Blogger

Ok....now I understand other's frustrations with blogger. I have only had a blog for a week and I can't post?!?! This is really just a test to see if it will publish this post, because it won't publish the one I wrote earlier today. :(

Ok, FINALLY. Now it appears to be working!

A Discovery!

The other night as I drove home from work in the dark, my headlights hit on something interesting on the sidewalk with someone's trash. I drove by, turned around and parked near their house. I got out and walked over to take a look. It was an adorable (and I think fairly old) children's rocker. I don't usually go "antiquing." I think old things are neat and we had plenty growing up in a family of packrats, but I don't actively seek them. I don't usually go to yard sales or antique shops. I just couldn't stand the thought of this going to the trash. It's in pretty good shape. It has springs on it so that when a child bounces in it, it rocks and is springy. I'll clean it up and use it as a treat when my friend's children come over.


"On the other hand, I don't understand the enthusiasm for everything in the antique shop that Grandma threw out. There, the sense of quality has declined; otherwise Grandma wouldn't have thrown it out." - Arne Jacobsen

Don't get me wrong. I like old things, I just like them to be useful old things. :)
It has a sweet little picture on the seat.



Here is a much better picture of the previously poorly photographed afghan for baby DL.



Today is miserably rainy. They are predicting 1-3 inches of rain and winds up to 60mph. I also have a little cold. Sounds like a prescription for staying in and crafting, no? Or perhaps cleaning. That must be done as well. I have been going non-stop for the past month and many things have been neglected. No, I think crafting and ordering photos for my new office will be the activities for today.

The cleaning will wait until I feel a bit better. I must start a new project for Kati's baby shower. I'm just not sure which sweater I want to make for a FL baby. Any suggestions? He will be born in January where it is cool in Fort Myers, but certainly not cold. I'm thinking a baby or sport weight cardigan? It will probably fit him until 4 or 5 months and by then it will be HOT, HOT in FL. At some point, I will also make him a blanket - a lightweight blanket! :) I love warm things (like my PJs ;)) so it's hard to figure out what to make for these southern babies! I'm off to knit....

Fall fades.....

"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter." ~Carol Bishop Hipps

This time of year in the Northeast always makes me a little sad. I love the fall.....not so much the winter. It's so sad. The poor boat and chairs abandoned. You can see the tree branches in the corner with almost no leaves left. It's getting cold. The mornings are COLD, not brisk anymore. I feel the need to make tea every night and cuddle under a blanket. You can feel winter wiggling it's fingers and reminding us that soon there will be mornings of frost. Brrr!!! OH and my weatherman? Just mentioned the S word!!!! That's right SNOW!!

BUT when it gets cold, I always want to knit A LOT! This is a good thing, because two of my best friends are expecting in December and January and the gifts must be made. They both live down South (one in NC and one in FL), so the question is what to make? It is not as cold, but still cool. Hmm....any suggestions are certainly welcomed. In the meantime, I have been working on a mock cable afghan for my friend J's baby DL as a christening gift.





So I'm not a big fan of the blanket in fake florescent light, but at 10:30pm what can I do? The color is a soft green that will match his bedroom (or close enough - I hope). The pattern is from Filatura Di Crosa Tahki Stacy Charles - FDC Fall 2004 Baby Book . I love Baby Zarella yarn. It is soft but it has some weight and will be cozy for winter. I only have 2 skeins left and it will be done. I'm ready to work on another project (yes several are started but not much is done).

I spent the evening hanging out with another new Mommy. My friend AE's baby D joins all the little bundles of joy my amazing friends have delivered in the past couple of years. At 17 days, he is still just a beautiful snuggle bug. Yes, his dad has a long arm cast in this picture. He broke it when D was 4 days old. Can you imagine? We had an amazing meal of YUMMY Indian food. I'm spoiled by AE's mom!

It's strange. As a youngster, I was VERY picky and averse to trying any new foods. I lived on grilled cheese, pizza and turkey sandwiches in college (ok and some liquid sustenance! ;)). This might explain why I lost 15 pounds immediately after college. When I began hanging out with friends who were more adventurous (and expensive) eaters, I realized what I had been missing (and regained some of that weight!). Now I love so many different foods.

A celebrity in our midst?

My mom is famous - maybe not famous but a local celebrity? In November this year, my mom will celebrate 11 years of survival since being diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer (a rare form). Approximately, 15 months later, she was diagnosed with brain mets (it spread to her brain). She underwent multiple treatments/surgeries which I won't bore you with here, but suffice it to say that it was not easy, but she is doing VERY WELL!

So, Mom volunteers at the American Cancer Society in our area. She is a Reach to Recovery Volunteer (a fabulous program where survivors who are done with treatment call newly diagnosed women and men to answer questions and offer support). Through that work, Mom was asked to participate in a fashion show of new clothing for people in treatment. The clothing is actually VERY amazing (and so much better than a johnny or removing clothing for exams) and the fabric feels lovely. If you know someone in treatment, Healing Threads. It would make a fabulous gift.

In addition, one of the TV stations in our area (FOX) wanted to do a story on inflammatory breast cancer and Reach to Recovery. Mom was asked if she was interested and agreed to be interviewed. Her story will air on Monday night.

On a personal note, my mom is really a true miracle. I remember listening to the brain surgeon and trying to wrap my mind around all the things that COULD happen. I was young - maybe 21 at that point and don't know that I could absorb the fact that my mom could be gone. At the time, I don't think I really GOT it. Looking back, I get it. I have friends who are in that place and I see how difficult it is. I feel lucky every day to still have my mom in my life. I get frustrated that her memory isn't great, etc but I always tell her how much I love her. She is a true inspiration.

Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. ~Author Unknown

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” - Washington Irving quotes

K

Feety PJs

So, I decided to do it....actually make a blog. I kept thinking I had to have something earth-shattering to start with (never mind that I just started a new job, traveled to NC, and hung out with the Secret Service). I needed something AMAZING. Suddenly, I decided my first post would be about my love affair with feety pajamas. So much for an amazing first post right?

Yes, I am older than 2.....older even than 22.....and I love my feety pajamas. I have 3 pair. I wear them all winter. It gets cold here in the Northeast and I am a cold person! They are different from what you are imagining. There are no zippers, just a top (with a kangaroo pocket :)) and bottoms with feet (try to ignore the GIANT size of my feet). They are fleece and are the most cozy things! They remind me of my closest friends.....you can always feel comfortable when they are around. It's amazing to me - the older I get - how seeing old friends just takes you back. My friends are all over the country, but when we see each other it's like yesterday. It's so easy. My pajamas feel like that - easy to be with and comfortable. So.....there you have it.....a confession for my first blog post. :) And no knitting......maybe next time.

“We get tons of requests for foot pajamas. We don't have them, because we haven't seen them on TV yet. But I think it's part of the retro craze, a connection to one's childhood.” - Francois Shirley

So, am the only one who is partial to her PJs?

K :)