KNITTING content and arabella update

ok folks,
I had to write a short article for our local yarn store's next newsletter.
I did and since some of you won't get it......
I figured I would post it here for you all to read.

now on arabella.
I saw her thursday night.......she is double the size
and frisky, and curious, and adventureous
in short........she is everything a healthy lamb should be
I have tried to get more pictures but I am not sure how they turned out yet as the batteries are dead in my camera
I got to remember to do that later today or tomorrow

meanwhile
we are expecting a storm

so without too much further ado........
here is my short article

and my question to you all.....

WHAT IS IN YOUR toolkit????

What’s in YOUR tool kit
A tool kit in your knitting bag is compulsory. Believe me it will make your knitting life a whole lot simpler. A good basic kit doesn’t have to be huge, it can fit in about the length of a business sized envelope or a pencil case. Here is my list of indispensable tools that I just can’t leave home without:

1) Crochet hook or two, (or a double ended one) I have smaller one for sock weight or fingering yarns, and one larger for worsted. They are wonderful for dropped stitches or mistake stitches; you can ladder it up with this. Or do the chain for a temporary cast on.

2) Chibi, or blunt tapestry needle: I LOVE my chibi, as it allows me to run a lifeline, sew a bind off, mattress seams, weave in ends. And it comes in a cute little case.

3) Waste yarn, just a couple yards of a smooth dark solid color and a smooth light solid color, make this maybe a cotton or something that can slide easily. Some folks use dental floss, in the nice tiny little plastic boxes. Unless you are doing large blankets or afghans, about 2.5 yards of each is enough. I make tiny balls or sometimes wind it on a piece of rigid plastic or cardboard. Waste yarn holds stitches on an instep or where ever else you need it. Waste yarn allows you to knit in a tube and hold the place for a heel or a thumb.
You can use it with a crochet hook for a temporary cast on. See what I mean? You need this stuff.


4) Cutter of some sort for yarn, clover makes one, Clover thread cutter pendant, or you can get a nice pair of tiny folding scissors, I have even been known to carry a coupon slicer.

5) Needle sizer/gauge: you really do need some sort of measure with you, if not this….then a small retractable tape measure. ( my favorite is a sheepie)

6) Stitch markers: various kinds. These make life a LOT easier, get a special one to mark start of round. I like to use beaded ones when I can, lightweight ones for socks, heavier for worsted projects. Lace knitters, this is mandatory for you, one marker per each motif.

7) Postit notes: I like the super sticky for chart marking, also for making notes on your pattern without harming the original.

8) Pencil with a good eraser: well we all need to make notes right?
I make notes of where I left off, or if I altered stuff.

9) Emery board: get one that has a fine and extra fine side. This will smooth needles that are rough, and human nails that are rough. If you like to work with bamboo or wood needles like I do, you will occasionally get a rough tip. I couldn’t imagine having to either put down my knitting because the tip of my needle was snagging, or damage a really fine yarn.

Not necessary but kind of nice:
zip lock bag to hold your project
non-greasy hand balm or lotion
caps for your double point needles ( point protectors)
row counter
thermal gloves ( I really do like these occasionally)
a note pad
Yarn Yardage Guide ( you don’t need this, you CAN make notes to carry with you in your note pad)
Back up Xerox of your pattern

Shopping and putting together your knitting tool kit is a lot of fun. It doesn’t have to be very expensive, and as you can see, does not take up a lot of space.
I use small hard plastic pencil cases, small zippered tool bags, and an occasional drawstring muslin sack.
I hope you will enjoy this and have a wonderful time picking out a case that will make your knitting life easier.




ps for you chart knitters....... various colored highlighters are nice as well

til next time

vi here again

I been thinking

part of the fun of doing a tool kit is the containers....

so I ask you all...............

how low can you go?

how small can you go and get a full kit?

how tiny a cutter, how compact a case?

how INTERESTING a case?

I been thinking of some of the cases i have used in the past...............

i used clear plastic tubes with screw on metal tops

pill bottles

pretty and tiny decorative tins

( think sucrets or altod tins only pretty)

I dare you all..........

show me YOUR tool kits

the tool kit challenge is on..............................

( no prize or anything but it sure is fun)

and maybe if you can...........

a rough estimate of costs

so the newbie knitters amongst us have an idea

vi

arabella

ok she really moves FAST
I took 137 pictures of her and these are the ONLY ones that almost came out
plus it was COLD and the camera was slower then frozen dirt

we got BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A boy and a GIRL
updated 2/15/2007
we lost cupid the boy today
the final consensus was that he aspirated amniotic fluid at birth and got pneumonia
I didn't even get to see him in person.
we hope that arabella & bonnie will continue to do well

funny, but it doesn't SEEM like 30 years

but it is
we will be married 30 years tomorrow

we will be having a very quiet and private day at home
hahahahaha

bernie and i have been talking........
we've come sooooooooo far
we've gone through soooooo much together
and yet it doesn't SEEM like 30 years

I remember at 17 years...saying wow......it doesn't SEEM that long

but it is now 30 and still doesn't seem that long

It isn't a common thing to be so in love
that you would rather live in a hovel with the person you love
then a palace with anyone else--- and have it last.
but that is how we are. And that's how we've been for 30 years.
we would give up anything to be together
we have not had it easy at times
but we stuck it out and we stuck together

we now live in our little stone house in the woods with our cats and chickens..
we board our farm animals until we can move to our own farm

we live a quiet life of happiness together
we've forged something that is ours alone
I can't begin to put it into words

even though there are times as you all know when I get mad at him
and he gets mad at me, the core is untouched.

I still look at him and get shivery,
I wait for the sound of his key in the door when he comes home from work

he still can't sleep if I am not there
he tells me that on the rare occations when I am not here when he gets home,
that the house is so empty, as if the very life is gone.

tomorrow is 30 years of life, love and shared experience

I am not stupid
I do know just how very blessed I am


we both are


til next time

vi

who wishes you all a love like this for forever

Beings I am Italian

My cousin Anthony sent this to me, or more specifically his wife ( and I adore her) Patricia,
this is so very true it's scary.
And I loved it!!!
I sent it to EVERYONE and posted it at the Knitter's Review as well.
I am putting here for me to look at now and again



FRIENDS VS ITALIAN FRIENDS


FRIENDS: Move out when they're 18 with the full support of theirparents.

ITALIAN FRIENDS: Move out when they're 28, having saved for that nice house and are a week away from getting married...unless there's room in the basement for the newlyweds. ****


FRIENDS: When their mom visits them she brings a nice bunt cake and you sip coffee and chat.

Italian Friends: When their mom visits them she brings 3 days worth of food and begins to immediately tidy up, dust, do the laundry orrearrange the furniture. ****

FRIENDS: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them and it's usually only on special occasions.

ITALIAN FRIENDS: Are not at all fazed when their dads come over, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8:00am and start pruning thetrees with a chainsaw or renovating the garage. ****

FRIENDS: You can leave your kids with them and you always worry if everything is going to be ok plus you have to feed them after you pick them up.

ITALIAN FRIENDS: No problem, leave the kids there and if they get out of line the Italian friend can set them straight...plus they get fed. ****

FRIENDS: Always pay retail and look in the yellow pages when they need something done.

ITALIAN FRIENDS: Just call their dad or uncle and ask for anotherdad's or uncle's phone number to get it done...cash deal, knowhatImean. ****

FRIENDS: Will come over for cake and coffee and expect cake and coffee, no more.

ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will come over for cake and coffee and expect an antipasto, a few bottles of wine, a pasta dish, a choice of two meats, salad, bread, potatoes, a nice dessert cake, fruit, coffee and a few after dinner drinks...time permitting there will be a late lunch as well


FRIENDS: Think that being Italian is a great thing.

ITALIAN FRIENDS: Know that being Italian is a great thing.

FRIENDS: Never ask for food
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.

FRIENDS: Will say "hello"
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug and a kiss.

FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.

FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Cry with you.

FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing and just being together

FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days! then give it back.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.

FRIENDS: know a few things about you.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you.

FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"

FRIENDS: Are for a while.
ITALIAN FRIENDS: Are for life.


also fast sheepie update............ bonnie's udders are nicely developed so it should be about a week now

Sunday is Bernie and My 30th wedding anniversary......
there is more news but right now that's all I can handle!!!

til next time
vi

Another fire another neighbor

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070117/NEWS/70117005
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articles?AID=/20070118/NEWS/701180371"

these folks lost EVERYTHING,including the animals. The town set up a fund we all can donate to to help


Cramer Family Assistance Fund
C/O PNC Bank, East Stroudsburg Pa, 18301

I swear fires are the biggest of all the nightmares


vi

Count down to lambsies.....

Ok Bonnie is due from Feb 11 to about the 18.

hahaha
now Feb 11 is our 30th anniversary, so that is a GREAT anniversary present for me don't you think?

we expect two

I saw them yesterday, bonnie is doing FABULOUS she is getting so fat
Edmund is a riot........looking permanently startled and in over his head.
( in other words like a man that doesn't have a clue)
Bonnie gets in with the sheep and butts them all out of the way to get the grain pan
she is not exactly pushy
ahhhhhhh..................ok so she IS pushy

but she is about due and IS feeding we think two so she is entitled I think

it is pretty cold out there too
the water buckets are freezing solid if they don't have heaters in them

I was able to pet bonnie and one of carole's texels
naturally I kissed my baby violet goatie
she is getting really nice looking btw, even carole is impressed.
violet's father, pepsi really is one of the best bucks around, and his offspring are unbelieveable
carole is a bit surprised that violet is growing up as nice as she is, because on her maternal side she is the granddaughter of a recorded grade. Carole thinks she will place 2-3 in the nubian goat shows.

I am pretty surprised as really violet wasn't as expensive as she probably should have been, given how she is turning out.


Yesterday was spin, we had it at a relatively new member's home.
She is a quilter and has the most beautiful quilts hanging all over the place
I loved them as they were soooooooooooo wonderfully colored
so very bright and vibrant

you all know how I love color

ok so it's almost 2am and here I am down stairs

well I am not feeling well
nausea
I think from draining sinus
if not
well we won't think of the alternative

we will think of fixing draining sinus


my hands are slowly feeling better, I still have to call the doctor to see if I keep on with this dose or do I start the higher dose.
I wanted to wait to after court to do that
as just in case, I didn't want to deal with any possible side effects prior.

did I mention i broke my glasses the other day?
I got my spare pair on
but I hate the spare pair

I found a lot of places online where folks are buying RX glasses
and I am going to do that this time
anyway in doing some of the research on how to go about it, I found out WHY i hate the spare pair
they are too small for me
!
we paid a LOT of money for these glasses but I never liked them as they are annoying
turns out that they aren't wide enough nor are the side arms long enough for my head.
duh.............

you know I kept telling the sales person at the eyeglass place that they didn't quite feel right but she told me that they were a smaller size lense then my old ones
turns out that they are smaller across and not as deep either

so from now on
online
I do my own damn measuring


I just put another log on the fire, it's getting cold in here
this is the coldest time of year in this area
from now to the middle of febuary.
and the only real winter we are apparently going to get.
it is supposed to have a 'wintery mix' tonight and through to the morning
so naturally I worry about bernie running down to work

anyway between that and the nausea, I am up

and as you all know I really shouldn't be as I need my sleep

ok chicklets, no pictures as I didn't have working batteries

til next time
now you all remember............
we are counting down to lambsies

vi

didja miss me?

ok some of you all know.....
we had legal proceedings this week against the neighbors from hell

it was pretty interesting
once they put jackass on the stand it became 'jerry springer meets moron's'

hahaha
oh man

at one point my uphill neighbor stood UP in court pointed at jackass and said.......
'yes YOU did it, I SAW you and I was standing right next to you'
I was in stitches at that point
laughing so hard

hahahahaha
jackass buried himself

his wife helped

I almost

ALMOST

felt sorry for them

they had a criminal attorney in a civil suit
and he was a mess as well......
like I said..
interesting

it took 15 minutes for them to come to a decision and file with the protonotary

we won

meanwhile
thursday they are being foreclosed on
as they haven't paid their mortgage in a while

so
after they get done with a day of vandalizing and criminal activity, they relax by not paying their bills

oye


ok
on the sheepie front
bonnie is getting really BIG
BIG AND HUGE and full of babies and covered with fleece

I will see her and edmond and my beloved violet on sunday
I won't get to see my roosters but soon

meanwhile we got a cold snap

it's pretty cold and VERY VERY WINDY
and we got the stove going
thank goodness for that stove
it's 85 degrees in my studio
and when we come down in the morning it's about 74
bless this stove

bernie baked a cake tonight, it's really pretty good
a butter yellow cake mmmmmmmmm
no icing for me

the cats and the chickens are doing well......
cats snoozing on the cat tree
chickies in their snug pens

oh I broke my glasses
!
so I got to find my RX and get a new pair
I am planning on getting them online
I can't see spending 500. at a local mall stall.
when I can spend under 75.00 online

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and that means a couple different pairs and SUN GLASSES too!!!!
I always wanted a couple pairs but once they got so expensive at the mall stores, I figured it wasn't a good idea

now I am planning on a getting them


ok lets see
my thyroid meds were upped, as my thyroid levels are going down again
as are my insulin levels and fasting blood sugar!!!
but the thyroid makes my hands hurt, and I can't sleep and I gain weight
I gained 8 pounds. I had originally lost 30, gained 8 so what that is 22 still off

meanwhile bernie is looking for a new job
he wants to get out of the dealerships
I agree wholeheartedly

Bernie's new favorite movies lately are "the producers" (with nathan lane, and mathew broderick), "the pirates of the carabean", and 'nanny mcphee'
he LOVES them
so I keep trying to get them on ebay ( new but more reasonable then amazon)

ok what else...........
the thyroid thing makes my hands hurt really bad so I can't knit........ I am trying to get some sewing done and when I get the thyroid meds stablized I hope to get that finished
I need a suit
and a couple jackets as well as a jumper.
and a few tunics
I am still trying to get our garden planned
we are going to expend since jackass is going to be GONE

(doesn't that sound wonderful!!!!!!!!)

so you all forgive me for being absent for a while......
I should be able to do much better now


love from

vi

low and behold, i give you SHEEP

we have SHEEPIES~

yes we surely do
two sheepies
count em
edmund and bonnie
two gen-U-ine TUNIS sheepies
oh man..................
I am still pinching myself

I love my sheepies
bonnie is bred........so really we got 4 sheepies
just two aren't around yet
hahahahaha
vi
on a sheepie cloud of joy

teaching is a wonderful thing

some folks may know that I teach knitting
here and there
every once in a while I get a student that makes it a wonderful experience

( actually I have been getting some great students lately....... more and more great ones)

well I was teaching beginners lace and my student is doing me proud ( she makes me look like a genious teacher too)

I don't know who was more proud when she 'got it'
and finished the first repeat of a lace pattern perfectly.........

now I have another class with new students on saturday........ sort of a introduction to lace
I can't wait as I am hoping that they are also a joy to teach......

while I am teaching bernie is going for apples......
I need a couple of bushels of cooking apples

I need more applesauce, and apple pie filling and spiced apple rings put by

meanwhile I am knitting me a fast pair of mittens before saturday..... as it is supposed to get cold and I want my fingers warm.

hahahahaha

life is indeed very very good



vi
who is to look at SHEEPIES on the 11................

perhaps to take home!

counting blessings

since this week is the holiday to be thankful and to count blessings
I have been thinking of just how blessed bernie and I really are.........

we have each other...... 30 years in feb.
lots of folks are unhappy with their partners.........
and there are times I swear that an alien climbed inside bernie.......but for the most part
we are truly happy together.
we enjoy each others company, we enjoy doing things together and he can always ( if he wants to) make me laugh until I cry.........
( he also makes me weak in the knees........the man STILL has got it!)

our little furry and feathered family.........we love them so........they entertain us.......feed us and make us laugh.

one of them is always there to lend a paw or a beak to us.

Our little house........ it's tiny and cluttered and a bit cramped.......but it has a roof that doesn't leak ( hahahah took us long enough) and it is very very cute.........
everyone loves this little stone cottage and I will miss it when we leave.. ( but it is time to go)

we are so lucky to have wonderful friends
and family that are also friends........
I can't tell you all how much I love you guys.........
from my friends that are always at the other end of the phone..no matter HOW far away you all are............ to my farmer friends here who helped me harvest their surplus for the pantry.........

I bless my woodstove and my wood pile every day

as well as my now sizeable load of filled canning jars..........
bernie and i were sort of taking stock of our pantry and it is a very satisfying and FULL pantry.
it really makes for some security............. LET IT SNOW..........
hahahahahah

I am also grateful for our tiny corner of the world......... even though it does have that jackass neighbor.......it also has 250 year old sugar maples, deer, bear, and is just a tiny bit of my beloved eastern woodlands

I even like our house ghost................... he cracks me up with his occationally 'talking' to folks on the phone or when they are in the house.


and to my friends who are no longer in the physcial............... I don't go a day without missing you all but you know that

and I know you folks are ok...........



well guys.. so what are you thankful for?????


vi

double point blues

I am knitting a hat
a color knit hat
from the zilboorg book
( see the last post)
I got it almost finished
and I need my size 6 dp's
which naturally I can not find
hmmmmmmmmmmmm
so in rummaging through my needles
I realized I am seriously low on my different dps

SO LOW that I am contemplating the purchase of large amounts of bamboo to make needles
( which actually may be a good idea in a way)

I was on ebay
I bid on a couple of sets
I would like to get dp's from size 0 up to a 10........in different lengths
I would like 5 inches long up to 8 inches
and also a few sets of 4 inches in size 0 up to 7

and multiples on the 0 for socks..........
needless to say I am a bit frustrated
meanwhile bernie is arguing the foreclosure activity of the people next door while cooking eggs
I am singing every time he comes in here
cause he kepts telling me that he wants to buy that house and wants them out prior to the foreclosure sale
after I stopped laughing at him...............( a second house that isn't a farm? and another mortgage not to mention a TRASHED foreclosure house.... yup I am going to be listening really closely)

anyway..
today I have knitting needle dilemma

busy busy, hurry hurry

filling orders
filling a LOT of orders
and I am getting confused!
( yeah so like THAT is a NEW thing huh?)
I also discovered that my fingers don't like me much lately
they don't want to knit!
they want to HURT when I knit
naughty fingers
so I am giving them a rest of sorts
but it's got me OUT of sorts

I am teaching tuesday morning
a beginners lace class
I really need to reknit the sample cause I love that scarf and wish I could WEAR the damn thing but it's always at the yarn store!
hahahahaha
it did come out nice however.

I am currently knitting a two handed fair isle hat....... loosely following a chart out of a Zilboorg book
45 Fine and fanciful hats to knit
( see if that works for you)

it is so slow cause I can't knit for long
everyone is telling me to stop knitting for a couple days so I am trying to

meanwhile back at the farm
little violet is getting HUGE
she is the SWEETIEST goat in the world
the other kids in the kid pen push you and try and eat your hands or shirt
not my baby girl
she just sits there and waits for you to pet her
and as long as you pet her
she will stand there

and lean her head gently on your side
what a goat!

unlike THADDEAUS the monster curly cat from hell................
he's been doing BAD BAD things
ok
I have to tell you about them later as I am off to the bank

vi

not bad for a weekend

Today I canned 18 pints of chicken,
Batter dipped and breaded 20 pounds of chicken breasts
Froze 10 pounds of pork chops
And lusted for a mitten kit
and a hat kit in the variegated color
as well as this book here

Not bad for a weekend huh???

We cut the cats claws…..( every other week we do this)
We moved and stacked wood
Took care of a broody couple of chickens
And cooked
Oh and bought 230 pounds of potatoes, yellow, red, white and russet bakers.
Really not bad huh?
I plan on canning a bunch of potatoes so we have fast sides for dinner when we are tired or don’t have electric………. Which is happening a LOT lately
Also freezing mashed and twice baked and some scalloped……
We have some for baking too….

We have some news on the moron neighbor front
He is scheduled for a foreclosure sale on his house on January 27, 2007…………….
Isn’t that special…………?

Meanwhile they’ve still been throwing rocks……….. in my garden, at cars on the road…..at the uphill neighbors

Don’t you love it???

While Bernie was out stacking and moving wood, the kids were screaming at him….. cursing and berating him…..he naturally ignored them
They did finally get tired of their game


Now tomorrow I have to get to the bank
And then I got some huge soap orders to fill

Btw, if anyone has an order in please drop me a line to remind me
With Bernie sick I am not all there or here…..( not that I am ever mind you……)
Ok now on the fiber front I am working out some Latvian mitten knitting bits and pieces from all over
I started with Latvian braid then cartridge ribbing…..
I think after that I will do a bit more braids then do some color knitting
This so far is in two shades of gray…..which will go with my favorite boiled wool jacket….
And I am going to attempt to actually write down the pattern
Hahahaha
At least I hope I will
I have to tell Bernie we need to move my sewing machine as well……… next weekend he is working so it will be after that

Oh and court against moron neighbor is November 22
Yup the day BEFORE thanksgiving
How the hell are the witnesses and I supposed to bake for the holiday?
Did that judge even think of that?

I need another jacket for my dress too…..I have one dress and I wear it for everything official and legal….
I did go looking for another dress but didn’t like anything!
Oye

And btw, I lost thirty pounds now……. I been tying my pants on with string~~~!!!
Just a couple more pounds and I have a retro returning wardrobe……
( that’s code for ‘I will be fitting in my SKINNY clothes again’)

oye
til next time

vi
who now is a SHRINKING violet…….

Momma vi's little book of instructions

first off........DO NOT try and hike rhinebeck in clogs

do not do it
or if you want to attempt it.......... do yourself a favor and cut your legs off at the hips NOW and avoid the rush.

do not attempt to feed the chickens tomato slices..... make them eat chunks....

DO knit brightly colored hats and keep them by every door, in every coat pocket.....
and also keep at least two in each vehicle at all times

when you are almost 50 facial hair happens.............
suck up and deal with it.. you really THINK I like having my hair migrate south?

homemade chicken soup is a very good thing... make sure you use a STEWING CHICKEN and eat it at least twice a month during the winter

children and cats will make you old fast...................

so will bad men

the way to keep a good man good is keep him thinking you are the most brilliant, intelligent etc since einstein.. and do NOT allow him to get new eyeglasses regularly........
and if you must let him get new eyeglasses...........pay the dog to smudge the lenses daily.............

( and watch that dog for extortion, give her just ONE carrot........no matter what she says.....she lies I tell you)

the second you have resigned yourself to wearing a 2X shirt................
you WILL lose weight............
when you break down and get a large.... you will gain it all back with interest..................

but at least you won't have wrinkles huh?????


if you heat with wood, you will get bugs in the house........... do not let the cats play with the wasps or the spiders......

if you ask for a new kitchen........DEMAND the counters to go with it........

don't fall for that ' maybe' crap................ get it all in writing with witnesses.......... signed in BLOOD
and make him put up a bond or something.

make cheddar cheese sauce for steamed cauliflower... never mind how I know this............... just do it

drink at least two cups of coffee every day........... tell folks it is to prevent colon cancer.........
being wired is a good thing...............


and do not eat chocolate.... do not believe the hype from the candy companies......
coffee is much better then chocolate could ever be




til next time or when I figure more

vi

transylvanian garlic, & sheep manure

you know...... the GOOD things in life

ok we planted garlic....
transylvanian, silverskin and a red garlic
I got a plot of garlic that is about 5 feet long by about 3 feet wide...
hopefully garlic likes sheep shit cause THAT is what it is planted in.....
worms BIGGER then my FINGERS....
fisherfolks eat your heart out.

we took the dead plants out of the garden.... mulched a bit
brought in firewood
bernie took hoses out etc
I helped for a while until moron neighbor was outside screaming at those poor little boys.....
I don't know which kid he was yelling at but one of the boys was crying.....
since the oldest just turned 9.......
they are not big boys at all
he was yelling at the boy for crying.

he was yelling so loud that EVERYONE could hear him if they were outside

that idiot makes me sick.

ok on to better things
I made carole's sloppy joes last night
I even bought worchestershire sauce AND hot sauce to make them.. that is how GOOD it is.
we had them last night on multigrain rolls and today we also will have them..........

ok in other news, I am plotting to get me a green house......
nothing too big mind......but maybe a way to grow some lettuce etc over the winter.
since all the e-coli scares with the fresh produce.......
it's better if we grow our own no?

I got brussels sprouts I am babying out on the deck right now....
I want to rig a cold frame for them so they will actually GROW
btw, the one seed i planted in a barrel of manure is 6 times the size of the ones I planted in regular garden soil......
so the moral is boys and girls.. have the sheep shit in your garden..........
or...........

no matter how deep the doo doo....... it is fodder for SOMETHING no?
hahahahahahaa
ok
meanwhile now........
I am off to the kitchen I also have a bushel of apples to sauce today...
hmmmmmmmmmmmm

cinnamon spiced applesauce anyone?


vi
til next time

I found the studio floor! AND fawn caught a mouse!

ok I came back to interupt this post with a news flash.....
Fawn caught her very first mouse........!

she killed it as well......and did NOT growl at me when I took it away from her.....( unlike her grand children who sound like a bunch of pitbulls when we try to take the living mice from them)
pretty good for a cat that spent her first 5 years in a cage huh?
with no momma cat to show her how to hunt!

I am so proud of her.......
she got a BIG bunch of catnip


ok now on to the regular blog post

amazing huh?
on saturday, ( today's monday)
we reorganized the studio
ha
now the studio is a big open room of 18X23
we sort of made 4 little 'ells' with storage units to have seperate areas for my workbenchs ( I get two ells)
bernie's workbench and models
and my computer/office area

there is a big open center area now for the wood stove to heat through the house.

we didn't even fight much
!!!!

sunday was corn maze, and back to carole's

my little violet the goatie is HUGE now
she is going to be bigger then her momma rosie........

and they sold rosie........sniff... not to me...... but to Shawn and Tara........ which is ok as if there is anyone else I would want rosie to live with it's them
they are a nice family.

they will be good to rosie
I will miss rosie and need to get visitation rights

ok
anyway........ til next time

vi

ANNIVERSARY'S some need to be forgotten

ok yup yup I admit it
I got counter top envy.....( considering I don't have ANY countertops yet..... well....... you can all understand why right?)


let me tell you a story......

once upon a time, a wonderful ( and TALL, SKINNY, HEY it's MY story...I can be tall and skinny) person with a woefully inadequate kitchen.... was trying to make soap while also cooking dinner...
She fell over a box and a chair that were serving as a temporary cupboard as her's were falling off the walls.....

and she spoketh thusly....... ( that is a good one ......watch now)

'WHY do I have to have the worlds WORST kitchen...( seriously I have british friends that tell me they come from the land of horrific kitchens and mine gave THEM nightmares)

WHEN I am the one that is ALWAYS in the kitchen, as I cook from scratch, freeze ( now can) dry food..... I make soap, I bake, I dye fiber and fabrics.....I FELT......... I am ALWAYS in this kitchen....

ALL my friends have decent to grand kitchens..... (***note all the friends with the 50K kitchens normally all just eat takeout.... but I digress)

WHY shouldn't I have a wonderful kitchen...... a beautiful white cottage kitchen????? arranged in a better design..'

well apparently SOMEONE was listening as that night bernie came home and asked if I would like a white kitchen............
duh.......?
how long now I been talking about a white cottage kitchen....???????????????
well that very next saturday one was carried into my living room

( now the more astute among you will realize what is wrong with that sentence... and if you don't..... well that is because you probably wouldn't imagine someone as dumb as I apparently am)

where it sat........
and sat
and time past-eded
and past-eded
years in fact


''Bern, when you going to INSTALL that kitchen?????'

see our little heroine was really getting sick of falling over kitchen cabinets in the living room......

finally bern couldn't stand the nagging anymore and one weekend.... emptied the old kitchen and pull all the cabinets out....
with time some new cabinets actually made it into the new kitchen...and the peasants rejoiced....

after a few more years....( in which our heroine almost grew a beard....but couldn't sleep long enough)
st carole of the goatie dairy came over and ripped the kitchen out and rearranged it into a more pleasing whole.....

( that would be a year today actually)

now the little kitchen's path was clear....... the bones were there.... occationally bernie would do one or two more little things to give our very hopeful little person a glimpse of the glory that would be this kitchen if it EVER gets done.....

a hood was put up AND Wired..... let there be light!

outlets.... 2 out of the three work!!!
amazing.....
but still not countertops....

and the moral of this story is......


WHEN you ask for something from the universe............ first trust that someone WILL hear you....
and don't forget to ask for the countertops....as they do have a wicked sense of humor.....

( they once sent me a REAL bat for a halloween decoration when I said out loud, I wish we had some halloween decorations....oye don't ask)

vi
and now my friends you know WHY I got countertop envy.............

oh and I have been informed that until the sink gets moved and the dishwasher installed permanently...... there will BE no talk of COUNTER TOPS

sniff


and another quick rant
( I send these originally to my canning group on yahoo.. but I thought you all would laugh so I posted them here~ vi)


I think now it is time to not only can the last of seasonal veggies
but to can things like chili etc...
so we got actual MEALS in the pantry in the jars....

now you all do realize that since I did this.....( this whole can a years almost worth of food)

I have single handedly assured my area of a light and open winter......
with low gas and heating costs

since it never seems to fail....
please be so kind as to examine the following evidence

we got a troy-bilt snowblower in 94, with a 7 year warrenty...... we were able to use it ONCE in 7 years.....in the snow belt no less....... multiple ski resorts went bankrupt

the year that the warrenty was up ( more or less)......our 5 year old furnace became terminally ill
and we replaced it..... of course it happened on september 7 of 2001, and while I was attempting to find a company to replace our furnace..... 9/11 happened...
after the stock market reopened...... we found out that our funds that were earmarked for this......were not there basically...

ok we figured another way around.....

and managed to get an olsen put in......5 year warrenty............. ( do the math)

that year pansies bloomed on our deck at christmas.....

and in january I was in a teeshirt......

ok fast forward to last fall.... 2005, we put in a wood stove..........

ha
again an 'open' winter....
naturally my chimeny is way too short
so the 'draw' only works well at 30 degrees and below....
needless to say.......it was very very warm last winter......


now
this winter......we got 7 cords of wood
a full pantry
we will have new stove pipe and a longer chimney......( the new stove pipe is coming October 12)
I bet you I should give up and start planting peas RIGHT NOW
cause I am sure it is a question of....... 'you call THAT WINTER'

PALM trees are going to migrate NORTH........


want the gas crisis solved???
seriously

all we need to do to solve it
is for bernie and i to buy a hybrid

then the gas crisis will be solved....... the day we sign on the dotted line