Festivities and frustrations

We have a very nice gazebo in our backyard that we purchased when TG and BCG were young teenagers. Mr. Gadget and I often used it as a retreat from all the nonsense that goes on in a house where teenagers reside. Now that those teenagers have grown up into twenty-somethings and moved out, we don't use it as much.

We always had fun decorating it for Christmas. In fact, Mr. G. would go a little crazy at Costco when he'd find Christmas lights on sale. One year he put them everywhere they could be wired on. And he always put them on a timer, because. ....after all.....he is Mr. Gadget. The last time he took the lights off after the holidays, he left a couple of strings on the grapevine wreath on the screen, and they've been lit every night since. It does make the yard look festive, and I suppose it helps the neighborhood groundhog, who has burrowed beneath it, find his way home.

Just after taking the picture of the gazebo, I turned around and noticed this beautiful sight above the house. Just too great not to share.

Yesterday was one of those fraught-with-frustration days. I decided in the early afternoon, before beginning my witch production project, to put one of my crafty items up on eBay ("primitive black cat with pumpkin"...the one with the big toothy grin). It seems they've changed their selling form, and I don't do well with change. After a couple of emails to Tech Guy, who wasn't sure what I was talking about because I don't do "techno-speak," I finally figured it out for myself. There I was, feeling all proud of myself for using my very limited HTML knowledge in the description, but forgetting to click on the little button thingie that tells eBay that's what I'm choosing to use.

So after finally mastering that task, I took my renewed confidence downstairs and began the "assemblage of sweater" project. Well, that didn't work out so well either. Seems this sweater isnt going together as easily or as neatly as the dust mop did. Probably time to go read the instructions about joining pieces done in garter stitch. I think I see some ripping in my future. On a positive note however, I was able to try it on and I'm happy to say it fits! And I like it. A picture will be forthcoming once the seam issue is resolved.

And, as I said to Tech Guy in my final email yesterday, "There is value in every experience...especially those that make you want to tear your hair out." Now I'm looking at the owners manual for my new electric coffee cup warmer that Mr. Gadget got me the other day......while he was waiting for another gadget to be repaired. There are 14 safeguards listed. #2 says, "Don't touch hot surfaces." That's pretty sound advice. I'd better keep these handy. Oh, those darn curmudgeons. They're everywhere......