It’s been way too long

I can not believe it’s been 26 days since my last post. Ooops.

Last weekend Tom & I went to the MA Sheep & Wool in Cummington, MA.

We had alot of fun. Later that evening we went over to our daughter (JessaLu) & future son-in-law’s for dinner and to drool over what everyone bought.

We bought a vest pattern and yarn for it from Greenwood Hill Farm for Amanda to knit for Tom. He picked their Pewter color yarn. I picked  up 2 skeins of Silver (when he wasn’t watching). I’m thinking a nice scarf. Their Merino is so unbelieveable soft. I just want to snuggle in it.

After we got home and before going over to JessaLu’s I did something I have never done before. (insert drum roll here) I changed the oil in my Truck! (I’m squinting because the sun was so bright. I’m wearing my Michael Waltrip T-shirt) To get to the oil filter and drain plug the skid plates had to come off. Tom gave me the hand tools to remove the screws. He pulled the plug out, I really wanted to do it even if I ended up getting oil all over me. He put the new filter on and put the plug back in. At least he let me put the new oil in. Then when it was time to put the skid plates back on, he brought out the air gun. Sure, make me use the hand tools, don’t let me play with the Big Boy Toys.

I still have “issues” with vertigo and being under the truck my world did a couple of fun spins. I’ve gotten use to it. Sometimes it’s even fun! I know, I’m weird.

For Mother’s Day we were going to go to the New Hampshire S&W, but a 3 hour ride didn’t appeal to me. So we went to the Holoyoke Mall instead! And to the Apple Store. A very nice young man helped me decide which new shiny toy to buy. This got to come home with me. It is the new iPod Touch. It does everything the iPhone does, except phone calls. But I’m told there is an App for that too! I have 42 games on it. (I like games.) I like the note pad, and use it a lot. It’s nice to go to the store and know where the shopping list is. And the calendar is great too, I put my work schedule in it. The calculator is great, nice big numbers, or if you turn it sideways it’s a high “faluten” calculator with Algebra stuff on it. Way beyond me. I have my Audible books on it, music and pictures. The majority of the Apps I have on are the free ones.

I did buy a couple of Apps. One is the game “Sheepish”. I’m stuck in paddock 18, I can get one of the sheep out but not the other on. I hope someone can help me figure this one out.

Also I bought the KnitBuddy. You can keep track of your projects and have a row counter for each one. Inventory your needles (I hope to do this some day), your crochet hooks, and inventory your yarn. There is a free App for the row counter, but I figured for $5 this was worth it.

I finally figured out how to delete an App you don’t want anymore. I stumbled across that by accident.

This little toy is my Mother’s day, Birthday and probably Anniversary gift. I really love it.

Since this is a knitting blog,  I have done some knitting. I have completed one sock and have started the second one! The beautiful bag this sock lives in is my Mom Day Gift from JessaLu. She makes them, check out her Etsy shop. The inside of the bag has shiny dragonflies too!

And I’ve finished the body on my sweater,  now I have to pick up and knit the sleeves. I’m thinking about buying an extra set of KnitPicks needles so that I can do both at the same time.

Well I think that’s about it. Hope everyone enjoys the weekend! And Knit Happy!

Oh My,

Wow, it has been a long time since the last post.

Tom’s fingers have healed up nicely.

My sweater has gotten a little longer.

Work has been hectic. One of the girls has moved to Cape Cod to live closer to her Mother. She has promised to keep in touch. The nice thing about working for CVS she will be working in the store out there!

I have been getting a little better with the computer system. But there is still so very much to learn.

My sister is doing well. She still has a long way to go. But the Bad news is that her Husband is in the hospital. He has had a heart-attack some time within the last year. He was telling me about a month ago when he had a day when his heart beat was all off. He had a stress test done and that’s when they discovered he had had a heart-attack. They had planned on sending him to Bay State Hospital but he had another heart-attack. His son brought him to the hospital here in town, and Sunday they transported him to Bay State. My Niece (their daughter in law) will keep me informed by way of email. That way the phone is not tied up in case Bruce wants to call Adair and talk with her. I want to thank everyone in advance for keeping them in your prayers.

I have not been knitting very much, but I hope that changes soon. I hope everyone is enjoying the change of season. It’s nice to see everying thing starting to turn green.

Have a nice evening. Happy Knitting!

He’s done it again…

There is no better way to spend a Friday evening than at the local emergency room. That’s what Tom & I did this last Friday.

I was sitting in the dinning room playing with my Webkinz and he comes in from the garage stating: “Call Dr. B, you have to take me to the emergency room.” (We have new insurance and I didn’t think I had to call the Dr. I figured if I did the first visit wrong I could play dumb. I did try to call the insurance co. Saturday, but they were closed. When I got hold of them Monday we found out that our local hospital is in the “network” so everything should be covered.)

Back to Tom and what he did. He was in the garage building easels for the Grandchildren. He was using the router table and the peace of wood took off on him. He “chewed up” the 3rd and 4th digit (middle and ring finger) nicely. I will not show pictures. He will not lose any fingers, he just removed a couple of small chunks from each finger. At least this time he didn’t almost go into shock. I think because the weather was cooler, I had the outside air blowing on him and his window open. Also I kept repeating “Keep your hand above your heart!” We both take aspirin so bleeding can be an issue.

Our nurse was a young lady who’s father did the contract work on our house 20+ years ago. It’s hard to think of the kids growing up. It was good to see her and check up on how her folks are doing.

I did have the presence of mind to grab some knitting. So I got quite a few rows done on my sweater! It’s now middriff length. It’s getting there.
And I have finished one sock and have almost all the ribbing done on the second one.

We had a very nice Easter dinner at Roger and JessaLu’s. The food was fabulous, as usual. She cooks like her Father.

Well that’s about it for now. We will be going to Amanda’s this weekend. It’s been 3 months since we saw all of them. I’ll bet Kailey has changed a lot!

Have a great day and Happy Knitting!

A little more important than knitting

I know, what’s more important than knitting?

I get a lot of emails from friends, some are sweet, some have misinformation in them, but some are important enough to share.

The following is the important one. Before posting this I dialed all the phone numbers and they are legitimate. I hate passing along garbage. I have been thinking of scanning my credit cards but today I think I will take the time to follow the following advice. So here goes.

ATTORNEY’S ADVICE – NO CHARGE

Not A Joke!! Even If you dislike attorneys….. You will love them for these tips.

Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:

1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, write  ‘PHOTO ID REQUIRED.’

2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the ‘For’ line. Instead, just put the last four numbers.
The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won’t have access to it.

3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a P.O. Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address.
Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary.
But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.

4. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We’ve all heard horror stories about fraud that’s committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first hand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.
But here’s some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here’s what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)
7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the internet in my name.

The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had     been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves’ purchases,     none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289

4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):  1-800-269-0271

We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about everything.

If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help someone that you care about.

This is a lot of good advice, and I want to share it with people I care about. And I care about my dear readers. I plan on printing out this information and keeping it with the copy of my cards.

On a lighter note. There has been some knitting. I knit up a little pouch for my ipod. And there has been (very) little work done on my sweater. But I figure completing a couple of rows is well worth noting. It’s getting closer to the part where you put the sleeves on hold. I have to count the stitches soon to see if I’m there yet. I have been using a row counter, but then I wonder if I remembered to advance it after I’m part way through a new row. Duh!

Work has gotten a little bit better. I’m starting to understand the insurance better. This country needs a national standard  for insurance cards to make the processing easier. Some cards have the important information for processing printed so small that if you didn’t know what you were looking for you would have no idea what to do.

Got to get back to the knitting, and scanning those credit cards!  Happy knitting! cjant

Happy Birthday Miss Corra

Saturday, March 21, was Corra Lynn’s 10th Birthday! Wow! A 2 digit age!

Tom & I called and sang “Happy Birthday” to her. I asked her how it felt to be ten? Her answer? “It feels just like 9!”

She is a very special little girl. She loves her brother and sisters  and is a lot of help to her Mom. I know this is a hard birthday for Amanda, her baby is 10. How did this happen. It seems like just yesterday she was bringing home a beautiful baby girl.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed your special day, Miss Corra. And I hope you have a wonderful year! Please don’t change too much. We love you just the way you are.

(Sorry this is a day late) Corra got an ipod Nano for her birthday and I’m sure Amanda is having fun trying to figure out how to download music to it for her.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. cj

It has been forever!

I have been so down about work that I can’t drag myself to do much of anything else. After a mini breakdown Monday, I have been working at a quieter store and have had a chance to learn the computer system (insurance) a little more. There is just too many things going on at the store I work at. So many problems. Only 2 or 3 people that know how to deal with the insurance. That backs everything up! Hopefully Monday will be better. (Boy is that an oxymoron- Monday-Better. Makes me laugh!)

There has been knitting. I had started my Easy Raglan (Green Mountain Spinnery Pattern) (Ravelry link) on size 7 needles. I had about 11.5/2 inches. I think I’m using US size 9’s now. Gauge is a lot closer. So after ripping out the much too tight stitches and starting over I’m about back where I started.

There has also been knitting on another Toe Up Sock. There has no been a lot of knitting on this. I’m using sort of big needles. I think size 2 or 3 and I’m not sure if I like the looks of the fabric. I just might end up ripping it out (again). This is the 3rd attempt at this particular sock. It’s starting to get to me.

Last Saturday or Sunday I finally spotted the Pileated Woodpecker. I have been looking for this bird for close to 20 years now! I could hear him, but never spot him. I even got a picture, click to make it larger and click on the box on the photo. This bird is about 19 inch long. They make a lot of noise but are hard to spot. It’s a relatively shy bird that refers large tracts of woodland. So needless to say I was really excited to finally see him!

The snow is finally melting here is our little corner of the world. Today is suppose to be warm, in the 40’s I think. It has been bitter cold the last few days, with a north wind. Glad that’s subsided.

And I have to share a picture of 2 plants I have growing in the house that I have not killed yet! I tend to forget to water plants. These guys are right in front of me every morning so far I have not forgotten to water them and have not over watered them. I think because I need to have something alive and green. It’s been a long winter. And spring is taking it’s time. getting here. Did I mention we still have snow? And it’s not pretty snow, it’s the old, melted down dirty stuff.

Well that’s enough from me for now. Hope everyone one have a great weekend. It’s 30% off at CVS for the employees and I have to get dressed and go to town and do a little shopping.

Happy Knitting!

Opossums really do play ‘possum

I like Wednesday. It is the day I work 4 hours and leave. Yeah!!!

Driving down the driveway I saw an Opossum walking across the driveway. Right in my path. I slammed on the brakes and brought the Toyota Tundra to a halt. As I was probably right on top of the little ugly guy I put it in reverse to see if I had missed him. I laughed out loud. It was laying on it’s side as if it were dead! Too funny. Well I could tell it wasn’t going to go anywhere so I drove over the top of him. Checked the mirror to make sure I hadn’t run him over. He looked fine and I continued my way home.

Sunday I went with Natalie and made Glass beads. Warning possibalities of a new hobby. It was fun. I made 5 beads. My first one broke in half. I was too thin in the middle. I had flattened it out so that is was oval. But playing with fire and glass was a lot of fun. We were talking about buying some purple and pink glass for the next time everyone gets together to make beads again. Purple glass is rather expensive compared to the other colors.

The shapes are a little interesting and the edges need to be filed down a little. But they look like beads. I’ll have to take some pictures.

We went over to a very nice lady’s house in Albany, NY. I had made 3 beads on my first try and said I was fine and did not want to make any more. She let me know that I had to make a total of 4 beads or I couldn’t leave. That became my joke of the night. “You have to make at least 4 beads or she won’t let you go home.”  I did have fun though. I’m going to have to see if the library has glass bead making books and check some out.

And we got to go to Starbucks on the way home. I’m glad I went with Nat, she really wanted to go and would have had to go alone. I missed seeing the Dayton 500 but it was well worth it. I had fun.

While there the bead making turned into knitting! I’m almost done with my cowl. I probably should be working on it now and just get it off the needles! And in the last couple of days I have done a couple of rows on the sweater. I have knit past all the yarn I had ripped back from so I am now progressing from where I left off! Progress is beautiful.

Well, that’s about it for now. I’m going to continue to munch chocolate, surf the net and nap. Did I mention I love Wednesdays? Because I do.

Happy Knitting! cj

A little knitting

Well work is really tiring me out! So much to do and to learn. But I am enjoying it.

There has been some knitting done. I’ve been working on a very narrow version of Dragonfly Fire Cowl. My first one is so strechy that I’m getting cold breezes sneaking in. Tom thinks it too tight. But it does stretch some. We’ll see.

I have also been working on my Green Mountain Spinnery Easy Raglan. There were more rows done then what is there now. The sleeve increases are done by doing yarn overs. I like yarn overs, in lace. But I really didn’t like the look in a sweater that’s body is all flat knitting. Nothing fancy in it. Just a nice looking cabled neck, cuff and bottom edge. So I ripped back to the collar and changed to the increases to Make 1’s. I really prefer this look. I’m just hoping I’m doing the M1L and M1R  in the correct places! If not, I’m not too worried.

Did some banking errands this morning. My SIL had asked me to close one of the Farm accounts and put the money in the other Farm account. While there I asked why I couldn’t transfer money from my checking account into my saving account. The account was “inactive”, because I couldn’t access it! Duh! So I had them make sure All the accounts were activated and to make sure I could access my saving account on line. It will take a few days for that to happen so I plan on transfering some money to it Wednesday. It better be working by then.

I stopped in to the CVS pharmacy to make a copy of the codes that are used for insurance. So much to learn. I’m sure I’ll get it sooner than later. Also I wanted to get the paperwork in for Direct Deposit. And had to get the marital status corrected on my W2 (or is it W4) form. I usually refer to it as “that W form”. I don’t usually look at my pay stubs, but I wanted to find out what my employee number was. That’s when I noticed the error. Corporate had some problems getting all of us entered into the system. Our District Manager went and picked up our checks and brought them to us. I thought that was really nice of him to do that. He could have had someone else do it, but he did it himself. CVS might be a “Big Corporation” but I think they treat their people pretty well. I’m glad that I’m working for them.

Bought some Peeps while I was in there. I like Peeps. Pure Sugar. My kind of treat. But they have to be soft. I really don’t like them if they dry out. It is fun to put them in the Microwave. Puffs them up. Just don’t put them in too long. It’s not fun cleaning up exploded Peeps. Much more fun to eat them.

I hope everyone is having a Happy Valentine’s Day. (I am, Tom got me my favorite Break-up Dark Chocolate from Catherine’s Chocolates.)

Happy Knitting!

Ok, I’m updating my blog..

Well it’s been a little busy at the pharmacy. Here are a couple of pictures I took Tuesday morning. Feb.3, 2009

It sure wasn’t looking much like a pharmacy. They gutted the “front store” part of the pharmacy, but left the pharmacy part alone. The remodel of the pharmacy part will be done in a few months. (I think).

Now about 80% of the front store is stocked. We are starting to get a hang of the new computer system and work flow. We have CVS Pharmacists and Tech trainers in helping us learn.

I have been doing a little knitting. I’ve started a sweater, cowl and a sock. I think I’ve started a sock, but I might have frogged it. I have been so tired.

Also Tom has been sick for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks. I called the Dr. last week and they gave him some antibotic samples. They have really done the trick. He is barely coughing now. Between work and worring about him, I haven’t been sleeping.

But since this is a knitting blog here is a little knitting. When we went to Amanda’s in January, I finished the cowl I was making for Tom.

I’m going to reknit this for him. It’s too wide and the says too tall. It is 80 stitches wide. Knit in a double seed stitch. Using Socks That Rock. Ravenscroft color way, part of the Raven clan. It is either Medium or Heavy weight. I don’t know where the band is.

Were, that’s about all for now. Have a Great Evening. cj

Is there any such thing….

as too much sock yarn?

Only when you have to was every last blanking skein. Like I got to do this last weekend.

Even though the flood waters (from the broken radiator in the den) have stopped, I’m still cleaning up. Saturday morning I went downstairs for I can’t remember what reason. I glanced at my plastic tote of sock yarn on the floor and saw a couple inches of nasty water in it. Darn! I though it was “safe” there. Out of the 66 quart size rubbermaid tote there were maybe 6 skeins sealed in plastic bags that did not get wet. The others got wet and some even shared their colors with neighboring skeins. I now own 2 skeins of LL Carol green with touches of red. Darn, darn, darn!

Any yarn that was in a pull ball had to be wrapped into skein form. It was so much fun. By Sunday afternoon my back was killing me. The up side, I got to look over all my sock yarn. And now ALL of it is incased in plastic zipper bags. I’m going to go around and gather up all the yarn I can lay my hands on and also incase them in zipper plastic bags. And I think I’ll put some projects together with the instructions all together in … a zipper plastic bag.

Saturday evening we went to the local Bowling Lanes for a Store Party. We had a chance to socialize and say good bye to those who will not be staying on when CVS takes over. The best part was when John and his wife came. John had a stroke last year and has not been back in the store since. This was his second stroke. He’s been working at Bill’s since it opened, or at least almost that long. A few of us played mini golf, it’s indoors. We don’t know who won because Carrie was keeping score and she has not tallied it up yet. I’ll be surprised I didn’t come in last. I did 6 or more strokes on a couple of holes. We had fun.

I did loose one of my knitting needles there. But at least I got a couple of rows done on the sock!

The people from CVS have been in the store all week. I no longer have an office and I am no longer responsible for the Meds on Time people. I just need to get the homes we use to service to understand that. They are starting to “get it” now. I have shut down the computer and that’s about all they wrote.

Now the monumental job of getting 5 years of filing done. Yesterday I went home 3 hours early to turn around after a couple of hours to go back to work. There are a lot of scripts that need labels made for them before they can be filed. And not computer/printer available until 5 pm. It just made no sense to stay for 12 hours and not be productive until the last 3. So I went home took a nap and felt better for it.

I think there has to be something wrong with me. After rinsing out, hanging up to dry and twisting all that sock yarn this weekend, I bought 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Possum sock yarn this morning from The Loopy Ewe. I think all the yarn fumes got to me. That and I think I checked my sanity at the door and can’t remember which one I left it at!

Hope everyone that is dealing with this wonderful winter weather is safe and warm. Happy knitting!

cj