several days in Heaven

Hubby and I just got back from a few days in a town near John Day, located in the high (?) desert of Oregon. The place we stayed at had million dollar views out every window and scenery that went on forever.

Most of my friends wouldn't be able to call this beautiful, instead enjoying less dry climates like the beach. I'd take this view over the beach any day, even a Florida beach! The smell of juniper is breathtaking, and the colors change constantly.

We hiked, cooked, played Tile Rummy, knit and took lots and lots of pictures. The sock I'm working on was attacked by this munchkin:

but fortunately, he just chewed the yarn from the sock, so all I have to do is re-attach it. How could anyone be mad at this gorgeous face?!
Even though the altitude was only 2000+ ft, it felt like the Himalayas to me as we're at sea level at home, so we were huffin' and a puffin' when walking around. Give me a month in a place like that and I'd be so much healthier!

Long time no blog

Yes, I've been away for awhile; I was in Florida for 3 weeks tending to my in-laws who needed some extra help for a bit. It was really tough being away from my honey for that long; that's the longest separation we've had since we first started dating; 30+ years later, it was hard! The plus side of all of this is that I got to know my mother-in-law really well and we hit it off with a bang

                                              (I don't let just anyone sit in my lap!)

So, while the circumstances were not the best there and I didn't like being away from home that long, I did get a lot out of the trip. Unexpected pleasures in unexpected places.

The second treat I've had lately was a nice dinner prepared for me and Hubby by my baby boy. He swept thru the kitchen like a hurricane, leaving damage and destruction in his pathway, but the food was excellent!

Here he's trying to look goofy but I missed his best effort!

It's crunch time so he's serious now!

I also went out to lunch with my lovely daughter but didn't grab any pictures.
Two sweet kids that any mama would be proud to call their own.

Now it's back to some serious knitting; I'm making a couple of display socks for Craftsmeow dyer Gwen to show at her next fiber show (can never remember which one it is!) Both patterns are from Chrissy Gardiner's book "Toe-Up!" The first one is Peace Lily knit in limon-swirl and the other sock is Spring in Oregon in Ariel's choice (it may be a new color as I haven't seen it listed in her etsy shop). The yarns are nice and smooshy and make soft comfortable socks.

Once these are done, I have a host of single socks I need to make the mate for. I got in a sock frenzy one week awhile ago and knit a bunch of singles in a few days, reasoning I would go back and knit the second sock and not get too bored doing so. Then Florida and mild chaos came, so that went out the window. But, since it's spring and I'm not wearing socks then I have plenty of time to complete the pairs!

Happy friday

Lots o' socks

I'm on a crazy sock knitting craze, but only for knitting one sock of a pair. I have 2 socks completed, each of a different pattern and yarn, and 2 half finished socks, again in different pattern and yarn:

The sock on the left is Cat Bordhi's
Lemon Leaves and the sock on the
right is Cookie A's Wanida

The sock on the left is Embellishing Hilda socks by Heli
Heikkila, the one on the right is
Wearin' O the Green by The Twisted Hare



I'm having fun trying new patterns and not getting bored by knitting the second sock. Once I finish the Hilda sock, I'll at least finish the green socks as they are due by the end of the month. The others I'll finish along with making other socks. I'm trying to use up some of my ever-growing stash but I keep sneaking a look at Etsy and finding something new and gorgeous to buy.

Speaking of gorgeous, our friends gave us this beauty the other day.

Why would I be so excited to get a vacumn cleaner and an old one at that? I destroy vacumns, or at least wear them out much quicker than they should and I'm tired of having to buy a new vacumn every year. Even the more expensive one we bought last year just bit the dust. Our friends promise us there's no way I can break this one. We'll see!

Sarah's Gloves

I finished a pair of fingerless gloves for my hairdresser, Sarah. She is the one of the kindest, most pampering hairdresser I've ever encountered. She serves me tea, heats up a backwarmer for me while she's coloring my hair, reheats it while I'm under the dryer, makes sure there are plenty of good magazines at hand,  even gives a hand massage while my hair is processing over the sink. It just doesn't get any better! Anyone ever seen Tabatha's Salon Takeover ? She finds the nastiest salons out there. Every time I watch her show I'm reminded how lucky I am to know Sarah.
Here are her gloves, a small token of my appreciation. The color really is a dark pink, and so reminds me of Sarah's flashy nail color!

My two little valentines

Here are my favorite valentines: 

I

I could post a picture of my hubby but he's kinda in the doghouse right now so I'll show my kitties, who never fall out of favor! I have two grown kids but they have their own honeys to give them valentine-y goodness so I can't really claim them anymore. How am I going to celebrate with my valentines? Give them lots of kisses, of course. If I'm really good they may give me some back!

Happy Valentines day!!!

Perfect weekend

Well, maybe not perfect but pretty darn close. Our friends invited us down to the beach for the weekend. We stayed in a really nice house that is right on the ocean. This is what the view is like from the back porch:

Yes, those are real blue skies, a real rarity on the Oregon Coast. Sunday was a beautiful sunny, windless day. We walked the beach, watched the Super Bowl, and had a fire in the back yard. Can't beat that!

I had lots of time to knit, which was heaven. I made a hat but the yarn wasn't right for it so I frogged it. I also finished my Peaks Island Hood scarf; I still need buttons but that's the easy part:

Next I want to make a valentine's present for my hairdresser, who's the best of all. I need to find my #2 needles to get the right gauge but they're nowhere to be found. I'll have to buy yet another pair, I guess:

The yarn is really more pinky-red than the picture and will look great as sweetheart glovelets. So I anticipate I will be heading to the yarn store tomorrow to get the needles to get this started.

Finally, a picture of my hubby and I on the beach. I'm wearing a hat I just made Plymouth Boku yarn.

The perspective is a little off because my hubby is holding the camera. Have a great weekend!

ps. I was able to mend the shawl without too much trouble.

Disaster strikes

So, I've been working diligently on my niece's shawl, which was supposed to be a christmas present. Finally I got it done last night and started the blocking process. Here is is drying:

So, then I get up this morning and look at the shawl and find this:

See that slightly larger hole? It's not supposed to be there. Hmmmm, how did that happen. Surely I would have noticed it last night, right?

Could this be the problem?

My cats have sat on my knitting before while it's drying, even lace things, with no ill consequences. So, the mystery remains. In any event, that's several rows back on the shawl and I will see if I can mend it so it won't show. Lace and I have a strained relationship at the best and I'm glad to be done!

Shawl Pattern: Luna Moth Shawl  (free in ravelry)

Yarn: Frog Tree Sport

p.s. What did I do to punish the probably culprit? I gave him lots of kisses and scratches; that'll teach him.