New Years Resolutions

I figure why make them, that's just setting myself up for failure. :) So, I don't make any, I just do the best that I can each year.

So far this year I have finished one sock for my hubby, and one sock for my brother. Now I've got to start my brothers second sock, and finish the second one for my hubby.

Then I have yarn for 3 pair for me lined up to knit. The tough part will be deciding which ones to do first.

I still have one thrummed mitten to knit for our daughter. And she said she'd like a pair of knit socks too. We'll see.

New Years Eve, at about 3:15 in the morning we were woken up by sounds of our ponies in the front yard. Yesterday morning we got up at 8:30, and they were out. Don't think they were out for long though. Our solar powered battery for the electric fence is dying in the night. They figure out that's not working, and escape. So now they are spending nights locked in the barn. I'll let them out when I get home after work at lunchtime today, and they'll be out until 6ish. Only allowed out when we are around to watch them!

Flint and I went for a walk (and he ran) at the park this morning. Found a nice wool sweater while we were there. Well, Flint found it. He ran and ran and ran with it in his mouth for about 10 minutes or so. We brought it home, and will find a nice home for it. Northern Apparel is the brand name, size medium. Possibly smaller, it looks felted a bit. Hey, Mary Anne, what size do you wear?

And now I'm off to the wonderful world of housework. At least the kids are back in school now, so I have relative peace while I'm doing it :)

Happy Day!

Strange thing happened at work today. Last night I had a dream that I opened a bakery/coffee shop, selling cakes, cookies, etc that I baked. In real life this is what happened. For Christmas I gave a lot of baked goodies to teachers, PSA's, etc at the school. Two of those folks told me today that I should open a bakery selling my cakes, they were soo good. Wonder if it would be successful?

Ahhhh

It's over!!

The tree is down, the "mess" is cleaned up, the presents are put away. Time to relax and not have a tree in my way.

Don't get me wrong. I like Christmas. But that tree was just taking up too much space in our living room!

The tree is now being eaten by the ponies. I kid you not!

I'm working on the second pair of socks for my brother. He liked the first pair, and they fit just right. Wish I had remembered to measure them :) I think I have to knit a pair for his BIL for Christmas next year - his wife asked me how much they would be. When I get his done I'll be knitting a pair of socks for ME! With some yarn that I was given for Christmas; Rodeo colorway, can't think of the brand name right now.

I got a new mixer for Christmas. Hubby asked me not to break this one within 6 months. I'm hard on mixers. I think you should be able to blend soft margarine and sugar together with one - am I wrong for thinking that?? And one that I broke it wasn't really me, it was our son, because he dropped it. It just happened to be discovered to be broken while I was holding it. And the last one was second hand when I got it - so it was closer to dying than a new one would have been! Yup, I killed 3 mixers in the last year.

I'm kinda tired and cranky today. Hubby has a cold, and he's been coughing at night. It keeps me awake. So it's all his fault.

I think all the knit Christmas gifts I gave were well received. No one has complained about them anyway. Of course, I haven't heard a thing from my SIL, so maybe she and her hubby didn't like their scarves??

TTFN

Dec 21

Not many more days to go till THE BIG DAY!

Katie had a friend over last night; they were up till about 10:30 ish; then up again about 7:30. I think I'll have a tired, cranky girl on my hands tonight. Yippy, just what I needed.

My hand is still feeling naked, but I'm starting to get a little bit used to it. sniff sniff

Last night I finished off my brothers socks! There was a little bit of happy dancin' going on at 11 last night.

That's it, my Christmas knitting is done. Can't be true. Must be something I have to work on. Gotta be! I could finish off the pair of socks that were too small and give them to hubby I suppose. He'd like that.

I was going to knit a bucket hat for my niece, but gave her a scarf out of my stash instead. Katie does want a pair of thrummed mittens. And she wants a bucket hat - not that she would take off her pony club hat to wear it.

So, today is the first day of the kids Christmas vacation. What am I supposed to do with them?? Thankfully the weather appears like it might be halfways decent, so they can go outside and play. Hopefully!

Merry Christmas!

I'm bummed

For our second Christmas Dan got me a ruby ring.
Ruby is my birthstone.
I saw the ring, fell in love, and he bought it for me.
Today I lost the ruby out of the ring.
I'm so upset.
My hand feels naked.
:(

Less than 10 days to go

And I have about .5" and then the toe to go on the first sock of a pair. I'll get them done, I know I will. I hope :)

Today I'm going to my sisters and then we are taking our Mom to do her shopping.

Our local grocery store has a contest for kids 12 and under. They have a blue lobster. The kids get to name the lobster. The name that is chosen wins a $10 gift certificate to a video rental store. Katie would rather have the lobster to eat. That's my girl!!! Katie put in Buster the Blue.

Stitches are starting to itch; is that a good sign?? I hope so!

Tomorrow morning I have to be at the grocery store for 9:00. The local ambulance and police folks are doing a food drive for the food bank - their goal is to fill a vehicle with donations. I'm the food bank rep there for the first hour. Today one of the real estate agents in town is going to match any donations that come into their office. I'm proud of our town and how they support our local food bank.

Well,

so much for that posting roll I was on. I tried, I really did. Well, sort of :)

I'm working on a pair of socks for my brother for Christmas. Had one pair 3/4 done, when I discovered that they are going to be way too small for him. So had to start over again from the very beginning. Now I have the first sock about 3/4 done. Should have the pair done for Christmas - although I did want to do him 2 pair. I'll put in a note that tells him the second pair will come after I see how the first pair fits. Yeah .. that was my plan all along. Wasn't it??

The socks that are too small for him will be finished after Christmas and given to my hubby. They fit him perfectly. Figures.

Christmas is coming much too quickly for my liking. But, there's nothing I can do to stop the progress of time, right?

I have to seam up a pair of slippers for Troy to take to school for his good friend there. She takes care of him when they are in class; makes sure he has what he needs. Outside she makes sure he has someone to play with, and will come and get me if he needs me. She's a good friend for him to have. I was working on some green/white/yellow variegated socks on rainy days at the school, and she was interested in them - so she'll get a pair. Today was an inside day (it was too cold to be outside playing) and she looked for Troy to get him to go and play with her in their classroom. Thank God for girls like her!!

I also have to get two gifts ready for the names that each kid drew in their class. $5 gifts for boys. No idea what to get them! I'm sure I'll find something tonight when I go out shopping. PLEASE!!

Monday night we have a school concert to go to. It was supposed to be this past Tuesday night, but it got postponed because of snow. Tuesday is the kids last day of school. Then it's just 5 days till Christmas.

The 22nd I have to go to Bridgewater for a check-up on my leg. A chance to do some last minute shopping - if I'm brave enough to tackle the stores with two kids in tow.

Oh yes, my leg. On Friday I had my varicose veins stripped. Got storm stayed in Bridgewater over night. Spent the night at a friends house; which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. We stayed at my friend Elizabeths MIL's house.

Guess that's it for now.

another day, another posting

Boy, I'm on a roll :)

It's raining here today. YUCK.

I have some baby sweaters that were given to me - along with a huge garbage bag full of baby yarn. I'm hoping to get them finished off so I can take them to the craft sale with me on Saturday. Finishing things off is not something I like to do. In my dream world little knitting fairies come in the night and do that stuff for me :)

My friend Jan has taken off to Ottawa. She's on her way to the airport now. Her hubby is there finishing off a course, and she is going up to join him for a spouses part, and his graduation. It's a leadership course of sometype. She brought their boys up here to catch the bus this morning, and they'll be here after school to wait for their grandmother to pick them up. She has to come here to get the house key too. Hope she makes it to the airport in time, has a good flight, and enjoys herself.

Since it's raining, and I had to go pick up a few groceries anyway, I went to town and gave Elizabeth a ride to work. She was thrilled. It's the simple things that make people happy. (which I guess means that I'm simple??)

I've got a roast in the crockpot, and am going to attempt a gumdrop cake. A new recipe; hope it turns out OK. I've had one person tell me it's a good recipe, and another person tried it and hers didn't turn out good at all - even her dog wouldn't eat it!

**Edited to add that my cakes turned out great. I've already eaten one little one :) I make little one; 1.5X4 inches or so in size. Individual servings. Or two servings for kids. Great for lunch boxes. For gifts I do a few of this size, or a slightly bigger one. I have enough pans to do 14 little ones. I never had an Easy Bake oven; always wanted one ... so now I bake little things :) Even have little cupcake pans. LOL

And I got invited to another craft sale, on Dec. 10th. Just a small one; 21 tables. I'm going because a friend is going, and we're going to support her daughter. It's the first craft sale being hosted by the Shag Harbour Fire Dept Ladies Aux; and her daughter is the one organizing it.

been far to long

since my last post! I must try to be better at posting on this blog! Not that many people read it, but someone might care what I'm up to :)

Since my last post my life has gotten busy. I've been on the board of the Shelburne County Early Childhood Development Associtian for a few years. Last year I was fund raising chair person. Gave that up, and became Admission and Review chair person. That means I have to chair 4-6 meetings a year. No big deal. The SCECDA is a group that I like to support, especially since Troy was involved with them when he was little.

Another group I like to support is the Food Bank. Our food bank closed in July, but is going to re-open in time for Christmas. :) I'm on the board of that as well, as a rep for the Baptist churches in the area. I'm going to be asking each of the three churches to supply certain foods for the foodbank. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. This is a brand new venture for me - and I'm a little "nervous" about it.

Knitting news. Humm. I've got 2 pairs of thrummed mittens done for a craft sale this Saturday. About 1/3 of the first of a third pair done. They'll be done in time for the sale. Lots of new knit scarves for it; well, new to the sale anyway - they were pictured here a while ago.

I got enough sport yarn from Briggs & Little to knit 8 or so pairs of wool socks. Three of those need to be done for Christmas gifts. That's what I'll be working on after Saturday. I'm going to try doing them "two socks on two circs" method. Wish me luck!

There are lots of other things I'd like to have knit for Christmas; but I think I'm going to run out of time/energy before they are all done. Oh well, IOU's make nice gifts too :)

Anyone know what to make for a 22 year old who doesn't really want anything specific? She has lots of scarves, goes bare handed. I have no idea what to give my niece for Christmas!! She only wears socks with Winnie the Pooh on them. Money is always nice I suppose :) She is a university student afterall.

On Dec 3rd Katie is hosting an ornament exchange party in the afternoon. We invited 6 of her friends; so far only 2 have told us that they are coming. Then that evening I'm hosting a party of my own. I have 8 coming to mine. Neither of us know what we are making for our ornament to exchange yet. I have an ornament kit for Katie and her friends to make. No idea what my group of ladies is going to make yet. No game gifts gotten yet either. So much to do, so little time. And, yes, I AM a sucker for punishment!

There, an update. Maybe more tomorrow??

She's knitting up a storm!

No, not me, my daughter! She finally finished off one scarf that she was working on. And immediately cast on another one, this one will be a gift for one of her cousins for Christmas. I've created a knitting monster :) Mind you, it's a cute little monster.

Lucy Neatby Day was fun. Got to fondle some really nice yarns. Yarns that I know I'll never be able to afford to buy. So I fondled :)

Lucy was very nice. She told me that the picture she had seen of me didn't do me justice. She showed my friends and I how to to do two different types of cast-ons.

I bought myself a set of bamboo needles. And some koigu sock yarn. I really like koigu yarn! But, if it hadn't been on sale I wouldn't have bought it. I was torn between that or a ball of Opal sock yarn.

I started a pair of socks for me that day, but then took them off the needles. I am now using the needles to knit a pair of gloves for Katie.

Went to the craft room last night and decided to play with my sewing machines. One is going out in the garbage tonight; it's dead! The serger is working - for now. My other one isn't working; but I can't throw it out. We bought it, it wasn't given to us, and I can't think of throwing it out. (the other one was a given one) Perhaps I'll have to get a new one as a business expense?

Today I got the glass cut that Katie and I need for some beach glass suncatchers that we are going to make. Now to wait for Dan to get the wood ready for us; it involves the table saw, and I don't use the table saw.

I've cut a few things out on the scroll saw in the last few days. Katie cut out a horse for herself, did most of it herself, and did a pretty good job. She also designed and made (with help from Dad) a cat shelf for my sister for Christmas. It's quite cute! Must take a picture of it.

Tonight is our final obedience class. Evaluation night. I don't think we passed.

"Lucy Neatby Day"

All other stuff going on in the world has ceased to matter to me ... well, almost.

I sent my son off to school not feeling the best, with a small money bribe promised, if he would just go to school and stay there until Daddy gets home from work at 1:00. He woke up saying he didn't feel well this morning; but has no fever, and has his normal amount of energy.

I have arranged a sitter for when my hubby has to work this evening.

Why??

Because today I get to meet Lucy Neatby!

She is hosting a Knitting Adventure week at White Point Beach Lodge; which is about 45 minutes from my home. It cost too much to go for the week. So, a friend and I (and a friend of hers) are crashing the event today. We'll be there for a mini trade fair that is happening as well.

Lucy is a knitting designer from Nova Scotia. The first time I found her website http://www.tradewindknits.com/ I fell in love with her designs. I've been told that she is a very nice, down to earth lady. Can't wait to meet her.

Now off to get some work done before I have to go. Work - do I have too????