Whelming Flood

I'd had yesterday's post all ready for you, but things happened and it became another one of those whelming flood* days.  I changed directions, and rewrote the post, but in the end, I decided I just needed to not post it after all.

So what happened that caused me to become whelmed?  First of all, I found out one of my coworkers had a slight stroke.  He'd left work early Wednesday, not feeling well, and the word came back he'd had a stroke.  He's going to be OK, by the way.  I asked one of the supervisors if he had any update, because nobody tells us anything, and he said, "[Other Supervisor] saw him at McCallister's last night."

They'd given him that shot to dissolve the clot, and he was able to go home after only a few hours.  They say he'll be able to come back Monday.  Another coworker said his doctor told him he's going to have to give up one of his jobs, though, because he's stressing himself out.  Still, it's amazing how far medicine has advanced since my Grandma had her stroke that left her partially paralyzed for the rest of her life.

My excitement over that coworker's good news was dampened just a few moments later, when I found out another coworker has been diagnosed with cancer.  His wife also works out there, and we're as concerned about her as about him.  She's one of those people who just can't do anything for herself.  He has to do everything for her.  I don't think she even drives.  If something happens to him, who will care for her? 

What really caused the flood to get whelming, though, was the flooding -- the literal flooding in Texas.  Yes, thanks to Imelda, once again my hometown is under water.  I've managed to hear from all my family, and they're all safe.  None of their homes flooded this time around, however, I do have one high school friend who had a foot of water in her house.  She was heartbroken, because they'd just finished re-doing the floors.  I mean, like two weeks ago.

They are saying some areas flooded worse than when Harvey went through.  And I'm stuck here.  I'll admit, yesterday when the rain started, my first inclination was to get into the car and drive down there.  I don't know what the heck I thought I'd be able to do once I got there, but I wanted to go.  Cody messaged me this morning and said he's ready to drop everything and run, if anyone needed his help, and unlike mine, his boss would actually approve his time off to do just that. 

After all that, yesterday's post went in a completely different direction, but in the end, I didn't even post it.  Some days, you just need to rest on The Solid Rock.

I woke up today feeling a lot better -- even though once again, they've taken the rain out of our forecast.  It's so dry, even my drought resistant Moss Rose are dying.

This is the best looking one of the lot.  The rest are pretty sad.  They are so sad, I got out and watered everything this afternoon.

I wish I still had my old soaker hose, but I don't.   What I did instead was to just turn the water barely on, and let it drip for about half an hour.   My Vincas perked right up.

This is just a gratuitous shot of the deep purple Vincas.

This is a surprise, however.  This is a different kind of Moss Rose. 

It seeded from the one I had in my hanging basket last year. 

I got another surprise when I went out to fill my squirrel feeder.  Something has absconded with my suet cake holder.  I mean, the whole thing is gone.  I looked all over, even up in the trees.  It had to have been a raccoon.  I can't think of anything else that could have gotten it off the hook. 

That was balanced out by seeing one of my yearling bucks -- the 7 point, and he's out of velvet!  I couldn't get a good picture of him, because it was already pretty dark by the time I saw him, but still...he's out of velvet!

I haven't seen the 4 point, but I'm going to assume he's also out of velvet. 



*This phrase comes from the third verse of one of my favorite hymns The Solid Rock.  I first started using it shortly after the Boston Marathon Bombings, and the West fertilizer plant explosion.  

His oath, his covenant, his blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay. 

Thrilled

I'm absolutely thrilled, y'all.  I went in early this morning for my health screening for insurance. We've done this for years, and every year my cholesterol and triglycerides are high.  The last couple of years, they've been in the upper 200 range.  Each.  The only thing that has saved me is that my HDL is usually high. 

Well, this morning, when she read me my numbers, I could have done a happy dance.  My total cholesterol is still high, but my triglycerides are down to 170!  Yeah, it's above optimal, but much better than last year's 295.  My LDL was also down to 182, from over 200 last year.  I'm thinking it's because about a month ago, I started drinking almond milk.  I still drink regular milk, but I'm drinking at least a cup of almond milk per day.  I'm also thinking about investing in a home cholesterol monitor, just so I can keep a check on it.  If I can get it down through diet and exercise, maybe I can avoid having to go on medication for it.  Of course, I have to get off my lazy butt and exercise...

Speaking of medication, my blood pressure is also holding steady at 110/80.  High blood pressure runs in my family, so I'm also thrilled with those numbers, as well. 

As if that weren't excitement enough for the day, my new Christmas music book arrived.

I didn't even wait to change out of my work clothes before I started playing songs from it.  There are a couple more level 1 books I want to get, then I'll be done for a while.  For real, this time. 

Heh, I have one friend who says if the books bring me joy, then buy them all, and another who wants to stage an intervention.  The books bring me joy.  My checking account, not so much.  I'm thinking about starting a GoFundMe for my piano books.

Or just publishing my wish list.  Think people will go for it? 

Constitution Day

And the fun just never ends.  Here is your TMI warning.  If you're squeamish, you might want to skip the next few paragraphs.

There I was at work, just a working away, when I heard nature's call.  I went to the bathroom to answer said call, and after making a rather sizable deposit into the porcelain bank, got up and turned around to flush.  Only the toilet wouldn't flush. 

I stood there holding the handle down, wiggling it, pushing it sideways -- all the tricks, but only a trickle of water was coming out.  I heard someone come out of the next stall and say, "That one won't hardly flush."  Someone else down the way said, "This one won't either."  I said, "Ain't none of them flushing." 

And yes, I know some of you who'd like to flush that grammar.  But, I feel it's important when I'm with other people to speak in the vernacular.  Yeah...I'm pleading the 5th on that one. 

Back to my story...I stood there wiggling and pushing on the handle until the bank finally accepted my deposit  -- albeit slowly.  I came out of the stall and walked over to the sink to wash my hands.  Aaaand, you guessed it.  No water.  Well, just a trickle.  I managed to get my hands somewhat clean, and as I left the bathroom to go back to my work area, some men came out of their bathroom talking about no water in theirs either.

I decided I probably ought to let someone know, so I went and found my supervisor and reported the problem.  She said, "Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell y'all."  Turns out there was a leak somewhere, and the city had to cut the water off to fix it.  Then I said something you should probably never ever say to your employer under any circumstances, but I said it anyway. 

"Gee, I wish I'd known that before I did what I did into that toilet." 

And that was my excitement for the day.  The water was only off for about an hour or so, but the next time I went to...you know, go...I flushed before hand just to be sure. 



OK, you squeamish people can pick up reading now.  Only there isn't really that much else to tell. 

Unless you want to hear about how I honored Constitution Day, by teaching my imaginary boyfriend -- who is English, by the way-- the School House Rock song.



To this day, I cannot recite The Preamble without singing. 

I've got to go in early tomorrow for my health screening.  I'd scheduled my time for  5:15, back when we were still coming in at 5:00.  Yeah, that worked out well. 

It's Monday, All Right

I knew right away what kind of day it was going to be when I put too much milk in my morning oatmeal, and had to eat oat soup for breakfast.  Sigh...

Then I got to work, and came down with a case of the epizoodies.  I was feeling bad last night, but thought I felt a bit better when I got up.  Nope.  I felt awful.  Bad enough I wanted to come home, but not so bad I felt like I needed to come home.  I toughed it out, and the day did get better because I got mail!

I can blame a Facebook friend for these, though.  She was reorganizing some of her bookshelves, and posted a photo.  In said photo was a copy of the C. W. Anderson book, Afraid To Ride.  It was one of my favorite childhood books, so I promptly jumped onto Amazon and ordered a copy.  I wish I'd paid a little more attention to the description, though, because if I'd known it was paperback, I wouldn't have gotten it.  I'd have sprung for one of the hardback copies -- which were all about the same price.  I was just looking at the condition, and picked the one with the best overall condition.  The other one is another of my favorite childhood books. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, used bookstores are going to be the death of me.  Or of my checking account at least.

And then, there is Amazon..hitting me up with these ads.

Sigh, I just can't win for losing.  I didn't buy that book, but I did order another level 1 Christmas book.  Like the two I already have aren't enough.  *Insert eye-roll emoji here.*

In knitting news, I finally got the errant hat finished.

I was going to box them all up and get them ready to mail, but the epizoodies kept me from doing much of anything other than going to bed early.  Well, much of anything other than casting on another hat, that is.

And finally, can it be Fall, please? 

Pretty please? 

With a cherry on top?

Shine On

Shine on, Harvest Moon.

It's been a family tradition since I was a child to go out and watch the Harvest Moon rise.  Well, my dad and I would, at least.  When Cody was little, we continued the tradition as best we could.  After watching the moon rise, we'd come back in and drink hot chocolate and eat Harvest Moon cookies -- which were just large, round sugar cookies.

Last night, I kept that tradition alive, except for the cookies.  I watched the moon rise until it cleared the trees, then came in and drank hot chocolate, even though it's still getting up into the 90s.

It doesn't look like it's going to get any better any time soon, either.

Not only that, they keep taking the rain out of our forecast.

Since it was too hot to do anything outside, I stayed in where it was cool and just piddled around the house.  The big thing was I bought a hat rack and hung my Yes.Fit medals up.

I put them into the snake/craft/computer room for now.  They just didn't seem to fit anywhere else.  At least they're up off my bedroom dresser.

Look at this:

The hat is almost back to where it was before I ripped it back.  I should be able to get it finished during the Texas vs Rice game this evening, and can send them all off to my friend Monday.

Well, that's about it.  It really was a lazy Saturday, so there isn't much to talk about.   Unless you want to hear about laundry and college football, because that's about all I've done.

Speaking of, it's almost time for Texas to kick off, so I'll catch you later.

Hook 'em.

Character

It would seem, I have made an error.

OK, let me back up a moment.  If you'll recall, last weekend, I'd gotten all the hats out for my friend's blessing bags and washed them.  When I counted them up, there were 39 hats.  I had one more I was going to finish and get the box into the mail Monday.

I'd gotten all the way to the decreases.  I'd even started doing the decreases, when I discovered I'd made an error in the pattern.  I'll admit my first thought was, "Well, a homeless person won't care if the count is one stitch off."  But I would.  Homeless people have enough troubles as it is.  How can I give them less than the best?

I tinked back a few rows, but the error was still there  I tinked back a few more rows.  Still there.

You can see where I'm going with this, right?  Yep, as it happens, I'd made the error in the very first pattern row.   I had to rip all the way back to the ribbing and start over.

This time, I made sure to count stitches very, very carefully.  And I periodically re-count, just to make sure I am still on track.  I've gotten this far.

The plan is to finish this weekend, so I can get the box into the mail Monday.  Wish me luck.

As I've been accumulating more piano books, my little music stand on my keyboard has become a bit crowded.  Truthfully, I'd gotten worried I was going to break it.  One day, as I was practicing, I said to myself, "Self, what you need is a little magazine rack you can set here by the keyboard and put your books into."

However, in my weekly shopping trip, I couldn't find any sort of magazine rack.  I did, however, find this storage bin.  Not exactly what I was looking for, but it'll do for now.

Even so, it's still better than piling everything up on my music stand.

This is a serious bummerage.

I do have the app, but I looked forward getting those emails, too.

Speaking of weather, I can't even remember the last time it rained here.  They keep putting rain into our forecast, then taking it back out.  They'd predicted rain over the weekend.   I mean, like now.  Then they pushed it back to Wednesday.  Now, they've pushed it back to next Friday.  This morning, I broke down and watered my Vincas and Moss Rose.  Even my Spider Lilies aren't doing well.  They aren't blooming.  The buds are withering before they even open.

On the bright side, it was cool enough this morning for me to leave the back door open, for a little while at least.  It didn't last long, before it got so hot the air came on and I had to close it.

Rylea loves laying there, just looking out.

Apparently, Facebook has something new going on.

Um, yeah, that would be a no from me.  Ain't no telling what kind of crazies I'd attract.

While we're on the subject, I was getting ready for work the other morning, when the guy on the radio read an article about Tom Cruise.  Word is, he's gotten a face lift, to preserve his boyish good looks in order to make himself more attractive to the ladies, they say.  He's trying to find his soulmate, they say.

Oh, Tom, Tom, Tom, you just don't get it, do you?  You've been married and divorced three times.  I'd say it's not your face that's the problem.  Men like you never get that it's character that counts with women.  Character, integrity, kindness, and a good heart.

You see these guys, Tom?  Not a one of them is making any attempt to hide his wrinkles or gray hair, and yet, I'd take any one of them over you any day.

Even the Toy Boy.

By the way, I have a couple more sea chanty posts in the works.  I just need to get them typed up.  That'd make a good rainy day project.  If it would ever rain, that is.

Now, if you will excuse me, the Harvest Moon is peeping through the trees, and I must go watch it rise.

Never Forget

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation.  -- Joel 1 : 3

So that we may never forget.

It's The Little Things

I used up the last of my milk this morning making breakfast, so after work, I ran by Dollar General to pick up some more.  The one on Papermill Road, for you local folks.

As I was turning left into the parking lot, I saw the sheriff's truck come flying down the exit (from I-55 for you local folks).  He drove into the intersection of Papermill Rd and 51 hwy ( for you local folks) and just sat there blocking traffic.  A moment later, an ambulance came headed north on 51 and passed on by, out of sight.  They were headed in the direction of my road, and I thought, "Oh, I hope it's not one of my neighbors."

I got my milk and started towards home.  Up the way, I could see the ambulance and sheriff's lights flashing.  As I got closer, I could see there was a wreck up there.  I thought to myself, it's a good thing I needed milk, because if I'd gone straight home from work, I would have been right there about the time that wreck happened.

It's the little things...

I saw they had the whole road blocked in time to turn on Riverdale Rd (for you local folks) and take the back way home.  Eh, I wanted to check the corn crop back there anyway.  It's already been harvested, by the way.  Some of the cotton is starting to open up, too, in the fields that were planted earlier.  Some weren't planted until nearly the middle of June, because of the flooding.  They won't be ready for another few weeks.

Truly, I should have been a farmer.   Or a farmer's wife.  Or a cattle rancher.  Or a shrimping boat captain.  Or a hermit.

By the time I got home, I was laughing at myself.  They probably would have had the road cleared by the time I drove all that way around.  No matter.  I always enjoy taking that drive.  It's so pretty back that way.

Remember a few days back, I was complaining about that Extraterrestrial Highway race I was doing on Yes.Fit?  I finally finished that sucker.

Thank goodness!  That was the most boring race.  Nothing but the same old Nevada desert.  I've already started the next one,  Thor.  It goes around the southern coast of Iceland.  It's got a lot more interesting scenery. 

Also, remember how I said I was done buying piano music books for a while?  It would seem I was mistaken.

This one is hymns, and they're pretty easy, yet not one-fingered scores.  I've already played a couple.  I had to rear myself away from this book and make myself do my regular piano lesson stuff.  Which I will do as soon as I've published this blog. 

Which I will do as soon as I show you this.  I saw both my yearling bucks yesterday evening, and managed to get a few photos of them.

They come and lick up the corn the squirrels toss onto the ground.  Squirrels are wasteful slobs.  They'll get a kernel, take one bite out of it, then throw it down and get another one.

This is my little 7 point.  The other one had already ran off into the woods by this time. He's got 4 points. 

I sure hope nobody shoots him.  Once he gets a little maturity, he's going to be a nice buck.

Sunday Hymn

On September 8, 1900, the worst natural disaster in U.S. history occurred when the hurricane known simply as The Galveston Storm made landfall, leaving behind unimaginable devastation.

On Galveston, there was an orphanage, St. Mary's, run by some nuns.  As the storm moved across the island, the nuns gathered the children together in what they though would be the stronger of the two dormitory buildings.  It wasn't.  The surge took the building, killing 10 nuns and 90 children.  Only three teenage boys survived.

They later related that in order to keep the childrens' spirits up, the nuns sang them this French fisherman's hymn.  Thus, I have decided to share it with you for today's Sunday hymn.

(By the way, I'm not Catholic.  I'm Baptist, but I'm pretty sure my Catholic friends will have no objection to me posting it.)




If you feel led, join me in observing a moment of silence in memory of the 8000-12000 souls the sea claimed that day.

I Remembered!

I remembered what it was I was going to tell you in my last blog post!

There I was at work, just a working away.  Sometimes when I'm at work, my mind goes to strange places.  It went there Thursday.  For some strange reason, I started singing.  Now, that in itself isn't strange.  I sing all the time.  It's what I was singing that was strange.  And what was that, you may ask?  I'll tell you.  It was this:

This little dork light of mine,
I'm going to dork and let it shine.
This little dork light of mine,
I'm going to dork and let it shine.
This little dork light of mine,
I'm going to dork and let it shine

Dork and let it shine
Dork and let it shine,
Dork and let it shine.

Don't ask.  Even I don't know.   But here's a bit of dorky dorkness for you.  I was practicing my piano last night, while listening to my weather radio.  Seriously, I was.  I have photographic evidence.

I'm thinking I might make that my FB profile picture. 

My yard guy didn't show up last week, so I got out this morning and mowed the back yard and behind the fence.  The grass was high enough to make hay, I'm telling you.  BTW, I don't know why he didn't show.  He didn't message or call or anything.  Eh, no matter.  They've cut our hours at work, and the grass growth is starting to slow down a bit.  I can handle it from here on out.  I don't know if I'm going to use him again next year, though.  I need someone I can depend on, and a no-show ain't it.

I saw a new to me bird out in the back this afternoon.  I didn't get a good enough look to positively identify it, though, because it never came out into the open.  It had a dark back -- I couldn't tell if it was gray, brown, or black-- and a bright yellow belly.  I first thought it was a meadowlark, but it didn't have the black V on its breast.  I also saw a tufted titmouse.  I don't know what it is about them, but I just like those little birds. 

Well, I really don't have much to talk about, unless you want to hear about doing the laundry and washing the dishes.  Not much else has been going on on this lazy Saturday.  Oh, I was able to practice my guitar almost 30 minutes without my arm cramping up.  So, that was exciting.

I bought some new fake flowers to put into one of my glass vases.  They're a little too long, so I decided to cut the stems off.  I needed my hack saw to hack through the wires, but I couldn't find it, and my coping saw just couldn't cope.  I'm sure my hack saw will show up eventually.  Probably right after I've bought a new one. 

Other than that, it's just been knitting and watching football, so I guess I'll leave you to it.

Goodnight.



 

Doomed

This is how we know society is doomed.

Remember how I showed you they are putting up these turnstiles in front of the employee entrance?  There are four in total.  Turnstiles, that is.

For added security, they say, though I don't know what good it will do when the door back by the shipping office stays propped open all the time.

And I do mean All.  The.  Time. 

If it's ever closed, they first thing they do when they get there in the morning is to ...you guessed it...prop it open. 

But I digress...

I get to work bright and early this morning, and as I am walking across the parking lot, I see people going into the plant.  Remember, I said there were four.  Turnstiles, I mean, not people.  There were about 10-12 people -- all lined up going through one single turnstile.  Only one person had the sense to go through one of the other THREE.  Unoccupied.  Turnstiles.

I later told my coworker, "If she's the smart one of the group, we're in big trouble." 

And that is how we know society is doomed.

In other news, I've found my next piano piece I'm going to learn to play.

What'cha think?  By the way, I finally broke down and ordered a blue ink cartridge last night.  On my phone.  Laying in my bed.  In a fit of insomnia.  It'll be here tomorrow.  Then maybe my printer will stop being contrary. 

Oh, and apparently, y'all weren't very impressed by my story of the argument I had with the aforementioned printer I posted yesterday.  Or else I'm suddenly a boring person. 

There was something else I was going to tell you, but I can't remember what it is right now, so I'll just leave you with this picture of my weirdo dog using the entertainment center as a pillow.

Sometimes I jes' don't know 'bout that dog.

Standoff

My printer and I are having a bit of a stand off.

Well, let me back up for a second and give you the back story.  See, in my piano book, there are a few songs that are giving me fits.  Also, there are some that I just like playing.  But I don't want the ones giving me fits to hold me back and keep me stuck in the same place week after week. 

I had the bright idea that I'd just run off copies of those songs and practice them separately, so I could go on with my lessons.  I snatched up my book and ran into the computer room to do just that.

I put the book onto the scanner and hit the copy icon, only to see the message: Print cartridge needs changing. 

It was the blue cartridge.  No biggie, I'd just switch it to black and white copies and make my music.

But the copier wouldn't do it.  It kept saying I needed to change my blue cartridge. 

"I'm not going to use blue ink, though," I told the copier. 

"You still need to change the cartridge before I can make your copies," the copier said.

"But I'm making black and white copies," I insisted.

"You still need to replace the blue cartridge," it said.

"Why? I'm not even going to use blue."  I said.

"Because I said so!" the copier replied. 

Sigh, it's not the first time I've lost an argument with an inanimate object.  And it probably won't be the last.  So, I guess until I get a new cartridge, I'll just be flipping back and forth in the book. 

We have the weekend off again - just a normal weekend, though, not a long one.  I'll still have plenty of time to practice again.  By the way, if I could play every single song ever written with just a G chord, I'd be jamming on that guitar.  I've got that one.  It's the rest of them I can't play. 

Finally, look what I've got to look forward to. 

I don't even want to think what the heat indices will be.  Look at Monday and Tuesday!  It's going to be absolutely miserable at work.  I sure hope they pass out Popsicles. 

Back To Work

How on earth did my long weekend go by so fast?  Yep, it was back to work this morning, and I sure didn't want to go.  Alas, someone has to feed and house all these dogs, so up I got and off to work I went.

I get there and not too far into the shift, here comes my stalker.  ANOTHER coworker, not me, walked by, saying, "I just don't want to fool with Stalker today.  He needs to go find something else to do."  Only she didn't say "fool", and she called his real name.

I laughed and said, "Welcome to my world."

Seriously, though, he really does need to just go away.  Even though we don't speak any more -- and when an INTJ says she'll never speak to someone again, you can bet your sweet bippy that someone will never get spoken to again, at all, ever -- he still can't leave me alone.  A couple of weeks ago, when it was so hot in the plant, I'd put my hair up in a bun one day, to keep it up off my neck.  Stalker went around telling the other brazers, "Becky's got her hair up in a bun."  I guess he thought they didn't have eyes of their own.  Or whatever.

In spite of that, the day seemed to go by pretty quickly.  It helped that they cut us back to 10 hours instead of 11 or 12.  Still, I think what I missed most about being off was being able to play my piano as much as I want to, without feeling rushed.  I think yesterday, I played for about 2 hours -- not all at once, but totaled up.  I don't play my guitar nearly that much, mainly because it hurts my hand.  I can do the individual notes, but when I try to make chords, my hands start hurting.  I think this is what Cody meant when he spoke about building up finger strength.  Practice will help, and also, figuring out how hard to push down on the strings.  It's got to be hard enough the note sounds clear, but not so hard I make my hand sore.  Again, that will come with practice.

Enough about that, though.

You know my friend who has the Etsy shop?  The one who makes candles, soap, and things?  Well, a few days ago, I ordered some things from her.  I'm not going to tell you what, because they're going to end up being Christmas gifts.  Anyway, she shares my fondness for, nay obsession with, survival gear.  The things I ordered arrived today, and when I opened the box, I discovered she'd sent me a surprise!

I love it!  It's going into my bug out bag post haste!  How in the world did I get so lucky to have such wonderful friends?

This is her latest soap creation.

She'd posted a picture of it on FB, saying it looked a lot like SPAM.  The meat, that is, not the annoying emails.  Thus, it became known as the SPAM soap.  When I pulled the wrapping off, I said, "Dang, it really does look like SPAM."  Thank goodness, it doesn't smell like SPAM.

I keep saying I'm going to try to get her to make me a custom candle that smells like salt air, diesel fuel, creosote, and dead fish -- and call it Bolivar Ferry Landing.   What do you say, Kristine?  I can hear the seagulls already...

I'm just kidding.  But not really...Though I do think the sweet feed and saddle leather one would sell. 

And finally, I'm not exactly sure what Rylea was doing here, but she was certainly getting into it.

Watching And Waiting

Football is back!!

I spent all day yesterday watching games.  First up, I had Ole Miss on the TV and Mississippi State on the computer.  When those games were over, I put Navy on the TV and Alabama on the computer.  The day ended with LSU on the TV and Texas on the computer.

All that to say, my computer was a bit tied up, thus you didn't get a blog post.  But LSU and Texas both look very strong this season.  So did Navy, but Army and Air Force also had decisive victories.  Malcolm Perry has come so far since last season, though, so maybe Navy finally has a QB to replace Keenan.

While I was watching all that football, I finished another hat for my friend's blessing bags.

It's getting close to time to ship them all to her, so I got out all the hats I'd made this year and washed them.

They wouldn't all fit into the big envelope I'd bought, so I'm going to have to put them into a box.  Naturally, the next thing I did was to cast on another one.

Almost as naturally, I chose the hurricane hat pattern.  Can't imagine why...

In between watching football, knitting, and tracking the hurricane, I started putting out my Fall decorations.

I want to get some leaves or something to put on those lanterns, to make them Fall-ish, but I'm going to have to buy something.  I didn't have anything on hand I could decorate them with.  I'm thinking maybe I could find some candle rings or something easy, but would make them look really nice. 

Since I have half a mantle this year, I was able to put some stuff on it, too.

Cody still insists he's going to put up the other side for me  -- soon.  I hope it's before Christmas, so I can decorate it. It's been so long since I've had a mantle, I'm excited about being able to put some Christmassy stuff in that corner.

Speaking of Dorian, anyone remember when I posted this?

Sometimes I hate being right.