Out With the Old, In With the New

Check out what's happening at our house this week (photo of breakfast area, taken from in front of the great room's fireplace, right)...all of the old paint, wallpaper/borders, etc., are in the midst of being removed...and this is what chaos really looks like! The furniture that's left in the house for staging purposes (and to make certain that the house is considered neither "vacant" nor "unoccupied") is piled in the middle of the floor...covered with protective plastic sheeting to minimize any damage from the dust and drips. Good thing, too, since they painted the ceiling today. Tomorrow: the walls get a coat of Builder's Beige (much the same color that you see on the walls already...only it will be fresh, as they say).

I hate this much confusion in our lives, but it must be done...or, at least we believe that by doing this, we will be able to sell our house in MO much faster than if we didn't...and get on with our new lives in NC. Still, I can barely find a perch in the middle of all this dust & clutter. Yeeeooow.

To keep myself sane in all the hub-bub, I am concentrating on a new knitting project...two socks at a time on two circular needles! Missy M actually got me going while we were at her house for Christmas, loaning me her book "Knitting Circles around Socks" (shown, left). Unfortunately, she found the book to be frustrating, as all the steps are written for right-handers...something she finds too many times. It took me a while to plow through the directions and decipher the diagrams, but I think I finally figured it out. As you can see in the photo, I've made it through the heel(s) and am well on my way on the foot(s)...er, feet. I try to do a little on this project each evening in order to calm my anxieties and settle me down for sleep. Learn something new each day, right? Right!

In addition to all the inside work that's being done by our contractor, Leave It To Weaver, Mr. T. and I grabbed paint brushes this afternoon and took advantage of our first (and potentially ONLY) "warm" weather day (55 and windy) since all this began. After the contractor's guy finished power-washing the house, Mr. T painted the trim and the columns on the front porch, while I applied the stain to the deck out back. Both projects turned out well, and we are thankful for having this brief opportunity to tackle the exterior details that needed decent weather for doing.

So, how will we be spending New Year's Eve tomorrow? Probably recovering from another work-day around the house. But, never fear. I do have a bottle of Stone Hill Winery's Steinberg White chilling in the fridge, and I found a couple of festive wine glasses on seasonal special at Schnuck's today when I went to get us a salad for lunch...and we have some party hats from last year that didn't get packed. I guess the movers thought we might need them...? Maybe we can get some Chinese Take-out and then clink our red glasses of white wine to toast in 2009! We're such party animals, aren't we?

Here's hoping that it will be a good one for us all...

OK, So I Couldn't Stand It

I'll admit it. I'm a Christmasaholic. I love everything about Christmas (except, maybe, fruitcake...:). And, so my earlier declaration that "there will be no decorating for Christmas around the MO home this year due to the up-coming move" was barely out of my mouth before I started.

I first put that basket of green boughs, cut from the bottom of Missy M's Christmas tree, on the front porch. They looked so lonely that I went to Lowe's and bought a wreath for the door. Oh, and I decided that the Santa Nutcrackers that usually stand by the front door (and need painting so terribly) could pull Door Duty just this one last time.

Then, because I had so many, I created another basket of boughs for the dining room table. And, while looking for the Christmas DVDs to take to Missy M's, I spotted the child-sized Rudy and Rhonda Reindeer, packed separately from the other stuff...and they just begged to be allowed to sit on the sofa for a while. And, what should be in the bottom of the bag? Why, two stockings...which are now gracing our mantle.

Then, while looking for something else entirely in the garage, I came across my Rudolph antlers and nose for the car. So, there's Miss Lillie Pearl , sporting her Holiday finery while in the parking lot at the Y (in the photo to the right)!

Ahhhhh. Much better.

Of course, it really will be much better after this week. The movers arrive on Tuesday to start the 4-day packing process...and then most of our "stuff" heads to NC. We will keep just enough (to-be-donated-later) furniture in the house to be able to stay here while waiting for it to sell. Everyone...think positive real estate-related thoughts!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Let's check the ol' calendar on the wall. December First. Right! Let's look at the thermometer on the kitchen window. 28 degrees. Brrrr! Now, let's look outside and check the weather. Snow on the ground and still coming down. Yep. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I'm actually thankful for the wintry weather to remind me of the season, since we won't be decorating for the Holidays around this house this year. No, we'll probably be loading up the moving truck to send our stuff to storage along about December 15th. Makes me a little sad since decorating is such a fun thing for me. You know, getting out the Christmas China and Waterford "Twelve Days of Christmas" wine glasses...unwrapping and placing the 50+ Nutcrackers...picking out just the perfect size tree (and then removing some off the bottom so it'll fit...:)...going through all the many ornaments we've collected over the years and deciding which ones/how many we can use on the tree this year......oh yeah, I'll miss all that for sure.

Fortunately, while we were visiting Missy M for Thanksgiving, she suggested that we go get her tree and decorate it. Yea!

We found a beautiful Fraser Fir at Lowe's, which was tagged as a 6'-7' tree, but reaches almost to the 8' ceiling, even after a trimming and a hair-cut! Mr. T. did the lights, and topped the tree with the Star and Angel (a gift from Auntie D). I tied ribbon on the new teal (matches her colors perfectly!) and silver bell ornaments. Then, Missy M placed all the ornaments and the raffia, just so. She has such a wonderful eye for design, so her tree always looks magazine-perfect (as you can tell from the photos).

She's also got her own collection of Nutcrackers going, as you can see in the photo (below). We found a cute one this weekend that's actually an Advent Calendar...or, a Countdown-to-Christmas calendar. He seems to fit right in! The Harrod's bear on the right is from a trip to London a couple of years ago.

OK, so I did bring back the branches Mr. T removed from the bottom of her tree (we didn't want the doggies to do too much damage as they investigated...:), and I plan to place them in a basket on the MO porch, along with a red bow, ho, ho, ho. At least I won't be a total Scrooge. And, of course, I'm consoling myself with the vision of returning to the NC mountains next year, selecting and cutting down my own Fraser Fir...and then eating a yummy meal at the Daniel Boone Inn in Boone, NC. Ah...memories...ahead of time!

FO and UFO Report for Oct-Nov '08

I thought I'd better get a post together about my current crop of Finished (FO) and Unfinished (UFO) Objects. Probably a good idea since I'll soon be packing up my yarn stash for the upcoming move to NC, right? Missy M reminded me that I would have to CHOOSE which yarn to keep off the moving truck...you know, which yarn/projects I would like to work on in the interval between selling our MO house and moving into our NC house. Decisions, decisions...

As I've reported in an earlier post, I finished these Rippling Dunes Socks for N/M/E (photo to the right). They are made from the Maizy Yarn (85% corn fibre, 15% nylon) in colorway "Miami Nice," and they turned out pretty good...at least she seems to enjoy wearing them.

I also finished felting the purse/bag out of the Andes wool for her, too. I got this wool at the Yarn Garden in Lawrenceville, GA, intending to knit a scarf with it. Well, I knitted about 1/3 of the scarf and realized that I didn't really like the abrupt color change from pinks to greens in the scarf and I frogged it. Sigh. What to do? Hmmmm...since the yarn was 100% wool, I wondered if it would look good felted? I had seen a pattern for the "Grab & Go" felted bag with (unfelted) I-cord leaves and stems in the November 2008 Creative Knitting magazine and decided to (alter it...make it bigger...) give it a go! Isn't it amazing how the colors changed when felted, as you can tell from the photo (left)! Missy M found the button in just the right green at the Quilt Shoppe in St. Charles...perfect match, wouldn't you agree? N/M/E has stuffed it full...and takes it with her everywhere.

I've finished a couple of Christmas gifts for the SILs, but I'll hold off on the photos...just in case one of them happens to read this post. Hey, I can keep a secret...

On the needles now...a scarf for Missy M (don't worry, she picked out the yarn and has seen me working on it...:) and the Shawl Collared Sweater for Mr. T. I finished one sleeve while on a recent trip to ATL and am hap-hap-happy to report that it appears to fit him. Have cast on the second sleeve and completed the ribbing and a couple more inches of the stockinette. Hoping to finish both of these UFO's in time for Christmas. Knit, knit, knit!

Oh, and I have a pair of socks outta Harry Potter sock yarn going, too. Since those are probably for me, I'll just take my time on them. Will probably use them for those times I need something "different" to work on...to keep from getting bored with one or another project. You know how that goes, don't you?

And, last but not least, I'm back to working on Christmas stockings. I finished 4 of them a couple of Christmases ago (when we were at Missy M's house for the first time) for the two-legged family members. Now, I have to work on stockings for the four-legged mutt-mutts!

OK, better stop blogging and get back to my knitting!

Third Time's The Charm

I want you all to be the first to know...we're moving! Again. Goodbye MO...hello North Carolina...which makes the third time to NC for us. The first time was in 1988...from TN to Kernersville. The second time was from OH to High Point in 1994. And, we are looking at HP again in early 2009. Looks like we'll arrive in time to help celebrate 150 years.

Happy, happy, happy!!! Oh yeah...:)

We have so much to do to get ready for a move, and (again) we'll be doing it in stages. N/M/E and the Drool Gang will probably head to Missy M's for a little bit, where they won't be bothered by all the de-cluttering and painting, etc. (Have you ever tried to keep a house you are showing to prospective buyers CLEAN with 3 dogs in residence? Two words: Night. Mare.) Mr. T will probably have to head East for work (where he's taking over a territory for Fuso with SC, NC, VA, MD, DC, and a portion of PA) before we sell the house here, so I may end up being the family member with the longest tenure in MO. Oh well. Whatever we have to do is definitely worth it. Definitely.

Did anyone catch that reference to Fuso for Mr. T? What's that line from the song..."everything that's old is new again"? Yep. Fuso. I'll try to make this brief, but it's easy to get lost following the bouncing ball: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck's majority interest was purchased by (then) Daimler-Chrysler 5-6 years ago; Fuso (where Mr. T has worked since 1997) was "folded" into another Daimler line called Sterling Truck earlier this year (February), when Mr. T became an employee of Daimler/Freightliner/Sterling (take your pick...); announcement was made in October that Daimler was discontinuing the Sterling Brand (YIKES!), with all employees receiving severance packages (Double YIKES!!); announcement was made in November that the Fuso brand WILL be continuing; Mr. T was asked to work for the revived Fuso organization that is being re-tooled and offered the opportunity to take over a new territory in the East; Mr. T said YES! He even gets to keep his seniority, which means that his 10+ years' service count...hip, hip, hooray!

I'll try to keep all posted on our progress, but if I slack off...I'm sure you will understand.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Mr. T. and I had a great time recently in Memphis, where we went to the University of Memphis Homecoming football game. I've loved this school (and football) since I was a little girl and Billy "Spook" Murphy was the coach.

I count myself fortunate that we moved back to Memphis after we were married, and I was able to earn my Master's degree from (as it was known at the time) Memphis State University.


The opponent this year was the University of Southern Mississippi...yup, where I got my Bachelor's degree. I was sure of only one thing as we headed to the Liberty Bowl Stadium, where the Tigers' home games are played: my alma mater was going to win the game! I am happy to report that Memphis pulled it out, 36-30...Go Tigers, Go!! (Truth be told, I don't count Southern as one of my favorite places/things, as I was only there a few months to complete my degree in record time...just a matter of convenience, really. But, I still like their band...:)



Speaking of bands...Memphis' Mighty Sound of the South sounded every bit as good as they ever were...maybe even a bit more flashy, with fireworks on the field to welcome the team when they ran through the Big Tiger Head (photo, left). The "Go Tigers Go" Fight Song is still my favorite one, followed closely by Notre Dame's Fight Song (which was also my high school's), and (ok, grudgingly) UT's Rocky Top.

Speaking of Missy M...and favorite things...she and I had a fun day on Saturday at Knit and Caboodle in St. Charles. We took a class on making a Knitting Basket! I didn't get a picture of them before she took them with her to L'ville to stain, but I'll post one as soon as I can.


She went back home yesterday, but Ella Rae is staying with us for a couple of weeks. She is so full of energy that I'm not sure if any of us can keep up with her...but we are having fun trying! Here's a photo (right) of her sitting on the back of the sofa, barking out the window at something (?) in the back yard. This is about as still as she ever gets in the daytime!

Time to get to the Y for my walk...I'm up to 3.5 miles on the treadmill, woo-hoo! I'll have to do a little extra today, 'cause I won't make it tomorrow. I imagine that I'll be too pooped to exercise after a long Election Day...we have to be there at 4:45 A.M., and we'll probably still have folks in line at 7:00 p.m. Frankly, I hope we have a busy day...because that means a big turnout. Think we'll get to 70% this year? 80? 90 or more? Wouldn't that be fantastic?!

Go Vote!

Where has the month gone?

I cannot believe it. The calendar says "October 20" but I'm not sure how it got there so fast. We started the month off with a weekend in Chicago (see photo to right of us in front of the Art Museum), where we met Missy M (who arrived there early for a scheduled training session) to play tourists in the Windy City. Then, I was in ATL for a week for work (and dental work), so I guess that must be why I feel like time went whoosh this month.

In addition to spending more time on business this past month, I've also been spending some more hours in the gym. I noticed in the late summer that I was feeling better...well, stronger, I guess is a better word. My back seems to generate less pain, and I seem to be able to walk longer before my foot and leg start "dragging." (Imagine: Quasimodo). Hmmmmm...something's different, for sure. So, long-story-short...I got myself back to the Y...am up to 3 miles on the treadmill, plus a couple of sets on the circuit...and, am still feeling good. This could be a real good trend indeed.

For sure, I credit the increase in flexibility from the circuit machines to helping me recover so quickly from a tough yardwork-out this weekend. We cleaned out the beds in the front; emptied pots of soil in preparation for winter; divided iris and daylilies; and re-planted as many as we could find a spot for. I thought I wouldn't be able to move today...but, to my surprise, I barely had a twinge of an achin' muscle. Thank goodness.

Oh, and one other home improvement I forgot to mention (although this one was mostly done by Mr. T., 'cause it involved E-L-E-C-T-R-I-C-I-T-Y) is shown in the photo to the left. That's our new dining room chandelier! I had seen it a few years ago in the Pottery Barn catalog...but thought it a wee bit pricey. When I revisited it online, I found...to my disappointment...that it was discontinued. Drat. No worries! Found it on Ebay!! Less than half the original price!!! Brand new...in the box...shades still in the cellophane wrappers. Cool. BTW, can you tell this was my first ever winning bid...:)

Alas, all-of-the-above have left me fewer hours for knitting. I did finish a couple of projects since my last FO report, including:
1. Cutie-cute baby sweater and hat [for a neighbor's grandchild] out of super-soft Queensland Bebe Cotsoy yarn.
2. Some snazzy socks for N/M/E out of "Miami Nice" color of Maizy (85% corn fibers, can you believe?!) in the Rippling Dunes pattern.

So, what's on the needles now? Well...
1. That Shawl-collared Cardigan sweater in Highlander for Mr. T.
2. A scarf for Missy M (shhhhh...:)
3. Scarf for SIL
4. To-be-felted bag for moi in Andes yarn

Fortunately, I should have some quality knitting time coming up as the Boyz of October begin batting in Tampa on Wednesday. Woo-hoo! Go 'Rays! Plus, I'll be in the passenger seat this weekend as Mr. T. and I head to homecoming in Memphis. Go Tigers Go! Knit, girl, knit!!

A Brand New Ride

Woo hoo! We're on a roll now. Check out the new ride that followed me home from the dealership last Friday (photo, left, with Nana/Momma/Edith). After eleven years, I said "so long, farewell" to my baby Toyota Corolla...and "welcome home" to a Deep Water Blue Pearl PT Cruiser, which (after much thought) I named "Lillie." (Not making the connection? Well, my grandmother's name was Lillie Pearl...)

N/M/E and I had rented a PT Cruiser for our recent trip to Gatlinburg, and we both truly appreciated the ease of entry and exit, as well as the amazing amount of flexible space created by the hatchback and the foldable/removable rear seating configuration(s). If only the driver's seat had been height-adjustable (it wasn't made for someone 5'2"...:) and cruise control had been included (that was on my list of requirements for any replacement for the Toyota...which didn't have cruise...).

Well, we found out that the Touring version of the PT Cruiser had both of these items...and a whole lot more! Remote key locks? Check! Comfortable ride and good gas mileage? Double check! Same ease of entry/exit, 24 mpg, and the tires are almost cartoon-like, they give such a balloon-y ride. CD Player? Triple check! I can play CD's and my IPod...and I get Sirius radio for a year!! Ooh...and I have a sunroof! And, heated seats!! And I can rearrange the way-back in order to give ALL the Drool Gang a ride to the Dairy Queen!! And I even love the color!!! Memphis Tiger True Blue, wouldn't you agree? Oh yeah...I'm like a kid at Christmas, for sure. You will possibly forgive my enthusiasm and explanation points...you see, I've not had a "brand-new" car in 20 years. Shows, doesn't it?

I put Lillie to the travel test almost immediately, hitting the road for Nashville for a family funeral. While N/M/E and I were sad and tear-drained, we rode in complete comfort...and arrived home, no worse-for-wear.

Welcome to the family, Miss Lillie Pearl!

It was the best of months, it was the worst of months...

...with apologies to Mr. Dickens...the title just seems to say it all.


I don't even know where to begin this first post of September. I suppose I should start where the month itself began...with a little vacation for N/M/E and me. We rented a PT Cruiser (see the photo, left/below; more on that in my next post) and headed to Gatlinburg via Missy M's house. We had a CD with Cyndi Lauper's 80's hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which became our theme song for the week. Had a great time, visiting many of our ol' haunts including the Apple Barn, the Old Mill, Newfound Gap, and The Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge. We also found a couple of new favorites, like Smoky Mountain Spinnery (yarn!) and Alewine Pottery. N/M/E seemed to thoroughly enjoy our trip, which included stopovers (both ways!) in Berea, KY (fabulous food and Arts & Crafts). Our last night out was spent back at Missy M's. Ella Rae wasn't too sure about us on our first visit, but she seemed to remember us when we returned. She's grown for sure, but she's still a teeny-tiny little ball of energy!

Home again, home again, jiggiddy-jog. Just in time to help Mr. T celebrate his birthday. Woo-hoo! Instead of a cake, I made him some apple fritters from a mix from the Apple Barn...served up with the bestest apple butter in the universe. Yum!

We were also "just in time" for the hot water heater to flood the basement. Replaced that. $$$. Bummer. Then, the kitchen disposal developed a leak. Replaced that. $$$. Deux Bummer. Oh, yes...and that thingama-gig in the tank of the toilet...yep, it needed replacing, too. Trois Bummer! Thank goodness Mr. T. is so willing and able to handle all these household maintenance madnesses. So, what else could go "out," you might ask? How about my 11-year old car (electrical short/blown fuse that made us think for one dreadful night that the transmission was a goner)? And (finally, I hope), the piece de resistance...the ice maker developed a "silent" leak into the baseboard...under the kitchen tiles...into the sub-flooring...and, gravity being what it is, down into the basement ceiling. No place to go but up from here, right?

Visits from both my brothers this month have helped keep us from being weighed down with woes. Brother T and I tried to set a record for gabbing, talking until nearly 2:00 a.m. one night...what fun! I'll bet he was glad to return home to be able to rest his vocal chords. Brother J was here, close enough to his birthday to rate a special dinner (Black Pepper Shrimp) and cake & ice cream...oh, and PRESENTS!


We were extremely fortunate to have survived the flooding from Hurricane Ike with little more than a full-to-the-brim rain gauge (5" at the top). Many friends and neighbors are still dealing with the aftermath of flooded basements. The worst we saw was in the photo (left) of the ducks on the water...which isn't a lake at all, but the third hole on the Par 3 Golf Course on Highway K, here in town. Duckworth Creek (appropriately named, eh?) couldn't empty into the Missouri River, which was above flood stage, so it went where it could. Good news...the water has since receded, and golf carts have replaced the ducks, as of Friday.

Still, all of the mishaps that have occurred are just little inconveniences in Life. As you know, the broken appliances...the water damage...the ailing car... can all be repaired or replaced. But, today, we learned of a sorrow that only time will help heal. The oldest of my first cousins on my Daddy's side passed away last night. Just writing these words brings a fresh round of tears to my eyes. She was loved by all that knew her...but, for me, the next-to-the-youngest of the Firsts...all the way down the line from her...she was truly a special person, one who gave me a marvelous gift. You see, she is the one who taught me how to knit when I was 9 years old. House slippers. Made with acrylic yarn on size US 10.5 needles. Taught me how to knit and how to purl (but I had to go home before she could teach me how to bind off...:). And, even if she hadn't been such a kind, loving, funny and fun-loving sweetheart, I'd still forever be grateful for that gift. Betty Jean, you will be sadly missed.

FO and UFO Report

Look at that...the calendar is ready to change to a new month, which will bring us another Fall Season. Before I flip the page to September, I thought I would report on the state of Finished and Unfinished Objects in the ol' knitting basket(s):

FO's include:

• Nana/Momma/Edith's Cornflower Blue Pullover (photo to the left) - I finished it up this week, and N/M/E is happy as can be (both because she loves the sweater and that it is finished!).
  
  I used the beautiful Queensland Bebe CotSoy yarn in Color #1, a cornflower blue. This yarn is 50% organic cotton, 50% soy...and 100% soft! As I've said before, N/M/E is allergic to wool, so I am always alert to non-sheepie fiber. I have 6 balls in blue left over (better to have too much than not enough, right?), which I plan to use for a baby sweater or two...using a pattern that Missy M shared with me from a book she purchased on her last trip here.
  
  I also used my favorite Oat Couture pattern called "Metro Pullover." Well, as I've said before, I modified my favorite pattern. This yarn's gauge is 5.5 stitches per inch versus the pattern's recommended 5 stitches per inch. Ho hum...get out the calculator. And, N/M/E liked the Metro Pullover I made for myself so much that she kept saying she wanted hers to be "just like yours." I did add the cable down the front (instead of the pattern's suggested false button placket), but I choose a different cable pattern. And, I made her sleeves a bit longer since she is so cold-natured. She's going to wear her new sweater with some white linen pants on our upcoming trip to Tennessee.



• Sailor-Collared Baby Sweater and Cap - I finished up this little gift set late last night. It was a pleasure to knit, as the yarn (Bambino Four Season's Grundl in #33 yellow and baby boy blue) is so soft. It's 50% wool, 30% nylon, and 20% cotton...or, at least I think that's what the ball wrapper says, since my German is practically non-existent. I bought this yarn online from Herrschner's on sale, and found that the gauge from my swatch on US 7's matched the recommended gauge from a Crystal Palace (credited) pattern from my 2008 Calendar box for a Sailor Collar Sweater. (NOTE: I have yet to find a pattern in this box that doesn't require creative license, shall we say? This one was no different, with several mistakes and unnecessarily difficult directions. Sigh.) Since I had so much yarn left over, I decided to knit up a hat to match, using the seed stitch border and the stripe pattern. I imagine that this set will go to ... oh wait, it's a gift! Mustn't spoil it...:)

UFO's include:

• Two scarves that are gifts, so I'll not say anymore about them yet.
• One pair of socks pour moi, using the Maizy (corn fibre) yarn in colorway "Miami Nice." If I can finish the second sock (why does the 2nd sock always take so long...hmmmm...?), they should go nicely with my new Teal Summer Sweater which I finished for the Ravelympics recently.
• Too many crocheted baby blankets that I've started but put aside in favor of knitted sweaters. Too. many. Maybe I'll work on one of these on my upcoming trip? We'll see.

Time to close for today. It's a sunny, 86 degree day here...which means that outdoor projects are calling. I'll be on the road for a few days so I'd better make hay while the sun shines, huh? Or rather...dig iris for dividing and mulch the roses and pull some weeds in the Contemplation Garden and...and...and

Pond Update

Check it out! We had a bloom on one of the water lilies this week. The photo (left) shows off the flower in all of its glory.

I've been intrigued by this bloom, to say the least. It was a "pod" for over a week, teasing us with the possibility, but giving no indication of the color (the package had said "white"...:). Then, on the first day of blooming, it began to open about 8:00 a.m. It was at full bloom by about 10:00 a.m. And, it was tightly closed again by no later than 2:00 p.m.! This process repeated for 4 days. I was glad that I got this pic on Day 3! (Online research said that day blooming water lilies would bloom for only 3 days, so we were apparently lucky.) No sign of a bloom on the other lily, but I continue to monitor it closely.

In addition to the blooming lily, we have had an explosion in the fish population! You might remember that I said we had 10 "new" fishies? Um...I mis-counted...not too hard when the objects of your census are swimming around! There were actually 12!! Plus the "original" 3 big ones, that makes 15, right? Wellllll. When feeding the flock the other day, I noticed some swishing going on at the bottom of the pond and saw a baby goldfish! And, where there is one...yep, I've seen at least 2 more "black" ones (although as they age, they seem to change from black to gold or mostly gold, with a little black and white). So, as of last count, we have some 18 fish: big ones, medium "junior" ones, and little "baby" ones. The photo (right) shows the big gold one ("Goldy Spawn") and several of the junior goldies. (Since the three remaining junior "black" ones are about the same color of the water, you wouldn't be able to see them anyway.) Stay tuned!



BTW, be sure to check out the newest album on our My Photoworks.com Share Page (link is over there <<<<---left column). I got those photos from the disposable camera we had at the Missouri Botanical Garden developed this week and most were pretty good. Well, except those two with "someone's" thumb in the viewfinder...just ignore those. Anyway, there are several of the Niki statues throughout the garden along with the remaining Chihuly (glass) sculptures that the Garden purchased after the recent exhibit (one is the chandelier in the lobby; one is a sunshine-ray over a gate...and over my head in one photo...:). Still, my favorite pic is this photo (left) of Mr. T. in the boxwood garden where the jumping fountains are at play. Tee hee.

The Tomatoes are Finally Here

I had my doubts, but I am happy to report that my tomatoes have finally begun to produce. As you can tell from the photo, I was able to harvest more tomatoes than cucumbers on this particular day...plus more than enough hot peppers. It has been such a strange weather year, with too much rain in the Spring...followed by too much rain in the early Summer...followed by a mild August...making for worlds of cukes and far too few tomatoes. I did get one puny salad tomato before July 4th, but really. This year has just been sad so far, veggie garden-wise.

Of course, that big ol' red, juicy Big Boy over there on the lower right in the photo (right) didn't last too very long after this shot was taken.








I washed it...and it's smaller friend there...and began the preparations for my favorite sandwich of all time: tomato (fresh off the vine), bacon, mayo (Hellman's, of course), salt (lots of it) and pepper...all piled on two fresh, fresh slices of yummy white bread. Oh yeah. Now, that's what it's all about!

Crossing the Finish Line

I made it...with a few hours to spare, even! Yes, I finished my Teal Summer Olympics Sweater for the Ravelymics Sweater Sprint challenge. I was sewing on the buttons and weaving in the (insert bad word here) yarn tails during the Gold Medal ceremony for the US Women's Relay around 10:30 p.m. CDST Saturday night...heck, I felt like they were playing the National Anthem for me!! Especially after my "crisis of confidence" on Friday night when I wasn't at all sure I could make it to the finish line before 10:59 a.m. Sunday morning (official time of the Closing Ceremonies in Beijing). But, I kept on knitting...and am happy with the results. (Play theme from Rocky here.)

As I posted the photo (above, left) to the Ravelry site, I saw all the fantastic projects that were completed by many, many talented folks. Amazing! Some of them looked like the knitter must have worked night and day, day and night, for the full 17 days. My sweater is a simple garter stitch pattern (well, I wanted to be able to complete my project in the time period), for which I used a yarn with an interesting texture (Pebbles) and some really neat buttons to dress it up. And, as you can see (above, right), I earned my Bobicus Medal for the Sweater Sprint (don't ask...it's a Ravelry thing...:)

Will I do this again in 4 years? Oh yes...I do love a challenge, after all. But, I may take a hint from some of the other FO's that were posted...I may consider using a heavier weight yarn and larger needles, and I'll certainly try to find a way to lessen or eliminate all the weaving in at the end...I do hate that part, that's for sure...:)

So, what's next on the stix? Well, I want to finish Nana's Cornflower Blue Pullover. This one is already off the stix, actually, and in the "finishing" process: all I have to do is seam up the sides and weave in the loose threads (yuck...yet again) and I'll have another FO for '08. Next up: Mr. T's Red Shawl-Collared Cardigan...more on that at another time.

Weekends are Wonderful!

What a fun & busy weekend we had! On Saturday, Mr. T and I went to the Missouri Botanical Garden in STL for the GSLIS Iris Sale...with a lovely day in the garden as an added bonus. At the sale, we found several new irises, including "Titan's Glory, " "Bubbles Galore," "Rare Edition," "Yosemite Star," and "Patricia Claire." And, yes, the new babies are already planted (more on that later).

I would LOVE to show pictures of the pictures (!) of the irises we bought as well as of feeding the koi in the lake in the Japanese Garden and all the fantastical art in the park by Niki, but I forgot to take my camera. Needless to say, right after we went to the sale, we headed straight for the (fabulous) gift shop for a one-use camera. And as soon as I get it developed, I'll post some of our photos of the lovely day we enjoyed. Gee...remember what it was like before digital cameras? S-l-o-w. Oh well...I visited the MOBOT site and snatched this photo (right) of the Serpent Tree fountain by Niki, just so you'd know...

I cannot believe that it has taken us 5 years to discover this jewel-in-plain-sight. Founded in 1859, MOBOT is the nation's oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark, as well as an oasis located in the area of STL known as The Hill. The Garden has 79 acres of beautiful trees, flowers and shrubs, including a rose garden, daylily garden, and iris garden; a (huge) 14-acre Japanese strolling garden with waterfalls, Tea Ceremony Pavilion (closed except for the Labor Day Japanese Festival each year) and a lovely lake, where we fed the (huge, huge!) koi; founder Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home, where we strolled through the herb garden; and one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered orchids (we saw some of those for sale in the gift shop, too). We rode the tram for a bit, which offered us a good overall view and gave us a little narration to learn more about the history, but we walked a lot...which allowed us to linger in the various gardens and enjoy things like the jumping fountains. When we have visitors, we will definitely add this stop to our tour: the Arch, a Cardinals Game (in season), Ted Drewe's Concrete Custard on Route 66, St. Charles Main Street and First Capitol Drive...and now MOBOT!

Speaking of visitors, we were fortunate to be on Cousin Wayne and Irene's route recently. They were "on a mission," returning to CA (where they've lived) from TN (where they are moving to) with a trailer for another furniture "run." Their lives have been so hectic lately with the move and with building a new house. Still, they were able to stay with us for a couple of nights, and we were hap-, hap-, happy to have them here. I remember visiting Wayne and his family in CA when I was about 10, and he took us to Disneyland...and "made" me ride on the Spinning Teacups...yikes!

In the photo (left), he is making friends with Gus...who truly believes that he is a lapdog, even though he weighs more than 60 pounds. Of course, before they headed out, we had to get the cameras clickin'. Here (right) are Irene and Wayne with Nana/Momma/Edith and Mr. T on the bridge in our back yard. Say "cheese!"

And, speaking of our back yard...boy, howdy, it sure looks different today! We came back from MOBOT and wanted to get the new irises in the ground (as the instruction were very specific: plant right away...do NOT allow to dry out!). Well, where we wanted to plant them was overgrown with daylilies that needed to be divided. And, we knew we'd have so many divisions of daylilies that we needed some more space to plant, so we decided to move some azaleas on the side of the house (which were struggling to survive in too much mid-day sun). Soooo, up came the azaleas. Where to put them? Oh, I know...let's create a small "contemplative garden space" a la MOBOT's Japanese Garden, under the oak tree in a shady area. And, that's what we did! Then, we started digging and dividing the daylilies...and that job lasted until after dark. Well, to be honest, it's still going on, since...even after replanting the former azalea bed AND the daylily bed with some of the divisions...we STILL have a wagon-load of divisions left! I'm currently bargaining with Mr. T. to till under a grassy area near the vegetable garden space...but he's holding out, saying there won't be any grass left, if I had my way. (Well...:) As soon as we get it all sorted out and cleaned up, I'll take some photos to post.

Got to close for now...get some knitting done. My Ravelympics sweater is coming along just fine, but after working in the yard and pulling those daylily clumps apart all day yesterday, I couldn't even hold the needles last night, much less knit a stitch. Better today. Maybe I can finish the right front...and then I'll just need to do the sleeves. Knit, knit, knit!

Let the Games Begin!

08/08/08 was a very special day all over the world. As we do every 4 years, we became closer to understanding and accepting our differences by joining together for the Summer Olympics. What a spectacular Opening Ceremony! And, is there anyone in the USA who isn't cheering for Michael Phelps in his quest for winning 8 gold medals, the most EVER in one Olympics? He's currently got 5...which means he also has 11 career golds, topping the previous mark of 9 golds, held by Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis and two others.


Of course, I also found myself cheering for the Benjamin Boukpeti as he won Togo's first-ever Olympic medal...a bronze in the individual slalom. I didn't even know where Togo was! Had to look it up on the Atlas. Now, that's what the Olympics are all about! Go, Togo!!

We were fortunate enough to get tickets to the 1996 Olympics which were held in Atlanta. Fabulous! We got to hear the National Anthem played when the USA won gold in Team Archery. Brings tears to my eyes, just thinking about it.


My own personal connection this year, however, is through knitting...what else? I've accepted the Ravelry challenge, having entered the Sweater Sprint for Team STL. We agreed to cast on the selected project during the Opening Ceremonies and complete it by the Closing Ceremonies seventeen days later. I got up on Friday (7:00 a.m. CDST = 8:00 p.m. Beijing time) to get started on my Teal Summer Olympics Sweater, which I am knitting with a textured cotton-blend yarn called Pebbles in a colorway called "Seaglass." As of now, five days into the challenge, I've completed the back and started on the left front. I'll try to keep you posted, but I have to stay off the PC and on the stix. Knit, knit, knit.

LMNOPQR - Election Bingo!

Tuesday of this week was a l-o-n-g day for me and the rest of the election judges and other poll workers in Missouri (and any other states holding primaries on that day). I'm still recovering from the deferred sleep-hours (you have to be at the precinct NO LATER than 5:10 AM) and the long hours in an un-air-conditioned space (the heat index for that day was 110), sitting in ancient folding metal chairs. After the initial rush to get the precinct open by 6:00 AM (not a moment later, mind you...it's the law, and we are always nervous about that part), I was the judge at the L-Z table, with the L-R poll book. Do you know how many times I sang the Alphabet Song in my head that day? More than I care to admit to, for sure. If I'd been the Poll Worker in this photo (left) of the 1956 election in Missouri, I'd have been sitting at the same table where President Truman came to get his ballot! (Of course, I would only have been 3 years old, but I digress...:)

This was our General Primary, selecting the candidates who will be on the November ballot, with the "hot race" being the one for Governor. In Missouri, you can "crossover," as they say, and vote a party ballot of your choice. And, the ballots themselves are "color-coded" both by party and by your address (since district lines are rarely drawn exactly by precinct). So there were two Republican ballots (one white, one green), two Democratic ballots (cream, orange-striped), and Libertarian (pink tint...I kid you not). Only...and this made for more than a few comments during the day...ALL of the ballots were printed on WHITE paper...with just the color name printed in the upper corner (i.e., Green, Cream, etc.). I'm sure it seemed like a good system to someone at some point...

And, we've no chance of Hanging Chads in our county anymore. We have both an optical scanner ballot box (where you mark your paper ballot with a felt-tip pen in a voting booth and then deposit the ballot in the box, which is used by 99.9% of our voters) and a touch-screen, computerized unit. Sure does make closing the precinct at 7:00 PM easy as pie! (We closed up in a record 15 minutes this time.)

The biggest challenge, however, was surviving the boredom of a light turnout. We have 2,322 registered voters in our precinct, and only 422 voted. Do the math...that's a meager 18%. Of course, it was hot. Of course, there weren't any "issues" on the ballot. Of course, it was "only" the General Primary (as opposed to the earlier, more glamorous Presidential Primary). But, really. Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility, right? Besides, if you don't go vote, you have absolutely no right to complain. Period.

[Climbing down from my soapbox...]

So, why do I continue to work at the polls on election day? I actually have a great time with my co-workers...and meeting my Ward #1 neighbors and friends. Plus, I feel like I'm giving back a little. At least, that's what I keep reminding myself when that alarm goes off at 4:00 AM...:) And, as a little bonus on a low-turnout day, I get some quality knitting time! There's always a bright side.

Besides, there's always the next election in November. Something tells me that one will be a good deal more than 18% turnout.

Become the Butterfly

Today is a hot, humid Summer's day...96 with a heat index of 99...and what better way to enjoy it than as a butterfly, sipping nectar from a lovely zinnia (left). I wish. BTW, I took this photo standing about 4 feet away from the garden fence, where this beautiful butterfly ignored me and concentrated on the juicy flower.

Looks like we are headed for the high-90's today, with thunderstorms a'brewing for tonight and tomorrow. Same old, same old.

Of course, I have to give credit where it is due. This long, hot, wet Summer we are experiencing has been perfect for sustaining all of our beautiful blossoms. Without a doubt, the flowers of all varieties have been the biggest, prettiest, showiest (add superlative here) we've seen in...well, in forever! Hooray!



Not so for the veggie garden, I'm afraid. The weeds are about the only things that are growing great there. Upon reflection, I acknowledge two major mistakes:

1. I rushed to plant, especially my tomatoes and my onion sets. True confession: I wanted that first tomato to come in by July 4th. Well, I reached that goal on July 1st, but it happened on one of the Patio Tomatoes in containers on the deck. Waiting for the ground to dry a bit to allow at least one more pass with the tiller...and adding some more compost and garden soil on that last pass...might have made a huge difference. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.



2. I didn't get a chance to add my usual 4 bales of straw (over newspaper) as mulch after planting to keep the weeds in check. Now, instead of a lovely, productive kitchen garden, I have a weed patch with a few leggy tomato plants...and some rather hardy cucumber vines.

Yep, the cukes are out-producing the tomatoes by about 4-to-1 (as you can see in the photo, right, above). Soooo, looks like I'm making pickles soon, doesn't it? (BTW, I ate that tomato in the picture for lunch that very day...:)

At least the dogs know how to behave during these Dog Days of Summer. They stay indoors where there's air conditioning...and sleep through the hottest part of the day. Smart.

I'm taking a page out of their books and trying spend a few of those mid-day hours inside with the cool AC, the ceiling fan on high, a glass of iced tea with lemon by my side, and needles in hand. I've recently finished my Bliss-ful Striped Cardigan (left), made from Debbie Bliss's Cotton Cashmere yarn in yellow, blue, and white (no link available as this yarn has been discontinued, I know not why as it is soooooo soft). I modified a Classic Elite pattern for a Striped Cardigan and added the blue and white star-shaped buttons. Yippee! Now, if only the temps would dip a bit for me to be able to wear it...:)

And, on the stix at the moment is a modified Metro Pullover (pattern from Oat Couture) for Nana/Momma/Edith in Queensland's Bebe Cotsoy (50% cotton, 50% soy) yarn in a cornflower blue color #1. I finished the back and front while I was dog-sitting Ella Rae last week in L'ville, and I am now ready to three-needle bind-off the shoulder seams. Next up...after N/M/E tries on the unfinished shell...are the sleeves, which are knitted onto the sweater instead of separately. Then, last but not least, the collar (also knitted on by picking up stitches). A couple of side seams...a little steam from the iron...and it will be done.

It had better be done before August 8th, or it will get sidelined. I've signed up for the Ravelympics 2008 Sweater Sprint, meaning I've committed to casting on a sweater during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on 8/8/08 and completing said sweater by the Closing Ceremony on August 24th. No pressure! I've decided on my yarn (more on that later) and the pattern (a 3/4 sleeve, boxy, garter-stitch cardigan...I think). Counting down the clock!

Speaking of dogs...and I was, several paragraphs ago...check out this Puppy Cam link. If you are lucky, you will get to see a litter of Basset Hound puppies in Wisconsin in all their glory: http://www.oldefashion.com/puppycam. Enjoy!

Pets and Projects

Oh wow! After much work and more moolah, we finally got the water in the pond all cleared up, and it was truly worth the trouble and expense. I took my camera out tonight at feeding time and got this shot of Tiger (the Calico Ryukin, on the left in the photo to the left)...and one of the TEN newest members of the wet-set (on the right in the photo, with the circle for emphasis). Yep, we are the proud pet parents of 10 fish babies. We also have two other "big fish" in residence: Jaws (a large-and-in-charge red-orange Pond Comet) and Goldy Spawn (a Red Ryukin). Of the babies, it appears that we have 2 red/black mixes and (at least) 8 black ones. So, if I remember my high school biology class correctly, that means Tiger is one of the parents, right?

While I'm doing the Pet Report, I should offer an update on Ella Rae, (left) Missy M's darling dachshund-mix. She's thriving...gaining a whole pound at her Vet visit...livin' large in L'ville.


While I was there last week, I snapped this shot (right, below), during one of her naps, adding the TV remote for a point of reference for her size. She's t-i-n-y, compared to the Hounds at Home. But, my oh my, what a bundle of energy she is! I cried when I had to leave her, as I'd gotten quite attached...but I had my Basset buddies to comfort me when I landed at Lambert.

As I'd been away for a week, Mr. T and I enjoyed the day together on Saturday. We headed to the Wine Country Gardens to pick up my daylilies and have a leisurely lunch, discussing our various projects. Then, acting on a whim and an ad in a gardening circular, we checked out a garden and kitchen shop just over the MO River in Wildwood, called Wells & Co. Oh yeah. Good choice. We found "just the right" Mexican metal trellis for the new rose bed, and I brought home a super new bright yellow Kuhn-Rikon Paring Knife.

Of course, there was one teensy, little problem. The trellis is about 6 1/2 feet tall...and the trunk of Mr. T's car is neither that wide nor that long. "No worries," says he. "We'll stand it up through the sunroof." And, we did!! All the way home...20 miles of wind whistling through the tines of the sunburst on the trellis top...20 miles of bubble wrap (kindly provided to keep the metal from scratching the car) flapping in the breeze. [Here's a photo of the packing process (left).] Oh...and, I was able to get the paring knife home inside the car...no bubble wrap or special consideration needed. Tee hee.

Meet Ella Rae!

A warm welcome indeed to our newest family member...Ella Rae! She's a 9-week old dachshund-mix puppy who adopted Missy M on Friday...and we've had a wonderful weekend introducing her to the Drool Gang here in MO. I guess we'll have to change the name of the 'Gang to the Happy Hounds in order to include this beautiful little lady in the count.

Here's an action shot from one of her frequent romps in our back yard (right).

Believe me when I say there will be more about Ella in the future...but for now I have to run. Just wanted you all to be the first to meet her!

HB to Me!

Yesterday was a very happy day indeed for me...my 55th birthday! As Mr. T had business in KS, Mom and I made a day out of it, with a visit to the Wine Country Gardens for lunch and to attend the Daylily Festival. We rounded out the day with a Devil's Food Birthday cake (photo, left) from our newest bakery in town, Heaven Scent Bakery, and Rainbow Sherbet from Baskin Robbins. Yummy!

At the Daylily Festival, we were fortunate enough to snag one of the golf carts, so we could zip around the 42 acres of gorgeous blooms, taking pictures and tagging purchases. This was the first year that they have allowed customers to tag the blooming plants in the field for purchase...and they will dig your selected plant and call later for pick up (and yet another chance to visit...:).

Here's a photo of Mom in the cart (right), surrounded by a background of color. In the foreground is the Wayside King Royale, a purple variety that we tagged for Missy M, who had asked us recently if there were such a thing as a purple daylily. This is as close as we could find to her specifications!

We also tagged a lovely bright yellow variety named Atlanta Full House (of course that one was a favorite!).

And, we purchased pots of varieties called South Seas (a gorgeous coral color; see photo to left) and Hyperion (a tall, clear yellow). Woo-hoo!!

Of course, it's mid-July...so, in addition to being time for my B'day, it's also time for the All Star Game (played on Tuesday night...and into Wednesday morning!) And, it's also HOT. Hot, hot, hot. And, dry, too, believe it or not. Still, Mom and I were most impressed on our drive along Missouri's Weinstrasse (Wine Road...AKA Highway 94 through St. Charles County) with how GREEN everything was. We remarked on more than one occasion that it looked more like June than July.

After we got home, I toured the yard trying to locate appropriate spots to plant the newest members of our Daylily Team, and I snapped these photos of some that are currently in bloom. The Waysides (bright orange) have about finished their show, as have many of the others. But, just beginning are the Chicago Comanches (big, bright red ones), the Texas Choice (big, bright yellow ones), and the Blanche Browns (full, creamy white ones). See what you think!

Water's Still High

I went to Election Judge Training last Thursday (as I'm working at our local precinct for the upcoming August Primary Election). Since the flooding in our area is no longer the leading story on the news (either local or national), thoughts of all that water in the areas around us have receded from my focus. However, it was brought home with a question from a fellow judge at the class, who asked: "What do we do about people who have been flooded out of their homes (AKA their permanent address...the one on the election books) and have temporary addresses (and probably no ID with that particular address)?" Yes, there are plenty of people in this very county who are still dealing daily with the seemingly endless problems of the high water.

But, we are high and dry where we live, thank goodness. We're between the mighty rivers, with the Mississippi to the north (about 12 miles) and the east (about 40 miles), and the Missouri to the south (about 13 miles). And, although I hate to cross any of the bridges over either of the rivers due to the high water, I've learned to just drive in the middle lane...don't look left, don't look right.

Maybe you can tell from the photo (right) that the Missouri, shown here at the Klondike Boat Ramp area off Highway 94 in St. Charles County, has receded just a bit from the "high water mark" on the opposite bank (which is a piece of St. Louis County known as the LaBadie Bottoms). Can you also see the debris rushing down the river? Yes, the current is swift, and the river is made even more treacherous by all the stuff: logs, branches, trash, etc. Mother Nature at her scariest, for sure.