Lake Erie Beach Glass ~

It amazes me the things I take for granted.  I have lived my entire life within five miles of Lake Erie.  As a child, I do not ever remember visiting the lake.  When I was about 13, I remember spending the afternoon at the beach with a friend and her family.  Even when my boys were growing up, we did not take advantage of the beautiful lakefront. 

For the last 11 years, I have lived two blocks from the lake, and still do not spend nearly enough time enjoying its beauty.  This year I hope will be different.

Memorial Day evening, my grandson Jake wanted to go to the beach.  The water is probably no more than 60 degrees, and even though the temperature was near 90, when I put my feet in the water I was ready to turn around and go home.  Jake found the water to be cold, but being 6 years old, went about fifteen feet from the water and just ran in.  After a while, it really felt refreshing.

I had never searched for beach glass, but Jake took me to an area of the beach he had been with his dad the evening before and began his search.  Within about 10 minutes, we had found these pieces.  I'm hoping to search on a regular basis and find some bigger shards.





Today was my lucky day!  I won some wool from Teri over at White Sheep Farm.  A hooker can never have too much wool :)  Kim was a lucky winner, too!

I just love this picture of Mo!!!  Today we had the vet visit from hell.  How can a veterinary office not be able to process a fecal exam or give the results of a heartworm test during the office visit???  Those are pretty standard tests at a vet office.  I think they set a new level of incompetence!

And on top of that, I've just discovered that my new central A/C unit is not working.  Luckily I went with a very reputable local company when I had it installed and will give them a call first thing in the morning.

I hope everyone is having a better day than I am (other than my give~away win!).

Thank you so much for stopping by (and listening to me whine!).

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Land of the Free ~ Home of the Brave

 HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Heartfelt thanks to all who have served

and to those who are still serving.

You are what make our Country so great.

Special thanks to the families of those

who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Because of you, we are still free.

May you have a safe holiday

spent the way

that makes you the happiest.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Owner Surrender ~

Several readers have questioned what an "owner surrender" is.  Just as it sounds.  The owner no longer wants their pet and is surrendering him/her to rescue.

Meet Harmonica.  (This month's theme was musical instruments.)  I was hoping for Dulcimer, but alas, it was taken and I was told I could call her Harmony (too many syllables!) or Monica (too presidential!).  I have decided I will just call her Mo.

Mo turned seven in April.  She has been with her family since she was eight weeks old.  They are expecting baby #2 and no longer have room for her.  Come on, how much room can a 25 pound dog take?  They were telling me that she is the most wonderful dog, not a problem, blah, blah, blah.  I just wanted to ask how in the **** they could give her up after being a part of the family for so many years. 

Mo is very sweet and she has the honor of having pooped in my house quicker than any of my other fosters.  I was assured she was housebroken, so I'm hoping these potty issues are the result of her entire world being turned upside down.

I thought I'd better post a picture of my Loocie (that is a water drip on her chin) since my fosters get most of the attention on my blog.  Loocie is not too happy with the new addition to the family!  Mo has this fixation with Loocie's butt (we call it the canine google search) and sometimes doesn't know when to quit.  Loocie turns in to her attack mode.  It really is kind of comical since Mo is almost twice the size of Loocie.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy lives to stop by and read my blog.

I hope your Memorial Day weekend is spent doing what makes you the happiest.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Add Me to the List...

. . . of bloggers who can't leave comments.

I'm still reading your blogs, dear friends,

I just can't comment.

I know Robin came up with a fix,

but I've not tried it.

I am hoping Blogger will soon fix it soon!

* * * * *

A few blooms in the yard . . .

Gotta run. 

Goin' hookin'.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Thoughts to Ponder !

1. Is it good if
a vacuum really sucks?


2. Why is the third hand
On the watch
Called the second hand?


3. If a word is misspelled
In the dictionary,
How would we ever know?


4. If Webster wrote the first dictionary,
Where did he find the words?


5. Why do we say something is out of whack?
What is a whack?


6. Why does "slow down" and
"slow up" mean the same thing?


7.. Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance"
Mean the same thing?


8. Why do "tug" boats push their barges?


9. Why do we sing
"Take me out to the ball game"
When we are already there?


10. Why are they called " stands"
When they are made for sitting?


11. Why is it called "after dark"
When it really is "after light"?


12.. Doesn't "expecting the unexpected"
Make the unexpected expected?


13.. Why are a "wise man" and
A "wise guy" opposites?


14. Why do "overlook" and "oversee"
Mean opposite things?


15. Why is "phonics"
Not spelled
The way it sounds?


16. If work is so terrific,
Why do they have to pay you to do it?


17.. If all the world is a stage,
Where is the audience sitting?


18. If love is blind,
Why is lingerie so popular?


19. If you are cross-eyed
And have dyslexia,
Can you read all right?


20. Why is bra singular
And panties plural?


21.. Why do you press harder
On the buttons of a remote control
When you know the batteries are dead?


22. Why do we put suits in garment bags
And garments in a suitcase?


23. How come abbreviated
Is such a long word?

24. Why do we wash bath towels?
Aren't we clean when we use them?


25.. Why doesn't glue
Stick to the inside of the bottle?


26. Why do they call it a TV set
When you only have one?


27. Christmas
- What other time of the year
Do you sit in front of a dead tree
And eat candy out of your socks?


28. Why do we drive on a parkway
And park on a driveway?


I dunno, why do we?

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

I'm Such a Chicken . . .

In my younger days I would try anything once . . . twice if I liked it :)  As I mentioned in a previous post, my DSO built his own airplane!!!  It was off being painted for a couple of months over the winter and he recently got it back and all put back together.  Everything was checked and calibrated, but much to his chagrin one of the instruments went belly up and had to be sent to the state of Washington for repairs.  A few weeks ago it was once again ready to take to the sky.  He has been flying every chance he gets, though the weather has not been too cooperative.

Isn't she a beauty?

Let me begin by saying that I have not been in a small airplane in at least 30 years. Back then, I was fearless. {I was also young and stupid...lol!} I've done loops and spins in small airplanes. Heck, I even jumped out of them ~ 13 times. Now I am a white knuckle flyer.

There was no pressure for me to go up. In fact, even as we were taxiing I was given the option to change my mind. Thankfully, the weather was perfect ~ a little bit hazy but nary a bump. I was surprised how apprehensive, scared, chicken I was. There are many adjectives to describe how I felt. I kept having to remind myself to breathe!

Here we are after take-off heading north to Lake Erie, only about ten miles from the airport.

Lake Erie and the city of Lorain, Ohio.

My handsome pilot.

Coming in for the landing at Lorain County Regional Airport.

Back on the ground.  I can breathe again.

Does this airplane make my butt look fat?

It was a beautiful weekend in northern Ohio.  Lots of sunshine and only a little rain.  I got some much need yard work done but there is lots more to do. 

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I really do appreciate it and I hope you will come again soon.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Going for Gold ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ line in the border, that is.  First of all I want to once again thank everyone for all the suggestions and kind compliments on my rug.  Today's comments were unanimous.  Everyone agreed that the gold line was just what the border needed.  I hope to find time to get this rug done soon.  I am blessed to have a Monday to Friday job, but tomorrow is one Saturday I must work.  Also, we are actually having weather conducive to doing yard work, so that, too, will cut in to my hooking time.  There are just not enough hours in the day, are there?

* * * * * * * *

If all goes as planned, this sweetie will be my new foster baby.  She is seven, though that gray mug makes her look older.  She is an owner surrender.  So sad.  I'll update you as soon as I have more information.

Thank you so much for dropping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

My Head is Spinning . . .

. . . from all the wonderful suggestions.  I really do appreciate your input!  Now I need more help . . . lol!  I kind of liked the idea of adding a row of gold.  What do you think?  I haven't decided which I like better.  That is one row of gold and three black.  Would I need to add a fourth row of black if I keep the gold?  The other is just four rows of black.  Ack!  I'm not good at making decisions!

I still plan on changing the eye.  Perhaps the ears, too.

Thank you again for all your suggestions!!!

The sun actually came out today.  Woo hoo.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

HELP!!! Opinions Needed!!!

I'm working on the border of my rug.  I thought since the background was so "busy", I needed a calm border but as I am hooking, I am not so sure.  Also, does the eye look like it's in the wrong place?

This is the wool I'm using for the border.

Do you like the straight line hooking (for lack of a better term)?  If so, should I go with a width of three or with five strips?

Any/all opinions/suggestions are most welcome.  I just hope I don't get even more confused :)

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Western Reserve Chat-In ~

Kim was the first to suggest and others agreed that a hook-in should instead be called a chat-in!  I don't consider myself a "chatty" person at all, but when I meet up with hookers, something happens to my mouth and it won't stop talking!

It ended up there was no rug show, though a few rugs were displayed.  Thinking there was going to be one motivated me to put the binding on my Maggie B rug, so that was good :)

These are the rugs that were displayed.

There were seven vendors offering the most wonderful wools.  As Heidi referred to him on her blog, that's Mr. Heavens to Betsy with all their wonderful wool.

 

Not sure which vendor this was.

I introduced myself to Kris Miller from Spruce Ridge Studios and was given a great big hug.  What a sweet lady offering beautiful wool and patterns!  That's her on the floor helping with color planning.

Alice from a Day in the Life and her sweet hubby Sonny.  If you recall, I took my proddy class from Alice.  If you ever get a chance to take a class from her, please do.  It is always a fun day!

The hookers I hook with locally.

I got to meet Liz from Wiggle Bottom Farmhouse.  She is working on Brave Hunter and doing an amazing job.  Her colors are wonderful!

Donna aka Wool Maven (but no blog) is hooking King Arthur.  Her loops are some of the most perfectly pulled that I've ever seen!

I don't have the name of the lady who is hooking this, but it is beautiful.  A very fine cut and gorgeous shading.  Truly a work of art.

Mom and daughter hookers, Sylvia and Lisa, with their winnings ~ paisley teacup pin cushions. 

Each participant received the sweetest necklace, made with a piece of old paisley and attached sheep charm.  Our name tags can be re-purposed in to luggage tags.

My wool purchases.

The weather in northern Ohio is more like early March than mid-May.  Today I did something I rarely do ~ crawled in to bed and took a nap.  It was heavenly.  I cannot power nap.  I thought I would treat myself to an hour nap.  I'm not sure how many times I ended up hitting the snooze button.  It really was a perfect day for a nap.  My heart goes out to those whose livelihood depends on the weather or those threatened with flood water.  My biggest inconvenience is not being able to work in the flower gardens or cut the grass.  I really am blessed!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Western Reserve Hook-In ~

The hookers of the Western Reserve ATHA Chapter 119 really know how to have a great hook-in ~ a variety of vendors, home-baked goodies and a scrumptious lunch!  They also had a Chinese raffle with so many wonderful prizes.  Guess who didn't win anything!

I just wanted to do a quick post showing the progress I made on my proddy sheep rug.  Here's the before . . .

. . . and here's the after.  Sad, isn't it?  I think I may have pulled a total of four worms.  I did get some yummy wools and got to spend the day with so many talented women.  What more could a hooker ask for?

I'll post more about the hook-in soon.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Fini ~

Woo hoo!  It looks like blogger is up and running.  Yesterday my reading list reappeared and then blogger was down.  Just in the last few minutes I see that my last post is also back.  Do you think I am a little too addicted to blogging?

* * * * *

My Maggie Bonanomi rug is finally bound and my next task is to sew on the label.  I made myself bind it so I could take it to the Western Reserve ATHA Chapter 119 hook-in tomorrow.  I've never had a rug in a show before.  It would have been nice to have the Magdalena horse rug bound but it wasn't meant to be . . . sigh!  Maybe next year  :)



The colors are much more subtle in person.

I hope to have many rugs to share with you from the hook-in!
Thank you so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

In My Garden ~

I think my gardens

are the most beautiful in the spring.

These were all taken today.

I didn't realize

tulips close up in the evening.

I should have taken a picture of this tulip bed

at the Metropark on the shores of Lake Erie

a few days ago.

The petals were beginning to fall.

 

Oh, the simple pleasures

of a young boy . . .

blowing bubbles . . .

. . . and watching them float

on the water.

Today was a perfect day weather-wise

in northern Ohio.

How I love spring!

* * * * *

Thank you for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren