Thank you.....

....to all the generous donations for my mom.
It was enough to send for some of her things so she could feel like she did not leave all 45 years behind.

Thank you, thank you!

Here's what happened to me, today...

 This coop and run was delivered to us in June 2013.  Nice, right.  Picture it without grass inside.

Well, it wasn't today.  See the latch on the long side of the 4'x8' run that is only 3' tall?

I was wanting to take a really good look inside so I took the spring hook off, did a squat and closed the door behind me.  Yup, you got it.....I locked myself inside the run.  Stop laughing so you can read on.

 See this lovely, clean inside with such a beautiful brand spanking new ladder....all untouched by Le Poo?

You got it.  

After I yelled for help, it dawned on me that I could be in here with the chickens for hours!  I wasn't

the only one not happy with me in there.  The girls were tilting their heads and following me around talking to me.  At that moment, I was very happy it wasn't a puppy who would be ALL over me!

I assessed the situation and saw a possible escape route to the left of the ladder and under

the roost that is about 18" high.

Never mind that I had "to town" jeans on.....but luckily I had the "feed the chickens and clean the roost" jacket on, so I got on my elbows and felt like I was crawling under barbed wire telling myself to keep my head down (yes, I told myself to keep that part down, too).

This is another early photo of one the girls getting used to the coop.  See that feeder in the far back?  The

water container wasn't in there so I could finish crawling through the mud and poo around the feeder.

It was really tough on me with the painful tendinitis in my left wrist but I persevered.

No one my age should have to experience that!

I hope I learned my lesson.  

Don't go where the chickens go!

Bibs. Will they stand the test?

Check out these infant bibs I made as a request from my beautiful DIL.

 The Fronts of the Fantastic Four.

I used some wonderful 100% cotton fabrics.

 The Backs of the same Fantastic Four.

The backs are waterproof and 100% Nylon.

In the middle is some prewashed double-sided flannel.

 Here, my grandson, Joey, is wondering if these will rip off as easily as the velcro ones.

Mom and Dad laughed as Joey tried with all his might.

The face of defeat says it all....the bib won't budge with those snap closures.

The pattern can be found here.

Sheep Heid Tam for me....

....and knit by my dear friend, Denise, of LostCityKnits.  The irony of this is

that I test knit for her and she knit this for me.  She knew I would

not be able to knit it for some time as I have DeQuervain's Syndrome in my left thumb/wrist.

Ouch is right.

Not being able to knit, sew, tat, crochet and other daily activity is making me not so happy.

I DO have a question about my hair and would love input from you all......should I leave it the length it is

or cut it short.  I look forward to your opinions!

Hope everyone else is doing better than me.  :)

A Christmas I'll never forget....

It was 1990.  I graduated from the Reserve Police Academy that summer as an Officer;  money was tight as I worked for minimum wage to make a living for my one-year-old son and me; and I was going through a divorce.
It was December 24th and I was finishing up a sweater I was knitting as a gift for my son when I got a late phone call from one of the office gals at the PD.  She said someone left some boxes of presents in my name and asked me to come get them.  I looked at the clock and saw it was after 10 pm but told her I would right away.
I got my son and bundled him up and we drove the 13 miles to town.  When I walked into the PD, no one was there but the 2 big boxes full of presents for my son.  I packed them into my '87 Toyota pickup and we drove back home.
After tucking my son back in bed, I hauled the boxes into the house and placed them under the tree and finished up his sweater.  I cried and cried with the thought that someone cared enough about us to do this.  I still had no idea who did this.
Morning came and my son (about to turn 2) jumped around with excitement at the colorfully wrapped gifts under the tree.  I soon found out they came from the Radio Shack store that was owned by Keith Mercer and his wife.  Keith was a police officer there.  I did not think of Keith this way as he was very serious about his work.
This was the most memorable Christmas ever and I reflect back on it every year.
I am ever so grateful to him and the PD for giving me so much.....not only the gifts for my son but the gifts I learned as a Reserve Police Officer.
Merry Christmas to all.....

My excellent adventure......

…with Julie.  Of course, there was Robert and Arban, too.  I was just there in July when I received an invite to come for another visit.  So soon?!  Oh for sure, eh!  I was delighted!

Julie picked me up and as soon as we arrived, we left again.  Supplies were in and we had to pick them up.  We were back and quickly went to work making……dill pickles!....40 pounds of pickles!  I knew it!  That’s why she asked me up for a visit!  ;o)

Then came Tuesday and my hair appointment with Greg.  I had been dreading it.  I mean…..REALLY dreading it, sweats and all!  I was trying to get him to hear my concerns about my curly hair but he only heard, “Blah, blah, blah”.  Greg escorted me to get my hair shampooed, then to THE chair and he asked me in a soft voice, “So what do you want people to say when they see your hair?”  Wow!  I had never, ever been asked that question by a hairstylist.  Never.  “I want them to say, Look at that curly thick hair”.  Something like that.  I was still thinking about his perfect question!   Pictures?  Maybe later.

Needless to say, Greg was finished with my new do and I was super happy.  I was Glamorous!....so Julie said.   I Love it!

I thought all the stress and excitement was done.  I thought she was all surprised out.  Wrong.  Julie had one more up her sleeve for Wednesday, the day after my Glam hair day…..we were going to Salt Spring Island via the Ferry!  To visit Marilyn!!!!  

After a delicious lunch on the Wind Walker (Marilyn and Michael’s boat) Marilyn took us to Fulford  

where we walked and got acquainted with some of the shop owners.  It was over before we knew it.  We boarded the Ferry, were home in no time and then we rested.

I think I ate and talked a LOT!  It’s just not fair we all don’t live closer together.  As it is, my excellent adventure is just a drive and Clipper-trip away.

To Canada and back

The proof is in the pictures......and the new words and phrases I learned. 

I had the best "holiday" of my entire life....in Victoria, Canada.  Oh for sure, eh.  I know that that’s an Eastern Canadian thing but I couldn’t help myself!  I loved to say that!

Sitting on the Clipper for 2 hours and 45 minutes, I was able to finish single crocheting around my Wild Rose Scallop Doily (sz 30 thread and US 10 hook).  The ship docked and my feet were on solid ground in Victoria.  I looked around for a short time when my friend, Julie, greeted me with the brightest pink cap on her head.  She seemed as happy to see me as I was to see her.  I met Julie, who gives the best FREE advise on the care of an aging loved one (just click on her name), many years ago at an antique circular sock-knitting machine retreat in Lacey, WA.  We hit it right off and she has asked me many times when I was coming for a visit.  Once I mentioned I didn't have a passport.  "Well, get one!" was Julie's response.  So I did.  Finally.

After I met Robert, Peter and Veronica and Arban, I remember eating the best tasting food....EVER!  I could go on and on about THAT!

So my friend Julie, well…used to be my friend……  You see, she did a sneaky thing and surprised me with these lovely ladies who wanted to meet the KnackfulKnitter from Washington.  I can no longer say I have never had a person pull a surprise on me. 

These ladies are all very talented….  From Left to Right, there’s Marilyn, no longer my friend…Julie, Catherine, Dela and Gayle.  We had show and tell with our knitting projects, talked about weaving and Tunisian crochet and even had Julie wait on us.  

Like I said, I had the best holiday of my entire life!