Life is Never Dull!

If you haven’t heard, Larisa, my 16-year-old daughter and I decided to “go” organic.  It’s been two weeks now and I must say, either I’m forgetting what chemically engineered food tastes like, OR organic food really does taste better!  We’ve had pizza, quesadillas, Southwestern Black Bean Soup, Beef & brocoli with Coconut Basmati rice, Newman-Os (Oreos), plus mint chocolate bars.  We have not been suffering.  We keep looking at each other and saying, “This is the best ___________ I’ve ever had!”  And we’re still amazed every time it happens.  It happened tonight with white cheddar and green onion quesadillas.  Totally delicious.

After an exhausting day, Rick and I were home alone at dinner and I decided to go easy and make homemade apple/cinnamon/flax seed oatmeal with blue agave syrup.  Again, fabulous.  However, while I was cooking, Rick asked for my driver’s license number whilst I was stirring the pot on the stove.  No, I do not have it memorized.  Being a homeschool mom, I do know my library card number by heart 1110003116554… but not my driver’s license number.  So, being the kind wife that I am, I retrieved my wallet from the front room and delivered it to him in the back room… while the oatmeal simmered.  “Please put it back in my purse when you are done,” was my single request.

Not long after the totally delicious oatmeal was consumed, some of our children returned home.  Larisa asked if we could go to the grocery store because we were out of quite a few organic mainstays… like bread and cheese and butter.  So we made a list, checked it twice and were out the door.  Can you already see it coming????

We shopped for about 40 minutes, taking our time reading labels and comparing prices.  Finally we arrived at the check out stand and as the kind checker was flinging our food hither and yon, I realized (out loud, of course) that I didn’t have my wallet.  Then I realized (out loud, again) that I didn’t even have my cell phone.  So the kind flinger handed me his personal cell phone and I called my dear husband at home.  “Remember when I asked you to put my wallet back in my purse?”  Yes, he did indeed remember.

They have these two black leather livingroom sitting chairs across from the check-out lanes at Safeway with a cozy table between them and a vase full of live roses on it… for sale, of course.  I’ve always thought it was odd that the chairs were there.  Well, I didn’t think it odd tonight as we sat in them for a half hour.  Even though I did not have pertinent purse particulars (wallet and phone) I DID have my electronic Sudoku game!  Yes! 

I did figure out that this was the third time in my life that this has happened.  Once in Blumenort, Alberta… the owner let me take home $126 of groceries and return the next day with the money!!!!  Once in Safeway in Phoenix… they rolled my whole cart into their freezer and I returned later that day with the money.  And tonight, while I sat in the leather chair playing Sudoku until Rick showed up.  Three times isn’t that bad…. in 23 years of marriage… and he’s only had to save me once!

My knight in shining armor did arrive and save the day and we all lived happily ever after.

This episode brought on a meaningful mother/daughter (generation gap) conversation that I will save for another blog.  Too much excitement for one night could be hazardous to your health. (I was tired BEFORE we went to the store!!!)

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a Bag for Zaza!

Yes, sewing has been slow lately, but there is a hum-dinger of a bag up for auction at www.BagsForZaza.blogspot.com, thanks to my mother and her wonder machine.  Go look at the fancy-shmancy stitching on this bag.  She was showing off, fo sho!  Silk and velvet fuzzy dots, to boot!  Thanks Mom, and Jennie!

Other exciting adoption fundraising news:  We started a media drive and have made over $250 so far!  whoooo hoooooo.  Friends donated videos, CDs, DVDs, books, and video games that we have been selling at a 2nd hand store and on ebay.  (I’ve been highly amused at the beer and enima boxes that the media arrived in!)  Here’s a link to 6 VHS VeggieTale videos:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320412671256&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT  (No, I still can’t get the link thing working….)  Then click on ‘see other items’ to view our 19 current auctions!  Something for everyone…. and something very special for that tribulation-loving person.  Thanks friends!

AND, if having books and videos stacked all over my family room is not exciting enough, a friend of Larisa’s is doing his version of Take Home Chef and donating 75% to bringing Zaza home!  M3: Matt’s Meals on a Mission.  Matt has been in drama with Larisa for quite a few years and is in his senior year.  He is taking culinary courses at a Scottsdale college.  So if you live in the Phoenix area and eat food, check out his blog and have him over to cook and clean up!  http://mattanvik.blogspot.com/  He’s also very entertaining.  Thanks Matt!

CraFt PhAseS oF LifE

I’m sure I’m not alone in my travels through the myriad of crafts that are out there at our disposal. Anyone else into macrame in the 70s?  Cross Stitch in the 80s?  Wallpaper fans in the 90s?  Scrapbooking in the 00s?  Me too. That doesn’t mean you’re normal.  It means you’re weird like me.  :o)  Mixed in there without a specific decade are also stamping, candle making, card making, sewing comes and goes throughout the years, quilting, knitting, etc.  (No, I’m not going to mention acrylic crown-shaped albums…. and get my blood pumping.)

It’s secret confession time once again at My Sister’s Jar.  I recently found a macrame market bag pattern that is calling out to me.  I know what you’re thinking.  Nerdsville.  Not so.  It doesn’t involve large owls with beaded eyes or metal rings for plant holders.  I have finally gathered all the necessary materials to make the braiding board as well as the bag.  The knots are tied so the entire bag is made up of flowers.  It’s cute.  Really.  No, REALLY!  I’ll eventually share photos and you’ll all be envious.

I’m not usually the type to think outside the box on most things.  Well, no, that’s a lie.  Let me rephrase that.  When a craft or pattern is shown to me, I usually do it just as shown, with wilder fabrics and brighter shades.  But when Jennie (www.bagsforzaza.blogspot.com) made the tote this week, she threw off my groove.  I didn’t consider making bags in other designs.  This thought inspired me and I made a purse today that is just that.  A purse.  It’s not a carrier bag.  It’s just a purse.  I can’t decide if I like it.  Here it is:

I can’t even decide on the button for the closure, so it’s naked.  The bottom is ultra suede and the rust colored circles are actually a circle of fringe.  I’m not sure what I’m not jazzed about, maybe it’s not my typical colors??? (And yes, that’s danger tape on my son’s bedroom door.  Boys!)

I did finish a ladybug bag this week that is completely made from a valance, chenille robe and fabric remnants from my friend Connie.  So adorable.  Not for me, but for someone who loves ladybugs.  Or someone who is hard to buy for.  Or for a friend who needs a designated collection… like ladybugs.  It will be up for auction on Monday at Bags for Zaza.  And did you see the total money raised lately????  Go.  Look right now.  www.bagsforzaza.blogspot.com

Thank you Jennie for dreaming up a fundraiser for Zaza.  Thanks Connie for your recent donations.  Thanks to Jenn and Leah and Mom for also sewing up beautiful bags.  Someday Zaza will thank you.