Toto we're not in Kansas anymore.....

I have started my week vacation with plans of grandeur. I think I may share it with you on a daily basis. So, dear reader, be forewarned.

It has been a rainy three days here and while at work on Saturday overnight DS2 called at an odd hour to say he heard a large crack and then boom and went outside to find one of our front trees had given up one of its branches.
It landed precariously in the driveway and extended into the road so he went out in the monsoon and moved it only to hear another crack and be felled by a second branch.
He is claiming to be fine but does have some swelling where his shoulder and the branch made contact. He called to let me know what had happened and to make the proclamation that "This is like living in Oz with the mean trees"

SO my parental advice was to not pick any apples....

Mt initial plans were to visit the gym each day of vacation but day has come and gone and it has not happened but there is tomorrow. Today has been filled with cleaning and will end with painting and wall paper stripping and picture taking of yarn and animals and WIPs.

So thus far laundry has been done, the bed has clean linens, a bit of cleaning in the master bedroom,dining room, and living room. Some knitting has happened as well.

I had offered to knit a shrug for my future DIL for the upcoming wedding and had gone through a half dozen combinations of yarn and beads to finally settle on this yarn from Elann


It is 55%viscose and 45%cotton and has the right drape and shimmer along with some triangular glass beads.
One of the issues was this is a DK weight yarn and the hooks to get the bead onto the stitch were shredding the yarn. So after breaking several steel hooks it was more cost effective to invest in this lovely item....
A size 9 hook fits quite lovely through the beads...

I like the effect very much. FDIL is not seen in bling but I think she should look like a princess on her wedding day. Especially appropriate since DS1 proposed at Disney World and they celebrated that evening by dining in Cinderella's Castle. It is all very exciting and as mother of the groom I am so grateful I am being included in everything.

Lake Louise will be knit on for a few hours each day so she can near completion and I can check her off my list.

I finished and gifted this baby set to my newest SIL who is due in a few weeks. There is a pale yellow in there that is not showing well.
There was meant to be a blanket and booties but time ran out.
For Lorrainehere is a picture of the first baby set gifted to my eldest niece who is due at the same
time.
She also received the ABC blanket that each baby will be gifted with.
I have been lucky enough to add to both my Sanguine Gryphon stash and my WOllmeise stash. Both yarns are gorgeous and have unique qualities. I had been on a Wollmeise frenzy last spring and then realized I have so much more than I can use, then Claudia produced new colors, EVERY WEEK!!!!! It is so hard to resist but I have for weeks and then bought these for my birthday month.

I was lusting after her pink so had to grab some. I had been lucky enough to acquire some Oak Timberwork Bugga last year and needed a few more skeins to make it sweater quantity (plus,lol) and these are the new.



They are different than last year's but such is the lot of hand dyed yarn.

Today is 2 years since we got our first dog, Oliver.
He has been a joy and is the sole reason we now have two other dogs and two kittens. I have to say it is one of the wisest decisions I have ever made. He loves us unconditionally, tolerates the cats, roams shoulder to shoulder about the property with Phineas and is a playmate and mentor to Nickolas. It makes me sad to think of a time when he will not be here, and I try not to dwell. We don't travel much now and always have to be home in a certain number of hours to let the dogs out but it is a sacrifice well worth it.

Speaking of Prince Nickolas, here he is...he was about 15 pounds when we got him Jan 9 and ow is 34 pounds. That may be half his adult weight already!!! he is a great puppy....he does have a love for my shoes though and generally they end up in one of the dog beds...
He has had to learn tolerance as the kittens frequently decide his crate is THE place to nap....

While Artemus snoozes in the crate Annabel frequently snoozes with Phineas...
Or the kittens end up together in a dog bed. They will be a year old at the end of the month. Annabel has taken to claiming me to be a cat. I will be napping and she jumps up to observe me, loudly purring and then reaches out and taps me. Once I let her know I am awake she proceeds to rub her face all over my face. Apparently quite a high form of respect, love and trust. Personally I wish she would love me just a little less.
Nickolas finds them interesting and tries to play with them but hasn't figured out they are not puppies so they run from the rough housing.
I think that is enough for day one of vacation. Tomorrow there will be pics of home improvements and talk of Olympic sweaters.


Til tomorrow

Hi Mom....