WEEK 38 of YOP 12

 Welcome!  So glad you stopped by today to give my little blog a read.  Monogamous knitting is still going on here at my Casa.

Another stripe is completed.  The little dark progress keeper is where I was last Sunday.  I am hoping this yellow stripe will be the last one needed.  If the lapghan is still not long enough, I do have another skein of the orange to add to it.  

Last night I found a boo-boo!

A dropped stitch!  It is in the row BELOW where I was last Sunday.  No way am I going to take out that much knitting for one little dropped stitch.  I will sew it in once I complete the entire blanket.

Friday was St Patrick's day but hubby and I decided to have our traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner on Saturday.  This worked out so much better for us.  Since I cook ours in the crockpot, it was ready and waiting for us when we got home from Mass!  I also made a loaf of Irish Soda Bread from a recipe I got from Maureen.  (AKA Knitting is so Fun blog).

It was so yummy!  Even though it is called Irish Soda Bread, it does not have any baking soda in it.  But, the flavor..............of my goodness.  I cut a lovely slice of it for breakfast today.  I toasted it and slathered it with real butter.  OH MY!  Best breakfast ever.

I cooked this in my bread bowl from King Arthur.

This was the first time I had ever used it even though I have had it for several months.  I used parchment paper in it so the dough would not stick to the pan.  Not to mention the pan stays clean and I did not need to use anything to 'grease' the pan.  Parchment paper is my best friend.  I use it all the time when cooking and baking.  The bread came out so lovely from this pan.  Now, I am making a list of other breads I will be making in this bowl.  I do not know why I waited so long to try out this bowl. 

This past week was pretty busy for me.  First off, we were down to one car.  We loaned our other car to Josie's family as they were down to one car and three drivers.  So, hubby and I planned out our week so neither of us needed to be somewhere at the same time.  It worked out perfectly!

Monday was a quick grocery store run.  A nice quite day otherwise.  

Tuesday we went to my cousins for 'taco in a bag' party.  I made caprese skewers to take for an appetizer.  While tasting food from what others brought, I discovered a new dessert that I knew I needed to make for our next family get together.  Churro Cheesecake Bars!  A light and yummy dessert.

Wednesday I spent the day with my daughter on her side of town.  (About 45 minutes from my house) It was a gray and rainy day here.  So spending the day with my daughter really brightened the day.   We went to, As You Wish, to paint pottery.  I painted two items.  Hopefully I will be able to show you what they are next weekend.  After painting we went out for a nice leisurely lunch at a lovely Mexican restaurant (Barrio Queen)

 

Thursday I got an early morning phone call asking me to take Jaxon to her post operative appointment.  Guess where the appointment was............Same place as where I was yesterday!  Her mom ended up going to the ER as she had gotten acetone in her eye!  She is fine and her eye is fine but it was scary.  After the Dr appt, Jaxon and I went to see her Grandma who is in a nursing facility.  After that we went to have a yummy BBQ lunch at a Texas BBQ place.  (Rudy's BBQ) She was thrilled as she was missing her Texas BBQ.

Friday I finally got a chance to catch up on my household chores.  Menus were made out, groceries were bought, ran to WalMart and Sam's club to grab a few supplies.  Managed to get a load of laundry completed before my energy finally ran out.

Saturday hubby and I did our early morning food bank pick up and delivery run.  Afterwards we picked up a breakfast burrito to share.  I was able to get the rest of our laundry completed and put away.  I hate not doing laundry throughout the week, but this past week did not allow for that to happen.  Hubby and I went to Mass in the evening while the corn beef and cabbage was simmering away in the crockpot.  (it was super yummy too) When we got home we got a phone call from our youngest son (the one who moved here from TX).  His wife's mom had just passed away!  I had just visited her on Thursday and she looked great.  I was in total shock.  So is the whole family.  Totally unexpected.

This past week was also a week of getting used to having only 1 dog.  It seems strange not to fix two meals each feeding time.  In the kitchen I am no longer having to look down to see where our deaf dog is so I don't trip over her or walk on her feet.  Enrique is adjusting slowly too.  We got rid of the automatic water bowl they both used and I bought a smaller one for him.  I also bought him a new food bowl.  This way only his smells will be on these things.  The only thing I have not gotten rid of is her bed.  He seems to get comfort from seeing it next to his. He is eating and drinking fine and is enjoying being next to us without having to fight for attention.

Here he is on the couch sitting between myself and hubby.  He has even started playing with his squeak toys again!  It just takes time.

This coming week looks to be a bit more quiet and normal.  I have baking planned as well as actually cooking meals this week.  Last week was a hit or miss in that department.  

That's all from me this week.  I have high hopes of finishing the lapghan this week.  How was your week?  

Until Next Time.....................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!

WEEK 37

 

Hi again!  I have made some progress on the lap blanket.  

Can you see the little progress keeper?  That is where I was last Sunday.  It is coming along.  After this orange stripe, I will add another yellow and then measure it.  There is the possibility I will add a third orange stripe if it is not long enough.  

The progress keeper in the above photo is new.  I just got it last week and was so happy to find it.  Here is a close up of it.

Isn't she cute?  This is Saint Rebecca the patroness of knitters!  Did any of you know knitters had a patron saint?  That Mr Google is just full of information like that LOL.

The lap blanket is the only project I am currently working on.  Although, I need to make another slipper for Jaxon.  She sent me this photo this week.

The yellow sock fits!  She said it is super comfy in her walking boot and really cushions her incisions.  So, I will probably cast that on in the next day or two.  Once the lap blanket and sock are done, I have decided to get back to making more gnomes.

I joined Imagine Landscapes Grimblewoods Collection Knitalong.  Although I am not actually knitting a long, I have purchased the patterns and will work on them at my leisure.  Hopefully they will help to use up some of those bits and bobs of fingering weight yarn I have hanging around.

GOOD NEWS!  I went to the ENT this week.  She did not need to put a tube in my ear as the fluid is leaving slowly but surely.  She figured it will be another 3 months for it to clear out all the way.  She also told me to go ahead and start back on my Enbrel as there was no more infection in my sinuses.  WOOHOO!  I went home and started my injections immediately!  The reason I had to discontinue my Enbrel is because it is an immunosuppressant.  If an infection starts Enbrel will make it harder for you body to fight it.  Most of the time it is not necessary to stop but because I had ruptured the eardrum and my sinuses were totally inflamed and impacted, I needed to quit so my body could fight.  

SAD NEWS!  We had to say goodbye to one of our the best friends ever.

Our sweet baby girl, Luna crossed the rainbow bridge early Friday morning.

She suffered an injury that would have required surgery.  Because of her health issues she had been suffering from for the past year, it was decided that the surgery was not going to be wise.  We knew the end was near for the past few months but I kept babying her so she could stay with us.  She had been with us for 12 years and was one of the best dogs we have had.  This decision is one of the hardest every.  This is the fourth time I have had to do it and it never gets easier.

So, now, Enrique is an only dog and will remain that way.  He has been showered with so much extra love the past few days.  All of our kids have come over to love on him and make sure mom and dad are handling the loss ok.  Enrique misses her and looks for her several times a day.  This morning is the first time he came out for breakfast and did not look to see if I was putting her bowl down for her.  It will take time for all of us to adjust.

And that, my friends, is all from me this week.

Until Next Time......................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!

WEEK 36 OF YEAR 12

 

Happy Sunday.  We finally have sunshine here after a wild week of rain and snow.  Although I didn't personally get snow at my house, there was snowfall about 20 minutes away from me.  That is quite unusual for us desert rats.  But, we got quite a bit of rain in the past week.  Flowers are blooming and trees are budding.  Spring is in the air here.  I know, you didn't come here to hear about Arizona weather.  Here is what happened with my needles and yarn this past week.

I got a text from my Granddaughter, Jaxon.  She had foot surgery about 2 weeks ago and was getting ready to go into a walking boot.  She asked if I could make her a comfy sock to wear in the boot.  I asked what color and she asked for yellow or green.  I find yellow to be such a happy color, I decided to go with it.

This sock is super thick and cushy.  I used Sweet Delight chunky from Hobby Lobby.  Of course I made an RCR sock as they are so easy to do and everyone seems to love them.  I made it in 3 days and delivered it to her on Friday.  Unfortunately, her foot is still too sore to put it on so we do not know if it will fit or not.  I told her I would not make the other one until I knew this one fit ok.  

Other than the slipper, I just worked on the lap blanket.

I am still enjoying working on this.  A lovely mindless project.  The small progress keeper in the orange row is where I was last Sunday.  Hopefully I will be able to get the yellow section completed this week and move onto the next orange one.  I am using Brava worsted from Knit Picks.  They had a sale on this yarn last year and I bought several colors to use for the prayer shawl ministry. This is the only knitting project I have going.  

That covers my week.  How is your week going?  Got anything new happening?

Until Next Time...................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!