I'm stunned!

Where there goes my reputation - I just proved today that I really would *not* run over a toddler simply to get the last carpark.

In all seriousness, I can't believe this just happened.

I just went for a quick drive down to the local super-mall to get a couple of odds and sods and was winding my way through my usual parking lot and right up the back I thought I'd finally found a park.

Right in the middle of the designated parking spot stood a toddler.  No adults around.  I stopped my car and wound down the window, and heard a woman voice saying "Just stay there honey.  Stay there.  Don't let any cars into daddy's spot."

I kid you not, there was a woman standing about three rows back cajoling the child not to move, so the baby's daddy (who I assume was in the queue behind me somewhere) could park his car there.

I looked at the toddler - he couldn't have been more than 3 years old.  The toddler looked at me, abruptly sat down (the way kids do) and started bawling.

I got out of there and went to a completely different parking area over the other side of the complex ......

As I was driving away I could see cars behind me stopping or starting to swing into the parking area and then swing back out again.

Obviously this tactic works .....

I'm not going to rant about everybody's right to breed - most of you have heard that from me already.  And I suppose I should not be surprised at what some people will risk the lives of their children for ....

But I am. I'm stunned.

OK need help in being gracious

Ellen sent me this chart as a RAK.

It is the epitome of everything I hate about cross stitch!  Its a bad art conversion taken out of its context and its chock full of confetti stitching.

I was thinking of writing some thing like.

Thank you Ellen for your RAK.  As you say in your note, this chart was not in my Lust List (as it is not a chart I would have bought myself) but it is a really sweet gesture on your part.

Thank you very much for thinking of me.

Is that OK - or is it still coming across as being mean.  I'm trying to say thank you because it was a sweet gesture, but I don't want to encourage her to send more !!!!   I really CANNOT see me stitching these ever.

I thought I would ask for your opinions - because you lot would tell me if I was simply being mean and would help with better wording ...

We Miss You Mel.

Today would have been the 100th birthday of Mel Blanc.

Most people around my age would have grown up hearing dozens of of characters from "the man of 1000 voices".

There's been no-one like him since .....

Cinderella Day

My Prints Arrived !!!!

I ordered all of these from an artist Stephen introduced me to: Ursula Vernon.  Her website is at: http://www.metalandmagic.com/index.php and I *know* I've raved about her work before.

I also know the same day I ordered these prints, someone {Mel pointedly looks across the other side of the country} bought the original to at least one of these :)

Howling with Laughter

There are times when you've just got to laugh .....

I've taken today off work. To stop myself moping I thought I'd put on some happy music and clean the house - my usual "get myself out of this funk routine".

Pulled up my online music, randomised the list of over 3000 songs and hit play.

The first five songs in order (and I'm *not* making this up):

Queen - Somebody to Love
Mental as Anything - He's just no good for you
Living End - Tainted Love (cover)
Offspring: Self Esteem
Tansvision Vamp: Baby I Don't Care

Oh I am sooo easily amused!

Time to Calm Down

Do you remember it he midst of the excitement of the past few days, I kept mentioning that there was one major issue we still needed to discuss and if we worked that one out, then I was certain we could work out everything else.

Well we had *that* conversation last night and there were misassumptions made on both parts and this will not be an issue that will be solved easily if at all.

So marriage is off the table for the time being.  I wont go into any further detail and I doubt I will be online much for the next few days.

I'm truly sorry I dragged you all onto this roller-coaster with me for the past few days.  I should have just kept my stupid mouth shut until all the details had been discussed.

I'm truly truly sorry I said anything at all.

Sean gave me H.I.V

Just received my first "congratulations now stop panicking" present.

Sean from work gave me H.I.V.

(yes he collects them too)

Meet Stephen

Stephen has joined Multiply - please note the appellation of our relationship was *his* choice not mine.

I'm too busy having anxiety attacks over the whole thing!

Feel free to say hello and friend or online buddy him. In fact tell him horrible stories about me - why must I have all the anxiety attacks here ???

Please be aware, don't ask him any question you don't want a frank and honest answer to! 

Stephen, Multiply has a number of tiers or layers of access.  Family, friends, online buddies, network, everyone.

This particular post is only to family and friends.  These are my closest friends on the net.  All are cross stitchers.  You have been warned.  Only two I have met in real life, Debbie and Denise (hmm strange about that last one).  However this will change next year at our Get Together in England!

As a family member you now have complete access to my blog.  There is nothing I have posted that you cannot go and read if you are so inclined.

Everyone please introduce yourselves!

I'm off to find a heart defibrillator ......

More chocolate wrapper wisdom

"My idea of housework is to sweep a room with a glance"

Reminds me of my ex-mother in law.

The Proposal

OK I'm writing down as much as I can here - for posterity as much as anything else - I want to look back here in the bad times - and go yeah - that's what brought us together ....

A bit of background ... Stephen and I have *always* had a connection with each other. We met through a mutual friend around seven years ago.  We hit it off immediately and started a long term relationship - that lasted a few months and then he went to a party and  basically met the love of his life - you know the whole eyes across the room, time stands still cliche?  Never happened to me, but he spoke to me about it and I bowed out and left them to it.

Over the intervening years the friendship dwindled down to a few mass emailing of jokes. He always txted me a rose on Valentine's and txted me on my birthday.  He never forgot.

Wind forward to 2008. Work is sending me to Melbourne for a week so I send out a general email to my friends in anyone who wants to catch up for dinner or coffee one night.  He responds. He's moved from Brisbane to Melbourne and is living on his own again.  And his work is coincidentally moving him to Perth the day before I arrive.

He gets his work to move his flying out date from the Saturday to the Tuesday and we spend the Sunday night and Monday night catching up.

Spring forward to Easter where he pays my airfare and provides the accommodation so we can spend Easter together in Melbourne.  I do pay him back half the airfare.  We have a fantastic time, most of which is detailed elsewhere in the blog. One night or should I say morning after a marathon conversation and sex session I'm just on the verge of sleep when I hear a voice say quietly "you know I made the wrong decision all those years ago"  Squee !!!!

Home after Easter and we decide to be practical - there's a real connection but its not practical.  I also don't want to get into a long distance relationship because well what if he finds a local girl like he did last time (OK paranoia - how often can one man find the "love of his life").  So we agreed to do the good friends thing and get together whenever possible and take it from there when we can actually move to the same city ....

Slowly between then and this week things change.  I'm not sticking to the just friends thing, I'm saying "I love you" and "I miss you" in the middle of other emails and he is not responding.  He'll respond to the rest of the info in the message but not that bit. Got me depressed.  Came to a head last Tuesday when I sent him a long email detailing exactly how I felt about us, about the just friends and about his not responding.  What happens - three days down the track and surprise, he hasn't responded.

Out with Alison on Saturday, we're having a good old whinge about men in general when I receive a phone call "I've just bought you a dragon plushy.  He's over five foot long  I thought you'd like him"  Huh ????  This is the guy who hasn't rung me on the telephone in weeks.

Anyway later that night after I'd been in bed for a couple of hours I receive a txt through.  I wake up and answer it.  The phone rings "Oh good you are awake - can I run something by you?"  Sure no worries....

We talk. And talk. And talk. In amongst that I got in a dig about him not responding to important emails.  His response was: Well I don't know how to find the words I'm looking for because I want to answer your email the right way.  Me in my usual tactful self says: Then *tell* me that - tell me you are thinking about it.  Don't just leave it there completely unanswered - I get paranoid I immediately think "oh he's seen it, shrugged yeah whatever and it doesn't affect him at all" And then we move back to the previous conversation.

A long while later we hang up.  I go to the bathroom and then send a txt - you *do* realise we just talked on the phone for over FOUR HOURS ???  At the same time I get a text back saying "I never did tell you *WHY* I bought your dragon.

A few more txts back and forth and then the phone rings.  This is the relevant portion of the conversation as best as I can recollect.

Me: Round 2 I presume
Him: Good morning, I think I have an answer to your question. I think I know how to say it now.
OK
If we were in the same city, at the same time I would ask you to marry me.
.........
Mel ???  Mel??? Should I hang up now?
No I'm just stunned.
What you weren't expecting that?
No, I'm stunned because I think my answer would be yes.
Oh good - so how do we arrange this?  I've been thinking, I can move back to Melbourne there are jobs I can do there so you can do your Uni course, or if you can do it at one of the Universities in Perth, then I can stay here at a better paying job, and I can be the breadwinner so to speak so you can go to Uni full time and get your Masters and oh now I'm babbling and you haven't said a word, Mel ???
I'm here - I'm ummm gibbering ... umm how what ??? (You can see I was at my most eloquent)
Well you said it yourself - we've talked for four hours!  And we hung up because we needed a break, not because we'd finished the conversations.  I could see us in forty years time in wheelchairs in a nursing home with our bodies and civilisation crumbling around us and we'd still be talking.  That's all you need - the ability to communicate - everything else flows from that.  Sex, money, success - it all comes from the ability to communicate.
Ah no what about respect - you need respect.
Yes you need respect, but its ancillary - no respect no communication.
Ancillary is not the right word - its important.
Its a ...
prerequisite (said in unison)

And so we went on from there for over another hour.  It turns out that he has always felt more than friends for me, but he knew me from the end of my marriage - he know how hurt I was.  He saw the raw me back then.  He didn't want to tell me the full extent of his feelings because I might run for the hills and never look back. He knew I planned on never getting married again.  When I proposed the "just friends" arrangement and then kept sending txts and emails that were more than just friends, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how best to respond. Should he respond as "just friends" or should he tell me his true feelings ... and being a guy he simply didn't send anything.  Hence why I thought I was being ignored and getting depressed over it.

So ummm yeah - I'm not sure if I'm actually engaged or just agreed to become so.  We're definitely getting together in July for a face-to-face to discuss practicalities and practical options and what we can and cannot compromise on and whether we can actually live together etc etc.

We've both been married before (him longer than me).  We've both been in long term relationships and we've both been burned.  We have a fair idea what we both want in a marriage and we're going to take things slowly to achieve a lasting happiness for both of us. And if takes a few years, then it takes a couple of years.

As mum said yesterday - "Isn't that what you've been grizzling about for years - you've wanted a companion. Not a lover. Not a husband. A companion.  Someone who thinks like you, who has the same goals as you and someone you can have a disagreement with without anyone getting angry.  He is offering you exactly what you've been wanting for all these years".

Mel's Sunday Update

Afternoon all,

Well it was a very busy, very stressful week this week with a fabulous ending.

My focus piece at the moment is BoInk but there are times when I'm so tired and stressed that I simply cannot handle dark blue floss on a 32ct black background.

So I've started a new project here.

This is my BoInk Relaxation Project - or Anti BoInk if you will ...

I'll send out a small prize to the first person who correctly identifies what this design is :)

Two prizes, one for my multiply blog people, and one for the BAXPS main group.

Happy Guessing.

WIP - Jasper in Bloom

All the cross stitching is now done. All that remains is the backstitching. I cannot backstitch over already stitched work on 16ct Aida on a train - so this one will go intot he "wait till I get time at home pile". Goodness knows when I will actually get to it - there is a fair amount of backstitching on this one.

My BoInk relaxation project

SQUEEEEE !!!!!!

Sufferning major sleep deprivation today.

Or I would be, if I wasn't going ... umm .... SQUEEE !!!!

You know its Friday night ...

When you can't even count to three without frogging.

I've not only put my stitching down for the night - I'm giving up on everything and going to bed!

Night all !!!!

More Soaping stuff

When I ordered the orange essential oil to finally get around to making my citrus soap, I also indulged and bought tester-sized bottles of two new frangrances.

Cedar and Saffron - Fragrant cedar is infused with the sensual smoky scents of patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver, then topped with Eastern spices and a trace of white musk.



Spiced Mahogany - This deep, rich woody scent has notes of Italian Bergamot, Apple Wood and Tonka Bean to round out the darker, more sensuous Patchouli, Cedarwood, and Oakmoss. To keep this fragrance from smelling like a freshly cut wood floor, we've added spices of Cardamom, Vanilla Bourbon and allspice. Because of the Vanilla, this fragrance will discolor your soap but the resulting fragrance is one of sophistication and verve.

Do either of them take anyone's fancy?  Suggestions on which one I should use first ????

How to start rumours at work ...

Completely tidy your desk for the first time this year .....

Philosophy from a Chocolate Wrapper ....

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength;
loving someone deeply gives you courage.

Is this why I find it easy to feel courageous?
Is this also why I never consider myself a strong person?

Or is this just a load of hooey ....

Seriously, thoughts people ???

And no, don't ask why I was eating Baci chocolates at 8:30am in the morning ......

Mel's Sunday Update

Not much to chat about this week. 

I discovered a HUGE mistake in Black Beauty which means I will probably have to start the whole piece over.  I've put it away while I think about it and decide what to do later .....

Given that I've had the flu and other work crises this week - I thought I wouldn't tempt the frogs too much.  So I spent a couple of hours each day working on BoInk's frame.

Whole album here.

Going to start Part 4 as soon as possible.

Might go back to bed for another nap though first.

Cakes *and* Soap

Why do I only get the urge to be creative when I'm sick ????

Is it because the first thing I do when I feel unwell is make the kitchen spotless ???  A spotless kitchen to me is the same as having a pocket full of cash in a shopping mall.  It must be spent immediately - or in this case, used immediately.

Or is it the same reason that I persist in stitching on the train on Monday mornings.  I know I'm going to make mistakes, I know I will have to undo what I've done, but I still persist in doing it anyway ????

Or is that I need I need virus in my system to overwhelm my Superego and let my Id out to play ???

Either which way I was very creative and somewhat productive today ....

First up I made muffins.  To be more exact I made a gluten-free version of these ....

http://theblackoven.blogspot.com/2008/03/le-petit-gateau-du-les-legions-noire.html

Please go click on the site - you see immediately why these have been gnawing at my creative side for a while .....

I used a gluten-free flour and a gluten substitute.  As these are not normal cakes, and I am horrendously ill with a virus, I'm not quite sure these came out as intended.  After all the instructions did say not to overmix the batter.  Well mine didn't even become a batter, they were more like a cross between playdough and an Aero bar .... or perhaps a cross between a moon rock and a mud cake.

Either way they are very very delicious and I ate a couple straight out of the oven.  I didn't have any obscure French metal so I played German (Rammstein) and Canadian (Strapping Young Lad) while partaking of my cakes and tea.

Speaking of which did anyone in Australia watch the series return of Bones last night?  Stephen Fry playing a psychologist to David Boreanaz.  Two of my favourite lust objects for very different reasons, interacting :) :)

{and before anybody comments - I know Stephen Fry is gay - its not his body that I primarily lust over .....)

Ah where were we - oh yeah, after the cakes I cleaned the kitchen to a spotless state again and remembered that I have wanted to make another batch of soap - a slow curing one for my birthday this year.  So I pulled out and tweaked my favourite recipe.

250gm Lard
250gm Coconut oil
250gm Rice Bran oil
120gm Grapeseed oil
100gm Cocoa Butter
30gm Castor oil
2 toothpicks of orange soap colouring ...

137gm lye
250gm water

The addition of castor oil, even in such small doses will make this one a very long curing soap - it will not be able to be used in under 8 weeks - but the bubbles should be big and fat when its ready ....

I had the oils melted and the lye solution prepared when I realised I am completely out of five fold Orange essential oil.  In fact I am out of all orange essential oil.  And I really really really wanted to make my favourite citrus blend .... oh well.

What else can I add in instead?  Didn't want to play with the citrus because I had a definite combination in mind, OK back to the fragrances.  Green Irish Tweed?  Bonsai?  Chai Tea? Vanilla Sandalwood?

I had already put in orange colouring - none of these were orange fragrances to me ..... aha.  Dragonfire !!!!!

DragonFire: "Sophisticated, complex and heady are the keys to this magnificent fragrance. It's so multi-faceted you will find layers of musks, ambers, a touch of patchouli, Nag Champa, cedars to warm and enhance this exotic fragrance, and much more."

Yep that sounds orange enough to me. Can't smell a bloody thing, but oh well - someone will tell me if its any good after they use it.  Someone? Anyone?

Mix through, poured into a box mould and wrapped in a few towels to conserve heat.  Trubs is doing her bit by sleeping on top of it.

Cleaned up the kitchen to spotless again, ate another muffin.  Decided to try the Sandalwood Vanilla fragrance.  Only got a small tester bottle so it will be a small batch.  So I pulled out my guest soap moulds.

150gm Coconut oil
150gm lard
100gm Rice Bran oil
100gm Cocoa Butter

70gm lye
125gm water

This soap wont have huge bubbles - bit it will be ooh so conditioning and make your skin soooo soft.  Each my shorts Dove - you commercially producers of overhyped crap! 

Sandalwood Vanilla: "A perfectly balanced unisex blend. It mellows gorgeously in soap -- think Sam Elliott in a faded denim shirt. (Younger customers, replace Sam Elliott with Owen Wilson; international customers, please substitute Jude Law, Russell Crowe, and Deepak Chopra.)"

What can I say - I thought Sam Elliott was the perfect actor for the role of Lee Scoresby in the Golden Compass .... as for the other actors mentioned - meh!

Basically I adore sandalwood and I'm playing with vanilla fragrances - so why not.  It was in the cupboard after all ....

Again, you need to be able to breathe through your nose to be able to smell - so again I hope that in a few weeks time at least someone, anyone will be able to let me know if it smells nice.

Made the batch up, it behaved perfectly.  Made 14 or 15 little guest soap sized bars.  Again all wrapped up and next to the other wrapped parcel on the table ....

Hmm - Trubs is now asleep on that one - make that - 14 or 15 "squished" bars - the individual moulds have nowhere near the durability and stiffness of the box mould.

I'm tired now.  Going for a nap and then might do some stitching tonight.

I'm not cleaning the kitchen back up to spotless just in case ...

I'm tired - someone want to make me a cup of tea so I don't have to walk into that kitchen again.

So ... anyone want to try either of these soaps when they are ready? let me know and I'll list names down - and send care parcels out later in the year .....

Seeing as I don't have enough energy to get up and take a picture of Trubs sleeping on the soaps - here's a picture I took this morning.

I mean honestly where else do you expect a librarian's cat to sleep?

Its Monday Morning

I'm at work.

This sums up my approach to the day .....

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/05/11/funny-pictures-i-cant-hear-you/

Mel's Sunday Update

Evening all,

Had a very interesting week this week.  The two presents I sent out have been received so I can show them now.

They are in my finished album here.

The first is another of the series of Ross Originals Egyptian profiles I've been stitching for my mum.  Had Nefertiti finished, framed and posted to mum in time for Mother's Day today.

Nefertiti finished.
Nefertiti framed.

I also did up another Subversive Cross Stitch for a good friend.  it was his birthday this week and I've posted the picture now I know he's received it.

Bearly pic here.

Well that's all my oustandings up to date.

As to stitching this week?  Well I did my 10 hour stint on the private Round Robin I'm in, this week working on a piece for Mariann.

Pics in this album.
Before me pic here.
My bit here.
Completed so far now here.

Also I did some stitching on the train this week.  I didn't get very far.

I discovered that, on the train I *cannot*:

• Stitch on a Monday morning
• Stitch quarter stitches on Aida
• Count accurately after a bad day at work
• Ignore a mistake and assume I can correct as I go.

The upshot of all of this is that I got very little productively done on the train this week :) :)  However I did start a brand new WIP.  Black Beauty by Designs by Lisa.

Full Album here:
Blob here.

Finally I set up a trades album here.  I wouldn't mind trading some of this stuff for more stash that I'll actually stitch, but I'm more concerned in getting these to homes where they will actually be stitched - so if you want any of them, feel free to PM me and we can sort something out or I'll just RAK them :) :)

Hmm - that's all stitching wise I think.

In other news I took Claire's advice and bought a skipping rope today.  If my next post is from a hospital bed after knee reconstruction surgery you know who will feel guilty :) :) :)

I also saw the Iron Man movie today.  First time I've been to a movie theatre on my own in about five years.  The movie was good enough that I soon overcame my shyness and loneliness and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie !!!!  Saw the previews of some others I've got to get to over the next couple of months too - the next Indiana Jones, the next Narnia one - gotta try and see Spiderwick Chronicles before it finishes up ....

Hmm - there was something else I was going to blog about but I can't remember what it was - so I guess it can wait until next time.

in closing I'd like to mention two videos that were sent to me today.  Both are cute in their own way. Both *need* the sound turned on.

Snow White

When Penguins Fly

Trades?

I've been going through my stash and cleaning up and I came across some charts that I've already stitched, some I have duplicates of and some that well my tastes have changed and I will never stitch.

I'd prefer to trade these for items in my lust lists (pref. fabric and floss at the moment) or Denise's Lust List.

Fabric: http://gothtigger.multiply.com/photos/album/45/Lust_List_-_Fabrics
Floss: http://gothtigger.multiply.com/photos/album/78/Lust_List_-_Threads
Charts: http://gothtigger.multiply.com/photos/album/35/Lust_List_-_Charts
Denise's List: http://denndragon.multiply.com/photos/album/38/Lust_List

I'll be adding more charts here as time goes on and I do more sorting ....

If you desperately want one of these and don't have anything to trade - let me know and I'll see about a RAK :)

Too weird for me!

OK more plushies ...

now everyone knows I like strange plushy toys ...

but these ones are too weird even for me.

Meet roadkill plushies:
http://www.roadkilltoys.com/

Careful what you knit ...

Those on the Knitting Stitchers group know that I occasionally throw up links there for interesting knitting patterns.

One of the more recent I referred to was a site which had free designs for Dr Who creatures including the Adipose .....

Well I just saw this:
http://technollama.blogspot.com/2008/05/doctor-who-partnerts-in-copyright-crime.html

Apparently the BBC have threatened legal action against the knitter and she has removed her designs from her site.

Note: she was not selling the designs - she had put them out free to world.  What does this mean for other knitters - or cross stitchers  - or any other fan-based work?

A very interesting article even if I didn't quite follow all the legal details ....

Health or Happiness?

Slender or self esteem?

Hard work or easy fix?

I went out this morning intending to buy a fitness DVD - you know one of those ones you play at home and no-one else can see your flabby bits jiggling as you sweat and strain along doing the workouts ....

I came home with new lingerie instead.  A lovely transparent black and cream bra and knickers set ...

3 New Items on My Amazon Wish-list

(This blog entry was automatically generated by Multiply's Wish-list Cross-posting feature.)

Below are items recently added to my Amazon wish-list. If you are familiar with anything below and have any comments or alternate suggestions, please leave a reply.

Click here to see my full and current wish-list.

---

Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture (Illustrated Guide) Manufacturer: Make Books Price: $18.77 Learn More

---

Steampunk Manufacturer: Tachyon Publications Price: $9.14 Learn More

---

House of Many Ways Manufacturer: Greenwillow Books Price: N/A Learn More

July

We are having the Pope visit in July. 

Its part of International Youth Week.

The mian site of events is right next door to my work.

There will be security cordons, check points and goodness knows what between home and work.  In fact all of the celebrations will be held between my home and my work.

So work has told us to take Annual Leave and don't bother coming to work that week.

I'm taking the opportunity to skip town :)

I *just* booked my tickets to visit the other side of the country for the very first time.

I arrive in Perth 1pm Sunday 13 July.
I leave Perth 1pm Monday 21 July.

I know Stephen will be working during the weekdays but we will have the nights and one weekend together.  He's already told me of at least one outing he has planned ....

My friend Alison was raised in and around Perth and has listed some noteworthy sites for me to visit such as the Fremantle markets, the Museum of Modern Art etc ....

She's also going to look after Trubby for me for the week too ....

This is giving me something to look forward to and can help get me through the next couple of months at work.

More Giant Micriobes

MRSA
(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
Otherwise known as "superbug"

And a Braincell.

Superbug got sent to a friend for his birthday and Braincell sits on top of my monitor at work.

I can now make lame jokes when accusing of being dumb or silly ... I *have* a brain cell - see its right here!  I had two brain cells but you frightened one off ....

Be Careful Over who's Shoulder you Watch ....

Got up out of my seat to leave the train this evening and the guy in the seat in front of me was watching a movie on his laptop.

{Screenshot of earth from space}

Oh kewl its a sci fi movie ...

{screenshot of outside of space ship}

hmmm that looks familiar ....

{spaceship blows up}

Nope - not seen that one, wonder what he's watching .....

{man appears in teleport tube}

That's David Tennant ....

On NO !!!  Shit! Fuck !! Noooooo !!!!

no no no no no no no no no no  no  no  no no  no  no no no no no !!!!!!!

I haven't watched this week's episode yet !!!!!

Just spoilt the ending to the two-part latest episode of Dr Who where I'd only seen episode one .....

After much more cursing Mel vows never to watch over anyone's shoulder again !!!!

Are You Addicted to the Internet?

You Are 90% Addicted to the Internet The internet is your life - seriously.
You spend so much time online, you should be a dot com millionaire!
http://www.blogthings.com/areyouaddictedtotheinternetquiz/


Like this surprises anyone?

Who are you

and what have you done with my Monday ????

its been a very unusual day today ....

Recevied a cute phone call at 5am.
The train was on time and without hassles.
Chaired a meeting that ran under time and achieved results.
Two of my most obnoxious staff called in sick.

I haven't wasted any money and have eaten healthy all day so far ....

This is not a normal MONDAY !!!!!

I knew it !!!!

I knew Fireflower would suit the rest of the decor in my bedroom :) :) :)

Very very Happy with this one hanging above my bed !!!!

Weekly Recap ....

Well what a week! Got the results of my allergy tests back on Monday. I am *allergic* to:

* Wheat
* Peanuts
* Bahia Grass

Hmmm Wikipedia suggests that wheat can be a respiratory allergy - who knew ???? Also that if you an allergy to one type of cereal you may have respiratory allergies to other cereals and grasses - which could explain the bahia grass ??? Hmm - will have to visit my local library and find out more information.

I have to remove wheat and peanuts completely from my diet for the next month and see if that makes any difference to my sinus issues or my general well being.

I also had a blood test on Monday for Coeliac's Disease. Mum is allergic to wheat *and* a Coeliac - I need to know if I have both or if one is masking the issues with the other. As I've been eating a gluten-free diet for many years, the results will be unfortunately ambiguous at best.

Wednesday I got my flu injection for this year. Everything was fine on the day and they gave us lollipops. Friday Saturday and today, that part of my arm has become very tender and sensitive - hopefully this will wear off soon.

Thursday night I got more root canal work done. Hopefully this is now the end of it. Just need to wait a month for everything to calm down and settle in place and then I get a crown over the top. And then it will be finished - except for the financial paying of it - that will be ongoing.

So lots of health issues this week. One thing I did notice is my general mental health. After getting the preliminary results last week of my allergy tests I immediately went peanut free and was a little more careful with checking items were wheat free as well as gluten free. I don't know if its related or merely a placebo effect but I've been much calmer this week. Things at work are still crappy but I'm handling them much better, I'm not getting depressed about it as I have been lately.

This is a good thing.

In other news I stitched this cute little design while commuting this week. It seems to sum up my thoughts on work right now .....

Mel's Sunday Update

Morning all,

Well what a week!  Didn't do much stitching, but oh so many other things !!!

Got the results of my allergy tests back on Monday.  I am *allergic* to:

• Wheat
• Peanuts
• Bahia Grass

Hmmm Wikipedia suggests that wheat can be a respiratory allergy - who knew ????  Also that if you an allergy to one type of cereal you may have respiratory allergies to other cereals and grasses - which could explain the bahia grass ??? Hmm - will have to visit my local library and find out more information. 

I have to remove wheat and peanuts completely from my diet for the next month and see if that makes any difference to my sinus issues or my general well being.

I also had a blood test on Monday for Coeliac's Disease.  Mum is allergic to wheat *and* a Coeliac - I need to know if I have both or if one is masking the issues with the other.  As I've been eating a gluten-free diet for many years, the results will be unfortunately ambiguous at best.

Wednesday I got my flu injection for this year.  Everything was fine on the day and they gave us lollipops.  Friday Saturday and today, that part of my arm has become very tender and sensitive - hopefully this will wear off soon.

Thursday night I got more root canal work done.  Hopefully this is now the end of it.  Just need to wait a month for everything to calm down and settle in place and then I get a crown over the top.  And then it will be finished - except for the financial paying of it - that will be ongoing.

So lots of health issues this week.  One thing I did notice is my general mental health.  After getting the preliminary results last week of my allergy tests I immediately went peanut free and was a little more careful with checking items were wheat free as well as gluten free.  I don't know if its related or merely a placebo effect but I've been much calmer this week.  Things at work are still crappy but I'm handling them much better, I'm not getting depressed about it as I have been lately.

This is a good thing.

In stitching news I have very little stitching at home this week.  Again working long hours I haven't had time in the evenings and I was caught up yesterday with housework, shopping, catching up with friends etc ....

Hopefully today I can start Mariann's RR and get it out in the mail next Friday ....

One piece of stitching I *did* do last week was Daydream by MyMark designs.  It certainly sums up my attitudes to my work hassles :) :)

It was quite an easy design once I learned how to spell .... I started in the middle with the long arm of the d and completely flubbed and had to frog the round part of that letter.  I then decided to go right instead of left and jumped from the long arm of the d straight into the e .... I'm half way through the e when I look and think "isn't there supposed to be an r in there ????

After those could of mishaps on the Wednesday morning, everything went smoothly.  Not another frog in the piece !!!!  Finished off the last hour's work Saturday morning.

Album here.
Direct link to this picture here.

In other stitching news this week I received progress pictures from Sisu on my Gemstone Dragons part of our private RR.  Sisu stitched two dragons *and* finished off the border for me !!!

Album here.
Direct link to Aquamarine dragon here.
Direct link to Emerald Dragon here.
Direct link to Overall Progress picture here.

Hope everyone has a fantastic week this week .....