Watching and Waiting

Holli, the weather watchdog, is ever vigilant. She knows that something is brewing. She's right; yet another "Storm of the Century" is heading our way and we are expecting 4 - 8 " of snow in our part of the country today.

So because we aren't leaving for Florida and our Sanibel Island retreat for 4 weeks, we're doing the next best thing to deal with this snow madness. We're going skiing. The three of us are leaving early tomorrow morning for Lutsen and a little break. We're staying on the mountain so as to maximize the skiing time. If you can't beat the snow - join it. In my case, fall in it, roll around in it, become one with it as it's been a while since I've skiied. I hope I remember the camera!

"Four inches of snow would cover you up Sam!" - Tig

"Would not - I'm big!" - Sammy

"Would too!" - Tig

"WOULD NOT - NO BACKS!" - Sammy

Checking In

This time of year, our little Tuesday Morning Knitting Group can be - well, pretty lonely. What with people traveling to Mexico (Sandy) and their faraway cabins (Cindy) and Sanibel Island (Peggy). Imagine my pleasant surprise when most of the girls decided to return yesterday (it's ok Peggy - we'll hold your seat for a little while longer!). And they bring beautiful finished projects for me to share ('cuz it's not like there's anything going on over here!)
First up is Sandy with her Larger Than Life Bag. If memory serves, we've she's been working on this for a year - she loves to crochet. She's also wearing a beautiful lace shawl she knit. I think her original plan was to knit one for herself and one for her mom. I'll get back to you on mom's but I don't think that one came to fruition. We'll come back to the red scarf she's holding.


Cindy has been working on this afghan for almost two years. Her rule was she had to finish all the squares of each color before she could move on to another color. Sometimes, we got bored with the colors before she did. But, oh my - look:



And look closer:

And even closer:

OK, so back to the red scarf. You may remember seeing it here a while back. For our holiday gathering, we decided that instead of purchasing gifts, we would exchange something from our lives that we were ready to part with. I really struggled with this but I knew in my heart what I had to do. The red scarf, which is the first item I made from my very own hand spun yarn, started out as a gift for someone but I just couldn't part with it. I wasn't ready to give it to someone who wouldn't "get it." When the Knitting Group gift exchange came up - it was clear. I didn't know who would receive it, but I knew that whoever did, they would "get it".

Doesn't Sandy look like she "gets it"? She wears it all the time.

I realize that these are really crappy pictures - but you all know the sentiment I'm trying to convey. We take such great joy in each other's accomplishments. There was such a buzz in the coffee shop as everything was displayed and "oooohed" and "ahhhhed" over. I could have stayed all day!

On My Way To School Every Day . . .

. . . I pass this street sign.

And then, just around corner, a block or so away, I pass this street sign.

I think we should get these two together!

Comfort

I may not be very good at comforting her in the middle of the night, but give me the kitchen, and meal time and I can get my girl feeling like herself again in no time. It's incredibly cheap and it works on her dad too!

Meatloaf . . .

and mashed potatoes!

Although in the car on the way to school this morning she informed me that she hates all of her clothes. I think this problem is going to cost me some big money! I think there are some leftovers in the refrigerator.

Stress Test

Kathryn missed last Friday at school to attend the funeral of a family friend with us. This was all cleared with the teachers ahead of time (as far ahead as one can plan such things) and all was good until last night at around 11:00 or so. I'm not real good with parenting things after "lights out" but there two things in particular where I really suck - barf and tears. Luckily for Jon, last night did not require a big clean up. But missing that one day of school had her so off her schedule that she was feeling that "I'm so overwhelmed by it all" feeling that she just lost it. She started going through how much work she had to make up, plus how much she already had, plus the new stuff that had come in and - well - we all know how that feels. And I know, from personal experience, that Jon's shoulder is the best one to cry on in those instances.

This morning at breakfast, with her puffy eyes, studying for a science quiz, her spirits seemed a little bit better. But I can't help but think know, I'm raising myself!

"Oh sis, I never knew you had to actually STUDY for DNA tests!! You must be smart!" - Tig

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day 2009

Just a few cards and some "token" gifts. I'd already bought myself some boots so Jon just got the "Bourne" trilogy on Blu-Ray. Yea - that's actually more for me too!

And homemade heart-shaped pizzas three ways:

Plain with just cheese for Kathryn,

Half sausage, half pepperoni and olive, (any guesses whose half is whose?)

and Holli's!

This year's dessert - Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes.

I'm still stuffed because the next night was my mom's birthday and besides the huge dinner we made for her - we had to have the same dessert again. Saturday was just a trial run.

Sleepy Time

In honor of President's Day, the Penguin Princesses (Christmas gifts from my mom & dad - and yes, Jon has a pair too!) will be sleeping in. We had a very busy weekend, filled with tons of food and family time. More on that later.
Because right now - it's bed time. If Monday is a day off for you, enjoy some snuggle time with someone (or something furry!) that you love. I know I will be.

From the Bottom Up

I've got a new plan. Sinuses still stuffed, ears still hurt, body still fatigued. But I'm gonna knock this infection out by working from the opposite end.

The way I see it, if my feet look good, then they'll feel good. If they feel good, that will start a whole chair reaction of "good feelingness" that will eventually send this sinus thing packin'.

Maybe I'll sleep in them.

Think you've seen this before? Having a strange sense of deja vu? She said it was OK to copy her.

Running

Today begins the third week of medication for what began as preventive care following my dental surgery. I thought I had a routine cold. Turns out, it's neither routine, nor a cold. However, the fact that I was on an antibiotic and had recently had dental surgery kept me from thinking I was any sicker and therefore, I suffered. Until last Thursday when the jaw pain, ear pain and pain in my upper teeth just about sent me through the roof. Off to Urgent Care to discover I had sinus and ear infections. A change of antibiotic to one that targets sinus and ear infections (who knew that certain antibiotics only worked on certain things?)Flash forward to yesterday when the above enumerated symptoms are still hanging on tightly and have not receded. A sobbing mess of Deb comes home from knitting group and collapses into Jon's lap and says "I'm calling the real doctor." The real doctor agrees that symptoms should be easing by this point and that I'm doing everything I should be (nasal rinse, fluids, blah, blah, blah!!). We agree that one more week of the new antibiotic is called for but if I'm not feeling SIGNIFICANTLY better by Friday, I'm to call real doctor again.

You know how you go along loving your hair and then you get to that one day where you just hate it. And you hate it for several days. Then you call your hairdresser and make an appointment. And everyday up until that appointment you hate your hair. On the morning of your appointment you wake up, look in the mirror and - you love your hair. Sometime in the middle of the night last night, the damn broke. There isn't a horizontal surface in the house without a tissue on it. I believe the end is in sight. But sorry KMKat - these tissues will be experience a burial at sea or be burned in the nice fire I have going this morning as no one would wish to handle them again.

There is at least one member of the household sharing in my misery as we compete in a sneezing contest. I however, use tissues to clean up after myself!

I Cheated

Because it is February, and I did finish two of the three sweaters I said I had to finish before swatching for just casting on to see if I like the yarn starting a new sweater.

How's your glass house?

It's MINE!!

Wrestled my new sweater away - this time from Tigger.

Put in on this morning, managed a quick, really bad self-photo in the bathroom this morning (first picture had a tooth brush in my mouth). Alas, I'm still not tall!
It looks better on me than it does on Kathryn. Doesn't it?

Sweater Two Done

In my effort to finish dead unfinished sweaters before starting another new one, I have finished the second of three, long-languishing projects. This Cropped Cardigan (Ravelry deets) is one of my favorite little knits and I'm not sure why it took me so long drag it out and finish it. But finish it I did. After which I gave it a nice hot bath and let it dry out in the studio for a day or so.

And then a few minutes soaking up the sun's rays.

Time for a little picot-edge close up.

And finally, getting ready to hang out in the kitchen, where a keen observer might have noticed, she has already spent some time.

Did anyone spot her here, at the Sunday night festivities? Yeah - that's the last time I saw my sweater too!

Do You Remember?

Do you remember (or know) what happened 50 years ago today? It sparked a lively conversation in the car on the way to school this morning when Kathryn started singing along to "American Pie". I asked her how she knew the song. "Madonna sings it!" I didn't kick her out of the car, but she was subjected to 10 minutes of music history, the significance of the death of these three performers and its impact on other performers at that time.

I remembered how I used to play the song over and over again as a young girl, probably about her age. We'd listen to the lyrics and try to figure out what they all meant. We wrote them all down, line by line, and thought we had it all figured out - the whole thing. Life! Figured out there on paper, through the lyrics of a song.

And then, I wished I was young again.

I Remember When . . .

. . . Super Bowl Sunday meant a room full of people I hardly knew.


Now we just have a few close friends over. So close in fact, we don't mind that the laundry is on the floor. Neither do they.

Super Bowl Sunday used to mean tons of chips and dips and junk food and chicken wings and good stuff!


Now it's a simple dinner of Chicken Stroganoff, broccoli and biscuits.

And oh, the drinks - the beer, the wine, the cocktails - the hangover!

Replaced by milk and water.

Used to be, no one actually ever watched the football game as I recall.

All that's changed now. And I rather like love it this way. Just the way it is now.