tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34996232024-02-18T18:15:35.448-08:00TwistedspinsterIt is rumored...<br>
That the dodder<br>
Got her.Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.comBlogger248125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-8656258574120478692008-07-14T22:42:00.001-07:002008-07-14T22:56:47.104-07:00The Roketman and the HaikuThe Roketman and the HaikuOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterThis picture is from our first night on the Haiku - isn't it a sweet little boat? We spent most of the afternoon buying groceries and moving in.Looking in at the SalonOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterI admit this isn't the best picture, but I really love the lighting.I do really like this boat -- I want to Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-89815654695125884652008-07-13T20:18:00.000-07:002008-07-13T21:22:53.444-07:00Back to realityIf I had more energy, I'd write about the stages of coming back home after a wonderful vacation. I'd sprinkle in a few stages of grief, a few stages of denial, of comparing my real life with the fantasy of being someone who would actually deserve to stay in such wonderful hotels and be treated like a queen...But when you come home to a house where the cleaning lady didn't come like she was Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-88528393875168008772008-07-09T21:54:00.001-07:002008-07-09T22:16:34.634-07:00An essay on SerendipityThe view from the front of the hotelOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterI've probably said it before. Serendipity rules my life. I head out in the direction I think I need/want to go, and POOOFF! oooops. Course correction. Going over there instead.And you know, it all sorta works out. I'm amazed that most of the time, it works out for the better. This is the Empress Hotel, named after Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-61792561485279429682008-07-08T21:58:00.000-07:002008-07-08T22:34:07.405-07:00Life is goodLife is good. Yes, it might be better without the gimpy leg, but I am telling you that life is good.Here's where we're staying tonight - the Laurel Point Inn. I was in the process of taking pictures when the battery went dead in the camera...The Room at Laurel Point InnOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterThe room at Laurel Point InnOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterThe Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-23662518328468916812008-07-07T22:35:00.000-07:002008-07-07T23:05:15.348-07:00The highlights of the dayToday was a driving day. We left Chemainus about noon (hey, it's a VACATION!) and headed for Port Hardy, on the northernmost point of the island. We had no intention of getting there, mind you, but it was a good destination to input into the Garmin.Remind me to extoll the virtues of GPS navigation one of these days - it's a giggle to veer off the prescribed route and have this voice say "OffrouteRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-42255864707158613582008-07-06T20:47:00.001-07:002008-07-06T21:06:31.107-07:00Who is this graceful woman?Who is this graceful woman?Originally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinster(notice the blue sign)When you know a man loves youOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterHow do you know a man loves you? When you say "Honey, do you think this would fit me?" and this is what he does.The stitches in the lips are finally gone, but not all the feeling hascome back. (the stitches were on the inside, Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-75791609617571855462008-07-05T22:42:00.001-07:002008-07-05T22:54:23.269-07:00The View from Dunsmuir LodgeA change of scenery can do me a world of good. Today we got on the ferry from Anacortes to Sidney on Vancouver Island. I swear, I was positively giddy. We got the new rental car with no problem, headed out hours early -- I was even doing donuts with the wheelchair in the motel parking lot. I looked up to see a trucker type guy grinning at me. I told him, "It must be the pain medication, huh." TheRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-68948522603175555162008-07-04T22:34:00.000-07:002008-07-05T09:09:08.536-07:00Can I just say?Can I just say that Seattle has AWESOME fireworks? It's a bit too cold for me to be wandering out, and it doesn't get dark enough for fireworks until 10pm up here. So we're in the hotel room watching on TV. The Macy's fireworks in New York had better music, but the Seattle KONG fireworks even had choreographed cinematography.Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-6946206912334409542008-07-04T15:17:00.002-07:002008-07-04T15:46:34.651-07:00I'm starting to think this trip journey needs an exorcist...This trip journey seems to be as downhill as it is up. Latest downers: Mike dinged the boat doing the final refueling and pumpout. (I have visions of yappity Chihuahua-type teenybopper summer-hires giving 89sets of conflicting directions like "Over here! No, over here! Wait! No, hurry!" but then, I'm on pretty impressive painkillers right now. My imagination runs rampant.)We had a pretty good Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-73437928938238999622008-07-04T15:17:00.001-07:002008-07-04T15:17:19.176-07:00Deception Pass BridgeDeception Pass BridgeOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-30346553659071400272008-07-03T12:06:00.000-07:002008-07-03T12:47:49.840-07:00oh, pooh.Well, I was over-ruled on the Queen of the Boat thing. I may still get the tiara, but the boat trip's over. If I could put any weight on the leg I had surgery on, it'd be a different story. But of course, I hurt the *good* leg, and now I don't have a leg to stand on. (groan...)By way of explanation, I had a back operation back in 1981, and still have neuropathy in the left leg. The nerves just Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-43910998877081927982008-07-01T21:11:00.001-07:002008-07-01T21:31:39.706-07:00Happy times...Is this woman happy or what?Originally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterMike took this shot coming out of Anacortes, just before entering Swinomish Channel. Don't I look proud of myself? Note all the electronic gizmos on the dash. I can't believe how great the trip journey to Friday Harbor was. We hit Deception Pass right at the end of slack tide, and I was on the bow taking video, waving to Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-63526729638965932272008-06-30T17:57:00.001-07:002008-06-30T22:06:21.573-07:00There may be a gravity fluctuation to blameReports are popping up all over, of strange falls with resulting physical injury... with speculation that gravity shifts are to blame. I don't know about that, but it's an interesting line of thought.There isn't anything new to say, except that our doctor's appointment is tomorrow morning. Another day in the boat, at least, but we're back at the dock in Anacortes. (I fell while we were in Friday Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-63829917930690697652008-06-29T10:06:00.000-07:002008-06-29T10:24:43.962-07:00A real trip.I'm feeling better this morning, the sense of humor is returning. Trouble is, the top lip is too swollen to smile the way I want to! oww. Maybe I can cultivate that Hollywood botox smile where the starlets smile with their eyes and upper cheeks.The ankle doesn't hurt, because I have one of those immobilizing boots. Well, it does hurt when I put too much weight on it. It's a good thing the boat isRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-32103840354298299242008-06-28T22:39:00.000-07:002008-06-28T22:44:11.285-07:00Oh, pooh.Well, what can I say-- I took a nasty fall on the boat, in too big a hurry to make sure my feet were all the way over the doorsill. My lip has a nasty cut, so does my nose. I sprained my wrist, and probably ripped my Achilles tendon. We head over to Anacortes tomorrow, have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Monday. Send good thoughts, please... If I don't need surgery, we won't have Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-68468386006291046962008-06-27T21:31:00.001-07:002008-06-27T21:33:27.974-07:00Deception PassDeception PassOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterThis is a screenshot of the chart for our passage tomorrow through Deception Pass. (click through to Flickr to see more detail) Note the tidal current predictions at bottom. (yikes!) The software is Coastal Explorer. Needless to say, I've got a bit of anxiety. Not a lot, but it's there. The Roketman has us on schedule to be going throughRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-24287030818610807112008-06-26T21:56:00.001-07:002008-06-26T22:02:42.909-07:00VACATION!Rainbow BridgeOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterI could wax all poetic and get goofy about bridge metaphors, but I'm tired and I'm going to opt for boring.We arrived in Seattle about 1pm, drove up to Anacortes Washington with a grocery stop at Trader Joe's in Everett. Tonight, we're staying at the Fidalgo Inn just outside Anacortes, and we'll check out the boat at 9am tomorrow. Most Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-76082560787852654682008-06-25T10:45:00.000-07:002008-06-25T11:19:44.162-07:00Tagged!Marta tagged me... sigh, I was wistful about never getting tagged for this kind of thing, and now it's happened the day before leaving on vacation! LOL so I will do this, and not tag anyone else. I think everyone else has already done it!"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people andRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-76323474871768744702008-06-22T21:43:00.000-07:002008-06-22T21:59:29.972-07:00Update on the weavingLast night I was complaining about the weaving sample not collapsing the way I thought it would... I figured out when it was dry again that I hadn't gotten all the sizing out. So, I'll try again.Today was a great day... I hit the 98c Marukai and got lots of neat little stuff, like fabric trays, and collapsible boxes, and a couple mesh bags for washing fleece. Then I got way too much stuff at Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-1130377707882942922008-06-21T21:45:00.001-07:002008-06-21T22:32:08.020-07:00First woven sampleFirst woven sampleOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterFinished weaving! Well, this sample, at least. The warp and weft are each woven from one continuous thread (!! I can't believe I actually made that happen with handspun!), on a backstrap loom. The width was 5.75" at the start, finished at 5". Length is 16.75". It took me longer to weave than I thought it would, but I did set it asideRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-56818743796871575892008-06-20T19:00:00.000-07:002008-06-20T19:05:45.047-07:00Another idea, wherein...You know, sometimes I get the beginnings of a great idea, and I can see where I want to go, but it's like that commercial for the new movie Hancock. You know the one I mean... Will Smith is Superman, but like he grew up in the worst 'hoods of Metropolis instead of Smallville. He's standing in front of a speeding locomotive, and the locomotive shreds into flying shrapnel.Only for me, it's like my Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-37890430393398833482008-06-18T18:00:00.000-07:002008-06-18T18:03:57.312-07:00An idea that excites me, but I'll never get around to DoingI've been surfing blogs quite a bit, coming on some really cool blogs and ideas... Meggiecat blogged about Gallalith plastic, which is basically made with milk and vinegar. You are probably as astonished as I am right now. Being possessed of an overactive imagination (as if you didn't already know), my mind immediately says "How can I use this with knitting??" (cue the vintage Frankenstein Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-73904568789416430462008-06-17T21:34:00.000-07:002008-06-17T22:52:13.300-07:00Blogging without guiltI was reading through blogs, and there was a reference to blogging without guilt. I don't recall who, and I googled a bit for it without much luck. It was about Blogging, not apologizing for non-blogging. So, I'm back, not doing the guilt. Nope. Have I mentioned how Anita Luvera Mayer's "I Don't Do Guilt Anymore" changed my life? It's not a big book, more of a booklet, but it rescued me from Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-92197953026873264962008-06-12T20:05:00.001-07:002008-06-13T22:12:18.565-07:00Pick a little cottonPick a little cottonOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterThis is two years' worth of cotton from three trees (Gossypium arboreum). I think I'm about a third of the way through processing it all...Cotton closeupOriginally uploaded by OriginalTwistedSpinsterA closeup of the cotton... Click through to Flickr and the tag for cotton to see pictures of the trees.I just spent 45 minutes on theRuth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499623.post-63650421367896310112008-06-12T11:06:00.000-07:002008-06-12T11:16:41.623-07:00Time to reassess the goalsIt's time to reassess the goals again. I feel myself getting obsessed with the cotton (I'm sure this is a surprise to everyone...) and at that point where the yoke is starting to chafe.Have I mentioned how much I love my Roketman? Before going to sleep last night, I asked him about it. I'm deflecting all my anxieties and excitement over this years trip to Anacortes by focusing on the cotton. I Ruth S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16970904490007262195noreply@blogger.com2