINISHED!!!! now I just need to wrap) and Staples to get posterboard for Katie....

Hope you like the photos I took of my tree...have some more things to photograph and put onto the computer...just 1 week and it is finally holiday break!

new places to visit

Here is where I went today with Leadership Teacher- to the Amoskeag Mills in Manchester. Visited the millyard museum, learned about the Franco-Americans from Quebec that lived and worked here, visited a modern day plant in the mills...interesting. Manchester came about because of the mills, and Amoskeag means fishing islands in the local Indian language. I've driven by these mills so many times it was interesting to learn about them. It was a truly planned city...all around the mills.

Lists

Here's an idea I saw on some website I was browsing, and this is my version of it. Getting to know me...
10 years ago I was....37, mom of a 6 year old, still teaching at the high school, wishing for another baby and mad my hubby was in a different place with that situation
7 years ago I was...adopting my puppy Harley, we still had Winnie, is this when I was in grad school for the second time? at UNH?
6 years ago I was...on trip to San deigo with the family, poor Winnie got sick and passed away (miss that Win Bins still to day so much), adopted Emmie the cat
5 years ago I was...thinking my addition was going to get finished, took a trip to Quebec, hmmm, pretty sad I can't remember much more, did we move into the new school that year? what a blur it all becomes
4 years ago I was..on a vacation to the wild west with my favorite family people,
3 years ago I was...we went to DC on vacation, Katie started middle school and got her braces, I loved watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, got my first art published, still was teaching at my present job, my Dad passed away from his heart/lung issues, the Red Sox won the world series and broke the curse, and I went to Atlanta to National Science Teachers Convention,did I got to NC to visit Ina that summer?, taking lots of art classes
2 years ago I was...adopting my cattie-man Leo, went to Italy and did a family fun trip to Disney World in the fall, did I got to Dallas for National Science Teacher's convention?????, taking art classes, was driving a subaru outback
1 year ago I was...on a trip to Chicago, on a trip to Vegas, Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon, was still getting published, got my VW, had a daughter who started high school, got her braces off, Dave had his kidney surgery

Time becomes a blur without a reference point, and its hard to get that point often....plus life -my life- is many little things, not big things (which can be a good thing I guess) but sooo rich and full of wonderful gifts that I don't neccesarily stop to put them on a calendar.

weather log

More snow- an inch or so- nasty roads this morning but then it stopped for a better ride home. Its a winter wonderland-that's for sure. Hopefully it will stay white for Christmas. Countdown-15 days! Got to post my holiday papercrafts too!

Found the photo

I found the photo! Here's the chest from my mother-in-laws storage center.

Sunday

Grey and dark- looked like snowcould fall any minute all day- and we're suppose to get something in the morning. So I have spent my day working on several things-1-Christmas cards, 2- doing school work:correcting virus tests for micro and make-up work since tomorrow is progress reports (and I since played hooky Friday from work and shopped all day with Katie) and 3-moving files onto this new computer. Still have a few holiday cards to finish and lots of files to move, but the schoolwork is done! Yahoo! Went to Walmart with Dave because he needed a few items, but overall a relaxing day. Am watching the Pats- need to do dinner...but wanted to show you the photo of this cool box Dave brought me home a couple of weeks ago, dug it out of his Mom's over the garage junk room. I need to finish it, after the holidays will do!

Oh well, no photo to show you- it is lost somewhere in my file transfer- when I find it, I will show you. Enjoy this one instead.

Its Leo hiding under the hottub deck, appalled there is snow outside. Oh his poor cold little paws.

I'm back again

OK, Murphy's Law strikes again. Its an expensive time of year and my computer, which was on its last legs, gets a virus and I lose my internet and email. Even though I had to view it with a flashing screen, and since I had to put in $400 to keep it running since January- it wasn't worth any of it, ended up buying a new computer today at Staples, a Dell Inspiron. Its a great 17 inch screen- but I feel poor- something else to pay off along with the London trip tickets...UGH! I lvoe this computer though- and I'm back on the internet. Such a spoiled baby I am, not being able to go without the internet for a month or so...but you do get the holiday deals now- I GUESS!
What else is going to break? We order our furniture last month and that is due in in 2-4 weeks- then the injection tank went on the water system, and then the computer...which Dave and I both played around with to try to salvage it for another few months...
Love this 17 inch screen though! No flashing either and having to manipulate the cord to try to get it to stop.

walking in a winter wonderland

And taking photos.

These are from yesterday when we were off from school and I could out to take them during the daylight.

From my gardens and my yard.

Trying to get out of my slump- hit me driving home today- after the car dealers- my tire had a low pressure light- the pressure was down but they couldn't find anything in it...anyhow- didn't make it to the PO to mail my ebay items and I feel really bad about this...I am soooo repsonsible and when I can't follow through-even though I couldn't make the PO to get them mailed because of my tire. Responsibility isn't a bad thing but I feel like I'm too that- too boring, too scared to listen to myself and leave teaching (please don't remember me as a teacher-I'm not proud I've been doing it for so long), wish I'd come from a less conservative family- because I have never fit in with them-they see me as this crazy wild and stupid thing because I don't see the world in such a narrow way they do. (Not that they're bad people). And I'm not wild when you put me next to normal people. Wish I wasn't me tonight- and isn't that silly since I've been me for 47 years and should know better by now, w ish I had more courage not to be so worried to having to do the right thing- staying at my job for the health insurance...really wish I could toss it and just venture out and try something new. Read other blogs, people do things and acheive things I wish I could, and I'm almost jealous...why did destiny put such a dull boring roll on me? Why can't I ever have acheived things I want to be rather than what I end up with- am I so ignorant of myself? No, what I want is not what I am capable of, but what I am I detest. Why did I have to be me?

OK, enough whining on the internet for the whole world to read. Pull it together- now that I've unloaded and unloading does make you feel better...can't change who you are underneath (and that is the problem...)

Enjoy my winter photos-they are awesome and I am so proud of them. (something I'm good at that I actually want to do)Yahoo!

Photos

Saturday in the bitter cold- we're getting out Christmas Tree at the Christmas Tree Farm up on the Ridge here in town.

Today we had our first BIG snow. These are some photos outside the house since we had a snowday today. Took some great plant photos too today, but I will save those.

All Kinds of Things are Going On

Yesterday went with Dave, my good friend Lorrie and her husband Jonathan to this exhibit at the MFA in Boston. Was interesting- loved the empire clothes (actual ones) and tiny shoes, the old wallpapers and fabrics. Of course it was neat to see Napoleon's chest armor and throne, and the golden breast cup- shaped like his sister-inlaws breast. If you're in the Boston area, its worth checking out.
Yesterday was fun. Besides the museum of fun to see people we haven't seen in a couple of years. Went to Pearl paints and Cambridge and Dave got me a couple of holiday gifts, and then went out for Thai food- now none of this is a favorite thing for Dave but he had a good day and put up with it all. Its was great holiday treat.
Rest of the weekend was fun too- got our tree- will post photos later once they come off the camera- and put it up- was freezing Saturday- high of 16 with bitter winds- but we chopped our tree like good sports- and FRiday was the big buzz in Rochester when someone took some hostages at the Hilary Clinton Campaign headquarters in Rochester...at least that ended well...
will post more later- Mom's on the telephone.

hives

I hate hives. I have had them so much during my life- days on end for a year or so, and they are back- even after going to the allergist Monday and having been hive free. Yesterday- today- there's a lump on my lower lip, fear they'll show up in my intestine...will I look like a respberry tomorrow?
More diving today- to the PO, to pick up Katie and a friend at the late bus...tomorrow she has driver's ed again...
And I'm tired, been that way all day. Must have something that's causing these hives...
red and bumpy...that's me.

so much for conservation

Yesterday and today I have been DRIVING. Yesterday I went to work, drove home early (worked only a half day), drove to Wolfeboro 20 minutes north to get Katie at school, drove back to Portsmouth (45 minutes SE of here- also where I teach) so we could go to allergist- drove home, drove Katie and our neighbor to driver's ed- a 30 minute drive each way- worse in the heavy rain and thick fog. UGH. Today I drove to work, drove home at the end of the school day, drove Katie to driver's ed so she could drive- drove the 15 minutes to Wolfeboro, stopped and got a pizza for dinner, picked her up at the Wolfeboro driver's ed stop and then drove the 25 minutes home. How many miles was that? Wish I had kept track.
What a week!
Although Sunday I stayed home and put out some of my holiday decorations (photos to follow at another time), since back to work its been back to the run around- no art time, and with mom here over the weekend I had hardly any art time. Maybe tomorrow, maybe not. At least I had a good unload with my dept. head today- she's a good listener, so I feel good about that...and my school day was pretty good...so I guess I won't complain. I'm going out to the hot tub and we're watching our recording of the Amazing Race once Davey-Man gets home from work- which should be shortly.
Let's see what tomorrow brings- since I thought it would be a quiet week except for Monday- which I knew wouldn't be....but the rest of this week....Makes time fly by. That's for sure.

more ATCs

Some more of my holiday ATCs. Been hanging out with Mom this weekend- its really cold out and so Katie and Dave have been hanging out too...went out for lunch and yesterday took a trip to the quilt store in Center Harbor- just for a change of scenery. Weekend is going by WAY TOO FAST though. Its already Saturday night.

Holiday ATCs