All Hollow's Eve

LN  made her costume.

She helped her 4-H club decorate and pass out candy at a local high school.

Can you guess what she is?

Hmmmm ?

Any guesses?

I'll tell you later, think about it.

 

One of the administrators at the school had a cool get up.

I'm told it's from Lord of the Rings.

I've never seen it so you be the judge .

I just thought it was cool, his hat hit the ceilings in some hallways.

Lots of kids came, lots were overwhelmed.

Lots of parents are moochers in my opinion.

Tons pushed their 2 or 3 yr olds at LN telling them to "get your candy"

whether the child was comfortable or not.

When I was young we only trick or treated 1 time.

We were religious (think sect of Amish almost) so it was not allowed.

The one yr we went to family and friends house and made conversation and had snacks

and it was fun and friendly not a "grab fest" like it has become.

Our club was on it's 3rd - 5 gallon bucket of candy when we left.

I was disappointed in parents in general tonight.

LN was surprised at rudeness of them as well.

In other randomness...

LN walked her steer calf yesterday after Sandy had passed.

Proof it was not much of a storm here. She should be sliding in mud.

Baby Bones walked fine for her despite being turned out and not messed with much since Aug 1st.

Time to get back at it and time to wean him.

Let the screaming begin ... soon but not today ;/

Soon though...

This is about all the mess Sandy left.

Both our trucks were plastered with lots of tiny leave pieces.

LN is being Vanna White in her mind at least.

Definitely interesting the positions goats can get in hunting the perfect piece of grain isn't it?

Supposedly the bar sticking out was to prevent this but see how good it works?

OK did you guess what her costume was?

She's "the Fork in the Middle of the Road"!!!!

 

Hahahahahahaha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puddles

We are fine.

Sandy dumped alot of rain.

I checked this morning and it was at 3" along with what S dumped  yesterday another 8".

We lost power for 1 hour last night.

No biggie for us.

Although the eye passed right over us (not that weather channel talked about DE at all)

it really wasn't bad just alot of wind and rain.

Today is showing watery sunshine mixed with rain showers.

Still have a Level 1 driving restriction but lots of folks are ignoring it.
I don't know why an eraser is laying on the scarf.
To erase my mistakes? LOL

I'm making up my own pattern  and love this striped cotton yarn.

It's Sugar 'n Cream Stripes Rayures by Lily. 100% US grown cotton, processed in Canada.

Geez can't we process it ourselves? 

I made good progress on my knitted Christmas scarf and LN worked on her crocheted scarf.

Do you like her 4-H snuggie, she loves it?

LN drove me nuts with her inability to vegetate but that's what 13 yr old girls are like.

We watched tooooo many hours of the idiot box and I feel stupider for it.

The weather channel was annoying , totally skipping over DE saying storm was

Passing from Cape May NJ to Washington DC.

Hello people, DELAWARE is in the middle, duh.

Funny how there has to be millions of people living on top of each other in skyscrapers

to warrant news coverage.

Lots of Facebook pictures locally of massive flooding.

I am lucky in the respect that our  house literally sits on the highest ground in our county.

If  we flood y'all are dead kinda thing.

S has whined till I finally told him I didn't want to argue so turn on furnace if he wanted to.

He broke his neck getting to the thermostat I think.

I made it turn it back to 62* after he cooked us out this morning.

I think his diabetes is responsible but he doesn't admit it.

He's in denial in my book but it is his life.

If you lie to others it's one thing but to lie to yourself is another.

I've made peace with the fact he won't listen to me or try to control it.

He relies on medicines which are escalating and I believe diet and exercise is better choice.

It isn't my life so I've had to back off.

It has made me more diligent about my chances at High Blood Pressure and Diabetes though.

My family is riddled with it and I feel good to make it to this age without any issues.

All the critters weathered the storm as well.

Even the chickens. I have lots of sticks to pick up from there run but they hunkered down inside.

 

Sheep just want fed but even they who hate indoors ran for cover in the worst of it.

Goats were sent to the barn willingly. They hate getting wet.

 

Cows were on their own. They grazed some and stood tail to the wind some.

Yesterday I made vegetable/chicken/rice soup. LN requested it w/o veggies,  no go from Mama.

I made muffins and roast to on Sunday with all the fixings even gravy.

Today crockpot ham I think and more knitting after business bookwork and paying of bills.

Need to do bank run and post office but level 1 restrictions in effect.

We survived Sandy!

Yea!

Sandy???

Ready as I'll probably get for hurricane Sandy.
LN & I put up extra tin in back of barn that is open on east & south sides to let goats into retro fitted pen.
I opened gates to allow sheep into pen, they usually stay outside and prefer it.
I'll shut sheep and goats into smaller areas tomorrow so they are more accessible if it's necessary.
I shut horse and cows out of big pasture, afraid they'll lay in hedgerows if trees blow down.
My SIL S2 brought  round bale we put out to them in case water comes up where we drive it down to them normally.
I filled all 5 large water tubs to top.
I filled lots of buckets just in case inside barn for chickens or inside sheep area.
Inside the house I filled tub with water containers to flush with.
I filled more containers in kitchen for downstairs toilet.
I filled truck up with diesel, think S did his too.
S put tractor behind barn under overhang.
I filled gas can up with fresh gas for generator.
Tonight in the dark I cleaned house gutters with flashlight and LN holding ladder, it was so needed.
I just thought about it and didn't want water in basement so unsafe maybe but necessary very.
I got roast out to thaw for supper tomorrow either in crockpot or in propane oven if electric goes.
I have tons of yard and fabric to occupy myself during melee.
Minor details...
YES I have plenty of food for us in canning jars and freezers generator will keep on if needed.
No we didn't have to shop for anything just gas for generator.
Oops I forgot I went to neighbor for my regular gallon of raw milk I usually get every 4 or 5 days.
I own feed store so critters feed and hay is plus also.

And...

LN & I went to Philadelphia Union Soccer game in Philly today with 2 friends.
Another friend gave us 50 yd line 5 rows up seats .
We loved the seats and rooted Union on but alas it ended with them losing.
I got a nice speeding ticket because I rushed after doing all of the above before we left.

All and all I'm as ready as I think I'll get.
Be sure to look at DE on weather channel.
We're the state in all scenarios that is dead center but not really mentioned.
It's not a question of if  but a definent.
Hmmm wonder if Sandy knows this and will skip over us?
I'll try to update and take pictures, today I was too hands on to take any.

Here we go.

Finally

I did it. I finished her hat in record time too for a rookie.

Cables look pretty good too although hat is tan as in top picture not grey.

Time for a camera soon I hope.

Hello, Santa??? Are you there?

LN likes it too. We fiddled with it and it slouches a little.

Her face is dark but what do you think?

It doesn't take away from the coat right?

It should complement not compete.

Be honest.

Dumb, I think NOT

I am NOT as dumb as I thought apparently.

Look what I am figuring out .

Knitting a hat for LN's outfit for MIWW.

Did you hear me?

I knitted in the round.

I'm knitting cables too although in the early stages and I  haven't decreased yet..

It's like a lightbulb clicked on and I'm getting it.

I'm relieved, it proves there's hope for mankind.

I know others find it easy but I didn't.

I read Knitting for Dummies (well bits of it ) and I You-Tubed some.

It clicked in me teeny, tiny brain so I went with it.

I even changed colors successfully.

Weeeeee...

I have apparently increased the pattern by 1 knit stitch but I refuse to frog

because it doesn't matter overall.

I'll know and now you'll know but with only 12 followers

I'm not affecting "World Peace" or anything.

I've even managed to frog back to a mistake I noticed without losing whole project.

That's a biggie with me.

The orange scarf with lacey pattern I'm attempting has been restarted about 8 times now. 

It's on hold while I finish the hat completely.

LN needs to send her entry form in with a picture soon.

I need to find her gloves as well.

Don't even suggest knitting them I'll not survive.

 

Lookie what one of my favorite customers brought me

(and my family but I informed him I wasn't sharing).

His last dahlias are gorgeous.

I love all the colors.

Pretty, Pretty, Pretty.

Mr. S is around 90 yrs young.

He is a avid gardener and grows massive quantities of vegetables to sell and consume.

He doesn't drive and has his son tote him and his veggies to market.

He told me about a propane driver he had to take his cane to because  "that young man wouldn't do what I wanted done".

I love him.

I love his generation, they are interesting and informative.

I gravitate to them and encourage them to talk about their lives.

I learn alot and they probably don't scratch the surface of their experiences.

Kids of all ages (even mine) should appreciate and learn from older people.

 



Cup of Tea

This weekend I did some retail therapy.

I tried to restrain myself and this is what occurred.

After game yesterday because I was close (that's my story and I'm sticking to it)

I picked up some white and beige/cream muslin cause you cant have enough

and other things jumped into my arms to be cut.

The bacon fabric is for LN I swear.

The other two are just cute as all get out and so.....

Saturday R came up to visit her cows so we went to lunch and then AC Moore (which should be outlawed) and I saw these mini ceramic loaf pans and thought they would work for teachers gifts.

Only $1.00 each so suckered me in although they are probably Chinese crap.

I actually needed these for LN 's MIWW outfit. She is putting a slouchy beret hat with it and these match well and are wool. She liked that and thought they fit the MIWW very well. All I have to do is find a pattern I can understand and learn to knit in the round right now in next few weeks before her picture goes to entries.

These are because I liked em plain and simple.

So there ....

Does anyone else have a pile of shoes right inside their doors?

At least it's not tracking all over floors right?

How about a dining table you can't find because the office has erupted all over it

because the office is stuffed too?

Laptop is personal but still.

 

R wants this purse in these fabrics.

Ahhhhh I need help NOW!

Ln wants to match these with ....

picture below

and the bacon fabric she found yesterday.

What the poop?

I have no idea how to even start.

 

 I need a cup of tea !



Checking In

Just checking in before going to sleep.

Yesterday was a fun day.

LN & I went to dinner with friends after helping their son get off to Homecoming.

I had hemmed his suit pants thursday night.

The lost art of sewing comes in handy alot.

The boy took a twin as his date with the other tagging along as a single.

Before the night was done the single twin and his date twin swapped.

I think the boy was confused and his 1st date experience wasn't the best but he actually liked the single twin in the end.

I am not looking forward to LN dating that's for sure.

Today was a soccer game again in PA off rt 202.

There just happened to be a certain quilt shop I might have stopped at and may have brought home some needed treasures.

Pictures will follow tomorrow I hope before LN's field hockey game.

Anyone else sense a theme to my days?

Oh well fall is waning fast and it will end soon for winter.

She isn't planning on playing winter ball only managing her wrestling team at school.

I started a new knitting project and have restarted it 3 times now.

I'm going to start again before I conk out.

I will learn this.

I will.



More and alot of zeroes!

More beans to the cows
More laundry to do endlessly, at least it's windy enough to dry it quickly most times
More winter prep chores to get done
More pickups of bred sheep tonight
More goats to pick up when???
More soccer and field hockey games to attend, let alone practices
More decisions to decide :}

That's alot of mores and I'm probably forgetting stuff!

Last night after field hockey game, soccer practice and filling up my Big Red with alot of diesal :/
I took LN to a interest meeting for People to People, she was chosen as possible ambassador.
The trip is to Australia for 17 days.
Our costs?
Just shy of $8000.00!
Yep, for the priveledge of being a great kid who does well in school and community.
WTH and WT every other letter you can imagine.
I didn't say no because S went as a teenager many, many moons ago.
My MIL offered to pay (she can't afford it but will charge it NOT happening).
LN was excited till a tentative date was thrown in and she would have to give up 4-H camp.
She has already committed to a 4-H exchange group as well that may conflict.
Her fair animals will be in daily training and close to fair date as well.
She can write an essay and possibly win a portion of a schlorship and do other fundraising.
Logistically and time wise it isn't looking good though.
I don't see this happening and LN is being understanding as we discuss it.
If she's such an awesome kid why is she paying for it?
So everyone in America please send money, lots of money, pennies, nickles, dimes.
I don't care the demoninations.
LOL I'm kidding.
I think?
Yea sure I'm kidding.

Multi Tasking

 

First things 1st- Hard to see maybe but YES that is a cow with her front body up on the wagon!

Gemstone is athletic I do believe and wanted every last bean.

Nothing goes to waste.

Num Num Num...

 This morning was a multi tasking type day.

I was rudely awaken by S (I wanted to sleep in )because he needed help

with some round bales that wouldn't stay on skids after he set them in the shed.

Remember we had 60 to get under cover before rain that doesn't seem to be coming ;/

S delivered 12 yesterday so 48 needed moved today.

Goose going to see why S isn't bringing the bale, he's so helpful.

Without him I wouldn't be able to yell "get out of the way Goose" a kabillion times a day.

 

Filling it up.

Done filled it up!

I carried all the skids under each bale , braced bales so 3 fit across ea. bottom row,

picked up trash and stuff, and

mowed some areas hopefully for the last time? in between S needing my assistance,

while having towels drying on the line and

Farmer combining soybeans behind our barn in the field.

Sheeze we's multi-taskers for sure.

Then ran to bank, to MIL's , back to bank for her (I didnt know 1st or would have made 1 bank run),

to post office, to another bank to drop payment off due today ;/, to school

seems LN forgot essential uniform piece for field hockey game (psst. her sports bra shhhh),

then to get lunch and back home.

Crazy morning.

Now gotta grab a shower and off to Seaford (hr away)  for FH game.

I will leave you with a picture of Popeye's relative

 

LN was at her 4-H banquet sitiing front and center yesterday.

She didnt care that she was right below the stage and podium either.

She's so serious don't you think?

She received some awards , some expected and a few surprises.

Her travel game was a win in last few moments so she was in rare form at the banquet after

we fed the beast!

 

 Tall and Lanky! She didn't get that from me.

Well off to field hockey .

 

 

 

DE Junior Winner

Well it looks like a trip to San Antonio Texas is in order in Jan 2013.

LN is Delawares Junior Champion in MIWW contest.

I can not get the plaid to photograph without looking wonky.

LN was judged as if she had a full class competing against her and judges said

"Yep, your outfit is competitive so off to Nationals you scoot"

or something like that hehehe.

Anyhoo I was disappointed in turnout (she was only junior to show up) but happy she was judged

 just as if she was 1 of 20.

The Maryland Junior class had 7 contestants with a wide variety of styles.

Maryland put on a great contest.

A local DE sewing center donated a sewing box with some goodies inside as LN's gift.

She received 3 pieces of wool as well from Pendleton.

LN was pleased , she loved her sewing box.

She started rearranging it on the long ride home from contest.

This is all the MD and lone DE winners.

The catergories from MD were:

Preteen (under 13), Junior (13-16), Senior(17-24) and Adult (over 24)

I hope when my 35 mm film pictures are developed I'll have a better picture.

It was a good albeit long day.

One of the ladies brought this cute sheep fabric to cover a table.

It is bright red, sorry about color.

All  and all it was a good day with good friends to boot.

Miss A in the dark blue outfit is LN and R's sewing mentor.

She has patience and skills I can only hope to acheive in ten lifetimes.

My eyes are closing and bed is calling.

Tomorrow another travel game then off to annual 4-H banquet for our county.