Hello for a minute.....fourth revision... I know, I know... it just isn't fair....

I've been so busy that I've not even knit more than a bandage the last few days. What a UFO slacker I am. Sheesh... When we come to see the girls, it really is run, run, run.

Last week we made it to the yarnshops The newest yarn shop was doing a hopping business but I'm sure that all the yarns I will be buying that come from China from now on will be off the web. I didn't buy the ecological/socially responsible chitchat after my DH pointed out that the yarn was from China. So it will be" the cheaper the better" where Chinese yarns are concerned. This, if I can't get the bamboo,hemp or soy silk yarns from another source entirely. I want to support the earth, human and animal friendly folks with my $$s. *eek, a soap box!*

We are going on a flea market excursion when we all get back together again. Yippie! I love flea markets. I'm told there is a seller of yarns, mostly acrylic, but that she has needles as well.

We also found a neat neighborhood yard sale. Someone was moving to Hawaii and they were selling out. For ten cents I got two handfuls of bamboo rods ( and lots of lovely chopsticks) that I can make into many things, including some knitting needles and hair ornaments. Also while snagging a willow basket, we came across more than five yards of 70% silk dupionne (sp) look alike in a beautiful deep red for $5. Since my DD's and I are making bags like the blue seashell one that is HERE, I'm thinking of making some matching needle roll ups for them.

Lorraine, to answer your question about the bobbins, they are the standard ones that came with that kit wheel. I asked DD what they were and she said she didn't know, so I am guessing that they are just standard. The bulky bobbin is something I think I'd like to have so when I order my wheel I will order extra bobbins. I think they are terribly expensive but it must be the engineering that does into it.

JoanM. Good idea. I am going to buy some fleece and just cut out a little one piece coat for him that wraps in the front and has a velcro closure on flaps under the belly and across the chest. He can wear it at night when it's so cold. Usually we tuck him inside our jackets at night when we are by a campfire, but he is getting cold at night while we slept, and the minute we woke up he jumped up and burrowed under the covers. Poor frozen puppy!

In the previous picture,behind of the tannish yarn, was a full bobbin of white yarn. And this is the mate to it so that she can ply a thick yarn. I gave her about one and half pounds of carded batt that I'd been spinning off forever. I think she might make my little dog a coat, at least she has said she is thinking of it. Jazzie shivers at night. It's Nippy at night!

The bobbin in the front is full of DD's first spinning at of some scruffy batt that she bought at an estate sale. She missed getting an Ashford Traditional wheel by ten minutes. That's when she went shopping.

This is a beautiful and fast little wheel. I am definitely getting a Louet wheel. I can't spin at all but am confident that I can learn to. Hee hee.

Pictures, for what they are worth.

I wasn't able to take actual spinning pictures because they would have been awful. The inside of a motor home at night is not very light and boy is it ever a bad photo studio!

So, on to the few pictures I took on DD's front porch. I have NO idea what they even look like because I've not even seen them yet on a monitor.

Besides new pictures, we are going to go to a new yarn shop. I can't wait! I'm trying to find soy or bamboo sock yarns without having to order on line. Wish me luck. I will give a full yarn shop crawl report soon.

We be spinning!

I will tell more later with pictures but just didn't want you to think I've been a slacker. And the little Louet fits right in front of my chair in the motorhome. It doesn't get any better than that!

I will be back soon with pictures of lumpy but otherwise GLORIOUS new yarn.

Three Winders and their work. The top ball was wound on the hand held. It's just a little tighter but it's still a center pull so the other ones can't make fun of it. The fine yarn ball winder is on the right, suffering identity crisis, and the new worsted/bulky is looking fat and sassy because it has employment and a future. This completes the accessories ensemble for the new swift, which sit smuggly to the left of all on the old oak desk. This was the office desk that belonged to my Mom, who smiles down upon me and looks in from time to time. Hi Mom!

This lovely arrived a week or so ago, before that massive storm hit the heartland of Jazz. So, I forgot about taking it's piccy.

What a difference it makes in life with hanks. The fold down/ take apart metal one that served indifferently for so many years will be relegated to travel, and perhaps a model for a future flat swift for the woodworker in the family. It's so ugly that it does not want it's picture taken.

A Day in the Life of Wee Doggie

No knitting though I'm getting organized better.

Marji and Karen, Jazzie went to the vet and $302.00+ later he has some meds for his infection.

The battle to get a large-ish antibiotic pill down him twice a day begins tomorrow. He's really good at getting it back out, so we stand him on the tile floor so we can see where he spits it out. I think 5 times is a record but he may surpass that in the days to come. There is nothing you can wrap it in that will get past his nasal radar. And, if those big brown eyes could speak he would be saying, "You may be the alpha female but I don't want that icky food, and you should just give it up already!" There are also eye drops but that will be lots easier. His temp is now back down to normal.

I'm copying out any and all suggestions on the Yahoo Groups Louet Wheel group for me and for DD that sound remotely applicable to beginning wheel spinners. From the looks of this, all beginners get globby yarns if they get anything at all, so this is going to be outrageously funny and fun. I can hardly wait to get with it. Just a few more days to go.

Tonight we had dinner with our little rockhound rotation group and I am soooo jealous of my best friend's new kitchen. It is so lovely! With all her task lights on tonight, and the dining room put back together, it's really a lovely room. My kitchen here is last to be done. We still have to plan it out in last detail. It's never been remodeled since the house was built in the 50's so there is a lot to think about. After what has happened to our country in the last three weeks, I no longer feel that I am in anyway deprived by not having had this done already. I just feel my blessings like never before.

Marji, so far no more tremors in San Diego but a micro quake in Anza, about 70 miles away in the last hour, and there has been a cluster in the last day all along the San Andreas Fault. In fact, if you look at the quakes, you can follow the fault line right there. That map link will refresh to the latest quake if you click on the "latest Quake" tab at the top of the map, then on California, then on the red or blue tab. I am pretty fascinated by quake activity.

Digging out the spinning books

I am going to be helping my DD soon with spinning on her new wheel, and may be ordering a wheel for myself soon, too, so it's time to gather all the spinning stuff up including the books. I'll post some pictures of the process if I have time over the next few weeks. DH is getting a dumpster ordered for the remodelling. We'll see how this all plays out. Hee hee.

Everything else is at a stand still at the moment, so little time to blog.

Jazzie got bitten in the face by a friend's small but slightly larger dog who has always been mean to him. She attacked him while I was feeding him something and nearly got my hand, too. I am really angry that her owners think that it's funny when she does what she does. He is not her only victim. Other dog owners in her neighborhood stay away from her, and she isn't leashed when she is walked because "she is 15 years old and sort of slow", according to her owners, who are in their 80s. They are good friends but have this blind spot.

Anyway, what is happening is that she hurt his eye and the tears are draining down into his sinus cavity and he is sneezing to get the extra moisture out. I'm trying to figure out if I can use my eye drops in his eye or not but will probably buy some especially for dogs. He's eating well, and drinking his water. Since we are retired I can't over react and take him to the vet all the time since the vet is $100 just for the prelim visit. I really wish I WAS a vet.

Added a Quake Link to the USGS

There was another quake in the desert, a prelim 5.5, and it's becoming what is called a "swarm". So, I added a link to the maps. This is getting to be a little too exciting. Swarms are what geologists are looking at as preceding a bigger earthquake.

Looking through my new knit books this AM, I've found something to do with this ugly thing..

Icky looking purple monster sweater









At last, something that has a chance of being pretty enough to wear!

I'm sorry I can't scan the Vogue picture in, but it is a beautiful little raglan cardigan.

Two Little Earthquakes two days in a row

I was just typing in a comment and another little tremblor struck, rocking the desk the keyboard sits on. They are the sort that seem deep. I just looked it up and it was centered in Tijuana, just across the border with Mexico.

Earthquake five minutes ago


And the other one yesterday was, too. Things are on the move.

Today, I was on the move, and got myself two new knitting books. My sister and Hubby and I went to have lunch and stopped in at the local Barnes and Noble. DH gave me his gift certificate and I bought Vogue Knitting Very Easy Knits, and Exquisite Little Knits. I looked at some others but chose these because of the patterns in them. Wow! Gorgeous books. Tomorrow I'm staying home and out of the shops! DH bought me two tiny earring sets, little stars and crosses with CZs in them. I am not a diamond sort of girl, but I do like the sparkley little CZs.

These quakes have me edgy. It's nerve wracking waiting for some other disaster to strike with New Orleans in ruins and so many people dead or suffering. Money is all there is to offer when you are so very far away. We are still waiting to hear the fate of an ex sweetheart of an co-worker of my sister. I've stopped reading about it and even reading the comments people have made about it.

I'm angry that our government has sent so many of the national guard units to Iraq, for their own nefarious purposes, and now we have too few people to help here at home. There, I've gone and had a controversial opinion planted in the blog, something that I was going to avoid at all costs.

I fixed it.

Had to start a new blogger page to view the codes on the original page and then gingerly LIFT the code up out of the new one into this one, but it worked! I also thought of it and did it all by myself.

I want a great big piece of four layer red velvet cake now please.....

Peek a boo Comments.. Booo hooo hooo!

Well, I started fiddling with the code again, wanting comments to show in the main page and not in a pop up. I've got a little clash here. DH will have to scan his eyes over this.. maybe it's the anonymous comment block that has to go next.

Oh well, Sorry I don't think I can have comments for awhile unless some HTML miracle happens and Jane, I really, reaaaaally tried. I want this thing!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz need sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep