Safe and warm

Here's my kitteh, Nom, again. She's all cuddled up in a soft blanket on top of my bed. Safe and warm, a lucky kitteh. It's snowing right now and we're under the second lake effect snow warning of the week. We're supposed to get anywhere from 4 inches to like 2 feet of snow in the next 2 days. Well, it's Ohio, this is how it be. If you can't take the snow, move to Florida. A true Ohioan will bitch a lot, put the snow brush in the car and make fun of the local tv weatherman..."Oooh...four inches by morning? Let me know when it's four inches an hour, wimp!" But this post isn't about snow or being safe and warm...this post is about thinking you're safe and warm. Then you find out there really is 2 feet of snow outside and you can't escape it. My youngest son has had this friend since he was 7 or 8 years old. His friend's mom and I became friends because of their friendship. She always says "You and I are best friends in second grade." About 4 years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has had many different kinds of treatments for it, as the breast cancer cells migrated to her lungs and liver. It's been up and down...this test result was good, then this one was bad...putting your hope in the next treatment. Her latest test results show the tumour in her liver is now fist-sized and the tumours in her lungs are getting bigger. She's in constant pain now for the first time since this all began, as the tumour grows and pushes out from inside her. She said "When I don't take a pain pill, man, I really feel it." Her doctor gave her a year. A year? A year left of her life? Are you serious? I can't even fathom this statement. I start to imagine...her son, her husband, her sisters, her life...but my mind just keeps saying "A year? A year?" Less than 2 months ago, after a doctor's check-up, my almost-83 year old mother was diganosed with lung cancer. A fist sized tumour, pushing against her airway, completely closing off her right lung. Fist sized. Why always "fist-sized"? Because it makes you want to punch something? Why not "apple sized" or even "the size of a wireless mouse"? Why not even "3 inches in diameter"? I guess maybe the fist is sort of like a metaphor for cancer. My mother has had 4 chemo sessions, with another scheduled for tomorrow, but she is fading fast - not eating, not drinking, not sleeping, the other day it took her 2 hours to take a shower. She leaves herself notes that say "Wash dishes. Get dressed. Brush hair." My sister is going to move mom in with her now. To take care of her as she finishes her life. Mom will be happy to have the company of her family and maybe that will even make her feel better, give her a little longer. A little longer to see the snow, snuggle a kitten and feel the comfort of a warm blanket.

Punchline! Go listen to them!

Sure, my pathetic little blog doesn't have any followers or any comments or even any readers, for that matter, but today I'm going to blog about SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT and I know the universe will resonate with the hum of my good intentions and send people my way to read this post. Then the word will be spread. And the universe will smile and tap their foot along to that which is.......... PUNCHLINE. (And let me say how proud I am of me that I actually figured out how to imbed that video here. *brushes off shoulder*) PUNCHLINE...this band is from PA, my neighbouring state, and I've been listening to them for about a year. My youngest son found them on Youtube and once he played the "Green Light" video for me, I was hooked. We've seen them live twice this year and while both shows were TOO SHORT, both shows were equally amazing. This is a band that deserves your attention, deserves NATIONAL attention and deserves your hard earned money. Go buy their cds at the store, online or wherever... just GO BUY THEIR CDS. Listening to Punchline will make you more attractive to the opposite sex, make you lose (or gain...depending on your needs!) 30 pounds fast, chop your vegetables in record time and will make that Oxi-Clean guy stop shouting! Listen,buy, enjoy.

My Etsy Shop

I added a bunch o'new stuffis to my Etsy shop yesterday...some dog stuffis, some cat stuffis and of course, the crazy fabric snowmen. Click the Etsy Mini over there on the left to check it all out.

Bob the Polydactyl cat is trying to figure out which FishChuks toy he wants.

"Simple Tips"

I get an email every day that has a "simple tip" in it as it pertains to recycling and eco-friendliness. Sometimes the tips crack me up as did today's: Purchase recycled wrapping paper and biodegradable tape for your wrapping this season. Because nothing says love like a package wrapped in some old, used, wrinkled wrapping paper! And with biodegradable tape, forget those "Do Not Open 'Til Christmas" gifts...by the time Christmas gets here, the gifts will have opened themselves since the tape fell apart! Okay, here's another one from last month: Don’t flush your trash. Using your toilet as a trash receptacle wastes water and can cause plumbing problems. Damn! Now what the hell am I going to do with these banana peels? My friend Carole said it best: "Now how will I ever get rid of my bottles, cans, chicken carcasses, old clothes, and old appliances?" BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Simple tips...sometimes just simply stupid. EDIT..11.12.08 ZOMG! I just got another hilarious tip in my email! *ahem*: When you wash your car or boat, never let soaps or other cleaners enter your storm drains. How, exactly, does one do that, pray tell? Maybe you have to wash your car in a giant kiddy pool! Or maybe you wash the car in a giant bag! Yeah! A giant bag...sort of like those oven bags you use for roasting chicken! T H U D I'm picturing the process of writing these tips, down there at the "Simple Tips" office: "So...Simple Tip #563...um...water...something to do with water. What uses a lot of water? Taking a shower? Washing your dog? Washing your CAR! THAT'S it!" "We already did a Simple Tip about wasting water while washing your car, Dave." "We did?" "Yeah, it was Simple Tip #289." "Oh. Okay...let's think outside the box here, Bob. How else can washing your car be bad for the environment?" "Uh...washing....your car...uh...wastes....soap!" "Soap, Bob? Is that like a natural resource?" *thinks* "Hey Dave! It's lunchtime! Wanna half a tuna sammich?"

Just call me Ms. Blogger

No, don't, because I have not been here to update shit in over a week! Ack! I need to leave myself a note or something.....

Well, I'm off to NY for a long weekend and the besty bestest Halloween ever! I finished my costume TODAY because I kept hating parts of it and changing it. It's supposed to be 60-ish and sunny on Friday, so that would sure be great since I didn't design a COAT to go with my costume. Of course..that could be a great excuse to go BUY a new coat! In New York no less! Hmm.....*thinks*

And I hope to find some awesome fabrics at Mood! Yes, that's right, Project Runway fans, we'll be visiting Mood Fabrics this weekend! I hope no one punches me out when I turn to leave and yell "Thank you Mood!!" ala Tim Gunn.

Stay tuned for cool Halloween pics next week!

Random Thought Part I

I was cleaning out the cupboard in the kitchen today where we keep the Tylenol and cold medications and stuff like that. There was actually some childrens Tylenol in there that expired in 2004! Obviously this cleaning task was well overdue! So, I figured I would post a sort of Public Service Announcement just to remind everybody how to properly dispose of old medications. Important stuff here, for people and the environment. The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say just three small steps can make a huge difference: 1. DO NOT FLUSH unused medications. Consumers were once advised to flush their expired or unused medications; however, recent environmental impact studies report that this could be having an adverse impact on the environment. 2. When tossing unused medications, protect children and pets from the potentially negative effects. APhA recommends that consumers: Crush solid medications or dissolve them in water (this applies for liquid medications as well) and mix with kitty litter or sawdust (or any material that absorbs the dissolved medication and makes it less appealing for pets or children to eat), (I mix the meds with coffee grounds and wrap all of it in tin foil) then place in a sealed plastic bag BEFORE tossing in the trash. Remove and destroy ALL identifying personal information (prescription label) from the medication container. Check for approved state and local collection programs or with area hazardous waste facilities. In certain states, you may be able to take your unused medications to your community pharmacy. 3. Talk To Your Pharmacist. Research shows that pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals. As the medication experts on the healthcare team, pharmacists are available to guide you on how to properly dispose of your unused medications. Okay, so there's your task for the day. Go clean out your medicine cabinet and properly dispose of old meds.

My Halloween Costume

One of my besty-bestest friends, Jules, lives in NY. (I heart NY!) Every year, she sends me these awesome photos of their Halloween activites and I just get so jealous because it looks like a totally kick ass day. Well...this year, Halloween's on a Friday and Jules invited me to come, stay, visit and trick or treat with her and her fam! COOLNESS! I was at Expedia.com faster than you could click that "I forgot my password" link. It's been a cool millennium since I dressed up for Halloween, so I went through a lot of ideas. It had to be something fantasy, something I would NEVER wear IRL. A fairy? A unicorn? An elf? Then my son came up with the most obvious and perfect idea...a HOOP GIRL! I'm an avid hooper ("hula hoop" for you novices out there) and most hoopers are young, pretty and thin and they wear crazy costumes to hoop in...stuff with flow and colour. You can Google Image search "hoop girl" and you'll get an idea of what I mean. So, I'm going to be a Hoop Girl for Halloween, but a more covered version. A 40-something version,if you will. ; ) These are the fabrics I'm using for my costume. (see picture up there^) Here's a link to a blog that has pictures of Jule's relative's house: http://www.newyorkshitty.com/?p=9368 Now you see why I'm so excited to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Today's my day off and I hope to get a lot of sewing done on this. I also have to go to the post office and see just how I can mail a few hoops to NY. I'm going to assume I won't be able to take them as carry-on! I have directions on how to make collapsible hoops, but I honestly don't think I'm going to have the time to make any! It's only a little over 2 weeks away! :::shifts into stress mode::: Plus, the final episode of Project Runway is on tonight! Gotta love Wednesday!