Knitting, Reading and Dog Training


This past week, I've been doing all the knitting.  The more I knit, the happier I am and funny - I am making serious knitting progress!  Who would have thought?  My mitts are done and they need a photo shoot - I decided to give you a peek of one finished mitt.  I love them so.  Now I'm focusing on the second sleeve and trying my best to get the sweater finished.



Not only did I finish the mitts yesterday, but I finished a book as well.  A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny.  I love reading books written in a series format.  I enjoy joining up with the same characters and seeing their personalities evolve.  I sort of guessed who the murderer was in this novel but still there were some sufficient twists to make me want to read the next one.


My bear, yes - 'my bear', has returned and busted up another fence piece.  Gah!  He frustrates me so!  The game commissioner officer told me this week that the food source by a neighbor has been put away (bird feeders) and now we wait to see if the bear figures out this area isn't profitable.  I have no idea why he likes breaking my fence... and I am skeptical he will leave us alone. 



I babysit for a dog trainer and she came over last night for a private lesson with dear sweet stubborn Frodo.  We learned down stay and she introduced Holly to Frodo in his down stay calm state of mind.  Now comes the hard part, we are to implement what we have learned.  Is she a dog trainer or a human trainer?  I learned a lot and appreciate her wisdom and guidance.  I am one lucky person to have her expertise, hopefully when I see her next week I can report progress.

Speaking of babysitting, my toddler girl is talking and saying all the cutest stuff.  She said 'bye' to me as I left after a few hours with her.  Sweet :) Our newest game is Ready Set Go where we run back and forth in the playroom.  She runs, I take large steps.  She squeals in delight, I let her win.


My gym sessions have been going fantastically.  I've signed up for another twelve weeks with the personal trainer.  He knows everything.  I haven't had a single backache in weeks.  I feel stronger and better than ever.  So let's see what another twelve weeks will do for me.  Funny, once I enlisted for the second round he made everything harder!  I'm still a little sore from Wednesday's session.



In the evenings, I drink green decaf tea.  During the day, I've been brewing up a cup of chamomile mint tea and using my tumbler - Such a simple hot drink that brings endless joy as I look at my knitted cozy inside the tumbler.


Comments

  1. So much loveliness here! That knitting mug is wonderful and the mittens - very fun. I am trying to motivate myself to knit some fingerless mitts but the thought of dpns jphas me stalled. Hope that silly bear goes back to the woods.

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  2. Love your mug and your mitts are beyond gorgeous!! So beautiful. Sorry about the bear's return (and the broken - again - fence). Good luck with Frodo and Holly. I know they (you) can do it! Have a wonderful weekend.

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  3. Your mitten looks great! That is good Frodo got some training to stay and it makes him in a calmer state for Holly to feel more comfortable approaching. Hopefully the bear that has been destroying your fence moves on once there is no birdseed. Good the gym sessions are paying off and you're feeling stronger! It is good going with a trainer and its good you enjoy working with him too. Have a good weekend!

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  4. Dog trainers are truly human trainers. That's their trick. Good luck with Frodo! I know you can help him stay calm enough to make Holly love him. Your mitts are so beautiful! I'm looking forward to your photo shoot and hoping the bear won't get you! :)

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  5. I love that tumbler!! Where did you get it. And I can't wait to see your mittens!!! I need a dog/human trainer for my guys/me!!

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  6. This is such a wonderful optimistic post, filled with so many good things! Your mitts are beautiful, and the gym, dog/human trainer, and sweet little friend learning to talk also sound pretty good. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  7. This post brought all the smiles - even the stepped up work outs! He must know you are "in it to win it"! Have a great weekend!

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  8. |Oh those mitts Karen, they are such a thing of beauty. Well done on another 12 weeks with a personal trainer it seems to be helping and holding the RA at bay. Lets hope Frodo having his own personal trainer helps, I did smile I can't imagine anyone training Mickey, but we love him anyway. Have a great weekend.

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  9. Your mittens are seriously divine, I love the pink lining. I hope Frodo remembers what he has learned, and that very soon he and Holly will be the best of friends.

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  10. How cool the little's mum helped out with Frodo and Holly. I love toddler talk. I miss that; sometimes E and I watch the old videos of Jellybean talking and Coconut all serious explaining her kinder homework.
    Karen, your mitt is fantastic!!! I lurves it.

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  11. I just finished The Friday Night Knitting Club which is a series. It was pretty good and made me want to knit up something so I cast on a pretty pink verigated scarf for my niece. I bought the yarn months ago but never started her scarf.
    We sent our German shepard to obedience school for 8 days and when we picked her up we had to have a few lessons of our own. Three years later we are all still going well and she is the best pet we have ever had!
    I wish I had a trainer. I work out 3-4 days a week but I don't always feel like I push myself quite enough. Hubby is busy doing his workout and he is very motivated so he can't help push me...
    Love! Love! Love! those mittens!

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  12. Lovely post Karen, mittens, quilts, books, tea, and furry friends, what more could you ask for? Did you make those quilts in the pictures? They are beautiful. x

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  13. Your mittens are amazing. Our dog train er became a mentor to our whole family. Gee became a family joy. She loved our dog but she train ed us for sure. We miss her but we were so lucky to know her

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  14. I hear so much joy in your writing now. I think that trainer is doing good work.

    Good luck with Mr. Frodo . . . I KNOW he wants to be a good boy, but kittens are just fun to bark at and chase. Hope your week goes well.

    Happy knitting!

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  15. LOVE those mitts!!! Karen, seems the working out is transforming more than your body... you're glowing through your writing... I love it! So much good. Hope that fence-breaking bear moves on. He's (or she's) a little scary to me. Have a wonderful weekend! blessings ~ tanna

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  16. Our vet always says "There's no bad dogs, only bad owners." Hey - wonder if the dog trainer could train your bear. :) LOVE your tumbler!

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  17. My son says he wants to be a vet because he likes dogs better than people, but I think that vets have to get along with their people more than their dogs. After all, there's no HMO to limit your choice of veterinarians!
    I see I am not the only one who is blown away by those mittens. I don't know how you had the patience to knit the linings. That is serious slow knitting!
    I love my evening cup of herbal tea. I tend to go for the fruity brews, though.
    Having a bear in my yard would scare me, I think!

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  18. Love the bright pink lining in your beautiful mitten. That's one crazy bear! Hope he moves on very soon. Glad your workouts are helping your back, too! Have a great weekend!

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  19. Love your mittens, so pretty :) I am pretty sure those dog trainers train us humans too, looking at what my friend goes through with her puppies. We just have strong winds destroying fences,hope your bear finds somewhere else to hang out! Its so cute when little ones start to talk and the different ways they pronounce things.

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  20. I smile as I read about Frodo's training. :-)
    A friend of mine is a dog trainer, and has said to me many, many times..."Our dogs train us, we do not train them." In my experience, oh yes, this is true!! :-)
    Have a wonderful week ahead, Karen!

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  21. Love how you are into so many things! Happy to hear your training helps you with the back - the consistency is the key!

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  22. I love getting little peeks inside of your house! It looks so cozy and inviting. : ) I'm happy that you physical training is helping your back and also that you are making progress with Frodo and Holly. But that bear! I still don't get why he isn't hibernating like he is supposed to! : )

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