Smoky Sky for Saturday

Hi, sorry to have been among the missing. I really wasn't, I just couldn't think of anything to say. Fortunately, this pic was really taken on Thursday. A planned grass burn that got a bit carried away with itself. No structures, or people or animals were injured. It did, however, impact my work as I spent a lot of time taking pictures outside. Grass fires=spring in Oklahoma. The wind today is a major problem. Wayyyyyyyyyyyy windy, but clear and in the 50s.

And while I've been gone, knitting has been happening. Behold Monkey #1. It still needs one more repeat to finish the leg. I can't tell you how much fun I am having with this pattern and this yarn. Dave..you really outdid yourself this time! I'm not going to set any speed records, but that's ok, because that just means I get to enjoy them longer. Hopefully this evening, I will get that last repeat done, and then start Monkey #2.

There's been other SUKCC going on also. I've been made aware that the hat I made for The Girl using some sort of cheap camo yarn has become a pawn in a power struggle between her and her older brother. So I thought I should make him one even though it's not really cold enough now to wear it. But I didn't have any appropriate yarn. Only worsted I had was turquoise. Or just left overs from other things. And since I've been without transportation, shopping wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Yes, I could have ordered something, but the night I decided to do it...I wanted to start it RIGHT THEN. I'm like that. So delving into the good yarn stash, which is mostly sock yarn, I realized I had some lovely varigated browns dyed by the infamous Dave. And, it was already wound into two yarn cakes. So...using two strands of sock yarn I started this hat. 2x2 ribbing and then plain stockinette. Hopefully it will fit him. As soon as it gets a bit bigger, I'll check it and try to figure out how far to go before the decreases start. And it's really really soft and pretty.

Today though, it's going to be sewing time. Way back some time ago, I stitched together some precut squares to make a summer quilt top. It wasn't quite big enough but I put off buying more squares because other things demanded my check book. This week, though, I discovered that the place I'd ordered them before Fat Quarter Shop had them on sale. So I ordered some and very quickly they arrived in the mail. And this morning, several more rows have been stacked for sewing. Originally, I tried to make sure that there weren't like colors touching. This time, I dumped them in a sack and just picked them out randomly. The colors and the simplicity of this quilt (in my brain, at least) sing to me of summer naps with that soft, soothing fan noise.

And there's another sewing project that I haven't quite figured out yet. I want to make a bag for my swift. Since it has to stay in a small closet, I don't want to risk damaging it by it tumping over. And besides...the fabric is here. I don't know what it was supposed to be originally but I think it will work well for this.

There's yarn in the mail, or so I'm told, so it's all quite exciting around here. And once I balance the checkbook and pay the latest batch of bills, I may have to go back to Walmart because I discovered an ever-so-cute Rubber Ducky bathroom trash can LOL

But, wait! Really important news! My vehicle is running again!!! I asked my friend Richard to call the mechanic and see when he could get to it. (Mechanic talks over my shoulder. If there isn't a male standing behind me, he talks to the wall! But he's very good and reasonable and I have other wars to fight). He said that it would be Tuesday or Wednesday before he could start it but in the meantime, could Richard check the solenoid which is somewhere under the car. This had been discussed before, but apparently, if it goes out...it goes out. The car isn't going to not start one day and start the next. But Richard checked and guess what. There's a wire that goes to it, and it was barely connected. Apparently on the days it wouldn't start, it had wobbled itself away from contact. And then, maybe because I was stomping and cursing inside, it wobbled itself closer and would start later. Until recently when it wouldn't even try. He tightened it up and so far, I have driven home from work and to the store this morning. And, on the way home I discovered that gas has gone up 20 cents since the last time I bought any. :-( That's just not fair!

Now off to the sewing machine. What are you going to do today??