HOW much for Halloween candy????

I mean really - does candy really cost that much???? We are performing here in Atlanta this weekend which means before I go to do my 11pm show (yes, I LOVE it), all the little trick or treaters will be ringing my doorbell while I'm trying to put on stage makeup, making the dogs bark, and Kenny hiding somewhere in the house not to be found. Now, we usually buy the candy that we like in case we have any left over. Not this year. I could have spent $50 on the candy we like! So it's some good stuff and some sour little things that came in a great big bag! I know, Halloween is for children but right now I can't spend that much on candy - not when I need cigarettes, my dogs need treats, and my health insurance just went up to over $550 a month! And now we are going to have to pay for everyone else's health care too - don't get me started. So I'm sure all my lovely neighbors who have all these children that will send to my door saturday night will have lots of good candy to hand out at their house. NOW, if my great neices and nephew's were here I'd bake cookies - not from scratch but at least from that roll! And I will be dressing up as Santa's Helper again with my "Ho" red shiny shoes and maybe the clown for the 2nd show (did I say Halloween is for children?) HA! And friday night I'll be wearing my Over the Knee Ho High Heel Boots too! So Happy Halloween where ever you are and don't ring my doorbell after 7!!!!

New Hats

The Second Hat - Purlpe Striped

Deb's Chemo Cap!! The first one...

I don't know why I wait until I have pictures to do a new blog! Guess all my days run together or I'm getting more like my Sissy - not much blogging at all. Except I did enjoy your blog tonight! The weekend was good and exhausting as normal and Kenny and I are starting to wonder just how long we can do this. It's still great fun to be on stage and to sing and I would miss it - just wish we didn't have to do it so much but that's the nature of the beast. If we don't work every single weekend we won't have a band and without a band you can get a gig! We did have a nice birthday party for our German friend, Martina at Belloo's and she had a great time. Of course we had her a cake and flowers and Martini's and I gave her a red neckwarmer and pair of wrist warmers inside a hand painted cigar box. She loved them and she's going to go home to Germany soon for a visit so she was excited about wearing them. One of our partners, George and Mel are moving to Germany for 5 years and that does make me sad. But he got a great offer (he's a PA for the Military) and the good news is we hope to visit them next year. I swear if I ever get back to Europe I may never come home again! Wish Kenny could get an offer like that - we'd be gone in a heartbeat. Of course, I'd have to take a slow boat over with the girls! We're giving them a going away party On the 7th and it will be bitter sweet. Mel doesn't want to go but it's too good of an offer for them. ANYWAY, I made TWO - yes TWO hats in TWO days! Thanks to my wonderful knitting niece - hey, I like that "knitty neice"! I got a pattern I can knit on straight needles because I can't do those stupid double pointed ones or circular ones ( I plan to learn those Thanksgiving while we are in Florida). My dear dear friend in Nevada has started her chemo and I'm so proud of her. Not waiting for that silly hair to fall out - gonna shave it off on Halloween! And so is her MAN! She wanted something in Black and Gold so the hat is black with gold crystal beads and and a gold pin. She knows it's on the way so now she won't be that surprised about it but I had to post it! Hope you like it Deb and there will be more to come. There is love in every stitch and I cried a little when I finished it. So there is love, laughter and tears in that hat - that's what you give to a friend - love, laughter and tears!
I was so excited about the hat I make another one today -it rained about 2 inches today (all day) and it was just a great knitting day. I did get laundry done and a nice dinner cooked but mostly sat and knitted. I needed this very bad too. I'm in a painting funk right now so it's a good thing I have something else I want to do. I striped this one and you can't see the color very well but one has different colors and I used the purple for a strip too. I found that button at a thrift store (everyone keep their eyes out for great buttons!!!!) and it matched perfect. I think I'm going to make a neckwarmer to match it and maybe some gloves it there is enough yarn left. I am going to try and paint tomorrow. I have another friend who has a birthday this weekend and I'm doing a cigar box for him. I'll have to do it in acrylic because oil won't dry by then but I'm going to do it. And I am going to start on a Christmas present soon too. I'm almost done with the Christmas Card so at least that is exciting. Suposed to get back to 70 tomorrow and dry so down in the studio I go. I'm trying hard this week not to overdo too much - I've been so exhausted lately that I just needed a week of not too much going on. Of course, we'll be in Atlanta at Beluga this weekend and I guess I'll be Santa's Helper again and maybe even change into a clown for the second show. We also have to go by a friends house before the gig - she throws a GIANT halloween party every year and it's great. I hope everyone else is having a good week and I'll try not to wait so long between posts!!!!

The Frost is on the Pumpkin

It's cold - and I love it- and I got to wear my hat and wristers that I knitted - all is well with the world!

The Dreaded Closet Change Over

Every Year I say the same thing - I have PLENTY of clothes to wear - I don't need a thing. Then I will see something that will just look so damn cute! I could not believe I was sweating lugging the storage tubs upstairs and unpacking the winter clothes! I sure hope it gets cold soon or I really won't have anything to wear! I still have to do my "stage" closet but at least I have the "regular" stuff done. And I've got all my boots upstairs - yeah - boots!!! My friend has a lady she works with who needs some clothes - she's a single parent - and I was able to fill quiet a few bags to take to her. We are suposed to get more heavy rain tomorrow so I'll be staying here - still got sooooo much to do. Would love nothing more than sitting in front of a fire (with the air on) and knitting but that ain't gonna happen this week. I am working on a scarf made with this suede yarn and I'm liking it so much I think I'll keep it! Now this is NOT getting my Christmas presents done! I tried and tried to knit booties and every one of them came out different so I'm looking for an easier patter. Actually, it seemed like an easy pattern but some how I would get it turned around! They may end up funny Christmas Stockings! I have not painted in so long it's crazy. I hope next week to get into the studio a bit too. I am working on the 2009 Christmas Card but that's about it. I'm in the bed now with my knee elevated - it's either the rain coming or going up and down the steps so much today - I think a little of both. Just hope it doesn't keep me awake. I've finally gotten a couple of good nights sleep (thank you xanax) and hope to get one more tonight - I think that's my cue for nite-nite - well, gotta play a little scrabble then read my book. Right now, Tatiana and Matilda are wanted to play with the SAME squeaky toy I got them yesterday. Yes, I bought two but NO - they want the same one. I'll have to hide Mr. Squeaky Bear before I can actually try and go to sleep!!!!

Mother's Cateract Surgery

I'm so tired - going on 3 hours sleep - but Mother's surgery went great and she's home and resting. Of course, we had to get up at 5:30 AM - that's in the MORNING people, and I had gone to sleep around 4 am - Why Why Why do people even bother to get up this early??? And they were so damn cheerful in the Doc's office! Ha - I wanted a IV of what they gave mother and I would have been happy. They offered coffee and I just went out to my van, drank my diet coke and smoked my cigarettes and listened to my Book on CD! The surgery only took about 45 minutes and Mother did great. We stopped at McDonald's for an egg McMuffin - that is the ONLY good thing about getting up early. It's been years since I had my favorite breakfast because they won't serve them after 10! We got home an Daddy had been up, let the kitties out, cooked his breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen! He wanted to go with us but just doesn't have the energy. We all three collasped - me on the couch, Daddy in his chair, and Mother in her chair. This sounds like the "Three Little Bears"! Mother is the only one that didn't go to sleep. See, that Happy Juice is great! I slept for about an hour, then got up and had a bite to eat and hit the road. I did good on the drive but really fuzzy. THEN we had to pack the van and all of our stuff and we drove to Columbus tonight. I AM going to bed! I'm just so grateful Mother did well in her surgery so now she has both eyes done. She is an amazing woman. And thank God for my cousin Karen who will take her back in the morning to get the patch off. In so many ways it's so hard to see your parents get really old but then again so grateful to still have them in our lives.....

chimnea

Oh, I have wanted one of these for the longest time! Pat (our partner in Belloo's) gave me this for my birthday. We got the deck all cleaned up and had our first "fire" last night - I've got a feeling I'm going to be spending a lot of time in front of this! And the weather is just PERFECT! Oh, Christy I wish you were here and we'd be knitting in front of the fire! I finished another "Smoke Ring" (knitted) last night too. We're doing the big Country Club gig tonight - outside - and it's going to be perfect weather for that too. Doing my nails and gotta get that wig ready! It's a wonderful day!

59 years old

59th birthday trip

me and Matilda

The girls loved the river too!

Ok, I can "sorta" sling that leg up at 59!

Birthday Peace!

Love this Picture - Daddy and Taitana

View from our room

I had a wonderful relaxing birthday with Kenny and the Girls. We took off Tuesday and drove through the north Georgia Mountains headed for Cherokee, NC. We even took the "long" way which Kenny usually wants freeway and I like backroads. It was so beautiful and "cool" too. We drove the switch backs and the sun coming thru the trees was awesome. Plus neither Tatiana or Matilda threw up which is good! We arrived in Cherokee and after getting lost a couple of times found our little motel. The room was big and the rushing river with the private patio was heaven! The girls loved it and we just sat for a while and enjoyed. We had NO phone service and NO internet - I wasn't sure how Kenny would take this but we did fine - went over 24 hours without it! This is so funny that we even think about this now. What a techie world we live in. We did put my phone on roaming and called my mother because it was my birthday and I knew she would freak if I didn't talk to her. And we had her call Mom T in FL to give the motel number just in case! We rode around a bit and walked thru Harrah's Casino just to see - same ole same ole - then decided instead of a dinner out we went to the grocery store and got great snacks for the room - cheese, salami, grapes, celery, etc - went back and had a picnic in the room listening to the river. We put on our sweats and jackets - that was so nice not being HOT! Got a good night sleep and had tea but river in the morning. We left and got lost (again but it's fun) and hit the Blue Ridge Parkway! I am still amazed riding the parkway even though I've done it since I was a child. When we were at 5000 ft it was 52 degrees around noon! We stopped at the lodge in Pisgah but the dining room was full and a long wait line so we just went on down and pulled to an overlook and had the rest of our "picnic" from the night before. We had stopped also and got mountain apples - Yum! We drove thru Henderson and then had to hit the freeway for SC - the temp was up but still very nice. Arrived at Mother's about 6 and Daddy was already in bed. He's sleeping a lot now and not up very much - just to eat (he's still doing that pretty good!) Mother had us a wonderful dinner - fillet, potatoes, asparagus caserole, and our favorite salad. Of course, pound cake and she baked brownies too. We enjoyed the evening and it was nice and cool there too. We did all get up EARLY on Thursday and had a "Birthday" Breakfast for Mother's 84th! Daddy had his big breakfast and all sang to Mother. She had bought me a flat of Pansies and we dug up some Monkey grass to go in the big pots she made me too. Headed home (so sleepy) and found the weather is great here too. We did go get the Chimnea and we're gonna have our first fire tonight. We have not had a friday night off in over 2 years but we are working the Country Club tomorrow - I've still got to unpack from last weekend and do some errands today. This was just a great birthday and we got to take a micro-mini break which we both needed so bad. Not quite the same and celebrating on top of the Eiffel Tower but I'll take it! Well, now I guess I'm on my way to 60! And it really doesn't bother me at all - I love what I do and I love everyone in my life and I'm so grateful for Kenny and my girls!

PS> Finally got to wear my lovely 'Christy" scarf! I love it...

Too Tired

Can't even post tonight but Birthday trip pictures are coming soon. It was wonderful and relaxing!