Monday, Monday

What a wonderfully fun weekend we had, along with sheer terror mixed in!  We went camping with our good friends Larry & Nita at the best campsite we've been to in a long time.  In fact, we're thinking of permanently parking our camper there!  There are about 7 couples who have their RV's there permanently and they are all Christians, which is a wonderful, blessed perk!

Friday night though, an amazing thunder and lightening storm moved through and lightening struck a tree only about 60 yards from our campsite.  Here's a picture of Larry pointing at the strike spot the next morning.  There was actually a second tree that was hit about 3 minutes later but we couldn't get to it for a picture.  That was the closest I've been to a strike and it was really scary.  Nita actually screamed! I think we've had more thunderstorms this year already than we've had in the 20 years we've lived here added together!

 The view from our campsite.

Another from our campsite.  Isn't the sailboat beautiful?

 The swimming beach!

 Here's Nita and I.  The guys were playing golf frisbee and we got to hold the frisbees!  Nita buys them on all of her cruises because Larry loves golf frisbee. She's the cruise queen!  She goes on two or three cruises every year and I've never been on one.  These frisbees are clear until the sun hits them, then they turn colors.  The one I'm holding turned red, and Nita has one in her lap that turned blue!  Very neat!

 A great playground for visiting grandchildren.  Hint, hint to my kids if you're reading this!

 Here we are singing Saturday night.  That's Larry and Nita's motorhome.  And look at my hubby, holding the yarn for me.  The ground was damp and I didn't want to set a bag on the grass.  No completed projects to show you today.  I had a market bag almost done and didn't like the way the bottom looked, so I ripped the entire thing out and have started it over.

 Here we are playing "Owie" in our camper with Larry & Nita.  We had a grand time!

 And here's Chloe.  She was exhausted from the thunderstorms that scare her so.  At least this time I remembered to bring her ducky along to  comfort her. :-)

 These are from my one rosebush.  At our previous house I had a rose garden, here I only have one bush but it sure produces beautiful flowers.  What do you think?

 And one last shot of the guys discussing the rules of frisbee golf.  Larry loves to play games and hubby is happy to go along with it.

I guess that's all for now.  We're thinking of taking the camper there this Friday or Saturday and leaving it there permanently.  If we have a good time this year maybe we'll invest in a larger one next summer so we can have guests come out to visit.  Who knows?  We are going to pull it to Montana in July to camp with our sons family. I think we're meeting up in Missoula.  That will be interesting.  Two mountain passes to get over.  I DO NOT like pulling the camper, but love to camp.  Leaving it somewhere permanently would be the best of both worlds.  Plus this campsite we're considering is only 30 minutes from home!  No worries about finding a good spot and we would use less gas since we won't have to use our big truck to go camping.  We can also go out during the week and go swimming if we want.  Fun times!

I hope you're all having a lovely week and enjoyed your weekend as much as I did.  We made it back in time for evening service at church last night so it truly was a wonderful weekend.

Blessings,

Betsy

Wednesday News

Good Wednesday morning to you all!  Here it is, the first day of summer and it finally feels like summer here in Spokane.  I think it is supposed to get into the 70's today.  Whoo-eee!  Monday the high on our deck was 58.  I feel like I've moved to the northern edges of the earth.  Four weeks ago my green beans were about 3 inches high.  Today, they are about 3 inches high!  So discouraging.  This is the second summer in a row of these cool temperatures and the garden not producing at all.  I've been reading blogs of other people who are harvesting lots and lots of produce while some here in the northwest haven't even been able to plant yet!  Strange things going on in the weather these days.

However, with the cool temperatures, I've haven't been tempted to be outside much, so I've got lots of handwork done.  I have completed the sheep blanket for my yet-to-be -born granddaughter, but I'm not going to post a picture until I give it to my daughter.  I want to see her face when she sees it and I know she reads the blog sometimes.  Selfish of me, I know, but I have NEVER, EVER worked on anything as complicated and time-consuming as that blanket and I just want to see her reaction.  It's not a professional job by any means, I see lots of mistakes and knowing now just how detailed it is, I would have gone with a higher quality yarn, but it is what it is.

The wedding blanket is complete except for the border which I will begin today.  It will fit on a queen size bed once the border is done.  I'll show the completed blanket next time.  I never do the borders the same when I make these blankets.  It's whatever my crochet hook chooses to do.

 Then, I had flannel left over from backing the baby blanket so I made two BIG recieving blankets.  Monday I sewed the hems and then yesterday I crocheted a border around one.  I'll work on the other one today or tomorrow.  It takes a bit of time because you need to pre-punch a hole for the crochet hook with a needle for each stitch but I like the results.  A friend made me seven of these blankets when Alex was born 23 years ago and I still have them.  I like them larger than the ones you buy in the store, but these are REALLY big!  I think I'll be making more of these in the future.

 The crochet border makes a nice finish don't you think?  Look!  I even found sun and moon patterned flannel to go on the back of the blanket.  I can't wait to show you the finished blanket!

Tonight hubby and I are taking pizza to our friends who just had the baby.  We'll eat dinner with them and steal some baby cuddles while we're there.  There is nothing like cuddling with a newborn baby.  Little J was 1 month old yesterday and weighed in at 6 lbs. 12 oz.

Tomorrow night is our annual chinese buffett with friends in Cheney, WA which is about 35 miles from here.  We have dinner then, go to Tom's house and sit in his garden and have a short devotion.  This takes the place of our regular Thursday night Bible study here at our house.  Tom isn't able to make the drive to Spokane every week anymore due to his health, so we go to him!  It's great fun and a change of pace too.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and be warm for us.

Then, on Friday, we're off to go camping again for a couple of days.  We're heading north this time to Loon Lake.  Dear friends, Larry & Nita from church are going with us. They have a beautiful motor home and we've camped with them in the past, but it's been a long, long time.  After all, we sold our camper over ten years ago!  How time flies! 

Our son in Montana has made reservations for us to go camping with them in July near Missoula, MT.  It's close to half-way for all of us and I can't wait!  I haven't seen my grandbabies for over two months now.  That's way to long for a grandma to go without wrapping her arms around her babies, don't you think? 

So that's my busy life in a few paragraphs.  I went to knitting group and visited the nursing home yesterday.  I always enjoy Tuesdays.  VA was even up in her chair at the nursing home and we got to visit a bit.  Usually she's in bed sleeping and I can't rouse her enough to chat.  She'll be 90 this year and the alzheimers is taking it's toll on her.  I can tell she doesn't even know who I am anymore, but always loves to see me.

Well, I think that's about it.  Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone and I hope the sun is shining wherever you are on this beautiful June day.

Blessings,

Betsy

Ski Helmet Reveal!

Good Thursday Morning to my friends in blogland!  My oh my, we had a doozy of a rain/thunderstorm yesterday that lasted most of the day.  Today is sunny and beautiful but the rain yesterday gave me a chance to sit in my recliner to finish the second ski helmet for the Pine Ridge Reservation without feeling like I should be doing yard work.  I think the goal is 70 helmets by fall, 30 black for the tribal police and 40 for the Emergency Medical Technicians, (EMT's).  Here are my two finished helmets.  What do you think?

They were a fairly easy knit.  I believe the pattern was written by one of the list moderators on Ravelry and has been approved by the police force as part of their uniform.  The only yarn that has been approved is this navy and the black from Hobby Lobby, "I Love This Yarn".  I've never used it before, but it was very soft to work with and easy on my hands.  I know they need the acrylic for easy care since I'm sure they will be getting very muddy and wet at times.

For those of you who crochet, the website I gave on the post last night is a VERY worthy cause.  They are collecting granny squares to try to get into the Guiness Book of World Records.  After that, the blanket will be divided up into afghan sized blankets and distributed to the shelters for the people who are still without a place to live after the earthquake/tsunami last year.  I really hope you'll consider helping with a square or two if you're a crocheter.  I mailed my 10 squares off yesterday.

Chloe had to get four shots yesterday, but now she's all caught up for at least a year on all of them.  She was due for two this month and two in July so we just did them all in one day. The veteranarian's office is not her favorite place to be.  She shakes terribly with nerves whenever we go there.  The poor baby.  She is also deathly afraid of thunder and just as we got out of the car at the vet's office, a HUGE clap of thunder sounded.  She was shaking so badly, I thought I would have to carry her inside.  After we got home, I gave her a baby aspirin and she slept all day and seems perfectly normal today.  Sometimes it's like having another child around!

I just found out yesterday that there is a bridal shower at church two weeks from Sunday.  I always make the queen sized crocheted blankets for the girls when they get married, so yesterday I bought the yarn for a blanket and will begin it today.  I'm hoping I get it finished in time but I've never begun one so late before.  Pray my hands will fly!

Tonight is Bible Study at our house so I'm going to bake some cookies this morning.  We always meet somewhere for dinner, (fast food), before study because most people don't have time to go home and fix dinner and still be here on time.  Tonight we're meeting at Burger King.  Not my favorite choice, but some people love it.  I haven't been there for several years and I'm hoping for a salad on the menu.  I've actually lost 1.5 lbs. in the past two weeks and I would like to keep that number going downward so my clothes would fit better and I wouldn't be so short of breath all the time.

Well, I better get busy or I'll never get anything done.  I've already vacuumed, dusted and done a load of laundry so I'm off to a good start!  I'll see you all soon.

Blessings,

Betsy

Granny afghan

I found the website for the Knit for Japan project and the huge granny square blanket. http://knitforjapan.wordpress.com/ I hope everyone takes a look at the site and stops for a moment to think of the thousands that are still without homes in Japan... I've been busy knitting ski helmets for Pine Ridge and will post a picture in the morning. It's too dark to try to take any photos tonight. And now, I'm off to my bed. I'll see you all in the morning. Blessings, Betsy

We made it home!

Good Monday Morning Everyone!  We made it hope safely yesterday after just one night in the camper.  It was sooo soggy and wet out.  I'm sorry, on my iphone I didn't realize how blurry the picture of the bed was or I wouldn't have posted it.  The flowered thing on the sofa is an old sheet so Chloe wouldn't get the sofa muddy.  It was her first time camping and she was a trooper.  More than I was, I think.  There were a few glitches along the way.  There was a wrench lost somewhere along the way that helps remove the hitch thingy. We aren't even sure they gave it to us since they hooked everything up for us when we picked the camper up on Saturday.  It will be around $39 to replace.

 We discovered that the hot water tank leaked all over the floor while I was washing dishes yesterday morning.  And the grand finale, when we got home and was cleaning everything up, (in the sunshine when we got home, of course), that one of the mattresses on a bed we didn't use has black mold all over it.  Apparently the owners before us put it away wet or something and it is disgusting.  I don't think you can get rid of mold on a porous surface like a mattress. Since we bought it used, there is no warranty.  The camper sales office is closed today, but I'm going in tomorrow with pictures and hope they will offer to replace it and help us out with the leak.  Obviously we didn't cause either since we just got it.

Here are a few more pictures that I took with the "real" camera.  This was our dinner Saturday night.  All made at home because I knew it would be late when we arrived.  Fried chicken, pasta salad and deviled eggs.

 The bed was really comfy and cozy.  It got down to 35 degrees Saturday night and we weren't cold at all.  The furnace worked very well too.  I guess this can't really be called "camping."

 Hubby deep into his Bible study.

 Me reading my "important" material!  LOL  We played dominoes for a few hours Saturday night too.

 The view from the doorway.  A/C on the roof even.  My aren't we spoiled?

 Potty, shower and sink.  We didn't use the shower, but the potty was nice.  We didn't have to walk to the public restroom in the pouring rain during the night.  Hubby said it was a snap to empty and service too.

 The refrigerator is HUGE!  I think I could easily get two weeks of food in it.

 View from the other end.  The sofa and table area make into two more beds to be able to sleep 8.

 Ten granny squares I made this weekend to send to Japan for the blanket they are trying to make to get into the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest granny afghan in the world. It will then be divided up to make individual blankets for the shelters.

All in all, it was an "okay" weekend.  Very stressful in many ways.  I'm still not sure if this is going to be "my thing" or not.  Sometimes I think we're trying to relive the wonderful camping vacations with our kids that we had years ago.  We have such good memories.

I came home with a stye in my eye.  I've never had one before.  My daughter the nurse says they can be caused by stress and a weak immune system, of which I have both.  I've been putting warm compresses on it.  Any other advice?  It is really irritating and a bit painful.

God watched us through the weekend and many things that could have gone wrong that might have been much more serious than the things that did  happen.  It was very stressful for hubby to take care of all the new stuff and I worry about him.  I've been trying for over 50 years to turn the worry over to God, and then I pull it back like He can't handle my petty issues.  I am a pitiful creature.

Have a wonderful Monday and I'll see you again soon.

Blessings,

Betsy

Camping-a wet saga!

So here we are. Our first night in our new home away from home. Three inches of rain has fallen here today and it's REALLY soggy outside. We arrived in the rain. Set up in the rain and went for a walk about 8:00 tonight...in the rain. But inside we're snuggly and cozy and the weather promises to be better tomorrow. We're going home tomorrow but wanted a "trial" night out tonight. I don't have any outside pictures but do have a few inside ones for you. I'll try to get outside tomorrow. Hubby days if we can have a good time in this weather, we'll enjoy it immensely when the sun shines!
There is a picture of Chloe on her bed. Our bed and my sweet little kitchen. I'll post more when we get home.

It's Done!

Well-at least the knitting part is done.  I finished sewing it together at 12:30 a.m. this morning  and I couldn't wait to show you all.  I haven't blocked it yet and still have to figure out a back for it.  There are so many ends that were sewn in that it looks horrendous on the back.  I am thinking of some baby flannel but then how do I attach them together?  Any ideas?  I have NEVER, EVER made anything that took me this long and I hope my new little grand-daughter yet-to-be-born loves the sheep jumping all around her.  So with no further ado, tah-dah!  Remember, I haven't blocked it yet so it's pretty wrinkly.

 And looky what happend on Mt. Spokane yesterday.  Snow!  In June!  I even had to turn the furnace back on for a few hours because it was down to 58F inside the house.  Today is much better, in the 60's but rain is predicted.  Remember, we want to go camping this weekend so of course it snows.  That's what happens around here when we plan a camp-out.  I remember about 25 years ago, tent camping in Yellowstone in the middle of a snowstorn, (2 feet of snow) in JULY!

Okay, I'm off to find a bite of lunch.  Hmmm.  Maybe lefterover pizza?  I've spent the morning baking chocolate chip cookies for Bible study tonight and alsomaking a pasta salad to go with the hamburgers I'm cookinig on the grill tonight.  Now I'm hungry.

I'll see you all very soon.  Let me know if you have any great ideas for backing the blanket.  I need all the help I can get.  :-)

Blessings,

Betsy

A bit of this and that

Good Monday morning everyone!  It's been a busy week here at the Queen's.  No, not the royal jubilee celebration going on "over the pond," but at our humble abode!

We bought a camper!  Yippee!  We don't actually pick it up until this Saturday so here is a picture from the brochure.

 It actually looks like the one on the top, with the fold-down beds.  We like that, because the camper can be used as a regular hard-sided camper with the beds up if it's really cold or we're in bear or cougar country, but, if we have our grandbabies along and need more sleeping space, down come the beds.  It's two years old, but the bathroom, (yes it has a shower, potty and sink, hallelujah!), and oven, stovetop, refrigerator and sink have NEVER been used.  It was apparently used only for sleeping in so we have a virtually new camper.  The dealer is checking everything out and turning everything on before we pick it up.  Our Expedition has to undergo a bit of special wiring and get a new tow hitch too.

Oh! I'm so excited to go camping again.  With a potty all my own!  Well, of course I have to share with hubby, but that's okay. :-)  No more 2 block walks at midnight to the public potty.  Now comes the task of prettifying it!  Do you remember my little candle lamp?  I have already crocheted a matching cover for a candle in the camper.  And I have a granny blanket to take out there.  I had such a good time shopping on Friday for kitchen essentials.  I raided our linen closet for pillows, sheets and towels.  Hubby made some purchases too, but they were boring.  Such as hoses, wheel chocks, leveling thingies.  I'm more interested in making our new home away from home, well, homey! This means we can take our Chloe-baby along with us on our weekend jaunts now.  No more hotels that don't like dogs.  Except for Hawaii.  I guess she'll have to miss that trip. 

When we get her, (I've tentatively named her Sylvia,) I'll take some real pictures for you to see.  Here's a picture of the candle cover I crocheted in all it's brightness!

 This is my newest purchase for the house.  It's an angel that hangs from the kitchen island.  I think she'll stick around until after the 4th of July at least.

Now, I'm off to finish my laundry.  Take care my friends and I'll be back soon.

Blessings,

Betsy