Friday, November 30, 2007

QC Do Dad stitching and the BBC

This morning I got in and had some questions about my receiving BBC info. I had not received everyones information. What had happened was that a ton of you had gotten caught up in the spam-o-filter and I in my ignorance never thought to check. Usually all I get are offers that would make a sailor blush, and I usually just don't bother to check. I have now weeded through all the fabulous offers and such and pulled out the important BBC emails from everyone and will start adding them today with emails to follow with access to the board. If you do not hear from me with in a day or so of your sending an e-mail then throw a comment here or on the BBC I will be checking everywhere to make sure that ALL are included.
Thank you for your patience, please mind the gap!!!

Last night while watching the movie called "The Ref" ( clever and bitchy Christmas movie) I worked on QC and got some of the do-dads done and finished up that medallion I was working on yesterday. Here is a progress snap....


That square thing to the left is the start of a fallen down tulip and vase.

Tonight is RR night and I will probably work on some Christmas wrapping and cards this weekend. What a trauma the card has been this year. I started the cards on Tuesday and there is still a pile to go!! Getting them out over a few days makes it seem like fun and not a chore. I really like sending cards but we deviated from what we normally do this year. Over the past 6 or 7 years we have been sending out a family shot of us and the hounds in hand made cards. This year I just did not think there was a good enough snap to send out even from the summer so we are doing regular store bough cards without a snap, and I have already been hearing through the grapevine about how some are anticipating the card for this year.
Boy is the guilt starting early or what!!!
I will just have to work extra hard next year on the card. :)

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, November 29, 2007

First posting to the BBC

I have made the first posting, basically the guidelines for the club -
If you are unsure of the club or have any questions please fell free to ask!!!!

Take care,
edgar

QC stitching and another reminder....BBC

Last night out came the Quaker Christmas.
So during "Shrek the Halls" and then " Grinch" I was a'workin on a Christmas piece.
It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't watch Peanuts, Grinch and Frosty on TV.
( I have the DVD's but it isn't the same if I can't complain about the commercials. :)

Here is a progress snap of the QC.


Sorry about it being so dark, cameras fault, of course!!

Just a reminder about the Birthday Bloggers Club sign ups, just 8 more days!!
I'm going to try and get out emails this evening to those that have signed up, fingers crossed!!!

Don't you just love poached egg on toast, yummy.
It was last nights dinner and I'm still thinking about it! :)

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar


Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NEW BD Bloggers Club and VoHRH

I have gotten quite a few responses from stitchers out there for the NEW BBC, I think it will be lots of fun as it has been in the past!! There were some questions about the new site and your info.

Yes, the old club will cease to exist as Becky will be closing that Blog. If you would like to participate you will need to re-register with the new site.

Yes, I will need to get your info that you had sent to Becky sent to me. She has very limited access to a computer and the old information. For this reason it is very important that you resend your info to me so that when I send out the info to your partner it is as complete as possible.

I also wanted to mention to everyone if you know of someone on the old blog and they do not check in very often to the blogging world, if you could please let them know that the other site is closing and that there is a new Blog. I would really hate it if someone had signed up at the old Blog and then missed out on moving to the new site and being a part of the Club. That was why I added an additional week to the cut off date..... so that everyone could get a chance to resign up. Boy, that sounds very convoluted. Basically just let everyone know about the change!!! I know that with all of us rattling the grapevines out there that we will not miss anyone!!! Thanks!!!!!

I will get out emails to everyone and sign them into the blog over the next few days, please don't panic, it is new to me and will take a few to get into the groove!! :)
Also if you have any suggestions about anything please just let me know, I am open to any and all ideas to make it a fun experience.

Well, with all that said..... I did stitch some on the VoHRH, not exciting stitching but fill-in green. Here is a snap of the progress.



Thanks for everyones help and encouragement, and thanks for stopping by, spread the word!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

New Stitching Bloggers Birthday Club BLOG


I just posted this on the SBBC site and just wanted to post this here:



Last Tuesday Becky asked if there was anyone out there that would like to help and host the SBBC. I really think this is such a great idea that I didn't want to see it fall to the wayside...so I have set up another Blog to carry on the Club.

Nothing will change in the way things have run in the past as my motto is
"if it ain't broke don't fix it!!"

I will need to have everyone interested in continuing in the club to email me at edgarmatt @ gmail. com (take out the spaces) with all your information including:
Name, mailing address, birth date, blog url and a
wish list or your likes and dislikes that will be sent to your partner.

The new blog is Birthday Blog.
As soon as I get your information I will add you to the blog.

I am extending the sign up time until December 7th
so that everyone has a chance to get added.

Thanks,
edgar

BP and VoHRH - LHN Exchange arrived

Thank you so much for the nice things everyone said yesterday about the snaps!!! I have been collecting soft paste porcelain for 20+ years now and have quite the stack of plates, bowls etc... Most of it I use everyday and just about EVERYTHING I buy I can put in the dishwasher!!! In fact the first thing I do is run a new piece through a cycle to see if it can survive that monster. I have yet to have anything break (knock on wood!!).

I was on the Exchange Board and saw that Jean received the LHN exchange that I sent. For some reason I was really stressed out that this would not arrive, but it did and now I can post some snaps.

I made a pinkeep, this is the front...



Here is the back, I personalized it with initials..



and here is the entire package I sent.



Last night while watching TCM I worked on VoHRH as it is in rotation,
and I finished the fence across the front..... here is a snap...



After I finished the fence, and dealing in white I picked up BP and did a little on it, here is a snap...



Yesterday Rico stopped by a knitting store and picked up some things here are two little sheep he got me. They are knitted pins. Sorry the picture is blurry.




That's about it for today, thanks for stopping by!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, November 26, 2007

Great Thanksgiving !!!!!

What a great Thanksgiving I had. My sister and her family came down from Vancouver, WA and then Rico's Mom and Nieces came up for a quick visit on Saturday night from Fresno.
So it was a family FULL weekend!!!!!

Thanksgiving was just great, and here is my family at the table.
( Mathew is cutting up, isn't he cute!!)


Starting in on the left it is Dale (my best friend for the last 25 years), Cissy (my sister), Katie the niece, Mat the nephew, Rico, the better half and John my brother-in-law....
all of them saying take the picture!!!
This picture doesn't show the extra tables with food that would not fit on the table...
I made way too much again, but I think there was something there for everybody.

On Friday we loaded up the family and went to the the Exploratorium where the kids could touch everything and there is lots to do. It was super fun and we spent the better part of the day there. It is over by the Palace of fine Arts.....the bit that is left from the 1915
Panama Pacific International Exposition.


Here is a snap of Cissy, John and the kids...


After the Exploratorium we went down to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch at In and Out Burger...
and had burgers...



and fries (they cut up actual potatoes and make them fresh!!!)





I did get a little stitching done on BP and here is a snap of the progress.
I finished the top then turned the upper right corner.


and here is an over all picture of the piece as it stands now.



I hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful Holiday!!!!
Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A little stiching

We went shopping last night and then out to dinner to Chevys, getting home kinda late.
That left very little time for much work on QC,
but here is an update snap.


Pretty pitiful amount of work! One chicken and 1/4 of a snowflake. :)
Well, I figure I can slack off one night. Tonight my sister and her family are coming in form Portland so who knows when next I'll stitch!!

Rico went down to the flower market yesterday and came back with loads of flowers for the house here is one of the lovely big arrangements he has made for the holiday.


In addition to the cut flowers for arrangements he got a beautiful orchid plant and a large bunch of tube roses that have been put out in vases in the guest bedroom, bathroom and hall. They really make the spaces they are in smell nice, almost gardenia like.
(my favorite flower, by the way)

Here is the promised snap of the Hillside sampling charts that I was talking about yesterday.




That's about it for today, hope you and yours have a super Thanksgiving!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

My First exchange has arrived!!!!!!

Yesterday I received my first ever exchange from the SBEBB and it was Cheryl who was stitching for me!!! Cheryl and I have gotten to know each other over the past year through the Heartfelt Friends RR, so I was very surprised to find that she had stitched me a perfectly gorgeous pinkeep. Here is a snap of the beautiful piece!



She has combined a couple of designs to make one lovely thing. This was not all that she sent I also got a wonderful Cross Stitch pocket calender, magazine, length of Black Watch ribbon and some beautiful steel coloured beads and the greatest fuzzy blue bag, I was truly gifted!!!! Thank you so much Cheryl!!!! One day I am sure I will return the generosity! Here is a snap of the whole package.


I am certainly enjoying the exchange BB!!!

Last night I once again worked on QC. Again avoiding the white........ here is a progress snap.


See that heart to the right of that chicken and under that deer/moose (Meer) ...I had to pull that sucker out twice, count'em twice..... because this is a page break and I can't count!!!! I usually take my working copies and tape them together so that the count is continuous and I am not flipping paper all over the place...... I didn't with QC...I think I am going back and taping this puppy up. Now that chicken in the lace I had not one problem with, go figure!
( I know that is probably a crow or raven, but I calls'em chickens) :)

I also got some more stash, is there no end to the buying, I ask you!!! I saw on Anna's blog the completed Hillside Samplings - "Animal Samplings" it is really a pretty finish and quite the inspiration...... and then I had an idea....blink blink blink (light bulb going off) and remembered that HS did a number of "Sampling" charts and wouldn't they look nice done up as one piece three rows of four. So I bought "Animal, " "House" and "Fruit" Samplings and will work them together into one large piece. How cool will that be. When will I find the time?
I forgot to take a picture of the charts. I pop one up tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by, and just one more THANK YOU goes out to Cheryl!!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, November 19, 2007

Weekend stitching

Just a quick update on Quaker Christmas. I worked on this piece on Saturday and last night a bit. On Friday I got home and felt like "death on a stick" so I did nothing but crawl into bed and feel miserable. Enough of that - here is a snap of the progress.


I am still working away at page two and have the green almost finished. I should have worked on BP last night but this was on top and it was calling to be worked on.

Just an update on the RR. I received Janice's linen on Friday and her squares are a bit under the 100 x 100 so I am adjusting what I am doing a bit and will start this sometime this week, hopefully. This is a snap of the piece showing the nice wavy border that Janice has done and the square that Lizzy has completed.





Hope everybody had a great weekend!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Friday, November 16, 2007

Quaker Christmas - continues

Well, I made dinner, cleaned up the kitchen and promptly fell asleep ( or should I say I just passed out, I was really just exhausted) in my chair. At about 7:45 I woke up just in time to watch Ugly Betty, and yes, it is still making me crazy....the story line is SO far fetched that even I have trouble just watching it. I do however really enjoy Judith Light's acting. Which is lifting the silly story out of the mire of mediocrity!! Then the ongoing foolishness that is Grey's Anatomy - don't get me started.......I think these two shows are turning into my little Friday rant. So why don't I just stop watching, you ask???
It is my train wreck and I just can't, lord help me, I have to watch.....
but I will bitch about it!!!!!

I did pick up a project - QC - avoiding that church!! Here is a progress of the piece.


This is the top edge of the piece. I really like the way this is looking.
That's about it for the end of the week. Have a great weekend!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Answering a question....

Sorry about not getting back to you - Grand Marais - I would think it would depend on if you wanted to do it in silk or overdyed floss - depending on the look you wanted - I have used GASTSarasparilla which is a very nice browny-red colour ( I used it on the border of my RR and you can see that on Cheryl's blog )but just about any of the GAST like Old red Paint, Gingersnap or even Cranberry are all super colours and would be beautiful!! If you wanted it in silk I will need to look at my silks at home tonight for the bricky colours I think might look nice. I really like silk but for these monochromatic pieces I really love the overdyed look and shifting colours.
Hope that helps.

Take care, and thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, I really appreciate them!!!!

edgar

and here is the picture


As you can see I have stopped at the end of the chart, page 2, in the lower left. I will complete this before switching to the 1st page. It will be much easier to do it that way. The way I stitch is in a big club chair that was my grandfathers with a copy of the chart pinned to the arm of the chair on the left. I have to pin it down as I usually have 1 or more chihuas travelling up one side and down the other at different times during the evening. I really don't know what they are looking at from the back of the chair when they reach the summit..... often Peachy will stop there and plop herself on my shoulders behind my neck and then proceed to fall asleep. The only good that come from her plopping is that it stops the traffic across me, my needlework and charts along with my scissors and floss..... these can go flying with all those little feet trampling about.

Sorry it took so ling to get the snap up!!

Take care,
edgar

Stitching on A Quaker Chirstmas

Thank you so much for the ideas for carrots for Thanksgiving. I have done a quickie call around to a few people that are coming and the consensus I think will be the Vonna roasty toasty veg-medley.

Last night we went shopping over to Trader Joe's and stopped at Pier One to pick up some candles. Now just a month ago we got some wood looking pillar candles, very fall, and I wanted some more because those had burned beyond pillar recognition. Those suckers were already 35% off on sale. It hasn't been a month! I guess Christmas has just pushed the fall holiday out of the way. I also find it odd that the candle aroma/smell is called sugared pecans....what on earth does a sugared pecan smell like. I make lots of nut things at Christmas both the savory and sweet. My southern background dontcha know. I do not remember them smelling like these candles. I will have to take an extra sniff this year to see if the nuts have quite the cloying sweet smell like the candles, I doubt it!! :) But they are pretty with the glass rocks and acorns around the base and that is what counts.

I worked on Quaker Christmas last night because I found some of the floss rolled up on the back of my chair so needed to put it up and instead of just putting it up it was the project du jour. Here is a snap of the progress.

The picture will not load now I will try later.

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Working on VoHRH - the church

Last night I worked on VoHRH so I stayed in rotation, Yea!! I did not do very much at all since I have this aversion to stitching white I am not stitching very quickly and even jump to another colour to not stitch the white.
Here is a progress snap.


You can see I worked the white letters then moved on to the fence.....then jumped to the grass then jumped to that tree. The tree is not even done in a brown but a Yellow ochre and it looks very strange floating out in space.

My sister and her family are coming down from Vancouver to have Thanksgiving at our house!! So I am putting together the menu, with all the familial things from our past, I would like to add a carrot dish of some sort......does anyone out there do anything interesting to carrots that you would like to share??? Let me know.

Now, you know by reading my babbling that I really like movies and watch lots and lots of many genres. On Saturday I got a DVD called "Deliver Us from Evil." This was not a horror flick, in the traditional since, as I do not like nor do I watch scary/horror movies, don't like em' don't watch em'!! I can watch just about any tripe or bad movie...however..... this movie is so disturbing I couldn't finish it!!! I did stick with it for about an hour and 1/2 then turned it off. It was recommended to me as a pretty good documentary, and I like those, so I tossed it into my queue. It is a documentary about the pedophiles in the Catholic Church and cover up that followed. The movie is from the families, the victims and the priests point of view.
It is a very disturbing movie, that's about all I have to say about that!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Exchange mailed and some Quaker Christmas

I am mailing my first SBEB - "Specific Designer Exchange - LHN" this morning. This is my first exchange and I hope the recipient enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it. I will post a snap as soon as I know that they got the package as it has quite a way to go.....


Last night while watching Shogun (since there is nothing on the TV to watch anymore!!!) I worked on Quaker Christmas. I know that it was VoHRH night but I felt the need to finish up the large snowflake that I had started on Sunday. Here is a snap of the progress.



I had a question from Barbara yesterday about the floss I am using. I am using the recommended Crescent Colours overdyed floss. This dark green is called Balsam Fir. There are spotted motifs that call for Ye Olde Gold and Cupid which are a bright yellow and bright red, they will really pop when this is finished. I did change the linen to a gray flecked piece of fabric the model used a pale light beige for the linen. I am VERY happy with sticking to the dark green as I really prefer darker colours. This shade of green is coming off as almost black green!!!

I need to stitch up the lottery piece and get started on the next exchanges.... so much to do and here it is Thanksgiving!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, November 12, 2007

A Christmas start and a cold

I started to get a cold on Friday and it settled in my throat so that by Friday evening I sounded pretty much like Brenda Vaccaro. Which sounds alright for her and is her trademark but for me it sounded quite like I had a frog in my throat. I worked all day at the bookstore on Saturday but came home early yesterday not sounding very good at all. I settled in and made some of my favorite tea Manhattan Earl Grey. This is a blend of Earl Grey with the addition of lavender blossoms. I get this wonderful loose tea from a great place called Strand Tea Co that is located in Sandy Oregon. Here is a snap of my tea accoutrement.


You see my Brown Betty my silver strainer and spoon the loose tea with inclusions and tea cosy. And here is my perfect cup of cream tea.....



Of course in my favorite chicken tea mug!!! I felt lots better after I had this first cuppa!!!

I did make a new start on A Quaker Christmas from Bygone stitches. This is really going to be nice I think as I really like the dark green floss. Here is a progress of what I have stitched so far..... through the haze of my sickness, cough cough!! :)




I started watching the Amazing Race last week and last night was the second installment...... it is already making me crazy!!!! Some of those teams are just way too mean to win!!! I think that the stress of the race really brings out the nastiness in everybody. At least last week the team that was thrown off deserved to be, because if you scream at a donkey nobody is going to get a move on!!!! Last night proved that nice ones always drop off and we are left with nasty and nastier!!! Of course I can't stop watching it, I even watched the painfully stupid Family edition of the Amazing Race...what an ordeal!!!

Hope the weekend was good to everyone!!! Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Friday, November 9, 2007

A little stitching and some more DVD's!!!

I finished up the dark green area along the bottom of square 4 . Here is a snap of the progress.


The picture looks kinda wonky... it surely didn't last night when I took it, that MUST be the cameras fault!! :)

I also revisited the GOOB Video store and got some more titles, these are ones that I wanted but just had never gotten around to getting. Here is a snap of the haul....


How could I pass up two of my favorite Greer Garson flicks, Goodbye Mr Chips and Mrs. Miniver. Chips was the first movie she made in America, and Miniver is the only role for which she won the single Oscar of her illustrious career, she was nominated 7 times. She is just gorgeous in both and the acting is stunning. Now they need to release Valley of Decision to DVD and I will have all of my favorite Greer Movies!! The Last Emperor ( I did read that Criterion is going to release a version of TLE next year, can't wait for that!!) and Orlando are just visually spectacular films that they can be watched over and over and The Year without Santa Claus is one of the few Christmas DVD's that I didn't have, who could pass up Heat Miser and Snow Miser??

Paisley - Of course you can borrow the Rebecca chart, email me at edgarmathews at aol dot com and let me know where to send it and I will get it in the mail next week.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, November 8, 2007

SBQ of the Week

Today's SBQ is -

"When you have to frog out stitches, do you reuse that thread or do you start over with a new strand?"

It really depends on the piece of thread that is frogged. If it is still usable then I will try and reuse some if not all of it. Most of the frogging that I can remember in the recent past I have reused the pieces as I had to frog out what had just been put in. I think if I have to go back a day or two later after the mistake is found then more than likely I will just pull out what offends and toss.
This is usually done with a seam ripper so the thread is usually not in a shape to be used and is in small shredded pieces.
If I have to frog out immediately then I will more than likely use a needle and just backtrack over what needs to come out.


Thanks for taking a look.....take care,
edgar

Started on Block 4/2 - St Peter's

I started on the grass in the 4th block which would actually be block 2 if I were being done in order. Here is a snap of the really gorgeous dark green that is the bottom of the square.


I am really liking this VoHRH project. The stitching is really fun, except for the issues at the forge, and I think I will be be pretty sad to finish it up. That is a long way in the future but I know that is how I will feel.

Not much else going on here, hope everyone week is going along on an even keel!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Block 3 is almost there.....

I worked on and finished Block 3 - City Hall - everything except for the 8 or so French knots in the flag. That is a knot that I have not been able to master. Mary from Needle in a Haystack is going to help me with them when I go over there next time. So now it is on to the Church....all white stitching, my favorite thing! Here is a snap of Block three.....

This is actually a snap of the piece as it stands now. I also finished up the sable border lines for Block 4/2, so that it is ready to go. This block does have an error, pointed out in the directions that the Reverends name is charted as "Isiah" and the correct spelling is "Isaiah." I think I will correct the spelling when I stitch the actual name. Is that what most are doing or are they following the chart to the letter. I know that lots of stitchers that do this are changing lots about the charting. I kinda like it the way it is except for this misspelling. That I think would drive me a little batty, and I do not need a push in that direction!!! :)

On the way home from shopping last night we stopped and Diamond Heights Safeway and the Video store in that mall is going out of business. It is basically a rental store with lots of titles. Well, you know I couldn't pass this sale up..... I found three titles I have been trying to acquire for the longest time.


Shogun is the the mini series and it runs anywhere from $90+ new and is at least available, Notorious and Rebecca are Criterion releases and both are out of print and can be VERY expensive on the secondary market. I paid less than $20 a piece for them!!!! woo hoo!!!! I also picked up the Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst as I had loaned out my copy and it was never returned, don't you just hate that!!!! I think I will go back for a few more things.......

I really enjoyed the comments about the cobble stones, the only story I have about cobbles is, that the first time I was at Versailles walking up through the Marble Courtyard, the cobbles are not flush against each other and I had quite a time not wiping out and falling down or twisting an ankle. It was the first time I visited Europe and I had never had to deal with cobblestones in Florida. That was when I was a Junior in High School and million years ago......!


Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

A bit of old San Francisco , and VOHRH

Over the past couple of weeks some city workers have been tearing up the secondary streets around us here in the Civic Center area. Last week they stripped off all the blacktop from Minna street that runs along behind us and Julia Street a half block long one way alley just to the west. The streets around us were all named for ladies of less than sterling virtue, or that is what I have been told. I took a couple of snaps yesterday when the men went on their 4th or 5th break of the day to show what is hidden under 3 inches of tar. Here is Julia Street....

This is shot looking north towards Mission Street. I really like the brick and stone cobbled streets much better than the blacktop, but I know that driving on them would be one bumpy ride. Here is a snap of Minna Street with half the street laid down.



This is looking east towards 7th Street. It is harder to see here but the same cobbled street is under all that tar also. There were also the remains of railroad tracks that ran along this street that began down by the Embarcedaro and are now mostly missing or very obscured.

I also worked on VoHRH las night but made very little progress as I was watching "Sweet Bird of Youth." I really enjoyed the performances especially Geraldine Page. I don't think she ever gave a bad performance!!! One of my favorite movies of all time is "The Trip to Bountiful" it was this performance that won her the Oscar for best Actress in a leading role. If you have never seen this film you need to go out and rent it. Beautifully acted and simple with no tricks and CGI to get in the way. Another performance of hers, if it ever comes out on DVD, is Sook in "A Christmas Memory." This is a Truman Capote story brought to film again with simple ideas beautifully presented.

Let me get away from that tangent and show the snap of VoHRH.


Those are some funky looking birds!!! I almost changed the colour as the bright yellow I really think sticks out, I still may.

That's about it for today, thanks for stopping by and especially the nice comments. I knew I was not alone out there with issues and shopping!!!! Y'all are the best!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, November 5, 2007

Weekend stitching and some bitchin'

I worked on VoHRH and it is really coming together. Here is a snap of the progress.


I still have all the black fill in the windows. (By the way did you see the mistake in the lower left window...look at Fridays post and look at today's, I had to pull out all the blue and restitch it, I need to pay attention and not watch TV while I stitch!!!) I always avoid or change if I can stitching in black or white. I just have never like to do either. I know the next square is a white church so I am not looking forward to that, but it will need to get done.

Here's a little story............last week started a saga with my portable DVD player. I usually carry this just about everywhere with me. I bought this player about a year and half ago from Sears.com, good price and they offered the extended warranty. I never buy the extended warranty, except this time for this player I did.

Some back story,I took the DVD player to my sisters and it played fine in the airport on the airplane and at her house.....coming back on the plane it would not load the disc. After I got home I tried numerous discs new and old and nothing would load, so it is broken.

My extended warranty was for replacement and not repair. Feeling that this would be easy to deal with and that I was covered..... last Thursday I got all my papers together and copies of the emails from when I bought the thing and innocently called Sears.com. That started a phone call from hell which went round and round with multiple people and holding and listening to bad elevator music and bouncing all over the place. Needless to say 14+ persons from phone operators to "Supervisors/Managers" and two, count them, two long hours on the phone later I finally find out that I can not send this back to any place that I would need to take it to a Sears store........ well the closest Sears store is down in south SF near the airport, about a 30 min (on a good day) drive away. Why did they think I bought the thing online in the first place....so I would not have to drive to the store, whatever! I was one pissed off mister man!!!!! and vowed that I would never step foot in on near another Sears or it would be the very last place I would look for anything!!! So I bundled up my papers my broken portable DVD player and trotted myself down to the electronics department at the Tanforan Mall.

8, count them, 8 mins after talking to Ivethe and Julio in the electronics department I had a new player and was on my merry way. Why oh why couldn't I have been told at the beginning of all the numerous persons I explained and explained what was going on that I would have to go to the mall, and that I would at least get the help that I needed...... All 14+ people knew the story because of course every one of the 14+ people during the marathon phone call had to hear the story because " I can't help you if I don't know what is going on...." if I had to hear that statement again I was going to strangle me an operator....... that's all in the past now, but it ain't over oh no sirree bob!!!! I am still writing me a letter outlining the phone call and the final resolution, don't think I didn't take and keep notes on the call, including names and times I was put on hold, boy I am still fired up and it has been 4 days!!

I know I need to let it go, and I will AFTER I write my letter!!!


After picking up my NEW Dvd player and getting some new jeans I did stop at JoAnns fabrics to see what was on sale and got some stuff. At the checkout counter I found my new favorite holiday candy.

I already love those junior mint things, dark chocolate and mint you can't beat'em....but now they have added crunched up candy canes!!!!! OMG little bits of heaven!!! Go get some!!!! You will not regret it!!!!! :)

Happy Monday!!! Thanks for stopping by and listening to my bitchin'!!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Friday, November 2, 2007

VOHRH more stitching

After work I ran down to Britex and picked up a bunch of finishing stuff, ribbon, buttons etc... anticipating upcoming exchanges. No picture as it would give away some surprises, I think. I also stopped by the Caswell & Massey store to pick up some lotion and shave cream I was out of. They have been in this spot for 80 or so years and the company has been around since the 18th century, they must be doing something right, and the products are superior!!

I picked back up Village last night, just to prove that I can stitch that thing and not skip threads!!! I did make some pretty good progress on the city hall and here is a snap.

I am really liking the two shades of blue colour that are used in the door and windows.

Not too much else except........ does anybody watch Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy????? These two shows are making me crazy. I am still watching but give me break, the decisions that the characters make are just beyond the pale!!! I just want to smack George, Izzy, Betty, Marc, the new Heart surgeon, Erica Hahn.....and the list grows!

Thats about it for the week, thanks for stopping by!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, November 1, 2007

VOHRH Stitching

Yesterday my Mom called all flustered that I had not called to tell her I was OK from the earthquake. She gets so worried about what she hears on the news in Florida. As do I when I hear something about Florida here in SF, I guess we are just a bunch of worriers. I also think that with the upcoming Halifax Art Festival (45th Year) this weekend that she is distracted with Museum Guild things and volunteer coordination that she has been working on.

Last night I worked on the finishing of the secret stitchy thing. I also worked on VOHRH and was visited be rippty ripper the frog. I had the first two floors of bricks down and then began to work up the third floor and found that I was off a thread. Now I sat there working back trying to find where I shifted over a thread and it was all the way back to the first floor. When I found the spot and saw that I would not be able to "just leave it" as I would always see the shift...I resigned myself to pulling out the second floor. After removing quite a bit of stitching I packed that sucker up and went to bed!! Here is a snap of where it stands now....


Commenting on a comment ----Staci - I also have the three disc set of Peanuts Holiday cartoons. My friend Don gave them to me for my birthday, and I totally enjoy them. I watch Christmas specials and movies all year long. :)

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Take care,
edgar

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