Some of my blogging friends may have noticed my “absence” on their sites. I assure you that I still love you, and I will be back soon. There are several things going on in my world right now that are keeping me from being able to visit:

1) My family will be gathering at my house next week, when my son visits from San Francisco, and I have to take some time to clean my house !
2) I’m having a little bit of problem with arthritis in both my hips and my hands. I may have to take some money out of those piggy banks to buy me an ergonomic chair.
3) I’m working on finishing the This Blog Blows My Dress Up Contest. Matty at Running on Empty is the impartial judge for the writing contest. Have you entered yet? The deadline is June 5th! If you don’t enter, you can’t win the $25 Amazon gift certificate.
4) I’m a little caught up in the Share A Square project.

Have y’all ever seen a rat terrier when it gets hold of a sock? That dog grabs the sock in its mouth and shakes around and just won’t let go. Right about now, you can imagine me with those afghan squares for Share A Square in my mouth! That isn’t a very pretty visual image, is it? I assure you I don’t really have them in my mouth. However, I have them all over my house.

This is the pile that y’all have sent me.

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I’m so proud of the big-hearted people who are helping with this project! I knew you all were there. You can see a list of folks on the blogroll who are helping (please tell me if your name belongs there!). Jenny McB at J’s Thoughts and Musings even put the whole blogroll on her sidebar! What a wonderful way to share some “Link Love!” Up The Hill Gang is planning a day of crochet in Tennessee to help the project. Marcia at Tumbled Words approached a crochet group at her local Ben Franklin store and asked for their help. Thorne’s World gathered a selection of patterns for those of you who are bored making granny squares. I know that many others are helping, too. Comment and tell me what you are doing, even if it’s just telling folks about it on your site.
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More squares are arriving daily. I got a packet from Meg in California and one from Sharon in Kansas, Connie K. in Longview, TX and Julie in Michigan. Thank you, ladies, for your help.

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There have been a lot of people (who can’t crochet for Share A Square) who have asked me how they could help these children. Jill Koss is the director of Camp Sanguinity, and she said you can contact her for more information. It costs $150 for a child to go to the camp, which is a lot of money for a family strapped with the medical bills for cancer treatment.

On top of that, the camp provides each camper with items like disposable cameras, sunglasses, water bottles, compasses, and even shoes and clothing (because some of the children come without the proper attire). They have those items for this year, but your generosity will help defray their costs. Jill can be reached at 682-885-7989 or jillk at cookchildrens dot org (remember to change “at” to “@” and “dot” to “.”).

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Last week, my local newspaper, The Denton Record Chronicle, made a small mention of the Share A Square Project. I was pretty delighted to see it, and was amazed, that the tiny blurb got some attention. It also might have smoothed my attempts to get some other help within my own home town.

A local teacher, Donna G. e-mailed me about it. Unfortunately, when I tried to e-mail her back the school district’s spam filters ditched my e-mail. So, Donna G., please contact me again! My dear husband made some flyers for the project, and I’m taking them down to the Emily Fowler Public Library today. Tonight, there is a beginner crochet group, and the organizer told me she will have the students make squares for the projects as their “testing squares.” Maybe it will inspire them to keep at it.

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Y’all. the sticky post I had at the top of my page got boring to me, so I’ve taken it off the page. Now you just have to put up with me reminding you of things within my posts. I hope you will bear with me. Leanne had kindly uploaded that for me, and maybe I’ll use it another time [check out her post called "How I Learned Design" if you are thinking about a Word Press blog. It will give you hope!]

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I had told you about the flooding that happened north of me in Gainesville, Texas. It’s still happening—–there, and all around North Texas. The rain just won’t quit. FEMA has set up a headquarters in Gainesville, and my sister tells me that the Red Cross is helping people. If you want to help, please contact the Red Cross. That wonderful charity is always in need of funds to help disaster victims.

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The rain is playing havoc with the festivities for the July 4th holiday, and I am sure is affecting the campers at Camp Sanguinity. This is the week, for this year, that the children with cancer in North Texas are meeting. Today was the designated “visitor day,” and unfortunately I can’t go. I had hoped to be able to tell y’all more about the camp. I have to go to Diboll in East Texas to tell stories today. If you don’t see me around here tomorrow, send out the search party, because I might have gotten caught in flood waters!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The Share A Square project has ended, and the afghans were delivered on July 7th, 2008. Although we will not continue that project, an exciting NEW endeavor, called the Good Medicine Project is in progress for summer camp 2009. We hope you will join us.]

Technorati Tags: This Blog Blows My Dress Up Contest, writing contest, Share A Square, Camp Sanguinity, The Denton Record Chronicle, charity, cancer

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