All day it snowed and blowed, um blew, like a banshee. The only people that came into the shop were the mail carrier and the FedEx guy; the phone didn't even ring except when Durwood called. It was a quiet day at the dive shop. No surprise there. Yoga was cancelled because it wasn't very safe driving around so I had to take my exercise blowing the snow and shoveling a little. Not as satisfying and not as much fun but it wasn't bad. I managed to move all 7.5" of snow without blowing a bunch of it into my own face. I call that a win. This morning I had to go out and clear the end of the driveway and reposition the trash bags the plow had shoved up into the drive away from the curb. No biggie. Durwood took a nice photo of the birdie trees in the middle of the storm and I snapped one once I had it cleared.
January 15--Jacob Lawrence, The Shoemaker. Clea liked the way it smelled of leather and glue in Will's repair shop. She liked how the shoes and purses hung from the wall pegs, their tags fluttering in the draft from the furnace vent. It was like an art installation, one that changed shape and color as items were picked up and dropped off. The sewing machine sat in front of the dusty window overlooking the side street. It was an old machine, mechanical not computerized, and Will coaxed and cajoled it into doing what he wanted it to do. He would put a cone of thread on the spindle, then put the thread end through eyelets and arms down to the needle. There was another smaller cone that held the bobbin thread and when Will pressed what he called the gas pedal, wheels turned, arms went up and down, the machine hummed and clicked, and the needle flashed in the sunlight streaming through the glass.
So that's it. Not a lot went on yesterday, only snow and wind, so this is all there is. Sorry. I think I might stop to see if LC is still as cute as she was on Sunday on my way to work. I'll call her Mama to see if she's accepting visitors. Gesundheit. Oh, no, wait... *opens another window, checks spelling* ...auf Wiedersehn.
--Barbara
Last week we had the deepest of deep freezes, so deep that they cancelled school for three days in a row and I don't remember that EVER happening before. No, really, two days for a huge blizzard but three? Never. So we survived that and then it warmed up to rain, then freeze into a not-so-thin film of ice to slick up all the roads and driveways. Sunday it warmed up enough to thaw and melt (helped with lots of ice-melt salt) and yesterday the plow came down our street and shoved all the heavy, wet slush into a long pile at the end of the driveway. I shoved it aside as best I could when I got home from work last night, not perfect but not a frozen mound to drive over. This morning it's just starting to snow and there's no wind. That's supposed to change tout suite. They're threatening us with 3-5 inches of snow and 20-30 mph
winds today. (Pete Petoniak just said 7-9 inches of snow today--oh brother, we're doomed) And I get to work today while Mrs. Boss goes on the ski bus. Woohoo. It'll probably be not too bad that I'm working because I want to go to yoga at 5:30 so it'll sorta be on my way home. That's better than driving across town in rush hour traffic, leaving my warm, safe home to go twist myself around. (have to remember to pack my yoga pants in my backpack) Living in the Upper Midwest is such a treat some days. And the oncoming weather front is making my knees ache like a toothache. Goodie.
I had every intention of making great strides on Strawberry & Black Glove #2 at work yesterday but I just couldn't focus on it. I got past the thumb gusset and have about an inch more to knit before I start the fingers. (maybe. I'd better use glove #1 to make sure they're identical, or at least distantly related.) Last night after supper I cast on a "technique" swatch for my Bay Lakes Knitting Guild design contest entry. (because I can't just have one project OTN at a time) I saw something that I've never seen before, a cable technique, so I'm working the first 30 rows or so of that pattern to see how it's done. It's very odd doing all this groundwork for a little knitting thing; I usually just pick up needles and yarn and DIVE IN. What has come over me? Plus the design and sample isn't due until April, so I'm planning and working more than 24 hours ahead of the deadline. Who am I?
When I left work last night after 6 PM it was full dark and I looked up as I got into the car and saw the Winter Moon shining through the bare branches of the neighbor's tree. And I kind of got a decent picture (that smoke at the bottom is my breath). Pretty, don't you think?
January 14--Turkish, Ottoman Period, Helmet. It was so heavy that Lily was sure her neck wouldn't hold her head up. The crown looked like gold but felt as heavy as lead pressing into her scalp. In a moment of insanity she was certain it was making dents in her skull, but it wasn't. She wasn't the first person to wear the thing and wouldn't be the last. Her dress wasn't much lighter. It was made of miles of deep blue velvet with a train lined in satin so it slid easily but it trailed behind her for at least ten feet. She felt the weight of the gown and the train and the cloak attached at the shoulders like an ox yoked to a plow. She imagined herself dragging the expectations of the country, maybe the continent, or even the universe behind her. Some clothes made her feel free, these clothes felt like chains.
Okay, it's snowing harder now and it's even a bit lighter out there. Better get a move on. Oh, here's an LC picture. I love when she's looking at me all wide-eyed, then her eyes roll back in her head, and her eyes close in sleep, like I'm way too boring to even bear. She's endlessly fascinating, kind of like when our kids were little but with more sleep and less poop.
--Barbara
Tiny but noisy (and temporarily smelly) but oh so welcome. Yes, baby LC came over because her parents wanted to take Porter to the dog park and then do a little shopping. I got to have the baby all to myself for two whole hours, maybe a bit longer, and it was wonderful. I let Durwood hold her for a minute but she was fussy and he was watching a football game so I snatched her back, um, I mean I gently lifted her back into my arms so he could focus on his program. (yeah, that's what I did) Daddy & Mama said they enjoyed their outing, even stopping for hot chocolate at Starbucks, and I hope this sets a weekly visit precedent until the time Mama has to go back to work and I'm on LC-duty on Tuesdays. *hint, hint* (just want them to know I'm available) (ooh, I have to be sure to leave Mrs. Boss a note that I'll be babysitting on Tuesdays after St. Paddy's Day) LC had the hiccups for a while and she squeaked when she hicced; I thought it was so cute but she didn't like it. I put up the pack & play but she was happier snoozing in Grandma's arms. I didn't mind one bit.
After our tiny visitor left I dug out a US G crochet hook and a ball of yarn to whip up a cute baby hat from a book I borrowed from the Library. It's adorable. All it needs is a length of ribbon woven through those gaps and tied in a big bow. It's a little big for her right now but she's growing like a weed so I'm sure it'll fit soon enough. I need to finish glove #2 this week so I can cast on a sweater for her... or maybe another hat... or both.
January 13--Alfred Stevens, After the Ball. The dance had gone into the wee hours and Lisette hadn't sat down all night except for a few minutes at the midnight supper. It got hot in the ballroom. She let James take her out on the terrace to get some fresh air. It was cool out there under the stars but it felt wonderful after the stuffiness inside. While James smoked they talked about other parties and other people, plays they had seen, and the next day's luncheon in town.
That's all she wrote. I was too upset about what happened to Anna on Downton Abbey last night to focus on any made up story. (sorry, I can't help it I'm a dork) Bates will find out and settle that man's hash, also punch him until his eyeballs pop out, I just know it. I'd better get a move on; it's a work day and that means I need to shower and dress and all that stuff. Seeyabye.
--Barbara
Me and about 20# of salt, that is. And the sun came out about an hour ago so that sped up the rotting of the thickest ice at the base of the driveway. The Pig had chicken parts on special so I ran off to get some for Durwood to freeze and, man, there is no way I'm parking on the street and then trying to walk from the car into the house. I might have cleared the drive so it's safe but I think only Spring will clear our street. It kind of looks like a 6-abreast luge track. Shiny, slick, and scary. I'll be laying in more ice-melt salt later this week--if anyone has any any left.
I was poking around in my fabrics yesterday and I have a lot of batik fabric already, not the colors that the teachers are using but I might have enough to make the blocks. I have enough to be starting anyway, and I zoomed down to Joann's after I left the Pig to see if they had any more of those fat quarter bundles left. They had one batik one, one of light grays solids, and one of dark grays solids that I bought plus a few 1/2 yards of other batiks I couldn't seem to leave behind. I'm sure I heard one of the teachers say to avoid black and white but one of my batik bundles has black-based prints plus I decided that a person's eye needs a place to rest because the sample quilt is crazy busy. (When did I ever follow the directions to the letter? Hmm?) I'm excited to learn about color theory and that's the basis of this year's free (FREE!!!) Block of the Month Class. I wonder if I have a color wheel among my watercolor stuff. I should go look.
January 12--Christian Kintzing, Clavichord. The wires had all been cut. Jake bent close over the musical box to see if he could identify how.
And that was all for last night. Yesterday wasn't a great day, mood-wise, and I was just as glad to fall asleep for a reboot. I'm much happier today. Thank you, Mr. Sun.
--Barbara
It had just started to rain when I left to go to knitting yesterday about 5:30 PM. At 6:30 James from the cafe popped his head in the doorway to say that Harmony was closing at 7:00 because the ice storm was building up and everyone needed to get home safely so the three of us packed up and left. In the hour and a half that I was there the roads had gone from wet to sheer ice, getting home was doable but sticking Beverly to the driveway was chancy. I managed about 4' closer to the street than planned. That meant I had about a 10' uphill climb to get into the garage. Good thing I opened the garage door when I drove in because the only thing that saved me from a fall was being able to slam my purse and knitting bag down on the dry garage floor and clamping my left hand around the garage door track. I inched my way up the last foot or so and sprinkled a little salt over the parts of the drive and walk I could reach. Not that I thought it'd do any good but it's always good to layer on salt applications. I don't know how the paper carrier managed to get up the driveway because the paper was on the porch as usual and there was no unconscious man sprawled on the concrete. Here's the view when I went out to salt again this morning. Scary, huh? I flung the salt; there was no way I was going out there. I'll salt again later and maybe then I'll inch my way along to help the melting along. Treacherous. You'd better bet we'll be hunkered down until there's a bit of melting. Nobody wants a broken anything.
I was dishing out my breakfast earlier when Durwood said, "there's robin at the birdbath!" I looked and there he was. A robin. In the birdbath. On January 11. Does that mean it's spring? No? Damn.
Calling all fiber lovers, Craftsy has a FREE Quilt Block of the Month class that teaches you color theory using a rainbow of batiks. I just signed up and keep getting distracted listening to the videos. (ooh, pretty colors) D'you think it's an accident that I just bought five 5-fat-quarter bundles of batiks off the clearance aisle at Joann's? Yeah, me neither. I'm wondering if there are any more there and how soon the roads will be safe to drive on because this thing calls for a lot of fabric, waaaaay more than I have now. Plus I forgot to get a can of basting spray this week so I can put my chaos quilt together this weekend; I can sew the back together and cut the batting but I think I'll wait to pin it together until I can stick the pieces together as well as pin them.
January 11--Christian Kintzing, Clavichord. The glint of gold in the wound caught Jake's eye. He used one gloved hand to tip the head aside so he could shine his penlight on the dead girl's neck. A gold wire, like a piece of piano wire, circled her neck. "This might be the murder weapon," he said. Detective Wilkins cocked his head. "Ya think? What an insightful statement. Have you been watching CSI again?" Jake took a photo. "Blow it out your ear, Wilkins." Jake was determined to take his time and get this one right even if Wilkins spent all day breathing down his neck.
Man, whatever weather system's muscling its way through today sure is making my knees ache. I have to go downstairs to get something for Durwood to cook for supper, bet that'll make my knees feel great. Not. But moving, even if it hurts at first, feels better in the long run than sitting still. I just wondered if they make an under-the-concrete driveway heater like they make for bathroom floors. Wouldn't that be good? It'd be safer anyway. Don't slip and slide, stay indoors and eat soup. Here's a gratuitous DS & LC photo for you, just because I want to. I'm calling it "Happy Daddy, Sleeping Baby."
--Barbara
Here it is nearly 4 PM and I first have time to blog. *gasp* I slept until 7:15 (slug-a-bed), then goofed around some. On my way to get Porter for a walk I stopped for an Rx, picked up a tank, and dropped off hats at the NICU, then the dog and I went to the boat launch for a walk, which was a bit of a trick since they don't shovel or plow the trail. I think it's safe to say that Porter was ecstatic to be out walking in the snow. She ran to the end of her leash and stayed there the whole time. She ran and twirled and tied herself in her leash like roped calf. She didn't seem to mind it when she tipped over in the snow. There were evidently lots of good and interesting smells out there too.
When I took her home LC was just finishing her nap and doing a little squeaking. Porter was very concerned. She'd raise up on her hind legs to see into the crib, not using her fore legs like she does with grown ups, and then, whining all the time, she'd check either side of the crib to see if she could make things better or make me or DIL1 do something. She's a good big sister already.
After lunch I gave Durwood a ride to his chiro appointment (it's a bad breathing day for some reason), then we cruised through Cabela's for the first time, stopped at Copp's for tomatoes, at the birdseed store for finch seed, and now we're home.
January 10--Christian Dior, Eventail Dress. Jenny felt like she'd stepped out of a magazine in the silk dress. It fit her like it was made for her, the bodice hugged her curves and the full skirt spread out from her waist in gentle pleats. She wished she had somewhere to wear it, the hot, dusty attic wasn't the place it was meant for. The trunk had been shoved behind the chimney with rotting cardboard boxes on top of it. Her mom and the aunts had given her the job of clearing out Grandma's attic while they worked going through the rest of the house.
I don't have any oomph today, can't think of anything to write so I'm going to say good-bye for today.
--Barbara
In a good way. Durwood just reminded me that yesterday was Social Security payday so I needed to hop on the bank website, put part of mine onto the mortgage principal and the rest into the vacation fund. Two good things! I think it's the height of luxury that we don't "need" that money to live, that we have the luxury of putting it where it'll both work hard and pay for fun instead of needing it for our day to day living, and it's all to Durwood's credit. I say that I'm the grasshopper and he's the ant in this relationship and it's true. I keep trying to get in touch with my inner ant but my first instinct is to go have fun with that money, I won't. The thought that in a little over a year we'll have the mortgage paid off and that every month I can make our trip to Yellowstone in August that much easier, well, that puts a little salve on that "eager to spend" feeling. A little. I struggled not to go back to Hancock before last night to buy up all the rest of the bolts of linen at $2.97/yard but I didn't go so I'm calling that a win for the ants and "a lesson learned." (hey, I take credit where I can, wins like that are few and far between, I have my mother's genes after all)
They said it's supposed to be warmer today. Right now it's -19 with a -34 degree wind chill (that's the "feels like" temp), not warmer, people, not. It has to be about 40 degrees warmer for me to go walk Porter tomorrow, and I want to go walking. I promised her that I'd be over on Friday morning to pick her up and that we'd go to the field and I'd put on my snowshoes and we'd walk. I felt kind of bad when I stopped to see LC yesterday on my way to work because Porter was so excited to see me until she realized that I wasn't going to get her harness and leash, then she went to her bed and flopped down with a big sigh. But look who I got to hold, and she kind of had her eyes open for a minute there. DIL1 had gotten out the blankie I made for her so she was wrapped in it with the too-big hat draped over her head when I got there. Awww.
Tonight's the January Bay Lakes Knitting Guild meeting and the program is about yarn storage, so I dug out one of each size of zipper bag I use to store my yarn and projects. I'm not sure I like the first cable I swatched but I'm not quite done with the sample, it might grow on me. I also need to cast on an inspiration pattern to see how the designer made the thumb hole; I think I just need to bind off one stitch and then cast on another to make the gap but I want to follow the pattern to make sure of the technique. (ooh, waste yarn. I could use waste yarn in that line of stitches then remove it and live stitches would pop out. brillaint! I knew I'd get it, thanks for listening.) This designing thing isn't so easy but it's pretty fascinating. As I knit on the first cable possibility, additional ideas or rather tweaks of my original idea keep popping up. I'm using my new abacus row counter too, I like it. I cast on the cuff of the second Strawberry & Black Glove at work yesterday. Mr. Boss put some of those high-intensity puck lights over the desk and that makes knitting with black so much easier. Thanks!
January 9--United States, Spindle-Back Armchair. Gracie loved Meemaw's kitchen chairs. They had woven reed seats and spindle backs. They were nice and high so she could see what was on her plate, and the back of the chair was fancy enough that she prentended it was a throne. Turned around the chairs made good jail cells when she or Mason got arrested when they played Wild West or Al Capone and Eliot Ness. Meemaw didn't let them play with guns so Gracie used a clothespin and Mason had a pork chop bone that Skip the dog was done with. The chairs made a good post office or bank window which was especially good for robbing the payroll. Mason tried to make Gracie be the teller all the time but, since Skip the dog would only let her ride him to make a getaway not Mason, she got to be the robber about half the time.
Poor Skip the dog, they stole his bone and made him into a pony. I foresee similar trials in Porter's future. Miss LC is no shrinking violet, she's already trying to crane her head to look around while her parents try to bathe her. I missed that but saw the video. She cried and they bumbled a bit (they're all new at this) but the end result was a cleaner, less poopy baby (she's the queen of poop right now) so all went well. Their pediatrician told them on Monday that LC doesn't know that they're rookies just figuring this out so they're the best parents she's ever had, they can't really do anything too wrong. That's good to hear when you feel so inexperienced at this parenting thing. I'm not so far removed from it that I don't remember that feeling. Stay warm today. It's supposed to get up into the 20s later. Woohoo! That'll feel like spring.
--Barbara
All day it snowed and blowed, um blew, like a banshee. The only people that came into the shop were the mail carrier and the FedEx guy; the phone didn't even ring except when Durwood called. It was a quiet day at the dive shop. No surprise there. Yoga was cancelled because it wasn't very safe driving around so I had to take my exercise blowing the snow and shoveling a little. Not as satisfying and not as much fun but it wasn't bad. I managed to move all 7.5" of snow without blowing a bunch of it into my own face. I call that a win. This morning I had to go out and clear the end of the driveway and reposition the trash bags the plow had shoved up into the drive away from the curb. No biggie. Durwood took a nice photo of the birdie trees in the middle of the storm and I snapped one once I had it cleared.
