Second place is GREAT and Fall Foliage Foto Contest

How on earth can one person be so excited about second place? Most overacheivers, like myself, would be crushed to get second place because there was always the illusive first place. However, second place was the best thing to happen to me yesterday in a LONG time.

I had to pick up an insured package from USPS so I decided to do it after I'd dropped the boys off at school. I was excited because I thought that it was my new (and FREE) cellphone and being the gadget Ho that I am, I was dying to play with all of the cool features. When the attendant returned with this huge fluffy envelope, I was perplexed. After opening it, I found my entries from the Fall Fiber Festival. Now you may recall that I didn't get to go but that decision was made after I'd already sent my entries in. I'd honestly given up on seeing them again since I never heard that they'd received them. Well to my surprise, not only did I get them back but I also won ribbons for all three entries!

Do you remember these?



Okay, maybe you don't. The knitting Cheeky Monkey finger puppet(who actually needs to get his arse in the mail to Jen) and the skein of Finnsheep (that I spun this summer) both won second place ribbons!!! I also submitted a handspun Corgigora flower made from Princess Mavi's fur that won a third place ribbon!!! But what just made me goofy giddy was what SECOND place winners receive. Not just a ribbon but yarn. Handspun.Alpaca.YARN! Never before has second place felt SO DAMN GOOD! I may just permanently pin my ribbons on my chest since I've never won one before in my entire life. Between this wonderful package and fixing the garbage disposal (and saving $100 in the process), yesterday was a pretty damn good day. Of course, none of the Things could appreciate my excitement. Actually, no one besides my mom could relate which makes me all the more grateful that she's still here to celebrate with me (she's a 17 year cancer survivor). Thanks for being my biggest cheerleader, Mom!

A couple of quick personal notes.

1.) One herding dog + one hardwood kitchen floor = two sore wrists. Damn Corgi made me do a Michael Jackson spin in the kitchen that almost had me hit my head on the kitchen island as part of the process. It was so pathetic that that boys didn't even laugh. Needless to say, my wrists are quite sore today. All because she thought I wasn't taking her outside to pee fast enough. Damngoneit!

2.) I'm not sure how to respond to the comments about my brother. I'm flattered and yet embarrassed. Um, thanks, I think. If you're nice to me, maybe I'll post more pictures of his hotness in the future :)

Okay enough about me, me, me and lets talk about you, you, YOU!

Its time for the Second Annual Fall Foliage Foto contest. Here are the rules:

* I want you to flash me with your Fall Foliage. It inspires me, excites me and dog gone it, it makes me happy! Send in your close ups, your funky fun, artsy fartsy, goofy and glam pictures. Feel free to include family and friends, kids, pets, landmarks - whatever floats your boat. You may enter as many times as you like. I just want to see how fall looks in your part of the world. All I ask is that you use one of your original photos and that it was taken this year. Bad karma will knock on the doors of those who try to pass off photos that they didn't take. And none of us need that.

* The contest will remain open until November 14th because as you know fall comes to us at different times. I'll select my favorite photo and will also award a people's choice award that you'll get to vote on (more on that later).

* To enter, submit the link to your blog entry and/or photo by posting a comment in this blog entry. (Please include your email address and your name so that I have a way to contact you if you've won.)

* Winners will receive some of my handspun yarn and other fibery goodness that has yet to be decided.

I'll post regular updates of your photos over the next four weeks so keep checking back.

If you're interested, here are last year's entries. I expect to see ten times as many photos this year so start snapping those pictures!