Memory

September 11, 2001 was a day much like today in Philadelphia - sunny, a nice breeze, a day that promised that fall weather would be coming soon, but summer had not yet said goodbye. 

And even though I know what happened, and saw it with my own eyes, and still feel it pierce my heart every single year, it still somehow seems like it couldn't have possibly really happened. 

God bless the families and the souls of those who did nothing more than just go about their lives on a nice day in September.

We'll See What Happens Next Spring

Remember my story about Paulie Walnuts, Jr. and the gang coming to demolish our collapsed planter in front of our house? Well, they showed up a short while back and got the job done in only a few hours, and they did it very well! But I swear that it was like living in a local version of "The Sopranos" because the work crew could have all been related to some of those characters!

Guess what though? Even if they were, I don't care because they did a great job!  I think I'd posted a photo of the collapsed planter, but anyway here is what it looked like: 

Now granted, after it collapsed, I made no effort to pull the weeds there, etc., since I knew that before long it was all going to come out. But if you look on the far left of that photo, the first two areas of the planter actually had plants in them - asters, that were getting ready to return. I'd planted them about three years or more ago, and they loved it there! When they were in full force, they looked wonderful.

So before the workers came, I pulled up as many as I could with the roots attached, so that hopefully I could save at least a few. I planted them in one of the empty huge plant pots in the garden, hoping that if any survived, I could re-plant them next spring. So far, they seem to be doing OK so I have my fingers crossed.

Anyway, this is how it all looked after the work was done - we are really pleased with it!

It's also good because we know that sooner rather than later, we'll need to get the bricks pointed, so this way, nothing will be blocking anything else.

Our plan is that next spring, we'll get some planters/large pots/whatever, and put some flowers and plants in there, so we still have something nice in front of the house, and also so our new tree doesn't get too lonely. A lot of houses in our neighborhood have that kind of set up and it looks really good. Of course, I'm so picky, The Tim told me to start looking at things now, so that I might find something I like by next spring ... he's not wrong! 😊

So we're moving along slowly but surely with getting everything fixed up, repaired, replaced, etc. This wasn't really something we had planned to do or have to do, but at least it wasn't another major project.

We have even found a new guy and his crew to replace the kitchen and the bathroom floors - I *really* hope the second time works! This person seemed much more together than Floor Guy #1, and I had created a document with specific requests and questions, and he addressed all of them in great detail. Of course, it's costing a lot more, since the kitchen floor put in partially and poorly by the first guy has to be redone, but if we end up with what we wanted, it's all worthwhile. They are supposed to start a week from tomorrow, and he said that there will be three of them and they will likely need most of the rest of that week. I'm feeling good about this and hope that Floor Guy #1 was just a fluke for us. And yes, it's a pain in the neck to have workers in the house for a week, but if after that week the floors are really and truly finished and we are happy with them, a week is no big deal.

******

The weather has been so lovely here, and yesterday was the first No-Car-Sunday of this month in Center City Philadelphia. For yesterday and the rest of September, the city is closing off a group of streets in Center City to cars on Sundays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. There are all kinds of special events, offers from stores and restaurants, etc., but mostly there are just no cars and no traffic so you can walk around and just enjoy it! We went out, in the afternoon for a nice stroll, and there were a lot of people out and about, but it wasn't crowded anywhere, so it was just a nice way to spend time and people watch. 

That's about it from here. This should be a relatively quiet week for me, since the only specific thing going on is my volunteer shift tomorrow morning. So I've made a list of some other things I'd like to do, and have told myself that even if I just manage a couple of them, that's OK.

Right now, it's time to spend time paying some bills. Not my most favorite thing, but necessary and if I do it now, it's over with for a while. So I'll check in again soon, take care.

Tuesday FO : Kakigori Summer Shirt

Hello and Happy September, and for those in the U.S. I hope you are enjoying the last day of the Labor Day weekend. The Tim had to work today, so it was just kind of a regular weekend for us, which is fine, because our Labor Day is generally low-key even when both of us are home.

I was finally able to get a somewhat decent photo of an FO that I finished a while back, so this is an overdue post. But here you go. 

You may remember that I started around the end of May, and showed you how the yoke was coming along:

Project: Kakigori Summer Shirt

Pattern: Anker's Summer Shirt, by PetiteKnit (Ravelry link)

Yarn: Noro Kakigori, Color 23

Needles: U.S. size 6/4 mm

Modifications: I made it a bit shorter than the pattern called for in my size.

Notes: This is the second time I knit this pattern, and though I am still not in love with knitting 1 x 1 rib, this time around the whole thing was easier. I knew what to expect, and I was able to get a rhythm going doing the ribbed yoke, which made a HUGE difference. 

The previous one that I knit is something that I wear fairly often, and is really comfortable, so I knew that down the road I'd want another one. At the end of last summer, there were two colors of Kakigori in the sale bin at Loop, and when there were two of each left, my co-worker at the time, Kate, convinced me that we should buy them ourselves. She bought a pink shade, and I bought this greeny-blue that I love. I had this pattern in mind, but knew that since I wasn't going to do anything with it right away, I could consider other things.

But by the time I was ready to knit with it, I either didn't have enough for anything else, or didn't like the other choices. So I thought, why not just go with my original plan? And I'm glad that I did, because I love the result! 

This past Saturday, we went to see the Mary Cassatt exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and it was finally not a bazillion degrees, so I wore the finished top, and because I have no one else to do it, asked The Tim to take my photo in it when we were leaving and on the way back to the car. Now, even if you have never visited the museum, you can probably guess that there are lovely grounds around it. I foolishly had visions of a nice photo with an especially nice background. You probably know what's coming ... 

The Tim said, "Let's take your photo now, and I turned around to say could I at least stand somewhere where I wouldn't be squinting into the sun, and he started taking the photos. As usual, he thinks that a photo where I can't properly see is a good idea, because "you want to sunlight to show the item well." Which yes, is true, but I'd also like to look somewhat normal ... Oh well. To his credit, they did all show off the FO to an advantage, so why am I complaining? 

And I'm not doing anything else weird, so I'll take it!

I really like this pattern, and once you figure out what size you need to knit, it's pretty straightforward - though I have to say that knitting a PetiteKnit pattern is not something that you should do if "size" is something that trips you up. Because both times I've knit this, I've made the size that fits the measurements in the pattern, but not a size I would normally buy from a store. So just know you might be in for a surprise! 😊

I really love the finished top. It's comfy, and once it was blocked and soaked, the yarn softened up so much, it feels really nice against the skin.

Which brings me to the yarn. Noro yarn, to be exact. After using it a grand total of three times in my knitting life, I have to say that each time, it is so aggravating to knit with that I almost give up before finishing the item. I love the colors they have, but man is it unpleasant on your hands while you are knitting! But if you can get past that, go for it, because once it's soaked and blocked, it's wonderful.

I started with two balls of Kakigori, which are 200 grams each. This is what I have left.

It's roughly 122 grams remaining (please don't ask me to do math to figure this all out because it won't end well for any of us). Anyway, if anyone would like to have this to use for their own knitting, please let me know. I'm more than happy to send it to you. I'm finished with Noro yarns for now (probably even forever?) and would like to pass it along to someone who could give it a good home. So feel free to claim it in the comments!

So there you go, an FO and an offer that maybe one of you won't be able to refuse, who knows? In any case, have a good day and if you do want the yarn, please be sure to include your e-mail address in the comments if you have never heard from me before, so I can contact you.

Cats, Fall Decorations, and Workers

Well, I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy my post about my volunteer job - I'm enjoying it, and that is really the most important thing.  Yesterday there was only one kitty, a 4-month-old calico, called Gabby.

Unfortunately, Gabby had a pretty bad kitty cold, so in the afternoon she returned to the main clinic to get some medicine and TLC. She was so cuddly and sweet while I was with her. She *loved* all the stupid songs I made up to sing to her. ❤

Over this past weekend, when the weather was still lovely, I was folding some laundry and saw something I had never witnessed before:

Will you look at that! Miss Esme enjoying sitting in the sunshine in the guest bedroom window! Maybe she does it a lot when I don't see her, but this was the first time I'd ever seen it happen. Of course, the Koodle chased her out of the window and downstairs within about 10 minutes, because he is a brat. But she seemed to enjoy it while it lasted ... 

Even though she is still pretty much scared of everything and everyone, she has made a LOT of progress compared to the kitty who came home with us originally. I'm hoping the progress will continue as she sees that we have not yet beat up or killed any of the other cats who live here (and trust me, the Koodle challenges us 24/7 on that front).

For specific reasons that currently escape me, last week I decided that we needed some nice and new fall and Halloween decorations. So I was poking around and found some at Target online, and even better they were on sale. So I ordered two Halloween decorations and a fall wreath. Since Target is good about returning things, I figured if they didn't live up to their online appearance, I would return them.

When I opened the box, I was happily surprised! All three things were exactly what I was hoping they would be, especially the fall wreath - as a matter of fact, it might even be nicer than I was expecting! Here it is still in the box, since it's not time to display it yet. But isn't it pretty?

The Halloween things are tucked away, but I'll try to remember to show them to you when I get them out to decorate.

As I am writing this, there is a work crew in front of our house, demolishing the brick planter that partially collapsed about a month ago. Two different people gave me estimates, and both agreed that rather than fix it, it would make more sense to remove it and cement over where it had been. Apparently when it was first added, it was not connected to the house - so it would only fall apart again down the road. I liked it well enough, but it had started looking sad over the past couple of years, and then the collapse was just the end. We're just planning to buy some nice planters to fill with flowers, etc. next spring. Quite a few people around here do that, and it looks really lovely, and still gives some outside the house pretties to see.

The guy who is heading the crew doing the work looks like he would be the son of "The Sopranos" character called Paulie Walnuts. 

So I've been calling him Paulie Walnuts, Jr. (obviously not to his face, his actual name is Joe). He's really nice, but he embodies the whole Italian-American stereotype, and it cracks me up. Also, from the get-go he called me "Bridge," and it amuses me so much when people I either don't know at all, or barely know, call me that. No one in my family or among my close friends has ever called me that, but so many random people go there automatically! 😂

But you know what? God bless them for doing the work on a day like today, when the temperatures are supposed to be 97 degrees Fahrenheit with the ever-popular "feels like" temperature being 107 degrees. I would already be passed out, so I am thankful for anyone who does outside physical hard work when it feels like you've entered the gates of hell when you step outside.

And that's it for today. I'm off to work on a few projects inside, so I can get them finished and check them off the to-do list. I hope your day is a good one!

Tuesdays Are For ...

Kitties!

I have started volunteering for PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society) at one of their locations in a Petsmart not too far from my house. I have the Tuesday morning shift, and this will be my 3rd week there. 

This is a location that is somewhat small, and they only adopt out cats. But that's fine with me, since as you know I am able to tolerate cats. 😏 I am only able to do this because PAWS is a no-kill rescue, so I don't have to worry about learning that a kitty I saw one week had to be euthanized for space when I get there next time. I am not emotionally strong enough for that.

But so far it's been fun. The first week, there was a bonded pair of older cats who were sisters and they were so sweet! They loved cuddles and playing. Fortunately, they were adopted together the week in between my shifts. 

The pictures above are the group from last week. The top and bottom kittens are littermates, and the one in the middle is a singleton. The littermates were adopted in my last shift, and the other kitten the day after. 

Basically, I go in and feed them, clean up their litter boxes and cages, and cuddle and play with them. I forgot how ridiculously messy kittens are! Honestly, it always looks like a bomb went off in their cages. So yeah, it can be messy, and smelly, and sometimes even gross, but being able to spend time with them is just the best. 

Whether or not they are kittens, most of them like some cuddles or pets. And of course kittens are just all over the place, so they are good for a laugh! Needless to say, when I come home, even though I wash up and put whatever clothes I was wearing into the laundry, my own cats have to do some very thorough sniffing. I can see them wondering why I smell that way. But then they know I'll give them a treat or something, so all is forgiven.

So even though I don't have paid employment, I am getting out of the house besides my morning walks at least once a week. They have never failed to make me smile, and I like knowing that they are being adopted and making people happy.

The Tim enjoys my stories each week, though he told me at the beginning that I "should not bring my work home with me." 😂😂

But it's SOOOOOO tempting!

And Now We Start Over

 

Well. Welcome to the sh**show. Since we last "talked," things have gone downhill fast. Long story short (and it is a VERY long story!), Floor Guy turned out to be a) unreliable, b) unskilled, and c) a disaster. The last time he showed up, he said hi to Alfie, and Alfie growled at him and ran upstairs! As The Tim says, when Alfie turns on you, you're done.

So we are not only back to square one as far as finding another person for the floors project, the kitchen floor will have to be completely re-done. Which means something that we originally thought was not going to cost a huge chunk of money probably will. Sigh. But live and learn. And as The Tim says, this is the first time we've been left in the lurch, and we know a lot of people who have faced nothing but the lurch with their home projects. So we're moving on and hoping for the best. I already have another person coming on Monday to give us estimates, and another one on Wednesday. Please keep your fingers crossed we have success this time around. 

Needless to say, I've been in a tizzy lately, with anxiety ramping up, and I haven't really done much knitting at all. I've done a lot of reading, so all is not completely lost. And after much emotional eventage (not a word, but I'm using it), The Tim has convinced me that this is a part of life, and none of it means that our lives are ruined, or even that our house is ruined. So I'm talked down off the ledge and ready to see what's next.

*****

In other news, the plants that I have had in large pots in our garden since last year have done really well this year, even with the terrible heat. But since I have been conscientious about watering them, they have thrived. It makes me so happy, especially since in order to water them, I have go put on long pants, long sleeves, socks and shoes to go out into the garden, since there are so many mosquitoes I would otherwise seriously be covered in bites. It's been a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts though, since dressing in such hot clothes to water the plants has helped them thrive, so I dress in hot clothes to water the plants, etc. I'm looking forward to weather where I would be wearing long pants anyway, and won't have to change just to go into the garden!

I have been watching parts for the Democratic Convention and really enjoying it. I'm sure you can imagine how happy I was to hear the Obamas the other night, and you can also imagine that once again, it made me wish we were friends with them. 😂 After feeling so despondent for so long, I'm actually feeling hopeful that the Evil Orange One may be conquered. 

This past week we have had lovely weather, so my morning walks have been the best! I love coming back home and not being covered in sweat. And having the windows open with a breeze blowing through the house. Oh summer, why can't you be like this? We could be *such* friends!

I've been reading your blogs, but admittedly not been in the frame of mind to comment much. But it has helped me stay sane, so thank you for posting. 

Yesterday was my dad's, my father-in-law's, and our late kitty Tess' birthdays. Today is my sister Mary Ellen and brother-in-law Pat's 54th wedding anniversary. So there are things to celebrate during this time that has been otherwise stressful, and that is always a good thing. Though I realized the other day that the weekend after this one is already Labor Day weekend! That's always a reset for me, so I'm thinking of what I want to include in that, and since I enjoy making lists and then lists of the lists I make, that's pleasing me too. 

This is the first day in a long time that I haven't had a feeling of dread first thing on waking up. Getting rid of Floor Guy was one of the best decisions we have ever made. 

Onward!

Snooper-vision

Well, the guy showed up yesterday to start working on the floors, and Alfie was right there. I left the cats alone, rather than closing them up in a room, because I knew that three out of four of them would hide. I told the guy that if Alfie was becoming a pest, to let me know and I would remove him. The guy assured me that he loves cats, and it wouldn't be a problem.

The whole time he was here, Alfie hung out with him - snooper-vising, I guess, since I didn't see him do any actual physical work. To Dan's (floor guy) credit, he kept up a conversation with Alfie most of the day. Covering a variety of topics. (And proving that we're not the only weirdos who have entire conversations with our cats. 😊) Alfie is not much of a "talker," but he does make sounds that sound either approving or disapproving, and he never takes his eyes off of you if you are talking to him.

After the work day was finished, Alfie sacked out until this morning. Because today is another day of floor work, as is tomorrow. And if you never realized it before, snooper-vising is exhausting work. 

Fortunately, he gives us a discount on his rates.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Resurfacing After Being MIA

Well here we are, almost in the middle of the month, and I'm finally checking back in with all of you. The past couple of weeks have been difficult, but things are looking up, so fingers crossed that it stays that way.

At the end of July/beginning of August, my Reverse SAD finally got me and got me good. It was so hot and so humid for so long that I got to the point where I could barely function. I was tired and miserable all of the time, and my depression and anxiety ramped up like it has not for a while. I was in pretty bad shape to be honest.

I did manage to get myself together enough to enjoy a weekend visit to NYC to see a lot of family, which was really nice and I'm glad we went, but then we came home to the same slop and that caused me to crash big-time. Fortunately, last week, even though it was still humid, it wasn't as hot and the rain did a lot to make the flowers, trees, etc. look and obviously feel better.

This week has felt so good! It's so nice to be able to have the windows open, especially at night, and to take walks without being soaked in sweat after a block and a half. And considering that it's August, it's a nice surprise that it's feeling that way now.

As mentioned above, we were in New York to see a lot of family for a weekend overnight. My sister Nancy and her husband live in Southern California, but they come to NYC usually every summer to visit with a lot of his family who live in the area. This year, their kids and families joined them. My nephew and his wife in Arizona have four kids, and the last time we saw them was 11 years ago. Three of them were able to make the trip, so it was nice to see them as young adults now. My niece and her husband who live in Northern California have two kids that we have never met, so we got to meet them in person, which was nice. Then my other sister and her husband from WV came for the weekend also, and one of their daughters and her family live in Brooklyn, so it was really great to get to see nearly everyone! It was loud and funny and frustrating (none of them are planners, ugh!), and of course, we always enjoy the train ride to and from there. It would have all been perfection if it hadn't been in the high 90s Fahrenheit with the ever-popular "feels like" temperature of 108 degrees. 😡

Only for family would I even consider braving it!

Then, we had found someone who could do our bathroom and kitchen floors - meaning that sooner rather than later, the new refrigerator would be in the kitchen where it should be! There were a couple of blips - the original date they said they'd start had to be pushed back, because the person they dealt with at Home Depot/Lowe's (I forgot which one) ordered the wrong bathroom tiles. 

The guy who was the head of the crew then said they would show up "early afternoon" on this past Saturday to get started on one of the bathrooms, after they finished another job. Which was fine with me. So I was going along in my day, and about 1:15 in the afternoon, The Tim informs me that he called and told the guy not to come, because it was "way past early afternoon." WHAT? I consider early afternoon  to be until around 3 p.m. Then he went on about how he told him it wasn't professional to treat people this way, etc. All I could think of - and I really don't think this very often - was WTF??

This, from the person who weeks ago explained to me (even though I already knew it) that contractors are usually working on several jobs at once, so they seldom devote all of their time at once to your project only. So I don't know what kind of needle ended up in his butt to cause him to do that, but I was really afraid that the guy would say, here's your down payment back, find someone else.

So currently, they are supposed to come tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday to get all three floors replaced. The lead guy texted me yesterday and told me he would text me again today to let me know what time tomorrow to expect them, and where they were starting, so I could have things ready. I hope it all works out this time. Otherwise, The Tim better have something else lined up.

In the meantime, Alfie will be in heaven when they finally arrive. I told a friend that it wouldn't surprise me if he has been watching floor repair videos on YouTube so that they have no excuse to not let him "assist" ... 😄

And now you are all caught up on the high-/lowlights. Cross your fingers that the next time I post, the floors are at least underway!

Watch ... Then Read

 

I hope you can see/hear the video OK - it's me on my phone, attempting to bring something different into my blog posting.

For those of you who can't watch for whatever reason (technology is not my forte I'm afraid), this starts with me in our kitchen, showing a disgusting floor and filthy wall where our old refrigerator used to be. And then I head down the hallway to show you where our new refrigerator is.

Yes, last Friday, we got a new refrigerator. We had our old one for 30+ years, and fortunately, we'd never had to have it serviced or had any problems at all with it. Over the last month, the door started to do that kind of thing where you needed to check to make sure that it actually closed. The Tim (referred to simply as Tim in said video), thought we should be proactive and get a new one, and I had to agree. Why tempt fate, you know?

But you may ask, why is there an empty space in the kitchen, and why is the new fridge in the dining area? Well, The Tim decided this was a great idea, because that way when we replaced the kitchen floor, we wouldn't need to move the refrigerator out and then back in again. I tell ya, the guy is a regular Einstein.

Actually, that's good except ... up until that time, there had been no serious discussion about replacing the kitchen floor! As in nothing said at all about it. But apparently, through osmosis or mindmelding or some other process, I was supposed to be not just aware of it, but trying to find people to do it for us! 

To recap:

1. Old fridge = gone.

2. New fridge = here but in the living/dining room.

3. We are getting a new kitchen floor.

4. I was apparently in the process of finding someone to do this for us.

5. I have just been made aware of #3 and #4 over the past couple of days.

6. I have discovered that I am not in fact telepathic.

7. I am however determined that this will happen BEFORE the holiday season.

8. I am not involving myself in any way, shape, or form in the process of later moving the new refrigerator into the kitchen with the newly-installed floor, whenever that time comes.

9. I have informed The Tim of #8.

10. Should things go south in some way, one of us will pay. It will not be me.

Fun times, amirite?

I Used To Think She Was Wrong, But ...

Then the 2016 election came around. And I have to tell you, I was completely blown away by the absolute vile hatred that so many men had against Hillary Clinton. And I know she is a very polarizing figure for both men and women, but WOW did the idea that she could become President bring them out of the woodwork!

I was reminded of this yesterday, when a co-worker of The Tim called to ask if he had heard the news that Biden had gotten out of the race and endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris. The Tim had the speakerphone on because he was working on something in the kitchen, and I was in the next room so I could hear it. 

And the first thing this guy said was, "I'll vote for Trump now, because I am not voting for that woman!" When asked why, he said, "Well for one thing, she slept her way to the top." 

I have to tell you, at that moment, my head nearly exploded. I have no idea what else he said after that because I was immediately incensed. Because of course, men still continue to firmly believe that if a woman is at all successful, it can't possibly be because she is smart, capable, and determined - nope, it had to be something in relationship to a man. 

This is so disturbing to me, because I am so sick of women being treated and spoken of this way. Take VP Harris' opponent, who I will not name and who I blame for making so much unacceptable behavior and talk "acceptable" now. We all know that he was unfaithful to all of his wives, we know he talks about women in the worst verbiage possible, he has been found guilty of sexual crimes, and yet there he is, brazen as anything. 

But no, she is somehow the problem. 

I like Kamala Harris, but I am also aware that she has some problematic issues. You know, JUST LIKE EVERY PERSON. I have no problem thinking of her becoming President, just as I did not in the previous election cycle. 

My problem is that it's barely been 24 hours, and people - let's face it, primarily men - are talking about her in ways that no one deserves to be talked about. And you know why? Because she's a woman. First and foremost.

I know that it's about as likely as me winning the lottery (spoiler alert - I never buy a ticket, so there you go), but I would absolutely love it if somehow she would choose another woman for her Vice-President, and they would win. Let all of those misogynistic jerks have their heads explode for a change.

Rant over, at least for now. 

I need to take another deep breath and have a cup of tea. There's still a long way to go.

FO Post : She's Here At Last!

Meet Maggie!

You may remember that The Tim gave me this kit for my birthday:

Project: Maggie the Emotional Support Chicken

Pattern: Emotional Support Chicken Kit, from the Knitting Tree LA in the colorway M-EggShell Obama

Yarn: Supplied in kit: 2 skeins worsted weight, small amounts for comb and wattle - brand, content, etc. not indicated

Needles: US size 7/4.5 mm

Notes: This is one of the most fun things I have ever knit! You start with the tail section, which is made in two sections that you join together.

Then you knit the back and work your way to front of the chicken, in one piece. I saw one where I really liked the way it was joined, and watched a video where it was joined by a crochet chain, so I did that (vertical red line below).

This requires paying attention, because you need to count a lot, but not in a complicated way. Once you do a couple of the rows, you can see what you are doing. The pattern uses wrap and turn short rows, which I generally find difficult to do, but you are just wrapping and turning, there's no picking up the wraps and knitting/purling them. So I had much more success with that.

Before you know it, you have a chicken body! Once you have added the beak, the comb, and the wattle, you create a separate gusset piece for the bottom so that she can "stand up" so to speak. That requires seaming, which is something that is my downfall, since I really suck at it. But for something like this, I figured it didn't matter as much, because it was a) for me, and b) not a garment. Once that's all done, you stuff her and stitch her up at the tail (kinda rude, but it has to be completed).

I knit the sections in fits and starts, and in between other things. It's very manageable that way, and not at all intimidating. 

I decided that I didn't do a good enough job to call her "M-EggShell Obama," and decided that she would be Meg. But I like Maggie better than Meg, so she is Maggie the Emotional Support Chicken. 

She seems very pleased to be part of the family. The cats were interested at first, but they they were like, "Meh, it's not a real chicken. Call us when you're offering that." 😊

I love her so much, she just pleases me. Right now, she is hanging out in the craft room, which seems to agree with her. When I was nearly finished knitting her, The Tim said, "You should give her away, she would be a nice gift." Nope. I'm keeping her, at least for now.

It occurred to me that now that a) I know how it works, and b) I have the pattern, I could use any yarn I have to make more if I like. Depending on the weight of yarn you use, you'd get different sized chickens!  

BTW, if you are not interested in the kit, but want to give the pattern a try, you can buy it on its own.

I highly recommend this project. The pattern is clearly written, and it is just so enjoyable to knit. You have a sweet friend for yourself or a loved one when you are finished. And there's an added bonus - it's vegetarian friendly to boot!

Five Favorites For This Friday

 

OK, it was kind of hard to come up with five good things about the past week, mostly because it was so hot every single day all day and night that everyone in our house was miserable. Plus I got sick, which did not help the overall vibe.

But there are always some good things, so I just needed to find them. Here you go.

1. This podcast. I came across Renee's podcast about a year ago, and granted, not every single episode is one that I watch, but in general, I really enjoy it and get a charge out of her. She lives in Kentucky with her husband, and has two adult daughters. She is so crazy about her family and her two sweet dogs, and it's funny because I think she would be fun to hang with - while at the same times suspecting we would not really get along that well in real life. 😂

2. My walks. It's been really hard to get moving this week, but I've forced myself to go out between 5 and 6 a.m. every single day this week, even if it's for a shorter than usual walk. And even though I've seriously had to force myself to do it, or do it out of guilt, once I'm out and walking, and once I get home, I'm so glad I left the house. And for most of this week, it's been the only time I've left the house! Wednesday was the best walk because I got to pet 8 dogs. Eight!

3. Ordering a new refrigerator. Yes, ordering it. Because that's the fun part. Emptying the old one and moving stuff to the new one is another story, as is paying for said refrigerator. But the ordering is full of anticipation. We've been lucky - our current fridge is 30 years old and we have never had a single issue, or had to call for service, etc. But it is falling apart, and we figured rather than continue to tempt fate, we'd take the active step. As when we shopped around for a new front door, we were surprised at the cost of refrigerators - because when you didn't buy one for so long, prices do tend to go up! It will arrive next Friday, so we don't even have to wait that long until it's here.

4. Chocolate chip brioche bread toast. I've had this with my breakfast this week three times. The Tim found the loaf at a Lidl store in New Jersey, and bought it for us to try. It's been a big hit.

5. My current book. 

This is such a good read, and entertaining to boot. My mother spent summers during her childhood in Chicago, where her aunt, uncle, and cousin lived. Her stories from those days were always great, and some of them seemed ridiculously fantastical. This book covers a time period just before her childhood, but a lot of the same places, people, and well, practices, were involved. And having lived in Chicago myself as a child for a few years as well as an adult, I love the stories and the history as well. This is one of those non-fiction books that is so readable and enjoyable, you might forget that it's all based on real things!

So there you go - I did find five good things, and I have to say, finding those were fun. I'm starting to recover from being sick, and it has just (barely) started to rain here, so maybe myself and the plants and flowers will at least get a break for today. Because they have been predicting worse heat and humidity next week (is that even possible? Won't we all just explode?), and it's one of those weeks when I have some kind of appt every single day. So that will be a challenge.

I hope wherever you are, and whatever weather conditions are happening, that you can round up five things for yourself that made you happy. Have a good weekend, however you manage to do that, and I'll check in next week.

My Mom Was Right

 

This was one of her favorite expressions - who knew it was actually in the Oxford English Dictionary??

Stay cool, friends!

Monday FO Post : Smarties Socks

Hello all! I hope you had a good weekend, and were able to avoid any serious weather-related issues wherever you are. I was pretty miserable all weekend, because of the ridiculous temperatures here in Philadelphia. My Reverse SAD really kicked in big-time, and it was a struggle. I've made myself a list of things to do today so that I can stay fairly busy.

Anyway, here is my long overdue post for a pair of finished socks! I don't remember if I had showed this photo here, but this is the only photo that I shared anywhere while these were in progress, and this is the second sock!

Project: Smarties Socks

Pattern: Plain vanilla, with a mistake rib stitch on the leg

Yarn: Farmers Daughters Fiber Sock Squad May 2023

Needles: US size 1/2.25 mm

Notes: You may or may not remember that last year, I knit a pair of socks for The Tim using the mistake rib pattern, and really liked the results. So when I was deciding what to do with this yarn, I decided to use that pattern on a pair for myself. I was originally going to call these The Mistake Mistake Rib Socks, because when I would get distracted, I would to keep ripping back, since I would have failed to keep my place in the pattern. 

Then I showed a picture of the finished pair to my friend Lisa, and she said, "Oh I love them - they look like Smarties!" - and I have to agree with her. (I know that U.S. Smarties and Rest-of-the-World Smarties are different. I'm talking about the U.S. version here, which I love.)

She was right - so they became Smarties Socks. I used the Shadow Wrap Heel, just for something different - when I got to that part, I wasn't in the mood for a heel flap and gusset, so that was my other option. I am really pleased with them.

I'm going to put them away until sock season, and then decide whether to keep them for myself, or send them as a surprise birthday gift to Lisa in October. She is more than knit-worthy, and it would be fun to give them to her. But who knows what I'll decide?

I could probably actually make another pair, or at least a shortie pair with what I have left:

In any case, nothing will happen soon, because I'm really not in the mood to knit nearly the same/the same thing again. So it will all wait until another day.

Now I need or decide what pair of socks and what yarn to use next! Because I always have a pair of socks going, mainly since even if I don't feel like doing anything else, I'm always happy to work on them. ❤

Independence Day 2024

I hope that if you are celebrating today, that you have a fun, happy, and safe Fourth of July. 

I know that for a lot of us, things look grim for the future of our country. And I have to say that if you're not worried, it seems like you must not be paying attention.

But I also believe that today is worth celebrating what we do have, what we still hope to have, and recommit to the concept of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

If you pay attention, and vote in November, I really believe we can start to salvage things. In the meantime, enjoy the holiday today. 😄

For those of you who do not celebrate today's holiday, I hope your Thursday goes well, and that you can enjoy the fact that the weekend is almost here!

June in Photos

After this weekend, June will be over. I'm always kind of surprised when June ends, because I always think of it as ushering in summer - and once June is over, July 4th is not far behind, and I always think of that as when summer starts to wind down. 

We had a pretty good June, so I thought I'd share the photos of the month - some you have seen, some not. Here you go. 😊

The beginnings of the yoke of my Anker Tee. I've progressed to the body at this point.

From top to bottom: Esme, Alfie, Milo the Koodle. A rare trio.

Second sock nearly finished - as of today, both are finished - FO post coming up!

Short summer haircut.

Phillies vs. Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

I got back to my regular walking routine - These flowers just looked so pretty! (I have no idea why this photo will only show up sideways.)

Emotional Support Chicken progress - more has been made, she's almost finished!

Lest it all seem perfect, here is the partially collapsed planter in front of our house. Someone is coming to look at it next week, to give me an idea of what they will have to do and how much it will cost. It will of course be worth having it taken care of, and will make this side of the house look better, but of course, just when it seemed like we were a teensy bit ahead of things, the universe found a way for us to spend even more money on house repairs!😏

June - The Good, The Fun, and The Frustrating!

Enjoy the last weekend of the month, and make sure to take some time to do your own thing. See you in July. 🇱🇷

Whatcha Watchin'?

 In my Friday post, I mentioned that we are enjoying YouTube TV. And we especially enjoyed it this past weekend, when we pretty much stayed inside, avoiding the 90-degree-Fahrenheit/humidity weather. We've been watching a lot of things we liked, so I thought I'd see also what you have been watching.*

So here are some of things we've watched/been watching recently that we really enjoy(ed).

Hacks. We are nearly finished with the third season, which makes me sad because I love this show so much. Ever since the show "Designing Women," I have really liked Jean Smart, and she is brilliant in this show as an older female comedian who wants to remain relevant. So her agent sends Ava, a much younger, very woke comedy writer as the answer. Their relationship is antagonistic, sarcastic, abusive sometimes, and well, funny. The young woman who plays Ava is really good, and for those of you who were early watchers of "Saturday Night Live," she is the daughter of Laraine Newman.

What We Do In The Shadows. Words can barely describe my love for this show, which follows a group of vampires and the familiar of one of them, living in a house in current day Staten Island, New York (or as they often refer to it, "The Isle of Staten"). There's also a movie that was made before the show which is quite funny, but the show is fabulous. Each character is perfect. And one of my favorite things in the show is that one of the secondary characters has a Golden Retriever, which all of them refer to as "The Hellhound." I don't know when/if it's returning for another season, but there are six seasons to go through anyway.

Saving Private Ryan. This is of course an "older" movie, but we decided to re-watch it on the anniversary of D-Day. And in a lot of ways, I got more out of it the second time around. It's a hard movie to watch, but it really makes you appreciate how average people who had up until then lived regular lives ended up being citizen-soldiers in what was a brutal exercise. They had to do things that most of them probably never ever considered they would have to do in the course of their lifetimes. It's also interesting how many people who are more well-known now had roles in the movie.

Son of a Critch. Mark Critch (a well-known Canadian comedian) has written this series that is a version of his childhood. Young Mark is growing up in St. John's, Newfoundland, where his father (played by the grown-up version) works at a local radio station. Mark likes school well enough, but his real dream is to be a comedian. Something that doesn't really sit well with the nuns who teach him, and that a lot of his peers just think is plain weird. It's a funny and sweet show, and especially if you have any familiarity with St. John's, attending Catholic schools, or being a "weirdo" to your classmates, you will especially appreciate Mark. Malcolm McDowell (remember him?) is pretty funny as Mark's grandfather, who lives with the family.

Abbott Elementary. OK, this is on network TV, so there's a good chance that you have at least heard of it. It's about a group of teachers in a Philadelphia public school, and we think it's hilarious. You don't need to be a teacher, or in Philadelphia to appreciate it, but I have to say, it doesn't hurt, either! The Tim was a permanent substitute for two years in one of the city public schools, teaching 5th grade, and he says that of course it's really nothing like what the show is, but it does include the types of characters you deal with, and the frustrations that come up. The characters are all good, and they are all versions of someone you know or have worked with in your life. Fun fact: Sheryl Lee Ralph, who plays Mrs. Howard, is married to a state senator here in Pennsylvania, Vincent Hughes.

Derry Girls. This show just ended its run, but it is worth finding and watching all three seasons. It's the story of a group of high schoolers coming of age in Derry during the 1990s, when The Troubles were still going strong. The characters are great, and you start to feel like you really know/knew these people (well, at least we did!). There's a lot of the typical teenage stuff, but it's so well-done, and the parents are really funny. Two of my favorite adult characters are Sister Michael, the principal of the high school who is just done with all of it, and Erin's Uncle Colm, who always starts one story but goes about 68 different directions before he finishes it. We all know or have an Uncle Colm in our lives, right? Also, Liam Neeson appears in the last season, and it's just absolutely brilliant!

The Great Pottery Throw Down. I know next to nothing about pottery, nor have I ever even attempted to try it. The Tim has some experience with it, but didn't really stick with it. Nonetheless, this is one of our favorite shows. The Tim likes seeing how/what they have to make, and I like it, as he says, "for all the wrong reasons." Basically, it's a reality show, where someone "leaves the pottery" each week, based on how they did completing the assigned projects. Here is where I admit that when something goes wrong for someone, it nearly does me in, laughing. Yes, I feel for them, and it's not like I could even get close to what they do, but it just puts me over the edge. Not just the potters, but the hosts - the one guy's hair just KILLS me, and his sport coats always look like they might burst their buttons. Anyway, I do have to say that it is interesting, because everyone gets the same assignment, but seeing how they decided to bring it to fruition is actually fascinating. Another fun fact: one of the hosts, Siobhan McSweeney, plays Sister Michael in "Derry Girls," mentioned right before this! Apparently this year, "The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down" started being broadcast, but we haven't seen that one yet.

Leave the World Behind. This movie came out last year, and I remembered reading about it, but didn't go out of my way to see it. Then The Tim said let's watch it, so we gave it a shot. And well, wow. It's unsettling and mysterious, and creepy, and makes you a bit uncomfortable in your own skin, especially if you are a white person. It definitely makes you realize how a massive cyberattack could literally turn the world upside down. I'm not a fan of Julia Roberts, but I have to say she was really good in this movie. It's one of those things I kept watching because I just had to see what happened, even if at the end, I wasn't sure ... And let me tell you, the next time I'm sitting on a beach and see a tanker ship in the distance, I'm keeping my eyes on that sucker!

Bodkin. This one just started. It's about a group of three people, two who are working on a popular U.S. true-crime podcast, and one an investigative reporter from London who is assigned to help them after one of her stories causes a whistleblower to commit suicide. They visit a small Irish town, where three people mysteriously disappeared years ago after a Samhain celebration. But things and people turn out to be much more complicated than expected, and it seems like maybe the story they are chasing is connected to something else more sinister. It's mysterious, and funny in parts, and I have a feeling that even if I suspect where it's headed, I could be terribly wrong.

Now, those last two are produced by the Obamas production company. Which we didn't realize until we started watching. But it just begged the question we always ask ourselves once again, which is: Why aren't we friends with the Obamas? They seem cool, and like they would be fun. They both seem to have good senses of humor. But do they ever call us to get together and do something? Nooooo. Oh well, I guess they are busier than we ever are. And they might not feel like hanging out with two older people, who knows? 😂

Anyway, let me know if you have watched any of these and what you thought about them. Also feel free to make recommendations, we always like hearing about shows and movies that others have tried.

Note: If you are one of those people who "don't own a TV" or "never ever watch it," feel free to say so. But please just say that. There's no need to annoy me with extra commentary about the moral superiority of not watching TV. Thanks.

Five Favorites For This Friday

Hello there, I hope if you are in the current heat wave you are surviving. And if you are not, I hope you are enjoying whatever weather you have where you are!

My week has been OK. I had originally thought I'd do a couple of things that once we got into the throes of the heat I realized were pretty unrealistic, but on the plus side, I had only one doctor's appointment this week, so that was nice.

In any case, I decided to do another favorites post, so here are five of my favorite things this past week, in no particular order.

1. Our trip to Baltimore last weekend. You already heard about this, but it was extra nice because we are not taking a vacation trip this summer, so any small trips are extra enjoyable.

2. Workmen who are especially helpful and honest. We have a small brick planter in front of our house that has been there for however long we don't know - it was already there when we moved in. Last month I noticed one morning when I went out to water our tree, that part of it had collapsed onto the sidewalk. Since then, I've been trying to find a masonry person who can come and take a look. Finally I found someone and he came by this past Tuesday.

He said that it wasn't worth repairing, since it was not attached to the house in the first place - whoever had originally "designed" it had just kind of stuck it there, and we were lucky it has lasted as long as it has.  He told me "I could have my crew come and remove it for about $1000, but that would be overkill for you to hire us." He gave me the name and contact information for someone who would do it for less and just as well. He told me that the person was someone he would have no problem coming to work on his house, so to give him a call.   

Now, I realize that this could be someone not great, or some kind of racket or whatever, but I have chosen to think the person who came to look at the planter was being honest and helpful. His company has good reviews and ratings on various sites, so I'm willing to believe him. I will try to give the other guy a call next week and see what happens.

3. My Emotional Support Chicken project. I am having so much fun knitting this, and as of yesterday have a nice chunk finished.

The next time I work on it, I'll be starting the neck of the chicken. This is such an addictive knit, and not hard at all. It does require paying attention, since there is some counting involved, but mostly at the start of each section. Once you get going, you just need to keep track of where you are in the pattern. It's just making me happy whenever I work on it. 😊

4. Walking. As you know, I've been trying to walk more and have been doing well keeping up with it. But this week with the heat, I wasn't sure how I would fare. Fortunately, the mornings have been cool enough that I can get in a 2-3 mile walk before things get to dangerous or unbearable. And that makes me happy, since walking - especially first thing in the morning - is nice. There aren't as many people around, and a lot of those that are, are walking their dogs, so I get the benefit of getting to pet some pups along the way!

5. YouTube TV. We have never had cable, but about a year ago, The Tim said he had read about YouTube TV, and thought it might be worth a try. We signed up for the free trial, and now a year later, are still enjoying it so much. It's a lot less expensive than cable, and has a lot of features that make it worthwhile for us. We love watching certain shows, movies, and things like baseball games, etc. Most of the things we like are available on YouTube TV, so we have found it well worth the cost. 

Though we are not glued to our TV set 24/7, we watch it enough that it's been a good experience. And it will record things for you and store them in the famous "cloud" for you to watch - it stores them for a year, which means that we have time to watch them before they disappear. This is not an ad or promotion for this product. We just realized the other day that we've had it now for a year, and how much we like it.

So there you go. I hope you can find at least five things that have been good in your week. We have tickets for a concert tomorrow by the Philadelphia Boys' Choir, in the afternoon, but nothing else going on. And fortunately, the concert is nearby, so we can walk there without a) being in the heat too long, and b) without having to worry about parking.

Have a good weekend, however you spend your time!

FIrst Day of Summer 2024

 

So much for easing into the incredibly hot weather of summer. 

I just hope that all of those who are climate change deniers are someplace where the air conditioning is broken, or where there wasn't any in the first place ...  😂

Scenes From a Baseball Weekend Trip

We had a truly great time this past weekend, when we travelled to Baltimore to go to the Orioles vs. Phillies baseball game. My Liz (aka LaLiz) and her husband Greg and their son Zach moved into a new house - their first home as owners! - this past December and it was also a chance to see the house, and also meet the two kitties they adopted last year.

We didn't actually get to see Zach, since he was in Ocean City, Maryland, with a bunch of his friends. They all graduated from high school last week, so they were celebrating Beach Week, which is apparently a thing.

But it was great to visit with Liz and Greg. We see them when the family gets together, but seldom get to see them "all to ourselves," so to speak. And they are major sports fans - particularly Greg, who lives and dies for his teams.

Look at their adorable house!

It has a wonderful front porch that is great in the morning, and then in the back there is a deck that gets shade in the afternoon into the evening. Perfect. The whole house is lovely, they are so excited with it and enjoying it so much.

You can see they are Orioles fans as soon as you get to the front door. 😀 We met the kitties, Twisti (a tuxedo - The Tim kept thinking his name was Shifty 🤷), and Chanel, a calico. We finally got them to trust us enough to sniff our hands, but I was never able to get a picture.

Saturday afternoon we made our way to Camden Yards, where the Orioles play. It was the first of the "New/Old-fashioned" baseball stadiums, but it was our first being being there.

Remember Boog Powell?? When I was a kid, I just absolutely LOVED that there was a baseball player whose name was something like BOOG! Greg said that every once in a while he'll show up at the games here, and loves talking to fans and signing autographs. He wasn't there on Saturday, but I got a charge out of seeing his BBQ place.

Our seats were great - we had a good view of everything on the field, and we were in the shade the whole time. Also, more than half of the people in the stands were Phillies fans - much to Greg's dismay! - and so it was really fun during the game. Sadly, the Phils lost, but it was a good game, and  we truly had a blast. Greg was SO excited that the Orioles won, and enjoyed talking trash to us for the rest of the visit. 😂

We spent the rest of the evening sitting on the deck, eating and drinking and just enjoying the visit. We lucked out big time, because the weather was lovely - hot days but cool evenings, and no humidity. We were all relieved, since this coming week is supposed to be so miserable - we'd all been afraid it was going to start over the weekend, and none of us are heat lovers.

Yesterday morning we made our way home early, so they could enjoy the last day of their weekend. We were lucky with no traffic either way, and we got home in plenty of time to watch the Phillies lose to the Orioles again - WHAT?? But on the other hand, Greg got a nice Father's Day gift, right??

We had so much fun. Liz and Greg are hilarious, even when they don't mean to be, and they are marvelous hosts. They were extremely annoyed with Zach that he wasn't coming home early to see us, but seriously, what 18-year old boy wants to come home early from Beach Week to see their great-aunt and great-uncle? We told them to tell Zach that we'd just come and visit him for a LONG weekend once he's in college, since he'd probably like that even more, LOL.

Baseball tickets are not cheap, but with the weekend we had, it was worth every single penny.

Now we're just working on surviving the heat wave ...