For Good

 I bought myself a pair of warm knitted mittens last summer.  I could not resist them.  I found them in a small craft shop off the beaten path. 

They are beautiful.  I put them away for the summer...who needs mittens in the summer anyways...who buys mittens in the summer.  Well...apparently I do, these are lined with angora yarn.  Just slipping your hands inside is almost orgasmic. 

I looked at them this week...as it happens they had joined two other pairs of mittens that I have been saving "for good."  How many pair of "for good" mittens did I need?  

I am going to wear them this winter, I thought about putting idiot strings on them so they are not lost. 

Why is it that letting go is so difficult.  I might lose one...I might get them dirty...I might...I might...I might enjoy wearing them...

Do you have anything that you are saving "for good" ?

Far Side

Me and my shawl project

My third shawl in a ball  shawl/scarf turned out very nice.  I may keep it for myself.

It is very colorful but I am getting tired of this color of yarn!  It can be worn many different ways.

I wrapped it around my neck and asked Far Guy to take a photo.  His attempts were hilarious.

I finally took a selfie...my first selfie.

No makeup...just plain old me.  My hair is getting longer and is very silvery.

See proof I do exist! I could have smiled more...could have opened my eyes more...could have put make up on!

Our go to town adventure was uneventful.  This week no ammonia, no Lysol Wipes...same old stuff missing.  Far Guy got his infusion in record time and we were back at home disinfecting groceries.

Gas was up to $1.76 a gallon tourists must be coming. We always see a increase in the price of gas this time of the year.  Towns all around are probably still at $1.46.

Far Side

Spring Colors

We have no spring colors outside yet so yarn has to do.

Just finished up a shawl out of these colors.  I will take a photo soon.

I am in between projects, only because I have not decided what to do next.  I knit on my socks and worked on some crochet squares for a charity project.

I am taking a day maybe two off of spring cleaning. 

Today I get a chipped filling fixed at the Dentist...they are allowing only one person in the office at a time.  I will pick up groceries during Far Guys Infusion, deliver a few items to my parents and come home and disinfect everything. 

Just a couple of thoughts;  I realized I am not high maintenance.   My hair has not seen dye in many years, I only get my hair cut twice a year and if worse came to worse I could hack some of it off.   I do my own toes and finger nails.  I have never had a spa day...what ever do they do for a whole day anyways? 

Far Side 

Stinky

I still subscribe to several magazines.  One of them is Martha Stewart Living.  I opened the latest issue and was assaulted by a horrible smell...worse than hog manure.  Lambcomb of Paree...ode de outdoor biffy.

I emailed Martha Stewart Living and complained...much to my surprise they have fragrance free issues and I am now on that list.  Yeah for someone who is conscious about fragrance sensitive people! 

Far Guy tries to escape the smelly lady at Pulmonary Therapy...as soon as she arrives they set up a fan to blow the scent away from Far Guy...too bad they cannot just tell her that she stinks. 

Now that it is nearing Christmas the fragrance ads on TV multiply...good thing there is no smellavision.  Ever notice how the smelly models are thin, wearing  diaphanous gowns walking around someplace foreign?  Not thick waisted women with silvery hair...

Did I tell you about the escapade with the Unscented Fabric Softener that was smelly?  Naturally I called the phone number on the box and complained.  They said "Sometimes stores put fragrance scented fabric softener sheets next to unscented and the fragrance transfers...so it is not really the manufactures problem."  EXCUSE me...your product states it is Unscented and it stinks...perhaps you should wrap your boxes in plastic wrap!   They said they would forward on my suggestion and they would mail me a coupon and they did. 

  Tamarack one day last week 

Far Side

Wasted Time

I spent several hours looking for something.  Several weeks ago I put the something in a safe place when I retrieved a similar item.  When it was time to retrieve the something I searched high and low, cleaned out some files whilst looking for said item.  I explained my problem to Far Guy who said “I hope you find it.”  I gave up for awhile and began painting on Christmas Ornaments…and thought and thought finally I let my over cluttered mind relax…I knew I had seen the item recently but where?  Finally it came to me, it was in the red basket on my desk.

Lesson learned…either you should just leave things in their proper place or clean off your desk more often.

All that time wasted could have been spent cleaning off my desk.

Laughter

I saw something interesting the other day on Facebook. It made me laugh out loud.

“You own everything that happened to you.  Tell your stories.  If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have treated you better.”

Sometimes certain things just strike me funny… and I laugh right out loud uncontrollably…like Adam being a pill during a photography session.  His Mother didn’t think it was funny at all, possibly that made it all the funnier for me.  He was ordered to “stop before your Grandmother keels over.” ( Can you see the obit…old cranky woman dies from laughing too much! )

We all need a little more laughter, this world is way too serious.

 

Struggles

We all have our struggles and crosses to bear.  I have stiches in my hand that are driving me half totally crazy.  Nothing seems to help…except ice and elevation…one night I even took one of those poop stopping pain pills…I was desperate to be pain free to sleep. I figured if one stopped me up at least I was pain free for four hours…and eventually I would poop again.  Thank goodness just one had no effect!!!

I am tired. I bawl at the drop of a hat. I am cranky…yet I am not in a forest fire or a hurricane ..SO I should quit the bitchin…suck it up and put my big girl panties on and not rip out the fourteen stitches in my hand by myself.  ( I could start and remove a few and then Far Guy will have to help me finish.)

If I were a dog I would certainly have bitten them to release the torturous things. I would have to wear that doggie cone of shame because I could not be trusted if I were a dog.

Life would be easier if I WERE A DOG.

I am beginning to think that I am allergic to those stitches and what ever else they used to close up that incision.  It hurts, it itches…I am done bitching now…the stitches will be gone in a few more hours. I can do it…maybe.  I wonder how many minutes it is until then?

This is a photo my baby brother sent me from Houston.  He works there. He wrote “ I had a leaky garage ceiling, no significant issues. Some folks down the street not so much see the photo…”  He was away from Houston during Hurricane Harvey and returned after Labor Day.

Ship Shape Shirts

Some things bother me and I cannot help myself.  I have some OCD.

I noticed all of Far Guys shirts were mixed up in the closet…he carries away his own laundry.  There was no rhyme or reason to the organization…cause there was none, the summer wild print shirts were here and there not in their group.  The long sleeved shirts were hanging with the short sleeved shirts…it was all willy nilly.  Instead of being bitchy about it I fixed them all.  I came out of the bedroom and said “Did you know that your short sleeved shirts were all messed up with your long sleeved shirts?”  He grinned at me and said “Oh my that must be why I slept so badly last night.”  Then he said “They were in numerical order.” FUNNY.

My shirts are separated by sleeve length and then by color …pink, blues, turquoise, peach, green, yellow, red, black, white and prints.  I hang everything in the laundry room as it comes out of the dryer…I sort my colors there and then take them to the closet.  I used to make sure everything was hanging the same way you know fronts facing right…but I decided to just let go a bit and not be so anal about it all.

How about you?  Are your shirts hung or folded?  (Far Guy has some folded everyday T Shirts…I do not.) Do you separate by sleeve length and color?   Do you take all the laundry away in your house? 

Recently I gave Noah a lesson about how to properly fold a shirt…just like in the store.  I think he appreciated the lesson…he said he did.

Spirit Lake in Menahga Minnesota.

La La Land

I must have been off in La La Land on Tuesday.  Far Guy was gone to town getting new tires on my car and the only one to assist me in wardrobe choices was Chance…and he obviously doesn’t care what I look like when I leave the house.

I must have been in a hurry when I went to the shoe drawer. 

I happily went to town for lunch with my cousins, no one said a word…not even my Mother or Father.  After lunch I walked down the street and got my hair trimmed…no one said anything there either. 

I discovered it when I got home…Far Guy said “You will HAVE to blog about it.” 

In my defense if I had noticed in town I would not have given up and drove all the way home to change shoes and go back to town like someone else did the day he had one brown shoe and one black shoe.

I might be a little vain but 30 miles extra so I match…not happening.

Other happenings in La La Land:  We got most of the log siding on the south side of the house stained again….the sun beats down on them.  Yesterday we painted the west side of the sauna…I even had a whole quart of the right color paint…will wonders never cease!  Far Guy built me another shelf for the furnace/laundry room.  I am still working in my garage.

Dreaming

Not sure what is happening but I am dreaming some weird $#!&.

I discovered a really long hair coming out of my chin.  I pulled it out and discovered it had a whole bunch of dark horse hair at one end.  I measured it and it was 40 inches long… I wondered how I missed it when I washed my face…and how I managed to get it all tucked into my bun without noticing.   I checked out my face AND neck really good the next morning.

I was stranded in town in my jammies.  I was supposed to pick up Far Guy and when I told him I was wearing my jammies he said “Sweetheart I will go into Wally World and buy you something to wear.”  Did I listen…no I kept him waiting whilst I waltzed into Wally World barefoot in my prettiest blue and white nightgown.  I couldn’t find any pants, finally I found a pair but they were white with a pink stripe going down the leg and they were $40.  Well forget that.

Hairs and jammies seem to be on my mind…and the number 40.

 

Oh well it could be worse.  I could be walking around with paper stuck to my butt.

Slow

Sometimes things just take time.

Sometimes I am not a very patient person either.

I want Jen to heal fast and get back to normal.  We left her on her own, well not all alone she has her boys to take care of her.   She usually takes care of them…

Good thing we came home when we did..cause someone had taken the last of his medication that he must take every day.  I did not have any extra in my bag either…leave it to a man to pack. I have extra in a different bag, and extra in a different vehicle.  I need to get organized for the times he has brain farts.

Came home looking for a photo file from 2008 of Far Guys Class Reunion, he is working on a project.  Looked high and low, found backup files..but not the right one.  I think he is appealing to classmates for help as other people took photos that day.

I am back to working on the Christmas Ornaments, had some glitches to overcome.  I think I am on the right track now.  None are totally finished yet…soon.  I really want them DONE.

For now I am in a slow mode…doing what I think is the most important thing to accomplish any given day:)

 

Cleaning Up Projects

One day I cleared out the entire fridge and cupboards of all the containers that were beyond their expiration dates.  Far Guy is allergic to anything that might start to ferment naturally…he begins projectile vomiting and wishes he was dead.  He and I consumed some older expired salsa that the seal was questionable on, I was fine..yup you guessed it… he was in the bathroom all night long.  Have you checked your expiration dates lately?

Another day Far Guy turned the computer chairs upside down and we cleaned off the “stuff” mainly somedogs hair from around the wheels.  The chairs were not gliding along the floor so much anymore..now they glide with the greatest of ease..you can slide the chair across the room with one finger.  We sat at the table and cleared wheels with a tweezers and a scissors.  I won’t say there was a mountain of hair and threads..but it was a big pile.  Do you get hair in your computer chairs wheels?  Have you looked?

Do you carry Lysol Wipes in your car?  We do just incase someone we see looks sick.  Do you disinfect your grocery cart before you load it with groceries?   We do…most stores provide the disinfectant wipes and I use them to wipe down the entire grocery cart. Are we germaphobes?   I have a clean side and a dirty side in my kitchen..never the twain shall meet…and if they do, out come the Lysol Wipes. ( Cross contamination drives me nuts.)  I have a cutting board just for chicken…nothing else gets cut on it…and after it is used I wash it about three times.  I also have a special cutting board for fruit. I keep things on my kitchen counters to a minimum.  I don’t like working around mail or a phone or fru fru on the kitchen counters.

Recently we switched from a dish rag..the nasty germy things to Bounty Duratowels that are supposed to be 3 times cleaner than a dish rag.  Daughter Jen uses a dish brush perhaps one of those is worth a try. 

Now for the big question.  Have you replaced those batteries in your smoke alarms and Carbon Monoxide detectors?   Far Guy bought a new Carbon Monoxide detector for the furnace/laundry room.  He also replaced every battery in all the other alarms and tested them all.  I know the batteries might be good for another six months…but what if they aren’t?  What if they don’t chirp?  What if I am gone from the house for a few days when they have chirped and I miss it?  If I change the batteries at the time change every spring and fall then I can rest assured that they will work if needed:)

Frosty leaves November 6 2013

All about my first day off

I slept late, it felt great.  Chance and I sent Far Guy off to the museum, it was his volunteer day.

I lounged around in my jammies for a long time.  I returned phone calls that needed my attention. I read until the phone ringing interruptions were too much. I finally got dressed.  I had to leave Chance behind whilst I did some errands, it was way too warm of a day for a black dog to sit in a black car.  I had the dreaded mammogram in the afternoon..owie, I hate that boob smashing machine.  Cross something off the freaking list!

I visited Far Guy and I packed up some more of my office and gave him guidance.  Then I took all the used ink cartridges to the animal shelter, somehow they get money from them.  I took time out to pet some dogs and made some kittens purr.

I went to Walmarts and went up and down every aisle, just because I could.  Yes, I got everything on my list and then some.  Far Guy said maybe unsupervised shopping was not such a good thing!

Came home played ball with Chance, took pictures of my niece’s family and Chance and I ate a late supper.  Far Guy had a long volunteering day, he went straight from the museum to a community activity… that showcased Arts… he was at the woodcarver’s display table.

I think I have turned the corner with my cold…maybe.

I am reading my Trixie Belden book.  I began reading that series of books when I was about 10 years old.   I saved up to buy books. ( I used to get 25 cents a week during the summer from my Dad if I behaved and helped out during the week, and $1.00 for every A on my report card during the school year.)    Then when we would go to Woolworth’s ( A five and dime store) in Detroit Lakes I would pick out a Trixie Belden book…they were usually .99  or 1.09  plus tax.  I found out that 39 books were published in the Trixie Belden Series from 1948 to 1986.…and the first ones I bought were called a Cello or “glossy” because of the glossy cellophane that was adhered to the book jacket.  I am certain I wrote my name in all the books I purchased, every time I open one in an antique shop I wonder as I open the front cover was it one of mine?  I paid $3.00 for this one…and so far I have gotten $3.00 worth of enjoyment:)

Happy Together

Far Guy and I had a date night.  We dropped Chance off at his sitters ( granddaughter Madison.)  He got to play ball, stare down a cat, he ate a tiny frog and a cat whopped him on the nose…he was exhausted when we picked him up after the concert.

The Buckinghams ( Kind of a Drag or Hey Baby/They are playing our song) were entertaining but really REALLY LOUD.  My ears were ringing.  I screamed at Far Guy “They must think we are all old and deaf.”

The Grass Roots (Midnight Confessions) was really loud too..my ears really hurt.  I was sure I had busted an ear drum.  Far Guy offered me our tickets to wad up and put in my ear.

Then came the guy I was waiting for Gary Puckett (Young Girl).  What a huge disappointment.  He does not have a bucket to carry a tune in.  OR perhaps my hearing had been damaged by then.

Thankfully there was an intermission to get up and stretch.  Then Mickey Dolenz ( The Monkees and Daydream Believer a salute to Davy Jones.) That was okay.

The real show finally started with Flo and Eddie or the remnant of The Turtles..they were hilarious and very entertaining.  Real showman.. they in themselves could have their own show.   Of course they are known for the song Happy Together.  

Me and You, and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice it has to be..how is that for an old ear worm?

Here are all the old guys at the end..one of them said it perfectly.  “If I had known I was going to live so long. I would have spent more of my youth getting high.”  Of course in the geriatric crowd that was there..we could all agree.

The backup band was loudly awesome..I am sure they cringe when Gary Puckett comes on stage to sing..perhaps that is why they play so loud..if not their sound guy should be fired:(

Nerve Center

I have always hated phone books especially after they got rid of the small local area ones and replaced them with huge five inch things that weigh five pounds.   I just want a few local numbers.  I just call the same people all the time anyway..and no I do not have them programed into the phone.  I have them up on the “Nerve Center” ..stuff is stored there until it is thrown away, paid or otherwise dealt with.  The only thing that stays is the note card list of phone numbers, cell phone numbers and the list of when the magazine subscriptions were paid for.  The sleazy magazine people will try and get you to renew your subscription a year in advance if you let them..I have one that says they have me on automatic renewal..well I said “Listen Buster..I have news for you..I write the checks and you are not getting one with that kind of automatic attitude.”

The Nerve Center was getting too small..actually it has been too small for a long time.  Off we went looking for a larger cork board to make my life more organized.  Well good luck with that one..I found only a couple of sizes..the one I had and another one that was the size of a billboard.  I decide that I could live with the one I had..it might just need new cork. So we bought a package of cork squares. 

On the way home as we pulled into the garage I noticed an old bulletin board that I had used for the greenhouse..it might just be the perfect size. It barely fit between the phone and the landing.  I could use what cork I had and run to town and get more if I needed it. 

I was impatient..it was cold outside..below zero..yuck.

We had to move that clock..one of the hazards of having wood walls is footprints on the walls when you move something..it will fade in time.   I glued and double stick taped the new cork tiles in place.  I found some scrapbook loony paper to fill in for cork at the bottom.  I used lots of push pins to help hold everything in place.  Fancy Smancy new wooden ones, and I even found my little bug pushpins from the greenhouse!    Ta da..

Use what you have and make it better instead of buying new.

This will work for now..I have visions of a cabinet with two doors with loons on the front..when you open the doors..you are in the nerve center..shh..no one tell Far Guy but I may put it on list for him to build next summer.

I am still working on my list for another 12 days.   The cubbies under the step have been completed..and the dining room is all done..except for the glass thingy's on the light fixture..the days are dark and dreary and I don’t want to wash them when they are hot.

Onward and forward into the kitchen..it is way below zero here..very cold.  Good time for me to stay holed up in the kitchen:)

Comfortable

In Minnesota comfort sometimes comes with cooler weather.

There was a quilt display on the courthouse lawn last Saturday.

I really liked the yellow one on the right.  It belongs to a little girl from California and she sleeps with it when she visits her Grandma in Minnesota. No doubt she is comforted.

Comfort for me, is having my own pillow and being able to have my body on the same level as my head..then I can sleep…I like noise too, the constant noise of a TV will lull me to sleep.

Other people I know struggle with getting comfortable.  Last night, Jen came downstairs..and told everyone ( the grand boys and me) that we had to be quiet..she could not get to sleep whilst the boys and I were talking.  She has really good hearing..and she sounded really fierce..so we just whispered.  Last weekend she came all the way downstairs to turn the volume of our TV way down..we practically had to lip read what the people on the TV said..it was a good thing that we had seen the movie Stand By Me before.  I think ear plugs might be a wonderful gift for her, perhaps we could find one of those fancy nighttime blindfolds and attach some ear plugs.

I can sleep through almost anything..except silence..if the TV goes off in the night or someone shuts it off..I am immediately awake.

Comfort is elusive sometimes, if only it were as simple as reaching for a quilt made by your grandmother:)

Being Prepared

Just a reminder..next week when we go off of daylight savings time is when your smoke detector batteries should be replaced.  So put batteries on your list..ours take the little square ones..so that is what it says on my grocery list  “Little square batteries for the smoke alarms.”  I don’t care if the old batteries still work..in six months they probably won’t.  There is a time to be frugal ..and this is not one of them.

The big wind got one of the trees in our nephews yard next door. No one was injured..but I bet Bailey barked up a storm!

 

Snapped off half way up the trunk.  That seemed to be the story with many of the trees that fell during the big wind storm. This was probably one of the reasons that Chance wanted company outdoors during the wind storm..he is a dog and mistakenly thinks there is safety in numbers, either that or he is afraid to die alone.  We were prepared to lose electricity, luckily we didn’t although the lights flickered.  I put extra water in the fridge..so Chance would have water just in case we were without electricity a long time.

This morning it is frosty..

  Chance and I were out for an early walk.  I call this the brown time of year..it is like we are stuck between the green and the white..yup stuck on brown.  Stupid deer keep knocking the top rail of the fence down..there is a huge buck in here..Chance and I saw him..he is about an 8 to 10 pointer and is massive. He still had the velvet on his antlers..If I would have had the camera out of its case and turned on while I was driving into the yard I would have gotten a photo…but alas I was not prepared.

Now go put those batteries on your grocery list:) 

Christmas Party Advice

Well if you have not guessed by now, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are NOT my favorite time of year. I do not get it, never have, will I ever? I am attempting to work through this aversion. I am attempting through this blog to put things into their proper perspective. I believe I have some severe form of Holiday Ho Hums. Today we will venture into (insert danger music here) THE PARTY ZONE!

Never ever serve traveling guests Deviled Eggs and Egg Nog at 6 AM. I was served this once, yes we were to arrive at this Iowa get together at 9PM..unfortunately we were caught in an Ice Storm and our arrival was delayed by nine hours. I ate some of those fancy eggs and slurped some of that not so great nog..I still shudder at the thought.

Never ever count the number of Christmas trees in the entire house..it is impolite and tacky. You should only count the real trees..zero. It is also impolite to rearrange the decorations on those trees. You should not count the number of chaffing dishes on the buffet table, or exclaim "Love your Christmas China, everything is so matchy matchy."

If you are at a party and there is a hot pink and silver tree in the bathroom, and you start giggling and cannot stop. Other guests will stare at you. They will stare at you like you have two heads, one of which may be spinning around. I knew they would stare, I tried really hard, I stayed in there with that tree that must have been the spawn of Mary Kay Cosmetics until I thought my giggles were under control. As soon as I exited that bathroom, my giggles returned. The harder I tried to act normal the more I giggled. Far Guy said "Could you try to get a hold of yourself?" I tried, I really did. What did he want me to do..go outside and stick my head in a snowbank?

Oh the stress of those parties, and wanting to fit in. To look perfect, to say just the right thing at the right time.

Far Guys best friend Gary was in charge of me one year. Gary had a plan to keep me from being so nervous. Well the name of his little plan was Operation: Black Russian. It was only supposed to relax me a little, just enough to keep me from giggling. It was a nice try on his part, but apparently Gary misjudged my alcohol tolerance. I remember very little..the part I do remember involved sitting on the floor in the kitchen talking to the Generals dog while maids in cute little black uniforms with white aprons scurried about. I do recall Far Guy telling Gary " I told you she doesn't drink." Far Guy said "Why in the world did you feel compelled to converse with the dog?" Well duh..the dog was the most interesting person there.

Then there was always the big question of what to wear. Well if it is thirty below zero I am going to wear something warm. If I have spent all day in town Christmas Shopping freezing my butt off going from store to store while the North Dakota wind is blowing fifty miles an hour, the last thing on my mind is high fashion. I am thinking only of warmth. By the time I am delivered appropriated dressed in a non snow pants type outfit, and without a bit of alcohol to relax me. I am a bit tense, and their house is freezing cold, but they have a perfectly good wood burning fireplace with no wood to burn. I should have kept my blue lips shut and not said "I knew it was BYOB but I did not realize that it was BYOW..Bring Your Own Wood."

Well that about wraps up my party advice..one more thing..it's OK if you scatch me off of your Christmas party list:)

The photo today, is one cool party cat Chaucer, he belongs to our daughter Jen!