In my blog profile, I say that I keep thirty-five some odd barn bunnies. I need to update, because there has been attrition since I wrote that. I counted the barn bunnies this morning, and there are twenty-three angoras out there. Counted again, same sum. Where did the twelve or so go?
Quentin died with wry neck in the Spring. Lost Soul Man the Old Man in August. He was of venerable age. He succumbed to the heat even though he was in the cooler back yard. In October, I sold Sammy, KoKola, Bunicula, and Caspar at the Southern Indiana FiberArts Festival. That's six.
Hippy died of unknown causes in early November. Lucy went to her eternal sleep earlier this month, from renal failure. Candy passed just a few days ago, of intestinal stasis, aka wool block. Yesterday, Griselda passed from a combination of old age and hind end paralysis. That's four more. That leaves two unaccounted for. Sheila is an inside angora - maybe I counted her.
I tried to autopsy Lucy, because none of my resources spoke to her condition. She ate and drank and pooped just fine until her end, but she had a big ol' pot belly. It was hard to make that first cut with the knife. Took more power than I thought. A lot of water poured out of her belly cavity, so I know that was the cause of the pot belly, and I can only extrapolate that it was kidney failure.
I had decided at some point that if I lost a bunny in full wool, I would skin it for the pelt. It would be such a waste not to. Candy unfortunately was my opportunity; a big white girl, born last January. She had gone off her feed for a couple of days - but I figured that once she was clipt, all would be fine. That has always worked in the past. She was two weeks from clipping, so I was distressed to find her cold in her cage last week. Okay, Fuzzy Girl, let's do it.
I pulled out my huge edition of The Encyclopedia of Country Living and read up on skinning rabbits. Could I do this? Reckon so. Once their little heads are removed, the task is much easier. I hung her with rope laced through her Achilles tendons and pulled her coat off like a sweater. Then gutted the carcass where I discovered the solid mass in her cecum - i.e. the intestinal block. Crap. Literally. I should have been more pro-active when she went off her feed. Too late now.
I'm in the process of curing her pelt - an education in itself.
If you are squeamish, just remember that we are only a few decades removed from killing game, large and small, in order to survive. When there was no general store, one made use of every little thing. Eat it or use it. My daddy used to shoot squirrels for our supper, and raised rabbits for meat. Mom and Dad were both exasperated that I wouldn't eat the fried meat. I don't know if my brothers did. Guess I wasn't hungry enough. Not starving.
Mom and Dad both were brought up in the poverty of the Great Depression. Eat what you can get. So when I took Candy's carcass to the Tibetan Burial Field, I thought that if her death circumstances were better, I could actually see eating her flesh, of which there was a lot. She was a big girl.
We modern people, used to getting our meat in a nice, plastic-wrapped package from the grocery, we prefer to not think of how this meat came to be in the refrigerated section of our favorite store. The killing and cutting them up involved. Let's not think about that and just have another burger or hot dog or chicken wing.
I'm glad that I had the opportunity to realize all of this.
Fuzzarelly is Back
Monday, December 31, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Keep This Ticket
Outdoor Bunny Update
In addition to the first little white kit that I saw, I have seen five other babies. Two more white ones, one with Dickie's head tuft (!), two brown ones, and an elusive black one. I have my guesses, but really don't know which mother kindled which kit. On the other hand, the daddy list is much shorter.
I took in one of the white kits after I found him huddled on the porch the morning after a terrible wind storm.
I try, (yes I try,) to leave them alone but I couldn't let this one be. Brought him inside and Sweetie noticed the bare patches and scabs on his hind end. He'd been picked on by Bambi, I presume, since I'd seen her chasing a white baby around the front yard. She has a history of being a bully.
Half of the kits have found refuge in the tunnels in the backyard enclosure. They must smell the summer bunnies and that makes them feel safe. They are still small enough to fit through the small fence gaps. If I stand on a chair at the bathroom window, I sometimes get to see them nibbling grass.
I learned today that my residence is becoming a minor tourist attraction. Pam, who works part-time at the General Store, told me that last summer, several people stopped to ask "Where does the lady with the rabbits in her yard live?" One can't do anything out of the ordinary in a small town without attracting attention.
Knitting Update
Finished the latest pair of socks. Here they are with Reece's Pieces, since I didn't want to disturb her chair time.
And have already cast on for the next pair. I paid for and downloaded the Annetrelac Socks from Interweave Knit Gifts. I have never done any entrelac knitting, and this appealed to me because of the use it makes of hand painted yarn. (Such as the stuff I got from The Insubordiknit). I may hate the fussiness of the technique. Who knows. But I like the look. Knitting is wonderful, though, for the fact that it can be tinked and knit again.
Cat lovers, and others, go here to Obey the Kitty.
In addition to the first little white kit that I saw, I have seen five other babies. Two more white ones, one with Dickie's head tuft (!), two brown ones, and an elusive black one. I have my guesses, but really don't know which mother kindled which kit. On the other hand, the daddy list is much shorter.
I took in one of the white kits after I found him huddled on the porch the morning after a terrible wind storm.
I try, (yes I try,) to leave them alone but I couldn't let this one be. Brought him inside and Sweetie noticed the bare patches and scabs on his hind end. He'd been picked on by Bambi, I presume, since I'd seen her chasing a white baby around the front yard. She has a history of being a bully.
Half of the kits have found refuge in the tunnels in the backyard enclosure. They must smell the summer bunnies and that makes them feel safe. They are still small enough to fit through the small fence gaps. If I stand on a chair at the bathroom window, I sometimes get to see them nibbling grass.
I learned today that my residence is becoming a minor tourist attraction. Pam, who works part-time at the General Store, told me that last summer, several people stopped to ask "Where does the lady with the rabbits in her yard live?" One can't do anything out of the ordinary in a small town without attracting attention.
Knitting Update
Finished the latest pair of socks. Here they are with Reece's Pieces, since I didn't want to disturb her chair time.
And have already cast on for the next pair. I paid for and downloaded the Annetrelac Socks from Interweave Knit Gifts. I have never done any entrelac knitting, and this appealed to me because of the use it makes of hand painted yarn. (Such as the stuff I got from The Insubordiknit). I may hate the fussiness of the technique. Who knows. But I like the look. Knitting is wonderful, though, for the fact that it can be tinked and knit again.
Cat lovers, and others, go here to Obey the Kitty.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Contents Under Pressure
Oh my goodness, am I glad that it is December 26th.
Had a quiet day at home yesterday. We exchanged giftees on the 24th, with pizza for supper.
Sweetie received two pair of wool socks and a pair of red indoor/outdoor slippers. Also, a book called Options by the Fake Steve Jobs. (His is the one website that Sweetie checks out daily.) I do love me some Internet Shopping.
Sweetie outdid himself this year, giftee-wise, doing all his shopping on the 24th. Mr. Brinksmanship! He stopped at Goodwill and, in order to help with my musical education, bought me a 1978 Ronco vinyl edition of Disco's Greatest Hits. What a hoot! Also, a Herb Alpert album that I didn't have. And, because he said I did not have enough bunny stuff, he found a silver-tone metal ware (whatever that is) bread tray with a lovely rabbit, art-nouveau-sort-of, embossed upon it.
We're not done yet! At my suggestion, he traveled to Grinny Possum and Ann helped him pick out two books, The Ashford Dyeing Book and Interweave Knit's 25 Favorite Sock Patterns and a ball of the 100% corn fiber yarn, purple, called aMAIZing. He lives up to his name, Sweetie does!
In what is becoming a tradition, for the second year in a row we delivered big Bags o' Cat Food to three neighborhood cat people, two of whom have been working to spay and neuter all of the town's feral felines. Out of their own pockets. I'm hoping that we can expand this little charitable effort somehow in the future.
So, it's over for another year. I did well this holiday season, being more full of peace and love instead of grumpy and out of sorts. I sent out a few cards but never got around to putting up a tree.
Soon, we will be eating corn bread, black eyed peas and turnip greens. Sweetie does not ask much of me at all, but he likes to have these Southern Traditional things on New Year's Day. In fact, corn bread fresh upturned out of the cast iron skillet, and slathered with real butter, is a gourmand's delight, and one of the things that I bake well, thankyouverymuch.
Here is a fun site, full of pictures so for you dial-ups out there, give it a chance to load. I rather like the Matisse, the sun the mermaid, the Elvis, the Buddha, the Mona Lisa....
Had a quiet day at home yesterday. We exchanged giftees on the 24th, with pizza for supper.
Sweetie received two pair of wool socks and a pair of red indoor/outdoor slippers. Also, a book called Options by the Fake Steve Jobs. (His is the one website that Sweetie checks out daily.) I do love me some Internet Shopping.
Sweetie outdid himself this year, giftee-wise, doing all his shopping on the 24th. Mr. Brinksmanship! He stopped at Goodwill and, in order to help with my musical education, bought me a 1978 Ronco vinyl edition of Disco's Greatest Hits. What a hoot! Also, a Herb Alpert album that I didn't have. And, because he said I did not have enough bunny stuff, he found a silver-tone metal ware (whatever that is) bread tray with a lovely rabbit, art-nouveau-sort-of, embossed upon it.
We're not done yet! At my suggestion, he traveled to Grinny Possum and Ann helped him pick out two books, The Ashford Dyeing Book and Interweave Knit's 25 Favorite Sock Patterns and a ball of the 100% corn fiber yarn, purple, called aMAIZing. He lives up to his name, Sweetie does!
In what is becoming a tradition, for the second year in a row we delivered big Bags o' Cat Food to three neighborhood cat people, two of whom have been working to spay and neuter all of the town's feral felines. Out of their own pockets. I'm hoping that we can expand this little charitable effort somehow in the future.
So, it's over for another year. I did well this holiday season, being more full of peace and love instead of grumpy and out of sorts. I sent out a few cards but never got around to putting up a tree.
Soon, we will be eating corn bread, black eyed peas and turnip greens. Sweetie does not ask much of me at all, but he likes to have these Southern Traditional things on New Year's Day. In fact, corn bread fresh upturned out of the cast iron skillet, and slathered with real butter, is a gourmand's delight, and one of the things that I bake well, thankyouverymuch.
Here is a fun site, full of pictures so for you dial-ups out there, give it a chance to load. I rather like the Matisse, the sun the mermaid, the Elvis, the Buddha, the Mona Lisa....
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Odds and Ends
We're getting all the rain now that we needed back in the summer. I mean, ALL the rain we needed. If it were snow, we'd be socked in for weeks. However, this munificent rain will replenish the local springs and aquifers and that is a good thing.
If I were a short story writer, I would have at least two story germs from today's drive home. One concerns a nice little pond in someone's side yard that had one white goose near the floating corpse of another white goose. I can't remember if geese mate for life. So, what had happened? Was the dead one a he or a she?
The other concerns several trailer homes along a stretch of country road. The homes look remarkably alike. Are they family? What are these people like? What are their dramas? "I want you to listen to what I have to say!" yelled into a cell phone by a thin and acne-scarred young woman. (Which I heard at the Goodwill this afternoon.)
One thing that is, I guess, too common to provoke outrage anymore, is the run down house where the husband is a drug addict and his three kids sleep on mats on the floor. They just put up one of those giant inflatable snow globes in what passes for their front yard that cost $50. On clearance.
My little rant: This is what keeps poor people poor; spending lavishly on spur of the moment, throw-away items from the WalMart.. Buy more cheap plastic crap that will break next week. Then go to the food pantry to feed the young-uns.
Maybe stuff like this. (Which I stole from Sweetie's side of the Mac. I have no attribution.)
Although Sweetie is working for his new employers, the shiny-new and better insurance is still in the works. He was instructed to go ahead and fill prescriptions and he would be reimbursed. So, today at Butt Drugs the refill for our combined Happy Pills cost the better part of $400. For one month.
I had decided to take WalMart up on their $4 drugs for the two things they cover at that price. So that was nice and everything. As they have anticipated, I shopped for awhile and spent sixty bucks on kitty litter, booze and make up. Yeah, figgered I need to try to look presentable at least sometimes. When I leave the house. If that doesn't work, then I can try the makeup. (That's a jo-, I say, that's a joke, son.)
The Big Deal today was Rex the Mailman bringing me a package from The Insubordiknit. She had put out an APB for hand-painted (or otherwise, I guessed,) clothes for her kids' Christmas presents. I had tie-dyed onesies and painted youth size Tshirts left over from my bricks and mortar store and figured, What the heck? Pass them along.
So, today I got a package from Jacey with a cake of hand painted sock yarn and a 110 yard skein of handspun that she said was "too daffy to sell." Wonderful! (Even if I have failed to capture the wonderfulness in this shot.)
If I were a short story writer, I would have at least two story germs from today's drive home. One concerns a nice little pond in someone's side yard that had one white goose near the floating corpse of another white goose. I can't remember if geese mate for life. So, what had happened? Was the dead one a he or a she?
The other concerns several trailer homes along a stretch of country road. The homes look remarkably alike. Are they family? What are these people like? What are their dramas? "I want you to listen to what I have to say!" yelled into a cell phone by a thin and acne-scarred young woman. (Which I heard at the Goodwill this afternoon.)
One thing that is, I guess, too common to provoke outrage anymore, is the run down house where the husband is a drug addict and his three kids sleep on mats on the floor. They just put up one of those giant inflatable snow globes in what passes for their front yard that cost $50. On clearance.
My little rant: This is what keeps poor people poor; spending lavishly on spur of the moment, throw-away items from the WalMart.. Buy more cheap plastic crap that will break next week. Then go to the food pantry to feed the young-uns.
Maybe stuff like this. (Which I stole from Sweetie's side of the Mac. I have no attribution.)
Although Sweetie is working for his new employers, the shiny-new and better insurance is still in the works. He was instructed to go ahead and fill prescriptions and he would be reimbursed. So, today at Butt Drugs the refill for our combined Happy Pills cost the better part of $400. For one month.
I had decided to take WalMart up on their $4 drugs for the two things they cover at that price. So that was nice and everything. As they have anticipated, I shopped for awhile and spent sixty bucks on kitty litter, booze and make up. Yeah, figgered I need to try to look presentable at least sometimes. When I leave the house. If that doesn't work, then I can try the makeup. (That's a jo-, I say, that's a joke, son.)
The Big Deal today was Rex the Mailman bringing me a package from The Insubordiknit. She had put out an APB for hand-painted (or otherwise, I guessed,) clothes for her kids' Christmas presents. I had tie-dyed onesies and painted youth size Tshirts left over from my bricks and mortar store and figured, What the heck? Pass them along.
So, today I got a package from Jacey with a cake of hand painted sock yarn and a 110 yard skein of handspun that she said was "too daffy to sell." Wonderful! (Even if I have failed to capture the wonderfulness in this shot.)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Use No Knives
Last night when Sweetie got home, and I was sound asleep, he lamely tried to tickle me. I apparently said, "Sheila, I am so tired of you!" I don't remember a bit of it.
Sheila is one of the two house bunnies, and she has taken to jumping on me, looking right into my eyes, rearranging the bed clothes and running off with my pillows - usually around 3 am. It's hard to be too upset with her since she is such a goof, but it is disconcerting to wake up in the middle of the night with bunny whiskers touching my face.
Here is a shot of Heizen the Hutt and the Pootie Makers. Soon with their own pod cast!
I do remember the two dreams I had. I don't want to go into detail, so let me just say that one was sad and the other was of the I-want-to-go-home type. Sweetie told me this morning that the last one seems to be a recurring theme with my dreams. When he got up, he found me slightly weepy, in the kitchen, listening to Christmas music, and (pause) cooking! Oven baked french fries, Laura's Lean ground beef patties sauteed with mushrooms and onions, and fresh-cooked carrots in butter. Reckon I needed a good meal after last night.
My knitting on the lace shawl continues. Slowly. I ripped out, again, the previous work and started over for maybe the twelve hundredth time. This time on size zeros. Call me mad, call me crazy, call me a cab, I don't care! I love this combination of yarn and needles. My hands are happy. Let me just add that, anymore, size ones are beginning to feel big and clunky to me.
That's what I'm using on the latest socks. Here, I am starting the heel flap. I cannot remember what yarn this is, of which I like the striping. It's either Regia or Trekking that I got at Grinny Possum. I can only work on the shawl when I am fresh fresh fresh, (maybe a half hour each day,) so the socks are my not so fresh project for all those other knitting hours.
By the way, through Fleegle's Blog, I discovered how to make that seemingly impossible circular cast on using size eights and lace weight. Now I find out. But it is so cool and so elegant that I want to share.
And absolutely not least, The Most Wonderful Present from The Most Wonderful Sister-in-Law! Hand knit, (and spun??) angora.
Sheila is one of the two house bunnies, and she has taken to jumping on me, looking right into my eyes, rearranging the bed clothes and running off with my pillows - usually around 3 am. It's hard to be too upset with her since she is such a goof, but it is disconcerting to wake up in the middle of the night with bunny whiskers touching my face.
Here is a shot of Heizen the Hutt and the Pootie Makers. Soon with their own pod cast!
I do remember the two dreams I had. I don't want to go into detail, so let me just say that one was sad and the other was of the I-want-to-go-home type. Sweetie told me this morning that the last one seems to be a recurring theme with my dreams. When he got up, he found me slightly weepy, in the kitchen, listening to Christmas music, and (pause) cooking! Oven baked french fries, Laura's Lean ground beef patties sauteed with mushrooms and onions, and fresh-cooked carrots in butter. Reckon I needed a good meal after last night.
My knitting on the lace shawl continues. Slowly. I ripped out, again, the previous work and started over for maybe the twelve hundredth time. This time on size zeros. Call me mad, call me crazy, call me a cab, I don't care! I love this combination of yarn and needles. My hands are happy. Let me just add that, anymore, size ones are beginning to feel big and clunky to me.
That's what I'm using on the latest socks. Here, I am starting the heel flap. I cannot remember what yarn this is, of which I like the striping. It's either Regia or Trekking that I got at Grinny Possum. I can only work on the shawl when I am fresh fresh fresh, (maybe a half hour each day,) so the socks are my not so fresh project for all those other knitting hours.
By the way, through Fleegle's Blog, I discovered how to make that seemingly impossible circular cast on using size eights and lace weight. Now I find out. But it is so cool and so elegant that I want to share.
And absolutely not least, The Most Wonderful Present from The Most Wonderful Sister-in-Law! Hand knit, (and spun??) angora.
Monday, December 17, 2007
A Merry Christmas Rant
I don't hate Christmas.
Christmas as a holiday is fine. Even for me, a non-Christian. It is okay to celebrate the fictional birthday of a holy person. It is also okay to celebrate the pagan holiday, the winter solstice, and bring evergreens indoors, burn the yule log, kiss under the mistletoe. It is a great time to visit with family and friends. To feast and give gifts.
I regret, though, that some people believe, somehow, once a year, everything bad can be made good again with a card or a present. A phone call or email. That a gesture on one day can atone for neglect or absence or ill will on the other 364.
I don't like the huge inflatable Santas, Grinches, and such like that sprout every night like nocturnal mushrooms. I don't like the white icicle lights that hang from every other house's gutters. The nets of white lights that cover shrubbery don't thrill me overmuch. Our rural energy cooperative gives prizes for the best outdoor Christmas display. Excuse me? Aren't we supposed to be conserving energy? Climate change and all that?
I don't like the crazy spending. To buy something just to buy something. I don't like that almost every toy, ornament, appliance and garment purchased by Americans this year is made in China.
I like me a home made holiday.
I like that at least once in a year we are admonished to remember those less fortunate - the hungry, the friendless, the homeless. I do wish that it weren't just once in a year. The hungry, the friendless, the homeless are among us all year 'round. I believe the essence of the holiday should be practiced all through the year, if it is going to be practiced at all.
Pray for peace. Practice good will toward all. Love my neighbor. Practice gentle loving kindness. Take care of one another. Forgive trespasses and debts.
These are the things, the acts, that I try to do every day - even though every day I fail.
The thing, though, is to try.
Every day.
Christmas as a holiday is fine. Even for me, a non-Christian. It is okay to celebrate the fictional birthday of a holy person. It is also okay to celebrate the pagan holiday, the winter solstice, and bring evergreens indoors, burn the yule log, kiss under the mistletoe. It is a great time to visit with family and friends. To feast and give gifts.
I regret, though, that some people believe, somehow, once a year, everything bad can be made good again with a card or a present. A phone call or email. That a gesture on one day can atone for neglect or absence or ill will on the other 364.
I don't like the huge inflatable Santas, Grinches, and such like that sprout every night like nocturnal mushrooms. I don't like the white icicle lights that hang from every other house's gutters. The nets of white lights that cover shrubbery don't thrill me overmuch. Our rural energy cooperative gives prizes for the best outdoor Christmas display. Excuse me? Aren't we supposed to be conserving energy? Climate change and all that?
I don't like the crazy spending. To buy something just to buy something. I don't like that almost every toy, ornament, appliance and garment purchased by Americans this year is made in China.
I like me a home made holiday.
I like that at least once in a year we are admonished to remember those less fortunate - the hungry, the friendless, the homeless. I do wish that it weren't just once in a year. The hungry, the friendless, the homeless are among us all year 'round. I believe the essence of the holiday should be practiced all through the year, if it is going to be practiced at all.
Pray for peace. Practice good will toward all. Love my neighbor. Practice gentle loving kindness. Take care of one another. Forgive trespasses and debts.
These are the things, the acts, that I try to do every day - even though every day I fail.
The thing, though, is to try.
Every day.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Split Beaver Edition
Bought this loaf of bread today. Is it just me, or would Judy Chicago buy this on eBay?
It has rained a lot lately, and the temperature is more Atlanta-like than here-like.
The english muffins are finally showing some mold and a bit of disintegration. One was stepped on and it turned to sawdust. Or something like sawdust, but not as pure. Yes, I should bake my own. Valerie says it's easy. Yeah, sure, have you seen my kitchen?
Happy news is that I have spotted two youngster-bunnies today. One looks like he belongs to Black Bart and Barbara Bobo - who both live in the back part of the property. He is living in the shed, I think. I saw him nibbling grass under my car this morning. I put out bowls of pellets and water.
This one belongs to Jackie Brown and most likely, Dickie! Circle of life and all that. Dickie was and Jackie Brown is one of the front yard bunnies. They live under the front porch, okay, the entire house, probably. I'm all atwitter with delight. Babies! Here is Buster and Jackie Brown. Jackie won't let me get anywhere this near to her. Shows you how vicious and intimidating Buster is. Must be the Rottweiler in him.
It has rained a lot lately, and the temperature is more Atlanta-like than here-like.
The english muffins are finally showing some mold and a bit of disintegration. One was stepped on and it turned to sawdust. Or something like sawdust, but not as pure. Yes, I should bake my own. Valerie says it's easy. Yeah, sure, have you seen my kitchen?
Happy news is that I have spotted two youngster-bunnies today. One looks like he belongs to Black Bart and Barbara Bobo - who both live in the back part of the property. He is living in the shed, I think. I saw him nibbling grass under my car this morning. I put out bowls of pellets and water.
This one belongs to Jackie Brown and most likely, Dickie! Circle of life and all that. Dickie was and Jackie Brown is one of the front yard bunnies. They live under the front porch, okay, the entire house, probably. I'm all atwitter with delight. Babies! Here is Buster and Jackie Brown. Jackie won't let me get anywhere this near to her. Shows you how vicious and intimidating Buster is. Must be the Rottweiler in him.
Monday, December 10, 2007
THE JOB REPORT
Sweetie has one! As Master Mechanic. Today, the new owner takes possession. The new name is Krunchers!, a subsidiary of Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels out of Pennsylvania. Last Monday, everyone had to reapply for their job, and he was rehired. Good news is that his seniority stands (ten years plus! woo-hoo!) and better news is that he got a pay increase and better insurance! (Happy Dance!) Yes, he is lucky. About half of the employees were not rehired, and that's a fine thank you for, in some cases, over twenty years of service. And just before Christmas, too.
We've put off doing a number of things for a couple of months, not knowing if we'd be flat broke or whut. Now, the stress of not knowing is behind us and life, after our own sorry fashion, can go on. We can order some books. I can pay off my medical bills. I can get him some of those Land's End wool socks. Aren't we the extravagant ones?
THE WEEKEND REPORT
The Shakertown retreat was wonderful. As usual. Saw friends, ate much, spun a little. The re-lined jacket was muchly appreciated by NNS.
Here are a couple of photos.
Someone's fox & coon skin hat is being coveted. I liked it, too.
The new Crone. She is our usual hammer dulcimer player. We kazooed Pomp & Circumstance for her. Dreadfully.
Three of the Crones on Parade. There are now eight Crones. One neglected to bring her costume(!) and so is only partially in regalia. (I am sure it is some passive-aggressive act. Norma Jean.)
All crones received new staffs this year, to stand in lieu of the dorky-ass scepters of years past. Much nicer, everyone agreed!
I got over-stimulated and by Saturday afternoon, I was toast. Couldn't make the dinner at the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, KY. Couldn't stay awake for the late night spinning. Ran home as soon as I could on Sunday morning to see Sweetie for a bit before he was off the the potato chips mines. I'm almost recovered.
Sweetie has one! As Master Mechanic. Today, the new owner takes possession. The new name is Krunchers!, a subsidiary of Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels out of Pennsylvania. Last Monday, everyone had to reapply for their job, and he was rehired. Good news is that his seniority stands (ten years plus! woo-hoo!) and better news is that he got a pay increase and better insurance! (Happy Dance!) Yes, he is lucky. About half of the employees were not rehired, and that's a fine thank you for, in some cases, over twenty years of service. And just before Christmas, too.
We've put off doing a number of things for a couple of months, not knowing if we'd be flat broke or whut. Now, the stress of not knowing is behind us and life, after our own sorry fashion, can go on. We can order some books. I can pay off my medical bills. I can get him some of those Land's End wool socks. Aren't we the extravagant ones?
THE WEEKEND REPORT
The Shakertown retreat was wonderful. As usual. Saw friends, ate much, spun a little. The re-lined jacket was muchly appreciated by NNS.
Here are a couple of photos.
Someone's fox & coon skin hat is being coveted. I liked it, too.
The new Crone. She is our usual hammer dulcimer player. We kazooed Pomp & Circumstance for her. Dreadfully.
Three of the Crones on Parade. There are now eight Crones. One neglected to bring her costume(!) and so is only partially in regalia. (I am sure it is some passive-aggressive act. Norma Jean.)
All crones received new staffs this year, to stand in lieu of the dorky-ass scepters of years past. Much nicer, everyone agreed!
I got over-stimulated and by Saturday afternoon, I was toast. Couldn't make the dinner at the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, KY. Couldn't stay awake for the late night spinning. Ran home as soon as I could on Sunday morning to see Sweetie for a bit before he was off the the potato chips mines. I'm almost recovered.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
I spoke too soon about there being no yard-bunny road kill. Just now found Dickie, the white one with the funny top knot, in the street.
He and Barbara Bobo were the kits from Bambi, and he was the one that had the furry tendencies of his dad, Stubby the Lion Head.
I'm sad but not bereft. Dickie had a good life and many girlfriends. Maybe he has babies not yet known. I'll take him into the field tomorrow for a pseudo-Tibetan burial, offering him up to the hawks and coyotes.
I've lost several babies this year. Murgie, Stubby, the Netherland dwarf brothers, Soul Man the Old Man, Hippy, the black babies. So it goes.
He and Barbara Bobo were the kits from Bambi, and he was the one that had the furry tendencies of his dad, Stubby the Lion Head.
I'm sad but not bereft. Dickie had a good life and many girlfriends. Maybe he has babies not yet known. I'll take him into the field tomorrow for a pseudo-Tibetan burial, offering him up to the hawks and coyotes.
I've lost several babies this year. Murgie, Stubby, the Netherland dwarf brothers, Soul Man the Old Man, Hippy, the black babies. So it goes.
Hi!
Oldest Brother asked if I had a cure for the winter blues. Medication. Better living through Big Pharma.
Don't know what I would do if I didn't knit. Honestly. Not that I knit constantly or anything, although I pretty much knit some every day. Knitting gives me a focus, something to work on, and a finished product at the end of the day. Finally found a pattern for the purple cashmere that I could manage. Tried it this summer with handspun and became so bored with it that I ripped it out. (I had gone off my medz and was fairly on edge then.) I hope this time will prove different. It is the Shaped Triangle Shawl from A Gathering of Lace. It begins with a simple cast on of 5. I can do that. I'm not bored yet.
Last night I dreamed about a house, a big house, of which I occupied only one room. When I ventured into the rest of the place, I was amazed at the treasures it held. Lots of radios and record players.(!) Lots of built in appliances. Two huge kitchens. A dining room with a credenza thing for dishes. Some pieces of furniture were huge and ugly Victorian pieces. Some had beautiful bird's eye maple interiors. My late maternal grandparents were there, Big Momma and Pap, and I was exploring all this stuff with them. The detail was incredible.
In dream imagery, a house stands for one's body. This dream seems to say that I need to step outside of my "one room." Take a chance? Make a change?
I also dreamed about movie making last night. I was a ineffectual wardrobe flunky. I was always late or did the wrong thing. Bunnies were involved. Of course. And elevators in tall, tall buildings. I have no clue as to the meaning. Maybe, sometimes an elevator is just an elevator.
Costume-wise, I do have the Crone costume(s) to make for this weekend, the Friendship Spinners Guild Shakertown retreat. Fabric is in hand and I know what I want to do. Only need to do it. The jacket relining for Nancy NeverSwept is done. Believe it or don't. I truly hate to be paid in advance. What motivation is there to complete the work? Except that I couldn't go to another spinner's meeting until it was completed. Vile Blackmail!
As usual, I am simultaneously looking forward to and dreading the retreat. Getting there, getting out of the house, is the hard part. Once there, I'm mostly fine. They are such a great group of people! The Crone costume(s) will be finished. Otherwise, again, I could never go to another meeting. More Vile Blackmail!
What is the Crone thing, you ask? It began four or five years ago with the thought that the guild should honor the elders of the group that have given selflessly to others in order to further the crafts of spinning, knitting and weaving.
The possible Crone needed to be of a certain age, and after the first year, needed the most votes from the group. Our Crones are Vivian, Norma, Jerri, Donna, Jean, Jerry and Jean. Yes, that is Jerry, a man. An honorary Crone maybe, or as I like to think, a Croner. The Crowning of the Crones is a sight to see! The previous Crones wear their outfits of purple capes and crazy hats (some include pieces of the legendary Penis Hat) with some sort of scepter and a spinning wheel charm on a neck chain and they parade around the large meeting room. When the new Crone is thus adorned, Pomp and Circumstance is played on the fiddle and hammer dulcimer and much joy and celebration and parading ensues. Crazy!
What else? I am glad to say that no yard bunny has become road kill. Yet. I am thinking that they may have figured out that road sitting was not a Good Thing.
I took the back yard bunnies to live in the barn for the winter. They must be some sort of Badger Goat, eating all green grass to nubs and also digging and tunneling like maniacs. It will take until May of 2008 for the land to recover. Also much filling in of topsoil.
Oldest Brother asked if I had a cure for the winter blues. Medication. Better living through Big Pharma.
Don't know what I would do if I didn't knit. Honestly. Not that I knit constantly or anything, although I pretty much knit some every day. Knitting gives me a focus, something to work on, and a finished product at the end of the day. Finally found a pattern for the purple cashmere that I could manage. Tried it this summer with handspun and became so bored with it that I ripped it out. (I had gone off my medz and was fairly on edge then.) I hope this time will prove different. It is the Shaped Triangle Shawl from A Gathering of Lace. It begins with a simple cast on of 5. I can do that. I'm not bored yet.
Last night I dreamed about a house, a big house, of which I occupied only one room. When I ventured into the rest of the place, I was amazed at the treasures it held. Lots of radios and record players.(!) Lots of built in appliances. Two huge kitchens. A dining room with a credenza thing for dishes. Some pieces of furniture were huge and ugly Victorian pieces. Some had beautiful bird's eye maple interiors. My late maternal grandparents were there, Big Momma and Pap, and I was exploring all this stuff with them. The detail was incredible.
In dream imagery, a house stands for one's body. This dream seems to say that I need to step outside of my "one room." Take a chance? Make a change?
I also dreamed about movie making last night. I was a ineffectual wardrobe flunky. I was always late or did the wrong thing. Bunnies were involved. Of course. And elevators in tall, tall buildings. I have no clue as to the meaning. Maybe, sometimes an elevator is just an elevator.
Costume-wise, I do have the Crone costume(s) to make for this weekend, the Friendship Spinners Guild Shakertown retreat. Fabric is in hand and I know what I want to do. Only need to do it. The jacket relining for Nancy NeverSwept is done. Believe it or don't. I truly hate to be paid in advance. What motivation is there to complete the work? Except that I couldn't go to another spinner's meeting until it was completed. Vile Blackmail!
As usual, I am simultaneously looking forward to and dreading the retreat. Getting there, getting out of the house, is the hard part. Once there, I'm mostly fine. They are such a great group of people! The Crone costume(s) will be finished. Otherwise, again, I could never go to another meeting. More Vile Blackmail!
What is the Crone thing, you ask? It began four or five years ago with the thought that the guild should honor the elders of the group that have given selflessly to others in order to further the crafts of spinning, knitting and weaving.
The possible Crone needed to be of a certain age, and after the first year, needed the most votes from the group. Our Crones are Vivian, Norma, Jerri, Donna, Jean, Jerry and Jean. Yes, that is Jerry, a man. An honorary Crone maybe, or as I like to think, a Croner. The Crowning of the Crones is a sight to see! The previous Crones wear their outfits of purple capes and crazy hats (some include pieces of the legendary Penis Hat) with some sort of scepter and a spinning wheel charm on a neck chain and they parade around the large meeting room. When the new Crone is thus adorned, Pomp and Circumstance is played on the fiddle and hammer dulcimer and much joy and celebration and parading ensues. Crazy!
What else? I am glad to say that no yard bunny has become road kill. Yet. I am thinking that they may have figured out that road sitting was not a Good Thing.
I took the back yard bunnies to live in the barn for the winter. They must be some sort of Badger Goat, eating all green grass to nubs and also digging and tunneling like maniacs. It will take until May of 2008 for the land to recover. Also much filling in of topsoil.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
My Grandmother is over eighty and still doesn't need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle.
- Henny Youngman
Ha Ha.
Not much going on here in Lovely LAconia. Have not felt compelled to write. It's cold, gray and damp. I dreamt about Murgie last night. Why do I miss that feller so much?
Work, work, work - that's all I never do.
But I did mend and wash the many pairs of hand knit socks that Sweetie and I own. That must count for something!
Spent THREE fruitless hours trying to cast on the purple cashmere laceweight onto size 7 double points. I was totally bummed, man. I mean, how many ways are there to fuck up one thing? Several, I found out. Maybe this stuff was not meant to be this particular shawl. So, today, I tried another pattern that uses a crocheted cast on. That went like a breeze. However, following the actual pattern proved to be problematic. Sigh. When these things happen, and they do happen to everyone, I think, it's time to do something else. Like start another pair of socks.
Here's the last pair, finished. I used two different skeins to stripe these, which is a great way to jazz up not so exciting yarn.
There is of course, the bunnies. Heizen has grown to gigantic proportions - but is still the sweetest guy.
And now, enjoy THIS.
- Henny Youngman
Ha Ha.
Not much going on here in Lovely LAconia. Have not felt compelled to write. It's cold, gray and damp. I dreamt about Murgie last night. Why do I miss that feller so much?
Work, work, work - that's all I never do.
But I did mend and wash the many pairs of hand knit socks that Sweetie and I own. That must count for something!
Spent THREE fruitless hours trying to cast on the purple cashmere laceweight onto size 7 double points. I was totally bummed, man. I mean, how many ways are there to fuck up one thing? Several, I found out. Maybe this stuff was not meant to be this particular shawl. So, today, I tried another pattern that uses a crocheted cast on. That went like a breeze. However, following the actual pattern proved to be problematic. Sigh. When these things happen, and they do happen to everyone, I think, it's time to do something else. Like start another pair of socks.
Here's the last pair, finished. I used two different skeins to stripe these, which is a great way to jazz up not so exciting yarn.
There is of course, the bunnies. Heizen has grown to gigantic proportions - but is still the sweetest guy.
And now, enjoy THIS.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Back to blogging.
I'll never eat any store brand of English muffins again. Witness these muffins that were tossed out for the birds and wild life. Three weeks ago. The only thing that has nibbled at them are some apparently foolhardy insects. It has rained a lot and gotten below freezing and they are still whole and firm. I'll try to keep a visual log of them.
After initial resistance to being a web-lemming, I am now on Ravelry. I have gotten a Yahoo! ID, that I needed to get a Flickr account, which I needed to post photos to Ravelry. What a pain in the ass. I may or may not avail myself of all the things that Ravelry offers. Two hours on the internet, or in front of the computer, is all I can take any one day.
In knit news, the latest pair of socks are in the home stretch as I have just this morning picked up the stitches for the heel. Buster keeps guard while I am thus occupied.
Autumn color didn't last long.
I'll never eat any store brand of English muffins again. Witness these muffins that were tossed out for the birds and wild life. Three weeks ago. The only thing that has nibbled at them are some apparently foolhardy insects. It has rained a lot and gotten below freezing and they are still whole and firm. I'll try to keep a visual log of them.
After initial resistance to being a web-lemming, I am now on Ravelry. I have gotten a Yahoo! ID, that I needed to get a Flickr account, which I needed to post photos to Ravelry. What a pain in the ass. I may or may not avail myself of all the things that Ravelry offers. Two hours on the internet, or in front of the computer, is all I can take any one day.
In knit news, the latest pair of socks are in the home stretch as I have just this morning picked up the stitches for the heel. Buster keeps guard while I am thus occupied.
Autumn color didn't last long.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
I can't remember how long it's been since I did any personal sewing for others. It has usually been something that filled me with dread - the dread that it wouldn't be good enough. Meet my friends, Anxiety and Stress. They arrive on the two a.m. train.
So. Dear Ms. NeverSwept asked me to reline a leather jacket for her and because it is her, I said I'd do it.
I have had it in my possession for three weeks. I have bought the lining material. Tonight, I tackled it. It ain't so bad. She's given me a deadline and already paid me. How evil.
Fall has arrived in Southern Indiana. Witness view from front porch.
So. Dear Ms. NeverSwept asked me to reline a leather jacket for her and because it is her, I said I'd do it.
I have had it in my possession for three weeks. I have bought the lining material. Tonight, I tackled it. It ain't so bad. She's given me a deadline and already paid me. How evil.
Fall has arrived in Southern Indiana. Witness view from front porch.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Imagine there's no smell.
It's easy if you try.
To not be able to wake up and smell the coffee. To not be able to stop and smell the roses. To not be able to smell a freshly peeled orange. Imagine.
That has been my smell life for, what is it now? the better part of a year. New mown grass. The cat box. Fresh laundry. Dirty clothes. The hand soap in the bath room. Buster. Perfume. Vinegar. Homemade chicken vegetable soup. The bunny box. A freshly-shaved Sweetie. A hard working Sweetie.
These are the aromas that I have been reveling in for two days, ever since the sinus infection was bested by the anti-robotics. Good smells and stinky smells, I am loving them all.
I am also feeling good, not run down and depressed. I'm not foolish enough to believe that the depression is gone for good, but I'll take what I can get. I cleaned off the kitchen table and did the dishes. Woo Hoo!
I've been knitting on the Lorna's Laces Socks. I'm using two different colored skeins, but both are essentially brownish, greenish, and goldish. Nice stuff, the yarn, but the colors are not worthy of pictures until the socks are complete.
Only have four bunnies left to clip, this season. I bought a new pair of 4" embroidery scissors from Gingher and they have made the past dozen clippings a snap. The fur just seems to melt at the touch of the blades. They are made in Italy. I ordered and immediately sold two pair of Gingher feather weight, 8" scissors. I'm thinking that I need to become the Gingher Scissor Lady along with being the Louet Lady and the Crazy Bunny Lady. I had forgotten how hard it is to get really good scissors. We all seem to have that one pair of really crappy scissors in the junk drawer that won't even cut tissue paper. I still have and use the 10" Gingher dressmaker shears from my cotume days. They are at least fifteen years old and have never needed sharpening. And are still sharp to the very tippy tip.
Gingher's aren't cheap, but aren't outrageously priced either. (The bunny clippers retail at $25, the feather weights at $20) They are well worth the investment.
I also ordered some of those pricey rosewood needles under the Colonial Brand. I test drove a set of the double points, size one. Retail at $20.00. For five needles. Made with pride in India, says the package. At first, I was delighted with the feel of these beauties. Six inches long, highly polished and very lightweight. I began the new pair of socks. Maybe one third of the way through the pair, an inch and a half broke off of one needle. Just broke off.
Sometimes the product is worth the money. Sometimes it isn't.
This is not acceptable to me. I plan to contact the makers and complain. And I am uneasy about selling the other sets. I hope I can return them. This is why I quit selling Brittany double points; they broke way too easily. Their crochet hooks were also too fragile for actual use.
I'm back to using my old favorites and standbys, Takumi's bamboo needles. I love these flexible and strong boogers. I can't remember if one of these has ever broken on me - that's good thing.
It's easy if you try.
To not be able to wake up and smell the coffee. To not be able to stop and smell the roses. To not be able to smell a freshly peeled orange. Imagine.
That has been my smell life for, what is it now? the better part of a year. New mown grass. The cat box. Fresh laundry. Dirty clothes. The hand soap in the bath room. Buster. Perfume. Vinegar. Homemade chicken vegetable soup. The bunny box. A freshly-shaved Sweetie. A hard working Sweetie.
These are the aromas that I have been reveling in for two days, ever since the sinus infection was bested by the anti-robotics. Good smells and stinky smells, I am loving them all.
I am also feeling good, not run down and depressed. I'm not foolish enough to believe that the depression is gone for good, but I'll take what I can get. I cleaned off the kitchen table and did the dishes. Woo Hoo!
I've been knitting on the Lorna's Laces Socks. I'm using two different colored skeins, but both are essentially brownish, greenish, and goldish. Nice stuff, the yarn, but the colors are not worthy of pictures until the socks are complete.
Only have four bunnies left to clip, this season. I bought a new pair of 4" embroidery scissors from Gingher and they have made the past dozen clippings a snap. The fur just seems to melt at the touch of the blades. They are made in Italy. I ordered and immediately sold two pair of Gingher feather weight, 8" scissors. I'm thinking that I need to become the Gingher Scissor Lady along with being the Louet Lady and the Crazy Bunny Lady. I had forgotten how hard it is to get really good scissors. We all seem to have that one pair of really crappy scissors in the junk drawer that won't even cut tissue paper. I still have and use the 10" Gingher dressmaker shears from my cotume days. They are at least fifteen years old and have never needed sharpening. And are still sharp to the very tippy tip.
Gingher's aren't cheap, but aren't outrageously priced either. (The bunny clippers retail at $25, the feather weights at $20) They are well worth the investment.
I also ordered some of those pricey rosewood needles under the Colonial Brand. I test drove a set of the double points, size one. Retail at $20.00. For five needles. Made with pride in India, says the package. At first, I was delighted with the feel of these beauties. Six inches long, highly polished and very lightweight. I began the new pair of socks. Maybe one third of the way through the pair, an inch and a half broke off of one needle. Just broke off.
Sometimes the product is worth the money. Sometimes it isn't.
This is not acceptable to me. I plan to contact the makers and complain. And I am uneasy about selling the other sets. I hope I can return them. This is why I quit selling Brittany double points; they broke way too easily. Their crochet hooks were also too fragile for actual use.
I'm back to using my old favorites and standbys, Takumi's bamboo needles. I love these flexible and strong boogers. I can't remember if one of these has ever broken on me - that's good thing.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
It's been a rough week. It began with a doctor visit on Monday, because the chronic sinus infection was getting worse. Got a different kind of anti-robotic and a flu shot.
I was flat out sick on Tuesday, woke up hoarse and with a sore throat. That night I hardly slept what with all the hacking and phlegm. Nice.
Wednesday morning, Sweetie took me back to the doctor because I was having severe breathing problems. Like, I couldn't hardly. As in drowning. I was tested for flu even though I was sure it wasn't flu. Negative. Told ya. (And by the way, the first flu case in our county was found on Monday, both A and B. Early for around here.) I was given a nebulizer treatment. Had a chest X ray, just to make sure. Negative. Got a butt shot of even more anti-robotics and lastly, a series of prednisone pills.
I've pretty much slept since then. While still congested, the airways are clear enough. The cough is mostly gone.
Here is a word of praise for what I will call My Health Team. I was able to see the doctor within two hours of calling. Each time. The nurse, nurse practitioner, and doctor all worked together like the proverbial well oiled machine. Everyone took excellent care of me.
Of course, it will all cost a bundle. Sweetie told me not to worry, since breathing is important. He is my local expert, being asthmatic his own self.
But I will worry anyway, because his job status is still unclear. Rumors are rampant, but it is expected that once the new owners take possession, they will fire everyone and close for two weeks. And get rid of the union. All employees can then reapply. How this would affect seniority and insurance is unknown.
So. Here's a Few Fun Links!
First, those Crazy Catholics!
Then, those Baptists do the Darnedest Things! Here's the report.
I was flat out sick on Tuesday, woke up hoarse and with a sore throat. That night I hardly slept what with all the hacking and phlegm. Nice.
Wednesday morning, Sweetie took me back to the doctor because I was having severe breathing problems. Like, I couldn't hardly. As in drowning. I was tested for flu even though I was sure it wasn't flu. Negative. Told ya. (And by the way, the first flu case in our county was found on Monday, both A and B. Early for around here.) I was given a nebulizer treatment. Had a chest X ray, just to make sure. Negative. Got a butt shot of even more anti-robotics and lastly, a series of prednisone pills.
I've pretty much slept since then. While still congested, the airways are clear enough. The cough is mostly gone.
Here is a word of praise for what I will call My Health Team. I was able to see the doctor within two hours of calling. Each time. The nurse, nurse practitioner, and doctor all worked together like the proverbial well oiled machine. Everyone took excellent care of me.
Of course, it will all cost a bundle. Sweetie told me not to worry, since breathing is important. He is my local expert, being asthmatic his own self.
But I will worry anyway, because his job status is still unclear. Rumors are rampant, but it is expected that once the new owners take possession, they will fire everyone and close for two weeks. And get rid of the union. All employees can then reapply. How this would affect seniority and insurance is unknown.
So. Here's a Few Fun Links!
First, those Crazy Catholics!
Then, those Baptists do the Darnedest Things! Here's the report.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Road Kill - Not Yet
Sweetie and I went for a drive yesterday, a late night snack run, in his little Beretta. The roads around here are like a roller coaster; up, down, around, and up and down again. A few miles from home, we crested a hill, and there before us were two great big bucks, I mean Hundred Dollar Bucks, with many antler points betwixt them, maybe thirty feet away. One had just crossed the road and the other was close behind. Sweetie skillfully navigated between the two as I hyperventilated. What a rush! What magnificent creatures that I am so glad we did not vaporize. (Nancy NeverSwept has intimate knowledge of such an event.)
So. We made it home without incident. I settled in with my knitting and Sweetie had assumed his position on the sofa. About ten o'clock, someone came to the door, a neighbor, to tell us that our rabbits were in the middle of the road out front. Well, crap. They were the yard bunnies - Dick Head, Jackie Brown, Ramsey, Barbara Bobo, Bambi, and Black Bart. Ever since the spring started running again, after the rains, they have been venturing across the street to drink. Thank goodness Dickie is so white that he glows in the dark, and is not brown or black like the others.
It's out of my hands. I am prepared to collect a squished rabbit each and every morning even though there is not much traffic during the night. Sweetie says that maybe people have become aware of the bunnies and watch out for them. He speaks from experience, having come across them on his drive home. Well, not across them, actually, as he stopped in time.
Knitting news is that the green leaf shawl is as complete as it ever will be. It's quite light, 1.4 ounces, worked on size 5 needles. I thought it would be more than a half square, and the neck opening is not large enough for my taste. I do like the edging and the body pattern. I have more of this merino lace weight in natural, about 4 ounces and 1350 yards. Like a Siren, it beckons me! I have an idea for a square shawl, but I need to do something right now that has some heft to it. Also something that won't take weeks to finish. I've cast on for a pair of socks, using two skeins of Lorna Laces. Pictures later. Nice stuff!
Lastly, another picture of bunny ears in unusual places.
So. We made it home without incident. I settled in with my knitting and Sweetie had assumed his position on the sofa. About ten o'clock, someone came to the door, a neighbor, to tell us that our rabbits were in the middle of the road out front. Well, crap. They were the yard bunnies - Dick Head, Jackie Brown, Ramsey, Barbara Bobo, Bambi, and Black Bart. Ever since the spring started running again, after the rains, they have been venturing across the street to drink. Thank goodness Dickie is so white that he glows in the dark, and is not brown or black like the others.
It's out of my hands. I am prepared to collect a squished rabbit each and every morning even though there is not much traffic during the night. Sweetie says that maybe people have become aware of the bunnies and watch out for them. He speaks from experience, having come across them on his drive home. Well, not across them, actually, as he stopped in time.
Knitting news is that the green leaf shawl is as complete as it ever will be. It's quite light, 1.4 ounces, worked on size 5 needles. I thought it would be more than a half square, and the neck opening is not large enough for my taste. I do like the edging and the body pattern. I have more of this merino lace weight in natural, about 4 ounces and 1350 yards. Like a Siren, it beckons me! I have an idea for a square shawl, but I need to do something right now that has some heft to it. Also something that won't take weeks to finish. I've cast on for a pair of socks, using two skeins of Lorna Laces. Pictures later. Nice stuff!
Lastly, another picture of bunny ears in unusual places.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
I flat out hate going to court. I hate even going to the so-called justice center where court is held. The place, the building, is so full of pain and bad energy that I always feel awful and edgy when I'm there. Which isn't often.
I had to be there today, in small claims court, for eviction proceedings of our tenant. He hasn't paid rent since July. That is bad enough, but he also Will. Not. Leave. It took a full month from filing the papers to get our day in court, and the judge gave him two weekends to vacate, with another hearing scheduled afterward for damages. Sigh. Our renter is a nice guy (with issues) and we're nice people, but damn it man! GO! Leave!
I also hate how Halloween is celebrated anymore. I love the day, mind you, but I hate that it has become just another Hallmark/WalMart holiday. At my first real job at the costume company in Atlanta, 1976, adults were just getting into the swing of things as far as costumes and parties were concerned. Atlanta Costume was a mob scene for the entire month of October and I learned to detest the day.
After I quit that job (for the third and final time,) I eventually warmed up to the day again. I dressed up and went to parties. My Sexy Snake costume is still one that I am proud of. It consisted of a snakeskin print tailcoat worn over a black leotard, with top hat and a matching top-hatted snake. High heels were also involved. Also, long brown hair. I did not get custody of the photographs after the divorce.
Sweetie and I really got into the spirit when we moved here. Usually around three on the afternoon of the 31st, we would get motivated to decorate. Grave markers, headless and armless torsos, cleaver wielding dummies (operated by rope from the roof). You know, the usual, and all hand made or hand ornamented. Our place was The House to visit. Parents brought the kids and the video cameras.
Then, later, Sweetie couldn't get off from work so I carried on for awhile until my energy was used up.
Anymore, though, folks start decorating in SEPTEMBER for crying out loud. And it's all store bought from WalMart (You're place for cheap plastic crap.) Sweetie practically forced me to buy candy today. I was all ready to hide in the back of the house with all lights out tonight.
The day is no longer special. Oh, and Little Brother said that in his Ohio village, their Halloween was officially held last week! How sad is that? Makes me want to paint my body blue and dance around a huge bon fire.
I had to be there today, in small claims court, for eviction proceedings of our tenant. He hasn't paid rent since July. That is bad enough, but he also Will. Not. Leave. It took a full month from filing the papers to get our day in court, and the judge gave him two weekends to vacate, with another hearing scheduled afterward for damages. Sigh. Our renter is a nice guy (with issues) and we're nice people, but damn it man! GO! Leave!
I also hate how Halloween is celebrated anymore. I love the day, mind you, but I hate that it has become just another Hallmark/WalMart holiday. At my first real job at the costume company in Atlanta, 1976, adults were just getting into the swing of things as far as costumes and parties were concerned. Atlanta Costume was a mob scene for the entire month of October and I learned to detest the day.
After I quit that job (for the third and final time,) I eventually warmed up to the day again. I dressed up and went to parties. My Sexy Snake costume is still one that I am proud of. It consisted of a snakeskin print tailcoat worn over a black leotard, with top hat and a matching top-hatted snake. High heels were also involved. Also, long brown hair. I did not get custody of the photographs after the divorce.
Sweetie and I really got into the spirit when we moved here. Usually around three on the afternoon of the 31st, we would get motivated to decorate. Grave markers, headless and armless torsos, cleaver wielding dummies (operated by rope from the roof). You know, the usual, and all hand made or hand ornamented. Our place was The House to visit. Parents brought the kids and the video cameras.
Then, later, Sweetie couldn't get off from work so I carried on for awhile until my energy was used up.
Anymore, though, folks start decorating in SEPTEMBER for crying out loud. And it's all store bought from WalMart (You're place for cheap plastic crap.) Sweetie practically forced me to buy candy today. I was all ready to hide in the back of the house with all lights out tonight.
The day is no longer special. Oh, and Little Brother said that in his Ohio village, their Halloween was officially held last week! How sad is that? Makes me want to paint my body blue and dance around a huge bon fire.
Monday, October 29, 2007
I find that I am now editing, nay, censuring my blog because I know some of the people reading it. Certain friends and family. Fuzzarelly sure is boring these days.
Let me tell you where I'm at today. And also for the past several months. No editing. I am not particularly depressed, but I sure don't have anything to cheer about. I find myself solving sudoku puzzles in order to pass the time. I am not interested in anything. I don't want to do anything. I merely want to get through each day as painlessly and quickly as possible. I am waiting to die, if you want to know. I am so tired of life. Not that I will take any active measures to end my existence since mother took that messy way out.
I am told that this is not normal. People should not feel this way. Yeah, well, here I am. It isn't icky hot anymore (which is so depressing), but the fall brings substantially less sun light which makes me sad and listless. Am I not a worthless piece of flesh?
The 300 little samples of Fuzzarelly Fibers that I sent to S.O.A.R. has generated maybe twenty hits at Fuzzarelly.com and zero emails. I de-listed my wares at Etsy because it got no interest. I don't know what to do. My stuff is good - at least to me. I have been spinning it over the weekend and it's been one of the more enjoyable things I've done in a while. It's rather pricey, but not outrageous. Not when one considers what people will spend on their hobbies.
But this is outside of my depression. I'd be depressed either way.
I stopped knitting the body of the leaf/green shawl when I became totally sick of it and began the edging, which is proving to be more interesting than I thought it would be. It's a fairly simple pointed thing and there is an end in sight.
I have sock yarn but no desire to knit socks.
I have way too many things that I am tired of tending to, keeping track of, storing. I don't have the energy to get rid it.
Sweetie is so attentive and adoring but I fear that he will grow tired of my sad face and cease to love me.
I have to pay $2000 for my roto-rooter session that my insurance won't cover. There may not be any insurance at all if Sweetie's job goes gone. Fuck me. (In the old sense of 'hit or strike' me.
I wish I were a bear so that I could hibernate for six months.
If you have stayed with me so far, this is your REWARD.
Let me tell you where I'm at today. And also for the past several months. No editing. I am not particularly depressed, but I sure don't have anything to cheer about. I find myself solving sudoku puzzles in order to pass the time. I am not interested in anything. I don't want to do anything. I merely want to get through each day as painlessly and quickly as possible. I am waiting to die, if you want to know. I am so tired of life. Not that I will take any active measures to end my existence since mother took that messy way out.
I am told that this is not normal. People should not feel this way. Yeah, well, here I am. It isn't icky hot anymore (which is so depressing), but the fall brings substantially less sun light which makes me sad and listless. Am I not a worthless piece of flesh?
The 300 little samples of Fuzzarelly Fibers that I sent to S.O.A.R. has generated maybe twenty hits at Fuzzarelly.com and zero emails. I de-listed my wares at Etsy because it got no interest. I don't know what to do. My stuff is good - at least to me. I have been spinning it over the weekend and it's been one of the more enjoyable things I've done in a while. It's rather pricey, but not outrageous. Not when one considers what people will spend on their hobbies.
But this is outside of my depression. I'd be depressed either way.
I stopped knitting the body of the leaf/green shawl when I became totally sick of it and began the edging, which is proving to be more interesting than I thought it would be. It's a fairly simple pointed thing and there is an end in sight.
I have sock yarn but no desire to knit socks.
I have way too many things that I am tired of tending to, keeping track of, storing. I don't have the energy to get rid it.
Sweetie is so attentive and adoring but I fear that he will grow tired of my sad face and cease to love me.
I have to pay $2000 for my roto-rooter session that my insurance won't cover. There may not be any insurance at all if Sweetie's job goes gone. Fuck me. (In the old sense of 'hit or strike' me.
I wish I were a bear so that I could hibernate for six months.
If you have stayed with me so far, this is your REWARD.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Firstly, it is still raining here in southern Indiana! We have received over 6 inches of rain, much needed rain, over the past week. When I went to town for errands yesterday and got my socks and shoes soaked, I didn't mind! Live stock ponds that were bone dry have filled up. The river in town is a foot below a bridge I use a lot. Rain Rain Glorious Rain!
But it was dry and beautiful for the Southern Indiana FiberArts Festival this last Saturday. The first year of the festival there were 14 vendors. Last year, maybe twice that. This year, 45! And even better, attendance was incredible. I don't have figures, just my own eyes and I can tell you that folks just kept streaming in all day - and they came to buy! I had a great day, selling fiber, equipment, and 4 bunnies (who went to good homes.) It was a long day, though, as I was alone in my booth. After packing up, I about fell over from exhaustion.
Here is Blue Acorn and her booth. She sells hand dyed yarn and kits for purse and hats.
This is Kristin from Flatwoods Alpaca Farm.
Ann - from the best named yarn store ever, Grinny Possum.
And for you punctuation fuss budgets, "Click Here"
But it was dry and beautiful for the Southern Indiana FiberArts Festival this last Saturday. The first year of the festival there were 14 vendors. Last year, maybe twice that. This year, 45! And even better, attendance was incredible. I don't have figures, just my own eyes and I can tell you that folks just kept streaming in all day - and they came to buy! I had a great day, selling fiber, equipment, and 4 bunnies (who went to good homes.) It was a long day, though, as I was alone in my booth. After packing up, I about fell over from exhaustion.
Here is Blue Acorn and her booth. She sells hand dyed yarn and kits for purse and hats.
This is Kristin from Flatwoods Alpaca Farm.
Ann - from the best named yarn store ever, Grinny Possum.
And for you punctuation fuss budgets, "Click Here"
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
A brief note. How could I have misspelled Fuzzarelly??? Acid - crazed spiders must have attacked my brain! There are not two Rs in Fuzzarelly and never have been. Thank goodness, an R was exactly in the center, so I cut out bad R and seamed the banner back together and it looks great. I will try to take pictures.
Sweetie, instead of a short week, will work 6 days this week. I was hoping he would be able to help with my booth at the festival, but I suppose if he's going to work he may as well get paid for it.
Sweetie, instead of a short week, will work 6 days this week. I was hoping he would be able to help with my booth at the festival, but I suppose if he's going to work he may as well get paid for it.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Knits 'n' Notes
The Southern Indiana FiberArts Festival is THIS SATURDAY. (The link is in the sidebar to your right.) I am finally getting around to painting the backdrop for my booth. Ahead of schedule, I'd say. Sweetie rescued the stencils from a dumpster at work at least two years ago. I knew they would come in handy someday! (Sometimes I love his pack rat nature, other times - not so much.)
Sort of just pulled this image out of my ass. Hello, we need a bunny for the banner. I didn't want to make the bunnies too Easter-ish. Or too anthropomorphic. It's hard to portray fuzziness. However, I am pleased with the overall look of the thing and the FUZZARELLY is big and purple. Hard to miss.
Knitting slowly progresses on the green shawl, opus 2. I steamed blocked it for the photo and it measures 19" x 45" - thank goodness. When I took it off the needles, it looked so tiny and shrunken. Like some snake skin.
I'll be selling a few bunnies down the river this weekend, so I have been grooming them. This is Pepper, who was so furry and cute that Sweetie had to take this photo.
Sweetie has a part-time job for at least the next three weeks, while a potential buyer looks things over. This work week is three days long and the next two weeks may well be the same. I see lots of beans and rice in our future.
I am done with the anti-robotic regimen! That stuff is nasty and did horrible things to my intestinal tract. I have been inhaling yoghurt all the time, which may have helped. But it was still awful and I am glad to be shet of it. Now we wait to see if the pain/infection returns.
Good news is that we got a half inch of rain yesterday with more expected tonight. Temperatures are more seasonal, too. The bunnies be happy.
Sort of just pulled this image out of my ass. Hello, we need a bunny for the banner. I didn't want to make the bunnies too Easter-ish. Or too anthropomorphic. It's hard to portray fuzziness. However, I am pleased with the overall look of the thing and the FUZZARELLY is big and purple. Hard to miss.
Knitting slowly progresses on the green shawl, opus 2. I steamed blocked it for the photo and it measures 19" x 45" - thank goodness. When I took it off the needles, it looked so tiny and shrunken. Like some snake skin.
I'll be selling a few bunnies down the river this weekend, so I have been grooming them. This is Pepper, who was so furry and cute that Sweetie had to take this photo.
Sweetie has a part-time job for at least the next three weeks, while a potential buyer looks things over. This work week is three days long and the next two weeks may well be the same. I see lots of beans and rice in our future.
I am done with the anti-robotic regimen! That stuff is nasty and did horrible things to my intestinal tract. I have been inhaling yoghurt all the time, which may have helped. But it was still awful and I am glad to be shet of it. Now we wait to see if the pain/infection returns.
Good news is that we got a half inch of rain yesterday with more expected tonight. Temperatures are more seasonal, too. The bunnies be happy.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Bunnies and Movies
This is Brownie, back in March.
Now he's called Ginger.
Some of you all have asked about my sordid past in the movie industry.
It is not possible to make this short and interesting. The story will be long and probably not at all interesting.
To start at the beginning, it seems like I was born sewing. When I was 4 or 5, I sat on the floor of the front porch and "helped" my mom sew on a treadle sewing machine by pushing up and down on the treadle. A few years later, I sat in her lap at the new-fangled electric sewing machine and seamed some gingham for a doll skirt. At age ten, I was given access to an even newer sewing machine in order to make "my own clothes." Mom's only caveat was "Don't break it!" Thanks Mom! I made my up own patterns and made my own clothes. I had no idea that this was supposed to be hard.
(Back then, it was actually cheaper to sew one's own clothes. Imagine.)
I parlayed this talent into a job at a costume company, back in 1976. (Before China made everything for us.) I stitched for money for many years. My friend Judy and I started a not-for-profit costume company in Atlanta in 1984. Judy was the resident designer and executive, and I was the general dog's body. I was the shop manager, first hand, stitcher, rental manager, and toilet cleaner. (Judy was so supportive, though. A great teacher! She had a big library! I am what I am because of her. Thank you, J. Dragon!)
I did not go to college to get a degree in theater or costume design/construction. I am an autodidact. If I don't know how to do something, I get a book and figger it out. With varying success. (I am not a milliner, for example. My hats suck.) I learned to how take a designer's rendering, create the pattern, and construct it.
So. Despite a lack of ambition, my talent became known around Atlanta. My talent also became known to me, when once I went toe to toe with an honest-to-god-college-ejimicated costume person. And won. Actors loved me because their costumes fit! I was good, pragmatic, and fast.
Circa 1991, costume gossip centered on a new teevee show, I'll Fly Away, that was coming to town and how to get one's resume to these California people. Faxing was new-fangled then, and costly. I was not interested because I already had a job. (Actually, I had three jobs then, but that's a whole 'nuther story.)
Imagine my delight when two weeks later I received a phone call from the wardrobe supervisor of the new teevee show asking if I would be interested in working for them. Seems she had called around and My Name was mentioned by everyone as The Best Costume Person Around. I loved working with that costume designer and I really loved that gig.
I also learned that getting into the working-in-film door is hard, but once one's foot is in that door, and one is deemed a reliable, good, and diligent worker, then practically every film door is opened. The costume designer of I'll Fly Away liked me a lot and he told his friends back in California. So, I got work on several straight-to-video movies, plus a few made-for-teevee movies. And made lots of money.
Soon, I discovered that this industry was not good for my soul. These movie people took themselves way too seriously, as if what they did was important made any difference. No cure for cancer was ever involved.
So I quit. Took my toys (and money) and moved to a state far, far away.
Now he's called Ginger.
Some of you all have asked about my sordid past in the movie industry.
It is not possible to make this short and interesting. The story will be long and probably not at all interesting.
To start at the beginning, it seems like I was born sewing. When I was 4 or 5, I sat on the floor of the front porch and "helped" my mom sew on a treadle sewing machine by pushing up and down on the treadle. A few years later, I sat in her lap at the new-fangled electric sewing machine and seamed some gingham for a doll skirt. At age ten, I was given access to an even newer sewing machine in order to make "my own clothes." Mom's only caveat was "Don't break it!" Thanks Mom! I made my up own patterns and made my own clothes. I had no idea that this was supposed to be hard.
(Back then, it was actually cheaper to sew one's own clothes. Imagine.)
I parlayed this talent into a job at a costume company, back in 1976. (Before China made everything for us.) I stitched for money for many years. My friend Judy and I started a not-for-profit costume company in Atlanta in 1984. Judy was the resident designer and executive, and I was the general dog's body. I was the shop manager, first hand, stitcher, rental manager, and toilet cleaner. (Judy was so supportive, though. A great teacher! She had a big library! I am what I am because of her. Thank you, J. Dragon!)
I did not go to college to get a degree in theater or costume design/construction. I am an autodidact. If I don't know how to do something, I get a book and figger it out. With varying success. (I am not a milliner, for example. My hats suck.) I learned to how take a designer's rendering, create the pattern, and construct it.
So. Despite a lack of ambition, my talent became known around Atlanta. My talent also became known to me, when once I went toe to toe with an honest-to-god-college-ejimicated costume person. And won. Actors loved me because their costumes fit! I was good, pragmatic, and fast.
Circa 1991, costume gossip centered on a new teevee show, I'll Fly Away, that was coming to town and how to get one's resume to these California people. Faxing was new-fangled then, and costly. I was not interested because I already had a job. (Actually, I had three jobs then, but that's a whole 'nuther story.)
Imagine my delight when two weeks later I received a phone call from the wardrobe supervisor of the new teevee show asking if I would be interested in working for them. Seems she had called around and My Name was mentioned by everyone as The Best Costume Person Around. I loved working with that costume designer and I really loved that gig.
I also learned that getting into the working-in-film door is hard, but once one's foot is in that door, and one is deemed a reliable, good, and diligent worker, then practically every film door is opened. The costume designer of I'll Fly Away liked me a lot and he told his friends back in California. So, I got work on several straight-to-video movies, plus a few made-for-teevee movies. And made lots of money.
Soon, I discovered that this industry was not good for my soul. These movie people took themselves way too seriously, as if what they did was important made any difference. No cure for cancer was ever involved.
So I quit. Took my toys (and money) and moved to a state far, far away.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
For Buster lovers everywhere, here he is with our new couch rat, Claudia.
The deposition went okay, although I did have bunny anxiety dreams again last night. (Little bunny feet rotting off from being in the rain and mud for three days.) (My mind has some sick alcoves.)
I truthfully answered all the questions, even if that meant saying "I don't know" or "I don't remember." Hey, if it's good enough for Alberto Gonzales, it's good enough for me.
I did succeed in pissing off the evil lawyer at least twice but I kept my wise ass in the barn most of the time. He asked me what J. and B. were thinking/meaning/whatever five or six years ago, and I replied "My suggestion to you is that you ask J. and B. for that answer." He got livid! And sarcastic! Nice. I love making a man lose control.
The other time was when he tried to pronounce a town resident's name, unsuccessfully. He said that he never could get "those Slavic names right." I piped up and said that the name was Estonian. Later, after a break (this thing went on for TWO FREAKING HOURS) he had to say that he had it on good authority that Estonia was Slavic. What did he do? Email his secretary to get that answer? He's still wrong because Estonia is mostly Finnish and not Slavic. It's these little things that make me fiendishly happy.
I was also happy that his client had to pay for TWO HOURS+ of his lawyer's time. HA-ha.
I try not to be petty. Really and mostly I do. But this episode tested my patience and so I freely spent a few of my Karma Dollars.
On the knitting front, I got several rows of the shawl done during my questioning. My lawyer said he didn't care what I did as long as I paid attention. It's still not much to look at but I plan to put it on a string sometime soon for pictures and a good looksee.
Some of you may know that I once had a brinks'n'mortar store. After I closed, several short lived enterprises occupied MY space. This spring, paper was again on the windows - Viola's Gallery was coming with art, antiques, and clothing. Who the hell is this Viola? The Bitch!
I broke down and stepped inside a couple of months ago, all ready to hate hate hate her and her little dog, too.
Know what? Deb is so nice. She and her daughter bought the building and renovated it themselves so perfectly! Everything they did, and what they sell, is what I had hoped to do - until my money and energy ran out. I visited several times and once I wore my little Barbie shoe earrings. When Deb saw them, she went wild and pleaded for me to make some for the store. So I have. I'll drop these three pair off today.
If any of you all want to contact me via email, try fuzzarelly at epowerc dot net
The deposition went okay, although I did have bunny anxiety dreams again last night. (Little bunny feet rotting off from being in the rain and mud for three days.) (My mind has some sick alcoves.)
I truthfully answered all the questions, even if that meant saying "I don't know" or "I don't remember." Hey, if it's good enough for Alberto Gonzales, it's good enough for me.
I did succeed in pissing off the evil lawyer at least twice but I kept my wise ass in the barn most of the time. He asked me what J. and B. were thinking/meaning/whatever five or six years ago, and I replied "My suggestion to you is that you ask J. and B. for that answer." He got livid! And sarcastic! Nice. I love making a man lose control.
The other time was when he tried to pronounce a town resident's name, unsuccessfully. He said that he never could get "those Slavic names right." I piped up and said that the name was Estonian. Later, after a break (this thing went on for TWO FREAKING HOURS) he had to say that he had it on good authority that Estonia was Slavic. What did he do? Email his secretary to get that answer? He's still wrong because Estonia is mostly Finnish and not Slavic. It's these little things that make me fiendishly happy.
I was also happy that his client had to pay for TWO HOURS+ of his lawyer's time. HA-ha.
I try not to be petty. Really and mostly I do. But this episode tested my patience and so I freely spent a few of my Karma Dollars.
On the knitting front, I got several rows of the shawl done during my questioning. My lawyer said he didn't care what I did as long as I paid attention. It's still not much to look at but I plan to put it on a string sometime soon for pictures and a good looksee.
Some of you may know that I once had a brinks'n'mortar store. After I closed, several short lived enterprises occupied MY space. This spring, paper was again on the windows - Viola's Gallery was coming with art, antiques, and clothing. Who the hell is this Viola? The Bitch!
I broke down and stepped inside a couple of months ago, all ready to hate hate hate her and her little dog, too.
Know what? Deb is so nice. She and her daughter bought the building and renovated it themselves so perfectly! Everything they did, and what they sell, is what I had hoped to do - until my money and energy ran out. I visited several times and once I wore my little Barbie shoe earrings. When Deb saw them, she went wild and pleaded for me to make some for the store. So I have. I'll drop these three pair off today.
If any of you all want to contact me via email, try fuzzarelly at epowerc dot net
Monday, October 08, 2007
But first, let's kill all the lawyers...
In spite of feeling detached about the disposition this afternoon and saying out loud, "Yeah, it's all cool," I had anxiety dreams All. Night. Long. I awoke exhausted.
The dreams involved my two usual culprits - costumes and bunnies. I was having to create/sew/manage wardrobe for some huge multi-million dollar movie - and of course, every obstacle in the world was thrown at me. The bunnies were with me and somehow escaped, so I was distracted with trying to rescue them from some danger. I think the movie dream was triggered by reading Sweetie's brother's ex-wife's blog about the crazyawful movie business. I'm glad she has knitting to keep her sane, too.
I'm always amazed at how some of my dreams can be so detailed, but I won't bore you with said details. I'm sure it is not something peculiar to me.
(As an side, as I watched the football pre-game silliness yesterday, I was delighted to see a hand pain commercial aimed at knitters! And yes, I did listen to all of Terry Bradshaw's, et al. blather. As sick as it sounds, it is as comforting to me as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The Colts kicked Tampa Bay's ass.)
Sweetie is still on vacation and will go with me to the lawyer's office. Maybe we'll go out to eat somewhere kinda nice. Maybe stop in to see Ann at Grinny Possum.
The dreams involved my two usual culprits - costumes and bunnies. I was having to create/sew/manage wardrobe for some huge multi-million dollar movie - and of course, every obstacle in the world was thrown at me. The bunnies were with me and somehow escaped, so I was distracted with trying to rescue them from some danger. I think the movie dream was triggered by reading Sweetie's brother's ex-wife's blog about the crazyawful movie business. I'm glad she has knitting to keep her sane, too.
I'm always amazed at how some of my dreams can be so detailed, but I won't bore you with said details. I'm sure it is not something peculiar to me.
(As an side, as I watched the football pre-game silliness yesterday, I was delighted to see a hand pain commercial aimed at knitters! And yes, I did listen to all of Terry Bradshaw's, et al. blather. As sick as it sounds, it is as comforting to me as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The Colts kicked Tampa Bay's ass.)
Sweetie is still on vacation and will go with me to the lawyer's office. Maybe we'll go out to eat somewhere kinda nice. Maybe stop in to see Ann at Grinny Possum.
Friday, October 05, 2007
I'm okay. Thanks for asking. I'm okay in the sense of still breathing and not flat lining.
Sweetie fortuitously scheduled two weeks vacation for now. The plant's check book is in the care of the bank and he doesn't know if he will have a job once vacation is done. There are three prospective buyers looking over the place, which is good news and there is a union, so the pay won't be less. The 401k is safe. (Sweetie told me the story of the local biscuit plant that was bought out by an investment group. The pension fund was raided and then they sold it. I ask you, how can these people live with themselves after doing that to ten, twenty, thirty year employees?)
So he has been busy around the house. Outside the house, really. He spent two days on my dear car and now the horn works (yay!,) the back window rolls up and down, and - drum roll please - the passenger side door opens from the outside. He also installed the satellite radio system, which doesn't quite work yet because, all of the sudden, the front cigarette lighter is not getting voltage. (This is definitely not a new car. There are three ashtrays and two cigarette lighters in the back.)
This is the nicest beat up car I have ever owned, and I have owned some beat up cars in my life. She is a vintage '83 Mercedes. Runs perfectly, gets 24 mpg, and cost less than $2300. The only reason that I have such a dream car is because Sweetie spent a year of his life as an apprentice at a Mercedes dealership in Atlanta and he has all the books, literature, yadda yadda for this model. If one gets parts at the junkyard and does the work oneself, one can indeed own such a vehicle.
Enough about me. Let's focus about me for awhile, okay?
I went to the dentist yesterday because this one lonely tooth, who has no friends on either side of it, starting being sensitive to hot and cold. Crap. Let's just pull the sucker because I cannot afford several thousand dollars to have a bridge made and all that other stuff that a lonely tooth with no friends needs.
Good news! The dentist tapped on it and I did not go through the roof. The X-ray revealed that while the tooth has its problems, its roots are healthy! The dentist did not want to pull a healthy tooth. She asked about any sinus problems. Uh, yeah. In the most major kind of way do I have sinus problems. I have not had a sense of smell for months. Upshot is that I am on anti-robotics for ten days (Ick. I hate anti-robotics) to take care of the infection that most likely is located in my sinuses, not my tooth. Seems that the roots of said tooth are involved in my sinuses somehow. All action is on hold for four or five weeks to see if the infection goes away and stays away.
And. I don't hate all lawyers. But I have been subpoenaed to give a deposition this Monday for a town related lawsuit. (Yes! Get involved in your governing and you, too, can get sued!) It is all totally bo-o-o-o-gus, but a subpoena is a subpoena. I am to bring all sorts of nonexistent paperwork. Major pain in the ass.
The thing is that I have been subpoenaed by this same lawyer for a different case - again, a totally bo-o-o-o-gus suit. This certain lawyer is the kind of low life scum that gives good lawyers a bad name. He's a bully and a dick. I am glad that the town has a great lawyer who will be there with me.
So. I'm depressed, but Sweetie has a job for the nonce and I have my car and my tooth. Things could be so much worse.
And how are you all?
Sweetie fortuitously scheduled two weeks vacation for now. The plant's check book is in the care of the bank and he doesn't know if he will have a job once vacation is done. There are three prospective buyers looking over the place, which is good news and there is a union, so the pay won't be less. The 401k is safe. (Sweetie told me the story of the local biscuit plant that was bought out by an investment group. The pension fund was raided and then they sold it. I ask you, how can these people live with themselves after doing that to ten, twenty, thirty year employees?)
So he has been busy around the house. Outside the house, really. He spent two days on my dear car and now the horn works (yay!,) the back window rolls up and down, and - drum roll please - the passenger side door opens from the outside. He also installed the satellite radio system, which doesn't quite work yet because, all of the sudden, the front cigarette lighter is not getting voltage. (This is definitely not a new car. There are three ashtrays and two cigarette lighters in the back.)
This is the nicest beat up car I have ever owned, and I have owned some beat up cars in my life. She is a vintage '83 Mercedes. Runs perfectly, gets 24 mpg, and cost less than $2300. The only reason that I have such a dream car is because Sweetie spent a year of his life as an apprentice at a Mercedes dealership in Atlanta and he has all the books, literature, yadda yadda for this model. If one gets parts at the junkyard and does the work oneself, one can indeed own such a vehicle.
Enough about me. Let's focus about me for awhile, okay?
I went to the dentist yesterday because this one lonely tooth, who has no friends on either side of it, starting being sensitive to hot and cold. Crap. Let's just pull the sucker because I cannot afford several thousand dollars to have a bridge made and all that other stuff that a lonely tooth with no friends needs.
Good news! The dentist tapped on it and I did not go through the roof. The X-ray revealed that while the tooth has its problems, its roots are healthy! The dentist did not want to pull a healthy tooth. She asked about any sinus problems. Uh, yeah. In the most major kind of way do I have sinus problems. I have not had a sense of smell for months. Upshot is that I am on anti-robotics for ten days (Ick. I hate anti-robotics) to take care of the infection that most likely is located in my sinuses, not my tooth. Seems that the roots of said tooth are involved in my sinuses somehow. All action is on hold for four or five weeks to see if the infection goes away and stays away.
And. I don't hate all lawyers. But I have been subpoenaed to give a deposition this Monday for a town related lawsuit. (Yes! Get involved in your governing and you, too, can get sued!) It is all totally bo-o-o-o-gus, but a subpoena is a subpoena. I am to bring all sorts of nonexistent paperwork. Major pain in the ass.
The thing is that I have been subpoenaed by this same lawyer for a different case - again, a totally bo-o-o-o-gus suit. This certain lawyer is the kind of low life scum that gives good lawyers a bad name. He's a bully and a dick. I am glad that the town has a great lawyer who will be there with me.
So. I'm depressed, but Sweetie has a job for the nonce and I have my car and my tooth. Things could be so much worse.
And how are you all?
Thursday, September 27, 2007
This is our entertainment center. The teevee, with rabbit ears, the Sirius boombox, and the combination record player, CD player, and radio.
I don't watch much teevee and I'm not just saying that. I don't. But I brought the set from the back living room into the front living room so I could watch The War on PBS this week while I knit. Can I just say, "Oh. My. God."
I know a lot about WWII - for a woman my age. Books, movies, teevee, stories. This series has brought home the horror to me all over again. And the wars don't stop. Sweetie says wars happen because of men. Men have always and forever (?) fought for wealth, status, power. It is their nature. He says that it's just like two male bunnies fighting - only on a larger scale.
For me, it's horrible.
When we went to the Patton Museum, Sweetie was enthralled with the tanks; the power and force, etc. etc. (They have the largest tank collection in the world, I think.) He put himself into the aggressor's shoes; the person in the tank. Me, I was in the regular person's shoes. I imagined the tanks from the weaker position. Being run over by the tank.
We have C 130s fly over us a lot. Maybe three or four in a line. C 130s fly low and slow and make a deep rumbling noise individually. In a group, they rattle the windows. It's awe inspiring. I imagine having a thousand planes flying over, dropping bombs on me. I imagine being on the ground and seeing the sky filled with death machines.
So, I'm depressed today. I'm glad the show won't be on again until Sunday. But I will watch it. Even if it gives me bad dreams again.
Otherwise, this is Floppy, the wry neck bunny. Sometimes I call her Fosdick. She escaped from her little corral last week into the larger enclosure and it seems to be doing her good. Her head doesn't tilt so far to one side anymore. I think she is actually getting better! She's getting around far better than I ever thought she could.
Percival likes her.
Also, some acid crazed spider got aholt of my shawl and did bad things. I have started over.
And it did rain.
I don't watch much teevee and I'm not just saying that. I don't. But I brought the set from the back living room into the front living room so I could watch The War on PBS this week while I knit. Can I just say, "Oh. My. God."
I know a lot about WWII - for a woman my age. Books, movies, teevee, stories. This series has brought home the horror to me all over again. And the wars don't stop. Sweetie says wars happen because of men. Men have always and forever (?) fought for wealth, status, power. It is their nature. He says that it's just like two male bunnies fighting - only on a larger scale.
For me, it's horrible.
When we went to the Patton Museum, Sweetie was enthralled with the tanks; the power and force, etc. etc. (They have the largest tank collection in the world, I think.) He put himself into the aggressor's shoes; the person in the tank. Me, I was in the regular person's shoes. I imagined the tanks from the weaker position. Being run over by the tank.
We have C 130s fly over us a lot. Maybe three or four in a line. C 130s fly low and slow and make a deep rumbling noise individually. In a group, they rattle the windows. It's awe inspiring. I imagine having a thousand planes flying over, dropping bombs on me. I imagine being on the ground and seeing the sky filled with death machines.
So, I'm depressed today. I'm glad the show won't be on again until Sunday. But I will watch it. Even if it gives me bad dreams again.
Otherwise, this is Floppy, the wry neck bunny. Sometimes I call her Fosdick. She escaped from her little corral last week into the larger enclosure and it seems to be doing her good. Her head doesn't tilt so far to one side anymore. I think she is actually getting better! She's getting around far better than I ever thought she could.
Percival likes her.
Also, some acid crazed spider got aholt of my shawl and did bad things. I have started over.
And it did rain.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Knit and Hook
Still hot here, ninety-five degrees. Geez Louise. However, it should be 5 or so degrees cooler tomorrow and yet again we are being teased with a chance of rain. Percival keeps his cool, though. (I missed the shot of him on his back in the hole, little feet up in the air.)
I clipped Silky today. Sweetie dubbed him Sicky last year - but then he got better and so got a better name, too. He is silky. A good wooler, as they say. Bunny clipping season is just around the corner. Oh boy. One down, thirty something to go.
Still knitting the new shawl. There is something to be said about swatching, that something usually being "Don't need to" followed by "I should have." I mean, I should have at least tried a sample of the pattern alteration I made instead of spending an hour knitting two rows and then 4 hours unknitting those two rows. Lace, with its yarn overs and knit 2 togethers, behaves weirdly if one switches places of the yarn overs and knit 2 togethers. Who knew? But I got it figgered out and I am liking the change. I guess I better because I'm moving forward with this thing. You can't see the change in this picture, though, because it was taken last week. The green is gradually getter darker as the shawl gets longer.
Also, I meant this shawl to be a half circle. But because of one extra pair of yarn overs every eight rows well....who knew?
Click here for the low down on an Alabama prostitution ring.
I clipped Silky today. Sweetie dubbed him Sicky last year - but then he got better and so got a better name, too. He is silky. A good wooler, as they say. Bunny clipping season is just around the corner. Oh boy. One down, thirty something to go.
Still knitting the new shawl. There is something to be said about swatching, that something usually being "Don't need to" followed by "I should have." I mean, I should have at least tried a sample of the pattern alteration I made instead of spending an hour knitting two rows and then 4 hours unknitting those two rows. Lace, with its yarn overs and knit 2 togethers, behaves weirdly if one switches places of the yarn overs and knit 2 togethers. Who knew? But I got it figgered out and I am liking the change. I guess I better because I'm moving forward with this thing. You can't see the change in this picture, though, because it was taken last week. The green is gradually getter darker as the shawl gets longer.
Also, I meant this shawl to be a half circle. But because of one extra pair of yarn overs every eight rows well....who knew?
Click here for the low down on an Alabama prostitution ring.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Crazy
Still hanging out with my crazy - and it may get worse. Looks like the investment company that bought Sweetie's workplace last year was a "strip and flip" sort of outfit. In other words, squeeze as much money as possible out of the operation and then dump it. If the company is to be sold or merely closed, we don't know yet. We are both, at the moment, being philosophical about it. I mean, if you would ask Sweetie where he would want to be in five or ten years, he would say, "Not working for these people." Me, I'm kinda happy about not having to work. But I will if so needed. There's no reason to get our panties in a bunch until we know what all is going on.
In the meantime, I'm knitting my anxieties away on the green shawl. I'll have pictures next post.
I also took in another refugee bunny. Sigh. The owner got pregnant and they moved and blah blah blah. She is a cute, grey and white Netherland dwarf and acts much nicer than the boy dwarves. Claudia is currently caged and in the kitchen until Sheila warms up to her. She may or may not be the third house bunny, depending on Sheila. I know that Heizen will take to her.
You know, I get such a deep satisfaction out of taking care of the bunnies. They keep me calm and sane. (Except for when they make me nervous and crazy. Which isn't often.) The bunnies are such quiet, soft, contained little things and they will sit mostly patiently in my lap for grooming or clipping. I hope that they sense goodness from me; that I won't harm them.
On the shameless self-promotion front, I'm working on packaging for the 300 goodie bag items for the SOAR retreat. (Presentation is 90 per cent of sales after all.) The acronym stands for Spin-Off's Autumn Retreat. Anyhoo, it is an opportunity to distribute samples and promotional material to 300 dedicated and socio-economically gifted hand spinners from across the country. My "goodies" will need to ship Oct. 1. What with Sweetie's work situation, I am now hoping that it will generate a few sales.
It's still hot and dry here, but it's not such a horrible heat because it cools down at night to the 50s or 60s. We had 4 inches of rain in August, so our grass and greenery is not completely dead - but I can't remember when we got that last inch. Water holes for cattle are almost completely dry. It's worse further south which I noticed on the drive to the family reunion. No rain is forecast until Tuesday. Did you hear that the ice in the Northwest Passage has melted for the first time in 350 years? Fuck. I'm glad I'm old.
Older Brother has corrected me about the first known date of our ancestor, Ambrose H., Sr. He has been tracked to 1750. His son, Ambrose H., Jr. settled in the Tennessee county that I was born in c.1810. That still sort of freaks me out. My parents once told me that if I threw a rock in that county, I would hit a relative. Now I know why.Crazy
In the meantime, I'm knitting my anxieties away on the green shawl. I'll have pictures next post.
I also took in another refugee bunny. Sigh. The owner got pregnant and they moved and blah blah blah. She is a cute, grey and white Netherland dwarf and acts much nicer than the boy dwarves. Claudia is currently caged and in the kitchen until Sheila warms up to her. She may or may not be the third house bunny, depending on Sheila. I know that Heizen will take to her.
You know, I get such a deep satisfaction out of taking care of the bunnies. They keep me calm and sane. (Except for when they make me nervous and crazy. Which isn't often.) The bunnies are such quiet, soft, contained little things and they will sit mostly patiently in my lap for grooming or clipping. I hope that they sense goodness from me; that I won't harm them.
On the shameless self-promotion front, I'm working on packaging for the 300 goodie bag items for the SOAR retreat. (Presentation is 90 per cent of sales after all.) The acronym stands for Spin-Off's Autumn Retreat. Anyhoo, it is an opportunity to distribute samples and promotional material to 300 dedicated and socio-economically gifted hand spinners from across the country. My "goodies" will need to ship Oct. 1. What with Sweetie's work situation, I am now hoping that it will generate a few sales.
It's still hot and dry here, but it's not such a horrible heat because it cools down at night to the 50s or 60s. We had 4 inches of rain in August, so our grass and greenery is not completely dead - but I can't remember when we got that last inch. Water holes for cattle are almost completely dry. It's worse further south which I noticed on the drive to the family reunion. No rain is forecast until Tuesday. Did you hear that the ice in the Northwest Passage has melted for the first time in 350 years? Fuck. I'm glad I'm old.
Older Brother has corrected me about the first known date of our ancestor, Ambrose H., Sr. He has been tracked to 1750. His son, Ambrose H., Jr. settled in the Tennessee county that I was born in c.1810. That still sort of freaks me out. My parents once told me that if I threw a rock in that county, I would hit a relative. Now I know why.Crazy
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Here are some lovely lace patterns to buy. I especially like the Dragone.
You know, I do work - every so often, that is. Lately I have been cranking out fiber sausages like these.
I'm really digging the saturated jewel colors! This blend is equal parts merino, alpaca, angora and silk. Delicious. At the end of the month, I'll be sending 300 little packages of Fuzzarelly Fibers for the goodie bags at SOAR (Spin-Off's Autumn Retreat.) Hopes are that some sales will be generated - just not too many! I don't want to work all that hard.
The weather has turned comfortable. It was 50 degrees this morning and all the bunnies are feeling fine. The four little outside babies have grown. They also dug out of the back yard enclosure and are now true yard rats. Well, I kept them safe during their most vulnerable months and I still put out pellets and water for them. It's amusing to watch them ass around - chasing, eating, playing and humping. Pretend humping so far. Once in awhile, Millie Cat stalks them or Buster lopes around but the bunnies ignore them both.
Today I am a gui-tard. Ha Ha! Lessons are going well except for my total lack of practice. In school, I never practiced the clarinet or the oboe and was good enough to get As. I want to do well but without any effort - like the total slacker I am. However, I do get my money's worth because even if I am a slow learner, it gets me out of the house every week for something not grocery related.
Right now, my crazy is here. The hermit/anxious/phobic sort of crazy. The sun, all of a sudden, seems to plummet to the western horizon every evening. That's the precursor to my fall/winter depression. Which probably explains the crazy anxious. feeling.
You know, I do work - every so often, that is. Lately I have been cranking out fiber sausages like these.
I'm really digging the saturated jewel colors! This blend is equal parts merino, alpaca, angora and silk. Delicious. At the end of the month, I'll be sending 300 little packages of Fuzzarelly Fibers for the goodie bags at SOAR (Spin-Off's Autumn Retreat.) Hopes are that some sales will be generated - just not too many! I don't want to work all that hard.
The weather has turned comfortable. It was 50 degrees this morning and all the bunnies are feeling fine. The four little outside babies have grown. They also dug out of the back yard enclosure and are now true yard rats. Well, I kept them safe during their most vulnerable months and I still put out pellets and water for them. It's amusing to watch them ass around - chasing, eating, playing and humping. Pretend humping so far. Once in awhile, Millie Cat stalks them or Buster lopes around but the bunnies ignore them both.
Today I am a gui-tard. Ha Ha! Lessons are going well except for my total lack of practice. In school, I never practiced the clarinet or the oboe and was good enough to get As. I want to do well but without any effort - like the total slacker I am. However, I do get my money's worth because even if I am a slow learner, it gets me out of the house every week for something not grocery related.
Right now, my crazy is here. The hermit/anxious/phobic sort of crazy. The sun, all of a sudden, seems to plummet to the western horizon every evening. That's the precursor to my fall/winter depression. Which probably explains the crazy anxious. feeling.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Here is a tutorial for weaving in ends as you go. Photo heavy, but clear instructions.
I have been knitting a little bit. Finished the latest pair of socks, which took a little longer than anticipated because I changed a few things.
Removed the little stripe up the back as it was too bulky and it pooched out in an unattractive manner. Also reknit the cuff because one was too tight for comfort. Seems like I need to practice the tubular cast on some more. I needed a very elastic bind off and I used on I found online. I am sorry that I don't remember where I found this - was it Fleegle's blog? - but I saved it for just such an emergency. It is quite stretchy but cute.
I have also begun a cape/shawl garment. It is essentially a shawl but with shaping for the neck. Gave myself a headache trying to find some pattern in my several books and magazines that rocked me. Something not too hard but not too mindless. I have always liked this leaf motif and so worked up a chart using it, working from the neck down. It seems to work well with this yarn, a lace weight merino from 2 years ago when I was first trying to knit lace. I figured that if my idea sucked, I could just throw it away. No, not really. I am too cheap to throw away much of anything of value, however marginal. I do think I will over dye the yarn in deeper shades of green.
Buster says "Hi!"
I have been knitting a little bit. Finished the latest pair of socks, which took a little longer than anticipated because I changed a few things.
Removed the little stripe up the back as it was too bulky and it pooched out in an unattractive manner. Also reknit the cuff because one was too tight for comfort. Seems like I need to practice the tubular cast on some more. I needed a very elastic bind off and I used on I found online. I am sorry that I don't remember where I found this - was it Fleegle's blog? - but I saved it for just such an emergency. It is quite stretchy but cute.
I have also begun a cape/shawl garment. It is essentially a shawl but with shaping for the neck. Gave myself a headache trying to find some pattern in my several books and magazines that rocked me. Something not too hard but not too mindless. I have always liked this leaf motif and so worked up a chart using it, working from the neck down. It seems to work well with this yarn, a lace weight merino from 2 years ago when I was first trying to knit lace. I figured that if my idea sucked, I could just throw it away. No, not really. I am too cheap to throw away much of anything of value, however marginal. I do think I will over dye the yarn in deeper shades of green.
Buster says "Hi!"
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