Why is Reading such a Dirty Word to People?...

I cannot believe more people don't read. I love to read and have a bazillion books to prove it. When I get overloaded with books, I take them to the local library and donate them and start over. Thank heaven's my dd gave my grandson the love of reading. It just starts your life out right. I am so surprized when I hear adults say they never read or they hate to read. Reading takes you places you could never go, gives you experiences you could never have, discoveries you will never make. It provides solace when you are sad or mad, joy when you've had a bad day. You can actually LEARN things by reading that you didn't know before, for heaven's sake. I pretty much read purely for pleasure, but as you can see from my author list, I read a lot and those are just a few authors that I read anything they write. There is so much crap on the tv, that I rarely watch it. The tv sometimes doesn't get turned on at all. I read or knit and sometimes do both when I put in an audio book. I love to travel with those things. It makes time pass and you get to enjoy a book while you are driving. I always try and take one. I remember once when we were going to Indiana to visit, (it is a 11 hour trip at least) we got stuck in Chicago because it was the middle of the night and they were removing an overhead bridge from atop the road we were on. We had to sit in traffic for about 90 minutes, but we had brought along the new Harry Potter book, whichever one was out at the moment and sat and listened to it while we waited. Made the wait a whole lot less irritating.

Look at the ribbon yarn I got yesterday. Isn't it kicky???? I think it will make a great summer top for vacation. I just had to knit some up to see how hard it was going to be to deal with and what it looked like. I am short about 7 skeins as I bought all they had because it was on sale, so I am going to watch for it to go on sale somewhere and try and get the rest of it. For now, I just had to see it knit up.


Man, it is getting late and I need to get out and walk this morning. I am not too much in the mood to do that so maybe I will fudge for today. I really need to because we had take out sandwiches last night, which is a big no no right now, but I plain didn't want to cook last night.

I got the sweetest email from my niece. She helped me pick out her mom's yarn for her mom's birthday present and I had sent her a pic of what the sweater looked like. She said she had given her sil all her son's baby clothes because they are having a boy. She said she kept his coming home from the hospital outfit and my baby blanket. She said she would never let anyone have it. She said it was so soft and fuzzy and her son loved it. I was so touched by the fact she wanted it kept safe and wouldn't let someone else use it.

Well my blogging friends, I need to get my day up and going. I hear the ole is finished with it's load so I guess I need to get it in the dryer and get out and walk even if I don't want to.

Enjoy a book this weekend! Donna (for some reason it isn't letting me make paragraphs so I apologize the bottom half is all shoved together. I tried 6 or 7 times to edit and make the paragraphs, but it kept shoving them back together so I give up this morning)

Is it Spring yet, because I am Cleaning...

We are shampooing the upstairs carpets this weekend and Jack picked up my comforter from the cleaners so I can put it and my bedskirt back on the bed. I am already ready for spring to get here. I want to be in the instead of walking uphill all the time. We live right where all four directions go uphill. It is great for the heart, but hard on the ole knees sometimes. That is why I go and exercise so early because I know I wouldn't do it if it gets later in the day. Besides, I am a total morning person and feel much better early in the morning than I do later in the day.

I have the booties and hat finished for our baby and hope to get the sweater on the needles and done today if I can. Depends on interruptions and what other stuff I need to do. I probably should start my downstairs weekly cleaning today, but I may just veg and knit all day.

I have been given the terms, professional knitter, that I do amazing work, etc., but I consider myself maybe an advanced beginner. I don't do very hard things, and still have issues with seaming etc, which I think just takes time to work the kinks out of. My knitting seems to be better on some days than others, straighter, neater, etc depending on how my hands feel so I am no expert, that is for sure. I just really enjoy it now that I do it all the time. I never thought I would enjoy it so much, but since I did so much last year for Christmas and such, I really have gotten into it. Besides it has a big plus, it keeps my hands busy so I don't want to snack. It also makes my hands skinny. I wonder if you can knit with you whole body??? I wish it were that easy.

The diet is coming along fine. I have decided to go back to journaling calories and fat calories to keep myself in line. I am still getting out and walking everyday so I get my exercise in. I just keep thinking about losing enough to get into all those nice capris for summer and vacation. I bought my first vacation piece of clothing, a pair of white sandals. I have a pair of Clark's (which I absolutely swear by) sandals in an off white sort of color, but wanted the white to take to Vegas and found a pair on sale so snapped them up as they only had 3 pairs left in white. We will start little by little getting clothing needs bought, shows booked and next month the airline tickets purchased, which makes the vacation real for both of us.

When Jack was in the Navy, the kids and I would make construction paper chains that they would cut one link off every day so they could keep track of how long it was until dad would be home. I hung it up right in the front entrance so people would come in and ask about it and it gave the kids a way of talking about their dad. Well, Jack got the bright idea we should do it for our trip so the other night we sat and made a paper chain for vacation! Nutty, for over 50's, I know, but it was fun doing it together.

Everyone have a great Friday and a great weekend! I am off to get in my walking.

Donna

To Frog or not to Frog, that is the ????

I had to frog my whole top and am going to start over. I discovered that I had gotten some of the stitches under each other on the needles and ended up knitting them together so I was way short on stitches when I counted them. So back to square one. I am going to lay it aside for now and work on the baby shower stuff. I got the yarn for it yesterday so have started the bonnet for it. The color matches the blanket really well even though it is a different brand and style.

Sometimes I hate offices. We have Tricare Prime and have to get referrals. My husband has a cardiologist appt in February and has been trying to get his referral for almost two weeks. You can only leave a message and don't talk to anyone human so he is getting pretty fed up about it. Unfortunately, our only recourse is to change practices and the only ones available in this area are big ones what would be the same way. GRRRRR! We have never had problems before, but Jack has called them 4 times already. I wonder if the woman is on vacation and they didn't replace her with anyone while she was gone. It is ridiculous, really. It is so easy to do and since he has been going to the same cardiologist for over 3 years, they know he is on the network.

I have the whole layette set finished now. I think it turned out rather well if I do say so myself!

I sent a pic to my sister as that is who I did it for, but as usual, got no response as to whether she like it or not. It is for her stepson and his wife's new baby. I decided to give them the sunsuit too and just make another one for our baby.

I watched this program yesterday afternoon about how rich people spend their money. There is this dry cleaners in Manhattan, NY that caters to the rich. They charge $16 to launder a man's dress shirt, and they were working on cleaning a bridal gown, which was going to cost $50,000 to clean! They said some items can cost as much at $300,000 to clean. Wouldn't it be cheaper to throw it away and buy new???? They also had bullfighting lessons for like $5000 a lesson, yeah let me sign up for that right away. What idiot would want to face a bull after having shelled out about $50,000? It was interesting to see how the very rich waste their money. I saw on AOL recently that the idiot guy who won the largest Powerball ever, something like $381 million is dead broke and owes a casino something like $50,000 in bad checks! In the old days, they would have broke the guys legs or worse. Now, the lawyers fight it out. How do you go through that kind of money? I mean, if he took the quick payout it would have been around $152 million and after taxes he would have gotten around 75 million dollars. I saw a picture of him and he looks like a bowery bum. I know he got robbed several times but the dope used to carry briefcases full of cash with him everywhere he went.

I see it is close to 6:30 so I better get out in the cold and get my walk in. I missed it yesterday not feeling well so I need to be extra special good today!

Have a day everyone!

Donna

Elvis's hair would be stiff today....

It is still cold here in Memphis. The temp right now is 26 degrees, which is cold for here. I am hoping it will warm up today though. It was really cold all day yesterday and I couldn't get warm for anything.


I started my Estelle Dazzle top yesterday on circs. I decided the top was so simple it could easily be done on circs. After consulting my knitting expert, we agreed so I went ahead and cast it on circs. We shall see how that is going to pan out. We had to do some math regarding gauge and such and I got tickled at her. She told me to knit until I had a good length then compare it to a piece of clothing that currently fits and if it is smaller or larger we know we flunked math class!

My diet is coming along. I have to get in more water though. I am eating a lot of fiber and it needs water to pass through. I have some cramping this morning and that is why I am up so early and I think it is from gas, etc from not getting enough water. It isn't that I don't like water, and I am drinking water for meals, but I get a glass and sit and knit and forget it is there instead of drinking it.

I bought some tape style yarn to make another bright and colorful top for vacation. Only problem is Joann.com didn't have enough and it was on sale so I bought all they had and will get the rest somewhere else. I am just going to watch and see if it goes on sale somewhere else. I love the colors and it will go with so many summer capris I already own.

I guess I should try and head back to bed. Five AM gets her pretty quickly.

Adieu, Adieu, parting is such sweet sorrow.... Donna

Tropical to Frigid in one easy motion....

I a freezing my off! I cannot believe it went from the high 50's and it is 28 degrees right now! The temps started to plummet early in the evening and by about 6 PM it was only around 35 degrees. Thank goodness the wind was blowing and dried up all the rain so the walks and roads aren't slippery. I will just have to bundle up to walk this morning. It is hard to believe I grew up in cold weather country and loved it as a kid. Must be old age. The bones just can't take it anymore. No wonder all the social security set move to Florida!

My baby came back from his doctor and hair appt and doesn't he look so pretty? Underneath his sweater he is completely "blue" as the breeders call Yorkies. Just means he is dark gray. He got a good report from the doctor except he has to go and get his teeth cleaned. You know, when Jack bought him for me from a breeder he named him Fortune because he said that is what he would cost him and I guess he was right. With shots and boosters, teeth extractions when some of his puppy teeth never fell out, heartworm and flea and tick stuff, grooming once a month or so to the tune of $35, food and treats, toys and clothes he cost more than the kids!

I am again making progress with the heart blanket. It is slow going, but it will be finished to be wrapped before I leave for the shower in March. I got attitude from a woman I know on a non knitting website that I should use circs. I told her I can't use circs on this and she acted like I was stupid. If I could have used circs, I probably would have.

Since I am waiting for the replacement yarn for my dd's sweater (I sent the original stuff back as it turned out to be like a velour and she would NEVER wear it) and bought this instead: It is Bernat Satin so I know it will be soft for her. She is a redhead so I think it will look good on her too! I tend to buy her a lot of green stuff so thought I would go with something else this time. Anyway, while I am waiting for it to come in, I am going to start on my sparkly top for vacation. I can knit inbetween working on the blanket.

I see by the ole that it is 6:30 which means time to pull on the and brave the and get out and walk!

As Tony the would say....."You are all GGGGRRRREEEAAATTT!!!"

stage left for me.....Donna

From Singing to Cussing at the rain...

Ok, enough is enough. Three days of and I am sick of it. I can hear it outside and am contemplating walking in it anyway, but will probably just do the treadmill or maybe go to the mall and walk, but who wants to get all spruced up to that early in the morning? I know you working ladies have to get up and get beautiful but us stay at home slugs don't!


I am almost finished with the sweater and it is soooo adorable. I love making newborn stuff because it is so tiny. I used up the leftover yarn my my dd's shrug and just had to start on the sweater, but I ran out with about 10 rows to go so now I sit and wait for my order from Joan to get her. In it though is some soft yellow to make a set for our grandbaby. I have to get serious about the stupid blanket though. I have a ways to go on it and dread even picking it up. I will work on it today some and try and get at least 1 full pattern finished. I never realized how hard it is to knit blankets in all one piece. I did a couple diagonal ones, but they were on larger needles and though they got heavy and would sometimes make my hands hurt it was nothing like this. I sure hope this blanket lasts through all their baby's because I am never knitting another one like it.



No outside walking for me this morning I guess. It is still pouring down rain here and supposed to rain all day. I have early morning stuff I have to do so I am going to have to go out in it anyway. The dog has to go to the vets/groomers and I need to take our comforter to the cleaners to be laundered. Luckily, the vet's is a block from her and the cleaners only about half a mile and I don't even have to get out of the car at the cleaners.

We got the downstairs rugs shampooed yesterday and I set up fans to dry them because of the rain. I also finally got the downstairs all cleaned so it is the upstairs shampooing and cleaning today I guess. We are supposed to go and get haircuts too sometime this morning. Jack and I both look pretty shaggy.


I guess I better get off my behind and get my morning chores finished so at 7 I can take the dog and drop him at the groomers/vet's.


Looking for the Donna

Singin' in the Rain....

Good morning all! I had a nice time at the luncheon. I know I am not going to be buddies with any of these ladies, but to have a lunch once a month with them is ok. I enjoyed it and won the first bingo prize so I posted a pic of what I got. Cute, huh? I am going to save it and put a pic of Jack and I on vacation in it. I have to say they do the lunches up big. I also got this cute snow man votive lamp that was at each place setting. They have an auction every month to raise money for the coffers for flowers for sick, funeral, stuff like that. I get my hat pin next month for joining and I want to buy a regular stiff brimmed straw hat for that. I need purple CLOTHES though. I have a 2 piece slinky knit pant suit thing, and 2 purple sweaters and that is it. You MUST wear purple and red only and I think I have a pair of red knit pants upstairs but I know nothing else. I don't want to be buying clothes and losing weight, though. I also got some little book as did everyone. All in all it was a nice time and that is all I expected from it.

The commissary was another thing! I got out of the luncheon at 2:30 and even then left before the auction, but I didn't want the stuff anyway as it was lotions and hair products and I am picky about that stuff, you know? I would rather just give a donation to the kitty. Anyway, it was pouring rain, foggy, as the devil and I found out we need new wind shield wipers on top of that. I know why Jack has been dragging his feet. Our windshield wipers for this car cost like $40!!!!! That's what we get for buying a grand marquis I guess, but oohlala the butt room! Anway, it is about 30 miles away, accidents every turn, traffic a nightmare and I get out there and it is PACKED! It was awful. I was tired and the shelves were half empty (I forgot military got paid on Friday and probably cleaned them out then and they get deliveries on Thursdays so either had had time to restock or ran out) Anyway, I couldn't find this or that and I had one woman that me off big time. Anyway, then I had to walk in the rain to my car and drive home in the horrible rain all wet and unload and put all the crap away. Jack told me in no uncertain terms he knew I was trying hard to lose weight but I was not cooking and we were going out to eat. We ended up at our favorite mexican restaurant and I didn't do well with the tortilla chips and cheese dip as this dip is to dye for and Jack won't eat it, BUT I didn't eat all the cheese or anything it was more the tortilla chips, I order the 2 cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, ate half an enchilada a forkful of the beans and more of the rice than anything. I brought it home and threw it out! YEAH FOR ME!!!!! I was going to sit and eat it at home, but I got home and thought, NOPE! I also didn't eat any of the lowfat desserts I bought or snacks or anything, just went upstairs and watched tv until I went to bed. For lunch that day I did really well. I got a grilled chicken wrap in a spinach tortilla with ff ranch dressing and cottage cheese. I ate the wrap and 2 forks of cottage cheese but didn't order dessert or anything. I really really want this and that is why I am trying so hard, I think. It is obviously paying off.

I have a bazillion things to accomplish today! Blogging short and sweet today! Oh, I did start the green baby sweater and it is going to be so adorable. Can't wait to make our baby one.


for now! Donna