Pumpkin Sunrise

  Yesterday was our 37th wedding anniversary, time does fly! We went out for a celebration lunch before my appointment with the ortho doctor to recheck my cracked elbow. I am so excited that I am medically cleared to live my life, return to my exercise routine and I have a clean bill of health. I've found that when I exercise, I feel so much better and the past two weeks of 'just walking' isn't enough. I am grateful. We are adjusting to our quiet house and our cat-only house. I drove to the kennel and the groomer to deliver cookies and thanked them for the way they loved Frodo. At home my husband and I continually are amazed at how much time we have gained without him. Such a weird state of existence. I have also gained a lot of brain space now that I am not worrying about him. He was declining in health since the end of May when he was hospitalized. We balanced hope and reality with each vet visit. My classes start up in two weeks and I will be BUSY. Gah! I am excited ...

  My knitting has been minimal since I traveled to see the kids in Indiana last weekend. I did do some sock knitting on the way there but then the AC in the car went intermittent. The car was too hot for me to knit and I ached so I didn't do anything but grumble. Of course being with wiggly little ones made it impossible to knit!! (I was happy with the wigglers). I pulled out my sweater yesterday and worked on the body edge ribbing. I have two more rows and then I get to do sleeves!!  What are you working on this week?

  My weekend was spectacular because we saw our grandkids and spent some quality time with them. Our little granddaughter turned one! She is the sweetest. Our grandson is thoroughly enjoying the terrible twos and is on the brink of being a three year old.  I had a great time, of course the trip caused some aches and pains as it always does. Also the AC in the car was misbehaving and that makes my symptoms worse. But I am once again, home sweet home, enjoying my ordinary boring life.

  Before I even get into spreading joy, look at that beautiful array of Halloween stuff! The seasons are changing and I am ready for it. This past week, my husband and I have been doing after dinner walks since the weather has been so very nice. I know it's going to be hot again, but for now I can pretend Fall is around the bend. I continue to do my daily morning walks without a dog and now they can approach a cardio workout. Frodo was s l o w. My elbow is improving but it aches a lot if I do stuff. I won't even say 'over do it' it just all depends. By the end of the day I'm like 'oof'. I see the ortho doctor for a check up and I hope I either have physical therapy or clearance to do whatever I wish. Yesterday, I decided to spread joy. I went to our local farmer's market and had a fruit basket made up so I could take it over to the vet and her staff to thank them for all that they did for Frodo. They were all so happy and I found out that two other dogs ...

  Yesterday evening I finished these socks which will be a Christmas gift. I hope the gift recipient will love them. I created a simple design to break up the monotony of the stockinette knitting. I did 4 rows of stockinette, 1 purl row, 4 rows of 1x1 ribbing, 1 purl row. Then I repeated that. It was a nice diversion. Thank you for your well wishes and happy thoughts about Frodo. He was the best dog ever and he is living free and easy in doggie heaven. We have Holly (the cat) to devote all of our love and attention to for now. She is the Queen Bee of the house!! We are adjusting to all the free time we have now that we are not taking care of an elderly dog. Bittersweet! What are you working on this week?

  Frodo crossed the rainbow bridge today. We are sad and miss him terribly. October 2009 - August 2024 (the best dog ever!!) 

  Around here, I'm noticing a shift in the weather. The cool mornings are delightful when I walk Frodo and sometimes it even feels like Fall is beginning. I've enjoyed my hydrangeas and their showy blooms all summer long. The black cherry trees are starting to turn yellow. I am all in for the seasons to change. Around here, I am noticing I am impatient with recovery and wearing a sling. I remind myself it could be a cast and still I'm grumbling in my head. Frodo was groomed this week and he will be 'cold' for 1-2 weeks until he adjusts to his haircut. He has been doing well and sometimes he acts so annoyingly. I feel blessed when I am irritated with him and his demands to be outside (he loves to walk around the yard). He is tolerating his new medicine well and we are happy. Around here, even though I am allowed to knit while my elbow heals, I find all knitting very slow going. Again, I'm trying to learn patience as an impatient person. I lean into gratitude and ...

  Good morning! How are you? I am blissfully knitting the second sock this week and loving the project. I snapped this photo yesterday and I am now at the heel flap.  My knitting has slowed down some (again) because I fell on Sunday in the kitchen doing something un-smart and my left arm and wrist has been aching since. Yesterday after dinner I decided to go to urgent care to make sure everything was okay because I had wrist pain. Luckily for me, my wrist was fine but my elbow has a little fracture in it. Luckily for me, I am in a sling and not a cast and I am allowed to knit. I'm supposed to have a follow up with an ortho doctor in two weeks, scheduling can be a challenge though. What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good over all. The weather has been beautiful! Low humidity, sunny skies, mid 70's equals a picture-perfect outdoor weekend. Both Saturday and Sunday I walked longer than usual taking advantage of the weather. If summer was like this all the time, I would not wish it away like I usually do. As you can see, I am on the second sock and loving the free and easy knitting. I did some marathon reading of The Princess Bride .   I am quite amused by the book and I recommend it! We didn't do much of anything this weekend - we talked about boring stuff like lawn care (dirt patches from the lack of rain) while sitting on the back patio.  How was your weekend?

  Hello! How are you? How has your week been? I've been seeing fall leaves and I'm rejoicing in seeing the signs of fall. You and I both know that the falling leaves are from a lack of rain, but I don't care - It's so exciting to see them and I'm going with the eagerness of what is coming.  I hope you will join me.  This past week I've been thinking about gratitude in everything I can do. I walk with Frodo, I eat some great salads, I'm enjoying my knitting etc. Having a stance of gratefulness makes for a most wonderful day. I have a gratitude notebook where I write down what I am grateful for and why. This morning's entry was all about being grateful for hearing the local high school band practicing outside in the distance from my back yard. Both of my kids were in band and I spent endless hours shuffling them to and from the football field for practice in the summer. I am so lucky to live here and hear them practice. What are you grateful for today?

  Good morning, how are you doing? What have you been working on this week? I've been thoroughly enjoying the endless sea of stockinette knitting of my sweater . When I was young, I didn't like mindless knitting, now I love it! Who am I? The knitting is easy and comforting, just what I need at this moment of time. I'm also working on the first  sock . They will probably not match (again). I fear I might run out of yarn if I try to match them up so I'm going rogue and letting the colors fall where they may!!

  How was your weekend? Both Saturday and Sunday were relaxing and chill. I worked on the above sock each evening while during the day I worked on my sweater. Nothing super exciting happened over the weekend. That makes it the perfect weekend for me!! The weather was so humid and warm that it was challenging for me to feel my very best. This week is going to be hot and I need to accept that summer is here to stay. That doesn't stop me from wishing for fall to arrive though.  Below is a beautiful photo of Holly looking so pretty. She is an elusive cat, but sometimes she sits and poses for a photo. Yesterday was one of those days. How was your weekend?

  Hello! How are you? We made it to August - one month closer to Autumn and for some much needed cooler weather. I've had a rough week with the heat and the humidity. My body just doesn't like it. I've spent more time in the house than outside the house trying to keep myself cool, relaxed and feeling my best. As I sit here in my kitchen typing this up, it is raining (yay).  I started writing out my Christmas knitting list. After last year's epic arthritis flare from manic gnome knitting, I'm paring down the amount I knit and also triaging the list. I am ready to strike off knitted gifts if I just can't do it.  My mother (God rest her soul) would ask for a Christmas list by September 1st. I thought she was crazy when I was a kid, who is thinking about Christmas when it's hot outside! Now, here I am doing my thinking in August, I'm sure the crazy gene runs in the family. Although in my defense, I am not asking anyone for a Christmas list. Besides some simp...