Welcome Back Me!!!

Long time, eh?
I have been laid up for two weeks so far with an injured knee. Oliver, now known as Crippler, clipped my left knee in his excitement to be groomed. The knee shifted one way and then back and it was never meant to shift either way. So an ER visit, Orthopedic visit and MRI have led to an Orthopedic appointment tomorrow also. I am hoping to get back to work next week or week after at the latest. But this has curtailed my house painting and dog walking and general getting about.
Anywho..
DM came for a visit in April. We all had a great time, shopping and visiting and dog walking. The pups tried to get DM at one point as they each went round her and their leashes being held by me also went round. Fortunately they are trained enough so she was not injured. Phineas took quite a liking to DM as she is a little lady and he likes to herd little things, LOL.
We have additions to the family. On Mother's Day we adopted two kittens. Our intent was to get one male and we saw him two weeks before we could get him, so cute. A few days before picking him we were asked to consider taking his sister who's adoption had fallen through. It was a wise decision as we could never entertain Artemus enough without Annabel's help. Annabel is a fawn colored full tiger tabby
and Artemus is grayish fawn tiger with white mittens.

They currently weigh 2.5 and 2.3 pounds respectively. The dogs are getting used to them and no longer are surprised when this"toy" comes to life.

Here is Annabel trying her very hardest to look menacing...I just laugh at her.
The kittens were tube and bottle fed and lived in a foster home with a dog so are mostly ok with the puppies. they are very interesting to watch all together. Fun fun.

DH has excavated the area of the yard where the deck will go as the land slopes away from the house. He and DS2 seemed to have fun with the oversized Tonka truck!! This week holes, inspection, cement pouring and then we can start. Of course the knee is not allowing me much involvement :( We did replace the fence that is between the barn and the house. The older worn was falling down and no longer dog proof. The new composite one is 6 feet tall and we placed the pickets so the dogs could see through just fine. I love it. We built it ourselves, got the individual pickets rather than a prefab fence so we could make it to our liking.

Much much Wollmeise has been added to stash, very lucky. This is a picture of most of the stash.

These lovelies are not in the big picture.



The WM group is having a Summer of Wollmeise trying to work down our stashes and then replenish in the fall. Hmmm..that means not adding WM over the summer, maybe not adding more than 10 skeins..heehee
Woolgirl has offered a Wizard of Oz Sock Club and I was lucky enough to get in on some and a Peanuts Sock Club. the first Oz shipment came today called "Over the Rainbow" Can you believe this package?
Lovely. Wizard of OZ is my most favorite movie followed very closely by Willy Wonka. A Wonka Sock CLub would be grand!!! Hmmm......

My Catriona Knee Socks by Wendy in Pillars of Fire are coming along nicely, but I need something with two colors soon. I want to finish this first sock and cast on the second before starting something else though. And I finally succumbed and have cast on a Clapotis in Saami Wollmeise.

I am going to post this and will update links and pics...I am out of work this week and at least two more....

Hi Mom

Congratulations to my nephew Greg, he married Crystal this past week, they are both Marines, very brave young people.

And my niece Cassy, is getting married this Saturday. I was planning on attending but this knee will not allow me to sit in a car for the length of time the drive will take :( I am hoping to see many pictures.

DS2 has a job he is thoroughly enjoying and finished his second year of college. Wow next year a Junior already....and DS1 and GF moved out, yes that is right. Gone....they are living in a lovely home and have gained back a lot of their life that was spent commuting. I think it is a very wise decision to want your free time to be your free time.

Wonderful Wollmeise

I was lucky enought to hit an update or two a few weeks back, as well as make a few trades and have almost all of my WM that is meant to live with me lately...so these are the groups of packages..

Most of the Gummy Bears that get sent along with each package, I ate one(hey I needed the energy to open the packages)
And the very beautiful Wollmeise....I present
4-Terra di Siena medium intensity 100% Superwash 2-Honigtopfchen 100%SW
Serpentin Laceweight 4-Serpentin 100%SW
4-Der letzte Versuch-Medium-100%SW (1 to someone else)2-Poison Nr 5-Medium- 80/20 Twin 2-Der letze Versuch-Dark-80/20T (1 to someone else)
7-Ebenholz SW (4 are going to others)
3-Schwarz 100%SW(1 traded) 1-Versuchskaninchen 2 100%SW(NEW FAVORITE!!!) 4-Admiral 80/20 t(1 traded)
1-Campari Orange laceweight-Dark 1-Miss May Laceweight-dark(traded)
4-Herzblut-100%SW 3-Indisch Rot-medium-80/20T
2-Tiefer See Wild Thing 80/20 Fluffy-medium 2-Amazonas Wild Thing -medium-80/20T 2-Pfefferminz Prinz-medium-80/20T 2-Farn(from trade) 2-Barist"O" laceweight-medium(Iwould get a better pic but both have gone to new owners in trade)But what a beautiful color... VergiB(purchase from Ravelry) and my first yarnissima Kit Spina de Pesce(?sp)
Ok, I must go and pet my yarn...another update regarding knitting tomorrow.

Hi Mom, all this yarn comes from Germany. pretty neat eh?

Warmer weather, Wollmeise and Weary Wednesday

I have started three updates in the past two weeks and never finished them. I have been stalking WOllmeise, yes yarn. Not just any yarn, Wollmeise, wondrous, wildly colored, wool Wollmeise. If one were to peruse my stash they would take note I have some, much compared to some stashes. I am not so much into sock knitting at this time and want quantities to make sweaters and shawls. I stalked for 8 months before actually hitting an update three weeks ago and two weeks ago I hit two(with the help of DH). At times, it is very convenient to have a DH working the same schedule as you especially when an update happens in the very wee hours of the morning. I obtained a bit, a bit more with DH help after having hit an early afternoon update. I am still waiting for the delivery of all the yarn and some has been promised to others in repayment for trades or just because they were looking and had looked for me. That is how it works. I am actually stalking as I type and hope not to miss another update even with all the yarn coming,lol. Truth be told if i miss it is ok, there are a few people I would love to grab a skein or two though. But there will be other updates and Claudia will make more yarn. I was lucky enough to get in on the first round of her sock club. quarterly we receive two exclusives colorways and a pattern. The shipments have always been gorgeous and we all went in with the very common sock club understanding of maintaining the exclusivity of the yarn until the club was over. Sadly there has been controversy as someone sold the current shipment on EBAY for more than $300!! Economic hardtimes were stated as the reason but the controversy that arose and the subsequent listing of sock club shipment has caused a sad feeling. It is only yarn but people agreed to behave a certain way and then add in the factor of hardtimes and wow!! Hopefully this will not sour the possibility of another club.
Here is this month's shipment the colors are glorious and I hate to use them as they will be offered down the road and I would like more,lol.
As you see the colors are very Oriental, rich and candlelit colored. The little pouch holds a stitch marker. I love these colors and can see them combined with more solid colors.
This is also Wollmeise, Schwarz-an almost solid black
and Herzblut-a red red
I obtained in a trade these two wondrous skeins...I have wanted to see them live for some time and they do not disappoint
Sultan

and Iris
I am hoping some of the other packages start coming in today.
Also, as always, the Loopy Ewe Sock CLub in all its magnificence

Yes indeed that IS Handmaiden Casbah...pretty awesome, eh? Sheri always tops the previous shipment, not sure how but she does. See the extras. a needle gauge and a tape measure with a built in pen on a caribiner...how ingenious. Love the color!
And we have the latest in the Chameleon Colorworks Sock Club, lordy this is too cute. I was looking at the yarn and the pattern and thinking great how exact the placement must have to be to get the yarn just right to come up in pattern...nah!! The skein is two half skeins, each being one of the two colors needed. These may get cast on immediately
and it is the BAMBINO, love bamboo, love Bambino..love Chameleon Colorworks.
This is the reverse side of the mittens for No More Humdrum Mittens Swap 4. I love these but will happily send them along as my pal is a cat person

Madli, poor poor Madli, she got frogged due to this

Too dang difficult to pick up with all the yo's so restarting, this time with beads. Hopefully a picture worth posting by Monday since I got a daylight lamp and hope to be able to see at night to knit.
Moving on to infinite coolness
The Zauberball, it looks huge doesn't it, naw about the size of a softball but alledges to have very long color sequences...here is another view

That came from the Loopy Ewe along with this limited edition Nyoni from Fiesta

Very limited run , very good yardage, very inexpensive($20)
While stalking for Wollmeise with the crazies over on Ravelry I was turned on to two new yarns, this being one,Squoosh Fiberarts the colors are Tangelo, Blackberry(both merinos sock) and Fissure(fat sock) very fast shipping, very "squooshy"yarn.

The WM Crazies also have me convinced I must learn to spin, drop spindle first. I received this from Vampy in the UK made for me as I "talked"with her online. Is it not gorgeous?
Can you see the sparkle in it? It is a batt that will I will spin into yarn...what am I thinking?
Another lovely from the Loopy Ewe

I love SheepPaints yarn, then I discovered it is also a German or European yarn which I seem to have a hankering for lately
OK one of the pups in their new beds, I ordered them thinking they were sherpa free but as you can see...almost sent them back but the pups do seem to like them

A big hullo to Mom, we went to a family bridal shower this past weekend, very lovely.

LINKS will be added over the next few days

Sunny Springy Sunday

Hmmmm...wonder if that is why it is called SUNday? OK let's see...well the cardigan is finished and as cute as the buttons upon it...
The pattern is a Ravelry download(pay) and is called "A Cardigan for Merry" It has the most delightful reversible cable border on it. It is a child version of the Arwen sweater. I loved making it. I used Lionbrand Microspun, a sportweight washable oh-so-soft yarn. the pattern asks for toggle buttons but seeing as I really couldn't find any I liked and the Mom of the the little girl I made it for loves butterflies....

A little tip from me to you: Since I put on a flat button I sewed a shirt button between the butterfly and the sweater for added height so the loop would sit correctly around the button.

These are the cat mittens I am making for my pal in the No More Humdrum Mittens Swap 4. I love this swap a lot. Deb does such a good job keeping us all the straight and narrow. Deb has started designing socks as of late. Do take a moment and check out her patterns. I am using Louet gem fingering weight. I initially planned a Lorna's Laces pinky yarn for the background but it was swallowing up the design so redid it in blue and black and am quite happy with the results.

Have you seen this magazine? Yes it does say Debbie Bliss. I, and others have had some problems with her yarn, splitty, knotty, broken, etc. but I do so love her yarn and patterns. Long long ago in a galaxy far away..oh wait...long ago when DS2 was born, actually even a short time before that when I didn't know he would be DS2, I made a jumpsuity outfit from a DB pattern, just the cutest...I have recently come across that pic and must scan it into the computer.

I have gone off the wagon...eleven weeks of no yarn purchases for self and I broke...yep...I finally, FINALLY caught a Wollmeise update, woot!!! I can't wait for the new navy yarn from Claudia. Lordy what fun that was to be in on the rolling update. it was a search and destroy mission. But I got some that I wanted so I am a happy camper. Unfortunately while waiting and stalking the other WMers turned me on to two other sites and I bought some of their yarn as well. OK fingers start knitting....

I found this yarn at Joann's...it is Merino superwash if I remember and under 5 dollars a ball!!! I love the colors and can't wait to see how it stripes up!

This was a birthday gift from my good friend, Michelle. It is rayon and has a metallic thread running through that is copper!!! COPPER FPS!!! I love it and will make a beautiful shawl from it!!

This is the yarn from my latest Chameleon Colorworks Foot Club...it is the bambino blend which is incredibly soft!

I am expecting the third installment of the Wollmeise sock club and the first of the third round of the Loopy Ewe sock club. WOW, what a great week this will be!!!!

ETA: This is the Sock Club shipment from the Loopy Ewe , what wonderful goodies Sheri always includes. Look at the carabiner with needle gauge and tape measure/pen! So cute and useful!!
I am also casting on for this shawl, Madli. Dear Bev asked if wanted to join her and Helen(both mermaiders)in an impromptu KAL...the date was March 1 but I have been to busy and am ready to go now.

I have loved this jacket since first seeing it a year or so ago at Kpixie ...today I got an email it was 40% off, another savings code and nearly 50% off!! I got it in the black colorway...it doesn't say if I need buttons or they come with but either way!!
Funny thing, Kpixie is in the same town as me but no storefront,however it means very quick shipping!!




We closed on our refinance of the house and did quite well so have started the projects going again. Soon it will be warm enough to finish painting the house, then the porch, the barn(but first install a new garage door and a new window in place of the hayloft door). Also the plans are drawn up for the deck and once we check into permits that will be a go. it will be a rather large deck, possibly as large as 22' x 24'. We have purchased a screened gazebo to set upon it at one corner and some Victorian looking resin wicker furniture. We thought about the standard table and chairs but will get much more use out of the sitting arrangement. Of course the dogs will have outside beds.

Ahh the dogs...so darn cute. Poor Phineas has come to need a diet, he is 5-10 pounds overweight and has been definitely diagnosed with lameness. I knew it from day one. SO he is on a lower calorie food and we are trying to get him an extra walk or three a week. He seems to already have slimmed down a bit. I will take him in for xrays in a few weeks and see how bad things are. Luckily for him, this is what I and DH do, radiology, so we will look at the images and not be talked into something we don't feel is necessary. Of course we do love his vets so...but he has been taking glucosamine and his food has some in it. He seems springier than before and has managed a few jumps onto the bed. Great yes, but not good for his hips so we almost have to discourage the jumping. Poor little guy. I heard dome whimpering a week ago and tracked it down to the kitchen. there sat my little guy with his paw on his bowl and his head on his paw whimpering for food. Saddest thing I ever saw. Yes I did give him something. he is a puppy...and he has me wrapped around his finger...and he is a puppy... They both got hoodies today, LOL. I have to reorder as they are a tiny bit small. But this is the boys modelling them. Phineas looks striking in his brown and green seems to be Oliver's color!!

The pups also got some new stuffed rabbits. What fun they are having! The rabbits seem to land on their feet when tossed around, most of the time. It is well worth the money spent on them for the entertainment factor alone.

We have a new 52" HDTV...lordy...the people on the screen have larger heads than mine, it is freaky. The boys are enjoying it for video games and I am sure I will like it for exercising once I get used to it. We have a new tv stand coming which is very period appropriate for the house.

My DM, Hi Mom! was to come for a visit this past week but we got hit with another storm and the visit had to be postponed. I love the winter, love the snow, love the gloom and darkness but enough is enough. I want to paint and plant some around the house and ride my bike. Enough!

ETA: As I writing this(Monday) it hs started to snow yet again!!! Perhaps 6-8" is the latest guesstimate.

In January I was fortunate enough to get the Zuma bag from Namaste in eggplant. Sheri has them at the Loopy Ewe. This is the Buddy that goes with it to hold notions. The inside cover is magnetic to keep your needles in place. It is a worthwhile purchase!!

I was given this yesterday as a somewhat belated birthday gift from DH...can you see what it is? I am sure it will get some use very soon.

OK I think that is enough for you all to digest for the moment. If the sock club shipments are here in the next day or two will add pics.

I will add links and more pics later tonight (Monday)

Take good care and tell your children how special they are.