Friday!

Hello My Friends.  It's been a strange week and I'm so happy to drop in here to chat with you for a few moments.  I thank you all for your sweet comments and well wishes for my back.  I'm still sitting with ice packs and heat several times a day and have only been out of the house once this week for just a half hour or so.  I ran to the store between ice storms to get some bread, milk and fruit.  Then I've been inside again. It's a good thing I'm not one to go "stir crazy".  I love being at home.  It's where my heart is.  When I worked full-time, my heart yearned for home.  However, I would like to be able to be up and doing things. 

I haven't been doing absolutely nothing though.  I finished my Hermione socks made with Knit Picks Stroll yarn in the "Frozen" colorway.  I love them and they fit perfectly.  I did adapt the pattern a bit to fit my feet.  That's a perk when you make your own socks.  You can make them to fit the strange things about those particular feet!

I made a doily for my gift drawer.

I finished four more pairs of mittens.

I started another doily last night.

I also started a corner to corner blanket from left over sock yarn.  I'm not loving how it looks though so it's in hibernation until I make the decision whether to rip it out and start on something else or not.  :-)

I did get this in the mail all the way from Edinburgh.  I won it from C.C. and Dami at the Geeky Girls Podcast for their 52 weeks of charity KAL.  It was lots of fun. I also won a beautiful shawl pattern designed by C.C.  They are a mother/daughter team of podcasters who are Americans living in Edinburgh while C.C.'s husband finished seminary school.  It's a fun podcast to watch.

I couldn't let the opportunity pass to share Miss Piper with you.  She made this bird for Mommy all by herself.  Mandy gave her paper, scissors and markers and she brought this to her a little while later.  Of course, I think it's the cutest bird ever.

She has been struggling with making e's in her name and looky!  She finally did a great job of writing her entire name.  For a little one that just turned 4 I think she did a GREAT job.

A couple at our church went to California where the bride grew up to have their wedding with family on New Years Eve.  This past Sunday after church they rededicated themselves in front of their church family since none of us could be there for their actual wedding. Then there was a wedding luncheon with cake and flowers.  I, unfortunately, was unable to be there for that either because of my back.  I rarely miss church and I was so disappointed to not be there.  Our doorbell rang on Monday night and look what they brought to me.  A piece of wedding cake and flowers from the decorations.  Wasn't that sweet of them? 

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

I love and care for each one of you my friends.

Blessings,
Betsy

Still Brrrrr!

Hello Everyone.  It's a snowy winter wonderland outside right now.  This is a photo I took earlier in the week.  The next day I took an identical one!  It seems to snow almost non-stop right now.  We have flurries today.  A best guess is about 4 to 4 1/2 foot of snow in our yard right now.  Next week is supposed to actually be above freezing for the first time in I don't know how long, so hopefully some of this will melt.

A picture of our little Princess Piper yesterday.  She asked for a princess nightgown for Christmas and her other Papa and Grandma did a great job finding this one! 

And how do you like this one?  Her Doc McStuffins outfit, lamby hat and sunglasses!  That's my girl!

Here's the finished scarf I made Dennis.  I asked him to model it and this is what he did silly man, but you can see the stitch pattern very well this way!

And I took this one just before he flew off to Vancouver, BC for work a few days ago.  He really likes it.

I've been having fun knitting socks. 

I really enjoy doing two at a time, but I do still like my dpn's best of all.  I've tried magic loop.  I've tried the 9 inch circular needles but always come back to dpn's.  It's fun to do them at the same time.  Two cuffs, two legs, two heels, then two feet and two toes.  No second sock syndrome that way.  Since this photo I have one foot almost done.  See my cute project bag from Kris?  I love it!  Thank you again Kris.

I've also been making "magic balls" of sock yarn using the magic knot method.  Not sure what I'm going to make with them but have some ideas.  And I've been watching knitting podcasts as usual.

I've had lots of time to work on these projects because while Dennis was in Canada the snow plows came through and plowed me in. AGAIN.  Three foot berms of ice and snow.  I got about half of it cleaned up and down I went on the ice.  I messed my back up and have been sitting on ice packs ever since.  That was Wednesday and I still hurt.  So this will be short and sweet because I can't sit in the desk chair long at all.

I told one friend what happened and next time I looked out the window, two couples from church were out there doing this.   I feel really, really bad because they are all older than I am.  It's so nice and clear.  I called them my snow elves.  I don't think they would have even told me they did it but I happed to look out the window and see.  Wonderfully nice people.

So, I'm trying very hard not to be upset about this...on top of everything else.  I had just told Dennis before he left that I had had 6 days of feeling good so he wouldn't worry about me. Now I'm stuck again.  I can't drive because I can't move quick enough if I had to with my feet from the gas to the brake.  Oh well.  Have I ever said how much I detest snow and ice?  I do.

Some of you have asked the name of the yarn I used for my mittens since it's non-pilling, but I haven't been able to go to Hobby Lobby to check and I threw the labels out.  I promise that when I can walk again without pain I will do that for you.  Please forgive the time it's taking me.

And now, I'm going to cut this short and get back to my ice pack. :-)  Thank you all for being there for me.  I so appreciate it.  And yes, Dennis got back late last night so I'm not alone now.  It's amazing how much better it is when he's home and I'm not alone in this big house.

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Blessings my friend,
Betsy

Brrrrrr...

It's Friday!  I'm so glad.  I have gotten used to having my husband around and this week it was back to work for him.  Although it was just a four day work week because of New Years, I'm looking forward to having him here for a couple of days.  When I was working I always dreaded the stretch between New Years and Memorial Day because there were not any holidays for those five months.  Now I'm on permanent holiday and I love every single minute of it.

This has been my place quite a lot for the past week.  See how happy and content Chloe is?  We watch a lot of knitting podcasts together and since the temperature has been down to -14F on our deck more than once this week, -7 this morning, we've been hibernating inside.  It hasn't been out of the teens since last week.  This weekend is supposed to warm up to freezing and then we're to get lots more snow Saturday night and Sunday...just in time for Dennis' birthday on Monday.

I did make myself a pair of mittens.  After well over 150 pairs of mittens since January, I finally made myself a pair.  Mine were five years old, full of holes and the first pair I ever made.  They were my practice/learning pair and had lots of mistakes. I thought I probably should make some for myself, you know the old, shoemaker who's children have no shoes story!  :-)

Well, I made these and wore them to church Sunday morning for the first time.  I ended up giving them away...

...but no problem.  Monday I bought a new skein of yarn and made another pair!  This is a new yarn from  Hobby Lobby.  I can't remember it's name but it is SO soft and isn't supposed to pill at all.

The Christmas Eve cast-on socks that I finished last week winged their way across the country to Brad's feet.  They fit!  That's always a concern when making someone their first pair of socks.  After that I don't worry so much because I keep notes on everyone's individual stitch counts.  This makes my heart happy.  Seeing them on my kids feet.  I can help keep them warm from far away.  Gosh, I miss them all so much.  I face-timed with Mandy and Piper this morning as usual, and then hung up and cried.  I miss them.

I crocheted Dennis a scarf 39 years ago just before we got married.  He STILL wears it when he snow blows and shovels.  I've been begging him to let me make him a new one because that one is made with the old Red Heart Acrylic that is like plastic.  Virtually indestructible.  It still looks good!  He had no interest in a new one, but finally, while we were buying yarn for my second pair of mittens, I talked him into choosing yarn and when we got home I gave him several patterns to choose from and I began this scarf for him.  This will be more for with his good coat and he can keep the old one for shoveling and winter work!  This is a free pattern on Ravelry call "The Dudester"!  Quite the name.  :-)  I did remove one pattern repeat because after knitting about 12 inches on it, I realized it would be way too wide.  So I ripped it out and began again.  This is about 8 inches wide and I think it's just about right.

You do see wrapped gifts on the table above.  We had our annual potluck/gift exchange at our house last night for our Bible study group.  I had set the table out for gifts early in the afternoon.  I do a little at a time and then sit awhile.  Then a little more and sit.  Repeat as often as necessary.

While at Hobby Lobby I found this snowman from Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer for $.83.  That's right.  Eighty three cents!  He was originally $14.99.  When I look at him I can hear Burl Ives voice from the movie.  I just love snowmen and leave them out most of the winter.  They make me happy.

I took these pictures on Monday from about a block away from our house.  Aren't they pretty?  That's Mt. Spokane.  Nothing like my blogging friends Mt. Hood in Oregon, but pretty nonetheless.

Frost on the deck earlier this week.  I think it was -11F when I stepped outside to take this.  I know it was too cold on my slipper covered feet!   :-)

That's about all I have.  I've really just been staying inside and trying to keep warm.  I just heard on the news a moment ago about yet another shooting, this time at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale.  I fear what's happening around our world with all of the hate and I'm so glad that I have you my friends.  We live all over the country.  All over the world, and yet we are still here for each other.  I wish that for those that are filled with hate.  To realize that no matter who you are, what you look like, we are not so different inside.  The majority of us just want Peace.  And Love.  And for me, the source of that peace is Jesus.  The author of love.  I didn't have a New Years wish before.  But as I type this, I would wish that everyone would experience His love.  Then the madness would finally end. 

And I'll end with that and wish you all New Years Blessings and a year filled with love and peace all over this world of ours.

Today's verse from my devotion was very appropriate.

"Follow God's example, therefore. as dearly loved children and walk in the way of LOVE, just as Christ LOVED us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2

Blessings always my sweet friend,
Betsy