Life, Flying By

At least that's what it feels like lately.  This year I don't have EfM, so my Wednesday evenings are dedicated to prepping for the Thursday docket with  reading and client visits, or, if I am a Very Good Girl and have my work done, I can do the Sip 'n Knit thing.  I finally got enough things done so that this week I went not once but TWICE:) And the second time was a Yarn Swap this morning! I traded in a lot 'o yarn and received back another ton to replace it:) - and some tools and old magazines and books! I now have a copy of yet another of Barbara G. Walker's amazing books - this time of the knitting variety: Knitting from the Top.  (The other one of her books is The Crone: Woman of Age, Wisdom, and Power not a knitting book, but extremely interesting - think I will also get her Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets.) I have enough yarn for a small sweater or vest, another colorwork vest, and about four or five shawls. This will definitely supplement my Christmas knitting! I hope that whoever got what I brought will be able to put that yarn to good use.

Well, what's been going on these past two weeks?

Work has been very busy, and the usual early fall busy-ness has set upon us. I've joined the Women's Bar Association and am looking forward to the Meet and Greet in about two weeks. Choir and Bells are back in full force as is Stephen Min. This October, John and I celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary and are going to go to Williamsburg for a long weekend.  I've always wanted to see Williamsburg and am looking forward to exploring whatever history I can find there.  During Veteran's Day weekend, the Sip 'n Knit group has a Knitting Retreat planned at Clagett Center out in Western Merlin - and I'm going!! Yippee:)!! Unfortunately, it falls on the very weekend of the Orchestra of St. John's first concert of the season - and Nancy is playing an organ solo.  I will be able to make the concert, I think, but will be missing an opportunity to play tympani with them.  That's a bummer, but I had made plans for the retreat before learning of the musical opportunity, and a deal's a deal. Why is it that the great stuff all seems to happen at the same time?

Speaking of the OSJ, last Friday, the Howard County Arts Council presented them with their grant award.  A bunch of us went to the reception and then Nancy, Rennie and I went to dinner.  Had a great time. It's so much fun to talk with them about those very things we are taught to avoid in polite company: religion and politics.  My only regret is that John had to work that night and couldn't join us. 

Yesterday evening, John and I joined our daughter S at her place in DC. It's a decent neighborhood and she is working full tilt on that PhD program.  Her place was lovely, dinner delicious, and the conversation fun.  We actually got home at about 9 p.m.!  Then we spent the next few hours chatting with our daughter, B when she got home from work - so in spite of our early return to "Merlin," we were up until 3.  Correction: John was up until 3.  I stayed up another hour and a half to steam block the Rivendell! You'd think I'd be sleepy now!

On the knitting front, I have all but finished one project and completely finished two others.

Sonny's Dr. Who scarf just needs the ends woven in and the tassles. All but done.

I finally finished Romi's Brandywine Shawl.  After blocking it to within an inch of its life, it actually turned out quite nicely.

Also finished a shorter version of Susan Pandorf's Rivendell Smoke Ring.  It ended up being a rather pretty cowl.  My daughter, B, likes to use those in the cold months of winter - the color of this beautiful Madeline Tosh Merino (colorway: nutmeg) is perfect for her.

We have two of our grandangels spending the night with us so their mom and dad can have some fun with friends.  It was a rough day with them today.  I honestly think they both just really needed more of our attention than we could give them. When I finally decided to sit with them and give them a fairly small amount of time and effort, it made a huge difference.  Funny how we forget that sometimes.

Well, they are now safely snug in bed.  "Pop" is partaking of an exhausted sleep and I am typing this as the house is quiet. One daughter is driving the other home to DC and I am waiting up for her safe return.  So I will knit:)  It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Luckily, I will have a little bit of time to sleep tomorrow morning, since we sing the later service:) 

Well, dear 2.5, God be with you 'til we meet again:)

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