LONG night, last night

Sorry, if this post doesn't make much sense, I only got about 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night. I finally decided to just sit down and finish updating the website for the Midwest Civil War Civilians Conference (which has given me several headaches). And except for a few minor additions, I think its finally done (at least until next year). It's definitely been a learning experience. Now, I have to decide whether I want to update my personal/business website (which is definitely on the boring side) or wait awhile. Waiting sounds like a great idea right now. It's not like I don't have a million and one things to do. More corsets will be coming shortly, I've got at least two ladies' civil war dresses to finish, not to mention several girls' dresses (a couple of them are for my daughter - believe it or not.) and I have to get started making boys' pants, shirts, vests and jackets. First, I have to clean up my sewing area so that I have room to cut things out. Oh and don't forget the knitting. I've only got 5 or 6 projects started there. But at least those I can work on while I'm watching television. Probably, won't get to much knitting done tonight though, I can't knit and watch Criminal Minds. It just doesn't work. I get maybe two or three stitches done then I'm glued to the screen. Oh well, I'd rather not get any knitting done than miss CM.

This has definitely been an interesting couple of days. I had to go to jury duty on Monday. I finally got to start the second Criminal Minds book, Killer Profile. I will try not to put any spoilers up with out warning (on the book or on the show). I was kind of surprised when I picked up the book and found that it takes place in the Chicago area (I'm originally from the northern suburbs.) in areas that I kind of grew up in. I love the fact that I know most of the area the book takes place in. Wauconda, Lakewood Forest Preserve, North Barrington & of course Chicago (I can find my way around) are all in the book. BTW, Wauconda is in LAKE county not the lakes counties. That's the only thing I've found so far that kind of bugged me. I've only gotten through Chapter 3, so I can't say too much about the book itself yet.

Speaking of Wauconda, we have some friends who live there and breed Morgan horses. They have a cool video on YouTube featuring their farm. Here's the link.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyZ7rmp5uvs . I'm even in a couple of the pictures! One of them you'd never guess was me.

That's all for now. Time to go take a nap!

Knitting & Criminal Minds

Okay, its been a couple of weeks.... I've been busy with all sorts of

sewing, knitting and other stuff. Besides 7 corsets, I've also finished

some blue eyelet socks for my daughter. They were suppose to be a surprise for Christmas but when I finished the first one it didn't look quite right so I ended up having her try it on. I was right. I couldn't do math the night I started the toe, 8 1/2-1 1/2 is 7 1/2 right???? OOPS! I ended up taking out the toe (after it was finished and shortening it an inch and a half.) Oh well, the other one went together right.

Other Projects on Needles (can't have just one, now can I?):

1. Neckdown Pullover - Lanaloft (Maple Praline) - almost 1/2 done - sleeves and hood to go
2. Be Mine Socks - Sunshine Yarns Twist Sock Yarn (The Hope) - just cast on
3. Hope Socks by Janel Laidman - Araucania Ranco (Pink) - frogged and restarted
4. Going Dotty socks by Anna Tillman - Fortissima Mexiko (Madagascar) & Cascade Heritage (5629) - frogged 5 or 6 times - crossing fingers I don't have to do it again!!!!
5. The Classic Sock (approx. Men's Size 13) by Melissa Morgan-Oakes - ONline Supersocke 100 City Color 918 - one done, one to go.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a HUGE fan of Criminal Minds (okay, I'm addicted to CM and I have been since the beginning. I really enjoy the fact that the show does make you think, that and I was always interested in deviant behavior in psych class). The last two are definitely two of my favorites for the show I've really enjoyed watching the team grow over the last two years, especially Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler). I've also enjoyed watching the actors growing in their rolls as well. Criminal Minds has an incredibly talented group of actors and actresses. (Yes, I have favorites.......hmmm, I wonder who????)

My Top Criminal Minds Episodes by Season (not in any order):

SEASON 1
The Fisher King, Part 1
Somebody's Watching
LDSK - (loved this episode probably because of my IL roots)
The Tribe
Derailed

SEASON 2
The Aftermath
The Fisher King, Part 2
Bogeyman
The Big Game
Revelations

I'm still working on which ones to add to my Season 3 favorites. After I figure that out I will list my Top 10 (or 20.... lol).

I usually try to knit while I'm watching television but I honestly can't while Criminal Minds is on. Thankfully, they don't usually freak me out to the point that I wish I had someone sitting there watching with me. (just the one with Wil Wheaton! I definitely will not be staying in a motel in the middle of nowhere!) I've definitely sat on the edge of my couch several times this season! Thanks for a GREAT show!!!

One more note about CM... for those of you who don't already know, Matthew Gray Gubler has his own website, http://www.matthewgraygubler.com/, go check it out. Not only is he an incredibly talented actor, but he's an artist too and right now you can hear him read Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe (one of my favorite poets)!

For those of you who can't get enough of Criminal Minds, check out the books!! I've already read Jump Cut. I'll be starting Killer Profile on Monday, while I'm sitting waiting for jury duty.

I know I promised to share poems I wrote awhile ago but I'd rather share this one instead. This has always been one of my favorites.

Nothing Gold Can Stay
by Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then the leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So Dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Next time.....

Halloween and more???

So much for regular updates....

It's almost Halloween! My daughter is so excited. She has had her costume for at least a month. She is going as Tess Tyler (from Camp Rock). We bought the costume at Target then had to go looking for a wig (not as hard as we thought it would be). She's all set. I'm sure, since they are off of school here on Thursday and Friday, she'll be in the costume as soon as she gets up.

Let's see where did I leave off with my last post.....

September 14 - We took the horses over to Schuster's Playtime Farm for the Morgan Horse Field Day. It was cold and rainy most of the day. Peter and I were the only ones who saddled up our horses and rode. Despite the weather, we had a really good time (and so did the boys - the horses).

Chickamauga, GA - Civil War Reenactment - Sept 19-21, 2008: Not one of the best events for the mercantile but quite an adventure to get there. I left Tuesday evening for Illionis. Spent the night with some friends and started our drive to Georgia from their house on Wednesday morning. Just south of Benton, IL we lost one of the wheels on the trailer. By lost I mean sheared off the axel. We ended up spending 2-2.5 hours waiting for the tow truck, finding a u-haul rental, unloading the one trailer and loading the Uhaul. Got into the hotel around 11pm est. We got up on Thursday and met for breakfast, went over how we would go about setting up. However, when we got to the site they initially weren't going to let us come in and set up because the school groups were there. They were concerned with vehicle traffic and safety. We were let in to set up within a half hour, they decided since we were on the very end we'd be fine. We got everything set up with no real problems.

My husband called in the evening to have me come down to the Union camps to pick up our daughter. We took her out of school to attend the event. This was one of those events where I was a klutz around ever turn. The worst was my big trip and fall down in Union camp when I went to pick up my daughter. I had bruises and scrapes running down my entire right side (or at least it felt that way). And of course, there had to be an audience. I couldn't kneel on my right knee until about a week and a half ago. Oh well.

We all enjoyed the Confederate troops coming in by train. What we didn't enjoy was how bad our sales were. This was the first event I've been to where the VP of the United States was. Unfortunately, I didn't go over to see his speech. Overall, the event itself was pretty good. We got to see my sister and her husband. Okay, enough on Chickamauga. (Oh, my husband had tire issues on his way home, so we weren't the only ones!)

The rest of September was pretty quiet.

Tomorrow!!! I promise!! I will update you on October and some other stuff! (maybe one of the poems I wrote back in college - don't get too excited I only wrote three back then!) Then again, maybe not tomorrow.

September 3, 2008 - Long time no Blogging

Sorry, it's been so long since I've been on. Life's been interesting. I've been busy making corsets and such. Finished a few projects started new ones. Still have loads of UFOs (unfinished objects).

June = Springfield, IL trip (I worked, my family visited the sites and had a great time.) & flooded basement (won't go there, except that I now have a really cool sewing area built by my husband!)

July = Gettysburg, Maryland & D.C. : Spent almost two weeks out east this summer. We originally went out for the 145th Gettysburg reenactment but my daughter and I went on after the event to visit with my sister who lives in Maryland. I took her (my daughter) to see some of the places I visited a LOOONNNGG time ago. We spent the day after the event touring the battlefield and wandering downtown G-burg, visited (and came home with) Boyd's Bears.

Stayed at my sisters Monday night, then went to Mount Vernon on Tuesday. We did the National Treasures tour, it was cool for my daughter to see where parts of the movie was filmed.

Wednesday we went to Arlington Cemetery to see where my uncle was buried and then went into D.C. to see the monuments and visit the National Archives. The National Archives was on my daughters must see list (thanks again to National Treasure movies). It was cool to see the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution in person. The wait wasn't too long (less than an hour). We also got to see the Naval Monument which is right across the street and had lunch at a deli right there. Sorry, I can't remember the name of it but the sandwiches were pretty good. Oh I forgot to mention we left the car parked at Arlington and took the subway in. This was the first time my daughter rode the subway anywhere, she thought that was pretty cool. We made our way back to the station via the National Mall. The WWII monument is impressive. We found one of my husbands grandfathers in the database. My daughter has the NPS (Nat'l Park Services) National Parks Passport and added a LOT of stamps to it.

Thursday she added another one when we drove with my sister to Assateague Island. We actually got to see some of the ponies and my daughter got to see both the Atlantic Ocean (where she almost lost a shoe) and the Chesapeake Bay. I think we brought home half a ton of shells! LOL.

Friday was our last day in MD. My sister talked us into staying until she got off of work in Annapolis. My daughter and I toured Annapolis. I really enjoyed Annapolis. Lots of history and some really cool shops. If your interested in pottery, you should stop by Annapolis Pottery (you can also find them on the web). I was also surprised at how close the Naval Academy is. We had walked down to the docks and took a left on to a side street and there it was. Cool painting on the wall, too! However, we didn't go and visit it for two reasons, one my husband really wants to go (and he couldn't make this trip) and two, the museum is closed for renovations. We had dinner with my sister at an Irish pub downtown. I can't remember the name of it, I guess that says enough right there. I really wanted to go to the Ram's Tavern (the one Gaelic Storm has played at) but my sister talked me into the other one. Next time.... Ram's Tavern and SEAFOOD!!! I didn't even get to have seafood while I was in MD! Oh well!

August = EAA AirVenture = 8.5 yr old student pilot and LOADS of laughs!!!
Several years ago we took our daughter to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. Every since she has been talking about joining the Air Force and then working at the Museum after retiring. This year we decided to finally go to AirVenture at Oshkosh, WI. She had a great time looking at all of the old, new and experimental aircraft. The really cool thing for her was being able to earn flight time. Over at Pioneer Airport they have KidVenture. They had the center of one of the hangars set up for kids to go through and learn about planes, weather, air traffic control, pre-flight (they had to go over an airplane and tell the instruction what was wrong with the plane), etc. at the end of all of the stations the got to fly in the simulator. When they are done with the simulator they recieved an actual log book to record their 4 minutes of flight time. The people running the simulator station were actual Certified Flight Instructors. At the end, she recieved her signed logbook and a certificate of completion. She was so proud of herself and we were proud of her. I'm not sure how soon we have until she's going to be asking for flying lessons. Now, I thought reenacting was an expensive hobby.... We watched some REALLY cool flying during the air show, and closed out our day there by going to Jeff Dunham's show. I don't think I've EVER laughed so hard. Thankfully, a lot of his jokes went right over our daughter's head.

Also, in August- Jackson, MI Civil War event. Wet as usual. Didn't sell much personally. Met a fellow knitter who suggested I join Ravelry.com. BTW, GREAT site for knitters, crocheters, spinners. Takes a couple of days to get accepted, but so far it has been worth the wait. Also, spent Labor Day weekend at the Dells (Wilderness to be exact). Tuesday, school started and my daughter was almost late for the bus.

Coming soon.....September and Chickamauga, GA Civil War Reenactment. Bye for now.

Oops almost forgot, August 9th was my mom's 65th birthday!!!

Happy 65th Birthday, Mom!!!