Feathered friends

I've been missing my east coast treehouse visitors, so I stitched up a couple to keep me company here in Calcondo craft central.You can find the pattern here if you want to make a few of your own. These little birdies will nicely perch on a book shelf, or on the edge of a table. You could make a dozen or so to sit along the mantel, or on a wide windowsill where they could keep an eye on their friends. They're very quiet and they don't eat much.

Actually, I lied. One flew the coop today. I gave the bluebird to a friend who took me out for an early birthday lunch. She picked me up, treated me to lunch, gifted me with flowers and a large bag of plums from her garden, and a very pretty red picture frame. In return, she got this silly little bird. But I'll get her back. I have her birthdate written down in a book, which I hardly ever forget to look at....

So we got to chatting about the upcoming reunion....she and I graduated the same year.....and I broke the news that I had heard from her old boyfriend and he was planning to attend. Now that I think about it, I probably should have waited to spill the beans till we were parked at the restaurant. Then, after I got home, I checked my email and there was a message from my old boyfriend with word that he'll be there too. So I guess we'll have to send the two hubbies out for a beer. They'll be bored with all that reunion schmoozing anyway.......

Mr. Gadget goes to the gardens

This afternoon, while I was working on a crafty project (stay tuned), Mr. Gadget took a drive up to the botanical gardens and gave his camera some exercise. Enjoy!

Once upon a gadfly

But first, some sock progress. I've decided to call it an art sock. I've just turned the heel....you can see it there in the pink. It's not much fun to knit with this yarn using #1 needles, but maybe the finished pair will be pleasing enough to make up for my sore and bloodied fingers.

Yesterday Mr. Gadget happened to remark that all of the buzzing and flitting around I've been doing over the last few days, in an effort to ferret out long lost high school classmates and alert them to the upcoming reunion, might qualify me as a gadfly. So off I went to look for a dictionary.

I found one--a 1933 edition with my grandfather's name embossed on the front--under a pile of stuff in the back closet. Sure enough, gadfly was in there.....so I guess they've been around for at least that long.

I think Mr. G and I have been spending too much time together.

Interesting definition for gadget there too....Maybe we could be known as Gadget and the Gadfly....heh..heh.

Then I checked the online dictionary and it wasn't much better: A person who persistently annoys or provokes others with criticism, schemes, ideas, demands, requests, etc. Maybe we should consider separate vacations....

I did scroll down the page a ways and found an older, but slightly more pleasing definition: Someone who likes to go about, often stopping here and there. Thank goodness. Our marriage will survive.

Moving on to gardening, you'll notice my little potted flower is really starting to bloom.

My weight-loss project is moving along nicely and I've even been exercising. Mr. Gadget is very impressed. I'd been all talk and no action for months. Sometimes we talk about our different approaches to life and he tells me that in the corporate world he would be an employee with a bias toward action and I would be one who sends up trial balloons. In the world of semi-retirement, this translates to Mr. G paying bills the day they arrive, and me spending months, or even years, contemplating choices for window treatments.

I think my style is similar to that of our friendly chipmunk visitor. He circles the outer perimeter of our deck several times before he zeros in on the cup o' nuts.So now Mr. G, ever the wordsmith, refers to my style as chipmunking.

By the way, I know some will be curious about the outcome of BCG's day in court during which she and ex-BCBF will be defending themselves against the evil shopkeeper (aka the tormenting gadfly). I'll keep you posted.

A little more frogging

I've mentioned before that I'm not much of a gardener, although I do spread a mean mulch. Here at the Calcondo it's a different story. There's a wonderful team of groundkeepers who plant and prune and rake up all the clippings and lawn trimmings, and then they leave the garden accessorizing to me. Today, on a trip to the local Joann's Garden Center, I picked up this cute little frog and put him in the front yard between some newly-planted flowering bushes. He may need a friend, so I'll keep my eyes open for a buddy. I don't want to go overboard though. On a walk the other day, I noticed a ceramic bunny sitting near a tree. He was holding a shovel, a broom, and a sign that read, "Don't forget to scoop your poop."

The Noro sock has been quite a surprise. Since my last post, I've read a review of this sock yarn and learned that the color changes are much more subtle than other striping sock yarns. For anyone who has knitted with Noro yarns, I'll just say that knitting with Noro sock yarn is very Noro-like. I'm sure that will make perfect sense to Noro knitters, and very little sense to anyone else. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed that the most colorful part of this sock will likely be inside my shoe. I will not allow that to happen to sock #2. I have no problem wearing fraternal-twin socks. I mean, how often will I be taking my shoes off in public? I'll just send Mr. Gadget through that other airport security line if he's embarrassed to be seen with me....

So Big City Girl called this afternoon to let us know she's alive and well, and busy preparing a legal defense. Seems the shopkeeper on the first floor, below her's and ex-BCBF's second floor apartment....you know, the one she recently moved out of via the NYC moving van.....

....has decided to take the two of them to small claims court for throwing cigarette butts out their window and damaging her awning. Last time we talked, I gave her my free expert legal advice which I'd gathered from Judy, Marilyn, Joe and the other TV judges. "Take along some pictures and any pertinent paperwork, dress nicely, and be polite," I said. "And if you're lucky," I added, "maybe a big wind will kick up and blow that thing all the way to Brooklyn."

Anticipation

I've started the socks out of the new Noro sock yarn and the suspense is killing me. Enough of the blue already! The big fun of knitting with self-striping yarn is the surprise of seeing new colors appear, and this is happening so slowly it's like waiting for a red light around here. It's no wonder so many drivers run them. A person could miss a meal. I'm not that kind of a driver though. I abide by the rules. And I'll abide by the knitting rules too......but I may not buy this yarn again. It's like that last stretch of road before Wichita.....

So I may postpone the pig project for now. I hope the muse won't mind. Besides, Mr. Gadget wants to hold on to the packaging materials for his new computer in case it has behavior issues and needs to be returned. Meanwhile, I'll be making a few more tissue paper wedding flowers per the request of the bride-to-be who has decided to sell a few of them on a local street corner, I mean have the reception hall decked out in magnificent floral splendor. Good thing I like making flowers, and that I remembered to bring along my needle-nosed pliers.

And in my spare time, I've been conversing by email with several of my high school friends about our upcoming reunion.

Every summer there is an all-class reunion held in a local park, but it's not the same as one of those typical class reunions where a banquet hall is rented and everyone spends months trying to diet and do the botox thing. No one in my class took the reins or formed a committee or kept a mailing list. But this year word is getting around--many thanks to the Internet--so we're hoping to have more than the usual handful of alums. I've offered to help spread the word. And I can't help but wonder now if I should have ordered some of that #1 prestige skin cream for the neck thing.....

The barnyard

What a pleasant surprise, I mean a harsh kick in the butt, to open the Sunday newspaper and be reminded of this. It's one of the nasty little secrets of aging for which there is no warning. Nora Ephron apparently came to terms with hers and wrote a book about it.

And if a woman is up in years and decides to lose a little weight....you know, to get healthier and more fit.....this TN affliction gets more pronounced. It isn't fair. I don't think older men have to deal with this, do they? Maybe the ear hair makes up for it.....

I know the plastic surgeon has a sure-fire remedy for it. I doubt very much if the above-pictured product would have much effect.....even if it is the #1 prestige skin cream in the entire world--including France of all places! I think it's just another one of those things that are TGTBT (too good to be true). So I will continue to remain steadfast in my resolve to age gracefully, and will buy more turtlenecks, fancy scarves and big gaudy choker necklaces.

Moving along to other barnyard animals.......Mr. Gadget...heh...heh....decided to buy himself a new computer for the condo. Hard as it is to believe, with all of our flitting around, he does do actual work while we're here. A well-functioning computer is important to him......so he can condocompute. Seems the old one had some ugly issues with his spread sheets. (I'm sure you're wondering how this all relates to the barnyard, but hang in there with me.)

I've tried to convince Mr. G that spread sheets are boring and maybe he should think about adding a little more color to his workday. But as I remain steadfast about my neck, so he remains steadfast about his spread sheets.

Yesterday he carried the computer inside (in a big box that will be properly crushed for recycling to please the curmudgeons), and today he unpacked it and is setting it up--with a minimum of expletives, per my request. (I'm almost to the barnyard.) And inside the boxes, carefully holding the computer parts, were several pieces of styrofoam--just the thing for crafting four legs for a paper mache pig.

I really wasn't planning to make the pig right away, but anytime the muse throws something right in my path like that I think it means I've gotta put everything else aside and pay attention.

Oh, there was something else Mr. G carried in from the car along with the computer.

I guess he knew there'd probably be an expletive or two that would slip from his lips, kinda accidently, and maybe the fragrance of these lovely carnations would dull my senses.....

Only in California....

Mr. Gadget and I took a short drive down to the beach this morning to visit a craft fair....the perfect venue for the locals to strut their pooches. There were doggies in bandanas and doggies in vests.....but this was our favorite. He kinda matched his owner--a rather large man in a bright-colored Hawaiian shirt. Mr. G was hesitant to ask for a family photo....

So if you'll please excuse me, I have to take a rest. It's really hot here in SoCal and it's getting the better of me. And I'm feeling even hotter now that Mr. Gadget has told me he actually saw a person wearing a corn suit at the local farm stand. Maybe, if this poor corn guy is lucky, someone will pelt him with pats of icy cold butter. Then again, maybe there's not a kernel of truth to this story.....

We've jetted

Mr. Gadget and I have arrived at the Calcondo. Yeah, I just invented that word....which is a bit unusual because coming up with new words isn't one of my specialties; that's more in Mr. G's area of expertise. In fact, one time I suggested to TG and BCG that we start making note of these new words and produce a dad dictionary. But that's a story for another day.

So our trip yesterday on Jet Blue....where the new advertising slogan seems to be Happy Jetting.....was a good one. We had an on-time departure, on-time arrival and an empty seat between us that allowed for spreading out our inflight necessities. I had a book and some knitting, and Mr. G had his car magazine, a book of crossword puzzles, and his chocolate. I did happen to notice, although I had my headset on at the time, Mr. G handing a piece of his Toblerone to the guy across the aisle. Seems he wanted to know if it was something he could purchase from the flight attendant. I guess Mr. G was feeling especially benevolent....what with our heading off for a few weeks in the Calsun.

So I've been busy getting reacquainted with the local terrain......including the grocery store that employs the pink-haired lady who follows me around to make sure I'm finding everything.....and there are a few things I'd forgotten.

Like my goddess coffee mug. I still have plans to make a doll in her likeness. I'm just kinda stumped on all that buxomness.

....and this plastic apple juice container that Mr. G insisted I keep because he visualized a paper mache pig.

.....and my very own bathroom. No manly stuff shall ever pass through this door. Well, unless I find the need to get away from Mr. G for a while. You know, in case I get weary from his wordiness. I might hole up in here with some of his chocolate.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot Homer. I won him, along with some neat sock yarn, in a contest on Kathy's blog. Homer's supposed to ride on my car dashboard to give other drivers a piece of my mind....if they cut me off or drive too slowly. Of course, they can't actually hear Homer when he shouts, but it lightens up the mood in the car, thereby lessening the potential for road rage. When I push that little yellow button it's anyone's guess what Homer will spew forth. "Your child might be an honor student, but you're a moron!"

Gotta love a little Calhumor.

Airplane food

I mentioned that Mr. G and I would be heading out west later this week, so Tech Guy's Father's Day gift was a perfect choice.

It will be fun sitting next to Mr. Gadget.....in our usual seats, 17A and 17B, while I eat my small turkey sandwich. Maybe he would be more comfortable eating his chocolate in 2B. Or maybe he could sit in the bathroom. It's Jet Blue, after all......

And Big City Girl gave her father a very funny card.

Good thing he has a sense of humor. And good thing too that his self-esteem is in fine shape, what with his hair issues and all. Never once in our marriage have I ever seen a comb-over.

We had a nice family dinner yesterday at an old Italian restaurant, which prompted Mr. G to recall many holiday dinners at his aunt's house in Brooklyn. After ordering a cannoli for dessert, he told a story of how another aunt used to arrive at these festivities with white bakery boxes stacked and tied with string--one tower of boxes dangling from each arm.

After dinner, we walked out to the car to get a few things for TG and BCG, since we won't be seeing them for a couple of months. I gave TG some burrito filling and tortillas, and some homemade ginger cookies. For BCG it was cookies and a nice travel bag for some upcoming business trips. No toilet paper was requested; none was delivered. Mr. G and I satisfied ourselves that they're looking good and seem to be thriving without the benefit of parental nagging and advice-giving....and trips home to visit the washing machine.

So we'll be leaving on Wednesday morning and that may not be soon enough. On the front page of our morning paper, although thankfully sticker-free, there was this rather alarming headline:

I think I'll be happy hangin' with curmudgeons.....

Tag Sale

Or better known as a garage sale if you live on the west coast.

Yesterday I dumped some junk on my neighbors' driveway, I mean placed a few items on a table in my neighbors' yard, with the hopes that someone would have a need to spend a buck for things I had deemed ready for repurposing. Don't ya love that term? Kinda like pre-owned vehicles.

Well, if I ever get a notion to do that sort of thing again, please just whack me upside the head. Don't get me wrong. It was fun to sit and chat with folks all day, especially my nice neighbors who I don't get to see very often. Where we live, people don't go out much in the winter when it's cold and snowy, and they don't go out much in the summer with it's hot and sticky.
My plan was to place just a few things on a table and enjoy a day of visiting and avoiding housework. But once I started scoping out the house, the treehouse, the basement and a few bags that Tech Guy and BCG had left around, I had enough stuff to put in the back of my station wagon and haul all the way over across the street.

I did sell a few trinkets and 4 pairs of shoes. Mr. Gadget can't understand how anyone would have a hankerin' to buy used shoes.....so please don't tell him about that pair I got last summer at a consignment shop. Did I ever mention, I have a few secrets I keep from Mr. G? Most of them are about just this sort of thing. Oh, and maybe how long things have been in the freezer.

So, today we'll head down south for a Father's Day celebration on Tech Guy's turf. There's a very nice Italian restaurant just across the street from his apartment, and just a short walk from the train station for BCG's convenience. It was so thoughtful of Mr. G to agree to this meal arrangement so I wouldn't have to cook. We'll be leaving mid-week for the west coast, so I'm whittling down the cupboard contents. And I'm not sure what lurks in the freezer. It might be prehistoric....

Pretend gardening

Mr. Gadget stands firmly by the spread-sheet theory of keeping track of things. I say, "That's too boring!" So when I started seeing results on my new weight-loss project, I decided to take a more creative approach.
As of today, I'm about 10% of the way to my goal. Follow along with me, won't you, as I nurture my little container garden along....and attempt to deter slugs and other spoil-sports.

In knitting news, the red pest is cooperating nicely.

Unlike the fronts which were fraternal twins, the two sleeves are identical, although I know one looks smaller than the other. It's all about perspective. See how they seem to be almost enjoying the blocking process? I'm pretty sure it was the threat of Sister Mary's ruler.
And here is an impulsive yarn purchase I made today after other Marcia and I had a very nice lunch in a very nice restaurant down in her neck of the woods. I really had no intention of buying anything, but when I saw this beautiful Noro sock yarn.....something new on the market according to the LYS (local yarn store) lady....I couldn't stand the suspense of not knowing how these wonderful colors would work up into a sock. Knitters will understand this; the rest of you will just assume I've ventured further into weirdness....

So when I returned from lunch and my yarn-shopping adventure, Mr. Gadget related the following dialogue he'd had on the back deck with our friendly chipmunk visitor.

"Dyson (we call him this because he vacuums up sunflower seeds with remarkable efficiency), you're not going to attract any babes if you keep eating like this," said Mr. G. "You're gonna get fat!"

"Not to worry," said Dyson as he was stuffing his cheeks yet again and running off to his bachelor pad in the dried leaves behind the big rock. "They'll love me for my cupboard full of gourmet delights."

Gotta love a guy who can put a nice meal on the table. What's a little spare tire?

Bad hair day

This heat and humidity can really do a number on a hairdo. I told her not to worry.....she can come along with me tomorrow to the hairdresser. Maybe I should also remind her that there are very few hair disasters that can't be salvaged with a really good hat....

Small dose of big city

Big City Girl came for a visit this weekend. Here she is waving good-bye near the train station.

Just out of view is a big plastic bag loaded down with trinkets from home--a book, some clothes, homemade ginger snaps, and the cute little ceramic taxi. She declined our offer of toilet paper.

On Saturday night she went out with her best friend from high school and met up unexpectedly with a few people she's known since kindergarten. Then, about 10:30 or so, she sent me a text message to see if she and her friend could have a sleepover in our basement and share some of my special burritos. I passed this message on to Mr. Gadget and for several minutes we were speechless. "Isn't this something 14-year-old's do?" I asked incredulously. "Aren't these girls 24 now?" But of course we told them to come, because no matter what age your kids are, it's always good to know they're under your roof and not out roaming the universe.

So today's theme in the treehouse is sunflowers. I'm going to make a tissue holder for a friend who requested them.

And then I'll work on a witch doll dressed in sunflowers, since it's already witch season for crafters.

It's hard to even imagine Fall what with all the 90-plus degree days we're having. Mr. G, in spite of hating hot weather as much as I do, is in his element. He enjoys nothing more than managing the air flow in the house. He knows just when to turn on the air conditioner in the family room, and how to create wind-tunnel effects by turning on the upstairs fan and opening and closing doors. On numerous occasions he's tried to train me in his system, but I usually just throw up my hands and play dumb. It takes too much thinking and remembering. It's easier to go get a cold diet Coke out of the fridge.

Actually, I'm being extra nice to Mr. Gadget lately. On Friday, on a rare business trip to New Jersey, his fancy schmancy sports car got rear-ended by a guy who was in a big hurry to get through a toll booth.

After all of his tears were shed, I gently suggested that maybe he'd be better off with an airport car. Back in the days when I worked for an airline, I knew a flight attendant who actually coined the phrase airport car. She bought herself a fine-running used car with lots of dings. That way, she could park it at airports, shopping centers, and other high-traffic areas with nary a worry. I'd have an airport car too if Mr. G wasn't the designated car-shopper in our family. I always tell him as he's heading out the door, "Get me a red one with plenty of dings and hold the gadgets," but he never listens.....

Seeing red

The red pest continues to vex me with its orneriness. I've talked to it nicely. I've scolded it sternly. I've even asked Sister Mary Bodacious to threaten it with her ruler. Nothing works. After finishing the knitting, I was preparing it for blocking. I pinned both fronts to the board, side by side, and then noticed something was amiss. They were not mirror images as I had expected. Seems I must have been distracted and waited too long to decrease for one of the front neck edges.

So more frogging was necessary, but at least I'm getting good at it. And now I am more humble. I will no longer call a project just simple mindless knitting.
This morning, in a quest to find something red that would be more cooperative, I stopped at Joann's where I found an easy jacket pattern and some red fleece. If it comes out nicely I'll take it along on the upcoming cruise--for which, you may remember, the weather is forecasted to be either hot or cold. I just found out today that my good friend Claudia is going to this very same part of the world the week before me, so I'm counting on her to email me a weather report before I leave. Let's hope it's not hot though, dear Claudia of lurkdom, because I hear they charge $15 for a beer in Norway....

And now that I've got my garden beds looking better, I spent a few moments browsing the yard-ornament aisles at Joann's. I still haven't figured out if that's a fabric store or a garden center. I took a shine to this little bee plant poke and I think he'll keep a good eye on my black-eyed Susan--the only one remaining since the deer mistook my poor struggling garden for a salad buffet.

I finished one of the wreaths for the front door. I'm not crazy about it, which is probably why I'm dragging my feet about doing the second one.



I don't think there's a rule that says they have to match, is there? Maybe I'll just put a few ladybugs and dragonflies up there. I'm pretty sure I could whip up some of those in my sleep......

Shopping, it's a guy thing

Mr. Gadget is more of a shopper than I am, so yesterday he suggested we mosey up the road a ways to look for a few things for an upcoming trip.

There was a time when going to L.L. Bean required a trip to Maine, but not any more. Now there's a retail store right here in Connecticut. And if one ignores the high price of gas and the perils of driving through Hartford, it's possible to get there in just over an hour.

We would have known it was L.L. Bean even without the sign, since the front door has oars for handles, and once inside we passed canoes, kayaks, tents and camping stoves--none of which were on our shopping list. We kept on walking and eventually hit pay dirt--rain jackets and travel bags.

After our shopping spree, we stopped for lunch and Mr. G had a burger and a combo plate with French fries and onion rings, and I went with the grilled chicken sandwich because I'm into the WW thing.

I'll be honest though. I might have fantasized about the malts. And would you notice that sky! It doesn't look real, I know, but it was. We didn't linger over lunch, as our over-the-top waiter was serving up way too much perkiness. But he did give us 3 nickels to play the jukebox and we spent the whole fifteen.

I mentioned our upcoming trip and you've probably already guessed it's a cruise. We've decided, although reluctantly..heh...heh, to leave the interstate highways to those much more hearty than us. This time we're heading off in a different direction.

We've been told the weather could be hot or cold in this part of the world in the fall. This should make for an interesting packing dilemma. Also, we need to consider international travel restrictions on baggage, plus my tendency to take more than I ever end up wearing....just in case. So I'm wondering if my sensible walking shoes would work for the formal dinners if I wear them with a really long skirt....