Still Struggling

The car is good again. The little bumper car was really a trooper in the snow. But I was still thrilled to have my Equinox back. Turned out it was my rear windshield wiper motor draining the battery. For the past year (last winter too), it would get stuck in the middle. I would shut it off in the car, but the motor would still try to pull it back down into the parked position. In the summer it didn't seem to be an issue, but in the winter, it would drain the battery. Motor is replaced so hopefully, it will not happen again.

Work at the college has reached an all time low. Or a "high" actually, high anxiety. I am not comfortable with the situation...understatement. Also, toned down. Besides losing my mind, I am also concerned that the stress will cause a major flare.

On the bright side, I went out to see LC Guy on Wednesday. A short visit, but I was able to feed the sheep and goats. I spent a little time talking to the pygmy goats - adorable. They are not much bigger than my cat, Mister. We evaluated the fleece on his new ewe, it is long and soft, but getting matted on the ends. He wanted to know if I wanted to wait until spring, letting it get longer. We decided to shear her when he does the others this week. It was getting dark and I was not able to take photos this visit. However, I dug out this photo from October of her (I think! lol). It seems much longer now. To her knees, if I remember right. Hard to tell exactly how long it was with her set back on her bum while he held her and I reached through the fence to bury my hands in her fleece.

He had sheared some lambs earlier in the week and had set aside 31.5 lbs of wool for me. One, a young ram, was pure black. I have washed most of the 3.5 lbs of that and it is really different. Some is long, straight and coarse, I used my new combs to play with it. It is about 6" long. The rest of it is soft, tender, and straight. I am wondering how it will spin up. Obviously, I am not very experienced, and a bit tentative. :) I have to work on getting the drum carder repaired so I can card all this fleece. The wool is backing up!

I managed to get to bed early on Friday take a nap on Saturday after work, and then to bed early again on Saturday night. I awoke 7am Sunday, began thinking about going to work the next day and that was it! I finally got up and started cleaning house. I can't believe how much I got done! Six loads of laundry, steam vacuumed the carpet and kitchen (twice). I even had time and energy to get out the jigsaw and attack the counter-top oven enclosure! All before 2pm. Last week, I asked DDG, a friend and loyal reader, to take the oven to the curb for me and he agreed. How exciting to finally be making some progress on this eyesore! I mean the oven, not him! :) When I was done, I had to redo the floor and vacuum and wash the counters!

Oh yeah, I ordered an EdenPure at 8:30am this morning too. Not sure where that impulse buy came from. There is a good argument for sleeping in! But I can return it after 60 days, and it is in 4 installments. So if it doesn't fix my drafty living room situation, I can return it. I promised myself that I wouldn't skimp on the heat this winter. I had a hard time last winter with my fibro pain and I don't want to repeat it. Everyone I know who has one, swears by them - if used properly.

I managed to get outside a little this week and walk. Sadie was going bonkers and I had to get her out and run off some steam. I am thinking I will see if I can rent some of those new snow shoes from X-country Ski Hqtrs and see if I like them. I might walk more in the winter if I do.

Image via Wikipedia

Still no nibbles on Match.com. Could be the time of year, could be I am not being proactive enough. I will re-evaluate after Christmas.