It is getting colder!

I can tell it is getting colder. I have companions in the bed in the morning!

Aimee

The weather is warm and the liven' is easy!

Dog Update!

Random Autumn Photos from the last month or so

December is always a murderously busy month for me. As we near the end of the year and the miserably cold temperatures of central Minnesota, it seems like a good time to look back at some of the charming moments over the last few months and be thankful. Here without too much by way of explanation are some pictures that didn't make it into the blog, but which make me feel warm inside on a day when we have barely crept above zero.

Keeping Up with Arbogast

My Mom must like the bulldog, cause she has indicated that she hasn't seen any pictures of her on the blog lately. Of course that isn't quite true! Less than three weeks ago there was this picture of her protecting us from the green menace! Nonetheless, I thought I'd update on how us old timers are doing since the arrival of the ghastly Arbo.

Of course our older cat has had some difficulties adapting to this new energy ball. (The shelter had called him Spitfire if that's any indication!) Little guy adores her and just can't understand that she does not want to play EVER!



There has been a bit of hissing, and avoidance behavior, but they seem to be getting along just a bit better.


All us older citizens are having a hard time keeping up with Arbogast. His tendency to ambush us from behind curtains or body slam us when we are least expecting it, keeps us on our toes and after a few short hours this is what the household looks like on an average playday with Arbogast.


Copper has to protect the most important toys from kitty predation. The bottom of my contact lense case disappeared from the bath tub (without a trace) My hair brush is currently seeking asylum under the living room couch after being chased down the hall and across the dining room!

Of course Aimee feels completely neglected, if not exhausted from all the guerilla warfare being practiced around the house.


She's asleep on the couch right now next to Copper. (I think trying to blend in with the blanket in the hopes of getting a little rest before the next onslaught.)

We love our new little kitten, we really do, but this is how we have all decided we like him best.

Update on the Pups

I haven't posted an image of the pups lately. Aimee has been annoyingly playful (and demanding) but I still have to post this image where she is being completely angelic (because she is asleep!)

More Dog Pictures

I'm sorry. I can't help myself!







I'm sorry. I can't help myself!

On the Needles

I've been working on an MMario design called Vampire W(h)ine. I'm really liking it thus far. It is currently about 18 to 18.5 inches in diameter and I am going to have to order more yarn before I can finish, but here is what it looks like at the moment.

And of course I have to put a picture of my puppy up n the blog. Yup that's her on my couch!

Some Incidental Images

Just a few pictures for the week.  The kids asleep on the couch:

A very serious looking girl:

The current free crochet project - don't know what it is going to be, but it has been fun to play with! (About 3 " in diameter right now!)

Events of the Week

Here are a few mostly random photos. Here is the state of the knitting. (The back is coming along - I'm close to adding on stitches again at the neck for the other half of the back (and front).)

Aimee got spayed. I'm so sad. She'll never have puppies. She looked sweet and quiet like this for about two hours and even though she is supposed to be strictly quiet and not jump around, she has been rambunctious and happy ever since. (You'd never know she had half her insides ripped out!)

We had a huge storm today and lost half of a tree that came down in our back yard. The photo doesn't really give the real sense of the  destruction, but it missed our house and everything else, so we are happy.

Who's Around These Days?

The Phoebes are back in their nest above the back door

Interlude

I know I am behind on blogging about Beijing, but I have been so busy. In the meantime this is just a reminder to myself that life should be fun.

Shawl and Birthday Update

Here's the birthday girl on her one year anniversary!

She was very excited about her new present, but it didn't take her much over 20 minutes to tear the top of the head, so she had to forfeit her gift until a bit of sewing can be done.

The shawl I have been designing progressed with fits and starts. It seems to be turning into a garden motif.

After an unpromising start in the upper back (bottom of the picture), I decided to go more geometric. There are three basic motifs, plus triangular insets at either side to allow for the increase of stitches on the sides.

There is a chevron motif, a leaf motif in the  center and a (vaguely) rose on a stalk kind of motif. The leaf motif gave me trouble yesterday and I had to redo the whole right side section (where the needles can be seen emerging on the upper left.)

This is a detail of the rose on a stalk section and has what has made me decide to call it the Rose Trellis shawl.