It's been way too long since I have been here. I haven't been feeling all that well and I have finally come to realize that it's probably due to the fact that I came off of my pain medicine in early May. I was diagnosed back in 1999 with Fibromyalgia. It's a controversial disorder that causes joint and muscle pain (layman's term for it is arthritis of the muscles), memory loss, disorientation, fatigue and numerous other symptoms. Some medical professional don't believe it even exists. That is a mental manifestation--the pain is in your head! I had been taking part in a clinical study of a new medicine for it. The study ended in May. I hadn't realized how much the medicine must have been helping, because I really ache now. Even Steve has commented that my mood is miserable. Good news is that I have just signed on to start another study with a different drug. I won't receive the medicine for several more weeks though so I have to tough it out till then.

Steve is still the same. Damn fool started smoking again. He won't stop till he ends up in the hospital for a month. I'm so angry with him. He's killing himself and all I can do is watch.

We finally got our website back up and running last weekend. Sorry for the delay. We were really behind in doing the inventory. When we finally did it, it took all day Sunday. I still have some holes in the products that I need to fill, but all in good time. I've decided to no longer carry the Gaywool Dyes. The are expensive for me and they don't move. Honestly folks, there are more places out there to get quality dye at a reasonable price. I only have 4 or 5 Gaywools left and I'm just going to keep them for myself.

We stayed home over vacation. Steve worked very hard insulating and sheet rocking the bunny barn. It's amazing what a difference it makes in there. He also had the propane heater installed and inspected. We won't have frosty buns this winter.

I can't even remember what I did on vacation. I know I planted tons of flowers in our containers. I usually plant in containers as we have a lot of moles in the yard. I picked a few fleeces from a local farm. The wife is mother to a young man that went to school in town here with Ryan and Ryanne. She doesn't spin, but she couldn't just throw out the wool. She gave it all to me for free with the promise that I must dye some of it red and make her a scarf. The fleeces are filthy and need to be shirted still. I'm thinking to send them out for processing to save myself all of that work of cleaning them. I really can't remember what I did every day, but I know I was always busy.

I finished Kathy's socks. I ended up over dyeing them with Easter egg dye as the dye lots of the skeins were different and there was a noticeable line of color change on them. I refer to them now as her mottled plum colored socks.

I still need to finish straightening out the bunny barn this weekend. I already cleaned all the cages this morning. Ms. Eloise is in the house here with us. Her cage requires that I take her out to clean it. Rather than leaving her out there when she can get into trouble, I brought her in here. The dog and cats are keeping an eye on her for me. Don't worry, they won't hurt her. She lived in the house until last year so they are all used to each other. Besides she is about the same size as the cats and I think they are afraid of her.

So I traveled up to Cummington on Memorial Day weekend to attend the MA Sheep Show. I love that little show. Everything is so compact and easy to shop. It's not as spread out as the NH show and it's only about a 2 hour ride from here. I was good in a fiber sense in that I only bought sock yarn. I always buy sock yarn. It's my default fiber purchase. But I was very bad in other ways. Louise was there. You remember Louise, don't you? Louise the rabbit breeder from the CT Show?

Here is Steve with 6 week old Madeleine. She is an English Angora, like Ms. Eliose. She will molt and then I can comb out her fur. Yes, that 9 rabbits now. She was actually too young to go home with me, but Louise felt I could take care of her. Anyone else wanting her bunnies, could purchase them but could not take them home for 2 weeks. Maddy was the size of a hamster or Guinea pig. In our herd of bunnies, we now have 2 English, a German (Ruby), 2 Satins (George & Henry), 3 Giants (Isadora, Tess and Gillian) and a mixed German, English and Satin (Nigel)

Since it is miserable outside, much too hot, sticky and now rainy, I won't be finishing the garden today. It's a good day to stay in the AC and maybe spin or knit. I can't wash fleeces as they won't dry with all this dampness. I could shave bunnies, but that would take an effort on my part, Perhaps, clean the house? Never.