skein

Dogs on Thursday

2009-12-03T18:06:00.013-06:00

Angus is 4 months old now and he weighs 40 lbs. He is so adorable and is as sweet natured as he is cute. Starsky is sitting in the chair hoping for a treat.
Eli is holding Billy Cooke. Billy is one of the studio pets, he stayed with us over the long Thanksgiving weekend. It was a little hare raising keeping him safe around the three dogs.

Angus is intently watching Billy, not sure if he wants to play with him or eat him.

I came into the bedroom the other day and saw this.

It is actually a creepy picture.

He had trouble getting out from under the dresser. I had to grab the dog pillow and pulled him out.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-11-19T18:52:00.005-06:00

Angus and I had our first incident with my knitting. He got my current wip off of the computer desk. I took it away immediately and put it in my bag. Later that night at Tuesday night knitting I am just knitting away and came across a ply of yarn that was sticking out. Upon closer inspection I saw that several plies were loose. I had to frog back about 10 rows til I found all the cut yarn.

Angus is 34 lbs now, growing like a weed.

In this picture they are looking at John holding some treats.

It is not nearly as crazy as I thought it would be with three dogs. They give as much (if not more) joy than sorrow. It can get really loud when they all start barking and sometimes they run crazy thru the house, sliding and crashing into tables, chairs and curio cabinets. When the rowdiness gets too much I tell them to "take it outside".

I will say that the scooping of the backyard has risen to a whole new level.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-11-12T15:47:00.008-06:00

This is Zeus, he came over to play with his brother Angus. They had lots of fun together. Zeus was a little leery of Starsky tho. It was hilarious to see them together. Two silly little puppies, almost the exact same size. Angus was last weighed on Nov. 4th, he was 30 lbs.

Puppy snarls are so funny, pretending to be big bad dogs.

I love this picture. Two happy girls with their puppies.

We are settling into a nice routine, except Angus still seems to have some trouble telling us when he needs to go outside. Had another pee accident just this evening. He has yet to go in this crate.

Have to keep reminding myself that he is only 3 and a half months old.

Dogs on Thursday & more birthday

2009-10-29T12:13:00.012-06:00

Happy Birthday to my girl! She bought this jacket with a gift card and birthday money.

I looked out the window yesterday and the three of them were curled up together on the front porch of the playhouse.

Mimi made this hat (needle felted) for Olivia's birthday.

Angus is 12 weeks old now. I weighed him this past Monday and he is up to 27 lbs.

Birthday week begins!

2009-10-24T09:20:00.004-06:00

Yesterday began Olivia's birthday week. She had a sleepover party with some friends.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-10-22T18:14:00.010-06:00

I have a furry toddler at my house! Can't take my eyes off of him, he puts stuff in his mouth and is constantly bugging the other two. Instead of having to drive him around to get him settled, Olivia and I had to take him for a walk at 11:45 last night.
This past Monday he weighed 24.4 lbs. That is a gain of a little over 3 lbs in one week.
This is what happens when big dogs play with the baby's toy.

They seem to play well together but I have to supervise. Starsky gets carried away and it looks like he is going to kill Angus. Certainly sounds like it.

Tuesday night knitting

2009-10-21T21:09:00.010-06:00

John and the kids brough Angus to meet the knitters. They all fell in love.

Holly is modeling the Amelia Earhart

Ashley is making the Lizard Ridge afghan This is a before and after blocking picture.

Jackyll & Hide was knit by Jenny. I will say that I found it a little scary. Alex wants me to make one for him.

Catching up and finding blessings to count

2009-10-16T21:00:00.014-06:00

My friend Chan is having a contest. She wrote a wonderful blog post about celebrating life and counting your blessings.

This seemed like the perfect topic for me to jump back into blogging.

So much has happened in the two and a half months since I last talked to you. The kids are going to a new school, my cousin had a baby (a boy), my parents headed back to their place in Florida, Elliot played Fall Ball and Alex had a birthday. He is 12, a pre-teen. Hard to believe. For his birthday he got an I-touch (I don't even have one), that was the only thing he really wanted. Below is the sock I knit for his I-touch.

As far as blessing go, I have many. Right now one stands out the most, has made the biggest impact on our life. The new school that the kids are attending is the local Montessori. It is the perfect place for Alex. They truly care and have great concern for the students. It goes well beyond how they are doing academically and into how they are developing as people. If you have been with me for sometime you know that Alex has some emotional and mental challenges. Starting 6th grade at the neighborhood middle school was not an option. The pressure, chaos and sheer number of people would have been too much for him. He has loved the school from day one. Recently when he began having "bad days" I did not worry. I know
that he is in good hands. They understand and want to help him. No one makes him feel worse or criticizes him for his anxiety. The most wonderful thing about the school is that they allow children to be different, to have personalities and to express themselves. They are not being smothered or forced into a mold, of what the school powers that be think is acceptable.
We were a baseball family again this Fall. Elliot has really improved since the Spring season. He is hitting harder and enjoying being catcher. The coach said that he was most improved from the Spring season. It was lots of fun watching the boys play. We met some wonderful people and when next Spring season comes around he wants to stay with his coach.
It will be his third season with this coach.
Olivia is doing well and making new friends. She has a birthday at the end of the month so watch for more about her.

a follow up to Dogs on Thursday

2009-10-16T15:03:00.003-06:00

There was a question about litter mates. Angus has four brothers. The largest and smallest puppies had already found homes. So these are the three that were left. The one below found a home with Olivia's friend Emily. Zeus lives down the street with Emily and her family.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-10-15T19:53:00.008-06:00

I know it has been a very long time, but here I am.
We have a new addition to the family. This incredibly adorable little guy is Angus. He is a Great Pyrenees/ St. Bernard mix, born July 27th. He came to live with us on October 3rd.

Angus had a puppy check up on Monday the 19th and weighed in at 21 lbs.

He was unnamed for over a week while we tried to agree on the perfect name. We ended up voting Survivor style. There were three votes for Angus and two votes for Olaf.

Starsky likes him, Hutch is a little slower to warm up. He tolerates him. Hopefully the three of them will become the best of friends.

Angus tries really hard to run with the big dogs. Give him a few months and he will be able to hold his own.

Hutch knows there is something in the other side of the fence.

You can't take a bath here without a dog stopping in for a drink. He prefers cold water but has been known to drink it warm.

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-07-29T20:54:00.002-06:00

Well, today is my birthday. It has been a good day. I have lots of trouble with birthdays, they always seem such a let down, never quite what you hoped for. My problem is that I am not even sure what I expect. Birthdays have always been reminders of what you have not done. Another entire year has gone by and everything is still the same , or god forbid, even worse. I am trying really hard to stay upbeat.

I have wonderful family and friends that have made today very special. I enjoyed a breakfast of Frosted Flakes and orange juice in my bed, brought to me by my kids. Alex planned an impromptu birthday lunch at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. He paid for the four of us with his own money. My parents, Ashley and our neighbor friend joined us. I got to wear a sombrero while they sang Happy Birthday to me in Spanish.
Grandma Joy made me a chocolate cake.

This evening my sister kept all three kids while John and I went out to Olive Garden for dinner.
I will have some pics and things for you later.

2009-07-28T23:03:00.005-06:00

Here are a few stages of the moon flower opening. It was very cool to watch the progress. I think it took about 30 minutes.

My brother Jason and his lovely wife, Becca

My little sister had a birthday! She is holding the market bag I knit for her. One of the few things I have knit that I was truly happy with the finished object. I might have to make one for myself.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-07-23T10:45:00.005-06:00

Bath day!

All together now, aww poor doggies! They look so miserable, but they are much cleaner and smell better. The question now is how long will they stay this way??

Thoughts

2009-07-16T00:35:00.004-06:00

How important is it to be happy? Really, on a scale of 1- 10 just how important is it? Many people live unhappy lives and they survive. I'm not sure about the quality of those lives.
I wonder if given a choice, would they make changes to ensure their future happiness? Being someone that has suffered from depression for many years, happiness is very important. It is so much easier to face the day if you have a bright or sunny outlook.

Are those around us supposed to make us happy or are we responsibly for our own happiness? I know that some can directly cause unhappiness.
As wives and mothers, who usually put everyone else first, how long can we function without happiness in our lives? Whenever I read about a husband or wife that has killed their spouse or a mother that has killed her children, I wonder about the cause of such tragedies. Many times it is the result of mental illness or drug/alcohol abuse but what if it is from years of unhappiness.
The breaking point is different for everyone.

I believe a person needs to make their own happiness. It could be as easy as finding a hobby (like knitting), making new friends (like knitting friends) or buying new shoes. Many times it is not that easy, you might have to decide to get a new job, leave old friends behind or move away from family. What if it was trying to decide to stay married? To continue on as things have been for many years , eventually dying inside and end up nothing but a shell of a person for your children. That is truly an overwhelming resolution. I can't imagine how terrifying that would be.

I know that vows are taken; for better or worse richer or poorer sickness or health, and those vows are important, they mean something. But at what cost?? For many years I have watched someone I love dearly, slowly wither away and become a shadow of her former self. It has broken my heart ten times over, I want her to have happiness and joy in her life.
If she has to make the most difficult decision of her life, then so be it.

I will be there to hold her hand every step of the way.

Random Pictures

2009-07-14T09:29:00.006-06:00

Falls of the Ohio State Park

2009-07-08T18:39:00.007-06:00

Dogs on Thursday

2009-07-02T13:48:00.006-06:00

Things have been quite here from the doggie point of view. Not much going on at all. They are still under foot and behind you every time you turn around. Starsky has this very strange habit of plopping himself down next to the couch. It sounds like a grown man has fallen down. We have hardwood floors so it vibrates and shakes everything. Just when we think he can't do it any harder than before, he does.

This little girl is "Little Bits". She belongs to my cousin Lauren.
Here are some tongue photos for you. Starsky the black lab and Hutch the Shepard mix.

A random post

2009-06-26T14:47:00.008-06:00

Awhile back I won a blog contest. Here is a pic of the wonderful goodies that were my prize. Yes, that is Creatively Dyed yarn.

Thank you so much Chan!!

Here are two cloths that I have finished. They are both for soap & cloth swaps on Ravelry. I have some really nice cloths that have been sent to me.

Some knitters from Tuesday night knitting.

2009-06-23T21:01:00.003-06:00

I came home from knitting and found some very unhappy people. The baby robin died this evening. I'm not sure what else we could have done. The bird seemed fine today, ate worms and some strawberries.

It is so hard to explain something like this to kids. Both Alex and Eli had become very attached to the bird.

Wild Kingdom....sorta

2009-06-21T20:10:00.007-06:00

It's a regular Wild Kingdom around here lately. The baby robin was brought to us yesterday by the neighbor boy. He found it in his yard , looked everywhere for a nest but could not find one. John and the kids are having a great time feeding it and helping it learn to fly. They have named him George. I have learned a little about baby birds. Not only do they eat worms but you can feed them blueberries and strawberries.
I have no desire to hold, pet or be near it. I hope it learns to fly soon.
The groundhog was found in our neighbor's backyard. It was really neat to see it close up. Not as cute as a raccoon or as creepy as an opossum.

2009 Pee Wee Division Champs

2009-06-13T22:54:00.006-06:00

What fun we all had!
The team had 19 wins and 2 losses. The final game was a nail biter, but we won 12-11. All of the drills and running to the wall had paid off. All the boys improved and some may have a future in the big leagues.
I am so happy that our first experience with organized sports turned out so well. I know it can be hit or miss getting the right coaches and fellow parents. Elliot had a great time and wants to play again.

The big trophy in the last picture is the coach's.

School days

2009-06-10T21:01:00.011-06:00

School has been out for about a week now. We are taking it slowly but soon will come up with some fun things to do. During the last week of school there was DARE graduation, 5th grade science fair and 1st, 3rd and 5th grade awards day. In the last 4 days of school I had to attend 5 events. It was hectic but look at those smiling faces.

I will have more for you later. I have been under the weather myself so I have gotten very behind on some things.

2009-05-26T06:53:00.006-06:00

Sarcasm-(from the Greek sarkazein, to tear flesh) a taunting or caustic remark, generally ironic.
Snide- slyly malicious or derisive.
Derisive- to laugh at in scorn; ridicule

We all know what these words mean. As adults we probably use sarcasm with each other ever day. I could be crowned the queen of sarcasm and quick comebacks.

Most adults can handle sarcasm, they can give it and they can take it. Children, on the other hand, are not emotionally or mentally able to handle sarcasm. Especially if those sarcastic, snide comments are coming from an adult. Being told to another adult within earshot of the said child. What if the adult is someone that is supposed to be in a position of authority? Someone that is supposed to care for your child when they are sick. Children get enough teasing and bullying from other kids, they need to feel protected by the adults at school. It takes someone with a very special spirit to work as a teacher or be in a school setting. I can't imagine how tiresome, frustrating, difficult and rewarding it must be to work in a school.
I am not expecting a 5th grade teacher to be as kind, gentle and loving as a kindergarten teacher, but if dealing with all of the students then you should be kind and caring with everyone. If this is no longer possible then maybe it is time to retire.
There are kids that would push Mother Teresa over the edge, believe me I know. It can be quite difficult to deal with those kids on a daily basis. But if you know there are special circumstances then keep that in mind and adjust the attitude.
Some children need a little extra. Extra time, extra patience, extra attention and extra forgiveness. How many children choose to draw attention to themselves in negative ways? Want their classmates to see them become out of control, hysterical? Want to sit in the office and be seen by everyone who comes in?

I am glad there are only 8 days of school left. I know summer will bring its' own set of difficulties, but the ones brought on by school will be over.

Added later; This is a public school and the person is in the school health office. I am inquiring at the administration building as to how to go about filing an official complaint.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-05-21T15:57:00.006-06:00

I have some guest dogs for today's Dogs On Thursday post.

I was sitting at my computer yesterday morning when I noticed a little dog running around out front. It was trying to get this lady at the bus stop to pet her. The lady ignored her, so she wondered out into the street. I went out to the carport and she ran right over to me. She only had a rabies tag. I called the vet listed, gave them the tag number and ended up with a name and phone number. I called and someone came right over. Daisy had ventured several miles from home during her 24 hours on the lam.

This is a perfect example why both my boys have tags with name, address and phone number, not to mention the Home Again tags.

You never know if the next guy will call the vet listed to get some info.

John is holding the matriarch of my family. Cori, a Jack Russel, belongs to my older sister. At her senior age of 14 (at least) she gets to sit on whatever lap she wants.

First roses of the season.

2009-05-17T09:32:00.002-06:00

I took these pictures about a week ago. I will take some new pictures this week, several bushes are full of blooms.

I did not know this....

2009-05-03T15:36:00.003-06:00

Did you all know that I am a hated, mean, horrible, lying idiot?
I wonder what I will be tomorrow.....

Added later: wanted to clarify that the sentence is a combination of all the things said in a 4 hour span.

Random pictures

2009-05-01T09:27:00.009-06:00

I realized that one or two of these pictures need a little explanation. The picture of the shoes-that is an assortment of left shoes that were under my computer desk. The last picture is a collection of oil cans and tin cans that my grandpa had in the garage.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-04-30T15:54:00.007-06:00

Happy Thursday!

Whenever I point the camera at Starsky he jumps right up to it. Not sure if he wants to lick it or what. Hutch will normally pose for me. I got a huge pile of black hair from Starsky. If you haven't went out and bought a Furminator yet, go get it. I cannot believe how well it works.

Not sure what is going on right now but Starsky has started eating Hutch's food again. He used to do that all the time. Boy does Hutch get mad, he barks, yipes and chases Starsky around.

I am so behind....

2009-04-27T23:00:00.012-06:00

this will have to be a catch up post.

Yes, that is Holly cutting her knitting! What she is doing is called crazy, no wait it is steeking. Nicole is modeling the sweater after is was steeked.
Then you have some finished objects from my Tuesday Night Knitting friends.
The bottom pic is a recent FO for a cloth swap on Ravelry.

We had a birthday party for John this past Friday. Here are some of the party-goers.

Baseball

2009-04-18T11:14:00.002-06:00

Here's my little slugger! Yesterday was the first game. Weather and accidents held everything up for over a week. The Dodgers won the game 4-0. It looks like Eli may have found his position. He was the catcher most of the game. Coach said to take the gear home and sleep in it. The next game is on Wednesday.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-04-09T16:20:00.004-06:00

Look at that. That is a pile of hair from Hutch. The past few days I have gotten a pile that big and even bigger.

I have a FURminator. I got mine off of ebay. I've read some reviews about how great this works. I am here to tell you that it is really great. Not sure if it is worth the $64.99 it costs at one of the big pet stores. However it is worth the $32.00 I paid. Even works on the short slick hair Starsky has.

You do have to be gentle, it will pull if the brush is moved too fast over the hair. Starsky came over to check it out. Hutch decided to take out his irritation at being brushed on Starsky. Poor guy he just came to see what was happening.

Spring, where are you?

2009-04-06T18:28:00.005-06:00

I wonder if Mother Nature is listening or if she is just screwing with us?? It was warm and sunny enough Saturday for me to get a sunburn watching ball practice and today practice was called for weather. This evening the wind chill was in the 30's. It looks like Tuesday's practice will be called too. The first game is on Saturday. The news said that Spring might be back by Friday.

Eli had a little trouble with some math homework. He was mad and said the worksheet was stupid and he was not going to do it. After I got him calmed down I read it to him. It was a math word problem: If Patrick's feet are 12 inches long and Sponge Bob's are 8 inches long who's are longer and by how much. Most all would just do the math and say the Patrick's are bigger by 4 inches. Eli went on a tirade about the fact that Patrick does NOT have feet! He found an episode on Cartoon Network just to show me but I knew he had no feet. I finally convinced him he could answer the problem. "If Patrick had feet they would be 4 inches longer than Sponge Bob's"
He told me his math teacher laughed.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-04-02T17:43:00.014-06:00

The boys and I had a big day. The Dahlem Animal Hospital in New Albany has a rabies shot clinic once a year, $10 per shot. It is was from 2-4 today. I got there at 1:45 and a line of about 25 dogs and owners was already started. Since I am still in the stupid boot I was not looking forward to the task. I left the boys in the car and went to sign them in asking the ladies to let me know before it is my turn so I can go back out and bring one boy in. There was no way I was going to be able to handle two dogs. So when they called my name they offered to have me drive around back. The doctor came out and gave them the shots in the car. It was very nice of them to be so accommodating.

Starsky and Hutch have a new neighbor this week too. Olive belongs to our wonderful friends Stephanie and Nathaniel. They haven't got to play together yet, Olive needs some time to get used to her new family.

Dog on Thursday

2009-03-26T13:35:00.012-06:00

The boys have a new neighbor. A very cute little girl named Abby who is a Collie/Lab mix.
She can't play yet though, they are just too rough and tough. She came over to visit and loved being up on the ceder chest. So cute and furry with puppy breath, makes you want one so much.

Playing and roughhousing goes on all the time around here. If your feet get too close watch out, it is fair game to Starsky. I tried to get a good picture of them together in the playhouse window but they did not cooperate. In fact every time Hutch was at the window he would jump right out.

I finally remembered how I hurt my foot. Several weeks ago I was outside playing with the boys and got side swiped by Starsky, who had Hutch literally on his heels. I was spun around and fell. Grumbled at them about not going to play with them anymore and went into the house. I told John my foot hurt but never thought about it much after that. I knew that something was seriously wrong with it when I only made it about half a block walking to get the kids from school

Tuesday night knitting/ Birthdays

2009-03-25T22:00:00.017-06:00

Happy Birthday Ashley and Jenny! Jenny's is belated, she is a St. Patty's baby. Ashley is as young as she looks.

She is crocheting some bags for family birthdays. The bags are really cute, can't wait to see them lined.

Look at what she got. Yes, those are lighted scissors. For those times you just really need to cut something in the dark.

Here is Jenny opening some of her gifts.
I think she likes it!

Lora, this on is for you.

Jayce and Olivia.
Below is the baby blanket that was knit by Jayce.
He also knits socks, hats and dishcloths
Hey Ashley, he's a keeper!

A day in the life.

2009-03-24T10:05:00.003-06:00

I lead a mildly adventurous life. Not the fun exciting adventures they make movies about, but the Lucy and Ethel type adventures. I am going to blame this on the DNA half from my mom.
Some friends came by to pick up the kids, they were all going to walk to the park together. I told the mom that I would meet her there. Seeing how I can't walk to the park I was going to drive. I went across the street to see if the neighbor friend wanted to go. In the five minutes I was out of the house John happened to stop by. He wasn't sure about what was going on so he locked everything. I came back to discover that I am locked out with no cell phone or purse. Back across the street to the neighbors, I call John at work, he says "I didn't know what you were thinking" I replay back that how far could I have really gotten. He can come back but not until later. So I borrow the car from the neighbor and we drive to the park. No friends or family to be seen. So we drive back to the house. They are there waiting wondering what the heck is going on. We found Eli a way in and he unlocked the door for us. Then John pulls into the driveway.
Better late than never. He took a fudge pop and went back to work.

Birthday pictures!

2009-03-23T13:49:00.006-06:00

I have three nephews and one niece. The middle nephew, Trey, is now 6 years old. It seems like he was just a baby a few months ago. He got mad at his mommy once and told her he wanted to go live with aunt Sonya.
We'd make room.

Tuesday night knitting

2009-03-11T14:46:00.007-06:00

I have been on somewhat of a dishcloth kick. I gave one away already so here are the five that are left. I have two more on the needles right now.

Nicole has finished another sweater.

Ashely brought her button stash for us all to see. I think a little bartering happened.

I got a new shoe today.
I have been having a lot of trouble with my right foot. Sharp pain if I step a certain way or walk for very long. Not sure exactly what or when it happened, but I have a stress fracture. I have to wear this big ole boot until April 7th.

I hope it doesn't snow again.

I'm around.

2009-03-07T15:39:00.009-06:00

Not much has been worth sharing, so I will grasp at some straws. Here are a few random things.

At the kid's school, the permanent substitute gym teacher is named Ms. Payne.

We have had temp fluctuations this past week of about 25 degrees, today it is in the low 70's.

We got a new/refurb computer last week. The disc drive was bad, so after talking to the tech dept. I was able to get it out by myself. Did a little happy dance that I was able to do it. They are sending a replacement on Monday.

All of my stuff is still on the old computer.

Alex has gone to school without any issues for almost three weeks. (Edited to add that the med changes kicked in.)

Two kids are sick right now. Keeping fingers crossed that it does not spread to the third.

I will be starting the third book in the Twilight series later this week.

I have been on a dishcloth kick again. I have knit four in the past week.

We have been invited to two birthday parties on March 15th. Both are for young cousins.

I was going to go knit at a once a month meet up today, but I am feeling crappy too.

There are only three weeks left until the next report card comes out.

I will try to have some real posts for you soon.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-02-19T16:54:00.009-06:00

It looks like some digging has been going on today. I know two boys who are in big trouble with daddy.
Their playing got a little out of hand after the pictures were taken. I had to separate them. Hutch holds a grudge too, so I have to make sure he is not going after Starsky later.

Yesterday it was cold and rainy so I left them in the utility room while I ran some errands. I like to give them treats when they have to do something I know they don't want to. Well, Hutch just sat there and looked at the treats by his feet. He would not even take the one I was giving him. Starsky gobbled up all of his treats and then ate the others while Hutch just watched. Those are my feet in the last picture. They like to put on a show for me, chase and play fight. It can be a little dangerous for the spectators. I have to keep telling them that I am not base.

Tuesday night knitting

2009-02-18T09:08:00.011-06:00

We had a huge crowd last night. I had to stand on a chair to get in as many people as I could. There were socks being knit, gloves, baby sweaters, blanket squares and a little spinning was going on at the end of the table. The best news of the evening was the elevenA (aka Ila) got engaged!

We had a couple girls with us too.

Here she is showing us her beautiful ring.

Hello

2009-02-12T23:58:00.018-06:00

Should a person post on a blog when they can't sleep? Probably not, but here I go anyway.

Well I have been quiet, if you have not figured it out yet I am only quiet when I don't have much good to say. I am going to grasp for some straws here and see if I can come up with anything remotely interesting to tell you. Let's see, Monday and Tuesday were bad, Wednesday was better, today a little better. One of the biggest gift and card holidays is upon us, Valentine's Day. I read that an estimated one billion cards are sent on Valentine's Day. OMG that is a lot of money, ink, paper, stamps, gas, and trees. It states here that 189 million stems of roses are sold in the U.S. on Valentine's Day. Most roses are bought by the dozen, so that would be 15,750,000 dozens. Lets say that you find a good deal and a dozen roses only cost $19.99
that would be $314,842,500 spent on roses alone. That is just way too much math for me to think about right now. I don't even want to do the math for the amount spent on cards. That would probably just make me sick. I am not against Valentine's Day it is a racket though. Be kind and show your loved ones how you feel more than just on this day. All the sap can be nice but the pressure to go overboard is ridiculous. I will admit that I am not a sappy kind of girl, give me a shoot'em up or a horror movie any day over a chick flick. All that said, John and I will go to a Hallmark store tomorrow and pick a Valentine out for each other, read it and put it back on the shelf. If any roses are ever involved they better be in a pot and ready to be planted. That way I can enjoy them for years to come instead of about a week.

On the knitting front I have pulled out a very old (over 12 months) UFO. A baby blanket for a dear friend. Her baby is a year old this month. My friend's birthday is in March so I promise to have it finished and sent in time for her birthday.
I finished the baby gator for Eli. He is very happy with it. The eyes are very cool. A picture before the eyes were added and after.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-02-05T15:58:00.005-06:00

I was finally able to get some pictures of the boys being calm. The ceder chest in front of the window is Hutch's favorite place to sit. In the pictures at the bottom they are hoping daddy will give them something off of his plate.

Don't pay any attention to the laundry on the couch, pretend that it is not there. Please.

One word.....

2009-02-01T17:22:00.003-06:00

Answer each question with one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket

2. Your job? sucks
3. Your hair? brunette

4. Your mother? beach
5. Your father? golf

6. Your favorite thing? quiet

7. Your dream last night? stressful

8. Favorite season? autumn

9. Your goal/dream? happiness

10. The room you're in? living

11. Your hobby? knitting

12. Your fear? birds

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? alive

14. Where were you last night? Grinny's

15. What you are not? organized

16. Muffin? blueberry

17. One of your wish list items? Money

18. Where you grew up? Indiana

19. The last thing you did? grocery

20. What are you wearing? Jeans

21. Your TV? on

22. Your pet? Dogs

23. Your computer? old

24. Your life? chaotic

25. Your mood? stressed

26. Missing someone? Yes

27. Your car? old
28. Something you're not wearing? coat

29. Favorite store? Target

30. Your summer? Poolside

31. Love someone? everyday

32. Your favorite color? Greens

33. When is the last time you laughed? Today

34. Last time you cried? week

A tree, a chainsaw and Big Boy

2009-01-30T19:35:00.017-06:00

The holly tree resting on the fence is now gone. A friend of mine loaned us (well not "us" John was the only using it) a chainsaw, so John was able to make quick work of the tree.
Some of the out of state workers that came to help us. I got to meet two of them yesterday. They came and moved the power line that has been down all week. Here is a big THANK YOU to all of them. At the bottom, a frozen Frisch's Big Boy

Dogs on Thursday-snow edition

2009-01-29T13:17:00.011-06:00

Ok, I am getting over the snow. It is no longer nice fluffy fun snow. It is hard, crusty and dirty. The boys are enjoying it, but they do have enough since to not want to stay out in it too long. Unlike the two legged boys I have.
The back steps are small and both dogs cannot be on it at the same time. I wonder if they will ever figure that out. I think I will take a few pics of them tonight. They both crash like little kids at bedtime.

And it continues....

2009-01-28T22:26:00.001-06:00

It was announced today that school will be out for the rest of the week.
Whatever will we do to entertain ourselves???

Winter in the Ohio Valley

2009-01-28T12:16:00.017-06:00

Well, winter has really arrived here. Monday was a 2 hour delay, no school today and no school again tomorrow (Wed.). We were with out power for about 6-8 hours but it came back earlier this afternoon. There are lots of trees and limbs down in the neighborhood. It was very surreal standing outside at 4:00 am this morning. Everything was very quiet then the creaking would start and limb or entire trees would come crashing down. Sometimes it was very close and I could watch the actual fall. Then the creaking and crashing would start again and it would be from several blocks away. I knew the moment we lost power. The transformer about 2 blocks away, made three loud popping sounds and I saw what looked like blue fireworks shoot out each time.

The holly trees are in my backyard.
The two pictures below are my across the street neighbor. Her house is still without power.
The first picture of the birdhouse was taken about 3:30 in the morning. The next was taken early this afternoon.
I just can't wait to see what the weather brings tonight.

R is for.....

2009-01-23T21:15:00.012-06:00

Chan had this on her blog.
I have to come up with ten things I like/love that begin with a certain letter. Chan picked my letter, it is the letter R. So let's see what I can come up with......

1. Ravelry- A wonderful resource for all things fiber related. I can spend hours looking at all of
the finished objects and patterns available. If you are not yet signed up...
GO THERE NOW!

2. Reese's Cups- My two favorite flavors together. Chocolate and peanut butter.

3. Reading- I have always been an avid reader. I still have novels that I read as a young girl.
A dog series by Jim Kjelgaard . I probably read seven or eight of his books. I
still have two of them. Still have some silly junior romance novels and lots
of Stephen King. Lately I mostly read knitting books.

4. Ravioli- Is one of my favorite Italian dishes. Cheese or mushroom ravioli.

5.Radio- I love to listen to the radio in the car, not talk radio, but music. Most of the time
it is on a classic rock station.

6. Roses-Not the ones delivered on Valentine's Day, those are just rip offs. I love roses
planted in my yard so I can enjoy them all summer.

7. Retrievers- Labradors to be exact. A black one.

8. Red hots- The cinnamon candy that my grandfather use to make every Christmas.
Now I have to go buy them at Schimpff's candy store.

9. Ok I give, that is all I can think of, R things were very hard .

Leave me a comment if you would like to play. I promise I will not give anyone the letter R.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-01-15T19:33:00.007-06:00

You know I have two dogs, well I have to admit that I have a preference. Can't help it, love them both though. Most of the time when I call John to say guess what the dog did, he always knows which one I am talking about. Yesterday's call was different. It went like this, "You will never believe what my dog just did. I let them ride in the car with me when I dropped Alex off at school. Then we went to the bank. Well Hutch remembers getting a treat from the bank, he sat in my lap watching the tube. I filled out the deposit slip and pushed the button. Hutch decides she is taking too long. He jumped out the window and trotted right over to the bank window and put his paws up and looked in at her. ( I was in the third lane over). I opened the door and yelled at him to get back here. All the while trying to hold Starsky back from escaping too. He got back in the car, with me yelling this is the last time I take you for a car ride.
I'm guessing the Hutch thought that the teller was too slow sending his treat.
I bet they had a great time watching the surveillance video

The dog is scary smart.

Edited to add- after all of the excitement, the canister was sent out with about 8 dog treats. Both Hutch and Starsky ate them all up. I wonder if I could get a copy of the security video....may have to look into that.

My friend

2009-01-11T20:51:00.003-06:00

I have met some of the most wonderful people online. Most of them fellow knitters. They have given support and strength to me when I needed it most. I have tangible proof, in the form of an exquisite lace scarf, of the loving kindness sent to me.
One friend in particular has been there for almost three years. She is the epitome of grace and class. She is always thinking of others and what she can bring to their lives. Of all the people I have ever met online she is the one I would most like to spend time with in person.
Well, now she needs something from me, and I am going to ask something of all of you. Alison Hyde, the author of Wrapped in Comfort, knitted lace shawls, is in need of our prayers. She has been ill quite some time and has recently had a serious set back. Please go to www.spindyeknit.com and give her some of your strength, encouraging words or just say hello Sonya sent me.

Alison, I have been thinking about you a lot, hoping and praying that you are feeling better. Please know that you are very special to everyone you have ever touched. You have touched my life in many ways.

is not a baby anymore......

2009-01-11T19:33:00.005-06:00

We had some birthday today.
The cousins, aunts and uncles came over, along with some close family friends.

We had a really nice time together, even though mimi and pop were missing.
They called and said how nice it was in Florida and how they had walked on the beach earlier. Ok guys, do not rub it in. It tried to snow but then the snow gave up. Tomorrow is his first at school as a 7 year old.

My baby.........

2009-01-10T23:03:00.005-06:00

Eli is now 7 years old. I cannot believe how fast the years have gone by.

Dogs on Thursday

2009-01-08T21:11:00.019-06:00

My four-legged boys have been missing for quite some time, don't worry they're here.
I have just been busy with my two-legged ones.
Starsky got a new duck for Christmas, he was so happy. It was down right hilarious watching him run around the house with the duck in his mouth. Hutch really has nothing to do with toys. His only interest in them is to take them from Starsky. I have to be careful when I get on him. After I am done saying "No, bad dog or drop it" Hutch gets on him too. Starsky will run and then try to hide behind me or crawl under the computer desk. He is way too big to get under there.

The last picture is of a four-legged creature, but not a doggy. Here is Merino, my webkinz. The kids got him for me for Christmas. Yes, I am too old for a webkinz of my own, but he is very cute and I never have to clean up after him.

More Christmas review

2009-01-03T20:54:00.025-06:00

I have two new knitting books, Knitting New Mittens & Gloves and the new Mason Dixon Knitting. I think I like the first Mason Dixon book better, it has more patterns that I would actually knit. Also two knitting calendars, Never Not Knitting and 2009 Pattern-a-day.

The beautiful things below were from my KnitTalk holiday swap partner. Frances sent me some wonderful chocolates and really fun Christmas bath goodies. The yarn is from The Painted Tiger. A superwash merino, nylon (80-20) blend in the colorway breezy. I love it! The Lenox angel is going to hang near my desk year round.

Below are Ruth and the ever adorable Sam. Ruth amazes me with her creativity. I love all the "danglys" she has made. You can find some of her patterns here

We still have a few days of Christmas break left. I will say I am ready for them to get back to a daily routine. There has been way way too much togetherness over the past ten days or so.

Christmas review

2008-12-28T19:42:00.030-06:00

Christmas on the inside.....

and on the outside.

Here are the knitted gifts.
Mom loved the market bag, my
nephew is adorable in the

gator scarf

and the little bracelet bags were a big hit.

This is my Christmas appearance here at the skein.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas
and wish ya'll a safe and Happy New Year.

Tuesday night knitting - gift exchange

2008-12-23T23:01:00.016-06:00

The pictures speak for themselves!

2008-12-23T23:01:00.001-06:00

Why.....

2008-12-16T10:29:00.004-06:00

I had this big rant on why things happen, but my own issues with God and religion would color anything I had to say. I would not want to lose any of my wonderful friends.
So I will keep the rant to myself.
I no longer have any answer to give him when he asks why is this happening to him. I don't know is just not good enough anymore (never really was) , it offers no help or comfort.
I am back to feeling very helpless in all of this. I am supposed to care for them, keep them safe and warm, ease their fears and help them learn how to survive in this big harsh world. I can't even help him survive elementary school.
Things have take several steps back, back to where he is begging not to be taken to school, holding on to walls, door knobs and car handles. Mondays are hard, always have been.
It is just too much to go back after being home for two days.
The school nurse is a real bitch. She should have retired a long time ago. Most kids do not notice sarcasm or recognize snide comments, but mine does. I have talked to her and the principle about being kind and understanding. The need to not make things worse. I know this is a very frustrating situation for all involved and can be disruptive to the routine in the office, but come on. Have some compassion, they are not adults but children with fragile feelings and little self confidence.
I will be glad when Christmas break starts, the horrible mornings will end for awhile.
I do know a whole new set of issues will begin. I can never decide what is worse. Too much togetherness is rough for everyone. He commented the other day that he bets I wish he was not my son. I cannot emphasize enough how much that is untrue. I wish a lot of things, I wish my cousin had not been killed when he was 17 and I was 15, I wish I still had my grandparents, I wish we had more money but I do not wish away any of my children.

Tuesday/Friday night knitting

2008-12-08T18:05:00.016-06:00

Nicole looks so proud of her fun fur/novelty yarn scarf. She plans to wear it with the beautiful lace wrap sweater she finished Thanksgiving week.

These will be some teacher gifts. I used this Free pattern. Made 6 so far, Eli has already taken one to school.

Lora this picture of your beautiful mom is for you. Loretta is working on a ballband dishcloth.

Look at those socks, yes the feet are on the table. One foot belongs to Ashley and the other one to Holly.

We were just too wild for Jayce. He could not take anymore of our conversations. There was a very in depth discussion on weather to shave or not to shave legs in the winter. The consensus was to not. It was even said that the longer the leg hair is the better job is does keeping the leg warm.
It was only about 11:30 pm when we left Grinny Possum
P.S. I cannot tell a lie. Nicole is not going to wear that scarf. She is knitting it for an aunt. I think it is one of those aunts that no one talks about.

I can relate

2008-12-07T22:12:00.011-06:00

We just finished watching this Hallmark movie. I have never had to deal with Tourettes Syndrome but I could see lots of similarities to what we are dealing with at home. No young boy wants to bring attention to themselves by making strange noises or crying all the time. So the "he could stop if he wants to/only trying to get attention" is totally absurd. If people would just take a moment to think, they would realize how ridiculous they sound. I have seen the anger he felt in the scene sitting in the car after being treated very badly. It is overwhelming when you want to stop and the wanting just makes it all worse. You need the support of your family but you don't want them to see you like that. Don't want them to see you out of control. Angry one minute saying "you do things just to hurt me, don't care at all how I feel" . How horrible, mean and heartless you are. Lashes out at those around that love you. The next minute is filled with sobbing "I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, I don't know why I say things like that. Every morning before school is so hard. So hard for him to face. Hard for me to hear the despair in his voice and see how panicked he becomes. It goes against all motherly instinct to do what I have to do every morning. I have to send an angry, sobbing, terrified child to school everyday. Instead of keeping him home where he feels safe and relaxed. Where he can see me and know that everything is fine.
It was really hard for him to go back after Thanksgiving break. This past week was really awful for everyone. I am so very worried about how it will be when he is off school during Christmas break.

Alex is modeling a hat I knit for a homeless shelter for teens in California. My goal is to knit one or two hats a month and have a big box to send next fall.

I love seeing him look so happy.

yarn, kids, family and friends

2008-11-28T20:45:00.019-06:00

Today was the big sale at Grinny Possum Fiber Arts Look at all of that wonderful yarn! It was almost a crime at 40% off. There were 25 die hard yarnies in the store at 6:25 am. One of the ladies had just given birth to a baby girl on Wednesday. In a few hours there will be the night owl version of the big sale. So if you were wondering where I will be from 11:45pm until 2:00 am....I bet you can figure it out.

Look at those adorable boys. Rosie is the lab mix, I think she wants to get away.
Lydia is becoming such a big girl. Standing alone cruising along the furniture. She will be a year old in a couple months.
The pretty girl with my crew is my cousin Devon. Before she grew up to be a beautiful young woman, she was the favored babysitter.

Isn't Ashley cute wrapped in Interlacements sock yarn. I think she may have bought all the great colors. Ashley is the new favored babysitter. They love going to her house, she has four cats and Jayce.
A finished object. One of the several dishcloths I have finished lately. It is the Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf pattern. I love it.

It's Big D with Eli and Olivia.

A table full of wonderful friends. There were one or two missing.
Nicole knit the most beautiful sweater. She planned to wear it on Thanksgiving.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend. I can't believe Christmas is so close.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T09:41:00.004-06:00

I hope all of you have a wonderful day, whether it is spent with family or friends. We will be spending time with my sister, nephew and her significant other. Then later in the day we will eat again with the in-law side. That means we will get to see Daniel and Lydia.
I am reaching to find what to be thankful for today. It is hard to see past the turmoil of the past 6 weeks and honestly I don't see the light at the end of this particular tunnel.

Eli is thankful that we have food and water and a house with heat and his sister. Oh and for the tv too.

Alex is thankful for me, his daddy and the dogs. And that he has guitar hero.

Olivia is thankful for the doggies and her family.

I do find more and more reasons to be thankful that I found knitting. Knitting has brought me some of the most wonderful friends. Friends that I am comfortable giving my kids to for a few hours. Friends that don't mind that I am not my happy, sunny, playful self. That listen when needed and don't try to fix what is impossible to fix. Some are far away, but I can still feel their love and support. Some are here and I am very happy to have them. Even tho they made me drink alone the other night.

I am thankful that the five of us are together.

I'm here, really I am.

2008-11-22T17:29:00.008-06:00

It has been some time since I felt like saying anything. I have to take things day by day. But things are a little better now. I have things worked out so that Alex's school day starts 2 hours later. That way he can sleep later and it won't be so hard to get up.

I have been knitting, for awhile I could only knit dishcloths. It seems I was not able to commit to anything bigger than that. I moved on from dishcloths but I stayed with cotton.
Some of these are going to be presents. I made one for my aunt, she will be in town for Christmas. I don't have a picture of it yet. Right now it is working as a shop sample. Later it will fulfill its' destiny.... washing dishes.

Tuesday night knitting

2008-11-11T20:54:00.017-06:00

Look at how cute this is. The wonderful Criquette sent me a Pay it Forward package. It was a little overdue but it came at the perfect time for me. I love that button. It is so me. The package also had a fridge magnet, very cool tin with mints and she sent the rest of the skein. I love this yarn. If you can't tell it is the Calorimetry
I would love it if one of you would tell me exactly how to pronounce that word.

I have been on a dishcloth kick. In the past 3 weeks or so I have made 6 cloths. Here are just a couple. These are probably going to be Christmas presents.
The bottom picture shows my Calorimetry with Tata's colossal Calorimetry. Hers is very big, I suggested it would make an interesting tube type top. I think it looks a little like lips.

On a personal note, things have been very rough the past week or so. I have not had much good to say, so I tend to get very quite. No one wants to hear my woes all the time. I start to feel like all I have to talk about is negative things, so I choose to say nothing. We take things day by day. Today was a good day. He was able to stay at school the entire day. It is going to be a long road to get meds right so he feels good on a regular basis.

I have more knitting to show you but that will wait for another day.

Tea with the birthday girl

2008-10-30T14:18:00.008-06:00

This past weekend Olivia had a birthday party at Jewel's House of Teas

Happy Birthday Olivia!

2008-10-29T15:14:00.005-06:00

About 6 weeks old.
At 12 months.
We used to go to Huber's every October for pumpkins.

Eating a piece of birthday cake.

Today was a wonderful day

2008-10-27T21:00:00.002-06:00

We are all back together again. It feels good to go in and see him sleeping in his own bed. We are going to take things slowly, going back to school in a day or two, maybe on a half day schedule. He is very happy to be home.
I want to thank all of you so much for your support. I was overwhelmed by the love and care that I felt with each comment left. I have some incredible friends.

2008-10-25T18:25:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone, today's visit went well. He seemed much more like himself. Told me he felt better than the day before.
But then later in the afternoon he had what he calls a breakdown. Unfortunately it carried on into the evening. I got a couple calls from the place and was able to talk to him. It is very loud and chaotic there, he says it is very scary. The other children are yelling, cursing and at times fighting with the staff. He had not told them how bad the atmosphere makes him feel. I was able to talk to a staff member and explain that his anxiety level goes over the top when the chaos starts. She assured me that they would pay attention and make ever effort to find him a quieter place.
He has always had issues with sensory overload.
We took the kids with us to visit. It went ok but was hard on Eli and Olivia cried, but they were glad to see him. We get to visit again tomorrow.
Thank you all for your kind words. It helps me to read them, to know that you are out there thinking about us.

Much more than normal.

2008-10-25T06:46:00.004-06:00

I am opening up much more than I ever normally would. Sharing things that I would have kept very private, but I realize that my family needs all possible prayers and good thoughts. We, and I mean me, need all the strength you can send.
I will greatly appreciate all of your kind comments but I may not be able to answer them. This is an extremely difficult time for me and some days I can reply and give updates and other days I can't see to say or type the damnable words.

Wednesday, October 22, at 4:00pm John and I took Alex to an inpatient facility.

He had be on a downward spiral for the past 2-3 weeks. The final straw seem to be when my parents left to spend
several weeks at their home in Florida. His depression became severe and he was unable to go to school. He is suffering anxiety attacks while at school. Several through out the day. His doctor sent a note to give him about 4 days off from school.This past Monday was supposed to be the day he went back to school and be able to stay the entire day. It did no go well. We went to a Dr. appt. Tuesday at 2:30 and the Dr. is very concerned and wanted Alex to be assessed at an inpatient facility. That was too much of a shock to us, we were not prepared to hear them say that he was going to be admitted.
So we came back to the facility today. We were more prepared and ready for what seemed inevitable.

At 8:15pm John and I walked away from our child. Hoping and praying that the strangers we were leaving our child with, will be good to him, make him feel safe and reassure him that we do love him very much. And that we are coming back for him.

Fiber in the Fall- the people

2008-10-20T07:36:00.018-06:00

My friends Ashely and Judy took a basket weaving class.
Here she is with the basket she made and one she bought.

Half of the Ravelers that met up at noon. I think there may have been at least 20 if not more.

This is Lara at her very first fiber festival. She had some beautiful stitch markers.

It is such a wonderful atmosphere. Fiber and yarn everywhere you look, beautiful handmade items and the smiling faces of fellow fiber enthusiasts.

Fiber in the Fall

2008-10-18T20:02:00.024-06:00

Olivia and I had a wonderful day at the Fiber Festival. The weather finally turned cool, like it should be in mid October. I was getting pretty tired of 80 degree temps.
The festival was held in Corydon, Indiana. Corydon was the first state capital. Normally the drive would be very pretty this time of year, but not much color to see on the trees. We found more than enough color when we arrived.

I have lots more to show you, so much more that you will have to wait until tomorrow for Fiber in the Fall part #2

Touched by friends

2008-10-18T17:40:00.003-06:00

I want to thank all of you that left comments, emailed or messaged me on Ravelry. It meant a lot to have friends that may not have understood, but knew that I was in need of some kind words.
It has been a very long week. I am hoping for things to return to what passes for normal around here, early next week.

2008-10-12T00:18:00.002-06:00

I hate feeling helpless, not knowing what to do for someone. I am here to do my best and right now I am failing miserably. I have to be able to do something or what good am I. I can't just sit back and watch someone hurting. But goddammit I don't know what to do. I keep hoping that each new day will be better than the previous one. So far it has not.
I take care of people, that is what I have always done. It has cost me though. There came a time a few years ago that I had to stop. Stop taking care of everyone and only focus on the people that live in this house. Me included. I will admit it was hard, I was the "go to girl". If you had a problem I would fix it or figure out a way to make it better. If you needed something I would bend over backwards to do it for you.
I never needed help, I could do it all. I was expected to always have it together. I was the one that could always be counted on. So of course I never needed fixing but when the time came that I did, it was very hard for me. Some days I still think that I can do it all, or that I should be able to do it all.
Well, here I am at a place where I need to know what to do and I don't. It is killing me.

Party at the Possum!

2008-10-04T10:10:00.020-06:00

We partied well into the night at Grinny Possum Fiber Arts
We had cake, chips & salsa, fruit, cheese and crackers and wine.
About 20 people came to celebrate.
Knitters are a rowdy bunch.....add some wine and they can get even rowdier. Ann and Gerry ordered the cake from a local bakery. They asked about having a ball of yarn on the cake, the guy asked if they wanted some of those sticks on the cake too. Non-knitters can be so cute.

Becca brought her wheel, she said it is easier to spin in a big group than try to pay attention to some knitting.

Tata was there too. I don't know how she got away without a pic or two. Ann and Gerry are missing too. I did have battery issues. I always do.

Jayce and his new girlfriend are pictured below. We think she needs to get some sun.
In the last picture Ashley shows us her new sweater. She did a great job. I love all the cables.

Here are a few of the less rowdy party goers.

Dogs On Thursday!

2008-10-02T19:44:00.006-06:00

I was walking yesterday morning and saw this little girl running back and forth across a busy street.
It took over 15 minutes for me to catch her. She had a collar but no tags. Having no idea where she lived, I brought her home.
Called the local animal shelter asking if anyone had lost a beagle mix and placed a found ad in the local paper.
I'm guessing that she is about 3 months old.
Alex helped hang up "found" flyers around the neighborhood. We took one to the animal shelter too.
Today I took her to our vet office so they could check if she was chipped. She wasn't.

Olivia took a flyer to school and showed it to her classmates.

She is a very sweet baby, but is not house trained. I haven't had to clean up dog messes in the house for quite some time.

Hutch really liked her, they had fun playing together. I have no idea what was going on with Starsky but he tried to hurt her. He chased her up the back steps and grabbed her on the back of her neck. She yelped and cried. I did something that would upset me if i saw it being done. I hit Starsky with a stick. On the third hit the stick broke and he finally let her go. Once we got her back in the house he growled and made snarling noises at her through the door. He has never acted like that before He had fun with all the other dogs at the pool.

Well, this evening I got a phone call from a little boy asking if the puppy I found had four white feet.
She does.
You can see them in the fourth picture down.

I was so relieved when he and his mom pulled up. The little girl recognized the car and as soon as the boy got out she stood up on her hind legs and mad happy noises. It made me feel good that she recognized them. I was worried about handing her over to any Tom, Dick or Harry that called.

I'm glad her family found her. I had been wondering what the hell I was going to do.

Tuesday night knitting

2008-10-01T16:10:00.008-06:00

We had 10 knitters, 2 girls and one adorable baby boy. Sorry no pics of any kids this week. Next week I promise.
This is my hand dyed yarn. I think the fall colored sock yarn is my favorite, but I love them all.

Loretta's wonderful coat is almost finished. What a great job!

Becca
is wearing
her sinfully soft scarf. It is knit using the Touch Me yarn. I think she may sleep with it around her neck. I would!

We make ourselves right at home, moving tables and chairs, winding yarn.

Ruth's birthday was a few days ago. Tata and I brought her a few presents.
Won't she, I mean Sam look so adorable in the pirate shirt?? I don't think I got any pictures of the yarn we brought her, some good baby yarn and some Suri Merino for herself.

Look at all those knitters. Yep, that is my mom in the right hand corner. She will be heading back to her knitting group in Florida soon.

more yarn dying

2008-09-29T14:18:00.015-06:00

I will have my yarn back tomorrow. I left it to dry at Nicole's house and she will bring it all wound up for me to knit night. Can't wait to get my yarn back and show it to you.

Ila dyed a sock blank tye-dye.
It looked great can't wait to see what she does with it.

The yarn lying across 3 rods is one of mine. It is my Fall inspired sock yarn.

Holly brought lots of roving. She also brought her drum carder. Nicole had lots of fun carding her fibers. I know what she wants for Christmas.

The day the yarn dyed

2008-09-28T10:48:00.010-06:00

Nicole invited all of us to come to her house for a day a dying. The dyers for the day were, Holly, Becca, Sherry, Ila, Theresa, Olivia and myself. Tata and Kristie came for the food and to hang out. Kristie brought her two kids and so did Tata.
Olivia did a great job with her first ever yarn dying. Look at that beautiful yarn!

I will have more to show you later....

Friday Night at the Possum

2008-09-28T10:12:00.009-06:00

My favorite LYS has a "late night knit" one Friday a month.
Tata, Nathan, Kristie and of course Ann were there.Kristie made this gorgeous "everlasting bagstopper".
This is a hat I finished for the shop.

John took me out on a date after knitting. I brought knitting along too. I think the hat was having a very good time.

What's in your shower?

2008-09-26T07:23:00.004-06:00

Hopefully nothing but if you have a 6 year old boy it might be something like this.

Yes it is a toy and I knew it was there but it was still creepy to look down and see it.

Don't you just love having boys??!!

Wedding photos (finally)

2008-09-25T09:55:00.007-06:00

Jason (my brother) and Becca were married August 14th 2008.

Tuesday night knitting

2008-09-25T09:32:00.006-06:00

not this past Tuesday but the Tuesday before. This past Tuesday I was sick and needed to stay near my bathroom. John was concerned, he thought I must be really bad if I was going to stay home from knitting. I hardly ever miss my knitting night.

Our regular place was without power on knitting night so Ruth, the ever so generous person she is, had us over to her house. She even made special cookies just for us. They were very good!

Sam is giving us a goodnight wave.

Happy Birthday Alex!

2008-09-22T22:11:00.009-06:00

This cute little three year old........

......is now eleven years old!

When the wind blows......

2008-09-18T22:05:00.009-06:00

the trees will fall.

It has been a very long week. On Sept. 14, a very ordinary Sunday, we had a wind storm that really shook things up.

This is from the 9/15/ edition of local paper.

The Louisville area was pummeled yesterday with 70 mph winds that left hundreds of thousands without power.

The damage, which prompted Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear to declare a state of emergency, was so extensive that officials said thousands of residents could be without power for up to a week.

Dispatchers in Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana also reported widespread damage and some non life-threatening injuries in both counties. Interstate 65 was shut down in at least one direction in Clark County near Sellersburg for several hours.

Nearly 173,458 customers of Duke Energy were without power in Indiana at 11 p.m., including 26,612 customers in Clark County and 19,846 in Floyd County.

I know it could have been much worse. We lost power for only about 30 hours, my parents are still sitting in the dark. I think ours came back on so quickly because we live just a few blocks from the local jail. If you drive 1/8 of a mile down my street, there is no power. Go about 1/2 mile down the street and power is every where. There does not seem to be much rhyme or reason as to one side of the street having power and the other side, none. I have heard talk of houses next to each other, one has power and not the other. Trees are down, telephone poles bent over and shingles flying off houses like newspapers blowing in the wind. We actually had a neighbor get hit by some of our shingles while talking to John in the yard. We lost everything in our upright freezer, not to mention the stuff in the fridge. It will take several shopping trips to fill them both back up. May have to spread it out over the next month.

the tree pictured above is about 3 blocks away.
As you can see it is enormous, it brought up over a 6 foot section of earth with concrete on the side. It fell between the two houses. It did take out a small storage shed.
The school will be open on Monday, it will be nice to get them back. We have had way too much togetherness this week.

Tuesday night knitting

2008-09-11T19:43:00.009-06:00

Here is some Tuesday night knitting for you. Tata is holding the most adorable Sam and modeling the scarf I knit for Joy. It is Patons Pooch yarn and I was very happy to relinquish it from my stash.

Ila brought a little present for Olivia. A Rick Nelson album.

She is getting very good at the Baby Surprise Jackets.
Ruth has made a cozy for a large coffee cup.

Dogs On Thursday!

2008-09-11T16:26:00.019-06:00

It must be the end of the Summer season, because Starsky and Hutch went to the pool. The local aquatic center had it's second annual Pooch Plunge.

They loved running around in the sand volleyball court and the playground.
This was about as close as Hutch wanted to get.
There were so many black labs and lab mixes that we kept losing Starsky. The beautiful Great Dane below lost her leg to cancer.

I think that most all of the dogs had a great time. We can't wait until next year!

Dogs on Thursday

2008-09-03T21:59:00.020-06:00

The Snip Clinic had 65 dogs signed up to be neutered. They were very busy getting everyone registered, I saw lots and lots of dogs, some big, some little even a few very tiny ones. Someone had a t-shirt special made for their dog. It said "I got my nuts off at Hooters", I don't know what I was thinking but I was very shocked that someone would put that on their baby, I was thinking a human baby. It was a small t-shirt and I assumed it was a onesie. Duh it was for the dog! I have big dogs so we don't dress them. Oh, except that one time but I don't think Starsky would want me to talk about that. They had a few drawings while we waited in line. I won a Hooters leash and bandanna .
They offered other services at reduced rates too, so I had Starksy micro-chipped. It only cost $15.
I left my dog in the good hands of the snip clinic folks, and planned to pick him up the next morning (Sat.) back at Hooters. Well, I got a call early Saturday morning saying that Starsky had ripped everything open during the night, now they had to stitch him up again. He ended up staying until Monday morning. Boy was he ready to go home! They said he was a very sweet dog but not happy at all to have been there. I bet he barked and never stopped. Here are a few of the dogs waiting to be handed over to receive the big snip. It was very loud with all of the barking and whining. The other dogs made some noise too. Starsky circled in the crate almost the entire time he had to wait. When if was finally Starsky's turn I got him out of the crate and took him to the registration table and the first thing he did was pee on the back of a chair one of the ladies was sitting in. I thought I was gonna die! She laughed it off saying that it happens all of the time.

I had a few people upset that I did not take any pictures of the Hooter girls. I was there for the dogs and the dogs only.

So with the addition of the cone, some antibiotics and his micro-chipping the grand total was $52. So much cheaper than any vet around. They suggest a follow up visit with your vet. I called and the office visit just to look at him will be $40. If I could afford that I would have had all the stuff done at our vet.

It was a nightmare to deal with him wearing the cone. He knocked things off of the table, knocked a broom and mop down on himself. Boy you had better be paying close attention when letting him in. He would come running in the back door and take you down too. I lost track of

how many times he hit me in the back of the knees.

Here is John wearing the free t-shirt everyone received. A few of the more"refined" people refused theirs. And don't you know it, they would not give those of us that did want one any of the extras.
We took the cone off just a few days ago. He is healing nicely but still very swollen. Almost looks like the forgot to take them out. I asked John if he thought I should ice it, he laughed and said he would like to see me try to put ice on the dog. Well, ice does take down swelling. No, I didn't try.

Labor Day

2008-09-01T22:55:00.002-06:00

What did you all do today?
The kids and I, plus a friend, had lots of fun today and it only cost me $12.38. I think that was the least money I have ever spent to entertain 4 kids for 5.5 hours. First we went to the local dollar movies, which are only .50 on Mondays to see the latest Indiana Jones. Well I think most of the county had the same idea. We got to the theater and the line was out the door, down the sidewalk and into the parking lot. It was a long line and it was very hot, so we had to make a quick change of plans. The kids and I headed over to Bass Pro Shop. There everyone took turns on the shooting range. Then we went to the boat area and pretended to drive the boats and fish. The pontoon I really liked was on sale for a mere $24,000. We still had some time to kill until the next showing so we spent about 15 mins. trying to decide where to get something to eat. Don Pablo's was the winner. We did snack, chips salsa, dip sampler, drinks and something from the lunch menu. I have a Habenero Card with $10 off your next visit, so with tip our snack cost $9.88.
So we headed back to the movies to see the next show time. I wish I had brought my knitting because we still had about a 30 min wait.
Let's do the math: 5 people @ .50 each is only.......$2.50! You can hardly rent a movie for that price and certainly not a new release.

Food-$9.88
Movie-$2.50
Fun with kids- priceless

Honey, I'm home!

2008-08-31T20:43:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone, that wasn't too bad was it? I was only gone for about four days. I am so glad to be back on line again. I was going nuts not being able to check email, online banking, talk to Lora on yahoo messenger or read blogs. The worst I think, was not being able to get on Ravelry whenever I wanted too. I am a Ravelry junkie. It will take hours to catch up on everything I have missed.

I know you are wondering how I got back online. Well, this really cute guy came over on Saturday and again on Sunday. No, it was not a random cute guy, it was Tata's husband. She willingly offered up his services. All I had to do was feed them and have beer. I bet he never worked so cheaply before.
Tata has two really great kids. A baby boy that Alex and Eli had a great time entertaining and guess what.....A daughter for Olivia! Most of my friends have boys. There are boys everywhere Olivia turns. She was delighted to have a girl around her age to play with. They had so much fun together.

Knitting has brought some wonderful people into my life. I hope it has done the same for all of you.

Sorry, will be unavailable for some time

2008-08-28T10:43:00.003-06:00

I had a major computer crash, so I will not be able to finish the story of Starsky and his trip to Hooters. If you need to get a hold of me please leave Lora a message and she will get back to me.

I hope to be back on line soon.

Sonya

A lovely little girl

2008-08-26T20:44:00.010-06:00

Sunday we went to meet the newest family member.

Baby Lydia had everyone captivated, especially Alex. He did not want to give anyone else a turn.
Daniel is going to be a wonderful big brother. Suzannah said that Lydia was drawn to Daniel right away.
My mother in-law holding her great niece.
What a proud mommy!

Tuesday night knitting

2008-08-26T20:10:00.010-06:00

It was a fun night at knitting. We had a big crowd, lets' see.....Debbie, Ila, Tata, Loretta, Jill, Becca, Nicole and Sherry. Can't forget the girls, Olivia and jOY. Nicole is working on a Hip in Hemp skirt for her little girl, Tasha has jumped right into the deep end of the knitting pool and is working on a sock.

School has started for several of the knitters. A few of us might try to sneak in an extra knitting night.

Sherry is not the lone crocheter anymore. Debbie has been joining us.

Look at what I got!

It seems that Lora made a little mistake with her last pair of socks. For some reason they were too big for her. But they turned out to be the perfect size for me. Thanks Lora!

Oh the humiliation!

2008-08-26T13:02:00.003-06:00

Dogs on Thursday

2008-08-21T18:54:00.006-06:00

Take a close look at Starsky. He will look different tomorrow. He will be different tomorrow. Starsky is having what my almost 11 year old calls a nutectomy.

Are you done laughing?? Good.

The Snip Clinic (a KY Humane Society program) is having an interesting neuter drive. It is being held at a local Hooters restaurant. Drop him off at 10am at the restaurant tomorrow and pick him up at the restaurant Saturday morning. I will let you know if everything comes off without a hitch.

How many have you read?

2008-08-17T12:34:00.006-06:00

The Big Read is an NEA program designed to encourage community reading initiatives and of their top 100 books, they estimate the average adult has read only six.
*Look at the list and bold those we have read.
*Italicize those we intend to read.
*Underline the books we LOVE .
That us just too much work, so I will make bold the titles I have read
Share this list in your blog, too, if you like.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

It seems that I am not quite as well read (23) as I thought I was.

A blessing in the form of a baby girl

2008-08-16T21:45:00.003-06:00

We are so excited, the extended family is one member larger now. Daniel has his sister!
Please go wish Lydia a warm welcome.

Can you believe this??

2008-08-16T07:12:00.002-06:00

If you want kids to hang out at the library you need to start them young. Why would they want to encourage video games at the library anyway??
What were they thinking!!

Children's knitting group turfed from library under new craft ban
Last Updated: Friday, August 15, 2008 10:39 AM ET Comments29 Recommend24
CBC News
A six-year-old girl says she is disappointed after her knitting group was asked to leave an eastern Ontario library due to a new ban on arts and crafts.
"I really had fun in there in the library, and I'm really sad that they stopped that," said Kingston Currie, who used to spend two hours a week with the Itch and Stitch Club at the Long Sault Library in Long Sault, Ont., about 95 kilometres southeast of Ottawa.
Pamela Haley, manager of library services for the united counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, said the ban on crafts was put on place because the municipality is revamping its 18 library branches in an effort to attract more people and needs to be more literacy-focused to achieve that end.
She said the library's new fall lineup includes teen book clubs and Scrabble nights. The library will also be holding some events not focused on literacy, such as video game nights, to attract a younger crowd.
But under the new plan, there will no longer be a space for Kingston Currie and the other girls, aged six to 10, who used to sit around a table teasing yarn into organized patterns and items with crochet hooks and pairs of needles.
Currie's mother, Maryann Currie, said the sight used to make her want to make them a pot of tea and bring them some biscuits.
"Like, it was so cute, and they were quiet," she said. "They weren't disruptive, so I don't understand what the reasoning is behind it."
Kingston said she wants to do something about knitting group's ejection.
"I think it wasn't really nice, and I think I want to stand up [for] what I believe in."
Haley suggested one way the group could reclaim their old spot.
"If they want to knit in the library, why not formulate a book club and knit as you discuss a book?" she suggested. "Relate it that way and sort of think outside the box."

And now a few words from John....

2008-08-15T19:51:00.003-06:00

Me: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
John: Seeing the joy you get from knitting.

Me: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
John: The yarn stash that is all over the house.

Me: What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
John: The London Beanies

Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
John : Sometimes it can be.

Me: Do you have any hobbies?
John: No

Me: Do you have a stash of any kind?
John: dvds, cd, records, tools, comic books

Me: Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
John: No, never

Me: Can you name another knitting blog?
John: nope

Me: Do you mind that I want to check out yarn stores everywhere we go?
John: No I don't mind but I will if you spend too much.

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
John: Do you mean the watches?

Me: Do you read In the Skein of Things?
John: When you make me.

Me: Have you ever left a comment?
John: You can leave comments??

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
John: No, it wouldn't make no damn difference

Me: Is there something you would like me to knit for you someday?
John: A hat with a skull on it.

Me: Is there something you would never want me to knit for you?
John: A sweater

Me: Is there anything else you want to say?
John:When we first met you said you were not crafty at all, I knew you were and you are a wonderful knitter.

Harmony not intact

2008-08-14T08:03:00.008-06:00

I was knitting away in the waiting room of a dr. appointment when the unthinkable happened. No I was not accosted by some strange person (could have been seeing as where we were) for knitting in public, kids did not cause some horrible catastrophe, my needle broke. Not just any needle one of my new Harmony size 5 double points. I gasped so loudly that heads turned and one peeked out of the little window at the front desk. I could not believe what had just happened. Not only was this my waiting room knitting but it was my wedding rehearsal/dinner knitting. We had to be there right after. The rehearsal was ok, I did not have much down time, but I needed it at the dinner. I survived.

I have already talked to Knitpicks and they are sending a replacement set, but I have to wait for them to get here. I do have other projects to work on so....all is not lost just a beautiful dpn.