Monday, January 28, 2013

Checking In


I have been on a binge of quilt making.  It was good to make a fire downstairs and spend afternoons and evenings of the coldest weather happily cutting and stitching.
I have had a great deal of feline 'help'--the cats are lured by the warm fire.
Paws and whiskers too near the rotary cutter or the sewing machine needle are a bit of a worry.
I like it best when my 'assistants' decide to take a cat nap.



The sun came out long enough on Saturday to start melting the ice that encased branches, blades of grass and coated the roads.
This morning the air was milder and it appeared that maybe we would have sunshine.
Above is the look of the sky at about 7:15.
I drove into town at 10 as the chiropractor's office rescheduled my appointment missed due to the storm on Friday.
I felt the day was warm enough to lighten some of the clothing layers I've been swaddled with during the cold spell.
Accordingly I put on a long-sleeved T, a 3/4 sleeved thin pullover and a denim shirt.
As I left the driveway, rain began to spatter.
I considered backing up, unlocking the house and fetching a warm jacket, but hated to waste time.
When I came out of the doctor's office rain had begun in earnest and was slanting in on a cold wind.
I felt chilled to the bone merely crossing the parking lot to my car.
In Wyoming I always kept a spare jacket and/or down vest in my vehicle.
Here, I've grown lax.
I had a number of other errands to do and wasn't relishing the thought of darting back and forth from the car in the blustery weather.
I often stop at the charity shop enroute, and today had the brilliant idea to purchase--for 25 cents-- a heavy zip-front cardigan.  It is of the type that G. will say, "Oh, Mother, you mustn't wear that in public!"
Style-savvy or not, I bundled myself into it and completed my errands without shivering!

This is J.'s latest acquisition.
He and M. drove to Tennessee today to purchase the antique buggy.
I'm not sure of his intentions for it.
I don't suppose we are about to give up our vehicles and ask our old horse, Pebbles, to haul us about.
The man has 'wheelin'-dealin' blood in his veins which cannot be subdued!

14 comments:

  1. Watch out Pebbles, a new career awaits you LOL

    It is absolutely gorgeous, I love the elegant design and huge stick wheels.

    I hope when it is renovated you will be sure to wear your bonnet for your first ride :-)

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    1. Kath; Pebbles as a very young horse was trained to a racing sulky. J. is sure that even at her advanced age she could haul a buggy around. I don't know if it will ever come to a drive--I could always buy a bonnet at the Mennonite store--then I'd have to have a long calico dress to complete the look!

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  2. Maybe J will be looking for a younger extra horse ....I can just see you both in horse and trap, on a summers evening.
    Layers are the only way to cope with winter winds and all the changes of temperature in one day ...what's wrong with a chunky Zip-up ...who cares what we look like ...as long as we are cosy ...and for that price you HAD to buy it xx

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    1. Angie; I was so chilled I was ready to settle for a huge sweater many sizes too big when I found the one I bought which is actually my size. There is something very comforting about a heavy sweater--even if one looks 'all wool and a yard wide!'

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  3. The felines look comfy, I'm glad you got a sweater to keep you warm as you did your errands and that buggy looks really quaint.

    Keep enjoying your life ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Lorraine; Our Amish neighbor looked over the buggy and pronounced it a good one. I'd want to be sure of a sunny day if we took it for a drive!
      I"m glad that noticing and enjoying the simple things of life was instilled in me at an early age--its a blessing!

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  4. What a beautiful buggy. I hope that it gives a goodly profit!

    I am quilt-making too, but it's all pre factory machine-quilted and just requires edging. It will be nice and warm anyway.

    Like you, I am having "cat help"!

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    1. Jennie; I think that sometimes the actual 'profit' gets lost in the cost of renovating--but it keeps the man busy. A husband without a project can be trying!
      I've had several of those pre-quilted pieces over the years--especially nice when we have muddy-paw weather--keeps the better quilts from damage by soggy cats!

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  5. What a gorgeous wagon!

    I love thrift shops, although we never find any article of clothing for 25 cents at our store. You'll probably get a lot of wear out of this cardigan.
    Lillian
    lillianscupboard.wordpress.com

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    1. Lillian; I am faithfully relaying the appreciative comments re the buggy to J.
      This particular thrift shop is run by the local Catholic church. Its worth pawing through the rubble for the occasional good piece of clothing. The out-dated wooly cardigan [pricey when new, for sure] saved me from my folly in going forth without a jacket! I like to have a stash of comfortable things to put on for chores and rambling about the farm.

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  6. Aren't kitties adorable when they are asleep! They are so charming, only I know that sometimes they aren't, especially when running a sewing machine or rotary cutter.
    I am on the downhill run to getting quilting supplies. Friday I go to my un -favorite place, Wally, to get a rotary cutter and a few rulers and some pins. I found a few very small wall quilt kits in the storage garage and I will work on these to get the hang of things.
    It is cold here one day, then rain, then ice, then snow. It is starting to change some to more springy-type weather.
    Take care, keep warm, and I love the buggy!
    Hugs

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    1. Vicki;
      Wal Mart is the place we love to hate--its about our only shopping option here. We also had an Alco in WY that stocked good fabric in 'flat folds' as well as quilting tools.
      Our weather here has been as variable as yours--but not as cold--NE gets a lot of fierce cold and wind!

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  7. Replies
    1. Janet; I have to agree that the buggy is pretty cute--did we need it????

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