The knitting takes place if we are on a day trip, in the car. I am knitting a shawl in bulky alpaca. I do know that it is summer and it is hot. The thing is, I don’t drop stitches in bulky. This will warm someone up on a cold winter day . Because I am not dropping stitches, I am less frustrated with the knitting.

Yesterday’s excitement came in the form of a sailboat. Our friends invited us to meet their new boat. The ultimate goal was not to toss my cookies on a windy cold day in Milwaukee. Thanks to dramamine, Goal achieved.

Milwaukee skyline is just beautiful. We motored around and saw a huge Cruise Ship docked.

Do I get a star or something for finally listening to a book? My library offers little cassette like gadgets. They are called PLAYAwAYS. I got a James Patterson audio book, E.R. It is good. He writes about nursing in the E. R. It is fairly current and there are references to COVID . I guess when you are James Patterson, you can write and publish at a rate that lets your reader, or listeners, relate to relevant material. Not for the squeamish: if talk of someone having their legs cut off and the nurses job is to go get the legs and run them to the O.R., this isnt a book for you.

Having been a nurse for years, married to Fireman for years, with a daughter who worked ER for years, the stories are not shocking to me. It gives nursing due credit for the hard work they do.

The gardening badge is going to be given to all of us whether we pick every weed or not this summer . Thanks Val. We have had some successes and some oops. That’s what you get when you are trying new plants/seeds/trees. Would the day lilies please pop? They make the entrance to our home look just beautiful. They are on both sides of the drive and they are old, but spectacular.

So far I’ve avoided deer problems . I try to plant things that deer dont like. We had a pretty mama doe in the newest garden area, last week. She can have a weed, but I shooed her away from my echinacea, geranium, stonecrop, ornamental grasses and Gladiolas.

I get a badge for bravery as I came around the corner of the garden to a very shocked ground hog . I screamed and it looked stunned. Both of us weren’t expecting each other. We call them whistle pigs. He or she took off under the evergreens in a hurry.

Father’s Day has been fun. Fireman got a new hammock and we both tried it out. We heard from the kids. I cut the grass for Fireman. Although the motor is self propelled, it was a big chore. Then all of the flowers, were given a big drink, in anticipation of big heat and humidity on its way.

Looking forward to porch knitting tonight and the Sunday night fireworks show from the Resort near us. I go out to my bedroom porch to see them.

How’s summer going for you, so far?

I really mostly want to know, what are you knitting??

BIg thanks, as in standing ovation, to anyone who came by and saw my last post. I’m still being held hostage by wordpress, therefore I have to write to you about my knitting. My knitting is on Instagram as I have already mentioned. I love it to be right here, but not for the money they want.

I have been reading all of you ! At this point, they won’t even let me post comments. I need the Geek Squad or something. Without a margarita in our 98 degree heat, I don’t even attempt the scramble it would take to right the upside down wrongs.

Here goes:
Quick Mentions:

Nancy, Wyoming Breezes continues to put out scrap quilts like a snap of her finger. She just knit some great socks, too. She’s a top notch charity knitter and sewer.

Vera, the Threaded Lane, Says she needs a second cuppa before she gets awake. Me too. I am also yearning for decaff, but I keep forgettting it at the store. IS there some caffeine in decaf? Did I hear that somewhere?
Which brings us to Kat. She has a funny about lists and forgetting them at the store. Kat what do you think of all the Jeopardy long runners? So many this year.

Meredith shows us the Easiest Scarf she has been knitting. Yeah for LIL b getting into camp . Familiar folks must make him feel secure there! Here’s to camp.

Pumpkin Sunrise and Val from Wandering cat are working on their Christmas gifts. You go girls! ! I have not cast on anything specific but I will have a few shawls to gift for sure. I just don’t think of them as gifts yet.

Deb, I cannot do centimeters either. I do recall using them as a nurse. But, now I don’t have to. I hate fractions too. Judy the Olympic Discovery Trail is on FIreman’s bucket list. 135 miles….pffftt. He’d love it. Not me .

Deb finished a great cross stitch for her and her husband. WOW it is amazing. Araignee’s Tangled Web. Kim in Atlanta, is busy with puzzles. Great brain work Kim. I saw a 3D puzzle of a cat yesterday at JoAnn’s. I put it back, but its darling.

Kim in Oregon has an amazing cross stitch rabbit going . Retirement is good!

Judy, the socks you posted are sprinkly! I love them. We are hot hot hot here. Im sure your dear daughter has mentioned it. 98 today.

Camp today was all about the water. I watered the up and coming Echinacea. TWICE. Yes it was wilty this morning and wilty this afternoon. Fireman said, as he left to golf, Hey those need water~

We are watering the individual things I want to grow well. I am using MIracle Grow and I won’t be shamed by my gardening Pal. I love the heat and I will not complain. THis is why I live here. The paddleboards are ready. We have a great friend as a guest who cannot paddle, so we will wait until Friday. THis steamy water must be , certainly , almost surely, must be in the 60 degree range. People were swimming as we drove by the lake today.

I’m knitting a pattern that someone sent me years ago. Its is a one row repeat. I’m using bulky yarn which was NOT called for. I think it is going to look amazing. And yes, I’m knitting alpaca on the heat, on the porch, with the hummingbirds flying by and stopping for their water, and the fan is on me. This is what I live for! SUMMER!

Well, Vera wrote and said she missed me . I miss all of you too! I was thinking things were a bit too repetitive after 14 years, but honestly I do miss my pretend friends.
Here’s whats up at Camp:

We have yet to had a good tomato plant loving day. I want those hot steamy days to sit on my porch half the night. We have had wimpy weather in the 70s, ideal for gardening and golfing etc. But too chilly at night for the porch. Makes for great sleeping weather.

MY gardening is all about flowers. I did put in two squash plants to be runners that will choke out the weeds.

I visit the goat farm weekly and give them their treats. ANimal crackers and clover.

The cats area fine. Pie battled and ear infection for a month. She took the car rides like a champ. Maybe I have a volunteering cat after all. She’s gotten so sweet at the vet .

Big news: Finished my shawl last night. Now I’m looking to start another. WordPress wont let me put in a photo. But its on instagram : @angorabegorrah

I used gifted sock yarn to make the shawl.

Met downtown in Chicago yesterday as Will and Al are in Chicago for a conference. So fun to see them so soon again !

Off I go . We are hosting our friend who is getting forgetful, so I have to hustle today to get ready.

Looking for an easy shawl pattern or something else easy. Im not a sweater knitting you know that.

Camp awards this year will be given for bravery : taking in the feeders before the raccoons come and drag them all over the yard. This is the freshest place in town for Hummy sugar. I have to refill it all the time. I have two feeders. We have regular customers.

Happy to chat . IM reading you !

Since I want to focus on the knitting: Karen, dear lurker , joined the big sock contest thats going on. I love the bicycle on the sock! I’m not into my dear socks just now.. HMmmmmmm

It is time to make a decision or a few. I can continue to post here at wordpress for 18 do11ars a year. At this point , they won’t give me any more photo space. So it is word camp here fo1ks.

Wou1d you 1ike to

a) keep reading the b1og here without photos

b) stop reading if there are no photos

c) meet me on instagram for knit and quips with photos

I simp1y won’t pay for the p1easure of writing to both good pa1s and strangers who are b1oggers. This is why I 1eft b1ogger.com I’ve been writing for next to nothing (18 do11ars a year)since 2004 I be1ieve.

What are your thoughts? Sha11 I speed up with the times?

And thanks, Fireman had another good day at home here with me, his nurse.

Re1ief is on the way.

!et me know how you fee1

kathy b

While I was away in Illinois for Fireman’s surgery, another lovely sock came in the mail. Isn’t this pretty? It reminds me of November and corn stalks. Lisa from New Hampshire sent it . It is very soft.

The organizaiton (On This Leg) is currently abiding by COVID rules and are not having person to person meetings right now. Bernadette, the co chair , asked if I would keep the socks until they can resume their meetings. She said people are very enthusiastic about these donations. So, the more the merrier.

As for me, We are here in post-op camp. Today’s activities are much like yesterdays:

Rest

Walk

Visit with a Friend

Rest

Walk

and eating is in there, too. and med administration, and many many thankful moments in the day.

Al sent her dad several surgical caps to wear . This is a great gift. It covers his entire scar and is soft cotton. While the stitches are in, no wool or fibers can play with them.

I asked Fireman to come back home after 2 hours away with his friend. He said they sat and ate cheese curds and diet coke. Was that quiet enough for me? And then he called me, Bossy McGee. I’m a strict nurse. We are only 7 days post op.

So now to my knitting. I am finally in love with a project. The Yarn Harlots one row scarf in malabrigo is so pretty. My mind must be quieting because I can knit and watch baseball at the same time !

Oh and one last thing. Here at post op camp, we saw a most unusual cat bird. It was our neighbors cat, on top of the water well ….drinking away. It is for the birds. Leo, is an old cat and I couldnt believe my eyes when I saw him on the fake tree trunk drinking away.

This is my 3rd of this season. It is a nice big one and it shines bright1y. I never wait unti1 Ha11oween to make them g1ow. They are so magica1 , I want them to shine for a few days.

Seems once the 31st comes, and is over………we get serious about Thanksgiving. We11, first we get serious about Zach’s birthday. The Day of the Dead. He has done some amazing art work for this year. I can’t wait to show you. I don’t have it now, but I sha11 show you soon.

I have so so much to be thankfu1 for. I try to count the b1essings before I fa11 as1eep. So many. Yarn inc1uded. Hea1th inc1uded. Fami1y who care and ho1d you up when you so need it. Corn on the cob. A11 of the cats in our fami1ies. My b1og pa1s..this means YOU. So much more. I wi11 keep going:

new windows

rea1izing the shop didnt tighten the 1ug nuts on the new tires, before we got hurt

Sa1ad when someone e1se makes it

hand knit socks and hats

My heated ORO vest.

Butter

and more

This is the campfire Fireman and I had a few nights ago. I have a trick for when things get wet and hard to burn. I buy a bag of charcoa1 that is easy to 1ight. The coa1s are easy and the wood, if not too wet, wi11 get going nice1y. Do you 1ike my string of 1ights? I do. I think they drove the dog next door a bit nuts at first. He barks at 1eaves, so……

I have yet to purchase any candy. You know who ends up eating it then. Odds are zero that we wi11 have trick or treaters in the woods.

I am sti11 knitting the shaw1. In a few days I can post a picture of it. Knitting many stitches on size 4s is a daunting task. But, I think she’s going to be great.

Fina11y, I p1an a 1ong 1isten to: Show me your Rhinebeck Sweater this week. Timing is perfect. I 1ook forward to it every year. I do think it is hard to hear the peop1e’s names and instagram and b1ogs. Do you watch it?

In an effort to preserve my sanity, while everything seems out of whack, I’ll give you a collage. I’ll just say that Miss Pie hated her victorian collar , and yes we do drape her over our shoulders like a wee one. She’s quite used to it. Zachary ‘s Bo, will drape herself shoulder to shoulder and not need anyone to hold her on.

I liked the Gnarly Head Pumpkin ad for their wine, so I snapped a shot of it at the store. Fireman knows these 3 words :”for the blog”” and keeps going about his shopping while i take photos from the i phone.

The cosmos, not to sound like a broken record, but they are still going strong. It is 43 degrees out and was colder in the night. The orange zinnia just says Halloween to me.

So in knit news, I am working on my shawl and promise to give you a peek when the color change is noticeable. It is going to be pretty. I have no pattern to follow at this point. I cannot handle any more instructions of any kind. Currently we have been bombarded with health tests and instructions to be followed to the letter. The bank we used was bought out and you need a frickin instruction manual to so much as check your balance.

The truck, which I appreciate, but don’t like………was making a clunky sound. We just had new tires put on. They didnt tighten the front tire lug nuts. WHoa. That could have been so so bad. Thank God Fireman hears every sound his machines create and attends to them .

It is a gloomy Sunday. We had beautiful weather much of the week. So beautiful It felt like August. Whadda ya mean it is almost Halloween ? I’m picking up my knitting soon and the sun sets a 5:57 . Seriously. Time for campfires.

How are things by you? Is everything topsy turvey?