I'm having a temper tantrum

Sniffle, sniffle. Sob sob. Throwing myself on the floor and having a tantrum. I wanted to go to SeaLife park with Aidan and his parents too. No fair.
That darn geographical challenge struck again. But is't good to see that they all had a good time.
Not that I'm a proud grandma or anything, but I do think that Aidan is pretty cute. And living in paradise sure does beat the weather we've been having in Maryland...not too bad, but not shorts weather, that's for sure.
Ok...I'm going back in July and in August, so I'll stop my temper tantrum and focus on all the good things to do here and in the neighboring states. I do hope to see the Hunley this spring or summer, and Ft. Sumpter, and everything else I can to get stamps for in my National Park Passport. So there.
But I will admit, I do miss these guys a lot.

Portrait from another era

This is a scan of the portrait that was taken for us at the Dinner during the 1860's Conference. If you're looking for a wonderful Photographer, I can recommend these folks: Victorian Photography Studio, 76 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg, PA 17325 (717) 338-1515. They frequently set up for portraits at various balls and events. I believe they also do non-period events.

Sticking close to home

The last nearly 2 weeks since the Conference have been a bit on the challenging side. I came home from Pa. with the flu and ended up spending the better part of a week in bed or on the sofa with my "nurse cat" by my side. We've been calling Gracie a "puppy cat" because she follows me from room to room and rarely leaves my side, especially when I'm sick. I ended up sleeping most of each day away until the fever broke on day 4 or 5, with Gracie going with me wherever I chose to nap or sleep. Unfortunately she's still not getting along very well with the other girls, especially Belle. Rosie and Gracie have a kind of uneasy truce, they'll sniff each other and play a little, but Rosie isn't happy that she pounces sometimes and not others.
Belle and Rosie have taken a liking to the corner of the sofa where I have my high intensity light positioned for the knitting and hand work that I do in the evenings while watching TV. The lamp gives off a certain amount of heat and Rosie especially is a big fan of lying down right under the warmest part, kind of like luxuriating in a sunbeam. Of course, Belle has to come over and snuggle with her and they both ended up falling asleep like that..
... Here's Gracie in one of the rare times when she actually has sat in my lap. Neither of our girls really are lap sitters so this was quite unusual, though Gracie did sit in Meghann's lap while she was here, a very special occasion indeed. She'll sit on my lap a little more when I have the blanket covering me, maybe she doesn't realize that she's actually on top of me. I'm working on my pair of Green spring socks here.
...This picture was of the first Crocus in my garden to poke it's head above the surface of the earth last week. There are more out now but I especially enjoyed this first one after it had been so cold and windy and rainy. Immediately after getting a bit better with the flu, I had some other health challenges so I've been in the house a whole lot trying to rest and get better. This crocus greeted me on one of my forays out of the house, and it helped get me more enthusiastic for finishing the 2 pairs of socks that I was working on while I wasn't feeling good. As you can see, the socks were both "crocus colored".
...These are simple socks made from the colorway "Purple Rain" which my friend Loraine had gotten for me about a year and a half ago. They've been my "brainless" project to do in the car because I'm not doing any pattern that I have to pay attention to while I'm knitting. I love doing the lace patterns but there's something to be said for doing simple projects when traveling, it's less stressful and I have to take less stitches out! I had to sit and wait for a doc's appointment and then the next day for a test, so I managed to get quite a bit of time for knitting while "on the run". It definitely looks "crocus" colored to me and made me smile to finish them at this time of year.
...This is my Spring/March green pair which also go with the colors of that lone Crocus. I absolutely loved the colors in this yarn even before I cast on the first sock, but I especially have enjoyed watching the lace "leaf" pattern emerging. This green sock was the 2008 Socks that Rock Club March installment, but since I wasn't able to be a member last year, I'd purchased the yarn and pattern a year later to do the project. The pattern was relatively easy to knit once I got the hang of it, though I did have to keep the stitch diagram and the row counter handy while I worked on it. This is the only pair of green socks I've ever knit, green just wasn't my color or so I thought, but I am really rethinking that since I love these so much! I'm eagerly awaiting this year's March kit right now.
...This lone sock is waiting for it's mate, I just cast on for it last night. This so far lonely single is Socks That Rock yarn Blue Brick road in the Wheat pattern off the web. I'll never use this pattern again, it's too fiddly and incredibly time consuming, though it does break up the pattern in the yarn as you can see in the area done in pattern. It took me as long to get this one sock done as it normally does to finish a full pair. Last night I also cast on a couple of other socks to take with me for things we're going to this weekend that might give me time to knit. Otherwise, I'm enjoying my quiet time home with the girls and my wonderful guy while knitting, watching tv, and snuggling with the furry ones.

Back from the land of green beer?

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe St. Patrick's day. We went out the night before and had corn beef and cabbage and a wonderful stout with some dear old friends, and were home for the holiday. Last night I worked on my green socks and was glad not to be on the road with folks that might have overindulged in green beer. However you celebrated St. Paddy's day, hope it was a good one. :)

Looking up

Everything has a season, and boy am I ready for spring to be here! Last weekend's wonderful warm weather gave way to my Crocus friends poking their heads above the cold ground, but I was not fooled, I knew they were just teasing me. It isn't time yet for it to be spring, and by waiting we'll all be so much more appreciative when it get here. This is one of the Iris varieties that's waiting for spring out in my garden. I'm envisioning a few new friends for it from the Plant Faire in May.

I'm now knitting a pair of beautiful green socks with a leaf pattern right down the middle front of the sock. They were last year's March installment of the Socks that Rock club which I ordered just this year (and for about half the cost) and the pattern and yarn arrived prior to our going off to the 1860's conference. Of course, I came home sick from that, so they sat idly by while I got better. Now I'm feeling better, and I am over half way done with the first one, it's an easy and fast project. I hope to have the pair done in the vicinity of St. Patrick's Day to enjoy. This year's March package should be winging it's way to all of us impatient rockin sock knitters club members very soon. I did finish one sock this week, the blue "wheat" pattern, now I have to cast on the second. That will have to wait until the green leaves are finished.

I'm excited at the spring's season of growth and rebirth to let go of negatives in my life, to clear out the bad, bring in the good, and continue to cherish what is important. I was just thinking last weekend (prior to getting the flu again) how nice it is to have such wonderful friends, lots of opportunities in our lives, to have the perfect partner that enjoys so many of the same things as I do, and to have a wonderful family, both 2 legged and 4 legged. I have a job that many would love to have, and good people that I work with too. I'm thankful for all the good things.

I am hoping to get some clean up and home improvement projects started (and finished!) this spring. My place out of state has just been completely redone inside, and looks absolutely brand new, it's stunning and inspiring! We have some good people moving in very shortly, and they're wowed with the update as well. I'm imagining room by room here in my resident state being redone, it might take me awhile but it's making me smile to think about fresh paint, fresh ideas, and a fresh start. Now to tackle working through my various stashes of fibery and fabric finery. :) (My stash, roughly translated.) And I can't wait to get to start working in the garden again!

BAAA, redeaux

I just couldn't resist sharing this very sweet scene with you that my daughter photographed and posted for me. I frequently send packages to her with various things inside, and since she knew what was going to be in this one (well, at least a few things) she let Aidan help with the unpacking. Remember that Aidan's Great Grandmother and Grandfather (Nanny and Poppa) brought him a soft stuffed sheep from Ireland when they went to visit, and he absolutely loves it and was carrying it around with him constantly. Since then he's been learning more animal sounds, but BAAAA seems to be one of his favorites. Here is the little guy starting to open the box.

Jenn shared that "Shawn the Sheep" the star of some 5 minute short videos come on there and Aidan really loves them. Shawn is part of the animal friends of Wallace and Grommit (google that if you're not familiar. lol) That triggered the memory that when I'd started my yarn and fiber business I'd collected a bunch of sheep related things. One of the Ebay finds I'd made was a "Shawn the Sheep" backpack that I'd gotten from a lady in the UK for relatively nothing before Wallace and Grommit's last movie came out. It had been hanging on the wall in my office pretty much forgotten, so I thought Aidan would enjoy it. I told my daughter I'd put it in the box with some other things I was sending. I'd put Shawn right on top in the box so that Aidan could find him quickly.

As you can see, he does find the Shawn the sheep quickly and pulls it out of the box, saying "BAAAA" the whole time! These pictures made my day! Thanks for the cute shots go to my daughter, as well as thanks for the cute grandson to her and her husband. :)

Back from the 1860's Conference

We spent the weekend in Camp Hill, PA at the Conference of Ladies and Gentlemen of the 1860's, and boy did we have a wonderful time! It was preceeded by before-conference workshops, one of which was a behind the scenes visit to the Gettysburg National Military Park archives and collection. It was incredible. These pictures are from the dinner we had Saturday night and most people dressed in their best period correct finery. Maggie and I made our dresses at the Genteel Arts Academy summer camp in 2008 so it was great to see that beautiful blue silk dress finished. I hadn't yet worn the dress I brought for the dinner and wasn't sure if it would fit since I used Maggie's cage crinoline for the initial fitting of the skirt panel length, but it worked out just fine! I made the collar and cuffs in our class in January, so it was all new to me. There were other friends that were at summer camp with us, but we didn't get to take pictures of everyone. I'm hoping that there will be a lot of post-conference digital picture sharing going on. :)

This next one is of me, Dee, and her friend from the 8th Georgia, Kerry. Dee made her dress of Vintage silk at summer camp, and she made Kerry's dress sometime in the last month or so since we saw them on their "choosing fabric" day in Gettysburg. We had a wonderful time together, it was almost as much fun seeing friends as it was partaking in the seminars and research talks of the the Conference. The conference is for serious reenactors, historians, researchers, and people with an interest in the civilian fashions and material culture of the 1860's. It was wonderful to see everyone dressed so appropriately and so beautifully on Saturday night. There were period parlor games set up in the lobby for after dinner, but next year we'll be having a Saturday night ball.

Who is that handsome man? That would be my dear Mark who was wearing his incredibly wonderful Civilian Outfit that he got for the balls that we love to go to. No, I didn't make his clothes, although I do want to learn to make Civilian clothes for him. His clothes were made by Cara at Corner Clothier's in Gettysburg, and honestly it's going to take me a lot of time, study, and practice to get to the level of quality that Cara put into her work.

Mark took over 400 pictures of the original garments, fabrics, and accessories while we were at the conference. The majority of them are posted on Facebook, so if you are a reenactor and you're not already one of my friends on Facebook, send me a friend request with a note if I don't know you, and I'm happy to let you see the pictures. I can't possibly upload them again, it's too time consuming.

This one of us was taken after dinner and the lighting isn't the best, but we did pose for our portrait with the professional photographer before dinner. It won't be a wet plate like in the 1860's but we wouldn't want Mark's blue eyes to show white in the photo, do we? After seeing everyone dressed so appropriately, I'm going to be sure not to ever go out to a reenactment missing a vital piece of the outfit. Even the cuffs look so nice and add so much to the outfit, not to mention the fact that they were essential to outfits of the time. I think it's important to respect the people whom we are reenacting, and for me, that means learning more and improving all the time.

Woohoo, a first!

This is a first for me. I just finished the "Socks that Rock" package for January (I only got it at the end of February), and it's not so unusual for me to have finished a pair of socks, I love to make them, but it's a first time for me to do an intricate pattern like this, and a first time that I've done an instep continuing pattern after the leg, the first time I've knit with beads in the pattern, and the first time I've done a provisional cast on with waste yarn. I love them, and though they haven't been blocked yet, I did try them on and since they were knit for me, they do fit perfectly! Now I can't wait to get started on some more, though I am going to work on the ones that are on the needles first before I cast on for anything else. I am reserving the easiest patterns to take to work to work on rather than to do at home. I'm thinking lacy ones for the home project next.

Progress

I was so excited to get home and find my "Socks that Rock" club package with January's sock in my mailbox on Saturday. Since I didn't find out that there were still available spots in the 2009 club until a week or so ago, I am a little bit late getting started. The shipments come every 2 months and I wanted to get January's installment as quickly as I could so I could have it done before March's was on it's way. Since I always have other projects going, it's all about getting things done before the fervor passes and I'm on to doing something else like the ADHD person I am. I'd gotten 2 circular needles so I could try the "two at once" technique for the socks, but after looking at the 10 page pattern I didn't want to try a new technique on a complicated pair. I decided to save the circs to use on something not quite as scary.


I opened the package Saturday but wasn't feeling well so I made a mental note of what needed to be done and put it all away until Sunday. When I got up Sunday I got out the yarn ball winder and the swift to wind the skein into a ball, and got a binder from my stash for all the materials that had come in my package. I made a copy of the pattern so I could write on the copy that I was using. That required climbing under my desk to get to the copier which doesn't get too much use. I had already acquired the floss threaders necessary to put the beads onto the yarn so I sat down and counted out half the beads and got them threaded onto the yarn, under the watchful eyes of my helpful kitten who did not get to steal any of the beads.

I spent a little time Sunday night actually knitting, but when I took out the waste yarn that I'd used for the tubular cast on (a very new technique for me) I found I hadn't read the pattern right and it all fell apart, unstitching all the work I'd done up to that point. That was ok, I only had about 20 rows done and saw that it was looking very large, too large though I'd really hit the gauge on the pattern. Go figure. Monday morning I re-cast on using the medium (rather than large) pattern and got underway again. The pattern looked really complicated and frankly very scary but when taken one step at a time, I found that it wasn't that bad, and now that I've mastered the twisted stitches that I wasn't familiar with before, I'm making quick progress. I'm presently working on the heel flap, between doing other things and nursing my sinuses and ears still. Putting the beads into the knitting is very simple yet looks very complicated. I love when something looks difficult but really isn't.


One of my trusty companions (Rosie) thought she would take up position on the cat pad on top of my sock yarn stash drawers...it was right in a sunbeam and she was in absolute kitty heaven. I usually have at least one or two of the girls in my office while I'm working, their company is very nice to have though they don't tend to be very much help when I'm overworked!

A man that knows his math

He writes:

I was riding to work yesterday when I observed a female driver, who cut right in front of a pickup truck, causing the driver to drive onto the shoulder to avoid hitting her. This evidently angered the driver enough that he hung his arm out his window and gave the woman the finger. 'Man, that guy is stupid,' I thought to myself. I ALWAYS smile nicely and wave in a sheepish manner whenever a female does anything to me in traffic, and here's why:

I drive 48 miles each way every day to work. That's 96 miles each day.

Of these, 16 miles each way is bumper-to bumper

Most of the bumper-to-bumper is on an 8 lane highway.

There are 7 cars every 40 feet for 32 miles.

That works out to 982 cars every mile, or 31,424 cars.

Even though the rest of the 32 miles is not bumper-to-bumper, I figure I pass at least another 4000 cars.

That brings the number to something like 36,000 cars that I pass every day.

Statistically, females drive half of these. That's 18,000 women drivers!

In any given group of females, 1 in 28 has PMS. That's 642.

According to Cosmopolitan, 70% describe their love life as dissatisfying or unrewarding. That's 449.

According to the National Institute of Health, 22% of all females have seriously considered suicide or homicide. That's 98.

And 34% describe men as their biggest problem. That's 33.

According to the National Rifle Association, 5% of all females carry weapons and this number is increasing.

That means that EVERY SINGLE DAY, I drive past at least one female that has a lousy love life, thinks men are her biggest problem, has seriously considered suicide or homicide, has PMS, and is armed.

Give her the finger? I don't think so.

Koigu Carusoe socks finished

The one advantage of being sick and being home sick this week, (if there is any silver lining in it at all) is that I have had some extra time to knit. I didn't have to move my head or get off the sofa while knitting, and I could lie right down and get a nap in if I wanted. I finished this pair this morning, and I like them a lot. They'll be great with early spring clothes and jeans. The pattern was easy and fun. They have a short rolled top which is easy to get into and they are stranded all over the pattern area.

I needed only to make a couple of changes to the pattern (the turning heal part number of stitches wasn't right and I needed to adjust it) and they came out nicely. The Socks that Rock January package came yesterday so I just strung all the beads on the yarn and I'm itching to get started on that but it's a tired day so far. I'm still trying to get over the sinus crud and the ears being full causing my usual vertigo. I'm off to cast on to the now beaded yarn, it's really beautiful but the pattern looks more complicated than anything I've ever done on socks. Well, I'd better get started. See you later. :)

Snowy Day

Today is going to be quiet for me, I'm fighting a nasty cold and just finished putting a pot of chicken soup on the stove to simmer. It's snowing big fluffy snowflakes outside the window of my office and it's beautiful. Yesterday was quiet too as I tried many times to do work at my desk and my attention span was less than a nanosecond. I'm planning on alternating between sock knitting and sleeping so maybe I'll be feeling better tomorrow. This is a finished (and begun second sock) "STR Purple Rain" Sock that I started over a year ago. It's such an easy pattern that it's brainless so I'm going to work on it at work. This blue one is a neat pattern I found on the web called "Wheat" and it's being done in STR "Blue Brick Wall". It's a very subdued coloring, appropriate for a quiet day, and I think it's perfect for wearing with jeans. The pattern is time consuming and takes attention, but I really like the way it mixes up the stripes of color. This sock knitting thing is darn near addicting to a lot of knitters, and I'm enjoying exploring all the possibilities now that I finally understand how similar each sock really is to a standard pattern. I adjusted the number of stitches on the Purple Rain sock to fit the heal and toe decreases of a very simple formula I use. I was proud of finally figuring out how to do such things.
I am getting bored with just doing a plain knit (stockinette) sock like the Pirate's Booty ones I finished last week. The yarn for this is Koigu and I'm so hoping I have enough for the entire sock since I only have 2 balls of it in this colorway. If not, I'll put a solid on the toe that goes with the colors in the yarn, the yarn has been in my stash for years so I'm sure there is nothing like these colors available anymore. This pattern is called "Carusoe" (because it's STRANDED) and I got the pattern from Knitty. If you're a knitter and not familiar with this website, it's full of great patterns, tutorials, and help with everything and anything. Anyway, this one will be short with a rolled top, and the stranding pattern all over the leg and instep and heel. You can just see the stranding starting closer to my needles in the picture. I think the colors are perfect for spring. It is going to be spring someday, isn't it? I do hope so!
Here's Gracie, she's my office mate while I'm working on projects. She has her own spot on the futon and definitely does not like the flash of the camera. As soon as she sees the spot of light on her that the camera makes when it focuses, she shuts her eyes tight! So far, she doesn't seem interested by yarn, but Rosie gently picked up the ball I'm working with twice while I've been sitting here and tried to walk out of the room with it. Belle chews yarn and tries to eat it, and she's even "disconnected" the strand I was casting on with while I was knitting, I was not pleased. She's fast, and unfortunately she tends to try to swallow what she can, which so far hasn't gotten her sick. I do try to make sure everything I'm using is put away when I finish for awhile. She doesn't have any interest in inventory yarn, just what I'm working on. I think it smells like me or my hands while I'm knitting so that might be the draw.
Here's the sock machine without any yarn on it. I got it threaded yesterday and was able to get some rounds done and then it jammed again. I haven't been able to get much done with it because it keeps jamming. I'm sure it is my error, and I called the guy that rebuilds the machines yesterday. He's really good at them and making socks, and he gave me several ideas and tips which I will try out today. Hopefully I can get it going. I have tons of cheap sock yarn in my stash to play with...not the beautifully colored ones like I'm knitting now, but ones for a straight stitch sock that will self stripe. I have been getting quite frustrated with it lately. I moved it up to the office so that I could have it close to the computer since there are a couple of tutorial videos on YouTube that I'll want to review when I get a sock going. Hopefully I'll have something to show for my efforts before too very long. At very least, I'm getting lots of experience in threading it!

A Bad Cat Day

With thanks to my dear daughter who thought that these cats reminded her of our "acrobat", Rosie. :)

Cats know how this works too. :)

We taught Aidan that noses make honking sounds too. I guess these cats know how it works as well. :)

Been away from the blog

These few past weeks have been busy ones so I haven't been blogging. Firstly, I had a dress to finish for a Valley Division meeting in Gettysburg, and it did take me awhile with the ruched trim on the skirt and all. I absolutely hate this picture, I don't like bonnets (though it is called for at my age and with the day dress), and think I look horrible in them, and make up isn't period correct so I have none on which makes things worse. The fabric for the dress was beautiful on the bolt but I just don't think it's becoming in a dress whatsoever. It tends to accentuate any wideness, and as you'all know I've been doing weight watchers the last month and have been fairly successful, so seeing myself in this dress really makes me feel like a whale! And though that Civil War fashions are very short waisted by design, I think the next time I wear the dress I'm going to use a light blue belt, the gold one matches the buttons and the pattern (there are little yellow berries on the print) but I think it's too abrupt of a color change. True, CW fashion sensibility calls for huge contrast, not matching, but I live in the 21st century so I have to work with what's correct as well as what I think looks ok. I'll wait until I've lost a bit more before I decide if I'm going to keep the dress or not, after all that work on the thing, I hate to not wear it at least a few times before I put it up on ebay.

The 3 kids also keep us busy, I just had to rescue Rosie the Calico from behind and between two bookcases. I came home from work (oh yeah, I'm flying a full schedule again) and couldn't find her but I could sure hear her wails of distress because she was trapped! She's become quite the acrobat but she doesn't always make the leaps she's attempting! Grace still isn't "playing well with others" and there are fights going on pretty intermittently. Thankfully nobody seems to be getting hurt. Here's Belle trying to figure out how to drink the water out of this glass, even though she has a water fountain just for cats on the floor right below where she's standing. I guess doing the obvious and simple thing just isn't any fun.

I've been feeling better after getting off some medication for my ears and sinuses that had been affecting my moods and how I was feeling. I didn't feel like doing much at all, but managed to sew a bit. Now I'm back to knitting too, and this scarf was one that I made in the last few weeks. It's a 2 ply of my own handspun, one ply is a light grey CVM and the other is a yummy chocolate CVM (California Variegated Mutant sheep breed) from fleeces I've bought from Myrtle Dow of Black Pines Sheep in Colorado. This fiber is very spongy and springy and has a nice feel. I did the scarf in seed or star stitch and it goes well with the brown down jacket that hubby bought me for Christmas. I have plenty of fiber left, so I was thinking about doing solid grey and solid brown as well as more of the heathered ply for maybe a fair-isles hat. But that's in the future as I have plenty yarn in my stash to keep me busy for a very long time until I get around to spinning again.

I just finished this pair of socks a little while ago this morning. My dear friend Lorraine got me two skeins of this fantastic sock yarn about 15 months ago and though I started both skeins, I put the socks away because I didn't like the pattern I was using so much. I just took out a bunch of unfinished projects that I'd stashed all around the house, refound the socks, ripped out the area I didn't like and started again. I've been taking the socks to work to knit on when I'm sitting between flights and actually finished both socks in about 2 1/2 weeks. This one is called "Pirate's Booty" and you'll see that the yarn looked nothing like the finished project! The yarn is from "Socks that Rock" at Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and I just love it! I'd never gotten the opportunity to fondle any of the STR yarn in person, just read about it on blogs and looked at it on their website, in person it's really nice yarn, kind of similar to my beloved Koigu. And though the color choice was a little brighter than I usually am attracted to, I got intrigued by the way the colors repeated and grew to love it more and more as I worked with it. Judging from the way they turned out, I think the choice was perfect!

As is true with most of my hand knit socks, these are fraternal, not identical twins. I was surprised at just how different the two ended up because I was careful to start at the same place in the repeat. I guess I'll just chock it up to the differences in hand dyed yarns. I think having them be just a little different is kind of fun anyway. The other skein that my friend gave me is called "Purple Rain" and I have one sock done down to where the heal flap starts. It'll be the next portable project and it's already in it's traveling bag in my purse.

I also was overjoyed to actually get a spot in the 2009 "Socks that Rock" club, I'd tried for several years to join but there were never any spots left. I got an email response letting me know that I could get a spot for 2009 and that would entitle me to future years if I wanted. I will expect the January package in the next couple of weeks and will post what that looks like. The club sends a new project every 2 months, so I will have to see if I can get it done before March comes along. Since there are discussions on the blog for the projects, I will start March's when it comes so that I don't get behind, but I'll have to work on January's to get caught up. I can't wait! The patterns are usually more difficult than the easy and simple one I used on these so I might have my comfort zone pushed but that's ok. I want to improve and learn.

In the meantime, I "refound" this skein of chunky Noru that was in my stash. There are only 120 meters on this ball and I don't seem to have another skein or ball anywhere...any suggestions? I was thinking of weaving a narrow scarf but I don't know if that would be enough with the loom waste and all. Maybe I'll just wait and work on my other pair of socks and hope that I think of something. :) It's really thick and bulky so if I knit it, I'm going to have to use tree sized needles...still not sure what to use it for.

Wednesday already?

"One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries." - A. A. Milne

I had 9 of the 10 things for Tuesday written and proofread and then poof! I must have hit a wrong key as it was all of a sudden gone. I didn't have the time that late in the day to try to reconstruct it. So, here I am here again on Wednesday doing a TTT.

1. I successfully completed my re-qualification exams and practicals on Monday. It's always such a good feeling to get them over with, the stress lifts and then though it's a crazy busy day (we have to demonstrate each and every door and window exit, fire fight, re-qualify in CPR and AED and so on) I always look back upon it and feel good about having had the refresher and feel very on top of things that hopefully I'll not have to use in the real world in the upcoming year.

2. We had an ice and snow storm last night. It's beautiful though treacherous outside and the world is just beginning to wake up with school being cancelled and most folks going into work late. Unfortunately I do have to leave the house today so I'm trying to get motivated enough to go clear off the car and shovel the sidewalk. I really do not like winter so when the weather gods rear their ugly heads I try really hard not to have to go out in it.

3. My long wait is over! I had seen that a Wii game/disc for workouts was getting good reviews on Weight Watchers and other places so I went looking for it a few weeks ago. It's called "My Fitness Trainer" and I've found it available online and in stores for $49.99 which is way too expensive. I kept looking and found it on sale online for $19.99 and ordered it only to find out it was out of stock. I was patient and it finally came to me late last week. It takes awhile to set up the profile but I did that Sunday morning before I left for Chicago. I did my first workout yesterday with "Maya" (the trainer) and it was a great workout and actually did push me quite well.

4. I didn't go to the fitness class yesterday because of the snow and I'll probably skip today. I'm not losing my motivation, just going to work out at home with Maya. I followed up yesterday morning's MFT work out in the afternoon with 30 minutes of aerobics with the Wii fit.

5. I gained again last Saturday when I had my weigh in at Weight Watchers. I am following the program and certainly exercising more than I used to before the new year, but I keep gaining small amounts. I go see the Doc today, am going to ask for something for my vertigo/sinus/ear that doesn't have any steroids in it. Maybe that's it, I don't know. It's worth a try. I'm getting frustrated. Maybe it's time to begin to NOT use my "additional 35" points that you get per week in addition to my daily 21. Maybe it's again not drinking enough water. I don't know.

6. While I was showering I thought about sharing something I enjoy...sounds silly but I really like good smelling handmade soaps. I don't like commercial ones, they extrude all the glycerin and they don't feel or work the same. I have one for my body that is made by a lady outside of Gettysburg, she sells them at the farmer's market in the Spring and Summer. That one is Cucumber and Melon, it smells wonderful and feels so very nice on my skin. The one I use for my face is made by "The Soap Factory" in Wailua (very small business on Oahu that is situated in one of the old Sugar Cane mills) and that one is made with Kukui nut oil and has scrubbing grit. It is Pineapple/Papaya, though I do love all of their scents and soaps. I'd rather scrimp and save on something else, I have to have my nice soaps. I also use Kukui nut moisturizer on my face and I haven't had a zit issue since I started using the soap and moisturizer. They're so inexpensive too!

7. I came home Monday night to some very clingy cats who thought I wasn't coming home and weren't happy with the prospect of having to survive upon dry kibble for the night. (I got home near 10pm). Their dad had left very early in the morning for a business trip which they're more used to than my being gone overnight. Everyone wanted to snuggle with me at bed time which doesn't work well because of the tensions between Gracie and the kittens. Belle was nipping at my legs, she's never liked the eau de' airplane that she detects when I come home from flying, and Rosie sniffed at me like she wasn't sure it was really me. Last night was better, though Grace decided to sleep in Rosie's spot at the end of the bed. That violated some unwritten law with the kittens so they were not happy with her. Still, they all have had lots of loving and been fed well so everything is happy for them again.

8. My dear daughter called and related that she'd finished her taxes yesterday. I haven't even gotten all the paperwork yet nor the program with which to do them, so that'll have to be on my agenda in the next few days. Every year I try to do them early but dread doing them because it literally takes me days and sometimes more to finalize the business year and get them done. Still, I've been working feverishly on financial matters and I feel a lot more in line with things. I set up a budget yesterday which is something that I do periodically to get more on top of what's going out and what needs to come in. Since we usually get a small refund, I need to get moving on that.

9. As I read blogs, I find that those that are not spell checked or use horrible grammar are much more difficult to read, and more difficult to figure out what the author intended to say. I have actually cut a few out of my "reads" because it's just not worth slogging through them, especially knowing how easy it is to at least spell check them. It's mostly those that use things like "text abbreviations" such as UR for your (c'mon, it's only 2 more keystrokes to type the word!), or are very hard to read. In any case, I'll be more careful to proofread my own and to spell check them since there is a spell checker on all of the blogging platforms that I'm familiar with. That way none of my dear friends and readers will have to roll their eyes when I've made and not caught an error.

10. Along with talking about blogging, I, like others of you, have decided to be more careful of my computer time. I have to constantly be on the computer for my business, but I find that I spend more time here than I have to by sitting and doing non-essential things. I still have to do orders, invoice, emails, and all those responsible business things, but I'm limiting my blog reading, posting, commenting, chatting, and face-book reads to once a day. No more "just checking" after the morning read to see if there's anything new, it's a tremendous time waster for me. I'll still endeavor to blog in the "at least once a week" range or when I have new pictures, but I won't have the time to comment on everyone's blog that I read. I'm sorry, but I have other things that are sitting around unfinished that I want to get a move on.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Aidan update

It's been awhile since I've shared any grandbaby pictures and Jenn just sent some so here they are! There are some from Aidan's discovery of the wonders of Bubble Wrap (a personal favorite of mine!), some from visiting the beach and looking for Honu (Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles) in the water, washing the car with dad, and a great one of Aidan hugging Baaa and Elmo. :) Gosh I miss the entire family, I wish they were closer.

With thanks to all their "honorary Cat Aunties"

Well, look who's here on the floor playing with toys! It's our little Gracie, who is gaining weight and getting healthier all the time. :)

I never thought it was going to be possible when Grace was so sick, but she seems to be all better and is up and around and acting like a much younger cat. Thank you to all of the girls' helpers, those wonderful friends that offered encouragement and good advice when I first took her in out of the cold and was trying to nurse her back to health. I really appreciate it, as does Gracie. Here she is going after the favorite toy of all the girls, "Da Bird". Here's a cute one of Rosie exploring the snow outside. She got to go out on her harness and explore that strange white stuff. The girls are all indoor only cats so they get to take walks with mom and dad while on harness and leash.

Here's Belle out on her harness too. She gets so excited when she is getting her harness fastened, she knows she's going to get to go outside for a walk. When they came inside they were very playful...too bad they're cats and can't have hot cocoa and marshmallows!