I'm Back

and it feels like I've been gone forever. So much and nothing has happened, all at the same time. I've missed each and every one of you, my friends.

First of all I'd like to thank Amanda for these adorable stitch markers:
She sent them to me (and my fellow KALers) for participating in her Mock Croc sock knitalong. I love them! They came in an envelope decorated with, of course, a crocodile. Inside the envelope was a card with a smaller crocodile on it, with a note handwritten in green ink. You are just too much. Thank you, Amanda.

As you know, I had my family visiting me for a couple weeks. Sometimes tempers flare and there are misunderstandings, but the great thing about family is that you love them, and they love you, No matter what. So there were some shaky moments, but there were also moments of great beauty and love that I will hide in my heart forever.

And fun. There was always fun to be had. Here we are the day before everyone left having a great tea party. Forgive how some of us are dressed. We were so busy preparing the fabulous food that there was no time for silly things like frilly clothes or the combing of one's hair. No, my friends, it was all about the FOOD.

On the menu:
Rose Hibiscus Mint tea
Dragon Pearls Jasmine tea
PG Tips English tea
English cucumber finger sandwiches
Hot house tomato finger sandwiches
Avocado finger sandwiches
Egg salad sandwiches
Pickled asparagus with stone ground mustard
Olive tapenade with toasted sourdough bread
Tuscan potato and sausage soup
Champagne grapes
Fresh strawberries
Blueberries
Quadruple layer All American chocolate cake

And oh, how we feasted.

Many thanks again to Marji who sent me two beautiful tea cups and saucers in the Knitting Vacation Swap last June. They were perfect for our little soiree!

Speaking of Marji, you asked me some questions in previous posts, and I apologize for taking so long to answer them. I had said that I was enjoying watching TV on DVD, and you asked how I did this. The answer is that you can now buy, rent, or borrow entire seasons of certain TV shows to watch at your leisure, without annoying commercials. I've had the pleasure of watching Buffy, Angel, 24, Charmed, Friends, and most recently Scrubs this way. In the near future, I plan to rent Rescue Me, Dead Like Me, and Wonder Falls. I'll let you know what I think.

Also, Marji noticed that I have the Drops Cardigan in my sidebar as one of my unfinished objects. I became aware of this pattern when Mamma knit it up so beautifully last year. As is the case with most of things mamma knits, I had to do this project. The yarn I'm using is one of my all time favorites: Rowan Cashsoft (it's what mamma used too). I set the project aside a couple months ago due to the complicated (for me) nature of the pattern. Now that I've done a lot more knitting and built my confidence up, I'll soon be returning to this project.

But not before I finish Girlie's swing coat sweater, which is thisclose to being done. I'm working on finishing the applied I-cord around the edges as we speak. My goal is to have this sweater wearable by the time she starts 3rd grade (I did not just say that, did I? Where has all the time gone?) September 6th.

Next I want to finish knitting Chrissy's wonderful Winter Branches sweater for my sister A. I'd like to get that to her before the midwest winter gets too cold.

And in the midst of all that, I will be working on my Mystery Sock Knitalong, and without warning will drop everything for my top secret Sock Wars assignment. And these two combined will give me points in Sock a Month 2. Whew!

I've heard talk out there of a tiring of swaps and knitalongs. Not me, baby! It may be because I've been blogging for less than a year, but I don't think I'll ever lose enthusiasm for the excitement of receiving a package of yarny goodness surprises in the mail and the comraderie and support of creating a project along with fellow enthusiastic knitters. Rock on, I say!

It might be hard to tell what Girlie is eating in this next picture, so I will elaborate: She is proudly enjoying a bite of a trout she caught herself at the coast. What a sweet little thang. There's just something so cool about eating a fish you caught yourself, or vegetables and fruit you've grown in your own garden.

And on that note, my lovelies, I will leave you for now.

But not for long this time.