Weekend Roundup

Had a really good weekend in the country.  It was bitterly cold so we didn’t do anything outside and not really much inside but I still feel like I accomplished something.  You see I’ve tried to learn to crochet for years.  My mother tried to teach me, a couple of friends have tried to show me but I just didn’t get it.  I could cast on fine but once I had to start back into what I had already done to add to it – well, I got lost.

But this weekend I bought an “I taught myself to crochet” booklet (my second one mind you) and Bill had some old yarn and I did it.  Not without much mumbling and grumbling but I finally got it!  I only have a couple of stitches (and I still don’t get that slip stitch) but I can single and one and a half crochet now with reasonable results.  (Sorry, forgot to take pictures.)

I think my problem was one of yarn.  You see I knit and I like the nubby yarn because it hides mistakes but for crocheting, it sucks!  So, Bill had some smooth yarn in a pale baby mint green *gads!* and I was able to figure it all out.  I have a long way to go before I’m crocheting anything useful (well, ok, my first little sample looked sort of like one side of a string bikini!  And the second one is now a coaster on my night stand LOL – but yeah, it’ll be a while.)

In other news, it was Noah’s 5^th birthday.  They had the party at an indoor pool which was sort of cool for the kids.  Noah received a bike from his mom and dad that he proceeded to ride around the pool (with a parent walking between him and the pool just in case.)  I didn’t even know he knew how to ride a bike!

Then yesterday we went to Lowes and purchased a dusk to dawn light for the outside of the shop.  It has been very very dark walking up to the door at night – I’ve had to use a flashlight – so I decided that we needed a light.  Notice how I decided so we got one!  LOL.  We also bought more lights for the inside and we put tarps up over the stairs to keep the heat down in the shop and not let it escape upstairs.  With the temps down below freezing this weekend the furnace could barely keep up – we also priced more insulation.

On my way home from the country last night I stopped at Global Market in Kirkwood and bought Gyro meat, goat, and lamb chops.  All things I can’t get at my local grocery store.  I also picked up a bag of flax seed to make a pillow to heat.  These pillows hold the heat for quite some time so they are good heat packs (or just to warm up the bed before you get in.)

Well, I’m off this morning to class (not working from home today) at work for JAVA.  Wish me luck.