Summer in Review...

I feel like I am writing the typical back to school, "What I did on my summer vacation" paper.. LOL.. So, instead of trying to jam what seems like a year into one blog post - I'm going to do one a day until I get caught up.. Then again there might be some "random" musings along the way as well..

Bree got out of school on June 7th (I think - seems like years ago - hhahahaha)

There was alot of rain here in June - a ton, so much in fact, that the Tommy Bartlett water show lake was completely wiped out when the road bordering it gave out and drained the lake everywhere else than where it was supposed to be. Those poor people. I didn't know until the news reports that that lake was a man-made one -and thus was going to take a long time to basically rebuild. It is also the same lake that the Wisconsin Dells "Ducks" uses. Why is this all important and what does this have to do with our summer in review?

Well, because. Bree and I were invited by one of her friends along with another Mom and her twin girls to go to the Chula Vista Waterpark at the Wisconsin Dells 5 days later - free of charge. (Dad got free passes for rooms, park fees, etc..) What a nice thing to share.

So, 3 Moms and 4 Girls (all who just finished 4th grade) headed for the flooded area of the Wisconsin Dells.

We had a great time, the water park was fun and very nice. The rooms were spacious and well kept. The company was great too! Us Moms floated around the lazy river and Kathy (the host Mom) and I went down a giant drop slide - it was fun. (Lisa - the other Mom took some pics - but I don't have those to PROVE I did it) - And then Kathy and Bree (the bravest ones) went down this bizarre, U-shaped waterslide that dropped you down one side - and you went up the other side, back down BACKWARDS, and so on and so forth (kind of like those U-shaped skate board ramps) - I thought they were going to die from screaming. They only did that ONCE.

We didn't get to ride the Ducks, but, still had a great time!

We were planning to check out on the last day and spend the afternoon at the waterpark before heading home, but, I spotted in the newspaper some possible road closings (as in the one we would be driving to come home) and did some research and sure enough so much rain was falling (we didn't realize being indoors) that the I-94 main Hwy was being threatened.

So, we changed our plans and headed out earlier. We hit 2 MAJOR rain, thunder, wind storms and then pulled off to refuel - and just as we were walking into the gas station they were telling us the radio had just announced the road being closed - 15 minutes PAST where we had just come thru. Whew... (I had my big rig so wasn't worried too much - but Lisa had her van and that could have been trouble)

Then we hit another REALLY nasty storm at Rockford and finally made it back home. It was amazing that there was a 30 degree difference in temperatur (hotter) in roughly a 2-1/2 hour drive.

This is a picture of the girls.... near our patio at the resort. In the evenings at the resort they do a campfire where you can roast marshmallows and make smores - YUM!

So, that was the first week of summer vaca.

An anniversary of sorts...

Yes, an anniversary - the 2 year anniversary of me getting busted up coming off a horse at a team penning - oh around, 9pm at night... Funny how the minute I woke up this morning I thought that - I'm not even that conscious about the days/dates now that Bree is out of school (just 2 days out) - but, it immediately came to my mind. Maybe because with the weather, my shoulder has been aching a bit? who knows..

But, life marches on...

And just to prove I have been doing something - here are a few pictures of what has been accomplished!


These socks are called "Monkeys" - you can see the beginning photo on my previous blog post - Bree claimed them (which is a good thing since as I knit them the colorway didn't do anything for me) - but, I do love the yarn - Socks That Rock - Lightweight in the Foofaraw color - Foofaraw, Foofaraw, Foofaraw - I just love SAYING that color name!


The next is a pair of socks just for me! They are by Evelyn Clark - called Waving Lace and the yarn is from Jen and Knitting Like Crazy in the Crazy soft color called Mint Julip - and I must say, this combination of yarn and pattern has to be one of my all time favorites!!!! It is so soft and delicate looking and just lets you see the pattern with adding some dimension with the soft varigation! I can't wait to do another of her patterns...

The next is a project that I like the finished object, but the pattern as written - well is less than to be desired - and I shouldn't be surprised - I did 2 others (see other modular scarf patterns in my blog) by the same designer, in the same book - I am really amazed at how poorly written and edited this book is and the cost of the book on top of it - it should be PERFECT. This scarf calls for 60 yards of 4 colors. Ok, I bought yarn that comes in a 105yard ball. I used ALL 4 skeins COMPLETELY up and had to buy 4 MORE skeins for about 5 yards more of each color - talk about ticking you off! This is the Mirrored Angles Scarf from the Modular Knits book and I used Classic Elite Waterlily yarn in 4 colors - it is a really nice yarn to work with and it has a soft tone on tone color to it - fades and then gets darker.


And of course, Bree decided that the yarn I bought for me was to be "hers" - This is getting to be a common theme... This is Knit1, Crochet2 Soxx Appeal yarn and it is the "wool" version of Cascade Fixation - but, I must admit, I like it better, it is softer, not as "bumpy" and is just nicer in general to work with! I do have a 2nd color for ME and she's not getting that one! LOL! I will definitely be purchasing MORE of this yarn!


And I am in the beginning stages of making this for Bree - she decided going into 5th grade next year should warrant a "real" book bag instead of just a backpack.. I think it iwll be pretty when done!

We leave tomorrow morning for 3 days to the Wisconsin Dells (be back on Thursday) - one of Bree's friend's Dad got 4 free rooms/waterpark passes/etc.. up at the Chula Vista Waterpark Resort and there are 4 Moms and Daughters going - should be fun! I'm trying to figure out what knitting to bring of course - can't take any Cookie A as I want something kind of mindless as I'm sure we'll be visiting, etc..

And, I'm freaking as I ONLY have Bree's Messenger bag on needles - how did I let that happen? I better get cracking!

Finished Projects...

I needed to get some photos of some finished objects (which I finally did now that I can stand up without falling down...) and just to show that I have actually finished some things of recent.. This is just a pictorial (not much else going on...)


So, first is a pair of socks called "Raindrop Lace" by Fiber Trends - love the pattern and am actually going to be starting another pattern by the same designer. The yarn is Pagewood Farms with bamboo in it - it is SO soft! in a neat blue-ish, green-ish, brown-ish color way...


Next is a "modular" scarf called Diamond Blossom - this is a whole new "technique" that I've now completed 3 different designs - I LOVE this technique it is SO SO SO "me" as in being "precise", "right-brained" and all that! I need to find some other designers who do similar stuff as this particular designer does not write patterns well nor has them "test" knit before publishing (or at least it doesn't seem so as all 3 have had numerous errors in them which makes for very frustrating knitting) - Too bad this designer doesn't hire me to test knit - smartest thing she could do knowing how "particular" I am on instructions!

It is made with Mountain Colors Wool in some nice gold fall tones and it is actually a pretty neat design. I didn't make it with anyone in mind, so... You'll never know who might end up with it... Another photo close up of the pattern...



Next up is 2 items to be sent (should be mailed tomorrow) to my favorite newest American Citizen... Can you guess whom? Every "cuddler" should have a "cuddle blanket and cuddle bunny"!!!! The blanket is actuall crocheted kind of using the log cabin principle or per Miss Sarah - the "golden rectangle" theory - It is using Bernat's Cotton Tots in a white varigated and 3 solids that are actually yellow, pink and lavendar - colors in the picture are not accurate. It is a fast, fast, fast project (2-1/2 days) and is roughly 36x44". The bunny is by Farmhouse yarns - Dixie Cotton in a bumpy and is SO soft and little bunny is in a peach color! (Pattern free via Lion Brand)!


And the most current pair of socks - Called Pomatomus - Paige - you should know what that means.. being the under water lover you are.. do you know? This is probably the most complex design of socks I've done to date and I absolutely LOVED doing them!!! They are made with yarn called "Socks That Rock" in the Bleeding Heart (like the flower) colorway - they are awesome!!! There's a previous picture in a below post of when I started them!


And lastly, since I loved the socks above - I immediately started another pattern from the same designer named "Cookie A" and the sock pattern is titled "Monkeys" - I am using Socks That Rock yarn again in a colorway called Foofaraw - which I love saying.. Bree spied them today and she has stated she is claiming them for herself.. We shall see....

Bridget who owns Peggy's made me the most adorable stitch markers (for my birthday) with pretty blue jean/ denim like stones and horse charms! They are fantastic! And I'll be eating good at Applebee's thanks to Jilly Willy and Becky and the gang brought a "too die for cake" (marble with FUDGE inside and chocolate icing) and all sorts of snacks, appetizers and the like yesterday and I think I'm still stuffed! It was fun!

Well, that's all to report for now!

The Wheels on the bus...

Ok, so it's not the wheels on the bus that go round and round - but, instead, for me, the ROOM, HOUSE and WORLD go round and round - Oy, I am a dizzy blonde!

A sinus infection that led to an inner ear infection that led to vertigo have my world and everything in it going round and round -

Like drunken bed spins (without the benefit of having tasted alcohol)
Like being on an airplane in turbulence
Like being on a boat in the middle of a storm
Like being on one of those spin round and up and down amusement park rides
Like everytime you stand up you kind of fall back down...
Like... Like.... Like.... (excuse me while put my stomach right side up)

Well, it was SO bad, I had to have Bill drive me to the Dr's (the thought of moving in a car caused me to take a Jewel bag with me JUST IN CASE)

Now I have some good drugs (Cipro, a Decon and Anti-vert) and hopefully I will not be a dizzy blonde much longer (ditzy maybe, but not dizzy) :)

One of Each...

Something simple, for now..

I had a bad weekend... (or at least bad Saturday)...

I had A vet out on Friday to review a continuous issue with my filly's front leg(s) - take your pick - on any given day she is either as sound as a dollar or lame as a three legged table... On Wed, lame, and of course, on Friday am when vet was there, sound as anything else in the barn and was lunged for over 40 minutes...

So, Saturday, 15 min into my ride with our trainer, at a NICE, SOFT, EASY trot her leg collapses and we go DOWN.. I swear to GOD and all that is Holy, that I thought when she got up and was holding the right leg straight out and it quivering and shaking like a leaf that she had broke her leg.. and that my Barn Owner/Buddy who is a cop was going to have to shoot her right then and there on the spot...

It's not broke. I'm bumped and bruised (thought I had cut my archille's tendon, however) but it is not.

So, back to the freaking drawing board... Xrays to come SOON to see if there is ANYTHING at all going on or she is just messing with my head.

In the meantime, I started a pair of socks, tried them on 2" down and they fit - get 3/4ths the way done and can't get them over my heel, ripped em out and am now on my 6th rendition of same sock trying to get the sizing to work.. Am NOT happy about that. I feel I have knit this pattern 3 whole socks already..


So, a group of us were thinking of knitting this one complex sock pattern by a designer named "Cookie A" - call Pomatomus - I affectionately refer to them as the "Potty socks" - So, to remove the bad spirits hanging over me, I have started working on this! And I like it. I like it alot. The Yarn is Socks That Rock in the Bleeding Hearts Colorway... Here's a pic of it started... And a closeup


And, to show that Spring is STILL here in Northern Illinois and that the bad storms this past week didn't A) kill the buds nor B) Blow them ALL off the tree is a picture of our beautiful white crab tree in our backyard... I have been after my dear, dear, dear hubby to make the area under the tree a NICE, LANDSCAPED, flower bed type location instead of some Day Lilly's stuck in the grass back there looking like well, use your imagination... And this has yet to happen... So, be sure to check back.. I'm in just one of those moods that I need to take out some aggression.... and get er done!

I know it is Spring, because...

For the first time in several years, our Magnolia tree BLOOMED.. In the past it wold start to bloom and then we'd get another cold snap and it would freeze all the buds and then they would die... This year, we had enough warm days in a row that it was able to bud AND bloom.. It is SO pretty, and I love the way it is white showing up against our new front door... Take a peek.. It is getting SO huge - when we first bought and planted it, roughly 8 years ago, it was shorter than me. Now it's reaching up to the second story windows!



And I ALSO know it is Spring because we had a hell of a storm last night and there is not one petal left on the tree (rain, hail and winds of 25mph+) will do that to a pretty Magnolia..

Now, we have to wait for the flowering Bradford Pear, the flowering Crab Bush and a beautiful scented flowering Crab Tree to bloom....

Self Cleaning Horses...

Well, you know there are self cleaning ovens and I'm sure there are other "self-cleaning" things (kids would be a plus - ha) - but, I have proof that there are self cleaning HORSES! Yes, HORSES>..

I was at the barn to take pictures of a new sale string for my buddy whose website I manage and he was tied up so I was just going to help out - so I started to fill the water tubs for the outside horses... In the big outside hose there is this itty bitty pinprick size hole... and it sprays up a little bit.. I had forgotten that.

So, I moved the hose into the mare's tank and the little leak was spraying toward the paddock..

So, Bandi - my buddy's mom's Quarter Horse (who we affectionately refer to as the big black lab - as she is that friendly) - decides to "clean herself" - I hope in these blog photos you can see the stream of water.. It was HYSTERICAL - I'm putting them in order - she stood there for goodness, I don't know how long and washed her face!







It was hysterical!



And speaking of horses.. Here's a gratuitous shot of my filly - Jessie - She NEVER misses a chance for a scritch when she sees me - It's so nice to have one who comes to see you everytime!