Did you cut up the drapes?

Surf's up!

Aloha! Is it pathetic to blog while on vacay?

We're in Waikiki in our beautiful condo 2 blocks from the beach! It's basically a studio apt but is arranged in such a way that it doesn't feel like a studio apt. It is mostly windows and mirrors which makes it feel much larger than it is. It even has a jacuzzi that is practically in the living room! And a gigantic lanai (balcony) with city, mountain and ocean views! This is by far the best place we've stayed in on Waikiki and it's not even all that expensive! But it is loud. The ambient noise includes: the incessantly loud fan for the building(s) next door; competing Hawaiian and 60's music; general traffic noise; people randomly screaming on the streets. And there is also the smell factor. There's a restaurant downstairs that grills. And if you know me, you know how I love the smell of grilling. Ugh.

So far we've gone mini-golfing at an indoor, 3-D, extremely loud course, went to a free hula show on the beach that felt more authentic than any hula we've seen at luaus in our previous visits, went to a craft show in a park where I did some Christmas shopping and Pete bought me some beautiful and unique necklaces (thanks Pete!), and spent a late afternoon on Waikiki Beach, swimming in the calm waters and watching the sun set.

Last night Pete and I wore our matching aloha wear which I made last year for very non-Hawaiian Myrtle Beach. While I felt some people were looking at us as we walked around last night, one old guy yelled out to us, "Did you cut up the drapes?" I had no idea what to say.

Aloha! More pix are on my Flickr page.

Fall day

Sigh...I worked this weekend so no sewing. I'm really missing it. I've been thinking about what to make next! But at least I've been wearing the new hats I've made! Here's one I made two Sundays ago:

Hello!

It's a fuzzy aqua colored fleece from JoAnn's remnant bin that I made into a hat. It's the same hat as the swim hat I made a few weeks ago. I think it's cute. It goes well with my new gray fashionable wool coat (thank you for the early Giftmas present Pete!), but it was too warm this afternoon for my gray coat. And we were doing the recycling, and I didn't want to get my new red jacket dirty so I'm wearing my 11 year old corduroy light burgundy jacket. Sometimes old faithful friends are best!

Nice composition, Pete!

I won't be able to sew again til the last weekend of the month--because we're taking our big 2 week trip to Hawaii later this week! A week on Oahu, a week on Maui, may the spirit of Aloha fill us all with joy! Until then and after, it's a very stressful work time for me. But one of the neat things I've been working on is the redesign of the work web page--a chance for me to be creative at work! Pete has taught me some tricks about logos and also given me some helpful PowerPoint tips. The best thing about the logos is that sometimes they are very simple geometric shapes. Now I'm starting to look at the design of signs at places--including the grocery store! The new Stop and Shop logo is a bunch of "third of a circle"s fanned out to kinda look like a bird. It doesn't have to be complicated. Simple can be best.

Mahalo! Yes we can!

Yellow leaves

I've only got 4 minutes...to cast my ballot.

I took a half day off work today. Worked the morning, came home for lunch (Thanks Pete for making lunch!). Then off to the polls. I vote in a Catholic school/church. I really don't understand where the separation of church and state is when my voting place is a church. When I lived in the apt, I also voted in a Catholic school. When I lived with my parents, I voted in a firehouse.

Anyway, I arrived at the church at 1:44 and was back in the car at 1:48, hence the title. (My coworkers who voted this morning in different districts waited 15-20 minutes). While there were many districts with small lines at my polling place, my half of the alphabet for my district was open. Walked right up to the table, signed my name, and electronically voted. I was wearing my "Kittens for Obama" button on my brown jacket underneath my red jacket while I voted...you followers know which jackets I'm referring to!

Image from psychedelictara's shop on etsy.com

Then it was off to the dentist where my teeth checked out ok, thank goodness (I've also recently learned I'm not diabetic--just thirsty all the time for no good reason--and that I have such a great "good cholesterol" level, the PA couldn't believe it.) The hygienist said she waited in line for an hour this morning but then had to leave to go to work...and doesn't get off work til 8pm so she won't be able to vote! eek! Seriously, why doesn't NJ have early voting??