On Surprise, Surprise:

First surprise was Lady Long is able to walk again. Not well, but she is up and about. Well not that I’m letting her because she is still convalescing, but she can walk and that is very good news.

Second surprise was Mountain Man took me out to order a new gas range. I haven’t baked all summer because the oven on the gas range died back in the spring. And lets face it, it is just too hot to bake in the wood cook stove if you don’t have to. It should be here by the end of next month if not before. (Oh and I ordered it in black, that is why I have to wait. Only white in stock of the one I wanted.)

Third surprise was the canner blew a gasket. We all jumped when it went. Steam and corn all over the place. One of the jars broke and the corn clogged the spout.

No one was hurt, thank the powers that be. We did get to use the new canner. Good thing we got it before the old one blew. We were out of safety plugs. And would have had to quit canning until replacement parts could be gotten. A lot of lost food crops.

Oh and no surprise, I bought a few more balls to practice with. And I have tamed a new trick. Now to perfect it.

So surprise, all is good, though still hectic around here.

On Rainy Day Chainmail:

I’ve been playing with chainmail today. Rainy and not as much time outside to practice contact juggling. I do practice over the bed, but not as much room to go all out.

I do have to make changes to my Goth clothing for practicing Contact Juggling. Long necklace chains, broaches, ruffles and lace are getting in the way just now.

Wishing I had some pretty new acrylic balls to play with and knowing I’m not at that level yet.

So, I made a whole bunch of links out of 12 gauge aluminum Floral Wire this afternoon. The same stuff I made the Ent tree costume branches out of. You wrap it around a rod and snip the links off one by one from the long curl.

Then I went and worked on circles in chainmail. I made a bunch of hot plate trivets using the colors I had on hand. Red, gold and silver. I have black, but I’m keeping it back for another project. Brown and green all gone on other projects. I don’t think I ever had blue and I‘ve never seen purple in my local craft store.

I have more multi ball practice to do this evening as I watch TV tonight. I’d do it in my sleep if I could. It still makes me giggle every time.