No Way!

The Redbud and the Magnolia trees are already in bloom.  Now the Cherry, Pear and Apple trees are getting ready.  Next it will be..........Oh God, I just can't do this.  I can't write with any sort of freedom or creativity at the library.  It's like someone has pilfered my teenage diary and is now reading it out loud.  The lady on the computer next to me is TALKING ON HER PHONE.  It's driving me crazy.  I love to write, I always have.  I took a Creative Writing class in high school and it was one of my favorite classes.  The thing is I couldn't produce a decent piece of work in the allotted 45 minute class period.  The teacher would roam up and down between the rows of desks; stopping now and then to peer over your shoulder and correct the odd spelling or grammar error.  My mind would go blank.  My best work came during Algebra class where the intended subject matter held no interest for me.  In that class the ideas would flow freely and my hand would dance over the page spilling out an endless stream of stories that kept my class mates entertained for hour.
OK, this other guy is having a coughing fit.  I've got to get out of here..........................

Another Headless Wonder

OK, memory stick in-hand, I attempt to upload some photos.  The first is a near-finish of gymnast Viktoria Komova of Russia.  She is my top pick for the London Olympics this Summer.

Next up is Ana Progras of Romania that I finished a few weeks ago.  Too bad Ana has retired and won't be in London.

Then on to a bit of knitting.  I finished a pair of Kroy "camo Colors" for Joe and then started up on these.  I seem to be suffering from Single Sock Syndrome!  Loving the new colors, but can't seem to focus enough to finish another full pair.  Focus seems to be the issue all around these days.  Sitting here at the library computer, the old man across from me eyeing my flying fingers on the keyboard, I just can't seem to compose a post with any rhyme or reason.  It is more like a task then a joyful writing and sharing experience.

Flashing back for a moment to last weekend's District competition.  The theme was Emerald City ( Wizard of Oz).  In light of the recent tornadoes in the area we left out the beginning of the story and went right to the fantasy part....Yellow Brick Road, Field of Poppies, costumed characters, etc.  My boss is dressed as Dorothy, with some very patient (although over-heated) parents as the remaining characters.

My craft-doll clothes booth was not nearly as successful as i thought it would be.  Most parents wanted to exit quickly after a marathon day of competition and be outside in the marvelous weather.

The weather has taken a bit of a turn today.  Only topping out at 61 degrees F.  Most of last week was 80+F!  Now tonight a freeze warning is in effect.  I wonder what that will do to all the little plants I've uncovered.  After an unusually mild Winter, many didn't even die-back, but remained green under the piles of leaves.

Here We Go..............

With memory stick in hand (or actually "in computer")  I make another valiant attempt to post photos from the library computer.  Just finished an exhausting weekend of District Championships at the gym.  I coached one session early Saturday morning and the remainder of the weekend was spent sitting at my craft booth.

Jorydn Wieber (USA) finished and framed and up for sale

Not very successful financially, but I did connect with an old friend I hadn't seen in over two years.  Also had plenty of time to chat and "network" with fellow gymnastics geeks.
So there it is, the ONE photo I was able to upload.  Apparently I can't edit the photos on my memory stick on this public computer!  Rather then subject you to side-ways views of the other craft items I will wait until I can use my neighbor's computer.
The weather is positively gorgeous.  I need to get out of this dusty place, go home and let the cats run around in the yard until it's time to go back to the gym.  Seems like I just left there less then 24 hours ago!  Off I go, back to the "unplugged" world at home...........................

Here I Sit.....

............at the local library sucking up some Internet time.  The computer at home is totally dead!  I've been assured by the librarian that I can upload a few photos, so here goes:
Damn, forgot the cord to the camera.  All I have is the memory stick.  OK, there are the photos up on the screen, so it does actually work!  But they are all ancient photos that I've saved from  he two now-dead computers at home.
Oh well, nice try.  Just a boring bunch of words for my adoring fans.  At least you know I'm still out there in Cyberspace, lurking about.

Really?

I'm back to using my old computer again.  The monstrous tower that is the size and weight of a cinder block, the web-browser that uses Internet Explorer 2, the fuzzy, blurry resolution screen.  At the risk of sounding like my thirteen-year-old niece, "REALLY?".  Well, at least I'm here.  There's been a lot of cross-stitching going on in the form of gymnast designs.  I'm gearing up toward the huge District Competition March 17 & 18.  Trying to complete a few designs and also a huge pile of American Girl doll clothes to sell to the "captive audience" of parents and grandparents that wander the halls during the meet.  Afterall, their kid is only up there performing for a total of 4 minutes during a marathon 3 hour session (x two days x three sessions per day).  That could add up to a lot of sales!
Just when I thought Spring might be on the horizon, today is blustery, cloudy and cold.  I can handle it though.  Infact, I welcome it for this particular weekend.  I am judging a large competition on Saturday and if it's cold and snowy then the cats will want to stay inside all day.  This cuts down on the workload for Joe as Designated Cat Monitor while I'm gone.  It also cuts down on my anxiety that no one can replace me as Designated Cat Monitor.  So I can be stressed and nervous over other things.  Like the fact that this is one of the most important private club meets of the season.  Or the fact that I will encounter my former boss from my former club for the first time in over a year.  Or the fact that this type of competition is so much more serious then the Rec League and YMCA meets that I usually judge.  How I got assigned to this one I'll never know.  So I have to put myself "out there" again.  Shouldn't this get easier as I grow older?  Maybe because anxiety and panic have been given so much attention in all the magazines and on the TV doctor shows. It seems to make it more intense for me.  I analyze and re analyze everything.  After all these years I guess I'm finally trendy!  Once I am 'in the moment' I am very focused and get the job done.  It's just the build-up to an event that kills me.  I'm already stressing over an all-day CPR course that I must attend on March 8th, 9am-4pm.  It's not so much about the course material itself, but about encountering other people and especially about being away from the house for such a stretch of time.  How I envy those who "live for the day", and don't look upon the future with such dread.

BESTIES!

From Team photo night at the gym.  L to R Alisha, Kaysa, David, Me, Becca, Brenda, Jill and Karena.

Cross-Stitch Lives!

...and apparently, so do I!  I know some of you must have been wondering what corner of the planet I had fallen off.  Over a month since my last post, bless me Father for I have..............ok, I'm getting off topic.  The topic being my latest (and ONLY) cross-stitch finish in ages.  Gymnast Ksenia Seymonova of Russia.  I must admit it was the colors of the leotard that drew me to stitch this design, another one of my self-made charts.

Quite a bit of "live" gymnastics going on too.  Little Level 4 Alayna is part of the much larger group that I coach now.  Tonight is Picture Night for the Team so I should be posting a few more of my lovely ladies very soon.

Back on the crafting front, I created this card for my mother's 77th Birthday that was on January 17th.  She also got this home-made pot holder.  Since she struggles with Parkinson's Disease I chose this design of pot holder to prevent spills and burns from lifting large pans or cookie sheets.  As things go I think my dad will get more use of it then my mom.  He seems to have taken over 90% of the household tasks.  My mother thinks this is only fair since she did 90% of the household task for the first 90% of their marriage!

It seems that I have tempted the Fates long enough and the computer is acting strange (yet again).  The layout of this post looks just fine right now.  Wait till I press the "post" button;  it's always a surprise what shows up.