Faithful Companions

Disney at Christmas

2010-01-10T15:55:00.003-05:00

We went to Disney this year before Christmas with our grandkids. We had just finished a huge Italian dinner at Mama Melrose's in the Hollywood Studios when all the Christmas lights came on. The downtown was decorated with more lights than I have ever seen in my life. It was just beautiful. The music was wonderful. Just when we thought it couldn't get any better ..... it started to SNOW! Really! What a fun night and a wonderful memory.

Yin and Yang Bolero

2009-06-02T16:47:00.005-04:00

Another UFO is finished. I started this sweater while I was in Maine a couple of years ago. If you are ever in the area of Ellsworth, you just have to drive a little bit up the coast to Hancock where Shirley's yarn shop is. It is a wonderful place. The pattern, by Knit One Crochet Too, suggests a cotton yarn called Ty-Dy but I fell in love with a yarn called Kathmandu DK from the Queensland Collection. It is 85% Merino Wool, 10% Silk and 5% Cashmere. The pattern starts at the bottom and works up over the shoulder and down the back so you only have side seams to stitch when it is done. I know you can't see the button but it actually is really beautiful and in the same colors as I chose for the sweater. The fit is really cute and I intend to wear it in the fall and winter with a solid color turtle neck. It is really too bad that I didn't get this done earlier in the year because we are now having daily temperatures in the 80s and 90s. So it has been carefully stored away and will come out again in November. I'm looking forward to it!

A Bear is Born...

2009-06-01T14:44:00.004-04:00

...And another UFO is finished. I have named this little bear Harmony. She was just a finished shell and had been waiting in my UFO pile for a very long time. Finally, I got her stuffed and the ends tucked in. Then I sewed on the eyes, nose and mouth. I'm not sure where she will end up but I hope that she will be loved. Teddies are so much fun to knit and don't take very much leftover yarn. I have made this pattern several times so I think it is time to try a new pattern. I have several to choose from and lots of leftover yarn to make it with. A nice little project to carry with you in the car.

Bunnies

2009-05-08T14:43:00.004-04:00

These are the bunny blocks. After much thought, trial and error, I decided their placement in the quilt. Here they are just waiting to be put together with the sashing. I actually have done that but don't have a new picture yet. I have been machine quilting them and have been having a problem with my outdated walking foot. It must be 30 years old. I think I will have to purchase a walking foot for my newer sewing machine if I'm going to do much more machine quilting. It shouldn't be such a battle. I used a very nice pink fabric for the sashing and it sets off the blocks perfectly. Very "Easter Bunny" looking. When the quilting is done, I will embroider tiny pink noses on all of the bunnies. This has been a fun project and I wish it had not been a UFO for so long. I'll add another picture of the finished quilt before too long.

Birthday Socks

2009-05-07T20:11:00.004-04:00

I finally have a picture of the socks I made for my sister. Her birthday was in February and I forgot to take a picture before I gave them to her. It has taken these last couple of months (you know how it is ... camera problems, computer problems) for her to take a picture for me to post. If I remember correctly, these were knitted from Knit Picks wool yarn. It is very soft and oh so nice to work with. I'm sure that they will be keeping her feet warm for a good long time. And again, Happy Birthday sweet sister. You are the best!

No Bunny Quilt Yet .....

2009-04-20T16:44:00.004-04:00

Easter was not the weekend for me to get my bunny quilt finished. But I was able to start and finish a toddler size sweater vest. This is a pattern that came in a kit from the NY Fiber Festival in Rhinebeck a few years ago and this is the second one that I have made. It is knitted in one piece and sewn together at the shoulders. I made it with leftover Lion Brand Wool-ease. It doesn't take much. I know I could have done the edges a little better and I may take them out and do them again later. For now, it is done and goes into my "Charity Knitting" box.

I did make a couple of Easter baskets for the first time in years. This basket I filled each year for my son as he was growing up. I decided to fill it one more time and let him take it home with him. I think he liked it.

A finished UFO

2009-04-07T15:20:00.003-04:00

Finally, I have finished a santa ornament that I must have started at least three years ago. I really had most of it done. Even so, the part that was "undone" was the most time consuming. The beads are sewn on one at a time and the cross-stitch thread goes through the bead twice. I finished it up by sticking it to some "sticky felt" and then cut around it. I have already put it safely away with Christmas things for next year.

Now, on to the next UFO. I will be sewing bunny eyes and noses and a couple of buttons onto nine finished quilt blocks. I would really love to get this quilt done before Easter. Wish me luck!

Lilacs

2009-04-03T12:08:00.003-04:00

Look at my lilacs. I have this little bush in a huge pot on my back porch and I'm happy to see it blooming. My GIANT lilac bush is way out off the end of our property and when it blooms, I can cut blossoms to bring inside for weeks. But it is just starting to produce tiny buds and it will be a while before I get any big blooms. This year, I plan to dig up as many suckers as I can from the giant bush to see if I can get them started. I'd love to have a whole hedge row of lilac bushes.

I have used the random number generator and it has chosen number 6 who happens to be Heatherly. Thanks to all of you for responding to my give away. It is nice to know that this project will NOT end up in my closet and might quite possible get finished.

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-03-31T15:48:00.005-04:00

Today is my mother's birthday. She would have been 91. l miss her.

Very Disappointed

2009-03-30T20:34:00.003-04:00

I have decided NOT to spend any more time working on this pair of socks. After finishing the first one, I know for certain that I don't like this yarn. It is the new "stretchy" yarn and there are many reasons why I don't like it. Yes, it is stretchy but that also made it difficult (for me) to knit. I followed the free tube sock pattern that came with the yarn and that wasn't so great either. Because there is no defined heel, the yarn must stretch around your foot and that makes the stitches pull more open at the heel and it feels awful when I step down on it.

Maybe these would make great bed socks but then they are only 39% wool so I can't even vouch for any warmth that they might bring.
So ..... if anyone would like to have a sock, pattern and an extra skein of yarn, I'll be glad to send it to you. The yarn is a mix of 41% cotton, 39% wool, 13 % nylon and 7% elastic. The color is a variegation of green and lavender/purple. Sorry, but you may find a cat hair or two in the sock or the extra skein of yarn. I know there must be someone out there in blogland that has tried this yarn and likes it. Or maybe someone who can't ever seem to knit the second sock. Voila! The first one is done for you. So please leave a comment on this post if you are interested and I will use the random number generator to pick a winner on Friday after 12:00 noon. I really do hope one of you will want this sock and yarn. I'd hate to see my UFO pile get bigger.

Hurricanes beat the Devils!!!

2009-03-20T22:21:00.004-04:00

Wednesday night, my FC and I were able to get some tickets to a hockey game in Raleigh. We met my son and DIL there and had a great time. Our seats were super ..... right behind the goal ..... and it was exciting to be so close to the action. But the RBC Center has gotten a new and powerful sound system and it can just about blow you out of your seat. We were forewarned to stop by the first aid station and get some ear plugs before the game started and believe me, I could not have sat through even the first period if I hadn't had those ear plugs. All in all, it was a good night and of course winning the game was just frosting on the cake!

Finished the Poncho

2009-03-13T13:37:00.004-04:00

This was a "hurry-up" project that I zipped right through using Red Heart Tweed yarn. You can't tell by the picture but it is a child's size 6 and made from the Knitting Pure and Simple pattern. I made this for my sweet granddaughter. I started it a week before she came and finished putting the fringe on the night before she left. I'm glad to have put all my energies toward getting it done and I feel good about not adding it to my UFO list. Now I have picked out yarn to make a small Amigurumi giraffe as a gift for her for her upcoming birthday.

The day after my granddaughter left, I made a quick trip to see my sister and took along a pair of very nice socks that I had made from a Nancy Bush pattern. I used two skeins of KnitPicks Sock Garden in the Pansy colors. Although they seemed a little big when I finished them, I'm not too worried because I think they will shrink a little with washing. I forgot to take a picture of them but I'm hoping that I will get one later so that I can show them to you. I also gave her a gift of two skeins of the new "stretchy" sock yarn and we both started a pair of socks with that. Neither one of us like it very much. I am making the tube sock pattern that comes with the yarn and although it might be easy knitting, I still don't know how it is going to feel in a pair of shoes. It does stretch nicely, which for a tube sock is necessary, but so far, I really don't like the feel of it. I'll let you know if I change my mind when I've gotten them done and worn them.

Now I must put knitting, quilting and sewing aside and take up the electric sander and paint brush. My FC and I will be spending the next week or so sanding and painting the kitchen cabinets and having a new countertop and stove installed. In a house that is over 40 years old, I'd say that this job is long overdue.

This little picture was hanging in an antique shop not far from here. I'm hoping to one day make one of these to hang beside my bed. In all the years we have been married, my FC has never failed to kiss me goodnight but I just love this message and would love to have it hanging on my wall.

OKAY, this is a really bad picture!

2009-02-02T17:00:00.003-05:00

Here is the 11 foot scarf I knitted for my son for Christmas. Yes, ELEVEN feet! But that wasn't the hardest part. As you can see, this is an illusion scarf and I designed it to show the official hurricane flag .. a black square within a red square. Since my son is a Hurricane's hockey fan, he just had to have one. I went to all of the sites that explained how the illusion patterns are supposed to work and I even got the only book I could find in the library about "shadow knitting" but until I sat down and tried it, I didn't know how confusing it was going to be. Needless to say, there is truth to "old dog, new trick". After several failed attempts I finally came up with the pattern. Then the knitting was just pure determination to make it as long as he wanted. So will I ever try to make my own illusion design again? Well .... I was kind of thinking how nice it would be to have a hat with golden retrievers in the ribbing. Yes! I think I will try to design that one for next winter.

And where there is knitting, there are cats. My littlest girl Annabelle is very comfortable at the end of the table. All my cats guarantee that any gift from me will contain much of their precious fur. They like to share. Sweet, right?

REALLY late gift.

2009-02-01T09:01:00.004-05:00

I haven't had a chance to meet up with a friend of mine and I still have her Christmas present to deliver. I will be seeing her next weekend and I hope that we will have enough cold weather left for her to use these. The hat is a pattern that is called the Rhinebeck Hat and I wish I could remember what book I got it from. I had to change the weight of the yarn because I couldn't find any nice variegated yarn in a sport weight in my LYS. So I used a worsted weight and not without problems. But problems of my own making. I'm not a person that swatches small stuff. And I should have. Guessing the number of stitches to cast on and what size needle to use was just that. A guess. And I guessed wrong ... not once but twice. Eegads! you might say .. what is wrong with this girl. Well, to my defense, I really didn't care a whole lot. I had lots of the yarn and all my "wrong sizes" go to charity. So really, how can you go wrong (except for the time spent.) It also gave me lots of experience at knitting with a strand of yarn in each hand. Anyway, the hat you see is a third time around and two design changes. It was fun to make. (All three times.) The mitts are really a version of the "Gossip Gloves" and you can find the pattern for free if you google it. I just set in the fairisle pattern.

I do think though, that after this experience, I will make a New Year's resolution (a month late) to start swatching. It might save me lots of time.

What happened to January?

2009-01-31T11:28:00.003-05:00

One minute it just got here and the next minute it is almost gone. For me, the weeks just flew by. Christmas and New Year's Day came and went in a blink. Now that all the Christmas decorations have been put away and the hoopla of the inauguration is over, I feel more relaxed and ready to make plans for 2009.

Last week we had a snow storm that was certainly mild compared to what the northern states got but for North Carolina is was a lot of snow. It was Jessie's first snow. We love snow a lot but we didn't know how Jessie would react to it. Well, she loves it even more than we do. She played in it for hours and didn't want to come in the house. Even before we defrosted our toes, she begged to go back outside again. This dog was made for snow! We spent the day having fun with Jessie and refilling the bird feeders every few hours. You can see a woodpecker on the suet feeder and a cardinal waiting his turn. The other feeders were filled with goldfinches, chickadees, sparrows and purple finches. It really was a nice snow but only stayed a couple of days.

Today we are getting together our snacks so we can sit and watch the Super Bowl tomorrow. I didn't follow most of the games this year so I have no idea how these two teams ended up in this big game. Since I am originally an Ohio girl, I guess I should cheer for the Steelers. But really, I'm okay with either team winning. I hope it is an exciting game and may the best team win!

Winter Beach

2008-12-07T16:38:00.003-05:00

The beach in the winter is really very beautiful. You can really have it all to yourself. That is because it is COLD! We attended a wedding in Pine Knoll Shores and decided that we would enjoy a walk on the beach the next morning before going home. We took Jessie Rose with us to see how she would like the ocean. She didn't. I had my crocs on and the water was pretty cold but she didn't even want to get her feet wet at all. She ran from the waves as they ran up on the beach and after the first one hit her feet, I could barely get her close to the water again. The wind was icy cold that day and we didn't stay long. Just long enough to know that Jessie is going to have to spend a little more time at the lake before we take her to the beach again.

Giving Thanks

2008-11-30T13:05:00.004-05:00

Yes, I have much to be thankful for. Four of my most precious blessings are as follows: Rowen, Jude, Zane and Quinn. Be safe sweet ones, we will be together again soon.

Birthday gift all ready to go

2008-11-05T16:42:00.003-05:00

I have just finished putting together a birthday gift for my BFF. Since she is from Denmark, I decided to make five little Nisse (Christmas Elves). She loves anything to do with Nisse. I also made Pepita Brittle for the first time following the recipe exactly as very well written at smittenkitchen.com. I had enough to fill a tin, give a small gift bag to a neighbor and have a leftover dish for my FC. The scarf is knit with Plymouth Baby Alpaca. It is as light as a feather and the pattern was easy. It took just one skein. Now all is ready to package up and get into the mail. And it will be on time I might add. Sigh.... a feeling of accomplishment.

Bad dog couch potato

2008-11-02T09:42:00.003-05:00

Well ... dear sweet Jessie Rose has learned from the beginning that she is NOT to get onto the furniture. She has been such a good girl about it ....... until yesterday when I was busy for quite a while in the kitchen. Deciding that it was too quiet in the house, I started a search to count heads (4 cats and a dog) to see what everyone was up to. Lo and behold! Jessie was just as comfortable as she could be on the couch. She could barely be bothered to open her eyes and see that I was angry. I snapped this picture first and then (poor) Jessie was ushered to the floor where her own very nice LLBean bed was waiting for her. Her big brown eyes asked the question, "well the CATS can sleep on the couch so why can't I"?

2008-11-01T08:34:00.002-04:00

I spent a day setting the twist in several skeins of yarn that I had spun over the summer. It seemed like I had yarn hanging from the chandeliers. Now all is ready to make into (undetermined) projects. The purple was a batt that I purchased at Grafton Farms while I was in Rhinebeck a year or so ago. It was wonderful to spin and made a nice light worsted. The pink was what was left over from the yellow and pink that I started spinning last March. I plied the pink and yellow together for a sort of orange two ply. The green and pink looked better as a roving and I guess I didn't space out the colors well enough to make a nice variegated yarn. It just looks sort of blah. The denim color is about a pound of Romney that I got at the NH wool tour and although it seemed a bit fuzzy in the roving, it spun up to a nice worsted yarn and I know that I will be making a sweater out of this yarn. What a good time of year to have all this yarn ready to be knitted.

WHAT ? ? ? ?

2008-10-31T15:39:00.004-04:00

I'm old enough to remember when Christmas decorations didn't go up until the day AFTER Thanksgiving. In most recent years, I've had to accept that the Christmas "season" starts mid-November. But today, we stopped at Target and guess what. You got it! Christmas decorations! The store clerk said they had been up for several days. Imagine. Christmas before Halloween now. I really do like Christmas .... the decorations, the music, the eggnog (especially the eggnog) but PLEASE .... one holiday at a time.

Remembering Mark

2008-10-31T08:09:00.002-04:00

It is Halloween. I never have liked Halloween much but now I have another reason to just be glad when today is done. A year ago today, my sweet nephew was found dead in his home. He was only 45. It’s been a whole year since we’ve had lunch. A whole year since we shopped the cute stores in Southern Pines. Mark and I had a unique relationship. I was just 17 when he was born and being the nurturing person that I am, wished so much that he was my baby. So cute, so blonde, such big blue eyes. He grew up to be a smart and handsome man with many talents. But skin and bone are not see-through and lying deep within this precious human being was a horrible disease. In his early 20s, Mark began to have terrible mood swings. And way too much later, he was finally diagnosed with Bi-Polar disease. I often think of what this smart and talented person could have been without this disease. He did the best he could and after years of prescribed drugs (some of them experimental) his body just wasn’t up to the task of living. He had a massive heart attack in the spring of 2007 and then a little more than 6 months later he hadn’t recovered enough to withstand a second heart attack. He died alone with his little dog Sheila. Mark, I love you and still miss you, and I cry when I think of how things could have been.

“When he fell in a whirlwind he went down as a tall and lordly cedar, green with boughs, down with a great shout upon the hills leaving a lonesome place against the sky.”- Edwin Markham

Yes, Mark, you leave a lonesome place against the sky.

While I was recovering ......

2008-10-30T14:47:00.003-04:00

A week ago, I ended up with a four day headache and didn't feel like doing much. I know I probably should have just sorted through my UFOs and found something to finish up but for most of my projects, it is an investment of time and thought to get everything back together again and find where I left off. So, knowing that thinking wasn't what I was going to do best under the influence of pain meds, I started a very easy top down sweater. I've made this sweater a number of times over the last 20 years or so and this is the second one for my granddaughter. The yarn is Plymouth Encore Colorspun and though I would rather be knitting wool, I have to consider where it is going (South Carolina) and how it will be handled (into the the washer and dryer). So a less warm and more tolerant fiber needs to be used. I like the way the colors have played out but it wasn't without manipulation. I've used two skeins so far and in each skein I ran into a "join" where the colors were tied on out of sequence. It took more thinking than I had anticipated to work the sleeves the same but now that I'm on the "home stretch" I (hopefully) can just knit until the bottom ribbing. Since I am so close to finishing, this will NOT be a UFO. In fact, it will most likely be a Christmas gift. One down, many to go!

JUST HAD TO DO IT!

2008-10-04T10:24:00.003-04:00

Yes, I did spin up two bobbins of the Wensleydale. And yes I did ply up a skein. But I found this 1/2 pound ball of emerald green Corriedale that I got at Rhinebeck last visit. And I just couldn't help spinning up a bobbin to see what it looks like. I have never had this color of fiber before and I just love how vibrant it is. The vendor for this fiber was The Sheep Shed and you can see her fiber at www.sheepshed.net.

So ...... yes, I will finish plying the rest of my spun Wensleydale and then get on with green. Hopefully, I can knit up something terrific before St. Patrick's Day.

Back to the Spinning Wheel

2008-10-03T13:31:00.003-04:00

This roving is perfection. It spins so easily that I had a full bobbin in no time. I bought two balls of this at the fiber festival in NC about a year ago and can't believe it has taken me so long to get to it. I am spinning up the second ball this afternoon and then will 2-ply it tomorrow. I have never spun Wensleydale before as all the festivals I have gone to have been full of Merino, Romney, Corriedale, and Leicester (and I've used a little Shetland from a friend of mine). This is so soft and so CLEAN. Just a pleasure to spin. The card in the bag said Fleeces, Rovings, and Yarn at gwenythglynn.com. I hope she has plenty of wool because I know I will be ordering more.

The rest of the photos!

2008-09-28T22:42:00.003-04:00

For some reason, I can only post 5 photos at a time. Well ... I'm not an expert at this. But I really want you to see the rest of the pictures.

Our hike took us about 2 hours to complete and it was a really good workout. The trails were well marked and easy to follow. Next time we will take Jessie and hike the Summit Trail to the top of the mountain.

This is just Weird

2008-09-28T22:15:00.003-04:00

Today we drove up to Medoc Mountain State Park to go for a hike. The forest was pretty wet from all the rain we've had. And mushrooms love wet. I didn't intend to take pictures of all these mushrooms but I don't think I have ever seen some of these before. When I saw the little red mushroom, the top was filled with water like a miniature bird bath. I thought is was so cute. Then as we walked further into the forest I saw more and more really weird mushrooms and I just had to take more pictures. Some of the mushrooms were the size of a football. Really! If they were eatable I would imagine it would only take a couple to feed a family. These things really kind of creep me out. I can only imagine collecting these to toss into the cauldron with eye of newt.

Jessie has been loving her pool

2008-08-18T15:19:00.002-04:00

When the weather was so hot a few weeks ago, we went out and got a pool for Jessie. It has been her favorite thing to do ever since. In fact, she acts like she needs to go out just so she can go and jump into her pool. At first, she was a little timid and only walked around a little bit. Then she really got in to it and started slapping the water and biting the waves and bubbles. Next thing I know she's got her nose to the bottom and she's blowing bubbles. Now she runs through the yard and takes a flying leap into the pool. She will get completely soaked. It been a lot of bother to get her dried off each time before she comes back into the house but it really cools off a long haired dog. She's a lot more comfortable after a romp in the water.

So Cute ! !

2008-08-16T16:24:00.002-04:00

My cats are so spoiled. These are 5 so cute hand felted mice. I am not usually a fan of "kits" but this one is an exception. I really had just gone to my local quilt store (they also sell yarn) to get one fat quarter that I needed and these little critters were sitting right by the register saying "take me home". The kit is by Bully Woolies and everything you need to make 5 mice is in the box ... wool, catnip, and a little bell. These knit up really fast. I used a bit of my own stuffing and look at at the results. I know the cats are going to love these. If you'd like to see what other kits BW has just go to www.bullywoolies.com. I have enough wool left over to make at least one striped mouse if not two.

That extra mouse will have to wait for a while though as I am now trying to crank out hats for my new ministry "Hats for the Homeless". I hope to have enough hats by November (that's when it gets cold here) to keep a lot of heads warm. I'm using a very simple pattern knit in the round. Just cast on 60 stitches (I'm using worsted weight wool with a strand of mohair) and then knit for about 8 inches. Then just do your favorite decrease to round off the top. They really work up very fast and the rolled edge looks nice.

We've been doing some painting this week and my FC has added some beaded birch paneling to my desk area. It really looks great. Now I just have to put everything back in order. Well, not everything. I'll try to do some decluttering and get rid of a bunch of bits and pieces. You know how desks get.

THE DOG MADE ME DO IT!

2008-07-29T14:20:00.002-04:00

Honestly. What are you going to do with left over pumpkin but make pumpkin bread. Let me explain. A few days ago, Jessie had a little bit of diarrhea. I was told that pumpkin would do the trick. So I opened a can of pumpkin and gave her a dose every few hours and .. bingo .. she was cured. But then I had about a cup of left over pumpkin. I just had to do something. So I cut my regular recipe in half and made one loaf. I added a handful of craisins and yum. My FC and I have been snacking on this today and it is really really good! (Sorry Jessie about your problem, but thanks for the left over pumpkin.)

The tablecloth on my kitchen table was a birthday gift to me from my best friend. She was on vacation in the south of France in June. She brought this beautiful creation back for me. It is almost too nice to put on the table but then at my age, I've decided to use the good stuff. I'll just be really careful. (Thanks Susan.)

Checked off my wishlist.

2008-07-28T08:26:00.002-04:00

When I was a small child and lived in Ohio, our family vacation many times took us to Bear Lake Michigan. As an adult, I have thought about those vacations and how much fun I had with my sister and cousins. We always rented a cottage right on the lake. The water was shallow for a long way out and usually pretty warm by mid-summer. You could see through the clear water to the white sandy bottom and watch minnows flitting in every direction.

So when I tried to think of places that I would love to see one more time, I thought of Bear Lake. It is still the tiny town that it was, almost like time stood still. Most times "going back" is such a disappointment because things have changed so much. I had a vision in my mind of what I remembered and I was apprehensive that my "child's" memory was not accurate. But as it turned out, I was absolutely thrilled to find my memory was "spot on" and the little town of Bear Lake was the same. We really had a very nice stay

Michigan in June

2008-07-27T12:04:00.002-04:00

After spending a day or two in the Detroit area, we drove over to the coast of Lake Michigan. I haven't been there since I was a child but it hadn't changed at all. The lighthouse was an unexpected surprise. We tend to take the path less traveled and ended up on the B15 somewhere between Rothbury and Pentwater. We happened upon the lighthouse and stayed long enough to take a walk on the beach and climb some of the sand dunes. It was great fun and we worked up an appetite for lunch.

The stairs at Arcadia lookout must have been replaced several time over the last 55 years since I have been to Lake Michigan but I think there are as many. I remember as a young child climbing these stairs and looking out over the water as my FC and I did that early morning. It was silent. It was a cool morning and the birds were loving it. We watched them float on the thermals for a while before venturing on to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore.

A picture hardly captures the immenseness of these dunes. It may take you five minutes to reach the bottom but would most likely take you 2 hours to come back up. They are almost vertical. Needless to say, we didn't make that trip. But we did see some younger and more fit struggling to make it back to the top. Three steps and rest, two steps and rest.

The Ford Museum

2008-07-26T09:30:00.002-04:00

The Ford Museum in Dearborn was on our things to do list while we were in Michigan. It was a fun place to visit. I think I liked the trains the best. They had everything from the smallest streetcar to a workhorse of a train that must have been two stories tall. Some of the very first "RV's" were on display along with the camping equipment of that era. There were planes, motorcycles, and some of the coolest looking prototypes I've seen. Then ..... there was the chocolate display. Everything you can imagine made of chocolate or drenched with chocolate. It was rich and dark and probably 1000 calories so my FC and I shared a fresh strawberries and white chocolate chips smothered in melted dark chocolate and mushed into a waffle cone. Oh wow! I can almost taste it now. The cars were beautiful. My FC dearly loved the red 400 GT racing car. I loved the big yellow ??? (I have forgotten what it is). I can just see myself driving this huge wonderful car.

After spending a couple of hours at the museum we took the bus trip to the Rouge assembly plant. It was amazing. Every step of the production line was like a choreographed dance. We had a really good time and it was well worth the walking for hours and getting lost in Detroit. That night we were so tired that we ate a light dinner and went to bed very early.

Unbearable heat ....

2008-07-25T15:13:00.002-04:00

and humidity. Now I'm beginning to wish that we were still in Ohio or Michigan. The heat has a way of making you completely exhausted just walking to the mailbox.

The weather was really nice in Ohio mid-June. On the day of the wedding, we were able to make a trip to the cemetery and put some flowers on my mom and dad's grave. It was flag day and the entire entrance was lined on both sides by big full sized flags. It was gray and cloudy and a wee bit misty. Sort of how I was feeling that day. I hadn't been back to Ohio since last summer when we had a small service at the cemetery to bury my mom and dad's ashes. The marker wasn't placed until late last fall. So this was the first time I'd seen it. We had a few "misty" moments and then tried to get into a wedding frame of mind.

The happy couple is my cousin's daughter and her FC. My cousin's son is standing to the right of the groom. He has been in Iraq for the last couple of years but was able to come to the wedding and will be home for a while now. The wedding was beautiful and lasted long into the night. Everyone had a wonderful time. I don't get to see my Aunt and my cousins often enough and I really wish I lived closer to them.

Not the least be camera shy.

2008-07-21T11:13:00.002-04:00

Jessie Rose is such a clown. When she sees the camera, I only have a second to take a picture before she is on top of me. It didn't help that I was trying to take a picture during her 7 p.m. crazies. For some reason, each evening, she begins a wild and crazy performance. She spins around on her LLBean bed and then jumps up and runs head first into her beanbag. The cats scatter when she starts this and any toys left on the floor are likely to be shot into kitchen when she grabs one, shakes it and lets it fling. After a few minutes of this, she will calmly walk away from the beanbag, go get a drink of water, come back to the living room and plop down for a snooze. She is so funny and we have to just put our books down and watch her.

This morning we were up early to go for a 2 mile hike with Jessie. It was already very hot and humid and I'm glad that I'm now in for the day. The air conditioning feels good. Jessie will get a bath to cool her off. I'm seriously considering getting her a plastic pool to splash around in. Her experience with water so far has been comical. The first time she walked in water she just stood and looked at her feet as though they were no longer a part of her. She kept lifting them and putting them down and looking at them through the water. When she was satisfied that her feet were not going to leave her body, she started slapping the water and then tried to bite the tiny waves that she made. So if I don't get her a pool soon, I think we will go up to the lake and see how she does with deeper water. We just have to stop by Overton's and get her a lifejacket first.

Newest Member of the Family!

2008-07-20T08:18:00.002-04:00

This is Annabelle "a.k.a. Annie". We got her a couple of days after we got home from Michigan. It is a dangerous thing to board a dog at our vet clinic. They very often have "drop-offs" early in the morning before anyone gets there. So this little doll was in a box at the door with 3 of her litter mates. And of course, when I went to pick up Jessie I get asked "you wouldn't happen to want a kitten would you?" Well this is the second time we have brought home a kitten when we have gone to pick up a boarded dog. Do you see a pattern here? So after she was tested for illnesses, we were able to go back and pick her up.

Annie has fit in so well and to our surprise, she actually has the best relationships with Jessie, who is now 37.5 pounds and Teddy "a.k.a. monster cat". Who would have thought that Teddy the trouble maker would cuddle her and lick her ears. He is so sweet to her. Jessie loves to have her right under her feet sort of in a "I'm guarding you" position. Annie also loves to snuggle with us. And she has a very loud purr. I think she is really liking it here and we are loving having her.

WOW ... LONG TIME NO WRITE!

2008-07-19T10:18:00.002-04:00

What an eventful spring. I know the last time I wrote we had just gotten a new puppy. I had forgotten how much time it takes to train a new puppy. Jessie is 5 months old now and really doing well. She has graduated from puppy kindergarten and was actually voted "most likely to succeed" in her class of 10 siblings. She will now have time to just grow and mature before she begins a "canine good citizen" class in January. When she receives her certificate from that, we are on our way to therapy dog training. She has lots of puppy energy now and it takes lots of time and energy on our part to provide her with the exercise that she needs.

I'd like to say that I've gotten lots done during the last couple of months but it isn't so. My FC has finally retired completely and we have been having so much fun just living in the moment. We've watched so many movies, read so many books, and planted a nice garden. We also took a trip to Ohio for a wedding and visited family while we were there. Then on to Michigan to spend a few day at Bear Lake. Such a nice trip. And Michigan has the best cherry pie in the world.

Well I hope that this little blurb will be the beginning of my blogging again. So.......... see you soon!

OUR BABY IS HERE !

2008-04-04T17:32:00.003-04:00

This is our new puppy Jessie. We picked her up early this morning. She was born on February 17 and weighed 8 ounces. Now she is 7 weeks old and weighs 6 pounds and 8 ounces. Jessie is going to be a therapy dog. I've already got her official patches to go on the vest I'm making for her. She is going to grow so much in the next few months that I will continue to make her vests until she is full grown and then she'll get her "professional" vest along with her certification. She has really done well today with adjusting to life without her 10 siblings. Now she only has 3 kitties to play with. Teddy thinks she's pretty nifty but Sunny and Daisy aren't very impressed. She is just the cutest, sweetest, cuddliest, ball of fur. We love her to pieces.

1 down ..... 203 to go!

2008-03-28T09:08:00.004-04:00

Seriously, 203!!! I have done the math and my tablecloth will take 204 of the crocheted squares. I have also done the calendar and figured that if I crochet one square a day, every day, I will have my tablecloth done by October 17. Yes ... 2008. This really seems doable. And if I only do one a day, I won't have my fingers cramping up with holding the fine crochet thread. My sweet FC has made me a duplicate of the thread holder that I saw in a magazine. He's pretty talented that way. It's working out really nicely.

So the UFO I'm working on at the same time will be the camo socks that I'm making for my FC. I actually started them a loooooog time ago with the EZ percentages pattern. Well, I found out rather quickly, in fact it was when I got the heel flap done, right where I stopped, that I can't do percentages. I had it explained to me several times and I'm not going to ask again. My knitter friends think I'm a little ..... s-l-o-w on the uptake. So I looked until I found a pattern in my Charlene Schurch book that started with the same number of stitches and I will just "ease on over" to her pattern that spells it out for me. Now I hope to get these socks done over the summer along with a couple of other UFOs that I will be working on at the same time. Since we are putting away wool socks for the summer now, I will be happy just to have these done by September. They are the camo color from Lorna's Laces sock yarn. Really pretty but going slowly on size 0 needles.

Both of these projects will be easy to carry along with me to whip out a few stitches if I have a moment.

Oh.... so nice!

2008-03-25T14:10:00.003-04:00

A few years ago, I picked up some very nice homemade soap while I was doing the NH Wool Arts Tour. Since then I have twice ordered more soap. I just absolutely love this stuff. There are several varieties available but the one that is perfect for me is the Sweet Orange and Chamomile Flowers bar. I use this at the sink and in the shower. Such a nice clean fragrance and the suds are wonderful. No allergic reactions here. They use all natural ingredients. So if you are looking for some really special soap for yourself or for a gift, stop by the tent at the Fiber Studio in Henniker during the NH Wool Arts Tour this fall. If you just can't wait or can't make it to NH this fall, just give the Kiley's an e-mail at www.grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com They really know how to make terrific soap.

Happy Birthday Rowen

2008-03-18T15:49:00.005-04:00

I just got my granddaughter's finger puppets done and I will be putting them into the mail tomorrow. I've made a "mini" felted purse with fun fur around the top for her to keep them in. The purse is just her size. These puppets were easy, fun and fast to make. The pattern can be found at Knitty.

This could take a while.

2008-03-17T11:26:00.003-04:00

I mentioned earlier this month that since it was "Crochet Month" that I would be finishing up the afghan and starting a new crochet project. Well ...... I ordered my thread (19 balls of it), have the pattern, and have tried two prototypes to see what size hook I should use. The first one with the Bates hook in size 7 was 1/2 inch too big. The second one with the Boye hook size 6 was about the same size. My sister made me realize that I was going the wrong directions for hook size so she lent me her size 8 and 9 hooks to see if I can get a 4 inch square. I'm going to give it a try today. But isn't it interesting that different manufactured hooks give different sizes. I didn't even finish the second prototype because I could tell it was the same size as the first. Isn't the tablecloth pretty? I haven't done the math yet to find out how many of those 4 inch squares I will need. I don't want to know until I've got the first row of squares done. I hate to make any predictions but I really do hope to have this tablecloth done for Thanksgiving or if not, then Christmas. Okay. So here is the big question. Do you think I'm totally nuts to want to get such a big project done this year? Go ahead. Hit me with your best comment.

All is said and done!

2008-03-16T14:58:00.003-04:00

The "I do's have been said and now I have a new brother-in-law. The afghan was our gift to the happy couple and I finished it on Thursday a day and a half ahead of schedule. This is how it looks with the added border. I like the way it turned out. Congratulations Debbie and Glenn. Now our traveling is done for a little while and I hope to make great progress on my UFO's starting tomorrow.

It's in the mail.

2008-03-15T10:10:00.004-04:00

I finished my grandson's robe. He picked a "Snoopy" fleece print. It really turned out cute. Since my grandkids are home schooled, they have "Friday in PJ's" for school. All the boys like to wear their robes. Now Quinn will have his new robe for next Friday. It is amazing how fun it is to sew with fleece. I have found that Hancock fabrics has the biggest and best selection of fleece and it seems they are always running some type of sale on it. Next year, all grandkids will have fleece jammies. For the boys, I'll just have to make the bottoms. They like to wear T-shirts with jammie bottoms. For sweet Rowen, she will have top and bottom and maybe even a sleepshirt. OOOOh. That sounds nice. Maybe I'll make myself one also.

Nothing fancy.

2008-03-13T09:21:00.004-04:00

It is almost time to put away the wool socks. In the summer, I hardly ever wear shoes around the house and most often wear sandles when I go out. So I decided to take a picture right after getting them all washed and before they go into my bottom drawer for the summer. There are a few pair that I made for gifts and my only memory of them is the little bit of left over yarn. These I've made over the last few years. Back row left to right, Kroy, Rowan, Kroy, ??, Regia, Sockotta, ??. Front row left to right, Opal, Fortissama, ??, Opal, Silja, Lion Brand. All are pretty simply knit. This year I plan to start making some lacy socks and maybe even some cables. AND I WILL make a pair of toe up socks.

Hurry...... still time!

2008-03-13T08:49:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to mention that there are two contests out there that haven't ended yet. Take a look at spinknitup.blogspot.com or enchantedyarnandfiber.blogspot.com. Both places have wonderful prizes and are really great blogs. Good luck.

Where does your cat sleep???

2008-03-12T16:51:00.004-04:00

Mine sleeps anywhere he wants to. This is Teddy. He does what he wants to do ... when he wants to do it. Non-stop! Sometimes we call him Rapid Roy because all we see is a golden blur go by. Other times we call him No No Teddy Stop That. He loves gravity and nothing on any flat surface (except the floor) is safe from him pushing it over the edge. But isn't he cute. He really can drive you nuts and then love you to pieces.

Daisy has picked a winner.

2008-03-08T08:57:00.003-05:00

I knew Daisy could do this. After a sojourn on the porch to listen to the happy birds (it rained all night) and a piece of waffle as a treat, Daisy was ready to select a winner. After scattering the names from a pile, she flipped one up in the air and smacked it to the floor. And that name was jstfrnds8.

Thanks everyone for visiting my site. I have bookmarked so many new blogs and I know that I'll enjoy reading them. Thanks Opal, Rachel and Aunt Kathy for helping me get my contest noticed. And thanks to anyone else that passed along the information. This has been fun. I know that I will do it again.

Daisy, daisy give me your answer do!

2008-03-07T07:34:00.003-05:00

Daisy has been spending time looking out the window and contemplating how she is going to pick just one winner. She has been a little overwhelmed with the responsibility. I think, after a good night's sleep and a little extra in her food dish, she will be up to the challenge.

MARCH IS CROCHET MONTH?????

2008-03-06T09:38:00.003-05:00

Who knew?? Quite by accident, I have been crocheting an afghan for my SIL and her new FC. The colors are dark because I know that he will be using it more than she will. It needs to be done by March 15. I only have 8 more rows across and then will do a 5 row border all the way around. The border adds another 4 inches in each direction. Nice for a cold night. The yarn is from my stash and I am happy to use up about 8 skeins for this afghan. The bare spot on the shelf will be filled with some yarn from one of the bins. Eventually, I will get all my bins emptied and yarn will stare at me from all directions. Although it taunts me, I do like to know what I have so that I will continue to plan projects to use it up.

But .... I am starting on another crochet project this month and what better time to do it than in the designated "CROCHET MONTH". I'll post a picture of pattern and fiber in a day or so. Come back then and leave a comment on how CRAZY I am to ever think that I will accomplish such a project. One could hope to live so long.

Watermelon and Mango

2008-03-05T17:08:00.002-05:00

Whoa! I can't believe I actually got two pictures to upload. This is what I'm spinning. These colors are so yummy. I plan to spin the two colors separately and then ply them together. I'm hoping to get enough yarn for a nice hat and matching mittens. I think this is the "mixed roving" that I got at SAFF last fall from Kid Hollow Farm. If I spin all day tomorrow, I think I will be able to ply this over the weekend.

Well today was a productive day. I made two pots of soup and two loaves of bread. Now we have our choice of either split pea or lentil soup and we'll have nice homemade bread to go with it. I wish I could share this hot and hearty meal with all of you that are smothered in snow.

Our storm last night produced a lot of wind and rain. There were tornados in neighboring counties but we escaped again without any damage. The lights flickered many times but never went out. I was glad to finally go to bed a little after midnight knowing that the storm had passed and we were safe.

Spring is trying to get here.

2008-03-04T14:33:00.002-05:00

It is so warm today that it really has me wondering if spring is here. The daffodils are in bloom and so are many of the flowering trees. Right now we are waiting for an enormous thunderstorm to hit our area. Warnings of high winds and tornados are in effect. I'll be outside in a few minutes taking down all the wind chimes and collecting up all the things that aren't tied down. I have mixed feelings about about storms. We are in such a state of drought that any rain at all is really a blessing. But the storms also bring a lot of damage. We live under a lot of very large trees, I'm hoping that all of them will hang on to their branches. I had planned to do some sewing this afternoon but I think I will stick with non-electrical equipment and just get back to spinning. I certainly have plenty of that to do. Maybe I'll have some pictures of my spinning tomorrow.

TODAY IS THE DAY.......

2008-03-03T16:53:00.003-05:00

Finally, I was able to upload the picture of the shawl pin I'm giving away. It is a leap of faith every time I do this because I never seem to do the same thing twice yet somehow the picture magically appears on my blog.

So .... here are the particulars! This is a sterling silver shawl pin handcrafted by Leslie Wind. It comes with a yellow brocade pouch. You can see her beautiful jewelry both in 14k gold and sterling silver at www.lesliewind.com. All you have to do is make a comment on this post before midnight on Friday, March 7 and you may be the lucky person to receive this pin. On Saturday, my sweet kitty Daisy will choose a winner. Good luck everyone!

CATS ..... and clean sheets.

2008-02-09T20:39:00.000-05:00

What is it about making a bed, especially when putting on clean sheets, that attracts every cat in the house. They must have a keen ear for the stripping of a bed. Or do they sniff out the scent of clean sheets. Whatever it is, my cats are always right in the middle of bed making. I've tried to call their bluff and just make up the bed as though they weren't there, thinking that they would move when the blanket and quilt went on. Wrong! I just have a bed made up with a big lump in it. So today, instead of chasing cats, I let them have their afternoon nap on the bed and finished up later when they were having their dinner.

GOING TO THE RV SHOW

2008-02-08T10:32:00.000-05:00

Well, every year about this time our fairgrounds sponsors an RV show. We went a couple of years ago and believe me, I remember all the RVs. I don't really need to go see them again. But my FC is so determined to see the USA in an RV that every chance he gets, he tries to entice me. So I will go ....... and I will look ...... and I will keep an open mind. Wish me luck that an RV doesn't follow me home.

The felted bag........

..... it's just the right size for taking a small project in. I think it turned out really nice. What's not to like about Noro?

A LOT ACCOMPLISHED

2008-02-07T17:44:00.000-05:00

Prior to my "after Christmas" illness, I really got a lot done. I had hoped to take pictures of my gorgeous creations but somehow everything just seemed to slip away without being photographed. The Camo fleece did make a wonderful robe for Grandson Zane. He loved it and wouldn't take it off all day. The jammies were a little big on Rowen but still nice for this year and next. The Banner. Yes, it finally got the binding on it and it stills hangs in the dining room of my best friend. Since it says "Winter Blessings" I think it will be up until the first day of spring. And the curtains.....how can I forget the eight panels that fit so perfectly and gave my daughter's downstairs family room a warm rosy glow. PERFECT. It was good to get so much done.

So........ Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. Were you ready? Did you make all those "give-up" promises for lent? Did you make all those commitments to diet and exercise? Well, I did. Pretty basic. Less food, more exercise and try to be more productive. I'm off to a good start but then this is only day two.

The shawl I made while I was sick was one of those things that got away without a picture but I am going to take a picture of my finished Noro felted bag soon. It turned out really cute. Thanks Susan for the beautiful Noro yarn.

Now back to the spinning wheel to finish up some 50/50 kid mohair and border leicester. I'll have some pictures in a couple of days.

No way to start the year

2008-01-08T12:57:00.000-05:00

Last year, my faithful companion started the New Year with the flu. We made a speed trip home from our friends house where we had spent New Year's Eve so that we could get home before I came down with it. I never did get the flu for which I was grateful. This year, however, it was my turn. We made the same Christmas trip that included a stop at our friend's house. Two days after we got home I was hit with a nasty cold.

So here I sit (because if I stand up I'll be dizzy) and I'm not getting to any of the fiber room stuff that I had planned to work on. I wanted to make a long, and I do mean long, list of projects that live in my fiber room so that I could begin picking them off one at at time. Getting organized this year is really my top priority. So while the door to the fiber room is closed tight to keep the cats out, I have had a chance to start two new projects. I know, that isn't making any progress in getting already started projects done. But I just need to do something simple because the drugs just make me sleepy and I can't do anything complicated.

My good friend gave me three balls of Noro to make a felted bag. I have knit almost to the buttonholes. It's a very easy pattern. Also, I started a new prayer shawl for my church knitting group. It's a fun pattern and also very easy. If I fall asleep while knitting I won't have any problems picking up stitches or finding my place.

So, in a couple of days, I will be well and I will probably have a picture of a finished Noro felted bag and light and fluffy prayer shawl. And in a short while I will post a contest to win a beautiful sterling silver shawl pin. Is anyone interested?

A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!

2007-12-24T18:33:00.001-05:00

SABLE and the year 2012

2007-12-21T12:14:00.001-05:00

I've been told that S.A.B.L.E. means Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy. Well, if you knew what your life expectancy was, would you try to see if you could use up your stash??????

Well here it is. A new possibility for the end of the world. In case you haven't heard, five years from today, December 21, 2012, the world as we know it will end. Don't believe it? Just go to www.survive2012.com or type 2012 into your address line and you will find all kinds of information and hysteria.

So if you like to entertain those kind of thoughts, now would be a good time to take stock of your stash. Make a list of how many projects you have left to do and then divide by 5. That way, when the world ends, you will feel so much happier to know that you actually were able to use up your stash.

Of course, if the end of the world just doesn't happen, think how much fun it will be to go shopping for yarn, fabric and fleece on December 22. I, for one, will be saving for that little shopping spree. And in the meantime, it won't hurt to get all those UFOs out of the closet and get them finished.

Happy de-stashing!

TO DO LISTS .... !!!

2007-12-13T09:07:00.000-05:00

How many do you have? I have spent some time this morning finding all the "to do" lists that I have made over the last few weeks and I have more lists than I thought. It will take some time to combine them all and make one master list. At least some of the "to dos" have already been done and some are repeats of what is on another list. Hopefully, when I get those that are left onto one list, it won't be as long as my arm.

Today is going to be a very productive day. I have set aside the entire day to work on my knitting and quilting. The weather is starting to cool off and it is a gray day. Sort of the soft and quiet day that I like and makes me feel cozy to stay at home with a cup of tea and work on my projects. I'll also spend some time looking through my stash to decide what I'll do next. If I was a "good girl", I'd work on a UFO. But then I guess you would have to define "good" for me to take note of what that term might mean. Right now, "good" means doing what makes me happy. I like the sound of that. I think I'll get some fabric and make a banner to hang up ............. DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!

So today, let me encourage you to do at least one thing that makes you happy!

Grandpa got run over by a reindeer....

2007-12-11T15:49:00.001-05:00

Well......if you live in the country, it's very likely that one night you will collide with a deer. My sweetie was on his way home from work last week when a thump, smash, and crash interrupted his usually uneventful drive down dark country roads to our small town. He never saw it and apparently, it never saw him. After realizing what had happened and that he no longer had a side mirror, he turned around and went back to where he thought the accident might have occurred. No deer in the road, only a little broken glass from his mirror. Deer poo on the door will tell you how scared the deer was. Thankfully, my sweetie was able to stay on the road so the damage to the car was only the dents that the deer caused. At this point we are just hoping that she wasn't one of Santa's reindeer or we could be in deep doo doo for sure. And we thank the angels that were watching over my sweetie keeping him safe.

WRONG!!!!!

2007-12-10T17:53:00.000-05:00

Wow! Did I really think that I would be home by mid-afternoon from an eye appointment? I should have known better. Not only was the doctor's office quite a distance from home but the traffic between here and there was horrendous. I got home at 5:00 p.m. Needless to say, I didn't get the projects started. Would I have started them if I had gotten home mid-afternoon? NO! My eyes are dilated. My pupils are like saucers. I can't see anything clearly. I won't be using sharp scissors or a sewing machine until tomorrow. I love my fingers too much.

Now I just need someone to fix dinner. I'm not touching a hot stove either!!!

This week is sewing

2007-12-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

Today was a day with family and friends. Fun stuff. An afternoon party at my son's house and dinner here with friends. All went well and we had a terrific day.

Tomorrow, I begin two new projects. Eight curtains from the bolt of stripe fabric and a snowman banner from scraps and fat quarters. I also have appointments that will take me away from home until the middle of the afternoon so I really hope that I will still have energy left when I get home to get started on these projects. I'll let you know how it goes.

More Mittens....and stuff

2007-12-08T12:27:00.000-05:00

I have the last two pair of mittens done for Christmas. Now each of last year's hats will have a matching pair of mittens to go with it. Working with metal double pointed needles for the last couple of weeks has made me decide to replace them with wooden needles. I could really feel the cold on the fingers from the metal needles. Now, I'll be making some wrist warmers with "warmer" needles.

Today is the day we put up the Christmas tree. The cats are already trying to get into the box the tree is stored in. Last year, they were just kittens and keeping them out of the tree was nearly impossible. I was hoping that this year would be different. Time will tell. By this time tomorrow we will either have a beautifully decorated tree or a tree with cats in it. My dear little faithful companions......

Soaring Eagles

2007-12-07T07:58:00.000-05:00

I have finished and sent out my mittens for the Soaring Eagles Project. Hopefully, they will keep some little hands warm this winter.

Midnight at the oasis

2007-12-06T15:36:00.000-05:00

Well not exactly midnight....and....not exactly the oasis. But certainly the local watering hole for my three kitties. They absolutely love running water and will follow you down the hall hoping that you will turn on the water for them. It's always the same. Teddy barges in to be first and then Sunny follows. Daisy will wait until they are done and then, having the water all to herself, calmly drink her fill. Then I get to wipe paw prints off the vanity and water sprinkles off the mirror. Such fun critters, kitties are.

Time Bandits

2007-11-29T10:31:00.000-05:00

There was a movie called Time Bandits but I apply the term more to my everyday life. As the day moves on I realize that time bandits have been here and stolen part of my day. I know it is the bandits since the time just disappears and I don't have any recollection of where it went. Does anyone know of a way to stop these nasty little thieves?

Today is a day at home and I am still in my robe just feeling cozy and warm. I'm finishing up the last of my four pair of Christmas mittens and feel good about that. Since there are only about 25 more knitting days until Christmas, I will be very busy now. I do tend to leave way too much until the last minute. But then if the time bandits would stay away, I'm sure that I would get everything done in no time at all.

Two pair done, two pair to go.

2007-11-19T20:36:00.000-05:00

These are what I'm working on. I just started the third pair today and have gotten one cuff done. These are just like my grandmother made for me when I was young. The thumb is a gusset that comes out the side which is nice since you can wear the mitten on either hand. They are done on a size 4 dpn with worsted weight yarn. Since they will be sent to SC, I doubt if they will be worn a lot but they will be very welcome on the few days it gets cold. Can it really be just a little over a month until Christmas?

Stormy Day

2007-11-15T08:01:00.000-05:00

My favorite kind of day. It has gotten here slowly, moving in overnight with light sprinkles. Now the "big" rain is here with threats of lightning and thunder. I have always looked upon stormy, cloudy, gray, overcast days as being peaceful, quiet, and soothing. Those are three things I like to have in my life so a day like today is very welcome.

Gracie is here and getting comfortable in her surroundings. If we have thunder today, it will be a test. My sweet Maggie girl was terrified of thunder and only after she lost her hearing was she able to get through a storm without panic. I'm hoping that storms don't bother Gracie. There is so much to learn about a shelter dog. Not getting much information from her foster parent was a little unsettling but each day will give me more understanding as to what her strengths and weaknesses are. Right now, her strengths are in her good nature, gentleness towards my cats, and her loving personality. Her weaknesses are trying to sneak into the cats food bowls and looking very longingly at the backyard fence with visions of going over it in a single bound. Both are worrisome but time will tell if I can correct those bad habits.

Now the project for the day will be to see if I can get my fingers wrapped around my double point knitting needles and finish off a mitten I'm making. Then on to its mate. Wouldn't that be nice if I could get that done today?

Well, if gray days are not your thing, then I hope wherever you are you have sunshine.

Amazing Grace (Gracie)

2007-11-07T10:54:00.000-05:00

Faithful companions do not come and go. They come and stay forever. When they have to leave this world, they stay faithfully in our hearts. Forever.

I am desperately hoping that a little dog named Gracie will be my next faithful companion. I will know in the next day or two if she will be coming to live with me. In the meantime, I plan in my mind the 8 hour round-trip journey to her foster home and try to imagine how she will adapt to her new surroundings that will include three cats. I think she will like it here.