Today In My Life... March 7, 2011

Today is:  Monday, March 7, 2011

I got up this morning:  not really ready to get up.  Went back to bed for few minutes, snuggling in the warmth my sweet DH had just left.  And then the clink of cups being set on the cabinet spurred one thought ... COFFEE!

As I look out my window:  it's overcast and a little breezy.  The daffodils have continued to bloom until it is a full mass of yellow. The red bud beside them is beginning to bloom with little purple buds popping up all over the trunk and limbs.  As I stepped outside to take pics it didn't take long for me step back inside and grab a long, fluffy and warm robe to go wandering in.

I am hearing:   my sweet DH .. "Better bring your coffee cup.."  which means the toast is in the toaster, new coffee has been made and it's time for breakfast.. ;o)

I am thinking:  that I am more grateful than can be expressed that our grandson Steven will be home...tour over ... from Iraq in just a few hours.  Left Ireland yesterday and should be at home in Oklahoma this afternoon.  What a gift!

I am thankful for:  the small glimpses into the lives of family, friends, old classmates and best of all.. my children's every day lives through Facebook.  (I know... that terrible Facebook.. but in reality the ability to communicate almost every day with the ones I know and love outweighs all of that... ) 

The one thing I learned during the past week:  My sweet DH becomes a little less sweet when he feels that I am not taking care of my hurt back.. ;o(  But believe me.. I am a fast learner..lol

Creatively:  is all about my friend Amber DeHay of Knit My World.  I am so proud that she has released her first knitting pattern on Ravelry as a true designer. She is also working on a matching scarf to go with wrist warmers.

Plans for the rest of the week:   Boy... that would take a list... and a long one at that.  Today will be spent with Sharon packing, packing, packing.  Tomorrow will be spent preparing for the Thursday's Red River Fiber Arts group.   The newspaper came last week to do an article on our group and was a bit overwhelmed... ;o)  She asked if she could come back this week with a real photographer and do another interview for a full page spread.  We are about to pop all our buttons...lol  I thought I might also warp up my Kromski Harp and my small card weaving loom for the event.  Will have to see just how much time I have to prepare.

Before I go I want to say how wonderful it is to have friends who pop over and glance through my meanderings.. ;o)  I received a couple of comments from last weeks post that made me realize how much I enjoy this blogging thing.. lol  Thanks... your comments mean more than you know..

Have a wonderful day... spend it with people you care about and doing things you enjoy.. live is short.

Another Birthday... One More and I Get Paid!

Well, yesterday was the 61st birthday... wow... One more and I get paid... Social Security... Can that be possible?? Really??? As said about a million times every year by everyone who reaches 60...Where did it go?

My sweet DH surprised me yesterday when he came home from coffee with these...I almost cried. I have wanted some of these for several years, but could never really figure a way to justify them besides just loving the look of them. So I would never get them for myself... Well...take a look at this...

For the first time in recorded history the top of my end table beside my chair is visible...lol... and I still have access to all the things that are usually scattered about on it... How cool is that...

This is the second set that he gave me. Both sets have magnetic closures that are wonderful...not so easy to spill things out when lifting them up... These haven't found a home yet, but believe me...they will.

Catching Up

I was in my workroom the other day and all those unfinished projects just seemed to suddenly want to be finished. The first one I picked up was the pieced, appliqued and embroidered bird quilt wall hanging that I started I have no idea how long ago. I have been working on it since the last post and I am proud to say "It is now an FO!"

Another project that is now taking up the kitchen

table is another clock. This one is a little more difficult that the Banjo Clock. This is called the Kingston Regulator Wall Clock. DH is now in the process of wishing glue would dry faster.. ;O)

I've never been much of a quilter, but have decided that there's no time like the present to learn. So.. this is the first pieced block I have done that has points.. Lo and behold, I found that it isn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. However, I have decided to spend some time finished all (or at least most) of the projects that have been sitting and waiting patiently for me to return to them. So I decided to make this block into a pin cushion. I have never had a pincushion stuffed with wool before but I have read that wool pincushions will keep your pins from rusting. I used some wool I have that has more grass bits and twigs in it that I like to spin with and stuffed it fairly tightly. Having used poly stuffing for everything I have ever made, I found the wool would go into the corners and there were no lumps... it is so soft to the touch and easy to use... Love it...

It's Too Hot to Work!

Summer is finally here and has made it into my work room. The garage, hall and my room run around 92 degrees these days... so to keep the costs of the air conditioner down, I have been gathering stuff up and trashing the kitchen and living room...sigh

At some point in the near future I will turn on the air conditioner out there, but haven't had the nerve to spend that money... saving for gasoline! Can you believe the cost of that stuff?! I agree with Newt Gingrich... the govt. should dump half of our reserve on the market and flood it...causing speculators to think twice about betting against America...

Anyway...won't go there..lol It's too hot to get all worked up... lol

I've not figured out what my next project will be. I've been trying to learn the nalbinding knit/tarim stitch and seem to be finally "getting" it.. I finished the homespun green wool tarim/knit stitch bag that was practicing on... still need to use the lucet and make the cord to use for closure. This work done by Alix at Alix's Nalbinding Page is what I am shooting for... Isn't that amazing work!

My small weaving loom that my wonderful DH made for me has been seeing some action. Using wool yarns that were spun a while back, I put together these two small pieces. They will be made into small bags. I find that I love, love,love the purple that I thought I would have to re-dye.

And one more thing... Hi, Patty. We're doing good. Missing the son that is moving to Phoenix because of a job change. Things will definitely be a little different around here. Not much news... The only doctor's visits these days are for the infinite number of check ups and returns that they all seem to be able to come up with...lol Hugs to Pat and puppies..grin

All's Well..

It's been another while since posting... In the interim my DH has had TULP (which is laser prostate) surgery on the 19th. All went well and he is recuperating very nicely. Up and about and off to daily afternoon coffee with friends yesterday..grin

The pic is my first try at coffee dying. I just used the left over coffee in the pot and added enough water to cover the yarn and about 1/4 cup vinegar...heated it just below the boiling point for about 30 minutes or so and then let stand overnight to cool. I'm really tickled with the light tan color and now am looking forward to trying a medium and darker color.

Remember That Little Trumpet Vine?....

In the spring of 2006 when DH planted his little trumpet vine, I don't think he really thought it would grow to be as big as we told him it would...grin Well, look at it now.... Click on the picture for a much better view...

Hi, Patti.. (big wave)

DSIL was here yesterday and spent a pleasant afternoon. He brought "the Brigit" with him, so everyone was happy...grin. It was a surprise to learn they lost Angel (a 14 year old shih tzu) a couple of weeks ago. She has been a constant companion in their household for 12 of those 14 years and will be missed.

It was back to the doctor on Tuesday. I guess the knock about in the auto accident did something to my right shoulder. I've been taking Motrin 600mg for it every day and it has kept the worst of it at bay. Will start physical therapy next week and go back in a month...

DH has been at work again the shop. We have been in need of taller end tables ever since we bought the oversized recliners, but could never find any that would work for us. So last week he went out and (using some new cabinet doors that DSIL brought) built us some. He used an 18" ceramic tile for the tops and that is wonderful. I had no idea how wonderful that carefree surface would be! No more worrying about water spots, scratches, spills... terrific! The shelf inside is really handy for me to keep knitting needles, threads etc, handy but out of the way.

I will be painting these and perhaps do some folk art of some kind on them... depends on whether DH would like that or not. (I may do mine and then leave his as he wants it... can't decide how that would look yet..)

Break for Dues!

I'm still not in a good mood... but at least I don't find anyone else on my pc today.. It will probably have to go back to the shop, but it's usable at this point.

It's that time of year again, and DH has been busy as a bee working for several days to get the dues notices for his Vietnam Veteran LRRP organization written, printed, address labeled and return address labeled. It's taking over a thousand stamps.. they are all on... Now I have to break from working on my quilt to help with the folding and stuffing... I decided to do a simple rail fence as the first quilt. There won't be a lot of work done on it today, as there are several errands to run and then the stuffing of the notices and mailing... so maybe tomorrow will show a little more progress.

I Think I'll Keep Him!

The kids are gone...I'm in my gown and robe...called Tomomi and talked about the quilt I'm making.. called Paula and wished her a 2 day late "Happy Birthday"... finally dressed, but note did not really comb my hair or "get around"...grin DH has run to the Dollar Store to find a new frying pan the right size to make into a squirrel feeder.. He comes home (after an unusually long time ... and with no frying pan in hand) and begins working on something on his computer. The door bell rings and (unusually) he says .. "Why don't you get that?" I should have known...grin

I think I'll keep him...