California Fun - Catching Up

Two years ago I visited California around Amber's birthday and some of us ladies were able to go to tea! It was delightful! We had so much fun pretending we were ladies.

Mom and her lovely hat

Amber and her tea

Soothing Hot Tea

Gramma Sue and Amber

Preserving Gramma's Hat

In the Garden 

And on the Patio

With Bentley!

Give Him a Squeeze!

Thanksgiving Feast and Fingerless Mitts

Because we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in November (when it's suppose to be celebrated!) and because you all live so far away (Union City was far enough to go for the week-end) we often go to Tacoma to "celebrate" (read: eat ourselves silly). This year was no different with no less food and all delicious!

Noah and Heidi

Hannah

I brought my own stash for the trip down:

These are new in Canada. At least I've not seen them before. They are chocolate coated mint kisses. I thought they would be mint flavored chocolate. And with a mocha I was set. To knit, of course.

Here's what I finished on the trip. Don't be fooled. With a mocha to power you and lots of down time you can get some serious knitting in.

Heidi liked them so well she wanted a pair for her birthday. Which happens to be tomorrow!!! Today was going to be my day off to stay home and knit but some problems with our US bank account warranted me coming into Richmond for the day. With that taken care of - at least as much as I can do (including a trip down south) - it was too late to go back home. Thankfully, she wanted Greek food for her birthday dinner and there's a restaurant conveniently located up the street from our house. As for the fingerless mitts? How fast do you think I can knit?

More Wallabys!

Thanksgiving Feast and Fingerless Mitts

Because we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in November (when it's suppose to be celebrated!) and because you all live so far away (Union City was far enough to go for the week-end) we often go to Tacoma to "celebrate" (read: eat ourselves silly). This year was no different with no less food and all delicious!

Noah and Heidi

Hannah

I brought my own stash for the trip down:

These are new in Canada. At least I've not seen them before. They are chocolate coated mint kisses. I thought they would be mint flavored chocolate. And with a mocha I was set. To knit, of course.

Here's what I finished on the trip. Don't be fooled. With a mocha to power you and lots of down time you can get some serious knitting in.

Heidi liked them so well she wanted a pair for her birthday. Which happens to be tomorrow!!! Today was going to be my day off to stay home and knit but some problems with our US bank account warranted me coming into Richmond for the day. With that taken care of - at least as much as I can do (including a trip down south) - it was too late to go back home. Thankfully, she wanted Greek food for her birthday dinner and there's a restaurant conveniently located up the street from our house. As for the fingerless mitts? How fast do you think I can knit?

What's the Resemblance?

Here's an update on the bangs situation: They're not quite as long as I led you to believe by posting the picture of the horse yesterday. But almost. When she pushes them to the side you can see her eyes.

There are advertisements by Fido (a wireless phone company) and Fido that are being circulated here in BC that use pictures of dogs that bear a resemblance to people or the other way around, maybe. Not saying that the people look like dogs, mind you. Yet the hair and fur are often similar. The face shapes are often the same, too. You be the judge and let me know if you think Laura and the horse's hair is the same. That's all.

We had a Greek dinner for Laura's birthday yesterday. Gran came over for the evening and helped us to celebrate. The cheesecake was not Greek--her choice. We could have had baklava but that would have entailed a trip to Vancouver and that would have added another two hours (round trip) to my already very busy day. Now I remember why I don't cook a meal like this but five times a year. It takes a lot of time.

Happy

Birthday,

Laura!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVE!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!!!!!

YOU DON'T LOOK A DAY OVER 80!!!!!!

Don't Throw Them Away!

If you were here earlier and wondered what I was talking about, wonder no more. Blogger was having difficulty putting up posts and uploading pictures this morning. So when I wrote and rewrote and tried to post all that would show up was the title. Aw, well, I thought. I'll just leave it. When I finish you'll know what I was talking about. You see, Kedj has a pair of socks that are worn out in the heels. On her blog I told her that another pair was coming. Then this morning as I was rummaging through my stash I came across the left over yarn from the worn out pair. I think I can knit a patch and graft it in the spot where the hole is. So I don't want her to throw the old pair away!

I was at the Abbotsford airport tonight. Teege is on his way to Calgary to meet some of his buddies from Regina. They plan on going to Banff to go snowboarding for a couple of days. We had bought him a ticket for his birthday to go where ever he wanted (within reason, now come on!) He was planning on going to St. Thomas conference and already had his ticket, but the conference was cancelled. He still needed to use the ticket because the last time he was in Regina they lost his luggage and gave him $100 when they found it (if he would pick it up at the airport instead of them delivering it). The $100 had to be used within 3 months and that time was approaching fast. So he's off. It's still hard to see any of my kids go even if only for a short time. As I write--he just called from the Calgary airport--. He was airsick and is really hungry. Thanks for calling.

Coronet Progress

I quit the coronet for a while because I'm not happy with how it's rolling up. The cable band is suppose to turn up at the edge but when I do roll it up the backside of the knitting shows. That would be the "wrong" side of the stockinette stitch. And I don't like it. So for now the hat sits while I contemplate the next step. Probably, I'll go back to Kate the Kitten for now since the pressure is off on that one. In case you were wondering...I thought of trying to get it done for BB's birthday but decided against putting a time limit on myself. My BP just can't take that kind of senseless and unnecessary pressure. Maybe by her second birthday? That's not too much pressure since that's almost a year away. Actually, things are moving along. I was at Michael's and picked up some soft batting to stuff her with (CRINGE!!-sorry, Mom).

The Wrapper

H's birthday is this week. You'll never guess who has to help wrap the presents. I don't know why I even bother. He could probably do a better job than I can.

Luggage Tags

Look what I got in the mail the other day! You might think that it's insignificant for a birthday present but if you know what my suitcase looks like you would realize how valuable they are. Like every other bag in the terminal mine is black ...with wheels... and a pull handle. Sound like yours? Well, I'm sure it is. That is why one of these is going on every one of my bags. Already LK used one to go to Regina and was able to spot here bag immediatedly. No more masking tape or ribbon for us! We're going in style.
Not only are they good for bags they're also good as key tags! Yes, Teege and Lk left their cars with their keys in my hands. Since the keys are exactly the same it is very hard, if not impossible to tell them apart. Hence the luggage tags with convenient pockets for names.

Thanks Jaigy!

Thanksgiving Day Baby

By now The Brother has gotten his socks so here is a view of the (un)finished product. They are not warm because they are not wool. They are not soft but for someone with allergies there are concessions and compromises. They are a beautiful shade of blue.
Some consolation.

Ooops! I Missed Again

Happy Birthday, Soup!

I goofed (off?). I think I have too many projects on the go. I not only didn't get these in the mail in time, I didn't even finish them in time for Soup's birthday! (Well, at least you know they are on the way.) Actually, my progress is a little further along than this picture shows because I was able to knit on the way to the barn (at stop lights), at the barn, and on the way home after this picture was taken.

I plan on going to the States tomorrow to mail some books. Maybe if I work "til midnight" I'll get these done.

They're In The Mail!

Finally, time caught up to me. I was hoping to have all my socks made before each recipient's birthday but alas Kedj comes near the end of the line. If I lived where she lived she would have gotten them on time because I actually finished them on her birthday. So there.

As a consolation prize I sent along these mittens to keep her hands cozy warm on her early morning walks with Bobby.

View from the plane--wild fires and sunsets

Alas, by the time I finished struggling with my carry-on bag for my camera, the wing of the plane was in the way of the wildfire in Northern California, and we passed over. I consoled myself with this magnificent pic of the sunset.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KEDJ!!!!!

Whose birthday?

We don't know whose birthday we we're celebrating. On this day we were at B and B's. Everyone pitches in and donates something to the cause. Gramma made the main course-Chicken Paprikash. Chuggy made the rolls and provide the broccoli and rice. Jailgy brought the Martinelli's and other beverages. Can't remember what Soup brought but I'm sure it was something. The salad was made by Kedj and was the most delicious. She and Chuggy carmelized pecans in maple syrup and added that to butter lettuce and pears topping it off with Gongorzzolla (?) cheese and some kind of dressing. Yumm!! It was all delicious.
There are so many bithdays that you can point to anyone in the family and be pretty assured that it was his or the person right next to him. On this day alone we celebrated three and maybe one other.

The birthdays start coming by droves in July and don't let up til October. By then we have pretty much exhausted them all except Babbyboebee's, whose comes at the end of November.

It doesn't matter because my family will use any excuse to get together. Really. We like each other a lot and get along great...as long as they do as I say. Just kidding.


So take your pick and celebrate.

For dessert Kedj and I made a Marmalade Cake and an orange tasting Lemon Cheesecake. Both were delicious! I can compliment the cook because I really only had a little to do with it. (I think I made the cheesecake crust and measured sugar).

The waiter comes with the house.