…Is Now Over.
What can I say? I just forgot to blog. I checked out the date today, thinking I had just posted, oh, maybe a week ago, and it’s been three flipping weeks. And I don’t even have all that much knitting to show for it.
In categories:
Trips:
I promised the “going home” photos from the bluegrass festival a month ago. I’m only posting these because they have knitting content, and this is, in fact, a knitting blog.
Those two photos are from Cape Horn, along the Columbia River. This is of Lewis & Clark fame, for those of you a little rusty on your explorer history. If you haven’t read it, find Undaunted Courage, by Stephen Ambrose, and learn all about their journey. It’s one of my all-time favorite books. I keep buying it, then forcing it on giving it away to people to read.
Home Remodeling:
The stucco/wood rot/deck rebuilding project is officially done. John is sorting through the multitudes of photos that we took, and when he gets them organized, I’ll post a link to the Photo Show that he’s doing, rather than boring everyone to tears here with them. We hung the huge set of wind chimes back up this week, and that marked the official end of the project. Here are two photos for you:
The neighbors all came over to properly launch the new deck, complete with several bottles of champagne.
Visiting Relatives:
We joke around here that there are two seasons in western Washington; the rainy one, and visiting relatives. John’s sister Ena and her daughter Molly were here for a week earlier this month. We actually enjoy having family and friends visit, as it gives us a chance to be tourists as well. We have lived here for six years, and had not visited the Mount St. Helens area previously. We spent the week eating and drinking, hanging out by the lake, and did a little foray down the road to see the volcano.
First, here’s “dogs on the deck”.
I don’t remember if I posted Rae’s picture before. She’s our neighbors’ Corgi, a little over a year old. She clearly thinks that’s her toy lamb. Riley just as clearly thinks it’s hers.
That gives you an idea of the weather here that week. It didn’t stop Ena from checking out the hammock.
Eating and drinking:
Waiting for the ferry (day trip to Vashon Island). Doesn’t everybody knit while in line for the ferry?
Volcano visiting:
That’s Ena and Molly.
It did occur to me that we might qualify for the Darwin Awards by standing within shouting distance of an active volcano. Hey, we’d have gotten great pictures of the blast.
In the category of Packing My Lunch:
I got a new bento box to carry my lunch to work in. It’s from Laptop Lunches, and is the cutest lunchbox I’ve ever seen:
In the Knitting Projects category, there are no photos. My projects look pretty much like they did a post or so back, plus a few rows. I’m working on it, OK?
In the Uh-Oh category, a co-worker pointed this out the other day. This is Birch, which I evidently caught on something sharp.
I caught the wayward loops with a safety pin, and will sit down to fix this once I’ve stopped howling.
Here’s another category for you. Showing You Yarn Finds That You Might Have Missed Otherwise:
Smiley’s has Cotton Ease on sale, and there might be some left, though clearly I tried to eliminate that possibility.
Last but not least, in the Weight Watchers category:
That little car isn’t moving very fast, but it’s at least headed in the right direction!
I think any weight loss is worth celebrating! Great job!
One of the best vacations I ever had was along the Columbia River. I’m longing to come back. And your new deck looks fabulous! What a wonderful place to sit, knit, and relax. Keep up the good work on the weight loss.
Wow! Love the new deck and that sucks about Birch. Crap. We wanted a Corgi–but like our old Border Collie–they are a bit high strung for us. Welcome back. 🙂
The best hammock days are those that require a blanket. Nothing like napping in the sun, with a cool refreshing breeze. I miss my hammock.
I am in love with your Bento Box. I’ve been lusting after them for awhile. However, I am super bad and often leave my lunch boxes in my office for, ohhh, weeks. Ekkk. 😉
Well, at least you’ve been keeping busy!
Fabulous photos!!! I arrive in Seattle on the afternoon of Aug 22 and leave at 8:55 a.m. on Aug 28. I will be staying, part of the time, with a friend in Fall River and part of the time with a brother in Woodinville. I hope to touch base with you, although, as I recall, you are working this week.
I also am doing WW, and managed to lose .6 pounds during a week when my entire family was here at my house celebrating my parents’ birthday, my birthday andmy daughter’s birthday! Lots of birthday cakes and eating!!
Wow! Your sister-in-law looks like a great gal! (ha…)
I’m back from Little Cayman and will do better at checking the blog.
I’ve got an article to mail to you re: fall/2007.
It was great visiting. I can’t wait to see all the photos. E
Birch really is an OW. That’s going to take some time.
Congrats on the deck, and inauguration. Finally.
Slow but steady….
You’ve had quite the summer! You’ll fix Birch up beautifully and no one will ever know.
Welcome back to blogging – you were missed! Congrats on the gorgeous new deck. And praise is in order for the WW progress! For me at least, visitors = eating, so losing weight during all that visiting must have been an even greater accomplishment.
Arggh! So sorry to hear about Birch. I think any weight loss while on holiday and with holidaying relatives is a major accomplishment. Well done!
BTW, my big read as a child was World Book, too! My mum sold it door to door until she had enought sales to “win” a set, and then stopped. :0)
Congrats on the new deck and the loss!!
(That was ‘diet’ champagne, right? ;o)
And when you pack your Bento Box you can post the pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bentoboxes/
(No, I’ve never posted any pictures, but they’re so facinating to see!)
Great looking deck! Vashon Island….I love that area and knitting while waiting and on the ferry sounds like pure genius to me!
Congratulations on the finished deck. I have been following your progress with lust as my simple repair of rotted deck (it was never really simple as there is a cliff involved) has been tied up in Zoning Hell for most of the summer.
Congratulations on the weight loss. I am holding steady now for the last two weeks and hope for downward motion again soon, 15 down 35 more to go.
I’m so glad you’re back! Kept checking the blog and hoping all was ok. You’ve got great excuses for being absent…So sorry about the shawl…I’m sure you’ll be able to fix it. Your deck looks great, will look forward to the photo album.
You’ve been busy. Great pictures, and I need to order some Cotton Ease.
I would be upset about Birch too, but I know you can fix her.
As always, I’m drooling over your scenic photos. Really nice! And I’m sure you’ll make that “snag” dissapear in the shawl. I’m jumping up and down in my seat (at work no less) shhh don’t tell. THANKS for the intro to Smiley’s!!!! I can’t even get Cotton Ease here, very few LYSs. I shop mostly on line for “the good stuff”, but one would think in So Florida there would be more access to cotton but nooooo. I still love wool though, just sayin’
How rude am I? I was so excited by finding Smiley’s, I completely forgot to tell you how lovely your new patio is. 3rd use: When the season is not “Family” or “Raining”, you have a nice place to knit.
OK… I’ve totally got to get down to the Columbia River. Those pictures are gorgeous.
Sorry about Birch!
Your new deck is lovely! I bet it feels great to sit out there and just K-N-I-T.
I’m sorry about Birch. Those lace patterns are so delicate. I snapped a strap on a lace camisole knit in KSH and I had to do a fix with embroidery needle.
Congrats on the finished deck!! And poor Birch… I think I’d still be whimpering… How obvious is the repair going to be?!
Love the new pictures!!! Your deck looks incredible! LOVED uncle john’s slide show!!!
Hope you are both doing well!!