Five for Friday

Five reasons I love having Veronica home from college:

1.  I have a friend to hang out with all day.

2.  She'd rather have a home cooked mean then go out and eat.  That's me too.

3.  This time she asked if I had any leftover yarn from the school-colored stuff I knit her and Alan last year.  I did (plenty, as I'm a yarn snob and will only knit with acrylic as a last resort). She said she wanted to knit a UF color hat for her friend.  I gave her the yarn and a needle and she's knitting away! She remembered how to cast on and everything!  In fact...she's almost done. Awesome.

4.  I love having her under my roof and not far away.  There's a calming feeling I have when all my kids are together under my roof.

5.  When she's home Gracie is so happy.  The best is when V's holding her and Gracie is sound asleep in her arms.  The both look pretty happy, in fact.

Chance of Showers

So when mom was visiting, she treated me to this beautiful yarn! We picked out a pattern called Chance of Showers and both decided to knit it up. I finished mine last week! Mom is starting her after her current vacation.  Great pattern, well written, full of short row shaping and easy construction (Not totally seamless, but almost...one short seam under the arms.).  Here's my project page on Ravelry if you want to add it to your queue.  

(Non-ravellers just ignore. My heart weeps for you, but ignore all the same.)

Colorful Neighborhood

 The neighborhood is filling up with leaves.  

And some of the trees look like they're on fire.

 Random leaves on the ground.  I'm particularly fond of the brilliant red sprinkled among his dry friends.

 And orange, too.

 Sometimes the "oops" photo turns out to be interesting too.

 My favorite tree in the neighborhood.

 Watercolor maple leaves.

 The wooded trail back home has stretches of bridges and raised walkways...all covered with oak leaves in every shade of brown imaginable.

 Many leaves still to fall and soon this water will crack with ice. And ducks will put on a funny show, slipping on the ice.

 Weird, huh?

 Beautiful view from our dock.  Enjoying every minute before I turn around twice and the trees are gray with bare branches.  

Andy on women over 40

This was posted on Facebook but I know a lot of people don't do FB, so I'm posting it here so you won't miss it. It made me laugh out loud. I think you will too.

CBS commentator, Andy Rooney on women over 40: "As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!