Halloween Party @ The Laseter's

Jim and I went to a Halloween party on Saturday night at Dave and Tina Laseter's place in Salem. We met Dave and Tina and their son Dustin about 2 weeks after they moved to Oregon 13 years ago. The party started around 9:00 pm and so we started up the freeway around 9:30. Jim's comment to me as we were leaving Albany was that it had been a long time since we were heading anywhere but home at that time of night. Which is soooo true... But since I have been feeling so much better now that I am on the right medications, I have a lot less social anxiety and I actually feel like socializing and going out with my hubby again! Better Living Through Chemisty!!!

We had an absolute great time and stayed way, way, way too late. (Actually it was early Sunday morning when we finally left...). The only negative was that there were lots of people there and lots of communal food bowls (i.e. chips, pretzels, etc.) and I am usually very careful about eating from communal bowls (especially when there are kids at the party), but I wasn't as careful as I should have been and ended up with a stomache bug. Yuck! I was out Monday and Tuesday this week. I hated to take sick leave so soon after starting a new job, but I thought it would be worse to come to work and give the puckies to all of my new co-workers.

Happy Halloween!!!

Jim and Dave
JayLene and Jim
Tina
Isn't Tina Gorgeous?
Tina and JayLene
Tina and Jim
Dave Jammin

Roller Derby Road Trip

On the 13th, Jim and I along with 3 other couples made a road trip to Springfield, OR to see our friend Megan in her debut roller derby match w/ her team "The AndromeDolls". It was awesome! I remember having a real love for watching roller derby on TV back in the "olden days" and I am so excited that it has made a comeback - especially among women! Megan's team ended up losing by only 2 points. It was so exciting... and it only took me a few minutes to remember and pick up the rules of the game. If you have a chance to go to a match in your neck of the woods, definitely go!

Megan aka "CosmoNaughty"

Jim and JayLene - Waiting in line

Jim, Scott and Deana

The Gang!
Scott, Deana, Cathy, Quinn and Kathy

The Gang (minus JayLene)
Back Row: Don and Jim
Front Row: Quinn, Kathy, Cathy, Scott and Deana

The Charms of Tea

It all began when I turned 43. As part of my birthday celebration, Tania and I went and had afternoon tea at a quaint little tea shop (The Charms of Tea) located in downtown Albany. The Empress Tea - our personal favorite - consists of multiple courses: sorbet, soup, savory finger sandwiches (3 different ones), a sweet plate, including a traditional scone with jam, lemon curd and clotted cream, and a pot (or pots) of your favorite hot tea. The tea shop is decorated in a Victorian style and is nice and quiet. It's the perfect place to sit and enjoy a couple hours of slowing down and relaxing. This has become one of our favorite things to do for special occasions, but especially for birthdays.

Since Tania's birthday was on October 7th, last Saturday, October 6th, me, Tania, her girls, Gabby and Bridgette, and our friend Wendy met to celebrate Tania turning 32 and to enjoy afternoon tea. It was, as usual, just lovely. And, the scones (my favorite part) were absolutely delicious. Especially when they are fresh from the oven and slathered with clotted cream with just a dab of lemon curd. Yummo!

Here are a few pictures of the girls - As usual, I was taking the pictures and so I am not in any of them. I need to remember to hand the camera off to someone else occasionally, don't I?

I'm already looking forward to my birthday in February when we will do this all again.

My best friend, Tania and Wendy

Gabby enjoying a gingersnap.
(Tania's oldest daughter)

Bridgette wishing I would just put down the camera & drink my tea.
(Tania's youngest daughter)

Any Computer Geeks Reading This? I Need Help!

Okay, I am so frustrated!

I went to download the photos from my digi camera yesterday using the same software I have used - without any problems - every single time and I am getting an error message that closes the program and I can go no further. The message I am getting is this:

DIGIMAXMASTER caused an invalid page fault in
module GTCODEC.DLL at 0167:042163c3.
Registers:
EAX=00000280 CS=0167 EIP=042163c3 EFLGS=00010246
EBX=00970330 SS=016f ESP=060cfd38 EBP=0096696c
ECX=000001e0 DS=016f ESI=00b82b7a FS=73b7
EDX=0004b000 ES=016f EDI=009701f4 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
8a 14 56 88 54 24 18 8b 57 08 85 d2 7d 04 6a 77
Stack dump:
0000400d 0096696c 060cfdf8 00970330 04211380 00000001 00000000 00970330 00b82b7a 00000000 00000000 ffffffff ffffffff 009701f4 05ed0000 00000000

I have no idea what this means. I tried to troubleshoot the problem myself. First, I shutdown and restarted my computer. Nope. Next, I performed the "repair it" feature from the software CD. Nope. Finally, I uninstalled the program completely and then reinstalled it. Nope. &%$@&&!!! Anyone have any suggestions? This is so frustrating. Especially since I have blog entries waiting for some of those pictures. If you can help, please comment. Thanks!

Yay! Jim was able to fix the problem! Pictures coming soon

Blue Dog...

Blue Dog..., originally uploaded by gei223.

This is another one of my fiber pieces - also in progress. This started out as a piece of plain muslin. I then painted the background, border and images using fiber paints. It too is heavily stitched - and the stiching is complete. I am working on the beading - which takes a lot of time since I use a lot of seed beads. This piece measures 10.5"x8.5" and is entitled "Blue Dog".

Later Gator...

Later Gator..., originally uploaded by gei223.

This is another one of my heavily stitched and embellished fiber pieces ( in progress). It is measures 15" x 7" and is entitled "Later Gator". My fiber pieces are constructed/created using my version of a technique created by Outsider Art Quilt artist, Susan Shie. You can see her work and read about the technique @ www.turtlemoon.com

Job Interview

Although I am still on leave from my job, I have been watching the OSU Online Job site carefully for a new position to apply for and in late August, there was one. It was an OS2 (Office Specialist 2 - my current rank) position with the newly formed Student Leadership & Involvement organization. The position description was so perfect for me that I had to apply for it.

Last Friday, September 14th, I interviewed for the position. It was a great interview. I was interviewed by a team of 5 people who asked me about 15 different questions. It was a really positive experience and I left feeling really good about how I did and the whole process in general. They are hoping to make a final decision about the position by the first of next week. Keep your fingers crossed for me - I really think this would be a very, very positive move for me!

Happy Birthday Amara!

Just a quick "shout out" to wish my niece Amara a very, very Happy Birthday! May all her birthday wishes come true!

Love Is Always In Style!

Wow!

Check out this post my brother-in-law Josh made today in his family's blog. How great is he? Thanks Josh for loving Chrissta and for sharing that love so amazingly!

Studio Desktop...Redux!

studiodesktop1, originally uploaded by gei223.

I have been having some problems posting photos to my blog lately and have had to post them in the smallest size when I post through Blogger. Now that I have downloaded the flickr Downloader tool and remembered I can "blog" photos directly from flickr.com, I decided you needed a better view of my studio desktop.

A Work In Progress...

flowerinprogress, originally uploaded by gei223.

I am currently working on this appliqued wall hanging. I love the colors - so bright and happy! It's 10.5 inches x 18.5 inches in size. When creating my fabric pieces - like this one - I use my version of artist Susan Shie's "Lucky Magnolia Stitching Technique". I have completed the stitching of the background and I am now working on the stitching around the flower and the stitching of the border. Once all of the stitching is complete, I will begin adding other embellishments such as beads and buttons. All of the stitching and embellishing takes a lot of time but I find it very soothing - like meditation.

I Know There's A Desk Under There... Some Where!

To celebrate the purchase of a new digital camera today, I thought I would swallow my pride and post photos of my studio desk - in all its unretouched glory. The photos reflect my common MO in the studio: I spend time organizing and cleaning and then I come across something that sparks inspiration and I start creating and within mere moments, the actual work area on my desktop shrinks to about a 5 inch square of space.

A Bird's Eye View

The Shelves (Filled w/ Shelves) Attached to the Back of My Desk

The less workspace I have the more creative I seem to become. Go figure...

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair...

(Okay, "Great" is a slight exaggeration...)

Since Jim had to work half-day yesteday and Gabby and Bridgette (Tania's girls) were in Portland with their Dad's family, Tania and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to head to Salem for the Oregon State Fair. It's probably been 15 years since the last time I went to the State Fair and it's been years since Tania went without the kids - so it was the perfect Saturday activity. We got (close to) the fairgrounds around 1:40 and were finally able to park a little after 2:00. Luckily, Tania's new car has air conditoning, so the time spent in the car wasn't bad at all. Once parked, we headed for the gate by the Midway, bypassing the looooonnnnggg line at the main admissions window. Walking the extra distance was worth it - there was NO line, no waiting at the gate. We paid our $9 admission fee - (Not too terribly expensive considering that's about what a movie costs these days.) - and we were in.

We started by walking around the Midway too look at the rides and reminisce about the days (When was that again?) when we could ride more than just the Ferris Wheel without succombing to violent motion sickness. As always the game booths - and their prizes - were entertaining. It's amazing how much effort and money people waste to win something that will inevitably wind up at Goodwill - or in the trash - within a few weeks.

After the Midway, we wandered up and down the rows of booths selling everything from hot tubs to Ginzu knives to Salvation. And I could swear, those booths were the very same booths in the very same locations that I wandered past 15 years ago! That is except for the Tattoo booths. Tattoo booths? At the fair? Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against tattoos. I love them! In fact, I have 4 tattoos and plan on getting more. However, the last place on earth I would go to get a tattoo is a booth at the State Fair! Holy Hannah! I go to a clean, well-lit tattoo parlor that has an onsite autoclave to sterilize the equipment. Where the tattoo artists are artists and where they are not going to be bothered by the noise, the crowds and the dust of the fairgrounds. Seriously, who gets a tattoo at the State Fair?

We hit a couple of the exhibit halls - I especially like the cake decorating display and the table setting display - and then wandered over to my FAVORITE exhibit, The Petting Zoo! We were chatting and people-watching on our way over and almost walked into the Reptile House by mistake. YIKES! Just getting close to it gave me the heebie-jeebies. Having avoided that catastrophe, we made it to the Petting Zoo where we could touch and pet a tiny gray piglet, a couple calves, lambs, goats, a llama, a donkey and 2 Patagonian Cavies. I loved it. I just love animals!! I also wanted to see the Poultry Exhibit, but Tania's allergies were acting up. Have you ever seen those pigeons that do somersalts? Seriously... it's very, very cool.

After taking in all the sites, we decided we better get something to eat since all we had had since arriving was some cotton candy. Do you know you need to take out a loan in order to buy fair food? I'm not kidding. I could not believe how expensive the food was. For what I paid, I expected my stir-fried noodles and teriyaki chicken to at least be gold plated. They weren't. Nor were they worth the price (or half the price for that matter).

We headed out the Red Gate and back to the car around 5:00. By then I had been walking around long enough and my ankle as starting to ache some. Traffic was light a we headed south on I-5 and Tania dropped me off around :30ish giving her plenty of time to get to Corvallis where she was meeting our friend Melissa at 6:45 for a movie at The Darkside Cinemas. It was a great day! But, any day spent with Tania is a great day!

By the way, I think I will check out the State Fair again - in 15 years.

Weekend Update

Well, another weekend has come and (almost) gone... Our weekend was basically quiet and uneventable - which is just the way I like it. Jim had to go into work for a few hours yesterday morning so instead of lounging around in my PJ's until the early evening (my standard Saturday routine), I got up when he left and got showered and dressed. I then walked dowtown (4 blocks) to the Albany Saturday Market. I was there by a little after 9:00 am which meant I was in time to get a pie (or two) from "the pie lady". Last week I didn't make it until 11:30 and she had long since sold out of everything and called it a day. I wasn't going to miss out again. Sure enough, I was on time and got not one, but two pies: 1 Marionberry, 1 Boysenberry. Take my word for it - These are the very best pies in the world! The crust is golden, moist and flaky and she finshes it off with a sprinkle of course sugar. And the fillings, the fillings... amazing!!!!! I think the Marionberry is my all time favorite. Yummo!!

With pies in hand, I headed to the post office to check our P.O. Box. As I crossed over Washington Street I noticed a couple walking 2 cute dogs. To be honest, as I often times like dogs more than most people, I didn't really look at the people since I was focused on their dogs. Imagine my surprise when I looked up I found the woman, with a big grin on her face, giving me a very warm and friendly hug. It was then that I realized she was someone I once knew. In fact, 10 or so years ago, she was my best friend. We have not spoken in over 10 years. Back then, we had a "parting of the ways" which was not only painful, but so surprising that it took me a long, long time to be able to trust women again. During the past 10 years, our paths have crossed a handful of times - and each time, she would look right through me and make no ackowledgement of me whatsoever. So, when I say I was surprised to be on the receiving end of her hug, I really mean SURPRISED! We had a very pleasant (and comfortable) conversation for about 5 mins. She introduced me to her husband and her dogs. Come to find out, they just live two blocks away from us. She then told me that she had, for some time now, wanted to reconnect with me but wasn't sure how I would feel about doing so. She then asked me if I would like to reconnect with her. I thought for a second and then said "sure" - and I meant it. Who knows what will come of this, but it was a very positive encounter. I guess this is a season of reconnecting and having people that I love and care for re-enter my life.

The remainder of the day was spent puttering around the house and doing crossword puzzles.

This morning I got up around 11:00, showered and dressed and then drove into Corvallis. I poked my head in briefly at "Happy Trails" and said hi to our good friend Tommy and spent a few minutes catching up. (Tommy is the person that introduced Jim and I more than 12 years ago. He also officiated at our wedding.) I then headed around the corner to meet Tania at 1:00 at Evergreen Indian Restaurant. Yummy! Since I have been on leave from work since June 22, its been more than 2 months since I have had indian food. I was definitely having withdrawals. We had a nice lunch. I managed not to overeat (a huge accomplishment) and then we walked over to the Corvallis Post Office so tha Tania could check her P.O. Box. Since Tania had homework to tackle (she's working full-time plus taking courses at OSU this summer), we said our good-byes and I head back to Albany. After a quick stop at Bocherrini's for a Grande Iced Americano (my fave), I picked up the Sunday paper and went on home.

Since getting home, I haven't done much of anything except play "Wheel of Fortune" on my cell phone, catch up on my email and blog reading, and make some updates here. Jim is off with his friend Don and so it's just us "girls" here at the house. There is plenty of housework to do - isn't there always - but I think I will ignore it a little longer and head into my studio. I promised my little sister Annie that I would paint here a picture of a field of sunflowers for her bedroom. It will match this painting of a sunflower that I did for her in 2005:

Annie's Sunflower

Tania also wants me to do a painting for the blank wall in her office. And Judy just commissioned me to make an Art Doll for a good friend of hers. Plus, I am planning to have an "Open Studio" event in the Fall and I need to make a number of different things to show and sell. I better get busy.

Crutches be gone...

I have been completely off my crutches for a little over a week now. Yay! Don't get me wrong - I am thankful that I had them so I was able to have at least limited mobility - but they really are uncomfortable. Of course, I am sure it didn't help one iota that I was attempting to haul my fat fanny around on two sticks... Not only difficult, but I am sure quite the site to see. Yikes! Count yourself lucky that you didn't have to witness it! LOL! On the plus side though, I did lose almost 12 pounds while I was on crutches... the benefit of hauling my fat fanny around!

My ankle and foot are still quite bruised and tender so I have to be very aware - especially when I step up/down curbs and stairs. But, it is getting better each day - especially when I do the excercises my doctor gave me at my last appointment. It is still going to be awhile before I will be able to give it my all when I do my Tae Bo tapes but, I am on the mend...

Shifting Viewpoints...

This has been a rough, rough week - which followed 8 days of being sick. Monday, I received the dreaded "letter" from HR and less than an hour later, when I stopped at the PO to get the mail, the starter went out on the truck. Needless to say, I went home cursing the Universe and just crawled into bed with the covers over my head.

Then I read my brother-in-law Josh's blog and his words about positive thinking, choosing your point of view, choosing your reactions, etc. really struck me at my heart and soul. And so last night, after a long meeting with my Union Steward, I started back to Albany with one thought - "I want to be home." But, as I normally do, I stopped at the PO for the mail and when I went to start the truck, it wouldn't turn over. Instead of losing it and throwing a hissy-fit, I decided to just EMBRACE the moment. I grabbed my bags, locked the truck and enjoyed the 7-block walk to my house thinking the entire way - "Wow, this is great. The truck made it to just 7 blocks from my house before conking out. It could have been so much worse. Plus, it's a beautiful summer day and the walk certainly won't hurt me." By the time I walked through my front door, I was laughing and feeling lighter than I had all week - ALL because I chose to feel that way. Amazing! Thanks Josh!

Japanese Mascots

Two years ago, I bought this Japanese craft book on e-bay and using the patterns and pictures, created the 2 lemurs and their bunch of bananas and Mr. Piggy. These are tiny things - they average 2-2.5" tall only. They are really fun to make. I think making more will be one of my summer projects.

Where Jim Works

For the past 6 years, Jim has worked for Custom Trailerwerks located in Independence OR. He loves working there which makes both of us happy. Fred - the boss - is one of my favorite people in all the world. I love him.located in Independence OR. He loves working there which makes both of us happy. Fred - the boss - is one of my favorite people in all the world. I love him.

If you visit their website you can see a lot of the trailers that they have customized. Here is a mobile response unit that the did for Boardman (Oregon) Rural Fire Department.

TGIF!

I am so glad it's Friday. It's been a long week for only having 4 work days in it! LOL! I've been especially busy since I have been working on 4 different grants this week - 3 of which are due on Tuesday, June 5th. Grant submissions go in cycles so there are guaranteed times throughout the year when, as the departmental Grant Specialist, things are NUTS! Now, if these grants would only get funded. With the current administration in Washington DC the importance of research has faded quite a bit and the funding has been cut dramatically. This is very difficult and discouraging when you work in a department at a University that is more than 85% research. Here's to the winds of change blowing in a new and enlightened administration in 2008!

Tania and I went off campus for lunch today. We ran by the post office so she could check her mail and then headed to Taco Time for a quick bite. I had a Super Soft Taco w/ Chicken and 1 regular crunchy taco w/ a bottle of water. It filled the empty spot - without over filling it - but dang, I am starting to really feel hungry. (Oh, it's the first Friday of the month - maybe Jim and I will head to JP's for Prime Rib. Yum-O!) After Taco Time, we briefly stopped at the comicbook store so Tania could see if her "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" comix were in - Unfortunately, they weren't and she's going to have to get her "geek fix" some other way this weekend. LOL!

No big plans for the weekend... A little yard work, some housework, some laundry... nothing too exciting - but all of it necessary.

Must Buy This Week!

After buying the first season DVDs for this series and getting completely HOOKED, I am so psyched that the second season came out on DVD on Tuesday. We will be making a purchase when Jim gets paid tomorrow. This is an awesome crime drama with well-written, intelligent scripts and interesting, human characters that are well-acted. I especially love the leading lady, Kyra Sedgwick (FYI: her husband is Kevin Bacon). However, this series is NOT for the faint-of-heart. It can be quite graphic so be warned.