..more..rain..

ugh! ..BUT, IT'S BEGINNING TO CLEAR UP... maybe... I *HOPE* so!! -- There *are*
"Rumours" of SUNLIGHT, Tomorrow! Then, on Friday, perhaps Snow..?

Anyhoo... **ANOTHER** Day "INSIDE"! However, most of IT was spent doing END-of-MONTH Stuff, and - WooHoo! - the "MARKETS" were UP again!

BTW...does Hanging up One's Freshly-Laundered-Wet-SOCKS by the Furnace-CHIMINEY to *DRY*,
"count" as Christmas Decorating..? -- 'Cause, I did THAT too...

Last Week's SNOW-MOMENT - And, What EVERY "FASHIONISTA" SNOWMAN will be Wearing THIS Season!!

Whatever...

Meanwhile, *NOTHING* Else going on around Here! ..okay...*EXCEPT* for the CUTE-6-Second-Video of LITTLE PRINCESS BIG-RED *finally* Walking - really Fast! - on Her own, that Her MOM sent.

"Someone" is sooo getting a LEASH in Their STOCKING This Year!

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Word-of-the-Day: GLOOM

LOOK IT UP...

The SUN was NOwhere to be found! AGAIN! - [what's with THAT, huh?] - Just thick dull Dark GREY Clouds "squirting" RAIN Everywhere! Not Cold enough to Snow, but Cool and DAMP enough to be outright Depressing! -- I looked out the Window ONCE, and THAT was *enough*!

So glad that I "stocked" up on the VITAMIN-D Tablets the Other Day...

Of course, THIS Weather shouldn't "surprise" Me, after all, IT *is* PAPER-RECYCLING
DAY! It *ALWAYS* Rains on PAPER-DAY! -- Really. We can't have Those Poor-Greatly-Unappreciated-Garbage-Pickup-GUYS handling *DRY* Paper, now can We?!! MOTHER NATURE is just "Protecting" Them from possible Paper-CUTS!

Anyway... I just "vegged". And, READ about Warm, DRY, *SHINY* Places!! -- I think I'll Play with YARN now...

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QUICK! Call The WEATHER NETWORK...

...THERE'S BEEN A *SUNLIGHT* SIGHTING!!

A Meteorological-Moment that I took full Diversionary Advantage of to affect My Escape from the House for a while... Needed to do some Banking. And, some SOLO-Sale-Scavenging...

Today's HIGHLIGHTS...

UP-SIDE

"REAL LIFE VERSION"

DOWN-SIDE

Fleeting moments of SUNLIGHT!

"Bands of Clouds"

Won't be lasting for long...

Found MALL-Parking near a Door!

"At least the Vertical Distance is closer to Where I have to go."

Had to take the Elevator...

BUY 2, GET 1 FREE at The BODY SHOP!

"What I wanted wasn't ON-Shelf, had to bother Busy Sales-Clerk to find More."

Had to Renew My Discount Card...

WON $5. on The LOTTERY!

"If I had "played" IT differently, could have Won $250.!"

LAST Night on Ticket that "Cost" $14.!

I *didn't* Waste Money on Buying Stuff that I don't really "Need".

"What I would have Liked-to-Have, NOT on Sale enough!
Probably wouldn't have Looked *that* Great on Me anyway.."

Over-Priced even "ON SALE". NOT in My Size. Hate the Colour...

So. 501...

*********************************************************

**500th POST**!!

YAY!! WOW! I've actually Accomplished This FEAT for as many Days Straight! -- SCARY, huh?

Actually... probably more of an escalating Case of "O.B.D." - Obsessive BLOOGING Disorder! - I "Talk" a LOT, too...

So... "How" was THIS Day..?

Rather, "Uneventful" as IT turns out. Just Your BASIC Boring-Cloudy-Rainy-Slept-In-*Really*-Late-Did-Laundry-Reading-Catch-Up-Cyber-Stuff-New-DVD-Viewing-Got-The-Urge-To-KNIT-"Something" sort of Sunday... AND then, there's the "Part" where My Internet-Provider is doing Something Screwy and *won't* let Me ONLINE so I can GET This Posted!! - [DUDES! For REAL??!]

..WHAT..!?

You Thought IT would be a Bright-and-Shiny-Nothing-I-Eat-Will-Be-Fattening-LOTTERY-Winning-*ALL*-Is-RIGHT-With-The-WORLD kind of Day??

Ha! yeah... THAT'll *Happen*!! -- just.. Just KEEP Reading The BLOOG, and Look at the Pretty Hand-Dyed Chilean WOOL! ..okay..?

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..hmm.. *THAT* went "well"... NOT!!

"THANKS" *NOT* TO THE CITY-of-OTTAWA-BYLAW-GRINCHES!!

So. Here's the "SECRET" to CRAFT SALE "SUCCESS" -- *BODIES* - [hopefully, willing to Part with Their Cash] - IN-THE-ROOM!!

Which, is somewhat DIFFICULT to DO, *IF* They *DON'T* Know that said SALE is GOING ON!!

LONG-STORY-SHORT...
Unlike Previous Years, the SENIORS' HOME couldn't place "SIGNS" out to Advertise the SALE because the CITY-EVIL-BYLAW-GUYS have been on this Fining-Binge! -- THIS *tiny* BAKE/CRAFT SALE *Depends* on WALK-IN Customers! No Signs, NO One knows that there's a Sale going on! And, relying on the Residents'-Visiting-Relatives is pretty much of a Joke! Oh, and the COST of getting a "Permit" for any Signs is too big of a chunk out of what Meager Profits that might be made to Fund the Seniors' Activity Fund...

"TRANSLATION" - I *didn't* Sell a Thing! And, even though, "technically" I didn't have to Pay for My Table because of That - [They charge 15% of Sales] - I still gave Them some Money. -- The Activities-Director is a Long-Time Acquaintance...

Meanwhile, the SALE was suppose to Run until 3:00, however, Everyone started Packing up around 2:00! -- Besides, MOTHER still wanted to do Saturday-Shopping! That, We didn't get to until *after* 3... And, by that Time, I was beginning to get a tad "WASTED"...

FIVE HOURS of uncomfortably sitting in a Not-That-Well-Lit-80F-Stuffy-Reno-Painting-Is-Being-Done-Down-The-Hall-Someone-Is-Wearing-Way-TOO-Much-Bad-Perfume-Area *HAVING* to Listen to Mind-Numbing-Christmas-Radio-Station-Music - [I'm sorry, but "TIM BURTON's" stuff is the ONLY "Holiday Music" that I can stand!!] - and Everyone speaking in the *nasty* Local-French-Dialect - [..despite being able to trace My Maternal-Ancestry back over 300-Years to Earlier QUEBEC-SETTLERS, I still *can't* speak the Language!] - as I observed the "Walkers vs. Wheelchair Wars", whilst awaiting for CUSTOMERS-That-Weren't-Coming DOES take ITS TOLL!!

And THEN, to ADD on "Shopping" until AFTER Behind-Clouds-Sundown..? -- Remember? I'm
"Night-Blind". Having to Drive IN the Dark, NOT-Fun...

Anyway... We eventually ended up at FABRICLAND. And, took it upon Myself to Fabric-Rescue the remaining 1.8M-Bolt of THIS Lovely "Discontinued" GOLD and NAVY COTTON PLAID! Then, found THESE Two .6M RED and BLACK COTTON PLAID Reminant-Bundles.

By this point, I wasn't really Seeing OR, Walking - [bad Back, *BAD* Knee] - in a Straight-Line, so of course, I just HAD to BUY Some!

Another Quickie-Grocery-Stop, then onto THE MALL... More Groceries. MUCH Sanity-Needed-Junk-Food! TOO much WAITING in the Checkout-Line behind the Hey!-EXCUSE-ME-Could-You-Tear-Yourself-AWAY-From-The-Rag-Mag-That-You-Aren't-Buying-Long-Enough-To-UNLOAD-Your-50-Plus-Items-Onto-The-Counter-Because-The-Checkout-Clerk-Is-WAITING-And-MY-*FROZEN*-Food-Is-MELTING!-Woman... Oh. And, maybe Pack Your own Bags, TOO?!

BTW, did I Mention that I DIDN'T Win on the LOTTERY Tonight, either?! -- Pooh!!

BUT, MOTHER *did* Make Me some Dark CHOCOLATE Lava-Cake later!! So, *SOME* Balance to THE UNIVERSE has been Restored!

OH! Before I "Forget"... Heads UP, KIDS!! Tomorrow is ***POST 500 DAY***!!!

No Promises on "how" Epic IT'll be. Just wanted You to be AWARE...

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Oh. Great. Like I *don't* have UMPteen Things to DO Tonight!!

GUESS WHO "POPPED" BY..? None Other than SISTER and BIG-D!

... I'd thought that They were coming through Here, Tomorrow? -- Well, apparently *not*! Anyhoo, They were DRIVING through on Their way to Visit with The PRINCESSES. And then, Later in the Week, over to be with CPL. TAT-BABE - Who is EXPECTING *ANY* Time NOW!

Thankfully, They only "Pit-Stopped" for a Half Hour. -- Not that I wasn't "happy" to See Them, however, I had "Tons" to Do in "prep" for Tomorrow's CRAFT SALE over at OGILVY VILLA!
-- [SEE SIDEBAR]

Meanwhile, since The SALE is "Close-By" and SMALL, I'm not bringing ALL of My STUFF. Only the WASHCLOTHS and MOAs. And, a few BLANKETS... Just NOT the Big Racks. I want to cut-down My Set-Up Time for This One.

I *also* NEED to GET to Bed! -- NOW!!

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**HAPPY THANKSGIVING** To My American Readers!!

AND THANK YOU FOR DROPPING BY HERE!

So...

I've been BUSY for MOST of the Day, trying to Finish My Latest
"Experiment" in KNITTING...

Not certain IF I'll leave IT as IS, or perhaps, ADD *some* Embellishment...?

BTW, IT's a MERINO-SILK Half&Half Blend.















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..oh...look..."winter"...

"..cra-ap..."

..o-kay... I *knew* that We would have SNOW on the Ground This Morning... Just, NOT 3-plus INCHES of the Thick-WET-Heavy-Snowmen-Rolling-Off-The-SHOVEL Stuff!! 
-- SO Glad that I didn't NEED to BE Anywhere!

I slowly ate Breakfast. Read the Paper. Inwardly Sighed at the *probable* State of My STOCK-PORTFOLIO from the dismal Quotes on the Business-Channels! Then, "prepped" for My CRYO-HYDROLOGICAL-Displacement "Mission"...

Thankfully, the Temps were just Warm enough, so that Stuff slid away easily and didn't Stick to the Ground! Although, once IT begins to Melt, the HIGH Water Content gets Heavier to handle!
-- I'll NO doubt be "FEELING" it Later...

I was only OUT for a little over an Hour... And, *did* MADAME-Q's Lane as well. IT was much quicker and Easier to DO!

NOW... I'm going to get This POST done and get BACK to My YARN!

*************************************************************

Toe-Touring-Tuesday...

TODAY, I DECIDED to combine some *needed* Exercise and Shopping with a WALK over to FUTURE SHOP. As, IT was *NEW* DVD RELEASE DAY!!

WOOHOO!! -- CHECK IT OUT. **CONAN The Barbarian** - [SEE 19AUG2011 POST for Details]

I had been Hoping that IT would Come Out on DVD before Christmas! YAY! -- I've been Viewing IT This Evening whilst Playing around with some KNITTING... Strangely enough, watching JASON MOMOA has often been a Creative *Inspiration* with some of My CROCHET Designs.

Anyway, after a leisurely perusal of the Store, I headed over to THE MALL... Took My Time There too... Still NO Yarn! So, I drowned My "disappointment" with the Purchase of *Munchie* Food, REAL
Food, and dubious LOTTERY Pickings...

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Venturing Into The VILLAGE...

HALF-PRICE DAY at VALUE VILLAGE!! MOTHER *wanted* to be There!!

And, despite the Crispness, IT was a lovely Gorgeous Day! ...Once, One got "past" the Retinal-Damaging-Laser-Blinding-SUNLIGHT! - [..oh, yeah! Definitely a *massive* Hole in the Ozone-Layer floating around *This* Part of The PLANET!]

We eventually got There around 1-ish... Just at the Right Time to FIND Parking! Only stayed about an Hour - had OTHER Stuff to DO! -- Overall, I didn't really See Anything "exciting" in CLOTHING. Neither did MOTHER, who was in Search of Particular Items... We only found One that suited Her Criteria.

As for Myself, I like to scavenge for Things that I can "repurpose"... Or, get "Crafty" with... FOUND THIS STUFF --

[ABOVE] - I believe THIS is LINEN. Heavy with a Loose-Weave. About
2-Yards. - $3. - Would probably make Great little CURTAINS for a Kitchen or Breakfast-Nook Window? Or, even "Summer" Throw-Pillow COVERS.


[LEFT] - Just over a Yard - $2. - Feels like a WOOL GABARDINE..? And, This IS the Actual Shade of Lavender! -- I'm "thinking" about FELTING some of IT... [I'll have to do a Test-Swatch] - Whatever, I'll find SOMEthing to DO with IT!!

For just 50-CENTS, I *couldn't* RESIST THIS Wonderfully-done NEEDLEPOINT CANVAS!!

IT Reminds Me sooo much of CPL.TAT-BABE's "PUPPY-NATOR"! -- Despite being a slightly Different Breed and Colour...

No matter, I'll have to SEARCH My STASH
to see IF I can Find *enough* of the Same Dye Lot of
"Whatever" Colour that will go with This to Finish up the Background.





Another - $2. - Item... I spotted One of Store-Clerks putting THIS - [BELOW] - onto the Racks... GRABBED IT before Anyone Else could! -- HAND-KNITTED, WOOL, COCONUT-Buttons! Child-Size... Would eventually Fit LITTLE PRINCESS BIG-RED..? -- IT would also be great to Felt, however, being
HAND-done, I'd Feel "Guilty" about "messing" with Someone Else's  Meticulously HARD-WORKED CREATION!

Afterward, We headed over to THE BIG MALL... Had an Errand to run There. It was getting Late, so We only had Time to "Browse" the New "CHRISTMAS" Display at THE BAY. -- They have some really CUTE "Crafty" ORNAMENTS This Year! CHECK Them out!

Then, it was a quick Grocery-Getting Moment, and HOME *before* Sundown!

************************************************************

I Gave The ELVES An Extra Day Off...

...HOPE THEY COME BACK..? We still have TWO more CRAFT SALES to DO!

Well... I *think* I've caught up to My Sleep-Quota... Just not certain if The BODY has seen the "Memo" on That, though... At least The BRAIN was Functioning a lot Better than Last Night!

The GOOD NEWS, is that the ARDUOUS PART is *Behind* Me now. The Next 2 VENUES are *very* Small-Scale and only a Couple of Minutes Away! And, I *won't* be HAULING "EVERYTHING" to Them! Nor, will I have to Mad-Dash Prep for Them, either! There're a Few Colours that I might
"Restock" the WASHCLOTH Inventory with - IF - I *want* to... Otherwise, I'm good to GO!

SO...
Back to Saturday's ANNUAL CAIRINE WILSON SECONDARY SCHOOL CRAFT SHOW...


With only a Couple of Hours Sleep in Me - which, I had expected - I was UP Early! As was MOTHER, who was for once, "in sync" with Our Scheduled Departure Time! -- Actually, We managed to Leave about 5-Minutes Earlier! YAY!

Fortuitous for Us, as it happens, because We Arrived just IN-Time to GRAB the ONE Large-Flatbed-Cart BEFORE Anyone Else could!!
-- THAT alone, *saved* Me from MUCH Stress and about 10-Minutes of Unloading Time!!

WOOHOO!


Of course... WHEN the "DOORS OPENED", I was just Finishing the LAST Touches!

So, here's the "Paradox" with CRAFT SHOWS around These Parts...

I *prefer* nice, DRY, Clear Weather, so that I can Drive and Unload Things "Safely". *Cold* is okay, because I "hope" that IT Entices People to BUY *MY* STUFF..!?

However..."Past" Experience has shown that Attendance Numbers are MUCH Higher on Show-Days
when the WEATHER is absolutely MISERABLE!! - As in RAIN - "Snow" keeps Everyone AT Home!

I mean, really, WHAT'S with THAT??!! -- And, YES. Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL Day...

I ended up doing Less than HALF of What I DID Last Year, although MOTHER, made out like She'd
"Won a Lottery"!! -- I'm GLAD! As for Now, the foreseeable "Topic-of-Complaint" will be "NOT" having ANYthing to Sell at the NEXT Show!

Except for The BLANKETS, EVERYTHING ELSE "Here" was Made by MOTHER. Only a Couple of HATS were Left!

Anyhoo, I did succeed in Making OVER "Table-Costs"! -- Ever, the Basic GOAL at These Things!

And, I really should Look into Renting-Out "BLANKET-PETTING" Privileges! -- I swear, IF My BLANKETS were made of WOOL, They'd be FELTED by Now!!

All-in-All, IT was a LONG DAY! But, *Enjoyable* nevertheless!! -- There were a Few REPEAT CUSTOMERS - *Always* GOOD!! -- Visits from Old Acquaintances. Also, the STUDENT-VOLUNTEERS were *BEYOND* Helpful! - [..a HINT to The ELVES!]

AND, I had the PLEASURE of Teaching a very Sweet-Creatively-Eager-Young-GIRL a few CROCHETING "Tips"!! With Luck, She may be able to Utilize Them even *with* Her Broken Finger!

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