January 2014

Today got all the way up to 19. It was still cold, but definitely an improvement. I'm happy with any improvement. They finally lifted the emergency status on the roads late yesterday, and the schools are going again. I went to Ft. Wayne today to pick up an extension table for my sewing machine that was back ordered. Enjoyed lunch with ex-manager and a friend who is working there again. Made a stop at Sam's Club on the way home.
Nothing much exciting going on around here.

Aww Ellen, wish we lived closer, sewing was something I wanted/still want to learn to do so well when I retired.  I've started, but need to learn so much more and you could help me I know, with your wealth of knowledge!    Nothing fancy, just basic sewing!  We have survived the ice/snow and deep freeze.  It's supposed to get to 39 deg today, above freezing for the first time in days.     Town/schools/businesses have all been closed, ice still on the roads and care must be taken out there.  All animals are well!  ((((hugs)))) all around! 

Rose, do you have a JoAnn Fabrics near you? They teach a lot of sewing classes. The classes at the store in Ft. Wayne are usually well attended. Most of what they teach is basic technique. There are also lots and lots of websites that have great information. Also, check around and see if there is a sewing guild around. The women in those groups are a wealth of information, and ideas.
If you don't have a sewing machine and are interested in buying one, do NOT buy a Singer. The old Singers were great machines, but the ones being built now are pieces of junk. They're cheap. Boy, are they cheap.

Recommendations Ellen, for a basic beginner machine?  JoAnne's classes here keep getting cancelled because not enough people sign  up!  Darnit 

Rose, you have to understand that I am rather prejudiced because of having worked for Viking for nearly 2 years.  But, the machine that I would suggest would be the Viking Emerald 116 or 118.  They are good basic machines that will sew through heavy things, like that thick hem on jeans pant legs.  They are very easy to use.  The 116 sells for $299 and the 118 is $399 - at least that's what the Viking Gallery stores sell them for.  An independent dealer could charge a little differently.  Both have a 10 year manufacturers' parts warranty.  In the two years I was there, we NEVER got one of those back for repair.  In fact, we got very few of any of them back for repair.  One of the good things about the Vikings is that if you really get into sewing and want to move up to a higher level, you can trade-in the old one.

Here's the link to the Viking website. Scroll down the page to find the Emeralds.
http://new.husqvarnaviking.com/en-US/Machines

ROSE, I have the basic $80 Brother machine from Walmart……..sews like crazy for basics……………..

Rose, I only sew and repair and do house accents etc…………..nothing heavy duty, altho, mine does sew & repair jeans………………..if you are going to be a real seamstress I would agree w ELLEN, you would need more machine……………...

Tomorrow morning, I'm off for an anti-cabin fever weekend at my cousin's. I'm sure we will eat way too much and talk way too much. Everybody have a good weekend and enjoy the Super Bowl.

Wish someone could sew up my water line... someplace along its 1400 ft. length we've had a rupture in the pipe. Just happened this morning. No water for man or beast on this hilltop. Have called homeowners insurance and a plumber. I'll let the plumber decide who to call with the ditch witch or other digging apparatus. The line is sunk about 24" underground so just to check does take a bit of effort. At 82 Don isn't quite up to even helping me dig.

Hey hay hay....I am so glad you posted Tuffwheeler, its nice to hear from you, but wish it were better news than a broken pipe! yikes! Cold weather do something to it? The temps have been absolutely cold in areas, brutally so. How are the horses?
I sold our palomino appaloosa mare two weeks ago, and the guy has to have surgery so he gave her back. He was making payments....put her back on craigslist, and my phone has been going nuts today! Sold her to a guy in Odessa TX, he is paying us gas to haul her and its 133 miles there..one way. And other folks are waiting in line in the same location, if he decides he doesn't want her I have two other fish on the hook. lol....crazy! I'm hoping she find her a good home. This guy wants to use her for breeding and that may be good for her. Sometimes she can be a bit nutty.....
So then we have Tank, MissMuleytude, Rocky, and halves on Cinnamon as Brenna has taken over on her.
Bailey, the youngest, is having her b irthday party at the skating rink tomorrow, and no, I am not skating, give me a horse with four feet under him and not a shoe with four wheels that go round and round! LOL
It actually got up to 84 degrees today....yahoo to tank tops!

Have a great weekend everyone, and I hope Bonnie that you get your pipes fixed quickly.

Hi Tuff, wondered where you have been all this time................what a mess............waterline probs are a hassle at best, let alone 24" underground..........the ins co will know who in your area has the "site finder"...........gads..................let us hear of your progress! Glad you're back.

CB, good luck with your mare…………..long drive round trip….stay safe.

I have 2 meetings this morning………..have to gallop.

ROSE:
I got my sewing machine at an auction in 1976. They couldn't get the cabinet opened, so I bid on it blind and got it for $27. It is a 1910 Singer Sewing treadle machine.   I have hauled it all over the country and it weighs a ton in its oak cabinet, which isn't like the traditional cabinets you see, it is a big boxy thing. It has lots of pretty decals all over it, and lots of weird attachments, but it doesn't sew backward. I have to turn the material around to go in the other direction. I do like it, though! Good luck with your sewing lessons. If they hadn't forced us to take sewing in Home Ec in seventh and eighth grades, I would have never learned.

ELLEN:
Your machine sounds so nice, and really does neat things! Have fun this weekend!

GRAYMARE:
Your machine sounds like what I should probably invest in!

TUFFWHEELR:
Welcome back! Sorry about the water line. We had the same problem last year, although ours is 'only' 300 feet long. Donnie, the engineer, figured out how to tell where the leak was and sure enough, he was within inches of it when we dug it up! He closed down the line overnight, then measured how much water came out of the barn faucet the next day. Then by figuring out how much hose would hold that much water, he could tell where the leak was. It worked! Good luck!


We had the nicest day today. Sunny, warm, not much wind, and did I mention WARM? I spent five hours down at the barn yesterday cleaning out the goat stall and rebedding the stalls, today I just cleaned up normal stuff while Donnie worked on stacking wood. We were outside all afternoon. No riding today, maybe tomorrow. Ivan's new bridle is really pretty and I need to try it on Areion to see if it fits tomorrow. I want to order her one if it can be adjusted to fit her. Ivan's is blue with black, Areion's will be red with black if I get it. The bit is easily removed, leaving a halter so they can graze.

Time to change the monthly thread! Go to: https://horsefriends.forumotion.com/t29-february-2014#3689

Or go to "basket" and click on February 2014. Hopefully it will be a much nicer month than January was!!!