Ginger and Birthdays

Not a whole lot to report around here. Ginger has been soaking up the sun. She has found the perfect spot - in the sun and next to the cotton yarn. There's a slight hint of fall in the air and she must be soaking up all the sun she can.

She has had a little excitement around here lately. It's not all lounging for that girl! Who knew that the battery operated blood pressure thingie (and yes, that is the technical term for it) would make Ginger's blood pressure spike! She was very curious about the noise coming from that little box!

She likes to relax a lot, as you can tell.
But you never can tell when she's going to turn on you!

I completely forgot to show you L's birthday cake. He wanted an Iron Cross shaped cake. He is very into WWII. (Did you know that a Maltese Cross and an Iron Cross are two different things? Apparently Wikipedia doesn't!) This is the gaming table that he and his Dad built. Dad played a quick game of 'Flames of War' with him on his birthday. Right now he has felt cutouts for trees, houses, roads, etc. but all of that is changing! I can't believe all the time, effort and $$$$ that goes into having the perfect game table! The boy is crafty though and it's looking pretty darn good! When he's finished constructing more of his 'stuff' I'll have to show you. I'm impressed!

I will leave you with a picture of Miss Ginger ignoring us.

Don't ask her to turn around! You wouldn't like her when she turns around!

She scares me so.....

Pictures From Waaaaaayyyy Back When!

While cleaning the basement at Mom and Daddy's house, we have run across some real treasures. Lots of neat books, clothes, fabric, patterns, and, of course, pictures.

I have NO idea when this was taken, but I still have that figure (yes, I am the one on the right.)
I noticed it had some writing on that back about 'that tummy'. Yes, it is a tummy! That's for sure. My sister and I are actually being nice to one another. What's up with that? Must have been the candy!

Now this is more like it! I have no idea what my sister is doing. Probably nothing at all, but from that smile on her face and the misery on mine, I still wonder......

Today is your birthday!!!!!

Look who's surprised he's 19!!!!!

Happy Birthday L!!!!!!

Parenthood

At the end of this week my 'boyby' will turn 19. It is so difficult to believe that my baby boy is 19! Where has the time gone? Seems like I just cried and carried on that he was turning 18! This year has flown. It's been a tough year for all of us, but having my kids is always a joy. Sure we have moments that are tough. I remember the days when they were little and I didn't think I would ever have a minute to myself. My friends with grown children would tell me to cherish those moments because they would be gone before I knew it. Sure, yeah, whatever. I just wanted a few minutes to myself. I didn't want somebody talking to me while I was going to the bathroom. Mainly I didn't want R straddling the bathroom door frame and climbing up it like she was spiderman! I could picture her falling and my running across the bathroom with my pants down around my ankles to save her life. I wanted to take a bath without a child staring at me, wondering when I would be finished so I could play or read a book. I wanted to scream when L thought it was necessary to baptize the cat while R took a bath. But I couldn't scream because R was and so was the cat! Don't even get me started on the time they were little bitty things. I would bathe them together and L pooped in the tub! I don't think R could get out fast enough. (Bless her heart. She's been traumatized so much in the bath. It's a wonder we can get her to even shower these days!) I love my kids so much and it's been a real joy to share their interests and learn from them for a change. However, my friends were right - I should have cherished it because it was gone in a minute.

Some days parenting was like this:

Most days parenting was like this:

Even though we have a birthday to celebrate this week, we have been busy as ever. L and RL built a gaming table for a role playing game that they are interested in which deals with WWII. I'm so glad my kids are history buffs. R is dreaming of her fair entries and trying desperately to decide what exactly to enter and how to get them finished in time. We have also been helping Mom clean her basement. So many things were put on hold for a few years while she took care of Daddy. We have found some very interesting things we had all forgotten about - like tons of pictures.....even my kindergarten graduation picture! It's in black and white - did they have color film back then?

Thanks for the good ideas in the comments regarding the handle of the knitted shopping bag. I think I might have to try them if I ever make another one.

More Knitting!

While the boys were in Florida, I decided to knit something besides socks and dishcloths. I can't remember the issue, but one of the recent issues of Creative Knitting, they had a pattern for a Lace Shopping Bag. I had to try it. I like to knit in the round, so that made it a little more enjoyable. However, I am not used to knitting with Knit Picks needles and cotton. I almost had blisters on my index fingers because I feel the need to push the needles back through the yarn. Why do I do that? Do you do that? Anyway, I worked on NOT doing that and my fingers started feeling better.

I bought the yarn a gazillion years ago - well, maybe one or two - at AC Moore and I can't remember which brand it was. It came in a HUGE skein. I didn't even begin to use the whole skein! I've knit a couple of other things out of it and have at least enough left over for another dishcloth.

I love the bottom. It turned out really cool. The only problem I had with any of it was the straps. You knit them and then sew them on. I'm really afraid it's not going to be strong enough, but time will tell. R was afraid it wasn't big enough for anything so she did a test. We had just been to the Fresh Market and had gotten four plastic bags of groceries. They ALL fit in this little bag! I couldn't believe it! So, if the straps hold on we'll have it made!

Happy Birthday Popo!

Today Popo would have been 75. Most of the family is in Florida this week and will be visiting his grave and then going out to eat. My boys are there. I sure do miss them. It's so hard to believe that Popo is gone. R and I were talking this morning about last year. She said she, RL and L were in Gatlinburg. She met some of Popo's family. She also remembered that Popo was going to beat lung cancer. If anybody had the will to do it, it would have been him. However, here we are a year later and lung cancer beat Popo. We've learned a whole lot about him since he died. I wish I had known all of those things while he was still alive. What a great man he was, but humble too. I miss him so much more than I thought I ever would. I'm just glad that his three sons are able to be with their Mom today and I hope they have a great time celebrating him instead of mourning him.

R and I are keeping ourselves busy while the boys are gone. Of course that doesn't involve much cleaning! I attempted to clean the closet, but the closet has whipped my butt! For some reason, when fabric and yarn are exposed to air, they somehow grow and refuse to be put back where they so nicely fit just an hour ago! We have enough flannel to make pajamas for half of the free world. Don't get me started on cotton fabric and yarn! We might be able to make something for every single person in the free world if we include that too! I managed to walk away from the closet - which is not as easy as it sounds! Things keep falling on me. I am so ashamed. Anyway, I manged to find my way out of the closet and did some knitting. I made the Lace Shopping Bag from one of the latest issues of Creative Knitting. I've got to get some pictures of it soon. I love to knit in the round, so it wasn't too traumatic to knit something besides socks. :) R has been in the kitchen, baking and baking. So far she has made some tea cakes from a recipe my Dad's Ma always made. I don't know why, but it just brings a smile to my mouth when I have one of these cookies. I guess because Ma always had them when we were in Tennessee visiting. Last night R made some absolutely wonderful spice cookie bars. I believe she found the recipe in an old Halloween issue of Martha Stewart's magazine. I think I could have sat there and finished them all off by myself! That's unusual for me! I normally know my limit - normally....... The sewing and wild creativity we always promise we will throw ourselves into while the boys are gone has once again passed us by. One day was spent watching old, old, old, old movies with Harold Lloyd on TCM. Did I mention they are old? We are talking silent movie old. But they are sooooo good, so it wasn't really a wasted day. We've read, cooked, knit, played video games, visited with Mom, ate too much fast food - I guess it's been a pretty good week after all. Just really miss our boys! Pray they will have a safe trip home this weekend. Thanks!

I Blew Out My Flip Flop

Summer is on the decline around here. It's official. I blew out a flip flop. When that happens, it always means summer will be on the down swing. I blew out my favorite pair last summer about this time too. No reason to buy a new pair, I won't need them much longer. Now, if I still lived in Florida, I would be desperately searching for replacements. However, here I am wondering when I can start wearing the socks I've been knitting this summer.

When I went outside this afternoon for my 'knitting photo shoot' I noticed some mushrooms popping up in the yard. I took my chances with this one. I put the camera on the ground in front of it and clicked without looking at the display. Turned out pretty good I think!
This was one of my first attempts with a different one. I think it's pretty cool in its own way too.

Remember the 'Bag 'o Crap' my sister sent to me in March or April? I thought I had given more details about what all was in it, but after looking back over my posts, I guess I didn't! Oops! Sorry. Anyway, she sent sock yarn! My favorite package of all! She had gotten this Knit Picks yarn a couple of years ago. I think it is Sock Landscape and it's the Mesa colorway. This yarn is great! I have no idea why Knit Picks doesn't carry it anymore. It doesn't split much at all. It works into a very sturdy fabric and these socks are going to be warm baby! I was slow getting started on them. I just haven't been too committed to knitting socks lately. I liked this yarn, but wanted something simple. So, I used the Yarn Harlot's generic sock pattern, but with a k3, p1 rib. I was afraid it wasn't stretchy enough so I knit slow. Don't ask why. R tried them on and said it would work. So I knit faster. Then I was afraid I wouldn't have enough yarn, so I knit slow again. Once again, don't ask. When I realized I had enough yarn, I got busy cranking out the second sock. I HAVE to remember that these are hand wash and line dry! Rumor has it they felt - right Kate? I don't want to have any American Girl Doll socks around here, so I need to really pay attention!

This is what I was knitting when I wasn't motivated to knit socks. These are in addition to the yellow/pink combo I posted a while back. So I've knit eight dish cloths in the past month or so. Good old mindless knitting! Plus I think I have enough cotton yarn around here to crank out a least 100 more!

The boys are heading out to Florida to do some work for RLs Mom. Please pray for them to have a safe trip and to be careful while doing all that hard work. Thank you.