Down Another Pound
8:25 a.m. - 2007-03-08


Finished the short-sleeved sweater. I liked the way my pattern was more fitted, now that I am shrinking into something more worth fitting, so I have been working on other patterns with the same body, just different versions of sleeves and gauge. Now I am about to start a three-quarter sleeve cardigan with a slightly V neckline, designed after one I really liked in a Manos Del Uruguay booklet (Cotton Collection 1). It has a three-inch garter border on the sleeves and a two-inch border on the body. I like putting garter borders on things because you can manipulate the curve, making a crisp elegant border.

Every year or so I have a week when three things go wrong at once, and this is the week. We had an earthquake last week, so I had the PG&E out to check everything, and he discovered that the valve on the water heater is leaking ever so slightly, not dangerous, but probably a manufacturing defect. I must say, the Rheem Company (the Alabama company that manufactured the water heater) was absolutely painless to deal with. They sent me a replacement part free of charge (I was still under warranty) and it arrived less than 24 hours after my phone call. Now I have a light switch that is making a funny noise, so I put it out of service, and since I have to get a replacement light for the kitchen anyway, it is time for the electrician to visit. The third thing is a strange 'System Battery is Low' message on the computer, which is a problem, the office tech says, since the computer belongs to his office, and they are looking into what to do about it. It is a Dell, so a service call is probably in our future there.

I actually did the seed order, finally. As a treat this year, he has authorized the purchase, in spite of our budget constraints, of an 8 ft cold frame for my seed starts. It has zipper access and is a thing of beauty, and can be taken apart and stored when not in use. This year I will be growing the usual cucumbers, beans and squash, and I am going to try my hand at cover crops in the fall, winter rye and alfalfa. I love the smell of alfalfa, reminds me of driving through the Imperial Valley as a child to visit the grandparents.

I am really wondering where LOST is going with the storyline. At this point, I am really tired of finding out about the people and their past lives, I just want the story to advance. Also, it has become really apparent that being nice to any 'Other' on the island will jump up and bite you, so why don't they shoot first and ask questions later? Like with the Russian guy last night.