Hello to my dear readers!  I have been soooooo lazy these past few days.  We all need to have lazy days and just do nothing.  I am trying to convert my closet from summer to winter clothes but the problem is that I don't remember where my winter clothes are. And why you ask, did I not label the bins with the winter clothes in them??  Well, I did not want to marr the outside of the bins with writing and make them look tacky ! Its tough to be getting older.  They say that the mind is the first to go......its just that I can not remember which bins they are in and I only have about 50 bins in my overcrowded basement.  By the way - speaking of my basement - I don't know about you all but I need to wear combat gear just to go downstairs.  You take your life in your hands truly!!  One time we lost my husband down there and he didn't come up for 3 days.  We were going to send down the National Guard!  LOL!  Don't mind me - I just think I am funny but my daughter tells me that no one else thinks I am funny! 

I have been making these crocheted candy canes.  They are in the christmas issue of crochet magazine.  They are the easiest things ever to make.  Using thread you chain a length that you want, double crochet to the end and finish off.  You make one white and one red or one red and one green.  Then you make a solution of white glue and water, dip the strips into the mix and then twist the two together.  I lay them out on a piece of aluminum foil so they won't stick.  Let them dry and Voila! cute candy canes for you tree.  Now why did't I think that one up??  You can crochet a jillion strips in about an hour.  Imagine how many you can make in a day!  Why we would just have a house filled to overflowing with candy canes!

I received a great puffy today!  It came via FedEx.  It was from India.  There was an absolutely beautiful avocado green scarf crocheted in a fine yarn and a beautiful granny square motif.  Very fancy and delicate.  I just love it.  Such beautiful work.  There was also a lovely floral placemat and napkin in cloth, a rust color with flowers.  A cute charm bracelet, jeweled pen, wooden coaster that you can use for a candle or bottle of wine,
and I love everything.  The only problem is that the person sending it to me put no communication of any kind in the package.  No name, no name of the exchange and not the name of the group.  And I belong to about 12 different crochet groups on Yahoo.  I am signed up for at least 5 groups.  This might be a secret santa or christmas exchange.  I am not assigned to anyone in India. Now I will have to write to all the groups I am signed up with to try to find the sender.  Ladies, keep this in mind when you are sending out a puffy for a group exchange.  You must at least put the name of the group inside the package and your name if it is not a secret exchange.  I send out a little letter with all my personal info in it so my partner gets to know me a little.  I just really love to read about my partners!  Its so nice to make new friends from all over the country and the world. I always say that there are no such thing as strangers - just friends that we have not met yet.  I  believe this with my whole heart.  We are all from the same family.  We all come from the Creator (whom ever you believe this to be) and we are all connected each and every one of us.  Ok, ok, you admit that there are some people that you do not ever want to be related to!  But just the same, we are all one family.  And as for the differences of opinion or beliefs,  there are no right or wrong beliefs.  We are all entitled to our individual beliefs and the next person is not wrong - their beliefs are just another belief.
No better or worse than our own belief.  If we could all view the world thru this concept then there would never be any more wars.  Imagine! Can you just imagine what it would be like?  No, I guess you can't.  In so many ways, humans are so backwards and uncivilized.  Any thoughts out there about this subject?  Send me an email, I just love thought provoking discussions.  They make your brain come alive.

I was sent a cute email from my cousin Johnny (on my father's side).  We had not seen each other since we were about 10 years old.  His mom and dad got divorced and we lost touch with them.  But I loved to play with him and he is just 2 years older than me.
It was soooooo special to find him again.  Anyways, he keeps sending me emails of jokes or funny things and this one I will share with you.  Its entitled "Things my Mother taught me" and it is adorable.

1.. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A  JOB WELL DONE

"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION

"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL

"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC

"Because I said so, that's why." 

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. 

"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT

"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.."

7.  My mother taught me IRONY 

"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8.  My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISTS

"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.

"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11.  My mother taught me about WEATHER

"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY

"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13  My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE

"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION

"Stop acting like your father!"

15.My mother taught me about ENVY

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world

who don't have wonderful parents  like you do."

16.. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION

"Just wait until we get home.."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .

"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE

"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.

"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20.  My mother taught me HUMOR

"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.."

21. My  mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.  "You're just like your father.."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.

"Shut that door behind you.  Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM*.  "When you get to be my age, you'll understand..."

And my favorite:

25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE

"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out  just like you!!

Ok ladies,  how many times have you said one of these things to your own kids?  I can admit that I have probably said them all.  After all, I am my mothers daughter.  My mothers favorite saying was "My only prayer is that someday you will have a daughter and she will do to you what you do to me only worse".  And although my kid was a handfull at times, I can truthfully admit that she was no wheres near as much of a brat as her mother was.  Do I owe this to my excellant parenting skills or just plain luck?  My bet is with the luck!  I have to admit my kid is pretty special. I am truly blessed.  God did good by me when he gave her to me.  I had a very difficult pregnancy with many serious complications right up until she was delivered.  I would pray to God that I didn't mind the bad pregnancy but the very least he could do was to make her pretty.  He held up his end of the bargain!  When my daughter was in 8th grade at St. Marys School in Branford CT, they were assigned an essay about what person in their lives would be nominated for sainthood.  It could be anyone they wanted as long as they were special and desered it.  My daughter came home with her paper that received an A+ on it.  I asked her who she chose and she handed me the paper and said "You"!  Well, that was a moment in my life that I will never ever forget. It was a gift of the greatest magnitude.  It was the angels in heaven singing "Halleulha!"  It was tears streaming down my cheeks!  It was a feeling of love that I have never before known!  My kid, my kid thinks I should be a saint?  OMG!!  This must be a dream right?  I'm gonna wake up any moment now righT?  Can you just imagine??  Well, I am blessed, truly blessed.  I will try to dig it up and print it here for you all to read.  But be warned, do not read it without a box of tissues next to you cause it is a tear jerker!

Well, dear reader, I think that I have taken enough of your precious time for today.  I will say goodbye for now.  Thanks for dropping by and reading my blog.  You all have a blessed day now!!

Hugs,

Annette