Train Wreck Italian Transvestite Art Yarn and Random Thoughts

So here are a bunch of random bits I have put together today. One is this pic of Beverly. Is this the happiest lookin' kid you've seen in a long time or what? LoL!

Today it was like 65 degrees F. This past Monday we had a sudden snow storm, and by Wednesday it was still only 21 degrees for the high for the day. By Saturday it was 63 and today, 65. Suddenly Spring! I got out the Old Suzuki today and took a ride. Actually I took several rides, because my kids are as eager to get on the bike as I am. So I took Diantha for a ride, then Veronica for a ride, the Josiah for a ride. I took him over to Home Depot, where Richard works, so his dad could see him being the little macho guy out for a ride. Richard was just going to lunch, so we hung out with him a while, and then rode back home. Betsy kept insisting it was her turn, but unfortunately, she is too little. Have to be 5 or have their feet rest on the pegs... she has a while to wait!

The block for today was too complex. So I decided to make it in a bigger size, for another quilt than the series of blocks I am working on presently. Ok... the black fabric I bought online, that was supposed to be a hand dyed, is so dark, it is just black. In order to further complicate my life, I took a piece of black fabric, sprayed it with a bleach solution and immediately dipped it in vinegar water to stop the alkaline action of the bleach. Looked like hardly anything until I ironed it dry, then this is what I got.

So then I looked at the block, and decided that the diagonal line of squares would be WAY too plain with the rest of the block having all those little bitty triangles. So I made them be squares-in-squares. And this is the result! The calendar says it is Birds in The Air, but I am calling it Firing Range because all those little high-contrast pieces remind me of targets.

And when did I become the Bad Quilter? I have been quilting almost 25 years and own quilts that I just basically threw together, that the points all match. This block, I squared up the little bitty triangle units. Then I put the black side triangles on them and squared the right angle and trimmed the diagonal. Then I added the tan triangle and squared the unit up again. Put the block together, and darned if every unit doesn't have a triangle point chopped off. ~~ fuming ~~

I also started spinning a yarn this evening from this batt I bought from extremespinning at Etsy. It is both wonderful and horrible... or wonderfully horrible. Like a train wreck, you don't want to see anything gross but you can't help looking. It really is like spinning with some beautiful, soft Merino and someone's chest hair. LOL!! My daughter says I should put it up in my shop as Train Wreck Italian Transvestite Chest Hair Handspun Art Yarn and see if it sells. ROFLOL!!

Some Time Off

Well I didn't get EVERYTHING done in time for Christmas. I think I have to start knitting in January, with the size brood I have, to do that. I didn't get Veronica's second sock done but it is half done! The boys didn't get their knuck mitts yet but it isn't that cold so they aren't suffering. My Etsy shops are both suffering, but there is time to rebuild the stock. I am not worried.

Tuesday I took most of the day off and went to the Armory to shoot. We were there about 3 hours and I did a good job. My final target had one clip from the Lorcin .380, of which I got all 6 shots in the 9 ring or closer (the kill zone). The .22 Ruger longbarrel, I got 4 shots in the kill zone and 2 in ring 8. Not bad shooting for someone who has only used a weapon one other time in the last 20 years. And it seemed to work out a lot of holiday stress that I hadn't even realized I had. My dh and I bought each other reservations in the Carry and Conceal class on Valentine's day... a dual-purpose gift!

Tuesday morning before shooting I made Tony an Applesauce Junk Cake for his birthday. Tony and Des came Tues. evening to do presents with us, and I made Fattening Potato Soup. Allen brought one of his friends over and there went an entire gallon of soup! Yum! When I get home I will post the recipes.

Yesterday we did some last-minute errands (mailing, etc.). It was 60 degrees out, windy and kind of damp but not raining.
So I finally got a chance to take the 73 Suzuki out. Got all leathered up and went for a ride... first time on that bike in over 20 years. It has a couple little bugs to work out but nothing major, actually great for having been in my dad's basement for 20 years. In case you didn't see the blog post last month when we brought her home, here she is. Gotta admit she is a thing of beauty!

Last night I had some presents to work on so I walked Artemas through making a carrot cake, a white cake, and Baklava. His hands, my brain. They are delicious too! Then this morning we baked a ham, made sweet soft rolls from scratch and came to my sisters to have Christmas dinner and presents with her family and my parents. God help me, I will make it through.

I still have the cough I have had for a month, and today I am tired and cranky. But we have had a nice Christmas so far, and for that I am thankful. And being tired will make me all the more grateful to go to bed tonight, in my comfortable bed with the bullet in it, in my warm house. I know there are many who have neither of those priveleges, so I truly am thankful.

More tonight maybe...