Look up in the sky! It's a sock!

What's inside my wonderful fishy bag?


Sometimes a pattern and yarn fits together so well, it's serendipitous.
Sandy's Sky Brew yarn, dyed by the dyemaster himself and a pattern called Partly Cloudy from the sock of the month club at Fiber Nooks and Crannies.(May 2003, for those who may clamor)
It's sort of like peanut butter and jelly. A perfect fit.
A good sign:

The hydrangeas are taking on their autumn hue. Whoohoo!
Bite me!
Something bit Andy on the leg. The frontrunners are spider, flea and tick. I can't bring myself to think beyond that list. They are icky enough. He went to the doctore who diagnosed lyme disease. I'm not sure. I see classic infection when I look at it. It is worrying me. The spot is now about the size of an orange and has the angriest purple color I have ever seen on a body. He is on antibiotics, I'm just hoping it's the right one.
Think healthy ankles, please!

It's a process

As if to prove a point, the day after dropping Bethany off, I awoke to find that the sun had come up, the birds were chirping, people were out and about. Huh. The world had indeed gone on. That was a good sign, I'm sure.
I've spent a good many days kind of moping around, truth be told. Although I expect it to get a bit worse when Derek goes back to school this weekend putting the final touch on that empty nest. I hate that term by the way. It feels so trivial for the emotions that one has.
At the root of this letting go process are the core worries of motherhood.
Is my child happy? healthy? Hot? Cold? hungry? well rested?
The answers to these questions are not readily available to us anymore. We used to be able to pop our heads into their rooms to see for ourselves. Now, we rely on the voice of the phone call or the written words of the IM (all the hip college parents are doing it)
We trust that they are taking care of themselves. We trust that the people around them are paying attention and caring. But we can't see for ourselves anymore.
And THAT is the hardest part about letting go. We know we will be included into the BIG things in life. But perhaps it's the little ones that we will miss the most. I know I will.
Bethany's wonderful dorm:

Blessings are rampant

I opened them! Want to see?
:)
First off, I have to say thank you to each and everyone of you who stopped by yesterday and wished me a happy day. I can't tell you how much it meant to me.
Now, I have to admit that all those packages make me a bit embarrassed. You know, that usually I mention my birthday like this: "Yesterday was my birthday". This truly is the first year there has been a build up of sorts and it was fun. I hope it was fun for you.
Let's look inside those packages, shall we?
Here is the stack. We will go in order from top to bottom. No favorites, remember.

Package number one:
Many thanks to the lovely Kim Gibson! (who also worked blog miracles, allowing me to post pictures today. Applause please, for Miss Kim!! )

A sheepy card that made me laugh, Sheep SOAP! ( I know! Who could use it??) Peruvian Baby silk that has me dreaming of wonderful mittens, perhaps, a linen scented candle, bringing to mind freshly line dried sheets and. AND, one of her wonderful, handmade pincushions! I can't tell you how much I love and cherish that pincushion. I will always give it a warm place in my home, reminding me of the kindess of Kim.
Thank you, Kim!
2nd up:
A yummy package from Margene! She tantalized the smell and taste buds. Which is ALWAYS appreciated.

Wonderful hand cream (do you know what a hand cream freak I am? I love it. LOVE. I have many. But never enough!) that feels lovely and healing but smells like a peach. Not just any peach, a fresh from the orchard peach. Note to self: go to Peach orchard today and buy peaches. And candy. Now, how on earth can anyone go wrong with some yummy ghiradelli candy? It's a miracle that they still exist but honestly, after my yearly fried clam extravaganza not even a morsel of chocolate seemed yummy anymore. Today, is another story though. And a beautiful tin of orange flavored candies. I love tins like that. But look at the card! SHE MADE IT! How talented is she?
This seems to be the birthday of the handmade. And is there anything more special than something someone took time to make for you? It's the best kind of gift really.
So, handmade inventory? Wonderful, personal card: Beautiful, cherished pincushion flower.
3rd package:
This is the long awaited one from Kimberly, my August Birthday pal. It was worth the wait, bloggers.

Trekking xxl yarn! Always wonderous and fun! It will have a home on my feet, I tell you! a rosebud printed bag with homegrown lavender in it. LAVENDER! HOMEGROWN. My heart is full. So are my lucky smellsensors. :) A needle case, handmade! In a pleasing, relaxing shell print. I live 3 blocks from the sea, this is perfect. HANDMADE stitch markers. Pretty ones, whimsical ones, funny ones (a hamburger! That is funny!)

And if that wasn't already enough, a wonderful fish sock bag. If you are inclined to sew even a little bit, you should rush over to Kimberly's blog and buy yourself this cute, wonderful pattern. I want to use it as a purse. It is THAT cute. Here's a closer look:

It is so well made and cute!
And look at the surprise lining! Don't you love it?

I have never ever been this in love with a fish before.
Thank you, Kimberly! I will cherish the gifts made from your heart.
Handmade Inventory? See how it's growing and growing? card, pincushion, fish, shell needle bag, stitch markers, lavender bag (gasping for air)
4th package:
(I know, it's a bit sickening, isn't it? Don't hate me!)
:)
This is the package that sent me over the edge. I had an emotional day (which I will talk about in another entry, too much is too much) and when I opened this gift, the tears spilled. And in a good way. I felt loved. And special. Many of those wonderful cards carried messages that were touching in a way that I have not been touched. And this put me over the edge.
A package from Cabin Cove. Thank you, Dave. A wonderful surprise indeed.

This is still an emotional package for me. He dyed yarn for me. The names of the yarn are as follows, from left to right:
Sandy's sky: sky brew
Sandy's sky: partly cloudy
Sandy's sky: Fair weather
I do think that tears got on this wool. My heart is warm. Could this kind of gift come at any better time? That's not the end of the wonderful gift though, this one has a theme!
A needle case (handmade) and a sock bag in a wonderful SKY FABRIC. I'm still choking up about it. Sky fabric. Can you imagine? And,there was some lovely lavender handgrown by Mr. Dave that seems to have not made it into the photo. Lavender. I did not realize I loved it so much. I will be growing some myself now.
Phew! It's almost too much, isn't it?
Handmade inventory: card, pincushion, stitch markers, needle case, fish bag, lavender sachet, 3 skeins handdyed yarn, sky sock bag, sky needle case, more lavender to keep me calm.
You should, by the way, head over to Dave's Cabin Cove Mercantile to buy up every single bit of his lovely hand dyed yarn. You will not be disappointed!
5th package:
This was a surprise. From yet another Kim. It truly was a Kim birthday! She was truly generous of spirit as well as gifts.

There is alot of yarny goodness in thie package. Mostly yarns that were not familiar to me, which is exciting, isn't it?
Blizzard yarn which speak MITTENS to me (what yarn doesn't lately?), some (prewound! THAT is a gift in itself, is it not?) Misti cotton, pima cotton and silk: feels heavenly! Some Imperiale S-print that screams SCARF to me! Serenity windchimes that I can't wait to open up and hear and chocolate. And cookies that were opened and consumed on the spot. Andy is thankful for THAT part of the gifts! :) AND. Knitting needles with the cutest kitties on the top of them. She included a card with the most lovely things said inside. I cannot thank you enough, Kim! I have plans to meet her at the Boston Knit out! You should go too if you live around here!
The handmade inventory is up there with the addition of the kitty topped knitting needles. So many people do not GET what a handmade gift is about. I do. I get it.
A big thank you to Margene, Gibknits Kim, Berlin Kimberly, Dave and Some bunny Kim. You made a truly difficult day into one of love.
And each and every one of you that played along, thank YOU. I appreciate all of you.
I feel blessed.
And if all that were not enough, today is Derek's 20th birthday!

Leaving his teen years behind, he has grown to be a sensitive, hard working, caring, wonderful young man.
Happy Birthday, Derek!

Today, I am 45 years old!

By the way, TODAY, August 25th is my birthday! Yup! My teasing is now done! Thank you all for playing along.
Now, my picture problem here is not a mouse problem after all because I tried to upload pictures from Derek's computer to no avail. So, while I struggle to figure things out (which should only take a year or so, that is how much I know) I uploaded the pictures onto the Saturday Sky blog. Meh. It's better than nothing. So, read here. See there.
Today is move in day for Bethany at UNH. This day is certain to be fraught with mixed emotions. I will look forward to some special packages when I get home.
Pictures will be taken. And I have more thoughts. But for now, my teasing is done. Thanks for playing along!
pictures seen at http://saturdaysky.blogspot.com/

Can you picture it?

My mouse (not my catnip carrot, my computer mouse) is giving me trouble. The kind of trouble that makes one miserable. This mouse's days are numbered. Consequently, because of mouse troubles, I cannot upload the pictures I had planned to show you.
Let's see if I can describe the photos well enough to give you a picture in your mind.
First photo:
2 birthday packages sitting on a paper marked WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2006. On top of the packages sits a bendable, stuffed Pink Panther. He is sitting with his legs crossed and his hands (if indeed panthers that are pink HAVE hands) are up to his mouth in a YOOOOHOOO kind of fashion. The packages, by the way, are UNOPENED as it is NOT my birthday today.
(are you getting so sick of me saying the word BIRTHDAY yet? I'm like a spoiled brat this year. Huh. It surprises even me. The spoiled brat thing)
Second Photo:
The sky over my neighborhood, over a couple of houses and the church across the street is as blue as any baby blue can get. You can understand where Crayola got the inspiration for their sky blue crayon when you look at this sky. And smack dab in the middle of it, framed by the green trees is a cloud that is so puffy and white that it looks fake. It looks like cotton. Like you could bounce on it. In a soft kind of cotton way.
Let's hope that the mouse smartens up. It would be bad to have this kind of blog entry every day. Especially, on THE day. You know.

tomato land

Is there anything better than a freshly grown tomato? I think not. I did not plant any this year. Even better, my neighbor did. And he shares! He told me that any tomatoes that grow on my side of the fence are ours. OURS! Then he proceeded to direct many plants THROUGH the fence. Although none are red yet, soon I will be up to my tastebuds in fresh tomatoes!


Package watch~ Or they multiply!

Another package showed up in my mailbox, that Margene is an awesome one! I'm feeling a bit unworthy with all this goodness waiting for me!
I'm not worthy!
P.S. Today is not my birthday either. I'll give you a hint. It's soon. And it's the same day that we bring Bethany to college. Move in day and my 45th birthday on the same day. Shouldn't there be a law against that?

Not a snoop

I am a little embarrassed to show you this newly finished object.

It's a freakishly long catnip mouse made, with mistakes that were modifications to Miss Wendy's mousie pattern. Looking through the pages of cats enjoying their mice, it's clear that the mouse should be about 3 inches long. This one is at least 6 skinny inches. Is bigger always better?

Fig doesn't seem to mind that his catnip mouse is actually a Catnip Carrot!
Package Watch~

I could not find a baby like Miss Cara did, so Mr. Bear got the modeling job. People frown upon other people asking strangers to borrow babies for pictures for blogs. Go figure.
When I was 10 years old, I peeked at my Christmas present to make my friend Debbie happy. She was a snooper. I was not. But we snooped. I was getting a Hammond Organ. I learned my lesson that day. I am not a snooper. It's always worth the wait!

Looking up

As this Saturday comes to a close, I share with you my favorite time of the day. Even though this one is not particularly colorful or pretty, dusk is my favorite. With package. Unopened.
The rest of the family is getting in on the act. "What if there is something perishable in there". I'm sure they are wishing for chocolate to eat too.
Beasts.
:)
p.s. Today is not my birthday.

Box with paper

I thought I'd play with my package, like Cara did at her birthday. Imitation (blatant copying) is the sincerest form of flattery, is it not?

The unopened birthday package with today's paper. Hmm. The picture seems a bit further away than I intended. I guess you'll just have to believe me when I say the package is unopened. And Bethany is still mad about it. "What if there is German chocolate in there, Mom". "Well, my dear college bound girl, it would be MY chocolate anyway. Perhaps there IS not chocolate."
A second look at the front page of the newspaper finds this.

How can I resist showing a picture of a picture of a sky?
Really?
Do you want to know when my birthday is? OR should I keep teasing with unopened box pictures. My birthday is more than 2 days away, but closer than 14 days.
That helps!

Not my birthday

I have finished one Meleinweit Colortweed sock:

Sock in dappled August sunshine resting on beat up porch in need of a good paint job. Everything in good time. I really love this yarn. The color, the knitting, the feel, Did I say the color?
What a heel:

Heel Cam!
Want to see something really exciting?

I know. A package. Can anything else bring a flutter of a knitters heart than a package? This is not just ANY package. This is my birthday package from Kimberly! All the way from Germany! This is part of the August Birthday Swap, brainchild of Abigail (who is the recipient of a birthday package from me!) I do not plan to open this package until THE day. Bethany is giving me dirty looks as we speak. She cannot believe that I will let a package sit around. I will, though, let it sit around. Because today is NOT my birthday.
When I was in elementary school, any child having a birthday got to wear the birthday crown. In reality, a paper crown. In my built up 6 year old memory, it was diamond studded. It was a goal beyond my reach. I could not wear the crown. Ever. I was a SUMMER BIRTHDAY. I envied those crown wearers.
This year, I have better than a crown, a package waiting.

August-ness

Before my vacation, I thought that I had lost my will to knit. It depressed me but I had no desire to knit a stitch. Then vacation happened. And I knit. Everyday. Lots. Proving to me that knitting was still a part of me.
THEN. I went back to work. I feel overwhelmed and rushed all the time. I hardly knit again. I don't have the energy once dinner is over, dishes are done, laundry is rolling, my nightly walk. I have no energy left.
It's not knitting. It's working. It's for the birds.
Tonight I sat outside for a couple of minutes enjoying the August-ness of the evening. "August-ness"? It is when the sun sets noticeably earlier all of a sudden, when the crickets are singing a song so sweet that you can't help but stop to listen, when the birds lazily swoop in the twilight, the air is cool and sweet smelling. The sky? Sometimes it stuns.

After the humidity of July, the August sky colors are a bit brighter, bolder. Clearer.


Be safe, air travelers!

The reflection in the window of my new car! Shiny!

Stuff and more stuff

In the interest of full diclosure, I did have one can of diet coke today. I started drinking it without even knowing what I was doing. I always drink diet coke with my lunch and today was no exception. It took about half a can to realize what I had done.
It's a process. I still consider this a success. I drank far fewer than I would have on any given day. And just so you know, it's not necessarily the caffeine I'm kicking, it's the chemicals and artificial-ness of it. Lately I have been trying to more concious of eating more organic food, more healthy food and making better choices for my body. It seemed that swilling down diet cokes at an alarming rate was counterproductive.
If I am what I eat, I don't want to be artificial.
You know?
What else has been on my mind?
Fig. His yearly vet appointment was yesterday (yes, that means I am extrmemly poor, thanks for asking) and I worried what I would learn. I knew that he had lost some weight. The verdict? A 2 pound loss. That is a lot for a cat, but he is clearly not anorexic yet. He still weighs in at a healthy 12.6 pounds. His kidney levels stayed the same, which is great news and his thyroid was borderline high. All things to keep an eye on for the future. I was instructed to keep an eye on his weight and to call immediately if he stops eating or starts drinking extreme amounts.
Good news, all, but still. A 2 pound weight loss in a cat. Perhaps he is just watching his figure?

Does this Christmas cactus make me look fat??

I get by with a little help from my friends

Norma and I have pledged to Kick the Can together.

It's time to stop drinking diet coke, we both decided. There is nothing like a little support from your friends to kick a bad habit. Want to join along? I mean, if we are going to have caffeine withdrawal, we may as well have it together.
Perhaps it's not diet coke you'd like to kick. That's okay. Kick it anyway.
Save the wonderful button to your own server. Ask for help if you don't know how!
Public snaps to Dave, the computer guru who crafted the wonderful button.
I have been drinking diet Coke for years and years. Truth be told, I love it. I gave it up for a year once. And it felt good. Why did I start it in again? Good question. If there are any behavior specialists here, I'd like to know the same thing. But the point is, I am ready to Kick It.
Are you?
In retrospect, my first day back from vacation wasn't the BEST day to do this, but you've got to start somewhere. I may falter a bit. You may too. We'll pick ourselves up and do it again. Until we succeed.
Ready for some support? Don't make me start singing "Cuz we've got...HIGH HOPES"
Good bye Diet Coke. I knew you well.

The last day of my vacation

I know I'm ready to go back to work because yesterday was spent cleaning. I was THAT bored. This vacation was spent at home and I did get a lot of things done, but not a HUGE amount. I got all the dorm shopping done. This is a huge feat. ( 2 college kids this year) I organized a bit around here. I read a book, it was a fluff book, but a book from start to finish. Peach Cobbler Murder, if you are wondering. I found my groove. In knitting, OH STOP IT! I had not knit in quite a while before vacation. This is a good thing.
Last night, as I watched the second installment of Feasting on Asphalt, I picked up a long lost friend. The mitten.

Specifically, this is Liidia's Glove made into a mitten from Folk Knitting In Estonia in Knitpicks Andean Treasure yarn
I set these mittens aside almost a year ago (I checked my archives) because I had knit past the thumb row without inserting the thumb. I had to rip out 10 rows of knitting. If I do not fix a mistake right away, it will languish. And languish they did. But I am in need of a pair of mittens this fall and winter. I LOST my previous favorite pair, Helgi's mittens, seen in this file photo.

If you have seen Helgi's mittens, please call the local authorities. Last seen on a car seat way back in the winter. It is suspected that they fell on the ground and some "PERSON" pilfered them. All I can say is this: They had better be wearing them. And taking care of them. And enjoying them!
So, the lack of mittens spurred me on to fix these. I'm glad I did. I almost forgot how much I love to knit Estonian mittens. Now, I ask you, could one describe these mittens as BITCHIN' MITTENS, I wonder?

Another lousy, sun dappled picture of the first mitten, waiting impatiently for it's mate.
The sun is streaming through the rose of sharon bushes this morning.
see?

In really funky news, remember the bee sting? The next day it was not swollen or painful at all. Kind of a miracle, don't you agree? NO swelling. NO pain! I thought I was cured! I was thankful! Until last night. A full 7 days later, bee sting has decided that it would like to be itchy. Not just itchy. But ALL CONSUMING ITCH THAT WILL DRIVE MY BRAIN INSANE kind of itch. Stupid bee stinger.

Would you, Could you in a house?

X-marks the spot. When I held up this newly finished washcloth to Bethany, she said, "Cool X". I was perplexed. I did not know what she was talking about. She wanted to know how I did it. Life is a mystery, I replied. Funny how things work out.
This is the wonderful washcloth pattern from The Mason Dixon book, cotton supplied by a Yankee friend.

WASHCLOTH CAM: extreme closeup of stitch.
This was fun. I will do another. BUT. Will I use it on my dishes? I don't know if I can bring myself to do it. Washing dishes can be a nasty adventure. I may use it for my face. Not so nasty adventure there. Most days anyway.
:)
So, do you use your lovely handmade dishcloths on your nasty dirty dishes? Greasy, icky, crumby, spagetti laden dishes? Would you? Could you?
Just for comparing and contrasting:

This mornings weather station. Quite the difference around here today from the rest of the week. Thank goodness. This is my kind of weather!

Hello Muddah, hello faddah!

I know a lot of people are in the same boat as I am. Perhaps that's why this boat is so sweaty and sticky. This is the weather as I write this, almost 8 pm tonight, August 2nd. It is 92.2 degrees F inside my home, no we do not have air conditioning. It is 91.8 degrees F outside. Cooling off. Tomorrow is supposed to be better though. I can't wait! (In metric, that would be TOO DAMNED HOT CELCIUS)
Camp Petunia is now completed!

This is Petunia Plant that my Mother In Law placed in my care for one week. I am good with plants. But I was quite frightened that I would kill this one off. For a couple of reasons. One: MIL loved this plant more than a person has a right to. But she did. This is one LOVED plant. TWO: This plant, in it's natural habitat, got loads and loads of blazing, constant sun. My yard does not have this kind of sun (thank god, see above). We are quite shady around here with a bit of morning sun. THREE: Plants do not do well with transition. Especially from blazing sun to comfy shade. Although it is recommended for me, not Petunia here.
One week of frequent waterings spiked with some Schultz's food, lots of deadheading, it is now back in my MIL's care.
Camp Petunia, sleepover camp, is now concluded. I'm happy to report that there were no fatalities.
FRENCH MARKET BAG, FELTED

The yarns felted up well. I'm so pleased with the finished product. I'm loving all over this bag.

Bag Cam Closeup!
Pretty.
Thank you for all of your wonderful comments welcoming our new car. It really is a great car.
This entry was brought to you by the sentiment: great.

We continue our blue car run (we have always owned blue cars: some kind of sign)

I'd like to introduce you to our new car. Mr. Nissan Altima, special edition. I have never had a new car. Brand new car, you know, with 12 miles when we got it? I never even knew that I was a new car kind of person. I guess it was denial. I love this car more than a person should love a car. It drives like a dream. I feel FANCY in it. I can't wait to drive. Anywhere. Just drive. Of course, the line is long for the chance to drive around here. Too many drivers, too little car.
Is it wrong to thank your son for totalling your other car? Really?


Look! The rain even beads up wonderfully!
If you need me, I'll be in the car. I may have to sleep in it as the outrageous heat heads this way for a short stay.