Crochet

I went to Big Lots and spent way too much. What started it was yarn. Yeah, like I need any more of the stuff...

Well, there was a real nice acrylic yarn in grays and black, perfect for socks or a dishcloth. Only one skein, so it'll be a dishcloth. I'll post the final result when it's finished - probably tomorrow.

Feeling Better, But....

I heard this is the crud going around that turns into pneumonia....

She said it's pH related. So, no coffee, no dairy, no sweets, no citrus, no beef or pork, and so on...

Eat as alkaline as possible, keep the tissue from swelling.

During sleep, my nose is clear. I get up, it starts to congest and run again. I figured I just needed to vacuum, which I do anyway. One person has had this for 8 weeks and is still sick. I've had it for 2+ weeks, and I'm over it.

So, I'll adjust my diet, which I was doing anyway, and maybe even feel a little better.

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Meanwhile, I've been crocheting. I hit the sales right after Christmas and got more yarn. I ran out of yarn (or very close) for my coat project. I'll try the framework again next week, and begin laying out some of the larger pieces to see where I am as far as how much I still need to crochet. I am sure that I don't have enough pieces, but I wonder if I need another run to the yarn store...

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And another update on Walmart-
They are closing their crafts/yarn/fabric section.

I boycott Walmart. They come in to a town, undercut all the prices of all the mom-n-pop stores, and put them out of business. OK, low prices are great, but these little stores have been around forever and have a lot of variety in them. They are fine-tuned to the neighborhood where they are located, or they wouldn't still be in business. Suddenly, you have to go to Walmart, and some of the speciality items are no longer available.

Next, Walmart stops carrying whole lines, like the crafts/fabric/yarn section they are pulling out of the local store. Now, you can't find those items within a 200 mile radius. Whole ways of life are being changed and ruined by Walmart because of their predatory tactics.

I believe in shopping locally. Groceries, produce, mom-n-pop stores. There are some chains/franchises that I will use, such as Pet Supplies Plus. That is a regional chain - Tennessee and North Carolina, a little in Virginia. They are not nationwide. I stopped using Walgreens as much. I go to a large chain grocers because that's what is available, but Food City is my choice, and the chain is not as large as the other chain in town. I also like their produce better.

I like Earth Fare, which is a local green-grocer chain. They are knocking on the door of the chains, and they carry more of the healthier choices and brands than the others. I'm not always in the neighborhood for them, though. We also have a food co-op here that I frequent, Three Rivers.

Shop locally. Support your local infrastructure. If you don't, you won't have a job or a place to shop pretty soon. And your opinion won't count! Remember that special item that you could always get at the neighborhood shop that isn't available anymore?

It used to be that if I wanted something special, the manager of the grocery store would order it. Not so much anymore. I have to go to several stores, looking, and maybe find it - or not. I end up requesting it or getting it online a lot of the time. Costs more that way.

So, support the local shops. You never know when your choice will be taken from you. Good prices aren't the only reason to shop somewhere.

After Christmas Rush....

I'm not in a rush, and I don't know if other folks are. I went to Hobby Lobby and, unpressed for time, finally walked all over the store. I got some yarn, a couple of canvases, and some flavorings for cookies, cakes and candies. I could have gotten more flavorings, but didn't think about it.

Anyway, I realized that their sales aren't near as good as the sales at Jo-Ann's, and while they don't have the variety of yarns, what they have is OK. They have some yarns that Jo-Ann's does not carry, probably house brands. They have a lot of home-dec accessories, that you will never find at Jo-Ann's. But Jo-Ann's does not carry canvas and painting supplies, so it's a trade-off.

I'll be going to Jo-Ann's today, spending more money on yarn. I ran out of yarns (very nearly, anyway) for my project. I'm at 4 bags of completed pieces, but still need more. I need some more whites. I have plenty of colors, but Jo-Ann's has a better selection, at better prices; particularly in the whites. Since white is the tie-in for all the pieces, I need a lot more of it.

It was fun to go shopping the day after Christmas, and not be pressed like I would be at the malls. I didn't pick up any Christmas decor or cards. I usually get my cards the day after Christmas, so I always have my cards ready for next year, but I didn't even look for them yesterday.

I'm feeling OK, as long as I keep taking the cough medicine. My nose is still stuffy, too. How long does a cold last, anyway???