Family

Misery, Thy Name is Insomnia


Yeah, the little clock at the top of my screen says 4:24 am and I’m up, sitting at my kitchen table, drinking coffee out of my favorite cup, the one which says “Some days I am a princess, some days I am a warrior (choose wisely).  I think I’m a warrior, probably a very tired one later today.

 

 

 Thank you my sister of the heart, CeCe for the awesome mug!

FYI – I had a birthday last week

 Cece also gifted me a 12x magnifying mirror, which I love btw, I guess she got tired of listening to me fuss about how I can’t see much of anything close up, making any eyebrow maintenance nearly impossible.

My Bangkok Branch sent me beautiful tulips –

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making me wish for spring to hurry on up and get here!  Today’s Bangkok countdown: 25 days until departure!  Mr. Iknead and I are getting antsy…….we’re ready to be be there!!!

Oops!  Almost forgot this.  I want to recommend a book that I just read, The Year of Less, by Caitlin Flanders.

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In her late twenties, Cait Flanders found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy—only keeping her from meeting her goals—she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.

The Year of Less documents Cait’s life for twelve months during which she bought only consumables: groceries, toiletries, gas for her car. Along the way, she challenged herself to consume less of many other things besides shopping. She decluttered her apartment and got rid of 70 percent of her belongings; learned how to fix things rather than throw them away; researched the zero waste movement; and completed a television ban. At every stage, she learned that the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt.

I find that the older I get, the less is more concept is becoming more and more appealing.

This book is an easy read and provided me with lots of food for thought.  I don’t know if her technique would work as well if she had someone, a spouse or partner, sharing space, but the challenge is intriguing. 🤔

The trick is in what one emphasizes.  We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves happy.  The amount of work is the same.  Carlos Castaneda

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Knitting

It Takes 2


SCENES FROM A PARTY

The Sprout is two!!!

Princess Dress Cake

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Mmmmmmm Pink Icing Mmmmmmmmmm

Cousin Love

Best thing about close cousins?  Being best friends!

 Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared.  Buddha

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Knitting

Put The Knead In iknead2knit, Par-Tay


OK, TECHNICALLY

There was no kneading involved, but I did try out a new cake recipe today, a Cinnamon Roll Cake and yep, it’s exactly what it says, a 9×13 inch homemade cinnamon roll.  Yeah, it’s totally drool producing and will be put into the regular recipe population that hangs out above the microwave in my kitchen.  You can check it out here.  Mine isn’t as pretty as the one on the website, but who can take time to take photos when something smells so wonderful??

OOPSY

It’s brought to my attention that I haven’t blogged about Susannah’s birthday party.  Thank you, dear daughter, for putting a guilt trip on me.  I guess that because I blogged about her actual birthday, her party was a few days later, blogging about the party never occurred to me.  My bad.

The party was a huge success, thanks to the Herculean imagination and efforts of Bigmommy.  The Papoose wanted a rainbow birthday party and that’s what her mommy pulled off, making it look easy.

There was a Rainbow Cake

Six SEPARATE layers, BTW, to go on Rainbow Plates.  There were games, Pin the Cloud on the Rainbow and Musical Cloud

There were presents and balloons!

Given Bigmommy’s balloon phobia, she went above and beyond.  There were friends and streamers

And sisters and cousins, an aunt and uncle

(This is Babydiva’s mommy, Babymama, with newest cousin, Charlotte, on board!  She is expected to arrive the first week in August.

We can’t forget the Queen’s chair or the Rainbow Arch!

But you know what was the absolute, best fun of the whole thing?  Being a family, all together, aunts, uncles, moms and dads, grandma and grandpa and cousins, with more than enough love and friendship to go around.

Babydiva and Aunt Lindsey, with Babymama photo bombing.

Consultation between the Sprout and Babydiva

Sitting back enjoying the babies

The birthday girl herself loving every minute!

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.  Mother Teresa

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Knitting

Booklove and Birthday Girls


BOOKLOVE

I finished The Girl Who Fell From the Sky and it was amazing! I couldn’t put it down. Two thumbs up!

TWO

Babydiva turned two today.  It seems I turned around and suddenly, she’s walking and talking a blue streak, always a jump ahead.

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Two Years Ago

This Time Last Year

The Birthday Girl Today

Can you tell that Babydiva loves Hello Kitty???  This time next year, she’ll be big sis to Charlotte Faith.  The hits just keep on comin’ as they say.

When I get older losing my hair / Many years from now / Will you still be sending me a Valentine / Birthday greetings, bottle of wine. / If I’d been out till quarter to three / Would you lock the door? / Will you still need me, will you still feed me? / When I’m sixty-four.  John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney

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Knitting

FO Friday 07/12/13, Bigmommy’s Birthday


OFF THE NEEDLES

75% Medano Beach Bag

Besides scaling it down a little, I used an I-cord bind-off, mostly so I could practice it.  I do like the rolled edge it makes, though.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

Happy birthday, Bigmommy!  I love you and am so proud of the beautiful woman you’ve become.  It’s been a pleasure (mostly).  Much love.

BY THE BOOK

I finally was able to get started in Joyland by Stephen King and it’s fabulous enough that I didn’t pick up my needles once yesterday because I couldn’t stop reading.  Now that’s a good book.  I totally plan on finishing it today and am anxiously awaiting Dr. Sleep.  I think it’s due to come out in September.

Linking up with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO

Anyone who keeps the abilith to see beauty in every age of life really never grows old.  Franz Kafka

Knitting

WIPW 05/22/13, Yarn Along


ON THE NEEDLES

No, this isn’t the second Crocus Vernus sock.  😦  In the hustle and bustle of the Papoose’s birthday Saturday afternoon, when it came time to go home, the Crocus project bag was left behind.  No problem.  Texted Bigmommy, she’d found it and since she was coming to Little Rock Monday, she’d bring it.  Still no problem.  Got project back.  Tiny issue.  Looking to make sure that the sock in progress was in the bag, she accidently pulled one of the needles out.  Wahhhhh.  So, nearly finished Crocus Vernus sock totally frogged and restarted.  You can bet I’ll be a lot more careful about getting all my projects in the knitting bag before I leave next time.  It’s OK Bigmommy, I know it was an accident.

Still loving the Grrlfriend Market Bag so much I started another.

Still rolling on Granny’s Grab Bag Blanket using my left over sock yarn.

THE GRANDS

Happy birthday, Papoose.  You’re three!

Papoose Playhouse

I’m linking up with Tami’s WIPW blog and Ginny’s Yarn Along, so head on over there for more WIPW and book love.

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  Mother Teresa

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Knitting

The one where I start to tweak


my blog a little bit.  It had become a little bit stale (to me) and after browsing other blogs and looking at different layouts, I decided to try a new one on for size.  I like the idea of headings, so I’m going to take test drive that too.

On The Needles

Still working on Maidenhair Fern socks, I’m nearly finished with the first sock, about an inch from starting to decrease for the toe.  Is it just me or does any other knitter feel like the last few inches on a project seem to last forever and just when project burnout is threatening, all of a sudden, the magic row appears and that particular part or project is finished.  Is it some sort of tear in the space time continuum or something?

The Papoose

Susannah and family celebrated her second birthday a week ago last Saturday (again with the space time continuum, I swear it was just last month that we were relearning the art of baby swaddling and burping) and a good time was had by all.  Four two year old girls, two wading pools, a picnic and a birthday cake sounds like a recipe for disaster, but everybody played nice and left smiling.

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 Susannah Grace

OK, this is about all the tweak I can handle today.  Tomorrow, fonts (but I have to read up on them first).

I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.  Walt Whitman

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