Randomness

I finally turned up the heat to 71.
65 was just not getting it today with 10 small degrees outside.
And now it has begun to snow again.
Very pretty, light clumps of snow.
I like this kind.

Have been knitting on a few things and thought I'd share.
Here is a hat I mad for the granddaughter for her bday.
7!
How time flies!
She loves horses!
Hil is modeling.

Notice Hil's laundry and my coupons in the background?  LOL

Here are the grandbabies in their snow suits I sent.

They look a bit warm as they are in southern Texas now.

Hopefully Colorado will be nice and chilly for them!

My daddy turned 73 at the end of January.

Not the best of pics, as he is usually smiling very cheesy at the camera.

Guess he was concentrating on his birthday gifts.

Love that man so much!

I finally got my spinning wheel out,

spinning some really yummy core spun;

 Chuck gathered all his toys at my feet,

before realizing I was not going to play.

Then he lay down for a bit.

Hil was in charge of games for a baby shower.

Can you guess which candy bar is melted in this diaper?

Gross!

Beau in his khaki hat I knit him for Christmas

Brittany in her mom's hat.

Mistaken identity I suppose.

I have been following the Daniel diet

which basically is fruit veggies, water and grains.

No sugar, coffee, dairy, meats etc.

After the first three days, my headache went away.

I cheated a bit for Super Bowl, but not much.

Since then I have had a few coffees, and a bit o sugar.

If anything, I have come to realize how good my body feels

without all the crap!

Joining anytime fitness when I get home from vacation.

Just can't get the cardio I need walking Chuck in the snow.

Looking forward to some changes!

Here is a pair of knee highs I have been working on for Hil.

The next photos show different ways to wear them...

high boot, or cuffed way down!

They are really really warm.

here is the cable on the back center.

And finally a bearded hat I made for Bernard!

Now Daddy wants one in white!

One of the girly girls is getting married,

and we are planning a shower for her

when I get home from vacation!

Really excited about this,

as she has left the door open to all gifts!

Who knows what these church ladies will come up with!

So, I will continue working on  her gift,

packing for Colorado and chasing black birds from my feeders!

I am blessed!

Inspired again!

It has been since before Christmas
since I have sat at the spinning wheel!
I have been doing A LOT of knitting....
presents for the grandbabies,
(funny looking over a chair...
but it fits my granddaughter perfectly!)

hats,

hoodie for chuck,

a toe sock when I broke my toe,

socks for Hil...
(that I may have to claim for myself...
as they are only 5 inches from the toe until complete
and really really cute!)
and lots of baby prop items.
Hopefully will show a photographer or two
some of my work to use in infant photos.
Very fun.

But I must say that I have been very restless the past few days,
and actually BORED!
Went over to  BN today for a cuppa and a peek at a few magazines.
I was gloriously inspired to drag the ol wheel out again.
It really has been some time.
I cleaned all the moving parts,
had to tighten a few loose ones,
and have discovered that I need to get my muscle memory back.
I have plied three skeins of icelandic that I had been working on,
now, I wonder what I will spin.
I have tons more icelandic for a sweater....
yes, the one I wanted to make for my dad.....
but I also am inspired to try something more colorful and wild.
Maybe I'll try some wrapping,
I have such beautiful fiber ready to use, since cleaning my space!
Round and round and round  I go....!
Blessed to be able to create.
Thanks honey!

Knitting Updates

With autumn sneaking around,
between hot, mosquito filled days,
icy cold frosty, rainy days,
sun filled, then cloud covered moments,
I am finding time to finish and start
a few knitting projects.
My initial longing was to spin and knit my dad
an icelandic cardigan I remembered from my youth.
It is the end of October,
and I am just spinning the icelandic.
There is NO way, I will spin and knit
quickly enough for a Christmas
or January birthday gift.
Winter is supposed to be long this year,
so I will plan on next Christmas, Daddy.

Instead, I finished a birthday gift for my BFF.
Yes, I had it knitted last year for her day,
but for some reason
I was terrified to sew it together.
It turned out beautiful,
if I do say so myself!
I'll give it to her Thursday.
The brown bottom edge was the very first thing I spun.
It is 100% alpaca.
A friend of mine spin the brown and white alpaca
from her herd.
Alpaca stretches and is VERY warm.
I'll try to get a pic of her wearing the sweater.
Happy Birthday K!

The second is the pair of socks
I have been working on for a bit.
I spun the Coopworth and enjoyed working with it.
When I came to the heel on this particular pair,
I hated how it turned out!
I ripped it back to the gusset...
which is difficult on size 1 needles.
I am hunting for another heel pattern now.
I don't believe,
in the tens of socks I have made,
that I have made two pairs using the same pattern.
SO many socks, so little time.
And most have been for my use!

I started knitting my grand baby a cardigan
I am using mostly my hand spun.
The hem and front seams are mixed wool,
the yellow stripe is marigold dyed mohair and silk,
the purple is a wool blend.
The fair isle pattern has some mohair,
angora and baby alpaca.
The white is store bought.
I didn't know what I was going to use,
as I didn't have enough of one yarn to knit a whole sweater.
So I just added as I went.
This is the first fair isle I have tried,
and was inspired by a book that comes out in November.
I may have time to get a mitten or two done
following these future patterns.

Happily enjoying completing.
Happily enjoying the changing leaves.
I am happily watching fuzzy catepillers.
Happily enjoying the nuthatches and titmice
gathering sunflower seeds and burying them.

I am happy and blessed.

Buongiorno!

I am learning Italian.

Before I take a class though,
I am studying from cds and books.
I like to know a bit before taking a class,
as languages were never my strong suit.
German I can spew off a few phrases
from middle and high school.
But I'm old now, and learning is difficult.

Mi familia is a bit upset with me.
I can greet and say good bye,
colors, numbers and a few phrases.
But when Hil is rushing out the door,
and I shout Arrivederci,
she rushes back in to see what I said.
I am starting to say the Italian, then English
as not to confuse or anger them.

I bought a "learning Italian in the car" set
with my first income from a baby cocoon I made,
and listened to it while cleaning the garage,
and driving to a from Saugatuck.
Admittedly, I missed a turn
while learning numbers and time.
I had to get back on the right road,
or wind up in Detroit.

So if I see you and it's morning,
I am saying good morning!
Evening, I am saying good evening.
If I am leaving I am saying good bye.

I am really very excited about this.
It's funny how similar to English and Spanish
this language is.
Nothing at all like German!

Saugatuck was beautiful,
although the leaves had not changes that much
to take my breath away.

I invested in some yummy teas and spices,
and started my Christmas shopping,
even though we are not giving gifts
to each other this year.
HARDY HARHAR!

Terry is traveling to Vancouver
and wants me to come with him....half heartedly.
Lots of work to take me with him in the truck.
Cleaning, insurance, hotels and eating better.
We would leave tomorrow (Wednesday) morning
and I have stuff to do.
No assurances I would be back
any sooner than two weeks either.

I worry about Chuck being alone most of all.
He doesn't eat when I'm gone,
and I do spend an awful lot of time with him;
even if I am only at the house or in the yard.

Silly to be so concerned for a dog.
One day I'll take him on the road with us.
For now, the girls are too busy,
and I don't want to ask my folks,
as Chuck likes his own home.
There is a new truck next spring too.
That is usually the time for travel on the 18 wheeler!

I am loving the fall.
Settling into spinning and knitting
some really cute baby things.

It's been unusually warm here in Indiana.
I am ready for the cool crisp!

I wish my phone could text in Italian.
Bummer.
Ciao!
I'll figure out blessed soon enough.

Moving onward

It's so good to have wonderful friends when you need someone!
To be able to call upon at any moment,
and know that they are there for you.
They are even ready to call out the troops if need be.
They give especially great hugs and wise words you need to hear.

I hope you have one or two of these in your life.

I was down for a bit.
Something came up and I felt alone.
My first response was to call on my girly girls.
They met me for salad,
I dumped all over them,
and they gave me firm wonderful advise.

I do too much for everyone else, and not anything for myself.
I, on the other hand ,
feel like I have way too much free,
lazy uninvolved selfish time.
I enjoy fiberarts and lounging in my back yard.

But I get what they are saying.
Too much of my mental time,
is taken up by concerns for others.

I am only responsible for myself and what I choose to do.
Not the consequences others will suffer.
I can't change any of their stuff to make life easier for them.

So, with the firm suggestions of my wise friends,
I am exploring my options.
Not to include cooking classes, so I can make better Care meals,
not to take Spanish, so I can communicate with
my neighbors I encounter while walking Chuck,
not volunteering at the Milton home,
where Mema spends two days a week.

I joined weight watchers and am committed to eating healthy,
as I usually don't get enough calories during the day...
thus my body thinks it's starving and holds on to every morsel.
I am committed to exercising everyday, more than just walking Chuck.
Here comes the total gym from the closet.
When Hil moves out, I will have a room dedicated to this clunky thing.
Until then it will be in the dining room!

And, I am researching taking some classes for me.
I have always been interested in Art History.
I also would like to learn Italian.
Not much good to anyone but me when I travel to study art.
But that is the point, right?

I am anxious to spin the icelandic I carded last weekend.
I have a wonderful sweater planned for my dad.
When I was a girl, he had a cardigan from Mexico.
My sister and I loved that sweater.
When we were a bit older and in school,
while living in Pittsburgh,
in the fall and winter,
it was the only warm item that was comforting.
I think my sister ended up with that sweater.
But I would like to make daddy one like it.
So many nice memories from my childhood seem to
revolve around that sweater.

Flu shot and mortgage payment, laundry
and lunch with a friend.
I hope I am good company.
I still feel a bit edgy and unfriendly.
Bible study tonight that I am looking forward to.
That has not changed.
I love my church.

And I have talked with God about not wanting to be
distracted from His plans for me.
In fact that is my primary goal to discover.
I know that He wants the best for me,
and sometimes that means taking the time for me.

Thank you for your prayers.
I am blessed!