Eager Egad = E2 (E-Squared)

Yesterday Whitney called and said the doc thinks she'll have the baby by the weekend and so come by Sunday.  Ken gets on Weatherbug to check the weather and then says, "You need to leave."   Yeah, I'll get my stuff ready. I respond.  "No, I mean you need to leave now."  And 27 minutes later I pulled out of Cedar Cove for a 16+ hour trip to Oregon to take care of  KaCe and Ethan (5 & 3) while Egad is born and settles into the household.  It was a beautiful day going up I-25.  The sun peaked it's head out at Soccorro and it was clear all the way.  I wasn't sure how far I would go so just kept going.  I stopped and got a chicken sandwich at Isleta (gas station  2.89) and pressed on.  Although the weather was good I wanted to only run on the top 1/2 of the gas tank.  Springer (3.15); Pueblo (2.88); Cheyenne (2.62) and Douglas (2.64).  I texted Wyn at each stop.  The moon was out and the drive was very peaceful and calm.  At the 11.5 hour mark I was gassing up in Cheyenne and it was decision time.  Drive and stop............there IS a chance I might make it in time......you've still got 2.5 hours of book left.....are you getting tired..........you haven't taken you nighttime pills so you shouldn't get sleepy...............press on; press on.  So I did.  I put myself between two trucks and we headed north.  Wind warning for light trailers just below Wheatland (what's new)  - I've driven that road in worse but it wasn't too bad.  It was just me and 4 Fed Ex Semi's.  We leap frogged.  At 2:50 I met the worst roads of my entire trip - at the outskirts of Gillette there was all kinds of drifts across the road so it took me a while to get across town; throw Travis out of the recliner and settle in for a good night's sleep.   Wyn texted that the NM rooting section have renamce Egad - Eager Egad or ESquared.
This will obviously be her long labor.  We walked the perimeter of Wal-Mart 3 times today and now she is sitting on an exercise ball trying the bounce the little dude out.  Me?  I'm taking the boys to Kev and Lori's; setting up the tents we bought them for Christmas and hunkering down for a good night sleep - Yes tonight I'm taking my drugs early. 

Good Old Vitamin D - Maybe we have to be Spanish to speak Swedish Embroidery

I sure wish I could find a tally card as a gadget to put on this blog to monitor the Vitamin D factor.  December was a good sit in the sun month.  Absolutely great!  In fact this has been the best weather we've had since starting to "go south".  Today is the 10th of January.  The Vitamin D SO (sitting outside) factor is 5 days out and 4 days inside.  I'm going to work on that.

Last night Roger and Gail got here.  They managed to slide through the weather and make it here with no problem.  They came from Grassy Butte, ND.  They are sitting in North Dakota Row down here in "The 80's Village".  Glad they made it.  We are expecting another couple to arrive by the end of the week.

We decided in the spring to learn Swedish Embroidery this season.  Today was the first day.  Sue came over to teach us - I'm sure she went home exhausted.  Herding cats pretty much sums up how it was for Sue.  We didn't specify that everyone would do the same design (easy) and start small (place-mat).  No we just jumped in. There were 10 of us ladies that showed up to learn.  Billie, a Cedar Cove resident is helping teach.  She has made about 41 items that are beautiful.    Karen, Vivian, Wyn (I think) and I are making one like Sue has about finished.  It's called something like Highs and Lows; Dips and Dives you get the idea. Well for awhile I thought maybe I wasn't going to get the hang of it; but I'm going to like it.  It's just enough like cross stitch that I like it.  Although I don't speak Swedish I don't think I'll need to speak Spanish to get this.  Debbie on the other hand, maybe SHE needs Spanish since she thinks she can find SW patterns by googling Spanish Embroidery.  Love ya girl!
"Huck or Swedish Weaving is a surface embroidery where the floss/yarn is woven under the top threads of the fabric "floats".  Rarely does the floss penetrate to the wrong side of the fabric. Traditionally Huck toweling has been used because of its convenient floats. Now, Monk's Cloth has become popular for making afghans, baby blankets, pillows, and even tote bags. Aida cloth can be used as well as most pre-finished items used for cross stitch such as towels, bookmarks, and baby bibs.
When working on Monk's cloth, which is approximately 8 squares per inch or 4 floats, with yarn, you may use a size #16 or #13 tapestry needle as well as the special bodkin and weaving needles they now have out. For stitching on smaller fabric though, use a blunt tapestry needle, such as when working with cross stitch. Make sure the needle easily moves under the floats of the fabric you wish to use. I have found that on the  The tightness of the fabric weave will also determine how easily a needle will slip under the floats."   Ok - I guess I'll go float.
Guess what my next project will be???  A skirt and blouse...........
http://www.dewittco.com/storefront/xcart/product.php?productid=611021056
Oh Get a grip.  Just teasing.  :)
Here is Dianne, Claire, Billie (teacher) Barb and Gwen

 

 Karen, Vivian, Sue (Wyn in background)

Here Sue is showing Vivian what it really looks like on her afghan.  It is navy and bright yellow.  Gorgeous!

 Debbie you've got a knot in that yarn. Have you made up your mind (yet) on a pattern?  Hmmm?

 Wyn is in a big study.........remember having enough yarn is easier than taking out.  :)
Maybe Wyn wants to do a skirt and blouse.  NOT!

 Debbie finally found a pattern.  Wonder if she can count now? 

Barb has an entire row done on her table runner.


  I'm looking forward to multi-tasking.  Getting Vitamin D; listening to a book; doing SW and visiting if anyone is out and about.  Awww, what a life!!


The weather report?  -12* in Toq Alaska; -4* in Gillette Wyoming; 48* where I am and 60* in Yuma

:)  I'm off to gloat when I float my SW boat.

New multiplier for the lens

 I was surfing the other night for some must have thing when I saw a lens and a multiplier for a Canon camera at a price we could afford (which is nowhere near the $##,#### Canon wants).  We did some research and decided to give them a try.  The multiplier got here today.  I took some test pics to see what the difference was in the two lens'.  The first pic here is with the 300mm; the next is the 300 doubled. These were taken from the Hwy looking west.

 

Coming up the back way to EB the road comes to a dead end or you drive into the lake.  Over on the left in the skyline is a row of house.  No idea how far away but these are two shabby.  There is NO way I would even attempt a wildlife pic that far out.  Duh!! I wouldn't be able to see it.

 Now we'll see what the new lens (600-1300) does.  I'm thinking more than I want.  It may be here only a short time.  Yes I have the tripods (short and tall) and the remote control clicker.  We'll see.

  This is a picture of I-25 and the little green highway sign.