from 1st blog attempt

Fiber bits

July 20, 2007
Friends that feed my fiber habit are the BEST! Got a call yesterday from Linda who told me that the Dollar Tree had tons of really good yarn at $1.00 a skein. She even volunteered to pick some up for me as I still am not able to drive. Now folks, that's a friend. ....She not only tells me about the stuff but she goes and buys it and delivers all in one day. I am wallowing in yarn--Fun Fur, Increditape, and several other brands. The ideas are circling in the head.
I started a necklace last night by making scrumbles out of red, hot pink, and orange using Sugar and Cream cotton. I will probably throw in some yellow and may even use some perle cotton to make smaller shapes for fill. It's fun just making the various pieces. I do love doing non-structured stuff. Suits me much better than following a pattern that someone else has designed.
I am also making a cozie for my water bottle. Cheryl has decided on a challenge for Spin-in for 2008 of making a cozie for a soda can. Since I don't' drink soda any more, I decided to make one from my water bottle. I am crocheting it using mostly Sugar and Cream with some Increditape thrown in for fun. Since the theme for 2008 is Pigment Party, I am using lots of color. I'm going to need to put some elastic in the last couple of rows so that it holds to the bottle without sliding down and becoming a free form coaster.

Conner and the couch

July 14, 2007
A couple of weeks ago, Conner, my 14 month old Sheltie, made a startling discovery. He could jump on the couch. Now, in the past, he would have to be lifted onto the couch and lifted off. Even if you left him on the couch and walked out of the room, he couldn't figure out how to get down. We're not talking a high couch here either.
Well suddenly one night he decided to jump on the couch. He then lay down quickly, shot up and jumped off. He then repeated this activity 10 more times, as if to reassure himself that he could actually do this amazing feat.
Finally! I was so relieved. That relief was short lived however. There was a glitch in the brain processing skills. He only thinks he can get on and off the couch on one end. This goes for both of the couches. Same end on each one. So we are still waiting for the major breakthrough where he discovers he can get on and off the couch on either end.
I'd really love to know how his little brain processes stuff.

The foot

July 13, 2007
Well, I had my first pedicure ever. Not the experience I had anticipated! I was in Houston for the wedding of friends' son. Several of us decided to go to a spa (code word for this is going to be expensive) and get a pedicure.
The pedicure was ok, relaxing even. Then they give you these flimsy little slippers which you are to wear instead of your shoes. Well, flimsy slippers combined with pouring rain and wet , uneven tile outside the building produced a less than graceful fall.
I honestly thought I had badly hurt my knee because it bent so rapidly but after laying on the ground in agony for a bit, I was able to get up with help. And then the real pain began---my right foot felt as if someone had taken a sledge hammer to it.
Long story-short version, I went to the emergency room of a local hospital (which was excellent, BTW) , had xrays, and found out I had 2 fractured toes. So much for the ballet career.
Missed the rehearsal dinner and spent the next 24 hours in the motel room with ice and ibuprofen for comfort. I was able to make the wedding as the sister of the groom was a wonderful chauffeur.
The church had a wheel chair which was great and other than steps --lots of them--leading into the reception, everything went off well. The wedding was beautiful and I'm so glad I didn't have to miss it.
A young couple who were friends of the groom even helped me get home the next day. He drove their motorhome and she drove my car. Very nice, great company, and lifesavers.
So this week has been resting a lot!
Oh, I did get to Albertson's for groceries on Tuesday. My sister in law drove me. We managed to get the wheelchair in the back of her car. Once we were at the store we remembered that they had motorized carts so I used one of those instead. Well, we tried to use one. The first one I got in was deader than the proverbial doornail. The second one would move all of 6 inches and then stop, 6 inches and then stop.
Finally I did manage to get it going but then we were afraid for it to stop so I would come sailing by the cereal and Lois would say to point out what I needed. Had to make a couple of passes as I didn't dare stop.
You would think that people would know to get out of the way of someone who was laughing hysterically while trying to guide a riding cart around the store. Almost took out a couple of people but some of them showed amazing agility when they finally realized the danger.
When we got to the frozen food section, I did have to actually stop and look at something and there the cart died and refused to be resurrected .
A nice young man who worked in the store came over and actually pushed the cart (and me) to the checkout aisle since none of us could get it to go again.
The manager even came over to help but I think she was only trying to protect the rest of the customers as she kept putting herself between them and me. As if I would roll over them in that cart that wasn't going anywhere.

Entry for May 24, 2007

Definitely on a knitting jag. Have now done 6 dishcloths in a week. So easy to finish. I am determined to have a stock pile for gifts, etc. Have used 4 patterns so it certainly isn't boring.
Am looking for a knitting group that meets during the day.

dog sitting-early May 2007

I am currently taking care of Pepper who is a miniature Schnauzer. She wears a bark collar as she has a high pitched bark which could shatter glass. The first morning she was here, I removed the collar when I put her in her crate to run an errand. Big mistake!!! As I was walking out the door with one of my dogs, Pepper starting her squealing routine. That, combined with the door closing, set off the security alarm.
I rushed back in, turned off the alarm, put the bark collar back on Pepper (who was much subdued by then), reset the alarm, and left without incident.
Later in the day after they had been out in the yard playing, I brought the dogs in for a "rest". I sat on the couch and knitted for a while. In a bit I heard whining and got up to investigate, thinking it was Pepper and she was upset about something. Not so! Pepper was tired and had gotten in her crate. Conner was the one whining. He was laying on the floor with his head in Pepper's crate and crying because she wouldn't come out and play with him. There are days when I know just how Pepper feels.
Allie was above all of this and plopped herself in front of the fan which is her very favorite place. Eventually Conner began to get the idea that it was nap time so he joined the other two and actually got his head out of Pepper's crate.
So ended day one of the Pepper sitting.