Pumpkin Sunrise

  Good morning! How are you today? I am doing pretty good and that is exciting after the last two weeks of health challenges. My daughter and her family are leaving today after an unexpected extension of their visit here due to the blizzard in Boston. I am sure they are happy to go home. I have a ton of cleaning to do and putting the house back to the way it was. I haven't knit the past couple of days because of the company and all the cooking I've been doing. Each day my son and his family came over with all of us for dinner. By the time I sit down after they leaave, I'm a zombie and my brain is toast.  Never fear, I took a photo of my current knitting projects. Bottom left is my belle sweater , top middle is my musselburgh hat and bottom right is a delightful cowl that I'm itching to finish so I can wear it before winter passes away. What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How are you today? I am doing much better. I am on another round of antibiotics for a stubborn ear infection but I think this time it is really really working. My fingers are crossed. Let's just say, I'm not thinking about my ear and that is a very good sign. All week last week the daycare was closed due to frigid temperatures so we were the back up to the daycare. Saturday was still busy and we celebrated our grandson's fourth birthday (4!!!!) with family. We had fun seeing everyone, then went to Saturday night Mass. Yesterday was bliss. We stayed home the entire day. Besides doing laundry, I did some knitting and reading. My adult classes start up this week, I'm excited to get back into a learning groove. Also, the sun came out yesterday and we were in the double digits! It's funny when you think of 20 degrees as a heat wave. Since I am a winter lover, I am in my seasonal heaven.

  Good morning! How are you doing? We are in the deep freeze and it's so cold that schools are closed which includes the daycare our grandchildren go to each day. We have been babysitting while the parents go to work.  I have been busy knitting many projects. First off is the mystery hat above. My son started knitting this over 10 years ago and never finished it (he had two inches done). When they moved here, he gave me the unfinished hat. I am not making a Ravelry page since I cannot remember the yarn (I think it is old Malabrigo...). However Simple Moss Stitch Hat is the pattern! Of course I gave him back the finished hat. Oh and yes, we have the same knitting gauge, it's genetic! Next up is a cowl started for me! My sister gave me this mini skein set for my birthday and I'm have fun knitting a simple cowl while watching TV. Last but not least, I started another musselburgh hat for me. I love this pattern and how warm the hat is during extreme cold temperatures. Also on...

  Good morning! How are you? Are you in the deep freeze like me? Today the temps will feel like 15 degrees below zero by the end of the day. That is quite cold! I like winter and I love snow but I am not a fan of extreme cold. Since posting last Wednesday, my symptoms yet again got worse and I ran a very high fever on Friday. I went to urgent care and was finally given antibiotics which I felt should have been given to me a week ago. Health care is completely nuts these days. However the nurse practitioner was wonderful. After 48 hours of modern medicine I am fever free and  I am starting to feel much better. My whole weekend was lying around wallowing in self pity (I always have enough energy for self pity). My cousins and Aunt gave me flowers which Holly wants to eat so badly. During the day they are on the mantle and at night they go into the stationary tub in the laundry room with the door closed. I don't think she can jump to the mantle but I know cats and they do crazy ...

  Good morning! How are you doing on this last day of the year? I hope 2026 is wonderful for you!  My knitting has been almost exclusively knitting these mitts . I am on the lining of the first mitt and I'm enjoying how fast the knitting is now that it isn't color-work knitting and chart reading. So far I am on target to finish them by mid January for my sister's birthday. What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! Happy Christmas Eve to all who celebrate! This past week I have been focusing on my sister's birthday mitts ! I am already on the outside second mitt and hope that will be finished in two days. I have yet to knit the thumbs and of course the lining of each mitt. I am enjoying this project and have hit my rhythm of knowing what to knit on each row of the chart at a glance. The palm pattern (not in photo) is easy and repetitive. What are you working on this week? 

  Good morning! How are you doing? How was your week? I am knee deep in holiday preparations. I have a daily list that I refer to so I can get things done without feeling stressed out at the last minute. My memory isn't that great so I love that I write down what is on my mind, because I frequently forget! My sister and I went yarn shopping on Saturday for my belated birthday outing. It was so much fun!! I can't show you most of what I bought because Santa has already whisked it away and wrapped it up for Christmas day. I have high hopes of casting on a sweater December 25th. Above are the yarns my sister picked out for another pair of lined mittens for her birthday in January. I have a few projects to finish before I start them but I did enjoy balling up the yarn! Can you believe it's December?

  Good morning from Cambridge Massachusetts!!  We are heading home after visiting our new baby grandson and witnessing his baptism. Immediate family from both sides gathered to celebrate. Of course I had the best time ever! I love the amount of independent bookstores here and managed to shop at four of them. I also love the paper and pen stores! I was in heaven!! I finished all the respiratory testing with the pulmonologist last week and had my follow up appointment. Overall I passed the tests. I’m doing a trial steroid inhaler for the next few months and taking a break from additional testing hoping this helps with my symptoms. I am beyond thrilled to not see a doctor for eight weeks! I’ve changed my rheumatologist and my pcp in the last few weeks to have fresh perspectives on my complicate autoimmune disease. I feel good about these changes. How have you been? What have you been up to? 

  Good afternoon! How are you? Finally it is fall like weather and my maple tree has decided to join in the celebrations. Crisp cool air in the mornings and evenings, what could be better? I had to wear a jacket on Saturday morning to watch my grandson play soccer. I loved it. On Thursday I went with my aunt and cousin to drive around the neighborhood we grew up in Pittsburgh. I cannot believe how everything looks so small. The houses, my old school, the streets, the length of the streets. It was so much fun.  On Friday afternoon, I went to a picnic at my school and a friend saved me a seat. Our table was the first to get in line for the food. That was awesome as well! I was thankful it was inside instead of outside like last year. I nearly wilted from the sun and heat. I finished knitting the granddaughter's holiday sweater and I need to sew buttons and do a beauty soak routine. I used maybe 4-8 yards of that extra skein. I see lots of hats being made with the rest.

  Good morning! How are you??  We are into another heat wave, ugh. I am hiding in my house, enjoying the AC and the coolness. Thank goodness for that. Yesterday, I went to the local yarn shop and bought all the yarn for holiday sweaters for the three grandkids (one is yet to be born in September). I loved it! I love supporting a local business and I love to buy yarn.  I am amazed that I have a closet full of yarn and yet nothing matched up with the patterns I chose to knit this year. Hm... I believe it's because two of the grands wear super-wash wool or a wool acrylic blend for ease and I have very little to none of that in the stash. For the baby to be, I didn't have any red wool! It was all spoken for because I knit Christmas stockings for each grandchild. I can honestly say this revelation is a joy. Who doesn't like to shop for yarn?? Late last week, we went to the conservatory to see their summer flower show before it ends. (Yay fall!). I enjoyed this exhibit, they ar...

  Good morning! How are you doing? I am doing much much better after being unwell for over two weeks. Onward and upward! As I stated earlier, we went up to see our daughter and son in law in the Boston area to help them pack up some boxes for their apartment move. Since we were packing, I didn't take many photos, but here are the ones that I did manage to take. We popped into the Catholic church in Harvard square, I've been in this one before for Mass. We didn't attend Mass this visit because they have no air conditioning (I would die....). This is the church we did attend Mass. I cannot remember the name, but it was pretty!!  Below are all the things I bought every single time I was in a bookstore. I love bookstores immensely. As you know, I try to support independent bookstores and it is a goal that is easily done. Last week I started the cross stitch sampler for the grandbaby to be and it's been slow going. However, I try my best to stitch at least one hour a day if ...

  Good morning! How are you and are you experiencing the hot hot hot weather? Goodness it is hot here and I am ever so grateful to have AC to hide in. I've been busy this week helping with the grandchildren. Even though I am busy I finished a few books. The first one is Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. I picked this book up on a whim and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've reserved the next in the series on Libby. Supposedly that will be available in 11 weeks. I can wait. I also finished The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. I enjoyed the content of the book but I really didn't care for her writing style. I know this book is popular among creative people and I can see why. But the book was not for me. I did finish it though. Yesterday I started reading The Great Gatsby  which I have never read. It was not required when I was in high school and I thought I should read it. I picked up a used copy somewhere a few years ago and I have delightful notes scr...

  How have you been? Over here in western PA the heat is back. I switched to exercising in my house in the spring and now more so than ever, I'm glad I did. The older I get the more my body dislikes hot weather. I've been busy helping with the grandkids and of course our son and his wife. My days are full and fun! If I'm not with them I am chilling out getting my energy levels back to normal. I am pleased to report that I'm knitting something else instead of the christening blanket (more about that on Wednesday). I am thrilled to be knitting something different not to mention mindless. Also, I went out of my reading comfort zone and picked up 'Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries' by Heather Fawcett and am thoroughly enjoying the story. It's light, entertaining and amusing. If I like the ending, I'll read the next in the series. We went to my sister's house for dinner last night and was lucky to spy this little fawn chilling out in the late aft...

  Hello! How are you doing? I've been really busy. We went to Indiana for the last time (unless someone else moves there that we visit) to help our son and his family relocate to our area. The ride home with the kids was the longest ride ever, ha ha. They have been unpacking and trying to get settled while the kids stay with us at our house. Hopefully they will be sleeping in their new home in a day or two. I haven't knit a single stitch since Wednesday.  The contact learning curve is getting better and faster but I still have a few tries getting them in no matter what. I get less irritated though. These contacts hold preservative free saline on my corneas all day long. It has helped with the eye pain I was experiencing from severe dry eye.  Sadly I ended up with a salivary gland infection over the weekend and am currently on antibiotics, I am feeling better though. Hopefully I will be knitting this afternoon during naptime!

  In a month (!) our son, daughter in law and grandchildren will be moving here from Indiana. We have the countdown and I have 'things' I need to get done before that time. They will live 12 minutes from us and we are looking forward to our lives changing for the better.  I have some permanent baby proofing to do. Once their house is packed up, they will live in our house until the moving van arrives at their new home. They will frequently be here so I want to put away the items I do not want them to play with - they love to gravitate to that which is forbidden. I am trying to squeeze in all the things I want to get done before they move. I have knitting goals and reading goals. Currently I'm reading Homecoming and White Nights, both are good and entertaining.  It's okay if I do not achieve these goals, but I like to have something to work towards. My classes have mostly ended for the spring semester. Our summer classes (non-credit older adult classes at a local univers...

  Good morning! How was your weekend? Mine was fantastic.  On Saturday morning, my sister and I did a tiny bit of shopping. I was looking for jeans and I am so picky about them. I did buy a pair but need to see if I like them once I am hope and looking at my mirror. The rest of the day I relaxed reading my book, The Homecoming , as well as doing a bit of knitting.  Sunday we went to Mass then headed over to my sister's house for an Easter luncheon. It was fun to see family and watch my great nephews look for their Easter eggs in the garden. The weather was beautiful! Not too hot and a sun shiny day.  How was your weekend?

  How are you? How is your knitting or crafting coming along? I finished this sweet sweater over the weekend and love it! I enjoyed knitting this little cardigan for a family member's baby to be in July. As I have mentioned before this is the 17th time and there will be an 18th time as well and so on. I find comfort in knitting the same patterns over and over again.  What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How are you? My family left yesterday morning and yes, they did find a house that is 12 minutes away for us. They are so excited to be moving to the area and we are happy as well. We will get to see the grandchildren more often. My weekend and my past week was busy with grandchildren. We played lots, did sidewalk chalk and took little walks down the street. My grandson is 3 years old and my granddaughter is 19 months old.  Currently I am loving the silence! Yesterday I put away all the toys and baby stuff, cleaned the bedrooms and bathrooms and did a ton of laundry. I did not knit the entire week, however last night I added more inches to the second sleeve.  How was your weekend? (those beautiful daffodils from my front yard got zapped by the extreme cold, I hope the warm weather revives them!) I hope to be catching up with all of you soon!

  Good morning! How are you? Look at my daffodils!! I know what you are thinking. You are wondering why I am here when I have company staying for the week. Well, before they left home on Saturday, the grandkids had the stomach virus Friday afternoon which postponed their trip until Sunday. Then on Saturday night, the parents started with the same virus. I am grateful that they kept it over at their house and did not bring it here. They plan to arrive on Tuesday now, fingers are crossed that they will be fully recuperated and ready to do some house hunting.  Because the weekend ended up being free and clear, I spent my time knitting and reading. I was planning a family get together with the local family invited on Sunday to share a turkey dinner (turkey thawing in the fridge since Tuesday). I cooked it anyways and my husband and me were a party of two, I froze most of the leftovers. I started a new book yesterday, The Alice Network , it's been on my shelf for quite some time! I...

  How are you doing on this fine Tuesday? Right now the sun is shining and I already took a first walk and will take a second short walk after dinner. Well now, I finished the baby blanket! I am excited that I casted off over the weekend. Phew. I love to knit for babies and lucky for me it seems there is always a baby to knit for these days.  It's been really busy here and that is why I wasn't around on Monday. I don't know why I have a ton of appointments and meetings that all bundle around each other. I'm the one that schedules them! I should know better because I get overwhelmed when there is too much going on.  How are your projects going these days?