Happy Easter

My planter this spring.  It's what's to come to those of you up north and what's about to be burnt to an inch of it's life in a few weeks down here.  How did it get to be April already?  All work and no play makes Denise ......

Oh well, we'll just sit here and enjoy the flowers for short time.  It's all I have then I need to get ready for another work week.

We're taking bets how long the bunny and the gnome lasts before someone steals it.

Last time, I had promised to tell you about the new furniture and the bunnies.  This is the new sectional.  It's about twice the size as the one we saw in the store. Takes up the whole living room.

I had to straighten and move things to make room for it.  Which made alley's and tunnels for bunnies to run and hide.  Dammit and Betty had a fine time making plans that first night.

All sorts of alleys in that area.  Yes, I know it's a mess. See the vacuum?  I got half done then sort of tired out.  Have a mentioned I'm gone twelve hours a day, five days a week.

That first morning, Duane said Dammit and Betty ran around the cage, and the table, then the chair, and under the secretary in the corner.  It took him over an hour to chase them home.  At one point, Duane pushed the chair against the wall and Dammit jumped back and forth over the chair.

It reminded us of when Dammit was just a little Dammit.  The first time he was let out of his cage after his neuter surgery.  He led the two of us on a merry chase.  Then he dove onto the couch.  Duane shouts, "I've got him now."  Just Duane dove to grab the rabbit, Dammit jumped over the back of the couch, over the table behind it and ran under the couch.  That's when we said to hell with it and just let the little bugger stay out.  If he's that determined.

We can't do that now, as Nippit needs her turn out.  If let Nippit out when Dammit is out she goes right for hind quarters.  Just like the furious little Nippit she is.

I've been spinning again, since there is shuttle now and I don't have to walk two miles twice a day.  This is the second bobbin and it's almost since I took this picture.  It's the fiber my friend bought me for Christmas.  One more bobbin then I will ply it.  I'm anxious to see what the finished yarn will be like.  Also, I have 8 oz of CMF Walpurgis in BFL that Duane bought me for Christmas.  I'm dying to spin that.

I finished the socks, but they are too small for me.  That's what I get for not taking a minute out of my busy day to try them on as I'm knitting.  It's in the 90's F now anyway.  Too hot to wear.  I'll have to reknit them and hope they are finished by November when it's cool enough for wool.

Every thing that has been sucking for awhile, still sucks.  But, we won't talk about that.

Butterscotch walked by my sandals and noticed they smelled like me.  He made a pillow out them.  He misses his mom.

Happy New Year & Year Review

I hope 2012 is treating everyone right so far.  Me, I have had a great first two days.  Got to leave work early both days.  Last night we feasted on a side of prime rib roast beast.  Today, sunny and 75F, I met Duane at my connecting bus stop to have dinner out.  Back home forty-five minutes before I was scheduled to leave to work.

Last year started off pretty well.  Looking back I noticed I posted on the 2nd then. Last year, we had a clutch of new baby birds and I was nervous about them surviving.  Thirteen babies later, I can laugh at that.

Then starting on the 8th of January things started going down hill when Gabby Giffords was shot. I remained optimistic until Valentine's Day when we were both sick.  Then I had to call an ambulance and send Duane to the hospital.  Those who read and kept me grounded back then will remember things were pretty touch and go for a while. Some of you called me Super Woman, though my cape was torn, my tights had a run and I think I broke a heel.  Who knew you could bring bunnies to the ICU?

After forty-five days, we moved on to the nursing home/rehab center which brought many more challenges.  Finally, after three months, he came home.  More challenges over the summer.  We almost lost our Dammit Bunny (world's smallest Led Zeppelin fan.) He's back to his old spunky ways, by the way.

In August, trying to be thankful ad-mist chaos, I wrote a post and got some advice to freeze my curse. After which, things quickly got worse and immediately turned around for the better.  Working full-time for the first time in almost twelve years has came with it's own set of challenges. (that last post gets many Google hits from some weird people)

Babies were born, twice.  A very tense Christmas.  It was tiring year right to the very end.  My late ex-MIL used to say whatever your doing on midnight New Years is what you'll be mostly doing the rest of the year.  I was sleeping.  As tiring as last year was, I could use a year of mostly sleeping.  I won't wish for it though.  If you've read this blog for very long, you know what a peculiar sense of humor the Universe has when it comes to me and wishing things.

Through it all some knitting was finished.

Some spinning too.

The birds got a mansion to live in.

Lessons learned this year were lessons I had learned long ago, but are now more deeply ingrained.  Treasure good friends.  New friends that come along at the right time,  old friends and friends who you have never met in person but are just as special.  I would not have made it through this year without friends.  Be happy for the day you have, especially if you have what you need for that day.  Even if the it looks like your world might come crashing down tomorrow.  Very often, tomorrow will take care of itself.

Finally, I'll leave you with a couple sappy videos.  I'm going back to my knitting.  I'm making myself a pair of socks.  Would you believe I don't have a pair of hand knit socks for myself?




Have to have the Zep for Dammit.

Great Customer Service

I heard back from Joan at Cupcake Fibers this morning.  She searched her stock to see if she might have some Pool in the SW BFL.  Sadly, she couldn't find any and is out of SW BFL until sometime next week.  She offered to try to duplicate the color in the fibers she did have in stock.

I'm starting on a long five day stretch of work and walking, so I told her to just wait until the SW BFL came in.  As it's not like I'll get to my wheel any time soon anyway.  She even offered to replace it for free.  I told her I didn't expect to cover our mishap.

Mondays are Mondays even when they are a day off.  I've been wondering why I've been so tired and cranky lately.  (More than usual, that is.)  This morning I woke up with a huge canker sore on my gum, under my right nostril.  I'm treating it with peroxide rinses and dabbing powder alum on it.  An old emergency room told me about the powder alum a very long time ago.  It healed it within a couple days.

I have that achey, head achey yuck feeling one has just as the crud is coming on. Unfortunately, I'm on the later shift this week.  Which sucks because I'm walking to the bus in the dark, then have a 30 minute wait for my connecting bus home.

I'm on the heel gusset of the second sock.  (Old picture of the first sock, because I'm lazy)  It looks like I might have a finished pair by the weekend.  I know, I'm amazed too.

My other long stem tea rose is starting to bloom.  I'm going to bring it inside before I leave for work in the morning.  The flower thieves can go rub salt if they have plans on this next one.

Hope you have a great Tuesday.

Sunday Snit

I'm in a bit of snit today.  I woke up at 1 am with sinuses all agitated and was up til 4:30 am reading.  It was ok, being this is my day off.  Woke up again at 8 am, knit and read some blogs for awhile.  Duane got up and after that I cleaned the bird cage and vacuumed the living room.

My plan was to clean the bedroom and do all the laundry.  Duane had cabin fever and wanted to go out.  I had planned to take him to Luke's on Monday, but we went today. For several years,  he's been craving an Italian Combo sandwich like he used to get in Chicago.  I was told by an old Chicago guy at work, that Luke's came pretty close.

A combo sandwich is a half pound of thinly sliced Italian beef, with an Italian sausage on a French roll dipped in Au Jus with hot and sweet peppers.  He said, Old Chicago guy was right and it was pretty close.  A little too much black pepper in the beef.

Back when we lived in Rochester, there was a pizza and sub place right around the corner.  They had steak subs and Italian sausage subs with a real link of Italian sausage.  Not those little bullet things that get put on the pizza like most shops back there used.  He called them and asked them to stick an Italian sausage on his steak sub to make his combo sandwich.  They refused to do it, because they couldn't figure out how to price it. I never would order from that place again.  You might have noticed, but I don't suffer fools or idiots very well.

(Honey, don't read any further.  Hit the back button.)

We came home, I gave up on the cleaning idea as I was tired from the walking.  So, I pulled out my spinning wheel.  I finished most of the ounce I had started back in September.  When I went to get the box with the rest of the fiber, it was gone.  I searched the few spots it could possibly be.  I'll search a little deeper tomorrow, but I'm not holding out any hope.

It's been thrown out.  I threw a fit.  Someone (not me) mistaken it for a empty shipping box and took it out to the garbage, sometime since the beginning of November when I last saw it.  I threw a fit.

It's the first time in nine years that anything of mine has been accidentally thrown out.  However, it brought back memories of The Jerk and my step-father who just throw out other people's things accidentally on purpose.  I think that's what pissed me off the most, is bringing back those memories.

I have since sent a message to Joan at Cupcake Fiber to see if she could come up with something close. I guess I'll just Navajo ply this ounce and come up with something for it.  Maybe knit a minion to guard the next batch of fiber.

I think the manager should have left the meth addict in the apartment above me.  At least she would eventually run out of meth and crash for a few days, and there would be quiet.  The women upstairs and her kids continue to sound like a herd of crazed St. Bernard's wearing Dutch wooden shoes holding wrestling matches.    I have went up there and said something,  I have pounded on the ceiling with a broom.  They are just inconsiderate, final opinion. It's 10:30 pm and they are still romping.

No sense in complaining to the manager.  He won't do anything unless someone is disturbing him personally.  He has himself well insulated with the snowbird above him and quiet people on either side. (Us for one) It takes forever to get anything fixed.  The toilet has been constantly running for two months now.  I've told him about it twice.  The only thing this place is good for is when people have a hard time paying their rent.

I'm done, finished with this place.  After the holidays, I will work on getting a car.  So I can work overtime, and save for the first month's rent and deposit for a single family house.  They have been putting up notices at work daily that they need people to stay for overtime from 4-8.  I usually get out between 5 and 6 so staying a couple extra hours wouldn't be a problem, except for walking in the dark, two miles to the bus stop through the barrio.

My horoscope for Monday: Owing to the unfavourable influence of the stars, you will be confronted today with situations which will easily stretch you to the max. Don't doubt your abilities. It is within your power to change these circumstances. If you are also faced with problems at work, try to make the best of it. Problems are ultimately placed before us so that we will learn from them. You can use these difficult times to improve your skills. 

(rolls eyes)

I need to do something and I'm on a mission.

Fiber Arts and FO Friday

Thank goodness it's Friday!! One more day and three whole days off!!!

Little baby sweater and hat is finished.  Since time is NOT on my side, I'll need my daughter to do the finishing before she gives it my DIL.  Pagewood Farms Yukon colorway Navajo.  Basic top-down raglan sleeve sweater with a basic knit hat.

It's amazing how fast an upset grandmother can crochet.  Due to privacy issues I can't share what happened to my oldest granddaughter.  I just hope she can get some comfort.  I would need my daughter's permission and then it's a question of just how much one should share on a blog.  So, I will talk about the yarn.

I used Simply Soft, which is my favorite acrylic yarn to work with.  To me it feels like cotton.  Not cotton yarn, but cotton batts or balls.  Does anyone remember back when Johnson & Johnson made those sterile cotton rolls that came in the blue box?  Ours never stayed sterile for long as I was always opening the box and petting it when my Mom wasn't looking.

This evening I worked a little on my spinning.  Cupcake Fibers superwash bfl with some nylon.  I don't know how much I will get finished between now and Tuesday when I'm back to running for the bus, again.

Thanks for stopping by. Click the following links for more FO's  and Fiber Arts.

Fiber Arts and FO Friday

Happy Friday everyone.  Progress continues on the little sweater.  So tiny, looks like I'm knitting for a doll.  I should find a teddy bear it will fit, so they can put it on the bear after the baby grows out of it.  I'm loving the color of this yarn.

Is it cheating that I'm using last week's FO again this week?  It was requested of me to see it off the bobbin and in skein form.  This is llama that my friend K in Phoenix brought to me, with some merino/silk.  As, I have plenty of handspun yarn but not so much spinning fiber, I told her I would spin it and then give the finished yarn back to her.  I spun it two-ply.  It's a bit thicker and rustic compared to the merino/silk, I had spun, so the yardage is 625 yards.  I'm excited to see what she decides to make with them.

Here's a close up of the yarn. Very soft and fuzzy. While I was skeining it out, the soft yarn snapped with about 100 yards left to go.  If it were mine, I wouldn't have minded so much.  But as it is for someone else, that really popped my cork.  I just tied a loose knot there.  Hopefully, she won't mind having to splice it.

Yet another FO from last week Friday.  Anna wearing the hat I had made her for her hospital picture. Nicole said all the nurses just loved the hat.  They were impressed that I had dyed yarn.  Tiny thing wears preemie diapers, so Nicole didn't try the sweater on her yet.  It looked like she would drown in it.

I just want to snuggle her and kiss those chubby cheeks and button nose.


I ended up calling in today, for several reasons.  First, I was having a severe fibro flare with pain and fatigue.  I was going to try to make it anyway.  However, my feet are all blisters from running in my sandals.  All I could find was one footie, since I haven't worn them since last March.  So, I couldn't wear my sneakers with blisters and bare feet.  This frustrates me as I hate calling in unless I'm dying or absolutely can't get there.  I guess it's the same as if I had a car and it wouldn't start, except it was my body.

Duane had an appointment to go to this morning, that my friend was taking him to.  It was good I stayed home and went with him.  After two hours of waiting, I got him to the head of the line as he had less than an hour left of oxygen in his tank. Otherwise, he would have been sitting there for several more hours and no oxygen. We stopped at the store and bought footies.

I called my work friend and she is on the same schedule as me next week.  So, starting Sunday, she will take me back and forth for next week.  Sucky hours, 11:45-8:15,  but I won't have to run for the bus.  I'm planning to work out on my spinning wheel for an hour every day next week, so I don't lose the muscle tone for when I have to run for the bus again.  Just have to get through this Friday.

What I want to know is, where the heck did Fall go?  Next four days are supposed to be record high temps in the upper 90's. Sheesh, I thought we were done with that already.

Dammit and I have been listening to Zeppelin together every night before bed.  Something about Jimmy's guitar solos that make me feel better when I'm in pain.




Just like Robert, I feel like I'm going down slow.

Click the following links for more FO's  and Fiber Arts.

Fiber Arts and FO Friday

I have a few things to share with you.

Just show us the new baby. 


That's just going to be SOS (shiny object syndrome) so I'll save that for last.

I took this picture at the PO just before I mailed it out.  My daughter will have to weave in the ends.  Basic top down raglan sleeved sweater with a basic beanie knitted in fingering weight cotton yarn that I had dyed awhile back. This seemed to go in slow motion.  When I started knitting with wool again, I realized it was the cotton yarn dragging on the needles that made it go in slow motion.

To prepare myself for that three mile walk daily starting on Sunday, I've been peddling my spinning wheel for an hour every morning.  I finally finished plying the llama.  Since I have to leave for work in two hours, I'll wind it off tomorrow to count the yardage.  This combed llama that my friend K brought down to me.  It looks really rustic compared to the merino/silk she brought me as well.

Work went slightly better on Wednesday night.  Yesterday it went even better.  Half-way through the night, I thought either I'm getting really easy calls, knocking it out of the park, or screwing up so badly it seems easy.  When the trainer asked me how I was doing I refused to tell her because I didn't want to shoot myself in the foot.  She kept asking what does that mean.  I said I would tell her at the end of the night. I'm a nurse always and I know if the shift is going well, keep it to yourself or it will all go downhill from there.

When I was leaving, she stopped me and made me tell her.

Well, either I was getting all easy calls and I didn't want to say anything and have the rest of the night go bad.

She laughed.

Or, I was knocking it out the park and I didn't want say anything and ruin my mojo.

She laughed.

Or I really screwed it all up and it just seemed to be easy.

She stopped laughing.

For those of you who are new.  I just started a job as a pharmacy technician for a major call center taking calls for a national pharmacy.

I have more things to write about, but I will save it for tomorrow.

SOS!  My daughter's FO.

Yes!!!  Finally!!!

Nicole told me she was naming the baby Leighann, but I read on the father's FB page they named her Anna Leighann Lynn.

This is all I have.  No other details as of time, weight or how my daughter is doing.  I left a message on the other grandma's FB page but haven't gotten a response as of yet.

You know how I said, I have my emotional button switched to off, since I'm 3000 miles away and no way to get there.  This morning it popped back on and flashing red.  I'm just feeling really sad and frustrated that I'm down here and can't be there.

Dammit bunny wants to thank those of you who signed his petition yesterday.  He also requests those of you who may have missed his post, to please stop by and consider signing his petition. Duane did play him a little Zeppelin last night while I was at work.

Ok, I need to duct tape my emotional button to OFF so I can go to work.  Thanks for stopping by.

Click the following links for more FO's  and Fiber Arts.

WIP Wednesday

This looks more like baby boy sweater.  I'm knitting this at the three month size and flew threw the top half.  I'll knit the body during my bus ride.  Yarn is Pagewood Farms Yukon in Navajo colorway.

I've finally finished the body on the slow motion baby sweater.  This is just one size larger than the above sweater, not many more stitches but it has been growing in slow motion.  Just have to find my size 3 double points for the sleeves and it will be finished.  Then a little hat and some booties, hopefully they knit up faster, and I'll send it all off next Monday.

I'm using Henry's Attic petite cotton yarn that I had dyed awhile back.  All was going well until I got to the body and it pooled.  I know the baby won't care.  I'm afraid the father's family might look at it and think my daughter's mother is a bit of a freak.

Over the weekend, I was only able to get about halfway through the llama.  There's a ton of peddling to plying a two-ply laceweight.  Hopefully, I'm not to exhausted on my Sunday and Monday off to finish this.  I'll be walking about two miles a day to the bus stop then the bus stop to work that's a bunch of stepping too.

I'm writing this Tuesday morning, scheduled to post at midnight eastern time.  If I'm not to tired I'll post about how my first day at work was this morning (when you'll be reading this), so you can check back later today, if you're interested.

Thanks for stopping by to see what I'm up to this week.  I'm going to try to head over Tami's in the mornings to see what everyone else is up to.

FO & Fiber Arts Friday

My last free Friday, for who knows how long.  Next week I'll be working.  This FO has been technically finished for awhile.  However, I just skeined it off  my plying bobbin today.  The llama has been spun and I'm now plying.  The skein above is Tempted Fibers  merino/silk,  in colorway, can't remember, but I do have the tag around here somewhere.

This is part of the fiber that K brought to me in February when she came down for the day.  Since I have tons of handspun yarn, I told her I would spin it and give it back to her.  Hopefully, she'll be pleased with laceweight 909 yards approximately.  My goal was anything above 800 yards for the four ounces, as that is what millspun would be.  The llama should be finished this weekend.

While I was out this morning doing the boring shopping, cat food, cat litter and bird seed, we stopped at the yarn store that is conveniently on the way home.  The one on the left is another Pagewood Farms Yukon SW Merino/Bamboo/Nylon in the Navajo colorway and that one said, Baby Boy.  The other one on the right is K1C2 SW Merino/Nylon/Silk and it said Baby Boy.  When I got home I showed it to Duane and said, you know with the silk, maybe I should make my mother socks.

He said, he thinks it looks like it would make a nice small sweater to go with my new work tank top.  Except, I would need one more skein, at least.  I'm pretty sure they had another one or two and I've been trying to call them all day to see if they will hold it for a week or two.  While I was there, I heard them say the internet was out, so maybe that's why the phone keeps ringing.  Try again tomorrow and hopefully they still have it and will hold it.

My rose bud has decided to start to bloom.  I love them at this stage, just a bud starting to unfold.

The other one is thinking about it.  Let's see if they come up missing.  Hope not. Really hope not.

My bright pink geranium.

I'm feeling better today and organized the corner by my chair.  I've been wanting to do that since before Duane went in the hospital.  Of course, I organized it in my usual fashion by moving everything to the other side of the room. No picture, as all it is, is a blue tote with a few things on it.  Tomorrow, I will attempt the other side of the room and see how far I get.  Goodness knows where I'll move all that stuff over to.  Not the bedroom, I cleaned that last week.

For more Fiber and FO posts go to Wonder Why Gal and Tami's Amis.

Wishing For Fall

This is the time of year, is when I'm the most homesick. This will last until November when our temps cool down and it's snowing back home.  Last week during the Monsoon storms,  the temp cooled down to the low 90's are now back up to 102F today.  I'm feeling under the weather and would like a dreary raining day with some homemade chicken noodle soup on the stove and a cozy quilt.  Instead that blazing hot sun adds insult to injury.

My petunias that I planted last February are getting pretty leggy.  The ones that survived the summer scorch that is.  I don't know whether to cut them back, will they regrow and bush out?  Or do I just rip them out and plant new ones?  I like the way they trail the fence but the legginess bugs me.  I wouldn't have this problem back home, because the frost would have killed them by the time they look like this.

Two weeks ago, I bought some plants on sale at Home Depot.  My two foot tomato has a tiny tomato starting.  Some of the tomatoes will be for fried green tomatoes.  I can't find green tomatoes at the stores here, so I'll have to grow my own. How many times can you say tomatoes til it starts sounding funny?

I started some jalepeno plants from seed for Duane last month.  The sprouted pretty quick, but have been just staying the same for the past few weeks.  I wonder if the hot temps make things grow slower.

I think I might be boiling the hibiscus, literally.  I noticed this morning there was  water in the bottom tray of the pot and the leaves are starting to turn yellow.  I read not to use ceramic or clay pots down here as they heat up in the afternoon and will cook the plant roots.  This is a plastic pot, but I think I might have over-watered it (is that really possible in the desert? apparently) and am boiling the roots.  Less watering for the hibiscus, check.

Bright pink geranium, I picked up this week for some color.

The pink flower plant is called Vinca.  I hadn't heard of the plant before.  Vinca to me is the vine I used to plant in hanging baskets back home.  When I first saw these at Home Depot, I thought they were Impatients and was confused as why they were selling a shade/cool weather plant in the heat of July.  These Vincas like 8-10 hours of sun and warm temps.  I bought them in August when my planter had 12 hours of sunshine, but since Labor Day my planter gets no sun anymore.  I face the north and the sun has shifted to the south.

My rose with a gardenia in the back ground.  It's only slightly trying to bloom.  It's had three buds for two weeks now.  I'm a bit concerned about two of the buds when they bloom.  The stems are very long on these two and I worried some punk is going to come by and steal the flowers.

Monday, I bought this little green house to start some seeds.  There are heirloom tomato, cilantro, dill, parsley, butterfly bush and English lavender.  I took toothpicks and taped little labels to tell what is what.  The instructions said to put in a warm shady place.  That's my patio, I just hope it's not too warm and I'm not boiling my seeds.

Because there is no sun on my side, I haul all the plants in pots to my neighbor's patio across the way for a couple hours in the morning.  Then I stalk them through the window, worried that someone might decide to make off with them.  They just wave their little leaves back at me.  The French lady used to have things come up missing all the time, is the reason I worry.  We don't know if it's another tenant, or just someone passing through.

Progress is slowly happening on the baby sweater.  So sad, when my kids were little, I could knit one of these in a day.  I know I have a second skein around here somewhere for the sleeves and a hat, but I can't find it.  I guess I'll have to do some of the organizing I've been trying to avoid, to find it.

By eight oclock, I'm ready for bed.  This will be a problem next week, when I work until 11pm.  To try to stay awake, I've been spinning. Not too much left of the llama, then I can ply it.  K will have to let me know if she wants to make a trip down or I should I mail it off.  I go to bed at 11pm then wake up at 1am, up til 3:30am then it doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I'm always up by 8 am.


The sun is starting to set and temps are cooling off to the high 80's, it's time for me to go water the plants.  Except for Mr. Hibiscus, he's going to dry out for a couple days.

Thanks for stopping by.