Writing Wednesday - More of an: Idea for a Story talk Wednesday

I WANT to write a story about something that happens to me. But, I'm not sure how to go about it. Here's what happens:
As I walk to the school to fetch various kindergarteners, one belonging to me, I have visions of Worst Case Scenarios (Dark Visions is going to be the title of the story) and then I think about what I would do, how would I react in each scenario.

I see myself falling on the ice and breaking my leg and having to pull myself along to a nearby house.
I see a mushroom cloud in the distance and imagine myself instantly not exsisting and ending up as a black sillouette on the brick wall of the school.
I see an earthquake happening as I walk to the school and see myself getting to the school and huddling with my kids and waiting to see if my husband will make it to the school...
On the way home I can see kids impaling themselves on sticks that they are running with...
I see that stupid pit bull that gets out of his yard, attack us and rip up my arm because I'm trying to protect the children (would I be able to ever crochet again?).
I see a kid I'm supposed to being taking care of Jump off of playground equipment and break his leg,
I see a kid NOT listen to me and run out into the street and get run over by a car who didn't see him because they were talking on their cell phone.

Then I get home and sink in my chair and sigh a big sigh of relief... I made it home... nothing bad happened! Whew!
and then...
What if one of those things ACTUALLY happened and because I have been running it through my mind and thinking about what I would do if that happened... I was the hero because I was able instantly jump into action and save the day!

Anyway. That's MY idea. And I will keep thinking about HOW to write that into a story.
Thanks for listening.

Sorry about Friday. Let's continue with a Miscellaneous Monday.

Today for Miscellaneous Monday I'll show you the cake I made and decorated for a Baby Shower that I was volunteered to be in charge of...
I've never hosted a baby shower before... but I hear that I did a good job. That's one of my talents I guess, that even though I'm a bonefide introvert, I can get up in front of people and be entertaining.
I LOVED this cake and was sad that I only got one piece.
I took a lemon cake mix (I always sift the cake mix to make it lighter and airy and NO Lumps) and added the juice of one lemon to the water amount, and the zest of same lemon to the mix as well. Nice and lemony.
Then, I put cream cheese frosting with the zest of another lemon in the middle and frosted all around with a lemon frosting. Wrote the words with a vanilla frosting w/ blue food coloring and paste.
After I got done I realized that the baby coming out of a flower seemed a bit Freudian... but, it's also very Japanese fairy tale too. Babies are always coming out of plants and fruits to be raised by childless elderly people in Japan. So, that made it okay. whew!

The lady who voluteered me to be in charge makes a wonderful Texas Sheet cake and was in charge of making sure the gift opening went smoothly.
Everyone enjoyed the Introduction Game: where everyone took turns standing up telling what their name was and WHY their parents gave them that name and/or what their name means.
Then we also played identify the baby food without the labels on them, and who can guess the measurement of the mom-to-be's tummy?
That was ENOUGH games. Games are best in moderation.
Present opening, cake and icecream eating.
And everyone had a great time.
And Now I have Baby Shower Hosting Experience under my belt.
Let's hope I don't have to do this again for a loooong time. K?



Let me just quickly make up for Friday by telling you about this: At my children's school there is a big display set up about Ancient American Indian Wall Drawings. I felt inspired and started making a figure from those wall drawings... then I turned it into a bag. I want to make more and then I will photo graph it and show and talk more about it on Friday. K?

Writing Wednesday is more like Writer's Wednesday

I don't have time to write a story today. I have one in mind... I have several in mind... but, no time. And I don't want to get into any habit of missing my Monday, Wednesday, Friday crafting habit.

So, instead of writing a story I'm going to mention a few of my favorite books. I can't mention them all, but, I can write about the ones that have really stuck with me through the years and new favorites too.

1. Sherri S. Tepper the 9 books that all start with King's Blood Four.
I read King's Blood Four after I borrowed it from my mom's bookcase. And then I kept it. And then I read it over and over again. A world based on chess ...cool.
Then, year's later the night before my wedding I was in a used book store in Logan, Utah. That is where I found book number three: Wizard's Eleven! I was FLOORED! There are more?
That night I bought that book and began my search for number 2: Necromancer's Nine.
I found the first trilogy and then found out there were two more trilogies that went with the first one.
So far I've found 8 out of 9, PLUS a 3 books in one book that includes the one book I'm missing.
Last night I even thought about writing Sherri S. Tepper a fan letter about the King's Blood Four series. They never mention these books when they tell about the books she's written.
I think she also wrote a book about a River... oops, I can't remember but I'll have to find it... I've been thinking about it lately. I like that one too. I think I got a two books in one book and I still need to find it! Southshore and Northshore from 1987. Found the names not the book. :(
She writes about wonderfully grotesque and fantastical characters, she uses such beautiful and highly descriptive language that I can see exactly what she is writing about, and talk about great plot and world making!
They are all out of print and hard to find... but, WORTH IT!
She also has a Marianne trilogy that I'm trying to find too. I think I have the middle one...:(

I've figured out that I love books about people from Earth coming to a new planet and then seeing what their society develops into after hundreds or thousands of years after they've even forgotten they are originally from Earth. The King's Blood Four series does that.

2. Also, Marion Zimmer Bradley's world of Darkover series does that and I grew up loving those books. MZB also did an anthology series, Swords & Sorceress. I almost have all 21? of those books. Alas, Marion Zimmer Bradley died a while back.

I went downstairs to my triple stacked bookcase and found these books. They are all dog-eared, much read and much loved. I remember them. I grabbed them and want to read them again!

3. Nor Crystal Tears by Alan Dean Foster
4. The Colors of Space by Marion Zimmer Bradley
5. Crystal Singer by Anne McCafferey (also Killashandra Ree I think is the next one)
6. The Postman by David Brin
7. One for the Morning Glory by John Barnes (a great fairy tale)
8. Snow Crash by Neal Stephens (cyber punk!)
and then there's
9. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (also A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith)
SO FUNNY! (I want to read all of Terry Pratchett's books... a life time goal. :)
10. All the Harry Potters!
11. All the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
(well, anything by Lemony Snicket! Have you read The Latke that wouldn't stop screaming?)
12. Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay

There's more but, I'd say that's enough for now. That's the basics.
Each one of these books brings memories and feelings to my mind and heart.
I remember far away places and favorite people that I have visited and revisited.
Who needs to travel?!
I love books.

Miscellaneous Memory Monday

As the oldest child of four, (I have 3 younger brothers) I often remember being the first to do something. Except blowing bubbles in gum and whistling, I had to work hard on those to catch up to my brothers.
From my perspective today I've thought of something interesting:

I was the first to take piano lessons and play clarinet and be in band at school. It was "my thing". I played clarinet from Jr. High through college until my carpal tunnel got bad.
I can still plunk out a tune on the piano... but, man! I'm rusty!
Plus, I spent hours and hours forcing my brothers to "play school" during the summer and I was their teacher!
And now my youngest brother is a Band Teacher in a High School in Idaho.

I ALWAYS got A's in Psychology. I've always loved studying how the mind works, personality tests, etc. Even talking with my brother on the phone about what I should study in school (someday!) he reminded me that I always loved Psychology!
What is this brother doing? He's going to school to be a Psychologist/Therapist.

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS loved reading books. I remember searching for books on Eygpt in 4th grade. I remember wearing my dad's army jacket in Jr. High and getting teased about being "Hot Lips" Hoolihan. Why did I wear that jacket? Because it could hold two paperback books at the same time. From Jr. High through High School I always was reading two books at the same time. I remember being proud that I read at a college level all through High School.
Even on the night before my wedding I went to a used book store with my mother-in-law and husband to be.
What does my middle brother do? He SO out-reads me and not with just any books... he reads the classics! He is SO SMART. My husband and I really enjoy talking with him.
He's read all the classic books that I've always wanted to read but, this sci-fi/fantasy book over here looks like more fun...! :)

I'm not really jealous... the more I've thought about it, the more I would like to think that perhaps I helped my brothers? Maybe I started doing or liking something that helped them get toward where they've ended up? Could it be that I was any sort of good example for them?No matter what, I'm happy for them.
Growing up, I was like a little mother to my brothers. I wish we could be better friends now.
And I can see that we each DO have something in common.

Crochet Friday!

How many times do I need to say it... I Love Crochet! (I guess I need to say it a lot!)

This is MY Crochet Story:
I've always had a need for creative outlets.
I doodled political cartoons when I was in Elementary / Jr. High School.
I doodled and drew all the time. I read all the time too.
I took piano lessons. I sang in my Ward choir.
I joined Band in Jr. High and learned to play a clarinet.
I remember learning how to crochet a chain as a young teenager.
But, that's as far as I got with crochet back then.
My whole life I would experiment with creative things. I even made a Ninja Turtles cake for my little brother and an MTV cake for myself (back when MTV showed videos that had a story line and good music! :)
I even took some of my mom's counted cross stitch material and made a bustier for my Barbie doll.
It's funny that I can't remember anyone helping me or encouraging me or giving me any opportunities in the creativity department. I had to go out and do and find what I could to give myself a creative outlet. And boy! did I need an outlet! (Mom, if you read this, and if you can remember encouraging me or helping me discover creative outlets... let me know. :)
When I was a newlywed and newly diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I used my ample time to hand stitch together a levi quilt out of old levis. After 13 years it's ALMOST done... I
worked on it last year with my new sewing machine.
I was able to make a wedding cake for our friend's wedding, they liked my carrot cake recipe and I even decorated it very nicely using baggies before I got into Wilton products.
In college I took art classes and loved to paint. Having kids made it so I had to take a hiatis and I hope to be able to paint again (when kids are both in school all day and I can be by myself).
In 1999 we moved from Provo to Salt Lake City.
In, I believe, May of 2000 we had a Homemaking meeting where a friend of mine taught a class on crocheting doilies. I still have the one I made... it's HORRIBLE!!!! My friend makes gorgeous doilies and even gave me one of hers later on... but, me?, I make horrible doilies!
Doilies will NEVER be my claim to fame.
From that one meeting, I was curious. I bought a book that taught me the stitches and how to read all the abbreviations in patterns. I bought hooks. I bought yarn. and because at that time I was wanting baby #2, so, I started my first real crochet project.... baby booties.
I wasn't very good at it though, because I ended up making ONE BOOTY per pattern I found.
and I found a lot of patterns. I still have a bag with a collection of different booties in my basement.
Thanks to the internet I found tons of patterns and experimented and tried and played with all sorts of yarns, hooks and ideas and patterns.
I discovered Tunisian Crochet and figured out that THAT was how my Grandma made afghans for all her grandkids. Unfortunately she gave all her tunisian crochet away BEFORE she found out that I crocheted. (a small sore spot with me, let's move on)
I discovered a kind of tunisian crochet that uses two yarns at the same time... and even managed to figure out how to do three!
After all that I figured out how to make my own crocheted projects just by looking at the pictures in the patterns and in magazines.
I now have almost all of the hooks (not too many thread crochet hooks). I have B-K, plus the LMNP also the Q hook (my favorite!), S hook and a two sided T size maple wood Tunisian crochet hook. I have also dabbled in the knitting world and own a few sets of knitting needles.
AND after almost 8 years I have ended up with 6+ rubbermaid containers of yarn.
I'm also a subscriber to CROCHET! magazine and am trying a subscription to Crochet today! magazine too.
I am now officially "the Crochet Lady". Even women who know how to crochet call me if they have a problem with a pattern OR have a pattern in their head that they would like made into a written pattern. (It was fun for her to make her reversible afghan and have me write down what she was doing.)
I love making little bags (coin bags, dice bags, tooth fairy bags, etc.). I end up making requested outfits for small stuffed animals (so far, ballerina tutus and karate gi's). I make small blankets for baby dolls and stuffed animals. I make scarves, and hats and slippers. I WANT to make socks and gloves. I've made myself a purse... and now I need to make another one that's smaller but, still fits my stuff... but not too much stuff.
Any time any one needs something, I can do it. And I like the feeling of being able to say that.
I am working on trying to be a crochet instructor for Michael's... sheesh people call me already!
AND
Right now I'm working on an abstract art piece for the Church International Art Competition in which I have never seen a crocheted work of art. (wish me luck!)
I'm looking into Amigurumi (a japanese form of crochet where you make little animals and people with big heads. :) and Free Form Crochet where you can use all your little scraps to make a beautiful work of art that you can wear.
I love having Crochet Day at my friend's house on Fridays.
Talking with a friend and crocheting, it's a perfect combination.

I love Crochet.
I love yarn.
I'm a yarn hoarder.
I know I have a problem.
I can stop any time I want.

Crochet Land, it's a beautiful and colorful and soft place to live...
however you do end up with little pieces of yarn stuck to your clothes all the time...
eh, it's a cheap price to pay to live in Crochet Land!

Writing Wednesday!

Just so you know, everything I write on Writing Wednesday, is right out of my head with only a couple of read throughs and adjustments. Thus they are all pretty much rough drafts of things that have been floating around in my head for a while. Read them as such. I don't mind any critics piping in. (make sure you don't miss the pic at the bottom!)


Cats in the Park

It was cold as I walked to school to pick up Mara from kindergarten. It's only a block and a half, but it's a nice little walk. I love to walk past our little neighborhood park where the sky really opens up and I can see the mountains.
And then, a month ago those statues were put into MY park. I know the city means well by putting "art in the park", but did they have to put those creepy giant cat statues there? They sit just so, each one looking in a different direction. Each one a different color. Each one taller than my 6 year old.
I know I'm just paranoid, but, every time I walk past the park I swear I see a flicker of an ear, or a movement of a brass eye. The lady across the street told me that she likes to think that they are protectors of the neighborhood. I want to believe that. I want to believe they are on "our" side. I'm a cat person, and I know that cats are basically good creatures. But, I also know that, unlike dogs, you have to earn their love and respect and protection.
As much as I love art and love cats, they're still creepy.
On the other hand, it's been a while since I've seen graffiti in the park.
Older kids have begun to avoid the park...
So, no matter what happens, no matter what I see out of the corner of my eye, as I pass my little park I always end up thinking of the Egyptian cat goddess Bast and I bob my head towards the creepy Cats in the Park and thank them for protecting my neighborhood.

Today's Miscellaneous Monday is about Photography!

The City of Salt Lake purchased this mansion just recently and on Saturday had an open house so citizens can help figure out what to do with it. It was built in 1893 for a man from Germany who was a brewer. The pamphlet said that it cost $13,000. to build back then. Man! have times changed! Their open house was from 2-4pm and we got there soon after 2pm and had to park WAYY down the street and THEN it took a whole hour to get through it because there were SO MANY PEOPLE there. WE had to wait for people to come down the stairs before we could go up, and wait for people to come up before we could come down. It was crowded and smelled like an old musty house that's seen better days, BUT it WAS BEAUTIFUL. I think I will be using that word a little too much here. BEcause there were so many little details, so many little beautiful details. It's the little details that make things really special. And this was a special mansion. I was happy to get to go and take part in our local government.

Here's a statue of Mary out in front of the mansion. After the mansion wasn't being used as a house anymore it was turned into a convent for the sisters of Our Lady of Victory and after that was used as a halfway house for men who were homeless or on drugs. So there was a lot of wear and tear and too many modern "fixes" that made a prettty room into an ugly office.

Here's a detail from the front steps. You just don't get to see detail work like this anymore.

To the left you can see that the stairs are horrible... but, at least they are protected on both sides by these pretty stone/concrete work.

Here's a fireplace in a front room of the mansion. Such beautiful tiles!

Here's a close up on the decorative tile on that fireplace.

The carriage house. It was all boarded up. No one allowed inside. Nice view of the smokestacks in the background, eh? When it was built it was 2 miles away from downtown and out in the middle of nowhere. Now it is by itself in the middle of an industrial area and behind Questar Gas (we could SMELL the natural gas) and a freeway is right across the street from it.

Our neighborhood is 9 blocks north of here and 50 years ago it was out in the middle of nowhere too. It used to have natural springs and a big dairy. My how things change!

Here's a beautiful wall air vent... in the basement. The basement was, well, basementy ew. but, in the middle of it all was this beautiful air vent.

Here's the inside of the front door as we left. I wish I had been able to take a picture of the tile on the floor right here, but, like I said there were so many people coming and going, I was lucky to be able to stand still long enough to take this one.

Isn't this a beautiful stone bench? It was outside in the back yard next to the carriage house.

I want one in front of my house! I also want some pretty statues of St. Francis of Assissi.

Anyway, it was a nice tour. I took a ton of pics. I think some of them are kind of good. I hope you enjoyed some of the neater details of this mansion that could some day be an art / cultural / community center.???