Litter Plucking-Earth Day

Annual litter pluck day
SULLIVAN COUNTY – The Sullivan County Division of Public Works and Solid Waste donates trash bags for roadside cleanup event and accepts roadside refuse free of charge at the landfill and transfer stations. 845/794-3000 ext. 3072.

Today my husband I spent a few hours doing this litter plucking. (Shoot- I did not think to bring my camera.) We just plucked a small area to clean by the NY/Pa bridge near our house. It was a beautiful day to pluck but I am totally shocked at all the garbage that is tossed along the sides of the bridge and roads. We had 3 full construction size bags of garage that included numerous beer cans , bottles and wrappers from all kinds of cigarettes and food. Also were some political signs buried in dirt, Christmas decorations, a video tape, hub cap and some cat food cans. We took our treasure to the library where they had a dump truck full of the group's efforts. It made me feel good to see all that garbage off the roadsides.

Pug are Bed Hogs

I just had to buy 3 of these Pug plates from an ad in the Parade Magazine. It is a Gary Patterson Plate titled " BED HOG"One for each of my kids and one to keep. We all have pugs that hog the bed and sleep in such comical ways .

Tonight is Knitting Group night. The group project we are starting are "Queen of the Diamond Socks" form Spin Off. I hope I can handle it my frustration level is high lately. I am looking forward to using the circular needles for the first time with socks and if I have to go to a simple pattern I will. We are making plans for our Baltimore Sheep and Wool road trip.

Can you believe I ripped out 2 days of work on 2 cloths for the Dish Cloth KAl? The count of the stitches and my concentration were really off. I finally convinced myself last night that this one was not fun- why torture myself for dish cloths?I just ripped and ripped and enjoyed it. I don't think I have the patience for lace.- at least this week.

So sad

One of the students that got shot at Virginia Tech went to Minisink High School http://www.minisink.com/the same one my kids attended. Caitlin was an only child that was extremely talented and respected by all. . My heart goes out to her family, friends and all of her former teachers.Every mother knows this is your worst nightmare. You send your kids off to college and hope that you have prepared them but,never imagine something like this. Nothing could be worse.

Mid April KAl

Starting 2 dish clothes in variegated yarns for this months KAL. I look forward to these but wonder if it is keeping me from finishing other projects.I do not have a long knitting project span for some reason so this KAL works for me. I get frustrated with so many ufo's.

The weather really is crappy here. Snow, sleet, rain and lots of flooding in the area.Schools were even closed here today. The Delaware is roaring and getting higher but not like last summer's flood.

Return from Puerto Rico

Duck Tour of San Juan

and

sock knitting by the pool
snorkeling in the Caribbean

Whew..from sunny 90 degree weather to return to snow, slush and cold.... but still glad to be home to my husband and pugs.. My trip was wonderful with quality time with my daughter !Not as much knitting done on this vacation as we were very active with hiking in the rain forest, Duck tour, rum punch /snorkeling day trip and walking to Old San Juan and Condado. My blue sock got past the heel .Now on to unpacking and clearing the mess my husband left all week

adios

Adios Amigos

I am off to the playa. I am staying at the Normandie which has mixed reviews.http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147320-d209621-r3430503-Normandie_Hotel-San_Juan_Puerto_Rico.html I am so excited to be with my daughter a whole week. The Boy gets to watch the pugs this week while I am basking in the sun and drinking mojitos....do I feel a bit guilty?
My knitting is packed. Just maybe I will finish the second Blue Seduction sock-?

Spring break

Well, I am all packed clothes wise for Puerto Rico. Now I have to figure out what knitting to bring.

The other clog is too complicated to bring with the double stands/colors and too much concentration that is needed to finish. Besides- I might have messed up the heel and have to wait till I go back to knitting group for help.

The other Blue Seduction sock needs to be finished. I really am not thrilled with this sock and won't ever do this one again. But, so much time and money was invested in first one I will do the next. Maybe they will look better on my feet.

I might bring a Cabin Fever kit for a tank top I bought at Stitches. I worry about packing my Option Needles Set. If I take them as carry on they do look like weapons ;but if they are in suitcase they might get lost.The news reports about lost suitcases scares me. I would not want to lose my precious Options. So I will probably take Denise set but they catch so much at the joints and are so annoying.

I did not go to Weight Watchers again. I know I gained due to my nephew's wedding this last weekend.The entire bag of red licorice did not help either. I weighed myself this am and back on track with no gain. I am worrying about what I will be eating this coming week and hope I do not gain too much. My daughter and I love to eat out and drink a bit. Rum and diet cokes - how many points?

Worrying is a problem for me. I worry about the small things and wish I would not .I worry about things I can't control like if my Dad passes away while I am in Puerto Rico. I worry less now that I am retired. Teaching and the kid's problems would keep me awake. My mother is a major worrier and it is annoying..I worry about being a worrier like her.

good news about Buddy

The vet called and asked if we could bring Buddy in today. She took another sonogram and urine tests. She see no tumor like the other vet and thinks the other vet might have seen a blood mass that has since gone.

I started to cry I was so happy. Buddy is not out of the woods yet but it is not a tumor or cancer. They sent his urine to another lab for testing and he is on more antibiotics. What a scare the other vet gave us. Buddy is a family - in fact I like him better than some of my human family.

Kal Dish Cloth

Buddy update...He is the pug in the middle..

Day 2 April Dish Cloth KAl
Someone mentioned doing 2 or 3 dish cloths are the same time on the KAL so I am trying it out. I get so excited over learning something like this.It makes sense to do 2 or maybe 3 at the same time. This KAL is a simple one to try this out for the first time. I am using Debbie Bliss Pure cotton and it is so soft that these would make good baby wash clothes.

Buddy goes to the vet on Thursday to see what our options are and to do further tests. Since he took the antibiotics for his UTI he is doing much better. The vet called today and said they have to look closer at his tumor and see where it is located exactly in order to determine what they can do.

Recycled Sari Silk from Nepal

I bought this on Ebay this week. 10 skeins of recycled silk. I am thinking a vest or shawl? Has anyone every used this?

Tuesday March 24

still on this sock!!!

Irish dishcloth

clog to be felted when second sole figured out.

Buddy at my son's wedding 8/5/2006

Buddy as a puppy

Things continue to be hectic with driving back and forth to the nursing home where my father is and helping my 83 year old mother. He fell twice this weekend and had a high fever. Now they confirmed he has a C-diff virus which explains why he is getting up so much to use the bathroom.





Knitting is still going on, I am working the Seduction Sock and decided to just use stockinette for the foot area. It is taking forever.. The first Fiber Trends clog is made except for the cuff and second sole area which needs a chunk of quiet relaxed time to figure out. I finished the Irish Claddagh dish cloth. Maybe it was the yarn I used but the pattern is not really obvious.











Buddy, on of the pugs who is only 6, was peeing blood this weekend so I took him to The ER Vet on Sunday .They did a bunch of expensive tests and suspect cancer. My regular vet is away till next week so we will wait and see what she says. This is so sad. Buddy is the sweetest dog ever..

animals friends

This was on our deck this past fall
Today this little guy was under the bird feeders..

another strange bird strutting on our deck this fall..

Besides the 4 pugs we have other assorted animals. Frequently, eagles fly right past my kitchen window . I am too busy admiring them and not fast enough to get a photo.

I smell the skunks. Woodchucks, moles and chipmunks leave their damage and are seen. MY husband has battled the moles and woodchucks with all sorts of traps, smoke bombs ,etc. Their holes and damage is still happening. All kinds of other birds like cardinals, finches and wood peckers and a few wild turkeys. Deer, birds and squirrels are the most populars animals visiting us lately as my husband has been feeding the birds and the rest have been attracted. I have seen bear close by but only some skat on our property closer by the river. My husband saw a fox and her kits last spring too. Oh yeah a few scary snakes in my garden scared me a few times last year too.

Spring Has Sprung

Mid March Dish Cloth KAL done(needs some blocking) but love the spring colors

Look what is popping up!


Spring has sprung? Lots of snow still hanging around here but the crocuses are emerging! They are a bit protected by the roof over hanging.

To celebrate spring a new blog template has been inserted!

10 pound weight loss

I drove to WW in a snow storm last night. I only have less than a mile to drive..There were about 20 dedicated people there ..I lost less than a pound but hit the 10 pound loss !!! This weight loss is so slow. When I was younger it would come off so much easier. Losing 10 pounds has made a big difference in my clothes and how I feel as a lot of it was around my gut. Now- if I only can get rid of the next 7 ! At Weight Watchers I always knit. I started another mobius yesterday to work on there because the Seduction sock is not mindless knitting,

I am working on my mid month Dish Cloth Kal and it is looking quite pretty. These seem to come in handy for small little gifts. I will post it after it is done..I look forward to these daily instructions and the group postings.This is such a good group for beginners.

Puerto Rico/ blue Seduction Sock

My daughter and I are going to Puerto Ricohttp://welcome.topuertorico.org/index.shtml in 3 weeks! After all the snow this week I so happy to be going to a warm place. This will be a special trip for me. I was an exchange student in college and went to the University of Puerto Rico. What a rewarding and real life educational experience!. I loved the people who treated me so nicely and the beaches! so I will show my daughter the places I used to go to and try to find the building where I lived over 30 years ago. Plus my daughter and I will share quality time together which is so precious to me. I know she will be married soon and eventually will have her own a family so that will make it harder to do these kinds of things together.

After losing a few pounds at WW my summer clothes won't be so tight and maybe even fit. I will start to pack next week and have to think if what knitting projects I will take. Most likely some socks. Maybe I will have figured out the circulars method in Cat Borhdi's book by then. Meanwhile my Blue Seduction Sock ( pattern from Interweave Spring 20007 )has the heel and should be done in a few days. This first one took a while is a bit complicated for me. Yikes- I see it is not even machine washable after all this work .

SocksAnn Budd, Contributing EditorYarn Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction (50% merino, 50% tencel; 400 yd [365 m]/4 oz): blue moonstone, 1 skein.


"

March Snow Storm

The BOY and Peek-a-boo.

snowing outside /my reflection

see those chunks floating


It is really higher than what this picture shows.

Snow Day! No yoga and all the schools are closed again..I love it but I do not have to do the shoveling- the poor boy does...

Started my day off with my mid-month Dish cloth Kal http://monthlydishclothkal.blogspot.com/

The ice on the Delaware in front of my house is breaking up and piles up like an ice mountain or glacier at the eddy or bend in the river where it gets narrow. ( the is why it is called Narrowsburg, Ny on the the other side) These photos do not do it justice.Everyone is stopping as they go over the bridge to look at the site.

Angora/ lambs wool striped scarf

Yikes.... this is a terrible picture with all the yarn dangling and the color way off.
While at the Cat Bordhi retreat I purchased some angora/lambs wool from Shadyside Studio Wools. This wool is so soft and hand dyed in pretty pale colors. It has spots where is is pure white and thick knobby stuff. I do not spin do not sure what you call them. I like them when I hit one of the sections. Once in a while I pick out things that look like rabbit poop or hay . No matter if it is poop- this is my all time favorite yarn ! .

Angora bunny yarn
A 60/40 blend of lambswool and our own german angora in a 2 ply worsted weight knitting yarn. In white, natural grey or buff.
packaged in 2 ounce skeins of 125 yds. each. $15 each...Colored by hand...$18
Order Form

St Patrick's Day

The Yulan St.Patrick's Day parade took place last Sunday. This parade is very different than any parade I have ever attended. I am not a city person but this is definitely a country type of parade with every fire truck and local business in the parade. It was a riot.. I took pictures.

I l ost a pound this week. It is going very slow --but at least I am losing rather than gaining.. Maybe with this spring weather teasing me I will get more energy to get out and walk.

my dad

My father has been such a positive role model. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a dad like mine!
finished another mobius..now maybe I will work on my not mindless knitting Seduction Sock tonight.

Spent most of the day taking my mother to lunch and then to the nursing home. Dad was awake today and even smiled for the picture.

compulsive knitting

http://www.catbordhi.com/


This seems to be a pattern for me. I learn a new knitting skill or pattern and then have to do 10 of them .Remember all the fingerless mitts I did in the fall, then dish cloths and the scarves before that..? As you can see, I have moved on to the mobius ....How many mobius gifts can I give or wear ?


Making mindless mobius scarves are attractive to me because of very little finishing off involved. The main problem I have encountered is getting the correct length. It has to be short or long enough to be doubled - no in between. The gauge thing is still a mystery to me that I have not forced myself to conquer.





My next project is to try making socks on double needles using Cat Bordhi's book

Soaring Socks on Circular Needles. I have ordered the Addi number #2 needles needed from Yarn Market but they are back ordered.

Weight Watchers( But I think I lost more) was missed this week due to visiting my poor father who has been moved into a nursing home again. He needs to use a wheel chair and just sleeps when I visit him. His color is so pale and he hardly talks anymore except to say how awful he feels.That he does not even smile at me or eat the candy I bring breaks my heart. It is so depressing to see him and all the other patients like this and deep inside you realize this could happen to you someday. You fear for your own children that they too will have to see you like this. My mother has told my other siblings that they should come home to visit now because he is doing so poorly.