I am so sick of being sick

I probably haven't said much but I haven't been doing real well health wise
the endo put me on meds, and the adjustment has caused a bunch of other problems

gastric upsets my ass

which is in a sling big time

anyway if I seem behind things

it is because I am

I am also very tired most of the time
I end up sitting in my computer chair alot

so folks I am so sorry if I forgot someone or something

there truly are days I am lucky to make it downstairs



vi

larry the chicken

as some of you know I raised some chicks this fall
three turned out to be roo's and three hens
( then there is marguerite but that is another story)

we lost one of the roo's saturday.
everyone told me heart failure
he was young healthy robust.....
glossy feathers
bright eyes
and I went down to find him dead

Carole lost a chicken too this weekend....
dead for no reason

I felt terrible
like I did something wrong and that I would lose my other chickens

today is monday and so far my other chickens are fine

so maybe everyone was right...... poor larry had a birth defect?

I will miss him



now I finished a pair of socks last night and told amie........
she added them to the 200sock total

I don't know what to knit next
now I probably will start another pair of socks..cause don't I always
but I want to do something else too....

I want something quick I think...
I would like to knit some latvian mittens but I have to get the skeins done for my spin group skein contest.....
which I was told about AFTER I was signed up...... carole and kris did it when I wasn't there.....
what are friends for?
and the nerve of them
making us all spin for spin group........
who ever heard of such a thing??????


so I ordered ingeo and soy for the 100% natural ................ other then wool

I have access to alpaca, and mohair, and cashmere.......but I figured let me do something that we didn't have buckets of laying around ..makes sense huh?

my new lendrum is a dream
but the footman/dt sqeaks like crazy.

the advise is mixed................don't oil
oil everything but the sealed bearings

I can't take the squeak so I am going to risk oiling the squeak with a silicone lubricant.

the weather

it is hot as hell here
51 degrees F or about 11 C
if it is so hot here, I wo'nt be able to save a ton of money on heating oil, there by I won't be able to justify the woodstove

see we bought a wood stove and it is going to be the hottest january on record
palm trees will be coming HERE........

oye

any ideas on what I should knit next?????

mittens?
gloves?
hat?
lace scarf?
felted clogs?
gee what else is there?


vi

snowflake doll or....how to go nuts without even trying

ok I missed the deadline for farm show
so the keeper of the snowflakes is still here
lanquishing on my workbench reprouching me
but
in my defence

I got a large soap order for a wedding......
honey oatmeal..
and the way I make it.....it isn't the easiest soap to make
I have made 3 batches so far and will make one or two more as insurance.
I have to do a lot more soap making after that is all done
I have to replenish stock

I am still not able to lift my 50 pound batches.... or this would have all been done
but I keep pushing

now in fiber news....
Amie has a two thousand sock count going on...she also has some pretty cute goldfish there..... so check that out
I will send her the picture of the pair I am about done with as soon as I do the toe decreases on the last one
I have to do either that opal petticoat sock.....( thank you again Lanea) or some light trekking xxl
very simiilar to the petticoat sorta in color but a bit lighter

I also have a few skeins to do as I apparently was volunteered while I was NOT at spin group to enter a 'creative skein' contest as well as a 'how good is your basic spinning skein contest'
I was told YESTERDAY......
gees

so I think I got one figured out but I need a really wild over the top one as well..

ok
in woodstove news

we sorta have it figured out
we still need more stack and we are saving to get a fireproof wall behind it
the installer I think put the chimney and stove to close to the wall
we have a sort of sheild for the chimney rigged right now
and we have a sheild for the stove back
but we need a more permanent solution.

oh and I need a woodstove rake and some stove gasket..
other then that we are saving some serious money on oil with the stove
and the temps outside can go down......
the studio is about 88 all day
the main house is in the upper 60's and 70's
and NOW when I get up at about 7 a fire takes me about 10-20 minutes to have fully on

I think I lost some weight too.

ok
chicken news
Monika asked for us to bring the boys on January 14 instead of this sunday which is ok
then marguerite is going down to the pen to be a REAL chicken
and maybe I will bring up dulcette......................
mmmmmmmmmm

take that marguerite
she flew onto my head today while I was trying to spin a bit, as I was waiting for the lye to cool down to make my soap batch.
damn
that hurt

we are getting a pizza tonight as I have the kitchen in an uproar with no counters and soap all over

now over the next three weeks I need to make a LOT of soap..
I have my list...
gee I should post it here huh? to remember it ( or at least a partial list)

ok
Patchouli
coffee kitchen
lavender (plain)
raspberry violet
peach goatsmilk
milk and mallow root
grapefruit lily goats milk
almond goats milk
blackberry goatsmilk
freesia
rose garden
carrot honey
colonial bayberry ( I love this scent)
forest sage
orange ginger
spearmint grapefruit ( I love this one too. sooooooooooo refreshing)
bayrum
coconut lime
cucumber melon
plain cucumber
sandalwood comfrey
Lilac
mixed mint
patchouli spice
zen garden

woooooooooooo
we are so low on stock
I was so much busier then I expected this past holiday season.

folks please remind me to make the soapies
oye

what other news

oh the lendrum is great
it squeaks a bit but we are going to oil everything but the plastic or nylon bearings.
other then that I am really enjoying this wheel
I never actually believed I would get it

but there it is
!!!!!

I can't wait to blend my own sock yarn..........
I wonder how tunis and nylon will wear???????


hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

ok til next time
vi
ps: I moderated comments on the blog as I am tired of ditching foul ones......
so I am sorry guys
but for a while
ok?

ok here is marguarite***

***I never can spell her name right..

I had to disable anonymous comments folks sorry...
you have to sign in to post.
vi

good morning and happy new year

hihi everyone,
I am back ( ok so sorta)
and I am busy.....
(state farm competetion doll, soap orders, stoking this wood stove)
I am getting a lot more excersize....
between the whole wood heat thing
the spinning wheel......
my chickens in the basement....
I lost a few pounds!

ok first off let me tell you
wood heat rocks

and also let me tell you
I do love the soapstone stove
just hate the incompetant dealer that sold it to us

I know a LOT more now

we have to put more stack on the chimney
and install a wall protector.......

we have burned only 50+or - gallons of oil per month so far....
so we've saved about 800. so far....
we paid 450 for the wood......
we are already into savings against the wood stove.......
I expect that in January and Febuary......
we should save about 2000........ which means the wood stove paid for itself in one heating season.....

I am planning to start cooking on it too.....

even the electric is down about 10.00

and
AND

AND

some one told us where to get FREE wood.... hardwoods
already cut into logs
we would just have to split them

a splitter is about 300.....for a small one

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I think one winter heating season would pay for the log splitter too

ok
I have pictures
I have to upload them
but I got pictures

some of that little shit marguarite the chicken......sitting on the cat tree with the cats.
( she shits all over, not like my beloved dulcette)

I will have some doll pictures as well

I have to make soap today so after that maybe pictures


ok til next time

vi

of trolls and hollow trees

I don't understand lately why so many troll like people have surfaced in my life.
I keep asking myself.....
what am I DOING wrong that I am having this many fractured people?

A person on a list I am on, recently decided to troll the list....
they were banned by the list owner but then decided that they are going to harass by email,
the owners as well as other members
they decided that I was 'obviously unintelligent'
I guess in their mind I am a threat.

I had yet another troll decide that I am responsible for all the misery in their life.
HUH?
gees If I had that kind of power do you THINK I would waste time dicking around in your life?

hell no..I would get the winning lotto numbers and retire to my farm......

and what causes trolls?

I went to a couple of websites and read what they said....
but the fact is that the internet is full of them
and there isn't all that much you can do about it

except ignore them

which I am good at doing........


now the hollow tree


a couple weeks ago..........thaddeaus hurt his little toe in the heater vent
to make up to him we got him a tiny hollow tree padded cat house.

he used it once

meanwhile

little calpurrnia, our very own kebler elf..has taken it over!

so my little blue eyed one......sleeps in a hallow tree every night!
hahahah
I got it next to my side of the bed and I pet her when ever I wake up....
she lickes my fingers.......
hahahaha


any indeas on getting these particular trolls off the internet or at least to get them to stop bothering me??????


vi

I will be back probably in the new year

today is the 3rd anniversary of 'not the momma's' death
the 22 is the 20th anniversary of my mom's death
december is not a great month for moms.....
anyway...
between that...
the never ending construction....... ( I STILL Have a kitchen in my LIVING ROOM.....and no counters yet)
I haven't felt well despite the good news from my doctor's visit....
I haven't felt all that much like posting

I also heard today that a person from a forum I go to alot..... and whom I liked has crossed over...
she was young, smart and wonderful.
meanwhile there is a person at that same forum....... that would make scrooge look wonderful....

that person is still hale and hearty....
makes you wonder huh?

I do have some news......
I finally bought a spinning wheel, a Lendrum dt
and it should be here TOMORROW

I have waited 18 months for it.....

I think I am finally realizing that YES things do actually happen.......

til next time
vi
who will try and remember to post a picture tomorrow

I have been informed

that I have been remiss in posting here.
yes that is true
in my defence, I can say that I have been crazy busy...
or
just crazy?
ok I won't promise to try and do better.

first a fast chicken and cat update......
everyone is fine
the roo's are in the basement. Curly is crowing A LOT in the morning
my moe is still my guy, and i miss him down there
larry is a little shit who pecked me..... but he may think twice about doing that again
if a chicken actually thinks

my woodstove is driving me nuts....
the stack is too short...
the draft is not good
and we have a terrible time keeping it going for longer then 2-4 hours

I do have good news however,
my new meds are working....... the doctor is happy
I lost a bit of weight, my insulin levels are coming down.....
she added some other med to help bring the levels down faster
I will start that today
so if I am sleeping for the next few weeks....
it is from the new med

lets see......... Thaddeaus now is sleeping on the bed with us.
He cried at midnight last night so bernie let him out of the crate.....

men stick together......

see!

and speaking of men sticking together, bernie is loving them roo's
he goes and talks to them and makes sure they have water.....and gives them extra food at night
that's fine with me
they need the extra food.

I been giving the chickens fish for the extra calories and the protein.

also yogurt, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, cottage cheese.. left over bread......
well they seem happy
now marguarite isn't old enough yet
but she will get that stuff too as soon as she is old enough for it.

ok
I got a cranky fire to deal with

til next time
vi
ps:
any soap stone stove users out there...........
I need to know how to keep a good overnight burn going so that the furnace doesn't come on at 2am.......

let me know ok?
thanks

due to request.......

ok so it's been a while...
frankly I haven't had anything that I thought was funny enough to write about lately.
my little chickie boom booms are getting big...huge actually...
the palace of the happy chicken is still stacked in the yard.....
so my darlink little chickie booms are going to be penned in the basement...and slowly moved out back (it's a daylight basement so it isn't as bad as it sounds.....)

the woodstove is a project...... the chimney is way too short and we are having a bit of trouble keeping it going if the outside temps are over 39.....

Moe the baby rooster is starting to crow now....hahahaha he sounds so funny... Larry and Curly are starting to also.

now I have to tell you all..
I am getting more annoying menopausal symptoms....

I go to the endocronologist monday so I think I will ask about all these annoying symptoms...

we are adding another baby chick.....who needs a home.....
her name will be margarite
we pick her up tomorrow

the boys are going to the farm soon.....Monica said she is looking forward to getting them
I am going to miss them so terribly......
moe's my guy....
he always wants to come out and sit on my arm........ he is WAY too big now to be finger tame......so it is got to be on my arm.

the girls are never happier then when they are settled in my arms.....they love it....and they all still will put their heads down on my and fall asleep!
I talk to them and they close their eyes.............
hahahaha

but boy are they BIG...hahaha and they are soooooooooooooo beautiful.

Thaddeaus plays hide and seek with moe......

Calpurrnia is getting really bad lately but being she has them innocent blue eyes...... she's been getting away with a lot..

she has a thing for playing with the mini blinds..

at 3am

when we are sleeping......

oye

FAWN...............ah.........she is a sweetie....... she had a tick and we did get it out of her..

Amber is still with us....... being amber......... being 4009 years old and all........

the kitchen is still gutted........
we won't go there......
oh man......

however it will be great when it is finally done........


oye
til next time
vi

stove going in!!!!! updated now with all the pix's

here is the ceiling hole from the studio side......
hahahah WARMTH Is going to happen!!!

stove!!!

ok this is the best I can do..
here is the side of the stove
it weighs 425 pounds and they have it setting sideways
so this is the best I can do you all

I will ask bernie tonight to hold a chicken near it.....
I do'nt really WANT chicken poop on the stone you know...it is porus....

oye


vi
waiting for saturday

ps: this is kiss the dog I forgot to tell you all......when I talk about my dog....this is her
she is gone now...... sept 28, 1987-june 24, 2003
but even though...... this is still HER house and I am still her person
I adore her even to this day
there was never one second of that dog's life I did not treasure as a gift to us..
and I miss her.
I dream about her occationally.. and I truly believe she sent THAT cat.......( thaddeaus peabody)

dulcette

Le palais du poulet heureux***

*** the palace of the happy chicken


ok so our little chicky boom booms are getting pretty big....... the roo's are about 4pounds
and the little pullets are about 3
very tame...... and extremely adorable.

so the folks up the hill offered me their old dog pen to house my chicks




with a few adaptations it is going to be great for them.
AND while the roo's are going to monica's farm......the hens ARE staying here......

sooooooooooooooo I give you
Le palais du poulet heureux

the palace of the happy chicken...
think they will get lost in there?????


ok and real quick here is the little momma herself...... she finally realized that the chicks aren't kittens, or at least she doesn't think they need to eat 'mice' anymore




meanwhile
I started to stack three cords of wood
move the stuff out of the way of the woodstove in the studio
and STILL am without a redone kitchen

and the court date thing with moron neighbors got moved to a different court
oh man..
til next time
vi

update from vi

I have been stacking wood as you all know.....

I have found that I can stack 3-4 wheel barrels full and then I have to rest.
however I am very proud that I can stack at all
if you all remeber this past summer when I could not even lift 5 pounds

hahhahaa
but I got almost 1/2 a cord up on the skids
and I am going to be stacking a cord or two out back.......

I am sooooooooooooooo proud


vi

Bernie's angel

I love angel stories....
even though I am not religous at all we have a few as well....

my bernie has his very own angel that wears plaid.... we even call this angel, 'bernie's angel'

one night about 18 years ago or so maybe 16...... bernie was coming home from work in jersey....he was late it was winter and pretty cold.
he got up to the andover exit on rt 80 and the car died.
since it was past normal traffic time there literally was no one on the road... there was no exit for miles....it was a dark new moon, no lights NOTHING. that area is still today really rural, hilly and empty.

so quiet and still you can hear your eyelids blink.

he looked under the hood but realized that there was no way he could fix the car as the rotor had gone and he didn't have a replacement. it was an old old chevy...... like a 72 or something....

so he got back into the car and tried to sleep, what else could he do....?

meanwhile I was frantic.......terrified at what I imagined happened to him

Ok he had fallen asleep and was woken up by someone tapping on his window.....
he hadn't fallen into a deep sleep... and was up immediately
there was a man in a plaid shirt that asked him what happened........and could he help bernie....
now it was pitch black out and a NEW MOON...... you can't get any darker then that.... and bernie was slumped down on the seat a bit....

NOW MIND YOU........ he had no lightst on in the car..it was totally dead.

bernie got out of the car and told the man that he'd broken down but that the man could NOT help him as he needed a rotor for this chevy that was pretty old.

the man said....'is that all, no problem' went around back to his car..... opened the trunk reached in and found the EXACT ROTOR with no fumbling or looking at part numbers on the box..................... and handed it to bernie

bernie said to the man, ' I have three dollars in my pocket...it's yours and if you give me a name and address I will send you more money to pay for the part'

the man said to my bernie...... 'don't worry about it...... just help the next guy on the road'

bernie went to install the part and stopped midway.... looking to see why the man hadn't left or if the man needed him......
the man and the car wasn't there....
the car hadn't ever started up
hadn't ever pulled around him.....
THERE ARE NO EXITS THERE
it is a sheer drop off a cliff there
and the road goes on forever...you can literally see for miles...... no head lights or tail lights.. either way......

bernie got chills
he'd only been under the hood a few seconds!

he went back and finished putting in that rotor and came home
he got in at 3am
I was frantic......
he was amazed

he told me what happened..... totally puzzled....
and I realized
he met his angel.......
I bless that angel all the time and know that my bernie is safe out there BECAUSE that angel watches over him

Bernie always stops for folks on the road.....going way out of his way most often to help
he has picked up folks walking in the cold and taken them to a diner to call their families and bought them coffee
he has taken gramma's and their grandchildren home and then went back to help with their car

he has always done this.......

so see we firmly believe in angels around here.

a man and a chicken........

Oh the horror of demolition

ok thems that don't know......
we are AGAIN redoing the kitchen....
gutting it again
and moving EVERYTHING this time
stove, sink..... dishwasher.....EVERYTHING.....
we are even removing a window......too bad we can't remove a doorway..... like the one to the BASEMENT......
ok well we can't sooooooooooooooo

I am tearing the kitchen apart
I got my little self where I keep the stuff I make lotions out of there......
I got part of my dishes out too
I realized I need to get my pots and pans out..my pantry out.......
and the rest of everything out.....
where the hell am I going to put it all?
.
.
.
.
we are going to remove and wall up the window.....
rewire and move the stove over.......
replumb and move the sink down then build in the dishwasher.....
( why can't I have a new stove? a drop in or slide in?)
we have a few more cabinets to add......and then......
.
.
.
.
. ( are you all ready for this????)
.
.
sure now?
.
.
.
I get kitchen counter tops...............!!!!!!!!!!!!
it has only been 2.75 years..........
not too bad huh?
not like the 18 years I waited for the damn kitchen in the first place...
.
.
.
.
let this be a lesson to you..NEVER buy a house without a workable kitchen.......NEVER EVER......
and if your husband/SO is handy and would put in a new kitchen........ please send him/her here for a week or so.....
I promise to send this marvolous person back well fed........
and not damaged in anyway.......AFTER they help me finish up in the kitchn...
.
.
.
.
once we light a fire under bernie he does get a decent job done but you really need a large fire under him
thankfully I got Carole..........
she lit not only a fire but put the fear of CAROLE ( said in hushed and respectful tones) in him.
I guess it was her listening to me yet again attempt to find stuff to make a batch of soap in the kitchen from hell...
she wanted that soap I was making as it is her favorite..
so there was nothing for it
the kitchen had to be finished.......
and to be finished it had to be rearranged....... that way I get counter tops!
yeah for counter tops
yeah for carole.........
and yeah for if and when I ever get through this kitchen.............

til next time
vi

ps: chickens, cats, goaties and sheepies are all well..

some sort of horror that JANE did to me.....

Ten years ago… was a horror, I was pregnant and didn't know it, ( ultimately lost that one to a ruptured ectopic) caring for my dad with alzheimers, and trying to fight my moron sister in her quest for her premature inheritance........


Five years ago… I was happily making miniatures, soap and dolls, Kiss the dog was still alive as was Merry the cat, we had just found Bernie's remaining Siblings, and one was here for a visit...... Bernie had just gotten part of the house redone...... and I was pining for a new roof.

One year ago… we were getting used to haveing two laperms, and amber the 4008 year old cat that keeps on ticking.
amazed that we had a new roof......and the eaves sided......worried about the heating season....( some things never change)


Five snacks… date nut bread and cream cheese, icecream, cheesecake, homemade applesauce, corn chips with cheddar melted

Five songs I know all the words to: I have no idea!

Five things I would do with $100 million… my farm my farm my farm....
pay off my bills and alot of my friends bills....... my farm animals..... and do some animal rescue work.




Five places to run away to… England, and a thatched roof cottage......... farm land in lancaster........ the eastern woodlands so anywheres in new england or NE, WILLIAMSBURG VA, Salem MA ( tis the season you know)





Five things I would never wear… shorts, stilletto heels, a red wig, fur, spandex

Five Favorite TV shows… EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW



Five biggest joys… animals, my husband when I am not mad at him, fall, a well stocked pantry, living in the country




Five favorite toys… I don't really have toys.. I work with all this stuff......




Five people to pass this on to… I won't do that to ANYONE............. ( unlike someone who shall remain nameless............ jane )

ALPACA!

RHINEBECK!!!! ~with pictures!

ok local color first......the my beloved tunis, followed by the bribery pictures...... ( do you know these fiberholic woman???? if so rat them out and tell us who they are.... ( and to you folks who's pictures are up..... shoulda sent the bribe money......hahahahaha)

and some big news for me at the bottom of the page..........







ok so folks let's play 'put the name to the face'

leave your comments below ok....








and since Amie ( RoseByAny) had a rough year.. I am breaking my all tunis report to bring her
BABY DOLL SOUTHDOWNS..........





and finally.......





I wrote to these people and asked to reserve me a spring ewe............... for 2006

October 6, 2005

life is very good when your chickens are healthy
Fawn got to meet that little chicken face to face and nose to nose today.....maybe when Bernie gets home we can take them both together and have a picture session......
Fawn wanted to wash the bird's mouth....... and that little chicken wanted to see if Fawn had delicious bugs or something in her curls......
all and all....
they enjoyed themselves
the little chicken had happy little 'whip whip' cheeps, Fawn happily talked to the little chicken and then rolled her her BACK.....hahahahaha
and then the little chicken got her picture taken and back to the flock.....

nice huh?