Getting Organized-One Yarn Pile at a Time

My friend, Marilyn, over at Mixed Bouquet, has been harping on and on about getting organized....nag, nag, nag, she's such a nag.

JUST KIDDING, MARILYN!

Seriously, she has been sharing a weekly getting organized post on her blog, and she offers some very helpful tips. She's also a good enough friend that I can yank her chain and she won't get mad at me. Right, Marilyn? Marilyn? MARILYN??? Well, she's probably off farming or something, but I know she loves me.

I am not an organized person. I could never be confused with someone who is..organized. I do still strive for it, though. Getting organized is an ongoing quest of mine. I find that if I have a place for everything, I don't have a problem keeping things in their place. I keep a fairly neat kitchen, but that's because a kitchen is built in mind with a place for all that goes in it. The problem with my house is that the builder didn't take into consideration where the lady of the house would store her yarn. Quite an oversight on his part if you ask me!

This weekend, I decided to try and do something about the growing piles of yarn taking over our house. I didn't even really have a "stash". I had piles, and piles, and piles.

The pictures below are not all my stash (as if), but it was all I could fit neatly into this lovely white wicker armoire on loan to me from my mother. I do also have two large plastic storage buckets packed to the gills with yarn, stuffed in a corner of my bedroom. I also have a few piles, still, in my office/computer room/daughter's former bedroom; but at least I no longer have it piled all over the house, thanks to the armoire, and mom. Thanks, Mom! :-)

The basket in the first picture contains some of my WIP's *. I think I counted eleven WIP bags in the basket. Unfortunately, I found at least three more after I shot this picture. I'm sure if I look in my various knitting bags, I'll find even more. Okay, I admit it. I seem to have a serious problem finishing things. I suffer from KADD**.

We have now established that I am unorganized, and don't finish things. I think I better end this post now before more awful truths come out about me. Have a blessed, organized, and productive week, all. :-)

WIP Basket
Top Basket-Sock Yarns Lower Basket-Nicer Wools

Wool Blend Yarns

Wools for Felting
Assorted Yarns for Baby Items-Mostly Cotton or Cotton Blends

Cottons

FO's*** & Circular Needles

*WIP-work in progress

**KADD-Knitters ADD

***FO's-finished objects

I pledge allegiance...

I'm old enough to have fond memories of watching the Red Skelton Show as a child. He was a funny, funny man, yet endearing when he was serious. If you've not seen this before, it's worth the watch.


Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance

Feeling Good

I love Michael Buble's singing. If I had to pick one of his songs as a favorite, it would be "Feeling Good". It's a secular song, but everytime I hear it and sing along with it, my heart swells with how I feel in knowing Jesus as my Savior.

The lyrics to this song so aptly describe how it feels to wake up from an old existence and face a new life as a new creature in Christ. The old chains that bound me in sin and hopelessness dropped off in my realization that my eternal future is secure, and He walks with me every day.

The video is reminiscent of a cheesy '60's James Bond movie, but it's cute, as is Michael.


Michael Buble~Feeling Good

Feeling Good

Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom on a tree
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That's what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me

And I'm feeling good

The Waiting Game

Hubby had a medical test done at the local hospital yesterday. It was nothing serious, just preventative maintenence. I'm blessed to have a husband who's genuinely concerned with his health and doing what he can to keep it good. He exercises regularly, eats right, and keeps his weight down. I wish I could say the same for myself. I'm working on it, though.

Meanwhile, I had a few hours to kill in the waiting room yesterday. I wasn't in the mood to knit on any of my (too) many WIP's ('works in progress' for my non-knitterly readers). Since waiting rooms can tend to be noisy places, often with tv's droning on in the background, I opted for a mindless mini-project not requiring much concentration. I found this Bundle of Joy baby Hat at Knitting Pattern Central.

I had a skein of purple Lion Brand Microspun in my stash. It's a 100% micro-fiber acrylic yarn, and it feels like buttuh! I'm not kidding. It's incredibly soft. It feels like a lusciously soft cotton. It's great for knitting for babies.

Since I have no newborn to use as a model, I scrounged around in my daughter's closet and came up with this doll who's head is about the right size. I took the picture outside (obviously) and we're having a very overcast day. The yarn appears royal blue here, but it is indeed a very deep purple.

I'm not wild about the i-cord topknot. The instructions said to make the i-cord 4", then tie in an overhand knot. I think it's too long. Next time, I may omit the i-cord altogether. This was such a simple, no-brainer of a pattern, I have a hunch I'll be knitting alot of baby hats from it in the future.

Speaking of baby hats, have you seen Coveted Yarn's contest? Each newborn hat you donate and send in (crocheted or knit) gains you one entry into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to be used at their yarn store. Hats must be received by March 31st. Not to fret if that's not enough time for you, though, as I understand they hold the drawing quarterly. They donate the hats to a local hospital. You can get all pertinent info for entering and where to send your hats at their blogsite.

Isn't this little praying doll sweet. It shows alot of wear, so I guess it must've been one of my daughter's favorites for a time.

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Isaiah 54:13

Forgotten Hats & Felting

Simple worsted beanie in Red Heart Camo-I think!

Ooh Baby Knit's basic hat pattern in Wool-Ease Worsted

I am the world's worst about forgetting to record what pattern I'm using or the size needles or yarn used. That's one of the reasons I began a blog. I figured I'd post pics of current projects as I'm working on them, along with the specs, then I'd have those posts to refer back to when I forgot what materials were used.

I don't recall what pattern I used for the above hats, nor am I even sure of the yarn used for the first one. I don't ordinarily buy Red Heart yarn, as it feels too scratchy to me, but I think I picked up a skein of it in camo on impulse while in Wal-Mart one day.

I love using Wool-Ease for hats. It comes in a variety of colors, is washable, is inexpensive, and is really soft!

UPDATE!

I ran across the info for the brown hat today.

Pattern: Ooh Baby Knit's basic hat pattern.

Needles: Size 6 16" circular

Cast on 80 stitches.

I knit the two above caps for my grandsons for Christmas. That would be last Christmas. I found them in a cupboard today. Sigh. It isn't the first time I've put back a Christmas gift then forgotten to gift it when the holiday rolled around. My daughter still likes to remind me of the year she received a leather jacket for Christmas, two weeks AFTER Christmas, when I found it in the back of a closet. Maybe I should start myself a Christmas blog. It might help me to remember where everything is stashed!

Pre-felted eyeglass case out of Cascade 220

I knit this eyeglass case using Cascade 220. I don't recall the needle size I used. I sincerely have my doubts that it's going to be big enough once felted. I'm going to go ahead and felt it. If it's too small, at leat not much yarn was invested in the project. I'll give the specs for my own benefit to compare with the after felting stage.

*width- 7 1/4"

*height not including the flap- 3 1/4"

*height including the flap- 6 1/2"

I'll post another picture once the felting is done. I want to wait until I finish a (bigger) Booga Bag I'm working on, so I can felt them at the same time.

If the eyeglass case is larger enough, it will be a gift for my mom. She's a 'pink' kind of girl. I'm not.

More Malabrigo? It must be March!

A little birdie told me about yet another blog contest giving away....you guessed it, Malabrigo! In honor of Malabrigo March knitting, Ponyknit (aka~If Ponies could knit...) is holding a Happy Malabrigo March Contest! Leave a comment on her contest post and you might be the winner of one hank of Malabrigo worsted in Vermillion. Tell her that I sent you and we both (you and I) get an extra entry in the contest. Post about it on your blog, and you also get an extra entry.

I just love spring!

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

~Ephesians 4:32

Mmmmalabrigo yarn contest!

I have heard Malabrigo yarn spoken of on Knitting Help many times. It's always spoken of in a sort of hushed whisper, as if the speaker just wandered off into a faraway place where the ocean breezes are warm and the scent of exotic flowers intoxicate you.....Mmmmmalabrigo.

I have never seen, nor touched Malabrigo. I just found out about a contest where Malabrigo is the prize, two skeins of it! I read about it over at Major Knitter's , who found out from Tracy, at Wool Windings , where I would also have read about it, as they are two experienced knitters who's blogs inspire me every day. Don't you just love the way good news travels through blogland?

The "Celebrate Spring Contest!" is being held at Happy Handwork's blog. I'll admit, I've never been to her blog before today, but I will certainly be going back. I spent at least 15 minutes there once I arrived. She has lots of great knitting, and for this snow-deprived Texan, the many snow pictures were a teasing delight.

If you're a knitter, head on over there and enter her contest. If you aren't a knitter but know someone who is, enter for them (me, me, me). She says,

"If one of your friends enters because of your input you will get one extra entry".

So, if you read it here first, and you do enter, be sure and tell her I sent you! :-)

Ooh, I almost forgot. As part of celebrating spring, Happy Handwork has asked that if we mention the contest on our blog, we also share what one of our favorite flowers is. I believe I've posted this picture previously, but the sight of a Heavenly Blue Morning Glory always makes my heart skip a beat. Though I appreciate well manicured flower gardens, I tend to be drawn to the half hazard style of English Country gardens, lots of color, but not much structure. It probably says something about my personality. ;-Þ

Wee Tiny Sock Swap

My Wee Tiny Sock from 2007

Emily, over at Yarn Miracle, is hosting Wee Tiny Sock Swap 2008. I participated in her Wee Tiny Sock Swap 2007, and it was alot of fun. Talk about your instant gratification! I signed up to swap three socks last year. The above sock was one of the wee tiny socks I knit, using Bernat Sox self-striping sock yarn. It doesn't take long at all to knit a wee tiny sock; not much longer than it takes to say wee tiny sock.

Sign ups for Wee Tiny Sock Swap 2008 open at noon on Friday, March 21, and will remain open until noon on Thursday, March 27th. Grab some leftover sock yarn (you won't need much!) and some toothpicks tiny knitting needles and head on over to Yarn Miracle this Friday!

Since I was out of commission for two solid weeks with the icky crud, knitting was nil around here. For the past few days, between trying to catch up on housework and produce food besides fast food (I really need to teach Hubby to cook), I've been knitting as fast as I can to complete my share of the Second Oddball Charity Blanket at Knitting Help. I finished it tonight, all but weaving in my ends. I will pack it up, along with a few goodies for the next knitter, and ship it out Friday morning.

Meanwhile, since it's been so long since I posted knitting pictures, here's a couple of things I knit last year. I had fun knitting this super simple Booga Bag pattern. I was disappointed in how small the finished product was, though. I've seen pics of others' Booga Bags, and none seem so small as mine. It's too small to carry as a purse- a cosmetic bag, maybe! I'm going to knit a larger one, since I did like the simplicity of the pattern. I'll make adjustments to the number of cast on stitches, as well as the number of rows I knit.

Booga Bag pattern by Black Sheep Bags

This next item is a shawl I knit for my sis-in-law for her birthday last year. I didn't use a pattern. It's made up of a variety of yarns, some novelty furry type, some bulky fuzzy wool, some fine chenilles. You name it, it's in there. I purposely picked out all the earthy colors I could find in my stash, since Sharon (sis-in-law) is an earthy sort, and tends to wear alot of earth tone colors.

The shawl is super soft and squishy. I've seen Sharon wrap herself in it in church quite a few times, which was the idea I had in mind when I knit it. She's cold natured and usually freezes when the a/c is blowing.

Sharon's hodge podge shawl

Don't you just love knitting for others? I find it so gratifying to see someone enjoy something I knit for them. For that matter, just doing for others, be it taking them a cooked meal, surprising them with a small gift, or whatever your heart feels led to do, brings such a blessing to the giver as well as the recipient.

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

~Luke 6:38

Win this Quilt!

The Old Red Barn Co. is holding a contest today to give away this beautiful quilt. You can find out more about it on her blog, but there's not much time. The contest ends TODAY at 7:00 PM EDT. Hurry over there and leave a comment on this post! While you're there, take a gander around her blog. It's a fun place. There's cooking, crafting, great photography, and more!

Freed From the Bondage of Bulimia

My good friend, Vicki is currently featured in an article at LivingStonesNews.com, titled "Freed from the bondage of bulimia". If you or anyone dear to you suffers from any type of eating disorder, please do take a minute to read the article. Vicki is a walking testimony of the life-changing power of God when we submit ourselves to Him. She offers an eye-opening look at the nightmare that is the life of those who suffer from bulimia. I won't say more, just go read the article!

I Feel Good...dadadadadada dah

I'll let James express my feelings this morning.




I genuinely appreciate all the comments and prayers over the past couple of weeks. Truthfully, I don't feel as good as James...yet, but I realized as I went around the house doing normal morning routine chores that I wasn't miserable; hacking and sputtering and blowing, yes, but not miserable! I'd almost forgot what it felt to not feel miserable. Praise God, I am on the mend!

Would you check out the footwork on that guy? And I thought Michael Jackson invented those moves!

Still sick

I thought I was better. I did feel better for a day or two. Now I have a bad sinus infection. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm not posting to complain (tho it sure sounds like it, doesn't it?), and I'm not posting for sympathy. I'm just posting to let you know why I'm not posting. I'm taking my tissues and nasal spray and heading back to bed now. I hope to be back soon, right as rain.

Life Renewed

After a week and a half of being sick with influenza, I am once again beginning to feel human. Next year, I will get my flu shot.

I am so far behind on laundry and housework, I don't even know where to start. Since we can barely squeeze the doors open on either side of our master bathroom, I'm thinking I'd better bring in a wheelbarrow to haul the dirty laundry from there to the laundry room. Now, if only I had a wheelbarrow.

There are things growing in our refrigerator. Back in our homeschooling days, I could've dubbed them "experiments". I have no such excuse now. I have to call it what it is...garbage. I guess I could give it a fancy French pronunciation and call it "gar baj"; but while a rose by any other name may smell as sweet, garbage with a fancy pronunciation still stinks.

I have two charity knitalong commitments which need to be met first and foremost, as my time of possession of said items has met the deadline. What a shame. All this housework to be done, and I have to sit and knit. Tsk, tsk.

Actually, I have a pretty good excuse to do nothing but knit today. We're leaving after lunch to drive to the DFW airport to pick up my son. He's been visiting his little sis in Minneapolis this past week. That's four solid hours of driving time (Hubby driving, me knitting). I should be able to knock out alot of my knitting.

I'm still coughing, but aside from that, I feel pretty good. It feels so good to feel good again, like my life has been renewed!

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

~Corinthians 5:17

There is Always Hope

Have you ever felt utterly and totally hopeless? I have. As cliche' as it may have come to sound to the world, Jesus does save.

Salvation emcompasses many things. Yes, He saved me from an eternity in Hell. He saved me from my shame. He saved me from the pits of despair. At the very moment that I cried out to Him, in faith, He caught me up in His embrace and has never released me.

I've known the heartbreak of losing someone very dear, but I have never felt alone. Jesus is my strength and my shield. I have a very real and personal relationship with Him. He speaks to me. He listens to me when I talk.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
~John 10:27

He cares about my problems. He loves to shower me with blessings.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ~James 1:17

He is my hope, and my salvation. I will always praise Him.





Cry Out To Jesus
Words by Mac Powell / Music by Third Day

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith in love
They've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering

When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who struggles with being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Nikki at about 4 or 5

You'll have to endure one more day of family photos, for today is my youngest offspring's birthday. Our family has always joked that the day God made Nikki, He broke the mold. I know many say that, but we really meant it; and some of it, we even meant in a good way! ;-Þ

Seriously, this little girl of mine was a challenge to raise. In my 52 years of living, I've never met an individual with a stronger will. She wore me out, and gave me a premature head of grey hair. I assure you, she did not lack for discipline. Having raised her older brother for 8 1/2 years by the time she was born, I was not prepared for a child who didn't 'mind'. It was a whole new ballgame for me.

Combined with that fiery temper and dogged determination to have her way, was a sweet, and often hilarious, larger than life personality. Hubby and I spent alot of time crying out to God for wisdom on her behalf. She challenged us to the core. Anything requiring that great of effort was bound to bring great rewards, though, and raising her has.

She may be petite, but you always know when she's in the room. She's one of those who simply commands attention (and having a loud voice helps!). She has a heart as big as Texas, and a smile to match. She'd never willingly hurt anyone's feelings. She's compassionate toward those who are sick or hurting. She loves every baby she ever saw, and thinks each one is beautiful (even when they aren't).

Nikki, yesterday, bundled up in Minneapolis

She has a unique ability to elicit obedience from children with hardly any effort. They simply long to please her. Babies and children adore her, and she, them. I can remember in her teen years when she'd think nothing of canceling a date or an evening with friends because of a last minute opportunity to babysit, and it wasn't about the money. Parents would often have to insist she take the money. In her mind, she was doing it for the fun.

Today, she's 24. We're no longer raising her; but we are enjoying her. She's a blessing as a daughter; as sweet and thoughtful as she can be. She has matured, but she still loves to play and have fun. She's independent and confident, and I know she'll make her mark on the world. My greatest desire is that she makes it for God.

Nikki, last year in Europe

My Offspring

This was taken of my kids, last Christmas. My daughter had been living in Germany for three years, working on an Air Force base there. She moved back to the states last April, to Minnesota, but didn't feel she could afford to take off work long enough to come home for Christmas. She was feeling so low at being so far from her family that her sweet boyfriend suggested they drive all day and all night, through all sorts of bad weather and snowstorms, to surpise us on Christmas eve morning. What a surprise it was!

This is the first pictures I've had of the kids together in several years. Notice in the picture above that you cannot see Nikki's left hand? Notice that her Bubba (yes, we're in Texas and my son is a Bubba) has just a tad of a grin on his face?

He's trying to retain his composure, but when your little sister is a Tickle Monster, it's hard to do.

She vowed not to stop until he "squealed like a girl"...which he did. It was so good to see them all grown up and acting like kids again.

The Recipe Box Swap for March

It's time for the March edition of Randi's Recipe Box Swap . I've had a full month to prepare for this, and had planned to offer up pictures of recipes being shared as they were prepared. All I can say is, I had good intentions. Oh, well. You'll have to use your imagination.

It's still soup weather for many of us so I'll share one of my favorite standby's. I nearly always have all the ingredients on hand for this quick-to-fix and hearty soup.

Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 package storebought taco seasoning (or your own)
1 16oz can corn, undrained (you could also use frozen corn)
1 16oz can kidney beans, undrained
1 28oz can tomatoes (any cut or variety) , undrained-if you have non-tomato eating kids or husbands, try using pureed tomatoes instead

shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream

brown ground beef & drain
add next four ingredients & stir well
bring quickly to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes

partially fill individual serving bowls with tortilla chips
ladel soup over chips
sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top
add a dollop of sour cream

Enjoy!


This soup tastes even better then next day, after the flavors have had time to marry. It also freezes quite well. I always make at least a double batch so I can freeze some.

An alternative to serving it over chips is to accompany it with fresh, from scratch, homemade cornbread. Yum!

One way you can make this soup more economical is to choose store brand veggies and chips. I've prepared it with name brand tomatoes, corn, and beans, served over name brand tortilla chips; and I've also prepared it using cans of generic brand veggies and beans, served over generic brand tortilla chips. It tastes equally well both ways

PS-If you have eaters in your family who don't think they like beans, try running the beans through a food processor before adding them to the soup. Not only will it change their texture, which is what puts some people off of beans, but it will add a nice 'thickness' to your soup as well.

_________________________________________

Swiss Steak

1 1/2 pounds bone-in round steak
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

Cut steak into serving sized pieces, discarding the bone.
Salt & pepper steak pieces, then dredge in flour.
Pound into both sides (alternatively, you could buy steak without the bone and have it tenderized)

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown meat pieces on both sides.
After browning, transfer meat to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Combine the tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and garlic and pour over steak.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until tender.

Serve over rice or noodles.

________________________________________

Okay, I'm off to Randi's to see what everyone else is cooking. Be sure and stop by there, too, if you haven't already!

Still sick

I can't remember when I've had a more miserable week, physically. It started out Sunday with what felt like the flu. It ran the gammut of symptoms from body aches, fever, chills, head congestion (tho mild), heavy chest congestion, and that oh so fun one, diarrhea. Is that TMI? I'm still new at this blogging thing; I'm not yet sure just how forthright to be here.

By evening yesterday, I was beginning to think I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. The chills and chest congestion were still severe, but the body aches had subsided. Then about bedtime, it was as if a full blown cold attacked me. I've gone through a kazillion tissues in the past 24 hours. My nose is raw. I feel like I'm in a fog. My head hurts, and I can't breathe.

Remember that scene in "You've Got Mail" where Tom Hanks character surprises Meg Ryan's character by dropping by her apartment with a bouquet of daisies? Her character in that scene is me right now, only not as cute, and not nearly as thin as Meg; but I thought she pulled off the "cold" symptoms pretty well.

I guess my cold could have something to do with me running around in the wet snow at midnight the other night to take pictures. I knew that by the time I felt like going outside again, the snow would all be gone, and I was right. It was a big price to pay, though.

These pictures have nothing to do with me being sick. I just like them. The setting is so serene, and yet a mighty and bloody battle took place in that very spot. They were taken at Pea Ridge Military Park . Hubby and I toured it, along with his youngest son and his family when we were visiting them in Missouri last fall. The park is actually in Arkansas. I found it somewhat interesting when I located a link for it just now, to read that the epic battle that took place there in 1862 was on March 7th & 8th, this same exact time of year.

Hubby and I are civil war buffs. We like to visit civil war battlegrounds and historical sites when we vacation and travel with our 5th wheel.

I'd tell you more about the park, but my nose is running, so I'd best go and catch it.

As snow turns to water

Cold....wet stuff...on nose...can't...get off

My son shot a few pics early this morning, knowing the snow would rapidly dissipate in the bright light of the overhead sun. This was Leyna's first adventure in Snowland.

I know there's grass under here somewhere. It was here last night.

This evening, it will all be gone. I'm a little sad about that.

Snow at last!

It was beginning to look as if winter had packed his bags and bid us adieu. We usually get at least one good snow, good being a relative term, and maybe one ice storm, before winter takes a bow to spring. I thought perhaps not this year. The maple tree in my front yard has budded out, there are daffodils blooming all over town, and my neighbor's Bradford Pear tree is half covered in fuzzy white blossoms. Then lo and behold, Mr. Winter had one last, good puff in him.

Oh, I realize many of you have plenty of winter yet to come, and my little snow may look like small potatoes to you; but here in our neck of the woods, where spring is ready to burst on the scene in all her brilliance, this is excitement in the making. It's the kind of big deal that makes a 50ish woman run outside in her pj's, at midnight, head uncovered, still suffering the effects of the flu, with camera in tow, to snap pictues of snow which might not still be there by mid-morning tomorrow. Such is winter here in northeast Texas.

I love me a good snow! :-)

Time for Recipe Box Swap!

It's hard to believe nearly a month has gone by since Randi at i have to say launched The Recipe Box Swap . It was a blast to participate in it. I met new blogging friends and stocked my recipe box full of great new recipes.

Randi has decided to theme March's swap as "Money-Saving Recipes". Now who doesn't need those?

If you'd like to join in the March Recipe Box Swap, head on over to Randi's (go on..I'll be here when you get back), and find out what you need to do (it's easy), then figure out between now and Thursday which recipes you'd like to post on your own blog. You know you want to!

Woe is me

I started feeling bad last night, and have been sick all day with the icky crud. I think I'll blame Michelle from my knitting group. She was hacking and sputtering Thursday night. I made the cross sign and kept my distance from her; but in retrospect, I did pay cash for some yarn from her (she has a craft shop downtown), and she did hand me back my change. I'm guessing her sick cooties were on that money, and me without my Purell.

I feel like I'm drowning in drainage, and the coughing is like fire in the wall of my chest. There's nowhere I don't ache, and I have a bad case of the chillls. I had planned to spend at least a few hours today knitting on the Second Oddball Charity blanket. That didn't happen.

My husband, God bless him, is a saint in many ways, but when I get sick he tends to avoid me like the plague. He'll do anything I ask him, but he keeps his distance.

I grew up with a mother who lavished me with TLC whenever I was sick. I, in turn, did the same with my kids. I don't think Hubby had that kind of attention as a child. In fact, I know he didn't. :-( His mother loved him, but having grown up without a mother herself, she didn't really know how to show affection. He has taught himself to be affectionate, but it isn't instinctive in him to pat a sick one's arm, or to stroke or caress their forehead. He thinks in terms of practicality, what 'thing' he can bring you, then hastily makes his exit from the room.

In other words, no real TLC going on here. In other, other words.........

I WANT MY MOMMY!

To his credit, he did come in the room a few minutes ago and layed hands on me and prayed for me, and the man does know how to pray. I know God hears our prayers, and I fully expect to feel better by tomorrow. Maybe then there will be knitting and pictures.