HIGH BUTTON SHOE

HIGH BUTTON SHOE

November 15, 2006

...you will note a change in the subject line, and that this is still being sent with net-port mailing address. how difficult COULD it be to change over your newsletter list to another ISP?? aside from the fact that I am an idiot, I would not think that chore to be overly challenging. Indeed, I did manage to figure it out and after heartily congratulating myself on what I thought would be a difficult job, impossible for me to figure out, I find out I didn't afterall. The new ISP triton tells me that some of the email addresses in the address book are not valid, so therefore won't send ANY of the letters out. un-huh. So here I am, back to square one, which wasn't very far indeed. I am experiencing a major difficulty getting any mail to aol.com emails from my address book. I can't even always send you a reply to the mail you sent me! With a different subject line, I thought I might perhaps deceive the computer into believing it isn't the old newsletter and letting it go thru. Have I mentioned lately I hate computers??

Goodest friend RhettaMae hears this from me on a regular basis. Along with many of my other dislikes, which for weeks has been our weather. I thought seriously today of counting up the amount of days until April 1, so I can begin my countdown to spring. But figured I would only distress myself more, needlessly. Suffice to say, it is a ways off. We had snow again last weekend, enough to coat the trees, limbs and such to bring down the power lines. Indeed, my 80 year old Mrs Seeley who is making my mittens as fast as she can knit, knitted them in the evening by kerosene lamp as she was without power for 3 days, as was a great deal of the area around us. Our lights flickered several times, but never stayed out. Just enough to have to reset every clock in the house about 10 times! A nuisance to be sure, but not nearly as bad as those who had cold, dark houses. Truly probably only kids and the ski resorts were thrilled with the snow. Surely, I wasn't. Have I mentioned lately I hate snow???

Well, besides fighting my computer and having to wear my Arctic packs, what else is new around here?

I am filling orders beyond my wildest dreams for Mrs Seeleys red mittens! I visited her twice this week and she was thrilled that so many people are buying her mittens. We are showing them again on crow soup which came out the other day. That would be the day, I didn't get around to telling you about it. Actually, yesterday I guess. My days are filled to the brim with my folks' appointments. My calendar has no space left to write in. I will be bringing my mom home to her house tomorrow from the nursing home after having two weeks of therapy for the hip fracture. Trying to keep my Dad safely in one spot has kept me on my toes! Some days it fills me with sadness and overwhelms me completely. I know many of you are caretakers of older parents too, and fully understand. Tuesday, I just came home after a full day with them and sat and cried. I suspect I will be in for a few days occasionally of that.

I took 3 days and worked diligently on getting the rest of the pole barn cleaned and organized to get my truck in from the winter elements. Generally my truck sits out in a snow bank for several more weeks, until I get tired of cleaning off the snow each time I have to drive somewhere. Organizing to Ron's standards and organizing to MY standards are two entirely different processes. Which often causes me great distress, but probably more distress on his part. However, he left me to my own devices and I must say I did a good job. Even approved by the boss. We have ALL 3 vehicles in the garages and pole barns. And even room to spare! Of course, the one garage stall here is full to higher than me with boxes of stuff. But that is an ongoing stall malady, so it troubles me not. NOT until Ron gets after me that is. I have come to the conclusion however, that "cleaning and organizing" is merely shuffle-ing unwanteds from one space to another, unless you throw it in the trash!

How I will ever organize this house enough to move the 'wanteds' to the other house is totally beyond my comprehension at the moment. Lately I can't even seem to get the dishes done, let along organize anything! While not necessarily doing a countdown to spring, I will be making a mental countdown of the weeks ahead for the time I have remaining until the move. Scary thought.

Today, in between "Dad checks", I took several new pictures to upload to the website. I do hope you have checked out the new things on the website. After Beulah gets them uploaded to the website, you will find a sale on our picture frames, made here on the farm. These are wonderful for black and white pictures, which I tend to favor of late.

Also, we have the tin lighting and the wax bulbs at a good price for the lamp and 3 bulbs. Plus you can get a box of the wax bulbs alone, to put in your own lamps, while supplies last!

There will be a carved rooster that Ronnie makes. And a couple pieces of old flax linens. I will be adding more of the antique smalls too as I can get around to it.

As I mentioned crow soup was released yesterday. We can be found at www.crowsoup.com/Market586.php We are showing the Gundrum Mercantile Christmas cards. Mrs. Seeley's mittens, a gingerbread man, a snowman, and a Christmas tree. We have added a Christmas Thyme icon to the home page of the website too for holiday wares. As I can get things photographed and to Beulah, we will be adding new things. Many are one of a kinds, or few of, so don't hesitate if you are interested. First come, first serve! Many I will not be making again.

Just a note for reference: our paypal address has changed to byersp@triton.net

and we receive mail at that address too. Mail still comes to byers@net-port.com too and will for a while until I can figure out how to get this changed over completely. Don't stand holding your breath on that one! I am left with only one brain cell as it is, with the newsletter move attempt, so probably won't do any thing on that for a few days. (or weeks.) perhaps months!!

I am so totally thrilled with the new French doors in the living room of the old house. I am finding it difficult to find a word that denotes which house is which. I guess perhaps the old house will still be called the shop for a while. If I wasn't having so much trouble with the sending of mail, I would send you a picture of the doors. With the light shining across the old wood floors, it simply makes my heart smile with the thoughts of living there. AND for all you skeptics out there (who know of my apparent problems with keeping rosemary alive) , I will report, in a muted whisper, as to not jinx it, but my thriving rosemary bush that I didn't manage to kill off all summer, sits on an old peely paint chair in front of the french doors and is actually ALIVE. Not only alive, but appears to be growing! I know! I didn't believe it either. Of course, it has only been there for about 3 weeks, so I have plenty of time left to murder it off, before the warm weather of spring comes and it can resume its life on the porch again. This, among, too many other things, will become a winter challenge for me. And you know, January is coming. And January means I can't look in a mirror without thinking I MUST cut my hair. Ah, the winter will be long, I can tell.

I will write of this again, I know, but Ronnie and me have had a wordy discussion on HIS chair. I do NOT want this chair being moved to the old house. Our discussions invariably end with his refusal to even consider a new chair. Duck tape is a word thrown around in reference to HIS chair. I have even mentioned reuphostery to him, met only with a solemn 'no'. Accustomed to getting my way with most things, I fear I may have met my match this time. He steadfastly refuses to accept a new chair. I will keep you abreast of the chair situation. I know. Yes, I know.

Okay, it is time for coffee. And I suppose I should have thought of something earlier for supper. What can I come up with in one hours time? Perhaps breakfast. Breakfast is always good for supper.

Thanks for asking to be a part of our farm! If you decide not to, just email me with a remove and I will oblige you.

in fond regard,

Tilda, computer illiterate

hater of snow

keeper of the rosemary