Purling Oaks

Just peeking

Happy almost end of February!  I've been absent from the blog since I've got nothing to share.  There's been drama but it isn't really mine in the most direct sense, so there you are, no blog stuff and no desire to blog around it.   I did get the crud Friday afternoon but it was fast and furious, so now I'm just tired.  

White Dot got into a big fight with the Boogie Cat last Saturday morning and had to go to the vet for stitches where his hind right leg was ripped open.  Yowza and yuckola.  He's now in second place for most *ahem* precious kitty of the house, after Fuzzle's broken-leg excitement about five years ago.   He's healing quickly and is happy to be out of his exile to a closed bedroom and paper litter.  We're working on what to do about BC encounters since that was trip number two to the vet that was BC-related.

I was able to attend my local monthly spinning group meeting last Monday -- it was fun with a lot of laughing.  I brought some crocheting rather than my wheel but they're a kind group of women and let me stay.  I helped solve a mystery of a rigid heddle loom--no biggie but it helps to know which way to point the darn thing.  0.O

I've immersed myself in the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs this weekend.  I thought it would all be re-reads but somehow I missed one of the series.  I'm glad I remedied that with a download as Bone Crossed was good.  I'm about to start River Marked before I start throwing things in my suitcase for another week of work.

Okay, that's it for now.  I hope you all have been warm, safe, and happy.  I'll stop by again...hopefully soon.

 

Savory scents at home

A pork roast with onions, potatoes, garlic, and a few carrots to support the meat is cooking with a bit of fino (dry sherry) in my oven and making the house smell delicious.  This week I've begun to catch up on blogs, make a bit of a dent in the laundry pile, worked, and haven't yet touched the clothes that came back with me from DC.  

I know I have to clean out the closet and also make some selections from the DC clothes for contributions to St. Vinnie's.  I have to because I just don't have the ever-expanding magic closet--I have a decent amount of space and just too darn many clothes.  Fat clothes, not-so-fat clothes, play clothes, lots of work clothes, gardening clothes, hunting clothes, even a few dresses!  I think know I'm putting it off because 1) time is limited and work does come first and 2) the selections are part of what I'll be for this next part of my life.  You know..." the clothes make the woman" concept.  I have a feeling I'll be working on the contents of my closet constantly for the next year.  I want to peel off the skin I've worn and try on a new one.......or three.  

Time for me to serve up that pork roast.  It is nice to be home.

Link Friday

Okay, well, just one link.  I love this post!  Marvelous timing for that quote for me.  

It is about 10 degrees F this morning but the sky is clear.  It should be a lovely day for running errands.  I'm taking the Jeep in for some service, hitting the pharmacy and Target, seeing what's in at the Seafood Center for dinner, then heading home for the weekly laundry event.  Oh, and seeing if I can find that dropped stitch in my sock........

Have a great Friday!!

The Night before Thanksgiving......

'Tis the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house, many creatures are stirring, including a mouse (0r two).  This blogger is pausing, in reflection of the day (and week), and found she has many, many thankful things to say.  

I am thankful for:

• A successful and safe deer hunt.  Seven deer were registered at the local station and are now filling two (plus) freezers and being made into jerky.  Our harvest was very fortunate, as we've heard reports of very low state-wide harvest numbers, so far. 
• Time spent with family, including my dear mother, brother (Eric, a better brother cannot be found), nephews (Micah and Hunter, two of my very favorite people that continue to impress me with their maturity and love), uncle (David), and cousins (Zach and Kristi) and all the rest that I haven't seen recently.  As much as I venture, I realize my heart is ever so happy when I'm with my family ---and my extended family (including in-laws, some that I'll see tomorrow).  
• My husband.  He's my heart and my rock in this reality.  We are more than just two.
• My friends.  Friends who have known me many (or several, heh) decades and those who share less history with me but all warm my heart the same, no matter our tenure.  I wish I could spend part of each day with each of you.  I'm fortunate that the innernetz allow connections that would not have been possible decades ago without massive telephone bills, should we have had even the fortune to meet.
• A woman that holds the heart of someone dear to me in her hands.  I pray she will be my dear friend, as well.
• A house and home where I feel safe.
• My feline friends, with personalities that continue to charm me and soften my heart.
• A good job that provides the means to support me and my family, as well as allowing me to meet friends around the country this past year.
• Good health.  
• Abundance, such that grocery stores carry most every food I could want and no staples are in short supply.

I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, where-ever you are.  Thank you for reading and connecting with me, whether you comment or not. 

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.  

(Yes, I, too, may hold fear for my next holiday post.  Thankfully, that is a month away.)

Weather report

Those little icicles on the bird feeders have formed during the past hour and a half.   DH is on his way to the east coast this afternoon, so I'm sending out "safe travel" vibes to escort him.  Yesterday was also an overcast and chilly day.....a complete contrast to most of Friday.  Friday, for me, was a lovely weather day.  By noon, the sun was shining and the temperature was in the high 50s.  I was on the road quite a bit of the day (Oshkosh-Brookfield-Home), so I opened the Jeep's sunroof, cracked-open the side windows, cranked the tunes and had one of the best days, mood-wise.  It was a day to save for savoring when life is more demanding and a reminder of simple joys that will (help) keep me sane.  And it is just so simple--sun, good music, a bit of a breeze and I'm able to put aside some of my personal world's worries for a few hours.  The songs that were played on the radio Friday were some of my all-time favorite driving tunes.  Thanks to the music programmer!

Saturday included this view, although Black Dot was really supervising from behind me: 

I am pretty happy with my spinning progress yesterday.  I'm spinning some Polworth fiber from a Wisconsin Sheep and Wool vendor (no label and no memory, although I could find them by location in the vendor's shed).  As of this photo, there is just under half of the fiber in singles on the bobbin.  I think it will end up as a two-ply.
The color is "Autumn Oaks."  I will probably have to do some sleuthing to find the vendor, depending on how much yarn I end up with.  I think I would like a vest from this yarn.

I plan to spin again this afternoon--as soon as I light the woodstove.  DH set up the wood so all I'll have to do is light a match.  Life is good.

Some goals, before I forget

I mentioned, a few weeks ago, that I planned to make some resolutions goals for 2009.  I've been pondering and here's my list.  Some goals have no real measureable targets but most do. 

• Make more efficient use of my herb garden.  In 2008, I dried some basil and oregano but not much, nor did I jar them up.  Yup, I have a dried leaves in ziplock bags in my spice cabinet.  I didn't dry any thyme at all, which is SO unusual since I love it and we use it often in the kitchen.  So, I would like to harvest herbs regularly this  summer, dry them, and store them in jars, to keep or give away.
• Finish Icarus and Forest Canopy.  Stacey and I have set a first interim goal of February 14 to complete Chart 1 of the Icarus pattern.  I have made a far amount of progress on Forest Canopy but I'm glad I've decided to finish Icarus first.
• Send birthday greetings and presents so they arrive on time.  The earth may cease to turn if I achieve this goal this year......
• Exercise more.  I've fallen off the Curves wagon.  (Darkness, cold and ice, 40-50 minutes travel time, annoyance with the management....not good reasons, just reasons) I have a treadmill at home, I need to get on it more this winter.  I had a good 40-minute walk each day when I was in DC last week (hotel-office-hotel) and it felt good.  I want to feel that good when I'm home.  Exercise is a challenge for me with my ever changing work location/schedule....I need to get past that since I probably won't be changing my job anytime soon.
• Not take on too many extra commitments (like KALs).   I haven't been able to "keep up" with, most recently, Knitting with Nora due to various circumstances and personal tendencies.  I'm working on finding ways to "keep up" but I have to realize that my work schedule does not lend itself to keeping up.  Which is okay.   I want to participate with friends but I have to remember I've got some limitations.

Okay, that's enough of the goal stuff.  Here's what I've been doing the past couple of days...

First, there's been more bread.  This is rye bread from the 5-minute Artisan Bread book.  I substituted 1.5 cups of bread flour for the all-purpose flour because I ran out of AP flour due to all the recent bread baking.  This loaf was/is yummy.  The bread is "lighter" than the basic recipe but still a pretty sturdy bread.  I'm looking forward to some ham on rye sandwiches this week. 

I also spent a bit of time in my studio.  I added (and assembled) a new chair from ShopKo that is a swivel/glider chair (on sale).  I'm still working on where to put everything but here's a current progress photo or three. 

No where as nicely organized as some but at least I've emptied all the boxes and everything is installed somewhere.  I will be re-arranging as I spend more time in the studio and find better places for different things to live.  I'm finding pleasant surprises each time I take a good look at a shelf.  Sometimes I'll find a skein of yarn I've forgotten about or I'll pick up a book I haven't opened in a long time.  The stash is hiding in the closet.  I'll save that for a future post.

Wait!

Wait!  Please wait.  I'm not done with that person yet!

A probably futile and definitely selfish request, don't you think?  But I think we all make it when hearing of a less than desirable diagnosis, or some other life-changing event, for someone close to us, someone who makes a difference in our lives,  whether that person is a parent, friend, husband, wife, co-worker, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandmother, grandfather, or variation of any of those roles.   I know I've made that plea a number of times, too many times.  Sometimes, I get more time.  Sometimes not.  Sometimes, the extra time comes with big changes for the person I've pleaded for as well as the relationship I have with them.

For me, that request comes from the fear of the absence of someone I, however unreasonably, expect to be there, participating in my life, forever.  I want to continue to be able to enjoy their presence and not deal with anything else but that.  No changes allowed.  Everybody's happy and healthy.  (Yes, I do live in a dream world.)  And this news is the reminder, the wake up call, the slap, that life just doesn't progress the way I want it to.  

I know some may say, "Grow up!"  I am, I have, and I continue to.  I suppose this post is part of the process for me and a way to air my fears. 

Molasses in January

Lots of progress, right? Yeah, I'm kidding.

/sigh The woman who wants to do it all but can't.

Yeah, I am frustrated with myself. I'll get over it and be back to my overly optinistic self soon. At least other people are getting some fantastic projects completed .... like Joan (thejoyofsocks.typepad.com) and her tweed sweater.

She wants pictures.....

I told Stacey that Wilson and I were going up to visit my DM and to cut trees on Saturday.  She requested pictures.  Let's see if she likes these.

Wilson with safety helmet in the woods at our first stop.

A very interesting fungi.  I've never seen one this color before.  Perhaps my nephew J will be able to give me the name of this fungi.

DM, Wilson, and Lita dog contemplating our next task.  Lita had to lead the way around the farm.  She must have thought it was quite the important procession...she marked the path for us every 20 feet or so.  I didn't think her bladder had that much capacity.

It was a lovely though warmish afternoon.  I say "we" cut trees but, really, Wilson is the muscle with the chain saw.   DM and I drag branches and brush out of the way.  We'll have another full day of brush clearing ahead of us in November.  More of the leaves will be off the trees which will make it easier to decide what to cut.  We'll be clearing brush from near our deer blinds then.  Here's a view of where I'll be sitting the week before Thanksgiving. 

My blind is a very nice place to sit.  Aside from the serious nature of deer hunting, sitting in my tree for two or three (or more days) allows me to decompress in ways not usually available to us.  For those days, it is my "job" and I am supposed to be sitting in a tree.  Surrounded by nature.  No mobile telephone, no computer, no demands.  A notepad and pen nearby to record thoughts so I don't have to hold them in my mind.  Listening to and watching nature....from the squirrels running from oak limb to oak limb...to the owl landing on my blind (at o'dark thirty and scaring my boots off).....to the cardinals, blue jays, and sparrows providing entertainment when there is no other movement in the woods.  We should all have trees to sit in.

Reality check, please

I have to vent and maybe get a reality check. 

My contractor informed me on Tuesday that he discovered the electrical supply to our septic system was cut.  It has been for several weeks.  (okay, collective gasp)  However,.........he ran an extension cord out there and the tank that holds the liquids was pumped back down to normal level.  He told me he would take care of it.  His electrician won't be back on site for several weeks but he would run a cord.  It is a good thing I had started a temporary eating plan (a.k.a., diet) where sugar and other simple carbs are not allowed.  But I did find that my comfort foods include milk chocolate, big time.  End of the day, the electrical cord was disconnected since they were running it from the basement.

Wednesday, he and his crew were here working (doing great things, really) but no electric for the septic.

Today it is raining.  It is Thursday.   I haven't done any laundry or ran the dishwasher since Tuesday.  Fortunately, it is just me and the cats at home.   Yes, I know the tank held on for several weeks without the pump operating but that was when I was not aware of the problem.  Once burned, twice shy.  Besides, septic overflows are expensive and horrible when it is your house.

So, I called the contractor this morning.  I asked him when he thought he would get the extension cord run to power the septic.  His first answer was "Angie, you really have a lot of capacity left. You really don't need to worry about it."  (I'm still peeved when I type it.)  I conveyed to him that I believe the DH will not approve of this situation.  DH is a nice guy and very calm.  DH also has a lot on his plate right now and I don't want another item to fall in his lap.  I know he would resolve the situation himself without nagging the contractor.  He would just take several hours out of his weekend, drive to the big city to buy a humongously long extension cord to plug in.

So, at this moment, the extension cord is powering the septic tank from an outlet on the front porch. 

I'm very annoyed.  Should I be?  Was I right to nag follow-up with the contractor?  If the contractor would have failed to act today, I would have been obtaining the extension cord so it would be in place before my spouse returned home.  Was I worrying without reason?  I need a reality check.

To balance this out a bit......the construction/reconstruction really is coming along nicely.  Insulation of the addition and the basement was finished yesterday.  Now, they need an inspection and then the drywall guy can do his thing.  I think things may be a bit tight for the schedule but they look workable.