Christmas 2018

   Another Christmas has come and gone.  We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and good company.  Gifts
were exchanged this year.   Sherry got everyone...among other things... LED pocket flashlight/spotlights (mine went in my knitting bag and Jeff took a trip down cellar with his to try out the light right away!!),  I gave her a pair of knee high compression socks that she wanted but in pink and white,  my cousin Ed gave me a pair of crystal candle sticks to add to my glass collection on the piano, and I finally finished another pair of wool socks for him! Jeff's socks aren't quite finished but he's use to that...I think.  Dinner was ham and scalloped potatoes and there was very little leftover after a couple of 'care' packages were made for our guests.  Zoey and Fanny made out like bandits with rawhide chewies!  They have enough to last till Valentine's Day!  (Zoey stole one of Fanny's rawhides and tried to hide it under my bed.  After sitting next to the bed crying for while, Fanny just took a deep breath and crawled under the bed and retrieved it herself!  No dog fight!!)  Jeff had the DVD of 'Logan' running in the TV room on the dvd Sherry gave us while Sherry and I kept running into the parlor to watch parts of 'White Christmas' on my PC.  Family and friends who are no longer with us were remembered, too.  And the fire in the woodstove kept the 3 rooms nice and warm as long as I kept telling Jeff to put wood on it!  Even Zoey was good and there were no 'accidents' on the floors...until after everyone went home!  Now I've got a sink full of dirty dishes and enough desserts left over to have a tea party tomorrow...and the day after. But I've had it and the dishes can wait till tomorrow so...Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!  

It's December Already?

    November seems to have flown by.  I kept busy knitting for the shop...things finally started to sell so maybe all those cold, wet days weren't so bad after all.  The shop held our annual Open House on Black Friday weekend and it went over quite well.   Sales for the weekend were quite good and November ended up being our best sales month ever.  I even got an order for a toddler sweater!  Sales have slowed down in December but it's still early and who knows, they might pick up again. In the mean time, I'm trying to keep my display full...took 2 sweaters (a size 4 Black Sheep cardigan and a size 2 Flowers and Lace cardigan) down with me yesterday.  It still looks sparse but at least there are a few sweaters there!  My favorite Holiday sweater...a size 4 Polar Express hoodie...was still there (I finished that one for the Open House). I was told that a customer was asking if I'd do that hoodie in a larger size.  Of course, she was told but not now.  It's too late for this year...sorry.  Next season we're going to put a sign in the sweater display explaining how to order something in a different size/color.  Maybe that will help generate some more sales??
   In the meantime, I made 5 men's beanies for my cousin's granddaughter in Colorado.  Michaela and her husband Chris front a charity that provides Christmas breakfast and small presents for homeless men.  Carol, Michaela's grandmother, was my favorite cousin and a good friend.  I miss her as much as I miss my own mom so I made and donated the hats in her memory.
   I even  finished a pair of socks that kept getting buried in my project bag that my cousin Jim had ordered last spring. They were just about finished...just needed the loose ends worked in, but every time they surfaced they were pushed back to the bottom of the bag!!  I think Jim will really be surprised when he found them in his mailbox yesterday or today (according to the Herkimer Post Office). That leaves me with that toddler sweater that was ordered on Black Friday which is just about finished.  I may have to do some hats and leg warmers to take to fill in the empty spaces when I go down to work my last day of the season on Dec. 16th.  Hopefully, a lot of last minute shoppers will see them and....  You see, this year the shop's got 2 video commercials.   One is 'Christmas in Cooperstown' on WKTV Channel 2 out of Utica and the other is 'PixieQuest', an online contest out of Oneonta.  It's nice to keep up with the times and have more than just 'print' ads.  The shop looks very good in both videos.  (That's Judy in the 'PixieQuest' and no, she's not for sale!) If you get a chance to see either of them, let me know what you think.
  Right now, it's time to start supper and warm up this house.  I want to finish that sweater tonight and I've got socks to work on for Christmas presents, too.  As long as it doesn't snow hard...or stay on the ground for long, I'll be ready for Christmas when it gets here!!

Keeping Busy

 I tried to stay busy this past weekend doing various projects.  There was this crocheted puppy.  It's suppose to be a yellow lab...does it look like one?  Anyway, I think it's cute and I like it.  In fact, I think I'll do more...
I started a red one (remember Clifford??) this morning and will probably do a brown one if I can find a shade of brown I can handle.

    The 2nd project this weekend was this 
tree ornament.  It's for the shop's entry in the annual Adorn-a-Door Wreath raffle.  I usually knit something mini but this year I decided it was time to go back to the lace angels.  This one is less than 4" tall so it should fit nicely on our wreath. (The angels I made years ago were 7-9" tall and very fancy but too big for a wreath.)  I had thought of getting some beads and making her a halo but this silver cord was a simpler and cheaper way to go...and I think it looks fine, too.

     In between my crocheting, I've been knitting winter hats.  It's finally been difficult to keep my hat display full!  Both of these are with self-patterning yarn.  The one in front with the green trim is with Robin Paintbox, a dk weight yarn from Great Britian that I
got in a Yarn Pal package. (I've got another Paintbox color combo that just needs the pompom.  And, hey, the neat pompom makers came in a Yarn Pal package, too!)The other hat in the photo is done with Red Heart worsted in a self-patterning called 'Derby Fair Isle.'  I think of it more as a 'cut and paste' pattern because to make the pattern work out even in the row with the number of stitches you have you must cut and a add yarn as you go.  It leaves a lot of ends but the results are worth it.  Today I got a skein Red Heart 'Calm Fair Isle'...also a self-patterning worsted that I'll use for another hat.  (And I'm pretty sure it will end up being a 'cut and paste' job, too.)
   And I even found time to knit an adult beanie to send to my cousins in Colorado.  They're collecting hats, gloves and socks for the homeless and will deliver them with breakfast on Christmas Day.  I told Michaela I'd so some hats and mail them to her.  I've got 1 done!  I'd like to finish 3 or 4 more.  Michaela's grandmother was my cousin and one of my greatest friends.  I miss her so much.  She meant so much to my mom and me.
   And on that somber note, it's time to get back to work!!  It's suppose to snow tonight and tomorrow and I've got the clean the woodstove's firebox so I can have a decent fire!!
   This hat's going to the shop, too. 

It will fit a 1-3yr old and is knit with Mary Maxim Baby Blankie, an acrylic self-patterning yarn.  I 'cut and paste'  the results a little to get the Fair Isle pattern more to my liking.  I think all the ends that have to be worked in are worth it!

Hello November!

October ended up being a very good month for me in Cooperstown. Sweaters and hats sold...like pumpkins! I could barely keep up and other things got pushed aside. Zoey the Beagle was due for a rabies booster but we never seemed to find the time to go to the vet's. And then the ladies at Olivia's Happy Tails (where the girls get their nails and ears done) suggested a Public Health Rabies Clinic. The last one of the season was scheduled for this morning at the E Herkimer Fire House and we decided to go there.   They suggested we get there a little early and we managed to make it there by 9:45 for the 10am start.  Of course, it was raining and the parking lot was starting to fill up but we stood outside talking to some nice people (and getting soaked) while we waited for the door to open...but we made it in close to the front of the line!  In fact, we were back in the car by 10:15!  And it only cost Jeff $5.  (Now that was a nice difference from what it would have costed at the vet's!)  Our next stop was suppose to be Lowe's but I was headed the wrong way on the Main Rd and couldn't make a left turn when we got to Rte 5 so Jeff suggested going to the Greek Diner on N Main St in Herkimer before heading back to Lowe's and then home.  Disappointment...it was closed!  But I noticed Gus in the restaurant next door so I went there and asked where Teddy was...and got directions to new place of business!!  Teddy has bought Cavarina's on Rte 5 in Schuyler. I remember when that building was renovated but don't remember it opening. Seems it did during the summer but only for a short time. I often wonder what it looked like inside and today I found out...it's beautiful! The walls in the dining room have original murals of Venice! The bathrooms are beautiful!! The ladies room is bigger than the bathroom in my house!! We enjoyed our lunch and plan on going back for dinner. Both Jeff and I hope Teddy and his partner...his waitress...are successful with this restaurant. I spent the afternoon working on a Black Sheep Sweater. It's a size 4 and I've got it almost finished. Just the ribbing at the bottom and the buttons are left to do. Earlier this week I finished another size 4 Polar Express Hoodie...also a size 4. The ones I had finished in October both sold just before Halloween. I replaced them with a size 6

months yellow cardigan & hat set and a size 6 months white hoodie. Those size 6months sweaters are a lot easier and quicker to knit than the size 4's.

I'm also doing some children's legwarmers. More photos when they're finished.

Cooperfest, 2018

   Yesterday I spent  the day in the shop
because it was Cooperfest, an Octoberfest celebration sponsored by the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce and Brewery Ommegang.  There was a 'family-friendly' street fair on Main Street with craft booths, food trucks, bouncy houses, games, etc for the entire family.  Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side...it did rain a couple of times, and the planning left something to be desired.
   While I was putting up the usual display on the outside wall of our shop, I wonder what the frame that was being assembled in the lower parking lot next to our patio would hold.  I noticed they were very close to the stairs to our level and mentioned it but was told by a rather rude woman that 
'they were the Brewery and had permission to block the stairs.'  Now I didn't think that was right so I went next door to Diastole and told Phil.  He agreed and told his boss while I tried to get ahold of Judy who was setting up our booth for the craft fair on Main St.  We ended up spending the day with this 
blocking our view of the entrance to Doubleday Parking lot and the view of our patio display from the entrance to Doubleday Parking.

The manager of Doubleday Batting Range joined us in protesting the 'blimp' parked next to our patio and also included the line of 'rent-a-john' portapotties that ran across the parking lot blocking access to the batting range entrance.  He went off in search of Matt, the director of the Chamber, who Judy was also trying to track down.  In the meantime I opened the shop and while sales were OK they were not fantastic.  Raising the tent did not improve the view from Main Street, as you can see in this next photo.

If you didn't know what was behind the tent you would never have found us! The batting range's manager returned 'still
breathing fire and 
with smoke coming out of his ears'. I think he walked over Matt, leaving footprints on both sides!  Anyway, Judy never got ahold of Matt until the end of the day when he finally answered her calls and promised to get back to her on Monday or Tuesday.
   Around 3pm there was more commotion by the tent as a gate was added to block our access to the lower parking lot.  Now customers had to walk around the

garden and climb up to our level there or go back to Main St and walk up to the corner and down  Chestnut St to where Doubleday Court meets it across from the fire department and walk a block back to where the shops are.     Eventually,  a fence was put around the
rent-a-johns, too, dividing the parking lot and limiting access to us and the batting range.

   The tent was used to house the night's entertainment and as a beer booth.  The night's
entertainment started it's sound check around 3:30
successfully drowning out any music we had playing in the shop.  By 4pm they were serenading us with their repertoire of Golden Oldies...wither we liked
it or not.  (And their Girl Singer was flat a couple of times in her first few numbers.)
   I ended up having a very good day and the girls in the booth on Main St did, too, but it probably would have been better if people on Main St could have seen the display on the side of our building and come over to check it out.  

 

Hurting but Knitting

    It looks like we're going to go back to having some Summer-like days for awhile.  After last week's weather...cold (temperatures in the 50-60 range) and wet...it should be a welcome change except as the temperature goes up so does the humidity.  And one thing about the Mohawk Valley it gets hazy, hot and humid very easily!
   This morning I could barely move or roll over in bed...and that was after the dogs had left me to go outside with Jeff!  I ache from my neck to my toes!  Most of it from knitting...ok, maybe not the pain in my knees, ankles and feet but definitely the pain in my neck, arms and back...probably hips, too. When I knit constantly my left hand looks like a Vulcan salute (you remember, Mr. Spock's V?) and my right elbow just hurts.  Washing dishes last night helped my hands but I still had trouble holding on to what I was washing.  I had decided I had enough knitting for one day so I grabbed a book but just holding that open ended up hurting, too.  Gee, it's rough having arthritis but at least my fingers are still straight not like the way my mom's got all bend and swollen. 
   Just laying there in bed I hurt so I decided I might as well get up and make some coffee. By the time it was ready (I dropped the used coffee filter on the floor on the way to the garbage bag and had to sweep the floor before anybody with 4 feet and a wet nose decided to investigate) I was alone...everyone had gone back to sleep.  Walmart didn't have any sliced Italian bread yesterday-I had to get an unsliced loaf, so this morning I sliced two nice, thick 
slices and toasted them, spread on what was left of the butter in the dish (Jeff is not able to unwrap and add a new stick of butter to the butter dish) and topped it with Maggie's homemade strawberry jam. I really enjoyed my toast and coffee...there wasn't a small dog trying to climb up into my lap for her supposed share!
   Now I'm ready to start another hat.  I think today's will be a ladies fedora.  The last one was done in cotton and sold quickly so I'll repeat it just changing the colors. 

It should take most of the day to knit.  The last 2 days I've been knitting baby and toddler hats that took longer than I had planned but I kept screwing up the pattern.  They're ready for the embroidery now.  Tomorrow I'll do more baby and toddler rolled brimmed hats with knit flowers.  I'll be in the shop

on Saturday and those six hats should fill up the display nicely. 
   It's time for my 2nd cup of coffee and to start that hat.  Now where did I put the yarn after the last one?

Reclaiming The Parlor

  

  When Jeff moved in x# of years ago we put his extra furniture in our formal parlor because the room was more of a showpiece than a living room.  Now the 'Parlor' has become more of a 'Storage' room with a corner for my PC as boxes full of stuff have filled in the corners and under the furniture.  Since I will be doing most of my TV viewing on my PC since we cancelled the cable TV part of our Spectrum bundle, I decided to reclaim an area in the parlor.  

   This morning we cleaned off the loveseat (a 70's era tangerine no-wale corduroy piece that my mom had got at a very good price at a local expensive furniture store (Rush's) that is no longer in business.  Unfortunately, no one over 5'5" has ever been able to get up from sitting on it without assistance...it's too low!), covered it with a clean sheet and put an end-table and lamp by it's side. Since it's now sitting in the middle of the room an extension cord will be necessary to make the lamp work!  I reclaimed the wingback chair that the dogs had declared as 'Their Property' when they sit with me while I'm on the PC and convinced Fanny, at least, that the loveseat was better than the chair.   It looks rather cozy.  Now I can knit and watch my favorite British shows on Acorn-TV and Netflix in comfort.  

   The dogs weren't too thrilled when I moved the wingback chair and kept directing them to the loveseat but they'll learn.  I figurer that as long as I'm the Alpha Bitch in this pack I should get my choice of seats.  Right now Fanny is stretched out across the loveseat.  Jeff doesn't think there's enough room for Zoey but since they fit together on the loveseat in the TV room they should fit on this one.  

   I don't think the mouse who was living in the room will be too excited either but it will accept the changes or move on (my hope). I've got to be careful about putting out D-con because Zoey is small enough to go under furniture and I don't want her to get into anything she shouldn't.  I figurer I need another excuse to reclaim more area in the parlor and that should get rid of the rest of the boxes Jeff has accumulated in the room.  

   Oh, Jeff has informed me that I will need new speakers for my PC before I will be able to hear the dialogue from the shows I want to watch if I'm sitting in the wingback chair.  And now that I can get to the windows I think it's time to wash the curtains!   I think I'll wait until I get the curtains done before I take any photos of my little nest...besides the camera needs new batteries and I keep forgetting to get them!! 

(For some reason the font size of each paragraph is changing on it's own.  Sorry about that.)

Life Goes On

   This has been a week of appointments for Jeff.  He saw his attending physician, his optometrist, and a diet coach for help with his diabetes.  Seems like every other day we were sitting in a waiting room someplace...oh, we were!  And it will continue next week.  He's got an appointment with a specialist who will run an electric current down his leg to see how badly it's damaged.  Definitely something not to look forward to. 
      Jeff's only been fishing once this season so when he decided to go fishing yesterday, I was glad, and he happily drove off around 4pm. Zoey bayed and howled because she wasn't going with him but eventually calmed down and came in when I called out 'Supper!' We had had steak the night before and there was a hunk left over that I cut up and divided between the dog dishes...then I had to stand guard to keep them to their respective portions or else Zoey would have tried to get Fanny's steak and all hell would have broken loose! After they had cleaned their dishes...and they did...I picked up the book I had been reading ('Song of the Lion' by Anne Hillerman...she's as good a writer as her father was and the Navajo characters are still busy policing the Rez). We had decided to cancel the cable TV part of our Spectrum bundle because of the expense and repetition of channels and yesterday they turned us off AFTER Jeff went fishing so he didn't have a chance to turn on our antenna! Being w/o TV wasn't so bad becoz Jim Chee and the other Navajo characters were with me. When I finished the book and was making a pot of coffee, there was a knock at the door. Fanny hid under the kitchen table (signaling that she wasn't sure who it was) but Zoey ran to greet our guest. It was my cousin, Ed, returning a Corningware dish I had sent home with him filled with leftovers the last time he came to supper. Besides returning my dish he was warning us not to look for him for the next couple of weeks because he was going on vacation to California! We sat at the kitchen table and talked about his coming trip, where he was going, who he'd visit, and drinking coffee until Jeff came home around 10pm. Jeff was excited to report he had found a new fishing hole in Little Falls and explained how he found it. Since Ed and I are both more familiar with the city than Jeff, we recognized where he was taking about quickly. Seems the Rotary has built a rather nice launching site on the river, complete with picnic tables and hibachis, that is easy to get to. Jeff met some other guys there and enjoyed himself fishing. He caught some good size fish but since he is a sport fisherman, he released them. We're planning to take a picnic there before the weather changes. I made another pot of coffee and the 3 of us talked some more. When Ed left it was near midnight! Suddenly Jeff was looking for his car keys and couldn't find them! Since he drove home they have to be here someplace!! We tried to look around and in the car last night but it was too dark (remember, we live in the country and there aren't any street lights). The keys should turn up today!
   I didn't get any knitting done last night so I plan on doing some today. I've got to finish the test knit I'm doing for Stitch Angles(I missed the deadline but I'll still finish it!) and I want to work on the lacey shawl I'm doing for the shop. I was scheduled to work on 9/10 but found an email before I went to bed asking me to switch to 9/15, giving me an extra week to get it done. I promise to post photos of both the test knit and the lacey shawl!! 
  Poor Zoey!  She and Fanny were playing tag coming in from the porch before lunch and Fanny jumped up and knocked an almost full coffee cup out of my hand giving Zoey a shower of hot coffee!!  She let out a squeal and ran back outside.  I grabbed a towel and went after her, eventually getting her back into the house.  Her head was soaked with coffee but she didn't seem to be burnt or hurt.  I finally pinned her to the bed to give her a rubdown...which she didn't like! A dog biscuit with a touch of peanut butter helped ease whatever pain she was in and Fanny came over to help dry her off by licking the coffee off her head.  Zoey liked that better than the rubdown!  And the coffee cleaned the kitchen floor very nicely...there is now a lighter patch in front of the refrigerator and stove.  Ah, country living. 
   Now it's time to go look for those car keys!!
SUCCESS:  KEYS FOUND!!

Veggies, Knitting and Counry Living

   One of the joys of living in the country is having a garden.  Well, these past 2 years we haven't been very 'joyful' because Jeff's had trouble with his back and wasn't able to work a garden.  Last year we suffered without fresh veggies but this year we've been blessed.  My old college friend, Maggie Schanz, and her husband have been giving us veggies!  Today I found a of couple bags on the doorknob!!  

Jeff had used last week's veggies in the stew he made in the crockpot and I used the zucchini last night when we had pasta for supper.  Nothing like breaded and fried zucchini with a dish of pasta!  (Jeff finished the pasta and meat overnight and I had the zucchini for lunch today.)  Actually, I had made braciole...stuffed beefsteak...for only the 2nd time and it turned out even better than the 1st.  I can honestly say it tasted better than or at least as good as my mom's!  Jeff really liked it, anyway.  

   

I got fancy and strung up Horst's garlic.  It will stay firm longer than way and it looks good hanging in the kitchen window.

  Oh, Maggie had included a zucchini bread but it didn't last long enough to have it's picture taken.  It did taste good!

   I've been getting ready to work in the shop tomorrow...not that I've been selling much but that I've been trying to come up with some new things and I've been finishing some WIP that have been hanging around for awhile.  I've got a ladies cotton 

hat ready to go to the shop

and a pair of ladies socks that have to be mailed to my cousin in Wisconsin.

I've started a lacey shawl that's coming along nicely.  The first half is just stockinette and goes rather quickly.  The bottom will be lace and that may take a bit longer.  I'm doing it on a circular US7 with a gray wool baby yarn that I got in my Yarn Pal package from Australia.  It working up very nicely and is so soft.  The pattern called for sock yarn and smaller needles so my shawl will be a little bit bigger but I rather like it.  Have to wait for the photos.  I also volunteered for and was chosen to do a test knit for The Stitch Angels to benefit US veterans, active duty, and wounded warriors.  The pattern I'm testing will be available for purchase on Ravelry in early September.  It's the first time I've ever done anything like this so a few prayers and good wishes for nimble fingers and a clear mind couldn't hurt.  And now it's time to get back to the baseball hat that I have to replace tomorrow.  At least something is selling!

The Wonders of Yarn Pals!

    I was just sitting here at my PC just now when there was a 'beep beep' in the driveway.  That usually means the postman has something special to deliver and today was no exception.  She had me sign for a soft and squishy package that had traveled all the way from AUSTRALIA! (Half the fun of these Yarn Pal swaps is where the package comes from!!)   You can 

see from the photo that it was full of some pretty neat stuff.  That stuffed tiger and kola are dog toys! And at the back of the photo is baby pattern book with some of the cutest baby things!  I can't wait to knit some of those things!  There is a tape measure and a needle case.  Oh, and a bag of chocolate covered cherries!  Aren't Yarn Pal packages great?  Oh, my Australian Yarn Pal's name is Arlene Fulton.

Wanna Go For A Ride?

     Zoey loves to run...down to Wally's and thru the old horse pasture between our properties.  Jeff usually gets onto the Cub Cadet to go after her and gives her a ride back home in the utility trailer behind the tractor.  She loves that!  He also takes her down to the mailbox that way.  Fanny, on the other hand, does not 'run away'.  She walks...almost strolls...away from the house into the horse pasture.  Jeff uses the Cub Cadet to track her down, too, but he tends to 'herd' her home...she won't get into the trailer (don't think she'd fit, anyway!) or get too close to it (it makes too much noise for her.)  Fanny usually won't even stay outside if Jeff is mowing the lawn on the Cub Cadet!  Zoey wants to be in the trailer but he won't let her so she's either tethered or inside baying and barking up a storm when he's mowing!
   Yesterday my college friend Maggie stopped for a few minutes with her husband, Horst.  They brought us a bag of homegrown veggies and several jars of homemade jam.  Maggie had given me a jar of her strawberry jam earlier this summer and I've been enjoying it...and trying to make it last.  She brought more jars of strawberry and some seedless black raspberry jam that sounds delicious!  They had just picked blueberries and I politely declined any blueberry jam.  Now, if they were to offer some blackcap jam....
   Jeff had gotten a deal at Hannaford's on a pork butt earlier this week and had put it in the crockpot Wednesday night to cook with potatoes and carrots overnight.  When he realized how much there was, we called my cousin Ed and invited him over for supper on Thursday to help us eat it.  The meat was so tender it just fell apart...and so good!  I got some corn on the cob to go with it and Ed brought an apple pie for dessert.  We ate well that night...except that when I went to make a pot of coffee nothing happened.  I filled the pot with coffee grounds and water and turned it on but when it was time to pour the coffee...the water was still where I had poured it!  So we had pie and ice cream without coffee for dessert.  I don't think it bothered Ed or me but Jeff quickly rigged up a French-press type coffee pot after supper so he could have COFFEE!  We got a new 'Mr. Coffee' yesterday.   I guess a machine that costs less than $20 can't be expected to last more than 2 years...especially with the kind of water we have (no matter how many times you run it thru a filter before you use it!).  Maggie & Horst told us that they use a French-press for the same reason but Jeff wants a HOT cup of coffee available all hours of the day and night, so a French-press wouldn't work for us.
   In Maggie and Horst's bag of veggies there was a nice size green pepper and several red tomatoes so last night the pepper got fried up with some potatoes and one of the tomatoes got sliced up to go on top of the 'burgers I cooked.  Jeff really cleaned up his plate! (So did I!)  We both miss having a garden this year.  Maybe next year Jeff's back will be up to it.
   Just got word that the shop had a record-setting day in sales yesterday!  The member who worked, Sharon, is a very talented lady and she creates a wonderful atmosphere where tourist like to spend money.  I've been planning a trip down to restock all week and have been putting it off and now it's pouring!  Maybe tomorrow.  At least I can knit another hat or two! 
   

Soft, Squishy Packages

     I found a soft, squishy package on the front seat of my car last week.  Our mailman has learned that said 'soft, squishy packages' are important parcels and usually come from far away, making them too important to stuff into our mailbox...especially when it's raining!  This 'soft, squishy package' came from Dublin, Ireland and was from my new Yarn Pal, Ruth Montgomery.  It was full of wonderful things...yarn, a small stuffed bear, more yarn...just too much to mention!  And a key chair with a enameled sheep on it!  I've been having a problem with my key chain...it's getting old and the keys keep falling off!  Jeff brought in the 2 keys to the shop one day and just the other day the car keys fell off!  I quickly replaced my faulty keyring with the sheep from Dublin!
   Today I mailed a 'soft,  squishy package' to Scotland.  It held 2.1 lbs of yarn, pattern books and knitting notions in a project bag that I made and cost $35 to mail!  I was lucky enough to find most of what I sent on sale so I could keep the declared value low on the customs form.  (I know that's not how it's suppose to work but I don't know how you can send somebody a gift and declare the true value of it when you know they may have to pay a custom's fee on it.)
  When I worked in the shop last week I was just finishing the project bag and collected a lot of compliments on it so I decided to make some to sell.  I cut the number of stitches and number of rows and it turned into a cute little bag that could be used for a lunch bag or a project bag...or even a purse! And since it's knit from 100% cotton yarn, it is machine wash and dryable!  I've got 2 just about finished and should finish a 3rd before I go back this Saturday.  The bag is called a Japanese Knot Bag and is based on a design by Jean Barresi,  It's available for free on Ravelry.com. I would love to post photos of my little knot bags but my camera's memory card is full so that will have to wait until I can get a new car.  (Jeff says just delete some photos but I won't do that.  Never can tell when I'd want those pix!!)
   While I was working on the Knot bag I developed a cramp in my right hand...my index and 2nd finger twisted and it hurt like HELL!  It lasted quite awhile, too.  (I can honestly say, it was even worst than a trigger cramp, if you ever had one of them!)  Anyway, when the cramp finally subsided my hand started to swell up.  I sat there for awhile massaging it and that helped some and I went outside and grabbed the old pipe that's the handrail for the stairs.  Now, that felt good!  But I couldn't stay there...outside of the shop...all day!  I kept massaging my hand and eventually went back to knitting because although it hurt to knit, it hurt more not to knit and let the fingers/hand stiffen.  By the end of the day, when I got home, my hand was pretty stiff and sore.  The next morning it was even more sore!  Since I already had a MD appointment for Monday morning I just kept 'RICE' and knitting.  The doctor noticed that it was still swollen and ordered an X-ray.  Haven't gotten the results yet but he thinks it just a bad sprain.  Ah, getting old is such fun!

You win some...

   It's been a struggle to housetrain Zoey, our 13-month old Beagle.  From the beginning when there was a path of pee pads thru the house it was not a sure thing that she would use them.  Let's just say her aim was off.  She would have her front paws on them but the important rear end wasn't.  Or she would run over the pad and her 'deposit' would run off onto the floor.  She'd even have one front and 1 rear paw on the pad but not quite enough of the middle over the pad.  It was funny...in the beginning...for awhile...a short while...a very short while.  As the scent in our house changed to 'Mr. Clean', I think Zoey became even more confused.  If it smelled like 'Mr. Clean' it must be alright to go there, became her motto.  Since her 1st birthday on May 27th, the number of pee pads has shrunk until there are none and for the last 2 weeks, she's actually been making it to the door...some of the time.  But there have been setbacks.
   Yesterday was a very traumatic day for Zoey.  Jeff was changing the transmission belt on the Cub
Cadet in the back yard and Zoey was watching him from the parlor window.  And conveying her dismay that she was not out there helping.  Loudly.  When he got the machine back in working order, he cut the grass and Zoey ran from room to room barking and baying, following his progress around the house.  By the time he finished and came back in the house, Zoey was hysterical.  (Ever seen/heard a hysterical beagle?  Trust me, you don't want to.)  It took most of the evening and many treats for Zoey to calm down.  And many 'oops' in the parlor and my room.  (I think she was blaming me for not letting her out.)  Jeff just talked to her when I announced another 'oops' (no discipline) and even I couldn't be too angry at her  (at him, maybe).  I just cleaned it up again and again.  
   This morning around 6am,  Zoey woke me and I was shocked...there weren't any puddles or piles anywhere in the house.  Jeff had take both dogs out before he went to bed as usual and she stayed with him most of the night.  I let the dogs out...Fanny was back in about 10 minutes, Zoey stayed out about 1/2 hour...gave them some of their morning biscuits and we all went back to bed.  Around 9:30 we all got up...the aroma of coffee had finally got to Jeff...and the dogs went back out.  Still no puddles or piles in the house.  Jeff asked if I had cleaned up after Zoey this morning and I said no.  That was a quick trip for both of them because they wanted the rest of their breakfast.  Zoey just got Jeff to let her out again for another quickie and I'm pleased and surprised to say, still no puddles or piles.  Why?  Who knows.  Did the bout of hysteria trigger something deep in Zoey's brain?  ??  I'll take any and all steps forward I can get.   Will it last?  One can only hope.

Life in the Great Northeast!

   Life has been quiet here in the little house in the little woods.  Zoey, the beagle puppy (should I still call her that?  She's almost 13 months old?) is still struggling with housetraining.  She now knows to go to the door when she wants to go outside but she seems to forget why she wanted to go out and after being outside for any length of time playing with Fanny, the older dog, or trying to follow a scent across the yard...even up to an hour...when she comes in she makes a 'deposit' on the floor, usually in the parlor or in my room.  I kept using pee pads there after we stopped putting them all over the house so Jeff says she's looking for her pee pad.  He blames me...says I 'trained' her to use those areas.  She doesn't use the kitchen or TV room where there were pee pads just the parlor and my room.  I think she's associating the smell of "Mr. Clean" with the place 'to go' so I'm going to try a different cleaner and see if that helps.  I've never had a dog that took so long to catch on to the program.  I know she knows she's done something wrong coz when I catch her 'making a deposit' all I have to say is "Oh, Zoey!" and she curls her tail under and tries to slink away.  I hope it all starts making sense to her...SOON!
   While sales in the shop have generally been brisk, anything 'Baby' especially my hats and sweaters are barely selling.  The bigger size sweaters aren't selling, either.  I've been working on a couple of shawls and hope to finish them this week so I can take them down next Thursday when I work again.  Having 292 stitches on the needle is hard on my left thumb...although I'm right handed, it's the digit that moves the work along. 
   Jeff's trying to replace a  transmission belt on the Cub Cadet.  The owner's manual isn't very helpful so he's watching videos on YouTube.  I can't believe you have to take the mowing deck off to get to it!
  We've both been fighting colds this past week and if you know either of us very well, you remember how well we can cough.  Wednesday night I think we both coughed more than we slept!  Last night was a little better but it's still not a restful night.  What do they say about summer colds?  Yea, they are worse than winter ones! Add to the lousy way we feel, it's been very damp and cool...no, cold, the last few days and the furnace even came on during the night!  It doesn't make it comfortable to have a June cold in the Great Northeast.
   

Housetraining the Puppy

     We are in the final stages of housetraining Zoey the beagle puppy.  All of the pee pads have been

removed except 2...kitchen and TV room...but she seems to be skipping them and choosing to use the living room and my bedroom floor!  This morning when she woke me up...at 6:45am...we walked quickly to the door and went outside w/o any mishaps.  Both dogs were out there for about half an hour when Fanny let herself in.  Jeff went out and got Zoey about 15 minutes later.  The dogs and I went back to bed for a nap and when Zoey got up again...about 8:30am...I followed her and caught her using the living room floor.  Jeff disciplined her and put her outside again.  When she came in she checked the backyard from her window perch next to my computer then stretched out for a nap in the chair.  A little while ago she got up, played with Fanny, ran into my room and got on my bed.  I just walked into my room, saw a small puddle on the floor and said "oh, no" when Zoey jumped off the bed and dove under it to hide!  Jeff came in and pulled her out and disciplined her (again) and put her back outside.  She's inside again and he's trying to 'talk' to her.  I sure hope she decides to listen soon.  I'm getting mighty tired of the smell of "Mr. Clean".

The Royal Wedding...and Other things

   Fanny got me up about 5am on Saturday because she 'had to go' so while the dogs were outside and the coffee was brewing, I turned on the TV...BBCAmerica, of course...to watch the wedding.  The hats and the colors the guests were wearing sure put American women to shame!  But the color combo I like the best was being worn by the Queen!  Her lime green and purple outfit looked great...so I dug into my yarn bag and found what was left of the Apple Green Red Heart worsted that I used for one of the shrugs and sat down and started a hat.  I had just enough yarn and thought it was close enough to be called lime!  There was plenty of the Dark Orchid Red Heart for a knit rose but I had to really scrounge for a couple of days to find something to use for leaves.  Ended up finding just enough Forest Green to make 2 small leaves. 

I got the hat finished yesterday and I'm very pleased with the results.  Hope someone else likes it as much as I do and buys it!  I managed to find some raspberry yarn to make another rose for the 2nd hat I did Saturday...that one was in

Red Heart's Pond.  I was really trying to use up what was left from the shrugs.  Both of these hats are slightly bigger than the usual baby hats.  They will fit little girls up to 2 years old.  Hats are the only things that I've been selling at the shop so I want to keep the display full.  Gray's been a good seller so I did

another gray hat...this time a baby hat.  I was thinking of doing a Baseball Hat to fit a 2 year old but I'm not sure it would sell.  (It ended up being today's project.  I just finished them!  8:45pm, 5/24/18)

I'd like to take the hats to the shop tomorrow or Friday morning ...after all, nothing sells from my knitting bag hanging on the back of a chair in the kitchen. 

Life Goes On

My shrugs compliment Sharon Gibbons' sundresses

   I finished the shrugs I'd been working on and took them to the shop with plenty of time for Spring Fling this past weekend but the weather did not cooperate and it rained.  Sales on Saturday...when the parking lot was suppose to be full of spring flingers...was not what we were hoping for.  Oh, well, there's always next weekend...Memorial Day!  I've been working on some toddler-size hats as well as the baby-size I

usually do and plan on taking them down this week to fill in the spaces in the hat display.  Sweaters have not sold at all this spring.  Very disappointing.

   Zoey's been perfecting her 'thief' skills.  The other day I went into my bedroom intending to get the card wallet out of my purse but the pocket it was suppose to be in was empty. 

The outside pocket was empty!

 The zipper had been opened and Zoey was lying on the bed chewing away!  Luckily, she hadn't been able to chew thru the layers and damage any of the cards (driver's license, health insurance cards, credit cards, etc.) except my library card.  And that card doesn't have to be scanned or run thru a machine, the numbers just have to be legible.  The library aide and I had a good laugh but now I have to make sure the zipper is totally closed when I hang my purse on the closet doorknob!

   Zoey has become our 'Early Canine Warning System'.  She sits on the chair in the window of my room peeking out from under the curtain...looks like Megan Markel's wedding veil...and announces when someone is turning into our driveway, going past our house, driving on Smallsbush Rd--going down the hill, etc.  She takes her job very seriously.  Fanny use to be like that, too, but as she got older I think she decided it wasn't worth the effort to announce every car or person who went by.  It's still new to Zoey and she must find it exciting.  I usually remember to tie back the curtains because I'm just not sure she won't pull them down by accident some day. 

   Jeff got bite by a tick Saturday.  After rolling around trying to work on the Cub Cadet I'm not surprised!  He checked Fanny and found one on her head and I had to use the tick comb and remove it.  Zoey enjoys being checked for ticks (Fanny doesn't) when they come in from playing outside.  So far I haven't found any on her.  I suppose once I do...and have to remove it...she won't like being checked anymore.  Another fun activity living in the country.

    Jeff had to prune one of the old lilac trees my mother's oldest sister's husband, Frank Fiala, gave her when my parents bought this house in 1962 because it was badly damaged in that last weird storm we had this year.  I didn't think any of it would blossom this year but he just cut these blossoms off from the broken branches!   I really don't have any

idea how old the tree is but my aunt was 20 years older than my mom and they had been living in their house on Bellinger St for as long as I could remember.  Mom always loved this lilac and so do I.  I think I'll put this bunch in my bedroom...high above Zoey head...wonder what it will do for my allergies?  Aw, it'll be worth it!