Petunia rambles on and on….

I was out and about today, and headed northwest.  It was a beautiful day, and surprisingly warm (for February, when you expect, and often get, snow).  I was out with just a heavy sweater on. Here’s some pictures of a little town along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

The bridge in the background goes north over the canal.  I won’t drive over it, though, and would go miles out of my way to go over the Summit Bridge, the next one east, a bit wider, not so steep on the “up-side.”  I’m a freak about UP!

Little town, nestled under a very big bridge!!

I saw this little lighthouse, and loved the look of it.  I don’t know if it’s functional, or even if it ever was, but still, I liked it. 

I was raised near the shore.  This was a common sight, every day when I was growing up.  When I saw it today, it brought back memories.

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The GPS did it.  It took me right to the spinning store!!!   It wasn’t my fault, honey.  It was an alien abduction.  I just got sucked right up and the next thing I knew, I was in that store.  Ain’t that something how those GPS thingies work? 

Vulcan’s Rest, Chesapeake City, Maryland. 

Lovely shop, and a knowledgeable, helpful staff.  Yarn, spinning and weaving supplies, basketmaking, jewelry.  Artwork with sheep on it.  Yes, I did come home with some stuff.  Of course, I did.  That’s one of those “Is the Pope Catholic?” kind of questions.  BUT I looked at the weaving stuff and DID NOT buy any of it.  So there.  Or basketweaving.  I admired the baskets, they are beyond beautiful, and I felt the urge to own a few of them until I saw the price tags.   Don’t get me wrong, they’re worth the price, for all the work involved.  It was just more than I was willing to go.  And the weaving.  Beautiful, but I fear another “hobby” that requires expenditures and storage space of myriad implements, supplies, instructions, manuals, reading materials.  I just can’t go there.   And I sure did want one of those pictures of a sheep’s head!!

But I did get a few back issues of Interweave Knits, ones that I had missed and looked interesting.  And 2 Ashford bobbins for my spinning wheel.

And a very lightweight spindle, for making fine yarns.  Already, I’m doing a better job making thinner strands.

As usual, the colors don’t show true.  Wish I had the room here for a fancy lightbox, a la Lolly, but I don’t!!  Until that day, I’ll do the best I can.  (and keep the location of these directions handy, for Pop to go over on the day we find room!)  The red and nearly-white look accurate on my monitor anyway.  The dark chocolate (semi-sweet color) is what I fell for.  Literally.  As many of the rovings were kept in a low cupboard, I just sat right down on the floor – so dignified for an old grandmother, I know, but down there, I could really study all the choices and compare them against each other.  This is going to be a long, time-consuming project, and I really wanted to be pleased with the choices.

I had a good day.  Groundhog is reported to have seen his shadow, and tradition says that this means 6 more weeks of winter.  I’m glad I was able to get out and walk around by the water.

Came home to Beef Stroganoff that had been simmering in the crock pot much of the day – all I had to do was boil the noodles.  Pop went out to the liquor store, got a bottle of wine and beer for watching the game tomorrow night.  We’re set.  Enjoy!

And see if it works out any better.

My mother always said that she hated the month of February most of all.  I guess it was because of the damn miserable cold weather.  She said her father, my grandfather that I never knew, also hated February.  She told me her father despised the month so much that he died on January 31, (1947) not wanting to go through another one.   I dislike February weather, but not quite that much.

And, true to form, today was a real loser, weather-wise.  It started out with pouring rain, then fog came in so bad, so thick that I couldn’t see the building across the street from where I work.  Then the rains came back with a vengeance, flooding the roads a second time.   In another one of my typical fits of brilliance, I got completely soaked standing on my own porch, trying to get my office key into the lock in my front door.  Swearing in a way most unbecoming a lady, coat flapping in the wind insuring that I got soaked to the skin.

Also, drivers should be specially licensed to drive in the rain.  And clearly, some folks should not be permitted this privilege.  And they were all on the road today, near me.  Going far too fast for the conditions.  Spraying water everywhere, so that no one could see anything. Stupid people.

I finally did something smart.  Squeee!

As this doesn’t happen often, I need to make sure it is noted here for all to read.  I’m trying to quell the rumors that I’ve completely lost my mind.

I usually wait until I’m under a quarter of a tank of gas before I fill up.  Sometimes, uh, well, uh, well under.  (Lately, I’ve been rather forgetful about even glancing at the gas gauge, but that’s a whole different story and problem.  Eeesh!)  Anyhow, yesterday I’m driving along on a rather warm (for this time of year) day, relatively speaking, and while approaching the gas station where I usually stop, I noticed that I had over a half tank.  Ptah, don’t need to stop yet!

But then – I thought!!!   Ha Ha, surprised you, didn’t I?  It’s unseasonably warm-ish today, and a cold front is predicted to come down from the north soon and everything will radically change in a hurry.  It going to be bitter cold and damn windy for the next few days.  And that’s when I’ll be at the Gas Crisis Level.  So I stopped and filled my tank!!!!!

I don’t think that’s ever happened before, that I’ve been that smart, that prepared, that warm while standing outside filling my tank in January.

When Pop does something really smart, he will thoughtfully tap his temple with his index finger, step back, strike an intelligent, thoughtful pose, and say, “Kidneys!”

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And now that I’ve gained a bit of ground, just as quickly I lose it.

Yesterday morning, I noticed that we were low on milk.  I’m not a big milk drinker, but I do pour a little bit in my morning coffee and spoon down the occasional bowl of Froot Loops – because I really shouldn’t have them makes them taste much better.  Pop will more often drink milk than me.  The big consumers at home are the wee twins.  So I mentioned to their mommy that we were almost out of Moo Juice.  Oddly, later in the day, I remembered the Low Milk Issue, but completely forgot ever speaking to the mommy, and so I stopped at the grocery for milk, and eggs, for bread and this, and that.  And a whole cartload of stuff.  And went home and stowed it all away.  Shortly thereafter, in came Mommy, little bit of thing that she is, lugging in her arms 2 healthy twins, almost 3 years old, and 2 more gallons of milk.  As requested.

Now we have 4 full gallons.  I think we’ll have pudding for dinner.