Hey! Who Left Those CLOUDS There?!

THEY'RE blocking out the SUNLIGHT!! - SHOO!! Go AWAY!!

Well... I suppose that it was *bound* to HAPPEN! Actually, I had pretty much "Predicted" it.
-- It ALWAYS does *when* I have to go DOWNTOWN. On the BUS. I probably should be Grateful that it DIDN'T RAIN!

Oh. Wait.. It did... However, only a FEW stray Drops. NOTHING really "noticeable"...

BTW! SAW My *FIRST* GROUNDHOG of the Season along The TRANSITWAY!! -- A *sure* SIGN of SPRING!! Then again, there was ONLY "One"... And, not a whole lot of Green going on... DUDE might just Starve!

Anyway... DOWNTOWN didn't look all that "Exciting"... okay.. *except* perhaps, for the Ancient Scrawny ROCKER Wannabe with the HOT PINK TROLL-HAIR perusing THE GAP!!

This was whilst, I was hitting a few of My Regular Haunts at the RIDEAU CENTRE. The OLD NAVY reno is finally finished. Looks nice. I got a couple of Summer "CARGOs" - a Capri Style in Ivory and a long Umber Pair, that I'm *hoping* to lose a FEW FAT CELLS to wear properly! -- Which, might take a couple of MORE SHOVEL-FESTS to DO!!

...crap...

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Some Cool Stuff!

SO, YESTERDAY...  I was going through My BLOOG "Alerts" and "Tweets" and found This Stuff...

FIRST -  BRETT BARA - of the PBS' SHOW KNIT AND CROCHET NOW fame - Posted about an absolutely awesome QUILT Exhibit in NEW YORK CITY.

http://manhattancraftroom.blogspot.com/2011/03/red-white.html

Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts

For Individual Pics - WHILE They are still Available - CHECK OUT the AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM Link -

http://www.folkartmuseum.org/index.php?p=folk&t=images&id=7263

IF I had *known* about THIS - *and* had a Passport and the Money! - I would have gone down There to SEE it!! -- Be sure to READ the LINKED NEW YORK TIMES Article about MRS. ROSE! This *wonderful* Woman SERIOUSLY **ROCKS**!!

And, You Guys thought that *I* was COLLECTOR of STUFF! HA!



NEXT - I came across THIS on TWITTER...

http://www.freerangeamy.com/2011/02/forest-for-trees.html

Sounds like a COOL "Little Project" to be Part of... If I can come up with *Something*, I may just give it a TRY Myself!


MEANWHILE... If Anyone is in the Mood for Something Silly... Then, CHECK OUT the Adventures of @BronxZoosCobra over on TWITTER!

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MARCH MAG-ness!!

STYLE AT HOME - May 2011





P. 31 - Just to Preface.. I am NOT a "PLANT PERSON". So You know... However, I'm also not totally against the whole "BOTANICAL" Look, either - so long, as it's done with an aesthetic subtlety... That said, I rather like the Vignette on This Page. The Visual and Textural Nuances seamlessly blend.

P. 36 - Hmm.. I'm liking the Botanical WALLPAPER here, too!

P. 44 - Most of these LOVESEATS are actually not bad looking...

P. 54-55 - Whilst We're on this "Organic" *Trend*, I like BOTH of the HIGH / LOW CHAIR Choices!

P. 60 - But, only the First 3 Chairs of This Selection...

P. 72-78 - I must not have been a "Normal" Child, as I *know* that I would never have gone for EITHER of these Rooms. Okay, maybe the BIG BED on the first Page... and, the Cool Corals and Shells. Otherwise, the Wavey RUG and the questionably-placed Chandelier would have Blinded Me! -- Really? A low-hanging Lighting Fixture right OVER Jumping-On-The-BED-Central..??!!

P. 92-96 - I'm also NOT a "Fan" of the HOT PINK & ORANGE Combo, either! Burns out the Retinas and brings on '60s Forgettable-Fashion-Flashbacks!

P. 100-105 - I like most of the CHAIRS...

P. 108-111 - ...And, the WICKER and BRICK.

P. 112-117 - As for the MID-CENTURY MODERN... I'm somewhat "picky" about it - comes with being a Late-BOOMER, I suppose. Whatever. I do like the THROW PILLOWS and a few of the WOOD PIECES...

P. 130 - Forget the Peach Cake - I'm allergic to Peaches... But, THAT Cake TRAY... It's difficult to tell, but it LOOKS like a PURPLE GLASS..?? -- Because, IF it IS, AUNTIE soooo *WANTS* it!!

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Today was soooo BORING...

THAT EVEN NOW, I'm snipping at SPLIT-ENDS while I attempt to come up with SOMETHING that possesses ANY "INTEREST" at ALL for Tonight's BLOOG Entry!!

I'm SERIOUS! -- Don't make Me POST a PIC!

And, BTW, My taking the Time to do a couple of ONLINE "Merchant" SURVEYS and a Subscription
"Late Issue" Follow-up doesn't count! Nor does, ripping out the Seams of some Placemat Thing for MOTHER...

..oh-kay...

HERE. Look at EDDIE's - [My Huge Stuffed RHINO "Love-Child"] - BLANKET for a while...

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"..We've Secretly Replaced SUNDAY's Laundry..."

"...WITH SATURDAY'S SHOPPING..."

I don't care what ANYONE says... But, there really IS a whole weird and different DYNAMIC surrounding "SUNDAY" Shopping and the participating SHOPPERS! ...It's *difficult* to "explain". 
It's just, *THERE* -- And, is One of the Reasons "Why", We don't DO it often.

Meanwhile, I got to "contemplating" on doing a Short Video - one of these Days - of a "DIARY of a SHOPPING-CART COIN" -- HEY!  I *warned* You that "SUNDAY" Shopping was Weird!

It crossed My Mind, when it dawned on Me that The QUARTER in The CART, was the SAME One for at Least THREE PEOPLE...

-- Had there been *more* BEFORE the Guy I got The CART from..?
-- Were there more AFTER the Guy I had passed The CART on to...?
-- **WHO** had been the FIRST ONE to Insert THAT QUARTER??!!
-- **WHO** has IT *NOW*??

Hopefully, NOT The Parking-Lot-Shopping-Cart-Removal Guy - because, He, *really* IS Weird!!

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Planet Time...

JUST A THOUGHT... But, wouldn't "EARTH HOUR" be more "overall" successful during DAYLIGHT Hours? Since, that is WHEN most RESOURCES are being Used & Abused...

Not to mention, save People from stumbling in the Dark, Polluting the Atmosphere with Their Smelly-Burn-the-House-Down Candles, or Waste Battery Power that might not be there when They do NEED it...

It seems to Me, that when it's ALL tallied up, that it'll COST more than what was *suppose* to be SAVED - despite, the increased "Awareness" and cool "Photo-Op" from SPACE!

...just saying...


Anyhoo...

HERE's My "Eco"-BABY - "EARTH-SEA"...

Done in KIWI, MILKBLU, SEAFERN, and IVORY.

Oh, and HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY, MR.SPOCK!!

LEONARD NIMOY, a truly, *wonderful* Gentleman! And, one of the most *inspiring* Individuals that I have had the Privileged PLEASURE to MEET - Twice!

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Solo Sale-ing

• DID go out Today.
• DIDN'T bring MOTHER.

• DID remember to drop by FUTURE SHOP to check on the Price of the Computer Part Thing that I'm sure to be *needing*, SOON...
• DIDN'T envy the Idiotic *iPAD2* People CAMPED OUT by the Entrance. IN the Frigid SHADE!

• DIDN'T buy YARN! - [NUTS!]
• DID buy Seriously-ON-Sale Clothing at OLD NAVY!!

• DID buy a nice SWEET RED PEPPER to snack on in the Near Future.
• DIDN'T stop by the BULK BARN for Yummy Junk Food - despite My growling Tummy!

• DIDN'T win on the LOTTERY Tonight...
• However, the Numbers that I "GOING TO PICK" DID win! [..ggrrrrr...]

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Quality HOOK-Wait-Time...

...WITH MOTHER...

You know, between the "little" Shovelling Marathons and SORE Hand, the overwhelming *need* to catch up on READING, I haven't touched My CROCHET HOOKS in *over* a Month!! -- Until, Today...

And, "Why?" -- Well, because I knew that I would have some TIME to wile away - with MOTHER, *without* access to My Laptop. As, We BOTH needed a "Creative" DIVERSION to accomplish that Task, whilst FATHER was undergoing a particular Medical Test Procedure.

Which, as it happens, *didn't* take as long as We had expected. Which, is also a "Good" Thing
- He's not "big" on being the *patient* PATIENT... Anyway, He managed to get *through* IT all with MINIMAL FUSS! -- So far...

Whatever. THIS is as far as I had Time to do... Not certain as to WHEN I'll get back to IT - still have *more* READING awaiting Me...

So. Now for "Something Completely Different"...

For My Needle-Crafting "Readers" -- Please CHECK OUT this Latest Posting from BLOOG-Buddy KRISTIN NICHOLAS... She has a FAVOUR to ASK..

http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com/2011/03/brutal-honesty.html

If You can Help "Directly", that would be Awesome, and THANK YOU!! Or, if You can just PASS the INFO on... That would be Great, too!!  EVERY Little Bit HELPS!!

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**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THE-MOM**!!!

AH, YES... My Eldest Niece, The MOM-of-PRINCESSES - formerly known as The MOM+BUMP - is *now* firmly entrenched into the Ranks of the "Thirty-Somethings"! -- I wish I *still* WAS!

But, enough of ANCIENT History!

So, it was another NICE Day - HERE - contrary to the crappy Weather Everyone ELSE living SOUTH of Ottawa was experiencing!  Once again, THANK YOU, Northerly High Pressure Front! -- We have a few "Personal" Things going on around HOME This Week and BAD Weather, would *NOT* be a Good Thing...

Meanwhile... I came across THIS on TWITTER this Afternoon from ANTHROPOLOGIE -





Cute, but BEYOND *Over*-Priced!!  -- Seriously. Just give Me a Chunk of CEDAR, a Sharp Carving Knife and/or Chisel, some Sand Paper, and a few Hours!










BTW, To My Recent NEW "FOLLOWERS", *Here* and on TWITTER...

Welcome to the *Madness*!!

So, grab a Snack. Get Comfy. Relax. And, ENJOY [*cough!*] the DAILY Accounts of My "...I-have-NO-Life..." operatic Existence!

And, Please NOTE - No Literary Critics were DELECTED in the Composing of this BLOOG!

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Okay! THAT'S More Like IT!

SUNSHINE!! **NO** SNOW!! YAY!!

Suppose to be the SAME for Tomorrow...? -- Well, I'm still trying to get over the "Shock"! So, whilst I attempt to *deal* with That -- STARE at THIS and don't go Blind!

"SUNNY SKY" - Done in PALE-YELLOW, PALE-BLUE, and BABY PASTEL with JADE Trim.

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It's the FIRST DAY of... *WHAT* was that, Again...?

...SPRING..?? ...uh-huh... yeah. sure... oh-kaaay...

BTW, These *Coloured* Pics were taken LATER in the Day - AFTER - I had removed the TWO-Inches of Pack Snow earlier on!

When I had *finished* ALL of Our Side and MADAME Q's, "Melting" was going on, and a Fine Rain was threatening... But, THEN, about an Hour later, Ginormous-Huge-Honking FLAKES started coming DOWN!! -- I would have taken a Pic, but *all* that You would have seen, would have been a WHITEOUT!

What's Here, is just HALF of what it had been. Rising Temps and more bits of Rain have dissolved most of it.

MEANWHILE... The WEATHER Predictions for Tomorrow - and the Rest of the Week - are for SUNNY Skies!! Just as it HAS been for the LAST few Days!

hmm... "SPRING"... YEP-per...

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The NAMING of the BLOG-HOG!

HMMM....

FAIRY-T had suggested calling Him "HAROLD"... A Good Name. Also, visually "Fitting", I suppose... Actually, I had a Great-Great-Uncle HARRY, as well as a few Distant Cousins with that Name... And, at one Point, I had thought of choosing it, too.

However, I felt that He needed a "handle" that was more... apropos...? So, I've decided to keep it *Simple*. I going to go with... Are You ready? Because, if You're not, well, You know - TOUGH!

Okay... It's -- HANDEL...

WHA-AT?! ...Huh?

HE's a SQUEEZE-TOY! And, *all* I've been DOING, is "Handling" Him!! -- Seriously, Guys, GET a GRIP!

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Hand-Hedged

GORGEOUS DAY!!

It started out as being a tad Cooler, but that was a Good Thing - kept the MELTWATER at bay! -- All of that percolating Groundwater, got sucked back Down as it Froze, Overnight. Meanwhile, it *would* have been a Perfect Day for YARD SALES, *IF* there had been ANY Yards NOT still covered with WATER and SNOW!

So, We decided to head over to TRAINYARDS, instead...

• No *new* YARN at WALMART. Just picked up a few Grocery Items.
• Checked out SOLUTIONS - It's a "Pricey" Storage Items Specialty Store. It's always fun to spot Stuff that We acquired at YARD SALES for just a couple of Dollars - if that much! - but, costs a Fortune There!
• BED, BATH, & BEYOND next door, seems to have more "Beyonds" than Bed or Bath...
• And, whilst MOTHER continued to browse, I had to step OUT of the DOLLARAMA to get some FRESH AIR! The overwhelming SMELL of PLASTICS and "WHATEVER" was getting a tad Toxic for Me...
• Off to MICHAEL'S to finish off My Gift Card!

MOTHER got a stack of SCAPEBOOKING SHEETS and I got This STUFF -

I couldn't resist the Squeezy HEDGEHOG! Still trying to come up with the "perfect" Name... Anyhoo, I'm using Him as a Therapeutic Toy for My Aching Right HAND! It's been killing Me ever since I started that ICE CHOPPING. I probably Sprained it...

Whatever... I thought He was CUTE!

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The Fountains of EEWWWW...

SUNNY. Warm. Windy. And, MELTWATER *EVERYWHERE*!!

Our Front and Side WALKWAY consists of 18x24x2-Inch-ish Concrete Tiles, that - over time - have become *uneven* due to the Seasonally-shifting Ground beneath them... Hence, Puddles forming in certain Spots, resulting in certain "draining" issues.

And then, there's the Part where the Newer-Not-So-Friendly-Neighbours' Lawn slopes UP, causing Their MELTWATER to Run into OUR WALKWAY... Also, Our Lawn is a bit higher than the PATH as well. Then, there's that little Crease along the Property Line - the Result of a previous UTILITY COMPANY *trench*... Which, never was - in My opinion - FILLED-IN as well as it should have been..?

Meanwhile, a Mini-Marsh is forming on Our Lawn next to the Crease, awaiting CANADA GEESE to show up! However, until then, it's also draining toward the WALKWAY.

So. The Final Picture here is, Our WALKWAY is looking like some CANAL! -- I had to go OUT 3 TIMES to SCOOP it Clear so that We could get to the Driveway! Strangely enough, there wasn't any Overflow into the Garage!

BTW, those WATER BOOTS that I bought Last Week... BEST PURCHASE THIS YEAR!!

Anyhoo... During My Scoop & Slosh, I discovered that a FEW of those TILES - next to the Crease - *aren't* quite as FIRMLY settled as they *should* BE!

We're talking "Rocking"! With MUD oozing up between the Seams like little Natural Springs... I'm just WAITING for a little SINKHOLE "Moment" to happen at *any* Time!

oh, well... The UPSIDE to *all* of THIS - I hope! - is that the ANT COLONIES that reside Under the Front Walk Area, have DROWNED! Because, IF they show up anytime *before* AUGUST, then,  I. GIVE. UP!!

HATE BUGS!

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YUCKKK!! Broccoli GREENS... THEY're Made From LEPRECHAUNS!!

WHAT can I *Say*...? "Some Times", MOTHER likes to *play* with Her FOOD...

I suspect that *One* Them answers to "ELVIS"!!

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DUH!! I *Missed* IT!

NUTS!!

What am I talking about..? Nothing "major"... Just a tiny TREMOR. First pegged at 4.3, but then, I think it was downgraded to 3.7? Seriously, no *biggie*. Our Furnace turning ON feels like a 4.0!

Anyway, MOTHER was the only One to "notice" at the Time. Said, it felt like something banged against a wall...? Whilst I, was running around on the Stairs and loading a Cooler for possible Future Shopping and, *didn't* FEEL Anything!

It wasn't until almost 2 Hours LATER, that I saw a News Report about IT! -- Damn!

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=28024073

Whatever, it was EAST of Here, along the Ottawa River, about two-thirds the Way to Montreal. Quakes along those Fault Lines are usually short and sharp. It's the Ones that happen NORTH of Us that are Rollers and last a good Half Minute or more.

But, hey! That's not the ONLY "Excitement" around Town, Today. There was a BIG Hardware Store FIRE a few Miles away - not far from the Prime Minister's Residence... Toxic Smoke...

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=28025436

And, on the Edge of that *Neighbourhood* is where MADAME Q's Daughter lives! Oh, and Her Son is in the middle of moving There, too!

BTW, I think there was supposed to be some ROCK flying - *hopefully* - BY The PLANET, as well...?

[From TWITTER]

@AsteroidWatch 2011 EB74 safely passed Earth today at .85 lunar distances (327,000 km), the 13th known asteroid to pass between the Earth-moon this year.

Oh, and My SISTER is actually *going* HOME, Tomorrow!! -- hmm... Do You think "maybe" The UNIVERSE doesn't want Her to go...? STRANGER Things HAVE happened Before! Although, Personally, I'd prefer a WINNING Lottery Ticket! ...yeah! Like THAT'll *happen*!

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