I have two padlocks that I use on the outside gates. They are keyed alike. I have a particular storage spot for the keys. I have two keys, too. Every time I get the keys out, I tell myself that I should separate them, in case I cannot find one.
Well, I used the keys this weekend, and was pretty sure, but not a hundred per cent sure, that I returned the keys to the house. Well, when I tried to find them today, I could not. I spent about 30 minutes looking, but then had to go out, to do some errands before places closed.
Himmm. I was a little unsettled. I have a bolt cutter. So, I could cut the padlocks off the gates and start over if I needed to.
I decided that I would spend the week looking for the keys, and haul my trash to the dumpster the long way. Because that is the biggest reason I go out the back gate.
Then, as I was doing chores around the house, I remembered additional places to look for keys. And, guess what. They were right where I left them.
Guess what, after all this time, I finally separated the keys, so if I lose one, I will have a back up!
Sunday, November 30, 2014
A Knitting Project
So, I have a knitting project that I needed to complete this weekend. I was able to start it Thursday night, and worked on it intermittently throughout the day. I finished it Saturday.
The hardest part of doing knitting projects has been dealing with Taki, who thinks that the yarn, the knitting needles, or anything else involved with knitting project is fair game. However, Taki behaved appropriately. For a large part of the day she ignored me knitting. That helped.
The hardest part of doing knitting projects has been dealing with Taki, who thinks that the yarn, the knitting needles, or anything else involved with knitting project is fair game. However, Taki behaved appropriately. For a large part of the day she ignored me knitting. That helped.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Sake Continues to Eat Well
Today, Sake continues to eat well: Hard treats and ground chicken. It is what I have to do to get her to eat, and I am willing to do what I have to do. I am just thankful she is eating well.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Knitting
So, I started a knitting project last night. It is a black yarn knitting project While it is a pattern I know well, I still have to pay attention to how to do it. I picked it up today, and saw that I had to undo about 6 rows because I had made a mistake. This project only has 36 stitches per row, so that is not so bad. But I am distressed by this.
Part of the problem is that because this is a black yarn project, it is difficult for me to see the stitches to verify I am doing the project correctly. This is frustrating to me, but I realize it is a function of my age and diminished eye sight. I can work this project under optimal light conditions, with no problem.
Part of the problem is that because this is a black yarn project, it is difficult for me to see the stitches to verify I am doing the project correctly. This is frustrating to me, but I realize it is a function of my age and diminished eye sight. I can work this project under optimal light conditions, with no problem.
So, I Am Embarrassed and Ashamed
All this time I have been struggling to get Sake to eat. I give her finely cut up boiled chicken, and sometimes finely cut up sauteéd in butter boiled chicken. I give her Fancy Feast Appetizers https://www.fancyfeast.com/gourmet-cat-products/appetizers. I give her baby food chicken, ham or beef. I give her mashed chicken and beef liver.
A few days ago, I thought about using the meat grinder to grind the boiled chicken, since she still was not eating well. She ate that chicken. I ground up several servings of chicken, and put it in a plastic container, but obviously it dried out, because she did not want it the second time I offered it to her.
However, I have since ground up chicken at each meal time, and she will eat it. Today, I have been cooking a turkey, and it must of smelled good to her, although, in the last few years she has not liked turkey (there was a time that she really, really liked turkey.) Any way, she groused around the kitchen several times today. I gave her freshly ground chicken three times today, and she ate well three times today.
Grinding the chicken does not take long. What takes long is cleaning the meat grinder afterwards. I can do this, if she will eat well.
A few days ago, I thought about using the meat grinder to grind the boiled chicken, since she still was not eating well. She ate that chicken. I ground up several servings of chicken, and put it in a plastic container, but obviously it dried out, because she did not want it the second time I offered it to her.
However, I have since ground up chicken at each meal time, and she will eat it. Today, I have been cooking a turkey, and it must of smelled good to her, although, in the last few years she has not liked turkey (there was a time that she really, really liked turkey.) Any way, she groused around the kitchen several times today. I gave her freshly ground chicken three times today, and she ate well three times today.
Grinding the chicken does not take long. What takes long is cleaning the meat grinder afterwards. I can do this, if she will eat well.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Recipe Lost
I have a cornbread dressing recipe that I have had for more than 30 years. I can visualize, written on an index card, in the handwriting of the co-worker who gave it to me. It is a fairly simple recipe. And, I have used it, sometimes more than once a year. Some years, though, I do other things.
My employer, last year, gave out gift certificates for turkeys, and I did not redeem mine until this month. So, I am cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving. And, I am making cornbread dressing. I was a little unhappy tonight when I could not find the recipe card, but decided it did not matter. I know what I am doing and how to make this dressing. I know the recipe card is somewhere, I just did not go through every piece of paper I have to look for it.
My dressing will be fine.
My employer, last year, gave out gift certificates for turkeys, and I did not redeem mine until this month. So, I am cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving. And, I am making cornbread dressing. I was a little unhappy tonight when I could not find the recipe card, but decided it did not matter. I know what I am doing and how to make this dressing. I know the recipe card is somewhere, I just did not go through every piece of paper I have to look for it.
My dressing will be fine.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Banished!
I like to knit. I have knitted since I was a young girl. I finished my first real project, though, when I completed an afghan, which I still have. I was in high school. The afghan was small squares sewn together. It is very warm, but mostly it stays in a trunk. I am not sure why. I should use it.
I have knitted a lot of other things over the years: mittens, ponchos, scarves, funnels, sweaters, afghans, baby blankets, baby ensembles, mittens, boots, hats, dog sweaters, bathroom ensembles and I am not sure what else.
When I worked at Catholic Family Service in Lubbock, so many years ago, the director and I were talking about my habit of either taking copious notes at staff meetings, or doodling. I told her it helped me to concentrate if my hands were busy, and at home, watching TV or listening to music, I often knitted. She invited me to bring my knitting to staff meetings, if it would help, understanding that the brain could still concentrate, and even concentrate better, if the hands were busy.
That stared me taking my knitting to conferences, seminars and workshops. I know it disconcerts some speakers. One speaker even made a comment about it during the presentation. I usually try to tell speakers I am not trying to be disrespectful, but it helps me to focus. They seem to understand. I still do that.
There was a time in my life when I stopped knitting: knitting hurt my shoulders and cramped my hands. I missed knitting. I got some "hand aid" gloves http://www.amazon.com/Thergonomic-Hand-Aids-Support-Gloves-Extra/dp/B000B836NO more than 20 years ago, and started knitting again. (I still have these gloves, and wear them when I am doing marathon knitting.) I also realized that I had to drop and relax my shoulders when I knitted. I was in business again.
Now I have three cats. The oldest cat, Sake, never was interested in my knitting, really. She might grab at the yarn, but was easily dissuaded that it was not a toy. The middle cat, Haiku, likes the moving yarn, but can be directed away from the yarn.
The youngest cat, Taki, is barely educable, and knitting is not one of the things I have been able to educate her about. I miss knitting. I have several projects started, and only work on them when I can be comfortably outside, or at a workshop, park event, or away from the house. I have tried putting the youngest cat in time out, but the lesson lasts for a week or so, and then we are back to struggling about whose yarn is this. I hate to keep putting her in time out.
Some time ago, I decided I could close myself in the computer room, while I was watching TV or listening to music, and knit. I never implemented the plan until tonight. I did not close the door to the computer room all the way. Eventually Taki and Haiku made their way into the room. Haiku wanted to play with the yarn, but was dissuaded easily. Taki was not. I told her several times a loud and ferocious "No." She did not seem to understand. I told her I would banish her from the computer room if she interfered with the knitting. Of course, I did not expect her to understand. Every time she came at the yarn, I re-directed. This occurred over 40 minutes or so. By the end of this time, she did not still "get it" but she was less insistent on attacking and playing with the yarn.
The Thanksgiving weekend is a great time for me to work on knitting projects: I like to watch the Macy's Parade, the Lady Raiders play a basketball tournament of two or three games that I can listen to on the radio, and who knows what else is going to happen.
I am going to use my new knitting strategy: Banishment from the computer room, unless the kitty can behave.
I have knitted a lot of other things over the years: mittens, ponchos, scarves, funnels, sweaters, afghans, baby blankets, baby ensembles, mittens, boots, hats, dog sweaters, bathroom ensembles and I am not sure what else.
When I worked at Catholic Family Service in Lubbock, so many years ago, the director and I were talking about my habit of either taking copious notes at staff meetings, or doodling. I told her it helped me to concentrate if my hands were busy, and at home, watching TV or listening to music, I often knitted. She invited me to bring my knitting to staff meetings, if it would help, understanding that the brain could still concentrate, and even concentrate better, if the hands were busy.
That stared me taking my knitting to conferences, seminars and workshops. I know it disconcerts some speakers. One speaker even made a comment about it during the presentation. I usually try to tell speakers I am not trying to be disrespectful, but it helps me to focus. They seem to understand. I still do that.
There was a time in my life when I stopped knitting: knitting hurt my shoulders and cramped my hands. I missed knitting. I got some "hand aid" gloves http://www.amazon.com/Thergonomic-Hand-Aids-Support-Gloves-Extra/dp/B000B836NO more than 20 years ago, and started knitting again. (I still have these gloves, and wear them when I am doing marathon knitting.) I also realized that I had to drop and relax my shoulders when I knitted. I was in business again.
Now I have three cats. The oldest cat, Sake, never was interested in my knitting, really. She might grab at the yarn, but was easily dissuaded that it was not a toy. The middle cat, Haiku, likes the moving yarn, but can be directed away from the yarn.
The youngest cat, Taki, is barely educable, and knitting is not one of the things I have been able to educate her about. I miss knitting. I have several projects started, and only work on them when I can be comfortably outside, or at a workshop, park event, or away from the house. I have tried putting the youngest cat in time out, but the lesson lasts for a week or so, and then we are back to struggling about whose yarn is this. I hate to keep putting her in time out.
Some time ago, I decided I could close myself in the computer room, while I was watching TV or listening to music, and knit. I never implemented the plan until tonight. I did not close the door to the computer room all the way. Eventually Taki and Haiku made their way into the room. Haiku wanted to play with the yarn, but was dissuaded easily. Taki was not. I told her several times a loud and ferocious "No." She did not seem to understand. I told her I would banish her from the computer room if she interfered with the knitting. Of course, I did not expect her to understand. Every time she came at the yarn, I re-directed. This occurred over 40 minutes or so. By the end of this time, she did not still "get it" but she was less insistent on attacking and playing with the yarn.
The Thanksgiving weekend is a great time for me to work on knitting projects: I like to watch the Macy's Parade, the Lady Raiders play a basketball tournament of two or three games that I can listen to on the radio, and who knows what else is going to happen.
I am going to use my new knitting strategy: Banishment from the computer room, unless the kitty can behave.
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