Oh Dear, Oh Deer!!!

 The biggest news of the time interval since the last post is my encounter with a deer.

Not this particular deer--so beautiful and gentle-looking, yet so destructive.  I had just stopped on my way to the city (a mile and a half from home) for another group of about 20, pulled over to let them cross, slowly proceeded, when another group appeared suddenly, obscured by dense trees and some grain bins. Now the Tundra is in the body shop having $7000+ in repairs done.  No injury to myself, Praise the Lord.

Then I had an all-day Catholic Women's League Meeting on the following Saturday.  Some boring business, lots of fun, good food, and meeting up with good friends.

 And the renos go on (Master Bedroom):
1.  Clean out closets and make a big mess to be sorted through.

2.  Strip off old wallpaper

3.  Patch, prime, and 2 coats of paint (closets and feature wall done)--crown moulding to come later (since the blizzard and very small box rental truck prevent me from going to the lumber store).

3.  Shop for new furniture.  Can't believe that oak is less costly than maple--almost $1000 less on the total cost of all the pieces.

Master Knitter work is going along well--except for keeping the living room tidy.

I finished a sweater for a friend who started it for a Christmas gift (2011) and life--in the form of 3 little boys and a new baby daughter--got in the way, so I finished it for her.

Family Day Pot Luck after Church on Sunday:

A birthday party for Kubota Man, at a fancy restaurant--whole family in attendance.

And a trip down memory lane.  DGD2's boyfriend's sister had twin boys, so DD2 wanted to make the "cookie monster sweater" for the babies.  So, in looking for the pattern, I was missing a page, and had to find DD3's little sweater to make a chart.  I found so many cute baby things in that box.  That would be a good future visit with the kids--look at their baby clothes.

We will start working in the greenhouse this weekend (DH has already been working to get ready), but first we have to find the greenhouse:

Till next time:  A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.   (Thomas A. Kempis)


















flooring

Lost a Day This week--and found it again

I've been working hard to get the house organized and tidied since we start the Greenhouse work soon, and every week before then I have to make two trips to the city which will take all day (well, one of them is a trip for a valid reason extended to all-day because I want to visit one of my knitting groups and visit my favorite LYS--just to chat, not to buy).
So, on Friday I thought it was Saturday, set the alarm clock in the evening so I wouldn't miss church.  Went to bed early.  Got up before the alarm in the morning, and when I went for my vitamin supplements (in a 7-day dosette box), I noticed I was on Saturday's vitamins.  I sometimes forget to take them, so when Kubota Man got up, I asked him what day it was, and he said it's Saturday.  I'd have had my pick of seats at church that day.  So, I found a day and that was a very productive one, because it seemed like a bonus.  I sorted out my recycling and loaded up the cab of the truck, and sorted out my CWL (Catholic Women's League, I am president of my chapter) papers, which had been spread out all over the spare bed), and, what else?  Started some new knitting (not to be revealed until later).  Oh, and deleted about 1300 old e-mails after reading them to see if they could be trashed.  Funny how what I thought might be important at the time didn't matter 2 years later.

I finished all the parts to Richard's orange set:  Briggs and Little Heritage.  The hat is a bought pattern, the scarf is a fully reversible cable pattern, Palindrome Scarf, a Ravelry link, and the mittens I made up, adapting the cable on the hat band.

I started the Dreambird, Ravelry link shawl pattern,  this pattern was ambiguous for a lot of people, so I took the challenge.  Held another knitter's virtual hand through the first feather, then made a chart for it.

Helped another Ravelry member interpret this little preemie bootie pattern, and committed myself to re-writing all the sizes for it, as well as the hat and sweater.  These little knits sure are fast.

And last, but not least, the raw materials for Chain Mail which I have to knit for the Theatre.  The gold is for King Arthur, the silver for the Knights.  The cord has to be dyed first since it swells up (as I found out when the holes disappeared on the prototype hood), so my first task was to skein it up so the wardrobe dept. can dye it:  the white will be dyed shades of grey, the gold will be dyed some mustard shade so it looks more antique.  Then I will get it back to do the knitting (10 cowls, mayb 10 pairs of sleeves) for a mid-April production.

It's only a couple of weeks till we get started in the Greenhouse.

Till next time:  It's important to have a twinkle in your wrinkle. (author unknown)

Life is Different

Life is different without Mom.  I don't know how to feel, so I'm going with the flow.
Christmas was noisy as usual--all the kids came home except Kubota Man Jr.  who was on call and couldn't leave the city.  The food was great, some of them played board games (NOISY) some of them watched movies (NOISY).  And I hovered on the sidelines, happy in the presence of my family, and horribly sensitive to the noise.  This is the first time ever that I was glad to see my family all leave.

I had the funeral arrangements to make.  I determined that I would have a Celebration of Life.  I spent several days choosing photos for the slide show, and choosing music. That was sad and joyful at the same time.  I went through all of Mom's photo albums, from her childhood through all the kids' weddings, and the grandkids, and the great-grands.  She loved kids.  I wrote the Eulogy.  I must admit that it was beautiful.  The whole process was good for me, opening rawness and healing, all at the same time.

The Celebration of life did take place on my birthday--I wanted it that way.  Afterwards Kubota Man and all the kids and grandkids took me out for my birthday to Montana's, and I got to wear a birthday Moose Hat--I'm sure Mom was with us enjoying that.

Suddenly all was quiet again, and I hovered around the house like a ghost, not knowing what to do with myself.  I decided to go with it and only do what I felt like doing.  Well, that isn't housework, it's KNITTING.

I finished DD2's black cabled hoodie (a duplicate of the ecru one I made her a couple of years ago), one she requested.

I can't do better with photographing the black pattern.

I made her a skull scarf (illusion knitting--from most angles it's just a grey and black striped scarf), a last minute addition to Christmas knitting, but ready for Christmas.

And a last-minute gift for a friend who usually gets baking, but both she and her hubby have to lose weight, so, being the friend that I am, didn't tempt her.  She loved the mitts--her first hand-made gift.

Richard's scarf--totally reversible--same cables on both sides.  In the meantime, the hat and one matching mitten are finished (no photos yet).

As a reward to myself for stash-bustin' and not buying yarn for almost a year, I started my Marina sweater--it's about 5" long, but I won't take a picture till a whole pattern repeat is finished.

The pictures above are my Philosopher's Wool Mandala sweater.  I have joined a KAL to finish PW projects that have been languishing.  The body consists of 8 squares, the sleeves are larger squares.  The squares are knit on circular needles from the outside-in (sort of like a tam).  I've had this kit for a long time, and don't like things so bulky any more.  The third photo is the bottom of the sleeve with ribbing attached.  I don't like how that is so bulky.  I am working on two ideas to solve this:  either re-chart the sleeve to incorporate shapings (I have both sleeve squares finished), or take the sewing machine, sew a tapered seam and then cut out the excess.  The second option is fast and easy, the former one is teasing my intellect.

Tomorrow I am going to the city to join one of my knitting groups for knit and chat, and then some errands.

For my birthday, DD1 bought me a lovely book: Chicken Soup for the Soul:  The Magic of Mothers and Daughters.  This year I plan to go back to my old habit of leaving my readers with a thought.  In memory of Mom and in honor of my daughters, I will select these from that book.

Till next time: Kids spell love T-I-M-E.  (John Crudele)

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone.  Will post soon with updates (no new finished knitting), and some knitterly plans for 2013.

Auf Wiedersehn, Mama

My dear mom passed away today, Christmas Eve, in the afternoon. She was surrounded  by her family since Friday, and passed peacefully in our presence.  My brother played "Edelweiss" for her, which relaxed her.  She has been in the Nursing Home for almost 5 years due to the ravages of Alzheimer's.  Until this last spring she still enjoyed (picture above) "helping me" plant flowers in the planters at the hospital complex.  On balmy summer days I would take her for long walks to the little lake, where we would sing old German hiking songs and pick wildflowers (see in her hands)--she loved blue ones.  She would always say:  "I must be so heavy, why don't you let me push you awhile", I would answer: "It's a labor of love, mom", then she would give me a big smile, and muse "a labor of love--I like that".  She was so worried about being a burden.
Christmas Eve was very important to her, so it is fitting that she "went home" on Christmas Eve.  She so missed those loved ones that had gone before her:  her Mom, her brother, her daughter.   Have a nice Christmas with them, Mom.

Rest in Peace,, Mom and look out for us.  I ♥♥♥ U.
I'm sure you know, but I am hoping that your Memorial Service can be on my Birthday, soon.  It is so fitting that on that day, I first met my you, and on that day I will say:  " Auf Wiedersehn, Mutti".

It's Beginning to looka lot like Christmas

On the baking homestretch.  Spitzbuben  (Austrian jam-filled cookies)

 And the all-time favorite:  Lemon Bars. (Sorry, I don't know why the picture flipped.

 And at this time of the year all these little characters move in with us to add to the Christmas spirit: Choir of Angels--the golden cloud is packing material that came in a gift from Germany.

Sleeping elves  they have the cutest corduroy pants and plaid shirts.

Snowman Family: 

 Snowmen in knit hats and sweaters--thanks to Costco--I didn't knit the clothes.

 A Pair of Bears dressed for the season:

Last (so I thought) Christmas gift:  World War II Watch Cap for SonIL

Tomorrow:  Decorate gingerbread men for my Religion class on Thursday, bake 2 pans of Date Squares, Black and White Cookies and Linzer cookies.  A last-minute pair of mitts for a friend who has to lose weight (I usually gave her a plate of baking), and another illusion scarf--this time for DD2.  Turkey into fridge to thaw on Thursday, I already have the Christmas Day menu listed, finish laundry tomorrow, clean up the kitchen.
I've also been sneaking time for the Master Knitter Level 2--have 2 out of 4 book reviews done, one swatch out of 24 done, 5 more knit but not blocked.

Wishing that all your Christmas goodies be calorie-free.☺

It takes a Village...

I think I was Santa in a previous life. I love Christmas, I love the lights, smells, decorations, hustle and bustle (but not to a crazy extent). I love planning ahead, having everything done early to relax the last week before.  I love the religious preparations, the Advent wreath, the Jesse Tree, Christmas Reconciliation.  All (except a bit of baking and Christmas Day Cooking) is done.  All the Christmas Knitting--18 pieces since mid October--are finished (might sneak in another scarf,though).

It takes a village--that means all my decorating is done; when the styrofoam packing scraps are vacuumed,the pre-Christmas cleaning is done. Let's take a walk through the village:

There is a school, with teacher ringing the bell while children keep playing in the snow:

The greenhouse selling poinsettias, where an elderly man is feeding the birds:

Skaters on a frozen pond,and a fisherman, with wildlife looking on:

 Mail delivery and a hot dog vendor:

The entire village:  homes, a bakery, a church, bookstore, carollers and much more.

The lit-up village

 The nutcrackers standing guard over the village

The entire side of the dining area:

 The reason for the season. And it came to pass...

 Final Christmas knitted projects:
Rustic cap for Richard.

 Celtic cabled hat for Kubota Man Jr.

 Socks for KM Jr.

 Boney mitts--illusion knitting to go with DGD 3 skull scarf.

 Candy Corn Creature had and mitts for DGD1

Warm,lined Chevalier Mitts for DD2

An on-the-spur-of-the-moment gift for a friend at church

We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas: