Happy Hallowe'en!

Pk and I took today off from work so he could go to an estate sale about 50 miles away. We left at o'dark thirty and it looked like this. The sun was just coming up and the sky was so clear. The day turned out to be glorious. We drove into the sunrise and got to see the sky get lighter and lighter.

We found the house and I have to say it is a weird thing to wander around someone's house and look at their things and decide if you want to buy any of them. I have never been to an estate sale before and I'm not sure I like it. It feels like grave robbing. Pk was interested in tools (duh!) and was not disappointed. The garage was full of tools and some sports equipment. He bought some wood clamps and a mitre saw. I walked around and looked at odd lamps made out of huge pieces of driftwood and other strange things. Including about 100 little tiny Santas. All the same. All made out of resin and boxed up. I couldn't figure out what someone would want with them.

This made me wonder what people would think if my kids have an estate sale when we die. Will they wander around and say "oh my, what is THAT? Why is there all this wool in the living room?" Will they question our taste and gawk at the odd things we have collected over the years?

We drove back through the early morning and decided to stop at a local farm/entertainment place. It was originally a working farm and I guess in some sense it still is. The family grows pumpkins, corn, and cotton and gives hay rides to pick those things when they are in season. Cotton is fascinating. You pick some bolls and wait for them to burst open and inside is a little ball of fluffy white stuff. In order to keep the farmland as farmland, they have resorted to this retail establishment. We bought some pumpkin pie and apple cider. And we saw farmers and

sheep. Well, only plastic ones but still sheep. It was a really nice way to spend the morning. We stopped at the diner for breakfast and got to see first hand all of the people heading over to Philadelphia for the big parade celebrating the Phillies' winning the World Series. Pk and I both take the train into the city for work and I am soooooo glad we didn't go in today. There were people waiting in line for over an hour to buy a ticket and then in line to get onto the train. We would have been stuck over there trying to get home today. We hadn't considered the parade when we made our plans but we were lucky. They're expecting over a million people all shoved into South Philadelphia today. That is about a million too many for me.

Today is the last day of Blogtoberfest. I'm glad. 31 posts in 31 days was a challenge. It was interesting and fun but it will be nice to go back to "no obligation blogging". I know there are lots of folks out there doing the Blog 365 thing and I admire them but I don't think it's for me. Like Bells said, I love blogging. It's a way to reach out and connect but I think I would come to resent it if I felt I had to do it everyday.

Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day off. I'm going to try to ply some yarn that I have spun. I have never plied before (sounds racy!) and this could be an exercise in frustration but I think I have the patience for it today. I needed a mental health day. Work has been stressful and today my supervisor was to present his design for our new program. I hope it went well but I can surely wait until next week to see it. I don't think it will have changed that much.

Have a Happy and safe Hallowe'en. I am wearing my pumpkin shirt and pumpkin socks and will probably go and have dinner with my brother and his family later. Oh, and I'm going to give out candy. If I'm lucky, there won't be too much left!

I saw this on teabird's blog and was intrigued.

I know these quizzes are ubiquitous (I love that word, almost as much as "calipigous") but this one at least has great art in it......small redeeming fact, I know.

Enjoy.

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Balanced, Secure, and Realistic.

15 Impressionist, 14 Islamic, 11 Ukiyo-e, -10 Cubist, -10 Abstract and -8 Renaissance!

Impressionism is a movement in French painting, sometimes called optical realism because of its almost scientific interest in the actual visual experience and effect of light and movement on appearance of objects. Impressionist paintings are balanced, use colored shadows, use pure color, broken brushstrokes, thick paint, and scenes from everyday life or nature.

People that like Impressionist paintings may not alway be what is deemed socially acceptable. They tend to move on their own path without always worrying that it may be offensive to others. They value friendships but because they also value honesty tend to have a few really good friends. They do not, however, like people that are rude and do not appreciate the ideas of others. They are secure enough in themselves that they can listen to the ideas of other people without it affecting their own final decisions. The world for them is not black and white but more in shades of grey and muted colors. They like things to be aestically pleasing, not stark and sharp. There are many ways to view things, and the impresssionist personality views the world from many different aspects. They enjoy life and try to keep a realistic viewpoint of things, but are not very open to new experiences. If they are content in their live they will be more than likely pleased to keep things just the way they are.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test

The emphasis is mine. I think I'm fairly socially acceptable. No one's tried to stone me or tar and feather me lately. I bathe regularly and try not to belch or fart in public. Parts of it are true. I tend, when content, to leave well enough alone and not seek out 'the next thing'. I am a homebody and while travelling is nice, I'd rather putter around my own home.

Well, the heater came on and it works and we are all glad. Now we can turn it off until we really need it. I am a big proponent of the "put on a sweater, we're not supporting the gas company" philosophy. Pk is alright with that, he has the "blanket with arms" that I made for him a few years ago. This is the largest sweater that I have ever seen and he loves it. The sleeves are way too long but he likes that because he can pull them down over his hands when he is at the keyboard and it is almost a wrap sweater on him. The fact that he likes it is all that really matters. That and not wearing it out of the house.

I spent some time working on his socks last night. I have come to realize that I will never reach the perfection that is Thorlo socks but I can make nice, soft, warm socks for him. The yarn is thicker than fingering but not quite worsted and I'm using 2.25 needles so I have tight, thick fabric. And they're plain feet with ribbed cuffs. Boring, yet comforting to knit.

I ordered some books and they came yesterday. It was a nice surprise since I didn't expect them to even ship until today. And yesterday was a less than stellar day at work so the surprise was doubly nice. I ordered It Itches by Franklin Habit and Free Range Knitter by Stephanie Pearl McPhee and Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard. Franklin's book is like his blog only better because it's expanded. The cartoons are funny and his prose is laugh out loud worthy. Stephanie's book, which I've just started reading, is her usual well written and observant style. It is a "book about knitters" as she puts it. And Wendy's book is full of patterns for fun and comfortable sweaters. The best part of it for me, as a beginning knitter, is that she gives advice and lots of hints on how to take a pattern and alter it to suit your body and style. And it's not condescending but entertaining. So, I'm set for a little while.

It is what it is. This phrase seems to be coming out of my mouth with increasing frequency and I can't decide if it's a good thing or not. I remember reading something somewhere that said that situations are neither bad nor good but it's our perception of them that judges their quality. I think that's true sometimes. But I also think some situations are bad (abusive relationships and the like) and should be avoided or changed if possible. I am using the phrase at work more often because I feel frustrated with a situation within which I find myself. It's hard when you explain your position over and over and it's misinterpreted again and again. I don't know how to make myself any clearer but it's not getting through. So, I say to myself, "it is what it is" and walk away. I was called into a "meeting" with my two immediate supervisors yesterday so they could tell me that they don't want me to volunteer to be a trainer for our new computer program that we are rolling out in January. This was hard to hear because I like to teach and I'm good at it. And I'm one of the few people in the building who supports the change to computer records and is really comfortable with the computer as a work tool. I can't really fight it, I won't win and I'll just get frazzled. So, I say to myself "it is what it is". And I will let it go.

I'm off to the dentist to (finally!) get the crown put back into my mouth. This should end the dental saga. Yay!! Have a good Wednesday everyone.

For Blogtoberfest, I have been posting early in the morning at work so that I don't forget. I have a tendency to throw myself into my life and forget things like, well, blogging. Doing it first thing in the morning took care of that. If I wanted to include some photos, I prepared part of the post at home with the photos and then finished it up in the morning.

This is a long explanation for a short complaint. Blogger ate my saved post. I have heard other people complain about this phenomenon but I had never had the problem. Today, it's my turn. Last night, I prepared a post with a finished pair of socks and some photos of the lace I am currently working on. I know I saved it. I saved it twice (no, I'm not obsessive, why?) but it is not there this morning. Sigh.

I finished the Reims Stockings. Imagine if you will (you'll have to, the photo is lost in the internet somewhere) a lovely combination of blues and greens in a soft, lustrous bamboo/wool combination done in a strikingly lovely pattern of gentle arches and delicate holes. Actually, the socks are pretty. I like the pattern enormously and it worked well with the yarn. I'll post photos when I get home tonight. Unless they have disappeared completely from the computer.

I also had some photos of my Meandering Vines lace. It's hard to photograph lace while you're working on it. The colors are pretty but lace doesn't come into it's own until it's blocked.

I have started a pair of socks for Pk. His favorites are a brand called Thorlo. They fit tightly around the foot and are padded on the sole. He asks for them every holiday and when I can find them, I buy them. (this year I'll just order some online instead of trekking all over the place ) The girls have refused to buy socks for him for Christmas or his birthday because "socks are boring" but that's what he always asks for. I wanted to make him a pair he would like as much as his thorlos and thought if I ribbed them on the foot part (not the toe or heel) and maybe used a second strand of yarn on the sole for padding, it might work. I'm making them toe up and winging it without a pattern. I've only ever done one other pair of toe up socks and I'm not in love with the style but it is more efficient when you have one skein for each sock.

Pk is performing the ritual "laying on of hands to make the heater work" tonight. We have an old, old, old heater. We're hoping to get another year out of it. It needs a part and then we can turn it on and the house will have that "first time you turn on the heater after the summer" smell. You know the one? The dusty comforting smell that means there will be heat. I am fortunate I married a man who always asks "how does that work? can I take it apart?" He is usually able to fix things that break or need maintenance. It saves us money. He has kept the heater running with car parts since they don't make this heater anymore. Problem solver, that's what he is.

Well, it's cold here and rainy and rather dark. I'm ready to start the work day. No clinic today so the day should be fairly smooth. Thank goodness.

Oh and Happy Birthday to Bill Gates! Who knows what operating system we would be using without him?

I borrowed this from galad. I own a set of tarot cards and used to read them for friends and family. It's been ages since I did. I always found them fascinating.

You are The Sun

Happiness, Content, Joy.

The meanings for the Sun are fairly simple and consistent.

Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way.

The Sun is ruled by the Sun, of course. This is the light that comes after the long dark night, Apollo to the Moon's Diana. A positive card, it promises you your day in the sun. Glory, gain, triumph, pleasure, truth, success. As the moon symbolized inspiration from the unconscious, from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made fully consciousness and wide awake. You have an understanding and enjoyment of science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect, clarity of mind, and feelings of youthful energy.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

My favorite knit. This is the first sock I ever made. It's not the first garment I ever made but it's the first time things like gauge, needle size, and type of yarn all came into my world.

Before this pair of socks, I had made some acrylic sweaters. Really just rectangles sewn together and I was inordinately proud of them. I happened to hear about a craft show nearby and I went and the scales fell off my eyes and I was reborn as a knitter. I wanted to make socks and found a booth where they were more than willing to sell me yarn and needles and a simple, basic pattern. I was not a "knitter" at this point, only a person who made occasional things. That day I learned there is a difference. This pair of socks made me into a knitter.

I chose the yarn having no idea it was self striping. I didn't know what self striping was. I only knew it was colors Kate would like. It cost me 17 dollars which I thought was outrageous at the time ( little did I know!) That ball of Opal yarn opened the door for me and invited me inside the world of yarn and needles and gauge and stitch markers.

I was so excited when the stripes started forming! You'd have thought I invented them. I showed them to everyone and they were suitably impressed. And then it came time to turn the heel and I couldn't figure it out. I didn't know about yarn stores and finding help. I turned to the internet and found a wonderful tutorial called Socks 101 with clear directions and lots of photos. And when I figured out that it was ok to have stitches left on the needle when you turned to start the next row, there was no stopping me. I powered onto the toe and have never looked back. This is my first gusset and first heel.

This sock made me look at knitting as more than square blankets for babies. It's opened the door to so much enjoyment and new friends.

And all of that from one little ball of yarn and four wooden sticks. Not too shabby.

I'm late today. I've managed to post every day for Blogtoberfest and usually early in the day so I don't forget. Today, however, I am just getting around to it at 7 PM.

It wasn't a particularly busy day. I just have felt like a slug all day. It took me forever to wake up this morning. I think the grey, rainy day outside the window kept whispering, "stay in bed, you know you want to" and I fell for it. I actually stayed in bed until 9 and then showered and ate and went to the salon to get my hair cut and colored. They were crowded so I decided to come back later and went home. Pk and I were going to go grocery shopping but we decided to go to the mall. I would get my hair done and he would read a book in the food court and wait and then we would go shopping.

Sounds like a plan. Except that it took 2 and 1/2 hours at the salon. They didn't have my original color and the stylist was so apologetic and we had to sit and discuss the merits of alternatives. Now, I am not that picky. As long as the color looks good, if the shade is a bit different, I'm ok. It took her a long time to put on the color and then half an hour for it to set and then she cut my hair one hair at a time. Ok, maybe not. But it felt like it. It's a good haircut and the color looks great but Pk was very tired of the food court by the time I got done!

By this time, it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We headed for the grocery store. It took an hour and a half and then we got sandwiches for dinner and picked up some prescriptions and then finally headed home.

At this time, the food is put away, the dishes are done and I finally have time to put up my feet and post. I still feel like a slug. It just seemed like it took a long time for everything today. Tomorrow, we are going to Emily's house for dinner. I bought two loaves of focaccia (onion/rosemary bread) to take with us. I won't have to worry about making any and I can focus on cleaning the house and doing the laundry.

And Bells asked for photos for the Long Lacey Summer. Here's the snowflake sock on a much smaller needle. The pattern calls for 2.75 and I used 2.0 and I'm much happier with the fabric. It's still lacey and the pattern shows up better. And I think socks have to be tighter than regular lace. I like the pattern and I like this yarn. The little bits of blue show up here and there and it adds to the visual interest without competing with the lace. I have just finished turning the heel and will start the foot soon.

Tomorrow the weather should dry up and the sun is supposed to be out. Hopefully, I'll wake up and feel raring to go.

And tomorrow, my favorite knit.

Good morning and Happy Friday! The week always seems so long on Monday morning but often it feels like I blink and it's Friday.

Because I am taking part in the Long Lacey Summer that Bells is hostessing, I needed to find some piece of lace that I could work on and develop a relationship with. As I said yesterday, I have separated from the Triad pattern. I put it in a binder for a possible reconciliation at a future date. We are just not on the same wavelength at this time. I went looking for something that I could work on as a diversion from the holiday knitting that I am endeavoring to finish. I found the Meandering Vines Shawl on ravelry. I wanted to use the Shimmer yarn that I got from knitpicks. It's over 1300 yards of baby alpaca/silk so I should have plenty to make a generous shawl. In the pattern, the yarn is held double throughout but I am trying it with one strand. So far, I have only finished one half of one repeat but I like it. It's easy enough to memorize but not so easy as to be boring. At least, not yet. The good thing about it is that I can just keep going until I get really bored with it and then bind it off.

Hopefully, this relationship will be more fulfilling than the last. I am continuing to work on socks but as they are gifts, the photos will have to wait. The weather is supposed to be yucky this weekend with cool temps and rain predicted so maybe after the chores are done and the shopping is completed, I'll be able to find some knitting time and not be tempted out doors.

We're going to Em's house on Sunday for a birthday dinner for Jim. She's making lasagna and all I have to do is bring some "good bread". I suppose it might be nice if I made some so maybe I'll fit that in on Saturday.

The fire is still raging in the Pinelands. It's up over 2,000 acres and less than half contained. We are keeping as close an eye as we can. The Pinelands (formerly known as the Pine Barrens) is a unique ecosphere and although I know fire will not completely wipe it out and can in fact be beneficial, it's still hard to watch. This morning as I left the house, I could smell smoke. I thought it was one of my neighbors but it was still there when I got to the train station. We're over 20 miles away. I guess the wind must have been blowing this way last night.

Are you ready for the weekend? Any plans?

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Doris!

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.


• * Share fun times with me.


• * Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.


• * Let me know that I am important and special to you.


• * Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

* Reassure me that I am interesting to you.

* Reassure me often that you love me.

* Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Doris

* being able to relate easily to people and to make friends

* knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better

* being generous, caring, and warm
* being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings

* being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Doris

* not being able to say no

* having low self-esteem

* feeling drained from overdoing for others

*not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish

* criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should

* being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them

* working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often
* are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism

* try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding

* are outwardly compliant

* are popular or try to be popular with other children

* act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention

* are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)

Dorises as Parents

* are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)

* are often playful with their children

* wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"

* can become fiercely protective

Take the test here.

Heehee! I'm a Doris. I'm also a Tarzan and Kermit the Frog depending on which test you prefer!

Tooth update: The dentist did all the prep work for reinstalling my crown yesterday and then discovered the crown had a pinhole in the top. AAGGHHH! She is sending it to the lab to be re-enameled and will put it in next week. In the meantime, she drilled and put in a screw and "built it up" to hold in the crown. A little sore in there today.

Lace update: The Triad Scarf and I are divorced. I got custody of the yarn and needles and will search for another partner. Don't cry. We weren't meant to be. In fact I've already moved on and am contemplating another relationship.

And that's all for Thursday.

I decided to give the lace scarf another chance or three last night and we are still not on speaking terms. I also realized that the cold weather we have been having is having an effect on the arthritis in my hands. This weekend I have to go through the coat closet and see what we all have in the way of winter woolies. I know I have mittens somewhere and a scarf and I think there's a hat in there. I also have to take my wool coat to the cleaners. Pk and I own winter jackets that come apart into two separate jackets made by Columbia. One inner layer that is fleece and one outer shell that was waterproof. They are well over 10 years old and the plastic zippers are starting to wear. We dropped them off at the cleaners to have them replaced. I thought about doing it myself but it means disassembling the front of the jacket and I thought I'd let a professional do it. The shells will be done in 2 weeks. In the meantime, we can wear the inner jackets. It's expensive to have a zipper replaced. When Pk told me how much, I almost went back inside and took them back! Then common sense kicked in and I'll let them do their job. It's a lot of work to replace these zippers and they deserve to be paid fairly.

I had so much trouble falling asleep last night. I dozed off and on until about 3 and then finally fell soundly asleep. I think it's probably because I am going to the dentist today for the final round of preparation to have my crown replaced. Yay! I can get rid of the little metal cap and get my tooth back and then I can chew on both sides of my mouth. An underrated feat if ever there was one. I also always have trouble sleeping this time of year. As the daylight grows scarce, my internal clock takes a while to reset. And the end of daylight savings time isn't for another week. That always takes me days to adjust to mentally.

I sat through one of the most uncomfortable meetings ever yesterday. It was supposed to be a chance for our interns to talk about their experiences in social rehab groups and talk about when they would like to run groups. It turned into a debate on recovery in mental health and I watched two professionals who should know better debate in front of the students. One of the girls said to me afterwards, "I've never been so uncomfortable in my life". I challenged what one of the people was saying because he was not making any sense and he didn't respond well. (He is my supervisor and I'm afraid I'll pay for that. ) I wish now that I had kept my mouth shut but I couldn't help it. He kept making statements that contradicted themselves and I couldn't stand it. I have supervision with my other supervisor today and I'll have a chance to talk about it.

There was (is) a huge fire burning in our neck of the woods. The Wharton Tract is on fire. We were driving in that direction last night but were still 20 miles away but could see the huge cloud of smoke. And as it got dark, we could see the glow from the fire. That's one of my favorite spots in the world and it hurts my heart. It's been really dry the last few weeks and the woods are ablaze. The winds aren't helping either. As of this morning, over 1300 acres have burnt and it's not under control yet. This happens now and again and I know that the woods will come back but it's hard to watch. This time there are houses and people in the way of the fire.

Have a good Wednesday. The World Series starts tonight. If I didn't live in the Philadelphia area, I wouldn't know that. But because the Phillies are playing, you can't miss it. There is a distinctive red cast to everything!

Diane at Britknits has given me an award. I know these things don't come with any monetary award but there's something nice about coming into work, logging onto your computer and finding out that someone likes reading what you write. When I started writing this about 18 months ago, I didn't know if anyone but my family would read and I had no idea of the friends I would make. It has brought so much joy into my life. I hate having to nominate people because I love all the blogs I read (or else I wouldn't read them!).

1.Please put the award on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. You must nominate 4 fellow bloggers for this award.

4. Add links to the recipients.

5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

Random Meanderings written by bezzie. She is a fellow Jerseyite, for the time being. But not born and bred so her take on things here in the Garden State are always interesting. She is also the originator of the K.A.Y.E. award. Curious? Check her out.

Samurai Knitter written by Julie. She is the most widely read and curious person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I always learn something new when I read her blog, even if it's that I should stay away from the Vogue Knitting magazine.

Sheepish Annie. Anne is a teacher of children who are less than well behaved and the mother of two cats and a spinner and knitter. She writes with humor and is working hard to educate the generation of people who will be taking care of us when we get old.

A few stitches short written by Susan. Susan is an unbelievably creative designer and an inspirational writer. In a little over a year, she has started a design business (as well as published a book and maintained a household and knitted a lace wedding shawl) that has some lovely designs.

There are four of my favorites. Thanks, Diane. I was so tired this morning and you made me smile.

One of the really good things about having a husband who likes to play with woodworking tools is that when you mention that you would like to have some more bobbins for your spinning wheel, he goes out and makes two of these. Isn't it pretty? It's one piece and very light. It amazes me that it started out as two boards glued together and fastened to the lathe. There are two more in the works. I'll have enough bobbins to indulge my spinning habit.

I thought I'd share some of the colors of fall as I see them around. Here are two of the chrysanthemums in the front of the house. They have come back every year for the past 3 years and we add more as we feel like it. I haven't filled in the spots yet this year but the ones from last year are blooming beautifully. This was Sunday around 1:00 in the afternoon. You can see the sunshine reflected off the blooms.

I spun two bobbins of the camel/silk before my hands started to protest. I still have a rather large bump to spin. It spins so fine that it takes some time to fill a bobbin (and my bobbins are rather small). It's nice to finally feel like what I'm spinning is yarn.

I was rather organized this morning and managed to get some dinner into the crock pot before I left the house. Mondays are the best days for remembering I have a crock pot. It's my busiest day and I like to come home to a house that smells all savory.

Well, here we go. Have a good Monday!

The lace and I aren't talking at the moment. I gave it all day yesterday, in between loads of laundry, to play nice. It refused. It is sulking in the bag and I am going to soothe myself with a holiday gift project. I'm not sure what the problem is but after trying for 2 days to get past the 6th row, I'm putting it aside for now. I actually started row 7 once but there is a quirky part where you p1 and k1 through a double yarn over down in row 2 and then drop the next stitch on the needle and when I did it, the whole thing unravelled in a most unattractive way. I must be doing something wrong.

Here is a photo of the yarn I bought myself for being a good dental patient. It's 1200 yds of merino and soft. I didn't have anything in mind when I bought it, I just liked it. I think that is a sign of a serious addiction. Usually, I buy yarn for a purpose, not just because it's beautiful.



The weather today is windy and sunny. I have been listening to the wind chimes outside my bedroom window for the last two hours. I love wind chimes and have two sets outside the house. I would love more but I like my neighbors and don't want to drive them crazy.


I'm off to shower and fix some breakfast and resume the washing of the winter clothes. I stopped at 8 last night and have 3 loads left for today. It takes so long because everything is heavy and bulky and takes up a lot of space in the washer.

Have a restful Sunday.

I'm waiting for a mystery book to download so I have something to listen to today as I do my chores. I find I don't mind them quite so much if I have something interesting to listen to. Our library's new audiobook service only allows 4 books to be "checked out" at a time for a two week period. This is tough for me because I listen frequently (it's what I do instead of watch television) and I can easily go through the books before my two weeks are up. Pk to the rescue! He allowed me to use his library card and check out books so I have 4 books a week, an embarassment of riches. I am waiting for a Dean Koontz novel to download. I like his stuff because there is always an element of hope in the story and the good guys always win in the end.

Here is my first foray into A Long Lacey Summer. It's my newest nemesis. I have learned that I have a rather steep learning curve when it comes to true lace patterns. I always have to try them several times before we make friends and I can move along. And this one has a p2togtbl (purl two together through the back loop). Thank goodness for online knitting guides. It took a while of playing with it before I figured out that one. It's a strange stitch and not easily performed. I really like the pattern chose and I love the yarn and I now have the right size needles. I have cast on several times and gotten as far as row 6 before I had to rip it and start again. I know that one of these times I will get it right and be able to keep on going. I think part of the problem might have been the pain medicine. Codeine is not conducive to clear thought and perhaps I'll have better luck today.

I noticed that the leaves are turning rapidly here and I need to remember to take my camera with me when I go out. I love the colors of fall as much as I love the first little buds of spring. All it will take is one good rain storm and they'll all be gone.

This weekend we are getting out the winter clothes. Because of a lack of closet space, our off season clothing is stored in the attic in totes. It's always a chore to take all of them out, sort and wash them and then sort through the current season clothes and put them away. I am trying to be ruthless in the sorting. If I didn't wear it this summer, it goes to Goodwill. There is no reason to hang onto clothes that I don't wear. I hate putting away the summer clothes. It means that summer is really, really over. Like the cold temps at night haven't been hint enough.

The tooth is better today although there will be no chewing on that side for a while. There is no throbbing and the swelling seems to have gone down. I think it helped that I was asleep all night and not talking.

Have a good Saturday!

Well, it's done. The dentist told me he originally didn't think that the prognosis was good but it turned out way better than he hoped. Yay!

And then the numbness wore off......Ouch. I visited my regular dentist and she put a temporary crown on to protect the area until it heals and then she will put the permanent crown in, probably about a week. In the meantime, I have some tylenol with codeine which I just took so in a little while I should be asleep.

Before the numbness wore off, I called Kate and we took a ride to Woolbearers, our favorite lys. It's not really local but it's a good store. I needed a lace needle to start the Triad scarf and I treated myself to a skein of hand dyed laceweight yarn in deep blues and purples and little bits of green. Beautiful. I figured it was better than treating myself to a dozen donuts. I deserved a treat for being such a good patient this morning and they don't give out decoder rings anymore.

Kate and I stopped at the Asian Food Market on the way back. I love this store. There is not much in English and the variety of foodstuffs that are new and different is fascinating. I got a ham and egg bun to eat for lunch (very soft food) and some water chestnuts for the stir fry for dinner and some buns to steam for dinner. Kate got some odd drinks and of course, Pocky. I figured I'd get home before the anaesthetic wore off and we just made it.

Now I can feel my tongue and lips again (lidocaine makes your mouth feel so weird!).

Here is a bump of the baby camel/silk roving I bought. Doesn't it look soft? It is. Very. It feels just like hair (well, duh) and when you try to draft it, you get piles of stuff that looks like this. Kinda of a mess. It sticks to everything and is hard to get off the furniture and your clothes and out of your nose and off the cats and well, it's everywhere.

But if you persevere, you get a lovely ball of soft yarn that you can then knit into a soft, warm garment to keep a loved one warm. It's not hard to spin, once you get over the fact that you end up wearing as much of the roving as you spin. It slips right through my fingers and lets me spin nice thin yarn that will be a joy to knit.

Well, I think I'd like to sit outside in the rather warm October sunshine for a little while until I fall asleep. I hope you are all having a lovely Friday.

Regarding our "sick time policy". It is sucky. They are fairly generous with the time. I think 11 days a year is a goodly amount and they can accrue to a fairly high number. I had something like 400 hours of sick time before I dislocated my ankle and used 6 weeks. The problem is that when we are evaluated each year, there is a section of the evaluation that is all about the "occurrences". Each time you call out sick (or for a personal emergency), that is an occurence. If you hit 5 occurrences in one rolling year, you get a good talking to. If you then have another one, you get a written warning and then you have to go an entire year without an "unscheduled absence" or you move onto the next stage of the disciplinary process. Actually, once you're officially in the disciplinary process, it's darn near impossible to get out.

I'm not sure which HR genius thought of the policy but we are a healthcare organization. They are encouraging people to come to work sick and spread the germs around. If I come in and then go home early, I can use sick time but it's not an occurrence. So, people drag their sick selves into the door and then wait an hour and go home. And that is not to mention all the individuals who are suffering from major mental illness and neglect to take care of their physical health and bring loads of germs into our lives each day. It's a no win situation.

Earlier this year, I took some days off, pre-approved so they should not count as occurrences. I got called on the carpet and had to fight to keep myself out of the disciplinary process. And that is why I am taking a vacation day tomorrow to have my tooth worked on.

I frogged the Opal sock and started it again using size 2.0 needles and what a difference. The pattern looks better and the fabric is more acceptable. What a difference size makes.

I ordered a pattern from Sunflower designs . The "Triad scarf". One of Susan's new "aperitif" line. I'm waiting for the yarn I ordered to come and then I'm ready to start my first "summer lace" project.

I ordered some alpaca/silk blend from Knitpicks in the spice color. The patern looks interesting and it's supposed to be a "quick little knit". Those words and "lace" don't belong in the same sentence where I'm concerned! I'm looking forward to it.

Well, I've dallied too long. Today is a "hit the ground running" kind of day. I have charts to prepare, a meeting on the psych ward and a crisis mgmt class to teach this afternoon.

Have a good day!

If you've never visited this site, you're in for a laugh. It is funny and never fails to make me smile.

Today it's standing in for me as I struggle to stay awake. I went to the endodontist and he took an x-ray and said he wouldn't touch the tooth until I had been on an antibiotic for a few days. So, he prescribed clindamycin (which makes me very drowsy) and rescheduled the procedure for Friday morning at 8 am. I started the medicine (thus the drowsiness) and will take Friday off from work and have the procedure. It means getting my courage up to return to the office a second time. They are all nice folks in there but they have sharp, pointy instruments and they want to work inside my mouth.

I am given 11 sick days each year but pay a penalty at evaluation time for using them so I dragged my sorry self into work today. I think I am getting a cold and along with the medicine, I feel like something the cat dragged in. I'm going to finish up and leave early and go home and sleep. I am such a cotton head today.

Even though one of my girls likes the Opal sock, I am frogging it today. I think I might like it if it were done on smaller needles. The pattern calls for 2.75's and I think they are too large for the thin yarn. I'm going to give it a try on smaller needles and if that doesn't work, we'll let the yarn marinate for a while. I ordered some silk/alpace laceweight yarn yesterday to make a shawl to participate in the southern hemisphere's lacey summer sort of knit along. It's all very loose and has no deadlines so I'm in. I ordered a color called "spice" so we'll see. It looks like it's browns and reds and manogany.

Have a good Wednesday. Someone around here is cooking bacon and it's killing me it smells so good! Bacon is something I indulge in only infrequently and just the smell makes me hungry.

Look, we made the funny papers! Pearls Before Swine is one of my favorite comics. (And yes, I read the comics first each morning). Rat is so cynical and Pig is so simple. And sweet. I used to read the news first and then I went to a seminar and the speaker said that he liked to start his day with a smile so he read the comics first. That made so much sense to me that I now reach for the comics first and then if I have time I read the "hard news". It never hurts to laugh in the morning.

Today is the day I go to the endodontist and have the root canal retreated. I didn't sleep well last night, too nervous I guess. Today I woke up with raging allergy symptoms. I have medicated them as best as I can and now I just have to wait for the meds to work. My tooth hurts which is a good thing. At times over the weekend when it wasn't hurting, I had the thought that I could cancel the whole thing and just forget it. Not the smartest idea but appealing nonetheless. Today it's not a choice.

I kept working on the Opal sock and turned the heel last night. I had forgotten that I used Opal for another pair of socks and really like them now. It does bloom when washed so I'm going to finish them. The pattern is pretty but like all lace, is hard to appreciate until you stretch it out.

Have a good Tuesday. I'll be at the dentist if anyone needs me.

This is a pattern I've wanted to try for a while and some yarn that I had in the stash (or boodle if you prefer). It's an Opal yarn, I forget the color but it's white with little bits of blues and purples randomly placed on the yarn. The pattern is Snowflake socks from the departed Magknits. (I don't know if it ended up somewhere else.) These are the laciest socks I've ever done and they're fairly easy. My problem is that there is an 12 row repeat and the rows are just similar/different enough that I can't easily remember it and have to keep looking at the directions. I am not enjoying the pattern, though.

As I was walking down the street toward work this morning, I realized that I don't enjoy knitting the pattern and I'm not sure I like the way it looks. I have 2/3 of the cuff done and would hate to rip out all that work but I knit for pleasure and it's not giving me pleasure. I'm going to let it sit for a few days while I try to figure out why I don't like it (it looks pretty enough, maybe it's too thin). In the meantime, I have finished one of the Reims pattern socks and started sock number two. I'm looking forward to finishing all the holiday gift knitting so I can go back to the Wildflowers shawl and finish the edging.

I had a good pj day yesterday. I lost some of it when I fell soundly asleep on the couch with knitting needles in my hand. When I woke up, I was disoriented and out of sorts for a bit so I know I was deeply asleep.

My plan is to work all day and go home and put dinner in the oven (meatloaf and roasted potatoes) and then take a short spin on the bike and then finish up the dinner and relax. I figure I need a routine so I get used to riding the bike before the weather gets too cold. I'd like to be able to ride a little distance and not feel like I'm going to fall over when I get off.

It's Columbus Day here in the US. It's a federal holiday which means no mail, no recycling pick up, and for lots of people, no work. The train was empty this morning. Sigh. As the powers-that-be remind us frequently, we are a healthcare institution and not entitled to every little holiday as people may need us.

Well, I'm off to check the phone messages and see if anyone needs me.

One of the tough things for me for blogtoberfest is not coming up with things to say (even though sometimes I know they are inane). It's having to turn on the computer on the weekends. I often don't use the machine on Saturday or Sunday. I prefer to spend my time with my mp3 player and my spinning wheel or knitting or (gasp!) my family. This has led me to do quick posts in the morning and then I can turn off the technology and go about my day.

Today is going to be a pajama day. I may actually put on sweatpants but it will be a pj day in spirit. I feel the need to relax and indulge since yesterday I cleaned, did laundry and did the grocery shopping. The weather is glorious and I may take the wheel outside and sit in the sunshine and spin. If the mosquitos (which have been horrendous this year) don't eat me alive.

So, I'll leave you with an interesting link: postsecret. I always assume that everyone knows more about what's on the internet than I do. This is probably because my family delights in reminding me I am a technology dinosaur. Postsecret is a site that Emily led me to about a year ago. It started with a man, Frank, who passed out blank post cards and asked people to write a secret down. It had to be something that no one else knows and it had to be true. The response was overwhelming. He has received millions of cards in the few years he has been doing this. There are several books of postcard secrets and a website where he posts some each Sunday. If you go there, I am warning you. Some of the secrets are heartbreaking. Some are mean and bitchy and some are heartwarming. But they're always interesting and so very human. If you already knew about it, I'm not surprised, you all are a pretty savvy lot, enjoy. If you didn't, go try it out. See how many secrets you share with others.

Have a happy Sunday.

Oh, and the bicycle for exercise is not going to work if I ride it to the store for ice cream and whipped cream! But the resulting banana splits were delicious.

Although my birthday is not for another month, yesterday Pk and I went out and bought my birthday present. Introducing my new bike. I haven't figured out what her name is. I guess we don't know each other well enough for her to tell me, yet.

I went out looking for a pink bike but it became quickly clear that the color was the least important part of the bike. Instead of looking for beauty, I got comfort. Literally. It's what is called a 'comfort bike'. The seat is wide to accomodate my wide self and it has shock absorbers to help keep the ride comfortable. And the handle bars are not flat so I have to lean way over. I was afraid that would hurt my back and I figured if it hurt to ride, I wouldn't do it.




And I added some fashion accessories. Like some blue sparkle lights that are motion activated and blink when I ride. They're really only partly fashionable and partly safety. I also have a light on the front. Then I have my favorite part, the lovely pink pinwheel streamers.

They spin around as I ride. Oh, yes and a helmet. It's the law in NJ for children under the age of 14 to wear a helmet but it just makes good sense to me. I kinda value my head and if I fall off the bike or get hit it might make a difference. And a bell. I love bells.

I haven't ridden a bike in over 35 years and was a little nervous but it felt wonderful to be zooming (well, maybe not zooming) along! I remembered how much I loved my bike when I was a kid. And then I got off and my legs felt like rubber bands. Talk about out of shape. It's going to take lots of short rides to get some muscle back in my legs and to regain stamina. I think I might have found exercise that will help me be healthier and I'll enjoy at the same time. Pk likes to ride, too but he's been riding a lot longer and he'll have to have some patience with me until I catch up.

Last night we went out for dinner for our anniversary to a cuban restaurant situated in a large old house. The atmosphere was lovely, all oranges and yellows and dark woods. The food was meh. Pk ordered paella and thought the chicken was overcooked and the scallops were so miniscule that in the dim light, he thought they were kernels of corn! I had chicken in a citrus sauce that was also rather overcooked. Tasty but over done. We had a good time anyway. It doesn't really matter where we eat, it's the company that's important.

Bells and Georgie came up with the word transform for today's blogtoberfest. I love the word transform. It holds a world of possibilities in those letters. In my field (mental health), we are transforming a system of "treatment" into a system of "recovery". Much more positive and life affirming.

In my life, I am trying to transform my soft, nearly 51 year old body into a somewhat healthier one. I am trying to eat less/better and now I will be getting more exercise. That can only be good.

Have a good and safe Saturday.

Today is my and Pk's wedding anniversary. 27 years. More than half my life spent with the same person. And never once have I regretted it. No, we're not perfect but it's the realization that we are not that makes things work. I believe that you can have more than one love in your life and I know lots of people who found love the second (or third) time around but I wonder if it would be possible to feel the same level of affection/closeness/connectedness to someone I met at this stage of my life. Pk and I have grown up together. We were 23 when we got married and while legally adults, we were so young. But we got to learn together. And boy, did we learn. Some lessons were harder than others. We are still not good savers. We are still rather impulsive. We like to laugh and we do it several times each day. We both like bad horror movies (especially when zombies are involved) and enjoy good books. We both have found hobbies that are fulfilling and we can do separately and then share with each other. (I am learning far more about woodworking tools than I care to know and Pk shocked me at the sheep show when he said "look, they have drum carders there"). We both like comic books and the humor section of the bookstore is the first place we go. Neither of us likes brussel sprouts or liver. And we love our children to distraction.

For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.

Vows we took all those years ago and they still resonate. He still makes my heart beat faster and brings a smile to my face faster than anyone else on earth. The emails that arrive at work with "to the most beautiful woman in the world" in the subject line, make my whole day. I am a very lucky woman and I know it.



BTW, on Tuesday I am having the root canal "re-treated". I think this means it is being re-rooted. Needless to say, I am filled with joy and excitement at the prospect. The dentist rightly says that if I don't deal with the cause and just keep throwing antibiotics at it, it won't get better. Knowing she's right doesn't make the dread any less. In my mind, root canals were one time forever deals. Evidently, I was wrong. Bones shrink with age and things shift around. Who knew? Then a week later, she gets to go back in and finish it off with a new post. And the fun just keeps coming.

It's Thursday morning and I woke up with a toothache. Well, I went to bed with a vague achey feeling in the tooth that has no nerves (because of the root canal) but I ignored it. I'm learning that as I get older, something always feels vaguely unsettled. This morning I bit down and owww.

Now I'm waiting for the dentist to call me back. I probably should have explained to her that I have had several infections over the past few years (two were MRSA and required hospitalization for a week at a time for IV antibiotics and surgery) and I tend to get nasty infections. I think the antibiotic she prescribed was not strong enough and not of long enough duration. I hate the thought of starting another round of medicine but I hate the thought of losing my jaw bone to an infection even more.

I have decided to keep the current pair of socks I am knitting for myself. I am loving the pattern and the intended recipient is "meh" about it so they will be mine. Like that is a hardship. I like the colors and I like the pattern. The bamboo/wool blend will only get softer once they're washed. This is not a stretchy pattern nor does it race along. I wonder why some patterns seem to fly off the needles and some leisurely mosey along. I already have something else in mind for gift giving so it's all good.

Oh, and I knew I liked Brigitte Bardot for a reason (not because she could act). She was quoted as saying that Sarah Palin was saying things that were "so disconcertingly stupid that she is an insult to women". Gotta love people who just put their thoughts right out there.

Nothing profound today. Too many thoughts of the dentist poking around saying "just a little pinch...."

ETA: I've tried several times to break up the preceding paragraph to make it easier to read but blogger seems to think it knows best. Sorry.

The voting issue is an interesting one. I don't think I'd mind having compulsory voting (we have compulsory car insurance and registration and compulsory military registration) if I had the option of voting for "none of the above". This campaign has me in a quandry. I had hoped by now to have a clear favorite but it is indeed the lesser of two evils for me. I know there are fervent Obama supporters out there and I wish I felt the fire but I don't. He's vaguely frightening to me but not as frightening as John McCain. I may, as Amy put it, "spit in the wind" and use a write in vote. At least then I can live with my conscience.

We were on a later train this morning and it was more crowded. It gave me a chance to "people watch". I noticed that most people had looks of intense concentration on their faces (maybe they were solving quadratic equations in their heads) or maybe they were frowning or just not looking forward to their day. No one had a smile. No one looked the least bit happy and it was a beautiful fall morning. It made me distinctly conscious of my own expression. I try to make an effort to keep a pleasant expression on my face. (This may be why people talk to me while I am waiting in lines.) Now, I am not ecstatic about going to work. I would much rather spend my day at home playing with my toys or just sleeping in but it's not all that bad. Not bad enough to walk around with a cloud on my face all day. Goal for today: Be aware of my expression as I go through the day.

Here is a detail shot of the red felt bag. This is a wooden closure that I found at the sheep show and it fits the style perfectly. The straps have the polka dot lining on one side and red felt on the other. I'll see the young woman next week so I'll give it to her then. I have hung the painting up in a discrete place in my office. It's an abstract of a sitting nude. There is the suggestion of a breast but it is so abstract that it's really just a suggestion. Still, there are those who would be offended so it is not in full view of everyone who comes into the office.

Day 8 of blogtoberfest and it's not as difficult as I thought. Although maybe I shouldn't say that aloud. I am finding that I can blather on about just about anything.......

Well, my Monday wasn't a bad day but it was intense for a while. I know I've told you all that I work in a community mental health center. I am a Case Manager and I am the person that individuals have the most contact with when they come in to see the doctor or need any other kind of service. Sometimes that service is just to provide a shoulder to cry/lean on and sometimes that service is to help a doctor provide emergency care.

Yesterday we had a young woman who had made a serious suicide attempt the night before come in to see the doctor. We've worried about her for a while because she is resistant to treatment and very depressed. She once again refused to go into the hospital and refused the offered medications all while saying she didn't want to live anymore. Now, anyone who has been alive in this century knows that once someone says they want to kill themselves or others, they can be committed (302'd is what we call it). The doctor left the office to notify the authorities (police must be involved in an involuntary committment) and the young woman and I chatted. I knew what was happening and felt anxious about it. When the policemen came in, and of course they were large men, I saw her body stiffen. But she went along and we escorted her to our crisis center. I walked next to her with my hand on her back to offer some reassurance. We signed her in and then I called her mother. When it was over, I felt drained even though it wasn't really all that dramatic. There is something about making someone do something against their will that is exhausting to me. I know in my heart it was the right thing to do but I also firmly believe individuals (who are coherent and thinking clearly) should be able to determine what they want to do with their own lives. If she were not depressed and still decided she did not want to live, I would support her decision. I might not understand it, but I would support it. Tough situation all around.

I didn't know that Australia had compulsory voting. I can't imagine that. Our election turn out is abysmal at best but I know if someone suggested people be required to vote, that person would be run out of town on a rail. We loves us our freedom, here in these United States, even if we don't know what to do with it sometimes.

Tonight is Debate number 2. Obama is ahead in the polls and the campaign ads are getting a little edgier. Only 4 more weeks to go. These last four weeks always seem endless. Oh, and I was misinformed when I said yesterday that it was the last day to register. It was the last day in Pennsylvania. States can set their own deadlines. I didn't know. Sorry.

And lastly, my oldest daughter now has sapphire colored hair. She told me she was getting her hair done on her way home from work yesterday and silly me, I thought she was getting the last of the purple rinsed out from Otakon in August. Instead, she had it dyed a deep purple/blue. It's cut in a cute style and the color is pretty, it'll just take some getting used to. I raised me some independent thinkers. Pk is lamenting that he has two blonde daughters and neither one of them has blonde hair at the moment. Em is a redhead and El is a bluehead. Kate, my brown haired daughter is wearing her natural color, for the moment. Who knows how long that will last? If they want to experiment, I'm glad it's with their hair which will grow back.

Well, I'm off to check the phone messages and emails that have accumulated overnight and start my work day. Have a good one everyone.

It was a lovely weekend. With the sheep show and the flea market and the perfect weather. I almost don't mind that it's Monday and I am sitting at my desk listening to the phone ring. I don't answer before 8. I think some of my clients think I live here in this office.

Today is the deadline for registering to vote in the November election. Every 4 years someone says how important this election is and how we have to "get out the vote". I think every election is important because that is what a representational government is all about. So, if you live in the US, remind people around you that if they want to be part of the solution, they need to be registered to vote. Things just keep getting scarier economically and a change in leadership is sorely needed.

I didn't knit much this weekend. For some reason, I am having trouble following the sock pattern I'm using and have had to rip out rows several times because of my lack of counting skills. I have some baby socks wrapped up for the shower this week and the red bag is crossed off the to-do list and I put the Wildflowers shawl on the back burner to work on some knitting for others so I am concentrating on the socks. Fortunately, the bamboo is soft and pleasant to work with. I spun a bobbin full of the silk/baby camel and oh my god, it's the fluffiest and softest stuff I have ever touched. Of course, this means that bits of it fly all over and my nose was itchy for hours because I had bits of fluff all over. I am grateful for the individual who invented the rolls of sticky stuff that pick up fluff and lint!

I bought a toy for my desk on Saturday to add to the collection of wind up toys I keep there for my amusement. I bought an old metal wind up spaceman who walks and waves his arms menacingly. He joins the fuzzy bunny that hops, the monkey who jumps and does flips, the robot who does the twist, the crab who sidles, the egg who dances, the peep chick who runs across the floor and the airplane that turns somersaults. Just looking at them makes me smile and playing with them can be very therapeutic.

So, how's Monday treating you?

Today is another perfectly lovely fall day. The trees are just tinged with gold and red and the sun is playing peekaboo with us behind the clouds. PK and Elanor and I went to the flea market this morning so he could look for more old tools. He is as bad as any knitter when it comes to the tools for his hobby.

He found some large cast iron clamps and some other bits (something called a "pig sticker" chisel) and El bought some soft material with butterflies that we are going to make into some pj's. I found a 15" cast iron frying pan for 10 dollars and a footed cake stand in depression glass (pink) and a Nancy Bush sock book. It's Folk Socks and while the patterns themselves aren't anything new and different, the history in the book is interesting. I also got a pattern book for argyle socks for men and knee socks that Kate has developed a fondness for. Pk mentioned that he would like some argyle socks. (Why didn't he ask for something difficult?) It was a good day all around.

I finished the red felt bag last night but have been having a hard time photographing it. I hope the recipient likes it. It came out pretty well and I found the perfect closure at the sheep show. It's a load off my mind to have it finished.

Here's a shot of the finished Saucy socks. The pattern is a really subtle cable. I love it and want to make a pair for me but I'll have to go up a few needle sizes or figure out how to add some stitches in between the pattern. The yarn is from A Piece of Vermont and is one of the skeins labelled "imperfect". I don't know where the imperfections are because it's beautiful. The photo is dead on color wise. You can see the shades of green and how it shifts without any pooling. I love it. My aunt Elsie has very thin feet and ankles and I think she will really like them. My aunt Joan loves the handknit socks I gave her. Neither has ever had any handknits because my grandmother did not knit. She worked until the day she had a stroke and was stuck in a wheelchair.

This is the beginning of the Reims stockings . The pattern was made available from the Art Walk club. The yarn is from A Piece of Vermont and is a bamboo/wool blend. You can see the sheen in the yarn. The pattern is interesting and I like the scalloped edge. I changed the nubbs a little because I didn't like the large ones that the pattern called for. These give the points enough definition without being too much.

I found out that my beloved Netlibrary is no longer available to me. My library has switched audiobook providers and I have to learn a new system or do without my recorded books. I think it is safe to say that at this time, I am a recorded book addict. ("Hello, my name is Donna Lee and I am addicted to audiobooks"). I renewed my library card today and am off to see if I can work the website. I was going to roast a chicken for dinner but the chicken is still frozen. Too frozen to try to defrost in a short time. So, it's pizza for dinner (twist my arm really hard and make me not have to cook).

Have a lovely Sunday afternoon everyone!

This morning we (Pk and I) and went to the Garden State Sheep Breeder's Show. It was great! It was small, only three pavillions but I saw something I have not even heard of before. Jacob sheep. They were hard to get a photo of and were making a lot of noise. I don't think they are docile and sweet like sheep are supposed to be. They look like devil sheep.

Can you see the horns? There are 4 of them. And these sheep have mean and scary eyes. I can't imagine trying to shear them. They have beautiful brown and white mottled coats and the yarn is coarse, kinda feels like romney. They were behind a fence and I couldn't get close enough without being in the danger zone!

They were judging them today and they were some impressive sheep. We also saw some "baby doll" sheep. Little guys that Pk said reminded him of Ewoks. They are so cute but wouldn't stand still for a photo. They were trying to see what was in the pen next to them and bleating to beat the band. He got information on how to raise them and I think he likes the idea of not having to mow the back lawn all summer.

There was a man who does wood working and Pk got to talk shop with someone. I also found some women spinning on Louet wheels and stopped to admire how easy they made it look. One offered to let me sit and spin at her wheel. At first I refused, I didn't want to mess up her lovely yarn but she insisted telling me I really couldn't hurt it. So, I sat down, took off my shoe and spun. And it was so easy. The wheel felt like it was spinning all by itself. Pk did a rather close inspection and decided he could make it fairly easily, more easily than the Ashford. So, he is off making plans.

It inspired me to buy some of this beautiful blue merino hand dyed roving. It's such a pretty blend of colors and very soft. And, boy is this woman a good salesperson. I mentioned that buying wool is such a tactile thing and I much prefer to buy it in person so I can touch it. She said she agreed and then told me to "get my fingers ready" and opened a bag to reveal this. It is possibly the softest thing I have ever felt. It's baby camel and silk. Now, if she had told me what it was, I probably wouldn't have purchased it because I have never spun silk and am slightly intimidated by it's slippery feel. But she let me touch it. And I was gone. It is so wonderful. Pk told me I should buy it and make something for myself. I'm thinking maybe of a scarf. I have 8 oz. of it so if I spin it well enough, I will have enough for a wonderful gift for myself.

It was a pleasant morning but now I have to clean the bedroom and bathroom and start the laundry. Potato soup and some Farl (a fried bread that we then put butter on top of-no cholesterol here!). The weather is definitely fall like and lovely. Just about perfect.

See you all tomorrow.