Went to Michigan and back!

I took a quick trip to Whitelake, Michigan to go to my nephew's graduation party and see where my brother and his family moved. They have a delightful home and seem to be in a lovely area. When I heard prices etc. all I could think was WHY am I still in NJ?
We went into Detroit Sat. morning and walked on the Riverview, while some of the guys went to a train show and on Sunday we went on a few pontoon boats on Whitmore Lake. I don't do lake swimming so I sat around and got a sun burn and ate junk food!
In all this traveling I did get my sockapalooza socks done. I use Tofutsies sock yarn. This is a blend of wool, soysilk, cotton and chitin actually made from shrimp and crab shells. It does feel nice BUT was one of the most miserable yarns I have ever worked with. It was splitty, and slippery and totally irritating. I was trapped in the car a total of TWENTY HOURS so I finished these socks but I'll never use this stuff again! It was such a pleasure to cast on with STR again!

Maytag Saga continues!

Last week I received a phone call from a delightful women from Whirlpool Customer Service scolding me for not responding to her call to me canceling the servicing on my "new refrigerator". When I said "What call, I never received a call, I have an appointment for Wed." I was briskly informed, "Don't tell me that, I called you, my boss is right here!" I'm still a bit baffled as to how that proves she made the call. I was informed that she "does not have service people in my area SO my service was being canceled!" This is from the same women who made the original appointment. NOW, even in this range of delightful service how is this my fault?
Well, I had to call Maytag back and after much switching and waiting and BS I got a coveted appointment for this morning. The service man was here and he very politely informed me that the freezer is not really working well because I have food on the shelf in front of the fan. I had to have him repeat this several times because I had a hard time understanding that the top shelf (which is the largest space) is designed as follows, the left third is taken up by the ice maker, the middle third is reserved for the FAN and I can actually use the space on the right side, the smaller bottom shelf and the two shelves on the door. Oh, I can actually place a few items, maybe like a small pack of peas on the shelf under this wonderful fan. So my freezer will work perfectly if I don't use most of it.
I pointed out to this man that I am not new to the planet and at 56 have owned other freezers. I was told that this is a new improved model and very energy efficient! His suggestion was to buy a small freezer chest. YEAH RIGHT I'm going to run right back and do that! I just hope I don't need to buy more IMPROVED models soon! The finale of this service call was being told that in the first three months they don't charge for "customer education" calls but after that if I need help determining how much of the freezer is not available for use they will charge me.

You can't make this stuff up!!!!!!!

Maytag Should Get A New Commercial!

I didn't buy my new refrigerator based on the commercial but that image of the lonely repair man certainly stuck in my mind. WELL, my NEW 5/23/07 refrigerator is not working. My ice cream melted and the ice maker is leaking. (Plumber says it is the unit not the connection!) so I called for service, WELL they are very busy and can't get to me for TWO WEEKS!!!, when I said I could not wait that long the first suggestion was to move my frozen items to my OTHER freezer, Gee poop, I only have one right now. The other brainstorm suggestion was to borrow a refrigerator for a few weeks. NOT TOO MUCH trouble. When I protested that I would just take the refrigerator and put it on the front steps of the store that sold it to me, I was given Whirlpool to contact. After much run around with them, where I was told they ARE VERY BUSY I was given a local service authorized by them with ONLY a five day wait for service! AND Gee Lucky Me, I can't have a time appointment, they will call me between 6:30 & 7:00 the morning of the service date and give me a two hour "window" then call me 1/2 hour before actually showing up just in case they are "early or late". HOW convenient! I guess I can get some knitting in! You can't make this stuff up!

Finally Got to Knit Today

Today I had a DR apt. I took my sock in homes of having some knitting time but the Dr was running exactly on time and I whizzed in and almost out. He noticed that I haven't had a bone density test so they asked me to wait a half an hour to get one. I was thrilled!!! I almost finished my sock before going back to day labor at my house! Nothing is finished but I keep starting new projects. On Sat. I am going to work on finishing up what I can and bringing back some order to this house. I was supposed to go to a Harry Potter event with friends at Barnes and Noble tonight but I had to drive the plumber home and there were already 750 people in the store by the time I got there so even though my friends had a bracelet for me I could not get in. Oh Well, I'll go to bed early and maybe have the place back in shape by Sunday night!

I HATE WALL PAPER

I have NEVER put up wall paper but I have had the opportunity to take down acres of the stuff. When we moved into our house (more years agon then I want to admit) almost everyroom was wall papered. Yesterday and the day before I removed THE LAST of it. I make a firm promise to NEVER put any up and I'll never buy a house with it again.

Today I should start the fun part. My friend is coming to help me again and we should be able to start painting the livingroom dining room area. We are using a brick red for an accent wall then a cavern (mossy)green and a creamy color called of all things pony tail! I got these colors by taking my favorite dish to Lowes and matching up the colors. I've never had these colors in my living room before but I must like them because I have TONS of fabrics in these colors and my dishes will look great with them.


My son is also coming to do some outside work and start the wainscotting in the kitchen. I'm working my way down my to do list.

I've finished another baby quilt and I NEED to get my Sockapaloza socks done soon. I have knitting friends coming over next week so hopefully I will get some time to knit!

Hey, Where did time go?

I can't believe that it is already July 15th! Time sure flies when I am on vacation. I spent last week taking a class in a school right on the river near where the Twin Towers used to be. A great location, boring class.
I'm continuing my home improvement marathon and this weekend between Caroline and I (mostly me) the yard is organized, all the unused pavers put in a neat spot, all the junk from the projects waiting to be picked up AND THE PATIO is finished. Caroline and I and her friend had the inaugural dinner out there today. Not a barbecue because that is still not hooked up!
Last weekend I painted the steps coming in the house from the back yard and painted the 1970's paneling. I hung all my quilted wall hangings that don't really fit in somewhere else in the house and hung some handmade Shaker peg hangers that I've been looking for a spot for in my house since we moved here. I draped my shawls on them. Right now this is my favorite spot in the house.
Next week I'm picking out colors to repaint the living room dining room area and then on the repainting the soap kitchen. THEN stick a fork in me I'll be done. (Except for all the ceilings and my real kitchen left to paint) I should just go back to work and take a rest!
Knitting wise I'm going slow, I'm finishing up STR Mustang SOmething or another socks and the silk garden sweater is haunting me BUT not very effectively.

July 3rd

I keep meaning to post on this blog but then I do other things and at the end of the day I still have not posted!!!! I received several GREAT swap boxes and took pictures of them but now the camera is missing so no photos.
I have not been knitting much BUT my garden is looking great. I've spent days yanking and pulling grass from my flower beds. a few years ago the people who take care of the lawn reseeded without covering the beds and I had better grass in my beds then the lawn. BUT now the beds look the way I want them. I lost lots of my perennials in neglecting the garden these last few years so I was able to add lots of plants and still have room for more. I also dragged and wheeled out so much brush from my yard that the entire street front of the house if bordered by a line of it waiting to be picked up by my town at their convenience!
The patio project seems to be nearing completion and I think I am going to love it. Next year I plan to have tons of fill brought into the yard and have real grass replanted. Right now I'm just out of time and money.
Yesterday I had to take my mother into NYC for a small medical procedure SO I had some knitting time. I have to complete the left front one sleeve and part of another sleeve and then the finishing of my silk garden sweater. I'm just loving how it is coming out. I need to stop working outside so long that I collapse at night and leave myself some knitting time.