Thursday, February 24, 2011

Bits and Pieces

Sort of warm...sort of not. Clouds are forming above the mountains -- little hints that our Friday-warning-there's-a-storm-coming are starting to happen. And after an evening spent at Bible study with a friend who was hacking away...well, I have a sore throat. A bad one.
    Oh Lordy. I've got a gig next week. (Headed for the Charlotte Quilters Guild in NC. If you're interested in more on Crazy quilts, I'm your girl!) Four birthday cakes to bake for a surprise party Sat. night. Four piano lessons to give today. And a ton of biz stuff and paperwork to finish up. Where is a bout with flu going to squeeze in here?

While I'm dithering, consider some of these items that flitted past the radar this week:

The Elegant Thrifter (I love this blog) introduces Shannon South who 'repurposes' textiles into gracious living. I am a huge fan of the doily-strewn light shown below.(You can find it at Shannons website, reMade USA -- gorgeous.)

Continue the repurposing-with-elegance thread with a stop at Thrifty Chicks, and Ms. Golightly's look at tabletop arrangements. Reminds me I should dig through the drawers and windowseat and see what I've been stashing away for years! (Still fighting the ongoing Battle of the Piles.)

If you're in the stitching mood, try Crazy Mom Quilts. She'll take your fabric stash, and turn it into something interesting...but she does other stuff, too. (Has a real thing for math and Nine Patch designs.)

One of the greatest fossil finds in the country just happened last fall up in the mountains in Colorado: bones from more than 20 different mammals, including several mastodons, all jumbled together in a prehistoric quicksand-type mudhole. All thanks to a bulldozer operator from the Snowmass Village Water and Sanitation department.

Then there's the creepy guy who enjoys persuading other people to commit suicide. A former nurse, he poses as women 'friends' on various networks, and provides helpful info on technique. Now he's on trial for aiding two people -- kind of a reverse helpline. (His complicity in many more incidents is suspected.)Take a look at his weedy little face close-up. (And notice the wife's exasperated one in the background.) He doesn't deny it -- just says it's free speech. And since he didn't physically help them, he did nothing wrong.

Wipe the slime off by visiting with J.D.'s neighbor, a real-life 'millionaire next door.' (His secrets are good too, especially the primary one: Don't spend more than you earn. No matter what.)And don't miss out on an interview with Tom Stanley, the author of that essential book, on J.D.'s Get Rich Slowly.

Finally, there's Simple Dollar's weekly Reader Mailbag. I try hard not to miss this.

Off to find the aspirin. Maybe a hot shower and cup of tea will help, too.

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