This came in my email this morning and it was amazing to watch and seasonably appropriate.  Enjoy!

Friday, I spent the day in comfortable sweat clothes and slippers and I spent the day working on the sweater.  I finally got to the right length and split for the front and back.  I am now winging (I wish) along on the front.  Actually, I'm slogging along at my usual slow pace.

I got tired of looking at the grey, as lovely as it is and started a pair of colorful socks in the yarn Kate and Patrick gave me for my birthday.  It's mini moochi and very soft.  It's a single and very loosely spun in places but strong enough that it won't pull apart.  Just a plain 2x2 ribbing.  This one is for me since it was gift yarn.

Saturday we travelled to Em's house to visit and have Thanksgiving part deux.  She served a similar menu to what we had on Thursday and it was wonderful.  Jim's parents and his sister and Kate and Patrick and Pk and I all shared Em's cooking.  She did a good job and it was very proud making for me to watch her put out a meal and host a dinner party and do it all without breaking a major sweat.  We saw 8 police patrol cars on the way home ( a distance of 60 miles).  The police force was out in numbers to monitor the traffic on the holiday weekend.

Today, Pk and I pulled out the containers of Christmas lights and decorations.  It's cold and sunny and we spent an enjoyable afternoon listening to holiday music and filling the house with holiday magic.  We moved the furniture to make room for the tree we'll buy next weekend.  Hobbes won't be happy since he likes to sit on the back of the couch and watch out the window and now he won't be able to since we moved the couch.

Some old friends came out to share the holidays.  This is a candle that is older than I am.  My Uncle Al was a crafter and he used to make candles and sell them.  This is one of the last ones he made. My mother gave it to me several years ago and it's always one of my favorites. 

And our

Christmas book.  It's the book we started writing the first year we were married.  It's funny to read the trials and tribulations and joys of our lives over the past 29 years.  We read parts of it out loud to each other and remembered things that would have otherwise been forgotten.  Like the year we had Bob the Boomerang tree.  It had a bend in the trunk that evidently we didn't see until we got home.  And the year we had Claudia, our exchange student from Brazil.  These are small bits and pieces of our lives that we wrote down and now can bring a fond smile or a great big laugh.

I went into the yard and cut some holly and some mint and tied them up into bundles to put on the bedroom doors.  If you rub the mint as you walk by, it smells like a little piece of heaven.  We don't have enough good pine branches out there now.  Our trees are dying.  There are three huge pines that have very few needles left and will probably have to come down sooner rather than later.  It breaks my heart to think about it.

And now we're winding down and gettng ready to fix Sunday dinner (red beans and rice) and then getting ready to pull ourselves together to go back to work.  It was a wonderful long weekend. 

I hope you're all having a good weekend too.



sunset over Walmart



The last dish is washed and put away and the food is tucked safely into containers into the fridge for another meal (and the freezer for still other meals).  Everything is put back together and everyone has gone home. 

Now we can rest.  Not that it was a stressful day here because it was a wonderful day.  Here, I'll describe the day to you.

First, on Wednesday after work, I had a bit of a headache so I lay on the bed intending to just rest for a short bit.  I fell into a deep sleep for an hour.  I woke up a little groggy but better and made two pans of cornbread and three pies.  One apple and two pumpkin.  The apple pie smelled so good that I wanted to eat it last night. 

I woke early this morning but stayed in bed until 8:30.  I put on some sweats and went down and baked cranberry orange muffins and made some hot chocolate.  Then, we rearranged the furniture to make room for the second table and cleaned up.  We had an old table that we used to make enough room for everyone to be able to sit together but not on top of each other.  It worked out pretty well.  Unfortunately, the table is really old and this will be its last holiday. 



The turkey after spending 5 hours in the oven



I cooked sausage with onions and celery for the stuffing and mixed it with the cornbread.  Some of this went into the turkey and the rest into a baking dish. 

The turkey went into the oven and I washed the dishes and got into the shower. 

Pk and I played backgammon for a while.  We haven't played for a while and forgot how to set up the board.  Good thing I keep the instructions in the game.  We're pretty evenly matched and had an enjoyable time listening to music and playing.

I worked on his sweater and he watched some tool information videos while we waited for our children to arrive.  Kate and Patrick came in around 3:30 and Em and Jim and Colleen (who had a minor accident on the way and had to wait 2 hours for the police to show up) arrived at almost 4. 

I made mashed potatoes and green beans and gravy from the drippings. 

We sat down to dinner at close to 5 o'clock and it was delicious. Everyone ate their fill and talked and talked.  I love the fact that my children get along and we can have family gatherings that are not acrimonious but are filled with fun. (and strange discussions which included Heisenberg and Schroedinger's cat and God.  We are nothing if not eclectic)

The weather held and although we had some snow (!) early in the day, it didn't rain much.  It was grey and cold.  We brought down a small electric space heater which took the chill off the room.



the handspun alpaca sweater



There was pie (of course) with homemade whipped cream and coffee and tea.  We talked about the upcoming holidays and Christmas wish lists and shopping trips.  The dishes were washed and put away and since Em and Jim have to work tomorrow, they left to avoid traffic and Patrick and Kate went to visit his relatives.  And now, Pk is watching The Wood Whisperer (and no I am not kidding, that's the title) and I am getting ready to listen to a book and work on his sweater.  There it is sitting on top of my new bag.  This bag works just like I hoped.  All my essentials are in there and my wips.  I can just bring it to wherever I am sitting and pull out whichever project I'm interested in and I have everything I need.  I'm done 17 out of 21 inches of Pk's sweater and soon I have to divide for the front and back.  It just seems to take forever.

It was a quietly wonderful day.  It was exactly how I hoped it would be and I feel satisfied and happy.  We do not do the Black Friday hype thing.  I may get the holiday decorations out but maybe not.  I may just sit with my feet up and knit all day tomorrow.  Saturday we're going to Em's so she can cook a turkey.  It's a good thing we like turkey.  

So,Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I'm thankful for all of you.  You teach me new things and help me learn old ones.  You make me laugh and let me cry with you.  You have opened my world to include the world and it's been amazing.  So, whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, I'm thankful for you and I wish you a good weekend. 

It's been a quiet week here in Lake Woebegone.... no wait.  That's a radio program.(a Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor).  But it has been a quiet week here in my world as well.



sunset and the PATCO station on Monday



I haven't been sleeping well (have no idea why but suspect it may have something to do with the perimenopause my body keeps flirting with) and have been so sleepy all day that if I closed my eyes, I'd fall asleep at my desk.  This was not conducive to creative writing/sharing with you all.  Last night I slept soundly (except for the dream where I was searching for an elusive white dpn) and I slept for 10 hours.  This is a lot for me at one stretch but I guess my body needed it.

I thought I'd share my week in photos. 



Hobbes asleep on my gym bag on Tuesday.




Magnolia train station (retired) on Wednesday












My tree on Thursday












On Friday we played hookie and went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt.1.  It was spectacular and we had a great time.  A quick trip to our lbs (local book store) to check out the savings since they are closing and everything was 20-30% off.  We picked up a Christmas gift there and then we picked Elanor up and went to dinner only to find that the Chinese buffet we enjoy had closed so we went to another restaurant.

my neighbor's trees

Saturday we spent at the grocery store and then it was laundry time.  I am the Empress of All Laundry and was able to get the butter stains out of Pk's shirt (popcorn at the movies) so it was all good. 

We have noticed quite a few local evergreen trees turning brown lately.  First, my one neighbor's cedar turned brown and seemed to die overnight and now my other neighbor's trees are turning cinnamon colored and are dying.  Pk said there is a new parasite, a pine bark beetle, that is killing whole swathes of trees in north Jersey and we're afraid that it may have worked its way down here as well.  Today we went to Walmart to look at holiday lights and saw several examples of brown evergreens.  It's sad and awful.  So far, our trees are ok but I have a feeling it's just a matter of time.

Mattress guy

And last but hardly least, we saw Mattress Guy outside the shopping center today.  He was dancing and waving to the cars.  I kept thinking "poor guy.  at least it's not August".  I think the costume would be a killer.

Preparations are moving along for Thanksgiving.  I have enough seating for everyone and am working on logistics this week so that no one feels like they're sitting "at the kids' table".   I have three sets of china but not enough of any one to set a table for 10 and have it match.  I'm going to mix it up and use our wedding china (4 place settings) and my grandmother's china for the rest. 


We have been trying to figure out a way to get football games for Jim and Em but so far, no luck.  With no actual television, there's nothing to bring in the signal.  Computers aren't enough, apparently.  We'll have to make do with conversation and maybe some board games.  The turkey is almost 22 pounds (10 kg) so we are beginning the defrosting today. It will take most of the next three days in the fridge and it takes up a huge amount of space while doing it. 

For dinner tonight, I'm having creative thoughts that involve bacon, chicken thighs and maybe some pierogies.  Mmmmmmm. 

Have a good week y'all. 

I'm looking at the world through clean, sparkling wondows today.  I took down the curtains and washed the windows and then washed the curtains and rehung them.  I wouldn't have said they were particularly dirty before but now they gleam.  I also cleaned the china and small bits of silver in the china closet so it softlyshines as well.  Both of these chores are clear signs that the holidays are coming.  I do the windows twice each year, now and in the spring after all the winter storms.   I like the smell of the freshly laundered curtains.  And I like the feeling of a job that's finished.  I started thinking about this back in October but I usually have to wait until I wake up one morning and think "today is the day" and then it gets done.  It's never as onerous as I imagine it will be but I still put it off.

We moved some totes of yarn and roving and some other things into the spare room.  It's been empty for almost a year but I wanted to make sure no one was going to need it right away before we started to move things into it.  The nice thing is that there is less in our bedroom and it feels less crowded. 



Oatmeal bread



I'm using the beef bones and leftover meat from last Saturday to make a beef vegetable soup for dinner along with some oatmeal bread.  The bones and meat along with some carrots, onions and celery are simmering on the stove and the dough is undergoing the first rising.  I have some time to myself to indulge in some videos (2 discs of Mad Men) or download some of the Dr. Who I recently started watching or just take a nap.  I'd like to sit outside but Pk is using the lathe and is making a mess.  Bits of wood and dust are everywhere and it's noisy so I'll sit next to an open window and enjoy the sunshine that way (at least it's a clean window!)



Vulture on top of telephone pole

 We live in a quiet neighborhood filled with quiet people and small animals.  Well, it used to be filled with small animals until the hawks moved in a few years ago.  There are significantly fewer rabbits and woodchucks and possums now.  I love to watch the raptors soar around the sky.  Their wingspan is wider than mine and they are beautiful birds.  We have red tailed hawks and some turkey vultures.  Yesterday, I was cleaning the front windows and I saw large birds flying around in circles, just like in old westerns.  I went outside to see what had died to draw their attention and sure enough, a possum had gotten hit by a car (and just an fyi, American possums are not the sweet, soft, yarn producing kind.  They're nasty, ugly varmints) and was attracting the notice of the vultures. 

I tried to get some other photos but I'm pretty sure you don't want to see them.  The really good ones have dead possum in them.  At the end, there were 3 vultures and two hawks.  It was an amazing sight.  All these raptors circling and circling.  I'm sure the hearts of all the mice and other small rodents in the area were beating faster.

Bells had a recipe this morning for something called "toast soldiers" which threw me.  I had no idea what they were but when I read the recipe, I had to try it for Pk's breakfast.  It turns out they're pieces of bread dipped in egg and then cheese and fried.  We ate ours with scrambled eggs this morning and they were good. Pk really liked them so they'll make a reappearance at the table.

I didn't leave the house all weekend and it was wonderful.  I did chores and took naps and just enjoyed not being at work.  One more full week and then a nice short one for Thanksgiving.  I can't wait.

This week won't be bad.  One of my doctors is out for minor surgery so my load is lighter. I'll have time to finish up the treatment plans and notes for November and start making lists for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Time for bed.  Monday morning comes way too soon.  'Night all.

My neighbor's tree continues to change and grow more beautiful as the days go by.  And the swamp maple in our backyard is also showing off her best dressed look this week as well.

The clouds overhead were seemingly jealous of the trees because they turned pink as the sun was going down.  There was a sliver of moon visible before the sun was completely gone.

And some young girls down the street were trying to sell me a Magic Rock.  I have no idea what kind of magic it does but I told them that I wasn't interested today but maybe tomorrow.  If they remember and come back, I'll ask for more details and buy the rock for a dollar.(their asking price)  Might make a good Christmas gift for someone.....

And speaking of Christmas gifts, I finished one sock and started number two.  I love making monkey socks.  I'm not sure why.  I just love watching each repeat of the pattern build on the last until I have a full cuff and then a foot. 

I'm experimenting with the new camera (can you tell?).  This is an accurate shot of the colors.  It's the nightime flash which doesn't seem as harsh as the regular flash.  I'd probably understand all of this better if I read the booklet but it's over 100 pages long and I just haven't had the patience.  I figure it's like on the job training.  I'll eventually figure out what all the settings do. 

Otherwise, things are moving along toward the holidays.  We have an enormous turkey taking up space in the freezer for Thanksgiving.  We'll be 10 for dinner.  Jim's sister Colleen will be joining us and my cousin and her SO Walter will be here as well as our normal crew.  Walter is a vegetarian so I'll make a dish of stuffing with no meat or meat broth in it and make sure that there is some gravy not made with drippings and made with vegetable broth.

I don't know if you saw this but I'll share it anyway because it gave us a good laugh.  Here's a way to eat Thanksgiving dinner that's unique.  It's a Turkey cake.  That's turkey loaf and mashed potatoes and stuffing and sweet potatoes with marshmallows there.  Oh, and cranberries.  There's cranberry sauce there, too.  It's a pretty thing but the idea of it makes me want to run in the other direction. Colleen hates it when her food touches on the plate.  I have a feeling I could really drive her crazy with this.

hehe

We had the most beautiful sunset yesterday.  There was a storm system moving through and you could just see the westernmost edges as the sun was going down.  It was shining on the tops of the trees and tall buildings but the rest was in shadow.  And then the colors.  They were spectacular. Oranges and purples and pinks and golds.   I wish I had thought to have my camera in my purse but it was home in the case with the other camera.  Not doing me much good.

Today, the camera is in my purse in the little pocket next to the cell phone.  We probably won't have another sunset like that one but now I'm ready in case we do. 

"We are all here on this planet, as it were, as tourists. None of us can live here forever. The longest we might live is a hundred years. So while we are here we should try to have a good heart and to make something positive and useful of our lives. Whether we live just a few years or a whole century, it would be truly regrettable and sad if we were to spend that time aggravating the problems that afflict other people, animals, and the environment. The most important thing is to be a good human being."

~His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Isn't he amazing?  I know I've said I have immense admiration for this man before.  He has the ability in just a few words to make me look at myself and my life and evaluate how I'm doing as a person.  He makes me re-examine how I am currently defining success and helps keep me on the path to being a good human being.

I am so thankful for this.

Pk gave me a camera for my birthday so he managed to surprise me after all.  I have a perfectly good digital camera.  It's several years old and is large.  I have borrowed his small "shop" camera when I wanted to take a camera along on  a trip because it slipped easily into a pocket or my purse.

I got a Nikon Coolpix that is slim enough to fit into my purse and charges by plugging it into the computer or into the wall via the adaptor.  It's terrific.  Here's a shot of the birthday cake we enjoyed last night.  Buttercream frosting.  MMMMMM (I can foresee many many minutes spent on an eliptical machine to make up for this!)

We went to the grocery store looking for a special cut of roast for dinner.  They sell it around the holidays but not much during the year and it's melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  Pk asked the butchers in the meat dept if they could cut one for us.  They were very helpful and cut the meat off the bones and then tied the roast back onto the bones to be roasted (and I have some really nice beef bones to make soup out of later).  It was a costly piece of meat but they managed to make it about half of the actual cost for us so it wasn't too bad.  And it was delicious.  I roasted it plain since the flavor of the beef is so delicate.  I didn't want to overwhelm it with seasonings.  We had mashed potatoes and fresh green beans to go along with it and it was wonderful.

Pk and Jim worked on Jim's car most of the day and Em came down later in the afternoon.  We did some knitting and she helped me finish up the dinner preparations.  Kate and Patrick came in at dinner time (Kate had to work) and it was a full table.  El gave me some artwork she had finished for my board at work.

Kate and Patrick gave me a pair of socks worth of Mini Moochi yarn in soft green and purple (the colors are not as bright as this but they photograph funny).  I've used this yarn before and loved the way it knits up.  I've read some unhappy reviews of it but I didn't have any problems.  I know it's a single and not the strongest yarn but the colors are good and it's really soft.

Em and Jim gave me 3 months of the Lord of the Rings sock yarn club.  It starts in January so I'll be getting presents all through the spring.  Win!

Today is the end of DST for us and the day seems to be moving along at a slower pace.  The sun is higher in the sky than it should be for this time of day and my brain isn't used to it.  I've been sitting by the window to get some sunlight and knitting a pair of monkey socks with Burning Giraffe yarn (artwalk sock yarn).  I love how fast monkey socks seem to knit up.  The pattern really seems quick.

There's some spinning happening and a lot of nose blowing.  Pk and I can't seem to shake the bug we had.  It's got its tentacles into our immune system and doesn't seem to want to let go.  We are trying to eat well and get plenty of sleep to see if we can finally kick it out.  It's more annoying than anything. 

After last night's heavy meal, tonight is lighter fare.  Leek and potato soup and sandwiches (and there might be cake left).  It's early November but we still have trees bright with color here.  This does not do the tree justice.  When the sunlight hits those leaves, it's wondrous. I hope it doesn't rain/storm until the tree is done.  I'd like to see it last a bit.

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend.

It's Friday!  Yay.  Today is my day off gift to myself and it started as rather self indulgent.  I slept in until almost 9 am (almost unheard of) and then got up and got a piece of chocolate cake (El made it for me yesterday) and a large glass of cold milk and climbed back into bed and watched Eddie Izzard.  I can't seem to remember that it's really hazardous to your health to watch him while eating.  Choking could very likely occur.  Then I took a shower and ordered myself a birthday gift.

This made Pk uncomfortable(he thinks he should do the ordering)  but I told him I'm perfectly ok with ordering myself a gift.  I ordered a Hermosa bag from Namaste.  I really wanted the eggplant color but it's unavailable so I got peacock instead.  It'll hold one large project and a small one or two and I'll be able to keep my bits and pieces collected in it.  Since I move around the house and knit in different places, I don't have a basket or container next to a favorite chair.  This will make things more convenient.

I finished another holiday gift pair of socks last night (I have two completed and a pair and a half of fingerless mitts done) while watching MadMen.  I haven't decided how I feel about this show but a coworker suggested it and I got it on dvd.  (if you've never heard of it, it's an award winning, highly acclaimed show that takes place in 1960 in a New York City advertising agency).  The first episode made me clench my teeth and feel angry inside.  Men didn't treat women really well in the workplace in those days (or anyone else who wasn't a white male).  But, having said that, the writing is superb and the acting is terrific.  There isn't one character that's particularly sympathetic and I realized that I really look for someone to identify with.  It's been interesting but I'm not sure how far I'll take it.

Mother Nature chose today to remind me that I am indeed a woman.  The reminder came in a strong, forcefull-hand-over-the-bottle-of-ibuprofen kind of way.  Ugh.  But, at least I'm home where I can sit and put up my feet and have some tea.  I briefly thought of doing the laundry today but that would defeat the purpose of taking a day off for myself now wouldn't it?  The clothes can wait until tomorrow or Sunday.

Pk and I are going to the movies and dinner and then to a bookstore.  We're going to see Red, finally.  I'm looking forward to it.  The girls will all be here for dinner tomorrow and it's bound to be a party.

Have a good weekend all!

4 November 1957


Your date of conception was on or about 11 February 1957 which was a Monday.
You were born on a Monday
under the astrological sign Scorpio.

Your Life path number is 1.
Your fortune cookie reads:
In the end there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2436146.5.

The year 1957 was not a leap year.

Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 1/31/1957 and ending 2/17/1958.

You were born in the Chinese year of the Rooster.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Snake; your plant is Thistle.
You were born in the Egyptian month of Tyby, the first month of the season of Poret (Emergence - Fertile soil).
Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 10 Heshvan 5718.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 11 Heshvan 5718.

As of 11/4/2010 12:10:28 PM EST

You are 53 years old.

You are 636 months old.

You are 2,765 weeks old.

You are 19,358 days old.

You are 464,604 hours old.

You are 27,876,250 minutes old.

You are 1,672,575,028 seconds old.



Celebrities who share your birthday:

Alexz Johnson (1986) Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs (1970) Matthew McConaughey (1969)

Ralph Macchio (1962) Jeff Probst (1962) Markie Post (1950)

Laura W. Bush (1946) Loretta Swit (1937) Doris Roberts (1930)

Martin Balsam (1919) Art Carney (1918) Walter Cronkite (1916)

Will Rogers (1879)



Top songs of 1957

All Shook Up by Elvis Presley Love Letters In the Sand by Pat Boone

Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley Teddy Bear by Elvis Presley

April Love by Pat Boone Young Love by Tab Hunter

Tammy by Debbie Reynolds Honeycomb by Jimmie Rodgers

Wake Up Little Susie by Everly Brothers You Send Me by Sam Cooke

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 7.57651663405088 years old. (You old hound dog, you!)

Your lucky day is Tuesday.
Your lucky number is 9 & 11.
Your ruling planet(s) is Mars & Pluto.
Your lucky dates are 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th.

Your opposition sign is Taurus.
Your opposition number(s) is 6.

Today is one of your lucky days!

There are 365 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 54 candles.
Those 54 candles produce 54 BTUs,
or 13,608 calories of heat (that's only 13.6080 food Calories!) .
You can boil 6.17 US ounces of water with that many candles.

In 1957 there were approximately 4.0 million births in the US.
In 1957 the US population was approximately 150,697,361 people, 50.7 persons per square mile.
In 1957 in the US there were approximately 1,667,231 marriages (11.1%) and 385,144 divorces (2.6%)
In 1957 in the US there were approximately 1,452,000 deaths (9.6 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.

In 1957 the population of Australia was approximately 9,744,087.
In 1957 there were approximately 220,358 births in Australia.
In 1957 in Australia there were approximately 73,696 marriages and 6,298 divorces.
In 1957 in Australia there were approximately 84,953 deaths.


Your birth flower is CHRYSANTHEMUM
Your birthstone is Citrine
The Mystical properties of Citrine
Citrine is said to help one connect with Spirit.

Your birth tree is
Walnut Tree, the Passion

Unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egoistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromises.

There are 51 days till Christmas 2010!

There are 64 days till Orthodox Christmas!
The moon's phase on the day you were born was waxing gibbous.

Way more information than you ever wanted to know about Nov. 4, 1957!  If you want to check out your own birthdate, go ahead.  Whatever you do, have a good day.

A coworker sent the link for this.  It's kind of cool.  The descriptions are very close and true (especially the part about not being comfortable with people I don't know)  If you'd like to see what your name means and have a brief numerological reading, the site is here.

There are 20 letters in your name.


Those 20 letters total to 102

There are 8 vowels and 12 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:Latin Female Lady.
Italian Female Lady. Respectful title and female equivalent of Don.

Your number is: 3
The characteristics of #3 are: Expression, verbalization, socialization, the arts, the joy of living.

The expression or destiny for #3:
An Expression of 3 produces a quest for destiny with words along a variety of lines that may include writing, speaking, singing, acting or teaching; our entertainers, writers, litigators, teachers, salesmen, and composers. You also have the destiny to sell yourself or sell just about any product that comes along. You are imaginative in your presentation, and you may have creative talents in the arts, although these are more likely to be latent. You are an optimistic person that seems ever enthusiastic about life and living. You are friendly, loving and social, and people like you because you are charming and such a good conversationalist. Your ability to communicate may often inspire others. It is your role in life to inspire and motivate; to raise the spirits of those around you.

The negative side of number 3 Expression is superficiality. You may tend to scatter your forces and simply be too easygoing. It is advisable for the negative 3 to avoid dwelling on trivial matters, especially gossip.

Your Soul Urge number is: 7
A Soul Urge number of 7 means:

With a number 7 Soul Urge you are very fond of reading, and retreating to periods of being alone and away from the disruptions of the outer world. You like to dream and develop you idealistic understandings, to study and analyze, to gain knowledge and wisdom. You may be too laid back and withdrawn to really succeed in the business world, and you will be much more comfortable in circumstances that are tolerant of your reserve, your analytical approach, and your desire to use your mind rather than your physical being.


You are very timid around people that you don't know very well, so much so at times that casual conversation and social situations can be strained. You tend to repress your emotions to the extend that some people have a good bit of difficult understanding you. You tend to be very selective with friends and you don't easily adapt to new environments or to new people very quickly.

The negative traits of the 7 include becoming too much the introvert and isolated from others.


Your Inner Dream number is: 5
An Inner Dream number of 5 means:

You dream of being totally free and unrestrained by responsibility. You see yourself conversing and mingling with the natives in many nations, living for adventure and life experiences. You imagine what you might accomplished.

Some thoughts on a Tuesday morning

I had to scrape frost off the car windows this morning in the dark

I should have had my mittens on when I did this.  My hands were cold.

It's 40 degrees outside (3.8 C) and it's only Nov. 2.  Definitely mitten weather.

It's election day here and they moved our polling place.  We've had the same place for 25 years and are a bit thrown by this.  Thrown in that we can't find the new place.  Looking will commence again after work today.  We're determined to find it.

This could be an important "off year" election (read: non presidential).  The Republicans could pick up a lot of congressional seats and then the Democrats will have to give up control.  People aren't happy with the economy/health care/jobs situation.  It's become really contentious in some places.

This is a short week for me since I took Friday off.  Thursday is my birthday and I'm giving myself a day off.

It's unbelievably quiet on my floor at work at 8 am.  I really like this.  The phones don't (usually) ring and there aren't but a few people here this early.  It's blissful.

I can't believe it but I have a sore throat.  Again!  Hardly seems fair but there it is.  I blame the dry heat in this building but it's probably just a bug I picked up from one of our clients (their access to health care isn't the best and they tend to come in here sick).  Time to stock up on tea and cough drops and then maybe another visit to the doctor.  He's going to think I like him or something.

I put another inch on pk's alpaca sweater last night.  It took over an hour since the body of the sweater is so big around.  He wanted it big and loose and the yarn isn't very thick, just a dk weight (approximately, it's handspun so it varies).  It takes a long time to knit but it's so soft to touch that it's a lovely tactile sensation.

It's after 8 and time to come back to the working world.  Have a good Tuesday!

ETA;  We found the polling place after we hit the gym today.  Short workouts because it's been a while and we're both still recovering from the respiratory virus we had.  We went to the fire hall and Voila!  There was a large American flag out front and people going in doing their civic duty.  We felt very virtuous.  First the gym and then the voting booth.  And now a quiet, peaceful time at home.