Cats in the Garden

Still busy

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Yes, I am still busy. Have been cleaning out a lot of junk. Anything that looked like it might sell for a little bit, goes to one of the local charity's. I am getting ready to close my little flea market booth. I have sold some stuff, but they charge so much rental and commission that I might as well give the stuff away. Lets put it this way after five months, the flea market has $75 and I have $0. so I might as well give the stuff away or let the DH sell it at work. I would save the rental fee at least.

The house gets emptier all the time, and we have more room all the time, though I still haven't started the outside yet, its all those wasp and bees, I don't want to start until they are thinned out. I did finish mowing the lawn the other day with the help of the DH, I had two thirds of it done when he got home. He was really glad to see so much done. You see the lawn tractor is down, until we get a new shaft for one side of the deck. That's a ways off yet, too much else to be done.

Today I am trying to make pita bread,never done it before and the recipe is one I haven't tried and it doesn't seem to do what i wanted, no puffy pockets or anything. Tomorrow my DH has requested a cake, so I'll probably do that then. The cake always turns out, but this is a bread machine recipe for pita bread and seems like something is missing, maybe it needs to be kneaded more. I am not going to worry about it right now, I want to start knitting on the crochet organizer thingy I am making anyway. It's one of those round cushion things that you stick needles in, only this one is for all those hooks. I don't take my crochet with me much anymore, I keep loosing tools and that irks me just a bit.

Anyway that's it for now, will post pictures when and if I get the camera out and the dial-up speeds up a bit.

Busy as a bumble bee

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:53:00 +0000

I feel like I have been as busy as a bumble bee. They are everywhere around here this year. I am going to have to burn out or spray the nests that have been built under the house. I don't want to take a chance on getting stung-they can you know. I have to clear those and the wasps out before I can do the outside work. Today I am mowing and mowing. Gosh, i am tired now. I am trying not to overdo it, but still have so much left. I mow 20 minutes and rest 20 minutes, its hot and I don't want heatstroke. Okay so the hotter it gets the longer the rest breaks get,LOL.

I saw a lot of nature out there today, butterflies everywhere, the big ones. Several cute little bluetail lizards, I think they are skinks, maybe. And one very small Missouri Kingsnake, kind of black with little green dots on it. It was only about 18 inches long and I tried to catch it so I could put it in my garden, didn't want to accidently kill it with the mower. Oh an one rather large mother frog, in my trash pile and yes, it was a frog. I mowed right by the trash pile and It sailed right over the mower and looked at me, and then ducked in the trash where I suspect its young are, because I could see some water in there in the muck. It came flying at me from several feet from the trash pile and glared at me, as much as to say,"don''t get to close!" Generally I like lizards, toads and frogs, and even snakes though now, that we are pretty sure what nearly killed our black cat was a copperhead, we are going to show them less mercy than we normally would.

I got a huge surprise when my son, came by to see me,a few days ago, I haven't even seen him for years and years. He has a beautiful little girl, she is so cute. He and his wife seem pretty happy, so I am happy for him. All I have ever wanted for my children is that they be happy in life. The little one is another reason for me to eliminate the snakes that bite, I don't want to see her bitten.

Getting there!!

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Yes I am getting there, the house is closer and closer to getting done. I get more and more stuff out of the house all the time. I have a feeling the DAV(disabled american veterans is going to get some of this stuff. We just have too much stuff. Some of which I had forgotten about. Some of it that isn't worth keeping will get burned, no point in trying to dump it on some poor charity to deal with.

I do a little spinning for example-I'd probably do more if I had the wool out where I could see it, but it has been in a plastic box for forever. Since I keep it all in heavy plastic bags there are no bugs in it, but it never gets spun up either, so now it is in a basket that I can see what it is. And I have hung all my spindles up and am putting the wheel where I can get at it. Maybe if I can see them, I will start using them again.

I think I am going to store the games that I have kept in the, now empty plastic box-we only play games as a last resort around here( power outs and such), I love to play, but the dh doesn't like them much. I only have a few, so no big deal. I found a box of bicycle parts, still in the blister packs for my bike, new brakes, new innertubes, lights. I really should get it out and polish it up and ride it. I will be needing the exercise when I am done. I have even lost a couple of pounds since I started this. I'd like that to continue.

I got a treasure at the flea market last weekend, I finally got a copy of H. Beam Piper's Fuzzys and Other People in one of the booths for $2. I have been looking for that book for several years now. Only one more to go and I will have the set, They are hard for me to find, and when I do, they want way more than I will pay for them. Now I only need Fuzzy Sapiens and I will finally get to read them in sequence. I also have William Tunning's Fuzzy Bones but it is just not the same and doesn't have the same ending at the real thing. Though I like it too. I may just get busy in my spare time and make me a pair of little fuzzies to sit on the bed. They are so cute.

Well, it has taken longer to write this than I had intended, but talking about it keeps it straight in my head too, last week I lost two whole days and don't know where they went. It seems I jumped from tuesday to friday and really got confused and don't know how it happened. I at least know that today is Tuesday.

My sick cat is better, she is eating and able to move around again, I was afraid she was a gonner, she is so old. I don't look for her to live a lot longer anyway. She is an outside cat that doesn't do well indoors, I'm glad we live in the country. It's a little safer out here for them, unless someone decides to poison rats or something, or starts shooting them. I don't know why some people hate cats, without them, out here, we would be overun with rats and field mice in the house.And I hate to use any sort of poison on them, it goes to far down in the food chain.

Anyway that's it, more in a few days-after I am finished I hope.

Why I haven't been posting for the like two of you that read this

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:43:00 +0000

Why I haven't been posting,I have been very busy, trying to fix up our old house and make it a little more comfortable. We spend so much time here that I want it to be as comfortable and easy to live with as possible. That takes work and a lot of it. The next paragraphs are from my other blog, I just copied and pasted, hope it works together and doesn't sound too funny.

It has been a long month for me and it's still not over. I have been painting walls and fixing floors, and all sorts of things for the last three weeks. I am now so tired that I can't wake up easily and hurt all over. I can almost see daylight though. Almost! I still need to move some more bookcases and build some more. and yes I am doing it myself. I think that is why I am so tired. I haven't had time to post or even read the posts others make. There is more moving furniture and more cleaning to do as well. When it is all done, I am taking some time off to just veg out for a few days. Then I get to start the outdoor repairs, believe it or not they will be easier than the indoor ones have been. Anyway, I going to go take it easy for the rest of the day, tonight I will dig out some more wood to build my book cases with.

I am still crocheting and making small things too. I've crocheted 6 flute cases for our indian flutes and other instruments. I still have three to go. I am also debating on whether or not to stay with yahoo profiles, it is the dullest website I have ever seen. No way to make it better either and they don't seem to care over there. Oh well, this one has been better so far, so I'll probably stick with it. Pardon my typing, my hands just don't want to type today, they are tired too.

On a Happier note than the last

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:35:00 +0000

My last post was rather depressed and surly, okay downright angry. It seems that I am only really happy now, working in the yard or crocheting or working on my crappy house. Oh and writing. I am still working on the books, and my go back to two others I started years ago, I have found part of one and the outline and a couple of chapters of one other. The third one I'll have to start from memory. I lost all of it when I moved 20 years ago. Writing is good therapy, even if it is never published. I write better on my stories than I write here. Though sometimes the rules of grammar are very hard for me to remember. I remember a little better all the time though.

I finished something to send my dear daughter, and if she reads this-perhaps she will send me a picture when she gets it (Hint, hint). She would make a much better model than my maniquin would. You know that crocheted top I started months ago? I still haven't finished it! No matter how many balls of thread I have bought none of them work, it is just a totally different shade of blue and I have tried two other dye lots. So... I decided to do the sleeves in a shade of lavender and try to trim it with the blue I have. If you can't match them, change them. I may like it better, who knows, it won't be quite so stuffy and perfect that way. I never seem to like things that are too stuffy, perfect or nice. I want that little defect that makes them not look like they are machine made, I guess. For me I am even making a pink scarf from some lacette I got on clearance. I don't wear much pink, I don't look good in it, but I have one pink sweater that I like and looks okay on me, so I wanted a scarf for the winter that will work with it, and this one will.

Oh and I got some sewing patterns for pants, a tunic top and a coat that can be a dress jacket or just a cover-up or even make a winter type coat. I really don't like much of what is in the stores today and would rather make my own. I was thinking some denim for the shell and maybe some black fleece for the lining with maybe some insulation too. It's a swing-type coat that can be made short or long with only one button or two-I hate zippers-they are always breaking, if a button pops, I just put on a new one. And that brings us to my house hold repairs!

I am excited because I got the lumber to redo my floors, so now I can do my sewing room and put all my sewing things and crafts things back in there, and that means I can start making things again. New clothes that fit! Stuff to sell in my little flea market booth and things for the house. It will also give me a quiet place to write in, though I also love to sit outside (when the bugs aren't too bad) and write in the shade.

That brings me back to the yard, I am now looking for rock-can't use them yet, so I can rock in the floor part of my little sitting spot.My sitting spot is just a little park bench and table under a tree with some flowers. Rocking in the floor of it and cleaning it out of weeds and things should help eliminate some of the bugs. I am picking up rock in my yard and some at the store so it will a jumble of things. Like something done years ago. maybe some stepping stones and the like. And then I start the repairs on the outside of the house. I may start some of them this weekend or the next weekend. Probably this weekend. Nothing fancy, just real repairs. I am feeling much better, though health problems do persist, I am not going to let them rule me anymore, or quit doing something just cause I might get hurt again.

I just don't know anymore!

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:33:00 +0000

It's true, I just don't know anymore. To post or not to post. I really don't think anyone in America really reads this stuff anyway, maybe a few of you. The last few months though, it seems that I have lost a lot of my interest in blogging. I've noticed a big decline in the number of posts on my favorite craft blogs and the complete ceasing on others of any posts. Are we loosing interest in our blogs, or is the economy just getting so many of us down that we have nothing cheerful to say? Or is it the war and politics. I keep worrying that we are going to get into another war, with oh, say Korea. They either really want one, or they are really desparate to get help. I guess no one ever told them that you can 'catch more flies with honey than with sour milk'.

And you can post and post on the presidents site, and I don't think anyone really reads them, they send you a thank-you for your support-even if you didn't support their position. That seems to indicate that now the president has been elected, he is doing what got the last one in trouble and not listening to those that elected him, he has started listening to the advisors who know so much-they or some like them are the ones that helped the last president put us in this position.

Does all this say to you what it does to me, that no one is listening and that no one really cares what happens to the middle class and the ones below it. It seem to, that they are really trying to set the middle class against the poor and lower, by trying to make them pay for all the programs and funding that is needed. Small businesses should be pretty much exempt if they provide jobs for people, stick it to the big corporations that have sent all the factory and production jobs overseas, they are the real culprits. If they had not started this, by eliminating jobs and increasing their own profits, the people on the bottom would have money for their car payments and house payments and to put into social security and keep things going, but not they had to send our jobs away, then the ones selling house and buying real estate had to get in on it and now the housing market is falling apart. Greatly simplified I know, but still true, these people didn't just break some eggs, they tried to steal the chickens too.

Still in the end, who winds up paying for it all, the middle class and the poor. I've heard that the poor don't pay taxes-bull****. They pay sales taxes, hidden taxes and all sorts of other taxes no one even seems to know about. In my state we pay taxes on all food items. You spend $100 on food and pay about $8 in taxes, not much you say-but how about that times 52 weeks,that's $416 dollars a year. And then there is gas tax, property tax, real estate tax, it adds up to a lot, there is no free ride even for the ones who don't have much. Does anyone ever ask these questions or do they just not want to know. You take someone who makes less than $24,000 in a year and they still pay around $1500 to $2000 a year in taxes and no I am not talking about income tax alone- they get a little of that back, I am talking about, real estate, personal property, sales tax , gas tax and all those little hidden taxes that are tacked on before you make a purchase. No one is exempt from them. From the upper middle class down, we all pay more than our share.

The laws are written to protect those above the middle class, and give them shelters so they can keep more in proportion to us. Basically they are written to keep the poor poor and the middle class from really ever getting into the rich upper classes. They are written so the poor and the middle class pay an unfair percentage of taxes, of course this is just my take on it, I am sure, some won't agree, but still I am entitled to my opinion and I have expressed it. Hope someone at the top reads this and see another point of view and maybe just thinks about it.

Ta !

What the H***

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:43:00 +0000

I am going to moderate comments from now on, I don't like Spam. I guess though, this is as good a time as any to make a post. I don't have a lot to say. I'm going to get a little space in a local shop, to sell off some of my knitting needles and some leaflets and a few other things. It is a small space so I don't have to pay much for it. I want to clear out some of the junk pardon me "treasures" that I have accumulated over the many years of trying many hobbies. Don't worry I am keeping some of my favorite needles and things-just in case.

I've decided that knitting is just not my forte'. I am just so much happier with my hooks. I am working on three and possibly four stories now too. I won't be so presumptuous as to call them books yet. But with the economy the way it is, anything that gives a chance at something is good.
I finally got the laptop I wanted. It's just a little one, It may have showed up on a previous post, I have Multiply set up so that when I post one there, it shows up here. That was to save time, but sometimes the posts get mixed up unless I write it all down. I am not good at remembering things at all.

We are going to get some more repairs done on the house, most of it I will do when the weather gets warm, I can't lift things anymore, so the DH will set things in place and do the lifting and i will nail them or glue or whatever is needed. I guess i will just have to do the easy things, they are also the most time consuming though. I want to get some furniture slider thing's so I can move furniture to clean and work on without lifting them or fighting with them. The rooms need painted and I can do that, and I want new wallpaper borders up, something light and easy to see. This house is too dark and I don't see well so I want it very light. And we need some new floors in some of the rooms, i can nail it down after he lays it out. Oh and I get to put down the new tile (I haven't got yet). Once I am done though, I will finally have a room to work in, and a lot less junk, cause it is going in the trash, getting sold or getting donated if i don't want to sell it. Oh and the bedroom is getting done too, so that makes me happy. It is too dingy and dark for me.

I already got rid of a large stack of knitting books, and got a nice book credit at the bookstore for future use. I have a few more that are going and a stack of crochet leaflets too, or will I hmmm. I won't price them too high, just enough to make a bit. I am not greedy-I'll leave that for the person who buys them from me a then jacks up the prices in the booth they take them too. It happens all the time here.

Well that's all really, nothing really exciting happens here-for which, I am now, devoutly grateful after all the horrible things that have happened in our country to other people, I am now grateful for the boredom!

Don't you hate spammers!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:35:00 +0000

You know it is funny to me, but whenever a company uses spam, I make it a point when I find out what company it is, to not patronize them in any way. That's why I deleted the previous two comments. I may not be doing anything with my blog now, but that may change in the future. Will do a legitimate post when I have time. Ah revoir.

A long time since the that post or anything else

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:05:00 +0000

I know I haven't posted in a long time, I've had very little interest in my blogs-been too busy crocheting and other things. Will probably have even less time now than I did before. I will try to post some pictures someday-but no promises. They may all show up at once on here.

Any way to more important matters, I am so disgusted, I was trying to use my spinning wheel and I have so much static in my body that the mohair just won't sping-it crackles and flies all over. I guess I will have to stick to support spinning for now. I seem to have better control over my yarn anyway when using my support spindles. I would really like to get a Spindolyn to use, but right now its a bit too much for me. I might have enough left after we do taxes. I made a home-made version that works quite well for the time being.

I am also knitting a sweater-I know, I really prefer the crochet hooks, but decided a break from them was in order. Now this sweater is nothing great, just a simple stocking stitch pullover with a seed stitch edging on it and a loose turtleneck. It's made from Bernat Berella yarn, got at a clearence sale so It won't be a great loss if it doesn't turn out right. I am hoping for a baggy, comfortable sweater-not too warm, but warm enough to wear when I go somewhere or maybe just around the house. And of course its a lavender color. I have one sleeve left to finish and the neck-I have actually learned how to stitch them together with an invisible seam that is hard to see. I like making yoke sweaters the best-I ususally crochet the yoke and then knit the sleeves and body-you can make them a lot cooler that way for the summer. The knitting is usually done in the round, the one I am working on now is knitted flat, I didn't have too much trouble with gauge, so maybe it will look like I want. When I think about it-I feel like a traitor to my beloved crochet hooks. Guilt sucks, doesn't it?

Gotta go and finish making dinner, the DH is home.

No pictures

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:42:00 +0000

I would say I am sorry for not posting pictures but I would be lying, I haven't taken any I may start posting them again on my flikr album and put a link to that here. I know it makes for a boring blog without pictures. Then after this election is over , my interest may increase in blogging. I'm still crocheting and still making things-quite a few actually-I just don't have time for photos-maybe a group photo of my Finished objects. I just hope they let me vote-been registered at the same address for years, but apparently with all the shenanigans going on they find ways to remove you after all. It's crap, but that our government-the rolls should be revised after each election and not before. I have all my identification ready and then some-got more than I should need. I'm voting early tomorrow. I will tell you who for-after the election.

youth and beauty and old age

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:12:00 +0000

Youth and Beauty, this is apparently what the world runs on now. I just don't get it. I have very little interest in my own appearance anymore. When I put on makeup it usually that mineral powder stuff-its the quickest and easiest way to make up my face. Half the time I forget to moisterize-though I don't need it in the summer. My hair, I wear in a pony tail just like I did in high school and grade school, and no i don't have a big collection of scrunchies-i make em up when I need them.

I try to stay healthy-though with my teeth problems right now thats not easy. I can't eat much that you have to chew. I am looking for a dentist still, that will pull teeth. If I wait long enough-he'll have no choice. One of my bridges has come loose and is causing me some pain-the dentist will say "root canal" I'll say "no" One of my teeth lost a filling and then broke in half-more pain. My root canal sheered off at the gumline. And all my front teeth now have cracks in them that I can see, without a magnifying glass. I have insurance-I just don't want them saved. I want them pulled-which requires me to wait until there is no hope of saving them. Then the dentist I choose will have no other alternative. That means enduring more pain. Once they are out it means dentures, i intend to take a picture of my mouth literally so I can match the size of the teeth to what I have. I even want them the same cream color-my teeth are not white even after a cleaning-and I see no point in tooth whitening. To me it is just another thing people waste time and money on, they are only teeth.

On what is too me a brighter note, i have almost finished another shawl that i started several months ago. In paton's brilliant in Marvelous mocha. It's i think, going to be one of my favorites, I'll actually be able to put a button on it. I am wanting to finish it tonight. I'd like to take some pictures monday and post them. I've been doodle drawing, just drawing little things and putting them together on a sheet of paper and coloring them in with pencils or pens. It's fun and my drawing has improved a lot. I don't care much for painting anymore-would rather draw. I've also got my machine set up and have made-one top. I have a couple of things I want to do to it. The cotton sheeting works well for this. Thats all the news I have for now. Tata.

New Crochet magazine just came in the mail

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:16:00 +0000

I just got my new crochet magazine-I rarely take subscriptions. For the most part, the new ones are sponsored by certain yarn companys and usually feature only their yarn-which really limits the patterns they come up with. And to me-the new stuff, for the most part is just as clunky as some of the old stuff that they had in the 60s and 70s. I didn't like it then I don't like it now. I like the light lacey looks, but they always manage to clunk them up-don't they. Or they will come up with a nice design in a really crappy colorway.

I do miss Crochet fatasy and Magic crochet and Decorative crochet, those were my favorites. I have about 50, or maybe 70 issues of them and refer to them constantly. The new ones get a glance or two and then put away. I did recently join one of those crafts bookclubs and bought some new books-mostly stitch guides, I just didn't care for the pattern books themselves, but can always use new stitch guides. I got all three of Linda Schappers books, now, her block book, edgings and stitches. I like them a lot,at first I was dissapointed because all the swatches were done in beige yarn-but that means I can choose the color without a preconceived notion. When I reallized that-I was really happy with them. I collect motif books too when I can find them. I've got several of them with some of the newer designs in them. All at sale prices too.

And yes I am going back to sewing, I haven't yet-its just too hot to sit at the machine and work on anything-though I long to sit there and make some cool shorts and pants and tops. I think about it all the time. I will get back to it-though maybe not until it cools down some.

I have continued too, to buy the dollar a ball yarn-I now have about 36 skeins of Pattons lacet and 10 skeins of Pattons glitterlash. I also splurged at the flea market and bought 3 skeins of Noro Hana silk for $3 each-I couldn't resist them-I may even go get a couple more, if they are still there. I have been getting some good bargins, and not spending a whole lot either. I guess I am learning to find bargins in everything that I use for my crafts. this winter I'll be using a lot of it.

Sort of about I phones, Okay all about I phones

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Yes it is sort of about I phones, you know the new one, the 3G. As I said before I just got a new PDA phone. It does most of what i want it to do, but not all-I still can't watch Youtube and I haven't been able to figure out how to post on it yet. When I try to use it to post, I get this little space to type my post in that only shows a line at a time. I don't know about you but I don't think I could remember what I put in that space unless I can see it all at once. So no posting with it unless I write it out and there is no copy and paste function on this phone. Anyway I've been fairly happy with it other wise-I have music on it-though I could use some decent headphones to listen with, but I have to get the new blue tooth ones, and they are expensive. And I need to reformat the music so that it can be listened to an Album at a time instead of a song at a time-mistake when putting it into the phone-mine. Next time I will get it right I hope-I did the first time.

Anyway that brings me to the I Phone, the DH just won one at work, a brand new, still in the box, I phone 3g with an 8 gig memory. He wants to have it turned on-for me. I thought he was going to sell it. It will cost a little more than we are paying now for my smartphone. I don't know what to do, on the one hand its an I Phone. They are much better now than when they first came out. It will do a lot more than my smartphone does. No I won't be getting rid of my smart phone-I just won't be using it. I'll keep it in case the other one breaks,or I may keep the I phone in case the smartphone gets broken, or quits on me. You know how easy that can happen. I'm just not sure, so I guess I'll leave it in the box for now and think about it. After all it's an I phone. Though I would never have bought one for myself-its going to be hard to turn it down.

Untitled or I can't think of anything

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:18:00 +0000

I really can think of anything much to say that would interest anyone. I have become a little disgusted with the oil companies-but who hasn't. I have been buying a little yarn, the low end discounters around here have been having Pattons lacet for a dollar a ball, I now have 25 or so balls, also a couple of other high end yarns for that price. It's seems to be the only way I can afford to really indulge in stash enhancement right now. Though I confess to buying two skeins of Lionbrand sock yarn in a couple of quiet colorways-It was only $2.99 a skein and will make two pair of socks for this winter.

I need to get to teeth pulled, but can't find a dentist around here that will pull them, so I have to wait until I can go out of state and have it done at a clinic. No really, the dentist around here won't pull my teeth, they insist on root canals, and it's a root canal I need pulled or did, my teeth are so brittle that the root canal sheared off at the gumline and now will need dental surgery. I will have to wait for the DH to be off work, after an anesthetic I don't function well. The clinic isn't far away I just don't think I'll be able to drive after they pull all the teeth I want pulled, about five of them. My whole family has this problem, after a certain age they just seem to go. They want about $25000 to fix my teeth, It will cost around $2500 to $3000 to have them pulled and get dentures, believe me I really want dentures. My parents both had them and loved them, they kept them clean and didn't have to go to the dentist anymore. I don't think I am in any danger of bone loss, neither my parents nor my brothers, both with dentures ever had any problems so I doubt I will either. I am really tired of going in to the dentist and he tells me what he's going to do even after I've told him what I want done. And then he charges me $300 for doing nothing. The only reason they want to fix my teeth instead of dentures is money, they won't get anymore if they pull em' and they can keep bleeding me of money if they don't.

Still working on the shawl, I promise I will take a picture when it's done. I only have about 4 more inches to go on it and then a border of some kind. I did crochet another pair of socks, I like to do socks cause they go fast. And I am now working on a baby blanket for the DH's neice she is going to have a baby in August-it will be a boy. I may try to make some other things for her too. I don't have much baby type stuff in the yarn or fabric stash so I'll have to wait and see and go through what I have.

Well, I guess I did have a little to say, I refrain most of the time because it comes out in a rant, when I get wound up. I try to avoid getting wound up! I really fear to get wound up on politics, religion or my many pet peeves, and the oil companys, ugh! %#$@^& if you know what I mean! We can all loose our jobs and homes and starve to death and the government doesn't care-but save the banking system and the money of the well to do! The rich might have to do without a new car or another house.

Not online much right now, folks

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:57:00 +0000

I am not online right now very much or often, It has gotten even slower and that takes a lot of the fun out of the internet. We are only getting about half the speed we should most times only one third. The provider says to live with it or get DSL or do without, such nice people-our locals that is. So what we did do is to get me a phone that will have internet on it. I should be able to blog and surf on the phone though it is kind of small. I may have to use magnifying glasses sometimes. The screen is small but has very good resolution, haven't got the thing turned on yet. It's supposed to come on in the next 48 hours or so-we are porting our lines so we don't have to change phone numbers. That's what takes so long. I have been using the time to learn my way around the phone, it has so many features. Camera, media player, games, notes, internet, and so much more that it has taken me three days to learn to work it. So it has been a good thing it wasn't connected right away. I didn't get an Iphone either, I got a PantechDuo, with a small keyboard on it. hopefully I will learn to use it to post on this and my other blogs. I might even be able to upload some photos with it. The camera is really pretty good with the right kind of light, my light box should be a big help with small things, and it seems to work pretty well outside.

The weather has been really warm unless it rains, while its raining it feels really great and I get a lot of things done, but when the rains stops and the sun comes out again I feel like I am being steamed like a clam. It's a typical Missouri summer. Hot, humid and unpredictable.

It's still early here so it's cool enough that I am doing some laundry and getting ready to do my morning exercise routine. I'll be done before it gets hot and it could rain.Will right more-hopefully more interesting stuff later. Right now gotta go.

Still Kicking

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:11:00 +0000

We had a lot of bad weather last weekend-I've been offline since Saturday. We had what they say was a super cell sweep through here-It spawned several tornados. They destroyed a lot of homes in our area. We were some of the lucky ones, most of our trees are only trimmed by the storms we've been having, so there wasn't much to blow down. Between a half and a quarter of a mile away there were home destroyed and roofs ripped off and a lot of animals killed. This was one man's little goat shed. I don't know if any of the little goats survived. I feel very lucky to not have this kind of damage. This is right on the main highway about an eighth of a mile from my turn off. These trees had leaves and were green till this happened.

I - N - T - E - R - N - E - T part II

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:37:00 +0000

Now I know why our internet has slowed down-they put in new switches whatever that is. It makes DSL better but slows down everything for the ones on dial-up. Basically from what I was told-it won't improve and they would rather get rid of those of us on dial-up than to keep us. So there you are. I guess it's time to get a laptop and an aircard and/or wifi. The payments on both items from someone else would be less than DSL from this company.I don't want to continue dealing with this small phone company forever. I wish that one of the larger ones would buy them out. Any way I hope I can get this to post, Ugh, now I know. It's funny, but after being with the same company for over 20 years, their service hasn't improved yet. They had finally gotten the dialup to work right-now it stinks again for a different reason.

I.. N... T... E... R... N... E... T....

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:04:00 +0000

Our internet service provider has gotten much worse in the last month-it has slowed down so much that posting takes more patience and perserverence than I have. I get on it for only a little bit at a time and keep a book handy to read. It's now operating at like 36,000 bps instead of 56,000 bps. Thats like not moving at all. Hopefully in the future we will get an air card or something that will help-we will probably wind up with lap top and wifi. We will choose what ever is cheapest I am sure. Right now it is so frustrating that don't even want to deal with my blogs. This will cross post to all but the 360 page. I will get on again when I can an put something on that is more interesting, I am crocheting a lot (I have a lot of finished objects, what else is there when being online is such a pain?) and getting my organization accomplished slowly(I've cleared out most of the clutter and put up some shelves too). The weather has been cool and we have had so many storms that I've stayed off sometimes because of that. Anyway it is starting to cloud up again and we may get more, so I'd better try to post quick.

Stuff and Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:23:00 +0000

I started another book last night,after finishing all of Anne McCaffrey's Tower and Hive series. I've read the tower and the Hive series several times, so this next book was a complete change for me, all my life I've heard about Henry David Thoreau, but never read anything by him. A couple of weeks ago a copy of Walden fell into my hands, and I have been reading a little of it and already started thinking of some about it. It's such a perfect description of the way life is for the world today even though it was written a hundred years ago. We are so greedy. Wanting more than we need. I am beginning to understand a little of it. My house is crammed with stuff I don't need, and can't wear and never look at, but it is so hard to turn loose of-I might want/need it. They say if you don't use it after a year to get rid of it, but that's easier said then done. I feel somehow bound to earth by my things. Somehow I am going to find the way change that for myself. Maybe by the time I finish the book I will have the answer. It can't hurt.

While I am at it here's a fun, educational and very interesting link http://www.storyofstuff.com/. I enjoyed it, that was not easy, being on dialup. It took me over and hour to download the whole thing. If you are on something faster-it won't take more than a youtube video. This is the short story of the stuff we buy, the stuff we make, the stuff we throw away and the stuff we keep crammed into our houses. It gives a whole new meaning to consumerism.

In case your wondering

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:46:00 +0000

In case anyone is wondering-I tried to redo my blog, but.... I forgot to save all my links-I thought I had already done so in my documents file, but It was gone! So now I have to start all over again. Fortunately I have most of them saved on my bookmarks, so eventually I will get them all back. Well maybe not all-I kind of like the blog pets. May even get a couple more. I had trouble getting my lunar module back-kept having to resize it. And one other thing, I have three blogs, When I post here, it automatically cross-posts to my other blogger blog and to my multiply site. So sometimes it will be confusing until I get time to delete the confusing post. When I have time I will post some of the links I have one my multiply site, on this one. In the meantime check out the links for free patterns and downloadable books I have posted there. The link Ladeewolf will take you there. Have fun.

Organizing things

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:48:00 +0000

I am slowly-so slowly organizing things, so I can sew again. I love to crochet, but sometimes it isn't productive enough. Sewing is much faster and I can make up the things I want and need much faster. I haven't quite finished with my sewing area. I had to dig out my embroidery things today. I also found five felt sewing kits-I forgot I had, two pillows, two table toppers and one that shows how to make felt flowers, not felted but from actual felt. I bought them two years ago. They don't even have them in the stores anymore. I think I'll start working on some of them.

Organizing is going slowly, because I have so much to organize and so little room to do it in. I move one thing out of the way-so I can move another thing, so I can move another thing. Well, you see what I mean. It takes twice as long to do it that way, but that's the way it is. I need to have it done before spring really breaks through, so I can work on the outside of the house and the yard. I want to completely take out my garden-it's too close to the oak tree for it to be successful. All I seem to grow is little oaks. And then I will make little protected beds of things in other places. I have the frames I built last year, All I have to do is move them and fill them in. I have a stack of tempered glass panels to cover them with to keep the moisture in and most of the bugs out.

I've come up with some ideas of what to make to sell at the farmers markets. They are time consuming sort of, but hopefully they will sell well. And they are mostly my own ideas-at least until someone decides to copy me and undersell me. You know how people are, anything to make some money. I'd resent it more, except with jobs so scarce here, I understand it. No, I don't approve of it, I just understand. I will post a few pics when I have something to show. I have discovered that my abilities with a camera are lacking. I can never remember the settings I use on successfull pictures, so I take a lot just hoping a few will come out. I guess I need a tri-pod too, my hands shake so much that it is almost imposible to get a shot that doesn't blurr. I took 30 pictures of part of my yarn stash to post on ravelry and most of them have to be taken again. And my finished objects are sometimes unidentifiable. I saw a nice tri-pod the other day for $10 and didn't get it. I think it would work with my camera, and I think it's one of the kind that can be adjusted for height-no just one of the short ones. Anyway I may go back and look at it and buy it this week-if it's still there.

That's all for now, Will post more when time allows.

Time away from blogging

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:47:00 +0000

I took some time away from blogging. I've been spending my time working on my sewing area and downloading some pattern books from the Antique Pattern Library. Org. You can google it if you want to do some downloading. Keep in mind that these texts are for personal use, They say that you can print off copies and give them away-but don't sell them. They have some lovely antique crochet patterns and stuff. I want to learn Irish crochet. They have oodles of patterns for it. It has taken me days to download most of the ones I wanted.

There are a lot of free librarys on line. Gutenburg, Arizona has a whole library of textile files, Antique pattern library. There are all kinds of patterns and instuctions for weaving, knitting, dyeing, sewing, crocheting, tatting, spinning, embroidery-you name it they have it. It's a good place to start if you want to learn something but aren't sure you will like it and don't want to spend a lot to find out. When I have time, I'll add some links to these places. I am big on free books and things. There is also the Childrens Digital library for kids. They have a lot of free books that you can read online or print off-I think. I know you can read them. Kids should love it. They have some of the beautifully illustrated old time ones too.

Another reason I haven't been online alot is books. We got almost 200 books for $4 at a bookstore that was closing. We have a lot of Sci-fi to read now. Most we have never read. I also sneaked in a copy of Walden, and a book on making softoys and a couple of crochet leaflets. The owner didn't care as long as we took a box of books. Wish I could've gotten some of the childrens books too. In case you are wondering, I love books of all kinds. I also love a good bargain.

What Islam means to Muslims

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:32:00 +0000

I thought this was an interesting story, considering the timing. I mean with Obama being part Kenyan and not Muslim. And coming close to being the presidential Nominee. This is just a sample of what they want to do. The problem is that when you look at it from their viewpoint is that any other religion or pagan religion is a violation of their freedom. This means Christians, Jews, Buddahism and Pagan religions. This is their attempt to start to control the rest of us. Here is the link: hope it shows. Islamic Demands Again I find the timing suspicious.

Posting Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:11:00 +0000

Well the light box is done-It turned out a little strange. I wanted a bit of background in it, So I use a large paper box and lined it with scrap white cardstock, I got several years ago at a job I had and wish I still had. I cut bits and pieces of white card stock into rectangles and squares to give it a bit of texture and cut down on the glare. You can see the background in the pics of my Hello kittys. This one is done with natural light. I also placed a very tiny nightlight bulb in it. More recycling, I had a tiny flip switch night light like you plug into the wall-we never use it. I made a small hole in my box before lining it and glued the night light in then put in the only tiny bulb I had-need a new white light one. This on e has a slight yellow cast, here the pic I took with it and not using the flash. But it still worked better than I thought it would.

The Hello Kittys turned out Ok too, I was happy with them. I always wanted one. The one on the left is made with microspun and embroidered with DMC Flower thread. It is jointed and can be posed. The one on the right is my favorite though it was made top-down in one piece-like you would a top down sweater. It's made from Paton's BeMine. It is just so soft. They are both stuffed with polyfiber fill. There dresses are made out of microspun too. Both are crocheted. There is no pattern. I just used an idea off the top of my head. Hope to post some more pictures tomorrow if they turn out. I've been making tons of scarves-got tired of the really easy ones and decided to make some really pretty lace ones. And I have a small shawl to show you too.

I'll be posting more links about Obama, and incidently you can google him and check him out on Wikipedia, and what they say on there correlates with a lot of the stuff on Schlussels site and with the link at the bottom of her page. He really doesn't have any experience, he was in public housing. My near and dear spent years in that and could tell you it's not enough. He also lectured on law, and that too isn't enough. When I have time I will also be posting some on Clinton. Incidently I don't vote for the one I like always-I vote for the one that I think will do the best job whether or not I like him or her. But no one should decide just on the basis of their ability to speachify. I fear that is what most people are doing.

Polytics again, and someday some pictures

noreply@blogger.com (linda) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:46:00 +0000

I had to get new batteries for my camera-now I need to build a light box. It's almost impossible to take decent pictures of small things when the light is wrong. I don't like to use the flash as it seems to wash out all the color. My Hello Kitty pictures turned out awfull and I want to start posting more pictures than I have been. I have lots of finished things to show and some unfinished things. An no pictures. The next subject is politics. Since religous freedom is so important to me. Keep in mind that to me religious freedom also means freedom from religion. I don't want someone forcing me to go to some church where someone tells me what to believe in-not happening. So here goes.

I hate politicians, on the other hand I like politics. I made up my mind a long time ago who I would vote for, my critiria are a bit different than other peoples. I tend to be a live and let live individual. I want people to let me believe what I want to believe, follow the Gods I want to follow etc. I found this today while Googleing Barak Obama, I am posting this link-you can read it if you want to or not. I just found it interesting-its just another perception. Barak Obama I don't know how much is true or not-bet some one could find out if they really wanted too. I personally want to know all about the candidates that are running. I know pretty much everything about Clinton-but not to much about Obama-the news media is not very open about his past. I wonder if they are trying to hide anything. You know the media-all they care about is their healines, ratings and how much coverage they can get with a story. If you are interested in this stuff, check it out and give your opinion. If it is true-its just a little scary , don't you think.