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Knuts About Knitting

Wednesday & Thursday were spent in the company of 2 beautiful, wise, wonderful (and just wee bit wacky) women:

This was the second of our knitterly get togethers and we  showing off what we had done, helping each other through difficulties and questions, along with knitting and making up.

Aunt Marilyn worked on her children's sweaters and hats and Log Cabin Afghan:

(Double click on any photo to enlarge)

Note the lovely ruffles on sweater and hat #1 and the fun motorcycle on sweater #4 above.  Last photo is the beginning of her Moderne Log Cabin.

 

Linda was hard at work on sewing up her afghan blocks that were her very first attempt at knitting, along with a hat:

Aunt Marilyn showed Linda how to crochet the blocks together and she caught on quickly - I just cannot crochet.

And I showed off my Minimalist Cardigan and Bee Socks and one of the Bubble Wrap Socks:
 

Aunt Marilyn kindly gave me some red yarn she had in stash, so I started a dragon scarf to send to an organization that gifts red scarves on Valentine's Day to young people who have aged out of foster care.  Follow that with the start of a sock cuff done in Linen Stitch (for my sister for Christmas - not a surprise) and the cuff of 2 socks.  (I think I see a bit of a lack of faithfulness to one project for myself).

Aunt Marilyn snuck this pillow in my suitcase after I admired it.  She is a gem!

Friends. Fun. Food.

Saturday I headed East to join some friends from ATT to celebrate our friend Mary and her achievement of 35 years working there.  The day started at Tami's house for breakfast (well, actually the day started prior to that as Tami's husband Rick drove to pick up Linda in his shiny new (to him) Corvette).  Tami is a wonderful cook and her house is always lovely and clean (must be no animals).  After breakfast we headed to Milaeger's to start the shopping.  Milaeger's has a bit of everything home & garden.  Christmas was in full appearance with many decorated trees and other decorations.  They also sell clothes, shoes, coffee, and even living plants!  Mary lucked out and found some Polish made tree ornaments, and the rest of us managed to find something (I got a mitten cookie cutter).

Tami took us the back way to avoid all the Interstate reconstruction and so we stopped at Bed, Bath & Beyond and a big box craft store that may not be named-but one neither Mary nor I had been before.  I resisted the sock yarn, but once again all came away with a package.  Mary makes cards for the troops and we lucked on a couple appropriate stamps.

All the way down this road Tami kept talking about the Jelly Belly Factory.  No one seemed interested and she was willing to let it go, especially when she thought she had the wrong road.  But, lo and behold, she was right and so we visited the store (but no tour):

They had Halloween candy 75% so I dug (with the scoop, of course) to find those little corn shaped and maple flavored decor pieces for cupcakes for Thanksgiving.  My mom had the most yummy carmel frosting recipe, so think will be part of Thanksgiving dinner.

And finally we made it to the Outlet Mall- it was jam packed with people.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day out and we got to enjoy some of the weather going from store to store.  No large purchases were made (and no heavy Le Creuset cookware ones either), but we all did our bit to help the economy.

Last we headed for The Chancery.  For four women all above the age of AARP, by whom no alcohol was consumed, a good time was had by all.  We enjoyed several appetizers-including a Nacho Cocktail (closest we came to an actual cocktail-was served in a large martini glass), soup or salad and entre's.  Last, but certainly not least was dessert and coffee.

Thank you Mary for sharing your day with us.  Here's hoping, not for another 35, but for you to keep a job as long as you want.

P.S. Thanks for breakfast and for driving Tami - you always do such a great job.

Favorite Way to Start the Day

I am sitting with my cup of coffee (Mt. Meru Select), fire is on, dogs by my side and a view out the windows of the alpaca grazing in the field.

Bob has been working on increasing their shelter area, but each morning I get up and some are out in the lying (laying) in the field.  Maybe it is the fact they like the colder weather, or maybe it's the pregnancy hormones kicking in, but they like this weather.  The herd addition seems to be getting along with those who have been here for the last year, but then most knew each other from Colina del Carl.  It is amazing how curious they are.  In order to work things Bob has to open or move a fence panel and they are right there to check things over. 

For those of you who don't know, alpaca choose a spot or two as a communal toilet (not like dogs, cows, chickens who go anywhere).  Just like women everywhere, they line up to take their turn.  So, this, too is what I am watching this morning.  And what we get is alpaca beans, as their waste looks very similar to coffee beans.

And so this post has come full circle, bean to bean.

And then there were Twelve!

Saturday we had an addition to our family:

Deenie, Maud, Molly, Penny, Dorothy

And so we bring you another fun stamping weekend

Friends from the Chicago area and from down the road and from my own family gather twice a year in WI to visit and stamp.  We originally met at Lutherdale Bible Camp where there was an actual Stamp Camp, but we have created our own little Shangrila. 

Sue has always been part of the camp experience- each time we met her at Lutherdale she brought a different friend along:

One of Sue's friends who has become part of our happy stamper band is Marjie:

Next we have Bev from Concord (down the road, whose home these photos were taken at):

Ann has been my stamping partner (in crime) for many years:

And, then there is me (with my ever trusty cup of coffee):

I believe everyone accomplished at least some of their list: Sue was in a bird mode, stamping cards with 4 little birds, pheasants and a chicken; Marjie was preparing to sell some of her cards at several fairs-she made Asian themed sets and has photo stationary made from her own lovely photos; Bev worked on replacing her stash; Ann made her Thanksgiving cards, designed her Christmas cards, as well as a some fun, bejeweled cards; I worked on my calendars-every year I make a set of 12 stamped images to give as gifts (when they are complete I will post them).

What a fun time!  Thanks friends!

Glad we got that extra hour of sleep though with the end of Daylight savings time.  I have managed to get all the sheets and towels washed since they have left, as well as my usual chicken chores.  Now am continuing some stamping - it's good to have a goal and only 8 weeks until Christmas!

 

The Good. The Bad. The Blahs.

Twenty six years ago today, on a warm, sunny afternoon, Bob & I were married in our home in Madison.  The bride, being ever a trendsetter, wore a cream dress with black trim, black hose & shoes.  The groom wore a suit.  In attendance were family and friends.  The bride's wedding ring was a lovely sapphire surrounded with diamond  purchased at the local Buy & Sell shop (when the prongs on this ring broke a common-law divorce was declared by the wife and a new ring was quickly purchased by the husband).  The wedding was followed by a brief reception in the basement of the couple's home.  The following day the happy couple hosted a birthday party for the groom's son, given they chose to marry on his birthday.

We have had our share of good years, bad years and blah years.  Somehow we have managed to find enough common ground and common sense to stay together. 

In 1996 my parents sent us an anniversary card :

Inside: And, yes, you can send this card back to us on our anniversary if you want to.

So, since then it has become our tradition to do just that (send the back and forth).  Unfortunately Mom didn't make their 60th anniversary, but I think I will take the card along today when I visit Dad and we can read all the notes we have written each other over the years. 

Happy Anniversary Bob!

 

Glad to have you home again.

And Happy Birthday Cory!

Wet Wisconsin Wednesday

WELL

It is Wet out.

I'm in Wisconsin.

And, today is Wednesday.

Lucky me, it is also my day off.  My plan was to bake bread, cookies, clean, etc.  But it is already 9am and none of the above have been done. 

The chickens have been released from their house.  More and more of the new girls are roosting up top, so they come flying out when the door is opened.  Don't get in their way-they weigh somewhere around 4 pounds, so would be a shock to have one hit you.  No peewee eggs yet (at least not in the nest boxes), but still a little early for them. 

The alpaca have not been near the house yet today.  Perhaps the rain is keeping them near their shelter. 

So, while I try to get some motivation going, here's what's out the window today:

Sisters Forever! Friends for 30 Years

Well maybe we have been friends for a bit more than that, but trust me, Ann and I were not sweet, loving siblings.  But over the last few decades we have achieved sisterly nirvana. I feel for anyone who doesn't have a sister or who isn't close to their sister.  We know that in the end the only family we will have at the end will be each other.  All that to lead up to :

What a wonderful weekend the two of us had!

Bob is still on his Florida motorcycling adventure, so was the two of us had sisterness.  The weekend started Friday night with lovely Panera soup and watching Monk & Psych.  Saturday after breakfast (we shared cream filled coffeecake (I bought a small one at the Pig which wasn't as good as the ones from Grebe's-lesson learned)) we moved to the basement where I worked on tidying up and Ann worked on some paper-crafting.  Then Saturday evening we headed to the Wells Street Tavern(where I had my retirement dinner) for an early supper.  The place has changed hands, and while the food was OK, was not as good as a year ago (good thing I lost my job and had my party then-right?!).  After getting us a bit lost, we managed to get to Alverno College for the Judy Collins Concert.  Ann had seen her in concert twice before, including in Toronto, but was a first for me.  We figured out she turned 70 this year yet she still has in incredible voice.  Now I was a mere child when she started her career, but, I remember her music and she sang some old and some new songs. 

We (tried) to sleep in a bit Sunday (Agate and Obie didn't start in until about 7-thank you).  Ann had bought us some MP3 players through Scholastic Books, and I had figured out how to download music and Bob had figured out how to actually listen to it (how many AARP members does it take to get this new technology to work), so we downloaded a bunch of CDs and then uploaded them to her player.  While music was magically moving through space we worked on her knitted bags.  Somehow I forgot to include a vital piece of instructions for finishing, so only fair I help her out.  I tuned on the Packer game only enough to know they were going to win and then we put in a DVD "Love Actually."  Christmas is 10 weeks off, but this is a feel good movie with great music. After Ann headed home I tried to stay up and watch "The Occupation" on BBC America, but since it was 4 hours long, I taped it for future viewing.  The actor, James Nesbitt is a favorite of mine, and glad to have him back on TV.  He's usually in dark, serious roles, so know I have to be in the right frame of reference to watch this. 

So, thanks Ann for being my friend and being such a good sister.

Sweet Sweater

We are expecting an addition to the family. 

On my mother's side. 

This is a big deal since we have been relatively non reproductive. 

The little girl, about to be born, will be my first cousin twice removed, if I understand these things correctly.  She will be my first cousin's daughters daughter.  My memory being what it is I think this is the second baby since the cousins once removed were born-30 something? years ago.

To celebrate this auspicious occasion I knit this wee sweater.

Ann knit a dress and a blanket and---.  I didn't want to appear a slacker, so worked up this little number.  Wish the buttons showed up better as they really are perfecto, playing up the blue-green.  Amy is not about the pink and this is not traditional baby blue, so figured was an OK choice.

Best news for me is I finished and sent it off before the birth! 

10th Circle of Hell

According to Dante's Inferno there are 9 Circles of Hell.  Unfortunately, I believe I have found a 10th.  Now it could be that I am in the 3rd Circle of Hell- Gluttony, or the 4th Circle of Hell-Avarice, but I fear a new circle has been created just for me- stuck in the grocery aisles until I find everything on my list.

The other day I went to our local big box grocery, Pick 'n Save, and came home without- pint size freezer Ziploc bags, Campbells South-west style Chicken Vegetable soup, and without Pumpkin Spice Creamer.

When I was checking out the cashier asks, "Did you find everything OK?" 

Why do they ask?  No one cares.  I even spoke with a manager once about what I can't find and was told this is what corporate sends.  So stop irritating me with the pointless question.  Please.

Saturday I had to do some running (and rerunning and running again-GRR!) and stopped at the Piggly-Wiggly.  No soup.  No Pumpkin Spice Creamer.  And the pint size Ziploc bags-yes, they had them, but---  I had to ask someone where, oh, where they keep the plastic bags.  "In the aisle with the cereal."  HUH?!  There's an aisle with paper goods-towels, tissues, etc. and food.  There's an aisle with household cleaning products- and food.  And plastic wrap, bags, etc. in with the cereal.  In what leap of logic does that make sense.  The mothers of the world carry cereal in little baggies for their babies, so put them in the same aisle? 

Pray for me.  Or maybe just light your stove and cook something fun.