tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61001922011-12-09T07:41:36.101-08:00A Knitter without a scarf.I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.comBlogger10971100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-76244423943558855822011-02-23T20:09:00.000-08:002011-02-23T20:28:06.186-08:00

Here we sit on the even of The Great Storm. Everyone is a flutter about the snow and freaking out. The city is on alert, plow schedules are published, schools ready to close at the sign of an inch of snow....we are ready. Apollo bought a pizza from Costco in the event we're snowed in by a few inches of the regions worst, most horrifying white stuff. We have leftover spaghetti to last us

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-30767546123254373922011-01-31T21:48:00.001-08:002011-01-31T21:50:10.758-08:00

APOLLO IS OFF BUYING ME TACO BELL RIGHT NOW. YES, THIS IS A SITUATION THAT REQUIRES ALL CAPS. I DON'T FEEL GOOD. I HAVE PAIN. I NEED GREASE.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-81315874918259568892011-01-05T22:50:00.000-08:002011-01-06T07:35:45.970-08:00

*70s happy elevator music plays on my phone*Me: Hi Mom, how's it going?Mom: Well I just got done feeding the calf and he tried to buck me blah blah blah blah blah it has been so cold! I'm freezing my hiney off blah blahblah blah blah blah and that dumb red chicken got out again and I swear it is one step away from getting butchered and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah oh how was Aimee's

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-52704612706690706502010-12-23T12:56:00.000-08:002010-12-23T13:05:02.981-08:00

I have been sick lately. Actually, this cold is connected to the cold I got back before Halloween. So last week I finally went to the doctor and had a lung x-ray to find out that I only had a chest cold compounded by asthma. I always feel cheesey about going to a doctor for something as simple as a cold.Yesterday I got a phone call from the doctor's office. "The radiologist found a high density

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-15014589606999715602010-12-01T12:30:00.000-08:002010-12-03T15:33:31.365-08:00

I am a Knitter. A Knitter with a capital K. I am obsessed, neurotic and generally wear blinders when it comes to whether or not I have enough yarn or patterns (that’s just crazy talk anyway). I know some people think knitting is a grandmotherly art – those people obviously are obviously unaware of the not so recent advent of knitting popularity! (Look at Ravelry, a web based community for

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-66915556703046763042010-11-29T12:55:00.000-08:002010-11-29T16:00:02.622-08:00

Mom has a large potluck at her house every year, one that involves hundreds of people (usually older folk), motorhomes, port-a-potties and the occasional banjo or fiddle, if we're lucky (and when I say lucky, I mean, awwww yeah!!). This year the potluck was considered a success, until about two weeks later when I got a phone call from my very distressed mother.Mom: The chest freezer must have

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-57854996541424041802010-05-17T13:39:00.000-07:002010-05-17T14:26:18.678-07:00

Our Snowball Tree gave us a nice treat this year with what seems like even more flowers than last year. We'll definitely have to do some major pruning this year, especially since one branch is laying down so low (especially after a good rain) that it's touching the ground. The snowballs remind me of Hydrangeas but the plant is actually related to the Honeysuckle.I just can't get enough. Sadly,

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-6859720068052522932010-05-16T11:18:00.000-07:002010-05-16T11:38:10.976-07:00

Since our men are gone on a job, Nicole and I have been hanging out a lot. Of course, when girls hang out, all sorts of interesting topics come up. It's even more fun when my sister, a nursing student, stops by and tells us stories about poop, slinging scrotum's, giant labia (it's not often you hear the words, "My hands got tired from holding back her giant labia."), misaligned vagina's and

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-58740616241579806912010-05-13T12:16:00.000-07:002010-05-13T13:27:04.442-07:00

Apparently we don't open our pantry much these days.What you see there in the bottom left corner of the photo is a basket of potatoes we had saved from last years harvest for this years garden. They're totally out of control! I'm hoping they're salvageable.*These purple potatoes are kind of pretty, don't you think? It's potato art! We're putting soil in the new bed I'm going to plant the

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-20812483523289465502010-05-08T12:28:00.000-07:002010-05-08T12:43:59.575-07:00

I just realized I am only a couple years away from ten years away from 50. This is shocking. SHOCKING. I am just a kid!! When did this happen?? Where was I?I wish I was one of those people who had a plan. You know, go to college (check), meet a great guy (oops), get a great job (er), buy a Craftsman house with a white picket fence (LOL), 2.5 kids (do cats count?) and so on. It just hasn't

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-26893863643587008182010-05-07T10:56:00.000-07:002010-05-07T11:10:30.927-07:00

A couple days ago Faythe asked me how my garden was doing. This is what my garlic bed full of hard and soft necks looks like so far.In February I decided to experiment, so I added some red onions to the bed (they're in the back corner, you can see how that area looks thicker) and they're doing great. This is the same bed I used for lettuce last year, so a few lettuce plants have sprouted up too.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-53138913823379277262010-04-29T15:39:00.000-07:002010-04-29T16:11:20.399-07:00

OMG. So I just checked my archives for reference and it appears I first started working on our bedroom in May 2009! And we're just now finishing it! To be fair, we took a 10 month hiatus so it's not like we were working on it this enitre time. Seriously, paint, caulking, wood filler, spackling, more paint to cover paint and metal transfer to the ceiling caused by a certain persons caulking gun

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-27390609300133550532010-04-12T16:07:00.001-07:002010-04-12T16:16:09.455-07:00

I love spring. New plants and flowers are popping up everywhere. I even saw a bumble bee flying around some clover. Hummingbirds are starting to buzz past us and bugs are appearing. It's great seeing everything come back to life after winter.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-16707301443933265242010-04-10T00:42:00.000-07:002010-04-12T16:12:09.256-07:00

My cousin's baby shower is tomorrow. Though someone told me about it a few weeks ago, I totally forgot until today. I knit up one bootie tonight and hope to have another, plus a hat and maybe a sweater to match before the baby is born by the end of the month.Also, my cousin has decided to name the baby Udora. That's my grandma's name. I'll be calling her Dory.*Updated to include new photo of both

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-78298968937073337712010-04-08T21:10:00.000-07:002010-04-08T21:19:02.724-07:00

Mom's alpaca died last week. We don't know why, our assumption is old age. Because the weather was so bad, Mom couldn't investigate much and she was buried there in the field.I never did get to pet her. She was never very trusting and always had that, "step any closer and I will spit on you" expression. Even Apollo was afraid of her. She was a quirky little animal and she will be missed.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-1424570580172412802010-04-01T20:35:00.000-07:002010-04-01T22:59:40.982-07:00

faythe: omg did you read the yarn harlot's post?rayleen: noinionogrrfaythe: it's not her post so much, it's the link about yarn made from special duck feathersrayleen: really!faythe: $193 for 25 yeardsyardsrayleen: !!!faythe: in laceweightthe feathers are smaller than cashmere and super softrayleen: that's more expensive than quivitor however you spell itfaythe: OMGIt takes a skilled

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-29601225532235018892010-03-31T21:14:00.000-07:002010-03-31T21:17:06.078-07:00

This is my friends dog, Versace. My cats look at him with disdain, much like Garfield looks at Odie. And for good reason, too. But he's still a cutie.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-56918113217883325212010-02-11T00:04:00.001-08:002010-02-11T00:09:28.640-08:00

Woolgirl is having a 35% off sale, it seems the online store is closing. I learned about it a couple days ago but decided to wait until I had finished filling out an online application before I rewarded myself with yummy yarn. Since I have a tendancy to comb over the tiniest of details, I just finished submitting my app, went over to to Woolgirl.com and woe is me! Almost everything is sold out

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-59962721429994896742010-01-26T06:19:00.000-08:002010-01-26T06:41:13.533-08:00

I've decided to toss my hat into Ravelympics over at Ravelry. I joined the Hazel Knuts group, who's one rule is you have to use Hazel Knits yarn, and the Yarn Harlot group. The whole point is you're supposed to knit something challenging starting on the first day of the Olympics and finishing your project by the last day.While talking to Faythe about what to knit (her only suggestion being

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-76922110360627149592010-01-20T15:04:00.000-08:002010-01-20T15:05:25.693-08:00

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-26573825386050421472009-12-24T20:01:00.001-08:002009-12-24T22:12:18.459-08:00

Oops, no time to blog. I must return to the game before Apollo steals my money.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-4888406505432725762009-12-04T21:57:00.000-08:002009-12-04T22:14:19.247-08:00

Faythe and I were just discussing our Christmas knitting. She, of course, has learned her lesson and doesn't knit Christmas gifts anymore. I, on the other hand, refuse to give in to reality and have compiled a grand list of recipients, potential items to knit and the yarn I hope to use.amateurmalcontent: that's a lotrayleen: so i'm using grape harvest right nowamateurmalcontent: for less than 3

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-23765418093527058832009-12-02T19:44:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:00:28.460-08:00

We had one of those sunny fall cold days today. The type that, after weeks of overcast days and rain, makes me run excitedly outside at the same time wishing I had worn a coat. Or shoes.Anyway, after putting on the correct attire, I went out to take some photos of some recent knitted work when I was surprised to find purple flowers, tiny daisies and mushrooms growing in our backyard! If I didn't

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-10599612306446719222009-11-26T19:50:00.000-08:002009-11-26T20:23:05.784-08:00

I am not a big fan of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Faythe is scandalized every time I say something like that and usually I say it just to get a rise out of her. (Most people would wonder why I want to poke a rabid animal with a stick but frankly, it's fun to watch her get all riled up, spit and thrash about wildly. This is no exaggeration. Just ask her about chicken fried steak sometime.)

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-72423979343055210062009-11-15T23:18:00.000-08:002009-11-15T23:52:11.999-08:00

Aimee and I eat meat off bones a little differently. She sucks her bones clean while I tend to leave fat, gristle, veins, (shudder) you know, that nasty stuff, behind. In fact, when I lived in San Diego, Apollo's brother Tee used to clean my chicken bones for me because I "left a lot of good stuff behind." We often joke that Aimee cleans her bones like Tee and I clean mine like "white people." I

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-10966249198091668102009-11-13T23:32:00.001-08:002009-11-13T23:44:01.687-08:00

I've noticed since I've been sick that a lot of strange body odor is emanating from certain parts of my body. Not that female parts always smell pretty but dayum, I do not want to smell cough syrup and pills every time I go to the bathroom. And my pits - don't get me started! Tonight on her way out the door, mom actually suggested I use deodorant to take care of the problem. This is coming

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-75385020783360998852009-11-12T15:53:00.001-08:002009-11-12T15:55:29.242-08:00

This morning Apollo described my feet as green. That's what olive skin looks like, I told him and only half convinced myself, when it doesn't see sun for a while.And it's only November.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-39805363048912529002009-11-10T22:51:00.001-08:002009-11-10T23:11:54.225-08:00

Last night was the first time I've slept through the night since November 1st. Not only have I been sick with the flu, but then my uterus decided to join the party and deplete me seemingly of a few months worth of iron and fluids. Yes, I was a joy to be around. Am a joy. Whatever.At this point I still feel a lot of pressure on my chest, am coughing up chunks, sleep away half the day and have a

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-80832315878244313442009-11-10T00:22:00.000-08:002009-11-10T00:28:39.972-08:00

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-82814645528966434322009-11-08T19:30:00.000-08:002009-11-08T22:00:52.252-08:00

I have a lot more tomatoes waiting to be canned but here's some of what I have completed so far. Mom cans her tomatoes whole but I cut mine in quarters, add basil, oregano, onion and roasted garlic. We've used some and it's absolutely delicious in a variety of foods: meatloaf, spaghetti, bean soup, chili and so on. We like a lot of garlic, that explains the white bits you see in the jars.Speaking

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-71910252436747077342009-11-07T23:09:00.001-08:002009-11-07T23:39:33.711-08:00

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-62632201612735407942009-11-06T21:57:00.000-08:002009-11-06T22:22:32.403-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of test knitting Psychedelia for Melissa Goodale over at Stick Chick Knits. It's a great pattern with two options for the foot: either carry the pattern down the top of the foot or with the design shown below. It's rather unique, I haven't seen anything like this on a sock.I just love the little details, like how the ribbing in the cuff works right into the pattern of

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-70815096066936628392009-11-05T09:00:00.000-08:002009-11-05T09:00:04.145-08:00

Oh no! There is a confirmed case of a cat catching H1N1 from a human. I'm sick and someone close to me. who has experience with such things, thinks I may have H1N1, though there's a good chance it's something else. Of course, I'm rooting for "something else." Meanwhile, I'll have to be careful around my kitties.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-71101521228406316952009-11-04T17:57:00.000-08:002009-11-04T18:15:50.108-08:00

...that only 5% of American clothing is made in the US? I watched a special about the decline of the garment industry on HBO and am fascinated by these figures:1965 - 95% of American clothing made in the US.1975 - 80% "1985 - 70% "1995 - 50% "2009 - 5% "It would be interesting to see how many jobs that would belong to Americans are now in other countries. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for sharing

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-19013223067217370192009-11-03T15:41:00.000-08:002009-11-03T16:07:25.930-08:00

Last year I planted the garlic in January, a couple months too late. The garlic turned out OK, but I don't think they were fully developed or as big as they could have been. I also used store garlic and later learned that was a no-no too. This time I bought seed garlic from a local nursery, a softneck California variety and a hardneck Spanish Roja. The Spanish Roja is supposed to be hotter but

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-50943749830702514862009-11-02T22:36:00.000-08:002009-11-03T12:01:49.644-08:00

One year ago today sometime in the evening, we drove in our driveway with our car packed with whatever we couldn't ship up, one angry ninja cat and one wide eyed shedding cat. Yep, our first day in Oregon! We were exhausted and covered with cat hair and scratches. It was so good to reach our destination.I haven't really accomplished much over the past year. Sad to say. Ah well, must get back to

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-49902499393587244332009-11-02T16:16:00.000-08:002009-11-02T16:19:08.100-08:00

I saw this sign in a restroom at the Salem Pavilion. I couldn't help but wonder what has happened that required them to specify these items? Are people really trying to flush bottles?

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-29889221232364613772009-11-01T22:51:00.000-08:002009-11-01T23:13:54.441-08:00

We've had a few blustery days recently resulting in leaves everywhere. Knitting fits in naturally with the cooler weather and I've been making the most of it. This last month I've been working on a mystery sock written by Kristen Kapur, each section released over the last month at Through the Loops.You never know how a mystery sock will turn out. For example, the sock starts out with some

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-75604225575883292009-10-30T23:55:00.000-07:002009-10-31T01:42:41.509-07:00

I was going to tell you about a concert I went to tonight. But on my way home, I learned Elaine's house burned down. I feel horrible, I love her so much and I know she's going through a lot of pain. My heart is broken knowing this has happened to her. Her husband died ten years ago in December, so she already suffers from depression this time of year. All her photographic memories of him

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-23622575752359899542009-10-29T23:47:00.001-07:002009-10-30T00:18:20.708-07:00

I was sitting outside on Mom's front porch while she was taking a phone call when I heard her say, "Yeah, that's the spot." I looked inside to see what she was talking about when I saw this:I kid you not. Apollo massaging Mom's feet with lotion! I was shocked! After I picked up my chin, I took a photo so I could preserve evidence of Apollo's sucking up.Apollo pointed out to me later that he had

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-51183191028483964982009-10-28T20:16:00.000-07:002009-10-28T20:39:05.529-07:00

Having grown up in a religion that doesn't allow celebrating holidays, I have never carved a pumpkin. Until now!We invited our neighbors Niki and James over to carve pumpkins. Because I was new at it, Apollo and I carved our pumpkin together. Ours is the one on top, Niki carved the one on the left and James the one on the right. I couldn't believe how easy it was! We have another pumpkin and I'm

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-57362640006338698012009-10-27T23:11:00.000-07:002009-10-30T00:26:43.443-07:00

The trees are turning red, orange and yellow, putting on quite a show. I'm still surprised at the beauty just outside our living room window. You miss out on this kind of stuff in So Cal.I took these about a week ago and already the tree's have changed quite a bit. By the way, this is the Snowball tree which I blogged about last April.Check out that spider cleverly hiding from rain drops under a

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-91020407802444994572009-10-26T23:08:00.000-07:002009-10-26T23:27:07.343-07:00

Yesterday, the website AmericasKnitting.com contacted me and asked if I would be willing to share a photo of one of my hats with them. A hat specifically designed by Jared Flood aka Brooklyntweed to go along with an article written about him on their site. Of course, I am honored to share! They put up the photo today with all the other beautiful Brooklyntweed projects. Don't forget to check the

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-53008199900807474232009-10-25T15:05:00.000-07:002009-10-25T15:25:13.264-07:00

So about a month ago I started a pair of plain old stockinette socks for myself. There's something comforting about stockinette socks. Simple and functional. Plus they're extra mobile because they don't require a pattern and I can knit on them when at Mom's (with low light conditions and Cops or Queer Eye blaring on TV while she cackles and then spoils the ending because she has already seen this

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-90879149735061426072009-10-23T13:54:00.000-07:002009-10-23T14:00:47.438-07:00

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-21359841782897627802009-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:002009-10-22T12:54:09.477-07:00

My mom is obsessed with firewood. She not only collects it for herself, but for us, my aunt and grandma. After a storm she drives through the mountains on isolated gravel roads, the kind with bear and elk poop on them, looking for windfalls. After she finds one she contacts the Forest Service, or whomever the tree technically belongs to, and gets the appropriate permits. Once when we helped carry

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-50742893743189024752009-10-21T23:22:00.000-07:002009-10-22T00:08:08.974-07:00

We expected frost almost two weeks ago, so Apollo and I picked half of our tomato plants clean of green tomatoes, then decided to risk it and covered the rest of the plants with plastic. Turns out they're OK and slowly ripening on the vine. I have to keep an eye on them though because all the rain we're getting is making them split.Meanwhile, I put all the green tomatoes in paper bags with a

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-1150900523254478912009-09-30T14:05:00.000-07:002009-09-30T14:46:58.675-07:00

I've had a lot to say lately but have either been busy, depressed or crazy so I haven't quite had the blogging mojo I needed to post something here. Apollo has been driving me to talk in Ebonics while doing the chicken neck and pointing my finger at him. (Also, blogger just corrected me, apparently Ebonics is capitalized. Why??) Mom is simultaneously driving me to the brink of The Crazies and

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-59502463446310977392009-08-31T00:02:00.000-07:002009-08-31T00:54:34.780-07:00

Being a person of no employment, my yarn intake has dropped sharply. And even though I have a healthy stash, I couldn't find exactly what I needed for a last minute pair of birthday socks for Mom. I wanted something that I could knit quickly (stockinette) but had some sort of pattern, like a self striping yarn. So I decided to head to Joann Fabric's to see what they had for just a few

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-10447667740551356632009-08-01T13:32:00.000-07:002009-08-01T14:45:05.629-07:00

After Aimee threatened to take away the air conditioning unit she loaned us, Apollo finally decided to install it in one of the two windows it would fit in. (Of course, it's now only 88 degree's Fahrenheit outside.) We decided on the kitchen window, since using the dining room window also meant we wouldn't be able to open the front door and we rather like using that door.I was hoping it would get

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-67623428365387930042009-07-28T23:51:00.000-07:002009-07-29T00:16:38.466-07:00

I can't believe how hot it's gotten this week. Sure, I love me some warm weather, but 105degree's is a little high! My neighbors showed me a fun place to swim in the McKenzie river, thankfully. We spent some time cooling off there today. We're planning on going back tomorrow since it's supposed to get even hotter.I feel bad for the cats, they drape their little bodies all over the furniture, on

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-39830844174226612132009-07-25T23:25:00.001-07:002009-07-26T00:31:24.816-07:00

I feel like I have nothing interesting to say if I can't upload photos. Of course, that means as soon as Apollo lost my charger, I was lost once my camera drained its batteries. I finally gave in and bought a new charger (surprisingly expensive) and then lost my camera! I found it today in a Safeway bag by the trash. That was a disaster waiting to happen! Anyway, I was finally able to take some

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-15657127112544521842009-07-08T23:38:00.000-07:002009-07-09T00:07:40.072-07:00

Faythe recently told an embarrassing story about peeing her pants. Not to be outdone, I decided to share my most recent embarassing story.See, Apollo has always been a polite, proper kind of guy. It's unusual for him to fart or burp in front of people. Even when you've known him for years and years, he still rarely does these things. Until he met James our neighbor and his new BFF.James is a

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-81986857950609835072009-06-23T17:59:00.001-07:002009-06-23T19:34:41.402-07:00

I don't know if I mentioned it, but Apollo was gone for an entire month recently. He took a trip to San Diego, then to Houston and Louisiana and then back to San Diego. He got back last week and good thing too, it was getting awfully quiet around here. Also, the back yard needed to be mowed something fierce (the neighbors took care of our front yard according to prior arrangement with Apollo).

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-65173683423319312412009-06-09T12:32:00.000-07:002009-06-09T12:52:50.719-07:00

After a night filled with cat fighting, playing, getting into things, walking on loud things, walking on me, jumping from windows (and possibly the refrigerator, from the sounds of it), meowing in the empty room creating loud echoing, barfing sounds, cabinets slamming repeatedly, and cats launching off me, I have finally succumbed to what may be called "the crazies."So far I've managed to keep

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-27240985122388167552009-06-07T00:03:00.000-07:002009-06-07T00:03:00.517-07:00

I finally got a photo of my latest socks on the lettuce bed. I thought the green would make the peach socks pop and boy did it! I used Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Sanguine Peach with Sock Knitters Anonymous May Mystery Sock, Kiila (Rav link). It was my first toe up sock. They're going into my Christmas bin for an unknown recipient.The cable and cuff was knit through the back loop and created a

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-17980921859960486582009-06-06T00:26:00.000-07:002009-06-06T01:05:48.567-07:00

So it seems those instructions on the back of the seed packets were there for a reason. Who knew? In this first photo, the radishes are trying to kill the carrots (bottom left), the broccoli won't stop flowering, the collards are also flowering and one got so heavy it fell over. There's also brussel sprouts, tomato and a basil plant in this box. Good luck finding them.To the right of that box is

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-4192792433205318852009-05-31T22:40:00.000-07:002009-05-31T23:09:40.145-07:00

I finally got all the carpet out of the bedroom. The worse part was in front of the closet and the doorway. The filth under the carpet padding between it and the carpet was just gross! At one point I smelled that powdered carpet deodorizer and really, it just kind of made me want to gag. Who knows how many years of human filth and dust mites are currently laying in a pile in the middle of the

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-9230253494239405392009-05-29T23:09:00.000-07:002009-05-29T23:49:08.587-07:00

While Apollo's away, I'm going to try to do a little fixing up around here and surprise him when he returns. Yesterday Mom arrived and we moved everything out of the bedroom, including breaking down the bed and vanity. Aimee joined us and we applied primer to the main bedroom walls and ceiling. Today we painted the ceiling and put on two coats of a warm sage green. It's not quite the color I

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-51495249026706084222009-05-28T13:37:00.000-07:002009-05-28T14:04:01.748-07:00

Now that Apollo is away on his trip, I can eat a lot more veggies without hearing complaints that there's nothing to put barbecue or hot sauce on at dinner. (Well, to give Apollo credit, he has been eating a lot of salads recently, no doubt helping him lose the 20lbs he's shed since we moved here.)So today I fix my usual lunch salad, then threw some turkey meat on top and added some pineapple

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-62395806104510121712009-05-26T23:45:00.000-07:002009-05-27T01:56:12.899-07:00

Today while weeding, I accidentally pulled an onion. As you can see, it's not quite ready but very cute.Also, my broccoli started blooming already! Apparently that's bad. I thought it meant they were getting ready to produce bigger florets. But unfortunately it means they're getting ready to go to seed and aren't edible. So I painfully cut the tops just above new florets that are growing. Too bad

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-33968914074571005162009-05-25T23:39:00.000-07:002009-05-26T12:41:39.424-07:00

It's a bit of an understatement to say the radishes have exploded and are threatening to take over the carrots. I pulled up a few for tonight's salad and they have a nice bite! Some of them are starting to look like carrots due to my planting them too close together. They're crowding each other and growing down rather than out. The lettuce is prime too. I carefully cleaned it and looked for

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-17810528267531872222009-05-15T13:39:00.000-07:002009-05-15T13:55:58.103-07:00

So last weekend, Apollo and I went to Mom's to take care of this huge bush that keeps trying to over her sidewalk. Mom liked it because she could hide behind it when the elk invaded the yard and when strangers parked down by the barn. The problem is, the elk could hear or smell her and would take off. And the strangers down by the barn, well, what good was it to hide behind a gigantic bush that

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-23718713888900226132009-05-03T18:41:00.001-07:002009-05-03T18:52:04.791-07:00

Aimee wants to add a dandelion to the other tattoos on her shoulder, including a few seeds fluttering away. Sure, they're pretty in a froo froo kind of way. It wasn't until we moved here that I started to understand the angst many lawn owners have towards them. Damn weeds.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-52287795477130630722009-05-01T22:07:00.000-07:002009-05-01T22:21:11.302-07:00

We were surprised to see our neighbor's tree, with branches laying over the fence, suddenly splash into bloom a week ago. The Dogwood tree is gorgeous, a nice diversion from the odor of dog urine and poo you notice when you get too close to the fence. And no, not caused by the tree!

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-37384595139854952842009-04-30T23:42:00.001-07:002009-04-30T23:59:15.577-07:00

Apollo, Andrew and James have been fishing a lot lately, especially since fishing season just opened for rivers. Apollo and Andrew returned home yesterday with their limit in trout. They were cleaned and put in the freezer for some secret fish cook-off planned for this weekend. I'm not exactly sure what's going on but I'm sure it will involve cheap beer, spitting, and scratching body parts. And

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-20422714576267539732009-04-29T12:06:00.000-07:002009-05-01T22:20:09.457-07:00

Our house came with a variety of plants and tree's growing near it. Actually, the neighborhood is full of all types of different plants and tree's. Things like Honeysuckle, Lilac, Birch, Dogwood, Tulip trees, the Redwood tree growing by our driveway (or 'in' because it's so huge) and many, many more. It's pretty cool and reflective of the nature of the valley and also all the people who have

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-47581936778470362712009-04-28T22:32:00.000-07:002009-04-29T01:42:15.132-07:00

The author of this pattern photographed the sock with a V pattern down the instep but the pattern itself didn't include those instructions. I liked it so much I played around with cables until I figured out how to replicate it. It took days to figure out too since I had to match the cabling with YO's and decreases. It might not be perfect but I like how it looks.I used Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-12216140844457591022009-04-26T22:20:00.000-07:002009-04-26T22:32:37.281-07:00

I finally finished a pair of socks I started for a KAL contest on Ravelry. I love the little flowers in Daisy Socks. (Rav link) They're a simple lace pattern, good for even a beginner.There's one errata you'll want to keep in mind. It should read, "after finishing last psso in 4th repeat on leg and 2nd repeat on instep, knit to end.” Instead, it erroneously lists the amount of stitches you

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-69147059204365476192009-04-25T23:42:00.000-07:002009-04-26T11:56:23.669-07:00

You learned about it in grade school, but when was the last time you saw a spider actually eating something caught in its web? The spider was pulsating while eating the earwig too, intriguing and disgusting at the same time.Interesting fact about earwigs: they're known to burrow as much as six feet into the ground to get escape the cold.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-57705970739237139432009-04-23T22:06:00.000-07:002009-04-23T23:39:53.112-07:00

I decided to go for it and put the best soil I could afford in my new cedar boxes. After dragging my feet (and credit card), I chose Nature's Best Planting Soil. According to the website, it's composed of:"Aged sawdust & bark, compost, potash, silica sand, loam and sand blended with a custom organic fertilizer mix consisting of kelp meal, fish bone meal, blood meal, alfalfa meal, micro and macro

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-72273070296024159432009-04-22T11:35:00.000-07:002009-04-22T13:34:53.735-07:00

We had another snake siting this morning. He was getting water from a rock lying under a slow drip faucet. He didn't like getting his photo taken and kept striking at me, even coiling up a bit so he could get a good jump at me.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-45984626261051641682009-04-21T13:40:00.000-07:002009-04-21T19:31:05.909-07:00

I just took these photos of some unknown-to-me bug (at the time) out on my raspberry plant. He looked kind of like a grasshopper or locust. I managed to take a couple quick photos as he crawled to the top of the plant and flew away. Thankfully, Faythe's sister Dawn identified him for me.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-34946614900538895852009-04-19T22:41:00.000-07:002009-04-19T22:53:19.556-07:00

While mowing the lawn today, this cute garter snake kept making an appearance. We first saw him slithering over by the house trying desperately to find a place to hide. Apparently we disturbed his afternoon nap in the sun. He finally made it over to the deck and hid underneath.I sat on the deck while Apollo mowed and the snake kept peaking out and quickly darting back under until he decided I was

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-39817495636487225302009-04-14T23:59:00.000-07:002009-04-15T00:22:32.822-07:00

I inherited this yarn from someone who has passed away. I don't know anything about it other than it's one ply worsted weight. The skeins look like your standard acrylic or Lamb's Pride. I need to take it to a yarn shop and have it looked at but meanwhile, I'm dying to know what it is. I tried taking a match to it but since my sense of smell is ruined by allergies I've had since January, I can't

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-7038339940395976852009-04-12T23:48:00.000-07:002009-04-13T01:23:24.984-07:00

Due to our conservative childhood, Aimee and I have never dyed Easter eggs. Even though we're now adults and we don't have kids around to give the eggs to, we thought it'd be fun to give dyeing a try. (Plus, Aimee has decided she's going to take her eggs to work and casually show them off at lunch time.) So we bought three different kits, boiled two and a half dozen eggs and invited Nichole and

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-20102814822754149042009-04-11T23:30:00.000-07:002009-04-12T00:57:04.176-07:00

I have been suffering with congestion, headaches, sore throat and general malaise since January. At first I thought I had a cold, flu or some sort of weird jungle-froo froo sickness. But then as the weeks and months went on, I realised that I am most likely suffering from allergies. It's worth noting that Native Americans refer to this area as the "valley of sickness," and for good reason too.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-36225412977941239142009-04-09T18:18:00.000-07:002009-04-09T19:47:26.494-07:00

It's safe to say we have let our back yard go. It hasn't been mowed since we moved in and is looking a bit wild. In this photo you can see how the composter's are almost buried in tall grass while clumps of funky grass threaten to take over. Believe it or not, there's also a patch of strawberries growing in this photo. After they're weeded, I'll plant the other strawberries (sitting on the deck).

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-591701059758486912009-04-08T17:02:00.000-07:002009-04-08T17:27:01.174-07:00

Mom found these flowers while we were getting wood yesterday near a landing on a mountain top. She loves them and at one time owned a bush which died. These were found in the wild and I'd like to buy her a new bush she can plant near her house.The flowers are bright pink, trumpet-like and the small leaves remind me of raspberry leaves. Any ideas on what kind of flowers they are?

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-53075545913723309252009-04-02T01:18:00.000-07:002009-04-02T01:29:04.725-07:00

We have a ton of worms in our garden. And most of them are huge! We put a marble (found while tilling the soil) next to this guy for scale.I've always been a fan of worms. Even as a child I would rescue them if they were stranded on wet sidewalks or in puddles. Aimee and Apollo want to use them for fishing but for now, they're making our garden an even better place for all the plants. Speaking

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-6080873013111188182009-04-01T23:30:00.000-07:002009-04-02T01:50:40.665-07:00

I recently had another birthday. This was the year I stopped wondering if I should dye my hair or just pull out the occassional grey hair. I also have friends who are so much younger than myself that they consider the TV show Friends to be vintage and have only watched it on reruns.I can actually refer to my high school experience as "decades ago." I'm getting freaked out about the economy and am

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-68949966075072061082009-03-29T15:51:00.000-07:002009-03-29T16:26:44.858-07:00

This was a quick knit. The pattern is Bleeding Heart Lace by Evelyn Clark. The pattern is done nicely, you can see the distinctive bleeding heart flowers in it pretty well. Next time I'll use a more accurate color. The yarn is Knitpicks Kettle Dye in Eggplant. Normally a kettle dyed yarn would have more obvious variation, I am disappointed with it.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-50994178851245212442009-03-28T00:50:00.001-07:002009-03-28T01:02:36.220-07:00

Since so many people expect me to speak Spanish and since I am brown and then there's that whole thing about how it's the second most spoken language in the US and it will make me more of an asset when applying for jobs *big breath* I signed up for a Spanish class starting Monday. I'm looking forward to it, it will be good to get out of the house and meet new people.A local college is offering

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-63473465583637387692009-03-20T18:50:00.000-07:002009-03-20T23:59:33.379-07:00

Today Aimee, Apollo and I went to Izzy's (one of many po-man buffet's from my childhood) for lunch. A young Hispanic male was sitting at the table next to us. I should preface this by saying we have quite a few migrant workers in this area who do not speak English.The owner walked up to us, looked at me and said, "Can you ask him when he's coming back from lunch?""Uh...."The owner looked

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-47305444631614741992009-03-19T23:53:00.001-07:002009-03-20T00:18:31.415-07:00

Today Aimee and I bought seed potatoes (including some Adirondack Blues), onion sets, two late season blueberry plants to complement my two early and two mid season plants, a couple packs of strawberry plants, bush beans, sugar peas, spinach, radish, bunching onions, and collards. Oh, and two raspberry plants! Needless to say, they should keep me busy. Oh, and we're not done either. We have

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-27769272829339470022009-03-12T20:43:00.000-07:002009-03-12T21:26:40.943-07:00

Look what I did!That's right! Rows of garlic, every single one of them is up and reaching for the sky. I'm so excited, I check in on them every few days. Sure, they're growing in rough rows that will probably need to be weeded once we get some sun, but I was in a hurry to put them in the ground so I worked with what I had (a run down garden full of dead plants and soil so wet it was almost mud).

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-60056641538630997662009-03-12T01:45:00.000-07:002009-03-12T01:57:07.491-07:00

I don't have anything to talk about, unless you want to hear about my attempt to decide between Washington Mutual or Wells Fargo, both of which I have accounts with. In this day of poor economical news, who wants to hear bitching about bank fee's charged when a bank fee takes your savings account below the minimum account resulting in yet another bank fee? This complaint might lead to whining

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-30560714596005230712009-03-09T23:13:00.000-07:002009-03-10T00:34:08.655-07:00

Some Oregon fun:--Representative Wayne Krieger has an idea on funding road improvement - force adults to register their bicycles! Registration ($54 every two years) would be the same as it is for automobiles. The usual miscellaneous fee's apply. (If you like reading dry material, check out House Bill 308 here.) I'm not sure if bicycles would be treated like hybrids (tax benefits please?) or if

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-41669965059678288122009-03-06T23:13:00.000-08:002009-03-07T00:28:01.838-08:00

I finished my third pair of Monkey's while visiting Mom this week. She requested them for her friends daughter, who's also named Rayleen. (Mom's friend liked my name so much she asked Mom if she could use it for her own daughter.)Monkey's seem to be pretty popular as I've had another request for a pair. Thankfully, I've memorized the pattern and it takes no time at all to whip them out.The other

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-79456320294423707272009-03-04T23:05:00.001-08:002009-03-04T23:37:09.015-08:00

I subscribe to one of Blockbuster's Total Access Premium subscriptions. I don't even know if it's offered to new subscribers anymore, but basically I am allowed three unlimited online movies at a time which may be exchanged for unlimited rentals from a store. It sounds great but I pay a hefty fee for this wonderful service. Being unemployed, I consider this to be one of my sacrifices.Normally,

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-49677640688230366872009-03-03T22:47:00.000-08:002009-03-04T11:43:31.580-08:00

I was surprised to see Mom putting these socks on today, I had totally forgotten about them. They're the first pair of socks I knit almost four years ago. This was before I knew anything about gauge, superwash wool or compromising with the recipient regarding colors.Because I had some issues with gauge, the longer Mom wears them the further they slip down her ankles as they stretch. But she still

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-82832902243224107492009-03-01T23:00:00.000-08:002009-03-02T00:41:38.205-08:00

Under the hideous carpet in this house lies original to the house Northern Red Oak hardwood floors. Apollo removed the carpet from the room that will be my office, only to discover that someone at one time had laid linoleum on it. Old adhesive covered the entire floor, including about nine squares worth of tape still on the floor.At this point I had worked on the floor for about half a day. I

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-12273484364676049122009-02-27T17:00:00.000-08:002009-02-28T00:56:04.065-08:00

The coat closet in our living room is typical of closets in all the houses in our older neighborhood. Though we needed the storage, we decided space was more important. You wouldn't think a closet this size would make a difference, but it has! Our room is so much bigger now, especially since it opened up new possibilities on arranging our furniture.Before the guys took it out, James drilled a

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-18742700678222179992009-02-24T13:59:00.000-08:002009-02-24T15:28:29.418-08:00

Introducing, Beyonce. The cat whose tail curves to the left.I'm not sure what her real name is or if she's even a she. But we thought the name fitting.We think the people who lived in this house last left her behind since she has tried to run inside and meows at the back door until we give her food. She's a real sweetie and is very talkative whenever we pet her. She looks a bit skinny or

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-81281326234831408242009-02-16T23:15:00.000-08:002009-02-17T00:26:47.526-08:00

One of our neighbor's pit bull puppy attacked their poodle, killing it with the clench of its jaws around the poodle's neck. They were attempting to teach the pit to not act aggressively towards the smaller dog while eating. Without growling, the pit suddenly lunged at the tiny poodle, killing it instantly. The owners had to use brute force to get the dog to release the now dead dog.Sadly,

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-15280002481426855962009-02-15T23:22:00.000-08:002009-02-16T00:32:21.811-08:00

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-22913484140733509582009-02-13T23:56:00.000-08:002009-02-14T00:23:52.567-08:00

Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Whispering Pine and Baroness. Baroness really surprised me. Though I'm not a big purple fan, it's rather pretty in person and sadly incredibly hard to photograph accurately.

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-40631977058410134092009-02-12T23:35:00.000-08:002009-02-13T00:49:44.205-08:00

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-56212539004646888612009-02-11T22:49:00.000-08:002009-02-11T23:24:30.878-08:00

Mom asked me to knit up a pair of purple socks with a faux cable look for one of her friends, so I bought some purpley wool yarn and started knitting away. After I had completed the leg, I realized it was going to be a little tight for the recipient, especially since I learned she was a big girl with a size 10 foot. I ripped it out and modified the pattern so I could cast on 6 more stitches (

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6100192.post-60781145193939607402009-02-10T21:48:00.001-08:002009-02-10T22:35:34.911-08:00

I had worried that we'd move in to our house and discover that we had one of those type of neighbors, the kind that's cranky and unwilling to work with you when it comes to boundaries, bushes, etc. Well, my worries were unfounded since all our neighbors (even the rednecks) have proved to be awesome.So far we have tentative commitments to split costs in replacing two fences (one has already been

I, er....Hi. I'm Rayleen.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07984623556608252389noreply@blogger.com3