MY HEAD IS GOING TO EXPLODE....

I'm sick. I have a nasty, nasty headache and sound like I've been smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years. I'm coughing and hacking and feeling generally miserable. Now, this might not have turned into what it's turned into if it weren't for the weekend.....

Saturday, we joined my husband's siblings and his cousins for a boat ride in the Chain of Lakes. When we planned this, we chose the last Saturday in August figuring we'd have scorching hot weather... you know, like summer should be- or once was??? Anyway, it was cold. During the afternoon, it was sunny for the most part, but it soon turned into evening and we boated to another cousin's fun bar for dinner and drinks. Here's my husband's cousin, sister in law and brother in law....
After being there, well into the evening, and well after the sun set, we needed to go BACK to the origination point. It was dark, and cold and yes, it began to spit rain at us. I'm always fashion conscientious so I'm quite comfortable in assuming I looked fab in the two hoodie sweatshirts I was sporting, complete with the hoods up and under a blanket that I'd managed to commandeer. By the time we reached the dock, I had moved my sniffle into a full fledged case of something respiratory.

As if that wasn't enough, on Sunday,we shot into the boat, only to discover it wasn't sailing weather at all, a bit too rough, and our time was limited anyway. We needed to check into our hotel and ready ourselves for the fashion event (I'm so cosmopolitan sounding here huh). AGAIN, silly me, since it's AUGUST IN CHICAGO, I thought that taking a 3/4 sleeve dress I'd be quite comfortable... which I would have, had it been inside. It wasn't.

The evening started outside in a lovely courtyard, offering cocktails and people watching( I'll get to that) and entertainment. The Shanon Rovers, bagpipers, and some violinist that was awesome both played. As the sun began to set, it got colder and colder... and my dress seemed to get thinner and thinner. Ever the gentleman, my husband gave me his sport coat, but I needed a full out parka- it was cold and I was sick- remember?? By this time, it was escalating to possibly pneumonia. But, it was a cool thing.




Interesting, people of undetermined sex now and then, local 'celebrities' people with more money than taste... you get the idea. The runway show was cool- beautiful Ford Models, and funky fall fashions. My 3 kids and my mom were all there with my husband and I, everyone looking great, so 'fashionable!!!

Here's my mom, oldest daughter and me.

Anyway, we were supposed to go to an after party- but as I was dying, and I mean dying, we went back to the hotel. I took a scorching hot bath and went to bed. We had to get up at 5 am to take my husband to the airport. Not sure in what world he thought it'd be a good idea to take a 7 am flight- but he did. So I deposited him at the airport and headed home. Home before 7:30am.
The view from our hotel.

Any question as to why I am sick????? But, damn, it was all fun!

FASHION WEEK....

In London that is...... I've been getting emails advertising it as i attended it in the spring, with my girls. I so wish I was attending again, not even so much the Fashion end, and the London end. What a city! What a country! It's raining here, English weather for sure, and my 'wellies' are by the back door, in case I have to trudge out into the moors, looking for Phoebe the wandering dog, but it ISN'T London, I'm NOT going to Fashion Week, in fact, I'm not even leaving the state of Illinois in the foreseeable future. That, my friends, is cruddy... just plain cruddy.

An in site to my mood this morning? Yes indeedy.... yes, indeed.

Great Artist- great giveaway

Check out this blog and her FAB art. I so enjoy her artwork and am always intrigued as to what is next to come from 'the cart'. She's hosting a giveaway, and I am probably going to win, BUT, just to make it fun- you should enter too.....

Busy, busy busy...

I finished my scarf and am quite pleased with it, although I am thinking of giving it as a gift. I so enjoyed making it, I decided to make another with some different yarn, a silk and wool blend. Anyway, here's a couple photos of it folded in half.




I spent a good portion of today's late afternoon and evening cleaning in my studio. It just wasn't user friendly, it really wasn't friendly at all- almost bordered on surly to tell the truth. I had things that needed to be 'relocated' and reorganized. When I finish, I'll take a picture of it, and show you all where I work.

We spent Sunday on the boat- it had to be one of, if not THE, best day yet. The sun was out, it was comfortably warm and the wind was perfect. The waves were fairly large, but rolling and it was just my husband and I enjoying the day. I really like taking people out with us, but sometimes it is so nice to just be the two of us and this was one of those times.

FUNKY FURNITURE...

My daughter called me tonight.... she and her beau bought some dining room chairs today from an antique store in the city. She sent me this picture from the store- what did we do without picture phones???




Pretty funky huh? The best of all of this, is they had to take them home on the bus....they have no car. I'd have loved to have seen them with their chairs.... on the bus- wonder if they sat in them?

WET & WILD WEEKEND.....

We spent the weekend in Chicago at the boat, of course. It was the Air and Water Show and also our 29th wedding anniversary. Saturday, we intended to get up early and go in, but, my blackberry was experiencing some technical difficulties, and we had to veer off the route to have it looked at. Crisis averted, it was fixable.



My oldest daughter and her beau met us and we FINALLY got the anchor secured and enjoyed an amazing view. WOW, is the only word that comes to mind. Those pilots are fabulous. Those planes zooming in and around the lakefront and city; flying upside down, in formation, straight up, straight down, barrel rolls... I could go on and on.



Since it was our anniversary weekend (actually today), we stayed in the city at the lovely Palmer House- what an elegant hotel. We had a delicious, late dinner and drinks.




This morning we awoke to sunshine, but as it did 29 years ago today, the weather went to hell. It began to look squiffy as we got to the boat, and then when my son, his best buddy and their 'girls' and my oldest daughter and nephew joined us, it seemed to get even darker. (once again, my middle daughter missed out as she had to work- that's the thing about work- it interferes with fun- that's why it's just NOT for me). Anyway, it was windy, gusty, and rough, but we set off to enjoy day 2 of the show. It rained.


Not the whole time, but a couple soaking times- this does not do wonders for ones hair. I, being older and wiser than the kids, tried to avoid said soaking, by hiding out in the cabin, along with my daughter (I raised no fool).



We reluctantly surrendered to the ugliness,and went back to the harbor, of course the sun came out and the planes started again, so we watched from afar. We fired up the grill and had lunch. When the last of the planes roared through, we dropped the kids at the harbor, and took our boat back to it's buoy. OMG- the sky opened and it monsoon poured complete with lightening, thunder, the whole enchilada- JUST LIKE THE DAY WE GOT MARRIED. (We should have heeded this as a warning)

Anyway, my husband and I holed up in the boat, waiting for one of the midwest's lovely storms to blow through and the tender to pick us up. There is a sinking feeling when you call for pick up only to be told it is suspended for the time being due to weather.






Obviously, we did eventually get off the boat, and home, and I must say I am exhausted. It was a fun weekend, and for the most part it's been a fun 29 years. But, there is a reason the Air & Water Show is dubbed as a "WET & WILD WEEKEND"......

THIS IS IT........

Paper Popsicles BLoG: It's FREEBIE FRIDAY!


one of my favorite things...... so click the link and check it out- YOU NEED IT and IT'S FREE.

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN....

Well, I'm back from the great state of Texas, and my lounging about guilt free. Home to dirty laundry, dirty house and the impending doom of school starting, and me having to be up and at it a couple days a week.... I'm just NOT ready for school, fall and the like. We are only just having summer here, this week.

Enough complaining....

I've actually been home, well, not REALLY home but here in Illinois since Friday night. Since it was WARM, and summer like, we spent the weekend at the boat. I forgot my camera on Saturday, but took it yesterday and got a cool picture of the strange low lying clouds that rolled in - fog-like- purple haze.... which brings me to...



It was a pretty interesting weekend in Chicago, Lallapalooza (a big music venue- I MEAN BIG) was going on and there were thousands of young people listening to the different concerts. We got to listen free, as we could hear from the harbor as well as from out on the lake. It was loud, and actually pretty cool. I, really didn't know who was singing most of the time, but did hear Lou Reed, singing "Take a Walk on the Wild Side" and my daughter (and the news) said Snoop Dog was singing, so I heard him too. Anyway, with all this said, I'll confess that I didn't do anything on my Paper Popsicles stuff, and FREE FRIDAY is just 4 days away... and my knitting just rode back and forth in the car with me. So enough pontificating and I'll get to work... on something for your viewing pleasure, and creative sorts!!

the THEATRE.....

Last night, my husband and I attended the 'Theatre' here in Houston. He got the tickets, and I'll admit when he told me we were going to see a play I was excited. My excitement was only to be quickly dashed when he said we'd be seeing "Sherlock Holmes". Now, he likes that kind of stuff, me not so much- but, having been raised with good manners, I was gracious. So we dressed up, not in evening clothes, but looked nice, and went off. We didn't really have time for dinner, so we headed over to the Arts district and had an appetizer and drinks at the Hard Rock Cafe then onto Sherlock.


It was good. I mean REALLY GOOD. The play was called "Sherlock Holmes; The Crucifer of Blood"; and although not intended to be a comedy I am sure, was redone with some comedic twists. I really enjoyed it AND we had front row seats. The butler stole the show, hunch back and all...

After our cultural experience we headed back to the same place we ended the night before for more drinks, and another tasty appetizer and some live music. Just enough food- and no we are not drunks... for the most part.

So today, I am back at it with the Paper Popsicles digital designs and my knitting. I finished my book, so I may have to venture out to the best bookstore for some new reading material. Here's a view of my world at the moment...


all that's missing is me, but someone had to take the picture.... isn't that elementary my dear Watson?????

HOUSTON

I'm in Houston. My husband lives here 4 days a week, in a pretty cool apartment, right downtown. He lives in an old building that was a hotel in it's heyday- welcoming visitors of the 'famous nature'. Anyway, it's now been renovated into an apartment building, and it's kinda, sorta, loftish style. I'm liking the funky old windows in different sizes, and the ceilings that show the concrete rafters and the pipes & duct work. The very best thing, is that I can sit around and do nothing but work on my Paper Popsicles stuff and knit and not feel guilty AT ALL, that I'm not doing laundry, or dusting, or washing the floors, or weeding, or putting away laundry, or trying to find the floor in my son's room... you get the idea. And of course the BIGGEST thing, is that like real regular people, he comes home at night, after work and I'm here- you know, the 'Hi, honey, I'm home thing'....Now unlike regular people at home, I am not making dinner, we are eating out. Last night an Italian restaurant, and then a bar in the lobby for some live music, tonight- the theater. It's like a mini vacation!! Actually, his life is kind of like a mini vacation.


Now, you all may be wondering WHY we live this way? He's a consultant, and right now, he needs to consult in Houston. So he goes where the work is- it works. Sometimes it gets old, but it works. Funny how money can make you see the 'best' in everything.

So with that said, I can't show you the new Paper Popsicles stuff, you have to check THAT WEBSITE so see that stuff.... but I can show you my cool knitting project. I've gone way beyond scarves, but that's what I'm knitting, to learn this stitch; it's called entrelac- and it's confusing. I've got it- but not with out a bit of 'oh damn' ripping it back and redoing now and then.

SURVIVAL....

I survived my house guests. My father in law is a nice man, and it is good to have him visit (better yet, visit, then head off to a hotel) brutally honest there - huh? It was good to see him. The girlfriend is just a weird situation. Period.

We had a busy weekend, and a full house on Saturday night. My house guests, my city livin' daughter and her boyfriend and two friends of my sons, in addition to my son, husband and I. My older daughter and her boyfriend were at their own home, but should have joined the fun!!! Kinda felt like a B & B here. Before the big slumber party, we all attended an engagement party for my niece. She and her fiancee seem to be quite happy and the family is excited for them both.

Today, my sister in law and her husband joined my own personal Captain and I on the boat for a GORGEOUS day of sailing. We were actually able to sail ALL afternoon, into the evening and enjoy sun at the same time- kinda felt like Chicago, like it should be. Tonight I am still swaying. My husband's entire immediate family has been on the boat- I'm not sure just how to orchestrate getting my sister, her husband and oldest son and my mom to join us at the boat, but would really like too.

Tomorrow evening, I am off to Houston. I'm joining my husband at his apartment for the week. I plan to work on digital designs for Paper Popsicles, knit (I'll take a picture of my most interesting project) and read. I may have time to watch a little CSI, or Law & Order reruns and of course a little light shopping. (Light because downtown Houston doesn't have many places to shop).

I'll be around- busy, working diligently on something... so stay tuned......