I can't believe I found them!

Well, color me stupid! I just found my "lost" posts. Yeah, they were in my 'edit posts' file; they were labeled 'drafts'. Oh, me. Chalk it up to being new to blogging, inept with computer skills, and just plain old. But I thought I would go ahead and publish the second "lost post". Because you wouldn't want to miss this terrific piece of writing. Really. Yes, I am just kidding. But at least it will catch you up on some things. And I repeated the information on this week's card. So here goes:

I just finished writing a fantastic entry. Really. It was the funniest, best piece I have ever written. And no one can dispute that, because no one will ever see it. Somehow I managed to delete the damn thing before I posted it. And I don't know how that happened. So now I have to start all over again, and believe you me (is that grammatically correct), this one can't possibly match the excellence of the one I lost. Period.

I did mention, in this lost piece, how happy Gary is to finally be on sabbatical for five weeks. He's delirious. Not really, but he is quite happy. Except for last night at dinner. He did get upset with me when I remembered just minutes before the NFL season started that he screwed up our family-league schedule. Hey, it wasn't my fault that I noticed the scheduling problem in the middle of the night, and that this fact didn't stick with me when I got up yesterday. I think he should have seen the problem, since he is the commish of that league. And I am just a lowly league member. Fortunately, he did manage to correct the problem using my cellphone during dinner. (Yes, his phone was out of juice, adding to his consternation). After he solved the dilemma, he got over his upset. Oh, btw, the scheduling problem involved our newest member, John Kaslow (honorary brother for our family league). Gary put John on bye week for the whole season. Which meant he wouldn't be able to actually participate. Well, hi-howdy, John, and welcome to our family league! (Btw, dinner was delish at the Deli (as usual). We had crab-and-shrimp cakes, a sweet corn saute, and a summer slaw, served with a Chardonnay and followed by a lovely custard. Mmmmm, mmmmm, good).

Oh, I also mentioned, in the lost post, that Gary went bowling on the first day of his sabbatical and then went to his eye appointment. The one where he was to find out if he has glaucoma or not. Fortunately his vision is not deteriorating at the present time. We were very glad to hear that. He goes back in four months for another check-up. He does, however, have dry-eye. Just like I do. It's no big deal--you just hydrate your eyes several times a day with eye drops. Actually, I think that dry-eye is probably more common here in the desert than people realize. And age, no doubt, has something to do with dry-eye as well. Not that we're old or anything. Stop laughing. This minute.

Would you believe we have another draft tonight for fantasy football? Well, of course, you would. It's only my fourth league this year. Gosh, I am really a glutton for punishment, aren't I? This is an auction league, which means that you get to bid for your players with imaginary money. Maybe I will end up with a fun team on this league. Who knows? But I am sure you will be waiting with baited breath to find out. Not.

So I also said, in that wonderful lost posting, that I finally finished the card I mentioned in my blog last Saturday. And I am so glad that you didn't hold your breath waiting to see it. Honestly, I cannot believe it took me a whole week to make that card. Truly. It was the most exasperating card I have ever done. Basically because I made it hard on myself. I wanted a certain look, and I spent hours, and hours, and hours trying to get it. I tried bazillions of die cuts and flowers. Well, not really. But it was a LOT of different ones. I tried dozens of different arrangements. OK, maybe just a couple of dozen before I settled on the one you see below. I think that I was trying too hard to represent the story (The Language of Flowers), for the book club I am in. And then I was also attempting to meet the requirements of five different card challenges. So I guess it's no wonder that it took me so long. Anyway, the components of my card are as follows:

Basic Grey Sweet Threads designer paper, Stampin' Up CS, Alota Mini Flower Shop, Magnolia Mini Happy Spring Tilda, Hero Arts Birthday Message, Magnolia Doohickey dies, Marianne Designs die, Nestabilities dies, Wild Orchid roses, ZvaCreative and Recollections crystals, Glossy Accents, Signo Uniball white, and, of course, Copic markers. The colors used were: E000, E00, E11, E25, E31, E35, E39, E50, C00, C0, C1, BG000, BG10, YG0000, YG95, YG97, YG99, W00, RV000, RV10, RV13, and RV17.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

CMC Bookendz Challenge #2
Basic Grey Challenge #52
Magnolia 10th Inspiration Challenge
7 Kids Challenge #29 - Easel Cards
Copic Creations Challenge #57 Pretty in Pink

We're spending a sports-filled weekend. We have a Diamondbacks game tomorrow night and then a Cardinals game on Sunday afternoon. Here's wishing everyone everywhere as lovely a weekend as I will have!

Heavy sigh

I am so defeated. I wrote two really great posts, both very witty and interesting. At least, according to me. But both of them got deleted before I could post them. Then I tried to write a very short post to explain this to you, and to showcase my card, (which took me forever to make). And I accidentally deleted that short post, too. So I am now writing this on MS Word, (as Gary recommended), and then will copy it to my blog. This will be very brief, because I just don't have the energy to go through another great rendition of the past week. Suffice it to say, I think you would have enjoyed either long post that now reside in Never-Never-Land. Heavy sigh.

My recipe for this card:  Basic Grey Sweet Threads designer paper, Stampin' Up CS, Alota Mini Flower Shop, Magnolia Mini Happy Spring Tilda, Magnolia Doohickey dies, Marianne Designs die, Nestabilities dies, Wild Orchid roses, ZvaCreative and Recollections crystals, Glossy Accents, Signo Uniball white pen, and, of course, Copic markers.  Colors used were:  E000, E00, E11, E25, E31, E35, E39, E50, C00, C0, C1, BG000, BG10, YG0000, YG95, YG97, YG99, W00, RV000, RV10, RV13, and RV17.

I am entering it into the following challenges:

http://scrapbitzcopics.ning.com/group/bookends

http://basicgreychallenges.blogspot.com/

http://magnolia-liciouschallengeblog.blogspot.com/

http://7kidschallengeblog.blogspot.com/

http://copiccreations.wordpress.com/

Here's wishing everyone everywhere a wonderful weekend!

Headdesk

Headdesk is a word my daughter, Angela, uses to express frustration with things--usually her daughters, but not always. Well, today I am using her word to show my frustration with Angela Gary the world, oh OK, with myself. Yeah, I am banging my head on my desk. Mostly to knock some sense into myself. Partly to knock the cobwebs out of myself. And, partly, just because I can.

I am warning you in advance, this pertains to Fantasy Football. Again.

Thursday night was supposed to be our draft night for Gary's work league, but we drafted on Wednesday night instead. An in-person draft again, which I really hate. I am much more at ease making decisions in the privacy of my own home, in front of my own computer, in loose clothing, no make-up, and crazy hair. (Hence, this blog)! Besides, I am going to be the only female in a league of eight people. Really makes me feel uneasy. Don't know why, don't care. Fortunately, two of the men didn't show up, so I was only outnumbered 5 to 1.

I got comfortable on my bar stool and prepared my draft papers. (That's a half-truth. I did prepare my draft papers, but there is no way a 62-year old woman can get comfortable on a wooden bar stool.) The draft started, and I was next-to-last to draft. Great. All the best running backs were gone. So I took the top quarterback, my fav, Aaron Rodgers. My team was starting out on the right note. And that's when it hit me. The stupid stick. Apparently, it hit me over and over again for the rest of the draft. I don't remember.

What I did realize, later that night, is that I drafted two running backs with a 6-bye week, two running backs with a 7-bye week, and a wide receiver with a 7-bye week. This would be OK if I had 35 players on my team. But since I only have 15 players, it was too stupid for words. Really. I now have no way to move guys in and out of positions when needed. Gawd. Help. me. And, to add insult to injury, I drafted a kicker who is hurt and cannot play. Brilliant.

Now, this particular league is a money league. Which means it cost me Gary $70 to enter. Gag. And I have to pay to trade players. OUCH. Which I will have to do next week to get a healthy kicker, not to mention the fortune I will spend when bye week #6 rolls around. So it's no wonder that I was sleepless Wednesday night, thinking about all the inane decisions I made during the draft, and how I needed to correct them. In the morning, Gary told me that I need not get too anxious about the running backs and wide receivers right now. He said to wait and see how they play--that way I would know which under-performers to get rid of. That did help calm me. In fact, I got so relaxed I was able to take a really good nap on Thursday. (Of course, I can take a really good nap any day of the week). Thank you, Gary, for coming to my rescue again. See, I knew I married him for a reason. (And besides, he didn't get mad over the fact that I needed to spend money right away to take care of my boo-boos. Bless his sweet heart.).

So I still have to draft for the family league. This will be an online draft on Sunday night; I am tempted to let it auto-draft for me. (That way I can claim innocence and not stupidity when I get a crummy team). Anyway, I was feeling happy that it was the last draft I would have to do this year. Hold on. Yup, wait just a gosh-darn minute. Gary talked me into another league--how the hell did that happen? And this one requires that you bid on players. Charming. Good thing that it is pretend money you use for your bids. But, I don't think that is going to help me much. Sigh. I think I need to just say no to fantasy football next year, don't you?

I will be back in a couple of days to show you my new card that is being created as we speak. Well, not really. But I do have some things figured out for it, and I am going to my craft room now to work on it. So stay tuned. And, pray for me, please. I obviously need help.

In the meantime, I wish everyone everywhere a great holiday weekend!