Back to Normal.. .Whatever that is!

Molly flew out to Utah this morning leaving me to my own devices for entertainment. She has kept me busy and exhausted for the last 2 weeks but I miss her already. The only thing I can think of to do is take down the Christmas tree. Horrible thought. I have always hated to see the holidays end and that feeling isn't subsiding with age.

Packing with airline regulations in mind, Molly and I searched for a 3 ounce bottle for her new hand lotion. Finding the perfect vessel, I dumped the last of its contents into my palms and slathered it all over my legs. Something was wrong for sure. The creamy lotion was stinging horribly because it was not lotion but hair conditioner. Yikkes!!! On the bright side, the hair on my legs is laying down nicely and I sure do smell good. Got Molly to the airport with no traffic... amazing for Baltimore... and Lillian to school only to return home to hear Bill yell as he pirouetted down the hill behind the house while trying to empty the wood stove ashes. After determining he was OK, we got him back in the house covered with ashes. Ashes were even in his ears. I got him to laugh (actually it was more like groan) by telling him that he needed to stop making an "ash" of himself while I am gone. Glad he didn't fall earlier.

My new yarn and roving are ready at the mill but I've had enough" excitement" and driving for today so that will have to wait. It is nagging at me wondering what the stuff at the mill looks like though. Think I'll just sit by the tree and spin or read my new book... The Intentional Spinner and pretend it's still the holidays for one more day.

Welcome 2011

This year is starting out quite well. Over 50 degrees today. The pipes in the barn thawed after a December in the deep freeze. No buckets to carry and no gloves needed!!!! Working with the sheep was such a peaceful time in this busy season. It felt so good to rub some noses and take my time feeding. I had dragged a water tank with a burned out heater over to the house hoping that an "elf" would find it and replace the heating element for me. I even left the new element in the box in the tank. Nobody got the message so today I replaced it myself. Why didn't I do that right from the start? Funny how you just get used to someone else doing that stuff for you and you don't think you are capable of doing yourself. It was so amazingly easy that I don't know why I had let that electrical cord intimidate me.

Molly had helped me feed the starving masses in the barn on those really cold days. Knowing she will return to Utah in 4 days makes me sad. She has kept me busy going places.... looking for organic foods, skinny jeans ( definitely not for me) and a million other "needs". At least we weren't in NYC for the big snow this year. Four more days of running with her and then it will be quiet here and time to get ready for lambs. Can't believe it's that time again.

Visions of Sugar Plums

After 3 weeks of constructing fruit baskets for the local orchard, visions of sugar plums instead of tumbling apples and pears are welcomed. Our tree is beautiful.... selected and decorated by Lillian and Molly. I rested my aching feet and legs and elected to put the hooks on the ornaments and hand them to the girls." Just like Grandma used to do", was Molly's comment. Just another family tradition I guess. Looking forward to a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and lots of memories of Christmases past and those people that were part of them and made the holiday so happy.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas doing all the things that you love with those you love to be with.

HGTV

Who says watching TV is a waste! I love those do it yourself shows and today it paid off. I got a great deal on insulated blinds and brought several home. Bill tried to install them since he is the renovator of this old home and there is nothing he can't do..... well that was before Parkinsons. His hands shook so much that even with my trying to steady them the screwdriver couldn't connect with the screw head. We did find ourselves laughing in spite of the frustration. The thought of paying someone to install blinds made me determined to take all the knowledge gleaned from HGTV and get the job done. With Bill's guidance, I managed to get the insulated blinds up and working. I feel empowered!

BRRRR

The coldest December I can remember in a long time is upon us. Windy!!!! Frozen hoses in the barn, tank heaters plugged in and hands so cold that I injured one and don't know how or when I did it. The injury makes barn chores longer and I don't know if I will be able to continue my job at the local orchard building seasonal fruit baskets. Tomorrow will be the test.

The Bobcat and I have come to an agreement this year. It starts for me! Up until recently it never did but it seems to sense that I need all the help I can get moving the large bales purchased form a local dairy farmer from the pick up bed to the barn. It needed gas so I tried to pour what little was left in the can into the Bobcat in the wind and half the gas poured down my sleeve. BRRR. As long as no one strikes a match near me I'll be fine but the sheep wonder who I am. Sure don't smell like Mom.

I left for the barn this afternoon leaving Bill and the dog asleep on his chair. It's one of those chairs that lifts Bill to an almost vertical position. Well, while I was gone, the dog hit the button and Bill and Rusty rose from a comfortable reclined position to almost being catapulted out the window! When I came in Bill, was screaming in a half awake state while Rusty clung to Bill's shoulder fearfully. Katy Perry was warbling away on the Ellen Show. The other dogs, dozed through the whole ordeal without moving. The whole picture struck me funny and Bill even managed to laugh with me after he calmed down. Gotta love those dogs.

It's suppose to get colder but the winds will calm. At least we don't have snow like so much of the US. Molly says our temperature are balmy compared to what they have had in Utah. 2010 is going out with a BANG.

Shades Of Shetland Shawl

I made this as a gift but since I've worn it several times so I'd better keep this one and make another! Don't want to give a used gift! It is handspun wool from the different colors of my Shetlands. It is so soft and warm and was so easy to make!

Today I got inspired to spin Shetland from several different fellow breeders and
call this shawl Friendly Shades of Shetland. I've got beautiful soft moorit roving from the Lloyds in Colorado, some soft white from Ramsay Farms in Minnesota and several colors from Celtic Herd right down the road. Along with my colors this shawl should be spectacular. Glad I've got tomorrow off so I can just sit and spin!

A PA Yankee Goes South

Collard greens,sweet potato pie,butter beans and a ride on my son in law's Harley. Not exactly a yankee celebration but soo much fun.