cleaning, and reverb 16

One of those days that it's raining, I did my walk, and now I am ready to go back to bed.  Yes, I am that pathetic today.  Zzzzz.  Oh, right, blog.  Ahem.

On the "I did do SOMETHING front", I cleaned the table off in my craft room, and the writing/typing desk.  It is clear, now.  Before I break my arm in four places patting myself on the back, that still doesn't remove the umpteen boxes that are in the corner of the room, and the stacks of magazines that I need to go through and sort to see which I keep and which I get rid of. 

That's not even mentioning the basket I have stashed in the bedroom because I kept tripping on it in the craft room, and was afraid I was going to break, destroy, or otherwise damage... (the basket, not me...)

But, heck and half, it is a start.  I can see the table AND desk again!  For me, that's actually pretty good.

Now I just need to find a way to want to go through the boxes.  My biggest problem, I have stacked them in such a way, I need a pole, to poke at them, so I don't have them fall on me.  They aren't stacked REAL high, but since I have various sharp things, heavy things, and glass things, I prefer not having said things land on my FOOT!

Blah, blah, blah.  I know, do the Nike thing...

But first.  Something...

Yes.

Something.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

***

Prompt: Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

My friend has provided great perspective on the world over the course of several years.  He has shown me that moving is fun. (Mostly...  Sometimes he has to really encourage me, but most days I agree.)  He has given me laughter, especially when he is willing to do something silly, just to do it, not because he's worried about how he'll look, or whether it's a problem to someone else.  Albeit, that can create some minor annoyances, but we sometimes just both agree to look the other way.  He's proven that you don't need to spend a lot to do well, backing down is something you should do sparingly, unless it's the right person, and that a happy grin can do a lot.

I love my dog...

The Scrapper and Tuxedo.

Well, Hadn't mentioned the resolutions for a while. I actually have been working on cleaning out the craft room. There is a lot more, uh, craft in there than I thought. (Actually, take the FTout, put a P in, and you will be a lot closer...)

So, I have been giving away yarn, and thought I had it down to a manageable level. I noticed I had a clothes hamper in the craft room. I had been thinking I could use an extra clothes hamper. It had been buried by a lot of boxes, that now have gone away. So, too, did I figure this one would wing its way to another room, fulfilling a need, and getting out of my craft room.

HA! I plan, the gods laugh. A lot.

I picked up the hamper. And grunted, it was HEAVY!!

Huh? Why would an empty hamper be heavy?

Then I opened it. OH, MIGAWD! Where did all of THIS come from!???!!

It was completely packed with odd bits of yarn. Most of it, I don't even remember getting. And it was bits, not enough for ONE project, unless perhaps someone is into acrylic washcloths. (I am not.)

I didn't want to try and foist it off on people again. I figure, if someone wants a skein or two, great, I can share, but most people don't have a use for varied and numerous bits of yarn, having no relation to each other but that they are all acrylic.

Hmm. So, I decided to make... The Scrapper. It is as follows.

Longest and Largest sized circular needles you have. (Mine is a size 10, and 29in, as I remember.)

Cast on at least 200 stitches with 3 strands combined.

3 or 4 rows of Irish Moss stitch.

Create a border of Irish Moss stitch (4 stitches on each end) and stockinette the center. Each time you run out of a bit of yarn, tie a different one on and continue.

End with 3 or 4 more rows of Moss stitch.

Ta Da.

I *will* use up that &^$@ yarn...

In other news, we seem to have a new cat. We have been referring to it as Tuxedo, as "That stray long haired black and white cat" takes too long. Well, we have found that if Rudee the wonder cat chaser isn't around, Tuxedo will actually come out of hiding. We are encouraging this, because I don't think he's eligible for AARC (American Assoc. of Retired Cats) yet. He actually has been seen mousing.

News as events warrant.

Aww, crap...

I had been in the craft room, de-garbaging, (see, yes I am working on a resolution or two... Which ones, you ask? Sorry, not tellin', yet), and Husband encouraged me to come outside because it was gorgeously sunny. I had to admit, I agreed.

We walked outside, and the llamas were out in the front pasture. Husband asked if I was going to feed them. I told him perhaps a little hay, but they already had enough for the day. We walked up to Ding Dong, and she kept glancing at me, then Husband, as if she was expecting something. Husband then went over, softly calling to her, and reached a hand out, to let her sniff.

That's when she spat, and hit him absolutely squarely on the face.

Um. Well. That didn't go so well. Husband seemed more inclined to stay away from the fence after that.

I had asked Husband if he'd see Brutus. The cat hadn't come in for breakfast, and I hadn't seen him the night before. Being that you can HEAR him, before you can SEE him, and he will not miss a meal if he has to walk the length of the place for it, this is unusual. Husband said he hadn't, so I went looking.

Sadly, I found him, he'd died. He was a big kitty, so it took pretty good hiding place to get him more or less invisible. This didn't help getting him out. But, I was able to get him taken care of, and I buried him near the bamboo, on the other side, across from Jack Cat.

I was a bit down, and was commenting to husband that it was going to be lonely here with no kitties. Our youngest is 16, so geriatrical guessing, I don't think they will last a great while longer. And my husband has cat allergies.

He pipes up, and says, no, we'll get another couple barn cats, as long as I don't have to care for them, I haven't had any problems, and we need them for getting rid of mice.

Ah, Husband. Always pratical.

So, as Paul Harvey says, 'Stand by for NEWS!'

Eventually...

INCOMING!!!!

Well, yesterday in the chicken house was interesting. I don't know if the roosters were scuffling, if Long Tail wanted out really badly, or just what, but I walked to the door and there was a bit of a riot going on inside. It only increased when I was actually at the door.

I opened the door, and WHAM, Long Tail flies out, and does a bank shot off of my head. I didn't even have time to duck! After he hits my head, he then loses control, rolls in the air, and lands upside down in the mud, with one of my other roosters, Pebbles, running off and screaming in terror. I guess I can understand, it's not everyday that you have a Rhode Island Red land (ahem) over teakettle and smack a spot of ground right next to you... 'Course, can't say I'm very used to Rhode Island Roosters doing bank shots off my head, either!

I was off to Eugene yesterday, I finally found a vehicle in my budget. I now have an adult tricycle. I tried a bike, but found since my accident, I can't balance at all well, and wanted something a tad more stable. Now I just have to work on riding something with gears and hand brakes. I grew up with "coaster" brakes (forward go, backward stop), and one gear, pedal you go... So at least I don't need to relearn balance on top of all this!

It isn't a 'cherry' bike, but it is usable, as is. It has a slightly bent fork, and could use some TLC, if not Bondo, but for what I want it for, it is fine. And in the spirit of naming nearly everything I have, it has been christened "Old Hippie". Because I found it in Eugene, where I have seen lots of folk who could be classified as such, it was sold to me by someone who looked like the Caucasian version of Bob Marley, and the bike itself has the brand "Free Spirit". And, it's not new. Sooooo, Old Hippie!

Still cleaning the cra(p)ft room. There is a storm due in tomorrow in this area. I betcha I might have some time to clean tomorrow!

IF the lights stay on. Oh. Right. We have a generator.

Never mind...

Starting others...

Worked on cleaning my craft room today. Some. So, to sum up...

AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH!

I didn't know that much CRAP could congeal into one spot! I am working in Baby Steps (thank you, Fly Lady), and so at least my table is becoming visible again. I will still be working on it... A lot.

And will be a bit more vicious about disposing of the 10+ boxes that have become (non)decorative fixtures in there. I guess it wouldn't bother me so much, except for two things. I can't do much in there with this "STUFF" blocking much of the area.

Aaaannnd I have several boxes of crafting items that SHOULD be in the craft room, but were moved, and until I can get the storage room facade out of there, they ain't movin'.

So, I will start looking into some of these malicious boxes. I know just from glancing into a couple, I could drop the whole box into a fire, and wouldn't miss much in the contents. I will have to see what would make good contribution to charity, if they would take odd ball stuff like I have, then the rest will be taken out and summarily dumped into a trash bag, and heaved into some fine receptacle for garbage and such...

One or two items I do want to keep, like the TV tube case I bought, I want to repaint it and use it for beads, or knitting stuff, (but most likely beads), however, I have to be able to GET TO IT to be able to work on it. And I would need a PLACE to work on it... (Well, except for the painting, I will have to do that outside or in the shop), so I have some sort of motivation, anyway.

And, with a little more work, Rudee will be ready for the Iditorad any day now. At least that's what the back of my legs and my right shoulder are telling me. So, if you see a portly woman wearing an ugly danger orange vest with a dog pulling on the leash for all he's worth, yes, that is me.

Note to self: Google "Leash training, pulling"...