Texas

I have been in Texas since Dec 18 - have had wonderful time with family, friends etc. Had my first go round of authentic Mexican food, the best steak fingers in Texas, and am headed next week to some of the best chicken fried steak there is. Now all I need is some brisket BBQ by the Mesquite Burners here in town - they do local functions and things. Have had colder weather than we had had in Tennessee - cold, cold wind and rain, snow predicted for tomorrow. But all is fine when staying with parents and eating lunch at the Senior Citizen Center everyday. LOL Hope all had a great Christmas and New years is coming up!!

Lost Mt Hood Climbers

I so feel for the families of these climbers - I could be in their shoes one day. One of my sons has been on Mt Hood, another in Alaska climbing on a glacier - they are very experienced, but when you push to the edge, no one knows what can happen. My oldest when hiking through Yellowstone area spent 36 hours in a small tent with his partner in a blizzard with only limited food that didn't have to have hot water to eat. They, another time were close to hypothermia when God, I certainly feel, brought them a warm spring that was not gaseous water. They were able to get in, warm up then re-suit up to continue on to a warmer place. So one never knows what lies ahead in these expeditions. These pictures are of son #2, they are what were handy - couldn't find any of Eric.

Christmas Knitting

I have managed to do some knitting among the other necessary chores. Not enough - I am not finished for Christmas - and I fly to Texas tomorrow!! So I will have some "to be finished" gifts to give when I return in January. But being with family is priceless and the members who are going to have to wait to get a gift will appreciate that thought too! My second son and girlfriend came over and took us out last night. A family type place, not fancy, but perfect for the chance to visit before I leave. My children are all young adults and I am glad to say - they are people I enjoy being around.

These pictures were taken several weeks ago, so more is done than is shown.....and a new scarf started.

HowManyOfMe.com

There is: 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Eric, now in Hawaii

Well - my oldest is having it rough - living and working in Maui, Hawaii. He arrived safely, was able to pick up some furniture from a guide leaving for another place, so all he needed was a bed. And surely he can come up with that soon. But he has spent years sleeping in his sleeping bag in frigid weather, so a roof over his head and a sleeping bag will do him for a while. He is a trail guide and a rock climbing guide - and in his spare time a snorkeller, learning to scuba dive, rappel down water falls - etc. Just your average day at work! All of the relatives are lining up for visits to see him!!

After Thanksgiving Blessing

It is always hard to get your young adult children together for many occasions. It is harder in my family this year because our daughter is an exchange student at the U of NM - many miles away. She went on a ski trip with some other exchange students and had a great time. They cooked their own Thanksgiving meal, which opened all of their eyes to different traditions from different parts of the country. My boys are still around here - temporarily! My oldest is leaving Thursday for Maui where he is going to be a hiking and rockclimbing guide. His partner on his last hike, the Continental Divide Trail, is already there doing this and Eric is going to join him. Because Jeffery is a mfg rep and goes out of town, leaving Sunday afternoon to reach their destination to be set up by Monday am, we decided to have a breakfast with them and their girlfriends Sunday morning. It was early for me - I needed some rest after the busy of Thanksgiving - but it was worth it. To have them together one last time before Eric leaves - for what may be a long time - was great. I just praise God for the wonderful young adults that my children have grown into. They don't always make the same choices I would have - but that is how life moves. I just ask God to watch over Eric in his move and to protect him in his trips with paying hikers.

Thanksgiving Blessings

After the trips to the dentist and some visits to the chiropractor, my autoimmune stuff flew into a huge flare that has had me in bed for a week and a half.......never good in November and December! Too much to do. Thankfully my kids are coming tonight to help with cooking for our contribution to the annual Thanksgiving meal. We have spent Thanksgiving with a group of 4 families with a few extras thrown in now and then, for about 15 years. Each family has developed a tradition of bringing several cherished dishes, so while it seems boring to cook the same things, everyone expects them. And it helps with the grocery shopping list!

Hope all have many things to be Thankful for this year - especially family and friends.

Another trip to dentist

Well, Mr. Tooth took me on another field trip today after my visit to the chiropractor. It was to his favorite place - the dentist's office. I thought it was to just get my crown seated - but noooo, there was a surprise waiting for me. I got another root canal! The tooth had been bothering me,but I thought a filling was going to be enough. Will this never end?

Today is also a big day because it is election day - and the end to the most contentious, mud-slinging race I have ever seen, between the candidates for the Senate seat. I live in TN and it has really been nasty. I did my civic duty and voted. I also intend to write the national parties who were responsible for much of the mud and voice my view.

It was overall a dreary rainy day to be out - and is now time for a nap!!

Until the next time.

Fritz, my friend

I really know how the saying "Dogs are a man's best friend" got started. They love you unconditionally and all they ask for is food, water and a little love in return. So it is with our dog Fritz. He is getting on up there in years, so he is no longer our full of energy bouncing terrier of years past - but then neither am I! But he will sit forever and let you rub his head and ears or flop over and let you rub his belly..........aahh!! That, he says, feels soo good! He also is a good pillow to cry on, to listen to my pain, and to be there as long as I need him. He is a great friend, indeed to have.

Mr Toothache took me to see my dentist. With my illnesses, we have become fast friends - or rather I am a frequent flyer or I am sending his kids to college! I came out of the office with a root canal, and two broken fillings fixed. Always very painful to me! My jaw is swollen, my tooth hurts, and I need some TLC, but hubby is sick with a cold/sinus junk and I am staying across the ocean on our bed to try not to get sick with whatever it is. My dog is the only one who understands..........and the yarn store. Buying new yarn always helps the feelings! Bought Lion Cotton to make a sweater for my Great Nephew to be - who lives in W Texas. Thought cotton was a good fabric to use there, sometimes it never gets cold enough for a real sweater. He is due in March, so am making a 12 mo size so it will fit him next October-November etc. Plenty of time.........after I finish all of these Christmas projects!
Need another fairy helper to come to my aid! Until we write again.........Have a good day! We are to get rain, unpleasant, but we really really need it.

Thank you kind sir - you must not have seen me frog some of it today at our knitting circle - I was busy talking and failed to pay attention to whether it was a knit or purl row.............and I did the wrong one! And didn't notice it was wrong until quite a few rows later, so nothing to do but frog. But all is well and the scarf is on its way to being finished!!

A Falling time of year.

The leaves always serve as a reminder of the cycle of life - they glow their brilliant reds, golds, yellows - then begin their journey down to the ground, swirling in the wind, landing sometimes way down from where they left the tree.
They also are a reminder that Christmas is just around the corner and I need to make headway on my projects, instead of getting sidetracked with other projects that run through my head, on their way to other people! I made some headway on Jeffery's scarf - but into the frog pond it went - needed more stitches cast on and a larger needle - just keep experimenting until the pattern gets set.

I think I hear dishes calling my name - and they don't always use an inside voice!!! Until we meet again!

Branching everywhere

This is my first lace project and I guess it looks like it - and not much like the illustration shown from Knitty.com! I am having trouble with uploading live pictures - so you have to take my word on it. The thing that keeps me going - is the saying about how lace looks before it is blocked! So maybe I can salvage this Christmas gift. I have cast on, while watching UTexas beat Nebraska, for my son's scarf - just a simple 2x2 rib, but done in a bulky yarn, it always looks good and goes quickly. However - plans do change!!!! Somewhere during the UTennessee - Alabama game - remember it is the 3rd Saturday in October! I ran into brain freezes. Maybe it was the snow in the Nebraska game. Maybe it was the needles I was using...maybe..1st I cast on 2 times in doing the rib, wanting to end in a knit on each end. Dumb Dora cast on 32 thinking I will have 2 extra stitches - which defeated my purpose. Somewhere I realized that 30 divided by 2 was an odd number, so I would have my odd repeat. But something about the needles kept bothering me. After my multiple cast ons (because Dumb Dora again forgot to purl the next rows instead of starting with knit.) Hard to watch football and knit!! Got that straightened out......but something about the needles were bothering me. Sure seemed large for #9's. Hmmmmmmm.....the package said 9, 9 inches that is. So my bamboo needles were a size 9 inch #13 needles. So to the frog pond again, quick trip during halftime to Hobby Lobby to get another pair from their very meager supply. So 3 hours of knitting and about 3 inches of scarf. So I take back all of the good things I said about the 2x2 rib scarf.

OTN, I have Christmas presents galore - and the elves haven't shown up to work yet. I am beginning to get a little anxious, as I don't knit as fast as they do.

A Pink Ribbon

Today, as I continued to work on this "thing of computerese" I added a pink ribbon. The flowers are for my mother, who lost her battle with breast cancer almost 5 years ago, and two months short of my parents 50th wedding anniversary. October is National Breast cancer month, so please, anyone reading this, have your yearly mammogram! If you have never had one and are hesitant, as a friend, your mother, anyone to go with you and have it done.

A new chapter in my life

I chose my blog name because it describes how I feel about my life right now. I feel like I am trying to find myself in the middle of changes in my life. Sometimes it is scary not knowing what the future holds, but at other times it is exciting. I do know who holds my future, that is Christ, so I know I have to go through this period that I am in now. My youngest child is in her 3rd year of college and has gone out of state as an exchange student - read that as across country!! I am disabled and can no longer work - so that means that I also cannot do a lot of things around the house that I used to.
I have taken up knitting, had crocheted for many years, thought this would be easy! Think again! The illness is in my central nervous system and I am having trouble following simple pattern instructions. But all is well, it is just a hobby!