NASHVILLE HERE WE COME

Last weekend was such fun. I had some of my knitting friends over for dinner and an evening of knitting. It was a tight fit but fun. I managed to not poison anyone (at least not that I have heard!). Cooking for 10 is no more fun than cooking for two. Still don't like it but it would be nice if my kid (notice singular) would not be incredulous when I state that I am cooking dinner for ten. The silence was deafening!

Sunday was my 18th wedding anniversary. Because of the weather we did not go to Baltimore as planned. We tried to see a movie but nothing interested both of us. So we had brunch at Mimi's and went shopping. We picked out new flooring for the kitchen, back room, front entrance and hallway.

Well, with a new floor we needed a new couch. The current couch was what cut up the linoleum in the first place so a new one was necessity. I suggested we bring Nestle, since it was as much her decision as ours. We were already out though so we did not get her.

We found a gorgeous leather couch at Haverty's. People actually do shop there! I hope Nestle likes it. It may be very slippery for her. But it is a couch rather than two chairs. She would have hated that!

We leave for Nashville on Thursday. This should be quite the adventure. Four days with my dad. Maybe I should double my meds for depression! We made the reservations initially on Thursday because we wanted to see some of the city AND my dad was not coming. Now he is and we are stuck with him all four days! Pray we survive it!

I sort of finished the baby blanket. The last repeat rows was done reversed and I am debating with myself about doing it over. I might as well give it up and fix it. The perfectionist in me is driving me crazy!

The May scarf is almost done. Good thing since I only have a week until the end of the month! I am not sure I like it all that much but it's okay for a gift.

Happy Memorial Day Everyone!

ANOTHER FIVE DAY WEEK?!?!?

Okay, so everyone knows how much I HATE working all five days in a week. As a matter of fact, between the beginning of November and the end of Feb. I did not work a 5 day week. Now I am about to work my second in the month of May. What is up with that!?!

I had a very busy weekend. On Thursday I went to St. Michaels with three other women to celebrate Karen's birthday. We had a very good time and only drank two of the four bottles of wine we brought. Our suite was lovely and dinner at the Crab Claw was very good. I think Karen had a blast. It's not every day you celebrate your 50th!

I got home on Friday just in time to leave again for church. The kids were sleeping over so they would be there the next morning to help with the pancake breakfast and flea market. Sandy worked me to the bone but we had fun. I discovered that Nestle has no idea how to sleep on an air mattress because she can get on and off whenever she wants. Like at 3 AM and again at 5:45 am. At the later time she went around and woke everyone up. She kissed and pounced until they were all awake. She knew her job and she did it well! Later on that morning she went home with Normale and took a nap but it obviously did not help much because when we got home at 1:30 she slept the rest of the day. (I slept with her!)

Frank and I did or tried to do Clyde's that night for dinner but they were booked solid for prom night plus a wedding. We compromised and went next door to Tomato Palace where we learned you could order off Clyde's menu! That was so great because I was already tasting their wings and was bummed when we could not eat there. Plus we had a window view of all the prom couples. So cute but why were the parents with them?

Sunday I tried to clean the basement and did manage to do the front room and laundry but I injured my back at some point and could barely move the rest of the day. It is still VERY sore. Lower back pain is NOT fun.

Frank is off on Wednesday for his reunion but he will be home Sat. night so that we can celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary on Sunday. We are still undecided about what we are going to do but it looks like we may go into Baltimore. I hope it does not rain even though they are calling for it.

EIGHTEEN Years! Can you imagine because I can't. It seems like yesterday and it seems like forever, both at the same time. Woo. Who would have thought?!

MOTHER'S DAY

I know this day should feel important to me, seeing as how I am a mother but with my mom gone and my girls so far away it just does not feel like a special day.

I do have to say, though, that Becky's gift did amuse me and I liked it very much. She sent me a knitting book with pages marked where she liked something. I love her sense of humor and she knew that would please me.

Mel sent me the most gorgeous shawl. It's made of mohair, though, so I will have to wait for awhile before I can use it.

Me and three others are going to St. Michaels this Thurday for a girls night out. We are celebrating Karen's 50th at a hotel and spa. Thursday night we will dine at the Crab Claw and Friday we get the spa treatment. I am hoping we fit in some shopping since St. Michaels has a really nice yarn shop!

Saturday the KC kids are having a yard sale/breakfast which I promised to help with. I am not looking forward to it since that means I miss Saturday knitting. What was I thinking when I volunteered!?!?!

Nashville is still a go for Memorial Day. The wedding venue is undamaged as is the hotel. The party the night before the wedding has to be relocated since that place suffered major damage. Sharon is busy working on that now.

Dad is really looking forward to it. It will be interesting to see how he does traveling. I think he knows he can't go alone but maybe if he does well he would consider a cruise with Frank.

Bought a book on Hong Kong. I am trying to get excited but between the extreme heat in August and the 14 hour flight, well, it is difficult.

I am still working on that *#%#*# baby blanket. Hopefully this will teach me to say NO! It is so repetitive and boring. Good news is I have made solid progress and hope to finish it in a week. From my mouth to my knitting needles!

It would help if Nestle were not so opposed to me knitting. Especially with the blanket because it leaves so little lap space. I think if she could she would hide it. Invariably she ends up on Frank's lap and bugs him so much he ends up handing her over to me!

Doesn't matter. We both adore her. After all, what's not to love!

IS IT OVER ALREADY

All that hype and now we have another year to wait... Oh my! It sure was fun, though. TOO HOT by a long shot, but the good news is it saved me money since wool was the LAST thing to excite me in that heat. I did not buy a loom, I did not buy anything really extravegant, at least not unless you count the two signature needles I bought. I spent less than $200. A first for me.

Now I want to take a weaving course at the Mannings but they are a week long and cost $495. I don't have a week available this year so I guess it will have to be put on the back burner for now. That's okay because, do I really have the time for a third or fourth hobby?

The hospitality suite was very well received and I think we all enjoyed it. Not enough shade, though. Again, way too hot for May. It felt more like August.

Quiet week ahead which is just what the doctor ordered. Knitting on Wednesday but no other evening out. It's good to just relax again. Seems like forever since I go to do that.

Found out that the FLOC house is a very nice house available for rental and it does not cost a lot more than the retreat house but is much larger. Denise and I are in discussion now about how to use it.

Frank's dinner at MS&W was delicious and i think everyone enjoyed it. He is such a good cook. If only he could clean the kitchen as well as he cooks!

I took a class the MS&W on how to read a pattern. I did not expect so many beginner knitters which was crazy on my part, if you think about it. What shocked me was that not many of them knew what a yarn over was or a SSK. I ended up teaching the ladies on either side of me both of those plus the cable cast on. The big bonus, the thing that kept me in the class for the whole three hours? AIR CONDITIONING! Worth it!

Things to look forward to: more fiber festivals in the fall, knit retreats in the fall, more knitting with friends etc. Summer is here, my most hated season, so I will stay indoors. It is air conditioning for me!

WAIT FOR IT

This Sheep and Wool is going to be the best ever. I can't wait! I told Mel that I was not going to be buying a lot since I already had so much and she had the NERVE to laugh at me. I have to say that she tried not to. There was a silence for awhile, I guess while she supressed her laughter after getting over the ludicrousness of the statement. Then she laughed, quite loudly I might add. She even equated it to my laughter when she told me that the $200 I gave her was too much and she'd never be able to spend it. I seem to recall that she went home with more wool than me that time AND she had spent $100 of her OWN money. Quite funny.

Well, I hope to restrain myself. I look at all the wool I have and cannot imagine ever using it all. Of course, that's what she wants. SHE wants me to buy more so that she gets it all, sooner or later. Hopefully much later. I offered to let HER live with me if she can't find a job after school but then I realized I could not allow her all that free access to my stash. She would have to sleep upstairs! (Never trust another knitter around your stash, especially if they are related to you!)

Besides, I am weak and they both know that mine is theirs. All they have to do is admire it (NOT THE QUIVIAT) and I would probably give it to them. The guilt is incredible and they prey on it. (THEY know who they are!)

What a busy weekend I had. Saturday I saw "How to train your dragon" which was fabulous. I highly recommend it. You do not need a kid to see it. Mary and I were not the only adults without kids to see it. Very entertaining.

Sunday was Ava's christening. What a time. I have not been to a Catholic mass since I took Yara to one in 1987. Believe me, there has been no improvement. The priest who gave the homily was from India. Needless to say, not a word was understood. I think I feel asleep. No knitting, either. It was a long 90 minutes that I will never get back! Ava's part was fun, though. She slept through the entire thing.

Took Dad to Target. They have a drivable cart that he used. He bought a microwave to make himself pizza and other meals. Frank tried to buy an ice cream maker but they did not have what he wanted. Shopping with two men is not fun! Remind me not to do that again.

So now it's work for four days and then the fun begins. I can hardly wait!

TEN MORE DAYS

If you read the title of this entry and have no idea what I am talking about, then YOU ARE NOT A KNITTER. There is 10 more days to the Sheep and Wool Festival, the PREMIERE event in Wool festivals. We knitters wait all year for this!

So it came as quite a surprise to find out that the festival, according to the organizers, is all about the SHEEP! Not the wool but the SHEEP. What is that about? Are they nuts? Do they not see all that fiber for sale?

Turns out, they actually don't really like having us there. The event is for farmers and the sheep. Somehow the wool vendors just snuck in. And then the crowds followed and as far as they are concerned, we could all leave!

Well, I guess we could boycott the event and see how they like that but that would only hurt the vendors and US! So, we will choose to ignore their feelings, keep going, keep buying all things fiber...SO THERE!

I have tried to be very good this year and only buy 'needed' yarn. This way I could spend more at the festival. I bought yarn for a baby blanket, yarn for a sweater for Becky and yarn that I forgot I ordered through a friend. I also joined a sock club so I guess I did so-so on the New Years promise. My new resolution is to not go crazy at the festival. Good luck with that one! Especially since I will be there both days!

Frank and I spent the weekend at the Mercersburg Inn in PA. He took some cooking classes (my Xmas gift to him) while I shopped all day at the outlets in Hagerstown on Saturday. Spent lots of money on new summer clothes. No shoes, though and I really need new sandals. Walking store it is!

Sunday I just sat around and knitted while he had his class. They were cooking duck and scallops, neither of which are big favorites of mine, so I did not join them for lunch.

Home we went where our sweet little Nestle was waiting for us. Sandy was good enough to pick her up at Dogtopia where she spent her weekend. I forgot my computer so Mel kept an eye on the doggie cams for me. I think she had a good time and was glad to come home so she could sleep!

This is a bad week for me. For the first time since October I have to work all five days. That SUCKS BIG TIME! I need a vacation!

I am knitting a really pretty scarf and the baby blanket is coming along nicely. Becky's sweater is on hold until I can get Denise to tell me where my mistake is. That should be this Wednesday, I hope.

Busy Spring ahead. Keeps me busy!

I REALLY NEED TO RETIRE

Four days at Rolling Ridge with nothing to do but knit. That is my idea of life! Work is getting in my way and I am ready to retire. Too bad I have at least four years to go!

Even though the sleeping arrangements were less than ideal, I think we all had a great time. Good company and lots of time for our favorite hobby, what more could you ask for. I did not get much sleep but I sure did laugh a lot, eat a lot, and knit a lot.

Now it's back to the daily grind. At least I have knitting tomorrow night. None this Saturday since Frank and I are going to Mercersburg for the weekend. I get to shop at the outlets on Saturday so that should be fun.

I think Miss Nestle missed me. She lay on my lap all during jeopardy, getting her belly scratched. I swear, I think she would only move to eat and go out if she could. She looks adorable too. Elsie gave her a great cut.

Hong Kong trip is looming and I am feeling very ambivalent about it. I am not sure I really want to go. It's not just the flight time. It's also the heat factor of Hong Kong in August and the enormous crowd there will be, not to mention having to find TWO dresses for the wedding. I will look for the short dress this weekend and hope the gown from Becky's wedding fits for the evening reception.

Mel finished my surprise and I might get to see what it is by Friday! Oh, probably not until sunday since we leave on Friday before the mail arrives. Oh well, I've waited this long, what's two more days?

Nestle is going to Dogtopia for the weekend. I hope she likes it there. It's expensive but at least she won't be in a kennel all day.