11/29/2014
The old dog I'm referred to is me. The new trick is trying to teach myself how to crochet. I bought a children's crochet kit that comes with everything you need to get started, including instructions. Once I got home, I opened up the box and since there was only one hook, started reading the how to's on page one. I never made it to page two!
Following instructions is something I've never been particularly good at. I can see the picture and arrows pointing up or down, but somehow in my brain that all gets twisted around until all I end up with is a slipknot on the needle and an hour of frustration!
I bought myself a children's book of crochet yesterday and it comes with all sorts of brightly colored instructions and yet I couldn't manage to make a chain stitch which is apparently the first stitch you need to know how to do.
Not yet ready to throw in the towel, but close to be sure, I went to my computer and typed in learning to crochet. Up popped dozens of YouTube videos as well as written instructions that I found on the internet. I was, at this point, feeling really disappointed, but brought my yarn and needle to the computer and watched the same video over and over again. Eventually, the under/over maneuver necessary to make a stitch started to sink in.
The reason I decided to try my hand at crocheting was there was only one needle involved. In my mind having to deal with only one needle would make things easier for me. Initially, that was not the case.
After many, and I do many, unsuccessful attempts at making my first stitch, I managed to do something right and there was a stitch! Hurrah. This morning I took my yarn and needle and was able to make many chain stitches - and I'm proud of myself.
For those who know me well, also know that arts and crafts don't come easily to me. I can never seem to grasp written instructions and I had a mother and grandmother who were both very talented with all manner of needle crafts and produced some beautiful needlepoint and crocheted things. I don't aspire to even begin to contemplate matching their skill level, but I'm teaching myself crocheting one stitch at a time!
P
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Friday, November 28, 2014
Post Thanksgiving
11/28/2014
It's the day after Thanksgiving, and all is calm in the Bassett house. Yesterday we had our dinner at Crackle Barrel, and unfortunately while we had to wait for a table, I was able to shop. Pretty much I've never met a store that I didn't find something that I wanted and yesterday was no exception!
We brought home enough food for lunch today, as well as one piece of pie that wasn't eaten last night. I, of course, ate mine! Jeff has more control of his urgings when it comes to sugar, particularly since his gastric surgery years ago, his body has trouble with sugar. My body has no trouble with sweets - unfortunately.
After we left the restaurant we headed to a nearby WalMart and Target. When the boys were very young and there was a certain "it" toy, Jeff would go out late at night to buy that particular toy. Since the "invention" of online shopping, as well as having adult sons, I don't feel the pressure of having to buy a special something for them before stores empty their shelves! Both of them have up-to-date electronics and televisions and with the exception of buying a DVD for Ben, don't buy many movies.
Our first stop was WalMart where the line to get in the store was super duper long. The crowds wound around metal gates, for lack of a better word, much like you would herd cattle, which is what we felt like when we finally got into the store.
Not having experienced the rush of a limited supply of something, I was completely baffled by the people literally hanging on to pallets of large televisions, stereo equipment, etc. Apparently, the pallets in the store were going to be unwrapped at some predetermined time during the evening. Who knew that people would literally stand in line for a chance to buy something. I hope those people know that you can buy those same items on line while sitting in your chair drinking coffee.
All I wanted at WalMart was trail mix. I have been eating a trail mix that has some M&M candy mixed in with the nuts. Since I'm trying to be good about eating too much sugar, the trail mix allows me to enjoy some chocolate every day. Once we had found the trail mix, we asked someone in a WalMart shirt where was the line for the cashiers. She pointed to the back, and I mean back, of the store. We both decided that it was nuts (literally) to stand in line for trail mix, we abandoned the trail mix and left the store.
Target is just across from WalMart and their merchandise is many degrees better than at WalMart. We sat in our car until Target opened at 6:00 and then went inside. Aisles were blocked off, people were everywhere and good manners had flown out the doors when they opened!
Again, trail mix is all I wanted. Bag in hand walked to the front of the store and was told that I would, once again, have to wait in a very long line to get to the cashiers. Every cart in line was bulging with Target's special on sale items and there didn't appear to be a special express check-out for people who were just buying nuts! Left without the trail mix.
We came home somewhat exhausted from trying to maneuver through the throngs of people who were desperate to get the big ticket items that were on sale. As we drove, we reminded ourselves that having experienced Black Thursday and hated it, it's an experience we won't have to have again. Thank goodness!
Today, Jeff is going to work at Scott's house preparing his tractor for snow plowing (at least I think that was the plan). I'm going to put on my shoes and head to the library to return books and check out some new ones. Compared to going to a mall, I'm not expecting an overflow of people at the library.
Have a good day.
P
It's the day after Thanksgiving, and all is calm in the Bassett house. Yesterday we had our dinner at Crackle Barrel, and unfortunately while we had to wait for a table, I was able to shop. Pretty much I've never met a store that I didn't find something that I wanted and yesterday was no exception!
We brought home enough food for lunch today, as well as one piece of pie that wasn't eaten last night. I, of course, ate mine! Jeff has more control of his urgings when it comes to sugar, particularly since his gastric surgery years ago, his body has trouble with sugar. My body has no trouble with sweets - unfortunately.
After we left the restaurant we headed to a nearby WalMart and Target. When the boys were very young and there was a certain "it" toy, Jeff would go out late at night to buy that particular toy. Since the "invention" of online shopping, as well as having adult sons, I don't feel the pressure of having to buy a special something for them before stores empty their shelves! Both of them have up-to-date electronics and televisions and with the exception of buying a DVD for Ben, don't buy many movies.
Our first stop was WalMart where the line to get in the store was super duper long. The crowds wound around metal gates, for lack of a better word, much like you would herd cattle, which is what we felt like when we finally got into the store.
Not having experienced the rush of a limited supply of something, I was completely baffled by the people literally hanging on to pallets of large televisions, stereo equipment, etc. Apparently, the pallets in the store were going to be unwrapped at some predetermined time during the evening. Who knew that people would literally stand in line for a chance to buy something. I hope those people know that you can buy those same items on line while sitting in your chair drinking coffee.
All I wanted at WalMart was trail mix. I have been eating a trail mix that has some M&M candy mixed in with the nuts. Since I'm trying to be good about eating too much sugar, the trail mix allows me to enjoy some chocolate every day. Once we had found the trail mix, we asked someone in a WalMart shirt where was the line for the cashiers. She pointed to the back, and I mean back, of the store. We both decided that it was nuts (literally) to stand in line for trail mix, we abandoned the trail mix and left the store.
Target is just across from WalMart and their merchandise is many degrees better than at WalMart. We sat in our car until Target opened at 6:00 and then went inside. Aisles were blocked off, people were everywhere and good manners had flown out the doors when they opened!
Again, trail mix is all I wanted. Bag in hand walked to the front of the store and was told that I would, once again, have to wait in a very long line to get to the cashiers. Every cart in line was bulging with Target's special on sale items and there didn't appear to be a special express check-out for people who were just buying nuts! Left without the trail mix.
We came home somewhat exhausted from trying to maneuver through the throngs of people who were desperate to get the big ticket items that were on sale. As we drove, we reminded ourselves that having experienced Black Thursday and hated it, it's an experience we won't have to have again. Thank goodness!
Today, Jeff is going to work at Scott's house preparing his tractor for snow plowing (at least I think that was the plan). I'm going to put on my shoes and head to the library to return books and check out some new ones. Compared to going to a mall, I'm not expecting an overflow of people at the library.
Have a good day.
P
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving
11/27/2014
Happy turkey day! This is the one day of the year where most if not all people eat their favorite foods at the table and then stagger to the sofa to rest and/or sleep! A perfectly wonderful tradition.
This year, Jeff and I are going out for our turkey dinner. This is the first time in many, many years where I haven't spent the entire day before preparing food that needs to be refrigerated. While it will seem odd not to have to peel potatoes, make stuffing and gravy, I find that I'm okay with that. The less food in the house is better for me. As you know, a nibble here and a nibble there and before you know it you've eaten half the pie!
I remember as a child visiting my Grandmother who raised turkeys. She kept the Tom turkeys separate from the hens (or tomettes if you prefer). The Tom turkeys were scary creatures with a large wing span. My brother and I were supposed to go to the pen area where the turkeys were kept and make sure that the feeders were full of grain and water. I also remember that Grandma told us we had to make sure that the turkeys didn't sit on top of the aluminum feeders, because apparently they were/are so dumb that they would sit there until their feet were hot.
Because it's the day before "Black Friday", the ads in the paper weighed a ton. Since I have done most of my shopping, I find I'm not terribly interested in what the stores have up for sale. And since I have a gimpy hip, I do most of my shopping on line anyway.
The hardest person(s) to buy for are the boys and Jeff. Jeff is not a clothes horse so he has never pined for new shirts, etc. and I know virtually nothing about tools. Besides in the past every time I manage to get instructions on what tools to buy for him, generally end up in one of the boys' houses!
After we eat our mid-day meal, then we can either brave Lowes or Home Depot looking for something that the boys, or more likely Jeff needs!
I could spend the afternoon wrapping up the things I've bought, but I hate wrapping. As the boys got older, I found myself more and more taking boxes and sealing them with packing tape. I know, I know, it's not pretty, but most guys don't care about fancy paper and bows.
I hope you enjoy your day regardless of how you spend it.
P
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Snow Happens!
11/26/2014
Well the forecasters can pat themselves on their backs, because as I sit here this morning, a little bit of snow is falling. The snow is light and mixed with rain, but technically it's snowing! Other than taking myself off for physical therapy, I don't need or want to go anywhere else.
Because of the very gray day outside, I decided that today would be a very good day to use my "SAD" light, which emulates sunshine. There is something about gray days that can bring a person down emotionally.
Since we're not having a Thanksgiving dinner at our house, I don't even have to prep, bake or refrigerate anything! Jeff and I have decided that it makes much more sense to eat our turkey in a restaurant and Cracker Barrel comes to mind!
If we don't have any 'tovers" in our kitchen. there won't be any of our favorite foods sitting around just waiting for a nibble. In my mind, if you're just nibbling, then calories don't count! Calories only count if you are sitting down with plate in hand (don't I wish)!
The stores if you've noticed have a glut of pumpkin mixes: cheesecake, pumpkin brownies, pumpkin bread, etc. And, I have made all of those so I'm pretty much pumpkined out. I think tomorrow's dessert should be coconut cream pie, which is a real favorite of mine.
Hard to say what I'll do with the rest of tomorrow. My shopping for Benjamin is done and I'm almost finished for Stacey. The boys and Jeff are always a bit of a challenge. When the boys were younger, a new set of Legos was nearly the perfect gift. But they're men now and I suppose they want power tools or something manly like that. I'll leave shopping for the boys up to Jeff, since he knows what they need as far as tools or other equipment necessary for their garages. And we all know how dear a garage is to a man!
Enjoy your day and I hope it's sunny where you are.
P
Well the forecasters can pat themselves on their backs, because as I sit here this morning, a little bit of snow is falling. The snow is light and mixed with rain, but technically it's snowing! Other than taking myself off for physical therapy, I don't need or want to go anywhere else.
Because of the very gray day outside, I decided that today would be a very good day to use my "SAD" light, which emulates sunshine. There is something about gray days that can bring a person down emotionally.
Since we're not having a Thanksgiving dinner at our house, I don't even have to prep, bake or refrigerate anything! Jeff and I have decided that it makes much more sense to eat our turkey in a restaurant and Cracker Barrel comes to mind!
If we don't have any 'tovers" in our kitchen. there won't be any of our favorite foods sitting around just waiting for a nibble. In my mind, if you're just nibbling, then calories don't count! Calories only count if you are sitting down with plate in hand (don't I wish)!
The stores if you've noticed have a glut of pumpkin mixes: cheesecake, pumpkin brownies, pumpkin bread, etc. And, I have made all of those so I'm pretty much pumpkined out. I think tomorrow's dessert should be coconut cream pie, which is a real favorite of mine.
Hard to say what I'll do with the rest of tomorrow. My shopping for Benjamin is done and I'm almost finished for Stacey. The boys and Jeff are always a bit of a challenge. When the boys were younger, a new set of Legos was nearly the perfect gift. But they're men now and I suppose they want power tools or something manly like that. I'll leave shopping for the boys up to Jeff, since he knows what they need as far as tools or other equipment necessary for their garages. And we all know how dear a garage is to a man!
Enjoy your day and I hope it's sunny where you are.
P
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Mother Nature
11/25/20014
We have all known that Mother Nature is a fickle woman, prone to changing her mind about the weather in a flash. Yesterday was perhaps unseasonably warm for our area. We had windows opened wide and a fan in the window while we slept.
Today the temperatures will begin to drop a bit and it's possible that if we open any windows at all, it will be the ones in our bedroom. We like our bedroom to be cool and/or cold because there is nothing nicer than making a mad dash to the bed and curling up underneath a down comforter!
Tomorrow, however, the weathermen are using the "s" word - snow! Probably not a lot of snow, but the first snow of the season is always fun. Of course, the longer winter is, and the more snow that falls, it tends to lose it's luster. While snow is pretty to look at, somebody has to shovel the driveway and since the boys are no longer at home, that chore unfortunately belongs to Jeff.
During winter, and we haven't decided if it's officially here, we take the "z" (convertible) car to our son's house for hibernation. While it's true that if we had two cars in the driveway, there would be less snow to shovel, but the "z" would really be in the way and she isn't a car you want to be driving in when there is snow/sleet on the ground.
If it's a big snow and we have to get out, we use the truck "Blue Ox". She's a big girl and sits high above the ground and also has four wheel drive that you can use if needed. My car, while she would probably be okay in some snow, sits like a prima donna in the garage waiting for streets to be plowed before venturing out!
The other thing about snow is that while it's beautiful falling and "icing" all the trees, once it starts to melt on the roads, it quickly turns gray and mushy, which in turn, makes your car very dirty. Perhaps if I owned a darker color car (mine is white), then the mush wouldn't be so visible!
Jeff is already making plans to make chicken soup for tomorrow and he makes very good soups. Sometimes to make sure I'm paying attention, he tosses in a can of mushrooms (ick), which I then have to daintily toss out of my bowl. Still, anybody who is up for the chore of chopping vegetables, a chore that I hate, should probably also have the right to use "rooms" if he wants.
P
We have all known that Mother Nature is a fickle woman, prone to changing her mind about the weather in a flash. Yesterday was perhaps unseasonably warm for our area. We had windows opened wide and a fan in the window while we slept.
Today the temperatures will begin to drop a bit and it's possible that if we open any windows at all, it will be the ones in our bedroom. We like our bedroom to be cool and/or cold because there is nothing nicer than making a mad dash to the bed and curling up underneath a down comforter!
Tomorrow, however, the weathermen are using the "s" word - snow! Probably not a lot of snow, but the first snow of the season is always fun. Of course, the longer winter is, and the more snow that falls, it tends to lose it's luster. While snow is pretty to look at, somebody has to shovel the driveway and since the boys are no longer at home, that chore unfortunately belongs to Jeff.
During winter, and we haven't decided if it's officially here, we take the "z" (convertible) car to our son's house for hibernation. While it's true that if we had two cars in the driveway, there would be less snow to shovel, but the "z" would really be in the way and she isn't a car you want to be driving in when there is snow/sleet on the ground.
If it's a big snow and we have to get out, we use the truck "Blue Ox". She's a big girl and sits high above the ground and also has four wheel drive that you can use if needed. My car, while she would probably be okay in some snow, sits like a prima donna in the garage waiting for streets to be plowed before venturing out!
The other thing about snow is that while it's beautiful falling and "icing" all the trees, once it starts to melt on the roads, it quickly turns gray and mushy, which in turn, makes your car very dirty. Perhaps if I owned a darker color car (mine is white), then the mush wouldn't be so visible!
Jeff is already making plans to make chicken soup for tomorrow and he makes very good soups. Sometimes to make sure I'm paying attention, he tosses in a can of mushrooms (ick), which I then have to daintily toss out of my bowl. Still, anybody who is up for the chore of chopping vegetables, a chore that I hate, should probably also have the right to use "rooms" if he wants.
P
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Bits and Pieces
11/22/2014
Benjamin had a sleep over last night at Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's house. He didn't like sleeping in the spare room, because he much prefers sleeping in our bed. Once all of his objections were raised, and there were many, he fell asleep quickly.
This morning Benjamin was up before me and while I was still asleep, Pop-Pop "lit" (gas fireplace) a fire to warm up the back of the house. When I came down, Benjamin was happily playing with literally bits and pieces of toys he found in a toy chest I keep downstairs. He built a railroad out of pieces of wooden track in a zigzag pattern and added little cars. He had a name for his newly built town and provided that the dogs don't come in and out of that room, his little town will be safe.
One of the toys he is playing with is something that his father and Scott both played with as children. It is now considered a vintage toy on Ebay, if you can even find it. While searching for it today, I found accessories, like pieces of track and buildings for $.99, which is a steal. But wait - the shipping is $28.00! Nope, not going to be something that I'm going to buy.
The nice part of the the racetrack Benjamin is playing with is that after you play, you close up the track like a suitcase. When not in use, it sits nicely under my sofa.
Years ago I bought Benjamin a large amount of foam blocks of different sizes. I wanted foam because if he built something on one of my tables, there would be no damage to the wood. Also, when he was younger, if a tower of blocks fell on him, there was no bodily damage! I keep the blocks in a very large plastic container that I store in the spare room until it's time to play.
I may not have complete sets of many toys, just bits and pieces, but when Benjamin comes to visit, those bits and pieces become treasured toys to him.
Happy playing.
P
Benjamin had a sleep over last night at Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's house. He didn't like sleeping in the spare room, because he much prefers sleeping in our bed. Once all of his objections were raised, and there were many, he fell asleep quickly.
This morning Benjamin was up before me and while I was still asleep, Pop-Pop "lit" (gas fireplace) a fire to warm up the back of the house. When I came down, Benjamin was happily playing with literally bits and pieces of toys he found in a toy chest I keep downstairs. He built a railroad out of pieces of wooden track in a zigzag pattern and added little cars. He had a name for his newly built town and provided that the dogs don't come in and out of that room, his little town will be safe.
One of the toys he is playing with is something that his father and Scott both played with as children. It is now considered a vintage toy on Ebay, if you can even find it. While searching for it today, I found accessories, like pieces of track and buildings for $.99, which is a steal. But wait - the shipping is $28.00! Nope, not going to be something that I'm going to buy.
The nice part of the the racetrack Benjamin is playing with is that after you play, you close up the track like a suitcase. When not in use, it sits nicely under my sofa.
Years ago I bought Benjamin a large amount of foam blocks of different sizes. I wanted foam because if he built something on one of my tables, there would be no damage to the wood. Also, when he was younger, if a tower of blocks fell on him, there was no bodily damage! I keep the blocks in a very large plastic container that I store in the spare room until it's time to play.
I may not have complete sets of many toys, just bits and pieces, but when Benjamin comes to visit, those bits and pieces become treasured toys to him.
Happy playing.
P
Friday, November 21, 2014
The Fly on the Window
11/21/2014
Yesterday, I was in a multistory office building, sitting in an office waiting for the doc to come in. I at first was browsing the magazine I had so wisely brought in with me, when I noticed a fly in the window behind the blinds.
A couple of questions immediately came to mind. How did a fly get inside an office building, up three floors, behind closed exam room doors and on the window? I know the obvious answer is he must have come up through a vent somewhere and found himself stranded.
Putting all rational thought behind me, because who ever thought I was rational? Can you just imagine the fly coming through the front doors of the building while they were open and then getting in an elevator while those doors were open. Still with me? He gets off the elevator, on the right floor, of course, sees an open door and flies in. Buzzes around the waiting room for a bit, gets bored and once the receptionist opens the office door, takes a chance on finding a better place to land. He does this because the magazines that are out for patients don't interest him and he has trouble flipping the pages over with his bitty wings!
Now he's in the hallway and finds another room open and goes in. He spots the window and flies over hoping that the window is his means of escape. He gets between the blinds and the window and flits back and forth, looking for an opening, which he doesn't find.
The doctor finally comes in and I put down my magazine and pay attention to what the doctor is saying. After my appointment, I look one last time at the window and the fly is still there basically caught between a rock and a hard place. Perhaps while he lingers on the window he might be recalling some advice his mother gave him about flying through open doors!
P
Yesterday, I was in a multistory office building, sitting in an office waiting for the doc to come in. I at first was browsing the magazine I had so wisely brought in with me, when I noticed a fly in the window behind the blinds.
A couple of questions immediately came to mind. How did a fly get inside an office building, up three floors, behind closed exam room doors and on the window? I know the obvious answer is he must have come up through a vent somewhere and found himself stranded.
Putting all rational thought behind me, because who ever thought I was rational? Can you just imagine the fly coming through the front doors of the building while they were open and then getting in an elevator while those doors were open. Still with me? He gets off the elevator, on the right floor, of course, sees an open door and flies in. Buzzes around the waiting room for a bit, gets bored and once the receptionist opens the office door, takes a chance on finding a better place to land. He does this because the magazines that are out for patients don't interest him and he has trouble flipping the pages over with his bitty wings!
Now he's in the hallway and finds another room open and goes in. He spots the window and flies over hoping that the window is his means of escape. He gets between the blinds and the window and flits back and forth, looking for an opening, which he doesn't find.
The doctor finally comes in and I put down my magazine and pay attention to what the doctor is saying. After my appointment, I look one last time at the window and the fly is still there basically caught between a rock and a hard place. Perhaps while he lingers on the window he might be recalling some advice his mother gave him about flying through open doors!
P
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