Mistress Stash Enhancer

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08/31/2006

I believe I scared my mail man.

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08/30/2006

Attacking the mailman

I've been waiting anxiously for the mailman. This afternoon he arrived, I rushed out to collect my package. Apparently I scared him, heehee. Next time, don't take so long Mr! I told him I've been waiting for this package. I was so excited when I realized this was my August Birthday Pal package I ripped the package open in the front yard! As soon as I ripped off the packing tape I could smell this lovely flowery smell. mmmmm! I was able to resist for a few minutes and I rushed inside to take a picture of the lovely wrapping. Which I would show you, but my camera decided to be a turd and ate the picture! I slowly started to unwrap each little package, Carole did such a great job! Here take a look:

(click to embiggen)

Wow! Such a great package! From left to right we have the most FANTASTIC sock yarn EVER! Carole dyed sock yarn for me to match the colors of my blog! Love it! I love what she named the color way "The Mistress"! I think you know what I'm going to be knitting up next! Next to that we have a book  that I forgot that I told her I wanted! The Knitter's book of Finishing Techniques, hopefully this will help with my lousy finishing skills. Up above that there are two yummy dips that I can't wait to try (good thing we are having a party this weekend!) Green Chile Dip and Queso Dip mix. Next to that some lovely soap made by Sandia Soap in geranium egyptian rose oil scent which is going to stay by my laptop so I can smell it all the time! Next to that there is a ball of Mission Falls 1824 cotton in color way 402. And then a beautiful Birthday card.

Thanks soooo much Carole! My present ROCKS I'm very happy that you where my pal! Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!!!!

15:14 Posted in Stash Enhancement | Permalink | Comments (4) | Email this | Tags: knitting (English)

08/29/2006

First Day

Today was Corra and Bryce's first day of school. They are excited, but worried at the same time.

Bryce is all excited because this was his first day of Kindergarten. And he wanted to see his friends from pre-school and soccer again. He came home this afternoon with so many stories! And requests for more cookies...

     

Corra was excited to see her best friend Becky on the bus. But she didn't know who was going to be in her class. She was worried about how her teacher was going to be. If she was going to be nice, or strict. I told her, just give her a chance! She was happy to report that, her friend Shayla was in her class and a few other girls she new from school, scouts and soccer. And that her teacher wasn't that bad.

It still amazes me how many kids are in our town's elementary school. There are 3 classes for each grade! I grew up in Western Mass. Kids that went to my elementary school where from 4 (?) other towns, there was about 20 of us in 1 class for each grade. It was a small school. Open house at my kids school is just amazing to me, so.many.kids!

They grow up so fast don't they? *sigh* at least this year I didn't feel the need to follow the bus...

ok. I did, but I was able to resist.

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08/28/2006

a little mojo

Some of you might read my Mom's blog CJ knits on, a few days ago she wrote about my Aunt Adair (you can find that post here) Mom told me when I called her from DC to tell her I made it ok, and no I didn't hit anything. My Aunt has had a few strokes in the past and suffers from migraines. The past week she has had high fever, and a migraine. My Uncle Bruce took her to the ER and they checked into the hospital last Wednesday August 23. They have diagnosed her with viral meningitis, she is receiving insulin (to the best of my knowlage, she has never been diagnosed as a diabetic, she is just now having a problem with her sugar), and they have done tests to see if she has lyme disease. They also think that she might have had another mini stroke. It's just not looking good. My Auntie Adair means quite a bit to me. When I was little I would go over to her house on Saturdays that my mother worked and Aunt Adair taught me how to sew, decorate cakes, cross stitch, and other various crafts. Aunt Adair taught me how to quilt, and helped me make a quilt that I gifted my (now ex) husband on our wedding day. She also attempted to teach me how to crochet and how to make latch hook rugs. Because she has a migraine we don't visit her and I live so far away. Really, who would want visitors while one has a migraine? Especially loud ones such as my crew. (they sound loud as a herd of elephants, or knitters at WEBS tent sale when I have a headache!) I whipped a little something up for my Aunt to send off to her along with some drawings the kids made for her.

Pattern: velvet oblivion from the summer 2004 issue of knitty

Needle's: size 5 knit picks options size 24" cable

Time: 2 hours total crafting time.

Notions: thread and needle, 10"x 3" piece of velvet for backing cut to match the knitted front, nylon knee high and 1 cup of rice.

What I did: After I finished the knitted front, I cut a piece of velvet to use for the back. I wanted to make a eye pillow for my Aunt not a eye mask. I sewed the front and back together right sides facing, leaving 2" open. Then I turned the eye pillow right side out, and stuffed the nylon knee high filled with 1 cup of rice in there. Then I sewed the whole shut. Wala! All done. Now it can be left in the freezer or popped in the microwave for 1 minute. You can add some herbs like lavender in with the rice. I opted to leave it plain as my Aunt is sensitive to smells.

My thoughts: Love this sinsation, but boy is it expensive! I will be making another one, I want to keep this one! School starts tomorrow! But my Aunt needs this way more than I do.

I hope my Aunt enjoys this, and I hope she feels better too. If ya'll could keep her in your thoughts and prayers, send her a bit of our "knitter's mojo" to help get her on her feet again, her needles back in her hands I would greatly appreciate it!

13:30 Posted in family , Finished Object , Knitting | Permalink | Comments (6) | Email this | Tags: knitting (ENGLISH)

08/27/2006

a very happy Birthday indeed

Thank you all for your Happy Birthday wishes! Thanks Mom for your sweet post as well! : )

Allysa and I really enjoyed our visit with Mike in DC. I wish that we could have stayed a few more days it was that enjoyable. (Usually after spending one day and one night in a hotel with a toddler I'm ready to bolt!) But I had to go pick Corra and Bryce up at their "Dad's" (They where at their Dad's parents, anyway...) Friday, after we ate breakfast Allysa and I went to see Mike at one of the Verizon sites that he has been working at for the past few months in DC. Mike is a fiber optic technician. The inside of these fiber sites is just mind boggling. As technology hates me, I shouldn't be allowed in there! There are towers, and towers of computer cards, fibers, the cooling fans howling. Its just amazing. Anyway, after we met Mike's co-workers and Allysa charmed them all. We all went to lunch, and went back to the site. Where Mike said "Since knit happens closes at 5:30, and I don't know when I'm getting off work tonight. Here (hands me his credit card) take this. Don't go too crazy." I'm just in awe. He handed me his credit card, and told me spend as much as you want. Don't go crazy." Go ahead, I'll let you process that. I'll wait.

uh. HUH! Isn't he awesome? yeah I know. *giggle* he is! *sigh* Allysa and I proceeded to find our way from University Park (I think, somewhere near there at least) to Alexandria Virginia. After many wrong turns, a tearful phone call, some screaming (to myself) about why I don't live in the city I found myself at Knit Happens. I also found myself overwhelmed. I had no idea what I wanted. I've never been in this shop before, they carry a lot of yarns that I enjoy. And while I was looking threw the Lorna's laces. I heard the second most beautiful words to a woman's ear "Everything in the store is 10-60% off till Sunday." me thinking "No freaking WAY!" I told everyone in the shop that it was definitely a fantastic day for my birthday, and that my hunny gave me his card to go shopping. Boy, I've never heard so many people laugh! Here is my haul, I have to say I was pretty restrained. A lot of the yarn that I wanted they didn't have enough off. Like the muench Touch me, they had 3 balls of the color I *really* wanted. So I had to settle for green, which they had 4 off, to make the vintage velvet scarf from scarf style.

from left to right, we have

4 balls Muench touch me in color 3622 (forest green)

1 hank Alchemy Synchronicity in color-way the night air.

2 hanks of Koigu kpppm color p446121

2 hanks of Alchemy Haiku in colorway Dylan's Blue Depths.

3 balls of Noro Silk Garden color 232

2 hanks of LL in colorway Irving park

I also picked up a copy of debbie bliss's book alpaca silk, which I've wanted for a while.

Like I said pretty restrained. I did go up to web's while visiting my parents a week ago, and that had a lot to do with it too. that and I wasn't sure what Mike would define as "crazy!" *L*. After Allysa and I left the shop, we drove back to the hotel to wait for Mike so we could go to dinner. We really weren't sure where to eat. I picked Red Lobster. mmmm... what a great meal! Mike the sneaky little devil.  While we where waiting for our main course, I told him please don't ask them to sing. A piece of cake with a candle would be great, but please no stupid clappy dancy song. He told me that I was with him the whole time, when would he have the chance to have said anything. But that little sparkle in his eye said otherwise. After our yummy dinner, a piece of chocolate cake with a candle appeared. Mike had slipped the waiter a note in his menu. Like I said, sneaky little devil! *sigh* it was great.

Allysa and I had to leave Friday morning, amazingly enough we didn't hit any traffic. On the way home we stopped at Stitch your Art out. It was kinda sorta on the way home, ok not really. But I was thinking about my Aunt Adair. She is in the hospital, you can read more about it on my mom's blog here . This is what followed me home:

A skein of Classic Elite bamboo, in purple. A ball of Plymouth yarn's sinsation in purple. A hank each of Claudia's hand painted in midnight and twilight to match the two I bought about a month ago. (yeah, wasn't two different dye lots. It was too different color ways. Yeap.) I wasn't sure if I would have enough of the Sinsation to make a eye pillow for my Aunt, so that's why I bought the bamboo. We'll see. I'll be starting the pillow tonight. (Hopefully)

Now, with so much new yarn. What to knit?? My mind is thinking of all the possibilities of what, but I just can't settle on anything! I have to say, I definitely had a very happy Birthday this year! : ) 

oh! Before I forget again. Here is my Saturday sky. On Sunday.

09:47 Posted in Stash Enhancement , travel | Permalink | Comments (7) | Email this | Tags: knitting (ENGLISH)

08/22/2006

I have been knitting, really!

We arrived back in Pennsylvania from Massachusetts Monday night, and BOY was I tired!! Tuesday was just a whirlwind of cleaning, laundry and kids. Wednesday (today) I ran around running errands, and drove down to D.C. to see Mike. So we could spend my Birthday together.

I have been knitting, really I have! Just not as much as usual. I finished the Opera Scarf by blue sky alpaca. I was inspired by Cayli's scarf a few weeks ago, and thought it was the perfect pattern for a hank of Mango Moon rayon that I've had hanging around for a bit. I started on Tuesday of last week and finished it up on Sunday. Here, take a looksie (click to embiggen)

     

I wonder how long this is going to last!

Time for bed, I get to visit Knit Happens tomorrow! Yay! : )

21:25 Posted in Knitting , travel | Permalink | Comments (11) | Email this | Tags: knitting (English)

08/20/2006

Mom & Dad's anniversary!

Yesterday was my Mom and Dad's 35 wedding anniversary!! You can read more about it over on my Mom's blog here . Go wish them happy anniversary, congrat's on not killing each other!! Yay! : )

Yesterday, or today, (this whole 24 hour time difference between the US and Australia is just over my head this morning) is my August Birthday Pal's Birthday! Go wish Diane a Happy Birthday! yay!

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08/18/2006

Second Sock Syndrome Swap questionnaire

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08/17/2006

On the road again...

We're off, again. On our way to Massachusset's to spend time with my parents, and to go to our family birthday party/family reunion. I'm not sure if I'll blog while we're away or not. We'll be back on Monday. Hip Hip Horay! We're on the road again...

12:42 Posted in travel | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this

08/14/2006

Knitting from Florida

You would think, with all the time in the car, time spent sitting on the beach, in the house during the kids nap time, I would have a completed shawl to show you, or a pair of socks. Weeell..... I did kinda finish a pair of socks. But they aren't the same size or even in the same yarn. On the way down, I finished a sock for Allysa using some leftover Cascade Fixation.

 I measured her foot, I knew I had 6sts/inch using fixation and size 3 needles. I casted on 36 stitches and pretty much just winged it. Little brat thought it was evil, and would try it on when it was on the needles, but when I was finished she wanted to have nothing to do with it. I don't know how I was able to capture these pictures, she only kept the sock on for 2 minutes.

Somewhere in North Carolina I casted on my traveler's sock pattern by Gypsy knits that I bought after Bryce's allergy test last month.   

  

  

12:46 Posted in Knitting , socks, socks, socks!! , travel | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this | Tags: knitting, knitting (ENGLISH)

08/10/2006

Our Florida Vacation

~Just to warn ya, there is no knitting content here. Not any fiber. So if you came looking for that, sorry. Tomorrow, if I can get the kid to cooperate. Pretty heavy on the vacation pics, Just to let you know.

We left at 4pm Thursday July 28, a lot later than I wanted to. After my initial freak out of keeping the kids entertained in the car, I calmed down after reading ya'lls comments and thought about it a bit. Why not google travel games and see what I come up with? duh, damn duh moment. I found these great sites Mom's minivan and Travel games for the road . My biggest challenge was coming up with games for Allysa and Bryce who aren't old enough to read. We visited the toy store, bought some magnet dolls, crocodile dentist and the one of the owners gave the kids some nifty glasses that when you look at light words appear. *Really* *really* cool glasses! I also found out that the woman who gave the kids the glasses is a knitter! WhooOot! Anyway, I printed out some travel games and had them lamented at Staples, bought some new travel activity books, some stickers, and cheap little toys. Put this all in a bag and no one was aloud to look at anything in that bag till we where in the car. Do you want to know what entertained them the most out of everything??? No, not all the things I went to the trouble of finding, of printing out and rushing to have laminated. But the stickers, brown paper bags and crayons. Hours, they spent HOURS with those. The crocodile game lasted a while too. All in all though, they where pretty good in the car. Didn't watch any tv. (I have this thing with watching TV in the car, its ok sometimes, but damnit, kids need to use their imagination and notice what's going on around them!) It wasn't as bad as I envisioned. Then again, I did sleep a lot in the car!

We stopped at Rocky Mount, North Carolina the first night at 2am, got up had breakfast and left at 10. Stopped at South of the Border for lunch. I'm a bad blogger, it was 99 degree's and H.O.T. there was no way I was standing in front of Pedro and having my picture taken. All just wanted to get back into the air conditioning. It was that hot. Since we where there at lunch time it wasn't as exciting as it would have been if we had made it the night before. This place is like someone's crazy drunk dream in concrete. Seriously, there is a lot of concrete.

We made it to Siesta Key Florida Friday at 2:30am. Spent mostly Saturday cleaning the house, getting our stuff together and exploring the key and Sarasota. The last time I was there was about 12 years ago, WOW Sarasota has GROWN! WOW! Its HUGE! I can't believe it. I can remember the little mall, the swim mart and Caraba's. Its so much more now. Has the same relaxed feel though. Sunday-Tuesday we lived at the beach. I'm actually (kinda) tan! Siesta beach was so lovely, and nice. I miss it. How about some pictures?

           

The water was so warm, the air was so much cooler closer to the water, and the beach was so shallow you could walk for yards before it started to get a little deep. It was perfect for a family with young kids. Perfect.

Staying at Grandma's house (Grandma passed away a few years ago) was wonderful. Brought back so many memories. My parents would bring my sister and I there every year, probably a few times a year. I can remember staying in the guest house, chasing the lizards in the shell driveway, the blue heron that would visit, eating grapefruit with tons of sugar with special spoons, going to the beach, eating the kumquats that Grandma forced on me, and being spoiled rotten.

            

Here are a few pictures from around the house. 1. Another view of the bay, 2. I've always loved how the spanish moss drips from all the tree's 3. one of the 3 kumquat trees 4. View of the back of the guest house.

Wednesday we drove out to Port Saint Lucie so the kids and I could meet some of Mike's old friends. Somehow the camera stayed in the truck. I was so caught up with talking, and hearing stories I forgot all about taking pictures! We ate at the Thirsty Turtle, mmmm good food. We returned to the Key around 2am.

Thursday we left to go to Disney. I don't know who was more excited, I was just trying not to cry.

      

We road the zippy little tram over to the ticket counter, We spent a unbelievable amount of money on tickets, and made the schlep, and holy cow is that a hike, from the ticket booth to the park on the fairy (3 miles I think the tram driver said). Walking down Main Street USA (see pictures above) with the kids, watching some dancers put on their show I was biting back the tears, I am now as I type this. Really, I have no idea why I keep crying when I think of this. Maybe the memories of going to the Epcot with Grandma and my parents.

  

We made it just in time to watch the first performance of Cinderella's coronation. This was one of the times I wish I could hear what was going on in the kids heads. Corra was amazed by the dancing princesses, as was Bryce and Mike. Allysa was more interested in drenching herself with the spray bottle. After the coronation we went over to Frontier land and Mike took Corra and Bryce on Thunder Mountain. Mike apparently forgot since last years Hershey trip how loud Corra screams while on a coaster. Bryce and Corra loved it, especially since their big guy, who Corra kept calling Daddy, took them. While they where on the ride I attempted to keep Allysa entertained while trying not to die from the incredible humidity. Cause damn it was freaking hot. We then took the kids over to Fantasy land road some rides, see Bryce on the carousel? We went over to Ariel's grotto to meet Ariel. While we where waiting the kids had a blast playing with the water sprayers.

     

Bryce was being a guppy and didn't want to have anything to do with Ariel, but he warmed up quite a bit by dinner time. We joined Mike's Aunt and Uncle at the Crystal Palace for dinner with the Winnie the Pooh Characters. Allysa really surprised me by how warmly she greeted all the characters at the park. Well, except Pluto, for some reason she was really scared of him!

     

After dinner Mike's Aunt and Uncle joined the kids and I on a few rides. Its a small world isn't that bad when your an adult. Maybe its the short term memory loss, but that song didn't stick in my head as long as the last time. Once Mike's Aunt and Uncle left, we took the kids over to toon town to meet some more Characters. Which I have to say is awesome. They have them set up in the Judge's tent, in air conditioning, you just have to wait in line to meet them. You don't have to try to find them in the wild anymore! yay! If your wondering why there are only pictures of Corra up there, its because I took her to meet the Princesses and then to meet Donald, Daisy, and Minnie. Mike took Allysa and Bryce to meet Donald, Daisy and Minnie he took pictures on his camera phone and hasn't emailed them to me. Check out Prince Charming, isn't he a looker? I have to say he is pretty cute. While waiting in line with Corra, I met two people who where from Pennsylvania. Granted its a big state, but it was pretty cool! Corra woke me up the next morning to tell me that she can't wait to go back, the Princesses where *so* nice!

We had a great time at the Magic Kingdom, the people where nice, (only 2 rude people encounters, some guy cut in font of me while I was waiting in line to turn something I found in. And a family who kept staring at me speaking French. Why did I take Spanish in High School again?)  it was hot but taking a long dinner helped a lot. A lot of people left after mid-day so it wasn't as crowded. 

We left Florida the next day (Thursday Aug 3) at 5pm. We had to close up the house, pack up everything and load the cabinet that we came for in the trailer. (more on that beast tomorrow) We barely made it to the border of Georgia before we stopped for the night at 11pm. We left in the morning at 9 and stopped again on the border of Virginia and Maryland around 11pm. We arrived back in PA Saturday around 5pm. There was a accident on the 245 in Maryland just outside of DC. I can't tell you how happy I was that Mike was driving, because we where very, very close to being involved in the crash. With his quick thinking and  better driving with a trailer skills we avoided the crash by breaking hard, leaving some tire marks behind and changing lanes. Mike and I where pretty freaked out by that. (I think the spider that Mike found in the truck later freaked him out more though. The big wus) You gotta love our kids, they thought it was fun. Geesh!

I can see why Mike wants to move to Florida. For now, I'd like to leave it as the perfect vacation state for our family. I can't wait to go back. I'll leave you with my favorite picture.      

   Goodnight!

23:54 Posted in travel | Permalink | Comments (11) | Email this

08/08/2006

3,230 miles

I'll share with you more about our trip later, cause what I really want to talk about right now is what came in the mail while I was gone! Really I should go away more often. Check out all the goodies that where waiting for me at the post office.

I won the second drawing for the Red Hot Sizzling socks a long held by Becky of Knitting Interrupted, Becky emailed me saying that she wanted to send me something that was one of a kind. I barely got to the parking lot before I tore open this package. Check this out!!!

     

I love the green pictures that she used. Green is one of those colors I sorta like, but lately I find myself liking it so much more. Thanks Amy!

I also received my purple postcard from Joanna of snowdrop's sense and unsensibility

 Check it out! She did a great job! Thanks Joanna! I love it! Go over to her blog to see the purple postcard that I sent her, cause I didn't take a picture of it before I mailed it out!

Even though we had a great vacation, its so nice to be home. Since the damned yippie turkey dogs have finally shut up (hey, the crazy yelling DID work!) I'm ready for bed. Night all!

23:30 Posted in travel | Permalink | Comments (8) | Email this