Erica’s Blog

Well, after going duck hunting with Jeremy again last weekend, Hubby has decided that he’ll get a hunting license next year.  Jeremy has an extra rifle he can use, so Hubby just needs to get some camo stuff to wear.  He’s added it to his Amazon list for his birthday/Christmas/whatever. 

Speaking of Hubby’s 40th birthday, I recently put down the deposit on the place where we’re going to have his party.  He & a bunch of the guys will do the annual “Gluttony of Golf” (though I doubt they’ll manage to get in 40 holes before the party) at his favorite course, then we’ll have the dinner.  Should be fun.  Check out the place.

I almost go to go to Quebec w/Hubby on a business trip.  We have enough miles from the credit card to pay for my flights, but it’s in the middle of the week and a busy week at that, with lots of rehearsals for Thing One’s Nutcracker performance, and I couldn’t get anyone to stay with the Things.  I’m SO bummed.  Even with the 2 degrees C weather, I am.  Look at the hotel where he’s staying and weep with me.  I had had it all planned out in my head — I was going to put up a note on the Knittyboard, asking people to meet me somewhere by the hotel to knit & chat and asking where I could go to buy yarn, etc.  Oh, well.  I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.  Sigh.

Tomorrow, we’re having dinner at MarkyMark & Bobcat’s place.  Friday, I’m sleeping in, opening birthday presents, and lounging around.  Hubby’s going to take the Things over to our friend Delmy’s house with him while he helps her with some stuff over there (gotta help out the “Golden Girls”) so I can have some peace and quiet.  I plan to use the time for spinning.  Did you hear that, Zib?  I.  Will.  Use.  My.  Spindle.  (Actually, she probably didn’t b/c she’s got a bunch of stuff going on and is rarely online these days, but still…)  Friday evening, we head up to Poppa & Nana’s.  Saturday, Nana & I are going to hit Marin Fiber Arts.  They’re having this cool “Cash for Stash” thing where you get $5 store credit for every pound of yarn you bring in.  It can be any kind of yarn, as long as it’s clean and already wound into a ball/hank/skein.  (They’re going to donate it to charity.)  You have to use the credit the day you bring in the yarn, but that’s fine w/me.   It’s a great chance for me to get rid of yarn that I’ll never, ever use while getting something I will use.  I rounded up about three pounds of yarn, so I should be able to get $15 store credit.  Not sure if I’ll use it on yarn, notions, or a book; I’ll have to decide on Saturday b/c it depends on what draws me that day (and what, if any, knitting books I get for my birthday!).

Well, it’s off to Thing One’s ballet class I go….

 Lamb’s Pride worsted, US 10 needles.  This is a scarf that will be for sale at the school boutique next Saturday.  It’s currently 9″ x 44″, and I have plenty of yarn left.  I’m thinking five feet will be about right, before blocking — and she will get some strong blocking to emphasize those garter lace diamonds.  What do you think?

Click for more pictures…

 Felted star Christmas ornaments, likewise for the school boutique.  They need a good shave, plus a hanging loop or some such thing, and then they’ll move into the F.O. category.

 More ornaments.  The three plain trees will get “decorated” this weekend.  The snowmen will also get faces, buttons, hats & arms.  The pinwheels still need to get felted.

 The project-that-shall-not-be-named…at least not yet.  Just a little teaser for you…

Yesterday was the annual kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast at the Things’ school.  Thing Two and all the other kids had a blast.  At first, I didn’t think there were goign to be enoughk parents to help, but of course, a bunch showed up a few minutes late, and then it turned out fine.  The 60 kids cycle through six different centers where they do stuff like make a placemat, a turkey centerpiece (styrofoam cup, toothpicks, marshmallows & dried cranberries), make a sandwich, etc.  Later, they all sit down at one looong table for a feast of popcorn, pumpkin bread (which they baked in class the day before), the sandwiches they made, and “friendship” fruit salad (each kid brings one piece of fruit, and the moms cut it all up for fruit salad).  I helped at the station where they each made an Indian headband and either a “handsome pilgrim hat” or a “fashionable pilgrim bonnet, all the rage this year among fashionable young pilgrim girls” (my words; ya gotta make it fun for the kids to make it memorable).  They all looked so cute while they ate.  It was a lot of work and tiring, but well worth it.  Yes, I’m glad they only do it in kindergarten. 

The whole batch of pictures are here, but here are some highlights.

Later, we hosted the annual church Thanksgiving pot luck.  Usually, it’s a big thing w/100+ people in a rented location, but this time we met by our house church groups, which is a lot more personal and easier to manage/organized.  I’d volunteered our house for the location b/c I knew the Things didn’t have school today, so it wouldn’t be a problem for us to have a houseful of people till late.

Considering the composition of our group — nine Philipinos, one Korean, one Japanese person, two Mexicans, and three boring old white folk — we had an interesting meal:

• turkey
• Honeybaked ham
• lumpia
• jell-o salad
• candied yams
• salad
• green beans w/a decidedly Chinese flavor
• a pasta dish that everyone kept calling “lasagna”, though it wasn’t (drove me nuts!)
• mashed taters
• various desserts and drinks

After we ate, we all took turns talking about what we were thankful for.  As could be expected, there were some tears (and not just the two pregnant women), and it was a good time.