Missing in Action

Dear Mom,
I guess I should have put "Write Blog" into that schedule I was so proud of in my last post!

There have been several blog posts swirling about in my head since that last post on January 30th, but I just didn't make time or have the motivation to actually write and post them.

Mostly what happened is I fell down the rabbit hole of sweater design and knit, wrote, test knit, and published a new sweater pattern: Friezestyle. This consumed most of February and March.

I made this one using up some of my handspan yarn.

The idea for Friezestyle was born after knitting class one afternoon, when one of my loyal students picked up a shop sample for this scarf and declared "wouldn't this be a pretty sweater!"....

 My guardian angel must have been driving because I think my brain was knitting a sweater all the way home.

In between and around all that knitting, the Young Lady came home for spring break. While she was home, we matted and framed some of her art work for submission to the student art show. We celebrated when 2 of her pieces were accepted. I drove down for the opening of the show and proudly witnessed her accept an award for one of her pieces. That same piece sold, too!

This week we move her home for the summer. It is hard to believe that this little girl will be a college sophomore!

In the spring storms, we lost a large tree. Luckily, as it split and fell, it did surprisingly little damage to the fence. Having it removed was a scary thing for my wee black beast. 

 I sat on my back porch with my knitting and watched a crew of Very Muscular Men remove that tree and another we felt had overgrown its place in the yard. I'd helped plant the trees and felt I needed to witness them leaving. I was fascinated by the precision removal of the tree. And once that fascination wore off, I found myself admiring some strong shoulders and flat stomachs.... I am sure those Very Muscular Men saw an old lady and her scared dog with nothing better to do.

It's a good thing they couldn't read my bubble.

And a few weeks later,  new trees are planted.

We've been in this house for almost 26 years.  Our large yard was hard, barren and drought-stricken when we moved in. Almost everything in this yard was planted my My Hero and I. We are beginning to see the need to rejuvenate and replace some of our overgrown landscaping. Unlike my gray hair, which comes in however it wants and I choose to accept gracefully, we are faced with the challenge of blending new landscaping into our mature landscaping- and hope to allow that to look natural as it happens.

After the knitting frenzy of that latest design came to fruition, the sewing bug bit me. And it bit hard.

I made one Top 64 out of a pretty cotton,  was mostly pleased with the results but found it tighter than I find to be comfortable across the upper arms.

I made a second Top 64 using a pretty Anna Maria knit fabric. This one feels better, but I have very little experience sewing with knits.  There are things I will try to change and do better if I make a third.

For quite some time I'd been admiring, then second-guessing, and mostly had dreamy ideas percolating over the Ann Carolyn Smock. Do a google image search for Ann Carolyn Smock and you will see why I couldn't shake this pattern out of my head.  I've really wanted to find that perfect sewing pattern for a top. I worried that Ann Carolyn's gathers across the yoke would not be flattering. I kept coming back to it. And finally decided to go for it. I wouldn't know till I tried, would I?

I ordered the pattern. I bought some inexpensive fabric to make the shirt version.  I have to stop right here and say that Ellen Mason's instructions are thoughtful, well written, and clear, with helpful hints and practical advice throughout. Reading through them is like having a friend sharing her best, most encouraging advice. Sewing this shirt was fun. The pattern is brilliant.

So, I successfully sewed the shirt. It fit, was flattering, the sleeves were just right, but the back was tight when I moved my arms. I was discouraged and sad, but not quite ready to give up. My first thought was my go-to self punishing one: "If you weren't so fat. If you would just lose weight..."

I let my brain percolate.

A day or two later, while getting dressed, a pleat on the back of one of my shirts (that fits without binding, that is not a knit) smiled at me. A pleat! All Ann Carolyn needs (for me) is a pleat. One little pleat at the center back. And we live happily ever after.

Here is Ann Carolyn Smock #1.

Notice the cute pocket!
The pockets are very roomy!
I LOVE POCKETS!

The pleat. I added a decorative button to the back for fun.
I've had these buttons since the early 90's.

And here is Ann Carolyn #2:

I have fabric for more. There will be more. Just wait and see! 

Okay, and let me say another wonderful, smart thing about this pattern! Fabric requirements for each piece are included so you can easily decide to mix and match fabrics with out guessing at yardage. BRILLIANT!

Comfy, cute, my new uniform- with sleeves rolled up in the summer and under a hand knit cardigan in the winter. I have yarn and fabric combinations queued up. I may look like I am channeling my inner fifth grader at recess, but wearing these makes me so happy that I don't think I mind if I do. I just need saddle shoes! Meet you at the swing set!

Love,

Kim

I know what I did last summer

Dear Mom,
My summer is easily divided into chapters. Chapters I and II were the post op recovery and building Sweet Haven - a room of my own- chapters which I have documented on this blog.

Chapter III: A relaxing long weekend in Northern Michigan celebrating our Young Lady's 19th birthday.

Chapter IV: Early August had us prepping and organizing a Milestone Event. Moving our Young Lady our baby! off to The University of Southern Indiana, where she is studying Art and Illustration.

She is doing really well.

Our nest is empty-ish.

Olive tells me she misses her sister in the only way she can. I keep finding Olive on the Young Lady's bed. This squeezes my heart a little.

Chapter V:  About five years ago some friends and I hatched a plan. No empty nest issues for us. When the last 2 of us took our youngest off to college we were going to Scotland. And we did.

We departed on September 8. 

And arrived to the land of Kilts and Castles, Mist and Moors on Sept 9. 

It was a grand adventure. Everything I'd imagined and more. I'll share more in the days to come.

Love, 

Kim

Milestones

Dear Mom,

When the neighbors started lighting fireworks the other night, I looked up from my knitting and realized that Independence Day was upon us. I made a note to call the vet for some drugs for Olive and then sat back in wonder at how it could be almost July already. I'd lost a month to recovery.
Happily, I am feeling quite myself again and realized on Tuesday, June 21, that I was back.

I do some of my best thinking while pulling weeds.

~ Martha Smith      

 I'd spent the day outside, tending to my sadly neglected herb garden. I had dirt under my fingernails. Time flew by and I felt no twinges or fatigue. My secret fears that I'd lost myself for good were put to rest. On the heels of that came the crashing realization and acceptance of all that I'd been through since learning of the aneurysm. I'd been in Deal With It mode and it wasn't until yesterday that it all hit me. All along I knew I was lucky and thankful, but I didn't let myself be truly scared. But now that it is over I indulged myself in a very few tears of Thanksgiving....

A single grateful thought toward heaven is the most perfect prayer.

~Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Recovery wasn't the only thing that happened here in June. The Young Man, who graduated from IU in May, moved into his own apartment and started his Job with a local CPA firm.

Our Young Lady graduated from high school and is ready for her next chapter studying Art and Illustration, armed with several Art Scholarships. She is headed for University of Southern Indiana. (I've already scoped out the fabric and yarn shops near Evansville.)

Change brings opportunity.

                                                                                                            ~Nido Qubein

And now that the Young Man has Moved Out, I am on my way to claiming that room as my own! Soon it will be home to my loom, spinning wheel, and sewing machine, a table for watercolors and my rocking chair. I imagine the dining and family rooms will feel much bigger (and less cluttered) when I have everything organized in what I am thinking of as My Studio.  I had the Young Lady help me choose paint colors and there are sample patches on the walls.  I've chosen a very light lavender.

I couldn't resist this wee pig I spotted at a local garden shop. Rather than hide him in the garden, he will be a door stop in my room. Isn't he cute?

I'll be back with more "studio" pictures as the room progresses. LOTS of good stuff happening here!

Love,

Kim

August

Dear Mom,

August.

We moved Young Man home for two weeks.

He went to California...

...and we spent 3 lovely days in St Joseph, MI, which despite claiming to be a dog friendly city, does NOT allow dogs on the beach.

Still, we had a very nice time.
I watched this lady lose herself in building a sand castle. I could tell this was therapeutic for her. Watching her build it was therapy. She gathered rocks and sea weed and shells and incorporated them into her structure. I asked her what she did for a living, figuring it was either engineering or artsy. She is a photographer.

We had the usual round of back-to-school physicals and immunizations.
The Young Lady had her Senior pictures taken.
Yes. I said Senior.

She had her last "first day of school" photo taken. And we had our last Meet the Teacher Night. (We were not sad.)

We moved the Young Man back to school, into an apartment, for his senior year. Yes. Again. I said senior.

I predict being swamped by graduations in the spring.

I wove a scarf.

And finished a sweater. This is Rene and the yarn is Malabrigo Rios.

 Olive took a sunbath on the patio. Her elbows are completely healed and we've rejoiced in long walks together. 

There were some raucous good times on our back porch. No photos were taken (to protect the innocent and guilty). Let's just say Sangria.

While I do not like setting the alarm, I am glad to be back into a routine. I've been getting the housework back on schedule, and after taking August off, my knitting classes have resumed.

And on to Autumn- my favorite season!

Love,
Kim

Some people use chalk paint

Dear Mom,

I've tried, but I just don't get good results with Chalk Paint. I say this to explain/defend my latest Adventure in Decoupage.

When My Hero and I got married we inherited a lonely, rather ugly, brown wood end table from his parents. I am sure they were very happy to Hand It Down, and, it being the only end table we had, we were very grateful to receive it. It was put to good use for many years and before it's retirement to the attic, it had been painted with exterior paint decorated with flowers and put to use on the screened porch.
I hadn't realized until now, that furniture is a part of the Circle of Life. Our Young Man is moving into and apartment for his Senior yes. I said Senior. Year Sunrise, Sunset. Swiftly fly the years.  and we've excavated old lamps and That Table from the attic. And like his dad and I, he is happy to have any old end table.
The years in the attic were not kind to the unfortunate end table.
It came out with the veneer peeling off in some spots and one whole side needed to be reinforced with some extra strength wood glue.

We peeled off the loose veneer and sanded the exposed wood.

Since the Young Man is following in his dad's footsteps, majoring in Accounting and Finance, I thought it would be fun to decoupage the table with pages from accounting text books. When I suggested we go to Half Price Books to look, My Hero offered up some of his old college textbooks.  As we looked through his books we found some pages of notes he had taken and even some Mimeograph pages! What memories those mimeographed sheets brought back. I had to include those in the table.

Everything was sealed onto the table (providing additional structural support!) with several coats of Furniture Mod Podge. I used black chalkboard paint on the legs.

So, the odd little table has a new incarnation as a funky bedside table.

We'll get him moved in to the new digs in a few weeks. It will be interesting to see what other treasures his room mates will contribute to the decor!

Love,
Kim

Starts and a Finish

Dear Mom,
School has started, projects are nearing completion and others are finished with great satisfaction.

The Young Lady started her Junior year of High School and I was able to take a First Day of School photo on the front porch. A clear sign of Growing Up-  the Starbucks Light Vanilla Frappuccino in her hand.

A week later we moved The Young Man back to IU for his Junior year. On the hottest, humid-est move-in day, for us, so far. With the longest walk from vehicle to dorm, for us, so far. Thank heaven his room has AC and we only had one flight of stairs. After making several trips back and forth, laden like pack mules, and still faced with transporting the really bulky, heavy stuff, we decided to risk our parking spots to pull into a drive meant for Official Vehicles Only to do a quick unload, thus cutting our walking and carrying distance in half. Since mine was the vehicle with said Heavy Load, I pulled into the drive with My Hero and the Young Man standing by. They unloaded onto the sidewalk in record time and I almost as quickly pulled around and began a new hunt for a parking spot. I lucked out and got a spot even closer than my previous one! My Hero babysat the load on the sidewalk while I was parking and the Young Man took a load to his room. As I approached My Hero in his perch on the sidewalk, I saw him signing a clipboard and handing it back to two camera wielding folks. When I got to him, he flashed me a huge smile and proudly stated that he was "going to be on a website somewhere".  Last week, the Young Man forwarded this photo from one of IU's Facebook pages.

Yes, there he is, in a garage sale rescued dorm chair, with the mini fridge. 

While we were moving in, I noticed several resourceful people pulling collapsable wagons loaded with belongings. We are going to have one of those for the next move. 

*******

After 20ish years, our backyard barn was an eyesore. We needed a new one, and one with a bit more useable space. After unloading and dismantling the old barn, and storing all its contents in the garage, we finally got the new, cute little backyard building painted and reloaded. This one has two sets of doors- one for easy access to the things kept there, and one for John, Dear to drive in and out. We are calling it our cottage because it is probably the closest we will ever coming to owning one!

We've really accomplished a lot of home improvement projects this summer. The kitchen facelift is almost complete! I can't wait to show you how it looks!

Love,

Kim

Cone Free And Getting Back to "Normal"

Dear Mom,

In my head, I say "Cone Free" to the tune of Born Free. Every member of this family is thrilled to be rid of the Cone of Shame. With the hope of warding off future surgery (because there is a slight possibility), The Cone came home with us and will be stored away. I figure if I have it, we will never need it again. Olive is still limited to her leash in the back yard, and may not use the stairs. She is not supposed to run, jump or spin around. She may not look like it, but technically, she is still a puppy. She WANTS to run, jump, and spin around. Especially when feeling new friskiness and cone freedom. I've yelled "No Running" as she darts past me from family room, through the kitchen, looping around the dining and living rooms, back through the kitchen and into the family room. I sound like an elementary school marm. I'd consider leaving her on the house leash, but all that remains of THAT is a 3 inch nylon stump attached to the metal clip.  We  She remains on these restrictions for at least 2 more weeks, at which point we may introduce "easy 5 minute walks" to build up her strength/stamina in the joint. At this point, I just want her to be able to go outside by herself before winter arrives. We go back for a re-check in 6 weeks.
Olive is on a regimen of Cosequin and Rimadyl. The anti-inflammatory Rimadyl makes her elbow feel better, which is good, but that makes her want to do all the stuff she is not allowed to do, which is bad.

BUT! Best of all, without Cone, Olive can now fit into her crate. She has been a big, brave girl, and is spending her nights, downstairs, alone, in her crate. I've been able to sleep upstairs, in my own bed. I was afraid I would need to summon up my Tough Love self and listen to some whimpering, but no. As I said, she is a big, brave girl. 

And another giant step to getting things back to normal around here- Mr. Campus Man is back on campus. We moved him back last Tuesday. 

After the move-in, and after feeding several move-in helpers, My Hero and I investigated a new (to us) yarn shop - well, I investigated the shop. He tested out the shop's sofa- and then, keeping with the tradition we started last year, stopped at Oliver Winery on the way home for a little wine tasting/celebrating.

Chickadee is finished and awaits buttons and blocking. I will post some final photos when I have them to share. And after what feels like MONTHS of uninspired knitting, I have two original designs on my needles. One a basic cowl, the other..... defies simple description. But if it works! I may have a new favorite on my needles..... 

Love,

Kim