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I started this blog to share my spinning and knitting pursuits, it's grown to include Reenacting, family, vacations and just about anything else that piques my interest. You'll see lots of friends, family, fun, and a bit of contemplation from time to time, too.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Update on Jon, I'm hermiting
Update on Jon: He's doing about the same. He has a CAT scan scheduled for Wednesday morning the 20th, the pain hasn't lessened much so he's on pain meds to allow him to eat so he's kind of loopy, but at least he isn't losing any more weight. We're supposed to go pick him up for leave sometime Wednesday so he'll be around until after New Years. Thank you again for everyone's wishes and prayers, and I'll keep you posted.
As for me, I'm officially hermiting until after the Holidays. I have tons of things to get done and I don't seem to be getting anywhere near what I need to do within each 24 hour period done so I'm dropping out of Society for awhile to at least get the business issues taken care of and to get some house cleaning done prior to Jon coming home for leave. The picture above shows just how deeply I have been sleeping with exhaustion after the days of late are done. Of course, orders are first priority as always and everything is getting out very promptly, I'm just trying to catch up on paperwork, packaging, inventory, ordering, and organization! :)
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Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Remembrance Day Ball Redux
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Sunday, December 10, 2006
Hard to believe but true
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Saturday, December 02, 2006
Update on Jon
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Monday, November 27, 2006
Thank you all...
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...for your prayers for the safe return of my son-in-law, Michael Lightner. We are awaiting hearing from him, but he should be safe on American soil again. This picture was taken before he left for Iraq.
I am asking for prayers for Jonathan who is in the hospital on IV's in Norfolk with an infection, he should be fine but some positive prayers won't hurt, that's for sure! He was taken from his base this morning to the Medical center where he will be for at least a few days.
Table for 20?
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Sunday, November 19, 2006
A weekend in Gettysburg
We spent our Saturday with the 1st Maryland Calvary in Gettysburg at the Remembrance Day parade. It was a cold morning but we had a great turn out for the event. There were more reenactors in the parade than I'd ever seen before (I'm sure it was in excess of 6-7000 people that marched). Here are a couple of photos our getting prepared stage in the morning as well as one from the parade itself.
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(From the National Park Service Gettysburg National Battlefield Park Website) November 18, 2006
Remembrance Day Parade
Annual parade of Civil War living history and reenactment groups through Gettysburg to the battlefield park. Sponsored by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the parade begins at 1:00 p.m.
You'll notice that the Gentleman in the background is wearing a three cornered hat. He is wearing the Uniform of a soldier from the Maryland Line that fought in the Revolutionary War. There were also folks in attendance from the WWII era, in fact they looked just like my Dad in his dress uniform pictures from that Era.
There were so very many people, it made me proud to be a part of the history of this event. 
After a fun lunch at a local resteraunt for 15 hungry marchers from our unit, Mark and I went back to town to change clothes and get ready for the Evening's festivities. We attended a Dinner and Ball at the historic Gettysburg Hotel in the room which you see in this drawing. It was, except for the old style curtains, just as you see it here. We danced the night away to our favorite Victorian era music, ending our evening with the Virginia Reel. We very much enjoyed the company of our friends at dinner and at the dance, and we look forward to next year! I got to wear my new ball gown, though we did have our portrait done, they will be mailed to us later on so I can't post it here. The dresses were exquisite and the men looked very handsome in their uniforms or civilian period suits.
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(From the National Park Service Gettysburg National Battlefield Park Website) November 18, 2006
Remembrance Day Parade
Annual parade of Civil War living history and reenactment groups through Gettysburg to the battlefield park. Sponsored by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the parade begins at 1:00 p.m.
You'll notice that the Gentleman in the background is wearing a three cornered hat. He is wearing the Uniform of a soldier from the Maryland Line that fought in the Revolutionary War. There were also folks in attendance from the WWII era, in fact they looked just like my Dad in his dress uniform pictures from that Era.
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After a fun lunch at a local resteraunt for 15 hungry marchers from our unit, Mark and I went back to town to change clothes and get ready for the Evening's festivities. We attended a Dinner and Ball at the historic Gettysburg Hotel in the room which you see in this drawing. It was, except for the old style curtains, just as you see it here. We danced the night away to our favorite Victorian era music, ending our evening with the Virginia Reel. We very much enjoyed the company of our friends at dinner and at the dance, and we look forward to next year! I got to wear my new ball gown, though we did have our portrait done, they will be mailed to us later on so I can't post it here. The dresses were exquisite and the men looked very handsome in their uniforms or civilian period suits.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
A happy day in South Carolina
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Sharing pictures of my baby girl's weekend
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We were sorry that she couldn't join us for Jon's graduation, but we completely understood that she couldn't reschedule the weekend's activities. Still, we talked quite a few times and she successfully requalified. She's in the Military Police, and we're very proud of her. (I'm sure that you can tell!)
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Finally!
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Needless to say, we had to turn off before reaching it and I never got to go to this horrible but wonderful tourist trap during childhood, and since then, I've only driven past it in the middle of the night. I begged and whined this trip too, and on the way from SC to Virgina today with Jon and Laura we finally stopped and I took some pictures of the place for proof that I finally made it there. I'm sure my mom and dad are rolling their eyes and smiling at the thought that I finally made it there during business hours! As you can see it's full of circa 1950's roadside kitsch and the shops are full of tourist tees and other junk, but it was a lot of fun!
Monday, October 30, 2006
What a weekend!
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Cedar Creek weekend
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This was a mostly cavalry battle in 1864, and our Unit is the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion so it was perfect for our portrayal. We had a huge turn out and everyone enjoyed themselves, despite the cold temperatures in the tents at night. We enjoyed eachother's company and the jokes of our Unit commander around the campfire, and generally renewed our friendships as well as doing the living history aspect of our hobby.
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Flannel Dress #1 finished
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Wednesday, September 20, 2006
I've been hermiting again
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But for a good reason. I've had a run of days on broken only by days that I've had things planned, appointments, classes, events, and such. This past weekend I took a class at the Genteel Arts Academy on Victorian period sleeves. That's right, Saturday and Sunday for 9 hours each, our class examined CDV's and photographs of period dresses with the emphasis on making the sleeves imaginative (within period correct bounds) and beautiful. We studied, worked on our own creations, listened, bonded with one another, and were helped in all of our questions by the very gifted teacher, Carolann Schmitt. We were supposed to bring a bodice that had already been made in order to make sleeves for the dress. I made the sleeves for this dress as well as sleeves and a bodice for another over the weekend.
I really learned a lot and enjoyed the class. Now I can make my dresses different than everyone elses' that uses the same types of patterns. This dress was partially a class project on the sleeves, and I'm working on a blue dress also with different than the pattern sleeves. There are always a few projects awaiting my attention in the sewing room, there are actually 3 dresses and a wrapper started right now that I hope to complete in the upcoming weeks.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
I took a walk in OKC
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Mailing address for Jonathan
Here's his address in Basic training for those of you that want to send a hello:
PFC (you know the last name, I don't want to make it public), Jonathan
3rd Plt, Shadow dwellers
F Company, 1st BN, 13th Infantry
Ft. Jackson, SC 29207
Of course, it never ceases to amaze me at the childish behavior that I have had to endure with "the other house". It's no surprise that the address sheet sent by my son was was dated 8/31/06. It was only mailed to me (snail mail in the age of phones and email) by my ex on 9/11...mailed rather than my getting a phone call or an email immediately with my son's address. Hmmm, what is that, about 11 or 12 days? I have to believe in Karma, because that kind of selfish behavior deserves a cosmic return.
PFC (you know the last name, I don't want to make it public), Jonathan
3rd Plt, Shadow dwellers
F Company, 1st BN, 13th Infantry
Ft. Jackson, SC 29207
Of course, it never ceases to amaze me at the childish behavior that I have had to endure with "the other house". It's no surprise that the address sheet sent by my son was was dated 8/31/06. It was only mailed to me (snail mail in the age of phones and email) by my ex on 9/11...mailed rather than my getting a phone call or an email immediately with my son's address. Hmmm, what is that, about 11 or 12 days? I have to believe in Karma, because that kind of selfish behavior deserves a cosmic return.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Hanover Living History Weekend 2006
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We spent the hot and humid weekend in Hanover, Pa with the 1st Maryland Cavalry reenacting the battle of Hanover which actually occurred before Gettysburg and delayed General J.E.B Stuart from reaching Gettysburg until the 2nd day of the battle there. The Hospital in Hanover has begun this now annual weekend to benefit its programs. The Cavalry, Troopers and Artillery of our unit performed the battle for quite a lot of spectators on both Saturday and Sunday,
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I had to add the pictures after the post was done as there were problems on the blogspot server today.
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This one is me in front of the Revolving Battery Gun on Sunday after my migraine had gotten a bit better. Mark picked out the fabric for my skirt which goes so well with the red Garibaldi blouse that I made. I am in the colors of the artillary just like the red shirts that they wear.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
My unexpectedly emotional weekend
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In true Jonathan style, my baby boy called me Friday afternoon to say "guess what?". By 4pm on Saturday I took this picture at the Military Entrance Processing Center, he'd decided to join the Army. While I know that going into the military is what he wants, and he did get a great job which should keep him behind harm's way at least a little bit (Aircraft electronics and electrical), I'm still a Mom, so I've been emotional on and off since it sunk in. I'd known since High School that he was thinking of it, he'd gone to a Millitary program to finish High School and really enjoyed it, and he had talked to my Father-in-Law who's a retired Lt. Col. about it, so it wasn't a complete surprise. I had just said to him last week that I wanted to get a picture of his Green Mohawk before it faded or got shaved for my blog, I just didn't realize that I was going to be sharing this picture of it! Mark and I took Jon's girlfriend, Laura, and his Scoutmaster, Mr. Charlie with us to the center to wait for 5 hours so we could see him sworn in. It was worth every minute to be able to share in this momentus moment in his (and our) life.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
The 2006 Bix7 Race
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Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Half-Thanksgiving Visit.
Our family used to celebrate "Half-Birthdays" because both kids' B-days were right around the holiday season. We always said Happy Half Birthday to them. So this visit to Hubby's Mom and Dad's was our Half-Thanksgiving. We plan on trying to make it an annual journey because going home once a year just isn't enough. :)We had a wonderful dinner on Saturday night with even more loved relatives, it was fantastic and worth every moment of the drive!
Here's Nanny making Mark's favorite Potato Salad in her new kitchen at the New House. Of course, it has NO eggs in it because although he loves the potato salad (it is truly the best I've ever had), Mark doesn't like eggs.
Here's Poppa sitting in the Kitchen at the Breakfast Bar in the new house. The house is beautiful and they've done a fantastic job decorating it and making it feel like home.
Jonathan was able to fly in Friday night as he had to work Thursday and Friday while Mark and I were driving in. His very kind Auntie Lisa picked him up from Ohare and brought him all the way to Moline with her as he wouldn't have gotten on the flights to MLI due to some weather problems the day before. That's Jon still in his suit from the flight and Aunt Lisa sitting next to him with Ellen on her other side.
These are my two very favorite nieces from Chicago, Sarah and Ellen. I don't know for sure, but I hear that Sarah had something to do with Jon's newly green hair, and I'm sure that Ellen helped, or at least urged him on. :)
Here's Allison, who has made the Alleman High Freshman/Sophomore cheerleading squad. She was so kind to put on her uniform so that I could take pictures of her. She had cheerleading camp last week so she had her uniform with her when Poppa picked her up. I didn't get a picture of her sister and brother, we'll leave it for another blog entry.
And here is the real King of the house, Bandit. He's asleep on a chair waiting for Nanny and Poppa to come home so he'll get extra loving. We plan on making the running of the Bix an annual trek for at least Mark and me. I'll have pictures of the race up shortly.
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