Blueberries!

Yes, my friends the blueberries are ON!!
This morning I am making fresh blueberry muffins. Don't you wish you were coming to my Angel Food distribution?
So I am on the run for today.........
Angel Food this morning
The rest of the grocery shopping this afternoon, with Mom.
and the Littles by supper time.
Is it any wonder I don't have time to clean house???
Knitting must come first, lol.
in the mean time.
Knit On.

Tuesday-already, sigh

and the list still isn't touched, lol.
Oh well..............off to knit a while before bed, Yawn.........
Knit on.

And She's 2!!

Officially on July 13 Charlie Ann became two!!
Isn't she a cutie in her new car??

My Son in Law Jim, just installed another modem for me, durn storms keep knocking me out!
so I am back.

Job is going well........but boy am I tired at the end of my work day.
Hopefully routine will kick in soon?.
Off to take the last Little outta the tub
their Dad brought them over tonight so we could conserve gas!!
All I had to do was ask.
Knit on............I am.

And the band played on...

Hope everyone has a good day!
We did here.......Parade at 11 am, then to the grocery store to get more burgers and pickle relish.
My former Director, when I sang with the Lakeland Chorale Society, Cole, who is the High School Choir Director, and his students are outside of the grocery.
Selling hot dogs! Well when someone recognizes you and they are "selling" and it's Cole, well, I purchased 3 for us for lunch! Good for me!
Thenk we came home, Tim and I readied the back yard for a 5 pm cook-out!
We had 17 people! Most everyone had fun..........no Tim's folks.
Sorry for Tim, but I would hope he sees that if he doesn't start to find Joy in everything, that is him in a couple of years!
They-his folks left early and the rest of us stayed out side til almost 9, then everyone went home and we three and my friend Mary came in.
Mary stayed for about 45 minutes and then she went home
15 minutes later Mom went out to the cottage to go to bed.
Tim and I watched the Boston Pops Fireworks on CBS and then so did we!

Today we are going Thrifting this morning(visit the regular thrift stores and maybe a garage sale or two), picking up the Littles at 1:30 and heading to an other gathering at 3!!
I am loving my weekend off so far!! Gotta Love that M-F job!!
In the mean time............
Knit On!

A long week over

New Job, old job, new(to me) car, Bible School, Angel Food distribution........whew.......I am beat.
Started a new sweater for Charlie Ann, going quickly, it had better her birthday is July 13. She will be 2!!!
The littles went to Bible School all last week, Kendra went to camp on Sunday-my last day working for the library, so Mom and Dad(!) took her! I picked her up on Tuesday afternoon in the new to me 2002 PT Cruiser. I love this car!!
Light Almond Pearl with taupe leather interior, sun roof, talk about being spoiled.
But now I am safely traveling to my new job. Only worked one day, but it was great!

Tim is working on getting the new front entrance finished up, maybe by Tuesday.
Then he wants to create a deck space in the back yard.
The 4th of July is Friday and we are having a cook-0ut!! Probably only the usuals, but still a fun time, especially knowing that I won't have to work any of the weekend!!!!! YAHOO!!!

So I needed to get some thing posted to let my fans know what I am up to, or not.
I cleaned out the littles clothing here today, 2 plus boxes of outgrown clothes. I hope to donate them to a ministry which just gives clothing to needy. As I and Mom purchased most from the Goodwill or Thrift stores, I feel right to just let the next kids just have them. Many of them are still like new! So they should bring smiles to little faces.
Knit on, I plan to.....

Sunny Saturday morning

that's what I woke up to!
Even tho the mid part of my day will be spent inside the library, I am looking forward to a great weekend.
The Littles will be coming this afternoon, Kendra will be going to camp tomorrow. I wish I could take her, but Rachel will and it is right that she do so.
I will pick her up on Tuesday, what an adventure for her! 7 years old and her first camp!
Tim is happy about me finding a new job, he thinks I need to pull my share, right like I did not do that during the past 6 months!
I have many things to get back in order, funny not having a strict schedule, some things got put aside, lol. But it won't take long to get back to ship-shape!
Off to do one of my two last days and take in the letter to make it official.
Knit on---I plan to do so tonight!

Another Chapter is coming to a close

Appropriate from a "librarian" don't you think?
Last week on Friday I was contacted by an old friend, did I want to consider working for him??
Full time with benefits?? Only kicker was I would have to drive 30 miles...one way. But it is all expressway.
So I interviewed for the job. Was told they would call me on Thursday...and they did..did I want it? Yah, you betcha!
So today is the hard part. Telling my home care employer, I will miss my elders, but not the secondhand smoke at the one persons home-I tell you it is so thick that I need a shower when I am done there! And as for my gentleman, well, I do feel badly about him, he trusts and likes me. I hope he understands it is only about the money. Not him.
I will also have to tell someone from the library board. This ain't gonna be fun. Since the director has moved on there is Chaos reigning! I just wanted to do a job, a good job. Every day it seemed my position was diminshed further. I was hired to be the Youth Librarian, and I felt yesterday to be just a little above a Page-high school students who re-shelve books. Not that I am above shelving books, but when I am told a 20 year old spoiled arrogant child is "in charge"-not the message I had received just 5 days before! Well, it is time to move on.
So I will work the weekend, and be done, figure it out. I am moving on. Only one story time-will need to have someone cover it, maybe two...guess the "summer college student" can do that too!
So I am going to look at books on CD, better than radio for my drive??? Since driving will cut into my reading time and my knitting time, maybe lunch hours will be dedicated to that!
But no weekends, Paid Holidays, Paid Vacation.............plus bennies........well I gotta go!
As for the driving, well, I drove almost as much doing the two jobs! And this will be highway..one way, stop for the day, and then one way home.
So off to do errands, but first knit.
Knit on!

Saturday finally

And today still finds many things to do, Prayer Shawl meeting, cleaning house, cleaning up the remainders of last week's basement flood, curtains to make, blinds to hang. Ok way too much to do, as usual. But plug thru I will, but I will not forget to make time to knit or be fun!
We watched no less than 2 DVDs last week-Untraceable and Mad Money.........both worthy of viewing.
I am starting to think of Christmas, don't laugh, knitters must think ahead-somewhat. I have great plans for gifts right now!!! Again this year Christmas will be focused on people not money.
What are the thoughts on Blueberry jam or Blueberry Salsa????
My friend Cherrie and I are planning on being at the FiberFest in Allegan for a couple of quiet days..knitting, looking absorbing the Fiber World. I really want to do this, it will be help August 16-17--now that would be my Saturday and Sunday to work at the Library, but in that I have to work the weekend of Jan's knit-away.........I will have to let them know on Tuesday, I am unable to work the fiberfest weekend. Now to just let Tim know, lol. He too loves FiberFest, but maybe he can come and visit? Afterall, blueberries will be in and he should be busy.
My Littles will have to do without Grandma that weekend.........I need to be there!!
At present my yarn budget is at a close. I have only one skein of Americana sock yarn in the drawer on hold at Friends of Wool. What great ladies to do this-hold items until the funds come in for the buyers. For me it has been a wonderful thing.
I have to get hustling on knitting for Christmas........and planning too!
I still want to knit up that nativity, better get those sticks clicking!
Yesterday my business day ended with and interesting phone call to my home.........interesting is all I am saying for now. But it could be life altering, in any case, it was heart changing. More in the days to come.
So while there aren't any pictures, that washer is calling my name, sigh, soon I will post a few of the wedding and others-probably socks, lol.
in the mean time...............
Knit On.

I am home

They are married, Mom is back to her home, doing laundry and I am pooped.

tomorrow back to the work grind. The librarian at the library where my new job is has moved on....wonder what that means for those left behind?? --hopefully not too much "change".

A look at Douglas and Charlie Ann looking for Grandma in the LasVegas Airport.

Here I am seeing my son for the first time in 5 years-at the LasVegas airport!

Still makes me cry!

Will have more pictures and stories later, I am tired and need a nap!

Sunny, but

still kind of cool in the mornings. About 35 degrees! and not too warming in the day times either.
only about 55. Soon enough we will be kabitzing about how hot it is!
I have finished yet another pair of moc croc socks, I have to get the camera near the computer and get those photos posted here!
In two short weeks now we will be in Vegas! While it is good to know that, it is also alarming, there is always soooooooo much to do before going away for a little time. The fact that Rachel and Jim will be here keeping the dogs makes it alot easier.
Mom is here today and we are going to plant flowers at the gravesites. Then a wedding reception this afternoon and the Littles after that.
Another busy weekend!
Knit on, when you get the chance or be like me and just take it!

And the thunder rolls!

Tim gave me a goodbye hug and kiss, but I was too warm and comfortable to get out of bed. Wrong! Shortly after he left, Cinnamon, my red doxie starts to cry. And then the thunder and lighting came rolling thru. Only about half an hour, but these sounds are not comforting to me!
Seems to be a break right now, whew.
I work "all day" at the library today, I hope the days all go as quickly as they have been. I am planning on firming up the adult portion of the summer reading challenge today.
It's official, gas was $3.99 yesterday, sigh. With the gas hog I have to drive it will be very expensive to keep her on the road. But on the road I must go!
Hoping that our neighbor gets a piece of land turned for a summer garden soon. I would like us to be able to turn the soil some before we plant. I also plan on looking for some canning jars, I can do that and it seems if everything is rising in costs, well, I should.
Today I am going to print out my list of things to pack and place it up in the suitcase. It's official(lots of official stuff here today,huh?) I am going to start to pack!!
I did move and leave the furniture in the living room. Tim does not like it, sorry but for the summer it is going to stay! Looks lots more open to me and I miss being able to move furniture. I always moved it frequently when I was single, I like to keep it interesting.
Off to do the mandatory morning knit!
Knit on.

Oy!

Only 15 days til we leave for LasVegas!! Douglas is so excited, he talks to me almost everyday(sometimes twice a day!) with plans and such.
I only want to make it thru the upcoming weekend. Momma is coming......so the house must be House Beautiful perfect, no knitting bags, no skeins of wayward yarn, no pile of magazines!
Busy, busy, who did I think I was getting a job? Oh that's right, Mr. Bill who visits via the mailbox thought I needed a J, O, B. How did I ever work full time before??
Today I am concerned about the property surrounding ours. The women who own it have big ideas, a horse pasture, horse barn, carriage house(garage with living quarters above) and a main house, not to mention a 4 car garage for her "business". This property was originally 11 acres.
We purchased 2.5 acres, the southwest corner. The business is north of us, the pasture will be to the east and the buildings.....mostly spattered to the east. Way too much building for my opinion. Why buy in the country and build next to the existing homeowners. The fact that this is Tim's boss does not make it easier. Originally, they were only to build a house and garage.......sigh. With the economy in Michigan what it is, well we couldn't sell if we wanted to.
My main concern is horses, no I don't like them. And I don't believe they will keep it clean. It will smell here at times and there will be horse flies. I don't care what they claim, we have lived next to horses before and I know it will.
Ok enough of that........off to move furniture in the livingroom, Tim says it is fine, but I want to see if it would work another way, oh and there is that work thing to do today too!
in the meantime, if you have time,
Knit on.

Friday!

Only 2 hours to work today, in my Home Care field and 6.5 tomorrow and I have the weekend off.
Right, the littles will be here after I finish working tomorrow, and Tim is hosting a chicken dinner at church. busy, busy weekend here in our house!
I have a little to knit on for my last Mother's Day giftie and then I can post pics!
in the mean time........................
Knit On.

And so it goes..

the price of gas, that is. I am thankful that my 2 part-time jobs are within 10 miles of home.
expected prices of $4.00, well that just cuts out any extra trips, anywhere. Careful planning every time one gets in their car. But at this time, I won't be giving up knitting on Thursday!
IF the time comes that I must cut back, well, it will be to every other, but I don't want to do that.
I have been busy, too busy it seems, I have gotten a little knitting done, but can't post pics yet. It takes me a little while and I have to be out of here earlier than originally planned this morning.
Trust me, I have gotten in most of my knitting time.
Off to get ready for my first full day at the library, I shall feel like a bird with clipped wings after all this freedom for the last few months? We will see.
In the mean time.........
Knit on.

go to the Wedding shoes!

Ok I am going to try and get the picture where I want it, if it doesn't work, well, they are destined to be on the top..for now.
OK!! I was able to move it!! Hurrah for being stubborn and wanting to figure this out for myself!
the shoes are a satin fabric with embroidery and cut outs, rubber soles, so we don't have to worry about me being ungraceful.
Oh, in my last post I forgot to tell about the Sunday potluck and auction...
Tim and I got to church early, 9 am to get stuff arranged on tables as it came in for the after church, after potluck auction. And did stuff come in.
Church starts, Tim doesn't sing in the choir as he feels really crappy, so I sing, but after the anthem, I go down to sit in then pew with Tim. He starts coughing and gagging so out he runs. I sit there awhile and then I go out, as I am sure the dining hall needs attention-read here tables and chairs. Yes, it does, sigh. So we start setting up additional, with another's help. Then we get the food out, cut if needed, table ware, plates, make up the punch all of that jazz...by this time I am steaming, I am not the only person on the finance committee..........there are at least 9 others, where are they?? And where is the chairperson?? So church ends, everyone comes rushing out to eat-of course. I am really ticked off that the chairperson is so unaware of his needing to be helping that I basically go off!! Tell him, I won't be counting the offering, and he will be cleaning up as I am done.
Ha.
The auction begins and guess who is to be the person writing down the purchase and the cashier??Yep. me.
We get thru it, that's the long story short. Disappointingly, my perfect little felted purse went with an end of auction clear the table sweep..for about $3-I won't do that again. and here is the one which is most disappointing for us, the 2 night stay in our cottage, value $160- went for $25. A box of cookies went for $20-so next time I will just bake cookies. Or not.

It has taken until last night for me to get rid of my feeling on this auction and the lack of participation of the other members of the committee, enough so that I may not be attending the next meeting..........I am still ticked, just trying not to let it rule me.
Off to grab a quick nap before my day begins, officially!
Knit on.

Nevada here we come!

Yesterday, Tim took the day off and we went on a mini-vacation!

Ok it was just a trip to South Bend, but we figured out we had not been there in 5 years!

We just meandered our way there, stopping if we wanted anywhere.

The main purpose of our trip you ask? To shop! I had been given -very generously-a gift card to Penney's as a birthday gift. We know the one there has the best selection of clothing, in my size. So off we went...I was exhausted!! I tried on clothing for 2.5 hours!! But success!!

2 pair of khakis, and 3 tops! Plus a little left on my card!! enough for another trip? Or just a jaunt to Holland. We will see!

Then we went off to Sears, to look at a red grill-living in a dream world, as it is on sale for $279.00, But, I was swept off into Tim's dream, so off we went. The grill is huge, half the size of our LadyBug-'91 escort. And the top doesn't match the rest of the grill, not a pretty site!

But, I did find my go to the wedding shoes! Comfy and on sale!

So then we wound our way home stopping at a Goodwill, and what did we find?

This little dress, which may well be Charlie Ann's go to the wedding find. Poor Deja, she is having a time finding the right dress. And the right dress it must be!! So I will be sending this off after I launder and press it today, to California! If nothing else, it will be a back up, or we will bring it back home for Colee, who will love it as it is "purple", lol.

So, that is what happened yesterday, but let's look back, Movie night was a bust! No one came, but Tim, myself, the Pastor and one guy and his teenage daughter, as they are friends of ours, we figure it was only out of mercy they did come. So we cancelled and we came home. I finished up the remaining things I wanted to do in the cottage and went to bed.

Saturday morning came too early, Tim off to the church by 7, me scurrying to finish getting ready, projects, I must have projects to knit on!

At 7:45 am, true to her word, my friend, Barb came. She brought a breakfast casserole, her spinning wheel, and knitting projects...the Knit-Away-Day had begun! Shortly afterwords, Cherrie drove in with a full trunk!! Projects and all! Now the fun really began!

In all 20 women came and we had a wonderful, bonding, prize winning time! As promised, there were lots and lots of prizes. And tossed stash on the bed to be exchanged!

There was talk of an annual event!(Cherrie and I knew this would probably be the outcome!) Wait someone says, we need to do this twice a year, no quarterly says another. Now you and I know it is a busy world and for women to steal a few hours once a week to knit, it makes some feel guilty(not me!). But, to let family and friends know that they will be doing that weekly and also attend a day retreat once every three months, especially in Summer or Holiday time, Well I am of the opinion they won't. But one in Spring and one in Fall, now that could happen!

All I do know is that, We ALL had a great time!! Laughed, knit, hugged and ate and ate and ate, lol. It was a success!

Knit on...

OMG!

This week has been crazy!
Sunday, church, Monday work, run to Holland, pay bills, Church council meeting, Tuesday, work, check in to Library for details on new job, run to Holland, choir, Wednesday, run to Holland-had a great time thrifting-buy groceries, talk to Librarian about schedule for May, cook dinner for the PRAISE dinner and service, talk to Douglas for almost 2 hours, Thursday, work, run to Holland, a little thrifting, come home, go to knitting-whew-.
So here is the plan for the next few days, Friday, run to Bodfish Farms to distribute Angel Food flyers, call woman in Douglas to help them get information, go to Walmart get stuff for Movie night, work, clean cottage, Movie night(hope I don't have to go...), Saturday, Tim has to be to church at 7 am to go get Angel Food, Knit-Away-Day starts at 8 am, and runs to midnight, Tim will be in and out.......Sunday potluck at church with Auction following.........Sunday night collapse.
There you have it!
Knit on--If you have time, I don't think I will until Saturday!

Here she is, My Charlie Ann..........

here is one for now, more to follow..
Knit on.

Our official Easter photo

what a spring looking group. Kendra is wearing a hat also, but it is a cloche type and does'nt show much. Tristan is tired of posing....
We had a great day-always do.
Knit on.

I have been knitting

Here is the hood portion of the sweater for Charlie Ann. Notice the little heart shaped buttons??

and here is a pic of the whole sweater. Just waiting for a pic of her wearing it!

These are my sister's socks. to keep her tootsies warm.

Today I should finish a new pattern I tried for a prayer shawl. I am using the Cotton Candy colored Homespun which my friend Ann gifted to me. Pictures to follow.....

Knit on.