YOP LIST 2023-2024

Friday, March 31, 2017

Frenzy of a Friday

Our morning started early.  The first HVAC worker showed up a little after 7 this morning.  Neither hubby or I were ready yet.  We had only been up for an hour and had just finished breakfast.  The next set of workers are supposed to be here anytime now.  My dogs are going crazy as we have them locked up in our bedroom.  Being small dogs, they have a habit of getting underfoot quite often.  Our male dog likes to nip at the back of legs, so he is never welcomed out with strangers.

We are having a sleepover tonight with our grand daughter.  Her parents have a planning session and the kids are not allowed.  It will be fun for us as we have not had her for over a month.  Her other Grammie was in town and we always let them have as much time together as possible

I made a short trip to my local grocery store and also WalMart.  Had to pick up a few child friendly foods for tonight and tomorrow morning.  When I returned home, all our air ducts had been cleaned and any leaks filled. The old unit had been released off the roof and then were waiting for the crane to come and out the unit on the new stand.  

I missed watching the transfer with the crane take place.  That was hugely disappointing.  I did snap a few photos of the crane but it's just not the same. 

Most of my time lately has been communicating with insurance companies associated with my car accident.  The body shop called and my car should be ready the first of next week.  I can hardly wait.  The rental I have is yucky.  It is filthy outside and the inside smells horrible. 

I think I will pick up my crochet and work on that a while.  I have finished talking to all insurance companies today.  Made a complaint call to mine and am still listening to the workers walking all over my roof.  

Until next time..........Happy Crafing!!!









Thursday, March 30, 2017

Thursday

Insomnia.........I have never really experienced it before.  But for the past couple of weeks, I have been having a horrible time sleeping straight through the night.  I know a lot of it has to do with the splint that is on my hand and arm.  It really is not comfortable, but better than a plaster cast.  I woke up this morning at 2:45 and by 3 I realized I needed to just get up and do something and then hope I would get tired enough to fall back asleep.  It worked.  I went back to bed around 5 and slept very soundly until 7.  My female dog was barking off and on all night also.  I have no idea what got into her.  She and I had a little "Come to Jesus" talk this morning.  I am thinking, she is being plagued with allergies.  She is scratching quite a bit and doing the backward sneezing.  Guess I could give her some benadryl but will wait until bedtime tonight to give it to her so she will sleep!

I helped out with the crochet class, yesterday, at our school (attached to our church).  We are working on half double crochet.  My two lefties have caught on really well.  Now, if I could only convince them to loosen up their stitches.  They are so tight, it is hard to do more than one row!  But I am still proud of them.  They are really starting to enjoy the process now.

Today, I should have gone to Prayer Shawl ministry but I was so stinking tired from not sleeping.  Hopefully by next week, I will be much more rested.  I did work on my prayer shawl yesterday for a bit.  It is coming along nicely.  I will post a picture of it in my YOP update on Sunday.

I have a load of laundry in...........last load of the week.  Dinner is in the crockpot (carnitas!  YUM).  Hubby is on his way home and should be here in time for lunch.  I picked up some lovely salads at our local fresh produce store (Sprouts) and they are chilling in the fridge.

I go and visit my mom this afternoon.  We will work on a puzzle for a couple of hours and talk about anything and everything.  It is an enjoyable time for the both of us.  

Tonight, hubby and I will be doing another church tour.  Hence the reason we have dinner in the crockpot.  Hopefully, it will not take as long as the last one.  Then we have adoration at 9 tonight, so our evening it full up.  I will take my prayer shawl with me to adoration.  It is the perfect time to work on it.

Tomorrow is a BIG day for us at Casa de Noce.  We are getting a new heating air conditioning unit installed.  Our current one is over 20 years old.  We had no heat this winter from December on.  Our A/C was questionable last summer also and when we are reaching temps of 110 plus, I really don't want to worry about finding a hotel room that accepts dogs. The crew will be here at 8 in the morning, so we will need to be up early.

That is about all from this end of the USA.  I need to go and put the laundry in the dryer.

Until next time................Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Mid-week update

Yesterday turned out to not be as boring as I thought.  I did some things that had needed doing for a while.  I totally cleaned my kitchen.  I love cleaning my kitchen. Ever since we had it remodeled, it is one of my favorite places to spend time.  I have so much storage space now compared to when we moved into this house 29 years ago.  

I love my granite counter tops.  They are the easiest to keep clean and the shine on them is tip top.  They got a good cleaning yesterday and they shine brilliantly today.  The only problem with this cleaning frenzy I had.............now I don't want to cook in there because it will mess things up.  It's a vicious circle.

I also laid out a new puzzle yesterday.  I have the border together and that is about all right now.  It will be a challenge as it is mostly shades of browns and greens.  But, I have the time so I will work on it slowly and just enjoy the process.

I also crocheted a couple of rows on the prayer shawl I am working on.  I am doing Angel Wings shawl.  It is pretty mindless once the pattern has been established and perfect for watching TV.  I am using 3 colors on it just to make it interesting.  I am just happy, I can play with fiber for a little bit each day.

Last night, I helped give a tour of our church to 50 3rd graders.  It was so much fun and they had so many questions.  These kids are so super smart and like little sponges.  They soaked up everything that was told to them and they even educated me on some items.  It was wonderful but lasted way longer than I expected.  I was there for over 2 hours while only expecting and hour long tour.

Today I have plans to teach the left handers at our parochial school crochet. This is my weekly 'job' that I volunteered for.  It will continue until the end of school in May.  I only have 2 students and they are absolutely a joy to work with.  They too, are little sponges and have learned stitches so quickly.  Soon they will be more advanced than I am!

I added something to my blog today.  Becki from Field Lilies suggested I put a "subscribe by email" gadget on my sidebar.  This will make it much easier for some folks to follow my blog. I am all about making things easier whenever possible.  So this morning, I ventured into blogspot and found said gadget and put it on my side bar.  Thanks Becki for that bit of wisdom.  I have been blogging for over 10 years now and am still learning all sorts of ideas.

Hubby comes home tomorrow.  He has enjoyed his time with his mom but said Las Vegas is not any fun without me there.  That made my heart happy.  I love going places with him and that is one place we always have a blast at.  Hopefully, I will be able to go up there with him in the next few months again.  He tries to visit his mom about every 3-4 months.  She will be 90 in May!  With my travel schedule this year, helping out with Grands, I have not been as available as normal to go with him.  That should be changing here in the next 4-6 months though.  Everyone should be back to their home duty stations by then and things will settle down then.

Today, I am going to attack our family room and get it all straightened out and throw out a BUNCH of stuff that my dear sweet husband kind of pigeon holes.  He is a huge book hoarder.  I do not begrudge him his books, as he does read them and uses many of them for references when teach religion.  What I do begrudge is he sticks them every which way in our book shelves.  The shelves in the family room drive me batty.  We have other shelves in a guest bedroom and they can be all sorts of messed up and I don't care as I don't look at them 24/7.  So, today, the bookshelves in the family room are going to get a tidying up. They will look lovely when I am done and I will threaten him if he even thinks about putting a book in them that is not standing up straight.  I never thought I was OCD until the last few years. When we started the remodel of our house, I discovered my OCD side.  It is not as bad as some people in my family.  I have areas in my home that are not totally organized, and that does not affect me at all.  But areas that I am in  constantly.............they have to be organized, tidy, neat, clean etc.  I can not stand to have; dirty dishes in my sink, too many items on my kitchen counter tops, unorganized kitchen drawers, unmade bed, cluttered night stands, unorganized clothes closets, books laying every which way in the book cases, dog toys scattered all over the floors............you kind of get the idea, huh?  So it is good, that once in a while, the husband leaves town and I stay home.  I get so much organizing done. This only happens once a year though.  So I have to make the most of that time.  If I do this when he is home, he wants to help or he wants to do something else.  I am much better off doing it by myself and without any interference.  And having him over my shoulder telling me how to do it makes me a little angry at time.  LOL  Ok, A LOT angry at times.

So off I go to organize books and the entire family room.  I also have another load of laundry to do today.  I like to keep that up during the week, so our weekends are free to spend with family and friends.

Until next time............Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Tuesday

It's Tuesday morning and I am already bored.  Hubby left yesterday to go and visit his mom. I am staying home with the puppies this time and since my left thumb is not allowed to play, I am totally bored.  

I completed a jigsaw puzzle yesterday.  In fact, I started it yesterday too.  It was only 500 pieces but my puzzle showed up with 499.  That did not make me happy.  It was a brand new puzzle, fresh out of the box.  Then I watched, Dancing with the Stars after dinner.  I finished off my evening with a movie "Me Before You".  Hated the ending of the movie! Went to bed around midnight and I was awakened sometime during dark o'thirty to the sound of thunder and rain. (No rain in the forecast either) I had both dogs in my bed shaking like the little Chihuahuas they are.  Sleep after that was fleeting and I ended up finally getting up around 6.

I have taken the trash barrel to the curb, fed my dogs, fed myself, read my fellow bloggers, done the dishes and started a load of laundry.  Maybe I will start another puzzle........maybe I will read a bit........maybe I will crochet a row or two on the prayer shawl.  The choices are endlessly boring.  

I think, I will watch another movie that I know the hubby would never want to watch and crochet.  UGH!!!!! I so want to be able to pick up my knitting needles and work on my WIP's. It is killing me to look at my partially finished knitting.  It breaks my heart to think it will be 4 more weeks before we will be together again.

I will go and watch Grand daughter play another basketball game this afternoon and then this evening I will be giving a tour of our church to the children in the religious education classes.  So, I actually do have things to keep me occupied.

I could go to the local yarn shop and peruse their selection of non wool yarns.  They know me well enough now, that when I walk through the door, they show me all the new non wool yarns that have arrived.  I could also go shopping on line to yarn shops and pick out some lovely sock yarn.  Seems that is all I have been knitting with lately and I am loving it.  Don't get me wrong, I am am by no means low on yarn of any weight...........It is just so fun to receive packages in the mail and open them and caress the lovely softness of cotton, linen, bamboo etc.  It even smells lovely!

OK, I am off of here and going to go and find something to do with myself.  I think the movie and crochet will be my best bet.

Until next time..............................Happy Crafting!

Monday, March 27, 2017

YOP update sort of





This is not much of a crafting update other than to say..................I am not crafting at the moment.  If you follow  my blog, you already know why.  If you don't follow my blog on a regular basis (Shame on you), the following photos speak louder than words.



This happened on the 16th and I got the xray results on the 21 that my thumb was broken and got into see an orthopedic Doc on the 23rd and was put into this brace for the next 4-6 weeks.  Kind of limits my knitting.  Ok, It completely knocks me out of the knitting game.  I can still crochet, sort of, but not for long as I am left handed and holding the hook between my index and middle finger is not very comfortable.

So what am I doing for the next month or so?  Reading and working on puzzles.  Not how I was planning on spending my spring time.  But at least I am the only one who was injured in the accident.  

So I will be reading all of my fellow crafter blogs, dreaming of what I will do once the brace/splint is off my arm and putting patterns in my library for future crafting.  I will also  still update my blog, but not with my crafts.  Just with my life in general........although, sometimes that is much more exciting than my crafting. LOL

So until  next time..............Happy Crafting!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Thursday Thumb

Can you believe it?  I have blogged for 3 days in a row.  I never knew I had this much to talk about.  Sure does seem if I think about it, I can find something to talk about all the time. 

I got up extra early this morning.  The sun wasn't even coming up yet.  I guess I was so excited to go to the Orthopedic Dr..........NOT!

I did go to the Dr just like a good girl.  He was very good and explained everything to me 100%.  I didn't tell him I had been in the medical field for over 40 years as I wanted to see how he would handle a patient without any medical knowledge.  He was excellent.

He really wanted to put a cast on my thumb and arm.  I asked if we could negotiate that and go down to a splint.


Perfect.....................I could not see having a plaster cast on with the heat that we will be having in the next couple of weeks.

Bad news.........................knitting seems to be a problem with this on.  Crocheting might be doable though.  I am going to try again later today to knit as see if I can figure out how to hold my needle with 4 fingers and no thumb.  The thumb is totally immobile.  I am not ready to give up yet.  I promised the Dr I would only take the splint off when showering and I will keep that promise.

Another problem..........................unable to do buttons.  I need to pull out all my pull on  bottoms.  I have skirts, capris and shorts with no buttons and of course, plenty of pull on tops. Will not be able to tie shoes either.  I never realized how left handed I was until today.  Even typing this blog is cumbersome.  Thumbs are a very important part of the anatomy!

If you follow my blog, you saw all the books I have to read.  Good thing, as I feel I will be doing a lot of that for the next month.

Ok, I am off to go and visit my mom.  Until next time...............happy crafting (and do some for me)

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Wonderful Wednesday and an Update

 Hello again my friends.  I am so happy to be back again today.  It is going to be a wonderful Wednesday because I refuse to let the storm clouds that are moving in to dampen my week.

Yesterday did not quite turn out the way I had planned.   As soon as I published my blog my phone rang.  I was needed to take my DIL's mother to urgent care.  She had sliced her finger very badly and the bleeding would not stop.  She got all fixed up and was so grateful for the help.  She is a lovely woman and I really enjoy her.  This is the reason it is important for the inlaws to get along well lol.

Once back home it was time for lunch but again my phone rang.  This time from my Doctor's office letting me know my left thumb is broken and I need to see a orthopedic surgeon.  So for the next hour I was making Dr appointments and getting my paperwork together to pick up a digital copy of my xrays.

I am not too panicked about the broken thumb.  I do believe I will be put in a removeable splint for about a month to 6 weeks and that should do the trick.  I think I will still be able to knit and crochet even with the splint on.   If not, you will be able to find me in the corner curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth lol.

I did however, get to watch my grands basketball game.  Her team won and it was very exciting to watch.  Both teams had some dynamic players.

Our Italian Beef sandwiches were wonderful.  There is enough left for tonight's dinner and then I will freeze it and can have it while hubby is gone next week.

On to wonderful Wednesday..............

Hubby and I started our day quite early.  He just finished cleaning the salt cell to our swimming pool and my home made banana bread just came out of the oven.  The house smells wonderful.

I will be leaving shortly to return some items to costco and then get our water bottles filled for our cooler.  I should be done in plenty of time to make crochet class a little after 12 noon.  

Hubby is taking our neighbor for her last chemo infusion today as her husband has been in the hospital for over a week and she no longer drives.  

My yarn for my test knit shawl did not arrive yesterday but says it is out for delivery today. Yippee I will cast that on right after I cake it up.

Tonight hubby serves at church and I will be going to my bffs house for final instructions for while they are gone.  Their son is being deployed this weekend so they are going to say "see ya later".  There are NO goodbyes in the military. 

I was asked what books I am reading.  Let me show you:


 I started this one 2 nights ago.  It is on my kindle and was gotten through my Prime Reading free library.  The language is a bit rough but the story line is pretty good and since it is a romance type book, I already know how this will end.  I just keep reading to find out how it will happen lol.

 I started this book while in Texas.  My mom read it first and said it was pretty good.  It is about a girl with downs syndrome. I am enjoying it but it is kind of a slow read for me.  My emotions really come to the surface while reading this.  That means I can only read so much and then need to lay it aside for a few days.


I found this book at the used book store.  I have read a few of her other books and love them.  Her humor is off the charts. I totally relate to so many of her knitting woes.  Even though she is a knitting guru.......she is still human and makes mistakes just like us mere mortals.

I found this book at Costco and had to have it.  The author is the same one who wrote "A Man Named Ove".  I have been reading this now for a few days and must say it is really a cute book.  The characters are marvelous in it.

I have acquired several other books in my library.

 I found this as Costco also.  This one will go to my mom as soon as I read it as will the Fredrick Backman book.

 This was free through my Prime Library and looked kind of cute.  I enjoy light reading when going to bed and this one fit the bill.

Another freebie through my Prime Library.  This one is set in 1913 Iowa.  Since that is the place of my birth and where all my family was raised, I decided it would be the perfect book to get some history of the state. I will put this one on my mom's kindle when she is ready for new books.

As for crafting......I completed the working test crochets in double and treble, last night.  They are bagged and ready to give to the students today.

My Spring Tulip Socks...........one heel is completed and I will be doing the other one soon.  Like I said earlier......when the new yarn gets here everything gets put on hold while the test knit happens.

So, that is my day.  I will update tomorrow after seeing the Doctor.  Have a wonderful Wednesday.   I am going to!

Until next time...........happy crafting

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Terrific Tuesday

You might ask.......what makes today so terrific?  It is terrific because I say it is going to be.  I want it to be terrific, I need it to be terrific and I am asking the good Lord to make it happen. 

I got my rental car yesterday.  It is the samr make and model of my damaged baby.  Makes driving so mich easier.  The only draw back....mine has all the bells and whistles and this one is bare basics. This one also has been used by smokers and so the car reeks.  Good thing I noticed that before I signed the rental agreement.  It was noted so I don't get dinged for it.  Being an ex smoker, it might amaze you, but the smell of cigarette smoke does not bother me.  I will put an air freshener in the car and we will be all good.  Terrific Tuesday

I am  up the the heel in both of my spring tulip socks. I will be doing the Fish Kis lips Heel again in these.  It goes pretty fast and I love the way it shapes and molds to my foot.  Terrific Tuesday.

I am waiting for my yarn to come in the mail so I can start on my test knit shawl.  I adore casting on new projects and watching them take shape.  Terrific Tuesday. 

My dinner is already in the crockpot.  Tonight is Italian beef Sandwiches from Skinnytastes recipes.  I adore her recipes and they fit my weight watchers oerfectly.  Terrific Tuesday 

I am picking up my Grand daughter from school today and I am getting to watch her play a basketball game too.  I haven't been to one of her games yet so excited to see the team in action.  Terrific Tuesday 

I downloaded a few books to my kindle last night and am loving reading them.  I am now reading 3 books at once plus my Real Simple magazine.  I am glad I learned to appreciate the adventure of reading.  Terrific Tuesday 

I a off to get showered and ready to hit the road to run a few errands before the heat hits again.  Then I will come home and work on my socks until the mail comes.  Yes, that will be me running to the mailbox to check for yarn.  Terrific Tuesday 

Until next tim

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Life in the fast lane week 38




Howdy everyone.  It has been a while since I was here and it was remiss of me to ignore my blog for 3 weeks.  Life has a way of getting out of hand and that is exactly what has been happening here at Casa de Noce.

Before I start in on life events, let's take a look at my crafting life.

I finished the test knit socks but am still not able to publish any photos as the pattern has not been released yet.

I did finish my Dying of the light shawl KAL with Knitterarium

The photo is crummy and I apologize for that.  This is the back with the ends wrapped around. It is a very good sized shawl and I believe I will get some good use out of it this fall.  Since we are already in the 90F I doubt I will be wearing it anytime before November.

I am in another test knit for Knitterarium and this time it is for a shawl.  I will be starting as soon as my yarn arrives.  I love test knitting.

After the test socks and shawl were off the needles, I turned to my Spring Tulip Socks,

There are 4 rows left on this one before I start the heel.  Then I will catch the other sock up to it.

I am still working with the prayer shawl ministry at my church as well as helping teach students how to crochet.  I am in charge of the left handers.  There are only 2 lefties and they are catching on quite rapidly.

That completes my crafting life.  I would have gotten more completed but..........

Last time I told you hubby needed some minor surgery.  That happened  and then 1 week later he ended up in the emergency room with hemorrhaging.  I don't think I have ever been so scared.  He was kept overnight in the hospital and came close to needing a transfusion but scraped by without one.  He is home and doing much better.  His healing is almost 100% now.

Hubby is on lifting restrictions so I am doing many of the things hubby normally did.  It is making him crazy not being able to do as normal.  Another week or 2 and he will be back to his normal activities.

So just as we are recouping from all that, this happens:


Yup, that is my car.  I was hit just 1 mile away from my destination.  I was on my way to visit my mom.  Someone did not pay attention to the yield sign.  That someone was NOT me.  This is the second time my little car has been in an accident.  Neither of them are my fault either.  Of course my insirance doesn't care.....my rates will go up again because we live in a no fault state.

As for injuries

My left thumb got bruised up pretty good.  I did go and have it xrayed but do not have results back yet.  That happened on Thursday and it is still swollen today but I am able to knit lol.  Haven't tried crocheting yet........I need to do that soon as I have class on Wednesday and need to make up some working samples for my little ladies.

I have other bruises but nothing serious.  Thankfully I was the only one in the car.  I will be picking up a rental tomorrow and will have it until mine is fixed............again.

On top of all this........we have a dear friend in ICU, another dear friend in Hospice and another very dear friend being deployed to the middle east.  I am so thankful I have my fiber arts to work on.  It calms my soul and gives me time to talk with God.  My faith and fibers keep me strong.

Until next time..........Happy crafting