September Already?

   I haven't been the most faithful posting here lately.  Life has slowed down (like me) and not much has changed.  

   We finally got our car to pass State Inspection.  Took about a month.  We kept taking it to the mechanic who'd adjust something/change something/do something and tell us to drive it for a couple of days to see if the dashboard lights would stay off.  They wouldn't.  We'd drive it watching the milage, trying to get to "50-lights -off -miles" and as soon as we got near 45 miles--on would come the 'check oil' light and all the rest.  It got to be a real joke/pain.  Jeff kept trying to do what he could, too.  We ended up with several new filters, new spark plugs, clean oil and I don't know what else.  Finally, it came home with the new red sticker on the windshield that said it had passed inspection!  And 3 days later, all the lights came back on!  At least we've got until next July to worry about what to do with this car.

   I had just about decided to retire from the shop this winter.  I can't work in the store anymore and the drive to Cooperstown is too much for me to do alone.  Now, with the idea of replacing the car it looks like I'm going to have to stick with it for another year...or at least until I can save up a decent down payment.  I'm lucky enough to be able to send my stuff down and not have to spend several days every month down there thanks to a good friend in the shop.  Without Bonnie 'truckin' my stuff to Cooperstown I would really be out of luck!.  I started the season with just putting hats in the shop but managed to get a couple of small sweaters knitted for Labor Day.

This is one of them...a variation on my ol' sheep sweater.  I think it's cute...sure hope it sells!
I'm trying to knit a teddy bear for the new grandchild of a college friend and if it comes out OK, I may put some in the shop.  In the meantime, I knit when my hands allow/suffer when they don't...I never thought my fingers would hurt so much during the night!  The pain in my hands actually wakes me up!  Our summer weather this year hasn't helped much either.  It's rained a lot and there haven't been many 'hot, hazy days of summer' like in the past.  Or if there has, I sure haven't felt them!  I guess I'm just getting old.  Hey, it's better than the alternative!!