Stupid Post Office!

I love being a Banana!
That's what my grand babies call me!
I'm really the step grandma.
Brittany wasn't sure what to call me
when she came to visit.
I told her to just make up something.
She looked around the kitchen,
and saw a banana.
It's been my name ever since!

I love it!
I love shopping for and sending them
books, clothes, toys etc.
Last week, I sent a big box full of the above.
Hilary made the comment that I never
bought them cute clothes when they were young.
She reminded me that I sewed fabric onto Tshirts
for summer dresses.
I thought they were adorable!
I enjoyed sewing back then.
And we were dirt poor.
That's what is so fun about being a Banana!\
We now have a bit of disposable income that
we can spoil loved ones with!

Back to the box:
I sent it out through the Post office a week ago.
Said it would be delivered by Sat.
Kids were out of town over the weekend
and there was no box or note that is was delivered.
Well, again, it has been a week!
I, being the neat freak I am.....
stop laughing family.....
cleaned out my purse and threw out the tracking number.
I am so hoping that because Beeville TX is a tiny town
it is just taking a bit longer to deliver than promised.

I did however find a swordfish finally.
Beau the 4 year old, is into them now.
Found it on line and it was shipped.
And delivered!
Got a really cute text from Bridgette last night
along with the following pic:

"somebody got a new fish in the mail today and was super stoked!!!
He knew immediately what it was and got so excited, ran into his room and got his shark to see which was bigger lol.
I told him before he opened it, it was like you read his mind and he was shocked. Very funny. 100% satisfied!!! You are the best Banana."

How I love my daughter in law.
Couldn't ask for a better one.

I am really hoping the box shows up.
Told Brittany not to be disappointed.
Looks like Banana will be doing some more shopping!

Defeated but not done!

Went to the foot doc today.
My foot is healing very well.
Overall, I have had perfect feet,
for the condition they are in.

Told doc I was going to Las Vegas
and he suggested I call the airline for transportation.
Don't think I am ready for a wheelchair
being pushed by my daughter....
she is a horrible driver and would purposely do something comical,
I'm sure.
However, doc did get me a handicapped licence plate.
"Face it, your feet are crap."

So no more treadmill, long walks for exercise,
and just basically taking care of the pressure I put on my feet.

Now, I love the idea of great parking!
I even got a placard for the girl's car...
in case they drive me around.
Just felt a little less like wonder woman with this news.

Looks like more dieting and less exercise.
I do have a total gym though, which kicks my butt.

This is also good news, because now that my foot is almost healed,
I can start spinning again!
I am so excited to spin some thick and thin!
I am loving knitting on size 19 needles, and finishing a project
in two hours!
Hoping to get some of these items to my photographer friends.
Cutest baby props ever!

I already have an order for a baby cocoon in October.

God is good.
My family is blessed beyond our imagination.
My Church is exploring new tangible ideas!

And...oh yeah.....
I will be in Las Vegas a week from today!

To Vegas?

My oldest inherited the wanderlust bug from her mother.
I am not apologising for this.
I love to travel!

The adventure of new place, new people, new food...
just overwhelms me!
We attack Barnes and Noble Bookstore
for any and all info on the intended destination.

V visited Vegas a few years ago
with an old beau.
Old because he behaved badly...and he lives in England.
I loved him.
Shows my judgement skills.
I digress.

So, V has a few days off from both her jobs,
starts her masters again in three weeks,
and is itching to go somewhere.
Yea me!
I love that she loves to travel with me!

As it happens, we got a healthy check from the insurance company.
I was going to use this for the fiber festival, but.....
maybe I don't need that much fiber!

I hesitate to go, only because our economy is so bad right now,
and the future looks really uncertain.
I have become a planner and a saver....
Lord help me!
This is quite a shock to the hubby!

But then again, how can I pass up a trip with the oldest?
Who knows how many more chances I will have in the future,
to explore, inspire, toss all rational thought to the wind,
and spend some time with her?

I wonder if Hil will mind watching the puppy for two nights?

Also, will I win enough at the slots to pay for some fiber?
That is truly the question.
As I have NO LUCK at Four Winds or Blue Chip!
NONE!
And I really did want some fiber.
I know...I can have anything I want,
I just can't have everything I want.

I am truly blessed with wonderful daughters, husband and opportunity!

Laid up still...

Went to the podiatrist,
as I didn't trust how the emergicenter doc
stitched up my foot.
It was healed, but not healed.
Doc Salcedo took a peek,
cut some stuff off,
scraped some other stuff off,
slapped a bandaide and some neosporin on,
told me to wear shoes,
come back in a week for the same treatment,
and proceeded to explain to his intern
all about charcot.
I think I need to get paid for my services
as a human foot model.
At least my toenails were painted a bright orange.

Now I must take it reasonably easy,
as this procedure hurt like the dickens!
I would like to go back to feeling nothing please.
So, the outside feels nothing, but the inside kills.

I can work out my upper body and tummy areas.
Thank goodness...I hate lunges and squats!
I can finish knitting the dreaded K4,P2 vest!
and I may do some dyeing/spinning.
The Allegan Fiber Festival is only two weeks away!
I must make a wish list!

Have a blessed day!
I will be in the ac!

Laid up

For the past week,
I have been trying to stay off of my foot
so it will heal from
the puncture and three stitches.
This is difficult to do,
as I do not have any feeling in my feet,
so I don't hurt.
Most people would feel pain,
and want to stay off the injured member.

Terry was home this weekend
and removed the rebar from the garden,
so I, or others, will never step on them again.
My hearo!

Hilary has been my nurse Ratchett
and will not let me do anything.
She actually yells at me and gives me guilt
for looking at my garden.

I had a shoe on my foot for heaven's sake.
I am so very thankful for this young woman in my life.

She has had some tough days,
and some folks pulling the rug out from under her,
but she is strong, and has God on her side.
"They" are selfish and surface, and will get what justice
the Lord doles out.

My baby is a fighter and a winner!

Chuck has had an upset tummy for a week,
so I'm taking him to the vet today.
It always scares me when he acts like this,
because this is how his very expensive illness started
when he was a puppy.
Don't know what I'd do without this lil fella.

Been knitting continuously now for days
on a baby shower gift that is due this weekend.
Present for the mom to be, as the cutest little items for baby,
work up quickly.
I cannot tell you how cute! But I'll show you!




Since baby is due in October,
I'll have time to knit up some snuggles a bit later.
However!
Knitting K4, P2 for the entire project is HORRIBLY BORING!

Can hardly wait to read Janet Evanovich Smokin Seventeen.
I bought it while waiting on Hil,
and zooming around Target in a wheelie cart.

So much fun,
if only it didn't have the beep beep when backing up!
I even raced with Mema B. from church,
but she had a handicapped parking space!
Reaching for things is difficult on these babies!
Maybe I should invent a lift for the seat,
like on a firetruck.
I think it would sell and I would be a millionaire!
You never realize how difficult things are for others,
until you are on their wheels.

Joe came over yesterday and was playing on the puter.
I was laughing so hard at the things he was looking at.
Not only the actual sites,
but that he could spend that much time looking for that stuff.
Here is a sample:

I must admit, that if this interestes you,
there is a little dog climbing stairs video I couldn't find,
that had me breathless with laughter
Missing Mema a bit this week.
My cousin was there last week and they went to Disney three times.
She is bored now, and is ready to come home.
Poor little thing.
It seemed that we all were missing her too.
She got four phone calls from family members.
Think we need to stretch out our calls so she has one every day
instead of all at once.

Blathering today, I guess.....
Too hot to do anything else.
Stay cool folks.

Three Stitches

UGH!
I was very wound up yesterday.
I was actually humming Jerry Lewis' typewriter song.
I was thrilled
when I finally figured out
what song was running through my head!

The power had gone out because of a storm on Monday.
Most of the neighbors lost their power during the storm.
My side of Woodcliff lost it Tuesday morning at 3am.
AEP promised it would be on again by 11:59pm Thursday.

Wednesday morning, I got up and NEEDED a breve.
I couldn't make coffee....but if I could have,
I don't think I would have.

Yes, I have an addiction.
I am allowing myself only two trips to coffee land,
and stashing $20 a week for an espresso machine.
Should have one by my birthday in October~!

Anyway, I was just going to drive through Starbucks,
so I put on flip flops.

I DON'T wear flip flops.
With my charcot feet, I can't feel my feet or the flops.
There must be a grippy toe thing that I can no longer perform
to be able to wear flip flops without walking out of them.
Worst part is that I can't feel
that I am no longer am wearing them.

Thus the drive through.
I got my coffee then called V to see if she wanted Panera.
Then called Hil to invite her too.

We had a wonderful time.
At least I did...chattering away!
Took V to have a wax at the spa,
and got a call from Mom,
saying she and dad needed a ride home from the doctor's.
Dad's pulse was 40 and he was dizzy.
Doc didn't want him driving.
V and I picked them up,
drove them home,
she in my van with them,
and me in Papa's tiny Suzuki!
Met Hil at home and discovered the power was back on!
I took V back to her apartment.

I cleaned out my fridge,
meltedy Popsicles, milk, eggs and lunchmeat.

I had planned to pick some Queen Ann's lace
but decided to check the garden first.
I weeded a bit, picked a pepper, wandered about in my yard.
I forgot to mention that I had kicked off
the silly flip flops when I returned home.

As I went to the side of the house
and turned the water on for the vegetables,
I turned to go back inside, and felt three crunches.
I knew I had stepped on the rebar
that has been stuck in the ground
since I have lived here and before!
I checked under the hosta, and sure enough.
I looked and I had a puncture in the center of my foot.
I hobbled inside to the tub, washed it off
and Hil told me I was going to the doctors.

My podiatrist was out of town, so was the family doc.
Off to South Bend Clinic Emergicenter.

They put me in a HUGE wheelchair,
that both Hil and I could have fit in to.
They told us that too many regular wheelchairs
had gone missing, so they used these instead.
I felt very small.
I filled out paperwork and was wheeled into the room.
The nurse was so funny!

The doc wanted me to soak my foot first,
but the only thing they had to hold water in,
was a small bowl.
You must understand that my toes on the right foot do not bend.
And, I am a good size 10 1/2 to put it nicely!

Water was dripping everywhere.
Hil and I were laughing so hard,
and the drip drip drip coming from the tea cup
onto the floor sounded like I was peeing.
Hil refilled the bowl three times.

She kept posting on Facebook.
Terry kept calling...
she took photos that were very bad...
remember we diden't have any power,
so the photos were very unflattering
with my hair going every which way!

The doc came in and looked, said I would need some stitches.
Asked, since I could not feel my feet,
if I wanted anesthesia?
I said I was fine,
but I would let her know if I needed it during the process.

I know! I know!
Most of you are freaking out!
But really!
I can not feel my feet!
If I could have,
I probably would have been screaming way before now.

I got my three stitches,
with Hil watching, the doc and nurse telling stories
about their residencies and all the foibles there in....
lock jaw from no tetanus shot,
a doc re sterilizing gloves to save money,
they found gloves that were made in 2003 in my room,
that we switched out for ones from 2008,
because they were mottled in color.
We just kept laughing!
No pain.
I got my tetanus shot, and an orange band aide for my arm,
blue stretchy tape for my foot
and a dinosaur sticker because I was so good.

The nurse said I was so joyful.
Most folks would have been very irritated at the whole thing.
Guess that's why I can't feel anything...to be joyful!

Now I have to concentrate on NOT doing anything!
I must sit and knit.
Darn.
However, it is really hard, because I am not in any pain.
Poor Chuck can't go for his twice a day walks now.
I will get some really cute baby things knit though!

I am blessed!

natural dyeing notes

Off to pick a HUGE bouquet of Queen Ann's Lace tonight
on Hickory and also on Main street Mishawaka.
If you see me over there and honk,
I will wave...maybe.
I'm not sure how legal it is to pick wild flowers in an empty lot.
What's the worst they could do to me, honestly.
Ask me to leave?
If there is worse to be had,
I'm sure I will blog about it when I am released!

This post probably will not mean anything to any of you,
but with the power out today,
for unknown, non storm related reasons,
I spent the day at Barnes and Nobles in the coolness
and copied dye recipes.

I have some lovely icelandic fleeces
and other yummy rovings
that I have been itching to dye.
I made an extract of lily of the valley last week.
The following are other natural dyes I want to try
and their measurements, fyi.

One interesting fact:
Cochineal is little tiny bugs that I have to crush up.
Wish me luck.
At least they don't look like bugs!

Have an iced tea and a great day!

golden rod
bright yellow: 100% weight of yarn
alum mordant 8%
tin mordant 3%

General method...dissolve alum in warm water,
add cold water to cover fiber, add fiber.
slowly bring to boil at least one hour.
Simmer 30-40 min.
remove yarn.
Mix tin with warm water and add to dye bathe
replace yarn and simmer for a further 30 min.
when cool enough to handle, wash in mild soapy water
rinse until runs clear.

rich olive green
copper mordant 2%
wet yarn to be mordanted, slowly bring to simmer over 30 min.
simmer 30 min.
let dyepot cool, squeeze out and use immediately

dark olive green
alum mordant 8%
iron mordant 5%
simmer 30 min. remove yarn
mix iron with warm water and add to dyebath.
replace yarn and simmer 30 min more.

lemon yellow
alum 8%

MADDER
Roots: chopped in cold water overnight
powder: make a paste with warm water and leave overnight.
Add more water. Add yarn and very slowly bring to slow simmer 140 degrees
Simmer 1-2 hours.
Leave overnight
wash in soap water and rinse until runs clear.

brick red
100% yarn weight.
8% alum

dark khaki
alum 8%
iron mordant 5%
simmer 45 min. remove yarn
mix iron with hot watter and add to dyebath
replace yarn and simmer 60 min
remove when cool. do not leave over night
wash and rinse

orange red
alum 8%
tin mordant 3%
same as foe dark khaki

rich sand
copper mordant 2%

COCHINEAL
grind dried bodies into powder............ewwww
add to warm water and mix into mush, no lumps.
Add to dyepot.
yarn in dyebath, add water to cover yarn
heat gently to simmer over 30 min
simmer 60 min
leave overnight
rinse thoroughly


blue red
30% of yarn weight cochineal
8% alum

rich red
30% cochineal
8% alum
3%tin
simmer 3o min remove yarn, add tin, summer with yarn 30 min

maroon red
30% cochineal
2%copper

purple red
30% cochineal
8%alum 5% iron
same as for tin

ONION SKINS
100-200% to dry weight of fabric
alum mordant 8%
cook skins covered in hot water for 45-60 min

MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS
200 g or 9oz yarn
8% 20 g or 3/4 oz
5% 13 g or 1/2 oz
3% 7g or 1/4 oz

1 lb yarn
8% 40 g 1 1/2 oz,
5% 25g or 1oz,
3% 15g or 1/2 oz

Notebooks

My sister, V, and I, all have a notebook fetish.
It really hurts us when Walmart has these spiral beauties
on sale at the beginning of the school year,
for ten or twelve for a dollar.

I have a medium sized tub in the attic
filled with partially full notebooks,
and the above notebooks in my spare room,
with one or five pages written on.
I like to grab one when heading to Barnes and Nobles
or am studying something of interest.

A few years ago, I came upon the tub of notebooks.
I spent a few minutes going through them.

First question: Why am I keeping all of these notebooks?

As I went through some pages,
I discovered many different kinds of notes.

I had copied recipes:
for holidays, diets, desserts, and mmmm...
this sounds really good.
I honestly can say that I have made some,
if not most of these recipes one time or another.

I discovered knitting patterns I had copied.
My hubby laughs and says it looks like a foreign language
when he tries to read them.
Full of co122, K2, P1, yo, ssk, bo5...etc.
Foreign to him maybe, but not to a knitter!

I had copied quilt ideas and patterns,
complete with sketchy templates.
Garden and landscaping ideas were on a few pages.
Lists of plants for shade and sun, and containers.

I found inspirational quotes, Bible study and book group ideas,
I even ran across knock knock jokes to send
not only to my kids when they went to camp,
but to youth members from different churches
as inserts into their camp mail.

Stamping and greeting card ideas have been drawn.
So many other items I found interesting,
it's really hard to list them all.

I suppose I am hoping when I die,
my girls will go lovingly go through these finds,
to discover something they had forgotten about their mom.
Although they will probably will end up in the trash,
unread.
At least, hopefully knowing that their mom's thoughts
had a place for a short time.
Until I moved onto other interests.
I believe they will smile at a glance of a stray page or two.

I will continue buying notebooks though,
as I have many other interests and curiosities.
I enjoy having access to one when I leave the house.

Someday, I may throw out a few notebooks
for much needed storage space.
Until then, rest peacefully thoughts, knowing you are safe.

lemonade stand

How many of you had lemonade,
or Kool ade stands in the summer time
when you were a little kid?

I remember anxiously waiting for school to be out,
the weather to be warm enough,
and my mom's permission to set up the stand
in the front yard.
We lived on a pretty busy neighborhood street.
I remember making and tasting the beverage of the day
to make sure it was good enough to sell.
Debating with my sister
over the price we should offer to customers for our creations.
Gathering dixie cups and pitchers
and ice in a five gallon bucket.
We had a folding table, chairs,
and an sign we were ever so proud of.
As we got older, the sign got fancier.

I remember waiting for the first customer to come.
The conversations between little kids
when there were no customers....
priceless!
Amy Mascaro, Ellen Shelley, and the Hayden kids
were all part of the business.
We would play hop scotch or car tag while waiting.

I stopped at an iced tea stand today on Crestwood.
Three little boys, all under age 10.
There was no traffic, so I parked in front of them,
facing the wrong way on the street.
They were selling a Styrofoam cup of tea for $.50
I gave the buzzed headed little blonde a dollar
and told him to keep the change!
The grin on his face was worth the dollar,
as the tea certainly wasn't!
LOL

Next time you see these little entrepreneurs,
stop and buy a glass or two.
And remember your childhood dreams of riches when you do!

submission

I read one of the best definitions
of submitting to one an other,
I have ever read.

There is seldom a problem with submission in the home
when a husband has a heart that is genuinely submissive to God.

The reason is clear: with a heart submissive to God,
the Spirit filled man truly loves his wife
as Christ loved the church...
and there's no one else on earth he loves quite like her.

He demonstrates it by listening when she speaks,
by respecting her opinion,
by caring for her,
by releasing many of his own rights.

Part of love is sharing.
When a wife knows that she is enveloped
in that kind of respectful attention,
she has no trouble at all yielding to her husband.

Why would any husband strive to be like that?
Ephesians 5:21 explains,
"Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."
In other words, out of respect for Christ.

You know why I listen when my wife speaks?
Because I respect Christ.

You know why she listens to me
when I say what may be hard for her to hear?
Because she respects Christ.

When both of you respect Christ,
it does an amazing thing to your ability to communicate.
The barriers just drop, and we're open to each other.


Taken from Charles Swindoll Embraced by the Spirit.