Another Delightful Day

We've added two more to the group...Katelyn and Amanda

Katelyn is 11...she learned to knit in school last year. Jen has taken her 'under wing'...refreshed her memory and now she is knitting a colorful scarf. And wouldn't you know it...in the drawings today she won a beautiful skein of homespun yarn in her school colors. Her face lit up when she saw it...I for one, look forward to seeing what she knits with it.

Amanda has been knitting for quite awhile...check out her page on www.ravelry.com ...

Jennifer made great progress on a shawl...love the color...although I believe it's bluer than what is in the photo...


Suzanne worked on her mosaic sweater...looking good



Pat made progress on a beautiful shawl...



Christy...showing off her hat...


Jen brought a couple skeins of 'halloween' yarn to share...


Jen also modeled a cowl that Paige was working on...

Marlene arrived wearing a gorgeous shell she knitted...




MaryAnn worked on mosaic socks for the Scarfest Sock group on Ravelry....(sorry, didn't get a photo)...

Paige was also working on a shawl...as was Amanda...

I worked on my shawl...just a simple little one...pattern from Ravelry ~ Carol's Clever Little Shawl...I just love how it is progressing...

Drawings were held...we had enough donations that everyone went home with something...

A Big THANK YOU to everyone who donated...it is very much appreciated

This post is posted by Ruth (Grandy)

Nice?

First off, we've had wonderful weather here the past few days...but, like all good things it didn't last as long as we'd like and it's supposed to be in the 90's today.

Last week I made one of our favorite dishes..it necessitated using the oven. Well, I thought I'd make a pie today so I turned the oven on...turned my back less than a minute and wow... the kitchen and dining room were filled with smoke! I turned the oven off and the vent on boost! The smoke is gone but the smell. Evidently when I used the oven last week I didn't notice that a bit, well a big bit, ended up on the bottom of the oven.

Hot

It's hot here!

And I mean the temperature is supposed to be around 108 today...just in the last thirty minutes it's gone up 3 degrees...and this isn't the hottest part of our day

The sun is shining, beautifully I might add...it's a shame that we cannot go out and enjoy it

I've rearranged a couple bookshelves and hubby hung a few more pictures...when I get the house where I want it...it'll be the time to move

I must get back to test knitting this sock pattern for a dear friend of mine...can't tell any secrets...just have to wait

I hate this fibromyalgia with a passion...didn't get to sleep until 4 this morning...but at least today I got a shower and dressed...yesterday was a jammies day...

back to knitting

Just trying to make it...

I'm in a state of chaos at the moment...

I raised three children and work full time...

Right now, I couldn't tell you how I did it...

Why? If you've ever felt like you've been hit by a Mack truck...maybe, just maybe you'll understand how I feel...I feel this way most of the time...never saw that truck coming

Don't ever expect me to jump out of bed...for me it's a roll out of bed slowly...when I need to set the alarm to get up by a certain time it gets set for an hour earlier...that way I can be up when I need to

Energy...I remember the days I did jump out of bed and didn't stop moving until very late...not now...there is not energy...

There have been times when I've been asked to go somewhere or participate in something...I've missed so many things due to lack of energy and pain.

I worked as a waitress for a short time...lately it was suggested that perhaps I could find another job waiting tables...I asked if they had stock in Aleve...when I waitressed it was usually a four hour shift...I'd take two to four aleve before the shift and another two to four a couple hours later and two or three at the end of the shift so I could drive home...I'd be in so much pain that that was the only way I could make it...

I still take aleve...I couldn't make it through a day without it

So please listen...if you want me to go somewhere with you or go visiting or shopping...please try to understand when I have to decline...it's not that I don't want to...it's just that I don't want to burden you with the way I have to make it through a day

When we go shopping I'm fortunate if I can make it to more than one store...fortunately my hubby does the grocery shopping...and if I'm having a good day I may go with him

I was very lucky that for three nights I was able to sleep...but then last night...I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open...but I couldn't get to sleep until 6 a.m. ~ so you see if you happen to come to my house and I'm still in my jammies...I probably hadn't been up very long or perhaps I haven't been to sleep yet

I have to plan things out...I go knitting on Tuesday evenings so Monday from noon on and Tuesday day...I have to rest...if I don't there won't be enough energy to make it through the two hours on Tuesday evening...the same is true for Monday and Thursday mornings when I go knit with friends

My husband likes to walk in the evening...he'll ask if I want to join and I do most of the time...I only wish I could join him all the time

I appreciate my family and friends who understand this horrible 'thing' that has taken over my body and my life...you are the best anyone could ask for

Now some of you may ask why the doctor doesn't give me prescriptions for the pain ... hmmm...good question

NO INSURANCE means no doctor visits unless I have the cash to pay for the doctor visit, any tests that he may feel the need to run, and the prescription(s)...so if you have an extra couple thousand dollars sitting around...I'll go to the doctor...if you have health insurance appreciate it as it would cost me over $600.00 a month for coverage and that if I could find a company to cover me

If you're talking to me and it seems that I've 'wandered off'...I'm sorry...just means that the fog has hit my brain...

Today I haven't the energy to even pick up my knitting to knit a stitch let alone a row...and I have to figure how I'm going to make it from the craft room to the shower

I'm wishing each and everyone of you a pain free healthy day

Invaded....

The other day we decided to enter the black hole...

Most of you have a black hole in your kitchen...

You know, it's the corner cabinet on the bottom...

It goes forever...and things get hidden on those black shelves...

Well, we decided to clean one out...mostly because I kept getting aggravated when I went to get a plastic container for leftovers to be put in the freezer...found a bottom but no top or a top with no bottom...

my aggravation paid off...every bottom and top were matched up...had just three bottoms with no tops left and two tops with no bottoms left...

Next, the black hole on the other side of the counter...the one that holds all the pans...not sure what I'm going to find in there..

In my knitting world...

I'm making hubby a hat...not just any hat...a Pittsburgh Steelers hat...when it's finished I'll post a photo.

Also, stopped off at the thrift shop (Discovery Shop)...not looking for anything in particular...but found a beautiful sweater...handknit in Estonia...if you're a knitter you know what I'm talking about...I'll post more about it later....

back to the Pittsburgh Steelers hat for hubby...

Happy Birthday

Today is our sons birthday...

and no I am not telling his age!

We are proud of you son...

We wish you happiness and love

We love you very much...

Enjoy the day...

Me, I'm going to go knit...perhaps on socks, or maybe a hat...whatever it is doesn't really matter at this moment...what matters most is that I'll be with friends...good friends...now I must get my knitting bag and be on my way...

Have a wonderful day!

Yard Sales

Hubby has decided that he is cleaning out the garage once and for all...

He wants to park our shiny red car in the garage...

So...hubby has decided he'll have a yard sale...

Now, I enjoy going to yard sales but having one is another story...

Years and years ago hubby was having a yard sale, the children were little and things were great...I stayed inside doing normal Saturday stuff...

then hubby comes in and says "I need to run down and get change...please watch the yard sale"...

hurriedly he goes over the prices of the stuff he had out...no problem

When he comes back he looks in the cash box and promptly says "Where's my $75.00?" well I say that I put the money in his box for whatever sold while he was gone and I surely do not owe you $75.00.

Seems that the one item that sold while he was gone...a brand new set of 4 tires....he was asking $25.00 for EACH and I sold all 4 for $25.00.

Since then whenever he gets the itch to have a yard sale I'll go through stuff for him BUT I do not go out and help whatsoever...except

The children have all moved away and there's no one to get up at the crack of dawn to help him set his tables up and put stuff out...but me

and if you know me...I do not like getting up at the crack of dawn to set up a yard sale!

I'm going through the kitchen cupboards with the attitude that if it doesn't fit in a motorhome it doesn't stay! Hopefully I'll be able to get rid of half the cupboards...yeah right!

A Birthday

S H I V E R S

We celebrated another birthday in our household...

...our little chi, Shivers, turned 2 on the eighth...

...he has brought so much joy to our lives

Football Season Is Upon Us...

I've been sitting here knitting little booties/socks for a charity...

While watching the Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony...

I remember watching the construction of the Hall of Fame...

I grew up in Canton, Ohio...

I remember sitting on a hill one day with some friends...

The hill overlooked the construction site...

I remember returning years later with my husband and touring the Hall...

Is it ironic that the Pittsburgh Steelers were in attendance today and...

My husband is from a small town south of Pittsburgh...

We've been fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers since...ever...

I printed out the directions just this morning...a Pittsburgh Steelers knitted hat...I have the yarn in my stash and will start it as soon as I am finished with the charity booties/socks

And all is well in our world today...oh...

Hubby decided to eat his dinner in the livingroom tonight so he wouldn't miss any of the Induction Ceremony...our little chi jumped up on his lap immediately as I set his plate down...sternly I told our little one "Down" ... he promptly jumped back to the floor... I told him to "Stay" ... our efforts and persistence paid off...he stayed down until he was told he could climb up on his daddys lap...our little one is so good!

Busy

I've been busy and this morning as I drank my tea I wondered if I was too busy to keep this blog going...we'll see

Since the last post a lot has happened...I won't bore you with the details...

...only son got married

...Shivers spent two nights at the Animal Inn in Las Vegas (clung to me like a cat...but he came out fine)

...visited youngest daughter and family in Missouri

...watched grandson's baseball team participate in the Missouri "Show Me Games" in Columbia, MO

This trip we were gone a month...took lots of photos...had a great time...enjoyed the ride through New Mexico, Arizona and California. It's always nice to come home.

A few days after arriving home we were notified that a dear friend had passed away. She put up a valiant fight for a bit over two years...lung cancer.

We packed our unpacked suitcase again and made the drive...there was a wonderful memorial service with family and friends.

This time we hesitated about returning home...afterall...we were back in the little village where we raised our children and lived for 30 years...we did stay an extra day and the 3 1/2 hour drive home was drawn out with a couple visits to friends we hadn't seen in quite a while.

This past Tuesday was a fun day...went to LA with a dear friend, lunched, visited two yarn shops and enhanced my stash...

Now, I think a bit of redecorating my home is in order...perhaps that will help...

Yummy

Just as we were sitting down to have our dinner the doorbell rang...our neighbor brought us this:Four cups of the first of the season cherries...yummy.

Today Ron and Shivers decided to take a nap...within 10 minutes the following occured:Neither could decide on how they wanted to lay to take their nap

SOCK MADNESS 4

As I mentioned before we are in round 4 of Sock Madness 4. Because I know that I'll be knitting quite a bit and have absolutely no time for anything else during this round (if I want to make it to round 5)...I made enough chili for 3 dinners and enough meatballs in mushroom sauce for 3 nights (we had meatballs for dinner with rice and broccoli).

This way Ron can put dinner together while I knit...

Too Much...

Too much has been happening around here...

We took a surprise trip to Washington state to visit kids and grandkids for Easter...wonderful trip and I really enjoyed riding in my new car it was so peaceful.

The Vietnam Memorial Wall made a stop here and hubby and I were honored to visit it.

On the knitting front...Sock Madness 4

We had to sign up by a certain date...then we get a 'shopping list' of the yarn and needle sizes the designers and testers used...then round 1 comes...we knit according to the instructions and post...then came round 2...and round 3...

My personal goal was to make it to round 2...I'm in round 4 now...I'll receive the pattern between 2 a.m and 5 a.m. tomorrow morning....

I'll post photos when I have more time...now I must go to the kitchen and make some dinners to freeze so hubby can just heat them up while I'm knitting...

Ta-Da!

Early January the city scheduled our neighborhood streets to be repaved...actually to have the paving taken out completely and new paving laid.

Well the timing wasn't the greatest...

the paving came up

the rain came down

and the mud was not wonderful

neighbors grumbled

kids driving pickups slid

mud was slung everywhere

The city came in with dozers and took the mud away

then the crew came in and laid new blacktop

Six weeks....not fun

Happy Birthday again

Happy Birthday to my best friend, my soulmate, my HUSBAND...

Woke up to the wind howling like mad this morning...then the rain came down...and kept coming...

It's now about 2:00 in the afternoon and I see the sun peeking out...

About 30 minutes ago this is what the sky looked like West of us...the clouds were moving our way




and this is what the sky looked like to the South of us



the next two photos show what our street looks like...

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Meredith

Today my eldest turns 36...where did the time go?

Remember the photo in the last post of our street...it still looks that way!

Today is very windy...things are blowing all over the place...

I'm staying in where it's nice and warm...although not sure how long we'll have power

and we're slated to have rain for 10 days...

At least I have knitting projects to do...

I stayed up last night to finish the knitting on an afghan/throw...now just to get those pesky ends weaved in and it is completed...except for blocking

I have a dozen or so other projects already on the needles so I'll be fine staying put for a few days

Our Street

This is the street in front of our house...good thing hubby went out at 6:30 this morning and moved our car to the side street...the street is being ground up and new paving put down...supposed to take a week and with no inconvenience for the residents on the street...glad hubby moved the car because I sure wouldn't want to drive on this....

LA Trip

Yesterday I accompanied my friend, Mary Ann, to Los Angeles. This what we encountered on the wayThe cloud didn't last long...we were out of it soon...traffic wasn't too bad either so we made really good time.

After 'business' was taken care of we decided to do some previewing of a 'local yarn shop'...we stopped in at Wild Fiber in Santa Monica. They are located on 14th Street about a block south of Santa Monica Blvd. We found a parking space and ventured over...the outside was being painted...we entered to a warm greeting by the salespeople...they were very helpful...and of course the first thing we inquired about was sock yarn...this is what we found...They also had a nice selection of needles, yarns and roving for spinning in addition to books.

We then inched our way down Santa Monica Blvd towards the pier. Mary Ann had never been to this pier so it was a treat for her and I'm sure she had a wonderful time. We found an eating place and replenished ourselves on cod, clams, and fries. Then we walked all over (wonder how many pounds we left there)...

The pier was quite crowded but we found out that a part was fenced off as they were getting ready for a Texas alumni get together...Texas and Alabama college football teams are playing in Pasadena.

We decided we'd best head back home by this time. Traffic was heavy and we were going down the road the car took a turn a parked...what?...oh okay...a yarn shop...so we ventured in to check it out....

This one is on Wilshire Blvd...Compatto Yarn Salon...again we had a nice warm welcome and the sales staff was very helpful.
Do you see that ball winder under the right side of the sign...it's electric and boy does it go fast...
Again, we saw a nice selection of yarns, needles and books.

All in all I would have to say that our trip was successful in all aspects.

Would I make the trip to these yarn shops again?...yes