Hey Peeps in Peepland!

Hope today is finding you well rested, well fed, and well employed! We hear the unemployment rate is still steadily falling, and has reached over 9% in Oregon! That's astounding, and very sad news. Praying that that drops soon, and that the good friends (many!) of ours that have been affected can find jobs soon.

Honestly, I want to post more, but everyday there seems to be some reason I can't get on here! 2 days ago, our modem just stopped working. It worked in the morning, then was totally not working in the afternoon. So, no iternet at the house... It sucks! The techs from the phone company are supposed to come today or tomorrow- so meantime, I must come to the office to do anything on the net. Today, it was ordering a new belt for my beloved vacuum cleaner, researching a little more about Dubai, and returning about 45 zillion e-mails.

Macaroni's passport was issued, and supposedly it's on its way to us via priority post from the big city. I will definitely hold my breath until it gets here. That was quite an ordeal to get that taken care of, but it's not done yet. Now, we have to get the visa put into the new passport. You used to be able to just carry both the old and new passports, but now you cannot do that anymore. But we still have plenty of time until March to get it done. But so glad we started the process when we did. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to how much longer EVERYTHING takes to get done overseas. Not sure what's worse though, that, or the people spitting and blowing their noses on the sidewalks. No wait, maybe it's the open manholes that swallow whole humans alive with one gulp.

Big news.... Last week the Financial popo showed up without just cause and confiscated a bunch of stuff. We have a very knowledgable helper now, and he seems to be willing to take on the various depts. involved. If you think about it, could you lift this up?? It's stressful for everyone involved! Our staff is learning valuable lessons on how not to be sheep, though, so that's a good thing.

Other big news.... I think I've talked my girlfriend (long, long time friend from ch. in Portland) to spend a few days at Disney World with me next year. You know who you are... I'm pretty darned excited, as you might imagine- it's been almost 2 decades that I've been able to do something like this for just me! Marriage has a way of doing that, doesn't it?? I know what you are saying, Mom... why would you want to go there again??!!! Okay, so I love the place. You know the happy family-growing up- let's be 8 again memories and all that. I guess growing up in So. Cal. and working there for a spell can do that to a person. It's my happy place.

The creative juices are flowing again, and I'm dying to start a new quilt. Spring is just around the corner, and something with vines and pastel flowers seems just the thing to brighten up my cold days. I've really come to like hand applique' since a good friend in the big city showed me how. It looks so much nicer than fusible applique method. As soon as I get a little bit done, I'll post a pic. Hey, have you ever like, totally lost a project??!! I did. I went to layer up a wall hanging top I did and can't find it anywhere! I'm sick! I know it'll turn up, but I was so excited to get it up. Ah well, chalk it up to my offspring who pilfered half my gray matter while in utero.

Well enjoy your day of being well!

Your SteppeSister