Vacation . . . knitting . . . Learning how to block

Finally, we have returned. It has been a wonderful vacation. Beautiful weather (actually, mostly hot weather). We were in Collingwood, Ontario. There were only two days that it rained during the day. On the first week, it rained on Thursday afternoon (around 4:00) and on July 1, Canada Day, it rained and was cool in the morning but was about 75 degrees by 1:00 p.m. and the sun was shining. In fact, it was soooooo nice so much of the time by Tuesday evening (July 1), I told Dave that I would really like a day that was gloomy and rainy so that we couldn't go swimming or practice our putting or play on the playground or shuffleboard. So he said, tomorrow you can pretend. So Wednesday, I stayed in all day (I did put a beer bottle in the recycle bin which was right outside the front door . . . but I'm not counting that).

Anyway, I did manage to finish some lacy stuff . . . I also have a bowl mostly finished and ready for felting . . . and I finished the clutch which needs to be sewn up and felted . . .

When we got home on Saturday, we unpacked and sat on the back porch sharing some brews with Cortney's parents. (Cortney is Lindsey's friend who went on vacation with us).

Yesterday, Lindsey and I went shopping for fabric so she could sew up a bag. We spent HOURS in Joann's. Lindsey is very artsy and saw a bag in Canada that she really really wanted and "Gee, MOM, what a deal, it is only $75!" It was nothing. A square tote with 4" quilted squares and the whole thing was absolutely nothing to write home about. So we bought quilting fabric (in various shades of blue), a Vogue pattern (regularly $20 on sale for $3.00). I also bought mucho other things (they had Debbie Munn yarn regularly $5.99 on sale for $2.00) and another pattern for me (regularly $15 on sale for $2.00). The store is doing inventory today and they always have great sales before inventory.

When we got home, I cut Zachariah's hair, plopped him in the tub, cut Lindsey's squares and started blocking the lace. Zachariah wanted to help . . . and here he is learning how to block knitting . . . he kept dropping the ruler and finally informed me that if he keeps everything lined up with the lines on the mat, he doesn't need a ruler, thank you very much.

some other time I will post the photos of the vacation! It really was great fun and very relaxing.

Pics not to be shared

So, the colonoscopy was Friday. Piece of cake. The prep is worse than the procedure. I eat lots of vegetables (shouldn't be fat for the amount of veggies I eat) and couldn't eat any for three days, nor grains or fiber. Bah humbug and all that sort of stuff. Then had to drink that liquid torture. It didn't taste bad but after the first 24 ounces, it gets really kind of icky.
I got to watch the whole thing on the screen since they didn't knock me out. The doc gave me pics of my colon. Very weird. I have filed them away and will not share!
Seriously though, I'm laying there watching my colon scroll by and thinking "gee, I wonder, when he was 7 and his teacher asked him 'Ben, what do you want to be when you grow up?'," how he responded. I should have asked him.
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Saturday I spent organizing my non-yarn crafty stuff. Paper and stamps and such.
I also set up my sewing machine and hemmed a pair of Dave's trousers for school. Every summer I can convince him to do one day at an outlet store where he buys six pairs of Haggar dress pants in a variety of colors. He really liked the one pair but they only had it with a cuff on it. I hemmed them for him. The cost (besides the time involved) is that I bought a new sewing machine! LOL.

Huskystar E20 by Husqvarna Vikeing. It is a simple machine and was $100 off at Joann's. I only need a straight and a hemming stitch. Of course, since it is a new thing, I also "finished" the inside hem with a overcast stitch . . . you know, because I could!

I used to do tons of sewing. I don't (at least right now). I mostly hem (happens a lot when your 21 year old is only 4'10") . . . and you know I'm a friggin giant at 5'1"!! I just don't like making clothes for me . . . I don't like buying clothes for me either but it is basically the same problem in that my butt is bigger than I think it is and I find it horribly depressing to discover that most patterns have to come from Omar the Tentmaker.

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My diploma arrived from CSU. I am officially a graduate of the MBA program.

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On Sunday, after Mass and lunch, I tackled the shelves on my desk at home. Took everything off and then spent the next four hours putting everything back. I threw out all my papers from college. I guess I was waiting for the last diploma before I started tossing. It felt good and the desk and work area looks good.

Now if I can only keep everyone from dumping their stuff on the desk.

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I did do a tad bit of knitting on the MS3 stole. I was getting rather sleepy and think I'll have to go back and look it over before I continue. I've gotten enough done on it that I've had to upgrade it to a larger tote.