I have to back to help my son. I am hoping that it will only be a couple of days. I’d like to return tomorrow, but you never know. I wound up staying a lot longer than I planned the last time I was there. I have to go again in a few weeks, but this is important to him.
Archive for February, 2008
Back to Reisterstown
February 18, 2008Mild Today
February 18, 2008When I went walking this morning, it was cold and windy. Now, at 8:30PM, it’s 57. Of course, now, it’s too dark to walk.
One mitten is done. I may finish the top differently. I ‘ll decide when I get to the top of the other one. I’ve got most of the ribbing done on the second one. I should have the baby blanket finished in a few days. The top is mostly quilted.
I had lots of cat help. After he finished cleaning himself, he gave Gus a bath.
Gus tried to clean Zip in return.
Saturday
February 16, 2008The commentator at the local National Public Radio station is awful. He’s the comic relief between The Metropolitan Opera and Prairie Home Companion. At least there is an NPR station in this area. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.
Back of mitten.
I’m ready to start the thumb. Maybe, I’ll get to it tonight. Last night, we went out with friends for dinner. We all had scallops with crabmeat. It was so good. We talked for a good while when we came back so I started the gloves. I can’t follow this mitten pattern and a conversation at the same time. Besides, Elvis was in my lap and Zip was in Linda’s.
Animal Testing
February 15, 2008Did anyone see the HBO movie about the first blue baby surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital? This was about three years ago. When I actually saw that baby change from blue to pink, I cried. I am sure it was enhanced, but I have seen it happen with my own two eyes. I cried then, too. And I still cry at times. If it weren’t for research on animals, where would we be? I believe in animal testing when it comes to saving lives.
I don’t believe in animal testing when it comes to cosmetics. If these cosmetic companies want to test their products on anything, it should be themselves. Every cream or lotion that I pick up, I look for No Animal Testing. Sometimes, it’s written out and sometimes it’s a little animal with that slash-circle over it. You may have to do some bending over or tiptoeing to reach them, but they are there. You don’t have to go to specialty shops. I get mine at Walmart and they are reasonably priced, too. I just looked at my bath oil and I can actually read every single ingredient. My favorite brands are Booth’s and ?. ?. Watkins (sorry– senior moment there). They smell nice, too, like peach, vanilla, lemon. And food is my husband’s favorite flavor. No excuses! I don’t want to here it. Just do It!
Speaking of food, I made turkey pot pie last night. I had saved some nice chunks of breast meat and the pan drippings. I made a little gravy in a pot, cut up the turkey, added some leftover vegetables and a can of mixed vegetables. While this was simmering, I made biscuits. Yes, from scratch. It’s not hard. And they are so good. I put the oven on 450 and got out a baking dish and sheet. I poured the pot into the baking dish and gently laid about eight biscuits on top. This went on the top oven shelf and the rest of the biscuits went on a sheet underneath. After about fifteen minutes, they were ready to eat.
And this is what’s left. Was someone happy?
Happy Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2008I figured everyone else is saying it so I might as well say it too. Don’t get me wrong. I do like hearts and chocolate but I don’t need a special day to enjoy them. I like to put hearts on clothing. Last year I embroidered a big Happy Valentine’s Day on a shirt for my daughter. I also did conversation hearts on a blouse for her that she could where to work. It made her happy and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it.
I put these hearts on a plain, but very comfy shirt a while back. Just this little cluster of hearts made it nice enough to wear out. Socially acceptable and comfy, too. What more can you ask?
We had some snow last night. I managed to get around some ice in my driveway, but there were still some places in the road. By the time that I got to the hill, I was so tense that I didn’t even attempt it. I turned around and came home. I believe I have mentioned that I am a big chicken when it comes to snow and ice. Why don’t I move further south, you say? Well, when you don’t have to get up and go to work, what difference does it make? You just wait it out. An inch or two is all we ever get here anyway. And my family is only two hours away.
Mitten update. It’s a good thing this is a multicolored mitten. Zippo had some for dinner last night.
Peanut Butter Sandwich
February 14, 2008We went down to the Food Lion in Laurel late this afternoon. The one in town in dreary. It has been raining all day and the temperature kept dropping all day. By the time we got back, it was after 5PM. We hadn’t gotten anything quick to eat and I definitely was not in a mood to make anything involved. Doug pulled out a couple of Healthy Choice dinners that he had bought a while back. They were so bad that I couldn’t eat mine. I gave Doug a taste of the chicken and he said, “That’s chicken?” The dog liked it, but I think he liked the yucky stuff from the turkey better. Doug offered me a peanut butter sandwich which was a hell of a lot better than that other crap. I should have had a bowl of turkey noodle soup, but I didn’t think of it at the time. It would have warmed me up. Maybe, I’ll fix some tea. I bought two new kinds today.
Christine has tagged me again. The book is Slow Dollar by Margaret Maron. And it is not a knitting book. I actually had four books, eight knitting magazines, numerous patterns and mostly expired coupons sitting next to me. The first two were knitting books. That didn’t work. Page 123 in both were pictures. I then went into my bedroom and got the book on my bed stand. Success!
‘Lamarr quit cussing and beamed at Stevie like an innocent black angel. “We didn’t do the breaking. All we’re going to do is the entering.” ‘ How’s that.
I finished the front of the baby quilt. It was a bit of a pain. The picture blocks were a bit smaller than they were supposed to be. The directions said to use the other fabric to make them the right size. Also, neither the pictures nor the stripes were on the straight of grain. Over all, it is now about one inch smaller than it is supposed to be with no fabric left over. This is why I usually stay with patterns and books or just wing it. This kit was definitely not convenient.
Nothing Going On Here
February 13, 2008We walked to the end of the road this morning, then I turned around and came home. I was so very frozen. It started raining in the afternoon. I did a little sewing. It takes me less time to sew than it does to cut. I was such a grump. I did make turkey noodle soup with an actual turkey carcass, onions, carrots, celery and flat noodles. A little sea salt made it just right. Doug really liked it. Gus loved the yucky stuff. I should have made biscuits. I had some nice grainy bread instead for dunking. The soup was hot and the milk was cold. What more could I want?
Mitten. I’d have more done if there was something on TV!
New Toilet
February 12, 2008We have a new toilet in the little bathroom. You can put in whatever your body manages to produce. You pull the handle and WOOOOSH, it is gone! No more, “Maybe if I flush it a few more times,” or “Where’s the liquid soap?” And the lid slowly lowers itself when you give it a little nudge. How cool is that?
The mittens are moving right along.
And I put this on my new sweatshirt. I loved the color. Doesn’t it look like the cat has been in the catnip? Who changed the sizes when I wasn’t looking? I don’t buy clothes much anymore. But I would like to know why I had to buy a size larger when I had lost 30 lbs. At least they didn’t mess with underwear. My new panties are a size smaller. Yes!
I haven’t been out of the house today. It’s too cold and windy. The cats have been driving me crazy with going in and out and in and out and in every five minutes. I could wring their necks.
Spring is in the Air
February 10, 2008
Our Canada geese laid claim to the island today. They seem to think that it’s that time of the year again. Didn’t they check the forecast? It is supposed to get down to 17 degrees tonight. This will be the third year they have taken it over. Last April when the eggs were hatching, it was in the pouring rain. Linda and I watched with our binoculars from inside our homes. The next day it was sunny and they brought the babies over to our yards. Maude thought, “Breakfast!”. The adults had other ideas. She picked right up on that and made a beeline for the house.
I have started Christine’s mittens. It’s fun so far. I am using the needles I bought from Knit Picks. I really like them. They are very smooth like my old Baleen needles, but do not bend like them. They seem stronger than my other wooden needles, Most of which are Brittany. I tried Lantern Moon, but was not happy and not worth the price.
Zippo printed the pattern for me. He can be quite handy at times.
I’ll probably start Nancy’s gloves later this week. I should have had this contest earlier because she is going to North Dakota this week. Maybe I will put little cables up the fingers.
Tell me. Should I join a Red hat club? I discovered that there are about half a dozen within ten miles of here. I am not sure if I have a Red Hat personality. I do, however, own a red hat.
There’s No Place Like Home
February 10, 2008We had a great walk this morning. I even wandered through the woods and hardly used my cane at all. I love my new hip. We were out for one and a half hours. After a little rest, we went to Walmart. I REALLY HATE to do Walmart on Saturday, but there were things that we needed. I was not about to waste time, gas and money going to three different places to get the same thing. I’m too cheap and I need money to spend on my vices like this:
Now, I won’t get to this for several weeks, but I bought it anyway. It would probably not be around when I was ready to make it. I have to make the baby quilt first. Well, I have to make as much as possible before the baby is born. I want to embroider it’s name and date of birth. It’s mainly blue. I think I was thinking of Colette’s grandson, but that’s OK. It’s really cute. I’m sure it will be well received. And just wait until you see what I am making for Colette!
I wish that I had taken my glove things with me to Reisterstown. You know that I didn’t plan to be there that long, but my son needed me around. I haven’t decided on patterns yet. I need to make some swatches. I should email Nancy before I decide, too. I’ve been thinking about Christine and her husband, too.
Up a Creek in Lower Slower Delaware 