More on Smoke

I mentioned a few posts ago about the smoke from fires from the north of here. Its still going on, some days worse than others. Yesterday the visibility was extremely poor and the smell of smoke inside the building at work was so strong I left with a headache. Here's a picture of midday yesterday. It reminds me of the sandstorms that kicked up from time to time when I was in Iraq.

I understand that fires such as those causing the smoke can smolder for quite a while before it gets under control because it burrows down into 3-4 feet of deadfall. Thankfully today wasn't as bad.

Fathers

Today is Father's Day and I find myself surrounded by them, and missing the ones who mean a lot in my life.

My dad died in 1985, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him. I was 29 and it was a devastating blow to me. He was a brilliant man, with a photographic memory. He was also a voracious reader and many times I'd find him in his recliner with one of the books from our encyclopedia set in his hand. I don't have a lot of clear memories of the year after he died. I know that I went to work and took care of my boys and my then soldier husband. But not of events that I know had to have happened during that time.

As for that soldier husband, about four years ago two weeks after our 31st wedding anniversary, he took off like a coward after getting caught by the husband of the woman with whom he was having an affair. I miss him less each day and hate him more. He destroyed his sons with other actions related to that woman but not to what he did to me, and has no contact with his youngest. He's missing the lives of his grandchildren who are growing into such wonderfully entertaining people. I've forgiven him and that woman and the others he probably slept with while we were still living together as husband and wife. His ego is such that he can't bring himself to apologize for what he's done. I say this knowing that in those 31 years he apologized to me three times. And you know that he messed up more than 3 times in all those years. He is after all a man.

But I have two sons who are wonderful fathers and I see how involved they are with their children. I have to take credit for that because their dad wasn't involved with them like that. My grandchildren are going to remember this involvement and appreciate it when they have children of their own.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers. Earn that title!

I Give Up!!!!

I've come to the conclusion that I just cannot deal with plastic canvas. I started stitching together my purse organizer and found that one piece somehow has disappeared. I'm sure it is around here somewhere, but rather than take the time to look for it I started stitching. This pattern was relatively simple. Just straight sides, nothing fancy. And even so I managed to break one of the little holes. I guess my frustration has more to do with my attempts at making coasters for my older son's birthday, in the shape of Texas, where I am from and he was born. You can get the coaster pattern here. After three tries I got one coaster cut out. I've gone through another four attempts and I'm just done with it. Maybe my eyes are just too bad or I need to get stronger reading glasses. I don't know but I just am not going to deal with it for now. Oh well, I guess I will just have to avoid using the purse I designed this for, or use it and get frustrated being unable to find things easily.

Smoke

I've been bad lately, not posting anything for several days. I told myself that I would post regularly if I started this and I feel like I've failed myself. Oh well. I'll try to do better.

Monday evening there were heavy thunderstorms that blew through the area where I live and some of the lightning strikes started fires in the state directly north of here. Every day I'd walk out and smell the fires and ash was covering my car heavy enough to look like snow. It rained on Wednesday, too, but not enough to quench the fires. It also rained several times today. I just came back in from walking my dogs and for the first time in four days I didn't smell smoke. Hopefully this means that the fires started by Monday's storms are finally out.

I haven't worked on anything since I last posted. I have to get started on my oldest son's birthday present. His birthday is in August, so I have a little time, but it really just seems to go faster and faster these days. I also have planned something for a friend who is getting married next month. Hopefully her gift won't take as long.

I promised that I'd get my purse organizer stitched together and that hasn't been done yet, either. I will get on that, too.

It's Been A Few Days

I am ashamed that I haven't worked on much of anything lately. I did start a ruana, which is a kind of a wrap. I wanted to try my hand at entrelac crochet, which is the pattern for this wrap. I've had difficulty understanding the instructions, because parts of it are counterintuitive for what I know about Tunisian crochet the foundation for the entrelac pattern. I'm using Bernat Mosaic in Psychedelic which is a wonderful mix of yellows greens and blues. As soon as I get some length to it I'll post a picture. I've started it over at least 6 times, and am once again on the foundation tier.

I also need to stitch together the purse organizer. I'll take a deep breath and do that in the next few days, too.

(Still not done.)

Time Off

I just got back from spending a few days in Savannah, GA, visiting with my roommate from Iraq who was there for a conference. Savannah is a beautiful city. It was my first trip there and I wish I could have stayed longer. I'm going back and taking my family with me. It's fairly close to where I now live, well within travel time that we could run up for a day and return in the evening.

I took crochet projects with me because I thought I'd have plenty of time to work on something while LV was in her conference during the day. That didn't happen. There is just so much to do there, and I was out of the room and walking along River St. poking my nose into the wonderful shops that have revitalized the warehouse buildings put up in the 1700s.

This morning while I sat eating breakfast at Huey's (a wonderful eatery) I glanced out the window and saw a dolphin frolicking in the river. I was surprised to see one so far up the river. I understand the ocean is about 12 miles from where I stayed. It was wonderful to see.

We didn't eat at Paula Deen's restaurant, a mere two blocks from the hotel, opting instead to take a trolley tour in the evening instead. The first night, though, we ate at the Pirate's House Restaurant, reputed to be haunted. I don't know about that as any ghosts in residence behaved themselves, but the honey pecan glazed fried chicken is delicious.

I won't bore you any long with my trip. It was great, though.