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This is pair of very confusing pictures for me because written on the back of the top one is "Grandma in Rosemary's Polish costume" in my mother's handwriting. I didn't know she had a Polish Costume. I mean, whatever would she do with it?

I would have thought it was the other way around and that my grandmother, who is very handy with a Singer and thread, would have made the the thing, but no....

These shots were taken at my mother's trailer in Arizona in 1996. So Grams would have suffered her stroke the following year. She died on April 12, 1999.

This layout was done using the Flowers for Mom kit by Amy Bleser. There was a card pack which is the week's freebie at Digital Freebies done with this kit, and as always, I liked it well enough to purchase the whole kit. I discovered while doing the layout for Parker, that I really didn't have anything appropriate for Mother's Day anyway.

I'll be doing a few more layouts with Grams this week, as the anniversary of her death is Saturday.

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The original Canadian Crusher - Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins. The 2006 league MVP hails from British Columbia.


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The Fort Myers Miracle version of the Canadian Crusher, Rene Tosoni. Tosoni is also from British Columbia and is in his second year of Professional Ball. He is being rushed a bit through the system as he was signed as a 21-year-old, so we shall see if he can handle the play at the High-A level.

Tosoni is a little bit more versitile than Morneau or Waltenbury as he can also play 3rd base and outfield.

Last season he hit a combined average of .300 in games spit between rookie Elizabethton and Low-A Beloit.


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Jon Waltenbury from Ontario, picked by some to be Morneau's likely replacement despite the number of good first baseman at the upper levels. Minnesota would like to hang on to Morneau for as long as they can, which would allow Waltenbury time to develop. He had some trouble connecting during his first year of professional ball, hitting only .244 for the rookie level Gulf Coast League Twins, but is reportedly tearing the cover off the ball in extended spring training this year.

And a bonus...Ed and Justin on Opening Night


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If found it somewhat strange that our News Press blogger should show up for opening night in Owls gear and wearing RED no less, when the Miracle were playing the Reds, but what can you do?

You can find Ed's blog online Here. (Note that the link moved from last year.)

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I was wishing for a Canadian kit last night, ran a google search and was routed to Scrap Girls and there it was. More impressive was the fact they had the other kits I'd actually been wanting - a Mardi Gras kit and a "Crime Scene" kit. Plus some other ones that looked interesting.

All the Canadian Crusher pieces were completed with the Canadian kit, while I used Digital Freebies Family Man on the opening night piece.

I also wish to note that I'd been crediting the African Beat kit to Digital Freebies when in fact, it is a Scrap Girls kit. I'll try to remember that from now on.

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The optional theme for this weekend's Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is naptime, something which I figured couldn't be too hard to put together for any feline.

This uses the Spring Fling kit from Digital Freebies - again with the blue and purple scheme. You'd think I'd be sick of it by now, but...

Trixie the Destroyer


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I don't think Trixie is anything like she is portrayed online. She seems - judging from pictures, like a fairly nice, ordinary and lovable feline. Unless of course you put some ribbons or feathers in front of her.

Trixie is a 2 year old domestic shorthair. She was 9 months old and being held for adoption at the local vet's office. Her cuteness won the heart of a dog loving couple who returned the day after Christmas to take her to her home. Aside from Ebony, a 14-year-old mut, she shares her home with a year year old Albino Leopard Gecko, who fascinates her to no end.

I figured I'd do a few of my Pikapet friends for a change.

I used Raspberry Road Designs' Seventies Stylin' kit for this, a rather odd freebie that reminds me uncomfortably of this house I visited in New York with Beannie and Anna. It somehow works with Trixie's coloring. I doubt her house looks anything like this.

The lettering came from Free Digital Scrapbooking.

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I don't have a lot of pictures of my older pets, in part because I didn't have a digital (or perhaps they weren't invented yet). My mother always felt taking pictures of the pets was a waste of film and I was generally busy shooting other things.

In any case, in an effort to do something different for their Pikapet profiles, I figured I'd dress up the few pictures I do have. And since I sent Diamond to the beach, no reason Phantom couldn't go as well!

The glasses are from Gretchen at Gretchen's Paw Prattle, the I otherwise used the Pam Lafors Designs' Beachnick Mini Kit and Oceans by Butterfly kit. A couple of pieces of eight are from Digital Freebies' ArrrMatey kit.


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ArrrMatey also converted Tavi into the Dread Pirate Tavi, although I should point out that being the coward she is, she probably would scare herself in this get up.

Avast there and plot a course to port! She's got treasure to seek!

I guess I could Piratize Samson next...