Crochet Me Crazy

Well, I've been seeing this stitch around and it motivated me enought that I decided to give it a try this morning. I love trying new or interesting stitches. This one definately fits the bill! I've seen a lot of discussion of people having trouble with this stitch but I didn't have any trouble with it myself. I don't have pictures of it yet but here is a free pattern for a purse using the crocodile stitch on the flap.

White Crocodile Purse

I apologize for my pity party on my last post. I was having a rough couple of days but a trip to the city helped me. I realized how much I DON"T want to be back in a city again! I'll take suffering thought the rought times out here until we can get on our feet. The good news is that we found me a CAR! Since our budget was less than $2,000, I think we done good! It's a 96 Saturn and it drives great! This is a BIG step up from the Tercel that broke down. God helped us out on this one because the guy held off anyone else looking at it until we got there. I'm sure it would've have been sold before we could've gotten there if he wouldn't have done that for us. We drove 130 miles to get this car.



Michael got to go to the Tandy Leather Store and Alison got to go to Hobby Lobby while we were in Austin so the kids are happy. We spent the night with a good friend of mine in Austin Tuesday night and came home on Wednesday night. It was a nice break. Alison took as many baths in their jacuzzi tub as she could fit in while we were there!

I know the bible says He won't put on us more than we can bear but there have been days this week that I'm starting to wonder. Seriously, if one more thing goes wrong I think I might go nuts. It's just a bunch of little stuff in addition to the big stuff that's really starting to get to me. So much to do but no time to take care of anything! Still looking for a car...there are some on craigslist but they sell really fast! We made a wasted trip to San Antonio on Friday night to go look at a car. I should trust my instincts...I wasn't having a good feeling about that car but the guy made it sound okay. He was still saying what a good car it was and how there was nothing wrong with it even when it wouldn't start when we tried to test drive it! I couldn't get out of that car fast enough! LOL! So, that was depressing to spend the time and the gas money to drive 90 miles for no reason! So, right now we have Wednesday off to go look for cars. I just hope we have something to go look at when the time comes! Today, I got in the truck to go get my laundry and the check engine light came on in the truck!!! This is really getting ridiculous. Jeff drove it and it did fine for him but NOT a good sign, in my opinion. Well, only another month and we'll have all the time in the world when summer is over if Jeff doesn't get a job before then! He's still looking and applying everywhere online. He even applied for a job in Oklahoma today and its for a job in the security industry which he has experience in. Well, looking forward to the "this too shall pass" part of all of this!

Another sad thing....one of the kids friends they made here in the park last year, we just heard that he has been diagnosed with some type of acute leukemia and is going in to the hospital for 6-7 months for chemotherapy. I keep thinking about him and it is so sad. He is only 14 and just a nice, nice kid. So sad and the kids are really shocked because we just saw him a few months ago and he seemed so fine! So sad... many prayers needed for him and his family!

I'm spending the day at the stables today answering the phones, etc. so Jeff can change the oil in the truck. I'm been doing some searching for a used car online. We're going to have to take a day off to probably drive to San Antonio to look at some cars. Pray we can stay away from the lemons!!

I'm feeling the need to get going on some crocheting. I keep seeing my yarn in the underneath storage when I'm emptying our tanks. I just need to find a project. The doily is underway but I need a quick comfort project.

Well, since I have some time on my hands and access to the internet, I thought I'd post some pictures of some of Michael's recent leather work projects. He is having a difficult time keeping himself stocked with enough leather to keep himself busy. He whips this stuff out very quickly!

Jeff replaced the radiator but now it appears the problem is more serious. We think the head gasket is blown. Not good... we pretty much resolved that the car is dead for good yesterday. Then we talked to our park ranger/mechanic friend here and he says that Jeff can fix it if it's a head gasket. So I'm not sure if Jeff is going to try to fix it or not. So anyway, if we don't fix it, we have to find a cheap car, fast. Very depressing....

Today I am working in the visitor's center at the park. It is generally a very long and boring day working in here.

We have some kind of leak under our camper. This really stinks. We are using one car so Jeff just came and got me to bring me up here to the stables to cover the phones while he goes back to the RV to try to see if he can figure out what the problem is. The car and the RV are both pretty big priorities but it's hard to have time to fix things when he's working till 6-7 pm 7 days a week. We towed the car to the park maintenance area last night where he's going to try to work on it in the shop there in the evenings. He tried to start on it last night but he didn't have a tool he needed so he didn't get far. I'm going to be at the stables with Alison for the rest of the day while Jeff goes to the doctor this afternoon.

Well, I haven't really been crocheting. I sat down last night and worked about a round on a doily I had started and haven't gotten very far on. This hasn't been very much of a "crochet" blog lately.

Okay, well Jeff got the hot water working again and I'm feeling a little better today. I bought some Nyquil in town last night and I finally got a good night's sleep last night. I do believe I'm on the upswing! I'm sitting in for Jeff at the stables right now while he runs into town to get a part for the car. It's still sitting broken down at the laundry room. Tomorrow, he goes in for his follow up appointment for his hip and he's going to pick up the new radiator for the car while he's in town. Hopefully my car will be back up an running in a few days and Jeff will be back to normal with his release from the doctor in hand!

Things have been really hopping in the park the past few days. Lots of injuries and problems. The sewage have been backing up and they've been trying to get that fixed for a week. Last night something big happened to the water and they have the water shut off in part of the park. Ours was off last night for awhile but luckily it was while we were sleeping. There's been several broken ankles, a heart attack, two drowings, an impaling, a head injury, and the ambulance was hit head on with two patients in route to the hospital. The ambulance driver's are in serious condition and we are short an ambulance. All that in the past two days. Ahhh...just another day in paradise!

I keep thinking that this week can't start out any worse but I dare not speak those words because I know it absolutely could! Yesterday, I started getting sick so I felt like doo-doo all day. I took every vitamin in my arsenal as well as Daytime cold medicine which got me through the day. Then, our hot water quit coming out of the faucet on the RV. We have cold water but not hot water. Then, last night I thought my computer was completely on the fritz....it would not turn on and made a clicking noise. Well, I brought it up here to the stables today and Jeff was going to call the warranty on it and it turned on! I don't know what the deal was...it wouldn't work for about 12 hours...at least I'm grateful that my computer is working. Today, I was leaving the laundry room and my car overheated. We had some problems with it a few weeks ago and it was a simple problem that Jeff fixed. Now this...So I was stranded down at the laundry room until Jeff could come get me. One of the guys in the park used to be a mechanic and he looked at it. He said we need a new radiator. I'm up here at the stables while Jeff just went back to try to work on the RV water heater. I didn't get a good shower this morning because I couldn't handle the cold. I hope he gets it fixed by tonight...I don't want to have to resort to going to the public bathrooms in the park especially while I'm feeling so crappy. We are completely out of food so we are hoping we can get away early this afternoon to head into town.

I walked up to the cowboy show with the kids last night. We do have a little fun around here despite all the working!

Business sure has been slow. The drought is hurting us. I just came down here to bring them some brownies and get on the internet for a little bit. Tonight, the kids are going to walk up to the Cowboy show in the park this evening. I'll be working in the visitor's center probably on Saturdays now. I start this Saturday. Nothing much new to report. Hope everyone is having a nice week!

I think my post will be boring at this stage of life. Everyday is pretty much the same every day right now. Alison and Jeff get up and work at the stables every day. I spend most the days running back and forth between the park and the stables. Jeff still hasn't gotten to start riding again. He is very frustrated that he has to wait to see the doctor on the 11th. He is completely fine now though. They get home from the stables pretty late every night. Generally, the kids go swimming every night after they get home and we pick hem up around 9 pm. Then, it's to bed and a repeat on the next day. Staying plenty busy but I miss technology! No TV and no internet! I haven't had time to crochet really at all. Michael is still steadily making stuff out of leather.
Here's a few pictures of some of his stuff. The pictures are really poor, I know.



Last night, all of us stable workers went to the local rodeo.


Spirit is back here at the ranch. He used to be their stallion and was at another ranch. they ran out of water where he was so they brought him back here. He is a gorgeous horse...and very huge.