Monday, July 31, 2006

The Heat is ON....

...can someone please turn it down???? Okay, I know that this will come back to bite me mid February when it is 12 degree's outside, the wind howling, and there is 4 feet of snow over the ground - but, it is HOT outside, I am MORE than ready for a break from the heat. A cool breeze would be welcomed - immensely! Now that I have that out of my system - sort of, LOL, on to other things.

I have joined UFO August! Woo Hoo, a contest is involved - I have brought my sock to work (#1 on my list) I want this sock done by next week! It could be done, although I have a class to teach on Wednesday night and a GROJ (Get rid of junk) Sale coming up next weekend that I am working on getting ready for.

I also wanted to send a HUGE thanks to my SP from SP8, SHE ROCKS - yet another box of goodies arrived at my house on Saturday. My daughter took some great pictures which I will post later today. She is absolutely the most amazing SP ever! Her box brought tears of joy to my eyes... Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

I have to get back to work - have a great Monday everyone!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Swatching fun at Thread Bear

Hello everyone!

I wanted to update you all on my fun day at Thread Bear in Lansing. There was a great group of bloggers there knitting for the day. It was so much fun! Lynne was there from http://iwasknittogetherinmymotherswomb.typepad.com/
and Laurie from http://abitsheepish.blogspot.com/ and Susie from http://toknitperchancetodream.net/ and Laura from West Michigan and Sharon from Lansing - I am sure I am missing someone, so forgive me in advance! It was a wonderful day, we knit and laughed and talked and ooohhh'd and aaahhhhhh'd over ALL the YARN at Thread Bear. Here is the best part, for knitting a swatch - they give their customers 10% off a purchase! Is that awesome or not. I have found another reason for the Harlot to recommend knitting a swatch! ;-) BTW, I heard that she is going to be in Ann Arbor on Sunday - not sure where, but that is what I heard!

The downer of the day was arriving home to discover my lower level (read finished basement) had flooded again. It was not a great way to end the day. Lynne and Laura - thanks for your listening ears on the way home. I sat down at 11:30PM and did what you suggested Lynne - I gave thanks for all that happened and felt like I was surely at the bottom with no where to go but up!

Here is the second perk - I am going to get to knit with Lynne and Laura again on Thursday. See - it is getting better already.

I went today to pick out new floor coverings, but I am most excited for the plumber to arrive tomorrow morning - I am not putting ANYTHING back until he GUARANTEES me that this won't happen again! I know, I am not asking for much!

Well, my break better be over - my tea is finished - back to work for me! Have a great afternoon all!

Friday, July 21, 2006

Flipping over Flip Flops!

Hello Everyone!

I arrived home yesterday after a LONG day at work, topping off a LONG week to find on my door step a PACKAGE! My awesome Flip Flop Swap Pal, Sheri http://kaleidoscoptic.blogspot.com/ sent me a wonderful package of goodies! First off, a really cute pair of lime green (my favorite color!) flip flops. They are beaded and have a rattan sole! They ROCK! Next off, she included not one, but TWO pairs of Ann Taylor Loft socks. WOW! She also included TWO skeins of Sugar and Cream yarn - one in Hot Green colorway and one in Summer Splash colorway (could this be more perfect for the Flip Flop Swap??) To top it all off, she included a GREAT tote bag that I can put my knitting in and head to the beach in my stylish flip flops! Sheri, THANK YOU! You are awesome!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Water, Water Everywhere...

...and all of it is in my basement! Yikes, bloggers - we got rain. And, I - unlike Noah, was not prepared! So the rains came down and the waters came up - all in my finished lower level (see how we can alter the name of the basement?) So, the water sucking up people - better known as Service Master - just left after ripping out all my carpet and padding.

Am I having fun yet, you ask? Heck NO! The only thing I am truly grateful for is that my kiddo's were not home - they are at their dad's this week. Now, imagine my joy (or not as the case may be) when I got to clean my teenage children's rooms today! If any of you out there are mothers, then you all understand that this is something I ask of them daily - you know, like a broken record - "did you clean up your room?" Begging, pleading, and bribery have not been successful in inspiring them to clean up their rooms! Well, water in the basement and only me and my hubby home did a bang up job on cleaning those rooms! When the kids get back home on Friday listen for their screams of agony as they see their rooms!

Say a prayer for me - more rain is on it's way tomorrow! If any of you know the rain, rain go away dance email me the steps!

Oh - and it is only 6 days until my knitting road trip to Thread Bear with some bloggers. It won't go fast enough!! Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Saturday, July 15, 2006

The Heat Is ON!

Hello Everyone! Well, summer is here and the heat is as well! We are supposed to reach 95 today with a heat index of well over 100. Heat and humidity are not the best friends of a good hair day! I told my husband that we should just sit in the shade with the mister going and a LARGE pitcher of iced tea!

It rained quite hard last night, just adding some more moisture so the dew point is really up there! LOL

Hope you are all staying cool as summer is rolling along!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Summer fun

Hello Everyone!

I signed up for a quick fun swap yesterday. It is the Flip Flop Swap
http://knit2blog1.blogspot.com/
that I found the link for on Lolly's site http://www.lollygirl.com/blog/

Check it out - sign ups are until Friday the 14th. Join us for some Summer Fun!

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Re-entry

Hello Everyone. Whew, it is only Tuesday? How is it that after a vacation it seems like the days drag by? Well, it feels like it should be at least Thursday!! Re-entry has it's challenges!

I brought my yarns from my Secret Pal to my LYS - Lizzie Ann's at lunch today. There were "oooh's" and "aaahhhh's" from all. My Secret Pal may not know this - but she made my re-entry week a thousand times better than it could have been by her amazing package. I am going to nominate her for Secret Pal of Secret Pal 8! She is awesome!

Hope this Tuesday was kind to all of you!

Monday, July 10, 2006

Secret Pal Surprises!!

Good Morning Everyone! We were going to head back from our cottage last night, but we had some bad storms roll through. A nice line of them in our path home. So we headed out first thing this morning! And, at the door waiting for me when I arrived was a little box from my pal! It was PACKED full of wonderful things. I was so surprised to see such lovely things! I will post photos when my husband brings his camera home from work. Until then, I will give you all a description of the treasures I received!

First off - Thank you Secret Pal! You are the best!!!! I opened the box and began to pull out my gifts - first some awesome note cards with a lovely gal sporting a great green knitted cardigan! Next, a box of tea - and Aveda tea at that! Looks delicious! Next, a bag filled with GORGEOUS stitch markers - made from fresh water pearls! They are so beautiful! Next, (and by now I am thinking, WOW, what a pal!) I opened a red tissue wrapped bundle that held not one, but TWO balls of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed, colorway Twig. It is so lovely! It feels so WONDERFUL! Next, I opened another red tissue wrapped bundle and inside I found a ball of Kaalund Silk. Oh my gosh, it feels so soft. 450 feet of softness, looks like I am going to be working on some lovely lace! The colorway is Brushfire - reds, purples, golds - wow. It has a great sheen also! Finally, in the last wrapped package, some Zitron incanto yarn - in a blue, green colorway. It is beautiful. A HUGE thank you to my secret pal - she is amazing. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Hope you all have as great a pal as mine is. :-)

PS to my pal - a written thank you is on it's way to you. :-)

Friday, July 07, 2006

Vacation's Over

Hello everyone - well all good things must come to an end, and so it goes for vacation. Today I take my kiddo's to Ludington to drop them off to their dad. They are sleeping right now, as teenagers are wont to do! I am making breakfast one last time this morning, bacon cooking will wake them up - don't you think?

I found something fun at YarnYenta's sight http://www.yarnyenta.blogspot.com/ - the world's longest poem. You all need to go and check it out - http://chokaonit.com/ It is a choka poem, older than haiku. It is easy, two lines that do not rhyme. First line is 7 syllables and the second line is 5.

My couplet is this:
Knitting in the quiet dawn
Clicking needles talk

Okay - I am off to make breakfast for the kids! Have a great weekend everyone.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

4 th of July Meltdown

Hello Everyone - I sure hope all the fireworks are over, poor Copper cannot take another night of loud noise. He has been living under the blankets of our bed since last Saturday. I have tried everything - music, radio, television - but none of it helps, he can still hear those dratted fireworks.

I woke up this morning to 48 degree weather, thoughts of 'summer's over' have been circling my head ever since. I promise I shall boot those thoughts out, but as I am sitting here in my polar tec robe and my wool felted slippers, savoring HOT coffee - it is a little challenging to say the least.

Here is something exciting I found - not that I want SP8 to be over, I am having fun with being a spoilee and a spoiler, check out this link http://secretpal9.blogspot.com/ I for one, will be signing up again. Thanks to Polly, http://polliwannablog.blogspot.com/ for sharing that link on her site.

Hope you are all having a fabulous short week - I am working on my socks and have a pair of slippers to felt for Jenna at the lake - she is a 4 year old cutie who lives a couple of doors down from our cottage. My poor husband is back at work, but it is kind of nice to be hanging out with my kids - plus they don't say "all you ever do is knit"! While it may be chilly, the sun is out and my agenda for the day is sunshine and knitting!

Catch you all later!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Happy Birthday America

Hello everyone! Today America is 230 years old! Wow - that is amazing! The day looks like it will be beautiful here - it is sunny and the birds are singing!

This vacation week is flying by - we took a boat ride yesterday and I sat in the sun and knit! I ask you - does life get better than that?

We met friends for burgers last night - mmmmmmm, they were good - as was Linda, Ramona, and Ed's company!

Well, I need another cup of coffee - have a safe 4th everyone!!