IS WEBKINZ REAL?

This question has been addressed many times in the past 6 months since I purchased my first Webkinz. A sable and white Collie, of course. It was a way to further communicate with my older granddaughter--we play games together online and discuss various ways to take care of our cyberpets.

I was at a Very Expensive home the other day, beautifully and tastefully decorated with lots of light and art and Beautiful Items. In the front window of the drawing room (I'm thinking it musta been called that, or the "parlor," because there was no TV set in there), there was a lovely pedestal with a pretty spider plant, its baby runners cascading halfway down.

I tried to tell the homeowner that I have the Very Same pedestal and plant in MY Webkinz room! Somehow, she just didn't understand....

My daughters tell me that Webkinz is not Real. I Know that. I really do.

Do you also know that you Never have to dust in Webkinz World? And there are no dirty dishes. The pets Only go to the bathroom whenever I want them to...None of this "hitting the door" over and over again until SOMEone pays attention...And they NEVER bark.

Knitting on the Moon

Below is an article I stumbled onto while I was looking for a knitting pattern. It was written almost 2 decades ago, and voices much of what I experience regarding this craft. I, too, have taken my knitting (leash braiding, quilting) on all my outings, and truly would love to be able to take it with me to church and other more formal gatherings.....SOMEhow, it makes me listen more efficiently when my hands are busy. And the time spent knitting is never wasted.

One more note---this goes along with knitting, honestly. I have an extensive case of Groomer's Addiction....And having 3 big male Collies certainly helps feed my habit. These dogs are so precious to me, and Everything involving them is very important, even the very hair that blows all over the house and yard. I have put the groomed-out fur in the trees for the birds to use in their nests in the spring, I've twisted it and used it for hair for the angels I craft every Christmas, and I've sent boxes of it to a woman in NJ who spins it into delicious Collie Wool.

Yes, Collie Wool. Two-ply yarn, light beige in color. I have one skein of grey now that Prosper is getting his big boy coat. Once knitted, it continues to "bloom," creating a halo-effect in the lacework holes.

And it smells Delicious! JUST like my boyz smell....More than any other feature, folks are amazed at how beautiful it smells.

Lots of folks look at me like I am really weird (go figger That!) regarding the saving and spinning of the Collie fur, but I adore the softness and warmth and the nearness of the boyz, even when I am away from them. My spinner-friend sees a certain spirituality in making this wool, and has a picture of my Collies attached to her spinning wheel. What a connection she has made with me just regarding that very small act!

And so I knit. I knit with the nubby yarns of merino and acrylic, and tiny cotton threads, and pink fuzzy mohair and stringy eyelash....But my favorite, heartofheart yarn is the soft downy fur of my three best boys.....Here's the article.....

KNITTING ON THE MOON

by Paula Rice Biever

No matter what project I am knitting, as long as it remains on my needles it is a security blanket. In unfamiliar places, amongst unknown people and the possibility of chaos, there is always my knitting.

I bring my knitting with me on vacations, trips, and whenever I anticipate long periods of waiting around for something to happen. I bring my knitting to social occasions, but not because I anticipate being bored. Knitting helps me relax and feel comfortable and able to observe and interact. I don't knit in order to isolate myself from people - I can carry on conversations while knitting, without any problems. Sometimes I even talk to my knitting.
I have also developed the ability to knit and read at the same time. It isn't all that hard to do, since knitting becomes fairly automatic once the pattern is established. Propping the book open is the most difficult part. I have bought a couple of gizmos to do this for me, but they make turning the pages a complicated task.
I have no qualms about unraveling my work, and a good thing too, since I knit while talking and reading. I have a gadget called a woolwinder that winds yarn up into nice tidy balls. I find it fascinating to turn the handle on my woolwinder and watch rows and rows of stitches disappear much faster than they were created. For me the greatest pleasure of knitting is the act of knitting and not quickly producing a finished product. I am just as happy to be able to use the same wonderful yarn again until I get the project knit up to my specifications.
I like to knit vests. I have considered adding sleeves to some designs, but vests still present endless possibilities for me. I can change the shoulder width, the neckline, make long or short vests, and can knit them in lace designs or in multiple colors. I always use circular needles. A circular needle resembles two shortened regular needles connected at the ends by a length of thin plastic tubing. Stitches are cast on as usual, but knitting the first stitch creates a joined circle. Subsequent rows of circular knitting are referred to as rounds, and the knitted fabric grows to become a tube. If you are not careful and accidently twist the stitches around the needle on your first time around, you can end up knitting a Mobius strip.
I knit my vests in a circular fashion up to the point where I want the armholes to start, and at that point I start knitting back and forth instead of around and around; finishing the front and back of the vest separately. I bind off the front and back shoulders together in order to form the shoulder seams. The neckband and the armhole bands are made by picking up stitches and knitting with smaller circular needles. I do not need to use a sewing needle for anything, except for weaving in the loose ends. When I finish binding off, I am finished with the project, unless I decide to unravel it and start over.
Knitting never fails to intrigue me. Fabric is created just by wiggling knitting needles to pull loops of yarn through other loops of yarn. I like the feel of wool, cotton, and mohair, and the changes in texture that occur as a result of knitting in various patterns. I have skeins of yarn stocked up in baskets and it makes me feel secure to know that yarn is waiting for me. I feel the same way about all the books we have in our library!
I am sure that someday I will read a human interest story about the first piece of knitting done while in space. Once a space station is established, someone will bring their knitting up there; not because they are bored, but to bring a bit of comfort and home along with them into a strange territory.
"Knitting on the Moon" was first published 1990 in Remnants.

Walking for my Health ????

2 weeks ago I broke my wrist. Walking for my Health, and just plain fell. Fell walking (fast) downhill on concrete. When I "gathered myself," I knew immediately that I was not okay. My left wrist looked like the letter S, and my chin and forearm looked like bacon.

Ten titanium screws and a plate later, and I was home with a red cast and very potent pain pills. It took me several days to actually get on top of the pain, but by the following week I was on my way to the Girl Scout National Convention in Indianapolis.

Of course, when "things" happen to me, I am always asking The Planet what it is that I should Learn from this experience---learn it quick! and then the "pain and suffering" should pass and one should not have to relearn it....Here are a few things that I have learned from this:

I am NOT a fighter. I'm Not. At least not for myself. I think I will just curl up and let the world go on without me....I'm just not willing...If anyone else is needing someone to fight for them, I'll be first in line to champion your cause.

I would rather tolerate the pain than take the meds to get rid of it. At least the dull, once-you-are-home-from-the-hospital-type pain.

And Sleep is good. Sometimes I'd like to just sleep thru the pain--then wake up Well and healed!

Buttoning my jeans will never be taken for granted again!

Cards in the mail are a blessing. So are folks who offer to take care of your orphan kittens while you are recuperating.

Walking outside and scooping dog poop can be a great healing action. Being OUTside at any time is healing.

Your right forefinger fits Exactly into your right nostril. Same thang for the left. Are you going here with me on this? Picking your left nose with your right finger is just all wrong and clumsy. Doesn't fit, is not effective. Never gonna take That for granted again, either.

Thumbs UP! is a very important gesture! My left one won't go up---yet. I'll work on the range of motion this week, knitting, typing, braiding leashes, then get back to ya.

And, finally I have discovered that exercise really IS necessary for good health and keeping your weight down. I haven't walked any great distance in 2 wks, and it is beginning to show on my body. Just walk upright, that's the key.....

Prosper is One Year Old!

Now that I am a Big Boy and have finished a year, I can do lots of things. Mostly, I can jump. Jump. Jump. Jump! I Love to Jump! I used to be very scared to Jump, but now I practice every day, and I can jump ennywher.

And you know what!? I can even Jump up on Mommy's bed! She smiles, then covers her mouth with her paws and says "Off!" I can Jump Off! too! I can Jump in the midle of the room. Like Eddie the cat does. I can Jump onto the Big Chair in the livroom. And when I lie down in the Big Chair, I pretend I am the King. But Mom says "Off!" again, and I hav to be the Big Boy on the Floor.

I think James is realy the King. But I lik to pretend sumtims.

I can Sit!, too! And I can Stay! I kno how to weave inside Mommy's legs. And I can circle around her while she circles the other way. I can bak up on both sides of Mom. And I can bak up in front of her. She smiles a lot when I do that. Sumtims I can even walk real nis besid Mom...Specially if she has kukies in her paws! She calls me Prancer when I do that.

\And you know what! I rid nis in the car, too! I can hup hup in and I Wait! when Mom opens the dor for me to get out. I Wait! reel gud!

Yes, I am groing and being Big. Maybe I'l get biger too and they won't cal me Erkle so much.

Could This be What is WRONG with our Country Today???

Today I received a call that I have received at least 3x a week for several months. It's about credit cards. Even tho I have been taken off the "soliciting list," they still have the "right" to call because it is regarding my current credit card. So it is considered "customer service," and not a solicitation.

They want to give me lower interest rates and open up a new card for me. I don't need lower interest rates. The card is paid off monthly w/out any interest accrued. Duh.

I have told them to take me off their call list. I've been polite. I've been rude. I've been brusque. Today I was an overextended redneck. Don't know if it was effective in reducing the calls, but I sure did feel better.....

The lady axed me (yes, she axed me) if I wanted to lower my cc rates. I told her of course. She then asked what my current rate was. I didn't know. How much did I owe on my cc? About $85,000. She didn't even gulp. She just asked me how many cc's I had. About 8, I told her. When did I plan on paying them off? I laughed and told her that would be the rest of my life! We Both giggled.

Would I like to have another card at a lower rate? Sure! Visa or MC? I'll take MC. Well, do I have an account that has not been shut down or maxed out? I told her all of them are maxed, but none are shut down, I just keep payin' on them. So then she asked me to give her the number of one of the accounts that was in current use so that they could verify it was "in good standing."

By now, Rob had left because he was laughing so hard. He was taking the checkbook to the WalMarts to buy some drain cleaner for the tub.

I had on my full Redneck regalia by this time. Hard "i's," misspoken English, poor grammar. And talking a bit loud and excitedly, too, I mite add....

I told her that I wuddin givin out my cc number to ennybody over th phone!!! That's how folks can steal yer identity, and I didn't want that to happen. She assured me that this was proper and according to their protocol.

Okay, stop and THINK about this! It coulda been Shaneeka from Muskogee calling on her boyfriend's cellphone, for god's sake! There was NO way in the world I coulda known if this were an actual call from Visa....

So, I told her to just mail me sumthin, and I'd git the information that way. She promised to do so...I'm assuming she has my address right there with my phone number, too? Or maybe she was just trying to finish up this call and go on to another one.....

Sigh....SOMEhow, this was a lot more beneficial to me than being rude......I really hope they call again....I think I'll start crying next time and make her feel really sad about my debt that isn't my fault.....

Site for Ya

Quotes from Charotte's Web....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413895/quotes

My Final Requests....

I went to a funeral the other day. And, of course, these occasions get one to thinking....About ones OWN demise and ending of this section of existence. It is certainly something to look forward to, tho there are plenty of "things" and folks that tie us to this planet. But a funeral is something that I have found is so very important to Those Left Behind. And, as a "final gift" to those loved ones, I think it is important to make ones wishes known regarding the "graduation party."

My friend Susy McHughes had the right idea. We had talked many times before she died (thinking our "end" was a very long way off) about what WE wanted when we passed on. We both agreed that the funeral homes get wayyy too much money from the grieving family, especially if the family is caught unawares. And we noted that we certainly should write down the plans for the party so that the family throwing it would not have any guilt regarding "all that money spent" or "not Enough money spent."

So, here goes, yall. Here are MY "instructions for the Party."

First of all, Let it be known here and now that I have had a Wonderful Life. I've not made history, but I Have made the front page in the local newspaper a few times (tree-hugging, dawg training, walking pre-schoolers to the library in costume, etc), and I've been influential in two very important lives who have become beautiful women. I've known the exclusive love of a kind and handsome man. I've taught the Lord's Prayer to many people. I've taught people how to crochet, knit, embroider, braid (hair and leather!), sew, get stains out of carpets and quilts, pump their own gasoline (yes! There was a Time when it was a new skill to learn!), plant potatoes, create water gardens, and teach their dogs to be Good Citizens. Maybe that's enough. Probably not. I've had way too much fun doing it, so it may not "count" for anything.

So, I'm thinking that all this fun time living should be Celebrated, not grieved. Rejoiced, not wept over.

I don't want this party to be in a church building. I used to think that this was very important, but I've buried too many gerbils, hampsters, kittens, and even dogs in my own yard, with our own ceremonies and prayers to know that the confines of a brick building is not necessary in order to remember the Joy.

So, just use my yard, if the weather permits. If not, then the church gym. Tell folks to bring their guitars so we can sing. And sing yall's favorite hymns (I like "Great is Thy Faithfulness") and campfire songs. "Barges", "Girl Scouts Together," "Ain't it Great to Be Crazy," Disney songs, "Mr Moon, Mr. Moon, You're Out too Soon," ---Em has a bagful of my old songsheets....Pass 'em out! At some point, pray the Lord's Prayer. That's enough "ceremony."

Cheese and crackers, Hershey's chocolate, koolaid, coffee, tequila. Maybe grapes. Beer if the boys want it.

Everyone should wear their favorite color. Mine is Red. I hope everyone who knows me, knows that. We should ALL know each others favorite color and pie. So, wear your favorite color to the celebration, and wear enough of it that everyone will know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what YOUR color is.

Nametags would be good. And bring your business cards, so that if you meet someone you do not know, and discover that you have lots in common, you can contact each other later.

Let my dogs in on the celebration. They can work the crowd like no other. And they will help to make you smile if you decide you wanna grieve....

Tell funny stories about me. And laugh. Laugh a Lot. Hug each other. Don't feel sorry for me or any of yall. Just remember me and get tickled.

Gee. I don't even have a picture to go with this post. And I hope it ain't too morbid for ya. I hope that it gives you a bit of insight to the fact that the bonds of this planet do not hold me as tightly as they did when I was younger. It's a nice planet. My favorite, in fact. But I look forward to what lies beyond and all the songs I will learn thereafter.

Buy WHAT for your Soul???

"If two loaves be your Daily Dole, then sell one and buy hyacinths for your soul..." ---from an old metal sign in my backyard



Today, I went shopping for new walking shoes. My old ones were handmedowns from one of my daughters, and had rubbed a huge blister (that popped en route home) yesterday during one of my 4-mile treks.



I don't have sexy legs and feet (I hope to acquire those someday when I ascend into Heaven. Oh, yes, and full, round bosoms). I wear shoes that are low to the ground and "safe" and ones that do
not draw attention to my less-than-perfect calves and toes.


I truly intended to buy new walking shoes. Walking is one of the reasons I have kept my weight down for the past 2 years....Rob had given me great confirmation regarding this purchase....I Really meant to buy the Practical and Comfortable....


But today....Today there were some very lovely red patent leather round-toed heels that jumped off the shelf in the shoe store and onto my feet in a most disturbing manner. They made me walk with my chin held high and my breasts thrust forward. I had a confidence and an arrogant attitude that I didn't recognize. They shone up at me from the basket as I eased them off my feet. and as I rounded the corner, another surprise greeted me. Purple heels with peekaboo toes. Purple. Spike heels. On sale.



So, today, instead of spending $30 on walking shoes, I spent the money on the impractical. The frivolous. The UNcomfortable. Shoes of a color I have never had before. Bright shiny red and brilliant rich purple. Because they did so much for my soul, you see. Very much like the aromatic scent of hyacinths in the spring.



My mother died 13 years ago this very day. I don't think I ever saw her wear flat shoes in the 43 years I knew her. But today, just for a moment, I think I caught the scent of her perfume.