Stranger Danger

This is what hangs on the end of my purse:

Yep, its a voo doo doll.   I have several.  I think they are just cool, great and different.  And fun.   Rarely does anyone say anything about him.  In fact the only person who has ever mentioned him was someone I was having lunch with one day and she said "what is that"   Voo Doo Doll I replied.   She just looked at me and said okay.  I said I like him and he stays with me.  My purse sits on my desk sometimes.   No one says anything or notices.  

Okay, maybe I'm a little quirky.   I like being different.   I have a different persona for whatever the occasion calls for.   Sometimes I allow two to merge.  I behave and dress in a professional way at work.   I wear comfy leggings at home.   At a fiber event, I'm really happy wearing a long skirt.  I made a good hippie.   I was raised as a proper officer's daughter back in the day.   However my dad relished my uniqueness and encouraged it.   I felt lucky and blessed that he allowed me to forge my own path (as long as it was legal).  So yes, I have voo doo dolls almost one for every purse or knitting bag I carry . . . and I gotta get some more now that I think about it.

I was at the market at lunch time today grabbing something to scarf down.   The cashier saw my bag and reached out to touch and said what the heck is that?   A voo doo doll I replied.   He said why?   I said because I think they are great.   The woman behind me got a little upset.  He got a little upset and stepped back.    I looked at him and said they are not bad nor are they evil..   The lady behind me said  it was very strange and wrong.

I almost said thank you.  But I think that would have gone over her head.  They were still discussing the matter as I walked out.  

I also carry my keys on a lanyard that said bail bondsman on them with the 800 number.   One of our friends is a bail bondsman and I am glad to offer free advertising for him.   Plus it's bright orange and black so I find it amusing.  I get a lot of comments about my key chain.  People laugh and then ask why I would carry such a thing.   Why not?   It got your attention and I like it.

Every day just confirms to me that I need to move away from the city and people.  Yep, I'm sure there's gossip and pettiness and all the rest in a small town.   But on my land, I can sit on the porch and enjoy the silence and maybe if I'm lucky I'll become the weird woman who comes into town sometimes.

Taken Back my Life

So I finally got a clue and dropped one of my classes.     I knew I wouldn't get an A in it and am determined to be on the dean's list every quarter.   So I had to admit that I couldn't cram two hard classes into my full time job schedule, knitting, housework, family, etc life.    And I discovered that if I only read text books and not for enjoyment, and can't knit, I'm REALLY cranky.    My boss told me that if I had to take it at anothr campus next semester one afternoon to just sign up and do it.   How many employers tell you that?    Guess he's a keeper.

So now I'm working on studying extra hard for my first biology test this week.   I've got a lot to ctch up on, but know that I'll be okay.   I get some of it.   Some of it is actually interesting.   Some of it I will learn by sheer willpower.  

This is how I wish I was spending my rainy afternoon.

I'm so hosed

I spent this weekend doing everything I could to avoid homework and studying for a test on Thursday.   I'm an idiot.   Well, I'll scrape by but I'd hoped to do better.    Now I find that I've got a biology test in a week.   Hmmm, I've spent the last 4 weeks focused on economics.   Guess what I'll be doing next weekend?

Probably NOT studying biology if my track record keeps up.

Avast ye maties it's talk like a pirate day

So enjoy confusing everyone around you :)

A Day

This day started out so promising.   I got up early, enjoyed my coffee and newspaper, had a nice hot bowl of oatmeal, took a wool area rug outside to clean, visited with a neighbor for a few minutes - hard to believe her son is walking now, but he will be 1 next week so I guess that's about right.  Didn't get any studying done for the economics test done, which is bad, but got a few other things taken care of.    Did most excellent at the LYS and didn't shop for yarn only got the needles that I specifically went in to buy, and had a nice few minute visit.    Didn't buy yarn because there's a fiber fest. next weekend I'm thinking about going to and then SAFF in October.   Need to save up for that.

Then I thought I'd hop to the mall and buy something to wear to a wedding in October.   OMG.   It was worse than two days before christmas.   Why?   It wasn't terrible hot or cold outside, the sun was shining.  In fact all the ingredients were set for people to enjoy a day outside with their kids.   Soccer season in here, why, why, why were there so. many. people?    And children.   And teenagers roaming in packs?   Very unhapy experience.   I'm not a big mall shopper anyway.   At this particuar one there are only two or three stores I go into , they are relatively close together.   I go in.  I buy.  I leave.    But not today.   I tired on 6 outfits to wear to an afternoon wedding.   They were horrible. 

The only thing that made me laugh was the woman pushing a stroller.   She had on really tight light yellow shorts.   She also had on navy blue and white striped panties.   Wanna know how I knew?

National Creme De Menthe Day AND Girlfriends Day

Hmmm, seems these two events can be combined very well.   So today, while you're celebrating Girlfriends Day with all your sisters, be they blood, emotional or whatever, enjoy a nice bowl of ice cream with creme de menthe on top.

Wine and Spinning

No, they don't go together well for the most part.   I'm enjoying a glass of wine right now for a winery I checked out near my mom's house last weekend in Western NC.  They only sell bottles if you go to their shop but the wine tasting of 6 varities for $5 per person was reasonable, and we each bought 2 bottles.   That was after we were at anothr winery up the street where we paid the same price for 7 varities and got to keep the wine glass.   And we each bought 2 bottles.    A family who knits and drinks wine together stays together.

I spent the better part of today working on my spinning skills in silk and cotton.   I'm a mediocre spinner at best and can make great artyarn for which I am not trying to make.   I like the silk bells and hankies becuase I tend to be a very thin spinner, which means, I have a hard time making anything other than lace weight, but at least can ply it thicker.   So the silk is good for that, and I was fairly consistent.   But after awhile my hands got tired and I got sloppy.   Then there were blends.   Why I though it would be a good idea to spin bamboo I don't know.  I'm making a sample project for a dyer who gave me bamboo and I HATE IT.  It is too slippery and I've tried every type of needle available.   It makes me tired although it isn't leaping off the needles so much anymore.   And we tried some dying that was fun and while I'm color challenged, I think I did well.   When I find the camera, I'll take pictures.

September Is Banned Book Month

So go google the list, or check at your local library becuse some libraries post the list and pull the books and put them in a prominent place so that you can easily access those books for your reading pleasure.

Censorship is alive and well all over the world as we are painfully aware.    I think this weekend I'll be reading extra so that I can get at least one "unacceptable" book read.   I really wonder about those who think they can tell anyone else what to read or not read.   Really.   Fortunately my parents were very progressive for their time and encouraged me to follow my own path.   I probably read some stuff I shouldn't have until I was older, but that doesn't seem to have warped me as an adult.   Or maybe it did and I just don't know it.

Harry Potter made the list.  Hmmm, well I won't read the books becuase I've seen the movies.  But maybe the Chocolate War by Robert Cormer, what can be better than reading about chocolate?   Yeah, I'm sure there's more to it than that, but that's the kind of reader I am, if the title catches my attention, it goes on the lets give it a try list.    Sorta like the way I buy wine, if the label is pretty, I'll get a bottle to try.

Fanny Hill, haven't read that in a long time.  
The Kite Runner, have that on my list already anyway (banned?)   hmmm.  
The Awakening.   Actually I'm starting that this week because my daughter is reading it for a history
    class and having trouble, so I told I'd read it too and help her out.  score.   
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.   Nope.  Everytime I hear that, Jack Nicholson's face pops into
    my head. 
East of Eden, read it, saw the movie. 

Happy reading!

Brain Hurt

My brain just plain ole hurts.   I signed up for classes.   One is an 8 week condensed class.   Everyone (almost) said oh, you shouldn't do that.  I said meh, it's economics.   I live economics, how hard can it be?    Don't. Even. Ask.   And it wouldn't be so bad if the instructor was consistent in what she said when explained things.    She'll say something, we'll all right it down, then someone will ask her to say it again, so she does.   Except she says something different.    Sometimes it's just the words she jumbles around.   Once it was completely opposite what she said the first time.   Some girl called her on that.  So, I know what I did wrong on my first test, and I know that I'm not understanding her too good, but I've only got 5 weeks left.  I'm not quiting. 

Biology isn't really THAT hard, the instructor says "okay" a lot which really drives me nuts, but he tries to make it fun, I think that a lot of the students are under the assumption that he's an easy teacher.   He may be, but he still expects you to be in class on time, not wonder out of the class during lecture and how hard it is to remember not to wear flip flops to school on lab night?   Really.   It truly is to protect your feet when something gets dropped.   

Okay, back to studying.

The Great Wheel Debate

Well, I decided a few weeks ago that I really wanted a great wheel.   Don't know why I've wanted one for a long time though.   I found a couple on Craigslist near my mom, so when I came down to check up on her I went to look at one.   When I inquired of the guy selling it if it was in working order, he said well I think so.    it's old and has a great history.  I noticed he wanted 350 on his August listing, but then he had put it on line in July and only wanted 300.  I figured I could offer a little less, then pay the 300 if it was a go.

  Sooooooooo, I went to see my local  spinning guru at Misty Mountain Farm to get some quick tips on what to look for and how to use a great wheel.   I felt ready.   So we treked 20 miles frm mom's and were just on the outskirts of the apple festivel traffic.    SO glad I hadn't planned on being in that particular town I had no idea it was apple festival weekend and oh my, was it crowded. 

Anyway, got to the guy's house, walked in his living room, there in the corner in all it's glory was a great wheel.   From 50 feet it looked good.   I noticed the spindle was missing.   Hmmm, I had brought some cotton and roving to try it out, and I figured he wouldn't have a drive band on it.   Nope, he didnt.   He didn't have all the parts either.   Then I started looking at the wheel, there were splinters and patches, then when I got another angle, there ws a hole in the wheel that would have caught the drive band every time until I cracked the hole all the way through.    I was looking, looking for any redeming value, and he says it's really old, and should have great history.   I guess it wasn't anyone's wheel that he actually knew, he just figured it was old and therefore had history.   Well yes, I suppose that would be true.

I told him I was looking at another one in the afternoon and I'd get back to him.    Abut 20 minutes after we left, I got a text message from him saying he had found a spindle on line, the same color and period, and it wasn't very much he'd be glad to help me get it if I wanted him to.     Yeah, no thanks.

I then reasoned in my own very special way, that while I WANT a Great Wheel.   I NEED a drum carder, and I'd LIKE a wolliewinder.   So instead of getting something I truly don'thave time to deal with right now, and don't need, perhaps it would be wiser of me to get the things I DO need and have immediate use for?

Wow!   There's a concept isn't it?