Hi, it’s me, Chappy.

Mom said that I should write to let everyone know that I’m okay, because everyone was so nice about saying they hoped that I was. Which, you know, is pretty nice of you.

The thing is, when Mom came home from work, I was feeling fine. I ran to greet her at the door, like I always do, and wagged my tail–again, like always–and she was almost disappointed. She said something about, “Dogs and car engines–they never make the noise when you bring them to the professional,” whcih frankly, didn’t make any sense to me.

She and Grandma actually took me out for a very short walk, which I was thrilled about! I spun around on the leash and ran out the door (Mom pulled me back inside and made me wait like I’m “supposed to”). I sniffed, I wagged my tail. It was great. But then we came back home, with Mom grumbling–this was weird–because I didn’t stop to, well, you know, on the street, because she needed a sample of it. (Why, I don’t know, since it’s something she and Gram usually get rid of as quickly as possible.)

Anyway, after we got back to the house, we all got into the car and went . . . to the vet. Ugh. I got weighed on the big scale–I way . . . um . . . weigh (weird human spelling!) 37 and a half pounds, but Mom says it should be more like 35, and now I’m worried she’s going to stop feeding me. The doctor shone a light in my eyes–I think he did it so I couldn’t see to jump off that scary, silver table. He listened to my heart and pressed really hard on my back, and then poked sharp things into my paws–once to pull out some of my blood (ew!) and once to give me a shot which is making my skin smell funny and has made me really tired.

Mom said she’s really glad that I’m feeling better, and that my new best friend (Harry the Heating Pad) must be magic, but that she still wishes I’d felt sore enough to let the doctor know where it hurt.

I really don’t think I’ll ever understand people.

I’m worried about this other dog I saw there, too. Apparently he swallowed poison from an exterminerminator (did I spell that right?) and his Person waited four hours to bring him to the vet, because it wasn’t convenient for him to come any sooner. Four hours?? I hope he’ll be okay. That’s like 28 hours to a dog.

Now, I’m really tired from the walk and the vet and that pointy shot thing. And I really need to go lie down.

My back, you know.

Tags: Chappy, Family by Deb
10 Comments »

Typepad, as almost everyone knows, was having trouble yesterday, so you didn’t get a post from me. (I’m sure you were crushed.) Luckily, very little has happened in the last 24 hours, so you didn’t miss much.

I haven’t yet sewn in the yarn ends to my Green Gable. I will try blocking the sweater, but am not getting my hopes up. I new from the outset that that style sweater probably wouldn’t look good on me, but it was pretty and so many people were turning out gorgeous versions of their own, I couldn’t help myself. The fact that it does not, in fact, look good on me is not the sweater’s fault, or the pattern’s, or the knitter’s. It’s just, well, some shapes don’t look right on certain other shapes! So, while I’ll try blocking it, I’m not going to hold my breath . . . although, come to think of it, that might help!

I did, though, knit up a swatch using that baby yarn . . . Now all I need is a good pattern. I’m thinking I’ll make the sweater for about a year-old child, rather than an infant. Any suggestions? Something simple, since the multi-color nature of the yarn would take away from any elaborate lace- or cable-work.

I’m taking Chappy to the vet after work today. I had his annual checkup scheduled for next week, but the last couple of days he’s been walking around stiffly, sitting very still. My greeting when I came home yesterday was very . . . calm. His ears are down a bit, and he’s just not himself. While I was home at lunch before, I sat next to him on his chair, with the heating pad draped over his back. This (apparently, I’m not a vet) stiff-back thing happened a month or two ago, too. Mom was so concerned about him, she called me at work, I made an appointment, left the office early to get him there on time . . . then arrived home to pick him up, and he was fine. Perfectly fine. So, I cancelled the appointment, and he’s been fine ever since. But since I was going to be bringing him in next week anyway, I figure, moving it up to today–if he’s feeling better when I get home, fine. We’ll just go for the checkup. But if he’s not, well, it’s better to have it looked at, right?

You’d think of course, that five would be too young for back problems . . . Chappy told us that he’s really not enjoying being 5 all that much. Ever since he turned five, he says, he’s been so TIRED! We pointed out that much of that came from all the frolicking fun over the weekend, but now the stiff back on top of it . . . he says he wants to be four again. Poor boy. Time marches on. And besides, about two years ago, he was in pain with his back. As in, stand in the middle of the floor and just shake. This is nowhere near as severe, but I want to keep it that way. I wonder if the lack of exercise is making a difference? Between the rain storms and the heat, he’s only had something like one “real” walk in the last two weeks. Poor muscle tone could make a difference, right? The irony? Today at lunch was perfectly “walkable” . . . except that we didn’t think it would be a good idea for HIM today. Sigh.

Oh, and the weather? Boy, did we get massive thunderstorms yesterday. Much of the state was under not only Severe Thunderstorm warning yesterday, but Tornado Watch, as well, and one DID touch down in Tarrytown New York, which isn’t really all THAT far away. And then last night around 10:00-10:30, whew! Big thunderstorm!

And, last, here’s Booking Through Thursday, with questions and answers by yours truly. I suppose I should really get this added to my sidebar now, huh?

1. What is the most pristine, perfect book in your collection? The one that looks like it’s never been opened (and in fact may never have been)? Whose binding is uncracked, the corners still perfect?
   I do try to keep all my books this way, though the more I read them, the less easy it is. But really, the bulk of my library looks pretty immaculate.
2. Why is that book so perfect? Was it a gift? Is it a coffee table book too beautiful to use? Something you simply have no interest in and haven’t bothered to open?
   Since I endeavor to keep all my books in as good shape as possible, the ones that are most perfect tend to be the ones that have only been read once. The coffee table book flipped through once in a blue moon. The copy of the Bible my church gave me when I graduated high school. Stuff like that

Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading by Deb
8 Comments »

Clearly, there are some ends to weave in, but here, my Green Gables sweater is done.

I’ve got to say, the Cotton Fleece yarn was a lot more pleasant to knit with than I expected. I’ve said often enough that I don’t like knitting with cotton, but this had enough wool (20%) to give it some spring.

The color is lovely (“Candy Apple,” redder, less pinkish than it appears here), and I ended up only using two skeins, though I’m not exactly sure why (grin). Still, can’t complain that this was too expensive a sweater, that’s for sure!

The only problem? While I did the math and the gauge matches my swatch and the sweater is therefore the size I calculated . . . it fits, but it’s far too clingy for me. Really, I have enough troubles with my waistline without drawing extra attention to it, it’s by far my worst “trouble spot.” Anyway, I was worried about that from the beginning, when I let myself be drawn in by the “pretty sweater” factor. Because it is a pretty sweater. Sometimes it works better than other times, this gamble, and this time it didn’t pay off. Pretty though it is, I don’t think I’m going to be wearing this, it’s clearly meant for a someone with a waistline . . . I wonder if my thin sister or niece might like it?

But hey, I’m on a roll with ends of skeins of yarn, though. See how much I had left? Darn, I could have knit a couple extra rows of the body….

The plan for the next sweater? A baby sweater . . . actually, the baby is due in October, and I’m going to make a sweater for about a one year old. Everybody gets lots of infant-baby things at a baby shower, right? So I’ll be different and plan ahead. It’s not like a sweater for a 12-month old is going to take that much longer, right? (grin) Although I still want to make a vest out of the Karabella Aurora 8 I bought in February. That’s right, February. One distraction after another has kept pushing it back. (You know, the Green Gable, the Celtic Dreams, the Not-So-Shrunken cardigan.) And now the baby sweater. But, really, that’s got more of a time limit, you know? I don’t know that I’ll have it done before the baby shower (which I’m not invited to) at the end of the month, but I do definitely want it done by the time the little girl comes along! So . . . my vest is just going to have to wait. Again.

Oh, you know the Booking Through Thursday meme that I do every week or so? Well, Laura was feeling a little overwhelmed and asked me to help host it. I guess she was having trouble coming up with ideas and figured with all the books I have, I’d be a good person to ask. Flattering, huh?

And, speaking of books, I finally finished working my way through Alden Amos’ huge tome about spinning. It only took me 8 months, but I can see why it’s such a classic. A little text-book-like (and did it really need that many equations?), but his rather opinionated sense of humor at least made for entertaining reading, and it was pretty informative. Still, I’m going to kind of miss it next to my bed–it made such a good foundation for the current-read pile….

I don’t have much else to tell you. Mom and I watched Veronica Mars tonight, for the first time in weeks. (We’ve been catching up on House over on Fox.) I hadn’t realized how much I missed watching Veronica! Why, oh why, do networks program good shows opposite each other? Wouldn’t they get better ratings if they weren’t forcing viewers to choose between the real, quality shows?

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
16 Comments »

Okay, I’ve been watching the Drill box and the Radio box making the rounds over the last however many months, and today, the sign-ups for Yarn Aboard II opened up, and, well . . . what could I do?

For those of you who don’t know, it’s kind of like a rotating secret pal program. Everyone who signs up gets the name and address of their pal, but instead of running right to the post office to get their surprise in the mail . . . you wait for the official Box to arrive with YOUR gift, and then within 5 days, you get it refilled with your pal’s gift and off on its way. Like a chain letter that really works!

Amanda has two sign-ups: Socks and/or Spinning. You can sign up for either or both, and sign ups are open ONLY until Wednesday (day after tomorrow) at midnight.

So, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

(Oh, and the cute little button? I saw it at Gracie‘s, but am not sure if she made it, or Amanda, or who, but isn’t it adorable? The great mobile, though, was made by Amanda’s husband, Mr. Clothesknit, obviously a talented man!)

Now, as to knitting–

I have about an inch of Peacock Stole Part 2, and clearly have a long way to go there . . . My plan for my next lace project? I’m definitely using yarn that’s less slippery. As beautiful as the Zephyr is, I keep thinking how nice Merino wool would be, or Alpaca . . . something with just a little more grip to it. And, I haven’t touched my Calla Lily socks since Saturday. It’s okay, though, the two of them are bonding.

Mom and I watched the light, fluffy, but not-too-overly-sweet “Ice Princess” on some obscure cable channel last night–exactly what I thought it would be, a decent enough teenage-girl flick. And since I was once a teenage girl, every once in a while she stands up and demands a movie fix. This was cute and Michele Trachtenberg does a decent job (especially once I stopped thinking of her as Buffy’s sister), and anyway, I worked on Green Gable all the way through. I’ve got about another inch to do on the body, and then finishing off the sleeves. (Which, since they’re cap sleeves should
take a matter of minutes.)

Chappy spent his Monday feeling lonely and unloved. After all the fun, festivities, and playtime of the weekend, today was not even a standard, boring, back-to-work kind of Monday. No, this was the kind of Monday where my parents were out ALL day, and I was back to work, so that he was completely alone for hours and hours and hours….(emphasis is his). I got such an enthusiastic “Thank heaven you’re home!” kind of greeting at lunch, but boy, followed by a dirty, “I can’t believe you’re deserting me in my time of need,” look when I headed back to the office. Really, it would have been a bad Monday even if it had been a normal one, but this? Rubbing salt into the wound . . . good thing Chappy doesn’t hold a grudge!

Tags: Chappy, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
10 Comments »

  Let’s take a peek at my Half-A-Peacock-Stole as she reclines on the bed, shall we? She fits just perfectly on my blocking board.

  She really is quite lovely . . . despite the errors.

What errors? Well, see? Here is last year’s Peacock Feathers Shawl, the original, triangular version. Note how in the lower portion, there are long, straight, vertical lines of stitches.

Miss Diva Peacock Stole, on the other hand is apparently slouching–her vertical “feathers” don’t quite line up the way they’re
supposed to. I’m not sure WHY since I was really pretty careful all the way through, but . . . well . . . It would bug me more if she had been easier to get along
with throughout the process.

And, really, take a look back at that first picture? Who is REALLY going to know? She’s still lovely. She’s still lacy. She’s still that pretty blue . . . she’s just not perfect. That’ll teach her. Not everybody is cut out to be a Diva . . . especially when you’re relying on someone else to do the job. An opera singer who’s going to go out and nail the Aria perfectly can afford a high temperament. But a knitted object that ultimately needs the Knitter to make everything come together? Maybe she should have been just a little nicer . . . Still, she’s darn pretty, so . . . no complaints.

But . . . I do hope the second half is a little friendlier….

Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
15 Comments »

Hopefully, she’ll stop complaining now.

  Blocking tomorrow.

Oh, and I said I was concerned about the amount of yarn left in the skein?

This was all that was left.

Technically, there should have been one more plain row of knitting at the very end, but, well, I opted to skip that . . . and, really, I’m quite comfortable with that decision! Sure it might make a tiny difference on the way the edging looks, but, um . . . really, I feel I made the right call. Don’t you?

As I say, I’ll block her tomorrow, so we’ll all get a better look at her beauty. Which, being a diva, I’m sure she’ll appreciate–Adoration is never a bad thing to a diva, right? Frankly, I’m a little concerned she’ll be upset I showed her “without being finished,” as it were. That’s like showing a movie star without her makeup, but then, she’s not shy . . . Anyway, right now she’s resting.

And then, after blocking Miss Peacock Diva Part One, I’ll start in on the second half. Hopefully, she’ll be a little more mellow than her “twin,” huh?

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
6 Comments »

We had a whole passel of people at our house today.

In this picture? My friend Cindy off to the left (well, her foot–she didn’t want her picture taken, but well, an extremity? I couldn’t help it). Then Alex, his sister’s legs, and Princess (Chappy’s Greyhound friend). This was when we were trying to get everyone under the age of 10 to lie down and maybe nap a little. It didn’t work, but the twins did have fun taking over Princess’ blanket.

  A mere two seconds later? Kat was in her Mom’s lap, as seen here with Horatio (Chappy’s very best friend), and Chappy himself.

Really, a good time was had by all today. We played in the yard. (The twins found it vastly entertaining–especially the “digging in the mulch with a stick” part, but hey, who doesn’t love that?) There was knitting. There was laughter. There was chatting. There was lunch. There was lots of fun.

Because, you know, the fact that Chappy spent almost the entire time sitting at the bottom of the stairs in the yard, just waiting for someone, anyone, to come down and play with him, rather than being up on the deck with all the rest of us doesn’t mean he wasn’t having fun. (It was a tad pathetic, perhaps, but he was just so happy to be down there, I don’t think he minded that much that he was alone–but he was thrilled whenever any of the rest of us would join him.)

  And, naturally, there were more cupcakes. We had a “5″ candle in one and sang to Chappy (yes, we did) but the cupcakes the doggies ate were plain yellow cake spread with peanut butter. No chocolate frosting. (Of course, I might have thought through the whole chocolate stains and two-and-a-half year olds aren’t the neatest eaters thing . . . Um, Risa? Sorry about the extra laundry and twin-bathing necessary after this. At least they were yummy.)

I did some youngster-bathing myself. I’m not even sure Risa was out of the driveway yet when I had Chappy in the bathtub. I’ve seen chocolate paler brown than the water was once I started rinsing him off. He was absolutely filthy. And now he’s absolutely exhausted. Which, really, is the ideal way to end a day full of fresh air, friends, sunshine, and good food, right?

Oh the sunshine? I’m sorry to tell you that in all the excitement, I completely forgot to take a Saturday Sky picture. I thought about going out now to take one, but really, the sky’s turned kind of gray and it’s just not that photogenically appealing. I’ll try to make up for it and take one tomorrow–but hey, at least I did post outdoor pictures, right? That’s got to count for something….

And hopefully I’ll have some knitting pictures tomorrow . . . but for now? Chappy’s not the only one who’s tired.

Tags: Chappy, Family, Friends by Deb
3 Comments »

First things first (of course, though there’s knitting to come, I promise). Here’s the birthday-boy posing with his new toy.

I gave him this toy–a Zodiac Scorpio*–at breakfast this morning, and he’s been playing with it all day. And when he’s been resting, he’s been keeping tabs on where the toy is. When we came upstairs after dinner, I brought the toy with us, and he played for over half an hour. In fact, when the toy bounced out into the hallway at one point, he tackled it, turned to the full-length mirror in the guest room doorway and paused for a minute, as if he was thinking, “Man, this toy mkes me look good!” We tossed it downstairs, and he slept with it by his nose while Mom and I were watching TV. When we came upstairs at bedtime, he hunted all over the bedroom (forgetting it was downstairs) and didn’t relax until I went downstairs to fetch the toy for him. (It IS his birthday, after all.)

It was right after I brought the toy back upstairs that he posed for this picture. All the other times I’ve tried to take his picture today, he’s been ducking his head away from the camera flash. But this time? He looked right at the camera and smiled. He’s a happy boy!

As well he should be. He was lucky enough not to be alone all day. He got to play in the backyard with me at lunchtime. He got a walk after work. He got pot roast in his supper. He got a cupcake-with-peanut-butter for dessert. (Though we spared his ears having us sing the Happy Birthday song.) He got a homemade, made-by-my-niece biscuit when I made my evening cup of tea. He got lots of extra kisses and attention. All in all, it’s been a good day for him.

Ironically, I woke up this morning dreaming about newborn puppies, but really, I’m just happy to celebrate five years of Chappy. Do you want to see how incredibly cute he was when he was a baby puppy? Check out last year’s tribute.

And, you can see my hair in this picture, even though it’s pulled back. A shade darker than it was, which isn’t that big a deal, but the color is “golden brown” rather than “reddish brown” and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I keep thinking the color looks flat. (I don’t really see the “golden” part, but that might be because it’s still the first day after coloring–it usually takes the color a few days to settle.) But anyway, I’m missing the warmth the chestnut color loaned my face. This really IS very near my natural color, but I liked that red tint. Maybe next time I’ll use the 4R Dark Auburn instead of the 4W Dark Golden Brown. Unlike many dark red-brown shades, it doesn’t have that ugly burgundy tint to it, so . . . possible! I don’t dislike it, mind you, and I think it looks fine, and I won’t be hiding under a hat for the next 4-6 weeks, but . . . that doesn’t mean a little tweaking wouldn’t be a good thing.

Now, for what you really come here for–the knitting.

Not only did I knit on my Peacock Stole . . . I’m kind of hoping I’ll be able to finish the first half this weekend, (and I’m really hoping my skein holds out) . . . but I did both heels on my Calla Lily socks. Again, I used a short-row heel rather than the one in the pattern. I used the yarn-over method by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts (illustrated here by Purlwise, link courtesy of the fabulous Toes and Heels site by Lauri B).

They’re looking wonderful, the yarn is gorgeous and a joy to work with. Now, two feet, a couple toes, and we’re done!

* Oh, and why, you want to know, did I give my July-born dog a toy for a November Zodiac sign? The answer is that I gave him his own Crab a year or two ago, a toy he loved, but it’s not like I could give him the same toy twice, right? So the second time around, i got him my own birth sign. It’s even got that handy little tail working as a handle. He’s happy; I’m happy. S’all good.

Tags: Chappy, Family, Hair by Deb
7 Comments »

Here you go. The last picture of Chappy as a four year old. (Hey, I know. Some of you don’t care, whoop-de-do, he’s having a birthday, but I care.) (grin)

So, what do you think? Does he look more like a cute, little 5 year old boy? Or like a 35-year old man? (You know, if that whole 7 to 1 year ratio works.) Personally, I’d put him in his 20s….

No progress photos of anything to show you. I started the last chart for Peacock: First Half. I worked on the apparently endless Stockinette stitch for Green Gable. I haven’t actually turned the heel on my socks yet. That’ll probably happen tomorrow.

Tonight, I colored my hair, trying not only a new brand of hair color, but a new color (a dark golden brown, closer to my natural color, minus the gray, rather than the medium reddish-brown I usually use). Risky, huh? Two changes at once? It seems so dark without that reddish tint to the brown, but not necessarily in a bad way . . . and of course, the hair color has killed the curl for a day or two until my hair recovers from the shock. I’m thinking a pony tail might be the way to go tomorrow…. Still, the stuff smelled a lot better than usual, and my hair doesn’t feel as fried as it usually does after being colored, although I still plan on doing a deep-conditioning treatment this weekend. (The fact that I’ve planned on doing that for several weekends now and haven’t gotten around to it means nothing!)

Here’s a fun little Flash game, Samorost2. (I admit I got stuck in the cave and cheated.) The graphics are amazing, though.

Oh, and for a little more fun, here’s a little typing test. (Americans, at least, should recognize the text, too.) My time the first time I took the test? 112.18 wpm with zero errors . . . but really, that seems awfully inflated. I think I’m a whole lot closer to 60-70 wpm than I am over 100! But then, for that short a period of time? Well, okay. It’s the stamina thing that gets me into trouble, I suppose, speed-wise. On average, I think I’m closer to 55 wpm for long-term typing. Either way, I enjoy the typing test kind of thing once in a while.

This week’s questions were suggested by Christine.

1. Do you read non-fiction books for pleasure, not counting books required for courses or for work?
   You bet I do! (You saw the non-fiction section of my “library,” didn’t you?
2. If so, what areas of non-fiction interest you the most? If not, why not?
   History comes in at number one, I guess. Followed by historical biography, books on writing, cookbooks, knitting books, physics, science, stuff on the Apollo program, essays . . . Really, I’ll read almost anything.
3. What are some of your favorite (or least favorite) books from those areas?
   “April 1865″ by Jay Winik was magnificent. The David McCullough’s “John Adams.” “The Discoverers” by Daniel J. Boorstin. “Guns, Germs, and Steel.” “Seabiscuit.” “Bird by Bird” by Ann Lamott. “Natural History of the Senses” by Diane Ackerman…. Really, I could keep going, but….

Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Hair, Reading by Deb
15 Comments »

Here’s a look at my Sundara Petals Collection Calla Lily socks. (Quite a mouthful, that.)

I’ve got the cuff done for both socks and am ready to turn the heels. Now, the pattern calls for a Welsh heel, and looks lovely, but of the socks I’ve made, I’ve found traditional heel-flap socks to be less comfortable than short-row heels. Maybe it’s been the way I’ve made them. Maybe it’s been the patterns. Maybe it’s been the yarn. Or maybe my feet are just too used to wearing store-bought socks that have that kind of heel. Whatever the reason, I like short-row heels for myself, and so, that’s the kind of heel I’m going to make.(Why slavishly follow a pattern when you can make adjustments that will suit you better, right?)

You’ll all be glad to know that my Peacock stole has recovered from yesterday’s bender. I did assure her before we started taking photos that they were purely for illustrative purposes–that they weren’t real options. Would I let her become a bath mat, for heaven’s sake? Of course not! And, in fact, we finished the “shawl” charts tonight and are moving on to the edging charts tomorrow. That’s, what, 25 more rows or so?

Of course, once this section is done, I have to do the whole thing all over again for half number two. The big question will be, will the second half be a continuation of Miss Diva Peacock? Or will she be more like an identical twin, that looks alike but has a completely different personality? Only time will tell. I’m also hoping I’ll have enough yarn in my skein. I think I’ll have plenty to spare, and then can simply start the second half with a fresh skein and not have any extra yarn ends to deal with (always a good thing).

Oh, and my Zen Micro Photo came back today. Hopefully, there won’t be any more problems!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
8 Comments »

The folks at The Amazing Lace want to know, if I bound off my lace RIGHT NOW–what could it be used for?

They asked for one picture, but really, a go-getter lace project like my Peacock Stole would have options, prospects! So here are just a few:

  She could try her yarn at being a place-mat.

  And then, being a super-hero’s cape could be fun, as long as she could avoid the snags.

  I can’t imagine she’d say no to being a blanket to such a nice, soft, appreciative doggy like Chappy, either. (Don’t they look well together? Although I’m not too sure about the “Get this off me, Mom, you’re embarrassing me” look on his face.)

  Of course, there’s always the old lace stand-by of being a curtain–although she’d need to find a smaller window. (That’s my Peacock, always thinking big! Going right for the big, bay window rather than any of the smaller ones.)

  If things got really bad, she could look into the cleaning industry, be a bathmat, or maybe a job as a loofah for a bather.

Uh-oh.

  Oh, the poor dear! I don’t think she found these prospects as encouraging as she’d hoped. She’s taken to bed (MY bed) with drink, now…. Maybe I should just help her become the beautiful lace stole I know she can be, huh?

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
13 Comments »

From John Adams, in a letter to his wife, Abigail Adams

Philadelphia July 3d. 1776

…But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. —

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding
Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be
commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to
God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with
Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one
End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. — I am
well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to
maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet
through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory.
I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that
Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should
rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.

Printed in Adams Family Correspondence, 2:29-33, quoted from the Vision Forum

Tags: General by Deb
3 Comments »

A good time was had by all yesterday as the whole family got together to celebrate Chappy’s birthday.

He got a new “flying squirrel” toy, which he loves. Something fun to chase around the yard. (Helped here, by my nephew.)

He also got a tin of homemade doggy biscuits from my niece, which he really loves. (I mean, really, really! And considering how little she likes the peanut buttery smell of the biscuits, it says a lot about how much she loves Chappy, huh?)

Of course, I made dinner–pot roast (a doggie-friendly meal, because yes, Chappy got some), with baked potatoes. Plus fresh corn on the cob which Patty’s family brought with them. Not to mention, of course, the cupcakes (featured on Saturday) for dessert.

Here’s Chappy waiting for permission to have his cake. It’s actually half a madeline I made from extra cake batter, spread with peanut butter, with a biscuit stuck in the top. Chappy thought it was delicious! Just as soon as I was done taking pictures and said, “Okay.”

It was a fun visit. Everybody was in a good, silly mood. The dinner-table conversation was really quite entertaining. And Chappy was a tired, happy dog by the time everyone left. I mean, really, who wouldn’t love all that attention? Not to mention new toys and homemade treats?

I was really wiped out last night, though, too. I would have been tired anyway, what with the cooking, laughing, socializing thing, but with the little cold? You know how, when you’re sick, you feel tired right down to your quivering, jingling nerve-endings? That’s where I was last night. Not exhausted, weak-in-the-knees kind of tired, but definitely tired with an extra, wobbly edge to it. Which is why I ended up turning my light out before 11 last night, and sleeping until about 8:30 this morning.

And, yes, I was one of the lucky ones who had today off from work, and I’ve spent most of the day just being lazy. Except for two things. One, Mom woke up with a cold today (really, I have no idea where she got that!), and the post-nasal drip thing always makes her nauseated, and so except for doing the grocery shopping this morning, she’s been relaxing–and so I did a few things around the house. But also, I had one of those rare, vivid, complete-story, full-color, actual-beginning-middle-end kind of dreams last night, and I wanted to get the story on paper. And so I’ve spent several hours tapping away at my word processor, trying to get all the details down and make them make some sort of sense. Just for my own peace of mind, you understand.

Oh, and Chappy? He’s been napping at every opportunity . . . that family celebration thing really wore him out!

Tags: Chappy, Family by Deb
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N is for Needle, of course!

I threw in that last one so you can see just how long Addi Turbos have been my favorite knitting needle. They only cost $6.95! And I really love the way that embroidery needle photo came out.

Tags: ABC-Along by Deb
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I thought I’d be different and take my Saturday Sky picture from indoors today.

You know, to be different. Unique. Special. Stand out from the crowd.

(crickets)

Okay, I admit that I was just too lazy to go downstairs and go outside and do this properly. But I plead extenuating circumstances.

First, there’s the cold. Now, I am not complaining about this cold (much) because it really could be much, much worse. I’m sneezing and blowing my nose a lot more often than usual, and I’m more tired than is normal for me, but mostly, I feel pretty okay. Not great, by any means, but you know, not miserable.

Second, we’re celebrating Chappy’s birthday tomorrow. His actual b’day isn’t until Friday, but we always do the family-thing over Fourth of July weekend. Not a full-blown party, or anything. We don’t do paper hats and balloons and all that, much as we love Chappy. But we DO take advantage of a reason to get everyone together and eat cake . . . and maybe get Chappy a new toy or two (grin).

Anyway, tomorrow’s the day. So this morning, Mom and I went to the grocery store to buy things for tomorrow’s dinner (pot roast and baked potatoes). We stopped and bought some wine to add to the pot roast (Gallo, Liz!). Stopped and got some coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts and brought it back home, where we sat and drank and recouped our strength. Then I went in the kitchen and started baking.

I made a batch of “Grandma” cupcakes. (Yellow cake, chocolate frosting, made to my Grandmother’s incomparable recipe. As in, they’re so good, we still call the cake “Grandma Cake” even 20 years after she’s been gone.) And then I made a batch of brownie cupcakes with peanut butter frosting that I got off of somebody’s blog not too long ago, but can’t, at the moment, remember whose.

Oh yes, I also gave Mr. Birthday Dog a bath so he’ll be extra fluffy and soft and adorable for his admirers tomorrow. And cooked my dinner. And went around taking my “N” pictures, too. And finished my first book for the month during the rest-and-tea-or-coffee breaks scattered throughout the day. So really, I’m a little tired. All this on top of a cold, you know!

So, while I admit that the sky picture is a bit of a cop-out, at least I tried! You can’t say I’ve been really lazy today.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go blow my nose….

Tags: Baking, Chappy, Family, General, Sky by Deb
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Here are the books I read in the month of June–an almost unheard-of thirty-four books, totaling 10,166 pages. Even though some of the books were rather slim, that page count is still pretty impressive–even to me!

1. TOMORROW LOG by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (342 p.) A stand-alone sci-fi book. Gem is a master thief, approached by the local crime syndicate for a job–and then threatened and coerced to do it. Meanwhile, a long-lost cousin has approached him to ask for help with their family ship, and then she gets involved… Nobody does space-opera like these two.

2. SAFE-KEEPER’S SECRET by Sharon Shinn (222 p.) The first in a YA fantasy series, in a world where you can tell a secret to a safe-keeper and she or he will never, ever tell . . . Well, one night, a rider comes to their door with a baby . . .

3. TRUTH-TELLER’S TALE by Sharon Shinn (276 p.) Second in the series (and so far, my favorite), about two twins–one who is a safe-keeper and one who is a truth-teller.

4. DREAM-MAKER’S MAGIC by Sharon Shinn (261 p.) Third (and newest) in the series. Kellen was born to a mother convinced she had had a boy, and therefore is dressed and raised as a boy, which leads her into trouble when she goes off to school. Until she makes friends with a crippled boy as ostracized as she is…

5. DAMIA by Anne McCaffrey (336 p.) A different sci-fi series, in a world that would be ours in about 300-400 years IF we had strong psychic talents. Telepathy and teleporting are commonplace among the “gifted,” making interstellar transportation instantaneous. Well, Damia is one of them, passionate, strong, over-confident, until she senses an alien presence in the distance….

6. DAMIA’S CHILDREN by Anne McCaffrey (272 p.) Taking place about 17 years later, now Damia is married and has eight children (whew!). Laria, the oldest, heads off to be Prime for the Dini planet Clarf, her younger brother goes to help the navy with its interstellar search for the “Hive” planets–lived on by viscious, relentless “insects”. (It makes more sense in the story, really.)

7. LYON’S PRIDE by Anne McCaffrey (272 p.) Next book, following the story of the last one, expanding it.

8. TOWER AND THE HIVE by Anne McCaffrey (302 p.) And, the conclusion to the series, telling all the different stories, bringing them to a nice, tidy little end.

9. PLAINSONG by Kent Haruf (301 p.) Hard to describe. A beautifully-written book that interweaves different stories of a small Colorado town–a school teacher with a trouble-maker student, whose wife has left him and his sons. A pregnant 17-year old. Two elderly cattle-rancher brothers. Lovely.

10. SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND by Mitch Cullen (253 p.) Sherlock Holmes as an old man of 93, after WWII. While a well-written, evocative story, this was a little too sad, too wistful for me. It skips back and forth between a trip to Japan Holmes has just returned from, the story of his housekeeper and son back at his cottage, and an old case of a man’s bereaved wife taking armonica lessons. The way it moves back and forth is sometimes a little unclear, unexpected–much in the way Holmes’ aged mind wanders a bit. Which is part of the mastery of the writing, but still, it was a book that I more admired than enjoyed.

11. AN ASSEMBY SUCH AS THIS by Pamela Aidan (218 p.) First in a trilogy which tells the story of Pride & Prejudice from Mr. Darcy’s point of view. Originally a self-published book, it’s just been recently re-released (I saw it in B&N a couple weeks ago). I think that, allowing for some lack of editing (the self-published edition, at least, has more misspellings than I wish), still, she does a fine job getting into Mr. Darcy’s mind to tell his side of the well-known story. It makes ignoring some of the cliches well worth it.

12. DUTY & DESIRE by Pamela Aidan (238 p.) Second in the Fitzwilliam Darcy series, and the weakest of the three. This one tells his story from the time he and the Bingley’s leave Meryton to just before he heads off to Aunt Caroline DeBurgh’s Rosings–something completely untouched in the original, and well, the house party Darcy ends up at, with its cast of characters, seems rather out of place in the story . . .

13. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE by J.K. Rowling (652 p.) Does anybody need an explanation of this one?? This was Mom’s and my “trip book” for our vacation this year, read aloud in turn over a month….

14. THESE THREE REMAIN by Pamela Aidan (335 p.) Third in the Mr. Darcy series, and a really good summation of the story. Again, the writing’s not perfect (could it ever compare to the original?), but she does such a good job with it–respectful of the original, yet allowing for her own inspiration. And the character of Dy Brougham, Darcy’s good friend? Reminds me a lot of Percy Blakeney (aka the Scarlet Pimpernel).

15. LAST-MINUTE KNITTED GIFTS by Joelle Hoverson (144 p.) Exactly what it sounds like–knitting patterns for last-minute gifts.

16. STITCHIONARY: CABLES by Vogue Knitting (194 p.) 200 cable stitch patterns.

17. MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS: THE QUEST OF DR. PAUL FARMER, A MAN WHO WOULD CURE THE WORLD by Tracy Kidder (301 p.) The remarkable, true story of Dr. Paul Farmer, who has spent his life trying to save the world, one sick person at a time, and doing an incredible job at it. The book, as all of Kidder’s books, was incredibly well done, and the story he tells, the drive that “Dokte Paul” has . . . incredible. I was so impressed with both book and subject, that as soon as I was done reading, I made a donation to the charity Farmer started, Partners in Health.

18. A FRIEND FROM ENGLAND by Anita Brookner (204 p.) Dry, very British, very cool prose, this book, about Rachel, who becomes friends with the Heather–well, mostly her parents . . . the book reads like one, long, slow, dream of an afternoon. No big “events,” no huge plot twists, just the calm, dispassionate narration of Rachel’s relationship with the Livingstone family and their daughter.

19. ANTARCTIC NAVIGATION by Elizabeth Arthur (740 p.) Not afraid of broad, sweeping themes, this book. It tells the (fictional) story of Morgan Lamont, who dreams of recreating Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s trek to the South Pole. But, it’s not all about the Ice or the trek or the physically demanding journey. No, this book is as much about the internal journey, and it starts at the very beginning, with Morgan’s earliest memory. Basically, this is the story of her life, her dreams, her personal growth, her lessons, her friends . . . and then, The Journey. This is my third read of this book, and it’s impressive. Introspective, and taking its time to tell the story right. But also, therefore, not a “fast” read. It’s not an adventure story per se, it’s far too introspective for that. I admit I enjoyed it more the last two times I read it . . . there were definitely parts that I think could have been left out, but part of the point is that it was a personal journey, not just a quest to retrace Scott’s footsteps.

20. FLY BY NIGHT by Frances Hardinge (483 p.) A YA book about a world where books are banned. Very few people can read, and the only thing acceptable TO read is that which is approved by the “Stationery Guild.” Morgan is a girl whose father had been a historian, but is now orphaned and hungry for rich, filling, satisfying words, and so hooks up with Clent…. Really, a so-so book. Not as good as I’d expected. Not entirely horrible, either. Just . . . eh.

21. LONDON HOLIDAY by Richard Peck (254 p.) A nice, sweet kind of book. Three old friends decide to go to London together, for old times’ sake, and to get away from their lives for a while, but before the vacation is done, their lives will have changed. This is a friendly, comfortable little book–purely enjoyable. He normally writes for young-adult readers, but this one is written for the “older” crowd (as evidenced, if by nothing else, by the age of the protagonists). If I did “beach” reading, this would be a good one.

22. THORNYHOLD by Mary Stewart (207 p.) Another gentle, easy kind of book. Taking place sometime around or just after WWII, lonely Geillis Ramsey inherits a house from her godmother. Mary Stewart has been a favorite of mine for years. Her mysteries aren’t much, perhaps, in terms of “substance” and clues and all that, but they’re so very evocative of the time and place in which they’re set. Her descriptions of places, gardens, and oh, food, are just wonderful. A nice little story. Good for a summer afternoon.

23. THE SILVER BRANCH by Patricia Kennealy (407 p.) Sadly out of print, this is an excellent sci-fi book, about a Keltic empire in outer space, with magic, science, culture, and druidism all blended together to make an altogether lovely world. This, from her first trilogy, tells the story of Aeron, who becomes Queen. Does that description sound deadly dull? I’m afraid it does, but believe me, the book the series, the world are all delightfully rich.

24. THE COPPER CROWN by Patricia Kennealy (404 p.) The actual first book in the series, though not first chronologically. In the future, a probe-ship from Earth discovers the interstellar world of Keltia . . . again, this universe the author has created is absolutely wonderful. A joy to read.

25. THRONE OF SCONE by Patricia Kennealy (353 p.) The conclusion of the original trilogy, Queen Aeron goes in search of the long-lost Keltic Treasures to help win the war with the Imperium. (I know, I didn’t mention the war, but, well, there is one.)

26. THE DREADFUL FUTURE OF BLOSSOM CULP by Richard Peck (183 p.) Having so enjoyed his “London Holiday” earlier in the month, I checked to see if Peck had any other grown-up books . . . I couldn’t find any, but I always liked his Blossom Culp books when I was little, so decided to pick this one up . . . here, Blossom starts high school in 1914, but gets a glimpse into the future . . . Not as good as “Ghosts I Have Been,” which was always my favorite, but well, it’s always good to spend a little time with some old friends.

27. A YEAR DOWN YONDER by Richard Peck (130 p.) Much better than the Blossom book–this one actually won the Newbery Award in 2001 and I’m so glad I picked it up. Yes, it’s for young adults and wasn’t a “hard” read by any means–I think it took me about an hour or so from beginning to end–but I chuckled out loud as I read about Mary Alice’s year with her very unique grandmother, circa 1939. This was an absolute treat, and excellent for a dreary, rainy Saturday.

28. THE MAKING OF A MARCHIONESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett (187 p.) She’s known best for her children’s books (Secret Garden, A Little Princess), but this is written for adults . . .although, really, I’d judge the writing level about the same. Emily Seton-Fox is a poor woman of good family who works at little jobs to make ends meet. She is delighted to be asked to a summer house party in the country, and watches the efforts of eligible women to catch the attention of the Marquis, looking for a bride…. (You can see where this is going, right? Luckily, so could I–since my copy of the book left the next-to-last page completely blank! Yep. That’s right. I have no idea what was in Agatha’s letter from home, except that it was clearly good news . . . still, that’s frustrating!)

29. LONGSHOT by Dick Francis (320 p.) John Kendall is a starving writer hired to write the biography of a successful horse trainer, but gets sucked into the family problems–including attempted murder. Can his skill and knowledge of writing survival manual save the day? (Speaking of whom, did you know he’s finally got a new book coming out this Fall? It’s been years!)

30. HOW TO BE GOOD by Nick Hornby (305 p.) Kate has always prided herself on being good–a good wife, a good doctor, a good mother–but being married to the self-proclaimed “angriest man” has taken its toll and left her unhappy enough to have an affair. When her husband finds out, does he yell? Get violent? No. He reforms himself and becomes TOO good and TOO generous and TOO forgiving . . . Now what? I enjoyed this one, and kept chuckling out loud while reading–usually a good sign!

31. THE BIG OVER EASY by Jasper Fforde (383 p.) Entertaining nonsense, basically. It’s a mystery novel . . . it seems that Humpty Dumpty is dead, fallen by his favorite wall, but Detective Jack Spratt suspects foul play . . . Yes, I’m serious. It’s written for adults, filled with wackiness and silly puns (like the name of the legal firm Winsum and Loosum). I don’t like this as much as his Thursday Next books, but well, it’s still fun. I particularly like how the crime cases are judged not only by finding the guilty party, but by the complexity of the case, and how well it can be written up for the magazines–a trend started by Dr. Watson for his friend Sherlock Holmes. While being interviewed for the job, Jack’s assistant (Mary Mary) is asked not only for her work experience, but how good her prose is, and how many times a case she’s worked on has been published?

32. INVITATION TO THE WORLD by Richard Peck (195 p.) This is a non-fiction book addressing the issues around writing for young people. He’s made a career out of writing for high school and junior high school readers, and puts some of his observations here. The observations made were fascinating, a glimpse at how different the world “they” inhabit is from the ones we adults are in, but since so many of his examples for fiction were pulled from the work he knew best–his own–there were times when the book sounded slightly like a plug. It wasn’t, mind you, but sometimes it had just a touch of that feel. Really though, the insights were really interesting.

33. CRANFORD by Elizabeth Gaskell (160 p.) A classic look at a Victorian woman’s world, this entertaining little piece of fiction is almost a series of vignettes, telling about the town of Cranford and some of its inhabitants. It’s charming and gentle and amusing. If you like Jane Austen, you’d probably like this, though unlike her books, the point is never to find a husband.

34. ARCHANGEL by Sharon Shinn (390 p.) Oh, how I love this book. Part fantasy, part love story. Beautifully written. A sample: “So Naomi began her part of the ballad, and Rachel waited a full count until it was time to add her descant. She closed her eyes and began to sing, quietly at first, remembering what it was like to lay her music against someone else’s. They were like two hands, pressing palm to palm; voice strained against voice with an actual pressure, pushing the notes upward and downward on the scale. Then it became a loom, Naomi’s voice dark and Rachel’s a bright gold thread weaving a pattern into the tight fabric. Then it became a race, Naomi’s voice running, Rachel’s chasing after. But they arrived in the same place simultaneously, Rachel two pitches above Naomi and the harmony absolutely perfect.” I just so wish there were a soundtrack to go with this book. The descriptions of the singing make me swoon. I just love everything about this book.

(Yes, I know. All this in addition to finishing my Celtic Dreams, finished my Trekking socks, spent a long, fun, non-reading day at Risa‘s, spent a day with my oldest friend, worked my full-time job . . . all of that. Phew!)

Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading by Deb
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