Four Seasons and the Next Steps

I just added this fun hooked piece to my shop today. This is another one of my original designs - a square with 4 squares within a square, each hooked with a "seasonal" item to represent the four seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter. I added some pizzaz to this whimsical piece with a colorful saw-tooth border. The colors in this are really spectacular!
I sewed a casing on the back so it can be hung, however it looks great on a table too.

The next steps are progressing just as I hoped. I got a call scheduling me to go back next Thursday to meet a couple of other members of the team! Best news I could have had - last day of the week, last day of the month, and encouraging news with it.
TGIF!

Feeling Good............

I'm feeling so good right now!
The interview went so well - it is such a perfect fit. They called already to say they want to move to the next steps.
Please don't uncross those fingers and toes yet but I'm feeling goooooooood!

I'm getting ready to go meet a former co-worker who wanted to take me for a birthday lunch today, but I had to cancel for the interview so we're doing a drink instead. I'm celebrating, and yes, tomorrow is my birthday.
Cheers my friends!

Could this be the start.......

Could this be the start?
I actually picked up my stitching today - first time since before vacation. I must admit I did not get far at all since I was a little preoccupied, however it's a start. I was house-bound today since my daughter took the car, it was cloudy and soupy today so the only venturing out of the house was my morning walk and I needed something to occupy my time - I picked it up and started, but like I said, I did not get far but....

I was preoccupied today because yesterday I applied to yet another job, however this one was on Craigslist and I've found all of the jobs I apply to there turn out to be strange. I apply to so many on the "job boards" which just fall into that black hole, so I always check Craigslist anyway - what have I got to lose, right?!
Anyway, I applied late yesterday afternoon and shortly after 8 AM this morning I received a call about the application (which was a blind application) - it was a legitimate company and a well-known company in the financial industry too. Anyway, after a gathering of information the recruiter seemed impressed and said she would follow-up asap. I got the impression it would be in a matter of hours so - after climbing the walls, I finally picked up my stitching, but could only do so much when I starting stressing, and then spent the afternoon in front of the computer. The company finally called at 5:30 PM and I have an interview tomorrow!
Could this be the start of getting my mojo back, and maybe could this be the one?

Watermelon Slice

We're finally getting some "summer" weather - hot and steamy. I think it is supposed to be like this all week.
Nothing is better on a hot, sticky day than a cool slice of watermelon!

Anyone Else Like Old Movies?

I guess when I ask the question does anyone else like old movies, I have to be more specific depending on one's age. To me old movies are from the 30's and 40's but I guess to a lot, old movies could be the 60's and 70's!
Anyway, I really enjoy movies from the 30's and 40's and really caught a good one last night - Dark Victory (1939).
Anyone who likes movies from this time is also probably a Bette Davis fan. She was such a great actress. I think the acting style was totally different then, so much more melodramatic and so entertaining.
If you are not familiar with the story it is about an heiress (soooo Bette Davis) who has a brain tumor, falls in love with her doctor, and eventually dies. Ronald Reagan plays one of her playboy party-friends and he is very good, small part that it is. Humphrey Bogart is very mis-cast in a small part as an Irish horse trainer to the family.
I love some of the old expressions - you're making love to me aren't you, but my favorite line of the movie was said to her maid, Martha, I can't possibly change unless I have a drink!

The film is a classic. Bette Davis was nominated for an Oscar however lost to Vivien Leigh in Gone With the Wind, and the film itself was nominated for Best Picture, also losing to Gone With the Wind - tough competition that year!

My Hydrangeas

I previously mentioned we have quite a variety of hydrangeas in our garden and I thought today I would share them with you.

Good Weekend

I went out on the patio this morning to see the first of blooms of our Morning Glories this season. I love them, especially as more and more bloom at once. George does not like them and thinks they are too invasive and kept pulling the little seedlings out this spring. I was insistent that he leave some and they have really grown nicely up the wall. They also help to hide the ugly electric box - who wants to see that on the side of their garden? Anyway, I think they are beautiful and wanted to share the first blooms with you.

It was a nice weekend. 2 more incredible days of weather too.
The outing last night was great. The movie Hangover really was quite funny. I could have done with a few less f-bombs myself but it was funny.
Since I did not choose the movie, I chose Suzanna Foo's for dinner - an upscale Chinese restaurant. It is famous in Philadelphia and Zagot rated. She opened a Suzanna Foo Kitchen in the suburbs a few years ago which is much more relaxed where we went. We opted to eat outside on the patio - beautifully closed in with a brick wall, and lush vegetation and flowers. The food is fabulous there too. What a nice night to eat out, literally!
I hope you all had a nice weekend too.

Saturday Night Out

I guess you could call it a date night. We rarely go out (alone) and tomorrow we plan to go to the movies and out to dinner. I'm not totally thrilled with the choice for a movie but I'm just delighted to be going out. As a compromise and sharing of choices I'm thinking since I'm not choosing the movie, I'll choose the restaurant!
George's choice for the movie is Hangover. I would have opted for Public Enemies since I love Johnny Depp but, maybe next time. I'll choose one of my favorite restaurants instead.

We broke the lovely weather spell yesterday with some heat and humidity, and again today, but the forecast for tomorrow is right back to another nice day - low 80s and low humidity! Should be a good day and evening.

(Don't know what to say about the interview - I think it went well but I guess I'll know more next week.......)

My Wednesday

I cut these pretty flowers from my window box. There are 3 plants in the window box - a variegated ivy in the center, and 2 flowering plants on either side. One was getting a little too tall and leggy so I clipped a few flower stalks off hoping it will fill out a little more. It sure makes nice cuttings for inside.

I then went out for my morning walk. I usually walk about 3 miles a day (the same route) but today I walked longer - when I got about 3/4 of the way I came upon a construction crew working on the sewer and could not go any further so I had to turn around and go back rather than continue the last 1/4 of the way. They have been doing the work for the last 2 months in different spots along the way but I have always been able to walk around - not today. Oh well - I could sure use the extra exercise!

Then it was off to my eye appointment - besides driving around in the hospital parking lot for almost 15 minutes looking for a space it was uneventful. On the way home I decided to stop at a re-sale shop in that neighborhood. I got a great bag to take on my interview Friday. I am a small-purse-person and felt I needed something for Friday and was delighted to find this bag.

All of my other interviews (4 in total in 5 months) have been local in the suburban area so I drove and just walked in with my leather portfolio containing my resume and my little purse. The interview on Friday is in Philadelphia and I will be taking the train. I thought it would be better to have a nice bag that I could put my purse or wallet into, a folder with my resume/recommendation rather than my leather portfolio, and a book (in case I am able to focus and read on the train). I'm happy with the bag and the bargain. I'm hoping it brings me luck.

Musical Apppointments

Like the game, Musical Chairs, I had a day of switching appointments like musical chairs.
I landed an interview - YEAH - scheduled for next Thursday the 23rd. I happened to have an appointment scheduled with my eye doctor for that day too - no big deal cause an interview is certainly a priority. I called the doctor's office this morning to switch my appointment and made it for a week later.
A couple of hours later the company contacted me and said they were able to schedule me to come in sooner for an interview - they scheduled me for this Friday the 17th! It just so happens I had another appointment that day to get an OCT test (optical coherence tomography)for my eyes! I called the doctor's office back and to reschedule the OCT test and thankfully they can do it for me tomorrow and give me my original day of the 23rd to see the doctor (at a different time). The receptionist was so nice when I explained all the switching was for a job interview and she said let's make sure and get you in just in case you get that job!
:-)

Rooted Jade Plants

Hey, remember around the first of June I blogged about the great cuttings I got from my friend Peg from her Jade plants? I was hoping I would be able to root them in water and it turns out you can. It took awhile but sure enough they rooted. I just returned home from purchasing a couple of little clay pots this afternoon so I can plant them. I sure hope they grow into nice big healthy plants.

Another lovely sunny day in the Philadelphia area. I can't believe how incredible it has been the month of July. We have not even used our central air at all this month! Talk about extra bonus - lovely sunny weather, and being able to keep utility bills down.

What Does This Picture Have To Do With..........

What does this picture have to do with......
I was thinking about what I was going to say today - it seems like I've been a little lax with my blogging lately but it has been one of those weeks where I thought, what am I going to talk about? So, as I was going through my pictures I came across this cool shot of a peacock at the Cincinnati Zoo. When I was working I traveled to Cincinnati once a year. It was great cause that is where my son was for the last 4 years at college so I got to visit him for free since the company was paying for me to go out for work. Over the years I've obviously gotten to know some other the others who would travel to Cincinnati from some of our other offices and about 2-3 years ago 4 of us decided to go a day early and do some fun stuff like going to the zoo. So, long story short, that is where this picture was taken.
Now, what does it have to do with this blog, nothing really!

Back to my original post for blogging today - I really did not have a topic. It has been a very slow, boring week. My daughter took my car everyday to work so I really felt bored and cooped up. I have not gotten my stitching or hooking "hat" back on after vacation and have not done anything creative all week, so it really has been rather dull. On the up side, I was able to sit out in the yard enjoying the lovely temperate sunny days this week and work on keeping what little bit of tan I have left from vacation.

I just got home from driving my daughter to the airport too. She is flying up to Massachusetts to visit her boyfriend for the week. Poor kid - 15 minutes after I dropped her off she called to tell me her flight is delayed almost 2 hours (9:45 PM rather than 8 PM)! That stinks! So she is sitting in the airport waiting. I know we've all been there and done that so we all know how annoying it is. I hope for her sake it does not drag out any longer.

I'm working at the local shop tomorrow - a little diversion which will be nice. We're also going out to dinner with friends tomorrow night. We have these 2 couples we get together with every couple of months. The guys have been friends since high school and we all get along so well. We are going to a Thai restaurant - yum.

Well, for not having anything to talk about I guess I did after all.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Flowers and Circles Rug

I just could not resist listing this rug in my shop (and no, I did not hook it while I was on vacation).
Lollipop flowers are so much fun and I find I do hook them a lot. I decided to carry the circle theme out into the wide border. This type of design is so easy to create and fun to hook. No monotonous border on this rug!

The rug measures 15 x 21 inches and can be used as a rug on the floor, could be hung up or put on a table.
Although wool is not very summery, this piece is!

Gosh we have been so lucky with our weather. After a week of perfect weather at the beach, it is continuing and we have had 5 more days of perfect weather. Bright blue skies, lower temperatures and low humidity. I'm loving this!

Back From Vacation

I'm back!
Wow! What an awesome week! You all know how much I've complained over the last month about our weather - well, all the gray and rain was worth it cause we had an absolutely heavenly week of perfect weather!
It was a wonderful, lazy, fun sunshine filled time.
We rent the same house every year and share it with my sister and her family. Our kids range in age from 23 to 9 but they are all very close. We don't get together that often since they are in NY and we are in PA, however we sure make the most of it during our week at the beach. Sadly my son did not join us this year but my daughter invited her boyfriend so we did have a full house.



Looks like George has a little too much sun in his eyes! LOL!

It is always kind of bittersweet when it is over. I'll miss it all but there is always next year to look forward to.

Good-bye Lewes - till next year.................

I have some catching up to do with my blog reading - I'm really looking forward to spending some time seeing what I've missed in all of your worlds.