And the beat goes on...

To pick up where I left off.

Saturday - The day of the party. The first order of business was yet another trip to Wally World. Then, more cleaning of the house, followed by mad cake decorating. Then on to platter construction, followed by baking a giant cookie for a fruit pizza. How much food could there have been, you ask? Let's count:

1. Tea Pot cake
2. Tea Hat cake
3. Meat and Cheese platter
4. Finger Sandwich platter (Cuccumber and Eggsalad)
5. Cheese, Pickle and Olive platter
6. Chips and Dip
7. Fruit Pizza
8. Platter of Sandwich buns

Alot for 5 adults and 6 kids, huh? We're still eating left overs, which is not a bad thing, it means that I don't have to buy lunch this week. And here are the pics:

The Tea Pot Cake:

Here is the Tea Hat cake:

Here is Katie, starting to open gifts:

Here is Katie opening the learn to knit kit from her friend:

Here, she is opening the friendship bracelet kit, from the same friend:

Here, she is getting ready to blow out the candles:

And, here is what is left of the cakes:

While I was off of work, my mom took some time to visit relatives in West Virginia. She brought back a cd-rom of ood family pics for my Family Tree program. They all were very interesting, and the family took time to tell mom stories about each one. Like this one:

My Great Grandparent's wedding photo:

Ozy & Maletha (Blake) Smith

It's little things like this picture, that makes me happy doing my genealogy research.

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Please Note: I have been trying to publish this since Tuesday, however, my computer did not want to co-operate with me.

Back at last!

Ok, for as far as vacations go, it could have been better. I only got to pack 2 very small boxes. And then, there was the rest of the week.

Monday - A very lazy day. Took Katie to school, and watched cartoons with Annie for the rest of the day. Until it was time to pick Katie up from school, anyway. Oh, and at 7 am, I discovered that on A&E, they were showing Pride and Prejudice. The down side, was that is was episode 4 of 6. However, this prompted me to hunt down my Dover Thrift Edition to read. Which, I might add, I bought about 6 or 7 years ago with my SIL Angie, but never read, as I could never find the mood to read the old style english. I spent the evening with my nose in the book, with the exception of the 5 o'clock hour, when Monoarch of the Glen was on BBC America. That's become addicting, even Katie wants to watch it every day.

Tuesday - Tuesday started out really good. After dropping Katie off to school, Annie and I went back to the house to eat breakfast. Then at 9 o'clock, we headed to the library. We got Annie her own card, and I got a new one, as mine expired around 1997. When we got home, I discovered that in the half an hour that we were gone, one of the cats decided to make a mess for me to clean up. It was partly my fault for leaving my half a cup of Caramel Truffel coffee on the end table. And, as you know, cats love to tip cups. Unfortunately for me, it was tipped into my big red knitting bag. Here is my poor bag, and everything on the floor drying.

And here are the knitting books that I found at the library:

And, while I was in the middle of cleaning up the coffee mess, the school called to tell me that Katie broke her glasses in half. But, Katie assured me that she could make until the end of the day when I could get her to the eye center for a new frame.

Wednesday - Was fairly uneventful. Annie and I spent the day watching cartoons again, while Katie was at school. Katie begged me until I sat down with her and taught her how to knit. She picked up amazingly fast. A lot quicker than the crochet. And it finally snowed, see:

And Vinny wanting to know why I'm looking at "That cold white stuff."

Thursay - The madness began. Dropped Katie off the school, and went home with Annie for breakfast and an hour of cartoons. At 9 o'clock we set out for the day. We started at the thrift stores to hunt for 13 different teacups with saucers to match. Some how, I accomplished this, with a few extra mismatch china plates for under $10.00, and had to visit only 2 thrift stores. Then, off to JoAnn Fabrics for a stitch gauge for Katie's birthday gift. Then, off the your neighborhood friendly Wally World. And there, we picked up all the goodies for the party, and everything for Katie to knit with. Which would be: needle sets in sizes 8, 9, 10, 10 1/2, & 11; stitch markers; point protectors; a cable needle; row counters; a folder for patterns; a small note book for pattern notes; & 3 balls of Bernat Softee Chuncky. I got the bright idea to put everything a box and wrap it. And, as I forgot to get tulling for wrap the teacups with, we went back to Wally World after I picked her up from school. On the way, she asked if I had picked up everything that I promised to, and I told her that I forgot, but we didn't have time to do it now. What an evil mother I am. So, as I waited for the girl to cut the tulling, Katie asked to go look at the knitting needles. I told her ok, but to hurry up because we were short on time. All the way home she was beyond disappointed. When we got home, I picked the box up off the kitchen table as I passed, and handed it to her in the living room. She looked at asked if Auntie Angie had come already with her birtday gift, with great depression in her voice. However, after she opened it, she was beyond excited. As seen here:

We sat down and filled the tea cups with candy and wrapped them in tulling:

Friday - Katie's 11th birthday! Friday was spent picking up and planning while Katie was at school. And that evening was spent baking the cakes. And, have you ever got that feeling that some one is watching you? This is what I saw when I lowered my book:

Note that all you can see of Moonie is her eyes, ears and white spot. Very spooky.

Running out of time today. I will post tomorrow with the party and aftermath of the party.

Happy Dance Time

No posting next week, as I will be at home cleaning and packing to move. And knitting somewhere in the back ground, probably when I shouldn't. But, on to today.

I did cast on for the mate to the sock I just finished, and I'm an inch into the leg. I see this being done in no time flat. I should have it finished by Sunday at the latest.

At lunch, I did manage to find the every elusive size L crochet hook that I need to make Annie's poncho. You wouldn't think that would be a hard thing to find, but every store I was in would either be out, or just didn't carry it. But my trusty little yarn shop (Heavenly Creations) had one. And I kinda was depressed. While Miss Amy and I were there, on our lunch hour, the lady that was working there today, was sitting by herself knitting. She told us to bring our knitting in and join her. And, as much as we would have loved to, and way beyond tempted to, we couldn't. On the way back to the office, we both just wanted to turn around and go back for an afternoon of knitting.

Anywho, lots of updates on knitting and packing when I return.

Sock Obsessions Continues! All the way to Canada!

Working in the transportation business, you have a lot of opportunities to talk to people from all over. And I found a fellow knitter at another transportation company in Canada. Hi Brandy! And, I answered a call from another girl in the same office today (Hi Laura!), she passed along that Brandy liked the socks that I made not too long ago. Brandy has dubbed them the office socks. So, here's another sock for you, Brandy.

Before doing the kitchener on the toe.



After doing the kitchener on the toe, but I still need to weave in the ends.



This pic just doesn't do the colors justice. I used Plymouth's Sockotta, and the colors are blues, greens and purple. I still need to make the mate, but that shouldn't take too long. And, I have already planned my next pair to be done in Trekking, the colors in a variegated blue. Those should take me no time at all, as I will be on vacation all next week.

Here are a few belated pics from Annie's birthday trip to Build A Bear.

Here is where she has picked the animal she wants.

Here, she is helping to stuff the collie dog she picked.

And, here she is, happy and ready to pick out clothes for the new member of the family.

Notice that she is complete with the "Birthday Girl" tiara that Auntie PJ bought her the same morning. The next big step is Kindergarden. Where did the time go?

The Pleasures of Children!

Small children with big imaginations are very amusing. First, Annie decided that she wanted to be a magician. So, here we have:

Annie the Great

A few days and a pair of swim goggles later, and she is now Willy Wonka.

Scary how she resembles Johnny Depp, huh? All we lacked was the purple rubber gloves.

And, unfortunely, I have no new pics of Katie to post, as she is of the age to run from cameras. But, the thought of doing something embarassing now, and the threat of mom showing future boyfriends said pics, has her running like no tomorrow. Eventually, Annie will feel the same way.

My sock obession has moved on. I am currently working on a pair in Sockotta, in a very lovely blue, green and purple colorway. I finished a whole sock, ends weaved in and all, just to realize they were just a little too snug, even on Katie. So, it was frogged, and a new sock started. And, comparing progress with Miss Amy, she looks at me to say, "Why is it that you say that you re-started your sock last night, and you're to the heel already? And I say that I worked on mine for a few hours, and I am just finishing the 1 1/2" rib?" I dunno. Anyway, socks pics tomorrow, as I seem to have forgotten my USB cord, yet again.

Still recovering!

I was unable to post last week, as I was on my couch very, very sick. It was a combination flu/stomach virus with a sinus infection. And to top it off, my body wouldn't run a fever, so I developed a fever blister on my lip instead. And since the girls were at home with me, and causing all kinds of aggrevations, I decided they needed to watch the James Bond marathon on AMC. Needless to says, I am missing my couch very much, as I still don't feel too well today.

I have finally got the energy to hook up the dvd recorder Miss Tammi got me for Christmas, and quickly figured out how to set it to record Knitty Gritty on DIY. That way I can catch the episodes that I missed.

Also, last Monday, Annie turned 5. We had a cake and ice cream party, and then it was off to the mall to Build A Bear. She almost got a pink poodle, but the black and white collie won out. That, and it helped that she already had a puppy to carry around. I forgot the USB cord, so I'll have pic spam tomorrow.

Next week, it's a week off again. It's my one week a year of voluntary, unpaid, vacation. I'll usr that to clean for Katie's birthday party, since she wants a tea party. And to knit, of course.

And, over the weekend, Miss Amy and I looked at an apartment that we may rent and share. It's large enough and puts the girls in better schools. Plus, I get a bigger bedroom, with a fireplace. After 8 years in the same tiny apartment, I think it's time for a change. If we don't get it, I'll take that as a sign I need to stay where I am, and wait a few more years for a bigger, better place. We'll just have to wait and see.

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I almost forgot to add this: The Greatest Blonde Joke Ever

So, I slacked!

It has been the week from hell! Between the computer issues, kid issues and nasty neighbor issuses, I am ready for my padded cell. Come haul me away, boys!

I did manage to finish my Irish Hiking Scarf. See:

And I have managed to finish the house socks.


Socks pic, with cat. As you know, cats love photo ops.


As for my nasty neighbor situation. As far as my landlord and I can figure, she has rented the upstairs apartment to an alleged drug dealer/pimp and his hoes. What lovely news, huh? So, there has been battles to keep the security door locked, the gates closed, people out of my designated parking space, and loud noise issues. Just what a single mother needs to deal with, eh? Due to some self-restant and no access to a deadly weapon, I have been able to keep myself out of jail, thus far. Then I find where the idiot has hit my car with his van door on several occasions. The new car I just bought in June. Thus, this pic:
Can you guess what color his van is? Soon, I'll have pics of my car color on his van.

Needless to say, I am quickly becoming the irrate neighbor from Hell! The funny thing is, I wasn't the first person to call the landlord. The lady who owns the building next door, and who lives there was. When my landlord called me, I just confirmed her fears. And added to it a puddle in the middle of my kitchen floor, a fallen gutter, and the rest of the above mentioned problems. She now calls me daily to see what else has happened. Cranberry and Amaretto, here I come.