Sincerest apologies

Not sure, really, what's happened to my blogging motivation, but it seems it waned there for a bit.

I think one reason why is that 'Unique Counter' widget, up there on the right. I installed that widget and for about a month discovered there were two people who were reading my blog. I'm assuming it was probably me and my sister. She has a couple of blogs about breeding Labradoodles, which she is very busy with, and another one that has been slow lately due to circumstances beyond her control. So, we read each other's thoughts and try to keep up with each other.

That counter stayed at '2' for about two or three months. I was kinda disappointed because I was really hoping somebody else would stumble on my thoughtless thoughts and maybe comment or rant along with me, particularly other relatives, namely my daughter.

Another reason that I have been too lazy is that I haven't felt able to focus on anyone thing. I have been having that sickening reoccurring nightmare where I walk into a room and forget why I'm there several times a day now, and since my birthday's just past, that must mean I'm senile now. Really, in truth, I know it's probably stress, but that's not a very wonderful diagnosis, now, is it?

I'm still crazy in love with my Superman. Yesterday, he made me a big breakfast, complete with French Silk chocolate coffee (which actually sounds better and smells better than it tastes), took me to look at a VW Van (and a red one at that), let me nap after we took the girls to the park, made a big dinner and then promptly fell asleep on the sofa so that I could mindlessly wander the house, talking to myself about what was so important in this room that I had to set my knitting aside for four hours until I finally gave up and went to bed, and then he woke up and came to bed in time to kiss me good night and snuggle just before I fell asleep. And because I love my Superman, it was he I dreamt of all night.

I continue to try help my dogs. Maggie and I are having an easier and easier time with trying to feed her only when calm. Yesterday, her Daddy was watching, so she thought it was OK to charge me for breakfast like in the old days before I came along to change her status quo, and I thought this may be a set back and we will have to start all over again, but this morning, when it was just she and I again, she got to 'calm' much quicker than she has been. Dori, the rescue dog, sheds another protective scale every day, so progress is slow but it is progress. After Dad takes her for the 'pee walk' first thing in the morning, she has been coming back up to watch me get up, showered and dressed to go for our morning hour's walk. That's been going on for about a week and a half. The other day, I heard this weird noise from her corner. First, I check on Maggie's location and then her Dad, before I peek around the furniture to see what's going on. She was on her back, rolling around trying to get a good back scratch. I was very excited and happy to watch it, because I hadn't seen her do that before. (If you've been following, she does very little aside from laying in her kennel or on the sofa, so I'm still ecstatic to see her be a dog.) Dad took them in the truck, while we had a really nice patch of sunshine happening, without me (I had to stay home to watch the office) which he doesn't do very often. He came home and told me there was an older woman in the park who had been on her phone. He heard her say 'I have to hang up now, there's some dogs here I need to love.' Dori walked right up to her and allowed her to touch her! Incredulous to us, because she does not walk up to us or allow us to just reach out and touch her. I know there's a dog inside of her, I'm hoping and waiting for the real Dori to come out.

I have gotten some knitting done. I finished a sweater for my nephew a while back. I've heard nothing since it left me, so, not sure if it fit or if he liked it. I guess since I had fun making it and was proud of how it turned out, that will have to be good enough for now. I regret not getting a picture of it once it was finished. Lots of in progress shots, posted on Ravelry, but nothing once it was finished and washed. I also have finished fingerless gloves for my daughter, and am making some other pieces she wants for her outfit to wear at the opening of 'Alice in Wonderland'. I have finished another sweater for my Step Daughter that her Dadda will be mailing soon. I did take a picture of that and will post when she gets it. It is on Ravelry too, with my comments about my disappointment with the yarn. I have made two and started a third Orphan Sweater (actually more like t-shirts) that I'm hoping will go to Haiti.

But the recent projects that get the most complements are the sweaters I made for the dogs. Everyday we go out together, somebody admires them, how well Maggie's fits her and how happy Dori seems in hers.

I have spent several evenings sitting here going from Ravelry to Twitter, trying to follow other knitters. I'm using a list in Ravelry that's about 35 pages of 25 posts each, and only about 10 pages through it now. I'm thinking that's probably been the largest share of my usual blogging time. Aside from general brainless senility.

There's been other trials and tribulations around here as well. Thanks to the 'Helpfulness' of Wells Fargo (in case you didn't recognize it, that was hypocrisy) I missed making a truck payment and nearly gave myself another ulcer, in spite of my dear Superman telling me that it wasn't my fault. I am beyond thankful that it is nearly paid off, and when it is, WF can kiss my large pink behind before I will every would consent to do business with them. (I only tell you this because there are many horror stories out there, hopefully, somebody is learning that: a. they are not the only ones; b. My advice to you would be to avoid them if at all possible as well.)

We have been looking at jobs in Self Storage in other states, hoping to be closer to our families. Lots of heartache for me about leaving current tenants who have become our dear neighbors and the many aquaintances I've made through the local knitting group. Lots of factors to take into consideration such as short term plans and long term goals, but the biggest one is feeling that we are appreciated. Superman feels that he is useless and very much taken for granted here and that is a bad place for a hero to be.

My daugher has been here a couple of times. She came a few days ago so that I could color her hair ~ which is a Chore, because she has very nice thick hair and wanted a main color and highlights. She came over again last weekend because we had a bike she could use (abandoned here at the facility) and she brought a vanity I was hoping to refinish. Since we never leave here ~ it's banker's hours plus Saturdays for me and she's on evenings and weekends usually ~ and she had her father's truck, she was able to come here and get all that done. It was very nice for me because I don't usually get to see her more often that once every three months or so.

My mom was here a couple of weeks ago and brought a new piece to add to the Coca-Cola collection in the kitchen, a 'Vending Machine' cookie jar. Very nice surprise! She was here again today with six spools of yarn. She and my Step-Dad are great thrift store shoppers and find great bargains. The cool find in the collection of yarn today was a raspberry wool. I have been racking my brain trying to think of something I've been wanting to knit with something that cool all day long, so far nothing, so as soon as I'm done here, I'm going to go over there and be very determined about finishing something so I can get to that sooner rather than later.

Hopefully that catches everybody up on the last couple weeks. When I wasn't paying attention the widget counter went from '2' to something like 75. Wow! I don't know who they are but that was a surprise!

Very nice indeed.