The Good Things

** A pictureless, personal blog post. **

I have personal rules about what I will and will not blog about. Most of the past three months falls in the latter category. It was a time of stress, confusion, and horror as we lived through the rapid decline and death of Mom.

As life begins to return to normal (if leaving for a four week trip out west can be counted as normal) I want to take a few minutes and list some of the good things that happened during that time period.

Brother Dave and I got to know each other very well. He is a kind, caring man who spent Mom's last month with her while ignoring his business in Oregon. We gathered information and made life and death decisions together. We meditated and prayed together, each respecting the other's spiritual beliefs. We talked for hours and hours, and realized that we like each other very much.

Husband Jay was my earthly rock. He did all the grocery shopping and ran mundane errands so I didn't need to be concerned about having food or whatever else I needed. He cooked some great comfort food. Twice he did all my laundry. ALL of it. He let me talk about things he didn't want to hear about, and he let me cry in his arms. When we had wintery roads, he gave his 4WD Explorer keys to brother Dave and insisted we take it. And he prayed for us.

The strength of the Lord carried me through. I could not have done this without my faith, my Bible, and the prayers of my friends.

After five years, I am now able to visit son John, daughter-in-law Anne, and granddaughter Sydney in Idaho. I am caretaker to no one and dogless. It feels new and strange and I'm still adjusting to the situation. Next Tuesday I leave for Oregon to spend spring break with my Idaho family, then fly to Phoenix to meet Jay and spend some time with his family. Jay is driving us back to Michigan via the Grand Canyon and several other national parks. We're going to do some furniture shopping in Illinois and be home whenever we get there - very strange indeed!

A Week Later

Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments and especially for your prayers.

Bob has been ill for several years and lately had been failing rapidly. He was ready to move on to a new body and a better life. He died quickly and peacefully in his own bed, which is what he would have chosen if the choice had been his.

Son John blogged about Bob here.

Today Bob's obituary was in the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Battle Creek Enquirer. The best job of posting it online was done by the Paw Paw Courier Leader, here.

Even though I haven't knit a stitch or taken a picture in over a week, my intention is to start blogging again this coming week.

Bob Byrne

October 2, 1943 to July 31, 2011

Yesterday my husband of 36 years went Home to be with the Lord.

The Apicoectomy Excuse and Start of Metro

Brandywine is done. To be more specific, the knitting is done. I only need to sew up the side seams, weave in the ends, and block it. Last week I told myself I would do that before casing on Metro.

But I have a jaw ache. Not just a little jaw ache. It's the kind of jaw ache where you occasionally need to remind yourself it's not a good idea to blow your head off. It's the kind of jaw ache that requires simple, soothing, knitting for the moments you can stand to knit.

So, I cast on Metro. It's wonderful, mindless knitting at this point and I have about six inches done.



Tomorrow morning I'm scheduled for an apicoectomy at the endodontist.

If you don't know what an apicoectomy is, consider yourself fortunate. I didn't know either until yesterday morning.

If you do know what an apicoectomy is and have horror stories about you or someone you know who had one, please keep your stories to yourself. I'd love to hear about successes, though.

I do know I've been told to have multiple ice packs on hand and I've been promised post-operative pain, facial swelling, and possibly bruising. And I may not want to talk for a few days.

I'm looking forward to this. Really. My jaw hurts so much now that the promise of improvement is worth the ordeal of getting there. It's very possible the post-operative pain may be less than the pre-operative pain, and if I look swollen and awful I may get extra sympathy and maybe even ice cream.

What's Wrong With Your Head, Girl?

I've been feeling totally blah for the past three weeks, so last week I decided to rest and see if I could heal myself. Instead of feeling better, I got splitting headaches every afternoon.

I kept thinking I would feel better soon, but it didn't happen. Yesterday morning the headache didn't wait until afternoon, and the only decision I needed to make was whether to call the doctor or the dentist.

Knowing I had an appointment in two weeks to have a crown replaced because of underlying decay, I decided to try the dentist. Good choice. To make a long story short, I ended up having a root canal yesterday. Even though my jaw is still a little sore, I feel much better.


While suffering and recovering, I started a pair of Zauberball socks for Mom.

The long color blocks gradually merge one to the next. I knew I could never get the socks to match exactly, especially not while my head was throbbing, so I just split the skein in half and started knitting.

This is the wildest pair of mismatched socks I've ever knit. Looking at the balls you can see that the cuff colors of one sock match what's going to be the foot colors of the the other sock.

Mom asked for socks out of this yarn, but I'm not sure she expected this. If she never wears them out of her apartment, I'll understand.

Pattern: Basic cuff down sock pattern on 64 stitches. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and instep.

Yarn: Zauberball.

Color: 1155.

Needles: Options #1, 2.5mm

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Beautiful Blogger Award

A few weeks ago Allison at Dominant Hands blessed Stitches of Violet with a Beautiful Blogger Award.

Thank you Allison.

As part of the award, I'm to rake my brain and come up with "10 things about myself that you might not know about me."

So, here are 10 things about me not included in 100 Things About Me:

1. I'm mad at Toyota! As a 30 year very satisfied customer with a nearby Toyota dealership and a wonderful Toyota service department, I want to purchase a new Toyota this year and have it be as reliable and high quality as all my previous Toyotas. Instead, I'm afraid to buy a car that has its own mind about when to accelerate.
   
   
2. Everyday I enjoy doing the Jumble (word puzzle in the comics) and even have a book of Jumbles for when I feel like doing a few extra.
   
   
3. I have provided for my yarn stash, knitting books, and knitting needles in my will. They are going to a good friend who knits. She can keep what she wants and give the rest to charity.
   
   
4. We have four blood sucking pests thriving on our property: Mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies, and ticks. Of the four, I hate the black flies most. The deer flies are a close second.
   
   
5. Everyday I work the daily puzzle at Jigzone using the 80 piece classic cut.
   
   
6. Pappy, my little Papillon, sleeps on my pillow above my head. He whines and tries to lead me into the bedroom if I stay up too late.
   
   
7. One of my favorite C. S. Lewis quotes: "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."
   
   
8. My favorite frozen dinner? Kahiki General Tso's Chicken. The Kahiki Sweet and Sour Chicken is also yum for frozen fare.
   
   
9. I love the long summer daylight hours. The sun is up by 6:30 and Sunny is thinking I should get up and go for a walk so the dogs can have their morning treat. And there still some, but barely, daylight when the dogs do their last potty call at 10 pm.
   
   
10. My favorite summer food is ice cream. I think I'll have some right now.

As another part of this award I'm to pass it on to ten other deserving Bloggers. Since most of the blogs I read and enjoy have done this or something very similar in the past, I'm going to skip this part of the assignment. Every Blogger who reads Stitches of Violet is a Beautiful Blogger. I couldn't choose ten without concern of leaving someone out or annoying someone because I can't remember they've already done this.

Monday Musings for June 14

Money Down the Drain
Last week we got the septic system fixed. It took almost the whole day and the dogs got very tired.

Glory is old and grumpy. She doesn't think anybody should be in her yard and if they are she thinks she should bite them. Pappy was totally upset that I was outside with strange men and Sunny thought the septic tank pumper trunk was an evil monster out to destroy us all unless she could bark loud enough to keep it under control.

By the time the men left in the late afternoon I was very tired. But we could flush. And I could wash dishes. And do laundry.

Crochet 101
I'm making progress on learning how to crochet. So far I've learned that cheap plastic hooks from the discount store snag the yarn and that row after row of the same crochet stitch is just as boring as knitting stockinette.

Any crocheters reading who would like to recommend their favorite hook?

Anticipating Isaiah
Bible Study Fellowship is doing a study of Isaiah starting next fall, and I'm strongly considering signing up. BSF is an in-depth, non-denominational Bible study meeting two hours a week and requiring daily homework. It's an excellent way to learn more about the Bible.

I did some BSF classes in the late 90's and hope the current teachers are as good as the leaders we had back then.

The Tooth Experience

The tooth didn't "slip out" like my dentist predicted it should. After a half hour of trying, he decided the tooth was too well anchored to the jawbone for him to be comfortable working on it anymore. It was coming out in pieces and he was worried about facial nerve damage, so it was off to an oral surgeon with my mouth packed with gauze for an emergency appointment.

The oral surgeon was compassionate and quick. He gave me gas immediately and started working on removing the root. He said it came out in 30 pieces.

They packed my jaw in ice before I went home and told me to expect swelling for the next three days. I'm still icing it and the pain hasn't been too bad as long as I don't move my jaw.

They gave me a Vicodan Rx, but so far I have only taken Tylenol. I'd rather be alert than completely pain free.

I'm doing better than they expected I would. I'm able to read, knit, email, and I slept all night. It could be a lot worse.

I'm grateful there was a surgeon available to finish it yesterday instead of having to go back today and I'm grateful that I'm able to deal with the discomfort and not take the Vicodan which knocks me out.

---

We have many daffodil patches. This is the only one that's thawed off enough to be visible. The others are busy growing under the ice and snow and will have no trouble catching up.

Wondering and Whining

Lovely July in SW Michigan
Normally there are days in July when it's too hot to move, but this year July was totally pleasant and I'm grateful.

The Kalamazoo area just finished the coolest July on record. As of Thursday, the average July temperature was 67.5 degrees.

After the long endless winter that started early, ended late, and dumped record amounts of snow on us, the thinking citizens of SW Michigan (at least some of us) are wondering what's going on with global warming?

I'm wondering if people in other areas of the world are noticing a warming trend. If so, some of that heat belongs to us, but you're welcome to keep it.

Hungry Squirrel
This time of year the yard is full of seeds and all types of food for the birds to eat, so I haven't felt guilty not keeping the feeders full.

One little red squirrel was so unhappy about losing his easy sunflower seed that Tuesday morning he chewed through the screen nearest where we keep the seed bags and came inside to help himself.

I was rudely awakened Tuesday morning by objects falling in the living room as the squirrel ran around hysterically looking for the exit. At one point he started a second hole in a kitchen screen, but couldn't hold still long enough to finish it once I started opening windows and trying to chase him out with eventual success.

The dogs were sleeping in the bedroom. They didn't even have the ambition to bark. Not that it would have helped. There was fracas enough without canine participation.

Anticipating Computer Death
My computer is occasionally acting abnormal. So far a reboot has solved the problem, but I suspect someday soon I'll be seeing a blank screen of death.

It's three years old on August 7, the day my extended warranty from Best Buy runs out. I'm not renewing it for $400, thank you anyway. I'll find someone else to repair it or buy a new one, and there will be no extended warranty when I do.

A year ago I needed to use the warranty when the operating system was corrupted. Turns out THAT wasn't covered and I had to pay to have it done. To add insult to injury, it took them a week to do something that should have taken a few hours.

I saved me writing and you reading lots of boring details, but I'll sum up by saying I was so not impressed by the Geek Squad. Plus, they have no manners. At least not when dealing with customers.

Family Updates

Thanks to everyone who has prayed and/or sent good thoughts for my family, both human and canine. Here is a brief update for all who have asked.

DH Bob
The first step in his treatment was successful. We're in waiting mode to regain some strength and regulate drugs.

Our next appointment to see a doctor is August 11, but meanwhile we are making numerous trips to the lab for blood draws.

Mom had a heart attack shortly before her 87th birthday. On her birthday she had four stents inserted, and now feels like herself again, young and peppy and dancing twice a week.

Yesterday we had the followup meeting with the cardiologist. He discontinued most of her heart drugs and said he'd see her in a year.

We celebrated with a caramel sundae.


Glory, our 13 year old lab mix, loves to roll around in things, the stinkier the better.

At her last grooming appointment, the groomer claimed she couldn't bath the smell off Glory. We thought Glory smelled much better, although not perfect. The groomer suspects Glory has a skin infection causing the smell, although she couldn't find a rash or any other physical evidence to support that theory. Glory's ears are OK.

If any of my dog loving readers have ever heard of such a thing, could you leave me a comment? I've spent a fortune at the vet office lately and hesitate to take a dog who has nothing wrong except a smell, especially when I know she rolls in gross things.

I have visions of the vet staff laughing in the back room, "Doesn't that woman know what horse sh*t smells like?"


Sunny, our 8 year old, 14 pound, third generation (or more) designer dog, has advanced osteoarthritis of the spine. She recently had a painfull, crippling spell that required almost two months of steroid treatment.

The vet wasn't sure she would ever be without steroids again, but she has been without for two weeks now.

Final words from the vet were something like this: "Everything she does is a risk, but you need to let her be a dog."

How helpful is that?

Then he said, "You can let her run, but don't let her bump into anything or turn sharp corners."

Even more unhelpful and impossible. Sunny herds.

Least I give the wrong impression of the vet, he was totally helpful and supportive during her treatment. He kept in touch by phone and carefully monitored the tapering off of her meds at the end. He just doesn't know what to say now.

There are no easy answers and no cures. Everything she does is a risk and we worry about her daily while we're trying to let her be a dog.


Pappy, our 11 year old (or older) rescue Papillon, had ten loose teeth removed July 15th.

I've heard this is a common thing for older little dogs, but it's the first time one of our dogs has needed it done.

Once his mouth healed, he had no problem learning where he could still chew. He's actually able to eat better with the loose teeth gone.

Ending The Year With A Roar

Everybody has them. Brief periods in life when one thing after another happens to throw off our plans and we begin to wonder how long it will be before we can return to our normal, boring life that we failed to appreciate.

I thought about writing a happy post and not bothering to record the things that recently happened. Somehow that didn't seem right, especially since I mentioned the possibility of more weather woes in my last post. So, I'm going to briefly write about our fun weekend so all my readers can be happy they live where they live instead of at my house.

When I left off in my last post we were expecting a thaw of about 5 feet of snow packed down into ice. Saturday it happened along with lots of rain. I was able to get the car out and go to the grocery store.

Saturday evening it rained some more and we started watching the basement for water. Soon we were going downstairs every hour to pump out a drainage area just outside the back door. Then water started to seep onto the basement floor not related to spot we were pumping. The routine changed from pump to pump and then wet vac.

About 1 am the wet vac died, so the routine changed to pump and mop with big old towels.

By 3 am the rain had stopped, the temperature was dropping back down to freezing, and a very strong wind started to blow taking out the power. We were so tired we bundled up (because there was no heat) and went to bed.

We consider ourselves fortunate. The power came back on at 9 am Sunday morning and most of the water in the basement had receded by then. Some Michigan residents didn't get their power back until today, Tuesday.

After catching up on my sleep Sunday, Monday I drove to Kalamazoo and had lunch with Mom. On the way home, my exhaust system died. I have an appointment tomorrow for an estimate to fix it, but there's no question it needs to be done. I can't even hear my radio when I drive. This is not happy financial news as well as being a bother.


To end on a happy note, we're having our family Christmas Thursday. If exhaust parts need to be ordered I may be pulling up with a roar, but I'm still looking forward to it.

Simple Woman's Daybook

These writing prompts are available every Monday from Simple Woman's Daybook where we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.

I doubt I'll do this every week, but it seems like just the right touch to start off the week of Thanksgiving.

FOR TODAY November 23, 2008...
Outside my window... A dreary, gray winter day with wet snow falling from the sky. I'm thankful for my warm house.

I am thinking... How quickly the summer and autumn flashed by, how quickly the years are flashing by, and how I'd like to do something worthwhile with the rest of my life.

I am thankful for... The new church I started attending a few months ago. It was an unexpected change and feels so right.

From the kitchen... Today I'll be making Green Dream. I've been making Green Dream for over thirty years. I guess it's a family tradition. It's the perfect holiday side dish for adding a slightly tangy accent with roast turkey. Wonderful to eat with cold turkey leftovers.

I am wearing... Gray sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt with an Arlo and Janis comic on the front. Arlo is saying, "The older I get the less I enjoy the coming of fall. It's something to do with the passing of time. Year round time passes at the same speed, but in the fall it sticks its arm out the window and flips you off."

I am creating... Something in my subconscious to make with the prize mohair while knitting away on the almost mindless February Lady Sweater.

I am going... to get up and take the dogs for a walk in a few minutes.

I am reading... Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality.

I am hoping... The roads are not slippery for the next few days. There are places I need and/or want to go.

I am hearing... Terence Blanchard's Tale of God's Will. This is the best CD I've ever experienced in my whole life. I can't play it without wanting to start over from the beginning and play it again.

Although written as a "Requiem for Katrina", it's much more than that. It's the story of the human condition put to music. And the trumpet playing is awesome.

Around the house... We are staying cozy and warm while wintry things happen outdoors.

One of my favorite things... Is sitting here at my laptop communicating with family and friends with one little dog curling up on my right and another little dog curled up on my left.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Tomorrow I'm headed for Kalamazoo to help Mom figure out how to use her DVD player and then go out to lunch at the Main Street Grill. Wednesday evening is trumpet lesson in Kalamazoo, and Thursday, of course, is Thanksgiving. We're having the simplest of Thanksgivings this year, but I do have a small turkey to roast for just the two of us and many things to be thankful for.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Last week's view outside the window directly in front of the loveseat where I sit with my laptop.

It's snowing today and the view is much the same except the snow has been removed from the feeding board running along the porch railing. Instead of snow, it's loaded with sunflower seeds being enjoyed by several dozen birds, mostly cardinals.

What Is Your Taste In Art?

Islamic art? Never heard of it until I took this quiz.

The quiz was fun to answer and the personality results, at least for me, are accurate. Because who wouldn't want to be vibrant and tasteful?

Click and the link at the bottom, enjoy the gorgeous art, and see how you rate.

---

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Traditional, Vibrant, and Tasteful

28 Islamic, 14 Impressionist, 12 Ukiyo-e, -9 Cubist, -26 Abstract and -1 Renaissance!

Islamic art is developed from many sources: Roman, Early Christian, and Byzantine styles were taken over in early Islamic architecture; the architecture and decorative art of pre-Islamic Persia was of paramount significance; Central Asian styles were brought in with various nomadic incursions; and Chinese influences . Islamic art uses many geometical floral or vegetable designs in a repetitive pattern known as arabesque. It is used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of Allah.

People that like Islamic art tend to be more traditional people that appreciate keeping patterns that they learned and experienced from their past. It is not to say that they are not innovative personalities, they just do not like to let go of their roots. They like to put new ideas into details and make certain that they will work before sharing them with others. Failure is not something they like to think about because they are more interested in being successful and appreciated for their intelligence. These people can also be or like elaborate things in their life as long as they are tasteful. They tend to prefer geometric patterns and vibrant colors.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

No Rant and Bob's Birthday Socks

Since I try to keep this a pleasant place to visit, I won't whine on for paragraph after paragraph about all the fun I've had reloading programs and files and configuring my laptop since it came back from being repaired.

Just this evening I've been able to edit pictures to post. And one important task isn't done yet - I still don't have virus protection because my virus software company thinks I don't exist even though I have a serial number and confirmation numbers for the past two years updates.

I know. Virus protection is super important. I'm going to give them one phonecall to make me happy before I change companies. Meanwhile, here I am bravely online unprotected.


Yesterday was DH Bob's birthday, and his birthday socks were appreciated since temps were in the 40s and it was the first day we turned on the furnace.

He likes wool worsted weight socks. He wears them around the house without shoes, so I have to go for tough yarn and tight stitches. The socks I knit for him are next to indestructible.


Pattern: Basic 48 stitch sock. k3p1 ribbing on cuff and down instep.

Yarn: Opal 6-ply shades of gray with Opal UNI-Solid red held together to make a worsted weight yarn.

Needles: Addi Turbo #5 circulars.

Gauge: 5 stitches/inch and 7 rows/inch.

Sweet! The Whole Story

Until the last few days only a few select people knew I was taking trumpet lessons. I wanted to feel confident I could master it in time and with practice before talking about my new adventure in learning.

After a few lessons, I leaked my secret to a couple more people, including my brother Dave Monette, a professional trumpet player and crafter of the best profession trumpets ever made.

Believe me, I had no idea what would happen next.

Dave told me that as soon as possible I needed to get exposed to a good trumpet sound so I would know what I was aiming for. Then he asked what kind of horn and mouthpiece I was playing. The answer: a student rental, which he called a "piece of crap". He said he would be sending me a Monette mouthpiece.

Next thing I knew Dave impulsively decided to fly from his home in Portland, Oregon to Kalamazoo and take me to the Wharton Center in East Lansing to hear Wynton Marsalis. This was Wynton's only Michigan gig for a while, and Dave felt we should not miss the opportunity for me to hear Wynton's great trumpet sound.


Wednesday morning Fedex delivered a Monette Trumpet. A little more than a new mouthpiece and about a million times better than my student rental.

Dave arrived later that afternoon and gave me a trumpet lesson I'll never forget. It wasn't a music lesson, it was a lesson in breathing and body mechanics. Dave works with many of the top trumpet players in the world and it was a lesson in what they do to get sweet music from their horns.


Then it was off to East Lansing. We arrived early enough to have a tasty dinner at India Palace. Highly recommended if you're in East Lansing. It was so delicious I've located a India food restaurant to try in Kalamazoo.

Although I know next to nothing about jazz, I do know a bit about music and totally enjoyed the entire performance.

During intermission, we went back stage where I got to meet Wynton and some of the band members.

Being an introvert, I thought this would be a bit overwhelming. It wasn't. The musicians all know and love Dave and extended that love to his sister with hugs and smiles. It was totally great. And then I got to go back to my seat and hear them play the second half of the concert including the world premiere of Wynton's new composition Two and 3.

Jenn asked if Wynton is as nice as he seems to be. The answer is YES.

Sweet!

I don't have my laptop back yet, but here's a big clue to what I've been doing.

Anybody know who this is? (The woman is me.)

Clue: He's won 9 Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize.

Hope to get my laptop back very soon. I'm not impressed with Best Buy Geek Squad service. Whatever is wrong with it, there is no way it should take this long to get it fixed.

Blogging Time Out Until We Dry Out

Here's the headline from the Kalamazoo Gazette:

Kalamazoo County May Seek Federal Disaster Declaration for Flood Damage



Photo taken from the 5th floor of the Medical Office Pavilion at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo Monday afternoon by Mark Bugnaski, Kalamazoo Gazette.

Kalamazoo County is about 3 miles East of our house. The picture was taken about 20 miles east of our house.

Here's the headline from Paw Paw, about 8 miles west of our house:

Weather Experts Confirm Paw Paw Tornado
A team of National Weather Service meteorologists has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado struck Saturday in Paw Paw, damaging several homes and businesses.

Here's the headline from Our House:

5 Inches of Water in Basement. Phone Line/Internet Connection Not Working.

Even though we live in a wetland, the creek/pond has always protected us from water in the house. This is the first time in our 17 years here the creek overflowed into the pond. The ground water rose past the level of our basement (which is only three feet underground) and came up through the drains and the floor.

We are actually lucky. Many many people had multiple feet of water in their lower levels. And/or tornado damage.

I'm trying to remember that we are lucky as we pump water out and clean up the mess.

That's what I'm doing. It's hard work and seems endless - but we're fortunate our damage is self-manageable. So time to get back to it.

Saturday Chat

It's a cold, rainy Saturday in SW Michigan.

I slept in until 9:30 this morning and finally feel rested for the first time since getting home from Idaho.

My thoughts have shifted from "I'm tired", to making plans for the yard. But I'm glad it's raining today. As soon as I publish this blog post, I'm going to go knit for the first time since last Monday in Idaho. I'm not ready to face the second sweater sleeve yet, but there's a pair of socks calling me to the needles.


A misleading daffodil picture.

Most of my daffodils haven't bloomed yet, but I zoomed in on this small group of early daffodils showing their spring color in the rain.

Chat Back for February 6

Some good questions appeared in the comments this past week, and here are the answers:

Shirley asked . . .

Pappy looks much smaller than I thought when I see him with his Opal "pillow". How much does he weigh?

Pappy the Papillon weighs thirteen pounds. That's large for the breed. Papillon size is usually six to ten pounds.

He's not at all fat. He's a trim, fit boy under all that fluffy fur.


Kathleen asked . . .

The sweater looks fun. Is the pattern in the book or do you have to find all of the different stitches and put together your own?

The main thrust of Janet Szabo's book Aran Sweater Design is all the different constructions of cabled sweaters and how to calculate and design them, but there are four complete patterns at the end.

The Set-in Sleeve Aran is one of the complete patterns.


Kathy asked two questions. . .

1) Do you have a huge stash of yarn on hand or do you always use what you have purchased right away?

For sweater knitting - I buy for the project not for the stash. There isn't a single yarn in my stash where I have enough for an adult sweater.

Sometimes there's a pattern I want to knit and I have the fun of finding and buying the right yarn for it. Other times I have a yarn I want to knit and I have the fun of finding the right pattern for it.

Calculating cost per hour, knitting is actually a very inexpensive hobby when you only buy yarn you have a known and immediate use for.

For CIC knitting - I do have a stash of left over wool, sale wool, mill end wool, gift wool, and odd balls bought for swatching. I have over a year's supply of CIC wool waiting to be knit and plan to knit most of it up before getting more - even if a good sale pops up.

For Sock Knitting - I have a stash, mostly Opal. Probably about two dozen pair worth of yarn, small compared to others but enough to make me happy.

2) Do you always intentionally plan to purchase enough extra for each project so you can knit a CIC item also?

I intentionally purchase enough yarn so I don't need to worry about running out before the project is complete. The more complex the project, the larger the amount of safety yarn.

It's a bonus when the yarn is wool and I can use the leftovers for CIC knitting.

Kathy B asked . . .

What is the best thing about your current age?

The ability to enjoy the little pleasures of life.

What Is This?

It is a Huge Box From Amazon.
Our Christmas tradition is to haul gifts to Mom's and open them there.

DH Bob requested I post this picture on my blog so the family will know he got me something nice for Christmas, even though he let me open it early and at home.


It is a Big Boombox and a Tiny MP3 Player.
Perfect enablers for my audio book habit. It is set up right next to my knitting spot in the back bedroom.

This is my first MP3 player and I like it. And, of course, the boombox also plays CDs, tapes, and radio.

Now I need to start a fun knitting project. (Stopping here before I digress into knitting babble.)


It is a new Toyota Corolla.
Yesterday I picked up Mom for lunch. When I started my car it loudly howled at us - like a noisy, sick ghost.

After lunch (I needed food to face this), I took Mom home and drove to the Toyota dealer. The verdict: a broken strut, have to order parts, can't get it fixed until next week, not safe to drive, we'll give you a loaner.

While it's fun to have a new car with new car smell, it's more of a worry than a thrill. The dogs are banned and what if it gets dinged or stained?

There's a certain relaxed feeling to driving an (almost) eight year old car that's been initiated with a few minor bangs and muddy paws - except when it scares me by howling like a ghost in pain.


It is a Redpoll.
These cute little birds are about five inches long, just a tiny bit bigger than a Chickadee and smaller than a House Finch (bird on the left).

They're rare visitors to our feeders (see
irruption year). I'm buying thistle seed just for them.