I am not queen of.............

It's getting closer, the day of sweethearts. I wonder how many couples will become engaged or marry this Valentine's Day? I have gone to one Valentine's Day wedding....sadly it didn't last.....

Ok, I am not the queen of..........driving to new areas of San Antonio. Amen. Truly, I start out with this Joan of Arc, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Park spirit. I can do this........I know I can - even tho' I know that I have never made it to my destination without at least one panic call. I print out my map, I look at the written directions and print those out too.......I study them, as I do have a problem reading the map and maneuvering in traffic..........and there is ALWAYS traffic here...........and remember, I came from Why-oh-ming, where more than 5 cars were considered a traffic jam. I make sure my cell phone is fully charged, I have plenty of 'nacks' and fluids for my trusty companion in the car seat and I do a little travel prayer....................

On Tuesday I had made my mind up that I wanted to go and visit a stamp store. The main reason is that I wanted to see a copy of the magazine, Artful Blogging. I truly love all of the Somerset magazines, but the price makes me wince........so instead of purchasing it on line I thought "drive to the stamp store - use the gas - and look at it". So I did all of the above..........and set off. I was fine, just fine until I got off the last highway..........this is where I went wrong............I wasn't aware I was wrong, of course, but I was. I drove and drove (and actually found a few stores that I would like to visit.......second hand, nice second hand stores, but trust me, I wouldn't be able to find them again.........shoot, I can't even remember their names!!!!!!!!!!!) and at some point I could feel my heart beating. Come on, you know the feeling........things are fine and then all of a sudden you can actually feel your heart beating, quickly, rapidly, waaaaaaaaaaay to fast!!!!!

(: www.englishrules.com/.../2006/kids-make-art.php).........see this is truly how my heart is beating at this point.........I was totally amazed when I found this picture........it says it all.........and it was done by a child............see old and young, they should stick together. I pulled off the access road and thank goodness I had written down the number of the stamp store - called and the lady says " Oh my, you are waaaaay beyond where you should be." I swear, I took the deepest breath there was to take............come on, isn't that why I am calling and asking for better directions? Did I not state that after I said hello? Why oh why is this lady reaffirming my total state of defeat in finding my way? Sigh, I do finally find the store:

and bless their hearts, they have a nice table and chairs you can sit and look at the different magazines and books...........oh man, I headed for that table and just sat...........Andrew was so good, he sat down too and waited for me to compose myself. I found the magazine, actually ended up purchasing one, it isn't the most recent, but thinking it was the summer issue. The store isn't large, but it is filled with wonderful items............half of which I have no idea how to use. I have no idea what ink goes with what type of outcome........how to make vellum stick to something else......but I did find that they have a beginners class and I might just invest in that for the month of March if they have the class again........February is this Saturday and I am booked already........'member the chocolate festival at the Botanical Gardens........I'm booked, I am cracking up here...........like I need a social calendar..........if I had one, I would have to write in the trips to school and pre-school to make it look active!!!!! Oh they have a nice blog too.......let me see if I can put the short-cut in:http://stampantonio.blogspot.com/. Down in the blog, they have a post about 'inchies' - I found them and took them to the table to look at them......now I wouldn't mind making some of these either......and trade them...........but what do you do with them afterwards? I like art for art, but I am thinking that this would become another one of my "Mom, what are you going to do with this?" or "We need to trim down and thin out." type of things..............but man, I would love to try making some. I would like to try my hands at ATCs too............

Today I had to take Andrew to his first speech therapy session............out of our neighborhood and comfort zone. WE DID IT!!!! I didn't call anyone.......of course on Saturday night, the kids did a dry run with me..........BUT.........it was dark and I have night blindness, I was sitting in the middle seat, so it's not like I could really "see" where we were going and the boys were screaming like baboons right behind me...........so all in all, it wasn't the best "here is where you are going" type experience. We did make it and I was just pretty darn proud of myself..........see it doesn't take much to make me happy..........or smile.........