Why my blog was lifeless!

I again have let my poor blog's feelings get hurt and lonely! Months and nobody paid any attention to it-especially me, its mama! However I have reasons....err....excuses??
I had another eye surgery, seems to not have helped my vision any, actually it seems worse. Then have had 2 bad falls, messed up one knee, have had fluid drained 2 times, and broke my thumb which had to have a pin put in. So not even knitting time here. So that wimper in the corner you heard was from me. I go back to my hand surgeon tomorrow and will see what he has to say. Maybe will be free from this little velcro cast - am tired of it, and summer does wonderful things to them that even Febreeze cannot help!

So here's to health - each of you please appreciate what good health you have. I really have come to be thankful each day for the good things in life.

Graduation Day

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Today is a nice day to add a new post to my blog - my daughter is graduating with honors from UT at Chattanooga. She will have a degree in Micro-Biology with Highest Honors from the biology department. Months of work on her research project paid off its dividends. I am very proud of her!

SP 12 Question of the week

What's your favorite summertime drink?

I am living in the South and am Texan by birth so Sweet Tea is always the answer. I now drink less sweet because of the sugar but still tea is my drink - even with breakfast at times!

Most southerners drink their sweet tea unadulterated, nothing but tea and sugar. The recipe is simple: Brew 3 family sized Lipton tea bags in two cups of water, pour it in a gallon pitcher, and add a cup and 1/2 of sugar while the tea is hot. Fill the pitcher with ice cold water and ice. Serve over plenty of ice.

That's what a southerner wants when they order tea. "Tea" in the south means "sweet tea."

Here is a recipe for a great summertime special tea that I like to make - Called Summer Tea

6 oz frozen orange juice
6 oz frozen lemonade
1 cup pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
10 cups cold water
6 small tea bags with 4 cups water

Brew tea. Add sugar and cool. Combine remaining ingredients. Makes 1 gallon.

I am so glad to have a computer again, withdrawal was really rough! I enjoy reading emails from my groups, looking up new knitting patterns, seeing work others have done, all of it is really inspiring and makes me want to knit even more.

Today was the weekly Coffee and Knit time at my LYS Genuine Purl in Chattanooga - a great shop if you are ever in the area! - and I took my new JaggerSpun Zephyr silk/wool lace weight yarn to work the "homework" swatch for the KAL the shop is doing. It is a pretty shawl and I have wanted to jump out and start one for a long time. So the time has come - if I can manage the laceweight yarn. It is going to take some getting used to - I have knit some with the fingering weight, and in comparing the two sizes, didn't feel that there was that much different in them, I went ahead and bought the laceweight yarn. So today was a session of feeling clumsy like when I first started knitting, so I need to practice and get the "feel" for it. It is a beautiful soft pink - called Lady Slipper.

It really is a beautiful yarn! I made my first swatch with size 6 needles but think I will try the 7 for the next little swatch. I knit kinda tight and I think I will get a better fabric with the 7. Wish me luck!

SP 12 Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

My favorite yarns are merino wool, cottons, wool blends. Specifics I like: anything by Lisa Souza, Socks that Rock, Rowan. Acrylic mixed with natural fibers are ok if they give it soft smooshy texture (like Rowan Cashsoft, Tapestry or Calmer)

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

A cloth needle roll, my Knitpicks case, a plastic storage bin for my circulars

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting about 3 years, took a class then joined a group that met weekly until everyone kinda went their own way. I am probably a fearless advanced beginner/intermediate - haven't tried a sweater for myself yet.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, need to check and update my Amazon list - the list is HERE


5. What's your favorite scent?

I am allergic to a lot of heavy floral scents. Like some fruity scents like strawberry, apple, or light single floral scents - rose

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

A large one front and center!! Love milk chocolate, or mixed with caramel, mint or peanut butter or, or, or...

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I knit and crochet primarily. Really want to quilt. Don't have a yen to spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Only one around without an iPod, probably can play CD on my computer, listen to cable TV's music - jazz, old rock and roll, Christian, classical, swing

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like jewel tones - fuschia, turquoise, bright colors. Pastels, yellows oranges and lime greens aren't great on me.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married for 34 yrs, 3 grown children in town, recently lost our Schnauzer of 13 yrs.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves and hats - yes
Mittens – no, no fingerless gloves
Ponchos – no, but love shawls - I am "fluffy" so need longer ones

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Learning socks and shawls, baby items for friends and relatives, scarves, dishcloths for quick gifts


13. What are you knitting right now?

A baby sweater, a baby hat, starting a shawl in my LYS KAL

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

They are great - appreciate the time someone spends on me.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I use circulars primarily – have some in bamboo, and my Knitpicks options

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No, unless you count my living room chair!


17. How old is your oldest UFO?

The baby sweater is maybe 1 mo old.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I love holidays - like to decorate for them.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

T-shirts from places I visit, like postcards from different places

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I don't have any mag subs right now - they have not been in the budget. But I enjoy them a lot. I really enjoy books too.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I haven't mastered mitered squares, entrelac, am in the process of working with laceweight yarn for the first time.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I am new at knitting socks. I have a large foot - size 9 1/2 WW

23. When is your birthday?

January 15

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

kn1tg1rl - working on my inventory of books, yarn etc. Become my friend!

I'm Back!

I have returned - not actually from the dead, but from the heap of dead computer land. Mine died, rather suddenly, a complete and final gasp, leaving me in severe withdrawal pain. I have had withdrawals from prescription meds that were not as bad as this was. I would go to the library and use their computers, but time was limited and not always comfortable if I got one of the ones on a stool.

So to catch up the past few months - I am slowly still healing from the broken leg - able to walk with a cane and my brace. Have healed from my eye surgery - but have little functional healing. Very little sight in the eye and no one knows why. Very discouraging after 5 surgeries, much much pain, and money to have almost no sight in it. But God knows and holds my future, so am waiting to see what the future holds.
Do have a computer, a cast off from my future DIL, but it runs and after de-bugging it, and ordering more memory it is up and running. Am now in process of ordering software and installing and all of that stuff.

The wedding plans are coming right along - will be Sept 6 so already have dress, wishing I could wear pretty sandals, but am happy I can walk down the aisle. Hope I can dance at the reception - at least once or twice.

Many everyday things have gone on - but will stop here - all are happy and healthy - and getting skinnier - have lost about 30 lbs this winter and spring - being home and not grabbing fast food and cokes while out, I think has helped.

Have a great day - weather here was great - 75 today!

Family Matters

I have been a little behind in keeping posts going on here. Have had a lot of family matters going on that have taken up my emotional as well as actual time. Have had my share of doctors appts - they always seem to fall together for the 3 mo, 4 mo and 6 mo checkups. So have been on the doctor merry-go-round recently.

Also have had to deal with family issues in Texas. My beloved grandmother passed away Feb 19 at the age of 99 years, 9 mos of age. We were so hoping that she would make her 100 birthday. But in the last few weeks of her life, it became evident that she probably would not last that long. I was able to catch a last minute flight from Chattanooga to San Antonio via Atlanta. My sister picked me up and we drove an hour to her house where I spent the next day until she finished her day teaching and her daughter finished class and drove up from TAMU Kingsville. Then we hit the road northwestward, spending the night in Fredricksburg. Would have liked to have gotten there earlier to have seen some of the historic town, but was glad to just have a bed to fall into. Got up the next morning and drove another 2 1/2 hours to Abilene. Just throwing in some town names in case anyone reading is from Texas - gotta share my Texas roots! The service was nice - about 3/4's of the chapel was family. After the service one of my cousins had reserved a room at a local restaurant, and a fajita buffet. There were 3 step-sons left of 7, 29 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and 29 great grandchildren. All but 2 of the grandchildren were there - my brother who was in Hawaii - he isn't getting home until today - and one other. It was so nice to see cousins I haven't talked to in years and years. And to see their families, and pictures were flying all around of various families. Everyone wrote down email addresses, and completed family trees so our book can be updated with new additions, new spouses, and all. It really was a celebration of a great family.

I have now come on out west to Andrews, to spend a little time with my dad and step mother. A chance to visit my mother's grave, and just a time to be with my dad. He isn't getting any younger. And we just got word that his brother that was unable to make the funeral, has pneumonia and isn't expected to recover. He lives so far away, they are deciding if another trip is in them right now or not.