Happy Birthday Grandpa

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

I know you will never read this, but I wanted the world to know a few things.

• You are one the most generous and loving people I will ever know.  You have a gooey center that you try to hide behind a 1950's farmer exterior, but you are not fooling anyone.  I feel blessed that Mark carries so many of your great attributes.
• 80 years have not slowed you down one bit.
• I owe you a shot (heck, a bottle) of Amaretto the next time I visit.  Which, by the way, I wish you were not so far away.

Grandpa with all his ladies.

The Power of Helium

Among other things, Mark gave me three helium balloons for my birthday.  After a couple of weeks I went to pop the balloons and throw them away.  Mark stopped me because he wanted to see exactly how long they would last.  Well, two of the balloons didn't last much longer.  Though that might have been because Mark taught Charlie how to pop them when they started floating towards the floor.  My birthday was three months ago today and there is only lonely balloon still fighting the good fight.

On the Mat

Somehow, somewhere, some time, I fell of the mat.  A couple of years ago I practiced yoga twice a week and had done so for a couple years.  Then one day it suddenly happened.  I stopped.  Just like that. 

I am happy to announce that I making the steps to get back on the mat with the help of this lovely yoga studio, The Mellow Monkey Yoga Studio.  They are less than a mile from my house and seriously, don't you just love the name.  As I worked through the teacher's poises tonight I felt my body working to snap back into place and find its center, but I definitely found my edge.  

As part of my refocusing on my body's needs I am looking forward to my very first acupuncture appointment tomorrow and the realignment of my body in every way.  Wish me luck and strong meridians.

On another note, because I really need to share, I just finished the most amazing book.  I whole-heartedly recommend it.  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein has become one of my favorites.  Don't hesitate to read it!

Joyful Tuesday

These things are bringing me joy today...

This adorable face warming himself by the heater vent.  He seriously runs to almost every time the heater turns on and he is awake.

A man both kid enough at heart and man enough to take a PB&J to work for lunch.  Of course it is a bit grown up with all natural peanut butter and my homemade nectarine and raspberry preserves.

Sitting down with a pot full of flowering tea while I wait for Lost to start.  There is something truly joyful about watching a flower sprout out of a ball of tea leaves. 

My purchase from For Strange Women arrived!  I bought three sample vials of her botanical oil perfumes and a tube of lip balm.  Thank you theurchiness for pointing this store out.

And last, but not least, my Grandma's pitcher collection.  I love them all, but the blue one in the center is special because my grandparents received as a wedding gift more than 50 years ago.

Projects and Puppies

I thought I would share an update on my first design project.  I decided to create a shrug that you knit flat, wrist to wrist, and then seam up the arms.  I have completed most of an arm.  After I do the seaming I think I will pick up the stitches across the back to either add a collar or other fun edge (or both).

I actually did not get a lot done on my design this weekend because 1) I was working on getting swap packages together and 2) Mark and I were puppy-sitting Charlie's cousin, Porter.  They would play and play until they just tuckered out.  I have pictures of them playing, but let's be honest, sleeping pictures are so much more adorable to share.

Project Yarnway

I enjoy following patterns.  I enjoy giving myself over to someone else's vision by every knit and purl.  It is fun and exciting to see what results and to be able to fall in love with a creation.  That said, I also want to be the designer.  I want to know that I have given someone else joy by the simple act of them following the combination of knits, purls, and yarn overs I devised.  I want to know that I am capable of creating a new knitted accessory or garment from start to finish.  And I have found just the venue to push me and inspire me.  (Hmmm...I just realized there is a theme of inspiration around here lately.)

Cue inspiration...."Project Yarnway."  This is a ravelery group whose prime mission is to get both professional and amateur (that's me) designers designing.  Yes, it is a contest after the heart of its namesake, Project Runway (which is a fabulous show if you must know), but I am honestly not in this for the contest aspect.  As an honest person I must say it would be nice to win, but I am really interested in the reward of the process itself.  I am interested in the reward of being able to call myself a designer.  Each month will have its own themed challenge that requires me to create a new design from inseption to finished peice by the end of the month.

Cue February's theme..."Stash Happy."  In the month of February my mission is to create a design that expresses who I am as a designer using only yarn, needles, notions, etc. that I already own.  Lucky for me I have an abundant stash and supply of knitting paraphenalia (yes, knitting is my own personal drug). 

Wish me luck and I will keep you posted on the progress.