How do you like your new PC?

   My new HP PC arrived on Friday and Jeff got it up and running on Sunday while I was at the shop in Cooperstown.  When he plugged in the old monitor, nothing happened so he dug out one of the older HP monitors his sister had given him when she replaced her PC's.  Seems my trouble all along was the monitor.  It had died, not my PC.  $398 because of a spent monitor.  Oh, well.  Yesterday while trying to wipe the old PC Jeff discovered that I had less than 1 byte of memory left available on it.  That got me a lecture on discarding emails and other nonessential junk.  Anyway, my old PC is now wrapped in the packing material/box the new one had arrived in and stored away 'in case of an emergency'.  With the limited memory left on it, the timing was right for a new one and I got a good deal.  Unexpected but a good deal nonetheless. I don't think I can take many more 'good' deals like this.

   Sunday in the shop was slow and I didn't knit 1 stitch.  Gave my hands a good rest...boy, did they need it, too!  My next scheduled day to work is June 11th and I want to get an ordered sweater and a pin-stripe (both size 4, hoodies) finished by then.  Then I have just over a week to do something to fill in the spaces before my next workday (June 21).  My summer vacation starts then!  No scheduled work days for 6 weeks...but I will restock if and as necessary!

   Maggie stopped by last week.  Brought me some of her delicious jam and some plants from her garden.  I want to restart the flower bed by the driveway...just got to get the energy!!

   Got an appointment for a bone density test today before my upcoming annual endocrinology exam the week after.  I really hope they find something wrong with my thyroid!  I am so tired...10 hrs sleep isn't enough and although I am taking a variety of vitamins (B,C,D, and Iron) I am still anemic.  After my initial problem with my thyroid (cysts that were caused by the radiation treatments for Hodgkin's Disease) back in the mid 80's, a part of one lobe was removed.  That endocrinologist forecast more trouble and said it was his opinion I'd end up losing the entire thyroid eventually.  I think 'eventually' may finally have arrived.  He also said it wasn't anything to fear.  Synthroid would take care of it and I would be better off.  I just want to know why they've waited over 30 years. 

  I've been asked that question (how do you like your new HP?) so often since Sunday and my answer isn't very nice.  I don't.  Not really.  Not yet.  I had 'shortcuts' with my old HP that I liked and used that are missing with this one.  I'm sure I'll develop them with it but in the meantime, I'm a little lost...and a lot slower...with the new PC.  I have to adjust the focus on new pages and the size of the font...nothing terrible or difficult just time consuming...when I open a new site.  (Jeff says it's my eyes, not the PC and I should go to the eye doctor or get new reading glassed.)  I also have a basic fault with the new PC...with every update Microsoft puts out...WHY??  What was wrong with the old one?  The original one?  Oh, well, I'll get use to it eventually, I guess.  I hope.

Oh, I just discovered this new font and I like it!!  Something good at last!

   

    

April is Ending on the Uneven Side

    Finally something good happened this week!  The week started off as bad as it could when Jeff nephew, Tim Jr, died over the weekend in Kentucky.  Tim had a long-distance escort service for over-size trucks and Jeff's brother, Big Tim, worked with him.  They were moving a load thru Kentucky when Tim, Jr said they had to stop.  By the time the convoy had pulled over and Big Tim had walked over to his son's vehicle, Tim Jr had died on the side of the road.  He had an inoperable aneurism and a long-time heart condition but was generally in decent heath.  Tim, Jr was in his mid-forties.   

    The week continued downhill when on Monday my regular INR (clotting factor) registered far out of range at 4.5-- a full 1.0 out of range (2.5-3.5)!  People who take warfarin have to have INR's done regularly and this was the first time mine was so screwed up!  My nurse told me I was considered 'critical' and if it didn't come down something would have to be done (what??  Admission and an IV???)  They changed my dosage and gave me until this Friday to see a difference.  It probably won't fall the complete 1.0 in 3 days but as long as it's going down.... We talked about possible causes and decided it was probably due to the amount of Tylenol I've been taking lately.  Now, Tylenol is usually OK for warfarin users but I may have OD-ed on it because my hands were hurting from the amount of knitting I was doing.  My nurse said she has a group of long-time warfarin/Tylenol users who were having INR's out of range!  She also asked if I've had the Covid shots yet and when I said no, she said good, don't.  Seems she also has a group of long-time warfarin users who are having INR's out of range after having their Covid shots.  (Another reason not to get them.) At least knowing my INR was so high explains why I've been so tired and cold lately.  

   Yesterday I had an appointment with the Dermotologist in Hartwick Seminary for my annual check up.  "No new basal 'spots', see you next year".  Unfortunately, because my INR was so high, I wasn't able to have any skin tags or moles removed at this time.  Even burning them off would have caused minor bleeding and since  I don't have much active clotting factor in my blood right now it wasn't considered a good idea.  

    We stopped at the shop in Cooperstown to restock and deliver an sweater order on the way to the dermatologist and my customer picked up her order today.  Judy called this afternoon to tell me the customer not only liked the sweaters I had done for her, but also liked one that I had restocked my display with and bought it!  (This is a really, good customer.  She's ordered 5 sweaters and bought 2 more off the shelves.)  Now I've got to make a special order (a Dolly and Me set) and one to replace the one she picked up yesterday before I go to the shop to work on May 16th.

   Jeff's boat was delivered. He ordered it thru Tractor Supply and because he paid for it when he ordered it, he got a good discount on the shipping.  Today a tractor trailer delivered it to our house.  The dogs went crazy!  Fanny (the big one) stuck her nose out the door to see what was happening and then hid under the kitchen table until Jeff and I both came back inside.  Zoey, our beagle, was afraid of the boat once it was unwrapped and sitting on the lawn.  She didn't have a clue what it was!!  The boat is a Pelican Catch Power 100.  It's 9'9" long and is considered a fishing kayak.  I'll take some photos of it tomorrow and post them here.  He got an electric trolling motor and 12 volt battery for it at Runnings. 

   Right now, I'm exhausted and I think it's time for bed.  Boy, will I be glad to get my INR back in range again. 

Timothy Day, Jr.

 

      Jeff's nephew, Tim Day, Jr. (rt) died yesterday while working in Kentucky.  He was with his father at the time.  'Timmer' was a good-hearted, generous guy who will be missed by family and friends. He is pictured with his brother, Doug.

Spring Opening and Other Stuff

   We had our annual Spring meeting of Cooper Country Crafts yesterday.  The plan was to meet in the parking lot so everyone was told to bring a lawn chair.  Judy made arrangement with the owner of the empty store next door to us to use their building if the weather wasn't fit for sitting outside so we met inside.  There were 20 of us sitting in a circle, looked like we were having a séance or a marshmallow roast but there wasn't an open fire in the middle and it would have been welcome!!  It was cold in there!!  The temperature was set at 55 and there was no way we could raise it so we didn't waste time and got our business done.

   Among other things, Judy went over what was suppose to be put on sales slips, things like the crafters number and inventory number if they use one, which sales tax percentage  to use for what and other things that she stresses each year but members 'forget' or simply don't bother to use.  Then the calendar was passed around, month by month, for members to sign up for work days.  I had thought I'd try to be 15% again this year but with not wanting to work July, August or December I had a had time coming up with the right number of days to be 20%!  I'll have to keep checking the calendar each time I work and try to pick up the 2 days I lack.  I didn't enjoy the ride to Cooperstown yesterday.  The car behaved beautifully and the road was clear, I just didn't like it.  I guess staying at 20% was probably best.

   I got to Cooperstown to late to go to lunch with some of the member so I just put up my display and looked around the shop.  We've got new members Jane and Bob Jones who do pet treats.  I love their packaging!!  Cute and very professional.  Their display was a little cluttered but Judy will soon ratify that!  I bought some dog and cat treats to include in my Yarn Pal package.  

    I didn't take any photos of my display because I forgot my camera but I still have 2 new 'Sheep in the Meadow' sweaters to finish sewing buttons on to so I'll photograph them before I take them to the shop on Tuesday (I have a MD appt. in Hartwick Seminary).  I didn't have enough of the Outlander collection to leave...and no room for it...so I decided to put one of the cowls in my Yarn Pal package. I didn't bring my new version of the train sweater either because while working in yarn ends I clipped to close to the sweater and cut where I wasn't suppose to. (IKES!!)  Have to fix that before it goes down.  Got a 2nd Train about ready for buttons, too. I filled my hat rack but there are still 4 or 5 new hats waiting to be finished and taken down.

   Monday, Jeff ordered his boat at Tractor Supply in Herkimer.  Because he paid for it as he ordered it in the store, he got a discount on the shipping which made him happy.  In two weeks his boat will be here!  He showed me a video of it on Facebook and it looks rather nice.

It's a fishing kayak called a Pelican Catch Power 100,  9'9" long and a little wide than regular fishing kayaks. It comes prewired with a special compartment so all he has to do is set in the battery and hook it up, and has another separate, watertight compartment for his wallet/phone.  He wanted to pay in cash for it but they wouldn't accept it!?!  Jeff doesn't use credit cards.  He had to use a Gift card (they didn't charge him for it) and then he had to demand/argue for a receipt.  He was told it would be on his computer at home and he could just print it but he wouldn't leave the store without one in his hand and finally they just printed it for him.  His reasoning was what if it was lost in 'the cloud', or my printer wouldn't print it or some other problem. He even threatened to cancel the order and demand a refund (about $1000)before they'd print it!! Now all there is left to do is to get a trailer hitch put on the car and reoutfit/register/insure our trailer.  I'm paying for the hitch(and life jacket) because I do not want him trying to put the boat on top of the car alone.  I told him I do not want a cop/trooper calling me to say Jeff had a heart attack and died putting the boat on the car.  He said what if they called and said he had a heart attack and died trying to land a 100lb cat fish in the Mohawk River?  I said I wouldn't care then because I'd know he died happy.  That shut him up!  End of argument,  circle the date on the calendar!! I won the argument!!

Safe At Home

     

    I had wanted the pattern for the 'Safe at Home' afghan since it was published but never got around to buying it until I saw that someone (who or where I don't remember) had added one of the houses as a pocket on the back of the afghan (it's lined) to hold tissues or a book for someone laying on a sofa.  I thought that was a great idea (a sale 'hook'!) so I bought it...but just because I now owned it didn't mean I was going to knit it right away.

   The directions for the knitted afghan are somewhat complicated and frankly, I don't have the time or patience to knit all the little pieces the way the directions call for.  (And then, sew them all in place?  No Way!  Not Me!!)  So the pattern went into my file until last week when I saw that someone else (again, 

I don't remember who or where) had combined the knit and crochet versions and was able to make a knit strip in 1 piece.  Out came my pattern again and after looking at it for awhile, I realized that if I copied the chart for the house (with windows and door) to graph paper and added the cart for the sky and roof where they belonged, I would have a chart for the complete picture without the need to knit any small pieces.

   Last night I was bored with my sweaters for the shop and my library books had lost my interest, too, so I decided to try a house.  I co on 24 sts (instead of 12) and worked my house, roof and sky from my new chart.  When it was finished, I cut the yarn for the roof and house and added different colors for the next roof and house but left the sky yarn alone and kept knitting.  By this noon I had complete almost an entire strip without any small pieces that had to be sewn in!

I'm planning to make a 'Throw' size (52x60 or close to it) with a pocket on the lining, with 8 houses in a strip and 10 strips and a 1" knit border around it. Knitting each strip in 1 piece makes it a lot easier.  It can become a pocket project, too!  (Since it takes app. 1 hour to do 1 house, 5 small balls of yarn and a pair of short US7's with a started strip rolled up around it can easily fit in a baggie and slip into my pocketbook to be worked on in doctor's waiting rooms, grocery store parking lots, traffic jams, etc.)  And it will be a change from carrying around half a sock in a baggie in my pocketbook.  I think I'd like to do 1 throw for the shop and 2 or 3 for Christmas presents for next year.   Wish me luck!!  I'll post photos!

Snow Adventure, part II

    Our snow adventure goes on!  

   When you have peaked, metal roofs, snow slides off with a great roar and crash.  I usually don't pay much attention to it.  The TV room has the only peaked, metal roof and there is nothing on one side of it that can be damaged...I thought.

   Yesterday I noticed from my chair at this PC a strange object sticking out of the snow

  so I got up and moved closer to the window to see what it was.  Turns out it's the top T of our woodstove chimney pipe!  The rest of the chimney pipe, the 'table' it rested on...and one of the 4x4's

that supported it, and part of the facial board from the roof are buried in the snow around it. 

Not much is left along the roof where it's suppose to be!  That's the end of the woodstove for this winter!  Good thing we just had our oil tank filled last week.  Hope it lasts till Spring!

More Snow

    At first the forecast called for 1-3" of new snow today but by this morning it had gone up to 4" and we got it!  Slowly all day it snowed.  Sometimes visibility went down to feet, other times it was blocks.  The roads weren't in great condition but they were passable and we had some errands to do so around 1pm we headed for town.  It took a firm push on the gas pedal to get thru the snow the plows had already put in the mouth of the driveway and Jeff swing a little wide barely missing the mailbox but once we were on pavement it wasn't too bad. Everyone seemed to be driving safely. And I was glad he was driving!!   

    We went to Herkimer and did what we had to before driving thru Mohawk to Ilion and the library (instead of going on Rte 5), and went back the same way.  After a stop at Tractor Supply in Herkimer (and Burger King for chicken nuggets for the dogs) we headed for home.  By then Smalls Bush Rd wasn't in very good condition at all, and the plow had filled in our driveway quite well so when Jeff signaled to turn left into our driveway he had to really slow down and guess where to find our driveway.  The white truck behind us didn't slow down enough for him so he hit the gas to go thru the snow in what he hoped was the mouth of the driveway.  Unfortunately, the car didn't make it clear into the driveway and slid into the snowbank.  Jeff tried rocking the car back and forth but it wasn't moving.  As he got out to see how far we slid into the field, a beat-up old red pickup truck with a plow stopped and the driver asked if we needed help.  Jeff thanked the guy and offered him $$ and hot coffee but he said no, he had to get his plow into the shop to have it fixed.  Neither one of us recognized the driver but he pulled the car out of the snow bank.  Jeff was surprised a stranger would do that.  It's nice to know there are still good people left in the world.  

   It gave us something to think about, too.  We were stuck at the end of our driveway within walking distance to our house but with a large bag of dog food and a bag of library books it would have been a very interesting walk to the house thru the snow.  And if the car had stayed there all night, it would have most likely been buried under the snow so when the garbage truck did managed to back into the driveway in the morning, it wouldn't have been snow that would have stopped it's progress but our car. 

   Oh, and the forecast is for a couple more inches tonight.