Who Knew?

Lorene is giving Bernice rabbit ears and Janis is making binoculars between dad and Bernice, I'm sitting next to mom. Check out my shoes! What a riot. I always remember mom telling me I was so hard on my shoes, now this is proof positive! I wish that bit of light wasn't shinning diagonally on dad. You can even see our woodie in the driveway. When I went past Anapamu house the other day I thought how it looked so different to me when I was a kid. I didn't realize mom and dad's bedroom window was very nearly on the sidewalk, or that the driveway was so narrow, I remember it being so huge. They have enclosed the walkway that led to the back door and I think it must be an add on to that tiny kitchen. The Greek Church looks about the same but it's no longer a church, last I looked it was a child care, but that was a long time ago. I believe all the bougainvilleas are gone from the side of the house on Castillo St. Gosh that was a fun place to live, so many memories there. Like Santa Clause coming while most of us were in the bathtub. Oh and that big tub, what fun. Soaping up the slanted back and then taking turns sliding down. Or climbing up on the back fence and picking the berries out of our neighbors yard. I remember Marlene and I made a game out of the song 'A tisket a tasket, a green and yellow basket.' We had a basket and we put dishtowels in it. Then skipped all the way down to Figureoa St. singing that song, what exactly the game was I don't remember. I also remember that from somewhere get got a hoop petticoat and that was one of the highlights of my life. I though it was the coolest thing that had ever happened to me.

Sunday was a great day! I went down to mom's and Marlene came out too and we all went to lunch at a cafe that was full of a cute collection of bees. Bees were everywhere and all sorts of other charming things in the cafe. I had a pancake sandwich which wasn't really a sandwich at all. Two humongous pancakes with an egg and bacon sitting on top. It was way to much food. It was good, one of my pancakes was burnt on the bottom but I ate it anyway, I tend to like burnt food.

The Navarro's had a great time at the Ren. Fair. I'll elaborate later. Gee, suddenly I'm feeling tired enough to go to sleep so I'll sign off and come back at a later date. Goodnight...

A day in the life of somone

Who is this gorgeous sexy young woman? Of course we all know who it is but probably never like this. She is so beautiful! My only memories of gma Martgraf are when she was older, sterner. Is sterner a word? I think this is my all time favorite picture of grandma Martgraf. Oh gosh, is it with a T or a K? Why can I never remember that!? Doesn't matter right now, just love this picture! If anyone wants a copy I'll print it off and send it to you, just send me either an email or a comment in this blog. I think you can comment without being a signed up member in this beta version of blogger because I have it on public so that you can read it, I'm thinking you can comment too. Mom, do you know about when this was taken? Could that be daddy's truck? Oh, or is that a car?

So, back to the boring stuff...Here we are mid week already! I feel like I haven't slept in a week. I was awakened in the wee hours of this morning by the familiar sounds of Rocky playing with something. I hear him running around, jumping, going under furniture, his claws in the carpet and every once in a while a soft sound of something hitting the wall. Oh, he's having a ball. I know the sound very well. It happens frequently and I know exactly what is going on. I listen hoping that I'm wrong and trying very hard to talk myself into not getting up. If I wait 5 minutes maybe it will go away and I can just go back to sleep. But no, what if it gets away? What if in it's hopeless efforts of fleeing for it's life it runs up onto the bed, and Rocky right after it? What would that be like? I shudder to think. So I get up, turn on the light and scan the room for the whereabouts of this little creature that has probably found what it thinks is a nice safe place under all my stacks or under the dresser. Last night I was lucky, unfortunately for the mouse, he was not but he was in plain view for a change. It was dead and all the play was, I suppose, to try and make it run. Why do cats continue to play with their catch when it's obviously dead? It's also obvious they, cats, have never heard the rule "don't play with your food." So, all I needed was a few tissues to pick it up, put it in a plastic bag, tell Rocky, no thanks I never snack after 2 a.m. and put it in the trash since there is no way I'm hiking out to the trash at 4 a.m. What a good kitty always trying to keep me fed.

Well it's another day gone by and I sure wish I could get my act together on these booties. I have one pair of booties left, well 1 and a half. I was trimming off the excess thread of one last night and accidentally snipped one of the binding threads and had to pick it all out. I was so upset that I hardly picked it up today. Actually I didn't. This is a love hate situation with these blasted booties. I got a call from the St. Joseph's Hospital in Georgia today asking me for my tax ID number. I suggested she use my ss# since I don't have one. I wonder if I should go through the hassle again of getting a business license. I suppose it would be advisable if we start to sell Robyn's monsters and my booties. Not that it would register on the Richter scale of income earned but when it comes to taxes, it scares me. Perhaps I'll do it, just to play it safe.

The Navarro's are going to Ojai this weekend to a Renaissance Fair. I had thought it might be cancelled in light of the fire that is raging there but evidently it's still on. It's a fund raiser for Tarah's Madrigals. So far they have never netted much more than about 98 cents per child but it's good experience for them singing in public, especially the newbies. They have to sing for their money, if people want to donate they drop a few cents into a hat or boot or something and it's to be split between the kids and put into their accounts. They actually spend the night there, Friday and Saturday nights. I guess it would be great fun for the kids, everyone is in period costume. Robyn makes the costumes for herself, and the two Joeys. Tarah has a costume that comes with being a Madrigal. Hopefully this year they will give her a costume that fits, after all, she has a little seniority now.

Friday afternoon Rob and I are going to Lompoc, which I completely forgot about, to watch a football game that night. Robyn and Joey Jr. will be selling pizza's for the Madrigals, big Joe will be on his way to Ojai with the Madrigals since he is a chaperon. He is the only chaperon that the kids actually listen to. Robyn and big Joey will be doing that, pushing pizzas all football season. Robyn and Lt. Joey will go down to Ojai Saturday. So anyway, it should be fun for us but I'm not sure if I will go. I'd like to but I'm so darn tired. We'll see, if I can get a good nights sleep, at least 4 hours I should be sort of okay :)

I'm looking at the time now and thinking what am I still doing up!? If only I could be like normal people and go to bed early. Well, I can go to bed early but I don't sleep. I start getting angry just laying there wishing and hoping I'll fall asleep. It actually is worse like that because I tend to go into my panic attack mode and then there is no way on earth I could sleep. So the best thing is what I'm doing now. Just staying up until I get that odd feeling and then I know I can go to bed and get at least a few hours of sleep. I really fear sometimes that it's taking a huge toll on my body, how can it ever rest? I suppose sleeping pills would be in order but I'm just to afraid of them. I'm one of those people who when that feeling of going to sleep ebbs over my body I freak out and think that if I let myself go to sleep I'll never wake up. Then I fight sleep all night long. Mind you I did try some awhile back that weren't bad so maybe I could try them again and see if I can trick my body into thinking it's normal :) Or maybe I should say my trick my mind. At any rate I think I'll get off and put my booties in a place where I will see them as soon as I wake up so I can finish them off. So...goodnight... oh, please pardon all typo's and grammatical errors.

This is the most current picture of Jessica. It was taken at a barbecue we went to in St. Paul. I'm trying to find the two of Heather and Corinne but it may have to wait until I find where they are. I have so many photos and folders with photos that also have folders with photos in those folders and on and on. So for some reason my filing system on my computer is pretty much like it is in my home, stacks. Everything is in stacks. Oh well, I thinks she is gorgeous!

Gosh, I can't believe it's been 3 days since I have been here. Had a busy weekend with Robyn and Tarah here. It was fun, it's always fun to have them here. I'm trying to remember exactly what we did this weekend and for the life of me, I cannot. I do remember we had pizza from Costco which was surprisingly delicious. Robyn and Tarah left on Sunday and I don't think I was even up yet. I've been so incredibly tired that I think something must be amiss within me, and that these hot flashes are going to drive me to drink. I used to really fear getting that first chill of the winter because it meant I'd be freezing cold all winter long and no matter what I did it would never take the chill out from inside my body. However, now I am thinking 'Oh, please bring it on!'

The on going saga of the booties, I'm nearly done with this batch. I mailed some today as well as the dish bottle apron kit that we sold on Etsy. Anyone want to buy a kit to make some clothes for your dish soap bottle? Don't laugh, it's adorable! My own dish soap has an entire wardrobe, doesn't yours? That cute stack of animals is a door stop mom gave me and I do use it. The dishtowel in the background was made by Marlene and I use it too! I think that is the only decent one left.

Well I don't have much to say tonight. So I will go. I have those booties to finish. Goodnight...

It's another Saturday night and I ain't got no money...Kidding, it's Friday but I still ain't got no money!

Well Rob's surgery went very well. The whole thing took about 2 hours. He's not in pain, yet, and you'd never know he had surgery today other than he has bandages on his hand/wrist. Which don't look very impressive considering he did have surgery. Hopefully this is a good sign that his hand will take little time to heal. There were not really any specific do's and don'ts other than be careful with it.

While Rob was having his surgery I ran out to Micheal's to get some black and white floss for my booties. I cannot believe I actually was in and out of that store in less than an hour.

Now that I have started this I have completely forgotten what I was going to say. I guess I should make notes so that I don't get on here and do this again! Oh, I did learn how to do hyperlinks which turns out to be a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Just to show that I do know how I will do one, to a bracelet just click on the word bracelet and you'll be taken there. Mom, if this doesn't work for you it's probably your computer. I tested it and the link does work. I think it's really cool and now I won't have long drawn out URLs messing up the text.

Robyn is coming down tomorrow to clean house. I think the kids may be coming with her and I'm not sure if they will be spending the night or not. Usually they do on weekends. It's really nice for me to have a clean house and even nicer to see my little lovelies. Thank goodness for able bodied daughters!

I found this really nice site for embroidery stitches. Not only does she show the stitches she has other gorgeous things on her site, like pieces she's done. This is her stitch site and this is a page of some of her crazy quilt stitching Some day I'll find the crazy quilt I have in the makings and finish it. It got packed away on one of the numerous occasions when I was forced into packing up everything I own and store it because of guests coming to stay here. It was for Tarah when she was little so that's a good indication of how long this thing has been around. It would be nice to have it finished before Tarah has her first child so it can be for the baby. E-gads, I hope that is not for a very long time to come.

Last night I actually did enter on this blog but I was putting pictures in it and like a fool navigated away from this page and lost the whole thing. I was so bummed. I had put a picture of mom in it and accidentally put it in again which I'm still not even sure how that happened. When trying to remove the second picture the whole post got dumped. So I will put the picture in this one at the bottom. I love the picture too, it's of a very gorgeous mother sitting on a picnic table at Oak Park. I know it's oak park because I remember the cement tables and the houses in the background. I may have cropped most of that out of the picture, we'll see once it's in this post.

The neighbors are having a party, once again. I get so tired of hearing it. Tonight there isn't any music, you can just hear all these voices, getting louder and louder as the night wears on and the booze loosens them up. The girls are the worst, for some reason the really loud ones all have shrill voices and they laugh a lot and very loud. How funny, the music just went on. We called the police once and they actually did show up and the music stopped. It's music from the 80's and pretty bad. Well that is enough rambling for one night, like the title says, booorrring :-)

Here's mom's picture. This isn't as large as I'd like it but it's as big as this blog will allow. Goodnight...

No time tonight

No time for this tonight. I've spent way to much time on here today and didn't get much else done. I found a new website that sells homemade gifts and things and I signed up for it and listed just one item, my booties that sell for $9 on Etsy but I can get more for them else where so it's a new price. We'll see if this works out.

Another thing for today is I received an email through Etsy form PolkaDotpatch, or bunch. Anyway she saw the monsters and the monster puppets and would like to know if we'd like to sell them on her site. Mind you, she will buy from us and resale them for a lot more. But still, it's exciting and I talked to Robyn since they are her creations and she said go for it. So I'll get in touch with them and see what happens. That would be so cool for her things to be sold on a, um, real website. Well that's it. I am off to do some hand stitching to fulfill my order for booties. Goodnight...

I'm back if only for a moment

Gee, it's been hard getting to this tonight. Etsy is not cooperating either, I haven't been able to get anything done there today and I have a buyer that is probably wondering what in the world is going on. However, she has a shop too so she may be having the same problems I am.

I started working on my order of booties, got only 2 pair cut out but have the top of one of them done. Will get down to business tomorrow and get at least one pair finished. I will take them with me when Rob goes for his surgery, I could be there for several hours, no, I will be there for several hours Since he is being put under it will take a lot longer. He doesn't do well with being put out. I wish they (the booties) were in other colors, doing 3 blue and 3 red will be a challenge. Mind you, I do like sewing them together.

Talked to Robyn today and Tarah's doctor appointment revealed that she is having migraine headaches. That really hurts because I have them and I know the suffering you go through. They did an x-ray of her sinuses and the rear sinuses are full of fluid, which mean?? She is on an antibiotic until further tests are done. She will have blood work and may have other tests as well depending on what the blood tests show tomorrow. She also has some strange numbing on both feet on the inside of her great toes. He did the pin pricking tests and she felt nothing so this will lead to more tests to try and figure out what that is all about. I have the same thing off an on but it's usually 1 or 2 toes that are totally numb, not just in spots. Maybe I'll find out what mine is through her results.

Rob is going to pick up little Joey tomorrow after school to go golfing at LaPurissima (spelling?) He says it's because when he has his surgery on Friday he won't be able to golf for a long time. Yeah, Yeah, anything for a game of golf, especially with his grandson :-) I'm really glad he is playing golf again and it's always with either little Joey or with both Joeys. You know, male bonding...

Shoot I've just had 3 pieces of black licorice and now to finish off my tea which is going to taste pretty bad. Maybe I'll skip the tea and eat more licorice, yes, much better plan.

Today I received another gift from Rocky. He's go generous lately. In the past 2 weeks I've had to chase down 3 mice and 2 rats. I'm getting pretty good at it now. Rocky rarely kills his prey, plays with it outside then brings it in for me or for Rob. Usually me since Rob is at work. He brings it in to me and then just lets it go. I don't know if he's trying to tell me I'll have to work just as hard for this meal as he did, or if he wants to see me dive into action to catch these little critters. He brings in frogs too. So far he has never killed a frog. However, those he will let loose anywhere in the house. A couple of weeks ago he came in and jumped on the bed, I didn't know he had a frog. Then I felt this cold, soft, wet thing on my bare chest. eeeeeweeee. That was awful. I took it out side and tossed it into the hedge which is probably where Rocky found it.

This is my great grandson Nolan. He is really cute. He will be 2 years old at the end of Sept.

We got to see him when we went to Minnesota in August. He is very spoiled and mommy and grandma let him get do as he pleases. I'll have 2 more new great grandsons in Dec. when Jessica and Heather each have their babies. They are due one week apart. Jessica is not happy about it at all. She will have to juggle classes once again. She is studying to be a nurse and this will set her back once more. She is determined though and I'm confident she will eventually get through school and be what she wants to be, a Nurse. I'm very proud of her for sticking with her plan in spite of setbacks. Heather was as gorgeous as ever. So was Jessica and Corinne was looking pretty good too. Heather works for a big company, still haven't figured what it is but she does the books there. It's a very well paying job I hope she can keep it after the baby is born.

Okay, that is it for now and I am hoping I will sleep tonight and not just doze in and out. Tomorrow I have to run out to Michael's for embroidery floss and Craft village for some tiny ribbon flowers. Got Janis's birthday card out today. Wish it had been yesterday. Later... photo of mom and dad taken in their backyard in Carpinteria.

My first Post and hopefully not my last...

I say that because I have started quite a few blogs only to discover that they are so darn hard for me to figure out. I know nothing of HTML and it seems you need to know at least something about it in order to get all the neat things going, like links, and photos, and favorites. I want to be able to have names where you click to go to a site and not have the html showing as it does below where my addresses are. So anyway...

Ah, a nice clean place to start. I will have to write to my family who have computers and let them know I've started this blog. It's going to be a place where I can just shoot the breeze and everyone can keep up on what I'm doing, if of course they are interested :) I have another blog over at yahoo 360 which is pretty much and will now become almost exclusive to Etsy. That is where I feature Etsy shops and put in plugs for my/our own shops. Which are www.seweasycreations.etsy.com and www.azulgirlartandjewels.etsy.com. That blog is http://360.yahoo.com/its_sew_judy I hope to get these links on the side like other bloggers do so they are accessible without always digging through pages of blogging to find the addresses. I hope pictures will be easy to insert, also.

So today was going to be a visit with Kathy Chambers, we were going to go out to moms for a visit. She had a change of plans and it didn't work out so we'll see here next time. She comes fairly often.

Instead I went grocery shopping and bought a lot of nothing that cost me $60. I had 3 things on my list but it will be a cold day in hell the day I buy only what is on my list. How could I pass up the Red Vines on sale, red and licorice, or the cat treats for Rocky, Oil of

Olay Soap on a great sale. I'm afraid I'll never stick to a list, it's more of a guide around the store. I usually put things on my list according to the lay out of the store. Start in fruits and veggies, on to the sundries, then on to the potato chips - low fat of course, beans, rice, soup, etc. I don't know how anyone could stick to a list. There are so many other things you pass that you realize you need. And if not need then WANT. Grocery is a hard thing for me to do. Fibromyalgia presents several problems when trying to shop.

The first is getting up the energy to even go. Then once you get

there you have all those prices to compare, weights, pieces in a pack. It takes a lot of work, I can't just pick up a jar of pickles and put it in the basket. No, I have to think it over, look at every single conceivable form these pickles come in, even the kinds I don't like and then once I'm satisfied this is THE jar of pickles I want I move on. And heaven help me if I find any other pickles anywhere

else in the store. This goes on with each item I am buying. So it

takes me about 2 hours to do what should have taken 30 minutes. But it doesn't end there. At check out time I find a nice empty isle and start going through everything in my basket. I think, 'do I really need this, do I have some at home, is it to

expensive, will it make me fat? That is the start of the putting things back. Or going back to check one last time that I got what I really wanted. Weird. It fits in there with what is commonly known as Fibro Fog. I live there a lot.

Latest things going on. I got another order for the Baby's Sweet

Feet. These ones are going to Georgia. They have gone to many

places and I hope to get more orders for these precious booties.

There are more pictures but I will have to put them up some other time since they are in my camera. I think they are all so cute. I don't really mind making them but I really dislike cutting

out the patterns. It takes 8 pieces for one pair of booties. Life is tough! lol I hope to get more order for these but not all together. I want to make them in Christmas colors and Fall colors too. That would be so cute. I could put little bells as part of the toe decoration. However, I've got so much to keep me busy for at least the next 7 or 8 days. So if you think of me in the next week

or so, think of me in my chair sewing baby booties by hand, none

are done with machine stitching or glue. Enough - booorrring!

Rob is having his carpal tunnel surgery on Friday the 15th. It will be done in the afternoon which I wish it were in the morning. He's going to need some help. I remember my carpal tunnel surgery and it HURT! He is being put under for this particular procedure. Mine was done with me wide away and I watched part of it. Hopefully he will not go back to work on Monday and rather rest like he is supposed to do. Will update once he has had his surgery.

I had a molar pulled last week and it's still very sore up there in my mouth. I can actually feel the bone of my jaw with my tongue. It's a really creepy feeling. I don't see how that can stay clean and not get infected with all the things that go into your mouth. Seems like food bits would go up into the bone where there is a hole after he ripped that tooth out of my mouth. That has to be one of the strangest feelings having a tooth pulled. You are at the complete mercy of your dentist. Wow, it's after 1 a.m. so I better get off of here and head for bed...