Friday-8:15am

My sleeping around the clock got interrupted and I guess I am right back there again. I've been up since 3:30 yesterday afternoon. Going to bed soon here--but I thought this time I'd blog before I went to bed instead of after I get up. Just had to show you what I got done last evening and all night long--little by little. I worked on the inside pages for the bookcards.

I'd pile them up in sets of five pages and then fold-fold-fold.
When the timer went off and my hour was up I'd go watch my Netflix movies.

I watched X-Men again and understood it better after having seen the new Wolverine movie. Yup! X-Men was the one I had seen. Now I think there are two more for me to watch.

I also watched Rage:

A young blogger attempts to document the inner workings of a top New York fashion house in the week leading up to a major show, but his behind-the-scenes interviews take on much greater significance when a runway model is murdered. A celebrity supermodel (Jude Law), a war photographer (Steve Buscemi), a critic (Judi Dench) and other personalities share their versions of the week's events in Sally Potter's darkly comic riff on the information age.

Hard to describe--but fascinating! The whole movie takes place with an assortment of fashion industry people coming one by one and talking in front of a green screen to a young boy/teen (you never see him or hear him). He's apparently doing a school project--or that is what he told everyone. They didn't know he was posting the videos on his blog. A murder of a runway model takes place (off camera, of course) and people come and discuss things with the young man. The acting--well, I remembered Judi Dench was in it and I love Steve Buscemi--but I never re-read the sleeve. Well, I had to go back and re-watch some of it because I had no idea that was Jude Law playing a supermodel!!! I knew it was a guy--a male--but he was actually exotically beautiful! No lie! Those eyes! I almost kept it to watch it again just because of realizing at the end that it was Jude Law--hehe! But Netflix takes up enough of my life as it is--ROFL!!

Anyways, what a strange movie! Compelling just for the acting alone. Of course, that's all you're getting come to think of it. I don't think it was ever clear what happened off stage or who killed the model (and I won't tell you anything else), but I didn't really care. I got wrapped up in the array of characters--which was the point, I guess.

Movies-Schmovies. Karma slept.

By morning I had finished folding ALL the business paper I had! Here's the finished stack of covers and four stacks of folded paper for the insides of the bookcards--tada!!

Another step done!

I have never mass produced this many bookcards! I think the most I did at one time was thirty-three (just for me, of course). We have never mass produced this many regular cards, either--not counting Christmas cards, I mean. Like the ones we call the "scrap cards" we are working on that I showed you yesterday--(because they are made using the scraps from my bookcard covers). It's exciting! :)

Don't be concerned we've lost our minds--ROFL! I am not worried if other people don't love the bookcards as much as I do and they don't sell because you know I can use them up myself. And Leah and I would also use up the scrap cards. (Leah's not a letter writer so she doesn't use the bookcards.) We already have transformed scrap cards into whatever we need--birthday, thank you, get well, congratulations...everything but Christmas cards, I think. We love them. :):) But we are quite willing to part with some of them--never fear. So we can make some more--tada! You will see some of these on Etsy later on.

Yes--us crafty folk are often a little crazed, aren't we? LOL! I can hardly wait to see how they all turn out!! I do want to pick out the best ones for Etsy. :):)

Anyways, I pushed my limits--so tomorrow--I mean today--after I wake up--I'll take it easy. Do other things--not cards--save the shoulders. But I can walk by the table--often--and gaze at the stacks--the progress--and smile--and smile. Another very good day indeed. :):)

Thursday-4pm

Dagan and Leah were over last night--and I forgot to get pictures again--duh! I made a chicken and cashew stir fry over rice with broccoli--salty, but yummy! We watched one of The Office DVDs from last year that D&L got from Netflix. Leah decided to sit and glue the two card front pieces together while she watched and I finished up the last of them after they left. We've kept the leftover pieces with the fronts in case we want to use some of them on the insides of the cards. Wait till you see them all! Such variety! Of course, that makes it extra enjoyable for me--hehe!

Leah has been enjoying her training at the new job. It's one of those places for digital TV where you get a little satellite dish installed. Several people have the dishes here in this building, Leah said. She has to work every other weekend on Saturday and Sunday, tho. Gets one day during the week off. She's hoping to work her way up. After all, she basically ran a call center in India from Fargo, right? :) She's just glad she is working!!

Dagan's been back to work and doing well. He was pretty sore, tho, by the time they left at close to 10pm. He gets his stitches checked here in Fargo pretty soon and then goes back to Minneapolis for a check-up after six weeks. Looking especially good to Mom!! :) :)

Intense Guy sent Miss Karma a youtube video--and she loved it! Thanks, Iggy!!

I had seen a clip from it on The Bonnie Hunt Show. Karma even pawed the screen sometimes--especially, for some unknown cat reason, when the guy bounced down the stairs.

It's cute! I can see why it has had over 26 million hits!

I hope it didn't give her any ideas--hehe! Karma's always been full of enough ideas on her own--ROFL!! You can watch The Mean Kitty Song here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qit3ALTelOo

We're back in the 70's during the day and the 50's at night. Perfect weather! Ahhh!

Let's see...I have the original X-Men, lizards on Life In Cold Blood, and Rage (about a blogger and the fashion world?) to watch--and I might sit and fold inside paper for the bookcards. Just feeling happy. Smiling as I type this. May happiness settle upon you, too! :):)

Wednesday-2:30pm

The heat wave of Indian Summer has apparently ended. Got down into the mid-40s last night. Cold enough that I woke up and had to close the bedroom window. Slept a split shift. Went to bed at a normal time and was up in the middle of the night (closing window--hehe!). I read for a while and then went to bed again this morning and slept till noon. Got my 8 hours--in shifts--but that's fine. :)

Another great cheap toy.

Treats in an empty kleenex box.
I am making dinner for Dagan and Leah tonight. Sounds like they'll be here after they both get off at 5pm. Leah and I will work on making cards if she's not too tired. I'd better get busy and check emails and such...more tomorrow. :)

Tuesday-1:15pm

Confession.

Here's the nasty side of me! I really enjoyed watching this car get towed away from the handicapped parking.

It's a sight you don't get to see very often.
We have had problems with people parking there and the office put a warning up a while back.
Now if it actually was a handicapped person's car being repossessed or towed because if a major car problem...
...all I can do is apologize for my momentary glee and the delight I felt at watching the car being towed off the property. Not nice, I know. I don't know the whole story. But the small part I saw--just tickled me to no end--hehe!

It really does feel like fall now. My very favorite time of year! I keep the windows open and bundle up--enjoying the chill in the air. Karma likes to snuggle under the covers when the apartment gets nippy--hehe!

Caroline will be here around 3pm. I'm up and showered and have gathered up the trash. All I have to do is pick up cat toys.

I never did get around to watching Heroes last night. Spent my sessions on the computer (still catching up). Did a lot of reading--another murder mystery and writing magazines (trying to get inspired?). Filled one bookcard and started another one. [Letters, journaling, blogging, morning pages, or dream journals don't count as "writing-writing" in my book. Pardon the pun.]

Ahhh! Autumn!!! I think of nature painting the woods and forests--the smell of bread baking and soup simmering--getting your life in order--long evenings to write, create, or snuggle up with a good book. (I have a stack lined up!) I am always as excited by the first snowflakes as I am the first thunderstorm in the spring. The ducks and geese pass through and the squirrels race around getting ready for winter. Fall to me is a time of change, renewal, contemplation, evaluation, rest, assessment, reading, satisfaction, and lots of industrious handiwork. Must have been a pioneer in a past life, eh?

Well, I'm going to go pick up cat toys and watch Heroes until Caroline arrives. Have a great day! May your harvest be a good one!! :):)

Monday-8pm

Miss Karma struggling to stay awake to watch the bugs on TV--hehe!

We watched slugs, beetles, flies, spiders, salamanders, lizards--all assortment of insects, amphibians, and reptiles--mate, reproduce, fight, kill, deceive, nurture, shed, transform, and die. Absolutely mesmerizing to watch close up like that--as long as it's not real life--ROFL! Lizards don't bother me like a lot of the insects do. But I do tend to think most salamanders, tree frogs, toads, and smaller lizards are darn cute, actually. I have one more DVD from Life In Cold Blood and the next series I'll be getting will be Planet Earth! That looks awesome!! :)

New week.

Things are getting back to normal. I decided to work on folding bookcard covers. I did the same thing I did with the 12 x 12 scraps--went thru and took out one of the two cover pieces I got from each sheet...

...and just started folding. :)

Just kept plugging away--using the timer--1 hour at a time.

TaDa!!!
Finished up this morning!

Since I have been out of bookcards for over a month...

...I had to finish and sew together a few for my personal use.

No surprise, eh? Hehe!

Sounds like Dagan and Leah will be over for dinner after work on Wednesday! Leah and I will probably work on scrap cards. :) Tomorrow Caroline comes to clean. It has cooled off again and there's a light, gentle rain tonight. I am taping Heroes and will eagerly watch that later on. I want to be in good shape for Wednesday, so I will probably stay away from paper folding, etc, till then. Just feeling happy. :) :)

Sunday-9pm

Discovered a great new cheap "toy" for Karma. Empty cat food bags. :)

They make crinkly noises and smell like treats!
She obviously plays with them while I am sleeping, too--hehe!

Quick hello today. I get thrown off with the inverted hours, but all is well our way up here. Hello! Hello! :):)

Saturday-8:30pm

Quiet night up here in Fargo. :)

My days and nights are flipped at the moment. I just got up a little bit ago--so it feels like it should be Sunday--hehe!

Continuing on with my catch-up...

This is the order I got from Impressions. They even send a pretty Thank You card with the order. :)

Trying something new--flower stamens and I thought I'd also try the yellow pearls for flower centers, too. The needle tool is for--you guessed it--poking holes. I've seen that used a lot lately in online demos for a faux stitched look or just a design element.
Some more small packs of pretty papers...

...and I had been so impressed with the quality of the "Pound of Paper" that I got another one.

I'd always wanted to try their cardstock--so I got their cream colored set of cards and envelopes. They are very thin but, since these are the main sets they sell, I'll reserve judgment until we have tried them in actual use. You don't know how well they work until you use glue and such on them--hehe! I do love the rounded envelope flaps.

I had taken this shot of dried aquarium plant a while back (for you, Iggy--hehe!). This is what I added to that handmade paper that I like so much--hehe! (Bookcard cover in our Etsy shop.) I've got this plant that keeps growing and takes over the top of the tank. I think I'll back off on the trimming for a while, tho. The plant looks like it got a bit shocky last trim. I'll let it get really good and overgrown before I trim it next time. We already have a small stockpile.

Goes to show you--I'll try almost anything in paper pulp--ROFL!

May be 2-3 weeks before Leah and I get back to making paper. She starts her new job on Monday. She has a couple weeks of training first. Not sure if we'll be getting together for crafts this coming week or not--playing it by ear. Might work on making cards. We'll see if she feels up to it. :)

Meanwhile--I've been reading--cleaning up around the computer desk and my chair--catching up online (most of my good hours)--getting used to tracking my food again on SparkPeople--and just puttering about. Oh, and watching TV and movies, of course.

I watched X-Men Origins: Wolverine:

This action-packed prequel to the popular X-Men films explores Marvel Comics character Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) past and the events that influenced the mutant before the Weapon X program bonded his skeleton with the powerfully strong metal alloy adamantium. After the death of his girlfriend, Wolverine seeks vengeance against supervillain Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber). Ryan Reynolds, Danny Huston and Lynn Collins co-star.

I'm kind of new to X-Men and maybe I am glad I saw this one that explains how things started. I want to order the other ones now. I know I saw one of them once, but felt like I had come in the middle of the story, you know? I'll watch them in order now. I really liked this one about Wolverine and how things began with the mutants! :):)

For a while tho--I am going in a completely different Netflix direction. Nature shows! Another great love of mine. Going to be watching a lot of bugs and crawly creatures, I think--hehe! Life In The Undergrowth and Life In Cold Blood should have arrived while I was sleeping the day away. :)

Meanwhile--Miss Karma is currently sleeping the evening away--hehe! She's actually just waiting for me to be done at the computer. Then she'll wake up and ask for treats.

Does that mean I am back in my predictable routine? I guess so. Our routine gets thrown off when I am offline--hehe!

Treat time!

Friday-5pm

Catching up!

While I was away from blogland a couple of wonderful gifts arrived in the mail. Surprises that lifted my spirits and, therefore, were extra appreciated.

Miss Karma got her first very own mail from Iggy/Intense Guy!

A photo book of her very own!
I laughed and laughed! These are just a few of the pictures.

He even got Miss Karma exercising--hehe!

Thanks so much, Iggy! I was shocked and delighted!! (Karma's reaction will follow--chuckle!)

Then from Spruce/John came a package from Nain, Labrador in Canada.

Nature's Paper!! :):)

He found both of these dried alongside the seashore...

...and carried them home for Leah and I. Wow!

I am not sure what we will do with them....yet. We'll figure out something. I am surprised they made it here pretty much intact, John, as they are so fragile. Leah and I are thinking-thinking-thinking. We can always add them to some of our own paper pulp, but we are also trying to come up with something more permanent...hummm?? If that is possible? Whatever we do with them, I will post it on the blog, of course. Thanks so much for sending us a small piece of the wilds of Nain!

Now this series of pictures are especially for you, Iggy--hehe!

Karma was crying for the photo book as I was looking at it--weird! You would have thought it was bubbles or catnip? So I got the camera ready and put the book on the floor. There was something about the smell of it she went absolutely crazy for?

She knocked it down and laid on it right off, of course...

...but then she started rolling around on it like she does with catnip!?

She'd suddenly leap up and paw on it.

Claim it as hers by sitting on it.

But then she'd leap up again and paw the daylights out of it again. (Don't worry--she has no claws.)

This went on and on...until she finally dozed off while rubbing her face on the corner.

Did you rub this photo book with catnip before you popped it in the mail? Or is Miss Karma just that enamored of her own furry self? ROFL!

Obviously couldn't let Karma near the fragile nature's paper--hehe! But I did let her smell it, John. :)

It is amazing to me how little things can mean soooo much. Gratitude. I am filled with gratitude. Many thanks to you both from me and Miss Karma. :):):)

Thursday-8pm

Okay! Have new mouse and can blog again! Lots of pictures--lots to tell. Better start at the beginning, eh?

I had a foreboding feeling before Dagan's surgery. Since I have had those feelings many times over the years and they usually never end up being what I might guess they are about--well, let's say I was already kind of on alert before they went down to Minneapolis. I even asked them to leave the keys for the other car for me at their place. Much more comfortable for me to drive if I had to drive down to Minneapolis. I have never asked them to do that before.

We had some miscommunication. Dagan was informed the day before surgery that he might have a smaller second incision, a half chest size, or the full chest incision--depending on the surgeon. They never told me.

So I was expecting a simpler surgery. When I first got a text from Leah about the surgery being 2-6 hours--that was like a red flag going up for me. He hasn't had leads replaced before, but that wouldn't take 6 hours with two small incisions and an overnight stay. I figured they must be expecting complications. I had no idea the surgeon decided on the full incision and cracking his chest open, of course. I didn't hear anything for four hours! So I assumed there had been complications.

I can barely text and Leah couldn't use the phone inside the hospital. She didn't sound worried and didn't mention complications? When I finally got a call from her after Dagan had been in out of surgery for a few hours--Dagan had been on the respirator in recovery and was going to be staying for days (also major surgery stuff??). I knew Leah had never been through a major surgery with Dagan, so I didn't want to alarm her and had just waited to find out what was going on. I finally find out that he had to have his chest opened up to install the new leads...and Leah said they knew the day before (at his pre-op appointment).

So--not only did they scare the shit out of me worrying about Dagan during surgery, but they knew and didn't tell me!? So--why wouldn't they have told me?! Because they obviously didn't want me to drive down. Let's just say I was devastated. Felt deceived and was very mad at my own body for being such a tremendous limitation that people might not even want me around. Too much trouble, you know? I was thrilled Dagan was okay, but also feeling useless and unwanted. Roller coaster of emotions. But I didn't let on to them how hurt I was, of course.

Until I went over to visit on Monday. Was tremendously relieved. Leah meant that they knew it might be a possibility the day before, but they didn't find out for certain until about 15 minutes before his surgery that they were actually going to crack his chest open, etc. They never thought about me kind of knowing too much information--putting two and two together and knowing something bigger was going on, you know? Neither of them were concerned or worried about any of it--and all went well. I wouldn't have been freaking out up here either if I had also known all the facts--hehe! Talk about a crossing of the communication wires!!

So--we were able to laugh about it after all was explained. And they will be sure to keep me better informed next time--which we hope will be years and years from now. Dagan and Leah were just home and resting a lot. Leah didn't want her picture taken and hid under the throw. Dagan was still taking pain pills as needed. He isn't going back to work until Monday.

AND--the best news! Well, two things. First of all--as Ruby says--Dagan was born with a horse shoe in his pocket. When he got down to Minneapolis they discovered that his battery on his pacemaker had died and his heart was beating on its own and maintaining 60 beats per minute or more!! So--much less stressful to not worry about pacemaker malfunctions or batteries dying--hehe!

For a while his heart didn't beat on its own at all, then after he got married it started beating at 30-40 on its own--and now it was all the way up to 60! Marriage is good for Dagan's heart--hehe! He still needed the pacemaker because he has always had problems from birth with irregular beats and arrhythmias cropping up. But now the pacemaker really is more like back up support--tada! So--all is well up here with Mr. Dagan.

The second bit of big good news is that The Universe, God, the angels, and Dagan's horseshoe in his pocket were probably all involved in Leah's not getting a job--until now! As if they knew she'd be needed to take care of Dagan for a week and a half, you know? Leah now has a new job and she starts on Monday!!! It's a customer service phone job, but since the company is growing Leah might be able to work her way up. Anyways, Leah has a job!! All is really, really well up here in Fargo. :):):)

Meanwhile--I was mouseless. Couldn't use the desk computer at all and had to use my slow laptop with that dreadful finger pad--hehe! The big Pillars book worked well to keep Miss Karma from lying on the laptop keyboard. She loved the laptop up on my desk all the time because she could get up close and personal and it gets hot, too, there by her front toes.

I never could get used to the finger pad. I was constantly opening windows I didn't want to open and closing windows I didn't want to close and deleting things I didn't mean to delete--arg!! And since the laptop is very slow (small brain, I guess) I couldn't watch videos or open links, etc. I could read emails. Typing was a problem because of the keyboard--hehe! When I didn't type very, very slowly tons of letters were missing in my words--hehe! Mishmash!! So I am thrilled to be back on my faster desk computer--with a mouse! Leah was out shopping today and brought them over. Have one for the laptop, too. Always good to have a backup mouse. I'll pay them back in October. Thanks Leah!! :):):)

I have lots to catch up on--gifts in the mail and my Impressions order arrived--but I am totally done in for today. More tomorrow. :):)

Karma would say hi--but she's passed out on her chair at the moment.

Nice to be back. I look forward to catching up on everything I've missed online. :)

Sunday-1:45pm

Update:
Dagan and Leah just left Minneapolis for Fargo a few minutes ago.
On the way home. :) :)

Saturday-5:30pm

Quick Update:
Dagan will probably be coming home tomorrow--tada! I am heading over to their place tonight so they can talk me through how to do digital recording so that Dagan can still watch the Vikings noon game tomorrow after he gets home. So--you know he is on the mend--hehe! More details later. :) :)

P.S.
Leah's sister, Ariel, went instead because she knows all about how to record with the digital TV. I may go over and see them tomorrow. Be nice when they are back home. :)

Friday-11am

First of all, Dagan is doing fine. He should be moved out of ICU later today. They won't be back to Fargo until probably Sunday or thereabouts. He's all set with new leads and a new pacemaker. :)

I am going to be offline for a while. One reason--both mice don't work and I am having to do the finger thing on the laptop. The other--just personal and not up to talking about yet.

If there is any change in Dagan's positive progress I promise will let you know. Don't expect that to be the case, tho.

Thanks for all the prayers and postive energy. :):)
Later...

Thursday-2:45pm

Update:

Everything went fine!

Dagan is out of surgery--still unconscious, but all went well!

Mom and Leah are very, very happy!! :):)