Wild Week

Unloading photos from the camera, just realized why I failed to post last week.

There was a birthday (celebrated twice!)...Skiing...A screening of the Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts...A Pancake Party...Valentines Day...A Black Tie Event...Sniffling people staying home with colds...Beethoven's 9th at the Symphony...The Auto Show...Number One Son (with laundry) arriving home for Reading Week....Multiple subway trips downtown and back and then yesterday, the Family Day Holiday.

None of this was good for Ranger. It did, however, provide an excuse to work up my own DK version of Veronique Avery's Fingering Weight Pinion mitts almost to completion (you called it Mary!)

And add a few inches to my subway travel receiving blanket.

Back onto Ranger now enjoying the looooong straight rows. Lovely and so cozy draped across my lap, its going to be a light, warm cardigan. Immediately ahead are the second set of 10 short rows adding length to the back then the decreases will start as I head for the collar - 30% or so of the knitting is all that remains - the end clearly in sight. My Beloved will have it on in no time (she types optimistically!).

The plan for the dark and dreary day ahead is a bath, blow dry and scissoring for a certain creamy white fellow I hang around with. (Start to finish its probably a 4 or 5 hour event!)

Then tonight its still all Hudson all the time as we head off to his Obedience Class. I hope to start Obedience Trials with him next month. Its something I've always wanted to do so we didn't stop with basic puppy training classes, we've kept up weekly lessons for the last couple of years. He's really gaining control of himself now - undoubtedly the hardest "trick" of all - so its time to put that "steadiness" to the test by putting him through his paces in an arena filled with a couple of hundred other dogs!?! (It will be the first Trial for both Hudson and ME! I'm working on my "steady work" because the speed with which my energy travels down that leash to him has to be seen to be believed!) Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer says "... you don't get the dog you want to get the dog you need." Interesting to think of it that way!

Thanks for dropping by and catching up!

(If you haven't seen enough) "Snow Day"!

'Tried to capture the snowiness here yesterday but it kept sticking to the camera lens and obliterating the view.  This view does a good job of summing it up though...

My "Gear" drying between dog walks and driveway shoveling. (>4 hours outside over the course of the day!)

During one break in my shoveling mid afternoon I looked out to see this...

Men...

Woman...

Boys and their toys eh?!

If you're somewhere the storm just left 'hope you get out and enjoy your sparkly white world today! I find the knitting is so much sweeter afterwards if you do!

Thanks for dropping by!

I.O.U.'s

'Cleaning up my year end photo files and realized I never showed you the incredible fit of the PJ pants Curlerchik made for me! We can tell from the combo Santa/Hat/Beard this was Christmas morning as we finished opening gifts.

Can you believe she made these using only my measurements? We have never even met! She's amazing! (And generous too don't you think?)

And anyone remember my tale of  the Chocolate Mint Cake?  Here it is with all four layers iced and its structural "truss" ribbon keeping the slices from tipping backwards under the weight of their own frosting...

The truss is held in place with a toothpick you can just see peeking out from that mint leaf on the side.

In the end it traveled beautifully in rush hour traffic in my little standard transmission car and arrived at its destination looking just as it does above.

Despite the trouble I had I'm very glad to have pre-sliced it. I was able to take my time with a clean, wet, sharp knife for each slice which gave me sharp cuts and ease of serving at the actual dinner.

There, all caught up! Thanks for dropping by!