January 24, 2010 Stamp Camp stuff

Here are 3 cards we did in Stamp Camp yesterday. We also did 2 projects (a calendar and a little girls' purse with Faux Alligator Skin). The first card is a Valentine's Day card with LOVE BANDIT (new in the Occasions Mini). I used Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla cardstocks and the new DSP (Designer Speciality Papers) called Sending Love.

The second card is a Birthday card using Whisper White, Soft Suede and Rich Razzleberry. The stamp sets are Vintage Vogue and the sentiment set is Well Scripted. I saw this card on a blog and knew I had to try it out. I saw this at http://www.cardscraps.com/ I did change some of her measurements, but this lady (sorry do not remember her name) had a winner in her design.

The final card, I purchased a tutorial from http://www.stampingmoments.blogspot.com/ Of course it was written in centimeters and I am too lazy to convert the measurements. So I followed her directions on HOW to stamp, but used my own measurements. This card was the hit of the stamp camp!

Sorry I have been away from the blog. I had my chemo on Wed., Jan 13th and then got a terrible sinus/ear infection. So was off work for several days. Then busy catching up at work, trying to prepare for Saturday's stamp camp and also go to a scrapbook class. Whew... glad the weekend arrived.

Today I have to clean house and do laundry. It is piling up again. Then this afternoon I want to work in the scrapbook room some more.

See you again soon!

Arlene

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

The photos tonight are of 2 cards I made yesterday during my STERIOD phase. That is when my brain is racing from the steriods I am given at chemo and cannot sleep. This is a period you want to avoid me because I turn into a ADHD (Attention Deficient Hyperactive Disorder) personality. I CANNOT SHUT UP for the life of me and Lord can I talk up a storm... let's say you don't need truth drugs on me then... I will talk and talk and all sorts of things spill out while in my brain I am screaming SHUT UP ARLENE! LOL

Anyway back to these cards. The one on the left with the red mats/ribbon is for a SUDSOL SU Demo cardswap in which I am participating. I have to make 11 of these and then I will get different cards back for my sample book. SUDSOL is a group of Stampin Up Demonstrators. The card on the right with the pink mats/ribbon is a card I am teaching at my January 23rd Stamp Camp. Everything is the same with both cards except the mat/ribbon colors of red or pink. I used the Sending Love Speciality glitter paper and the new stamp set LOVE BANDIT from the SU Occasions Mini Catalog. Love that stinkin' little raccoon. The sentiment (which is small) reads You stole my Heart.... awwwww....

Today was a wierd day. I finally went to bed at 4:30 a.m. from my steriod phase. Slept until 7 a.m. WOW huh! Then around 9 I went to town to do a couple of errands, first taking a dose of anti-nausea drugs. An hour later I was back home with the bills paid. Then I sat up in the scrapbook room with Aunt Chuck (a friend of mine) and made 3 birthday cards. Finally I started getting that chemo flush and nausea again, so we stopped. Aunt Chuck left with her goodies and I went to take more meds and eat a bit of lunch. I stayed up longer... then at 4:00 I went to take a nap and slept to 7:30.. got back up. Fed the furrballs their dinner, and then grabbed some fruit. Came back and finished the last of my birthday cards I needed for a swap on the Crop Room (a scrapbooking and cardmaking group) for the January Card Queen. We all sign up for the card queen each month, and if your name is drawn you get lots of cards to use. Say there are 10 people in the swap, and one person is named the winner. The winner then gets 4 cards from each of the 9 other players, resulting in 36 cards ready to use. Great way to get your card stash to grow if you win. If you lose, then you are only making 4 cards. Normally I would do 2 of each design so I can keep one in my stash, but not today. Got too much on my desk.

Soon I go back to bed. Hope to sleep a decent night sleep tonight. Brain is back to normal, so I should be able to get a good night's rest. This cycle is going okay. Lots of mild nausea but the meds control it. I get a bit done, and rest as needed. If seems if I try to do too much, then I get the full blown out of control nausea. Then it is Phenegrin time, which I hate. That stuff makes me sleep for 12 hours and then I feel drunk for another 6 hrs. It does stop the nausea but I hate the price. Rather take the Zofran for the mild nausea and call it quits.

Tomorrow I will post more cards. I made several to send to Zio and they came out really cute. There is a boat, a frog on a lilypad, 2 different cat cards and a Sock Monkey card that I love. Will share them tomorrow.

Have a good night.
Arlene

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

It is hard to imagine that I took this photo only 2 weeks ago today. Stefano, Lucia and I were wandering around Miracle Square (home to the Leaning Tower). Stefano is not paying attention because there was a man who was bothering us trying to sell stuff to the tourists. This fellow and one other I saw, did not have vendor areas. They simply walked with merchandise in their hands and tried to harass you into purchasing. Stefano had already told him to go away once. The second time he did, the guy left in a hurry. Imagine that! LOL... In the background there is the Bascilia, the Catherdral and the Leaning Tower. In this direction you cannot see the Camposanto (cemetary building) nor the walls of Pisa from the medieval period.

I just noticed that 2 days have slipped by without a post. Sorry, but this is my hectic week. I worked only on Monday and Tuesday and have to prepare for the entire week with my assistant. Today is Chemo Day again. So I am off work the remainder of the week. Sometimes I do okay on Thursday thru Sunday after chemo, sometimes instead I have mild to severe nausea. You never know what will happen.

I have started the paperwork finally to become a houseowner. Not sure if anything will happen or not. Yesterday I completed a mortgage application, but found out I do not have a credit score. LOL... I have not used credit at all for over 8 years or more. I have operated only on a cash system. If I had the cash, then I could buy. If I did not have the cash, then I could not get it. Works well for me and I stayed out of debt. So time will tell if I get approved for a mortgage.

I did see a house near Jenny's that I really love. Does not mean I am getting that house at all. Just means I viewed it personally and it would fit my needs. What it does have that I do not need is a in-ground swimming pool. That is a luxury item that is not on my list. I like the house because it has a great kitchen, warm living room with a fireplace, and it has a sunroom area that would work great for scrapbooking / cardmaking classes. Plus it is completely fenced in with a wooden fence that is about 5 foot or higher. Behind the house is timber (a wooded lot) that will not be built upon. So I would have nature at my backdoor and not another house. Best of all it has NO STAIRS!!!! It is a simple one story house with 3 bedrooms (that way all my cousins can come visit!).

So I should hear from the mortgage company sometime this week. If this does not go thru then they will open me 2 lines of credit for 3 to 6 months to build a credit report for me. Sigh... Or my realtor says he will find another way. So I simply sit back and put it into God's hands. I have done all I need to do, and now it is HIS will whether this is where HE wants me or it is not. There are always other houses - getting the mortgage is the important factor.

I am going to go make my Dr. Baltz beam this morning! Thanks Paolo for getting the Ferrari book for me in English. I am bringing that and the lovely red Ferrari shopping bag with me to the clinic this morning. Can't wait to see his face.

Have a great day!

Arlene

Sunday Morning, January 10, 2010

Good morning! Yesterday I worked in my scrapbook room with my friend Lisa. I was helping her to figure out the dimensions on a layout she loved and wanted to copy. So I used this time to create the above layouts that Lisa loved but in bolder, richer colors that I love. Hers in pastels.

The layout is titled, Uncle of my Heart, and have photos of dear Zio Corrado. These photos are all from my trip in July 2008. The first long photo is when we were touring the buildings of Miracle Plaza. I have him sitting outside of the Catherdral for a few minutes. The 3 small photos are fun too. They show his personality! The day he wore that blue shirt, he was walking with Gus and myself in Livornio and I cropped us out of the photo to focus on Zio. Then the 2 other photos are in his home as we played Scopa. One of them he was telling me that he earned 2 points and Arlene earned 0 (zero). The final photo is of him sticking his tongue out at me when we were playing Scopa. LOL.... On the 2nd page, this photo is taken on the same day as our trip to Miracle Plaza. It was taken in the restuarant garden of Il Turista, where my cousin Lucia works. Her bosses invited us to have lunch there as a gift. It was a beautiful outdoor garden and we were sitting under an olive tree sipping wine, eating and enjoying the meal with Lucia and her colleague Sarah. Lucia is a translator for the company. She deals with the tour groups and reservations for many countries.

In my photo you see a small piece of my scrapbook room. On the table is my Cricut Expressions machine. I used it to cut the brackets, the florishes and the lettering on this layout. Everything else I used from the stamps to the paper to the punches was from Stampin Up. In the background of the room you see one of my 4 bookcases of RETIRED Stampin Up stamps. I have another bookcase of the current stamps (which is overflowing!).

It is my dream this spring that I find a house and get approved for a mortage. I have a hefty hefty downpayment ready. I need to find a 3 bd and 2 bath because I will be having company alot. But I want a room with a large den that I can turn into my scrapbook room. I would love to have my Stamp or Scrapbook classes in my house, instead of dragging everything across town. Maybe by Spring Break I will be on the way for moving into my own house. Just got to get across town to visit Jerry to start the ball rolling.

This morning Bruno and Cody are coming for a short visit. I brought them back a huge garbage bag full of gifts from Italy and their uncle and cousins. The gifts are truly is sitting in a white garbage bag in the living room. I had to have space for them and had no available boxes to pack it all in.

I am going in a few minutes to start the base of a stew. Got to go chop the trinity items -- celery, carrots and onions and get them ready. A little Knorr beef bouillon, some water and the beef itself, to form the base. It will take several hours to do it all. But my house will smell good and by lunch time I will have a hearty and hot meal. After that a quick shower before they get here (bet by 7 cause Bruno likes to start his day early!)

After Bruno leaves, I am goingback to my scrapbook room. I have some papers to put away from yesterday. Seems anytime I am creative that I create a whirlwind of chaos around me. LOL Then got to get moving on the cards for Zio, which must be mailed by tomorrow. Then work on my class samples for my upcoming Stamp Class on the 23rd.

In between all this I have to wash at least one more load of laundry to be set for the week. Be glad to get that dreaded chore off my to do list. LOL I hate doing laundry. Well, no, let me refresh that. I hate folding and hanging and putting away the laundry. I have no problem with loading the washer or the dryer. It is that last step... ugh...

Okay time for me to go start my day! It is 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning here. Plan on being back in my scraproom in an hour to play until Bruno arrives, and then back again an hour later. Got to try to get a photo of him today with Cody.

Take care!

Arlene

January 9, 2010 Everyone needs hair

Oh Zio was in a good mood on this morning -- it was Wednesday of my first week, so that means it was Wednesday, December 23rd. Zio Mario, his daughter Sylvia and her daughter, Ylenia had come to see me at Zio Corrado's home.

We were all talking and Ylenia was interested in my turban. I took her to see my wigs (I had taken three with me). Anyway she ended up wearing one, and her mom wore one back into the living room. Then Zio demanded his turn, so I popped this curly one off my head and he put it on. What a character! Reminds me of photos of him in his younger years, but as I remember it, his hair was not this loose wavy stuff.... I think it was a tighter wave or curl.. lol I will have to hunt down an old photo of him.

As you can see it was still very cold. He is wearing thermal shirt, flannel shirt and a jacket in the house. This is how we dressed my first 3 days, then later we got to loose that 3rd layer, and occasionally the 2nd layer too!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

I bet you wonder what these photos are? LOL Well, Jenny requested a scrapbook layout that was interesting and unusual about Zio Corrado. He, of course, was to come and spend Christmas with us this year. And as you know, that did not happen and I ended up going to him for Christmas.

Jenny is a special education teacher, who teaches only Math and Science classes at Bryant High School. She requested that the layout have 2 parts. Part 1 it was to be of Zio Corrado, and Part 2 it needed to have a Venn Diagram on it. Hmmm... okay.... that is going to be different to accomplish.

A Venn Diagram for those who have been out of school a long while, is simply 2 circles that overlap. The outer parts of the circle shows differences between 2 things. The inner overlapping area is the where the things they have in common are placed.

Okay I started with Stampin Up Brilliant Blue 12 x 12 paper as my background paper. Jenny calls this Bryant Blue because it is her school color. Then I took my Creative Memories circles and cut out circles in various sizes and colors (Pixie Pink, Only Orange, YoYo Yellow, Elegant Eggplant, and Green Galore). Then I inked the edges and some of the insides with a sponge and the same color ink as the paper. I wanted to give the layout some visual interest (what do you do with a Venn Diagram I ask?)....

Then I used my Creative Memories circle again to cut 4 circles out of black cardstock to create the 2 Venn Diagrams. I cut the inner circles first, and then the outer to get them all the same size.

On the completed left layout, I placed Jenny on the left side of the page with her differences in the outer circle. Then I placed Zio Corrado on the right side of the page with his differences in the outer circle. In the overlapping area between the two I listed things they had in common.

Well I liked this so well, that I followed the same plan for the right layout (sorry, I did not capture a photo of it completed!) and this time placed photos on the outer circles of Jenny and Zio Corrado. In the overlapping are between the two I listed the MAJOR thing they had in common -- FAMILY. Then I placed this Venn Diagram on a completed background like the left side of the page. Oh and I fixed Jenny's picture so she was not laying sideways or leaning sideways... lol The title of the page was cut out of Real Red Cardstock with a black shadow letter. I think I put FAMILY CONNECTIONS as the title. I will have to ask Jenny, since this was about 3 months ago. She wanted to have it hanging up in her hallway when Zio arrived.

Both Jenny and I have 12x12 frames hanging in our hallways. In these frames, we put up some of our scrapbooking layouts. I have 3 sets of the frames which means 3 two page layouts. In one set, is a vintage layout I did of my mom. In another set, there is a layout of me in the 1970's to the 1990's with my high school best friend, Angela Trotter (who I saw at Thanksgiving!). And finally in my final set of frames is a 2 page layout of Christmas ornaments I made over the years.

Sorry I did not post on Thursday (was way tooo busy) and then that night I got sick. I even stayed home from work yesterday. Feeling better this morning. Must of been something I ate or a virus. I am betting on the food side. There are certain things that make me ill these days. So far I know one must be a cream sauce..... everytime I get something with a cream sauce I get sick. Not sure what the other kicker is.... But you know when you have 2 intensine surgeries and then they remove 10 inches of intensines, things are never the same again. Even my belly is not the same. I call it the ALIEN BABY.... and told Dr. Gilbert (my surgeon) that. He laughs at me. But heck it is lopsided. One side is a good inch higher than the other, plus it pushed more to the left. Dr. Gilbert tells me that when you have this type of surgery he can repack the intestines, but cannot do the great job that God does to begin with.... so I am stuck with the ALIEN BABY belly.... Too bad too... without it I would wear 2 sizes smaller in slacks I think....

Today my friend, Lisa Houston, is coming over to work on a scrapbook layout. In fact she will be here around 8:30 this morning. Yes, I got up early again, but at least on my own timezone -- this is normal. Here it is 5:30 in the morning and I have been up about 30 minutes. Funny how I age, how early I rise.... I am awake between 4 and 5 each morning without the alarm. I rarely use an alarm. In fact, when I am on heavy meds I have Jenny call me in the mornings to wake me. It is our habit to meet in IM (Instant Messanger) each morning before work between 5 and 5:30. If we do not hear from the other by 5:45 a.m. then a phone call is made. Neither of us want to oversleep and be late for work. That just ruins the day.

Okay time for me to go do a little housework like make the bed and finally put all my luggage away in the closet. I think it sitting here for a week is enough. Then got to drag 2 boxes of Stampin Up items down the hall to my scrapbook room. Finally need to get another load of laundry going. Only have my work slacks and towels left ! WOOHOOO!!!! When the sun rises, then I will take out some trash bags I packed up last night from the kitchen and scrapbook room.

You have a safe and warm day wherever you are.

Arlene

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Okay I am thinking about making cards again. These 4 cards were my card class I taught in November. I had to skip December - just too much happening that month. Am trying to get my ducks in a row to have a class in January. I will have the date, time and cost completed by tomorrow (especially since I figure we will be out of school due to the weather).

Weather all over the US is cold. For Arkansas, it is bitterly cold. We rarely get this kind of weather. In fact, I think someone moved the state of Arkansas close to Canada for the last few days.... I want it to come back to the south. LOL.

Tonight we expect snow and single digit temps. I plan on staying nice and warm in my house. Got my sweatpants all washed and in the dryer now to get ready for the next few cold days. Brrrr.......

Think it will be a great time to pull out my crock pot and make some soup. Then I can settle in the scrapbook room and make cards for my January class. Plus I have to make Tawanna's desk calendar (See I did remember). I have some cute ideas in mind with four of the new sets in the Stampin Up Occasions Mini. I do love teaching classes. It is fun to show the girls how to create a new look.

I am a lucky girl. I have 2 Stamp Clubs that run from January to May completely full (that's 10 ladies) plus I have a Marker Club of 4 ladies that runs from January to April. Then to top it off, I already have one downline, Angie, and about to get another one, Tanya. Then I will also have to have downline meetings for them perhaps once a month to 6 weeks. Poor Angie, has been floating alot on her own this year. Due to my poor health and all that chemo I was not alot of help to her. Hope that will change for the better now.

Speaking of Chemo. I have my January treatment next Wednesday at Dr. Baltz's in Little Rock. He is going to love me. I brought him home a book on Ferrari from Italy (yes it is in English). It is his favorite car.

I am currently in remission from my 3rd bout with endometerial cancer. I have been in remission since August. I have a very aggressive oncologist, which I love. After 14 weeks of chemo (yes every week) from March to the end of July, I was placed on monthly chemo treatments and allowed to return to work. I had missed from December 17, 2008 to August 10, 2009. I was biting at the bit to return to work. Now I have scans every 3 months (August, Nov, Feb, May) to check on the remission status. In addition, for extra insurance, I am having a 4 1/2 hr. chemo treatment monthly until May. After May, if all is well, then I come off chemo.

Considering that at New Years 2008, the doctors were discussing sending me to hospice, it has been a miracle. I owe many thanks to Dr. Gilbert, who did my 2 surgeries, Dr. Baltz (my new oncologist - not the one who almost killed me) for being an aggressive fighter, and to Jenny, my loving sister, who was my nurse and advocate when I could not manage it. Bless her soul. I frightened her alot with my 18 hrs a day of sleeping and then that month that I could only tolerate 3 glasses of milk a day for food. It has been a long journey.

Frankly, Dr. Baltz told me (maybe a month ago or so) that when he met me in January, he thought I was a train wreck and there was no hope. He tells me that I was so insistant that we fight and make a game plan that he decided to do that. So miracles and spunk and a desire to bother you all a few more years does make a difference. LOL

Tomorrow I should have photos of snow to share with you. Stay warm my friends. I must go prepare for work. The kids will be waiting for me!

Arlene

January 5, 2010 - Just thinking of Mom

This is a scrapbook layout I created in December for the Pine Haven Scrapbook Group. It was my month to design a layout. I finally chose to use photos from Mom's last Christmas in 2005. We were celebrating it at Jenny's house in Benton. It was a bittersweet Christmas. Mother had just been told not a week before that she was in Stage 4 Lung Cancer. We had understood if she took chemo then we would have her 12 to 18 more months. If she did not take chemo it would be as short as 6 months. Well Mom took the chemo, and we lost her before 6 months was gone.

If you notice the left side of the page starts with a double matted photo of Mom and Mark (Jenny's husband). I decided they needed to be the focal point of the layout since neither of them are with us anymore. Mom passed away in June 2006 and Mark passed away in June 2008. Mark died of complications of MS.

On the left page on the bottom left side is a photo of Mom with Laura. Laura is Jenny's daughter. On the bottom right of the same page is a photo of Bruno, Mom and Cody. Cody is Bruno's son.

On the right page of the layout there are 3 photos of us with Mom. Across the top right is Jenny and Mom, and then Bruno and Mom. I am in the bottom photo on the right page. I cut out 2 circle ornaments and then stamped them. One is stamped with a red cardinal, which is a family symbol of our Mom. Notice that Mom and Jenny are both wearing cardinal sweaters. Even the china on the table is decorated with cardinals. The other is a small house with a sentiment that reads, " Though far and wide on earth we roam, at Christmas time our hearts come home."

Okay my shower beckons me. Or I will be late to work this morning. I refused to get up at 2 a.m. and curled in my bed until 4 a.m. So I did not have time to do all I have been doing in the morning. Only 1 load of laundry this morning, then a big order at Stampin Up since today Sale*a*Bration started, and finally gathering items necessary for work today (plus a big container of hot chocolate powder for my kiddos!).

Have a great day and stay warm.

Arlene

Monday, January 4, 2010

This photo is an old one. It was taken in April 2009. But it is the last one with the entire family in it. Front row is Austin, his mom Laura Jill, Isabel (who was my mother's dearest friend for over 40 years), Jenny. The back row is Bruno, his son Cody, and then me in my turban. This photo was taken in front of Jenny's house.

I try hard to get photos of Jenny, Bruno and I together when we do see each other. Love to see how we are the same, yet different over the years.

Today is January 4, 2010 and I return to work at Bauxite High School. I am going to like seeing my kids and hearing all the goodies they got for Christmas. It is 5:41 a.m. and I have been awake since 2 a.m. I managed to get 2 loads of laundry washed and dried. I also finished coloring or inking up some images for Zio's cards. Tonight I will put the cards together. I need to send 3 or 4 immediately. That way, Lucia can give him one a day from me.

I must go to take a shower in about 15 minutes. Then prepare for work. I have to make my lunch to take too. Then gather some little trinkets I got for a few friends. I will deliver these this morning. I am going to stop and get a large hot chocolate and a breakfast sandwich at the corner store.

Have to get back on track with my portfolios. I lack only a few photos but must check my list to make sure what is left. Today I will simply double check the list and plan when I will complete the photos.

I also want to see how the new school building is going. We are supposed to move into it in February. I am excited about that. A true classroom with a kitchen, a huge storage room, and a bathroom. No more being in this bowling alley or rather the 2 lanes of the bowling alley. LOL.... I will miss many of my friends who are not going with me, but I need room!

I will try and take photos of the building this week, and perhaps I will finally get to go visit the new room! No one has wanted me to climb the 3 flights of stairs to see it. But before Christmas the crew had completed the concrete sidewalk that joins the 3rd floor (where I will be) and the main road level. I plan on going in and out this door alot!

The snow yesterday never appeared, but the weathermen are calling for it again on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. So we shall see.

Take care and I will see you later.
Arlene

A cold Sunday morning..... Jan. 3, 2010

My crazy cousin Paolo is sitting on my lap. Then there is Zio Corrado, who hates a camera (unless he is taking the photo) and Paolo's mother, Zia Adriana. Paolo and I are very good friends and chat often in IM. In this photo you get a tiny view of Zio's kitchen. Behind Zio is his stove and to the right of that is his sink. It is very low to me. Behind me is the hallway to the bathroom and the 2 bedrooms.

I slept alot again on Saturday. From about 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. I am slowly returning to Central Standard time. Yesterday I went to Jenny's house for lunch, then Laura and Wayne arrived for a visit. I stayed a little bit, but came home after a short visit.

I had intended to do some stamping and make some cards for Zio. Instead I curled up on the bed and napped. Ugh..... Today is going to be a cold cold day. The high for the day will be 36 degrees (if it gets that high) and the current temperature is 27 (which is -3 C). It has come up from 24 degrees. We have a 30% chance of snow this morning and again on Wednesday. Apparently winter has come to stay. I can even tell a difference this morning in my house. I am sitting here barefooted with sweatpants and a short sleeve t-shirt. As soon as I finish my blog, I am heading for socks and a long sleeve shirt to go over my t-shirt. I feel the coolness ..... the wind must be blowing too..... brrr....

I have been indexing stamps this morning. It simply means I have been stamping an image of my stamps onto an index card and then placing them in the stamp box. Trying to do this with all my stamps. This way, I can tell if all the stamps for a certain set are in its box or if I have a loose stamp it is easier to find where it belongs.

Then I worked on my Stampin Up clubs for January thru May. They are a 5 month committment. I have 2 stamp clubs for this period and 1 marker club. Just trying to get organized for this time period.

School starts back tomorrow morning. Today I must wash clothes and get prepared for a week of work. I will work Monday thru Friday this week and then only Monday and Tuesday next week. I have chemo scheduled on Wed., Jan 13. So I am off work on that day and the following 2 days -- that is when I get the worst nausea. Ugh.... this time I have had mild nausea off and on for 2 weeks. I think it is because of all the travel and the nerves/emotional situations. So Zofran has been my friend. LOL.... a short nap and a nausea pill makes a world of difference.

Time for me to go eat something. Last time I ate was over 12 hrs ago, so I am a little hungry. LOL.... suddenly cinnamon toast sounds good with a cup of hot chocolate. Wonder if I bought regular bread or only the philly subs.... Toodles for now!
Arlene

The family! Well quite a few of the family together. On the front row from left to right are: Rita (Paolo's wife), Arlene, Zio Corrado, and Zia Adriana. On the back row from left to right are: Lucia, Paolo, Genny (wife to Maurizio), Maurizio, Ilaria and Gus. We are missing Ilaria and Lucia's brother, Fabio and his family (Analia, Gioelle, and Malia) and Stefano the husband to Lucia. Also missing Paolo and Maurizio's sister Gabriella or Gabby and her family (Renzo and Luca). Then we would have Zio Corrado's family (just him), Zia Adriana's family (Paolo, Gabby and Maurizio) and Zia Tina's family (Ilaria, Fabio and Lucia).

The photo was taken in Zio Corrado's kitchen by Maurizio with a time delay camera. I am so happy he took a photo of all of us together. It is a rare event. A very rare event.

I am in contact with Lucia and Paolo the most. In fact, the three of us have been talking in IM for many years now. We often speak in Instant Messanger. I speak with Ilaria, Gus and Maurizio occasionally on Facebook.

Two Very Happy Furrballs

While the photo is an old one (taken when I lived in Mississippi) the furrballs are the same ones. Walking above the computer on the shelf is Socks. Laying on an old computer monitor is Julie. Both are so glad I am home. Socks is being very vocal in his opinion.... lol... he keeps coming to me and MEOWING and MEOWING.... Julie just comes to me or sticks close by me.

At present, Julie is laying down on top of my small 13 inch television, here in the scrapbook room. She can follow me whether I work on the computer or make some cards or a scrapbook layout. Socks, is underneath the computer table resting his head on my feet. LOL

I went to take a short nap yesterday after I got home and it turned out to be a long long sleep instead. Socks was laying beside me on the left side and Julie was under the covers beside me on the right side. Both were very pleased to get their pet human back. You do realize I am owned by 2 cats right?

This morning (it is about 4:45 a.m.) I have been up nearly 3 hours. I have worked on catagorizing my new stamps, and labeling the boxes. I have surfed on the net and ready both emails, the Crop Room and facebook, as well as many Stampin Up Blogs. I did some shopping online for Ilaria and Zio Corrado. I have wandered thru ebay, and the demo site of Stampin Up. Next up, I plan on doing some stamping. I have a few cards in mind for my uncle that I want to get sent in Monday's mail.

Funny thing, is I am ready to take another nap! LOL Got to get back in the right time zone soon. At least I still have today and tomorrow to readjust.

Take care,
Arlene