Say goodbye to 2007

Goodbye, good riddance, let me show you to the door--what more can I say? Another end to another so-so year. Blech. Hope your year was more eventful than mine. And now we get to start another year of the same--yay.

Best news of the last week was that I got my stitches out. My hand looks good, although it's shedding a little skin around the cut, but I guess that's to be expected. My index finger continues to be a little stiff and sore, but I'm hoping that's residual from the lidocaine injections before the stitches. It may take a while for it to go away, I guess.

There's also news on the fiber front--I've been knitting! I finished a shawl that I started, what, probably 5 years ago? I'd show you a picture, but it's boucle and pretty much just looks like a big fibery blob of stuff. I also started a small scarf in the buffalo yarn that Missy bought me a couple of years ago. I'll try to get a shot of it sometime soon. I've also been knitting on the sock I started in November 2006, and I'm hoping to get psyched enough to finish the pair. I hate leaving a sock on the needles--it makes me so sad.

I've been home pretty much most of the time since Christmas Eve, althought I had to work last Wednesday and Thursday. It's been nice--I need some serious down time to get ready for January, because work's going to be a b****. Unfortunately, because I'm now carrying a BlackBerry, the downtime has been infused with work emails, and I've had to handle several issues that I'd hoped to leave at the office. I'm going to try to stay away from the BB today, but it's hard when others know you're reading your email.

So best of wishes to you all for the new year.

I'm only gonna tell you once . . . .

Merry Merry, everyone!

Thanks to I Can Has Cheezburger.com

And the hits just KEEP on comin' . . . .

I had such simple plans for the weekend--stay in, bake some bread, make some soup, maybe knit and spin a little. Nothing big, just stay in, stay warm, and recover from this hellacious week we all seem to be having.

I should have known it was too good to be true.

Late yesterday afternoon, I had the bread machine going, and the vegetable soup was on the stove. I had actually been knitting a bit as well and was hoping to finish up a plain-vanilla shawl that I've been working on for several years. But as I was cutting up veggies with my new mezzaluna, I misjudged where the blade was and cut my right hand.

And cut it I did--about one inch wide and a quarter-inch deep. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it tight and then tried to figure out what to do. I hadn't cleaned off the car, so I couldn't drive myself, so I called Missy (thank you again), and she came down and took me to urgent care. I was afraid I was going to bleed all over the place, but the towel was tight, so there was really minimal blood loss. Three hours and five stitches later, I was at home with antibiotics and pain pills, wondering what the hell was going to happen next.

It seems like every blogger I've read this week has had some type of bad luck (except for kaoticorchid at Orchid's Knit Spot--congratulations again!). It makes me wonder what the Universe has in store for us all next.

Me, I'm fine--my hand's sore, but luckily it's my right hand and I'm left handed, so I'm lucky there. The folks at urgent care were wonderful and did a really good job of fixing me up. I just feel very, very lucky that I didn't cut my finger off. That chopper is dammed sharp, and I should have known better. I've had very bad luck with knives as I get older, but this one tops them all.

And the mezzaluna--I threw it in the trash as soon as I got home. Just thinking about it makes my teeth ache. I'm now asking Santa for a mini-food processor for Christmas--no more knives for me for a while.

Here's hoping for a better week for us all.

Never tempt Mother Nature

You know, I'm 50 years old--I should know better, but apparently Mother Nature decided to test my preparedness this weekend.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that our area of the country has been hit with a horrible ice storm, the worst that we have ever seen. Believe me when I say it is bad--I would say over half of Oklahoma City (over 600 square miles large) is or has been without power, and many are still without power tonight, three days after the storm hit. The storm only lasted a few hours, but it hit hard.

We have major intersections with no traffic lights, and some businesses have been closed since Sunday. And to make things worse, we're expecting at least 3-6 inches of snow this weekend, which will probably hamper the whole restoration process. I live in an area that has a lot of older trees, and I would say that every tree or large shrub in my neighborhood has either been damaged and destroyed, and there were still power lines down as late as yesterday morning. It looks like a tornado hit down here.

Sunday afternoon my power went off for about an hour and a half. It went off again Sunday night about 11 pm and came back on Monday about 10 am (my office was closed on Monday, so I was home). It went off again about noon on Monday and didn't come back on.

We weren't totally in the dark--I had lots of flashlights and candles, and I have an old battery-operated portable television and my ham radio, and the iPod and my Palm, so I had stuff to do and I could find out what the weather was doing, but it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable each day. Cold seems to get colder the longer it's cold, you know? Luckily it hasn't really been THAT cold, but it hasn't warmed up much each day.

The most beautiful sight I have ever seen in my entire life was at least 50 out-of-state utility trucks parading down May Avenue this morning as I made my way to work. I wanted to cry. I tried to stay positive all day today, because some of my neighborhood was back up this morning, but as I drove home tonight, I began to wonder if I could take another night in the cold and dark. A friend of mine at work had already told me that if there was no power by Friday night, we were spending the weekend with her--she wasn't taking no for an answer, and I was too tired to fight her.

I can't tell you how happy I was to turn the corner down my street tonight and actually see LIGHT. I ran up the stairs and opened the door, and Maggie ran to meet me like it was Christmas morning--we had power--and HEAT! (And I can finally take a shower!)

I'll have to clean out the fridge and restock before the weekend, but who cares? I have ELECTRICITY!!!!!

Just goes to show--never EVER take what you have for granted. Now I just have to pray that it doesn't go out again.

And a HUGE thank you to all the out-of-staters who are here to help--we can't thank you enough.

(And to those of you who will yell at me for staying here in the dark, please yell quietly--I'm really tired.)

Storm Prep Checklist

1. Groceries - check
Lord have mercy, the store was packed yesterday afternoon--I was lucky to get out of there with my life.

2. Fill up the car - check
I always feel better having a full tank of gas if the weather's going to be bad--I'm not sure why, though.

3. Deicer and scraper in the house - check
How many of us have left the ice scraper in the car, only to find that you can't get to it because the door's frozen shut? DOH!

4. New windshield wipers - check
I hadn't planned on this, but I noticed a couple of days ago that my wipers were starting to come apart, so why not? Turned out to be a great idea. The little man at AutoZone suggested "winter" wipers, they're thicker than regular ones and supposedly don't freeze up or get out of shape, and he even installed them for me before I left the house.

5. Take out the trash - check
'Nuff said.

6. Laundry done - check
Laundry day's usually Sunday morning, but I did it this morning so I wouldn't have to get out in the ick. Special thanks to my downstairs neighbors, who helped me wake up early by having a knockdown dragout fight at 2 am (fifth time this week).

7. Clean up kitchen - no check
It's next on my list--can you tell I'm procrastinating?

I've decided I want to make some wrist warmers, so I'll be looking through the stash today to see what I can find. I've also thought about making some cuff liners for the new ankle boots I bought last week. They're just tall enough that they rub my legs. That may take a little experimenting to figure out how to do that.

Oh, and Mother Nature? Could you please ice us in on Monday? Thanks, we'd appreciate it.

"Winter Weather Storm Warning"--

the four words that perks up every Oklahoman's ears and sends us into an unbelievable panic--and to the grocery store for provisions. Woo-hoo!!!


Weather Synopsis...Increasing Gulf moisture will combine with cool air already in place to produce fog and drizzle after midnight. Roads will mainly be wet... although icy spots are possible near the Kansas border. A warm front will reach Interstate 40 on Friday...with cold/drizzly weather north...and much warmer air south. The front will stall until overtaken by arctic air late Saturday. Conditions will then deteriorate...with freezing rain...sleet...snow...and low wind chills. Winter storm conditions are possible.

Yes, the weather outside may turn frightful this weekend and, unfortunately, straight into next week as well. I'm sure all the TV weathermen are so excited they can't see straight.

Me, I've been making grocery lists all week--must be fully stocked in case we're iced in until spring. Plus I think I should be getting a big box from King Arthur Flour in Vermont tomorrow, so hopefully I can get some cooking and baking done between looking out the window to see if we've been buried in ice.

We'll try to post an update later this weekend. Stay warm!