One (two?) of my favorite features are my hands. I have my mother’s hands, I keep my nails short so they don’t get in the way of digging in the dirt or typing or any of my crafty endeavors. I have long fingers, but try as I might, I was never all that good at the piano. A few years ago my fingers on my left hand started going numb and I lost all strength in that hand. It terrified me, that I might lose the use of my hand. The things that I most enjoy doing require dexterity-knitting, sewing, cooking. After xrays and MRI’s and a strange series of tests involving electrified needles, it was discovered that I had a tumor pressing on my ulnar nerve (it was a benign growth). After a simple surgery-I went home the same day-my hand was back to normal within a few weeks. What a blessing it is to have two working hands.

I’m so behind, I have so much to post here and just haven’t been taking the time to do it. The weekend before last was filled with a big big fun party (photo album is here, but nothing is captioned yet), and this weekend was filled with Harry Potter (has anyone else finished reading? I need to discuss it and have no real life friends who have read it) and a large mountain of laundry. I received my incredible backtack package, and have to take pictures to share. That is at the top of my list for tomorrow, so check back, you don’t want to miss it. Unless you’re the jealous type, because it will make you jealous :o)

I have nothing interesting to show today, so I’ll share some new stash additions:

I’m thinking three summer skirts  or maybe one will become an apron. The yellow was an ebay score, 2 yards only $5, and it’s already hemmed! Plus a little Amy Butler print and Giant Pink Poppies! What’s not to love?

I’m a day late, but here is a self portrait. Me in one of my natural environments-my car, where I spend a couple hours every day:

I think I shall title it "Getting on the Freeway". Sorry about the view up my nose.

Here are some things to see today since I am not so interesting: my little sister is planning her wedding and like mine was, it’s all very DIY, she has some pretty stuff made and planned. The Home on the Range apron gallery is up, and there are some beautiful aprons, so don’t miss it! Hillary has a lovely new design. I like it! But I don’t know if her name has one ‘l’ or two. Sorry! My brother is playing in San Diego this weekend! Saturday at a big party a friend and I planned-100 guests! And then Sunday night at Twiggs. Please come to the show if you’re in San Diego, it would be so fun to meet some SD bloggers! I think it’s free to get in, and it looks like a nice little coffeehouse, although I’ve not been there yet myself. This looks interesting. I’ve created an account, and may give it a try later this month. Has anyone bought or sold there yet?

And in closing today, an action shot of Bear with another of his big sticks:

The camera, however was not set to ‘action mode’.

I have a leaving for work routine. I come outside, throw my junk in the car, Bear comes bounding up and wags his whole body and picks up a stick or a toy and plays keepaway as I walk to open the gate. Then he has to go sit on the porch while I drive through the gate. When I get out of the car to close the gate behind me he runs to the gate so I can give him a last pat good-bye. Today he ignored the routine and kept sniffing at my front tire and was trying to stick his nose all the way up in the wheel well. He was clearly obsessed with something inside the car. I opened up the hood so he could get a better look:

He thinks I need an oil change and that I need to replace the burnt out headlight.

Actually, I think a lizard must have crawled up inside. He’s obsessed with all the lizards running around the yard at the moment.

Roses and lavender from the garden and my hipster pda/sketchbook. It’s slightly larger than the classic hipster pda.

Also, my little sister just started a blog and she’s already showing off her mad sewing skillz and her fancy shmancy fiancee’s cooking abilities. People are even commenting already. Whatever, little miss popular. At least now I have another family member to link to besides my brother. Go visit and add her to your bookmarks, her creations will be better than mine ’cause she doesn’t have ADD like me and actually finishes a project before beginning another one.

These pictures are for my Dad:

I went to the Padre game on Thursday afternoon and watched my hometown Dodgers beat them 4-3. I’m actually not a huge baseball fan, but the first picture is to show what a beautiful day it was, and the second is an action shot :o) Sorry you couldn’t be there Dad!

What could be better, really, than playing hooky from work to spend the afternoon outside on a blue sky day like that?

This is the very good dog who woke me up at 3am to let me know that the other dog needed to go out.

This is the very bad dog who peed all the way down the carpeted hallway at 3am because he insisted on drinking the whole bowl of water before bedtime because my goodness we can’t let the cats and the other dog have any water now can we? He is not my favorite pet right now.

And to think I used to worry that Bear would never settle down and be an obedient pet.