watcha doin' wednesday?!!!

I am still looking

with chin on table

at the photos and videos of the destruction

caused by that

storm

now to add insult to injury

I got an e-mail from a friend

whose husband is a linesman

(he works on the power lines)

who has come up to the area to help get the power back on

and he and his co-workers are running into trouble with the locals

and having to stay in flea bag motels and pay the tolls on the way up

and now the men are

not sending them out on jobs or being very co-operative

the unions are stopping the jobs from being shared or given out

and the power isn't being turned on

I don't know what state he is in

or I would say

so if you were there you'd know

and maybe do something about it

what a way to treat people who have come to help

the power companies here are the pits

not ours...ours is the best ever

but the big ones further north

always down always making excuses and always late

it's a shame and a disgrace

:{

I had all those plans to make doilies while the wind roared

but it didn't turn out that way

something was off and I coudn't do it

one of them was tiny and completely useless so

it got frogged

and the other one I showed you

maybe had a mistake in the pattern because no matter how many times I tried a certain row

it was off

 so I

frogged it

and turned to this  new block that  I showed  the link to

much easier

faster

and

prettier

:)

and I found some extra balls of white cotton

so I whipped up a new table mat

like one I made a while ago and sent to someone

which I had forgotten about

 and searched hi and lo for

isn't it nice to be able to just make something you want

and not have to wait to go out to buy it

or order it online and wait

I think it is!!!

:}

and this is to say that I got a note from someone today asking me to stop identifying them or saying how they are made

as this person wants to sell a pattern for them

I don't understand this

 as this is a stitch

that has existed for a long time and no one knows the first maker of it

and if you make it in a certain way

you get a

flower

we all know this

we all can make this

and if you string them all together

all sorts of things can be made with them

so why should I not say what they are

it's still a matter of who owns what I guess and I don't want to get into a mess over it

so the fact that my description was removed

is all that I'll say about it

but I can show you them and tell you what they are

here

on my blog

if I want to

and if you want to know what they are and know how to make them

ask me

and I'll tell you and show you

for free.

:)x

don't you find this pattern interesting and think it would make a great pillow or blanket or hat

?????

:) :) :)

I do and I bought it because I saw the pattern in yarn

wonder how one would go about figuring it out

neat huh!!!???

I cleaned the kitchen yesterday and sorted things out and washed them all

some by hand and some in the

dishwasher...I changed the table cloth and djzzujjed up the planter

found the fake berries and stuck them in there

love

djzzujjing

sister how do you spell it?

:)

while I was browsing through

pinterest

and yes wasting time because I didn't want to put the big mess I had made back

and I was waiting for the dryer to finish and the dishwasher

you know the feeling

anyway

I came across a beautiful turquoise lamp base that has been

drawn on so I just happened to have my sharpie's handy because the husband needed one the other day

and grabbed a jar

and doodled

I didn't know you could draw on glass with

sharpies

did you 

?

well now we do

so if you have a sharpie and an old jar hanging around

give it a try

it's really neat

useless

but

neat

all the same

link to the real one



I'm trying...

BUT...

link

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

also shouldn't look at this either

omg

I'll be around

trying really hard to do what needs to be done

but

.........................................................

goodbye Irene goodbye...

it came in like this

clouds and gusts of wind

it did this

 down south right outside the house we stay in

that's the pier I took so many photos of last year

and will again this year

!!!!

It was bad in North Carolina and on the coast of Virginia

five people were killed yesterday

the total today is eleven

so I won't make jokes about this storm

I just feel like we spent the whole day waiting for something to happen

and that made it frustrating

the forecasters and weathermen on TV get dramatic and over excited

and that's exhausting when all you want to know is where is the storm

what's it doing and is it coming to my house

(two above photos from the net)

in our case the answer was

no

look we had a branch fall down

:o

!

and some leaves  too

look at the pretty "moss" growing way up there in the trees!!!

and a couple of acorns got knocked down too

I really don't want to talk about it

I don't care about tidal surges anymore

or which way the figgin wind is blowing from

or if the radar shows it better or worse than pictures

don't care what stupid hat the stupid reporter is wearing while they get blown across the beach

or hit by flying debris standing in the intersection of two roads right beside a very full dumpster

if I never hear the name

 IRENE

again

it will be too soon

if your name is Irene don't come near me!!!!!!!

:}

I know they had to clear the coast and get everyone out of harms way

of course they did

I don't have a problem with that

and it really doesn't matter if I do or not

it's the constant build up of nothingness

today it's the

well it coulda done this that or the other

it didn't

and that's what we should be grateful for

and yes I

 did switch it off

soooo much hot air

and it wasn't from the

hurricane

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this is what it left behind

heat and humidity

just as it was before it came

:}

thank you all for checking in all day long

I saw them all this morning and it made me smile

:}

if you need something new on your hook

go and see what

allyson

made

I love it and already have one made

thank you Allyson for a

different and lovely

hex

now I'm off to move all the loose things outside

to a safer place

which is

I have no idea!!!!

stay safe and stay smart

all's well

I thought I would just post this so you all know we are fine

I got an invitation to evacuate to Louisiana this morning should we need to

Ellen, of Wildaboutcolor, offered us a place to go if we need to run.

That's how sweet people are, blog buddies and flickr friends are the best

and she even said kitty could go too

now that's a friend!!!

thank you sweet lady!!!

:)x

We are not in the path of the storm.

We will not have hurricane force winds over us.

We will be on the edge of the storm winds

or in the medium impact area.

We are in the tropical storm warning not the hurricane warning

big difference

We will get probably the same sort of thing we get in a regular storm

like the one we had last night

!!!!

So please don't worry about us

keep the light up for those on the coast and on the waterways

they will be in the fury and if they haven't left already

they really really should

and to those of you in the areas that will be hit

stay safe

so now to Canada

where apparently they had a show of force there too

very unusual for them to "write home" about it!!!!!

please do go to the link and see the fantastic light show they had

my sister was north of the city and drove back while it was happening

my fav is the lightning hitting the lake

that's

Lake

 Ontario

Toronto

Canada

where

nothing

much

ever

happens

!!!!

lights in the sky over TO

so

now you know

so please don't worry

thank you for all the good thoughts

and as Ruth (the butterfly bush) said

we'll tuck our socks in our knickers and we'll be just fine!!!!!

it isn't due until tomorrow so I'll spend today cleaning

doing laundry

collecting water in all the pots

making boiled eggs

and peanut butter sammiches (not really)

so if the wind should

scatter our belongings abroad

our knickers will be clean and our socks too

we'll have water to wash in

and something to eat

mmm  eggs

....................................................

xxx

battening down the hatches

not that we have any!!!

seems Miss Irene is on her way and will come closer than they thought

we are in the lime green area right under the D of DC in VA!!!!!!!!

this is one bigass storm

over 500 miles across

250 miles from  the centre,on each side

(we are 200 miles from the coast....close but no cigar,I hope!!!)

big enough to get them to send the ships out to sea so they don't get damaged or damage the harbours

and as the silly woman on CNN said this morning

they can turn right around and save us all

no

that's the National Guard that does that

and they stay put

with us

the dominican republic

Hatteras Beach

has been evacuated along with all of the outer banks in

North Carolina

they will be hard hit if it makes landfall there

the whole coast will feel it

they just don't know how far inland it will go

so we don't know what to expect

time  will tell

(photos from CBS)

I got a call from a friend in Texas yesterday

she asked if we were OK with the Earthquake

and the person who she was with said she head it was because of

the founding fathers turning over in their graves

:) :) :) :) :) :) :)

best one yet!!!!

I got this in the mail from my friend

the one who wears baskets on her head !!!

she sent this as a farewell to my friend who died

an Indian wave all the way from

Alaska

with a Cherokee

 "goodbye"

Wakan Tankan Nici Un

May the Great Spirit

Walk Wth You

and I talked to her on the phone too and told her how wonderful it was she found it and sent it

pat would have loved it

my basket wearing friend has had her own share of scary things

they had one of those huge storms with high high winds and enormous amounts of rain last week

her house was damaged badly

not beyond repair thank goodness

but badly enough to get the insurance involved and a contractor out to see the damage

it's all going to be OK because she has the cheque and the work is lined up to start soon

she said how very fagile we  all  are

how close to disaster we all seem to be

a rain storm can take everything you have away in a blink

but this time it didn't

and she's OK and will have it all done before winter sets in

and we had an earthquake that rattled us and the buildings

but we are OK

the buildings can be fixed

so now

let's hope that this next event

is just

a passing breeze

for all of us

no one has died so far

that's all that counts

may it stay that way

and I'll be on the couch with my teeny tiny hook and some thin cotton trying to remember how to

make a doily

coz I want some doilies lots of them

so I better practice

:}

and maybe I'll get the pillow top finished too

have the back to join together which won't take long

so now it's time for tea and for me to get off here

coz

you aren't going to believe it

we are under a

severe thunderstorm warning

until late tonight

and I need to shut the 'puter down

so it doesn't fry

OH

and the hubs felt an aftershock last night

it was a 4.5

byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

xxxxx

all shook up...

sorry couldn't help it!!!!

well it's the day after and people are still talking about it

and trying hard to figure it all out.

the "experts" are having a tough time explaining the how's and whys and wherefores

and I am one of those annoying people who want

...nay, NEED to know the why

and the wherefore

while there is damage in some areas and of course where it happened there is the most

it still is strange how little damage there is

bricks have come off the front of buildings and fallen on cars

the top of the Washington Cathedral cracked and fell on the lawn

an "angel" and a few carved stones

they have found some cracks in the Monument

the Washington Monument

that symbol to all those supposedly powerful men up there

has cracks way up at the top

that speaks volumes

:) :) :) :)

but there is no big damage

and it's mind boggling

I do not want anyone to have any damage because it's so damn annoying to get things fixed and sorted

and we all know that no one has earthquake insurance here

because

WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE

5.9

earth shakers here

........................

at 8.04 pm we felt the third after shock

the first two were too small for us to feel up here

all the things on the tables shook for a few seconds

but those at the epicentre felt it much more

of course

I tried to call my son who lives closer to where it happened and the networks were down

instantly

while I was trying to find his number on the land line

(because who even knows numbers anymore now that we push buttons for everything)

he called us

all was fine except the

wt...heck is going on reaction

he said he was doing laundry and thought the washing machine was falling apart

so he switched it off but the sound kept going

and he looked at his cat

and he said

her eyes were bigger than her body

and all her hair was up

but the dogs

they didn't react at all

all his neighbours were out when he went out

and for some reason

and they said this on the news too

everyone was looking

UP

because

WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE

5.9

earth shakers here

.......................

when the husband and I were outside the neighbour behind us for some reason yelled

that was an earthquake

and the kid two doors down yelled back

yeah....that was soooo cooooolllll

hubs was not amused

oh to be a kid again!!!

I cannot tell you how touched I am by the concern some of you showed when you heard about it

e mails from all over the place

it really is such a small world now that we are all connected

and each time something happens somewhere

we seem to "know" someone and it makes it worse somehow

because if someone you know has troubles

they become yours

but all is fine and dandy this morning

the damage will be repaired

the little town where it happened is organising itself and going to the local

grocery store to help pick up all the stuff that fell

people will come together were necessary and help eachother

because we are all we have

and

we don't need those boys with their big monuments to themselves

to get by

and now we need to make sure we have the things we need incase the hurricane comes this way

if it does

 the buildings that are damaged may not survive the winds and rain

I guess it's our turn this time

so we better be as prepared as possible

and just keep our fingers crossed

can you knit with crossed fingers?

see ya all later

:) :) :) :)

xxxxx

holy cow

mummy.....

we just experienced

 5.9 Earthquake

HOLY CANNOLI BATMAN

we are fine

the house is fine

we were scared sssless

we have spoken to family

friends

all OK

what a fright

I didn't know earthquakes made a noise

a rumbling

deep and loud and palpable

 shaking

the whole entire house

everything....EVERYthing in the house shaking

some things fell

everything moved

it lasted maybe 30 seconds

the whole East Coast felt it

the people in the Pentagon thought they were being bombed

but not like we did
we are about 40 miles from the epicenter

this is the strongest ever recorded in Virginia

people

 I cannot tell you how frightening it was

I thought the trees were all falling down

I thought it was the marine base dropping bigger bombs than usual

I couldn't comprehend what the sound was

oh great...they have just shut down the nuclear plant....
hopefully just as a precaution


OH

and the story about the

animals warning us

huh

not true

she slept through the whole friggin' thing!!!

I will never forget the sound

and they say we will get after shocks

GREAT!!!!

better go get those delicates off the high shelves

 OMG

to the max!!!!!

we had an earthquake today

I didn't like it...

:{

plenty of room

now we all have a place to sit

with or without our sexy sandals

am still fighting that bloody stitch

but all your help

helped

I just need to concentrate and sit and do it

have a great

evening night morning

or what ever is in between those things

(of course you know these chairs are not my creations....I found them in various places on the 'net )

really neat pictures of the

 moooon

take a peek at these fabulous photos and someone's imagination

thank you thank you thank you

to all of you

I knew someone would know

it drives me insane when I don't

know

I'll be back later

with

hopefully

a longer

rectangle

thing

!!!!

:}

help...

please please please

can someone tell me how to keep the

box stitch pattern from

increasing with each row?

I have tried to figure it out and

I CAN"T

wwwaaaaaaaaah

I want ten stitches across

I have done 4 more rows since this was taken

so I have the ten stitches

I do not want an afghan

I do not want a square

I want a long rectangle

called a scarf

by another name

!!!

I have looked it up

I have wasted time

I have gone to every place I was sent to look and

I

can't

find

anything

I used to have a page that had the rectangular pattern

but it's gone

and I'm getting

grumpy

and we all know

we don't want me

grumpy

so if anyone can show me how or tell me what to do to stop it from

growing

or send me to the right place

I

will

be

very

grateful

I will

really

very

.........................................................

:)

a post...

I've been sat here in my chairs

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(found these on Flickr

can't remember where but you've seen them before I'm sure!!) 

  wearing my sexy sandals

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:) :) :) :) :)

(from

here on etsy)

working on some stuff

I was browsing somewhere and saw a blanket made with lots and lots and lots of flowers

and people were asking how to make the

lots and lots and lots of

flowers

and no one replied

so I took it upon myself

to make some

popcorn stitch Flowers

plain and simple

it was made in all different colours all sewn up together to make a

blanket for a baby boy that they had just had...

it's so annoying when no one answers

they are now no more just had to make some to see if I was right

I was

 

saw this new book by Brett Bara  who is on a show I watch on PBS

it's a sewing book and has a video that shows

how to make

these cute little fabric bowls

from a square of fabric

so I made one

need more cute fabric to make the others

and this is another thing that seems to be popping up again

the box stitch is back

and I wondered if I remembered how to do it

I do!!

with all the yarn I have

maybe a skinny scarf is in the making!!!

or a cushion top if I can't remember how to keep it from expanding

and the flat braid join with those

 closed granny squares as I call them

see the braid up the middle there

and making the fan in between the flowers on the pillow front

remember that too

 have you stopped to think how much we have all learned this past year

or how ever long it's been

since we all met up on Flickr and the blogs and are now spread all over the

WWW

well back to the pile o'wips

and it's almost time to make dinner too

oh goody

I'm hungry, haven't eaten all day

too busy making

piles o'wips

lol

:)