I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER

I am too old and it's not exactly dignified to somersault across the living room like I did this morning. My suitcase zipper broke and Nick asked me to find my small scissors to see if he could repair it -- and when I stood up, as usual, Amy was under my feet. I fell over top her and in an effort not to land on her back and kill her I somersaulted across the living room -- pulling the muscles in my left leg, and landing on my right hand.

I am sore, stiff, and out of sorts to say the least! And tomorrow is packing day, not the best day to be gifted with a stiff leg!

On the lighter side, I am almost finished with Nick's net grocery bag -- working on the handle now - it came out something like a cross between camo and burlap, nice and masculine. The pattern is one of Bernat's -- something like the Lily pattern but with a better bottom arrangement.

Errand Day

Ran errands today and since I couldn't find the bag I needed, I am crocheting a couple of net bags for us to use in the truck. Unlike Walens blanket, the mesh bag is working up nicely.

Caught up all the email contests -- don't know how much contesting I will get done while we are on the road. But hopefully some of the places have wi-fi. Now Nick is whining about well, he doesn't have a computer with wi-fi. Not my problem -- I opted to replace my big computer with a laptop while I had the chance. Some of us can see the wave of the future and try and keep up with it!

Actually, body and health wise, the laptop was a good choice for me -- I sit up straighter with the laptop than I did with the big Monitor screen, and the keyboard is a heck of a lot easier to use -- although I did have to add a laser mouse, since my fingers don't work too well with the touch pad anymore.

Laundry Day

I have spent the day doing laundry and playing Mahjong. When everything get dry I will pack it away. Frogged Walens blanket once again -- I think he had best be settling for the fleece blanket of mine, he already appropriated. I have trouble working with any yarn but baby yarn it seems, and the crochet cotton and steel hooks I can manage fine, too.

Not too much going on here -- tomorrow is errand day, giving the cell phone number to the bank along with our address in CA. And some things to pick up at various places. I need one more backpack for the things under my desk such as my sewing kit, crochet kit and the samples bag. When I get back, I have to bathe Amy as she smells of river water from where she fell in.

I bathed Walen yesterday and he wasn't too happy about that, but his fur is pretty when it's clean. I guess I should bathe Pyewacket, but I have to work up the nerve for that fight!

Getting Closer

Finishing up the packing -- Tuesday should be the last of the packing except for the last minute things. I packed my net shopping bag with diapers for Walen and his clothes, some reading material, dog sweaters and leashes.

I have frogged Walens new blanket twice -- after having the oval rug start rolling up into what looked like a gravy boat -- I frogged that and tried a rectangle shaped one - to have it look like a dog bone in shape! Frogged that one so we are back to a rectangular granny and it is turning out fine.

As I thought, the baby pinafore and diaper panty set fit my Bitty Baby look a like perfectly. Once we are settled, I will find out which hospital needs baby items and start crocheting again. This set I can't donate yet as I had to use velcro as the closing, since I can't find my needle threader to thread a needle and sew on buttons. Just a reminder, everyone, old age is not for sissies!

Well, she has to go back into the doll chest with her new clothes on-- as did the Baby Steps dolls -- they will be riding in the pickup bed -- no room in the inside!

Final packing of the truck will be Thursday afternoon except for the breakfast items and our bedding. Those will be packed last minute, before we leave for the bank to pick up my retirement check, and we will stop at Wal-mart on the way out of town to pick up the necessary prescriptions, get on I-79 and haul butt for home!

Onward, ever, Onward

I am officially living out of a suitcase now, that is where all my clean clothes are. And I finally used up my stash of baby yarn. I made a gorgeous newborn size pinafore and diaper cover in white baby yarn with pale yellow baby yarn trim.

Having used up all my baby yarn, I was casting about for another project when DH proposed I make our dog a second afghan as his first one I made a year and a half ago is looking ratty. Well, what I invented for him was not so much an afghan this time, as a crocheted style of braided rug. I am tired of having to get his nails untangled from the rectangular granny. It's being done in Red Heart's Aspen ombre.

My blogging will be a bit spotty starting November 30, 2007 as we leave here in our pickup truck, with whatever we can pack in the bed, and a cab filled with two humans, a cat, and two dogs. It's great that each animal has his special spot in the cab. The cat prefers the hump in the center over the drive train, our old dog likes to lie in the foot well on my side and the younger one likes to ride on my lap looking out the window. Now that may be a problem since I am going to have to do some of the driving and he will have to make do with DH lap -- and he like the other two animals, is not fond of DH at all!

That should be an adventure all in itself. I am hoping the motels we stop in at night have wi-fi as my laptop is all set up for it and the laptop is traveling with me at all times. Maybe I can even get some of my sweepstaking done along the way.

Living out of Suitcases

We are pretty much packed, so we are basically living out of our suitcases.

With not a lot to do, I have been designing doll clothes for the Lots to Love Baby Steps doll. She is 10 1/2 inches tall and supposed too be a toddler.

The only free pattern available on the internet for ut, has a number of drawbacks. One being that once you finish the dress, you find the opening for the head is not big enough so you have to force the dress up over her hips. The other problem being -- the dress makes the doll look like a 40 year old matron in a too tight dress.

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!

Just two weeks from today, we will be on the road home. Couldn't be soon enough for me, what with 32 degree weather, falling dogs and what have you.

This place is damn cold tonight -- nothing in the walls to keep the cold out. I am sitting here wrapped in a blanket with the electric heater on the desk beside me and have to keep putting my feet in front of the heater to keep them warm!

Ami took an accidental dip in the freezing water. She can't see on one side and got too close to the rivers edge. And no matter how many times I tell Nick she is afraid of him and his cane-- he pointed it at her and then up hill. Only she backed up to avoid the cane and into the river she rolled.

I was panicked but Ami just swam to the shallows and waited for me to wade out and get her. I wrapped her in my big heavy coat and between Nick and I holding the ends, got her back to the house in quick time. She only weighs 13 pounds but when her hair is soaking wet, she is heavy.

She seems okay now that she is warm and dry.

I will be glad to leave this apartment for another reason. Ami is lame in both hind legs and is having to be carried upstairs.

Well, just think, two weeks from tonight, we should be approaching Mobile AL where it is 70 degrees -- wouldn't the public be entertained as we tossed our long underwear out the window of the truck? Followed by sweat suit, winter jacket, hat and gloves and scarf? Things we have to have on as we pack the truck and leave here!