Christmas Christmas Time Is Almost Here!

Yikes! It is only six months until Christmas. I have very few gifties for my sister yet - and none for my parents!! This scarf is one of the gifts I almost have for my sister - once it is finished that is! I've been feverishly knitting away on it a bit each evening. When I get it done, I have another one I want to try and finish in time also. If not, she will get it when she gets it - LOL! The one here is a reversible cable and it is done in a cotton yarn that I really like. In fact, I like it so much, I'm making the same scarf for me - but in shades of pink. I've neglected mine terribly as I try to get hers finished - which is more important....

New books!

I love to read books about flowers and gardens and rose rustling and plant thievery - both fiction and non-fiction - and mysteries - and so on. These are two books I bought on Saturday night. The one on the left is non-fiction. From the back cover "In this engaging book, Lucinda Fleeson tells us how she found new meaning for her life among the plants and fascinating people of the tropical paradise that is the beautiful island of Kauai. With Fleeson as our guide, we meet plant hunters and propagators trying to save engangered flora and scientists studying plant evolution. And we also meet a bunch of quirky characters". The other book (on the right) is fiction. From the back cover "A bang-up debut packed with adventure, betrayal, love, and naturally, rare plants... There is magic, romance, greenery, and greed as Lila and Armand venture through the Yucatan.

I've just started reading the first few pages - hope to get back to them tonight!

Crazy.... I'm Goin Crazy....

Well, I've always stitched by going across the linen and then coming back and crossing the "x". In this past year, the one lady at my LNS told me I should cross each stitch as I do it. And that I should separate the two strands of floss and then put them back together before stitching. So I did that. And sometimes I liked it and sometimes I didn't - sometimes the stitches looked good, other times they didn't. So I tried various things - not splitting the strands and crossing each "x" as I did it. Then I tried splitting the strands and going across and then coming back to cross each "x". Then I tried not splitting the strands and going across and then coming back to cross each "x". Again, sometimes the one way looked better and at other times it didn't. I think what is compounding this is the fact that a couple of years ago I got close up lenses to do my stitching with and it magnifies each and every little stitch so much that you can see every little flaw - LOL! So now, I decided to not split the floss, but to cross each "x" as I go. And we will see how that works. It seems like when I split the floss and put it back together, it sometimes gave it a separated look in the stitching. But of course, when it is magnified, it would look like that!!

So, if you are still with me after reading this babbling, my question to you - do you cross each "x" as you go or go across and come back? Do you separate your strands of floss and put them back together, or not.....

A Visitor....

This is a little guy who comes by to see us at least once or twice every day. As soon as he sees me come out on the deck, he runs over to where I put his seed. He fills up his little cheeks as full as he can and then runs off the deck, down the side of the house, down the driveway and across the street. He drops off his bounty at his little hiding spot. Then he zips back across the street and comes around to the deck for more and more and MORE - for as long as I keep putting it out for him that day. We call him Zippy... Every once in awhile, he has to pause for a sip of water out of the water dish. This collecting breakfast, lunch, dinner - and snacks - can get pretty exhausting - LOL!

Happy Days Are Almost Here Again...

After waiting two weeks (almost), I have my new computer. They tried to deliver it yesterday at 10:30 in the morning. But of course, we were not here... uh, we work.... So then they said they would make two more attempts - one today and one tomorrow. So I stayed home for awhile (went into work a bit late). Didn't come, so my husband stayed here. It finally arrived at 2 P.M. Typical. If we are not home, it comes early! If we are, it comes late. I was hoping it would get here earlier so he could get it set up. It will get set up eventually, I know. But I'm getting quite impatient. After two weeks of no blogging, as I can't load pictures onto this computer - no printing - as this computer is not hooked up to one - and no listening to audios or videos - because this computer is so old, it has none of the new fangled software you need for those types of things loaded on it! whew!! That was a mouthful - LOL! Then we realized that there is no thingy on the computer for me to put my memory card into to download pictures. I've been doing it that way since the USB thingy gave out on it. Not sure I'm saying that right. We tried to find a new USB cord for it, but I guess the camera is too old. No one seems to have them. So today I went and got an adapter where you plug in your memory card and then plug the USB cord into the computer and download that way. Only $13.00 - so it was an easy fix. Let's just hope it works! So hopefully, soon my computer will be up and running and I can get back to blogging in the way I enjoy - with pictures!

I've Got The Blues....

and not the macaroni and cheese kind - LOL! On Monday morning before work, my computer was working, altho it had not been sounding or acting right for a week or so. Thought it was my imagination, but it was not to be. When I came home from work on Monday afternoon, my computer would not turn on. We took it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy and they said start writing the obit - this thing is dead. Since it would have cost too much to fix it, we are replacing it. We called and ordered just the computer from Dell (no monitor). After thinking about it for a couple of hours, we realized we could get a better deal in a local store, and get it much faster. We called Dell immediately and left a message. The next day we tried again - left another message. They called us back around 9 A.M. our time and said we could not cancel - it was being processed. However, get this - we are not getting it until June 17th - after being told at first June 11th. But they cannot cancel it??!! So I called Customer Care (what a laugh that is) and asked to speak to a Supervisor. I was told they were all busy. I insisted and he said hold on. I told him not to cut me off. And guess what.... yep, he cut me off. I'll tell you, if you are thinking about buying from Dell - forget it! I've heard some more horror stories about some things that have happened from other people who have done this - wish this had been BEFORE I ordered! I'll tell you one thing, I'll never order from them again!

So long story short, I'm using a very very old computer, but it is better than none. When I need to print, I have to use my husband's laptop here at home. But I can only use it when he is here as he is not allowed to give me the password. Grrrrr..... Not sure how I'll put a picture on my blog if I want to - I'll have to check with him tonight on that.

I miss my old computer sooo much!! I've got the bluuuuuessss.....