Friday afternoon

We had a very good thanksgiving, family and friends, Chuck ended with his day off cold, seems when he has time just to sit and relax he gets a cold. go figure, so for the next few days I am going to knit I have a lot to do. Plenty of left overs to feast off of , so the kids can fend for themselves.
The cats loved the turkey, and Archie refused to share with Spazzy, she responded by having a hairball attack under the dining room table , sure makes life interesting around here,Working on a Poncho , made with Bernats Solo-discontinued- in a Checkers colorway needs 11 balls, working it on Knit Picks size 15 24" circulars, free pattern from label, has a collar and a cuffs. Also doing a hat in Hobby Lobby's Love This Yarn ombre color your guess is as good as mind , blues grays browns and wine colors together kinda pretty, this to start. Might help me if would look at the brand How can I look at Bernat and think Patons, I have a large stash, not as big as some but enough to keep me busy. Time for some leftovers, mmm pumpkin pie. See you later.

Tuesday

Here I sit in a quiet house the cat and the dog are sleeping and snoring away , it's nippy out 24F, and I am suppose to be at band practice , Another migraine, I thing it's the let down head pain, from Breakfast with Santa, I worked both days, very hard, getting up at 5:30 am and getting done around 1:30 pm,Right now I am not fond of the smell of cooked sausages or the sight of scrambled eggs.
We made around 2,000.00 dollars half for the Local Food Pantry and half goes to the Disabled Vets at the Veterans hospital in Madison,to help with things they need. This is the best Year we had since we began this, something Both the Masons and the Rotary can be proud of, Our children helped on Sunday, Rob , Mary , Rob's friend's Meg and Dani, Dani's daughter Lily and friend Mike. Mary and Lily worked serving and clearing off tables, with Mary also serving coffee.Mary also watched over Lily as she has done in the past bringing her home to our house when she was getting tired and grumpy. Rob took on with help from Dani the cooking on the grill, Meg and myself cracked eggs and cooked the scrambled eggs, Meg did a lot dishes, while Dani got the grill cleaner that I have ever seen it. Everyone helped out where it was needed. Clean up on Sunday went smoother than it has in past years.
On another positive note, we were able to get a new dish washer from free cycle, ours finally died, after 20 + years, the door won't close anymore. This one is about 10 years old looks to be in pretty good shape, Told Chuck that his Christmas present to me would be to get in hooked up.

I am thinking of cleaning up the computer room for him as my Present , things are a little tight this year, so homemade things and ideas are going to be the way. Well talk to you later.

Wednesday Nov. 17

Grrr! have another MIGRAINE, and I know the reason why, Can't say anymore since I offend someone when I complain about it. Made goulash tonight for supper and made hubby a hot ham sandwich. Working on getting the kitchen ready for Thanksgiving, making sure it's clean and have room for the things I want to make. Mary says she wants to make cinnamon rolls this weekend from scratch. So I will give my making bread class to her.
Need to keep on knitting too, again so much to do, so little time.Big sister's birthday on Friday, she will have a houseful of people,it's deer hunting opening weekend.

Sunday gloomy

Sunday afternoon, I really feel like curly up with a good book and some hot chocolate, but that may not happen for awhile .I have dishes to do and laundry to fold and have supper to figure out.
I manage to cut my right hand on the mandolin I used on the vegetables I cut for the beef stew we had on Friday night, I cut my middle finger and the outside of my hand by my little finger, still a little sore. We had some corn bread with the stew, first time I've made cornbread in my iron skillet, turned out to be pretty good. I used Alton Brown's receipt for cornbread made with cream corn. It was very simple, and very good.
Hubby is watching the Viking's vs Bears game, at this time the Bears are head 20 to 13. Mary is doing school work and so is Robi. We did our cleaning job earlier today. Another touchdown for the Bears. When I get done here ,maybe a little knitting, just remembered we have packets for the local schools to get ready, Breakfast with Santa information, it's this next weekend, this year has gone so fast.
So little time, so much to do.Fighting with a migraine, too much pain to deal with , need a nap, well there goes what I wanted done. Talk to you later.

Poor Baby !!

Spazzy is in heat, and driving the rest of us buggy with meowing, she'll crawl in my lap and be quiet for awhile, then she is off again , Rob doesn't want her spade as he is afraid she'll end up like Kara, a real bitchy cat, who didn't like most people. Poor baby , the last time she was in "heat" was over a year ago, so we have been real fortunate.
We have been getting ready for "Breakfast with Santa", it will take place Nov. 20-21. Next week will be hectic , as well as the last part of this week, so far we have postered the city of Lodi, next it will be the schools and the churches. Then the shopping for breakfast on Friday, and decorating and setting up the kitchen on Friday night, Then early Saturday morning Chuck and I go in to start the grill and coffee and he sets the signs outside and gets ready to take pictures of kids and families with Santa. I helped get the food going in the kitchen. usually the Rotary kick me out when the get up to speed. Since I'll be back later to get ready for Sunday, which the Masons do and I am needed there more, That's when the rest of the family will help out Rob does cooking and Mary cracks eggs and helps clear tables and I go where ever I am needed. This year Meg may help.
We have been doing this since 1993, first with Jaycees then with the masons. the money that is made goes to the food pantry and the Disabled Veterans at the Veterans hospital in Madison. I am taking a small knitting project with me just in case I get put taking me this year, last year I was bored a bit maybe I can put a few pictures here . Mrs. Santa is giving away 2 American Girl dolls and some other things . And the Thanksgiving.
I am hoping to have a nice Thanksgiving with turkey and all the trimmings , now that I have new dining room table and chairs.

Friday afternoon

I am waiting to go pick Mary up from the Library, she is doing her required community service work for school, I am happy to say she is enjoys doing this. It's been a bad week for headaches, migraine and otherwise. Mary woke up with one this morning , but seems to be doing better now.
WE have decided to go and clean at 5:30 tonight, giving us the weekend free,Mary has school work to make up and I want to sit and knit. I have been putting it off, been reading books 14 and 15 of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries , I found them verry funny and hard to put down. Her grandma is a hoot!
I may place and order with Knit Picks, later on today, I need a new ball winder and some wooden double points in the smaller sizes and I like the feel of those from Knit Picks, I enjoy the crazy colors. Got to go switch the wash to the dryer, talk to you later.

Thursday, cold and a bit rainy

Well didn't get back last night, sorry about that. We were busy here at the fort, hubby took person to get a cell phone , while Mary I went and did our cleaning job at plant one,lots of things needed to be done. When we went to go home I found on the driver's side two boxes of chocolate covered cherries, unfortunately my first thought was what did hubby do that warranted this peace offering. Nothing, he just got them,he was in a store getting some sponges and saw them.
He is constantly surprising me, and we have been married for 17 years. Usually he sneaks up behind me and scares the daylights out of me, I think he likes to hear me scream.
On the fiber front, I noticed some holiday craft sales starting this season. There is a Guild craft sale at Hill Dale in Madison, the Beading guild, the Knitting Guild, Weaving guild, Quilt guild,and the Art guild, will be there with some of other crafters and artists.Closer to home is the Okee craft and holiday fair,.We received notice from our church , to start preparing for The Methodist holiday sale on Dec.4, All types of goodies are requested along with handcrafted items. We have a variety of different crafters in the area. Why do I say crafters instead of artists, I think Of art as something you look at and admire but don't necessarily use. While craft things are both art and crafts, something beautiful and useful . Well off to do "things" Talk to you later.

Wednesday ,

OK , so Wisconsin, has a Republican Governor and a new Senator, well we will see if that changes anything. Hopefully for the better.No More on politics , I have heard way too many ads this time around and I cringe at the thought of any more rhetoric.
It's been chilly here , sweater weather has arrived, frost on the ground and the van windows, really means autumn has arrived and no chance for a Indian Summer, Knitting is getting done slowly but surely. AS the old joke goes "what does Shirley have to do with this?"Getting anything motivated is hard doing especially since a nice warm bed a good book is calling. I am syopping for now , but will try to be back today again.

Tuesday, did you Vote

What a day, woke up this morning with a dull thud in my head, continually getting worse. Have been sleeping a lot today. Thank heavens my kids are old enough to take care of things. Mary made me a poached egg on toast, and a cup of Irish Breakfast Tea with honey, she knows what to do when I am under the weather with a Migraine. Bob did the driving today, took Mary to the library and brought her home.
When Chuck came home we went to vote, I haven't seen this much traffic in our little town on a voting day in a long time. As usual I had problems putting my ballot in the box,
Received the new Knitpicks catalog today , had Mary circle her favorite colors, we'll see what happens.
Was reading the Yarn Harlot's blog today and one of the commenter's blog showed a picture of where she put her new spinning wheel, she is a mother of young children, she placed it in the bathroom, reminds me how many times that was the only place I could get a break, then little hands would knock on the door, "Mommy , I need you! " Now it's" how long are you gonna be in there," Talk to you later.

Sunday, Samhain

I am an Irish American, and today is the start of the Celtic New Year, Samhain or Halloween . Celtic Memory Yarn has a pretty good entry about how the Irish celebrate the day, So far we have had 5 trick or treaters, time 5:58pm . In our little burg T &T goes from 5:00pm to 8:oopm looks like we will have plenty of goodies left over. It is a nice night, not really cold and no snow.
Mary and I took off for a ride this afternoon, we ended up in Madison, going to St. Vinny's first on Odana than over to Willy street. stopped by the new Willy st. coop on university and than on to Willy st. ,the one on university isn't open yet., but the one on Williamson st. you couldn't find a parking space at. Their loss, We came home with 4 cookbooks, from the thrift stores.
Mary knows I like church cookbooks , I told her that those recipes have been tried and they wouldn't be in a church cookbook unless someone liked them.We stopped over at the Frugal Muse book store on the north side, Sherman avenue. She picked up a book on Icelandic myth- olgy and I got one on Irish for $.38 and than we received the frequent flyer discount. It's nice to be able to go into a store and have a clerk recognize you , in a city of Madison. UPDATE 6:33 more than 30 T &T so far. More than we had last year.
Packers won, Vikings lost, poor Brett Farve got hurt.Head injury of some sort.

Friday blues

It has gotten colder and my joints are not very happy.Neither is the rest of me. It's close to lunch time and DH wants a malt with his hamburgers today.
I have been working on Mary's poncho, it's taking longer than I would like, because I poop out so easily. When the weather settles down I'll be happier.
I hate it when I have fractured thoughts, instead of being able to continue for awhile in one train of thought my mind jumps from here to there and back again. What I think is going to happen is that I am in for a Grand Daddy of a Migraine headache, I have been extremely bitchy, touchy and not a very nice person. Plus the usually physical symptoms , numbness, flashes of multicolored lights ,slurring of speech, nausea and pain. Joy. Sleep please. in a dark cool place, with being nice and toasty, figure that one out.
We need to get our Pumpkin for Halloween, candy, we got awhile ago, I just hid it , so certain people wouldn't get into it. But I could go for a Reeses ' peanut butter cup about now, or a hundred thousand dollar bar. Man, hmmmm.
Well I need to get hubby's lunch going. Talk to you later.

Tuesday cool and sunny

Here it is Tuesday Oct 19, 33 years ago today my oldest was due to be born, she decided to wait another 10 days and drove her mom -to-be crazy. In Kleinlangheim ,West Germany, in the state of Bavaria, I sat and waited for my first child to be born,Scared and alone.Then on October 29, things started to happen, ex went to get food for himself, and I went into labor, Sarah was born at 5:20pm in Wurzburg Germany.6lbs 10 oz. 19 inches long. blue eyes,WE weren't able to come home till after the german holiday weekend.All staints and all souls day and a bank holiday.I think it was like Nov. 4,1977.Such a beautiful baby girl. Man she turned into a spitfire, she is 4'11 and 3/4" and still hand full.and I miss her she lives in Austin , Texas.
On the knitting side I am working on Mary's poncho,still have a ways to go but it ;s looking good. Have asked the girls so far for Christmas list's gotta get Rob's too.Also Breakfast with Santa is coming up like Nov. 20 and 21. seems early this year.That is opening of deer hunting season here.And a good reason I don't like to drive in the country at night , deer.
Well gotta go back to the knitting. Talk to you later.

Sunday,loads of laundry

I know we are suppose to rest on Sunday, but somethings need to be done, can't send hubby to work with dirty clothes, or at least I shouldn't. DD was doing her laundry and it took her awhile, my kids have doing their laundry since they have been 12 or 13. Seems they like to wait until everything they own is dirty and then some.
Knitting will be taking place this week, without pressure, I feel more inclined to pick up my needles now. I found a new author, who writes supernatural romances. Silly things but addictive.
Well the Green bay Packers lost to the Miami Dolphins and now DH is watching the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys, He is a Brett Farve fan. More useless information.
This week looks good ,cooler. Well off to read another book . Talk to you later.

saturday -cleaning

It's another beautiful day, we have leaf raking to do. and laundry.Chuck's at work, and I have to get motivated this AM .
Yes , I have an ear infection, 3 drops twice a day , and received a lecture on not using q-tips,you would think I would know better.guess not.
Went to Fort Atkinson, unfortunately we didn't get anything, the outlet store didn't have what Mary wanted , we will have to order from the catalog .Back to the grindstone, ttyl.

Too old for ear infections

I am much too old to have ear infections,yet that's what it appears I have,This week has been sort of a pain, spent Tuesday in bed with" the migraine from hell" I woke up Wednesday with it still there. No trip for lunch with my sister. I hate it when I plan things and they get blown out of the water. Here it is Thursday and I have a doc appointment at 3:30, and Blew taking in my meager accumulations of hats and mittens. Tomorrow Mary wants to go to Fort Atkinson, to Nasco to get some drawing pads , cheaper. Neat place for art supplies and anything to do with teaching, huge catalog, ( they even have some weaving looms and yarn )kilns .wood working tools too.
The cats decided that "the food lady" shouldn't have a rest today, and they followed me , running circles around me while fighting with each other. They were using me as a spring board,
At least they are letting me write this, Archie is asleep on top of the love seat and Spazzy has conked out on Rob, for the time being.When Archie decides to jump on you , you know it, he must weigh in at 25-30lbs.
I have another year to get my hat and mitten supply built up. Maybe if I plan a bit better I'll actually get my WIPs caught up. That would make my daughters happy, me too, I guess.What do they say , visualize it, and it will be,will see. Maybe too much visualizing and not enough doing here. AS I reread this I notice the lingering effects (affects) of the migraines, Well off I go to the Docs , will let you know what happens. Talk to you later.

eveningtide

It's Sunday evening, things are quiet, beautiful sunset,fall evening warm, . Finished one pair of fingerless mitts and about an inch past the 2 inch ribbing on a hat. hopefully will have it ready by Thursday. Hope the women won't be to upset with me for not having a lot of hats and mittens to turn in . It's been a hectic year I started out doing well having 4 hats done, now it looks like I may only have those and a couple of fingerless mitts to turn in.Well back to the drawing board.
Rob found out on Saturday that he has Ankylosis Spondylitis , a form of arthritis . in The RA family, actually has the marker for it HLA B27,it explains the back pain and some of his other problems. Sarah has it also. I hope Mary doesn't.
We have had a busy weekend doing some shopping and cleaning. Getting ready for winter. The leaves are really falling fast , so the yard work is going to be occupying our spare time.Pumpkin time soon, I got one of the foam like pumpkins last year, but it's a no go with Mary this year she wants a real pumpkin.Halloween candy has been got and hid till trick or treat. Well got to go get Chuck ice and some pop. Talk to you later

Sunday , quiet times

It's Sunday evening , it's been a beautiful day, cool and sunny, real autumn weather, our leaves are starting to turn , gorgeous reds, golds and oranges.
Yesterday we went to the Whistling winds Alpaca farm , it's 1.5 miles from here. Now I know where to go to get a alpaca fix. Such beautiful babies, all different colors. whites, brown's, gray's.and some other colors. They had rovings and skirting plus yarn. so soft.
Lots of shopping done we hit 6 stores yesterday, Farm and Fleet for kitty litter, good buy at 80 lbs. of Tidy cat for $10.00 Plus pecans, walnuts and cashews .Half -Price books, got a couple of movies(National Treasures one and two)Wisconsin Craft market for some knitting notions. Then to Sam's for groceries and again to Woodmans, and finally to The Frugal muse Bookstore. Cookbooks. very busy.
Mary has said she would take some pictures of the alpacas for me so that we can put their pictures on here. Going to knit. Talk to you later.

a full day ahead

Saturday is finally here and I am going to enjoy it , Slight breeze ,partly sunny, high today around 58, can't beat that.
After we do the recycle , we will head out toward the alpaca farm days on Ryan road, then onto Madison to do much needed grocery shopping , a stop at Half Price Books ,which is across the way from Wisconsin Craft Market, yarn of course, just some for sock knitting, something in a quiet solid
color.
Last night I was working a basic generic sock pattern, after and inch I managed to drop 6 stitches in a row and couldn't get them back on the needle properly, Frustrating at the least. Working on a small cream color baby blanket, and Mary's poncho. You know it would be a beautiful day to sit and knit outside, will see, Got to go will talk to you later.

Friday headache

Here it is early Friday morning and I can't sleep, had a bit of scare, I went to take my shower earlier and when I moved my right hand it seemed my eyes created movement in slow motion/ time elapse. In coming migraine, than the numbness in the arms and speech problems tried to talk to Mary about the show we were watching Alton Brown's Good Eats. Finally gave up and called it a night, then the pain hit. Haven't had a bad one like this in months, I think it was caused by the fluctuation in the weather, it has been going from hot to cool all week , right now it's 74 out but we are suppose to drop to the low sixties by morning , highs yesterday was in the mid- 80's.
Otherwise I feel pretty good for a change. The usual stuff is quiet now, (fibromalaysia) thank heavens.
Knitting ,I think that's what I 'll do in a bit , found a owl hat pattern on raverly , that I want to try and work on a baby blanket too.
Saturday is National Alpaca day, and our local alpaca farm is having a open house, Mary and I will be going , they have Suri alpacas, which we will be seeing up close. Hopefully we will have a good camera and I'll post some pictures. The local paper had a good article about the national alpaca farm days.
Must do grocery shopping this weekend we are getting low on things , like peanut butter and toilet paper, and macaroni noodles, to name a few things, also want to go the farmers market later today,also meat market. well I am going to try my hand at knitting we will see where it goes. Talk to you later.

friday, garage sales days

We started out going to garage sales but by the third one Mary and I were feeling not so good Mary had gotten a headache and I just felt bad all over especially my back, not the bones, around the kidneys. Decided to go home and rest by 11:00am I knew something was wrong , my back ache horrible, I was nauseous, and in was having trouble breathing, Called DH and he came from work and took me to the University Hospital in Madison. Kidney infection, spent a couple of hours getting re hydrated and anti nausea medicines plus pain killers. Still not feeling to hot here Saturday afternoon. At least I know why things weren't going well for some time now.
I am going to try to knit some hats for the charity group I've joined. If I can keep my stomach from acting up. If isn't one thing it's another. Talk to you later