Gettin' Things Done

I sometimes have to trick myself into doing what needs doing. For instance, I NEVER plan on cleaning out my fridge. The times it gets cleaned (and yes, I do clean it on occasion) is when I start looking for something in there and can't find it. By the time I've spent 30 minutes digging through umpteen butter bowls with magic marker scribbled words on them, words like "carrots", "mushroom soup", or "dog chicken" (don't ask) I start hurling things out of there faster than my dog can inhale her chicken.

Two hours later, my fridge is sparkling. The shelves are washed clean, the sticky residue has been wiped from all the jam jars, the unidentified blobs with green fur have been tossed, and decomposing veggies have been relegated to the compost bucket. The drawers have been washed, dried, and put back in their places. I can stand back proudly and announce, in the voice of Zelda Rubenstein aka Tangina Barrows, "this fridge is clean".

If I KNEW I was going to do it, I'd find some excuse to get out of it, but I trick myself into doing it. I am so clever that way.

What, you might ask, does that have to do with pictures of sock yarn? Absolutely nothing. I went for a snack while the pictures were loading, and told myself "you really need to clean out the fridge".

I love this yarn. I think I already mentioned it in a previous blog, but it bears repeating. It is so soft, just like buttuh! The colors are so pretty and springy...like spring, the season, not bouncy springy. I think I may have to trick myself into finishing these socks, though. I have too many projects going at once, and nothing finished to show.

This was an error in judgement. It's my Amanda's Squatty Sidekick, or rather, not so squatty; I cast on extra stitches to make the base a little larger than the one in the pattern. I knit it with some wool yarn I picked up for a song in a thrift store in Little Rock (received a standing ovation-no, not really). It was really old. The label was yellowed and crinkly. It had probably been sitting in some little granny's knitting basket since the '60's.

I thought there was enough of the yarn to knit this bag. I was wrong. I could kick myself. I still have the strap and the flap left to knit, and no more wool. I'll have to either knit the straps and flap with a contrasting yarn, or rip back to the base and re-knit it, alternating stripes of the green wool with stripes of a contrasting color, so the original green will go farther. I'm not really of a mind to go to that much trouble, though. As you've likely determined by the fridge story, I am somewhat lazy.

I saw the furry novelty yarn at Big Lots, and noticed it was the exact same shade of green as the wool, so I bought it to add a little pizazz to the top of the bag. It was really cheap. It doesn't help with my shortage of yarn, though. What to do, what to do?

Pepper Saga Update:

Pepper's still with us, and it's looking likely he'll stay that way. I bet you all knew that, though.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

~Psalm 37:4 NKJV

Pepper Saga-Part Deux

It's still raining here in northeast Texas, which means all photos must be taken inside. This is Pepper, looking a little shy. He's actually a beautiful dog when clipped. His former owner, my neighbor L, insisted on paying for a trip to the groomer and vet as parting gifts for Pepper. We went to the vet last week and got his shots updated, and new flea and heartworm preventative meds. We're waiting for warmer weather to arrive and stay before getting his curls shorn.

We took Leyna along for the ride. She was happy as a lark to be going on an outing. That dog's just like Mr. Studley, she loves to GO. She ran over to the lawn area where all the dogs do their 'bizness' before entering the vet. She marked the territory as hers, then happily trotted back over to us. As we opened the door for her to enter, she suddenly realized where she was. She knew this place. She'd been here before. This is the place where the mean people jabbed a needle in her hiney, and she was having no more of that! We literally had to drag her inside with all four feet sliding across the floor, as she refused to take a single step forward. Yeah, she just loves going to the vet. Not.

Pepper really does have the sweetest eyes I think I've ever seen on a dog. These pictures don't do him justice.

One of my blogging buddies, Joansie, at Knitting By The Ocean, unwittingly gave me an idea of how to pawn Pepper off get Pepper a really great new home and family. She sent me a link to Pioneer Woman's blog post yesterday. Now, if you've read PW's blog, you know she's a real sucker for dogs. All shapes and sizes, the woman does love dogs. I love them, too, but from all appearances, PW can better afford taking on a new dog than I. For the record, Joansie had no idea of the scheme I'd hatch when she sent me that link.

So, after reading PW's blog post yesterday, it occurred to me that PW would probably love Pepper. All I need to do is drive to northern Oklahoma, find PW's ranch, drop Pepper off at the end of the drive, and scoot him toward her house. Don't worry, I'll stay parked nearby until I know he's been discovered.

PW will take one look at that face and invite him right in to nap on her couch. I'm just sure of it! She might even feed him some of Charlie's food with bacon grease stirred in it.

Now, all I need are the directions to Pioneer Woman's ranch. Anyone?

PW, I wuv you!

We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

~Romans 8:28 Amplified Bible

I DON'T WANT ANOTHER DOG!

Queen Wilhelmina State Park, AR. Fall '08 camping trip

It has rained all day long. I didn't mind it, though. We've had a relatively dry winter, no snow, and not a lot of rain. Today was one of those days it was pleasant to be inside. Life seemed to take a slower pace. It felt like a Sunday afternoon. Isn't it funny how different days have a different feel to them? I finished up my Hobo purse. I'm determined to take a pre-felted picture of it, but clearly the weather didn't permit. I can be patient, though.

It seems we have a new dog. I'm not terribly thrilled about it. We had many dogs for many years, and determined when we got Leyna that we'd never have more than one dog at a time again. Ever. Never ever. Sigh...never say never, and definitely not, never ever.

About a year ago, I volunteered to walk a neighbor's dog. Though I'd waved at her on the street in passing, I didn't know her. I began noticing a strange person walking her dog. Out of curiosity, I approached the stranger. It turned out she was a good friend of my neighbor, and informed me that my neighbor had become very ill, spending nearly two months in the hospital. She was back home, but destined to be an invalid due to a chronic lung condition which had worsened. Though she was able to live alone, she was no longer able to walk her dog. She was on oxygen 24/7, and only able to be up and about for a short bit before she'd lose her breath and begin coughing uncontrollably.

My neighbor, L, and I became friends over the past year. She's a very intelligent woman. She had a great job as a college library director, prior to being forced (by her health) to retire. A few months ago, her health became even worse. She began needing a lot more help. Mr. Studley and I pretty much took over the care of Pepper. We knew she was in no condition to have a dog any longer, and yet we knew that dog was her sole companion.

I encouraged her to see her doctor again, and I imagine her two good friends were doing the same. I think she put it off so long as she likely suspected the outcome-confinement in a care facility. She did finally break down and go two weeks ago. The doctor sent her straight to the hospital, as her oxygen level was dangerously low. It was determined rather quickly that she cannot live alone and manage her condition. I feel so sorry for her. She has a beautiful home filled with lovely things., which she may never even see again. Mr. Studley and I couldn't bear the idea of Pepper going to the pound, and L's friends were unable to take him, so we brought him home.

Pepper's a sweet dog, and he and Leyna play well together. I just didn't want another dog. Plus, he's long haired, which means he'll require regular grooming (an expenditure we really can't afford). He has skin allergies in the summer, requiring vet and allergy medicine bills (another expense we can't afford). He's just the sweetest thing, though. He wants nothing more than to sit in my lap. He looks up at me with those huge, sad eyes and melts my heart. Still, I don't want another dog. I have prayed about it. I asked the Lord to send us a good family who would love and spoil him, 'cause I don't want another dog!

I'd say, that's the long and short of how we got another dog, though there was nothing short in my telling of it. There never is. I've said it before, brevity is not my strong point.

Messes and Mudpies Handmade Soaps

If you're hungry in the market for some great soaps, click on the above link. Seriously, her soaps look good enough to eat....but don't; you wouldn't want to end up blind like Ralphie.

In celebration of opening her new web store, along with reaching her 100th blog post, this very generous lady is having a contest in which she'll award a lucky winner with $30 worth of products from her store (shipped free!). If you'd like a chance to win, go to her blog and read about it here.

A [consistently] righteous man regards the life of his beast, but even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

~Proverbs 12:10 Amplified Bible

This 'n' That

I've been doing some knitting, but I'll have to wait until my son gets back from a business trip before I can take pictures. He had the audacity to take his camera with him to New Orleans. Harumph!

I don't think a post is complete without pictures, so I'm resurrecting some old ones. Since we didn't get our annual ONE snowfall per year this winter, the above picture is obviously an old one. I either took it last year or the year before. I love the way Redbirds (Cardinals) stand out so brightly against the white of snow. I don't know if more of them come around when it snows, or if they're just more obvious then.

I haven't bored you with a pic of my four legged baby in awhile. This is Leyna, sleeping with her head rested on the crook of Mr. Studley's arm. Daddy, to her. This was last fall when we were camping in Arkansas. He was actually eating his dinner. She was so worn out from our hiking excursion that day that she didn't even bother begging for people food.

This is an earflap hat, fingerless mitts, and scarf set I knit for my niece a couple of years ago. Now I prefer to use the Maine Morning Mitts pattern for fingerless mitts.

Right now I'm working on a felted Hobo bag, by Pipp's Purses. I love this pattern! I've shared before how much I struggle with interpreting patterns. I am such a visual learner. Jennifer, the pattern writer, writes her patterns in such a way that even I can easily understand them. I'm on the very last step of the pattern. All I have left is a few inches of the i-cord handle, then kitchener stitching the two sides of the handle together, and that baby is ready to felt! I decided to wait to felt it until after my son returns with his camera, as I want to photograph it in it's prefelted stage. It's huge!

I'm also knitting a pair of sport socks for myself. I am loving the yarn. I bought it at JoAnn's Fabrics when I was in Ft. Worth a few weeks ago. It's the sock weight yarn from the Deborah Norville Serenity line, by Premier Yarns. It's a combination of superwash Merino wool, nylon and soft bamboo. Who knew Deborah Norville had a yarn line? The colors are so very pretty, and it's incredibly soft. I'm really enjoying knitting with it. The next test will be to see how it holds up to wear.

I'm torn between finishing my socks and starting another Hobo bag. I picked up several skeins of Lion Wool at our NEW HOBBY LOBBY recently. I live in a small town. We don't have an LYS (non-knitter readers, that's knitterese for Local Yarn Shop), so getting a Hobby Lobby was a really big deal for us. Anyway, the Lion Wool was marked on clearance for $1.99 per skein. That's $3 off their regular price per skein. I grabbed several skeins, as I'm planning on making felted handbags for Christmas gifts next year. I've now got enough yarn to do me for awhile, so I have no excuse for going back to Hobby Lobby anytime soon. Right? Rooooiiiiggghht. ;-)

But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.

~I Peter 3:15 Amplified Bible

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Isn't it funny how your perception of birthdays changes when you become a parent? As children, we are offten rather narcissistic about our birthdays. We are made to feel as if the world revolves around us. It can be a little dismaying when we enter the real world and find out it doesn't.

I made over both my children on their birthdays, just as my folks did with me. For me, my children's birthdays are a time of poignant reflection. Today, my baby turned twenty-five. She is one quarter of a century old. Though twenty-five years have gone by, I can remember her birth, and the events leading up to it, as if it happened yesterday. I can barely remember the names of people I knew or worked with back then, but the memory of the day I was blessed with my beautiful baby girl is of utmost clarity.

One part of her birth day, I don't remember, as I was off sleeping off the trauma of childbirth. I've heard it told many times by my mom, though. The entire family was in the waiting room. My late husband was Italian. If you know Italians (or are one), you'll know they tend to be very close knit as a family. John was one of five siblings. His folks and siblings (and some of their spouses) were all in the waiting room, along with my mom and dad, my then 8 year old son, and my 11 year old nephew. I'm sure the waiting room was packed.

John was in the delivery room with me. After Nikki was born and had been cleaned up, and all the necessary data taken, John was pointed to a rocker in a nearby room to sit and bond with his new baby. According to my mom, it was two hours after the birth before he let the rest of the family know she'd been born. He sat in that room rocking her, holding her close. Yes, my mom has been known to exaggerate a tad, and I figure she was then, though to this day, she claims it to be true. The rest of them don't remember. ;-Þ

The bottom line is, he did stay in there with her for a long period of time. I often thought after his death that it was as if he had some uncanny sense that he needed to make the most of every minute with her.

Another memory of that day is shared by my son every year on his sister's birthday. He still remembers his Pappa telling him and his cousin to turn off the tv so they could go to the hospital, as he was about to get a baby sister. He resented not getting to watch the rest of that Three Stooges episode!

One last memory was about my son. I've shared it with my husband now, and he still cracks up everytime it's brought up, since he knows my son's personality so well. It was the day we came home from the hospital. It had been a long and grueling day, as people came out of the woodwork to come see our new baby. We were tired and ready for bed, but Nikki commenced to crying. I'd nursed her, changed her, and rocked her to no avail. I was about to the point of joining her and having a good crying jag myself. My son, also John, walked up to the crying baby, patted her little face, and said in the softest, sweetest little singsong voice, "now, shut up". It was priceless! He still tells her that today, when she's chattering a mile a minute, though not quite so sweetly as he did that day.

Happy 25th birthday, my sweet little Nikki!

Don't you see that children are God's best gift? The fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

~Psalm 127:3 The Message

Randomness

A pair of Maine Morning Mitts (pdf) knit from Wool-Ease for my sis-in-law for Christmas. Yes, I know, the picture is lousy. I simply cannot get decent shots inside my dark house. The weather stayed overcast for days forcing me to take some pictures indoors, or not be able to take them before giving the knits away.

I love the Maine Morning Mitts pattern. I have knit a lot of fingerless mitten patterns, but this one is my favorite to knit, hands down (hah, pun not intentional!). On this pair, I picked up a few extra stitches on the thumb. It was that, or end up with a lot of holes to fill in later. As it turned out, I decided to leave them rather than decrease back to the amount called for in the pattern. My sis-in-law's hands are bigger than mine, and these (thumbs) felt slightly snug on me. I didn't knit a gauge swatch, as I rarely do on small items. Small items being about all I knit, now you know the awful truth about me and gauge swatches.

These pictures are so bad, they're hurting my eyes. This was also a gift I knit for my sis-in-law, for her birthday last month. It's a pidge, neckwarmer, or whatever you want to call it.

Neckwarmer pattern

Yarn: GGH Savanna (heavy worsted)

Needles: 10 1/2 US

Size: Approximately 5" x 27"

CO 32

K2, P2 every row (2x2 ribbing)

Buttonhole worked on desired row by BO 2 sts at desired placement; determined by holding scarf around your neck and deciding where you want your button to be.

Next row, CO 2 st (at same place you bound them off i n the previous row) with backward loop CO.

Knit in pattern to desired length (27")

BO

Sew on buttons to match buttonholes

I think the next time I make one of these, I'm going to make only one buttonhole in the center of the row, as no wider than the scarf is, one button, strategically placed, would be sufficient.

You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the redneck out of the girl.

This is my prissy (not!) little daughter, Nikki, having some fun last summer. She and her Bubba (brother) spent the afternoon 'shooting up stuff' at his boss' place in the country.

You who don't believe in owning guns, look away, please. This is Texas, and it's what we do....well, I don't, but a lot of Texans do.

Click to enlarge to see the delicate beading in the yarn

This is a lovely pair of fingerless gloves which I won in a blog contest a couple of years ago. I was blogless at the time, but have always intended on showing them when I got a blog. I'm finally getting around to it.

These were knit by the extremely talented designer/knitter, Nancy, at Getting Purly With It. Nancy has only been knitting a few years, and has designed some incredible knitwear in that time. You should see some of her sweaters. Aside from her talent, she's also one of the sweetest and nicest women I've met on the web. Seriously.

I guess that's all the random things I have to share today. I have to go now. Either there's a prowler in the house, or the cat has gotten stuck in the abyss which is known as my closet. I'm guessing it's the latter, so I better go get her before she determines it's a giant litterbox.

Be blessed y'all!

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

~Romans 8:14 Amplified Bible

Happy Birthday to Me!

Not today, but yesterday was my birthday. I learned this weekend from my mother that she requested the doctor induce birth two weeks early so that I would be born on my bio dad's Valentine birthday. I was 8 1/2 hours late. Of course, she'd never have done that today, but 53 years ago, a little less was known about the advantages of letting a kid cook to full term.

Mr.Studley and I spent my birthday with my mom and her husband in Fort Worth. They took us out one night for Mexican food, and the next night for a fabulous steak dinner. We had birthday cake back at their house, and my mom gave me a fat check to buy a new outfit of clothes. Life is good.

I was still carrying around the money Mother had given me for Christmas, saving it until I got a chance to shop in Dallas. I bought several skeins of yarn in JoAnn's Fabrics, and a Lucy Neatby sock knitting book, along with three new sets of bamboo dpn's at the Woolie Ewe in Plano. There were scads of yarn there that I wanted to buy, but it wasn't in my budget.

On our way home, we stopped at Whole Foods Market in Plano. Mr.Studley and I were like a couple of kids in a candy store. All that luscious looking organic produce had our mouths watering. There were samples being given throughout the store of various goodies. I told Mr. Studley, if we lived there, I could do a lot less cooking. I'd just drag him down there every day at dinner time, and we could cruise the store for sample freebies. Not having to buy groceries is likely the only way we could afford to live over there. Practically every other parking space was occupied by a Lexus.

Fortunately for us, the weather had turned a bit colder the night before, so we were able to pick up some perishables there (purchases, not freebie stuff). We sat them in the back of the pick-up so they'd stay cold on the trip home.

One of the things we bought at Whole Foods was goat cheese, something Mr.S. and I had never tried before. It is now our new favorite snack! Another stop we made on the way home was at the World Market in McKinney, where I bought some flatbread crackers. They have toasted carraway, poppy, and sesame seeds in them. We've been spreading the goat cheese on them, then drizzling honey on top. It sounds weird, but it's truly delicious.

In other, and more exciting news, I won a blog contest last week! Natalie, at Tins and Treasures, gave away a big bag of pink, girlie-girl, Valentine goodies, and I won! I had a blast going through the bag, pulling out one pink treat after another. What a shame the only one at home to hear my squeals of delight was my dog, Leyna. ;-Þ

I first met Natalie through her blog about six months ago. We became quick friends. I'm so thankful that our paths have crossed. She's such a warm and caring person. I love reading about the high school classes she teaches. It shows that she puts 100+ percent into those classes, and her students. They are blessed to have her as their teacher! She shares many of the recipes she teaches her students with her blog readers, too. Her crafts are amazing. She has such talent! Everytime I walk in my front door, I now see the red heart she made. I think of her, and am blessed all over again.

Whoa. Would you look at the size of that big, honking box?

What a pretty gift bag. It was stuffed to the gills, too!

It looks like I hit the motherlode! Click on the photo to enlarge, and you can see all my goodies.

This is now hanging on my front door. I love it. I love everything. Thank you, Natalie! You have truly blessed me.

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

~1 John 3:11 New King James

Monday's...er...Tuesday's Daybook

For today...

Outside my Window... After an overcast morning, the skies just opened up and the rain is pouring.

I am thinking... I need to work on ways of becoming more organized. It's a weak area for me, and it even invades my knitting. I had all my yarns and books/patterns neatly organized at one point, but my stash grew, and now things are out of hand. It's frustrating to have to go on a wild goose chase everytime I decide to knit something new. I need to keep better notes on what I want to knit next, too. I find that the older I get, the more notes help me!

I am thankful for.... the rain, I'm sure we need it. I am also thankful for the relationship I have with God. It is so comforting when I'm needing direction to know that I can present my need to Him, in faith, and expect an answer. Mr. Studley and I have some difficult decisions facing us, a couple of areas where we really need God to direct our path. Sometimes it takes longer than I wish to get answers, but oddly enough (or not), I seem to learn much (grow) in the wait.

From the kitchen... I just took a cast iron skillet of cornbread out of the oven. It smells nice. I'll probably have a piece of it crumbled in a glass of buttermilk later.

I am wearing... capris, a short-sleeved tee, my Obakashi sandles, and socks. Don't look for me on the cover of a fashion mag anytime soon.

I am creating... I'm halfway through a pair of Toasts for my daughter, Nikki. I do realize winter's practically over, but I got an itch to knit them. I think her winter lasts longer than ours, anyway. It's an easy, mindless pattern, and I needed something mindless. I'm knitting them in Classic Silk, from Classic Elite. It's a DK weight, so I'm using a smaller needle size and different cast on than called for in the pattern.

I am going... Mr. Studley and I are going for a visit to my mom's for my birthday later this week. My birthday is the day after Valentine's, but the timing for us all is better that we go this week. I plan to stop in at JoAnn's Fabrics while there, as there is a fairly new one near my mom. Yea! Plus, we are stopping at the Woolie Ewe in Plano on our way back home. A bigger YEA!!! I rarely get to go to a real live yarn shop, so this is a big deal for me.

I am reading... Eh...I started reading the Shack the other day. I forced myself through the first three chapters. When the book first came out, I was very intrigued and wanted to read it. Someone gave us a copy the other day, and strangely enough, I no longer had that desire. I realize now the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me to leave it alone. NOT that it's a bad book, but rather that it's not for me. I simply don't handle reading about tragedies well, even if they are fiction. It's too horrific for my mind to bear, the thought of a child suffering and it's parents not being able to protect it.

After reading those chapters the other day, I found myself lying in bed that night, unable to fall asleep due to the disturbing images the story created in my mind. I realized it had robbed my peace, and so for me, the book is not a good read. I would like to stress that I'm not criticizing the book, and I'm certainly not criticizing anyone for reading it. It's just not the kind of story I can handle, no matter how redeeming it may prove to be in the end.

I am hoping... for some nice weather next week to work in the soil. I need to move the soil from my compost bin that's been sitting all winter into my herb garden area. I'm then going to start a new compost pile. Lately, I've been saving my produce scraps in plastic bags in the freezer so I'll have a good base when I get started, but I'm running out of freezer space.

I am hearing... the hum of the fridge in the next room, and the occasional bark of a dog across the alley. Other than that, blissful quiet.

Around the house... I'm slowly but surely conquering some of the clutter. It's an ongoing battle for me.

One of my favorite things... is when my daughter calls me from England. Her schedule with work and college classes at night has been so hectic that her calls have been less frequent lately. When we last spoke, she had strep throat, and was feeling pretty miserable. This is about the 4th time she's had to be on antibiotics since moving to England last fall. I don't think the damp climate is setting well with her.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... I pretty much covered that in my "where I'm going" post.

A quote I am sharing with you...I added this in the sidebar of my blog after hearing it on tv yesterday. It really spoke to me.



Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Please feel free to join in on this meme through the Simple Woman's Daybook each Monday (I know, I'm a day late, and a dollar short). If you do, don't forget to go to Peggy's Simple Woman blog and sign the Mr.Linky, so other participants can visit you and read your Daybook entry.





Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~Romans 8:39 Amplified Bible

Ten Things I Do Everyday

Ten Things I Do Everyday

1) I pray. I usually try and pray before I get out of bed in the mornings. I heard Joyce Meyer suggest you should do this before your feet hit the floor in the morning, and it will have a big bearing on how your day goes. She's right of course. The Lord says to seek Him early. Even if I don't end up praying before I rise, I do pray throughout the day, little conversations with God.

2) I take Leyna (our Min Pin) out to do her bid'ness (southern speak for business). I actually do this a number of times each day. She is a little escape artist who cannot be let out in the (fenced in) backyard, so I always have to take her outside on a leash. Nothing says love like watching your dog take her daily constitution first thing in the morning, before you've even had your coffee.

3) I get on the computer. Usually it comes after my trip to the toilet (and Leyna's), and before my first cup of coffee. I just have to see what new thing has transpired since the day before. This is especially fun for me if I wrote a blog post the evening before, as it usually means I have mail (blog post e-mail notifications) and I LOVE getting mail. It makes me feel special, like I am somebody.

4) I drink a cup of coffee. Most mornings, I drink only one, but occasionally, I get a little wild and pour a second. I rarely drink more than half of that second cup, though. I'm just not that wild.

5) I read blogs.

6) I take a handful of pills; all over-the-counter vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some are huge. Horse pills, I call them. I used to take them all at one time-not all in one swallow, but one right after another in the space of a couple of minutes. It was hard getting them all down, and sometimes they'd come back up. Now I put them all out in a cup each morning, and each time I walk in the kitchen and think of it, I take one. By bedtime, the deed is done, except for the tiny little melatonin pill, which I take 30 minutes before bed each night. I love my little melatonin pill.

7) I knit. In all honesty, I do not knit every single day, but I do almost every day, so I'm counting it, nyeah!

8) I feed the cat about a kajillion times a day. We have to keep her gravity feeder (filled with dry food, she won't touch the wet stuff) up on the counter, or else Leyna would get in it and eat until the container was empty, or she exploded, whichever came first. The cat wants to eat all day long.

9) I walk the dog. Mr. Studley and I take turns walking a neighbor's dog, too, but he's mostly been doing it during cold weather. He's such a sweetheart.

10) I tell Mr. Studley I love him. Can I hear a collective "ahhhh"?

I found this meme at Karen's blog, Over the Backyard Fence. She invited her readers to do it, too. I hesitated, not sure I wanted to reveal just how mundane my life really is, but figured I've made known far more about myself, and some of you are still here.

Won't you play along? I know we all do more than ten things regularly per day, but play by the rules, and only list ten!

You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

~Psalm 97:10

TypePad Glitch Fixed!

Whatever the glitch was that prevented non-TypePad users from being able to leave comments on some of the TypePad blogs appears to have been fixed. I bow to you, TypePad Problems Solvers. I'd curtsy to you, but I'd fall on my fanny.

You know, I'd write more, but I've got nothing. Seriously, I've sat here for several minutes and my mind is a blank. A big, black cavern of nothingness. It could have something to do wtih the fact that it's 2:00 A.M. Putty Tat just crawled up onto the copier beside me, giving me that look, the one that says "turn off the light, woman, I'm trying to get some sleep!"

People just think cats don't talk. Cats talk. They just don't use an audible voice. Their 'looks' say plenty. Our cat has a wide vocabulary of looks. There's the look she gives when she's sitting in front of the waterbowl when it has speck of dirt floating in it, the one that says "you surely don't think I'm going to drink that sewage, do you?" And there's the look she has when she's waiting impatiently for Mr. Studley to sit in the recliner so she can pile up in his lap, the look that says "hurry it up, Buster, I'm not getting any younger here!" Oh, and the most 'colorful' look she has is the one she gives whenever Mr.Studley gives her a bath. That one says "..... on second thought, I better not tell you what that one says. This is a Profanity Free blog. ;-)

I better toddle off to bed before Putty gives me that bathtime look. I'd hate to have to wash her mouth out with soap. One of us might get hurt. What is your cat saying to you?

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

~Psalm 50:23