The WoolWytch

This is the forecast for today’s weather from Weather.com – it is much more conservative than the local station would say…

At 9am the Diva will be in Tap class.  At 2:30 she will be in her one on one ballet class preparing for her solo.  I get to sit in the hot building, or the van while she’s in both.  She is not getting to wear what she thinks she’s getting to wear for dance tomorrow, as I’d like to not have her parboil herself… her favorite outfit consists of the bubble wrap, extra fluffy tutu over a body suit, tights, and legwarmers.  That to me is a recipe for overheating if I ever saw it.

I think we will be bringing her bottled ice water for both classes, and when we get home, I’ll plop her down for homeschooling via  Time4Learning on the desktop in front of the air conditioner, or I might introduce her to “Hangmouse” at Spellingcity.com – provided of course she’s not feeling “Icky” still as she was yesterday. Ceiling fans will be on, and the air conditioners will be at full roar… obviously if I am doing laundry – it’s happening at night, nor during the day or we might  blow a fuse, not to mention contribute to a brown out.

Me – I will be spinning as much as I can and breaking out some Alpaca I have before I get into that custom order – and maybe drive up to In Sheeps Clothing in Torrington for a new drive band for my Kiwi (although that could wait for Thursday and being medically cleared to drive the distance, I’m paying for driving up to Northampton Mass on Saturday still, and my body is very upset with me.)
I don’t want to screw up the custom order when working with the new spinner, and am having fun with it.  I already have one bobbin full with Ramboullet.  That will get taken off and set in cake form to rest tomorrow, before I try to figure out how to reverse the spin on that sucker so I can ply.

When all else fails I still have this site and the dance school website to do some tweaks to or of course the Netbook restore to install…

Keep watching for updates, and hey – share your ways you stay cool with me!  I look forward to reading your notes on how you beat the heat!

My poor husband.

G doesn’t take as well to spur of the moment trips as I do and as such shocked me today when after lunch I suggested a trip to Webs and he thought it was a great idea.

My drive band for my Ashford Kiwi is AWOL, I needed to pick up some Cushings Dyes for a project I have to have completed by early August, and I knew he was in need of felting needles.

So we hopped in the van, and headed north with the kids happily reading and singing.

Somehow ‘Row Your Boat’ got turned into the Nine Lives Chorus – with all Meow’s, but they were well behaved for the trip and at Webs.

Of course the Diva headed straight back to the Schacht Ladybug and tried to set herself up to spin on it immediately, but she gave one of the salespeople a heart attack as they don’t want small children touching spinning wheels, never mind that she’s shown a degree of proficiency and was being ever so respectful to the wheel. This is the wheel she truly desires, and after I finally got a chance to spin it myself, I can see why.  The wheel spins smoothly, quietly, and in no time flat I had a laceweight yarn that was soft, strong, and pretty.

I want one now like you wouldn’t believe.

Calvin was bored, wanted to spin and then discovered the toys.  G sat with them while I tried out the Ladybug my self, and then looked for the dyes.  Much to my chagrin, they did not have a replacement drive band.

We then drove around Northampton Mass, and fell in love with the community.  I foresee trips back there later in the summer, especially as I have to replace my swift (you wind yarn on it) and I will undoubtedly need more dyes.  I am getting in my e-spinner this coming week, a Vespera (see right) by Heavenly Handspinners, and I promise to have a review on it as soon as I can.  I need to get my Etsy shop re-stocked and with breaking and rebreaking my ankle I’ve not gotten through a couple of custom orders that I need to… so I am hoping that the Vespera will fit the bill and that I don’t burn out the motor from use.

It’s a lovely July Fourth weekend, and we’re taking a little time off homeschooling this week – I need to do a reinstall of the kids ASUS Netbook Operating System and figure out what’s wrong with their Dell, all while I’m supposed to be taking it easy from Diverticulitis.  While Mama recovers the kids get a break from Time4Learning, but the Diva still has dance school as she’s signed up for a Solo in August, hence the need to pick up the dye as I am making her costume for the recital.  I’m finding that the drive today was a bit much on me and I am now going to head off to bed, listening to fireworks outside the window, and enjoying the lovely summer night.

So what do Freecycling Dog Supplies, the cartoon “Calvin and Hobbes” and a Ballet Barre all have in common? Well if you click the read more link you’ll find out. continue reading…

Fiber Shop

Really Sick of his car seat

Enjoying the cactus garden together

Springs Preserve

Terraforming at Lake Las Vegas

More Photos later… kids awake now.

Ok – today was just busy.

• Breakfast at mom’s
• Finish laundry/fold and bag to go back to hotel
• Springs Preserve with all 3 little ones…. wow can I have some of their energy?
• Back to Mom’s to check on step dad and grab anything we left earlier.
• Off to Coldstone creamery – 3 quarts custom blended for us, The Diva had to have strawberry gummybear as one of them.
• Lake Mead for a Sunset Dinner cooked by my uncle Paul who really is a bit of a gourmet. He makes Spaghetti and Meatballs something amazing… and OMG home made cinnamon buns, from a yeast dough. All this in a 5th wheel camper – wow.
• Post dinner Kids went for walk with Uncle WegasWingnut and Grandma Oulin fretted when it was post dark and they weren’t back yet.
• Kids and Uncle return – Calvin has soggy shoes – someone danced in Lake Mead while wearing Sneakers, and The Diva was hungry.
• The Diva and Liam fed again, and then we headed out…
• 10 minutes on the road Calvin starts crying that he’s broken his mouth. Interpreted as teething, those nasty 2 year molars, we stop at the first CVS we see and pick up some children’s advil. Once dosed he’s a happy camper within 20 minutes and is singing his favorite song – the Boobie Song. His own composition.
• Mom dropped off at her house, we come back to hotel. I panic – can not find hotel key, do not want to treck across casino with bag of folded laundry, tired preschooler and shoeless toddler just to get to front desk. Hotel laid out inconveniently unless you are a gambler.
• Key found in crack of passenger seat – mom drove to Lake Mead, so I must have lost it out of my pocket. All is well again.
• Upstairs again, kids skip bath tonight in favor of feet in sink while teeth get brushed, while I scrub assorted body parts of kids with washcloth while they sit on edge of sink and giggle.
• Kids dressed in night clothes, put in bed and within 10 minutes of heads to pillows they are OUT.
• Mommy (me) now laughing to self as it’s before 11 on a Sat night in Las Vegas, and I’m looking forward to going to sleep more than anything else.
• Unemployment filed for electronically and now I’m going to finish uploading pictures and then go to bed.

I actually took pictures for day 3 day. I can’t upload them right now for fear of waking the kids with the noise of trying to find the memory card adapter for my new cell phone camera’s memory card, but they really do exist.

It’s 6am local time in Las Vegas while I write this on day 4, but I fell asleep last night so I didn’t get to write it.

Friday was a busy busy day for us. I started out the day with a shower while the kids were still asleep and while trying to blow dry my hair the blow dryer popped and caught on fire in my hand. Unplugging it and holding carefully, the flames went out quick, but that was an experience. After the kids were up and dressed I contacted the front desk to request more towels and a replacement for the blow-dryer… one that wouldn’t catch on fire please…

Post Breakfast (and The Diva discovering why we we are careful when walking past cactus and not INTO Cactus – or else you end up with spikes poking holes in you) we checked out a local fiber shop where I was able to pick up silk caps for spinning, for a song… as well as The Diva picked out some Merino/Tencil blend. I didn’t even spend 10.00 there and feel like I’ve really gotten a good deal. The Store owner was a lovely woman and has invited me in for her saturday spin/knit day today, but I think I’m going to have to skip it. We have a full day ahead of us. But that is skipping ahead my self here… I have to say that I’ve never felt that comfortable in a yarn/spinning/weaving shop and if I lived out here, I’d have to be pried out of there with a crowbar frequently.

Following the trip to Wolly Wonders, we went to the Ethel M chocolate factory. The Diva thought it was pretty cool to watch them make little candy bars, and loved the chocolate sample we got at the end of the tour. We picked up something for Daddy, who the kids miss terribly, and then went on to walk their Cactus Gardens. The Diva loved it, and Garret loved the ability to practically run about – it’s been a long winter back home with very few days that were really good for playing at the park in comparison to the weather they are experiencing here.

At this time everyone was ready for a late lunch. We piled back into the SUV and headed north towards the region where our hotel was – Gas, Grub, and then Naps were in store for us. The Diva worked on a homeschooling reading site on my laptop, and Garret and I slept with the door bolted and unable to be opened from the outside, nor by little girl if the Starfall games got too boring for her and she decided that in the hour I was going to lay down with Garret that she wanted to do something else. She didn’t and when Dorian called us to make sure I got up on time to get to Mom’s for dinner, she answered the phone like a big girl and brought it to me.

Dinner at Mom’s with my brother and his family, and my Aunt and Uncle was wonderful. The kids had a blast together, and all three are close enough in age to really enjoy playing together. Lee was more verbally expressive when playing with my kids, so I think his quietness is just because his big sisters do so much for him. Seems to be a family trait – as my brother and my cousin Nick both were the same way as small kids.

Following dinner (and my brother’s bunch leaving a little early due to an allergic reaction by his middle girl to construction dust and pollen – and we’re talking severe reaction, the poor girl) I loaded the kids up into the SUV while my mom got ready to take her sweetie out to Lake Mead for the night in the rig.

The Diva had requested that we drive the strip at night time as she wanted to see all the lights. As it was a friday night – well I was a little concerned about traffic on Las Vegas Blvd, but it was early enough that we could start out on Fremont, and make our way south. I had expected Garret to sleep through this, but he was awake, and giddy over all the lights as well.

The Spinning Shoe, and Martini Glass made of lights up at Freemont Street really blew her mind, and made Garret babble in the back seat. They were chanting “Glitter Gulch” and having a blast over what they were watching go by. The Diva kept seeing all the chapels and gal’s in Wedding Dresses and she wanted to know if the white dresses got dirty from all the pollen and dust… I told her that I bet they did. All the lights, and the fountains impressed them, but the big point that caught their attention was the fountains at the Bellagio – all in patterns with music in an amazing light/sound/water show that both wanted to come back for. I told them when it wasn’t Mama alone and they were bigger that we’d discuss it and likely walk around on the strip instead of driving on it.

They were highly amused by the Luxor yet again, and Excalibur blew The Diva’s mind as there was a big story book castle in the middle of this sea of lights… driving on the highway back to the hotel, we got to see the other side of the hotels and The Diva told me she was greatly impressed with all the flash and color. She thinks it’s very pretty and is very much a grown up playground. I told her she was very smart and that’s exactly what it is.

She still isn’t really understanding what a casino is – other than that they don’t let little kids in there, and people come in to lose their money so they go home with an empty wallet… I have told her I didn’t get the allure either so we are sharing a case of “I don’t get it’s” and she is happy with that.

Completely exhausted she was in bed and asleep before Garret, and he and I followed shortly afterwards. I’m going to grab a bit more sleep my self for now before we go back to my mom’s and finish laundry and begin our Day 4 adventure.

We were supposed to get together with my Sister in Law today, but she didn’t realize the plans were firm and when her sister came into town from Ohio unexpectedly, she spent the day with her. No harm, no foul. We had a nice restful morning and mid afternoon we went out to Walmart for more pull ups for Calvin, and Ensure for my Stepdad and then over to my mom’s favorite shop, where my beautiful diva had a nightmarish moment that made me take her outside and threaten her with us coming home to Connecticut on the first airplane that would take us home. She didn’t like that threat at all and after we discussed it further she was apologetic for her behavior, and she actually contritely gave her “I’m sorry’s” to my mom, and not because of what I had threatened her with, but because she was in the wrong. It made me very proud of my little girl, although I was mad at her for her poor behavior for a little while.

We went back up to my Brother’s house for dinner, the kids all had fun with each other and I got time to talk with my brother and his wife. She’s really a lovely woman, and I have to say a spectacular mama. Lee was a little cutie-pie, and the three littles were all over the place… at one point Calvin snuggled up on the couch with Nicole – the middle girl, and was watching TV with her, and happily chirruping to her. They’ve stolen their cousin’s hearts, and the admiration is mutual.

It’s tough seeing how hard things are for my mom with my step dad. You take the normal Mother/Daughter dynamic and then factor in a man that you’ve never liked being an emotional and physical drain on your mother. Next add in the fact that once upon a time he used to make her so very happy, and now he’s an invalid and mentally/emotionally not the man he used to be and see the toll on her health and center and it’s heart breaking. I want to scream at his children “Where the *F* are you, as he’s *YOUR* Dad.”

Mine is gone, both my brother and I greatly grieve that he doesn’t get to his lovely three little grandchildren playing together and getting along as wonderfully as they are. I’d give anything to have him in our lives, and they are squandering what life their own father has left.

It’s not even that they are off-put by his physical state – they would have to see him to actually know what he looks like. No – they just aren’t there. This means his grandchildren aren’t either. So – The Diva, Lee and Calvin are the surrogates for his affection as the Step Grand kids, and The Diva is still in that really shy zone with him as he’s just not able to be an interactive grand dad. I may not like the man, but I will not refuse him the joy of wee ones to call grandchildren, and Calvin has laid claim to him in a way that is very sweet and special.

I am feeling better today compared to yesterday, and tomorrow will be a big walking day for me with the kids. We’re going to the candy factory, and maybe over to the strip to see the water show, there’s a family dinner with my Aunt and Uncle who will be driving in from parts south, as well as my brother’s family and then I have promised The Diva that if she is still wide awake after dark we will drive down the strip so she can see it lighted up like she sees when we watch CSI. As it was her request, I will do my very best to honor it.

Calvin is just as sweet as can be, and pure boy. It didn’t take him long to get dirty in his cute little clothes today, and he even managed to get some soil (Literal dirt/earth from the flower garden) on my mom as well. The doting on eachother – Mom/My kids/Lee is just wonderful and I hope The Diva retains the memories of this trip.

Well – I’m tired, I should get a drink of water and go to bed. I’m not drinking enough and need to make sure I stay hydrated as the desert just pulls the moisture out of me like a sponge, my lips are feeling chapped and that happens when I get sick or dehydrated, and I’m certainly not sick.

May all who read this have a good night. Rest well, as I know outside of missing my Husband (who is back in CT,) I will be sleeping pretty hard my self tonight.

What can I say – I’m whipped. Traveling about 10 hours with two small children (Including my layovers) has me ready to collapse, but at least I can do that in a sunbeam.

My kids are having a blast with Grandma Ouaney, and my son has of course stolen my mom’s heart – like that was any question that it was likely to happen. “Grandma, Grandma, Grandma” has been Calvin’s mantra. The Diva has asked my mom to be her schoolteacher for the week and both children are madly in love with her. (Oh it’s quite mutual as well…) Even my step-dad has gotten some Calvin lovin’s – he thinks that Grandpa is just the bee’s knees, and my step dad who is bed bound seems to be amused to no end by a small child toodling in to see him in his bedroom and chirruping at him.

This trip has been awesome on the heart and hard on electronics.

My cell phone and our video camera both have given up the ghost. I have an extended warranty on the camera and the phone had insurance for repairs, but I’d be without it for the time I was out here, and that would certainly be a hardship as I’m still looking for work out here and am taking calls from recruiters.

I ended up at the Sprint store tonight, and renewed my contract ( it was up for renewal anyhow, so I ended up with a pretty sweet deal on a new phone as well as with a new plan that is less per month than the old one.) I ended up with a Samsung Rant, to replace my MotoQ. I think I like this one more already, but there’s a lot of bells and whistles to learn on it. I can pull up YouTube on it, but that sucks down batteries like you wouldn’t believe. I’m going to let it charge tonight and we’ll see where it is in the morning.

Our hotel – aside from my kids finding drugs on the floor when we came in, is actually a rather nice one, and I have a view of the strip from here – all the hi-rises in a single row, coloring the sky in multi hued brilliance, complete with the Luxor calling the Mothership home…

We had breakfast with my mom, and then went grocery shopping. My kids were awesome in that they asked for fresh fruit and veggies, and not candy nor junk, although for the fun of it The Diva did the “Can I have colored cereal” thing – which if you know my mom you know it will elicit a “I don’t think so.” I had major issues with the artificially colored and preserved cereals when I was a child and it’s left an indelible stamp on my family due to it.

I’m blessed – the kids have healthy appetites for healthy food. They could prefer junk, so I’m very content to know they don’t want garbage.

After lunch we headed up to North Las Vegas to see my brother and his family.

Spending time with my brother today was just a wonderful thing. I can’t say enough about how that household feels, there is warmth, and love there, and while my nephew seems to be behind the 8 ball linguistically, it seems to be only in verbalization, not comprehension. I think he’s going to be one of those big guys that doesn’t say much but when they do it’s profound some day. And good grief – for a 3 year old, he’s almost as big as my 4 year old daughter. The Diva is fairly tall for her age, and is often mistaken for a 5 -6 year old physically.

The kids all had so much fun playing together today, and they truly enjoyed each other’s company. That to me is priceless. My daughter and son are madly in love with Cloudy – for those who remember, Cloudy was my dad’s puppy, and my Brother currently has her, although there may be a war over her as she’s just the sweetest thing in the world and a great example of what Daisy was supposed to grow up to be like. (I think I forgot to blog this, but Daisy passed away in January due to a heart defect.)

My brother’s step daughters were darlings – well the two who interacted with us. The eldest got time with my kids as my daughter demanded to go see her, but as she was doing homework, she opted to stay upstairs the entire time we were there this afternoon. She’s in honors classes and doing well, so I’m not going to fuss. I know it’s not personal, it’s being a Teenager, and it’s homework.

Lee gave me hugs before we left, and was fairly talkative to me – something I’m told he just isn’t… but then again my kids are chatterboxes and my daughter was certainly engaging him in conversation while they played. He so looks like my brother when he was that age, and has the jawline from our paternal family line. He and Calvin have similar structure in the eyes and noses though – and you can see the resemblance clearly enough to know they are family. Calvin however got the peanut genes, where Lee will be a tall drink of water.

We’re back at the hotel, where I can write this, recharge my laptop and self, and the kids are asleep. There is a 3 hour time difference between here and home, and I’m still on Eastern time, so it’s fricking late for me. I just am enjoying the quiet time and am contemplating taking a bath my self before crawling into bed – the OTHER one in the room that doesn’t have small children sprawled out in it. I wonder if they’d notice in the middle of the night that I wasn’t there in the bed they were in…