I Have Proof~~

...that I HAVE been knitting



KUTO knitting complete!

Don't laugh...these are my first mittens, certainly not my last either. Mittens=instant gratification!
I used 2 different patterns to get used to the process, I think the next pair I'll merge the two. There were shaping differences that I preferred one over another.

The mittens are finished and ready for mailing tomorrow, just under the wire...maybe I have time to make another pair?!





One other bit of news proof...
Today I received "The Letter"~~you know the one that proves sanity!
The first line reads:
Dear Mrs. Ferguson:
We are pleased to inform you that the results of you r recent breast imaging examination are NORMAL. Now I can prove to the kids there's nothing wrong with me...I'm NORMAL!! Of course, DD laughed immediately...

Now...onto Christmas knitting!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

WWCS Topic and WIP Progress

What is the ideal setting for enjoying the perfect cup of coffee? Who would be there - or would you be alone? Inside or out? Morning or night? With food or just the steaming cup of joe?

Boy, this is a loaded question! Okay...so here goes~~I really prefer to have my first "Cup of Joe" by myself, wrapped up on the couch or if we are camping by the campfire...most people don't want to be around me until I've had that first couple of sips, so being alone is best! I can't even begin to think about eating anything until I've had my coffee. I only drink coffee first thing in the morning, because I only drink what my Dad refers to "Leaded" or regular coffee so drinking coffee at night is not good if I want to sleep. I do enjoy a cup of herbal tea or hot cocoa at night, that sends me right off to dreamland!






Now for the "Knitting Content" of this Knitting Blog. I made great progress on the 'never-ending' sweater vest for my Dad! Yippeeee! I'm almost done...
The mittens for KUTO are almost complete, I have until Friday to complete the last one~~I think I can do it...no, I KNOW I can do it!
Next on my list are a few Christmas presents, I'm thinking about Fetching for both my step-daughters...they're quick knits, right?

Better go get busy!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Home...

...is always good to come home!

or is it? This is what we woke up to each morning!

I'd been wanting to show everyone a picture of exactly where we were...I'm sure you don't believe me when I say it's an island...but it really is! So, without invading his privacy by linking to the actual map site, this image was "borrowed and created"

...if I'm caught will someone come get me out of jail? I can't fly up and take the picture myself!
It was created by Hubby's father & grandfather back in 1948, where once there stood only a wooden dock they had the idea to use these~~

to create what stands today. Yes, it's an oyster shell island...when you operate an oyster house what do you do with the oyster shells?
It has weathered many a storm and in 1954 Hurricane Hazel wiped out the main oyster house, where it stood in ruin until about 8 years ago when BIL decided to rebuild. Being 3rd generation oysterman he moved the business to the island only to have Hurricane Isabel destroy his dream in 2003...oh, not the building~~he built it to last...the business didn't survive. Just like farmers all over America who are abandoning family business because they can't make it, he decided to give up on the oyster business.
After a lot of time and money BIL now owns this island (the battle still rages through the ire of one disgrundled jerk so called neighbor (I could say much worse about this fella)...but as you can tell BIL is like a pitbull, once he bites on to something he won't let go until he wins! I'm glad because we have such a great time when we visit him! He loves his home...

We had a wonderful time, we caught no fish but came home with some...thanks to BIL!
He also sent us home with some of these~~
Monster Oysters! These are his own crop...amazing huh? You can't buy oysters this size! Though he no longer continues with the family business he still maintains his own crop!

Other BIL is doing WONDERFUL since his surgery...he kept us in stitches the entire time we were there. It's so good to see him "back"!

MIL is heading back to FL on Tuesday...I believe the "guys" will be happy to have the bachelor pad back! She had a really good time and was very surprised to see how much weight DD and I have lost. I just hope that I didn't ruin things while away...weigh in is tomorrow night! I think she really liked her flamingo!

I accomplished lots of knitting, since the fish weren't biting, and have pictures to show as soon as I take time to off-load them from the camera.

We watched lots of football~~~My Cowboys won (YeeHaa!)...and yesterday my Cavaliers lost.

On the way home we visited with DSD, SIL and little Landon...

looks like Santa arrived early?! He's grown so much, alert to his surroundings and smiling at everything. Our visit was too short but at least we did get the opportunity to see him!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving...and for those who braved Black Friday~~more power to ya! I saw some pretty good fights and tramplings on the news reports! Personally...I DON'T DO BLACK FRIDAY!!


There's a contest you need to check out...and be sure and let Chan know you saw it here!
Knit Tea
and
Enter GrammieKnits 300th post contest! Tell her I sent you!

I promise...knitting content in the next post!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We're off early in the morning to Eastern Virginia...I wanted to wish you all a VERY Happy Thanksgiving tonight. If you are traveling please be safe, don't eat turkey and drive...that tryptophan can kick in at the "wrong" time! My step-daughter fell asleep at the wheel several years ago and wrecked her car.


This icon holds some truth for us...Because we are going to the coast our menu will consist of the "bounty of the waters of Virginia" but bad news for the turkey...that's on the menu too!
My pies are in the oven...thanks to Carole for some recipes, I know they will be a hit!
I'm taking a bottle of wine for MIL~~I have a plan...(hee-hee)! So it's off to "The Island" for a short Holiday vacation.

Lots of football to watch (I'm just one of the guys)----My Cowboys play tomorrow!
The BIG in-state rivalry happens this Saturday----GO WAHOOS~~beat those Hokies!! I'll get to see my BIL who's recovering from open heart surgery...do some fishing and I'll see Little Landon!!


Again...Happy Thanksgiving...be safe!
I will be out of computer range so I'll catch up with everyone on Saturday!

Of course, you don't even need to ask...my knitting has been packed!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!!

WWCS Topic of the Week

The Thursday upcoming is Thanksgiving in the U.S., so let's all - American and not alike! - just share a post with what it is we're thankful for. A wonderful thing to do any time of year, I thought it'd be a nice thing to share for this week with the group!

I'm so thankful for my life...my husband, my kids and my family! In a reflective moment today while watching the news about Queen Elizabeth & Prince Phillips Diamond Anniversary I realized I'm not going to have that. Hubby and I are still pretty much newly weds having just celebrated our 5th Anniversary (and not getting any younger), so we have to make every moment worth the life we have left together. I'm thankful for my kids and the promising lives they have ahead of them, I'm enjoying seeing them grow towards having families of their own. Remember middle son was engaged this summer...no pressure!
For those who know me well, know that my early years had been a struggle...being a basically a single mom making so many sacrifices for the sake of my kids.
When I met Hubby my life came full circle...
That's what I'm SO thankful for!!


Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

I'm still here...

Well, I've joined another KAL...but this one is not all about me. In the spirit of Thanksgiving this is all to benefit charity, want to join me~~check out KUTO.
My first pair of mittens with another pair on the needles. If I'd known they were this quick and easy I'd made mittens a long time ago! The thumbs look a little funky, but once they are on it's okay. The second pair are on the needles.
This will also tell you that most of my weekend was spent on the couch with the heating pad on my stomach...yep, I took Ace's bed warmer~~Don't worry he has it back now! One day of feeling bad...lots of knitting gets done! My question is~~when will this "curse" leave me?! Every indication that things are beginning to change yet~every month it arrives again! (ToMuchInfo?)





Look what I found in my garden today! This is my heirloom climbing rose that has been through ALOT! She has a little blackspot but otherwise still blooming...in November! It's always nice to find a smiling face amongst the falling leaves.

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

FO Alert!!

Okay...it's done! What do you think?

I'm still trying to find a pair of sunglasses for it, you know it'll need it when it gets to Florida!

Did you know that in Florida it's not a veranda, patio, sundeck/deck, porch or balcony...it's called a 'lanai'? Here in SW Virginia it's a deck! Anyway, I'm sure it'll be living on the lanai when it gets home...MIL has it decorated really nice. I know it may seem funny to make such a gift for my MIL but she's so hard to find or make a gift for. I can't make a sweater, shawl, scarf, mittens, socks or felted purse-already made her one of these...because of the FL weather. So knowing she likes unusual-crafty things when I saw the pattern I figured it would be fun to make. I wasn't wrong, these Fiber Trend patterns are so much fun to make, now I just need to bring my "sheepy" out of the bottom of the basket and finish it!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Catching up...

I'm not sure everyone was aware of the fact that Sunday was International Pajama Day, I didn't find out until I read Krafty's post last week...so I gladly observed the day of relaxation! Hey...who needs to be told NOT to get out of your PJ's?! What would I have done if company popped in? Ask them what they are doing dressed!

These are my PJ bottoms, yes...my legs are propped up and I'm knitting, while watching football, of course!

The Flamingo is ready to go for a swim! I'll post pics soon!! I have some progress to report on Dad's Vest (yipee) the back is complete, I hope the front goes faster!?

Winter Wonderland Coffee Swap~~Topic of the Week:
As the cold of winter approaches, do you change the projects you work on? Do you work on gifts for others or do you continue working on projects for yourself?

I knit year round, during the warmer months I may use lighter fibers but I really don't change what I'm making. There's always a pair of socks on the needles.
I DO makes lots of gifts...so much so that last year I got tendinitis in my hands! This year I'm concentrating on a couple of major knitting gifts and changing up with some other "crafty" ideas! I do have a couple things in the works for myself but really only work on Kauni when I'm totally bored...with Dad's vest for instance! The changing colors keep me plugging right along where Dad's vest is so monotonous.

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Veteran's Day 2007

Let us remember and honor those who have fought for our freedoms...

Past...Present...and Future.

And remember the families left behind, as another Holiday season arrives.

(This prize winning photo was taken by Hubby a couple years ago.)



Heroes
By Jared Jenkins

In war, there are lives risked and lives taken

Men and women giving their best to defend what they love

They defend their country

Their honor

Their people



Some call them soldiers

Others call them heroes



Our veterans have risked their lives for us

They have lived through hell and fought with honor

Many have killed

And regret doing so



For every life, there is a soul

For every soul, there is a life

For those who have died, we show great appreciation and remembrance

For those who live, along with them live the horrific memories of battle

Some, memories of defeat

Some, memories of victory



Our veterans were more than soldiers

They were, and still are heroes

Warmth...

What keeps you warm on a chilly day?

This is just a sampling of my favs...

I've made Mr. Ace a very happy cat today, in his "advanced age" he's having a hard time adjusting to the cooler temps. Rest assured there are no "Furnace Wars" (it begins on 10/29) happening here...as I showed you before he's buried deep in his winter bed well, little does he know it but today I put the heating pad under his bed on low heat. He hasn't left his bed in 4 hours, don't worry I know he's still breathing~~cause he's snoring!

Bad news arrived in the mail today...every year Explore Park sends us a certificate for our volunteer hours, this year it arrived accompanied by a "The Letter" giving us the news in black and white..."November 30, 2008 Explore Park will cease operation" they will be waiting until June 30, 2008 to find out what Mr. VanderMaten plans to do with the park. I know you all are tired of hearing me whine about this, don't worry...in the words of Forrest Gump~~"That's all I got to say about that!"

This is my 333rd post, but if you are looking for the 333rd post contest you need to go HERE...Cass is a riot!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin"!!!!

Look...

Check it out....from "Down Undah"!!

Don't you just love these colors? The colorway is named "Moses Fire", very appropriate for Autumn! My buddy Terri sent it to me from Australia!

Sorry the picture is so blurry, it's been a very blustery day! I wanted to get a shot next the my neighbors sugar maple but I opted for my Dogwood! Isn't it beautiful?! I wish you could feel this...it's a Merino/Cashmere blend that so squishy soft, it came from The Knittery. I've gotta plan real careful what I'm going to make with it! I'm thinking scarf...any suggestions?

Thanks Terri!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!

Winter Wonderland Coffee Swap~~Question #1

When did you first start drinking coffee? What age were you? Was it about the caffeine, or do you love the taste and smell? Tell us how your passion began!

I don't remember when I first started drinking coffee on a regular basis, I know I was very young, but I do remember WHO gave me my first taste...My Granny & Granddaddy! I was intrigued by my Granddaddy's method of drinking coffee. He had his favorite mug (which I now own but never use for fear of breaking it) and a saucer, the coffee was "cooked" on the stove, which we all know is taboo these days, so it came off boiling hot. He would fill the saucer with coffee from his mug then proceed to finish breakfast as it was cooling (the question here is~why get it so darn hot?), here's the funny and puzzling part, he would push his chair back a little, lean over and slurp the coffee much like the "coffee tasters" of today do. As kids we were simply befuddled as to WHY he drank his coffee this way...but he did all his life. You'll be happy to know that I do not drink my coffee in this fashion!!
I've always loved the taste of coffee and I've become somewhat of a coffee snob, I prefer to grind my own beans for the freshest cup of coffee I can get. I prefer 1/2 & 1/2 and will use milk in a pinch but I hate powdered creamers especially the "flavored" ones...yick! If coffee is going to have flavor I prefer it be the bean. I DO enjoy the caffeine benefits and everyone knows when I haven't had my morning fix. This is why I get up before anyone so I can have my time to enjoy that benefit of my morning "Cup of Joe"...so as to not growl at or bite any one's head off...keeping peace in the house! I have my favorite morning mug that's large enough to get both hands around.
We have a very nice coffee house across the street from the library...very convenient...and normally in the afternoon when I leave they are roasting which entices the senses! There are some who think their brew is too strong (my Dad calls it "burnt coffee" he hates it)~~I'm NOT one of those...I love it! I'm working on trying tea more often too...but I'll NEVER give up my coffee.

Again??

Monday again?? Have I told you lately how much I hate Mondays?

Since I was in serious need of some down-time/quiet time/alone time (whatever you want to call it...too many emotions spent last week) this weekend, I hurried through the cleaning early on Saturday morning so all I had left to do was knit...read and/or listen to an audiobook...and watch football!
I listened (and finished) to "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks...I ended up crying at the end, he usually makes me cry...but it reminded me of THIS story.
On the football front~~UVA pulled out another close win against Wake Forest and my Cowboys defeated their rival Philadelphia Eagles! YooHoo!

So...what was I working on while participating in the above activities...knitting of course!!
Kauni~~

A nice change in knitting...


Dad's Vest~~

Which....I don't feel like I'm ever going to get anywhere with it. I knit and knit and knit...measure and still have 5 inches left to go! ...and this is just the back!


MIL's gift~~

I guess you can now figure out what it's going to be?! I had to change the pattern some though. They had the bill in all black, and MIL would remind me of the fact that they have black at the "tip" of their bill so I went ahead and made the changes!

Honeybees Stole~~



Bro's Socks~~
No pic to share right now...

Yes, I'm a multi-tasker!!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!

Side note: BIL is being released from the hospital today...can you believe it? Five days post surgery and he's out! They had him up just hours after the surgery to walk, last report was that he was getting up to walk the halls...and had all the nurses in stitches~~Yep...my BIL is 150%!!

The Moment You've All Been Waiting For~~

I've been waiting for the weekend, I think everyone knows this has been one "H" of a week for me!
I know what you all are waiting on (so how can I drag this out and keep you in suspense?)

I can't believe that I had almost 100 comments!! Thanks you all for the great response...but that sets the bar high for next year! You know I use GoogleReader to follow all my favorite blogs...and after this...it "runeth over"! There were so many blogs I've never read before...so many new friends to keep up with.

I wish I could give everyone a prize~~I guess I should start playing the lottery so I can shower my friends with wool!

Without any further ado...

The winner is...

Miss Me @ Knit Me To The End Of Time


Congratulations!! Please email me your address (spinnerknitter at aol dot com)

Cooler weather has finally arrived...the "winter kitty bed" has been brought out and Mr Ace is VERY happy...can you tell?




Here's something fun to do...plenty of "flash your stash" sort of posts that go around 'Blogland' I thought it would be fun to~~~ "Tisket-a-Tasket What's In Your (Knittin') Basket"? I know that's a long title but I'm trying to be clever with a rhyme, if you come up with something better let me know. Anyway, post a pic of what's in your knitting basket--yes, all of it--and let me know when you've posted. If someone else has already started something like this, I'm sorry I didn't mean to copy you...I'm just being nosy!
I'm sure you can recognize the items in mine...I'll be posting on the progress of each one in the coming days, weeks, months (and in the case of the Civil War Shawl maybe even years)!

My IK magazine arrived today...reading for the weekend~~YESSSS! You know it's funny, I feel like little "Ralphie" from A Christmas Story...you know when his Little Orphan Annie secret decoder pin arrives! I must admit to you that when I arrived home I needed to hit the bathroom so bad I opened the front door...magazine in hand...and ran straight to the bathroom!!

Don't forget to set your clocks back this weekend (that is if you observe DST) I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to the extra hour of sleep!

I hope you all have a GREAT weekend!!

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'

Already???

It's November already...can you believe it?

I was going to close the CONTEST this morning (in fact, I did for a short period) and announce the winner but since I said Nov 1st was the deadline...I'll leave it open until midnight tonight. I'm having so much fun with this, and you all have blown me away by the #'s of comments I've received, 90 can you believe it? I can't!. For those new to my blog, I hope you find it entertaining enough to come back...I love meeting new friends~~especially those I have a hobby in common with!

Thanks for all the good wishes, prayers and positive thoughts about my BIL. He came through quadruple bypass surgery yesterday just fine...but there's a long road of recovery ahead of him along with some "lifestyle" changes. He told the Dr. he officially quit smoking on Monday, the day he was admitted to ICU!

DD is getting better...meds are helping!

I have lots of knitting progress to show, stay tuned, but that darn vest of my dad's is slow going...I don't feel as though I've gotten very far with it. Since his B-day is in March maybe it will be a B-day present instead of a Christmas present?!?!

Gotta Run....

Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!!!