Snapshot for February 23, 2012

Weather in SW Michigan ...
AccuWeather spent yesterday talking about the foot of snow we were going to get last night and today. The above freezing temperature didn't dip enough for most of the nighttime accumulation to happen and this morning I woke up to about an inch of wet, sticky snow.

It's a bit below freezing now and it is still lightly snowing. I don't think a foot is going to happen, but with Lake Effect Snow one can never be sure. The forecast is for temps in the 40s again by Sunday.



Really? ...
I always chuckle to myself when I hear someone brag about their "designer dog" such as Labradoodle or Cockapoo.

Designer dogs are not a breed with standards. They are mutts. I have one of those - Sunny - and it amuses me to call her a "designer dog" on her rabies certificate, dog license, and vet records.

I can't guess what was mixed to "design" her, but I am sure it took more than one generation and more than two actual breeds.





Something from the kitchen ...
I'm still working on learning how to run a kitchen for one.

I like to have eggs handy, but I've had to throw out many of them when they pass their expiration date. (Actually I don't throw them out, I set them outside for the raccoons to eat.)

Last week I bought a carton of eight eggs. According to the expiration date, they're good for about a month. Maybe I could use up a carton if I had eggs for lunch once a week.

I am creating...
Finished the Starry Night socks last week. Picture soon.

I am procrastinating ...
Starting the paperwork for the income taxes. Sigh.



I am reading...
The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. Second book in the The Wheel of Time fantasy series.

I am hearing...
Michiganders complaining about the number of Republican primary robo calls they're getting.

Next Tuesday, February 28, is presidential primary day and we're being overrun with annoying calls and ads. Yesterday we even had Herman Cain in Kalamazoo supporting a local candidate and talking about 999 on local news programs after I though I never had to hear about that tax plan again.

Outdoors ...
Moss is taking over the property. It's growing in the lawn, in the gardens, on the cement, on the propane tank, and up the north side of the house.

Here's some new moss that appears to be sprouting out of the cement with some established moss at the bottom of the picture.

Good grief! How am I going to sell this house if it's covered with moss?



Something new for me ...
An LED candle.

I have a nightlight for Sunny in the bedroom. She has a bad back and it's critical that she's able to see to use the dog stairs to get on and off the bed and especially that she doesn't fall off the bed.

A few weeks ago there was a power outage in the middle of the night. I'm not comfortable sleeping with a candle burning, so I propped up a flashlight to light the way for Sunny and went back to sleep with a promise to myself to come up with a better solution.

The LED candle works perfect, like a nightlight powered on AAA batteries.



A few plans for the next few days
I've been resting and using heat to give my jaw a chance to heal. Talking annoys it, so I've been staying home except for the necessities.

Three weeks after the extraction of the (hopefully) responsible tooth, the healing is going much slower than I would like, but it is happening.

Giving thanks for ...
The mild winter, even if it has created a moss invasion.

And ...
I received something very cute and useful in the mail a week ago. It deserves a post of its own. Will show you soon.

Simple Woman's Daybook for February 15

FOR TODAY February 15, 2012...

Outside my window...
It's warm for February, 45 degrees, the little snow we had is all melting and the ground is muddy because the winter hasn't been cold enough to keep it frozen.

I am thinking...
That vaulted ceilings are a huge waste of energy that nobody ever talks about.

Some real estate sales blurbs even mention vaulted ceilings in the same sentence as energy efficient appliances and furnaces.

One of the apartments I checked out had a 20 foot vaulted ceiling. Heat rises. Who wants their heat in the extra space above their head?

In Michigan we run the heat six months (or more) a year. Who is rich enough to want to waste their energy dollars heating useless dead space above their head?

And how do you take down spider webs 20 feet up?

I am thankful for...
The longer days and the smell of spring. Even though there's likely to be at least one more snowstorm before winter is over.

From the kitchen...
Sweet Cajun Crockpot Stew.



I am wearing...
Bluejeans, a royal blue plain sweatshirt, and hand knitted socks.

I am creating...
VanGogh Starry Night socks. They do represent the painting well and I've always loved knitting with Opal sock yarn.



I am going...
To go back to dieting. But not until the Paczkis are gone.

I am reading...
Just got the fourth Lousie Penny book, A Rule Against Murder , from the library. I'm purposely not starting it until the weekend or I won't get anything else done.

I am hoping...
To make good decisions as my life moves on.

I am hearing...
The news on the radio and Pappy snoring.

Around the house...
Deer prints in the mud. At least they don't track it into the house like the dogs and I are doing today.



One of my favorite things...
Paczkis. I had one for lunch. It was nutritious because it was cheese filled. The cheese was creamy, white and tasted like sugar, but I'm sure it was high protein and very healthy. Just because Paczkis are made for Fat Tuesday doesn't mean a thing.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Tomorrow is haircut day and I have an appointment with the oral surgeon so he can make sure my jaw is healing properly. I think it is, but it will be nice to hear him confirm it.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



These writing prompts are available from Simple Woman's Daybook where each Tuesday we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.

Karen's Retro Rib Socks

A little late for Christmas, but there probably is some cold weather left in Oregon so she can enjoy them before summer.

Not many people have brown as a favorite color, but the depth and beauty of some browns are at the top of my favorite color list. This is one of those browns.



Pattern: Retro Rib Socks by Evelyn Clark in Winter 2004 Interweave Knits.




Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Woodgrain.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.

Simple Woman's Daybook for February 7

FOR TODAY February 7, 2012 ...

Outside my window...
It's a cloudy, cold, damp, blah day.



I am thinking...
That I might be a bit old to be wearing bluejeans. Is that possible? What do senior ladies wear if not bluejeans?

I've moved to the "comfort" style with elastic in the waist and a roomy fit. Surely these are jeans for old ladies. But am I too old?

I love my denim and don't plan to spend much time thinking about this.

I am thankful for...
The mild winter we've had in SW Michigan.

From the kitchen...
When you happily live with someone else for years, there are many little compromises that become part of your life and you don't even think about them anymore.

Part of mourning is an exercise in discovering these things, acknowledging they don't need to exist anymore, and making changes.

Bob liked dark toast, I like light toast. The toaster was set on dark and I compensated by hovering over my toast and manually popping it up by hand. I was very good at picking the right moment and having toast just the way I liked.

Yesterday, six months after Bob's death, I was making toast and realized I could change the setting on the toaster to my preference. So I did. It was a sad moment.

I am wearing...
Bluejeans, an apple green sweatshirt, and handknit socks.

I am creating...
Almost done with Karen's socks and have some gorgeous new Opal from the VanGogh collection.



The blue skein is inspired by Starry Night . . .


The greenish skein is inspired by The Trinquetaille Bridge . . .


I am going...
Yesterday I went to a monthly lunch with a friend and realized it was the first time I'd been anywhere except the dentist, the endodontist, the oral surgeon, and grocery store since the last time we'd had lunch four weeks ago.

I'm still not feeling 100%, but maybe 75%. The trend is toward improvement.

I am reading...
Just finished Her Mother's Hope and Her Daughter's Dream, a multi-generational saga by Francine Rivers. Held my interest, but found all the misunderstandings and noncommunication between generations to be depressing. I might not have finished the two book series if I hadn't been sitting around holding my jaw.

I am hoping...
For a technical innovation that will block political phonecalls and advertisements from my life. They are especially annoying because I've already cast my absentee ballot.

Michigan primary is February 28.

I am hearing...
The very early spring songs of the Cardinals and Tufted Titmice.

Around the house...
Moss grows on the north side of a tree. And this year, due to the mild winter, moss grows on all sides of the trees. Also in the lawn, on the cement structures, on the sidewalks, in the gardens, and up the north side of the house. I've never seen anything like it in my twenty years here.



One of my favorite things...
Almost anything that has lots of calories. This is a problem.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Hardly any. Still trying to get my strength back and feel somewhat normal.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Careful back there . . .



These writing prompts are available from Simple Woman's Daybook where each Tuesday we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.

Chat Back for February 4

Responding to comments left since the last time I did Chat Back.

Betty asked . . .

Would you recommend this brand (Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio) for knitting size 13 men's sock? I want to be sure I don't have to worry about running out and I have bought this before but only for a raffle gift. It was sooo beautiful.

Maybe. This is what I know:

For a size 14 foot sock knit on 72 stitches with a 7 inch long cuff and simple stitch pattern that doesn't eat up extra yarn -

• One 50g skein of Regia will get me to the start of the toe decreases.
  
• Stalwart from Slackford Studio is a bit less heavy than Regia, so it requires a few more rows for the same length.
  
• The difference is not enough to require more stitches around.
  
• This year when I selected Stalwart for Dave's socks, I bought two 100g skeins, knit one sock per skein.
  
• I have 53g of yarn left in each ball. Plenty for a pair of women's socks.

---

Kathy B. asked . . .

Your coffee stained shirt though ,made me giggle. Is that appropriate????

I'm always happy when I can make someone giggle. Especially Kathy B., who has caused me to giggle many times.

---

Rita asked . . .

I want to know about your tooth ache. Is it better now?

The short answer is: I think so.

I put this question last so I could write a long answer and all readers who don't want to read it can move on to the next blog.

A week ago Friday I thought I was going to have more oral surgery. When I got to the endodontist he did some tests on my teeth and declared that the molar next to the suspected tooth needed a root canal. Even if that wasn't the main problem, it needed to be done in order to find the main problem. I agreed and had a molar root canal and went home hoping to find relief. Then I spend the next few days trying to pretend my jaw didn't hurt as much.

Next Wednesday, back to the endodondist. He suggested removing the tooth that had the root canal and the jaw surgery last spring, the theory being there must be a small crack in the root that was hiding infection. This required a new appointment with an oral surgeon.

Thursday afternoon the most expensive tooth in my mouth (root canal, apicoectomy, crown) came out. My jaw is still sore and healing, but the pain is not radiating up the whole right side of my head anymore. I have optimistic hopes that removing the tooth was the right thing to do and all will be well in a few days.

If not, I'm sure I'll be whining about it right here on this blog.