Okay, this is not knitting but it is cool

My baby sister lives in New Jersey and works in New York. She works for Macy's Corporate Offices for one of the buyers. She and I get to email each other alot and she sent me this picture from her seventh floor window.



There were three NASCAR race cars parked on the street. The Home Depot car is the 1st or far left car, then comes Aflack car, and the Bank of America car. She said that they were racing the engines and she could feel the vibrations all the way on her floor. She wanted to run down and drive away in one.

How cool is that?

Knitting Does Actually Take Place

I almost forgot. I finished the Buckeye Socks this past weekend. Here are some pictures.






Sorry for the quality of the last two. I think that too much celebrating with the kids for Turkey Day added to a bit of unsteadiness.....

I wish I could say that they were matching, but you can see that the variegated yarn has a mind of its own. The one on the left was knitted first and then the one on the right. I didn't make them at the same time because I was altering a pattern to suit a man. I hope that my father-in-law isn't too picky and doesn't notice.....

This is totally cool!

I love to read Say What. Emily has some wonderful stuff that she finds. Her post today is no exception. She has found wall art that no knitter should be without.




Imagine having this in your craft room. The website shows you all the colors that are available. All of the LYS's should know about this too! Feel free to spread the word.

Tuesday Temptations

Yes folks, it is Tuesday! Boy do I have stuff for you.

I am going to order these for some special gifts that I want to give to Wifey, Trouble, and Munchkin. I think that I want to order the Acorn, the Santa Hat, and the Frog.

I might need this for the guest bathroom too.

This just cracks me up. I don't know who would be the lucky recipient, but it is sure a hoot.

And this would be a great thing to give college students and just about anyone that needs to open a bottle of beer.

And lest you think that I have not been thinking about Sassy and Eraser, fear not. They would most certainly love to get this or this. And Onyx would love this or this I'm sure.

I am most definitely addicted to sweets, so I think that it is only fitting that I want these, these, these, these, and these for the holidays.

That's enough for this installment. What do you want for Christmas?

Trouble's Birthday

These are a few shots from our birthday dinner with Trouble. What you can't really see is the gift basket contents.

We gave her a basket filled with stemless purple wine glasses, a tea cup with a steamer basket and lid, tea bags (Vanilla Caramel Mocha), Giradelli White Chocolate hot cocoa, bath and body works lotions, sake, jelly bellies, a Victoria's Secret gift card, miniature bottle of wine,and soaps. I'm sure that there was more, but that is all that I can remember at this late hour.

The girl with Trouble is Lauren, one of her friends at college. We had the present opening in her dorm room. Look familiar to anyone?

This is what family is all about

Every other year we switch off cooking details. This year it was Wifey's turn. We had traditional Yankee food. We are okay with it and it was great. Keeping with tradition, we take our annual Christmas card picture today as well. I share with you today two versions. There are still three versions on the Munchkin's camera that I will get before she goes back to school on Sunday. We will pick from the five of them and one will be the card that everyone will receive this year. You can see how much fun we have from the smiles on our faces. I hope that everyone had as much fun with their family as we did today with ours.

Munchkin getting her picture taken before the family photo op

Munchkin, Trouble with Sassy, Me with Eraser, Wifey with Onyx

Munchkin, Trouble with Sassy, Me with Eraser, Wifey with Onyx

As you can see, we have a lot of fun with these photo ops. This year Sassy and Eraser did not want to be in the picture at all, and Onyx is still very afraid of the flash. Hopefully next year we will all be better.

I hope that you all ate too much, celebrated too much, and gave thanks for all the blessings in your life today.

What I am thankful for

I have been challenged as part of my Sock It To Me Part Deaux to list at least ten things that I am thankful for.. I would challenge each of my readers to do the same.

Thing One - I am thankful for my Wifey She has been my friend, my partner, my love, and my cheerleader for the last ten years. She has been the most perfect person that I could have ever had the chance to meet and to fall in love with.

Things Two and Three - I am thankful for Trouble

and Munchkin . That may seem trite, but I have been blessed with two daughters that are growing up into strong women. They have watched my life and are trying to be strong and make themselves proud of who they become. I am looking forward to them growing up and discovering what life has in store for them.

Things Four, Five, and Six - Sassy My alpha cat who doesn't know that she only weighs 7 pounds on a good day. Eraser My linebacker kitty that protects us from everything. An Onyx The newest member of our family that we are so happy to have adopted. If you have pets you will understand. If not, then I'm not sure I can explain. They are our furry kids and we would be lost without them in our lives.

Thing Seven - My Family This is only part of us. This was taken in San Antonio last year in August when my niece got married. Back row is my brother, his wife, Munchkin, and me. Front row is my sister-in-law, my younger brother, Trouble, and my nephew. I miss my little sister and I don't see my parents as much as I should but I love them all.

Thing Eight - Our Friends Life is so short and friends help you through some of your best times and some of your worst times. Enough Said.

Thing Nine - Wifey's Parents Without them, she would not be who she is today.

Thing Ten - My Internet/Blog Family. I cannot post pictures of each of you, but there are many that I feel I have known a life time. I have learned to share and to communicate in ways I knew existed but never tried. My life has forever been enriched by meeting you and I look forward to a lifetime of memories with each of you as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Who knew my astrological forcast read like this?

Who knew?

Sock It To Me Part Deaux

1. How long have you been knitting? Do you consider yourself beginner, intermediate, advanced? - I have been knitting since I was 12, so about 33 years. I consider myself an advanced intermediate.
2. How long have you been knitting socks? - I have been knitting socks off and on for the last 20 years. But steadily for the last year.
3. What are your favorite fibers to work with? - That depends on the project. For socks I love the Regia yarns and Socks That Rock yarns. I have been using Claudia's Handpainted for a pair and the colorways are great. I want to try some of the others that I have seen people using, so this swap might be the right time.
4. What is your favorite color? - Blue, blue, blue, purple, and some pink as long as it is not too girly. Blue can run the gambit from Navy to pale, as long as it is blue it can't be bad. I can handle red too as long as it is more blue and not orange.
5. What are your current WIPs (works in progress)? - Currently I am working on Buckeye Socks, a Haruha Scarf, Cherie Amour, Meadow (Rowan Vest), two Pay-It-Forward surprises, and three other pair of socks for Christmas gifts. I am also trying to get to several of the 11 UFO's that are pleading to be finished or frogged.
6. Name your favorite yarns, (brand, fibers, colors, etc.). - I love the Rowan Cashsoft and Cashcotton. Come to think of it, there are numerous others that are quite yummy too. I love yarns in general that feel good before they become something. If they feel good before they go through the transformation, they are sure to feel better afterwards. I love bamboo lately and the Berroco glace is one of my other favorites for draping, especially in top down knitting.
7. What are some yarns/fibers that you stay away from. - Really, there aren't many. I think that they all have a place. I use acrylics for projects that are going to charity and to the preemie wards, because they can stand up to the commercial washing machines and the regulations that hospitals face. I base the yarn on the person who is the receiver as often as possible because he/she might have allergies and I hate to assume anything. Natural fibers are safe and fun but alot of the heavy wools are not good here in Texas. It is too humid and we don't usually have the temperatures necessary to need them.
8. What is your family situation? (Married, kids, pets?) - I am as married as Texas will allow. Wifey and I have been together ten years (officially on 11/30). I have two daughters, Trouble (24) and Munchkin (21 3/4), and Wifey has done all that she can to be the parent that they need her to be. We have a dog named Onyx and two cats, Sassy and Eraser.
9. Name some of your hobbies. - Besides the obvious, I have been known to crochet, cross-stitch, lap quilt, sew, garden, cook, and golf. I ride bikes too, but that's more for leisure/exercise. I've been dabbling with writing a novel and I am participating the the National Novel Writing Month.
10. Name some of your favorite movies. - I love old Joan Crawford movies. I also love: Christmas in Connecticut, almost anything with Sean Connery (the only James Bond), ditto for Jodie Foster, and A Walk in the Clouds.
11. Do you collect anything? - Besides yarn, I collect Hull Pottery, Depression and Elegant Glass, and antique furniture. Wifey would tell you that I collect Ruby rings too.
12. Do you like to read? - I am a voracious reader and I have three books working at all times. One for bed, that is usually science fiction/fantasy, one at work, which is usually technical, and then one for whatever. I love Banned Book Week and try to read as many as possible from the list that I have never read before.
13. Do you own an iPod or mp3 player? - I have a purple Sony Walkman (2GB) that is totally loaded with music.
14. What are your favorite type of knitting needles? - I don't have a favorite. For me, there are certain needles that I like for certain yarns. I do prefer circulars to DPN's for socks though.
15. What knitting notion could you not live without? - My portable tape measure, my gauge checker, and my portable note pad.
16. Who are some of your favorite designers? - I love EZ and her daughter and Barbara Walker from old school perspectives. From newer schools, Cookie A and Norah Gaughan.
17. Do you subscribe to any magazines? (Knitting or otherwise.) - I get Garden Gate and Golf for Women. Wifey and I both get National Geographic. I don't subscribe to any knitting magazines, although I did have a subscription to Vogue Knitting from 1982 to 1994. I prefer to buy an issue when I see something that I want to make or that a friend has recommended.
18. When is your birthday? - July 4, 1962 (Yep, I'm as old as dirt)
19. Do you have a "wishlist", (on Ravelry, Froogle, or Amazon)? - I'm building up steam to post it on Ravelry, but otherwise no.
20. Do you have a Ravelry ID? - Rubyringz
21. If you had a sheep, what would you name it? - Ruby

Aunt Margaret as her family wanted her remembered

Ping, Margaret Mary Jarboe

West Branch: Margaret Mary Jarboe Ping died peacefully at her home, her family beside her, on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007, from cancer. She was 53 years of age.

Margaret was born Nov. 22, 1953, in Louisville, Ky., the eldest child of John and Dorothy Jarboe. Margaret and her family called several different states home, eventually moving to Memphis, Tenn., in 1968 where she graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in 1971. From a very young age Margaret wanted to be a nurse and she pursued that goal first by entering the registered nursing diploma program with Methodist Hospitals of Memphis, graduating in 1975 as an RN. A few years after moving with her husband and son to Iowa, she pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at the University of Iowa, graduating with her BSN in 1988.

In her 32 years as a nurse, Margaret worked in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and for 28 years was a registered nurse at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where she worked in newborn nursery, newborn intensive care and finally, her dream, labor and delivery for 20 years. In addition to her work in labor and delivery, Margaret was a certified childbirth educator. Her empathy, concern and care for mothers and their babies was an integral part of her approach to her profession and many new mothers remember her work and care for them during their child-birthing experience.

While attending classes at Memphis State University in 1972 as a part of her diploma program, a chance encounter while walking to class introduced her to Charles "Chuck" Ping. They would become best friends, married life-partners for 32 years. They had one child, Jeremy, and when Margaret was asked about having only one child would enigmatically reply, "when you do it right the first time, you don't need to have another."

Margaret had many interests, quilting, weaving, knitting, needlework, gardening, baking, making jams and jellies from the fruits of their garden, having friends over for gatherings, sitting on the front porch, traveling the world with Chuck. In the few months since her diagnosis, four quilts were started, two completed, with close friends and Chuck finishing the final two for her. Margaret was for many years involved with the Iowa City Free Lunch program, serving as the coordinator for St. Wenceslaus's Day for 14 years and continued to support the program through their current parish, St. Thomas More.

She is survived by her husband, Charles Ping; son, Jeremy and daughter-in-law Laura Ping; mother, Dorothy Jarboe; sisters, Ann (John) Brzuskiewicz, Patricia (Fred) Kaplan and Jeanne (Rodney) Merkle; and brothers, Thomas (Laurie) Jarboe and James Jarboe.

She was preceded in death by her father, John Jarboe.

Friends may call Tuesday, Nov. 20, at their home at 110 Sagert Dr., West Branch, from 1 to 9 p.m. to celebrate the life of this extraordinary woman. A rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Iowa City. Following the Mass there will be a dinner downstairs with burial later in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Iowa City.

Memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice, Iowa City.

The Cremation Society of Eastern-Central-Western Iowa assisted with arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the Ping family at www.iowacremation.com

In Loving Memory

It is with a very sad heart that I deviate from the post that I was going to give you today.

As much as I wanted this post to never come, it has. My Aunt passed away yesterday at 5:00 PM CST. She died exactly two weeks before her 53rd birthday. She died at home with her husband, son, daughter-in-law, one sister, and her mother present, just as she wanted.

I sit at the keyboard saddened for their loss. I also grieve for my mother, as my Aunt was the only other daughter-in-law in the family, and she and my mother were the best of friends and allies within the family unit. I grieve for my father as this is his only brother's wife and since my father is the oldest, he is supposed to be strong and brave. I grieve for my three Aunts as well.

What can I tell you about my Aunt Margaret? She and my Uncle met at Memphis State. They were married at St. John's Catholic Church in Memphis and I was in the wedding party. True 1970 style hippies, they wore non-traditional clothing and we were dressed in Holly Hobbie style dresses all made out of dotted swiss material. Mine was baby blue and my baby sister's was purple. They moved to Penn State so that my Uncle could finish some degree and then he became the head of the Theatre department. They moved to Iowa and he took over the same function at that college.

My Aunt was short and had fair skin with freckles. She had pretty brown hair with reddish tints. She was soft spoken. She was always learning a new craft. She learned all of the typical 1970's crafts and made a lot of stuff that I remember using. Along the way she learned to spin and loom and made wonderful things. She made rag place mats and table runners that I still use. She also knitted. She is not the Aunt that is responsible for teaching me to crochet, but she is the Aunt that is responsible for me picking up the needles again after I became frustrated. She would spend countless phone conversations with me talking me through a challenge or helping to teach me a technique that I could just not seem to master. She taught me my love for Cables and for Socks. She was an avid gardener and grew most of what they ate. She canned food as well and made wonderful preserves and jellies. She was a head nurse at a neonatal unit in her hospital. She was wonderful with the parents and the babies.

She did not want a service and did not want a burial. She will be cremated later today according to her wishes. There is not an obituary that I can post, at least not yet. I will remember her as I last saw her and later this weekend I will try to find a picture of her that I can share.

Her suffering from a terrible cancer that had taken over her body is now over and she is in peace. I am not sad for her passing, no, I am sad for all those lives that she will no longer touch and guide, and for my own loss of a family member that shared my love for creating things from sticks and string.

God Speed Aunt Margaret. Watch over us from that Knitting Guild in the sky and inspire us to achieve more. Also, find Rob and make sure that he is watching over his family. I will plant Joe Pye for you in the Spring.

Trouble as a baby through ninth grade

This is Trouble at three months in January of 1984. I made her blouse and jumper.

This is Trouble at seven months. Her first trip to the beach.

This is Trouble at eighteen months in her first bikini.

This is Trouble at the Spring Awards Banquet as a Fifth Grader. She was accepting an award for making straight A's on all of her report cards for the year. She must have gotten the brains from me....

This is Trouble in the fall of seventh grade.

This is Trouble and I after we both had our braces taken off. This is about Fall of 1996.

This is Trouble at her Spring Recital in 1997.

Tuesday Temptations

Okay. I promised the Cedar Plank Recipe, so here it is:

Soak your Cedar Plank for 30 to 90 minutes
Start your grill according to directions
Place food on plank and place plank on grill
Plank should smoke but not ignite

Cedar Plank Salmon with Caper Butter Sauce

Ingredients:
1lb of salmon fillet (with skin on one side)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
salt to taste
2 tablespoons capers

Sauce Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 large lemon juiced
1/2 tablespoon of capers

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to 350 degrees
2. Place salmon fillet (skin side down) on your cedar plank and brush with the olive oil
3. Sprinkle the ground coriander, pepper, and capers over the full length of the fillet and salt to taste
4. Grill for 15 to 25 minutes until the fish flakes into large chunks when pulled
5. While the fish is grilling prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a small skillet at medium heat. Once melted, add the capers and lemon juice. Bring sauce to a boil and then remove from heat. Serve hot over fish.

I'm always looking for things to decorate my fence in the back yard and I think that I might like to have this. It might make an excellent tattoo also, I'm just not sure where I would put it....I think that I need a few of these for the trees in my yard. They are so adorable. I think that I need this to go along with the dragon too. I like this too, but I don't know if it is suitable for outdoors.

Looking to spice up your fridge for the holidays? How about this or this?

Munchkin loves the Wizard of Oz, so I think that I might have to get this for her.

My sister-in-law works at Coldwater Creek. I might have to send her a special Christmas list that includes: this, this, and this. Of course, I could also love any of these from the Territory Ahead, which includes this, this, this, this, or this.

Okay, that's enough for today. I'll be posting pictures from the birthday celebration with Trouble on Sunday some time tomorrow. That will also include a little walk down memory lane with some pictures of her a she has grown up. A flurry of knitting content will follow later this week as well.

11 Ways to Be an Earth-Friendly Couple

Okay, I promise...this is the last one for today.....

I love number five, number six, and number ten the most. We have two city provided recycle bins and we recycle everything that they will let us. We recycle the tubes from papertowels and toilet paper and every piece of plastice with a 1 or a 2. Every box gets broken down as well. We take our newspapers to the local SPCA. We also take them our old towels and sheets. We take our soda and beer cans to a recycle location and use the cash for our vaction fund. It is really amazing when you look at all the packaging that food and product comes in. Such a pity that not all of the manufacturers use packaging that can be recycled.

How about your household? Do you compost? Do you recycle?

Strange Horoscope for my anniversary month.....

Cancer - November

You'll be restless at the beginning of the month and pulled in many directions. Saturday, November 3 will be better for concentration and focusing. The next day spend some time with a loved one and don't be afraid to create a element of surprise. With the Moon in Libra on November 5 and 6, a lot of compromise will be in order with your partner, family, friends or the public. Be spontaneous on November 7 to make the most of sudden opportunities. A New Moon in Scorpio on November 9 will allow you to get closer to a loved one, but only if you are willing to cut through misunderstandings or deception over the next few days. Get ready for hard work and responsibility from November 13 to 15. You may become frustrated by a lack of cooperation, but you can get a lot done on your own this week. Plan carefully and be organized. On Sunday, November 18, take some time to relax and examine your feelings. With Venus in Libra making a difficult aspect to Mars in your sign on November 19, dealings with the opposite sex will be strained. Expressing how you feel will help immensely. This trend will continue for a few days, keeping you on your toes. The Moon in your sign, along with Mars on November 26 and 27 will highlight the need to communicate and cooperate with loved ones. Curb the urge to have your way at all costs.

Okay, So I'm Going For A Record Number Of Posts Today

I should stay off the Internet today. I have found yet another story that has piqued my interest.

The article asserts that people unconsciously choose things based upon their name. I read it all twice and sent it to Wifey. As a teacher of 25+ years, she knows a thing or two about a thing or two. I want her opinion based upon her real-life experience.

I would consider that since my first initial is an E and I am fifth letter of the alphabet that I am prone to wanting to achieve. I was never prone to that grade. I always made A's and B's or I didn't participate in athletics. Plain and simple fact. I always excelled at learning and loved it. I still do. My father always told us that you are supposed to learn something new daily. I still try to.

It is funny that Wifey and I share initials. I go by LCP and she goes by LLG. Our first initial is the same if I don't use my given name.

Read the article and tell me what you think.....

Are you guilty of any of these?

Weight loss and fitness have been on my mind alot since July. Thanks to my annual well-woman and nearing 50. I am actually 45, but my body hates me and my lack of hormone production has been such a pain.

I ran across this article today on msn.com. The article maintains that there are five small items that could be causing a hitch in your get-a-long.

1. You're following bad advice.
2. You eat fat-free foods.
3. You (still) don't eat breakfast.
4. You're eating too much sugar.
5. You don't lift weights.

I won't go into great detail on any of the points. Read the article. It is short. I was amazed at the facts presented. I will be checking with Wifey and getting her input, but I welcome any one's opinion, especially Megan......

Thursday has gone to the dog....

That's right! Today's post features two more pictures of Onyx. These were taken this past weekend. Our cats walk on leashes and spend a great deal of time outside with us. They don't really know that they aren't supposed to wear harnesses and walk on leashes, so, please don't educate them otherwise. They took turns sunning and shading with Onyx all day. Doesn't she have the sweetest face!

What? It Can't Be Wednesday Already!

Where did the last four days go? I must say that getting Onyx has forced a few changes in the household that we had not anticipated.

Getting a new dog when you have cats is like a weird form of child proofing. We had to make sure that she knew the boundaries. No dogs in bathrooms was the first one. That has always been a big one for me. I don't really like the cats in there either, but they are harder to train about that. We had to show her where both of her beds were. All of our dogs have always had a bed in the living room and then a bed in our room. She likes the one in our room but she isn't quite sure about the other one just yet. She had to learn that every time that we put on shoes it did not equal a walk for her. I don't think that she likes that one yet either. She does know her two feeding times already and is very good about telling us when she needs to go outside. I took some good shots this weekend and I will post some on Thursday.

For those of you with both cats and dogs, you will understand this one. Yesterday while I was checking email, Onyx was looking out the window. Eraser came wandering in to see me for some whisker and ear rubbing. When she was done with me, dismissed completely, she walked over to the window and plopped down on the floor beside Onyx. She then proceeded to roll over and expose her entire fluffy belly to Onyx. She let her sniff her entire belly and all four of her feet and then they touched noses. She then calmly rolled back over and left the room. It was so sweet. Sassy has been the Alpha cat and the Alpha everything. She makes sure that Onyx gets the what for when ever she feels it is needed. How so very cat-like.

Now, what actually happened to my last four days? Saturday was yard cutting and shutting down the pool for the winter. We also had a wonderful dinner with some friends. For those of you in the south, you will understand that we use our grills year round. We had salmon cooked on cedar planks. It was fab! I'll post the recipe with the next Tuesday Temptations.

Sunday was golf. We have been golfing every Sunday for the last month. Does this mean that we are good golfers? Not really. We just love to golf and Sunday morning on the course is so peaceful. The course is relatively easy and we repeat the same nine holes when we play eighteen. There is a sky diving facility next to the course and they have been jumping each morning as we play. The planes are a bit loud but the chutes are fun to see when you are waiting to hit your next shot.

Monday was day one of us going to the gym and leaving Onyx in the back yard. So far no neighbors have complained and she has not been digging. We get up at 4:15 AM, drink coffee, dress, and leave the house at 4:50 AM to get there when they first open the doors. We work out for an hour and then go home to shower and get ready for work. Wifey showers and dresses and then takes Onyx on a walk. They only other thing we try to do is watch Monday Night Football, but this week the game sucked so we went to bed early.

Tuesday I was remiss about posting my normal Tuesday Temptations, as I was trying to get all my work done early so that I could vote. I was also exhausted since I didn't sleep well Monday night. I hope that everyone voted too. I was harping about it to my staff all day.

Today has been relatively slow at work and I am closing October files and updating the end of year files as people will want to know vacation and sick days that remain so that they can plan accordingly since we don't roll over unused time. I plan on working on the Haruha Scarf this afternoon and the Buckeye Socks at home. I want to get to the heal gusset tonight. I also have to get Trouble her birthday gifts, as we will be celebrating officially this Sunday with her. Warning, be prepared for the baby picture post of her next week with the recount of the day with her.

I also promise actual knitting pictures soon as well. There has been knitting I just haven't taken time to take the pictures.

Meet Onyx

This is Onyx. She is eight years old and is part black lab and black chow. She has the cutest blue spotted tongue. She is very easily spooked right now, but she knows she is safe. Eraser and Sassy seem to be okay with her but they are making sure that she gets the rules. These are not the best pictures, but she is afraid of the flash, so I will have to get more in the day time. As you can see, she is very small. Her head was about four inches from the top of the TV table that she is under. Welcome to your new home!

Thankful Thursday

Okay, I have borrowed this title from CKG, but today it fits.

I have so many things to be thankful for but I am only going to talk about two today.

The first one: Today, ten years ago, Wifey and I met for the very first time at a birthday party. We really should send a thank you card to the hostess of the party for inviting us both, but she most likely would not be too happy with us.

The second one: Tonight, after work, we are adopting a dog. Her name is Onyx and we are rescuing her from a home that no longer wants her. I will post pictures tomorrow.

Have a wonderful Thursday!