It took 12 days for the mechanics to 1) discover what was wrong and 2) fix what was wrong with our Forester. That's 2 days, a weekend, a week, another weekend and 2 more days from when they towed in the Forester on Thursday afternoon, April 18th, until Jeff drove it home yesterday, Monday, April 29th. During that time we were taken to the grocery store once...after 5 days without a car...so we could restock the cupboard. Then we just waited. And slowly started to run out of things.
Bread was the first thing we ran out of but I was able to make bread twice so we were able to hold on for a few more days. We finally ran out completely on the 2nd Sunday. (When I actually ran out of white flour and yeast.) We ran out of butter about the same time but when there's no bread, butter doesn't seem so important.
Prescriptions were next to empty out and Jeff started hitting the bottom of his Rx bottles by the end of the week. I managed to last until the 2nd Sunday and then ran out of only 1 of my Rx's.
We drink a lot of coffee and the canister of coffee beans got low quickly. I went into Jeff's stash (he's a prep-er and has a stockpile for when 'shit hits the fan') and dug out a bundle of coffee that he had sealed in small packages. That gave us enough coffee for the rest of the time. We finally ran out of coffee this morning...actually last night but I tried to make a pot of coffee this morning that was just so weak the proverbially dish water was stronger! We should have bought coffee yesterday when we finally got to the grocery store but neither of us remembered,
We ran out of other things along the way, too. Things like certain can veggies (there's still more than enough cans of beets in the cupboard) and coffee creamer. Dry cereal and soda didn't last the entire 12 days either (but I did get $1.85 in returned bottles when I returned the empties yesterday!). Good thing Easter Sunday was at the beginning of this experience because it gave us some special desserts...for a few days. And we never ran out of meat and potatoes. Our freezer is full and Jeff had just bought a big bag of potatoes for Easter.
And now to the cause for all this, our Forester. On Thurs., April 18th, it stopped running on Rte 5S between Herkimer and Mohawk without any warning. The lights on the dash came on and with a weird sound, the engine stopped. (Actually, it was the transmission that stopped). Jeff was told a couple of bolts on the rear fly-wheel sheered off causing everything to stop. We had had the transmission replaced less than a year ago so everything was still under warranty (thank God) and when the mechanic finally found that 2 of those bolts had broken he charged us only $156.24. The only way those bolts could have broken like that, Jeff and the mechanics agree, is because someone did not tighten them correctly. Now I don't understand exactly what that means. You can tighten a bolt only til it's tight, right? Well, I guess not. You have to tighten a bolt so many pounds so it won't loosen. Too much and it will break; not enough and it will wiggle around until it snaps. The mechanic wasn't happy and neither was Jeff. I won't say how I felt except that I had gone to Cooperstown alone the day before. Now that's 35 miles of up and down hills to Cooperstown and 35 miles of up and down those same hills back home. Just thinking that the bolts could have snapped during those 70 miles.... Any way, they didn't snap then and they're replaced now. I don't care if the Church has sort of pushed St Christopher off to the side of the road, I called on him and every other saint I could think of those 12 days and they all came thru. I just hope that's the end of my automotive adventures for this year.
p.s. Oh, Jeff had to take a taxi from our house to the mechanics in Little Falls so he says I should add the cost of the cab, $11, to the bill bringing the total up to $167.24.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Something New for Spring
I tried something new for Spring to put in the shop...Baby cocoons. Don't know how well they'll sell but I thought I'd give them a go. One is plain white with a Guernsey inspired design around the bag and the other has my Black Sheep design on it.
The black sheep is on the back of the bag, of course, surrounded by a field of flowers while the 3 white sheep are scattered across the front. The sheep are knit into the bag but the leaves and flowers are done with a duplicate stitch...and
they took almost as long to do as the bag! These baby bags get a hat to finish the set but I think they'll end up being plain. A sheep is too big for a baby hat and I'm afraid people will think the set is only for girls if the hat has flowers on it, too. This set is knit by hand on US 6's with Herrschner's Kid's Brite in Caribbean, a wash and dryable acrylic.
It's difficult to see the Gurensey design in this photo...but it's there! The hat will have part of the design...the simplier part...around it. This set was knit with Bernat Baby Sport (also a wash and dryable acrylic) in white on US 6's.
Let's hope they both sell!
Let's hope they both sell!
Another Adventure
We had errands to run yesterday but I never
thought it would end like it did. It was a day from hell...and I don't know how it could have got much worse.
I...no, we both...needed fasting blood work this week and I needed mine done yesterday at the
latest, because I'm going to be switching from a once weekly Fosamax in pill form to a once yearly infusion. We finally made it down to the clinic around 11am and didn't have long to wait. The tech tried to draw blood from my left arm w/o success a couple of times and then from the right arm...this time with success. That completed we headed to Mohawk to Mona's Diner (you know, the Purple Place)for brunch...I really wanted some coffee!! A quick trip to the Ilion Library was followed by a stop at Aldi's where we found spiral hams on sale for $.65/lb. (regular price was $1.69)! With our Easter dinner and a few other things we headed back to Herkimer but couldn't cross the bridge to go east on Rt.5 because of construction
so I turned on to Rte.5S instead. We had barely made it to Mohawk when something snapped under the car! I pulled over to the side of the road as soon as I could and Jeff got out to check. Tires? Ok. (I had thought we had had a blow out.) He looked under the car and really couldn't see anything...at least nothing was hanging! He looked under the hood and all he could figurer out was that something had snapped. Handing me the cell phone Jeff said to call Dave and get a tow truck.
I have a list of phone numbers in the back of the pocket calendar that I carry in my purse but, of course I couldn't find it. Jeff told me to dial 411 and I eventually got the number for Hillslide Repairs and ordered a tow truck. (We had to call them back and leave our cell number because neither one of us knew it and Jeff had to look it up on the phone first.)
I tried calling my cousin Ed to ask for a ride home
for the dogs, grocery bag and me but there was no answer. The same happened when I tried Wally's phone. So we sat in the car on the side of the road
within walking distance of the bridge between Herkimer and Mohawk for about an hour before the tow truck arrived. It was one of the flat-bed types so Jeff and I got to ride in the truck while the dogs and groceries stayed in the car. (The dogs were not happy with this arrangement...at least Zoey was vocal about it. Fanny is more the stoic/silent type.) The driver
took us home before taking the Forester away. Don't know what's wrong, how much it will cost to fix it or how long it will take. But we made it home safe and sound and will be staying here for some time. My infusion is scheduled for next Thursday and probably will have to be rescheduled...but that's the only appointment on the calendar for the next 2 weeks.
Hopefully, Dave will be able to get the Forester back in running order in that time.
thought it would end like it did. It was a day from hell...and I don't know how it could have got much worse.
I...no, we both...needed fasting blood work this week and I needed mine done yesterday at the
latest, because I'm going to be switching from a once weekly Fosamax in pill form to a once yearly infusion. We finally made it down to the clinic around 11am and didn't have long to wait. The tech tried to draw blood from my left arm w/o success a couple of times and then from the right arm...this time with success. That completed we headed to Mohawk to Mona's Diner (you know, the Purple Place)for brunch...I really wanted some coffee!! A quick trip to the Ilion Library was followed by a stop at Aldi's where we found spiral hams on sale for $.65/lb. (regular price was $1.69)! With our Easter dinner and a few other things we headed back to Herkimer but couldn't cross the bridge to go east on Rt.5 because of construction
so I turned on to Rte.5S instead. We had barely made it to Mohawk when something snapped under the car! I pulled over to the side of the road as soon as I could and Jeff got out to check. Tires? Ok. (I had thought we had had a blow out.) He looked under the car and really couldn't see anything...at least nothing was hanging! He looked under the hood and all he could figurer out was that something had snapped. Handing me the cell phone Jeff said to call Dave and get a tow truck.
I have a list of phone numbers in the back of the pocket calendar that I carry in my purse but, of course I couldn't find it. Jeff told me to dial 411 and I eventually got the number for Hillslide Repairs and ordered a tow truck. (We had to call them back and leave our cell number because neither one of us knew it and Jeff had to look it up on the phone first.)
I tried calling my cousin Ed to ask for a ride home
for the dogs, grocery bag and me but there was no answer. The same happened when I tried Wally's phone. So we sat in the car on the side of the road
within walking distance of the bridge between Herkimer and Mohawk for about an hour before the tow truck arrived. It was one of the flat-bed types so Jeff and I got to ride in the truck while the dogs and groceries stayed in the car. (The dogs were not happy with this arrangement...at least Zoey was vocal about it. Fanny is more the stoic/silent type.) The driver
took us home before taking the Forester away. Don't know what's wrong, how much it will cost to fix it or how long it will take. But we made it home safe and sound and will be staying here for some time. My infusion is scheduled for next Thursday and probably will have to be rescheduled...but that's the only appointment on the calendar for the next 2 weeks.
Hopefully, Dave will be able to get the Forester back in running order in that time.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
My Display
In case you ever wondered, here's what my display in the shop, Cooper Country, in Cooperstown, NY, looks like. Well, sort of.
The hats are on the top shelf of the display and fit most babies up to 1 year old. The sweaters are raglan-from-the-neck-down and are various sizes from 1 to 6. They
are all hand-knit in acrylic (usually Red Heart but lately I've used some Bernat) so they are machine wash and dryable. The pink dress in the center of the photo is my version of a Fairy Leaves Dress, next to it are 2 Guernsey-inspired vests and
The hats are on the top shelf of the display and fit most babies up to 1 year old. The sweaters are raglan-from-the-neck-down and are various sizes from 1 to 6. They 
my original Polar Express Hoodie...w/back zipper. The sweaters in front are raglan-from-the-neck-down with different design elements knit in or are embellished. There are more sweaters in the display but it's hard to photography the entire display because of it's location in this small-but-well-filled-with-very-interesting-hand-crafted-items shop!
Since Cooperstown is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame besides those baseball hats, I also do a couple of different baseball sweaters...a V-neck cardigan and a hoodie... usually in Yankee pin-stripes or Red Sox (or Braves) red, white and blue but they're still OTN (or not ready yet).
The shop also has a quite nice autumn/Halloween display (i.e. my Pumpkin Hats) and a fantastic Holiday area (Candy Cane Hats). Oh, and the pink pup is my work, too, but the one done in Red Heart Cornmeal (a yellow lab) is my favorite!
I also have a couple of baby cocoon's or sleep sacks about ready and some ballerina-slipper booties that will be added to the display on my next trip. Of course, I'll post their photos here, first!
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Dolly and Me
I think I finally got the Dolly and Me Sweater set right. I knit and rippedquite a few 'Dolly' size sweaters before I finally just sat down with my regular raglan from the neck down pattern, the doll sweater pattern I liked the best...or was it the one I disliked the least...and a calculator. It took several tries but I finally got a sweater that actually looks like the child's sweater I make but quite a bit smaller...just the size for an 18" doll like an American Girl doll. Then I stated the child's sweater and...ran out of yarn! I was using Mary Maxim's Baby Blankie, an acrylic self-patterning acrylic yarn called Sweet Pea...but it's not available
locally so I did as much as I could on the child's sweater...a size 2...and put them both aside until I can order a skein of yarn.
Today I made another Dolly size sweater...this time with Red Heart acrylic worsted in Minty leftover from a child size 2 I had made in a design I call Flowers and Lace. The doll sweater
too big on the doll sweater to me but I don't have any smaller pink buttons. The other Dolly and Me set is a Black
Sheep Sweater set with the child's sweater a size 6.
I'm not sure how these sets will sell so I think this should be enough to start the season. The shop opens on April 11th so time is running out!!
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Finally....
I binged on 'Mama Mia' today...watched both DVD's (1 is better than 2, Cher adds nothing to the story) this afternoon while working on my hooded sweater. Had to rip out what I accomplished today because the design was off a couple of stitches...and looked it...so I tried again tonight this time while watching A 'Thief of Time', a DVD of a Tony Hillerman mystery story. I knit much better to a mystery than a musical. Reknit all that I had to rip out plus a few more rows. The pattern fits and looks good. The cables form a diamond and when it's finished I'll
embroider some flowers in the center of each diamond around the hood and down each front. Haven't decided on the color for the flowers yet or the buttons, but the sweater is a size 2. I'm working on US5 and 7 circulars with Red Heart Tourqua. I really hope I finish it on Monday. Time is running out...only 20 days until the shop reopens!
Oh, What A Night!
A couple of days ago I saw a cute hooded sweater on FB and when I tried to download the pattern...as instructed...my PC froze. I finally gave up and
instead, decided to try and put the cable pattern into my regular hooded raglan cardigan. I got the hood finished...didn't really like the way the design fit...and when I tried to start the body of the cardigan, couldn't get the front to line up with the design. I let the project sit on the needles for a day and last night I ripped it all out, rolled up the yarn and CO again for the hood. I moved the design in a little more, used less stitches in the cable and finished the hood. This time I had more than enough stitches (using both ends of the hood) for the neck of the cardigan so I had to decrease/gather the ends of the hood to get it to fit the neckband but it looks cute. Now I was ready to start the body of the raglan but since it was almost midnight I decided to let it go until this morning and go to bed.
Zoey, our beagle, was sitting on my bed looking out the window as I got ready for bed. Fanny, the Australian cattle dog, was stretched out, half- asleep already. Suddenly Zoey started growling...and then barking and baying! She crawled under the curtain...to get a better view of what was out there(?)...and really started barking. Now, the view from that bedroom window is of the wooden lot that use to be a horse pasture between our house and our neighbor's garage, the driveway and what's left of our neighbor's apple orchard. His house is at the far rear of the scene. Zoey was standing on the windowsill and barking to beat the band! Fanny looked over her shoulder and growled and barked in sympathy...or agreement...a couple of times but Zoey was definitely in charge! Jeff came in and asked Zoey what's was wrong but she just came out from under the curtain and kept barking. Fanny actually stood up now to join in the barking. Jeff looked out the window and couldn't see anything unusual so he went back to his computer in the other room. Fanny eventually settled down again and Zoey kept barking. I tried talking to her, praising her for being such a good watch dog, etc hoping she'd shut up. After half an hour or so, Zoey came out from under the curtain and settled against me but still looking out the window. She kept up with a low growl every now and then until she finally fell asleep.
I finally fell asleep in time for Fanny to have an allergy attack. It starts with her shaking her head...her ear itches...and then she starts rubbing her ear against a rough blanket or a chair. I
got up and gave her a Benadryl and wiped her ear out with a baby wipe. Jeff let both dogs out and when they came in, Fanny started running around barking and rubbing her head against furniture. I wiped her ear again and put in some of her eardrops. She kept barking and shaking her head. This went on for another 30-45mins until the Benadryl and eardrops kicked in. Zoey tried to comfort her and got barked at for her effort but still tried to get close. This doesn't happen often and the vet says I should up the dose of Benadryl...50gms for a 90lb dog isn't enough...but even if I give her 2 pills it still takes 20-30 mins to take effect. I'm better off...and so is Fanny...if I keep the ear clean and give her 1 Benadryl at bedtime. Since she was asleep before I was I didn't give her one when I went to bed. I hate doping up my dog but then, 50gms is a low dose and she isn't actually doped up.
The house finally got quiet around 2am. The night before I hadn't slept well, waking up every couple of hours because my hands and knees ached...arthritis and the latest storm was blowing in. Two night with little sleep and I slept until 11am today. Totally unusual...but delightful. Both dogs were asleep beside me when I woke up...to the aroma of Jeff's cooking. Don't get much knitting done sleeping to almost noon, now do I? Better get busy!
instead, decided to try and put the cable pattern into my regular hooded raglan cardigan. I got the hood finished...didn't really like the way the design fit...and when I tried to start the body of the cardigan, couldn't get the front to line up with the design. I let the project sit on the needles for a day and last night I ripped it all out, rolled up the yarn and CO again for the hood. I moved the design in a little more, used less stitches in the cable and finished the hood. This time I had more than enough stitches (using both ends of the hood) for the neck of the cardigan so I had to decrease/gather the ends of the hood to get it to fit the neckband but it looks cute. Now I was ready to start the body of the raglan but since it was almost midnight I decided to let it go until this morning and go to bed.
Zoey, our beagle, was sitting on my bed looking out the window as I got ready for bed. Fanny, the Australian cattle dog, was stretched out, half- asleep already. Suddenly Zoey started growling...and then barking and baying! She crawled under the curtain...to get a better view of what was out there(?)...and really started barking. Now, the view from that bedroom window is of the wooden lot that use to be a horse pasture between our house and our neighbor's garage, the driveway and what's left of our neighbor's apple orchard. His house is at the far rear of the scene. Zoey was standing on the windowsill and barking to beat the band! Fanny looked over her shoulder and growled and barked in sympathy...or agreement...a couple of times but Zoey was definitely in charge! Jeff came in and asked Zoey what's was wrong but she just came out from under the curtain and kept barking. Fanny actually stood up now to join in the barking. Jeff looked out the window and couldn't see anything unusual so he went back to his computer in the other room. Fanny eventually settled down again and Zoey kept barking. I tried talking to her, praising her for being such a good watch dog, etc hoping she'd shut up. After half an hour or so, Zoey came out from under the curtain and settled against me but still looking out the window. She kept up with a low growl every now and then until she finally fell asleep.
I finally fell asleep in time for Fanny to have an allergy attack. It starts with her shaking her head...her ear itches...and then she starts rubbing her ear against a rough blanket or a chair. I
got up and gave her a Benadryl and wiped her ear out with a baby wipe. Jeff let both dogs out and when they came in, Fanny started running around barking and rubbing her head against furniture. I wiped her ear again and put in some of her eardrops. She kept barking and shaking her head. This went on for another 30-45mins until the Benadryl and eardrops kicked in. Zoey tried to comfort her and got barked at for her effort but still tried to get close. This doesn't happen often and the vet says I should up the dose of Benadryl...50gms for a 90lb dog isn't enough...but even if I give her 2 pills it still takes 20-30 mins to take effect. I'm better off...and so is Fanny...if I keep the ear clean and give her 1 Benadryl at bedtime. Since she was asleep before I was I didn't give her one when I went to bed. I hate doping up my dog but then, 50gms is a low dose and she isn't actually doped up.
The house finally got quiet around 2am. The night before I hadn't slept well, waking up every couple of hours because my hands and knees ached...arthritis and the latest storm was blowing in. Two night with little sleep and I slept until 11am today. Totally unusual...but delightful. Both dogs were asleep beside me when I woke up...to the aroma of Jeff's cooking. Don't get much knitting done sleeping to almost noon, now do I? Better get busy!
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