That's what I see out the window, misty drizzle. Not real rain, we could sure use that, just a dribble that's annoying to be out in. It's not even enough to wet the whole street. See?
When I started making breakfast burritos to freeze for Durwood I'd wrap a packet of Taco Bell mild sauce in each one. He didn't really like having to take it out before heating up the burrito and then we ran out of the packets. We don't go to Taco Bell much, hardly ever, so I searched online to see if they sell bottles of the sauce. They do--but not around here, of course. So I went on Amazon (you can buy everything on Amazon, I think, we should buy their stock. do they have stock?) It comes in a 2-pack for about twelve bucks, not cheap but not outrageously
expensive. He's burrito-ed his way through one and a half bottles so I ordered more today. This time I ordered two 2-packs, saving a little on shipping. I might as well store it and have a stock laid in. In case of the zombie apocalypse, you understand.
Last time we were at Woodman's I was hanging around in the tea aisle waiting for Durwood to cruise the meat cases and hit all the tasters when I found myself next to the loose tea dispensers. To pass the time (Durwood's a very thorough taster) I read the ingredients and found myself buying a bit of Cameron's Spicy Plum herbal tea. It sounded intriguing and smelled great but I forgot to write down the ingredients, so I just googled it. Here's what it says on the Cameron's site: "Spicy plum fairies make this exclusive blend of Saigon tea, cinnamon,
Chinese ginger, South African rooibos, Sudanese hibiscus, Chilean rose
hips, and other natural flavor." Yeah. I'm not sure I believe the bit about the fairies but I'm looking forward to the cinnamon (poor thing, it's the only ingredient that doesn't have a pedigree mentioned) and ginger. Maybe I'll brew up some to take to knitting tonight. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
Speaking of knitting, I added a few rows to Sudoku Terracotta #7 yesterday but haven't been in a knitting mood so I'm no further on the Dobby Hat(s). I'll work on that tonight. Cross my heart.
Look! The second wave of blooms on Dad's rose has started. Now if only the Japanese beetles stay away.
August 7--Andrew Child, World Map on Sky. In her dream Jess could see through the oceans and the continents to the sky and clouds. Her hand slid right through Canada to bat away the clouds filling Hudson Bay.
That's all. I was so tired it was a struggle to get even that much. Lately when it hits 10 o'clock I can barely keep my eyes open. I blame the weather. Time to... something. Maybe get dressed, the DVD of Despicable Me is waiting for me at the library. (No, I've never seen it.)
--Barbara
I went out to fill the feeders this morning and took a look to see if there's any progress in the garden. There is! The cherry tomatoes (may-toe-toes, according to LC; Baba eats may-toe-toes, which are not to be confused with pay-toe-toes) are ripening a few at a time, and I spied the first nascent gourd. It's about as big as my thumbnail but it's a gourd-let and it'll grow. I think the plant's label said to let a few grow and remove the others so that you get decent sized ones for birdhouses. I'll have to reread the directions. It'll be hard to snip off baby gourds so I get bigger ones, though.
The daisies and bee balm are finally winding up their season. Pretty soon I'll be out there with my spade dividing the daisies and plonking them in spots around the house and lot line beds to spread their cheer to other parts of the yard. I think I want to find some Black-eyed Susan plants and some more Purple Coneflowers to plant around too. I want to find some more milkweed for the butterflies and have perennials that bloom on their own. Having an "effortless" garden takes work.
Like I said I filled the birdfeeders early this morning and by the time I was nearing the end of the task I could hear the bluejays calling the news that there were peanuts again. I don't know how they know, I don't have a birdfeeder filling outfit they could recognize and I can't imagine that they can smell them, but somehow the word gets out that there's fresh food and they all come a-winging in for treats. The chickadees are usually the bravest, landing on the platform feeder to snatch up a safflower seed while scolding me for letting the feeder get too empty. I make sure that there's a fresh orange half and a couple spoons of Welch's Grape jam for the young orioles too. I'll ask Durwood to cook up a fresh batch of birdie juice for the hummingbird feeders. I took down the oriole nectar feeder because the young orioles ignore it and contort themselves around the hummingbird feeder for a sip. I've tried explaining that their own feeder is bigger and more suited to their size but they just fly off in a flap when I try to go out to tell them. Nothing flies off in a flap better than the mourning doves; I actually get a charge out of seeing them get fluttery. They remind me of little old church ladies.
August 6--Reynolds' Stock, Vizsla DS-5. Kaye had never seen a dog like the one sitting on the cabin porch. She checked the printed reservation sheet on the seat beside her. "Quaint cabin in a hollow of Logan's Mountain, access to fifteen miles of hiking trails, stream running behind cabin, indoor plumbing, solar power for electric. Sleeps 2." The ad didn't say anything about a red-brown dog with long legs and inquisitive ears being part of the package. The faded, round-fendered navy blue pickup truck parked beside the cabin wasn't in the brochure either.
I confess I envision a "meet cute" straight from a paperback romance novel coming in the next paragraph. Maybe I'll write this one someday when I don't have too many things on my plate. Off to get dressed for work. One of these days I'll retire and get to stay home and play with my toys, my yarn and fabric, maybe even build some birdhouses and stuff with wood, really, I will. Soon-ish. (yeah, right)
--Barbara
Today my beloved is 76 years old. That means that we've known each other for over 40 years and been married for nearly 39 of those years. Makes me feel old just writing those words but I've gotta say I wouldn't want to have spent the last 38 3/4 years with anyone else. He makes me laugh, he makes me feel safe, he makes me feel brave, and he puts up with what he calls my "manias" like writing and knitting and sewing and all the other enthusiasms I've embraced and shed over the years. He held my hand when we learned to SCUBA dive and then worked hard so we could go to all kinds of interesting and exotic places to dive. He thinks I'm smart and pretty and funny, and he's always glad to see me when I come home. What's not to love? Happy birthday to the most patient and tolerant man in this or any other part of the world. I'd marry you all over again if the need arose.
Last night I drove down south of Sheboygan to Kohler-Andrae State Park, where Lala was
camping for a couple nights, to have supper with her. On the drive down the sky and clouds were so gorgeous I had to juggle my cellphone to take a couple pictures. Lala had made foil packets of carrots with herbs and some coconut oil and other foil packets with red potatoes with herbs and coconut oil that she cooked over the fire. I brought long forks that we used to spear weenies that we roasted over the fire and then sliced into our plates of veggies. You guys, I have got to buy me some of that coconut oil. Those veggies were delicious and the Oscar Meyer weenies were greatly improved by their
time over the fire. (we both know that we should have had "good" weenies but every once in a while you've just gotta have those flabby pink Oscar Meyer ones like my city grandma served) Once the supper was devoured we took a little walk to see the sun set behind a row of trees, then we went back to roast (and sometimes catch on fire) a few marshmallows. It had been ages since either of us had roasted marshmallows so it felt like a guilty pleasure. We
checked the package and a serving of 5 marshmallows is a mere 90 calories and we decided that roasting (and burning) them probably burnt off at least half of those calories. It was great to sit there poking the fire, listening to the crackling as the word burned, and seeing the fires in the campsites around us. Very peaceful and relaxing. Oh, another cool thing was that there were honey bees in a tree by the bathrooms. It was roped off and there were signs that said "honey bees at work; if you don't both us we won't bother you." I was glad they didn't try to move the bees, they just gave them space and assumed that people would respect that space. Way to be mature, guys.
Since I had to work today Durwood suggested, well, kind of
insisted, that I get a motel room in Sheboygan so I didn't have to drive an hour home after 9 or 10 o'clock. I didn't argue and got a room at a Super 8. This morning I found out that the snooze feature on my travel alarm doesn't work. The alarm went off at 6:30, I hit snooze, and woke up at 8:11. I needed to open the store at 10 and it's just over an hour's drive from where I was. Yikes! And as an added bonus, the hot water in the shower didn't ever get above tepid. I wasn't brave enough to stand under the spray but I did manage to wash off the campfire smell and wash my hair--and I made it to work with 2 minutes to spare. Go, me! And I will be buying a new travel alarm this weekend, one that snoozes.
Sudoku Terracotta #7 block got started today in between customers. I think this might be my favorite color--or maybe the lime is--although I do like the violet too. But not the berry, that's pink and I'm just not a fan, but it went with the other colors when I was picking colors so I've got pink--berry pink, not Pepto Bismol pink. (I've typed "p-i-n-k" enough in this paragraph that it's starting to look misspelled, don't you hate when your mind plays tricks on you like that?)
August 5--Dennis Frieborn, African Elephant. Dolores had always been what people called "a big girl" with the emphasis on "big." She was tall, just over six feet by her fourteenth birthday, and not exactly fat but she had plenty of meat on her bones, most of it muscle not fat. Once she overheard Uncle Milo say, "You could hitch that girl to the plow and I reckon she could pull all day." Dad and the rest of the uncles had laughed but Aunt Rita had shushed them and told them they should be ashamed of themselves for talking like that. Dolores had stood in the barn between Papaw's draft horses, Dixie and Fleet, and she thought they were beautiful and strong. Maybe that's what Uncle Milo meant to say, that she was beautiful and strong, not too big and awkward.
Allrighty then, it's dark and I'm tired and it's Durwood's birthday. I should go sit by him and knit.
--Barbara
It was quiet-ish at work yesterday so I got part #2 of the Dobby Hat(s) done and cast on for part #3. This next part has cables, I like making cables.
The sun was up when I opened the patio curtains this morning but not too high in the sky that it looked like full daylight. I usually open the curtains before 7 o'clock so it's not like I'm in bed until noon but I like it when it looks like morning, like the day is new.
August 4--Frank Balthis, Gray Whale Spy Hops. The dark shadow in the depths grew larger and larger as Ellie swam along the drop-off. The divemaster had said in his briefing that there were reports of whales and sharks in the area and Ellie had been hoping to see them both on the dive. The boat had taken them away from shore and away from the kelp forests, out into the open ocean where the great creatures swam. Ellie lagged behind the group. Twenty years ago her dive instructor drilled into his students that a dive wasn't a race, that they should swim slowly and see more, so that's what she did, which was why she was alone when the huge, dark shape rose up under her.
That's all I've got today. Feels like my brain's turned off.
--Barbara
I said I'd bring marshmallows and cookies when I go to meet Lala tomorrow. I picked up a bag of marshmallows at the store the other day but didn't get any cookies. I was going to buy cookies but in the end I just couldn't. Store-bought cookies aren't the same as homemade cookies so I had to make them. The only thing I didn't have on hand was a bag of Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips (and they were quite a bit cheaper than Toll House) but a quick trip to the grocery took care of that little problem. After supper I made a batch and instead of doling them out a spoonful at a time I got out a cookie sheet and made a pan cookie. I learned when DS was in the Army and DD was in college (and in England part of the time) and I was making a lot of cookies to send off, a pan cookie was a much more efficient way to make them, plus I use a little bit bigger pan so they're still about the same thickness as a regular cookie, they're just square. And they pack well in that shape and stack nicely in your hand when you're feeling gluttonous. I got them all bagged up and stowed before bedtime to remove temptation for the Midnight Dishwasher, and me too. It's too easy to walk by and grab one when they're just sitting in the pan all cut and ready to be eaten.
Speaking of supper, I had a couple little pieces of beef thawing to slap on the grill but a line of strong storms blew through in the afternoon and I was sure I'd be doomed to broiling the meat but it slacked off and dribbled out just around 5 o'clock so the grilling was back on. I don't know if it was the high humidity, the fact that the chimney was damp or what but I had an impressive plume of smoke going when lighting the charcoal. I didn't take a picture of the beef, it disappeared too fast.
I finished Sodoku Lime #9 while listening to a podcast and rewound the White Elephant yarn while talking to DD on the phone. What looked like worsted yarn wound in the tight balls turns out to be bulky yarn when released from the super-tight rolls. It's all acrylic and it'll make excellent fast mittens to donate to a nearby elementary school when the weather turns cold. Kids can never have too many mittens. Got the laundry done too, not folded, Durwood will do that later in the week after I carry it up for him, but at least it's all washed and dried. Then I picked up the Dobby Hat(s) and got a stripe added and the next one started. It's not hard knitting, not even too hard to understand, and I really like the way it's looking. Can't wait to add the next hat.
August 3--Doug Plummer, H11-11-19 Handshake. Carol saw it out of the corner of her eye, two hands at the end of suit sleeves and French cuffs clasped in agreement. She was sure that the men didn't think she could see them. Her fingers were busy on the keyboard and her eyes flicked from her notes to the monitor and back. Her back was turned to Mr. Patterson's office door where he and Mr. Georgioni stood. Their voices where falsely friendly and carried the tone of a badly performed script, and she saw their reflection in her monitor.
Time to get some grub, pack the week's lunches so I don't leave them in the fridge, and get off to the SCUBA mine.
--Barbara
I got a call from KW yesterday evening saying she was in the gym at the St. Agnes Parish summer fair and there were bins and bins of not bad yard. She had to leave to meet another friend but we made a date for 8 o'clock this morning. It's only about 3 blocks from here so I ambled over to be there when the doors opened at 8. I wasn't going to buy anything, really I wasn't. I even told Durwood that I'd walk over with a few bucks in my pocket and walk home without carrying a bag. I lied. Well, not on purpose, but I came home with four bucks worth of stuff. Each of the 3 bags of 4 balls of yarn was $1 and the 2.5 yards of velvet in a very interesting print was $1 too. I couldn't pass those up. I need to rewind the yarn balls as they're hand wound and wound way too tightly. (If you wind yarn too tight it stretches and then when you knit it the yarn sproings back and your project isn't the size you intend it to be, so I'll bring up the ball winder and get that taken care of this afternoon while the laundry is flopping around.)
I worked on Sudoku Lime #9 last night and this morning. I'm about 25 rows from being done. Once I get the white elephant yarn rewound I'll finish that and be ready to work more on the Dobby Hat(s). I like to trade off with one easy, no-thinking-required project and one that I need to pay attention to.
Durwood got some pictures of the bluejays at the birdbath for me. I don't think they're another variety than the run-of-the-mill garden variety bluejays we usually see, I think they're just this year's crop but their coloring sure is different, not even the same shade of blue.
August 2--Greg Hadel, New Construction. The skeleton of the new office building going up next door sliced the red sunset sky like a stack of blades through butter. Sharon wasn't happy that the huge thing was going to cut off her view of the sky but she had a hard time looking away from it. Not only was it entertaining to see the work progress, she liked to make up stories, dialogue and all, about the workmen and what happened throughout the days.
Can you believe it's August already? Time = zoom. I'm off to wind cheap yarn, knit on the Sudoku block, and finish the laundry. It's too hot and muggy to play outside. I'm glad I walked early.
--Barbara
I finished Sodoku Lime block #8 this morning at breakfast (no, I didn't try to knit and eat; I ate first then knit while the conversation flowed around me), then after zooming out to the storage for the camping stuff and getting it into the dishwasher I cast on Sodoku Lime block #9. I was just about to the middle and here came a knot. Arrgh! I was not going to frog it back and start over so I cut out the knot and will have more tails to weave in. It's the last Lime one and it has to have a knot. Bah.
As I said I went out to the storage and dug out the camping dishes and cook kit. It's been years and years and years since we've gone camping and I am supremely confident that we won't ever go again, so somebody might as well get some use out of it. My pal, Lala, is taking a couple nights' camping adventure soon so I'm going to take all of the now-clean stuff along when I meet up with her next week. Whatever she doesn't want is going to the Goodwill. It's time to start being ruthless about getting rid of stuff that is just taking up space (and money) in our lives.
A couple of teen-aged Bluejays have been visiting our birdbath lately and I've been trying to be fast enough to get a picture of at least one of them. I figure they're this year's batch because they're only blue from the tip of their tails to about where their hips would be if they had hips, there's a bit of blue on their wings, but none on the cockade on top of their heads. I got a couple snaps of one today but do you think it would turn around for me? No. So, I've charged Durwood with getting a picture of the backside of one or more of them. He says in the daytime a bunch of them come to hang out at the birdbath. I wouldn't mind if he got a picture of that too.
August 1--Jose Schell, Red Fox. The small red-furred shape tiptoed across the paved trail, slipped between the trees, and went down to the river. Generations of foxes had come the same way from the den in the grove of trees by the road. It was a lucky thing that the road curved away from the river so that the small copse of trees growing up out of the rocks stayed unmolested.
And that's when the teeny, tiny thread of inspiration petered out like a wisp of smoke in a windstorm, so I downed tools, turned out the light, and conked off. It was the smart thing to do. Happy Beach Week, Aunt B! I hope it stayed dry for your supper on the deck. Love you!
--Barbara Sue
That's what I see out the window, misty drizzle. Not real rain, we could sure use that, just a dribble that's annoying to be out in. It's not even enough to wet the whole street. See?
Last time we were at Woodman's I was hanging around in the tea aisle waiting for Durwood to cruise the meat cases and hit all the tasters when I found myself next to the loose tea dispensers. To pass the time (Durwood's a very thorough taster) I read the ingredients and found myself buying a bit of Cameron's Spicy Plum herbal tea. It sounded intriguing and smelled great but I forgot to write down the ingredients, so I just googled it. Here's what it says on the Cameron's site: "Spicy plum fairies make this exclusive blend of Saigon tea, cinnamon,
Chinese ginger, South African rooibos, Sudanese hibiscus, Chilean rose
hips, and other natural flavor." Yeah. I'm not sure I believe the bit about the fairies but I'm looking forward to the cinnamon (poor thing, it's the only ingredient that doesn't have a pedigree mentioned) and ginger. Maybe I'll brew up some to take to knitting tonight. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
Speaking of knitting, I added a few rows to Sudoku Terracotta #7 yesterday but haven't been in a knitting mood so I'm no further on the Dobby Hat(s). I'll work on that tonight. Cross my heart.
Look! The second wave of blooms on Dad's rose has started. Now if only the Japanese beetles stay away.
