You know you are a yarnaholic when...

The In-Laws are here for a visit.  They were sitting, and I had just come back from helping with a volunteer project. 

We who do the stuff, are often volunteers for various groups.  That day was no exception.  I arrived, and one of the gals who helps out at the hospital, as well,  buttonholed me to show me some yarn.  Turns out, the hospital can't use wool yarn, and so she thought of me.  Read: having the yarn in a bag, handing it to me, THEN asking if I wanted it, and 'sweetening' the deal, by telling me the yarn was real Irish wool.  (This doesn't impress me as much as it should.  I bought some VERY expensive Irish wool one time, the gal had the gift of Blarney.  She told me it was the very best wool, and it would wash up wonderfully.  I think it was spun without being cleaned, it was incredibly scratchy, and didn't do much when washed but make the washer a mess.  I think it was the wool equivalent of Irish soccer hooligans... Her store didn't last long, either.)  But this was nice, and came with some lovely short wood needles, so I figure, fine!

So, I took it, and when I came home, I put the wool in the freezer.  This isn't nearly as crazy as it sounds.  Leaving it in the freezer kills any moth larvae, which hatch and make a giant mess of your wool.  I found out this the hard way.  So, after plopping it in, I go and sit, making chit chat with family. 

Without thinking of the repercussions, during a lull, I told Husband, "I put some yarn in the freezer."
He responded, "Good thing I just cleaned it out for you, huh?" 

Very rarely are my In-Laws at a loss for words.  They just looked at the two of us, mouths open, then shut, and with a look and shrug, they changed the subject.

YES!  My crazy yarn lady cred is intact!!!

Family and meteors.

Mom and I were taking care of the weekly shopping Friday.  We'd just stopped for a bit, and were chatting about Parents-in-law coming up.  She asked if I knew when they'd be here.  I told her no, they were well on the way, about one state away, I thought, but not sure.

Mom pipes up, "They are probably here now!"

Tickity tick!  The phone let me know Husband had sent a text. 

Just met with parents, they are headed over to friends to stay. 

Uh.  Mom, do you know what the winning lottery numbers are?  

They have been over twice, once to just visit, and once to pick up the phone that was left... oops.  They intend to visit a few more times, and we have the proverbial fatted calf  ready.  If a fatted calf is pig ribs, with bbq sauce, and beans.  They have... very specific foods they like, so it's best to just get it and be done with it.

And in other things...

This morning was the primo for the Perseid meteor shower.  Husband woke me at about 4:30 ish.  I went out, and didn't turn off any of the lights, but just grabbed a chair and looked up.  There was several brilliant stripes of light, and a few little flicks, as well.  The moon is full, or nearly so, so early morning after moon set was a lot better.  I enjoyed most of it.  I was a bit sad not having Rudee dog snoring beside me, but Buzz realized I was outside.

!

Then realized I was sitting, and she could jump on my lap.

!!!**!!!!!!!!!!!***!!!!

I finally let her sit, after the "let's filet our way up a leg to get a seat".  She then decided to go round, and round, and walk up to my hair for a sniff.  So, a bit of a full Nelson was in order, so I could keep my person in one piece, as well as not having cat parts of various sorts in my face.  

No, she wasn't always looking at me... 

She settled right down, after I put her in a teddy bear hug, and she was purring while I watched the flashes.  It was very quiet, there was hardly a noise out, except for the neighbor's gate clicking in the breeze, occasionally, and the ever present ocean like sound of passing traffic from the road.  Then as time past, soon, cows started lowing a bit, the flap and noise from a flock of nearby turkeys, some horses started out pacing the fence nearby, looking for breakfast, and the wild birds started tuning up for the day.

Soon, the sun started rising, and the stars faded.  So, no more meteors, that I could tell.  So, then I rose, put down Buzz, who was getting a smidge fidgety by that point, and started my day. 

I was already up and about, so I opened the chicken house.  It was still pretty dark, and so ZOOOM, all the chickens see the light from the door opening, and run.  Welllll, one chicken was so intense on that, she didn't see/notice ME.  Poor thing did a face plant right into my shin.  She was okay, just dazed a bit, but she definitely seemed confused.  The oldsters were just not real enthused about the extra early wake up call, the youngsters were thrilled.  Both Mon Ami, and Jet Puff were crowing a bit, both, thankfully, are not loud birds.  I am actually surprised, Jet Puff has a nice crow, for a young bird.  Most adolescents have the "voice cracking" unsteady warble when they crow.  He just... Crows!  

I think there should be more meteors tonight.  If I am not comatose, I might have to get up and watch again. 

And have a blanket, or pad, or something for the cat.... Yeeks!

Of mice, men, and plans.

Well, it's that season, when things slow down a bit, not much is happening, and so I made plans.

And that sound you hear is the Universe laughing so hard it wet itself...

Thought I would take Mom camping.  Dad had some problems, and so we delayed the trip.  I was going to do some personal camping, (read: I go out into the camper, stay in the back yard, and eat foods Husband doesn't like, read books, and binge watch Downton Abbey.  And work on the garden.  Probably in that order.)

So, we had a phone call.  We knew Husband's Dad and Mom in law had been talking about coming out.  So, it was his Dad.  Husband asked how it was going.  Dad in law pipes up, Oh, we're in Nebraska.

!!?!??!!!   !

Oh!  Well, I might still 'camp'.  But it will be a LOT shorter than I planned.  I believe, with the way the two of them drive, it wouldn't surprise me if they showed up at our house at, or before, Friday.  So, one day will be dedicated to making the table usable for several people, rather than an open concept office desk for the two of us.  Picking up the multiples of magazines I had set aside to read, too.  (Might just take those out to the "camp", and read them... Sometime?  Put them with the month's worth of newspapers I want to look through?  Gah...)

They have set up with a friend to have a place to stay nearby, so I don't have to worry too much about the accommodations, but I don't want to move things continually to give them a place to sit themselves, or their stuff, nor do I really want it to look like we had a tornado go through a paper mill before they visit...

I have food put back, so we shall have something that they can eat when they show up.  I have a few other things I need to make sure are taken care of.  Husband has a new hearing aid he needs adjusted, before they show.  I think that we will have enough things to entertain and amuse for a bit, they love to go and visit friends...  (Ok, except for the sort of sad comment, we asked if they were going to visit some friends in a nearby state, they said, no, they had all died, so there was no sense stopping.  With age comes wisdom, but it still sucks, from time to time...)

So, when Dad gets all his stuff and doings worked out, Husband's hearing is up to snuff, the in-laws are settled and doing well, and I get through any more surprises, we'll go do the camping thing.

Why, oh, why am I hearing that dang laughing again???

Christmas-y, sort of, up in the air, lots, and general chaos.

First off, so I don't forget, little gain this week.  Considering that I could have cheerfully gone to the feed store and bought a salt lick, I managed to control myself pretty well.  And I am still under 231, so I figure the speakers are still legal.  And they are soooooooooo nice.  I finally can listen to things, and not have it sound like a garbage truck is backing over the speaker.  Or worse...  Since I watch programs on line (I have nearly given up on TV reception in this area), it's nice to have real dialogue, and not a rough estimate. 

On that same note, I received the Dr. Oz bracelet.  I am pleased to have a visual reminder, and I am going to (somehow) attach a bead for each ten I lose.  2 beads will soon be on there!  Yay!!

So, Christmas-y.  Finally have the tree down, and decorated, more or less.  Have the cards to people out of state sent, except my aunt (I need to get a Christmas letter done up for her), and I even have a few gift ideas for both (GASP) males I have on the Christmas/Birthday lists.  (Husband and Dad's B-days are December 22, and 25 respectively.) 

Might I make a casual observation that the males in my house are a pain the the butt to shop for?  If they want something they go out and buy it.  This has caused more that a smidge of consternation when I have bought said item (this happened one year, hence the mantra of our family when Christmas shopping, "SAVE THE RECEIPT".)  I have sort of convinced Husband to put a moratorium on shopping during the month of December, but he still slips.  But this time I told him to give me several ideas, then DON'T buy anything until December 26.  He thought that sounded okay.  So.  Now I will be able to go out and get something to put under the tree.  Maybe not a big surprise, but it seems to work...

FIL kept sort of brushing us off, oh, fine, doing great.  Well, he's not.  Dizzy spells because of the meds, and they won't rest, because they are trying to buy the house, so they are travelling from one side of the state to the other, nearly, for the signing.  I think they have signed at this point, and have the house.  I think.  Then a drive back here, to see his doctor, and then they might do one of several things, either they will leave immediately to head back to Florida, they might stay here for a bit in the trailer to recover, they could have us take the stuff to Eastern Oregon, help them unpack, and they stay there for the season.  (Might I mention, it's SNOWING on the pass?  And most of the way they want to head back home is FROZEN?  I keep suggesting they just stay at our place, in their trailer, but selective hearing kicks in... Meh.)  So, making plans for Christmas (will they be here?  Will we be helping them?  What if the doc says that he needs to be hospitalized?) has been sort of slap dash and minute by minute.  I haven't even decorated that much, not knowing if I will have more than the usual amount of people, as I am lazy by nature, and don't want to have to move 'stuff' out of the way to make room.  So...  I wait, and see. 

In fact, dinner tonight is even a question mark.  We'd all agreed to have dinner at a local restaurant.  Well, I don't know if they will be able to, or if they will be finished with the doctors appointment when we'd agreed to meet.  At least the restaurant in question is across the street from where I volunteer...

General chaos.  So, didja hear about the tornado that happened?  It was an F2 in Aumsville, which is in a county near me.  We didn't realize it at the time, but the 'dregs' of it hit our place, a big wind whipped up, and then there was an absolute deluge that was almost impossible to see through, all I caught was the llamas running into the chicken house.  (This says something, as the llamas don't LIKE being in the chicken house.)  I didn't get called out, but I guess that our CERT group was on standby.  Oddly enough, we had a CERT meeting last night, just after the storm, and our boss (who is stepping down), was late, because he was tied up helping set up a command center, and trying to fend off generous firefighters trying to feed him...

"Here, you need food."
"No, I will be going to a potluck, I don't need food now."
"Yes, we are feeding all the help."
"Nooo..."
"TAKE THIS."  Whereupon he had a plate of food handed to him.  He then walked off with the food, handing it to one of the folks coming in, and came to the meeting.  So, he did take the food... Technically. 

I found out I am not the only one that has "funny hearing".  I kept thinking they were saying "a small tomato" on one of the channels.  It was just the way the reporter was pronouncing it, I guess, I didn't hear "tomato" on any other channel, but the correct word "tornado". 

But I guess that isn't just my strangeness, I was talking to one of the deputies, and he asked if I knew a nearby funeral home, Dew Moss...  I said it rang a bell, but I didn't know for sure where it was.  He said, "Oh, that's okay, I just wanted to make sure I had heard it correctly, I thought they said Dumb Ass funeral home, and I really didn't think that sounded like one I would want to use." 

Er.  Yeah... 

Your loved one will be shuttled to their final rest by Dumb Ass. 

Then again, it could really break the tension.

Or create it...

So, next blog, if I get it out of the camera, I will have pic of  Husband's "Christmas spirit" decoration.  (Christmas is not his big thing...)

She makes plans...

And the Gods respond... ROFLMAO. 

Sigh.

So, to explain why I, once again, didn't get a Sunday Supplement out...

Husband and I had an open house.  So many of our neighbors and friends wanted to see the cougar, we decided to have a weekend to let them all come over and see it.  We also found out the in-laws were coming over.  Husband also had a major job that needed to be taken care of this week, (in fact, it's due out today, then he will receive another that is due tomorrow, lather, rinse, repeat, all week).

In-laws said they would be here Tuesday.  I told Husband, knowing them, they will be here Sunday.  Husband said, more or less, that might be interesting, because they would be bringing a long trailer, and that 'could affect parking'.

Ahem. 

They called, and sure enough, Sunday they were here. (Why didn't I buy a lottery ticket???)  Right when we had about 10 or so people show simultaneously to eyeball the cougar.  So, some very creative valet work by Husband, some very social hosting by yours truly, and we managed fine. 

But, as usual, plans... mice, men, all that. 

I totally spaced when I invited the deputies to see the cougar.  None of them could show this weekend, because we have the "Civil War" between our two major colleges here, Oregon State Beavers, and University of Oregon Ducks.  This was held juuust outside of our county, and the interstate runs right through.  And nobody had time off this weekend. 

Grrr.

So, I have invited them to give a call, and they can come over by ones and twos if they are so inclined. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Just received a call today, SMIL said Father-in-law has had a case of congestive heart failure.  We aren't sure what this means, except that he has to have fluid removed from his heart, and will be staying longer.  (I can't remember if I mentioned it in previous blogs, but they are buying a house in Eastern Oregon, and are storing stuff here, until such time as they can move it.  They just came from Missouri, and took something like 3 days to get here.)  So, right now, they are at FIL's sister's place.  They MIGHT be coming over and staying in their trailer here, because the Dr. basically told them he wouldn't let them travel until he felt FIL was OK.  (I still don't know how he can do that, but I don't want to rock the boat being nosy right now...)  But, in a screwy way, it was good that it happened here, he has the doctor he's gone to for years here, and they have family here to help them.

So, trying to decide what is important in getting ready for Christmas.  It might be the stripped down version of the Holidays here at Fur 'n Feathers, folks.  I was going to do my usual drawn Christmas cards, (I just love to do them).  I bought the card stock, but might not get to do them this year, depending on if we will be called in to help move, or what have you.  I have hand made knitted items that need to be finished for Christmas.  (I have images of knitting frantically 5 minutes before the recipient shows up, and screaming at Husband to head them off so I can throw it in a bag...) 

Dinner is at my house, too, but that is turning out to be easy, as Husband wants things like a spiral ham (stick in oven, pull out, serve), potato rolls (stick in oven, pull out, serve), and mashed potatoes, (which I could do with a box, but won't), so we aren't talking a real labor intensive dinner, the way it could be.  I am still trying to decide if I am going to make him some sort of carrot thing cake whatever for his birthday, he has mentioned a recipe that he would like me to make.  I may just be hard of hearing until after the new year, and let his mother-in-law make the cake, he like her cakes very well, (I suspect it's because my mom actually makes the carrot cake from scratch, and I generally... don't.  I am not lazy, exactly, but it is one of the more tinkery cakes I have made.)

In all this, I am happy to report that all the animals are doing well, and watch this space for news on that topic in the near future.  I don't want to jinx it by saying anything.  But think happy animal thoughts...

I am also fighting insomnia again.  I am thinking that I might use this to my advantage.  Heck, if I'm up at 2 a.m., might as well get some use out of it.  I am not sure I will knit that time of night, I don't want to have to re-knit, and I don't want a needle up my nose if I fall asleep.  But some other items might not be so... dangerous to my health.

Lastly, to anyone that has noticed that they are not being 'followed' by me, I apologise most sincerely, I told you earlier that I was going to do some clean up work on the blog?  Well, I cleaned it up, all right, I managed to delete about 3 or 4 of the blogs I follow, and since I didn't write down the address (like, with paper and pencil), so now I don't know if I can find them.  So if you were "deleted" from my followers, please, please, please, leave me a message in the comments, or an email, so I can put you back.  I was trying to move the followers from public to private, not public to GONE. 

So.  We shall see what we shall see.  I will try and visit other blogs when I can. I recently found a blog called reverb 10 , and was all set to start putting the writing prompts into my blog...  This could still happen... 

In January.

Maybe...

Ok, that is ENOUGH...

This has been an unmitigated screwy couple of days.  I have been walking, um... bra-less of late.  I haven't figured out why, but the strap leaves me raw as hamburger.  Now bra-less isn't normally a problem.  The nearest neighbors are about an acre or so away, Rudee obviously doesn't care, and if any folks show up, they are in Husband's shop, and I discreetly go the back way into the house, and all is well. 

Ahem. 

I was walking down the hill, heard a car, okay, no big, I knew Husband had a delivery from work.  I went out to feed the chickens, and realized I had no clue about the car in the drive.  Hmm.  Then the guy got out, and I thought, geez, that isn't the normal guy...

That looks like my Father in law. 

But he's in Missouri, or Florida.  Where ever they are spending the winter.  Must be a different guy delivering the stuff...

Hmm.

I feed the llamas, and look up to see the guy walking TO THE HOUSE. 

Okay, this is screwy.  I also realize that I don't hear machinery from the shop. 

Uh.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

I feed the chickens.  Water the chickens.  The guy doesn't come back out.  I manage to avoid having my favorite hen, Buttercup, make a landing on my back (again), and get out the cell. 

"Hi, Husband, are you in the house?"

"Yep."

"Who is there?"

"My Dad and his wife."

OOOOOH, S#*T!!!

I remind him of my less than chaste dressing style, adding to that, the fact I had been exercising heavily (for me) and was sweaty.  And stinky.  He suggested going in the side, and he would distract them while I changed. 

I managed to get semi-presentable, although I think my hair probably looked like it had been done up by Hurricane Katrina.  At that point, I was there, and dressed 'properly', and managed to drown most of my stinky with enough deodorant that I should probably had stripes of it showing through my clothes.  But I managed to not offend, mostly. 

At least not stink wise. 

Turns out, they had just come from Eastern Oregon, and are working on getting some property there.  It looks like a nice bit of property, from the pictures.

But man, it was a complete surprise to have them show up!

So, I have to sit quietly and not knit, or bake, or do email, or the half dozen other things I needed/wanted to do that morning, and mind you, I hadn't had breakfast either.  By the time they left at noon, (I'd been up since 6), Husband saw me bee lining to the fridge, and piped up, why don't you save a few steps, we will just pull down some wallpaper for you. 

Ha, ha... nom, nom, nom, nom...

Anyway, I started to sit down and do some emails (things I really needed to do, for CERT), and Rudee starts barking.  And the phone rings. 

Get that taken care of, and I go back to the computer.  Then remember I didn't put any clothes in the wash, and I am out of pants. 

NOW back to the computer.  Then my Dad and Cousin R show up.  (I think he's actually my second cousin, but I have just called him cousin, ever since I was old enough to know what a cousin was...)  I have a nice conversation with the two of them, and showed Cousin R how to use my spinning wheel.  He is a man who does all sorts of work with his hands, and so he asked to try.  He spun lovely yarn RIGHT OFF.  I was amazed.  He was pleased.

So, they leave, and I try to get the emails finished.  OH, CRAP!  The laundry is still in the washer!  OK, I will get back to my emails.  Husband then points out it's bedtime.

Oh. 

So, the next day (today), I walked, carrying a bra in my pocket, (just in case).  I managed to get the emails finished this afternoon.  I have most of the other laundry finished.  So, brain flash, I need to make an appointment for "the girls".  I called my bright shiny new doc, as I was told that he had to send an order to the OBGYN. 

OK. 

So I had called, and they told me, no, you just need to talk to your OBGYN and get an appointment. This was about 2 days ago. 

I forgot to write it down, and just remembered to call today. 

And the OBGYN appointment lady asked if I had an order. 

Nooo, I was calling to make an appointment. 

But you need an order.  We can't do anything without an order.  When was your last exam?

Guh?  Uh, I don't remember, it's been a long time, more than a year... (I, for various reasons couldn't make an appointment last year.)

I hear typing, and she pipes up, well, we don't have an order for you, so you need to call your primary physician. 

I get a bit growly at this point, but trying to remain polite, I tell her that I had called him, and they told me to call THEM.  She said, well, you need to find the order we sent you, or talk to him. 

I told her ok, and bye, hung up.

And proceeded to scream at the phone for a few minutes to blow off steam. (Rudee peeked out from the dog house, decided it wasn't a good time to be out, and slunk back in.  Poor guy, wasn't his fault...)

So, the plan for Monday, is to go FACE TO FACE with the bright shiny new doctor's appointment gal, and explain that I really need to get IN to have this, and could she please get me this order.

I had an easier time with this when I didn't HAVE a doctor... 

Then to top it off, my computer has been acting up with screeching noises coming from the speaker, and the DVD thing wouldn't record. 

I am now convinced I am really in trouble with Someone...

So let this be a lesson to you all, have good clothes available at all times, and save anything and everything that the doctor's office sends you.  (I have this image of going into the office with a scoop shovel bucket full of paper, saying "YOU find it...")

So, if you happen to see me curled up in the fetal position, sucking my thumb, now you know the back story.

Whimper....

Sunday Supplement, July 4 edition...

Yes, folks, still in the land of the living. 

I think...

Other than I came down with one H*LL of a cold, and while I haven't quite got the looks of Barry White, I may soon sound like him soon.  I can now honestly say I am rather sick of tea, and very sick of cough drops.  (And still haven't convinced PIL that I don't want to go to visiting BECAUSE I AM SICK.  This seems to be no big deal, except to me, and we would be visiting frail older folks and very young children.  Is it just me, or is this just so not a good idea?)

But enough of that.


For your Fourth of July pleasure, Fireworks!




(With Special Thanks to Friend of the Bear, who explained how to make Bloggers pictures actually DO what I am trying to MAKE them do...)

Anyway, some skyrockets bursting.

And some sparklers, for the little ones...

Red Rockets bursting! Boom, even!

Hell Fire rockets, with bright tails.

Star Bursts! OOOH, AHHHHHH!

Then, of course, is always the danger of your fireworks getting away from you and going off where you don't want them!!!

I have been walking, and trying to do house upkeep and cleaning, but that is about it.  My frain is bried for much in the blogging department at the moment.  (And I have been getting nasty looks when I am on the computer, although that hasn't slowed me down much...)  So, keep watching this space, I will have regular blogs back soon.  And perhaps Rudee, Tux and I can go walking up the hill again, too.  They sure miss that. 

Boo, hoo, I know, cry me a river.  Husband ran Rudee up the hill with the 4 wheeler, (Husband riding, Rudee running), and they were both happy.  I just worry too much.  I just have to get back in to my groove.

But no, my name isn't Stella...   And I am not an Emperor. 

Eh.

(And for my friends not celebrating American Independence Day, Happy Sunday, and watch out for crazy Americans with fireworks!)

A Day.

Morning broke after a night that was spent sleeping painfully and fitfully.  Dress, and then realize that it was house day.  A day she would much rather just go back to bed, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so.

She scuttled around the house, vacuuming.  The in-laws were headed up.  Soon. 

Uh.

Surprise! 

Dusting.  Aggravation on aggravation, the allergies had her looking like a grieving widow, the dust making her look ancient.  Arthritis raising its head, biting her feet like an asp. 

She looked at the dishes in the sink.  Groaned.  Not the day for her, she wanted to be doing something else, the stupid dishes could wait...  Until she realized that they were stacked up to the point Husband was putting them in the other sink.  She wondered, How could two people create so many dirty dishes?  Mindlessly put dishes in the washer, then barked her shin on the door.  Snarl obscenities, that would make the most ill-bred Hell's Angels blush .  Then she remembered she hadn't taken the laundry out of the dryer.  Wrinkled.  She sighed, deciding that her mind must have fallen out during the night, and she'd been left with dryer fluff instead.  Then  she fed the animals, at least somebody around would be taken care of...

Finally having her own breakfast, she took a quick look at her emails.  Hmm.  She'd written for a code to receive Tom Petty's song First Flash of Freedom  two weeks ago, she'd heard the song and promptly fell in love with it. Nothing.  What is the problem with people?  Emails should be quick, right?  Thinking highly venomous thoughts, she decided to write the people again.  Thinking with what few brain cells remained, (well packed in lint), she tried the soft approach, attached the email saying they were sending the code, and asking as politely as she could, was there a problem, it had yet to arrive.  Not expecting anything, she went on to other tasks.

Mom and Dad arrived, and she was pleased to have a little conversation, and some help making the bed.  Husband spent the day working on project that had him moving his arms continually, and he was tired.  She made hamburgers, and finished knitting on a mukluk, wondering if she could embroider a poppy, since the boot was sort of a soft white color, and would show well.  Husband was busy on the computer, she mused quietly that she really should probably get the dust off, and took a quick bath. 

Finishing up, and dressing for the evening she heard the quiet of the house, and wandered into the back, thinking to catch another bit on the computer.  Hmph.  Still nothing. 

Wait.  What's this?  The computer sent this to the wrong file...

It's the code!  Does it work?

She enters the code into the website.  It works!  The download is still amazing to her, it was not so long ago that a file for a 6 minute song could take over half an hour to download, this took a minute or so. 

Zip file?  Uh, how to unzip?  Click and see.  The computer seems to know what it is, and unzips the file, while she thinks some silly thoughts about coats and jeans, and xyz.   Also noting that she must be really tired if a computer zip file makes her giggle.  She tries the music...

The strains of guitar fill the back room, and she smiles.  House is nice, she is clean, Husband is relaxing, and she has music.

And right now, that's Good Enough.

I'm BAA-AAA-AAACK!

Well, Parents in Law have left, and I have finally sat down to try and blog again!

I didn't have too much problem with them being here, but it was a change for all of us. They are night owls. Like 1 am is thinking about bedtime. We go to bed on a late night at about 10. Normally, 9. Happily, they weren't real noisy, and we both sleep pretty heavily, so it worked out. We also gave them a room and a bathroom of their own. Thank all that's holy we did. I don't know quite how we would have done it, if we'd had them sleep on the couch in the front room. We are just incredibly fortunant that we had the extra space for it... Even if I had to completely desimate the craft room to do it! Oh,well, I have the "stuff" in boxes, and instead of just plunking it all back in there, I am taking my time and making the good go in, but the 'stuff' that is just been riding along, gets to wander to someone/somewhere else, be it the local thrift store, or a friend that could use it, or just THE GARBAGE!!!

This is also a reason I didn't write for a day or two. Rudee is for perspective (STILL without the ball in his mouth. Point camera, drop ball. If I ask him to drop the ball, though...) Anyway, we have traded a gent some yard work, for taking out the dead trees in his yard. LOTS of dead trees. We have a wood stove, and it has been known that power outages occur around here, (however, I must say Consumer's Power has done well by us, so far), and we bucked wood. I am rather tired of bucking wood. Nerves weren't that hot either, since a couple times husband, (who fell said trees) got the tops tangled in other trees twice. As I recall, loggers refer to that as a 'widow maker'. Ahem. My nerves were strung tight until he was able to get the tree DOWN! We mashed a couple of the little cherry trees in the process, I guess the gent's wife was unhappy about that, but I guess, Hmmm, cherry tree, husband, cherry tree, husband... To blazes with the stupid cherry tree!

This is a picture of the final amount... We have about 10 cord, according to husband. I really am glad I helped, and I am REALLY glad we don't have to do that again for a while.

On a sad note, one of my oldest hens died, just old age. Her name was Meanie, and she was a good hen. Laid green eggs. Bearded chicken. Annoyingly, I have no pictures of her. But she was a good hen. Why the "Meanie" name? She was the top hen, and would prove it by tearing feathers out of any and all comers, including the roosters. She also had an odd sound she would make, I haven't heard it with any of my other birds, it sounded like trying to start a car with a bad solinoid. Don't know why she did it either. She'd be standing, or eating, then she'd stop, look around, and then 'gr-gr-r-r-r-r-nk!"

She was a good hen.

On a better note, I have just bought 25 pounds of flour, for my hobby. Bread baking. I go to any group thing anymore, I am asked if I would bring bread. I made bread for the dinner after the funeral of my Aunt, and I noticed some of the bread was gone, before dinner, then heard the kitchen ladies talking about the fact that they weren't going to be able to eat much after eating that homemade bread! (Mine was the only home made there, and they didn't know me to be 'polite' about the food, so I was happy.)

The only problem with 25 pounds of flour? You put it in a container, you look like Casper the Friendly Ghost's cousin. I am already fair of skin... I don't need that!

Fringe, Scarf, and In-Laws.

Well, now I have finished my fringe on the shawl, I think it really improves the look. I still don't know for sure where I might wear it, but all that have seen it, like it. Husband says don't be so sure I won't have a place to wear it. Hmmmm. ?
Oregon is finally catching up with the rest of the states, it's going to be HOT, HOT, HOT... Does anyone else think of that tune when the weather is above 90 degrees? Eh. Anyway, it's going to be way too hot to knit my other shawl, or much of anything with bulk or size, so what does a devoted, (read: obsessive) knitter do? Switch to a tiny project. I have this scarf, knit in a pattern called Dainty Bess (from http://www.knitpicks.com ) in a grey wool (Galler's Pony, made in Switzerland...) I think the diamonds will really show once it's blocked. At least it won't cook me while I am knitting. The bigger that shawl gets, the more of my lap is covered. At 106 degrees expected temp, I don't need MORE covering.

Father-in-Law and Step-Mom-in-Law are here. We will be entertaining them for a while as they visit local friends, go to various doctors appointments, catch up with kids and grandchildren, and continue to try and convince me of the virtues of Wal-Mart.

I am not convinced.

Oh, well. They are pretty nice people, and we have a seperate bedroom and bathroom for them, so all of us have some form of privacy, so it should go ok. I think. I have noticed a radical upswing in tissue boxes in random spots in the house... (Husband and I use kerchiefs.) Other than SMIL having a cleaning fetish that makes me feel like a slug, (she gets up and weeds at 4 in the morning, because she has nothing to do, since the rest of us don't get up until the ungodly late hour of 5:30... Heh...) But, it's only for a month, then she can head home and she will have lots to do, mostly 'cause they've been traveling for 6 months.

We are still dancing around who does what, where things go, and how the dishwasher is loaded. (SMIL thinks things should be washed before they go in, and no large items, i.e. pots. I figure, it fits, it goes. And why wash what is going to be washed?) So, in the spirit of compromise, I let her wash what she wants, and I stuff everything in when she's gone.

Hey, it keeps peace, and I still end up with clean dishes.