Whoduknit Halloween Swap

This week was rather hideous.  My son had the flu.   I was scheduled for my mammogram, which I slept through . . . not the mammogram but the appointment.  My van stopped working (something with the computer which is fortunate since it only cost $158 rather than another $1,100 which I spent on it two weeks ago . . . oh, and the air-conditioning still doesn't work). 

But, today, I came into work.  And found this on my desk:

It is my package from Claire, my Whoduknit Trick or Treat Swap person.  It is totally awesome and you wouldn't believe the great stuff she jammed into this box and, frankly, these pictures don't do her justice:

The beautiful varigated yarn on the right is Plymouth Yarn Mushishi (95% wool, 5% silk) and, yes, it is as big as it looks with a whopping 491 yards.  I'm thinking about just drapping it around my neck.  It is luscious!

There was also a pattern from Plymouth Yarn using the Mushishi and will make fingerless Gloves, leggings and hat.  Along with the knitting needles to use to make it (Clover bamboo cables)

The other skein of brown yarn is 217 yards of Berroco Vintage wool.  It is very soft and warm and the color is more like a dark chocolate.  There was a book of patterns to use the Vintage wool . . . and the right size knitting needles to make any of the hats in the book.

There were also two crochet magazines

I have already identified a couple of things I want to make from each . . . Did you know that you could crochet socks?!?!?!?!?  Woo hoo!

There is also a book called "Caterd Halloween" by Isis Crawford and last, but not least, FIVE Heath Bars.  I will pace myself and make them last at least through Halloween . . . I promise, maybe!

Whoduknit - Trick or Treat Swap Package

These pics really don't do this package justice. My package came from Barbara. It is fabulous. It included two books, Kay Hooper's If there be Dragons and Greg Iles' Third Degree.

Two skeins of Patons' Kroy Sock stripes in great browns, oranges (more burnished oranges than orange orange) and black, along with a patter for the Old Shale Smoke Ring.

It also included a bat washcloth (and your knitting is incredibly neat and precise), a knitted bookmark, two packets of M&M limited editions (razzberry and wild cherry), a package of limited edition Margarita Jello, along with a handful of dumdum suckers. The package also included halloween socks that make noise (gee should I wear them on the plane coming back from DC on Halloween?).

And, this is great, a loaf of bread. A wonderfully beautiful loaf of bread. We are going to be having it with dinner tonight. We would have had it last evening but by the time I got home, my hubby had already made dinner (hash, eggs and toast).

Thanks so much Barbara. This was an incredible package.

It is Fall in Cleveland

Besides the fact that the temperature has plummeted (31 degrees this morning), all the leaves on the trees are turning. This pic is what the clouds and such looked like out my front room window yesterday morning.

Zachariah and I drove through our local park system yesterday to admire all the trees. I had meant to bring my camera but forgot it.

This was the weekend of Lindsey's homecoming.

Jim is a very nice young man. As Lindsey's says he is kind of nerdy . . . just perfect for me. They had a great time both at the restaurant and at the dance. Jim said that her homecoming was much more fun than his and he was really glad that she had invited him.

They went to Macaroni Grill for dinner. The parents sat at a different table (ahhh, Freshmen . . . they still need their parents to drive them EVERYWHERE).

While they were at the dance, I spent the evening at my sister's house visiting with her and her husband. Her husband had been seriously injured in a fall in his shower in early June. He is doing incredibly well considering that the doctors initially didn't think that he was going to survive.

After the running around on Saturday and Sunday, we carved pumpkins Sunday afternoon. Here are Lindsey and Zachariah, elbow deep.

Right now, that is all I've got.