Xiaoniu 小妞

I’m really becoming a slacker when it comes to blogging. If you haven’t noticed I go in cycles. Lots of posts to barely nothing at all and then back again. Days without posts and then many all in one shot. I guess it depends on my mood and schedule. I’m not the only slacker in the family though. You two know who I’m talking about.

Last Sunday mom and dad came over to the house to celebrate my birthday. With another impending birthday in the near future I kind of wanted to keep mine low key. However, they came up and we got to spend a nice day together.

Dad and I headed to the basement to take care of a few things. Mainly getting some heat into the baby’s room and cutting down and installing a door in the basement. Both were a success. Heat now readily reaches the bedrooms on the second floor and we now have a door to our storage nook. Next up is finishing the wall. Spackle, sand and paint. Shouldn’t take long, but does require some dedication of my time. Meanwhile, mom and Sue chit chatted in the living room.

For lunch we headed out to the Cheesecake Factory. We went around 3pm so it was after the lunch rush and before the dinner rush. So, we only had to wait 10 minutes instead of the usual 75-90 minutes. Great food. Mom wanted to order up a birthday slice of cheesecake with singing, but that is the last thing I want when I’m out. Public singing and embarrassment at the restaurant is not on my list of things to do.

Monday was back to work as usual. One of my coworkers totaled his car on Friday. So, he wasn’t doing too well when he came in. Then on Monday night at 11pm (I found out Tuesday morning) another coworker went to the hospital with his wife to have their baby. She came about a week early, which isn’t bad. 7lb 13oz and 20.5 inches, baby girl. There goes that chance of simultaneous labor and deliveries.

Speaking of babies we did hear some bad news last weekend. Somebody that we know that was pregnant and due at about the same time as Sue lost her baby. It happened back in December, but they didn’t tell anybody. We just happen to find out last weekend through another person. We had no idea. As far as I know she wasn’t feeling well and didn’t feel the baby moving. She went to the hospital and found out that the baby died. It wasn’t her first baby. Very sad.

To keep us busy when we get bored we’re both working on our knitting and crochet projects. Sue started up on my blanket again. It’s the right length so she started to add to the width by crocheting instead of knitting. I’m just hoping that we have enough yarn to finish. A.C. Moore stopped carrying the yarn for no apparent reason. So, we only have what we already bought. This has happened three times now. It’s a shame since they never seem to carry enough for us to complete a project and then you find out they don’t have any more. Very annoying.

I on the other hand am working on various things. I made my first hat. Nobody but my mom seemed to like it so I probably won’t make another. I finished up a scarf for Amy and another for Sue. They were old projects I started probably 3 years ago, but never finished. I’m finishing a pillow that I started nearly 5 years ago. I had to coax Sue into helping knit one side and I’m crocheting the rest. It should be done tonight. Lastly I’m working on a blanket for Sue. She wants her own so I’m stocking up on yarn and started crocheting a little to show her the pattern I chose.

As if that wasn’t enough we stocked up on jewelry supplies. The store where we buy supplies had a big sale and Amy helped us pick up some things. So, tonight I have to start fixing Amy’s necklace (damn bead broke because it was made wrong) and finishing up the things I started for Sue. All this craft stuff is going to come to an end or at least a big slowdown once the weather gets warm and I’m back outside doing stuff around the house. Not to mention there is a baby on the way. She’s going to demand a lot of our time.

Oh and I can’t leave without mentioning that I picked up a nice digital thermometer with my birthday money. I feel like a total geek now. It has an atomic clock, shows temperature and relative humidity inside and outside as well as daily minimum and maximum temperatures. I can even hook up three more sensors to get readings from a total of five places. Totally geeked out thermometer. I love it! Nothing beats knowing the temperature down to the tenth of a degree or time within one tenth of a second.