"To W.W. My Star, My Perfect Silence"

BB fans will recognize that quote as the one Gale wrote to Walt...and the show ended perfectly as far as I'm concerned (and I also won our Breaking Bad pool, so bonus!)

We are trying to figure out what series will replace our beloved BB.  And I think we agree it's best to just start all over with episode #1.

Counting Down...

to the series finale tonight of Breaking Bad!!!  Torn between being super excited to see how it all ends and super sad that it's over tonight.  What will I do without my Walter White fix?

We're planning on cooking Los Pollos Hermanos chicken and fries, and we have a pool going using this.

My dollar is riding on Jesse & Brock living, and Walt taking basically everyone else out before he kills himself.  But really, I have NO idea what is going to happen.  That's the beauty of this show.

It's Here!

The "Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits" magazine from Piecework is on the newsstands!  I couldn't be more excited, as THREE of the projects were designed by ME!

"Chilly Morning Cosycoat" was originally published in the 1918 edition of Fleisher's Knitting & Crocheting Manual, as was the "Anita" Bolero Jacket (below)

 "Gentleman's Golfing Stockings" were originally published in the 1904 edition of Weldon's Practical Stocking Knitter

As always, the talented Piecework staff and photographers have made my designs look like a million bucks.  I LOVE the cuffs on those stockings, and when my tree trunk legs are thinner, I'm going to wear those suckers while I swan around the neighborhood.  That little sleeveless jacket is so cute, I'm really pleased with how it came out.  And the bolero jacket is interesting to knit, the body is knit vertically from edge to edge in one piece (sleeve are knit side to side too).  My crocheting skills were just good enough to produce buttonholes on the jacket.  It's a really modern looking take on the Edwardian era garter stitch cardigan -- 1900s knitters seemed to love a garter stitch jacket.

Anyways, I'm a little bit famous :-)  There are tons of neat patterns in this issue -- if you love Downton Abbey (as I do), you'll definitely want to buy this one!

The WORST

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Here at Fluther HQ, we love our TV series.  And "Dexter" has long been a fave.  I got all the Longi's hooked last summer and we sailed through the glory years: Trinity, Ice Truck, Doomsday.  We had hopes for the final season.  It should have been great.

OMG it was the WORST. THING. EVER.  I don't know who wrote the final season.  I suspect the writers found the plots scribbled on a napkin at Denny's and went with it.  So many stupid/pointless/even more stupid plot lines.  Masuka's daughter via sperm donation -- WHY?  That plotline went exactly nowhere (and how realistic was it that she worked at a TOPLESS RESTAURANT AND MASUKA HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A TOPLESS RESTAURANT IN MIAMI?)  Dr. Vogel -- could have been interesting, but the only thing she brought to the table was to endlessly repeat "You are the Perfect Psychopath, Dextah" instead of Harry saying "Dark Passenger" a million times an episode.  And WHY WASN'T HARRY IN THE FINAL EP????  Fail.

Plus Hannah?  Worst "hider from the law" ever.  Could she not at least have dyed her hair or put on sunglasses?  Oh, and leaving her to raise Harrison was brilliant on Dexter's part.  Because you want a multiple poisoner to bring your beloved child up (but I was rooting for her to sprinkle poison on Harrison's ice cream at the end.  I hated that kid actor)

Also, how did not one single person notice that Dex unplugged Deb and wheeled her dead body out of the hospital to their convenient boat dock?  And since when do hospitals have boat docks?  And Deb totes got robbed of a good death scene.  And Deb's wig in the flashback?  HORRIBLE.  The costume dept. surely could have done better than to grab a wig from Value Village for the poor woman.

And Dexter's nemesis, Saxon.  This was his go-to serial killer face:

Sorry Dude, Crazy Eyes from Orange Is The New Black has the rights for that expression.  PLUS, the final confrontation between Dex and Saxon?  Uber lame, there WASN'T ONE.  Angel burst in and handcuffed him.  The first time in 8 seasons Angel has actually solved a crime BTW.

So many sads.  Thank god Breaking Bad is so damn good.

La Famiglia

Here are the 9 Sundstrom siblings (plus Mom's ashes there in the background).  It takes a funeral to get us all together, evidently.

We sent Mom off in grand style, in just the manner she would have loved.  3 days of parties and celebrations.  Thanks to the organizers (B-Z, Lisa, Jamie and Susan) of the funeral mass, the burial, the cremation, the parties.  Thanks to Jon for building two beautiful boxes for Mom -- she would have loved them.  Thanks to all the family and friends from near and far who came to one or more events and took the time to remember our Mom.  Thanks to the grand- and great- grandkids who are carrying on Mimi's legacy.  Thanks to Father Jerry from St. Matthew's who definitely "got" Lois and shared some funny stories plus provided spiritual comfort.  Thanks to Ray for living in a gorgeous Belltown condo with waterfront views and a perfect party room :-)

We'll miss you, Mimi.  So much.  But I just know your dad spotted you when you entered heaven and yelled "THERE SHE IS!"

Epic!

Just when I think I have the final episodes of "Breaking Bad" figured out....I find I don't.  In fact, I have NO IDEA what is going to happen in the last two episodes.

But I'm hoping it involves Walt rescuing Jesse from Todd (and that creeper needs to DIE) and all the Nazis getting blown to hell in a meth lab "accident".

It could happen that way.  Or not.

Bob the Builder

Make that Jon the Builder. Guy is working in 90 degree heat getting Mom's coffin just right

Poor Lu-Bug

The humiliations she endures

Love This

Susan just sent me this photo of "LaRayLo" (that would be Laura-Ray-Lois):

Love it so much!  Just how I want to think of these three spending a Sunday afternoon (probably never happened but I do love the picture)   And the dog!  Wonder what his name was?  I do remember Keeny the Cat but have no memories of them ever owning a dog.

Intense!

I love The Workbasket magazine.  This little mag was a mainstay in many a knitter's and crocheter's library for decades (they started publishing in the 30s and sent out a monthly issue right through the 90s)  Every issue is a peek into the past with "Home and Needlework for Pleasure and Profit".  Patterns, recipes, ideas for ladies' club programs and more.

The ads are also great.  Mostly they are money-making propositions (Sell Greeting Cards! Sell Pots and Pans! Make and Sell Hats!), catalogs for "stout" lady foundation garments and dresses, and weird little gadgets for home and crafting.

THIS ad in a 1951 issue caught my eye:

Seems a mite gruesome for a lady's needlework mag!

Mom

Mom died last night, and we are all remembering her as she was before dementia took her away -- feisty, funny, sharp-tongued, loving, smart, artistic.  A wonderful cook, talented artist, craftswoman extraordinaire in all kinds of media, wit, reader, crossword puzzle fanatic.  Loving wife, daughter, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, friend.  As B-Z said, "Dad drove the wood-paneled station wagon, Mom drove the Austin Healey".

She lived her life with flair and style.  We will miss you Mimi.  And I'm sure she is standing next to St. Peter, telling dirty jokes and weeding out the "boring" applicants for entry into Heaven.

DIY Warriors

Cara and Tony rented a jackhammer. That basketball hoop is going down. 

Meet Poppy

She's a mite scrappy, and her hair will never be featured in a Pantene ad, but I think miss Colie will like this little ginger