I hate keeping surprises. I give b-day presents early, sometimes Christmas presents too. So it has been really hard to keep this project a secret from Stacy. For about he past two months we have been knitting squares for a baby blanket.
Squares were knit by Ceci, Lora, Loretta, Ruth, Tabitha and myself. Ruth took on the big job of crocheting the squares together. We did not make it easy for her, with wonky squares and all.
Stacy was really surprised and happy.
But sometimes it sure looks and sounds like it. There was a request to see more of Starsky. Well since he has recovered (only a minor limp left) he is hard to catch sitting still. He is still struggling with even the smallest of commands so when he does sit it is not long enough for a picture.
Hutch is our fancy dog. You know from Seinfeld when Jerry was wearing the mans fur coat and carrying the European carry all. Kramer and the dry cleaning guy were calling him a fancy boy. Hutch has decided that he will no longer drink out of the same water bowl. After watching Starsky drink I don't think I would either, that is if I were a dog, I think I would be a Collie. They are just wonderful I had one....Oh sorry got distracted. Starsky will stick his entire muzzle in the water, slurp then blow some bubbles and after that he will stick his paws in for good measure. With water and slobber dripping he will go rub his slobbery wet muzzle on whoever is nearest. Sometimes it is me, but mostly Hutch. And he looks quite offended.
These books will be added to my every growing knitting library. My brother Jason and his fiancee Becca chose some great titles. Alterknits looks very promising.
They also gave me the med sized project bag and the neat case with yarn and goodies inside.
Holly gave me a gift certificate to my favorite LYS (aka The Grinny Possum). I will show you what I get. She said it had to be something for me. It's kinda strange, but I have yet to knit something just for me.
We are really enjoying the new place. They serve great sandwiches, even a few vegetarian offers. We've got something cookin up and it is just driving me crazy. I want to tell everyone. I tried to get them to do it tonight but I was out voted. After that it was no longer in my possession. But that will just have to wait.
I received a few birthday things from the knitters. I have really bad feet and Tabitha is worried about them. I won't go into how bad.
Here soon I will sit and listen to some mellow music and soak my feet.
Tabitha got me the cutest little sheep decorations.
Just look at this button. I love it. No Lora, you cannot have it, your mom got it for me. I see it on a felted bag just for me.
Ruth is at it again. I think I have told you she is a Middle School Art Teacher. I hope someone asks what she did on her summer vacation! She joined up with a LYS's Christmas in July contest and has several presents finished.
We love the strawberry bags. The black and white booties will mesmerize her little guy for hours.
Loretta is just rockin on her second pair of socks. She won't be with us the on the next two knitting nights. It's ok tho, she will be on an Alaskan cruise with best gal pal Jill(Lora corrected me Loretta's cruise buddy is Vivian).
No second sock syndrome for Tabitha. She is turning the heel right now. The finished first sock is on the table. Loretta brought the beautiful roses to make our table look more festive for my birthday.
Stacy is nearing the end. Her ultrasound today looked good. The technician knows something they don't. But they don't want to know anyway. I say she looks pretty good for 36 weeks pregnant. Lora, maybe she will go a little early and share your b-day.
Today's low 80s made for a very nice day at the ball park. It can be quite amusing to watch 3,4 and 5 year olds play baseball. Some mosey around the bases, distracted by butterflies, the wind, oh can't forget about the dirt. The dirt is the most fun for all. Next Sunday is the last game so I will definitly have some pictures. I sat and worked on a dishcloth. I should have it finished later. I will show you a picture then. I found a new (to me) blog today. Go on over, take a look atKnitting Gal She has a contest.
It has been quite some time since I had a finished object to show you. Well, this is my oldest UFO, about 18 months to exact. When the knitting is done I want to be finished. This purse has been waiting for its' lining, only the lining. I have Lora to thank for it becoming an FO. She came over and helped me become friends with my sewing machine. This purse began as the SoHo sling from Bags-a knitter's dozen. Knitted in cotton Flash. I say it began as the SoHo sling but did not continue in that direction. I bound off and then decide that I wanted it to be longer. So being the newbie knitter I was back then, I tried to pick up the stitches all the way around with my circular needles. I was having a terrible time. Only able to pick up one side of the stitch. I knitted the first round and had perfectly spaced holes all a round. Like I had done a yarn over between each stitch.
Oh I was so mad. I got the idea to pull a bead through each hole. I looks like I meant to do that. Ya, I did mean to do that. I was so tired of looking at the purse after all of that, it is going to my older sister Shelley. I will be giving her very specific instructions. Take good care of it, do not get it wet, lose it or mistreat it in anyway. Oh, and keep it away from the dogs.
The two things on the bottom are felted cozies for a cell phone and for a pack of cigarettes. My sister Marla liked my camera cozy and asked if I would make her something like that. I might just get on a roll and have something to show you next Friday too.
It was our last Tuesday night with Lora.
I guess you New Hampshire knitters can have her back. She is going home before her August birthday so I gave her some early presents. What you aren't seeing is a fiber trends pattern for a felted squirrel, some blue fabric that looks like waves and the current IK featuring felted items.
Here are some more wonderful goodies made by Ruth.
Lora made one of her wonderful bags for her mom's friend Jill.We are all loving that fabric. Click on the pic to see what I mean. Watch her etsy, and you just might be able to get one for yourself!
If you look closely you will see two more Lora originals on the table.
Tuesday nights have been so much fun this past month. The LouKnitters, Quills knitters or whatever we are going to call ourselves will certainly miss you! Wishing Lora and her boys a safe drive home.
July is hot, sticky, muggy, sweltering, I could come up with lots of adjectives but you get the picture. July is also the month of birthdays in my family. My younger brother turned 32 on the 11th and my younger sister will be 30 on the 25th. Then July 29th will come. No matter how much I hope we can skip that day it always comes. I have always had a little trouble with my birthday. Turning 25 was the worst. I felt like I had done nothing with my life. I was a quarter of a century old, 1/3 of my life was over. What had I done?? Well, I was tired of who I was, did not really like myself. I wanted to do things that no one would ever except from me. Very un-Sonya like things. So I became a bartender, got my first tattoo, became engaged and went on a trip to Ireland. All within about 2 months after my birthday. The ones between then and now have been ok. 30 was a little hard and then 35.
I have trouble getting this year's number out. Like Fonzi trying to say he was wrong. I don't feel my age, I know I don't act it (just ask my kids). I see my family getting older around me. My aunt was planning her funeral the other day. I told her I did not want to know anything about it until I had no choice. My mom tried to tell me that she is getting old, 74 now. I said nope, she is in her late 40s cursing out the rude cashier at the local grocery.
I have people frozen at a certain ages. When I think about them they are always that age, the age when I was with them and had a good time or they were there for me.
Shared in my joys and tragedies. Made me feel better, or special in a family with 4 kids. It can be very hard when I am forced to acknowledge the real age of a loved one. At some point I will have to embrace getting older. But not this year.
to show you this?? A couple months ago Olivia went to one of the best birthday parties ever. Blogless Tabitha threw her daughter Emma, a Wizard of Oz Birthday Party.
Here the kids are picking apples off of the tree. Nope, nobody had any apples thrown at them.
Olivia and I had a great time walking down the yellow brick road towards the great cake and magic wands. The magic wands were pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate with sprinkles. They were delicious
.
Here is the birthday girl and her little sister Dorothy, no Ava.
Ava was adorable as Dorothy.
And boy am I happy. Jodi sent me some great stuff.Two hanks of Knit Picks Gossamer (blue Jeans colorway) my very first lace weight yarn. Two big balls of Rowan biggy print and a mitten pattern to go with it. A super size ball of Sugar'n Cream cotton and a round dishcloth pattern. I will have to use the dried blueberries soon or John will eat them all. Did you see the scone recipe? And a few other goodies too.
Swaps are really fun. 
This is the very cool crib toy that Ruth has made for her little guy. She is going to stuff it with different tactile things. It will have eyes soon, it is a little odd without eyes.
Here they are the incredible socks that Loretta knitted. It took her a little less than a week. We are so proud of her. I'm next!
I promised a long time ago to show you a picture of the Colgate clock at night. Pretty cool isn't it?
Amanda of NH Knitting Mama has a really cool contest going on right now. She has been to some neat places
While out with Lora, I was carded. It does not happen often but it did last night. I said sure, but I will be 37 in just a few weeks. The server who was probably in her early 20s said that i did not look it. She was nice.
Well, when it was Lora's turn, I told her that she is almost 37 too. See Lora's birthday is just about a week after mine. We are the same age. I have been holding on to that for more than a few years. We both got married in 1995. Lora informed me last night that yes, our birthdays are very close, but that she was born in 1971. No way , that can't be true. I have made her a year older for a long time. How could I have been so wrong? That's a line from a song.
See when Lora moved away she left me with a bunch a young knitters. Most are in their early to mid 20s. Just a couple in their early 30s.
So Lora and I were the oldest. She got all my little jokes, lines from old TV shows or movies. We like the same 70s and 80s music. We were the same. And now she tells me it has all been a sham a farce. Well here is a big raspberry blown just for you Lora.
Oh ya, I am so sorry to have made you older all of this time. Enjoy being 35.
Lora and I took advantage of the new Smoke Free Louisville and went
to O'Shea's Irish Pub. The last time I was there, probably over 5 years ago, the smoke hung a foot down from the ceiling. A friend of Lora and Brent's was the entertainment for the night. Carl from Strumbeat. The show was great, even tho he screwed up Crazy Train and Fire and Rain. He was hilarious. We were good, I had one beer and we left for home about 1:15am. That was a late night for both of us. But we had a great time, we are quite a pair.
And later on at the brother in-law's house. The adorable Daniel was not too sure about his first 4th of July.
Fun with sparklers
Some of the good stuff was brought from TN. by Chris and Ernie.
