Friday, June 27, 2008

Auntie at 96

Remember my Auntie from last year? 95 years old. Keeps busy with crocheting toys. Lives joyfully and is thankful for each new day.

She's now 96 and is looking forward to turning 97 in November.



Notice her sweater. She made it. And the lapghan. Yep, she made that too.

There was a book next to her on the couch: Afghans for All Seasons. I asked about it and Auntie said she's planning on making an afghan, but that she's having a hard time deciding which one. She told me that she'd choose a pattern and pull out the yarn. Then the next day, another afghan would catch her eye. Or she'd start thinking that she'd prefer to work with different colors and then that would lead to yet another pattern.

I was hoping that next-project-on-the-needles indecisiveness would be something I'd outgrow. But, I guess not!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Hard at Work

Hubster and I just took a few days here.



For hubster, there were some business doings.

For me, this was the only business I was up to:

Thursday, June 19, 2008

L is for

the lake we'll be enjoying this summer!

When I was a kid, my folks would take day trips to a lake in the Helderbergs.

Hated it!

The slimy things in the water. The green yuck that wrapped around my ankles. The squishy things between my toes. The Darning Needles.

Hated all of it.

I especially hated it because all the cool kids were just a few miles away in a pool. The sun was always shining over the pool. The water was clear and the bugs knew to stay away.

So, as an adult, lakes were something I never went out of my way to go to.

However, a few years ago, the hubster and I began to rent a cabin by a lake in the central Adirondacks.

Yes, there's still slimy and squishy things in the water. And the bugs. . . oh the bugs!

But, look ---







I wouldn't trade this quiet and beauty for a whole poolful of cool kids!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Midwest Fantasy

Some say this is the Midwest Fantasy Show



but for 1000 or so knitters, this was the midwest fantasy:



For me, taking classes with Lucy Neatby, Melissa Leapman, Gwen Bortner and Sally Melville still seems like a dream. (In July, Sally will have a website: sallymelvilleknits.com)

But, look who all else was there giving classes and presentations:


Cat Bordhi and Queen Bee of Knitters Review Clara Parkes

The Ravelry "kids"


Casey--is he adorable or what?!


Jess and Mary Heather with Gwen Bortner and Sally Melville

Sally Melville meets her Topher's Pullover knit by Amy Detjen.



I wish I had gotten a better photo of Lucy Neatby!



The weather was hot, humid and stormy in Columbus. But, the chilly air-conditioning in the Convention Center made it possible for people to show-off their beautiful shawls:





Swag bag yarn was traded:





And there were chocolate fountains, too!



Best of all were all the wonderful people I met. Sandy, Rosie, Margaret, Sally, Bobbie, Dee, Honay and so many others. I hope to see you all next June in Columbus!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Tuesday Check-list

OK, I'm just about ready for Knitters Connection--

Swatches done?
Yep

Bags packed?
Just about finished

Extra bag packed for any goodies I may pick up there?
Packed

Plane and hotel info printed?
They're in my purse

Cell and ipod charged?
Yes and yes

Travel knitting ready?
Bringing the shawl to work on

Computer packed?
NOPE! I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I'll be computer-less. No updates till the weekend.

Keep cool, everybody!

Saturday, June 7, 2008

K is for. . .

K is for my Kipper cat. However, this post won't be a "oooohh she's the sweetest kitty in the whole world post." (Though, of course she is).

This a story of how weird the animal-human link can be.

I first knew about Kip in 1980. This was 12 years before she physically entered my life.

In 1980, I was the human for the Gray and Orange cats. However, one night I dreamt about a black and white cat with a pushed-in face. When I woke up, I knew I had dreamt about my next cat.

The years went on and by 1992, I was cat-less. Also, the hubster (who wasn't the hubster yet) and I were beginning our relationship. At the time, he lived in an apartment building in Brooklyn that had a backyard courtyard.

Many feral cats lived in that courtyard.

Also living in the building was a woman the hubster worked with. She told the hubster about a little feral cat who would climb the fire escape and look in her window. She had cats and couldn't take in another one, but she made a nest for the cat in a large flower pot in the courtyard and she would feed her. She also looked out for the little cat and she noticed that the little cat kept herself apart from the other feral cats.

When hubster told me the story of the little cat looking in his friend's window, my heart just ached. Here was a sweet, lonely cat longing for a warm, safe home.

Well, you know where this story is going.

We went to Brooklyn and rescued the little cat. She was sitting like a princess on top of a blanket in the large flower pot. When I first saw her, I said, "That can't be her!"

It was.

There she was--my black and white cat with the pushed-in face.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Legally Gooey

Last night, a friend and I went to dinner and a show. We had skipped dessert and I'm awfully glad we did because we would have had a serious sugar rush. The show was like cotton-candy--pink, fluffy, sticky, airy and forgotten soon after it's consumed. (Happily, our tickets were deeply discounted.)

However, I did enjoy a bit of knitting before the show and during the intermission:



And I even had a knitting encounter. Before the show, a man came over to me and said, "I thought my wife was the only one who knits everywhere." We chatted and, when he returned to his seat, he pointed me out to his wife and we exchanged a wave of our knitting.

I'll remember that for far longer than I'll remember all that fluffy pink goo.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Country Weekend

Went to a family event in the country this weekend



Yep, food was involved. . .





And I got some knitting al fresco done.