Another Finished Project

All Wrapped Up in Love!

AHA! That's how it works!

Travelling last night in 10" of slushy snow on the freeway is not my idea of fun.

Apparently it is for some drivers--and I'm sure they curse as they fly past in their 18 Wheel rigs and SUV's, but they sure are scarey, because they drive in what I've marked as "my lane"--simply because there's a track there. And I'm pretty territorial of my track when the roads are messy and I'd rather be home sipping on a hot chocolate.

Once I got on my Michigan highway, while the road was still snow covered (with MY TRACK plainly visible), I pressed on. Road was bumpier than a corn cob with the corn still ON IT. So I'm bouncing along on less than adequate traction. Fearing the worst for the COUNTRY road I have to travel down, I cross my fingers and turn into a relatively pristine snow covered road--with one track. I AM GOOD TO GO! Unfortunately, my hubby has parked in the lower drive, which is where *I* planned to park, and he's snowblowing the upper drive, but it's totally impassable, with only one swath blown out. So I pass the house and head further down to the neighbor's house. They are stuck in the lower end of their driveway, so I can't use their driveway to turn around.

I ended up having to go 3/4 of a mile from my house, just to find a driveway to turn around in! Even then I was worried about getting stuck, but I managed to get myself turned around and headed back in the right direction. I parked in our third driveway near the barn, trying to get as far -in- as I could so the plow wouldn't hit me, but the minute I started in, the wheels started to slip, and the snow pushed me over and I nearly ended up in the sheep pen.

But I was alive.

I got out of the car and kissed the ground....coming back with a faceful of snow. The sheep stood there and looked at me with their "what IS this idiot doing?" face. Then, they started to yammer---something about being hungry...

So I took care of the sheep, trudging in 10" of snow to the barn to get a couple flakes of hay, then up to the house to help with the driveway. Hubby calls me over...

"Here, take my keys and bring my car up." Loudly, over the motor of the snowblower.

"WHAT? Are you crazy? I'm all done moving cars!"

"We need to get them in. If a plow goes through tonight, they'll bury us in!"

"FINE! I didn't want to go to work tomorrow anyway!" But I took his keys and moved his car.

Now, as fine a hubby as my hubby is, he is not sometimes the smartest kid in class--he failed to remember that cars don't make 90 degree turns on a dime and leave 9 cents change on the pavement. Getting his car in was a challenge, but I did finally get it up the drive....slid into the yard twice, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I turned off the ignition.

However, MY CAR was not so ammenable to the idea of turning into the driveway. Part of the problem is that the tires are about 2 years old now, and about that time, their "tractionability" is pretty much dead in the water, and so all I do on the driveway, in even 1/2" of snow, is spin.

So, we spin, spin spin. Got stuck twice having backed out improperly. A handy-dandy fellow with a snowmobile came down to give us a hand.

Finally, he takes the car down to the corner, turns around and comes back. Second Try.

Spin, Spin Spin

He didn't try a third time. He parked MY car in the lower drive, with my trunk about 4" from the roadway. I guess it's okay if MY car gets plowed in. Ah, now I understand.

So I got up this morning with him, got dressed in my cold weather "gear", and headed out to clean off my car.

I can't get in. The doors are frozen shut. Finally managed to get one of the BACK doors open, but soon realized that I couldn't reach the ignition from the back seat. So, I got out of the back seat, and pushed on the front door from the inside, around the opening for the back door, while holding onto the edge of the front door, and it FINALLY came loose.

I took the ignition key off the ring, turned the car over, turned on the heaters and defrosters, and closed it up and locked it and trudged back to the house. I stomped my feet in the garage and left enough snow to make a little snowman on the floor. I stepped into the house to write this.

Now, I'm at work. There's no one here. Go figure.

Oh, so TIRED!

Therefore, I'm not going to be quite so wordy tonight.

Have put some new projects on Ravelry, and they'll show up on the right side in the widget.

I got some new yarn.

I worked hard on the drum salute with my son, who also worked hard tonight, and I think that by the time I see him again on Sunday, he will be ready for anything I throw at him.

Reason I'm so tired? I couldn't get to sleep last night due to the hot cocoa at Knit Night. Finally nodded off at about 2am. I am forcing myself to stay awake another hour so that I get a full night's rest, not over not under.

I started another pair of Knitty's "Breeze", but I want to do the heel different, and I'm not sure how I should proceed. I want the heel and gusset in one piece--no holes in the sides. I'll check with Queen Kahuna's Book on Two Socks on Two Circs, and see if I can find something that will fit the bill.

Waiting for the email to download, because I ordered a yoke patterned sweater from Vogue, and I think it's going to work up nicely in my handspun.

But, the email didn't show the last installment of the Monthly Dishcloth (booo!), so I'm going over to Ravelry to update there.

Sleepless in Eagle

Last night was a no brainer. Even though I take a sleeping pill, last night, she no work. She no sleep. 2 AM, still awake. Enough to make one "mad, mad I tell you!"

Last evening, was spin night, and I took 4 oz of Chiengora from the big bag of chiengora, and put it in a little bag of chiengora. This makes it easier to spin a consistent weight...every skein is 4 oz, and since I spin fairly consistently, it makes a nice 3 ply bulky weight for knitting a blanket.

So I decide to have a cup of cocoa at my best friend's house--cocoa being one of those drinks that's considered "soothing" for settling in after a cold day to relax and have a chat with close friends. It tasted a little funny to me, but still chocolate--and before you think I'm saying that it was spiked--forget it. It was Swiss Miss. How can you spike Swiss Miss?

I enjoyed it, save for the funny aftertaste, and spun about half of the 4 oz bag. When I came home, the roads were horrible with slick slush, and had trouble getting up the driveway--ending up spinning into the lawn and tearing up the grass.

Well, it must have had an additional dose of caffeine, because I stayed up and watched WWE Raw (my favorite Monday night show--just because it happens when I get home from Knit Knight), and then, just about 20 minutes before the show was to end, I took my sleeping pill, and settled into the chair to watch the end of the show--but then I tried to go to sleep.

Imagine that? I thought I could actually SLEEP with a sleeping pill--but I think I could have put it under the pillow for the sleeping pill fairy for all the good it did me. Now, I'm a morning person, but I hit the snooze this morning for 1/2 hour, and then got up, dressed, read a couple of emails, let the dog out, fed the dog, got my knitting "take along" project ready to go, took a couple of pictures which you'll see much later--started my car, realized I hadn't taken my yogurt or my pop, so back into the house to get these items, and then headed out the driveway. I drove my 20 minutes to the office, got my bagel and coffee, took the elevator, sat down in my chair, traded my snow boots for my tennis shoes, and turned on my computer, ending up here.

I'm exhausted. Can I go home now?

Socks--but does she really read my blog?

Okay, okay, the long awaited pair of socks for my hubby--who by now, is sawing logs, sleeping in his brand new pair.

There's a first for everything--he loves them. They aren't perfect, and the next pair will be better...my afterthought heel ended up just a tad too long and too wide--and it has "ears", but what the hey--they're an original creation by the wife who loves him! While I'm prepping the picture, I'm typing away...

Went to band practice today, and an old friend showed up to assist in determining what can be done to help with the drum corps--and whether or not there's any sort of possibility for the band to go into competition this year. Personally, I don't have enough of my life invested in it to work too hard at it, although it is important to me to some degree or other--mostly for Ray's sake--since I figure it's the only thing keeping him sane--unfortunately for me, while much was accomplished, the Drum Sergeant decided that my son wouldn't be able to perform at the Flint Ceilidh. This has made him most unhappy, as it's been a little over a year since he started, and while he HAS come a long way--the only thing standing in the way of his playing is HER. She is pretty much the source of his stress--he wants badly to impress enough to be able to play and that is hindering his performance in her presence. He's got....um...

Performance anxiety.

Not to laugh--as I've had performance anxiety for years and years--especially when I'm in front of my peers, which makes it impossible to perform in competition, and that's why I've pretty much "stayed away" from it. I need SERIOUS drugs for this sort of thing. So I'm thinking...okay, next week, I could slip my kid a mickey...give him a piece---just a piece of one of my anti-anxiety meds to calm his nerves enough so he won't care so much, but not enough to put him into a coma--you know....like MY dosage. LOL! Not! But they do help me sleep REALLY well if I am all wound up and can't sleep due to this and that running rampant through my head to the point where if I try to shut things in my mind down, it's screaming back at me

"BUT I DON'T WANNA! I DON'T WANNA GO TO SLEEP! IT'S NOT TIME! THE SUN JUST WENT DOWN!" And other myriad things that my mind tells me at 2am and I can't get back to sleep.

Unfortunately, I'm feeling like I'm going to need one of those anti-anxiety lovlies if I'm to sleep tonight, because I am feeling a bit angry. I mean, yes, he's been working on it for a year--yes, yes he should be able to do it flawlessly...where were you when HE DID just a couple of minutes ago????

Sigh. I can't win. I simply cannot win.

And so I call the pipe major....ask if he can put her on a task that has to be completed just before practice--so that she's late--and then I can garner the rest of the drum corps to play for the Pipe Major--for HIM to listen, without her intervention or her "comments" which of course, aren't meant to be taken "personally".

How can he not take it personally? He's the only one being left out of the picture!!!!!

And if it's a matter of playing perfectly, why allow ME to play? Since I make mistakes ALL the time! Seriously. I just have 20 some years experience that I "cover" well and that is really the only difference between my kid and me.

So I'm miffed, as you can tell by now. Glad I got the socks done, or there'd be nothing good to tell you!

So how to get around this brick wall? Ask the cards....I draw...the King of Swords. Fire of Fire. Get PO'd? Ah perhaps not--but I suppose sitting down and dealing with the DS on an intellectual level--explaining to her that she's been so hard on my kid that he just can't perform well in front of her? Oh, like that's going to go over well. She just comes off as so PUSHY and DEMANDING. How can she expect perfection? Need I remind her of the Kalamazoo Air Zoo fiasco? LOL! Oh, dear! Do you know that tonight, Ray told me that SHE was the reason that our Bass Drummer left the band? Do you know that Ray told me that our Bass Drummer told him this on two different occassions? Did I tell you that I don't believe that conversation ever occurred--HOWEVER--that I know that our Bass Drummer set up the performance, and was likely horribly embarrassed over our performance as a drum corps when we all totally spazzed out on a piece that we all knew quite well. I know that this performance was something that our Bass Drummer worked hard to schedule--and to have it blow up in our faces--well...

On the other hand, I asked the Pipe Major if this was his reason for quitting, and he said no--but if I must be honest, I do believe it had a great deal to do with it. Back then, I blamed the DS for the screw up--she wasn't listening to the rest of the corps, figuring that she was most important--and I was focussed on the one person who wasn't quite able to play the piece up to the speed that we others were accustomed to--because you are only as good as your slowest player. The tenors didn't listen, got WAY ahead, and in process everything sounded like a mess. If I had to be honest with myself, I would have to admit my own fault in the matter. However, my own fault lay in believing in the good of the band and letting everyone be able to play, which ultimately is what needs to happen--other people need to be able to play....MY GOD WOMAN! I AM 50 YEARS OLD! HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS SORT OF THING?

Instead, I grouse to my blog.

I wonder if she reads my blog?

Freaky Friday

I should have gone to work.

But

I didn't.

I thought I would get my son and my friend and go to the show tonight.

But

I called them, and they don't want to do it that way. And so...

I'm at home. Bored to the gills with nothing to do, and I can't go outside because it's so cold, and I dare not drive anywhere because the roads are SO bad.

So. I'm home.

Very Interesting...

I've awakened with my hubby to help get him going this morning with some coffee. Once he's out the door, I'm going to prepare for my day. This means oatmeal, coffee, pictures of the knitting I did last night.

What? Pictures? Yes, I got scads of knitting done last night. I am nearly done with the skein of yarn, and not quite done with the cuff. I really like the method I used to increase for the extra size for the back of hubby's calf, but no where near sure it will be enough--and before I can try it on him, I have to undo the afterthought waste yarn. So you know I'm going to knit just as far as I can before I try it on him.

Here's the progress so far.

Front, back and detail of the increases I chose for the back of his legs. I did 7 extra ribs expansion to accommodate a 10.5" ankle to a 14.5" calf. I know that it's not going to be enough. I figure I'll need at least another 7 extra ribs expansion--or 28 stitches to accommodate the change in size. It happens quick, too, so I'm thinking the next row is going to be this massive change to allow for it.

And if it doesn't work, it will be frogging and going back to the drawing board.

I'm glad that I was abl to get the extra skein, too. While it's not an "exact" match to what I have, it will be hidden underneath the pantleg and in the heel--so I'm not concerned. Incredibly, there might actually be enough left for me to make a pair of footies out of the leftovers for me.

Today, I go to work. After work, I pick up my son and we're going to a performance at Wharton Center. Ray was going to go, and in fact, bought the tickets, but with his car trouble it will be impossible for me to get him, get my son, and get back in time for the performance. It was my hope that Ray would have his car business worked out--indeed, he does have a loaner, but can only ride within the city limits without his plate, which unfortunately, sits in my car.

I could take today off if I really wanted to--that would give me the time to run Ray's plate to him--get my son, do some more knitting and maybe make a go of this evening. Seems like too much work to me.

We took the bandage off my incision yesterday, and I had hubby take a pic this morning so that I could see what it looks like. Well--what did I expect? It looks like a muppet grew on my back...take a look (don't worry, it's not gruesome). It's pretty funny--the doctor had to draw a circle around it to make sure he got the right one...wait....there was only one to take...I thought this guy went to school for 7 years!

It looks like it's healing nicely.

I'm okayed for a shower now. Yeah, I think I might just as well stay home so that I can get those "things" accomplished. He bought the tickets, and I would feel horrible if he missed the show. Of course you know, the weather is supposed to be crappy--and he really shouldn't be out driving in it. Decisions. Decisions.

So I pull a tarot card. The 8 of pentacles. Seems to say I should go to work--after all, pentacles, coins, payroll, work...it sort of follows, right?

Instead it speaks to maintaining the dogged determination to get to a goal...showing diligence,
making an effort, working hard, applying yourself totally, being absorbed in a project, dedicating yourself to a task, plugging away, producing steady results. To me, this applies more to finishing up the issues with Ray's car, more than getting to work and finishing up my week there--which I can manage anytime (although 4 days off work means I have a huge backlog that I'm really going to have to apply myself to in order to "git er done!" I do care about my friends, and I would feel really bad if he didn't at least get the chance to go--I mean, the weather might keep him from attending ANYWAY, but that's out of my control. I suppose that he could perhaps spend the night with us--oh, but I haven't talked to Jeff about such matters...I don't seriously think it would be a problem...First, though, daylight needs to happen, and that hasn't yet. A resolution is forming--because I'm not thrilled about Ray driving down here in this weather. I, however, can drive in anything.

So here's my plan:

shh it's a secret right now....

At daylight, I'm going to check out the roads and how traffic is moving--shower, get dressed warmly, start my car to get it heated, and then I'll call Ray. I'll tell him to shower and get ready for the performance, and pack for an overnight.

Run out to the motorhome and pull in the air-bed.

Get into my car and run to Alma to get Ray. Check out the roadways. Give him his plate. If the roads are okay, he can put on his plate and drive himself and leave the "overnight" stuff at home. Otherwise, he'll leave his loaner car in Alma, bring overnight stuff and stay at our house, because I'm not driving two people home on Friday night.

Come back home and knit for a while. Go get my son...he brings overnight gear as well. My son and Ray sleep on the airbed in the living room. Saturday, I take both home HOWEVER...

Sunday is band practice....maybe I'll just keep them here until Sunday???????? Okay, that's going to seem a little weird, but I can't be running hither and thither all weekend!!! Not sure if I can make this work, but I'm going to try. My hubby's best friend used to come over and spend days at a time with us--of course, that was sort of an okay deal with me--and I didn't mind one bit taking care of Bud--but for me to bring two friends into the house? I'm worried about putting my hubby over the edge. LOL!

Okay, I need help.

My Border Collie loves to kiss me. Everywhere. It's fine, when she's kissing, but after the kissing, I get cold. I've taught her "no kiss", but she always catches me unawares, and I get a kiss before I can get "no kiss" out.

Now I understand that this is a form of respect in the "doggie world", and it means she views me as the alpha female in the house, but the constant "kissing" is leaving me with cold feelings--on legs, hands, arms -- anyplace that tongue can reach! I have to shut her out of the bathroom as she would like to get a little too affectionate there--and I've been very firm with a solid "NO"--you BC owners know what I mean. She loves me to death, she respects me. She follows me around like my own personal shadow. She was abused, and has latched on to me as her very bestest friend in the whole wide world--and she loves to play ball--all the time. She's really a good dog!

How do I know she's been abused?

The flyswatter.

She's afraid of the flyswatter. She needs only to hear me pick it up, and she's gone-hiding. I'm not joking or exaggerating. She's entirely fearful of

The flyswatter.

Sometimes, all I have to do is SAY "I'm going to get the FLYSWATTER!", and she runs to her bed behind the facilities in the bathroom, and hides with her paws over her face. It's just the most unusual thing!

My previous BC was afraid of the shepherd's hook. She wouldn't work around a shepherd's hook. Broom handles had the same effect. My cocker spaniel was afraid of the vacuum sweeper. Go figure.

But a flyswatter is Mandy's worst nightmare. She cowers and crouches, goes all submissive on me, and then--more kissing...as if to say "what did I do wrong, mommy?" So I don't use the flyswatter word much around the house--in fact, I'm not even sure where it is at this time. It was in the bedroom, because we were having trouble with her on the bed--not laying still, staying in one place, kicking us both out, yes, it's been quite a struggle for nighttime property space...but things seem to be working out in that respect.

Last night the neighborhood fox was barking outdoors. Mandy heard it, and started growling and barking a warning. I had to praise her for watching the house, but also had to tell her it was okay, and that it was just the fox, and that she could go back to bed. She barked once more for good measure, then came back to the bedroom to watch over us.

She's a keeper.