I love watching our cats react to the snow. None of them are allowed outside, so they sit in the window and stare at falling snowflakes. Every once and awhile, a particularly large one falls and they freak out and hide under the couch.
My knitting projects have been slowly accumulating, but I am working through them at a reasonable pace. Right now, I am working up a pair of socks for Little Bunny in a variegated wool/silk blend, with striped soles and a 1 to 4 rib cuff. I am pin-striping the soles with orange for added strength and plushness, and 1 to 4 rib just means I purl four and knit one. The yarn is a rich, dark orange-yellow-green-blue-magenta. I have another skein of the same colors in a much lighter shade, and am thinking about using it for another pair of socks using a yellow for the stripes.
Projects on my list:
Socks for Bean-Bean
Gloves for my Dad
Leg warmers for my little sis
Hat for my littlest sis
Socks for Little Kitten
Sweater and scarf for my mom
Finish my Nausicaa sweater.
Finish Little Hawk's afghan
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
New Year, Old Problems
Little Hawk and I spent the month of December in Texas with his family, trying to rest up our stressed and bruised psyches. I truly enjoyed his wonderful, open, and loving family, and am looking forward to seeing them again at Thanksgiving. However, when we returned home, all of our problems and stress returned in an avalanche of uncertainty.
We don't have very much money. Little Hawk's disability makes just enough to cover our rent, utilities and his health insurance, which just got raised another hundred dollars. Since I am a full-time student, I only make about $700 a month, which isn't quite enough for all of our other bills, groceries, car payment, ect. Every month, we have to find something to cut, and every month, extra bills pop up. For example, last month Little Hawk got a new wheelchair, and our co-pay was over $300. This month and next month, Little Hawk's disability will be temporarily reduced by $200, and we have several extra doctor's appointments, with copays.
We have only been home two days, and are already trying to decide what to sell so that he can go to Urology and get the mass in his kidney scanned. Yep, he has what I think could potentially be kidney cancer, and we can't afford the $25 or so to get it looked at.
Understandably, this is a strain on our emotional health. Little Hawk fell and hit his head yesterday, (he's fine, don't worry) and when we were in the ER getting it checked, the doctor started asking if he or I were seeing a counselor or a psychologist for the stress. As I explained the situation to him, the reality started to sink in and I broke down.
I feel like we are in a vicious spiral that we can't escape. I feel like should quit going to school and get more hours at work to pay the bills, but Little Hawk won't stand for it. Plus, if I don't graduate, I will never earn more than I am now and we will never escape. I cook from scratch most of our food to save money, but that takes away time from studying and keeping the house up, which I feel is my responsibility. Little Hawk is slowly selling off his collectible books and silver in order to pay the bills, but our electricity is two months late and we are almost out of valuables.
However, even in these dark times, I always have to remember how lucky we are. Yes, we have a car payment. However, we also have a car, a good, safe, dependable car that won't need any fixing for years yet and we can trust. Yes, we have rent, but for a nice, big duplex that we can keep pets in, it's unbelievably cheap and our landlord is very kind. Yes, Little Hawk's insurance is astronomical, but at least he HAS insurance. We have wonderful friends, who, although as poor as we are, support us emotionally and help keep our spirits up. In this economy, I'm grateful to have a job, let alone one that pays above minimum wage. We have food to eat, and, as long as they don't turn the power off, a warm place to sleep. We love each other, and that counts for a lot too.
Hopefully, my Etsy store business will pick up. I am going to be selling lots more handicrafts, like my ceramics, knitted items like socks, and beadwork. I will also be trying to sell baked goods here in town. Foccacia, anyone?
We don't have very much money. Little Hawk's disability makes just enough to cover our rent, utilities and his health insurance, which just got raised another hundred dollars. Since I am a full-time student, I only make about $700 a month, which isn't quite enough for all of our other bills, groceries, car payment, ect. Every month, we have to find something to cut, and every month, extra bills pop up. For example, last month Little Hawk got a new wheelchair, and our co-pay was over $300. This month and next month, Little Hawk's disability will be temporarily reduced by $200, and we have several extra doctor's appointments, with copays.
We have only been home two days, and are already trying to decide what to sell so that he can go to Urology and get the mass in his kidney scanned. Yep, he has what I think could potentially be kidney cancer, and we can't afford the $25 or so to get it looked at.
Understandably, this is a strain on our emotional health. Little Hawk fell and hit his head yesterday, (he's fine, don't worry) and when we were in the ER getting it checked, the doctor started asking if he or I were seeing a counselor or a psychologist for the stress. As I explained the situation to him, the reality started to sink in and I broke down.
I feel like we are in a vicious spiral that we can't escape. I feel like should quit going to school and get more hours at work to pay the bills, but Little Hawk won't stand for it. Plus, if I don't graduate, I will never earn more than I am now and we will never escape. I cook from scratch most of our food to save money, but that takes away time from studying and keeping the house up, which I feel is my responsibility. Little Hawk is slowly selling off his collectible books and silver in order to pay the bills, but our electricity is two months late and we are almost out of valuables.
However, even in these dark times, I always have to remember how lucky we are. Yes, we have a car payment. However, we also have a car, a good, safe, dependable car that won't need any fixing for years yet and we can trust. Yes, we have rent, but for a nice, big duplex that we can keep pets in, it's unbelievably cheap and our landlord is very kind. Yes, Little Hawk's insurance is astronomical, but at least he HAS insurance. We have wonderful friends, who, although as poor as we are, support us emotionally and help keep our spirits up. In this economy, I'm grateful to have a job, let alone one that pays above minimum wage. We have food to eat, and, as long as they don't turn the power off, a warm place to sleep. We love each other, and that counts for a lot too.
Hopefully, my Etsy store business will pick up. I am going to be selling lots more handicrafts, like my ceramics, knitted items like socks, and beadwork. I will also be trying to sell baked goods here in town. Foccacia, anyone?
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Handmade, Homemade
Christmas has arrived, and I have managed to not purchase a single gift. This is more of a triumph and less of a social gaffe when everyone opens presents and had warm wool socks, mittens, and afghans that, in the making, I have worn my fingers, if not to the bone than certainly to the point of bleeding.
Then again, I spent easily as much on yarn for gifts than I would have on the gifts themselves, so perhaps not so much of the savings.
Then again, I spent easily as much on yarn for gifts than I would have on the gifts themselves, so perhaps not so much of the savings.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Class Act
I signed up for winter classes today. Only two will actually count towards my degree, but the third, Drawing II is from a really excellent teacher and I am excited to work with her. Hopefully it will also mean more time with Little Bunny, who is rapidly becoming one of my best friends. Between Little Bunny and Little Kitten, I have an awesome close friend-group and hopefully will be able to best my loneliness issue.
On a craftier note, I have found a source of quality yarn down here! There is a crafting superstore called Hobby Lobby down the street, and it carries a soft, fluffy yarn made of BAMBOO. I KID YOU NOT. It is the softest yarn I have EVER felt, and I am knitting Mom some socks of it right now.
On a craftier note, I have found a source of quality yarn down here! There is a crafting superstore called Hobby Lobby down the street, and it carries a soft, fluffy yarn made of BAMBOO. I KID YOU NOT. It is the softest yarn I have EVER felt, and I am knitting Mom some socks of it right now.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Enunciation is Key
Little Hawk and I are down in Texas, spending the Christmas break with his parents, Mama Bear and Papa Bear. He's spending it catching up with his family and stuffing his face with Bush's Chicken. I'm spending it knitting socks and avoiding Texan lessons. Yep, Papa Bear is determined to teach me how to "Shet up end tawk raht."
Yeah. No.
He's actually recovering from a few stents placed in his heart today, which is how I got internet for a brief time. Next time I get a chance, I may even be able to play WOW.
Yeah. No.
He's actually recovering from a few stents placed in his heart today, which is how I got internet for a brief time. Next time I get a chance, I may even be able to play WOW.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Random Acts of Crafting
My friends Little Bunny, Little Kitten and I have started a sort of crafting social every other Saturday at a local coffee shop. Right now I have the teacher's hat on, because they wanted to learn/brush up on their knitting. After we finish knitting and crocheting, I am sure someone else will teach a new technique, or we will just work on whatever projects we have on hand.
I want to call our club Stitch and Bitch, after the knitting book, but I think we will have to vote on that.
Random conversation I had last week:
Me: I like the cover on your zine.
Little Bunny: Thanks! I based it on the commercial version of the ideal woman.
Me. Her face looks like a vagina.
Little Bunny: I worked so hard on it! I love it when you recognize my vagina.
I want to call our club Stitch and Bitch, after the knitting book, but I think we will have to vote on that.
Random conversation I had last week:
Me: I like the cover on your zine.
Little Bunny: Thanks! I based it on the commercial version of the ideal woman.
Me. Her face looks like a vagina.
Little Bunny: I worked so hard on it! I love it when you recognize my vagina.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Noms for Money
I bake bread weekly for Little Hawk and myself, and tend to give extra loaves away to my friends frequently. They've been telling me for months that I should sell my bread, but I hadn't given it much thought-that is, not until Little Hawk started having kidney problems and we started looking at $200 bucks a month extra in doctor's copays alone.
We talked about me selling baked goods, and he approved. So now I'm offering my home-baked bread at four bucks a loaf, in several flavors.
Bread types: White, wheat.
Add-ins:
Wheat germ
Sunflower seeds
cinnamon swirl with/without rasins
Garlic
And my homegrown savory herbs: basil, sage, chives, rosemary, thyme and red chilis
We talked about me selling baked goods, and he approved. So now I'm offering my home-baked bread at four bucks a loaf, in several flavors.
Bread types: White, wheat.
Add-ins:
Wheat germ
Sunflower seeds
cinnamon swirl with/without rasins
Garlic
And my homegrown savory herbs: basil, sage, chives, rosemary, thyme and red chilis
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