PNWGII reporting in

.: 05:54 :.

We've had something like 39 people, plus seven dogs at our house, or at least in, out, and around so far this weekend. I think today is just supposed to be repeat attendees, but who knows if that will be the case.

My count is based on a package of 50 name tags. Three misprinted. Three have not been printed yet. Two that were printed didn't show. And three were printed for people attending in spirit if not in person. Not bad considering the size and state of our living quarters and kitchen. There are six campers, plus two camping dogs still here. A collection of yesterday's folks will be back for brunch today. And what am I doing awake at 05:42? I don't know. Getting a head start on the day I guess.

Since I'm up, I'm looking up sleep cycle variations, wondering why I'm likely to be more awake between 4 and 5, even when I've been up until midnight the night before (I was going to sleep, but I heard my watch beep midnight as I listened to the snoring of John, Logan, Sunny-Dog and Peaty-Cat. I've found one link giving me some information on nocturnal asthma. And followed another about sleep rhythms. Normally I manage to go back to sleep, and then am deeply asleep until 8 or 9, given the chance, or am groggy when awoken. Some days I just give in and get up.

I've also followed a reference from Ruth, on of the coffee list folks who was here yesterday. She had a lovely gadget from Upton Tea that works as a strainer basket in travel mugs. And it has its own carry case. Upton Tea is a lovely place to look around, especially after seeing so much coffee paraphernalia yesterday.

Happy father's day Daddy, and to anyone else who cares to take note of the day. Oh, and to John, who might even get a gift, if Logan and I remember at the right moment during whatever chaos takes place today.

Rainy spring

.: 18:16 :.

I went out in the drippy rain a few minutes ago to snap some pictures of what we did this weekend working on my flower garden(s) and the yard. Sunny-dog came out with me, but the cats stayed in, looking like I must be crazy to go out in that weather.

Cats? Yup, we're back to two inside cats now. The vet's office decided one of their office cats was needing more activity then he was getting there, and called to ask if I'd like to adopt him. Logan and I went to meet him last week, and by the end of the day she was telling me he really wanted to come home with us. So we picked up Peaty-cat. He's a 12 to 15lb white cat, with a couple of black spots, and no tail. His tail was removed after a car accident that brought him to the vets office. He recovered well from the broken jaw and pelvis, and gets around very well even without his tail for balance. And he likes Logan, which is a big plus. If he had a tail, it would have been caught in many places already and Logan and he explore. Peaty has been in the refrigerator (his own idea), the clothes drier, between the coffee and espresso makers, in the bathtub, between the shower curtains, and generally all over.


There he goes.

Photos will be tiny this time, since I've got a bunch of them to stick in, and as always I'm racing the clock to get to post at all. Logan's been asleep for a good amount of nap time already, and John is due home at any moment to boot. Something is bound to interrupt me.


Peaty and Narnia, ignoring me with the camera

I tried knitting with bulky wool last week, and managed a hat out of it, with no real pattern to speak of. It knit up quickly, but I'm a bit unsure what I think of the yarn. The hat is a bit heavy to get much use here, Ruzz, look for it coming in your direction at some point.


Test driving a hat

Logan's discovered home made popsicles:


Only a few drips on the bed

And also silly putty:


"Mum, take my picture now. Mum. Now.

And the garden. Well, John got about half way through mowing everything before the rain started. And then did a little more in the light rain yesterday. The vegetables are doing great, with very little attention so far. We have been trying to keep up at getting other plants in to the ground. We?ve got a 4+ year backlog of plants that could go in the ground, that didn't have a permanent yard to go in until this house. And then there are the plants Olivia left here for us to enjoy. And the plants Bonnie, our renter at the old house gave us, and the ones she ripped out of the ground when she got tired of waiting for us to find time to do it. And the new ones Logan and I bring home from anywhere we meet them. Just a few. Per day. Really.


flowers outside the "cabin"


flower garden, looking from cabin to dome


One of John's new blueberry bushes

Here are shots of what Logan and I planted this morning - one black eyed Susan, two or three Lupine, Foxglove, Columbine, and some petunias. And maybe some others. They are between blueberries and clematis that were planted a couple weeks ago. And then some of the Olivia flowers, which just keep appearing.


Every plant is Logan's favorite plant.


clematis flowering, new plantings to the left


Some of what Olivia left us.

And then there are the roses. John counted them. There are seventeen. Plus one that may or may not make it, I think it's acting like a stick again now, but it's showed signs of life a few times. I'm learning about black spot, a fungus that roses can get. And about how to water them. And that I should have pruned them closer to the ground than I did this winter. But they are still flowering beautifully!


misc white roses


It's surrounded by buds!


White with pink bits.

And lastly, here's one of the garden benches surrounded by flowering things in pots. The big bushy thing behind it is the magnolia, that was white with flowers in early spring. Also another blueberry, and a small rhododendron.


Comfortable to sit in too.

this n that

.: 11:53 :.

The Pacific North West Gathering II of Sweet Maria's home coffee roasters is happening here in one week two weeks. (Phew!) Are you coming?

I've got other real stuff to post - a finished hat, a new cat, mowing and planting stuff. But I'm not going to type about any of that now, and I haven't formatted the pictures yet. So you'll have to wait. I'll try for later today or tomorrow.

In the meantime, I found a fun name thingy. Here's Logan, surprisingly accurate:

L	Legendary
O	Overwhelming
G	Glitzy
A	Accurate
N	Nutty

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

The house continues to change slowly. Framers were out again this week, raising the banister height, which at three feet was alarmingly low when we looked over it. Now it's more like four feet. Phew. The plumber came out, discovered the electrician had used wall spaces that the plumber expected to use, and had already marked and labeled. So he left again. The electricians were here, fussing about whether we'd be happy if our outlets weren't all at a standard and consistent height. They live in a different world than I do. I like variable heights, and even the ones that were angled with the supports of the dome. There's a new person in charge of what's going on here, who seems to be getting things done a little more competently. We did have trouble when I got drafted to pick up a few plumbing supplies at the Jerry's Home Improvement store in Eugene. Two toilets turned in to one. And after the sinks and faucets were all loaded in the van the nice guy called me back to tell me they'd be ready and waiting for me when I wanted them. They hadn't been, Jerry's looked at my list and said "fine, go get them all and we'll ring them up and charge them to this account then". And when John and I went back Saturday for the second toilet, it hadn't been called in. It must have been too close to the end of the nice man's day Friday and got lost in the shuffle.

So, we've got one (of two) American Standard Cadet toilet, which I'm told won the flush competition. Who'd have thought there were flush competitions! We've got a 9.5 inch deep stainless kitchen sink, in heavy gauge. It's deeper than our old one, but the same weight. Somewhere I've noted the price difference, which we'll pay, since the deepening is an upgrade. We've got a Roma pedestal sink for our upstairs bathroom. I think Jerry's price was $3 more then the one shown, but it was a cool sink for a reasonable price. And faucets for all three sinks, although we don't have the sink for downstairs yet, because we're waiting to hear from the counter and cabinet guy what size it needs to be. Oh, and toilet seats. A sedate wood seat for downstairs, and a "modern flower" or something seat for upstairs, which Logan chose. That was her job, choosing the upstairs toilet seat. I'll try to remember to snap a picture of it, it's um, bright.


Oh yeah, and I put a $1 bill in the Where's George system, because it arrived with a stamp on it saying I could enter it's visit to me on it's tracking system. It's a fun system, and I'm sure it's educational, or something. I think I might get a stamp and start listing more money.

Okay, I've been handed popovers, I have to stop typing now.