Day 253 of 365

I started wearing gloves last weekend. Not winter gloves, not mittens, not driving gloves.

Arthritis gloves.

I remember after surgeries having to wear compression stockings. I figure these arthritis gloves are similar to those. The look like tight gloves with the fingertips cut out. They press on my knuckles and joints. I use them for sewing, for typing at home and at work.

But I can't tell if they're working or not. My hands hurt just as bad as before. I still can't tie anything or grab anything in the morning. My hands still feel like they're cramped up.

Like everything else, I probably need to give it some time. More time with the gloves on, less time with the gloves off. Although I do look pretty dorky wearing them, I'm gonna keep on doing it until it works. I hope.

While I wish it didn't hurt so much to finish this next quilt for Operation Kid Comfort, I still got it done.

Day 252 of 365

In Ferris Bueller's Day Off there is a scene where a waiter tells Ferris and his crew, "I weep for the future."

I think at some point lots of adults feel that way about kids - particularly teenagers. Some folks even feel that way about them all the time. Even for me, as an elementary teacher, teenagers haven't been my favorite age to be around. My husband, on the other hand, as a high school teacher? Loves teenagers.

Something happened this week that could sway anyone who might have lukewarm feelings about the goodness of teenagers.

On Day 237 I wrote about my husband sharing the list of items needed for Stockings for Soldiers. The deadline to have items in is fast approaching. I stopped by the high school this week and picked up items the kids had collected.

Thanks to the National Honor Society members and the Future Hispanic Leaders of America (FHLA) at Marsing High School, I'm just not sending more stockings to Stocking for Soldiers.

Just check out the haul!

• 45 canned goods
• 56 packs of Ramen noodles
• 21 meal items
• 56 drink mixes
• 13 CDs
• 28 toiletries
• 182 snacks
• 14 Christmas cards

That's 415 items!

Add in my previous 80 stockings, my mom's eight stockings, and quite a hefty amount of postage I'll be paying at the post office, deployed servicemen and women in the remote areas of Afghanistan will have Christmas stockings full of goodies.

No weeping for the future here.

Make Fabric Covered Decorative Clipboards - Day 251 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

I always thought PE teachers were the only ones who used clipboards. At least that's what my memory was from my school days.

But it's not true. Classroom teachers use them, too. Elementary teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers. We take attendance, write notes, make checklists. Even in my last position out of the classroom I carried a clipboard with me everywhere.

It started out as an ugly clipboard. A brown, pressed board, ugly clipboard. I even had one for my hubby, the high school teacher. Brown, ugly clipboards didn't work for either of us, so I covered them in contact paper. And boy, have they lasted. Year after year after year. I think going on 10 or so by now.

Yet I just recently came up with an even more attractive type of clipboard. One that uses Mod Podge and my favorite thing of all. Fabric.

I have fond memories of Mod Podge. I remember as a kid taking a piece of styrofoam, a decorative napkin, some Mod Podge, and some glitter (maybe?) to make something you hang on the wall. I remember the distinct smell of the Mod Podge. Almost reminds me of that white paste we used in second grade.

I got to use that memory-inducing Mod Podge, fabric, and another one of those ugly clipboards for this week's tutorial. My husband happened to see my materials sitting out before filming and decided he wanted one of his own. His fabric came from Day 133 and mine came from a giveaway at thevintagebicycle blog.

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New clipboards for us both! You can find the step-by-step how to video for making this decorative clipboard with fabric and Mod Podge right here:

Day 250 of 365

There are some down sides to being in a small town. Goodness knows I've written enough about how far it is to the doctors, the stores, the pharmacy, and the movies.

But there are a couple down sides to living close to the river, too. Particularly at this time of year.

Hunters.

Hunters like to sit out on the island or in their boat and hunt geese. Now I'm not a hunter, I don't live with a hunter, and I've never been hunting. Don't even have anything against hunters. Except those hunters on the river that aim their shots toward the houses. On those days when the hunters are out on the river close by us, we tend to stay in the house.

Then there is the fog.

It can be sunny and clear everywhere in the valley, but there are days we are socked in with fog. Can't see three feet ahead of you. I don't mind it so much when I'm home, but if I have to drive in it? I'd rather pass. Fog is bad enough, but when the roads are icy and it's foggy? Even worse. Add in driving in the dark. Driving to work in the dark, in the very dense fog, to another town on the same river (with the same fog), with icy roads, and no street lights because it's all country driving (which then means you don't have any landmarks to help you out) is about the worst driving conditions out there. There have been times when it has been so bad driving to work I don't know where I am. Not looking forward to that kind of day anytime soon.

Today's fog was manageable. Actually quite pleasant to look at. Grass still green, some trees still green and some trees and bushes with the leaves all gone, a clothesline not being used, a bit of fog on the river. And don't forget the owl sitting in the tree on the left.

Early November in Idaho.

Day 249 of 365

It happened the other day when I was at the grocery store and it happened again early this morning.

It snowed.

It's not cold enough for it to stick to the ground, but it stuck to the roofs and porch railings. Just a dusting, but still a day (or two) worth remembering. With time changing back last night it seemed appropriate to wake up to snow. It's darker, it's colder, and winter will be on its way.

In winter I want to be a hibernating bear, keeping warm and sleeping my days away. However, as I reported on Day 24, I'm obsessed about tracking our power bill. So we have our heat system programmed to kick on when the temperatures at night hit the mid-50s in the house. That's pretty darn cold. We never have it set higher than 64 degrees during the day. (Although some days we'll cheat and crank it up to 67.) I imagine some day we'll keep our place warmer, but just not yet.

The snow and the cold temperatures got me thinking about our gardens. The vegetable garden is all pulled up, the wildflowers and perennials have all died off, and the roses are done for and awaiting a good pruning in preparation for winter.

We have one - and only one - flower still blooming. Some of our mums have been killed off by the heavy frost, but there is a lone holdout where it is protected by the eaves of the house.

The last blooming flowers of the year.