Myblueheavenknits's Blog

El Segundo Boutique, 4/20/24 April 17, 2024

Great craft show coming up this Saturday at the El Segundo Woman’s Clubhouse, corner of Mariposa and Standard Street in El Segundo. Flyer attached. I am bringing my new makes of eyeglass cases, crossbody bags, emotional support chickens and calico pets. Plus, of course my famous hats. All handmade by me. I will be inside the clubhouse near the back door. Come and check out my new items pictured below.

Spring Boutique at El Segundo Woman’s Club April 3, 2024

Flyer attached. I will be inside the big room with some kid friendly items – large and small calico pets, plus my “Emotional Support” chickens, large and small. Soft, squishy and machine wash and dry. See photos attached. I am wishing for nice weather so that the local community can come out and appreciate all the hand-crafted items.

Turquoise-Browed Motmot Bird Today At Feeder February 9, 2024

You know it’s going to be a lovely day when this bird shows up at your feeder here in the mountains of Costa Rica. We saw the bird a year ago here in February and now again, so we must have encouraged it to stay around. I put bananas and a nice ripe mango out, and sure enough, he likes both. So while it takes time to grow our trees to offer local denizens a place to call home, it is totally worth it. Just beautiful!!

My Worst Trip Ever – Christmas 2023 December 21, 2023

My 87 year old sister, Myla, asked me to go with her and my nephew, Ron, to see our other sister, Leona, who is not doing well up in a Memory Care Center in Roseburg, Oregon.  Myla is herself in a walker and needs wheelchair assistance when travelling, and I wanted to see Leona also, so tickets were bought, rental car and hotels were booked, everything was in its place on the morning of the trip, with the three of us on the same flight on Allegiant Airlines, flying from John Wayne Airport to Eugene, Oregon.  It was supposed to be about a 3 hour trip, then we get a rental car and drive to Roseburg which is a smallish town with no other close airport other than Eugene.  Our flight was going to depart at 11:30 and arrive in Eugene at about 2:30.

Myla lives in Calimesa,  Ron lives in Huntington Beach and I live in Hawthorne, so I travelled out a day early to stay overnight in Calimesa and then drive Myla and me to Huntington Beach to leave my car and Ron’s wife, Mary, would take us over to John Wayne Airport.  Easy peasy.  NOT.

About a couple of hours before our Allegiant flight from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, and about 1 hour before Myla and I were to head out to Santa Ana, Alliegant cancelled the flight.  Calendars were such that we couldn’t NOT go, so we tried to find a flight to Eugene from another carrier.  We found Avelo Airlines out of Palm Springs which had seats available flying straight to Eugene.  This flight was going to leave at 1:30, so Ron threw his bags in the car and started driving towards us in Calimesa.  Original plan was to pick both me and Myla up and continue to Palm Springs, but with traffic, Ron was not going to have the time to stop.  So we got a friend to drive Myla and me to Palm Springs where we met up and went in to buy our tickets at Avelo.  Myla got hers first but our bags got mixed up and she continued with my checked bag.  She is in a wheelchair by this time, holding onto her walker and medical bag, she gets wheeled through TSA to the gate.  Meanwhile, Ron gets his Avelo ticket and takes the two carry-on bags (his and Myla’s), but waits for me to get my ticket.  At Avelo, everything is online and they have no in-person agents, no customer service desk, no redress for errors.  I try to download their app and it fails 5 times.  At some point, I do get through, but the flight is indicating that it is sold out, no tickets available.  My bag has been checked though and I only have my purse left.  I have to run over to the Alaska desk to try to get to Eugene and the in-person agent helps me get a ticket, going first through Seattle, and then proceed on another flight from Seattle to Eugene, ending up there at midnight.  The flight doesn’t leave for 5 hours and I pay an extra $300 to get that ticket.  Meanwhile, Ron leaves me and races to the TSA line to try and make his flight.  He got stuck with Myla’s carry-on where TSA discovered she had packed a full size aerosol can of hairspray.  He is delayed getting to the gate because of this and they close the door on him, so even though he had a ticket, he cannot fly with Myla.  At this point, Myla is upset and crying in the plane cabin as she has no idea of where she is going without our help.  She calls her friend who knows someone who puts our story out over radio as one of those holiday Planes, Trains and Automobile stories.  Ron goes to the Alaska desk and gets a flight to Seattle, leaving earlier than me, but we meet up in Seattle and continue on together to Eugene.  During this flight, someone named Todd, bought me an Alaska signature cheese and fruit tray (how did he know it was my favorite?)  I can only assume that he heard our sorry story on the radio and sent some kindness my way.  Wherever he is, thank you.

Now at this point,  we don’t want Myla to be sitting in the Eugene airport in her wheelchair for 10 hours awaiting our arrival, so we call her other nephew, Rick, to drive from Sutherlin Oregon, where he lives, and pick her up at the airport in Eugene, then drive her to the hotel (Comfort Inn).  Ron has her bag though, so they have to make a stop to buy her a nightgown, and toiletries so she has something with her until we get there.  Rick is not feeling well, but he has a mission and gets the job done thanks to his wife who does the driving and shopping.  Thank goodness Myla does have her medical bag.

Now, in this tale, it is about 11:45, we arrive in Eugene, get our rental car and head out to Roseburg.  We arrive at about 1:30am, happy to find Myla asleep in the room that she and I will share for 3 nights.  In the morning, Myla reports that the Avelo flight was only about half full, so both Ron and I are concerned about how the Avelo online ticketing process could be so entirely faulty as to block me from getting the prized ticket.

All is well while we are in Roseburg, visiting with Leona, having a family reunion at Sizzler with other family members (several driving hours to get to us) as we hadn’t seen them for a long while, shopping at Goodwill and eating at local restaurants.  At Goodwill, Myla fills a whole shopping cart of things she has to have and I remind her that her carry-on bag is already stuffed to the brim.  But she still really wants what she shopped for, so I make a mental note to make room in my checked bag to indulge her, then I go back into Goodwill to buy an extra bag with a shoulder strap to be my carry-on bag to make it possible.

In the meantime, I call Allegiant and I process a request for refund for that first leg of our journey from John Wayne to Eugene, specifically stating to not cancel the Eugene to John Wayne leg.  That night, Myla had stomach issues with the salad she ate at Sizzler and throws up all night, poor thing.  We both hope it isn’t food poisoning, which at this point in our trip would be the natural thought because of what has happened so far.  No, it’s just the kale in the salad that doesn’t agree with her and after a night of vomiting kale, she recovers.  Speaking of vomiting, Ron was sitting next to someone who threw up on his Palm Springs to Seattle flight.  Ugh!  Can this story get any worse.  Hold that thought.

Early Monday morning, we are packed and ready to go, but we cannot do an online check-in because of a systems upgrade on the Allegiant website.  We set off to the Eugene airport to drop off the rental car and proceed to do an in-person check in at the Allegiant desk.  Myla and Ron get through just fine.  Me, not so much.  Allegiant cancelled both my Santa Ana to Eugene AND my Eugene to Santa Ana flight which I expressly requested that they NOT do.  However, they make up for it by calling a Supervisor (this holds up the entire check in line behind me – can you hear the tapping of feet?).  They retrieve my flight from cancellation and then seat Ron, Myla and me all in the same row.  However, Myla doesn’t learn her lesson about not bringing full size hair conditioner spray in carry-on baggage and I get frisked by TSA because I am carrying HER bag and get caught with it – I tell them to take it and give Myla “the look!”.

A smooth flight from there, a ride to Ron’s house in Huntington Beach, and then a drive out to Calimesa to deliver Myla and me.  Ron then turns around and drives back to Huntington Beach – it’s been a long day for him.  Myla and I both collapse into easy chairs and make it an early night.  The next morning, I drove home, completing the trip.

I still have to figure out if I am getting a credit for that first Allegient Santa Ana to Eugene leg.  I will think about that a little later.

I have tried to keep any emotion out of this tale, to just get the facts down as best as I can remember them during this high stress time.  I can say that I have never had such a hard time with air travel as I have experienced with this supposedly simple up and back to see Leona.  At some point, we all just started laughing at every glitch, expected more glitches and got them.  It will be a good story for a long time in our family.  Add it to the Spaghetti Incident, the Tight Hair Braiding, the String Of Pearls Incident and all the other “fun to remember” family stories.

Last Show Of My 2023 Holiday Season December 3, 2023

I will be at the historic El Segundo Woman’s Clubhouse, 541 Standard Street this Saturday, Dec 9. Hats of all kinds, cards and a few surprises for your last minute gift giving is what I will be bringing. It has been a great crafting season and I thank all of my customers for their support of my small business. Happy Holidays and New Year to all of you!

St. Jerome Christmas Show This Weekend November 16, 2023

I am checking my inventory and packing the van today and tomorrow for this show on Saturday and Sunday, flyer attached. It’s just up the 405 Freeway, exit La Tijera and take the first left on Thornburn. Nice little show with great people and food. I am bringing hats, scarves, shawls and cards for your gift giving pleasure. It is turning COLD, so get your hats and scarves now to keep you warm.

Torrance Craftsmen’s Guild Fall Faire This Weekend November 8, 2023

It is time to shop! Many designers and artists are showing off their handmade goods this weekend at the Torrance Civic Center, cross-streets of Torrance Blvd and Madrona. I have handknits this year, new crocheted hats and embroidered cards for your shopping pleasure. I will be in the Toyota Meeting Hall as usual, so come by and check out all my new creations.

Show This Weekend in Yorba Linda November 3, 2023

The Woman’s Club in Yorba Linda puts on a great show in the Spring and Fall. Tomorrow and Sunday, Nov 4-5, set your GPS to 4501 Casa Loma, Yorba Linda to get to the Community Center off Imperial Hwy. I have been making some great hats, headbands and scarves, plus some gorgeous cards for Christmas, worthy for framing. They are embroidered on an applique of sparkly tulle with metallic and holographic threads – they really POP! in the light. I will be in Activity Room B, so stop by and see my new items.

Lakewood Lollipop Show this Saturday October 16, 2023

Here we go! I will be in the Swim Pavilion room. Come see my new items!

The Fall and Holiday Craft Show Season Starts Soon September 10, 2023

It’s the start of the Fall Craft Show season. First up, the Art In The Park show in Newport Beach. I am bringing lots of new items that I made over the summer break. Here’s the flyer for the show and some pics of the new crocheted hats. I will be in Space A25 under my tent, right in front of the Community Center building.