Is it still winter?

How many variations on a theme??  How many times can you change things up to make them different, yet the same??

Ah, the Compudobby.

I figured out what was wrong with it, and I'm embarrassed to tell you.

Yes.

I got up and looked under the loom.  There were dust bunnies under there  that were HUGE.   When I cleared them out, the loom worked fine.  Apparently, they interfered with action of the the lams and the chains.  Hmm.

Every time I change drafts on Weave Point, I say, "oh this is my fave."

Until the next one.

I said goodbye to Miss Puss.  It was a very hard decision.  I've been giving her insulin twice a day for two years.
On one hand, I miss her, on the other, there's a sense of relief.
I feel bad about that, but it's the truth.

Sydney and Jinksie are a little off balance.  They are so used to being bullied by her.
It's quiet here, but Naya the new dog, should be arriving tomorrow.
They the dynamics will change, again.

After tonight, when the wind chill may possibly be as low as -50 degrees, it should be warming up to the 20's in the daytime, and not below zero at night.
That sounds lovely.

I have been thinking though, about how this cold and nasty winter will feel in 5 years, or 10.  When I tried to get DH to talk about this, he said, "I go day by day."
Duh.
I knew that.

I'm not counting the days of January, I'm counting towels.   By the end of the month, I figure to have a sizable stash of them to head into summer shows.
That's the only way I can slog through this cold.

The pellet stove keeps it comfortable in the evenings.   That's where I park myself with a book.

If the sun shines today, I'm going to sit in the hot tub and close my eyes.   I can pretend, can't I?

Today I go fetch my Bernina from the shop.

It was an expensive item, but not having it makes me realize how much I love it.
It's good to treat yourself, ya know?
It's especially good to have things to work with, that make your life easier.
That's my theory.

Had company yesterday.  
This little guy and his sister make winter go away.

When you have a grandchild, you think you can't love any other child as much as this one, then another comes along, and you do.
Your heart just gets bigger.

And I will leave you with a bruschetta pizza from the Talk of the Town, Glens Falls, NY.
Why?
Because it's the BEST PIZZA PERIOD.
If you ever get the chance...........you'll agree!

Boom.

Doing January.

I've been moving stuff around.  It might be the January jitters.  My mother always moved the furniture around, she said it made her feel better.

I moved the Singer treadle machine into the living room, and lo and behold, DH noticed it, and asked me why it was there.

Unbelievable.
He usually doesn't notice anything.

I only moved the Singer, so I could put this shelving unit in the hallway, which I am planning on filling with towels.

I've been having trouble with my Compudobby missing certain harnesses.
It's been driving me a little crazy.
You know, crazier than I already am.

I still love it, but it has issues sometimes.

I will figure it out.
Trust me.

I will.

Feathers are special.   I love this one in a glass tube.

L and I put on some color today.  Thank goodness, I was getting so sick of that natural warp.

Now on to the threading, and the sleying........then I can weave.

Winter is long, and COLD, so it's a great time to stock the shelves for the summer shows.

I need to do  inventory in the shop.   I also need to work on, and update, my web site.

There really is no lack of things to keep me busy around here.

Then there's always cooking and baking to be done.

And cleaning.   There's that word.

I'm anguishing over my calico, Miss Puss.  She is the diabetic.  I think when she was so, so sick a couple of months ago, I should have let her go.  Instead I spent the weekend in Emergency Pet Care, and spent $1600.  
She hasn't really been great since.  She is thin, she is grumpier than ever, really hates everyone but me and Lois.
She floods the litter box daily.   She has to have insulin twice a day, to the tune of $125 per bottle, plus syringes.
She is only interested in food, and water. Other than that she sleeps.
I don't think she feels well.
And to be totally transparent here, I find that I am resenting that I can't go anywhere, without being back in time for her insulin, that I worry about all the money I spend on her, and I feel that maybe I am prolonging her life when her life has lousy quality.
I think I know what to do, but I am frozen.   In many ways.

On another front, my friend Karen of This Old House, found a dog.  She thought it was a fit.  When I saw the picture of the dog, I thought so too, but the dog had been adopted.  Then yesterday, Karen messaged me to tell me that  the adoption didn't work out, the adopters had a dog that was terrorizing the new dog.

So maybe, if the planets align, we may have a dog.   I know Roy would love her, and I know he would approve.

So here she is, Naya.  She's 35 lbs, 2 years old, mellow, laid back.  
I think that's what we need.  A little lover.

I'll keep you posted.

2018

Yes, it's been bitterly cold in Northeast New York, so cold that it's time to turn on the "red light" out in the hen house.  Hopefully, it makes a little difference.

Inside, I've been working on my natural towel warp, and hopefully will be done with it soon.

I definitely need some color.

I've been mending this old quilt in the evenings, my plan is to get it all quilted before I wash it.  It's very fragile.
I just love the old, faded fabrics.

Well, I showed you pictures of my sewing table plans.   But I have the patience of a gnat.

Ask anyone.

I really needed a table to work on, and after some careful consideration of the costs, I went to the local furniture store, where they sell used and new, and bought two very reasonable, identical  cupboards.

I used the table, because the top is still serviceable, I did have to bungee the middle legs together, as they are busted, as well.

But I think it's going to work well.  At some point, I may order a custom counter top for it, same size.

My sewing room is a wonderful place to spend time.  Unfortunately, my Bernina is getting its yearly service cleaning, so I am a little lost.

Well, not entirely.   There's always the 36 year old Kenmore upstairs.   hehe.

The sun has been shining all day, and that's something to be thankful for, even though it's brutally cold.

 

Hemmed, washed and pressed all these towels. stocking the shelves.

Thinking today about 2017.   Missing Roy, feeling the loss of a friend, trying to understand somethings, while fully understanding others.

Mostly, grateful for everything I have.  Still loving my life. My family.  My friends.  Hopeful for the future.

Happy New Year to all my blogger friends.

2018????         Let's do this.

BRR

Christmas is over, and I'm not sad about that.  It's no secret that I wasn't in the Christmas frame of mind.
Watching the little ones was the best part of all.  Thank goodness for toddlers and babies.

It is bitter cold here, as it is in many parts of the country.  I'm not a fan of this either.

God, I sound like the grinch.  But I can't help it, the bitter cold makes me nervous.  I'm always thinking that the power will go out, the pipes will freeze, yadda yadda.  The chickens are barely laying an egg or two a day.   It's just too cold.


I'm busy weaving on a 50 yard towel warp, all the while planning my next warp.

And I have some sewing to do, before I haul my Bernina 770 to the sewing center for its yearly maintenance.  I have made a lot of quilts this past year, so it needs to go.  And it's free, so I have no excuse.

I hate the cold SO Much, that I talked Lois into picking up a book for me at the library.......so I don't have to go.


After my bout with the flu, my first trip out of the house was to Benson's Pet Center, for the signing of John Gray's book, GOD NEEDED A PUPPY.
John is a local (Albany) TV weather man, and he has written this amazing book.
I bought one for myself, dedicated to Roy, and one for Dale, because she was having a hard time understanding that Roy wasn't coming back.

You can find him on FB, https://www.facebook.com/JohnGrayFOX23/

and you can find his book on Amazon.

His daily writing on FB is always good, inspirational, and makes you believe in the good in this world.
 I highly recommend it.




Here is my towel warp.......I'm getting tired of a straight draw on a neutral background.

Remember these two..........

Where did the years go???

These Christmas gifts remind me of my mother.

Funny how holidays haven't been the same without her.

My sewing table has had the radish.........both ends fold down, and unfortunately, after a lot of use, it is just not stable anymore.

So I'm thinking of having this made instead.

What do you think???

Time for a cuppa tea.......and a digestive.   If you've never had one, well, you haven't lived.