Out and About

The Speculoos Sweater is off and running. The orange stitch marker (lower middle right) is the center back. This project is less complicated than the Vilai socks.

I got my flu shot and Covid booster on Tuesday, both in the same arm. The pharmacist recommended doing it that way, because she said that leaves you one side to sleep on comfortably, if you like to sleep on your side. All my joints were aching for about 12 hours. My arm was no longer sore on Thursday. I should be mostly immunized in time for the Condega event next Sunday.

The Condega Celebration is a fundraiser for our church's support of the people of Condega, Nicaragua. I'll be there, selling my books. I'm happy that my new book will arrive in time for this celebration. It's basically a big party with nice things to buy. Charlie is going to attend and see what he might want to spend money on. Last year we bought tickets to a high tea on Valentine's Day. It was a nice outing, and we enjoyed the company with the other participants.

The dogs went to the groomer this week. First we walked with them to the dog park and walked around the trail in the big-dog section, because there were no dogs to play with in either section. When we finished that, there were a couple of dogs in the big-dog section and one little dog in the other. Dusty and Sandy played with the big dogs for a bit and then we went to play with the little dog, so he wouldn't be lonely. After a while, another little dog arrived, and it was time for us to continue on to the groomer. After we dropped them off, we walked home, cutting back through the park, crossing 15th Street and then going the rest of the way back the way we had come.

Charlie didn't want to walk with us the next day because he had some gardening to do, so I took the dogs by myself. When we were a short distance from the usual turnaround spot, it started to rain. Fortunately (for me, but not the dogs) I was wearing my waterproof windbreaker. Instead of turning around and heading home, we continued until we reached Bear Creek Rd, where we usually turn around. It only rained for about five minutes or so. I stopped to take a photo of the dogs on our way back. I wanted to get them immortalized while their haircuts were still fresh.

We walked past the construction site, as we often do, because the area where we can let the dogs off-leash is adjacent to it. I noticed that they had put in the walkways to the front doors of the little houses and had added some bushes and a few small trees.

I don't know how much longer we'll have access to this place, but for now, it's great for the dogs to run.

We walked again on Sunday. I discovered that the construction company had started building some fences surrounding the development.

During our walk on Saturday, we came across a big box labeled "FREE SQUASH." I peeked in. There was one left, so I took it. I've been trying to identify the type of squash. It seems like a winter variety, although the peel isn't excessively thick. It looks a bit like a cross between a zucchini and a green winter squash. It will be interesting to see what it's like inside.

I baked some bread on Saturday. I prefer this bread for sandwiches over the whole wheat bread from the store. It's made with sourdough starter and whole wheat flour.

On Sunday, the choir began singing again. We'll be singing most Sundays from now through June. We had a big back-to-school celebration, with a blessing of the backpacks. The children brought their backpacks up to the front to receive a blessing. Charlie came to the service because our anniversary is Tuesday and his birthday is Saturday, and we could get a blessing for our anniversary, and Charlie could get a blessing for his birthday. Here's a screenshot of that moment from the video of the service. (Those are my Vilai socks!)

The first box containing my new books is expected to arrive today, and the other two boxes should arrive tomorrow. I'm excited to open the box! If you have one of my books, please leave an honest review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the BookBaby Bookshop, if you have the time. It helps others decide whether to buy or not, and the royalties go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment.

I have a lot of difficulty responding to comments to my blog posts because of technical issues beyond my control (my lack of understanding of how things work). Message me on Facebook, Ravelry, BlueSky or Spoutible if you need information.

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon or B&N and search for Mandy's Little Science Lessons: Stories from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart". Every click on the page for the book makes it more likely they will keep a good supply in their warehouse and stores. If you are outside the US, you may have a separate website for these retailers. If you have a copy of any of our books, including Emil, Mariah, Classic Tales Retold, Our Favorite Verses, More Classic Tales Retold or Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook. As I said, please leave an honest review on the websites, especially if you bought from them.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Working on the Speculoos Sweater.

What's on my iPhone: Still listening to Wildwood by Colin Meloy, getting close to the end. I'm looking forward to the movie October 23. Here's the trailer:

What's on my sewing machine: Getting ready to make clothes for Elsie's Christmas doll. She and her brother are my honorary grandchildren, because she's the cousin of two of our grandkids and doesn't have grandparents.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Mariah is feeling bad because she thinks she did something wrong. A talk with Veronika puts everything to rights. This week's story from The Doll's Storybook is Bear.
.

What's my tip of the week: Aluminum foil can be washed (if needed) and reused, even the "everyday" thickness if you buy good-quality foil and handle it carefully. After it has tears in it, it can be recycled. I wash it regardless.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog, and they are reproduced in print with a few changes.

Book #7 is on its way to me and should arrive today. Yay!

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less, only 8%, because the vendor gets a cut. My author's page at Book Baby is here. Scroll down and click on any of the books that interest you. Find my books at Barbara's Bookstore as well, or ask your local library to order the books.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.

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New Beginnings

Clue #3 is already finished. I won't be able to work on the Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery KAL again until Clue #4 comes out on Wednesday. I was a little uncertain about the contrast color (pink) because it has bits of magenta in it, but I think the pattern is showing up nicely. It's a challenge, though, because sometimes I don't know which yarn is on my needle in the next stitch.

I need something else to work on, and a friend recommended the Melt the Ice Hat. The pattern is a fundraiser for immigrants' rights groups. 

In the 1940s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. Needle & Skein has raised $400K so far.

Speaking of fundraisers, the ALS Association gave me a badge for completing the 50-mile challenge. They say they raised $130K for the organization. The challenge event is over now, but you can still donate to the cause here. You never know when someone you know and love will be diagnosed with this debilitation and fatal condition.

We haven't stopped walking, though, just because the challenge is over. Saturday the pups and I walked along the trail and cut through what's left of the woods. Charlie is working on our taxes, so he didn't come, but he joined us again on Sunday, when we 

did the trail and then walked through the woods.

On Thursday I had my other cataract surgery. There is usually some fogginess for the first few days after surgery. The first eye cleared up quickly, but this one has taken longer. It's better each day, though, and my after-surgery check showed everything was in order. As with the other eye, they sent me home with a plastic shield over the eye. I have to put it on if I take a nap and again at night. I found this to be the only painful thing about the surgery: ripping the tape off my face. Ow!

Special drops are required after surgery, four times a day in the beginning, and then tapering off each week for four weeks. Under this sheet, used to keep track, I have another one for the left eye. I'm down to twice a day for that eye.

Johan is learning how to change the oil in a car. His other grandpa is a retired auto mechanic with all the equipment and expertise to do such things. He's a handy consultant to have in the family, as we have found out several times.

Another new beginning for us this week was the reading of David's play, "Hannah's Promise, or a Life Without Limits." The reading was announced in a couple of articles in advance of the reading, here and here.

I'm so glad David was able to finish the play before ALS sidelined him. I hope he'll be able to have it appear on stage soon with sets, costumes and props.

And happy Groundhog day! Will we have an early spring or six more weeks of winter?

I have a lot of difficulty responding to comments to my blog posts because of technical issues beyond my control (my lack of understanding of how things work). Message me on Facebook, Ravelry, BlueSky or Spoutible if you need information.

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon or B&N and search for Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart". Every click on the page for the book makes it more likely they will keep a good supply in their warehouse and stores. If you are outside the US, you may have a separate website for these retailers. If you have a copy of any of our books, including Emil, Mariah, Classic Tales Retold, Our Favorite Verses, More Classic Tales Retold or Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, please leave an honest review on the websites, especially if you bought from them.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: The Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery Knit Along shawl, and now my Melting the ICE hat.

What's on my iPhone: Still The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles, also on theAudiobooksNow app. No progress this week.

What's on my sewing machine: Put away.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Pippa lacks information about growing up in Baby Doll, this story from The Doll's Storybook.

What's my tip of the week: Here's a solution to a problem I've been having using cooking spray. My thumbs aren't very strong, and the can is slippery metal, so I was having to use two hands to spray, meaning I could only spray down into a pan or prop the pan up on something. Good old rubber shelf liner to the rescue! (I use a square of this to open jars and a much smaller one to help me change the cables on my interchangeable circular knitting needles. For this project, I cut a rectangle of the shelf liner just a little bigger than the circumference of the can, wrapped the can with it and fastened it with a rubber band from a produce purchase. Works great!

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog, and they are reproduced in print with a few changes.

The stories in Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Talking About Boys, Changes, Shhhhh!, Staying After and Money in a Jar.

The stories in More Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Welcoming a Stranger, The Rescue, Unmasked, Fuzzy Town––A Play and Sky Blue.

Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook. Poems included are Valentine's Day, Keeping Pets, Back to School, Victor the Vulture, The Week Before Christmas, Insomnia and Veronika's Vocabulary Verses.

The stories in Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

The stories in Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The stories in Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less, only 8%, because the vendor gets a cut. My author's page at Book Baby is here. Scroll down and click on any of the books that interest you. Find my books at Barbara's Bookstore as well, or ask your local library to order the books.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.

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Getting Around

The whole-cloth quilt is moving along. I really want to see it finished now. Just to see how it's going to look, I finished one corner.

I work from the center outwards, so I don't catch any bubbles on the back, which might happen, even though the quilt layers are basted together. Then I went back to working on the swags. I only have eight to go, and they're pretty straightforward, no corners to turn or decisions to make. Then on to the upside-down hearts, as you can see, the feathers and cross-hatching.

Remember the dolls who went to the local yarn shop a while back? They were wearing knitted items from my patterns using yarn from the shop, to promote the books. They came home this week, as they are no longer on display, although my books are.

While I was there, this spinning fiber caught my eye and begged to come home with me. I hope to get back to spinning soon.

We have continued to walk most days, but Charlie has been working on going through stuff in the garage, so it has mostly been just the two dogs and me. We noticed this fence around a large part of the wilderness area near us known as Pinewood Natural Area. It is privately owned and due for development: apartment houses and small single-family residences. 

When we got closer, we could see they were digging up trees and taking them out.

We will no longer be able to walk through the woods, which I've circled in red on this map. I don't know what's going to happen with the hiking trail that currently runs through it and on to Ponderosa Park, where we often take the dogs.

Clearly, we will be able to walk on the streets that will go through the development, but hiking on streets isn't as pleasant as walking through the woods.

On Saturday, we had the first practice of the choir for our annual Sound Fourth Independence Day concert. We picked up our music as we came in, and when everyone got there we had perhaps 60 or so singers.

Our daughter's family has been in Europe, traveling with her husband's family for the past few weeks. They will be home in a couple of days.

Sunday night I made Pizza Blanca, no tomatoes or tomato sauce. (That's faux pepperoni, not real.)

I read through the new book and made a few wording corrections. After one more read-through to look for absent punctuation and other errors, it will be ready to send to my proofreaders/editors.

I have a lot of difficulty responding to comments to my blog posts because of technical issues beyond my control (my lack of understanding of how things work). Message me on Facebook, Ravelry or Spoutible if you need information.

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon and B&N and search for More Classic Tales Retold or Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart". Every click on the page for the book makes it more likely they will keep a good supply in their warehouse and stores. If you are outside the US, you may have a separate website for these retailers. If you have a copy of any of our books, including Emil, Mariah, Classic Tales Retold, Our Favorite Verses or More Classic Tales Retold, please leave an honest review on the websites, especially if you bought from them.

Where's my blog: If you want to follow my blog, go here and sign up to follow.

What's on my needles: Still working on The Love of Spiders shawl by Melanie Berg. Only a couple of rows done this week.

What's on my iPhone: Finished listening to Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell. Now listening to The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Emily Rankin on the Audiobooks Now app.

What's on my sewing machine: Still waiting on some dish towels or something.

What's in my hoop: My whole cloth quilt. Lots of progress this week because we were home.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: The dolls come back from a walk to discover they're locked out of the house. Dolls are good at being patient, but they can still get bored while they wait for The Writer and her husband to come back. What will they do? Find out in Locked Out!

What's my tip of the week: Be kind. It's good for us.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog and they are reproduced with a few changes. 

The stories in More Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Welcoming a Stranger, The Rescue, Unmasked, Fuzzy Town––A Play and Sky Blue.

Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook. Poems included are Valentine's Day, Keeping Pets, Back to School, Victor the Vulture, The Week Before Christmas, Insomnia and Veronika's Vocabulary Verses.

The stories in Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

The stories in Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The stories in Mariah are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less, because the publisher gets a cut. Find my books at Barbara's Bookstore as well.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.

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