Taste of Carolina - Here's some stuff that I'll be bringing!

Prayers for the Hokies

I was raised by Hokie fans and raised to love and respect this school. My heart and prayers go out to all of the family that lost loved ones yesterday as well as those who witnessed the events that took place.
My cousin Tyler is a 3rd year student at VT. He plays in the band. Last night I was glad to hear that he was fine. He showed up at school around 9:30 to locked doors and he was told to go home.

Motive still unknown. . . I can't imagine for the life of me what would trigger some one's mind to indulge mass murder. Where was the line in this guys head? You know what I mean, the line that most of us KNOW not to cross. Did he contemplate the line at all, or was it just absent altogether? No one will ever really know because the coward took his own life. Actually, now that I think about it, the latter statement tells me that he did see a line and he willing crossed it leaving many parents behind to morn the loss of their loved ones. He blew his own brains so that he would not have to be accountable for his actions. What a psychopath?

The press is having a field day. As I sat watching things unfold yesterday, I wondered how long it would be before they started looking for someone to blame. They were absolutely relentless in their lines of questioning to the students that witnessed the murders. It made me sick. Why would ask a question like, "Now, how has this impacted how you free right now? Do you think that the school was slow in letting you know that a killer was on the loose?" Now, while they may have a point about the timeline in letting these kids know about the murders, they could have at least given it a day or two before they started blaming the school. Some of these reporters remind me of opportunistic ambulance chasers. . . Always looking to make a buck by cracking a big story, checking their empathy at the door.

Air Raid Sirens!!!!

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I live in a TINY community on the outskirts of a TINY town. The firehouse is a couple of miles from here. They use the air raid siren as means of letting all of the volunteers know to come to the firehouse for drills and fire calls. I hear this very loud siren sometimes three and four times each day.

Honestly, it doesn't bug me so much. . . My frustration is more focused on what it does to my dogs. They go NUTS every time the siren goes off. My very dominant male yorkie (Willie), especially. He goes into domestic violence mode and starts looking for my female (Tori) so that he can attack her, as though he thinks SHE is the one that sounded the ear ringing alarm.

So, this morning, here I sit . . .Doing my paperwork and eating my breakfast when the siren starts. Willie pops around the corner looking for Tori. I didn't know where she was so I quickly ran after him and scooped him up in my arms before he could open a six pack of whoop ass on her.

Now as if this wasn't a crazy enough situation as it were, she comes running out from under the bed and makes a b-line to the back door. She began to howl and it was the funniest thing I had ever heard in my life. I guess Willie doesn't like the way she "sings" so launching an attack on her when the siren goes off is the only way that he can spare himself of her terrible performance. LOL

Some new beads

I made these over the weekend. The pink ones are here if you'd like to bid. . . I know I started the bidding kind of high since there's not a lot of beads in this auction but here is why. . . These are large button beads (21mm). Each one took a minimum of one hour on the torch. I had to work them very slowly to keep the silver leaf fresh looking. I also used a bit of rubino which always has to be worked slowly if you want to maintain the color without boiling it or scorching it.

I love these beads and I hope that you do to!

This aqua and green bead set is the result of a custom order. A challenge and a half if I do say so myself. I didn't think I could do this on a 19mm button but I did and I now hate to let them go. lol

I hope my lovely customer enjoys them!

Mark . . .I love you.

An amazing smile, you have.

Since the day we merged our lives I have not wondered one single day if you REALLY loved me. Thank you for every single day, every single moment, every sweet whisper and every generous kindness that you have graced upon me. I promise to return it and never ever take it for granted. . . I promise to love and appreciate you until I draw my last breath.

Since I know you come here when you can, I wanted to let you know how lucky I feel to have you as my husband. I know that I have said it before, but incase I am ever bad at reaffirming it, please come back here and read this cheesy post. You are truly my hero. . .My savior. . .My love.

P.S. Thanks for not laughing at my newly reddened hair. . . Hopefully it will tone down in a couple of days and you won't have to keep gulping back the laughter in efforts of sparing my feelings. ;-).

Sick :-(

I was born with cardiomyopathy. Not a fun thing. Apparently I've been stressing a bit more than I should because the fun symptoms that come along with this heart disease has been kicking it big time for the past few days. This has been driving me nuts because I haven't been up to torching since Tuesday and I am NOT used to having to be still and rest. I can't stand it and I think having to rest made my stress level worse. I was thinking of all of the things I needed to be doing. If I don't work . . . I DON'T GET PAID! That concept makes me miss my old sick time and vacation day benefits. Anyway, I got back to torching a bit today, placed a silver order, a glass order and even did a bit of gardening. It was a nice day.

Poor Mr. Jingles bought the farm on Wednesday. My daughter cried for hours and then finally called to tell me that he was gone. She is broken hearted and I'm sad for her. I think the experience was a positive one for this young diva. She learned a bit about being responsibile for someone other than herself. She had to feed the little guy every two hours and keep him warm. She did her best and I am actually proud of her for helping make his last few days better. (I know, he's just a little mouse but was so darned cute!)

Mr. Jingles

Nope! I do not have mice!! My daughter does though. The mouses mommy was ran over by a car in her boyfriend's mom's driveway and of course . . . . Ashley ran to the motherless child's rescue.

She brought "Mr. Jingles" over in a small fish bowl this afternoon. Normally, I don't think mice are much to look at. Especially when they try and sneak in through my drier vent, but this one was TOO cute! I lectured her about rodents and the diseases and all of that good stuff but she still wants to nurse him back to health. She's over 18 . . . What's human mom to do other than try and give a little sound advice. "ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP and only touch him if you are wearing sterile rubber gloves!! Then after you feed him take a HAZMAT shower." lol

Still I couldn't help but be mesmerised as he rolled around in the fish bowl. . . cleaning his ears and scratching his little butt.

Looks like Mr. Jingles has a new mommy. She went to wally world to get him some puppy milk. Hope it's not made by Menu Foods!!