Photo Challenge

Ok Jeanne - you wanted it? You got it - my kitchen windowsill.

It's time to talk about Chip...

And what he meant to me.

My most unforgettable character. And such a different loss than that of a relative, or parent... this was my first FRIEND that I lost. And lost suddenly with no warning. One day we were laughing hysterically on the phone and 48 hours later he was gone.

This man was the most unusual person... a hardened, ascary, mean, nasty outlaw biker. With the biggest, warmest most loving heart I've ever met. I always knew where I stood with him. There was no option of bullshit. It was truth always... One of the few people in this world that I could stand up to and tell him that he was dead wrong... and we could fight like cats and dogs - then make up and be just fine.

I don't really have anyone in my life anymore that I can do that with. I miss doing that. It was very .. releasing.

I miss his phone calls.. I miss him calling me Schweetie. I miss knowing that he'd kill for me. I miss his voice and his hugs and his smell. He smelled of laundry soap and cooking.

Oh how he loved to cook!! He used to bring a big bag of groceries over just to cook us a meal... and it ROCKED.

He was Sicilian... and he knew how to cook like a pro. He introduced me to all kinds of cool foods. And cheap red wine...

He loved that I scrapbooked. He loved that I was online with it. And he loved that he was an honorary Threadkiller. He used to drag a kitchen chair into the spare room while I typed at the computer... and watch what I wrote...

"You Threadkillin' babe?"

Yes Chip... I'm threadkilling...

"That's good. You show 'em"

Ok...

Neither Bob nor I will ever get over losing him.. EVER. I miss him every day of my life.

DILLIGAF my friend... DILLIGAF.

So the publication is finally happening...

Legacy Magazine finally let me know that their Summer issue, being released on 6/1 will feature my altoid tin...

It's exciting - but it's a bit anti-climatic. I remember when I got the notification that they wanted to see it, I was incredibly excited... but it's been 10 months, and if I hadn't emailed them on Friday I'm wondering if it ever would have been found on the shelf... lol

So my happiness is a bit faded. Hey. Like a Faded Rainbow... :EEK:

And the completed canvas...

My new favorite picture...

is of me and Mary Kay...

Yay - he passed!

This is a wonderful thing...

Good morning and happy Saturday!

Bobby is off to his hunter's safety course. He's nervous about passing, but I have no doubt he'll do just fine. I've never seen him so nervous!

I think I'll head out to Michael's. See what I can find there.

Yup. That's it. I have nothing else to discuss.

I sit here beer in hand...

My chores completed... my dinner ready to go in the oven. My house is clean, it smells divine and I'm ready to relax.

Janelle's "J" makes me want to run to Michael's and buy a "T". I have Monica's "T" that she made me for winning a challenge on my dresser here.

Now I want a vintagey Tim "T". Perhaps tomorrow morning. I have a coupon... and a gift card. I could get the "T" for next to nothing.

My ebayed books are doing fairly well - some are selling, some aren't. That's ok - they didn't cost ME anything, so whatever I make is gravy!

Two of the items I listed for my boss sold yesterday, for quite a lot of $$, so he gave me a $25.00 gift card for doing the work! I told him - You paid me for playing on ebay. That was gift enough!!!

Happy Friday!

So I sit here in my robe, wet hair and no makeup. I should BE at the Shoprite RIGHT now, not "veging" here.

I am SHUTTING the computer OFF right this very minute.


**Those that believe this? I have a bridge to sell you.

The Red Challenge

Ah. The RED challenge. I have the PERFECT photo for it.

During the latest greatest crop in WV, those scamps threw me a 50th surprise party! As if that weren't enough, Linda made me wear the RED HAT. I was quite fetching. lol And now it's my turn to pass that red hat along to the next victim Mary Kay. It will be my pleasure.

Happy Wednesday!

I'm halfway through my work day... so far, not SO bad. Not a ton of glitches.

I keep getting distracted by the ring. As I type I glance down and it catches my eye. Silly.

A true testament to my life - I have NOTHING better to type about. I do have a huge blister on the roof of my mouth from eating my diet pizza too fast. That's something.

And I told my boss that I wanted to sniff his biscuit.

My Ring! My Ring!!

It's here!!! We picked it up tonight and waited while he set the center stone. This is so beautiful, I am SO happy with it - it's everything I wanted.

This is my grandmother's diamond from her engagement ring. My mom had such horrendous taste in jewelry (I used to tell her this ALL the time) and she had it set in a really ugly cocktail ring.

We used this stone and had it set in this ring. The other parts of the cocktail ring are being made into earrings.

This is my 50th birthday present from Bobby. He did REAL good.

It's Tuesday, right?

I knew today was going to be long and stressful, but had I known it was going to be THIS bad, I would have snuck a six pack of Michelob Ultra into work.

When did I become the techy guy???

I have pushed MORE buttons today than I wish to count. I will be glad to see 5:00pm come.

Happy Monday!

Here we are again. Another day in paradise. I think Monday's should be banned.

Tonight we are heading to the jewelers again HOPEFULLY to finalize the setting and maybe even have the ring SET!

We danced with wolves...

Ok - HERE'S where I should add the wolf picture. We went up to Lakota Wolf Preserve last weekend. I sponsered Black Star, a male timber wolf for Bobby for his birthday.

This place is amazing. The wolves are gorgeous, and we got to hear them howl in unison a few times - it's haunting.

p.s. That's NOT Bobby in the picture - that's the owner...

I sit here amidst 20 odd rare books...

and I'm trying NOT to sneeze. I just got done pricing them, thanks to a super cool website called campusi.com, and now I need to get pics and get them on ebay.

Ahh. All I need is some motivation.

This original collector (the deceased husband of an old friend) had some strange tastes... from hypnotism, to witchcraft, to satanism, to phallic worship...

I felt a little dirty looking up half the titles... lol

The name "Faded Rainbows"

Jeanne mentioned that it was sad... and I guess it kinda is, but it holds SUCH a special place in my heart.

It was the name of a band back in high school, from nearby Lake Hopatcong, (remember we're talking 1970's here) and I LOVED the name...

It really isn't sad in my mind. I promised myself that my first published book would have that title.

Well, that book never got written, (yet), so it's my blog title.

The name is haunting to me - and I love it...

Ah. My first post of my first REAL blog.

SO here I am. You Dawgs pressured me into it... You know I can't NOT be involved with a craze, it's just part of who I am.

Now, off to play and create and make my blog someplace that people will WANT to read.