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Frog Spit and Packing

The countdown has begun. Actually, it probably started a while ago, but it is much more manageable now – 2 days left! As I type this, right now in two days I will be boarding a plane to go to Paris and then on to Bamako, Mali. Can’t wait!

The packing hasn’t really started, but it is ready to happen. All that I need is laying around in piles on the floor of what is currently the sewing room (used to be T’s room). About the only thing I think I still need to do is make copies of important documents that I’ll be bringing with me, like yellow fever vaccination card, credit cards and visa. Already have the passport copied. Oh, and make a portable “pocket” to use with the pants that don’t have any.

The hair got cut today, found a converter to go with the adapter that will make charging my camera batteries possible, and counted out all the vitamins, etc. that I will need. Sure wish I didn’t have to take the original bottles for the vitamins and echinecea as they take up space, but, oh well. I do have all my carry-on liquids and gels in a clear zip-lock baggie, ready for inspection.

Speaking of which, our travel agent just informed us that most of her clients come off the Air France flight without their luggage – it isn’t lost but it doesn’t typically surface for up to five days. Better pack that carry-on judiciously.

Good friend GP wished me well and has her lucky frogs spitting in my direction. I’m told that you don’t mess around with frog spit – it works. I’m just glad I don’t have to be within range for it to be effective. Thanks, GP!

If you are interested, the itinerary for the trip is posted at the bottom of the home page of my website.

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Promises kept

In the midst of this week’s craziness, I decided that I needed to follow up on some promises I made earlier:

The audio book I just finished is Winter Prey by John Sandford. A murder mystery with below zero temps; kept me listening.

The cuff-to-cuff sleeves I am working on:cuff-to-cuff sleeves

…and the yarns I’m using:yarns for cuff-to-cuff Adding other yarns as I work is always a possibility.

Hmmmm…. there was probably more, but that’s it for now.

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The Start of a Crazy Week.

This is going to be a crazy week. I have somewhere to be and something to do every day. Most of it involves hauling things and having lists ready. I love being involved, but I sure do hate to be out of the house and away from the studio/office all the time. Especially when I have a ton of things to have ready before I leave next week.

Last night I picked up some knitting that I started last year. I have a book on tape I want to finish and needed something to do while listening – a murder mystery set in wintry Wisconsin. (Will post the title and author when I have it in front of me – don’t want to give misinformation.) The knitting project is a cuff-to-cuff sweater/jacket using a variety of brown wools and novelties. Most of the browns I dyed in walnut juice years ago and never got around to using, so I’m feeling good about working out of my stash. I’ve got both sleeves going at once using two long circular needles – that way I know they will be the same length.

Drat, I don’t seem to remember to take pictures until I sit down at the computer. And the studio is inside the house and downstairs. And it is raining outside right now. And … I’m just going to be lazy about it and promise a picture another day.

Need to get another list ready….

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Cooked Bandannas

In my house I do the weekday cooking and my love takes the weekend shift. We’re just talking dinner each day, so there is no real hardship for either of us.

Tonight we had broiled perch fillets, wild and plain rice and broccoli. All that was underway when my love got home from work. He took notice and then promptly got comfortable in front of the TV news with a glass of wine and some cheese and crackers.

What wasn’t so obvious was the extra microwave dish that was cooking away. In for three minutes, out to rearrange the contents, back in for another three, check for moisture content, back in for more….

Time for dinner and the broccoli and rice pots took their respective places on the table. The perch came out of the broiler. My love asked about the other dinner dish still cooking…

Poor guy goes through this all the time with various packages of pulp and guts and soy-mud in the freezer and refrigerator. Tonight I was cooking some bandannas that I had mudded last evening. Since the soy I use likes time to work well, and I am in need of having these ready for the Mali trip, I knew I could hurry the process some by heating the mudded cloth. In a large glass dish with steam droplets heavy on the inside of the clear lid, it really did look like some interesting dinner component.

His face sort of fell when he realized it wasn’t edible. I guess I’ll have to think of something really good to cook for tomorrow.

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New Year

2007 is off to a great start!

I am usually pretty lousy at keeping my financial records up to date, but with the impending trip to Mali, I figured I better get everything in order before I leave so it is ready to go to the accountant when I get back. So, this afternoon I finished entering all the necessary data. Feels good to have that done. All I need to do now is set up an appointment for February.

I’ve started piling for the Mali trip. One of our empty bedrooms really is empty since we used that single bed to make a king-sized bed in the other bedroom. In place of the bed, there are now various piles of necessary ‘stuff’ – like a hat, travel towel, lightweight long pants, flashlight, hand sanitizer, etc. The local group – six of us – is meeting tomorrow to go over lists, ideas, suggestions, etc. to make the packing process go smoothly and to insure there are no “Oh, I forgot!” moments. I’ve warned my love to expect orderly chaos in that room …

Speaking of my love, he surprised me big time with a wonderful Christmas gift: a hot tub! We’ll choose the final product and placement details after the Mali trip, but we’ll be putting it off the current deck, down three feet and sunk into its own decking. I’ve got my towel ready!