WHAT'S UP DOC? THIS AND THAT!

Welcome to some new followers.  Jessica and Harry.  They are preparing to enter the world of full timing.  Also we welcome RonTOG  What does it take to become an old geezer?  Am I there yet?  


Sue Castle has joined as a follower, but I can't find her blog!  Sue let me know how to find you!  Donna K from Travels in Therapy has also joined our family, welcome! Miss Lazee, welcome to you too!  What a cute name!  Michael, love your blog!  The simpler life is what we want!


Every time I think I have a closet cleaned out, I find something else I can donate!  What's up with that?   Closets and drawers are becoming the bane of my existence.  I suppose all you full timers out there are giggling right now, right?  


Friday, an antique dealer came.  She named prices she was willing to pay for each piece.  We sold a few pieces and all our books to her.  The pieces we kept, we are going to send to an auction house that is well known for getting the best prices.  That has to wait until the house is sold since all are part of the staging.  The pieces that left Friday were not part of the staging process.

Yesterday, Saturday, we went to our granddaughter Lucy's gymnastic meet.  Watching this thirty one pound, very short seven year old do the beam, floor exercise, vault and the bar was quite a nail-biting experience.  She earned two medals and improved her scores in each of the exercises.  

Lucy, is not really competitive.  She is there to have fun.  This comes as a shock to her mom.  


When Holly, her mom and daughter number three was in middle and high school, she was a very competitive varsity volleyball and basketball player. Her loyalty to her teams was admirable. 


When she was a junior, she started having severe headaches.  I took her to our family physician.  He asked her if she was under any stress or trying to make an important decision.  


Voila!  The answer came out.  Holly was an honor student, yearbook editor, and athlete.  Her senior year was coming.  She knew she could not play in college since she was going to study pre-med.  What was she going to do?  Waste her time and take someones spot who REALLY wanted to play?  Or would she tell her coaches her decision and focus even more on school.  Once she made the decision, her headaches were gone!


She is a good mom, she's a pediatric oncologist and hematologist.  She allows Lucy determine her goals and gives Lucy the encouragement she needs.  No pressure.  


Oops, I digress.


Tomorrow, John works on the guest bath.  He will be installing new hardware at the tub, shower and vanity sink.  A new light will go up and the walls are to be painted.  


It has been raining here since last night.  Flood warnings are being broadcast.  At least it is not ice or snow!  It will be a good day to work inside!  A good day for me to go through all the kitchen cabinets and whittle down the contents.  I had no idea we had accumulated to much "stuff."


People are amazed that I can let go of so much.  I keep saying that it is just things, just "stuff."  It's much more important to lay our treasures in heaven than to try to accumulate on earth.  


While watching the Colt's game today, I noticed the commercials touting the term "you deserve."  What makes us deserve?  The fact that it's time to spend money on Christmas presents?  I don't get it.


And the message that we must have the biggest and best and newest cell phone, car, truck, clothing, diamonds cuts me to the quick! Oh yes, don't forget to charge everything on your American Express, Visa or Master Card!  (so they can charge you interest if not paid in full.)


We forget that Christmas the celebration of Christ.  And this Christ then gave us the most valuable Christmas gift.....eternal life.  Even though we do not deserve it, he gave His life in order that we have eternal life.  Now THAT is a true gift... that is grace.  


As we enter another week of travel, of work or whatever is on our schedules, keep in mind that we are offered the best of the best!


Thanks for visiting.  I have enjoyed your comments.  


God bless you in His season!  

Flood Warnings and Crank In

Right at this minute it is not raining.  We came to the Brown County State Park in Nashville, IN for the annual Brown County crank in.  We arrived in the rain and are supposed to return home in the rain.  Thank goodness for the motor home to keep us dry and comfy. We have even stayed a day longer than planned in hopes of no rain and the ability to hike through the park.  I wanted to get photos of the beautiful Dogwood in bloom.  That is not to happen this year.

I did get pictures of the crank in that was held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Nashville library.

I was surprised to see 'crankers' from Canada, Minnesota, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois as well as those of us from Indiana.  The crank in is for fellowship and for learning new techniques or like me, just learning how to use my  antique circular sock machine. 

Friday was extremely frustrating for me.  I had problem after problem.  Jenny Deters worked with the machine and found that I had 5 0r 6 rusty needles that were making stitches drop.  One problem solved.  I got so excited,  I forgot to follow the pattern and had to rip the sock out.  Back to the beginning # 1.  I started again and forgot the second step....dang, I was sooo excited and wanted to crank that sock out quickly!....Rip it out again and on to beginning #2.  Now, I thought,  I would remember the steps!  On I knit, ......  oops, I dropped another bunch of stitches.  Beginning #3, #4, #5...by now, I had a raging headache!  I kept going though, this silly machine was not going to get the best of me, no siree, not, no way!  Let's see now, I start again and again dropped stitches.  By now it was 6:30, I had not had lunch, had a raging headache, was so frustrated that I thought I could just scream. 

Instead of making a spectacle of myself, I chose to head back to the park and the safety and comfort of the motor home.  I was greeted at the door by John....all smiles!  "Well, how did it go?"  I held back the tears and grouched at him instead.  I grabbed a ham sandwich and was in bed before darkness fell. 

Saturday morning, I woke up ready to tackle that machine.  I walked to that dratted machine and thought, buddy, I'm BACK.....we ARE going to make socks today, so no more dropping stitches today, ya hear?   That machine didn't hear!  I kept dropping stitches until an angel from Illinois came over and asked if she could have a try at my CSM. Even she dropped stitches!

 She went over the CSM just like Inspector Gadget and found another problem.  When using the CSM and you are knitting socks, weights are supposed to create tension.  If the tension is too tight or to loose, the CSM will not knit properly.  Usually to drop stitches.  Barb Woodard, my angel from Illinois, gave me tips on placing the weights so that the entire sock is at the same tension. Voila!  I was off and knitting.  When the sock was almost finished, yep, I did it again, I dropped 3 stitches. I had not moved the weights up as the sock was knitting.  Lesson learned and another rip out.  BUT this time I was not discouraged.  I started the sock, stopped for the evening and went back to the motorhome for a delish dinner, thanks to dear John!  I didn't go hide in bed and we even played a game!  I took Oliver for a walk and we sat by the campfire that would not start.  What a nice evening...until more rain came! 

Sunday morning came and I was off to my last day at the crank in.  I cranked a bit, talked to a lot of crankers then came "home".  I set up the CSM in the motorhome and was off!  I'm to the toe now.  I have never come this far.  I dropped a stitch!  Guess why! HA!  I left it be and went to bed.  When I got up yesterday, I decided to take the day off and now, today, I am gonna pick up that stitch and finish that sock....hopefully, it's mate. 

When I purchased the CSM at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival in September, I was warned that there was a huge learning curve.  I underestimated just how huge it is.  I feel that I'm over the hump, but will still run into road blocks.  It's just like when I learned to spin my own yarn and now I am a good spinner. 

Now, what did John do all week end?  He re-couped from a cold and tied flies in hopes that someday, it will quit raining and he can go fly fishing. 

What a memorable week end! 
Blessings to all!  This IS the day the Lord has made....Let's rejoice and be glad!