Memorial Day 2009

Today is the day we honor our service women and men who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Please take a moment to honor them. We also honor those fighting the fight today. My thoughts and prayers are with each and every one of them, especially to my son, a soldier in Iraq today. May he and all the others have a safe return home soon.

This is my son, Paul, with some Iraqis he made friends with. He says they were having tea.


















Over the weekend we went for a three-hour boat cruise. I'm glad we didn't get shipwrecked on a deserted island because I didn't pack a suitcase or my millions because after all, it was only a three-hour cruise. This is Louie enjoying his boat ride.























Until next time, keep on hooking.


Terri

Spring has sprung

We finally got our big boat out in the water. Well, it's not that big, only 14' but compared to our peddle boat it's the big boat. Anyway...we got out and took it for a flight...I mean we went pretty fast. It felt good.

And now I know Spring is here:

Aren't they cute???

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

Boating

So we got the new rudder for our peddle boat. Kevin took off the broken one, put on the new one and off we went for a little ride into the sunset. It was wonderful. The fish were sure jumping. One of these days I'm sure one will jump right into the boat with us since the peddle boat sits low. Last summer one jumped right next to me and almost landed at my feet. Just glad it didn't.

Until next time, keep on hooking,

Terri

Inside looking out

Hey you...yeah you squirrels out there. Don't even think about climbing that tree and jumping to my window. I am the protector here and you will regret it. I will bark and growl at you until you give up and realize that you're not getting in.

The same goes for you ducks waddling below the window. You just try flying up here and see what happens. I have orange sauce and I'm not afraid to use it.

As for you cats out there, you will not get in here to play with the yarn. It's all mine, mine, mine. I mean, hers, hers, hers because I wouldn't dream of messing with it (well, I might dream it but I wouldn't actually do it...much) because the Mrs. likes to make stuff with it and sometimes she lets me have a fuzzy ball of yarn. Neener, neener, neener.

I am Prince Louie IV, Super Dorkie, protector of home and family.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Louie

Happy Easter!

We have the Easter Bunny; Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang have the Easter Beagle.

I have the Easter Dorkie.
Louie wishes everyone a Happy Easter.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

Here comes Peter Cottontail

Easter's on it's way!!! It's my favorite holiday after my birthday.

So it's been almost a month since my last blogging. My son, Paul, went back to Iraq for another six months. I kept myself busy making these adorable cropped cardis and matching totes for my granddaughters, Leslie and Aaliyah. I just hope they fit.
















I'm still going to my Monday night therapy group a/k/a CLACK, my Monday night crochet/knit group. Best therapy there is, especially after Paul left again.

We finally decided to clean out our peddle boat, which was still chained to a pole from Hurricane Ike (so it wouldn't blow away). It had been repeatedly filling up with rain. It was disgusting - slimy, filthy. But we (meaning Kevin) scrubbed it out and once again it was its natural shade of blue and white. We planned on taking a ride in it but we got in and tried to peddle and it wouldn't do anything. So out we get, pull it back out of the water, and find that someone had broken the rudder. So now we have to wait for who knows how long for the replacement to come in. We were so looking forward to getting on the water. Our bigger boat isn't ready yet but I'm sure by mid-May we'll have it ready and out.

Until next time (and hopefully it won't be a long next time), keep on hooking.

Terri

Two reasons to Celebrate!

1. My granddaughter, Leslie, is 4 years old!

2. My son, Paul, is coming home from Iraq!

Too bad I don't get see Leslie for her birthday as they live out of state from me. And my son is only home for two weeks before he has to go back but it will be so nice to actually get to hug him for real instead of the hug emoticon on Yahoo chat.

More later on this.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

Time change again; squares for lapghan

So the time has changed again. This day sure did go by fast. Which left me little time to work on some 8 x 8 squares that my crochet/knit group is doing. We are making a couple of squares each for a lapghan for a member's friend who has cancer. I did the first one in a rose color with a light gray border (I know, it looks green on here) then decided that it wasn't "manly" enough. So then I did a light gray square with a dark gray border (which looks blue and green in the picture. Why does it do that?). Ahh, better and more manly. And of course the second one came out too small; maybe if I blocked it and stretched it, it would be the right size. It's only an inch too small.

I think the reason is that I changed yarn type for the second one but didn't change the hook size. I am going to either go up a hook size or add two rows with the original hook to get it the correct size. Not sure who is going to put it all together but I would like mine to make the cut and not end up on the cutting room floor.

Not much going on here around here so I'll sign off here.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

Stick to Hooking

Big Le Sigh...I really should stick to hooking. It's what I do best. Those pointy stix just don't get me. Or is it me who doesn't get them? Either way it's not working very well for me.

I thought I was going to do something easy enough, a dishcloth. At some point(s) I noticed that my points went through some of the strands of yarn instead of the whole loop and of course I didn't notice it until after I knit a few stitches behind it. So the last one I noticed I tried to take off the three stitches that were knit correctly and put them back on the left needle so I could fix it. Well it didn't work. I now have a big ol' pile of red yarn barf instead of a nice red dishcloth.

I still carry the needles and some yarn with me but so far I haven't taken them out. They seem to co-exist nicely in my bag with my hooks but I dunno...

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

Louie likes his beefy bone.

Sunday, a day for golf

So today was too beautiful to stay inside so we decided to go play 9-holes of golf. I did good and Bethanie did pretty good. I think she might have beaten me but then again, she was the scorekeeper so who knows what she was writing down. Kevin played his usual good game.

Kevin giving Bethanie pointers on the 8th hole.

This is Bethanie and Kevin at the driving range after we finished our 9-holes.

I hit three or four balls then gave it back to them. Guess now I need to make some golf-head covers. Don't know what they're for but a lot of people have them so I guess we need some, too.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

I have a knitted FO!

So I decided my practice piece was the right width for a cozy for my iPod Nano and I kept practicing until the length was right. I finished it up a few days ago but wasn't sure about the bind off because I didn't want to ruin it. This morning I decided to take the plunge do the bind off. Came out a little loose but still workable. I simply sewed the sides together and made a carry handle and viola...my iPod can now stay warm!





As for my WIPs, I'm working on a Grab and Go Tote, made with the Caron one pound from the March 2009 issue of Crochet! magazine. Although the picture shows the yarn as a deep blue it's really a lavender color.


Until next time, keep on hookin'.

Terri
now a hooker chick with stix

Have a cookie...

I've crossed over to The Dark Side cue ominous music. My crochet/knit group (a wonderful group of ladies) have been waiting for me to convert from the side of Goodness and Light, and I gave in this past Sunday night. That makes me a Hooker Chick with Stix. Here is my practice piece. This is only three rows, I think.

Sunday night I cast-on 10 (actually Kevin did the first cast-on but I'm not supposed to tell anyone so shhh...). I didn't do anything with it Monday because I had crocheting to do. So Tuesday during the bus ride to work I decided to practice. So I started row three. Remember I only cast-on 10 but my row ended with 9 stitches. Frog, frog, frog. Cast-on 12, knit one row, end up with 13 stitches. Frog, frog, frog. Cast-on 10, and so far I've come out with only 10 stitches for all rows.


So anyhoo...I decided to start this really pretty Filigree Bowl. I hope to finish it soon so that I can stiffen it and begin using it. I didn't realize that it takes up to three days to dry. I've never done this sort of thing before so I'm hoping I don't screw it up.
















Way back in March 2005, March 10th to be exact, I became a grandma for the first time. Thank you, thank you. And about a week afterward I decided to make this crib pillow for her. The theme for her room was Care Bears and at the McDonald's had itty bitty Care Bears in their Happy Meals so I put one in the pocket of the pillow. My youngest daughter, Bethanie, liked it so much she wanted me to make her one for her bed. She picked out the yarn and well, I haven't made it yet. Mainly because we moved shortly thereafter and I haven't found that yarn yet. I told her it would have been made already but she picked Aggie colors. But I also had a one pound ball of yarn in a pretty Dusty Rose and can't find that one, either.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

FO's

I finally have some FO's (finished objects) to display! First I have two dishcloths. Although you really can't see the pattern in the green one it is an open, airy design, done in a simple DC/Chain pattern. The red one has the FDP and BDP, which really help with scrubbing. And yes, it's red although the picture does look a little orangey. I needed something small to carry around with me to do on the bus to and from work and during lunch because I didn't have anything to read and I get bored easy.



Next is the Fall Shawl, which Bethanie is trying to model. Her arms weren't long enough to hold it from end to end and the back comes down to her knees. But it's finally finished. Doing the shawl was no problem, it was just a simple DC pattern; it was doing all the fringe that made me put it away and keep it away for a while but I finally started the fringe this past Monday (1/19)and finished it yesterday (1/23). Yay!!!! And it's warm, too.



Finally, the Afghan Throw. I did this in the Lion Brand Homespun - Waterfall. It's so warm and cozy. This is going to Jennifer and Alex because it was their Christmas present. I should have had it finished in time but I had set it aside to do other things and it just didn't happen. But now I'll be sending this and the dishcloths to her.

Now I need something else to do. Leslie's birthday is coming up in March. Maybe I'll try some summer clothes or hats or a swimsuit cover-up. When I find something I want to try, I'll write back about it.

Until next time, keep on hooking.

Terri

It's January

Gosh, can you believe it's been like 6 weeks since I last posted? Let's see...we've had Christmas, New Year's, and Bethanie's 14th birthday since then. Kevin's is tomorrow.



So did everyone have a nice holiday? I had a nice Christmas and a wonderful New Year's. I went to visit Jennifer and her beautiful family. Bethanie went too but she and my parents drove to Kentucky and I flew to Nashville. Kevin stayed home as he was in the Holiday Open Shuffleboard tournament. And he ended up getting very sick that week.

Alex teaches Bethanie a dance.

My little granddaughters, Leslie and Aaliyah, were so funny. Leslie is almost 4 and she is so articulate for her age. So smart. Aaliyah is 19 months and loves the word NO even if she doesn't really mean it. They are both very well behaved for their ages. Jennifer and Alex have done a great job with them so far. It was great to see them. I can't wait until the next visit.

I finally have a FO and WIP that is almost finished. I'll have pictures of those really soon.

Until next time,

Keep on Hooking
Terri

It's Wednesday - Again.

Gee, it's been a whole week since I last posted. What has happened...hmmm..oh yeah...

IT'S SNOWING IN HOUSTON!!! Can you believe it? Yesterday it was in the mid-to-upper 70's and today - snow. Mind you it isn't sticking but hey, we'll take what we can get. The last time it snowed was Christmas Eve four years ago. If I had batteries for the camera I would take a picture.

So here is what I'm working on for Christmas: Triangle shawl (still); lapghan; socks. I'll post pictures as I finish them, and I will get camera batteries so that I can do that.

Until next time, keep hooking.

Terri

It's just a Wednesday

So we're moving right along to Christmas. Who's ready? Not me, that's for sure. But Louie is getting in the spirit. Hee hee hee.

I am trying to finish up a couple of crocheted gifts for Christmas . Although it's going kinda slow I think I'll make it. As long as I stay in my groove, that is. I'm working on the triangle shawl (STILL!) and it's coming along pretty good. I plan on doing another Lion Brand Homespun afghan, this time in the Waterfall. I sure hope it comes out even, unlike the first one I did.

That's about all for now. Keep on hooking.

Until next time,

Terri

The last day of November

Well alrighty now...my birthday, which was two days ago, ended without a big bang. The Mr. hadn't been feeling too well most of the week and after dinner that night he decided he just couldn't go out. Since we were 5 hours away from home and staying in a hotel, and we were going out with his sister and his cousin (who said sister was staying with), he told me to just go out with them and have a good time. But since Cousin lives about 20 minutes from the hotel and would not be driving that far after a night of drinking, therefore I would have to stay the night at her house, I decided to be the dutiful wife and forego the night out and go back to the hotel with him. After all, he hasn't been feeling well and of course my place is with him, right? Right? I thought so, too. But you know, I made the right choice. I would have just worried about him anyway. And I would have had more fun with him there anyway. So....it was still a good birthday.

Now on to Christmas...

Keep hooking. Until next time,

Terri

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...

We had a nice Thanksgiving yesterday. The whole family was there. It was good. We decided to skip the before-the-crack-of-dawn shopping frenzy and sleep in this morning but we will brave the crowds a little later to see what's out there. But on to more important things...TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY!!! Time to go out and have a grand time. We are still out of town so not sure where we will end up for the festivities but I'm looking forward to it.

So tomorrow I will share what went on this most festive of days. I might even have pictures that are decent enough to post here. LOL

Until next time,

Terri

Turkey Eve

Tis the day before Thanksgiving and we have traveled to my brother-and sister-in-law's for the Big Day. We're in our hotel just relaxing because tomorrow will be hopping with all the family getting together. We had a nice, uneventful drive up here, except for the stop at a Rest Area. We get there and I really, really gotta go so I jump outta the car and walk really fast to the ladies room only find the gate shut and locked. It's temporarily closed! The Men's room is up and running and I really thought about rushing in there but there were men in there. Couldn't get Kevin to go in there to empty it out and then stand guard so Bethanie and I could make use of it.

Another lady went up to the locked gate and I guess she had to use it worse than I did because she thought she could twist the padlock off. Then she got pissy with the man in there who was cleaning it. Didn't have a sign saying it was closed for cleaning, just that it was closed. I saw him then and said that he didn't need to sweep up every single crumb for us. Then he decided he was finished and unlocked the gate and got the heck outta the way. There was quite the crowd by then. And no, I didn't get any crocheting done in the car. I read instead.

Until next time,

Terri

Prince Louie IV only looks innocent.

She thinks she's Rambo-ette.

Just another manic Monday...

Hey, I've always liked that song (see title above). Yes, it's Monday, the one before Thanksgiving.

Louie (the dog) seems to be on a fiber diet. The scrunchy slipper sock I was working on...well let's just say that one day recently when I came home the sock greeted me at the door and the two balls of yarn (two colors of Wool-Ease Thick N Quick) were halfway unballed in another part of the room. And then he took a new ball of the same kind and undid half of it. It was found in the hallway. My scarf I was working on out of the Lion Brand Homespun...he frogged it. I thought I had it all put out of his reach because he is such a little dog but apparently not. The little $%#@. I am being very diligent about keeping the triangle scarf way out of his reach. I just attached the third ball of the Jiffy and I only have about 14 more rows to completion before starting all that fringe.

So, we are getting ready to travel to my brother-and sister-in-law's home for Thanksgiving. The guys plan on skeet shooting this Saturday. Poor skeet. Know any recipes for skeet?

Keep on hooking.

Until next time,

Terri

Louie and Bethanie like to swim.