Monday, January 18, 2016

Is It Cold Enough For Ya........



Another ridiculous question asked all too frequently at this time of year in the Northwoods.  Pppfffftttt.   Makes you want to smack someone in the face....if only you could move your frozen arm into a 45 degree angle and forward with force.

Anywho.....yes, after a very, extremely mild beginning to winter, we are where we always find ourselves in January and February.   It has been -25 degrees overnight for the past few nights...reaching 0 during the day.  We've been lucky, though....no strong winds added to the mix.....just yet.  Then we're looking at 30 - 40 below.  Yeah, you've heard all the horror stories on the Nightly News.

This is the first week since Christmas that I can actually, aimlessly, putz around the house wondering what to do, what to do.  So....I'm trying to spin and knit.  Finished a hat and scarf that was sent to Limbo before the holidays.  And then had the brainstorm to try a pair of colorwork socks.  Which are almost finished.






Now I have to plan the next project.  I'm spinning some random fiber picked up at a yarn store some months ago.  And I have to get started on spinning the yarn for a wedding shawl I want to knit for our granddaughter.  The wedding date hasn't been set yet, thank goodness. 

Speaking of which....she returned from Kuwait a week before Christmas, had to spend a few days in Texas for out-processing, and got to MN just a few days before the holidays.  She and fiancé came up on New Year's Day and stayed overnight.  We had a great Christmas/NYD celebration.

And then 1 week later, they had found an apartment and were moving in that weekend.   We had all their things stored here while she was overseas and they had been staying with his parents a few months before she left.  

So we offered to load up all their belongings and bring them to the new place.  Otherwise, they would've wasted a day traveling back and forth, loading and unloading.  It's a 2 hour trip one way.   And after the great, uncommon temperate weather we'd been having....wouldn't you know it....yes, weather report says below temps that weekend with winds, double digits below 0.  Of course.  Why not.  I told her we would unload the van, take the tour of the apartment, and leave for home.  We did.  It was 14 degrees in her town when we left;  at 3:30pm when we got home, 2 hours away.....it was -3.  Minus 3.  Yeah.  We made the right decision.

But we got the job done and they were very thankful and appreciative.  We were very happy to be able to do this for them.  I also loaded up 3 grocery bags of food and the picnic cooler too.  Just so they wouldn't have to worry about running to the store first thing to stock up.  Cereal, pancake mix, syrup, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, crackers, salsa/nacho cheese, homemade bread and hard rolls, ketchup, mustard, mayo, sugar, salt and pepper.   Lunchmeat, cheeses, bacon, eggs, milk, butter, hamburg, and a big bucket of homemade chicken and rice soup.   Food.....that's how I roll.

Yesterday I started a group on FB....."For the Love of Irish.....Aran Knitting".   Got 27 members already and some great discussions and comments.  This is going to be fun!!  I love Aran knitting and couldn't find a group.  I do belong to 10 different fiber, spinning, knitting groups but nothing this specific.  Although, it's not intended to be strict.   So if you're looking for something different....check it out.  The more, the merrier.


I should really be doing some house cleaning (spits on the floor), but I'm just too busy....and it's waaaayyyy too cold outside, which means BH is in the house with me 23 1/2 hours a day (someone's gotta bring in the wood and empty the compost bucket.....and it ain't me, babe!)  You know or can imagine what it's like to have a man....a retired man.....in the house with you...23 1/2 hours a day !  Yeah.  It'll make your head spin!  And I'm still recovering from all the holiday/post holiday hoopla.  Ehhhh....maybe a little dusting and run the vacuum today.  Yesterday it was cleaning the bathroom and straightening up the house.  Tomorrow it'll be laundry; Wednesday, grocery shopping.  You have to build up the stamina slowly. It's the only way.

 
  
 

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I see you survived the the Holidays, and have migrated into the new year in find form. Congratulations to your Granddaughter. I hope she has a long and happy life with her intended. You are very generous with your time and energies, and I'm glad they appreciated all you did for them.

Have fun with your spinning and knitting. The new hat, scarf and socks look great!! :)

Linda said...

Hi Sandie!! How've you been? How were the holidays for you? You are truly missed here in Blogland. You are such a gracious and talented lady. Whatcha been doing lately? I miss seeing all your beautiful projects and reading about what's going on in your neck of the woods.

I pray your health is good and life is treating you well. Give me a nudge once in a while, let me know you're ok. My email address is: llrjm@hotmail.com, if you care to correspond. Otherwise, I'll be looking forward to hearing from you once in a while on the blog.

And thank you for your very thoughtful comments. Take care of yourself! Stay warm and healthy. Linda Morosey

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

After reading those temps, I had to check where you live. I always read that the people of MN are the happiest people in the country. Maybe it is because your faces are frozen in a smile.

Linda said...

LOL! That could be, Arleen. But the great thing about MN is after winter, we're still smiling.....because we're soooo happy that it's over! We do love our other 3 seasons, too, and try to cram as much into them as we can. Hope your winter is a mild one! Stay warm and healthy.