things to do ...

... there's always something "to do". i never get bored ... i only run out of time.

i have been perusing pinterest, and other line stuff, and found some really easy ideas to make some lanterns for my porch(es).

the simplest one is going to be this idea:



i am now freezing a few cans from my recycle bin.

i first put in about 1/2" of water and let that freeze. then, i came back and filled up shy of 1/2" from the top and put back in the freezer. (the idea of the 1st small freeze is to keep the bottom of the can from bulging out --- i'll let you know!)

the idea is to have a nice solid core before i start punching holes into the cans with a nail & hammer.

once that is done --- the ice will melt. i will dry off my cans, and then spray paint with some red glossy paint i picked up today.

i already have some 16 gauge wire if i want to make handles.

and for candles? ... i have some tea lights (and picked up 4 battery operated tea lights as well).

easy, right?!

outside ...


... i brought a friend home. i saw this fellow when i was out & about yesterday. i have another one in green.






yep, a froggy planter.

i know. i can't help it. it's cute. and functional. and now i have 2! lol!

the plant in the back of mr. froggy is a wandering jew. the piece in mr. froggy now was "rescued" from a few feet away where i park my truck. my neighbors had 4 hanging baskets over their gate --- and just let them die. and some of the pieces had fallen to the ground and taken root.

one day, i pinched one of these pieces and brought inside to grow roots in a shot glass.

as, i'm doing now, again ....


maybe in a week, there will be roots enough to go into mr. froggy the second =)

also, now looking at how much my plant has grown, i might pinch it back and put that piece in water too!

plan B , next event ....

the weekend plans of the symposium didn't pan out. which is okay, as there are always other things to do.

my friend schmutzie is coming over here on the 4th. she's german. so, i hope to (not) overwhelm her with an all-american 4th of july day.

first of all, we are almost complete opposites, but we've been friends for years. our most obvious connection is our love of knitting, ... and underneath all that ... there's the human factor.

SO, i want her to have fun here --- and i've "decorated" bit.

of course, the red white & blue lights are hanging outside on the porch ...



i got these last year ... a bit late in the season. they're really pretty --- they're ... what do they call it? ... LED.

and today, when i was out at the local joann's ... i saw they had holiday appropriate fabric on sale at 50% off, so i got this fabric of stars.



it's rather stiff --- i think it's loaded with sizing. i didn't prewash it. i just turned a hem on each cut end and dropped it on the table!



this is my "instant gratification" solution to changing things up around here --- i just buy a couple yards of 45" wide fabric, finish the cut ends, and decorate the table.

i think the most i've spent on doing a tablecloth this way is about $10 total.

i don't do anything with the selvedge edges --- they're finished already --- i doubt anyone would look, and if they do, then they will know where the fabric came from, the dye dots, and .....

U F O ' s !!!

this weekend, i'm going to visit a friend and we're going to a UFO symposium !!!

regardless of the subject or venue --- i'm quite excited.  the only other convention type i've ever been to is for knitting & yarn.

so, this is a first. and a good first.

to prepare, i contemplated sewing a dress out of my ufo fabric ... but i haven't had the time.

instead, i pulled out my flying saucer necklace ...



which was made by my friend leanne.

and these guys ... which will not attend, but my best friends from toy story ...



the fabric background in both pics is the fabric i wanted to sew for my dress ... but i just didn't have time.

do you think anyone might be offended if i showed up with a tin foil hat ?

thank goodness only the battery!

i've had a semi-productive day, in-spite of the "detour". i scrubbed down the shower/tub, changed bed linens, cleaned out expired pantry & fridge items ... and then headed out for a few errands (speciality light bulbs, gas, a few groceries).

my first stop was for the specialty bulbs, at the local home & improvement store.

it was lightly raining when i got there. i found the bulbs i needed (and, btw, one came with the filaments already disconnected!) --- and spent more time waiting in line (what?! ... a big box home & improvement store, with only 1 checkout line open?!).

the guy behind me was laughing about it, and said, "maybe you should buy your bulbs online"  ;)

maybe?! ... i have used the ship to store service before for Ace Hardware, and it's quite convenient.

anyhoo ... i came out of the store and got back in my truck and turned the key.

nothing.

then the wipers moved.

then nothing.

i tried again ... nothing ... and then the wipers moved again and my CD popped out of the radio.

fuck.







so, i  kept my cool and was saddened by the thought that i had not packed any emergency knitting.

NOTE TO SELF: KEEP A KNITTING PROJECT IN THE TRUCK! ALWAYS!

lesson learned. and water. gosh, i really could had used a bottle of water --- it was hot & steamy.

the strange part was that i could hear some really "animal" sounds coming from the area of the ignition/steering column ... little chirps ... i thought, "holy shit, i hope there's not some kinda rodent in there that has eaten my wires as a snack".

i had chatted a bit with punk (bff!) --- and he was at least an hour away (and AAA was coming anyways) ... here's our convo:

punk ... did you raise the hood?

me ... i did ... but i couldn't "see" anything ... no critters!

punk ... did you leave the hood up?

me ... uh, no .....

punk ... then no one will ask you if you need help if your hood is down.

me .... ooooooh!

i put the hood back up, and i swear, in a instant, a hispanic couple had doubled around to come assist. the girl said her husband always works on her car, and he checked my battery. he didn't speak english, but she did.

he wiggled the wires and made a face at the connections. she talked about pouring coke on the connections. i think the word he would had said is "sucio".

AND, after he did that, it did start!

i thanked them, and after a bit, did turn it off. i wanted to wait for AAA, as they would test everything.

about 10 or 15 minutes later, AAA arrived.

AAA showed up, tested my battery, alternator, etc. his recommendation was to have the battery checked again from the place i purchased it from, and possibly have it recharged. everything else checked out okay.

Tom checked everything, and cleaned all the parts ... and you see his test results above.

so, off to advanced auto i went (not even 1/4 mile down the road) --- and that took awhile. i had purchased my battery from a different store (same chain) ... so it took more time because their computers don't connect.

the good news is, Gabriel was a great help --- and my battery was replaced free of charge.

and then, about 2.5 hrs after i'd left my house, i was able to do the rest of my errands.

so now, i just want to work on my sweater or a crochet project. i'm kinda "done" for the day.

though, it's been a rather quiet & peaceful sunday.

i'm glad it was only the battery, and nothing costly --- or more time consuming.

odd day 2

we had a big race here in town today. a 1/2 "ironman" ... for me, it meant a bit of planning. i'm so glad i caught the story on the news as drove home friday night.

this morning, i woke up with the sun, played on my iPad, and then thought ... "hmmm ... i wonder which streets are closed and when?!"

i soon realized that if i wanted to do my grocery shopping before tonight, that i had to get going asap. the roads closed at 9am.

i got up, cleaned up, and headed out & back. on my way home, the city was already blocking off streets and setting up port-a-johns.

later, after putting things away, i spent some time outside on the porch.

i noticed a man that had come around. he waited here. he crossed over. he came back across.

then, i realized ... i hadn't seen a bus today.



(he was sitting in that bare patch near the smaller tree) ... i went downstairs and asked him if he was waiting for the #11.

he was.

i had looked up the bus info on my ipad and told him, " i don't think it'll come this way today ....."

the buses had been re-routed due to the race. the detour would take him a block south, and across a very busy street.

he picked up his stuff and started walking.

i hope he got to where he was headed today.

i was fortunate enough to discover the event on the radio friday evening. i don't think he had access to radio/internet/tv.