A Squirrel Gardener

This is what happens when you let a squirrel plant things in your flower beds.  See the spray of leafy branches among the ferns?  That's a black walnut tree courtesy of one of the squirrels that frequent the feeders.  I don't want it there but I don't want to just summarily uproot it and have it die.  The last time a black walnut tree grew it was in one of my pots so I left it and then a squirrel gnawed it off at the soil line.  You just can't win.  Maybe I can think of a place to plant it where it'll be safe.

Nice clouds and light this morning. Part of me wishes I could wake up earlier so I'd have more time to take pretty sunup pictures but then my alarm is set for 6:30 and today I whammed the snooze a total of four times (I get 5 more minutes per wham) and still didn't get to my yoga mat until 8 o'clock.  I don't like sleeping in anymore like I used to but it seems I do it anyway.  Maybe I'll try going to bed closer to 10 o'clock than 11 o'clock.


I stayed up later last night because KW and I are in charge of bringing treats to Knitting Guild tonight and I thought it'd be a good idea to bring healthier stuff rather than the avalanche of sweets that usually is on offer.  Don't get me wrong, I could happily start at one end of those treats and just shovel them in, but I'm trying to develop new, healthier eating habits so I'm going to impose them on the knitters tonight too.  KW is stopping for a few dozen cookies to bring along for those resistant to our yummy dips.  I've got Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Green Pea Dip, which is like guacamole only made with frozen peas instead of avocado.  KW's making White Bean Dip which has a whole head of roasted garlic in it.  All of them are Weight Watchers recipes and they all don't taste like it one bit, at least in my opinion.  I've got a whack of veggies to dip and have some blue corn chips and some rice crackers too.  I hope people like our spread, otherwise Durwood and I will be eating lots of dip for the next who-knows-how-long.


Yesterday at work I knitted on September Preemie Hat #1 but before I knitted I set up one of the long tables stored in back of the wetsuits and used it to cut out a shirt so I can sew it up this weekend.  This right here is one of the (many) reasons I have the best job.  I didn't ignore the phone or any customers that came in but in between I could be in the back (which isn't very far from the front) laying out fabric, pinning on the pieces, then cutting them out and marking them.  I didn't have enough of the light, floral fabric to cut the front and back so I cut the front and one sleeve from it and the back and the other sleeve from the black.  The neck band will be black too because I was two inches short to cut it from the floral (even if I cheated and used the selvage, dang it).


I told Durwood this morning that I'd like to clone myself at least twice.  I want to knit ALL the things, sew ALL the things, and work on my writing every day.  He grunted.  I think that means he doesn't have a lot of confidence in my ability to make that happen.  Oh, and I want to quit my job but still get a paycheck so I don't have to drive all the way across town (4.8 miles) two days a week and waste valuable making time waiting on customers.  What?  I can whine if I want, even if I do have the best job.  In the spirit of doing it ALL, I went downstairs for needles and yarn because I am determined to knit yoga socks someday and this might be the day/week I finally manage.  I've only started and frogged one twice in the last 4 years.  And, yes, I will make two, they won't match but there will be two.

September 15--Eric L. Klein.  How could things be so great one day and completely awful the next?  Yesterday they were happy, laughing at silly things, and this evening they had a terrible argument about something Sheila thought was insignificant.  Who storms out after his wife says she's not crazy about his tie?  Chuck, that's who.  He never told her that the ugly maroon and gray tie with gold shields and prancing horses on it had been his grandfather's and had been given to him by his late mother.  Sheila was sure she'd have a more mature reaction if he ever criticized on of her family heirlooms.  Not that he ever would.  All of her things were in perfect taste.

Okay, that's it for me.  I need to send a couple sympathy cards and, of course, the mail carrier has already been and gone but tomorrow is another day.  (Name that move character.)  Off to address envelopes and figure out what to write.  Man, sympathy cards are hard, aren't they?
--Barbara