the Cats are Away

Today is a morning free from child care, so I wrote up a list of chores and errands to get done before time to go to Yarn Group.

Also will be free from the watchful eyes of cats.

We took away the food and water bowls, put the lid down on the toilet, emptied the drip pan by the furnace.
Nothing to eat or drink after last midnight.

Getting them into the carriers was quite a task.  I have scratch marks on my left shin, I believe Husband got a couple on his hand.  We had to chase Oscar out from under Chris’s bed, but with the door closed, he finally got shoved in and zipped tight.

Our companions are getting their teeth cleaned at the vet hospital.

I had to sign more forms than the last time Husband went to ER.

I wrote my cell phone number as the first to call, so this must be an important situation.
I don’t give it out to just anybody.

Pick-up time is 3:30pm.

I’ll bet they will be glad for it.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Family | 4 Comments

Special Olympic Scarf News

This week in Boise, Idaho, the Winter events of the Special Olympics are happening.

Blue and White scarves are the fashion

The original goal was 5,000 scarves.

67,000 scarves arrived from all over the world.

Willing hands, good times.

Posted in Crochet | 3 Comments

Not so much cheer, Dear

As Momma said in the comments on my last post, it is easy to get worn out in times like these.

Although all my activities were on a voluntary basis, and I do feel affirmed for lending willing hands, this evening finds me all tuckered out and putting on some warm slippers at home.

I told my son that I don’t think I can deal with the dishes all over the counter, waiting to be put into the dishwasher.  They can sit awhile longer.
He said he had to go back to his own dishes at his own house.
Let me tell ya, it’s good for a mother to hear a kid say this. 

This morning was my turn to help with child care in the church nursery, and I loved doing it.
Little kids cheer me up.

Then I came home to transfer laundry from washer to dryer and grab a bite of lunch.

I put a bottle of tea into my yarn bag (I like to have something to sip while we have chitchat) and went back out to the car for going to the Thursday Needlework Group meeting.  Although I knew it wouldn’t be a time to relax, for I had promised to give a lesson about knitting on the peg loom.

Something happened today telling me just how tired I am.

I was driving the car awhile, when I passed the fire station and realized that instead of heading towards the Activity Center, I was driving toward church.  I have been there so often the last three days that my brain went on auto-pilot thinking church was the destination again.

Ah well, as long as I’m facing that way, and would have to go around the block to change direction anyway, I decided to go through a drive-thru and buy a vanilla latte.

There was a car already waiting at the pick-up window when I arrived.

I put in my order, it was repeated correctly, the price was quoted.  I noted the time on the clock on the dashboard, got money out of my wallet, pulled up one car length.

The other car did not move.
Did. Not. Move.

It dawned on me that the numbers on the clock had changed and that twelve minutes had passed and we hadn’t moved.
TWELVE MINUTES !!  while my mind wandered.

On a winter day like this, that could be good because my feet were finally warm from the car’s heater.

There was nobody behind me yet, so I backed up and pulled into a parking space.  It tripped the sensor, because I could hear the squawkbox asking if he could take my order.

I got out and walked into the diner, obviously upset.

At the counter, I asked the young clerk if there is a good reason that a latte would take twelve minutes to fix.

He explained that there had been a mix-up at the grill, so the order had to be worked again.

I asked if they are grilling lattes now? and where would mine be?

He motioned to it sitting on a corner of the counter, so long that the whipped cream was soggy.

I laid down the money and said give me my drink.

As he handed it over, he said he was sorry for the delay.

In my best Teacher Assistant voice of disapproval, I said
“You should have thought of a different way to handle this.”
turned and walked out, with every other customer and clerk in the place staring at me with mouths agape.

Perhaps I should not care to enter again very soon.

At Yarn Group, where I was twelve minutes late, the newbie and supplies were all ready and waiting.

It took my head a little while to get back into lesson mode, but my student was able to learn how to make a baby hat on the smallest Knifty Knitter peg loom.

At a committee meeting this evening, I was talking about something different and let slip a *dammit*.  The other folks were at first shocked that Diane would say a cuss word, then laughed, big belly laughs of glee at my embarassment, and mentioned strikes of lightning coming through the church windows.

So Yeah, I guess I need a little R & R.

Thank Goodness It’s Friday soon.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

One Gulp Then Away Again

When we woke up this morning, there was more snow on the ground.

Husband and I discussed how much. . . I said 3” /
he said 1” but neither of us bothered to find a ruler nor went out to measure the depth.

Enough Already was our final agreeement.

And the temperature going from 36oF yesterday
to only 3 ^ 0 today sure has my joints aching.  Although he spoke about colder weather now will be putting a big squelch on bugs and molds later in the Spring.

I had told SubFinder to Do Not Disturb with early morning phone calls because I am busy with some church events.  Dear Ones E-mail list got the obituary for our friend Tom.

When I looked at the computer grid, there were three jobs open, but not a one did I think was good enough to break my silence.  This is one of those times when somebody else will have to work harder.

Over breakfast (which was leftover meatloaf on a biscuit—unusual but quite tasty) I had my latest copy of Angels on Earth magazine parked beside my plate.  Some sweet reading to start the day.

I pulled on some ready for the laundry clothes, bundled up, then shovelled out the front and back sidewalks, both cars and the driveway cleared of snow.
The ice underneath is a different problem.  The mailman was wearing ice clamps on his boots.

My shopping list is written, have made and received several phone calls, knitted a couple rows on the latest peg loom hat, and chosen crochet thread to make a bookmark to enclose in a sympathy card.

With All this done before 11AM  🙂

Now I’m gonna take a shower, put on some freshly laundered clothes, bundle up again, let the car use up gas while idling get warm in the driveway, and head off to the grocery store.

I have promised to make a dessert for the funeral lunch, a couple extra items for the Family Fun Night dinner, ground turkey and stuff for supper tonight here at home.
I’m going to try a new recipe Jack’s Turkey Stroganoff as seen yesterday on the Bonnie Hunt Show.

You all will have to carry on without me again.

Real Life brings hustle to my bustle.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Food | 2 Comments

Place Holder

Two inches snow and it is still coming down.

Everybody cross yer fingers for school closed for inclement weather.

Otherwise, fer Wednesday, I signed on to be a TA Sub for 5th grade.

I didn’t realize I’ve been a whole week away from the blog.

I get up every morning and read our paper’s website
and the comics.

Some days, that’s more than enough time at the computer.

Keep Warm   😛

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Thinking | 1 Comment

Television Day at Home

Four years ago, January 2005, when G.W. Bush was inaugurated as U.S. President, it was a day I would be at home from my college classes, and glued to the television.

I wanted to do the same again for this special occasion when Barack Obama takes the oath of office, so I clicked the school computer grid to say I would be Unavailable to work as a TA Sub.
Little did I know I would miss two days last week due to inclement weather and schools closed, but this is a day in history, and I do love to watch all the television camera angles and hear talking reporters.

The weather in DC is about the same temperature as here in Illinois, except we got an inch of snow overnight, while the crowd there got to rally on open ground.

The media coverage was all I wanted, and then some.

Although I did not get any housework done other than to empty the dishwasher, I crocheted two potholders, and knitted two baby hats while sitting in front of the tv.

Just to show how much more lazy I can be, I ordered pizza to be delivered for supper.

It’s due to arrive any minute now, so away I go.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Personal | 3 Comments

Monday afternoon Music

Husband is off work today, but he left for the coffee shoppe to be able to study.

Personally, I don’t know how he manages to get any learning done when there are so many other people around to watch, and so many noises behind the counter.

Anyway, I’m home alone on this holiday, and so I get to listen to a singer who is not on the Favorites list of my guys (although as soon as the music started, Oscar hopped down from his place by the sunny window, walked over to the door wanting to be let out)

I pulled my Barbra Streisand’s Higher Ground cd from way behind on the shelf
then found this on YouTube
first time I’ve tried to embed on the blog

I think the words have the theme of Martin Luther King, Jr.

At the Same Time

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Thinking | 1 Comment

the Search was futile

I used up quite a bit of the morning looking for an old VHS tape I wanted to watch.

My schedule book was full this week.  I had pre-arranged TA Sub jobs for M-T-W,F, Thursday Yarn Group, and Lucas was coming home some time on the shuttle bus, would need to be picked up, then chauffeured to Urbana.
So busy that I told child care to not put me on for the 14th.

Then the weather happened.  Schools have been closed for days, my Yarn Group also cancelled, Lucas got in late-late on the bus.  Next morning, Husband did not want to drive him across the prairie with the sun shining in his eyes, so we took him back last evening, stopping at a grocery store so he could stock up.

You can see how his cat Scratchy responded HERE

Anyway, school is off again today.  I play a little game with myself when I’m home alone like this.  I have to do at least two tasks of housework before I sit down for fun with yarn and movie or music.

The movie I want to watch is KOTCH with Walter Matthau.
I got my little chores done, petted Oscar awhile before he found a spot in a sunny window

and walked over to the video cabinet
where KOTCH has rested for years

except
the shelf now holds DVDs more recently purchased

my hunt began by going over to the other video cabinet
it still has VHS tapes, but KOTCH is not there
downstairs where Husband was clearing out last weekend
I did find the VHS of HOUSEBOAT starring Cary Grant
upstairs to the shelf behind the door of Joe’s old room
many VHS tapes, none with the title I want

I did find CALENDAR GIRLS and decided to settle for it

there’s a hat on the newborn peg loom

the outside temp is 5oF so I’m staying in

No sense bothering Husband at work to ask where the movie might be
when he decides something needs to move, it does
and rarely seen again

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Family, Partner | 4 Comments

Request overturns Resolution

Fifteen days.  That’s how long it lasted.

My New Year Resolution had to open a crack.

Ya see,
my Yarn Group was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Thursday afternoon, I usually go overboard with yarn stuff.

And I really wanted to find a certain color of yarn I just know I have somewhere in the messy hobby closet which did NOT get organized over Christmas Break.

So I decided to tackle it.  baskets boxes bags and bins

Oh. My.  but I did find the pale yellow yarn I was seeking.

Lucas was leaning against the door-jam watching.

While I was seated on a stool in the midst heaps of yarn, he asked if I have any cotton yarn.
Actually, would I have enough cotton for an aphgan? for a wedding gift?

I showed him the 4-ply I use to crochet potholders.

He said it’s real soft.  His fiancee prefers the feel of cotton, and does not like acrylic so much.  And he likes to sleep with an aphgan (definitely MY kid).

I told him about my resolution to not buy any more yarn until some of the pile was gone.
An aphgan of cotton would have to be granny squares or wild stripes, what with all the skeins bought on Clearance.

Um, Natural colors would be best.  And Milly would want it to look nice.

Well, New Year Resolution be damned, my boy wants a crocheted aphgan.

We came over to the computer and checked on the Peaches-n-Creme website to look at all the yarns with green in the color.
  North Woods looked nice.  He sent a picture to Milly.  She likes the shades of green and brown, with a little blue.

So I had to order cones of yarn.

For my son.  and his bride-to-be.

Cuz they want an aphgan for the bed they are gonna share.

Fifteen Days.  My New Year Resolution opened a little.
Weather cancellations and son at home made me weak.

Now I’ll move around other yarn projects on my list.

Maybe it’s okay that school jobs won’t be calling.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in Family | 1 Comment

School = Zero for inclement weather

A recent e-mail brought in a picture of cuteness.
my peg loom knitted doll hats apparently were enthusiastically received for Christmas

click to embiggen

We have 5 inches of snow on the ground, with flurries still happening.  The wind is picking up, blowing snow across the sidewalk where a neighbor has already cleared with a snowblower.  I’ve never asked him to work on ours, since my doctor says I need more exercise, but I can tell he wasted fuel for his effort.  The snow ain’t over yet.

Schools all over the county are closed. Yippee  🙂

I had been on schedule today for a Pre-K class in a building at the farthest southside edge of the district.

When I got up to use the bathroom at 3:00 in the morning, I looked out at blowing snow and prayed that the school board would be reasonable.

Monday I was at a junior high, an announcement came 50 minutes after First Bell saying that a certain bus number had just arrived.
When a boy came into the room, he said he had waited in 11o temp, standing at his stop an extra 25 minutes, afraid to walk two blocks back home and get warm since he might miss the bus.  A girl told us she waited 28 minutes.  Her jeans were wet from snow up the back of her leg to the crook of her knee, outside of her boots.

Yesterday, at a junior high, my Sub notes said I had morning Bus Lane duty.  Even though there were floor mats just inside the doors, the amount of slush and wet got overwhelming further on in the hallway.

One girl slipped straight down, and I thought she bumped her head.  I instructed her friend to take her to the nurse’s office and watch for signs of concussion.  A boy wearing athletic shoes slipped, grabbing out onto another student’s backpack.  They both did a little dance to remain upright.

I called for the custodian on the walkie-talkie, but he was busy unloading a delivery truck for the cafeteria, so the Assistant Principal came down to use a mop and set out Wet Floor signs.  He was wearing regular shoes, and slipped a bit himself.

I can tell ya, it made me grateful for my new P.W. Minor shoe boots with the non-skid soles.
  I bought ‘em with the idea that I often do Job Coach with high school Work/Study students, so climbing on and off the schoolbus and being places which require close-toe shoes means I cannot be changing footwear for fashion statements.

They made themselves worth it so much that I might turn in the receipt to our accountant for tax returns.

Today seems like a good time to curl up and read a book.  I’ve been trying to get interested in one ever since the Amazon box landed on the porch, so today I gotta do it!

Reading a novel will distract my brain from thinking about son Lucas who is on airplanes and shuttle bus for most of today.  He says he will arrive late-late and I should be in bed by then, so expect him whenever he walks in the door.

As if this mother ever stops concern for her children….

~~love and Huggs, Diane

Posted in School | 5 Comments