British Neutral

Jason was watching some ELO concert television show the other day.  I wasn’t really paying attention, they are not my jam.  He made some random comment about how “maybe they aren’t from Baltimore after all.”  What?  “I thought they were from Baltimore, but I think they are from England after watching this.  Maybe I don’t like them after all.”  I paid more attention.  The singer began talking and he definitely had an English accent.  A groan was all I heard next to me.

“What is your problem with English bands?”  was the obvious question I asked.

“You know how I feel about English bands.”

“I didn’t realize your feelings were so strong.”

“You thought I liked bands from England?” He sounded indignant.

I just didn’t realize you hated them so much.  I thought you were just neutral on them.  English neutral.”

English Neutral is an American band that only plays songs from English bands.  Just to spite Jason.  I imagine them butchering Oasis songs on a regular basis.

 

Double Sweater

The weather is starting to change here and I am freezing all the time.  It makes me feel really old to be this cold all the time.  I mean, I grew up in Ohio – not the coldest part of the state, but we had our share.  I thought I was used to it.  I actually live a bit farther south now but as soon as the temps start to drop it’s all over.  Yesterday I wore my first sweater of the season out and about.  On my way home, I was thinking about how I couldn’t wait to get home to put on my cardigan over my sweater.  I would then be wearing double sweaters!  You just can’t make this stuff up.

The Double Sweaters are a bunch of retired rockers.  Not literally rockers, but retired people who like to rock.  They formed their band in the old folks home and play for all their fellow prisoners.. ahem..  residents.  Probably on a Saturday afternoon.  Old people don’t rock after dark.

Vicious and Fluffy

We have some neighbors who really like little dogs.  I really like little dogs.  They seem to go through quite a few of them though.  It feels too awkward to ask why.  “So what happened to all the other dogs?  Are they dead?  Did you hand them off to your copious grandkids?”  That’s just not a conversation I would like to have – ever.

The neighbors currently have two very tiny dogs.  One is white and the other is black.  I think they are both Maltese but without the stupid haircut.  This is how I feel about them.

On the way home from the bus stop recently, those little guys were barking at us through their glass door.  “So vicious” I said in a silly voice.  “So vicious and fluffy” was the reply from Logan.

Vicious and Fluffy is a teenage girl cover band.  They are probably doing rock covers of Taylor Swift songs. If Calvin Harris is ever looking for something with a harder edge, they’ll fit the bill.

On a side note, I actually had to look up how to spell “vicious”.  I kept putting in “viscous”.  I think we can agree that would be an entirely different cover band.

Cause Olive

So we were sitting at the Alamo Drafthouse watching a special presentation of The Regular Show: The Movie when Jason orders a dirty martini with olives.  He likes to do that.

What’s really embarrassing is when the waiter, or even worse the waitress, asks “How Dirty?”  Yes, this happened. I know it’s a legit question, but not in front of the kid, please!  Think of the children! That didn’t happen this time thank goodness.

Drinks arrive, water all around, and coke for me.  Jason looks at his martini, which is stacked with 3 enormous olives and offers me one. Now I’m not much of a drinker AND I do not like olives, so, not cool! The two of them start making jokes about Logan enjoying martini olives and asking me “what is your problem?”

It’s, cause olive’s kids.

Cause Olive is not really a band.  Just a girl and her music.  I don’t think she had a career with Fringe Division, but she sure can play the guitar and write her own songs.  Someone like Lisa Loeb.  Remember her? Of course her name has to be Olive.  Names are easy to change these days, right?

Godzilla Cross Stitch

I made this for my Bother-In-Law and his family.  I’m sure it will end up in a place of honor.  Here’s the pattern I found.  Hopefully, it isn’t stolen from someone.  I just found I found my own colors and made the word “destroy” to look a bit like flames.

godzilla, walk 003

I used a frame from IKEA.  Mostly because I love IKEA and will use any excuse to go to there.  I also used some foam core that we had lying around the house and some tiny pins that were called sequin pins.

godzilla, walk 009

I cut the foam core to a little bit smaller than the mat in the frame.  After I washed and ironed the fabric, I measured out the middle of both the piece and the foam core.  While having everything lined up, I used the tiny sequin pins to attach the needlework to the foam core.  The pins were inserted all the way around into the edge of the foam – super tedious.  I wanted to make sure it was straight, though, so I did a pin or two per side at a time starting in the middle of each side. The fabric needs to be pulled taut in an attempt to prevent wrinkles.  This was the first time I have framed anything this way.  It was harder than it sounds.  Especially the corners.  I trimmed a bit there and just tried to get it to lay and fold as flat as possible on the back.  Lastly, I taped all the edges down and popped it in the frame!

godzilla, walk 014

 

Framed and ready to go for Christmas!

flamingo,godzilla 021

 

Sopper Gub

We say things silly in this family.  Change the vowels occasionally.  Drop a consonant here or there.  I used to have to warn the kiddo not to do that at school.  Didn’t want him to draw any ridicule.  Here, I think one of us was messing around with “super good”.  Naturally.

Sopper Gub is a cover band that only sings in German.  I hope that doesn’t mean anything bad in German.  Perhaps I should look it up.

Flamingo Part 2

So I finished the flamingo in time for the Mom’s birthday!  I still think it’s super ugly, but I can appreciate the design and the colors now that it’s finished.  Here is a pic from before I washed and ironed it.

Flamingo; Reston 004

I’m not sure what she’s going to do with it.  There is a distinct lack of wall space in her place.  Perhaps a bag or a pillow is in her future?  I’m not so good at that part, the finishing, unless it’s just slapped in a frame.  It’s all nice and washed and ironed now.

Flamingo; Reston 028

flamingo,godzilla 002

It was super hard to get all the tape of the edges.  Honestly, they are still sticky.  I should have just cut them off.  If you look really close, there are still some pencil marks left over.  An unfortunate side effect to using a pencil to mark your place?  It will rub off on your fabric eventually.

Typically I use pen to do my marks. However, a more dense pencil would be helpful. Try using a 2H the next time. The lead from a 2H pencil may not be easily seen when it rubs off on the fabric.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Oretree

I think I need to get my hearing checked.  Logan kept trying to say “Ortreat”,  it’s a dragon or something from DragonVale.  Not a game I’ve played.  He’s always excited about birthing dragon babies.  Between this and making babies in Pokemon I’m starting to worry about him.  Each game has you making babies – isn’t it too early for a 13-year-old to make babies? I made Logan repeat the name over and over.  Finally, I made him spell it.  Thank goodness his spelling has improved!  I still can’t hear him say that final “t” in the word though.  Enunciate already!  You aren’t Ariana Grande…

Oretree must be a cover band for Classic Rock.  Freebird baby!