Aren't Icicles Pretty?

I know that they're generally not a good sign, roof-wise, but I sure do like seeing their little selves sparkling in the early morning light.  I think our roof is okay though, we've got those Gutter Helmet things (I highly recommend them; since we had them installed I haven't been out clearing downspouts in thunderstorms once) so the icicles aren't on the roof, per se, they're on the gutters.  Totally different.  Totally.

It's hard to see in my picture but there's a little blue sky peeking through out there.  Makes me feel quite human for a few minutes.  It isn't supposed to last long, more light snow this afternoon, probably around drive time, but for now there's a little sun poking out.  I'll take it.

I didn't do any sewing or knitting yesterday, too busy, but I was thinking about how to make a play sink for LC's play kitchen collection and I think I've got it.  (She's one smart cookie.  I was talking to her about features she might like and told her Meemaw would sew it up.  She turned and pointed to the basement door and said, "In there."  I don't think she's ever seen me sew so how did she know where that happened?  What'd I tell you, a very smart cookie.)  I dug out two patterns, one is a fabric box and the other is the foldable travel tray.  I'll use the brown/gray cotton for the outside, it matches her placemat stove and microwave, and the natural canvas for the inside.  There's stiffener there so it'll hold its shape but I'm most excited about partially lining the inside with the graded blue so it looks like there's water in the sink and I'll sew the lace ruffle around the top of the blue so there's "suds" on the water.  Next up is cobbling the two patterns together to try to match the image in my head.  I'll keep you posted.

In the "You Have GOT To Be Kidding" Department--when I got into my car to leave yesterday morning the "check tire pressure" light was on so I zoomed over to the BP station and pumped it up.  Sometimes cold can make tires lose air; I figured that's what happened.  Until I got into it again in the late afternoon to discover it was low again.  I stopped at Joe's and he found a big nail in my other rear tire.  I almost cried.  I was on a time crunch so he overinflated it so I could get to where I was going and back, then Joe gave me a ride home.  It should be ready this morning so I can go to work but... REALLY?????  At least I'll have two new rear tires.  The last one was at Christmas so I said I got a new tire from Santa.  So now Happy Valentine's Day?  Gah.

January 27--Jamie Bloomquist/Outside Images, #CLMB0-02102.  Jack and Gary leaned into the wind.  Blowing snow pellets stung their faces and made small popping sounds as they hit their arctic suits.  The men were roped together, they wore crampons for traction, and used their ice axes to steady themselves.  Even in the midst of the storm neither man wore his hat, the exertion heated them up and at this altitude sweating could be deadly.  Jack was in the lead and he had slowed his pace so that the line between them hung slack.  A few times Gary had nearly stepped in a loop of the rope.  Getting tangled in it would be the first mistake that could end their trip badly.  Gary talked to himself as he plodded along.  "I wanted to go diving in Palau.  It's warm and sunny there and the water isn't solid.  I'll bet they have drinks with little umbrellas too.  No, we had to come to some god-forsaken mountain range in Too Remote to Name, Canada to freeze our balls off and go snow blind.  I need my head examined."  He nearly bumped into Jack who said, "Did you say something?"  "No, not really."  "Well, it's your turn to lead."  As Gary turned to walk he felt the ground beneath his feet shake.  He was behind a house-size boulder when an avalanche swept around him.  He felt a slight tug on the safety line.  When the slide had gone he was struck by the silence.  "Man, Jack, that was something, wasn't it?"  No response.  He pulled on the line and soon had the torn end in his hand.

And that's when I ran out of pages in the notebook.  I start a new one tonight.  I get about 6 months' worth of nightly prompts in one book.  I use those old-fashioned composition notebooks, not college ruled so I have lots of room on the lines to write.  By the time I'm writing my handwriting's all over the place.  Gotta get done getting ready so when they bring my car I can run out and zoom off.  Toodles.
--Barbara