I shall indeed live to knit another day. Central Air has been out of commission since Friday night. The repair man just replaced the blown capacitor on the outside unit and I am inside, waiting for the magic. It's 85 in here, with a window ac running, but it's better than being outside.



The heat has worn Buster out.



I go to the barn every afternoon around four to wet the bunnies ears with cool water because bunnies don't sweat. They use their ears as radiators to get rid of excess heat. I worry about them, but they seem to be doing okay. Yes, listless during the day and somewhat off their feed but I don't feel that they are in danger. I am going to clip Spot and trim a couple of others whose fur is over an inch long because the forecast is calling for even hotter temps later this week. Ick.

Finally received tags for my Kentucky State Fair entries. It had been so long that I had forgotten what all I had signed up for. Which was:

Handspun designer yarn w/swatch
Wool blend handspun
Best handspun natural colored wool
Best handspun merino, natural or white
All wool plied handspun yarn
Hand knitted socks
Hand knitted stole shrug wrap shawl or poncho
Any article knitted using handspun yarn

I still need to spin the white merino and the all wool, at least two ounces worth of each, and knit the swatch for the designer yarn. Entries are to be delivered this weekend, so I reckon I have enough time. And no, I don't live in Kentucky but I am in the Greater Louisville Area and so, I qualify.

I have enough yarn spun to begin another shawl (hot pink), but I began crocheting a linen shopping bag instead. Knitty, the latest edition, has a knit hemp(?) bag but I hate knitting non-stretchy yarn. Crochet goes so fast! And isn't a bitch. Pictures next post, but I am almost done with it. I did complete the socks.



Had my somewhat yearly physical last week. Except for my weight, I'm doing pretty good according to all of the medical personnel that examined me. My bad cholesterol is a little elevated, but my good cholesterol is way high! So there! I have a mammogram scheduled for this week and a colonoscopy in the works. Such is the joy of having lived to be fifty.

All of my life, like most women, I have struggled with and worried about my weight. But not anymore. I do not worry about it. (Thank you, anti-anxiety medz!) I eat healthy foods - whole grains, fruits, vegetables - and sometimes I eat pizza and nachos. I use real butter and whole milk. I don't buy low fat or sugar-free anything. Sweetie still thinks I am shapely and I am not unhappy with how I look. I look just fine, thank you. And if I ever do feel unhappy, I go to WalMart, walk around, and I come home with a great self image.

I have photos, but Blogger is having issues, so come back.

My life is so boring that I am not interested in it. So let me bore you.

I had been feeling pretty good. Had. Then yesterday, the allergies hit me up side the head again. I don't want to talk about it anymore.

The bunnies are all well, except for the little wry neck. His condition hasn't changed, but he eats and poops and moves around. Bobo's eye looks great, considering. And Ramsey's little brown is as tame as she is.





It's hot, high's around 90 degrees. I stay inside and knit on the socks. I got this far the first time, before I realized that they were too small. What is it with all the ripping out???




I've since finished the gusset on opus #2. The tubular cast on looks really good! This pair will go to the Kentucky State Fair.



And for you Buster fans out there, here is the Demon Dog hisself.

Etsy. Plus, Advise.

Guitar lesson today! Three chord stardom, here I come!

Please visit my other website. Look at the products page and click the link to my online store.

Please do this even if you don't care about spinning.

ADVICE TO LIVE BY

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. (Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.)

It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbors'newspaper, that's the time to do it.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a darkside and it holds the universe together.

Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else, so don't be
irreplaceable because if you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted; and if you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.

Everyone seems normal until you get to know them, so before you criticize
someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them,
you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

Never miss a good chance to shut up, as a closed mouth gathers no foot.

And remember, if youtell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

If you lend someone $20 and never see that personagain, it was probably worth it.

Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield so never test the
depth of the water with both feet and if at first you don't succeed - skydiving is not for you. (Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.)

focusing

I don't know what has gotten into me. Really. I actually worked on my other website today, editing content, adding photos and all that. I even investigated shopping carts and PayPal, until I remembered that I have an Etsy account already. Doh! I'll work more on it tomorrow since I will need to take photos of my fibers and then be prepared to spend serious time online, since I have dial-up. (High speed is still a pipe dream for this very rural, but developing county.)

I buried the little guy yesterday. He went peacefully. I am reminded of the scene from Lawrence of Arabia in which Lawrence has to execute a fellow whose life he had just saved. Essentially, the guy was meant to die; his number was up. (And by the way, wasn't Peter O'Toole absolutely gorgeous then?) NancyNeverSwept, rest assured that Anna won't be bred again. Of course, I didn't intend for her to be bred this time, but I reckon the girl just had to have it. And Stubby was quite studly. Valerie, thank you for all your comments. I do what I can for all my bunnies, big and little, angora and other. Sometimes my heart does break and sometimes I wonder why I do all this. But I love my bunnies, I like taking care of them, and they are wonderful creatures. Plus, I am trying to earn a little money off their fuzzy little backs. (See above.)



This is an old picture of Fuzzarelly, but as far as I am concerned, it speaks volumes.

I have been feeling good lately. Sweetie and I have laid off the booze for a couple of weeks now and I am convinced that I shouldn't pick it up ever again. On the other hand, I could also merrily drink myself to death, given any opportunity. Especially in the dark of winter. But it's high summer now and I feel fine.

The Good and Bad

After lunch yesterday, I hit a wall so I crawled into bed and was out almost immediately. Three hours later, I awoke - not knowing where I was or even what time or day it was. (I hate that disoriented feeling!) I remembered dreaming about road blocks or obstacles of some sort, but these things only slowed my companion(s) and me down - we continued our journey. Anxiety dream or warning? Either way, the dream seemed to say that shit will happen but all will be okay.

I haven't mentioned the yard babies in some time. Remember the little white lion head? That one has a sibling, a brown non-lion head that I have dubbed Bobo. They are Bambi's kits. Bobo developed some sort of wound on his left eye two weeks ago which at first I thought was just a bunny fight bite. It got worse over time but I was never able to get close enough to really see it. Neither Bambi nor her kits let me get close.

Then there is Ramsey, the girl who was slated to be python food. Ramsey is sweet and tame - she will let me scratch her head most days.




She had Stubby's babies underneath the apartment building next door. The first I knew of it was seeing four little guys (two black, one white and one brown) frisking on the concrete stoop over there. Of course, I put out pellets and water for them all.

A little over a week ago, I saw a white object on the hill by the apartments and sure enough, it was the white baby, still alive but hurting. He had developed wry neck and although I knew it was hopeless, I brought him home and made him comfortable. He's still with us but is not improving. Shortly after that, I was seeing only one black fella along with the brown one. I don't know what happened to the second black guy.

So, there were four baby bunnies on the loose and one of them, Bobo, needed attention. I set the live trap out back, baited with pellets - no dice. They weren't falling for it.

And then, I was able to capture the Apartment Brown. I was putting out pellets for them one morning and Brown came right up near me and began to nibble. Snatch! and into protective custody he went. He is just like his mom in temperament - sweet, calm and gentle. He had two bot fly larvae on his back, but otherwise seemed fine.



So. Yesterday. After I woke up from my sudden slumber and had gathered my wit, I went outside because it was so pleasant. (We had a cold front blow through Thursday night and the sky was clear and the temps were below normal for July, in the low 80s with a nice breeze.) I piddled around, checking on the critters. Ramsey and Lion Head were posturing, not exactly playing. I tried to get close but they always moved just out of reach. Then Ramsey sat on top of the Lion Head, completely covering him and I made my move. Snatch! and into protective custody he went.



A little later, I took some pellets up to the apartments and saw that the black one had ventured farther away than normal from its hidey hole. I approached him from the front. He didn't just bolt like he's done in the past, but he still wasn't letting me get too near. I gently chased him for about five minutes until he fell for the "Look at the left hand while the right hand grabs you" ploy. Snatch! and a squeal and into protective custody he went.



Only one left.

Sweetie quietly pointed out Bobo to me; he was by the back door with his mother. I thought, "Well, let's go for it." I tried to stay on his blind side but he was wary and I honestly didn't think I had a chance. He finally ran behind the day lilies by the house and under the redneck insulation where he was trapped. Snatch! and into the examination room he went. Instead of a huge festering wound with an infected eyeball that I expected, I found a ginormous bot fly larva just to the rear of his eye. The hole it left could have held a marble! Once the wound was cleansed, I could see that his eye was fine, really. There was no other injury - it had been the bot fly larva all along.



Can I say this? I feel pretty damn proud of myself! I captured, bare-handed, three bunnies in just over an hour. Four altogether. I was particularly happy to have the Lion Head in a cage because she is so unusual and being albino, she would not have lasted too terribly long in the wild. In addition to her "mane," she has long tufts of fur on her haunches and her hips. (Those look like saddle bags.) I'm also glad to have Bobo fixed up.

So. That's all good news. Now the bad. Anna Nicole's little baby is dying, in the same manner as her previous litter. Remember my feeling, my hunch? He has been less active. His fur isn't right somehow. This morning, I found him cool and still, huddled in a ball. He is too weak and uncoordinated to move. His eyes are dark.

The damn shawl...

...is done, blocked and everything.




Finished size is 52" x 20", enough to cover the shoulders and upper arms. The border turned out moderately well; I'd grade my effort a C+. If I were to knit this pattern again, I would be sure to have enough yarn to make it longer, at least 60". Also, on the border, I would have slipped the first stitch on each outside edge. Lastly, there are too many border repeats on the short ends, so I would reduce that number. (It only makes sense as there are fewer stitches vertically than horizontially.) Live and learn.

I had never made a shawl like this before, rectangular with a knitted on border. I rather like three sided ones, round and square ones made from the center out. These all can make good use of color changes. The first type, not so much. I have spun a half ounce already of hot pink Fuzzarelly Fiber, merino/angora/silk. Not to beat my own horn, but this stuff is so easy to spin and to spin fine, at that.

Socks are what I will make next, though. I need to make something small and I'll use Trekking XXL in a pretty self striping pink and grey. I plan to use a tubular cast on this time, as I found this tutorial online. Looks easy enough.

Today, I had my first real guitar lesson. I practiced diligently during the winter and early spring and then...I lost focus. Also, my calluses. The teacher has experience in all genres of music and likes to teach each student what that student wants to learn. Me, I'm of the garage band/front porch type, so I have my three chords in 3/4 time to work on for next week.

I am guarded as to the prospects of the baby. Nothing I can put my finger on - just a feeling. He's eating and all that. Mother's milk is drying up so I am supplementing with goat milk. I also let him out of his plastic tub for a constitutional after meals. Buster, as usual, is on duty.

More Bunny Stuff. Plus, Odd Bits

The baby's eyes are open and he's scootin' around.



Kola was suggested for the unnamed January bunny. I like it, but it made me think of Koko, which was dog that my x and I used to have. But then I thought of KoKola and I loved that! If you are from the south, you understand.

I am still clipping bunnies; guess there might be five left to do. Let me tell you - I'm exhausted. It's been all bunnies, all the time lately.


c
How people treat you is their karma. How you react is yours.

Which reminds me of my late friend Jeff: He died as he lived -- in his sleep.

Alcohol Was Involved (From News of the Weird)
Andres Vasquez, 20, of Verona, Ky., initially told the 911 operator in May that someone had "thrown" his truck on top of him, but he finally admitted he was drunk, had had a one-vehicle accident, was trapped upside-down and was in dire pain, fading in and out for over two hours to the dispatcher. The operators pleaded the entire time for Vasquez to just say where he was so that they could send a rescue party, but, as the Kentucky Enquirer put it, "When repeatedly asked his location, (Vasquez's) answer was always the same: 'I'm under the (expletive) truck.'" (He finally gave a clue and was rescued.) [Kentucky Enquirer, 5-18-07]