Happy Halloween/Samhain!

It was a gorgeous Autumn day today - chilly but sunny.  My Grown-up kids were a PITA today.  Long story - too long to tell.  Grrr.....  I didn't let them dampen my mood.  I have two days in a row off.  I finished up late at work (in order to take the two days in a row off lol).  I baked some Zombie cupcakes.  My oldest DS has a 'thing' about zombies - he and Hubby are in the basement watching The Walking Dead - and now I'm settling in to watch Ghosthunters Live Event for a while.  I actually don't have to worry about going to bed because I don't have to get up at 2.40am!!!

Zombie Cupcake pics below

Halloween/Samhain baking

DD had a bakesale at school this week - her friend signed her up to help run it so she had to make lots of goodies.  Decided on a 'Halloween' theme - thought they might sell well.  She said everything went so that's good!  Apparently there is rarely a snack line at school so whenever there are homemade goodies they sell like crazy. 

These are bags of Puppy Chow - Crispex cereal w/added goodies.

Cupcakes w/Halloween sprinkles and picks

Eyeball Cake Pops.  These turned out all right.  We were a little disappointed in the melted candy on top.  I contacted the Wilton company and they emailed back promptly and are sending me two new packs of candy melts.  They didn't melt like they should have so chocolate wasn't smooth. 

X Factor again

It's that time of the week.  Can't stay up for all of it - past my bedtime.  I'll have to watch tomorrow.  My question so far is SONG CHOICE????  Wow, some of the songs they are picking are really bad choices.  The 'boys' were okay - sort of agree with L A's choice.  The 'groups' - I have no opinion of them at all.   It's the one category I don't really have a favourite in.  Hope something changes. 

Work Review....

Apparently I play well with others :)

I hate review time.  The requirements 'reviewed' aren't job specific.  It seems they have one review for everyone.  I got top marks for job knowledge, but not 'bonus' points for doing well on internal audits or a low over/short.

BTW I'm a bookkeeper in a store. 

X Factor USA

I'm cringing ....bad decisions.... can't believe some of the people who got through and those that got kicked off.  Dexter Haygood?  Really?  What was Nicole thinking? I think her feeling sorry for him interfered with judging his talent and whether he has the X factor.  I'm not sure where this is going.  Simon - Tia whatsit?  Over the blonde girl???  Obviously not thinking at all...or thinking with something else. I like Tia but really?

I think in the end - especially with Paula's choices - they are looking for people who aren't sure of what they are or where they are going and they can mold. 

L.A Reid - the only one I agree with is Chris - there is something about him I really like.  He should have got rid of the rapping kid.  It really bugged me that he critisized the one African American guy who only sang country complaining that he only sang one kind of music, but let the rapping kid through.  Okay so America hasn't seen anything like the kid (sorry can't remember his name) on the singing talent shows, but still....

The Groups ... I can't say I really like any of them.  That has to be the hardest category.

Guess we need to wait and see where this is going...

In my next life I want...

to be a cat.

Just come to the conclusion...

..that women should have been fitted with a switch where we can turn off reproductive parts when we're done with them!  I am SO tired of being grumpy and feeling like bursting into tears at every little thing for one week per month and putting up with cramps for another week. Two weeks of crap every month!  I'm done already!  I've heard menopause is a bunch of laughs too. 

Sigh

Finish and next project

I finished another small piece.  This was another freebie design from About.com. 

My next project is going to be a teacup pincushion.  I rather like the idea of it and - if it turns out okay - I'll be giving one to MIL who is a sewer and my Mum.  This particular design is from an issue of UK Cross Stitcher magazine.  I have a friend in England who sends the mag to me each month.  The picture isn't great - there was a glare on the mag but I think you get the idea. 

DD and I were out and about yesterday and stopped in at the Goodwill store (Charity Shop) and found the cup below for 80 cents!  I'm going to try it with that one.  I picked up the floss today after work as the Michaels store had a 20% your entire purchase sale.  I'm going to get started on it tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll have a pic update later in the week

Grrr...arrggg...

I enjoy taking extra days off work (who doesn't?) but there always seems like there is a bunch of stuff to catch up on when you go back.  Sigh.

Anyway today was 1c listing on US Ebay so I listed a bunch of books I'd sorted out.  If they don't sell I'll post on PaperbackSwap.  If you're a reader a have a bunch of books hanging around check out their website at Paperbackswap.com.  I've got quite a few books I'd been looking for from that site!

I posted some pics the other day but didn't post the one of our 'Cherry' goodies.  I'm not sure about the Salsa, but hubby liked it!

YIKES!

Time flew and life got in the way!

We had a whole week of cold weather - the heat in my house actually clicked on one night despite the thermostat being way down.  I woke in the middle of the night to that funny-first-time-of-the-season-thermostat-heat smell.  It hasn't been on since, but I did pull out the electric radiator heater we invested in last year and had it take the chill of a few mornings.

This week has been entirely different!  We had the windows open and the fan on. The whole week has been beautiful and - lucky for me - I had the whole weekend off.  We made plans to go up north to Traverse City (about 175 miles) to take some pictures and just have a day out.  There is some beautiful scenery up there.  Sad to say I haven't travelled much in Michigan though I really would like to.

It was beautiful out and lovely enough that we walked along the lake shore where there were people playing and then walked along where there were some unique shops.  Places like this remind me of England.  We ended up buying some Cherry goods - this area is well-known for growing cherries.  We also ended up trying to find the Lighthouse.  We didn't end up finding the one we wanted to but we did find another lighthouse called Mission Point Lighthouse.  It was at the end of a penisula.  There were spectacular views along the way.  The area was covered with farms and wineries. 

I've included some pics below.

This is a picture from the drive up. Yes, I made Hubby pull over to side of road.

The three of us - Hubby, Daughter and myself.

Mission Point Lighthouse and the area surrounding it.  We thought it would be fun to walk in the sand/rock area.  There were other people walking.  Unfortunately some of the area was like mud and for a moment I thought I was sinking!  It didn't smell too good either lol.