Wallaby Again

I didn't get a picture of the latest wallaby before I gave it away. But since you've seen others like it you probably can figure out what it looks like. If not just click on the wallaby link to the right to see others. I've said before that I really like this yarn. Plymoth's Encore is 75% acrylic and 25% wool; just enough wool to make it soft and plenty of acrylic to make it washable. Perfect for a baby sweater. Enjoy, Lisa.

Solo Day Trips

Going over the border just got easier. For me, at least. Yep, finally got that NEXUS card that helps you get over the border faster. Sometimes it's not that much faster but still minutes count when you're living in the fast lane! (Pardon the pun. It really was unintentional.) On Friday I went to Blaine by myself. No one else in the family but Bruce has the pass. Besides they were all working. Heh. One of the benefits of working from home and being your own boss (sort of).

LJ and Heidi wanted me to pick up some horse stuff they had mailed to Hagaan's mail outlet. After paying all the fees (phone calls, storage and collection) for the goods I wonder if it's even worth the trouble make the trip. It is, I've concluded. For one having the NEXUS does make it faster getting over the border. Plus I get an afternoon out by myself and when there is no pressure to get back it's very relaxing. And I get a mocha (Snickers this time) out of the deal. Not bad.

Since there was no pressure for me to get back any time soon I did a little exploring in Blaine to see what had changed since I had been there last. Such a warm sunny day-about 66 degrees F.

There's this little thing about declaring everything you are bringing back. I don't know but I suppose you get charged duty for everything you declare since it's all computerized and computers don't think to give you a break as a real live border official might when you declare things verbally. We'll see about that. It will be interesting to find out.

The line-up coming back to Canada confirmed the wisdom in getting the NEXUS. I forsee a difficulty in the future. What happens when everyone gets NEXUS and they still only have one lane?

Memory Lane

Remember Cessy's in downtown San Leandro? They had the most delicious (and most expensive) sandwiches. What a treat to take a lunch break and splurge...on a sandwich? Yep, they were worth it. Because I'm remembering 30 years ago my recollections may not be accurate. But I do try to replicate one of their sandwiches in my own kitchen. It's a variation on my personal all time favorite-tomato with mayonaise, salt and pepper. Cessy's had all kinds of add on's to their vegetarian. I remember them slicing the beautifully ripe (only in California!) avocado right on a slice of whole wheat bread. They would add cheese, maybe, and then top the whole thing with a wig of alfalfa sprouts.

Fresh spinach does it for me. Now I feel healthy.

"Purple Passion"

Amethyst for February

It might be a stretch to call the color of this yarn amethyst but it really does come close.

" Purple Passion" is not the name I gave this project. I should be so creative! When we were in So. Cal last December Chuggy, T and I went to Lazy Daisy. As I always do when I go into a yarn or book store, I grabbed all that appealed to me - books, yarn and pamphlets. Then when I had thoroughly scoped the store I sat and I went through all at my leisure and asked myself if I really need (read: want) this yarn or this book. After all that time enjoying myself in the store I sometimes only buy one skein or nothing at all. (Good thing the library has a book on "One Skein Wonders" I can justify buying one skein thinking that I can always make another pair of socks and they don't take long.) Well, T found a book that had a sweater she liked and I gladly helped her choose yarn to go with it. Plymoth's Encore in a rusty color. Well, the title of the sweater pattern she chose was "Purple Passion." Probably because the sweater had been made in purple yarn. As I drooled over her book she told me she wouldn't mind at all if I chose one of the patterns from her book to make. Not even if it was the one she was going to make. So here we are with February's amethyst project :

This is the waist in a rib knit that goes the whole way up. Cables start after about eight inches of the ribbing.

And because I like to have a pair of socks on the needles:

Tulips!

I've been sick...again. It feels like the same cold I had a month ago. It must be making the rounds again. To get back to health again I decided to take it easy. Doing nothing extra. No more than I have to.

Last night Gramma C came over and brought some cheer! Beautiful tulips! Spring has got to be around the corner. As soon as Bruce saw them he told me to put corn starch in the water. Huh? Yep. He said it makes them stand straight up. I tried it and it really works. The stems had started to droop just a little since I wasn't able to get them in water right away. But this morning I found them straight as soldiers on guard.

Ice cream helps too. Moral support only.

Happy Birthday, Dolly! or All Things "Pink"

On Saturday there was a "birthday bash" for Dolly. She received all manner of wondrous girly things. All of which she was totally thrilled. So as not to duplicate any offerings her great aunt gave her a set of blocks. So. There you have it. Nothing girly about blocks but something that the whole family can play with together. I think PC was more interested in them than Dolly. That's to be expected when the girly things were vying for her attention. All I know and remember about blocks is that ALL kids have a hoot of a time playing with them. I might know. We had blocks very similar to these in our house for years and every child visited us had to be torn away from them.


Finally, Emma's Wonderful Wallaby is finished. Even though this is more of a boy's colored sweater I think it suits her. Besides, ioi wanted rainbow colored sweaters for her kids. Now she's got a blue one to go with the red and yellow. Hmm. What's next? Green? Purple? or Orange? Thankfully, ioi's hubby said there was no rush!

These are the greatest baby sweater to make. There's always one on the needles at this house and always one or two in the back of my mind waiting for some free needles.

Note the elastics around Emma's ankles. They're handy for when her hair comes in. Right now she's pretty bald--but really cute anyway!