My First Adult Socks are Finished!

I wanted to do socks in 2009. Started with Hannah Girl's at Christmas, and finally got around to mine! These are toe-up socks. One ball per sock...knit till it is gone! Cool striping? Fun to see the two socks match! (Got the yarn on sale... sport weight!)

The pattern is called Trilobites...first lace socks (lace because they have holes, not because of their weight).

My turned heels came out much better than I expected!

Dad said, "If you knit these socks professionally, you would have to charge $100." Not sure if he meant per sock or by the pair. : )

But I get it! The yarn, the time, the Are you kidding??? I have a hole in my sock??? All things one must consider before starting these! I found a darning tool that we inherited from Mrs. Brauchler... for some odd reason I kept it! My holes will be darned with thread when that happens... remember? I used the whole ball for each sock!

Hhhhhhhmmmmm... Won't these look amazing in clogs?

LAURA'S 48th SURPRISE PARTY!!!!

Happy Birthday, Laura!!!





Laura was surprised to find that she had a houseful of guests for her 48th Birthday! Barb Briggs, Barb Lewis and Jeff, Michelle Beaupre, the Courtneys, the Eashs, mom and dad, and Tom and I were all there!

Leanne used her pastry chef talents to make Laura's cake: Top layer was coconut, icing between was a layer of Starbucks coffee chocolate, then the dark chocolate cake layer, then a carmel layer of icing, then macadamia nut cake. Quite tasty and moist! Really good!

Other guests included Nyla (who came up to me right away and later kissed me on the cheek!) and Mazie (Michelle's dog). I figured that Nyla heard Laura's voice in mine. She is a very sensitive dog - but very lovable!


She is big - -see last picture for size comparison... but still needs to add about 40 pounds. She has come a long way - -very special dog! Loved her!

This is grandpa with Mazie... see her?

We were getting ready to leave, and dad said that he would really like to pet Nyla. She had been abused by a man evidently, and she doesn't take to men well. So, Laura put her in her 'place' so she could feel safe, dad got down on her level, and she stayed for a little loving! She did come up to dad on her own to say her last good-byes before we left when dad was standing up - - wow!

Good party!

Las Vegas with Books Are Fun!

We left out of Atlanta with a pilot who used to be guide in the Grand Canyon. He was really excited to point out all the sights, but due to the weather and rerouting, we missed the tour. I did take some blurry pics of the changing landscape as we flew over. Lake Mead is under the wing toward the tip (the largest man-made lake). After the shuttle to the hotel and a quick unpack, dad and I were off on a food-seeking mission! We ended up at the Excaliber Hotel for a $25 per person steak dinner. However, with the 'upgrades' it was a bit more pricey. I talked dad into getting the jumbo shrimp appetizer, but this pic does not do them justice. They were HUGE!!! Dad ate all but one, and I got the fun part of getting all the "tender morsels" out of the tails as my dad would say. I got a lovely glass of champagne!





I am so glad that I have a husband who loves to travel! He took me to Paris! Even though it was not quite the same, the shops were spot on! They used all old tiles and the stores looked like you had walked back in time. Great fun. We found gelato (yum) and saw a creperie.




If you look closely in this picture, right above the traffic and the tree, there is a Terry Fator sign. He is the guy who won America's Got Talent last year.

Dad and I spent Wednesday sunning IN the pool for about 5 hours, and sitting in the beach chairs for about 25 minutes. Dad was amazed that you could be dried off so fast after leaving the water! It was a very cozy 104 degrees, wonderfully blue and sunny. We did not feel the burn until Friday... guess you could say that we slow roasted! ; )

Now, isn't this a postcard?

Just a few words!!!

School's out for the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May May May!!!!

I am sure that you can tell that this is NOT in OHIO!!! Actually, it is in the south of France! But, every now and again, one just must go back and relive that summer wonder! Okay, back to Ohio!

The school year has gone extremely fast! We are all gearing down for this year, thinking about our planning and changes for next year, and then dreaming about the above... hhmmm!

Last week, one of my junior boys saw a chemo cap that I was working on. He said that he wanted one and would pay me for it! But, because they are knit for a cause, I told him that I couldn't do that - - he would have to make one of his own! Not thinking that he would, he asked what he needed to buy to make a hat. It was a Friday, so I sent him home for the weekend with a shopping list... size 10 1/2 circular needles, same size double points, and a worsted weight yarn of his own color choice.

He brought in bamboo (top of the line) needles! Amazing in the fact that they grab the yarn a bit better, so he would not start out with dropped stitches all over. I casted on 80 stitches, showed him how to hold the yarn in the left hand so he wouldn't be a thrower, then after two demo stitches - let him have at it!

He did three rounds before leaving class! The next day, he had about 4 inches of the straight knitting done; only two inches to go before he would have to decrease for the top of the hat. The next day, he did some decrease rounds and went to the double pointed needles. Today, he was close to finishing the hat; tomorrow, I am sure he will bind off!

I will show him how to add a purl round or two to the band of the hat so that it won't roll up. His stitches are so perfect and uniform it is amazing! It took me 4 months of practice to be able to do that!

After this hat, he will be working on a ribbed hat before I set him free for the summer! His grandma was impressed, and she told him that his great grandfather used to knit in the war to keep his fingers nimble!

I took pics on my phone, but I don't think that I can get them up here!

So, other than that, Zack made my May!!!

Well, that and the fact that school ends in May!!!

Five Weeks Till Summer!!!

No, we are not going here for the summer! But, with the weather being rainy and a bit cold, thought I would throw some motivation up here.


I have been a knitting freak the past couple of months, throwing it down!!! But, I must go on a week hiatus from my fiber play. I cut my left thumb on glass last night and had to get two stitches. I don't know how long it will hurt, but needles in my fingers (knitting and otherwise) are not sounding fun. I get my stitches out next Tuesday - - but if I do get knitting before then, the titles of my projects will be dedicated to Matt who kindly let me squeeze the life out of his fingers while the doctor was fixing mine. Memories for Steven? What nice men I have!!!

Thank you, Matt, for the time you took to take me, wait, and bring me home even though 4 am comes very quickly. YOU are a gem more priceless than gold!

More Felted Stuff!

Britt and Heather got little clutches (in that order) for Easter. What I would like to know is... would Ashley like one??? If so, what color (s) and which shape. Or, go to your email and check out these bags... have the patterns for them! Let me know what you think!