Sock Draw (Part 6)

This is just a quick post to let you know that after a little prodding (in the last post) Auntie Denise has claimed this pair of sillie socks:

I mailed all the previously claimed sox in this draw today - before I heard back from her - oops!  Monday is usually Post Office day, so I packed them all up and now it will be interesting to see how long it takes for everyone in Canada to receive them.  I sure hope all of you like them when they get to you!  I will mail Auntie Denise's next Monday. And -- that only leaves two pairs of sillie socks in the bin.  That isn't really enough to hold another draw.  So I will delay the next one for a while.  I will be a little longer getting six pairs finished this time, since I am stopping to make a special pair for Uncle Brian who has requested some new socks and has really special feet (not saying huge, but........).  As soon as I get his done, I will start another batch to add to the existing two pairs!

Here is the last picture in the laundromat series.  I am told that this is the elusive photographer.........but I'm not sure what kind of contortionist he is to snap this picture........?

I love this one best of all I think!

And here is a particularly endearing photo of the newest member of our family - I present the adorable little Smiley!

And Munchie sent me this picture to demonstrate just how cold it is in Canada where he lives.  This is how he looks when he heads outside to play (or go to Bloblaws for hotdogs and juice).

 And this is how happy he is when it is time to take all those bundles off!

Notice the rosy cheeks from that cold, frosty air!  Good night all!

Sock Draw (Part 5)

One more pair of socks has been chosen.  Auntie Muffy sent an e-mail tonight opting for this pair.....

Now I only have two pairs left!  Where are all you people who like hand-knit socks?  Auntie Denise??

On another note....here is the second photo in that nostalgic laundromat series.

 Auntie Colleen calls it "Clean and Sort".

And...here is the second piece of lace I made for her.

It is from the Nicky Epstein book - Knitting Over the Edge.  The pics in that book show all the lace patterns knit with yarn....the crochet cotton really shows off the patterns much better. 

Here is a really nice photo I took while we were on one of our walks to the grocery store recently.  I think it is just beautiful....no palm trees, but still lovely.

What a great reflection hey?  The houses in the distance are all in the northern end of our development - the ones I have previously posted pictures of - they were all new last year.

And of course, here are my little boys:

Sock Draw (Part 4)

A note to let you know that Auntie Muffy has beamed in for the next pair of sillie (tm Gramma) socks.  Taffy has e-mailed off the pictures of the last three pairs so she can pick which ones she likes best.  It seems that sox are not as popular as last year - the response is much slower..... so if you want some there is still lots of time to grab one of those last two pairs!
On a related note..........I have also been taking a few minutes each morning to work on some lace for Auntie Colleen.  This was my first project.

As you can no doubt tell, it has not been blocked or starched yet.  It is a pattern found in First Book of Modern Lace Knitting by Marianne Kinzel.  The pattern is called "Valentine".  See the little hearts near the outer edge?  This little round doilie should be about 7" in diameter when it is properly stretched, blocked and starched.  After trying a couple of other patterns, I decided that this one looked the nicest with this variegated cotton.  I probably should have done it in red cotton, but when I reached into the bag with the crochet cotton inside, this was the first ball I pulled out..........so it became the first ball to be used.  I was working on a pink piece of lace at home, but I can't find it, so I guess I forgot to put it into the bag before we left for Florida.  I will post another picture after I finish this off properly.  I have bought the starch, but I am going to leave that project until I have several pieces of lace finished and do them all at the same time.

Sock Draw (Part 3)

Gramma's choice is in!  I got it early this morning.  Here is a picture of the third pair of silly sox.......

Gramma says it is very cold where she lives......so Taffy and I are hoping these socks help her keep warm in that cold Canadian winter!

I have three pairs of unclaimed socks left.  Anyone interested let Taffy know (taffy.robert@gmail.com).  On Feb. 1st, I will re-open the draw for everyone!

Sock Draw (Part 2)

Auntie Colleen has chosen her silly socks ... they look like this.....

.........on to the next chooser. 

Coming in third today was Gramma.  She e-mailed Taffy at 1:22pm.  Taffy is sending pictures to her now, so she can choose.  You will remember that Gramma is an artist......and every time she sends me a picture I think it is even better than the last one.  I received this the other day.  It is an interpretive representation and I just love it.

 She calls it "Snow Tree".  Isn't it pretty?

There are three pairs of sox remaining after Gramma picks.  I will keep this going until midnight on Feb. 1st.  At that time I will re-open the draw and the people who have already chosen will be eligible to try again.

Sock Draw

Hello everyone!  The sox responses have started coming in already.  The first to send Taffy an e-mail at 12:43pm was Mommee.  Here are the sox she picked.

If any of the folks who do not fit into these sox - such as Granny, etc. would like a pair, just let Taffy know, and she will help me get some in an appropriate size!
Auntie Colleen came in second at 1:10pm.  We are currently awaiting her choice so we can post her choice!

Sox Alert!

I have been busily knitting silly socks since I arrived in Florida.  I currently have six pairs finished.  The completed socks are a generic size and will fit most people interested.... with some exceptions.........they are too small for Kev-Inn, Buddy and Uncle Brian........and too large for Granny.  Anyone else interested, contact Taffy at her own e-mail address (taffy.robert@gmail.com).  At that time I will send you photos of the available socks and you can pick the ones you like best.  For lack of a better method, this will be done on a first come, first served basis.  For anyone who misses this chance and still wants a pair - there will be more.  Taffy will list all takers in the order she is notified, and those who are on the list, but didn't get a chance on this alert, will be at the top of the list for the next alert.  Does that sound fair?  Does anyone have a better idea?  Hopefully I will find takers for all the finished socks.......I don't want to pack them all for the trip back home in April!  Here is the first pair I finished.

This is an example - but each pair is unique and some are sillier than others.  They are all made with 4" cuffs so that they can be folded down if desired.  There are various colours too.  Taffy will be waiting to hear from you!

I received this picture the other day from Auntie Colleen with the following blurb:
"On the weekend, Shaun took '50s-style photos in our local laundramat. They please my vintage heart."

Click on it to make it larger and absorb the atmosphere.  Interesting and worthy of a closer look!

Shopping Spree

Recently - on a rainy day - Taffy asked if we could go to the Bear Store so she could do some shopping.  Here is the result of that excursion.

Can you notice the glasses?  Before the shopping trip, while we were sitting outside in the sunshine reading one day, she was complaining that she couldn't see the book very well, and was having trouble reading the story.  So.......we took her to the optometrist and he said she was short-sighted and needed some glasses.  He wrote her a prescription, which we took with us to the Bear Store.  Fortunately, they had a pair to fit the prescription, so we got them for her while we were there.  Squeegie thinks she looks very intelligent wearing them, and she is quite pleased that she can read again without squinting.

I received a very interesting picture from Auntie Colleen this morning.  Just look........

Isn't that beautiful!  Anyone know what it is???  As you are no doubt aware, it has been very cold up in our part of Canada.  This is an actual photograph of the frost on her window!  I know...it doesn't look real, but, I promise you, it is!  Amazing Auntie Colleen - thank you!

Let me see - what else?  We went for a walk yesterday.  This time I remembered my camera.  Do you recall the houses I photographed last year, in the process of being built?  Here is that same street as of yesterday. 

Looks like they've been there forever doesn't it?!?  And, at the end of the street, Poppa noticed that they are now starting another new house.  Two weeks ago when we walked up there, this construction was not even started!

Of course, Poppa had to stop and take a look, which gave me time to snap a photo!  Another day, another walk.  We saw what we believe to be last year's baby cow.  Remember the white longhorn pregnant cow from last year's blog?  I think this is her calf........and a new one, probably from another mother, but I thought they were cute enough to get a picture.

Another day we drove to the golf course where Poppa goes golfing - so he could pick up the schedule of when the course is open (in other words, no tournaments scheduled that day).

We drove through the development towards the clubhouse.  This is an older development than the one we stay in.  The houses are smaller and there are no private pools, but it is quite nice and well-kept.

Quite a few of them have replaced their lawns with coloured stones, since stones don't die in a drought or a cold spell.  It actually looks very attractive in this tropical setting.  Eventually we reached the clubhouse.  This picture is quite dark - the sun was in the wrong place - but you get the idea.  (Does it look familiar Gramps?)

While Poppa went inside to get that schedule, I watched this group of ladies preparing to get out onto the golf course.

And it wasn't long before Poppa was heading back to the car again.

And of course, I have to add one more photo.  Here are our little boys playing together again - this time it is the Jolly Jumper.

Here is Munchie helping little Smiley get comfortably in the Jumper.  And here is the end result of all that effort.

Awww... they grow up soooo fast!

E-Mail

Hello from sunny Florida!  Yesterday it rained until mid-afternoon and then it was quite cool.  I spent the day knitting on some silly socks, and Poppa was madly reading a book which he was finding quite interesting.... James Patterson's 1st To Die - the first book in the women's murder club series.  Apparently Poppa is enjoying it - he is reading again right now.  Today is supposed to be sunny and warm - so he's trying to finish the book before the sun come out.  Squeegie and Taffy are watching Handy Manny.  So, I thought I would take a few minutes to share an e-mail that I received the other day.  It went like this....
Dear Nanna,


This is Curtis.  I was very disappointed that you did not post pictures of my polar dip.  My pictures were much better than Munchie's pictures, since I am actually in the cold water in my photos.  See............

Yikes!  That water is wet and cold......but here I am. Brrr!

Well - here I am - immersed - I think I'm getting used to it.

Haaaa!  Nothing to it.  What did Munchie make all that fuss about?  This is a piece of cake!


I must admit though, when I got out I was quite chilly and happy to snuggle with my big brother.

Love Smiley
Isn't that adorable?  What a kid!
I also got another PotD from Auntie Colleen to share with you.

  This one looks more like I expect to see in Canada.  She took it from her kitchen window.  I kinda feel sorry for that bird!

PotD

I got a new picture of the day from Auntie Colleen!  I can't believe this was taken in my part of the world - where it is very cold!

What strange little specimens Uncle Shaun found growing in the winter forest!

All is well here in Florida.  The weather has been cool, but sunny.  We walked to the Publix today and I found some interesting things to photograph - I haven't loaded them onto the computer yet....I'll try to find time tomorrow! 

And .. here is little Smiley - he can sit in the saucer and play already... they grow up soooo fast.

And when Smiley got out for a nap...Munchie climbed in... just to see if he would fit...and to try and figure out why Smiley kept tasting that toy!

He did still fit in..and discovered that the toy tasted yucky.  Just like the pompom on his touque.  He phoned me one day to tell me that the pompom tasted yucky .... the rather large pompom on the hat that I had knit for him.  I had to laugh... I had never considered tasting it!

Tropical and Arctic

About a week or so ago, we went to the Gulf Coast for a day and waded in the waves coming up on the beach.  It was just before we moved into the villa, and I forgot my camera in the car.  But, as usual, we loved it and spent about two hours enjoying the sun.  The beach was quite busy, and while there were not a lot of people in the water, there were plenty wading, or strolling, or power walking, or running along the shore.  There were also a large number of brave, young souls wind surfing.  Some of them are really good and scoot along the surface of the Gulf amazingly quickly!

One day last week, we drove over to Inverness.  It is much closer to the Gulf side and it took us about an hour and a half to arrive at our destination.  Where was that you ask?  It was a pool and spa store, where we could get a new filter for the hot tub at home, for a fraction of the price we pay in Canada!  We had to order the super-duper one that Poppa wanted - so we will have another excuse to go for a drive on another day.

One day last week, we received a parcel via UPS.  It was addressed to David (our villa owner) and Poppa was expecting it.  We opened it and discovered a replacement alarm for the patio doors.  This is something we are unfamiliar with in Canada, but they are quite common here.  If the door is left unlocked and someone goes out without disarming the alarm, a very loud siren is tripped and warns the occupants that the door has been opened.  The main goal is to warn parents if little people get out to the pool without supervision.  We set it off several times the first time we were here, but quickly adapted and haven't heard it for - well - for years.  The existing alarm had quit working, so David had ordered a new one.  Poppa offered to install it.  So.........he removed the non-functioning one...

.......then he cleaned the interior and exterior surfaces where the old one had been.....

.........then he attached the required wires......

...........and then he tested the new installation.......

........and pronounced it to be working just fine!  Yep - it was loud!  But - it worked!


Yesterday, the weather was unsettled and threatening to storm, so we decided to head to the Lake Buena Vista Outlet Mall on the outskirts of Orlando.  We had a great time - didn't buy much, but avoided the thunderstorm (which did develop in the afternoon), and enjoyed ourselves browsing.

Meanwhile, up in the great frozen north, it was the time of the year when local heroes (or crazies, depending on your perspective) decide to jump into the icy waters of the nearest lake in an effort to demonstrate how brave they are and/or to raise money for charities.  Not to be out-done, Munchie decided he would participate in this exciting adventure.  He began preparing......

.........then he did some breathing exercises and continued his preparations....

.......the boots came off last and the dive began.  Mommee dropped her camera and didn't get any pics of that part of the event.  But, when he got out he was freezing and hurried to get dressed..........

.....OOPS!  In his haste he grabbed the wrong item of clothing for the bottom half.  But eventually he got himself together and snuggled up with his baby brother to get warmed up again....

.....then he helped little Smiley get into bed and before he actually made it to his own bed.........he crashed!

Cuffs and Cousins

We met Poppa's cousins for supper and had the nicest visit.  We went over to their place about 5:30pm expecting to go to a restaurant to eat.  When we arrived Liz told us that they had decided to barbeque some pork chops instead.  We spent a while munching on crackers and cheese while the dinner got prepared.  The pork chops were done to perfection and tasted delicious (and so did the wine!).  After dinner we sat around gabbing about everything from politics to travelling to relatives.  It was relaxing and enjoyable - as our visits with them always are.  Just before we left I got Poppa to sit with them for a snapshot.

 Now - about the cuffs - here is what was my current project when I started this blog - now it is finished and I started a new one!  

 I didn't have time to take pictures today as we went out for breakfast and returned home after supper.  More news tomorrow!

Project Update

As a follow-up to our entry into the USofA...I downloaded the pictures from the big camera...and discovered this photo........as soon as we reached the other side of this bridge we had left Canada!

It is a long bridge from Windsor to Detroit.  Squeegie hates bridge - especially ones which span lakes and/or rivers - he dislikes water (especially baths), and this bridge always freaks him out, but he settles down once we are across and he knows he is in his original homeland.  While we were driving along I was working on this project.

The yarn is Bamboo & Ewe - a superfine wool/bamboo blend - made in Turkey - and distributed by Jo-Ann Stores.  It is surprisingly soft.  Bamboo - who'd have thought!  This is how the socks looked when we arrived at the villa.  I commandeered a large plastic bowl as my work basket - the yarn unravels easily from the skein in plastic.  Usually I use an ice cream container, but we don't have one as yet - so I improvised and it works quite nicely.

Yesterday we went for a walk around - we espied this little fellow basking in the warm sunshine...

These little geckos are all over the place down here, but this is the first one we had seen this visit.  All those houses we saw partly finished last year are completed and look like they've been there forever.  When we got back, Poppa decided to sit in the sun for a while...

... and later we went for a dip in the pool, but by the time I thought about the camera we were both in there all wet and too drippy to retrieve the camera for pictures.  After supper I took a picture of the finished Bamboo & Ewe socks...

........and started a new project.  It looked like this just before I went to bed last night....

We have tentatively scheduled a dinner out tonight with Poppa's cousin - we usually do that every year before they head back to Canada after their Christmas spent in Florida.  I am awaiting a phone call to give us a time.  Poppa got bored, grabbed his book and his i-Pod and headed outside again....

....and it didn't take very long for Squeegie to follow suit.

Just before I sat down to post this blog segment I took this picture..........

........yep - those small socks don't take very long to finish!  I guess I'll start a larger pair now to use up some of that sock yarn stash I brought.  I just couldn't resist these colours - they looked perfect for a little boy to me!  I'll send off the Bamboo & Ewe socks to Kev-Inn the sock-tester, and get this pair off to Munchie soon!

As usual, I will end with a picture of my little boys.........and this one is special ............ it includes my daughter - Mommee!