I have a spring cold and am MISERABLE.  I visit Mom every day but can't go today because of this cold.  This is also my only Saturday off this month (I work 6 day workweeks except for the 3rd Saturday each month) and I'm really bummed.  I had a cold the weekend before Dad died in March, which was also coincidentally the third Saturday.  I have so much to do; I WAS going to mow the front lawn so I could have a yard sale.  Hubby is working this weekend because a co-worker is on vacation.  I could really use some company but I feel like I'm in solitary confinement.

But enough self-pity. I finally got the Singer sewing machine apart and have found the broken piece.  Two lovely people from the wefixit group on Yahoo are going to see if they can find the part in their collection.  Before going any further on the restoration, I really need this part.  If the machine runs well after the repair, I will continue on.  I've decided to only replace those parts that absolutely need it.  If I can get off the rust from the other parts so it doesn't foul the thread, I will bypass replacement.  Which means at this time the only other parts I'll need is the tensioner (way too rusty to even try to clean) and the bobbin plates (the machine didn't have them.)  I'd love to get another bobbin shuttle, but those sweeties are running around $30/ea on eBay.  The shuttle that came in the Singer is pretty grungy, but I'll give it a good cleaning and see if it can be salvaged.