Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!



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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Sayonara, Sandy!

Well, it appears we are safely past the crisis with Hurricane Sandy. Schools are still closed, but hubby's work place has re-opened, and life is beginning to go back to normal.

I did a lot of cooking early in the day, anticipating a power outage, so we would at least have one good meal and some treats before being left in the dark.

For the third time, I made a batch of my Storm Cookies. The first two times I made these in the face of a major storm (one Nor'easter and one Hurricane), we did not lose power, though many folks around us did. I hardly dared hope that this might work a third time, but it did. I now believe quite firmly in Storm Cookie Mojo.

I shared the blog page with the recipe among a group of friends on Ravelry, and am utterly gobsmacked at how many hits this blog got as a result! Not only that, a bunch of people also made them yesterday, in hopes of spreading more good mojo around to others caught in the storm's path.

Here's all we have left of mine.


Also, since we never lost power, I got a bunch of knitting done, and this morning I put the finishing touches on my second Westknits Rockefeller Shawl.


With the first one (pictured below) I ran short on my chosen yarns, as did a lot of other folks who made this when it was a Mystery Knit-Along. Even though I loved what I ended up doing to salvage the first one, I was determined that such a thing would not happen again, and so dyed more than enough of my own yarn for the project. (Onyx kettle-dyed, and Borealis hand-painted).


I have a dress that goes well with the first one, and also a black turtleneck dress that will be perfect to wear with the new shawl.

Now, I am officially suffering from post-project let-down, and need to find either something new and exciting to make, or finish one of my many works-in-progress...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Seasons - a new song

We've all had them. You know, those relationships and/or friendships that seem so fresh and vital while we're in the midst of them, and then one day, for no apparent reason, that oh-so-important person just -- disappears. Your phone messages go unreturned, and your e-mails and letters unanswered, and soon it feels like the thing never happened in the first place.

You think to yourself, was I crazy? Was I dreaming? Or worse still, I must have done something wrong.

You re-examine every written word that ever passed between you and that special person, and you find -- nothing. Or at least, nothing that would offend YOU, if you were that person.

Sometimes, one has to simply walk away, but me being me, I can never do that completely with anyone. Just like Motel 6, I'll leave the light on, and when the bulb burns out, I'll replace it as many times as necessary.

Whatever, whenever, I'm still here. Until...


Seasons come and seasons go;
Oh, how I wish it were mine to know
If we'd have years of seasons, or only a few
Passing in the blink of an eye.

What has become of you, my friend?
You've disappeared; will you return again?
Or are there one too many links
With the sorrowful past,
And in this world is anything ever
Destined to last?

Seasons come and seasons go;
Oh, how I wish it were mine to know
If we'd have years of seasons, or only a few
Passing in the blink of an eye.

The silence is deafening...
Threatening...
Menacing...
And I can't help feeling that this bodes ill,
And I'll wait for some word from you, until...

Seasons come and seasons go;
Oh, how I wish it were mine to know
If we'd have years of seasons, or only a few
Passing in the blink of an eye.

Time to journey on; maybe we'll meet again,
Or maybe this is really the end.
I'll pretend I'm tough enough to say goodbye,
Then I'll hide away alone and cry.

Seasons come and seasons go;
Oh, how I wish it were mine to know
If we'd have years of seasons, or only a few
Passing in the blink of an eye.

CP Warner
25 October 2012


Friday, October 19, 2012

Can't make it to Rhinebeck?

Well, I can't make it to Rhinebeck this year, either.
You are not alone.
Still need a yarn/fiber fix? Here ya go!
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Monday, October 15, 2012

Interior Color Changes


We finally painted over the ugly wood paneling in our front foyer. The color is brighter and golder than I could capture in the photographs, but it sure makes a huge difference!


The bureau belonged to my grandparents aeons ago, and various family members have been urging me to get rid of "that ugly old thing" for years. But you know what? I LIKE that "ugly old thing." It has an unusual shape, and now has a proper "distressed" look about it. It ought to look "distressed." It has been moved to various houses and apartments many times over the years. Steve finds it a handy place to perch whilst spying on the dogs.


And finally, my bedroom. Yes, it really is THAT purple. Now, to find all the knick-knacks and personal kitsch hubby put "in a box someplace," so the room doesn't look quite so bare. Also, need to switch the bureaus around. This one does NOT belong in this corner! Hubby asked to me to consider. Well, I looked, I considered, and I vetoed.

This coming weekend, we will hopefully finish the hallway, which is going to be a dark mossy green color.

Adding color is so exciting, after years of all the walls and trim being either cream-colored, or non-descript wood paneling!