Vacation?

Good Morning!  It's a dreary, rainy day here in Spokane, but I'm playing with my Piper and all is well with the world.  Look at this tree in our neighbors yard.  It's certainly loaded with berries.  I keep hearing conflicting reports of how severe the winter is going to be.  Because of these loaded trees and fuzzy caterpillers peoplle say it will be lots of snow and cold but then others say because of el niño, it will be warm and rainy.  I guess time will tell.  I'm ready to be cozy and curled up by the fire knitting, crocheting and reading.

Mandy and I took Piper to the playground  Sunday.  She loves to go up and down the steps and the slide.

We  were trying to get a good picture of her dress.  Brad's grandma, Pipers great-grandma, sent it to her for her birthday.  Isn't it cute with the ladybugs all over it? Piper loves it.

I finished Alex's wristwarmers....

...and started a pair for his girl friend for Christmas.  This yarn I actually a deep purple, but no matter how much I changed the saturation I couldn't get the color right.  Alex's were finished in a couple of hours, but these take much, much longer with the lace pattern. It's an 8 row repeat so not too bad but still takes lots of concentration, (and size 1.5 needles!)

Trying Mommies clothes on.  This is one of her favorite passtimes lately.

Dennis and Mandy have Polly the dog and the two cats at the veterinarian this morning to get their health certificates to fly.  Piper and I went to the post office and mailed some crochet thread to a blog friend in England while they're busy at the vet's.  When we came home, this is what I found.

Chloe was so sad.  All the other animals were gone and she was left all alone.  I really don't know what she's going to do when we take them all with us to D.C. next week.  They've been here since the 4th of July and she's gotten used to having lots of playmates.

Dennis is on vacation this week.  His anniversary date at work is this month so he had to take the vacation now or lose it.  He has worked some from home, has taken phone calls here and actually went into the office for awhile yesterday, but for the most part we're just hanging around home.  Yesterday we spent two hours at the financial planners office finding out what we need to do to prepare for retirement in a few years.  That was an eye opener for sure.  This is the first time we've ever taken a vacation and just stayed home.  Usually we camp, go visit relatives or go somewhere fun.  We've been talking and we both realize that if this week is any indication, there is no way he can do what I do.  And this is even having Miss Piper around for entertainment.  I get up early and do my housework and any errands I have and then most afternoons I'm able to knit or read.  My always busy husband will be bored out of his mind soon.  He can't just sit still.  Example-he went into the OFFICE yesterday while on vacation.  We need to figure out a hobby or part-time job or volunteering somewhere or something to preserve both of our sanities.  :-)

Mandy, Piper and I have our tickets to fly to D.C. next Thursday, October 30.  I'll come home November 13 and then Hubby and I go on vacation, an actual vacation, in December.  I'll tell you about the plans for that trip when I get back from Mandy's new house.  She wants me there to help with Piper and to help unpack the house.  Also the actual trip there with Piper, the dog, two cats and all the luggage.  I'm sure we will be quite the spectacle at the airport!  The new house is all done and Brad had the walkthrough yesterday.  He's face-timed with us and shown us the house and yard and it's a beautiful home.

And now it's time to fix lunch.  I'll be back soon!

Blessings,

Betsy