Thanx Linda

Linda's link is a good one. Crescent - when it was quite new - had a substitution on their web site, but she then decided to take it down and leave it down. Just a point to bring up - the dye lots on Crescent are incredibly inconsistent. As IME, probably the worst of the dyed cottons. So, the substitution list - which is usually linked to the assumed base color - has to be taken with a grain of salt so to speak. I really like the thread to stitch with ( and I think she may actually dye on Anchor, as do Threadworx & Weeks) - but it's important to buy enough at one shot. Also, WRT the substituting for plain floss - what the designer may have used for the sample, may look somewhat different from the dye lot of that color in a shop, and so you have to look at it when doing a substitution to solid.

The pink hairdressing tape is one I got from a class at ANG Seminar years ago. It is a great one. Thanks for including it.

Ellice

What did I miss???

My current, personal favorite for overdyes are the Carries Creations. Yummy.

Though both Crescent Colors and Carries have a color with Cheryl in the title.

You didn't miss much. I was in my LNS yesterday, spending money, and Carolyn asked me if I knew of a Crescent Colors conversion chart. I listed here, and sure enough, Linda came up eith the link.

What I bought is the Mirabilia "L" fairy, and the fabric, some of the CCs to do it. I am stitching it for DGD Lauren's thirteenth birthday.

Hugs (know you can use them)

Gill

I meant the pink tape... But hugs are always welcome...

The pink tape is nice to use. No residue and it looks nice on the chart.

It's been, for a change, pouring rain. The hot dog I had for lunch has come back to haunt me at dinnertime. I'm already in loungy pj's and all is well with my world.

Here's a hug from me (((()))) and a slurpy kiss ```` from Puff.

Thanks for the offer - but,hard to believe, I was being facetious. As I actually still have the roll I've been using for about 8 years, though it's dwindling. OTOH, after showering post yard-work, I didn't dry my hair - so....the reference to the pink hair tape.

Don't mind me - I'm just a bit brain-dead and overwhelmed. And, my hands are way too ucky to stitch tonight.

Ellice

LOL indeed. The yard isn't that big - only 1/4 acre - so this is much better than the landscaping of the prior 3/4 acre (which involved a truck load of mulch once. But, I had pulled the little builder front stuff, and expanded the bed so it's about 16' X 14', and then wraps the corner for about 10' X 4', and in front there's another bit that goes extending to the Japanese Maple - maybe a 12' X 4' . Plus, there are 4 freestanding trees in the main front, and a Cherry by the garage (stupid builder). Anyhow, the trees each take 1.5-2 to 3 bags. And mulching in the bed - which now that it's been weeded has open space for the plants to go "aaahhhh" . So, it's a bunch of mulch. We refigured, I need another 15 to get the back done, and finish the front. And, no,, Cheryl, I don't overmulch my trees in huge cones of bad for them.

Sounds like fun. We are going to pot some herbs, and a couple of tomato plants - late, but doable. I finally figured out where they can go, so that's up. And DH has promised to hang the rods we bought for the covered porch to hang plants from (he didn't want to just hook into the wooden ceiling).

Sounds like a good experiment. I think next year I'll do more veggies. In the other house I had a good size (12' X 25") garden. But here haven't done it.

Did you do a sprinkler system?

That's a good way to look at it.

We've been going to the Farmer's market every weekend. There is one in the 'hood here the 1st Sunday of the month, and then every Sat there is one just a couple of miles away. Loudoun county still has farms, and lots of horses

- so the farmer's markets are nice. We got fabulous honey - from further out in the state - including amazing honey/coffee/rum jelly. And fresh field raised lamb and chicken last time. So, tomorrow I'm looking forward to getting some free range eggs - we were too late last week. And the chicken we bought was delicious. So, we'll be picking up some veggies (DH has been thrilled with the unwaxed cukes - so I've made a ton of cucumber salad) and some interesting types of spring onions.

Anyhow - we just came in from watching fireworks. Enjoy the garden harvest.

Ellice

On Jul 4, 7:13=EF=BF=BDpm, ellice wrote: planted. =EF=BF=BD

Snipping all Ellice did yesterday....she makes me yawn just thinking about it.

I think I should hire you. We've got a bumper crop of clover this year (what happens when you don't fertilize/kill the weeds in May) as well as lots of ground ivy. And of course it's been raining off and on ever since the painters finished painting. Then there are the windows....do you do windows? I have delayed cleaning them until the paint's competely dry.

But....I did stitch yesterday.

Nancy

LOL - don't hire me - I only do these things in bursts.

Today has brought another thrill in expensive car repairs. I'm avoiding doing paperwork right now. Ugh.

Ellice

Don't kill the clover - it helps fix nitrogen in the soil. And grass is a heavy feeder. When it grows where I don't want it, I trim at the soil line to leave the nitrogen high roots in place.

And Ellice - what is the damage on Nessie?

On 7/7/09 2:38 PM, "Cheryl Isaak" wrote:

Clover - understand the nitrogen thing, however, the HOA doesn't like the look in the front. We'll see how things look in a week - after some more regular watering.

Nessie - ahem. After we negotiated to split the labor - as in not pay for their mistake, and then paid cost for the new Air Suspension reservoir bags

- that ended up at about $1280 or so (including the a/c flush & recharge, oil change, etc) Then the next day - Nessie had to go back as on the same night we got it the suspension dropped again. This time they gave us a rental, which we had from Thursday thru Monday - the brand new Nissan Sentra. It was just fine. This time the "senior/head tech" went through the car - he had fixed the mistake the earlier one made - and found a burned out relay. So, the question then becomes chicken or egg - did the relay cause the pump to burn up by constantly sending to it - or did the bad installation of the new pump cause the relay to fail? We ended up paying the cost only for the new relay, and no labor - so that was essentially another $120.

Now, of course, I am having really dreary frustrated oh woe is me thoughts. We brought the TT to the local VW dealer - which has very high ratings for work, customer satisfaction, etc - and 2 certified Audi mechanics. They only charge a bout $11 more/hour than our usual independent shop. They did thie diagnostic - we waited - which was a good thing. The bad part - we got to look at lovely new cars, many on special. But ...nothing til the house is settled up. The other thing - the service writer came and got us to go back into the bay and see the deal with the leaking Power steering fluid. What fun - I love being under the lift. Yup, it's dripping regularly - right out the end of the boot that covers the hydraulics on the power steering rack rod which ties to the tire. Lovely. Sealed hydraulics. The boots were replaced just 6 months ago when the suspension was done. Also, a minor/maybe leak in the high pressure hose (not critical). The service writer hands us an estimate for ....$2150 for the rack. $430 for the Hi Pressure Hose, and forget the $835 for the gas sending units (2 of them). Uh huh. I almost choked. They were very nice, but... She did say they'd give us a rental car for the 2 day repair. But wanted us to see what the deal was (as I always now do the "we're engineers, please let us know what you really find - and can talk gearhead stuff with the techs). Lovely. We took a few minutes to go call the shop we usually use (where we have an apptm in a week - as it takes time to get on their calendar) - asking for them to e-mail us again (as we could use the customer courtesy office space for web access) what was repaired with the suspension - I knew the boots looked really new. And then we contemplated our many various bad alternatives. Ending with the VW folks telling us that we wouldn't have to pay again for the hour diagnostic time, and she recalculated the PS repair - there was a mischarge with the alignment that has to be redone. But, they want 8 hours as that's what the Audi book says for that job, as opposed to charging the actual charge. And their part cost is about $ 860. We decided to come home, DH will drive the now working Nessie, and I can drive Skeeter (the TT) for my miniscule 4 mi commute til it's fixed. The good thing, the very nice mechanic told us the pump is quite hardy, and we could likely drive it around for about a year without fixing the steering rack - wouldn't damage the pump. Just if we're driving it - keep replacing the fluid - which leaks out over a few days.

So.... We decided to go eat lunch - as it was about 11 - been there for 3 hours. By which time DH called the office, relayed the saga to his colleague that has been following the progress - or lack thereof. And then DH decided "mental health day." So, we ate lunch, came home, found stupid e-mail from regular shop = sending us the estimate but instead thea attachment was the repair record from May. Sent replay asking if perhaps we were blind, but..... Then argued with Capital One on phone over cc which we got but didn't want and never activated - to be told by Indian guy that all was fine, it had been corrected we have nothing to worry about - but he won't send us anything - in the meantime some collection person is calling us. Finally, DH conveyed enough unhappiness so that we got a manager - who I think is actually here in NA (she sounded very Canadian - or maybe from ND) who finally understood our dilemma and agreed to take care that we are not "blamed". Yeah.

Now, get e-mail with correct estimate. So, our regular shop (well known Audi/VW specialist in DC area near old house) is charging $180 less for part, and only 5.5 hours of labor instead of 8. So, we send them back note to keep our appt for the 14th, and we'll let them know if we want to push the appmt out further, and BTW, will they give us a loaner? Waiting to hear response. DH actually wants to go to the VW dealer here - as it's so close, and the shop was quite nice. But, OTOH, $500 is more than the cost of a rental for 2 days.

So, right now, I think I'll just go put my head down and cry as I'm again haging that overwhelmed feeling. OTOH, I could just avoid doing what I should and go stitch - which I also should do. Ack. And I haven't heard from the fabulous give my eye teeth and whatever else job people.

Such is life.

Ellice

Mow it twice in a day, day and half, and the clover will respond by growing lower while the grass grows taller. Unless of course some one actually comes to inspect what is growing in the lawn.

was it bitching about paying annual fees. There is a good reason not to use Capital One.

Hugs

Cheryl

ote:

ice"

That would work if I actually did the mowing....but not in this lifetime. DM hires a grasscutter. We're lucky if he shows up more than once every two weeks. We've got terraces, steep slopes, etc. that I never even in my younger days would have attempted to mow. DB used to cut grass wearing his track shoes.

I thought I'd get to some of the weeding etc yesterday but DM decided she wanted to go to an area farm that has a market for their fresh raspberries. Between that trip and taking her to pick up dinner for her a friend I decided stiching was in order instead. Then I get online this am....and rctn has exploded with posts.

Nancy

No fun at all. I'd find a different service if I was that unhappy.

I've never anything but heavier sneakers or boots when mowing. Only made the mistake of doing the weed whacker thing without long pants once.

Nice - isn't it