New friend (cat), new (old) house, and my husband left me

First things first. Follow now lives with us! I was able to get him from the SPCA. I don’t want to get into the how and why. Let’s just say the whole thing was insane. He’s been here for four days and he already is looking better. But he still only ways 7 lbs. Today he even let out a few meows. They were very deep, nothing like how Dizzy sounds. Dizzy has taken to hiding under our chest of drawers, though Dizzy and Follow haven’t yet met. Follow is under quarantine because of his respiratory infection.

Sick Follow

Dizzy Hiding

I also went to look at house today. It needs A LOT of work. I really can see the potential in it though.

My DH is away for a conference all week for work. So I had to look at the house alone (with my mom and the realtor). I’m so anxious. I want the house but I don’t want to sign him up for work that he is not prepared to do. I guess I have to wait to see what he says. In the meantime I’ll continue to wander around the house and stalk it. (They got an alarm system because of me).

I finally finished some bags that were supposed to be done months ago. Two sisters bought bags from me to help me raise money for my Leukemia and Lymphoma Society campaign. I hope they like them.

I think I’ll make some more for the shop. So I’ll be updating by the fall. I’m working on some shirts and onesies for the little ones too. I’ll let you know when I do the update. And I leave you with this:

Please help- Save the Cat!

Yesterday a cat followed me into the house from the garden. He looked sickly so I took him to the SPCA, hoping the vet there would take care of him. I turned him in and then asked if I could adopt him if no one wanted him and I was told, “No” because I turned him in. How is this fair? I only found the cat. It’s seems like they’re taking joy from putting cats down (killing them). So, now I have to find someone to take in the kitty so he doesn’t die. I don’t have a picture but he’s super cute and very very friendly and quiet. He’s black and white. He’s at the SPCA at 19 E. Ridge Pike, right outside of Philadelphia. His ID number is 166734. I’ve been calling him “Follow” since he followed me inside. Well, I’ve been calling him that in my head since he’s not here. If you can, please help me save Follow.

Happier News

Ella planned a button swap and I got Kimberly. She made a lovely necklace, a magnet (that’s on my fridge right now) and some very cute buttons. Here is a picture (magnet not pictured):

Little red caboose button swap

I made buttons and put them on a recycled cotton tote bag. I’m really into tote bags. It’s so nice not having bags all over the place that end up in the trash. Here’s what I sent to Kimberly:

I thought it was the perfect size for kiddies’ books from the library.

Triumphant Triathlete

I completed my first triathlon!

I finished in 4 hours and 40 minutes. Much, much longer than I expected. The time in the picture is actually time that the first wave started. Thank goodness I wasn’t the last to finish! I’ll definitely have to do better next time.

So my gardens been coming along nicely. Some tomatoes are finally turning red.

I also went to the farmer’s market at Weaver’s Way today. It’s so much better than the supermarket. I look forward to every Thursday. The peaches are very good.

I also bought root beer at the market but I was drinking it when I took this picture. It comes in a glass half gallon bottle.

I going to make zucchini muffins with recipe from this book:

I really like it a lot! I also have Love, Eric.

Why, why do I want so much…

I spend way too much time on Etsy.com

Maybe that’s why I have so few friends. I’ve come up with this list to qualify as a friend. Maybe I’ll find people to give it to.

1. Must not hate vegans (when people find out I’m a vegan they often act like I’m a child molester)

2. Should like to read. I love reading just finished The Gangster We Are All Looking For. I loved it. It reminded, in some ways, of my childhood. Not the parts with alcoholism.

3. Should think Kal Penn is hot! Okay that’s not really true. But I think so!

4. Should not think I’m crazy for quoting songs, movies, and tv shows from the 70s and 80s constantly (or the Simpsons).

5. Doesn’t think I’m way too crazy. I am a little crazy.

That’s it, I think.

Back Home Again

I’m back from outer space… Or Tallahassee. Anyway, I love my nephew! He patted me on the back when I held him. He’s such a sweet baby. He let me hold him as soon as I met him and then he napped on me.

The wedding was fun. My SIL looked beautiful. I was in the ceremony so I have no pictures of that yet.

She doesn’t even look like she ever had a baby. This is a the rehearsal.

These are my cousins (through my husband). They drew some nice pictures of me. They also loved playing hand games…Miss Mary Mac, Mac, Mac…All dressed in black, black, black… with silver buttons, butttons, buttons…all down her back, back, back…

This is my pretty SIL dressing Baby Dash. Not all the Delta stuff int the background. The whole wedding had a very Delta theme.

That’s hubby and me (matron of honor and “man” of honor.) Matron makes me feel old.

Also, I forgot to post this from when my bestest friend came to visit. Just in time for the successful Obama bid for the democratic nomination.

Hubby (with two pontyails, his favorite hair style, and Crystal- This is right after we went to see the Obama art show.

We didn’t really like the show. They were all works featuring Obama- it was a little creepy. I think if he was there, he would be totally freaked out. I would be anyway.

Also, this past week was hubby and my two year anniversary of wedded bliss and our seven year anniversary of being together. Wow!

Look at that devilish look on my face. That’s mom in the background and my grandmother to my left. The lady in the far back is the neighbor of my grandparents- the ceremony was at there house. Note my dress is almost Alpha Kappa Alpha- like. That was not all intentional. Now is this season of weddings I give the top three things I love about my husband:

3. He admits when he’s wrong

2. He shares my faith in God and Love

1. He’s everything I ever wanted in a mate

Going to Tally

Well I haven’t written in a long time. It seems I should be able to say a lot has happened in the last month but it hasn’t. I lead such a boring life. Anyway, here are a few of the things that have happened since my last post:

1. I am at 82% of my goal for fund-raising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
2. I finally read What is the What by Dave Eggers
3. I finally read A Long Way Gone
4. I made my first mango cobbler (I have another one in the oven)
5. I bought the most beautiful top and dress at Dance Africa in Brooklyn

So tomorrow morning- early, very early- I’ll be heading to Tallahassee, FL. My sister-in law is having a wedding ceremony. And I’ll finally get to see my little nephew, Dash. I’ll try to take lots of pictures. I also can’t wait to hit the thrift stores!

It’s hard to be optimistic sometimes…

Living like the Amish

Argh! I’ve been without a phone since Wednesday. I finally got the internet connection (a very very slow connection) back this evening. Comcast is really getting my friggin’ (with a Philly accent) nerves. I can make calls but no one can hear me and they can call me but they still can’t hear me or the answering machine. I could send smoke signals but buildings seem to be in the way. I think the Amish live closer to one another so they can just walk over. I am certainly not walking the several miles over to Temple University to see what’s going on with my hubby.Anyway, I just got Ferdinand the Bull in the mail. It’s just a wonderful as I remember. I also got a few other books: So That’s What God is Like, Every Man Heart Lay Down, The Village that Vanished, and Off to the Sweet Shores of Africa: And Other Talking Drum Rhymes. I’m still waiting for Lola at the Library. I ordered it weeks ago. Suddenly I’m obsessed with kids books. Am I nesting? Do you do that when you’re not pregnant? Maybe I have some weird psychological thing. Every Man Heart Lay Down is one of the best books ever. It’s so very sweet. I also really like So That’s What God is Like. I really need to stop with book thing (the kids books). But they’re so darn cute. I pull them out and look at them and read them to myself- much easier than having a kid I’m sure.

I’m heading out to the gym. I’ve been grooving to this:

 

Hubert the Pudge and maybe chocolate tomorrow

I just got Hubert the Pudge: A Vegetarian Tale by Henrik Drescher in the mail today. I love this book. It’s for kids (yes, yet another thing for children.) I had it in my amazon.com shopping cart for a very long time and then I saw a review at Books by it’s Cover and I was afraid there would be a run on the book. So I got copy. I think it’s one of the most adorable books ever.

Perhaps tomorrow I will find out if I can have that sweet dark nectar again- I mean chocolate when I see the cardiologist. It’s been over a month without chocolate and I miss it. It’s the only thing that makes life worth living. I’m exaggerating but it’s pretty darn good. If I can have chocolate, I will be making a giant cake. Yum yum.

I’ve been listening to Peter and the Wolf. So I leave you with this:

Wool 100%

My poor husband is sick and hasn’t left our humble abode for two days. It smells like sick folk. But I did get to watch Wool 100%. Somehow it made me very sad and happy at the same time. I loved it.

Tonight we watched Pan’s Labyrinth. It’s so freakin’ gory. I still liked it a lot. I always see movies like five years later. After work today I went to the library and I saw a bunch of Obama posters up in a window. I got really excited, pulled over and ran into the building. My prize… Shepard Fairey’s Obama Poster (not the one on the site– the one below). I love it!

 

Anyway, tomorrow is crochet for cancer night. I’m exciting about it but super tired. I’ve been listening to Emilie Simon. So I leave you with this.

 

Rediscovering a long lost love, the bestest mittens

I finally updated the etsy shop. I have to stop myself from handmade goodies from artisans everyday at Etsy. Another place that has all of my money is Ten Thousand Villages or as Amber and I call it “the villages”. It’s particularly difficult not to go there because I work and live only a few blocks away from the Chestnut Hill shop on Germantown Avenue. I love that I have found such lovely objects there. I have this bowl and the matching tea pot (after I broke ours), baking dish (which they don’t sell anymore) and five-piece serving set (a wedding gift).

Anyway, I just need to get a grip on spending money in there. Also, I saw these mittens at Purl Bee and I want them so badly. Crystal, you know you’re going to making these for my birthday, right?

I rediscovered my Magnetic Fields 69 love songs . I haven’t listened for years. Lately, I can’t get enough. I leave you with this video.