Knitting Cybrarian

Deer for breakfast

And I'm not talking about venison meat.  I was looking out the back door this morning to see three young deer visiting the edge of the field and our backyard.   Two of them came down into our yard and beside the house.  Portia watched quietly and intently. 

Joel was delighted that the deer did NOT eat his plants, but instead were eating existing plants and leaves off of the field trees.

I love watching deer walk around on those tiny, spindly legs.  They don't seem big enough to hold up their bodies, but somehow it all works!

the wonders of Google desktop

Thanks to the wonders of Google Desktop and the rotating maps that appear, I now know that there is a street called Mosquito Control Rd in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Amazing.  Who would live on a street with that name?  There's a Hilton less than a mile away.  But it's not ON Mosquito Control Rd., that's for sure!

Holy Week

Tonight started the busy time for church musicians known as Holy Week.  Holy Week actually started Sunday with Palm Sunday.  But tonight was service followed by rehearsal, and the tomorrow night will be  the Maundy Thursday service.  Friday night will be:  Good Friday Service with music.  Saturday I'm working at the yarn store and skipping the Holy Saturday Service, and Sunday I have to be at church by 7:30am.   We don't have the Holy Vigil because of our current space, I think.  Have done that service in years past -- nothing like finishing up around 1 or 1:30am on Easter morning just to get a few hours sleep before being back at church.  Sunday afternoon will find me napping. 

Don't call, 'cause I won't answer.

Playing possum followup

We've known for a long time that a possum lived under our shed.  Once it came to visit at the back door.  But this morning, the possum is out and picking up seeds under the bird feeders next to the shed.  This is a fat possum -- s/he's benefited from raiding the compost pile all winter and has probably picked up seeds too.  Portia's been watching intently.  I don't think she sees this as an enemy, much like she would a neighbood cat.  Just some oddity to watch carefully.

Life with Her Highness

Portia usually sleeps with us -- she curls up near our feet.  Often, she'll get up in the night to make sure we're still with her and give a shampoo.  Night before last, I woke to find her nose against mine and her whiskers tickling my cheeks.

However, when she's worried we're sleeping late, or she wants to go outside, she'll scratch at the blinds.  And if that doesn't get one of us up, she'll get up on the bed and paw at one of us.  I usually sleep through the pawing.  This morning, I couldn't sleep through the scratching at the blinds.  I got up, and let her outside.  For about 3 minutes.  Then she wanted in.  Then she wanted out.  Then she wanted in. 

I think she decided it was time for Joel to get up, because she headed back to the bedroom.  She got up on the bed and pawed at him, and now here they come walking down the hall together. 

Saturday mornings are interesting.  Sometimes Her Highness figures out that it's the weekend and that we can sleep.  Sometimes it takes some convincing, though.  Sunday mornings, though, she does figure out and will let us sleep.  thank goodness!

Some folks may read this and think we're crazy.  But Portia is a loving kitty, which makes this all worthwhile!

Bad enough for lots of reading glasses, but...

not quite bad enough for bifocals.  That's the verdict from this afternoon's eye exam.  Yup.  So, here's the deal.  No bifocal glasses for me for now.  I cope fairly well with the glasses and when I'm around the house sans-eye correction, I can use reading glasses.  But with my beloved contacts... it's a problem.  So, I'm going to try some that are leaning towards the monovision bit.  We'll see how it goes when they arrive.  I might love them.  And they may drive me nuts.

Welcome to the early 40s!

Another mostly finished object

I'm nearly done with a Moebius bag from Cat Bordhi's A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting.  I'm knitting the I-cord swirl now and then have to sew it onto the finished (yeah!) bag.  Then felt. 

Okay, not close enough to finished, but I'm in the home stretch!

Finished object!

I finally finished the garter stitch baby sweater I started last summer/fall.  Why did it take me so long?  Not because of difficulty.  I got derailed onto another project.  And hopefully I'll finish another derailed project this weekend too!  Photos to come soon!

There's a bird in my chimney...

Yesterday morning we noticed noises coming from our chimney.  No squeaks, but lots of rustling and what sounded like some clawing against metal.  I think it's a bird.  Her Highness kept watch. 

I read up on various web sites about what to do and was still at a loss.

Joel and I discussed this during the day, and he opened the damper when he got home in hopes the critter would come into the fireplace and then we could open up the glass and let it out.  No luck.

This morning after I got up, I opened the deck door, and the fireplace glass.  I think the bird has attempted to get through the damper but no luck yet.  I did close the bedroom and bathroom doors and put Her Highness in our bedroom so she wouldn't wait for it to drop into her mouth. 

Sigh.  I really don't want to deal with a dead bird in the chimney.

yarn de-tangling

My knitting/sewing room is a pig sty.  I tried to create some order by putting yarn away in tubs I purchased for that very reason. However, I came upon some projects just a few rows in, so I thought I'd rip, wind and put those in the bin.  Then I came to the one knit with two skeins of Colinette Enigma -- two rows with one skein, two rows with another to avoid color puddles.

While this is beautiful, it just slides apart and tangles itself.  3+ hours later I have one complete skein.  Its twin will have to wait.  Exciting evening, huh?