A Month of "Sundays"

Well, "the day has come and passed".................retirement! As of today, I have officially been retired for one month. YEA! Guess I'd better change my "profile". My, where has the time gone?

I've heard "other people" say that they were so busy, after they retired, that they wondered how they ever had time to work. All I can reply, is that I've found the above statement to be "TOTALLY TRUE"!!! The first 3 weeks felt like an "extended vacation" without the traveling.

I'm still waiting for the phone to ring, and someone to ask, "When are you coming back? Don't you think that you've been off long enough?" NOT

The time so far has just flown by. I don't have a tenth of the projects completed that I intended to have done by now. Guess I'd better write a "to do schedule list". Of course, I do have some "unintended" projects completed (crochet, of course), and some more started. Anyone heard that Christmas is coming? LOL

Good-bye to my "4-footed angel"

Kayley was my beloved Lhasa Apso. She came to me in the early summer of 1997. I've had many dogs in my lifetime, but she was my special angel. Anyone who is a dog lover will understand the loss that I feel now. She was my friend, my confidant who always listened with unconditional love.

Her joy when I would come home after being gone, whether it was just a few minutes or from my work hours, made her day complete. She would curl up on a doggie pillow anywhere I happened to be, whether it was by my computer, or the living room couch, or bedtime.

She loved to travel with me, even though she had to wear her "doggy seatbelt" , seated upon 3 pillows to give her enough height to see out the windows. It was always an adventure that she enjoyed, whether the drive was just across town, or 5 to 13 hrs long. She never complained, but how she loved those "potty stops", all the new smells and sights to see.

I recently found out that I was actually her third owner, so her real age is really unknown to me, but I know she was between 15 and 17 years old. And as with people, her age was beginning to show a decline in her health. But she will always live in my heart and mind as long as I live. Goodbye, my sweet angel, I will love you forever. And I know someday we will be reunited, and that you will have the energy and health of your young life.

Mystery Calendar Afghan Crochet Along at Dishclothdiaries

Just doing some "surfing this morning" and ran across this Mystery Calendar Afghan Crochet Along at Dishclothdiaires. Thought it sounded like a lot of fun!

http://dishclothdiaries.blogspot.com/2009/01/winter-dream.html

Give it a try!

~REMEMBER the REASON for the SEASON~

I found this Nativity at a well known craft show in Indy. It is so unique. Each figure in the scene except the "Babe" and the sheep have a scripture imprinted into them.

The Angel

Mary and Jesus

May Love and Peace be your gifts for this Season and forever.

Life is Like Hot Chocolate

This was passed on to me in an email, and I liked it so much, I thought I would share with everyone! I don't know the author, but if anyone knows let me know who to give credit for this.

The seasons are a changin', and it will be time for this before you know it!


A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old University Professor, now retired.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests Hot Chocolate, the Professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of Hot Chocolate and an assortment of cups- porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the Hot Chocolate.

When they all had a cup of Hot Chocolate in hand, the Professor said:
"Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.

While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the Hot Chocolate. In most cases it even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was Hot Chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups, and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this:

Life is the Hot Chocolate;
Your job, money and position in society are the cups.
They are just tools to hold and contain life.

The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the Hot Chocolate God provides us.

God makes the Hot Chocolate, man chooses the cups.

So True! Hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did, and now I will share one of my favorite ways to enjoy Hot Chocolate.

Chill Chaser (and it does!)

1 evelope of your favorite Hot Chocolate Mix

1 heaping teaspoon of coffee creamer

Enough hot water to almost fill the mug

Add a shot of ButterShots Schnapps

Mini-chocolate chips and mashmallows

Enjoy and feel the cold just melt away!

Besides Crocheting !

Pictures are clickable, if you want a better view.

I've been waiting two years to get this project off the ground. But finally that "little area" was sided, and I could start putting this area together. I eventually want native plants (some people view them as weeds, LOL), surrounding this.

Also besides the purchased stones, I want to include rocks that have "memories", from people that I know and love, besides some gathered on trips.

Notice the "broken strawberry jar", I think it looks quite neat on it's side with plants, spilling out of it................ Reuse, recycle at every chance. The two praying angels were a gift for my birthday from special friends. The sound of the water is so soothing!

Works in Progress

Remember how you feel after a huge Thanksgiving Meal? Like your eyes were too big for your tummy.............. Well, I think maybe my works in progress are the same. LOL

This is a "shawl" that I am making for a friend for her birthday. I will probably modify the pattern somewhat as you end up working the "points" of the pineapples separately, and I dislike doing that so will add a "fan" between them bridging the points. This was an idea given by another person, using the Pineapple Fan Chair Set located at Celt's Vintage Crochet : http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/PineFan.html
A chair back doily that works as a shawl if you use worsted weight and a large hook (like a K) that has pineapples in it. Will try and post a picture of this when it's finished.

Another project, I'm working on is another "My Favorite Pineapple Afghan" in spruce and cream. Have one square to go, and then the border.

This is soooooooo easy, and I love how they look when they are finished.

Another afghan is in the works also. A "Wedding of Roses Afghan" for a dear friend and her new husband. This one appears to be blocks but they are actually worked all in one piece, and since it's filet, this is very simple.

It's 3 blocks by 5, so it's almost 2/3 's of the way completed. Gee, hope they aren't in any hurry. I picked the "Claret" color in honor of the red roses given to her by her husband.

Another filet crochet project is a rooster that I am doing in thread for a Christmas gift for this year. It looks like it will be large enough to frame when completed.

And almost last, but no means, less important is a Round Rainbow Baby Afghan. I think this pattern is sooooooooooo special. I loved it the very first time I saw it. Just need to finish adding the fringe.

Now the last project is a CAL of a pineapple tote. I have everything except "the time" to get it rolling . (That's why there aren't any pictures of it yet.) LOL And that's just what is on the crochet front, also have some craft project ideas doodling around in my brain.

And with SPRING finially here, outside projects are also calling!
Happy Hooking to all! Lace