Winners, copshop-tic tales, and three for five?

Ok, it is Friday!  What does that mean? 

Well, it could mean a whole lot of things, obviously, but it means, I have gone to the highly complex system of deciding winners of the comments!   (Which amounted to picking names from a bowl.)  I just love seeing what people have to say, and decided to get an unbiased pick of the winners. 

To wit:  Husband drew the names, blame him!

:)

So.  The first one picked is Chai Chai.  She mentioned she wanted to see a  picture of a flax spike on my wheel.  Ahem.  This isn't MY wheel, but doing a bit of research, I found out there IS one available for my wheel.   So, a picture of what mine would look like, adorned for Sleeping Beauty fans...



This is from the Ashford Spinning Wheel Website...

The item that looks like an antenna is said flax spike.  (I have called it a flax spike right along, but if you want to look it up, it's actually called a distaff...)  So, I might start hunting, find a used one, and then have it for fairs and demos, so the general public can see the thing up close and personal.  This particular picture also has a different way to hold the fiber you spin, a spindle.  It looks like it would be just as likely to be the culprit of her sleeping as the other. 

Just keep away from children, I suppose.  And narcoleptic princesses.

And, because I am in a mood, the second winner is messymimi .  I am sure with as many kittens as you have around, yarn could be either a very good, or a very BAD choice... 

So, if the two of you would email me at rencatus at yahoo dot com  (replacing the obvious... Dang spammers...)  and tell me if you want fluff, string, or clothing stuff, and I will see what I can do.  (and an address to send said fluff, string, or stuff to would help.)

And if you didn't win, I kinda decided I like this, and might have another blog contest.  (I think sooner than my 800th post, however...)

****

So, I was working at the Substation, and kept hearing the deputies talking about an emu.  I perked up, and the person I relieved mentioned, yep, there is a wild emu that a Neighborhood Watch group reported. 

Huh.  I know not much about emus, but figured that it was well in hand.  That's when I got the tap on the shoulder. 

Oh, dear...

"Don't I remember you were the one helping the deputies with the llama call?"  This was one of my bosses. 

"Yes, I heard there was an emu out, didn't hear anything about a llama..."

"No, but we need a place to put the emu.  You take care of animals, isn't an emu just like a big chicken?"

Ahem.  Yes.  SURE it is, in pretty much the same way taking care of a Siamese cat is just like caring for a Siberian tiger. 

I decided to nip this one in the bud.  I explained that emus could jump our fences, they are nearly as tall, or taller than I was, and liked to peck shiny things, LIKE GLASSES AND EYEBALLS, (I am partial to both being unpecked), and I really had no interest in caring for a bird, or any animal that I was both a little wary of, and didn't know a lot about.  (I would shy from accepting a horse for the same reason...)  Said boss was very surprised. 

"I am going to see about catching it, I have a horse trailer..."  She stood, looking at me with sad puppy eyes, I just KNEW that I was being silently asked to relent.  I have learned, however that silence can be the best response.

The silence became noticeable, then she sighed, and played her last card. "Do you think you could come and help us catch it?"

"Uh.  I have no clue how to catch one.  I really, really don't know anything about big birds..."  This said with an apologetic look, and a looooong reach down to pick up my information to do some typing for a newsletter.

"Oh.  Well, maybe I can find someone else..." 

Yes.  Yes, you can. 

I kinda stayed out of it, as much as I'd like to know what happened to the bird, I really do not want show any interest, so that I don't become Mrs. Noah!  I do so want some more animals, but not quite ready for Chicken On Steroids!  

****

I keep reading in other blogs about a Couch to 5K run, (C25K), and I had no idea how many what's in a K.  I was reading Jack Sh*t's blog, and he mentioned he had not finished a 5K, he'd only made it 3.1 miles. 

Huh?  Quick look up and conversion.  3.1 miles = 5K.  Oh.  Ha!  Ok.  

I am not sure I want to do a formal 5K.  But my parents house is just about that far from mine.  For a first time, this sounds a tiny bit more my speed.  I won't get lost, there is no cheating (well, other than someone driving me there.  Or, I do get the emu, and ride it?  Now THAT would make a blog post.  And possibly the police blotter for public nuisance, but I digress.)   And I am also of the mind, I don't need to worry about time, and if my walking sticks would be allowed.  So, I think my personal C25K will be to the folk's house.  I think if I set my goal for late spring, that would give me more than enough time to train, don't you? 

Since I am already walking regularly, and with both cell phone and radio, I would be able to let any worried folk at either end of the K's know what house I am near, (let's face it, I am in a rural area, most of the places I would be passing are neighbors, went to school with their kids, and so on...), and I could just go at my own pace.  I would probably be a weenie, and ask for a ride home, though. Or walk TO my house.  I don't want to do a 10K yet.   

No Rudee Run, however... Rudee + road + deer = complete disaster...

Now I just have to convince Rudee that barking continually, at the top of his doggie lungs, will not convince me to take him on the road.  Earplugs?  Or just sticking my fingers in my ears and saying "LALALALALALALALALA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"  But then how do I hang on to my walking sticks?

This might be harder than it looks... Further contemplation of same in future blogs.