Today is the 27th Anniversary of my 29th Birthday

Ok, so how the heck did that happen? Not that it's a problem, but years have gone by and I don't know where they went. I really don't feel this old! Guess that's a good thing!

Riding, not knitting!

How in the world does time get away from me like this! I can't believe it's been 2 wks since my last post.

No knitting this weekend!

My bud Jenn who lives in Wildwood Crest was supposed to come visit for the weekend. She and I chatted, she'd been doing too much for too many weekends and needed to be home, something I fully understand. At around the same time she talked to me about this, another couple of friends decided they were taking a ride down to Wildwood for the day on Friday. I tagged along, and since Jenn & I hadn't had much of a chance to visit, when they left, I stayed with Jenn. We had our visit and she had a chance to be in her home. It was good to hang out with my friend again!

The ride down was spectacular! Not much traffic, gorgeous blue skies and bright sunshine, not too hot, not too cold, and lots of clear open road. I had a great ride down, and had a great visit with my friend. Mike rode down on Saturday morning, he Jenn & I had lunch at Tucker's. Good food, lots of bikers and bikes. Then we rode back up to Denville.

It was a great ride, but I was tired!

Ocean Toes finished finally!

So I've been working on "Ocean Toes" by Cat Bordhi, from her New Pathways for Socknitters, Book One. Chock full of new ways to knit socks, this particular one using the Cedar Architecture. No gusset, no flap in the traditional manner, just a series of increases and decreases. This pattern did the increases in an orderly manner, but in theory one could increase anywhere at anytime in the heel process. Interesting ideas! She's remarkable. How in the world does that woman's mind work that she would come up with all these different ways to knit socks!

Anyway, here are some pictures:

On my needles

A co-worker's DM-I-L has breast cancer. I offered to knit some caps, I knew, based on what she told me about her chemo, that she would lose her hair, and quickly, and it's still winter here. But she said no, she was going to buy her MIL a wig, and I left it at that. Last week, she asked if she could take me up on my offer. I of course said yes, and I've knitted 2 hats, and have another on needles. The brown is soft boucle from Hobby Lobby, the green, well it's mystery yarn. I don't know the manufacturer, but it's similar to Lion's Homespun and about as soft. The third is a cornsilk/cotton blend, white blue & green variegated. I'm doing a turban style for this one.Three more are waiting in the wings, 2 simple caps, one with a rib, both in Berroco Chinchilla, one red, one black, and finally the third I think will be a cable or lace one.

YES WE CAN!

Sleep peacefully my sweet handsome boy

You know, once in a lifetime you get to share the world with a special one. Don't get me wrong, I love my kitties, every one of them who have come to my life.

But this handsome boy was different. He was a lover and he demanded that you love him back. So I did, every day I loved him with all my heart. All he wanted was to make me happy. And he did! He followed me around, he came when I called, and he loved me, everyday and everyway he could. He'd sit on my shoulders, and give me kisses and hugs. we went for rides in the car, and in the end, he just never let me know there was anything wrong, until it was way to late to do anything.

Saturday, he started vomiting incessantly, every time he moved practically. But on Sunday & Monday, he seemed better, and I thought he got into something or he wasn't tolerating his new food, but he was even eating plain chicken and drinking water with no upset. This morning, though it was back and I zoomed him over to the vet for an emergency checkup. He was horribly dehydrated from the vomiting. An Xray though showed the real problem. There was something in his large bowel. They would do an ultrasound at noon and see exactly what it was. It was cancer, and it had already grown so much that it had invaded the tissue outside his intestines.

So tonight, Mike & I spent about 45 minutes with my best boy, he had been hydrated, and was looking more like the sweet kitty that I knew, he sat on my shoulder, in my lap around my neck, in Mikes arms, and then finally in my arms, we talked, I scolded him for not letting me know he was sick - gently and not seriously, and he loved me for the last time. And then, the vet did her magic and my sweet man was asleep forever.

My heart is broken and I am so very very sad.

Rest in peace Monster. I am the lucky one to have had you in my life for all these years.

They Will Not Go Quietly

They will not go quietly, the cats that shared our lives.
In subtle ways they let us know their spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think we hear a meowing at the door.
Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place the food dish used to be,
And sometimes, coming home at night, we miss them terribly.
And although time may bring new friends and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our hearts belongs to them
...and always will.
-Linda Barnes

edited by my best pal Patty - thank you!

How cool is this!

Saturday Night Flats

So, Saturday night, my pal Mara is coming home from vacation and I am picking her up at Newark International. No problem, we do that for each other, she calls, they've landed, no gate, and still has to go thru customs, plenty of time to get to the airport, and I head out in my car. I'm 3 miles or so away - Rte 78 at Hillside for those who know the area - and I get a flat. It's close to 9, and I'm NOT changing this tire myself, so I call AAA, it's going to be at least an hour, I call my pal and tell her what's going on, call the hubby (sick and in bed at home) and then, start winding some Lorna's Laces for my Ocean Toes KAL, since silly me, I didn't bring the current socks with me. These two great AAA rescuers show up about 50 minutes later, and quicker than you can think, change the tire put the donut on, and zoom, I'm on my way to the airport, a call to Mara to find out where she is.

So we're in the car, Mara, her mom and me, suitcases squished in around the flat tire in the trunk, and headed home, I'm travelling below the speed limit - 50-ish to be precise, when BAM... we hit a pothole - no a POTCHASM on Rte 24W right next to the Short Hills Mall. I think crap, say "we'll be ok" and sure as s*** floppity floppity... Yea, a flat - the frikkin donut! We're screwed, and AAA must now tow my car because silly me, I forgot to bring the extra extra spare!

But they can only carry 2 people, there are 3 of us PLUS luggage, so I must call the hubby to get up out of the sickbed, bring the truck down the road and rescue us. He's not happy, I'm really ticked since this is the 3rd tire in less than a month that the NJ roads have killed and I get to pay for it all! I am thinking I should contact NJDOT to see what recourse I have - though I already know the answer.

UPDATE: Not only did the donut rim get bent, the tire on the same side was damaged had to be replaced. So it's not just 2 tires and a donut, it's 3 tires 2 rims and a donut ($1000.00+), since the beginning of the year!!!!

Fix the FRIKKIN ROADS!

FIX THE FRIKKIN ROADS!!

FIX THE DAMN FRIKKIN ROADS!!!!

Oy am I in trouble! Cathy tagged me...

So I've been tagged by my pal Cathy for 7 Random Facts Meme!! I hope I do this right, and I hope I know enough 7s to make it right!!! ACK!

Here are the rules, and they must be posted on your blog:

1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you (see above).
2. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog and also so they can look at your blog and not tag the same people all over again!
   

Let the fun begin.

1. My first known ancestor was either the assassinator of King Charles or at the very least was a member of the hit squad.
2. My great great great great grandmother Martha Carrier was hanged at the Salem Witch trials
3. I have only sisters and my husband has only brothers AND we're both the oldest child
4. Easter & my birthday have been the same day 3 times, when I was 10, 21. and 32 but not at all since then.
5. I am left handed but only for writing, and cutting with scissors. I do everything else, right-handed, including knitting.
6. My feet are always too cold when I go to bed, but always too warm when I wake up.
7. I love flowers and gardens but I don't grow anything well.

NOW... do I know 7 people with blogs who I can tag!

1. My commuter pals Patty aka chrome horse knitter and
2. Karen aka ChooChoo Knits
3. Chappy glad your knee is better and you're back online!
4. and my pal Colin aka Knitman who knits wonderful socks and has the cutest pooches!
5. Kim over there in PA, hope you join in this silliness!
6. And a new biker/knitter friend Nobody
7. and a college knitter from my town, Manda

Now, that was pretty silly! But fun too!

Socks for my sister redux

Ok, so I had to take out the shortrow heels I did. I started the increase incorrectly, so it wasn't seated evenly across the row. What a pain, I probably should have just yanked all the stitches back to the first decrease row but I was trying to save time. Wraps and double wraps and dropped stitches, but I finally got tinked back to the last decrease row. I will be more careful this time!

They look terrific!!

Sock's for my Sister

For a long time, I've wanted to knit socks for my sisters. I have 4 of them, they are all younger than me. This is the year. Here's the first pair, for Elisabeth, who turns the big 50 this month.

They are Elfine Socks, and I'm using Socks that Rock. The yarn really lets the pattern pop, and after I charted it, it became easy enough to commit mostly to memory with an occasional peek. I think though that I need a smaller needle to get better sizing. I will continue as I'm pretty sure these will fit her.

Christmas photos

I am so very slow getting these pictures online. I have nearly 100, but won't put them all here. They are on my flickr site.

Here are Nikkie and Kira showing off their new hats.

...and Cody opening up and showing his mom his gifts at home

...and a couple of shots of the family Christmas.

That's my greatest gift, holiday fun with my family!
I hope you had wonderful holidays too!

Jason Taylor Has a New Defensive Strategy

Holiday knitting in progress

I've been knitting! Hats and socks and wrist warmers and I think the next will be the Belle Cardigan sweater from the Fall 07 Interweave. Karen made it in a weekend, and it looks fabulous on her. I see Mike's mom in it.

I love and hate holiday knitting! It really gets me motivated, but I always put myself under pressure, and when I knit like that I make beaucoups mistakes, which means lots of frogging . Today, knitting on Alec's cap my circular needles separated from the cable. ACK!! 10 stitches fell off, but I gathered them up and put everything on a set of DPNs . I've not pictured anything except Cody's socks and Nik's hat.


Weather alert, snow in the forecast for the whole day tomorrow! I am not a winter person, but I really love to watch it snow, and especially this time of year! Predictions are for around 6" out where I live, and slushy rain in NYC where I will be working. But the weather dudes are hedging their bets, saying if the storm tracks differently than they are expecting now, accumulations could change radically! Fun commuting!!!

PAY IT FORWARD

Last week Karen posted about Pay It Forward. This has been making its way around the blogs follow the links backwards, it's amazing!) and I know it will be so much fun! Karen offered to make a gift for the first three people that commented on her post if they promised to do the same.

Sign me up!

In turn I'd like to make something for you!

Here are the rules:
I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this pay it forward exchange.

I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise!

The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Comment away and I'll get crafting! Help me pass it on. Comment. Inspire. Create. Pay it Forward.

Who's in?

The Yarnaholics Thought of the Day #5

My stash is so big I don't know what's there anymore. I will organize, log, and donate or sell yarns I know I will never use.

The Yarnaholics Thought of the Day #2

I can only knit one project at a time. I have a long line of projects in the queue. I have the exact perfect yarn for each of those projects. I am going to enjoy finding the perfect yarn for that project AND I am really going to enjoy rediscovering all my yarn!

It's finished

I forgot in yesterday's frenzy to mention that I'd finished the baby sweater that took me forever and a day! It was fussy right up to the end, but it's finished, and the gifters are very happy with the results, and hopefully the giftees mommy will be too!!

Here are some pics

It came out nice, tho the collar seems to want to do it's own thing, still it fit the big bear just fine!

I guess I'm just not a faithful blogger

I don't know what happens to the time! I plan to add a post, but life gets in the way...

So this weekend we, my 4 sisters and I met in Sarasota to surprise my dad on his 80th birthday. It was a blast!! We are scattered around the US, 2 in Maine, me in NJ, another near Sacramento, CA, and another in Clearwater. Actually we've been planning since May, and had as much fun planning as doing! Thanks to Dad's partner, we actually pull it off!

So on Friday, CA and I fly together from Atlanta to Tampa and Clearwater picks us up at the airport (after zooming right past us at the curb ) and we [over]eat Mexican and talk and plot and laugh and zonk out and get up in the morning and can't get out of Clearwater cuz there's an IronMan competition that's got every highway closed, so we drive around in ever widening circles til we finally get to 275 and head south to Sarasota. Now, I've brought very summery type clothes and I'm not happy cuz the evening are more chilly than I expect and I look like a freakin toooorist so I want to buy something a bit more appropriate so Clearwater zooms into Burlington Coat Factory in Sarasota, and I try on 3 outfits, find a pair of shoes choose a black skirt and a cute top and then we go over to the grocery next door to grab balloons for all 5 of us and the guy there is about as slow as a turtle stuck in the ice... and he can't figure out how to tie the ribbons to the balloons, and he can't talk and blow up balloons at the same time, and finally I have to say "I'm sorry, but I'M IN A HURRY!!" cuz I know MAINEs are waiting for me at the shopping center outside the complex where Dad lives and so he blows balloons and I tie ribbon and FINALLY I get back in the car and whooosh we are all at the proscribed location and then we drive to the little guest parking area and go up and ring the bell and yell SURPRISE and oh man!!!

He jumped up and back 2 feet and hollers "what the hell..." and "how did you get here" or something like that. I have a picture that Clearwater snapped just as he opened the door... but I'll be nice and not put it up here. Suffice it to say it was a total surprise.

So we go out to lunch at Phillippi Creek and dinner at Ophelia's and have so much fun!

The rest of the Saturday and the Sunday morning go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too fast, we are all visiting and talking and laughing and just having too much fun, cuz we don't get together like this but once in a blue moon, and it's just going so fast and then Clearwater, CA and I are driving back to Tampa and then CA and I are on the plane leaving and we spend our last few moments together at Hartfield Int'l airport and then suddenly I'm on the plane headed to Newark and wow what fun but why does it have to go so fast!

Thank goodness I have pictures! And thank goodness the others have pictures! It was like a movie in triple speed! What fun!!

October STR kit!!

My Socks That Rock kit came late yesterday. In a word - GORGEOUS! I want to cast it on RIGHT NOW!! Ok, so I won't give away the surprise yet for those of you who haven't received your kits, but the yarn color is GORGEOUS and the pattern is a lovely lace ditty designed by the Yarnharlot. It's just terrific! These are gonna MINE MINE MINE!!!

It's been gray and rainy here for a few days and my attitude seems to be following the weather. It's going to get worse before it gets better, lots of rain tonight and tomorrow. I hope it's sunny on Sunday (that's what the forecase says for now!) so I can go get some wind in my face. This is the pits.

Have you seen that funny cat video? The cat wants owner dude to wake up and feed him, uses all sorts of tactics to wake him, finally wacks him on the head with a bat then acts as if he's been asleep the whole time. My cats do that to me in the middle of the night. Come sit on me and knit their paws in me til I wake up and talk to them. One at a time, not together. The video is funny, not so funny at 3 AM!