Busy Days

Happy Wednesday my friends.  I have big news!  I'm going to see Mandy, Piper and Brad next week in DC!  I'm missing them terribly.  They seem to be missing me too.  I've been watching tickets for a couple of weeks now, and last night they were significantly cheaper that what they have been.  My wonderful husband said, "Buy One Now!"  And so I did.  I'll be with my girls for two weeks.  Oh goodness, I'm excited!  I get some real Piper hugs and kisses, not just computer ones.  And bedtime snuggles. And songs. And playtime.  Can you tell I'm excited?  Maybe we'll even get to do some sightseeing if the weather cooperates this trip.

I thought I would share a picture of the train that goes by our campsite twice a day at the lake.  Usually around 8:30 a.m. and again at 9:30 p.m.  I really enjoy hearing the train.  If we're sitting outside by the fire at night, the conductor will blow the whistle for us.  In the morning they always wave at Chloe and I while we're on our walk.  I love to see and hear it coming down the tracks.

A lady at our church asked me to add some crochet onto her store bought shrug.  She wants to hide those lovely "arm flaps" that we all seem to get as we age.  This particular lady weighs about 90 lbs soaking wet and I have never seen an "arm flap" on her but of course I agreed to try it.  This is the result. What do you think?

A closer view.  I tried to duplicate the eyelet pattern and made it up as I went.  The second arm is a duplicate of the first.  I sure hope she likes it.  It was a lot of work, but this is one sweet lady who does so much for other people.  I just hope it meets her standards.  She is an impeccable dresser and always looks and dresses beautifully.

Nita bought a fleece blanket kit at JoAnn's on Sunday and asked me to make the blanket for her.  I finished it in about an hour once I had washed and dried the fabric.

This week I've completed seven of these smaller flannel blankets.  Two were finished today.  I also made a big one today for Piper. These are swaddling blanket size.  The blanket for Piper is twice as big so she can use it on her "big girl" bed for the summer.  It's so hot and humid in DC that she needs a lighter blanket for summertime.

This is what I used to cut the holes to crochet in for the edging.  I bought the blade for less than $5 at JoAnn's and replaced the normal quilting blade.

Here's a closer look at the blade.  Oh My Goodness!  This makes crocheting around the flannel blankets SO much easier.  If you like to make these baby blankets, you absolutely have to have one of these blades.

I took a drive today.  These photos were taken about 15 miles north of where I live in Spokane.  The main north/south road through Spokane Y's into 2 highways at the north end of the city.  We take Highway 395 northwest to go to the lake.  Today I took the other highway, Highway 2 and headed northeast toward Newport.  I took these photoes while I was driving so please excuse a little blurriness.

Isn't it pretty?

I love the evergreen tree's here in the mountains.

This was my final destination.  I spent the day in this beautiful place.  Our good friends, our BEST friend's, Neal and Jenny's Mom, had her hip replaced last Thursday.  She is so amazing.  80 years old and living alone on acres and acres of forested land after her husband passed away this last winter.  She shouldn't be alone out there yet so the family has been taking turns staying with her since her surgery.  They were all tied up with work today so I stayed with her all day until about 7:00 tonight and I enjoyed every single minute of my time there.  She's up walking around and doing her exercises and even wanted to make lunch for me.  (I had packed my own but we did eat some of her home canned peaches.)  I love visiting her at any time.  She has helped me with so many recipes and crochet tips over the years that I've known her.  She also gave me my rhubarb plants.  I just really, really like my time with her.  Most likely she will move into town before winter arrives, but this lovely property will stay in the family.  While we were sitting in the living room visiting, a deer walked right past her window, about 5 feet from where we were sitting.  So beautiful.  She told me there were moose in the yard a couple of months ago.

The meadow behind the house.  

My good blogging friend Meredith confessed her yarn stash so I thought I would do the same.  Please excuse the mess.  I've also been crocheting and knitting from stash for almost a year now.  I think I have only bought two skeins of yarn to complete two charity blankets with the required color.  I've probably picked up another one or two skeins that I'm not remembering, but no major purchases.

Neal built these shelves for me in the double closet in our office/sewing room while we were on vacation a few years ago.  He also built an entire wall of custom shelves in our family room for our books.  Oh goodness, this closet looks even worse than it really is.  I think I need to do some cleaning. :-)  My secret sister at church bought the create sign for me a couple of years ago.  I thought this was an appropriate place to hang it.

My log cabin knit blanket and odds and ends of yarn that I'm trying to use up in the blanket.

More yarn for the log cabin blanket in the basket on the left.  I bought some pink, cream and gray a couple of years ago to make a blanket I've never had time to begin.

And a tub of cotton yarn.  I usually try to stock up when it's on sale but I haven't even bought any for a year or so.

And that's the end of my yarn confessions!  I know it's messy, but it's real.  And I go through a whole lot of yarn.  I have a very hard time passing up yarn sales but I've been doing better lately.

I hope all is well with all of you.  I'm trying to keep up with all of your posts, but summer is hard for me to get online as easily.  Tomorrow we're having a potluck for our Bible study group at the lake before the crowds descend there for the summer.  I'm looking forward to that.  We'll have the weekend there and then home on Monday to return the heart monitor to the cardiologist and pack for my Tuesday flight.  Hopefully there will be good news from the doctor when I return.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."  Proverbs 15:1

Blessings,

Betsy