First Thanksgiving

This is a first for many reasons.
The girls are hosting their first Thanksgiving at their apartment. I wanted to go out to eat...which would have been another first...but they, Ronni, jumped in and wanted to host this year.
It is also the first Thanksgiving that I have not hosted in many many years.
It is my first empty nest Thanksgiving, and I must admit that I did not handle that too well.
There are boys involved now, and adjustments need to be made for them and their traditions and family. Just wondering why I seem to make all the adjustments.
And granted, the girls were hosting this year, so they got to dictate.
We were to eat at 7pm so Hil and Joe coudl go to his folks for the traditional 2pm meal.
V had a friend visiting from Florida and our total is up to 9 this year.
My sister and her family seem to be estranged this year and no one really brought up the possibility of an invitation to them. Hopefully this will work itself out soon. One less stress free holiday the better...until I got irratable.
I was being selfish. I cooked the turkey this year. Smoke flooded my house for some unknown reason and when I went to check, burnt my fingers on the turkey pan. Punish ed!
Terry was able to be here, which is rare for him. God blessed us with a load right through South Bend and the money isn't bad. He even will be able to stay and help get the Christmas decorations out from the attic!

So, Terry is showered, the turkey smells wonderful, pumpkin cheese cake made, all my casserole dishes, and pots and silverware and drinking glasses are at the girls'.
Time to pick up mom...dad and mema are already there.
I'm a bit tired and have a slight headache...had a sinus infection for a couple weeks. Terry will make sure I keep my mouth shut!
I am blessed!

spinning from the lock

I had a very quiet, nice evening last night.
After a very nice lunch with a new friend, I did my dishes...I hate doing dishes!

I was trying to keep my foot up so I could try on shoes with Hilary.
My plan was to card and spin some wool for her socks.
I carded 3 rolls of electric yellow/green Romney.
When I dyed it, it came out so crisp and variegated depending on which part of the lock took up which part of the dye.
The tips were almost an orange, the center was lime green and the bottom was a cool green/silver color.
After carding, it was just a big fuzzy of electric green.
What happened to all the variation?!

I had been hearing about spinning from the lock so I thought I would give it a try.
The fleece naturally comes off of the sheep in sections, which is called a lock.
You are supposed to spin from the tip to the cut section.
Since I had washed and dyed the fleece, it was a bit matted,at least a bit much to spin from without carding.
I spent a few minutes separating a few locks then spun them to see how it would work. WOW!
The rest of the evening, until I could not hold my eyes open any longer, was spent fluffing up the locks.
I hope to get time to spin it today.

Hil is coming over today for coffee cake and then shoe shopping. Leaders' meeting at church tonight and then knitting lessons tomorrow.
I have a good life. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, great kids and fantastic friends. God is good.

Oliver

When I was a middle school girl, someone in my family received a balloon as a gift. It was a Mylar, helium balloon Most balloons are vertical, but this one was horizontal...I still don't understand how that works. This balloon was red on the top and yellow on the bottom and it had two big eyes on one end! We named it Oliver.

My dad has always liked to play with helium balloons. Not as most do : Sucking the helium to speak in a tiny high squeaky voice. No, he likes to add paperclips and other miscellaneous items so that the balloon will hover and float around the house.

Oliver was very fond of discovering new rooms around my childhood home in Pittsburgh Pa. It was a two story Tudor with a full basement.
Oliver would pop behind someone while their picture was being taken at Christmastime.
He would jump out of a closet in the den when you walked in.
He would protect you from bad dreams at night then scare the dickens out of you in the early morning.
He would hide for days then suddenly appear around a corner.
Oliver even got into the basement storage closet and made my mother scream when she went to look for winter clothes.

For some reason, this little fellow has been a part of my childhood, young adult, and present life. Every time I receive balloons, I try to add paperclips so my "Oliver" with hover around the house.

I made an Oliver this afternoon with birthday balloons my friend Kimberly got me. I was waiting for my carpet to dry from the steam cleaning I gave it.
Should have done the dishes instead, but "Oliver" made me smile.

I'm still not as good as my dad at the hover technique.
He has the mind of an engineer, and I'm sure the next time he comes over, he will fix my balloons for me.
Charlie doesn't like Oliver too much though. Oliver snuck behind the couch today and floated above Charlie while he was sleeping. I'm still giggling at his leaping off of the couch and growling at Oliver. He gives Oliver a wide berth!

Anyone else do silly things like that?

welling over

I am feeling very overjoyed and full today!
At Living Stones Church, we had 14 members baptised today...7 in each service~
I sent Hilary back for kleenex as both of us were tearful throughout!
The Spirit over takes me during anything to do with members being washed clean and welcomed into the family! Seriously, I will cry at an announcement of baptism.
The worship, message and excitement were beyond words!
I even came back to the second service to watch the other 7 being dunked and was glad I did!

My Bible study is on John 12-14 today, and every week I am finding some word or idea that I have never grasped while reading the Bible. Our leader Cynthia is such a meek woman of God. Someone to look to as a great example of Christ's love and patience and understanding!

John 12:47 summarized: it is not the purpose of the sun's shining to cast shadows, but when the sun shines, shadows are inevitable.

The marks of a disciple are John 8:3 the truth and teaching of Jesus
John 13:35 to love one another
John 15:8 to bear fruit.

John 14:12 anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.
John 14:14 Ask for anything in my name and I will give it to you.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you
(Jesus as the Holy Spirit...ya Trinity!)

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as
the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I am so full of His peace and fall to it daily. The world is so stressful and overwhelming if I let it be.
There truly is no other gift from Him that I need, but His peace.
All else can fall by the side, but His peace keeps me strong, calm, unafraid, happy...peaceful.
There is no other way to describe it. Constant in all of life. If you do not know it, seek it earnestly until you find it~!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

This time of year is a very difficult time of year for this "artist".
I have been making most of my Christmas presents for the better part of two decades. Many still have the first learned dishclothes. These truely are a treasure! You will always find one partially completed either by the couch, in my purse or in the car.

And now, all the new idea books are out and tempting me into indecision.
My mind whirling with the possibilities.
New patterns, new colors, new textures.

The only problem with these options is that I only have a few short weeks to start and finish anything.

After discovering that I truly enjoy making socks, and spinning yarn, these became the gifts of the year. I have a few more fibery things I want to try, but as I said earlier, time is an issue.

Thankfully my family appreciates my time and energy, and at time, partially completed projects to be given in the New Year.

I should know by now, that the time to start gifts is not October, it is February!

My only positive is that I have given up the majority of my "crafts" and have focused on three specialities. They happen to be the time consuming ones.
So, if you are part of my circle, be prepared to see me knitting furiously while in your company. This includes, dinners, meetings, and all other social engagements.
And yes! I am listening and actively taking part in our gatherings. I can focus on many things at once, so don't be distracted or discouraged. Quiz me if you want, unless I am counting~! Never interrupt me while I am counting!

New Ventures

For my birthday, my family bought me attachments for my Kromski Sonata spinning wheel.
A jumbo fly wheel with jumbo bobbins and a lazy kate. The fly wheel and bobbins allow me to make bulky, arty yarn. The lazy kate is a contraption so I can ply together balanced yarns. Plying is when you spin two or more strands together.

So...I have been experimenting. I have been watching a dvd from an art yarn spinner named Jacyee Boggs. What a talented young woman. Some day I will take one of her classes, because I am sure I am spinning this all wrong. I am having fun tho!
I have been spinning thick and thin yarn, then with lace weight thread, plying it and making cute little puffs into the yarn! I have two bobbins to play with!

I also made a felted wallet last night with the hand prepared fiber yahoo group. What a neat bunch of ladies! And the wallet turned out fantastic!
Took a thick piece of foam and lay carded batting on it, then poked it for what seemed like hours until is was a really neat piece of felt. I then felted up the sides of the pocket and cute little wallet! Need to do a buttonhole and sew on a button, but I really enjoyed this. Need some new tools if I plan on continuing!

Allergies have been awful and I think I have mold in the wall next to the garage which is causing my asthma to act up. Testing it now. Vacuumed 5 times to get rid of...everything! Lots of Arm N Hammer pet smell powder! Will steam clean this weekend and hopefully be able to put wood floors and an area rug down this spring. One box at a time I think. I also need to finish the rest of the projects in the house.
I seem to have had a worse time this year with breathing, so I have had no energy for much.

Have a wonderful fall day!