Thursday, October 27, 2011

a break in the nightmares

last night i dreamt of my family
of my garden (and of orchids! that we were trying to plant in the ground) my aunt louise was in on that one!
and pretty wardian cases that looked like old old shop counters now repurposed to small greenhouses in the garden
i dreamt of deep rich black dirt (my garden soil is now a beautiful crumbly black)
and oddly enough of sweaters in the dollar store and my dad!
i was looking for a cardi in gray or black for him and a blue one for bernie

this really was a pleasant break in a long series of nightmares i been having

i guess the coming biopsy is got me a bit edgy
the last biopsy i had, bernie was on crutches, after having been seriously hurt at work. (he still has problems with that leg) we didn't have insurance, and i needed immediate attention (2002)
the biopsy before that one, he was laid off, and again i had no insurance (1992)
oye
so here we are leading into 2012 and again i am facing biopsies...so i am again having nightmares
even though at the moment they are unfounded

and yes if i am a bit withdrawn, well now you know what it is
i'm getting a bit apprehensive but i am still sure it will be nothing.
isn't that normal?
the doctors get all upset and turns out to be nothing?
it's when they don't look that the stuff ends up being something

ok tonight the weather reports are calling for 29 degrees and snow
yup snow.....
by tomorrow it will all be slush and gone but that is what it is for today
soooo
i harvest stuff today and i tarp the garden
cause after it is going to be nice again!
here it is halloween and snow
and almost november with NO frosts!

can you say climate change?
yes i thought you could

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

rainbow hats and firewood

here is a fast rainbow hat....the horizontal orange and black rows are where i had to go back and pick up for more ribbing as it was too short...i finished it and bernie claimed it for himself...
it fits him like a skullcap and he loves it!
so i cast on for one for me
this is knitpicks chrome in 'prism', and classic wool in black  btw, it's really much brighter in person. i don't know what is going on with my camera, i guess it's old and i need a new one (it's 3.2 megapixel so yup time for new)
the second one i cast on for, may not have enough of the black in it..as i am running out..if so i am going to knit the chroma end to end for the last part of it
what else can i do? anyway these hats are me just being bored and taking a time out from other knitting anyway....we do wear them, they aren't like anything else anyone's ever seen, and they do what they are supposed to do...keep our heads warm so i suppose they are a hit no matter how odd they look right? they also kept me knitting through the boredom.
i also just finished the featherweight sweater, yesterday. i have to weave in a few ends and block it but other then that i'm good
i have a couple of other things to finish up and then i will be swatching for the next cardi, which i need a zipper for i would like a brass toothed separating zipper, at least 30'' long

now, wet firewood can be a problem with all the rain and the dampness in the air.....our wood is wet, not soaking but just overall moisture content is pretty high. it's been making for a lot of problems with the woodstove lighting
it isn't crucial yet but it's getting close-so let's hope for some drier weather soon?
meanwhile i am fighting with the woodstove to get it to stay lit daily now
it's not easy and i need a huge amount of draft to do it
so i keep the door open, use a ton of kindling and paper and hope for the best, it takes HOURS to get going now

ok i have to run now
i hope to post more pictures as a take them but really i do need a new camera i think this one is breaking (nothing lasts forever)
til next time

Thursday, October 20, 2011

when is the baby drake going to learn to actually walk out on his own?


stubborn little duck that he is....again i carried him down the hill, on his BACK no less
in the mud
oye
ok now i added the last video from rhinebeck.....that peruvian band which i love
i bought a cd from them, which right now jen has.

in knitting news: i am about to pick up the stitches for the left and last arm on that featherweight i been playing with since july
then figure a hem for the sleeves.
probably go down to size 4 needles and just do a hem

i installed my version 1.0 copy of sweater wizard on the laptop, i am thinking of getting the update.
then i plan on swatching one of the tweeds i got from the webs sale to start a new sweater
i want it to have a collar and be a zip front... so i can wear it as a cardi or as a sweater.
i have the plum and the lupine to do and i think i am going to knit them both the same
simple stockinette..... nothing fancy but very wearable

now are we ready for the big halloween holiday?
i'm not quite
i think it's because of this biopsy hanging over my head right now
or maybe cause bernie has his baseline colonoscopy due.

or maybe it's the weather.... warm...too warm for halloween
i don't know
i got a ton of new ghostie/witchie/halloweenie books to read but nothing is really doing it for me this year
i hope that changes in the next two weeks

ok chicklets gotta run
this sleeve won't knit itself

Monday, October 17, 2011

rhinebeck 2011 2nd batch of pictures

 in one of the buildings there are artisian food vendors, cheesemonger, local ny state wineries....etc......we bought cheese from the cheesemonger...and got their number to ship later when we run out of what we bought
as the day progressed more and more folks turned out
so the place started to get really really crowded- it was pretty warm as you may be able to tell from the photo's..... none of the bundled up to thier noses of some other years.
and a lot of the people seemed to be in the mood to buy!
i know i did a bit of it myself (pictures to follow) also as you can see this is still morning, as the sky is a bit overcast....it did rain....while WE were eating our picnic lunch.....so basically we missed all the rain!

 some of the vendors were super busy.....some were busy but we were able to get in.... some booths by the afternoon got so busy we couldn't get in at all!
the fairgrounds smelled like wood smoke, fair foods, animals and fall leaves

that is bernie's back on the left...
 i took pictures as much as i could- some didn't come out.....but i tried.....
i got video of the peruvian band which i love- 
and the animals....there were only two tunis there this year...sniff.....i love those red heads

and here are some of the yarns i got.......check my ravelry page for the details..

i saw some amazing knitting and crocheting there...just amazing... stuff that made you want to sit down with the needles RIGHT THEN AND THERE

all in all, a good time was had by all....by the afternoon the rhinebeck magic was happening and i made a ton of new friends! some folks i made friends with last year actually remembered me! i can't believe it!

if you all ever do get the chance to go.......... GO
you will have a wonderful wonderful time, make new friends, see sheepies.....(kiss the tunis for me)
and make memories that will last forever....... it really is a wonderful magical place 

Sunday, October 16, 2011

rhinebeck 2011


 starting out .... sun coming up-
 this year we went with jen... who drove.
bernie didn't think the van would make it ( i think it would have no problem)
i packed the meal part of our picnic lunch:
deviled ham (i love making this)
chicken salad
egg salad
cream of tomato eggdrop soup with cheddar

jen made the coffee, cocoa, cookies (which i normally drop off at spirit trail booth for the ladies there) and she bought a fruit salad
and froze the water for the cooler
we left here at 5am......stopped in Milford pa for coffee and...... then on our way
we went a new way this year to rhinebeck and luck was with us.
we got a spot close to the main gate (which they opened this year) were up near the very front of the line to get in....and waited about 15 minutes then CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we all were off and running...first stop SPIRIT TRAIL (always) so we can say hi before they get too swamped
ran into jane and clara so spent some time talking to each of them
martha had a chicken shirt for me..she never forgets me!
i got two skeins of yarn and clara's new book which she signed for me.... i told her chicken, and lamb stories ( it's amazing that they all still talk to me huh? )

Spirit Trail had three spaces this year..... i did find that there appeared to be less vendors then last year and WAY less then 3 years ago.... ditto on the animals....only two tunis this year......and they weren't in the back barns but in the breed barn up by where the fiber all way....way less outside vendors as well




however i got a ton of yarn and cards for some of the animal breeders. bernie of course said no.....but when do i ever listen to him anyway?
we went around the barns- here is a very lovely tunis for you to drool over..... freshly shorn and another one that was the sweetiest little LITTLE ewe..... i love them so very much, tunis is my first love of breed.

there was a good sized crowd, it was kind of warmish.....i only wore my purple and white color knit hat that reminds folks of St Basil's catherdral in st petersburg russia- one very nice man said to me 'that is a GREAT hat ......seriously a GREAT HAT'
i got a few comments on it

now the video isn't the greatest, but i did what i could
i am going to post more pictures tomorrow along with the stash photos' ok?
it's taking forever today

Sunday, October 09, 2011

today was a beautiful day

it is also the 13th anniversary of my father's crossing over
i been thinking of him off and on
i hope he visits

now i've been a bit quiet as i have heard from the doctor and she has ordered a biopsy anyway
i am not too happy with this
can the third time be a negative?
this will be the third biopsy i've had and i hope another negative
meanwhile we've been busy
woodstove is cleaned.... some of the winterstuff has been done (most was put off due to excessive rain)
we are all set with crates cleaned etc..
all the laundry is caught up
the budgies have a new cover.....
we even put batteries in the thermostat for the furnace backup
bernie is fixing the rotted wood we found under the back door (we used a wood preserving penetrating stabilizer)
i did laundry and more laundry (but i mentioned that)

and he got new workboots.......these are top of the line from red wing....so i hope they last him a while
he loves his hikers that he got from them so we expect he'll love the work boots

and me......well i got a WHOLE PILE of new unread books by the nightstand....
hahahahaha
i am in heaven!!!!
i think there are like 20 sitting there waiting for me
wow!!!!
such riches!!!!!
how great is having all those delicious unread books....?
we've been going to bed early and sitting up with our books
bernie has his and i have mine
we were laughing today that he went from NEVER READING
to reading almost as much as i do!
i rub off on a body after 35 years
hahahahaha
ok got to go now
i will try to update you folks sooner
it's just been crazy

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

and the good news is...

pregnancy test that doctor ordered was NEGATIVE thank goodness
but the menopause test showed that i am not yet post menopausal....
i am still in peri menopause

which means....i get to have a period.....aren't i lucky?
apparently i have about 5 years worth of accumulation to bleed out
someone shoot me now

so, i am waiting on the doctor to call, and order the pills to bring it on
thank you pcos
thank you thyroid disease.....
thank you crapped genetics

meanwhile i am cleaning the studio and budgies
and all that stuff getting ready to heat
today the sun was out this morning
i was blinded by the light

now i got the back door open as it was warmish out when i took the ducks out

malcom has regressed to ducklinghood and wants to be carried like the girls
he's too damn big but that doesn't seem to cross his mind
soooooooooooooo

i been carrying a full grown drake in and out

damn ducks

lilli is broody AND in the molt..... so her little special personality is over the top bitchy squeeky
amelia is nippy
phoebe is flighty....and prudence hasn't decided which way she wants to go...squeeky or flighty yet

only my falstaff is normal........for a duck that is

oye again

ok i have to try and get work done

ttyl

Sunday, October 02, 2011

hired- one doctor

and she appears to be very good.
she listened, read the records i brought....
talked to us
didn't want to rush me into a biospy without ruling out other things
so i went for some bloodwork
and we'll see

bernie liked her, i liked her
and she did tell me some stuff is out of her experience, and that i needed an endo.....
i told her i do have an appointment but can't get it earlier then december
and she renewed my thyroid meds
she didn't talk down to me
she didn't gloss over stuff
she wasn't impatient
she didn't brush me off either with my questions

also after reading my medical records, and labs, she said to me 'there is a lot going on with you'
yes unfortunately there is
but we're going to sort as much as we can out
i still need a family doctor.....
the problem i run into with GPs is that either they think they can manage my care themselves (and try to put me on a bunch of drugs)
or
they tell me if i just lose weight the pcos and the rest will 'go away'

the best is when they tell me i don't have pcos anymore as i am 'in menopause'
well this doc is taking the blood test for it
because we aren't sure i am in menopause
if you don't get a regular period due to pcos you just dont' know!

so we aren't as worried as we've been
i did tell her, 'i do a pretty good job of making sure i do what i am supposed to be doing- i just need someone to check the progress periodically, before it all gets out of hand'
really i just need monitoring now, as i have lived with this disease now for a very very long time
so that is the outcome of that doctors appointment

i am smiling

afterwards i met jen at the knitters edge.......from there we went to the lab,  B&N, lunch and to pick up her kids..... she took me home only to find out i'd forgotten my keys*** yes i am getting more made**
i sat outside with the ducks until bernie got home.....after dark (about three hours)
i brought the ducks up from the big pen and put them in unrolled fencing between the two pens at the house... i stood guard with my handy pitch fork.....i did hear a coyote yipping so it's a good thing bernie did get home when he did
but while i still did have light i was able to pick up the crocheted stabilizing stitches for the bands on that featherweight cardi....(second time knitting those bands- but this one is good)

bernie worked yesterday.... and of course it's been raining...and raining
we were to have gone down to pick up his work boots at red wing, they called that the boots are in
but he doesn't feel like going down there today, and i can't blame him
so we'll go either during the week or next weekend

now since the rain won't stop.....we are seriously behind in winter prep
wood, potatoes, stove and chimney cleaning
painting and caulking
and our storm door
how can we put in the storm door if the wood is all swollen?
how can the big dump get into the wood lot if the ground is all sodden?

and how can we stack wood that is soaked?
so that's our weekend
bernie got the first two dvd's of iceage........he's looking forward to them today and during the week

that is all she wrote kids

ttyl