I really can't stand bill collectors. If I don't have any money when I answer the phone, do they honestly think that threatening me with snatching my first-born child (is that really a threat, anyway?) is going to make funds magically appear in my bank account? Believe me, if threats would make make money appear, I'd be a millionaire by now.

If only.........

Cat

My visit to Seattle

It's been a long time since I wrote. I've got to start updating this blog more often!

I just got back from Seattle. I went out there to spend Thanksgiving and my birthday with Lori and John (my sister and her boyfriend) and Ava. Ava has gotten sooooo big! Her current passion is jump-roping. She would do it all day long from the time she woke up until bedtime if she were able to.

I helped her make a few beaded bracelets and necklaces. That was fun. We always enjoy beading together.

I brought her Christmas present there with me but told her she can't open it until Christmas, so she spent a lot of time shaking it and trying to figure out what it is. She told me, "I'll figure it out. I'm a good snooper." Hahahahahaha! She hasn't figured it out yet.

Ava, John and I went Geo-caching one day. That was fun, and it renewed my commitment to take up Geo-caching again at home.

It was cold out there, but it was refreshing compared to the Florida heat. Lori lives right off of Broadway, so I walked down there a few times and just window shopped in the stores. I think I could get used to living there very easily.

Lori gave me a really good book to read on the plane. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. She has a great writing style, and now I'd like to buy her other books.

Take care!

Cat

A trip to the food bank

The other day I got really tired of always scrounging around in the fridge for Tara's leftovers, so I looked up the food banks in the area. There is a Helping Hands food bank just about ten minutes away, so I called them. They said I can come in any day between 11:30 and 12:30 and pick up a bag of groceries. I got directions, and the lady told me to "look for the line".

I thought that meant there would be a long wait, so I brought my current bead project and got there about 10:30. There was no line yet, so I sat in the shade under a tree and did my beading. The "line" didn't even begin forming until about 11:15, and by 12:00 there was no more line, so that's one lesson learned for next time.

The lady told me they'd give me a grocery bag today, and I have to go back on the 28th with my bills and stuff to qualify. I actually got two bags, because there is one bag already made up by the bank, and then there is lots of fresh produce to go through and fill up a second bag. You also get a hot lunch served on the day that you are there.

I was really happy with it. The produce was great; grapes, strawberries, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes. And the pre-packed grocery bag had all kinds of canned veggies, tuna fish, those Lipton noodles side dishes, granola bars, instant oatmeal, tomato sauce, spaghetti and bread. The kinds of things I would actually buy. And I think they had a freezer with meat in it too, because I heard a lady asking about it.

I wonder how often I can go? I guess they'll tell me that at my interview on the 28th. And I'll ask about the meat on that day too. I'll let you know how the interview goes.

Cat

Monday Blues

I should have known it was going to be a crappy day from the start. When I woke up, the TV was still on with the same channel from last night, and it was showing the MDA Telethon. I have nothing against Jerry's kids, but the speaker at that moment was an ALS patient. The guy's speech was slurred so bad that I could barely understand a word he was saying, and he had absolutely no control over his emotions (another byproduct of the disease). It was pathetic and sad to watch, and I don't know why I just couldn't turn it off. Some kind of morbid curiosity?

So now I've been crying off and on all day long, and I want to get out to Seattle and spend some time with Lori before there is no more such thing as "quality time" with her. The catch-22 is that now, while I have no job so I have plenty of time to go, I don't have a penny to my name to buy a plane ticket with. I know that her disease is progressing, and who knows how much time I have to make this trip?

So, now I'm wrestling with myself about asking her for the money to buy the plane ticket, but is that really right? I keep picking up the phone, then putting it down, then taking another Xanax so I won't cry on the phone with her, because that will really wreck all my chances of getting the money. She won't want me to feel sorry for her.

I will have to decide something, maybe figure out another way to get the money, over the next few days. Please, if anybody still reads this blog anymore, wish good thoughts for me.

Cat

Hangin' Around

I'm still hanging around the house, no job. I have gotten a lot of beading done, though. Now if only I could find somewhere to sell some of it. Here is the latest pendant I made. It's from a pattern in the August 2009 issue of Bead and Button magazine. (Yes, they have magazines just for beaders, LOL)

Cat

I can't win for losing

Got a car registration form in the mail today. It said the prices are going up (WAY UP) to register the car, and if I do it right now online I can still get the old prices. Well, $56 for a two-year registration sounded much better than $70 for a one-year registration, so I immediately went to the website, signed in with MY social security number, and renewed for a two-year registration.

As soon as I finished, of course, I realized that I was holding Tara's registration renewal in my hand. I'd opened it by mistake. So, now I don't know whose registration I paid. I guess I will find out when the tags come in the mail.

Anyway, I thought I had paid Tara's, so I went downstairs and told her, and I said "When you get back from Seattle (she is going for 10 days to see MY baby) you can just give me the money." So, she gives me some talk to the hand bullshit and I come upstairs and cry.

I really hope I did my own registration, and she can pay the $70 for hers (or $142 for two years). If I did hers, I saved her a considerable amount of money, you'd think she'd be happy. But no, not her. I can't do shit correctly.

Cat

Open Hex Earrings

This open hexagon shape is from Diane Fitzgerald's book, Shaped Beadwork. I made two hexagons in different sizes linked together to make a pair of earrings.

Tara already tried to take possession of them, so I guess they came out okay.

Cat

Scalloped Bracelet

I didn't bead for a couple of days, but now I'm back. This cute little bracelet is from a pattern by Jane Tyson. She uses size 8 beads in hers, but I don't like the look of those, so I used size 11's. I think I'll make a few more in different colors.

I also finished a necklace that I started a while ago and never finished. It just needed a clasp, so I put that on.

Cat

More Patriotic Earrings

Today I made these open ovals from a pattern by Diane Fitzgerald. I used the same silver-lined blue and red Delicas, then embellished with white pearl Japanese seed beads.

I think that's enough 4th of July stuff. I'll start again on regular jewelry tomorrow.

Cat

Patriotic Brick Dangles

I'm still working on my July 4th theme. Hopefully I will sell some of these before the holiday. I've got about ten pairs of earrings made in different designs. Today I made these dangly ones, of my own design. I love the way they swing when you wear them.

They are made from red, white and blue silver-lined Delica beads, silver bugle beads, and blue and red fire-polished crystals. The bottom dangles are Czech glass.

Cat

Another one for Today

I am on a patriotic roll now. These are Uncle Sam Earrings, also made from a pattern, this time from Starr Design.

Cat

Dragtonfly Pendant

The jewelry item I made yesterday is a dragonfly pendant. I made it from a pattern by Jaycee Designs. I tried to make it in red, white and blue for 4th of July, but it didn't really come out very patriotic looking. Anway, here it is.

I'll try to post another piece of jewelry for today.

Cat

Beading Daily?

Since I'm not working, I'm going to try to make a piece of beaded jewelry every day. We'll see how this works out. Today's piece is a pendant, made from a Swarovski crystal rivoli, 30x22 mm. The rivoli is colorado topaz in color. After beading a bezel around it with Delica beads and size 15 seed beads, I embellished the edges with 3mm round goldstones. I love goldstone, it sparkles so much, but you can't really see the sparkle in the picture.

Cat

EEEK! There's a lizard in my room!

It's 5:00 am and I'm sitting here wide awake, because Tara got a flat tire and I had to go pick her up. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, and when I looked, it's a big lizard. Now, I'm not afraid of lizards, but they have a bad habit of climbing on the ceiling and then dropping down. I don't need him dropping down on me while I'm sleeping.

Which is why I'm sitting here wide awake wondering how I'm going to get him out. Usually I just guide them with a broom to the doorway, but I don't think I'm going to be able to herd this one all the way downstairs and out the front door. I wonder how he got upstairs in the first place?

I can't see him anymore. Now I'll never fall asleep. I hope he finds his way ouside soon, but at least they eat bugs, and they are considered to be lucky. Maybe if I leave him in here he'll help me find a job. Yikes.

Cat

Well, it finally happened.

I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when. I thought it would be next month, but no. I was laid off from my job this week. At least they're calling it a Reduction In Force, so I can collect unemployment.

I hated the job anyway, so I'm not sure why I'm so upset. Maybe the prospect of very little money (Florida unemployment is only around $200 per week) and a big Cobra bill. At least this should get my butt more in gear about looking for another job.

I said it should, not it did, haha. Mostly I've just laid around in bed. Until my therapist and my pshch doc got together and decided they wanted to Baker Act me. I told them I'd get up and do something. So, not to be made a liar, I got up and went and bought a gallon of ice cream. MMMM, that was good. (no, I did NOT eat it all in one sitting) And I've become a big fan of Judge Judy.

As soon as I get motivated, I'll go to an employment agency. I just hate job interviews. I wish there was another way, but wishing won't make it so, will it?

On the positive side, I've gotten a lot of beading done. I'm trying to get a new assortment for my mom's friends. Last time I gave her a bunch of stuff, she sold almost $100 worth for me. My prices are way too low, but I'd rather sell it quickly than have it sit around until I can get what it's worth. So what if I'm only making $2 an hour for my time? ;)) At least I enjoy doing it.

So, that's my news. What's up with you?

Cat

What is this?

Why did my neighbor put Saran Wrap all over his car? It's been like that all day. I'm waiting for someone to come outside, so I can see what they do. He can't drive it like that, he can't even get in it.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm............

Cat

I hate my job

I hate my job. I really, really hate it. If I don't find a new job soon, I don't know what I'm going to do. Maybe I can go on LTD (long term disability).

Anyway, I do have kind of a funny story from today. I was assisting in surgery (which I'm just learning, and don't do very well) and my mean boss was training me. One of the things I have to do is cut the suture after Dr. D ties it. So, the boss is telling me that I'm not cutting them right, and I have to push the scissors all the way down into the flesh. I said I was afraid I'd cut the knot off. She says "You won't cut the knot off.", in a know-it-all voice, like it never happens. So, the very next suture I pushed way down and cut. The whole thing falls apart, and Dr. D says "You cut the knot."

You can't take an office girl and put her in the operating room. It just doesn't work.

Cat

Plurk

I found this new site called Plurk. (my Plurk page) I guess it's like Twitter (which I use) or Facebook (which I've never seen). It looks like fun, and it sure is easier writing one little sentence than a whole blog post! I made a mistake already, though. After I signed up, I decided I wanted a different dislay name. That was easy enough to change, but I guess you can't change your page address even though you changed your name. So now my name is MeowCat, but my page address is still Plurk.com/Beadiecat. Oh, well, leave it to me to make a simple thing so confusing.

I have to figure out what to write in my profile though. My life is so boring....how do I describe it so that it sounds interesting? LOL

If you want to sign up for Plurk too, use this link, then you will automatically be one of my "fans", haha.

Cat

Butterfly Cocoon

With all this time that I've been spending at home, I've been doing a lot of beading. Ava asked me to bead her a butterfly, so after spending some time looking around for something very special for her, I found just the butterfly that I wanted. It took me only less than a week to bead, and here are some pics of it.

I mailed it out to her yesterday. Can't wait to hear from her after she receives it!

Cat

My Rainbow

I stumbled upon a website where you can take a quiz to find the colors of your personal rainbow. Mine's kind of dark...

Your rainbow is intensely shaded white, gray, and black.

What is says about you: You are a powerful person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure. You depend on modern technology and may feel uncomfortable without it.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Cat

I miss AVA!

I can't believe how much I miss Ava. She called me up tonight, and while I was talking to her tears started pouring down my face. I know being there is the best thing for her, but I can't stand not seeing her.

I guess I will start another CARE package for her. Sending them makes me feel better for some reason. Maybe because then I feel like part of me is with her. She wants me to bead her a butterfly, so I am trying to make a butterfly hair clip and earrings for her.

Since I'm not working right now, I'm learning how to live on very little money. By the time I go back to work I'll be so good at it that I'll be able to save up every spare penny (after I pay off my back bills) so that I can take a trip to Seattle and see my little mija. I can't wait until I can see her again, but I'm afraid it's going to be a while. Thank goodness for phones and mail in the meantime.

Cat