Oh, will I have some cute bags to sell this year! Carol Schwartzott of Crayon Box Designs in Freeville sent me some samples from Jo-Lee, a discount upholstery fabric store in Ithaca. She told me about the place last September when we were together at the Fingerlakes Fiber Festival, but getting back over there during the winter was difficult. So Carol, kind person she is, sent me some samples! She knows what I like...and the samples happen to match some lining fabrics I already have - what luck!
Got my electric bill for January. The wood stove is definitely helping - only $258 for the month of December. Not bad considering the State made me remove the hay I was using for insulation above the apt. I waste a huge amount of power in the uninsulated milk room. Hope to remedy that by next winter. I keep some lights burning all the time in the barn and I use a lot of hot water in the claw foot bath tub. Washing my dishes by hand wastes hot water, too.
Matt says unemployment in NY State jumped a record l% last month, making the jobless rate 9% here. Hard times...
So they did the oath of office over again. I'm not surprised. Obama is keeping his promises and closed Gitmo and the secret CIA prisons. Glad to hear it. My girl Hillary received a rousing welcome at the State Department today. She's so lovely, poised and capable. I was so hopeful that she would...oh, well, she'll knock 'em dead in this position and maybe run again in 8 years. We'll see.
I have a barn full of hungry thirsty critters to take care of. Matt came home and we went throught the dinner ritual...he sits on the sofa staring blankly at the news on the TV while I place the hot steaming plate on the table in front of him. Last night I decided to deviate from the routine and hand the plate right to him. He ignored me and pointed to the table. Tonight I made stir fry onions, broccoli and chicken over perfectly steamed white rice. It was soooo delicious. I even got a grunt out of Matt - then I know it must have been good.
10 pm and just came in from chores. Oh, my sheep and goats are so cute. Sometimes when I'm waiting for the gerry cans to fill I play with the fleecy locks and wish I had more time to work with my fiber. I'll do some picking, washing and dyeing this weekend. If only I had more time to work on my wool...
Drizzle tomorrow, what fun. Today I went 12 miles on icy roads without passing a single car in a cell dead zone...and I don't want to say how fast I was going. I really have to leave earlier, but there's always one more container to fill with water, or one more scoop of grain to toss, or one more kitty that needs to go out of the apartment, on and on. The sink is full of dirty dishes and I'm too tired to wash them. They'll have to wait until Saturday. I have hay to last through tomorrow, then have to make a run Sat. morning. Living week to week is awful. If there's a bad storm we can't get the hay. Hurry up spring.
I love that kitty!
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