Happy Things #1

I'm borrowing a page from Jenny LaFleur's book and posting about things that made me happy, in order to combat the madness that is December. Being an incurable tweaker, though, I've made some changes. Instead of listing what made me happy the previous day, I'll be posting about what made me happy today (although since I didn't get to it yesterday, I'll include Happy Things from then as well). I probably won't get to it every day this month, but my goal (Lord willing) is to post as many days as I can. Focus on the positive and all that. ;-) Also, I'm not going to limit myself to three things. 'Cos God doesn't limit Himself to bestowing only three blessings a day, if you look carefully.

So here goes:

~Ye List of Things that made Tom Happy~

December 1st, 2011:

• Singing Happy Birthday to my dear Aunt B! (Actually, we sang to her answering machine, but whatever. ;-))
  
• Finding a GENUINE ruby cabochon on eBay the right size for a pendant in the works...for only $11.20!!! (When I could find a cabochon anywhere near 6mm, they were either lab-grown, completely fake, or priced at three arms and two legs. Now you understand my excitement!)
  
• Going to order a rose quartz cabochon on Etsy for the same pendant (I'll explain later), discovering that the seller would only offer them two at a time (I only need one), then finding another seller--from whom I was gong to order a couple other cabochons anyway...and consequently offers free shipping with multiple orders--had *just* put up a listing for ONE rose quartz cabochon. At half the price of the other listing. *BigGrin*
  
• Watching Scrooge (the musical--LOL!) and eating sugar-free chocolates in celebration of Mom's finishing her part of the Sunday School Christmas program at church

December 2nd, 2011:

• Actually getting up early enough to make my own lunch AND get ready for work, with time to spare.
  
• Trying a new kind of cookie--spice cookies with chocolate chips and toasted nuts--made by my boss' husband...and getting ideas for how to make them myself.
  
• Finding a knee-pillow for Mom among the incoming donations.

Copyright 2011 Wild Rose Designs. Thou Shalt Not Steal! Thank you.

So now you're wondering about this mysterious pendant I mentioned. Well, it's a pet project of mine that's been changing and developing over several years, and now, thanks to Laurie and Avo K. of Laurie Sarah Designs, it's in the process of becoming a reality! It's basically a flower (a wild rose blossom, actually :-)) surrounded by gracefully curving lines and Celtic knotwork, with a quartz crystal point hanging from it, and a 6mm cabochon in the center. And the cabochon is removable, held in its own separate setting that is secured in back of the pendant. That makes the stones interchangeable with one another, so's I can wear the pendant (christened "Wild Irish Rose") with pretty much anything! At right is my PaintShopped "sketch" of the pendant design. It will probably look different in real life, as it's often harder to create things *exactly* how you want them in the physical world, than it is on the computer. :-P Even for professional jewelers like Laurie and Avo. But they do custom work all the time, and they've been so very patient with me when I changed the design a couple of times, and so willing to work with me to get it the way I want it. I'm certain it will be beautiful when it's finished.

And if you're wondering how a country-lass jewelry-maker, who alludes to her "poor starving bank account" now and then, can afford to have such a complicated bauble custom-made by professional jewelers...it's because Laurie happens to be my first-cousin-on-my-mother's-side, and they want to do this for me. I am truly blessed in my relatives, wot? ;-)

Now hopefully nothing will go haywire with the thing, now that I've blabbed about it on my blog. Seems to happen a lot with things like this..../FRETTING

So anyway, have a Blessed Christmas season, Gentle Readers, and until next time,

I remain

Sincerely yours,

~“Tom”~

"I just heard some good news...."

Got a call from Grandma today about Grandpa.

He was scheduled to have surgery on that cancerous mass in his intestines today, although he and Grandma didn't know exactly what time today, as the doctor didn't tell them. We've been asking people at church and that we know to pray for him, as surgery is a scary thought when someone is 92 and has had multiple bypasses. But apparently the doctors thought his heart was strong enough (he had a test--forget the name now--for it, and he passed with flying colors), so they decided to go ahead. But we knew there was a risk, and even though we all knew he'd be with the Lord if he didn't pull through, it was still a little scary.

So Grandma called this afternoon to let us know that he came out of surgery just fine! PTL! In fact, it sounds rather miraculous, as the cancer was in a better (more get-at-able?) place than the doctor had thought before, so they were able to cut it out and sew up Grandpa's gut more easily. And the surgery only took an hour, rather than two to two and a half. Which means Grandpa will be home in less time than originally expected (two days instead of four, I think she said). And God be praised! they didn't think the cancer had spread!

Grandma, Mom, Grandpa & Peter, July 2011

So, as Mom put it, God still has things for Grandpa to do in this life yet...and of course we don't mind having him around a little longer, either. ;-) Thanks so much for your prayers, y'all! <3

I've given this whole blogging thing a lot of thought and prayer--or tried to, anyway--and I think I've made a decision. For now, I'm going to put my blog in hibernation until I have some clearer, more definite insight as to whether or not to keep it up or just use my account to see what all you loverly folk are up to. Right now, blogging feels like maximum output for minimum gain, and it doesn't seem right for me to spend bunches of time writing, proofreading, adding pictures and tweaking my posts to my liking...and get no satisfaction out of it. I don't mean to be whiny here, mind you--just telling how it is on my end. Besides, I feel like--at this point in my life, anyway--my time would be better spent actually working on the projects I set up this blog to share--assuming anyone actually wants to see them--and trying to get back into my writing. I have one dress for Summer and one for Winter at present--adequate, but a bit boring, jah? :-P Time to sew up all the pretty frocks swanning about in my head and put them in my wardrobe!

And on the writing front, I have Anna Johnson and Jesse Black wanting me to write their stories in a more thought-out, more historically believable way, and Prince Nácil begging me to finish his, and Harold Hale and Elsie Douglas ditto, and Ciara Littlefoot, Questa Poláris and friends, Estrella, Barona Oakenstaff and Talíra, Talír and his Brothers, and possibly Gilbert Sherwynn, Princess Rosamond, Rhiannon and friends, Fëana and Pádma (or Hasána, depending on what I decide), Tempest and Elsa Lighfoot--well, anyway, depending on the character, they're doing everything from politely requesting to begging to screaming at me to write their stories.

And let's not forget Thomasina Rose Blondel ("Tom" to her friends), alias Wild Rose LeBlonde, pirate-hunter (now you know where my blog address came from)!

So for now, let us not say Goodbye (unless it's in the original meaning: "God be with you"), but rather, Until Next We Meet.

God bless, Gentle Readers, and thank you again for your prayers!

~"Tom"~