Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Take with bleach

As with many other bloggers, I am neglecting my own blog. I don't twitter or even update my facebook status often. No apologies from me. It's my life and I can't promise to post more often.

I am depressed, but less so than before. These grey, gloomy and rainy days lately have not helped, but I wonder how much warm and sunny days will improve my outlook. 

I am loving my bunnies, and that is a good thing. Today, I spun some of that mohair cloud, and that was also good. I had an anxiety attack and put off a meeting with the insurance agent until tomorrow, when Sweetie can accompany me. I do not want to leave the house. I hope we won't go to Indiana this weekend. I want to stay safe at home, and in this room. The mud room/office, where Gertie and Trixie and the computer are. is.?

I am exceedingly lonely, and I so much appreciate that Lorie from Indiana calls me regularly. My other friends there seem not so much inclined. 

It's a teary type of day, when one may long for eternal sleep.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Tuesday, April 19, 2011


Visited my friend in Indiana last week. I taught her knitting a few months ago, and she has taken the ball of yarn and run with it! I gave her a big bag of handspun, and she began knitting garter squares and rectangles to make an afghan. This trip, I showed her the purl stitch made the "regular" way as well as the norwegian purl, aka purl with the yarn in back. I left her eager to cast on for a pair of two-needle socks done in ribbing. 

Fried Chicken
While there, I saw Fried Chicken, Henny, and the other chickens. 

Also went to the Fiber Event in Greencastle, with one goal in mind: a baby bunny. Thank goodness I went early on Friday, as most of them had already been sold, but I was able to find Trixie who has turned out to be a total doll! (The breeders hired students to come and hold the bunnies almost from birth, so they are all used to being handled.) For much of the drive home through Illinois, she sat quietly alert on my left shoulder. She and Gertrude get along just dandy, and they both have the run of the office/mudroom, which has an easy care tile floor. 
Trixie

I have a follow-up visit with my care provider today. I can report that I am feeling better, mentally, although there are still some hard days. Also physically better, as my mysterious allergy/stress-induced rashes have mostly disappeared. It could have been the prednisone she gave me that caused my sense of smell to return for a full and glorious two weeks. At least I know that it is possible for me to smell; that my nose isn't damaged.






Spring is here and that can't help but improve one's mood. We have a pretty flowering shrub in the back yard that I can't identify. I have a tree and shrub book, but it is uselessly arranged. One needs to know the name first to find information, instead of flower or leaf type. 

Also, I washed some very old mohair. I don't have my carder or hand cards here, so I am merely fluffing the clean locks into cloud. I haven't spun since December.

Mohair Cloud



Saturday, April 09, 2011

Not suitable for all ages.




Mostly? 

In spite of all the things going on, the thing that makes me most happy is my new bunny. 

Her name is Dawn. She is two years old, and a color called tawny. She has two white toe nails, and so is considered to be mostly worthless in the showing and pedigree market. 

I think she is wonderful.

Take the last train to Clarksville.

Sweetie and I have driven to Indiana and then back to Missouri numerous times by now. Near the Illinois and Indiana state line is the Wabash River and vestiges of the Erie and Wabash Canal. Begun in the 1820s and finally ended in the 1870s, this canal provided folks in New York State access to the Ohio River, and thence to the Mississippi. 

Growing up in Northern Indiana, I could not help but absorb some of this history.The school bus that took me to elementary school drove beside this Wabash River. As an thirteen year old, I often walked to that river, because it was only a mile away from that wonderful house I lived in. (I still dream about that house, and they are always good dreams.) 

There was a Canal Street in Huntington, Indiana and an Erie Avenue. I knew that there had been one or more canals running through that hateful town. (Hateful mostly because I was 16 and 17, and could not wait to leave that backwater. And the hateful people it held.)

And now, I am sorry I didn't learn more about that place, founded in the early 1800's. It was close to Ft. Wayne, named for Mad Anthony Wayne, and I loved that. The area was saturated with history about both the white men and the Indians. And maybe even women.

So it goes. 

And now it is known as the hometown of Dan Quayle. Such ignominy.

In my new town, Montgomery City, I am told that it is a quiet place, and not to expect much after 9 p.m. Yay. If I were a 16 year old, slightly mental girl, I would be bursting my seams to be anywhere else. As a 50-something, slightly mental lady, I am so glad to live here.

Daphne du Maurier once wrote that everyone remembers, knows, what it is like to be young. But one does not know what it is like to be old.  

I'm finding out.

Sunday, April 03, 2011

For best flavor, use immediately





Seems like I have little to say these days. With the new medz, I am not very angry or too motivated to rant. I'm feeling good; today is warm and sunny and I have the door open in the office. Will need a screen door soon, but for now, there are no bugs to speak of. Reece's and Princess are enjoying themselves, too.

This is some plant coming up in the back yard. I think it is a hosta, but I don't know. There are three bunches of these. The stands of daffs didn't bloom, but the naturalized grape hyacinth surprised me with their tiny blooms.

Sweetie and I got two of our vehicles registered this past week; inspected, title transferred, and tags. Plus a trip to the courthouse to get an account in order to pay taxes on everything. None of it was onerous, which is the joy of small town living. (Just like grocery shopping and it only taking a half hour, there and back, instead of the hour and a half it used to take me in Indiana.)

Every person we had to deal with has been friendly and nice, and sometimes quite hilarious. Also? Save for the auto inspector, they were young and pretty and female. At the courthouse in Corydon, in Indiana, there seemed to be an overabundance of humorless, grumpy old people. Just an observation. I have yet to meet an overtly hateful person here, and those of you who know me will know that that is a sweet surprise.

There are several things I love about living in Montgomery City: twice weekly trash and yard waste pickup and monthly recycling pickup for $14 a month, a city-wide yard sale this upcoming Saturday, the close by grocery and library, and people that obey the 25 mph speed limit.

One thing that has pissed me off is my soon-to-be-ex-local-insurance agent. We have done business with --- I won't say the name, but it rhymes with Snake Harm --- for over 20 years. Apparently there are roof issues with this house, although nothing urgent according to our house inspector and the loan officer's inspector. Sweetie had a conversation with our insurance agent a few weeks ago, and we both understood that we had a year to replace the roof. Yesterday the letter came saying that Snake Harm was dropping our home-owner's insurance as of May 4. WTF? What what what??? This guy has pissed me off from the git-go by not returning my phone calls and email, but I was sort of made to go with him for the loan. I may have mentioned that he is also the mayor of our fair town. Guess who won't get a vote from me whenever election time comes around? The weasel that sent a letter instead of making a phone call. 

The upshot is I will visit another insurance agent tomorrow and will transfer this house and four vehicles to another company. In the meantime, the two houses in Indiana will remain with Snake Harm out of convenience.

But it's okay.