Q is for Queen...

I had this really neat kitty, big old longish haired, grey striped cat, bright yellow eyes.  It walked just like John Wayne, from the back.

So, I named him Duke.

Duke lived up to his name, he'd eat, and fight, and be the biggest, most aggressive cat.  Ran most everyone else off.  He loved me, though.  I would feed him on the bin where we kept the food, and he would purr so loudly, you'd thought his Mom was a Peterbilt.

We'd had him for about a year or two, where he came from was anyone's guess, people were unduly fond of dumping cats out near our place, since we were in the country.  (Snarl...)

But then I couldn't find him.  He was gone for about 3 days or so.  I was really worried, and Mom and Dad even checked the road, a definite danger to our animals there.

Then I saw Duke jump up on the bin like always, purring.  However, this time, I heard little squeaks...

Huh?

I peeked behind the bin, and there, by an engine block, were 4 tiny kittens.  This wasn't a real safe place for them, so we moved the kittens, and Duke, giving them a spot with a bit more warmth, and a bit less mechanical decor.

Oh, and I renamed her Duchess...

Q is for...

Quilts.

Specifically, crazy quilts.  I have wanted to make one, (the name alone fits my personality), and so I read the definition...

A warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching, typically applied in a decorative design.

Urf.  I don't sew.  I kept considering the fact that I wanted to make a quilt.

Then I considered a fact.  Knitting, when finished, is a FABRIC.

If I make a quilt top of knitting... Hmmm.

And I have a backing which is a large sheet, the size I want the blanket to be.  Hmmm, again.

I chatted with Mom about it, and mentioned my latest crazy obsession plan, and she suggested a flannel center, that would give it more warmth without thickness...

Bingo!

And so I have started my quilt.  I have some swatch squares, (I knew there was a use for those things), and I have some started project pieces that I decided were much too fiddly to ever complete, and then the actual, crazy, just go with the idea part...

The little red bow is to show the front.  I know it looks ragged at the moment, but when I start adding it together, it will even out.  But it will, indeed be a very loose, not planned, part of my knitting.  

And I think it's going to be a blast.  I am knitting it along with other projects, but in the back of my mind is the little hamster wheel spinning, 'what yarn will go with purple?  Do I have any novelty yarn that I can add to the right side?  Where will I put the knitted daisy I want to put on?'  

And, because I like to crochet edgings, but usually don't have a place for them around the house... I now have lots of places to put "stitching"...   

Onward to the madness!!!

*****

And I know that it's a day late, but P is for Photo bomb.  Ding did  that quite well with the first picture... She walked in and started sniffing, right as I snapped the pic.  She likes quilts, too, I take it!

Oh, Qwap...

I was all set to write today's R blog, when I glanced at my list, and for some reason, I blew past Q without a second thought... Huh.  Ok, well, I will be a day behind this week, I guess.  Poo...

Ok, Q.  I guess this isn't retro, per se, but I was thinking about when I get up in the morning.

It's quiet.

The roosters are just getting started with crowing, a poultry game of one upsmanship.

Turkeys are coming down from the trees, and some gobbling, flutter, and the occasional squawk.

Rudee yawns, groans, then a clatter of tags as he gets up to walk out to the yard with me.

I watch the sunrise.  The birds seem to get energized to chirp, chitter, and sing.

Dozens of geese fly by, honking like a freeway pile up.

Opening the hen house door, a cascade of chickens pours out, clucking and chattering.

Buzz meows from atop the fence post when I come out.

You know what?  Maybe my quiet morning, isn't as quiet as I thought!

*****

Well, I suppose it isn't exactly the world's biggest "thing", but I was so pleased, I have been helping at the Sheriff's Office with the Neighborhood Watch group, and doing volunteer work.  

I am now able to give out official business cards!  It's such a little thing, but it makes me feel like someone is paying attention to what I do.  And I guess they want me around a while, I think they gave me something on the order of 5K of them!

I also got a clean bill of health on my yearly Doctor's appointment, so that went well, other than a minor scare.  I had a sore leg, and told him about it, I wasn't concerned, just a toss off comment to his query of any pains of late.  

He became REAL serious, and started checking my leg, and had me do a bunch of things I recognized as signs to check for a STROKE... Oooooookay, Mr. Doctor person, what, pray tell, is going on?  

He was highly worried that I had a blood clot.  Why, I am still not sure.  But after an extensive dance of on the spot testing, he decided... I had overdone something, and had maybe strained a muscle.

Whew!  Not that I was worried or anything... Cough.  

Um, does anyone know the resting heart rate for minor panic?  

Queen size...

As some of you know, I do presentations at schools for my renaissance group.  I had given a call out for 'props' to use.  This was one that was in the 'bosses' stuff.  I was allowed to borrow it, it's based on a riding outfit that Queen Elizabeth I wore.  (I realize that it was cold during that time period, but this sucker is HEAVY.  And add to it the fact that it isn't the 'real' materials, it's velveteen, not velvet, I don't know if the white is linen or not, and the pearls are faux... The real thing must weigh a ton!)  I thought it was quite pretty. 

Then I was thinking, wow, the original was made with no sewing machines.  All by hand.  That, somehow, impressed me even more.  I haven't personally tried it on, (It comes in two pieces, left and right,, and I haven't put a cord in the back to keep it together), but I should sometime, just to see if I could wear it.  I think it's large enough for me.  When one of the little 5th graders tried it on, it looked like she was being eaten alive by it!  So, that is part of my Queen size for today.

The other part, grumble, grumble, grumble, is Queen sizing ME.  I gained 2.6 pounds this week!  I didn't pig out, that I can think of.  I did my normal exercise, in fact I got a tad bit more in as I dug out a tank for carrots, lots of hand digging hard clay-ish soil.  I had more salt than usual, but I wouldn't think it would add that much! 

I must say, I was NOT a happy camperette this morning. 

The strange thing, I don't feel like my clothes are tight, like I would normally, when I gain, and my rings keep sliding over, like when I have lost weight. (If you wear rings, do you have that problem, the stone, or emblem, rides down to your next finger, and you end up pushing it back where it belongs continually?)

I was annoyed for the obvious reason, I am up for the week, but I am also annoyed, because I go in to talk to the bright shiny new doctor Friday.  Of all the dang times to have an uptick! &*%$!!!  Hmph.  But, he isn't a jerk, or at least hasn't been the last few times I have been in, so we shall see what a full physical will show for me... 

Besides the fact that am a 40something, attitudeinally variable, slightly off kilter, neo-hippie.  You know, the usual...