well?

What did you think? Just finished watching it a short while ago and had some time to think things through. I'm more than pleased. Curious to know what the rest of you think. I took a peek online to see what other folks have to say about it and overall it sounds like most loved it, but some had a hard time grasping what it meant.

I have to say that while I haven't spent the last six years of my life watching, the last few months of soaking it all in was well worth the time, effort and brain cramps. So glad you guys talked me into this. Thank you.

a dollar an hour just doesn't work for me

Ha ha, I was interviewed by the local paper about the parking situation here in Troy. Several people heard about my...uh...outburst at City Hall the other day and confronted me about it yesterday. Apparently the reporters heard too. Good times. I sound like a dick.

moving on

Yesterday was a really crappy day.

Not only did I infuriate myself by eating that muffin, but I also went apeshit on the clerks down at Troy City Hall. You see, good old Troy decided to go ahead and install parking meters in very hidden places and then leave the old "2 Hour Parking" signs right where they've always been. A little misleading, eh? I had no idea the meters were there and parked in my usual spot. Someone came in and told me that my truck was overloaded with tickets, and sure enough it was. So, I closed the shop and went down to City Hall (which just so happens to be in the same building as my old Verizon office, so you can imagine how badly my skin was crawling) and went totally berserk. I probably should have calmed down before entering the building, but, as I mentioned, yesterday was a crappy day so whatever.

::just as a side note here, it just dawned on me that I'm posting a lot about going crazy on people lately, and I don't want anyone to think I'm a total lunatic here. I just fly off the handle quickly. I'm working on it.::

Anyway, I was told to "get used to it", and the fact that customers have to pay to shop in our stores and employees and owners of said stores have to close their shops up to pay the meters or move their cars every hour or two, is part of "the NEW Troy". Makes you want to come right down here to shop, doesn't it? I'm fed up. I'm also not renewing my lease when it's up early next year. More on that soon.

So, I've moved on to a new day. I'm parking in the next town over which gives me the opportunity to get some exercise in the morning. It's a brisk walk over a bridge with gorgeous scenery, so things could be worse. I'm not allowing myself to think about what I'm going to do in the winter...just enjoying the new routine as much as I can. I'm trying to think positively about life as of late. I've had a few realizations that have changed my outlook on things, and I'm trying to savor them before my mood sours again. I've also decided to up my exercise intake in addition to the morning walk because I think this will help to pull me out of my slump and maybe make me not hate myself so much the next time I indulge in a chocolate muffin. God those things are fantastic.

I'm sorry for being such a crab here lately. I hope you guys don't blow me off for not being all roses and daisies all the time. There are an awful lot of those perky, happy, cheery blogs out there and I wonder how these women live lives like that day in and day out. Life isn't all roses and daisies all the time and bad days happen. Thank you for sticking with me through times like these. Things are looking up and big changes are ahead!

guilty

I just ate a chocolate muffin from the coffee shop next door and feel incredibly guilty about it. I hate being like this.

all hail the queen

Anyone have any great photos of Queen Anne's Lace they'd be willing to share with me? It just dawned on me that I have a $100 gift certificate to Lark Tattoo and that means I can FINALLY get my calves tattooed. I'm on the hunt for some good shots...found a few via Flickr, but would love to get some other inspirational pictures to work from. I haven't decided if I want this to look super realistic, or painterly, or if I want to just leave it up to Kara to decide. I trust her judgment, especially after seeing how she pulled off the sparrows on my chest. Either way, I'm itching to give her a call to set up an appointment. Eeeeeeeee! I've been waiting for this for a loooooong time. Thanks!

murderer

I hate mosquitoes.

In fact, I hate any of those nasty little bloodsuckers...fleas, ticks, etc. They're just about the only things I willingly kill with my own bare hands. This guy was massive and gnawing on my leg when he met his maker.

mmmm, chemicals

So the evil bastard love children over at the Wonka candy company have created a monster. For real.

With flavors like Cloud Berry, Raspberry, Blueberry and Goji Berry, you can't lose. AND, they'll fool you because they feature an ultra chewy gummy shell on the outside, but hiding inside its delicious, fruit flavored goodness is a gooey jam-like gel. Magnificent, I say!

But, ladies and gentlemen, act fast because they're already discontinued. Built up a stockpile here at the house thanks to our local Target store.

If you dare, and you better think twice before diving in because these little buggers are addictive, I highly recommend that you go for it. Here, Mike will illustrate just how good they are...

Before:
After:

tempers, cell phone hate and even a little art

I need to develop a better scowl, I think, just so people will learn not to mess with me. I almost got into a fist fight with a full grown man this morning because he intentionally stole my parking spot. If you're not from this area, I should explain that parking spots in downtown Troy are so few and far between that people actually fight for them. Anyway, there's a pretty consistent flow of construction going on down here at all times, limiting the parking spot availability even more, and making my mornings very difficult these days.

After driving in circles for twenty minutes this morning, I pulled in front of a spot that was about to open up, put the truck in reverse and had my blinker on. I couldn't pull back behind the spot to wait because of even more construction, so I waited. The guy in the spot knew I was waiting for it and even gestured to wait a second while he put his cell phone down (lord I hate cell phones) and buckled his seat belt. He pulls out of the spot just in time for some other asshole to pull his gigantic van in. I put my truck in park (in the middle of the street, mind you) and got out. I start yelling at this guy (nasty, crude Cohoes girl speak) and he just shrugs his shoulders, laughs and gets on his cell phone. Let me just tell you, it took everything I had to not pull him out of the van and kick his flabby butt. I'm trying to keep my temper down these days, improving myself mentally as well as physically, and fighting is something that just doesn't agree with me. I fly off the handle way too easily and I'm trying to keep it in check. Don't mess with Cohoes girls, people. Like poking a bear at the zoo...not a good idea.

Anyway....deep breath.

So, I wasn't planning on talking about this here, but I figure maybe it'll bring some people out. At the end of this month, we're featuring paintings by my grandmother, paintings by my mom and my own mixed media stuff in the rear gallery of the shop. It's a generational thing I guess you could say, and it should be pretty sweet! My grandmother's and mother's paintings are amazing and look like this:

I love my grandmother's birds and my mother's trees. Can't get enough. I'm working out a photo project on canvas with embroidery and embroidery hoops. I'd explain more but I just don't know what the hell I'm talking about today. Photos to come. I'll need you crazy kids to help me out with pricing, too. If you can make it to the show, the reception is on Troy Night Out, May 28th, from 5-9pm. The show will be up until mid-June. Yes, there will be dip. Hope to see you there!

feels like fall

Last I checked, we were currently in the month of May. Not sure what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but it's damn cold out there lately! Feels like fall to me. Not quite the shivery, damp November kind of fall we all quickly grow to hate, but chilly, brisk October fall maybe. Gotta love the northeast. We all know better than to put our sweaters and snow shovels away too quickly.

So you're probably wondering who won the giveaway, eh? First, I'd like to say that I loved your answers, and thank you for playing along. I love doing these and I really should do them more often. Anyway, congratulations goes to...

Laura from Metalsgirl!

Wow, you squeaked in at the last minute and took the whole thing by storm! Congrats!!! If you folks aren't familiar with Laura's blog, please check it out. This woman is a miracle worker for many, many rescue dogs. Fantastic work, and an amazing jewelry maker, too!

Laura, I have your address already, but would you please e-mail me at peonyandbee@gmail.com and include a little note with your favorite color and a description of a fabric print that suits you (are you a floral person? Plaid? Paisley? Solids? You get the idea.) I'll make a bag for you if you'd like.

Nothing new to report here. I'm both baffled and awestruck by this beaver dam they discovered via satellite. Can you believe this thing?

Picked some lily of the valley I found hiding along side my house (more photos here in the stream). I hate to pick them (it kills me, really), but they're out of sight and would just wither and die there. Bringing them indoors means enjoying them while they're around, and even just a few stems give off this amazing scent that just melts my icy cold heart.

Other than that, I spent the weekend taking photos with Mike and laying low. I'm really tired these days and can't seem to get enough rest. Oh, and in case you smartasses out there were thinking it...no, I'm not pregnant.

givin' my stuff away

I think it's time for another giveaway, don't you? It's been a while.
I will reward the winner of this contest a bag similar to the one shown here (I may even customize it for you if I have the means). All you have to do is leave a comment with your answer to the question below and your name will be drawn out of a hat. Well, maybe not out of a hat, but some sort of vessel anyway.

So here goes (question chosen at random from the If book...we're big on the If books here at chez Eggleston):

If you could be one article of clothing, what would you be and who would you want to belong to?

Winner will be chosen on Tuesday, May 11th.

Ready, set, GO!

tuneage

Matthew yet again pointed me in the right direction musically. Love this. I'm going to rip him off and repost here to share with you.

I'm not a huge fan of female vocalists, but something about this woman's voice reminds me of old PJ Harvey/Throwing Muses/Patti Smith. Soaking up the album a lot lately. Great stuff. And the video is just creepy enough to keep my attention.

P.S. Stay tuned this weekend for a giveaway I'm working on.

sausage boob

Can any of you ladies recommend a decent jog bra? I have a rather, uh, large top half and a standard jog bra does nothing for me. I'd like to give jogging a try, but I'd prefer to do so without pain, thank you very much. I need as much support as I can get. At this point, if no one can help me I'm fully prepared to head to CVS for an ace bandage.

Gracias!

the best

I have the greatest husband in the world.

Not only did he spend his hard-earned weekend at Pottery Fest (my request) but he also treated me to a trip to Faddegon's (my favorite nursery) to look at plants. Amazing, right? I got to come home with a brand new Columbine plant and a gorgeous new variety of Coral Bells. And to top it all off, he joined me on a mini trip to the local park to play on the swings. Ahh yes, love is grand. I'm one lucky gal.

My love, if you're reading this, thank you for choosing to spend the rest of your life with me. You'll have my heart forever.

anybody wanna head to Philly?

Because I'd love to see this:

"Take a look at this picture. Not much to see here, right, just a plank of octagon-shaped wood with a few metal straps and some sort of contraption on top? Look closer. This is precisely what they (whoever coined this maxim) had in mind when they urged us not to judge a book by its cover.

This lumber, you see, serves an actual purpose, an artistic one. What you see here is a collaboration between Eric Bachmann, onetime Denverite of Crooked Fingers/Archers of Loaf fame, and local artist Patrick Marold.

Evidently, the sculpture, which responds to sunlight in some way sonically, is part of the Elemental Energy: Art Powered by Nature exhibit at Philadelphia's Schuylkill Center. From what we understand, an entire collection of these types of sculptures is slated to be assembled and will reportedly perform an entire piece of music."

-article from Denver Westword Blogs