Sewing SOS

I have a sewing emergency!!! I have a Kenmore sewing machine and it is having serious problems. I took the shuttle race ( I think that is what it is called) off a few months ago to clean the dust & lint, then put it back together. Ever since then, it has been acting up...jamming, breaking needles, etc. It has gotten progressively worse. I was trying to sew DH's new patch on his uniform and by the time I got about an inch stitched, I had broken 2 needles. Plus, I can't adjust the stitch length, the stitches are minute.

I ended up hand sewing the patch on. And seriously considered chucking the machine out the door, but that isn't very treehugger of me, now is it?

So, all of you sewing Saipan-er's, where can I get my machine fixed? I looked in the phone book to no avail.

********

We are having a garage sale on Saturday. I didn't realize how much work garage sales are!!! Cleaning, pricing, organizing. Now I catch myself eyeing the tchotchke's and wondering how much I can get for them. I am a junker at heart.

Peace.

Time to eat!

So, that is where the turtles are going.

Mmm, Ube ice cream! Me likey... I think.


DH picked a bunch of Tangerines while we were down at the Ranch last weekend. This is almost 3/4 of a grocery bag, all peeled:

Mmm, fresh Tangerine juice. A bit tart, but refreshing.

Crankypants asked her readers to show their knitting "gear". I am new to knitting and don't have much "gear", so I will show the needle roll that I made last year. I filled it up the rest of the way with knitting needles while we were at home in March/April. I haven't bought a single knitting needle. Mom bought tons of them off of Ebay, she has them in a vase...it really looks kinda cool.

I want to make one for Mom, I have to go through my stash and find 2 coordinating fabrics that she would enjoy though.
.

Peace.

So much to say

I can't stop with the cute baby pictures...

He is too cute for words.

When I pause for a minute while doing dishes and look out my kitchen window, this is my view...

If you look to the far left, you will see a tree that looks like a flame tree, but it is yellow. So vibrant.

Part of our back patio has become a plant hospital. I was digging around in the compost bin and look at the surprise that awaited me:

I had forgotten all about the Rota pineapple that we ate a few months ago. It is now in its own pot with a special spot in the sunlight.

We went to a barbecue down at the Ranch for Father's Day on Sunday and look at the neat caterpillar we found:

We are yet again without water in our tank. I finally had it and called CUC today. We pay them a flat fee every month for water, and today I basically learned that it is for nothing. Our water comes from a reservoir (and rain catchment off our roof) and when the water level gets high enough in the reservoir, then the pump turns on, sending water to the residents. If the water level doesn't get high enough, we are SOL. Yeah, made my day. The kind lady at CUC told me that if it was a hardship to call my Mayor. Why should I have to involve the Mayor? It isn't his problem. And it isn't a financial hardship per se, it is just another one of those things that makes me really miss home. Sorry Saipan, but today your CUC is at the top of my list of reasons why I dislike it here. Guess we will be calling the water company to deliver water AGAIN. More money out of our pocket. I am so tempted to write a letter to someone, anyone about this and how frustrating it is, but I am sure that it would go in the round filing cabinet.

Rant over.

Peace.

She lives up to her name

This is Killer Lily....and her tail-less lizard. I have a feeling that the tail is in her belly. Poor thing was a scrawny little lizard. She really isn't as evil as she appears.

Peace.

New house

Don't you hate it when you move and one night you wake up and ask yourself, "Where am I?" as you are stumbling to the bathroom. Yeah, me too.

So the new house is great. I am loving it so much. There are some small issues (hehe) that will be taken care of, but in all, it is a pretty great house. I noticed that it doesn't rain here as much as our old house in Papago. That stinks because we have to be super careful how much water we use. We have already run out once and had to have water delivered. Not having unlimited water 24 hours a day is a real bummer.

I have so much to write, but no time. We are almost done unpacking and I have been a busy little gardener. Lots of pots of plants here to be repotted, divided and TLC needed. When I can tend to plants and garden, I am as happy as a pig in mud.

I will leave you with one of my up and coming favorite corners of the extensive patio around the house...

Thanks everyone for your thoughts about Mom. Things are in a holding pattern right now. Another setback last week, another trip to the ER. Keep praying.

Peace.