Harmony Cottage, Protesting, Knitting

LIFE

Life has been pretty calm around Harmony Cottage. Old Husband occupied himself yesterday by going through a church cookbook we purchased in 1962, the year we married. He wanted to reminisce about recipes we used to cook and some of the people that had submitted recipes. Who would have thought that cookbook would still be around 55 years later?

Food pretty much consumes Old Husband's thoughts. He had kitchen duty in the boys home where he grew up and it's never left him. As soon as he's had his morning coffee he begins thinking about lunch. He's still holding forth in the kitchen. I suggest what he should cook and help with the shopping. I only get involved when I'm called. No kitchen is big enough for the two of us to work together. About 4:00 p.m. every afternoon he begins saying "What's for supper?"

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Daughter flies in tomorrow for a week. I'm suffering cabin fever so it will be good to get out some.

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POLITICAL

I have a bit of a quarrel with this protest. My daughter is a nurse. What if all women nurses stayed home from work one day? I think teachers would be in that same category. Think how much confusion that would cause in classrooms across America if all women teachers failed to show up to teach.

I strongly believe there is a place in democracy for peaceful protests. I believe protests have made a difference in the situation regarding the repeal of Obamacare. 

Perhaps it's just me, but I feel like some of the protests are beginning to exhibit anger. Nobody wins when that happens.

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Why Republicans Can't Do Health Care

This was an interesting article, a bit different than the usual. I suggest you read it.
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Obama Has A Bite-Your-Tongue Policy On Trump. It's Proving Harder To Keep.
President Trump is like a buzzing mosquito getting under people's skin.
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Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg Is The Future Of The Democratic Party. But What Kind Of Future?

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KNITTING

Since the election I've found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on much of anything.  Add to that my tremors and some nerve pain and my knitting is limited.

I seldom knit anything but socks but I found this long ago started shawl the other day and decided to do a little work on it. The pattern is "January Scarf" on Ravelry.

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I lost patience with the bright colored socks of thicker yarn and changed to a yarn much easier to use, "Felici" from KnitPicks.

Not the best quality yarn but oh so soft. After I've struggled with a difficult yarn I go back to "Felici" to recover. This will be short ribbed socks for spring and summer.

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Then I decided to try my hand with colored pencils and coloring books.

That was okay but I soon realized I was gripping the colored pencils as hard as I gripped knitting needles. Besides, I've never figured out how to sharpen colored pencils to a good point.

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Then I tried Crossword Puzzles

I've never had the patience to do very well with crossword puzzles. Then I read you should stick with one puzzle creator. I found these very simple books by Stanley Newman. I started with the super simple ones and thought I might work my way to more difficult books. 

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Somewhere along the way I decided it was time for some new shoes.

How do you like these for sedate old lady shoes? Actually there are only two companies that make athletic shoes in my size so I don't have a big selection to choose from. When I was a child I was wearing adult size shoes and could never have shoes like my friends wore. As an adult I was obsessed with pretty shoes. Anything unusual in my size and I quickly bought it. Looks like I'm still that way.

Hurry Hurry, Boehner, and Tipsy Yarn

LIFE

As I write this on Thursday afternoon Old Husband is anxious about the car. They will send a driver for us in the morning around 10:00 a.m. I usually get up about 8:00 a.m. I knew I was going to get the lecture, I just knew it. So it began, "You need to get a move on in the morning. You need to get dressed as soon as you get up. When do you think you're going to be ready? We need to get that car because we have to pick Caleb up at 11:00 a.m. Did you hear me?" 

In the first place I dress every single morning as soon as my feet touch the floor. I have no need for a robe. By 8:10 a.m. I'll be dressed. He should know this, it happens every day.

I also pointed out to him the car is not in our possession. We have to wait to be picked up and trust me they will not be sitting outside our door at 8:00 a.m. Hurry, hurry, hurry is the name of the game for Old Husband. He needs to get it done so he can get in his recliner and sleep the rest of the day. 

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POLITICS

Boehner: Republicans won't repeal and replace Obamacare

I miss John Boehner

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KNITTING

I finished one sock today and just might finish the other before bedtime, depending on how Old Husband behaves.

I was amused when I ran across this yarn today. It's from an indie dyer here in Portland, OR. She called her business adventure (it is no more) Tipsy Sheep Yarn Co. "three sheeps to the wind since 2013" is also on the label. She labeled this yarn "Socktails" (fingering), and on the back of the label is a cocktail recipe! How cool is that? Is it a good idea to drink and knit? I've heard some reports of pretty big messes made while drinking and knitting. 

Old Husband and Another Time

I have decided I'll have three sections to future blog posts, Life, Politics, and Knitting. You can pick the section that appeals to you and ignore the rest.

I have identified three of my readers that also knit socks. Thats pretty amazing. I feel justified now to add a knitting section. I have about that many who are passionate about politics. Most all of us either have, or have had, old husbands, or perhaps know someone who had one.

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Life

The role of caregiver never gets easier. As soon as you learn one thing, something else replaces it, once you settle a problem there's always another one under that one, it just never stops. For years I thought that I'd eventually be prepared the next time I had to take Old Husband to the ER but that never happened. Every time is different.

Some things I've resisted learning. Many times I've gotten the learning process wrong. Almost always I should have taken charge before I did, but I hate taking away his independence. Such was the case with car repairs.

Some things are harder for Old Husband to release than others. Last week we had the car in for repair but Old Husband was doing the talking. He was still in charge. It had to go in the next day for the actual repair which did not excite me but it had to be done.

The appointment was at 10:00 a.m. As I was opening my eyes at 8:00 a.m. who should appear beside my bed but Old Husband, all dressed, coat on, and ready to go. He informed me he could handle the task, that I should relax, and stay at home. Me, relax with him on the road, not. 

It's seven miles to his destination and anybody should be able to drive that short distance, right? Wrong. Once I saw he was going regardless of what I said, I made him tell me exactly how he would be going. 

By 8:30 he was out the door, and I was left to figure what had happened. He called when he got there to let me know he's arrived safely. Because he was free, and had gotten by me, he then went to Costco to buy gas, and called me from KFC where he was buying hot wings! He was having a good time.

That day's repair did not correct another problem so today we were repeating the process. I packed my activity bag. Note the socks I'm knitting, the knitting coloring book, and colored pencils. This time I decided I would do the talking. I met "Bill" who was very nice. Imagine my surprise when he told me he tried last week to talk to Old Husband about the car running rough but he'd said it was okay, he just wanted the light on the dashboard fixed.

That's Old Husband, he only fixes one thing at a time. I had a nice visit with Bill. He had a driver bring us home. He called this afternoon to tell me what needed to be done and said they'd send a car for us when the repairs are finished.

Now that I have Bill I think I can handle this car repair stuff. Still I feel like I've been through a battle, it was stressful. The stress of caregiving is often worse that the actual work of it.

A few days ago I realized I was unusually frayed. Some of that I blame on politics, but when I begin to think about packing Old Husband's clothes and leaving him on someone else's porch I know it's time for me to re-evaluate.

I'd much rather do politics than deal with Old Husband, I'd much rather knit socks than deal with Old Husband, BUT he is my top priority. I'm trying to dial back the politics. Knitting actually relieves stress. I need to remind myself often he isn't having a fun time growing old. Patience Linda, patience.

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Politics

Interesting to read some former Obama administration legal colleagues have formed a group to help protect democratic norms. United to Protect Democracy

Trump Administration Set to Rescind Protections for Transgender Students

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Knitting

I hope to finish these socks today or tomorrow. It's about time, I purchased the yarn in 2015 from Green Mountain Spinnery. It's 50% Wool and 50% Mohair. I knew I had to have this yarn when I read the mohair was from my home state of Texas.

It's nice yarn, but I would not buy it again for socks, even though it was advertised as sock yarn at the time I purchased it. I had two or three false starts before I was happy with the needle size and gauge.

I decided I'd better do some notes as I have another skein of this and will not want to reinvent the wheel when it comes time to use it. I also hope this notebook will keep me focused as I tend to have many pairs of socks on the needles.

I do not enjoy playing yarn chicken but I am with this pair. If I run short I will knit the toes from the coordinating beige yarn. Remember I wear a size 13 shoe.

Clara Parkes has this to say about mohair in sock yarns. "At 10-20 percent mohair is an excellent natural strengthening alternative to nylon, and it adds a stunning silklike shine." It is my opinion that 50% is too much.

Nobody Loves Me

I should not be blogging. I apparently do not have the same interests as most blog readers. I've never figured out what causes readers to visit a blog and comment.

I've tried the following subjects: 

Politics

Knitting

Genealogy

Old Husbands

Digital Devices

Politics

People are sick of politics. Aren't we all? Okay, I'll try to give it a rest but I won't guarantee how long that will last. Civil rights, human rights, voters rights, religious freedom, and separation of church and state are my passions. I probably won't be able to remain quiet on those subjects.

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Knitting

This subject never took off. I guess more people don't knit than do knit. Who wants to read about knitting if you don't knit?

Besides that, I seldom knit anything but socks. Even fewer people knit socks. I'm passionate about socks and could look at sock photos all day. See how long it takes you to get bored with sock photos.

That's enough, you get my point.

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Genealogy

I have a lot of pictures of dead ancestors. Some are buried under rocks, some in cemeteries, some died it jails, they're quite a group. I've never found anybody else's family as interesting as my own. I've never found it to be a subject that draws readers or comments.

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Old Husbands

I lost a reader over this one. She wanted me to stop blogging about my old husband. Said everybody has problems and I needed to stop complaining.  So much for the subject of old husbands.

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Digital Devices

That's no longer a blockbuster. Everybody has them. Yes, I'm as addicted as everybody else but there's nothing new to write about on that subject.

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My day to day life is pretty boring. I stay home and take care of an old husband. I'm even bored with my life why would other people find it interesting?

I don't blog as a way of journaling. I never go back and read past posts. There must be a reason I do this but darned if I know why.

Why do you blog?

Windy Days and Knitting

I don't like it when the wind blows, it makes me nervous and wears me out. In Oregon this is the time of year we get a lot of wind. Makes it feel frigid when it's actually around 40 degrees.  I'm ready for these days to pass. Plants are being blown over on my patio and making a mess.

The wind blows worse in Kansas where they plant windbreaks of poplar trees. In Texas the sand flies when the wind blows. I don't remember the wind blowing when we lived in Louisiana. I do remember the air being so still any clothes you hung on the line looked exactly the same when you brought them in as when you hung them out. Not even enough breeze to move clothes on the clotheslines.

This is the time of year when you become tired of all your clothes but it's too soon to break out spring clothes.

Plants are looking bad but it's too early to plant new ones.

By March I will have had all I can stand of cloudy rainy days but know there are many more to come. Hard to keep motivated.

So, I'm knitting some just because I find it soothing. I don't knit in the summer so I'd better do it now.

 Some projects take a long time and teach me patience.

Some go much quicker and reward me with instant gratification.

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A chance to use your voice by joining AARP as they oppose repealing Obamacare. You might want to give this some thought.

There is news tonight of rumblings among Republicans about "repairing" Obamacare. That works for me. "Repair" was always the magic word. No one ever said it didn't need more work. If Republicans had "repaired" it before they voted 60 times to repeal it all this nonsense would not have happened.

This is one place where public outrage definitely makes a difference. Republicans have heard the public outcry and they are reluctant to have the repeal of Obamacare on their record. We need to send a message if they mess up Obamacare they own it. We have to keep calling the offices of elected officials and marching in the streets. It's the only voice we have. Republicans control all three branches of government.
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Encouraging news:

Eyeing the House, Democrats move to hire operatives in 20 GOP-held districts. An article you should find interesting.

Liberals are the new Tea Party. There seems to be new activity in a lot of places.