The Doorknob Froze

No, really.  I tried to turn the knob in the door into the garage this morning to plunk the plastic bag from the newspaper out there and it wouldn't turn.  I sprayed it with WD 40--nothing.  I frowned at it for a while, then got out a hair dryer and extension cord, and stood there heating it up and it opened, once.  When I wanted to throw something else away later it was frozen again.  Then I figured out that the latch stayed stuck in the door and the door stayed shut so I was careful not to turn the knob again.  Tomorrow on my way home from the Y I'll be buying a new doorknob.






While I was doing yoga this morning the Red-bellied Woodpecker came to the suet feeder.  I confess that I stopped my pose, grabbed the camera, and took its picture.  Isn't it pretty?







Going outside to fill the bird feeders and birdbath was not a good idea.  I knew I had to wear snowshoes to go up to the suet cage on the retaining wall so I grabbed a pair of those stretchy gloves to wear while I buckled my boots in and kept them on under my Thinsulate lined leather gloves to fill the feeders.  Bad idea.  By the time I got inside, less than 10 minutes later, the gloves were frozen to my fingertips.  Ouch.  I held my fingers under lukewarm water for a while until feeling returned but my fingertips were pink and tingly for much of the afternoon.  Next time I'll take the stretchy gloves off before putting the other gloves on.

In the afternoon I went downstairs and sat down to sew up the last flannel Dress no. 2 that I had cut out last fall.  While working on it I kept seeing the mess of plastic bags of yarn and piles of folded fabric and thought about the bins I've emptied over the last week.  So I stopped sewing for a few minutes, grabbed 2 bins, and put yarn in one and fabric in the other.  I didn't take a before picture but here's the after.  Soon I'll spend a couple days sorting through the yarn and fabric, and get it better organized.  Maybe I'll even sort some out to donate.  Wouldn't that be something?



Then I finished the dress.  I only have a plaid flannel Dress no. 1 (jumper) left to sew up and then I can spend time cutting again.  I have some knits to make more leggings and a new shirt pattern to draw off and sew.  I also want to use some lingerie fabric to make a slip/lining for a linen dress that clings to my leggings.  So many wants, so little motivation.


 

After supper I finished the Keltic Beanie.  At the top you can see where I added the second skein but I don't think it's hideous.  And it needed more than 9 yards worth.  It's a nice warm hat.  Someone will like it.






30 January--Tropical Obsession. 

The pair of laughing gulls stood side by side on the sand facing the tradewinds and watched the couple walking toward them. The gulls, dressed in black with white bellies, looked to her like a pair of prim butlers standing with their hands behind their backs watching the antics of their employers with a superior air. "Look at those birds," Nola said to Jack as they neared the birds. "Don't they look like they're judging us?" He glanced up and nodded, the smoke from his cigarette riding the breeze to twine around his face before streaming away. "They're just gulls," he said, aiming a listless kick at them. The little puff of sand he scuffed in their direction sent the birds running up the beach a bit, making her laugh. Frustrated that they hadn't flown away, he stooped, picked up a fist-sized chunk of coral, and tossed it at the birds. They squawked and flew up to circle out over the waves, filling the air with their laughing call. The couple moved on, Jack oddly cheered by his act of harassment, Nola wrapping her arms across her midriff as if she were cold.

It's supposed to be almost as cold tomorrow as it was today.  Schools are closed again and I'm guessing that the post office won't deliver tomorrow either.  Hey, I wouldn't want to send my employees out to walk around.  Look at the snow drifts that the wind made in the driveway today.  Tonight's trash night and I was surprised at the drifts when I took out the bin.  I would have kept the bin inside because it's so cold but with my "toss a box a day" plan I end up with a lot of trash and recycling.  I can't skip a week anymore.  I think the electric blanket probably has the bed warmed up to bearable.  Oh, and it's supposed to be in the 40s by Sunday.  Can you say 90 degree difference?
--Barbara