Forgive me for disappearing again

Please forgive me for disappearing again. I used to be so good at blogging and keeping up with everything but lately...I have found other things that have occupied my time, both good and not so good. I don't want to concentrate on the bad but instead we shall concentrate on the good.

Good things that happened were that A. and I met in person in Vegas with one of my best friends and her sister and the four of had a great time. A. and I spent a lot of time together and I feel that we have something to work for in the future. Our next trip is to Hawaii in January and I can't wait to go! A. and I talk all the time and skype too. I have had to change my phone plan so that I have unlimited calling to the US so that we can talk without having a $200 phone bill!

This picture was taken after we saw The Phantom of the Opera on our last night in Vegas. We were outside of The Mirage at the volcano show.

We did so much...I was completely exhausted by the time I went to bed!!

That day we went for a buffet lunch, a gondola ride inside The Venetian, went for dinner with R. and her sister and went to see the show...not to mention all that walking too!!

We were sad when we parted ways and it felt like I was leaving part of my heart behind. I haven't felt like this in a long long time and I am so blessed to have met him and to now be his girlfriend.

 I can't wait until our next chance to meet up. He has promised to show me the ocean. Something I have only seen from an airplane flying over Greenland...but he has promised to take me to the beach and now we are planning our trip to Hawaii....but first I need to make my way to Italy.

Happy Musings!!

Changes

I have changed one thing on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 one days list.

I have been having a hard time remembering how many postcards I have sent out so I have taken it off my list. I have instead added going to Las Vegas. Perhaps it is kind of a cheat since I leave for Vegas on Saturday next week but since I always have wanted to go...I have decided to add it to my list...besides it's my list...my life and frankly I can do whatever I want.

Since I left my ex I have concentrated one me and what I want to do. He never wanted to do anything and it was a fight to get him to do anything over the weekend...usually I went to my bestie's house and we had a great time. Her DH calls me the other wife since I am (or was...we have both been very sick lately) there all the time.

I can't wait until we are both feeling better and we can hang out again. It has been a long while since we've seen each other and I miss her.

I am going to be staying at the Paris hotel along the strip. I am so excited!! This is the first time I am flying anywhere on my own! I won't be in LV on my own though, I will be going with a couple of friends. We're just all meeting there. :)

I feel kind of grown up traveling on my own. I don't ever think I will feel like I am a grown up.  There is part of me that I know is bouncing from one idea to the next, my dad says that I get that from him. The other part of me wants to settle down and stay in place.

I'm itching to be on my way and try something new again...

Maybe I need to do some stitching or pick up a new crochet project...my friend Andy did ask me to make him a blanket like the one I made myself. I have to find the right type of yarn...

More Musings to follow.

~M

I feel like a fraud

I went to Church on Sunday and something kept nagging at me. I love going to the Lutheran Church, a very good friend of mine told me about it and thought I would enjoy it because of the issues I have been having with the Catholic Church. I was raised Catholic and even though I liked going I never felt welcome there.

The first time I went to the Lutheran Church I felt welcomed right away. Everyone was happy and said good morning to me with a smile on their face. It didn't feel like they felt like they had to be there like in any Catholic Church I have been to. I met a wonderful lady and her husband and now we all sit together at Church.

The pastor even recognised that I was new the first time I was there and thanked me for coming. I get a smile from those around me every time I amt here.

I feel like a fraud because I am Catholic but I feel more connected to the Lutheran Church. There isn't any kneeling, there isn't communion every Sunday, some of the things that we say are different in mass but I am comfortable there. I feel at home.

I feel like part of me is betraying my Catholic Faith by going to the Lutheran Church. I feel at home there. Am I turning my back on my faith? I still believe in God, the Lutheran Church is the closest to the Catholic Church. I'm just happier believing and practicing my faith in a different way.

I am going to talk to my pastor about this. I feel very confused.

~M

Out of a Funk

I have been in a non-writing funk for the last six weeks or so. I have had absolutely no ambition to write whatsoever, which is highly unusual for me. I am always writing a story or a skit with a dear friend of mine or blogging and yet...I couldn't of been bothered with  any of that. I have even had trouble with my postcards (again so out of character for me).

Seeing a close friend of mine starting up his blog and reading some of his posts (although the wallpaper on his blog scares me) has inspired me to get back to my writing. Angel has always nudged me (well since I have known him) to write and get my thoughts out on paper. I have even joined a Startrek sim again and have been writing with another couple of friends.


The itch to start writing again has been nagging at me for the last couple of days and I have finally been able to find the time to sit down and start writing again. I have missed writing, and at this particular moment my mood is dark and my characters in my writing have reflected this. Hopefully I will be able to pull my characters out of their (or rather my) funk so I don't have to end up killing them off in the plots. I become attached to them and I do not like killing off my characters in my stories if it can be avoided.

More musings to follow...I am off to grab some breakfast and go to Church....perhaps that I will pick up my mood a bit and let my writing become more cheerful.

~M

I have my postcards...what about you?

I love snail mail. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love sending out postcards and receiving them in return. I also have pen pals all over the world. I say that I only work so I can sustain my postcarding habit.

I belong to three postcard groups and am quite active in two out of the three.

Postcardcafe is a small group (well..relatively compared to a couple of other groups I belong to) of people that exchange cards with each other. Every month we have a special round that you can sign up for and exchange themed postcards. People also post if they have any offers for exchange, it's great too if you are looking for a specific kind of card...usually someone has one! Postcardcafe feels like a close tight knit community of friends, I love sharing postcards with this group of friends.

Postcrossing is a much bigger community with hundreds of thousands of postcard addicts exchanging postcards. It works differently as well. After you sign up you can request up to five addresses to send postcards to. After you send the postcard with the special ID code on it and it is registered by the receiver your name enters a queue and a postcard is sent you by another random user. You never know who is going to send you a card or where it is coming from. I think that is one of the best part.

Both groups make me and my mailbox happy. Even if I am having a bad day I almost always come home to find postcards in my mailbox, it always makes me smile.

Total of postcards sent 29/1000

I have 931 days left to finish the above task!! No problem!!

Happy Musings!!

Nearly a Week

It has been nearly a week since I last posted anything...my job seems to be getting in the way of my blogging and my general craftiness! lol. That being said though, I am loving my job and the people that I work with. I think that it also helps that I brought in rice krispy squares, lol. EVERYONE (including those that weren't in my direct dept) were at my desk looking for snacks on Friday lol.

I have decided which trip I am going to do in October...I just need to figure out which days I am going to be going! This is the trip that I have decided to take. I am BEYOND excited that I will be able to take a holiday this year. I am technically going on my own but I will be part of a tour group. This is the first thing I am truly doing on my own without really knowing the people I am traveling with beforehand. Part of that terrifies me and the other part is screaming for this adventure.

I will have so many stories of this adventure when I return home. I can't wait to write about it all.

I am sick with a cold...and now have to attempt to get some rest.

Happy Musings.

I-T-A-L-Y

Today was my first day of work. I had an amazing time!! Everyone is so nice...and no one's thumb is stuck up their ass...(like at my last job)...or at least from what I have seen and I have met the team a couple of times before. I am given two weeks holidays this year, which I think is totally amazing since you normally don't get holidays until after you have worked for the company for a year.

So if you haven't guessed where I am taking my holiday...I've decided that this year I am going to Italy for two weeks on a Trafalgar tour! With my fibromyalgia I have decided to do a tour instead of doing a trip on my own...plus this way it is less stressful and I leave all the planning to someone else.

I just have to decide if I want to go for 11 days or if I should for 14 days. The 14 day tour has a day trip to Switzerland and the 11 day tour only goes to Italy.

Tough decisions right? I have set up hyperlinks to both the tours I am looking at.

11 day tour

14 day tour

Both the tours go to Verona and stop at Juliet's Balcony. Not only is it the balcony from Shakespeare's famous play but it is also the setting in the movie "Letters to Juliet".

I have to say that I love the play (even though it is a tragedy) and I am absolutely in love with the movie. How could I go to Italy and not visit one of the most inspiring places of love?


Once I have decided on the date of when I am leaving my countdown will begin. I am terrible about that...but I know it will. It happened on my last two trips to Europe, so be prepared for a constant update on that front!!

Happy Musings!!

Dangerous to Know

This is the fourth book that I have read in my goal to read 101 novels in 1000 days. It shouldn't be difficult...but I get easily distracted by my crafts, or my postcards, or guides....or geocaching...OMG!! Can we say ADHD Manda??? Want to go for a bike ride??

Read "Tears of Pearl" before you read Dangerous to know...it picks up very close to the ending of Tears of Pearl. I wasn't paying attention and picked up Dangerous to Know before the other one. I wasn't sure that I wanted to to read the previous book...but since I own it, I know I eventually will.

I am still undecided about how I feel about this book to be honest. I had the murderer down to two suspects by the middle of the book although I have to admit that I had it wrong until the 'ah-ha' moment.

I cried when I read this book, with everything that Emily went through all I wanted to do was give her a hug. I have felt the way she did...to an extent. I am as emotional as her at times...I wear my heart on my sleeve. If someone doesn't like me I take it personally and I try and figure out why (after I have had my pout).

This book takes place in Normandy in 1892 at her new mother-in-law's house. A young woman is killed and Emily is the one that finds the body. Her new husband, Colin, doesn't want her to help him with the investigation as she had done with previous cases because of what she had recently suffered. She takes great offense to this because they had agreed that if she were to marry Colin she would keep her independence.

I feel like I can relate to Emily on some level. I may not be a rich woman or a detective but her stubbornness and independence I can. I use to be meek and mousy, now I have a new found independence and I am afraid that if I am with someone...if he doesn't understand...that I will lose that again and I don't want to.

Emily found a new sense of self after her first husband was murdered. I found a new sense of self after I left my husband. I wasn't under his thumb anymore. It scared me at first when I left, I moved back home to my parents house and I asked for nearly everything. I asked if it was okay if I ate something...or if I went out with one of my girlfriends. There are times when I still catch myself asking if I can have a can a pop or an apple.

Now...I like the new me...someone that answers to no one but herself. Some people haven't liked the change and I have had to stop talking to them...while other people like Andy has embraced the new me and has told me how proud he is of me. My parents have noticed the change too and when I get overly emotional or I get really quiet they suggest that I go back to see my counselor. They are proud of me too, they are proud that I was able to leave the situation I was in. I thank every single person that is proud of me.

Most important...I am proud of me.

I like how Emily stands up for what she believes in and how she always holds her head up high even when those around her don't think that she has done the right thing. She truly is my new favourite character.

My 101 things in 1000 days Project

I was terrible and lost track of how many postcards I had sent out...my original goal was to send out 750 postcards but I have now bumped it up to 1000. Am I crazy? Quite possibly...but I have 944 days to send out 1000 postcards and I am sure that I can handle it!

I have also completed another task without even realising that I had it on my list...DUH!! I didn't think that I had put it on my list, I had put 'get a job' on that list. I had a job, it wasn't very consistent...I was temping but now I have a real job and I can't wait to get going on it! And now that I have this job I can start putting $100 aside for every challenge that I have completed.

Do you realise that I will have $10,100 in my savings when I have completed all the items on my list? Perhaps I will use it to take a fantastic trip somewhere...somewhere I probably would never go...Perhaps I will to South America and snorkel with the penguins...A girl can dream right?!? I think I will do that trip next year...

I am going to go through my list over this weekend and see what I can complete before Fall 2013 to make sure that I have that money put aside for the trip. OK, so this my plan. I want this holiday more than anything.

Now that I have gotten slightly off topic...

I have seven items completed:

1. My Crochet Blanket
2. Donate to Kiva
3. Walk in the Rain
4. Go to the Zoo
5. Buy a Zoo Membership
6. Get a Job
7. Go to Dinner by myself

Only 94 more things to go!!

My Blanket

I finished another item on my 101 things in 1001 days. I am making progress on other items as well but I have not kept track as well as I should...I keep forgetting with the postcards (which is really bad!!)

But onto my favourite completion...(even if at the end it was anti-climatic). I finished crocheting my blanket!! When I got to the end it was anti climatic because all I had to do was weave the yarn back into the knots and then it was done...I said 'What??! That's it?!?! Ugh!!'

The first picture is fuzzy (sorry for the quality, it was taken with my phone), but is shows the socks that my mami had knitted me and when she made them she didn't realise how much they would match with the blanket that I was matching. We both thought it was quite hilarious!

This picture when near the end of the blanket, I had six more double rows left and a row of single crochets. I had been doing double crochets my whole blanket (except the first two rows to start it) I had completely forgot how to do single crochets. Mami had to show me how to do them.

I finished the blanket while I was watching The Oscars. Speaking of which...I bought the DVD The Help...must watch that tomorrow lol!!

I have four more items on my UFO list at the moment but I am unsure which one to work on...although I believe that the last four are all on my 100 things list...and if not...they should be!! I will have to look at that more later. Perhaps while I am more awake? I am itching to do something crafty again...between geocaching, me being crafty and my postcards...oh!! Not to mention my blogging I wonder how I find time to breathe some days!

I love my blanket! I am always using it...if I am cuddled on the couch or if I am sleeping in my bed it is with me. I suppose you could say that it is a security blanket of sorts!! I don't think it's a bad thing though, it is good to have something that brings you comfort...I just won't take it out of the house like Linus does from Charlie Brown...or suck my thumb :P

Happy Musings...

Too Long!! (A totally random post)

I am sorry that it has been too long since I last posted anything. I have been sick and really tired with my fibromyalgia and haven't felt like doing much of anything. and that includes posting...I'm sorry for that.

I'm back now and I hope to be back to posting regularly again.

I got a new job!!! I am a certification administrator (a mouthful I know!)  I haven't started yet...start on Monday so I will let you know what all that entails over the next few weeks.

Hmmm....today being the leap day and with that came a special badge you could get if you found a cache today. Since I was going to the monthly pizza and beer event I would get the badge but Geodreamcacher said that he would give me a ride home (thanks!!) and we stopped and his daughter and I grabbed a cache on the way home!

I was able to drop two of the coins in my possession at the event so now Geodreamcacher has one and Kinderken has the other. I grabbed a couple to move along and might take pictures when I move them. I haven't quite decided yet.

Super exhausted, off to watch Survivor (guilty pleasure) and then off to bed. I must fix the coordinates for my micro cache tomorrow and perhaps I will go find a couple of caches along my journey...I feel the need to cache again. I need to cache!!

I built my very own cache!!

 Last time Heather and I went geocaching I forgot my camera in her van. Needless to say I was quite upset with myself. She sent it back to me with a mutual friend of ours and I got it back the following Monday when we met downtown before work started. Inside the bag was a bunch of goodies to make caches, on the left is one of the containers that Heather nicely supplied. This lock 'n' lock container is perfect for a cache because as long as fellow cachers close it properly it will stay free of water.

I had bought some camouflage duct tape from Bass Pro that turned out to be completely useless (like the store)...I went to return it today because the layer of the camo was stuck on the tape and rendered it completely faulty.  Bass Pro is completely useless because when I asked if they had another brand of camo tape they looked at my like I was on glue. It will be a very bad day indeed if I have to shop there again! 

I went to another store (that is thankfully across the street from my house) and I found some new camo duct tape and it works a lot better as you can see from the picture on the left. It took me awhile to completely cover it but I think I should be able to hide it fairly well.

 Look at all the fun goodies I have placed inside the cache!! There is a logbook, pencils, pencil sharpener, batteries (for those who forget their batteries for their GPS), a FTF (first to find) prize - starbucks gift card, and other little trinkets.






I can't wait to place it tomorrow!! My First Cache ever!!!

Travel Bugs and Geocoins

Besides writing a lot about Lady Emily Ashton I seem to also be writing a lot of about Geocaching. I have to say that I can't believe that I had let this hobby of mine lapse for so long!! What on Earth was I thinking??

Today after stopping at the library I went to the Starbucks in the bookstore with one goal in mind. To get a $5 gift card from SB to put as a prize in my cache I am 'releasing into the wild' this weekend. I ran into a guiding friend of mine and when she asked me what I was doing there I said that I was on my way to find a cache. She got all excited and asked me to move a geocoin for her to which I readily agreed. Leanne had it in her possession for awhile and I was glad to take it off her hands. :)

 Are some of you still thinking "what the heck is a geocoin?" The image to the left is the one that I took off Leanne's hands today. It has a special tracking code on it and it is tracked and logged on www.geocaching.com

These are a couple of the geocoins I own. I am going to try and get another one like it so that I can keep one and send one out. I really like the gnome one!! (Hence, the reason why I want to keep one and then send one out). Travel bugs and geocoins also occasionally go missing so it would be nice to have an extra...especially for my own collection.

Now...onto travel bugs. My mission today was to release one of the travel bugs today. A travel bug is basically the same as a geocoin only it can be anything...from a small stuffy with the TB dog tag to a figurine with the dog tag with the special tracking number.

This is the "My Little Pony" travel bug that I have created. I bought the little figure at Toys 'r' us and attached the dog tag. I registered the dog tag and she was ready to go. I will have two other 'my little pony' travel bugs as soon as I can find my other dog tags lol!!

I started this one on Sunday when I went out to try and find a couple of caches but didn't place her anywhere. I think she will be happy in the cache I placed her in and I can't wait to see where she travels. Perhaps I will post how many KMs she travels once a month depending on how much and how far she travels.

Off to plan my next geocaching adventure. I think I am going to grab some caches after my interview and my dentist appointment tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

More Musings to follow!

~Manda

My Friend, Lady Ashton

I seem to be writing a lot about Lady Ashton lately but I can't seem to be able to put down Tasha Alexander's books. I finished "A Fatal Waltz" last night and I loved it. It was full of adventure and intrigue like the other books.

There was one critic that said something along the lines of  'if Jane Austen had written the Da Vinci Code, it would of been this." When they were asked what they thought of "Only to Deceive"...the first book. I tend to agree with that critic.

In "A Fatal Waltz" Emily has been asked by her best friend, Ivy, to join a party. Lord Fortescue and Countess Kristiana von Lange are making her life hell. Lord Fortescue is murdered and Ivy's husband is accused of the crime because of Lord Fortescue threatening to end Robert's (Ivy's husband) political career.

Emily is sent to clear Robert's name before he is hanged for a crime that he has not committed.

I thought I had the murder solved after I was about halfway through but there are twists and turns that I really didn't see coming to be honest...or I was so focused on Emily that I wasn't paying attention to the clues. I would make a poor detective!!

I just started reading "Dangerous to Know" and I have placed "A Poisoned Season" on hold at the library.  I'm kind of sad that there are only two other books after the one I have started reading of Lady Ashton. I will have to find another series or another author to read. It does seem a bit tedious though doesn't it?

Nano Caches *Spoilers*

The smallest of all geocaches are called 'Nano Caches'. They seem to be the bane of my existence! The hardest one that I found was in Airdrie in a metal picnic basket. Heather (my caching buddy) was looking everywhere and I was determined to discover it in the basket. I eventually found it after looking in the same dang spot numerous times!!

Over this past weekend Heather and I found two nano's. This one is our favourite one:

Here is Heather and Miss V (our geocacher in training) at our nano geocache site. Miss V likes the bigger caches that have little toys in them so she can trade something. Even in ones this small she asks if there is something that she can trade!
Very cute.

 There is a little magnet on the bottom of it and it was hidden where the chain would connect to the anchor to the ship.

This cache was no bigger than the top joint of my index finger. If I had dropped the bottom in the rocks I would of been in some serious trouble since the ground was covered by rocks. It is these kind of caches that make me wish I had magnetic hands lol!!...or at least my ring was magnetic!

Geocaching

After my car accident and after I found out that I couldn't do a lot of the things that I used to love to do I discovered geocaching. It is a high tech treasure hunt with a GPS. After you get your GPS (I recommend a Garmin Dakota 20...it is made for geocaching), visit www.geocaching.com to find a cache near you. Once you enter the coordinates into your GPS go out into the world to find the cache.

Now I am sure that you are asking me what the heck is a cache. A cache is a container that is hidden by fellow geocachers. Depending on the size of the container it will hold just a log book, or it will hold a log book and some tradeable items (pins, little toys, etc).

The whole world is our game board! It has been said that we (geocachers) are using million dollar satellites to find tubberware containers. LOL!! It is true though!

Over the weekend I went out with my bestie (Heather) and her daughter Miss V to go find some caches. It had been well over a year since I had done any geocaching whatsoever, and I was itching to get out and find some.

Yesterday we found eight caches!! It wasn't close to our record but finding caches on a gorgeous February day is still very awesome!!!

This is one of the micro caches we found. I stood in front of the tree (where the GPS had lead me) and looked at description of the cache on my GPS and it said green metal capsule. "WHAT?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" I said looking at Heather. She pointed and said "It's right there." We both laughed.
 
Can you see how small the log is rolled up to fit inside the bison tube?



With a cache this small (and if Heather and I are together) one of us holds the pieces and the other one signs the log sheet.

I usually am the one that rolls up the sheet again and puts it back in the tube. Although with this one Heather did the rolling and putting it back together as I decided to take pictures for the blog.

As much as I tease Heather about always loading the micro caches into the GPS I still like finding them!

Lushies

About three years ago my best friend H. introduced me to LUSH. I didn't really get into it though until our trip to Banff two years ago during the start of the holiday season. I then was introduced to my favourite product of all time! Snow Fairy shower gel, which can also be used as a shampoo. I use it with my Veganese conditioner and my hair then smells like cherry cotton candy and lemonade.

I didn't buy any Snow Fairy these past Christmas season since I still had some from last year. I wanted to change things up a little bit too after using Snow Fairy all last year. This year though I am going to buy it!!

I do have the Snow Fairy Bubble Bar wand and the Godmother soap that smell exactly like the shower gel...so the rest of me will still of cherry cotton candy...just not my hair LOL!!

I think I am going to post some of my favourite items from LUSH (and occasionally my not so favourite) as a sort of review.

Happy Lush Times!!

Disappointment

 It came to an end for me on Sunday.

Brad, someone who I had considered a friend for a long time, and someone who had seen me through this past year had changed into someone that I no longer recognized. We used to talk every morning, him being 9 hours ahead of me, I would talk to him on BBM while I made my way to work. We used to write on RPGs together too and had a great time.

After my husband and I broke up he was still there for me listening...but when I said that I didn't want to be with him things slowly started to change. When I went to Quebec things really began to change.

I don't think he liked the fact that I was doing things for myself, I wasn't relying on my ex or on anyone else. I was doing things for ME, I was keeping myself busy, enjoying my five weeks in Quebec.

Suddenly I didn't have time for him and he took it very personally. He would make fun of my french background when I am proud of it. There was a rule between us, if there was a topic that we didn't want to talk about or that we weren't allowed to tease each other about it was off limits. I followed this rule but he didn't seem to understand it. He would continue to push my buttons.

He didn't like any of my other friends and would fight with them on my Facebook page, he would tell me that I needed better looking friends, that I needed skinnier friends.

Brad would tell me that he missed the old Manda. I replied with the meek, quiet one that never stood up for herself? He would tell me to be less dramatic but I knew that he wanted the meek and quiet Manda back. We would argue about this...I missed the nice Brad who didn't belittle me or made me cry on the bus.

Every time he would contact me over BBM I would tense, wondering what we would argue about this time.

He is nine hours ahead of me...so when he is ending his day I am beginning mine. When I was busy running errands, at work, doing chores, he took it as I was blowing him off. I tried explaining to him that that wasn't the case...he never believed me. 

Saturday this past week I was out on my own, eating lunch and reading my book while I was downtown. I was really into my book and when I said that I would talk to him later because I wanted to read he didn't listen. I said that I met up with a friend. I hadn't lied to him before.

Sunday morning he asked me if I had really met up a friend. I got defensive with him. I technically had met up with a friend...but it was earlier in the day. He said that he hadn't trusted me for a long time. I told him that I had to go finish cleaning the kitchen so I could go out. He didn't believe me, I didn't want to get into a fight with him. I sarcastically asked if he wanted a pic of me cleaning the kitchen to prove that I was doing the dishes. He said yes.

With that I decided that this was no longer worth my time and energy. I told my mom what had happened and showed her the texts. I told her that I had already gone through this with my ex and I didn't want to do it anymore. My friend Angel said "Finally!" He had been trying to tell me that Brad was treating me like my ex but I wouldn't listen.

Brad sent me a message today that read "You removed me on BBM and Facebook?? Just like that?? WOW. I guess I was right all along. One big Fuck you Brad. So thanks, whatever. So much for my friendship huh."

He doesn't get it at all!! He doesn't understand why I did it when I explained it to him almost every time we spoke.

There is part of me that feels bad, my friend Andy says it's because I have a big heart. Another part of me wants to scream and throw a fit but what would that solve but giving Brad more power?

Time for a cup of tea, some Lady Ashton and bed.  I feel better now that I have gotten this off my chest. It is still a sad post. :(

UFOs

No I am not talking about the flying objects in the sky filled with little green (or grey) men. If you are a crafter of any kind then you know exactly what I am talking about! Those projects that we start and are so excited about until we find another cross stitch pattern or find new yarn at the yarn store.

Yes this has happened to me on several occasions and I have finally decided to battle this UFO (unfinished objects) problem. Tonight I created a list of what I am going to complete before I start something else. I have to finish one project before I start another one OR buy something new.

I also joined my friend's UFO blog and we are going to keep each other going....well not just me and H but also all the girls that are participating.

Here is her new blog that is tied to her main one : http://finish-it-first.blogspot.com/

I had to really think about my UFOs. I thought that I had more than five but apparently...at this particular moment I only have five.

1. My crocheted blanket (I have two more sections to complete and I am determined to finish it this weekend)
2. Mirabilia Spring Queen (cross stitch)
3. H.  (cross stitch)
4. Jacobean design (cross stitch)
5. Spring Fairy (cross stitch)

I will be posting pictures of my progress starting tomorrow (hopefully).

More Musings to follow.

~Manda

My Dinner Partner

I was at the mall downtown on Friday after buying my boots and eating a hamburger when my dinner partner joined me. He didn't say much but was friendly and I gladly shared my dinner with him.
He thanked me and off he went. A happy moment that day.

Lady Emily Ashton

Lady Emily is my new heroine. She is the main character in Tasha Alexander's books. I first found out about Tasha's book while wandering through the new and notable section at the library. Her latest book, A Crimson Warning, popped out at me and after quickly reading what it was about I borrowed it.

I read the book in two days. I couldn't put it down. I obviously won't give much away since it is (I believe it is the six book) but it is set during the reign of Queen Victoria. Emily is a sort of detective and she has to work on why someone is splashing her aristocratic neighbours front doors and stairs with red paint. After the door is splashed red paint a terrible secret the homeowners are trying to keep secret is revealed...and well it ruins them in society.

I do recommend reading the first book, And Only to Deceive, before reading any of the others. I definitely believe that is where you learn the most about Lady Ashton...or rather why she is the way that she is.

She reminds me a lot of myself really...forced to start over (although she is a widow and I am in the middle of a divorce). Emily is quite stubborn and headstrong...two things that I have been told that I am as well. She also wants to be loved and in a relationship...but as an equal and not as a second class citizen.

Lady Emily Ashton...I think you and I will become fast friends!!

A New Beginning

As I begin this year (even though we are already nearly a full month into 2012) I have decided to start this new blog.

My old blog had things about what my ex and even though I am sure that there will be the occasional blog about him (this will become increasingly rare) I will be focusing on the future instead of the past.

To help my life move in a new direction I have also created a list...101 things in 1001 days.

Here is the address of my list: http://dayzeroproject.com/user/NunaBex

I have already completed 5 of the 101 items on my list including:

1.  Go to the Zoo
2. Walk in the rain
3. Donate to Kiva
4. Go to dinner by myself
5. Buy a zoo membership

I have also realised that I enjoy spending time on my own and I don't need to ALWAYS be surrounded with people. I have gone to the zoo on my own, the movies and to dinner on my own. When I was married I was never this way...now I like the quiet time that I have on my own.

I am working on two other things as well:

1. Send 750 postcard...I have sent about 30 postcards so far
2. Read 101 books. I have finished two books this week, both by my new favourite author, Tasha Alexander. I read A Crimson Warning and And Only to Deceive.

I have read 640 pages in 7 days!!! That completely amazes me...I don't think I have ever read that fast before...I am normally such a s...l....o....w reader!!

I have borrowed all of Tasha's books except two from the library, one because I already bought it and the second....I want to read all the Lady Emily Ashton books before I read Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Perhaps I will go read some more. LOL

More musings to follow!

~M