We are in the deep freeze right now. And I mean 'deep' and frozen. Actual temps are below zero and wind chill around -30 to -60 degrees. The actual low temp during the night was -20.
All schools cancelled for today and all other activities also cancelled or postponed, even though there is no snow, roads and visibility are clear. No one wants to be outside today. South Dakota and Iowa even cancelled mail delivery today so that the mailmen won't have to freeze.
There have been several snow storms in the area but they have all missed us for the most part. Last Friday it was predicted that we would be in the middle of a big storm, meaning we were surely going to get up to 8" snow after getting freezing rain and high winds, which is a triple whammy. We had 100% chance of getting this, so all the schools cancelled ahead of time. And the storm was a no show! It all stayed north of us, and south of us. Weather is always interesting around here. And it seems like the latest prediction programs miss the mark a lot more than they did before all this technology.
LIFE AND RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A SENIOR WIDOW A hodge-podge of thoughts about life as a widow and what I am doing from day to day.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
CROCHET PROJECTS
As the saying goes, "Long time, no see." I know I have been MIA for a long time. I promised some friends that I would post pictures of my latest finished projects. Below are pictures of a very soft chenille baby blanket that I made for my new great grandson last fall. He was born in early January 2019 and so adorable!
I had a hard time showing just how nice it is. I made up my own pattern, a very simple single crochet, chain one, single crochet throughout the whole thing. This yarn is bulky and I just wanted something warm and cuddly for the baby to enjoy feeling the softness.
The next one is a two-tone green heart stripes afghan. It looks like strips but is made as one piece so there was no sewing together and that is what I like! When I am finished crocheting I want it done! This is a large afghan and really warm. If I didn't already have many afghans I would make this one for myself.
The hearts are made with raised cluster stitches. These pictures also do not do it justice and for some reason wasn't able to edit them. They also don't show the colors very well but you get the idea.
This afghan has gone to the church for the annual auction coming up February 6.
Below is a poncho. This was really hard to get good pictures without a model wearing it. The long points are center front and back. The sides are shorter and slightly shaped to fit elbows, which is really unusual and I had not seen that before. It is an easy pattern and sort of lacy, which does not show well here.
Below shows a close-up of the neckline. The yarn is a brown/white twist.
I need to spend some time with the camera program. It is coming up so different than I am used to and is frustrating.
I will try to let you know what they sell for at the auction, providing I get that information since I won't be there to see them sold.
The next one is a two-tone green heart stripes afghan. It looks like strips but is made as one piece so there was no sewing together and that is what I like! When I am finished crocheting I want it done! This is a large afghan and really warm. If I didn't already have many afghans I would make this one for myself.
The hearts are made with raised cluster stitches. These pictures also do not do it justice and for some reason wasn't able to edit them. They also don't show the colors very well but you get the idea.
Below is a poncho. This was really hard to get good pictures without a model wearing it. The long points are center front and back. The sides are shorter and slightly shaped to fit elbows, which is really unusual and I had not seen that before. It is an easy pattern and sort of lacy, which does not show well here.
Below shows a close-up of the neckline. The yarn is a brown/white twist.
I need to spend some time with the camera program. It is coming up so different than I am used to and is frustrating.
I will try to let you know what they sell for at the auction, providing I get that information since I won't be there to see them sold.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
LATEST PROJECTS
Two baby afghans. My son requested one for a niece, and we decided on the rainbow one at the top. Since my Walmart does not carry much for baby yarns, I had to order online. While I waited for the ordered yarn I decided to start the second one in the other pattern as I had a large skein of that yarn on hand. I did have to buy another skein to finish and Walmart does have that one on hand. So now when they come this weekend, they have a choice to pick from. And I will have a spare in case of another order, or it will go to the church auction next year.
Now I am off to get the house ready for company in a few days. I hope to post again after company leaves. In any case, I hope you all have a great summer.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
TOOTH FAIRY
The process of putting a used car in my mouth has begun. Had 2 teeth pulled, but the tooth fairy didn't show up.
It took awhile and some hard work for the dentist to get those teeth out, since one of them had the crown broken off at the gum line. Then he inserted the posts for the implants. Now I wait until things are healed up, and then the dentist will take impressions and have the crowns made, then installation.
I am very pleased with my dentist. I was comfortable the whole 1 1/2 hours in the chair, even though he kept telling me there would be pressure, etc. It was all painless. He warned me of swelling and bruising, but there was no bruising, and only a little swelling that first afternoon. And I only had to take tylenol right after the numbness was gone that evening. I was sure my jaw would be stiff and sore from having my mouth open so far and for so long, but that didn't happen either.
So the worst part is over, except for paying the bill, which will be the most painful!
Monday, June 4, 2018
COUNTY FAIR
Two county fairs were a big part of my life. One was the local county fair, and the other is called the largest (and best) county fair in the country, which is the Clay County Fair at Spencer, IA. When we talked about that fair we always called it the Spencer fair. It was large when I was a kid, but is even larger now, and brings people from all over the state and nearby states. Many say it is better than the state fairs.
The Clay County Fair is the one I remember as a young kid. It is always in September, and in order to go there during the daytime, we had to get out of school. In those days it was a little easier to get out of classes just to go to a fair. My parents would go alone once or twice during the week-long fair, and I got to go one day with them, and that was usually the day of the stock car races. Then we would go one night for the grandstand shows. There were always popular singers there, and still draws big names today.
I can't remember any that I saw as a kid, but as an adult I saw Oak Ridge Boys, Statler Brothers, Reba McEntire, Barbara Mandrell, Roger Miller, Conway Twitty, and others that don't come to mind right now. Those grandstand shows were much cheaper than the usual concerts.
There was one building that had a large model train setup, with several trains running around the tracks in a small model countryside. In that same building the local radio station was on air at times and you could sit in the room to listen, or watch through the windows.
It was always fun to visit all the commercial booths set up to grab their free handouts. We would see many people walking around with the free yard sticks and a bag full of brochures and other items. And of course, there was the midway. My favorite ride was the Tilt-a-whirl and the mini roller coaster. I never dared to go on a full size roller coaster. Oh, and can't forget the pony rides, even if all we did was go around the circle. I wanted a pony or horse so bad, but never got one. It was always necessary to have cotton candy, the Tom Thumb donuts, a bag of salt water taffy, caramel corn and snow cones.
I spent a lot of time at the small local county fair while I was in 4-H. I usually had several entries in various divisions, and got quite a few blue ribbons over the years. One year I had a skirt I made that qualified for district fair, which was the Clay County Fair. I only got a red there, but still an honor to qualify. I never did get anything to qualify to go to the state fair. State fair was top honor and Clay County Fair was second. Once I got into high school I had to work in the 4-H building every day of the fair.
One year a friend and I gave a demonstration making jelly filled biscuits at the local fair, which also qualified for the Clay County Fair, so that was exciting. We didn't do so well there but it was a great experience.
The Clay County Fair is the one I remember as a young kid. It is always in September, and in order to go there during the daytime, we had to get out of school. In those days it was a little easier to get out of classes just to go to a fair. My parents would go alone once or twice during the week-long fair, and I got to go one day with them, and that was usually the day of the stock car races. Then we would go one night for the grandstand shows. There were always popular singers there, and still draws big names today.
I can't remember any that I saw as a kid, but as an adult I saw Oak Ridge Boys, Statler Brothers, Reba McEntire, Barbara Mandrell, Roger Miller, Conway Twitty, and others that don't come to mind right now. Those grandstand shows were much cheaper than the usual concerts.
There was one building that had a large model train setup, with several trains running around the tracks in a small model countryside. In that same building the local radio station was on air at times and you could sit in the room to listen, or watch through the windows.
It was always fun to visit all the commercial booths set up to grab their free handouts. We would see many people walking around with the free yard sticks and a bag full of brochures and other items. And of course, there was the midway. My favorite ride was the Tilt-a-whirl and the mini roller coaster. I never dared to go on a full size roller coaster. Oh, and can't forget the pony rides, even if all we did was go around the circle. I wanted a pony or horse so bad, but never got one. It was always necessary to have cotton candy, the Tom Thumb donuts, a bag of salt water taffy, caramel corn and snow cones.
I spent a lot of time at the small local county fair while I was in 4-H. I usually had several entries in various divisions, and got quite a few blue ribbons over the years. One year I had a skirt I made that qualified for district fair, which was the Clay County Fair. I only got a red there, but still an honor to qualify. I never did get anything to qualify to go to the state fair. State fair was top honor and Clay County Fair was second. Once I got into high school I had to work in the 4-H building every day of the fair.
One year a friend and I gave a demonstration making jelly filled biscuits at the local fair, which also qualified for the Clay County Fair, so that was exciting. We didn't do so well there but it was a great experience.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD
One hundred and twelve years ago today, My dad was born. That is so hard for me to comprehend. He passed away at age 60, so he has been gone almost as long as he lived.
Friday, June 1, 2018
COUNTY FAIRS AND RACES
(I wrote a couple of posts almost a week ago, but got distracted and didn't get them sent right away.)
As I am sitting here watching the Indy 500 race, it has me thinking about how I first began enjoying car races, which leads me to think about other things.
It all started with county fairs. Dad would take me along to the stock car races at a fair almost every year when I was a kid. Even though we didn't know any of the drivers, it was exciting. After we got a TV in the 1950's, we watched televised races, leading to watching NASCAR races today, and always the Indy 500. After awhile you get to recognize many of the drivers and have some favorites.
When I met my second husband, stock car races became an every Friday night date at a race track 30 miles away. He and his brothers always had to bet 25 cents on each race. They would each pick a car to win and often those cars would end up not finishing the race, but it made things interesting. We always sat between the 4th turn and the finish line, and saw many spectacular accidents there. Thankfully no one was ever seriously hurt, though a few had to make a trip to the hospital to be checked out.
Part of one race night there was a 2-driver race. That meant there were two drivers in one car; one did the steering and the other did the accelerator and brake. That made things interesting! Neither man had complete control, making it difficult. I wonder how much time they had to practice doing that.
Always a part of those Friday night races was sprint car racing. That was new to me and not my favorite as those cars are so loud and had a high pitched whine. Ear plugs were necessary for me as I wanted to keep my hearing! They were exciting though, and the drivers were very competitive. It always amazes me that those drivers survive some of those crashes, when the car is totally demolished.
That was a dirt track so it got quite dusty and we were covered in dust by the time we got home. If it was wet, we often got hit by small pieces of mud that got spun up by the racer's tires. That was not fun. We always sat close to the top of the bleachers, which was as far away from track level as you could get, so those mud clumps traveled quite a distance.
Enough of racing. I will talk about county fairs in another post.
As I am sitting here watching the Indy 500 race, it has me thinking about how I first began enjoying car races, which leads me to think about other things.
It all started with county fairs. Dad would take me along to the stock car races at a fair almost every year when I was a kid. Even though we didn't know any of the drivers, it was exciting. After we got a TV in the 1950's, we watched televised races, leading to watching NASCAR races today, and always the Indy 500. After awhile you get to recognize many of the drivers and have some favorites.
When I met my second husband, stock car races became an every Friday night date at a race track 30 miles away. He and his brothers always had to bet 25 cents on each race. They would each pick a car to win and often those cars would end up not finishing the race, but it made things interesting. We always sat between the 4th turn and the finish line, and saw many spectacular accidents there. Thankfully no one was ever seriously hurt, though a few had to make a trip to the hospital to be checked out.
Part of one race night there was a 2-driver race. That meant there were two drivers in one car; one did the steering and the other did the accelerator and brake. That made things interesting! Neither man had complete control, making it difficult. I wonder how much time they had to practice doing that.
Always a part of those Friday night races was sprint car racing. That was new to me and not my favorite as those cars are so loud and had a high pitched whine. Ear plugs were necessary for me as I wanted to keep my hearing! They were exciting though, and the drivers were very competitive. It always amazes me that those drivers survive some of those crashes, when the car is totally demolished.
That was a dirt track so it got quite dusty and we were covered in dust by the time we got home. If it was wet, we often got hit by small pieces of mud that got spun up by the racer's tires. That was not fun. We always sat close to the top of the bleachers, which was as far away from track level as you could get, so those mud clumps traveled quite a distance.
Enough of racing. I will talk about county fairs in another post.
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