Whiskers On Wednesday

I’m sure you will all be pleased to know I slept much better last night— if only because you don’t have to listen to me whine about being sleepy.

But I’m still sleepy.

I guess it's just all part of getting old. 

We had a bit of exciting news in that an earthquake hit West Texas.  The news report said it could be felt in El Paso, but my brother who lives there said he didn't.  That would have been so cool if he had.  On the other hand, I live very close to the New Madrid Faultline, so I'd be more likely to get hit by a major earthquake than he would anyway. 

Other than that, today has been just another dull Wednesday, so here is a Whiskers On Wednesday. Lookit!  The cat is in the cat bed I bought her!

She doesn't get into it much, so it's kind of a big deal.  

In knitting news, progress is being made on the sock, albeit slowly. 

Just a couple more inches and I'll be ready to start the heel flaps.  One of my knitting friends suggested that the heels not being deep enough could be why my socks suddenly started falling down, but I'm not sure about that.  I haven't changed how I knit them.  Still 36 rows, and I pick up 18 gusset stitches.  

What I think happened is that I normally cast on with a size 3 needle, then switch to a smaller one to do the actual knitting.  Perhaps I forgot to switch needles, and just started knitting the whole sock on size 3, then just assumed that's how I knit them.  I don't know.    

I just know I paid too much for this high dollar sock yarn to be knitting socks I can't wear.  

Small Victories

Those of you who know me know I'm an introvert.  

Those of you who don't know me, I'm an introvert.  

As is typical of most introverts, phone calls are difficult for me.  It's been this way for my entire life.  The greatest invention ever in the mind of an inny -- as we refer to ourselves -- is the technology which makes texting possible.  However, some things can't be texted.  Certain business calls, for example. 

I've been needing to call a plumber for quite a while now.  I've also been needing to call the washing machine repairman.  And an oral surgeon.  And the eye doctor.  But I want to go ahead and get this sink unclogged before Thanksgiving, if I can.  What with Cody and Brennan coming and all.   

Every day at work, I tell myself when I get off, I'm going to call the plumber, and I'm going to call the washing machine repairman.  I even stand there and rehearse the phone calls -- when I'm not mentally debunking Facebook memes, that is. 

Every day when I get home, I don't. I don't call the plumber.  I don't call the washing machine repairman.  I tell myself I just need a minute to unwind before I call, then I don't call at all.  I've made progress, though.  At least I got their numbers stored in my phone now.  

Today was no exception.  I stood there at work all day long intending to call at least one of them.  But when I got home...I didn't.  I even picked up my phone and pulled up my contacts...then put the phone back down.  

Sigh...

Then I picked the phone back up and called to make an appointment for my eye checkup.  And I thought, "That's one..."  There are three more calls I need to make, but those didn't happen today. 

I will try again tomorrow.  

And finally, it's Wednesday, and that means, whiskers!  

I've got to get better at posting Whiskers On Wednesday.  I will get better at posting Whiskers On Wednesday, now that I have someone with whiskers again.  

Straight To Winter

It looks like I'm going to be cranking the ol' wood stove up this weekend after all.

I got out after work and brought up some wood, but I still need to get more.  I've been checking the FB yard sales groups, but right now, all the wood I see is a bit too rich for my blood.  One of them wants $250 per cord, PLUS a $50 delivery fee.  I can't do that.  I'm going to keep looking, though.  Sooner or later, I'll find something.  

Good thing is, I managed to get my vacation day straightened out.  I don't know what the issue was, but I had to go up to HR and get them to enter it manually, after getting my supervisor to approve it, that is.  I knew he would, because I'd already discussed it with him, so I'm good to go for both this weekend and inventory weekend.  

Now, if you know anything about our HR department, you'll know how difficult it is to deal with them.  When I told my friend I was going to run up to HR, she said, "Blessings be up on you!"  She knows...I was lucky, thought.  The least unpleasant one was the only one up there, and she took care of my problem with barely and attitude.   

So, one of my coworkers stopped our Director of Operations, and asked him why she couldn't have her cup of coffee in the mornings, and do you know what he told her?  No, of course you don't, so I'm going to tell you.  He told her that wasn't his decision.  That it had come down from corporate.  

In the famous words of Colonel Sherman T. Potter. 

I don't know how stupid he thinks we are, but I've got news for him.  Ain't nobody buying that lie.  I'm wondering how in the world he even got that job, if he can't even own up to the decisions he made.  I don't think he's going to last very long out there.

And finally, I leave you with one very comfortable kitty. 

 

Whiskers On Wednesday

 I guess since I keep kicking her off the piano bench, she's decided to steal my chair. 

Eh, fair's fair.      

There I was at work, just a working away, when one of the other brazers started yelling and pointing.  She grabbed the third shift guy working next to her, and ran over to another area of the department. 

Curious, I walked around the corner to see what the excitement was, and there was my coworker laying on the floor, not moving.  I said, "Someone page Group Leader Shark!" She's one of the first responders.  Nobody moved, so I turned around to go to the dispatcher's desk and use his phone to page -- even though I don't know how.  Luckily, she was right behind me.  

"Go get the cart from first aid," she said, so another brazer and I ran --and I use that term very loosely-- to the first aid office to get the gurney.  We passed the third shift supervisor and a couple of group leaders, who looked at us with confusion.  

"Coworker fell out!"  I yelled to them, and the supervisor went hurriedly over to tubing department. The other brazer and I grabbed the gurney and started running -- and again, I use that term very loosely -- back towards our department when the dispatcher met us halfway.  I let him take the gurney on, while we stopped and huffed and puffed a bit.  I turned to my coworker and said, "One thing I've learned from this -- if I ever have to run for my life, I'm toast!" 

To make a long story slightly less long, the coworker had not passed out as we'd thought.  She'd recently had surgery on her knee, and somehow, it gave out on her.  She collapsed onto the floor, and instead of calling for help, or even waving her hand, she just laid there.  Because she wasn't moving, I'd thought she had lost consciousness.  After I found out what really happened, I told the girl who'd run --and again, I use that term very loosely -- across the plant with me, "I feel like we've been played." 

But no matter.  The coworker is OK, but didn't come back to work today.  I don't know if she'll have to take some more time off or not.  I guess we'll see. 

In other news, the girl I hired to cut my grass showed up yesterday after being delayed by rain Monday.  She did a very good job on my yard.  Much better than the guy I hired a couple of years ago.  I'd started to caution her not to cut down my wildflower bed, but I didn't.  I figured she'd have sense enough to know that since it's in a bed, it's something she shouldn't cut.  

I figured wrong.

All my little batchelor's buttons...gone, just like that.  Even my few little bluebonnets that I fretted over so much -- and planted four packs of seeds to get.  Whacked to the ground.  I give up.  I just give up.  

I could cry...

And finally, Sahara dust season is almost over!  The bad news is, hurricane season is about to crank up again.  Or, good news if you're a weather geek like me. Also, what sorcery is this?

Whiskers On Wednesday

I'm plumb tuckered.  I'm so tired, I was trying to practice my piano, and I couldn't even see the pages.  

Yes, I did have my glasses on!  

The point is, I'm tired, so this will be short.  Basically, just a Whiskers On Wednesday post.  

This was my attempt at being artsy fartsy.  I'm not sure the cat appreciated it.  

Saturday when I was down at the Founder's Day thing on the square, I noticed our Little Free Library was empty.  

Naturally, I did what any red blooded bookworm would do.  I filled the sucker back up!

I came home and went through my bookshelf, and Cody's bookshelf -- yes, I checked with him first-- and picked out some old books to take up there.  Then my friend messaged me and said they'd cleaned up some of Mr. Clark's books and if I wanted to, I could take them down there, too.  By the time it was all said and done, I had more books than would fit.  

I'll be able to fill it back up again at least once.  And of course, if anyone else has any books to donate, particularly children's books, I'll be happy to take them up there for you.  

But now, I'm going to bed.  Good night. 

 

Whiskers On Wednesday

 There I was at work, just a working away, when suddenly it occurred to me, I have a cat now.  I remembered this blog thing I used to do called Whiskers On Wednesday.  And do you know what?  My cat has whiskers.  And today is Wednesday.  At that point, I knew, there was only one thing to do, and yes, I have done it!

Behold!  The newly revived Whiskers On Wednesday!

Yes, somewhere on that piano bench is a cat.

Either that, or the bench has grown ears and a tail.  Which would not surprise me at all.   At this point, nothing would surprise me. 

Well, it is once again the last day of June.   Before I remembered about WOW, I'd been thinking about a post I'd written way back in 2008.  I've gotten some new readers since then, so I felt it was time for a rerun.  

BTW, I don't know why it formatted like that, but I'm too tired to try to fix it, so you'll just have to live with it.  You want to know how tired I am?  This morning, I put my socks on, then put my shoes on...and that's when I realized, I didn't have pants on.  Good thing I caught that before I left for work, huh?  

Anyway, here's the post I'd wanted to share.  I hope you enjoy it. 

The Backside Of The Year

Today is the last day of June. The year is half over. Solstice is past and the days begin to grow shorter. Imperceptibly at first. Then one day you look out the window and realize that it is dark at a time when a month ago, the sun would still be shining.


Though there are still two long, miserably hot months to endure, the backside of the year brings with it a hope. Hope that is the promise of Autumn.

It is the hope of cooler weather. Crisp, clear days and chilly nights. The first frost.


It is over the river and through the woods. A cheery fire crackling upon the hearth. It's hot chocolate with marshmallows. It's that smell in the air that only Autumn can bring.

My birthday. Celebrating the joy of being alive in this magical world. Thankful for the gift of another year.

Football. Harvest. Thanksgiving.


Autumn.

The trees exult in one final dance before the evening shadows fade into the night that is winter.


The leaves, one by one, let go and swirl in eddies of wind before settling to the earth, where they crunch and crackle underfoot. And nature drifts off to sleep.

It's a wondrous and wonderful time, this backside of the year.

Whiskers On Wednesday

I was going to have her put down over the weekend, but when it came right down to it, I just couldn't make the call.  She's still with us.

For a little while longer.

Whiskers On Wednesday

For today's Whiskers On Wednesday, I present to you my very dirty kitty with her very dirty whiskers.

As cats age, they tend to become less diligent in their personal grooming.  I first noticed it about a year ago, when she developed this perpetually dirty spot in the middle of her chest.  I suspect it was from her folding her paws underneath her as she dozed. 

I tried to use a dry type shampoo, but it just didn't cut it.  I had to start bathing her, which she does not like. 

Soon, I began to hear a clicking sound as she walked, because they also stop scratching and their claws grow long.  I had to start trimming them, which she does not like. 

And her fur is matted, which I comb, but can't seem to keep up with, and her feet are dirty and she smells like her litter box. 

But she's still the queen in this house, and she always will be. 

Whiskers On Wednesday

I know, it's been a while since I've done a WOW post, but it occurred to me that I probably ought to start doing them again.  I realized I might not have that much longer...

These last few months, she's really started to show her age.  I've started to ask myself, "How do you know when it's time to let a cat go?"  I realize I already know the answer.  When you're even starting to ask the question, it's probably time. 

 As long as she doesn't seem to be suffering, I'm going to keep her with me, but the question is always there.  Always in the back of my mind, and I know my time with her is getting short.

She can still give a wicked stink eye, though. 

And she kind of scares me a little...

On a similar note, I ordered more snake food for what will probably the last time.  It costs so much to ship it I usually order two or three years worth at a time.  Since the snakes are all 13-14 years old, I doubt I'll need to order in bulk again.  Sigh...

Now I think I need to go cry for a bit.

Whiskers On Wednesday

It's been a long time since I've done a whiskers on Wednesday post, but it occurred to me this afternoon that I might not have too much longer.  Time is running out.  Squeaky is getting old, and I don't know how much longer we'll have her with us.  These days, she spends most of her time either sleeping, or doing this: 

Just looking out the window.  Watching the world go by. 

Oh, look, here is some knitting. 

My cousin has been going through some more of my Aunt's things, and today, she posted this.  It is a copy of my great-great grandfather's naturalization papers

It was pointed out that the typewriter wasn't invented until 1868, and this paper is dated 1851.  That is correct.  I imagine the original was written out in longhand.  I also imagine that once typewriters became widely available, old records were copied on them, much the way we are digitizing old records today. 

I apologize for my posts being so dull here lately.  Really, there just hasn't been anything going on that is worth writing about.  I go to work.  I come home.  I watch TV.  I go to bed.  The next day, I get up and do it all over again. 

Maybe something blogworthy will happen soon. 

Whiskers On Wednesday

Since I still don't have a life, and nothing really has happened to talk about, and no, I still haven't gotten that leaky tire fixed (hey, it's been exhausting at work lately), here is a knitting update. 

Here we see a scarf in its natural habitat.

Seems like I've been working on this one forever.  The pattern is Trekking Is For Necking, and it's one of my go-to patterns.  Unfortunately, it looks like the website I found it on has been taken down.  Good thing I've got it memorized.  It's only three rows-- well, two rows and a wrong side row.

Next we have a partially finished sock in its natural habitat.

Will you look at that?  It looks like socks and scarves live in the same environment. 

Boy, do I really need to get a life. 

Here is something else in its natural habitat.  A cat.  Showing us her best side.  That is, the side without the claws.  Which have recently drawn blood.  My blood.  I don't want to talk about it. 

Squeaky says, "I thought you'd given up this nonsense." 

Seriously. 

Hat's 'N Whiskers

I'd meant to post this yesterday, but got so aggravated at the poor customer service from the Picapp site that, well, I just didn't get around to it.

Yes, I finished another hat.

I think I've finally just about got the crown the way I want it. Just a bit more tinkering, then I'll knit one up in each different weight of yarn, just to make sure it all works out.

Oh, that big hole right beside the center isn't part of the design. It's a big, loose stitch. I'm not sure what happened, but I tightened the stitches up, and it looks a lot better.

Charlotte did not get the privilege of blocking this one. I noticed that when Charlotte blocks hats, the ribbing gets stretched out a bit too much.  This one I laid up on top of one of the snake tanks, and bunched the ribbing up.  I think it looks --and will fit--a lot better. 

Squeaky says, "I'm still waiting on my kitty blanket."

Oh, and speaking of poor customer service, I finally found a new Avon representative. She's the wife of one of my DC4L buddies, and she's in Florida. It's kinda sad, you know, when your co-worker --who spends every day less than 10 steps away from you--sells Avon, and you have to go all the way to Florida to find a rep. The thing is, my co-worker won't give me a brochure unless I ask for one.

Every. Single. Campaign.

And I do mean every single campaign, I have to go to her and ask for a brochure.  You would think that if she wanted my business, she would bring me one, but no.  I have to go and ask for one.  Every.  Single. Campaign.  Then she wants the books BACK, so she can give them to the next person who asks for it.  Huh?  She claims she'd doing good business, but I don't see how.

I finally got tired of well, basically begging her to sell me stuff and quit asking for books.  It's been about 6 weeks and she hasn't even asked if I wanted to see one.  I guess she doesn't want my business.  So, last week when this buddy posted his wife's page on FB, I asked if she would be willing to take on someone who didn't live near them.  He said yes, and today I got my first brochure from her.  I see several things I want.  It's just a matter of fitting them into my budget. 

Well, gotta go in at 6 in the morning.  Funny thing is, I'm the one who talked my supervisor into letting Vanessa and me come in early. 

What was I thinking? 

.

Whiskers On Wednesday

A Cat Gone Crazy

See, this is what happens to you when you eat dog food.

I do not eat goggie food! How gauche.

Then why are you waiting by the dog's food bowl?

Ummmm, no comment.

I'm pleading the 5th.

It's Wednesday!

And that means Whiskers and WIPs.

First up, the WIPs.  OK, these aren't all of my WIPs, but I decided this week just to show my active WIPs.  Here we have the Monkey Sock. 

I'm almost ready to start the toe decreases. As soon as I finish the pattern repeat I'm on, I'm going to try it on and see. I may have to carry one more pattern repeat on into the toe decreases, if this one doesn't make it quite long enough.

The Arwen Wrap is coming along, slowly but surely.  It's going to end up being a Christmas gift, so there's really no hurry.

Although, I might end up making a few more of these, so there's kind of a hurry. 

And finally, my waiting hat.  This is what I keep by my computer, to work on while I'm waiting for stuff to load.  Thus the "waiting hat". 

It'll probably end up in a care package for a military person eventually.

Squeaky says, "Oh, no.  Not this again." 

Here We Go Again

Yep, it's snowing again.

I do declare, I haven't seen this much snow since I spent the winter in Navy ET A School in Great Lakes, Illinois! And to think, I wanted to go to Antarctica! Not only did I want to go, I wanted to winter over. What was I thinking?

Of course, I was 20 years younger then. I wanted to do a lot when I was 20 years younger that I wouldn't dream of doing now. Wintering over in Antarctica is one of them.

Still, if I had the chance....

Not many people can say that they've been to Antarctica. Even fewer can say that they've wintered over. It'd would have been nice to be counted among that number.

It would have been nice if I could have taken gymnastics as a child, too, but that didn't happen either.

So, I decided I'd be smart and sweep the snow off the back steps.

Didn't make a hill of beans of difference.  An hour later, they were covered again, and the snow is still coming down.

 

We've got a half day tomorrow at work. We don't have to go in until 11:00. I'm leaving early, too, because I have a dental appointment. I lost a filling Sunday. I felt something hard in my chili, and at first I thought that whoever had processed that deer had left a bit of bone in it. But when I ate my bowl of Super Bowl ice cream, and felt the pain shoot all the way up into my eyeball, that's when I realized it wasn't a bone. So, I'm going to get it replaced tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, the roads will be clear enough that he won't cancel my appointment.

In the meantime, I has new yarns to play with.

These are all Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome Select from their closeout page. The colorways are Quarry Hill, Winterberry, Sugar Maple, and Old Rose.  The best part is, I got my taxes back today and can go buy more! 

Well, the taxes were deposited into my account two days ago.  I guess I ought to check that e-mail more often, huh?

Squeaky says, "I got a fuzzy blankie.  Bring on the snow!"

Stay warm, friends!

Whiskers On Wednesday

With a goggie smooch thrown in for good measure.

Moments like this are so rare and so fleeting, one has to capture them when they occur, without worrying about piddlin' little things like focus.

I seem to be suffering from a deplorable lack of motivation to -- well, to do anything here lately.  I get up in the 4:00 hour, work 9, sometimes 10 hours, then come home and just don't want to do anything.  That includes knitting.

I'm sure later on, once I've gotten used to these hours once again, blogging might pick up a bit, but right now, I'm just brain dead.

So, I think I'll go be brain dead in bed.

Goodnight.

Even though it's only 8:30.

Happy Autumn

Today is the Autumnal Equinox, marking the first official day of fall.  I love fall.  It's my favorite season of the year.  To me, fall means crackling leaves, hot chocolate with marshmallows.  The first frost.  Back to school.

Fall is crisp days and chilly nights.  Open windows. That fall smell to the air.  Turning the heater on for the first time.  Turning the air conditioner off for the last time.  Breaking out the sweatshirts and the hoodies.

Fall is harvest.  Fall is pumpkins, hay bales, Indian corn.  Fall is scarecrows, spider lilies and Halloween.  And of course, fall is football.

What fall is not is

Somebody didn't get the memo. 

On a brighter note, looky what I got in the mail today.

I bought it from an Etsy shop, and the color is Cowboy Way .  The colors look pretty good in the hank, but I wish I'd paid more attention to the description.  It's worsted weight.  If I'd known that, I'd have probably bought more than one hank.  Still, it should be enough to get a hat or a scarf out of it.

Squeaky says, "Or you could make a kitty blankie for me."