Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Monday, April 16, 2012

Catching up again!

I'm back! Been a very busy bee, knitting like mad, thoroughly enjoying the kitties and lots more. So... where were we? Oh yes, Halloween. That was a while ago and I apologize for waiting so long to update my blog. Friend Lois says why not just give up the blog? But, you see, I think of my blog as sort of a diary, and I never was very good at keeping a diary, much to my Mom's dismay. But I like this one too much to quit! So, even though it makes me put down my knitting, just like eating and sleeping, I will find time for it and keep updating. I hope that's ok with ALL my loyal readers? I'll keep doing it anyway, because I like to go back and read it myself. :o)

What came next? Thanksgiving I guess. A little while before Thanksgiving our 1948 Wedgewood oven door broke. Not the door itself but a spring inside. Now the door wouldn't close all the way and I couldn't find any way to get the spring out without taking the whole stove apart, nor anyone who could help. So the day came and we put the turkey in the oven and made a sort of a plug for the door space out of heavy aluminum foil. It worked and the turkey came out fine. It was a quiet dinner with just 4 of us. But it sure tasted good!




Then the Christmas madness began. I was still knitting like mad and very behind on my gift list. I finished the Aran for Alex finally. That's Zoe giving her approval.



Then I got hold of some bulky yarn and started making hats. We had sudden news that my son and his wife and my Grandson Brandon were coming for Christmas dinner. Still no news of my Granddaughter Judy. So, this hat for my DIL Jenny. A nice Tam.




Then news that the onsie I made for my neighbor's new baby did fit! Yay!



Then Christmas arrived. We got our tree at the last minute .



Dinner was ham with the fixin's. There were 8 of us! Clockwise around the table are... nephew Seth, SIL Mary, nephew Alec, my DH Alex, grandson Brandon, DIL Jenny and my son David.



Didn't get any pictures of gift opening but a few of the results. Like Alex in his Aran.




My brother Greg and his family sent pictures of their gifts. Maria in her hat.



Greg with his afghan.



Laura in her silk cabled wrap.



Mary in her cardigan.



The New Year came quietly. But there was a painful war going on in my mouth. So it was decided that I should have the few barely functional teeth that were left surgically removed and get a lower denture. Surgery was all arranged but on the day it was supposed to happen the dentist cancelled saying that he was nervous about it. I had already paid him for the "temporary" denture (which still doesn't fit and is still painful to wear) so that was ready. So I went back to my old oral surgeon who is a wonderful friend and he did the surgery on January 18th. Since then he has put in 2 soft liners (that the dentist should have done), and last week he did a frenectomy and some bone smoothing. The denture is a little more comfortable but there is still a problem. So this week I am seeing a new dentist that my surgeon recommended and who is right next door. I think I trust him a lot more than the old guy. Whenever I was there I couldn't see any other patients in the office. And whenever he worked over me I could see his hands shaking. Scary! And last time I was there he just sat in his office while his assistant saw me. So, I'm still healing and looking forward to getting a decent, permanent lower denture that fits and doesn't hurt to eat with. Of course it will cost me all over again but I don't think I'll feel so ripped off and abused.

So far this year I have worked on a shrug for myself. Unique design, wonderful yarn, but it didn't fit at all. :o( So I will either rip it out and redesign the pattern to fit me, or will use the yarn for something else.

Then I made an afghan for one of my nieces. It is finished but I haven't been able to spread it out anywhere for a good picture.



Just finished a Kimono style sweater for another niece. It will look wonderful on her! This was the yarn from the shrug. Fortunately I have lots more!



Easter was quiet. It sorta snuck up on us this year. Another ham dinner with Mary & one nephew. Too much candy and we wonder if the Easter bunny might be getting tired. Nah!

We had a lovely bunch of wet storms, some thunder & lightening and even a couple of tornadoes but not near us.

So that's where I am now. I have a list of projects, many left over from last year. I will cast one on tonight!

OK! All caught up! Thanks for dropping by!

Friday, February 25, 2011

What? And put down my Knitting???

Well folks, this has gotten to be another bad habit, hasn't it? Every time I do one of these catch-up posts I promise myself I won't let the time pass so much again. But this habit has extensions. Like showering, eating, laundry & vacuuming. What? And put my knitting down??? Other devoted knitters know what I mean, as do quilters. :o)

So, what's been happening since September? Good grief! September!!! I used the excuse that Christmas was coming and I didn't want anyone to peek so I couldn't post. Let me look at my pictures for the blog...

Patchwork vest for Greg. The back...



The front...



He brought it back in January so I could add side panels because it was just too tight. I was thrilled! He needs to come and get it while it is still cold enough to wear it!

Started a Christmas dress for me from a sweater called Bellissima. Next Christmas maybe?



Remember to click on the pictures for a bigger, better view.

A little Wormie for Sweet Baby James next door. He calls it his Snakie.



Crochet beaded bracelets for SIL Mary.




Cabled mittens for grandson Brandon, modeled by Alex...




Patchwork vest for Alex...




Diagonal Lace cardi for niece Laura...




Mitered Vest for SIL Maria...




Baseball cap for nephew Seth...



Eyelet lace pullover for niece Mary...




Potholders for DIL Jenny...



And SIL Mary...



Lace Jacket for granddaughter Judy...




And then it was Christmas!



We got lots of goodies and everyone was happy! I got a huge book on silk, a Lego set for Harry Potter/Quiddich (from sweet nephew Seth), a beautiful Blue Willow vase, a bunch of DVDs and too much more. Dinner was ham and was very early for us. But Seth had to go to work early. (Some people take advantage of developmentally challenged but very loyal people IMHO.) But we had a wonderful time! The only problem I had was that I didn't finish nephew Alec's vest on time. He hinted at what he wanted at Thanksgiving dinner.



My Son David came up from Los Angeles to take Alex's old 11 foot catamaran out of Mary's garage and back to LA. It had been in there for 35 years and we were all very happy to have it out of there and put back to use. David is restoring it and eager to sail it. The first day my son Matt came from Hayward to visit us and help out with digging the boat out of the garage. It was a wonderful visit!






Started a baby blanket for a new one coming to my neighbor in August. But I decided it was too elaborate for a baby and frogged it. Next time I start it will be for me to keep and will be larger.



SIL Mary's birthday is coming and she is involved in Eastern Star and Rainbow Girls. So this shawlette is for her. It needs blocking but soon!



This is from the Sock Yarn One Skein book and I used one skein of Knit Picks Chroma. Even had a few yards left over! I have another on the needles in a colorway called Grape Arbor for a person who like dark, muddy earth colors. No pics yet!

And lastly, we lost our 2 oldest cats, Sammy & Penny, brother & sister. They passed over the rainbow bridge a week apart of old age (21) and we miss them very much.

Sammy



Penny




I am trying very hard to stay away from kittens. My friend Lois in Canada found a kitten in the street and I have been keeping a scrapbook on the computer of her growing up. Her name is Bitsy and she is my vicarious kitten. LOL!







Tonight we are expecting snow down to sea level here for the first time since the 70s. I'm so excited!!!