Entry for October 10, 2007

Entry for October 10, 2007

Today I want to post some information for you that can save you a lot of heart ache. Go to the FBIs Crimes Against Children web page for the National/State Sex Offender Registry. Sex offenders come from all socio-economic, ethnic and racial groups. There are female offenders too. Check out these listings. It is even a good idea to check out day care providers because there are many unlicensed providers out there and it is better to be safe than sorry where your children are concerned. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for October 03, 2007

Entry for October 03, 2007

Halloween will be here before you know it. Today, I am posting some links for crochet patterns relating to this day. There so many out there that this is just a small sampling. Have fun!

Frankenstein doorhanger

Candy corn doorhanger

Jack-o-lantern banner

PumpkinPretty punkin square

Pumpkin towel ring

Jack-o-lantern pin or fridgie

Candy corn fridgie

Candy corn potholder

Witch clothespin doll

Ghost trick-or-treat bag

Assorted items at about.com

Asorted items at crochet pattern central

A few items at Lion Brand Yarn

Some more items at Lion Brand Yarn

Bag of treats

Pumpkin potholder

Pumpkin pencil topper

Ghostly napkin ring

Candy corn hat

Purr's puffy pumpkin

Halloween basket

Incognito me mask

Safari sniffers "noses" to use for costume

Poodle princess costume

Halloween scrunchie

Halloween patterns at freepatterns.com

Masquerade mask

Witches brew pot

Halloween bag

Pumpkin purse

Happy pumpkin treat bag

Dainty pumpkin container

Halloween goody bags

Graphic from http://www.halloweenclipart.com/

(Originally posted on Yahoo 360)

Entry for September 25, 2007

Entry for September 25, 2007

On this day in history 1932--My dad, George French was born. He was the best daddy a little girl could ever ask for. Even though we have been estranged for many years, I love you Dad and wish that you were in my life. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 23, 2007

Entry for September 23, 2007

Just wanted to put this link in for some vintage crochet patterns for you. Check it out. I think you will like it. Here it is!

(Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 20, 2007

Entry for September 20, 2007
In yesterday's first entry I wrote about the possible takeover of our town's wastewater department by an European contractor. I sent copies to the newspaper, mayor and city council. Boy is hubby FURIOUS with me! He is a city worker...therefore I am not allowed to have opinions of my own. My wages are taxed by the city and my name is on this house we're buying here so why can't I have my own opinion? If it is held against him then that is illegal. I do NOT like the town I live in but I should be able to voice my opinion no matter who I am married to. Maybe this will become a better place to live. That's part of a democracy. I'm sorry dear husband that you don't agree with me. I am entitled to my own opinion and I am guaranteed freedom of speech by the First Amendment. Your thoughts are not mine nor are mine yours. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 19, 2007 #2

Entry for September 19, 2007 #2

This Day in History 1796 George Washington's farewell address as president. The purpose for this address was to primarily to eliminate himself as a 3rd term candidate for President. He never read it in public but it was printed in Claypoole's AMERICAN DAILY ADVERTISER, of Philadelphia on September 19, 1796. Go here to read it.
********************************************************
I haven't been online lately because my computer has been ailing! It wouldn't let me go online. I tinkered with it and put in a new ethernet card to connect to my cable internet provider but it didn't work. After at least a 1/2 hour of tinkering with a wonderful technician from Insight Cable I was able to get back online and running. It seems the problem was my Norton's Antivirus. When it blocked a virus or something it also blocked access to the Internet. I deleted Norton's and purchased a different program. Still have some small problems but I'm at least able to get online again.
I had a bad cold for quite a while (about 2 weeks) and I'm still feeling sluggish for the last couple weeks. I went to the doctor and when she checked my blood pressure (twice!) it is running very low. No wonder I'm dragging.

Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 19, 2007

Entry for September 19, 2007
This is a revised version of an entry I posted on www.topix.com under the Radcliff, KY forum.

It looks like Radcliff wastewater department may be turned over to Veolia. Why???? People when you have problems with your sewer lines you won't be able to call the city for help...forget it, they won't have anything to do with it. This is the only money making operation the city has, why would they want to give it up? Wonder what this means for us? Could it be higher taxes in the future or maybe even additional taxes? Perhaps it is because our city government has been negligent about replacing clay pipes and they're too lazy to take care of the drainage problem and let’s not forget that the money you've been paying for storm water drainage is helping to finance new programming at the Challenger Center. Radcliff's priority has been to take care of making things look "pretty" such as helping out Cardinal Health with landscaping, new street signs and the mayor's program of "beautification" that has lead to overspending and putting the city in debt. Remember a few years ago when the city finances were so bad that there wasn't ANY money in the budget at the beginning of the fiscal year? Well, the only way the city was able to meet payroll until they straighten things out was to borrow money from the wastewater department. Where will we be if this happens again?
Veolia is up and running to become not only a local monopoly but also a global one too. In an online article found at one of Veolia's own websites it reads http://www.veoliawaterna.com/municipal.government/default.htm “We serve more than 600 communities and 14 million people through public-private partnerships." That's in the U.S. alone folks.
On another one of Veolia's own pages it reads "Veolia Water is the world's No 1 provider of services in the field of production and distribution of drinking water and draining and purification of wastewater.
110 million people and 40,000 industrial businesses in over 56 countries worldwide use our services."
Kiss small town service good bye friends. They don't care about YOU only their European/(Swiss????) bank accounts. Remember they are a French company NOT American and the French have shown themselves NOT to be friends of the United States.
Read about their integrity and concern for their clientele in an online article that contains this interesting little tidbit of information "On June 30 (2005), the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission presented Veolia officials with a list of 30 questions. Days later, a lawsuit was filed against Veolia by former employee Roger Edlin charging that Veolia Water Indianapolis fired him in retaliation for speaking out on matters of public safety. According to the suit, Edlin “repeatedly warned water officials that their decision to cut back spending [and thereby increase profits] by delaying needed repairs, decreasing staff needed to maintain filtration equipment … and taking other corner-cutting steps would eventually lead to a dangerous situation.” Veolia fired Edlin after 23 years at the utility in response to the Jan. 6 boil-water advisory that closed schools and restaurants." The article this is from can be found at http://www.nuvo.net/archive/2005/07/27/more_bad_news_for_veolia.html .
Without even checking out the company and its reputation, let's use a little common sense. Veolia wants us to turn over the resources of the wastewater department for $1! That is laughable!
That fancy truck (vacuum truck) the workers use to suck out clogs in the lines costs almost a quarter million dollars a few years ago! Then, take into consideration the buildings, other vehicles, tools, land and whatever else is owned by the wastewater department. This is "crappy" business dealings folks, no pun intended.
Despite the fact that Veolia is set to become not only a local but also global water concern Radcliff is making a HUGE mistake. My question to all the folks in Radcliff is "would you have a new home built without looking at different builders and models?" The answer, I am sure, is a resounding NO! Then why does this on its way to becoming a global monopoly company merit such blind trust from us? IT DOESN'T!!! For those of you who remember the Bell Telephone monopoly, remember how high long distance service was? Could this happen here with our waste water services? You bet it could! Call your mayor and councilmen folks--even your county and state officials. Let the people decide NOT city council! This company has played dirty in the past, what will stop it from playing dirty with us--we're a small Kentucky community not a community of major world-wide interest. Be smart; ask questions.

(Originally posted on my Yahoo 260 blog)

Entry for September 10, 2007

Entry for September 10, 2007

Photo from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22029/22029-h/22029-h.htm

One thing I enjoy doing is spool-knitting. Today I found a freebie on The Project Gutenberg . It is a pattern book of vintage projects to use with your knitting-spool! Look it over; I think you will enjoy it.
*********************************************
On this day in history 1846: The inventor Elias Howe patents his sewing machine. His sewing machine was not the first one invented. Howe's machine was the first one patented that used an interlocking stitch. Howe was smart to have patented his machine because another inventer independently developed a similar machine but wasn't quick enough to patent it. Go here to read a little bit about the development and history of the sewing machine.

(Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 07, 2007

Entry for September 07, 2007

photo courtesy of http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/7/newsid_3515000/3515708.stm

On this day in 1940, 300 German bombers raid London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. This bombing "blitzkrieg" (lightning war) would continue until May 1941. (This is from the History Channel .) An eyewitness account can be found here .
********************************
An interesting crochet pattern I found is available here . It is a crocheted cover for a laptop computer. Hmmm, I bet it could be made with a knifty knitter too if anyone cares to try. Using two strands of yarn would give it extra padding against bumpings. Let me know if you make one with a knifty knitter (or crochet one too).

(Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 05, 2007--#2

Entry for September 05, 2007--#2

I'm baaaack! Here's a picture of my little guy, Opi, modeling his new sweater I made him. I used Lion's chunky yard and it is a tad too stiff for my little guy. The pattern calls for Bernat boucle but I hate working with that stuff because it is hard to see where to put the stitches at! I might have to bite the bullet and try it another time. Anyway, Heeeeere'ssss Opi!
Note: My little "kids" aka Chis pictures are in included in their own album and also in the album of my crochet items on Flickr under MsSharonMarie. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for September 05, 2007

Entry for September 05, 2007

OK, today is definitely a different kind of entry. This one is for all my wonderful friends! I was snooping around in myspace and I saw this so I just had to get it for my super-great friends! You are really better than chocolate cake (even better than peanut m&ms)!

As far as my crocheting goes, I've finished a scarf, 2 pair of slippers and a doggie sweater since I last updated for you. I've been home sick with an awful cold that has kept me down for almost a week so I've been sitting around crocheting and reading. I'm going to be making a sweater for my dear friend's little K9 child and I'm worried about it because once you commit to something I feel that I have to see it through and I'm concerned that I won't be able to figure out the pattern or something and I promised to do it. My fingers are crossed that I can do it. As you can tell I'm not totally confident in my abilities. I got the pattern from Knitware software that allows you to customize basic patterns by entering a person/critter's measurements so you can get a good fit. Wish me luck! I'll put some pictures in later of my latest FOs. Bye for now! (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for August 31, 2007

Entry for August 31, 2007

On this day in history 1919 (or maybe 1918--I'm seen both years used in various articles), the fortune cookie is invented in Los Angeles. Are you surprised it's not a Chinese invention? I was! Go here to read a newspaper article about it. Added: If you go to this page you will find a recipe to make your own fortune cookies! (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for August 28, 2007

Entry for August 28, 2007

This is the latest crochet project I am working on. It is pretty easy. The only problem I have had so far is paying close attention to which color I should work on next. I have had to frog one block because I did it out of order and it ended up "shorter" than it should have been. This is a good stash buster. All the yarn I am using is leftovers from previous projects. Hope you enjoy it. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for August 25, 2007

Entry for August 25, 2007

It's been a while since I've been online. Too much going on in my life. I'm back to substitute teaching. The kids can sure wear me out sometimes! We're in the middle of a heat wave down here in KY and we need rain desperately...all my flowers are dying. Anyway, I wanted to post a link to a pattern for a small dog sweater made on a knitting loom. So here it is: http://www.knitting-n-crochet.com/free-patterns-knitting.html. There is a cute sweater to crochet for a little dog too.

On this day in history 1944 Paris was released from Nazi occupation. Go here to read an eyewitness account. To read a short article and view some pictures of this event go to this WWII site.

(Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for August 08, 2007 #2

Entry for August 08, 2007

This is my latest FO. It is a thin scarf made of homespun. I love the thin scarfs to wear indoors. By keeping the back of my neck warm it seems to keep me warmer all over. This is all single crochet and chains. The first and last rows are single crochet. The other rows are single crochet, chain, skip a space and single crochet in the next sc. After row 2, single crochet in the spaces. Simple! (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for August 08, 2007 #1

Entry for August 08, 2007

Today I just wanted to let you know about 2 places I have found for new crochet patterns on a daily basis. Most of us know about Annies Attic but there is another one too. It is The Daily Crocheter . Check it out! I found a great sale at Annies Attic. I have wanted to try butterfly looming and when I saw the looms on sale for 99 cents I had to get them. They normally range in price from $16.99 to $29.99 each! A book of patterns is on sale for $1.99 too, normally almost $8. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)