vanfire.JPG

IMG_1531.JPG, originally uploaded by stephrussell2001.

Well, I think the picture says a thousand things. But I will tell the story anyway. It all starts with my arriving home as usual on a Friday evening. I gathered my things from the van and headed into the house to relax and get into comfy clothes. After I talked with the kids and changed clothes. I happen to look outside to see smoke coming from the van. Well, we have been have some issues with burning oil. When I went to check if it was just a small issue no, Lots and Lots of smoke coming from the van. So I called 911 to get the firemen on their way because there was no way I was going to be able to handle it by myself. I get them alerted and hang up with them. I called David and told him the situation which he was a little disbelieving but I was too. Luckily he was already on his way home from work. I hung up with David and continued to wait.....and wait.....and wait....I ended up calling 911 again because there were flames on the entire front of the van and we were hearing small explosions. Since it was close to the house I was a bit concerned about it spreading. But only the little Geo Metro was affected since it was the closest. When I was on the phone with 911 the second time she verified the directions which were wrong so I told her the right ones. Then finally after a few more minutes of waiting. I can see the firetrucks coming down the road. What a relief that was! It took a few more before they got ready and put it out. Once they finally did the the damage was visible. They figure it was an electrical short near the headlights because most of the damage was done on the driver's side of the engine compartment. I am just thankful I wasn't in it when it started. So we are feeling a bit sad that our van is gone but happy that everyone is safe and sound.
So let's hope this is the only thing that will happen for the next while. Have a happy and safe Labor day weekend.

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The summer is coming to a close

Lots of things have happened since I last wrote here. Autumn had a wonderful prom. We lost a member of our family to cancer quickly. Visited with family we haven't seen in years. Reconnected a bit and hope to continue to do so over the coming years.

It seems this summer like we really haven't had a summer. It has been cool and not very summer like for the most of it. The kids are all ready back in school and the grind begins again. Jacob is loving his cross country running. Autumn is looking forward to her senior year in high school. Seth is just enjoying being with all his friends and he has a loose tooth too. Everyone is growing up.

David and I are trying to keep up with all the kids. Also trying to find time to ourselves too. In a few short years it will be back to just the two of us again. It is hard to believe we have been married for over 20 years. It seems like we just got married a few years ago. He is "enjoying" being union steward for his workplace. I am trying to adjust to another volunteer position for my church's women's group. It is take more time than I would like. But it will be fun to do some traveling.

I have finished a few knitting projects this summer. The first one I was a ruffled shawl that I gave away. I am going to have to make another one. That was a fast and fun knit. The other one was a handspun, handknit shawl. I gave that to Jacob's title I teacher. She has helped so much over the years that she deserved it. Now I am working on another shawl that will be given away but also for a good reason. That is also a handspun, handknit as well as my own personal design.
I have a several other projects that I want to get done before the end of the year.
Rhinebeck cardigan-have to spin more yarn, knit the rest of the body.
Bristow-need to knit the two sleeves.
Sugar Maple socks-just have to finish the foot.
Aphrodite Shawl-will work on that as I can no deadline on that.
Desdemona Shawl-would like to get that done. I am getting the 3rd installment of lace club soon.

My next in line projects should be mittens for everyone. I need to spin those. Will probably be simple simple ones but that is just fine with most likely alpaca interior. Yummmm, soft and cozy for the really really cold winter.

Need to go and do some work today. Wheat harvest might actually happen this week.

Busy life too much going on

I am so tired of this weather. It is all snowing and flooding and muddy. Yuck! I keep telling myself in a few weeks the grass will be green and it will nice to outside the mud will be gone. I can't tell you how much this winter has seemed to drag on and on. I am trying to think of a place that has season but that isn't so freaking extreme. I will have to investigate that for my old age.

Things here are busy...Autumn has prom in a few weeks. We are actually going to be chaperones. I am looking forward to it. It is so nice to see all the kids dressed and having fun. Jacob is busy with track, speech and school homework. I can't believe he is 14 now. His birthday was yesterday. We took him to Texas Roadhouse and his present was a PSP. His is so excited about. He is getting so tall and growing up fast too. He is a pretty good kid. Seth is at his inquisitive stage. ASking all kinds of questions and telling you what to do because at six he knows it all too. He has some pretty funny exclaimations...like I put a cover on a our new couch. He says " What are you covering that up for?" He just ughhhh's and walks away. He also is very personable to everyone he meets. He comes to where I work after school and strikes up conversations with anyone and everyone he sees there. Seth is our social butterfly.

Well, I suppose I should get David and go out and try to get our van out of the mud it has been in for 3 weeks now. I would like to drive it again. I am sure Autumn would like to have wheels again too.

December 2, 2008

Weather….Christmas Weather. …My idea of a perfect Christmas time weather would be snow falling on Christmas Eve. Big fluffy flakes slowly drifting down from the sky on a dark night, slowly making the ground turn white so perfect and clean. There would be no wind and just a quiet peaceful looking landscape. Since it is Christmas, there would be no reason to go anywhere so we could just look at it from a cozy warm home with all of our children there, enjoying their gifts, and us just enjoying the moment of being together. I think that is the best no stress or worries for one day out of the year. Just enjoying the moment. Because these moments are going to change in the years ahead as the kids grow up and leave for their own lives.

December 1st, Christmas Journal

The last few years I have done an online class about Christmas. I get sent a prompt by email each day until Jan 6th. I usually try to do a scrapbook page or writing etc every day. It does get hard with all the running around that we do in December. But I will try to share it with all of you. It has made the Christmas season something I look forward to because it causes me to step back and see the real reason behind the commercialization of todays season.

MY MANIFESTO

Starting today, December First, I will keep a Christmas Journal.
In it I will write something every day to reflect the holidays of my past,

enjoy the holidays of my present, and dream about the holidays of the future.

To some this would be a stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me.

I am taking back my Christmas.

I am letting something important I relish
and more importantly, I am giving fifteen minutes to myself, every day, no
matter how crazy this season becomes. This Christmas I will make
something with my own hands, my own words, and
my own memories.

Please stay tuned to my blog for more special Christmas lists.

God gave us a gift

Last night we got home from doing a bimonthly shopping trip(groceries etc). It was one of those rare nights that were clear and quiet. Usually when we get home at night the first thing I do is look up at the night sky. Sometimes there are few stars and moon but last night was a awesome. It was full of stars. Here usually in the winter when it is -20 and it looks beautiful but all you really want to do is go inside to get warm. After we brought all of our groceries and such in the house. We all went outside and enjoyed the simple pleasure of looking up at the night sky. Trying to find what constellations we could remember and see. I wish I could have gotten a picture of it. It is always so inspiring to look at how small we really are here in on this Earth. Makes the problems of our little world seem so insignificant somehow. It was really just nice to be with my family and enjoy the simply being together.

This past few weeks have been trying to say the least. The elementary guidance counselor at the school died of colon cancer which she had been battling for about a year. Her family will never be the same and will always be missing someone. Another family lost their daughter in a car accident. She was 17. This is the 3rd girl that has been killed in a car accident in the last four years. So that is another family who will be missing someone for the rest of their lives.

So last night I think was God's gift to us to make us appreciate the family we have right now. We made a few memories especially when Seth said Look there is star orange one right over there.(pointing across at our neighbors property.)..When told no that is just a light Seth says: Our darn it!

The other highlight was there were shooting stars. I saw at least 3. It is always so neat to catch sight one but last night I think most of us saw at least one. So there were wishes made. I just hope God heard them.

Mom's Birthday

Yesterday was September 24, which was my mother's birthday. She would have been 84. It has been 3 years since she left this world. It has been hard some days when I have had the need to talk to her about something. She wasn't a perfect person but someone who shared many memories with me. She chose a different path than I might have but I learned from her mistakes. I know what kind of person I want to be and know what would have made her proud. I learned to volunteer my time even though I am busy with my kids. I learned that kids want to know what is expected from them. I learned that I want to happy with myself always. I learned you can be strong and still be loved. I feared my mother, I loved my mother. She was a person who get anything done. She wanted the best for all her kids. She also expected so much more than I think we did of ourselves. I would like to think she was proud of all of us. We all took different roads to get where we are now but I think we turned out okay. She made me a stronger person and able to stand up for myself. If I could stand up to her then I could make it in the world on my own. I took care of her for nine years doing many things that kids at my age never would have to do but I loved her and wanted her to be happy.
She gave me the love of crafting. I have all of her knitting things. I taught myself to be creative from cross stitch, crochet, knitting, scrapbooking and spinning yarn. If you don't know something you learn. Well, anyway....Thank you, Mom for giving me the strenght to speak my mind and be giving of myself to others.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Sheba has gone to a better place

Sheba was our dog for almost 15 years. We got her as a puppy from a farm a few miles from our home. She was a black lab and german shepard mix. She was very loyal and loving. She grew up with all the kids. She also tolerated all the other dogs we have brought home. She was smart and helped keep the kids safe. She loved roaming our 11 acres and making sure the place was safe. She was afraid of the coyotes but what dog isn't. She would sit for hours waiting for the squirrels to come out of the trees. She hated the squirrels or maybe she loved to chase them. The last few years she couldn't do so much patrolling but she loved to sit outside and listen to the traffic going by so she could bark. Even though she had a hard time seeing, hearing and walking she lived for those few moments of laying in the sunshine and rolling on the grass. We will miss her but she was not enjoying life as much lately. So it is a blessing that she is now passed on.

Thoughts on why I spin and knit

Lately I have been contemplating why I create/craft things. I learned to knit because I thought producing a knitted fabric would be cool. It is rather neat to take to sticks and some string and create a fabric that stretches and returns to an unstretched state. I crocheted for a many years and the fabric that creates is just so solid, I guess. It is great for blankets I think. Knitting you can make so many more things that are great and useful. Well, once you get to know knitters many turn out to be spinners too.

Once a few years ago, our women's group hosted a lady who spun yarn. She demonstrated how she did it and it was just fascinating to watch a piece of fluff become some else that was useable and helpful. For some reason what she did always stuck with me. The only place I heard about spinning was in the Bible and fairy tales. But it always seemed like magic. In this day and age of computers and other technology to make our lives easier; it is sometimes nice to return to a craft that makes you appreciate what you have. I don't have to spin and knit to provide warm clothing for my family. But I can do it as a way to remember that once this was the only way to have any clothes at all and thus appreciate that I can go to a store to get what I need.

Now, I have 2 spinning wheels and 5 spindles, not mention alot of wool and other fibers around the house. It is a hobby that I can do just about any where and do too. I take my knitting everywhere. The other day I was knitting at our local pool and a little girl came up to me and asked what I was doing...I said "making socks" She said "making socks....I have never seen anyone making socks" She watched for bit but went on her way. It makes me think that I am sort of an ambassdor of knitting to people who may have never seen a grandmother or mother knitting anymore. It makes me sad too that not many people know someone who knits. If we don't pass this craft on to the next generation it may be lost.

All I know is I can happily amuse myself without electricity for many hours at a time. I produce something at the end of that time that is unique and not perfect. My kids ask about what I do so they at least know how something is made. Autumn is saying she knows more about fiber than she wants to know because of me. Jacob enjoys learning to spin. He likes the mechanics of it. Seth just likes watching the spinning. Even David is interested in the process too. He helps me with my wheels and when I ply he helps with the tangles.

I would love to go a retreat and learn more about knitting and spinning but that is a great cost and time is also an issue between work and the kids. But someday I will do that. So when you see a sheep, alpaca, or goat or see that cashmere or wool sweater think of me. I will spinning and knitting something I think.

Left: handspun Alpaca Right: hand knit lace shawl.

long time no blog....not original but true

It has been a long time since I have blogged. Not much going but then again a lot. DD is off having an adventure getting to know some new people from around the state. Ds's are here being busy and bored all at the same time. Who knew that could happen. ...

I have been keeping busy with work and knitting and spinning. Throw a little yard work in and that is my life. I went on vacation to Ohio to see family and also got to go to a fiber festival. DD went along as to keep me company on the two hour drive. It was great fun and I got alot of new fibers that I can't wait to see how they spin up. Here is a sampling of what I got.

I also knitted a shawl in about six weeks for my daycare provider.

It came out really nice. She cried when I gave it to her.

It is called Angel Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clark. It was an easy pattern to follow. The yarn is

Laceweight Malabrigo in Jade Sapphire. I loved the way the varigation turned out. Here it is blocking. The detail was just great.

All right that is how my summer vacation has started out...How is yours?

Spring snow and Robins....

If you could looked around yesterday you wouldn't have guessed it was spring. It snow about 4 inches yesterday some places got 8-9 inches some got less. We were kind of in the middle. It did melt but it sure was pretty but I could have done without it. School closed because it just kept snowing. We did make it to GF for DD's foot appointment. Then went and got here nails done and did our grocery shopping for the next two weeks. Today is prom! I have to clean the house, get DD to her hair appointment, finish a shawl/wrap for her, and generally be ready to take pictures at 3:30. It is going to be a long day.

I did get my new wheel. It is a Sonata. It is very light and pretty. It spins pretty good and easy to adjust. I can't wait to do some more on her though. I am coming along with my Angel Lace shawl. Very easy pattern and quick so far.

Well, better go and start the day. Right after I finish my coffee.

What I have been doing these last weeks

Well, lots of things like staying warm with below zero temps for most of it. We are at least warmer today 30 above but snowing and blowing. Can't have everything I guess. Hoping this is getting the last few things of winter and spring will start to spring....

I am NOT looking forward to getting up an hour earlier (thank you daylight savings time) whose bright idea was it anyway. Getting little sleep as it is and we not get one hour less well, not really but it feels that way so for the next week I will be out of sorts because not only are getting less sleep we have to get the kids to bed at the same time but it is still light out here like really light.... So the kids then put up the fight of it is not bedtime because the sun is still out.....ugh...

This is my first real kind of know what I am doing yarn. I got the roving from a fiber club Spunky Eclectic does. I loved how it drafted so smoothly and quickly. Loved it... want more. (have to work on the plying part though but that is coming along.

I still have Jan and now Feb fiber to spin up plus some more corriedale that I ordered in my high school colors...purple and gold. Here is the purple I have 8 oz so maybe a shawl or stole that is pretty simple.

I am finally putting a my picture of wheel up here too.

I have Schipperjte wheel. I need to get more and newer bobbins for it. I just have to start emailing for dimensions I guess. I haven't giving her a name yet. Just haven't thought about it too much I guess.

She came all the way from the Netherlands. It is not perfect but I have got to where I am able to spin fairly consistently on her. I need to make some more adjustments but I am reading Alden Amos' book, The Big Book of Handspinning I am finding it very interesting reading. I am learning lot about what things mean and why and to me that is important puts things in perspective.

Well, that is what I have been doing besides family stuff DS#1 wrestling events, getting DD ready for prom and understanding boys, and DS#2 well, just keeping him out of trouble...

I should blog more I need to update the sidebar a bit with different things that I have been doing. I am still knitting my 3 shawls. I put one away for a while(Aspen Grove). I WILL finish the Secret of the Stole ii and Swan Lake before I do any others.

That is the next post shawl time. I will try to do it next week.

My first plied yarn

I finally got my wheel fixed enough to make a plied yarn. It went very well. I don't know if I will knit with it or not as since it is some of my first spun yarn and it isn't the greatest as far as being a great knitting yarn. I still have to get it off the bobbin and set the twist but it is done. I spun up part of my Party dress from Spunky ecletic. But need to free up a bobbin to finish the second half. Can't wait to do this month's shipment, Icelandic wool and great colors.

I have to find some bobbins for this though. Since it isn't a common brand I am going to have to have to find what will fit it.

Knitting, I am doing the SOTS ii, I had to frog a bit and that didn't go as well as I had hoped but I am just going to continue from here and try to get as close to clue 3 as I can. I am still working on my cardigan and Swan lake too. I am so close to finishing my socks that I if sat down for about a half an hour they would be done.

Trying to learn Magic loop but haven't taken the time to just do it.

I think I need a snow day all to myself to just do what I want without all the things wanting attention.

Today we have a basketball game and sometime this weekend we have to get groceries. Also it is the BIG football weekend. Maybe we will have to time that day to catch up and knitting or spinning.

A new Year.....2008

It is hard to believe that it is already 2008. I am almost 39...(friday). I don't know how I will take 40 some say it is hard and others say it was just another birthday. Well, I have a year to figure that out. Right now, I keep pretty busy with the kids their activities. I just don't have time to dwell on such things. Dh is already 40 and he just complained about it all the time.

Well, I am just going to stay busy and see if I can't lose those pounds I have added over the years and do things I can enjoy. I am enjoying figuring out my knitting and spinning and trying to scrapbook too some day. I really need to clean my craft room as it is just piles of stuff in there. I just don't feel like doing any cleaning in there. I am going to have to keep up with my photos since I got a new camera and all. I have to learn to reduce the size though and do it faster.

I am looking forward to basketball being over soon so I can have my weekends to myself again. Then I will clean my room.....

Just thought I would let people know that I do use this blog occaisionally will have photos soon of what I don't know but something.

Mystery Stole aka Swan Lake Update

I am finally up to row 204 and Chart E started. It has taken one frogging and more stitch markers to finally see some improvement. there are mistakes but I won't tell if you won't.

I also got a new digital camera for Christmas so I will taking lots more pics and putting them up here. I just need to find the time to do it. What I really need is high speed. I sooo want DSL that is about all I can get here without too much trouble but I need to switch providers as the only one that I can get is new and that would mean changing my email and such. This dial up thing is just taking way too much time.

My computer also took a dive and I have had to reload all my applications which meant losing all my email addresses too. It will take time but I will rebuild. I am hoping to get to the LYS soon but I may have to do somethings over the phone instead of in person for a bit. I am planning on going to a spin in Jan 12th. It will fun and it will be the first guild meeting in a long time. I need more help with spinning, not to mention an afternoon out with out kids and animals wondering what I am doing and if they can help. It will be at a really cool ethnic museum. They have a real viking ship as the center piece of the place. Pretty cool sounds like lots of pictures being taken that day.

Christmas is coming!

Yea, I know it is coming ever closing. At least this year we are almost done with kids' lists;
DH asked for mine last week. So that is better than we have ever done. I hope to get a Christmas bonus next week to finish off and to get Dh something great. I don't know what that is but probably a massage or something. He needs that as I can't do that do to my hand problems and I just don't have the strength or know how to do it good.

I would love a weekend alone with him but until the kids are all old enough to handle a few days on their own and we can afford it; it will be a long time coming.

Knitting will I have been working on my Swan Lake shawl almost done with clue 3. Yeah....

I have also started to get my Ravelry notebook done. I keep finding more great patterns though so the queque is getting longer by the second. I did frog my Aspen grove Shawl because I knitted under duress there were lost stitches and counts were off so I just decided the best thing to do was to start over. But since Swan lake is coming along I haven't found the time to start it again. I also have 2 shawl kits that should be knitted too. But they will have to wait. I have to find some easy knitting to take to basketball games. I am thinking of starting Fenna from Myrna's Faroese shawl book. It is simple but will be a good way to get into the Faroese style of knitting. I am all for garter or stocking stitch it is a nice break from the more complicated.

I am also starting Journal Your Christmas again this year. I am way behind all ready but did get to do 2 days tonight so now I am just a week behind. I might be able to catch up this weekend. I have nothing planned except for cookie baking. So that might be the way to go and also sneak in some knitting too. I don't have any new pics but I did get some up at ravelry.

Check me out there I am araygirl. It is a very interesting place to get to know people far and wide.

I am also finding new etsy stores and other vendors for spinning supplies. I don't have anything nearby for that so.....I can window shop to my heart's content online.

Maybe I will get back here later.

Snow, Snow and more Snow....

Oh, also below zero temps.....I "love" winter..... I chose to live here so I shouldn't complain. So now begins the season of boots, snowpants, hats, gloves etc.... I am slowly trying to organize this house but it is slow going. I have been busy with basketball games and tournaments; harvest and getting a volunteer youth organzation back on its feet after a tornado. So life has been interesting this last few months. Plus DH was sick for a few days in there too. He rarely gets sick so when he does it is usually very sick. He is really good so it is nice to pamper him for the few days. But it does slow the rest of us down too.

Well, on the knitting front I have gotten Bristow to the last quarter but I have to rip back an inch as in the stress of late I knitted too far for the shoulder and armhole shaping. So I am working on the Swan Lake shawl again. I have gotten to clue 3 and added more markers to keep the pattern count better. I have to say I love stitch markers. They have helped me more than I can say.

Since this is December 1, Journal your Christmas is back and I am looking forward to doing it again. It was nice to take a few minutes everyday to think about the daily question and my answer to it. It has made me look at Christmas differently and able to appreciate it more than I have in a few years. So look for some journal pages here for the next month or so.

I am not knitting any Christmas gifts but am looking doing a shawl for my daycare provider. She is so good with my ds. He loves her and her family as if we are related. Since we live far from grandma and grandpa it is nice to see he gets some psuedo grammy time.

Well, I am going to go work on my ravelry page as this is the only time I can get since for some reason I can't sleep in anymore. Oh well, the house is quiet and no fighting to mediate or getting anything for anyone.

enjoy your winter weather....it doesn't last forever....

TGIF!!!!!

It is Friday, hurray!!! Not that it means rest and relaxation but it means that I can actually try to get my house clean. I really need to implement Fly Lady again. I have in a way it is really coming along. I just want the rest done so I can relax next week.

I do have a finished object. I finished the premie hat Wed night. I think I will try to focus on my left front of my cardigan Bristow from Knitty. I just have to get to the neck and shoulder shaping and then I am done with that one just the sleeves and the right front to go......

I was trying to think of my first finished object and I don't think I have one except some washcloths that were quick and easy. My first cardi is the one I have been working on for over a year.

I am looking forward to this year's Journal Your Christmas. I did it last year and it was a great way to get in the holiday mood. You get prompts to write on for the month of December. Thinking about Christmas' past and what you want to do for the future.
I hope I can finish last year I only did about 10 days.

I hope to get to some LYS's next week. It will be great to get to some yarn in person. The shops are new in the Fargo area so it will neat to see how they are set up and changed.

Till next week.

Secret pal 11 post!!!

I received my second package from my secret pal. It was a wonderful package. I had a skein of Seacoast Handpainted yarn Panda which is a blend of merino/bamboo/nylon. A set of size 2 dpns, a grapefruit scented candle (which is fav of mine), some hazelnut chocolates and a wonderful dpn case to round the package. I had a great time opening it and enjoying the yarn and chocolates. It was great way to enjoy a Friday even though I had to work I got to look at the yarn to get me through the day. I will try to take pics soon. I just haven't had the time to do much of anything.

1st kid is in a play and that is taking up all of her extra time. 2nd kid is playing basketball for the next few weeks. Then I have some mtgs and such next week for my volunteer activities and well as work when is busy depending the day and what is going on with the harvest and shipping things. So really next week I have something going on every day.

I did finish the faroese shawl and I did cast on for the Aspen Grove Shawl from www.mimknits.com I am doing the fall colorway in reds/yellows. I hope to knit a bit more on it tonight but we will see. I am on ravelry now under the araygirl name. I will update that a bit more as I go. My DH asked me the other day how many projects do I have going. I kinda of ignored the question and just 3 because that is what I had with me at the time. My sock because that is easy knitting just knit. My left front sweater for when I wait for the next game. Then the premie hat because it is also an easy knit but I have to find the directions to start the decreases.

I also have MS3 to do but that is home knitting and quiet time knitting because it requires concentration. I am really thinking to trying to get a retreat going because I need a weekend of knitting to finish some of these projects. I may suggest one at my next guild meeting. Wouldn't that be great a whole weekend of nothing but knitting and finishing projects. All the meals made for you and you just have to worry about finishing that row or taking a nap.

Ahhh to dream......