This is the ramblings of a woman who has, at one time or another, done about anything she wanted to. "If I don't know the right answer I will dazzle you with a line of b---s--- until you are pretty sure I am a genius on the subject. May teach you something in the process!"
loumercerwordsofwisdom.blogspot.com
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Good Old Days!!!
This picture must have been taken in 1971. Now, I know we are a rag tag lot, but we were a family and as a family we survived to adulthood. I would change a few things in this period of time if I could, but I can't so they will stay as they were lived. As with all families we each came away with our own perception of our growing up years. I came out of my growing up years completely different than my sisters, but more on that later.
I think the whole bunch of us were rebels and still are to a certain degree. Now, as I set here on New Years Eve, I would like to address this message to the 5 little kids above. For the areas where I failed you, forgive me. For the times we fished and had fun together, remember me. For the times you felt alone, you weren't. When I told you someday you would understand, you do. These were your good old days, so take away from them what you can and look to the future. Some times it helps to alter your perception a bit to make it a growing experience.
When you see your children, remember you were once children. When you see your grandchildren, remember you were once grandchildren. A family is something that is forever held together by a silver thread. When some of you look at the above picture you may see a picture that looks like it came from "The Grapes of Wrath", but let me tell you what I see and see if you can see it also.
Back row from left Patty, Debbie. Front row Dona, Sam, Susie and mother. I saved and cut corners to have this picture taken. Not easy in those times to have a family picture taken, but I wanted one for posterity. Patty and Dona are wearing dresses I made for them. Debbie is, as the oldest, leading the pack. Sam and Dona are the same age through the month of October (more about that later). Sam looks so angelic there and Susie seems a bit distracted.
I have my own memories of this time, but what everyone should know is this: I did the best I could with the knowledge and resources I had at that time. No way would I trade one of these little cherubs to make my life different. This is my good old days. They made me the woman I am today and this woman would like to say :
Happy New Year to all my babies, grandbabies and great grandbabies!!
Monday, December 28, 2009
If I quit smoking, you can quit smoking!!
Then I had a very serious talk with myself. There is no one in this world that knows me like I know myself! "Self", I said "You are a woose. You have no will power, you are not honest and you are ruled by a damn cigarette that YOU go to the store and buy. Now make a list of things that is necessary to quit and just do it." Here is my list:
1. I buy these cancer sticks. I will quit buying them.
2. I have friends who smoke. I will not mooch.
3. The craving for a cigarette lasts 20 seconds. I will ram my finger in my eye for 20 seconds if necessary to pass the 20 seconds. What ever it takes.
4. I will never smoke again.
That is my list. Short and doable. I made this mental list in my mind early on the morning of March 1, 2009 when I did not want to go buy a pack of cigarettes. Today is December 28, 2009 and I am still smoke free. I do not ever see smoking in my future for any reason. Do not be misled; this has not been easy. There have been many times when I have almost rammed my finger in my eye and the habit of reaching for a cigarette is still second nature, but I do not do it. If I do not do it, I will never have to quit again.
Quitting smoking is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. Only takes a few hours to have a baby, and that was hard. Burying a loved one is a life long ordeal. Having the dog put to sleep is hard. Life is full of hard things and most of them we do not want to keep doing over and over and I sure don't want to quit smoking again. So, if I never smoke again, I never have to quit again.
If I could think of one beneficial thing I get from smoking I might do it again, but I can't. It costs money I could use for other things. I smell like a smoke stack. I pollute my lungs. It makes me short of breathe. I have to do it outside so I get nothing done inside.
Granted, I do not now have money to roll it because I quit buying cigarettes. I still have to use deodorant, and the house still looks like Mickey Mouse and friends live here. But I can now jog a little ways down the road and riding the old bike is a lot easier. So as for me, I shall remain smoke free until further notice.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas Morning!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Happy Anniversary to me!!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Rainbow Bridge
Friday, December 18, 2009
My baby is eighteen today!
I shall wear this shirt today, because I have reached another milestone in my journey to the grave. Today the little Bret who I did not give birth to, but have none the less raised to adulthood, turns 18!
He has been very responsible pending this rite of manhood. He opened a checking account with his paycheck and put money in his savings. Gave me a check for what he owes me to date, plus January's car payment. He is planning on a cookout at the park in Pueblo West, and then will go to John's house and spend the night. He will go in to work about noon tomorrow. All sounds good on paper, huh?
He did come upstairs and kiss me on top of the head before going in to shower. At least he acknowledged that I am here. He does not want a cake. Monies should be paid on his car payment.
I had the talk with him about now that he is older and not so much under control of an adult that he is now entering the age of mutual respect and yada, yada. He has assured me that he will not be coming home covered with tatooes because he heard they hurt.
In all fairness, today is harder on me then I thought it would be and I think I now have a healthy respect for the "empty nesters" out there. While my fledgling has not flown the coop, he has for all intents and purposes shed the mantel of my baby and moved on to work on his own journey. About all I can do at this point is let the little fellow fly and hope he does not crash and burn on his way to the sun.
Happy Birthday Bret Mercer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is goose hunting season!
When I went out yesterday, I was surprised to hear shotguns in the distance and see a flock of geese arise off to the southeast. I could tell by the way they flew in different directions they were startled. They finally got it together and I tried to count as they went over. I do not know why I do that, but I like to see an even number. Guess that means they each have a mate.
Geese are amazing little creatures. They fly in a "v" formation and alternate leaders as the lead goose tires rather quickly. If something happens to a goose in flight, two geese will go down with it and stay with it until it either dies or is ready to travel on. People should be so considerate.
We live out in the county, so the hunting thing is fairly normal. I actually have 2 big holes in the back of my huge garage where a couple stray shots wound up. Now that the county is getting more populated it is not so bad, but we used to be afraid to walk out back in hunting season or target practice season.
The geese above are mine and they are not to worry. Anybody wants to shoot them has to come into my yard and there is a very good chance I would use a fence post over their head. But for the next few days I think I will hang out kind of close to the house until the hunters can get their barrell direction under control. While I realize that hunting has it's advantages in thinning the wild life, I still think it is sad. Of course the whole concept of death is sad, whether it be human or the birds that grace our sky!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Bionic Fingers!
I seen something on the news that just fascinates me. They are now working on and have in operation something called Bionic Fingers. This interests me because I have a granddaughter who was born with no fingers, only a thumb on one hand. When she was small she traveled back and forth from Lakin, Kansas to St. Louis, Missouri where she underwent several surgeries that were simply gruesome.
Doctors would take a tiny piece of bone from her toe and transplant it to her hand where a finger should be. Then she wore an apparatus that needed to be turned every day and the theory behing that was that would make a finger grow there. Needless to say, it did not work!
Now many years later, a set of fingers has been specifically built for a man who lost his fingers and retained his thumb. This apparatus is fitted to his hand. Each finger has a motor with sensors that attach to nerves in his arm. When he moves that muscle the sensor in turn moves the fingers. Now that the leap has been made it will be no time at all before this will be perfected and I can just see how this will help a lot of people, not just my granddaughter.
Having been born with no fingers on the one hand, she is what is called handicapped. She never knew this. I am the one who had a hard time remembering she was limited. She never looked on this as a handicap, just a limitation. I would hand her things with both hands and she would look at me funny. "Grandma, I can't carry all those!" Again I had forgotten. Teaching her to crochet was sort of out of reason.
Now she has two little boys, she cooks and cuts up onions, does everyday chores and has recently earned her Masters Degree. But think how nice that would have been for her to actually have 2 hands when she was doing this! I may actually be able to teach her to crochet, knit and all those 2 handed things I do!
One of these days I shall do a special entry on her, but first I have to get her permission to use her name and all the particulars, but for now it will have to do for you to know that I shine with pride over this little bit of fluff who has given me 2 great grandsons!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Please don't talk about me when I'm gone!
Made me remember back to when I was in 3-4 grade and we used to play a game called "Gossip". Teacher would whisper something in the first kid's ear like "It is a lovely day for a walk in the woods!" When the gossip was whispered from lip to ear through the class it would come out something like "Lizzies dad talks to himself!"
This was our lesson that gossip is not good and we should not do it. Even if we are saying something nice to start out, when it is repeated enough it can become very distorted. So we do not do a lot of gossiping around here.
My mother had a different take on it. She always said:
"As long as they are talking about me they are letting some other poor soul rest!"
"If you can't say something good about somebody, don't say anything."
"What goes around comes around."
"The chickens always come home to roost."
Mother was a very wise woman and how I made the leap from waking up to the point I am now at is almost more than even I can fathom.
So that is it for the day. Kind of a waste of space, but that is what I am good at doing!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The doggie is running the business!
Anyone who has ever been to Sprinkles Sewing Center knows who this is ! This is Cosmo and he is in charge of the store. While Cosmo is a beautiful little Maltese he came from very humble beginnings having been rescued from the pound in Colorado Springs. He knows a guy has to work for a living, and if he falls down on the job, he could be out the door! That Jerry is a task master that expects a lot out of a little dog! True, he gets to ride in the front seat, but never gets to drive!
When you pull in the parking lot, Cosmo is at the door watching you walk toward the store. It is then that he is deciding if you are on a mission of good or evil! He has a natural instinct to separate the customers from the bad guys meaning to do harm. He will greet you with a smile and a friendly wag. Your job is to say, "Oh, hello Cosmo! How good to see you!" Or something along that line.
Sometimes he is busy in the back, but when the door chime rings he will drop what ever he is doing and run to greet you. He is partial to his humans, Jerry and Cathy, and if he is busy with them you may only get a perfunctory wag, but when he is finished with the current chore he will be back to give you his full attention. Granted sometimes the chore he is involved in is having a little snack, but "treat breaks" are one of the "perks" of the job.
Everyone is his friend, but you need to realize that running a store takes a lot of attention and when you are only 8 inches tall and running on 2 inch legs, it takes a lot out of a guy!
Everything and everyone is his concern and for the most part he does a very good job, but this summer he had a real problem and that is what I want to share with you now. His human got him a new kind of flea medicine. No fleas for this little white doggie! No siree! The next day, Cosmo was not himself. He was lethargic and not meeting people at the door. On the second day the humans were becoming alarmed.
Having eliminated diet changes and all in the list of things that could be wrong, they happened upon the flea medicine! Being good little humans and concerned, they gave the little fellow a good scrubbing. Thanks to the astute humans who were in charge, Cosmo made a rapid recovery and was back on the job the next day!
Seems as though there was something in this medicine that the little silky haired pooch could not tolerate. They had used this kind before and had never had a problem, but apparently this batch was different in some way. Just want to reinforce here, that if you are in charge of a four legged friend, you are very lucky and no doubt have a friend for life. But, it is a big responsibility! They can not talk and tell you anything. You just have to guess.
And if you ever get over that way, stop in to see Cosmo. He is always happy to see a new face, and tell him Lou said "hi!" Oh, and you might visit a minute with Jerry and Cathy, the people he allows to take care of his needs.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Alpaca: up close and personal.
Now, they have eaten the carrots and they are trying to get me to go back in the house and get more. The one on the right thinks he told a joke so he is laughing!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Peacock Wall Hanging!
For babies grow up, we learn to our sorrow.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Give us this day, our daily bread!
Time passes and those little cherubs have since grown into adults and raised their own babies and those babies in turn have spawned more babies. I look back on the trail of human lives that I am directly responsible for and I am amazed. How did this happen?
I birthed 5, who in turn birthed 8. Those 8 have turned out 7 (so far). Very quickly I am running out of fingers and toes to count them on! You probably are wondering where I am going with this and what it has to do with 12 below weather! Simple.
All of these people have homes. They all have somewhere to stay and food to eat and by the grace of God, are not out on the streets in this Artic weather. It is the time of year to look around at the less fortunate in our midst and to reach into our pocket and do something for someone we have never met and probably never will. It is time to think outside of our little circle we tend to be so generous with and encompass a little more of mankind.
I make soap and lotion as one of my hobbies. The family gets lots of that for Christmas, but I tend to forget about the homeless needing something like that. I am going to load a bunch and take it to Posada, I think. This is already made so it will not cost me anything to do that! And it may make some one happy.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
My God! It did it again!
Do you see them setting in the snow up there! The picture below is a small part of the pond that I broke so they can get water to drink. Then when they all get out there the weight of them will break off more edges and they will have room to swim. Glad I am not a duck!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
American Made! Oh, yes I am!!
Yes, Isle, this was made in America and I was made in America. My ancestors came to this country through Ellis Island at the turn of the century and that is documented! They came here from Germany to seek a better life in a free country. We trace back to the Erms area and there were a lot of vineyard keepers in our line.
We raised turkeys and geeses and Great Great Grandmother was a midwife. She also took care of people in her area around Abbyville, because doctors were few and far between. The boys hired out on farms in the area. Great Great Grandfather raised sorghum and made molasses. The names Haas, Gagnebein, and Hatfield were well known names in that area.
So when you ask if my products are made in America, the answer is a resounding "YES"! Made in America and made by an American and sold to another American! I had not thought of that angle before.
So thank you, Isle, for opening my eyes to what a rarity my little store actually is in this world. From now on I shall point to myself with pride, because people like you and I are becoming fewer and farther between.
So you and your little rescued chinchillas have a good day and keep searching for American made.
" For I'm glad to be an American, where at least I know I'm free! And I'll gladly stand up next to her and defend her still today......" and I don't remember the words, but you get the idea!!!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
What did I do yesterday?
This is project #1. This one is not wound up yet. This will be my Peacock Wall Hanging that I am making for the neighbor lady who can not keep her peacock home!
This entails embroidering 20 blocks and then sewing them together. Sounds easy, huh? First I have to hoop the fabric with stabilizer. Then thread the machine. This machine holds 6 threads and kind of works on its own until it needs a thread change, runs out of bobbin thread, breaks a thread or just misses me.
I need to do 3 more blocks and then I can assemble the blocks and put on borders and a back and some embellishments. Will post a picture when this is finished, but don't hold your breathe!
This is project # 3. This is going to be the Nativity for my church. This particular machine is very needy as I need to do a thread change every time it completes a color. It also has silver metallic thread for the stars and I need to hand feed the silver to it, or it shreds it and spits it out. I have 6 blocks done and need 14 more. The next 14 are really time consuming. Watch for the finished product some day!
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Cycle of Life
And thus is the cycle of life. I was born and as I grew I lost my grand parents, then my father, my brother, friends, aunts, uncles, mother, sister, more uncles, husband, and finally it came to the inevitable. My Uncle Ray passed at the age of 96(?) and I am now the matriarch in my family and I am the "older generation" in the Haas family line.
You know the funny part of all of this? I don't even feel old. Logistics tells me I am, but I don't feel like I am. It makes me wish I had paid more attention to the grandmas and aunts and uncles so I would know how to behave as a septegenarian! I remember once, my dear son, Sam telling me, "Grandmas don't behave like you! Get your apron on and get in that kitchen and make some cookies!"
I do now know exactly what the cycle of life entails . And as more time goes by and more deaths occur, whether it be canine, feline, human, friend, family, or stranger, the cycle of life is an integral part of the every day. It just happens in different forms and we accept and even embrace it at times. For part of the cycle of life is new birth!
So, as a very old radio program once used to sign off with, I shall copy it today:
Thursday, December 3, 2009
What function does the doggie actually perform?
Then I decided, I would not talk about the trip nor pack early. She still knew and when I started out the front door, she would look at me all sad and turn and go downstairs. She knew. When I came home, she would be standing by the back gate waiting. The neighbors assured me she did not do that until shortly before I came home. She had to know I was getting close.
When I took her for her trip to the vet, she knew. I am not saying only Polly had ESP (Extra Sensory Perception), I am saying all dogs have it. When my son was here with his three dogs it was almost humorous the way they acted. If he left them and went some where they would lay around, but suddenly, they would wake up, leap to their feet with ears alert. And after a few moments, Sam would come driving up the drive. They knew the exact moment to run to the front door so they could be there to greet him.
I don't think most of us even give any thought to how well they take care of us, even when we don't know they are taking care of us. I know if I am sad, Daisy now lays by my feet. When I go out to do chores, Daisy is by my side. When I go down to sew, Daisy is the one who lays at the sewing room door to stop intruders. I pet her, but she knows she is not Polly.
Someday I may not miss Polly so much, but until that time, Daisy will be here trying to fill the void. Why? Because that is what the doggies do. They are here to fill a void in out life and be a warm body to pet, when there is not other warm body around. And what do they ask in return? Nothing, only that we be there for the petting thing!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
This is my gourd!!!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Day Before the Big Day
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, but today is not. Today is the day I have to take my dog Polly in to the vet and today is the day she will not come back. It is so sad when this time comes. She was Kenny's dog. He picked her out of all the puppies in the litter. She slept under the bed until Kenny passed and then she slept on the floor on his side of the bed.
She mourned Kenny for a very long time and never did quit watching for him to come home. She was never far from my side. If I was in the basement, so was she. If I went in the bathroom she lay on the floor outside the door, waiting. When I went to Kansas and left her home, she didn't eat. She lay under the buffet and waited. When the neighbors came in to check things, she growled at them, but did not move.
And how is loyalty like that rewarded? It is rewarded with a trip to the vet so she can go to the Rainbow Bridge and find Kenny. When she is too weak to get up the stairs without falling, when she growls at Daisy for no reason, it is time. I did not do this for my selfish reasons, I did it because she was not happy. I only wish that when I get in her shape that someone could take me by the hand and make me happy again.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Trying the woven blanket again!!
This is what the wrong side of the block looks like. Looks as good on the back as the front! I am so proud of myself that I could jump up and down. There are a couple mistakes in this one, so I am going to make another just like it only I will weave it right side out and it will be just PERFECT!
Whole blanket, wrong side. I sure hope when I hit the publish button that the pictures will be there.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The blanket unveiling at last!!!!
Since this is what is called an overshot pattern I throw 1 shot of blue wool in the pattern and then 1 shot of white 8/2 cotton in tabby. That is why there is so much white. This is actually the wrong side of the blanket. Let's go down farther and hope we have a right side! Before we leave I should tell you the name of this block is Lee's Surrender and the blanket consists of 4 blocks. Shown below is 1 block.
Here it is!! This is the right side. See how predominate the blue is in this picture? That means this is the right side. You know, I look at this and I am not sure which is the right side and which is the wrong side. I guess it really does not matter. Since I did not listen when Joanne was trying to tell me, I wove this whole blanket with the wrong side up unless , of course, the wrong side is the right side. By this time, I am so confused that I think I will have a tiny draught of something fermented and go to bed.
Unveiling of the Weaving!!
Sorry, Lou
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Loom in Action
This is the back of the loom all tightened to the proper tension and ready to be woven into something that will be a work of art, but something grandma and great grandpa did as a matter of course. Men were actually employed in the weaving profession a long time before us women settled on it as an outlet for our creativity.
This loom is 60" wide, which is a little wider than a lot of looms, but when I bought this from the lady who taught me to weave I had in mind that I would weave carpet for the whole house. That little projuect did not last long.
I would like to take a moment here to thank the lady who taught me to weave for doing such a good job. I think she retired from teaching after me. I don't know if she quit cause I was such a pain, she was just tired of teaching, or if it just worked out that way and my paranoia is kicking in here.
Any way, I would like to send a big thank you out to Marilyn H. here in Pueblo, Colorado for taking me under her wing. She is a true artist in every sense of the word and I have learned much at her knee. Well, not actually her knee, but you get the picture!
Now, here we come to the first few rows of the blanket. You should know that Joanne told me the pattern I was working on would need to be altered if I wanted this woven with the right side up, but I, in my haste blew that off and forged right ahead. So what you see here is actually the back side of the blanket! I really do need to learn to slow down and listen once in a while.
Friday, November 13, 2009
This is Friday the 13th
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Introduction to the Loom
Monday, November 9, 2009
Inkle Loom
This one (below) is the one I am currently working on and in all fairness I have been working on it for 3 or 4 months. The white band is what I use to keep it all the same width, or as close as I am going to get to something uniform. My teacher just shines with pride when she sees how screwed up I can actually get! I love that woman.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Gopher and the Dog
What I say was neither! I have had a small bit of a problem with either a gopher or mole throwing up little piles of dirt here and there in the yard. I was not alarmed as I figured when it got tired of looking it would leave. Besides that I had instructed Bret to go pee over there, because, according to the ancient legend, that would deter burrowing varmints in your yard. Has not worked yet, but you just never know!
I digress! The geese were in full battle regalia, stomping in circles, heads low and charging at the fence honking at the top of their lungs. On this side was Daisy, my dog that is a cross between a Weiner dog and a Jack Russell Terrier. Daisy had the top half of her body, to include her head and both front feet, engaged in digging the biggest hole I have ever seen a dog dig! I knew this was going to be good!
I went over and she was not interested in me at all, but rather, kept sniffing and digging. I got the shovel. After the first thrust I knew she was on the trail of the gopher/mole. There was the tunnel! I dug a little longer and Daisy kept sniffing and helping. Alas, I soon learned that I was tired of this game, so I gave up.
Daisy continued for a little while, but then she also wore out the chase. What did we learn from this? As I look out across my yard full of holes and the new piles of dirt appearing here and there, I think about Bill Murray. I don't remember the movie, might have been something like "Caddy Shack", but what I do remember is the devastation that followed his encounter with the gopher.
The golf course was all blown up, smoke hung in the air, Bill Murray was covered in dirt, and the little gopher poked his head up out of a hole and laughed! I am not going to fight a losing battle, and if Daisy wants to dig the whole yard up, then she can just dig away. I probably would like to xeriscape anyway!!
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Art of the Apology
I am a Democrat, born and bred. I have been known to support Republican candidates on more then one occasion, but for the most part I just support what ever or who ever I think is right and on the side of good. This has earned me the name in the family as "a flaming Liberal," but so be it. Back to my train of thought.
My friend is a Republican. Nothing wrong with that, just laying the groundwork for this missive. Republicans have the right to live also, (Hi Joe!) The problem arises when we talk politics, so I tend to avoid that at all costs. I change the subject, I walk away, just whatever it takes, but...
We live in a computerized world and in that world is the forwarded email! No need to even think, just click forward, forward, forward. Now I open most of my email because I think there may be a message in there somewhere. So when the health care debate came to the forefront, my mail box was filled with how Obama is getting ready to have all the old people euthanized, and me being an old person, should immediately write my senator and yada, yada, and you know the routine.
That part is not important, what is is the fact that I asked her not to send this stuff. I forwarded it back to her. I asked her not to, but she continued, so I blocked her and sent her a letter telling her why. I was truly offended.
Then came the apology: "Dear Lou, I am very, very sorry I offended you, but you need to know what the Democrats are trying to do. You need to know that ..." and she continued in that vein, explaining to me what I am to simple minded to understand.
So on to the art of the apology. People have feelings. People have thoughts. People just want to live. If you step on someones toes in your quest for the good life, apologize and back off. "I am sorry." "I am sorry I offended you." "I am sorry I pissed you off." Stop there at the period. Do not say, "I am sorry, but you know you are wrong!" "I am sorry, but you are stupid and need to be educated."
Just "I am sorry." That is if you are sorry. Sorry you hurt me, not sorry I am of a different belief. A heartfelt apology will go a long way toward building bridges. I am a very stubborn person and left a church I had attended for 15 years for the lack of an apology.
So just love each other, mend your bridges and try not to piss me off, cause I carry a grudge and you need to know that going in!!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Nancy's Forest
It is hard to beleive that next door to Nancy's house is a school! Her house is in a forest and there is no other word for where she lives.
This is a bird house that her husband, Ivan built for the little feathered creatures that flit about!
This has been a test to see how to put pictures on here and I think I got it, so get ready to learn lots of stuff!!
Another year down the tubes!
Counting today, there are only 5 days left in this year. Momma nailed it when she said "When you are over the hill you pick up speed...