A light at the end of the tunnel

I love Autumn. It's my very favorite time of year, and with it comes the renewed urge to dust off the spinning wheel and mix up the dyes. I have neither wanted, nor have been able to do much of any of that these past few months. I dyed up yarn to knit a shawl (which I don't seem to be able to knit correctly) for Renfest, but all the wool washing/dying that I thought I'd get done this summer just didn't happen. Even though my winters are very busy, I've been taking another look at what I have and the interest has sparked again. Maybe I will be able to find the time and desire to dig into it again soon.

My fingers are also starting to itch thinking about the crocheting projects I have still sitting around. Summer is far to hot to think about doing that, but, Fall is coming soon and that means dark evenings curled under a blanket in front of the TV. I always need something to keep my hands occupied and that means either spinning or crocheting/knitting. And that's another light at the end of the tunnel.

One day at a time with something to look forward to.

One day at a time.

There's a party in our future.

For my daughters' sweet 16 this year (16?! already?!), I've planned an all out family party at the Renfest. We try to go every year when we can afford it and it's something she really looks forward too. This year however, we are dressing up in costume and going all out.

With the money situation as it's been, I wasn't going to buy new clothes. I had planned on wearing a hippy type skirt and top but C would not hear of it. After working this summer to earn money, she bought her dress (which we both love) and today she bought me one. I have the sweetest of kids. Really.

This is the one we decided on.
Forest Green Belladonna Peasant Bustier Empire Waist Gypsy Boho Corset Dress

I could live in that shop if I had a cute figure and all the money in the world.

So, now that I have a dress, I need to find some kind of shoes. I don't think the pair of gym shoes or flip flops I own will cut it this time.

I'm also frantically trying to put together a shawl. Today I'll wash some sock yarn I've had for ages and die it. Then I only have a few weeks to fight it into the shape I need. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not that great at knitting, but I really want a shawl to go with this dress. Otherwise the only thing I have to wear on a crisp fall day is a black hoody and that's really not the look I'm going for.

I'm hoping this shawl is easy enough for me to get it done in time.
Simple Triangular Shawl

A little bit of relief

It was hard for me to admit that I couldn't face tdf this year, but a few days into it I actually feel relieved about the decision.

I'm still writing lesson plans, have yet to turn in the year end reports, and I didn't even come close enough to getting all the meals ready that I would have had to make ahead of time in order for me to get time out of the kitchen.

So, while there is still major stress levels over other things around here, I can breath just a tiny bit easier knowing that I'm not also being pushed to do one more thing.

Sadly this also means that I have yet to get time with my wheel, but in this heat with no air conditioning, that is probably a good thing.

And that is that as they say.

I'm bowing out of TDF2012. I just can't deal with it right now on top of everything else. Still I hope everyone has as much fun as I did last year.

Because I've not talked about him before...

..but I'm just as proud of him as my other kids, my oldest (26), wrote another song. He's posted it so go have a listen and let him know what you think of it. Even if you're not a fan of the show I think it's a beautiful song.

Memories(Applejack)

(His wife did the artwork)

A reason to celebrate

Andy, the middle one and 17, got a summer internship with the library today. He's been volunteering there for several months now and was recommended for the job by his boss. This is some very good news in the midst of the panic we are feeling at being unemployed for four straight months now. We seriously have been cutting back just to stay afloat. $120 a month for food and paper goods for a family of four with pets is not a simple thing to deal with, so tonight we dine on a couple $5 pizza's from Little Caesar's (at least I hope they are no more than that with walk in), a soda and ice cream for dessert. Tonight we eat like KINGS! Well, maybe not kings, but when you've been eating like we have these past few months, it feels like a royal meal.

WAY TO GO Andy!

I'm trying really hard to get my heart set on tdf this year. It's hard though with all the stuff that's happened and is still happening around here.

Teams joined: SHERlocked, Into the Whirled, Tardis, Stashbusters, and Peloton. I might join Hopelessly Overcommitted but it seems to me that by the time you get to the point you should join that one you are all ready doing to much in everything else.

Spinning: ITW's Doctor Who series. Snow Angles with an Ood x2, Mercy Hartigane, Bigger on the Inside, and Children of Time. Also, Pickin and Spinnin's Doctorin' Up the Tardis. Some undyed baby alpaca for "John's Sweater."

Goals: To spin and post every day.

Training: I have GOT to get the kids year end portfolios completed and sent out before the 30th of this month.
Organize my stash and figure out what I want to spin.
Decide on what teams I'll be spinning for.
Pre draft fiber before it gets too bloody hot to do it.

Mix and freeze: 28 batches of bread, 4 batches of rolls, 6 batches pie crust, 3 batches granola bars, 2 batches cookies, and 4 batches of pizza dough to freeze. Baggie up: 4 batches muffin mixes, 4 batches 'hamburger helper' mixes, and 2 cake mixes. Plan 93 meals and pre-make anything I can that I haven't all ready thought of so I'll have as little food prep going on in July as I can.

Get the house in a state of cleanliness that would let me ignore it, for the most part, for the month. Yikes!

Plan viewing list:
Sherlock series 1 and 2 (re-watch)
Sherlock Holmes movies 1 and 2 (re-watch)
My Little Pony (gods help me)
River Monsters (re-watch)
What ever Agatha Chrisie movies are on netflix (re-watch)
Stargate SG-1 (re-watch)
Stargate Atlantis (re-watch)
Doctor Who- last season (re-watch)
Doctor horrible (re-watch)
Living planet series
Serenity/firefly (re-watch)
Beatles
Star Wars trilogy (originals) (re-watch)
Star Trek (original) (re-watch)
Bones

tbc


Find some interest in doing any of the above.