Thursday, December 30, 2004

rose hearts 12/29


rose hearts 12/29
Originally uploaded by Stitching scientist.
Current work...as you can see I have bands 1-4 (out of 14) done. (exept the beading) I will probably finish this next week. Sorry the picture is dark...I'm still learning.
I have loaded as many photos up onto Flickr this month as I can so I will post more pics in Jan. I think I might spend the $40 on the "pro" account....can anyone tell me if that is a good Idea? I mean is there any where else that will host a ton of photos for free? Or can I spend my $$ elsewhere for a better account?

Any help from fellow boggers is welcome

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Florometers suck

Science time............so I am supposed to be working on my proposal right now, but instead I need to nail down the procedure for a ammonium reading process that this lab has never done before. And of course it isn't working and taking 10 times as long as it should. And the papers describing the process are incomplete or at the very least unclear.
Ok sorry, enough science, as for the cross stitch I have been tearing away on the Rose Heart sampler (on band 3 &4) in my new Stitchers Wonder stand (Christmas gift) and under my new Ott light ( Christmas gift). I think I like the stand for bigger pieces. Once I finish the sampler ...Ill see if Santa fits and keep him on there permanently.
Flickr limits my bandwidth. I don't know what that means literally but practically it means I can only upload so many photos a month. So I will try to upload as many stitching photos as I can tomorrow. I could get a premium membership for $40 a year which may be worth it if I need it...we shall see.

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Rose Hearts Sampler- Just Nan

Hello everyone...Hope you all had a good christmas. We got a Digital Camera!! My MIL got us a Sony Cybershot U (2.0 pixels) So now I can post pictures of my cross stitch! I just started this sampler on Christmas Day. It is an old Just Nan (1992) that I picked up as a trade at the retreat in Nov. It already had the fabric so here we are. I will have all my x stitch eventually posted on www.flickr.com and will put a link on the side bar as soon as possible. Till then just look up my stuff under Stitching scientist (or click on the picture then goto my sets).

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Google a long lost friend

So I couldn't find the origin of that photo( post below)...I tracked it through a few blogs but it is not a press photo. still makes me laugh though.

Saturday I had a very powerful dream about a friend I had lost touch with about 4 years ago. I am sure she crossed my mind or at least my subconcious because I was doing christmas cards last week. I googled her found her place of business after grad school...eventually found her work phone # and called. Of course her machine said she is on vacation till the 3rd...so ill let you know if it was really her (I am 99% sure it is...how many people are named Theia in this world?)

As for cross stitch I am plowing along on 8 maids a milking....but have been distracted by the new stamp series put out by that evil Lizzie KAte. Now what! I am already doing last years flip its for this year...but these are so cute...i think ill end up doing these too.

Thursday, December 16, 2004


Oh my......where did this come from??

9 days to go

Well, I think it is finally coming together:

We bought a potted christmas tree on tues (White Pine about 4 ft tall). We plan on bringing it in the house this weekend. Now....where to plant it in the spring hmmm.
I now have a wreath on the door.
Mailed out gifts yesterday.
I did ALL my christmas cards yesterday, gotta go buy stamps and get em out the door.
7 Swans a swimming is done! off to do 8 maids a milking.
Signed up for Netflix...free 2 weeks...then $17 a month for all the DVD's you can watch. We have a Netflix hub here in Greensboro, so the movies have a 1 to 2 day turn around. We have already watched Dodgeball and the 1965 Flight of the Phoenix (ready for the new one now) and we have 35 movies in our cue.
Still have to shop for the local friends but I think I have a handle on it all.
Christmas parties here i come. (2 this weekend)


Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Christmas Fun

Wow,
I can't believe a week has gone by. So I am stuggling along. I recieved an A in Stats. (91 on my final). And just finished my last final in insects today. Now I have 1 month to work on my thesis proposal and process some data before classes resum on the 10th.
You will be happy to know I am plowing along on the afgan (12 Days of Christmas be Alma Lynn (out of print). I am on 7 swans a swimming. as soon as that is done (tonight?) Ill be done with the damn birds (think about it I went in order and 6 of the 7 have birds in them). So I have lots of people left.

I am going to get a christmas tree tonight. I think Ian and I are going to buy a small balled tree to plant later...that is the most environmental thing to do right? I am tired of throwing away trees...and Ian doesn't like the artificial kind. Anyway here is some christmas fun for you:

IF THE TITLES OF YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS CAROLS WERE CHANGED, WOULD YOU STILL RECOGNIZE THEM?? You will have to do some thinking.

FAR OFF IN A FEEDER
SMALL CITY IN JUDEA
RIGHTGEOUS DARKNESS
ARRAY THE CORRIDORS
YOUTHFUL PERCUSSIONIST
DELIGHT FOR THIS PLANET
NOCTURNAL NOISELESSNESS
LOYAL FOLLOWERS ADVANCE
HENCE ARRIVETH KRIS KRINGLE
AT THE ZENITH OF THE HABITAT
FROZEN PRECIPITATION COMMENCE
A DOZEN FESTIVE 24 HOUR INTERVALS
JEHOVAH DULCIFY BLITHE CHEVALIERS
ENDOCARP VESTED IN A CONFLAGRATION
FATHER CHRISTMAS EN ROUTE TO BOROUGH
PROCEED AND ENLIGHTEN ON THE PINNACLE
QUARY REGARDING IDENITY OF DECENDANT
WEATHER: CLOUDLESS, ARRIVAL TIME: 2400 HOURS
THE QUADRUPED WITH THE VERMILLION PROBOSCIS
SINGULAR YEARNING FOR TWIN ANTERIOR INCISORS
GIVE ATTENTION TO THE MELODIOUS CELESTIAL BEINGS
TO DECRY MATRIARCHAL OSCULATION OF YULTIDE ANTHROPOMORPHIC
INITIAL CHRISTMAS
COLORLESS YULTIDE
MONARCHIAL TRIAD

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

Finals La Di Da

Stats final tomorrow....I think I am ready...or as ready as I'll ever be.

Check out VH1's My Coolest Years: the Geeks....my favorite STTNG hottie is all over it....oh and whiole your there do to the photo gallery and go to photo #22 ... You know I was Spock for halloween once too...Yes I am a geek.

As for the cross stitch.........Finished eduCATed, finished the Gud Huswife freebie, started my February Flip it block (travel project) and am working on the Freedom sampler....I know, I know but I can't seem to get into the 2 big Xmas projects..that I have had around for 7 years. I just don't feel very christmassy, just haven't in a very long time. As a matter of fact I can remember the last time it felt christmassy......1984....I remember being alone in the house, standing on the coffee table, singing carols at the top of my lungs. I was 10. I hope the joy of christmas will come back someday. I guess it is tough when you are an adult and have to deal with $$, and traffic, and shopping, and parties, mailing christmas cards, and no kids (which is apparently the big thing now...."have some kids then christmas will be happy again"). Sounds like BS to me. Seriously, I can't think of a Christmas where I had the $ I needed to buy what I wanted for everyone. And all I really want is 1 gift that NOONE (including myself) can afford to give me...a digital camera. Makes you just wish the holiday wasn't there.

Ok enough with the depression. Off to review Stats once more.


Saturday, December 04, 2004

In Memorium Part 2

The first half of this story is below

So Mercury traveled most of the way under the seat of the Ford F150 . We spent the nights in three hotels, one of which was NOT pet friendly...I had to sneak him in under my coat. He lived in the Red Roof Inn in Greensboro while we got an apt, and stored all our stuff. Cats can find amazing places to hide in hotel rooms, in the box spring, in the false bottoms of the bed and tv cabinet, behind a false wall where the plumbing was hidden. He drove with me to Pittsburgh (my home) for Christmas and seemed at home there...he then went to New Paltz NY for New Years with Ian's family where he proceeded to find his way into the attic and become a grey cat. There are pictures somewhere of us giving him a bath, it was not pretty. Then back to GSO and into the new apt, 2 cats lived 2 apt down and Mercury got scratched once....then was very good at running away. I was always worried about him finding our apt door among the hundreds of similar doors in the area but he never failed to come home. We tried to put tags and collars on him but he never failed to dump them some where outside. Our door opened onto a small set of woods and he spent most of his time there.
Last year (June 2003) we bought a house, Mercury moved well as he always had and we were cautious with introducing him outside...but this neighborhood had dogs and one day in July he did not come back when called. I worried for 10 days...called every vet in the area, put up signs, and stopped by the pound every day, and then one morning I hear his familiar meow out side...I go to the door and call him, he returned a meow that sounded (I swear) like relief and joy. I think he was meowing at every house and did not think he had the right one till I answered. We thought he looked thin and took him to the vet, and there we had him microchipped. Before his little outing he usually stayed out during the day and came home at night to sleep on our bed. From then on Mercury would never go outside during the day (unless we were out there to). Usually he would want to leave in the evening and arrive back at dawn...he would climb to our window sit on the sill and meow till we got up to let him in. sometimes only minutes before the alarm.

On the morning of Friday Nov 12 he didn't come home.
I thought that he came home last night...and wake to find it was just a dream. I wish I knew what happened....Ian says he thinks he isn't dead...I think he is...the only reason he would not come home during the day would because he could not because he just decided we were no longer up to snuff. I am a biologist I *know* that he does not "love" us, that we are only his food and shelter provider...but why would you leave your pack/mom/family after 5 years, 2 states, and 4 homes. I *know* cats are independant, but this cat came home every 12 hours.
Yesterday I put away his food and water bowl, soon his litterbox, then no trace of him will be here...except the occasional hair.

GoodBye Mercury 1999--2004

Friday, December 03, 2004


Mercury...And that is my face behind him

In Memoriam Part 1

The tough thing about animals...if they run away, you are in a constant state of wonder. Wondering if they have found a new home, or became one of those faceless balls of fur on the side of the highway, or are still out there looking for their home. As the owner of a lost pet you are denied the right to mourn because there is no body, no closure. I can think of stuff that might of happened to Mercury that could rival any human made horror story. But I prefer to think of him at peace, where ever he has ended up. This blog entry will be long because this will be his story....and through him ours. Five years worth of stories.

I have always had a cat in my life, Ian grew up allergic...so when a stray wandered to our door in our tiny first efficency apt in Tulsa, OK (July 99), I took him in. This cat was small and nasty..it bit our chins at night and demanded tuna instead of cat food...The personalities clashed and so off to the pound we went. After giving the cat to them I convinced Ian just to walk through the kitten adoption section. We came to a cage with kittens named after all the planets and removed an orange ball of fur...who immediately started to purr...and shred Ian's jeans (his claws were so long from staying in that steel cage). We put our money on him and 3 day later picked him up after he was neutered. I distinctly remember driving him home with him sitting on my shoulder, mewing loudly in my ear. Mercury was the loudest purrer ever, he loved to be a lap cat, liked his ears being rubbed, didn't mind you touching his paws (good for trimming sharp points of claws), did not like toys or treats (I swear), and could not stomach any kind of human food. He was also the stinkyest kitten ever...maybe it was our tiny apt...but that kitten could wake you from a dead sleep after a visit to the litter box. Ian's allergies started up...looking back I think it was Tulsa/dust/and a tiny bit cat...but Ian started to doubt he could live with Merc. Luckily we moved (Oct 99) into a 2 bedroom rental house and things improved.
Mercury became an outdoor/ indoor cat...it just happened. He got cut up quite a bit during our time there...I know cats slashed him, and Lord knows what else. Often it got infected and visits to the vet were frequent. In Dec of 2000 It was time to go back east and we packed up 2 pickups with everything we owned. It was time to leave and Mercury was no where to be found (He hated it when we packed...and this took the cake) He arrived the VERY last minute and was thrown unceremoniously in a truck and driven across the country.