Funky Fringe & Picture This

Last night I was On Call for the hospital. That meant no Benadryl to help me get to sleep. Since I turned 50, I have trouble falling asleep at night without help, & Benadryl is the help I choose. It was after 1 a.m. that I finally dozed off. I'd finished one book & started another. I got lucky, & didn't get called in again after I'd gotten home around 10 p.m. with the 2nd case for the day.

I had the alarm set for 0558, as I had to put the trash out. We don't dare set it out the night before, because animals get into it. So picture being awakened from a deep sleep by the early alarm. I tumbled out of bed, & threw on a big sweat shirt & polar fleece slacks over the top of my big plaid flannel night shirt. I felt chilly, & knew it was likely still well below zero as it has been for 2 weeks now. I put on thick socks, smashed a polar fleece hat over my bed-head hair, & got my big down coat on, & gloves. By this time I was so bundled up it was difficult to move. I was still very groggy too, as I usually drink 3 cups of strong coffee before I even put a sock on my foot.

I opened the back door & was shocked by big fat feathery snowflakes falling from the sky. "It must be warmer", I mumbled to the sky. There was at least 10 inches of new snow covering my car, so I grabbed the big push broom with one hand, while trying to carry the full garbage bag, & close the door without letting the cat outside. It of course is still pitch dark out (thank goodness), as I laid the broom in front of me on the path, & plowed my way toward my car.

The snow was amazingly light & fluffy, as I fought my way trying to keep the trash bag from dragging in the snow. I didn't want to get snow all over it then inside my car too. Oh, the reason I need to put the trash in the car, is our driveway is so long, I can't carry 2 big bags to the roadside, & one was already inside the car waiting to be put out.

I made it to the car, then started brushing the snow off from the top & around the door, so I could open it to put the trash inside, & start the car. The snow swept away light as feathers, very dry, & still very cold, though warmer. It was actually 1.3 above zero when I looked at the thermometer.

So, now about 10 minutes out of a warm bed & a dead sleep, I'm sweeping 10+ inches of snow off my car, just so I can drive to the end of the driveway to put out the trash. I took one step around the back of the car, & my feet slipped out from under me....

WHOOMPF!!! Instant snow angel! I laid there on my back, contemplating the beautiful night sky . I had to laugh at how much an idiot I must look, but there's something fun, about laying on your back in the snow.

The Snow Angel image above, is by Barbara Lavalle, one of my favorite Alaskan artists.

These past 2 weeks life has changed tremendously for me. For the first time since I became a nurse in 1979 I'm not working full time+ overtime any more. I went pool, & am working 3 days a week, 8 hours or less. I feel like I'm on vacation all the time!

Yesterday before I got called in (which is purely voluntary, not mandatory, for me now), I put 5 movies into my DVD player in my studio, & stitched from 830 a.m. until 2 p.m. when I got called for the 1st emergency case of the day. I played movies that I love to listen to while I sew. Like "Music & Lyrics", "Holes", "Oh! Brother!", "Phantom of the Opera", "Beauty & the Beast". Today I watched "Paint Your Wagon", & "Hairspray". They are so much fun.

I've been working on some Valentine's Day stuff, which I don't want to show yet, but I thought I'd give you a glimpse of how I'm making funky fringe these days. I have used a bent coat hanger, I've done knitting needles. I know there's a tool you can buy, but I've found that the easiest way for me involves a shish kabob, bamboo skewer (of which I bought one package 15 years ago, & still haven't run out of them). A cuticle stick, some fun yarns & my sewing machine with my open toe foot on it.
I start by looping the yarn over the end of the bamboo skewer, to a little longer than I actually want it to end up. I start sewing with the yarn pulled snug with my left Hand, & the bamboo skewer tight against the right outside of the foot. I stitched forward for about 1/2 inch, then backed up & went forward again, so that each yarn was caught a minimum of 2 or 3 times in the tight stitches. I let the fringe slide off the back of the skewer, so I could go on making the fringe as long as I wanted to.
When I was finished with the length I wanted, I went back & did a tight zig-zag stitch over it just to be a little neater & secure.
Tomorrow I'll be working again, but it was a fun day home today, even if it did begin with a bit of a bang.