Winter's Grip

We're still in the grips of winter with a couple of inches of fresh snow, near zero temperatures and the possibility of a weekend nor'easter. The woodpiles are shrinking and fuel oil has been delivered again.  (That makes 3 deliveries  totaling 300 gals for $1073.00)  Hopefully, that will be enough to make it to spring...which according to the groundhog is suppose to be early.)  Jeff was thinking about picking up pallets Friday...the weatherman was right and the temperature was near 30...but his back has been bothering him and an exam at the Pain Control Clinic earlier this week didn't make things any better.  He's got more tests to endure before a decision is made whether to operate on his back again (which would be operation #3) or try something new.  And I think I've got it bad sometimes with the plate & screws in my right leg...I swear it's a barometer!...but his back pain is pretty constant. I got the results of the x-ray of my hand...after tripping over a dog toy and falling last week.  Nothing 'abnormal'...then why does it hurt so much??  Oh well, just another spot to baby.

I've been knitting thru the hand pain and my 'new merchandise' bag is quite full.  I've about had it with sheep on sweaters that are either hot pink or mallard green so I switched to baseballs.  I did a size 6 mos hoodie, finishing it in a day and a half...size 6 mo sweaters don't take very long to do!  The hood and body are navy and the sleeves white. (Go Yankees!)  It's got a back zipper and a false Henley front with 3 baseball buttons. It's not recommended to put pull-strings in hoods on baby sweaters anymore so I had to get creative with the baseballs.  I think I'll force myself to do one in red (Boston?? Cincinnati?? ) before I do a pin-stripe sweater...which is rather boring to do but is a good seller. Jeff's 60th birthday is March 1st and I've started a project for him,too.  He actually likes the hand-knits I do for him...even wearing them out!

Finally got the paperwork finished for the nursing home for mom.  Had to get copies of some things...my father's death certificate, deed to the cemetery plot and Josie's SS card. Talked to the social worker at the facility yesterday and she said now we have to wait for Medicaid to kick in and a bed to become available.  I've said it before but I'll say it again:  make sure all your important papers are in order and up-to-date.  Nothing was where Mom said it would be!

Oh, this week Fanny 'ate' my cellphone and a cardboard kleenix box...by passing most of the tissues!  The cell case was punctured on both sides and she bite into the battery.  And I had over 80 minutes available on it!!