Icy Slinkys

It rained last night and this morning.  When I went out to get the newspaper (which never

arrived today) around 7 o'clock I was surprised to hear water cascading in the downspout but I could also hear the sound of ice ticking on the frozen snowy ground.  As the sun lightened the gray we saw that each little turn of the Slinkys on the birdfeeder crooks was ice coated.  The squirrels had a field day clambering up to nab peanuts and making the ice crack and fall.

Schools started a couple hours late and I waited until late afternoon to go to the polls to cast my ballot.  It was tempting not to go since the only race on the ballot was a run-off for Wisconsin Supreme Court judge but I've always said that voting's something that can be taken away if you don't use it every chance you get so how could I bail on primary day?  I couldn't, so I went to a new polling place (no voting in schools anymore for security reasons) and cast my ballot--all by myself, no other voters in sight.  I felt sorry for the poll workers, none of them were knitting.  I wonder what they did all day.  I was there right around 5 o'clock and was #129.  Long day if you don't knit or crochet or something to keep from going stark raving cuckoo.



While waiting for the temperature to rise and melt the ice on the streets I finished OJ's Wool-ish Mittens.  Tomorrow I'll crochet a string to loop through his coat sleeves so they don't get lost.  Look how long I made the cuffs, those will tuck very nicely into his sleeves so his wrists aren't hanging out.


Then I cast on the swatch I'll need for the March knitting guild program.  A Master Knitter is coming to teach us how to knit a sweater that fits and she asked us to bring a swatch.  Like I said before I have a cardigan pattern that I've wanted to knit for years but it isn't my size so I need help figuring out how to make one in my size.  I have the yarn too so that's what I'm making my swatch from.  

February 20--William De Morgan, Charles Passenger, Charger.  The blue and white ceramic plate lay shattered on the floor.  Sheila saw that each bird had its own shard.  Three beady eyes glared up at the clumsy girl who had wrought their destruction.  She knew she should have dried her hands before picking up the big plate but she had been in a hurry, the plate slipped, and now it was broken.  How could she tell Mrs. Galvin?

It was nice to have nothing more to do today than sit on the couch and knit.  I could have done some dishes but it was nice to just sit.  I thought about taking a nap but I'm not very good at napping.  Speaking of napping, I'm getting sleepy.  I should probably wind this up and head off to bed.
--Barbara