Ending and Beginning

Well, that was quite a weekend. As predicted, it was a lot of eating and not very much else. I managed to get a walk in on Saturday morning, but my only exercise yesterday was done while walking Ruthie. Your parents only celebrate their 50th anniversary once, though, so it was all worth it! And it was lovely to spend time with my aunts and uncles as well. The only photo of all the food I took was of my dessert -- a chocolate hazelnut tart -- on Saturday night that I fear does not do it justice because of the poor lighting. I can tell you that as gorgeous as this was, it tasted even better.

I didn't say on Friday that I hoped I'd be able to sleep in, and wouldn't you know it? I slept in both days! Well, technically I was up at the usual time on Saturday because the Mister got up to go to the bathroom at 5-something and then was looking at his phone, but I rolled over and went back to bed until Ruthie told me she was up at around 6:30. She was silent yesterday, which was good because we didn't get home from dinner until after 10 and I got to bed very late for me (for the record, I have reached that age where I like to be in bed, reading, before 10).

Because so much of the weekend was spent with family, there wasn't a lot of knitting time, but I managed to finish up this charity hat on Saturday. It still needs to be blocked, but it's another 450+ yards out of my stash.

Today is (obviously) the last day of August, and apparently summer is going to make a comeback this week with highs around 90. Yuck! I was hoping that by the time we got to this point, we'd be able to say goodbye to that kind of weather; perhaps this is just summer's last hurrah. As we close out August, however, it's also the start of Molly's junior year of high school. She has her first day (well, half-day) today, and she finally got her schedule over the weekend and is relieved that her courses seem to be well spaced out so she won't have a repeat of last year's stress. That's not to say I'm expecting it to be easy -- she's taking English, French 4, precalculus, U.S. history, biology, and AP chemistry as well as glee club (chorus) and clay -- but at least she won't be getting homework from all her classes every other day like last year. I'll be dropping her off and picking her up today, but the plan is for her to register with the high school secretary so she can drive and park in the school lot and free me from having to rush out of the house every day at 3. I also realized that in addition to not having to do that, I can also send her to pick up something at the market for dinner if we forgot it or to run other quick errands for me. There are plenty of times that I'm sad that she's growing up so quickly, but there are definitely some plus sides to having another driver in the house!

Summer Incoming

TGIF! It's been a long week, even though it's been pretty calm having Molly at home with me. Partly it's that we're getting more daylight as we approach the summer solstice, but Ruthie's also been stretching out our walks by plopping down on lawns and refusing to move, which contributes the feeling that the stuff I have to do every day is taking more time.

It has been nice to have Molly around, though she's mainly been holed up in her room (she's decided that she's just relaxing this first week of summer break; I think she's earned it). We did pick up some dinner and take it over to my mother's the other evening when both my father and the Mister were out, so that was fun, and she even helped me make dinner on Wednesday. I expect that she'll be working during the week soon, which I'm hoping will encourage her to get up at a more reasonable hour every day.

After having several days of my absolute favorite weather ever -- sunny, low to mid-70s, low humidity -- the heat and the mugginess are coming back. Yesterday the humidity was still low, but we reached the mid-80s. I am not looking forward to it! At least the house is very comfortable, and there's plenty of cool drinks and shade inside.

I'm wrapping up the week with two projects nearly done: The baby pants are complete save one end to be woven in and an I-cord drawstring to make, and I'm almost done with a simple charity hat (that might be ripped back if I don't like how the decreases and finishing look).

I wouldn't say that I'm feeling bored with my knitting, but I'm also not feeling very excited about anything that might come next right now, so perhaps I'll have to spend some time this weekend digging in the stash to see if anything excites me. Or maybe I'll do a little crochet to change things up. And at some point I'd like to get back to spinning; I haven't spun anything in months!

We're planning another quiet weekend, with no plans other than a family dinner at my parents' on Sunday. I suggested to Molly that we bake something to take for dessert. Maybe we'll take a walk to the local farmers' market? Maybe we'll go out for dinner? Who knows! I like having a weekend without a bunch of  plans so that I can see where the days take me. I know I'll be having snuggle time with Ruthie in the afternoons, and that means time for reading and knitting; if I get those in every day, I'm a happy girl.

I hope you have time for your favorite things this weekend, and I hope if you're getting the heat, too, you can find a cool place and a cold drink at the ready.

Feel Good Friday

I've been in a funk lately. I mean, the news is always horrible, so it's not surprising, but I'm not sure that's the only reason. I also wouldn't say that I'm feeling down or depressed, just kind of ... indifferent to everything. Nothing really excites me, every day feels the same, and it's all kind of a grind, y'know? I'm sure it'll pass eventually, but in the meantime I thought I'd focus on some good things to round out the week -- and I'd love it if you have some good things in your life you can share with me in the comments! So here are three good things this first day of May.

1. Today is my youngest nephew's third birthday.
Appropriately for the son of a labor lawyer, he was born on International Workers' Day. We will be celebrating with a Snoopy-themed party tomorrow. Kids at this age can be pretty fickle, so the last time I saw him, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, and his answer was perfect: He wants CAKE. And cake there shall be (plus other gifts). I can't wait to hear what comes out of his mouth.

This was his reaction to the hibachi when we went out for dinner back in December.

2. I learned earlier this week that I'm a Canadian citizen.
According to a change that Canada made to its laws regarding citizenship by decent at the end of last year, I am eligible to claim Canadian citizen ship through my paternal grandmother (she was born in Toronto and never became a U.S. citizen after moving here). You can be a dual U.S./Canadian citizen, too. Now, this is good for reasons that I'm sure you can guess, but I've also always had an affinity for Canada and loved visiting there when I was growing up. I'm sure it's a process (and not a free one) to get documentation of citizenship and a passport, but I'm going to look into it.

3. Speaking of Canada, I learned they always sing "O Canada" before hockey games in Buffalo, even if the Sabres aren't playing a Canadian team.
Earlier this week, before a playoff game with the Boston Bruins, the anthem singer had to deal with a microphone malfunction that kept dropping the sound. Fortunately, the crowd was there to back her up. I'd encourage you to take a minute to listen to the story I heard on NPR.

Those are my feel good things for this week! We'll be eating cake tomorrow and cheering on the runners in the Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday. Hope you have a great weekend with lots of reasons to feel good!

Time to Rest

I'd planned for a quiet(ish) week, but I did not anticipate getting a migraine on Wednesday, with an aura that hit in the middle of my run. When this happens, it starts with a blurring in the middle of my visual field, much like a spot you see if you look directly at a bright light, and it gradually expands so that I lose all peripheral vision on my right side. It can be pretty scary, and I'm thankful that it's never happened to me while driving; in this case, it was a major inconvenience. I did get safely back home, took a quick shower, and then forced myself to eat some lunch so I'd have something in my stomach to go with my Tylenol. And though I'd prefer never to have a migraine, having one when Molly was home was ideal if I had to have one. She was able to entertain Ruthie while I ate and generally checked in on me all afternoon to see if I needed anything. I wore a hat and sunglasses to take Ruthie for a walk, and then we both curled up for the afternoon. The pain eventually went away and I went to bed before 10, sleeping until almost 6.

Yesterday I was better, though I did had that weird migraine hangover where it feels like my brain is sloshing around in my skull. That meant another quiet day was called for, and Ruthie was kind enough to oblige.

I can tell I'm on the mend if I can knit and read again!

Today I'll be trying to keep things calm again. I don't really know what triggers my migraines -- at one point I thought it was dehydration, so now I make sure to drink plenty during the day -- but in this case I'm choosing to blame looking at page after page of names for commencement. That is nearly done for this go-round, and I hope all I'll spend today reading is my current library book. Tonight we're having a family dinner with my side of the family, so I'll get some snuggles from my niece and nephew (well, my niece for sure). And the only thing I have planned for the weekend is going to get some fasting bloodwork done first thing tomorrow, so there will be even more resting in my future. I'm hoping this leads to a good long time before another migraine!

Molly and I were talking about going to No Kings rally tomorrow, but she is working and I'm not really interested in going alone, so I'll be supporting those of you protesting from home. It is supposed to be cold again tomorrow, so it'll be good opportunity to wear my Melt the ICE Hat while I'm walking Ruthie!  Whatever you have planned for this weekend, get some rest and be kind to yourself.

Birthday Weekending

It was quite a weekend here -- birthday celebrations and a snowstorm! They were predicting snow for Saturday afternoon and night, but I think we ended up with more than anticipated. It's pretty, but it also got very cold, which meant the roads were a mess. Fortunately Molly's party wasn't affected, and we didn't have anywhere far to go on Sunday. Ruthie and I got bundled up to go for our walks!

The deepest snow was most of the way up her legs -- it's a good thing she didn't get the stumpy Jack Russell legs!

The view from the end of our street

It felt appropriate to stay in and bake during a cold, snowy weekend. One of Molly's friends stay over Saturday night, and they collaborated to bake a bûche de Noël to get extra credit in French class:

The swirl might not have been as pretty as the picture, but I was impressed! It tasted good, too (we got to eat the cut-off ends). Once the cake was done, I whipped up a batch of cookies for Molly to take to a potluck this week:

It seems a bit rude that both these baking projects made the house smell great and we don't get to enjoy them, but I'll survive.

Today, of course, is Molly's 16th birthday. Hard to believe it! She was not particularly excited about her birthday falling on a Monday, but it happens to all of us from time to time. It'll be a low-key birthday, not least because she's had three celebrations already. It's going to be a busy week for all of us -- she's got her holiday concert tomorrow evening, then has a math test and a research paper due the next day; the Mister has his work holiday party; I've got a dentist appointment -- but we just have to get through it and early Saturday morning we'll be on our way to vacation!

Five More Days

TGIF! What a long, chaotic week this has been. We've had rain, we've had snow, we've had wind. But it has not been without accomplishments. First, the commencement program is done! We had gremlins in the file that caused text to disappear and a comma to randomly appear where it wasn't wanted, but all the powers that be signed off on it and it was posted online Wednesday. Second, I successfully donated blood for the sixth time in 2025 yesterday. That's the first time I've ever managed to donate the maximum number of times in one calendar year, and it feels really good.

I've also finished most of a gnome:

All that's left is a beard, a nose, two arms, and two feet. Those all seem very likely to get done soon. What's less certain is whether my niece's Cat Stack will get done -- I'm only about halfway through the first cat. I'm hoping that once the gnome is done, I can focus more on the cats and see some real progress.

The title of this post is how many days of work I have remaining this year (I'm taking a few days of vacation to start the break early), and Molly has five and a half days of school remaining. But we have a lot to get through before we're officially on vacation! For starters, this evening we start a multi-day celebration for Molly's birthday. Tonight the three of us are going to to dinner with my in-laws. Tomorrow, Molly is have a small group of friends over for a birthday brunch, and then one is staying to sleep over that evening. On Sunday, we're getting together with my parents and my brother and his family for a joint birthday/Chanukah dinner. And Monday is her actual birthday, so I'll make whatever she wants for dinner.

It looks like it's going to be a snowy weekend here, so it will be good for staying inside and knitting cats. I hope you have something good planned, and feel free to use Molly's birthday as an excuse to have a treat!

Thankful. And Full.

I love Thanksgiving and I'm so grateful that we were able to celebrate with all of our family yesterday, but I have to admit there were times I wished it was just the three of us -- I'm exhausted from celebrating!

But let me back up a bit. We did do our turkey trot, which was quite chilly because the temperature was in the low 30s (F) and there was a strong wind, making it feel like it was in the teens. I don't think I started feeling at all warm until I hit the 2-mile mark. Molly and I did wear our matching hats, though we discovered that they weren't very warm:

I wasn't aiming to be especially fast, just to run the whole thing, but adrenaline always kicks in a bit in a race, so I was a little faster than I am on a normal run. Here are my results:

I got a laugh at my overall placement.

The route was different (and much more hilly) than the last time I ran it two years ago, and in addition to being cold, I was annoyed at all the people I kept having to dodge because they were oblivious to others around them. Maybe next year I'll just go on my own run in the neighborhood!

We got home, warmed up with breakfast and coffee, and then gave Ruthie a much-needed bath. Then there were showers for the humans and green bean casserole and Brussels sprouts prep. Ruthie got to nap for about half an hour before my parents showed up with the food to go in the oven, and then everyone else came around 4. Ruthie got one of her leftover sedatives from her surgery recovery, but she was still nervous enough around all the people that she peed inside (fortunately on one of our inexpensive rubber/nylon rugs that we have near the doors in fall and winter). Other than me and Molly, to some extent, the only person she seemed to be comfortable with was my niece:

I have a feeling these two are going to be special buddies as they grow up together!

Today is going to be a much more quiet day. The only thing on the agenda is that I'm taking Molly to get her ears pierced this afternoon -- something that I think is probably more exciting for me than for her! When I was a kid, I begged to get my ears pierced for years, starting when I was in single digits, so it's been astounding to me that Molly hasn't wanted to until now. We've got lots of leftovers to eat, and I've got some laundry and cleaning to do. And isn't it nice that there's still a weekend ahead of us?

I realized I didn't say it in my last post, so I wanted to make sure I include it in this one: Friends, I am grateful for all of you -- for your friendship, for your encouragement, for your book recommendations and crafting inspiration and sharing of beauty. I love that the internet has enabled so many of us with shared interests to connect, and I only wish there was an easier way for us to gather in person!

October Weekending

Don't weekends always go by too quickly? This one certainly did. I have to work today, but somehow it feels like partly a vacation day because Molly is off from school (in-service day), so I don't have to do the school pickup run, and it isn't a day I have to go into the office, so I'll take it.

Molly had a great time at her dance on Saturday, though she complained about her feet killing her yesterday. She gave me permission to share this photo, which we took when we dropped her off at the park across the street from her school (it's rather picturesque, as you can see, so her group of friends was meeting up there first to take photos).

The photo doesn't really show how pretty her dress was -- it had sequins and purple fabric flowers on it. She and one of her friends got ready beforehand and made their own bouquets.

We also had a nice visit with my aunt and uncle last night, though the scene was quite chaotic with two dogs, two little kids, and two "new" adults. Ruthie was a bit overcome and pooped in the house again (I think she was just overly worked up), so she had to be put on her leash and kept close to me while we ate. Next time, we'll leave her at home. The important thing was that we were able to be together, and my aunt was touched by our cards and presents. And there was cake!

I made a point to focus on my shawl this weekend because I'd really like to get it done, and I'm just about through the last repeat specified in the pattern. It's gotten bigger -- too big, in fact, to fit on my 40 inch circular needle without being bunched up.

I'm going to do at least one more repeat, but the ball of the darker color is dwindling, so I may not be able to do more than that. We'll see!

This week I'm hoping for a typical week without too much undue stress -- and I'm hoping my new reading glasses will arrive this week! Hope your Monday isn't too harsh. Be sure to treat yourself to a little something special if you need it.

Joy Bits

Today I'm taking inspiration from Juliann and sharing some things that have brought me joy this week.

The Weather
After more dry days and a good stretch with highs in the 80s, we finally got rain again on Tuesday. It never rained very hard for long but rather was a gentle on-and-off rain all day that was slow enough to actually absorb into the ground. We actually have a little green grass on our lawn! Sadly at least half of it is dead, so we'll do some reseeding and fertilizing this fall.

The rain also brought with it a cold front, and it was a brisk 41ºF when I took Ruthie out first thing yesterday. We are under a frost warning (or advisory? something) this morning, so I'll be getting out the wool socks and maybe even a sweater later.

New Shoes
I have been wearing Dansko clogs for more than two decades, since I first discovered them when I was in grad school and was spending a lot of the day on my feet when I was student teaching. These days, they're the fastest thing for me to put on when Ruthie needs to go out. It's been years since I bought a pair, so when I happened across a thread on Ravelry about there being a new knit print, I decided to treat myself.

Should you need your own pair, you can find them here.

They were pricey (the cost has gone up $40-50 since I last bought a pair), but I know that they last for years and they're good for my feet and knees.

Weekend Plans
Tonight, we're going out to dinner with my in-laws. Tomorrow is Molly's homecoming dance (she's just going with friends, no date), which means that the Mister and I can have a date night. And on Sunday, my aunt and uncle from Michigan are coming to visit on their way down to Florida for the season, and we're having a big family dinner because Monday is my aunt's 80th birthday. This is the aunt who taught me to knit and likely is responsible for my love of reading because she sent me and my brother a book every week when we were little kids. There will be lots of good food and good company!

Finally, this sweet girl has been challenging this week, but she always brings me joy:

No, mom. I'm not ready to go to bed yet.

Have a great weekend, friends, and be sure to look for joy!

A Fall(ish) Weekend

As per usual, the weekend went by too quickly and it is Monday again. At least I can say that though it was fast, it was a beautiful, warm weekend -- it did not much feel like October! We had sunshine, blue skies, and highs in the low 80s both days.

I was successful at donating blood on Friday, and I'm eligible again at the end of November, so as long as I can find a drive nearby during the three-week stretch between then and when we leave for Florida and my hemoglobin is okay, I will hit the magic six donations for the year. (Worst case, I'll bet I could find a drive in Florida, but it would be good to be done before we're on vacation.)

We did end up going to see the Downton Abbey movie on Friday night, thanks in large part to the Mister volunteering to take Ruthie out for her last walk of the night, and it was delightful. Did we really need a third movie? Probably not, but it was nice to spend two more hours in that world. I also made sure that I was through the gusset decreases on my sock WIP before the movie started so that I could work on the straightaway of the foot in the dark. That good dedicated knitting time, plus Ruthie's naps and the drive to and from the farm on Sunday, enabled me to finish up the first sock and get a good start on the second.

It does help that these are for the adult family member with the smallest feet (my sister-in-law whose feet are only 9 inches long)! Both skeins of yarn I had were in the same point in the stripe sequence, more or less, so naturally I'm making the two socks match.

The farm/pumpkin patch/orchard was fun, mostly to see my nephew and niece enjoying it. We came home with apple cider donuts and apple butter; Molly is past the age of being excited by carving pumpkins, so we passed on those. We did take part in taking goofy family photos, though:

The week ahead is likely to be long. I've got a big, high-profile project on my desk, which means little reading time for me other than before bed. But we're also supposed to have more fall-like temperatures (and even a little rain), so I might get to break out my wool handknits this week!

Three Random Things

It's Friday, thank goodness, and because I don't have much of an update to share in the way of knitting (everything looks pretty much the same as it did on Wednesday), I thought I'd share three random things -- good things! -- to end the week.

1. We got rain!
After getting no measurable precipitation for nearly the first half of August for the first time since the 1800s, we finally got a couple of good soakings on Wednesday. I woke to a thunderstorm in the morning, and there was another as I was going to bed. We're still at quite a deficit, but it was nice to see the flowers perking up a little.

2. I met some new neighbors.
Okay, this might be stretching it a bit, but yesterday as I was walking in to the office, I heard a noise up a driveway, looked to my left, and saw this mama and her babies:

The photo isn't the best because I was trying to take it without scaring them, but the two fawns still had lots of spots and were so cute! It's a good thing Ruthie wasn't with me because I don't know what she'd make of deer; she already gets freaked out by rabbits, squirrels, and birds, to say nothing of dogs she doesn't know.

3. Girl dinner
You may have heard of this trend. "Girl dinner" is apparently the name for having what amounts to snacks for dinner, but in our house, it's what Molly and I eat when the Mister is out of town or at a work dinner and we don't feel like making an organized meal. It's what we did last night, when I made homemade pita bread (using this recipe) and we had some dips to go with it. I make this pita a lot, and while it takes a bit of time, it's always excellent. Here, have a piece!

I will note that if you'd like to try to make it, I find it works just fine with regular all-purpose flour. The dough is also very sticky, so you'll want to have extra flour on hand. And if you can't eat it all at once, it'll keep in the fridge and reheat in the microwave very nicely the next day.

We have what I hope will be another quiet weekend ahead. Molly is working tomorrow and then having a friend sleep over ahead of her last week of summer vacation. I'm looking forward to sneaking in a nap or two with Ruthie, who reminds you to make sure you're getting enough rest, too!

Have a great weekend, friends, and see you back here on Monday!

August Weekending

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you had a good weekend. Ours was hot but good. As they have done for the past couple of years, some of our Chicago cousins stopped by to stay with us overnight on their way home from vacation in North Carolina. It had been more than a year since we last saw them (when we went to Chicago for another cousin's bat mitzvah), so they hadn't before met my niece or Ruthie. It was all a bit chaotic Friday night and Saturday morning, but it was a good time. And my cousin's two daughters are growing up very quickly. The two of them had a sleepover in Molly's room -- the oldest is only 12 but already pretty much as tall as Molly!

We had everyone -- the cousins, my parents, and my brother and his family -- over to our house for breakfast on Saturday morning before the cousins left for the final leg of the trip home. Leo even came over to play with Ruthie!

It's still amazing to me how similar they look -- that same white stripe down the middle and a pink spot by their nose.

I mentioned that it's been hot; after a week where the humidity dropped significantly and temperatures were more bearable, our highs are climbing again this week, but the big thing is that we haven't had measurable rain since July. There were a few sprinkles on Friday morning, but that's done nothing for how dry everything is. I've been trying to water the plants, but the grass is pretty crispy. The tomatoes don't seem to be bothered by the heat, though -- look at what I picked on Friday!

That tiny zucchini was only picked because the plant it was attached to was dying, and I ended up tossing it in the compost anyway because there was a bug burrowing into it. The tomatoes look great, though. I can't get over how the one plant has grown. I've managed to harvest about four cherry tomatoes, but that plant has been dwarfed by the full-size plant. I've got some fresh mozzarella in the fridge for caprese salads for these.

I'm hoping for an uneventful week ahead. I finished up a big work project Friday afternoon, so I'm hoping things will be calm in that arena. Molly has three work shifts this week, and the Mister has a brief work trip, so Ruthie and I will be on our own for much of the week. I hope to have a real knitting update on Wednesday (and for sure I'll have a reading update). In the meantime, please enjoy this short video of Ruthie enjoying her first taste of watermelon!

Our Trip Thus Far

Happy Friday, friends! I have to admit that taking a trip and leaving on a Tuesday has really messed with my sense of time and what day it is. I've been confused for the past two days, so it's a good thing I have Molly around to keep me in check.

We've had a good first part of our trip. The retreat didn't officially start until Wednesday evening, so we came in a day early so we could do a little tourist-ing. Wednesday morning we hailed an Uber to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame, partly because there's some Taylor Swift stuff there, but also because why not?

There's also a special Dolly Parton exhibit right now, featuring a number of her outfits, some shoes, one of her Grammys, and various other memorabilia. There were some fabulous beaded high-heeled boots that I neglected to take a photo of, but I did remember to capture this:

That's her ribbon and medallion from the Kennedy Center Honors -- Dolly clearly is a national treasure!

The retreat kicked off with the opening reception Wednesday evening, at which general information was shared and some door prizes were given away (neither of us won anything). I told Molly that it would probably be the most people knitting at once that she's ever been around, and I don't think I was wrong.

On Thursday morning, after breakfast, the two of us covered ourselves in sunblock and walked a little more than a mile to Centennial Park (partly through the campus of Vanderbilt University) to see the replica of the Parthenon. I had gone to see it my first year at SSK, back in 2017, but Molly wanted to see it, too. We opted not to spend the money to go inside; as cool as it would have been to see the giant sculpture of Athena Parthenos, I thought it better to save the money for yarn.

You may notice some dark spots on my shirt. I'll be honest with you: That's sweat. Even at about 9 in the morning, it was hot and very humid. We had water bottles with us and didn't walk very fast, but we had to shower when we got back.

We didn't have classes on Thursday, so we spent the afternoon in the main building sitting and talking with other attendees. I even did a little spinning, my first since we adopted Ruthie!

We went to dinner with some new acquaintances and then explored the Try-It-On Room a bit -- people bring in sweaters and other garments that you can try before you decide to make them for yourself. A lot of what was available to try was a bit big for me, but I think this Isabel Kraemer sweater might be a possibility:

This afternoon we have our class -- pin loom weaving with Angela Tong -- and this evening is the Tasting Room, where we'll have the opportunity to try out all sorts of tools and fiber equipment. Saturday is market day and then the closing reception in the evening, and then we leave Sunday morning!

I may have already acquired a bit of yarn from the giveaway table (some may still go back if I change my mind), and I'm sure I'll pick up a few pretty things at the market. I promise a full report on what comes home with us on Monday. In the meantime, have a great weekend!

Windy Weekending

Phew, that weekend flew by! And maybe part of the reason is that we had some crazy winds all day on Saturday -- enough that the weather picture on my Apple Watch was literally wind all day! Ruthie was delighted to see so many sticks on the ground yesterday morning; I was just relieved that our power didn't go out.

Ruthie did really well on Saturday night. It was her first time ever at my parents, so she was a little wary when we first arrived, but very quickly she was doing zoomies around the room with my brother's dog, and while she still kept me in her sights, she wasn't cowering next to me but rather explored a bit. My uncle was persistent with his attention (and treats), and by the end of the evening, she was letting him pet her, which is a big deal for her.

She also got some special treats in the form of a few bites of challah (courtesy of my mom) and even a bite of steak (courtesy of my brother). I thought she'd be exhausted after all that excitement, but when we got home, she was either wound up or had some indigestion because it took her a while to settle down for the night.

The baby naming yesterday was lovely. It was a beautiful day and we had a really nice group of family and friends. My niece was all smiles during the brief ceremony and then she passed out in Molly's arms (and shortly thereafter was handed off to me because she's getting heavy!).

Sunday afternoon was spent partly out in the garden, planting the impatiens and coleus from the plant sale, but I had Ruthie out there with me and she was getting impatient, so I didn't do the raised beds with the tomatoes and basil just yet. I hope to take care of those today after my run, before going back in the house to let her out of her crate. This year I'm doing the tomatoes and basil together in the primary raised bed and planting some zucchini seeds in the other one. I think last year the tomatoes kind of took over, so I only got a few small zucchini. I'm hoping planting them separately will yield a better harvest.

This week the schedule is back to normal, more or less, and because Molly has mini courses for the next two weeks, she won't have homework and will be less stressed out after school. I'm hoping that means she'll help me make dinner and maybe walk Ruthie!

Very little knitting got done this weekend, for good reason, so I will wait until my Wednesday post to share an update. Have a good start to your week, friends!

How I Spent My Mother's Day Weekend

The reality of weekends with a puppy, might like weekends with a baby, is that they're not that much different from weekdays, though at least there is no work to be done or, as was the case for me, no dinners to cook. Aside from the 40ºF weather that greeted me first thing on Saturday, it was as perfect a spring weekend as I could hope for -- beautiful blue skies, warm sunshine, low humidity. Of course, that meant that the Mister disappeared on his bike for several hours both days, but it's not like I wasn't going to be stuck at home most of the time anyway!

I did get out for a walk on Saturday morning in order to run a couple of errands. I finally figured out how to log in to our library's online system so that I could put physical books on hold, and there was one ready for me to pick up, so I figured I'd walk there to get it (the main branch is about a mile and a half, maybe a little less from our house). It not only gave me some exercise, but it also gave me some amusement for the weekend -- this is how I spent much of the two weekend afternoons:

I was on a long wait list for Nesting in ebook format from the library and was worried I wouldn't get it in time for the Read With Us discussion, but the catalog showed there were physical copies available, including one at the main branch. The print is pretty large and the hardcover stays open well enough that I've been able to knit while reading, and as a result, I've gotten close to finishing the second sock of this pair and read more than 2/3 of the book! I expect it will end up taking me longer to find a time to return it to the library than it will to read it.

Yesterday we had a delicious brunch at my brother- and sister-in-law's though it was a bit of chaos -- lots of little kids running around! It was a good excuse to do my hair and makeup and feel like a real person for a change. Molly and I took our annual photo and it's crazy to see how quickly she's growing up:

It turns out that the plants/flowers we ordered don't come in until next weekend, so I did not spend my afternoon planting -- which is just as well, because it was rather hot out! Instead, I got to read and knit while Ruthie snoozed, and that's really a perfect afternoon for me.

Here is your requisite photo of the pupper:

This week Molly has finals (can you believe her freshman year is almost over?), so while it's going to be stressful, at least the hours she has to be are curtailed. She has two exams this morning and one each the next three days. Friday is a makeup day, but barring any circumstance that causes her to need it to make up an exam, she'll be spending it at our local amusement park with friends. It's ostensibly a trip related to physics class, but really it's just a fun excuse to go. She's found a few other girls who don't do rollercoasters, so she won't feel left out, and I'm sure she'll get her fill of junk food. Next she has two weeks of mini courses (purely for fun), and then she's done for the year on May 30. And soon she'll start her summer job at a neighborhood juice/smoothie place! I'm looking forward to having her around more and having a helping hand with Ruthie and in the kitchen.

I hope your weekend was restful and that you also got some sunshine and blue skies. See you back here on Wednesday, when I promise I will have at least one book review!

And Now We Recover

It doesn't feel like a Friday, but I know that it is and I am glad that I have three days to recover from yesterday. It turns out that even when you don't do all the cooking, hosting a crowd of more than 20, including half a dozen little kids, for Thanksgiving dinner is utterly exhausting. It was nice to have everyone together, but truthfully I spent a lot of the evening at the fringes of the crowd (the introvert in me fully coming out). I had planned to take a lot of photos and barely managed any, though I did catch a rare moment with my youngest nephew:

We'll have to work on looking at the camera, but it was a big triumph to get him to sit still next to me and smile long enough to take a photo.

Molly and I remembered to take a photo together at the end of the night:

Please appreciate her hair -- I spent a good half hour blowing it out for her.

The food was delicious and plentiful; I had a couple of glasses of Cava; and because the majority of the kids in attendance were under the age of 10, everyone was gone by 7 p.m. By 8, we had the house cleaned up and pretty much back to normal, and we all passed out at more or less the normal time. We slept in this morning, and I'm now nursing my second cup of coffee after a breakfast of pumpkin muffins. We're headed to some family friends' to enjoy leftovers this evening. Today, though, I plan to do some knitting. Here's where things stand on my current gnome:

I finally finished the hat -- which I certainly hope is the most involved part of the pattern -- and started what I suppose is technically the gnome's butt. I'm planning to be pretty much monogamous with this project for the next several days because I have a feeling it will take me longer to finish than any of my other planned gifts.

We have very little planned for the weekend. I'm hoping that the Mister can drive me and Molly to an LYS tomorrow, because my friend Amy is having a pop-up there for Small Business Saturday, but there's nothing else I really want to do other than my usual weekend stuff. I think we all need a calm, quiet weekend to recover from all the work of yesterday and prepare for the holiday rush that's ahead. I hope you have the same!

Scenes from a Weekend

Monday morning hit hard today -- I'm not sure why I still find it hard to all asleep on Sunday nights still, but I guess the so-called Sunday Scaries are a real thing. Coffee is helping, as is the fact that I don't have to go anywhere today (I may be annoyed sometimes with being stuck inside due to my foot, but it occasionally comes in handy as a good excuse).

We had a pretty relaxing weekend, and the highlight was definitely meeting my niece. They came home from the hospital on Saturday, so we took dinner to them that evening knowing how exhausted all of them would be. Of course, it was all a big ruse to be able to snuggle with a baby.

Friends, meet Lily Pearl. She is perfect and adorable. She weighed exactly the same as Molly when they left the hospital -- 6 lbs. 10 oz. -- and it's hard to believe my giant teenager was ever that small. That's a newborn-sized outfit she's wearing, so you can tell how petite she is. I'm sure she'll fill out quickly, as babies do, but we're all treasuring this stage that passes all too quickly.

I spent most of my crafting time this weekend spinning, working on my holiday set from Fibernymph Dye Works. I hope to finish up the second bobbin of singles today -- I am halfway through the second repeat of the colors. It really all depends on work and how busy things get. Once again you get a black and white photo. I don't think anyone who reads this blog has one of these sets, but you never know.

And of course there was work on my sweater. As of last night, I was about a quarter inch short of the length I need before I start the colorwork on the second sleeve, so it's highly likely that will get started tonight.

I think I am going to try DPNs for the colorwork this time. I got so frustrated fighting with a shorter circular needle on the first sleeve that it was making me cranky. I don't love DPNs, but it's worth a try. And I think I can put up with them for 32 rounds! Even if it takes me every evening this week to finish up this second sleeve, the sweater will for sure be done in time for Thanksgiving. And as the weather is supposed to get chilly at the end of the week (highs in the 30s), a new sweater will be very welcome.

Have a good start to you week!

A Day to Recover

Hello, friends. I'm posting a bit later than usual today because I slept in -- which was much needed! We got back yesterday afternoon following a weekend in Chicago with family that was fulfilling but exhausting. We got in midday on Friday, just ahead of a rather dramatic thunderstorm. We didn't have any bat mitzvah-related activity until dinnertime, so the three of us drove into downtown and went to the Art Institute of Chicago for several hours. I really didn't appreciate the size of their collection until we were there, and my art-loving heart was very full at the end! We saw quite a few famous pieces, including a good-sized collection of Monets and a favorite by Pittsburgh native Mary Cassatt (one that I'd actually written about for a paper in college!). I was shocked by the size of "Paris Street; Rainy Day" having only ever seen it in pictures -- it's huge! We didn't fully reenact Ferris Bueller, but we saw some of the same works:

"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat

And there were some hijinks:

"Walking Man II" by Alberto Giacometti

"American Gothic" by Grant Wood

It was not a weekend that allowed much time for knitting, which was just fine. I only took a pair of socks in progress with me and really only worked on them while waiting at the airport and in the car to and from. But I did manage to finish up one sock and start the second, so at least a little progress was made!

These are going to be for my sister-in-law for her birthday, which is not until September, so there's no rush to finish them.

Today is a day for catching up. We have a pile of laundry to do and have to get the house back in order after packing and unpacking. We'll be getting together with family later for dinner and plan to have an early night ahead of the start of the week, Mo's very last week of middle school (sob!). And I will take some time today to think about the reason for the holiday today, those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Home to Roost

Many thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes for my nephew and your wishes for safe travel home for Mo. The class arrived on time Friday evening, and from what we've heard from parents of some of her classmates, it seems that everyone had a great time but also was completely worn out by the trip. Mo spend a good portion of the weekend sleeping and generally relaxing, and I can't say I blame her. It was a rainy weekend and good for just that kind of thing.

We didn't let the rain get in the way of celebrating the birthday, though, and I'm happy to report that the chicken was a hit:

I didn't know that his outfit would coordinate!

Right after I snapped this photo, he immediately tried to put the chicken in his mouth, which my brother said he does with anything he really likes, so I'll take it as a compliment.

I spent the weekend doing a little of this and a little of that. I've started spinning that gorgeous fiber I shared on Friday and thought it best to start with the darkest blue, as it's likely to be the most tedious. It's been good to do while reading on my iPad. And I've given a fair amount of attention to my colorwork cowl:

I'm currently on the third repeat of the pattern, and I think when I get through five, I'll see if it's long enough for my taste. I'd really like to get this finished up so I can both write up the pattern and feel okay about casting on a new project -- specifically, a summer tee. While the weather was more seasonable over the weekend, we had a little taste of summer last week, and it's gotten me thinking about warm-weather knits.

We have a fairly normal week ahead, with Mo's spring choir concert on Thursday evening. I'm hoping for calm and good sleep for all of us. Hope your week is off to a good start!

Ending the Week with Smiles

Does it feel to anyone else like it's been a very long week? It hasn't even been a particularly busy one, but yet the days have seemed to crawl by and I've been expecting it to be Friday the past couple of mornings when I've woken up. We've finally made it, though, and I thought I'd finish up the week by sharing some happy things.

First, Mo has a new pair of socks (which she just might need this weekend, when there is yet again snow -- albeit of the nonsticking variety -- in the forecast):

I didn't do anything special with these -- I didn't even bother trying to get the stripes to match up! They're my usual sock recipe worked over 64 stitches, with a heel flap and gusset and a wedge toe. They are a bit roomy on her for now, which isn't a problem at all, as she only wears her hand-knit socks around the house, but they do give her some space to grow. You can't see the sparkle at all in the photo, unfortunately, but trust me, it's there and it's delightful.

Another happy thing: playing with handspun. I swatched with my Rambouillet, measured my swatch, gave it a good soak, left it to dry, and measured it again. I was very close on gauge before washing and it changed just a tiny bit (I'm spot on for stitch gauge and off by half a row per inch on row gauge). More importantly, I discovered that this yarn is a delight to work with and creates a lovely fabric, so I'm going to have a very nice sweater out of it. And as the socks were done and I needed another mostly mindless project on the needles, I wound up my most recent skein of handspun and started a Hitchhiker.

Can you tell it was gloomy outside when I took this photo?

I have to admit that I was peer-pressured to start knitting with this handspun by several members of the Southern Cross Fibre Ravelry group, but I don't regret it at all. I've knit a bit more since I took this photo, and I'm getting a lovely subtle rainbow that is making me very happy indeed.

The next happy thing is something I totally forgot to share on Monday. Last weekend we had a big dinner with some family friends -- friends we've known since the summer before I started first grade and my brother was a newborn. These are friends we've gone on vacation and celebrated holidays with over the years, and now that there are three generations involved, it's harder and harder to find a time when everyone is free. But amazingly we all were last Saturday night, and it was great to see everyone. Most of all, it was great to see my brother and nephew arrive in the coordinating old man-style sweaters I made them:

Yes, I did stick his hand in his pocket for this photo.

I hope you appreciate that it took three women making absolute fools of themselves to get my nephew's attention for this photo:

The final happy thing? Tomorrow is my birthday! It's not a big birthday (to be honest, I don't really care so much about turning another year older except that I don't love the next number and am sorry that I will no longer be the answer to everything). I also told my family that I didn't really want a big to-do, but I like being with them and would like to have cake. Tonight the three of us are going out to one of our favorite restaurants; tomorrow we're having the Mister's side of the family over (except for my brother-in-law, who will be out of town -- presumably to celebrate his half-birthday because he is exactly 6 months older than i); and on Sunday, we'll have an early dinner at my parents' with my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. I'm hoping to get some of the household chores done today so that I can have Saturday to myself, and I'll plan to cast on for my new sweater then.

I hope you have an enjoyable weekend, whatever you have planned -- be sure to eat a piece of cake in my honor!