As Changeable As The Day Is Long

Simplify....
I wanted to simplify since I found that the look of my blog was too overpowering... too busy... too .... well,... much!  Thus, I have this new look.
I also wanted to change some things that hadn't been changed in over a year so all the links to the right have different pictures. I like it...it's me. At least for now.

About this time of the year each year I get this urge to play around with how things look. Most of the time it is the house... I want my house to look great for Christmas so I start pushing and pulling furniture around in an effort to clean up and make things neater.  Well I just did that about three weeks ago so I'm not really in the mood to do it again.... (though the computer really would be better over in the corner of the living room and the TV really would be best under the steps.... and my chair....  well, I'll think about that later.)  Teapot says he will stop coming home if I move the furniture between now and Christmas. So.... I then thought about my hair.... But last year I cut it and though I liked it for a day or two.... well... a day or two just isn't long enough... (I've spent the whole year regretting that change.)

So what on this God almighty earth could I change that would feed my need for change.... "Ahhh," says I.... "the blog." I went to work straight away and this is what I came up with.

In the process it took me several tries to upload the new pictures that you see above and to the right and at first Blogger wouldn't allow me to do it... (they said that I had reached my photo storage limit) but I figured out that if I re-sized my photos that are in storage (all the ones that I've posted since 2008)  then everything would be ok.  I spent two hours doing that. I only got 200 photos re-sized... there's still another 800 or so to go. So I stopped for today.  I really do want to get some of my level 5 homework done. But I really like the look of the blog.... it's different... at least for me.  No photo.. just black and white drawings.... It suits my mood which seems to be grey... the weather is grey... the skies are dark... and I spend approximately 15 hours out of every 24 in the dark. A little blue to perk things up (even though blue is cool) and I'm happy.

In actuality, all this explaining something I can't explain is dumb.... let's just say I'm fickle and be done with it...
I'm likely to change everything back again tomorrow... or not... 

Mmmm....

Orange Juice...
Old Cheddar Cheese....
Popcorn with no butter....

Fat Free chocolate Pudding....
Lunch with dessert..

Om, nom, nom....Yum!

What are you havin'?

Wherrrrre Arrrrrre Youuuuuu Honeydewwwwww

Our Llama Honeydew moved onto her new farm a month ago and along with her went the sheep. Teapot and I spent a full afternoon trying to get them ready for their new digs... we wanted them to have a healthy start to living in a new place.  The gentleman who bought them gave me some misgivings since I didn't feel entirely sure that he knew what he was getting himself into.... but then I didn't know anything at all about sheep when I started shepherding and they and I ended up no worse for the wear. So it came as quite a shock on Remembrance day when Teapot came home from the Cenotaph and said, "you know those people by the name of F-------? Well they have Honeydew and the sheep!"

Oh yes, I knew who he was talking about. They were one of the only families who had sheep in my vicinity when I first moved here 14 years ago.... but they had retired and stopped having sheep about 8 or 9 years ago.  Evidently while Teapot was having coffee and cookies and meeting with the people who stayed behind after the service at the ceremony the wife of the F------- couple came up to him and told him that they had purchased our sheep.... (I wonder if the guy we sold our sheep to turned a profit! : \ Hmmm....). To say that we were surprised that they had changed hands once again would be putting it mildly. But we are easy going people and took it all in our stride.

With all that has been going on I have wondered why we have not been contacted regarding the ram. The guy that we sold them to was supposed to come pick up the ram ages ago.  The ram is still languishing (he's missing his girls for sure) here in our yard. It is breeding season. For Pete's sake (I wish I knew who Pete was.... but I digress) what the heck is happening... people can't seem to get it together.  But finally I think that we have a plan in place.  The lady came and spoke to me at the Remembrance day dinner in the evening and told me that she would come and get the ram in a couple of weeks as they were still trying to get things set up to take the ram.... she told me about how Honeydew had moved in and was taking good care of the sheep and that she was settling in and that they had even managed to get a halter on her. (That's more than we were able to do in all the years that she lived with us.) I guess they had to coax her with lots of grain but the sheep were happy to follow her in and out of the trailer... she is now getting used to their dog and is spending her days watching for threats in her new digs.

Now while I have put them out of my head, I have occasionally looked out into our yard and wondered what's happening with Honeydew and the sheep. So I am glad to know they have moved to a place where shepherding is familiar and where they will care for them the way they should be.  I might even be able to buy a scattered fleece from them... It's all good, and hopefully... just hopefully we will see the end of the ram (Ipwitch) soon too.

After A Long Weekend

While some began their week with the letter C yesterday, I am beginning my week this morning with the number 5. I love the number 5. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. (That was an evil Count Countula laugh in case you didn't know... did anyone hear thunder and lightning?) I have had a couple of days off as this little family has enjoyed a nice 4 day long weekend. This being the 5th day, with everyone heading back to school.... and me working on level 5 homework and having 5 questions done that now need to be written up... (actually I have more than 5 questions done but these are the ones not in my book yet), and having 5 animals sitting at my feet as I work, I guess it is as good a theme for the day as any.  On top of that there are 5 weeks and 5 days left before Christmas.... so this really is a Hallmark day for the number 5.

So to start.... I have all the first section finished and ready to go in my book... I know I said that before but honestly I had a look at one of my samples and was completely dissatisfied with it so decided to redo it.  I had spun a blend of Rayon, wool, and cashmere and while it turned out quite nicely, I felt that the blend was not an appropriate choice and so redid it using rayon and alpaca at a 50/50 percent. It came off the wheel heavily overspun (to the tune of 6 twists in the skein!) but I washed it in a nice soft warm water bath with a little soap, gave it a few good wacks, and voila..... perfect. Now I am completely happy with that section. I will write it up today and get it into my book. Then onto the next section which is partially done and partially in my book.

So the five animals is the next topic... yes we have finally come to terms with the fact that on September 16th when Squeeky (the Whore) went streaking out between Teapot's feet after being in the house for three weeks, that was the end of her.... She has not been home since and we haven't even seen a hide nor hair of her. I think she was so completely besotted with the idea of sex, that she headed for the nearest male without a backward glance. We think that she has either found a new family to live with... or the coyotes that have been extremely active in the last three months, have gotten her. Either way, she is not likely to be coming home again... We thought we would see her again when the snow came... but it has been snowing for the last few days so we have given up, I think, (Daughter #1 is still holding out hope)... We still have the wee kitten (which we have named Little Monster) here living with us. She has turned into a lovely wee kitten... though she loves to eat. And while she is short in the body, she makes up for it in girth.  She has begun to look like a sweet and chunky little thing and oozes attitude. She attacks a dog bum with little or no notice... It is fun to watch, because as she does this you can watch her planning where she will run to hide as the dog of choice (usually Narmin), will turn and give chase only to lose her behind or under some piece of furniture.  Now that both Narmin and Little Monster are getting bigger and finally coming into their adult skin,

Narmin still has a puppy ish look to his face.

they are both getting too big to go into some places and that is hilarious to see, since when they try to get in and can't. The expressions on their faces are hilarious. It's hard to believe that they are both six months old now.

Little Monster has a look of eveil-ness in her face in this picture.... all attitude is this wee kitty.

Over the weekend Teapot surprised me. I had asked for him to put up the rest of the wood-burned tiles I had finished for the ceiling in the sunroom and he did it...!!

We are making progress with this project. 7 tiles went up this time.

Which is awesome... but then he totally surprised me and put up the paneling in the upstairs bathroom...

I'll finally be able to hang my towel racks. I will have to paint this since some of the wood paneling has discoloured...

so now after three years the bathroom upstairs has more than tuck tape and plastic sheeting covering the exterior wall...  I do need to paint the wall though since we had decided last winter to paint two walls in our bedroom and leave the other two natural...but now the bathroom looks odd because it is all plain. So I will paint the wall tomorrow after Teapot brings home a paintbrush this evening.  Then I will put the vinyl flooring on the bathroom  (maybe on the weekend) and a few pieces of trim around the window... It will look awesome. Still there are a few electrical things that need to be done. There are a few more outlets to finish and a light fixture that needs to go into the bathroom. Then there is a closet that needs cedar siding and there is no door to the bathroom yet but these things will come I'm sure. We just have to tackle each job as we can.  (Maybe by the time I'm 90!!! ; D)

So there you have it... a weekend update brought to you by the number 5.... Ahhh, there's the lightning now.... Count Countula would be very happy indeed! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Ha ha ha ha ha I love the number 5.

Hope your having a good day...

Continuation Of The Gender Gap Thing

Oh dear! It has come to my attention that some have taken offense to Teapot being referred to as "Jackass..."  When I told him this, he laughed.... so he has no problem with me calling him Jackass.... as long as I didn't really mean it... and I didn't.... However, having said that, sitting on the can with one's legs unable to touch the floor because they are somewhere in the air and your butt is covered in coldish water, does tend to make you lose your sense of equilibrium.... so for those of you who think that I have a low opinion of my husband.... well I may have had for about 20 seconds. Then I got back in bed and it passed through my head that I would embellish the story a bit for the blog, but posting such a story would be hilarious and I began to laugh... that's when Teapot actually woke up and wanted to know what I was laughing at.... he snorted and promptly went back to snoring....

So here I sit trying to explain myself... Don't worry... Teapot is not being hard done by.  When I read the story to him, he thought it was hilarious.  I've always appreciated his sense of humour.  It's one of the main reasons for marrying him. If you can't laugh your way through life.... well it would be dull indeed.

Another thing that I appreciate about my Teapot is that occasionally all caution can be thrown to the wind and we can do the unexpected, without a backward thought.  On Saturday nights, we love to listen to Randy Bach on CBC radio. He has a great show called Vinyl Tap where he picks a theme each week and plays music that falls in with that theme. Saturday night past was spent listening to "Great Voices". So when Nat King Cole came on with "Unforgettable" I turned it up and grabbed my husband and took him for a dance around the living room.... at one point he caught me with tears in my eyes and started to laugh because he knew that it was not due to sadness... no indeed, it felt really good to be held in his arms as we danced around our living room and I had to wonder how many more couples were dancing in their living room too as they listened to that very same tune.  I hope we are still dancing in our living room when we are 90.

So please don't worry... just because he left the toilet seat up doesn't mean that we are on the verge of a divorce..... Really it is just one more thing to laugh about. 

"God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."
Voltaire


"If every word I said could make you laugh, then I would talk forever..... "
Unknown


These two quotes are great, I think, as life philosophies!
Bare that in mind next time you fall in a toilet.... or some such similar incidence.

In The Dark Of The Night.... The Gender Gap Rears It's Ugly Head

She crawled out of bed. It was 2:47 a.m. by the clock shining red in the dark of the night. Her spouse lay sleeping peacefully on the bed she just had vacated. She thought, when did he come to bed I wonder. I must have fallen asleep before he came to bed because he wasn't there... the last thing that I remember was laying  my book on my chest and Narmin snuggling into my back.

She carried on with her intent which was to use the washroom as she had had several cups of tea after supper and it was weighing heavy on her bladder. Stepping carefully, so as not to step on any sleeping dogs, she gingerly made her way to the bathroom. It was very annoying that she had to step over the training board going into the bathroom. The training board was a piece of plywood measuring 18 inches by 36 inches and it was standing up on its long end leaning against the wall and acted as a barrier to the wee dog that had a tendency to get into the garbage in the bathroom. As she stepped over it she scraped her toe. She was not entirely awake, but that was a good thing because it meant that she would go back to sleep after her chore was done. She would crawl into the bed again with her sweetheart and cuddle up with his arm wrapped around her and go back to sleep... sweet oblivion.

She stepped over to the toilet intent on relieving her bladder, and sat down.... which is when she experienced a terrible shock....there was no toilet seat.... he had left it up again! After her butt hit the cold water and she had relieved her temper of several nasty curses, she managed to extricate her backside from the offending bowl. Grabbing the toilet seat she quickly finished the business at hand, stormed into the bedroom, and hit her husband with a pillow from the bed startling him from his sweet slumber.

After the cops had been called her temper had been relieved, she crawled back into bed (with a very confused husband who was wondering if he was dreaming) where she stared at the ceiling all night planning all kinds of nasty things for the jackass she had married.

So much for a good night of peace and tranquility... 

The End. : )

PS It took guts this morning to hit the publish button.... but in the end, she did so because we've all had moments like this when Murphy has had a good chuckle at our most intimate faux pas.... right?

Ack!!! Holy Crapamoly!

"I'm a little teapot short and stout.... here is my handle, here is my spout."  I've got to keep singing... I've got to keep singing... head down arse up and keep positive thoughts in my head! 

"Oh dear! I think that might hit us....," I say this morning to Teapot as I have a look at the satellite pictures of future weather systems headed our way.

This was a scary thing for sure.

We have almost no propane left to heat our house... yes, I remembered to call for a fill-up this morning... but their not sure if they can get here before the weekend... Great! Lets hope that no nasty storm hits for a few days, 'cause that's just plain scary.... it kind of reminds me of Armageddon....

Maybe I've been watching too many movies.....

Still, I think I'll go find some extra blankets....

We can always wrap the house in wool..... right?! I think I have enough around here.....

I'm off for a day of drinking gallons of water since the d-mn UTI is resistant to the latest anti-biotic they put me on... I hate super bugs.