Sunday, August 23, 2015

Absense Makes the Heart........

SING!!!!  Yeah...that's right.  Retirement 24/7/365 is not all it's cracked up to be.  Can I get an "amen"?  

So....BH is going to son's for the day.  They're going to chop wood (but it's raining now, and supposed to all day).  They'll probably sit and yammer all day.  I gave him a warning:  "DO NOT come home by noon!!"

We spend a LOT of time together.  Every day.  Every hour.  The only time I have to myself is when I get up in the morning at 4am till he rolls out of bed at 6 - 6:30.  Sometimes he's up at 5am....don't get me started.

I love him dearly!  Don't know what I'd do without him.  We've been together for 28 years...married for 26.  But COME ON!  It didn't used to be so bad....when I was working.  But then I retired.  Now I'm just tired.  Badabing, badaboom.  (old joke).

I do manage to get out with our daughter, taking her grocery shopping, to appointments and occasionally, we have a day out together.  One time, he suggested that he go grocery shopping with us so he can pack the bags (our grocery stores don't do that for whatever reason) and carry them.  Aaarrggghhhh......NO....that's ok; it's not that bad; I can manage.  Whew...escaped that one.

The poor thing.....he used to bowl every Thursday night.  But we had 2 teenage sons at home then.   He used to play softball every Monday night; quit that at 65 and became an Umpire.  That was great!!  He was gone 2 nights a week, just about every weekend....for.....hours!!  He gave it up at 69 years of age. Fishing in the summer, too.  Just about everyday he would be gone...from 5am till sometimes 5pm or later. 

But health problems started rearing their ugly heads.  Neuropathy in his legs and hands.  He can't run any more and his hands shake so bad, it's difficult to manage fine motor skills.  No more fishing.   OMG!  I just realized....I sound like a real Bitch!!  Complaining about him being home all the time.  Well.....I feel like a Bitch today.  Sorry.

Anywho.....my plan is to clean the house today.  But I'm trying to talk myself out of it.  I haven't won yet.  Who wants to waste time cleaning house when you have the whole day to yourself.....to do whatever.....just relish the day.

Well, we're taking a trip back east in a week and change.  Visiting family.  Haven't been back there in 5 years.  It'll be fun.  Just the 2 of us.  Together.  24/7.  Again.  I'm thankful for small blessings.  No. Really. 

  

Monday, August 10, 2015

The Good....The Bad.....and the Aggravating !

Well how've you been?  Oh things are just great here (note: sarcasm).

We've been bopping right along.  After a bout of hot, humid weather, we finally had some decent temps, no humidity last week.  It was heaven!!  I got to bake 4 dozen hard rolls.  Good thing, too, because we were on the last dozen.  This week's temps look pretty comfy, too.  We had a couple of nights in the 40's.  Yeah...bring it on!

Finally got to Skype for the first time with granddaughter last week.  What a kick that was.  Never used a web-cam before.  It was great seeing her face to face.  We talked for about 20 minutes.  She works 2nd shift, finishes at midnight.....which is 8 hours ahead of our time.  Well, by the time she ran to the PX, then went out in the yard to be under the flood lights so she could see better, it was 2:30am her time.  She's always been a "nightowl", so this is right up her alley.  

She sounds good, looks good (just a little tired, maybe), but everything is going along well for her.  She loves her job and is enjoying the camaraderie with her fellow soldiers.  6 more months, God willing.

BH and I have been keeping up with chores around here.  We finally emptied out all the boxes we packed a couple years ago for the big move.  Last week we got over to the old farmhouse (used for storage) and re-arranged everything else and cleaned up a bit.  Whew.....that's done.

So far the lawn mower is working great (fingers crossed every time).  And it was repaired with no charge to us.  A new pull cord and somehow the throttle spring was missing.....that's why it wouldn't start.  They replaced that too.   BH is in his element again, and all is right with the world.

I finally got into the totes with the hand knitted wear and pulled out the pieces that needed to have photos taken.  That's done.

Last week, I was visiting my very favorite fiber supply website when I see they're having a sale.....a 2 day sale.  Choice of merino, corriedale X or cheviot X.  OMG!!  I've been waiting for this!!  Told BH about it....."order 10 pounds" he says.  He's sooooo easy.   "no, that's too much; I'll just order 5....5 pounds will do it".   Ohhhh but merino!!  Ohhhh but I really need corriedale.   After a few minutes of discussion, it was decided by him and I......4#s of corriedale and 4#s of merino.  Yes!!

So, now I had to go through my stock and see what can be re-packed to make more room.  This is not an easy task.  But it was done.  Thursday the fiber arrived. Mmmmmm......luscious fiber !!

I love to dye the corriedale.  The merino is for a special project.  Well, 1/2 of it anyway.   I've been thinking for months.....I want to make our granddaughter a Wedding Shawl.  I have some silk that's been waiting for the perfect project; and a LOT of crystal beads.  I've been perusing websites and books for shawl patterns.  I have a handful to choose from.   In a month or so, I will start blending the silk with the Merino and prepare it for spinning.  Probably start around the holidays if not right after.  Granddaughter is scheduled to come home at the end of January.  And it takes about 6 months to plan a wedding properly, right?

OK.  So you know that into every life a little rain must fall.  Well, it came our way on Saturday afternoon....through the night....all night.  Only it wasn't just rain.  No sir.   It was a friggin' monsoon.  It was so bad, daughter and I went on a shopping excursion an hour away in the morning.  By 3pm as we were on our way home, it hit.  It took us 2 hours to get home.  We stopped twice because I couldn't see the road and the highways were flooding.  What an adventure!!  By the time we were a couple miles from home, we could laugh about how crazy it was.  All the streets in our neighborhood were getting flooded.

Well, yesterday morning, BH takes some things over to the storage house, comes back and tells me there's water all over some things; he had to wipe it up.  WHAT???  Did it come through the windows??  No. He didn't think so.  Did it come through the door?? No. He didn't think so.  "Come over with me and take a look; you'll know what I'm talking about", says he.  Well. Well. Well.  What the hell happened???  The ceiling is buckled and water is dripping through in large areas, in numerous places.  There's a 2nd floor on this building.  But how did water get through to the first floor if there's no water upstairs???  Aaarrrgghhhh.

Well, we cleaned up, covered up, moved things.  And then we went outside.  And I looked up at the roof.  And there it was.   The torrential winds and rains had ripped up the roof right over the door, about 3 ft. wide and long.  Oh the wood is still there.  Only it's in splinters and raised up (ripped up).  Ok.  Now what??

After a cool-down, gathering of thoughts, we discussed and concluded that a new roof was going to have to be done.  So we called our son.  This is his profession.  He told us what the options will be.  We're going with a steel roof.  He's going to talk to his boss and get his input.  Because the roof is at least 75 years old (that's right....75), and no one can, for sure as hell, stand on the roof without fear of breaking through somewhere.

We're praying for good weather all this week, because it probably won't be gotten to until the weekend.  And then I hear on the radio this morning......possible rain showers tomorrow night and Wednesday morning.  Oh what the hell. 

And I live by these words:   "Nothing's so bad that it can't be worse".  It's my mantra.

And now for something completely different:

Blue/grey twisted rib tube socks

 Brown ombre watch cap and scarf
 Green/grey twisted rib tube socks
 Maroon/grey twisted rib tube socks
 White Border Leicester/w iridescent Firestar  Cabled vest

 Embossed, brass-tone buttons

I LOVE this pattern!  It's my 4th(?) vest, different colors of course.

The tube socks are really fun to knit, too.  I've gotta do more of those. 

Wishing you all a fantastic week!