Challenger

Photo credit EPA/NASA

Twenty-five years ago today, I was a senior in high school.  My future was brightly in front of me and I was full of optimism and so ready to face it head on.  Life was good.  It was lunch period.  I remember it distinctly.  I was walking through the front commons of my high school when Julia, the editor of our school newspaper, rushed past me and said breathlessly that the Challenger had exploded.  I stopped and probably looked at her like she had grown horns.  What?! I was a features/editorial writer on the paper and was headed to the classroom.  Julia asked that I turn the television on in the class.  She was going to track down the rest of the newspaper "staff."

I got to class, turned on the t.v., watched, waited and cried.  I remember everyone quietly coming into class, putting down their belongings and sitting on the huge layout table.  All of us unable to turn away. Then our adviser came into the classroom.  She was unaware of the situation and promptly turned the t.v. off and proceeded to start lecturing us about how many times she told us we weren't to be watching during class.  Scott, one of the sports writers and athletes, walked to the television, reached over the teacher's head and turned it back on.  He very quietly said "The Challenger just exploded.  I think this qualifies as a news worthy exception."  Scott wasn't one to openly defy a teacher, so we were all pretty surprised.  The teacher walked over to her desk, set down and stared at the television in shocked silence.

I remember the school being incredibly quiet for the rest of the day.  The normal boisterous vibe was missing.  For a lot of us, I think it was the first time something of this magnitude had every happened.  We all remembered the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, but he was fine, he survived.  This was a situation where seven lives were ended abruptly, without warning.  On top of that, the pilot, Michael J. Smith, was a North Carolina native and Ron McNair was a graduate of North Carolina A & T State University and there was a teacher, Christa McAuliffe, on this mission.  So in some way, shape or form, we could all relate.

I guess the thing that affected us all the most was that we realized that nothing is guaranteed. In high school, we have the tendency to think we are indestructible and an event like this makes us realize that we truly aren't and that life can change in a split second.  We all grew up a little bit that day, whether we wanted to or not.

So twenty-five years later, I remember the crew of the space shuttle challenger: Commander Dick Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith,  Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka, Mission Specialist Judy Resnik, Mission Specialist Ron McNair, Payload Specialist Gregory Jarvis, and Payload Specialist and Teacher Christa McAuliffe.  They inadvertently taught me how precious this life and this world is.  Thank you. I wish I could have learned this lesson another way.

What Day Is It?

I wish I could say that I've spent the last few days being incredibly productive and I have...sort of.

First of all, thanks for all the prayers, good vibes and warm fuzzies sent this way.  Our friend is going to make a full recovery and looks like he's going to swear off motorcycles for a while. I understand the allure and they sure are fun, but this is a prime example of why I don't ride them since I've had children.

Now to the fun stuff...

The wrestling tournament was a HUGE success in that Number Two Son came third place in his weight class - Yea!!!! To me, that's the most important thing.  He was pleased, so that means I was too. On the downside, only half the teams that were supposed to be there showed up, so we didn't make the money for the team that we had hoped to make.

Unfortunately, I'm sure due to the crazy hours, I went from having a sniffle to having a full blown bug.  YUK! So I didn't do anything on Sunday but lay around and be pathetic.  I got up Monday, thinking I was doing better and decided that I was actually worse, so after only a couple of hours at work, I came home and went to bed.  I was back at work yesterday and am now feeling some what human. I know this is because I've been living off of chicken soup.  It's one of the best comfort foods in the world.

So that leads me to "What day is it?"  It can't possibly already be Thursday?!?  Where did my week go?  I have two small finished items....

See, they are small.  A lady I work with needed something for a friend who is adopting a baby.  The new mom-to-be is a cardiologist, so my friend wanted to get her something that she couldn't just go out an buy and was special and hand made. Oh my!  This made me feel very special.

And I've made pretty good progress on the baby blanket.  I hope to be able to deliver it to the store by this week end.  I think I'll have enough yarn left over to possibly make a bonnet and booties!







Me and Sue - Isn't she lovely!

Last night was "Last Wednesday" with my dear lady friends.  They are such a wonderful group!  We are talking about getting a group together for a pilates class...my muscles are protesting at the thought!

To the right there is me and my friend Sue.  She's one of the ladies at "Last Wednesday."  Whenever I spend any time with her, I'm reminded of what a truly amazing friend she is.  Not only is she gorgeous on the outside, but she's also such a stunning soul.


I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!  We have another wrestling tournament this weekend, but things are starting to wind down.  We'll get a couple of weeks off and then spring sport try outs start.  Number One Son is trying out for Lacrosse. This should be interesting : ) Lots of bruises and sore muscles. I'll be sure to post the blanket when it's done. We're off to a wrestling match and to eat some yummy hot dogs.  Have a great evening!

Update

So it's 10:30 on a Friday night and I don't have my pictures ready for you.

Here's why....I'm lazy...Ha Ha...not. The Boys have a wrestling tournament tomorrow and our school is hosting it. As the hosts, we have to provide a hospitality room with meals for the referees and visiting coaches. This means that I have made a HUGE pot of Chili for the crock pot and just finished frying bacon and scrambling eggs that will go into biscuits tomorrow. Don't worry, I won't be serving my traditional "hockey pucks." I was smart and bought a mix that I've used before and haven't messed up yet. Those will be baked in the morning and have to be at the school at 6:45 am. UGH!

So I'm sitting here looking at the complete wreck my kitchen is and having a glass of wine when I should be cleaning everything up and going to bed.

I also just found out that a friend's fiancee was just in a motorcycle accident and was airlifted to a major hospital. Please send thoughts, prayers, well wishes, healing vibes or anything else this way that you think might be helpful. It's greatly appreciated. I'll touch base tomorrow and will hopefully be able to post pictures tomorrow evening.

I must go, the mess and then my bed awaits...Anyone want to come help clean? I pay with food and wine. I'll try not to snore too loudly...sigh. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Family Resemblances

Just a little something that I think is cool.  This is a picture of my maternal grandmother.  The genes run strong in our family because if you look at this picture of her and then look at this picture of her daughter....

 And then look at this picture....

You can definitely see a family resemblance...between all the women....No way am I insinuating that my Sainted Mother or Grandmother resemble Car Guy and his goatee....Oh dear! He is rather cute though....Back to the topic at hand.  I think it's the smile.  What do you think?

***Just a little FYI - I have a couple of FO's and an update that I'll try to post tomorrow.  The Boys have wrestling matches tonight, tomorrow night AND a tournament Saturday.  Busy, busy, busy!***

Flattering!

OH!  I feel a gushing moment coming on!  I'm so flattered! Denise over at Knitting Kitties just awarded me the Stylish Blogger award - in a totally random way that suits me just fine....TaDa!

 So now I have to tell you seven things about me that you don't know......Hmmm....

1.) I have an older sister that is a make up artist in LA.  My family calls her Ni because Number One Son called her that as a toddler and she is totally cool.  She gets to meet famous people and make them gorgeous.  I live vicariously through her when I feel like my "Mommy" life is a little dull. She's worked on several well known movies and television shows and my one brush with fame is due to her work...that's a story for another time.
2.) I HATE housework. I think it's because it's never done.  Once you finish, you turn around and there is more to do - like laundry.  Fortunately for me, Car Guy cleans or we'd be in a world of hurt.
3.) When I was younger, I wanted to become a Cordon Bleu Chef.....I wanted to go to Paris and learn how to make all that delicious froufrou food that has tons of butter in it.  I LOVE food of all kinds.
4.)  I'm a frustrated musician.  Like all good southern girls, I took piano lessons growing up.  I took for 10 years and was quite good, but I'm an acrobat of the key board and am just shy of being tone deaf.  Playing by ear is out for me and I can't write music to save my life....OK.  I could write some music to try and save my life.  It would just be really BAD music.....It would probably end my life.....Dogs would be crying....
5.) Speaking of crying dogs, I can't sing.  I try on a regular basis and I'm terrible.  Silly me keeps trying and my family keeps asking me to stop.....such love! There is no karaoke in my future, no matter how much alcohol is poured down my gullet.
6.) I love to read...everything.  Suspense, romance, historical, factual, fictional.  I love that you can take a trip and not leave the house.
7.) I have an unhealthy obsession with the store Anthropologie....Oh wait, you know that...hmmm.......just one more thing.....Oh, the pressure.......I know!  I can make glass beads...with a torch and glass rods.  I love doing it, but I have to do it in Car Guy's garage...which currently has a Porsche 914 in it with the transmission being replaced. Lot's of car parts all over the place, so there's no room for a crazy woman and her torch :) Time permitting, I'd like to get back to making them.  It's a very therapeutic hobby.

Now I'm supposed to name fifteen blogs that deserve this award.......talk about pressure!  There are so many out there and as I go peak at them, I see that so many of them have already won this award, so I'm going to be lazy and only name a few.....let's see......here they are, in no particular order (I'm using my deep, important announcer voice now)......

Erica - Crochet by Day - She uses lots of pretty colors. Her latest project is mind boggling.
Teddy and Bunny -  Lots of great old photos, vintage items and a wonderful sense of humor.
Amanda - Manda's Challenge - She makes some of the most beautiful squares for SIBOL.
Sandi - Sandiart - Sandi knits and is just learning how to crochet (quite well, I might add) and makes beautiful paper crafts.

Well, that's all for now.  I've got lots of paper work waiting on me...Such a glamorous life!  Have a wonderful week!

Crazy!

Holy Cow!  How is everyone?  We have had some crazy weather! Snow and ice and so much of it that my office was closed yesterday! I've worked for the same company for the past 5 years and this is the first time that they have ever closed due to weather. I had a wonderful day at home with My Boys and Car Guy doing a lot of nothing.

I did crochet the Go West Wrap from Crochet Today.  It turned out to be a very pretty and warm wrap/scarf.  (I wore it today, just to make sure.) I used the "All Spice" color of the Curly Q yarn and it's a very beautiful autumnal mix of golds, maroons and greens.  The yarn has a lot of stretch to it, so you have to watch your tension.   This is one that would be a great gift for someone because it looks so impressive but is so easy. I literally worked this one up in a few hours.

I've started working on a baby blanket for my friend's store.  She sold that last one and needs a replacement.  I'm trying something a little different and working in a star pattern that increases with each round. I think it will be pretty when it's done, but I also think that this one is going to take longer than the standard baby blanket.  I chose gender neutral yellow and green and I do like the way the compliment each other. Since this picture was taken, I've completed another green section.  I'm afraid that this is moving so slow that I might switch from double crochet to triple crochet. What do you think?

Well, it's late and I need to go to bed.  Work tomorrow at the "normal time."  Yay! Back to the ol' eight to five.  Stay warm!

2010 Year in Review and Pay it Forward

First, let me start by saying that I'm not one to dwell in the past.  Full steam ahead - that's me. But I felt compelled to look back briefly because of...well...you.  I started this blog this last year as just a place to put down thoughts, nothing fancy - thus the name - Random Thoughts of a Crazy Woman (I'm a self professed Crazy Woman). It wasn't going to be a great production.  I figured I wouldn't put any pictures in here because I can't take a good picture to save my life.  Just a place to vent, if you will.  I was already a member of Ravelry and from Ravelry, I found Alice and her beautiful crochet. Then, through Alice, I discovered Elizabeth Cat, which led me to Lucy. This all sounds wonderful because, as you all know, these are some very talented, creative women that share their talent and creativity with us - Yay! But I kept finding other creative, talented women - Sandi, Denise, Teresa, Erica, Amanda, and so many more. And from you all, I've received encouragement, humor, inspiration and friendship, none of which I expected.  I went from a Random Thought to 1154 page views last year!  I know, compared to most of you, that's not a lot.  But for me, it's absolutely amazing!  I never expected anyone, other than Car Guy and a few friends, to ever read this or find my life the least bit interesting. I mean, I've had people from Thailand, Slovenia, Russia, and South Africa stop by.  I'm sure some of it's just a fluke, but it still boggles my mind......Thailand?  Really?  But you have listened to me whine, brag and laugh so I won't cry and I can't tell you how much that means to me. It just goes to show when you think no one is listening, someone out there does hear you.

So, because of your support, I am making ONE New Year's Resolution.  This is a pretty big deal because I typically don't make them...I don't like to disappoint myself, so I try to keep life simple. At least once a month, I'm going to post a link to a blog that I find interesting.  If it's a good month, I might post more, but I'm going to start with once a month.  I might know the author of the blog, or it might be one I've stumbled upon while cruising, but I encourage you all to visit and enjoy.  Leave a comment because those make a blogger's day.  Trust me, I know (as I'm sure you do) that your comments will brighten someone's day and that's where the pay it forward comes in.  A kind random comment might help someone get through a really bad day.

This is the banner for Sight of Morning - So pretty!

So, my first suggested blog is The Sight of Morning by Alice. I don't know Alice personally, but she has a wonderful irreverent, self deprecating sense of humor and I thoroughly enjoy her outlook on life. She's one of those ladies that down plays how incredible she is because I don't really think that she knows.  She also has some really beautiful pictures.  Go check her out, tell her how amazing she is and say "Hi." Let me know what you think.

Now I'm going to pack away 2010 and say farewell to the good, the bad and the ugly of it.  I hope that you all have a truly blessed 2011 that brings you much happiness, good will and hope, because we can all use a little hope!

Belated Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year!  I know I did.  I was surrounded by family and friends.  There is an old saying to the effect of how you spend your New Year is how you will spend the rest of the year.  If this is true, I will be a very fortunate woman.

As usual, things have been busy around here. My Boys are back in school and Car Guy and I are back at work.  We keep hoping we'll win the latest Mega Million Lottery so we won't have to work.  It's now over 300 Million Dollars....No, that is not a typo.  We even bought tickets this time - Ha Ha! Since we've gotten back to our regular duties, Smokey and Oreo have been extremely lazy. It looks like they want the same place to relax too......

 I guess, since it's been so cold recently, Oreo wants a little wooly warmness.  I can't say that I blame him.  Evidently he was able to arrange the hats and scarves into a really comfortable pile because when he got up.......

Smokey took his place.  What funny kitties.  Why can't they do this at night instead of tearing through the house like crazy kitties?

In my last post, I mentioned the pretty bowls that I received from my Mother-in-Law.  They are from the store Anthropologie.  I so love this store. They have the most amazing merchandise....Car Guy swears I'm obsessed and I think he might be correct. It's my happy place.  Anyway, these are the bowls.  Aren't they gorgeous? There are dishes to match, but they will be added a piece at a time.  My dad gives me money for Christmas every year (yes, he still does this, even though I'm 42...I'm not complaining) and I almost bought the dishes, but changed my mind and bought the quilt and pillow shams that Car Guy and I fell in love with. (this is the bedroom makeover in the works I was talking about Alice)  Get your sunglasses out because it's kind of bright!

 Isn't it beautiful? And cheerful.  (please ignore the clutter) I smile every time I see it. Now I just need to decide what color to paint the walls and I need to make some pretty pillows to go with it. I'll also need to make a dust ruffle for the bottom of the bed.  They have one at the store, but it won't fit our bed properly and I don't want to spend the money it costs, only to bring it home, cut it up to fit and possibly mess it up. So now I need some suggestions/ideas for wall colors and all that other good stuff to complete my bedroom make over.  Since I know how creative everyone is, I thought I'd ask what you thought. I can't wait to hear what you have to say!  Thanks for stopping by!