An On Going Journey In Texas

That sounds like a great thing you're doing with the veterans, glad you're pursuing it, that's very kind of you. Hope you get the approval and cooperation you need to reach your goals. You're a strong gal, I admire you for all you're doing with your life.
 

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Kids by late night...about now...I'm ready to check out. Really the to do list during the day. Then by now **** it. Tomorrow I'll try again. We'll be okay...night night
 

I got through my VA volunteer orientation, and the finger printing, but I did have a problem with my ID. They wanted two picture IDs, or a driver's lisence and my SS card, which I don't have a clue as to where my SS card is. So I took the SS statement we all recieve yearly for tax purposes. But that wasn't working either, the names had to match exactly the same. My driver lisence is first, maiden, and last name. My SS statement is under first, middle initial, and last name. I thought I wasn't going to make the program this year.

But it turned out that out of 20 volunteers I am the only person that was a candidate for the NVDA unit. Then someone came in just as I was coming to the conclusion that all was over, and asked me if I was Ina blah blah that had worked volunteer work for three year with Bridges To Life in the Texas prison system. It seems it came up on my background check. So he asked me if I voted, and after telling him yes, he printed out a copy of my voters registration card. ID problem all gone!!

Now I just wait for all the paper work to come back, and I'll be able to get start. Hurry up and wait seems to still be in force.
 
Well the world is starting to balance out for me. I'm starting to get interested in what is going on around me again. I can see that there is still a place for me in this world. I'm am even starting to laugh and tease others again. Even the memories that were driving me crazy a year ago are now starting to give me peace.

One of those memories has turned into a bit of a mystery for me, and maybe one of you could give me a clue as to what it might mean. For over my 47 years my hubby had a saying, that he said to me just after we met. And did so whenever he wanted to make me blush. It was the way he looked and the sound of his voice when he said it. But I never new what it meant. I even accused him of making it up, but he would just smile and repeat it.

While in the Marines Michael was sent to many places, and among those places were Taiwan, Okinawa, Japan,and even Hawaii, and this saying sounded like it might be one of those language. He always said it very fast. I've never seen it written so all I can do is put it down phonetically. So this it.

"Oh chitty chitty mooca mooca jo toe nae."

Does anyone have a clue as to what it might mean??? :wave:
 
Okay, Dear, Ina.......please don't laugh at me for this, now........but when I kept repeating your "mystery words" to myself, what came to my mind was parts of an old (1950's) Hawaiian folk song, part of a Guy Lombardo Hawaiian record album that my mom and daddy used to play.
It had lots of the old favorites, like "Aloha Oe", and some of the beautiful ones; but of course the one that stuck in my little girl's mind was one called "My Little Grass Shack".
In the song, which was meant to be sung by some homesick Hawaiian , he sang about his home and the islands, " where the --(long unpronounceable words)-- goes swimming by" .
The strange words in the song are at least somewhat similar sounding to the ones you told us about.

Unfortunately , even YouTube could not come up with the Guy Lombardo rendition of the song. I chose this version, not because of the singing; but because she does a great job of pronouncing all of the Hawaiian words in the song.
Listen to it carefully, and when she gets to the part about the (whatever) swimming by; see if it sounds like your mystery words to you.
If not........I tried.

http://youtu.be/5NAx99zutCg
 
Since it will be a least four years before my cataracts can be repaired ,and I was tired of crying because I now can't see clearly enough to do my portrait work, I decided to change my art work completely. So far, I have sewn, enbriodried, became a horticulurist, a potter, built different kilns, and sold my portrait work. I have change my arts and crafts with the needs of my family or health. Now I've decided to teach myself to weave cloth and tapestries. I'm going to start by weaving baby blankets to donate to the young service personnel at the VA where I'll be volunteering.

I recieve my new 48" ridged heddle loom yesterday, and I assembled it today. Tomorrow I'll finish the loom wood with a paste furniture wax. Then I get to go out and purchase a small inventory of different yarns for my blankets. Here is a picture of my loom before I string it for the first time.

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Nice loom, Ina. Sounds like fun. I would like to try that.

I tried making a peg loom once. I was going to try to use old baling twine to make some outdoor mats, just for fun. Never could get the knots to hold in that twine. Didn't work out so well. Oh well.....:confused:
 
Nancy you are more than welcome to come work with me. But I know you have your mother and other responsibilities to hold you there. If you ever get the chances to come south to Texas, I have a big old three bedroom house with just me in it, and maybe we could teach each other something.

I woke up as 3:30am this morning, because I was so excited to get started on my loom, but after having to undo my work twice I realized I needed to wait for the sunshine. At 6:30am I sat down with a cup of coffee and fell asleep until 11:am.

This afternoon I finally got the warp threads done. I haven't counted the slots yet, although I can tell there is more than 200, and ech slot has two threads, but you can bet I will be before I do another. The sun has gone down so I'll not be starting the weft threads until tomorrow. I not be repeating the night time escapade again.

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You are too nice, Ina. Those are really fine threads. It looks very difficult and complicated. Keep us posted on the progress.

Those are beautiful almost artistic pictures just the way they are.
 
I'm pooped! There are 490 warp threads in the upper pics. Today, after waiting for the sun to come up, I got started again. I kept think I had assembled the loom incorrectly, or I was doing the weaving wrong. I'm so glad that I purchased the stand for the loom. I found I can't sit to do the work, because I have to lean forward and that causes too much pain in my spine, so I have to stand. I think 5 o r 6 hours a day is about all I going to be able to do daily. But here is today efforts.

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 
Brings back memories Ina - my mother had a loom and I still have place mats and doilies that she wove.
My mother was very talented and I have knitted lace pieces that are almost 100 years old.
 
Nancy I used variegated yarn for the wefting thread. I used a small square frame loom years go, but this is my first heddle loom. So I am concentrating on the process more than anything right now, and the variegated will do for boys or girls baby blankets.

Tortiecat I spent a lot of time watching a grandmother work a loom, but nothing as complicated as this one. I grew up sewing, embroidering, hand quilting, making moccasins, pottery, gardening, raising farm animals, and anything that I thought would be of use to my family. Now weaving will take the place of my portrait work at least until I can get my eyes fixed so I can see to do it again.
 

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