Mayhem and Miscellany

I survived another Thor's Day of mayhem at work.  Yeah, the no more overtime rule didn't last very long.  I'm back to going in early tomorrow.  Well, for one day, at least.  We'll have to see after that. 

After work, I had to run into town to get milk.  I figured, since I was there, I might as well get my shopping done.  One thing I always like to check while I'm there is the clearance aisle.  That's where I saw this set of Pez Dispensers.  My first thought was, "Oooooh, the Third Doctor! It's a set of Doctor Who Pez Dispensers!"

Alas, upon closer inspection, it isn't Doctor Who, but U.S. Presidents, and the person in question is Andrew Jackson, not the Third Doctor.  I was a bit bummed by that. Then felt unpatriotic.  But not for long.  I just recited a bit of The Declaration of Independence to myself, and felt better.  I also had spent a good hour at work singing the fourth verse of The Star Spangled Banner.  Out loud.  So, no question of my patriotism there. 

Yeah, I'm a bit tired.  I'm so tired, you don't even want to know how I spelled dispensers.  Let's just say, thank goodness for spell check.  OK, onward...

I'm walking around the store, getting what I need, when...Oh my!  Will you look at that!  How on earth did that get into my buggy? 

 

I'm pleading the 5th.  But, look!  It's got flowers on the pages.  FLOWERS!!  On the PAGES!!!

Still pleading the 5th. 

I got home and found that my new Cup Of Joe t-shirt had arrived.

For those of you who don't know, Green Beans Coffee has a program where you can buy coffee for military personnel serving overseas.  I've done it for years now.  Anyway, every so often, they have special offers.  If you buy so much coffee, you get a prize.  I've gotten t-shirts, challenge coins, and dog tags. 

The best prize, though, is when I get thank you notes from the soldiers themselves.  Most of them just say a simple thank you, but sometimes, one will tell you how much it means to them to know that they aren't forgotten. 

A little taste of home.  That's what one soldier told me.  I'd sent him a little taste of home. 

That's the prize that makes it all worth it. 

Chats On The Farmhouse Porch

Guess what?  It's Wednesday, and I remembered to do Chat!  Aren't you proud of me?  So, let's chat, shall we?

1.  Do you like cucumbers? Is there a favorite way for you to prepare them? 

No, not really.   I don't dislike them, but they aren't my favorite.  I do like infused water with cucumbers and lemon, with a sprig of mint.  

2.  How good a housekeeper are you? 

 Eh, so so.  I'm good enough for me, and since I'm the only one who lives here, that's good enough.  My house isn't spotless, but you'd never see it on an episode of hoarders.  Funny story, the dog was heaving, and I said, "Go puke on the linoleum.  It's easier to clean."  I guess I've become a bit jaded. 

3.   Please finish this: To spend a day____________would be amazing! 

 Not going to work. At the shooting range.  Hunting.  Fishing.  Hanging out with my friends Christi and Amy.  (We need to do that again, girls!)

4.  How do you handle times when you are "down" or "blue"( depressed )? 

 Usually a good night's sleep takes care of my blues.  Or some good music.  Or remembering how blessed I truly am. Or remembering that it's most likely caused by hormonal changes and that it will pass. 

5.  Have you started using essential oils, since they have become so popular? 

No.  I'm not even sure what essential oils are.......OK, I googled them and no, I probably won't get in to that. 

Thank you for joining me for this week's chat.  Be sure to come by next week.  

A Scarf And A Sock

I hate to break it to you, but this is another one of those days when there just isn't that much to say.  Unless you want to hear about my bi-annual trip to the eye doctor, that is.  Suffice to say, my eyes are healthy, though very nearsighted, and I'm getting new glasses. 

You know, I hate the new glasses styles almost as much as I hate the new clothing styles.  I guess it's not so much the styles as it is the teensy little lenses you have to peer through.  I picked out the largest frames I could find, and they still seem too small to me.  Well, they'll be here in about a week, so you'll see them then.

In the meantime, scarf #2 is finished.  This time, I clamped the warping peg to my end table and the loom to my kitchen table. 

As you can see, it made for quite a long warp, and in turn, quite a long scarf. 

The warp is Red Heart SuperSaver in Buff, and the weft is Red Heart SuperSaver Camo in Mirage.    I have enough left of each to do at least one more scarf.  Next one won't be quite as long, though. 

I still have some tension issues, but they are getting better.  The end on the left is the beginning, and the end on the right is the end.

A few more scarves and I ought to have that worked out.  I hope. 

I also cast on a new sock. 

It's going to be a plain vanilla sock, and I have no idea what yarn this is.  It's been marinating in my stash for many and many a year, and the ball band has been lost for many and many a year.  I do know it's a cotton blend.  Other than that, your guess is as good as mine. 

The bad news is, no more overtime.  I'm going to miss the extra money, but I'm looking forward to getting up at a reasonable hour.  If you consider 5:00 AM reasonable.  Hey, it's more reasonable than 4:00 AM. 

I was in the store the other day, and I bought this Coke because it had my name on it.  I got halfway home before I remembered that I don't even like Coke.

Well played, Coke.  Well played. 

In The Garden

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

Chats On The Farmhouse Porch

Yes, yes, I know.  Normally we do Chats on Wednesday, but stuff happened.  Then I got the new loom, and more stuff happened.  So, we're getting to it, but a little late.  I'm sure you understand.

1.  What's your favorite kind of cheese?

 I've never met a cheese I didn't like, but I'd have to say my favorite kind is Muenster. 

2.  Have you ever been in a log cabin? 

 Not a real one.  When I was vacationing in Tennessee way back in 2001, I visited a replica of Davy Crockett's log cabin.  I love the look of modern log homes, though, and would love to live in one someday. 

3.  What is your favorite kind of salad dressing? 

 Bleu cheese.  I also like Ranch, but bleu cheese is my favorite. 

4.  When was the last time you saw someone from your high school days? 

 It's been at least 15 years.  That's the last time I was home.  I do keep up with high school friends on Facebook, but it isn't quite the same.

5.  Tell me what the perfect dinner party would look like for you. 

Um, not having one.  I'm not into dinner parties or guests.  I guess the perfect dinner party for me would be a picnic at the lake with just one or two people.

 That's all we have for today.  Next week, I'll try to remember to do Chat's on time. 

My New Loom

I got up this morning with all sorts of good intentions. I had a long list of things I wanted to get done over my long weekend. I was going to write a long, meaningful 'Merica post. I was going to go fishing.  But in the end, none of that got done, because I have a new loom to play with.

First thing I did was to wax all the pieces and let them dry.  Well, the first thing I did was to hunt all over the house for the waxing pad that was just in my hand, but suddenly wasn't there any more.  I finally found it in Cody's room.  Why it was in there, I have no idea.  I must have carried it in there when I was looking for my screwdriver.  But, I did find it eventually and waxed my loom pieces. 

I debated on putting a second coat of wax on, but decided it didn't really need it.  Then I buffed the pieces out with an old t-shirt, and put the loom together. 

It didn't really take that long to put it together.  Indeed, it took me longer to find my screwdriver than it did to assemble the loom.  But that's what happens when you have had teenagers in the house.

Speaking of, I was in Wal-mart yesterday, in line to check out, when the young woman in line in front of me said, "Hi, Miss Becky."  I had no idea who she was.

She said, "Don't you remember me?"  Um, who are you?  When she told me her name, I remembered who she was.  She is Cody's old babysitter's granddaughter.

 "Lord, child, I haven't seen you since you were 5 years old!"

She asked me, "How's your little boy doing?"

"About to be 21," I replied.  Yeah,

But I digress...

Now I had my loom put together, I needed something to weave on it.  I went into the craft room and dug out all my worsted weight yarn.  After I put back the yarn that was already designated for specific projects, this is what I was left with. 

I chose the big hank of tannish yarn in the middle, and started to warp my loom.  Straight away, I ran into a problem.  I don't have a table long enough to clamp the loom to one end, and the warping peg to the other.  I tried to use my Mammaw's old ... whatever this thing is...

but alas, it wasn't heavy enough.  About halfway through warping, I noticed it was creeping forward just a bit.  Then it fell over.  So, my tension wasn't exactly consistent.  I had to do some creative adjusting, but eventually got things lined out.  Still, I'm going to have to think of a better way to warp my loom. 

I soon ran into another problem...the yarn was in a big hank, and I didn't want to have to wind it into a ball.  I have a ball winder, but it won't hold that much yarn, and I sure didn't want to have to hand wind it.  I got the brilliant idea that I'd put the yarn on my swift and warp directly from that.  It worked, sort of.  The main problem I had was the yarn kept snagging, and I'd have to put everything down and go unsnag it.  That contributed to the wonky tension.  If I do that again, I'm going to move my kitchen table over to where the swift is.  That should make it easier. 

It's a learning process. 

Finally, I was ready to start weaving.  The instructions in the book say to use these little cardboard strips when you begin, but I've seen videos that show people using waste yarn instead. 

Next time, I think I'll go that route.  Oh, and I also had a design element.  You know, we don't make mistakes.  We just add design elements.  When I was warping the loom, I mistakenly pulled the yarn through the same slot in the reed twice.  You can see here where the yarn is doubled.

I'd didn't want to pull it all out and start over, and I wasn't confident enough to cut the yarn and pull the extra length out, so I just left it.  You can't tell in the finished scarf anyway.  Not unless you're looking for it. 

After a few hours, here is the finished scarf:

You can see how my tension got better from the end shown on the right, which was the beginning, to the end shown on the left. 

I went back and tied the fringe after I took this photo.  I've got to learn how to do some of the fancy fringing like I see some of my friends doing.  I just tied plain knots in mine.  I'm going to wash it tomorrow and see how it holds up.  Then I'm going to weave something else.  Next scarf I make will be longer and skinnier.  And I think I know just which yarn I'm going to use. 

Whoever sent me this, I hope you're reading, because this is the best present I ever got.  Thank you so much!  

Now, we can't close out this Independence Day post without a 'Merica moment, so here it is:

 And all God's people said, "Booyah!!"

Golly What A Day

Yesterday, Group Leader Fernando asked several of us to come in at 5:00 this morning.  I'm thinking that we were trying to get some orders out since we are going to be off tomorrow.  But when I got there, turns out he wanted us to clean because the boss's wife was coming for a visit.  Clean.  Not work.  Clean. 

No, I wasn't too happy about that.  I mean, I would have come in anyway, but at least he could have mentioned why.  Nevertheless, he has earned himself a place in my wedding party-- as the kraken bait.  We have to cover every contingency.  We might need a bloody carcass to lure the kraken out of it's holding tank.

It was a long, hot, tiring day, and just when it was time to go, Former Group Leader Rod came running over, frantically asking me if I could stay until 4 and braze on his line.  He gave me the big, brown puppy dog eyes and said, "Do it for me."  I said, "I'll do it for the money."  Yeah, I got to work an 11 hour day.  I haven't done that in a while.

After work, I had to drag my weary body to the store.  I didn't want to go, but thought if I want to celebrate 'Merica tomorrow, I need some food to celebrate with.  So, I bought a pizza, ice cream, and Lemon Oreos. 

Because 'Merica.  That's why.

While I was wandering around Wal-Mart, James called and said, "You have a package over here."  I was a bit confused, because I hadn't ordered anything.  When I got home, I went over there and sure enough, there was a package with my name and address on it.

I had no idea what it was.  Cody was trying to tease me, saying "You don't remember what you ordered?"

"I didn't order anything."  I said.  "Somebody sent me a present."  From The Woolery.  I knew I hadn't ordered anything from there.  I opened the box and there was an envelope with my name on it.

The card inside had this brief message. 

Yes, indeed.  Someone had sent me a loom! 

There were other loomy things in the box.  An instruction book, and some wax to polish it with, and a book showing all of Ashford's other products (including the spinning wheel I someday hope to have).  And that thing.  Which I don't know what it is, but it's necessary for weaving. 

Folks, this is not a cheap present.  Somebody out there deserves a great big, huge hug and more thanks that I can possibly express in a simple blog post.  I have no idea who sent this, but God does and it is my prayer that he will bless you mightily for it, because you have blessed me mightily by sending it.  

Inside the box were bunches of little pieces, which I have decided to wait until I've had a bit more sleep before I start playing with it. 

I've been awake since 3:30 AM.  That doesn't go well with lots of small parts. 

But, boy I can't wait until morning!

A Brief Post

There I was at work, minding my own business, doing my job, when Group Leader Fernando comes up, punches me playfully in the arm and asks, "How you doing?"

"What do you want?" I ask.

"What makes you think I want something?" he replies.

"Because you're smiling," I says.  "You only smile when you want something."

"Oh, that hurts!" he exclaims.

"Just tell me what you want," I say. 

"Can you come in at 5:00 in the morning?"

"Yes," I say.

"Yes?  Just like that?  Yes?  You're not going to argue or fuss or anything?  Just yes?" says he.

"Oh, that hurts!" says I.



And that, my friends is why tonight's post will be brief. 


An update on the Christmas tree: 

Your 'Merica moment:

Note:  If I ever get married again, I want someone to make this happen.  Instead of throwing rice (because I'm too old to have chilluns anyway), y'all can all shout "USA! USA!" as we're leaving.  And wave copious amounts of American flags.  Big ones.  Got it? 

And the brief, but disgusting observation that I don't know what Rylea found to roll in, but it sure does stink.

It doesn't just stink, it stanks.  

That's like stinking on steroids. 

Brat. 

Bluebonnets And 'Merica

My little bluebonnet is in full bloom.

I want to print this photo out and hang it on my wall. 

Speaking of printing, I priced wireless printers the other day.  You can get a decent one for around $60-70.  I have a printer, but I have to use Cody's antique, cranky computer to print things out.  If I could find my software, I could install it on my new laptop, but I'd still have to move the cable every time I wanted to print something.  With a wireless, I wouldn't have to worry about that. 

Eh, I'm still debating. 

See what I did there?  I said "Eh".  A nod to our neighbors to the North.  Happy Canada Day!

And with that, here is your 'Merica moment for the day:

Our founding fathers believed in liberty that much.  If they saw what we'd let their country become, they'd be ashamed of us. 

In more mundane news, I think I've finally found a combination of supplements to replace the Estroven.  I've felt better and more positive today than I have since -- well, since they changed the formula.  I'm a bit bummed that I have to take six things now to replace the one single supplemnt, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. 

I'm still having hot flashes, but then again, that could be because it's been 90+ degrees outside.

And yet, I'm craving hot chocolate.

I think I need professional help.  

'Merica

Some people like to call this 4th Of July week.  I prefer to call it 'Merica Week.  This week, we celebrate all that is good about America.  This week, fly flags, wear our red, white, and blue, and we walk around randomly shouting

'Merica!!

It's 'Merica Week.  Let's get this party started.

Dear CoWorker

You may think I'm fat.
You may think I'm ugly.
You may think I'm stupid.
You may think I'm unimportant.

I don't really care what you think, because my sense of self worth does not depend on your opinion of me. 

No, I get my sense of self worth because the One who created the universe and everything in it thought I was worth dying for. 

That makes me pretty special. 

And that makes your opinion invalid. 

Thank you.

That is all.

New Flowers

 

I wandered through the garden center at Wal-mart today, and managed to find some plants on clearance.  Naturally, I snapped them up. 

I actually found a couple of flats of marigolds that weren't dead, so I got them.  And I got two Vincas and a couple of zinnias.  The huge zinnia on the left with all the orange flowers, I put into the pot that used to hold my petunias. 

I also bought one more packet of wildflower seeds.  Maybe since I grubbed up the weeds and turned the soil a bit, these might actually grow.  If they don't, well, they just don't.  I'm not buying anything else. 

I have to be at work and an unearthly hour in the morning, so I'm going to turn in early tonight.  Well, that's the plan, at least. 

Might not work out that way, but that is the plan. 

Chats On The Farmhouse Porch

And on Thor's Day.  How lovely.

1.  What do you think you would have liked most from my menu?

The chocolate cake.  And the baked sweet potatoes.   (To my non-chatters, Patrice had a birthday party for her daughter.  She posted the menu on her blog.  The link is in the right sidebar:  Everyday Rurality.)

2.  Have you ever had an interesting experience with serving dinner guests? 

No.  I've never had dinner guests, so I have no experiences at all with serving them.   Now, my Aunt Martha probably could have told you some stories.  She loved to entertain. 

3.  What's your favorite beverage, this summer? 

 It would seem milk is my beverage of choice right now.  I'm drinking about a gallon and a half per week.  And Poweraid or Gatorade.  As much as I sweat at work, drinking sports drinks keeps me from feeling so sick all the time. 

4.   Do you ever have bouquets of fresh flowers in your home? 

 Yes, I do.  I love fresh flowers.  Unfortunately, the flower bed isn't doing so well this year, but I have bought a couple of bouquets from the store.  I don't do that too often, because they're kind of high.  Well, not that high, but I'm trying to pinch every penny so I can get some of these debts of mine paid off. 

5.  Tell me something interesting. Please. 

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you will know that I'm an avid knitter.  However, a couple of other things I'd like to get into are spinning my own yarn and weaving.  I do have some drop spindles, but my dream is to someday have a wheel.  They are quite expensive, though.

Several of my friends lately have gotten into weaving.  I'd like to give that a try, too.  I'm thinking of a small loom like this Ashford Sample-It, or a Schacht Cricket.    Both are good for beginners and relatively affordable.  I could make tons of scarves with them.  More importantly, I could use up a lot of stash, which means I can put an end to my moratorium on buying yarn!  Woo hoo!  I've just about talked myself in to buying one. 

As soon as I get this debt paid down...

No Chat Today

I came in all excited and eager for this week's Chat, but when I went over to Everyday Rurality to get the questions, there weren't any.  In fact, there was no post at all.  I hope nothing is wrong.  I seem to remember her mentioning taking a break a while back.  I hope that's all it is. 

So, instead of our loverly little chats, you get a whole lot of miscellaneous gobbldygook. 

We were talking about dreams the other day on Facebook.  One of my friends had a pretty strange one, but yes, she knew I would be able to top it, and I was.  In my lifetime, I've had some corkers.  I've had people tell me I should turn some of my dreams into novels.  I told a dream to a former supervisor once, and he said I should sell it to Stephen King.  If you're interested, look in the right sidebar -----> under the label Dreams.  I've got quite the litany. 

The reason I went there is, I've noticed that since Jesse has started sleeping in the bedroom with me, I hardly have the really strange/frightening dreams any more.  Something about the security of having a warm, fuzzy body next to me, I guess.  Still, I kind of miss having those adventures at night.  Much more exciting than my day job. 

This afternoon, I spent a little time working in the flower beds-- weeding, deadheading and such.  I noticed that one of my little bluebonnets has a bloom.

A tiny little bloom, and at totally the wrong time of year, but hey, it's a BLUEBONNET!  Another one has a bud.  You have no idea how excited this makes me.  

I finally decided that nothing in my wildflower bed is going to bloom (except the black eyed Susans that are already blooming), so I started grubbing out all the grass and weeds.  I'm going to find some random stuff and just stick in there.  I may have to go up to Batesville after work Saturday to see what their Wal-mart or Lowe's has.  Ours doesn't have much left, unless they get some new stuff in before Friday.

I had to order some more of my Digestive Advantage from Amazon, along with some of my other supplements in my never ending quest to find a suitable replacement for the Estroven that no longer works...and since I can't just order one or two things, I threw this shirt into the basket.

I'd been eyeing it for a while now, and it just seemed right.  The bad news is, it's a cotton polyester blend, which makes it way too hot to wear to work, where it is way too hot anyway.  No biggie.  I tend to ruin my work clothes anyway, and I sure don't want to be ruining this one.  Not yet, anyway.

Weird thing is, I'd ordered five items, and Amazon sent them in three boxes.  I was like, Serious-Lee? 

Ha ha, you would have had to watch the musical 1776 to get that one. 

But seriously?  Three boxes?  And they all arrived on the same day, no less.  Brought by the same UPS man.  Who was a different UPS man from my regular UPS man.

I've had a book hangover today.  Can you tell?  What's a book hangover?  That feeling you  have when you stayed up way too late reading the night before.  Yeah.  That.  I've got it. 

OK, I'll stop now. 

You're welcome. 

Progress

I thought I was going to be all cool and all last night, and go to bed early and get a good night's sleep.  Circumstance had other plans.  Somewhere in the night, the electricity went out. 

Yeah,  I slept through the storm that caused the electricity to go out, but not the electricity going out.  No electricity means no air conditioner.  No air conditioner means it got mighty warm in my bedroom. 

I kept thinking I should get up and open the window, but then I'd talk myself out of it.  With my luck, the minute I got the window open and got back into bed, the electricity would come back on.  Then I'd have to get back up and close the window.  That's what I kept telling myself, at least.  So, I didn't get up.  I just laid there and sweat.  Sweated.  Whatever. 

The electricity did eventually come back on, and I was able to sleep soundly for the rest of the night.  I woke up this morning thinking how thankful I am for power company workers who go out in the middle of the night, in all kinds of weather, to get our electricity back for us. 

But enough about the weather.  Let's get on to some crafty updates.

My little Christmas tree ornament thing is progressing apace. 

I'm really liking the way it's turning out.  I'd intended to give it as a gift, but it may not make it that far.

I cast on a second hat out of this King Cole Splash yarn.  

I'm making this one a little bigger, using a 120 stitch cast on and size 7 needles.  It should fit an older child or even a teenager.  And just to see how it would knit up, I cast on a hat with the yarn Beverly gave me.

It's definitely bright.  Here is a backed out photo, so you can see what the whole thing looks like.  

Finally, if you heard that anguished howl coming from this area, let me assure you I did not mean to shut Jesse up in the recliner.  Honest, I didn't. I didn't know he was under there.  Really. 

Poor baby.