We're busy - December is a big month for my job & I feel behind because I am behind. No knitting to speak of - I need to find more ways to work it into my everyday routines. I am jones-ing to work on my KR Retreat New Beginnings Project sweater - have the swatch done & blocked! I will be using some lovely Briar Rose yarn that is yummy to the max.

We had a delightful holiday potluck last evening & folks were happy to be there, brought wonderful food & drink, ate lots of food & had some drink. Lotsa of beautiful compliments about the house which we loved hearing, truth to tell. "Looks like you're moved in" more than one person said. "D'oh" said SJ. "Don't you think we own books & artwork? Where are they? In the garage & closets & our friend C's 3rd floor guest room (my artwork from the old house, that is)." Some of the neighbors came: SJ, in a brilliant & tho't move, placed invitations in a number of mailboxes - the folks across the street, the folks on both sides of us. We loved the turnout & were sorry to miss the folks who could not be there. So many holiday events were happening. M was away in NC at a soccer tournament. M was a fabulous hostess, asking folks to sign the guest book & taking coats to M's room.

We cleaned like crazy before the party & painted 2 of the walls of the family room. Since one wall is paneling w/ a door & shelving areas, we have only one more wall to paint in that room. Because Bob the painter did most of the walls in most of the rooms, we have only the living & dining room area to do & then it's the woodwork in the hallway, the living room/dining room area & the family room. We're in the home stretch. There are many, many boxes still left to be culled & items will be ready to be put away. The two pallets we began for future yard sale items are getting more crowded as we look toward selling the multiples we have - you know what that is like, the couple of colanders, glasses & mugs, bowls, etc.

Recently we met w/ a local landscape designer/gardener who will be assisting us w/ a plan to turn our yard into a wonderful, blooming, inviting-to-the-birds-&-butterflies yard. The seven trees we have in the the front, side & back yards need care & we have a terrific arborist on board to do that work. He trimmed trees at my old homestead & he does excellent work. We have the insultation to place in the attic - it's the type that comes in a big roll & it will go in between the rafters. As Jean says, this will be our coldest winter we'll ever have at the house as we make it more resisiatnt to the cold air & wind. What we are doing will also help us in the summer as there is central AC too. The HVAC guy was there last week to tune up the furnace. He calibrated the thermostat which was low by, on average, 6 degrees: we had been cold, chilly in fact, & the two thermometers we checked it against were coming up w/ low readings. The duct cleaning company comes this Thursday to clean out all the duct work - a forced air furnace can be such fun.

SJ & I have both been pushing ourselves at work & at home. I think everyone does when they move! Need a chiropractor adjustment in the worst way. Had a rolfing session a few weeks ago & also saw the accupuncturist who did some trigger point work in the region of the cervical neck & upper shoulders. The care helped a lot. I do need more of both & will see them again in a couple of weeks.

It's nice to have the moves behind us - could you hear my exhale?

What a month July was!

While it seemed like it flew by, it also felt so FULL of events, experiences & things to review, ponder, process, decide upon/about & then act on, that it seemed like a long month.

And here it is, August 2.

We got a new-to-us car & used to the rest of the world: a 2002 Honda Civic, almost 62,000 miles. Our ace mechanic gave it his OK.

The house was bid upon by 3 folks, we accepted one bid & the house was inspected & reported about to us. Her idea of what she should be paid did not jive w/ anyone else, we declined & countered. She said no. We went back to square one. A nice amount of folks have come by - let's say that good luck charm again & cross those fingers & thumbs.

We have a bid on a house & are negotiating.

Natalie & Jeremy had their health/vet check-ups. Both are well! I had a physical - ditto for me!

Whoa & yiyiyi, it's going to be some August!

Dad is doing well. We speak twice a day & whenever possible, SJ talks w/him. He thinks SJ is perfect - you gotta love this guy for his good taste ^ .. ^

Knitting whenever possible. I am spurred on by the need to chill, to be ready for the NY Sheep & Wool Festival & to be ready as well for the Knitter's Review Retreat. Ahhh, October & November are two fav months as I am able to see my sweet pals. To be around them is how part of my heaven here on earth looks.

Woo hoo ^ .. ^

House news: A DRUM ROLL PLEASE - we had 3 bids/offers on the house after only 4 days of showing it! Wild! The realtors began showing it last Sunday, 7.5, even before the "sell" sheets from the realtor w/ all the pretty color photos were done. We have set a contract w/ a woman who wrote us a fan letter about the house. We rec'd $500.00 above the "intent" price that we had set. Wow.

We will be putting a bid on a house tomorrow AM - send us a good tho't please. SJ & I loved it from the get-go. I had the intent to place an offer on it before we saw it. The Realtor tho't me a tad brash. Pish tosh, I say to you. I am eager & I had/have a feeling about the house. Please send us a good tho't.

And to top all that off, a week ago, our Toyota car was hit upon by professional thieves: they absconded w/ power distribution system (the fuse box & relays if I understand our wonderful mechanic properly), plus the air filter & air flow system & our 6 month old battery. May they rot in hell! They forced open the hood by a pry bar or some such device & basically popped the hood. Then they cut the engine harness cables which house ALL the electric wires for the entire car. Bastards! The police came in full force & fingerprinted the hood of the car. Shitfire. What a pain in the arse. State Farm has totaled it so besides looking at houses & having people look at this house, we are looking for a car. No more Toyotas for me: the police said that someone had a shopping list for Toyota car parts & they picked ours 1st. Apparently Toyotas & Hondas are the cars most hit upon for this type of crime. What a predicament! Shit again.

Keep your fingers & thumbs crossed please!

My house is a very, very fine house ...

Can I say that I love that song & I adore Graham Nash?

The house is officially up for sale. It's Tuesday evening & the big story on Action News is that I am almost done w/the official cleaning. Last night I was "toast" by the time I was done w/ work & some kitty sittings - 13 hours worth of work to be exact. Allow me take you back two days ago & tell you about what is happening.

Sunday: got up early & did 3 cat sittings. Came back & cleaned the house before I went to work. Had a 1 pm to 6 pm shift vs.my usual 9 am to 6 pm shift - we had done quarterly inventory on Saturday evening & I had a record breaking early shift-done time: I left at 8:40. Have been there as late as 11:15 & 11:30 for past inventories - by the way, this was inventory number 13. After work on Sunday evening, I did 3 cat sittings (all my houses are 2X a day) & then came home to do more house work.

Dear gawd, cleaning is hard hard work. Now, this does not come as a surprise to anyone who cleans woodwork more than me - this must be just about the entire population of the world. I am grateful that I live in a smaller home. Whew. Tomorrow the Realtor, Connie, leads a "caravan" of her Realtor colleagues from her firm through the house. Natalie is already quaking in her kitty "puss 'n boots." Jeremy hopes that everyone present will have opposable thumbs & can help lead him to the promised land of more canned food where he is just sure he is meant to reside.

Back to that caravan ... does an image of the TV show "Wagon Train" come to mind (providing you are of a certain age or watch whatever nostalgia TV stations are on in your area) or a cowboy movie - or just gypsies perhaps. As SJ would say, "I'm scared now." OK, not really scared, just a little anxious, eager & excited.

I can honestly say that I have done my best - the house looks cute, it's very clean, it's airy & the energy, I believe, is good. SJ has been the best partner I could hope for - positive, helping out whenever possible, supportive, loving & patient. Who could ask for anything more?

Stories That Change The World

Step on over to the blog of an extraordinary woman, Annie Hart.

Lucky me - I know her, I am inspired by her, I learn from her. She is a gem.

Home again, home again, jiggedtee-ee jig

SJ & I returned this past Wednesday night from a week w/ my Dad, sorting & cleaning out & organizing & recycling & throwing out old canned goods (suppose I should be glad that the oldest cans expired in 2004 - could have been 1996, I guess) & boxing up & bagging & washing laundry, plates, bowls, punch bowls (How could a couple who did NOT entertain have 2 punch bowls & 2 to 3 dozen punch cups? Who has punch cups anymore, I ask you?!) & dishes. Found another of G'ma's quilts (the 1st go'round we found 4 small baby quilts & 1 full size one.

Also SJ found, in a large plastic garbage bag in a room in the basement (there are 6 separate rooms in the basement plus an open area w/ an old washer from the days when front loaders were new - like the 50s! - & a couple of tables), photos & photo albums. Some photos are from the 1800s, some from the 1910s & '20s through the 50s. There were 3 certificates from Creed Milstead, a long ago relative from the 1800s who was a licensed river boat captain. His license papers from 1872, 1873 & 1874 were in this same bag.

Dad is a sweet man & I am grateful he is in our lives. He adores SJ & the feeling is mutual.

Back here I am doing as much cleaning as I can bring myself to do. When we returned from Ohio, I dove right back in, cleaning two drawers & part of a closet the night I returned. I was in the groove.

Knitting wise, I have been doing mindless knitting - I hesitate to call it that but it is true. It has made me feel calmer, helped to pass the time when I was in different locations & needed to do something that made me feel good, allowed me the illusion that I was doing actual knitting.

Whew!

The hot water is OK & working again - it needed a new part. (Exhale)

A quick How Do ...

Frankly I feel pretty boring: work on the house ... knitting a bit ... not much new ...

Ya get the picture?

Good news:
~~ Taxes were done & just barely on time. Unusual for me to do them so late - thanks to my pal GMcG for letting me use TurboTax.
~~ Spent last nite at the home of Purlewe & Sue for Fiber Nite. Always inspired by what these folks are knitting. Big crowd, fabulous food, assistance from N & A on a couple of projects.
~~ Good weather forecast for today & tomorrow so I'll have some clean-up-the-garden time.
~~ Realtor back from vacation & hopefully we'll meet next week.
~~ Dad is doing well, all things considered. The wonderful SJ & I hope to see him in May.
~~ Done w/ One skein shawl for a friend's 50th b'day gift - needs to be blocked.

Fingers crossed: either the hot water heater needs a new part OR I need a new hot water heater. Whatever, right?

Spring is here!

Well, OK, maybe not a full blown Spring but it seems so.

Thank you all for your sweet, kind tho'ts re Mom's death. Dad is doing pretty well, all things considered, & we speak quite often - two times a day whenever I can. We will be heading back to Ohio in the near future to help out & spend time w/ Dad.

Things are hoppin' busy here: at this very moment, the furnace is getting a tune-up to verify that it is in good shape. The plumber is here to complete a job the the gas company started - new lines were placed from the street into the house but only just so far - the balance has to be done by a plumber. The two outlets that the house inspector said needed some tweaking have been tweaked. A is planning to do the work in the attic. SJ & I worked a bunch last week-end & I have been working this week: some windows have been cleaned, ditto a big bookcase & all the photos on it. I am reviewing & cleaning out the tablecloths, napkins & place mats I have collected over the years. I have lots of vintage tablecloths that are in excellent shape & so I will sell those. Some I'll keep for our future home. And in the last home news, I am talking w/ a couple of friends who will help me get the garden ready, pretty & inviting for the future owner of this house. The Realtor & I will meet in mid-April - fingers & thumbs are crossed.

The 2nd felted bag is done! Woo hoo. Like the 1st one, it is a tad big - the next one I do will be smaller. I combined the Constant companion pattern w/ the top of a another pattern. It was from all stash Cascade 220. My other knitting is happening but seems slow: the 2nd sock & a scarf for SJ; a shawl for a friend's 50th; some scarves to start & a sweater I want to start for me!

What a month it has been ...

March has continued to be full for us & as I hear from my close pals, very full for just about all of us.
~~ Mom died on 3.17. She had ovarian cancer & went downhill pretty rapidly after her surgery in January. The last few days at Hospice sound pretty rugged for her & for Dad. She wasn't conscious & before that, she didn't recognize folks on a consistent basis. Dad is a sweetheart & is pretty easy to do lots of things for - as SJ says, he's appreciative, sings the praises of those around him & is a sweet man. He's 86 (Mom was 85) & they had been a couple since freshman year of high school. SJ was able to fly out to Ohio to be w/ me & to help out & she fit right in. My Dad thinks she is the greatest thing since screen doors - me too, me too.
~~ Whew, I just exhaled.
~~ Let's close out w/ some "up" news - had some house stuff done - the chimney liner is in. I have emailed a local garden service to get some help w/ the back yard. Some of the electric work has been done by A. Have 2 plumbers to call for estimates for some work. Have some referrals for a furnace tune-up service. Have more items cleared out. (This helped me to be in practice for the HUGE job that awaited us last week-end at the home of my folks!)
~~ We worked so much on stuff on Ohio that I did almost no knitting while I was there. Of course I tho't I'd work on some of the garter stitch scarf projects I took. I was just so plain flat out exhausted that I worked only on SJ's 2nd sock.
~~ The ab fab Purlewe (& Sweet Sue) had helped me sort a bunch of singleton skeins & I now have cool-combo scarves to knit as future gifts. Thanks again, A & S - you continue to inspire me as friends & knitters.
~~ My wheel has been sold & I will be working on sending it very soon.
~~ The Two Old Bags bag is felted & I am glad to have done it. It is pretty huge which is what I wanted to have. The next one, which is in the final few rows!, will be smaller.

If you have a couple of extra good tho'ts that have gone unused, my Dad could use them. He's a good guy & he's a hurtin' pup right about now.

Happy March to you.

Yep, we're into March already. Holy shit, friends. So, how in the hell are ya?

A recap for us:
~~ The house inspection went very well. Some things to do, some things to contemplate. Very good thing to do when you are thinking of selling a house: pay a good inspector to come in & examine your house - better to know up front what you will hear later from a prospective buyer's inspector.
~~ Cleaning up & out: SJ & I have spent time in review of my stuff - i.e. what to keep, what goes, what to pass on, etc. It's a beautiful thing to do.
~~ In touch w/ Dad as often as possible - Mom is not well & it's pretty rugged.
~~ Knitting - ah, knitting.
Am almost done w/ the Two Old Bags Double-Handled Project Bag (on end of last two handles & then I will felt it. It is my 1st felted project! Am working on a 2nd one, the Constant Companion Bag from KNITTER'S STASH, & am done w/ the body of it.). I am working on SJ's 2nd sock (on leg part) & her scarf (a few more inches & it's time to block).
Last week I reviewed all the bags of UFOs or WIPs, whatever you choose to call them, & decided to put more things on the back burner. They went into the basement totes. The totes are sorted by type of yarn or designated projects: projects for SJ, M & M; socks; lacey yarns; mohair; scarves, hats & mittens; possible felted projects; projects for me (as a long time quilter who made nada for myself, this is a biggie that I plan to knit for moi!); & one of skeins that will become scarves or mitts. My treasured pal, Purlewe, is skilled at many things - one of them is this: she made bee-ute-full scarves last year by combining individual skeins from her stash. I have lots of these skeins that would make lovely projects if they could be combined w/ a fellow yarn. And since I need assistance w/them (do you ever work on something for a while & feel that it's become too frustrating & endless?), I will ask Sweet Purlewe for some help. I also have some yarns ready to donate to the KR Retreat & some to donate to friends.
~~ And in the midst of all this, work gets busier, of course, & I have been felled by a flu-ish bug a couple of times.

So, how have you been? Whatcha doin'?

There's another new kid on the blog block & she is

MOMOGUS KNITS.

We love Diana - just be around her for a nano-second & see if you can resist! She is a talented designer, teacher, knitter. When I visit the Tangled Web, my fav LYS, she has the ability to help me w/ a knitting problem & somehow I feel smarter when I leave. Would love to have that ability!

Her patterns are well written, have great directions, are reasonably priced, are fun to knit & make me want to knit more. Check her out!

It's the Poetry Slam! The Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading

Go here for more info ~ .. ~

Twenty years, forty years, it's nothing.
Not a mirage; the blink
of an eyelid.

Life is nibbling us with little
lips, circling our knees, our
shoulders.
What's the difference,
a kiss or a fin-caress. Only sometimes
the water reddens,
we ebb.

Birth, marriage, death, we've had them,
checked them off on our list,
and still stand here

tiptoe on the mud,
half-afloat,
water up to the neck.

It's a big pond.

Denise Levertov The Cold Spring from POEMS 1968-1972

.

There's a new kid on the blog market

and she is the most fabulous Morgaine. Her blog is Spin For Peace ...thoughts on spinning, fiber, magic, peace, equality.

We love her! Step over & visit her if you have not seen the blog yet. Thanks to Sweet Anjeanette, aka Purlewe, for turning me onto the new kid on the blog market.

President Obama
Don't you just love the sound of that?

What a beautiful day Tuesday was. Part of the beauty involved watching a helicopter fly away, out of our sight - yes, this whirlybird carried W & Laura away.

While I worked all day, I did tape as much of the day as a VCR tape would hold. There are many blog posts about this great day - The Tangled Web & Bossy Little Dog are two of my faves. (Please see the sidebar for the links.) We hold respect, good wishes & much hope in our hearts & heads as we watch our courageous, smart & ambitious new President & Vice President take their offices, sleeves rolled up & ready to get down to it.

On a personal note, I took a tumble yesterday on a patch of ice on an icy street. Our chiropractor, Dr. Ted, was the 1st one I called as I wanted to see him ASAP. (Drove there straight away & he took great care of me - as he always does. If you live in my area & want a recommendation of a great chiropractor to see, let me know - we love Ted!) Then I called SJ - got to have some empathy from my sweetheart. I was chauffeured to the ER today by SJ for wrist xrays. My left wrist is sprained badly & I have a very swollen hand & fingers. It's wrapped & I will be doing ice packs, elevation of the arm & hand & as much rest as I can. And I hope I will be able to knit soon - I have been in a groove w/ my projects & besides that, damn it, I want to knit!!

My sweater is done!!

I realize that finishing a project is not a cause for celebration - for most of you all, it's not a BFD (Big Furry Deal?). For me, I am celebrating - this is my 2nd sweater ever & I am over the moon. It is the Knitting Pure & Simple V-neck pull over.

This was begun as part of a Knit Along at the bestest LYS, the Tangled Web. While I tho't it was 2005, the Divine One, Diana, tho't it was begun in 2004. Why argue w/ the best? It must have been 2004. Anywhoo, it's done! I am thrilled.

Diana is the genius of Momogus Knits. Her patterns are well written, sweet, are packed w/ great energy that carry over to your finished items & are designed by a fabulous knitter. We love her!

Break out the champagne - bring me another sweater to start!

My 2008 knitting dreams: What is a dream & what becomes of it?

Throughout the year I have reviewed & pondered my 2008 goals. I had posted them on the sidebar w/ the idea that I could see them as my fiber intent for the year. The periodic review of them helped to bolster me when I needed a nudge, reminded me of things I could do to further myself & gave me a solid set of values (yes, I know - that word has taken a crushing hit via the Republicans over the last few years - they turned it into a negative vs. a positive.) from which I could direct myself.

How did I do?
~~~ I did shop from my stash - I have projects I began from the stash (my KR Retreat New Beginnings project is from a purchase from years ago at the Tangled Web, my beloved LYS) & most of the projects I will start in 2009 that are from stash treasures. There was a bit of shopping from three of the best yarn & fiber sources on the planet - Spirit Trail Fiberworks, the Tangled Web & Carolina Homespun.
~~~ I did not finish my 2007 KR Retreat NB project ^ .. ^ Like another fiber friend, I have yet to complete a New Beginnings project. My fingers & thumbs are crossed that I will do one over the next year. Think I have found a way to make that happen. Stay tuned to see if it does.
~~~ I did attend more Fiber Nites at the welcoming, creative homes of the sweet newly-weds, Anj & Sue, & for Spinning Nites at Heather's abode. They feed me literally & creatively, make me & the other knitters/spinners feel welcome & help me navigate through the rapids of a new technique or pattern.
~~~ While I did not finish much, I have a few things that are this close - or this this close.
~~~ The stash quantity was lowered: I gave yarns to good friends here at home & took three big bags of yarn, books & patterns for the Swap Lounge at the KR Retreat. Yes, I also brought some yarns & needles home w/me - all the yarns have a specific person &/or gift in mind (items for SJ, M & M, a scarf for our beloved work colleague, Miz T, a couple of neckwarmers, some Cascade that will be used for a future felted bag, some circs to add to my medium size collection).
~~ "Knitting often" was a big intent for me. You know, that's a hard one to judge - while I did knit more often, it almost never seemed like enuf ^ .. ^ That's the case for just about every knitter I know.

May 2009 bring you good health, a speedy recovery from anything that befell you in 2008, creativity, new beginnings & lotsa love. Hope to see & talk w/ you in the new year.