Ten On Tuesday

1) So how has your Tuesday been?  Mine?  Didn't start off so well.  Small freezer.  Full of food..... dead.  Yes, another victim of the power surge it would seem. So instead of heading to work when I thought I was ready to go I found myself making multiple trips across the yard, out to the garage to an old fridge/freezer we have out there!  OK... so I could be bummed right?  But I am trying to think of reasons to be thankful instead.  Like that God gave me a nudge to check the freezer in the first place.  Not sure why I opened it last night, and then remembered to check again this morning to see how it was doing.  Also Thankful that I had another freezer to cart it all too and that I think most of the food is OK.  There may be a few inedible frozen pizzas.... The best news?  The Strawberry Freezer Jam was saved.  For that... we are truly thankful.  I mean have you had Strawberry Freezer Jam on a fresh hot biscuit?  YUM. 

2) More remodeling progress!  Yay!  We have the trim painted and installed!  Door trim is up and painted.  Windows are painted and trimmed AND we have curtains in place again.  They were in place for a short while until we discovered we had to take them back down to paint the windows... duh.  We are good like that. 

3) Since Monogirl has been like in major crochet mode she has been perusing Pinterest for what else?  More crochet patterns and ideas.... I mean it's like chocolate or scrapbook supplies you can never have too much.  The most um unsettling crochet idea I've come across?  A men's... obviously... crocheted jock strap.  Oh and with a matching pair of mesh shorts. I'm all like seriously?  I had to show my husband and make him promise me should I ever start to crochet things like that that he would take my hooks away from me immediately never to be returned. 

4) The sound of Christmas music could be heard from my car here recently.  Something like this one.... and this one.... which have long been favorites.

5) It's Operation Christmas Child time again.  Does your church participate?  We have a goal of 500 boxes this year and I might have done a little Amazon Smile (do you go to smile.amazon.com to shop thru Amazon?  It's such a cool way to help your favorite charity.  Mine is Nourish Our Children) shopping today to get a thing or two to contribute.  So fun. God has been putting ideas in my head about things we can do for next year with crafty stuff.... like crochet stuff... and woodworking stuff.... Stuff Monogirl and her husband just happen to enjoy.  It might involve some sort of crafty challenge... .perhaps some of ya'll would like to join in?  Stay tuned... more info to come soon. 

6) Date night this week had a much better start considering there was no threat of power surges and um fire..... I am thinking that is a big improvement.  It did however include starting with a funeral visitation.... But after that Home... PJ's.... Movies... Pizza.... and popcorn ensued.  A good time was had by all.

7) Have you ever tried to live without your microwave after you are used to having your microwave?  I mean one night Darrel had a plate of left overs all ready to reheat until he walked over to the microwave and remembered oh hey... this doesn't work.  Grrr... What did one do with left overs pre- microwave?  Then there was date night.  All ready for the movie.  Ready for our popcorn... but oh wait.... you can't make microwave popcorn without a microwave and that was all we had.  Until... Monogirl wondered if one could break into the bag and put it in a pot on the stove... Guess what?  It was pretty yummy that way and tasted even more movie theatery.  Might need to do that even with having a microwave. 

8) It seems the good ol' insurance company would now like some sort of expert to fill out some sort of Affidavit to prove that there was a power surge and to prove that our stuff was damaged by said power surge..... Well lets see.... my husband took electrical stuff in college.... he made the right diagnosis according to the electric company guy... .does he count?  I'm guessing not.  I supposed its some sort of coincidence that the power line broke..... the power got all weird and too strong on one side, and not enough on the other and then when it was fixed... .Viola... like magic like 10 things no longer will even turn on.... I'm sure the surge had nothing to do with it right?  Darrel was thinking they ought to be thankful we aren't asking them to pay for a whole house and contents since we actually prevented a fire... hello!!  Just help us out here!  And oh... while you are at it add the freezer mentioned above to the list!

9) I am currently again THREE books BEHIND in my yearly reading goal.  The year ends like um NEXT month.  I really really want to make that goal.  And I really really want it to stop telling me I'm behind.... Guess there is only one solution for that problem... I apparently have serious making my reading goal issues.  You'd think there will be some kind of penalty or something rather than Monogirl just wanting to MEET THAT GOAL. 

10) Is it just here in Southern Indiana or did winter arrive sometime during the day today in your neck of the woods too?  It is cold out there!  And um Monogirl was thinking when she got in the car after work that it only takes sitting on a cold leather seat once to figure out why the person who invented heated leather seats was a genius.  I'd now like a portable one to take with me wherever I go please. 

And looky there.... I made 10... On an actual Tuesday.  Perhaps its a Thanksgiving miracle? 

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday

Yes!  You guessed it!  The Internet and Wifi has been restored!  Happy Dance! I mean 6 days without Wifi.... who knew it was possible?  Ha. 

The saga began on date night last week.... or shall I say what was supposed to be date night.  We had planned carryout and movies and The Amazing Race at home.  That was until I got home and discovered our house smelled like our church did the day it was on fire.  And no.... I am NOT fond of that smell and it does not bring up good memories.  It scared me.  Good.  Next I realize that some of our power is on and working and some of our power is acting like it's not getting enough power with lights not coming on, or humming or flickering.  I immediately get my husband on the phone and the conversation went something like this..... "I need you to come home NOW."  Apparently my panic came across because he said he was shutting things down to head out the door before I finished that sentence.  He had me turn off our furnace and shut down the power to the house until he could get here. 

Back in 2010  (you might remember this post) we had an electric issue.  The power was acting very similar to that time, but the smell of hot electric wires was new.  My husband got out his electric meter thingy and discovered that one side of the main was reading way too high like 185-190 volts and one side was like 50 volts.  He thought it could be the breaker going out so we tried replacing that first.  That solved the problem for like a minute and a half.... and then everything went goofy again.  Plan B?  Call the electric company.  By this point it's after 11 PM and the house is dark... and COLD.  I mean it was seriously the coldest day we've had this fall.  Darrel has proof of this because when he came home with the new breaker.... and dinner... cause yes... we still needed to eat..... he discovered his wife wearing long john pants, a thermal night shirt, ugg slippers, her favorite pink hand warmers (that her friend Lori made for her), and lets see... um like 4 layers of blankets?  I practically had a little blanket fort for me and my Kindle... which I am glad is a Paperwhite so I could see it! ha!! 

Electric company shows up and Darrel tells him about the readings he got and the man says well that means we need to check "neutrals."  I have no idea what a neutral is.... but was happy it was something repairable.  Next thing I hear is the sound of a chainsaw.... Yes.  At midnight we were cutting off tree tops and fixing a broken neutral.  The neutral wire turned out to be in our fence line at the top of the electric pole.  It was a really windy day and the tree had hit the line and broken the wire.  This caused an electric surge to part of our circuits and brown out conditions to the rest of the circuits.  So yay... power is back.... but um boo.... now to discover all the things the surge/brown out fried. 

Furnace was out.  Bedroom ceiling fan.. .dead ... and one of the things that had a burning up motor that was causing the smell.  2 tv's dead.  Modem... dead.  Small window Air conditioner in our bedroom... yep.. Fried.  Modulator thingy on the satellite.  Bedroom alarm clocks... also toast.. um literally.  ha!  There was also a surge/strike thing on the electric meter that did it's job.  It was burned and melted inside and definitely was part of the smell.  Also killed our Microwave/Convection oven. 

But... reasons to be SO thankful.  Furnace was repairable and was fixed the next morning for a reasonable price.  Although the strike plate was singed and burned and the surge strip on our electronics by the TV was also singed... Our home was protected and no fire.  Thank you Lord.  We have prayed for the protection of our home and God has done just that many times.  Also thankful it wasn't the middle of winter so we didn't freeze to death! ha.  And... thankful for insurance which will help with all of the replacements.  I am also thankful for my iPhone with Internet access which was a definite plus during the dead Wifi. 

So yes... a saga... and yes still some hassles with all the things needing replaced BUT we are feeling thankful and cared for because God always takes care of us and provides for our needs.

So did you see the picture up top?  Yes!  Finally I can show you my secret afghan project.  This is the first afghan I've made in over at least like 15 years.  I used to crochet like I had a hook permanently attached to my hand.  Then scrapbooking entered the picture and it pretty much took a backseat.  But now?  I think the crocheting itch has definitely returned!  I first saw this pattern on Knit & Crochet now.  It's on TV on PBS on Saturdays.  They had a free pattern and I fell in love with the look of it and this cool "Bavarian" style and just had to give it a try.  Due to the back post treble crochet decrease stitches it also has this cool raised stitch effect.  Love!

I liked the sample look so much I didn't want to change a thing so I ordered the same yarn and colors recommended in the pattern.  The yarn is cotton so it has a really nice feel to it. 

I made the blanket for my new great nephew Elliot that is due in January.  We had his Mom's baby shower this past Sunday so I finally got to give my gift. 

And this face?  When she first saw the blanket made every stitch worth it.  Crocheting can be very calming and therapeutic.  I also found it was a good time to pray over my stitches and the blanket with lots of prayers for little Elliot.  So thankful for crochet and for my Mom and Mother-in-law who both have so much to do with my knowledge and abilities in the crochet realm. 

And now that I have returned to the land of crochet I currently am working on 2 more gift projects for Christmas with another 2 waiting in line and I have supplies ready to go for that living room throw I mentioned quite awhile back and this wrap and an adorable snow people couple.... of course while I was looking for links I also spotted this free snow people pattern... how cute are they?  Will have to add that to the list.  Goodness.... the crochet list is growing... I better stop blogging and get to crocheting!

And OK...since I am nearing novel length at this point... OK Novella length.... lets close with a thankful list....

Feeling so thankful for:

• No fire to our house
• crocheting
• a husband that knows how to fix things
• working Wifi
• that there were not more things damaged by the surge
• fall weather
• warm blankets and ugg slippers
• reading.  Yes.  I read an entire book while the Great Electric Saga unfolded
• my Kindle!
• a date night candlelight dinner.  OK.  We didn't plan it that way.  And OK.  We didn't have a choice.  It was still pretty nice.
• homemade chicken and noodles for dinner tonight
• Saturday pancakes
• my job
• good good friends
• Ugg boots.... they feel like you are wearing the Ugg slippers!
• new Modem!
• sweaters... boots... and tights
• the microwave... when it works.  Darrel got a plate of left overs all ready to heat up... walked over to the microwave... and then it hits us... um it doesn't work.   And yes, we've repeated that episode a few times over the past 6 days. What did one do with left overs before the microwave? 
• the approaching holidays.  already in a Christmas mood this year and that hasn't happened in a while.  There might have been Christmas music playing in my car yesterday.  And yes.  I know it isn't Thanksgiving yet.  It just puts me more in the mood for that too!
• hugs from my favorite little ones at church
• a working furnace! It's 44 degrees outside right now and the 30's are showing up in the 10 day forecast.
• Running water... heat... electricity... you stop taking them for granted real quick when you have to do without them. 
• Miss Sophie... Tris... and Tanner.  He had a birthday this week.  13 years old and has the little ol' dog grumpiness to prove it some days...
• smart phone GPS which got me to an appointment yesterday way quicker than I thought was possible

And now... it's time to get started on that Chicken and Noodles I mentioned.  Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday.  Blessings!

The Saga

Yes. Have been trying to post more. But your are thinking Um no....not seeing you around much. Well.....there is a saga. One that involves non working Internet and wifi and a near fire at our house. So I am posting this from my iPhone to let you know I will be back soon. Hopefully internet fixed tomorrow ? Maybe. Unless we discover something else fried. See....you are curious now right ? Stay tuned for the tales of the unending electrical saga. And pics of my crochet project...yes...finally. Oh and 2-3 book reviews.  One which was completely read while the saga was taking place. I mean what else is monogirl to do without heat electricity or Internet ?  

So as Arnold said.....I'll be back.