Quote It - Practical Magic

 Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can."

— Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you have a great day. 
I hope everyone has something to be thankful for this time of year.


I'm thankful for my husband, my little boy, my family, for having people to love and being loved by them.  I'm thankful for my life.





cross posted with The Little Bookworm

A Tribute...

So yesterday was the 2nd anniversary of my favorite uncle's death.  It's hard to believe that it's been two years.  My uncle was married to my aunt (my father's sister) for 25 years, but he was my dad's best friend for almost 50 years.  I know that my dad still feels the loss of his friend as to the rest of us.  I still miss a lot and sometimes I find myself thinking about something I want to say to him or show him and then I remember.

My uncle died of pancreatic cancer on Thanksgiving two years ago.  He waited until we were all together as a family which was really just like him.  He had been sick for almost 6 months when he died, but he had been a wheelchair for a very long time.  A motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the waist down and he had a lot of health problems as a result so it might have been a relief to him, I don't know.  I don't say that meanly but when you've been as sick as he was, I imagine the loss of that pain to be a relief.

By Thanksgiving he wasn't lucid and was actually in a coma at the time.  But a few days before we visited him (he was at home) and talked for a little while.  He loved my little boy who loved him back and I know my uncle loved seeing him (the boy wasn't a year yet) so he got to hold him a little.  And as we were leaving he said told me to take care of that boy and I said I always would and then we said our I love yous and that was the last conversation I ever had with him.  But I keep it in my heart as I keep my uncle in my heart.

Quote It Saturday - On My Bones

What these years have brought me
What these years have taught me
Heartache and fame
A chance to change
A Hope to be stronger
That beauty can smolder
A stage and a curtain
That nothing's for certain
Oh these years have been hard on my bones

- Kendall Payne "On My Bones"

50 Things

A meme someone sent me long ago...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No

2.WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? last night

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It's okay, my calligraphy is pretty good

4.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? roast beef, but only if it on the rare side

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 1 crazy little man

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yeah, I'm nice and funny and try to be thoughtful

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? ahahaha yes

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? no

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? yes

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms or Count Chocula, you know anything with marshmallows

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no although I know I should

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Dippin Dots Banana Split

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? smile and hair

15. RED OR PINK? i want to say pink but really red

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my temper

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my friends from Iberia, it's quiet here

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? it's up to them

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? blue jeans and brown boots

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Superior Saturday by Garth Nix

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? orange

23. FAVORITE SMELL? almond

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?  husband I think

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? But of course!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? curling

27. HAIR COLOR? brown with blond streaks

28. EYE COLOR blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes I do.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? BT's spaghetti

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? A Christmas Story last night

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? maroon

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? neither, spring

35. HUGS OR KISSES? depends on who you are

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? king cake

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Blue Moon by Alyson Noël

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Mr. Men and Little Miss

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Scrubs

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? Little man's laugh

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Rome, Italy

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? IDK, I have good aesthetics


49. IS THE CUP HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? Depends of what's in the cup, but half full

50. IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN TO DINNER WITH FIVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Whoever is willing to come.

Quote It Saturday - Sing

Sing
Sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Sing
Sing a song

Sesame Street "Sing a Song"

It's almost over (or "Finale Part I")

Last Heidi runway where they get $9,000 dollars to create their collection and like three months.  Tim Gunn and Heidi go and hip/bootie bump behind the screen which might be disturbing in real life, I don't know.  God this season is so boring.  I'm happy everyone was soooo talented but they don't make good television.  Also the judging was horrible.  Word is that next time Michael and Nina on back on every episode.  This is a very good thing.  All the mixed up judging didn't do anyone any favors.

Tim visits Carol Hannah in the suburbs of New York to view her work so far.  She was inspired by Duke University.  Her color scheme is purpley and dark mostly.  Carol Hannah's family is in and make him a dinner except he has to make biscuits.

Irina is in Upper East Side of Manhattan.  She has a small white poodle named Princess (of course, she does).  She is inspired by Coney Island.  She is making "special" t-shirts and big sweaters and some fur.  He gives her some food for thought.  They go to lunch with her parents and friends.  She and her sister look exactly alike and just like their mother.  Her parents expect her to win with no question which is nice but doesn't leave a lot of room for failure.  I see why she is so driven now.

Althea is in Dayton, Ohio.  She is inspired by science fiction movies and the strong women in them.  Tim is concerned that it is too costumey.  She needs to focus and edit.  They go visit her family and friends.  Apparently she has been sewing since the 5th grade.

Irina is apparently unfamiliar with copyright law and is apparaently also stupid because she tried to use copyrighted images on her t-shirts.  Bless.  Now she is stuck.  Althea is happy to be going to Fashion Week as is everyone else.  There is a lot of tension between the two, but not enough to be interesting.  They both do the mean girl fake nice very well.  I expect with the two of them being so pretty and catty they've had a lot of practice.  Carol Hannah is arriving late because she has a stomach virus that is contagious.

Tim goes around and questions everyone's collection.  Althea and Carol Hannah have consistency problems and Irina is having color issues and problems with her finale dress.  General cattiness between Althea and Irina abounds.  Anyway, choosing models, etc.  Nina and Micheal show up to give advice and add extra pressure.  Models, blah, blah.  Heidi come in with Tim and that never goes well.  One final suprise: they have to create one more look.  I'm so shocked (not really).  Why do they seem so shocked?  Have they never watched the show?  Honestly, I would expect this and have something in mind, at least.  Whatever.  They have help with Logan, Christopher, and Gordana.  Althea gets Logan, Irina takes Gordana, and Carol Hannah gets Christopher.  Carol Hannah looks jealous that Althea has Logan. Oh and the models get to choose the 13th model for this look.  So now I know what that episode will be about and I don't have to watch it.  I wasn't going to anyway because I'm really tired and don't care that much.

Quote It Saturday - Illusion

This is a weekly meme from the Chick that Reads in which you can quote from anything really. Favorite books, people, just anything that you like!

"Freedom is an illusion. It always comes at a price."

— Jonathan Stroud (The Amulet of Samarkand) 

The last challenge (or "The Art of Design")

So I missed most of last week, but Logan and Koji are out and Christopher is somehow still on. I don't know why either.

Last challenge before Bryant Park and everyone is super excited. Althea and Irina are fighting because Irina is a bitch and can't shut up. Gordana is still around. Huh, who would have thought? Anyway... what's up with Heidi's hair?

The designers go to the J. Paul Getty Museum where Tim and the Mayor welcome them which is a little late. The challenge is to "create a design using the Getty Center as inspiration." Althea is inspired by the building itself, Carol Hannah chooses a French bed with blue curtains and bedding, Irina chooses a painting called "Mischief and Repose" by John William Godward, Christopher is inspired by a foundation, and Gordana chooses a Monet painting. Everyone goes to Mood and gets their stuff. Irina gets a giant, giant Scandinavian rabbit fur. Haha Tim who basically tells them there can be only one.
Gordana makes fun of Heidi's literal sensibilities. Christopher is stunned he is still around. So are the rest of us, honey.

At the apartment the ladies bitch, blah blah. At the workroom, Tim comes around. Christopher needs an editing eye, Carol Hannah shouldn't lose the sophistication, Irina worries Tim with her roadkill jacket(?), Althea perplexes Tim and needs to bring a critical eye (Irina thinks this is funny), and Gordana has achieved her look.

God, I hope Irina loses so she will shut her face. (She is good, but humility is a little something she should think about.)

Judges: Heidi, Cynthia Rowley (who doesn't write anything down), Nina Garcia, Cindy Crawford (who hasn't ages quite as well as Heidi but is still beautiful)

Althea - short gold dress with low neckline and low sides
Judges - too ambitous, skirt overworked, top underworked

Carol Hannah - long gold dress shiny at the top with a slash from hip to thigh and then a more matte material and a one shoulder braided strap
Judges - dress doesn't reflect bed, playing it too safe, but lovely 

Christopher - long gray blue dress with a little ribbon belt at the waist and a higher neck
Judges - love the top, heavy on the bottom, (he cries when Heidi asks if he is confident in this dress, something about a rock)

Gordana - long flowy white, gray, mauve dress that really does reflect that painting
Judges -  beautiful, needs to take a bigger chance

Irina - knee length green flowy dress with a gold belt and long sleeves
Judges - like the back, length old lady, too much styling

Heidi calls on everyone to explain why they should go and who should go with them.  Althea surprisingly calls for Irina and vice versa. Huh.

So going to (last year's) Fashion Week is Irina, Carol Hannah, and Althea.

Christopher is out.  Gordana is out.  No real surprises here except how Christopher made it all the way through.  He is nice enough but damn.

Halloween

I've been neglecting this blog.  Sadly I haven't watched last week's Project Runway yet, but I need to before tonight.  I don't know if there will be a post on it or not.  I know that will be a disappointment for my 4 readers.  Ah well.
Anyway,  we've been really busy with Halloween last week and I am running my library's book sale this week and the little boy is sick now with a cold so it's been a little stressful.  The in-laws came for Halloween which was nice and BT made chili and we all went trick or treating except for my parents who stayed and handed out candy, but we had very few (no) trick or treaters at our house.  I think our neighborhood is too new.

Here's a couple of pics from Halloween night.

BT's Blue Brothers pumpkin and my Swiper the Fox pumpkin

End of the night where Bub decided it would be a good idea to walk around with his bucket on his head.