Wednesday, April 14, 2010
We went out this evening
to see/ listen to Ed Begley, Jr. be a speaker about environment and small ways to be conservative of energy and halt pollution
Husband wrote good stuff over at Decrepit Old Fool. He took notes. I crocheted one and a half potholders.
the picture is very nice. We were seated in Row 11, with many heads between us and the stage. Ed is wearing hemp shoes which look quite comfortable.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, April 12, 2010
What a Day Off is for…. .
When I was a kid, we were allowed to ride the bus or walk downtown in pairs. I didn’t go alone, but usually a cousin or sister or girlfriend was available. We musta been 9 or 10 years old, riding the bus and it was okay! For a modern version, go read Free Range Kids gotta love that blog!
Anyway, I was thinking about a chore I had during summers back then. There was a certain day of the week ?Friday? when Mom did not have to go to her job at the shoe store until Noon. So she would write checks, put them into envelopes, leave them on the table with a note telling me to “pay the bills”. A few times, I had to drag all my sisters with me, or else they would stay and play at a neighbor’s house, but usually it was my friend Irene or my cousin Marie who would be with me. Sometimes, they had to do the same thing.
So we would walk downtown and stop in different buildings.
Phone Gas Water Electric Insurance Furniture
a couple bills got paid at a bank, at different windows
I loved the bank, it was air-conditioned.
After the new library was built, I was in 5th grade when it opened, the library was air-conditioned also, so we would find a reason to stop in, usually to go to the bathroom.
When I was in 7th grade, a gate was put across the little hall to the restrooms, and the key had to be on request from the desk clerk. That put quite a halt to the junior high kids goofing off during lunch hours, but also sure put a squelch on having a nice little rest before heading home again.
Reason I’m thinking of this is today, a lovely Spring day when the bank sign says the temperature is 79oF, I decided I would pay the bills in person rather than trying to find proper stamps. I have very few up-to-date stamps in the folder, we have to add and over cents quite often.
After a meeting at church this morning, I sat at the breakfast nook table, wrote checks, paper clipped to paper sections with account numbers, then worked out my travel route, trying to do only right turns.
First stop Post Office, to mail off a couple packs, and to buy FOREVER stamps. Then to insurance to pay the homeowner’s policy, dentist to pay the overdue bill because I maxed out our dental benefits last year (2 root canals and 4 crowns co$t $money plenty!! a bit of fun (one cotton skein on Clearance) at Hobby Lobby, set up appt for air-conditioner maintenance, water bill into drop box in front of city hall, credit union, crochet hook request at the only dealer store in the county (because 2 crochet hooks broken in a month have me somewhat pissed off and I think there is a life-time warranty on ADDI brand)
As I was driving up Main Street towards home, I realized that half a chicken thigh and a slice of rye toast at 11:30am was not enough food to tide over my tummy much longer.
So I pulled into McDs. Ordered a burger and frappe.
Impulse $7.12 spent because LUNCH not on list.
But those were some good eats, prolly cuz I was truly hungry, not eating as routine.
What was that 7 stops? in and out of the car, walking across parking lots, or around the corner down the street. No way would I have tried that when I had youngsters in car seats. Kids sure can be a burden.
I feel like I got something done today. Even if there is a basket full of folded towels which need to be arranged in the linen closet, and looks like 4 of Husband’s work shirts are waiting near the ironing board.
This evening is a recital on campus, I’m so there…
Youngest son Chris will play guitar as part of the combo.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
ps I just remembered that I meant to check a different grocery store near the credit union to find my favorite Fragrance Free H E laundry detergent! Darn it all, there’s barely enough for 3 loads left in the jug 
Saturday, April 03, 2010
He writes more often than I do
Husband has been writing at Decrepit Old Fool
and also
Friend, Patches
I’m busy crocheting a bookmark to tuck into a card…
this is what weekends are for 
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
my Beloved Little Peg Loom
Someone asked about the peg loom I used to knit the pastels baby hat.
Here is a close-up of the pegs.
and the way I do the knitting
I am holding a pick in my left hand, and working the yarn along with my right
this second hat took about 6 hours actual time knitting
many Thanks to my husband, George Wiman for his photography skills
Any other questions, ask in e-mail.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Happy Birthday, Youngest Son
Today is our youngest son’s birthday.
Christopher is a quarter century old.
He was born on Palm Sunday. This year, his day is in the middle of Holy Week.
I had pictures all found and sorted to be putting on my blog, then the kid comes by and makes a request to not be showing pictures of him when he was so young.
He went through the little pile and said the one with him and his cake with only 5 candles was kinda cute. Alas, it is not the one I have already in a folder on the computer, and I’m not gonna mess with the scanner right now.
This one, he’s almost 21, smiling cuz he’s with his dad.
they are humoring the missus with camera in her hands
Our family was complete when he came along.
Three sons. Oldest. Middle. Youngest.
each with personality and willpower all his own
Happy Birthday, Bear Cub
~~love and Huggs, MOM
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Germs have invaded
Home again. I’ve lost track of days off, what with Spring Break in there. I do know that I’m at home more often than at TA Sub jobs ever since Mahalia got her diagnosis of diabetes.
This morning, she got her insulin shot and ate just fine, then at about 8am (when both humans would normally be at work) I heard her near the front door wanting out. I wasn’t fast enough, she heaved up everything inside. Not sure if it’s a routine hairball problem, or her thyroid medicine dose needs adjusted. So sad that a cat can’t talk about which part hurts the worst.
Anyway, being at home today is fine with me, since I have a cold making my head miserable, and the cough medicine wreaks havoc with my innards. I’m weak and weary, needing to sit still for several minutes after changing and washing out the litter box. Swallowing is getting more difficult by the hour, so I’ll have to decide if I want to bother going to the clinic for a strep test.
The co-pay is raised to $20, and I can think of a couple other things I want to do with $20 rather than have a voodoo MD tell me to wait-and-see.
This is the third day of stuffy head, and not any better.
Waiting ain’t enough by now.
It’s for folks like me that general, open, low cost health care is needed. Working only part-time, trying to take care of small matters before they become big. If my spouse did not have a great job with benefits, I would be in dire straits. $20 co-pay for an office visit is considered good benefits now. I remember when $25 was the total bill for my son’s school physical, and that was hard to come by, since we did not have health insurance back then.
Single folks who are barely making rent and groceries…. well, I say a prayer every day for my youngest son’s health and finances. I don’t see how he can work any harder, he already has 2 jobs, and finishing college classes without a student loan.
I’m too sick to be thinking clearly, and the typing mistakes are also making me frustrated, so I should go while the gettin is good.
~~love, Diane
no Huggs today, germ zone
Thursday, March 25, 2010
First Hat off the Fine Sett Gauge peg loom
My peg loom ordered from Decor Accents as a Valentine gift arrived (at LO-ONG last) just this past Monday. Definitely not in time for doing something for the Relief Sale, still, okay at the beginning of the week for Spring Break.
Husband says
I should do something “just for me” during time off
Go listen to some music, check out an art exhibit he says
Well, I did go to hear the speaker mentioned in the last post, and I did clear and carry out all the recycle items from all the corners of the kitchen… both events leaving me feeling much refreshed and less crowded.
No, I don’t want to go out, exactly.
What I want to do is make another hat on my new loom.
Didn’t the first one turn out adorable?
made of TLC Baby (3-ply) acrylic yarn color Giggles
I have no idea exactly how long it took to knit this
but I think the finished item is worth my fun
the doll was purchased for $1 at a yard sale awhile back
it is supposed to be the same size as an average newborn
the gown is from a different sale for a quarter
She was with me as the model for the new hat when I went to my Yarn Group. The window sill is at the Township Activity Center, so beyond the glass is not my responsibility for clean-up. There are maintenance employees who will take on the task.
I’ll put the hat in the bag going for babies at the hospital.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Got a Quick History of Y A literature
As is my habit, I looked at the ISU Calendar of Events, but especially for this week of my Spring Break. Having a university just down the street is very nice for entertainment, usually free and open to the public. If need be, I ask my spouse (employee) or son (student) for help getting tickets for events.
As it happened, I noticed a little announcement about someone coming to speak about fiction for Young Adults. It was also on the newspaper website’s Calendar of Events.
Armed with a printout of the announcement
and a note written for the whereabouts of the building
I loaded my backpack and walked down the street
On the Quad, I found the building, stepped inside, and began studying a nearby map to find the room number.
A nice young man, also sporting a backpack, said “Excuse me, may I help you find something?”
I told him the room number and name of the event, and he said “come with me, it will be easier” so I followed him downstairs, around a corner into a different hall.
He stopped and said to go all the way to the end of that hall, turn left, then at the very end of that hall is a big room for lectures.
on my own, feeling a bit like a mouse in a maze, I took comfort in passing classrooms and could see students in desks through the little glass window of the doors.
Inside the big room, nearly half the seats were already occupied. I went down towards the front, and against the right wall. I like to sit my bag out of the way. It looked like almost everyone was there at 3 minutes until the start, so I claimed the folding table to my left, pulled out the sheet of paper to take notes on the back
the speaker was Mr. Michael Cart, a nationally recognized expert in children’s and young adult literature. I was able to find one BIO page for him, but the flickering advertisements refused to finish loading, so it’s a search out your own interests. He says he does not have his own website nor blog, nor Facebook.
He pretty much read from a prepared text, but it was an informative history of literature as it pertains to Young Adults, loosely known as the formative years from age 12 to 18, or recently, even 30.
Looking at faces around me, I recognized a Language Arts teacher from a junior high school, the Children’s Literature Instructor from the community college, and several college students who had signed a Page of Attendance to get bonus credit for a class. The speaker said he hadn’t realized there would be such a range of ages and diversity in the audience. I was glad I was there; not sure what I’ll do with the notes.
In front of me was a gal knitting a sock on 3 straight needles. Next to her was a friend knitting a dishcloth.
They were listening, no need for notes.
I was crocheting a potholder, this is as far as I got
the Q & A time was informative
I asked if there is a picture of him in his youth wearing his pink corduroy pants on his website
which is when I learned he does not have a website
Walking again down long hallways, I asked a professor just locking up a classroom which Exit would let me out on the Quad, so we left together. She said she would rather have been listening to a lecture than giving one.
the walk home was an easy 12 minutes true north
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Friday, March 19, 2010
Stuck with the dang thing
here’s a little knit bag 6 1/2” wide, 5” tall
When our church women’s group was tying knots in a comforter, some dark red cotton was the proper color choice to match the pattern of the fabric. It soon became apparent that the braided cotton was not suitable for the task.
As soon as a row was done on each side, the workers decided to change the color and type of cotton to something more reasonable for sewing and tying.
I asked if I could bring the cotton home to crochet with.
Our leader said I was welcome to it.
A couple days later, I sat down with crochet hook, intending to make a little drawstring bag. I tried 2 different stitches, but could not get the cotton to keep from twisting, nor lay flat after I had all the loops in place.
I pulled out everything, tried a different hook and pattern, but the thread just did not cooperate.
A couple days later, I thought it might work on my smallest peg loom, to knit a little gift bag.
Well, the thread kept twisting back on itself, and even after I placed a loop on a peg. While I was working mebbe row 8, Husband came home from work, and I announced that I was working with cotton thread that has a curse on it.
He told me to throw it away, there’s other supplies more worthwhile of my effort.
I do like the color though, so I kept at it.
the twisting. Well. Oh my.
One stitch got so tight that the peg pulled loose from its hole. I had to put a little mark beside it, and be very careful while trying to finish. Husband says he should be able to glue it back when he gets a chance.
I did pull out my loom primer book and followed directions how to bind off a straight edge, which I then crocheted around to be able to work the handles. Trouble there is, I took some time away, and when I got back and worked the second handle, I did it different than the first.
Sewing the bottom shut, I missed a stitch, so there is a pencil size hole in one corner.
Ah well, I’m gonna keep it in my storeroom.
A reminder that some types of yarn need to be tossed no matter what grand plans it began with.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, March 15, 2010
Noises are Familiar
the other night as we were getting ready for bed, I let out a little yelp as I took off my shirt.
Without turning around, Husband said “You forgot to take out your earrings first”
So I asked how did he know that?
and he said “that’s the sound you make when you don’t take out your earrings so your shirt pulls on ‘em”
This evening, I was at the computer and let out a little sigh.
Without turning around, Husband said “there must be a baby picture”
So I asked how did he know that?
and he said “that’s the sound you make when you are looking at a baby”
Shonuff, there was my friend Beth’s baby girlie Gwen, and a dog for added goodness.
my man and I have lived together for a very long time
~~love and Huggs, Diane
We’re eating Good
Ever since the critter doctor told me to UP the girl cat’s food servings, it seems like all I do is buy cans of the stuff.
I opened the next to last this morning, so since I decided to decline TA Sub jobs, I went out to run some errands.
The store which has the best price for the kind she likes also has a nice craft supply aisle, and groceries for humans.
I looked at all the goodies on the craft shelves, but showed great restraint for not putting anything into my cart
I’m saving my spare cash for spending this weekend at the Relief Sale, on stuff that other people have put time and effort into.
As luck has it, cat food is on sale 4 cans for $1.42, which is less than the usual 47¢ each, but wrong luck caught up because only 8 cans were chicken & tuna for her.
the store has been rearranged a bit since the last time I was there, but I found the other items on my list
Then I remembered lunch time was long gone.
Nearby was a bin full of ice, prepared salads nestled in.
And the clerk was just adding a few more containers.
When I looked them over, I decided on an interesting combo
Fruit and Nut Salad, weight .43 lbs
Total $2.16At home, I opened it and separated the parts
16 halfs pecans
18 blueberries
4 blackberries
4 red raspberries
slices of strawberries which added up to 4 whole
a nice bed of spring mixed greens, so much that I put 1/3 of it in the fridge
Shake on some olive oil based dressing,
toast a slice of bakery bread
a glass of cold tea
What a Feast!
and the girl cat is liking having her favorite flavor in her dish
It’s been a good afternoon. Hope yours is fine also.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Knitted Hat
here’s a peg loom knitted hat, made over the weekend
the 4-ply acrylic yarn is the Hobby Lobby house brand
I Love This Yarn! name Green CAMO stripes
and I just love how it finished
although I forgot to take pictures of other items before handing them over, this hat will also be going to the Mennonite Relief Sale this upcoming weekend
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Still Here
Yesterday was a time of feeling poorly, just a bit weak and light-headed, no appetite.
I went to bed early, which did not help because my innards were rumbling and my pulse pounding.
No matter how I turned, some body part was not content.
This morning, I was sitting in the bathroom 4 times before 10am, each trip a little more urgent than the last.
Musta been something I ate 
And then a shower, which also cleaned my sinuses.
Leaving the bathroom with my head held high cuz my hair was wrapped in a towel, I decided that was the best I had felt in 24 hours.
And now I must get done some household chores.
Even when I’m an at home wife, I still wish for a maid.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Bought a new iron and ironing board
A few years ago when Husband was wearing a different brand of button-down work shirts, I searched all over the place for an iron which had a flat surface aka a DRY iron so that ironing did not leave marks on the fabric. Bought one online, using only a picture and short description. It works fine, and will have use in the future.
Those other shirts were made of good quality materials, and did not need steam to unwrinkle nicely.
He wore them out, literally. Frayed cuffs, buttons hanging loose. I did my best mending to keep them going, and he searched all over the place for updates. The company had discontinued that style.
Finally, he bought several shirts at a big box store. These are okay, but they really need steam to keep them looking nice for the job behind a desk.
Before Christmas, I went looking for an iron. I was not satisfied with any I saw in stores where I usually shop, so I went hunting by online descriptions. For some items, I would prefer to have and to hold what I want, just to make sure it’s worth my hard-earned money.
Then I worked with a group from church who gathered for an evening to be sewing tote bags for the Relief Sale.
There was an iron there like no other I have ever seen! and its owner raves about using it for all her sewing and quilting projects.
Today, I finally went out and bought a new steam iron. At a store which I enter only when online tells me it is the only store in the county which has what I want.
ROWENTA Focus, which is sold at Amazon, but I didn’t do a link because let me tell ya, the advertisements finding my Inbox are too many already It is made in Germany, with a warranty.
I think I will like it. It took some long looking to just get it out of the box, and then I started reading the directions. Twice in different paragraphs, it says to use Spring Water, Never 100% distilled water, to make the steam. This is a complete turnaround from what I learned in high school Home Ec class.
While I was at it, I bought a new ironing board. The wobbly one which I’ve been using was bought at a Yard Sale when we lived in Tennessee, but we’ve lived almost 27 years in this house on the prairie, so I’d say that a new ironing board is fine.
Where I stopped shopping was a padded cover.
I’ll use the one that came with it awhile.
Some folks might think I’m nuts for spending $100 on a Saturday afternoon because I am a woman old-fashioned enough to iron clothes. Especially when my new dryer has a buzzer to tell me to take clothes out as soon as the cycle ends.
Different activities considered important.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Friday, March 05, 2010
the Repeats of the Morning
Husband said that I needed to get out of the house, to not worry so much about our girl kittycat, who is doing much better.
I decided to take a job for Friday morning only, at an elementary school. I thought it was for Kindergarten, but it seems the TA had moved on with the class, and is now an Aide in First Grade. Which is still fine, cuz I remember most of the students, and they sure do remember me! Quite flattering, actually.
This week the lessons have centered on the birthday of children’s books author Dr. Seuss. On the side table is a pile of Seuss books. The teacher explained that awhile back, she was visiting a local public library and those titles had been updated to newer editions, and that heap was next to the dumpster!
Lovely wunnerfully nice books, with strong library bindings, abandoned and alone.
So of course, being an elementary school teacher who knows that any opportunity to open a child’s mind should never be passed over, she tossed 27 Dr. Seuss books into her car, and allows her First Graders to have free reading time.
The morning would be devoted to Learning Centers, which is an educational concept coming into vogue towards the end of my employment at the daycare center. Every 15 minutes, the students change places and lessons to be learned. And we wonder why a long attention span is hard to see in older students.
My task would be to read aloud a book. I got to choose which one of the Dr. Seuss books I wanted to read for 5 different groups. I found I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew close to the middle. The teacher seemed pleased, and said one of the students would be quite happy to finally hear a grown-up read it because he has chosen it on his own to look at every day this week.
It’s one I did not know about before, but after reading it 5 times in one morning, I can say YES, it is one of his best.
I looked up that edition/ used condition online, and see that current price is $27.95, although there is a newer version, with glossy pages and a little more pink in the ink.
The customer reviews are glowing, especially from college students who have been assigned reading in class.
Then I went with the class to help supervise PE, getting a drink of water, then they went to music class down in the basement. I was free to leave at almost lunch time.
I stopped at McDs on the way home for a burger. Bringing it home and inside, the smell woke up the cats, who are 2 of the biggest moochers around. I gave away almost 1/3 of the meat before I got a bite my own self
Yeah, I got out of the house in a good way, the cats seem to be fine, if sleeping on aphgans next to sunny windows is any indication.
Still, I’m glad today is Friday, a free weekend.
~~love and Huggs, Diane