Home Invasions??

    I think yesterday would have qualified as a day of home invasions to the dogs.  First, our new groomer, Alexandria Fisher, pulled up in her big white truck.  Zoey was willing to go outside to greet her...a stranger...but Fanny after barking a few times from the doorway, retreated to her security spot under the kitchen table. (Hey, it is a 100yr old, solid oak, round pedestal table so I can understand that it does offer some security.)  After Zoey had her nails clipped, and it was Fanny's turn, Jeff had to drag her out from under the table! She was muzzled so her resistance was totally passive but she does weigh 80lbs so there is a lot of dog to drag even if it is only across the room!  Alexandria thought the dogs' nails were too long to be clipped as short as they should be...the quick was quite long and there was a chance of bleeding...so we made another appointment for her to come back in 2 weeks to finish the job.  Zoey was back to wiggling and friendly by the time Alexandria left but Fanny had retreated under the table as soon as she could, and she stayed there for the rest of the afternoon!  

      I had noticed a decrease in the resident population of mice in our house lately, but I was just attributing it to seasonal hunters outside like hawks and other predators.  That notion changed when something streaked across the kitchen followed closely by Zoey barking like crazy!  Fanny stood up in her safe spot under the table and barked loudly, too! I screamed and Jeff started to yell just to add to the general confusion.  Since he hadn't seen the critter, I had to describe it and he gave me a couple of suggestions of what it could be.  I looked them up online and found a picture to match our invader...a weasel!  I yelled at Jeff to do something, but I can't repeat what he said! (*!* ) I said I'd stay at my PC and scream when I saw it but changed my mind when Jeff said it was hunting mice!!  I decided it could visit.

     I've lived in this house since 1962 and we've been 'visited' by critters over the years that usually resulted in my mom and me screaming and running one way and the critter just running around!  I've learned how to catch bats (just wait for them to tire out and land somewhere and drop a bowl or box over them and use a magazine as a cover to hold them in, carry the container to the door and dump it outside) and snakes (my mom's 'reach and grab' tool worked the best!  I didn't have to get closer than the length of the tool and the grabber could hold the coiled snake until I carried it outside).  Jeff's been in charge of mouse traps that he'd set periodically but the mice always seemed to be ahead!  We had a bird fall down our fireplace chimney a couple of times.   Someone else picked it up and took it out that time but I think I threw a towel over it the next time it happened and did it.  But this weasel was the politest home invader we've had.  When the dogs started barking (and I started screaming) it ran to the cellar door and squeezed under it...and we didn't see it for the rest of the day!!  And besides, it's a lot cuter than a mouse!

Mug Rugs

     Some of the knitting chat groups I belong to organize some great swaps that I usually sign up for and the April/Spring's Swap was no exception.  When a Mug Rug Swap was announced, I thought that it would be a piece of cake!  Even though April was the traditional re-opening month for the shop with a lot of last-minute embellishments and button sewing to do, I thought I could manage to produce a mug rug...or even a set of 4 if I tried hard enough.  I mean, a mug rug is only a 4" square!  So, I signed up and received a swap partner and started looking for a mug rug pattern.

    Just to let you know, I aways thought mug rugs were just squares with a design in the middle, nothing too fancy or difficult, simple and easy to do.  Well, I was wrong.  Mug rugs do come in 'simple, easy to do' and then they move on to the more intricate and elaborate designs.  Ever try to do a linen stitch? I quickly learned that I was going to need more than a few spare minutes between sewing on buttons to master that stitch!

   And what yarn to use?  Any and all types!  Of course, the types I have the most of in my stash are worsted weight acrylic and washable wool sock yarn. I tried using some sock yarn on a US2 with a pattern I found on Ravelry until my hands started objecting and began cramping.  OK, so it was a NO to sock yarn on a US2.  Then I began to seriously look at patterns that called for acrylic worsted weight yarn and a needle size I could handle (like a US7) without major cramping problems. I ended up revamping a chart of a sheep I use for a lot of children's sweaters and hats and started knitting...completely forgetting what a 4" square of acrylic yarn knit in stockinette stitch on a US7 would look like when finished...even if single stitch 

crocheted around the edge!  To get this square to lay flat I was going to need some interfacing and backing...possibly felt or flannel. A trip to Walmart and a piece of felt solved that problem and the mug rug because a usable square. 

My hands objected strongly to putting the knit square, the interfacing and piece of felt together with blanket stitches and I used a light touch of a warm iron made sure the interfacing stuck to the knitting. I managed to assemble 1 rug a day!   But I really liked the way they were coming out, so I made 4!   And

now, that I'm ready to mail them on Monday I think I should add something extra to this package.  Years ago, my mom worked with a woman from England who always had a piece of chocolate with her 'cuppa'...she said it made her tea taste better.  Maybe I'll get some Hersey Miniatures to put in the bag.  What do you think?

  Here's the finished set of 4 Sheep Mug Rugs!

I had toyed with the idea of doing sets of these for the shop, (with different animals) but I think it will be better...for my hands, at least...just to do these for Christmas or housewarming gifts.  I have 3 sets on my To Do list already!  No, make that 4 sets!  I want a set, too!