Face lift!

My blog has a completely new look thanks to ME because I found someone that could do it for me since I have no ability. No really, the concept, the look, the feel, everything is thanks to clever Heather. She had so little to work with... I gave her no direction. Nada. Nothing. She went through my blog came up with color ideas, but also asked me what my favorite colors were. I couldn't even be pinned on that as I named 30 or so colors. Let's face it I couldn't have done this at all on my own. Adding links to my blog posts has been my big technical achievement for 2005. Thanks to Heather, I now have a banner and a look. She did a wonderful job and I am THRILLED.

Another thrilling thing that happenned was I saw Elton John's Red Piano at Caesar's Palace. It was a terrific show. By concert standards, by Vegas standards, all around standard's FABULOUS.

First, Caesar's is a place where you shouldn't even bother to try and park your own car. The valet is much more convenient, close and less of a hassle. Some hotels have their valet totally in the deep recessive of the garage and you feel like who's valeting who. Not so with Caesar's. Valet will bring you right up to the entrance of the shops or the Colliseum whereas garage parking will bring you near Reno.

He performs when Celine Dion isn't, but looking at his set, you wouln't guess that he is a fill-in. The set is fantastic with huge neon lights and lots of blow up HUGE HUGE props like boobies hanging from the ceiling, bananas -peeled and unpeeled [you can figure that one out ;0] He opens with Bennie and the Jets and there are huge mismatched lit letters spelling Elton behind blinking in beat with the music. The letters appeared as if they were stolen from other old Vegas signs. Other songs have accompanying films by David LaChapelle (who designed the show) and are really effective. He played my favorite, SOMOENE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT, and my least favorite, the highly overrated CANDLE IN THE WIND. One of the songs, I think Philadelphia Freedom showed a woman with flames coming out of her "VJJ" WHN was mesmorized by this and was saying, a bit disappointedly, "I never saw your's do that!" Obviously, he is not seeing the practicality of having a non-flammable one. No scorched sheets... no cindered panties...no scorched willies... etc I was actually surprised at all the female nudity... I mean I get the male things... but hm women. I loved while he was singing I Guess Why They Call It The Blues or Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting (amongst others) he would have all this graphic sexual imagery. He never mentioned anything naughty himself... he just had bananas with cherries or cigarrettes or COCK TAIL blinking... Okay, so I will admit, I like dirty jokes, I like naughty words, I like nudity in general and references to naughty parts, sexual acts through inuendos because that makes it more titilating... I love it when innocent things are turned lacivious. (Those roses and kittens on film weren't just flowers and cats you know.) I love double entendres...It's immature... or is it actually the HEIGHT OF SOPHESTICATION???

It was an amazing incredible show. I was in the orchestra section, but all the seats seemed OK. Though the better ones for being even with him is towards the left if you are looking at the stage. ("stage right") It's a pricey ticket, but well worth it (we got ours half price because WHN knows a guy, but I would even pay full price for this show)

PS- Been a long time since I've posted a grammar review... look out because a SHALL vs WILL post will be appearing shortly!

spinning wheel or knitting camp?

For my bday, I asked for a chance to attend Meg Swanson's knitting camp. I can't sign up until early April and while I've been waiting I've been thinking hmmm.... I've always wanted to spin neat yarns. Soooo knitting camp for 4 days in July or a spinning wheel (I can learn about which one I want and how to use it via the local fiber guild)

Everything I've heard about knitting camp has been raves... but a spinning wheel seems like fun too.

Monday Moment of zen:

Trying to be clever

So I wanted to keep my spoilee thrown off so I mailed packages to her from various locations around the US. The latest, mailed from Wyatt Earp, CA. My friend on her way to visit her family in Yuma, AZ stopped at this one man operation on the AZ/ CA border.

I love this picture of my friend (who never even questioned taking a box far away to mail) because she is in the picture (as is her truck door) and I am sure her engine was running too. I'm now obsessed with Wyatt Earp, CA. I know California fairly well, but never heard of Earp, CA. What is this magical place? Anna says that the town only has a couple of quickimarts that she is convinced probably sell Ostrich jerky (yet she hasn't seen any ostriches.) Though she doesn't know this for a fact since she says she is too scared to stop...until I asked her to mail a box.

The locals show an entrepeneurial spirit. Anna says they all look like meth heads whose cars have broken down in the town. They settled down and opened boat repairing facilities (Earp is on the shore of Lake Mojave)

She promised me we can visit on our way to down to Mexico (she grew up in a Arizona border town) to buy knock off purses. WOO WOO. (do they sell yarn?)

Actually this is the same friend that has a difficult concept with my knitting. She can't understand that anyone under 60 is doing it and also there is a culture of it. A conversation I had with her a couple of days ago is a good example... I was in a yarn shop waiting for them to wind my cotton chenille. She heard me say to them, BYE WENDY BYE GAIL... and she shouted in shock YOU AND THE YARN SHOP ARE ON FIRST NAME BASIS??? I tried to explain to her that the nature of a yarn shop is different than say knowing the Costco clerk. She was amazed that such old people would be able to remember my name. But Anna, they aren't old.. but who else would work in a yarn shop...It was like trying to explain to my cat... anything.

THANK YOU SP

It's always a wonderful surprise when I hear from SP. I loved the package. I mean love love like settle down and marry and have babies with it love. It had a decidedly felted theme to it. My SP was saavy enough to realize that I've been really into needle felting as of late. I haven't produced anything that interesting, so no posts about it, but I see that all changing now that I have a book to help me along. I'm going to start with project one and work my way through it.

Also I received some beautiful fiber from here. Since it's so long I will try my hand at spinning yet again. I always envisioned myself a natural at spinning, but that is pure fantasy. I am HORRIBLE at it. I need some lessons from Rapulstilskin.

I didnt want a model in my picture, but sometimes, you just have to work with one if you want to get anything done.

It's My Birthday!

And let me tell you, I had a GREAT day. Besides sharing a bday with Fabio and the Ides of March, the 15th has always been a pretty sweet day for me.

After a White Hot Chocolate, I spent 2 hours knitting at Nancy's Quilts with BARB-- Magic loop guru. More on the projects I worked on with in another post. I did manage to buy some yarn and have in my house 10 seconds before this:

Many shows in Las Vegas are dark Wednesdays, however, TOM JONES was in town. Campy goodness. I know first Wayne and now Tom. What is happening to my musical taste. I have satellite radio and I am seeing these guys. But you know Tom with his last two albums worked with some pretty big shot musical guys: Jools Holland and Wyclef Jean. The show was great. I forget how many Tom Jones classics are out there. And he sang some others including the bizarre choice of Three Dogs Night's Mama Told Me Not To Come (I heard he had a hit with it a few years ago... but still weird). His voice didn't break once (take that American Idols). He had all the hip thrusts though they seemed a bit more arthritic and some of his dance moves were similar to when Fred Sanford would have a heartache but he was still classic Tom. I loved listening to the constant deep baritone shouts of "TOM! I LOVE YOU." He really is a hero of men. He could quit singing and just give seminars to men. And yes, there were the panties thrown on stage (presumably be women and oddly, most were thrown during She's a Lady.



He had the audience in the palm of his hand from the lacivious SEX BOMB to the campy WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT to the eye watering GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME... but then he would bring us right back up with Kiss.


Afterwards, we noshed at Wooloughan's at Rampart Casino, a local's place. I think the casino name makes the place sound sleezy, however, it's in the posh Las Vegas section of Summerlin. They cater to a lot of business types. Now their sister casino, The Cannery is a scheezy joint. Let's just say there are people that are gambling their paychecks, workman's comp checks, and other govt checks. (BTW, if you cash a paycheck at the casino, you get a free drink.) After late night battered sausages and cider, the next stop was the casino next door, Suncoast Casino . The Spazmatics (pictured above) a locals' favorite plays there on Wednesday night. They play the strip a few times a week and there is usually a cover charge, but Wednesdays, at the Suncoast, FREE FREE FREE. Though even if you do have to pay a cover charge, I highly recommend them, even if you don't love 80s music. They stay in their geeky personas throughout the show and have a set list the includes Take On Me, Micky, Always Something There To Remind Me... I could go on, but trust me, all terrific interpretations on totally tubular songs! And he the lead singer will stop and pose for a pic in mid song! These guys are all showmanship!

I got lots of gifties, but one of my favorites came from Sibille. As usual she sent gorgeous sock yarn and Euro chocolate (the best) but she also sent me a pair of socks! Ofcourse I love getting yarn, but no one since I was a child wearing a granny square poncho has someone made me something! I'm really touched. I love them. I wish I could think of the words to express how fond I am of the socks and gesture Danke Sibille. I love the socks and the sock yarn color... now the pattern to use...

Stuck in the Moonlight

I started Midwest Moonlight and normally, I would have whored through it and been done and showing off pictures however, I am a hugely indecisive person. I started it doing they required amount of repeats, but thought it was too wide, so I pulled it out and re-did it taking away a repeat... now that seems too narrow. So I am stuck until I can stop Goldilocksing myself.

In other news, did find my wallet and as promised now have a little pager on it. (HAHA take that ferrets!)

Am reading AS I LAY DYING. Oi, how I really am not enjoying this book.

I signed up to be a hostess for SP8. I'm not the type that necessarily enjoys this kind of thing, but I like to give back. WOW, didn't that sentence sound martyry. It's not, I will end up enjoying the fact that I did my part. Interesting little gossip/tidbits about SP8... there will be 16 hostesses. Great because people should get extra attention from their assigned hostesses-- bad in the planning phase as I am sure you can guess why. There is talk about having people fill out ratings of their SPs in this round that may or may not affect their partnering in the next round. Also, will last 3.5 months and cost $60 not including postage or time. Evidently hostesses are contending with people complaining not enough contact from their Spoiler.

That's all for now until I can do something interesting or figure out what to post a picture of.