Sunrise ~ Sickness

 

We had a beautiful sunrise the other day, and I could not help myself, but to take some photos.  There is still snow on our porch.

I had plans to take our outside Christmas lights down today, but that is not happening.  I have come down with a sickness, and of course all of our covid tests at home have expired.

I'm doing all I can do from home - mullein tea, eucalyptus/oil rub, 4 thieves, humidifier, diffuser, etc etc.  I really want some homemade ginger ale, but I have zero energy to make it.  I feel like someone beat me up, and the cough is horrible.  So far, no fever.

Not sure if I picked it up while out shopping, or have been over doing things here at the house.  I'll be taking a blog break to heal up and get over this, whatever it is.  The weather isn't helping either.  The frigid temps that we just had are now changing to the 50's with rain.

Hats ~ Questions

 

Not that I need another project right now, but I returned the coat for a smaller size and ended up with a green colored coat.  The above yarn matches it the best, so I stopped at JoAnn Fabrics and picked up some faux fur pom poms.  The smallest I could get was medium, but they were on sale 40% off.  

The pom pom is a tad too big for my liking, but it will work.  Regular price for one medium was $2.99.  I paid $1.79.  I feel it would less expensive to buy 12 or 24 for selling hats less expensive.  I am looking at some on Amazon that would make a 24 lot about $.70/each.

Question:  If you crochet/knit and use these faux fur pom's, where is the best place to purchase a set of them online?  

I looked up the one I purchased at JoAnn's , and it says Medium, 4 x 4 inch.  I think I would like smaller ones.

I won't start a new hat right now, but put it all in a bag, for working on when we have longer car trips, like to the cemetery etc.

Question:  What is your favorite (if you crochet) hat pattern that is free and online?

I have made a few different hats, and with different yarns, but since I had that thyme colored yarn, I think I will use it.  I read that some yarn that is part cotton and part acrylic works better, but I just don't want to buy more yarn right now.  Thoughts?

While I wait for the delivery of the floor transition piece, I am tidying up our room.  I had more yarn in there than my husband would like (he he!), but I wanted to make sure I had it accessible during the floor tear out.

Egg Soufflé ~ Couch Moved and Other Ramblings

 

It doesn't look like much, but I only make it once a year.  I got the recipe from a co-worker many years ago, when I was a Certified Travel Agent.  It's called Egg Soufflé, but we also call it "Christmas morning casserole."  Once our youngest found out I baked it, she was over with her boyfriend to get some.  I made it the day after Christmas this year.

Thankfully, while they were here....

They helped move the couch to the living room.  We are so happy to finally have it back where it belongs.  There is so much more work to do, to get everything back in it's home, and we are still waiting on the flooring transition piece to finish that and the rest of the trim.

The storm is over, and we are predicted to be up in the upper 40's or low 50's by later this week, but rain moves in.

I don't like to go out a lot during winter, so I attempted to purchase a desk top file holder for my office area.  Well, it was delivered and returned.  It had mold on it, and may have been opened and gotten wet.  Anyway, I will just add that to my shopping list for the next trip to town.

I was greatly disappointed.  It was a wooden handmade one, and matched the desk.  I will just keep looking for one to get that area organized.

I am all stocked up for what I sell at the museum gift shop.  They close for a month for winter, so I am ahead of taking them more.  I sell my dish scrubbies, jar openers and soap saver bags there.  I'm glad I am ahead of that, as I have no place to cut more netting to make more. 

I will be very busy over the next few months, sorting, and purging what goes back to where it came from.  I still need to print photos for the home journal, as we'll need those records of what we repaired in the living room.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  It's always a crazy time for our family, and we are not done with repairs.  

Christmas is over ~ Frozen Pipes ~ Anniversary

 

The storm delayed my surprise anniversary getaway, but we still went despite arriving home on Christmas day.  We had zero company Christmas day anyway.  The kids were all with other family this year.

Anyway, we stayed in a Bed & Breakfast, he had flowers, chocolates, and a cheese and meat board all arranged for us.  What a guy!

Also, he bought me a new very warm coat you see in the photo, but I have to return it for a smaller size.  

We returned home to no hot water.  Everyone in the state was either battling no power, or no power and water, or pipes that had already burst.

We finally got all of our pipes cleared, and despite heat tape, it still froze with this treacherous weather.

With zero family to spend time with this Christmas, I made Mom's sour cream softies.  The temperatures are slowly getting warmer, but so many people suffered damage to their homes with this storm.  I'm glad it's over and warmer days are in the future. 

Winter storm continues....

 We had plans to go away yesterday, for celebrating our  upcoming anniversary.  It did not happen.  The winds were up to 50-60 mph, -27°F wind chill, white out conditions so bad, almost all business/restaurants closed.  We had a level 2 road emergency.

Reports today tell us a 50 car pile up on the state turnpike caused 4 deaths, and one electrical worker died doing his job repairing power lines.

Power went out all over yesterday, and some are still without.  We are currently, despite heat tapes, without hot water.

The wind is just as nasty this morning as yesterday.   

I unburied my office, by removing books off a bookshelf, moving the bookshelf back to the living room.  It was the only thing moved back so far.

The storm continues this morning, and entire cities are again reporting power outages.  Thankfully, we have power, but that wind could stop.  There will be no cooking or baking of any kind until we have water restored.  This is not how we intended to spend Christmas, or our anniversary.  By the way, this is the first time ever, for our area, to have such cold weather.

I heard that the big box stores have had trouble with their freezers, and they were pulling all of their food.  I have not confirmed this yet.

Storm Updates

 Storm/winter prep is not new to us.  I made sure all the dishes were washed, and laundry done, chickens got fresh straw, and salt tank filled.

Gas heaters were finally up and running last night, and wow!  I cannot tell you what a difference with heat these are.  We will be putting a stove board under it next week.  We just needed it "on" for this storm.

It is currently a windchill of -27°F as I type this post.  The interstate highway near my hometown has shut down due to so many accidents.  The in town route is so bad, we are told you cannot tell what side of the highway you are on. 

We have turned on porch lights, as we live on a country highway and it will be a beacon for those needing to get to work (which is crazy unless you are medical).

We could definitely lose power with the wind.  It is horrible.  The snow has arrived as predicted, but the 60mph winds are here.

Winter Storm ~ Blizzard Conditions

 

My afternoon delight most days now - homemade hot chocolate and mini marshmallows we picked up in Amish country.

You may see blips in posts now.  Meaning, more chances of power outages, loss of internet (like this morning), etc.

This morning there was a car accident nearby, which took out power, and I am sure I heard life flight fly over.  Praying for all involved.

No, the heaters are not on yet. and the temps will drop to 0°F tonight (so frustrated with getting this done).  Experts have been called in at this point.  Delivery on our flooring transition piece is a month from now.  We will fire up the woodstove, but I sure hope we saved our fireproof rug from the pellet stove.  I went to the farm store to buy a new one, and they told me they never got any shipped in this year.

I made an attempt to have the sofa moved back to the living room, but we could not get anyone in the family to help move them.  We literally have about an hour of daylight after my husband gets home from work. 

The winter storm is moving in now.  Rain turns to snow, then icy roads and blizzard conditions.  I believe we will be snowed in for a few days.  Stay safe my friends.