Wi-Fi Gone Bye-Bye, Coat and Home Again

Yesterday, Phylly came over for a play day and it rained.  It didn't rain all day long, but most of it.  Just as Phylly and I were leaving the Rib Crib after lunch, the rain decided to come down in buckets.  It continued for a few hours and quit long enough for Phylly to drive back home about 3:00.  Later in the afternoon we got a TOAD STRANGLER!  I sure was glad I wasn't out on the roads. 

And along with the rain, our continually problematic AT&T high speed wireless internet service went out and was still out when we left there this morning.  The first thing we will do when we return there is get rid of AT&T and get the old cable service back.  It wasn't as fast, but who cares.  "Not so fast" is a whole lot better than NO SERVICE AT ALL!   

Today, it is sunny and lovely outside.  Jerry and I got back here at our real home just in time for lunch.  The cats were thrilled, as always, to arrive back here were they rule on our 11 acres.  Jerry said he saw Boots chasing a big turkey last week.  I've never seen that before. 

No sermon notes today.  I'm so sorry about that.  I woke up this morning, and when I noticed it was nice outside, I told Jerry I wanted to jump in the shower, pack the cars, and head home.  He agreed.  We will watch "church" tonight.  We are praying our daily prayer with Rev. John Hagee as we join in the 40 days of prayer up to the election.  I HATED the last debate between The Joker and Paul Ryan.  I'm excited Romney will get another chance, but I expect Obama to be in battle mode this time.  Do I dislike Obama?  Not really.  But I DESPISE his policies and his hatred for our One Nation UNDER GOD.  I want a Godly President who believes in the principals of our forefathers and the teachings of the Bible which this Nation was founded on.  All I want is a HUGE MIRACLE, but my God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly MORE than we can ASK or THINK.

How do I know that?

He said so!

Read Ephesians 3:20.

Okay.  So yesterday was our play day.  This is what we did.  Phylly brought over her BEAUTIFUL plum colored wool so she could cut out her coat.  I cleaned off the cutting table for her knowing that she needed to use it.

I needed to make the back STAY for my red coat, so I asked Phylly to bring her fold-up cutting board so I could use the kitchen table to make a pattern for my coat stay. 

Since the back of my coat has a princess seam, I had to make two pattern pieces for my back stay.  I tried pinning the two pieces together on the seamlines, but it was too poofy to draw a one-piece pattern.  I cut the pattern out of the same white muslin I used for my Gertie coat, and I sewed it in my coat.  I had Phylly point it out to you so you couldn't miss it.

It is a wonder I don't have a complex because every time I ask her do a pose like that, she says "You are CRAZY!"  Then she laughs.  WHY do I look as wide as a barn in that coat?????  I asked Phylly to pin it in at the waist, but I haven't taken in it yet.  After seeing this pic, I think I shall do that as soon as I finish this post.

Notice how weird the shoulder line looks on the coat.  That is because the LOW shoulder of the coat is on MY HIGH shoulder because the coat is on inside out so I could show you the stay.  This keeps the coat from stretching out when you are wearing it.  At least, I THINK that is the reason for it.  I am learning all these new "tailoring" techniques that I don't use when making blouses.

No sooner did I get that back stay in my coat, Phylly told me I had to put something in the FRONT of the coat.  She noticed the coat caving in above my boobs.  Well, isn't it SUPPOSE to do that.  If it didn't, wouldn't that mean I had FOUR boobs?  Phylly went to college, you know, and she took a tailoring class there, so she thinks she can boss me around.  So I did what she said.  I had to make two more pattern pieces, cut them out of interfacing, and iron them into the front cave-in area. 

This coat should stand up by itself.  The road repair people could use it for one of those cones they put in the middle of the street so you won't drive into the wrong lane.

Jerry was with us yesterday.  He was probably very glad Phylly was there to entertain me because he had very serious plans for the day, and he didn't want to be bothered -- not even to go have BBQ for lunch.  Actually, NOBODY wanted to go have BBQ for lunch.  Phylly and I were the ONLY customers in the entire restaurant.  When we drove up to it, we thought it was closed.  Here is Jerry working very hard while Phylly and I sewed.

He was watching the OU/Texas football game.  He says I would really have liked it.  Does he know me at all!?  I could NOT care less about a football game.  Of course, if Phylly hadn't been there, I would have been right there on those pillows next to him just enjoying him RELAX.  Even Phylly mentioned that she had never seen him doing anything but work there at our house.

Better get my red coat out of the car -- bring it up here to my sewing room -- and take in the waist on both sides.  I was still 151.5 this morning.  Maybe I will be 151 tomorrow.  I am going to be with all 3 of my siblings in a few weeks -- a site rarer than a Volcano in Oklahoma -- and I want to be the skinniest.  I think I can do it if I just lose 5 more pounds.  My younger sister, Judy, and my brother, James, are both gourmet cooks, and they are going to cook lunch at James' house for all of us and the spouses who can attend at lunchtime on a Tuesday.  I sure will have my camera in hand that day!  There will be LOTS of laughing.  I am finding that one really nice thing about getting old is that you forget all the petty crap you argued about as children -- at least, for short visits.  If you stay together too long, it all starts leaking out again. 

Hugs, Joy





  

Guardian Court and The Coat Odyssey

Well, so much for everything going so smoothly I was about to have to change my opinion of our legal system.  I thought I had just found the right town that actually had organized, trained professionals running the legal system.  NOPE!  I was wrong.  It's just like all the other towns.

Jerry and I drove an hour to Kingfisher this morning for our 11:00 court date to finalize the Guardianship for his mother, Leanida.  I called our lawyer, Molly, at 8:30 this morning.  I was told she was "in court" and "in Kingfisher".  That sounded good -- the right place -- and the right town.  How could anything possibly go wrong??????????

We drove up in Mom's driveway at exactly 10:30 AM.  My phone rang before I got out of the car.  It was Molly, our attorney.  She told me our appointment had been cancelled because there was no Court Reporter (Transcriber ?) -- what the heck are they called ? -- and we would have to reschedule.  Molly asked if we were bringing Mom.  OF COURSE, we weren't bringing Mom!  She wouldn't know where she was or why she was there.  What would be the point in that? 

I got the brilliant idea to go to my favorite small town cafe -- City Cafe -- and have breakfast.  Jerry agreed.  IT WAS WONDERFUL!  I ordered two eggs over medium, bacon and ONE pancake.  I wish I had thought to take a picture.  I am NOT exaggerating, the pancake was as big as the platter it was on.  I had to move it over to find the eggs.  The bacon was on top of it.  Almost worth half a tank of gas and 2 hours wasted.  Our court date has been rescheduled for October 30th now. 

Let me add to that last paragraph that I weighted 151.5 this morning, and didn't start to eat that whole pancake.  I put about a teaspoon of syrup on one little piece of it, and I left over 3/4 of it on the plate.  NOTHING is good enough to mess up my DESM diet.  It is really working.

We came back home, and I walked into my sewing rooms to work on my red coat.  The FIRST thing I had to do -- HOORAY, YIPPEE and AWESOME -- is cut off ALL the seam insurance I had added to the paper pattern.  That means I cut off 2 1/2 inches of width around the coat.  I think I can still cut more off.

Then I pressed open the new seamlines.

Then I pinned one side of the black collar on which isn't interfaced or sewn or anything just so I could see if I was going to like it black.  I put in a couple of shoulder pads that are probably too thick for this coat.  Then I took some pictures for you.

 

The coat will overlap the other direction, but I just happened to pick up the black collar for that side.

The collar will be 5/8" smaller all around, so it won't be so high on my neck.

I really like this coat SO FAR.  Phylly is coming over tomorrow, so I will start on the lining and the INTERlining (the warm stuffing) while she is here.

I am delighted with the fit.  So far, even after losing 5 1/2 pounds, my bust still measures the same and so do my hips.  I have lost several inches off my middle. 

That is fine with me. 

That is where I NEEDED to lose them! 

I was beginning to look like the Great Pumpkin.  I could have put a candle in my belly button and sat on the front porch for some Fall Decor.

Gotta go.  Want to find an easy chair and watch another episode of Sandra Betzina start to say a bunch of stuff, but stop after 2 or 3 words. 

She may want to look into moving to Countrywood with Leanida! 

Actually, I really like her, but she does have a very annoying habit of not finishing her sentences.  You have to fill in the missing parts yourself. 

Of course, if she saw that picture of me on the left, she would probably call 911 to have me committed!

Hugs, Joy

Nashville and Red Coat

I'm waiting to watch what I hope will be a decent new show.  It is called Nashville.

Jerry arrived about an hour ago.  I had to stop the world and give him a haircut.  I have never seen his hair so loooooooooong.  I reminded him that there is such a thing as a Barber Shop in Kingston.  He hasn't had to get a haircut since he married me, so I guess he forgot. 

I signed up for another Sandra Betzina sewing class on Craftsy.com today.  I love to take classes because I love to learn new things, especially if they add to my repertoire of sewing skills.  Sandra is a bit dingy -- not that I have any room to talk -- but I always learn a lot from her.  She has a really bad habit of starting to say something, but then not saying it.  This class is on PANTS CONSTRUCTION.  The other class is on PANTS FITTING.  The class is regularly $50, but you can get it a whole lot cheaper than that.  I found a reference somewhere to a place called Gilt City (?).  They have coupons for all kinds of businesses, and right now, they have a Craftsy class for $18 OR 3 Craftsy classes for $50.  I got the $50 coupon, and I have until January to get my two other classes.

I met Phylly at TGIF for lunch today and right away we got to start training the new Manager, Joey.  We had the old Manager trained just right, but our waitress told us he left.  She asked if we wanted to meet the new Manager.  We said, "Absolutely!"  He was a cutie too.  I told him I liked his shirt and tie -- dark blue shirt with a diagonally striped tie.  He told me his girlfriend picked it. 

I came back home and began to work on my red coat.  I can tell you one thing, for sure!  It isn't like making a blouse.  So much detail and so many pieces.  It's like putting a large puzzle together but you have to do a bunch of stuff to each piece first.  I think I am really going to like it because it will FIT ME!  Plus, it will be black and red.  What could be better than that?  Royal blue and black would work too.

Here's the BEGINNING of the new red coat.  I got it all cut out yesterday.  You have to cut it all out of the main fabric.  Then you have to cut it all out of the lining fabric.  Then you have to cut it all out of the INTERlining (the warm stuff) fabric.  Then you have to cut out the interfacing.  A HUGE job!  I did all of that yesterday.

Here is all I got done after many hours today.  Lots of tailoring in a coat.  I hope it will not have the "loving hands at home" look when I get done with it.

Those little flaps will cover up the entrance to the two pockets.  Maybe I'll get the whole red part put together tomorrow. 

Doesn't look like I have much room for a hem, does it?

Things are usually so long.  I didn't even think about that.

I'm off to check out the new show.  I'll let you know how I like it.  AND HOW HORRIBLE was the DWTS elimination.  I didn't care about Drew, but I hated to see Helio go.  I really like him.

Until tomorrow.

Hugs, Joy

DWTS and Red Coat Update

Howdy Friends!  Did you watch DWTS last night?  My goodness, was I EVER surprised.  Jerry was watching it 150 miles away at our other house, and he called me just to talk about it today.  How CUTE is that?  It was surprisingly good. 

Did you see Sarah Palin in the audience?  She is SO GORGEOUS!  I wish they would ask her to be on DWTS, but I bet they won't because she could majorly upstage her daughter who is about as exciting as watching bread rise.  Jerry and I decided she has her Dad's personality.  She just doesn't have any pep in her step.  Do I think I could do any better?  Yep, I actually do.  I think I could keep up with Kirstie.  I think we are the same age: Antique! 

My best guess is that Kirstie Alley and Bristol will be the ones off tonight.  You never can tell though.  Kirstie is very popular.  She has all the personality that Bristol lacks.

I got all of the red fabric and the black lining cut out for my coat today!  I will start sewing it together tomorrow.

I didn't feel good after lunch at Braum's today, so I didn't get as much done as I would have.  The chicken in my sandwich must not have been the freshest bird in town or something.  Maybe my stomach went into shock that a french fry didn't follow every bite.

I decided to lie down for awhile -- and I hardly EVER do that -- so I must really have felt bad.  And it seems that even though I hardly ever take a nap, it seems to be a signal that I want the lawnmower crew to show up just as I start to nod off.  I didn't rest for long.

I'm off to get in my jammies, grab a tall glass of ice water, and land in front of the big TV for DWTS.  Hope you will join me.

Hugs, Joy

Did You Hear That?

Did you hear a noise this morning --  about 9 AM my time --  that sounded like it was coming from way far away, and it sounded like someone squealing with delight!?  IT WAS ME!!!  Look at what I saw between my fat little toes this morning:

I was somewhere between 157 and 159 -- depending on the time of day -- when I started this DESM diet.

When DID I start this diet anyway.  I'll have to look back in my blog.  Hold on .................  It looks like it was about three weeks ago.  I have lost a firm FIVE pounds, and maybe more.  I have lost TWO INCHES off my real waist.  I cannot believe that for just five pounds.  Very exciting.  Sure makes me want to stick with it.

When I get under 150, I may do a video dance!  That will be extremely nice.  If the election goes well, I may get up on the ROOF and dance!  I am feeling some hope, at last, that this nation may turn around. 

I got my red coat fabric laid out on the table, and I was placing my pattern pieces on it when I realized I had not cut out the sleeves yet.  By the time I got them shortened so they didn't hang down around my knees, it was time to make supper. 

Tonight is Dancing With The Stars.  Jerry and I are both pretty bored with it this season, but it is the ONLY thing we watch since the mountain men quit and we got sick of the pawn shops and the alligators.  It is shocking how many channels we pay for every month, and there are only 2 or 3 we even watch.  So much trash on tv.  I'm ready to roll back tv to Loretta Young, Lawrence Welk, Donna Reed, Andy Griffith, Father Knows Best and The Carol Burnett Show and just keep them on forever.  And, of course, my preachers on Sunday. 

Do you remember Harvey Korman (sp?) and Tim Conway.  We used to just about choke laughing at them laughing at each other!  What fun we had as a family in those days.

Better go.  Have a Terrific Tuesday!


Hugs, Joy

Sunday Notes and Coupon Pouch

I trust you all had a relaxing, enjoyable Sunday.  My day started as most Sundays do with GETV - Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, TX.  The entire Hagee family was all gone on a cruise today, so there was a guest preacher.  His name was Bishop Hines.  (Not sure of that spelling.)  Bishop Hines was a very nice looking and well-dressed black man.  Have you noticed how black men LOVE to dress up?  Especially, the preachers.  I wonder why that is.  His wife was introduced, and she was lovely. 

At one point during his sermon he talked about women and estrogen, and he said he just can't explain it.  SOMEthing happens, but he just doesn't know what it is or how to explain it. 

I was sure glad to hear that since I used to have the WORST PMS on the planet.  It runs in my family.  My Mom had it, I had it, my daughter STILL has it, and I don't know about her daughter since I'm hardly ever with her.  My sisters had it too. 

Our husbands should get some kind of really special medal or crown when they get to heaven!  Every doctor I went to when I was younger wanted to put me on tranquilizers, but Jerry, being a Pharmacist and knowing all the bad stuff about drugs, refused to let me take them.  Therefore, he suffered FULL BLOWN PMS.  He is a really tough guy, let me tell you!

HOW ON EARTH did I get off on that tangent!?

I was telling you about the sermon from Bishop Hines (why do the black preachers call themselves "Bishops"?) from JHM.Org this morning. 

The message was:  WILL THE REAL CHURCH PLEASE IDENTIFY ITSELF

The reference was 1 Peter 2:9  

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Sure doesn't sound like most Christians today. 

He also referred to II Timothy 3

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Now THAT sounds like people of today!  And did you see that last sentence:  "Have nothing to do with such people."   

The sad truth is that very many churches are preaching feel-good sermons with the latest psycho-babble, and they aren't talking about the real IDENTITY of God. 

God's identity is HOLINESS.  It isn't love.  "Love" is His ability, not his identity. 

You can have a LOVING thief -- but you can't have a HOLY thief.

You can have a LOVING homosexual -- but you can't have a HOLY homosexual.

And I could go on and on with that analogy.

And Bishop Hines must have heard my favorite saying, "We did NOT come from monkeys!  God made us in His image, according to His likeness and He gave us dominion." 

You can, of course, go to www.jhm.org and GETV and listen to the sermon.  You can see if I got any of it right or just made the whole thing up.  (-;

After church, I showered and went into my sewing room to remind myself of the items I was still needing for the TWO coats I am now making.  I also got online to print out some coupons from Hancock's and JoAnn's.  Hancock's takes JoAnn's coupons, so I take them all with me.  It was only 50 degrees outside today, so I decided to get in the "winter" closet and take out my velvety/fleecy black sweatpants and jacket.  I really love those sets EXCEPT for when they don't have any pockets in the pants.  I HAVE to have pockets in my pants because I hate to take my gigantic purse out of the car.  I always lock it in the trunk of whatever car I am driving, and I put my cell phone in one pocket, my tiny zippered credit card wallet in one pocket and my keys in one pocket. 

Since I came up here in Jerry's car this time, I don't have my little red zipper wallet.  And since I had NO pockets in my pants, and I had SIX coupons to take with me, I decided to quickly INVENT something.  I'm not recommending this to anyone, but I wanted to show you what I made. 

I got a scrap of yellow ponteroma knit out of my closet.  I placed my coupons on it and drew around it to figure out the size I needed.  Then I serged a few seams here and there, and WAHLAH:

There is a flap that goes over my waistband and tucks inside that I have the safety pins pinned into.  Nobody could see it, and it worked great!  I stuck a credit card in there, locked my purse and cell phone in the car, and off I went.  The keys were in my jacket.  Why didn't I put this in my jacket?  Because I always take my jacket off and lay it in the cart.  Too easy for stuff to fall out of it.  

While I was at Hancock's, I found red cotton flannel to interline my red coat with, and some funky black fabric that is cotton to interline my black/white coat with.  I also bought 4 yards of interfacing.  My bill was $90 until I whipped out all those coupons.  I paid $54.  VERY nice!

I'm headin' to a recliner to find a movie on Jerry's big tv.  I seldom ever turn it on because you have to have THREE controllers to use it, and it is a major hassle.  By the time I figure out how to use all the buttons, I'm usually too mad to watch the movie!

Hugs, Joy

Paper Doll Coat

This day totally flew by!  Phylly got here about 10 this morning, and she stayed until 4:15.  It seems like she was here for only 2 hours.  We worked really hard all day long Palmer/Pletsching our coat patterns.  Mine is ready to cut out of fabric -- actually TWO of them are ready to cut out, but I don't have the proper interfacing on hand.  I will have to go back to Hancock's tomorrow to see if they have anything nice enough to use in a coat.  Usually, we order our interfacing from Palmer/Pletsch OR a new place recommended by Gertie.  Expensive, I suppose, but if you are going to all the trouble and expense to make a coat, you need the good stuff inside it.

Remember my paper doll?  Check her out in red and black.

I've decided I like that look, so that is how I am going to make my coat.  Since I have to go back to the fabric store, I might look for something to underline this one with to make it warmer.  Maybe flannel.

She isn't colored very good, I know, but that is because this almost new box of 96 crayons did not have RED in it!

 

Some of them LOOK red, but they aren't.  Therefore I had to color my paper doll with a colored pencil.  I couldn't even find a red Sharpie marker around here.  It still showed me what I wanted to see.  Thank goodness Phylly was here to help me P&P the pattern today because that collar had to be cut down 1/2 inch to keep it out of my ears.  Does everyone have a really loooooooooong neck but me???

It is only 5:45 here, but I'm ready to get in my jammies and head for my glider.  I had an omelet for dinner and a sliced banana in milk for dessert.  It was DELISH!  I'm still on my DESM diet, but I'm stuck at 153 pounds.  If I ever see 152, you will hear me squeal all the way to where you are!  My goal is 148.  Don't want to lose much more or all the clothes I have made will be too big for me.  I already need to take a dart in my bras.  Besides, I can't tell you how many people I know who lost a bunch of weight, and then they put it all back on PLUS some more.  I sure don't want to waste my time doing that.

Gotta go.  It is really cold today for Fall.  Only 50 degrees, and the clerk at Braum's told me it is getting colder tomorrow.  Well, I THINK that is what she said.  She is the CUTEST oriental young woman.  Her name is LENGFUNG (or something like that).  I asked her one time how to say her name.  She repeated it about six times to me, but I couldn't even get close.  She recognizes me every time I walk in, and she wants to talk to me.  She can't understand me, and I can't understand her, so we both just shake our heads up and down and smile and laugh. 

Hugs, Joy