What a difference a Fay makes

Do you guys remember these photos of our lake back in February? (I used them for the letter D for drought)



Well just since Fay has passed thru, it has risen to this.


Quite the difference! Thankfully it still has lots more room to go before it would flood over into the streets.

And 15 min after I took today's Saturday Sky

it started to pour.

Look what else is out there

If I just recently moved here, this would scare the heck out of me, but since I've been here most of my entire life, I've learned the best you can do is live on high ground, stay prepared for hurricane season all year long, and get out of Dodge if it's anything higher than a Cat 3.


And while we're comparing pictures, remember these pictures of Baby Girl taken last year?


Here she is a year later wearing the same outfit.


I think it fits her much better now. And as she grows, it can eventually convert into a cute top. That's if it lasts that long.

Reading is Fundamental

I've always been a reader. My mom never was, but she knew how important books were so she made sure I had a few of my own at home. I remember having a few of the Golden Books and my aunt got me a couple of Richard Scarry books. LOVED those! The details were amazing to me and I loved how they explained jobs and farming and plumbing in a way I could understand.

In first grade I remember the RIF trailer coming to school and I got to pick out a brand new book for me!!! (It was about a cat of course) I loved going to the library and picking out books about Pippi Longstocking, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle or Encyclopedia Brown. The motherload came when a friend of ours was selling off her collection of Nancy Drew books. My mom bought them for me and I was SO happy! When I put them in the book shelf that night I just couldn't wait to read each and every one of them. I did, too, three times each.

In elementary school I remember My Darling My Hamburger, 100 Dresses, anything by Judy Blume. In Jr High, I was introduced to V.C. Andrews. Wow, what an emotionally charged series. Made me cry every time. I read her books until my early 20s. The IO could NOT understand how I could read those books, esp when I hated sad movies with sad endings, but it was a like a train wreck, I couldn't turn away.

The only time I didn't enjoy reading was when I was in AP English and I HAD to read certain books. Crime and Punishment, sounds good until the crime occurs on page 87 and then you have 400+ pages of mental punishment. Didn't realize *I* would be suffering from mental punishment as well. The Old Man and the Sea, surprised I didn't die from boredom. Beowolf. Apparently it wasn't difficult enough, let's read it in OLD English.

There were a few books that I did enjoy; The Catcher in the Rye, The Scarlet Letter, The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, Dante's Inferno, The Tell-Tale Heart.

Meanwhile, because we were doing so much reading and analyzing of the written piece (sometimes a cigar REALLY IS just a cigar), I never got to read for pleasure until the summer. And that's when I read fluff. Maybe that's why I still read fluff, I burned out too many brain cells reading literary works written years ago.

So what prompted all this blathering abt books? I was surfing my library's website earlier and put holds on a ton of books, except this time they are by current authors like Mary Higgins Clark or her daughter Carol Higgins Clark (I just finished reading Laced last month and put a hold on Zapped), Maggie Sefton and Monica Ferris. I'm also trying out a new author by the last name of Goldenbaum. Death by Cashmere is waiting for me at the library. Guess I better get started on Twenty Wishes.

If you've made it this far, good for you!!! That means you are either a lover of books and my post was entralling and gave you lots of ideas of books to read
~OR~
you scrolled down hoping for some knitting updates. I've got none of those, but I ALWAYS have cute kitty pictures. Will that suffice?


All that reading made me sleepy.....


**as you can see, I started adding links to all the books listed, but that was taking WAY too much time. If you are interested in a title or auther, Google is your friend.

Finally!

Some blue sky!!!!

Haven't seen any of that in a LONG time. So while we are STILL getting feeder bands from Fay, she is now out on the panhandle of Florida and for the most part leaving us to dry out. We ended up getting abt 6-7" of rain with wind gusts of 40mph on Thursday, our worse day of it all. Of course that is the ONLY day the rugrats went to school.

Here is my weather when I went to pick them up.




We've had worse, but still not fun to be out in. Which is why I can't figure out why this guy was sitting on the swing Thursday night.

I thought I was seeing things, but when I went outside, there he was, sitting on the slide protected by the wind from my tree, but still getting wet. He was having himself a little shower!!! Looking at ME like I was the crazy one. He eventually flew away, hopefully to his safe little nest to stay somewhat dry.

We did have one casualty from Fay.

This is/was my cassia tree. It's fallen over before and we've had to tie it back up, but this time it snapped at the base of the tree. It's really meant to be a bush, but you can trim it to be a tree which is what we did. Not major, just one more thing that we'll need to replace.

While Fay was visiting, I was able to work on a few projects.
My sock.

I need to cast on for the 2nd one.

A toddler sweater for Children in Common

I actually have much more of this done. This pic was taken when I was at the arm hole opening, but since then I've finished the rest of the back and starting the front.


Lucy: I'm FINALLY no longer trapped in that house. FREEDOM!!!

The Enduring Travels of Fay

What Fay has lacked in flash, she has made up in endurance. This storm just will not go away! She has pretty much stalled over the Daytona Beach area. Thankfully I am more centrally located in the state and higher up so I'm not dealing with inches and inches of rain (one area is reporting 25" of rain; TWENTY FIVE!) We are just getting a constant drizzle with the occasional burst of downpour and gusty winds. The rugrats are back in school today which made our morning commute messy, wet and late. However I'll take that over having to be rescued by a boat from my house. And I'm not even thinking abt beach erosion.

We're just barely in the Cone of Destruction

and hopefully by tonight it will clear up a bit so we can start to dry out.


I don't care WHO this chick is, just make her go away!

Hurry up and wait......

So we have Fay coming to visit Florida. Well apparently she wants to see ALL of Florida because she started in the Keys, went to Naples and is heading across the state. She will hit the beaches of Ft Pierce (we THINK), head out for a swim in the Atlantic and then come back to FL near Jacksonville. Or she could skip the beach and just head north to Orlando. She apparently can't decide and every day we get a different cone of destruction. The IO is going nuts because we've had hardly any weather here at all. Meanwhile everything is on hold because *you never know*. I don't want a BAD storm, but a bit more rain and wind that makes you go OHHHH would be worthy of 2 days off of school!

Her plans on Saturday


and tonight

This is why they use that cone, because weather just wants to keep you guessing. She's still in her cone, but taking the scenic tour around.

Meanwhile I'm not getting much done at all. I'm still slugging away on my sock, I have abt an inch left before I start my toe decrease; I have yet to start the front of my sweater (there seems to be an error in the pattern, but I can't find a fix for it on line); I've done abt 4" on the cat blanket; and I've started a sweater for CIC. I needed a diversion from the 3 I have OTN.


You weren't planning on using this cooler for anything, were you?

Saturday Stuff

Before you all thing I'm becoming a cat blog (even though I *do* get more comments when I post the furry creatures), there has been some knitting going on. Here's an updated picture of my sweater.

I have a back!! This has taken me a little over 9 months to complete. At this rate I'll have it done in 2 years! But I REALLY want to have it finished for this year so I'll be casting on for the front later tonight. This is why I like socks, they don't take me as long to complete.

Speaking of socks, here is a progress shot of my blueberry waffles.

We are 1/2 way thru the month, and if I want to finish a pair by the end of August I need to pick up the pace to finish this one so I can start the 2nd. The pattern part of it is slowing me down a bit, esp now that I'm on the foot. I have to pay attention to what needle I'm on to see if I have to do the pattern or just straight knitting.

Last project OTN is my aunt's kitty blanket.

I'm using her grey along with some variegated blue I was gifted.

Speaking of grey, here is my sky.

I had to take it thru the window because my camera kept fogging up whenever I went outside. Hot and humid does that to technology. And I expect to have these grey skies for awhile. Apparently Fay will be stopping by for a visit. Here are my cones of destruction.

Last night at 11pm


This morning at 11AM


A couple of days ago it was turning into the ocean instead of Florida, and her track *could* turn sooner and she could be to the east of us, but it still looks like she's coming to visit so we need to clean up around the house. Also the rugrats start school on Monday, but it looks as if they will be home on Tues for a storm day. By the time she gets to me, she'll just be a tropical storm, so no worries of any major damage, but she's coming at a lousy time. Could we reschedule for a couple of weeks from now?

P is for

Paw


Polydactyl


Princess

Saving the best for last.

Kitty Olympics

High Jump


Synchronized Neighborhood Watch



Yarn Relay



Freestyle Sleeping

GOOD leg extention!


Nice form.


Look at that effort!


WOW a half twist while laying in the apparatus! I think we have our Gold Medal winner!




I am SOO ready for the hot tub.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Office

So it looks like I need to go back to work. Blech. Not what I want to do, but if I want to pay bills, eat and buy yarn, it looks like that's the case. The challenge is to find a job that will pay decent money and give me a schedule that will let me be home when the rugrats are, or find a job that pays well and find a place with after school care. Since I'm hoping a great job will come the IO's way, I opt for temp work. I've done this in the past and it has always worked out well for me. I call the temp agency and set up an appt for Tues.

So yesterday I get up, get dressed in a nice shirt, skirt and 2" heels. I put on make up. As I'm getting ready to leave, Baby Girl turns around and says, "Mommy, you look HOT!" (don't you just love what they learn from shows on DISNEY?!?!) I get my coffee, my breakfast bar and I leave. The clock in the van says it's 5:35. Hmmmmm. It's actually 9:15am. Not a great way to start this day out, but I'm still not worried because I've been there before and I've got all my notes with me.

Office Team is in one of those office complexes that have a ton of buildings that all look alike. I turn in, go around traffic circle #1, go around traffice circle #2 and there is the building on the left. Yep, just as I remember it. I go park and walk into the building. Hmmmm. The suite number isn't Office Team. In fact according to the building directory, Office Team isn't in the building. I ask somebody if they know where OT is. It's in the building next door. Ok so I walk back out to the car, drive around the area to find building #1, park closer to the interstate than to the building and go inside. No Office Team. I ask again. Nobody knows. And there are 5 other buildings to check. I trek back to the car and try one more building. Nope, not there either.

I don't have my cell phone (a story in itself) so I haven't been able to call the office. I need to find a pay phone. Finally find one at the movie theatre and call them (using a credit card since I have no change on me). They are in the building right behind the theatre. What are the odds.

I arrive 45 min late, make-up melted off, hair a tangled mess, two blisters on each foot from my shoes and a wicked rash on the inside of my thighs.

Everything else after that went fine. I explained why I was late (apparently I'm not the only one who gets lost in the maze of office buildings), I took their tests and they will call when there is a job available. By the time I had my interview with a real human I wasn't such a mess so I know I didn't blow it.

On the way home I stopped at the school to pick up Baby Girl's report card from last year (it never got mailed) and found out they had a job opening in the front office. I applied for it that day. If I have to work, at least I'm at the school and my schedule is the same as theirs. Plus I'll know all the good dirt working in the center part of the school!

As soon as I got home I shed off the corporate look and put on the sloppy housewife look (a big old tee). I was never so happy to wash dishes!!


Do you mean you'll be gone the WHOLE day?!?!

Thursday Kitties

Princess says: I am the Princess, I am to be higher than the others.

Lucy says: That's fine when we are awake.....

...but *I* get the chair when we're sleeping.

It Grew Up

And told me what it wanted to be.

A shelter blanket.

I started this afghan 5/21/08 and couldnt decide if it would end up as a kitty blanket for the shelter or if it would end up big enough to give to Warm Woolies (they need the smallest side to be 40"). I used all the yarn I set aside for this afghan/blanket and bound off on 8/3/08. It measures 47"x30". Yes I could have added more yarn to make it bigger, but I really like the way it looks and knew I wouldn't be happy with the final result if I changed the color scheme. It is now in my bag to give to the shelter. I cast on 131 stitches using a size 13 circular needle and used double strands of acrylic yarn to make it squishy. The pink is used as the main color thruout with white, tan and brown to make the stripes. I'm really happy with the way it turned out and its large enough to make one of the larger animals comfy. I need to cast on for another one because they are a great way for me to knit at night when I'm too tired for my sock.


As I was sorting my bags of projects I realized I never posted updates of the latest progress in cross stitching.

Here is Ariel.

There are lots of 1/4 and 3/4 stitches in this which makes it a bit of a pain to work with, but the overall project is fairly small so it shouldn't take me too look to complete.

And here is Too Pooped
Before

After

I got more of his hip done. Not much left to do for the cat, but that tree is going to make me nuts with all the browns involved.

I think the next one to come out and play will be my Seasonal Fall. It's already Aug and if I want to finish it for this year, I need to start now......

The Birth of a Butterfly

Some of you may recall that in the early part of the month we went to the local library to get ourselves a butterfly kit only to be too far on the list to get one. Well it turns out the lady from the butterfly farm had some kits overnighted to the library and we were able to get ours the following day, on the 10th.

On the 12th, our catepillars looked like this.



This one is #1 Son's (known at B1). He is growing big and fat.

This one is Baby Girl's (known as B2)



He apparently had a small crab spider mixed in with his food and the spider was spinning a web around him. He was slowly dying. We got rid of the spider and the excess web which led this guy to start moving around and eating again.

By the 16th, B1 looked like this.




B2 had another setback since apparently there was yet ANOTHER spider in there with him.

We got that one cleaned out yet again and were beginning to wonder what the outcome would be for this little guy.

On the 23th B1 now looked like this.

Wait, where is he?!!?

WHOA!!!!

We moved him from the plastic cup he was in to the aquarium to give him more space and to allow him to dry his wings easier. He was released into the wild (aka our front yard) that evening.

B2 thankfully changed into a chrysalis, but he had been knocked down from the counter and was knocked off his web that kept him dangling from the top of the cup. So now he's attached to a coffee stirrer with a chip clip.

One can only wonder how he's doing.

Well the next day we have confirmation

WOOHOO!!!!

Click on this picture to see him sticking his tongue out. In fact ALL pictures are clickable to see them up close and personal.

How this guy survived is amazing to me. Actually the whole process is amazing to me, but with the things this guy had to overcome just to be, well, just to BE, was thrilling. Especially since this was Baby Girl's.

He was released in the wild that night. This was just before pre-flight.

Of course Baby Girl cried when he flew away. I told her it's always hard to let your baby go, and while she was sad, she should be happy that she gave him a good strong beginning and he can go off into the world a better butterfly for it. She seemed to understand, but one has to wonder if this isn't a preview for me of things to come 10 years from now.