Snornament

You've really got to hand it to Mr. Gadget. He's always looking for ways to expand the lexicon.

Here is ol' Snornie--still a work-in-progress.I'm also continuing to work on dolls for the upcoming craft fair. I'll be delivering them to the hotel next Saturday in all their finery, plus a little essence of turkey and giblet gravy. It's the extra touches that make the difference.

Oh, and did I mention how QUIET it is around here? And hardly any traffic. I must be living out in the country. Where are the cows?

So yesterday I set out for the grocery store with only part of the week's meals planned, and on the way I had a bright idea. Maybe I would make a pizza. Surely there would be instructions on the Internet. I know the store sells pizza dough, but I couldn't find it, so I asked the nice man behind the bakery counter.

"Yes, we have it," he said. "It's in the basket in front of you. Right there on the bottom shelf. Over a little to your right. Right there. Just look down. In the basket." Sometimes I'm a little slow.

When I got home, I told Mr. Gadget I was planning to make a pizza for dinner. He looked a little skeptical. "The only way to make pizza is to call Domino's and have it delivered," he said. Well. That just fired me up for the challenge.

It wasn't round, but it was tasty. Nice crisp crust, lots of pepperoni and anchovies, fresh mushrooms, green peppers, red onion and garlic. Mr. Gadget had seconds for dinner last night and more for lunch today.

The secret to a good marriage is a little like the secret to a good baseball game when your ace pitcher is on the mound. He throws a few fast balls and he throws a few curves. And every now and then he serves up a knuckle ball.

Coronary artery disease

Not to worry. Mr. Gadget and I are perfectly healthy. So is the snowman, as far as I know. I'm talking about the neighborhood. For years the main artery (a major north-south route that's just behind our condo) has been building up with nasty plaque. There's been no end of high blood pressure, shortness of breath, and even near-death experiences.

Today, finally, the patient is healthy. The governor wisely prescribed bypass surgery. It was completed today, and now all that cloggedness is a thing of the past. Thousands of commuters are singing in their cars today, and Mr. Gadget and I will now find it oh-so-easy to pop out for a gadget-fix or a spool of thread at any time of the day or night without being held hostage by drivers unhappily going to work or hellbent on getting home. Oh, and it's quieter too. No more 18-wheelers rumbling through at all hours rattling our gadgets and knick-knacks. I love QUIET.

I'm making progress on the snowman ornament. I really like working with paperclay. The best part is I can start a project, let it dry, and then add more later. I think after I get this guy painted, he'll look more like he's got a scarf than a pair of scary-looking arms with funny-looking claws.

While busy with the snowman, and more dolls for the upcoming show--also snowmen, an email came in about a holiday cookie exchange here at the condos. I love to bake cookies. I'd better stock up on flour and sugar. It probably wouldn't be wise to make them out of clay. My neighbors would very likely run me off for that. But at least now it'll be easier to make an escape.

No union dues

I've been obsessed, I mean busy, in my doll factory. I only make minimum wage, but I can wear whatever I want to work, and I don't have to put up with annoying, gossipy coworkers. I only take short breaks to wring my hands (offspring) and to do Mr. Gadget's laundry (the man shall never want for clean undies).

This year's crop o' Santas has embroidered and beaded headbands, and little pant cuffs--some with fancy stitching and others with pretty ribbons.

Here's Fred the frog. Fred has an embroidered mouth, and a small ladybug bead sewn to his foot. I must get more of these ladybugs. They could be the lucky ones.

Here's the replacement angel. She has a story, or I should say her predecessor does. Several years ago a very nice woman bought one of my angels as a gift for her mother.

Sadly, Mom passed away and when daughter went back to the house to begin the process of sorting through her mom's things, the angel was gone. Someone had grabbed the angel and left the silver....imagine that! Daughter was sorely disappointed because she really wanted the angel, so I agreed to make another. See the feather-stitch embroidery and the beads on the wings? You're probably thinking this was a laborious project. Don't be fooled. I've done so much forget-the-housework embroidery that I can do this in the time it takes Alex Trebek to get through two episodes of Jeopardy.

Last night, while Mr. G was watching the Patriot-Colt football game--a game he mistakenly turned off at half time--I started a clay project. I must say, getting one's hands in clay makes it very difficult to wring one's hands. Our condo association is having a trim-a-tree party in early December--the first annual. Each resident has been asked to contribute an ornament. I figured now that I've had experience making clay witch faces, a snowman would likely be a piece of cake. Carrot cake...heh...heh...without the bundt pan issues....

He's at the only-a-mother-could-love-this-face stage, but I have faith. Miracles have been known to happen with a little sandpaper, some paint, a nice top hat and a sprinkling of glitter. Maybe I'll give the children a little sprinkling when they're here for Thanksgiving....

Sign here

I've mentioned before that Mr. Gadget and I have been doing some entertaining now that we've got new digs. Last night we invited a few neighbors over for coffee and dessert. If you ever decide to do this yourself, here's an absolute gotta-have item:A crock pot. One that's well-seasoned both inside and out... This will enable you to cook dinner with precious little effort while you're putting your attention on other things.

I made a carrot cake. I hadn't made a carrot cake in ages, and I should have realized my license to operate a bundt pan had expired long ago. Thankfully, the cake tasted fine, even though I had to use some of the cream cheese frosting to mortar the poor thing together after it hung on to the pan for dear life. Next time I'll go layered.

The evening was fun and the neighbors seemed to enjoy themselves. And I was able to use the good dishes and flatware for the second time in two weeks. I don't know what's gotten into me.

In other news, Tech Guy got his car fixed--all on his own without any help from us. I love when that happens. I had no idea when I signed up for parenthood that my life would be marked by repeating bouts of worry, briefly interrupted by short spurts of serenity. Maybe it's just as well someone forgot to give us the read-this-before-signing-on-the-dotted-line booklet before we decided to have offspring.

I received my application for the old hotel holiday fair the other day, along with a nice note from the organizer. She mentioned that she had purchased a couple of my dolls at the Columbus Day fair and is now eager to see what I've been working on for the holidays. She also said she was so fond of my dolls that as far as she was concerned I should be working on them full time. I told this to Mr. G, since I thought it was such a nice compliment, and he said, "Isn't that what you do now?"

"No, I don't think so," I replied. "You've got clean underwear, don't you?"

Santa comes through

Thank goodness Santa has Saturday hours and he's a good listener. I've been telling him how worried I am about Tech Guy and his car--a car he drives all over tarnation for work and that is now, sadly, lifeless in his driveway.

Mr. Gadget gently tried to tell TG, many months ago when he was getting ready to buy this high-performance, gas-guzzling, smoky-windowed, pre-owned macho machine, that it might be wise to purchase something smaller and more fuel-efficient, with a nice warranty, even though it might not be the coolest car on his block.

But, of course, he didn't listen. After all, when you're young and smart, your parents are old and stupid. So now he's in a pickle. "What do you think I should do?" he emailed.

"You might want to arrange for a cheap rental car for a few days," we suggested, biting our tongues before blurting out a string of We-told-you-so's. "Then see if you can find someone to look at it and estimate the cost of repairs," we added, holding off on the How-could-you-be-so-clueless part.


I wonder what Santa would do? There's a large jiggling jostle of Santas right here in the treehouse, so maybe I'll ask them.

"Do any of you have a good idea I could pass along to Tech Guy?" I asked.

They huddled together for several minutes--just like those World Series umpires deliberating close calls at first--and soon came forth with their answer.

"It'll be winter soon," said the Santa who was obviously the crew chief. "There's nothing like a good sleigh and a couple of strong reindeer....ho...ho...ho!"

Old dog; new tricks

Just the other day I was telling you that Mr. Gadget has no sense of whimsy. Not even a day later, he went and ordered this silly lighted sign for his basement office.

Next thing you know, he'll be hiring a secretary. I guess that's ok......just as long as she isn't an intern.

Oh, and it came with a remote control. That makes 18.

A confession

Back in the mid-90's, when Tech Guy was in 8th grade, his Social Studies teacher gave the class an assignment to draw an editorial cartoon. In fact, all of the 8th grade students in the school, as well as all of the 8th graders in the town, received that assignment. The cartoons were to be entered in a national contest and the winning cartoons would be published in a book--Editorial Cartoons by Kids 1996.

I'm happy to report that Tech Guy's cartoon was selected for publication. But before he drew it, the two of us put our heads together and brainstormed. I came up with the idea because I had been reading about this handgun issue at the time. And nothing irritates me more than an annoying person in the express checkout line ahead of me with a cart full of groceries. In fact, it's one of my pet peeves--along with those ridiculous fruit stickers.

Fast forward to Wednesday of last week. I went to the grocery store to shop for our dinner party. Yeah, you probably already know where this is going.

"Did you know this is an express line?" asked the checker as I loaded up the belt with what were clearly more than 12 items.

"Oh, no! I'm sorry I didn't notice," I said as I looked sheepishly at the man waiting behind me with a hand basket.

"I have no excuse," I told the checker as blood rushed to my head, "except that it's the middle of the afternoon and I'm a morning person."

I came home and related this story to Mr. Gadget, and told him how embarrassed I had been--especially since I pride myself on being an ever-obedient rule-follower.

"Please don't let me wander out anywhere after noon," I implored him. "And, if necessary, by all means take my car keys."

Grad night

I've discovered that scarecrows are much more fun to construct.....

....than to deconstruct.I had planned to dump the straw in the woods, but then I thought of my former neighbor--the one with the green thumb--and sent her an email. I'm happy to report the straw will be recycled as a nice winter coat for her garlic plants.

Last night Mr. Gadget and I attended a Halloween party in the condo clubhouse.

We wisely left our spirits at home, since we had entertained a veritable gaggle of them the night before at our dinner party. By the way, Auntie Pasto's flight was right on time and she was her usual delightful self.

But back to the Halloween party. I was in a dither about a costume. Walmart was out of my favorite action figure, and I had no time for creative sewing. Then it dawned on me. I could raid a closet.

Here's what I came up with. It was smart, tasteful, and seasonably colorful, and I was able to accessorize it with my Gone Batty pin. I really should have arranged the spider-web scarf a little more strategically to hide my turkey neck. After all, it was still October.

You're probably wondering what kind of costume Mr. Gadget wore. He wore his Mr. Gadget costume--jeans, plaid flannel shirt and baseball cap--also scavenged from a closet. It's pretty much what he always wears. But he did say he might wear a real costume next year, if he saw other men wearing them. I hope he remembers. If not, I may have to sew all of his remotes to his flannel. I think he's up to at least 17, but who's counting.....

Auntie Pasto is coming to dinner

The other day Mr. Gadget suggested we might invite our good friends, Jack and Jane, over to our house for dinner.

"We've been to their house several times and I think we owe them," he said. "Besides, now we have this nice, new place suitable for entertaining."

I responded with no response, which is usually how I let him know I'm not thrilled with whatever it is he's just proposed. After all, I'm the kind of gal who's much more comfortable with a sewing machine than with a stove.

Soon I was able to collect my thoughts. "Maybe I'll serve witches and frogs as the main course." I said.

"And I'll fill the wine glasses with a refreshing alternative.""For dessert I'll make a colorful yarn parfait," I said. "This will be a great dinner and I won't even have to go to the grocery store."

Mr. Gadget gave me the look. How sad that the man has no sense of whimsy.

Then I remembered Auntie Pasto. She came to the dinner party I gave for the neighbor ladies at the Calcondo. Afterwards, when the ladies called to thank me, they all had wonderful things to say about Auntie P.

So I'm planning to fly her in for the party. I'll pick her up Friday morning so she'll have plenty of time before the evening's festivities to kick back, relax and marinate. I hope her flight isn't late...

Call of the colors

I was sitting in the Treehouse this morning working on a couple of Santas and a stray cat (how did he sneak in?)......

....when I happened to look outside and see this:

You may remember when it looked like this:

So I suggested to Mr. Gadget that we go for a ride because the show will be over soon.

There's just nothing like Fall in Connecticut.

Fernando gets lucky

This is Fernando, one of several of my dolls that sold at the craft fair in the old hotel. Fernando is one lucky frog. See that ladybug on his foot? Ladybugs bring luck, you know. I purchased it on one of my bead-shopping extravaganzas--with no special embellishment plans in mind. Then it occurred to me, as I was finishing up Fernando, that a frog foot would make a good landing spot for a ladybug. I hope Fernando was lucky enough to find a good home.

And speaking of ladybugs, here is a photo I took today of the back of our condo.

I was outside enjoying the warm sunshine (wasn't it snowing just a few days ago?) and discovered our building was covered with hundreds of ladybugs. I probably should have run right out and purchased a lottery ticket.

There are some benefits to not selling all of my dolls at a craft fair. It means I have plenty of accessories suitable for home decorating.

I think Delores adds a nice touch to the guest bathroom.

Especially when paired with a festive orange hand towel.....

.....and some tissues to match her hat and socks, and an orange candle.

Now I'm busy working on a few dolls for the holiday fair in early December. I'll make mostly Santas and snowmen and angels--suitable for decorating and gift-giving. But lookee what I found in my stash!

I think I'll make one more ladybug.

Who knows? I could get lucky.

Pilgrimage to Rhinebeck

Other Marcia (who is no longer blogging....how sad) and I made our annual trek to the NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck on Sunday. The weather was frightful, but not nearly bad enough to deter a couple of dyed-in-the-wool fiber fanatics. I purchased a couple of trinkets. Can you pick them out in the picture? Wool balls. It's always good to have a few extra pincushions if you're a person like me who sews. In fact, it's not a bad idea to have one in every room, along with a pair of reading glasses.

You never know when the urge to sew might strike.

I'm feeling a little under the weather today, so I'm going to make this short and post a few photos of interesting festival oddities.

A lovely free-form crocheted dress/tunic thingie.

Maybe just the thing for cruise formal nights.

These are most likely not on the TSA's approved for carry-on list.

Take a good look at this picture and tell me what you see. I'm pretty sure you see a very large, lazy sheep. I, on the other hand, see hundreds of Santa beards.

I'll be back soon. I'm off to find some Tylenol, and hopefully a little sympathy.