Happy 2014! I almost didn't make it..........

I've been trying to blog all morning.  Actually I've been messing with my camera and the new Windows 8 picture importer.  I liked Windows the way it was before....this "app" hung up my pictures and I couldn't do anything.  Finally, I rebooted and that fixed it.  Their commands don't work...like "cancel".  But I finally got it. 
This has been a busy time between Christmas and today. The vet came back and I took Nitty in for her allergy shot and she has an infected nipple...just 1, thank God, as dogs have quite a few!  He thinks it's just an infection but it could be cancer and I have to keep an eye on it.  I did take the new (empty) bag of dog food Walmart is carrying now and he said it's great and he's been looking for a less expensive alternative for his patients who's dogs are allergic.  It's called Pure Balance.  It's still more expensive than Pedigree which she was getting but not nearly as expensive as Hill's Science Diet.  There is dry and canned in different varieties. I'm praying it is just an infection which I think it is.  Because of her allergies she was crawling on the grass outside trying to scratch her stomach and I think there was probably deer and/or rabbit dung out there.  She's already stopped itching and licking and the vet gave her the allergy shot and she's on antibiotics. 

I also had to take my car in for an oil change and they ended up keeping it almost all day as they were busy.  (I wish they would have told me as I would have postponed it.)  So, I didn't get to Walmart that day and ended up having to go yesterday on New Year's Eve and it was packed!  I needed supplies badly though so I went. 
I've been snagging my yarn when I knit/crochet because my hands are chapped and cracked.  I put hand cream on but it wasn't doing the trick so I bought some of this stuff.........

I've been hearing ads about it and it is for "working hands" and it has no scent.  I used it several times today as I was finishing up the hat I started last week and it worked.  They're not healed yet but it sure made them soft enough so they didn't snag the yarn.  So far, I really like it and it is made in the good ole U.S.A.
One of my "resolutions" this year was to make some clothes for myself.  I used to sew my own clothes in high school and also for my children when they were young.  The first thing I want to make is pajamas.  I like flannel in the winter and cotton in the summer but all I can find are the flannel pants with a t-shirt to go with or else acrylic materials which I do not care for.  Patterns have sure gone up in price! Whew!  $8-$9 but that should be the only pattern I need for pajamas.  I like my clothes big too.  I can't stand anything clinging or binding on me now that I'm "retired".

They had this cute fabric on sale for $1.73/yard and it is 100% cotton flannel.  They had some other cute flannel prints on sale too but I figured I'll see how far I get with this project.

  For several years now I have thought of having some sort of "uniform" for my retirement and my sloppy active lifestyle now.  I'm not an apron gal but I love the big pockets and I have lots of blouses to wear under them.  My figure isn't what it used to be and most clothes don't fit properly.  I was actually thinking of looking at maternity clothes but I never got that desperate......yet.  But comfort is of the utmost importance to me now a days.  I bought this pattern but I may use it as a "jumping off" place.

 What I really want is something more like a pinfore/apron........like this...........

 Of course I will NOT be wearing dresses with it........slacks that I will also sew myself so they will fit me.  These are made out of linen and cost around $75.00...can you believe it?  I love the back as there are no apron strings which I dislike and I would probably make it shorter.  I'm thinking turtle necks under it in the winter and in the summer I'm thinking more of cobbler aprons which Carol Wright
sells for like $5.00 each.  I also like the old "smocks" people used to wear.  My Aunt was ceramic artist and she always wore smocks with big pockets.  Anyway, this is one of my resolutions this year...to update/sew my retirement wardrobe and clear out all that corporate crap clothing I used to dress myself in.  Mine will be colorful too!  You can take that to the bank!

I hope you had a nice New Years and I wish you all the healthiest, happiest and most prosperous year of all!  Happy Trails!