I'm Back

Gosh that was a long time. I'm back. So many things have happened since I was here last. Eventually, I will catch you up.

Big News

For the last 10 years I've been volunteering with Inland Lakes Boosters. Our big project has been the bleachers. We purchased bleachers for the football field in October 2004. I know this because I was one of three that signed the loan for $70,800.
I have in my hot little hands the check that will pay off the loan, today!

What a Big Day

The man behind the woman.










Lots of tractors, I mean lots, more than 960 of 'em.












The Woman, your blogger.





It was a great day, great weather, lots of tractors, tons of people.
More pictures on facebook.

Gotta Post This

So, yea, I've been slacking on the blog. But I just don't want to miss a minute of EllieMay growing! I've been taking pictures, and hoarding them! Knitting stuff and hoarding it. Spinning yarn and hording it. But this I won't hoard.
Tomorrow we're doing it again. It's the annual Antique Tractor Mackinac Bridge Crossing. We're packing up tonight, thank goodness we live nearby. We'll drive to Mackinaw City tomorrow morning, unload the tractors, drive the truck across the bridge, I'll fetch hubby from St. Ignace and back to Mackinaw City and then wait. This year we're in group #24 of 34, but the last 9 goups are small. We'll be in the last 200 tractors to cross the bridge.
They moved up the start time to 10:30 a.m. There are more than 860 tractors registered this year! So I plan on posting the event after we get home. For more information visit www.bobstractorpartscorner.com.
Hope to see you there!

Back from Spring Fling

Spring Fling was last weekend in Peru, Indiana. Second time for Dawn and I to go. It's an enjoyable trip.
It really it worth the time to go. This year Tamm yarns came out with a new yarn, Bebe. The Knit Knack Shop had a coupon for $8 off a cone and it was also discounted. Great buy. Haven't had time to make anything with it yet though.
The last two weeks have been whirlwindy for me. On the 13th I found out we had an additional track meet for concessions. That made a meet on the 14th and 15th, then travel to Indiana on the 16th, Spring Fling-ing on the 17th and 18th and home the same day. Rest on the 19th. Huge meet on the 20th (which was subsequently rescheduled to the 23rd due to weather) and a small meet on the 21st.
Today was a move slower day.
Yesterday Jenni and EllieMay came to do laundry and visit, so I got some Nana smooching time.
This weekend we are moving Rochelle's stuff to her new rental home near Saginaw State Valley University where she was just named to the Dean's list for the fall semester! She has started her internship at Dow and is doing well.
I guess that means that all three girls are officially on their own.

Another First

Last night we were invited to Connie's to play Euchre. Euchre, pronounced U-kr, a card game played frequently in Northern Michigan by people who can't spell it.
I'm honest about this, I'm a terrible player. I've watched Euchre for more than 25years. When the guys got together, I was always the fifth wheel so I watched. And when the girls were old enough to play, Tony and girls played together, again I was the fifth wheel. But I guess I did ok last night. We drew numbers out of a hat and that was your partner for 12 hands. Seven games like that. High score wins. That wasn't me. I kind of felt bad for my partners for a bit, then I realized we all had crappy hands most of the night. Not much you can do with a four suited hand regardless how good a player you are.
It ended up be an enjoyable evening, meeting new people, eating chips and kitty litter cake. Tell me where else you can have that much fun for $3?

Why As I So Tired

I (we) survived yesterday. Peanut did just fine with a bottle. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was an ok substitute since it had momma milk in it. She laughs in her sleep now. How absolutely hilarious!
I was just beat when I got home. How can a little Peanut make someone so tired? Maybe it was Thursday and Friday. I did remember to drink water. I forget to drink when I'm in different situations and then I get tired.
When I got home, I checked the messages, and went to town to get my Little Ceasars Pizza Kit and milk. Got home and made the pizzas, watched Ghost Whisperer and went to bed. Slept pretty good too.
Today I would like to knit up another pair of woolie soaker tights for EllieMay and a sweater for her too. And tonight we'll go to Connie's and play Euchre. I'm terrible at it, but it's just for fun. And I'll get to spend some time with her too.

My First Grandma Day

Today I will be Grandma-ing. It's my first day alone with the Peanut. Jenni is working as is Bill so I get EllieMay all to myself.
The other Grandma days, Jenni was here doing laundry, so when EllieMay was hungry I just passed her off to momma. Today, it will be just her and I. Jenni has a stash of milk in the freezer, so I'm sure we'll be ok. Oddly, I'm a bit nervous!
I have a few projects to work on while Peanut is down, just in case and Jenni is only a few blocks away if I can't get her to take the bottle.
I finally posted two things on Flickr for sale, but I should take off the baby rainbow tights since EllieMay is wearing them now.
What I really should do is photograph everying in the tubs and post those! More than two tubs of knit items, hats, socks, sweaters, blankets, gloves, mittens, scarves. Now to set up a photo box or something. What does everyone else do? Special place, just anywhere? Where do you photograph your goods that you post?

Still Here

I've been so busy lately. Grand baby visiting once a week. She's so darn adorable, I just can't stand it!
The blankie was a gift from me, of course.
Otherwise, I'm handknitting a pair of socks for me with the new Deborah Norville yarn from JoAnns. I'm posting pics on Flickr and checking out Ravelry every day.
Both hubby and I have had our jobs cut back, so we're returning to the 1970s way of life, CHEAP, CHEAP AND CHEAP. Do without, make it, trade or muddle through. The pantry is the barest it's been since we moved in I think. Meals are totally creative.
Check out my Flickr pics, I will be posting more as I'm looking for ways to make a buck or two on the side.

EllieMay

Jan. 22, 1:49 p.m. 8 lb. 8 oz. 19 1/4 inches. I'm a grandma!



My daughter and her daughter.











The loving father.

Knit Night

Well, Dawn and I have been meeting regularly for Knit Night on Tuesdays for about 6 weeks. All local knitters/crafters are welcome. We've had up to 7 join us. This week I'm offering up my home to the group. Tuesdays at 7.

Gallagher

I guess he's been kicked off TV. So sad. But--he was in northern Michigan this week. First in Boyne City on Thursday and in Cheboygan on Friday. R wanted to see him and asked if mom and dad wanted to go too! Of course! So we saw Gallagher live at The Opera House in Cheboygan last night. KEWL!
It was a good show. Tickets were $25 each, buy one get one free. Tony and I went, R brought J. Eldon and his little bro J. and then they picked up a friend, G. No, really, that's what he goes by, G, no abbreviations on that one.
We laughed so hard! for more than 2 hours. It was cool to see him in this smaller venue. The show started before the show started. He signed autographs before the show and took pictures. R and J. Eldon got their pic with him. Then he asked R to be a model during the show! So kewl!
Did you know that Gallagher is 63! He's had a heart attack. and he's still funny/goofy and thinking.
He told about his drive from Boyne City to Cheboygan and his stop in Petoskey. He saw the big hole in Petoskey, stopped at the 7-11 and ate at a restaurant there (Perry?).
It was a great evening and we had a great time. Now I need to get ready for Machine knitting meeting at 11.

October Vacation

Yes, I'm taking my vacation this week. What have I been doing? Cleaning and rearranging the house. First I cleaned R's room. She seems to be moving on, up and out. Very little left in there for my college sophomore.
I've never cleaned the girls rooms (unless they asked for help). I always felt their room, even if it was in my home, was their sanctuary, their own space. So it all of September for me to be able to go in their and touch stuff.
Next, I moved the twin bed from the other spare room into R's room. Cleaned up all my clothes in the spare room and moved the computer down there.
The intention was to make space in the living room for a woodstove. But after measuring for safety clearance, hubby doesn't think it will work. Brainstorming again.
Now that spent my vacation days cleaning and moving I need to spend some time in the workshop/studio/knit-sew room. While cleaning I found all my polymer clay with beads made up and ready to bake. I'm such a slacker sometimes.

Spinning, Spinning

I'm spinning yarn now. This is 100% Natural Color Hogget Romney, named Timberwolf, from Maple Row Stock Farm in Sherwood, MI.
I'm into the 3rd of four 8 oz balls of roving. My first big project.

Mackinac Bridge Tractor Parade

The morning started early. We pulled into what used to be an empty field just last week to see a sea of tractors.

The good looking guy at the bottom of the pic is my everloving hubby of 27 years. And yes, on our 27th anniversary, we drove our tractors across the Mighty Mac!

Around 11 a.m. we were signaled to fire up the tractors for the first stage of the parade. 200 tractors were to parade through downtown Mackinaw City to the second staging area. Keep in mind this is nearly 200 tractors in the second staging area. We were parked in a lot near the Mackinaw Crossings in downtown Mackinaw City.

Then we got the word it was time to head across the bridge. We fired up the tractors again, cruised through downtown Mackinaw City and then right onto the bridge! It was fabulous! It was such a rush! I don't remember being so excited about something in a long time. The weather was great, a bit of a breeze and I did end up taking my hat off on the bridge, but what a trip! People driving past us taking pictures. One van was passing us and they had the slider door open with a video camera going!

Once across the bridge we were greated with hundreds of watchers, through the toll booth and just on the other side was a sign on a van:

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

DENISE AND TONY.

I didn't know about it so I couldn't get a pic of it. It was my folks! My dad's idea actually. How wonderful! It was hard to be a puddle of teary eyed daughter and still drive my tractor, but I managed. I worked through it on the way into St. Ignace. This is the hill into downtown St. Ignace. There are tractors in front of me, all the way down the hill.

There were so many people along the route, it was tremendous.

The next, and last stop was Kewadin Casino. I'm guessing we arrived there around 2:15 and obviously in the first group to arrive. I wanted to wait until all the tractors arrived before taking a picture. I found a good location on a rise to take some pics. What a tremendous sight! A sea of tractors! Nearly 700, each one with a driver.

There was a huge tent to the right in which the Casino was offering burgers, dogs, BBQ pork, fish sticks, fries and onion rings and pop or water.

I'm signing up for next year!

What a Wild Woolly Weekend!

No pics. I'm such a slacker that way.
Dawn and I went to Allegan to the Michigan Fiber Festival! Whoa! is the least I can say. We were so overwhelmed with wool fumes, drunked up on the rovings, raw fleeces, yarns, what else can I say.
We left at 7:20 a.m. and arrived in Allegan at 11:20. Snuck into the festival on Friday afternoon and shopped until 4. Saturday we shopped from 9:30 until we ran out of money at 2. We couldn't believe the number of booths full of woolly goodness. We learned so much just checking out what each vendor carried. Wool, from most every breed of sheep. Different breeds have different attributes, some soft as baby butts, some coarser and more durable for rugs or shoes and that doesn't even count the alpaca, llama, goat, rabbit, dog an cat hair that can be spun into yarn. There was also silk, flax, cotton, bamboo, what a selection.
There was also fiber tools--spinning wheels, drop spindles, carding combs, drum carders, dyes, knitting needles and crochet hooks, tatting shuttles.
Not very many already made goods though. This was a festival for the craftsperson; for those who spin, knit crochet, felt, bead and such. And that was all in the first barn.
In the second barn was even more! More yarn, more rovings, for tools of the trades, just more!
On Saturday there were demonstrations of sheep herding with dogs and sheep sheering.
Over in the third and fourth barns were the animals. Sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas. Some were being shown for fleece quality, almost all had stock for sale. And the variety of sizes and colors of sheep and fleece; white, brown, rich chocolate brown, butterscotch, black, spotted, blotchy, friendly and shy, male and female, shorn and full and woolly. What a weekend!
We left all the critters there even though many wanted to sell to us.
We found some great bargains on yarn and beautiful rovings.
And what did I get? A drop spindle kit--decorated bag, drop spindle, 6 rovings and leaflets on how to use the drop spindle and a hat pattern; a 1/17 pound dye sucker skein of yarn, purples; 4 skeins of mill ends Socks That Rock and an 8 oz. roving of undyed merino; and a spotted ball of roving in blues and greens; 36 oz of spun alpaca that can be knit on the machine; and another spindle, lighter than the first.
What will I do this week? Finish up some volunteer duties, knit some swatches, spin some yarn, pick tomatoes, spin some yarn, knit some swatches--you get the idea.

Gardening Along, But Not With Norma

T picked the green beans and we ended up with a meal and 6 cups to freeze. I've been checking on the cukes and have picked 7 and eaten 3. Yum, fresh veggies from the garden.


We can hardly walk down the rows of potatoes and tomatoes, the darn things are above my waist with blossoms all over.
These are the yummy cukes.




Knit-wise I preparing for the upcoming county fairs. An afghan, some socks, dish cloths and towels and whatever else I find around the house that was made in the last year.
All the sudden, T is raring to go to tractor pulls! With the price of fuel!! What's a woman to do. And what confuses me more--now WE have to cut back on energy use, electricity and just how are we gonna heat the house this winter. If he keeps up on the tractor pulls, I just don't know. But I'll be warm, me and Jane will cuddle and wear lots of woolie warm sweaters and socks.

Blessings to All

I was sitting here thinking about all the people I met at the Spring Fling in Peru, Indiana in April. Several of them were from the Midwest. I want to send all possible blessings and strength to those that may be affected by the Mighty Mississippi recently.
Blessings, Blessings, Blessings!!

Now It's June

I know, it's been awhile. I've been busy.
I'm not a dedicated blogger like Norma or Bron or Yarn Harlot, I'm such a slacker.
And because of this you can't see pictures of my garden nor any of the knitting projects finished. So I guess I'll just have to tell you about it all.
The garden is in--2 rows of potatoes, 2 rows of tomatoes, a row of green beans, 2 rows of corn, a triangle of onions and one of raspberries, a goodly crop of strawberries, some rhubarb and a lovely tractor tire of herbs.
Completed knitting projects include: tube socks in pink, a snug tank for R, a sleeveless sweater for me and a pair of pants from Rachelle Moffetts pants pattern (knit, frogged, and knit again because a small swatch didn't portray the true nature of the yarn in a large garment).
Healthwise I've been slacking a bit on the low carbs and walking. I'm getting in about 3 walks per week instead of the desired 5-6 walks. Carbs (pasta, potatoes, bread, rice, white flour stuff) are now on the list of no-nos, but they've been sneaking in the the eating plan on a daily basis.
Several weeks ago my allergies kicked up and I thought I was going to die from the coughing. After a regular check up, the new doc recommended I switch to a different high blood pressure med as one of the side effects of the one I was taking was coughing. Damn, and it was working well and it was cheap!
The G'Ma word may still be in my future. J is late again, about 4 weeks late now. Keep your fingers and toes crossed that things go well this time. She's a young, healthy woman with no bad habits.

All I Can Say Is . . . Wow.

Whoa, and Wow. Last week I mentioned the springing things I find on my walks. Ah, the signs of spring and trash dumping.
Well guess what? It's gone! All gone! I took a walk this afternoon and it was gone! Not a trace was left! I was awestruck! Really!
I don't know what caused the garbage to dissappear. It could have been my post here. It could have been my column in the Straitsland Resorter. Either way, I was pleased to see it be gone.
If the Department of Natural Resources removed it, okee dokee.
If the depositors removed it--WONDERFUL! I applaud you for taking care of your stuff.
I thank you and Mother Nature thanks you. Blessed Be.