IT'S BEEN HOW LONG SINCE MY LAST POST

Boy have a lot to write about swaps received, my garden, yarn obtained and even a new swap entered. I hadn't even answered the last two SP 12 weekly questions which I will in a separate post.

I can't believe it is NOT only September BUT the middle of September already, it is getting dark now early, the weather has really cooled down, the leaves are turning color. AND I have been soooo neglectful writing on my blog.

Here is a photo taken August 31 out in the back of my townhouse. You should see the color of this tree now. Remember that ever growing Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant of mine. It seems to be still growing. Can you believe this photo? It is at least 8' here and this was taken August 27. It is now about 9" and the top branch is leaning over since I have nothing to stake it to. I have had to tie it up in three directions to keep it upright.
AND yes there are tomatoes on it now. Most are still green but each day I am finding more and more red ones. I hop the weather continues to be nice so the rest of them turn from green to red.

Finally my large tomatoes are also turning red. Well one is anyway and it is already Sept 14. What a late season. I have lots of blossoms NOW of all times and there are a few more tomatoes.
I am NOT going to have any beets from the seeds that I planted late but I will have beet greens and Swiss chard. YUMMY. Even though I didn't have my own beets my friend gave me a lot of beets from her garden. I made beet soup, ate some, shared some and froze some from the first batch of beets I was given. Then I got a hugh second batch and made pickled beets. How many beets were in the second batch? Check for yourself. Can you see who also is checking out those HOT just cooked beets?Only 1/2 the jars had to be resealed and then of them I had 1/2 jar left over which I put in the fridge and one jar again didn't reseal. Those have since been eaten. As good as they were the others should be better after they sit awhile. HMMM YUMMY These pickled beets are made from my prize winning recipe . I have been very busy cooking up a storm. I froze a large aluminum container with about 30 cabbage rolls for my open house house warming party Saturday. I also froze three smaller containers containing seven cabbage rolls each for meals later on and froze another 12 cabbage rolls just as they were without any topping.

I felt like I needed comfort food one night and made a hugh meat loaf. I had some for dinner and froze five containers of individual meal portions leaving enough for four sandwiches. AND if that wasn't enough I also made stew and had it for dinner twice and froze all the rest in individual meal portions. I just love having a freezer.

Last week I went to a friend's for dinner and she asked if I would make rice pudding which I did and is now all gone. BOO HOO I am going to make some more for my party and also brownies, chicken drumettes, Mediterranean salad, and maybe a green salad. Yes other are also bringing food to the party and they are bringing their knitting!!!! Between eating and knitting there will be no idle hands.

Knitting Goodness

I received my 2nd weluvknitting package. Funny how it only took two days for her package to get to me and nine days for mine to get to her???? The postal system is really strange. I received some lovely treats.

My partner Allison made this cross stitch bookmark for me.
August 24 was our KNIT OUT. How exciting it was. The weather was nice. the day were fun, there was lots of knitters to talk to and I won a prize. The first time in all the five or so years I have been going to it. I won a lovely project bag with the groups logo on it hand crafted by one of our members. I should scotch guard it.
We had a destashing of our yarns also. I brought a lot of yarns I wanted to get rid of and came home with almost as much as I took. Here are photos of the yarn that found their way into my bag.

Two skeins of this lovely King Cole mohair

Three skeins of a very pale blue Paton's Divine.
Five skeins of pure white Paton's Divine.
Two skeins and a little bit of Sidar Kool Kidz chunky.
Three skeins (one pound) of pink mills ends.
One skein of Bernat Handicrafter cotton yarn in cream.
One skein of Bernat Handicrafter pink and white variegated cotton yarn.

I have my partner in the Big Bag KAL and Swap. I have my yarn chosen but I need to finish the Ruby Tulips bag I am working on first. It is almost done and the needles I am using for that bag I need for the big bag. I am knitting the Ruby Tulips bag in black not gold as in the ravelry photo. That photo is taken right off the magazine. I am just finding some of my Denise needle tips are not holding on the cords. ARRGGHHHHH!!!!! I want to order the handle that is shown on the bag when I have some extra money. It comes from England and is very unique with the clasp on the side and not the top. As for ordering from England there is some lovely lace weight yarn I want to order also to knit a shawl with. The yarn is hand spun silk and fine goat down. That is what how the pattern describes the yarn and it comes from DT Craft & Design in England. You can see the shawl in the July Simply Knitting magazine. It looks so delicate.

I also have started on my MS4 KAL. I am using yarn from my stash. I originally received it in a swap. It just says it is Rubi + Lana. It is 2ply and it is red and the beads are a metallic dusty pink. I am only on row 7 of the first clue as I had to get new beads once I got a new 3.75mm circular needle and a tiny crochet hook to put the beads on the yarn with. I purchased an Addi Lace Turbo. I didn't have time to get Knit Picks needles.

I now have leaned a new way to add beads using a crochet hook and am learning how to read a chart. It is taking me a very long time and I even enlarged the print. I don't think it is very difficult but I don't want to make a mistake and have to swim at the pond with this. With every other row different I can't seem to memorize anything so it is taking me a while.

I am still working on my Clapotis Shawl but it was put aside in August to work on a few other items with time deadlines. AND when I went looking for my needle to cast on the stitches for the mystery shawl so it would be started on a slightly larger needle I could only find one tip of the Denise in the size I was looking for. Where was the other? It was on the Clapotis Shawl cords. In other words I have been knitting the shawl with two different size tips. I will just continue as I have been doing and it will be the same throught almost as if I planned to do it that way.

I finished a second project for the ravelymypics and made it to the podium. I now need to see if I can get the ravelrympic pin. I completed my 3/2 rib socks using the Flat Feet I got my my secret pal in my first package and with the little left over I am planning on knitting socks for my Solara. We will be twins with matching socks.

I was very concerned because of the curly yarn and the stitches that seemed to be uneven after I knit it but after its bath it bloomed very nicely and are very comfortable.

I also finished the Striped Rose bag and brought it over to my friend's friend. She just loved it. I put the flowers on it differently and it doesn't have a flap like the first one.

Oh and for the book Dead Sleep by Greg Iles I took a lot of liberties and knit my cat Solara in the sink. It didn't come out so great and I may try to knit it again but here it is. I did it in only a few days and now I know what I may be able to do to improve it. Please don't laugh, you will hurt Solara's feeling if you do.
I have been keeping myself quite occupied. I am knitting away on the Ruby Tulip Bag which will be felted so I can start on the big bag, knitting socks for Solara, my project for the book read in Aug called Plains Crazy, my Clapotis shawl, and MS4 KAL. Also, I am trying to finish straightening out my place and preparing food for my party on Saturday. I also have to deliver some Avon on Friday. It should arrive on Thursday and I will pack it and get it ready and deliver what I can on Friday so I can get the rest of my groceries for the party. I also have to mail out a birthday gift which unfortunately is going to arrive a little late.

I can't knit anything without my furchild checking it out to see if she wants it.
AND she loves wool and felted items.

AN ENTIRE WEEK'S WORTH OF POSTS

OH MY!! It's been a long time since my last post. Now I have quite a bit to write about. This is a long post with a lot of photos. An entire week's worth of posting in one day.

Yesterday I went to a "Silly Party". My friend Paula invited me to join her at her friend's for a silly party. It was a lovely day and it was held outside in a netted tent. We were to wear silly clothes and bring silly food. I wore two different socks, two different shoes, stripe Capri's and a polka dot shirt. I also wore my new pink scarf that didn't match. I put my very short hair in pig tails, and wore make-up on one side of my face with a nice round rosy circle of blush on one cheek. I won the prize for dressing the silliest. We played with water guns, ball & bat but a very tiny one, blew bubbles, drew with chalk on the bricks, did hula hoops and bobbed for apples.
Here is Karen squirting Paula with a water gun. Here's Paula and Karen playing with a toy you blow in and try to get the ball in the air.
Karen is bobbing for apples with Paula watching.
Paula is bobbing for apples.
Look at them with apples in their mouths.
We talked about all the fun things we did as kids and the different games we played. It didn't seem to matter where we lived we all played the same games.

We had absolutely nothing with any caloric value to eat. We had gummy worms, brownies, cup cakes, popcorn, finger jello, chocolates and I brought some delicious Kitty Litter Cake. When I first heard of it in one of my groups last year I though who would make something like that. Of course, since I don't have or go to Halloween parties I figured I also had no need to make it. When I was told of the party and I was to bring some silly food after thinking what I could bring it came to my mind the AH HA moment I will bring Kitty Litter Cake. It went over quite well. Here is a site with the recipe and a photo of it: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/dessert/cakes/kittylittercake.html. Here is a photo of my cake. It is presented on newspaper with some cookie crumbs on the paper and served with a kitty pooper scooper. It was a big hit. Yesterday was a fun day.

Last Sunday August 19 was our Knitting Get Together's KNIT OUT. It was held at the Forks, a historical site in the city. The weather was perfect, cool with a slight breeze not hot or overly sunny. It went from 10AM to 4PM. Most of the photos are courtesy of Shelagh.

Here is our sign.

Some of the gals at the KNIT OUT.

More gals from the KNIT OUT and in the background you can see the prize table. Nope I didn't win a prize this year either. Many thanks to Ram Wools for their gift certificate of $25.00 and to Mona for her generous donations of goodies from her shop and to Shelagh for her donation.
AND even more knitters (Isabelle, Erica, me, Robin, Nicole). The chair with the umbrella is belongs to Shelagh who took this photo. Later Betty from Morden who Shelagh met at her knitting camp joined us and set between us.
Cory and Erica working on the joint knitting project which will become four way knitting when it gets large enough for four to work on.
A close-up of the the joint knitting which lots of gals at the KNIT OUT worked on.
Tuesday August 21 we gathered again for our monthly meeting at McNally's to knit and gab. We had several new people show up who came to our KNIT OUT and one who said she was a member but really hadn't been coming. I finally was able to get my friend of Pat to stop by. She left quite happy as one of the Erica's was selling some of her Alpaca Cloud and Pat was able to purchase two skeins to make the Knit Picks Candle Flame Shawl. That will mean it will be done by four of our members. It is a lovely shawl. I hope one day to knit it also (making me #5). Another project for my to do list.
Here is a photo of our youngest member (Nicole's daughter).
New members one with her husband to help her learn to speak English.
More new members.
Here is Robin.

Knitting News
I have completed my Circle of Friendship socks. They fit perfectly.
I am working on a scarf which should be finished within the next couple of days. This is for a swap I am in. I am working on my Monkey Socks for the monkey swap. I hope my partner will like them. I am really enjoying knitting them. This lace sock pattern is very simple and easy to do. So those of you sock lovers who haven't knit them yet you can find them here http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html. They are a Cookie A pattern.
I have received my Knit One Tea Two and my Fall Felted Bag partners. Now to decide what to make for my Fall Felted Bag partner. HMMMMM
I am slowly putting more books on the side of my blog in my wish list. Check frequently for more I am interested in obtaining to add to my library.
As I am writing this the post truck drove by. I happen to go and look out the window to see it go by without stopping. I am expecting a package from Knit Picks. Where oh where is it? Next week I will have four packages to mail to swap partners. I am always on the look out for goodies that would be good for swaps. I keep a stash of such stuff on hand.
Oh my the mail truck came back. Did he go around the block and realise he forgot to stop at my place. Look what he brought me. Two more books from the sale Knit Picks had and some lovely Peppermint Alpaca Cloud for another shawl for my to do list.
I am looking forward to starting on my Jelly Bean socks and my bag for my Fall Felted Bag partner. I love starting new projects. I love starting new projects way to much and have to control myself or nothing would get completed.

I have some news about my missing parrot. He was been seen in the company of another parrot. He was found by my friend Janice who sent me this photo of him with his new friend. I doubt he will want to come home now. Guess he feels better with another parrot for company than a cat.

Knitting Goodness
I received my animal cloth this week from Charlotte in the addictedtoknit dishcloth group I am in. She included a magnetic Americana notepad and pen.
I received my Whoduknit Tag Sale Swap package Friday. It was a secret swap and I now know it was from Jane. I will email her and the group later this evening.She sent me a lovely box of goodies which included:
- A lovely large tote bag (it says Readers Digest on it) and I used it yesterday to carry my Kitty Litter Cake in (which I first put in another bag so this one didn't get dirty). In this bag the cake pan could sit properly
- Family Circle Fall 2003 Magazine
- Knitting Stitches and Patterns book from 1972
- A novel called The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult which sounds like a good read
- A Red Heart leaflet called Crocheted Treasured Afghans
- A set of Wooden Round Handles
- 2 skeins of Lion's Brand Magic Stripes sock yarn
- A skein of Lion's Brand Trellis (ladder yarn) in blue
- 2 Skeins of a Boa type yarn in blue by Jackie Knitting Yarns
- A skein of 100gm WW Peruvian yarn she dyed herself in variegated colors of light blues, pinks with white
- A mini cross stitch kit
In the box she also included my blogiversary gift which was a lovely set of note cards she made herself and a book magnet from the whoduknit group.
Kitty News
My Solara loves when I rub my wet feet on her fur when I get out of the shower. After that I usually scoop her up in my big bath towel wrapping her in the "wet" towel and cuddling her in it. She purrs, kneads with her paws. Her eyes are all glazed over. I always wonder what she is thinking at this time.
I am going to see if I can figure out how to put a video on my blog. I have a really cute/funny one of Solara I want to share.

There is more I have to put on my blog after reading my emails. Some requests of my secret partners and a SP11 contest but I will do that later or tomorrow. I am now going to get ready to deliver Avon brochures and email customers for deliveries which have to be completed by Tuesday and money in the Avon account by Wednesday. This is one of those one week short campaign turn arounds that are even shorter due to the Labor Day holiday. Then they shut down the email service to improve it this past Friday the day after Avon arrived (at 9PM in the evening). With less than a week to do the brochure drops and deliveries in they chose Aug 24 to improve the email service. Maybe occasionally I have plans for the weekend? Why do they always pick on my district to short time us. It never fails. I have noticed that not this campaign but the next will be another week turn around. Then I want to look at my two new books, wrap & package my swaps for mailing, send some emails myself and KNIT KNIT KNIT!!!

Raveley Update
You signed up on July 6, 2007
You are #14564 on the list.
4211 people are ahead of you in line.
14133 people are behind you in line.
35% of the list has been invited so far

KNITTING GOODNESS

Yes today I am starting off with:
Knitting Goodness
I received my Sockamaniac Hometown Sock Swap package on Wednesday and what a lovely package it was. Just check out my package and look at all the goodies I received. There is a Lion's Brand book called Just Wraps, two skeins of Rowan 4 ply Soft 100% merino yarn in a lovely blue color which will make a great pair of socks. This is a yarn I haven't seen at the LYSs in my city. There was also a skein of Grace in red (100% cotton), a most wonderful sock pattern, a sand dollar, body cream, two bags of Jelly Bellys, a container of Coconut Dates (and I love both dates and coconut), 10 tea bags, five post cards, a fridge magnet and there was more. The package was from California.

Then in the evening I went to Chapters and purchased a couple of British knitting magazines. I got Knit Today and Simply Knitting which came with a free tape measure with a picture of a sheep on it. A knitter just cannot have too many tape measures

Of course, with the good comes the bad. I had a headache start Wednesday evening and it turned into a migraine which I still have. This one is complete with the nausea. That is why there hasn't been an entry on my blog for a while.

Knitting News
I have lots of knitting news. I received my monkey sock swap partner so I can start on my socks. I even have the neatest sock monkey pattern to knit. I am not sure if I will be able to get it done but I will try. If I don't finish it on time I guess it will be mine. I also got my secret pal 11 partner. I have made contact with both partners and they have made contact with me. I also have my addicted to knit three month swap partner, my dishcloth and knitted food item swap from the love2knitdishcloth group. So everything is a go. Now I am just waiting to find out who my Knit One Tea Too, Fall Felted Bag and Christmas Swap partners are. I should know who they are shortly. I have a lot of knitting to do but I love it. Tomorrow is my Knitting groups KNIT OUT which is held at a local historic site called The Forks. It is from 10A - 4P. There will be knitting, gabbing and some gals will even bring their spinning wheels. The weather forecast calls for a nice day tomorrow; not too hot not too cold and no rain. Of course, that could all change by morning. I will take lots of photos and post some on here on my blog for you to see what fun we had. Maybe I will even win a prize this year as there are raffle draws for all who attend. I have planned what I am taking with me. I don't know how much knitting I will get done with all the gabbing and visiting with everyone to see what they are working on that will be going on but I will go prepared to do lots of knitting.
I was reading on the ITE4 swap blog that all five of us who didn't get a swap package from our partner will be receiving something from an angel. YEAH FOR ANGELS!!!!
I am still working on my Circle of Friendship Socks. I am now up to the foot on both which means I am half done on both socks. Here are the latest photos of my socks. This first one is of my progress to date.
This is a close up of the patter on the leg.

I have finished my tote bag which is a gift I will be sending in one of my many swaps. I think it came out nice. The first photo is the outside of the bag and the second photo shows the inside fabric I used for the lining. I didn't put any pockets in this bag.

I can now show the cloth I sent my partner Karen in the addictedtoknitdishcloth animal cloth exchange. I made her the hobby horse from the smarieknits blog which you can find here: http://smariek.blogspot.com/2007/02/hobby-horse.html. I know she likes patterns from this blog. I know she also likes Avon so I sent some in the package with her cloth. I thought this was going to be a difficult pattern to do but it is very easy.
I never found my missing parrot. I called the transit dept and no parrot was turned in. I checked at the Bay both in the grocery dept and at the lost and found and no parrot was turned it. I also spoke to the one Avon customer I stopped at before I went to visit Luna last Sunday but she hadn't seen my parrot either. I hope he is happy and safe wherever he has gone to.

I am going to end this blog entry with photos of my darling knitting kitty Solara. I hope you enjoy them. In this first photo she is biting me but when I talk to her she stops and just keeps her open mouth on my arm doing nothing.
In this photo she says look at my pretty nose and lip. Don't forget to check out my cat eyes.
AND in this last photo she is saying this is my better side. Aren't I pretty?