Researching New Projects

Today I listed all of my hand painted yarns 25% off in the shop.  This is a great time for the Girls of Summer Sale, that is what I am calling it.  This girl, er lady, loves a yarn sale.  I decided to pull one of my complex yarns and use it.  It was calling to me and has been for some time but, I chose to ignore it until today.  I pulled Playtime out of the shop and I will be using it for something special.  I am researching patterns right now to see which one will be the winner after I finish the silk shawl I am working on.  Yes, still working on it. 

I am on the last bit of the one chart of the silk shawl and then two more charts and I am done with it.  So can't wait to finish it. 

I am trying to conquer my ADD project addiction.  I am only working on one project at a time these days.  No more running myself ragged as I try to work on multiple projects at a time.  It is called prioritization of knitting or pk for those of you who don't want long words to deal with. 

Also, I am bound and determined to introduce lace to my family.  I will be knitting lace this year for presents.  Christmas present knitting should be starting soon.  I won't be knitting socks for people.  If you want socks, use the damn looms I gave you.  You know who you are.  If you didn't get a loom, then learn to knit, it will change your life. 

I am not going to rush myself this year, either.  I have to make a hat for a dear friend's son.  I am still thinking about what to do for this special young man, I keep going back to Fair Isle.  I am so thinking it will look awesome on him.  I made his sister a necklace and she loves it.  I know I have been remiss in knitting that hat.  I just have to dye the yarns and go from there.  I need to get my kitchen back into shape.  It is a disaster area right now since we have been cooking at home and eating here instead of our usual restaurant runs.  It is so expensive to eat out all of the time and the price tag at the grocery store is shocking.  It is so completely awful when the cheapest cuts of meat are selling for $12 per pound!  I nearly fell over when I saw that skirt steak price.  It is crap meat as my dad would have said.  They used to throw it out when they would butcher a calf.  Now it is selling for $12 a pound which tells you how damn screwed up our world has become. 

I was trying to grow my hair out so, I could donate it.  I fear it isn't going to happen, I am sick of my hair being so long.  I am ready to cut it off. It is hard to swim with it, since it likes to go everywhere.  I haven't swam in two weeks which is awful on my part but, with a huge infected scratch, that I don't remember getting, it just showed up on me, I have had to stay out of the pool.  Being diabetic sucks since I heal very slowly now. 

I haven't even wanted to ride my bicycle since it is so damn hot outside right now.  It isn't worth the heart attack from the heat stroke.  I am trying to get myself into shape slowly.  I am still eating right and I have discovered that I love xylitol.  Yep, I bought the American made one, Emerald Forest makes it and it isn't Chinese.  I have noticed that more and more products are American.  I love American products and yes, I will pay that extra bit of cash for them.  It keeps our people employed which is what we need. 

I have some flavored syrups for my coffee that are sugar free but, the after taste is deplorable.  How can anyone stand it?  Stevia blows since it has the worst after taste and funkiness about it. 

Now, I am going to go sit, knit and try to finish off the silk shawl.  Yes, I will post pics when I finish it and when I block it.  I hope it turns out really well.  I have had several people tell me how much they love the color.  It is gorgeous and I have two more cones of that yarn in my stash.  I can save it for another special project.  The main goal is to use my stash yarn up or come as near as I can to it.   

Just Plain Worn Out

I came home yesterday completely worn out.  I woke up tired, I had a bad dream all night long.  It was misery.  This morning, I decided to cheer myself up by making some earrings for myself and a pair of dangly ones for Maribeth, my niece.  This will be her first pair of dangly earrings and they have some purple beads in them so, life will be better.  Purple is her favorite color. 

I want to sit down today and do some much needed sewing but, there is a pattern sale going on that I want to get to.  It sucks that I will have to get into my car and head to  it.  I have done two days of running around with my sister and I wanted today to be different. 

Also, I have lost my taste for sugary cupcakes, they no longer thrill me the way they used to.  It must be because I love the xylitol cookies that I made.  They are tasty and they will not trigger an insulin response the way sugar does.  Sugar just triggers that insulin and I get really sleepy.  I had a cupcake from the hot local spot and the cake portion was dry, over baked and the frosting was too sweet for me.  So, I wasn't happy at all. 

I had to buy a cheap pair of shoes yesterday since my shoes were coated in gas when I was filling Stewie up.  I hit a sale at Payless.  My shoes were 50% off.  I told the lady at the swimming lesson place about them.  I do believe she was going to be headed that way after work.  It is nice to hit a shoe sale. 

Yesterday, we headed over to my brother's house to help my niece learn to sew.  I had given her Hank, Jr, my old sewing machine.  She had the tension screwed up and she had done some other thing to it to where it would not sew.  I had to fix it all.  Then he would sew.  I know she was frustrated and thought she would be able to make a dress after one lesson of sewing from both of us but, it doesn't work that way.  It takes a long time to get it right.  Practice makes perfect. 

I had ordered in a cotton and milk protein yarn and it arrived.  I have a special project planned for the yarn and I am so happy with it.  It is so incredibly soft.  I love it.  No, I am not telling what the project is right now.  It is  going to be a surprise.  :) 

Beading the Night Away

Tonight or should I say this morning finds me beading.  It really relaxes me when things go right but, tonight, I had an issue and so, I will have to start this particular project over.  Oh well, it happens. 

I just finished reading a book on my kindle about the explosion in New London, Texas in 1937 that killed several hundred children and adults.  It is a sad read but, having never heard of it, I was shocked to see it.  It is a true story.  The book is called, An American Holocaust:  The Story of Lataine's Ring by Kerry Barger. When I saw that title, I had to read the description of it.  I never learned it in Texas history and I think it should be included. 

I finished it tonight and I am moving on to other interesting reads.  Something a little less intense I think.  I have a bunch of books to choose from right now on my Kindle. 

I was going to do some sewing today but, I didn't get around to it.  I came home early from shopping with my sister and niece, I wasn't feeling too hot.  I ate the wrong things and I paid the price.  I came home to cool off since it is freaking hot here already and it isn't even summer.  We are going to suffer this year, I can tell you that.  We already have 90F temps.  Oh joy. 

I am worn out from the meeting last night but, we managed to finish early which was impressive.  All awards were presented and the new chapter officers were sworn in.  I gave the new chapter Regent all of my papers, the rolling bag, and everything in it.  A three year long weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.  :D

If we can scrounge the cash, tomorrow is blackberry picking at a local place and they only accept cash.  So, I called the blackberry update line to see if they were going to be open tomorrow and the answer is yes.  I am ready for jelly.  Homemade jelly with sugar substitute.  No corn syrup at all.  I am not a fan of that stuff and it is completely horrible for diabetics.  I am thinking xylitol is going to be my sugar substitute.  I have the special pectin for it as well. 

We are out of carrots from our garden, we definitely need to plant more next year.  They were nice and tasty.  Gary needs to pull his kohlrabi tomorrow.  I let him know about it.  If it gets any bigger it will get really woody and nasty.  The tomatoes are flowering, I am waiting for them to fruit.  I can't wait for those fresh tomatoes.  Yummy. 

Right now Butterick patterns are on sale at Joann's for a $1.99 each.  Next week Simplicity patterns will be on sale for 5 for $5.  I am waiting for that one.  There are some really cute patterns out these days. 

An Experiment

Today I decided to hang out a set of sheets out on the coolaroo lines.  It dried in record time.  I was shocked at how quickly they dried.  I hauled them inside and ran out of steam, I was going to put them on the bed.  Not happening now. 

I had to find my outfit for tonight and I am wearing clothes that I haven't been able to wear in 3 years.  It feels fabulous to wear my old clothes.  I did find out that I have a dress in my closet with tags on it that I have never worn.  I am thinking I will have to sell that dress.  It is a hand beaded silk dress.  I had to order it in a bigger size at the time since those dresses run small. 

I cleaned out my tote that I drag with me for DAR.  I cleaned out all of my personal items out of it since it is being passed on to the next Regent.  She gets all of that paper. I am happy to let her deal with it since I am worn out.  I will be the next Historian for the chapter which means I will be taking care of the chapter scrapbook.  We pass that thing along to the next person who gets elected.  I wanted an officer position since I want my officer pin.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to get an office after this year.  I am taking a vacation for the summer.  I am not dealing with anything DAR.  I am done.  I need the time off from the chapter.  I will start work on the scrapbook come September. 

I haven't had time to knit.  I have been working on getting corsages, buttonaires, and table decorations done for the last meeting.  They are going to be going home with the new Regent.  I am passing on all of my stuff to her.  She can deal with it.  I know I will be coming home with one notebook and that is it.  The rest goes to her.  Yippee!  I will be finally able to clean off my dining room table.  :)  Gary is excited about that. 

I need to go get a snack and kick back some before I have to hit the road.  I need to put on my war paint, aka makeup and then just get my clothes on and get ready to book it down the road. 

Trying to Play Catch Up

I am trying to play catch up on my knitting.  I am on the last repeat of chart 2 on the shawl and I so can't wait to get to the next chart.  I am already researching and looking up my next project.  Yeah, I am hooked on lace knitting.  It is a bad obsession right now.  I have a pile of projects that need to be blocked but, getting out the big old blocking board is a pita. 

Tonight I had a severe reaction to something, I had hives all over my face and then they attacked my right eye.  I was scratching everywhere and I decided I better take an antihistamine to fix the problem.  It took care of it for me.  I have no idea what did me in.  No clue at all.

I was digging in my yarn stash to see what I can find to use next and I came up with two yarns, both of them are mine, I had painted them.  One of them is a green paint and the other is a bright paint called Citrus Zing.  I love painting yarns.  I am going to be starting my Christmas present knitting soon.  Yep, I plan to knit them this year.  I know what I will be knitting.  I have to go do some research on several of them.  I also have a pattern in mind of my own.  I just have to write it down and knit it.  I have no idea if I will offer it up for sale or for free.  I guess it will depend on how I feel at the time or if I need extra cash. 

I am still not buying yarn, I am trying to be good and I have to use some of this yarn up.  I have a massive yarn stash.  I want to get it under control.  If I use more of it then maybe I can purchase some later.  I am always on the lookout for a good bargain where yarn is concerned. 

The picture is what was outside in my front yard on Thursday morning.  I saw it and had to take a picture of it.  We were headed out to San Antonio to deliver my MIL's present.  We had a nice trip.  Although, I have to say the trip home was pure hell.  We were in the middle of a huge thunderstorm with another band behind us.  I-10 is black topped and add rain, night and it is next to impossible to see the stripes on the road.  It wasn't fun.  We made it home before the major weather hit. 

Today we worked in the garden.  I have been pulling carrots out of the garden for the last three days and I have to say, they are quite tasty.  I was going to plant more but, I decided not to and put in the dill I will need when my cucumbers start to produce so, I can go ahead and have dill for pickles.  I am so ready.  We will have to purchase quart jars but, I don't mind since I know the pickles will be put to good use.  I know Melinda has expressed an interest in them.  If she comes over to help me can them, then I will give her some.  It is only fair to share what comes out of the garden with anyone who helps me out.  Mom and Daddy always shared with whomever helped them so, I am carrying on the tradition. 

The green bean plants are looking great.  The tomatoes are doing well.  Gary's one kohlrabi is growing pretty good.  I am adding herbs around the tomato plants since it will help the tomatoes out.  Companion planting is a great thing.  I will be planting the patty pan squash into the garden when the ground dries out.  So far, only one of  the seeds that I planted has come up.  I hope the second one will come up.  I need at least two.  I have baby okra popping up in the container.  I am running out of room.  I wish my garden were a little bit bigger so, I could plant more stuff that I love.  I came up with an ingenious idea, my strawberries love nitrogen so, I planted green beans in their pot.  I am hoping that they will be beneficial to each other.  That is the plan. 

I had to call my oldest sister to talk to her today.  I actually talked to my BIL for a while about tomato cages and canning.  They wanted to know where I purchased my tomato cages.  They saw them when they were here last weekend.  I actually had to purchase more since I needed them for my blackberries.  The weirdest thing happened, we took one of the red tomato cages and popped it over one of the three blackberry plants and do you know, it is growing really well?  It took off.  So, we decided to get three more cages in red to put over the other two to see if they would do the same.  We did that today.  I will keep everyone posted if it works out for us.  Stranger things have happened.  Burpee sells the cages in threes.  I had tried to get them last year but, they sold out so, I bought them early and when my sister and bil spotted them they really wanted to know where I found them.  They are really sturdy and should last a couple of seasons or more.  They are powder coated which is a great painting process. 

My tomatoes are setting flowers which I am so ready for.  I can't wait for garden fresh tomatoes.  I love them.  I can't eat the hybrids that are sold in the grocery store, they have too much acid for me.  I prefer the heirloom tomatoes, they have less acid and taste fantastic.  They are wonderful on sandwiches and on salads.  My mouth is starting to water thinking about them.  I love the Cherokee purple tomatoes..we had a huge one last year that was incredible.  I loved it, Gary said it was okay. 

I know I sound like a complete home body but, I am happy with my garden.  I love having it out there.  It is so relaxing for me to go out there and see what is ready.  I check on it each day.  With all of the rain we have had, I do not have to fertilize it for a bit.  Yay! 

My strawberries are producing as well.  I had one yesterday and it was fantastic.  I have more that will be needed to be pulled tomorrow and the day after.  I can't wait for more fresh sweet strawberries.  My main concern right now is my persimmon tree, she isn't doing too well.  I hope the rain will perk her up.  She wasn't getting water from the sprinkler and I didn't realize it until she started dropping leaves.  Poor thing.  I hope that this rain will help her.  I even fertilized her so, I am hoping that helps her out. 

We finally found a use for the Seville oranges in the tree in the back yard.  This is the massive orange tree.  Gary was reading and it seems that Seville oranges make fantastic meat marinade.  We aren't fans of orange marmalade at all.  Ugh!  We had made some last year and it didn't gel so, we pitched it.  We should have saved it and used it for meat marinade.  So, we decided that we are going to juice the next crop and freeze the juice for marinades.  Should be interesting.  Seville oranges is what Grand Marnier is made from. 

The key lime tree is doing okay.  It hasn't produced fruit since it froze.  Poor thing but, it did come back. 

The fig tree is loaded with fruit and we have plans to make preserves out of the fruit.  I can't wait.  I love fig preserves on whole wheat toast.  Yum yum! 

Damn, But it is Hot!

It seems we are in for a scorcher for a summer this year.  Yesterday, I was at the Houston Zoo as a chaperone for Maribeth's class and it was so hot out there that I drank 3 of my coconut waters, a bottle of water, plus some blue powerade mixed with my bottle of water.  It works for instant hydration.  I shared that concoction with Melinda and one of the kids we were chaperoning. 

We also rode the train.  We walked and walked in the heat.  I forgot my hat and had to purchase one, talk about highway robbery, it wasn't a cheap hat.  By the time we made it to the van, I was so tired, sticky, sweaty and just ready to get my booty home to a shower and scrub myself from head to toe. 

I woke up this morning and we headed out the door, I had my usual breakfast in the back yard and then we started off my day with a trip to pick up my asthma meds, go run some more errands, head to lunch and then get to Lowe's to purchase some sage plants to help the one tomato that needs a companion plant in the garden, and then go to the movies. 

One of my birthday wishes came true today...rain.  I asked for rain for my birthday and I received it.  Thank you God for such a beautiful rain.  I loved it. 

Yes, if you haven't guessed, today was my birthday.  Another year older and we had a huge party on Saturday for me.  Today we went to the movies to see the new Avengers movie and it was really good.  We chose to have a special treat and see the 3xd one.  It was nice.  Then tonight for dinner we hit the local place and I had sugar free German chocolate cake...loved every single bite.  Unfortunately, it did some blood sugar raising.  I have to get back on my regular diet tomorrow. 

I have been sewing lavender sachets and I am running low on my bulk lavender.  I need to make more sachets.  I love the things, they are so easy and they work wonders for drawers, linen closets, anywhere that moths or you need a bit of freshening up.  They smell fabulous.  The best part, to refresh, simply squeeze and I don't use oils on my lavender, it is all natural. 

I have some really cute fabrics for my sachets so, I don't do boring prints.  Some of them are really bright and crazy. 

I love my new sewing machine.  It is amazing.  One thing I did find out is that my niece, is learning to sew.  She is teaching herself with my old machine.  I love it.  I learned to sew on that machine.  She thinks it is great.  She was eyeing my fabric stash and I put my foot down...no, I am not sharing.  I told her that I collected coupons to get that fabric at a reasonable rate. 

I have also been beading.  I love to bead, it relaxes me.  I give my creations as birthday presents.  I am so in love with the Czech druk beads. 

I am still working on the shawl with the 100% silk yarn.  It is coming along slowly.  I find myself dealing with other things and not picking up my knitting.  I think I might try to get a couple of rows done tonight. 

Pictures will follow once I get my camera uploaded. 

Freaking Car Repairs

Well, the hubby's car is in the shop being worked on.  It was either get it worked on or it wouldn't pass state inspection.  So, the shop called to tell us how much the first set of problems are costing, we said to go ahead and work on those.  Then the second set of problems had to have further diagnostics run so, we said yes, to those.  Well, it seems that it is going to cost a leg to have the second set worked on.  They are going to have to wait.  So, I told him that the repairs are going to cost more than the car is worth so, to prove me wrong, he got on a site and plugged in his information and nope, the car is still worth more than the repairs.  Don't you just love a smart assed husband? 

This morning was pool maintenance.  I found out why Ernie, Irwin's cousin, isn't working...a clogged up screen on the main line of the cleaner.  We fixed it.  It works really well now and then I checked chemicals...I had to add acid, which I knew was coming.  So, I let it run for an hour and then I went and checked it.  It is better.  It won't irritate my skin now. 

Saturday we are having a dinner for my birthday.  My birthday doesn't hit until Tuesday but, it is easier to have the party on the weekend.  We are doing dinner out and then we are having swimming and cake here.  It should be fun. 

We are having a staycation this year and he took off for the week of my birthday.  Something was mentioned about hitting SA for the day during the week.  I am not too inclined to travel right now.  I am a home body these days.  It costs so much to go someplace with the price of gas.  So, I guess we have to go to see his Mom.  I have her present sitting in my kitchen and it is so freaking big the price of postage is killer on it.  So, we need to give it to her. 

I was beading and finished two necklaces today.  One of them I was waiting for the beads to get here so, I could finish it.  I finally got my druks in so, it is done.  I will take pics of it when I find my camera, it is in my purse right now. 

I also finished a necklace that is mine.  I used a Murano glass bead that wasn't cheap and the necklace is centered around it.  I love how well it turned out.  I make necklaces for everyone and their dog but, I hardly make myself one.  So, now I have a gorgeous red one.

I need to check my blood sugar and then go for a nice swim.  We had tacos for lunch today.  I should have ordered the chips with the queso and then the tacos with it.  I love the hot sauces they have as well.  I am a fan of salsa as long as it is tasty.  Some of them out there are just plain nasty. 

I did manage to pick up my knitting needles last night and do 4 rows on the shawl.  I admit, it is slow going right now.  I have just been so damn tired these days.  I need to up my B-12 content, I think.  My meds I am on, kill it off.  Lovely. 

Just another thing to deal with.  I did drop 2 pounds from yesterday.  Every little bit counts. 

Happy May Day

I woke up this morning trying not to be stressed since me being stressed raises the blood sugar and for once, I would like to have a morning that is perfect.  Then it happened, I thought of an ex-boyfriend and it went downhill.  Don't ask me why the loser popped into my brain but, he did.  I thought of his selfishness and I pity the poor woman who actually married him and his philandering ways.  He was a big time cheater.  This is the guy who called me on his wedding day and wanted to get together, yes, that kind of loser! 

I decided I needed to go outside to have my breakfast.  I took my Glucerna shake and headed to the back yard and my dogs thought it was banana time.  Nope, sorry, not this morning, maybe tomorrow we can share a banana.  They love the things.  Then I realized it was May Day so, I would be good and get my chores done while it is cool out.  I went ahead and fertilized all the plants in the garden with my Algoflash...so amazing.  It is a fantastic product.  I fertilized the persimmon trees, the fig tree, and the lemon tree.  The strawberries were fertilized last week.  I decided to go ahead and clean out the skimmer basket on the pool pump so, I had to go back and unwind the hose from the reel and pull it back over there to prime the pump.  That is done.  I have to find the time to get the new clean filters in.  Maybe on Sunday.  It is time to soak the ones that are in the filter right now.  Pool ownership is not easy unless you have a cartridge filter, which I have.  I love it so much more than that DAMN DE one we had.  I hated it.  It was a bitch to prime and set.  No fond memories of the thing at all. 

That being taken care of, I was finished with my outside chores du jour.  I did notice that my little spring onions are coming up quite nicely in the cucumber pot.  Yippee!  I love green onions.  They are completely versatile to cook with. 

Now, I am working on cleaning off the dining room table.  All of the DAR stuff is going to my sister since she is the next Regent for the chapter.  I am getting all the papers filed and ready to go into the file folder holder.  It is already heavy with what I have collected.  Now, she will be getting to add to it for her term as Regent.  She gets two years whereas I had three since I am the organizing regent of the chapter.  I see why hardly anyone even organizes a chapter these days, it is a lot of hard work.  Serious work and like one of the ladies told me, it is like trying to heard cats.  She was so right. 

I thought about working on the shawl last night but, I was wiped out again.  I am thinking I need to get back to work on it and get it moving.  I am on the third repeat of the one section.  It requires 4 repeats so, that is something. 

Yesterday when I was outside doing my chores, I heard a rumbling and looked up to see the B-17 flying over head, this is the one I saw at the airshow.  It was so pretty flying overhead with an escort plane flying in formation behind it.  So cool.  I had to call my sister and tell her about it.  Her boys loved going through that plane at the airshow. 

I want to hit the pool today after I get my chores done.  I need to swim.  After fixing the hose problem last night, I saw that it was working well.  yay!  I didn't relish the thought of tearing down the pool cleaner itself.  It  has a bunch of small parts that are a pain in the ass to deal with.  So, I was quite excited when I saw that it was moving and the back up was working like it should.  I have to tear down the hose today that was in the pool and save the parts that still work.  We took the floats off of the line of the old hose and put them on the new one.  There is one swivel that is completely blown on the old one, it goes into the trash.  The others can be salvaged and used for parts. 

I also need to invest in another tub of skimmer sticks for the pool.  This year, I am going to do only 10 pounds at a time.  20 pounds goes rank really fast for me.  I ordered in 50 last year and one tub oxidized severely, it wasn't effective at all.  So, I know that this year, it will be better to just do 10 pounds at a time.  I love the skimmer sticks.  I get my minimum of chlorine and since I have the Nature 2 Express cartridge on the return pool line, it works out well.  I throw one stick into the skimmer basket on the wall and I am done for the week.  My pool is just gorgeous.  Not only does the water no longer stick of chlorine, it is softer.  No eye or skin burning these days.  I have also noticed that it is easier to balance as well. 

Best money I have spent in a long time on that pool.  :) 

Bootsy is in here with me laying on the floor at my feet.  He is getting old and I try to spend as much time with him as I can.  He is still a lizard killer.  He has been taking it easy more and more these days.  He is my sweetie.  This is the best dog I have ever had.  He loves my sister, and will lick her behind the knee every time he sees her.  I have no idea why.  He even peed on her leg that one day.  I guess he was marking his territory. 

Happy May Day to everyone!