Let Me Tell You About My First Experience...

With a Cookie Press.
I picked up a press to use with a great Butter Cookie Recipe that I found online. The Mister and the boys like them, I thought it would be fun to make shapes that didn't require the mess of rollers and cutters. Anyway, the sad thing is that I had never used a cookie press nor seen a cookie press in use. I will not disclose how many blobs of dough were formed before I figured out the incredibly simple act of pressing cookies. *sigh* And no, the instructions that came with my economy minded cookie press (no sense becoming heavily invested if there is real potential of not using a second time) were minimal at best, no pictures, a lot assumed. And we all know what ASSUME stands for... Luckily, the cookies taste the same no matter what they look like.

Eldest way to spend a day...


Here is Eldest, center in red, at his last floor hockey game of the session. He sure loves running around with a stick in his hand.




















Here's a sprouted pea... a mere 9 pounds and 23 inches...

Is he not the most adorable baby you have seen all day?!?!









Here is a glimpse into after Thanksgiving entertainment. The Mister and his mom worked on the puzzle while I gathered up my projects. The Peapod was sent off to the pea that sprouted.










The Sven has been finished and is awaiting its
own departure.












And here is my contribution to an ornament exchange. I got the pattern out of the Interweave Knits Holiday magazine. I incorporated the fair isle pattern. I must say that it was unbearably cute.

Don't You Love it When

I am a little tired, it is a little late. I just wanted to finally put up a post. Then, I hit a wrong key? Or something. So, I am going to bed.

I will sum up, Happy Thanksgiving- a little late, and Can you believe the men I live with?
I solemnly swear that maybe I will post tomorrow.

It was good.... so.... good.....

I cannot say that a whole lot of anything noteworthy has transpired this week.
I can say that I love Christmas Knitting... maybe even more accurately, deadline knitting. I don't need any other excuse to sit and knit than that I have to get it done. It makes me happy to spend an hour during the day, in the (relative) sunlight, awake knitting.
Here is the Mister's Blue Cable Sweater. I had set it aside last week and now I am not sure where I am in the cable pattern. Pretty close to the end of the repeat, it seems. If I can figure it out, I will definately get a post-it to keep my place. It is so difficult to let go of the notion that I can remember anything.

Here is The Sven Sveater. I gave up on doing EZ's Invisible cast on for the second sleeve and just knit up from the ribbing. I rationalize this as a comparison of two methods and am willing to bet that no one other than myself (speaking in reference to the household that it is going to inbhabit) will ever notice.
I am zipping away on the body and am excited to do the yoke. Celtic Queen made this sweater for her niece and nephew and they were gorgeous. I cannot wait to see my niece in it.









Knock-off, anyone?

The fabulous and overpriced sock-bag has met it's match. Thanks to Mary Mulari's Made for Travel, I created my own version. I adapted the stuff bag, made it larger, taller, and added a few straps. Ta-da! It is red ripstop nylon. It even has a sock in progress already. The MIL was eyeing my sparkly socks so I let her pick a skein from the stash. Subtle but effective. These will be on the sly and either for her birthday or xmas (which are only 2 weeks apart.)


Socks Socks and More Socks...

INBA's red sock yarn finally came in. She only ordered 3 skeins for the store so I bought them all. I wonder how having such a limited inventory works for her? Seems to me that it just saves me money and I am sure that it does the same for others... whatever. I did pick up some blue... had to talk the boy into it, but he is going to let me put a blue heel and toe on a pair.

He is so funny. I took him to a preschool class up at the Carnegie Science Center last week. It was about worms, a favorite subject behind Trains, Sharks and Dogs. It was a good time, he made a worm box complete with rotting vegetables and egg shells. They did a little drawing and also made a worm out of a knee-hi stocking. He has been sleeping with "stuffy" ever since. We have a bedtime ritual of "talking dogs" where I converse with them about their day, but only in a scruffy voice and a stuffed dog in my hand. I think this began when they couldn't figure out how the dog was talking because they just looked at the dog and not me and of course I would pretend it wasn't me. Anyway, Stuffy now it the one talking. How do you talk a worm? Irrelevant, he wants the worm to talk like the dog (scruffy voice,) but Stuffy isn't allowed to bark. Ah, another fine example of how we spend hundreds of dollars on toys and really all we needed was a 25 cent stocking and some fiber fill.

Worth the Wait

I know, I know... I am so bad at blogging. But I knew that this post was going to be a lot of pictures, and I wanted to be able to tell the whole story... as it is, I have INBA at my elbow, wanting on my lap to see the train pictures. A mother can only do so much, so this will have to do.

Here the boys are in Cumberland, MD. We are at the rail station that their Grandma used to arrive to when coming to see her Grandparents. Her Grandfather was the conductor on the railroad, he would pick her up in Pittsburgh on the 11 o'clock train and take her, sleeping, into Cumberland. A lot of nostalgia as she told the boys about this, again.
Anyway, this is a brick relief. Isn't it the coolest thing you have ever seen? Ok, maybe the second. Either way, it is neat.



And I thought it nice to know that just up these stairs, a steam train would make my little boy's dream come true. At least I hoped. He has been pestering me since June to go to Colorado to ride a steam train from Durango to Silverton. Well, Cumberland is a lot closer and it is a steam train, too. I thought he might be distracted.

No. No such luck.



But this was his face as the engine steamed into the station. JOY, AWE, HAPPINESS. Score one for the Mom and Dad.

See, I am so thrilled for my child that I have gone this far without mentioning how FREAKING cold it was. Ok, by some standards, not so cold. I understand that it could have been colder. Not the point. Cold for me. And disappointing mostly because I had talked myself into believeing that wool socks will protect me. Not so much, not that you will be able to take them from me. I am cold. All the time. I would cry, but I am afraid of ice.



Anyway, this is a view of the country side. Very beautiful and we obviously missed most of the colors.









And then there is the view provided by the Mister leaning out the side of the train.

This is what happens when you let the Mister go wandering around by himself. And he didn't even come back with popcorn.











Here we are in Frostburg. It was sleeting. yuck. but we found a nice little coffee shop at the top of the hill that made Ghiradelli hot chocolate and really tasty vanilla lattes. It makes the cold more bearable.

by the way, that is my MIL, Me, INBA and Eldest.




We got to see them spin the engine around on the roundtable. I was not particularly enthusiastic about waiting around to see that, but WOW, that is something to see. I suppose it is the sheer size of the engine and the steam and smoke and noise that just becomes overwhelming.








INBA doesn't care for the cold, either. Or the noise for that matter, but what he was really mad about in this picture... Daddy made him turn around and look at Mommy. So much less interesting than the train.









For a kid who says he wants to drive these things when he grows up, he needs to be less sensitive to the noise. It is really something to be around a train like this. Just the pollution from this engine was staggering. It took 3 tons of coal to go 15 miles. It really makes me stop and think about a busy station with many trains coming and going. Makes me appreciate what we have, even when we can do better.






Knitting news... Peapod is complete. Somebody's something is complete. I have another pair of sparkly socks on needles (plain stockinette) and I am making my niece a matching outfit with her bear. This is the bear sweater. I am so proud of this!!! It isn't in the round, but I used the 2 stitch patter out of the back of the Big SVen and I love love love it!!
So that gave me the confidence to start on the big girl part.




It is Navy Blue and I am using leftovers of pink that I used in some clog socks, cream from the Orca mittens and green from the frog sweater. I don't feel so bad about the big bin of odds and ends now.

Apricots, Discounts and Lots of Love

The Mister loves apricots. So when Celtic Queen started talking about how it just isn't a holiday without Apricot Pie, well, I knew that the Mister would need to be having pie for dessert, soon. That was last Friday at Knitting, by Sunday I had soaked the apricots and whipped up a hunkaheaven. Neither the Mister nor his mother had ever had apricot pie before, so by all accounts it was the Best Apricot Pie that any of us had ever had.I did sprinkle the crust with the 'secret recipe' sugar and cinnamon, just because there was no spice in the filling. Thanks CQ.



I guess the dollar store really is a discount store. GMa picked up puzzles for the boys. Here Eldest is showing off his 99 piece puzzle. What do you expect for a buck? All 100 pieces?!?! At least it was just a bit of the Atlantic missing.















And then there is lots of love.
Yes, that is Eldest sporting Mamalove in the form of a sweater vest in school-color-purple (grape wool-ease.)
He likes it and I am swelling with love.

As for INBA, that is not bedhead. He and Eldest spent a silly amount of time in front of the bathroom mirror 'fixing' their hair. INBA thought his looked 'cool.' Thank goodness he isn't aware of what gel can do for a guy.

Whaddaya know?

I believe that this was refered to as random things that you don't need to know about me. How much fun is that. TMI?
1.FIRST NAME? Heather
2.WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?Supposedly that was a little girl in a Tide commercial gardening with her grandpa. This struck them because my grandpa was quite the gardener. Oh, and he died 2 months before I was born... on his birthday.
3.WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?Um, Friday. I am one of those annoying people that cry about everything... happy, sad, sappy, angry, whatever. So annoying.
4.DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It is ok, so I don't dislike it.
5.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? I don't really eat lunch meat very often, but I suppose it would have to be shaved ham these days.
6.IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?Yes, I am a good friend.
7.DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?You’re reading it.
8.DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?Yes.
9.WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Maybe.
10.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?Quaker Oatmeal Squares
11.DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I like clogs, so not really an option... but I think I untie my tennies when I take them off at the gym... but then, it tells how long since I have been to the gym when I cannot be definate.
12.DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Nope, pretty wimpy.
13.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?Chocolate.
14.SHOE SIZE?8.5
15.RED OR PINK?Definitely red.
16.WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?Hyper self aware.
17.WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?Godmom Patti.
18.DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?Post your own answers on your blog and make a comment here!
19.WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?olive green pants with a celery green shirt under a red corduroy jacket, handknit socks (sparkly disco ones) and red slippers.
20.LAST THING YOU ATE?pretzels and nutella.
21.WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?the TV is on and I can hear the spin cycle of the wash machine.
22.IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?Green.
21.FAVORITE SMELL?Oranges.
22.WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?My Mother.
23.THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?The way they move. Although, I think it was the way the Mister stands... and he is gorgeous in tails.
24.DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM?Yes.
25.FAVORITE DRINK? Diet Pepsi and Pinot Noir.
26.FAVORITE SPORT?I like baseball... Go Tigers!
27.EYE COLOR?Blue.
28.HAT SIZE?I dunno, but I think my head is a bit large... too much hair and too smart :)
29.DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No need.
30.FAVORITE FOOD? chocolate...it is its own food group, right?
31.SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I don't watch scary movies.
32.SUMMER OR WINTER? Endless summer... sunny and 72.
33.HUGS OR KISSES?passionate kisses.
34.FAVORITE DESSERT? heartstopping chocolate cake
35.WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Frances De Sales. I read a lot of magazines, too.
36.WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?N/A
37.WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?Watched Radio on DVD.
38.FAVORITE SOUNDS?Well, I have to say the quiet that comes when the Mister and the boys are fast asleep. But this keeps me up late enjoying it.
39.ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES?Beatles.
40.THE FARTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME? Italy
41.WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I am a good mother
42.WHERE WERE YOU BORN?Michigan
43.WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?I stole it from pepperknit.

How Bad

See there? I was going to be better about posting. Ugly week. No excuse.

Anyway, I have been knitting my little heart out on pea pod. It just needs to have its sleeves sewn in. I took it to knittin last night, just nothing to pin it together. So it sits awaiting attention. I will have it to show, soon.

I cast on The Mister's Blue Sweater. That is a lot of stitches. And he is a skinny guy. And he has long arms. It may take a while. Maybe it will be done for his BDAY in January. I mean really, it has taken me how long to knit an INFANT's sweater?

I will be more inspired, maybe Monday.

Saturday Morning

Falling, Falling, Falling

This is how you get the boys to 'help' rake leaves. It was 42 degrees but sunny. Which is ok, because there are ones we love that were dumped upon with snow. It is all relative.

Pea Pod

I didn't think to take a picture. But, I did finish the lace panel of the right front, so I think that I am going to move more swiftly on the rest... it is that whole chart and paying close attention thing that I am not so quick with. The yarn is delicious. It is the Rowan Cashsoft DK in Lime. (As in Green.) It is a merino, microfibre and cashmere blend. Yum.

I Don't Need to be Fast

But sometimes it just doesn't seem fair that other people are so fast. Not that I want to be
anything like Wendy, I am a bit green of her completed in two days purple pea pod. I will refrain from whining about all the demands on my time and my inability to think coherently after 8pm and just plug along on my green with envy pea pod. It just has to be done by November or maybe the end of... the little boy is due the 19th...






And I don't like this sock yarn. Or maybe I don't like cotton blend sock yarn (oh, the maligned jaywalker.) Or maybe I don't like how my gauge is smaller once working on a sock than when I swatch. I know that this skein had a lot of burps. And I don't care for the colorway, it seems dingy to me. And it is a chevron pattern from my beloved Sensational Knitted Socks book by Charlene Schurch, that just didn't do what I expected. I am bummed and it is too small for me, so unless I can think of someone with a 8 years to small woman size foot, I am not going to mess with this. Of course, the Mister couldn't see why I was even bothering to finish the one in the first place. Well, I don't like unfinished objects and it bugs me that I spent so much time on it to rip it all the way back and toss the lot into the bottom of the odds box. At least this way, if I find someone I want to do the other for, I can... and only curse half as much.

This is Eldest's last chance for my knitting for a long time if he refuses it. My camera doesn't like purple, for some reason. It is crazy royal purple and it is going to be a sweater vest. It also happens to be school color purple. He will be dashing in it, if he agrees to wear it. So far he has not said no, he picked the skeins out himself. But enthusiastic, he is not. I still love him. I promise.




Ok, cross your fingers for me... the MIL is moving in tomorrow. She is only going to be here until her house is built... so maybe you should cross your fingers for the homebuilder. Don't cry for me, the Mister and I get to go out to dinner with friends on Saturday to celebrate our anniversaries (ours 10-10, theirs 10-12, oh, that was today!) The boys are excited to have a sleep over with GMA, they have been bugging her for that since we moved here, and maybe the Mister and I can steal a little extra us time. I hate to call it a built in babysitter... that would be a dream and it is just my MIL, after all.

Take this Attitude and....

Well, I guess I am going to have to break down and take a computer class. Obviously technology is eclipsing me despite my denial of such an event. I am a slave to my template and automatic popups. I so annoy myself. It is time to give in.

Laurie emailed me pictures from the farm so that "I had no excuse not to blog." Uh, my kids aren't good enough for your blog? huh? Well, it makes no difference because my email provider will only let me have them as a webpage, so I dunno. I suppose if I thought about it (ask the Mister to fix it for me) I might get it figured out. Oh, the effort that life demands.

A suggestion was made on her blog, ok, is fantasized about regularly at the BN Friday knitting, of a yarn shop career. I think it should be a yarn shop with attitude. And I do not mean the "nobody likes green" attitude. I mean, "quit your sissy whining and step away from the bulky wool. Socks ARE NOT hard. They have been knit for HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of years by people much less 'educated' than yourself." But it is like the lady that asked me, as I sat in the sunshine, waiting for INBA to be done with preschool, knitting a sock, "can you knit anything?!" To which my reply was, "Um, yeah. I can do anything that I decide to try." Attitude, people, attitude is everything.

Ignore the Inconvenient

At least that is what I was going to do. I haven't posted in 2 whole weeks? Ah, skip it. But then, NO! There are actually pictures. I had been planning to post, honest, I even have a little list on a scratch pad. Granted, I had been planning for so long, I don't know what a couple of those scratches mean. I still think that my memory is so good that I won't forget anything, especially something funny. Ha.

Well, let's get on with it, since you obviously don't believe that I have done anything but sleep for two weeks.

There are no pictures for yesterday. The boys and I met up with Laurie and her family at Trax Farm for the Family Fall Festival, or something like that. Laurie had a camera and looked to be taking some nice pictures, maybe she will post them for your pleasure. We were soundly defeated by the corn maze. We had to be led out by some small child who climbed between the stalks to find his way. Probably if we had listened to Laurie's Older Son- he was yelling "LEFT," I don't know how we ignored him- we may have found our way out without the shame... either way, it was an adventure.

Let's step back in time...





A picture of the boys from a week or so ago... notice that INBA is wearing a sweater that I made for Eldest and he refuses to wear. He was really smug when I noticed that INBA was wearing it, like he had pulled one over on him... Huh, huh, INBA is wearing that sweater, huh, huh.

Fine, be that way. The Mister says that I cannot love the younger one more because he wears my knitting. Besides he is still 4. He has his own issues.








Speaking of issues, INBA has very delicate toes. He cannot stand socks and the seams. Oh, what a fight to get the kid back into shoes for the winter. So, after a million dollars and the most seamless socks one can find commercially (which are not seamless, thanks for nothing stride rite) I made the boy a pair of socks. See, I took a picture when I started because I planned to post...

But here they are finished. I didn't pull ahead in the skein to match the stripes because I wasn't sure that I could get both socks out of one skein (knit picks Parade.) But I did, and could have matched the stripes and been ok. I do, however have another skein- purchased with the intention of a pair for myself- so I am intending to make another pair to match the first and then have 2 pairs of matched stipes... follow?



ok, it looks like I have extra pictures that show up in the post but not in my working area. Sorry.

Anyway, this morning INBA refused the "seamless" socks in lieu of mommy-made socks. But I don't love him anymore than I would have. I promise.








And there is Pea Pod. I really like knitting lace, I just cannot do it while tired or when I have a headache. So, progress is slow since I do my knitting in the evening after the world has sucked almost every last drop of energy from my bones.
I have gotten 3 of the buttons knit on, so it will get done. I suppose I will just have to give myself permission to knit during the day. It is a gift with a deadline, after all, not just for my pleasure -which I am certainly not entitled to during the day. :)










What Has the Mister Been Up To?
Well, he fixed our front porch.
Several of the bricks along the front and side were about to fall off. Also, many in the middle had the mortar crumbling around them. Every time I swept it I took more out. So he made it as good as new. How unbearably useful my Mister is!!







Then the Mister took the boys to Alcosan's Open House.
Yes, that Alcosan... Allegheny County Sanitary Authority- the waste water treatment plant.
They all really enjoyed it.
I had a couple hours to myself which I enjoyed as well.

Anyway, these are the pictures the Mister took.
The boys doing Mad Science.
The boys coloring.




No pictures of the 100ft deep pit that all the waste water flows into, no picture of the screens, no pictures of the river, nothing. I love my boys as much as he does, but geesh. At least he remembered to take the camera, which is better than I do most of the time. So, good job, Mister.

This is his favorite favor from the open house. Frankie the Fish on a Bethel Bakery Cookie. He made a point of taking this picture as soon as they got home.

Now, I solemnly promise to be better about my posting.
Peace.

Post Without Pictures

I Remembered the Camera...when we were about half an hour from home. Ok, maybe a little further.
We went off yesterday to Penn's Colony with the boys. It was quite fun! The boys are still getting the hang of Country, State, County, City.... so the idea of a Colony, well that was just a bit much.

INBA was persistent in trying to understand. So, I told him that it was what Pennsylvania was before it was a state, a long time ago. He says, "Oh, but they had steam trains!"
"No, before Steam Trains." Sorry, but it really is all the kid thinks about. And then I got a little sassy and said, "before dirt." hahhaahha.
He misses nothing. "Before dirt!!! What was under the grass?"
*Sigh* Then we had to go through the whole, no-no, Mommy was kidding, thing. And, "Did they have bushes and trees?" thing. And the, "Are we there yet?" thing. "We've been in the car a really long time." thing. The, "I don't want to go." thing. The, "I am still 4," thing.

Eldest enjoyed the Scotsmen in kilts playing traditional music in a rock and roll style. And I must say Do Ya Think I'm Sexy on bagpipes is pretty, um, enjoyable. I cannot top that.

Dragons in the Burgh

We took the kids down to the South Side to see some dragons.

On the way, we saw a train. Yes, that could have been the adventure in itself, but we continued down the path to the Riverfront park to the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival.
There were plenty of vendors with lots of interesting goods, (it felt, just a smidge, like Chinatown) chinese food and entertainment. By the time we got to where we could see the races, there was an oil barge passing creating a delay in the race starts. It was huge and took quite a while to pass.


The race that we watched, was two boatfulls of breast cancer survivors. One from Philly, the other from Pittsburgh. Amazing and inspirational. I was really impressed by how many boats there were and how far the teams came. It was a lot of fun. Just a suggestion for when you go next year... bring a chair. Not a single solitary place to sit.



We had a nice time and the boys did, too. We parked at South Side Works and walked over. Before we got back into the car we did a smidge of shopping. Ok, so I did a bit of shopping and the Mister and the boys snacked on trail mix at REI. Actually, the Mister did do a bit of dreaming about his bike rack while at REI. He will eventually break down and buy one. Probably when INBA wants to ride a bike on the trails instead of pushing the Thomas train (whose face has broken off and has lost the seat that used to be ridden on, is frankly unrecognizable as Thomas.) The whole point of this blurb is that if you haven't been down to the South Side lately, you should go. You can really see the clean up creeping along, block by block. And, it is still urban chic and not totally yuppie. Not that I have anything against yuppies, but if you've seen one yuppie neighborhood, you have pretty much seen them all. I prefer revitalization that preserves some character amongst the chainstores. And I like the South Side.

Settle In

Boys are Back to School, Why do I Feel so Out of Place?
INBA has embraced 4 year old preschool. I am so glad for him to be having a positive experience. I feel bad, though, when after only 3 days of going he is talking about the one little boy who, frankly, bullied him, but has moved away. Yesterday he was telling me that when this Little Boy wants to fight, he is just going to say no. I just don't know how a teacher can ignore such behaviour in the classroom. I feel bad for leaving him in that situation. I had my reservations, but I really had no idea how much it really was affecting him. I know that I can only do so much, that I have to rely on the school, the teacher, to inform me and protect him to a certain degree. But it still cuts at my heart to think that I failed him in that way. For no reason should he have endured being bullied and for no reason should those teachers allowed it to go on. I don't care what other parents allow in their own home, but that is not acceptable in the classroom, ever. I don't understand rationalizing behaviour based upon bad parenting. Children need many role models and if the ones at home are less than great, it would be nice to think that they could find a better one elsewhere. Gosh, I feel so guilty. Will I ever be able to make it up to him?

Let's Think about Yarn Instead.
Ah, nothing like avoidance to solve a problem. That's status quo, right?
Either way, I walked down the path to more sock yarn.
This beautiful yarn is a handpaint from Fernwood Woolworks that I acquired from Ebay... I swear I was just looking for a costume for Eldest for Halloween... I don't know how this ended up in my win list. It is called garden harvest. Very lovely and I think I am inclined to make my first pair of gloves with it. I am thinking that spring colors will make me feel better during the long grey winter. Ok, hoping.

















Oh, that Damn Harlot. She was oooh-ing over some Sweet Sheep sock yarn and I inadvertantly looked. And then I saw this. Purpurly and Catholic Kilt. Catholic Kilt is navy and white and burgundy. My Mister says it reminds him of Catholic School Girl plaid.... Oh, really? I don't want to know what exactly he conjures in his mind's eye.
And to make it worse, the lovely woman included a hand-written thank you note along with a small sample of the katia bamboo yarn and a discount code for another purchase. Am I really so transparent? I am a sucker for a thank you, I would much rather patronize the nice shops, online or otherwise. Maybe the Mister will use the code for a Sweet Sheep Holiday Treat...



















I decided, since I purchased 3 times too much yarn, that Baby H needed a hat and booties. I think it is the sheen of the yarn that keeps it from photographing properly... it is grape, as in a royal purple. And I put tassels on the booties and bonnet. I like tassels. I am not so crazy about pom pons.






Oh, those shawls. Just about through the second ball on Cascades and have finished the second ball on Sand dune.
No, that isn't a trick of perspective, my diamonds are getting much more squat in the Sand Dunes. I think I would be happier if the green was a little softer and blended more. It just takes too much of the focus.



Busted! I am so embarrassed. The Rooster bag that I gave to Laurie, broke down. The strap, on BOTH sides has come loose! The bizarre thing is that there seems to be no fabric fatigue, the stitching just let go. So I am sending in reinforcement. I think a decorative stitch or maybe just double stitching. To add insult to injury, the Mister suggested that it was a "cheap thread" issue. Um, excuse me? Do you really think that I would use cheap thread? Puh-lease. Defective craftmanship, perhaps, inferior materials, not likely.
It is a really good feeling to give a gift that gets used, but my word, woman, what were you carrying in this bag? I will do my best to see that it doesn't fail you again.

Autumn...
INBA and I took a jaunt down to Trax Farms and picked up some apples. The boys helped me make the first apple pie of the season. I let them in on my secret recipe, just in case they need it when I am gone. Not that they eat apple pie. I know, I know, what kind of freak children do I have that do not like pie. So this is all that is left of the pie... I suppose the Mister and I will have to arm wrestle for it... except that he is at work for several more hours... I need to wash the dish... hmmm. Maybe I will save my bon bons for tomorrow.

Cautiously Optomistic

INBA went to preschool today. The teacher is an angel. He is enthusiastic and excited.

Hopefully, Friday will be as splendid.

I won't say anymore, don't want to jinx it.

When does he turn 5? Oh, not soon enough. You have to be careful with these Mayhem genes, 4 is a rough year. Fair warning to all you little girls not old enough to read yet, but destined to become entangled with my little men. 4 is a rough year. This, too, shall pass. Thank God.

What Would You Do With a Camera?

Hmm, I suppose I would take a picture... if only I had not left the memory card in the computer.
So here is a link instead, to the World's Largest Teapot in Chester, WV. I wonder if they have ever made a pot of tea in this teapot... could you really call it a teapot if you haven't made tea?

We were on our way to Minerva, Ohio to ride a Train. It was good, less than 2 hours from home, so Mommy didn't get too cranky. The train ride was fun, but the boys would have liked to go faster and farther. Of course.

I worked on a sweater for Baby H, not expected until January, but I found the size 10 1/2 needles before the size 6 I was looking for to work the pea pod yarn. I have been fondling it, wondering where I put those needles. The Mister put up more shelves for me in my Sewing Room. It is just the hauling of all my junk up from the basement that seems to be hindering my progress in putting it all back together and knowing where my junk is. Not that I don't know that it is in the basement right now...where it has been since July.

Regardless, it really was almost, only 5 hours for a baby sweater. Not knowing the sex of Baby H, I opted to twist my Make 1's for a less lacy look. I like it so much!
It only took one skein of Caron Simply Soft Tweed in Grape, which is much more of a royal purple. It is an Acrylic with Rayon. And frankly, it is simply soft with a lovely sheen.
Oh, did you notice the button? It is yellow, from the pile in a previous post. See, the junk is useful.
I didn't put the cord through the eyelets at the neck. For some reason, I couldn't put a little rope around the baby neck.




This is the swatch for The Mister's Blue Cable Sweater. I didn't realize how much the cable would suck up the stitches. It is beautiful and I really like the Patons Classic Wool.



Otherwise, still working on the Shawls, I have a sock on, too. The weather is reminding me that I have no reason, ever, not to knit socks.