My Bad

There have been some grumblings permeating throughout the peleton of the S.B.A.D.M.V.V.L. Hammerfest recently, and unfortunately Mongo is at the center of the controversy.

Apparently, Mongo's circulation is so good that it causes me to perspire just a little bit more than most people...and as a result, the riders behind me are treated to a constant shower of said good circulation.

If truth be told, and it is...I sweat like a convict working a chain-gang...in Alabama...wearing a flannel jumpsuit...after six cups of coffee...in July!

Thanks, Mom!

For the beautiful appliqued tablecloth and napkins. You know it will be put to good use when entertaining. I love the colors, and the edging on all the pieces is lovely lovely lovely!

Sneak Peek

The stamping on the curtains is going along well. I have one of the four panels almost done and from here on out should be able to do a panel a night, getting them hung this weekend. I'm on a roll with getting projects done; there should be a gas shortage more often, keeping me home crafting.

This evening before I hit the sack I'm going to start working on the scarecrow. It's going to be a she. And I have an idea for hair that just might work. She's all sketched out and should be the crowning touch on getting Chateau Gahan ready for the Fall. And just wait 'til you see what Harleigh and I are doing for Trunk-or-Treat at our church this year . . .

Keepin' The Dream Alive

Mini mongo pusher throwin' it down on a street course...It can be done.

A Farewell to Paul Newman

I was always the young girl looking to him as this older, insanely handsome man. What a package. Good looks, didn't come across as cocky, married to his soulmate. He was from the era that I grew up in but quickly graduated from and into a time far less romantic. Farewell to a legend.

Awkward!

"Ha, ha, ha...I almost kissed you on the lips!...Would you like me to kiss you on the lips?"

"What!?"

"Ha, ha, ha,...I'm just kidding!...No really, would you?"

I Need A Case Of Magnums

Alessandro "Big Ballin'" Ballan is the winner of the Mr. World cycling competition. Damiano "Where have you been?" Cunego is the first runner up...and in case Ballan cannot fulfill his duties over the next twelve months as World Champion, like gettin' jiggy with every hot piece of Supermodel tail he comes across, Cunego will be required, and happy, to take over.

B.T.W.- Mongodamus did predict Ballan to be on the podium...my other two predictions finished side by side in 37th and 38th.

The Headrest Cozy

My coworkers mock me (in a sweet way, mind you) that the Christmas season has officially begun when two things happen . . . . 1) I begin wearing my Christmas-pin-a-day. Never to be duplicated from one day to another. The collection is so vast that I usually don them starting November 1,

and 2) when I drive up to the office and have my Christmas headrest cozies on.

My sister actually gave me the idea; she uses bandanas, which are easy to find themed to any holiday. I made a set for Christmas, but I went the route of buying fabric, cutting a rough pattern to the shape of the headrest, then trimming it with ball fringe. I decided this weekend that I wanted cozies for the Fall. I found these napkins at a local hobby store for $1.29 a piece. They work for Halloween and also into Thanksgiving. I then pinned the fabric (luckily I have fabric upholstery, not leather) using straight pins, pulling it taut. I think they turned out great! (The second one is most true to its actual color.)

(Now you see why the only man who will ever suit me is the one who wears a Santa hat while Christmas shopping!)

Bedroom Curtains

I had planned on finishing these curtains today, but Harleigh wanted to watch a movie and so we snuggled down in the rumpus room and watched the first two disks of The Office Season Four. So worth taking the time out of my crafting to watch! I'm not sure TV can get any funnier.

Anywho, I'm not 100% sold that my idea for bedroom curtains will look as I'm dreaming them up in my head. I came up with the idea back in August (and posted about it on September 1). As much as I enjoy sewing, if I can come up with a no-sew fabric project, I'm thrilled. Hence the birth of this curtain idea. I bought the canvas dropcloths, which are not heavy and hard like you'd imagine canvas to be. These are rather flowy, and the fabric is a looser weave than what you'd see in canvas. I cut each drop cloth in half and then used fusible tape to hem them. I bought the package of four stamps and plan on using the design in the lower left of the picture below, creating a row of the design at the top of curtain, in the paint color of my room (maybe with white accents). My curtain rods are brushed silver and the curtains will hang on cafe clips.

Keep your fingers crossed.

That's The Part That Weighs Me Down

“Widen the gap between was and could be
Loosen the grip on remnants of belief
Strengthen the bridge over now and should be
Harden the foundation beneath unfiltered grief”

Why Is Everyone Retiring?

The Little Cricket Deli Owner is one upping my boy Zabel and moving to his condo in Boca after tomorrow's race.

At 34, and still at the top of his game, he says he is at peace with his decision to retire.

I really hope he's not just staying one step ahead of the next wave of riders who are about to be busted for CERA.

You know who hasn't retired?...Mongodamus!

My podium for the World Championships are...Boonen-Valverde-Ballan

Noooooooooooooooo!!!

Just when Mongo's "Let Erik Win" campaign was picking up steam, the old man has decided to retire after this Sunday's World Championships.

You know what that means fellas...

The Good Ol' Days

Mongo's favorite cyclist, Greg LeMond, is either the sport's only consistent proponent of truth and absolute transparency when it comes to doping...or he is the biggest dick in the world.

GLM called out Mellow Johnny at his press conference today, claiming that Armstrong's personal "Dopestapo", (I'm trademarking that by the way) Don Catlin, uses outdated methods and is being paid by Astana...causing an obvious conflict of interest.

Mongo is with LeMond all the way. He has never been afraid to stick his neck out in the pursuit of cleaning up the sport, and he has never suffered legal retribution for his words or actions.

I know GLM has a personal axe to grind with MJ, but..."The truth don't lie!"

Speed Is All You Need

Mongo has been concentrating on his climbing skills over the last couple of months due to the extreme pressure of the weekly S.B.A.D.M.V.V.L Hammerfest. It's kind of like an Economics exam in college. If you show up unprepared, you can't fake your way through it.

The result has been an exponential improvement in my ability...and my abs have gone from a no-pack to a single tall boy to a four-pack of wine coolers.

The downside to all this climbing has been a big reduction in my speed work. I've put in the miles, but not too many 10-15 mile 23+ mph "smackdown" rides. Today I got back on track.

In honor of the metal of choice for USA Cycling, Bronze, (Nice job, Dave Z.) Mongo took down a Marco Pantani lookalike and a Tri-poseur at the same time. Pantani got dropped with about one mile to go, and I out sprinted unitard to the line.

Moana Surfrider Hawaii Destination Wedding: Shah & Fera

Fera and Shah from California tied the knot in a beautiful Persian ceremony on the oceanfront Terrace of the Moana Surfrider Hotel in Waikiki last month. They also hosted an elegant pre-wedding dinner at the upscale Beach House Restaurant at the Moana for their guests. Congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple!

Wedding coordinator: Katy Castillo

Cake: Tiers of Joy Hawaii

Flowers: Debbie Hemingway

Hair and make-up: Beverly Kaneshige

Harpist: Pumehana Davis

Videography: Fatlark Productions

DJ: Beh

Venue: Moana Surfrider Hotel

Do You Know Me?

I was once one of the best professional cyclists in the world...that is until I got busted in Operation Puerto.

I lied about my involvement, then admitted some involvement, then denied knowledge of other involvement. Finally, I was told to go away for two years and get my story straight.

I am Ivan Basso...and me and my man-purse wearing self are back!

Inspiration

With the whole designsponge thing happening, I'm feeling, more than ever, the overwhelming desire to delve into redo projects with a vengeance. Last night (while enjoying the season premiere of Lipstick Jungle), I sat down and put together a fresh list of projects, and this weekend I'm diving in.

[And this picture has nothing to do with anything!]

The Price Of Originality

$1530.00

1983 Duane Peters Santa Cruz board with Indy's and OJ's.

Sweet!!!

THIS IS HUGE!

One of my most favorite sites designspongeonline.com has featured my Shoji Screen!

Design*Sponge is a website dedicated to home and product design and is run by Grace Bonney. Grace is a contributing editor at Domino Magazine and CRAFT magazine, and her accomplishments are amazing. She has been a featured guest on Good Morning America and the Martha Stewart Radio Show. You can read more on Grace in the About section of her site. Now you know why I'm so honored?!?!?!?!?!?

The site is updated throughout the day, has over 30,000 daily readers, and is sheer eye candy. I adore the Before and After section of the site (you can hone in on that section by going to the menu to the left of the site). They take submissions and I sent the screen pix on. It is featured TODAY! I have the site opened on my computer screen and keep refreshing it to read the comments. I think I'm going to pass out.

Look Who's Douching It Up

Humility can only last so long when you are Alberto Contador. Fresh of his Vuelta win, El Pistolero is talking shit!...Not only about the possibility of Mellow Johnny joining Astana, but also about his teammate, Li'l Bronze Medalist.

Apparently, he won't play second fiddle to MJ...and LBM didn't work hard enough for him during the Vuelta. Shut up ya' crybaby!

Mongo is really surprised at Contador's inner little girl. Didn't he win two of three Grand Tours this year? He has intimated that he'll take his sulking and Breathe-Right Strips to another team if all doesn't go his way.

Fall Images

This velvety mushroom appears to be a Phaeolus Schweinitzii. I googled images of it and this specimen in my backyard is hands-down the prettiest of anything I found online. Here is some info about it. I think in its setting next to an old stump and amidst a bed of pine needles, it must be a place where fairies come to take shelter from the rain. See the picture below of its use as a dye for yarns.

Scientific name: Phaeolus schweinitzii (Fr.) Pat.
Derivation of name: Phaeolus means "dark" or "obscure"; schweinitzii means it was named for L.D. von Schweinitz, American mycologist (1780-1834).
Common names: Dye polypore.
Occurrence on wood substrate: Parasitic and saprobic; solitary or in overlapping clusters or rosettes on buried roots and at the base of living conifers, sometimes on dead stumps; rarely reported on deciduous trees; June through November.
Dimensions: Individual caps 4-25 cm wide; clusters up to 60cm (or more); stalks (when present) 1-6 cm long and 1-4 cm thick, branched or unbranched, central or eccentric, sometimes rooting.
Upper surface: Densely matted or wooly, less so with age; ochre to orange or reddish-brown with yellow margin when young, rusty-brown to dark brown in age; somewhat zonate.
Pore surface: Greenish-yellow to yellow or orange when young, bruising brownish, yellowish-brown to dark reddish or rusty-brown in age; pores 0.5-3 per mm.
Edibility: Inedible.
Comments: The Dye polypore is used to prepare dyes for fabrics (Figure 7). This polypore encompasses twigs, needles, and grass as it develops. Check with Bessette or Roody to compare with similar Inonotus tomentosus which is smaller and thinner, does not have the greenish-yellow pore surface, and does not grow in overlapping rosettes. Phaeolus schweinitzii is a significant parasite, often killing the host tree as a result of the root and butt rot it causes.
And here is a gourd I bought at Ingles to bring into work, where everyone this year is obsessed with gourds! Even my sister up in Maryland is goin' gaga for gourds. Must be the year of the gourd. Here is some info about this type of gourd. Some find it rather repulsive; I, on the other hand, think its color is lovely, and I find that the peanut-like warts give it a personality of its own (in a freakish kinda way).



(Yarn image pulled from a webpage by Gary Emberger, Messiah College. The wool color sample was provided by Gail Blakely.)

6 Random Things

Jackie, over at Empty Nest Full Life, tagged me for this fun meme. I've done this one before, but it never stops me from playing again! I can ALWAYS come up with random things about myself.

1. I can't stand small paper clips. Detest them, actually. I only use the big ones. At home and at work. If I get something with a small paper clip, it comes off and is replaced with a big one. I'm a freak.

2. I can't get gray hair fast enough. I started getting gray hairs about 9 months ago and you'd have thought I won the lottery. I adore gray, especially pretty gray. I have no plans on coloring it and only hope that it comes in quickly. I think it suits me.

3. I love eating alone in restaurants. Given the chance, I'll gladly ask for a single table and sit there for hours. I suppose I consider myself my own best company . . . which means I am often alone, but never lonely.

4. I have tried to talk myself into being a cat person, but just can't seem to get there. The thought of having a cat as a pet is so foreign to me that it scares the crap out of me. What, actually, makes a person a cat person or a dog person??

5. I find that the older I get, the less of a good friend I become (at least in terms of keeping up with people). It's not something I'm happy about. It's just a fact. I've become more of a loner in my old age.

6. All that said in #5 above, I did start, three years ago, to send one of those catch-up letters with my Christmas cards. I've always enjoyed getting them (I suppose you either love them or hate them). I try very hard not to sound too Pollyanna (and include a sprinkling of Gahan Girls reality "caca" to keep myself humble), but I do rather enjoy collecting pictures and milestones throughout the year that I can share with family and friends.

On The Shoulders Of Giants

"Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate."

(Henry David Thoreau)

When It Doesn't Matter Anymore

"Is that chick with the nice rack still looking at me?"

Way To Go Guys!

U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

Shetland Pony

I have to hand it to the Li'l Bronze Medalist, he's changed my mind. Mongo has always respected his game, but I was unwilling to put him up there in the American Cycling "Scrappy" Hall of Fame...until now.

Leipheimer wins the final TT and cuts 21 seconds off El Pistolero's lead. Without team politics, I am convinced that LBM would have won the Vuelta. He sacrificed himself on a couple of mountain stages for Contador when he was probably the stronger rider of the two.

Instead of sabotaging the team plan of riding for the Bandito, and also what I'm sure is a huge paycheck from Astana, Levi did the next best thing and won both TT's...and will finish in second place only 46 seconds behind Contador and over three minutes ahead of Sastre in third.

How could i resist . . .

. . . this frosted glass lamp shade with painted daisies for 80 cents at the thrift store up in Roswell. Put it on top of a plain votive candle on my kitchen island. Next to one of my decorated matchstix boxes, which I'll start working on again for the Christmas holiday.