We Had A Sunrise!

A visible one today, not just a gradual lightening of the gray gray gray dreary gray.  I hoped to sleep longer but was up just before 7 o'clock (a whole hour more) and when I opened the patio door curtains there it was, all pink and yellow and sunrise-y.  There was even a tiny crescent of moon high up in the blue dawn sky.  Even though it was so cold that the birdbath was frozen solid I still went out and took sunrise pictures.  Later on I took a few minutes to scrub out the birdbath (I finally let my old scrub brush go and bought a new one this afternoon since I'd scrubbed the bristles nearly down to the wood--and you know how old it had to be to have a real wood top; a new one was plastic and three bucks, I splurged) and hook up the birdbath heater so our feathered friends wouldn't have to break their beaks on the ice.

When I was going out to clean the birdbath Durwood noticed that there was a Downy Woodpecker on the squirrel corn.  It was really going to town.  Neither of us knew that woodpeckers liked corn and not just suet, but it was working hard and me going outside didn't bother it one bit.

Over the last couple weeks I've been sorting through my purses (haven't found more than a dime so far, dammit) and when I loaded my wallet and a few other things into a sari silk bag that was my first knitting project I remembered why I'd stopped using it--it's too shallow so all my things were right there for the pickpocketing.  I'd sewn in a Velcro closure to keep it shut but then hardly anything fit, so I dug out another skein of the sari silk, a crochet hook, and some long needles so I could pick up stitches along the top edges and knit a purse dickey, fill in the V, so to speak.  It's working quite well, I think.  I'll end up lining the new parts with muslin like I did the original bag but then I'll be able to use it.  I should use it, I really like it.

DS came over for an hour this afternoon to mark all of the cords and cables that hook Durwood's desktop computer together so that when it gets taken apart to be moved so new carpet can be installed it can be reassembled--and work.  That last part's the important part.  It was great to have DS's help, he has such a logical mind and thought his way through, I lose patience with stuff like that and wig out.  Now we just have to box up the arsenal (Durwood's BB gun he uses to plink squirrels off the birdfeeders) and Ft. Knox (his box of pennies) before Friday when the carpet miracle will occur.  I got a few more shelves boxed up, got the muscle men lined up for Thursday night, and think it's going to be fine.

October 19--Turkey,  Belt with Powder Measure and Primer.  Mack stretched his left leg out as far as the chain would allow.  His big toe just touched the iron nail lying on the stone floor of his cell.  The season was changing and, for less than five minutes that day, a ray of light had shone thorough a crack in the painted-over window.  Once his eyes had adjusted to the light he had seen the glint of metal in the far corner.  His right ankle was chained to a ring in the wall opposite the door but if he stretched he could barely tease the flat nail out from under the straw mouse nest and ease it within reach.  Careful not to drop it and give away that he had such a treasure he threaded it into the chain links where it blended it.  Every day in the few minutes of light, he used the nail to probe the lock of his leg iron and within a week he was able to unlock it and relock it with ease.  He used the time without the manacle to run in place and work his muscles to build up his strength because the thought of escaping was the only thing keeping him from going mad.

I've got chicken thighs and drumsticks, a white potato and a sweet potato all on the grill and I think it won't be long before the timer buzzes.  Durwood cleaned and cut up some fresh broccoli so we're eating like rich folks tonight.  I think there's even chocolate pudding for dessert.  (who am I kidding, I made the darned stuff, I know there's chocolate pudding)  Happy Sunday, I hope your day was as good as mine was.  Mwa!
--Barbara