WIP Wednesday

It's just 10:30 pm Tuesday night here in the desert SW and suddenly I'm very tired.

I started the edging for Dayflower Dreaming today, just as I hoped.  Started it on the wrong needle and had the front of the edging facing the back of the shawl.  Luckily, I noticed this just ten rows in.  After a few more false starts, I finally have it going in the correct direction.

I took all the baby parakeets out of the nest to clean it.

This little one decided to be by himself.  I think it's around two weeks old.

The green one on the right, is three weeks and three days. The white one is just three weeks and be darned if I can remember how old any of the others are.  Especially, the littlest one.  So, with these five babies that will make 18 parakeets total.  We are done, finished, caput with letting them hatch anymore.  Poor Emily, even if she does decide upon a mate, she won't have a chance at adding to the bunch.

Duane made homemade cream of asparagus soup for dinner.

Monday night, I hinted at storms brewing and job possibilities. The storms:

 Last Wednesday, I received a shut off notice for the electric a few weeks earlier than I expected.  I called and was able to get them to hold off until September 20 at the most.

Then Friday night, the boarder came home early from his job all upset.  Told Duane he was going to take off back to the little podunk town from whence he came.  Just great, five days notice and he knew we really needed his share of the rent to stay here.  He left for his brother's this afternoon.

My neighbor said that the call center she worked at was hiring and to go this past Monday at 2pm and they will probably start me the next day. It's just a hole in the wall type place. As I said Monday night, I went out in 106F and walked a good half mile from the bus stop and around the office park til I finally found the place.  I was wearing a heavy linen, navy blue skirt, satin shirt and heals.  No pantyhose, thank goodness.  I figured this is Tucson, in August, who in their right mind would wear pantyhose?

I get there and it's a hole in the wall type place.  Old fashioned cubicles with phones and computers.  I don't know why, but it reminded me of the old hole in the wall bowling alley my mom bowled at, back in the 70's.  I half expected them to all have ashtrays and the place be thick with smoke.

The woman told me she wouldn't be hiring for a few weeks, that she's currently over-booked with the people had.  Then she walked out front and lit a cigarette.  I followed her out and said, "May I please fill out an application, since I came all this way."  I wanted cry then and there, but I just went back inside and sat in a chair near the door.  She had some girl come in and bring me an application.  Which I sat trying to fill out using my little purse for a desk.  It was so hot walking around out there, that's when I started dripping sweat all on the application.

References, crap, I forgot to grab the paper with my references phone numbers.  I brought it back to her and apologized that I forgot to grab that information, but I could bring it when she called me for an interview.  She said, "Oh don't worry about it.  I never call them.  I just want to know if you have any felony charges of stealing a hat.  Then I just want to hear the story."  "I'll probably call you sooner, rather than later."  Then I went home in the heat.   Duane and I discussed what we were going to do about the landlord and the electric bill.  The tiny bit I get from the state doesn't even cover the rent.

Today, a call came for Duane.  Blessed be, he was approved for his disability, finally.  In a few weeks he will get a deposit with just enough to cover the rent and electric.  Now, he can relax, not having to worry about us getting evicted, and going back to the nursing home. He is slowly getting better, trying to take daily walks.  The heat does make it hard for him to get out and about very much with his breathing.

I still need to find a job, but not as desperately. As in I don't have to throw myself on the mercy of some convenience store manager, begging for a job.  Which was my next idea.    Hopefully, I will hear from another company this week that will be starting training in the middle of September.  I'm not allowed to say too much about it, lest I jinx myself.

Here ends hopefully the last chapter of this terrible saga that has just gone on way too long.  Thank you to all of you who have hung in there with me and helped me get through this.  I don't think I could have made it without you.  There were days you were holding me together when I didn't think I could do it myself.

Weekend Stitching Report

Not much was added to Villa Mirabilia this week for various reasons.  I did manage to add the light purple and teal to the ribbon.  Next week, I plan to try to fill in the pink bow.

Sunday morning, I made homemade date nut bread, using this recipe, with a thick slathering of cream cheese.

It looks like we have five little birds.  Two are going to be yellow and green like Myrtle and it looks like one might be all white.




Video I took a week ago.

I have a couple things going on that have potential for a job soon.  Duane says I shouldn't say much and jinx myself.  Just please keep us in your thoughts that good things happen soon.  There are a couple storms on the horizon coming for September, I'm pretty certain we can weather them.

Thanks for stopping by.  More on WIP Wednesday, I'm pretty beat today.  I was out walking around in 106F degree heat dressed in business clothes for awhile today.

WIP Wednesday

I tried to get to the edging on Dayflower Dreaming.  Sadly, there is five more rows to go.

Even though there is about ten more rows added, it looks the same so no new picture.  The problem with letting a WIP languish too long, I forgot why I was making this.  I have no idea what to do with it once I'm finished, other than block it, fold it up and put it someplace safe.  I think I might have wanted to use it on one of those small round decorator tables, however that no longer interests me.  Too far into this to rip it out and re-use the yarn.

Same progress on Villa Mirabilia as I posted on Saturday.  This was started before the above project and I still have the same plan to frame it and hang in the living room.

After I posted on Sunday, Duane went in to assemble his pizza.  I wasn't able to get into the kitchen until around eight that night and by that time I was too tired to mess with the cake like I said I was going to. Monday, I felt fluish with body and head aches.

That's ok, his pizza was delicious.  The crust was so buttery and yummy it could have just had melted cheese on it and it would have been wonderful.  The beef brisket was tender and tangy with his homemade sauce.

I made the Black Forest cake tonight while watching Fried Green Tomatoes for the third time in a week.  It was the only thing on tv those nights.  My kitchen is about as big as a postage stamp.  The top layer of the cake broke in three pieces when I placed it on top.  Chocolate ganache then a layer of cherries.

Heavy whipping cream was on sale, so I got that.  While whipping it up, I thought how did they whip cream before electricity.  Those women must have had one heck of an arm.  I just put a few dollaps on the cake because there wouldn't be any room for the cake in the dollhouse sized refrigerator.  Postage stamp kitchen, dollhouse refrigerator and an oven the size of an Easy Bake. (sigh)

It didn't matter to Duane that my sad cake looked so pathetic.  He said it tasted better than the Sara Lee version.  He even sat in here and watched some of Fried Green Tomatoes with me while he ate it.  It was the part where Idgy and Ruth get into a food fight.  I was thinking about that scene while I was whipping cream and thought about coming in the bedroom and tossing a spoonful at someone.  Just to be funny.  He said, that would be better than a glass of water.

Speaking of Duane, he wrote two new posts on his blog.  One is his progress and the other is his cheesecake recipe that I posted a picture here.  Stop over and ask him for that great pizza crust recipe.  I can't rave enough about that crust.



It's late Tuesday night here, and no call back about the job. I had a feeling the lady before me would get the job as she knew other people in the facility.  I'm feeling a bit depressed and disappointed.  Every morning I still continue to fill out at least 5 applications a day. Today, I spent eight or more hours sending resumes and applications.  I'm down to grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, housekeeping, laundry and convenience stores. I don't care what it is, as long as it's something I can do.  I just need a job.  I know there's nothing you can do unless you know an employer in Tucson and call them up say give that lady a job and send positive thoughts.  It's just so disheartening.

We made a decision last month. It will be awhile, but we plan on moving to Fresno, Ca.  I've made a few really good friends here, but I'm just not happy with Arizona. If you have first hand experince of Fresno, give me a shout.  I've been doing a ton of research online.  There seem to be more jobs listings in Fresno and I was attempted to apply to some, except I have no way to get there.  Until then I will dream of the day I can ramble on.

Saturday Stitching On Sunday

Sometimes you need to take a day off to just stitch and relax.

This week's progress on Villa Mirabilia. I added some more to the pink rosette in the ribbon. Then I was tired of stitching in pink, purples and teal (how did that happen) and started on the gold and brown check of her dress.

A close up of the stitching.  I love to look at close up pictures of other people's stitching.  I don't know why, really.  Another thing I love to do, is run my hand over large areas of stitching.  There's something about the texture of the stitches against the cotton evenweave fabric.

Birdie update:

The one on the right is two weeks old now and the one the left is about 10 or 12 days old.  I think the alien looking one on the bottom might be just about a week old.  Duane poked around a bit and there seems to be about five babies in all so far.  We shall see when they get big enough to start emerging from the nest.

The oldest one should start growing his permanent feathers this week and soon we'll see what color he/she will be.  It's looking like blue same as the Dad but maybe darker.  Mr. Bird is a powder blue with light grey lines.

If they all survive, and they should, we will have 18 total.  I'm trying to take a video of them when they are all chirping.  It sounds like the bird room in a pet store here.  Except, every time they see me point the camera at them they all shut up.

Thank you to all of you who are sending up the positive vibes for my job interview, please continue to do so. I will post as soon as I know something.  I'm making sure everyone is keeping their paws and wings crossed over here.  The crew is rather annoyed with this as it makes it hard to get around and fly about.

I've been watching a discussion on Ravelry Needlework News this weekend.  It appears a freelance writer wrote as her first blog post on Hufpost about how women aren't tough anymore.  This is really getting old.  It seems it's getting around the media that if you want lots of hits, comments and attention just insult the knitters.  I remember an article from some journalist complaining about knitters on a plane, then there was one about knitter's aren't tech savvy, there was also a British music journalist and of course (MoRocca who got a sweater out of it). (I wouldn't waste my time or the Red Heart to knit any of them so much as hat.)

I can't tell if this writer was being serious or a pitiful attempt at being funny, tongue in cheek sort.  If she was trying to be funny, it didn't work as nobody seemed to get the joke.  I think this is a hack writer's attempt at generating lots of hits and comments her first time out, since she went to so far as to insult everything that is considered domestic qualities of woman.  I wonder if she'll write a follow up like some of the writer's in the past about how if you piss off the knitter's they'll get stabby.

In the paid blogosphere world it's considered successful if your post generates lots of hits and comments which generate ad revenue.  Except you need more than one popular post to keep being successful.  Which makes me slightly wonder what her next dog and pony show will be.

Yawn.

I simply don't care what some journalist/writer on the web thinks about my hobbies.  It's not going to change who I am and what I like to do.  I remember the feminazis of the 80's corporate world that used to yell at me in the lunchroom when I pulled out my knitting.  I was taking women's rights all the way back to the dark ages.  Which I would give them a wide eyed stare and reply "Really, I thought I was just knitting a sweater for (intended recipient)."

"Knitting is for when you're an old lady sitting in a rocking chair." They would sometimes say.

"Oh my, I think (intended recipient) will have outgrown this by then."

To me feminism is freedom of choice.  I'm glad that some women who are able and want to can be firefighters ,police officers and construction workers.  Really dating myself here, but I remember looking for through the want ads in the 70's and seeing the employment section listed with "Jobs For Men" and then "Job's For Women".  I wasn't old enough to work, just really bored.

If I really want to be outraged about something, I just have to think about all the homeless people we have in this country, how many are going hungry, that there are more people than jobs available for them, the uninsured and underinsured needing medical care and the callous ways our politicians are handling the situation.

I like to do "girly things" and prefer to wear dresses.  Those of you who have been reading my blog this year wouldn't put to question my strength.  Strong women aren't afraid to do what they like, handle day to day life, are there in a crisis then keep on going and not giving it a second thought.

In other news:  Some pictures of the dinners Duane made this week.

Grilled chicken with barbeque sauce, dilled potatoes and fresh asparagus.  The asparagus was on sale really cheap this week and I bought a ton of it.  He makes a great asparagus soup.

Then there was German style spare ribs with homemade German potato salad, horseradish sweet pickles and a special mustard sauce for dipping.  The mustard sauce was so good that even the border ate it and he says he hates mustard.

Last night we were talking about cake our favorite cakes.  Duane has always told me his favorite is German chocolate cake, but last night his favorite was Sara Lee's Black Forest Cake.  Today, when I took the bus up to the store, I picked up the ingredients for Black Forest Cake.

 On the way back, the shaded bus stand was full and I had to sit on the outside bench in the sun.  It was ok, as today started out cloudy.  The homeless people sit in the shaded bus stands to get out of the heat (I can tell who they are as they are there every time I take bus).  Then the clouds broke up and the sun was beating down. (The Tucson sun is no joke.)  One homeless man gave up his seat, came out and insisted I come out of the sun and helped me to bring my heavy bags to the shaded area.

I'm off to bake cake for my man (such a softie, I am).  Pictures will be posted later.  Duane is making his beef brisket pizza for supper.  Then I will sit in my rocking chair, in my night gown (it's more girly than pajamas) with my knitting and eat cake.   Too bad it's so hot and dry here in the desert, I really would like to grow some Heirloom tomatoes.

I Was Hoping For An FO

I was hoping to report on a FO today, but I'm left sitting on pin and needles. FO meaning Found Out if I got the job.

There would be a picture of pins and needles but I can't locate the camera.  Instead, you get a picture of Dammit.

My friend took me to the interview this morning and I arrived 20 minutes early.  There were two people ahead of me.  What a great friend, she sat and waited in her car and drove me back home when I was finished.

The interview seemed to go well, however, I'm not a good judge on that.  I'm not really great at interviews.  The chef is from Buffalo, a neighbor to my home town of Rochester.  Hopefully, that's in my favor. His three biggest concerns were filling call-ins and vacation time, accuracy of trays, and avoiding conflict with cranky residents, nurses and co-workers.  I hope I answered all his questions correctly and stood out from the crowd.

I also hope my previous experience working as nurse in long-term care is a help.  He asked why I didn't just go for their care-giving staff.  I said it was a long and expensive process to transfer my licence and that I need a job now.  That if he didn't mind, I would like in the long-term future to transfer when I could and this would be a foot in the door to do so.  I'm hoping it's a help as I have a clear understanding of why it's very important that the trays are set up accurately.  Like no sugar on a diabetics tray, or no salt for a heart patient, allergies and such.

He said he hopes to make a decision today.  My friend said, it probably won't happen til Monday.  I didn't have his direct e-mail, so I sent one to the "contact us" on the website, directing it to the Head of Dietary, thanking him for his time and why I think I would be a good candidate for the job.  Hopefully, he gets it before he makes his decision.

So, in the meantime, my reader's, you are a powerful bunch on the mojo.  Many of you will remember back in February when the Dr. said there was little hope for Duane, we all put so much positive energy out that he turned the corner.  I really need this job, and I think I will like working there.  Please send lots of positive mojo that I'm the one he chooses.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend.  I'll post just as soon as I know something.

WIP Wednesday

It's been a quiet week here.  Shhh, don't let the dark forces know I noticed.

I'm half way through the last repeat of Dayflower Dreaming, then I will start the knitted on edging.  I haven't made anything with a knitted on edging so this will be a new experience.  For a re-cap, I'm using some of my first handspun laceweight from 2006 and I believe this was started around that time.

Summer is usually when I work on cross stitch, piecing quilt tops and seed beading projects. Even with the AC set to 75F there are days my hands sweat and itch when I work with yarn.  I pulled Villa Mirabilia  out of the box and put several more stitches on her.  This was also started sometime around 2005 era.  There is still quite a ways to go on this.

I'm pulling out old projects to cure my terrible case of the wants, as we all have at times.  I'm still drooling over Cupcake Fibers SW BFL/nylon batts.  Duane was going to buy one for me for a late Valentine's Day but just couldn't manage it from the ICU.  I've been eyeing Crown Mountain Farm BFL Walpurgis for quite awhile now.  What are some things that have been giving you a case of the wants?

As promised on Friday, here's my picture of bright spots a midst chaos.  I think the doily goes well with my Venetian Lady cross stitch.

An update picture on our last batch of parakeet babies. The darker one next to Mama Myrtle is one week and two days old.  They start getting down feathers at about a week. We are very curious what the colors will be.  Mama is green and yellow with a bit of teal and the Daddy is a powder blue.  An egg has hatched about every other day.  We are up to four babies and I think there are two or three more eggs.  Am I a bad bird mama for hoping the other eggs don't hatch?  I will post updates more often since this is the last batch of babies for quite a long while.

The rehab center called and rescheduled my interview for Friday morning.  Paws crossed I get the job.  They are the only one out of the hundreds of applications I've been filling out to call for an interview.  I'm down to applying to convenience stores and fast food restaurants.  I'm almost as sick of filling out applications as I am the oppressive heat.

FO Friday

This is an old project that has deserved to be a FO for awhile.  Looking back, it seems I wrote only one post on Stor Rund Dug.

The details:  Stor Rund Dug started sometime in the summer of 2008.  Made with size 30 silk which I dyed a bright turquoise and knitted on size 0000 needles.  The last rounds were on six needles and I remember flipping my mother out when I would pull it out of my bag at the Dr.'s office, as well as a few other people sitting in the waiting room.

I finally finished it when we landed in Tucson in the fall of 2009.  I was going to block it then, but remembered I loaned my box of blocking pins to my daughter, who lost them.  Grrrrr.  Last fall, I bought a small box of quilter's pins but couldn't find the doily.  While getting the apartment ready for Duane to come home from the nursing home, I found it in the tote that held some bathroom toiletry supplies.  (Scratches head)  Then I was going to block it, but the pins came up missing.  They were last seen on my bedside table.  Last week, I found them under a pile of paperbacks.  Hmmm  Me thinks Bootsie might know something about that.

Last night I blocked it in a towel, and Bright Eyes guarded it.

I wish you could feel how lite and delicate it feels.  Yet the silk makes it very sturdy.  Looks kinda out of place here though.  It will live on the stereo, just below my Lanarte cross stitch of Venetian Lady.




I'm trying to decide if I should clean all the clutter before I take a picture of the total effect, or just leave it.  So you can see why I laugh at how out of place it looks.  Oh hell, I leave the clutter.  It will represent my life, small bright spots in the middle of chaos.

When does the word fibrous sound awful to a knitter/spinner?  When it pertains to lung tissue.  We got the results of last month's pulmonary test today.  The Dr. was a new resident, who didn't speak English very well at all, with a strong Indian accent.  Luckily, her instructor an American came in at the end.  I don't have a problem with foreigners coming here to learn, but I think communication, good communication is extremely important in a medical setting.

The test showed he has fibrous tissue in his lungs and that is why the albuteral doesn't help.  It is also what the the SSD Dr. heard on Tuesday. The resident seemed unconcerned, as I was having a private panic attack.  The attending explained that he thinks it should heal and resolve over time.  He also thinks the joint pain is from the six weeks in the ICU, medicated and Duane unable to move.  He said, the rule is 7 - 14 days recovery for every day in a normal hospital stay, longer for an ICU stay, then the six weeks he spent in the rehab.  Basically, it's going to take a while for him to start feeling better.

Forty-five days in the ICU times two weeks is about two years to recover.  It's still a wait and see how the recovery process goes. Hopefully, the people making the decisions at Social Security make the right one and not force us to have to hire an attorney for a court battle.  It's frustrating to Duane, the continuous oxygen is such a hindrance to him. The cord constantly gets hooked on something as he walks around, or someone stands on it, or Bootsie chases and pounces it.

For more FO's click the button below.

Thankful On Thursday

Yes, I know it's not November, but I think I should take a day and be thankful for what I do have.  As many of you know, some Force out there has been throwing rotten lemons at me since February.  I've been out of Jack Daniels, so I can't even make rotten lemon whiskey sours, which would maybe put a fun spin on things.  This maybe tempting The Evil Force to take a great big crap in my living room, but I'm determined to be positive and thankful.  Fake it til I make it, or piss The Evil Force off so much it just obliterates me.

1.  I'm really thankful Duane survived the nasty illness and is here with me everyday.  Not a morning person, but seeing him when I wake up makes me smile for a minute.  Then I grumble about being awake and stumble off to the coffee pot.

2. I'm thankful for friends I've made along the way.  The friend that drove me back and forth everyday for three months, helped me get my certification for home care, and especially helped when our Dammit was so sick.  I think she is an angel, and tell her that.  Which she replies, "No, don't put me on that high of a pedestal."  Then I say, "You're the best friend, I've ever had."  Which she replies, "I doubt that is true, but thank you."  Except it is true.  I'm blessed to have found her.

This is a two part, because I'm thankful for all my internet friends that have helped and encouraged me even though we've never met in person.  You're all angels, to me as well.  I wouldn't have made it this far without you.  This includes you too, K, even though we have met.  I need to finish your yarn, so you can come down and have Mexican food.  Duane is looking forward to it.

3. I guess this is a back-handed thankful, but I'm thankful we still have this apartment, even with all it's leaks and annoyances.  It's better than a tent in an arroyo. Which would really suck right now during the monsoon season.

Monday, I splurged $4 and bought myself this miniature rose plant.  It's a pink peppermint stripe rose, my grandmother was very fond of.  I haven't splurged on myself since January.

I had an interesting conversation yesterday with a man I had seen walking around every once in awhile taking pictures.  I had just put the rose plant outside to get some sun, when he approached me.

Him: "Would you like to put more plants in your planter and take care of them?"

Me: "Yes, I have that planned when I get the money to do it."

Him: "You know you can have that whole planter around your patio."

Me: "Yes, I know. It's money to buy plants that's the issue.  But, I have it planned just as soon as I can." Then I told him about all my plant plans and the herb garden under the front window. How Duane loves to cook and I want an herb garden for him.  The pansies I had over the winter, but the hot Tucson sun burnt them in June.

Him: "How about I take $50.00 off Septembers rent?"

Me: "That would be really nice, however things are really iffy for us." By this time, I was aware he was from upper management of the apartment complex.  Then I told him the story of Duane's illness, how I'm trying hard to find a job, we're waiting for SSI/SSD to make a decision, and that Duane's case manager is coming this week and I might be cut off getting what little the state gives me.  I asked him, if he knew of any jobs to please think of me and what skills I have.

Him: "It's really hard to find a job in Tucson.  If I hear of anything I will certainly think of you.  You're wonderful tenants.  We'd like to keep you.  If all the tenants were like you, I'd be out of a job.  You're too easy."

Then he left.  I spoke to the manager today and he confirmed that is his boss.  He said, he's glad I told his boss our story, so he could put a face to the situation.  He would check on that offer about the money for plants.

4.  Duane's case manager came today.  I've been sick with worry that she would cut off my getting paid for caregiver, as Duane is doing so much better.  She said, that she had planned in advance to keep services as they are for another three months.  Whew.  Two hours a day isn't much money, but it's better than  nothing.  Glad that isn't cut off.

5.  All our furkids.  They continue to amuse and entertain daily.

6.  The Feds who provide foodstamps.  If it were up to our governor she would cut them out, as well.

Duane is able to cook wonderful meals like this on a shoe-string budget.  That is barbeque beef brisket on homemade jalapeno cheese bread, with roasted corn off the cob, and chili rellenos (stuffed with cream cheese and bacon crumbles).

Sometimes, he feels up to entertaining me with his guitar.

We might not have much, but I'm thankful for what we have.  Just need to get me a real job that pays and or his SSI/SSD so we can continue to maintain what we have.

I'm determined to break the curse of my late ex-MIL, that I can't ever relax and enjoy life, otherwise bad things will keep happening to make sure that I won't.

Thanks for stopping by spot on the internet.

WIP Wednesday

I know on Monday, I said I would post on Tuesday about the birds.  When I came back with Duane from the SSD Dr. I was both tired and stressed.  So, since it's now Wednesday on the east coast, I'll just write a two for one.

Even though I've put an additional 30 rows onto Dayflower Daydreaming, the progress really can't be seen, so no new picture.  I am determined to get this very old wip finished so I can use the needles for the project I really wanted to work on. I'm using some of my very first handspun lace weight merino from 2006, which is when I started this.

Dammit is being very naughty in the closet with the carpet.  One way to dissuade him is to put a throw rug over the area.  For some reason, he doesn't have an appetite for throw rugs.  I'd remembered in the 90's it was the rage to crochet doilies out of heavy yarn for throw rugs.  Looking at it, I'm afraid he'll probably catch a paw in one the holes.  I guess this one will end up in front of the kitchen sink or beside my tub.  I'm using Simply Soft acrylic Dark Teal.  I think for Dammit's rug, I'll afghan stitch a rectangle (boring) and maybe cross stitch a design on it.

The pattern (free) is one of the first doilies I ever crocheted.  It was a favorite of my late ex-MIL's.  We made tons of these which she gave many sets as presents.  Except to me, because I could make my own damn set if I really wanted one.  They were always size 30 white cotton with the final round in a variegated colored border.  Her favorite being DMC's variegated golds.  When DMC stopped making size 30 in variegated colors was when I figured out how to dye my own thread.  I could never get an exact match to the gold that would satisfy a certain person.

The birds. We are up to 13 fully feathered birds.  Some of you may remember, when the first four babies hatched on Christmas and New Years.  January was the most hits ever as many came to watch the progress pictures of the babies. Then Meanie hatched on that awful Saturday.  Shortly after Duane came home from the nursing home, another three were hatched.  Can't remember if I posted about them, as I was a bit distracted.

Last month, I talked the next door neighbor into letting me borrow the cage that the boarder found in the garbage awhile back.  He wants a cockatiel, but isn't in the position to take care of one.  We are borrowing the tall cage until I can afford to buy a bigger one.

Poor Myrtle has been wanting a family so bad, these long months while waiting for Ladybird to be finished with the house. Myrtle is the green and yellow bird in the left side cage.  This last batch, we told Ladybird and Huey they were finished and snatched the house out before they could repopulate it with eggs.  Myrtle now has the house.

One of the last three birds, has a bum leg.  His left leg sticks straight out to the side.  He has to hop around on the one good leg.  What were we to do?  Duane said he couldn't see putting a little bird down just because it has a bad leg.  So, we named him Cassidy.  He's the dark blue one, holding onto the bars with his bum leg. Meanie is in the back.  Meanie turned out to be such a sweet little bird.  He loved helping to take care of his younger siblings.  We decided that since Meanie helps Cassidy, we would keep them together and put them in with Mr. Bird and Myrtle.

There on the right is Cassidy's two brothers.  Duane named them Pete and Repeat.  They like to argue over the swing, knocking the other off.  I say, "Pete and Repeat sitting in the swing. Pete fell off. Who was left?"  Duane says, "I'm not falling for the joke that never ends."

Myrtle, oh my, that little lady.  It's like she knew this was her only chance.  There are two babies there, one hatched on Saturday, the other on Monday.  You'll notice there are still five, yes five, more eggs unhatched. *heavy sigh*  If they all hatch and survive, that'll be...... You do the math.  The house will be coming up missing, just as soon as these are ready to leave the nest.

Monday's grocery shopping trip, Duane was able to get something he's been wanting for over a year.  A beef brisket.  He roasted it that afternoon in the oven.  He has planned barbeque brisket sandwiches and a deep dish barbeque brisket pizza.  Oh and his famous chilli.

The appointment went ok today.  The Dr. was a very old Jewish man.  I answered most of the questions in the beginning, as Duane doesn't have much recollection of the ICU and what happened.  Then the Dr. checked his hands and ankles, listened to his lungs and heart.  Shuffled some papers, looked at a couple medical journals and asked when was the last time someone really listened to his lungs.  I couldn't remember if the Dr. did when we saw him in June or not.  He then said, he highly suggested we have someone listen to his lungs, a chest x-ray and have him checked out by a pulmonologist.  He said, he heard something and he's not sure if it's old or something new.  He is concerned about that with the recent joint pain Duane has. He said, he wasn't allowed to advise, but it was hard to break old habits.  I'm hopeful that the Dr's report will be on our side, but now I'm worried.  Luckily, I already have a follow-up appointment scheduled for this Friday with his Dr.

It was just last night as I was going to sleep, I was thinking about cooler temps coming in a few months. I'm quite sick of high 90's and 100's in temps.  Then I thought, come winter, comes the FLU!!!  I had a panic attack at the thought of the flu season coming.  After this past February, I think anyone in my shoes would.

Oh well, as with everything else going on in my life, we shall wait and see what comes next. I'm also quite tired of this waiting and uncertainty about the future.   

 Thank you for stopping by.

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Pffft

The other morning, I found this guy hanging out inside my screen door.  His body was about 3/4 inch long and his tail maybe an inch.  He spent most of the day just hanging out, until people started coming and going.  I made sure they didn't slam the door and scare my friend.  The motion must have been too much for him, because I watched him run down the door, slip under the crack and take off down the sidewalk.  I warned him the pigeons would get him, but he didn't listen.  Haven't seen him since.

I didn't go to the job interview.  They called two hours before, just as I came back from grocery shopping and canceled for today.  The State inspectors appeared this morning and they are preoccupied at the moment.  The lady stressed they are still very interested in me and would hopefully call someday after Wednesday, depending on how long the State takes.  So  please continue to send the "job mojo" my way.  Bootsie is currently working on a pipeline and containment system.

Tomorrow, Duane has an appointment with the SSI/SSD Dr.  He's quite nervous about this.  It's based on my experience with SS Dr. years ago with my back.  It was a Saturday, the Dr. talked to me for 10 - 15 minutes, then said he was late for his golf game.  I had signed a paper stating I wanted a copy of the report.  What came back was this report of this thorough exam he claimed he performed (didn't) and basically that I wasn't as disabled as my Dr. claimed.  Please be sending "do the right thing" mojo for the SSI/SSD exam.

I'm worried they might say his illness won't last long enough to qualify.  It's the only thing I can think of that they might use.  I can't imagine they would think he could go to work while needing extra oxygen.  One of the little cylinders, the home care sends us, lasts 2 1/5 hours, so he would have to drag 4 of them to work and back everyday.  I don't think so. Or a bigger 10 hour tank.   hahaha  It would look like he is dragging a bomb around town.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the birds.

We Haven't Dried Up and Blown Away

yet..... I've been meaning to post for awhile.  Until this past week, I haven't much concentration for any fiberly.  After last months, crisises I've been rather on edge and didn't want to sound whiny/whinging about things.

While trying to find needles to start a new shawl, I found them attached to an old project I started the summer of 2006.  Dayflower Daydream, in some of my first handspun laceweight, two-ply merino.  No idea of the yardage. I'm using size 1, Susan Bates circular Silvalume 16 inch needles and am quickly running out of room.  I guess I'll add some size 1 double points as needed to finish.

The past few weeks, I've been filling out several job applications a day. A discouraging task. Then also helping the French lady across the way move to a new apartment at a complex close by. An interesting task, even though she had movers coming on August 1, we moved things by grocery carts almost daily for two weeks before. Then I've been reading, easier to get my mind off things. Most of the novels I've been reading are either during the fall or winter up North and with our heat, I find myself wanting to dive head first into a huge snow bank.

As I said, I've been wanting to post and have had some small things I could have wrote about. While I'm usually not superstitious, it's times like these I get a bit funny.  I had just finished that mountain of paperwork and was about to celebrate when the next the manager brought that five day notice. I've been afraid if I start relax even for a moment, the gods or Murphy's people will come and take major crap right in the middle of my living room.

It's happened several times in the past. 1997 is one of those many times that come to mind. In January that year, my husband left us, my three children went off the deep end, and my father who had been out of my life for years came back into and was trying to take over and not in a good way. I told a friend back then, that I felt like I was living with a pack of dogs and everyone was fighting for the place of alpha. By summer, I had my father's visits to almost nothing, and the children and I called a truce. Things seemed to settle down and get better, I started to relax. Then one day in the middle of July, my daughter calls me at work saying the house we were renting was on fire. A whole new, big heap of crap to deal with.

Our boarder has been something else. While we are grateful to be able to pay the months rent, he comes with added stresses. A 38 yr old man, who acts like a whiny, immature 12 yr old. I can't stand it when people, even children talk in a whiny voice. GRRRRRR He's a nice guy and means well, but just doesn't think things through.  I could go on an on about all the unnecessary annoyances, but I won't. Maybe I will tell the story later when I'm not experiencing it on a day to day basis.

Mr. Dammit is doing better. He holds his upright for the most part, but still has a tendency to tilt his head to the left. Most especially when we lecture him for being bad. He flops his head to the side, like a broken neck broken bunny. He's getting back to his old self, as he pounces my hand when I stick it in his cage to give him fresh food. Last night I was holding him for a bit after I gave him his medicine and he bit my finger to get me to put him down. Not hard, just a tooth scrape. Enough to let me know the next nip won't be quite as pleasant.

For some good news, please be sending "get the job mojo" asap. Out of all those applications, on Friday, I finally heard back from one. This Monday (tomorrow) I have an interview at a rehab center for dietary aide. Not a great job, but I'll take almost anything right now. I'm sending out the application for to take the CNA exam this week.

Duane wrote part two of his experience with this awful illness this week. For those of you who have been following along and might want to read about his side of things. His wireless mouse died a couple weeks ago, so we've sharing mine. It's almost as bad as sharing computer, but not quite.

I'll leave you with this song that came across my FB page this week.