Update......

Nope.  It's Merino.  6#s.  Dyeing the last 2 today.  Trying for light brown with splashes of light pink and maroon. I'm doing the overall brown with tea bags; never dyed with them before.  Fingers crossed.

I'll post pictures of the green....2#'s painted and 2#s ombre soon.  Gotta download them from the camera.

I think I've got about 5#s of white Border Leicester yet.  Ooohhhh, envisioning more colors!

Have a great weekend!

All is Right with the World....

Well, here in my world.  Things are starting to get better.  But...next shoe to drop?  I pray not.

I found the buttons!  Yay!  About the 6th box, there they were.  Happy dance.  Quickly got them sewn onto the vest.  Another project done.

The socks are finished, washed and should be dry enough to put away today.

I'm dyeing.  Wool.  The tote says "Shetland", but I'm thinking it's Border Leicester roving.  It's not hairy like Shetland.  I know there's a lot of BL, maybe in another tote.  I haven't taken the time to go look.  I really need to keep my tags on the totes updated better.

Anywho, I've been dying (pun intended) for a green yarn.  So yesterday's batch is a pound of painted roving.  It turned out pretty good; I do like the colors.  Today is kettle dyeing another pound of solid dark green.  At least, I hope it'll be dark green.  It looked dark green when I poured it into the kettle; the roving looks dark green as it sits there waiting to be warmed and simmered.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

But if it comes out lighter than expected, well, there's a beautiful black roving that will just be blended in or plied with when spinning comes around.

Granddaughter called Thursday night.  She's feeling much better; the meds are working and she's been scheduled for physical therapy, which she says made her feel much better.

The issue with the new sargeants has been resolved.  The Sargeant Major confronted them and read the "riot act" to them.  Their attitude towards the soldiers has tempered down quite a bit.

Funny story she told me....it seems last Saturday they all got 1 hour of personal time.  A bunch of the guys had to get their hair cut at the base barber shop.  Being that there's quite a few of them and 1 hour wouldn't work, they started called their CQ, saying they would be late because of the wait.

This one nasty, cruel, ruthless sergeant  (one of the new ones) goes to the barber shop and starts screaming, cussing, degrading and belittling his men.  Lo and behold, there happens to be a Captain standing by...from a different platoon.  He makes a phone call to the company commander and then calls Brigade Headquarters and reports this a**hole.  Then he confronts the sergeant and in no uncertain terms "lays him out in lavender".

Everyone was so happy when they heard this.  Finally.  Justice.  So, needless to say, this particular sergeant has an attitude adjustment towards the company!

Don't you love it when those who seriously need it get their come-uppance!!  Thank you, Jesus.

So, back to granddaughter......she's feeling better, her company got their "green status" back, which means they can leave the base on the weekend, and her aviation instructor is giving her leaway to complete her course at her pace so she can graduate on time.   Thank you, Jesus.

I still pray every night.  Always have; always will.  Prayers for help, many prayers of thanks.  I pray for everyone and everything.  And sure enough, most of them are answered.

Well, Tuesday, BH and I are off to the Casino!!!  For an overnighter!!  It's going to be great getting away for a couple of days.  Knitting will accompany me.  I love it when I can go up to the room, relax, watch TV and knit.  BH can play all the BlackJack he wants, as long as he wants.  Me.....give me the peace and solitude of a comfy room and I'm happy!  Oh, I'll play the slot machines for a few hours, but then it gets boring and the surrounding noises start fraying my nerves.

Now....if my prayers could be answered for a.......jackpot!!

The Downfall of Being Earnest......

So.  As has been mentioned many times in this blog this past summer, our house is up for sale.  And in the summer, whilst cleaning, painting, repairing and replacing, I thought it a great idea to start packing away all that was not pertinent to every day living.

Now I pay the price.  Actually, I've been paying since the Fall.

When we were getting ready for our trip to South Carolina, we mapped out the course in the Atlas and road maps.  BH says..."you've got the Garmin, right?"   Ehhhh......no....it's packed away.

Wanting to make son and fiancé a quilt for Christmas, I sorted through and picked out the material.  Ehhh......the quilt patterns and books are.....packed away.

So, preparing for Christmas.  I could really use the 1 qt. slow cooker to keep the nacho cheese warm for snacks.  Packed away.

Can't hang any decorations on the walls because.....all the nails, screws, hangers were removed.  Holes were filled in and painting was done.  Don't want to go through that again this Spring.  Decorations cut to a minimum.

Now I take out the last vest I made in the Fall.  It needs buttons.  I have a good sized can of larger buttons.  All kinds.  Metal; stamped metal; iridescent; 2-hole; 4-hole; square and round; anything from 1" to 2".  Buttttt.....yep.  That can is packed away.

This wouldn't be so bad except when boxes were being packed, I marked each one with the room it would go into at the apartment.  You know, to make it easier for our boys who were going to help us move.

Yes.  The boxes are marked for the room.  But they're not marked with what's inside. Why did I do that??  How stupid was that!  Now as many boxes that say "Craft room" (maybe 3 - maybe 8) have to be opened, searched and resealed.

To add to the aggravation, the boxes are in storage at the old farmhouse.  Yes, it's just 50 feet away, but it's cold, no heat.  So with winter coat, bulky hat and gloves, packing tape and scissors in hand, we will venture over and start the search.

Why did I do that??!!  It's not like the thought of sewing didn't cross my mind many months ago.  Crap.

There's also a mystery.  While cleaning the curio cabinet before Christmas, all of a sudden it hits me.  "Where the hell is the little rocking chair that my granddaughter gave me for Christmas one year, when she was about 8 years old.  She bought it at "Santa's Secret Shop" in school.

Why on earth would I pack that little knick-knack, that wasn't taking up any room at all....inside the curio cabinet?  Just that.  Nothing else was packed.  Or.....did somebody steal it??

Well, it'll probably show up when we unpack in our new apartment....whenever.

I do know I will think twice when it comes to wanting to do more packing.

Or....I'll just say the hell with it all.....unpack and put everything back where it was.  Until the day.

And that's what being too earnest will get you.....3 steps forward;  8 steps back.

Waiting for the Next Shoe to Drop......

I am so upset, I just want to sit and cry all day.  My insides are in a twist. I feel helpless and extremely anxious because I want to do something; I need to do something.  I need to get this off my chest.

Our granddaughter called Saturday night.  She has been having an issue with her right hip since Basic Training.  But Friday, she was in such pain, she said her legs started shaking uncontrollably.  Her back has been bothering her for a month or so also.

She's been resisting going to the base clinic because she didn't want to be put on medical leave.  Her schooling would suffer, she wouldn't be able to complete the required courses within the time frame, and she would wind up staying longer than April in order to finish her training.

But Saturday she went to the base hospital and saw the doctor.  Xrays were taken and an examination was done.  She has 3 vertebrae that are turned inward; the results of the xrays won't be in until today.  The doctor put her on bedrest and prescribed Ibuprophen and a muscle relaxer; told her to use a heating pad as much as possible.  No marching; no PT; no bending or lifting.

And here's the rub.  Her platoon received 2 new sargeants after Christmas leave.  Apparently, the new sargeants are on a power trip.  Besides their breaking rules/regulations as far as the soldiers go, it seems the one (a female), is totally disregarding the doctor's orders.  She will not let our granddaughter go back to her dorm after chow or formation.  She insists that she partake in the hikes, marches, and PT.  She would not allow her to go to the PX on Saturday to buy a heating pad.

Now granddaughter says she is in more pain yesterday than she was when she went to the clinic.  And she's scared.  Scared to death that this is going to turn into something serious enough that she'll be discharged from the Army.  Scared that she won't be able to finish her courses on time and her training will be extended. 

She is in the Aviation Regiment.  She's training to repair the helicopters.  This means parts that weigh 50# + and her tool box that weighs 60#s; it involves torque wrenches that are 5 ft. long.  And that each trainee works by themselves...no partner. 

She is also 3rd in her class, she is smart, respectful, disciplined and "gung-ho". 

I want to rip somebody's face off.  The female sergeant first.

The whole company (3 platoons) have been complaining about their treatment since Christmas leave.  Saturday night they had a meeting with the Commanding Sargeant Major and voiced all the complaints.  He was pissed about the new sargeants to say the least.  Granddaughter said he apologized to them, said a lot of the actions the sargeants were taking were against regulations and that he would take care of the situation and the mistreatment would end.

So far, nothing has been done.  But she did say that yesterday the new sargeants were being very obvious is their different demeanor towards the soldiers.  Not a 360, but enough to know something was in the wind.

I feel so bad for her, it's like I'm so keyed up I need to DO something for her.  And all I can do is pray, pray, pray that everything will get right, she'll get the proper treatment for her back and be healthy.  And in the meantime, just keep giving her words of encouragement and positive thinking.

You may think I'm a little over the top on this.  But there's a bit of history here.  It would take another hour of writing to tell you all, but suffice to say, she is the oldest of 4; she was a straight "A" student in high school; she is kind and compassionate.  However, her mother, our daughter, has had mental problems almost all her life.  Bad life choices, bad relationship choices, nasty, vindictive and hateful.  4 days before high school graduation, she threw her daughter out of the house.  Why? Because our daughter was now pregnant with her 4th child, by a 3rd man, at age 41; by a man she barely knew in high school, that she re-connected with by Facebook.  A man who did time in prison for bank robbery, is a known drug dealer and user and lives 1/2 way across the country in New York. 

Our granddaughter was so upset when she heard the news, and then her mother tried to talk her into postponing her Basic Training so she could stay home and help with the new baby.  She refused.  So....she got thrown out.  The police were involved, so that she could get her personal belongings out of the house....she still had a few days of school left and a couple of exams to get through.  She went to stay with our son and his fiancé.  Her mother sent her off with this: "well, good luck getting your head blown off in Afganistan", and hasn't spoken, or had any contact with her since.

There are other bad, even horrible incidences that she has been through this past year and a half that would've broken any 18 year old kid with less stamina.  And yet, she doesn't smoke, drink, do drugs or chase after the guys.  She's focused, knows what she wants with her future, and is trying so hard to achieve her goals. This is definitely the last thing she needed.

Thank you for "listening".

Musings.......

** So, we're in the 10th (20th?) day of sub-sub zero, arctic temps.  It's supposed to be getting better tomorrow.  Like the song...."Tomorrow".  It's always "tomorrow".

** Now that all the Christmas finery is put away for another year and the house is relatively clean and in order, thoughts of getting back to spinning have been reeling in my head.

** I still consider myself on hiatus.  Therefore, it's difficult to actually sit down and spin.  Everything is set up....the wheel, the wool, the bobbin awaits where I left off.  Now just to find the "umpf" to get at it.

** Granddaughter left to return to duty at the Army base on Jan. 2.  We could not be there to see her off.  This causes me some anxiety and sadness.  Even though we said our "goodbye"s to her in person as we left son's to go home 2 days beforehand, there is still an emptiness in my heart.

** She will graduate from Army tech school April 10.  We plan on being there and bringing her home.  So, at least that brings excitement and joy.

** We were planning on picking her up and making a trip to New York to see family.  Unfortunately, that will have to be postponed.  She told me she has to report to the base in MN. within 72 hours of leaving the base in Virginia.  That makes me sad.

** Getting back to the weather.....there is probably 10 tons of ice on our roof.  I estimate it's about 6 - 8 inches thick.  With no sign of melting.  This is something I really can't spend too much time thinking about.  Just pray.

** On the other hand, when it does start to melt, BH will have to get up on the roof to push the ice blocks off.  This causes me anxiety.  We haven't had much snow; ice melting causes it to be quite slippery; his balance leaves something to be desired; he's 77 yrs old; this is one of the reasons why we were supposed to be in an apartment this winter!

** BH and I have been talking about going to the Casino for the past week.  He wants to make it an overnight getaway.  That's ok by me; just need to find the right time.  Hopefully before "cabin fever" sets in with a vengeance.

** Talked to the youngest son the other day.  He is working at a medical device manufacturing company.  He was hired through a Temp agency.  The second temp job he's had since losing his job of 3 years at an aeronautic device manufacturing plant.  Now he's worried because there have been rumblings that this place will be laying off workers very soon.  He worries that this is going to be a trend.....getting work through Temp agencies only....no permanently hired jobs.  No benefits.

** I'm worried.  Because at this stage of our life, we really don't want anyone living with us....again....and again......anymore.  There's a reason why birds nests lay in a heap on the ground after the little ones have flown the "coop".  A lesson from nature.  Where did the mom and dad fly off to?  Do you suppose they've moved in to the "kids" nest? Yeah. I don't see that happening.

** This son has been plagued with severe depression and anxiety for well over 10 years. He will be 35 this summer. All manner of physicians and medications have not given any long term reprieve.  Asked one time if any medical person suggested to him that he has Bi-Polar illness, he quickly retorted no.  Years ago this condition was called "Manic-Depression"......now it's "bi-polar".  Does that make it sound better?  Less threatening?  Less serious? Easier to treat? More socially acceptable? 

** How much fiber does a person need?  I'm 64 yrs. old.  I know my ride on the elevator is almost at the top.  So I toy with the idea of selling most of it, as well as a couple of wheels and some other supplies.  Seriously....how fast can a person possibly spin and knit?  In my case, not that fast. 

** Which brings another realization.  There are 6...yes, 6....storage bins of material - yardage - awaiting the scissors and sewing machine.  They've been waiting for.....oh.....5 years or so.  Quilts.  Quilts.  Quilts.  Oooohhh, the blocks......the colors.......the finished beauty.....dancing in my head.

** A rough estimate.....I would have to live to 120 years old in order to complete all the projects envisioned.

** Many, many years ago I was going through a time when I just wasn't feeling right for quite a lengthy period. Knitting my first attempt at an Aran sweater for my dad and creating my very first quilt for my mom as their Christmas presents.  I remember praying every day "please God, let me finish these gifts for them before I go".  Well, He did; I did; I'm still here.  Apparently there's another sweater or quilt or both that He has in mind.  Personally, I hope it's a few of each.

** I think I better hang on to all the fiber and sewing supplies for now.

This is The Day.....

So the holidays are over.  2013 is another notch on our chronological watch.  What does the new year hold in store?

Well, for starters.....today is the day the Christmas decorations come down.  It is the only day in the foreseeable future that will be above zero for daytime temperature.  Tomorrow the sh*t hits the fan again....and will last until......well, maybe until.....hell freezes over.

I like taking down the decorations as much as putting them up.  The house gets cleaned, it looks less cluttered, furniture gets put back in place, and the spinning wheels come out of hiding!  Then big plans are imagined.

Oh...then there's all the goodies.  Cookies, candies and fudge(s).  Yeah.  They need to be packed up and put into the freezers.  This is the job I do not care for.  I'd rather just chuck it all in the garbage.  First, BH would have a hemorrhage; second, this stuff costs a ton of money to make.  I do not like wasting money.  So, I will consider it all a jump start to next year's Christmas baking and making or we'll pick at it throughout the year.  Either way, it's all good.

There are numerous storage totes full of wool.  All kinds of wool.  Not to mention a 1/4 pound of silk purchased about 2 years ago and a 1/2 pound of iridescent "firestar" for blending.

Just before Christmas, I went to the storage house and brought the box will the dyes and equipment over to the "living" house.  I do so want to dye some wool!!

Right now I'm working on a pair of socks; the first one is just about done.  Then there's the poncho that's been sitting in the knitting basket since Thanksgiving.  A couple more inches and it should be finished....if memory serves correctly.

Tuesday I have to go to daughter's.  She has a dietician appointment Wednesday morning.  So we will undress her apartment Tuesday night and put the everyday back in its place.

We were going to go to the Casino on New Year's Eve day.  Didn't happen.  Then we thought maybe New Year's Day.  Didn't happen.  It's too friggin' cold.  It takes all the courage and strength we can muster just to get to the grocery store and post office.  Providing the car battery isn't dead.  That's another hassle you have to think twice about tackling.

So maybe our little jaunt will have to be postponed until Spring gets here.  Should be just in time for our wedding anniversary.....June 24.

Stay safe; stay warm; stay happy and positive.  "This can't last forever" (probably the  words spoken right before the last Ice Age hit).

The Week in Review

So Christmas is over, New Year's is upon us.  Everything was good.  We celebrated Christmas with 2 of the kids who were with us from the Eve until Friday.  Saturday we left for son and fiancé's down in the 'burbs of Minneapolis.

It was going to be the highlight of the season because our granddaughter was home on leave.  We had a great time!  And soooo happy to see her!  I took dinner down with us to alleviate the stress somewhat for them.  Two of our son's friends stopped by to visit and eat; granddaughter's BFF was visiting her and stayed overnight.

Around 11:00 pm, we got around to opening gifts.  Everyone enjoyed their presents.  Lots of "oohhs" and "ahhhhs"; lots of handmade gifts.

Saturday was a gorgeous day....lots of sunshine and temp in the low 4o's.  Happy weather!   But by late evening, there was a shift in the wind.  And we got a lot of wind!  Temps started plunging, and by the time we were heading off to bed, it was downright frigid!

Sunday proved the weatherman correct....below 0 temp with a double below 0 windchill.  And it never let up.

But not to worry (or try not to) because we had our new furnace at home.  The water pipes should be just fine.

It was a "hairy" ride home, those 3 hours and some.  Arctic temps, winds, a bit of snow blowing into white outs on the highway.  So we finally arrive, grab some things to take into the house, turn on the water right away......no......water.   Oh my God!!  BH proceeds to take the closet apart....because that's how we get to the water heater.  I'm opening the bottom cupboard doors in the kitchen, moving the infrared heater next to it.  BH gets out the hair dryer....because that's how we thaw out the frozen elbow at the water heater.

After a few minutes, he says "wait....there's no cold water?  The pipes aren't frozen inside the house....it's outside where the main line comes into the kitchen".

Soooo.......on with the boots, gloves, hat, Carhart jacket...and off he goes.  Only....the trap door is frozen shut, there's 2 feet of snow in front of it that needs to be shoveled away.  And the 2 huge rocks in front of the traps door that need to be moved, are frozen in the ground.  He now goes to the shed to get a hammer.

He'll need the hair dryer outside, so....the extension cord to the deck lights gets disconnected to be used on the other side of the house.  Only....most of the cord is on a reel.....which is frozen....so that needs to be brought in the house to warm and thaw.

After shoveling the snow away and much hammering on the rocks, he manages to gain access to the water line. 

An hour later, a few breaks to warm up in the house and a bit of trouble getting the hair dryer to work....success!  We have water!

What the hell did we bother with a new furnace for??  Well, actually, all the pipes in the house were warm and as it turns out, the freeze-up was outside.  It seems that even with warmth inside, if you have no basement, just crawl space under your home and if water isn't being used for 2 days in arctic, sub-zero temps..the outside line will freeze.

Remember.....you heard it here first.