Fiber Festivals

I have been wanting to get to the New York festival for a few years, always plan for the following fall in November, then something falls apart. Usually me. So, once again I went to Fletcher NC (Asheville) to the southeastern festival at the AG Center. Love that place. Not only is it indoors but it is 15 minutes from my mom. What could be better? a long weekend with my mom and a day of yarn products? We got there about 10, of course parking was not fun, but wasn't as bad as I anticipated either. made a beeline to Brooks Farm and right next to them was a vendor I hadn't seen before. She had a few great things knitted up. I bought a jacket pattern and some of her yarn with which to make it. Then I saw a great shawl, made with 1,000 tensel. Yeah right, I'll be starting that one quick fast and in a hurry.

Was a bit dissapointed, I really wanted to get some needles and didn't see a very large selection and certainly not what I wanted. Well, there's always on line shopping.

Had a great lunch at the local tea house. A bit pricey but good nonetheless. then the afternoon was spent knitting and napping.

Saturday was dedicated to finishing a sweater I made last winter, finished in the spring and never got the gumption to put together. Mom and LK sister offered advise and hand holding and wow, it is perfect! Am working on another sweater that is 2/3ds done, I had thought I'd get it done this weekend during all the driving/car riding and 2 days of knitting time. It never occurred to me that it would take almost an entire day to sew one sweater together. But then, we went out for a nice lunch and some shopping so it wasn't an ENTIRE day I guess. Well, I'll keep workin on the blue one and maybe will have done by end of next weekend.

yea me!

Cats in Trees

We've all heard the jokes, cat stuck in tree, fire department comes to rescue. True. Well, not the fire department part that would have been handled by #2 son. I couldn't find Jack. Finally I could hear him faintly and went looking but couldn't find him. Then it got dark and I stood outside calling. THEN I heard him, a pathetic, something is really wrong howl. So we all went looking. There he was, about 20 feet up in a skinny, not very healthy tree. Of course it wasn't the huge maple in the front but a skinny 50 foot tree most easily accessed from the neighbors yard, where their dog poops all over the place. But that is another tale.

So #2 son got a ladder, propped it up against the tree to get to the branches and climbed, cat carrier on his back. It is dark. We've got three flashlights shining on him, Jack is meowing. I'm the only one thinking this is a bad idea, #2 son doesn't have health insurance right now and we will go broke if he falls out of that tree. Why did I never know that #2 son is afraid of heights? That would explain why he applied to the fire department but didn't go through the entire process.

Fortunately, he got within about 6 feet of jack, held open the cat crate and Jack few into it. He got it zipped and then stayed there for a few minutes contemplating his descent. We should have thought to put a rope around the crate so he could lower it down before climbing down himself - but that would have made sense. But of course he made it just fine, we put the ladder in our yard - it needs a good washing today along with some shoes ick.

Jack and #2 son came in, Jack ate until I thought he would burst, #2 son got the shakes, and apparently scrapped some skin off his shin and arm and didn't want to eat for quite some time. He finally calmed down, watched a movie and we'll see how he is doing this morning.

Of course the suggestion to leave Jack was immediately nixed, I have heard of people leaving cats in trees for days and they won't come down, one dumbass left his cat there so long it died. Next time though it is a tree service or the fire department. Will worry about embarassment later.

miscellaneous

you'd think I wasn't grateful for anything the past few days - nah, there's been a lot.

Yesterday started and ended very well
I got an email from my mom - go mom!
I asked my daughter to do something I knew would blow her fuse and she readily agreed - go DD!
I didn't over eat - go me!

went to my knitting guild last night and actualy enjoyed myself, well I usually do, there is always someone to talk to, I was really early so was one of the first 5 to arrive. when I first joined a few summers ago, there were a lot of people and while I didn't feel no welcomed, I didn't get that warm and fuzzy feeling either. last night was a smaller group than I've seen before but it was debate night. Saw two new magazines now must go try and find at the book store. one is the new debbie bliss premier edition magazine there is a sweater that I MUST make, but I can't start another project like that until I finish the hanna jacket I've started and ripped out.

One large expensive project at a time. And I've got the yarn to make my mom something which I haven't even started yet, and I've changed my mind a couple of times so I don't know. But, with the economomy going the way it is, I'm going to judicially use my stash and slowly put a bit more away while I can afford to just in case I have to go for a long spell of non yarn buying. then will be the time to pull out those long projects and say out loud, I'm only knitting on this until it is finished. don't have to say can't afford more yarn right now, just trying to get some things off the needles.

I'm going to asheville next weekend for their fiber fair, don't usually find anything I can't live without but brooks farm is always there and I LOVE their stuff. I may take a skein or two of one that I have and see if they either have more or I can match it with something. I'm working on a sweater with their stuff right now and it is G R E A T. So soft, so pretty, there were colors I wasn't expecting they are so subtle and I'm loving knitting it up.

Gratefulness

I have decided to spend a few minutes every day for the rest of October listing 5 things a day that I am grateful for. Big and small, wonderful and petty

my family is all employed and for the time being will stay that way

while the economy seems bad, we are fine, we have a roof over out head, can afford the utilities for another month and can eat.

the sun is shining today and I saw a mini rainbow last night when the traffic was so bad I was willing to pull my hair out - but at least I didn't have to pee!

my mom is still alive and kicking and doing fine - and I really need to call her today :)

my son lost his cell phone yesterday and instead of calling me for help, went to the store to replace it all by himself and only had to call for the password to get the new phone activated.

coffee and apple butter on biscuts sure is a good tasting breakfast, and I'll do better for the rest of today (maybe)

okay, so not the greatest list but it is a start

Noise Pollution and Crisis

Have you noticed how the bad news just keeps coming and coming and now, in case you missed it at home on the TV, the radio, innernet or newspaper now you can see TV at the bank, gas station, convenience stores and apparently elevators. I don't work in a high rise anymore and don't frequent office buildings so I wouldn't know about the last but I've heard of it. Ugh.

Everyone knows the bad news is out there. The problems grow. The general public is stressed. Do the networks/buidling owners/them think that we are going to be better off seeing and hearing more 24/7 365 and in our sleep? Everyone can worry, discuss, moan and groan or choose to ignore in their own way. Would it help the economy if I crawled into a box or sat in my front yard and thought about it all the time? would that make it better? probably not, but it would make me sad, angry, depressed and just plain not fun to be around. Should we tell our children, no more playing outside until the economy gets better? you can do you part to help by sitting quiently inside and crying because we need to change our lifestyle for a little while?

Middle America is the one hurting. Golly gee, donald trump just lost 50% of his retirement this week - so that leaves him what - 5 million? I lost half my retirement and that leaves me with, well probably what he spends on a nice dinner. the haves will still have it, and regain it quicker. and you know what really frosts my rear? the Media and papprazzi glamorizing those that have and the hollywood beauties. for the love of god, please to not innudate the general population with what these people are wearing, buying, eating or going on vacation, all while getting most of it for free so that those who can't afford it to begin with will try and buy the item or visit the great location and pay not only for their services but the services those who can afford it are getting for free. please

if you are going to provide me with televison entertainment while I pump gas into my car, please make it tom and jerry or the road runner.

Dentist

son 2 went to dentist for fillings, teeth hurt for 3 weeks. daughter went to dentist 2 weeks ago, teeth still hurt. she had the dentist she works for look at them, he said pain for another 2 weeks maybe. needless to say my visit last evening for a filling was looked upon with dread - always has, apparently always will. didn't eat most of the day, closed my eyes as soon as I sat down, they gassed me, not enough I don't think. 45 minutes later I was walking out. didn't hurt, wasn't too numb, drove home and went straight to bed with the cat. this morning, seem okay, and I hope I'm not jinxing it by saying that.

wanted to knit last night, but didn't get the chance, will try today I want to get this sweater done before the end of the month and I'm running out of time. of course, I've only done about 3 inches but why let a little thing like that stop me?

So what did he expect?

While my radar is pretty low for most things in the word that do not directly affect me and even for some things that do, I'm sick to death of the political race here in the US. Didn't like the two choices I have been offered, still don't like them, they both scare me and I have decided that set term limits for all political positions is a good idea. Virginia doesn't let the governor govern forever and once he's done, he's done. One person only gets up to 8 years to pretend he's god and try and ruin (oops I mean run) the country. Lets set that for all the senators and congressmen/women as well. I have no ide who will end up with my vote next november, but I do know that I will be voting for the non-encumbant for every other local election up on the ballot. It may not change anything and I'm sure the same old guys will get voted back in, I secretly think they have rigged the voting so it doesn't matter who anyone votes for anyway. But there's my position.

But that isn't even what I started on. OJ not the juice - oh except they call him that too. How stupid. years ago, cute young guy, on tv all the time, football, commercials, fancy life. everyone knew him, he was admired and awed then BAM! nasty divorce and the rest is history. Now he seems shocked that he actually can't pull a gun on someone and try to steal from them and we should be glad no one died, but still why the shock? How could he possible think that there was any way that behavior would be acceptable? Oh yeah, it worked last time there was a monkey circus called court of law. I'm glad that this time, sensible restraint was had by all, professionals acted like professionals and were kept in check and the jury did it's job.

and the crying girlfriend? please. the only thing she can be most sorry about is the loss of the free meal ticket. where were the kids supporting him through all this? oh yeah, disfunction raises it's ugly head again. I want to thank the television networks for not airing hours upon hours of drivle on every station, every day, week after week. I'm glad I didn't know all the hairy details. I'm glad I didn't hear the verdict for almost 24 hours. I'm glad justice somewhere was met

Fall

Cool crisp (okay kinda cold) mornings, hot coffee, kitty warming my lap and stinkin fleas. I can't believe we've got fleas. I didn't even let the cats go out side until about 3 weeks ago - after we got fleas. spent a shit load of money for flea killer stuff. they scratch, they itch, and my nice warm moment is spent picking the little peckers off stanley's head. He isn't feelin the love either.

But, will be a busy weekend and I can't decide how much to punish myself. Waterford Fair is this weekend. love. it. Well, I did when I was a kid, and I did until a few years ago when I thought there were less crafty vendors (or maybe my tastes have just changed and I don't care for the knick knack cutsey things anymore. But I love me that apple butter.

The fiber festival in orange is this weekend too. SO I thought, drop dan off at work, drive to waterford to get there well before they open, but be early, waunder for a bit, buy my apple butter and then go to orange for a mid afternoon yarn fix. Then be home by 5 ish. Simple, but someone else has to get dan from work. Then I map quested my trip. I know that it takes me about an hour to get to waterford easypeasy. I know that Orange is about 2 hours from home if there is traffic. but it is 2 hours between waterford and orange. bummer.

will have to think on this one. Fun day. won't end up spending a lot of money becuase I just never seem to find exactly what I want. But do want the AB in Waterford and I need a specific yarn in a specific color I believe I can get in Orange. Gas is freekin expensive. I started a sweater last weekend and I want to finish it before I go to mom's in 3 weeks. Sleeves aren't done yet, and so why am I typing? why consider sitting in the care for 5 hours of knitting time? what to do, what to do.