Vacations should never start like this!

So last week, the DH and I went on a vacation. Let me just say that I don't need vacations to start the way this one did. The first Sunday, we took the bikes down to Dover, DE for his mom's family reunion. We've been several times, it's always a fun time, and a chance to renew acquaintances with people we seldom see. It was a scorcher of a day, so we waited til late to leave, preferring to ride home after dark when it's cooler, but as we're headed north, we're seeing lightning off to the west and just know we're about to get drenched. Actually we made it most of the way home, but the last 40 miles we had to travel due west, right into the storm and baby did it ever. I couldn't see the road in front of me. We're on Rte 78, moving from the express to local lanes so we can ride slow in the far right lane. Mike is in front of me, and then suddenly, he's not... and then I see sparks and I'm screaming because he's gone down, and I can't see him, can't stop fast on the wet highway in this downpour, and I'm terrified! After what seems like an eternity, I finally get safely stopped, run back to see him up, (thankyou God thankyou), and trying dodge speeding traffic to get his bike off the roadway, but of course NO ONE WILL SLOW DOWN OR STOP!!!! Finally he flags down a car who stops traffic--whoever you are thank you so very very much for your kindness and care! He's safe, the bike is safe, and he can take inventory. He's hurt, but the 2" of water on the road has really been a blessing. Even though he slid 250', he's got minor roadrash, the bike is ride-able. We need to get off the travel lanes of the highway, so we get on the bikes, get over to the far right and flashers running, head home, going even slower than before. When we finally get home, I took him to ER to be sure he was ok, broken pinky, pulled chest muscles and a few abrasions!!! I'm so grateful!!

When we went back the scene the next day in the sunshine, we could both see how lucky he was. He was thrown into the local travel lanes when he ran over either a truck mudflap or a truck tread (Truckers, do you even realize how dangerous it is to other travellers letting those treads flap off all over the road ???? Do you even care??) - we found both along the side of the road where he fell, and we found a gouge in the curb where his forward controls slammed the cement.

I never want to see that again!

So, Tuesday, we leave for the real vacation, this time in the car, because it's supposed to be a rainy week up in Maine. It is, but not while we're out and around too much, though if we'd been on bikes, we wouldn't have seen or done as much. We went first to my sister's home in Freeport, greeted by Gus & Lily, their new 4 month old yellow lab pups...full of energy and as cute as can be! A short visit this time, we head out on Wednesday to the WatchTide B & B - Pat and Frank are wonderful Innkeepers, and the place is right out of the old days. We spent the next 3 days exploring towns like Castine, Searsport, Belfast, Mt Desert Island, enjoying the scenery, visiting lighthouses, eating in the local diners, and just enjoying ourselves and Maine. I was born and raised there and know some of the terrain, but these were places I'd never had a chance to visit, so Mike & I both had a chance to see something new. And we shared the B&B with 2 wonderful couples from the Atlanta area, the men had entered the National BoatBuilding Challenge.

On Friday, we ambled our way back to Freeport, enjoyed the ride, stopped to see some soggy lighthouses, and then met my sisters and their husbands and my dad & his partner for dinner. Good food, good company!

Saturday was the family get together, my sisters, our neice, and her 1yo son, and her fiance, our nephew, family friends, our step sister and her soon to be 1 yo daughter, and Morgan, the 9yo black lab, and Gus & Emily. It was an awesome day - full of laughter and conversation and too much food. I don't get a chance to visit like this very often, and I'm glad we were there.

I have pictures, I'll post them tonight!

Oh yea, knitting! I made hats for Rog and Brian, and socks for sister Gail, and started hats for Sarah & Madyson. And I have pictures of the FOs

And now I'm back to the ol' grindstone!

Hope!

Greenwash of the Week: Flex Fuel Vehicles - you have it all wrong Bill O'Reilly

Whose gonna get the big bucks?

So guess who's going to make BIG bucks when American Anheuser Busch is purchased by a foreign company...

Washington Wire - WSJ.com : McCains to Profit on Anheuser, InBev Deal

... AND who's not going to pay much into the economy for that huge profit? None other than the war mongering McCain family!

And how come no one is talking about it? Why isn't the media asking McCain about it? Oh, I get it, because it's corporate America controlling his purse strings?

Wednesday is Ride to Work Day!

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end

Sandy sent me to a link on Friday. I was so touched by Sue's aunt's & uncle's generosity and compassion and willingness to do the extra, no matter what the cost, and by her's as well. I know we all can't save the world, we can only do the best that we individually can, but I believe that each time we step outside our comfort zone and do that one thing extra to help, we are making an enormous contribution to making this a better place to live. So I'm pssing this along. I hope you'll take a minute to see what I mean.

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end


I donated stash to the raffle.

Knitters for Obama

If you're voting for a real change this year, if you're a knitter on Ravelry, if you want to support Barack Obama with a chance to get some really cool stuff, you really need to join Knitters for Barack Obama!! There's some really cool stuff and every $5 you donate at Knitters for Obama gives you a chance at one of 43 different yummy, crafty prizes!!

BAD Blogger! BAD, BAD Blogger!!

...but it's summer!! My bike wants to GO GO GO and you know I'm there!!

And I have 10 knitting projects in progress, including 2 pairs of socks, some test socks, 2 state squares for the "Knitter's for Obama" Fund Raiser Afghan, a baby blanket, 3 charity hats, and a pinafore!!

Last weekend, DH, Ralph & I rode up to Laconia, NH and hooked up with my brother-in-law for the last weekend of the 85th Annual Laconia Bike Week & Rally. Great ride, lots of fun, a huge # of bikes, and a pretty standard amount of rain for this time of year. We dodged it going up, rode maybe 50 total miles in it on the way home, but intermittently, so we could dry out in between. Only one storm was bad, and we'd already stopped at a rest stop to gear up so we watched it high & dry from inside.

Next month, we head to ME for a weeklong visit with 2 of 4 sisters and the father unit whose doing his annual or semi-annual? trek to the native land. We're in the planning a 4 day excursion up into Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, maybe riding the Cat over to Yarmouth, NS and riding north from there. Not definite yet.

I have a new kitty who I rescued from the Randolph Animal Pound and who has decided to live in the basement. She and L'il Bit are not communicating well. She's a timid little 1-2 yo tortoise shell who is quite loving but who is quite content being isolated from the other cat althought she is very friendly and loving when us humans go down there for a visit. I'm trying to ease her into upstairs living, but not very successfully yet. I haven't really taken any good pictures of her yet. A weekend project perhaps!

Oh yea! I do have a whole bunch of pictures from DH's 50th birthday party which I will have to post soon. And we have 10 point & shoot cameras that need developing so there will be even more! It was a nice party at the Legacy by Arthur Hills (this is a GREAT place to have cater your event - the staff is totally awesome!). It was preceded by a nice ride out to the Hudson Leather sale - the dude was happy, he had a chance to visit with many old friends and family members some of whom we've not seen in many years!

Just got my yarn from the current Scout's sock club. Love it! I'll have to do something with it right away!!!

That's it! Or as my pal Nobody says

LATE!

WWKIP

Tomorrow is World-Wide-Knit-in-Public Day! Where will you be knitting? If you are in the U.S. and in New Jersey and near Morristown, come to the Green!

United States, New Jersey, Morristown

Hosted by: Knot Just Knitting Meetup

Location: The Green, Morristown, New Jersey

Time: 2-4 PM

Date: June 14, 2008
How to get there: Link for directions and parking:

http://morristown-nj.org/directions.html

Please bring:Chair, Knitting or crocheting and sunscreen.

This KIP is not knitting exclusive

If there is heavy rain we won't be there.

There are restaurants and a coffee shop around the green

that have bathrooms for patrons to use.

There are pay-to-use bathrooms available nearby

KNIT IN PUBLIC

McCain, just like Bush and that's too scary!!

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!!