Day 151 of 2023

Most places that take donations don't usually take mattresses

 even if they are new or in great shape. 

With persistence a place can be found. 

I am glad these two and two others are needed 

and will be a welcomed donation.

 

Day 150 of 2023

This is the third summer for my Clematis. 

It has grown quite strong and showy.

 

Day 149 of 2023

It was a great day for a gathering. 

We cooked out and had our first fire in the new fire pit

 that we completed last fall right before our first snow. 

Back row: Big D, R, Fireball, me, T-Bone 

Front row: GB#2, GB#5, GB#3, GB#4

 

Day 148 of 2023

Sunday, May 28, 2023

It's time to change the dishes before tomorrow's family gathering and cookout.

 I'll leave these out through Flag Day (June 14) and Independence Day (July 4), 

then I'm hoping to get a fresh palette on the shelf for the rest of the summer.

I kept the palette pretty traditional this time without turquoise or pink. 

Colors used: Scarlet, Cobalt, Lapis, Twilight, White

 

Day 147 of 2023

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Satisfying work is being done today at the Old House.

 

Day 146 of 2023

Friday, May 26, 2023

I feel like this qualifies as being ready for the holiday weekend.

 

Day 145 of 2023

Thursday, May 25, 2023

I'm back to sorting at my house. 

Here is today's group of random things.

 

Day 144 of 2023

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

When GB#5 comes over, she loves to color on the chalkboard. 

She also loves to draw over what I have drawn. 

She loves to erase what I've drawn even more. 

And then we laugh and laugh.

 

Day 143 of 2023

Tuesday, May 23 of 2023

I'm sure you are all wondering if Little E really had time

 to get an entire sweater knit before she left for home. 

The answer is yes, well, mostly. 

As is usually the case, I will be weaving in all the loose ends. 

The lace pattern also needs a little blocking

 to bring out the beautiful design. 

I'll be doing that soon. 

So, yes, she got it done. I love it so much.

 

Day 142 of 2023

Monday, May 22, 2023

As I mentioned, I am starting a new pair of socks

 with the previously used blue yarn

 I talked about earlier in the month. 

So far, so good. 

And to update you on the airplane knitting project - 

I got a couple of inches knit

 but stopped when I realized that the yarn I was using

 was not becoming a fabric that I would want my project made from. 

I have new yarn on order that should arrive next week.

 

Day 141 of 2023

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Goodbye, NYC. 

It's been a fun 24 hours. 

Little E and I left from the same gate a few hours apart

 to our respective homes. 

After three weeks together, I miss her already.

 

Day 140 of 2023

After about three hours of sleep Little E and I boarded a plane

 and headed to New York to see Sweeney Todd.

  We had dinner right next door to the theater

 and then found a bakery that sold gluten free goodies for dessert. 

It was a very rainy day so we didn't do much more exploring

 which was probably a good idea on so little sleep. 

The show was amazing.

 

Day 139 of 2023

Friday, May 19, 2023

Little E will be going home on Sunday and we have made some good progress

 in our work on the two houses. 

Before she goes home, 

she and I are going to take a quick trip somewhere tomorrow. 

I'd like to bring my socks to knit 

but she is worried that security may not allow my treasured needles on the plane, 

so I am leaving that project at home. 

What else is there to do but to cast on a new project

 with some yarn we found in some of Mom's things during our cleaning escapades.

 

Day 138 of 2023

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Sometimes it's hard to tell the front from the back

 of a handmade item of clothing. 

I try to remember to put tags in the back to make dressing easier,

 especially on things for the little ones. 

I personalized this one.

 

Day 137 of 2023

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

I have started the sewing for Little E, but with the extra fabric, 

I am also making another shirt for GB#1. 

It will be from the same pattern

 as the pink one I gave to her last month which she loves.

 

Day 136 of 2023

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

T-Bone also brought me flowers for Mothers' Day. 

Snapdragons have a special place in our hearts 

so these will get planted in a pot on the front porch 

where I can see them every day.

 

Day 135 of 2023

Monday, May 15, 2023

As Little E has offered to knit me a sweater, 

I have offered to make her some clothes. 

Cutting has commenced.

 

Day 134 of 2023

Sunday, May 14, 2023

As is traditional, I attended the Decorators' Show House again this year. 

This was one of my favorite rooms.

 

Day 133 of 2023

Saturday, May 13, 2023

What a surprise it was today

 to get a delivery of flowers for Mother's Day tomorrow

 from M and The Trumpeter.

 

Day 132 of 2023

Friday, May 12, 2023

The coral bells at home are also doing well.

 

Day 131 of 2023

Thursday, May 11, 2023

While Little E is here we usually like to go to some favorite restaurants

 that she does not have at her home. 

Today we met Fireball downtown to go to one of them. 

The show of spring flowers was on point.

 

Day 130 of 2023

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

I needed to pick up a few things at a store down by the canal. 

I looked across and saw this beautiful artwork. 

I'm not sure how long it's been there but I don't remember seeing it before. 

 

Day 129 of 2023

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Today we're working on the kitchen at the Old House. 

There are no fewer that ten different silverware designs in the kitchen drawer. 

This doesn't even count the two complete sets of silver 

that are in their own dedicated wooden boxes.

 

Day 128 of 2023

Monday, May 8, 2023

The short story here is that now that Little E has finished her hat, 

she has decided to knit me a sweater. 

The clock is ticking. 

Can she finish it before she leaves to go back home 

or will I have to finish it myself?

 

Day 127 of 2023

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Today we are into sorting some of the toys. 

I found these two and can't remember who they are, 

what group of toys they belong with 

or which of my children played with them.

 

Day 126 of 2023

Saturday, May 6, 2023

In the evenings we sit and knit or crochet while we chat. 

Little E has started and finished this hat since she arrived. 

I have been making the same hat for quite a while 

and mine is not turning out so well. 

I think it's about to go into time out or maybe even get torn out 

to be made into something else entirely.

 

Day 125 of 2023

Friday, May 5, 2023

During today's sort through at our house

 I came upon a few of Mom's old photo albums. 

Of course, I got sidetracked and started looking through most of them. 

One of the pictures I found was this one of me at approximately age 16 

with our cat who was apparently named Josie.

 

Day 124 of 2023

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Tonight I had the pleasure to enjoy Hamilton again joined by DIL, R. 

It was so good. Every time.

 

Day 123 of 2023

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

When I got back from our Bermuda trip in early April, 

I brought back some of Little E's projects to weave in ends. 

Here are GB#2, GB#4 and GB#5 modeling three of those projects. 

Each GB now has a matching sweater made by Little E in his/her own color .

 

Day 122 of 2023

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

I don't know if you remember this blue pair of socks or not, 

but after finishing them, I was not happy with the fit. 

They were too loose for my liking. 

I tore them back to the cuff to begin the heel again, 

but after discussing it with Little E, 

I've decided to tear them all the way out and begin a new pattern. 

I'll still be using this yarn but with another couple yarns

 in an entirely different way.

 If you'd like to see the socks pre-rip out, 

go to the sidebar on the blog and pick the label "socks." 

Scroll down and you'll find most of that pair's journey.

 

Day 121 of 2023

 

Monday, May 1, 2023

Our trip to the airport brought Little E home with us. 

She will be here for the next few weeks 

to help out with this house and the Old House. 

We are so glad she has come to visit. 

Thank you for being patient and for checking up on me in my absence. Having started this blog fourteen years ago, I have amassed quite a few pictures on my computer. With no real system for external storage of said pictures, my computer finally said enough is enough. It refused to work until something was done. I have finally received the hardware I need and the time to do the bare minimum to get it up and running again. I will be catching up on all the pictures from the past few weeks in order over the next few days. Until I am caught up, I will be labeling each picture with the date it was taken directly below the picture, before the caption in order to keep each one identifiable and in order.