At Last..

Gosh! It seems like that I've been busy doing something close to nothing, but different than the day before (tm The Artist formerly known as Prince). Seriously, we hadn't done anything exciting until yesterday. The other days we shopped, swam, basked and watched TV.... and the days flew by. Yesterday we went to the Post Office, had breakfast at McD's, stopped at a Wal-Mart for a while, and then headed to Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic Coast of Florida for another day strolling at the water's edge. It was a lovely day for that. The temperature along the coast was a few degrees cooler than here, so we didn't get too hot. The actual beach is a nice soft sand - which although it doesn't look as pretty as the white crushed shell sand of the Gulf coast, is much kinder to bare feet. And the sandy area is much flatter and the water comes up much further, so lots of folks can have their feet in the water, without getting in the path of the folks coming from the other direction. I collected a few more shells, Poppa chatted for a couple of minutes with some locals who were fishing, we grabbed an ice cream bar, and headed back home. Stopped for supper at a British Fish & Chips Bar, where we had beer with English style cod and hand-cut fries...it was a hit! Unfortunately, I left the camera in the car and didn't get any pictures for you.

Here is the latest sock picture. Yep - they're all done....so Kev-Inn will get another pair of socks. I thought and thought about what I should do next and couldn't decide - so I took out one ball of each different yarn that I have in my small stash here, and asked Poppa to pick one. He picked a skein of Bernat Baby Jacquards in shades of blue and white, called Boo Berries. So - here is what I've started. This is the back of a baby sweater in a Size 2, and I have just nicely started the front. From here, it is an easy stretch to tell you the latest news of our Canadian Male Munchkin Model. He went to the doctor this morning for his check-up and another of those nasty shots. He was prepared this time though, and never made a sound - just took it like the happy, little man that he is! I'm told he now weighs 19 lbs, 10 oz. and is 26-3/4 inches tall. Mama tells me he is skooching now. Upon further investigation, I discovered that this means he can wiggle his little self forward until he captures the object of interest in his line of sight. Goodness, they grow up sooooo quickly.

Bend & Stretch

When I was a young mother and Mama was a baby - we used to watch a show on TV called Ed Allen. It was an exercise show and even though she was quite little, she tried very hard to do those exercises along with me and Ed. It seems that sometimes history repeats itself. Here is our Canadian Male Munchkin Model bending and stretching to touch his toes. It doesn't look like he has much difficulty doing it either.

After I finished Mama's socks and packaged them up to go back to Canada, I looked into my bag of yarn and found another skein of sock yarn in Patons Stretch Socks in a colour called Taffy! Imagine that! Our little Taffy was quite pleased that she was famous enough to name a colour after her. Anyway, I started another pair of socks (I know, but I love knitting socks - no brainers) for Kev-Inn. He loves them and always says he will take as many as I can knit..........so he gets stuck with all the excess sock yarn knitted into socks. He has gotten some strange colours that way, but he wears them all.

It was cool here in Florida today (by cool I mean about 61F), so we had a lazy day and didn't do much of anything except laundry, a walk, and a quick trip to the grocery store for a tomato to put in our supper salad. Poppa sat and played on the computer for a while, exploring tabs to see what would happen.

Last night we went to Romano's Macaroni Grille. Imagine Poppa's surprise - he thought he was taking me out for a treat of macaroni and cheese - only to find that it was a lovely Italian ristorante - and there was no macaroni on the menu. We started off with a bottle of that Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante that I am in love with, some lovely Italian bread, a Caesar salad, and then our entrees. It was quite yummy. The opera singer stopped at our table to deliver the wine, and regaled us with "O Sole Mio" while she un-corked and poured. She had an absolutely amazing voice and the personality to go along with it. Another pleasant evening in Florida.

Oceans & Socks

Heavens! I'm way behind. We took a day off and went to St. Pete Beach to spend a day wading in the ocean. Wonderful! We started out going for breakfast, decided to go for a drive and ended up on the Gulf coast. So, we parked the car and strolled along the beach. Got back to the villa in time to stop for supper and then crash for the evening. And the next morning I got this delightful shot of Squeegie & Taffy watching Poppa do up the breakfast dishes. They always want to help and Poppa is very patient with them. Usually Squeegie helps, but this one time he agreed that Taffy could sit there with him.

I finished the socks for Mama and they are ready to go into the mail. I realized after I stuck the package shut, that I had neglected to take a picture of the finished object. So.....I'm hoping that Mama will try them on and take a picture for us, so everyone can see them.

Granny and Gramps are coming down in a couple of weeks to join us in our quest for sunshine! They are in Bermuda right now visiting Scott and Ian. When they get home from Bermuda they are going to re-pack and head for Florida! Granny was supposed to buy some sock yarn - so she could have a pair of socks too, but she didn't get around to it.......sooooooo...I might have to pick a colour for her! Anyway, we are looking forward to seeing them, and Poppa is looking forward to having Gramps for a golfing partner!

Our little Munchkin is growing so fast! Here he is, with his little friend Ella, they were playing around while Mama had her breakfast. Apparently Jimmie the Dog was tired and wanted to sleep, so Mama asked Ella if she would play for a while. The next day, Mama caught him posing in an outfit that Nanna & Poppa got him for Christmas. At that time, it was too large for him.........as you can see now, it fits perfectly! He even stretched out to display the little lions on the feet and he took the little pink fists out of his mouth for this shot! I was talking to him on the phone today and he was chattering away so fast I couldn't get a word in edgewise.

More Socks

Here is today's sock picture. Mama had a sneak preview on the webcam this morning. The yarn this time is Patons Stretch Socks in colourway Sugar. Poppa thought this yarn looked ballerina-ish which suited Mama. He allocated the other yarn to Auntie Colleen since he thought it looked much more artsy, which he thought suited Auntie Colleen to a tee. I think he did a pretty good job.

Poppa and I went out to an Italian Restaurant up the road, that we had espied one day while we were on our way to the Shopping Mall. It said "Now Open" in the window, so we thought we should try it. Now the reason we went out for dinner was that he came home much earlier than expected from his golfing since the golf course was too busy - he wouldn't have been able to get a tee-off time until about 5:15 - not enough time to play his 9 holes. When he arrived home I hadn't even started supper, so he decided we would go a day early for Valentine's day and eat here tomorrow night when all the restaurants would be packed. We discovered that we much preferred Olive Garden, but we enjoyed the outing. Shortly after we arrived home Poppa, Squeegie and Taffy all fell asleep, which left me knitting and posting here - fine by me!

Our little Canadian Male Munchkin Model was having a barrel of fun this morning, smiling up at Mama like a little Monkey - and displaying with glee his little monkey suit. He was laughing because he was just about to stick his foot in his mouth and Mama came along with the camera and distracted him.

Quick One!

Just a couple of photos to share with you today. Here is today's picture of the socks. Looks like it is time to move on to the next pair! So Mama get ready.....as you can see it won't take too long. And, Auntie Colleen, check your mail in a couple of weeks.

Also, I received this rather startling picture of Munchkin this morning. Apparently he was sitting contemplating whether or not to accompany Mama to the dentist. Yesterday they went to A&W for breakfast, and that was kinda fun. So he decided to go to the dentist with her - only to find out that it was a horrible experience. She ignored him for two whole hours while some man stuck his hands in her mouth. By the time she finally started paying attention to him again and got him fed and home he was exhausted and fell into a peaceful sleep with his..........what is that thing in his mouth?

Poppa and Squeegie have gone golfing again today. Here is Squeegie all ready to hit the greens. I have a feeling that he had to relinquish the cap when they actually got to the golf course, but I'll ask him when he gets home.

And hotter!

Today was even hotter than yesterday! After breakfast, we lazed around for a while, went for a walk, had lunch, went into the pool and then, Poppa left for a round of golf. Remember I mentioned that I had gotten a printer - here is a picture of the new computer and the printer and the surrounding mess of the area I work in. And....when I was cleaning up the kitchen I realized that I should include a picture of the refrigerator here in Florida - it has the cutest picture stuck on it! Imagine that! I only printed that to see how the new printer worked and then I had no place to put it - honest!

Here is the latest sock picture - the socks (yes - it is plural now!) are coming along nicely. Socks are the best project, since I don't really have to pay attention to the knitting and I can watch my favourite programs on TV without missing a stitch. Last night was 24 night, so I was glued to the TV and got lots of sock done!

Today is Poppa's birthday, so we are going out to the Olive Garden (he's never been to an Olive Garden and thought he would like to try it) for supper...so I don't have to cook tonight! Of course, because it is his birthday I have to treat - but I don't mind at all. He received greetings from both the girls (our daughters), Kev-Inn and Gramma Robert in Canada. I bought him some rounds of golf and he was feeling quite happy.

And of course, he also got a lovely picture of Munchkin this morning. Mama snapped the picture while Munchkin was singing Happy Birthday to Poppa. Later Mama and Munchkin had a virtual visit with Nanna & Poppa via Instant Messenger and Nanna's webcam....what fun!

Still Hot!

It's another lovely day in Florida! After breakfast we went to the Post Office, and the grocery store........and.......then Poppa trudged up the hill with his bucket of balls and tried out his skills on the driving range again. I thought he did really well, he thought he did not so well.......but at any rate, he had fun and I got a few shots. As you can see, the grass is a little brown from those below freezing nights we had recently, but hopefully it will recover its lovely green hue shortly, now that the weather is more like Florida should be.

After a couple of hours in and around the pool reading or swimming, Poppa decided to hit the golf course again for 9 holes. So...here I am again. The sweater I started for myself is finished. Well, almost finished - it still needs to be blocked and buttons added before it is totally done. And...here is a new picture of the sock. As you can see, the heel is now complete and I have started up the foot. I hope the expected recipient is pleased with the outcome...I really like the yarn, which is a 75% wool/25% nylon mix - perfect for socks, called Confetti 100 Superwash from Diff. G. Brui Inc. in Ile Bizard, QC. I ordered it from yarnbythebag.com in B.C. Interesting hey? Made in Quebec, ordered by someone from Ontario, shipped from B.C., to Florida, U.S.A. A long route it took - Hee!

And of course, our picture of the day of our favourite Canadian Male Munchkin Model. He got all bundled up to go and watch Dada play hockey on the weekend. He posed nicely to display the wonderful fuzzy coverup he uses in his car seat during the winter..and of course his Toronto Maple Leafs helmet...he is showing them off perfectly.....of course, he found the sunlight on the snow kind of bright, so his eyes are not as wide as we have become accustomed to.

Hot Weather Again!

Smiling in sunny Florida under blue skies with 75F temps! Poppa has gone golfing after we had a dip in the pool. Wonderful! The sun is shining in the sliding doors on me, and I am feeling too hot! Just what I wanted. I don't have any recent hot weather shots since we have had chilly weather, so I thought I could share some of the chilly shots with you. Last Sunday it stayed quite cool all day and Squeegie and Taffy put on long pants that they got with their allowances down here in Florida. Taffy felt all girl-ie and pretty - Squeegie thought he preferred his "dress-down" clothes, but agreed to put on the new outfit because it was Sunday and we were going out for breakfast. After some debate we decided to go to Bob Evans and were pleased with the decision. Later in the afternoon, Poppa found a driving range at Highlands Reserve, so he decided to try that. He wasn't totally satisfied with his own performance, but I thought he looked quite spiffy swinging his club at that silly, little ball and he said it was fun.

I have started a sock. Now - both Auntie Colleen and Mama called dibs on a pair of pinkish socks....and Auntie Colleen got her bid in first. Fortunately, I had purchased enough yarn for two pairs of socks. I had two different colour palettes - so Poppa chose which for who...and these are Auntie Colleen's colours. Now if she happens to think she doesn't like them, I will switch to the other yarn. I will post a pic when they are finished and another when I get Mama's started.

Speaking of Mama - she and Dada were doing strange things with little Munchkin's hair during bath time the other day. Dada thought Munckin would look appealing with a Mohawk hair-do. Munchkin agreed so they tried it. After a glance in the mirror and with Mama's approval he decided to keep it for a little while anyway. Now, when I got this picture I exclaimed with glee "Oh - look Poppa - they put his hair in a top notch" A top-notch is my favourite baby hair-do of all time, since my Mother used to do this to my little sisters, and I did the same with my girls. My childhood girl-friend's mother used to comb her boy's hair into a top-notch...it was just the thing to do in those days! It appears that over the years it has fallen out of favour. Now I discover that they have just changed the name to a Mohawk and it is back in style. So, Munchkin felt quite stylish and had a happy day playing.

OK - I Have To...

OK - I have to post this picture. Remember the older one of Munchkin trying to capture his foot while sitting in the Bumbo chair. Well..... he caught it and then found out that it tickled tremendously and Mama caught the moment on her camera.

It was very cool in Florida today. It went below freezing again last night and didn't warm up much during the day. However, I should point out that it was much warmer here than at "home", so I'm not complaining. We had a lazy day and didn't do much of anything...even cheated and had a Subway sandwich for supper. We're going to spend the evening watching 24 and then head to bed. It is supposed to be warmer tomorrow - hurray!

I received some nice new sock yarn in the mail the other day, so I'll have to see what happens to it.....some of it is a pretty pink colour...I wonder if anyone would like some socks made from that???? Anybody???

February Already!

Here is our Canadian Male Munchkin Model all dressed up in a spiffy pair of pin-striped overalls (thank you Auntie Marcia!) and a smart, dressy white shirt and socks to highlight the overalls. While he was looking so handsome, Mama took him to visit some of her co-workers on Monday. He practised his smile until he got it just right and off they went. I understand that he charmed everyone there and was especially debonaire around all the ladies.

It is a nice day today, but a little cool. We went to the post office to mail a couple of things and then went.................yep - you guessed it........ ....shopping. But just to the grocery section of Wal-Mart. When we got home, Poppa grabbed his book and went to sit in the sunshine and read for a while. I decided to ... well.. to write in my blog. I have picked up a printer for my laptop for various items I would like to print - such as recipes and knitting patterns, etc. Here is a snap of Squeegie and Taffy sporting new outfits that they have acquired since coming to Florida. Taffy is loving her pretty dress and Squeegie just loves clothes period.... he is imitating Munchkin and being a lion today.

Oh - I might add - by the time that Munchkin got home from his visit to Mama's workplace, he was quite worn out from charming all the ladies there. Once Mama got him all snuggly and warm in his car seat, he fell fast asleep!