I got a nice surprise!

My beloved childhood book

      http://easymakesmehappy.blogspot.com/   has a picture of a book exactly like mine.  I think it is in better condition.  I loved mine to death.  I wonder who loved hers? I find it so strange to see something on someones blog that I cherish.  Not long ago I saw the twin of a teapot my late Aunt Edna had bought me on Chimpmunknits blog.  I once spotted my good cherry tablecloth and napkins ????someplace. I find it heartwarming and maybe a tad strange.  The experience always makes me hold my breath for a second.  I wonder if anyone else has had this happen .  Wonder what it was, and somehow did you felt a kinship with the other owner?  I am really not expecting an answer although that would be kind of cool. Maybe someone could blog about their finds.

    Still working on the ripple....well kind of.  We went to see mom and dad and put the new tree up for them.  I washed the windows and put up fresh curtains.  I bought them a new Christmas tablecloth , and a few other little Christmas decorations.  I made the fruit breads and took them over.  It was a very nice  time.  WP. and I listened to Christmas music on the ride over.  I was really feeling it  by the time I unloaded the gifts for under the tree.  They will be here for Christmas Eve and Day, but I put a few gifts under their little tree from Santa.....he came real early this year. We just did not have room for all the packages around here. I ask them to wait till Christmas Eve before they come over or Christmas Day.  I want them to still feel Christmas in their own home.  They are truly my dears and I love them like they were now my children if that makes sense.  Dad and mom love my fruit bread.  Mom told me I had really stepped in it this year and not over it.... hill translation I did a good job. :)

Well just thought I would share about the book .  No one else was excited about it around here ;) my dears be a tiny bit excited about it with me. And I wish for you some wonderful memories homemade memories ...they are the best.  Nice warm hug.

December is just about here.

                                            I did not have permission to use the pic so I messed the faces up.

         Look what I found in my mail box a baby in one of my sweaters. Now without the distortion this baby is soooo pretty she makes my sweater look very special.  This is Rindy's Top down pattern. I would link, but I don't know where the pattern is now.  I had a friend from Raverly point this out to me last month. Wonderful pattern and from a kind lady that made so many sweaters for charity not to mention all those made from her pattern. It is a real loss for beginners in need of lovely sound basic patterns.

      Time to bring Christmas to the side of the hill.  WP. has a big basketball game next Sat. so guess we will have the kids in to work their magic the 10th.  This week I have another Dr. app. its a big one..send me a hug Monday morning.  I accept mental hugs with joy.  Later in the week its off to Nan-Nan's to bring some Christmas joy to their house.  I must make their yearly fruit bread.  I was going to ,skip it this year and Nan said, well I guess I'll have to make them.  Yes, I still respond to my mother's kindly guilting (new word created just for my mom and I). I suspect one never out grows this.

I have 25 more rows to go on the ripple it is a monster.  Nadia does not want it.  She wants one in shades of green now. So I am not sure where it will go.  I have  a very close friend ( 28 years), that is now house bound. Gigi, is 86 ans a second mom to me. She is at the top of the ripple list.  Violets baby blanket is still in the basket. I am such a bad friend.

I made a roast for dinner.  WP. really enjoyed the dinner. Its so nice to sit down with him and eat a meal, and know he does not have to go into town to work.  This retirement thing just doesn't get old.  I wake up every morning with a grateful heart.

Ok...heres an old saying that cropped up this last weekend.  Nadia was whistling and a hen started crowing....yes a hen  as Noah said, Mimi that is just not right, indeed my dear son.   heres why growing up I was not encouraged to whistle in the chicken yard just in case.  Now here it comes..................

" A whistling girl and a crowing hen will always come to some bad end." .  Did I ever tell you I have a quilt almost done with the centers having the printed verses of  family sayings on them.  I made it so that when a person was sick they could read them. They will make you smile now...maybe not 60 years ago it was kind of serious. ;)

This week may each of you have good things in every nook and cranny of your life. Surprises that make you want to twirl , and simple pleasures that make you feel safe... may it all be yours my dears.

Update for this coming Thanksgiving week

    No pictures lazy and feeling crummy.  Nadia and I baked choc chip bread 3 kinds of cookies today.  I should have taken pictures.  I taught her how to assemble tins and trays.  I had bought lots of cute Christmas wax paper, and wrapping doodads.  This was our Thanksgiving run.  We will a put out all stops the first of Dec.  The kids help me with the tree and we bake up a storm. I am almost not up to it,but they look so forward to it. I must be a good soldier and carry on.

  I have added more rows on the ripple.  My dearest friend has a new baby GD they named her Violet.  I made her sister a knitted sweater and crocheted one and hats you name it.  Violet's baby blanket is still on the needles not half done.  That my dears as you know is not like me.  I need my Chickie to threaten me to get a stick with a bug on it....I so miss my grandma...she could always spur or egg me on. I hear her still.

  Things are getting worse for mom. Heartbreaking  . WP. and bought a Christmas tree and new decorations for her. After Thanksgiving we will do what needs to be done in the house, and set the tree up.  I bought several gifts to put under the tree from Santa.  I hope she will enjoy looking at the lights and finds some joy this Christmas.

I think I may put the ripple up and work on potholders next week if I even have a spare moment.

My dears, if you pass this way may you leave with a blessing and unmeasured joy this coming week.  Hugs each one.

My Thanksgiving babies Happy Birthday!!!!!

They were not allowed to sit next to each other at the table

                                                       9 years and 1 week apart and were very close

 I always put this up on Bub's birthday, but this year I waited to be closer to my my daughters. They were not born on Thanksgiving, but I was so thankful for both of them that they are my Thanksgiving babies.  It seems they were always into something. Chasing each other, playing tricks ON EVERYONE.  Ok I miss it. They are both so grown up now, but every once in awhile I see the little pistols they use to be.  I pray their birthday month is so special. Love you both.

Help there is a giant turtle on my deck;)

I did not crochet the bumps in, those are acorns and leaves:)

Herrschners Juvenile Afghans (4 one knitted)

   Heres the story.  I would Not have bought this book .  I purchased it for the turtle pattern. I hate working with ugly colored yarn and this was not a project to cheer one up. I hope it  makes my baby grandson happy.  A year ago when he was 3 he told me he wanted to pretend he was a turtle (not ninja), and he needed a shell.  You see when he was 3 he thought I could make anything ( remember the giant crab pillow). I just drew a blank.  I thought about purchasing a large round lid and taking the handle off if needed and crocheting a cover for it.  I never really found one that worked.  A year passed and he kept asking. He DID NOT want a turtle hat or sweater . He explained I have to crawl under it to really be a pretend turtle.  So he can crawl under this and I hope it does the trick . His Mimi, alas does not know how to.... deep sigh... come up with a proper turtle shell. I have found my creative limitations.

  I have to take dad to a DR. appointment in an hour or so.  When I get home I am going to veg out. I hope. I plan on working on the mindless ripple.  I have new yarn for a chunky baby sweater and I really need to make potholders for Christmas.  Will tell what I am doing for our precious nan-nan later.

 I wanted to update Sunday but......ok I sewed the turtle head on wrong which lead to everything else being in the wrong place. I redid it Monday and I pouted about it for 2 days. I may or may not be over it yet.....no not yet, but just about.

Hugs, my dears and may the rest of your week be filled with moments that you just know you are living the best life ever. Love to my dears.
        

hmmmm maybe

If I made this and

this

I should be able to do this I stress should.

        I bought the book, or should I call it a leaflet from Herrschners called  Juvenile Afghans. The booklet really did not appeal to me, but it had one pattern in it that may solve a problem for me. Details on the problem when the afghan is done and pictures taken...there is a story.  After sitting and looking at the booklet while I make the mystery blanket the other patterns start to look interesting. The one above is in the afghan stitch then cross stitch the design.  It is very simple compared to the others I have done.  Yes there is a but in here, but I was younger with better eyes and motivated .

      Let me tell you a story and about motivation.  The wildlife afghan was a kit back in the 70s. Sport yarn and very detailed tiny graphs.  I wanted this kit badly. My husband was smitten with it. I showed the picture to Ky mom (my husbands mother) this is what she said, " You have no business getting that kit you will never be able to make something like that". Thank you Ky mom. Got the kit for my birthday and worked on it for 3 mos every second of spare time. I played the piano for the church and held countless positions (those no one would do), with two little boys, fixing uniforms and cooking every meal no  extra time for anything. I did it because I was motivated.  Yes, it went with us on the next trip to Ky. It was almost sinful how  I felt when I unfolded it.....not a word not a single word.

     The Holly Hobbie is a kit in the 70s. I had bought it and stored it away.  It was made when I found out there would be another chance for a baby. There had been many miscarriages, and I really never dreamed I would have a girl.  I called this Holly Hobbie my afghan.  It was not to be the babies it was mine.  God just up and blessed me without measure.  The Holly Hobbie was one of many that was Meg's. I can still remember the joy of working on it and a tiny hope of the baby that now is 27.

       I first cross stitched on the afghan stitch on squares.Gloria Vanderbilt had designed flowers for cross stitch. They were lovely.  I have no idea what happened to them. It was a good foundation for what was to come.  Now so many years later I think this little fish blanket is on my bucket list.

      Mom will be here tomorrow.  What fun we will have.  If you are outside some night and think you hear someone singing Christmas songs and old bluegrass gospel, it us.  I am pretty sure there is a cloud that we send up with songs in it ,  I know in my heart that  joy vaporizes at some point and moves up.

Well My dears, love to you and yours, and hope you start your Christmas songs early with Nan and I. Hugs Mimi