44 Years and Counting!

 It was 44 years ago today that I married my best friend. I still call him my first husband, but my secret is that he is my one and only husband -- forever. Yes, we had a chocolate wedding cake with a giant kiss on top instead of a bride and groom figurine. We also sang a duet at our wedding. We have two sons who are very successful, so I guess we did okay. 

Here's to many more years together!

Trying double knit -- oh boy!

 I have been knitting since I was about 4. My mother and grandmother would spend afternoons knitting while talking and planning. I grew up on a farm and only had brothers, so I would watch them instead of playing cops and robbers with them. They finally decided I needed to learn and taught me. I honestly don't remember any of this. I just always knew how to knit. My first grade teacher had to explain to me that the K and P in the alphabet were not pronounced "knit" and "purl." It was too long ago to try to make comments about "yo."

I didn't play with dolls, but I did knit clothes for them. If I wanted to play with something, I had about 100 cats outside who wanted my attention. 

My point is that I am a very experienced knitted. But every now and then, I tried something new. This time, it is double knitting. I made these fingerless gloves and gave them away as gifts. But I can't believe I didn't turn them inside out and take a picture of the reverse! Guess I am going to have to make some more. The spots around the top and bottom are supposed to be paw prints, but it didn't quite work out so well. That's why I changed it to a heart border on the next pair.

These are the kitty gloves. I made a puppy one and will post that in the next few days.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cheshire-cat-mitts-2

Our Family's Legend of English Muffins

We are in the process of de-cluttering our house after being here for 25 years, preparing it for sale. We plan to move to Fort Collins, Colorado to be closer to our son and his future bride (wedding is September 16!) . Yesterday, while working on the drawers in the master bathroom, I was reminded of one of our funny family stories called the Legend of the English Muffins. Now what does emptying the drawers in the bathroom and English muffins relate? Stick with me and you will see.

When my sons were in grade school, my job required me to be at work at 7:00 a.m. With a 40-minute commute, I left before everyone else in the house got up. So Ken was in charge of breakfast, lunch money, and sending the boys off to school. I had the after-school duties of homework and dinner and so it worked out well.

Trying to put some variety in breakfast, I bought a package of English muffins. After about a week of no one trying them, the muffins were suddenly gone. Great, I thought, they liked them. At the next shopping trip, I bought another package. Within days, they were also gone. So I bought some more, and those too were gone within days.

This pattern continued for a few more weeks until one day Ken said, "Why are you buying these? No one eats them."

"Yes they do. They are always gone when I do the shopping list." I said.

"No, they are not gone. I have been putting them in the freezer because the first package turned green!"

Sure enough, I looked in the freezer in the garage and there were six packages of English muffins. (Don't worry, I was still able to blame Ken because he didn't tell me).

Fast forward to today (we'll skip the reason why I have four bottles of laundry detergent on the top shelf in the laundry room).

I spent yesterday sorting out the drawers in the master bath. I threw out old make-up that failed to make me look like I was 21 again. I sniffed then tossed the many bottles of magic wrinkle cream that not only failed to remove wrinkles on my face, but added wrinkles to my bank account. I found broken barrettes and hair clips that found their way in the trash.

Now, I have long hair, and yet when I look for a brush or comb, I am lucky if I find one. So the next time I am at the market, I buy another big tooth comb or brush. But within a few days, it's gone. It's not in my purse, nor in the car, nor in the drawer for my hair doo-dads. So again, I purchase another one -- sometimes an entire package.

As of yesterday, I have 43 combs and brushes. They were all hiding in the back of the drawers! I think they were planning a mutiny of some type, a comb-ination of sinking their teeth in or brushing me off. Instead of a clean, organized drawer of hair accessories, I have a pile of colorful items stuffed in so tight I can barely shut the drawer.

I am still trying to figure out a way to blame this on Ken.

 

Our Foothills Home and Wildlife Need Protection -- from our Panther

We lived in a beautiful community just south of Denver in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The hills you see in the picture above are out our east kitchen windows. Our property backs up to the Pike National Forest so I can always say it is part of our backyard. As you imagine, we have lots and lots of wildlife in our yard and we want to preserve our wildlife habitat while we live in the center of it.

Therefore, we have to be careful not to let our little black kitty Neko out. He would show no mercy to the wildlife! He has been cited by the Wildlife Habitat and Territory (WHAT!) society as being a danger to the environment and wildlife surrounding our home. Neko knows no fear and will defend his home against any and all alien wildlife creatures, including humans and the following critters we have found in our yard:

We have bears, ...

Mama bear and her two cubs

This is how close the bears are; that black spot just over
Ken's shoulder

... and lots and lots of deer:

Our front yard ...

... at the front door ...

... the back deck ...

... grove next to our back deck ...

... tasting the seeds from the bird feeders ...

... even trusting us with their newborns.

We have foxes ...

... and wild turkeys ...

... lots and lots of birds ...

... and yes, mountains lions.

Just outside our garage door

Yes, that mountain lion is just outside the window 

on the south of our house!

Nothing like looking out your window at the mountain lion and then she turns and stares at you!

We also have raccoons, porcupines, and coyotes. I didn't get pictures of the skunks. You can imagine why.

What About Second Breakfast?

So far, Neko is really, really fond of Ken's and my retirement. Most mornings, Ken and I don't get up at the same time. I will get up around 7:30 and Ken will sleep in until 8:00. Sometimes, it's the other way around.

So Neko has figured out this schedule and now uses it to his advantage.Whoever gets up first has to fed the beast. Neko is so loving and affectionate in the morning because he wants breakfast as soon as possible.

Ken will get up first and feed him, rewarded by leg circles and loving twittering by the local panther. Then about an hour later, I will get. Neko approaches me with his sweetness and loving, making me think that he hasn't been fed yet. He uses that cute little mew so I just say "Awwww, my baby!" and then I pick him up. He purrs and rubs my chin. So I feed him again. I am such a sucker.

It's called Second Breakfast after the Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings. At least he has the same furry feet.

Hooded Cowl for Christina and Simone

Other big news from the past year is that Dane and Christina got engaged. Dane is our son and soon (as in September 2017) Christina will officially join our family. She's already a part now so I am looking forward to having a daughter. Dane and Christina have been together for four years and have been joined my grand-dogs Bella and Simone. Bella is a husky and German shepherd mix and Simone is a chihuahua and dachshund mix (a chi-weany) and they are the sweetest dogs ever. Unfortunately, Neko is not a big fan. He is not crazy about people so you can imagine how he feels about dogs.

Anyway, Christina wanted a hooded cowl instead a hat and so I designed this one for her last Christmas.


I wish I would have written down the pattern but I just kind of knitted it freehand.  I first made a cowl out of bulky yarn and large circular needles, probably size 13. I made sure it was big enough to wrap around her shoulders. Then I picked up stitches along the edge and knitted the hood, joining the hood at the top with a three needle cast off.

Not only does it keep her warm but also the sweet and delicate Simone. It does get cold in Colorado and this cute little number keeps Christina and Simone wrapped up. The more I look at this hooded cowl, I think I will have to design it again and offer the pattern. I'll have to work on that.

... And Then They Leave

I have not been posting as much as I should, but life and work gets in the way. I haven't even been knitting as much as I would like.

It is such a shame that you spend all your time raising your children to be independent and self-sufficient, and then they leave you! My oldest son Lorne moved to Los Angeles this week to follow his dream. He has a degree in film editing and there just isn't enough work here in Colorado for him. Although he hasn't lived at home for years, he has at least been in the same state. He stayed with us the last couple of months so he wouldn't have to renew his apartment lease, so we got to spend lots of time together. It only makes this worse because he is a delightful, fun and a comfort to be with. Ken and I will miss him greatly. Thank goodness for Skype.

And another thing -- how I am supposed to make hats and woolly slippers for someone who lives in sunny California? I guess I'll have to make him socks.  (Speaking of socks, I designed and finished a pair of pink socks that I will posting the pattern for tomorrow. Stay tuned)

On a knitting note, I am working on a sweater in a navy blue yarn. I have frogged it twice before I found a pattern I liked. That probably means I would have had a finished sweater twice over had I kept at it. However, the weather will be unsettled today and I feel an overwhelming need to make a hat. So I think I will put my sweater aside for today and make a hat. I have a creamy sky blue DK yarn I am itching to cast on.

Back to the needles.

Happy New Year!

Why are you dragging me into this?

It is 2014. I hope this coming year brings you happiness and love.

When you think about it, New Year's Day is actually our only worldwide holiday. Other holidays involve specific religions (Christmas, Easter, Passover) or your specific nation (Independence Day, Thanksgiving), or even cultural (Valentine's Day). But all people, nations and cultures acknowledge and celebrate New Year's Day.

I was up early this morning. As I drink my coffee looking over the cold snowy valley below my windows, I realize that I am alone this morning but not lonely. The snow contains the comings and goings footprints of the deer and foxes who passed through my valley last night. I wonder where they are this morning. Are they safe? Warm? Did they find what they were looking for?

New Year's Day feels different than other holidays. It doesn't have the anticipation of the coming day such as Thanksgiving or the 4th of July. It doesn't have the celebrating of Christmas with opening gifts or playing with new presents. It is quiet because holiday is basically behind us. Maybe it is because some people are still "sleeping it off." Others are just sleeping in because they have the day off. Some even have to clean up from the party the night before.  So we can take a minute to pause (or paws in Neko's case). We look back at the last year and look forward to what is to come.

Actually 2013 was a good year for us:

My family and I all made it through healthy. I would like to lose weight but I know enough not to try to make any resolutions. Just try.

We're not in the poor house yet. We don't seem to have a lot of money, but we realize that we don't need much right now, so we'll be okay.

We worked hard on some causes that were important to us with some success.

I got a new job that I am very happy with and it looks like it will be around for awhile (even though it leaves less time for knitting).

My sons are starting to figure out how to succeed in this new type of economy. One is moving to Los Angeles and the other is going back to school.

Most importantly, I have enough yarn to last me for the next several years!

Back to the needles.

My Knitting Journal

I am at heart a writer. I write for a living and I write for fun. I write serious fiction and I write comedy. So it would only make sense that I would not only do a knitting blog, but I have a personal hand-written personal journal as well. I carry it with me most of the time and the condition of my journal proves that it is well-used and well-loved.

Yes, it has come apart, but it
is a blessing because it is
easier to carry with me.

I don't mind if you read it because it is dedicated to my knitting observations only. You will not find any personal secrets of my dislike of most green-colored yarns, heart-felted confusions of liking double-point needles over circular needles, or descriptions of clandestine rendezvous with crochet hooks or weaving looms.

My key to color-coding my notes, and
a cheat sheet on how to do the
Kitchener stitch, because I can
never remember how to do it.

I use my journal keep track of what I am knitting. My journal has come to my rescue many times when I pick up a dormant project and can't remember what pattern I was using. I color-code my projects as starting (green), progressing (pink), frogged (red), and finished (orange). Besides, it's fun to go back a year or so and see what I was working on at the time. Sometime I see a project I completely forgot about and go down to my craft room to find it and finish it.

My journal is a perfect place to create charts or
copy one from my books to take with me.

Although I make many of my own stickers, I
will purchase some if I really like them.

The stickers are just a very fun and entertaining way to play with my journal. I usually make my own stickers. I have copies of my favorite photographs either ones I have taken or ones I have copied from the net. I include pictures of my family and, of course my cat Neko, just to make me smile while I write. I put in knitting-related cartoons and memes I find on Facebook. I also include pictures of my completed projects because I take a picture of everything I finished. (I love digital cameras!)  I arranged them on a Word document and print them out on full sheet sticker paper -- it comes in white or clear paper. I usually use the white because my journal is graph paper and the lines show through.

I put the stickers on a
few pages ahead of time and
write around the photos.

I like the graph paper so I can make charts of what I am knitting.  Then I don't have to carry a pattern or a book with me. I like the design of this journal so much that I purchased another one to use once I have finished this one.  However, since I have used only a little over half of this journal in three years, I think I am set for a decade or so.


I don't consider the writing in my journal any piece of artistic genius. It is a dumping ground for my thoughts so great writing isn't a priority.  I will put quotes and saying that I like in there as well, but anyone reading my journal will become quickly become bored. They would like the pictures and knitting charts better than anything I write.

I include a lot of pictures of my sons in my journal
as well as many of my Neko

One of a Kind Hat

My son Dane graduated from the University of Colorado (go Buffs!) a couple of years ago, but he still loves his CU hat. I designed and knitted this hat for him to wear when he traveled with the CU Marching Band to all those football games in distant states such as Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas.

However, don't ask me for the pattern. Although I can make it and give to my son, copyright laws would prevent me from creating a pattern and promoting it any way.

That is fine with Dane. He likes having a hat everyone at CU wanted to have and he was the only one who did.

What I Did on Summer Vacation

These are my adorable sweet sons, Lorne and Dane.
They reluctantly allowed me to take pictures
of them with their hats.

One last note about our trip to Canada. When I not driving or sleeping during the car trip, I was knitting. I finished the watch hats for my sons and hubby, all three made out of an ulta-soft alpaca yarn that is very warm.

I also made two shawls  although I didn't finish the blue one until I got home. They are made from three skeins of Mini Mochi, and I only had two skeins of the blue.  When I got home, I went to my local yarn store to see if they had another skein, only to find out that these colors have been discontinued. I searched the web and finally found some. Whew! I really love the blue and purple colors, so I would have been disappointed if I couldn't finish it.  I will probably offer the rainbow one at my church auction this fall.

The pattern is Wingspan, and can be found on Ravelry. It is very, very addictive, especially if you like doing short rows. There is an array of yarns making this pattern so the variations are endless. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wingspan-2

Breakfast with Neko and Ken

What are you eating? Did you start without me?

Can I have some? At least let me smell it.

Well, part of it smells good. Is that milk? But what is that weird smell?
And why is it pink? Milk isn't supposed to be pink!

Wait!  Don't eat it! It may not be safe. It's pink, don't you understand?

Oh, that's just wrong.

Canada - Day Six - Family Time

Us! Lorne, Ken, Dane, and me

It was really nice to not have to be in a car today. The Gackle Family Reunion is in full swing with volleyball, pictures, talking, talking, music, talent show, auction and basic sharing. We have people from the US, Canada and Germany.

The three Gackle US Sisters, Rachel Pribbeno, Leah Huber,
and Eltina Wright

Rachel's Family L to R:
 Cayla, Ashley, Paul and Kathy Ortiz,
Ken, Rachel,  me, Dane and Lorne

L to R: Courtney and Myron Hall,
Matthew Benedict, Janet Hall, Leah,
Tom, Gwen, Ian  Benedict, Eltina

There are many more pictures of the other families, but I realize that these are really only important to the people in the family and I won't post all of them here.  

We will be heading out on Sunday and making the trek back to Colorado. We are seriously thinking of driving through Yellowstone on our way back. I worked at Old Faithful Lodge for two summers during my college years, so I can always do back.