we have a new (to us) van

 as some of you folks know......who've followed me a while, i have a strong fiscally conservative streak. no doubt inherited from my dad. although my mother was pretty careful with money too.
i tend to 'wear it out, use it up, or do without' and i tend to save money for emergencies. (well so much for that, as the emergency fund bought the van)
i can't see buying a brand new vehicle...... they are way too expensive and they depreciate too fast- i also wished that an american car was as well rated at this kia
i also wish it was red......but it isn't ( i would have loved a little red van)
now it also has a trailer hitch and what looks like a towing package....bernie even commented on the beefed up suspension..
so we have a new to us van
i did discover that there are really some good bargains on vans out there..... so i am thinking that maybe after a year or two we may get either a second one for bernie or a pickup for him (i am thinking manure hauling)- although with the trailer hitch, i could get a little trailer for that.
i am still not used to the idea.....and i am still upset about the emergency fund......but as bernie did point out....i will build it back up (although i really wish that i didn't have to hit it, but the van savings always seemed to get used for small emergencies)
so meet my new ride.....

a roundabout.....

it's been busy
and a muddle of good news, bad news and just plan life


in work.... well i am drawing again..i was off to a rocky start..
so bad that bernie asked me 'what the hell is that'
i said ducks and he said NO WAY, they are really shit ducks

yup they were
then i did a fast duckling study really fast
took like 5 minutes and the watercolors ran
but it worked
and that is the important part (and if you look on the easel you will see my reference photo i drew off.....that is thumbprint as a duckling)

i also took thaddeaus inspecting the easel when i started set up.... he approved and looked out the window.... fawn has already claimed my drafting chair as her own again.....with delight. i think she is one of my muses.



some of the really bad news is...one of my friend's is losing his partner of 32 years to colon cancer
it's a torturous thing to watch
and all i can do is talk to him
by email
even the phone isn't a good idea right now because of the amount of things going on with all this.
i cry for them both

other bad news, my van is completely toasted
completely
totally
and i am not only heartbroken but we are not without transportation of our own
bernie does have a unit for back and forth to work
however if we need to take me to the doctor or he wants a day off.....we are totally screwed
we started to look for a used van.....and wasted all day saturday after one with seriously low mileage
only to have a bait and switch pulled on us
we walked away

some of the good news? another friend who's husband had colon cancer..is now cancer FREE.....thank goodness and the universe
i am so thrilled for them both you all have no idea

and i also haven't missed the irony of one of my friends leaving and one staying who dealt with this disease.

so there you folks are........all caught up with my life mostly
the no van thing is driving me nuts and i am worried terribly about so many things

take good care you all

a sunny mid winter afternoon

so much has been happening.....

and i haven't really been around

now yesterday i was cleaning the studio in earnest..... got a bunch of stuff done
i could still use someone who is taller and stronger then me to help but as of right now.....well...........
so i am doing it myself and struggling
i have had a bit of an epiphany, as to layout i think- however i may have to take one of my BIG shelves apart and put wheels on the other half to make short shelves..... as that will help not to cut off my light into the studio...........

i am trying to find a way to add two wing chairs to the studio...... so that i can knit and bernie can watch tv in comfort
i am thinking however for that to happen we really need to put an addition on.....still thinking about a covered deck for a three season room....... and/or a sort of shed addition on the north side or both

meanwhile it's very cold here....bitter bitter cold
i am going to put the little girls and malcom out in the far back pen but together
and lilli with falstaff in the front.....phoebe in the a frame

in knitting...... while i haven't gone to the post office since tuesday...... AS of tuesday my beads still weren't in....
so annis sits
however kleio is almost done! i KNOW .......that surprised me too as i didn't really want to knit it....but needed something really easy to do while waiting for the beads
i'm on the 5th row of the 17 row lace insert...... i did the latvian braid.....which i didn't realize was even part of this pattern until i came to the part where it said 'braid'
hahahahahah

good thing i know latvian braids
it actually doesn't look too bad
the colors are a sort of prune purple and a sort of grayed out lavender....... (for the lace and edging)
and they work in a weird sort of way...... think goth/victorian mourning.......

ummmmmmm there is more but i am running really late today so forgive me and off i go

til next time

oye.........

this past two weeks was one of losses, fears, threats and problems for quite a few folks i care about
some people lost love ones.....
some people had life threatening things happen either to themselves or loved ones
some had BAD family things come up

it seems to me that if i could have split me in four parts there still wouldn't be enough to try and help
i felt so helpless too....

now yesterday one of my friends had some family issues and needed to chill for a while
she also needed a friend with her
since neither of us drink......we went shopping

me: bundt pan, books, beads, two umbrellas, some heart decorations for the white tree
her: purse (coach purse)

we were running around in some awful weather, but i did get home before bernie (by like 5 minutes)
we had come home earlier but just to stoke the stove and put the ducks in...then left again
there are times when folks shouldnt' be alone you know.....

as you all know i am such a home body, and it's not easy for me to NOT be home after dark
at least without bernie with me
but all in all we had a bit of fun
i made her laugh several times
and another good thing.....the house didn't burn down!

meanwhile we did get the phone/isp thing straight more or less
just in time for the weather to turn bitter cold again

now on to the seed orders

and how was everyone's week?

no i didn't disappear

just busy, and it also looks like we got a raccoon in the chimney for the furnace...........
damn thing's been waking me up a LOT
the sweep is coming wen.
that's the earliest
meanwhile the woodstove chimney needs to be cleaned.....yeah there's a surprise....
cause we got wet wood and it's not burning right- bernie is doing it sunday


meanwhile in knitting news.....my beads i ordered december 28 from fusion beads haven't arrived yet...... they shipped december 29...... i have another week to wait it would seem
i have to find someone that either has them closer to home or ships faster no?
meanwhile annis languishes for the want of 10 beads........... 10 TEN........ are you kidding me?
seriously?

oh man
ok in duck news........ malcom has finally learned his place in the flock...... he is now able to be handled but does not try to make the human's his duck bitch
we will see how that works during breeding season but so far that's what's up

we also switched ISP/Phone providers......from PTD to verizon
PTD doubled our price......
i asked for a customer retention specialist and was basically laughed at
so i called verizon.... after all isn't that what a free market is all about?

if more folks did that we'd get better customer service
so yesterday we had it switched
we're mostly ok now
i think
i am going to keep looking for other ISP/phone services to switch to as the current ones screw up
meanwhile mostly all is well in chez violet......
as best as i know anyway

so i didn't forget yous
but i am not all here right now either

so far........ yeah i ain't liking 2012

oh man
i have to unsnarl a mess with our checking account, and a savings account transfer that didn't.
get our new medical insurance number, and reschedule my labs, doctor and ultrasound appointments
i did get my mini hoop houses up in the garden
it was 50 degrees out when i got them up......right now i think it's like 12 out...so not a moment too soon huh?
i am sorting and storing my yarn stash
in which i have discovered my love for tweed, all things hot colors.... heathers......(in purples and reds)
lace and finger weights
sock yarns that due to one sock eating CAT i won't make into socks......
oye
and i still have stash to bring down to the new bins
which i could probably get another 6 of and still not have enough room.....
i don't think there is anymore yarn on it's way to me but i am not totally sure about that either...
this is all part of my 'reorganize' the studio plan

apparently the new year has brought a drifting of some friendships for me
and possibly some new friends..... and i keep remembering
'a reason, a season or a lifetime'
it seems a few folks reasons and/or seasons are over in my life

the new year also brings along the seed catalogs.......and i am on a quest for leek seeds this year..
i would like a long season winter keeper, and a fall maturing one i think
i also am considering a bigger hoop/green house and even more winter hardy greens
and fruit trees, maybe some nut trees.....
i wish i could move our shagbark hickory in further on the property....it's out near the road and the township butchers it unmercifully

if i see a seedling in the garden it's getting moved up to the front yard i think....
so anyone in zone 6 want to tell me maybe what is good growing for your area in fruit and nuts?
i am so hoping the elderberry took..... and i am looking to add a paw paw, pear, peach, another apple, cherry and some nuts as well.

well folks.... i need to make the coffee now.....i didn't forget you, but we've been busy and tired
(midnight road call sunday night, got to the place where we were told the unit was......no unit...they'd left!- no sleep for either of us)
so until next time