Wiggle worm

That's my dog.

Mandy climbs into bed with hubby and I, lays between us, on here back with her feet sticking up into the air.

Then she wiggles in, trying to find that comfortable spot. Other dogs turn around chase their tail a while, then lay down at the foot of the bed, where there's more room. Not my dog! She's got to be right in the middle of things.

So I'm up earlier than usual on a bright, sun-shiney Sunday morning. Grocery shopping needs to be done. We are out of everything. Laundry needs to be done--thankfully, we are not out of everything n that respect.

Just wanted to let you know, that THE PIN WORKS! I'm speaking of my red sweater. And so, the plan is to wear it on Monday to the office. Not to brag or anything like that, but the LYS was really impressed with that sweater. I'll have to get a picture of me in it and post--one of these days when I'm a bit more photogenic--what am I saying? The last time I was photogenic was when I was 10 years old. I don't think it's coming back...know what I mean?

So I decided that the next project would be a pair of mittens for me to wear. The last pair I made were double knit and not very warm--so I was thinking of making a pair of estonian (read that "color work") mitts, but don't know how to do it in double knitting...let alone working two colors across the back and front--as these particular mitts are made flat, rather than "in the round". I suppose if I do 2 color mitts, I will have double thickness, but I'll also have threads to catch my rings on--okay, so not such a good idea.

Well, hands are falling asleep--need to get off the keyboard and get moving. Why am I so unmotivated this morning?

Class Cancelled--

I drove in to the LYS to get to my class, only to find out I had the wrong needles with me. So, because the LYS didn't have the correct length, I drove over to another LYS, bought them and headed back, sat down and waited for the teacher.

The owner stopped by the table, and let me know that I had been the only one to sign up for the class, and it had been cancelled.

Well, I was heartbroken.

These things happen, though, so I signed up for the "next time around" in January, heaving a sigh, because I stayed up until after midnight to get the cuffs done.

From there, I drove to see my ex-mother-in-law, and we had a nice chat, then I went back to the LYS and used my gift certificate. Then I went home.

I added a few new projects to my list of things to be done. I started supper. I printed off my mitten pattern, and decided to make another pair. I'm torn between making them out of wool or making them out of wool-eze. I could do either. I've got an entry there about my red sweater button band? Did you notice that? Well, I finished the neckline, then decided that I didn't like the button band. I made it wrong, and it gaps in between the buttons. The LYS and I brainstormed for nearly an hour, and the best idea was to take out the neckline, drop down the button band and reknit it OR get a pin/broche and forget about the button band all together. I've got a pin!!! I'm going to test the pin idea out. Failing that, I'm going to undo the neckband and drop down the button band and reknit it from the 5th row or so--a task I'm not really looking forward to, so we'll see if the pin idea works. If I like the look of it, I'll go with that, saving the button band issue for another day in, say, another lifetime.

So...the fair isle kit goes into the closet for the time being, and I get myself ready for cooler weather.

All in all, sort of a boring day, really.

Today's tarot card is the Emperor. Usually when I draw this card, I have some sort of disagreement with my husband, or a concern about my husband. Right now, he's playing "Mr. Distant". He was irritated at me this morning for going to the class, what with tomorrow being band practice and all. He doesn't seem to be upset...in fact, he's watching television...more horror movies.

Boo.

Roller Skating, Buffalo Herds and other non-sequitres..

It's been immortalized in song, recorded by Roger Miller, I believe...

You cain't roller skate in a buffalo herd, but you can do it if you've a mind to...

Well, yesterday, I saw the strangest thing. I'm walking to work in the morning, and the walk/don't walk sign is telling me to walk and not to walk at the same time. Does this mean to walk in place, I wonder? So I decide it's time to take a picture. I pull out my camera. Dead battery. So I laugh, shrug it off and cross the street anyway.

When I got home I charged up the battery, hoping that it wasn't fixed the next morning.

And sure as shooting, it was still "on the blink" literally. Flashing walk one second, don't walk the next, the holding both alight. There was no one standing in the middle of traffic, so I figured we were all safe.

I took a picture.

Now normally it's daylight, and pictures develop quickly on my digital camera, but now, it's 7am, and it's still dark outside.

I learned I cain't hold the camera still that long.

I ended up with red and white streaks, because the shutter stayed open so long, but since I was late for work, I knew I just had to try one more time, and then I would press on...but picture #2 was no better. So I headed to work, without the priceless picture.

Ah well, Kodak moment missed again.

I purchased a kit for the knitting. I'm taking a class tomorrow in fair isle, learning to knit with both hands. Yes, of course I knit with both hands normally...you won't see me walking down the sidewalk with one hand holding and knitting at the same time--quite a feat in my book, and probably in ANYBODY'S book for that matter...Anyway, the kit is "color your own" by Philosopher's Wool. Friends have told me that the yarn stinks. Well, it smells like Straw. It smells very strongly of straw.

I don't know about YOUR sheep, but MY sheep do not smell like straw. They smell like lanolin. The wool that I take off them, even after coming back from the mill, STILL does not smell like straw. It smells like...wool, I guess. Even after washing in DAWN dishwashing liquid, it STILL smelled like straw. Not as BAD as it did before washing, but still...like straw.

So I washed it, dried it, balled it, and left it in the open air as much as possible to help air it out an give it an opportunity to breathe. I figure that maybe it needs to get it's "sheepy-legs" back. Return to it's roots. And tomorrow, it will be knit.

Well, some will be knit tonight as cuffs for the sleeves as homework preparation.

I received the wool for a pair of socks with argyle and skulls on it. Another reason for taking the fair isle class.

Husband is watching horror movies. I don't like horror movies. We watched Jeepers Creepers II, and afterward, he wouldn't take the dog out potty. It was dark out there. I told him I'd do it, if he went with me, and HE LAUGHED AT ME! In fact, I told him a little later that I didn't want him out there with me, as he'd probably yell BOO at me, then laugh when I tried to shake myself back out of the tree to try and land on my feet like a cat. In reality, I wasn't as scared as I "let on", but he wouldn't go out in the dark--and the dog did go out in the dark, and the fearless woman and her faithful dog accomplished the feat.

I guess I need to get the dog chain back up to the house so that I can let the dog out without the boogieman getting me. It's just one of those things.

So the weekend has come around again, and there is knitting class, grocery shopping and visit the Ex-mother in law. Sunday is band practice. Busy weekend, and someone stole our gas container. I have to tell you that it's getting pretty bad when someone steals your gas can! I have no idea how much gas was inside it, but at the prices these days!! So, hard lesson learned by hubby..don't leave it out..out of sight, out of mind, you know?

I still can't believe someone stole our gas can. :\

Well I am off to knit the cuffs for my class. I hope that it goes well. I'm not expecting problems, but you know how these things go!!

Are We there Yet, and similar questions...

Ever notice anytime you get in the car with kids, they are always asking "Are we there yet?". Even in the movie Shrek II, Donkey asks nonstop. Finally, Shrek and Fiona tell him they're not because they are going to the land that's far far away, and it takes a long time because it's so FAR FAR AWAY.

Well, my Japanese Heirloom Knitting project from the Knitting Beyond the Hebrides KAL has been one of those projects that has taken me a lifetime to finish. The sweater is done. The buttons are on, but I didn't like the neckline, so I ripped it out and redid it. Twice. I think I'm finally satisfied with how it turned out, but it seems a tad small for my thick neck.

Yeah, yeah...tell me that I need to lose weight again.

Now the button band gaps.

I can't win.

So, at lunch today, I'm going to JoAnn's fabrics to pick up some matching thread to sew on some grosgrain ribbon to give the button band some stability. I figure that once I finish that, I can then put it away and probably never wear it, because it frustrated me so much. There is something to say about the experts here, telling me to do the button band by itself with fewer stitches (of course, for just such a reason), but idiot moi, figured that a twisted rib wouldn't stretch that much vertically! God forbid that I should consider the horizontal stretch of ribbing--DUH! And because I knit the button band directly with the fronts, I would have to reknit the fronts entirely, and THAT ain't gonna happen!

So learn from my mistake children...do not knit your button bands with the rest of your sweater, or it will never "look right", and you will forever be dissatisfied with the final result.

So "Is it done yet?" No. But hopefully tonight I can finish it, then wind up the balls of yarn for my fair isle sweater, and knit my cuffs. Maybe I'll wear my Japanese Heirloom sweater to my class on Saturday? Not a bad idea, if it's done yet.

Today's Tarot Card: The Wheel of Fortune

Not a bad card, if you like to gamble and win. Especially in the upright position. This card speaks to taking chances on the long shot--going for it, bag of chips and the rest of it. Thinking of asking for a promotion--take it on. Thinking about trying a new technique to get work done? HO! There you go, now's your chance, it will likely work! But as with all things that spin, there can be a downside to the wheel of fortune....after while, things basically TURN ON YOU. It's a very inreliable card. One minute on top of the world and nothing gets you down, the next, you're so far down the ladder you can't see over the tops of your socks. It's not that someone's got their foot on your head. It's your own undoing that got you there. It speaks to the time when wisdom needs to step in to help you make the right decisions for you and everyone around you. Keep your friends close and your enemies on the other end of the spectrum....but don't lose sight of them.

The wheel is like a standard wagon wheel, upright, the happy happy joy joy is at the top, and the desperate weeper, with her head in her hands at the bottom, the rest are in various modalities of emotion from best to worst. It's the bipolar sufferer's card. One minute on top of the world, the next, the world is falling down around your head...and the road is long on the trip back up.

So take care today, this card says. Things will be good, but can go bad just as quickly and just as easily.

Have a good day ya'll, and I'll let you know if I get my sweater done.

Away we go A Dieting!

Ever notice how in the first few days of dieting, you lose massive amounts of weight, and then wonder why it doesn't fall off so fast when you've finally lost 20 or so pounds?

Well, I've been on a "eat less" diet. No more McDonald's, and less "white" food (like bread, taters and pasta). I drink one cup of coffee in the morning to jump start the day, then a bagel when I get to work. A sandwich for lunch, and a normal sized meal at dinner, plus a 10 minute workout on the treadmill at just a little faster than I normally walk to my car in the morning and afternoon to and from work.

I've lost 12 lbs in 3 days.

My face looks drawn already. Good grief! I look TERRIBLE!

I fed my snakes yesterday. The honduran and boa both ate right away--the boa because she's a good eater anyhow, the honduran because she is finally done shedding. But the little boy wanted nothing to do with it. This morning, the dead mouse was still in his cage. So I took it out and re-heated it with my blowdryer. (Oh, never in the microwave! LOL!)

After 5 minutes, he ate too.

So everyone is well fed. My cats are sleeping after a long night of knocking lamps off the end tables, and the dog is resting from going outside and golly. It's quiet in the household. Must be time to get to the office!

Today is band practice day.

What do I do about my kid? He's nearly 30, underemployed, lives with my mother and treats her like SHE'S his servant--storms around her apartment because he can't seem to follow instructions as simple as "go and get me a 7-up" which caused a huge argument, and seems totally willing to destroy himself at every opportunity? My hubby and I had to boot his butt out of our house because he gets a little money to himself and goes out and buys himself some smokes, and then complains because he doesn't have enough money to go around for his bills. He was supposed to apply for a job at his second cousin's workplace...a job you might figure he could be a "shoe-in" for, only to never go and apply. This sort of behavior has been a constant struggle for me and my mother. My hubby got to the point where he just didn't give a hoot anymore, and basically sabotaged the effort to get my son's car fixed, so now he really doesn't have a reliable car. I'm going to have to contact my step-son, to undo the damage that my hubby did, and get my son over there to fix his car. Perhaps with the promise that I'll pay for the repairs if he doesn't pay on time will fix that "hard-butt" behavior that my hubby exhibits from time to time. I'll have to work it out with my step-son not to tell my son that the bill will be paid, and that the money still has to come to the step-son, then the step-son can pass the money to me....sort of a "silent benefactor", because I want my son to pay the bill and to learn how to pay his bills on time, important bills first, and fun stuff later. It will be a struggle and a lot of extra "rigamarolle", but I think between my step-son and I, we can work it out.

In the meantime, I still have a son who is a real problem. So I'm asking for suggestions! He cannot live with me, and my mother, who is in her 70's doesn't need the problem either. Frankly, I figure there needs to be an intervention, but I don't know where to go for that sort of thing either.

So suggestions are welcome. Give me the benefit of your experience all you mom's out there who have children who have finally turned themselves around and are flying straight. I could use a success story to show me that it really can happen. Sigh

Knotty Knots Socks

This pair seemed to drag along, mostly because the foot is all stockinette. If it weren't for the name, I'd put the pattern down the instep, but I think all those Knotty Knots would hurt inside my shoes.

My doggie got sick, and her schedules were a mess! I took her to the vet on Monday, and literally spent the last week medicating my best buddy, but she's on the mend, and things are moving along fine now. Her schedule is coming back online and then some. We're also taking time out of our day to walk more--the weather is cooling, the leaves are falling on the ground, the squirrels are preparing for their winter sleep, and the deer hunters are out and about. Mandy gets a kick out of walks down the road--what with all the smells and such. I think she walks about four times more than I do, walking back and forth across my path.

Poor thing! I have to teach her to come when called. She gets loose and she goes for a quick run. Once on the run, she will not come to me. I have to stop at the store, buy a reasonably long rope and a swivel snap hook. Then we go outdoors.

I've also come to the conclusion that she was abused--even though the breeder told me that they were a good family--she is mortally terrified of...

Fly Swatters.

I only have to say it, and she runs and hides. I make sure only to say it when she's being naughty. I wonder how she'll fare in the spring when the flies come out? Well, we shall see.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Yes, it's been 20 years ago or so. Right around this time of year---in fact the only reason why I remember it so well, is that he left me one day before my brother's birthay, or October 15.

It still startles me that this stuff still bugs me after all these years. I asked the tarot why He feels it was a "bitter divorce". Justice is the drawn card. He feels he didn't get a fair shake. I must admit, I basically took everything with any value--however, he left me with all the bills and a $15,000 bankruptcy! I've heard he'd told people that he loved his motorcycle more than me...well, he lost his precious love of his life in the divorce, since it was part of the bankruptcy, and one of the main reasons why we went broke to begin with. I walked into the bank with my good credit to talk to the loan officer personally--and signed MY name to the bottom line. The motorcycle may have been his baby, but I paid the mortgage for it. The other was that he was constantly out of a job. In our early days, he got me fired from my good job--and I had to start all over again at minimum wage. This started the ball rolling downhill fast. The stress was too much for me. Working my buns off everyday, while he'd get a job, only to lose it in a few months was just too much. And then he wondered why the "night life" wasn't all that HOt hot hot! No, I bet he does feel like he didn't get a fair shake. But it didn't take him any time at all to sell that motorcycle (after he'd stolen it off our property--taking the doors off the garage to get to it), and the funds went in payment to the bankruptcy. I paid the rest, and nearly lost my job when they told me they were going to garnish MY wages (because, as usual, he didn't have a job at the time, and I was the only one who was steadily working). So out of $15,000, he actually paid only $2k. I'd say he got out CHEAP!

It's time to show progress knitting.

These particular socks have been taking quite some time, as normally I can get a pair out in a week--these have taken me longer--much longer--than I expected them to. It's not the pattern, as that seemed to go fairly quickly, but the foot is entirely stockinette, and on size 1's well, it's just not going so fast.

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern called Knotty Knots.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I have only an inch or two and I will be decreasing for the toes. Notice that one is green and the other yellow? Well, when I bought the yarn, I didn't realize that they were both only 50 grams each! So I did what knitters call "fraternal twins". My husband calls them "clown socks". He has no appreciation for art.

Some people collect things. I have lots of collections. One of my favorites is my pin collection. Here are some of the most recent additions. Now, my pins can be old, new or in between, but they have to have something about them that drew my eye in a fantastic way.

These are all on my purse. Aren't they pretty?

Today's tarot card is the 10 of wands again. I get this card a lot on Monday. It means a hard day's work is ahead for me. I'm also going to take the dog to the vet, so I'm going in late, which means I'll have less time to do that which I normally take all day to do. It's likely that I will have a very full load. I'm not ready for it. I had a very lazy weekend--where all I did was drive around miss daisy (my husband) and go get groceries. I didn't even make supper on Sunday night (to my defense, I must say that it's been extremely hot this weekend, and sweating took a great deal of effort.).

It's light outside now. I have yet to shower then to take Mandy to the vet. I'm a little worried about taking her over in the car, which makes her nervy--and prone to further illness. She's losing weight now! First, however, I'm going to dump the cat litter. What a fancy life I live, eh?

Our D-I-V-O-R-C-E

This blog entry has nothing to do with knitting. It has nothing to do with any of my interests, but it is a "getting something off my mind" entry. This something I've carried with me for over 20 years, and likely will carry with me for the rest of my life.

In my youth, I was married to a young man who loved me tremendously--unfortunately, we couldn't possibly stay together. I filed for divorce, and lived alone, with our son, for a couple of years.

And then I met my second husband. He was attractive to me and quite funny. My previous marriage had made me leery of getting hitched again, and there was just something in the back of my mind that just didn't seem quite right about "us". We had a relatively stormy relationship, but not impossibly so, and the storms were not necessarily what made me feel "this is NOT the one"--but something more to do with his behavior toward me, that caused me to feel uneasy.

I broke up with him for a short while, to try to find a new job in Florida (a proposition and story in it's own right), and failing that, moved back to Michigan and agreed to marry him.

I remember that he cried at our wedding. Suddenly, this upswing of deep emotion, and we said "I do" and all that stuff.

Six months after we married, I had settled into what I believed was a normal life together, only to have my entire world rocked off balance. Here's what happened.

I was outdoors, painting boards to use as shelves in my son's room. My husband was helping the next door neighbor girls get into their apartment. They had gone out drinking, and come home to find out that they'd locked themselves out. My husband hoisted the one girl in through the kitchen window, the only window left open in the house. She got some scrapes and bruises in the effort. She unlocked the door, and my husband and her roommate walked in.

A few moments later, the roommate comes over, a bit excitably, and tells me that I better not leave my husband and the other gal alone in their trailer. I asked "why", but she had been drinking, and didn't stay to answer the question, but seeing that I was somewhat occupied with a paintbrush, she ran back into the mobile home she shared with her roommate.

Later on, while washing dishes, I asked my husband what had happened over at the girl's trailer. He became instantly paranoid and asked me, completely afraid, why I'd ask about that! I replied that the roommate had come out and said that something was happening, and he flatly denied it, clearly upset and reacting a whole lot more overly paranoid about the entire affair. An argument ensued that lasted about 2 days, as I remember, with my final statement being that if he wanted her, that he'd have to leave me, and that basically he could have her.

He behaved as if he felt awful over the entire thing. (Years later, I found out that nothing had actually happened in the other mobile home, but the die was cast.) I forgave him for his indescretion, and we moved on. To my discredit, I was not able to forget the issue, and filed it away in case it ever happened again

I didn't know that he'd just gotten "sneakier" about things.

Near the end of our marriage, a young girl who was just entering the pipe band told me that my husband was "coming on" to her. This upset me quite a bit, and initially, I told her that she needed to get a backbone and tell him to buzz off. Unfortunately, she apparently wasn't up to the task. She proffered this "information" after a pipe band performance. We were at a restaurant and in the bathroom. There was no possibility for me to confront my husband then and there.

The restaurant burned down that day.

I'm not kidding.

A few days later, another argument ensued over something trivial at the time, and escalated into much more. I finally confronted him with my "information", and countered and re-countered with "who else", since now, it's been twice you've done this to me.

I had no idea that there were others. MANY others.

Other things occurred in the two weeks after that have caused me to be angry beyond belief for the last 20 years. He stalked me for 3 years after he left me and divorced me. He telephoned me, exactly one week to the DAY after I broke up with a gentleman friend, and I knew that he was STILL stalking me. He wanted to get together--he, his new "fiancee", and me. I denied him access. I still believe I was right to do so. I told him to marry his sweetie and to leave me alone.

He tried to corner me at a band function and I ran away from him, carrying my drum so I could run as far and as fast as I could go. His "fiancee" was there somewhere, and he was hoping to rub my nose in his "bliss". I'd have none of that mess.

I've spent the last 20 years or so, occasionally crying over the loss, but knowing that I could never give him the ability to hurt me again. I have found out over time that there were many such "come ons", and figure it was just a matter of time before he followed through.

He humiliated me in front of my friends. He stole my joy for many years (I did get some of it back finally), he lied to me, and then to his family to keep us apart. For the last 20 years, I have grieved the loss of something I thought was there, when it never really was.

I have spent much time, trying to figure out why I still feel the way that I do. I can only come up with the insane notion that if I allow myself to forget what he did to me, then he might (or someone else might) be able to get in there and do it all over again. It's not something I want to ever have happen again. I lost my mind the day he left me, and I've been trying to reconcile the man I thought I was married to, to the one who he actually is.

Beyond this, he has not changed one iota. He cheated on his second wife, and it's my opinion that he is cheating on his third wife. He works in an airport. You do the math.

Today, I spoke with his mother, and I asked her, point blank, why she thought that her son was so "afraid" of me. (Never mind that he's terrified that I'll tell his new wife what I saw at the airport last weekend!) All she said was "I think because it was such a bitter divorce."

Wait a minute!

HE DIVORCED ME? HOW CAN *he* CLAIM "bitter divorce". I didn't push the issue, because I felt or rather saw by her body language, that I'd put her in a difficult spot, but it just came out. And I don't consider myself "bitter" about the divorce. ANGRY, yes, insanely so at times. Means I still have a heart. Means that somehow I still care about it all. You know what? That just makes me all the angrier. To think that I might still care for the sneaking piece of pond scum just irritates me to no end. Would I take him back? Oh, my heaven's no. Emphatically NOT. So why carry the angst?

I can only say in my own defense that that is exactly why I still carry all the angst. To defend myself, should he ever TRY. Not that I believe he would--but I figure nothing in a skirt is unavailable to him (in HIS mind), and since I'm female...well, stranger things have happened.

But for HIM to think it was a bitter divorce...well, that just boggles my mind. I can only imagine what he's been telling people--especially his family--even my sister, who seemed to feel so sorry for HIM after all was said and done. My SISTER--whose husband "came on" to me so hard, that after he left her, and I told her, we could do nothing but commiserate about how perverted men are. (Yes, fellas, we really do talk about you!) I knew he was worse than pond scum when I met him. WHY couldn't I see it in my second husband?

The saga continues. I know that he will ultimately leave his third wife. Somehow, she will catch wind of his behavior--they are already having some serious problems. I know it won't be long, and I also know that I will be the first to hear about it. Do I relish the idea? No. If he's married, he has less chance to bother me. I want him...well...if I had to be honest, I want him six feet under where he can't bother anybody anymore. Would I take steps to do something to hurt him--no--He's not worth losing my life over anymore than he's already done. However, the "links" have returned to me. His family for instance, but I have to be careful how and what I do/say and when. I don't want to risk losing those relationships again.

And so I write about it here. Yesterday was the last time I shed a tear over issues relating to him. The anniversary of our breakup is approaching--I expect that by now, my emotions are tied to the seasons, and rather automatic, rather than from sensativity over it. It's been quite a while since I shed a tear over him, though, and I can only hope that the chasm will grow over the next several years as I re-establish my relationships with his family in ever deeper connections. Why do I do it? Because he lied, and he has had too long in his lying for me to let it rest even one more day.

It's likely that this will go with me to the grave. I still possess something of his. Whether he left it because he didn't want it anymore, or forgot it, I don't know. I've worn it, remembering the first time I wore it, and I smile.

For now..that's enough.

Long Time Coming

I've been a little out of the loop lately, since I've been busy with knitting all these wonderful socks, catching up on some mending that's been more or less lounging around the house waiting for some TLC, fixing a board on the deck, repairing the garage door (we won't say who's fault THAT was), mowing lawn, doing laundry, playing with the bagpipe band, going to an Alpaca show and just generally staying busy.

Recently, there's been quite a furor over the State of Michigan budget. The population is angry because the senate and legislature have been haggling over the issues for over 8 months, there's been some talk of things like they only came in one day a week the entire month of August. Now, I want to know how somebody can work those kinds of hours and get paid, and with a higher salary than I'll ever see--for a 40 hour week. I think the UAW has a right to demand part time work=part time pay. I realize that some of these folks work lots more than 40 hours a week, but when a deadline looms, why go through all the drama of waiting until the last minute to make a quick decision? I just don't get it at all.

I've been working on the KAL for friendly socks (I think it's friendly socks, anyway--I have so many sock clubs that I can't remember who's doing what!). We decided to do the colors for the Tour de France. I picked yellow and green. BRIGHT yellow and EMERALD green. Lovely colors, and they go well together. The wound balls are on a previous post. Progress is going well on these. I started them about a week ago, and they are now a few rows past the heel turn, and I'm working on the gusset decreases. I will post a pic as soon as they are finished.

Saturday, our band did a volunteer gig for Relay for Life, Race for a Cure--a fund raiser for Breast Cancer Research. I picked up a pair of shoe laces, a pin with a pink tennis shoe on it, two T-shirts, one pink, one purple, and we just generally had a good time. Afterward, some of the people in the band drove over to a Bob Evans for breakfast. We had a nice time there, too.

From there, it was a long trip to Jackson to the Alpaca Show. We stopped in Kalamazoo, grabbed a bite to eat across the street from the Airport, picked up some fabric for pips for the band shirts at Field's Fabrics across the street, dropped in to the Airport to say hello to my ex-husband, who was rude and told us to leave, and then headed over to Walmart to buy some hairy pink yarn to make covers (sort of like you would for a golf club) for the tenor drummers beaters. This way, the tenors can have pink covers for their beaters for when we do this stuff for Race for a Cure, which we do twice a year. I'll probably do something for covers for them for normal performances, too, but have to get with them to find out what color they want.

Then it was off to the Alpaca Show in Jackson. This was something of a disappointment, I guess. It was one Alpaca farm doing a tour of their farm, as well as showing their alpacas (I had hoped it would be a show with other people's alpacas, with alpacas for sale (or rent? ). They had lots of Alpaca fiber and finished goods for sale, but without a budget for the State of Michigan, and as an employee here, I didn't think it was wise to spend all of my money at this time. I walked away, sadly empty handed.

When I got home, I decided to continue to spin my friend's chiengora, and got another bobbin full. Then realized that I had my yarn for my red sweater on my niddy noddy, and the other two bobbins were full of sock yarn from the sheep to sock project. So I finished binding off my sweater, dunked the red yarn into a pool of warm water, and then hung it in the bathroom to dry. I never did unspool my sock yarn, but went back to work on the KAL.

Sunday, my hubby took me to breakfast, then we went to the store to pick up some fruit, then to Walmart to pick up some fiber tablets, then home to fix the deck and repair the garage. After that, we watched television until suppertime. I worked some more on the KAL. Then I made dinner. At 10pm, I watched the news to see if the state had made a decision, and the news said everything was still up in the air, but I knew already that we were going back on Monday.

Ask me why...go ahead...ask me why.

On Friday, I drew a tarot card that said that I needed to keep a positive outlook and not worry about it. Then I drew the 8 of wands, which reminded me of the UAW employees on the Civil Service lawn. Then on Saturday, I drew the Wheel of Fortune--right side up. This, for me, boded well, and I told my hubby "I'm going to be going to work on Monday morning"

Sure enough, it happened.
Now, you ask "why did the Wheel of Fortune have anything to do with going to work on Monday?"

Well, word had it that the casinos were going to have to shut down--I associate the Wheel of Fortune with gambling (for one) and good fortune (or luck). Meaning the things that I want or need will be provided. Therefore, if the gambling had to stay open, then of course, the rest of the state would as well. I am going to work, and the positive attitude I had also caused the wheels of government to turn just a bit faster.

This morning I rolled up the Judgement card reversed. This could mean a lot of things, but most of the time (for me) it means that someone is judging me wrongly. Well, that would be my ex, who is terrified of me for some reason. I find it all very amusing, because I'm not a vicious person, and I've never done a thing to him. However, he is VERY paranoid over many things, not just over me--and I'm sure that he would rather I NOT become friends with his new wife. I have no idea why he was so rude to Ray and I on Saturday, because we did only stop in as it was "on the way" in our travels, and only to say "hi", but it's likely got something to do with some unreality that he's concocted in his own mind. I'll have to pull some other cards to find out why he's judging me so harshly. It might be he's mad that I told his sister in law the secret that he told me (of course, it was a total lie), or the fact that I see more of his mother than he does. Perhaps he thinks she and I talk about him incessantly. I don't even mention his name. When she does, I try to direct the conversation to other items of interest.

It's been very pleasant having his mother back in my life, and I'm finding that I don't cry over him anymore like I did for nearly 20 years of my life. The only thing that's different, is that she's back in my life (as well as my ex's brother and sister in law, and also his sister and I talk on occassion when I see her at the store), so it's not so much like I lost my family anymore, and this has been a good thing for me.

Well, it's time to get back to work, and break is over. I'll take a picture of my socks in progress and post this evening. Have a great day, everybody!