A perfect day for mowing

As I was mowing this morning I was thinking what a perfect day for the task. The sun was shining, but not too hot. Dry enough that the bugs weren't an issue. Long enough that you could get the satisfaction of seeing where you'd mowed...but not so long that the neighbors might be wondering if you were going to lease the lot out for livestock grazing. I mowed and relished the simple joy of the task.

About half way thru, I started thinking maybe if it brought me such joy it ment that I needed more fun things in my life.

At three quarters thru, I started thinking I would be alot more joyful if the yard was smaller.

At the end, I started to wonder if there was someplace locally that would be interested in grazing rights.

Button Button

I finished my summer cardigan.

I finished my baby cardigan for Bundles of Love.

And I was excited to be able to use some great buttons I found on clearance at Joann's...more the 75% off. The bears were from last year, the ones for my cardi last week.

I dug into my stash and found 5 skeins of Sensations BAJA. One of those "what was I thinking yarns" purchased when I first started knitting. It seemed like it might want to be a shawl. So I cast on and did my increases as it struck me. Ended up with a drapey, shawl. Slightly triangular, with a bit of a ruffle around the bottom edge. The pic doesn't really show the ruffle.

And last but certainly not least, I bought this.

I haven't been able to blunder my way into really making the most of the camera or some of the other "productivity" tools. So I broke down and bought this book/magazine at Costco. Sadly, I think that just owning it won't be enough. I believe I'll have to read it!

Back in the frog pond.

Finished the first sleeve on my summer cardi. Started the second, ten rows into it I realized I hadn't switched back to the larger needles after knitting the ribbing on sleeve #1. it was amazing how much of difference one needle size made! So a frogging I went. Took as long to rip as it did to knit..how sad is that? Rare is the project that doesn't involve a little frogging.

On the plus side by the time I finish the heat wave should have passed and I might be able wear the finished project.

steamy

It's not raining, the window is covered with water due to the high heat and humidity index here. I'm sure seeing MN at the top of the nation makes my FL friends feel a little smug. Who knew that one could go there to escape the heat and humidity.
But since we're of hardy MN stock we braved the weather and went to a TWINS game at the beautiful outdoor stadium. We lost, but it was still a great day.

It was a double header. We were given tickets to the afternoon game, a make up from an April rain out. Then watched the evening game from the air-conditioned comfort of our house. They lost that game too.

Finished the button bands on my summer cardi and nearly finished the first short sleeve. With this weeks heat index there is no urgency. All I really want to wear is a muu-muu, much to DD's delight I don't own one.

My something new is Print Pro. Sitting around at the neighbors on Saturday we were comparing favorite ipad apps, we are all newbies. And I found out that a neighbor's favorite is Print Pro. It seems a little wrong to be so excited about an application that lets me print from my ipad when I'm generally excited about paperless. For ex. I love the e-edition of the newspaper. But, I do like to print some things and for $6.99 it was nice to find something that will let me. I imagine as my comfort level with using Goodreader and the pdf's I have stored on ibooks increases my need to have a paper copy of a pattern or coupon will decrease. Today however it made me very happy to wirelessly print.

A full week of fun.

We spent the last week "up north". Both DD's were in town for the week. DD1 was home from CT for a conference. DD2 is still looking for a job. For the weekend we also had some good friends from FL visiting.

Started out by taking the girls and a friend to the local baseball game. The blondes are my DD's. Brats and beer. Baseball played by young men "living the dream".

A perfect night. The home team won, and there were even fireworks following the game. DD2 got to go on the field and play a game.

Usually when these friends are in town we golf. But, that didn't happen this year. So just read, knit, boated and went out to eat.

The weather was great for the weekend. Managed to read the 3rd book in the Mistress of the Art of Death series. Finished the body of my summer cardigan.

After the FL friends left on Tues. DD's and I went into town. One of the local shops is discontinuing carrying yarn in favor of more trendy clothes and accessories. So all yarn was marked down 30%. And there is/was a huge selection. DD's both purchased yarn. I bought a pattern for 50% off. The Pure and Simple Wrap Cardigan. I love those P&S patterns.

And now we're home. The temp dropped. It's been raining. A great day to "hunker down" for a few episodes of "George Gently" streamed on NETFLIX. And perhaps finish the button band and sleeves of my cardigan.

Band-aids

Funny what marks the passage of time in our lives. Today for me it was band-aids. I needed one and it struck me as I went to what had been the "band-aid" drawer in the bathroom how our lives have changed. First, because with no small children in the house we really don't need a designated band-aid drawer with easy access. Second, the bands are all clear or flesh colored. I no longer automatically grab a box of themed band-aids every time I go to Target. Third, the adhesive on the first one I grabbed was bad...it was old. That never would have happened in the past.

Band-aids. Who would have thought they would represent such a milestone in my life. I suddenly miss being the only adult in the room with Spongebob prominently on display.

After the 4th

We had a wonderful weekend at the cabin. The Fourth of July was as it should be. The weather was hot. There were lots of folks around. Fireworks. Floating in the water. A fish fry. Volleyball games. Beer was consumed. Cards were played. Baseball was watched.

Friends and neighbors caught up. And amazingly there was knitting and some Netfix watching too. It's no doubt because of baseball and Netflix that there was knitting. Since we watched all of the episodes of the BBC dramedy Doc Martin we needed to find something new. This weekend we squeezed in all 7 episodes of a charming little one season show...Monday,Monday. An office type show with a female lead. DD2 and I enjoyed it.

As for knitting. I made progress on my Pure and Simple summer cardigan. Knit with Plymouth Jeanne.

I think I'll like the finished sweater. Like all P & S patterns its a simple quick knit. The yarn is nice, but since it doesn't have much give its a little hard on my wrists if I knit with it for very long.

I found the greatest yarn holder.

It is a pillow sham wrapper from Target. It has a zipper around the top and a cut out on the top front corner. The cut out is no doubt so you can feel the fabric without having to open the package. The yarn can feed out the cut out. Keeps the project clean. I bought two shams on clearance for the cabin and the packaging was an unexpected bonus.

The Amiga sweater is finished and seamed. Just need a great shawl pin.

On the car ride to and from the lake I made a cowl for charity using some mystery boucle. Not enough for a scarf, so I knit the short row triangle scarf pattern and seamed it.

Heavenly shawlette

This is the heavenly shawlette

after blocking. The mystery yarn expanded a bit after blocking so you can see the pattern a bit better. So it must be a mix of natural and man made fiber. It washed well. Now I just need to buy or make a fun shawl pin so I can throw it casually around my shoulders, and keep it there.