Statistics.

I've become one of the many statistics in the US. I was brought in to an office today, door was closed, and I was cut from 32 to 16 hours a week. I was barely making ends meet before this, now I'm at a loss. I don't even know where to start, how to become a resourceful New England-er, how to stretch a nickel into a 20 dollar bill. And because I live in NH, unemployment benefits suck. Even though I qualify, the benefits won't pay my groceries every week. It might have actually been better had they laid me off 100% instead of 50% so I qualified for full benefits.

The holidays will certainly suck this year. Not because BL isn't going to get the sewing machine she wanted, but because the stress level will be at an all time high. The holiday will be special for BL because it will be sparkly and exciting and she's not a greedy, materialistic little girl. There will be a tree and Santa will fill a stocking. Tension and tempers will run rampant, and I'll probably stop eating normally due to stress. On the plus side, I bet I get back down to 102lbs. I'm going to have to keep it together, smile, and laugh. Santa doesn't like cry babies.

I was told this is temporary, "probably" 6-8 weeks. My money's on this being a permanent cut. Funny too, cause I'm the 2nd lowest paid person in the company and of course, I need the money the most. People at work are talking about buying their kids iPods and laptops for Christmas, season passes to ski, and I'm wondering how I'm going to keep warm.

So far, 35 sucks. November sucks. Why wasn't I born in July? I bet people with July birthdays don't have these problems 'cause they get to have fireworks at their birthday parties and it's warm outside.

Missing

Between working full-time, a million birthday parties, and Thanksgiving, I've been busy. BubbaLou recently turned 3, so a party was required. 8 (maybe 50?) small children running around my house. Their parents, some Aunts, Uncles, cousins, friends...I had a party with 25 or so people (4 days before Thanksgiving.) I just love a challenge, and birthday cake. Red velvet with the most amazing frosting in the whole wide world. I could eat it by itself in a bowl, and I'm not really a frosting girl. Just give me the cake.

Bubba's favorite gift, a REAL, pink guitar. I can't tell you how many renditions of
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" I've heard.

I've also been busy on the sewing front. Here's a scarf I just completed with some extra fabric from a quilt I'm doing for the couch. It's a super-soft flannel in beautiful holiday prints. A little whimsical without being childish. The quilt and scarf have exposed seams on one side that get clipped and then fray in the wash, making a little fringe around all the blocks. I saw the quilt in progress at the local quilt shop and even though it's a little too "country," I thought it was pretty and it gave me a good excuse to buy the flannel I had seen on my last visit. Yes, I need an excuse to buy fabric. This is a taste of what 336 quilt square blocks looks like. I think I actually cut out closer to 400, but only needed 336. My kitchen looked like it was covered in a film of fuzz after I was done. Well worth it, though. I just think these colors are so soft and pretty. And it will be nice to have something seasonal on the couch to snuggle up in.

I do not need an excuse to buy yarn. In fact, my local shop was having a coupon sale...how convenient. I bought some wonderful washable wool for a new hat for my Dad, and some bulky, 100% silk yarn in a beautiful, shimmery silver. Perfect for a holiday scarf. Taa-daa. As if I've got nothing better to do.

The holiday baking season has begun, after all. And my darlin' Sy gave me the three BIG King Arthur Flour cookbooks for my birthday. I told him I might as well just paste the pages to my thighs. These cookbooks have centerfolds, for crying out loud. I wanted to lick the pages, it's baker porn.

Abbie, do you want some more pumpkin whoppie pies? I can't be the only one eating this stuff.