Pumpkin Sunrise

  Hello!  This is a super quick post - my weekend was extended because we went to visit our son and future daughter in law in West Lafayette, Indiana.  It was a VERY long drive.  10 hours going and 11 hours coming back.  Sadly there was a major accident on one of the highways - so there was lots of sitting and fretting when will the traffic move. It was nice to finally see his apartment and his town.  Purdue University has a beautiful campus.  No matter where we went everyone was wearing masks, including the outside.   I'm glad to be home (best bed ever) and I'm playing catchup with my messy messy house.

  Guess what!  I finished the wedding shawl and it is blissfully blocking and drying in a spare bedroom.  The casting off took 3 hours. Phew! I don't know what your weather is like but we are saying good bye to cool breezes and hello summer weather once more. Hopefully it will be a brief breeze by hello. I do like the cooler weather, I might think better and my knitting productivity goes way way up. This week was kind of all over the place with scattered thoughts. I've had some minor stresses and that puts such a wrench in my day. Above all I chant 'this too shall pass' and realize that this moment is not going to be the ever lasting moment. In these times I find just allowing myself not be so focused on productivity and trying and to be content with whatever I am doing while I'm doing it. If I'm cooking or making dinner, I try to be present in that moment.  I'm not sure why but just allowing a day to be non-productive is productive!  I feel renewed. I love

  Good morning!  My knitting has been quite productive this week.  I finished the red socks over the weekend as I had planned.  So the first pair of socks are done out of at least four pairs I'd like to make as Christmas gifts.  In the above photo, I started the second pair of socks with the most delightful green color way.   What are you working on this week?

  My weekend was full of goodness, how was yours?   On Saturday our daughter and son in law came for an afternoon visit outside and it was wonderful. Sorry no photos, you'll have to conjure up happiness in your imagination. I was busy making a late lunch and bringing everything out and then after we ate I hauled everything back in. It was SO good to see them and to be with them. Isn't it funny that before March we entertained frequently and the work involved seemed minimal. Now after months of doing nothing, a social day with food preparation is so much work! I guess I'm used to endless days of no socialization. We sat outside trying to find some sun beams to sit in because in the shade it was quite brisk. Last time they visited, we were desperately trying to find shade because it was over 90 degrees. I'll take the brisk any day. While Saturday was busy, my Sunday was not. I did laundry and cleaned then tried to stuff in some knitting. I loved the nothingness of Sunday

  Are you enjoying this fall-like weather?  I have been in heaven.  I even changed the bed comforter to the fall/winter one.  The pool will be closing this week and I cannot get enough of the fall foliage that is emerging.  Thank goodness for Autumn! This past week was a little busy.  After many months of staying at home we were out for the first time in six months to a neighboring city to look for a dress for me to wear to my son's wedding in January.  I tried on five, liked two and picked one.  See - simple.   I honestly do not want to go store-to-store scouring the selections which is what I would have done before the pandemic.  I also didn't want to order online.  All I need are a pair of shoes and that can wait for a few weeks for now. On Saturday I drastically cut added sugar in my diet.  I gave up desserts which was easy after one day but I have been chipping away at the sugar I put in my morning coffee.  I have successfully eliminated 50% and am now trying to cut anothe

  Good morning!  Another wonderful Wednesday where I show you minimal knitting progress! I'll blame in on the one-month-retired husband who distracts me, and I'm sticking to that excuse. How are you? How is your life going these days? We are going to the urgent eye clinic this morning because my husband did something to his eye a few weeks ago and it's not really better but worse. I'm taking my knitting and my book and have positive thoughts of getting the second sock done.   The wedding shawl is my most favorite knit of all. I love the weight of the beads and the bit of sparkle they give. I love doing my wedges too. I am on the ninth wedge (out of ten total). It takes longer and longer to do each row. The beading row is now taking more than 2 hours. I'm in knitting heaven! What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was quite nice especially since autumn is squeezing out summer days by leaps and bounds. The mornings are chilly and the sunset inches closer and closer towards dinner time. I love all of it and am savoring it. I spend most of summer trying my best to enjoy summer but really deep down inside I long for fall. I did a bit of puzzling, reading and knitting. Also a lot of research on the internet about healthy diets. I cut added sugar on Saturday because of a really crazy high-salt high-sugar Friday. I felt so crummy this weekend. I remember being in my 20s and eating anything I wanted without ill effects. Oh how I miss those glorious days. I have to do yoga frequently so I can sit and knit. I have to exercise frequently so I don't have chronic back pain or joint pain. Now I believe I need to cut the added sugar (most days I am low salt so that isn't an issue). I'll keep you posted on the journey. I don't like to obsessively track health goals b