Good Morning!

Good Morning again!  I can't believe another week has passed.  Thanksgiving was very quiet with just DH and I.  We did talk to all of our children that day, but none were able to be at home this year.  Christmas will be better.  Our daughter and middle son and their families will all be home.  Alex, in Japan, won't be able to come home and it will be our first Christmas without him.  Very sad.  I know we raised them to be independent adults-but oh, how I miss my babies!

Since I spent so much of the weekend just being lazy, I think I'm finally on the mend from this bug I've had.  The cough is still hanging on, but everyone I know who has had it says the same thing.  My voice is almost normal now.

I have a few pictures of projects I've made over the past week.  I'm not a great photographer in the best of circumstances and it's foggy and gray out this morning so these aren't very bright.

This first picture is of newborn hats for our local hospital.  I try to take 30-40 hats to them every month.  I made all of these from one skein of yarn!  I'm going to crochet the next few I make just for some variety.

This picture is a real disappointment.  It's very dark.  I made a drop stitch shawl for a charity benefit DH and I are going to this Friday.  The dress I'm wearing is a short sleeve "little black dress" so I'm hoping the shawl will help with the warmth factor.  It is doubled over in the picture so I could fit it in!  It's made with Paton's Kroy Sock yarn and I used four skeins.

This is a scarf and mitten set for my secret sister at church.  I'll give these to her in January when we reveal ourselves otherwise she would guess it was me!

This is my little Chloe, on snuggled up next to me while we were knitting other night.  She's my best buddy and never a critic. 



I'll just be watching little "Miss E" until the end of next week.  She's big enough to go to a daycare with more children and I'm getting "antsy" for my freedom once again.  It's been a good couple of months but I am ready to go back to my knitting group and nursing home visits again.

And speaking of  "MissE", she's just begun calling me in the way 3 month olds have when they're hungry! 

Please let me know what you're all working on and how your Christmas plans are coming.

Blessings,

Betsy

Knitting

Well hello again!  It's been a whole week since I last wrote to you all.  Most of it has been spent in my recliner coughing and coughing and coughing.  I didn't even feel like knitting or crocheting and you know that's bad.  I had 3 days with no voice at all and those same three days with a high fever but now it's just cough hanging on and a scratchy voice but at least I can talk.  I'm so glad this didn't happen the week before when I had to talk for the ladies day.  It seems most everyone in Spokane is down with this same crud right now so I'm in very good company.

We ended up with about 8 inches of snow total by Friday night but yesterday a warm wind began blowing and it's all gone!  I'm not sorry to see it go and since I was sick I didn't drive in it at all.  The ski areas are doing very well, all have already opened for the season.  It's unusual that they are able to be open before Thanksgiving.

Here's a picture of my baby Chloe in her "coat of many colors" that I made for her this spring.  She didn't get to wear it much before it warmed up so she's enjoying it this winter already.  She gets very excited when I get it out of the closet, she knows a walk is in her immediate future.  Isn't she just the sweetest little girl.  She has the best disposition and just loves everyone and every animal she meets.

 This next picture is of Christmas stockings that I made for my daughter and her husband.  She asked for them right after Christmas last year and I made them right away so I wouldn't forget until it was too late to get them done.  Her kitchen/family room/dining room colors are red and this sort of lime green.  Sounds strange but looks beautiful.  They will be able to get lots of goodies in these big stockings.

I did finish two more "slouch" hats for people at church.  A teenager girl and her dad asked for matching hats!  I thought that was cute. They chose a camoflauge colored yarn and turned out very well.  Plus, they both fit!    Now I'm working on a drop stitch scarf for my "secret sister" at church.  It will be part of her revealing gift in January.  I was going to give it to her for Christmas, but I think if I give her something knitted she'll figure out the fact that it's me.  I'm thinking of making her mittens to match.

Well, I'm off to the recliner once again.  I can't believe how tired this stuff has made me.  I had a busy day today.  I had my toes done, (pedicure) for my upcoming Hawaii trip.  I don't get that done often, maybe twice a year and it's such a treat.  I did look a bit silly in my sandals afterward.  It's a bit chilly here to be wearing flip-flop sandals.

See you all again soon.

Blessings,

Betsy

Snow!

So much to tell you all.  Well, I didn't make it to my talk last Saturday.  The pass was actually closed for several hours Friday night because of an accident and I heard they got 19 inches of snow.  So...they Skyped me in!  Oh the wonders of modern technology.  I was able to attend the entire day and hear the other three speakers too!  I even ate lunch at the same time.  My DH went and bought me a hamburger and I watched the ladies eat at their tables while I ate my burger.  Amazing.  They put my face on a screen right next to the power point I had emailed them.  It all went very well and I've had several people email me asking for more information on the charities I knit/crochet for.  And...I got to sleep in my own bed.  The only downside was that I didn't get to hug my grandbabies but they skyped us later too so we got to visit with them.

The picture below was taken last Friday afternoon.  It's a view of Mt. Spokane from our back deck.  I think the ski area will be opening very soon.  Isn't it pretty with the snow just dusting the lower elevations?
We're expecting another 3-5 inches of snow today and another 5-9 inches on Friday.  It looks as if winter has truly set in.  Even the birds are trying to keep warm!  This is a picture of our neighbors house this morning.  The birds were all hundled together but by the time I retrieved my camera some of them had flown away.
I recieved this cornucopia of fresh flowers from my Secret Sister at church on Sunday.  Aren't they gorgeous?  I hope they stay looking this good until Thanksgiving next Thursday.
On the downside I'm sitting on the sofa sick with the "crud".  I have been able to get lots of knitting done this morning but otherwise I've very annoyed by it.  I have no voice at all.  Not even a whisper.  I had to call "Miss E's" mom this morning and tell her I have a temperature of 102F so she probably doesn't want me around a tiny baby.  I really HATE letting people down. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

I've started knitting a drop stitch scarf for my Secret Sisters Christmas gift.  I hope she likes it.  It's really soft and bright.  I'll post a picture when it's finished.  I knitted two slouch hats for a father and daughter yesterday.  They're excited to get them-just in time for snow!

See you all again soon-please leave a comment if you would like.  It helps to know you're out there.

Blessings,

Betsy

Good Morning to you all.

It's Friday!  Happy, happy Friday.  We have bright sunshine this morning but the forecasters say that will change this afternoon.  Rain and wind up to 50 mph gusts here on the valley floor but in the mountains, oh my, in the mountains where DH and I were supposed to be driving this evening on our way to Montana-one foot of snow and high winds.  Needless to say, we're not leaving tonight.  We may try to drive over tomorrow morning if the roads clear in time.  It's a 5 hour drive and I'm scheduled to speak at 1:30.  There are three other speakers so it won't be the end of the world if I don't show up.  Certainly not worth driving through a blizzard to get there, but I did want to see my grandbabies while we were there.  Oh well.  No use fretting about it.  If I can make it fine, if  not, it can't be helped.

I delivered the slouch hat last night and got pictures!  Are you ready?

Dean is so happy!  Debbie, his wife, had just finished baking chocolate chip cookies with the grandbabies and he promptly put some in a zip-lock bag and into his hat. (middle picture) He is eating the cookies in the last picture.  He says it will be good storage for sandwiches in the winter and ice to keep him cool in the summer!  He's quite a character and we love him.   A retired deputy sheriff, he now teaches at a driving school to keep busy and really enjoys being with the youth at our church.  He's a great role model and since the kids were all wearing these hats, he decided he needed one to fit in.  Dennis and I love to hang out with him and his wife.  What do you all think of the hat?  I had no pattern that fit his specifications so I made it up out of three different ones I found online for free.

Even if I don't go to Montana it's a busy weekend-we always seem to have alternate plans.  My best friends daughter's baby shower is tomorrow and our churches annual Thanksgiving Harvest dinner is Sunday.  So we'll be busy no matter if we drive or stay.
I almost forgot that I told you I would take a picture of my stack of wrapped Christmas gifts.  All done except for ribbon.  Now I can relax.  I think I've decided to stop sending cards this year.  It's just getting too expensive and I think most of our friends have also stopped. 

I hope you all have a wonderful, peaceful weekend.

Blessings,

Betsy

Wednesday!!????

Is it possible?  Has it been a week since I posted?  My life has gone crazy since I've started babysitting little "Miss E".  She's a darling but it's like I've given birth to a newborn!  It's amazing how much time they take up.  I have managed to get a few things completed this week though.  DH and I finished our Christmas shopping on Saturday, even the stocking stuffers!  I wrapped everything up today and the gifts are stacked nicely in our bedroom.  I'll put bows and ribbons on them before putting them under the tree once it's up in December.  I detest wrapping gifts so I try to get that done right away so I don't have it "hanging over my head" on my to do list.

I also finished my talk and the power point that goes along with it.  I'm supposed to give it this weekend in Helena, Montana, but a huge winter storm is expected in the mountains of northern Idaho right at the time we're supposed to be driving through them.  We'll have to keep an eye on the weather tomorrow and see if it's smart to head out over the mountains.  Up to a foot of snow is predicted on the passes right now and I don't look forward to driving through that in the dark.  Then another storm is forecast for Sunday afternoon when we would be driving home.

I really was looking forward to this because I was talking about the charity knitting/crocheting that I do and hoped to make some converts!  LOL  No really I was!  There is so much need out there right now with all the disasters that have been hitting not only here in the U.S. but all over the world.  The point I wanted to get across was that even if you don't craft at all, there is SOMETHING that each person can do.  There.  I gave my talk and I didn't even have to leave my warm house!

I'm knitting a slouchy hat right now for a friend at church.  He's recently retired from the sheriffs dept. and he asked if I would knit him a hat like all the kids are wearing.  He figures he can carry a sandwich in the "slouchy" part in the winter and ice to cool him off in the summer!!!!  I hope he's kidding.  So, I'm going to surprise him tomorrow night with his hat.  I'm sure he didn't think I would really knit it for him.  I'll try to get a picture of it for you.

Maybe I'll even have snow pictures after this weekend.  Have a wonderful evening.

Blessings,

Betsy

Happy Tuesday!

Good Morning!

It's cold here today in the Inland Northwest.  Snow is predicted for tomorrow night so I guess I can be in denial no longer.  It isn't predicted to be anything like what hit the eastern states last weekend but, to me, snow is a four letter word that I detest.

I'm sorry I have no pictures for you today.  My laptop has the camera software on it and it has decided to take a rest!  Hopefully I can get some tech support in the next few days from my son and figure out what is wrong with it.

I began babysitting for dear little "Miss E" yesterday.  She's almost 10 weeks old and a darling but has quite the mind of her own.  I'll have her for awhile until she's big enough to go to daycare.  Since she's so small, she isn't to be around other children very much during this illness infested wintertime.

This has been a huge reminder for me.  I don't know how new moms get anything done.  I forgot how labor intensive babies are. :-)  I think my knitting will decrease in productivity for awhile.  Don't get me wrong, she's darling and I volunteered for this duty.  I LOVE babies!  However, I'm not the 20 something I was when my babies were this age!  I was exhausted last night.

Guess what?  Little "Miss E" is vocalizing her feelings right now so I've got to run.  I'll try to be back with pictures soon.

Blessings,

Betsy