Gee, that was fun.

It was an exciting weekend - we went from 60 to -18.  It snowed, sleeted and poured rain.  There were ice jams, flooding, power outages, wind.  Then everything froze solid.  I guess this is the new 'normal'.  Mercy.


There was also some upheaval in the LLF household.  After years of enduring a sturdy, but eroding, hand-me-down sofa, we got a new-to-us sofa and a new-to-us rug!  My life, it seems, is all about timing.  I had to coordinate the delivery of the new sofa and rug with the removal of the old sofa.  Since nothing is ever seamless, the new sofa/rug arrived on Thursday afternoon and were stored in the carport - on a tarp, up on blocks due to the entire day of torrential rain on Friday - until my farmer neighbor could get over with his farm hand on the weekend to move the old one out.  It was a queen-sized sleeper and weighed a ton.  As luck (hahahaha) would have it, as soon as the rain stopped, the temperatures took a header and I went out to find my car sealed in a shell of ice on Saturday morning.  Four kettles of hot water later, I had freed the driver's side door and ran it until I could chip the ice off the windows and go feed the farm cats.


The actual switcheroo was very fast and I then (wo)man-handled the new rug - which is quite a bit larger than the old one - and the sofa into place.  We are waiting for the rug to calm down.  The new sofa is larger than the old one and a bit higher, but very comfortable and in great condition.

Lovey waiting for permission to give it a test nap.

Approved!

You will notice the weiner ramp on the left.  Lovey does not approve of the ramp.  The colors are perfect and I was able to move the old living room rug to the dining area.  I can't believe how much difference this new set up makes - it is tres cosy and gives a lot more area of traction to the dogs - very necessary, as both have leg/spine issues.  I sent off the extra-long hallway rug to be cleaned and that will complete the coverage.


I finished my socks and, alas, they are too big.  I had realized it after the first was finished, but I am not accomplished enough to adjust a pattern to different sizes.  This was a one-off size.  I didn't remember to take a picture of the blocked socks, but  will, as they, more than likely, are going to be the stars of a giveaway...  One down, eleven pairs to go!  I then realized that I didn't have another project ready for the needles.  This is code for "I have no idea where all the yarn is for the hundreds of projects that are languishing in craft room".  I found my ball winder and swift and wound 8 skeins of yarn.  Since I still have a couple weeks to go before the February socks can start, I cast on some beautiful silk/wool blend yarn for a small cowl project.  This weekend - amidst the vet appointment, adoption clinic and 'date' with my sister - I will begin the Great Craft Room Revival.  Prayers are now being accepted...


Here's the "After" photo of the Cat/Canning Room Clean-up:

If you look closely, you can just see the top of Slimmie in his self-warming bed.  He LOVES it.  The other beds and cushions are for when he has friends for sleep-overs.  Not.

*****

Just on the off-chance that there might be interest, let me know if you are interested in either of these:

Lots of great patterns in this
magazine!

This baby is a TOME!



I will mail them to the first person who claims them.   Once again, US only - however, the sock giveaway will be open to all!