Iggy POOP!!!

I had a great day!! I had two Christmas Parties to go to yesterday. I had the Miller Retirement party at 11 am, and it was really nice to see all the retirerees, and it made me feel young!!!! LOL. Then, I had the Miller fitters party at the Valley Inn, which was very nice and we ate some more. Meanwhile Iggy was in his pen in the shop with Kim. Kim enjoys Iggy so I felt comfortable leaving him with her and she has had dogs so, she had agreed to doing it. The first party got done about 2:30 and the second one started at 3pm. I had intended to come home and play with Iggy and then leave again but timewise and traveling wise it made more sense to just go from one to the other. I made a call to Kim and asked if she would mind putting Iggy in his cage with the frozen Kong with peanut butter, she said it was no problem. As always I felt very comfortable with Kim and went to the party. Now the shop closes at 4pm, Iggy goes in cage appx. 4pm
I leave party at 5pm get home at 5:30, walk upstairs and it stinks like poop!!! My first thought was Oh man did Kim smell this and did I leave a turd somewhere, undiscovered???? I hear some scrambling and crying for mom, out of my bedroom which is just reeking of poop....I open the door and out comes a poop coated Iggy!!!! He looked fine, but there was poop on his paws, his sides, his tail, and ALL over the door of his cage where he apparantly wanted to get out of and away from the smearing turd. It stunk so bad and I am trying to take of my clothes knowing well we were going to have to give someone a bath. I am trying to corral him so .....bottom line. Iggy poop, got a bath, I scrubbed the floor, cage and whatever else those poopy paws touched. I have to wash his little kennel liner of faux sheepskin, turd encrusted. No I didn't knit last night...I cleaned little Iggy Poop!!! How can I still think he was cute????
Lesson #1, never enjoy a day too much while leaving a loved one at home!!!! Paybacks are a given
No pictures of this one, no time to catch the cute little poopy pup

Just a short blog

Hi I'm Iggy and my mom went to refill her coffee cup...huh...she left her cup here and her computer on!!! So life here is hectic, she seems to think I like this frozen rubber thing she shoves full of peanut butter and some Kong crap.....oh and speaking of crap, it is something I have gotten pretty good at doing, and while I am doing it, my mom hollers, "No, go on the paper" and lifts me up in mid air/poop and off I go to the paper. I am peeing a little better, not so much everywhere, but closer to the paper than a week ago. My ears are up, my mom likes to pretend bite them, and she wonders where I get it from. I do have pretty sharp teeth and love to bite on anything!!! It is snowing really hard today so mom and I are upstairs and she is making something stinky...like shrimp. I am going to get under her feet today and make her go nutz. Just the kind of mood I'm in. Hey if I wore glasses wouldn't I look like Mr. Peabody and Sherman....????? I think I'm kind of a cute poster for Apple computers???? I may have another career, besides being the shop dog!!! Well I am getting bored with this, I may try to chew one of these cords here, or maybe the leg of the couch it is more woody!!! Oh a new one, the breakfast bar stools, nothing like some metal shavings. Later, don't tell on me OK???

Losing it!!!!

So tonight I had to do a little shopping. I lured Iggy into his cage with a frozen Kong, with some kind of Kong juice inside. He was quiet and I left to do some shopping. I am in a great mood, it is cold out and cars are driving by with trees on top, it is snowing a little and Christmas music is playing. I get into the parking lot and wait for a car to pull out of a spot and some ignorant tard, whips in from the other side. I am a tad disgrunteled but not to lose the feel of the Season, I put down the window and screamed Merry Christmas!!!! To which he did not turn around or look back or anything, I did try to find the idiot in the store just to smile and again wish him a Happy Holiday, but in my mind I was thinking what you are thinking at that point. So I get my shopping cart and start to browse and some lady thinks she is going to pull a fast one and take my cart...oh no, lady, this is my cart there are more by the door, thank you.....So now I am looking at something on the shelf and another lady, about my size decides she can look at something on the opposite side with her arse real snug to me...uh uh, I happened to be here first and when the heck did I lose all my rights as a human being. I dig in my purse and find something that I had to get out and put on....a smile on a stick...( I sell these cheezy, paper smiles on tongue depressers).I say excuse me, but I am looking here.....she smiled and as though one more word out of her and I will rip her head off of her neck and put it in my shopping cart...she left and I thought I better too. Two ladies that were watching this encounter, were in hysterics. For goodness sake the aisles are only three feet wide where the heck are two fat butts going??? So now I am done and leave, in the safety of my car listening to more Christmas Carols and am feeling once again in the Holiday Spirit and then.....has anyone heard that drama queen Delilah on the radio????? So here I am driving and huffing at the radio, interjecting more drama than I can handle. Delilah, I would like you to play Happy Hippo, (or whatever the hell that crappy song is,) so the woman says I am playing it for Jimmy and Suzy my son and daughter who are 2 months and 1 year old and I want them to know Delilah just how much their mommy loves them and I hope to have many Christmas's with them and watch them open their presents ( me screaming, shut up!!! the kids are still peeing in their diapers they don't care what the heck song you want to play for them!!!) After about 20 minutes of this lovefest....dorky Delilah says, "I'll see if we can play you a real nice song for Jimmy and Suzy!!" uh Delilah maybe you didn't hear her she wants you to play that stupid hippo song....in sheer exhaustion I turned on some Heavy Metal rock music. This is why I love being home!!!!!

Slow down December

Wow, I am so backed up with stuff to do, not shopping, but business things....the newsletter had to go out the Christmas stocking voting started, bills to pay.....Sheep in the City class sign up began, so I am a bit relieved to have the first week of December go by!!!! So with all the loose ends getting tied up I am watching my crazy Iggy snapping in the air at nothing??? Ok, so he is a tad weird but he is so cute doing it??? He has once again found the shade chords and is obsessed with them. He is so spunky in the morning, it is hard to do anything. He is able to scale the back of the couch and look out the window, with great pleasure. I am working on a little sweater for Kim's class, One pattern , 1000 sweaters. I suggest you sign up for a class if you are interested, before they fill up!!!! The photo is Iggy and Millie at puppy kindergarden. Millie is a brindle Boxer and was so happy to be the "Big" dog for a change, they played so hard. Stud Iggy was the only guy at playtime this week. He of course was so proud and bossy, gotta go he has found my pj bottoms and is pulling them through the house.....it never ends.

Catch a blur!!!

Whew.....trying to get a photo of the white blizzard, is like trying to catch the wind. The puppy is non stop!!!!! From one toy to the next, mouth open and all teeth. I am going into the Guiness World book as the World's largest, chew toy!!!! I did get my Spinning guild gift made....wahoo!!!!! I am figuring out how to handle or should I say juggle my life now. I keep thinking in a year this will be behind me and years pass so quickly. So I am trying to enjoy this little terror, and get my kisses when I can minus the pucture wounds in my chin!!!! The Christmas stockings are coming in and that is exciting, not too mention beautiful. This is going to be a short week, so today I am putting up the decorations and getting ready for Christmas......!!!! My SIL and I were talking about how it seems like just yesterday thing happened for her. My prospective is different, sometimes it seems like ages when I did something, I am thinking maybe it is because I have packed so much life into such little time. High school was something I just "had" to do, and did it. Art classes got me through that!!! I went to one year of college, and hated school, no surprise. I got married, had a son, got divorced, started an apprenticeship got a good job, got married, got divorced, started doing what I love in Art shows, retired and started my own business. Wow, I need a nap now.....So I am going to be Thankful for all of my life experiences, it is what has formed me as a person and my life. I am also thankful for all of my friends and customers, that have helped me to live my dream. I want you to know just how much each and everyone of you means to me. Thank you!!!!

Jaws

Oh yes he is cute, but anyone know a Vet that removes teeth...flailing mouth and teeth. He is doing so well or maybe it is just me....I get up and potty and so does he, on the peepee pad in the bathroom....like mommy like baby.....!!! He comes when I call him, that is unless he has a ball of yarn in his mouth, and is running top speed across the room. I figure by Christmas, I will have a huge sale box of Iggy yarn. Slightly reduced because the label was removed and impaled with teeth and a little drool. Actually I am teathering him to me....to stop this type of naughtyness. Not that it stops him but for a minute...he has his eye on the yarn at any chance I may go too close. This is not a flattering photo of him but it is what I see!!! TEETH!! He started puppy kindergarden and is doing good for his age, which today is his 9 week birthday. When I hold him I try to remember he won't be like this long....I hope!!! LOL

Day three....

Things are better, we are on a schedule of sorts. Iggy is Ok with his crate and likes to ride. He is still all teeth and mouth but he is doing well and I am sleeping too!!!! Last night it was from 10 to 4 am...good puppy!!!! So am I doing anything else...no, cooking??? If the dog doesn't kill my my cooking might!!!! LOL

What the hell is wrong with me?????

Oh, he is cute and he kissed me right off....he stole my heart and rode home like a champ. He showed off like a fine prince and then less than 5 hours later has turned into Hell boy!!!!!!! Cute as hell but all teeth, nails and mouth. My life as I had known it is changed forever. I have changed his name 20 times from Columbus to Beastie to Jaws, to Hoover and on and on and he has been in my possesion appx. 20 hours. He misses nothing and thinks I am his new chew toy!!! He has had his first bath, and still smells a little puppyish. He has sardine breath, but oh those kisses....when I can steal one. He runs with his mouth open hoping to get something in it while on his journey. On the way home, I let him pee at a gas station...I know, but it was a long ride. He peed immediatly on the grass, my first reaction was....oh my he went right away....this won't be an issue. He has not peed on the paper or even close to it for that matter since. Cute does not define that look he gives me. He is loud when you put him in his cage, it is cross between a loud parrot and a baby crying. He has a temper that is very prominent and I think I am going to have my hands full with training. So what I am basically saying is, please if it seems like I just gave birth and am sleep deprived and if my hair is standing on end even more than usual....let it go....I have told people I remember when Joey was a puppy that, the first year, I would get up and get my cup of coffee and she would hang off the bottom of my nightgown by her teeth...I didn't care, I knew where she was......deja vous??????? What was I thinking???? I can only hope that in a few months I will read this with laughter and fondness....of the puppy hell. But darn he is cute!!!!!!!

Bringing home baby

Happy Dance, Happy Dance....I am doing the Happy Dance....feet are tapping arms are flapping...Jannies doing the happy dance...Saturday I pick up the baby....Iggy pup...!!!! Cheryl is going to drive so I can hold him all the way home!!!!! I can get puppy kisses and rub his little puppy belly. Auntie Kim is watching the shop!!! I can't sleep.....I have toys to chew for Iggy oh and then I am worried he won't fit Iggy? Maybe he'll be a Winston, or a Lawrence...nah, if he is my dog he is a nutjob and no nutjob will be named "Winston" he will be an Iggy....I hope. LOL...I brought out all of the stashed toys and trinkets I have bought for him, I am checking for NO CHINA toys. I went over them closely inspecting them, checking them to see if everything is OK....oh forget it I just wanted to play with them. I have food bought, but he is coming home with food to make the transition slowly!!! He has a Vet appt. Monday morning and I have a chiro appt. so he will be a traveling puppy... he must learn to ride. Oh, I am exhausted....just thinking about my coming duties....three more sleeps to get Iggy!!!! So there will be new life in the shop, come Sunday!!!! The picture is not Iggy, it is just a Westie!!!

Good Morning America

History is made, actually I think it is made every day, but this one is a biggie.
I am knitting on a purse with paintbox yarn, it is mitered squares and is coming along quite nice. I am actually making progress and sticking to it....see it's little pieces at a time...baby steps. I get to pick up Iggy sometime around the 15th of this month. So it is time to puppy proof, my main concern is cords. I am not one to change the way I live for anyone. I believe you need to learn the word..."No" but cords are like chocolate, so I will be lifting them off of teeth range. I have a gate to put at the top of the steps, which means I will be getting my leg lifting exercises. I can't wait to kiss his little puppy belly. I asked about his tinge of yellow, brownish fur and she reassured me it is puppy ink??? Orange ink or something like that, which means the embroyo sac juice stains their fur. It gets whiter after some grooming and baths.....
I remember when we picked up Scott and Cheryls puppies, they stunk bad....like rotten socks, they were so cute but the whole car stunk!!!! These puppies have been cared for a lot better, and they still smell a little socky!!!! Puppy schmell!!!!
Scott calls the puppy Iggy poop already...tell me he is lying.....please

Guess who I got to see???

I am in love.....there are two boys and two girls and one of the boys is my Iggy!!! I couldn't touch them till they have more of their vaccines but they sure are attentive. There was Houdini that was trying to get out of that cage in worst way!!! There was a little girl that kept shoving her face through the grids. I get first pick of the boys....they are both cute....one talks alot???? I have four more weeks to wait.....aaaaccckkkkkk But I wanted you to see them too!!! The photos are pretty bad, it was kind of dark and they were moving constantly till they all dropped in a ball to nap!!!! I am thrilled!!!
More puppy photos

AAAcccckkk we missed one!!!

Today was such a fun day...later in the day that is...my SIL and I went on a hunt for all 15 of the Quilts on Barns in Racine county. It was so much fun...I had a map and had it all tripped out. We headed out and in the morning was rain...we left at 1ish and the rain stopped and it was a bit overcast but then cleared up. It was a perfect day for photos and I have plenty!!! We hit one detour and figured we could catch it later....We traveled 115 miles including a must stop at the Cracker Barrel for a late lunch. It almost put us both into a coma...in our pursuit we saw wonderful trees with lots of color and alot of bare trees too. As I was putting this all together...hey, I'm missing one.....we missed the one close to the Lake...#15....I may have to run and get it tomorrow. So to view the photos, check this out!! It took us 5 hours including lunch. I highly recommend it. It would have been fun with a GPS unit!!!
Quilt Barns tour

Things are looking up!!

I was getting dressed this morning and found I had a visitor on my porch. I think he was looking for something to eat. He was swinging on my swing, standing on my grill and scoping out the hummingbird feeder???? So I got a shot at him, he decided to be a poser!!!! He took off and tried to do a Tarzan swing on a bird house, not a feeder, maybe he isn't too smart. I don't encourage them to come and hang out but my porch swing seems to entice them. When I sit on it, I tend to wonder if I am going to get fleas....so I have been spraying listerine on it with hopes it will keep them off....kind of like pepper spray for bears.....I can tell you neither one of them works well....the squirrel stretched out and sunned himself on the swing....like I put it there for him. I remember my old house at the bird feeder the squirrels were robbing it blind so I put capsium or red pepper in the feed, it is supposed to discourage the squirrels but won't harm the birds. The next day there were three of them at the feeder and they had sombreros on like the three Amigos. I know it is hopeless to try to discourage squirrels, so I will just enjoy shooting them with my camera!!!!!

Army of Woman

I just wanted to ask everyone to please join in an Army of Woman against Breast Cancer. It is October and that is Breast Cancer Awareness month. What they are asking is questions about what makes woman get cancer?? Who gets cancer. I guess you register and then they will send you a questionnaire to fill out about lifestyle etc. They are trying to see if what we do as woman gives us a better or less than chance of getting breast cancer. I saw the Dr on the View and she said that they are trying to get a million woman to answer the questions to see if there is a corilation to our life style. So being that I know a million woman read this blog.....eh hem......well anyway....it's free and who knows we may be the missing link???? So give it a shot
Army of Women

Gene sucking

I'm sure you have heard of gene pooling? Well have you heard of gene sucking? Just like any other pregnancy I went full term. I had a wonderful nine months and was never sick or had any bad experiences. My son was born healthy and a great baby, he was content, slept through the night at two weeks and was a pleasure to raise. He has grown into a wonderful man and I found out what he drained from me...what he stole those nine months he was spinning and twirling in embryonic fluid....are you ready?? He stole all my exercise genes...oh yeah....I used to do stuff. I played hard my whole life. I used to run till my side hurt...climb trees, play baseball and football and ride bikes...gone...it's all gone....he took it all from me. He left me with exercise deficiency....it is a common syndrome, I just found out the name for it. I feel better now...is there a cure??? I could try to follow him one day and see if I could catch up to him??? I could try to get it back but he is using it up fast...he rides his bike 50 miles at a shot....I can hardly drive that far without getting tired.....so beware your child may be doing the same thing to you..they may look innocent, but they are sucking all of your exercise genes and leaving you a couch potato. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!!

Maggot Orgy??

This is not an ad for Pampered Chef, as a matter of fact they may ban me from parties!!!! Kim highly recommended the Microwave Rice cooker. It doesn't boil over and it's easy and blah blah blah!!!!! So Ms. Gimmick had to have it. I actually was cooking dinner for my SIL and myself Monday and took out my new Rice cooker. The directions for the cooker say...refer to your microwave directions for rice????? Well that would require digging for the book and that is not an option at this point. Next best thing call Kim....she said in HER microwave she cooks it 30 minutes but, she said that some Microwaves have a Rice selection...so I look...oh it does...never mind. So I put one cup of rice and two cups of water and some salt and into the nukker it goes. I push compuserve and Rice, it says push 4 for amount so I push 4 and .5 comes up.....well I have a cup of rice not a 1/2 cup???? so I push 4 again and it says .5???? At this rate the stove top would have at least had the water boiling. I put in 30 minutes...Kim uses it so I can too......MMMMMmmmm I can smell rice cooking and my dinner is going well and the ding goes off and I take my cute little rice cooker out of the microwave and with great anticipation, fluffy brown rice with a pad of melted butter on it.....eeerrrrrkkkkkk back up a moment....I have invented rice turf.....the eco friendly survivor rice cake....alias frisbee, stepping stone for the garden, trivet and other than the fact it looks like a maggite orgy....it has a very organic look!!!! For the recipe just let me know!!!
We had noodles!!!!

Mike on a bike

I was invited to my Son and his girlfriends home for dinner. He rides his bike to work and had said he will meet me about 5:30pm. I am always early but thought I would stop on the lakefront for a quick walk. I live by Lake Michigan. So I am driving in very busy after work traffic and I am concerned about a biker, with traffic licking at his elbows when they pass him....it dawned on me it could be my son, but I thought it was kind of early. Then all bikers look alike, black spandex, helmets and glasses and a determination to keep moving. As I pass him swerving way around him, sure enough it was Mike. He saw me too...so we stopped and talked and my heart was in my throat knowing that he travels that path every day and let me tell you it was busy....he is only inches from preoccupied drivers and one little swerve can kill him or cripple him for life. Then we have the rash of hit and run drivers of bicyclists here in the area to add to the worry. Well I took his backpack into the car and while I was passing him and the traffic was taking a break, I opened the window and unbelievably got this shot!!!! Sometimes I get kind of mad at bikers when they do this weaving in and out and ride side by side on the side of the road. I too try to ride my bike and worry about cars, so I have a respect for riders.
Then last night I am following a drunk driver....obviously drunk or having a seizure or stroke. The person stopped 1/2 bk. behind the stop light, I beeped and they creeped forward, this was my first clue. Then went from one lane to the other to the center of both lanes. I watched in fear and stayed a safe distance behind. Then she hit the curb and came into oncoming traffic and that is when I dialed 911. This woman was going to kill someone else. We go under a bridge and she is in two lanes and swerving, she is not leaning over to play with the radio, her window is wide open and it is pouring rain. The operator, starts giving me the third degree. I follow her for 3 miles and no police, I am asked if it is a man or woman??? Does it matter if you are going to kill someone?? Is he/she, hispanic, African American? Excuse me, I am calling about a drunk driver, if for one minute you think I am going to go next to their car and look for there Ethnic Evaluation and who cares they are going to kill someone. I gave you their license plate number, the color of thier car....no I don't know what she is wearing or what her hair color is....are you serious, I am in my car, not on her windsheild???? Oh my God she is in the wrong lane.....she is turning into a gas station....hey you know what, she is at Speedway, (that's how I know it's a she) If you don't want her to kill someone, I don't know her address, if she has McDonalds on her carseat or any birthmarks but she is there...I am done, I am going for dinner. I was by the airport which has a sheriffs department there, I followed her to be a witness if she did hit someone, which is a blessing she didn't , I am not in the habit of doing this but it was really scary. I understand the police don't want some revenge caller just harassing another driver....but come on.....what color hair do they have?? Did I mention it was dark and raining????? I was going to kill someone!!!!

Look what's coming!!!!

I've been lonely too long!!!! This is a photo of Iggy's cousins.....which in turn means, this is not my dog but my new puppies cousin. My puppy is only two weeks old, so he is looking like a mouse about now. I am the owner of a baby West Highland Terrier. He is so young and he won't come home till November or when his mom kicks him out. So I am nervous, like bringing home a new baby.....Seems like only yesterday I brought Joey home and the biggest thing I remember is her hanging off of my nightgown with her teeth and me drinking coffee and letting her because I knew where she was. She was so cute and so...so energetic...and I thought am I ready for that again??? I am and I ain't.....but I do know I miss Joey so much and she has left such a void in my life that I need something not to replace her nothing could do that but to keep me company.....and a reason why I talk to myself....plus it's been weird taking a bath without some four legged animal pushing the door open to make sure I am doing a good job washing all over. So I have not seen the little mouse, but I thought Iggy is a good name or Ozzy, but Iggy pup, seems appropriate for a little white haired puff ball.

Eyes so blue

I was never one to be totally taken by any actors, but I always admired Paul Newman and his wife of many years Joanne Woodard. It really made a void this morning when I found out he had died. It's not like we were friends?? It's not like I "loved him"? He was just a wonderful role model for other actors and actresses with his anti Hollywood appeal. Of course he was old and this tends to happen in the life cycle, but for me, I am sad. I feel for the families of high interest people, how do they feel watching their beloved on the TV or movies over and over again and again and again. I know how hard it is to look at pictures of Joey without getting teary eyed, that face, those eyes, that sniffing, (Joey was my dog) I don't want someone to get the wrong idea there?? So life goes on and so will we, but we can still support his wonderful charities, by buying Salad dressing, he has done wonderful work with that for underprivledged children.
I had a great birthday Thanks to Angela and Lois for the party and for Mike and Danijela for the special dinner!!! Chris the jeweler made me the most beautiful Spider ring and you will have to stop in the shop to see it!!!
Have a good weekend!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

I love cake....I love birthdays!!!! It is the one time of year you don't have to share with everyone else....your special day!!! It is not Christmas or Easter it is your own special event. You may share it with others but not like a Holiday!!!! So last night when I was going to bed, knowing when I woke up I would be another year older...I got the giggles, how life changes!!!! When you are young you get a drink, go pottie and hop into bed with a favorite small toy to avoid getting caught. You get into Motherhood and you make sure everyone else has a drink, goes pottie and fall into bed exhausted. You go into menopause and you go pee, twice, take your pills, pee again, check to see if you turned off the water from taking the pills, go back to bed sit on the edge of the bed and forgot what you were going to do, wake up in puddles of sweat, then have an anxiety attack and lay awake, trying to figure out what woke you up, go pee and go to sleep one hour before you have to wake up.....now I go to bed after doing the watering and dewatering, put on my glasses to read, and my muzzle to breath and read a half a page and fall asleep, wake up three hours later and dewater again.....remuzzle....sleep....and wake up and I'm another year older.....!!! I can hardly wait till the next change. For those of you that share MY day Happy Birthday!!!!!!!

Still Lacing?

Yes I am still knitting on the lace scarf.....when did the Olympics end????? Not much new here, I will be getting a bunch of new yarns in, hopefully before the Yarn Tasting party!!! I got a new toy in and sold out as fast, it was a pompom maker!!! It is so cool, so now everything will have pompoms on it!!! I am finally getting back into the groove after being gone a few days....I am trying to catch up on emails and there were over 100!!! Oh it's not that I am that popular it is for Erectile disfunction but they get disguised next to an important message...like..."I've been trying to get a hold of you!!!"" So foolishly I open it thinking it being a customer or an important mail!!!! I have something a little interesting to tell everyone. I have a friend that lives in Texas, they were on the cusp of the hurricane and came through unscathed, but he had made an interesting comment...the Mexican Army and Canadian Armies were there helping with the clean up aide...Now has anyone heard anything about that???? All we ever hear is how the US is going in to help other countries???? He seems to think it is a political thing....I found it interesting, so I thought I would pass it on, so we do get help from foreign countries. OK, I am off to get my hair cut.

Back from Up North

I needed my fix of the Woods. I have friends that have a cottage in Crandon, WI on Lake Metanga. We went for boat rides and just sat around a fire and enjoyed the wonderful weather. It was wonderful!!!! What is it about Up North that is so calming?? People in Wisconsin use "Up North" as a term for anywhere 50 miles north of the city!!! No one know exactly where up North is? But we all know it's meaning....
What are you doing this weekend? Going up North...Oh that will be fun!!! Yep....
Typical conversation at any given table here. It is all encompassing, it's like a secret language and I got to go!!!
They have the most wonderful 7 month old chocolate Lab named Sam....Sam and I got into trouble....he wanted to sit in my lap, which, when Sam was little probably was an easy task but Sam is pretty big now and so instead he slinked unto my lap and ended up sleeping with his butt on my lap and head on my knitting.. He acted like no one could see him if his eyes were closed!!!!! So I got my puppy fix for a while.
I knit on my endless Wondercoat....and am on the last leg of it.....a huge feat!!!! Well today it is back to business!!! There is stock to be put out and new stock to put out!!!! What is this it's supposed to 80 today!!!! uh uh.....

Puppy Pile

Can you see 6 puppies in the pile? Yep...I was visiting friends and they are babysitting one Chihuahua, but have 5 of their own and they all were piled on the couch...there is one way underneath the pile....his name is Coal....I just have to laugh at this photo!!! I made a dishcloth and did some spinning and dying and have been knitting on the Alice's Wondercoat and my lace scarf....
What's on your needles. It is getting cool and I love this weather. So it's time for the sweaters to come out and wool socks and all of the fruits of our talents!!!

The Diamond necklace

I was watching GMA this morning and saw a wonderful segment on a group of 13 woman, that pitched in and bought a $15,000, diamond necklace. It changed their lives...each month they got to wear the necklace and had rules like if anyone was going to Paris the necklace had to go with them....what they found most was it renewed their friendships and made them feel special. I was excited about the idea, of course I don't know who would want to spring for that kind of dough, but we can do it in other ways. We need to make ourselves feel special. I love to do little things for "Me", I am spoiled that way. It may mean as little as a new bar of handmade soap?? Or a new pair of earrings??? When I worked construction, I spent $100's of dollars on underwear. I know it sounds stupid.. but , I was wearing mens clothes, flannel shirts jeans, mens work boots, hard hat, leather gloves...but underneath all of that manly clothing, I had on lace underwear, real frilly sexy, underwear. Right next to my skin, I was all woman, it made me hold on to something very dear to me....my feminenity. We need to do something special for us, I learned a long time ago, if you take the 30 minutes for yourself you are more capable of dealing with others.
In this GMA segway, the woman became closer through the necklace, and I think we become closer through our yarn.....look what knitter do for the World by knitting!!! How many of us have rushed to the aid of a family needing hats or Seaman or Soldiers....we don't wear the necklace but we do have a kindred Spirit....needles and yarn and our Love for our craft. .....Kneedles Unite!!! We all are Diamonds!!!!
no I am not done with the lace scarf.....

GPS & Power shopping

So Friday night and I close in a hurry to go meet Patty and drive out to Jefferson for Sheep and Wool. Patty has one of those cars that still has an engine....a real engine that sounds like a car. I am not a car person but I know how great it used to be to step on the gas and move. For me actually it would be dangerous, I would be the jerk pulling out in front of everyone and getting major speeding tickets. So for me the 4 cyl. car was a saftey measure. So Patty also has GPS, which she has fondly named Lola. The free way is stopped and we take the backroads and get behind every slow driver out taking a scenic Friday night cruise. There is a detour and Lola tends to be a little slow on the detour....which is taking us a bit out of the way. So we get to our destination ....not much help from Lola I may add.
Power shopping at Sheep and Wool, we got to walk up and down the four aisles once and go 1/2 way back and the lights go out the doors shut and we got evicted. I have one bag and Patty has a bag... we scored some yarn and used the restroom and that was Sheep and Wool abbreviated into 45 minutes. Can't quite believe I was even there????.....so we power up Lola and off we go to a Fish fry.....We found the 5 o clock club with the help of Lola...good job Lola. Now can you get us a table??? One hour wait so we sit at the bar, where Patty gets a beer bath from the tarbender when the tapper runs out, he proceeds to joke about it and offers to buy either of us a drink, but shame on us for drinking coke, so he wouldn't buy a drink???? That my friends is an Ass...I'm sorry I would rather respect someone for drinking a soda than not buy them a drink because it is non alcoholic? So we get our table the food is good and plan to leave. Patty punches in HOME!!! Her home I assume....Lola tells us to go left, I say to Patty...hmmmm we came in straight ahead, maybe Lola knows a shorter way to the freeway? Lola again says turn left which is a right angle to the last turn. and once again....turn left...Patty makes the comment it feels like we are going around the block....uuuhhhhh alas...turn left again....right to the front of the dinner club....Lola gets shut off and we take our chances and risk our lives driving like millions have done before us.....by instinct!!!!!

Wearing a shirt backwards?

Yesterday I got up early, I had a lot of errands to run, because Monday is my normal closed day but it also was also Labor day, so the business I needed to do, I couldn't.
I will be officially retired from my "JOB" the old one, on October 1st, 2008. I had to go to fill out paperwork, so this was a real official day. I got dressed and left, looking fine, nothing spectacular, I didn't wear a black power suit or anything like that. From there I went to Office Max and stood in line to check out. I went to the Dump...I went to Gander Mountain and Walmart, i was on a Mission...as I was leaving Wally World, empty handed I might add...my shirt seemed to be crawling up around my neck...we are talking 4 hours after I put it on....now it had become annoying. Now it had become apparant, I had it on backwards..oh yeah, pockets in the back and neckline open to the back, Thank God no tags in the front. Then I retraced my steps, sitting in an office with an Agent, discussing terms of retirement....signing important papers, looking senile???? Standing in line with the person behind me checking out wether I was coming or going? The dump just didn't care....so I left it like that....I wore it backwards all day, because I could. I did not knit yesterday for fear of knitting backwards!!!! Next I will try inside out

Long time...

A fiber artist friend of mine at Harley fest!!!!

It seems like a long time since I checked in...I have been fighting with my computer...oh yeah they work great when they work but we are having a lace problem, if you know what i mean. But if you got the newsletter, I think I covered most everything??? I am getting lots of new knitters in the shop...is it Harley fest....don't think so. I can say one thing I am glad my bedroom is facing away from the highway, they are rumbling constantly on Hwy. 32. I have had some shoppers from Michigan and Ohio that were taking a break from the festivities. That was nice. I had to laugh, they are getting $250.00 for rooms at Days Inn in Racine for this festival.....the couple said the ceiling is falling in and duct tape is holding the ceiling fan cord to the wall???? Nice...had i thought of it sooner I could have rented my home out and made a mortgage payment with the money. I could have put a cot in the shop, one of those air beds...and who cooks....I can eat junk for a couple of days...heck I could eat Lobster for the money they are paying. I guess nothing ever meant that much to me to pay that kind of price to fight the crowds....I say this while I am kicking back and playing on my laptop!!!!

Na woo chi, ne ou kin

We are all winners!!!! Some of us, finished some came close and some are waiting till the next Olympics!!!! We had closing ceremonies in the shop today. We got to see all of the projects...There was Erin, she finished her sock, her first sock, and it was beautiful and with no help, her next challenge is to finish it's mate. Lois was working on the mitered square mittens, let's just say, she has what looks like a hand cast done Angela, is making yet another part of the bathing suit she has the bottoms to...by the way these are patches for the bottoms. Charlie finished a beautiful shawl using Kims, pattern, it is made with handspun, and it shimmers like it has beads on it. Martha, is working on a block for her teachers at Knitting camp in Hooterville. Patty did her first cables, in a scarf pattern of Kim's too!!! Me, I have made peace with this lace pattern, peace does not mean I have to like it, but we won't fight anymore...I am not done, but I am over half way done and I will finish it.....that's another blog. We ate Chinese food and hey I just thought of it, there were no fortune cookies!!!!!! I will have photos of the medal ceremonies in the Newsletter.

Still Knitting

I am here and I am still knitting lace....I am just finishing my first skein so it looks rather dim here at the Massie homefront. I may have laid an egg at the birdsnest....dropped the baton....sat on the beam....dropped a needle. I am however done knitting on all the scarves for the traveling scarf. I have stuff I forgot to put in the books and forgot to sign my name in some and didn't put my tag on some???? Back off , I am busy doing all this computer stuff and I am starting to do more play stuff. I have classes to get ready for.

I can do this....

It is the half way point of the Olympics today...I should be starting my second skein of yarn for my lace scarf, I am behind. It just so happened that I turned on the games today and even though I am not a tennis fan, I do recognize the Williams twins, I think that is their names, Serena and Venus? well any American knows who I am speaking of. I watched as I did my usual knit rip routine....they won the Gold and I cried. I cried when the raised the American Flag and played the Anthem. What is it, that touches the Patriotic Spirit with that song? I don't know if it the fact that I am proud to be an American and my heart goes out to the Chinese that are so persecuted? I am not in agreement with the Chinese holding the Olympics, but I still support the Athletes....sometimes we have to leave Politics behind and see the History of the games and what it means to the people that participate. So the twins won the doubles tennis match and they were ecstatic....you wouldn't think so with all of their medals but they won the gold as sisters. So this has inspired me to keep going on the lace scarf....I can do this, I have no competition, just me...I thought it would get easier but I still knit and rip at least every other pattern sequence. So yes Lace knitting is not for me, but I can do this and I can finish this....hopefully in another week.

Doing OK???

I'm still here, I am avoiding what needs to be done but I am still here. I am cleaning house, cooking, and there it is glaring at me...defying me....taunting and snickering. She lays in wait....a mockery. She is beautiful and has an enticing quality.....I know this is going to be a love/hate relationship. So I pick her up I knit a row, one too many stitches. I rip a row, I knit again, it's Ok, I knit another row...wow, I am on a roll.....I knit 5 rows....one too many....I rip again.....knit, unknit, knit, unknit....How long do the Olympics last????? I am also doing ply split braiding since my basement is cleaned.
I am sitting here listening to the song of a Cardinal...probably calling her/his mate, for breakfast...or maybe a quickie, not sure about the personal lives of birds, but....I thought breakfast sounded good. I am back drinking coffee, only one cup, unless Lois brings powder sugar donuts...I can pound those babies down like a machine gun, but they must be washed with coffee. Powdered sugar, who invented that.....the unsnortable sweet treat that feels cold on your tongue. How many times have we inhaled while sneaking up on a coated sweet treat. My personal favorite is wearing it down the front of my shirt, like I am some sort of Coke head, advertising my addiction. When I went to the Church Festival I had on a brown top and just got my limp paper plate with a greasy hot funnel cake on it, with a mountain of powdered sugar and a gust of wind, I had sugar on my sleeves and so did the person next to me. I love funnel cakes. I love powdered sugar...I hate lace.

Halliluhia!!!!!

Doing the Happy Dance....tap o tap o tappity tap!!! Let the Playtime begin!!!! Woooohooooo!!! The basement is done....good enough done!!! Work areas ready to go and I am rather happy with the results!!!! It still looks like a basement but it's MY studio, My creative spot and there is no water down there and no carpeting to worry about and my butt is draggin.....
I took my usual Money Monday trip to Lowes and looked at paint for the floor...uuhhhh that will be a no to the painting of the floor. I thought that epoxy stuff would look cool but I opted to splash dye on the floor to add color and I will paint the wall with colors galore!!! No actually I got white for the ONE wall I choose to paint. But anyway, I have a table top and counter top and work area and I even mended some clothes today, oh yeah I was busy. I can't find my black serger thread , but a trip to Joannes will solve that. Did I knit today? Oh sure about three rows six times.....I made better headway in the dungeon. My feet hurt, my legs hurt but my face is smiling. I have a zillion plans for creativity....I have been writing it down to keep me reminded....so I am brewing myself a nice cup of coffee and a sit outside....Later.

To everything there is a Season....

and it is the Season of swearing.....I am knitting on the lace scarf...my %#@&* Olympic Knitting project....I am beginning to think I am a Masochist. Something is wrong with me, when I am only on the 21 st row and have ripped it three times...just two rows but what the heck.....I have counted and counted and blue smoke is billowing above my head and I am questioning just what am I to get out of this besides high blood pressure. Will the World be a better place if I knit Lace? Will children get fed and will there be World Peace??? Hell NO!!!! All I get is frustrated....annoyed....PO'd...I don't get more money, only more gray hair and acid reflux. I am in the kind of mood that I may just knit whatever the heck I feel like, by that I mean, if I am short a stitch, I am just going to add one....who cares I may actually invent a new pattern and it won't look like graceful leaves falling on a warm Autumn day...in a lovely Lavender that oozes touch me. Nope it will look like a mass of crap....add a stitch, drop a stitch....who cares....I will make a new Event for Knitting Olympics called Free form...
Be afraid be very afraid.....I am going to bed....

My Knitting is done!!!!

I have my scarf done for the traveling scarf, and so does Lois. It actually knits really fast...I love my bag for my scarf too. Angela made me a traveling bag with material that looks like a tropical vacation and it's beautiful.
I worked in the endless mess of a basement and found an old rag rug that my grandma made, which sucked up water and has been fostering mold. Mold is one of my asthma triggers so it was a double surprise!!!! It must have fallen behind a box or something who knows....so into the trash and out with the bleach to clean the area. I wonder what other surprises I will find. I think that should be it. I have moved everything in the basement and am in the process of putting it back in some semblance of order? I have a new toy and I can't play with it till I get the darn basements done....tomorrow I will go at it again. I am close, but keep finding new ways to make it look less basementy.

Traveling Scarf Chaos

Can you say cram 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound can....you get the picture right???? Well put 12 anxious knitters in the shop to make Travel Journals, with paper, scissors and glue and I lost total control. The glue was being weilded with great abandon....there were schnipples of paper all over, most was on the table...but see that photo above. You know how you go to a restaurant and there is a family with a little kid that has made a total mess on the floor??? You know you have seen it...well that photo up there???? Martha.....Martha was sitting in that spot with all the stuff on the floor...and we found out something else....Martha has a sticker fetish...oh yeah....Everyone is done with their journals and Martha's little book weighs 10 pounds because she has every sticker in sight on her book. Just kidding Martha, but we did get a good laugh about the floor!!!
I think everyone left with a puzzled look on their face trying to figure out what exactly it is we are supposed to do???? I can only hope that we get some resemblance of scarves when they come back....by the way...Lois is the first one done with her 7"....anyone on her team done yet??? Have a good weekend..oh it's Sunday....tomorrow is my day to run errands.

Bar time!!!

If I was out drinking, it would be closing time right now....I am up blogging!!!! I went to bed....thought I was tired, but nothing. I tried a little tele....nothing....I read....the Wisdom of Menopause....boring.....I figured enough fighting this I am up and wide awake. I ate a bowl of cereal. I open tomorrow at 10....chances are I will still be sleeping....!!!
If I could go in my nightie I would be hanging out at George Webbs, right now, sipping coffee....!! I am thinking this is all part of the hot flash, menopause crap. I bet it wasn't a few weeks ago, I mentioned to someone that .....hhhhmmm I haven't had a hot flash for a while....whhhooooaaa I did not say I miss having hot flashes I said I didn't have any.....kiss of death. This is the souvenir that I brought back from Quebec. I have been having almost debilitating hot flashes....the nausea, the almost passing out kind....and the not sleeping. It's 2:00am Parents do you know where your children are??? I did some knitting and am watching saved movies and things on TV....no shopping channel....I promise.

Can't sleep?

You can look like her too if you buy new spray on Luminesse make up..........
I am one of those people that can sleep anytime....I am hated by those that have trouble sleeping, I can go to sleep easily and love to sleep. I love a nap and can take a 10 minute nap and wake up like a new person. Well last night...I got up at 3:00am and was wide awake....so I turned on the sleeping box,otherwise known as a television. Well I love QVC it is no secret, I am picky about which thing I watch, but because I hate shopping QVC opens up the world of shopping to me. Let me tell you if you want to shop, on any channel, stay up late, because, every channel on TV, had infomercials on.....I learned how to make a million dollars selling property, I learned how to improve my love life? How to remodel my whole house with one tool. Rare precious stones that you can only get on that channel for 4 more minutes. New best spray on makeup, which I almost thought of trying but there was no price for the whole thing....gotcha.....Oh but the good one that I almost bit on was Mary Lou Rettons the Olympic gymnyst, has a scale that talks to you and coaches you about losing and gaining weight...oh yeah it doesn't have numbers it says Oh you slipped a little and that happens, but you have gained 2 pounds sweetie and you need to get your arse out there and work out and quit eating dam donuts fatso. No not really but I was thinking of it, a scale with no numbers!!!! Maybe I was dreaming......


I flipped from one channel to the other and it was all different, but the same selling stuff. I searched for my Credit Card and got tired looking for it and fell back to sleep. So I have off today and will probably be sleeping.....Why I was up is I needed to write down a few things that I need to pick up today, I didn't think velcro would wake me up at night???? Apparrantly it is much more important than I thought.

Swizzle Candy fun

I know, I know, yet another project....well I am working on my sweater, and my Alice's Wondercoat and oh I finished my Magic Carpet sock, well one. I probably won't knit the other one anyway the sock is too narrow for my fat foot. So anyone that has been in the shop knows the best place to shove your hand to feel fiber is the Alpaca in the front. So if your hand decides to wander upwards or maybe it will be your eyes first because the color is exquisite, you will reach the Fiesta Ballet, in a wonderful range of color. I saw the cutest baby hat and decided, baby hat, small I can do this, I picked colors that remind me of Swizzle candy, the sweet but tart candies you get tons of at Halloween....it will be yummy for a baby hat. It is working up beautifully!!! I went to a retirement party last night, with a Mariachi band....Open bar (I don't drink) and seeing lots of people I used to work with.
I used to enjoy going to work, most of us did and as odd as that may sound we had a great working crew. We did our jobs and yet were allowed to see each other in the lunch rooms and kabitz about our lives, families and love lives. It was a good place to work. The company was taken over by a South African company and we were assured things wouldn't change but we all knew differently. It was slow at first so not to upset the troups, but it was evident that things were changing. They changed the lunch hours so the lunch rooms turned into a ghost town, they made team rooms and people had to eat their lunch near their work station. This created a void of socializing with co workers. Time studies and so on and so forth. It got progressively worse and workers were counting the days till retirement. Myself included, I lost my love for my job, they took away the pride of my work and instead of doing my job that I loved was required to do more paperwork to do a five minute job than the job took. They took away the incentive to do a good job, we used to fix whatever was broke, we just did, and then it was you were written up, if you did a job without a work order, which meant, I could be standing looking at something broke and couldn't fix it without two weeks of paper work???? This is what they wanted, and that is what they got??? It made most of us sad and it is reflecting in the mood of workers still left. So it was a good thing to see everyone, it was a sad thing to see so many miserable American workers. I had a great time, but left feeling sorry

Smurf Tongue Birthday Girl

So it's kind of a long story but Once upon a time a few of us decided to dye our tongues with Pixie Sticks. We had a contest who could do the most Pixie sticks...I went into a sugar coma, so I don't remember the outcome, but we still laugh about it. I had a sugar hangover the whole next day and Lois had a migraine for a couple of weeks!!! We see Pixie sticks and still laugh about it. Lois had a birthday Friday!!! She's older than me....I won't let her forget that either. Only by a few months but still, she was breathing air when I was still swimming in embriotic fluid....eeewwww. I am getting a visual of me doing tumbles like Esther Williams in her glass tank. It may have been the only time I was agile? So anyway, I had seen these really big Pixie sticks that you fill with the poison er I mean sugar of your choice. Now this is how my mind works, I had just seen them last year and I remember them being about 5 feet long and 1" round????? When I got to the place and with a wide smile and anticipation I asked for the largest one....she pulls out a 4 foot, Ok maybe 3'foot something and about as big around as a dime....imagine my look? I can't even use the excuse I was smaller than and it looked bigger? Maybe I have such a warped sense of excitement or anticipation that I see things that are not....through the eyes of a child I think.....Oh well. I took great pride in filling the straw with colors that Lois would love....and blue of course, because blue makes your tongue blue!!! I layered the sugar like a fine sand painting, and didn't want it to end.
So Lois is showing you how not only did it turn her tongue blue but her teeth, lips, tonsils and probably more that we don't want to know!!! Happy Birthday Lois!!!!
Yesterday after I closed I went to Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair....it took me 1.5 hours to get there via google maps. I saw beautiful horse ranches and lakes and enjoyed my journey. The map took me to ....City Hall? Well if that is what you google, Crystal Lake, City Hall is where you will end up. So I drove into town, which was buzzing and I asked some lady how to get to the College....these were her exact words....go up there right, go straight, go left straight and then there's a big stop intersection and go right....straight...I think!! So smiling politely and nodding my head in empty agreement, I thanked her and rolled up the window .....quickly. I did find it after realizing the street named Virginia was Hwy 14 that I was looking for and it wasn't marked???? The show was fun, it was nice to see some old friends and fiber people. I came home with an armload of soap. I ate great Shiskabob and left...it was dark....my directions went something like...take 14 right, .8 miles turn left on Crv24 , .5 miles and then right on Greenridge rd. 3.5 miles and for Godsake I missed something, as I was fumbling for the light and the map and there's deer up ahead playing chicken with me daring me to get closer so they can jump out in front of me. Crap???? I think I was headed for Janesville, a direct opposite from where I wanted to go???? Call a friend with a computer and plug in your headset and let them talk you through it!!! I have a homing device in daylight hours only..(I use the sun)....at night....one could say I'm screwed? 3 hours later I pull into home!!!! Wasn't that fun!!!!!

Slow Hand

I am slowly finishing the Magic Carpet sock. I am not too happy with the way it looks at the top, where the flaps are, it isn't very neat...but it may come out in the wash. I may have to revisit it....later.

Traveling Scarf, if you are interested in joining in on the traveling scarf, you can I hope sign in at this address
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/travelingscarf/
I need you to sign up so we know how many are interested and how many inches we will have to knit, etc. It is a fun knit and will be a beautiful scarf that you will be able to wrap around your neck European style. The yarn is wonderful to knit with and the colors are awesome.

Who turned on the heat? Maybe I dragged it back from vacation??? I know it seems funny but a lot of people are knitting on projects, even though it's hot. My theory on this is...people are cutting back on lots of entertainment things and are staying home more. What this translates into is you need something to do at home. Yes yarn can be expensive, but it is a twofold reward. You get the joy of picking out the yarns to make a project, the fun of making it and the pleasure of wearing it...and reap the compliments. Ok, so that isn't a two fold it's more...but with some knitting know how and picking the right pattern, you can get great satisfaction from a project...for many years.
One of my customers brought in an old Needlework hardcover book. It is hysterical yet classical...some of the patterns are so classic that if you remove the head from the photos and put on a new models head, the dress is in style. I am leaving it on the table to share with everyone it is a flash back moment.

Enjoying Tradition

I did something last night that I probably haven't done for .......15 years? I went to a church festival. I wanted to hear the Eddie Butts band. I love music and Scott and Cheryl and I went to do something different. Well the idea of a chicken dinner from Rupenas, did have something to do with it. The great part, the crowd was minimal....it was a beautiful day, but I figure maybe Graduations, Weddings, who knows who cares, it wasn't crowded and that's all that matters to me. The music was so loud it was really distorted, and now I can hardly hear!!!! Just like the good old days when you would go to a dance and the hum of the speakers would resound in your ears for hours after, then you know it was a good concert!!!! We walked in and ate immediatly to avoid what we thought would be a rush? Then headed for the Carny stuff for a ....oh yeah baby a Funnel cake, fried in week old carny grease, nothing compares!!!! Then you won't believe this ....Scott and Cheryl went on the ....oh my God I forgot the name..Tilt o Whirl????? ...brain fart or too loud of music, or menopause...so there I stood shoving greasy funnel cake into my piehole and was laughing so hard.....They were spinning at first not so fast and then they were pinned into the shell of the vynal clad seats, heads back and mouths open....it was hysterical. I saw a few guys from work and that was fun, but the one that is still cracking me up ....I see this guy his name is Cliff..... a really nice guy and he was eatting corn

Canada Vacation photos

That statue was not quite a weird as it looks in the photo, the traveling scarf is being held in it's left hand or it's right hand on the left side....oh figure it out!!!
This is one of those dreaded, "Are you going to make me look at Vacation photos?" But the good thing here is you have a choice.
The best way to view them is to do a slideshow.
So it was supposed to be cool today so I shut off the air and open all the windows and now it's hot and muggy??? My poor air conditioner is so confused, on or off, on or off, windows open windows closed??
I have them open but my arm is sticking to the computer desk, so it may be a short sprint to close everything up and enjoy the cooooool, dry air.
Canadian Vacation photos click here

Flying Carpet Socks

I am trying to get back into the groove. I finished a hat for Charity, actually I did it twice, once it was too small according to the pattern and second by my pattern and now it is better. I also am looking at finishing the Cat Bordhi sock, I am so close. I am working on the contrasting flaps in between the other flaps? Ok that made little to no sense....!!! I did a farenheit to celcius comparison and it was 97-100 degrees in Canada when we were there, and I think the humidity was the same. Knowing that is a two edged sword, I know when I was there it was really hot, had I known the real temp, it would have felt hotter. I in my pea brain kept trying to figure out what 38 celcius was and kept adding it to 32 which is freezing and came out obviously with 70 and knew it was hotter than 70, so when my traveling partner who is Serbian says it's 100 (every other Country but this one is Celsius), I didn't want to believe she actually knew what she was talking about? I really did believe her but at 100 degrees at home I would be basking in air conditioning with a cool glass of lemonade, not walking on concrete with the sun beating down with no hat, no drink, up hill all the way. I swear all of these cities are on hill and when I thought I would reach the top there was more and I would look back behind me and wonder when the downhill part would come and it didn't??? I think once I went downhill, and was afraid if I lost my footing I would wipe everyone out in front of my like a huge bowling ball that had sweat flying off of it. Not to mention the strand of yarn flying behind me. Have you ever been to that place in the Dells where everything is tilted, I began walking like that, leaning forward with my feet bent at a precarius angle. I am better now. LOL!!! At one of the cafes I ordered a Lemonade and got this awesome citrus ade, I am trying to duplicate it, it was Lemon and grapefruit, a little orange all in blender with ice....I didn't want to leave. I think I have finally caught up on sleep...then again maybe not...zzzz Well it's time to get ready for opening...

Au Revoir Canada

I am home...I am pooped!!! It was a wonderful time. I got some knitting done, but mostly I was thrilled with Canada. I loved Quebec City, the people were friendly and pleasant. The History is firmly planted under your feet and surrounds you with it's buildings and cafes. I would go back in a minute!!! Montreal...eh, not so great!!! The shops are all owned by Pakistanis and it reminded me of Mexico, where if you need a different size shirt they cross the street to their brothers and get one. It had lost it's quiantness in that regard. The buildings and parks are beautiful, but too much a big city for me. I had read the Yarn Harlots blog before leaving the US and was a little put off by her remarks sizing up Canada to America and in the comments, just how many Americans are willing to pick up and move because someone says it is a better place. She made a point of Bashing Bush which is not an uncommon thing, everyone here does it and that only opens the door for Foreigners to feel free to do it too!!! We have no regard for our President so why not everyone else, good or bad, we need to respect our Elected officials, after all we elected them, they were not appointed. They have free Health Care, they have had babies and it was Free!!! I really wanted to take a photo of the people in Montreal standing and waiting to get into the Health Care Clinic at 10 at night....there was a line 20 feet long and that was on the outside of the building. But it is free. I live in Milwaukee and it is a rather large city, I walk the streets and feel safe...Montreal was bustling at night as well, and during the day there were bums on every corner with cups out and cigarettes tucked behind each ear. Next to the restaurant we were going to eat at, we found a dead rat laying next to the building in plain sight. No one attempted to remove it and were walking around it... It made me sad to see all of this when three days earlier a picture was painted of Utopia!!! I would rather hope that if all the knitters that responded with I want to move to Canada were to go, there would be a mass exodus to the border. I have a thought that if you are unhappy with where you are you are Free to move, that is the glory of our Country...you can leave. I wonder what is holding them back, I am sure they could get a job? It is Utopia, the jobs are everywhere ask the people, with cups all over. I would just suggest you look a little deeper into what life really is outside of the US. Don't get me wrong Canada is a beautiful Country and it was friendly well Quebec City was, I was not charmed by Montreal. I did find a yarn shop in Quebec and by all rights it should have been open according to the signs and the hours, but it was closed...so I missed it. I did leave nose prints on all the windows. I had a wonderful trip and would go back to Quebec City in a heartbeat, there was not a thing I disliked about it, other than it was hot as hell....which is rare, but of course it had to have a heat wave while I was there. But I do love America and I choose to live here even though we have some crap here, for the most part we are quite well off. I would love to Visit Canada again, I will go directly to Quebec city where they are friendly and wonderful.

BonJour from Quebec

I am having a great time. We have walked 100 miles and I think I am losing weight on this vacation? The kids are dragging me up hills (Quebec is on a huge hill/mountain.) I told them to take a photo of me because I know I am going to die!!!! I made it and my feet are not totally falling off. My heel spur decided to start acting up, but 20 Aleve a day seems to be helping! The weather is warm during the day and cool and wonderful at night. I think I have sunburn on my neck. I found some wonderful sweaters that I am bringing home for the shops designer alias Kim to pattern up. They are made of and you will not believe what I am going to say....Acrylic but would be wonderful in wool. I am speaking Ghetto French and trying hard to not look like a dorky tourist. It's not working, the camera around my neck is probably a dead give away....just kidding!!! Today I had my first tasse le cafe elonge (cup of coffee) outside on a patio. I finally asked what is the proper thing to order after getting 3 Espressos in a row and the jitters for a lifetime. It was wonderful, there are tons of cafes all over and I am taking advantage of them all. I am having a great time, I think I said that already but it is wonderful here. The people are friendly and Old Quebec is reminiscent of our little village in the Market place, only the shops are open and busy. They are three stories high and have open windows with no screens. (this is a fascination with me because I can't imagine life in Milwaukee with no screens. There are flowers hanging everywhere and the streets are all cobblestone. It is picture perfect, but I cannot post them yet because it would cost a fortune to transfer data, or I think. We visited the Castle, and walked where Royalty walked 400 years ago. That is where we walked up hill forever and I was sure to die up there or half way, coming down I told them to walk behind me because if I loose my footing I will take them out like a bowling ball. Tomorrow we go to Montreal for more .....walking and more fun. If I hung around these kids any length of time I would be thin. Isn't that a scary thought, for them. LOL Hey you at the shop, hope you are having fun? Wish you were here!!! hhahahahahahaha Later mes ami and au revoir. Ah yes I am knitting on my Traveling Scarf and getting totally weird looks.

I'm ready

My bag is packed and I'm ready to go. I am sitting here running over the last minute details or last hour details. I am trying not to be too excited. I have to run to the bank and some little ditties this morning, but I am ready. I have had contact with some knitters from Quebec and she said knitting is not that popular??? I thought it was a rite of passage for Canadians? Who knew. Tomorrow being the Fourth of July and me being proud to be an American. Remember to Thank a Veteran or a Soldier, for your Freedom. This is something we all sometimes take too lightly. So take a moment to realize how important our Freedom is, I know it means alot to me. Maybe it's because of the way I have lived my life. My previous job as a Steamfitter, what Country could a woman do a job like that? I own my own shop...well me and the bank....a woman in Business. I have lots to be Thankful for. So enjoy the Fourth with Freedom and stay safe. I have to go now and carry my suitcase around and make sure I have everything. Today is going to be a loooooooong day!!! We leave about 5-8??? So if you stop by and I am closed, Sorry they came early, I don't foresee that.....if it was me, I'd be gone!!!! Au Revoir mes amis!!!!

Janism "Two more sleeps"

What this means is , I go to bed two more times and when I wake up it's the day I go on Vacation!!!! When I used to be a kid, and we were going somewhere special and in those days that didn't mean Great America, It could mean Christmas, I would go to bed really early because when I woke up it would be the day of the Event. That is if I could sleep!!!! I have my bag packed with clothes actually and now if you pack conservatively, it leaves more room for fun. Like yarn and fiber and spindles and needles and more. So I figure if I pack early I can plan for my fun stuff. I am almost done with the sock that the name eludes me at this moment. The Cat Bordhi sock in a kit???? It was fun to knit and I hope it will be finished soon, if I keep working on it, I am on the cuff. I found about 6 more mosquito bites tonight, that was fun. I am going to got to sleep now so when I wake up it will be one more sleep!!!! What a tard!!!!