2004 started with a bang for me, literally; as DH got the cannon out of mothballs to bring in the New Year with a powder charge. At the time I was gung ho to get a new business idea off the ground and thought that I had the perfect team to do it with.  It quickly became apparent though that one of the people that I was relying on heavily was not mentally stable enough to do the job.  I've since found new people but the momentum was lost.

Also coming up during that time was a world wide get together of a stitching board I belonged to.  About a month before the get together, the non-stitching portion of the board imploded.  In the past it had minor implosions before (anyone remember the owner being accused of causing a member to off herself?) but this time the owner was tired of the fighting and decided to go back to the roots and keep it stitching only and it's become a better board for her decision.  The get together still occurred although there were many that were worried it wouldn't happen during the dust settling (myself included).  It turned out alright and I met some great women who have become wonderful friends.  I'm sure I made a few enemies there too at least there are several people who haven't spoken to me since we came back.

On the home front, things are going well.  Something finally clicked for DS#2 and reading is still a chore but it's not a total mystery anymore.  DS#1 is still brilliant and DD is starting to realize that she needs to start considering colleges and universities soon. DH found an agent for his photographs and has prepared the first portfolio for shipment.

As for my stitching year - I completed 24 projects which is down from 26 last year.  However some of them were actually medium things and not just ornaments.  I finished my Noah’s Ark canvas that I started when DS#2 was born – he turned 9 this year. In fact that was my only large finish unless you count the SB stocking that I did in November as a paid stitching job.  Now the best part of stitching this year is that I can officially say that I am a Teresa Wentzler model stitcher since my Knotwork bookmark was the first completed and the one that got posted as the example on the website (at least until Teresa finished her model).

I have to admit that I’m not as excited to enter 2005.  After all, I’m leaving 2004 with water pouring out of the ceiling into the music room.  May it not be a foreshadowing of the year to come.

Last night, I stitched all the way through the SMOG movie and it was rather pleasant to be doing it again.  It was just a little project, I’m not sure I’m quite ready to go back to the big things until I do some quilting.  I think I ran into being unable to assuage the guilt from not following my rotation.  So, I’m going to throw out the stopwatch and the rotation for a bit and see if it helps.  DH wanted to know why I hadn’t brought up the sewing machine and the card table yet.  I told him I wanted at least one day with a spotless bedroom.  I may bring all the stuff up tonight to start working on the quilt.  I am thinking that some of this is related to having skipped over the quilts on my rotation and part of it is related to how the stitching room has become the catchall for everything that was cleaned out of the rest of the house during the Christmas holiday so I don’t want to be in it until I’ve cleaned it and I haven’t had the energy to clean it again.  I need to do it soon since I want to have WhizGidget be able to walk into the room this year.

Well last night I came home to X2 so I sat and worked on my red hat (which should be done before New Years.)  Got some cleaning done in the bedroom and DH had already taken down the massage table and was asking me which table I wanted him to bring up for the sewing machine or would I prefer my stitching chair upstairs in the bedroom.  Considering his fear of stray needles in an area where he would be barefoot that is a major concession.  I just hugged him, told him my stitching chair was fine where it is but I would like the card table moved upstairs for the sewing machine.  I have a larger table but I don’t want to take up half the bedroom.

Besides, if I put up the larger table once I bound the HP quilt I would be tempted to set up the quilting frame and put up another top and I don't need to lose the bedroom for 6 to 8 weeks.

Which File Extension are You?

Don't I wish that people missed me?

I really don’t feel like stitching, fondling stash, or walking into an LNS anymore.  I have tons of projects that I want to start but then I start thinking about how many projects I have already started without being close to being finished; a bunch I feel like working on but it seems like too much work to get them out of the closet; a ton that I have all the supplies for but it seems like too much work to kit them up.  I thought maybe cleaning the stitching room would help but it didn’t.
I do like the idea of pulling out the sewing machine, taking over a part of the family room and working on quilts. However DD is having a LOTK marathon on New Year’s Eve (yep, 15 teenagers in the house all night).
Maybe I should see if I could talk DH into letting me have the sewing machine upstairs for a week?   After all, the SMOG machine ended up in the bedroom not the sewing room.

Just so you know, X used to be a shortcut for the name of Christ.  Just like the Hebrews do not say the name of God.  So Xmas was appropriate.  Sadly, many Christians don't take the time to study the history of Christianity and don't realize that Xmas was originally started by the Christians not the recent merchants.  But hey, it only takes one offended person to ruin the holidays for everyone.

Take school music programs for example.  My son's band teacher actually managed to sneak in religious carols for the holiday program.  The band had a winter concert with classical music and no holiday favorites according to the school - They played a Bach Cantata, A Tchaikovsky suite, and excerpt from Honegger's Christmas Cantata, a Handel concerto excerpt and the final piece was a Traditional German folk song by Gruber.  It's a good thing the censors for the school district aren't familar with Classical music.

I don't mind including other holidays in winter concerts, in fact I think that they should.  But I do mind excluding anything religious.  It's hard to find a Hanukkah song that doesn't have any religious overtone.  I think if you include a little of everything then you've done could and probably offended someone.  But this is supposed to be a time of peace and love so forgive some offense and just enjoy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find a song for Winter Solstice to suggest to the school for next year's sing along.

Well this should be the last of the business trips for awhile.  The good part was I got to see Margaret.  The bad part was that it was only for 7 minutes.

But it's good to be home.

Dad just handed me a check and told me to have something under the tree.
I'm just not in a the mood for buying stash. Been on :wagon too long I guess. Not to mention that I just started Maggie the Messmaker with thanks to my Secret Stitcher.
Personally I would love to apply it to bills but my dad hates when I do that.
I did buy myself the Muppet collection of DVD's I could always take that over to his house for under the tree and still use the money for bills.

Then again, I do need new clothes...

So,what would you do with $200?

DH built a wood stand for the artificial tree and the kids put the tree together for me.  I'm going upstairs in a few moments to put on the lights and decorate it.  I think though that some of my ornaments didn't make it back into the stitched ornaments box though.  I'll know in just a few minutes though.

So, as DH and I are pulling into the driveway DD comes running out of the house and warns us that she doesn't want us to be alarmed but the upstairs Christmas tree (the one with all my stitching ornaments on it) is leaning against the bookshelf and the stand appears to be broken.  The boys were playing tag instead of cleaning their bedrooms and no one seems to know what exactly happened besides the tree falling over.
Now this is the first year that I've been able to have the tree for my ornaments (and the first year I've had enough ornaments for the full tree).  I bought all blue lights and I also put on the porcelain carousel ornaments that DH bought for me.  The first thing that I see when I walk in the house is the ear for the carousel rabbit.  This is not a good sign.  I think I handled it pretty well.  I didn't yell, I just cried as I undecorated the tree; found the two broken carousel animals; put away all the ornaments; searched for the missing reindeer carousel animal's tail and the rabbit's back foot (found both parts); and then went to the store for superglue as all 3 tubes in the house were empty.
DH says he can make a temporary stand Monday when he can get at the tablesaw.  I'm not even sure I want to put the tree back up.  I know I can call and order a replacement part so I have it for next year, but I was so wanting to have a tree for me.  The kids decorate the main tree and it's the family tradition to do so.  I just wanted something that was distinctly mine.  My ornaments, my placement, my lights, was it too much to ask? Oh well, it's not like I've been home to enjoy it anyway.

So, I get on the plane to return home from my trip driving around California (190 miles, 3 meetings in 2 days) and just as the plane door closes this lady gets on with her mini-springer spaniel on a leash, no box.  She sits in the aisle seat on my row. The dog is doing the "I need to piddle dance" and does so.
The lady across the aisle starts getting aggitatated and wants to know why this lady has a dog.  "It's a medical companion." She is told.  She calms a bit and announces that her "seizure dog" was required to ride in the hold.  As we're taking off, the dog piddles again, and the lady with the seizure dog wants to know what kind of companion the lady who rode in a wheelchair and obviously has a back problem has.  "It's a blood pressure dog." Okay, this one floors me.  I was expecting that it was one of those that ran and got things for her since her mobility was obviously limited.  No, this "companion" kept her blood pressure down.  At this point the seizure woman looked like she was going to have one.  Her "seizure dog" is in a kennel in the hold and this piddling dog for blood pressure is in the cabin with it's owner giving it water.
Not exactly fair.
Of course, I did get a different perspectiv e from the comment made by the woman next to me who was trying not put her feet in the dog piddle, "It helps to have a doctor from California write the letter to the airline."

1. What is a fond holiday tradition from your childhood?
Christmas Day evening was always spent at Mama's. This will be the first year that she won't be there. It's going to be really hard on my dad.
2. If you could start a new holiday tradition, what would it be?
I did start one with my family. DH, the kids and I have a gourmet meal on Christmas Eve. Some of the favorites have been Cornish Game Hens (Little Chickens as my kids call them), Crab legs and Filet Mignon, and Rack of Lamb. Dinner is served on the Christmas China, the real Silver, and Crystal Goblets. There is an ulterior motive to this tradition by the way, all that rich food makes kids sleepy.
3. What is your favorite Christmas song and who sings it?
My favorite album is The Forgotten Carols by Michael McLean and I love the version told and sung by Glenn Yarborough.
4. Is there a certain event, food, television program, etc. that makes your Christmastime complete?
I love the years when we make it to one of the Messiah Sing Alongs. And my television show is "The Year Without a Santa Claus."
5. Does is traditionally snow where you live at Christmastime?
Yes, it usually snows but it's not looking good for this year even though we need the water.

"Fantasy, if it's really convincing, can't become dated, for the simple reason that it represents a flight into a dimension that lies beyond the reach of time.  In this new dimension, whatever it is, nothing corrodes or gets run down at the heel, or gets to look ridiculous like, say, the celluloid collar or the bustle.  And nobody gets any older."
    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;       & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;    --Walt Disney

I think that's one of the reasons that the old Disney cartoon collections are such a favorite of mine.  Even the Silly Symphonies with the old clothes seem timeless and almost modern.  I still love The Old Mill and the sequels to The Three Little Pigs.  I don't understand how parents can say that their children should be protected from movies like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty.  I can understand avoiding Little Mermaid (snot brat teenager gets her way, torments her father and family and still gets a happy ending).  But Beauty and the Beast has a great message and my teenagers get a kick out of watching Snow White and seeing just how far women have come since the 1930's.  Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 are definite favorites around here too.  I do hope that Disney continues Fantasia into the future, just as Walt would have liked it.  Of course, Walt would be ashamed of the state of Disneyland the last time I was there with all the grime and out of order rides.  But I understand that the park has new management and I hope some new pride.  It would be a shame to lose a dream to disuse.  But isn't that what Langston Hughes warned about - Dreams deferred?  But what happens to a dream completed that falls into disabuse?

I have to admit that with the kids being older the Holiday season seems even more hectic and then to top it it off, work seems to think that they want 60 hour weeks and they want to send me out of town.  I'm just glad that over 10 years ago DH and I decided that any Christmas shopping in the stores would be completed before Thanksgiving (online shopping can be done afterwards).  This makes it a lot easier to deal with the standard "I forgot to tell you but my concert is tonight." that we get from the kids this month.
Now before the power mommies start criticizing me for not knowing 3 weeks in advance what my kids concert schedules are - DD has two orchestras where the concerts depend on when a building comes free so they aren't scheduled more than a week in advance.
And then when I've got DS#1's piano recital scheduled for a time that everyone can be there, work informs me that I'm going to be in California that night.  DH promised to videotape it for me and DS says that he understands; I'm just not sure that I do.  But hey, part of the job is travel and right now when the largest client says jump, we all do.
As for preparing for Christmas, it's all done but the wrapping and putting away the decorations that the kids didn't use in decorating the house.

I'll be out of town for the next several days, may or may not have 'Net access. 

As much as I would rather put this up as a post or email the person in question, I’m going to just post it here to get it off my chest.  Once upon a time, there was a stitcher who announced she was coming to Utah and would like to meet other people who shared her hobby.  There were 3 of us in the area so I arranged with a local needlework shop for us to meet there.  Everything started in the usual way; we had show and tell – showing off our stitching.  The out of state person was working on an original design and we all oohed and awed over it.  That led to a conversation of how many designers are located in Utah.  Someone (I don’t remember who) made the comment that it may have to do with the dominant religion.  The out of state stitcher took that as an excuse to launch into a vitriolic attack on the LDS church.  She held a diatribe on the evils of living in Utah and how stupid it was to believe in a religion that prohibited coffee.  Needless to say, at least 2 of the three other people there (not counting the shop owner who made it 3 out of 4) felt that they were being attacked for their religion and on their home ground.  It turns out that the 3^rd stitcher there felt attacked for her choice of state to live in.  After this diatribe, the out of state stitcher then turned on the shop owner and tried to sell her sight unseen on her designs.  The shop owner (who was being unusually patient considering that she felt her religion and state had been attacked) told the designer that she would be happy to carry some designs on consignment until she had a national distributor.  If the designs sold well then she would consider ordering more.  Well this didn’t sit well and we were then treated to a lecture on how hard it is to break into designing and how mean shop owners are.  The shop owner later told me that she considered throwing us out of the shop at that time, or at least one of us.

About 3 or 4 months after this fiasco, the out of state stitcher posted that she is LDS.  Well push me down with a feather – I would have sworn based on her comments that she was Anti-Mormon.

Since that time, anytime a question on LDS religious topics comes up she pops in and posts as an expert.  Most of the time, her information is inaccurate and it’s obvious that she has no clue what the official church doctrine is but does know some of the culture surrounding the religion.   I think what set me off today is that she posted to another church member to “Remember who you are and what you stand for.”  It’s a nice cultural catch phrase used on teenagers.   The admonition is usually from someone who is at least trying to live their religion; not from someone who lists Latte’ on their Christmas wishlist while professing to live the Word of Wisdom.  Also in the same post where said stitcher posted, she attacked another stitcher by using a quote that referred to the poster as a “bitcher” instead of Stitcher.  Again, not exactly the language I would expect from someone calling another church member to repentance.  She also admits that it’s from a BB that I felt uncomfortable at the first time I visited just from the language and hatred present.  Not that I’m condemning her for frequenting that board but I have to say that most of the language and sentiment on that particular BB is not in accordance with the religion she professes.  But then why should I be surprised since this woman has definitely proved by her words and actions that she’s a hypocrite? 

FAQ’s

1. Aren’t you worried about the person referred to in this blog reading it?  No, she’s made it clear that she thinks I’m an idiot so she wouldn’t have my blog on her list of ones to read.


2. Why are you doing this now? Because I finally had the straw that broke the camel’s back.


3. Where do you get off judging her?  I don’t  feel I’m judging her, I just feel I don’t need to associate with people who attack me and my beliefs. 


4. What if she re-discovered her childhood religion in between the time that she met with you and when she posted on the Bulletin Board?   I’ve wrestled with this one.  I would hope that if she had rediscovered her religion that she would have spent more time researching what it really teaches from the scriptures rather than spouting her opinion of what the religion teaches without checking to see if it’s correct.  As my husband is fond of saying, “It’s a great religion but a weird culture.”


5. Why are you posting this publicly instead of contacting her privately?   Because in a strange way, I really don’t want to hurt her, but I feel that I’m owed an apology for her attack at our first meeting.  There is a good chance that she won’t see this. 


6. Why haven’t any of you ever told her how you feel before?  You think she would get a clue by the fact that no one in Utah has ever managed to get together again with her.


7. Aren’t you damaging your own soul by holding onto this?  Definitely, that’s one of the things that I’m hoping to clear up by confessing my sin here.


8. By posting this blog aren’t you being as mean or meaner that she was?  Probably.  You can decide the answer to that yourself. (and I’m sure that some of you already have).


9. Aren’t you worried that someone will recognize the description of her and send her a link?  I’ve always stood by my opinions in the past and I’m not about to change now.  I’m pretty sure though that the crowd she runs with on the ‘Net doesn’t read this blog.  I’ve never had any comments from them.


10. Are you being a hypocrite when you admit that you’re behaving badly by posting this blog about her being a hypocrite?  Nope, I’ve never professed to be sugary sweet.  I’ve always said that I’ll say to your face what I’ll say behind your back.  You may, however, have to speak to me to have me tell you.  Since she’s never spoken, emailed, or contacted me in any form after that GTG, I’ve never had the opportunity to share my feelings with her.  I’ve stewed long enough.  I’m not doing myself any good holding this all in.


11. Any other questions placed in comments will be answered there.

What to work on next. 
If I stick to the rotation I have six hours to finish on FireDance or if I decide that the emergency paid project counts as a slot I should work on binding and quilting the Harry Potter Quilt. 
I have to admit that the idea of wrapping Christmas presents sounds better but I can't do that while the kids are awake.  The Stretch pillowcases are back in the travel rotation (it's should be last year's Christmas mystery but I just couldn't do it after finishing the stocking).
I would get the sewing machine out and start binding HP tonight because that's what I feel like doing but the boys are making Gingerbread houses (complete with Landmines and Booby Traps). We just won't tell Grandma that's what the candies really are.

I have to admit that it's the time of the year where sitting with a quilt spread out on your lap quilting or binding is a pleasant thought.

I completed my paid stitching piece. It was great I was doing the exchange with the finisher up at Shepherd's Bush and Teri (one of the designing sisters) was looking at the stocking (one of their designs) and looking at how I was trying to do the braid for the girl.  I couldn't get it to look right.  She offered to do it for me.  It's not often that you get the designer to work on the copy of their pattern that you're stitching so I said, "Sure!"  It took her maybe 5 minutes to fix something that I worked on for about 4 hours last night.

Anyway, that's one more project completed for this year.