A few More Ireland Pages

This week on vacation!

The list of my week- not to rub it into anyone else but more to help me remember later on.

1. Worked this morning- Friday
2. Went to Worcester to visit Mom on Monday- stopped in Nashua at Trader Joe's and Costco too- so much fun- don't get there very often.
3. Thursday Katie and I went to North Conway shopping- but didn't buy much
4. Heat wave- Tuesday-Thursday
5. Tuesday and Wednesday we went to the lake in the afternoon to relax on Barbara's dock. Tuesday we got Katie's boyfriend Nick so he could join us and Wednesday we went over and got to see Debbie, Dave and Sarah and of course the puppy Sophie. Katie got to hang out with Sarah.
6. Went to Johnson's for dinner Wed.night- was just too hot to cook.
7. Had my phone call from Finland last night.
8. Been working on Bryce Canyon scrap book and a cloth book I started last summer but am now finishing up called my garden. Maybe a little too Asian for my garden, but you know how much I love to garden.
9. Sunday I puttered around the house- though dave and I went out to breakfast and out for ice cream later. Katie crashed as she had been up all night doing the cancer walk in Exeter.
10. Last Saturday after I worked I made clay tiles- (bought more clay in Nashua Monday so want to make more tiles this weekend while its cooler) and Dave and I went out for Chinese food.
11. See the fall Hero Arts stamps are out for pre-order. Some pretty fun ones- I pre-ordered a bunch-naughty me!!! (Never mind I did order the school days Oxford impression plate from StampDiva.)
12. Cleaned the hot tub.
13. Had a successful clean-up selling on eBay- sold $116 worth of books and stamps.
14. Been reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Maye. Want to go back to Italy SOOOOO badly.

Thanks that's about it. At least up until about 3:30 in the afternoon which it is right now.

Phone call from Finland

Had a phone call tonight from Finland- I heard the name Karl (or Carl) Bergman and the Bergman (being Mom's maiden name) rang a bell - it was fascinating and exciting- he's mom cousin- more my age though, and was doing some family tree research- wow- I don't know much about that branch of the family since my grandfather was one of the older children and he came here from Sweden before his brother (Karl's father) was born. It was interesting to find out about my family and hopefully I can find out a lot more. Its interesting to think there's family on the other side of the pond that is still interested in us here- as much as we are interested in our own heritage. We forget that they are family even though they are far away and that we haven't met them-that we are fairly close family-second cousins- there has always not been that much of that on my mother's father's side, since so few of them lived here in the US.
Wow- it was exciting, unexpected and quite an adventure.

More Ireland pages

A few more pages from my Ireland scrapbook- day 1-the rest of the days aren't done yet.

Some pages from my Ireland Scrapbook

Take a look at these!

Finally, photographed my Ireland book that I finished several weeks ago. Here's a few.

Which should I buy?

I am thinking of buying some stamps (what's new?) and want to get some more Oxford Impression plates- finish up the collection of the ones I haven't bought but would like.

Here are the ones I'm considering:

They are $24 each- and I could splurge and order

all 3 since I worked 15 hours last week and sold $76 worth of stamps on my eBay clean-out- with more to come. But, I am trying to be good- maybe buy 1 at a time. Hmm- the tea looks like one I would more use in the winter, the schoold days one reminds me of going back to work and so that leaves Cowgirl blues...but I have no western projects planned where I might use them.

What do you think?

Check out Oxford Impressions for yourself to see all their great stamps if you're not familar with them.

summer reading-so far

Not even done a week and have I been reading. (Of course, working at the boat ramp and having zero or so few boats means I have a lot of reading time):

Finished Cross Country- loved the book but the ending was lacking a bit
The BookSeller of Kabul- don't want to go or live there- the type of book made it hard to follow a lot of each person's life- but was a fascinating view into life there
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck- enjoyed this a lot, another fascinating view of life in another time and another place
working on Flushed by W. Hodding Carter- fast read- interesting view of plumbing
Mixed Media Mosaics by Laurie Mika- great ideas, see my other entry

More to say

OK, went to see a good movie today: Waitress. http://http://www.foxsearchlight.com/waitress/

Enjoyed it, though it made me a bit sad too, how she says she and her baby are going to have years of fun, and that's Katie and me- but now she's off all afternoon with her boyfriend and this volunteer job... what was I thinking? I know- we are working only 2 days a week- Friday and Saturdays- and its not a bad job in any way shape or form, but its the last summer before she's 16 and probably working and our time with her home and not driving and not working isn't going to last forever- so short in fact I can see the end in site- our last summer to hang out...no, I tell myself, its not, things change but they still stay good and all ages have their good times and their good things...but just that maybe we should have just hung out this summer- not given up 2 days- why did I say 2? I could have said 1, which may have been a better fit to giving her a bit to do and still giving us time. I know, its the movie that put me in this frame of mind, and the fact work started today, and I just found out we are now regulary on Friday and Saturdays, and no one is home but me and the critters right now, and Katie rushed off to spend all afternoon with her boyfriend- which is ok, but I'm in this mood, and then I say- well at least this week I will make $150 dollars to read and check a few boats... and its not like its all day...

OK, I am saying this to feel better and to some extent its helping...plus Friday and Saturday is good since we have 5 consequetive days to hang out...and with Dave around Saturday its no biggie...augh! But part of me is happy about it too.

Start of summer

Start of summer today at 2:06 p.m.- wow. Start of our job as a Lake Host today. Hope its a good job! Certainly keeping weeds out of lakes is a valuable thing, and I am looking forward to it.

Had book club the other day- always is fun to get together but we 've been having an issue getting together regularly- not sure if a schedule will work- am thinking about quitting after all these years but still like to see the people I don't usually see and to get out occasionally with the girls.

Speaking of books-this one- Mixed Media Mosiacs by Laurie Mika is awesome. My order from Amazon came the other day and it inspired me to make clay tiles yesterday. See my other photos for my tiles, stamps and general mess. Always made beads when I played with clay, and this is so much fun- spent the whole morning yesterday making these awesome tiles- still want to paint and metalicisized them...another day when I have play time. Maybe put together one of those awesomemosiacs she shows in her book- check them out. Highly recommended.

Later- it now 1:30 PM, home from day one of work- only had 3 boats so did quite a bit of reading and talked with a boy who wandered over, he was a pretty smart kid. Dropped Katie off in Wolfeboro for her afternoon-evening appointment, and now I am here by myself- til someone comes homes which might be pretty late since Dave in Westfield, MA. Right now I need a nap, but then will decided what to do...

Maybe a movie, maybe scrap book, maybe paint tiles...

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR THE SUMMER

No kids, teacher meeting- should be done by 11 (I think). Then its summer. Time for a break and to live my other life- my New Durham life I should say- home, crafting, reading-having lots of summer fun!!!

I love summer vacation! Still!

Bike Week 2007

http://www.laconiamcweek.com/

Its Laconia Bike week 2007. Thanks to the official web site for the photo. Last night I was out in the hot tub about 9:30 and all you could hear was the bikers out on route 11. They are everywhere today- and a gorgeous day for them. I wish Dave had a bike for this week-since it is in our back yard practically, maybe one day- maybe once Katie's all grown up.

Took Dave out to dinner for Father's Day- and going past the Harley shop in Rochester and they had this sign- I love it. Made Dave turn around and go back so I could shoot it.

Of course my Harley is a bit different from the biker, though that's what he's named after- since he was this big black puppy, his tail dragging on the ground at 6 months, his paws huge, and Dave was turning 40 and wanted me to get him a Harley for his birthday- so I did- just that Katie and I wanted another dog... he's my favorite Harley- baby-boy puppy!

Almost over! and Next scrap project!

Its almost summer vacation! One more day of kids- really only 1 more half day! At 11:22, they go off to summer vacation and I can finish up. And after probably 11 on Monday- I will be off for 10 weeks- more or less. What a great thought!

Next scrap book project- last summer's vacation. Time to do Bryce Canyon! Here's Dave and Katie at the sign. Bryce was a last minute decision. We had a room at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and it was just morning so we had time. The sign at the end of the road out of Zion said:

Bryce Canyon 60 miles (to the left) and The North Rim was 120 miles to the right. Dave didn't want to do the trip up to Bryce, but I convinced him and off we went for a few hours. It was worth it too.

Check out some other photos I will scrap.

(And yes, once I take photos of the Ireland pages I finished I will post them too.)

This Weekend

A list of my weekend!

• 
  1- Went to see Shrek 3- fun time- with my friend Vicky and our 2 girls (Katie and Katie)
• 
  2- Spent Saturday morning vaccing, doing laundry and getting the veggie garden up and set- just before the rain arrived
• 
  3- Got the cards made I needed for family and friend's graduation and birthdays
• 
  4- Went to a retirement party for one of my co-workers for a little while
• 
  5- Went out to dinner with some co-workers and Dave, Katie and her friend Nick
• 
  6- Got to Trader Joe's (need a store closer to us)
• 
  7- Got some more screen doors to replace the ones that aren't holding up on our screen porch
• 
  8- Bound my first Ireland book
• 
  9- Went to Dave's niece's high school graduation party
• 
  10- Walked this morning
• 
  11- Tried to squeeze in some relax time
• 
  12- Now need to get ready for school tomorrow (last week!) and did get my review sheets for the final typed up

Great reads

Ok, today I book do reviews. Bought a bunch of books lately- getting ready for summer and feeling antsy to spend some money.

• Fabric Leftovers-This is a great craft book if you are a fabric addict. She has some fun ideas to use up your scraps like cute purses and beads and tassles to name a few. Its very collage style- which appeals to me. All you need for some of these projects is some cloth rug backing and your sewign machine. I need to go check Joanne's Fabrics of Portsmouth Fabric store (a dreamy place) to see if I can find some for fun summer purse projects. PLus there's cloth flowers and other bags! Its a good jump start book to let your own creativity take you far. Check it out!
• Also bought the Micheal deMeng book- The Secret of Rusty Objects. Although I can't see me doing a lot of these projects, it got great tips for using those yard sale treasures. Its also a beautiful book and worth a read if you're into the art scene. I haven't finished my purusing of this book yet, but I don't regret buying it- so it may be exactly what you would like. Check it out!

• Now the travel bug side of me. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, USA and Canada. The first book- 1,000 Places to See Before You Die- was good, but so big it seems to often only cover really obvious spots. It was a fun read/skim book, and although if you travel you know there are many hidden treasures these books can't list. But the USA and Canada book, being more specific, is really good and really hits lots of the top spots. Definately recommend!
  
• 
  Undiscovered America- 250 Places you might have missed by Don and Betty Woo Martin is also a fun book. It mentions some popular places, but mentions also those places that everybody doesn't go to (or didn't before the book) that are really worth it- even Bangor, Maine and some of the Museums at my alma mater-UMO.
  
• 
  Lastly- I am reading Cross Country by Robert Sullivan and I am really loving this book. Its about driving home to NY from Oregon in 5 days, but making a few stops at unique and interesting places. Its also recounting other cross country trips, both by the author and people like Emily Post (way back when and now I want to get and check out this book)). Its not neccesarily a get to know this family really well book, but I feel like I know them well enough in a broad sterotypical sense to smile a lot, and I really enjoy the way Sullivan hones in on the "issues" of a big road trip- food, the radio, how long you stay at places, rain, packing, car rentals...etc. I also know some places I now want to explore that I didn't know existed or weren't high on my to visit list before. Its not a heavy read- and its making me want to do a big road trip- (I love road trips- love riding in the car- maybe explains why I drive 45 minutes each way to work each day).
  
  That's my book reviews for now! Happy Reading all- whatvere you chose.
  
  

Good intentions

Had some time at school whole the kids did computer work today, so I decided to come up with some lists for the summer. I love writing lists, not that I do everything on them- and sometimes I don't even make any headway into the list. But these summer lists- they give me ideas to contemplate and a place to jar some life into the occasional blank brain. Here's my lists:

• 
  1) Books I would like to and may even read.
• 
  2) Books I have started reading and would like to and may even finish.
• 
  3) "House work" I would like to and may even do.
• 
  4) Movies I would like to and may even rent and watch.
• 
  5) Road trip adventures I would like to and may even take.
• 
  6) Summer activities I would like to and may even actually do.
• 
  7) Art projects I may play with, and would like to even finish- like a few of those scrap books.
  
  

Now some of these lists are quite long, but I will give you the short forms, the must try to do, the list I can look back to to get started on my lists:


1) books to read: Flushed, The Hot Zone, re-read Great Expectations




2) books to finish- see under my night stand and on the windowsill next to my bed




3) "house work"- my bed quilt to finish, touch out paint in my bedroom, clean the cabinet under the living room bookshelf, stain the decks, clean out the freezer
(why is that list so long?)




4)Movie to watch- some of those foreing films (can never spell that word), some of those artsy films all which have names that escape me




5)Road trips- this is a LONG list but the top ones I would like to do- A duck tour of Boston, the Isabella Stewart Garnider Museum, Rubber Stamps of America, etc., etc.

6) Summer activites- Kayak more than 2x, go to east of Suez to eat, spend lots of beach time




7) art projects- get back into knitting, do some fun cloth books, make bags and cards to sell, catch up on some scrapping, make supplies like dyed fabric, soldered tags, etc.




Check with me at the end of August to see how many got done and to see how crazy I got at the end of the summer trying to do some of the things on those lists.