6/25/09

Another blog post in less than a month!!! I really should do better.

Daddy continues to not be well. He has improved significantly but still extremely weak. He has fallen twice, which worries us greatly.

This is the Shipwreak Shawl from Knitty. It is a fun and not overwhelming knit. I love the ruffly edging. Now I just need to block it.




This is a class I took at Beadworkz in Portsmouth. It is called All Crossed Up. I finished it in class and wore it home, so it is a quickie.











This is the Classic Lines Cardigan from KnitPicks knit with the recommended yarn. This was a mindless knit. It has some waist shaping which makes it fit well. It also has finished edges. Knit in the round and steeked so not much finishing. I am working on a second one of these in purples. This one also needs blocking. I need to have a "block party" ;-).







Two pair of socks. The one on the left is a simple lace pattern in Scout Swag yarn, I believe. The pair on the right is from Poem yarn. Plain old K3, P1 rib. Both are knit toe up. Thanks to Wendy Knits wonderful and free pattern.










Another Beadworkz class. They are both Flat Spiral. The necklace is single, the bracelet is double. Done with pearls.











Another Flat Spiral Bracelet. Again double. Made with crystals. This isn't as comfortable to wear as the pearl one, but goes with a lot of my summer clothes, so has actually gotten more wear.


We had a UFO weekend in June. I worked mostly on the purple Classic Lines Cardigan. But also finished the Flat Spiral necklace and worked on the socks. We have another one planned for July. In July, most of us are starting the Lollypop Tree Quilt. If you haven't seen this beauty, you need to go to Glorious Colors website and look at it. You have to smile. It isn't hard applique, almost no points, but LOTS of circles.

I have the Baltimore Halloween quilt top together and am appliquing the bat border. I hope to have a picture of it finished next post.

Reading has been progressing nicely. The weather has been good to spend a lot of time sitting in the swing.

Hair of the Dog - Laurien Berenson. Another in the dog mystery series. They are fun cozy murder mysteries. They really are fun, especially if you are a dog lover. They revolve around dog shows mostly.

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand This is an oldie, but a goodie. It is a very good 1,200 page book, it would be an excellent 700 page book. It is so like our government/business relationships today, but was written in the 1950's. I will certainly read other of her books.

Ripping the Bodice - Inara Lavey - This was a free download from Ravenous Romance. It was ok. Not great.

Then I read the Larissa Ione series about Demons. There are three books:
Pleasure Unbound
Desire Unchained
Passion Unleashed
This is 3 demon brothers. One is half vampire, one is half werewolf. Each book covers one of the brothers stories. They were quite interesting reads. I look forward to the new novel do later in the year. The first book was a free Kindle download from Amazon.

Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith - I have read the first 4 of this series. It is to be a TV series in the Fall. Not as good as the Twilight books, but still good. These 4 books were written in the early 1990's. There are new books just published recently, I am reading those next.

Common Sense - Glenn Beck - I was somewhat disappointed in this book. I have read his other books and feel that this one was written quickly to ride a newscycle. I wish it had been fleshed out more. I hadn't read Thomas Paines Common Sense since school, so it got me to read that again, so that was good.

I have now read 42 books this year. My goal is 52, so I should be able to reach that with no problem at all.

I am taking part in the Sookie Stackhouse reading Challenge. It starts July 1st, so hopefully I can finish the Vampire Diary books before then. Shouldn't be a problem. I have read book 1 of the Sookie books, but plan to reread it as part of the challenge.

I also have to plan my Tour de France project. I think this year instead of starting a special project for the TdF, I will have a UFO finishup. It is supposed to be knitting, but I am stretching it a little for me. I plan to finish the bats on the Baltimore Halloween quilt, finish the purple Classic Lines Cardigan, and finish the Nonna's Garden shawl. If I get those things done, then I can start something new!!! Let's see how that works out!!! ;-)

Doggies are doing well. Time for new bloodwork, but the vet is on vacation this week so have to wait until next week to make the appointment.

Exercise doing quite well even with some foot problems tormenting me!!! Bad right foot!!!

Chat Later
Susan

5/29/09

Ok, I have been in a major blog funk. Don't know what the problem is, but I just feel pulled in too many directions at once and this was one that I could easily ignore. I actually had done better than I thought. I was thinking the March month end update was the last one I had done, but I had done April.

This is rosewood wooden beads. Pearl knotted. Obviously I am not a purist that thinks only pearls should be knotted. A matching bracelet.










Think this stone was called soapstone. They are denim blue. Great with jeans. Again pearl knotted.



















Pink coral, again pearl knotted.



















This is a scissor case necklace that is bead embroidered. front and back.
























































Navy Blue bicone crystals, pearl knotted. Did I mention that I am not a purist when it comes to knotting? ;-)


















This is a black and white stone bead mixed with penguin beads. Sorry for the miserable picture. The penguins must have moved as I took it. Wish I had saved a penguin for the bracelet, but if I can get another penguin I will redo the bracelet. They came from the Outer Banks so I will have to wait until I go back down there.













Two different size/shape garnet beads knotted together. Do you see a theme here?




















This is a two drop peyote stitch amulet bag. Front and back.














































Haven't touched applique for months. Have done some knitting, but nothing finished. I have 2 pair of socks, Nonna's Garden (Knitpicks) and a Classic Lines Cardigan going, but none finished.

Have done a lot of reading while my boob surgery was healing. That didnt' require a lot of moving of the arm. So I read some more old James Patterson.
The Midnight Club
Hide and Seek
Beach House
Honeymoon
Judge and Jury
Cross
The Quickie (LOVED THIS ONE)

Then his newest one, 8th Confession. This is a Women's Murder Club book. I love that series. This one didn't disappoint.

Also the new Andrew Gross book, Don't Look Twice. He has co-written with Patterson and his style is very similar. Love those short chapters, makes for a quick read.

I am currently reading:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Very good book. Scarily similar to todays events in this country, but written in the 1950's.

Hair of the Dog by Laurien Berenson, this is another cozy murder mystery with lots of dogs. I think it is 4th or 5th in the series. This is my treadmill book. Atlas Shrugged is too heavy to hold while I walk.

Ripping the Bodice by Inara Lavey. This is a free download for the Kindle and is my secret pleasure read. Not far enough to really know how it is yet.

Boob is finally healed. I didn't think it would ever get "not sore". It took about 6 weeks. ;-( Course I managed to gain 10 pounds while I sat on my butt because movement made my boob hurt!!! ;-(

I spent about 5 days at Nags Head. Got a lot of knitting done on Nonna's Garden, because it rained most of the time I was there. I may have to go back to get back to Nonna. She requires attention and I dont' get much time at home to pay attention!!!



We finally have Mack's meds adjusted to he feels pretty good most of the time. Hopefully his liver levels are improving. He has to have blood work soon, then we will know.

They have both had haircuts and look quite dapper. I will try to get a picture of them for the next update.

I'll try to do better about updating.


Chat later
Susan

End of March Goals Update

Food
Still doing well. Need to be more consistant with my protein first!!

Exercise
At a complete halt because of surgery

Quilts
Charming Leaves - top done

Dear Jane - not touched in March

Expressions of Morris - not touched in March

Baltimore Halloween - blocks done, needs embroidery and border

Beading
Took a Loom Class, a Pearl Knotting class and a beaded scissor case class. More new classes coming up

Knitting/Crocheting
Finished a pair of socks, started 2 more pairs.

Working on Shipwreaked Shawl from Knitty.

Reading
18.5 books of my 52 book goal, so I am doing great.

I continue to be pleased with the goal progress.

Chat later
Susan

4/15/09

I'm back. After almost 3 weeks without a router, life is good. We have an old printer that we love, it works great, prints fast, and a lot on one ink cartridge. BUT, it is an old plug printer, not USB, finding a router that will work with it proved challenging to say the least. Ended up buying one, guaranteed not to work on Ebay. It worked!!! ;-)

My "boob rock" has been removed. Surgery went well and the report came back good. But the nurse says I will be achy at night for 3 weeks, if I continue to do too much. ;-( I am tired of this "doing too much stuff".

Here is Macklin, my poor little sick baby. He has hepititus. He was fine from all appearances until we put him on all the meds, now he is sick. I am taking him off some of the meds to see if he improves. Vet is closed this week for Spring Break, so I am doing it all on my own, but he deserves QUALITY of life. Will keep you posted.



Chelsea with her usual Eeyore look. She always looks like she is about to be beat. Don't know why she does this, but she has since we got her at 8 weeks old. But she is my sweet girl. She has a bad gall bladder. Who ever heard of a dog with a bad gall bladder??? Here she is!!!








The blocks of Baltimore Halloween are done. Here are the balance of them. I have to do the embroidery, put it together and do the bat border. But I can't handle the big piece right now with the "boob" surgery, so I am putting off doing the embroidery. It is called procratination!!!


































































Here is my ONE border triangle for the Dear Jane quilt. The center 169 blocks took one year. This ONE border triangle has taken 10 months. I really do need to focus on this a little sometime.









Toe Up K3,P1 rib socks from Wollmeise sock club yarn. First time I have knit with Wollmeise. I love it. I need more. Hope she does the club again next year.











I took a Pearl Knotting class. So now I am knotting everything that holds still long enough for me to hold on to!!! It is great fun.

This is a green/blue agate.













This is the Swaroski (I am sure that is not spelled right) Tahitian Pearl, necklace and bracelet. I wanted the necklace when we were in Hawaii and it was $7,000. So I made my own for about $25!!! Plus I got the bracelet for that too!!!

On the reading front:

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritson - EXCELLENT this was a free download from Amazon to my beloved Kindle. It was marvelous. I will certainly be reading more of her books.

I read all 5 books in the House of Night series. It is another vampire romance series. I really enjoyed it. It is written by a Mother/Daughter team named Cast. It is listed as a Young Adult series. I was a little taken aback by the amount of sex in a YA series. But it was very good. Hopefully they will write many more.

Now I am on a James Patterson kick. Reading some of his old stuff. Pop Goes the Weasel and Season of the Machete. Pop was very good, it is an Alex Cross book, and I loved it. Season as very good, but it isn't Alex Cross, so not one of my favs. I am currently reading Black Market. It is a little dated after 9-11, but very good, again not Alex Cross.

Exercise is completely out of the picture with the surgery. Eating doing good.

Sorry for the long catchup. I have another pile of necklaces to take a picture of, but that will have to be another post. This one has enough pics.

Chat later
Susan

4/3/09

No I haven't forgotten that I have a blog, but our router got blown out with a power failure a week and a half ago so I am using an aircard to get to the internet. Great for reading e-mail, but miserable for uploading pics. And I have a TON of pics!!!! ;-)

Hopefully DH can find a router that works with our printers soon. We don't want to have to buy two new printers as well as a new router!!! ;-(

Hopefully,
Chat soon
Susan

3/2/09 Part II

I know this is 3 posts in the same day, but I needed to share one more picture. This is my kitchen floor. Not just one spot, the WHOLE thing looks like this!!! The dogs have a doggie door, so they wonder in and out at will. Of course, NO ONE wipes their feet!!!

No point in cleaning it now, I might as well wait until the ground it dry again!!! ;-(

Chat later (no more today, I promise)

Susan

3/2/09

YIPPEE We finally got snow. A whole INCH!!! The area is shut down. The schools are closed, my vet is even closed, I tried to reschedule an appointment. But the yard looks pretty!!!

Here is side block 4 of the Baltimore Halloween. Still need to do all the embroidery, but I'll do that all before I put the blocks together.

And side block 5....

Here is my handknit sock drawer!!

And my handknit sock dirty clothes basket. I haven't ever counted how many pairs I have, but here they are.

I finished Inkspell. It isn't as good as Inkheart, but very readable. I have started Inkdeath. That will finish the trilogy. It is, overall, very good. It is a book about booklovers, so I feel at home in this world.

Mack's girlfriend Annie, is doing much better. Hopefully this trend continues. Keep praying for her. If you need to catch up on her story, check out (http://pennysanford.typepad.com/penny_sanford_porcelains_/).

Annie probably never has a nose that looks like this. She is a prissy little girl who wears dresses. But Mack has been out in the snow digging. Check the mud caked on his snow white fur.

And then there are his toes!!!!!!!!!!

Off to enjoy the snowfall.

Chat later

Susan