Some Surprises

Happy Wednesday!  It's a cloudy day, but at least the rain has stopped for the time being.  I just got home from the chiropractor again.  I've been there every morning this week.   I don't want to complain, but it has been a rough week.  I even missed church on Sunday and I very rarely miss church.  I have been in so much pain and it's moving around my back.  He said that's normal when you start working on one area, another starts telling you that it has issues too.  He even asked if I had ever broken my tailbone, (yes, three times!)  That area hasn't hurt in years but it is now.  So he's working on that too.  It's hard not to get discouraged but I'm trying to remain hopeful.

Now onto happier things.  Alicia celebrated her birthday on Saturday.  She was the recipient of the Beachcomber shawl that I showed in my last post.  She loved it and she wears shawls often so it was  a good place for it to go.

Here is a photo of the sweet family that is staying with us.  We bought a cake and had ice cream for Alicia's birthday.  Alicia and I walked through the new house to inspect it yesterday and then they closed on the house at 8:30 this morning.  The movers will pick up their stuff in Moses Lake, WA on Monday, deliver next Tuesday and they plan to stay at the new house that night.  So we only have one more week with them.  This house is going to be really quiet.   Here is the sweet little family with the birthday cake.

Poor Jeremy got in at 12:30 a.m. this morning from a business trip and his car wouldn't start at the airport.  It's a brand new company car!  He took a taxi home from the airport so he wouldn't wake us up.  I took him back to get his car this morning while Alicia took the boys to school, (an hour of driving round trip from our house.)  Security jump started the car for him and he walked into the closing for the house at exactly 8:30!  Needless to say, they were a bit stressed.  I drove straight to my doctor appointment and walked in 10 minutes early so all worked out well.

Fun surprises arrived in the mail this week.  I got this lovely package from the generous Debra who is "Araignee's Tangled Web" on my sidebar.  She so generously sends out packages of her homemade soaps, lotion bars and lip balm, along with a sweet little card.  I love the lotion bars and have received them before but this is the first time I have gotten lip balm.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I love it.  I keep it right by my chair and use it often.  It's wonderful!  Thank you so much Debra.  You are a sweetheart to all of us.

And then....I got some beautiful sock blockers from Sherri at "Sherri's Needle Crafts" on my sidebar.  These are the exact sock blockers I've been eyeing for quite some time from "Must Love Yarn" but just never felt right spending the money on myself.  And surprise, surprise!  Here they were in the mailbox last week!  I was so surprised and so happy to get them.  Sherri, thank you so much.  It was an unexpected blessing and I just love them.  Aren't blog friends just amazing?

The socks are a pair of  mine that I've been wearing for several months that I just put on the blockers to show you.  I just wash them in the machine and sometimes they go in the dryer if I don't catch them to air dry them.  Even so, they are holding up well.  They are knit with Knit Picks Felici yarn and SO soft and comfortable. 

I finished my wrist-warmers made with Knit Picks Stroll Tweed in the Farmhouse Heather colorway. using Nancy's pattern.  She is "Wyoming Breezes" on my sidebar.  It was a very quick and fun knit and I've already gotten lots of use from them.  It's been very chilly here and they have really helped keep my hands warm.  Thanks for the great pattern Nancy.

Alicia needed some potholders for the new house since she had thrown away her old ones.  She picked out some cotton yarn from my closet and I crocheted her these double thick potholders on Sunday and Monday while nursing my back in the recliner.  The three big ones are about 8 1/2 inches square and I finished the skein with the smaller 5 inch square.  These four potholders used a one pound ball of Sugar and Cream cotton.  I love using mine.  They provide lots of protection against heat with the double thickness and wash so well.

I finally found a few flowers!  Finally.  These are in Nita and Larry's back yard.  Pretty purple...

And a couple of happy daffodils.  Maybe spring will finally be on the way.

I hope all is well with all of you.  I don't have anything exciting on my needles right now.  I still have a pair of Hermione socks on the needles in my "to go" bag.  I'm also working on another square for the cozy memories quilt.  I need to make some mittens but I am just not feeling it right now.  Maybe because we're all so sick of winter and I don't want to think about another winter coming soon.  :-)

Take care and I'll be back soon.

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." James 1:19

Blessings,
Betsy