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Archive for July, 2007

Free Showcase in the County Fair

July 20th, 2007 at 07:31 pm

I've been selected to fill a showcase in the gem and mineral category for the County Fair! The showcase is about 3.5 feet wide and 1.5 feet deep. It will include my original jewelry designs of glass, stone and metal.

However, there are no business signs allowed! HA! HA! Those Fair people are smart, this is not to be turned into a big cheesy advertisement! Not even a business card Frown but if I win any sort of ribbon (even a mention) they will turn over my name card and pin the ribbon to it inside the case.

That's ok with me! I'm just thrilled to be viewed by thousands and thousands of people.

Free Rides cost $50

July 18th, 2007 at 05:36 pm

Summer memories in the making!

My kids earned a free ticket each to 6 Flags Magic Mountain during the school year for reading 6 hours.

We went and they had a BLAST! I had to pay for:

$30 my ticket (using a coupon)
$20 food (I brought extra snacks)

We shared driving and parking with a neighbor family and their kids.

And stayed until closing till 10pm.

Worth every bit for a once a year, to-be-relived event they will remember for a long time. (Besides, their mom LOVES fast roller coasters).

Four Sundaes and a Carwash

July 13th, 2007 at 12:33 am

Are the dog days of summer here yet? We are holding them off, all be it barely.

Today 'let' my 7-y-o wash the Camry. She wanted to. Her payment would be a big build it yourself ice cream sundae (we have many toppings at home already).

She recruited a couple neighborhood friends and another little sister wandered in for a total of 4 kids. Mine was the 'boss' in charge of another 7-y-o, a 6-y-o and a 4-y-o.

hee hee 'Dry there', 'Pick up those'...

The car got clean! Mom was happy, the kids were happy, and big ice cream sundaes were served up to all.

Pure Unconditional Entertainment

July 11th, 2007 at 04:00 am

Tonight we watched 1 hour of David Blayne, Street Magician on TLC.

I love these guys. Even being a highly educated, serious minded, practical thinker, it is impossible not to have fun watching and WONDERING.

OK, have you heard of him? He is a 20's something highly accomplished fellow walking around the country showing tricks to the man on the street. It is intentionally anti-high theatrical. Apparently he is fed up with the David Copperfield types and wants to bring the magic and fun back to the average person.

For example:

1. He asks the small town cop (sitting in his patrol car no less) to pick a card and without further ado (and I mean NOTHING else) tells him what the card is.

2. He walks into the auto factory and asks 2 guys (with their half dozen buddies standing around) to simply THINK of 2 cards, not even pick one. And proceeds to tell them what they were thinking of.

3. He joins a group of oldsters in an Italian restaurant, hands the grandpa type a brand new sealed deck. Doesn't touch them himself. Turns around and instructs the guy to shuffle, pick one, shuffle profusely, spread them out like a fish pond, and stop. He then turns back around, covers the fish pond of cards with a menu and stabs the menu with a steak knife. Capturing of course, only ONE card, which is the one the grandpa had picked.

4. Stops in front of the tattoo parlor and does some more tricks for the freaks there. They are flabberghasted.

5. Does a trick to a mom and little girl and somehow NEVER touching her, gets her card in the girls back pocket!

7. Visits the lockerroom of the Dallas Cowboys football team, and makes the big guys fall over in a stupor switching cards in their hands without touching them.

8. He gets a few folks in front of a store window, does the pick a card, any card routine. Then takes the deck and THROWS it at the window. The card of choice ends up stuck to the window-ON THE INSIDE!!!!!!!!! The only card that stuck.

6. OK, his best trick. He somehow rises up off the ground about 6-8". He does this over and over to different people. It looks REAL. It is a riot. People practically faint over this one.

So we had an hour of pure fun, free. Whew.

Not for the Faint of Heart ::999 Dollar Hat

July 10th, 2007 at 12:43 am

A true artisan has made this item as part of a design contest, it's a 'never seen the likes of this before'.

Text is DreamWoven's Masterpiece and Link is http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6395697
DreamWoven's Masterpiece

Not noted in the description is that it is on display at an art gallery at this time.

:->

Rich Experiences Low Costs

July 5th, 2007 at 03:38 pm

Back from an extra long weekend out to the country to escape the fireworks noise for my dog.

One of the days we took a day trip to the Mineral King part of Sequoia National Park. This is a little visited, lesser known valley at the south end, and is accessed by a separate (long windy) road than the Giant Forest.

Wonderful!

1. Packed lunches and jumped about at a picnic table under a huge redwood, the first my 7-y-o has seen.

2. Spotted a large wild blackberry patch along the way and stopped to pick several cups full (one for the cup, one for the kid).

3. There was no entrance fee!? The Mineral King portion is remote enough to not warrant a visitor booth, although there is a full ranger station at the main area.

4. Walked a 1 mile nature hike twice. Once up and once back. Of course, words cannot give you the feeling of being in the high country. Far far away from the familiar life (cars, buildings, electricity). Plentiful butterflies, babbling creek and small waterfalls.

5. Got close to a deer.

6. Saw a bear on the drive out, lumbering across the road. Another priceless experience for my kids.

Costs? $55 in gas. And a pizza dinner for four in Three Rivers on the way home.