Tired

The assignment this week for Hufflepuff is to blog about our week. Well, probably most of you know that my muggle town, Fargo ND, is facing the worst flood in the entire history of North Dakota. It has kept me (and about 125,000 other people) a tad too busy for school work.

I feel shell shocked. This afternoon it was announced that the projected crest will be up to 43 feet, 2 higher than previously expected. They have raised the crest of the river about a foot each day, always saying this is the highest it can go. And each day they look grim and say they were wrong, it's going higher. Our dikes are fine at this level, but if we don't add to the dikes we will be innundated by Saturday. We have to raise the dikes another 2 feet. More neighborhoods have been evacuated. The mayor is looking grim on the news. The city council is no longer "cautiously optimistic". I got my evacuation bag ready to go. Allergy and asthma meds? check. Fresh undies and socks? check. A couple changes of clothes? check. Toothbrush, etc? check. Extra knitting project? check. Bedding? Check.

But I feel like I'm sagging. So tired. So worried. I have 3 cats. What will happen to them? And I'm in the middle of this swap. I simply don't have room to take all that with me. The city is advising one bag only. Should I mail what I have at least? Then if the flood does not take my town under I can still send the other items later. And if the flood does overwelm us and I have to flee then at least Cecily will have almost the entire kit. All I have left actually is the bag and one or two little gifts.

I'm done sandbagging. I actually haven't done that much. It just seems like it. But the ladies in my church are asking for people to bake bars to take to the National Guard troops. My pastor is a chaplain in the Guard. That's easier than sandbagging. But getting accross town to drop the bars off at the church is going to be troublesome. So many roads have been closed that it will be tricky to find the open ones that will take me there.

OK, done whining now.

Flood Update

So far pretty much so good. We are still working hard to get the sandbags filled and in place. We went from rain to snow last night. Lots of it. My car got stuck in the parking lot this morning. The city is not plowing since the equipment and manpower is needed for flood fighting. So I wrestled my car back into my garage and called in to work to say i couldn't make it. Last night one of the dike in the south part of town broke and one neighborhood was evacuated. Since I'm home from work I am going to work on my spoilee's bag today.

My weekend

This weekend some of us who are from the upper midwest in America were going to get together in Minneapolis for a meet and greet and yarn shop crawl. (Yes, I know we were off school grounds, but since one of us was the assistant headmistress, we got a pass)

Unfortunately I had to bow out. It was really said to not be able to go. Instead I got together with a muggle friend. I had taught her to knit before Christmas. She was very strange, She refused to knit anything but socks. I suggested, somewhat desperately, that really a dishrag was an easier first project. But she would hear none of it. It was socks for her or nothing. Not even a gauge swatch. So I taught her to knit socks. I purposely put on a positive face. I said that knitting was just knit and purl, no matter what you were making. But inside I was cringing, expecting her to fail. But no. She produced her first pair of socks, very well made, in two weeks. Since then she hass knit 4 pairs of socks. I must confess I am green with envy. I did NOT make my first sock so quickly or easily.

As a thank you for teaching her to knit she gave me a 90 minute massage. She is a liscensed massage therapist with her own business. After the massage we had lunch and then we went to both yarn shops in Fargo. She bought two sets of double points for more sock knitting and a skein of yarn for socks for herself. I picked up the prettiest yarn for my spoilee and another pattern for her kit. I'm almost set. Just need to finish the hand made item.

Anyway, I promised my roommate Elanor that I would take pix of the yarn outing. Here it is.

Dear Hogwarts friends, sometimes life gets the best of you. First my 'puter died. Then when I went to the library to use their computer I found I am not able to get on Ravelry. I have absolutely no idea why. Rumors are that I was a member of a group whose discussions became politically heated. I don't know if that's true since I never looked at the board much less posted. I joined because a friend invited me. I have emailed Ravelry asking for an explanation, but no answer yet. Hopefully it will be sorted out soon. :) Too bad I don't have a charm that will hurry things up...

I apologize for not being very active this term. I completely missed Quidditch because of little to no computer time. I deeply regret that and promise to do better. Not being on the 'Net does not mean I have been neglecting my spoilee or her package. I am moving nicely along collecting the items needed and plan to have the handmade item complete by March 29.

Hufflepuff Homework

1. Who likes TeaPots and cat toys? That would be ME!!

2. Who wants Polyjuice so they can have Cullen Eyes? Cliodna Trelawney - mmm, love those smoldering Cullen eyes

3. Who wants postcards and a hardcover book? Eladora Madley

4. Who wants silky terrier? It is not a type of wool but a dog. Winifred Wartbobble

5. Who would like a wicked necklace and bloody stupid johnsan hat? Felula Pinkstone

6. Who never had anything made for her? Violet Starfire (we gotta fix that!)

7. Who learned how to knit with Maya and Soren? Kaae

8. Who is Pretty as a Peacock Pattern? Lily May Clearwater

9. Who does Fair Isle mittens and Tea for Toe up socks? Mafalda Grubbly-Plank

10. Who likes Cinnamon flavored coffee? Antonio dela Weasley

11. Who likes clever storage systems and mysteries? Mantacora Crimson

12. Who wants World Peace and Wool Wash? My roomie Violette from France

13. Whose Ancient Runes notebook holds the secret of Moonstone earrings? Mona Ravenscroft

14. Whose dog is on a low protein diet? Selena Starfire

15. Who does not have much of a ‘stash’ and favorite scent is Pine trees? Sian Doge (this week's birthday girl!)

16. When you go to her wish list, you find yourself surfing the net? Suzie Weasley

17. Who really, REALLY misses Hawkins Cheezies, Big Turk chocolate bars? Ursula Longbottom

18. Who likes pencilthings and rosewood? My roomie Elanor Cadogan

19. Russian nesting dolls and cute stationary are on this list. Winifred Hornswaggle

20. Who likes the Seven Dwarves and the Evil Stepmother? Bernadette Hobsworth

My week

So, I have a sinus infection. Maybe. On Wednesday I woke up with a sore upper gum. You know, sort of a tooth ache. Just an aching pressure. But I'm an expert on sinus infections. After 12 years of chronic sinusitis and 4 sinus surgeries I oughta be an expert, right? So I ignored it. On Thursday we had a really nasty winter storm and I left work early to go to the doctor about my "face ache". After only a few blocks I decided to go home instead. There was just too much snow blocking the intersections and there was an inch of ice under that, so getting stuck or going off the road was a real possibility. Besides, it wasn't that bad yet. I woke up friday in some pain, which only got worse as the day went on. Now, I'm a sinus expert, right? And I practically live at my ENT's office so he takes my word for it when I say I have an infection, so I called and got a prescription for antibiotics over the phone. Saturday morning I had no pain. then I brushed and flossed my teeth. Oh lord! It hurt something fierce for hours afterwards. Not just one tooth, even touching any of the three molars on top hurt. Maybe it's a bad tooth after all? But all of the teeth on top? It's the weekend, tho, so I can't even call the dentist. I'm continuing on the antibiotics and maybe Monday I'll call the dentist.

On a happier note, I received the items I ordered for my spoilee in the mail this week.