skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Yep....that's how we feel. From a beautiful, abnormal January right into the February deep freeze. Funny how from one month to the next can change your whole attitude and outlook.
Well, the sweater knitting is still in progress. Working on the right side now; still have the back and left side to do. I try to knit sweaters in the round even if the pattern doesn't call for it. I hate seaming. And while it seems like you're knitting and knitting forever and getting nowhere, when you stop and put it all in perspective, the whole sweater is 1/2 done. Not just a section. And that's a good feeling.
I didn't tell you that granddaughter who's in the National Guard got her notice last month. She's being deployed to Kuwait in May; she'll be gone for 7 - 8 months they say. Only 20 from her unit got the order. And they're all helicopter mechanics. She's too smart for her own good.....and I'm sick at heart.
She called last night to say that the situation with her roommates has escalated; that she and her boyfriend will be moving out of their rental next weekend instead of April 1. Apparently, the roommates (her girlfriend and that boyfriend) have no consideration for other's property. They have stolen a lot of granddaughter's house wares and locked it in their room; they don't do chores nor clean up after themselves. They use all paper products and toiletries that granddaughter purchases for her own use and take food from the fridge that is not theirs. And to top it off, the other couple are consummate Pot Heads! She says she can't stand that smell in the house anymore. Geezzzz.....
This kid just can't catch a break. So she asked if we could store her household things. She and her boyfriend will be moving in with his parents until she leaves for Kuwait. They're planning on bringing everything up next weekend for us to store.
Next weekend we'll be moving daughter into her apartment here in town. I see myself being there every day for at least a week unpacking and setting up.
The first weekend in March, we have an informational meeting/luncheon to attend sponsored by the Army. We're supposed to learn what's happening with our soldiers and what to expect; what we can and cannot do, etc. So it's going to be an overnight stay at a hotel near the Cities. We have to leave Friday; the meeting is Saturday starting at 9:00am. I just hope our daughter is settled and comfortable enough in her new digs that there won't be a problem.
Oh....the weather.....well, tomorrow I go to daughter's to finish the packing and some cleaning. Tonight's low is expected to be -18 with wind chill of -25 to -45. Tomorrow's high....-1. Notice the "minus" in front of all those numbers.
Doesn't it figure? Running in and out of the apartment building with boxes, TVs, groceries and other assorted boxes and bags. Crap.
The plan is to bring her back here on Monday. She'll stay until next Friday when she signs the rental agreement and can move in. But BH and I have discussed that I might have to stay until Tuesday....he doesn't see how I'm going to get all that done in 1 day. Secretly.....neither do I. My energy level and perseverance isn't what it used to be. Egad.
Well, I hope you all are braving the elements, staying safe and warm. I know....it's miserable everywhere. There's no escaping it this year.
Spring is right around the corner. What corner......I'm not sure.
Well....it's still winter. We got our 2nd big snowfall of the season...dumped about 5 or 6" Monday. And it's snowing again today. The temps have dropped significantly this past week...single digit highs during the day; double digits minus at night. Sheeesh.
I miss my hibernating season. I don't think it's going to happen this year. Too. much. to. do.
Getting all the arrangements made for daughter to move to our town. One more week and then we'll be moving her lock, stock and barrel. Then it'll probably take most of March to get completely set up and decorated. You know, when you're helping a daughter set up an apartment...there's soooo many things needed. I foresee many trips to the big box stores for this and that.
I joined 3 fiber groups on Facebook. Yeah. I couldn't help myself. Reading their blogs, seeing their pictures....I just had to jump in. They are great groups, though. But I probably didn't need this distraction right now because of this:
The sweater for my SIL. As you can see, I still have a few inches to go on the body before decreasing for the raglan sleeves. And knitting 200+ stitches takes a very....long....time....per....row. Especially with all the cabling.
Then, this week, I went and did this:
My favorite fiber supplier was having a BIG sale. Well....I had to jump into that too. Ordered 5#s of Ashland Bay corriedale X. To add to the 3#s I bought on sale 2 months ago. That also added to the 5#s of Cheviot that was on sale shortly after that. When BH asked how many pounds of wool I think I have, I just start laughing hysterically. Then I tell him it's my legacy to him....if anything happens to me, he can make a LOT of money selling all the fiber and supplies. So, see....really, it's all like an insurance policy.....made out of fiber.....and wood.
Then my sister doesn't help any. We play scrabble on FB every morning before she goes to work. Well, there's an hour or better of wasted misdirected time. Then there might be someone who wants to "chat" for a bit. If it's my girlfriend from NY, that could mean another hour or so. Now it's time for breakfast, a little housework, laundry, maybe an hour of knitting, and lunch. Then a nap. Not a good, rejuvenating hibernating nap....just a couple hours.
After supper, BH suggests a movie, a documentary, or a series we have on Netflix. There are only 3 shows we watch on network TV during the week. Everything else is Netflix streaming.
Well, I had to lay the law down last night. I told him I don't see why we have to watch TV every night. He's going to have to sit alone watching while I do some spinning or knitting, possibly in another room. I just can't be wasting any more time. He agreed. So...tonight.....no TV. We didn't really plan any other nights sans TV just yet. Let's just take it one at a time and see how it goes.
Now it's time for that hour of knitting and then it's lunch time. And then.....
Wow. That's all I can say. Life certainly does get in the way.
So how's everybody been? We made it through the drudgery of Fall clean-up, fix-up, ready-for-winter stuff. Christmas was nice enjoyed a couple of days....even though only 1/2 of us were here, but that's a story for another time.
Our winter has been....unwintery. A few subzero days here and there, one or two big snowfalls some time ago. But for the most part, pretty mild temps considering it's northern Minnesota...and most of our snow is gone. Gone! I hope it stays like this for the rest of the season.
There's been some spinning, knitting, fiber dyeing these past few months. You know, it's been so long since I posted that I can't remember if I posted pics of my Aran sweater and the dreaded maroon/white vest.
The sweater is of my own hand painted fiber, 2 different patterns, then blended on the blending board. I love it!! The vest turned out ok...too small for me, but maybe someday I'll know someone who would like it.
And there's been socks, hats, scarves knitted up along the way.
Now I'm working on another Aran sweater. This for my sister-in-law, requested by my brother as a surprise for her. It is proving to be a real challenge. I LOVE knitting Aran, but for some reason, this one I'm just not feeling. He wanted it for Christmas (this notification came just before Thanksgiving), told him it ain't gonna happen, but did say probably Valentine's Day.
Yeah.....that ain't happening either. So he said possibly no latter than Mother's Day. Yeah......we'll keep that in mind; I'll let you know how it's going. Secretly....I'm thinking....probably by her birthday at the end of August. Just. Not. Feeling. It. It's bumming me out.
It was my first attempt at dyeing with tea and coffee (separately, of course). Oh, the fiber turned out gorgeous! Coffee became a beautiful light "honey gold" and the tea became a very nice "buff". So I plied 1 bobbin of each with a bobbin of white. I'll have about 15 bobbins when all said and done, roughly 200 (+ - ) yards each. But my brother tells me she's quite large, without getting into specifics other than measurements here and there. I hope I have enough yarn. I think this is a major factor in the "not feeling it" syndrome.
Well, we're taking our house off the market. After 1 1/2 years, and 1 prospect brought by the realtor, we're saying "uncle". We really don't mind....BH has always wanted to stay here. Yeah, me too, kind of.
But to make it more palatable, our daughter is moving here in a couple of weeks. Oh, not here but at the income-restricted apartments that are 1 block from us!!! Yay!!!! No more driving an hour to see her; no more staying overnight at her place; no more calls late at night from her with supposed medical issues; no more dealing with independent living coaches that DON't. Do. Their. Job!!
Yes, so after the last medical scare, we finally convinced her to move to our town. We played it up big time! All the advantages, all the time we can spend together, all the positives of being closer for her. And she was hooked. Thank God. I've been working on this for the past couple of years.
So the next few weeks will be a whirlwind of activity. She'll be settled in by the time the really good weather is here to stay.
Other than that, not much else has happened. Hopefully, I can get back to posting on a regular basis. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of stories to tell you about the Big Move. Stay warm and healthy. Till next time.......
