Zoom Cars R Us!

OMY I almost forgot to add a thank you to Linda Godfrey in my last blog entry,  for giving us a copy of her latest book, Haunted Wisconsin

Thank you, Alienda, and I had a blast riding "shotgun" with you!!

I got up early this morning, planning on going for a walk. That was not the case, for as soon as I stepped outside onto the deck, a blast of muggy warmth told me today would not be a good day to do 3, 4 or even 5 miles...I thought about it for a few, then decided against it, in favor of working on Sharon's Rose Parade Doily. I am near completion, and since her surgery was moved forward, I felt an urgency to get it finished.

I put on a pot of water for my morning tea, and took my crochet basket out to the patio table and began laying out the doily and 16 rose motifs that were to be attached.

Taking my time, I began attaching the first rose motif. It went on without a problem, and so I moved onto the next motif, following E. Hiddleson's directions very carefully; second flower attached, I noticed a twist in the linked chains. DRAT! RIPPIT and started over. A second attempt came out the same as the first-RIPPIT again and started over. I went in and got a cup of tea, then came back out with a renewed  confidence that I would get it right this time.

But, after attaching 3 more rose motifs, I realized why I kept getting a twist in my chains. RIPPIT and started over, totally frustrated by this time. Now I had to get it right or the whole thing, ball and all,  was going to go flying off into the woods for the squirrels to play with.
I began attaching the rose motifs, this time from behind the motif. Perfecto!! Finally, 2 hours later, I had at least got 4 of the roses on the outer edge attached without twisting. Now, I could put the doily aside and get ready for work.

DH spent the better part of the day waxing his sister's Mitsubishi 3000GT, which is one of his favorite pastimes.

After I got caught up on the day's orders, I went outside to see what, if anything, needed to be done. The car was cleaned up and all that was needed was to vacuum it out and that's where I came in.

After we got the car all clean and shiny, we took it to for a ride out to Palmyra to Rushing Waters Fisheries, to pick up some fresh fish for dinner.

DH cooked the salmon with a little olive oil in the skillet, got a nice caramelize going, then served it with Bookbinders cocktail sauce, yummm- YUM! I made a Greek Cucumber salad with yogurt, sliced cucumbers, minced garlic and a pinch of salt; it went along perfect with the fish.

Later, after dinner, we decided to go for a ride to the gas station to replace the 1/4 tank we used tooling around the countryside...Mike handed me the keys and said, "Let's go!" GASP! I hadn't drove a stick in over 25 years!!
I started out a little slow, but by the time we got out on the road, it wasn't that difficult. We drove around a few back roads, then came up to the gas station, where lo and behold, our next door neighbors were parked at the same pump. When they saw us pull up, they were like, "When did you get THAT???" Then DD19 showed up, and we had to laugh at us all having a "neighborhood meetin'" at the gas station LOL!

Later this evening, DH was writing a friend and sent him this email:

My Zoom car that quickly became Sandra's Zoom car...

120 pounds of pure evil!

My life's in jeopardy
Murdered in cold blood is what I'm gonna be
I ain't been home since Friday night
And now my wife is coming after me

Give me police protection
Gonna buy a gun so
I can look after number one
Give me a bodyguard
A black belt Judo expert with a machine gun

Gonna buy a tank and an airplane
When she catches up with me
Won't be no time to explain
She thinks I've been with another woman
And that's enough to send her half insane
Gonna buy a fast car
Put on my lead boots
And take a long, long drive
I may end up spending all my money
But I'll still be alive

All I did was have a bit too much to drink
And I picked the wrong precinct
Got picked up by the law
And now I ain't got time to think

Gonna buy a tank and an aeroplane
When she catches up with me
Won't be no time to explain
She thinks I've been with another woman
And that's enough to send her half insane
Gonna buy a fast car
Put on my lead boots
And take a long, long drive
I may end up spending all my money
But I'll still be alive

And I'm oh so tired of running
Gonna lay down on the floor
I gotta rest some time so
I can get to run some more

She's comin'!
She's comin'!

 He's such a kidder ~

Night of the Fireflies

I just got back from a most interesting adventure with neighbor/good friend/author Linda Godfrey. 
Linda called this afternoon to see if DH and I were up for a Bigfoot area tour, with herself the Guide to the Strange in Wisconsin. She was feeling down and wanted to get out and take a ride but said she felt a nap-attack coming on, and would call when she was more rested. I told her absolutely, call if and when she still felt like taking a ride, after her nap.

Linda is a local legend here in Wisconsin. She is an artist with a degree in art education, taught part time while working as a journalist for a local paper in Delavan, when she happened upon some files labeled "Manwolf" in an archive in the Police Dept. Of course, her interest was piqued and she had to ask about the reports. She researched the many reports, interviewed local residents, and began what was to become her life's journey in search of the weird and elusive. She became known as the Bray Road Beast expert, for her extensive research into local folklore. 

After dinner, DH dropped me off at Linda's house, and we gathered our atlas and cameras for the trip. We headed out to some pre-determined locations to check out some area "hot spots" to get a feel for just what might attract a Bigfoot-type creature. Driving along some of the many windy roads that interlace the Kettle Moraine State Forest, we found some of the most alluring marshes, woods, and prairies, and imagined how perfect this area could be for such an elusive creature to inhabit. We drove for miles without a single car passing us by, and saw some beautiful barns along the way, while watching a most spectacular sunset unfold before us. 


As the sun set and it grew dark, we were blessed with the most beautiful display of fireflies in the bean fields and corn rows, and in the road ahead of us as we drove. It was a veritable faerie fantasy with millions of tiny strobes rising up to greet the night sky. We truly knew this night was intended to be all that it was-a spectacular festival of lights.


Although we didn't spot anything big and hairy, I did get to see a local cemetery near Milton, said to be the spot where an axe murderer was captured while trying to flee the authorities, sometime back in the early 1950's. The story is in Linda's Strange Wisconsin book, a definite must-read.


When we got near to our starting point, I called DH to have him come pick me up. He was more than happy for a chance to take his sister's Mitsubishi 3000GT, we call it the Zoom Car, out for a spin, and arrived within minutes. But when it was time to leave, he somehow inadvertently hit a button on one of the two levers on the steering column, setting off the windshield wipers. He tried for nearly 10 minutes to figure out how to turn them off, and eventually resigned himself to having to drive back with them flapping all the way home. Once we were in the garage and could see what we were doing, DH found the wiper on-off switch and the car was back to normal.

The Haunted Zoom Car....

And you were wondering why we are called "Weird Wisconsin"? Wait until I find out more about the kangaroo that chased cars, Al, the Bighorn sheep over in Tibbets, just around the corner from us, and many more strange creatures. I won't give too much away; you'll have to read the books~!

Is there a Bigfoot roaming the woods and marshes in our area? We know there are strange things being discovered every day. 

As for us here in Wisconsin, you can bet your bottom dollar, if it's out there, Linda will find it, no matter what...

NaturallyCaron.com : FREE PATTERNS: Divi Adult Toddler Hoodie

I'm into hoodies, it seems. I love this FREE PATTERN, and am adding it to my list, right next to my Wonderful Wallaby, this fall.
It's an open-pattern with a easy neck opening, generous hood—and a slouchy style all it's own. I like slouchy :)

NaturallyCaron.com :: Divi Adult Toddler Hoodie

Knitting Help - Correcting Color-Change Jog

Spirit of the Southwest Shawl, Speaks from the Heart

Yesterday I took a picture of my stepdaughter, modeling the shawl a dear friend in Australia made me~ isn't it a bit uncanny, I had her on my mind all evening after that, only to receive such tragic news today - she wrote in an email, twin grandbabes, lost at 8.5 and 9.5 weeks...I just cannot imagine the heartbreak upon learning such devastating news...my heart hurts, I cannot be there to hug her and comfort her....

E. is such a sweet girl, I knew she would appreciate the love and workmanship that went into the shawl's making, and would be the perfect model for this Spirit of the Southwest Shawl by Evelyn Clark. I am dedicating this blog post to my dear Sister in Australia, Lindy.

 

We both commented on how wonderful it smelled as we nuzzled it's softness-we both said almost at the same time, "If this is what Australia would smell like, we want to go there!!!"

 

 Sending warmest thoughts and white light to you, dear one....may there be peace and comfort for all involved, soon...♥♥♥

American Heart Association Start Summer Walking Guide 2010.pdf (application/pdf Object)

I've been keeping track of my walking activities since March 8 of this year, on the American Heart Association Start Walking pages, and have been logging my miles and progress.

Today, I got this informative Summer Guide in an email, so I checked it out. There's an Edamame and Penne Salad with Feta recipe in here, too-sounds YUMMY!

Edamame and Penne Salad with Feta
Serves 4; 11/2 cups per serving
Toss this unusual salad together the next time you want something different for a brown-bag
lunch. The bright green edamame and shiny black beans provide complementary tastes and a nice color contrast.

4 ounces dried multi-grain penne
2 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
1/2  15-ounce can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil (extra-virgin preferred)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
11/2 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces low-fat feta cheese, crumbled

Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain in a colander. Run the pasta under cold water for about 20 seconds to stop the cooking process. Drain well in a colander.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients except the feta. Using a rubber
scraper, fold the pasta and feta into the mixture.

Cook’s Tip: If you make this salad to enjoy the next day or have leftovers, squeeze lemon wedges over it just before serving to “brighten” the flavors.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)
Calories 320, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 2.0 g,Trans Fat 0.0g,
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g, Cholesterol 8 mg,
Sodium 453 mg, Total Carbohydrate 38 g, Dietary Fiber 9 g, Sugars 6 g,
Protein 21 g, Dietary Exchanges: 21/2 starch, 2 lean meat

This recipe is brought to you by the American Heart Association’s Face the Fats campaign. Recipe copyright © 2009 by the American Heart Association.
Look for other delicious recipes in American Heart Association cookbooks, available from booksellers everywhere, and at www.deliciousdecisions.org.

You can check it out and download the pdf here:
StartSummerWalkingGuide2010.pdf (application/pdf Object)

It's hot and humid; 84 feels like 104, but I managed to get 5 miles in this morning at 8am. I even did a sprint up Hell Hill, after being stopped by a lady asking for directions to the lake..."what lake??" KIDDING!! I sent her up the road, and resumed my treck up Hell Hill with renewed vigor, and sprinted, just to get to the top before my legs and lungs gave out!!

Hopefully, we'll get rain-radar indicates another big storm moving over the upper half of our state, with another moving in from the SW. I watered my tomatoes, basil and peppers, (I call it my Tex-Italian Garden), which are producing fruit amazingly fast now-humidity is good for them. I planted fajita peppers, poblano peppers, Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and parsley, all in containers. One tomato is having a rough time; the pot is obviously a wrong choice, too small...next year I will do better. These Bonnie plants from Lowe's are HUGE and very healthy, compared to past seasons' wimpy plants.

It's so humid, my camera fogged up...

The Truck, She is Fixed Again | Kids R Us, Cont’d.

Early Monday afternoon post:

We picked up Dad bright and early this morning, arriving at their house at 9:11 am, then headed back to town and Napa to pick up the new alternator for our truck. The kids decided to stay home, too tired to rise that early. Igor went with, of course


Dad got to work on the truck right away and had the alternator out and the new one back in within an hour. Tester said we were back up to normal, YIPPY SKIPPY!! We gave him the old alternator to take back for the core charge, with a big THANK YOU for using his truck, half a tank of gas, and all his time and trouble.  Then we went upstairs for lunch for subs! E and I had veggie subs, while J had a Manly Meatful Sub.

After lunch, DH wanted to take a ride around the area, just to see if the battery was back up to charge; we were good to go. We took the kids over to see the Anhole-Watusi cattle over on Hwy A, but didn’t see any out-just the two calves, in pens back behind the barns. Perhaps they were all inside, as it was much earlier than we usually go. We’ll try again after 7pm, and hopefully this time, the kids will get a good look, if the cattle are up by the road.
Post updates later tonight~