You want a good laugh?

   I'm writing this as soon as I got home, because I didn't want to forget it. I am not even eating my dinner until I get this down. I've been out most of the day today with my good knitting buddy, Kim. We went on a little road trip up to a LYS in Saugerties, which we've been meaning to do since forever. It was a very nice little shop, they have tea as well as yarn.


    After she dropped me off at home, I ran in the house to get my knitting, then went to visit my friend Bonny who's laid up after knee replacement surgery. She still has to get the other knee done later this year.


    After that visit, I went to the karate school to keep Kim company, as she is putting hours in just sitting there and knitting while the Cherub does her STORM(Special Team Of Role Models) Team time. They help out in all the classes, holding pads and such things.


    After a while, we decided it was time to go to the supermarket, the kid sitting in front of us either had really (REALLY) bad gas, or made a doodoo in his pants. SO off we went to the store.


    We separated, I went over to get my friend chicken, and Kim went to the salad stuff. when we reconnected a minute later, she told me about some crazy lady who has a lightning bolt drawn on her forehead. She said it looked like eyeliner, not a sticker. We walk past this woman, who was at the deli, and I see it too. We are both wondering how much of a Harry Potter fan are you, that you draw a lightning bolt on your forehead?


   We shrugged, and finished our shopping. As we were at the self checkout, I noticed a teenage girl had a lightning bolt on her forehead too. I wondered if the two ladies were perhaps together.  As we were walking out of the store, I had sudden thought. It's Wednesday, and Easter is coming.... "It's Ash Wednesday!!" I said to Kim. We both got laughing so hard, we were still giggling as we got back to the karate school.


    I remembered not because I was brought up a Roman Catholic, which I was; but because I have some facebook friends who are good Christians and have been posting about these things. I'm still amazed that we thought that woman was a Harry Potter fan. Chuckle, giggle, giggle. I think the Catholics are now convinced that I'm on the fast track to go to Hell. 

My Storm Day Activities

    Today it's snowing a whole freaking lot. We have at least 8 inches already, and it's gonna keep snowing until sometime tomorrow. I'd been waiting all day for our plow guy to call, so I could go out and clean off the Jeep so it can be moved so he can plow. (<-I know that's a horrible sentence) He called a while ago, said he would call me again when he was almost here. He didn't. He beeped. So I got dressed again and went out.


    The first time I went out to clean off the Jeep, it was really coming down. I cleaned off the front, then the sides and roof. By the time I finished the back and walked around to the front, it was covered again. WTF. He is a really nice guy (now, he was a brat when he was a kid), and when I expressed my fear of trying to break through the road berm, he even moved the Jeep for me!


    I came back inside and fixed myself a drink. Then I hear shoveling noises outside. I thought it was Hubs' friend Gene, who said he would come shovel me out later in the day. Imagine my surprise when it was our next door neighbor! He had borrowed our shovel yesterday and didn't return it. I was gonna go over and ask for it back, but no one has been home all day.


    Aside from all that, I've been mostly knitting today! I've made some real progress on my legwarmers. Between knitting and playing free cell, I'm managing to keep busy.


    I've also been keeping tabs on various family members who had to be out today. My daughter Sara didn't have to work, but her Hubs did. He's home safe and sound. Son Jesse didn't have to go in, but future daughter-in-law Julie did. I hear that they let her go home at noon. I know she's safe because she's posted photos of their snow accumulation on facebook.


   I know son James and his wife Jessica are safe too. My mom is safe because she didn't go anywhere. Friend Kim and her Cherub are home, still waiting for word on her mom, who should be arriving home from work very soon. I just got word that she's home!! Friend Bonny is safe for now, but she has to drive in to work later tonight. I will be anxious about her until I hear in the morning that she made it home safe.


    Once Hubs checks in tonight, then I'll know that everyone I care about most is safe. I didn't sleep very well last night, worrying about the snow, and if I would have to get to Sara's or not. So around noon, I got really sleepy so I went in to lay down and try to take a nap. I laid there for about an hour, but couldn't get to sleep. I kept hearing plowing noises that I thought was our guy. Eventually I gave up and got up.


    I've also been watching this really interesting show on Netflix. It's called The Following, and stars Kevin Bacon. Wow, it's really good. It was recommended to me by friend Kim. I'm glad I gave it a chance.


    I hope if anyone you care about is affected by this horrendous storm, that they are all home from wherever they had to go, and that they are safe and warm.

Feeling a bit better today!

    I noticed as soon as I got up, I feel better today! I slept almost all the way through the night. I usually wake up at 5 am so I can start the coffee for Hubs on the days he has to work. I even wake up on the days he's not working.


    Today, his alarm woke me up, so that's when I turned the coffee on for him. I then went back to sleep, and woke up again when he came in to get dressed. Then I heard him leave and lock the door. I finally got up for good at 8 am.


    I made myself some coffee, and sat and savored it for a long time. I watched some shows On Demand, that I was interested in and had missed. In between shows, I went downstairs and did some laundry. I didn't take any cold meds until almost noon!


    This afternoon, I got some real energy, and took two bags of bottles and cans back to the store for recycling. I also took my change bag to the bank for counting and deposit. Since it's all in the same plaza, I took my son his karate uniform top from yesterday.


    I had hoped to time my visit to the plaza correctly so I could see my best knitting buddy Kim H. and her Cherub. Unfortunately I picked the wrong day and they didn't come. I am bummed, but at least I got a few things done. I go and sit and keep Kim company when I can, I know how boring it is to sit there for hours a day while your kid does karate, and helps teach the under belts.


    Right now I have to go get my last load of laundry out of the dryer. I washed my house hat, and I need it. My head is getting cold. It's gorgeous out today, and I have the windows open. I will close them before Hubs gets home. The breeze is making my head cold. Fresh air is a good thing.

A Story in Pictures

    Yesterday was my birthday. I had a really nice, quiet day with my beloved Hubs. Lots of friends on facebook wished me a happy birthday. My very good friend Kim H. and her Cherub actually made me a birthday cake! Here are some photos I took, just a little while ago:

    This cake is really good! We were too stuffed after dinner last night to sample it. Then I spent most of the day today with my daughter, who is now visibly pregnant! We went to Babies R Us so she could work on her registry.


    Then we went out to lunch, where I unexpectedly ran into a former friend! We exchanged greetings and it was all friendly. I wonder if we can be friends again. I've kind of missed her. We'll just have to wait and see what develops.


    I had some thoughts about getting older. After all, I'm nearly pushing 60 now, and it really sucks. But no matter how old I get, my handsome Hubs will always be my young stud.


    Excuse me, I have to go finish my cake....

I'm Knitting Again!

    Yesterday, my friend Kim and her Cherub came over so Cherub could swim in my pool. Kim was complaining she had nothing planned to make. I brought down my two giant crochet pattern notebooks for her to look at.


    I didn't bother with the small knitting pattern notebook, as she's way more advanced than I am, and wouldn't be challenged by any pattern I had saved. Besides, she's really into Granny Squares right now, and I am not fond of them. AT ALL.


    So she looked through my pattern books, and found one she was interested in. This inspired me to look again through my knitting notebook, and see if there was something in there I would want to make.


    Lo and behold, I found something!  It's a free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn's web site, called Greenwich Gauntlets. The pattern calls for Jiffy yarn, and I couldn't find any in my stash. Which totally surprised me, as my stash used to almost exclusively Jiffy, since it was my very favorite yarn for a long time.


   The pattern called for a bulky weight yarn, so I substituted Homespun for the Jiffy. It works. I made a small swatch, and the needle size called for was too big, so I went down to a size 9 needle. I'm gonna make the longest gauntlets in the pattern, since I want my arms warm too.


    The best thing about this project is it's done flat. I am not co-ordinated enough to manage double pointed needles. I have tried more than once and failed miserably, so I'm perfectly happy to knit this flat.

 

 

    There is also a really cool sweater in my knitting pattern notebook, which I would really like if someone wanted to knit it for me for my birthday, or Festivus.... I read the pattern and there are some things in there that I don't understand or I would have tried to knit it by now.


   The colorway of this yarn is called Tudor. I had some purple also, and a few other colors, but this one called to me. It wanted to be gauntlets. As you all know, you can't argue with the yarn.


   

Now for something completely different

   That was one of my favorite quotes from Monty Python. So this post will be about something different. Let's talk about crocheting first. I have finished the 2nd cat bed, after adding another row to the walls. My Hubs thought it was too short. I added the row, and he was right. Again.

    I am currently working on the 3rd and last of the cat beds. It will be just like the 2nd one, but a different color, and bigger. See, the last one I intend for the smallest of Sara's cats, Nermal. The biggest bed, the felted one, I see The Dude claiming. So that makes the newest one for Lemmy. He's bigger than Nermal, and smaller than The Dude. But really, they can sleep in whichever one they want to.


    Yesterday, I didn't post because I was not feeling very well at all. I just couldn't put any words together that I thought you might want to read. I spent most of the day on bed, with a worried Hubs hovering over me. I feel much better today, thankfully.


    This morning, I went to Stich n Bitch, then I went to the karate school to keep my good friend company while her Cherub tests for her 2nd degree black belt. During the actual testing a few months ago, she couldn't participate due to a broken bone in her wrist, and she was wearing a cast. She did take the written test which she passed. This weekend has been set aside for her to complete the physical portion of the test, along with the 3rd degree candidates. So in actuality, it's probably more intense than the original testing. I'm sure she will do very well.


    So I went to keep my friend company for a while, then went and ran some errands, then went back to keeping company again. Now I'm home, because I have my own chores to take care of. But if I have time later, I will go back again. Poor Kim is all alone, sitting on those hard bleachers, by herself.


    I do have something else to talk about, but I'm going to hold off for now. It's very exciting, and I'm thrilled to death about it. You will just have to wait!


   

In Which I Attend The Spring Concert

    It absolutely confounds me how this happened. I have three kids, all grown up. I managed to mostly escape the horrific experience that is the elementary school Spring concert. With my oldest child, I attended once. I managed to never have to attend another one. In my defense, I was young and foolish.


    They are all, without exception, horrible. No matter how talented we think our children are, and they are, individually; I find that when put into groups called the 4th or 5th grade band, or school orchestra, and in numbers of children greater than 2, things can get really ugly. Musically speaking.


    Anyway, I generally escaped my own children performing in these Springtime rituals. So how is it that I now find myself attending those of my friends kid? The two most amazing things to me? 1, That most of the music was unrecognisable, and 2, That after all these years, it hasn't gotten any better.


    I of course attended tonight's for the benefit of my BKF (best kid friend), since she asked me to attend. I couldn't say no. Well, to tell the truth, the absolutely adorable little Hispanic sisters that were sitting in front of us, and that we made friends with, and played with, during said concert, made it much more fun. They were the cutest little things I have seen in a long time.

   
    Cherub's orchestra was the better of the two that played. As for the other one, let's just say that I didn't enjoy their performance.


    After the orchestras, the chorus came out. My BKF was in both choruses that performed. They were actually pretty good. To get that many kids to sing in tune is a neat trick. And the songs were recognisable.


    I think my favorite part of the whole night was when the Cherub came out to sit with her orchestra, and she looked over at her mom, her Nana and me, and we all waved at her. Largely. She had given explicit orders for us to not do that. I am just not a rule follower. After all, that is one of the perks of being a parent, getting to embarrass your kids in public. And, after all, they are only this young once.


    If this post is in any way rambling, disjointed or unreadable, I apologise. It's late, and I'm tired. And I will attend the concert again next year, because that's what you do for people you care about.  And I do love you, Cherub!

Skull Shawl Photos!

    Well, I put on my big girl panties, settled in, turned the light way up and attached the eyes to the shawl. I turned the light up because it's hard crocheting with black yarn in the semi-dark. And here's a photo to show my progress as of yesterday afternoon:

    And here is a closer shot of the skull:

    Since then, I have done more rows, and I'm now ready to add the eyes on the next row of skulls. In fact, I whipped them up this morning when I was hanging out with the Cherub. I know I've done it the once already, but I'm still a bit nervous about doing it. I guess at some point I'll get over it, since there are at least 21 sets of eyes in this shawl.


    In fact, this morning, Cherub and I had a great idea. We decided I should make her a Super Hero mask, like the eyes, only bigger. That's something to think about. I'm pretty sure I could whip something up based on the eyes of the skull. For now, that idea will have to go on the back burner. I want to work on this shawl....

yesterday and today

    I didn't post anything yesterday, and for that I apologise. I spent the whole day with Hubs, and we just hung out. So I really had nothing to talk about yesterday. I did knit some, on Sara's sweater, while we were watching TV. But that's really it.


    Today, I hung with the Cherub this morning, then with Hubs again. Today I knitted more than yesterday, and I'm nearly ready to join the front of Sara's sweater. One more row, and I'm at the bottom of the V neck. Yay! Real progress at long last. And I'm still on the first skein of yarn!


   Also today, I was awake at 4:30 this morning, and couldn't get back to sleep. So this afternoon, Hubs and I took a nap. He got up before I did, and when I did finally get up, we had received a dinner invitation! We went out to dinner with new friends, Jason and Becky. Very nice couple. Jason and Hubs work together.


    We had a really great time with them at Bugaboo Creek. I believe this was restaurant was chosen because it's about half way between where we live, and where they live. And I've never had a bad meal there.


    And now it's getting late, and I have to get up at 5:30 again tomorrow. Believe me, it's totally worth it. Cerub is my BKFF, Best Kid Friend Forever. Hopefully something exciting will happen soon, and give me more to write about.

not a terribly fun day

    My day started out at about 3 a.m., when Hubs' work pager went off. If you don't push the button to look at the message, it keep going off. Every. Few. Minutes. I figure it kept going off for over an hour. I shook him, and woke him up. Told him his pager was going off. Another hour or so went by before he actually woke up and looked at it. In his half awake state, he thought it was the alarm clock, and kept trying to turn it off.


    Needless to say, I couldn't get back to sleep until some point after that. Then my alarm went off for me to get up at 5:30. So I was very tired today. After hanging with the Cherub, I went home to have a cuppa coffee with Hubs, but he was still asleep. Huh. So I turned the coffee maker on, and just as it was finishing up cooking, his majesty gets up.


    Like I said, I was really tired, and wanted nothing more than to go back to bed. Not gonna happen today. I had an appointment with a Gastroenterologist (sp?) at 9:45, so no time for nappy. He will be performing one of the tests that I need to have done. Enuff said.


    I did get to take a nap later in the day, and slept for a couple of hours, I think. I now have less than an hour before I have to start my blood work fast. And tomorrow morning, I get to go back to the medical group building to have blood drawn. I will be taking a snack with me for afterwards.


    I'm still tired, and perhaps a bit cranky. It really does suck getting old. I'm hoping to get to bed kind of early tonight, and get some good sleep with pharmacological aid. It's gotta be better than last night....

The Sock Monkey Saga

    For many weeks, the Cherub and I have been discussing sock monkeys. I have a small one hanging on my rear view mirror, and she covets him. Thus, I decided to get her a sock monkey for Festivus.


    I first spotted one in the Build a Bear Workshop. It wasn't expensive, and you didn't need to buy any clothes for him, so I thought he would be perfect. The next week, I went back to get him. He was no longer available. RATS! They had brought out the Christmas ones, like the Grinch, and Clarice the reindeer.  I even looked on their website. No Sock Monkeys.


    Not really being a avid shopping person, I asked around if anyone knew where I could buy one. No one had any ideas. At work last week, I even asked a customer and his wife if they would look in all the vendor booths for me, and see if anyone was selling any Sock Monkeys. It was very nice of them to do this, and they even came back through to tell me that they didn't see any.

    I finally ended up Googling "Sock Monkey", and settled on what seems to be the original - Sock Monkey Company.com. There, at long last, I was able to get a Sock Monkey. The only problem I had was deciding which color to get. They had the original gray, of course, as well as pink, blue, purple, and a host of multi color designs.


   I decided on the purple one. I ordered him on Cyber Monday, and he came on Friday. That was quick, and I was pleased. Here is what he looks like, sitting in my chair:

I also took a close up of him:

    He's pretty cool, and even came with a bookmark, and a banana pen. He's like 21 inches tall! So, that's one present down, too many to even think about to go!
   

No Photos Today

   It's been snowing here, and I went outside with the camera to take some snow shots. After maybe three or four photos, the low battery light came on, and then the camera died. Don't you think I might like a bit more warning than five seconds?


    I was also going to take a photo or two of my crocheting progress on the fingerless gloves. Now I can't do that either. I worked until it got too dark last night, then did some while hanging with the Cherub this morning. I can't work as long as I used to, my hands get sore. I guess I'm not as used to it as I once was. Knitting is easier on the hands than crochet.


    Hubs decided to go out hunting in the snow, he hopes it will make the deer more active. None of his friends have even seen a deer this season. So he will sit there until he freezes, then come home and want me to warm him up. I can do that, I'm good at it.

Necessary Adjustments

     It's been a long day, and I'm tired, but I thought I'd better get today's post out of the way.  It has been four days since Hubs started working days. He is temporarily working Monday through Friday, 8 to 5, for training. I must say that I am pleasantly surprised that I'm adjusting kind of quickly.


     I get up in the morning, and if I don't have to sit for the Cherub, I can have my coffee and watch my morning programs. At 11:15, I leave to go sit for Miss Malia. I am usually home by 3:40 or so. That is a good time to do last night's supper dishes, I'm finding. I get them done, and then I can go watch TV, and wait for Hubs to get home.


     Right now, I'm having conflicting feelings, because he's home in the evenings. For all these years, he's been gone in the evenings half of the week, and that was my alone time. I got used to being alone during the day, since he was sleeping, and therefore not around that much. But now my alone time is only during the day, and he's here  every  evening. This is the hard part for me. I am used to watching whatever I want on TV, and eating dinner when I want, and even whatever I want to eat.


     Now I'm having to make dinner every night. So far, it's not been too bad, I'll  just have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out. Like right now, he's in the bedroom watching Thursday Night Football. So I can still watch what I want to.


      I have always told him that I sleep better when he's here. Now I will get to sleep well every night!

No Time For Photos Today

   Well, that, and the weather was wonky all day. So, no photos of the Conjoined Twins, as I have taken to calling them. They are the same, and connected by a single strand of yarn. I just have to hope I don't get them mixed up at some point. Right now, it's easy, the new, smaller one is smaller than the old, bigger one.


    I ran errands today, got Hubs a new package of cigars, checked on his new meds at the pharmacy, and changed the cat box. Time for a party! Then I made plans to go out shopping later in the day with friend Kim and her Cherub.


    After thinking about it, I decided to make dinner before I left, so if Hubs woke up and was hungry, he could eat whenever he wanted. I made a big pot of soup. It was delicious. I make the soup mix from The Awesome Store, here in Hyde Park. Today was the barley, and I added beef. That is one of Hubs' favorite soups.


    So off I went, shopping. The first place we visited was Mother Earth, the natural stuff store, or the Hippie Store, as some call it. I was looking for some body butter. A friend had given me a hemp oil body butter a few years ago, and it's almost gone. I've been searching for it all over. I thought Mother Earth's was a good place to look. They don't carry that line. However, in the store was a table set up, with two young men behind it, with oodles of body butter that their company makes. I talked to them, and ended up purchasing a large tub o' body butter!


     They have all kinds of scents, but I chose Port Royal. It's fruity, and I like it. Of course, Hubs does not like the smell. I quickly treated my hands, elbows and feet after I got home, needing only to use a little off the inside of the lid! This stuff will last quite a long time!


    Then we stopped at Best Buy, then Michaels Craft Store. Lastly, we hit Marhsalls. I was especially looking forward to this stop. I am in the market for new fleece sheets. They usually have superior sets at Marshalls. Today, however, they had none. So I looked around, and found a nice, bright pink purse, but it cost $150 so I put it back.


    I didn't buy anything at Marshalls either. But, while Kim was on line with her purchases, Cherub and I went to the shoe store right next door. I was in desperate need of new slippers. And I was not disappointed. I found some cool, really soft, bootie style slippers. They are black on the outside and super bright pink on the inside. Many thanks to Cherub for helping me find two alike of the same size. They were mixed up in boxes with slippers of another color way.


    All in all, it was a productive day, even if I didn't get to take any photos. Hopefully I can make up for it tomorrow, or even Monday.

Adventures in Babysitting

    What a week it's been. Monday, Miss Malia decided to throw her wooden blocks all over the place. I had had enough, especially since a few had come close to making contact with my face. I started picking them up and putting them in their bag.


   Naturally, she objected to this, loudly. I got her to stop by picking up a block, and showing her the number on it. I asked her "What number is this?", and she would answer me, then I'd put it in the bag. I tried to get her to help me, but she wasn't buying it. She did, however, get every number correct. I even took a 6, turned it upside down, and asked her "Now what number is it?"! She got it right, she yelled "9!". I kept flipping it back and forth, while she laughed. "6! 9! 6! 9!". Remember, she's now 20 months old. Eventually, we got all the blocks put back in their bag.  She did start crying again when I closed up the bag. But she got over it quickly.


    This morning, I went to watch the Cherub. I seem to remember her mom, my good friend Kim, telling me to make sure she got all her before school stuff done. This morning, however, the Cherub wasn't cooperating. She told me more than once that she didn't need reminding. I told her that I thought it was part of my job to do so. When we picked her mom up from work, I made a point of asking Kim if it was indeed a part of my job to make sure she gets her before school stuff done.


    It turns out that I was right, but it's a good thing I checked, I wasn't really sure. In the process, I royally pissed off the Cherub. Perhaps I could have waited and asked Kim when Cherub wasn't around, but I am not good at waiting for things like that, I tend to forget. I just hope she will get over her snit, and we can still be friends. After all, she is my BKF (Best Kid Friend).


    Today was unusual, in that I went right from watching Cherub to Miss Malia's house. My alarm went off at 5:45 a.m. and I left my house at 6:10. I finally got home at 3:40. It was a very long day. Made even longer by the fact that I had intended to go to bed early, but one of my very favorite movies was on, so I had to watch it. It was People Will Talk, starring Cary Grant, from 1951. It's an absolutely awesome movie.


   All this, and it's only Wednesday! What other exciting things are in store for me the rest of this week?