Lovely Auntie

Our Lovely Auntie, daughter of the Knitting Grandmother (and needlepointing too), died on Sunday. She had been diagnosed with ALS a bit more than a year ago (I think) and the disease progressed more rapidly than we expected. We are all sad. We named middle after Grandmother and Auntie, so it is sad to have only Middle left now.

Life goes on though, and mostly it's been nice remembering visits with her over time.

We were in Oregon last week on vacation with Darling's family, even though Darling had a business deal come up that prevented him from being with us much of the time. I did get some work done while I was there, but still have many inches to go.

I'm trying to buy a different car as well. The old Mazda is just too tired and sad. While I would love to get one just like it, I think we will end up with a Toyota Sienna and that will be just fine. The current difficulty is that they want me to have a Texas driver's license (not sure if that's a requirement, or a want) but to do that, I need my passport (check!) and my social security card (where'd it go!). So looks like I'll need to get a replacement SS card, then off to the TX DPS. Hopefully the car people will sell me the car anyhow.

I'm off to North Carolina this weekend to say goodbye to Auntie along with Catherine and our parents. Our brother can't make it. I'm not sure if any other cousins will come. There will be another one in Memphis in a couple of weeks.

Darling will stay here to pick up Middle from Choir Camp and have a generally fabulous time.

I think that's about all I know.

3.5 hours on vacation, 11.5 hours total.

Margie

Not To Rub It In...

I've been waiting to use this since perhaps February, and since I didn't win the first time around, now's my chance!

No stitching lately. Lots of boxes. There was some knitting on Monday, but I didn't keep good track, so I'll ignore it for now.

Margie

Le Tour!

Ohh-hough-hough!

The Tour is underway! A perfect stitching opportunity coming up. What a great couple of weeks we have here - World Cup and Tour De France. Fun!

Middle had to see the doctor for a minor problem yesterday, so we called up our pediatrician from before we moved and learned that if you're absent for three years, they kick you out of the practice. They're taking new patients in August, so until then, no old pediatrician. We went to the minor emergency clinic instead. I was expecting a major wait, as we had a really minor problem, just needed a prescription, so I took the knitting. As a lovely surprise, the whole thing only took an hour, start to finish!

So, one hour of knitting, 8 hours total.

Margie

Football and Knitting

Well, I know Catherine said she was fond of crocheting while watching football, so I have found that I am fond of knitting while watching the other kind of football. I worked yesterday while watching Brazil lose (!!) to the Netherlands, and then when the Uraguayan (sp) striker, Suarez, blocked a shot in goal with his hands, earning a red card, but saving the game. Wow! Cheating pays off...

I finished the back of the baby sweater and started in on the sleeves. Somewhere I read a little trick that I used with mittens and found it worked well. You cast on both pieces on the same needle using different balls of yard, and then you work them both at the same time. It increases your odds of having them be the same, and you finish them both at the same time. No finishing one, only to have to repeat the same thing. I find it helps a lot.

We have a non-rainy day today in Houston. I am surprised, and excited! Hurricane Alex has been spreading joy for the last couple of days here. Because of the lack of outside time, we went to see The Last Airbender last night. I should probably comment on that some other time.

7 hours yesterday (ah, to be unemployed on a rainy day with soccer on!), 7 hours total.

Margie

Soooo-wee!

It's a wild and crazy Friday night! I have been knitting and sewing just a bit, and finished the pig. See? Now I have to figure out who is deserving of this pink masterpiece. 

Anyway, I'm determined not to be as pathetic this go-round as the last. So, 40 minutes to kick things off!

Catherine

Hello Houston!

Just one quick post.

I started shaping the baby sweater back at the airport yesterday while waiting for our delayed flight. After Smallest and I watched How To Train Your Dragon on the flight, I worked a bit more and then we landed.

So we're here now. We're staying in Dave's bachelor pad for the long weekend and then we'll get our stuff on Tuesday. Not the beautiful sunny weather I was expecting due to the remnants of the hurricane I expect. Swimming will come later.

The cats are happy to be here, back with their people and in a non-empty house.

Mostly I'm just tired. It was a long couple of days.

2 hours Wednesday, 43 hours total (I think that's right, not checking my tally).

Margie