July update

Things have been slow since The BlackSheep Gathering.
My Saturday Knitting time was put on hold .
First Saturday after, Wyatt and Jyll came down for a few hours.
Next Saturday was Eryka(12) and Bryces' (2) Birthdays. They had a really nice Birthday party for them at Lou Anns (Jylls mother) lil ADOREABLE house. Its one of those Sweet old Doll house size houses. One person could be very comfortable there but two would be kinda tight. She's done a beautiful job decorating it.

I've been fighting, what I thought, was tendonitis from knitting or spinning at blacksheep. Which seemed odd because I didn't do THAT much of either. Now I'm thinking it was from weeding. Which I can happily put on hold till say.....ever. I really should just hire someone. Once I get down to weed I can't get back up. I could be stuck there all day! Not really but it gets worse the older I get. Heres a Pic of my fav Iris that I call "Caramelo"

I decided to start knitting again pain or no on Monday and it hasn't made the tendonitis any worse. My frustration level is at about 80 % tho. I'm working on the Alyce tee pictured a few entries below. For some reason I can't follow directions.. a 60s hippy not able to follow directions..who knew..lol

Otherwise, the month is slow..hot.. but progressing.

Brother Mike is still having tests. We have done alot of research online and are hoping they can take care of his cyst without surgery, this time. They have already drained it. I know.. ewww.. but people keep asking how he's doing.

Oh and its here again..... Boeing is voting on if its ok to think about striking this year. Has it been 3 years already! The vote to sanction is today. One year we were out on strike till 3 days before Christmas. Not many presents that year. Most were homemade which is better if you ask me..anyway.
Marshall got me the nicest present. Non gamers won't appreciate this but he got me a disk of Final fantasy XI music, played on Piano. It also gives you a harpsicord for your Room (moghouse) in the game. It plays a tinkling tune every hour and looks so sweet. Not a great picture but.. this is my character Pixx's room. Showing the new Harpsicord. All the trophies behind her are for a small portion of the chocobos she's raised (Ostrich like creatures you ride and race). Its kinda cramped where its sitting. Never noticed I put it in front of the damn window.. I'll have to move it. Hee hee. Thanks Marshall.. really nice!! I love it!

I got Tagged!!

Ginger Tagged me:

The rules: Are posted at the beginning. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer. Play nice, children.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

10 years ago ~ I was homeschooling Marshall and our neighbor girl Marie. I hadn't started to knit again ,I don't think. We were taking Gaelic classes and Taekwondo together. I was taking Tai Chi the other days.

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today- not in any particular order?

Laundry, dinner, finish my book Kushiel's Mercy (by Jacqueline Carey), watch tv, sleep

3. Snacks I enjoy.

Ice cream

4. Places I’ve lived-

Tacoma, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Tukwila, Mountlake Terrace

5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Ooo, mmmm.... Whorled Peas :)

6. What are some jobs you’ve had:

Babysitter, Nurse, Singer/Guitar player in coffee houses, Mom, Exotic Dancer, Cocktail waitress, food waitress.

People I'm going to Tag are:

Rebecca

Sheila

Jen

Sharon

Baah Baah, Blacksheep

We took off right on time Thursday afternoon and 5 hours later arrived in Springfield Oregon. We all worried about the weather. It had been cold and rainy for months and we didn't think we'd see any summer, maybe, ever.
Friday, Ginger had a class so we wandered and shopped as the temperature soared (by Washington standards) to a whopping 85. We searched for the only shade..so here you see..Me, Emma (with her new fast flier) and Jennifer. We drew a bit of a crowd. Several little girls spent time watching us.
I got a bit overheated and when Betty and Martha offered to take me back to the hotel, I couldn't pack fast enough.


We all spent alot of time hanging out on the hotels indoor balcony overlooking the entry. Spinning, knitting and chatting. Jennifer learned how to Spindle. Took a whole 30 sec. for her to get the hang of it. Good job!!


It was also Bettys Birthday. Our talented Emma made her special sheep cupcakes. Aren't they pretty. Happy Birthday Betty

Sat. we stayed at the hotel till Ginger was done with her classes and then hit the fair, to see the Alpaca. They were in a seperate building. Love the Alpacas. Think I spent most of my money there. Got a beautiful skein of heathered pink and soft green. The next day I bought all the lavender blue roving one vendor had left. AND, I broke down and bought -part- of a carmel/vanilla fleece. It was just to pretty to leave behind. I swore I wasn't going to buy a fleece..lol

Saturday evening, while Emma and I took a nap, the rest went to the Rose garden to take pictures. Jennifer had been drooling on the window everytime we past it on the way to the fair. She's a fabulous photographer. I'm waiting for her to post her pictures.

All these pictures were taken by the Lovely Ginger. My camera is so old. Kinda waiting for Jerico to send me a new one from Japan. Thats the plan anyway.

Bill made me a really cool wooden platform for my luggage/wheel cart. I'm working on a frog ballerina to paint on the bottom. So far I have one picture on paper but haven't "loved" anything enough to paint, yet. But, it will be a Froggy version of Swanlake.

ROAD TRIP!!

Black Sheep Gathering.. Here we come. Be afraid.. hee hee
Ginger, Emma, Jen, Betty, Martha and I. Heaven help anyone who gets in our way.. kidding!
SEE YOU THERE

Guess I'm an over achiever in more ways then one!!

80 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Quick update

Mikes out of the hospital. The Biopsy showed it wasn't cancer. They will still have to remove it, maybe. Its a rare solid cyst (I know TMI) in the same area as the one he had removed 11 years ago. He has an appt to see the same surgeon that he had at that time who has become an expert at laparoscopy, so it may not be such a big deal after all.
Fingers crossed!!

Family Crap- read at your own risk

Ok.. here goes.. you ready?

So.. My brother thought he was having a heart attack on Tues.. Called an aid car. They couldn't get their gear into his messy apt (Its raining Junk mail in there). Off to the hospital.. So, no heart attack..maybe its acid reflux..back home he goes. Next day he can't breath..maybe pneumonia..that explains the chest pain too. Back he goes to the hospital..this time driving himself. I don't hear from him till the next day.

Seems they did a cat scan and he has a mass behind his heart. 11 years ago he had a cyst removed from there. BUT, no.. its not a cyst. Checked him into the hospital on Thurs. and then Friday they do a needle biopsy. Its now Sunday. He's still in he hospital and we don't know if he's going to need surgery or chemo or what.

Went on a HUGE crying Jagg this evening. Frustration setting in. Worry about my brother (Mike, by the way is his name) Worry about his insurance. They may have him in there for a week or more. Worry about,Who's gonna take care of him? Will anyone have to take care of him?? Should I go shovel out the junk mail from his apt.

God.. AND Imagine how he feels!!

Ok.. Rant finished... sigh

Catching up

I haven't written anything in awhile. Sorry. Been a bit hectic. Jerico was home for a month. That was nice. I miss him when he's gone. You see, he works on a large Ship 2 mo. on and 1 off. Because of that schedule, he hasn't bought a house or condo. He just stays here in my yarn room. Its always nice when he goes ..lol..cuz I get it BACK! But, I still miss him. He livens the place up with his jokes. For once I didn't get tired of him before he had to go back.

Jyll got HIGH grades at ITT. She's on the Honors list. I'm so proud of her but not really suprised. I always knew she was smart.

Marshall's Transmittion broke in his newish Cougar. So, he has been car pooling with his dad. Which means he has to go to work an hour earlier and get off and hour earlier. Thank goodness Microsoft is ok with that. Damn car has been in the shop for over a week because of the memorial day holiday. He's been riding his bike over here at 4am.. that'll wake you up!!

Bill and I are about the same as always... I keep knitting. The lace wristies are the latest project. Just started them yesterday. They look fancy but its just a 6 row lace pattern with lots of ribbing.

Project of the Month

Making these for my friend Valerie. The pattern is from Heart Strings.

Happy mommys day

Here is what Jerico and my hubby got me.

Marshall got me a new monitor.

Rainy day camping

Rain, rain, Noah and mmm... beer.
Jerico and Marshall enjoying some guy time

LOVE

Gonna have to buy more yarn..sigh
I love love LOVE this sweater. Pattern from White Lies

This is an April SHOWER????

That dark long haired blurr is my son!

This is from when Marshall worked at Silicon Mechanics.
The long version is here
He complains that he got cut and blurred alot in the shorter version.

Who are you?

Try this Quiz.. I found it interesting.

April

Finished the Heartstrings Smoke ring long ago. Made a fluffy pink scarf after ..which I haven't even worked the ends in yet on.
Right now working on a Feather and Fan comfort shawl. Definately NOT in the colors of the pattern page. Ewww! Going to make it as HUGE as I can manage it. So far, I've used the Potluck and some Baby DK. I can see alot of 4 oz balls of yarn around here that would look good with it.

Spent some time and money organizing my "yarn" room aka the spare bedroom. New drapes (fuschia and moss green silk with embroydery) and a 4 and 3 drawer plastic units that got most of the yarn under control. Oh and a round rug with a blue border and flowers all over. The room looks amazing and way less cluttered.

Marshall started his new job for Volt/Microsoft. He won't or can't tell me anything about it. Just that he's being trained and shadowing another guy. Sounds a bit boring but I hope he's paying attention for when the place melts down. Kidding.

I'm finished killing Vampires and the like. Won Oblivion and moved on to Fable which I've almost won. Started playing Final Fantasy XI again but not nearly as much.

Its kinda SPRING
if you count an inch of snow as spring?? Snowed everyday for a week and melted during the day or never stuck to the streets. Weather is the wierdest I've seen in 20 years when I lost sight of all the easter eggs I'd put out for the kids under 6 inches of snow on Easter.

Otherwise, just hanging with my knitting friends...yea girls..and Roger.

One of Those

This was an email but decided to post it also:
A) FOUR PLACES I GO OVER AND OVER:
Village Yarn & Tea, Thriftway, Costplus Imports, Todo Mexico

B) FOUR PEOPLE WHO E-MAIL ME: (Regularly):
Lili, Sascha, Pyramid Collection, Patty

C) Four of my favorite foods:
Prawns (or shrimp), Bacon, Tea, Salad

D) Four places I would rather be right now:
Ireland, Hanging out with my kids, Hawaii (Big Island), Fiber Fest

E) Four people I think will respond:
Ginger, Lili, Sascha, Jyll

F) Four movies I would watch over and over
Willow, Anything Mel Gibson, The Quiet man, Anything Jackie Chan

Microsoft-update

HE GOT the JOB!!

Busy busy

After being sick for a week. Yes, me too! I got busy and finished spinning potluck and grasshopper. Grasshopper is hanging to dry as I write this. Both are very different then I thought they would be. But, Very pretty. Easy to spin. Only 4 oz each. I'm now trying to think what to make with such small amounts. More Mittens? Another Cowl? Who knows.

I now have enough Kidsilk Night, in an off white, to make one of the sweaters from the Rowan mag/book. I also, bought 2 balls of pink Rowan Romance yarn to make a scarf..not sure why.

I finished the cowl of purple and green. Its a bit tighter then the others I've made but I like it. It weighs.......nothing!! For weighing nothing its really warm. Wore it to VYT on Thursday because it was raining and windy. I was toasty warm (especially my ears).

On the kid news.. Marshall has had one phone interview with Microsoft and is scheduled for a face to face on Monday. Trying not to get my hopes up. Who knew that some of the worse worry about your kids was after they were grown!

Jyll got straight A's at ITT. She starts actually drafting and using CADD next. I'm at a loss really. She says she doesn't draw. Never taken drafting. We shall see how this goes. She is Artistic so that may be enough. She also did well in Geometry which is a big plus. Fingers crossed.

Knitting and Spinning

Yup, I'm doing both. About half way threw spinning Emma's Dragonfibers Potluck 26 and Grasshopper.

Still working on the cowl I mentioned last time in the purple and green. Its light as a feather. Making a sweater out of this yarn would be heaven!
Got a New Rowan Magazine. I'm in LOVE with ALOT of these sweaters!! I really want to make the one on the cover. There is a kidsilk haze one that looks promising also. I have the yarn..just need another ball and I'm good.

Marshall quit Wowrack..ya know.. I don't think they even noticed. He sent them an email saying "Bye, see ya"really, he said more then that.. and has had no come back. Hope they pay him for his 2 weeks. It just was to stressful for him. He was sick every morning. Was really thinking he had the flu. When he quit..it went away. He's still waiting to hear if they want him back at Pogo. He's not just sitting tho. Lots of little Beta testing short time jobs out there. He's pretty much given up on Unemployment..they keep screwing him over.

My hubby has the flu....he's never sick!! I kept checking his heart but no..its just the flu. Its been going around at work. At least its just the achy coughing kind.. not the hurling kind..hee hee.

I'm still playing Oblivion....but I'm easing back in to Final Fantasy. I missed my friends. Several moved on to Lord of the Rings online game. Which I downloaded but absolutely hated. Its kinda pretty in an old fashion game way. Not realistic at all. With random ambient noises in the background that make you jump and think your being attacked! Bells, hammering and kittens mewing as your running across frozen ground..what the hell have they to do with anything? Anyway... I deleted it.

Trysten turned 6.. Happy Birthday Goofball Boy! The Whole, Wyatt & Jyll family came down last Sunday for Cupcakes and Autobots etc. Its Jylls and Jami's Birthday next. I gave her the pattern for "Here there be dragons" Shawl. Hope she can figure it out. I'd really like one but don't have the time to make one. Happy Birthday Ladies.
Well, if you read this whole bla bla bla.. I love you.. I really do! See you at knitting soon.