Got a frantic call from my boss while we were driving back from Mom's.

My boss wanted to let me know I won an award, which will be presented during nursing week next month. I won an award for 'Outstanding Licensed Provider".

Which is funny because:
a. I'm not a nurse, I'm a lab tech with little direct patient care.
b. We're not licensed, we're certified.

But I guess I'll take what I can get. Luckily I am not working the day they are taking the photo for the local paper, and I am actually taking my mom to get her stitches removed, so I can dodge the whole "What to wear, how to do my hair" stuff.

OK, so when Gallagher smashes water melons, he actually opens up the rind before he hits it.  We learned that the hard way, when the initial melon just kind of smooshed flat when hit with the 40 pound mallet.

However, the shaving cream-filled balloons splat quit nicely.

Except when this happens: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=332974016757885

The balloon squirted out of the way, and flew and burst when it hit the grass.  I guess we have to warn the spectators at Ashville.  =)

Grey and red linen have been ordered; at the very least, I'm making a grey t tunic and an apron dress out some left over striped grey wool.  I hope to also make an over tunic out of some white summer weight wool, and an apron dress out of the red linen, in case it's OMG HOT, which doesn't usually happen at Ashville, but we'll see.  

I'm also making a dead herring hat to wear as a conversation starter; we're doing two shows a day at Ashville, so I need to have something or other for conversation as I am drawing folks in for the show.

Well looky here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=419872808039857&set=a.191594317534375.57619.165051990188608&type=1&theater

I think I recognize that guy. Guess we gotta do our show now.  =)

Ok, so what did I do with the bunny fur?

I took one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0190003XZ3&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle3&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle3-_-Toys+-+Plushed+++Stuffed-_-Neca-_-9SIA0190003XZ3

And using paint and glover's needle and thread and two bunny furs, I built him a new furry body.  The fur placement on the head was tricky, so as to get the fur going in the right direction.



Back view:



And his cage:



Total cost for the project was around $75...and thanks to much procrastination, it took about a month from start to finish. One of the hardest parts of the job was getting the old skin off the toy. The Chinese glue was like a cross between super glue and rubber cement.  His cage basket came from the Red Geranium resale shop.  It's fairly heavy.

The biggest problem with working full time is that you don't really have time to just screw around and do fun stuff, or even just stuff that needs to be done, special project stuff.

Today, vikingtim was working in the morning. The kids and I went out for haircuts and hit the dollar store. Came home, and Josh's light burned out in his bedroom. It was one of those bizzarro halo-shaped florescent bulbs. So we went out for lunch at Taco Bell, then hit Lowe's for the bulb. Had to ask the hulking gorilla salesman to find me the bulb, but they had them (yay!)

Then we took a detour to the plant section, and I found a perfectly cute snake plant for $4. The kids named him Jim. He's living in the bathroom now.

Came home, farted around on FB...and got a hankering for cookies. So I found my mom's old Wilton cookie molds and made 4 dozen butter cookies.
Vikingtim came home just in time for a sample.

Next up: Laser Extreme and Chinese buffet with the friends.

We'll put away the Christmas stuff tomorrow, and work on Josh's science paper.

I could totally be a SAHM. =P

This year I made a slip for Lil Miss Fix It:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kestrel_127/5268384251/

And my military-style Dieselpunk dress:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kestrel_127/5628208537/

To go with Tim's Steampunk Dr. Doom (half of which was easy to make: the hood and the cape) and half of which was Evil and Nasty to make (the quilted canvas gambson which laces up the back to hold all the gears in place):



I also made my 30 hour kirtle:



And the Queen of all Cosmos (her face is sewn, so I'll count it here):



My last sewing project of the year was Katie's gypsy outfit:





The rest of my time was taken up with the kitchen/dining room remodel, which started in February, and it still on going. We removed a wall, stripped parts of walls down to the plaster, and removed all the existing floor from a room roughly 12x38 feet. In fact, you can see the 1955 linoleum in that last picture. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

So after 6 days off of dieting, I've decided to get back in the saddle.  (I know the weekend won't be good either, but gotta try to keep on track somewhat).

During dieting days, I eat a dark green salad for dinner.  And to go with the dark green salad, I generally have nuts and craisins and some red raspberry vinaigrette, and cottage cheese, or string cheese or something like that.  But I'm kind of bored with that flavor combo, and I've tried a couple of other 'diety' dressing...and most of them are pretty awful.  I threw one whole bottle away because it was so gross-tasting.  Also, I'm trying to stay away from foods that are artificially diet, and just go with foods that are low cal as is.

I turned to this web page:

http://christiescorner.com/2010/05/10/5-basic-elements-of-homemade-salad-dressing/

And gave making my own dressing a try.

So I took 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, an equal amount of olive oil, and 2 squirts of honey.  Then I added some dried ground mustard, black pepper and a small amount of salt.

And it was lacking that whole 'aromatic' component.  

So the only aromatic I had at hand was fresh garlic.

I minced and added two whole cloves.  To the scant half-cup of dressing.  A lot, I know.

OMG, so FREAKING GOOD.  The raw garlic lends an almost artichoke-like flavor to the spring mix.

Yes, I probably can wipe out whole cities with my breath.  I'll take that chance.

OK, this is the last time I am going to say this.

Penguins do not live north of the equator.

Penguins do not hang with polar bears.  Ever.

Penguins DO NOT BELONG on Christmas cards because they do not hang out with Santa Claus.  Santa lives at the North Pole, not the South Pole.

Penguins do not believe in Baby Jesus either.

are really freaking cold.  =(

To go in my very yellow country kitchen, I bought this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360406019221&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1123


I am now looking for curtain material in the same color scheme.  This isn't bad:

http://www.fabricdepot.com/index.php?page=ProductPage&pageid=173226

I kind of like this:
http://www.fabricdepot.com/index.php?page=ProductPage&pageid=187162

Although I'd really like something more 'white' with red, yellow and blue somethings printed on it. Not vested on the whole farm thing, just need the bold colors.

Have a nice Turkey day.

I am workin', he is workin'.  The children are with the in-laws in the country.

I'll be enjoyin' cafeteria turkey around 5...they better not forget the cranberry sauce!

Painty von Paints-a-lot.  And I need to finish the cookin' side of the kitchen so we can actually open the basement door and get dishes out of the cupboards.

That is all.

My mother informed me this morning that my crazy soon-to-be-ex sister-in-law left today for a week long business trip.

She has all four of the kids' costumes...locked up in her rental house.  

To which my brother has no access.

And can't I help with some costumes?

Just dug out the two tiger costumes my kids wore preschool and 1st grade for the little boys.

And my nieces will be wearing Mr and Ms Pacman.  They will have to fight it out as to who gets to be which.

(I still have these costumes because these are "mom made" and not part of the medieval/ren stuff I gave to a friend for the Cleftland's gold key, I am damn happy I held onto them!  I generally don't give costume stuff to charity anyway...to much chance it'll just get junked because no one knows what it is.)

Gotta host that meeting between the lab secretaries and the registration secretaries...today.

We do have a surprise guest: the VP in charge of operations.  

Hopefully there is less screaming and ranting than the last meeting.  Last meeting was such a dismal failure, it's been handed to me to solve.  Whee...fun.

Today vikingtim and I celebrate 15 years of marriage.

It's been a real roller coaster ride, but I wouldn't change a bit.

Love you, Big Guy!

Keeping off of FB (mostly) and only checking here once a day.  Got a couple of big sewing projects, and started a competitive health/weight loss competition at work.  So if you really need me, tell vikingtim or something.

until spring.

The NutriSum program is starting at work this week, for one thing.

I think I will sew a new corset starting on my birthday (promise to self) and new dress for Kentucky after that. New dress needs to be something light and in linen.

Gotta get the kids garbed up NOW...five weeks till the Castle Wedding of the
Century! Katie's garb concept is especially designed to fit more than one season...even *if* I do end up replacing the blouse. It'll also be her Halloween costume. Josh's tunic is going to be one size larger than he is now, which may or may not work for more than one season. Depends on how much he shoots up.

My mom's little dog needs an operation.

She has HUGE bladder stones, which will be cut out this morning.

They gave her an estimate for the bill; before they handed over the estimate, the vet-tech asks Mom, "Is she a really good dog?"

I guess that's vet-tech-ees for: This is going to COST A LOT!