Crap on my shoes, egg in my pocket (and yarn on the needles)

CRRRRRAAAAAPP! (Ow. ow ow ow ow oooow.)

2009-11-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Ok, let's get it over with...

Gained 1.2 lbs. I am so mad I could spit. Or other things...

My ankle was hurting, finally got THAT aggrivation out of the way (I finally broke down and walked with a cane for two days to baby the annoyance.) And NOW the stupid muscle in my back is spasming.

I am beginning to wonder if the only way I can lose weight is to only drink water and eat rice cakes (yuck...) until I stop having these stupid dings on my person!!! I thought I was controlling my portions, but I guess I should have been even more strict since I have been unable to do much excersizing (read: none). Even normal things like getting the laundry from the dryer, or sitting in a chair can be a challenge, gee, am I going to have a spasm or not? Even poor Tux got in on the act. He ran in the house, so I started to pick him up to put him outside, WHAMMO, instant spasm. I don't know who was more panicked, me having the spasm, or he by being dropped suddenly.

This sucketh, yea verily to the max... So, to paraphrase the Soup Nazi,

"NO CD FOR YOU!"

I keep wondering what I am going to be like as an old fart, if I keep having these problems now? Sheeeesh...

These are the times when I d*** near want to give up. I know these thoughts are mostly because of lack of sleep and aggrivation, but I keep thinking, why am I bothering to put myself THROUGH this?

Then I think about the fact I will probably have less of these things happen with a little less girth. And in the long run, I will have a longer life. Little stuff like that.

Logic can really be a pain in the butt... Especially when it's right. Hmph.

G whiz. Bummer.

2009-11-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

I started praticing my G on the little guitar I have. (And I mean little, it's a 'student' guitar, about half size of a standard acoustic-y one.) I started, and it actually sounded good, the first time, YAY ME.

TWANG!

Um. What? I look at the string. One of the nice steel strings is now a unravelling mess. I am still practicing for placement, but trust me, the sound? Ding, ding, TWANK, ding, ding, ding... And it makes the chord sound hideous. But the idea right now is for me to be able to even place the fingers REMOTELY in the right spot. Sooo, I guess perhaps my reward for 1o pounds down might be a new set 'o strings. Hey, good sound is good sound, right?

But, hey, I do see where I am with the fingering for G. So, a string, a string, my kingdom for a string.

(And she of the puns was thinking G string and G spot, but I will just let them sit quietly for now... Heh...)

Whoa. Body hurt alert... With a major "ick" factor.

2009-11-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

I had heard of something called a Master Cleanse. It was supposed to get rid of your bodies toxins and make you feel good, etc., etc., etc... I thought the toxin removal sounded like a pretty good idea, actually. But I couldn't find any stuff on the internet that said why, or HOW it did what it did. I then saw this article:

http://www.doublex.com/section/health-science/i-survived-dreaded-master-cleanse

This lady doesn't just go to someone that is selling the stuff, she goes to doctors of a couple different ilks. After seeing what she went through, I decided that my toxins can just enjoy the stay in my gut! This sounds like a great way to cause yourself many problems...

Actually, it reminds me of the little patches you can buy, that are supposed to remove toxins from your feet. Some reporter took the patch, poured distilled water on it, and pouf, there were "toxins" showing up.

Guess caveat emptor is still with us...

Oh. My. Word. WHAT have I gotten myself into???

2009-11-06T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have gotten the bright idea that I want to learn to play the guitar. (Yes, I need another hobby like a hole in the head, hush...) :)

So. I went and dug about for the guitar I used (ahem) years ago in college, (I took one college music class to save my, uh, you know...) and ~~stole~~ borrowed Husband's old guitar manuals, (he gave up on learning, and sold his guitar to a friend who was a collector of Martins), and sat down with one the other evening to read the first chapter, so I could re-acquaint myself with the stringy thing.

GAH!

I took guitar in college, and have forgotten...

Yes, wait for it...

EVERYTHING.

I was looking at the stuff, didn't make sicum from sideways even about what I was supposed to do! So, Bless the Innernets, for it has lots o' stuff, I looked on YouTube, and found some real, real basic stuff for guitar. And so I can now maybe start looking at the idea of where all of my fingers are supposed to go. Where they actually land might be open to interpretation, but I can at least have a fighting chance of doing something close to right. I hope to be able to do a basic chord soon.

We shall see.

The thing that amuses me, I have used books for years to learn things, in the area I live, there aren't classes for x thing nearby, (unless it has to do with horses or farming, in that order), and even then it's usually at night. For various reasons, I just figure, if I wanna learn it, I have to teach myself. Rarely have I had a problem. But man, I would probably have killed to get the Internet when I was younger, and trying to learn some hobbies and skills that I now have. When you can look up anything from spinning yarn, knitting, archery, flint knapping, and playing guitar (all hobbies I have, or want to take up), it makes it much easier to see why you are doing something and ~~screwing it up~~ not getting the result you want, and how to correct it.

So, hopefully I can do the stringy thing with at least one chord by next week. Maybe even two... Do I hear three?

Let's see. G,G,G,G,G,G,G,G... Hmmm. That might be a bit on the annoying side after a while. But, it will be more chords than I could do!

LAAAAAAAAAAA! Uh, or more accurately, TWAAAAAANG!

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing, but don't fear the reaper...

2009-11-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I was hurting this week. I slid on the exercise. I did watch the portion control... Until I was offered chocolate. I was SO careful. But... No CD this week.

NO CHANGE. 0.0 lbs.

I am going to have to ask the doc about some exercises that I can do that don't involve walking or running... All I can think of is sit ups, or curl ups, possibly push ups (I might have to resort to 'girl style', from the knee, the ankle is driving me bonkers...), anything that works the belly muscles, at least. If all I do is arm exercises, I don't think it will do much. Yes, a little is better than nothing... But arm workouts, don't seem to get the heart going like belly or leg workouts.

Eh...

Since Halloween is over, I finally cut down my flower garden. I had expected some Trick or Treaters, but didn't have any. (The little stinkers missed out, I had cookies and crackers galore... Guess Husband has a few quick grab snacks.) Anyway, since I had expected a few, I had let all my flowers die back, and get that scabby, dirty, black look they get when left to decay. I put a tombstone in the garden for effect. I left the window boxes with dead and decaying flowers as well... Hey, I thought it looked somewhat spooky! At least spookier than bright yellow and orange flowers and bright red petunias had! Mom suggested that I get black flowers and put them in the window boxes next year, or do an Addam's Family, and cut all the tops off of fake roses, and put them in the flower box. I am thinking I might have a party next year, if Husband is amenable. I never get kids, so I should invite friends and make an evening of it. Then my decorating ideas could actually be seen by more than 2-3 people.

We'll see...

The cutting of the flower garden is an enjoyable task, but it unnerves people driving by. I walk out with a scythe. (Yes, looks like what the Grim Reaper uses), and cut all the flower stalks and such down. I didn't realize that it was so foreign to people, until I noticed that cars go by so sllllooowwwly when I am cutting. I looked up, and one lady was ashen faced watching me. I waved, and she sped off.

Oooookay...

I wear a blue insulated jacket, jeans and gloves, I really think I am a little declase' for a Reaper. Even a Reaper in training. But I enjoy using the scythe, I want to get a weed whacker for some of the bigger areas, but the scythe is pretty straight forward, I don't have to worry too often about parts*, and I can really cover quite a bit of ground pretty quickly, and if I have no pets or kids around, it goes fairly with out incident. (However, getting said pets away can be a challenge if it takes longer than about 15 minutes, as they KNOW that I am there. Curiosity and all that.)

So, I will see what the rest of the day holds, I have to do some banking, and then go do my shift at the sub-station. Next week I will be helping at the sub-station AND the hospital. You know, if I ever had to work, I think I could take some time off! Heh...

*I did lose one of the handle joints. Thank Goodness, Husband figured out how to make a new one, I tried to use it with only one handle, the balance was messed up to a big degree, don't think I could have cut butter with it in ten tries... We did find the handle, but to this day have never found the metal handle joint. Odd...

What to do, what to do...

2009-11-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

I finally got about and put up a goal list.

Sort of.

If you will note, I put a few items on, but it was only enough for about every OTHER 1o pounds. So, now I guess I have to work on ideas for the others.

Oh, and did you notice the Alaska item? Husband was trying to help, I was grumbling about having to lose so much weight. He said something to the effect that if I would lose that, he would take me to Alaska. For me, that's motivation. (To wit: Husband's idea of a long trip is about 4 hours...) So I know he's really trying to help me with this.

So, I am hoping next week might see a new CD in my collection.

I decided to keep my weekly section up, however, so I couldn't fudge... uh... CHEAT myself, if others see it, I know that I have to own up... Or better, down to what I am doing...

In other news, the Fish and Wildlife people called back, and basically said, yes, you did well to scare off the cat, no, they can't move them, and it would be a good idea to keep your chickens indoors for a week or two, until Mr. B. Cat decides to go somewhere else.

I KNEW that much! But oh, well. At least she assured me that my bigger animals, as well as the neighbors, would probably not be in any danger, as the cat is more oriented to little game, i.e., rabbits and such. {Whew...}

Run Rabbit, run...

(My Husband is a Pink Floyd fan. Lord knows why I remembered that line, though...)

Halloween update...

2009-10-31T16:21:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad decided to get into the act, this is the front porch... (That's an outline of MY DAD...)

This gives me a lot of ideas for next year.

CSI: Halloween, anyone?

Happy Halloweenie critter!

2009-10-31T09:32:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeen!!

My last minute critter turned out not half bad. I was tempted to do one that I saw, it was a 'puking' pumpkin, (face looks nauseated, open mouth, 'guts' on floor), but decided that it would be annoying to clean up, so I went with Mr. Critter instead.

I believe he's a cousin, three times removed, from the Kool-Aid guy... And there was rumors of some parentage of the Jack in the Box guy, but I don't believe in rumors, do you?

Next year, I really want to figure out how to do a wolfman... Then it would be Howloween, right? Heh...

The good, the bad, and so on.

2009-10-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

The good.

Lost 2.8 pounds. Therefore, I pretty much lost the big oops I did a couple weeks ago. Yaaay! Clap, clap! Ork, ork, ork! (You know, spelling the word a seal makes, just looks... Funny.) Now I just need to remember, I am trying to lose weight, DO NOT get cocky. I am doing much better on portion control, for the most part. Some slippage, but I am not bringing any tempting foods in the house. Our Halloween Candy is some chips and such that I like, but isn't a zombie like mindless munching when I have them. I even share with Husband a package, I eat three munchies, he has three. Splitting up a snack really works well. Except when Husband doesn't want a snack...

Now if I did like I did LAST year, and bought the little sugar buttons, for Husband, of course. I won't have any. Well, just one. Oh, well, no one will notice if I take a few. Then I noticed in the course of two days Husband and I had eaten almost the whole bag. And Halloween was still a couple days off! Sooo, if I do buy anything for Husband, it's going in a container, and going out to his shop, where I don't get at it. (He has no problems with weight, so I can splurge on him, sometimes. Grumble... Heh...)

The bad. We lost one of our hens. I have been keeping the poor things in the hen house, so all should be okay, right? One just died, I suspect she must have had a problem laying or something, but she was no longer with the living today. I am not happy. Her name was Pepper. I have other hens, but darn it, that still bugs me.

And so on. I did receive a response from Fish and Wildlife about the bob cat, so I have to fill out a report, (guess even wildlife are under a government onus...), and then I will find out what can be done. I just hope they can move Mr. Cat, I really don't think it's going to do anything outrageous, unless you are a chicken.

I have been to a couple of the Citizen's Academy classes, one because I didn't get to see much of it the first time through, one because it wasn't available when I took the class, and I went to the "Shoot, Don't Shoot" class, mostly because my parents were very apprehensive about it. I kept trying to alleviate the concerns they had. (Mom didn't know if she wanted to try, I told her she could just observe. Dad thought it would be a walk through class with pop ups or some such. Nooo...) So I asked the powers that be if I could observe. And after my parents BOTH did the activity, (pretty well, for the most part, I thought, even if Mom's first response was to tell the deputy, "Ok I am the bad guy, and I give up, can I go now?" But she did well.)

After my parents finished, the deputy offered to let me have a go. Uh. Well, er... Okay... The room is dark, and there is a video up front. I started up to the front and promptly ran into a chair I didn't see. Having had stupid things like that happen before, I gave a bow, and said, "Thank kew, Thank kew..." I have found that if I do something silly like that, it makes people less worried that I have hurt myself. (I won't mention names coughcoughMOMcough.) I did okay, as well, but one of the odd things about the program, you have a set amount of time, if you decide to shoot, or the computer will just record that you shot, and nothing will happen visually. I ended up 'shooting' a suspect three times, and then said suspect just got mad and laid down the machete he was carrying. When the deputy showed where I'd shot, I'd hit him three times in the leg. HUH? I thought it was strange. But the deputy said it wasn't impossible, that if said suspect was on PCP, that could possibly happen. Or that he wouldn't even notice and keep coming.

Yipes...

I have decided, playing with that thing twice now, I have no real desire to carry or be in a decision to fire capacity. I am not averse to plinking, I, in fact like to target shoot, when I get the chance, but the idea of possibly shooting someone just makes my guts roil. And, I think that's probably a real good thing, Martha. But, I hit each and every time I fired, which might also say something. Not always where I was AIMING, unfortunantly, but I did hit. Not exactly sure what that says, but let's just say, I hope it remains on a screen, with pretend 'kills'.

Our deputy that lost his dog on July 4th is still waiting to receive a new one. I guess it comes from Europe, by way of California, I think is what he said. The guys in the office gave him a memorial plaque, with a picture of he and his dog. These are really big strong guys. But don't let that fool you, he saw that picture, and he had to turn his back and weep for his lost partner.

Puppy love of the truest kind. We miss you, Jari the dog.

I am just waiting to see what the new patrol dog will do, munch wise.

Farina... ?

2009-10-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

So, I finally had a little bit of time to be home, and a friend had given me this cereal stuff called Farina. Never had it before, so I made some up this morning.

Um.

I hope I prepared it wrong, as it has the consistancy of wallpaper paste. It doesn't taste bad, (hate to say it, it doesn't HAVE a taste...), but it just looks, well, ick.

It reminds me a tiny bit of grits, but I think I will go back to oatmeal if I can't figure out why the wallpaper paste lumpy goo effect. Not exactly what you are hoping for first thing in the morning...

Scale day, 'mung other things...

2009-10-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it wasn't a great week, physically, or mentally, I thought for sure it was going to be a wash. I didn't get much of a chance to exercise, I was either in a car, or in meetings most of the week. When I did exercise, it was a struggle. I don't know if it's the change of weather, I am doing something wrong, or what, but I am feeling like someone has pounded the poo out of me. Makes me feel sadly pathetic. Then I have to remember that, well, at least I still have pins (legs) under me, I can still walk, or do sit ups, whatever. It's annoying to me to hurt, and I have a bad, bad habit, if I hurt, I don't move, and that makes me hurt worse, so I move even less. This creates a very nasty woman. Husband has gone so far, on occasion, to take me by the hand and take a walk with me, just so I will do something, and not get so horribly stove up...

This was a week like that. I did, however, watch what I ate more carefully, made some good choices, especially when confronted with several restaurant meals, one at a buffet that I almost always overeat at, the DAY before weigh in. Eeeeep! But...

I lost .4 pound. It's not a lot, but with this last week, by gosh, I'll take it!

In other news, I was getting ready to go to spinning group, had my wheel in one hand, my basket of fiber in the other, and was walking out to my truck, Monday. WHOOSH, a dog sized something darts past. In truth, I thought it was the neighbor's dog. Until it stopped at the gate and looked at me. It was a bobcat! And it wasn't afraid of me to speak of, it just stood there. Not knowing if it meant to do me harm, I decided that big and loud works with little cats, perhaps it will work with a big(ger) one. I raised both arms, and hissed, setting off Rudee, so it probably sounded like all Hell broke loose to that 'cat. Which was fine, he darted through the fence and was gone in a second. I then decided that the chickens were going to be INSIDE for a bit, until I can contact Fish & Wildlife and find out what to do. I don't really want someone on the property to hunt it, but I don't need it around to possibly hurt any of my animals, either.

Must say, it was a lovely looking thing, all other items aside.

Fall time here. Apple cider. Lovely reds, yellows, and browns in the leaves. Starting to smell the woodsmoke of fires. Actually put on a heavier shirt the other day. Rain is starting a bit. Garden is pretty well gone of summer food. Animals coats are getting thicker. The chickens, however, are in the middle of a molt, and look... Less than lovely. Especially Longtail, who looks like an ill used feather duster. But, they are all still there. And some of the warmer weather foods I make are coming 'into season' again, like pea soup and beans with ham.

All in all, just another country day. Now if I just didn't have to think there is a bobcat about.

And why, oh why, can't I get that darn song about 'bob bob bobbin' along' out of my head?

Sheesh...

And now for something lighthearted...

2009-10-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Last couple of my blogs were downers. I want to do something high on the cute meter to make up for it. I still haven't written about OFFF, but this was a chinchilla that was just waking up when I walked by, and so I snapped a pic. Sadly, there is a delay of about 3 seconds on my camera (yes, it's old, I know...), so the super cute yawn was not caught. Said critter is very cute, in my opinion, however, even if it isn't yawning...

And another cute picture, I went to a local Mennonite Fall Festival. They have lots of yarn (bought some), apples (got some), cider (drank some), books (took a lot, but not for me, for a change...), and then I saw her, and some silly little girl hidden waaaaaaaaaay down deep inside said "Squeeeeeeeeee!" I knew I had to get her. And Mom was so surprised at my reaction, she decided to buy it for me. (Tank ku, Mommy... Heh.) I have named her Dorothy Yoder, and will make her a prayer cap, eventually. Or at least a kerchief. But, for some reason, she tripped my "I want it" trigger. Guess it's better than wanting Whoopie Pies (which I didn't). I absolutely adore Siamese cats, so I guess that's the first part, and well, she is just so darn cute. And really squishy huggable, surprisingly... (And she even has bloomers!)

And now, I really should get to doing something. Probably more knitting, (I screwed up one of the caps for the kids, I couldn't wear it, my HUSBAND couldn't even wear it, it's so large. Frog city time.) sigh. But I am at 40 caps, so if I turn and burn, I hope to get the rest done by the end of the month. Then maybe I can oh, start knitting some stuff for Christmas?

Something tells me I am going to be soooo sick of hats by next month... And no, I have no plans of giving family or friends caps this year. 'Cept maybe one. And it's already started, so that doesn't count.

Right??? Gah.

Whoa. What happened???

2009-10-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

I went to have a nice lunch with my fellow volunteers, we have a mostly monthly potluck. One of them was letting us know she was leaving. Minor poo, as I really like her, but a new gal, who I like, is starting, so it evens out. (I jokingly refer to the new gal as the Pistol Packin' Grandma, she was so terrified of shooting on our Range day, she vomited. She did quite well, and that's now her nickname with her grandkids, as well as me.)

Got home, and had several phone messages. One was that a close friend of mine had died. Adding insult to injury, I probably won't be able to make her memorial service.

Another phone call, to clear up some info on a volunteer group, lead me to find out ANOTHER friend might have cancer again, (he was in remission).

Ya know, days like this are just... not pleasant. Especially when they start out so nice.

And damn it, there really isn't a thing I can do about it, either way.

Hmm. I know "life goes on", but it still sucks, big time.

I blew it... And the Zodiac Killer. And other stuff.

2009-10-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, scale day. I knew it would be bad, and it was. Ugh...

I gained 3 pounds. I wish I could blame it on something, but other than I still hurt like a sonofagun, I just ate too much of the wrong stuff. I was cocky, and figured I could get away with an extra helping of garlic bread. Cream sauce? Sure, why not... Well, now I have in black and white why not. Back to the drawing board. I should be sad, but surprisingly I am not. For a change, I know exactly what I did, and better, how to fix it. A rare and pleasant change. Not pleasant to go backwards that far, but hey, it was my choices that did it, so I've no one but myself to blame. So dere. Better luck next week.

*************

Soo, I had 12 chicks this summer hatch. I named them after the signs of the zodiac, being the easiest method of giving them all names. I lost one, earlier this month, and just recently lost 2 more. So, 3 months are missing from the zodiac. Husband suspected one of our cats, and I tended to agree, at first...

Until I smelled the skunk.

I have the sneaking suspicion that we might have a skunk dining on my birds. I haven't lost any more of late, but I am also keeping a gimlet eye on them, and not letting them out of the hen pen. What with skunks, bob cats, deer, and just general wildlife, it's a wonder we have a plant or animal on the place that's safe! SHHHEEESH!

I hope to get a few more blogs in soon, but Husband and I share the computer. (I was using mine, but when we switched to DSL, mine chose that time to die... Due to BIL's kind and somewhat useful, if confusing, tinkering, I can still use it for a glorified typewriter. But it no longer has the go juice for the Internet... {sigh}) So, with Husband and I sharing the computer, it can be an all or nothing proposal, especially if he is hunting for something for his shop. Aaaaand, he is. He has a new tool, for re sharpening parts, and now he needs accessories for the tools. Ebay, Craig's List, Machinist groups, yes, he covers them all and thouroughly. Oh, well, he will get busy, and I will actually be HOME one of these days, and I can write up a blog, maybe even with pictures! (I am on my volunteer shift at the Sub station... Free computer access, and not too many interruptions today...)

Heh, that reminds me, I think I can tell this story on myself. Last week, a gentleman came in and needed some info. I gave it to him, and told him it needed to be returned to the Sheriff's Office proper. He said he was new to the area, and didn't know where it was. I am not the world's best at giving directions, then he confused me by asking if it was going North on X road. If you want to snow me, use compass directions. I hemmed and hawed, trying to remember what one of the deputies had told me.

Meanwhile, another gent showed up, and said he could tell the man how to get there. I, quite happily, let him. After the explanation, I asked the second man how I could help him. He handed me his P&P (Parole and Probation) paperwork for the week. I chuckled, and said something like, yep, I bet you would know how to get to the Sheriff's Office, having been a guest. He looked a little embarrassed, and said, yeah, I think I have a REAL good idea where it is. I did thank him profusely for getting the other gent directions, though...

But hey, he helped! Whatever works!

Bleah. Wrung out.

2009-10-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Well, wrote my resignation to one group, it was accepted with no acrimony, I wanted to burn no bridges, but felt it was my time to leave. I was given sort of a 'good luck with that' about concentrating on my CERT program, since that group wants to work with them. Ok. When they do, guess I will deal with it then.

Had been hurting like crazy again, I have figured out part of it is from the dang bed. I am trying a different pillow, see if that helps. I am trying to ignore my ankle, I don't want to have to deal with it if I don't have to. I keep wondering if the fact I hold stress in is part of it too, that stress can cause you to ache. At least that's what I have read. Guess I am not going to be with out pain killers entirely, but at least I am down to some of the mild stuff...

I now have to write a note to a different group, and I feel I am almost giving an ultimatum, I need some help, or I need to leave. Can you tell I hate conflict? I would rather swallow my thoughts and go along, than stir up things. I have no idea why, but I guess I have been that way all my life, as long as I can remember. I have only recently gotten a backbone transplant, so I still have a ways to go in assertiveness. I need to do this, though, I can not continue being angry and frustrated at something that should be fun. It's sort of like having a bruised toe, and continually hitting it on a box. You have a choice, you can move the box, or you can swear a lot.

Guess which accomplishes not a great lot?

(Of course, there is my choice, swearing WHILE moving the box, but I digress...)

I keep everything inside a lot, and even now, I have stepped down, I feel like I am going to vomit, thinking, "Gee, did I do the right thing?" And so I go to the next thing, hopefully when I get it all finished, I can feel better. Husband is so blase' about this kind of thing, so is Mom. They don't want to do something, no, thanks, bye.

No drama.

I feel bad, I stew, worry, wonder if I am doing the right thing, am I doing the WRONG thing, will I be liked, disliked? You get the idea. Dad isn't quite as bad as I am about it, but I think I get it from him a bit, he tends to carry things in his gut as well...

Well, guess I better put this blog to bed, and go write my note...

Yeah. But first, some antacids. Bleah.

Surprise scale day

2009-10-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a long week. I have not been able to exercise much, unless you count walking from A to B and cleaning house. (I really don't, since I didn't do it all that much.) I have been aching like I-don't-know-what of late, I had to even take something for it. I try to walk it off, but when it's the ankle, that sort of defeats the purpose...

But I watched what I ate. (And for the wags in the audience, I don't mean I watched it go in my mouth... Heh...) I guess more accurately, I was aware of what I ate, I tried to eat what I should eat, not just grab something convenient. I also bought some apples, and if I was still hungry and really, really couldn't ignore it, I ate one. JUST one. I ate what I wanted, but I was nearly zealot religious about portion control. (Rudee loves me a lot right now, I had fries, and had a portion, the restaurant gave me enough for three, at least, Rudee ate the rest. My dog is a carbohydrate monster, and thought it was Christmas.)

Quite frankly, I didn't expect to lose an ounce. My body just doesn't seem to have the oomph right now to do anything right, it seems like.

I lost 1 pound.

Man, where did THAT come from? I just don't get it. I sweat and stew and fret, nothing. This last week, I more or less just watched portions, and BOOM, a loss. I are so cornfuzed... HAPPY, but cornfuzed.

In other news, we have a new bobcat in the area. One of the neighbors had hunted down the last one, and so I had been letting the chickens out into the main field again. Then Husband headed into town, and nearly had a hood ornament. Said bobcat flew past his truck and dove through the fence on the other side, getting his furry bobcat butt temporarily stuck in the process. Soooo, the chickens are now banished to the chicken yard (heavily fenced), again. At least I have some left overs, and garden ends to feed them, so they aren't bored out of their little teeny minds.

We had a frost, and so I took down all the wilted vines from Rudee's kennel, so the sun would shine in and warm it up for winter. Jokes have been going about that I need to buy him some doggie sunglasses. He is on that side, soaking up the sun, so maybe so! Or one of those tanning mirrors...

Swine flu signs up at the sub-station, saying more or less that if you are sick, stay home. This H1N1 is getting a bit unnerving. I have my regular flu shot, will see about getting the other, as will Husband. (He who didn't NEED a shot, he who blew off his wife's harangue about getting sick, until last year, when he was down for nearly a month with flu, I was down... about 2 days. He was convinced the wife was growling for a reason...) I just worry about my Goddaughter, my niece, they are both in that high nasty risk range. I believe my Husband and I are probably less susceptible, but we are hardly immune. (For once, I guess, being anti-social is a GOOD thing.) At least most of my family is of the age where they actually have immunity as they are old enough to have been in the last round of H1N1. Especially my grandma, who is allergic to eggs, and so can't get the shot in the first place.

So, I will be doing this, that and the other, off and on, and will have to see if watching my portions and apples, and perhaps getting some exercise somehow, will work for another week. Wouldn't hurt my feelings!!!

Up or Down, might go sideways... And goodbyes.

2009-10-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at my scale day record. I didn't think about it when I started, and I realized that it's going to take up a LOT of room, even if I was a good kid and lost 2 pounds a week like the doc says is good and safe. So, I am contemplating showing my losses the way a few other blogs do, just show the week I am on, up or down, a series of goals (my thought is by 10's), and of course, total amount lost.

So instead of the long list I have now, it would look more like:

Goal 97 pound loss.
Week Xish- Down ibble.
Total so far- umph pounds down.

10 off- new MP3 player
20 off- something cool
30 off- yet better
40 off- well, you get the idea.
...

And the ones accomplished would be highlighted. So, I am considering this, at any rate. Now I just have to set some "goal goodies" for myself. Hmmm. Any ideas? (Girly girl pink stuff need not apply... Heh.)

Now to get to some writing. I am going to write one resignation letter, and one that is a request for help or I will resign letter, to 2 different volunteer groups. I know that volunteering is 'in', but ya know, I have decided, just because I am in the group, doesn't mean my name is carved in stone, or that I am chained to the group forever and ever, amen.

I am sort of dreading writing the things, as I know I am probably going to be on some one's (ahem) list, but I have some new things I am excited about, these things, not as much, especially since the goals of the group have changed a lot since I joined. What if I am blocking the way for some younger, new excited (or excitable, at least) person? And I am excited about working with the CERT program, and the sub-station.

As well as my knitting habit. The wool fumes! I am getting dizzy! Wooo-oo, (flop), oooh!

Uh, I knit a lot. So that kind of thing is going to continue.

Wish me luck.

Ahh, country life. Or is that AIIGH?

2009-10-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

This week had some interesting events. Went out to hear my cat Tuxedo mewing me over. Oh, sweet kitty, nice kitty, what is going on?

That's when he led me over to the RAT in the dead center of my flower garden. It was about half the size of my smaller cat, so 6-8 inches in length, not including tail. ICK! Being too lazy to dig a hole, I had to put it in a garbage bag, so it would go into the garbage and away.

Another incident, tried picking green beans. It rained, and then I noticed, I was picking right next to a WASP NEST. So much fun...

Went to open up the chicken house, when I noticed a very wet and confused chick. It had managed to sneak out when I'd shut the door the night before, and had been out all by itself, in the rain, outside. I am just surprised it wasn't brunch for some predator.

Then was Lorenzo's little drama fest. He doesn't get treats all that often, so I try to give him a snack when the 'girls' aren't around. I saw they were in the upper field, and so I brought out a cup of grain for him. I moved my arm over the fence, he sniffed-

PBBBT!

I wasn't impressed, but figured I'd come at him too fast, it startles him sometimes. Wiping the green muck off my face, I calmly tried again, saying that I would be slower, oh, what a good boy-

PBBBBBBT!!!

Right in the face, I was spitting at that point. A perfect head shot. I decided he could find his own snack that day, I wasn't going to try for the lucky third time. Bless his pointed little head, he kept humming, and stepping along the length of the fence to find out why I wasn't giving him a snack after all that.

Ya have your good days, ya have your not so good days. Then you have days that really... Well, okay, I can laugh now. Except for maybe the wasps. But that's just the way it is here in the middle of our craziness.

Oh, and I started spinning some of the dayglo stuff, will get pictures when Husband finishes with the camera. I will also have a pic, hopefully soon, of my skeins that I have actually finished, and hope to start knitting with soon. (I have a LOT of them, but haven't quite finished the processing yet. Getting them wet, letting them dry to set the twist. It makes the craft room look interesting, if nothing else!)

I am also up to... 32 hats! I finally am getting to the road to fifty!

Something tells me that I might ask for volunteers to help next year...

WHOOOOAAAA! Slow down already!!!

2009-09-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

My word, I have been on the go, and just found out some of my volunteer 'stuff' is likely to pick up. Well, I am going to have to decide what to go to and what to skip. I want to have a) some time at home and b) not wear myself out so much I get sick. (Most especially the second!)

OFFF was fun, and I spent like I had good sense... I did come home with a few dollars, so I wasn't a total spendthrift. Just about, but not completely. I have "mystery batt", which is from a Canby company, it's bits and pieces from when they do commercial carding. It is completely random, one might have oranges, one blues, one might have sparkly stuff, one might be grey. I happened to pick one with purples and greens. I also bought some dayglo bright roving, from It's A Colorful Life, (pictures, you ask? Well, of course. When I get the camera dug out.) Oh, and a bunch of fiber from a farm in Philomath. And a sign shaped like a sheep that says "BAATH". (Since I have to make my 'public' bathroom all nicey-nicey for business and company, I get silly stuff like that. My gargoyles have been removed to my craft room where they will adorn my doings without unnerving the muggles... )

Home was not in too bad of shape, Husband is pretty good about cleaning up after himself. I can't say the same for the garden. We now have a 'log pile' of zukes for the chickens. When the darn things are left for 2 weeks, they get SCARY big. Green beans, omigawd, we have 'em. I picked a feed bucket full, and didn't even make a dent in it! They might be on the large side, but they will still be useable. Just a LOT of them. If it doesn't rain much tomorrow, I will try and get more picked, possibly see if I can con...vince Mom to help me can some. Or there will be a bunch of llama/chicken food. While it won't go to waste, pet food wasn't exactly the plan... Tomatoes are going slowly away, between the cooler weather, the deer, and turkeys, they are fading. I also need to get my gourds picked. So I at least am not without something to do!

Oh, and today is scale day. (Why do I always think of dragons when I say that? Eh...)
I lost 1.8 pounds. I am so pleased, I could cluck. In fact...

CLUCK! (heh...) I have been really making an effort to not blow the portions. I also have been trying to snack better, apples for candy, that sort of thing. I haven't exercised a bit, but since all I have been doing of late is walking, I figured I could skip... :)

In all seriousness, I had worried a bit about my exercise, my arthritis has been bothering me a bit in my ankle, and so it's been, walkwalkwalkwalk, ok QUIT. Hmm. Ok, it's stopped hurting, walkwalkwalkdam*, ok QUIT. And so on. I was afraid that letting the ankle give me directions, I wouldn't have lost any. But I am finding that IF the ankle takes the lead, AND the portions are reasonable, i.e. no seconds, and not taking portions for a starving teen boy, I am doing a bit better on the down slope. Eventually I might have enough weight off to make the ankle hurt less. Doc said something to the effect that for every extra pound you have, it's like three on the joints. Well, that is 6.8 x 3 off, if my math is right. This be good thing, Martha!

Well, I am going to hopefully be perusing my friends blogs again, if you have lots of blogs and I haven't commented, I haven't had a chance at them for about 2 weeks or so, and barely had time to check mine, so I will check up and say 'hi'.

Who knows, I might even say more than that!

Here today, wool tomorrow.

2009-09-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

Headed to Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. News as events warrant.

Enjoy yourselves while I browse...

Folke of Faire... The good, the bad, and... You decide.

2009-09-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

So, went to faire, and this will be just a quick blog, have some more pix I want to show, but this was a couple of quick humorous shots. This gent was walking around faire in armor, and I kept noticing he had a sign 'round his neck. Finally got close enough to see...

OOOOKAY! HAHAHAHAHA! (Ok, for any non ren rat types, the item he is wearing is chain mail, sometimes spelled maille. Yes, I like puns.)

There is a pub at faire, and there was much watching of folke from that arena. I don't drink, but some of my friends do, so I just tell the bouncer I am the designated driver. We both laugh, and I have some sarsaparilla. Or water. (I joke not, I drank so much I sloshed.) Anyway, I thought he was rather nicely dressed for the warm weather, don't you? Somehow, the zebra seems a strange choice for a pouch, but hey, I wasn't going to argue... Too much fun to watch, heh.

I think this is one of my favorite pictures I took, this is the bouncer/ID check for the pub. She was relaxing in the shade near the end of her shift, and I just caught a quick snap. A nice one, too, if I say so myself.

I will try to have more pictures later, but at least I had some to put up this year. Possibly more of what I was doing, but this at least give a tiny taste of some of the... Diversity? of people there.

Huzzah! And Anon...

Color me confused...

2009-09-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, boys and girls, it's scale day. AND I REMEMBERED!

So, been working this week, at faire, where you can't do anything with out needing to walk, as well as some light construction... I thought, wow, I should at least be down a pound. I have been going at the water heavily, lots of exercise, fresh air, all that crap that's good for you, so I was ready for my reward.

NOTHING CHANGED. I didn't go up, OR down. My scale, which bless it, does the math, said, literally, 0.0 lbs.

I talked this over with my Mom. I wasn't angry, just highly, highly confused. I should have lost weight, I did stuff right.

Then she mentioned... Bathroom habits. Uh, well, could have been better, yes. Was I eating carbs. Uh. Peanut butter a carb? Uh. Yeah. Salt? I was going to say no to this, until I remembered a couple high salt meals. (Kraut, anyone?)

So. I guess this is a lesson. I can't change all my habits, and see a change. One good habit, one bad habit, it evens out to zip.

BUT... On the bright side, I did get a lot of good exercise, and I was actually feeling quite good during most of faire, (with the exception of my face, which was sunburned, even after slathering enough sunscreen on that I looked waxy... eeeew....), so I will just call it a good week, as I didn't gain, and go from there. But, ya know, I really want to get going down again...

I will be off and away again, to Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival (OFFF), and will hopefully be able to post pix and such of both fair(e)s when I get back, as it is the last 'big' event for me for a while.

Then I can do laundry... eeep.

I'm not stressed...

2009-09-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

I am just so EXCRUCIATINGLY awake that it's painful. Yes, it's time for me to head up the ol' trailer to Faire. So, I will be having a few non-blog days, until Monday...ish. I think.

Maybe.

(Small edit: In the "OH, CRAP!!!" department, I just realized today is Wednesday, my scale day, and because all my stuff has been on different days, and I am going to be gone, we'll just call it a wash, ok? I have been excersizing almost every day, and eating... mostly better, so I will come back Wednesday next all full of vigor and hopefully less gravity. Mass? Whaddever...)

Another fine mess I've gotten us into...

2009-09-15T09:28:00.001-07:00

Even after the blasted deer got into the garden and ate about half the beans, I still was able to get enough picking for a good couple meals. It was an interesting time snapping beans. I did this outside. It sort of went like this:

Pick up bean. Put down Tux. Take off ends. Put down Tux. Toss ends in garden. Realize Buzz just got bean end in her ear. Put down Tux, yet again. Snap bean and put in bowl. Run Buzz away from bowl. Put down Tux.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

As much as I love my cats, this was getting to be a total comedy of errors... But I had a fur-free bowl of beans when I finished, so that's the important part.

I hadn't checked the zukes in a few days. This isn't a good practice. This is the good stuff that I can use. The others, that wouldn't be out of place for batting practice will be going to the chickens. (I try not to waste the stuff, and found the chicks adore the zukes. The older chickens, and the llamas don't really care. Rudee thinks it's a 'toy', and mauls the thing for a while and leaves a mess, and the cats? Well, they are cats... But the chicks more than make up for the other's apathy, so they will be eating well. I will have some more zukes to make bread and such with, so it all works out well.

9/11

2009-09-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Not much I am going to say. Please remember those who died, and honor them as you see fit.

Thank you.