Life Update

I knit with the Z-Knitters at Beechers last night. Ember, Yvonne, Nora and Connie were present. It took me 2.5 hours to do a 30 minute repeat of the branching out scarf. Oh, well. At least I got one repeat done. It's progress, not perfection. Sound familiar to anyone? My only other UFO is a pair of socks I am knitting with yarn my Pittsburgh secret pal Jillz gave me. I do have a vest started but I think I will frog the thing and try a different pattern. I am not pleased with how it is turning out. I may have some "new" stash thanks to Nora. I want to start some Christmas Gifts. I can't say what or for whom because they read my blog so I hope I "win" some of Nora's yarn. Her stash fits my budget and like her Past taste in colors: blues. One project will be for myself, the other will be a gift. I hope to pleasantly surprise quite a few friends and family this Christmas. After I finish the Branching Out scarf, which will only take a few more hours, I will start Christmas Gifts. I am starting early as to budget my time and my money.

I am reading a great southern classic: Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I am 280 pages into the 1000+ page book. I am enjoying it. However, I think the relationship between the slaves and the masters is romaniticized and not realistic. Other than that I am enjoying it. My next summer read will Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

Happy Reading and Happy Knitting!!!

My First Felted Project

No, you do not see a cat laying in this cat bed. Nor a dog. Maybe I will rub some catnip inside it.









The felted cat bed stretched over a large flowerpot.










The pre-felted cat bed.

More Camping pics

Camping in Cook Forest

When Life gets Tough Drink a Frapaccino

That's my philosophy on life. I had a pleasant lunch with Knitting buddy Connie today in Oakland at one of my favorite restuarants down there Ali Baba's. Then I went to Starbucks for dessert and journaled.

WHO WON? THE CATS OR THE MOUSE?

The mouse won with my assistance. Sophie was batting the mouse around. The mouse was squealing. I got up, placed a butter dish over the frantic mouse, slid a greeting card under the mouse and the butter dish, took the mouse outside and released him/her. He was a healthy mouse. I hope there were no internal injuries and the mouse is happy and safe now.

Read a Good Book Lately?

My friend, Jennifer Bushman, wrote a novel with her mother while her mother was battling breast cancer. The book was completed two months before her mother's death. Five years later the book was published. It is a great book called Hard Sleeper. It takes place in China. Jennifer's mother was a diplomat in China for many years. If you want a good read with substance read Hard Sleeper. You will not be disappointed.

Life Can Be Fun

Watching the cats last night reminded me that life can be fun.

Did you know that when it is raining the second scoop of ice cream at Brusters is free? I love rainy days!!!!

So Who Won...the cats or the mouse?

I don't know. The cats were listless this morning which made me think they caught the mouse. But Sophie has perked up now as if she is still search for it. The lights went out at midnight last night. I don't know what they did after that. I have not found a dead mouse. Rosie usually leaves the carcas for me for to dispose of, Sophie I've never seen hunt a mouse before. I don't know if she would eat it. Rosie sure came to life last night. It was a pleasure to see.

Knitting @ Panera's Cranberry Township

Last night Mary Ann, Jane and I stitched and bitched. I worked on a newly started sock from Sensational Socks. I used the alternate cable cast-on taught to me by Jane. I'm using Regia sock yarn give to me by Jllz my Pittsburgh Secret Pal. I am pleased with the pattern.

Rosie & Sophie Prior to the Mouse Chase

R is for Rosie

I love my Rosie.

F is for Filleting

Dad I went fishing last Wed. morning. The bluegill were really biting the first half hour. Then they quit. Dad is filleting the fish. I made him teach me so when I fish by myself I'll know how to fillet the fish.













This is a little fish we caught. We caught much bigger but did not get a picture of them. Really!!!









I'm trying my hand at filleting. It takes practice. I sure do like fishing.

Evan Playing Percussion

My Nephew Evan after his band concert showing me his instruments.














Isn't he a cute kid?

My Sockapalooza socks arrived Wed. May 3rd!!!! I absolutely love them. After I gave my sock preferences I was worried maybe I was too harsh. I said, "If a man will wear them, I will like them." Dani did a wonderful job with my difficult preferences. This is Trekking yarn in shades of green. She also sent me several stitch markers and wax potpourri. This is Sophie checking out the socks.






This is the cute handmade felt bag the socks and other goodies arrived in. I was too eager to get the goods to take time to take a picture of the bag while still packed with the wrapped goods.

Knitting Last at Butler's Paneras

I knitted last night with Chelsea and two other women (I don't know their names I was not and did not introduce myself to them). I am ready to decrease for the toe on my second sockapaloooze sock that is to be in the mail May 2nd. No sweat. I successfully knit one repeat on the Branching Out Scarf while Listening to the women talk. No I did not talk while knitting it.

This afternoon I hung out at Morraine State Park, fishing and talking with Jack another fisherperson. Jack gave me fishing tips and gear. It was a pleasant afternoon.

It is so nice to see the sun. And the long daylight hours.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish it could be like this year round.

I am already thinking about Christmas Gifts. I'm looking for a felted knit pattern for slippers. If you know of a free one please let me know. Last November/December I told a woman at work I would knit her a scarf. I think I will start that project this weekend. I picked an entrelac scarf pattern from knitty.com. One goal for this year was to learn entrelac. (Another was to knit a pair of cable socks which I am doing for my sockapaloooza socks.)

F is for Fishing

This fish does not look very happy to be in my hand. I caught a dozen bluegill at Lake Arthur this afternoon.












A view of Lake Arthur.










I fished off this picnic table.

Spring is Finally Here

The view outside my office window.

The View a few days later (pic on right).

Sue Monk Kidd

Last Monday Clare and I went to see Sue Monk Kidd the author of Secret Lives of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. The Secret Lives of Bees was a Bestseller for two years. The Mermaid Chair was not near as good. I did not like The Mermaid Chair because the main character betrayed her husband and had an affair (with a monk).

Back in the Knitting World

The First Sockapalooza sock is finally done and the second one started. I have two weeks to knit the second sock. Plenty of time.

Still Not Much Knitting happening...

I had a pretty busy week last week. I had lunch with Connie in Oakland Thursday, Coffee with Jennifer Saturday night and a video and dinner with Bruce Sunday afternoon. I have lots of favorite people I like to spend time with. One such friend is Jennifer. She will moving to Chicago this summer. I feel very sad about this. She is a very kind, warm, intelligent, interesting person. I will miss her when she is gone. I don't think I've mentioned I finished The Subtle Knife the sequel to The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. The last page leaves you hanging, dieing to pick up the third book in the trilogy to see what happens. However, I had to start the book for the Classics Book Group I lead at Barnes & Noble a week from tomorrow. It is 500 pages long so I needed to get started. The trilogy will have to wait. I am also reading The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. Lee addresses difficult questions like how can there be a loving God with all the pain and suffering in the world. One of my big obstacles to Christian Faith.