SISTERS

Today I enjoyed hours in the country with my sleuth sisters 😉

Chic & Sister Sledge – ‘We Are Family’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lx2NUmxTQ0)

Bruising all gone, but still can't wear makeup until the eyebrow slash heals completely.

It was ‘snack day’ … so I drove into town to purchase my contribution – and topped off the gas tank; the price for a gallon of fuel has gone down again, but it’s still spendy.

Another 30-cent reduction. Still NOT enough of a reduction.

While I was buying my snacks, I also bought another houseplant: since I’m staying in my house in Longview – and not on the road as much as I was in 2020 and 2021 – I think I can manage to keep living plants alive, now 😉

Wandering Jew plant; dropped it off at home on my way out of Dodge.

My contribution this afternoon; Hawaiian Bun Sliders & Cherry Turnovers; kept {safe} on ice, in one of the cooler’s from the shed.

Driving along Ocean Beach Highway on my way to the upper end of Wahkiakum County, I caught sight of an unexpected sight out of my peripheral vision: I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! So, I drove a bit further up the highway and turned around at Nassa Point, to backtrack and get a better view.

White Pelicans!

I like pelicans. And I’m not sure I can spare the gas to get to Chinook to see them when they fly in later this month … so I felt very blessed and highly favored this afternoon when I watched these ones. Elohim is so good to me 😊

White Pelicans! Sighted on Columbia River between Little Cape Horn & Nassa Point.

White Pelican: (https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-white-pelican &  https://www.birdadvisors.com/pelicans-washington/)

Spotted where the wind surfers hang out ...

Little Cape Horn & Nassa Point-WA; 3 minutes apart, via Ocean Beach Highway.

‘Nassa & Nassa Point, Washington:(http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/nassa_point.html)

Nipping in at Cathlamet’s Minit Mart to grab a corn dog, I spotted a rich man’s ‘big boy’ toy … Cathlamet is not a sleepy logger/fisherman hamlet anymore; it has become a backwoods yuppie community.

Tracy Lawrence – ‘Time Marches On’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2vjI1V6lE8)

I’m sorry to see that, but time marches on. I’m glad I don’t live there anymore – I wouldn’t be happy without Bob; or with all the yuppyish changes.

Cathlamet Minit Mart - old picture; under new management now - and gas prices have doubled.

A Big Boy toy.

Traffic was slowed to a snail’s crawl in Skamokawa; and the KM has been scalped. By the time I reached Graysriver, I really needed to find a place to relieve myself – the coffee I had been drinking was making its effects known 😉

I sent an SOS heavenward as I turned down the Covered Bridge Loop Road: “Please God, let there be a honey bucket at the turnout!”

Traffic was slowed to a crawl for about 10 min's, near the Duck Inn ...

The KM has been scalped; top of KM, at the Transfer Station.

The KM 'mountain' is just really a big hill - but it would pass as a mountain back East.

Not sure what this tower is for because radio and cell service in Graysriver, is c.r.a.p.

GLAD to see that Honey Bucket!

My bladder happy again, I continued on my way to join my sister armchair detectives for our weekly {Whodunit} gathering, peppered liberally with personal/family updates; and a shared luncheon 😊

Swallows and dragonflies were everywhere, in abundance. Roadside trees, shrubs, and blackberry bushes had been thinned out and cut back; and I saw things I hadn’t noticed before. I love country backroad forays – soothing, scenic, and enlightening.

Swallow s& dragonflies were everywhere in abundance.

I've never seen this style of barn before; glad the roadside trees had been thinned out.

Becky wasn’t there: she isn’t feeling well. Linda was telling us about a recent incident between her car and a guardrail, and feeling bad about the incident … so, I told her about my recent (yesterday, actually) incident between a cement post and my Highlander’s back bumper, Ramona was telling us how to file a claim with our vehicle insurance policy holders. I think I’ll just pay for my damages out of pocket – they aren’t as extensive as Linda’s. I should be able to get my back bumper fixed in a few months; and if not, I guess my car will just look like a country gal’s vehicle 😉

Gretchen Wilson – ‘Redneck Woman’ song:(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82dDnv9zeLs)

People drive vehicles that look worse than a car with a dented back bumper.

And every time I feel bad about that dent, I remember how Bob handled the time I tore the aluminum flashing off the side of his pickup (another cement post incident – it really was the dog’s fault. Truth.): “Shit happens, Val. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

Bob was a good man, with a good attitude. Thank God.

Memories are good things 😉

8-2-22; Backed into a cement post in Castle Rock (a pretty solid hit) - $1,500 worth of damages - thankfully the calibrators weren't damaged.

I had a blast with my sleuth sisters, and enjoyed an uneventful drive back home. When I got home; I collected the garbage and recycle bins from the curb, put the cooler back in the shed, and slipped my new houseplant into a ceramic pot I’d bought years ago at an Estate Sale Bob and I went to.

The only place in the whole house where 'defused light' fits; we'll see how well my new plant does here for the time being.

Bob isn’t wandering anymore … but I will smile and think of him when I watch that plant grow, thrive, and branch out 😊

My New Life is still making space for Bob’s essence in it. I am getting comfortable with both: my New Life, and the memories that are still very much a part of my Life – the past, the present, and the future.

2003; Bob

The strengths in those memories get me through my days.

So does the love ties of friendship sisterhood.

E.v.e.r.y.s.i.n.g.l.e.d.a.y

HEARTS

This afternoon was a scheduled lunch date with Becky – there won’t be another until October. Next month, Becky and her family are going on a 3-week vacation down South; she promised to take a lot of pictures and regale me with the details next time we get together. I can’t wait! It sounds like it is going to be a blast 😊

I am hoping to get to the Mountain for an Anniversary trip; if I stick close to home and am extremely frugal with gas $$ … I should be able to pull it off.

But, this morning, we stayed on the moment. Our hearts were in tune.

It was kinda cool today with the river breezes, so I wore jeans and a tee: we aren’t fancy gals, and I was planning to drive into Castle Rock afterwards to get my hair trimmed. I like to keep it tidy. I think I’ll forgo the Shag cut this time, and grow it out for a while. I like long hair down my back … and my hair is thin enough without having it thinned in the shag style.

This is The Plan anyway. We’ll see how long this change of mind lasts 😉

After lunch – and my trip to Castle Rock, I got a text from Ramona on the upper end of Wahkiakum County: the sister sleuthing will be happening a little sooner than anticipated. I’m okay with that; the early break from daily routine will be very welcome.

Armchair detectives (Ramona/not my sister, Linda, Becky/not today’s Becky, & me).

We’ll be sharing tidbits of our lives over this past week, and putting our thinking caps on to ferret out the guilty parties in the {whodunit} mysteries we indulge in once a week. Hahahaha

I look forward to these get-togethers. The gals are a hoot, the intrigues keep things interesting, and the time spent redirects my thoughts as my hands get some much-needed rest.

It’s been a very busy few days … once I get started designing and crafting, I don’t stop until I literally run out of steam. Bob used to force me to rest now and then – now my friends, do 😉

MOD Chevron Seed Stitch Cardigan Finished - Boy; knit. NB

Preemie Baby Sets; warming Vests, Beanies, & Booties to match; last set finished this past weekend.

Sock Bag x5; finished this past weekend.

Jacket & Hat Set Completed last night (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/08/mod-knit-bulky-baby-jacket-earflap-hat.html); I’ll have a matching Girl Set by this weekend ...

I’ll be working extra hard this month on designs – I need to stay busy and keep my mind occupied, and free-flowing-tears at bay. August is always a hard month for me. Bob was born in August 1949. We married in August 1974. Our daughter was conceived somewhere between our Wedding Night and the first week of September 1974. August was the month Elohim decided Bob would begin his journey Home in 2018 … and I laid Bob’s cremains to rest in the Family Cemetery in August 2019. August is filled with a lifetime of memories; it is a very hard month for me.

So, I am thankful for my artsy-fartsy gift Elohim favored me with. And I am thankful for my equally loud and rambunctious/wittily sarcastic/flamboyant, and sheltering Friends, who shower me with love; and compassionately (gently forcefully) get me out of my head, out of my house, and into the countryside. Friendship is the sharing of hearts.

MOD KNIT BULKY BABY JACKET & EARFLAP HAT ~NB-3 MO; BOY

The jacket is my own design; the earflap hat pattern, I found surfing the internet 😉

Jacket & Hat Set Completed; NB to 3 MO - BOY

A friends gave me an 'Itty-Bitty Knits for Baby booklet' a few years back, and it had a jacket pattern that looked interesting to me ... but I didn't like the garter st pattern (I wanted something a little softer, like what I designed the other night). I also thought softer shoulders (without bulky seams) would feel better on a little body – so I designed that, too. I like flatter collars, too: so that became a feature in my design.

Basically, I reworked the entire original pattern – and to be quite honest, I think my design looks better, and will feel better on a little baby body.

This pattern really is my own design. I haven't done anything other {designer's} don't do. Every designer builds on another's foundation: but they tweak the foundation to suit their own purposes.

I hope you enjoy this reworked pattern. I know I enjoyed working it ... and the next one will go a lot quicker, because I won't be working with needles in one hand, a vision before my eyes, and a pen in the other hand. Time will be significantly reduced, so I can't tell you how long it will take to knit the jacket – all I can say is I started after Supper, and that it was finished before bedtime 😉

You can complete the hat while watching your favorite movie 😊

Materials: 200g of any brand Bulky Yarn (#5 weight); #11 knitting needles – straight; #L crochet hook; 3 medium stich holders; 4 pieces CC scrap yarn, about 3-inches in length; tapestry needle; elastic thread; 3 1” resin buttons

Size: NB to 3 MO

Terms Used:

CC = contrast color

CO = cast on

K = knit

P = purl

st st = stockinette st (knit 1 row – purl 1 row)

inc = increase

dec = decrease

x = repeat pattern process

yo = yarn over

tog = together

EO = end off

 

Jacket and hat make up very quickly – you can have the set completed in a day’s time … a day and a half if you have a life outside of sitting and knitting 😊

Jacket Back: CO 26 st and work in st st fo 9½ -inches. Place 7 sts on a st holder (front)/12 sts (neck back) on a st holder/remaining 7 sts on last st holder (front).

Right Front: K across 7 sts on holder & inc 2 sts at end of row. P next row. Continue in sts st, and inc 2 sts every k row x3 (15 sts on needle).

Work even in st st, until entire piece measures 9½ -inches from shoulder. EO

Right Front Neck Shaping.

Back of Neck: Leave sts on holder.

Left Front (Buttonhole side; boy): Slip sts of this holder onto needle; attach yarn and knit across 7 sts. P next row – increasing 2 sts at end of row. Continue in st st, and inc 2 sts every p row x3 (15 sts on needle). Now K 1 row & P 1 row. Begin to work BUTTONHOLES: K2, yo, k2tog for each buttonhole; make two more buttonholes in same manner, spaced 1½ -inches between.

Left Front Shaping & Buttonholes - Boy.

Work even in st st, until entire piece measures 9½ -inches from shoulder. EO

Sleeves: With scrap yarn bits, mark sleeve settings 4¼ -inches from shoulders (both sides of work). With #L crochet hook, pickup and knit 24 sts between marked area; work in st st on these sts for 4 rows – and dec 1 st of next row. Repeat dec every other row x3 (16 sts on needle). Work eve in st st until sleeve measures 5” from shoulder. EO

Repeat instructions on opposite side for second sleeve.

Jacket Body & sleeves completed.

Remover scrap yarn markers and save for button placements.

Sew side and sleeve seams.

Collar: From front of work, pick up and k 30 sts along front & back necklines. P next row (underside of collar). Work in st st until collar measures 4”. EO

Starting Collar; purl sts on backside; st st on front side, to be turned down when finished.

Fold buttonhole front over plain front piece, and mark button placements by threading tapestry needle with a piece of scrap yarn and drawing yarn through center st showing through buttonhole hole … this will make an accurate button placement that lines up properly with buttonhole.

MOD Jacket FINISHED!

Original Design – I really do think my design is more appealing …

Earflap Hat can be found at this link: https://melodys-makings.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/I-Cord-Earflap-Hat-Knitting-Pattern.pdf