criminy

Is criminy a word?  Hmm.  Anyway, it has been crazy busy.  Work.  Kids.  School (their's not mine . . . thank God, I am done with that, although the idea of getting a Ph.d is attractive . . . then I could be Dr. Mom).  I think I should probably pay off my student loans from the Masters first.

Good news.  Dave has a job in a public school which pays more than in the parochial school where he was previously.  Plus, he is out from under the thumb of the . . . well, you know.  It does pay better but he is starting over again.  On the upside, I can get him and the kids off of my health program and onto his, which will save me a bundle.  I have to stay on mine because his has a spousal exclusion clause.  But, right now I am paying $575/month for our medical premium and mine will be reduced to $200/month unless I change plans.  I could get it down to $90/month by changing plans.  His for the family is $30/month and includes eye and basic dental.  Plus, his out of pockets expenses are substantially lower than mine ($5/$10 for one month at a pharmacy and $15/$30 for three months through mail in service).  My pharmacy is $35/$70 for mail in.  Plus he can get additional life insurance for a couple of bucks per month through age 70. 

Anyway, the whole thing is really a grand thing and I have to say we are lucky and blessed!

knitting and vacation

I drive to the park and ride and take the bus to work.  I drive our van to the park and ride and take the bus to work.  The park and ride is five minutes from my home.  I don't turn the a/c on because in the morning I don't need it and in the evening, it is only five minutes and I roll down the windows and open the air vents and by the time the a/c would be up and running, I've parked the car in my driveway. 

So about three weeks before we are scheduled to leave for vacation, my husband says that we should have the van checked out and have I run the a/c.  So, off to Sears I go.  The a/c compressor (?) isn't cycling so they cannot test the a/c and I need to take it back to the dealer.  Sears didn't charge me for that wisdom, not even a service charge. 

The very first appointment I can get at the dealer is the Monday before we are leaving (we left on a Thursday for Orlando).  The dealer calls around 10:00 a.m.  First of all, for them to look at it, the cost was $95.  They call back and hour or so later.  The lines for the a/c need to be replaced and there are a couple of issues with that:

1. They won't have the parts probably until Thursday or Friday and maybe not until next week.
2. They aren't sure that it will be the final solution but just a starting point.
3. The cost for running new lines is $1,245 + tax, but they will apply the $95 service charge to that
4. The design of the van (now you have to understand, I was "hot" for this van.  It had stow and go, it had auto windows, driver side doors and an auto hatch lift thing (all important considering that I am 5'), it is a Chrysler Town & Country extended whatever and it cost a pretty penny when we bought it new in 2005 . . . it also only has 60,000 miles on it and that is only because we have done things like drive to California and back (9,000 miles), to Florida (2,100 miles) and to upper Canada (1,500 miles).  Anyway, back to the van design, the tech said to me (and I quote):  "The van wasn't designed to withstand Ohio winters."  Excuse me . . . I bought the stupid thing in OHIO.  You dolts. 
5. And, just for the fun of it, the final payment for the van was made in July.  Yep, two days before the service call.  Go figure.

Anyway, so given our options and the fact that I told them that I wasn't going to be paying $1,245+tax for something that may not work and may not be done in a timely manner, we decided to drive our Kia Rio to Florida.  Yep.  We went from a mini-van with stow and go to a small sedan.  We had to seriously downsize the amount of "stuff" we were taking.  In many respects, it wasn't a bad thing.  Our entire gas bill for driving to/from Florida was $132.  In the van, it would have been closer to $300. 

But, I had to downsize the amount of knitting I was going to take.  I have this very nice, boxy zipper bag that fit between Zachariah and I in the back seat (and yes, I sat in the back, Lindsey sat in the front and it was a design to keep me sane!).  But I had to rethink what knitting I was going to take.  My sister had just spun me some wonderful alpaca/silk/wool blend stuff and I took it and A scarf pattern.  I brought the buffalo to make Kyle's socks.  I have enough to do the feet in the buffalo and do the cuffs in wool, which I also brought, along with a toe-up pattern.  And I brought one skein of peaches and creme cotton and a pattern.  and a variety of needles etc.

Does anyone see the problem here?  One scarf pattern.  One sock pattern.  One cloth pattern.  I have nothing done.  Did I bring a scarf pattern that I had done before?  No.  I brought a new one, which I have decided is rift with errors.  I got it from my sister (actually ripped it out of her magazine and will have to wait to see if there are fixes for it in this month's magazine).  ALL the way to Florida, I putzed with the stupid pattern.  I ripped it out. 

Men's socks.  Are.  So.  Boring.  Buffalo is nice but not excitingly soft or pretty.  I started it with size 7 dpns.  Too big.  Rip.  Size 6 dpns.  His feet are big but not THAT big.  So, on the way home, I continued knitting on the stupid sock, up to about Akron and then I decided that it was not only boring and blah and big, the sock is too big.  Maybe I'll make him a hat out of the buffalo.

So two weeks in Florida and no knitting to show for it.

we're back and I have a couple of pics

Vacation was super-fabulous.  I was out of the office from Thursday, July 15 through Sunday August 1!!  Because of my job, there were times when I had to do some work and log in, but I kept it to a minimum and only if I couldn't do something on my blackberry.  The one woman in my office was little peeved about the length of my vacation . . . on the other hand, there is a lot to be said for working at the same place for 38 years. 

I haven't downloaded any of my pics from vacation.  On the camera I took to work, I do have one picture of Zachariah from vacation.  The rest I have put into my laptop and need to move them elsewhere. 

Also, I do have a pic of the summer swap package I received from Chris Love.  The box arrived yesterday.  Great timing and it was chock full of fun stuff from Lake County, California.

There is a beautiful coffee cup, a bag of organic decaf coffee and a soap bottle apron.  There are maps and information about the area and the Love Family Farm.  There are two glass beads, which didn't show up too well in the photo.  There is a book, Chopping Spree, by Diane Mott Davidson, which I have yet to read.  And, there was a skein of alpaca yarn (4 oz.) in a beautiful shade of grays and blues (almost into the purple range).  Thanks so much Chris!  It is a great package.

We hold these truths to be self-evident

I haven't read the Declaration of Independence through since my high school government class, called, rightfully so, "We the People." We reviewed the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.  As a major project for the class, we re-enacted the Constitutional Congress. I think it was the first and last time that the teacher did it. After much argument from us, we actually did two ways. We had huge arguments about abolishing slavery and women's rights and indentured servants, etc.  To pacify everyone, he had us do it first as if we were in 1776, keeping in mind that slavery was alive and well in the colonies, along with the lack of women's rights and the fact that many of the people who lived and worked were indentured servants. And then, he let us have free-reign and do it again.

Keep in mind, this was 1972. We were in 12th grade and, for most of us, we were going to be the first group of 18 year olds allowed to vote. We convinced him to get us a field trip and as a group, we went to our board of elections and signed up to vote. Gosh. No wonder I still always vote.

The only thing I ask that when you are reading this, do keep in mind the time in which is was written.  Think of the courage of these leaders.  And, if you want to really get involved with this, go here.  (and if the link doesn't work, copy and paste this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYyttEu_NLU)

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.


We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Father's Day and a beautiful day

So yesterday was Father's Day.  I thought about my Dad a couple of times during the day.  He was such a gentle soul, full of patience and kindness.  I miss him and while at times I know that it has been such a long time that he has been gone (26 years . . . wow), at other times, it seems like it was just yesterday.  I know that he would really enjoy my kids, especially Zachariah.  I could see them playing catch or hanging in the pool together.  He always had infinite patience with the littlest of the kids.  It may be because he was the oldest of five.  I don't know.

Dave and Sarah at her wedding reception.

As usual, Dave played racquetball yesterday morning.  Lindsey, Zachariah and I met him and Dean (his raquetball partner) for breakfast.  Then Dave took Zachariah out to Camp Christopher to walk around.  Next year, Zachariah will be spending a week there.  It is an overnight camping experience.  Lindsey and I went grocery shopping and got home around the same time Dave and Zachariah did.

Dave, generally, doesn't sit down and do nothing for very long periods of time.  He does read the newspaper every day but does it in pieces.  Anyway, yesterday, he said he was going to cut the grass and work in the garden and so on and so forth.  Instead, I convinced him to sit on the back porch with me.  He read the newspaper and read a book and the kids played and swam.  We actually were outside doing "nothing" for about three hours.  Lindsey at one point said "I thought you were going to cut the grass?" and he looked around and said "eh, maybe tomorrow.  Today, I'm going to sit with Mom and enjoy the beautiful day." 

I made shish kabobs (with scallops) and grilled tomatoes for dinner.  They were delicious. 

It was a very nice Father's Day.  Very nice indeed.

A contest . . . for those who like to make greeting cards

I love making greeting cards.  I'm just not terribly creative at it but if someone points me in the right direction, I am off and running. 

Anyway, go to favecrafts and enter this contest.  You can click here or cut and paste the URL below:

http://www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Encyclopedia-of-Greeting-Card-Book-Giveaway

I think this looks like a great prize.  Even if I don't win it, I may have to make an investment.

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;

for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;

and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

~Audrey Hepburn

Isn't this a great quote from a very "together" lady.  I think I love every movie she was in from comedy to mystery to drama. 

What a racket!

Lindsey went for her senior pics on May 29. 

They are lovely.

To get the number of 5x7s that I need to just give my siblings and a couple of other people pics, I would only have to spend $659.95.  Oh, and that doesn't include shipping and handling.  Or, I could get the 5 x 7 individually for only $69.95 for two (I need 10 . . . but actually could use 12).  Plus pay $94.95 for 96 wallets, oh yeah, according to Lindsey, we need almost 150 wallets, so that gets us to $634.60 . . . plus shipping and handling. 

When somone at church looked at Lindsey and said "when Jacob saw how much the pictures were, he said 'forget about it . . . that is just way too much, Mom' " and Lindsey looked at her and said "well, that's just how guys are."  I've got news for my darling daughter, that's just how this Mom is too!

The worst thing is that the studio takes all the schools photos for most of the high schools around here.  They also take all the pics at dances (Lindsey's school has three major dances every year (Fall, Winter Formal and Prom).  It is such a ripoff.  The students have to go there for their pics to be included in the yearbook.

Sigh.  Again.  I am going to be the evil mother. 

p.s.  If you want to check out the photos . . . and for the most part they are really good, except for the ones where she looks like she is selling her violin . . . go to:

Liveyouryear.com


Click on: Senior Stuff
Click on: Your Senior Session Images
Account number is: 286935
Password: 22q3b6

This past weekend - belated Memorial Day

Don't go through life,

grow through life!

~ Eric Butterworth

Friday evening, we went to Sarah and Kyle's so that they could open wedding presents.  They received some beautiful things.  I drove home.  Dave's instructions were that if there is a deer in the middle of the road, don't swerve to miss it.  Just for the record, there wasn't any deer.  And I didn't hit anything.

On Saturday, Lindsey had her senior pictures taken.  They are beautiful.  Well, they are beautiful on the computer.  We go this Saturday to preview them.  The local photographer that does all the schools charges an arm and a leg. 

I went to the Great Lakes Fiber Fest this weekend (on Sunday).  It was hot and hot and hot. 

Even though I brought a huge tote bag, I controlled myself and only bought four skeins of yarn, including four ounces of buffalo.  I told my new son-in-law that I would make him a pair of socks.  He hunts and is always cold.  I should have looked at the size of his feet first.  He wears a size 12.

My sister bought a spinning wheel and she said that if I bought some fiber, she would spin it for me, so I bought 4 ozs of something else (I don't remember what). 

After I got home Sunday, we worked in the yard getting ready to do the planting on Monday.  Our rototiller broke.  I did get all the flower baskets planted.  Dave is horribly allergic so we don't have very many flowers around and he tolerates my love for flowers.  We put hanging baskets (with New Guinia (sp?) Impatiens) on the porch posts and I have three large jars with geraniums.  I put petunias in the long planters which go in front.

On Monday, when it was very hot, we planted the vegetable garden.  We planted 64 (yes, 64) tomato plants and 64 green peppers.  We also planted 16 Hungarian yellow peppers.  The peas are coming in nicely.  We also planted green beans and he wants to plant green bush beans. 

Lindsey cut the back third of the acre.  I cut the front and the other rest of yard (thank God for the pool).  Dave weed-wacked the entire fence, around all the beds, sheds and play-yard!

Sarah and Kyle . . . some wedding photos

We will dance and give thanks

Life may not be the party we hoped for,

but while we are here, we should dance!

~author unknown

Dave and I celebrated our 30th anniversary on April 18.

Sarah celebrated her 24th birthday on May 11.

On Saturday, May 22, Sarah will marry Kyle.  He is a wonderful man and his family is generous and kind.  We are incredibly happy for her and him. 

And, I have to think of the special gift that Sarah is.  She was born on May 11, 24 years ago, to a single young woman, who was in a semi-serious relationship with a young man.  They weren't terribly young (she was 23 and he 27).  Together they decided that they were not ready to be together much less to raise a child.  In that decision, they gave us the gift of Sarah.  She joined us on July 17, 1986. 

This Saturday, we send her off to a new junction in her life.  To the parents who let her go 24 years ago, thank you. 

We will dance at her wedding and during the ceremony offer up a prayer thanking you for the gift.

Family and relationships

There is no more lovely, friendly

or charming a relationship,

communion or company

than a good marriage.

~Martin Luther

And ain't this the truth.

The beads are all done on the front of Sarah's dress.  I am now adding blue beads to the beads that are on the buttons up the back of her dress.  There are 75 buttons that run from the bottom of the train to the top of the back of the dress.  I have to say that while the dress was very pretty before, adding a variety of blue and bluish beads have really made this dress pop!

We are in countdown mode. 

Lindsey is getting inducted into her schools National Honor Society on Wednesday (VERY COOL).  Sarah is working  on Wednesday but she will be coming to our house when she gets off and we are taking her and the dress to Victoria's Secret to get the "right" bra.  She also wants to go to Things Remembered to get engraved gifts for the groomsmen, Kyle, Dave and Terry. 

But May is always hectic.  It might have been better to schedule the wedding for later but what the heck, it is only a weekend and their lifetime . . . but we have been just so busy . . . and it isn't getting any easier.

Dave's school is having their concert tonight.  My niece is in the play "Into the Woods" at one of our local community colleges.  Zachariah and I went on Sunday.  Lindsey wants to go on Thursday.  Friday is my EGD.  Early Saturday morning, Zachariah has an orthodontist appointment (at 7:15).  Also on Saturday, we go to Kentucky for another niece's first communion, returning on Sunday.  I have a doctor's appointment on Monday morning.  Tuesday is primary election day (with many school levies in many of the local districts).  And Dave wants to know when we can get together with Kyle's parents to make sure that everything is copacetic (sp?). 

I have been knitting cloths.  Lots of cloths.  Mindless cloths.  I have actually knit four this month and a back scrub thing (which, I love . . . my skin is very dry and my itchy backs makes me crazy . . . this thing really works).  I will post pictures.  Frankly, I like making cloths, especially if they have an interesting pattern.  I can knit them on the bus on my way to/from work.  Although, yesterday morning, my DPN went flying and I had to wait until the bus got off the freeway to fetch it.

So bottomline, when we get back to the quote at the top, it is a lucky thing that we love each other.  We do have a wonderful marriage, just celebrated 30 years on April 18th.  I can only wish for my daughter and her soon-to-be husband that they enjoy each other and their time together as much as Dave and I enjoy our time.

Exhaustion

"If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up."

~J.M. Power

I have to admit.  I am exhausted. 

Sarah's bridal shower is Saturday.  The wedding is May 22.  I have sewn probably 1000 beads on her wedding dress.

The invitations were mailed this morning.

I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for a 4/23 and they cancelled it.  I was looking forward to it since it was actually for an EGD and I would have to take the whole day off.  Instead, it is scheduled for 4/30.  Sarah will be taking me and we will probably pin up her hem on her dress in the morning. 

The thing is when you start planning these things, you don't think about everything else that is going on.  Sewing beads should be easy.  But I have to squeeze it in between driving this kid there and that one here and meetings, oh, and WORK.  LOL. 

I cannot imagine how my parents survived.  Five of us got married in six years.  My Mom made the bride's dresses for each of us. 

I have scheduled the Monday after the wedding as a vacation day.  I think I will sleep all day.  Ha!  You all know that I will spend the day putting stuff away.

Socks for Zachariah

"Positive anything is better

than negative nothing."

~ Elbert Hubbard

Pair 1 is out of Lion Brand.  The heel stripes are really quite nice.

I finished both pairs last week, actually at my knitting group on Wednesday.  I was determined not to leave until both pairs were done! 

The second pair was made with Lorna's Lace. 

This pair is actually the same size.  I don't know why they look so different.  It must be the angle.

And here are both pairs.  Look how nicely the heels on the brown and blue pair match up.  The biggest problem is that yarn is a lot more scratchy than the other pair.

and life goes on . . . I do another sock or two!

This past weekend I was thrilled to learn that our local rec center is re-instating the deep water aerobics classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The classes had been canceled during high school swim team season. My 16 year old isn't pleased in that she will be swimming before my classes and then (GASP) will have to wait until my class ends at 7:15; with my being showered and dressed and out by 7:30. My darlin' husband looked her straight in the eye and said "and we never wait for you?"

So, my new passion is socks.  I did finish the pair for Lindsey.  I have also almost finished two socks for Zachariah . . . please note that I did not say "pair." 

This is the one that I finished.  The sock that is.  LionBrand Sock-Ease.  Zachariah picked this yarn out.  He liked the color.

This sock is made with I think Lorna's Lace sock yarn . . . I guess I will have to find the yarn band.  I like this yarn sooooooo much better.  It is substantially softer.  I am doing the foot with a smaller needle.

Bella Mittens

Bella Mittens
Originally uploaded by mlj1954ohio

and they are done!

A sock and more

A sock on double pointed needles.

Ta da, two socks done on double pointed needles.

Look how nicely the pattern matches.

I do have to say that I am impressed.

And here are matching gloves:

well, actually, it is a glove . . . .

It is Lion Brand self-stripping sock yarn.  I have had it for years.  I think I'm in love. 

These are for Lindsey.  And the socks, by the way, fit!

And the socks are done too!

Bellamittens for Ravelympics

Great quote:

Life moves pretty fast. 

If you don't stop to look around once in a while,

you could miss it.

~Matthew Broderick as Ferris Buller in "Ferris Buller's Day Off."

Bellamittens for Ravelympics
Originally uploaded by mlj1954ohio

So, you see this. It is the WIP that I am going to finish for Ravelympics. I have to admit that I was impressed with how clever I was that I did remember to tag the cable with the size of the needle tip I was using. These are being made for Lindsey and the color is really more of a purple. I am on row 76 or 77 and need to finish this one and get the other one finished.

Lindsey went with Andrew to his Winter Formal on Sunday, February 14, 2010.  They had a great time. 

Aren't they cute.

On Monday, February 15, Lindsey and I went to Wooster College in Wooster, OH.  It is a very good school.  I think she would be happy there.  the student population is about 1,900.  It is a liberal arts college but has a partnership with a couple of other schools for the engineering which she desires to do.  We also met with the swimming and diving coaches. 

Later, much later, after dinner and after the discussion on the way home where she mentioned that she might want to go to Cincinnati or Akron . . . Andrew is interested in Akron and his brother goes to Cincinnati and he might want to go there too . . . we informed Lindz that whatever school she decides on it will not be the school that Andrew goes to.  Period.  WHAT?  WHY?  THAT's NOT FAIR.  As my husband pointed out to her, that the fact that she doesn't understand our reasoning is the main reason that we wouldn't allow.  STAMP!  POUT!  STAMP!  . . . mucho whispered conversations with Andrew.  Sigh (the sigh is mine).

Friday - lots of things happening - snow and Ravelympics

I woke up this morning to snow.  Again. 


Somewhere in this mess is my driveway.  Zachariah has a doctor's appointment at 10:15.  Lovely. 

On the upside, it has stopped snowing, the plows have gone up and down the street (we are blessed . . . our street has a bridge over a major interstate so we get the city plows, the county plows and the state plows).  It has also been salted.  The only issue is getting OUT.

Here is what my backyard looks like.  There is a pool there, somewhere.

The pool is just to the left of the shed.  The garden is just to the right of the shed.







Also, the Olympics start tonight and I have been lining up those things that I am going to be doing for Ravelympics which also begins tonight. 

I want to finish the BellaMittens first.  Here is a pic of the first one.  Note that the tips are missing from the cables.  BUT, you (and I) will happily note that I did tag the cables so that I know that I used a size 7 needle.

See the tag is right there.  The green thing is my row counter.  I am on the 79th row of this mitt and only have about 26 rows on this one and, oh yeah, the other one . . . I guess I should make two.

I am then going to make a hat.  The question is whether I will make Lindsey's hat (she wants a ear-flap hat).  I had made her a scarf last year and have enough yarn to make her a hat.  I had also promised another tobaggon hat to a friend's child. 

Snow, snow, snow

There is one good thing about snow,

it makes your lawn look as good as your neighbor's!

~Clyde Moore

An article from Forbes Magazine, dated February 5, states that:

"Our measures show that those in Cleveland experience the worst winter months. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has relatively mild summers but its winters require endurance. Cleveland gets hit by lake-effect snow, averaging almost 60 inches every winter and its frigid winters help produce an average annual temperature of only 50 degrees, 10 degrees below the 50-city average."

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/05/weather-snow-storm-lifestyle-travel-winter-snowfall.html

This is of course, for major cities.  The important thing to note here is that we are followed by Boston and New York with Milwaukee coming in 4th.   Cleveland's stats are:

Average Annual Temperature: 49.6°F

Average Precipitation: 38.7 inches
Average Snowfall: 58.9 inches

The fun thing is that you can do anything with stats.  Our lows (like yesterday morning was 2 with a windchill that dropped it to 16 below) and in August, we often have weeks where the temp doesn't drop below 85.  Go figure.

I have to mention, however, that one of the things that Cleveland and its surrounding areas, do very well is clean up the snow.  We also sit on one of the largest salt mines in the world so the streets get scraped and salted. 

By the way, we did get dumped on over the weekend with about 10 inches in my yard.  There is also another storm heading our way and the weather gurus are anticipating another 4 to 8 inches, depending on where you live in conjunction to the Lake.

The upside is that it leaves for mucho knitting time.  You gotta find your happiness wherever you can find it!

Friday Fill In - February 5, 2010

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.

~ John Barrymore

1. I know I should go to bed early every evening, but there are books to be read and knitting to be done and I should exercise . . . .


2. January is the longest month and all  months should be no longer than 28 days.  Add another month is they have too.

3. You can't help but smile at babies.

4. Knitting socks; bring it on!

5. Where have you looked for happiness?

6. Patience is now available, in a medicine cabinet near you!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing because tomorrow my plans include Market Day volunteering (at 6:30), Lindsey's OMEA competition at 8:50, Zachariah's swimming at 9:45, Lindsey's swimming practice at 1:00, Mass (Lindsey is playing and I am an EM) at 4:30 and I suppose THEY will want to be fed and Sunday, I want to rest, but I will be having lunch with Janet and will be adding beads to Sarah's dress and I think I will be making Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon for dinner (I watched Julia and Julie and have to say that I have been wanting to make this ever since)!

Several Days at once

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

~ Jennifer Yane

It has been a crazy week.  Crazy.  Zachariah was sick a couple of weeks ago.  There was a vicious flu that was going around and he got it with a passion, losing 5 pounds in one day.  He had been all the way up to 53 pounds and actually over the last two weeks has been down to as low as 46 and is finally back up to 48.  Sigh.  Anyway, Monday night he said "my ear hurts."  Okay.  So Dave and I talked about it and we decided that he needs to see the doctor.  I took him Tuesday afternoon.  No temperature.  No sore throat.  But both ears are badly infected, including the fact that the right one (not the one that hurt) was almost ready to rupture.  lovely.  On the other hand, sitting around at the doctor's and pharmacy and I took him to his favorite place in the world (the library), gave me mucho time to knit and I worked on and finished his cap (which I had started on Monday) and got most of one of the mittens done.  Of course, the yarn is bulky and the needles relatively large (size 7 for the ribbing and size 8 for the body).  Pics of the hat and mittens are below.  I am crocheting a scarf, lengthwise.  I find crocheting especially boring and doing short rows just make me crazed. 

I have almost finished Zachariah's scarf. I did finish his hat and mittens. Using my latest favorite yarn (Joann's Sensations . . . this is in denim).

I hate using dpns so I put off doing the final rows or so until I have to. The pic above doesn't have the cap nor the thumb done on the right mitten.

and here is where I am using the dpns to close up the thumb.

I have finished Janet's Lucy bag.  It is even felted.  Here is a pic of the unfelted bag:

The light green blob to the right is was to be a pocket.  It didn't shrink enough, so I am thinking about making it into a change purse to go along with the bag.

Of course, all of this needs to be done by Sunday.  Janet will be in Cleveland (coming from Dallas) and we are meeting for lunch.

This is another weekend coming up where we will be going from one place to another.  Market Day is Saturday morning (the 4th graders are to volunteer -- along with their parents -- we have to be there at 6:30 a.m.).  Lindsey has her OMEA (Ohio Music Educator's Association) competition at 8:50 a.m.  Zachariah has swimming at 9:45.  Lindsey has swim practice from 1 to 3.  We have 4:30 mass (Lindsey is playing the violin and I am an Eucharistic Minister).  Oh, and we are going to watch Groundhog Day on Saturday.  Gotta have some fun!

Friday Fill In - January 29, 2010

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending!

~Anonymous

1. Wouldn't it be easy to just not bother to try to do your best . . . but then would you be happy . . . with yourself?

2. My marriage is better than ever!

3. I love the taste of warm cookies and a glass of milk.

4. Why is our Wii in the living room?

5. The first thing we're going to do is the taxes and then the beading and then . . . .

6. The faucet in the kithen drip, drip, drip; Dave refuses to fix it.  Makes me crazy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to picking Lindsey up from swimming, taking her to Andrew's house, going home and eating dinner with Dave and Zachariah, tomorrow my plans include Zachariah's swimming lessons, a trip to the Library, going to Wooster for a swim meet, folding the laundry and Sunday, I want to go to 8:00 a.m. mass (its Catholic School's week and Zachariah is helping at 8:00 a.m. mass), breakfast with the family, working on our taxes and starting to bead Sarah's dress.

Sun is Shining!

Woo hoo, the sun is shining!  Of course its also 20 degrees, but the sun is shining. It has been so grey and dark lately that I turn on every light in my office in order to not get depressed.

Lindsey had violin lessons last evening as opposed to tonight.  Tonight she has a swim meet.  Usually, I knit while she is having her lessons.  I didn't knit last evening.  I frogged.  I frogged Zachariah mitten (note, I said mitten not mittens . . . almost had it finished but can't find the pattern, duh and only had one done).  I frogged my sampler scarf.  It seemed the best thing to do since I didn't like it.  It is a beautiful color and yarn (Knitpicks Andean Silk in Cranberry) but not enough really to do a scarf.  I can do a pair of fetchings and considering the fact that my office is usually around 64 degrees when I arrive in the morning, it would be a good thing . . . I do have a space heater but as soon as I turn it off the temp starts plummeting.  Or maybe I'll make a cowl. 

A friend pointed out the cloths by Kris Patay at KrisKnits.  Seriously, you all should check out her stuff and her blog.  She is an incredible artist.  I think I am going to make her heart cloth for valentine's day for Sarah and Kyle. 

The swim season for Lindsey is winding down.  I can hardly wait.  They have a meet tonight and one on Saturday and two next week.  That is it until the Sectionals which start on February 14.  Now, she has spent months swimming.  Months.  Most times, it was two hours a day for six days a week.  Over Christmas break, they swam four hours a day, every day, except for Christmas and New Year and on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, they only swam two hours.  And so, what is her concern, part of her hopes that she doesn't make sectionals because Andrew invited her to his school's winter formal and it is on February 14.  She is one of the top swimmers on her team and she is an idiot. 

Sock KAL

I have never finished a sock.  But Rachels Knitting Room is doing a sock KAL.  Right now we are working on the leg. 

Want to see how far I've gotten.

Oh, and the little notes on the sock show the beginning of the row (the pink marker) and the row counter (the white marker).  When you get to the white marker, you move it over one more stitch.  By moving the white marker each row, you can count the stitches between the pink and the white and know exactly how many rows you have knit.  This is good for lots of things not just socks.  My Mom would do it for sweaters.  Just by adding a "different" stitch marker and moving it every row. 

The yarn is Lorna's Lace, Shepherd Sport (100% superwash wool), Color No. 16, called Pioneer.  It is being knit on size 4 (U.S.).  Very nice yarn.

German or long-tail cast on

If you have ever wanted to know how to do a long-tail (or German) cast on, you need to check out this YouTube blurb by David from Knit Like a Man.com.

Seriously, check this out.

A contest at Knit Purl Gurl

Knit Kit Jewelry is the brain child of Joyce Goodman, designer, artist, knitter, and art jeweler. Joyce wanted a way to mesh her love of knitting and art jewelry to create simple, gorgeous kits for others to enjoy these mediums. And so Knit Kit Jewelry was born.


These interesting and beautiful kits allow knitters to explore new avenues in knitting. So even if you've NEVER created jewelry before, all you need are the basic knitting skills to create a gorgeous piece of your own.

Each bracelet kit comes complete with pattern, basic instructions for knitting with wire, wire, and clasps. All you need are your own knitting needles to get started. The wire that comes with each kit is copper coated for a comfortable experience and is available in a wide array of stunning colors, allowing the knitter to make each piece his/her own. As pictured above (left to right), there are three bracelet kits available: Buckle Bracelet, Ruched Cuff, and Regal Cuff.

If you want to enter Knit Purl Gurl's contest go here. 

And while I wish you luck, I hope I win!  LOL.

What a way to start the new year

I started off this year with a bang.  Our first day back to work went well.  Budgets, budgets and other budgeting issues (all having to be done by the 15th and having several office administrators putting things off to the last minute like, oh, I don't know, their budgets).

After lunch on the 4th, I didn't feel too well.  We were getting lots of snow and I got home right after Dave, Lindsey and Zachariah.  Of course, the first question out of everyone's mouth was "what's for dinner."  Sigh.  So, we had left overs.  We had crackers and cheese, potstickers, kielbasi.  I went to bed by 9:30 (the last one to hit the sack) and woke up at 2:00 in pain.  Turns out I had to have my gall bladder removed but because I had sooooo many gall stones and a couple had blocked my pancreas, I was also suffering from pancreatitis and was severely dyhydrated.  I ended up not having surgery until that Thursday.  I go back to work this coming Tuesday. 

So, I knit and frogged and reknit and organized my knitting patterns and some yarn.  The one thing that I did finish was baby booties for Erich and Caity's baby. 

These were made with Bernat's Baby Jacquard.  I had already finished the sweater and cap but didn't get a picture of the cap.  The baby shower was the Saturday after my surgery and while I had plans on going, I decided that I just couldn't which meant that I had time to make the slippers. 

Since we were celebrating Zachariah's 9th birthday today, I had until today (or actually last night) to get the booties done.  The pattern I used came from Megan Mills. 

And here are some pictures from Zachariah's birthday . . .  except for the pictures of Zachariah, Zachariah took the pictures. 

He is into music so we had a musical cake.

Adn we also got the drums to go with the Wii and Lindsey and Andrew put them together:

And Zachariah had to blow the candles:

Caity and Erich have another little girl, Ava, who just turned two.   She is very cute and funny and got very, very tired.

And this is my youngest sister, who is Erich's Mom and Ava's grandmother.  She would love to knit except that she goes nuts with the patterns that are K, P, K2T, PSSO . . . so she either crochets or rewrites patterns so that everything is all spelled out.  We laugh.  This picture doesn't do Jeanne justice.  She is incredibly pretty. 

And this is my other younger sister . . . she also knits but does more crocheting because she does lots of afghans and such.

Over Jacquie's left shoulder is one of my older sisters.  She is a knitting, spinning, plying, dyeing fiend.  She sat and almost finished a sock during the party.  She is a show-off. 

And here is Mary (Jacquie's youngest daughter . . . her kids are 29, 27, 25 and 7 . . . and you thought I was nuts with kids that are 23, 15 and 9), and MacKenzie (who is 4-1/2 and Hayden, who just turned 3).  MacKenzie and Hayden are Jacquie's grandchildren. 

New Year, New Day, New Baby knitting.

Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk beside a fire:

it is the time for home.

~ Edith Sitwell

Winter has arrived in Cleveland and it is when I discover that I can go for DAYS without ever leaving the house.  I spent much of Saturday and Sunday, sewing, cleaning, knitting, snuggling and playing board games with the kids.  I could have done the same today but, alas, bills have to be paid and so the layers of clothing were donned and the weather braved.  When I got out of the van this morning at the train, it was 15 degrees and there was about 4" of snow.  Brrrrr.

So, what did I work on this weekend.  I started and finished (except for blocking and snaps), the baby sweater for Erich and Caity's baby.

The colors pooled more than I would have liked but, it is still lovely, very soft and an easy knit.  I am making a cap and booties too.  The baby shower is Saturday.  The upside is that Lindsey has two swim meets this week which leaves me with mucho knitting time!

Happy 2010

Wishing everyone a blessed, joyous and peaceful New Year. 

We are spending this afternoon and evening together as a family (against my 15 year old daughter's wishes).  Her boyfriend is going to come over in the evening and his parents will be picking him up after the "ball drops." 

We have spent every New Year's Day, except once, with good friends.  They get the odd years, we get the even years so they will be coming to our home tomorrow.  We will be enjoying Chicken Satay, sauerkraut balls, potstickers, cocktail meatballs, pineapple and kielbasi, fresh vegetable, cheese/crackers, wine, coffee, cheesecake, and whatever Betty and Dean bring to the table.  LOL.  The guys usually go for a long walk after dinner. 

In 2009, I got a lot more knitting finished than I had in the past.  I embraced the joy of making knitted cloths (go figure), finished a shawl for me, several pairs of "fetching," a scarf for Lindsey, a beaded scarf for my friend, Wendy, another small scarf (again for me), hmmmm, slippers for a variety of individuals, hats/scarves for Kyle's daughters, and that might be it.  Most of it was made from my stash (not that you can tell) or from gifted yarns.  For 2010, my first goal is to make a sweater for Caity and Erich's baby girl.  The baby shower is January 9.  I think I need to get started.  I didn't have any yarn suitable in the stash so I stopped at Joann's yesterday and got some Bernat Baby Jacquards Yarn in Spearmint Candy

I think it will make up a very pretty little sweater.  I also got some yellow for the cuffs and bindings. 

2009 brought changes to our extended family with three weddings (Amy and Ron in June, Michael and Kary in July and Erich and Caity in December).  2010 will be bringing changes to our immediate family with Sarah and Kyle's wedding on May 22.  Kyle is a wonderful guy and brings three darling little girls to the family.  The girls are 8, 6 and 5.   His family owns a huge working farm west of our home.  Right now, they work 3,200 acres and have two pig barns which produce about 10,000 pigs per year.  Sarah and Kyle want a country/western themed wedding with a little bit of sparkle.  It will be challenge.  The fun part is that we are having it at the Huron County Fairgrounds and we get to do all the decorating.  Leaves us wide open for a variety of options.  We bought lots of blue/white LED lights and blue/silver ornaments right after Christmas. 

Anyway, I wish everyone a beautiful and safe New Year!