The Book Doctor has been in the hospital all month, mostly in Critical Care. She just got to go home yesterday night (yesternight? Why isn't that a word?). We actually were worried she might not pull through, she was so sick. Here's hoping her recovery goes smoothly! I've been extra busy, making sure the bookstore keeps going smoothly, so haven't posted like a good li'l blogger. But here're some Chi-town pics! From way back in September! Woo hoo! Time Travel!
We went to the Museum of Science and Industry, which has really grown since I was a kid!
Here we are at the Face Fountain thing at Millenium Park
I, of course, had to primp, and played around with some makeup and hair with Sis, too!
Then, we all went out to dinner and the place had a GREAT pool table!
Most of these pics are from my iPh0ne, so they're not great (low light). I'll get more up and more news, soon.
I just spent about a half hour designing a mug on an online "design your own" site with the sexy reader here and a quote from Louisa May Alcott ("She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain.") but wound up not buying my own, very cool, design. I'm just too damn cheap. But I think this shows that we all have a need to create SOMETHING.
I've been knitting, not very well, for a while now. I really enjoy it! I love my rectangles! I just learned how to crochet in a circle, so I'm very excited about this. I've been making these little magnets, using a half-marble (or "Floral Gem"), a small image and a magnet; I'm ridiculously proud of them! I've been refining the process so they look pretty darn good and I can make them pretty quickly. It's fun! And it's so much fun to give them away!
Marilyn is indisputably a hottie, but not a singer. Nope. Look at the backup dancer dudes, though. humma humma! Interesting how backup boys these days are all waxed to porcelain smoothness. Back then, they were allowed chest hair.
I have Hugh Jackman on the brain today.
Today was WARM! It almost got up to 70, after several days of struggling to get to 60. I was super chilly this morning, so put on many layers: tights, leggings, tee, thick turtleneck tunic, ankle boots. Ok, I did look adorable. Except for my hair. Cali Girl!!! CALI GIRL!!! When are you coming to MI again?!? I truly need you. I'll pay for your skill with hair and looks in general .
Mr. Handsome and Joe have almost finished the Dining Room Makeover of 2009! Woo Hoo! Gotta go get ready for dinner, though. Yummy casserole, white wine, crisp Cortland apples... nice. Staying cheerful, staying positive, keepin' on, keepin' on!
I need a comfy, modest, easy-to-move-in costume to wear during work on Halloween. We have an all-day party that day for the kiddoes. I was thinking I'd wear my fleece, one-piece, footed jammies with a white-blond wig and call myself a cloud. But the one-piece thing kinda hugs my chub, making me look very voluptuous and kinda sexy for the kids' party. Unlike this slim and tall girl. So, that's out. Though it might help sell books. To the dads. heh. No. So, I need a costume.
I read about this: "Wear a white tee with a yellow circle painted or appliqued on, with devil horns and tail. Devilled egg!" See, I looooove devilled eggs and there's a restaurant down the street that I'm always busking for, pushing their devilled eggs. It'll be perfect! Here's Gwennie, wearing a fried egg. Cute!
When I was recently at Goodwill, I thought about copying a baby costume. A skunk. A black tee with a white circle on the chest, a white stripe down the back, black sweats and a white tail, little black ears. That's a lot of sewing, though.
I love love LOVE this costume. But I have to be able to move freely, so it's out. Bummer! So cute!
I also can't be scary. Gina was scary last year. Mrs. Dracula. A GREAT costume, but too scary. I was a poodle-skirted '50's girl Boring. Had a wig, though! Love wigs!
So, the insomnia is back in force. Bummer. Lots going on! * going for a dawn-time walk with my friend, Cinnamon, tomorrow morning. will bring camera. * Book Doctor has been in the ICU for over a week, ever since we got back from the Trade Show. She's terribly, terribly ill. I'm so very worried! And I don't want to let anything (bills, events, commitments, adverts, etc) slip through the cracks while she's gone. But I don't know what-all she has going on! yikes! * extra hours at the bookstore to do my best to make sure the bookstore keeps going * back to eating WAAAAAAY too much junk.
After many days of rain, the sun is so bright and clear and LOUD this morning! I wish I didn't have to work. But then I'd have to do chores. I have to do chores at some point. The dust is so thick, the cats need moon boots to get around. Everything is just so CLUTTERED, what with all the construction being mid-process. It'll be great when it's done. My camera's battery is hungry and I keep forgetting to charge it. I don't know when I'll have more pics to post. I absolutely can NOT be late for work today, so I'm gonna run. Have a beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful, lovely Saturday!
I was just going to read all day today. It's rainy and chilly (55F) and dark; perfect for just cuddling up with the kitties and reading. For some reason, I decided to go Thrifting! I was on a Mission: A teapot and/or a vanity/stand mirror (preferably double-sided). I did find a mirror, but it was broken. sad. I went to three places and DID find the PERFECT teapot! I know it as a French Teapot, one with a lined cozy. Those are pictures of a French or Salam teapot, similar to what I found: "The Salam teapot was first produced in 1953 by french silversmith Guy Degrenne. It's made of double-walled bone china, and insulated by a felt-lined stainless steel cozy which fits over it like a sleeve."
Mine has a cozy made of some kind of metal, painted with white/cream enamel, to match the teapot. These puppies retail for over $30. I got mine at GW for $1.99! WHEE!!! I'lve wanted one for years, ever since I worked at Marshall Field's (now M@cy's). I loved them, coveted them, but couldn't rationalize spending what amounts to a nice dinner out on a teapot. So, now I've got one, for less than lunch!
I made a tea cozy, themed on the famous ostrich-feather-dress-dance, in Top Hat, for Sis. Sis, do you have a picture? I'm proud of that tea cozy, made large to accomodate any pot, out of white fleece for good heat retention and beauty, with feather dress, shoes, hair, tuxedo, hat, and safety-pinned on for easy cleaning! It's the only teacozy I've ever made. Mr. Handsome made us a tea cozy from an old, worn-out down comforter - it keeps things HOT! It's just a teesy bit snug, for most pots, is the thing. Right now, at this VERY moment, I'm using my French teapot AND Mr Handsome's tea cozy. A good day for hot tea!
I love making things, 'specially when they're JUST RIGHT . I just made Ma Handsome a push-pin topped with one of her grandchildren's photo. She actually didn't recognize the tot at ALL, thought it might be a pic of ME! This is a kid she's seen weekly for over seven years. Anyhoo, I was planning on making her a bunch of them for Christmas, but now I'm not sure! Maybe I'll still do it and lable them for her. Maybe, being out of context, the photos mystify her.
Anyhoo, here's a link to something similar to what I made for her. I just glued a card-board-backed-pic to a pushpin. I didn't add the glass marble. I did make some magnets out of those half-marbles, though, for the store, with pictures of writers or sexy readers, etc.. I gave 'em away. They were my first batch and weren't very good. The next batch, maybe I'll charge a fee.
This was a popular magnet!
Should I make some and give them away for Christmas?
So, I recently had a fibromyalgia flare-up that really brought me low for days. I'm going to Cleveland for a book show and am kinda worried (ok, downright frightened) that it's gonna knock me down hard. I'm doing all the driving. Why did I volunteer for that, WHY?!? Then, I work on Monday, too (we used to be closed on Mondays), so no rest for days. I'm kinda freaking out. But, at the same time, I'm just focusing on getting through it, taking massive amounts of ibuprofen (I've reduced my medication dosage to stretch it out since we don't have insurance right now what with Mr Handsome being laid off - boy, can I ever tell that that medication WORKS!), and trying to stay mentally "up." It's a challenge. I'll be gone all weekend and probably won't post from the road (even though I've got the G3), but wanted to just give a quick little post. More to come next week!
