Taking It Easy

I ran out of yarn in the middle of the concert on Sunday, but more on that later. After the concert was over, I set up my ball winder and swift on the loom and wound another ball.

I spent another week of mostly sleeping and only doing the basic necessities. By Thursday, though, I finally felt like knitting again. The hard part was separating the sleeves from the body, and that was only difficult because I had to concentrate and count, two things I wasn't doing well ever since coming down with the flu two weeks ago. As I write this, I'm still coughing, but more energetic than I have been for a while, and we're hoping to get our booster shots on Tuesday. Charlie is about two days behind me on the symptoms, so we'll see whether he feels like going or not.

So there I was, Thursday evening, putting the sleeve stitches on waste yarn. Now it's just straight K, K, K, all the way down to the waist. Here's the link to my project page on Ravelry, if you want more details.

I managed to make some chili and some bread on Friday. It was a good thing I felt up to it, because we were out of cooked food and TV dinners. I baked a little loaf of Dutch oven bread, but I didn't think to get a photo until this was all that was left.

Friday was Zachary's birthday. I think his favorite present was his iPod. I call it a training phone. He can't make phone calls with it or surf the internet, but he can text his parents if he's home alone and needs something. He can also access The Doll's Storybook directly with a special link.

He was happy to get some Legos and some other fun things. He helped bake the cake, chocolate on chocolate. (He's a little intimidated by the double-digit age, though, but he'll get used to it. He will have a double-digit birthday for a long time.)

We got him a Götz Little Kidz Paul doll. Paul is the same size as Pippa in my stories. He actually comes as a boy.

Zachary was very excited to get him, and he and his sister have already played with their dolls together quite a bit.

It's nice to have a birthday on a Friday, so he could play with all his new things all weekend. 

Sunday we had planned on going to the concert series we've been attending. We didn't really feel like going, but didn't want to miss it. Fortunately, it was broadcast, so we were able to watch it with the pups. They included "Melody No. 2" by the Ukrainian composer Miroslav Skorik, which is to Ukraine what our "America the Beautiful" is, almost a second national anthem.

Speaking of Ukraine, If anyone is in the Portland, Oregon, area, you might be interested in this benefit, Voices for Ukraine. The price of the tickets includes the $20 cost of the concert, and the rest of the price of the ticket goes to Mercy Corps. 

I'm really, really, hoping to be back to normal by next week!

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon and B&N and search for "Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart" in Children's. 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 our first book, Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, it would help if you left 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 the Hinterland pullover and the emPower Kerchief.

What's on my loom: No change.

What's on my sewing machine: Back to doll clothes for birthdays.

What's in my hoop: No change.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: "Fashion Show." I didn't feel up to taking a lot of action shots this week, so I used the photos from many of my free patterns and instructions and only had to take photos of Veronika and Mandy introducing the outfits.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Listening to The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone on the Audible app. 

What's in my wine glass: Ribera Del Duero Teófilo Reyes Tempranillo. Very nice. I could hardly resist an extra glass.

What's my tip of the week: Before you leave to go shopping for food, check your medicine cabinet for whatever cold supplies you need when you're sick, like tissues, cough medicine and decongestant. You won't want to have to go out for it once you get sick.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog and they are reproduced with few changes. Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook is now available for preorder from booksellers world wide. The link for Book Baby is here. The three stories are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook is also available. The three stories in the first book 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. 

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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Down for the Count

I wish I could say I got lots of things done this week, but I would be making it up, so here's the truth. I knit several rounds on my Hinterland pullover. Now I'm, done with the colorwork, so it should go fast, once I have the energy to knit again.

To show how sick I felt, for most of the week I didn't feel like knitting. Maybe it was actually the/a flu bug, which can happen, even if you have had the flu vaccine, since they can only predict the most likely viruses, and those buggers replicate and evolve so quickly.

There were the usual chores, like feeding the sourdough starter and making the bread.

I got the laundry done, too, with some help from the dolls. (The story this week was about how they did the laundry for me, so I was more or less killing two birds with one stone, which is an awful cliché.)

I used two of our Covid tests, first on Monday and then again on Thursday. Both times, the test was negative. (The line shows that it was a valid test. If it were Covid, there would be a second line next to the "T".)

I'm glad we had the tests handy, for peace of mind. However, in spite of wearing a mask most of the time around DH, I still managed to give it to him, or maybe he caught it before I knew I was getting sick.

I attended choir via Zoom, although I was still sick on Sunday and didn't get to go. It was a special event, with some of the Mastersingers joining the choir, so they had plenty of help. I watched the service on YouTube. It was lovely. I was sorry to have to miss it.

The Wisconsin grands were off at another dance competition. Zachary's duet took 2nd place.

Daphne participated in a number of different kinds of dances. 

Both kids really enjoy it, and it's good for them.

Homework is good for Johan, too, but he doesn't seem to enjoy it so much. Here he is, grumbling about having to do it.

Soren was off with Dad at the playground.

If you have a few minutes and are willing, please go to Amazon and B&N and search for "Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook by Peggy Stuart" in Children's. 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 our first book, Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, it would help if you left 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 the Hinterland pullover and the emPower Kerchief.

What's on my loom: No change.

What's on my sewing machine: Need to sew the buttons and Velcro on Paul's PJs. Paul arrived safely in Wisconsin, so he's there in plenty of time for Zachary's birthday.

What's in my hoop: No change.

What's in The Doll's Storybook: Dirty Laundry. Mariah and Charlotte teach Pippa how to sort the laundry and do the wash.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Didn't get very far with The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone on the Audible app. 

What's in my wine glass: Perímetro Tempranillo, Spain, 2010. Not bad.

What's my tip of the week: Those "English" cucumbers that come wrapped in plastic are really tasty, and convenient, since you don't have to peel or score them to avoid that bitter taste. They hold up better after opening the plastic if you remove the plastic entirely and roll them up in a paper towel. they can be stored in a plastic bag or kept in a container. The paper towel reduces the moisture around the cucumber, keeping it fresh longer.

Where are my books: The stories in each book first appeared in the blog and they are reproduced with few changes. Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook is now available for preorder from booksellers world wide. The link for Book Baby is here. The three stories are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook is also available. The three stories in the first book 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. 

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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Goodbyes

This was the week we said goodbye to visiting grandkids.

When I took Soren and his family to the airport I learned that he didn't have a hat that fit, so I dug through my stash when I got back and found some Swish DK in "Dusk." I CO immediately.

I'm using this easy pattern.

On New Year's Eve I came down with a respiratory flu, and was too weak to feel like knitting. I'm on the mend now, and I'm happy to make it into the new year. Many of our appliances didn't.

Here's a list of the appliances or devices that stopped working or needed repair in 2014:

Electric bobbin winder (I broke the foot pedal, still waiting to get it fixed)

Yøtul Stove (just needed cleaning)

Both CO2 detectors (had to be replaced)

'98 Subaru Legacy station wagon (after $1000 in repairs, DH replaced it with a 2011 Impreza)

Gas stove (oven, needed new igniter)

1982 Maytag gas dryer (lint build-up only, good as new)

1982 Maytag washer (new pump, motor and wire connector, now good as new) 

Microwave (replaced)

MacBook (was running out of memory, like its owner, now running well)

Garbage disposal (still waiting on repair or replacement)

Space heater (probably going to recycling)

Here's something that never stopped running, though:

We said goodbye to the future soccer star and his sister, Miss Daphne, on Saturday morning, as they climbed into the car for the trip home.

To end up the week we had a power failure on Sunday afternoon that lasted 12 hours. Totally missed Downton Abbey. Fortunately, we are set up to deal with power outages. Our Jøtul stove downstairs can heat the whole house if we take it off thermostat and open the door to the downstairs. Then we have the wood-burning fireplace upstairs in our living room for additional heat. We have a gas stove, and can light the burners with a match if we have to. Candles, kerosene lamps, warm pups = cozy!

What's on my needles: Still the Sandy Beach scarf, no progress this week. Several inches on Soren's new hat, almost ready to start the decreases.

What's on my Featherweight: Put away in its case.

What's on my loom: Some warp for another scarf, but still folded up.

What's on my iPad/iPhone: Dyeing Wishes by Molly MacRae from Audible. Reading Dead Center by Danielle Girard, a crime novel.

What's my app of the week: KSL Vortex weather app, which came in handy advising DD and DSIL on travel home.

What's in my wine glass: Gato Negro Malbec 2013, the last of the big bottle, a nice Argentinian wine.

What's my tip of the week: Sock knitters, here's a useful tool I just discovered. I'm going to order one.

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 were harmed during the production of this blog post.