Things that drive me crazy

Here are some things that drive me nuts.

Plastic surgery and Botox on women who used to be absolutely stunning. Olivia Newton John, Meg Ryan, Annette Benning, and worst of all Cheryl Tiegs. Why do they do this? Did someone actually tell them they look good? Did you see Faye Dunaway on Gray's Anatomy last week - oh my gosh - just awful! Cheryl Tiegs is, ironically, on a show called True Beauty. She looks like a different person. Oh, and Glenn Close - what did she do to her mouth? Why women who are so gorgeous do this to themselves baffles the mind. Sophia Laren looked incredible at the Oscars on Sunday and she didn't look as if she's had surgery. She had normal beauty and wrinkles and laugh lines in her face.

TV's - everywhere! Don't misunderstand me, I love watching TV as much as the next guy, but do I have to be bombarded with TV at every restaurant, doctor's office, dentist's office, airport, PT office, hockey arena, football stadium and baseball park? Is there nowhere I can go where there isn't the white noise of television? I especially hate it at restaurants, which used to be a relaxing place to go away from home.

Blackberry's and cell phones - this includes twittering and texting. What is happening to the attention span of the average adult? On the news today, they showed how the Congress and Senators were twittering during Obama's speech last night. How incredibly rude. It's so much more important to say stupid things like "Here comes the Supreme Court" or lamenting "The Senators have the aisle seats," than to be seen paying attention to someone who is speaking. Where is Emily Post when you need her?

People who talk on their cellphone in restaurants and bookstores in their normal voices -loud and annoying. The same goes for talking on your cell phone when you're with someone else. What better way to say "you don't matter" than to carry on a cell phone conversation in front of your companion. I'm not saying not to ever answer your phone, but truly, is every cellphone call that important? I think the person in front of you deserves your attention first.

Bathroom stalls - I'd love to know who puts the toilet paper dispensers in these stalls. Do they ever try and sit down with those giant 2 rolls dispensers on the wall? They are either too low to reach the paper, or right next to the seat so they dig into your leg or push you off the seat.

Computers - I love them and I hate them. I can't be the only person who keeps having their hard drive crash. I'm on my fourth one. Why doesn't anyone know how to fix these things and get my information off - for a reasonable price?

Great Inventions - No touch sinks, toilets, and paper towel dispensers. When you're traveling the turnpike in PA,, you really appreciate not having to touch anything in the bathrooms.

Let me know what drives you around the bend.

The Steelers really are Super!!

Can you believe it - the Steelers won their 6th Super Bowl championship!!!! What an exciting game that was! They took it down to the last few seconds, keeping the anxiety churning away at us, before they won that game. But how great we all felt when it was over (and we won). We were jumping up and down and hugging each other at my house -how about you? I'm a sometimes football fan, always a Pittsburgh fan. I've really enjoyed these last two Super Bowls and I regret now that I wasn't more "tuned in" to the 70's Steelers. I recall that I was immensely proud of being from the City of Champions and feeling the pride in Pittsburgh, but at the time, I was actually more of a baseball fan (you might recall we also won a World Series in 1979). Can you believe it? I didn't even watch the football games. I mean I was there, and I knew we won, and I celebrated, but I wasn't a football fan. Thank goodness my husband (after 30 + years of marriage) and sons have the patience to still explain the calls to me during the game, or I'd never know what's going on.

I hadn't even realized it's been a month since I blogged. I've been working on scanning the old photos I mentioned previously (which are now done) and am making CD's. I've been quilting a friend's quilt - unfortunately I'm still only capable of loop de loops and swirls on my quilting machine. I'm hoping to progress to pantographs at some point in the future.

Last week at Quilt Circle, I picked up my Cathedral Window blocks to hand sew. It's been so long since I did some hand sewing, I forgot how much I missed it. I tried out a new (new to me anyway) "under the quilt" thimble that actually works. It's called W'nder thimble. You can use it for hand piecing or under the quilt. The plastic is thin enough that it actually works. You can find it at quilterslittlehelper.com.

I don't think I mentioned this, but I got a quilting email about the dress Michelle Obama wore at the Washington Cathedral prayer service and to receive visitors the day after the inauguration. She's wearing a 100% cotton quilt-shop-only fabric design from the 'Empress Garden' collection. This is a photo of Michelle in the dress. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/21/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4743183.shtml The fabric is from Kona Bay (a Hawaiian fabric company) and features cranes among the wisteria. You can buy the fabric from Peggyannes.com -they're making a quilt from the featured fabrics. http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_dept_items.asp?Store_id=507&Page_id=17&categ_id=181&parent_ids=0

Two weeks ago, I had a super great exercise week. I walked on the treadmill 5 days in a row, then my knees started hurting, so I rested for a week. Now I'm having back spasms again and am doing PT again for my back. One step forward, two steps back. I keep telling my children to take care of your back - you don't realize how important it is until it gets hurt.

Well, I'm off for now to put a little heat on my back - the good news is that it's getting better.

Till later.