Cheap tours

Sometimes a person doesn't get around to see their own neck of the woods until they have company visiting.

Two of my cousins from California have been here for the last three days and I've been the tour guide. That's Molly looking glamorous and Toni with the map.

I took them by the old hotel.

We drove north to West Cornwall to see a covered bridge and other New Englandy sights.

We took the train to the big city to visit the 9/11 memorial.  Toni, the most outgoing of the 3 of us, sat in the front seat of the taxi both ways and learned the nationality, family history, favorite foods and political leanings of each of our drivers.

Now they're headed home, back to California, and my mind is trying to convince my body to get busy and get some stuff done, but it's not having any part of it.  I think I'm going to retire from the tour-guide job.

The can't-say-no sweaters

A couple of weeks ago I was at the weekly senior center knitting group....just minding my own business.  Then Pat walked in.  Pat is one of the coordinators of the annual Christmas bazaar.

"Hey, Marcia," she said.  "Would you be willing to make some more of those little knitted sweater ornaments for the bazaar this year?  They were a big hit last year and sold out fast."

I didn't tell her how, after I finished those sweaters...and more sweaters for a craft fair, I was suffering from complete sweater burnout.

"I guess I could make a few," I told her.  Actually, I was just thinking about a small project I could work on while Mr. Gadget and I are traveling this October (more details to come).  The sweaters would be perfect to take along, since they're small and lightweight.  And I'm always able to make a few new friends while I'm knitting them because people stop and ask me what I'm doing.

So I got some old sock yarn out of my stash and decided to see if I remembered how to make them.  It's fun to watch them grow....with all different stripes because of the way the yarn is dyed.  I'm hoping my second burnout doesn't hit till the end of the trip. I'm sure at some point I would regret throwing my yarn and needles overboard.

Here's the pattern if you're interested in making some too.  I used double-pointed needles size 0 for the ones above, but I'm now making one using Size 2 needles and it's coming out a bit bigger but still a good size for an ornament.

Rhyme time

 

The law states a witch must have a black cat,

but this one surely missed the memo on that.

"Perhaps they should change the rule.

Most witches are no longer old school.

We're into Spanx and gels and ballerina flats."

Sunday stuff

I have a fairly nice crop of witches this year.

Or should I say, a small bouquet.

***

This morning Mr. Gadget took a walk

around the neighborhood.

"Come back with one interesting fact,"

I instructed.

"They're painting lines on the new parking area,"

he said, upon his return.

"Any interesting facts from the Treehouse?" he asked.

"Yes,"  I said. "Things are never dull up there."

He was sitting on the edge of his chair anxiously waiting to hear...

"I've figured out that fabric flowers turn out much prettier when I put some stuffing in the petals."

I call this little exercise relationship enrichment.

*** 

I've discovered recently that many foods taste better

with a bit of gorgonzola cheese and Craisins added.

The same could be said for cilantro.

***

I've also learned that when one lives in a senior condo complex,

one must attend a funeral now and then.

And visit friends who've had knee and hip replacements.

***

Big City Girl came for a visit last weekend.

She and her father had their usual game of Scrabble.

BCG won, but only by a few points....so there were

none of the usual tears and hurt feelings.

***

I've begun a drawer-cleaning project.

Cleaning out one drawer a day is quite easy and painless.

If only the same could be said for flossing.