How I Spent My Day Off

     I had my annual ophthalmology exam yesterday at the clinic in Cooperstown and since I was going to have my eyes dilated, they suggested I bring a 'driver' so Jeff was drafted to be my chauffeur.  The total time I spent with the tech, the doctor and in the waiting room was about 1 hour and 15 minutes (not bad).  I have small cataracts on both eyes and many floaters.  I no longer can read the bottom line on the chart...but nothing changed that much since last year so no new glasses.  I did get a pair of those disposable sunglasses that they have rolled up in a basket by the receptionist.  And I really needed them yesterday!  It was a beautiful day and with Jeff driving we came home the scenic way! We drove through Cooperstown (stopping at the shop to restock), fighting our way through traffic to Lake Street and then north along Otsego Lake.  We had all the windows open and it was a beautiful ride along the lake.  If I had been driving, I would have turned onto Allens Lake Rd and gone to Richfield Springs but Jeff was at the wheel so we stayed on Rte 80, crossed Rte 20 and headed to Fort Plain.  The farms and the hills looked beautiful and the while the sun was bright there was a breeze and the air cooled off.  We went through Van Hornesville and Starkville, Fort Plain, turned west onto Rte 5S and then crossed under the Thruway and went through St. Johnsville and onto Rte 5.  We ended up having supper at McDonald's in Little Falls...and it was pretty good, too!  During supper we talked about how clean and neat...almost pretty...the houses and farms had been.  So far up the 'curb appeal' scale from Herkimer.  Even the small hamlets whose name signs we didn't see were better looking than our Main St.  It seems those people still have pride in their homes and property.  Jeff said maybe because it was theirs.

    Before going to Herkimer we stopped so Jeff could check the garden and I could release/rescue Fanny from the house.  It was almost 5pm and she had been alone inside since 1pm.  I was a little worried about what she had been up to but all I found was one Croc (an old one) and a night shirt on my bed. (She collects things to keep her company.) She had been good so we let her run outside for a few minutes and then she and I took Jeff back to his place.  We just got back home when Jeff called and asked if I had found something he left on top of the car.  I checked...nothing.  So Fanny and I re-traced our route and I found a young man walking on Main St asking those he met if Jeff's property was theirs.  I stopped and he gave it to me.  Jeff was surprised he got it back.

Hats, hats, hats!

   When we stopped at the shop to restock I realized I couldn't...didn't want to... list the hats in the display so I took a photo of it as reference.  Now I know what I need to knit this week. I did a flower hat...just the hat, not the flower... last night watching a BBC program on the history of the House of Windsor.  This afternoon it will be a white hat that will become a baseball.  The hats are mindless knitting, it's the details that take time and attention.  Friday will be Detail Day.   I'm suppose to work in the shop on Saturday, I should be able to get 6 hats done by then...but I better get started!