Random

I don't have any new bead pics, so I'll just share a few random thoughts. Or maybe more than a few. We're about to find out how chatty I am.....

1.) I cleaned out 36 beads today from two different torch sessions. A good half were beads made to order that will likely be shipped to Germany and Puerto Rico. When on the torch, I was using Italian, American, German and Chinese glass. I considered it an international, multi-cultural night of sorts and blasted the Beatles from my iPod to bring in a little of Mother England.

2.) My Grandpa was in Germany when he served during WWII. He stood in the Eagle's Nest at one point and said the windows were all blown out, but the view was incredible. He snagged a piece of parchment that granted an honorary Chancellorship to AH. Grandpa talked about various German families taking him and some of the other soldiers in and their unexpected friendliness. One family gave him a dagger that had belonged to their son in the German army. That was in the back of my mind when I decided to take German in high school. It makes me sad that I am nowhere close to fluent in the language anymore, but not having anyone to speak it with hasn't helped over the past fifteen years.

3.) I loaned my camera to a friend so he could use the movie feature on it to record the reaction of his 3 year old upon seeing his new Up and Down bed (3 yr old speak for a bunk bed). I helped Martin put the bed together last weekend while my kids either watched on and provided helpful directions like "What have you guys been doing? It doesn't look like you've put anything together yet." We figured it out on our own without the useless instructions and diagrams that came in one of the many boxes.

4.) For months I have been wanting an SLR camera to 1.) take better pics of my beads and jewelry and 2.) to get focused pics of the kids, even when they are bouncing off the walls as some 4 and 6 year olds are known to do. Specifically my 4 and 6 year old.

5.) Yesterday, I broke down and bought a really cool camera on ebay from a camera store in New York. It is a refurb that was a Nikon factory demo and it was an absolute steal. Todd pushed me to splurge on shipping and pay for Next Day air. I called them and they said I missed their 1pm deadline for same day shipping, so I just ho-hummed and paid for ground. Their billing department called me two hours later and said my credit card wouldn't verify, but the information they had was correct and it ran through when we were on the phone. I asked about Saturday delivery, which was rejected but she got approval from the shipping department for a guaranteed delivery of today. The new camera arrived shortly after 3pm and I'm stoked!

6.) The boy child was sent home from After School today with a sore throat and a temperature of barely 100. He's had allergies this week and is over-tired from getting up super early every day (6am is not my friend, either). I think he's just exhausted. I hope.

7.) We have plans to go out for Mexican tonight and I'm looking forward to their delicious shrimp salad with avocados and pico de gallo, as well as the chips n salsa and the absolutely mandatory frozen margarita on a Friday night. Hold the salt, please.

8.) I'm so thankful the weekend is almost here. It has been a long week and I'm looking forward to the downtime. I'm also looking forward to teaching myself how to use my new camera. I may break down and for the first time ever, buy a Dummies book so I can learn how to use my new camera a little bit faster. However, I will not admit to this activity or purchase.

9.) The contract for the 'old' BellSouth union expires tomorrow. If they walk out on strike, I will have to report for strike duty on Sunday. I'm not thrilled with the prospect of climbing phone poles or descending into manholes (manholes and the gases within them terrify the ever-living snot out of me. Six seconds in an environment where other gases have eliminated oxygen causes a body to lose muscular control and deteriorated brain functions, which prohibit one from saving their own ass and climbing back up the ladder and out of the manhole). It has been five months since I learned how to use the test sets for detecting other gases or manhole safety and four months since I went to class on climbing poles and securing ladders to the phone lines in between.

10.) If you feel so inclined to include me (and my family for having to make it without me) in your prayers or positive thoughts, I would be appreciative.

11.) If I don't have to go on strike duty, at this time in 14 days, I will be landing in Philadelphia and staying for the weekend to go to the BeadFest. A few weeks ago, Lorelei asked if I'd be interested in going and I jumped at the chance. I'm more excited about getting to meet her face-to-face than going to the bead show. I have really slowed down on making jewelry since last September (ok, a screeching halt would be more accurate) and so I don't really need to buy any supplies. I'll be on the look out for cool clasps and I'm also looking forward to meeting Andrew Thornton as he'll be working the Green Girl Studios booth.

12.) Plans are in place to make a Mississippi Mud Cake before I leave on the 14th so I can bring pieces with me to share. :) If I can figure out my new camera, there will be an upcoming post with pics of the cake in the making and consumption stages, as well as the recipe. It is my favorite and the cake I always ask my Mom to make for my birthday.

13.) My Dad is driving up on Sunday afternoon to visit and I'm excited to see him. It has been about a month and a half and I miss him. I hope I won't be called to strike duty and then have it be even longer before I see his face. At least he will get to see the kids.

14.) I cleaned up my studio this week and bought new drawers for storing my Etsy beads in so they don't bang each other up. The whole counter space looks much more inviting and I'm hoping to find quality torch time this weekend. New mandrels and a new Double Helix color were delivered this week. I'm inspired with many new ideas of beads I want to make!

15.) I'm excited about the new bead sets I made after I finished with orders this week. Hoping to get them photographed & listed this weekend.

16.) Maggie got her stitches removed today and her mouth checked out for perfect healing since having three teeth removed two weeks ago. Yay Mags!

17.) I had more going on in my head than I expected. I'll stop now. It's almost five o'clock and I hit 45 working hours this week at around 9am today. I'm done.

Peace out!