Parcel in the mail

I received my Sock Scrimmage parcel today from Susan, member of "Society of Knitting".  Along with the lovely little sock there was a skein of yarn in Turquoise, candy,  and two cute bird buttons.  It came in a Quaker Oats container as their mascot was the man on the box.
This is Elizabeth in the hat I made her.  Shelby says it looks like a old homeless lady's hat.  Elizabeth seems to like it so that is what matters.

Can you believe it

I am posting again..................... what is that .................... 3 days this week???  Anyone in shock out there?  Went to knitting last night and took the camera so I could get photos of Gail and I working on each others wee socks for Sock Scrimmage.  Took the last photo today just before I mailed it off to Susan in Oregon.  Bill even knit 11 stitches for me.  He had never knit before and the very small needles were a challenge but he caught on quickly.  This Sock Scrimmage has been fun, rather like a scavenger hunt.




   This is Bill knitting on my wee sock.  His hands are so big they almost engulf the needles.


Gail knitting on my wee sock. That is Tammy giggling beside her and in the background is Gladys.  We haven't seen her in so long we told her we weren't sure  we even remembered her!!!!!!
 That is Gail's wee sock that I am finishing and Dotty is giggling in the background.   There was a lot of giggling going on but I don't remember why.
t Sharon (in red) and Laura both knitting socks.  That is Kathy in the background.
 The above photos are from Knit Night at the Pool Hall last night.  Below is my wee sock at the Port office just before I mailed it.

Clever me ................ I forgot to take a photo of just the sock for my records.  Maybe I can re-size the one from the Post Office.

Most days Jill comes over in the mornings after she drops Shelby off at school.  If we are not up she will make the coffee for me. This morning she made coffee  and brought me a cup when it was ready but it was really, really weak.................................... like there was a faint hint of coffee and it looked like tea............... She forgot to put the coffee in the pot, just filled up the water and turned the machine on. I think things are getting to her. At 10:00  she went off for her appointment at the Lab to get the Holter monitor put on. She wears it for 24 hours and keeps track of her activities.  This will tell them if she has any atrial fibrillation.  The surgeon wants to know this as he can do something about it when she has her open heart surgery next month. Elizabeth stayed with me and we had a good time.  She laughs now and it is a lovely sound. For a change the baby went to sleep very easily just before Jill came back. Jill opens the door ................ Lita starts barking...............Charlie and Princess join in ............................  baby is NO LONGER ASLEEP. ........................ Fortunately we didn't have Bill yellin "SHUT UP "as loud as he can.I am not sure why he continues to do this as the dogs don't listen and he has just increased the noise level a million decibels ( I am sure that is the right number ........... no exaggeration ).  Shortly after this Bill got up and went out;  Jill and Elizabeth left; I went to the Post Office and then came home to nap.

Naps are such a lovely luxury and I can have one when ever I want.................... well almost when ever I want.

SNOW

Well we had 2-3 inches of snow last night but then it started raining and we now have slush.  It is so disappointing as I didn't get to do any sledding. On the other hand it means the Gals will come to knitting tonight.  Usually the lower mainland shuts down if we get any amount of snow because most people don't seem to know how to drive in the type of snow we get (wet and very slippery).

 Terry Fox statue in front of the Terry Fox Library in Port Coquitlam,BC

Update on the Wee Sock Scrimmage:- I have a photo of my sock with a local landmark and a stranger.
I still have a few more photos to post for extra points.

Just an update about the Poopy day, that evening Shelby phoned me to say her Mum was throwing up and would I come over.  Jill was fine when I arrived but I stayed for a while and went home about 9:00.

Jill was planning on weaning the baby before her heart surgery but the baby is weaning herself.  She hates to go to sleep and connects breast feeding with going to sleep because Jill lies down with her to nurse when Elizabeth is sleepy.  She also doesn't like it when you lay her down on your lap or in your arms. She gets mad and just screams........................... who would think a six month old would have a temper like that. 

A poopy day

 Well Jill arrived this am  with the baby and Shelby's dog Princess.  Princess had apparently eaten something she shouldn't have like some of Shelby's prawns.  This gave her diarrhea so she needed a bath to get the poop off her backside.  Then while trying to  lick herself dry we think she ingested a bit of the shampoo as she threw up all over one of the couch cushions. Jill cleaned this up but not well enough to suit Charlie who sleeps on the back of the couch and pretends he is a watch dog. He wanted to get down but the wet cushion was on his side of the couch...............he walks along the top of the couch back until he is over the other cushion and then gets down.

Now the baby is fussing because she has poopy pants.  If you have had children you know the diaper that didn't hold everything so the pants and shirt have poop up the back of them. The baby is changed all is well we thought ....................... not really because Princess just threw up on the carpet.

Lida is wanting to go out so Jill takes all three dogs for a walk while I look after the baby who is hungry again.  This of course is followed by poopy diaper............. the baby thinks that this is a major accomplishment and is very pleased with herself.  I change the grinning baby, meanwhile Jill and the dogs come back.

I can still smell poop so am looking around and discover Charlie has had a problem. There is a big glob of poop in the hair under  his tail. After assessing the situation Jill and I decide that we need to use the scissors before the bath.  She holds, I clip and pretty soon we have a pile of poop and poopy hair on the ground and Charlie is in the shower.  Now Charlie doesn't like to have a bath so I decided a shower would be the answer.  At least he stays in the tub for the shower............... I, on the other hand, am not any dryer than when I give him a bath. ...................................This means I am soaking wet.  Now I have to dry a very wet, very hairy ........ no make that a very furry dog who would rather wander around the house shaking himself dry............................ for some strange reason Bill objects to this method of dog drying.

Jill goes to pick up Shelby from school. They come back to our house so Shelby can knit 10 stitches on my sock scrimmage sock.  She is a little intimidated by the four tiny needles but did manage to knit ten stitches. She even picked up a stitch that she dropped. After she knit her stitches she wanted her Mum to take a photo of Elizabeth "Knitting".

This requires a lot of intense concentration.

 This is a very small,  very serious knitter.

This is my wee sock riding in the car to the Pharmacy we use. 





Tomorrow I will take a photo of the sock at a local landmark.
Also I hope Bill will knit 10  stitches for me.  Then Wednesday night Gail and I will knit on each others socks.

time to catch up

 This is the last of the Christmas knitting.  A cowl for Cory and  the pattern is my own.  It is a knit 2, purl 1 rib until I wanted to widen the bottom.  I increased in the purl sections until I had enough stitches to do the 2/1 rib again.  This is my handspun yarn.
Now I can knit something for ME.  Maybe finish one or three of the three pairs of socks I have started or work on one of the many shawls I want to do .
December is a very busy month for us. We have three Birthdays, one anniversary (now 2) and Christmas.
We celebrated Cory's Birthday and mine at our house and Jill made us a lovely dinner. The photo below is one of the highlights of the day ..................
a new version of the Three Monkeys.

 This was part of my gift from Cory and Aaron.  They thought I needed a distinctive glass for my wine.

We celebrated Brianne's Birthday when she came over on December 27.
Our Son and his finance arrived Dec 23 and we had a great visit with them.  He hasn't been home for about 6 years so we were really happy to see him.  I had met Liz before as had Cory but not the rest of the family.  Everyone really liked her so she has the family seal of approval.

Here the 2 Elizabeths are getting to know each other. They are both full of mischief so they should get along well together.

The older one married our son Che December 31 in Vegas so there are now two Elizabeth Bonters in the family..................DOUBLE TROUBLE ......
if I ever saw it.



We did try to get a family photo but they all turned out rather .....................I don''t know what to say about them................. We all posed and Jill would set the time delay on the camera and then run for the couch.   This is the best of the 8 or 10 we took............  I think I need to figure out how to combine the photos so we have the best of each of us in the final photo. I wonder when I might get around to that??????

 

 This photo is of my three lovely Granddaughters.

The hairy creature on Shelby's lap is her new puppy,  6 months old and .......................    Lucky Jill has a teething baby and a teething puppy,  both of whom chew anything and everything they can.
So far she needs to replace a computer cord and a video cord compliments of Princess the Puppy. 

My son who we are very proud of and who has more gray hair than I do ................ premature graying runs in my Dad's side of the family and all my Children seemed to get that gene. Let me assure you that they are not pleased with me for passing on that gene ........................ but then there have been other things in the past that they haven't been pleased about either.  AAAAAAAHHHH  the joys of raising children .................. the only thing is it is so hard to get an "OH MUM" out of them anymore.  Cory says the only way I could shock them now is to act normal............. I ask you "Is that a nice thing to say about your Mother".

Some of the family got some very strange things for Christmas as seen below.  That is a soother in her mouth.

This lovely girl is our step granddaughter.  Cory's husband Aaron is her father so we get to add her to our family.  Oh  Yes now that Liz is an official family member we have 2 more step granddaughters plus  2 step great grandchildren .......  one girl and one boy.  Neat hey...........

 One of the crazy knitting groups I belong too is on Ravelry (an internet site for knitters and crocheters) swaps wee tiny socks.  This month we are doing things a little different.  We are in teams and having a "Wee Sock Scrimmage".  Here are the rules

1. Partners assigned 2-jan-11, mail by 20-jan-11
2. Use an official Sock Scrimmage pattern.
3. Use minimum one color from your team.
4. Send a list of points earned with your sock.
5. A flag on the play: -5 per day late mailing.
6. Icing -20 if you use an unofficial pattern
7. Bonus points: in general, each bonus counts once per sock.
8. Touchdown (5): When both socks are received.
9. End Run (5) both team colors in 1 sock.
10. Extra End (5): send your mascot
11. Double Pass (10): both team members work on one sock.
12. Handoff (10): Child knits.
13. Heavy Ice (10): Adult male knits.
14. Naked bootleg (5-15): handspun - 5, your own - 15
15. Red dog (5-15): handdyed - 5, your own - 15
16. Fair catch (5): LYS yarn.
17. Field Goal (5): Earliest postmark
18. Inward double (5): mini skein in receiver’s favorite color
19. Traveling camel spin (5): surprise inspired by a post
20. Grubber (5): Photo with mail carrier.
21. Ruck (5): Photo with landmark.
22. Salchow (5): Photo on transportation.
23. Lead pass (5): Photo with stranger.
24. Reverse somersault (5): Photo with animal.
25. Hat trick (5): 3 photos.

This is our mascot next to the yarn I dyed for the wee sock I am making.  I dyed this with food colouring and vinegar as a mordant. There are 2 shades of green as those are the two colours we have chosen for our team colours.  Gail likes dark green and I like in-your-face neon green.  Our green mascot is a Dragon Jill and Shelby gave me. Please note that she is a knitting Dragon........ ..........  I mean really what else would you expect from a knitting team mascot.   I don't believe you can tell but she is knitting a wee sock.
This is the yarn I spun from the fleece.  At this time it is growing into a wee sock using a pattern called "Gwee". 
Rule 24 was a photo of the sock with an animal  so I decided to take a photo of it with Charlie.  I put the sock knitting on his paws................ he sniffed it and then looked at me as if to say"THIS ISN'T FOOD" what is it doing here.  He did pose for me to take the photo.  That's it for now but I will try to write more frequently this year.

A New Year

I haven't written anything for about a month but December is hectic with three Birthdays,  Christmas and now 2 Anniversaries.  Our son was married December 31, 2010 to a lovely woman. 

I will add details later but right now I have to add a photo of Gail and My mascot for the Wee Sock Scrimmage this month .  She hasn't got a name yet.