The Book

It will be a very busy week.

Very busy.

I started yesterday with rallying the troops for the various sections of the souvenir program book for this year's fashion show.  The cover art is by member artist, "Mitzi."

I emailed Staples to remind Jenn in the copy center that we will need the cream/ivory card stock and paper to be in stock for our large order.  I wish we could afford the printing costs of a full color book, but the black on cream is elegant looking.  Neila will do a wonderful job with the cover as she always does.

Then I went page by page through the book, emailing the  chairmen responsible for each segment of the show and asking them to send the information for this year's show by the end of the week.

The ad deadline is today and a number have not come in so I'll be following up on them through Wednesday while I process what I have and update the ad database.

And sell a few cookbooks.

Busy.

Very busy.

Love it!

215 -- But Who's Counting?

We need about 300 and we're right on target!  My sweet husband asked me today if I didn't get tired of making the "same old thing" over and over again?

Well, excuuuuuse me, buddy!

They are not OLD and they certainly are not the same.

But, I thought it and didn't say it.

I just said, "No, Honey.  They really aren't the same.  Each one is a little different. And I enjoy trying to make each one a little prettier than the one before."

I am nothing, if not diplomatic. 40 years of marriage in August.  Lots of diplomacy on both our parts.  And lots of love and patience.

Happy Valentine's Day to the love of my life!

Tomfoolery Tuesday

One of my friends sends me the cutest stories and jokes.  I received this one this morning and shared it immediately with my Irresistibles group, but then thought I really ought to save it so what better place than my blog.   So I plan to try to post some humor every Tuesday.

Here is the inaugural "Tomfoolery Tuesday."               

Subject: Missing Spouse

A husband went to the police station to report his missing wife:

Husband: I've lost my wife, she went shopping yesterday and has still not
come home.

Sergeant: What is her height?

Husband: Oh, 5 something, maybe 5.5.

Sergeant: Build?

Husband: Not slim, not really fat, but could lose a few.

Sergeant: Color of eyes?

Husband: Dark. Not sure - maybe Brown.

Sergeant: Color of hair?

Husband: Changes according to season - lightish brown now.

Sergeant: What was she wearing?

Husband: I don't remember exactly but she wears jeans a lot.
.
Sergeant: Did she go in a car?

Husband: Yes.

Sergeant: What kind of car was it?

Husband: 2015 Corvette Stingray 3LT with the Z51 Performance Package, shark
gray metallic paint, with the 6.2 litre V8 engine with Direct Injection
generating 460 HP. 8-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission, and Black
leather GT bucket seats, and has a very thin scratch on the front left door
near the.....at this point the husband started crying...

Sergeant: Don't worry sir.......We'll find your car.

We laugh but there is some underlying truth here.  Enough that if this were my husband, I'd stay gone with his precious Stingray!

Putting the shoe on the other foot

As I've gotten older, I have started to look at things I always took for granted with different eyes.  I have to admit that being on Facebook has made me a little more critical.

For instance, look at this:

My first inclination when I saw this was to chime in, "YES, we are!"  But then I thought to myself, "How would I feel if a guy posted something similar and crowed about how strong men are?  Or handsome.  Or smart.  Would I automatically respond, "YES, you are!"?

Probably not.  Because I'm more critical.

Because they are not ALL those things.   Some are weak.  Some pretty scuzzy.  Not very smart.  Poor providers.  Poor fathers.  Abysmal husbands.

So what if I turn those same critical eyes back to the Wonder Women statement?  Are we really ALL Wonder Women?  Are any of us?

No, of course not.

I would rather the caption read "WE ARE ALL SISTERS".  Tall or short, fat or thin, black, brown, white or yellow -- we're sisters.  Weak or strong we are sisters.  And we need to be there for each other because the one thing in this world we are NOT is Super Women.

I like women.  I always have.  When we bring our unique talents to a large project and work together, it may seem like a team of Wonder Women have accomplished the close to impossible.   Because we're friends with the same goals supporting each other.

Is it Friday yet?

I feel it should be because I had squeezed 5 days of work into 3 as of last night.  Today I caught up laundry and other household chores and made 5 flowers, helped plan an opportunity basket for the fashion show and had two other phone conversations about various aspects of the show.

Tomorrow really is Friday and I'll be at the library working donations and pricing books for the Friends' Book Store.  Two of my volunteers were there today working and I got an emailed update on their activities.  I think I'll have 4 or 5 there tomorrow so it shouldn't take us long to get through the donations with that much help.

NOTHING planned for the weekend, thank goodness.

Hope it has been a good day for everyone.

Want a sneak peak? Look inside!

We're half way to our paper flower goal of 300 flowers and they get prettier everyday.  We have a dedicated group of flower makers -- most of whom had never made them before.  Well, that's if you don't count the dozens of tissue carnations we made at various times for floats and gym decorations for homecoming and prom celebrations when we were teenagers.

Here's a sneak peak of some of the flowers now residing in the Patterson fashion show warehouse....

 I walked around the table and took a few closeup shots.

 We have some very creative "flower girls."

I taught everyone using book pages from old books on their way to recycle.  Even these are really pretty.

As we worked on some of these last week, one of our flower girls discovered the electric blue tissue paper and made some gorgeous blue blooms.

I think that blue will make a really lovely table arrangement with the black and white of the book paper.

Tomorrow I'll take some pictures of the ones brought to me today that are made with muffin liners of all different colors and some I intend to make from polka dot tissue paper.

We have one more workshop scheduled for February 27 and then the following week we'll make the table arrangements.  I know they are going to be spectacular!

This has been such a wonderful project.  Fun, for sure -- but the best part is the way friendships have evolved as women who had not spent much time together in the past have gotten to know and appreciate one another.

Our Florida Federation President, who is a member of our club, loves the popular phrase, "Live, Laugh, Love."  I think of her whenever I see it on wall decor or Facebook posts.  As I have watched the comfort levels of all those involved increase, that phrase has run through my mind with each funny story or completed flower that brings delighted "ohs" and "ahs" of appreciation from the rest of the group.

I do love these women.

And I appreciate them all as individuals bringing their unique talents to every project we tackle.

I have to admit that even though I had confidence that we could do this, they have knocked my socks off!