Almost Friday

Hello everyone! We have had a beautiful week.  One day had high winds and a little bit of rain, but other than that it has been gorgeous. It was actually 76° yesterday! It’s cooling back down today to the 50’s which is normal for this time of year and that’s fine. Chloe and I spent some time sitting under the deck in the backyard while I knitted.  She loves laying in the sunshine.  Look at that rhubarb grow!

I finished the blanket with Vera’s donated yarn and I really like the way it turned out.  Thank you again Vera!  I hadn’t washed or blocked it yet in this picture but I still think it’s beautiful.  I haven’t used bulky yarn very much before and I really enjoyed it. This was very soft to work with.

Two more pair of mittens finished yesterday for the school kids.

Also yesterday I managed to cut out the pieces for four dresses. I ordered this material from Good’s in Pennsylvania. It’s a mix of polyester and cotton so I’m hoping it will require less ironing than the dresses I currently wear. The material arrived less than four days after I ordered it! That’s faster than I get most Amazon packages and we have prime.

Thank you to everyone who suggested places to look for interfacing. I looked up all of them online and every single place I looked was out of stock last week. I think it’s because people are using the interfacing to make masks. But, Meredith to the rescue! She said she is mailing some extra interfacing she has to me. I’ll say it once again, blogging friends are the best.

Dennis has taken a day of vacation tomorrow and we’re hoping to go to the lake in the morning. When we were there last Sunday afternoon there were already some people that had spent the night Saturday night. I don’t know how they got away with that since we were all told no one could stay overnight until May 1. They also were not practicing social distancing in the least. There were probably 20 people sitting around a campfire ring less than a foot apart. These are people who are new this year.  There is also new management once again at the resort and just with some things that have already been happening this spring, it doesn’t bode well for the summer.

How are you all holding up? I went to Walmart yesterday and got my third grocery pick up since this all began. Unfortunately, they were out of many things that I really needed. So I put my mask and gloves on and went into another store. It’s my first time actually being in a store since February. What a strange feeling! There weren’t very many people there and I was shocked at how many shelves were still empty. I’m glad we didn’t need toilet paper or paper towels or any cleaning products, because there were none to be found. I was able to get everything on my list except rice. No one seems to have rice in stock. I may try going to the grocery store in the little town closest to the lake this weekend.

Take care my friends.

Blessings,

Betsy

Sunshine

Good morning everyone! We have a brilliant blue sky with white puffy clouds for today. Tomorrow is supposed to bring more rain but right now I’m sitting out on the deck with my knitting, enjoying the sunshine in the warmth.

This is what I’m working on right now.  I apologize for the shadows, I could not find enough shade to take a good picture but at least you can get the idea. This will be a toddler blanket for the crisis nursery. It is the “Soft Vines” pattern.

And the yarn? This is the leftover yarn from the blanket Vera made for her son.  You can find her at “The Threaded Lane” over on my side bar.  She was sweet enough to send it to me to use for one of my charity projects. It is Knit Picks Brava bulky in the “canary” colorway.  I expected one or two skeins when she asked if I would like it. Imagine my surprise when a bag with five beautiful skeins of yarn arrived in the mail. Vera, that was so generous of you. Thank you!

I was able to finish the socks I showed you last time. I actually had them done about an hour after I published the last post. I should have just waited.  This is also Knit Picks yarn.  It’s Felici in the “River Rocks” colorway.  They are going into my gift basket.  

The same day the yarn arrived, I received this sweet little package from Pammy Sue. If you remember, I finished a blanket for Pammy Sue that she was making for a friend, after she had a shoulder injury and found it difficult to crochet.  Here is a picture to remind you of what it looked like. This is on a queen size bed.

Look at this cute little cup/planter and bracelet.  Thank you so much Pammy Sue.

She also gave me the leftover yarn from the blanket and I had just enough to make this wheelchair lapghan for the nursing home. I like the way it turned out.  It’s in the log cabin pattern.

I have a question for those of you who sew.  Do any of you know where I can buy some fusible lightweight interfacing online? I’ve checked the Goods store in Pennsylvania, JoAnn’s, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby. It’s out of stock everywhere. I have bought fabric online to make a couple of dresses as mine are all wearing out, but I can’t find interfacing anywhere.  Also, how terrible would it be not to put interfacing on the sleeves and the neckline? When I say mine are wearing out, I’m not kidding. I have worn them daily for about five years now. The seams cannot be repaired anymore.

The only place I’ve been this week is to replace the battery in my car‘s key fob. Dennis went to back out of the garage Wednesday to go to work and it started beeping at him. The fob on my car does everything, as there is no actual key. I went to the battery store less than a mile away from our house. I had my mask on. The gentleman walked up to within one foot of me, I’m not exaggerating, I kept backing up and he looked at me like I was crazy. I was in and out of there in less than five minutes, but I still went home and scrubbed my hands and wiped the car down with Clorox wipes.

We had our weekly Thursday night Bible study last night via zoom. I am so grateful for that app. It’s wonderful to be able to see the faces of those 10 friends. We have had Bible study at our house with these people every Thursday night for the last 25 years. It seems odd not to be preparing a treat and getting the house ready for company on Thursdays. I will be so grateful when this time of our lives is over.

Last weekend we attended four different church services online Saturday night and Sunday morning, but it’s not the same as actually fellowshipping face-to-face with people or taking the Lords supper with them.

I hope you were all hanging in there and staying healthy. I’m praying for you all.

Blessings,

Betsy

Spring has sprung!

I think spring has finally arrived here in the Inland Northwest. We have had several days in the 50s and 60s and look, my flowering pear trees are blooming.

We have our chairs out under the deck so I can spend some time out there listening to the fountain and reading or knitting.

I have done very little crafting, but I do have both of these socks ready to finish the toes. Finally! I think I’ve had them on the needles for over three weeks.

Last Friday they got 7 inches of snow at Miss Piper‘s house. She built a snowman. I was happy to see she has on a pair of mittens that I made for her.  The snow was all gone the next day and yesterday while I was FaceTiming with Piper she was outside with no coat on at all. That’s Nebraska!

She was also showing me how she can put her own hair in pigtails now. She took this picture of the two of us and sent it to me. I couldn’t figure out how to take a photo but a seven-year-old can!  I made her that pink and white blanket for her birthday a couple of years ago. She specifically requested pink and white.

 We did make another trip to the lake Sunday afternoon and finished opening everything up. Dennis has the water turned on and I took a little bit of food out to put in the cabinets. I meant to take some photos and forgot. I must admit, I am very nervous about going out there. People don’t seem to be following the rules of social distancing at all out there.  I know Dennis is looking forward to it, because he truly relaxes there.

I hope you’re all hanging in there. I heard yesterday on the news that our governor is planning to extend the stay home, stay safe rules for another 30 days after May 4. I know a lot of people are very upset about that because of their job situations. I honestly don’t know what the answer is and so I’m turning to prayer a lot.

Take care my friends. 

Much love and blessings, 

Betsy

Tired

Hello my friends.  Are you all hanging in there?  Is anyone else exhausted? I’m not doing anything to speak of and I’m exhausted all the time. Maybe that’s why. I have been cross stitching this week and have not knitted or crocheted a stitch since Sunday. This is what I’ve been working on.

I have really been enjoying working on this. Many of you may recognize the sheep virtues from the ones that Debbie made, who has the “Araignee s Tangled Web” blog on my side bar.  Unfortunately I am starting to run out of several of the colors of floss. Since I don’t want to go to any stores to buy more right now, I’m going to raid my floss box and see if I can find similar colors. If I can’t find anything it will have to be set aside until all of this virus stuff is over.  One thing  I’m regretting is not using a darker colored cloth. Some of the sheep are a little hard to see, so I may go back and do some outlining in a darker floss.

Speaking of the dreaded virus. Connie from “Far Side of Fifty” sent me this mask that she made. Wasn’t that sweet of her? I still can’t sit at my sewing machine long enough to make anything, so I desperately needed a mask. Thank you so much Connie, I appreciate it more than you know.

Kathy B. from “Compassionknit” sent me some elastic to make masks with. She sent it on this very interesting recipe card for cocoa applesauce cake. It looks delicious. Thank you Kathy.

Eggs have been almost impossible to find here, at least at the stores I’ve checked. Luckily I have a friend who has a coworker with organically raised chickens. She brought me two dozen eggs on Tuesday. I receive them unwashed but I happily cleaned them because I know just how fresh they are.  These are the best tasting eggs.

Mandy has a neighbor who gave all the little girls in the neighborhood flower pots to paint and flowers to plant.  This was Piper saying “ta-da!” after she finished painting her flowerpot.  They live in a great neighborhood where everyone knows each other. I think this was a very nice thing to do. By the way, this was yesterday when she was outside painting the flower pot. I just talked to her a little while ago and it’s snowing today!  Quick weather change in Nebraska.

I hope you’re all hanging in there. Through my reading of blogs it sounds like people are keeping busy with various projects around the house. I really should try to motivate myself to do more. Wishing you all a wonderful week. 

“I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  Psalm 27:13,14

Blessings, Betsy

He Is Risen!!!!!!

Hallelujah and Amen!

Much Love And Many Blessings To Each One Of You.  

Betsy

It’s Thursday!

How are you all hanging in there? I seem to spend most of my day on social media. Reading blogs, catching up with various groups that I’m in, or just mindlessly doing a coloring app on my iPad. For some reason I can’t get my brain to function with my knitting or crocheting this week. I feel like the concentration is just not there. And that’s OK. I’m just going along with it. Puttering around the house. Doing laundry, vacuuming and dusting. The dishes that are never ending. Honestly? Except for not being able to go to the grocery store regularly, my life has not changed very much with this isolation. I’ve always been a homebody. I do miss going to church but we are actually attending three online churches every Sunday and enjoying them immensely. I know it doesn’t take the place of actual in person fellowship, but I’m very, very grateful for this option at the time in our lives we all find ourselves.

I have been working on a pair of socks made with Knit Picks Felici yarn.  I started out using the magic loop method, determined to teach myself a new way of knitting during this enforced isolation. I have tried before and just didn’t enjoy it. I finished both cuffs and about 1 inch on each sock before I realized I was not enjoying it at all this time either.  I don’t think this is the time to be trying to teach myself something new.  In the time it took to do those two cuffs I probably could have had an entire sock done on my dpn’s. So I switched them over and now I’m zooming along again.  I may try it again someday, but not right now.

I am also working on a log cabin crocheted blanket using the leftover yarn from the blanket I finished for Pammy Sue. I think I will have just about enough for a toddler sized blanket to donate.

Alex was heading back up north on the Shinkansen a few days ago. Masks are the order of the day, although many people in Japan wore them regularly even before this virus.  Japan has just declared a state of emergency this week.

And an almost empty Shinkansen, “bullet train”.  Wow! That is unusual. Whenever I have ridden them they have been almost full.  Look how immaculate the train car is. This is what they all look like all of the time.

Speaking of Alex, I had a great time with him last night. We FaceTimed for about two hours. I went to the grocery store with him and helped him pick out a pork roast and ingredients to make homemade barbecue sauce. Then we went and picked up some healthy fast food, clam soup and a beef bowl.  After that we got gas and stopped at a 7-Eleven for coffee. Then we went back to his apartment and I helped him make the barbecue sauce and get it all put in the crockpot. He sent me a picture of the final result.  It looks pretty good to me!

I also was able to FaceTime with Mandy and Piper for over an hour yesterday. These are the moments that keep me going. For someone who hasn’t left the house in over a week except to walk around the block, I traveled all over the world yesterday! Isn’t technology wonderful?!

Chloe had her mask and was ready for her walk yesterday afternoon. :-). She can’t figure out why I won’t let her go near other people to be petted.  Everyone in the neighborhood loves her and the kids usually come running to get their loves from Chloe.

It does make me wonder what kind of scars we may be inflicting on small children throughout all of this. As I walked around the block yesterday there were two small girls outside about four houses away. The dad was yelling at the two little girls to come back and stay away from me. He kept yelling at them,  “she’s bad, she’s bad!”  What?!  I am NOT bad. There has to be another way of teaching children to keep their distance right now without telling them that people are “bad.”  I don’t want these two little girls to be terrified of me when all of this is over and they see me outside.

In fact, Dennis and I were talking about this just last night. We both agree that we don’t think the world is ever going to go back to the way it once was. A friend of mine said she was at the grocery store on Tuesday and she said the atmosphere is palpable. She said she couldn’t put her finger on it, whether it was a general uneasiness or fear. She said when you would turn down an aisle, if someone else was in that aisle, both people would just get a deer in the headlights look on their face. How sad this all is.

But, we do have hope. Today is Maunday Thursday and the night that Jesus ate the last supper with his disciples. Tomorrow is the day he went to the cross for each one of us. And then on Easter we get to celebrate the FACT that He conquered death and He rose from the dead.  Just because we can’t go to a church building doesn’t negate the fact that He Has Risen and we have hope of eternal life because of this gift.

And for you Princess Bride lovers, Mandy shared this on our family chat thread for Jamie on his birthday on Tuesday. We absolutely love the Princess Bride in our family.  In fact for Dennis’s and my 25 year vow renewal, our two ministers actually performed the marriage ceremony scene from the movie. It was hilarious! They did it perfectly. I hope this gives you a chuckle today.

I’m wishing you all a beautiful Thursday and a blessed Easter weekend. 

Blessings and love, 

Betsy

Good Morning!

Well, we’ve all made it through another week. How are you all holding up.? I saw this online the other day and I thought it might help some of us, myself included.

Connie from “Far side of Fifty” over on my side bar, sent me this lovely card she made. Thank you so much Connie.  It was so sweet of you to think of me and purple is my favorite color.

Terra from the “Terra Gardens” blog sent me this beautiful card with the colorful bird houses on it. Thank you so much Terra.

A friend from church also makes cards and she sent Dennis and I this one. All three ladies wrote the most lovely notes inside. It made my day to find these in the mailbox this week.

I finished another pair of socks last night. These were made with Dee’s “Dublin Bay Socks” pattern.

I love the lattice pattern at both sides of the socks.  I usedKnit Picks Stroll Tweed in the “Flagstone Heather” colorway.  I’m not sure who the recipient and the socks will be. They fit me perfectly!

I know that the socks I make for my family get worn and worn a lot! Alex left these in London last week for Tara. She sent me this picture and said she wears them all the time since she’s been in quarantine. That makes this Mama‘s heart very happy!

A reminder for myself and all of you.

Last night the governor here in the state of Washington just announced an additional 30 day lock down to extend through May 4. This continues to allow only travel to essential jobs, for medical appointments, and to buy groceries. I know that many are flouting the rules, but they tell us that our curve is being flattened here in Washington state because the majority of people are following this new way of life. 

This definitely was not something we wanted to hear. There will be no going to the lake for a while now.  Normally by mid April we are opening up the trailer and getting ready for our season at the lake. Although we would be isolated in the trailer, it still takes travel to get to and from there. I don’t think it would be looked upon as essential.  I know in light of what a lot of people are going through it sounds very frivolous to even think of it, but you have to have something to look forward to in these days don’t you? 

I’m thinking of you all and praying for each of you every day. I hope you have a peaceful weekend, doing some of the things that you love best, with the people that you care about, while staying home and safe. 

Blessings, 

Betsy

Crazy last day of March!

Just popping in here to give you an update on our last day of March. The month started out absolutely beautifully. It definitely came in like a lamb. We had warmth and sunshine. 

But the month went out in the weirdest way I have ever seen in my life. Yesterday we had an earthquake, (very rare), a tornado, (very, very rare), snow, rain, sunshine, thunder snow, and hail! It was truly a crazy, crazy day!

Mandy sent me this meme.  The date is wrong but it’s still funny! Dennis said he was sitting at his desk at work and all of the sudden his chair started wobbling back-and-forth and he looked up and the light fixture was moving. We had an earthquake here years ago. I’m not sure of the exact date but I think it was about 20 years ago.  The epicenter for this one was in Idaho between here and Boise.  Compared to the earthquakes that I have felt in Japan, this one was relatively mild, although it was rated as a 6.5 in strength.

The tornado was about 100 miles from us and didn’t do any damage, but it was quite a good size tornado. They are really rare here. It was one of the reasons I was happy to move to Washington. After growing up in the Midwest and living through a lot of tornado warnings I was happy to be away from them.

The snow, thunder snow, hail, rain and sunshine were pretty strange too. So far this morning we have had about a half an inch of snow but it’s melted already.

I promise, this post is NOT an April fools joke. All of this really did happen. Just thought I would share with all of you.

On the knitting front I finished the leg and turned the heel on a sock yesterday evening.  I hope you are all doing well and hanging in there. From all of the news accounts, it’s going to be a rough few weeks ahead in the United States.  Stay home and stay safe.

Blessings,

Betsy