WINTER WEATHER

WINTER WEATHER

Today is chilly and drizzly,
Breezy and blue,
But I'm still above ground.
Now how about you?

My hands are now stiff
But I still hold a hook.
I'm blessed that I still
Turn pages of a book.

I'm often off-balanced
When I stand or step.
But I still get by
With almost no help.

Wish my hair would decide
If it's gray or it's brown.
It really won't matter
When I wear a crown.

Yes, I'm still above ground
Though my body will fail.
No matter the weather,
One day I'll be well.

By Netagene, off and on between 9:40am December 16, and 1am December 17, 2019. The very last line refers to the poem I wrote on November 14, 2018 (and posted here) which 2 friends turned into a song: "I Will be Well". The hook I mention in verse 2 is a crochet hook, a hobby which I do almost every day. My paternal grandmother taught me to crochet when I was about 7 years old.

YARN for ME!

YARN FOR ME
this holidee
Brings smiles and lots of good cheer!
Red, white, and green,
all colors between
Are welcome all through the year!

Patterns galore!
I find many more!
Yet when will I have the time?
Thin yarn or thick,
Whate'er'll do the trick,
Expensive or bought for a dime!

Gotta use what I've got --
Whether passe’ or "hot".
Need another house for all of my stash!
So whatever the date,
more yarn can wait.
Just don't dump my yarn in the trash!

Written by Netagene, December 16, 2017

ALL my poems, etc.!

If you are coming to this late, and seeing a lot of things that I call Facebook Poems, there is a reason/excuse. About mid-June, I hadn't posted anything anywhere, nor texted anyone, and I don't like to talk on the phone ... so I decided that, when I can, which is almost every day unless the internet is down or I am out of town and do not have access, that one of the first times I'll do each day is write something - usually a poem - on Facebook. I label it simply "Facebook poems", though they cover a lot of subjects. I am labeling THIS note with all the labels I have used. That way, if you click on some label/subject that you think you might find interesting, everything I've labeled as such will show up on this blog. Thanks for reading what I write. I hope that you get a smile, or a laugh, or some encouragement, or that they make you think, etc. Feel free to comment on things I write, too. Thanks. (I am having to post this twice so as to show all the labels that I've made!)

Crochet

I've recently posted a few more things on my other blog. I hope you'll look at them! http://netagenesnicethings.blogspot.com I've heard that I can link PayPal to it for "donations" if you want to buy anything.

Uh-oh!

Today is a "heat wave"! The temperature is mid-50s. Still chilly wind, and damp air (storms forecast).

I wish our mayor and city council members were forced to ride the city buses. They spend so much money for "consultants" for things that have either been voted down (such a domed stadium - the 17,000 seat arena we have is rarely filled), or for other projects that would be fine if more of us could get to and from such places.

The bus people get the blame when NO ONE can do anything without money! There is no dedicated funding here for public transit.

The 1st "uh-oh" today is that it took me an hour and a half to go somewhere which should have taken about 30 minutes. I scheduled paratransit to go a store. The driver was on time and had no other stops before dropping me off. The transmission on that bus was acting up, so she drove to the bus yard (which was on the way) to get another bus. The 2nd bus stalled right after she rounded malfunction junction downtown. She got it rolling again, but almost hit a concrete overpass rail in getting the bus off the travel lane. She radioed for a supervisor and for a mechanic. After she dropped me off, she was to get a lady in a wheelchair. The bus that the mechanic brought ran fine, but the lift wouldn't work, so I know another driver had to pick up the other person. The dispatcher did at least let me get my ticket back.

The 2nd "uh-oh" is that the store I went to was Michael's Arts & Crafts. I bought about $200 worth! But at least I paid less than $100 (had you going there, didn't I!) ... because of a gift certificate and because all but 3 small items I bought were on sale! It's hard for me to pass up soft 100% wool yarn that's 40% off in price! I bought that as well as other beautiful yarn and some other things, a few which were 70% off (wintry things: snowflakes, etc.). I make a lot of hat/scarf sets, some shawls, some baby blankets, and so on. I will gradually be posting pictures of things I make, which I will sell, on my other blog.

So now I've got even more yarn to knit (some) and crochet (a lot)! If you'd like to buy some of the things I make, let me know!

A New One!

I just set up a new blog, although right now it's not quite the way I want it to finally be, and of course nothing is there except the title and one post! Check it out though, and check back once in awhile. I know it's going to take awhile to get it really up and going! It is http://netagenesnicethings.blogspot.com

Pickin' up Speed to Leave

I'm on the countdown to quitting my job. When I turned 66 last May, I automatically went from SSDI to regular SS. I don't mind working at all, but the bus rides over the last almost 5 years are getting worse. Of course having the 2 incomes has been a wonderfulness! So I'm hoping that I've got enough backlog to live on come the end of next month.

I WILL miss my morning driver and some of the other riders. Jeff's been my driver in the mornings almost the whole time I've worked at ALDOT.

Today my boss (the district office engineer) called a meeting of the 4 of us admin assistants who were at work today, and delegated the others which of my chores for each to learn, or get better at, because the State will not hire a replacement until I leave, so I won't be there to train anyone. I know that most private industry businesses DO, but not the State. Once they start the new hire process, it can take several months. Doesn't make sense to me.

Of course I don't plan to sit idle. I'm already looking into volunteer work, though have found none yet. Also, one of the other bus riders told me this morning that likely I will be able to set up a day or 2 a week at the big clinic near downtown (he's one of the phlebotomists), and sell things I crochet: chemo caps and such. The clinic is on several bus lines. He's going to set it up for me to meet the person in charge of that. That would be wonderful if that works out!

SCARVES

These are not fancy like the crocheted hat! They are made from Caron's "Dazzleaire", which is 80% acrylic and 20% nylon. The yarn is a "bulky" weight. The scarf pattern is on the skein band. It calls for 2 skeins, but I changed it, using only 1 skein, so rather than getting a scarf about 9x80" with fringe, I'm getting a scarf about 6x50 with no fringe. I also plan to make one shawl, which will take about 4 skeins. Because of the nylon, and that the yarn is not tightly wound, it is real soft. The pattern also calls for an "M" hook. The yarn is sort of new, and I caught some on sale, so bought a bunch in several colors. I hope to sell a few, and already plan to give some as gifts. Here's pictures of the ones I've done so far. I don't usually use black or dark colors because of my eye sight, but I started with the lighter colors, memorized the pattern. That the yarn and hook are real big, helps. Wanna buy one? I'm sellin'!

FANCY HAT!

The lady who cleans our office is a prisoner who lives in the Alabama Department of Corrections' Work Release Center, close to where I work. These ladies are close to being paroled. Demetrias is the 6th since I've worked at ALDOT! She has been with us about a month.

She asked if I'd make a cap for her. I showed her a few pictures and patterns. Of course she chose one I'd never made, but if I hadn't thought I could do it, I wouldn't have showed it to her. It is a free pattern from Lisa Naskent's site: www.crochetgarden.com

I told her that under the circumstances, I'd charge her for only the yarn, which was about $4. I used almost a full 6 ounce skein of Caron's "Simply Soft". It had to be solid white, because that's all the prisoners can wear.

The pattern wasn't really hard, but it was tedious and time-consuming. Except for the top few rounds, each round took close to 15 minutes. I gave it to her today. I couldn't get her to model it, so I put it on. It stretches a lot and can be pulled lower and more snug than I have it. If this were knit, it would not be nearly as thick. It is made to look similar to knitted ribbing and cables. If I'd used wool, it would be real warm. She wanted the main part about an inch longer, and for me to omit the brim.

Jacob's Ladder

No, this isn't the Bible story. Here are a couple of pictures of an afghan I just finished. The tedious part was all the loose ends! (I've crocheted since I was little; I should have thought of that.) A couple from where I worship is my main ride there. They won't accept money because I'm only a short half block off their way. So far, I've made them one afghan (solid beige alternated with beige with black flecks), and a "set" of ceramics I did at Painted by U, with a grapes design (a 6" tile and a dip chiller - I posted a picture of the tile on January 19). The lady is having such hot flashes that even I, with poor eyesight, can sometimes see the sweat on her neck - and she keeps their house so cold, that I think her hus- band almost has icicles! So this time, she suggested that I make something for him. I'll give it to him this evening. It's about 45 - 50". The pattern is called "Jacob's Ladder" and I found it at http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/jacob.html. I used worsted weight yarn called "I Love This Yarn", the Hobby Lobby brand.

HOBBIES AGAIN

Here's another one I made up. The yarn is 100% wool, a close-out sale of only the one discontinued color. I lost the last wool cap I made, so this was an excuse to crochet something else. I made it a couple of months ago, and have already worn it a LOT! I also made a scarf and mitts. With a little variation to make it fancier, I hoped to enter it in the "Vanna's Choice" contest, but the last date to enter is February 1 and I'm barely started! By the next contest time, I should have something ready to enter! I'd rather use my own design than a pattern I bought or found free on line!

HOBBIES

This being a holiday and I am home, so figured it would be a good time to start on the CAL ("crochet-a-long") from the Gourmet Crochet blog. The designer comes up with some gorgeous things! I usually have at least 2 WIP's (work-in-progress). This CAL is for an afghan of squares and rectangles and she posts more on her blog every day or so. Daddy's mother taught me to crochet when I was little, and I learned that I can still do a lot even with poor eyesight. I have some Caron One Pound skeins in rose on hand, and some of the matching rose ombre, so that's what I'm using. Of the first 2 squares, the first was almost the size specified. The 2nd was almost 2" smaller! I've ripped out twice, and the 3rd time, by making bigger chain stitches, got it closer to the same size. Here's a couple of afghans I've made. The yellow is one that I made up and was much prettier than the picture shows. I gave it to friends who helped me some when I was out of work. The granny fan is from a kit. I was able to sell it at a consignment shop.