Knitting Pictures - New Model

Remember this sweater?? I just looked back at my Ravelry list and see I called it a size 3 months. How right on I was. Below is the new model wearing the EZ Baby Surprise Sweater. Jackson will be 3 months in one week and below is him modeling his sweater. And I had added a hat out of the left over yarn. Makes me smile to see him wearing this. The only other things he wore were little socks home from hospital and a couple newborn hats.

Isn't he just the cutest thing ever. (You have to know he is cuz his Grammie is telling you)

This wonderful photo is Jackson modeling his Bib Coveralls. I believe he looks a little like my father. Dad would of loved to have seen this great grand child. I hope this summer he is able to travel out to California to meet his Great Grammie B. She is wanting to hold him before he gets to big to snuggle with.

Attempting to Return to the Knitting Side of Life

This was a wonderful neighborhood to visit, I hated leaving. You can walk so many places, catch a Metro ride if you want to go further out then the local neighborhood. I would walk most days and only used Metro once. You can walk to the market, couple good book stores and just about anything else you wanted to see. I did go down to the Library of Congress one Sat. They were opening an the Thomas Jefferson Library. Was beautiful, well done with most of his books reclaimed or replacements found. I also went to the Newseum that opened the second week I was there. It is a will laided out Museum of the history of the media. Great exhibits and I really enjoyed it. The 3 weeks I was there went very fast and before I knew it I was back at the airport on my way home.

This little guy was the main focus of my visit. Here he is saying "pardon me but who are you again". Such a serious look. It was most difficult leaving him behind as I know how much they grow and change in just a few weeks. The other kids are much like they were when I saw them last year. One of the teens is driving now and the other is in the 7th grade discovering the start of the teen age years. I spent most hours with the baby and he was learning to recognize me. His biggest smile was for his mother when she came home from work. Meal time ya know!!

I have gone back to a few of my knitting groups. Tuesday we had a special gathering as Little Kathy had gotten married while I was gone. So there was gifts for her to open. Also CC had returned from her Paris trip and we needed an update of all she saw and did on her trip of a lifetime. I think she enjoyed herself even though she said she didn't see ONE single yarn shop. Who wants to worry about yarn when in Paris. Plans were made for some of us to go to the Yarn Shop Hop. Next Weds we shall go to the 2 shops in Elk Grove and the following Friday we shall be going up to Grass Valley and Nevada City. I always get very homesick when we go up there. Last night I went to Chicks with Sticks and we had a nice turn out. I am waiting for my body to adjust back to west coast time. I was dragging myself home and to bed at 8 pm..... so knitting is slow. I do have a baby shower coming up and trying to figure out if I have time to do a blanket. Hmmmmm do I commit to starting this or just shopping for a gift?

Am also back to work, and playing catch up. Desk was stacked and am glad to know business is picking up somewhat. We need that. Things are bad all over and I see doors closing on the small business man again and again. I am also playing catch up on yard work. Dayum stuff grew like someone fertilized the entire place when I wasn't looking. Spring time always is a race to keep things cut back before it takes over the house. I see a decline in knitting time till we move into the heat of summer and things struggle to survive. I will also be making a trip back up to Mothers over Mothers Day weekend. Lots to do. Have fun and keep those needles moving, (even if I am not)!!!

Yes I have returned...... sort of!

I have returned home. Well I staggered in sometime in the middle of the night last night. I had a lay over in Chicago as our plane was delayed. Daughter was there to pick me up at the airport and bring me to my front door. Then I opened the front door to see where one Duncan (cat) partied the weeks away. MESSY!!!!!!! he moved on to my new couch in the living room and took over. I spent an hour today trying to clean the mess up. Then there were just a few places where he threw up on the carpet. One or 2 new places, on the fairly new carpet, he is using it to sharpen his nails. All in all he is ok and I shall let him live longer. This is not the cat I first had. He has had a personality disorder for the last year I believe. Bi-polar cat maybe. Maybe something evil has carried the real Duncan away and is paying me back for some thing I did in another life with this imitation Duncan. I believe I shall start a new business. One week with Duncan living in your home you are guaranteed to NEVER get a pet. You can get this 'I wanta pet' cure for only $100.00 a week. I will deliver him to you at no extra cost, and pick him up one week later for the low price of a hundred bucks. If I fail to appear at the appointed time to retrieve Duncan....... good luck. Don't try to find me I will be in the Witness Protection Program, living on some warm beach holding a big drink of something that has a cute little paper umbrella sticking out of the top and waiting for the pool boy to rub my back with tanning lotion.

Then very very early this Sunday morning I dressed in the ugliest of sweat suits I have, donned a baseball cap, put on my largest dark glasses and was to sneak off to the 24 hour grocery store to get some half and half so I could start the day with coffee. There I was in my best disguised climbing in the car, keys in the ignition..... silence. Try this again, turn the key.... more silence. DEAD BATTERY!

I was only gone 3 weeks. Batteries die that fast? I suppose to add to the recent car drainage on my yarn funds, tomorrow I will have to go out and purchase a new battery. So I had black coffee, accompanied by no breakfast. Did that help my ever so pleasant personality you ask? Yes!!!!!!! It made me so cranky I came in the house, unpacked both suitcases and had laundry going by 7:30 AM. Then I vaccumed, took the entire fridge apart and filled a garbage bag and cleaned it. (it wasn't this clean when I bought the house) After I regained my sanity, I phoned a neighbor and begged a ride to the grocery store.

Now I ask you, why did I come home? I had a wonderful time in Washington DC.

Grammie's To Do List Before She Leaves

1. Hold me, Rock me.
2. Feed me a bottle
3. Hold me.
4. Read "Babar" to me again.
5. Change my diapers.
6. Hold me.
7. Take me to the Yarn Shop so everyone else can hold me.
8. Feed me a bottle.
9. Read "Mother Goose" clear through.
10.Hold me.
11.Feed me another bottle.
12.Push the stroller to the used book store, again.
13.Rock me to sleep
14.Change my diaper.
15.Read "Goodnight Moon", again.
16.Feed me a bottle.
17.Take me to Eastern Market while she has a breakfast crepe at Sat. Market.
18.Rock me to sleep.
19.Change diapers... AGAIN.
20.Quit tryin to stuff me in her suitcase to see if I fit!!!!

signed/ Jackson S.T. aka JST

A New Reg at the LYS

I am happy to say that Jackson is now a reg at the LYS. They know him by his name even, and fuss over who will hold him next. Little do my kids know I have franchised this babysitting thing out to other knitters. And I actually got about 8 rows knitted yesterday. It is a walk, 8 long blocks, with Jackson in a sling around my shoulders and carrying a knitting bag, stopping at Eastern Market on way home to get groceries for dinner. By time I get back to house I wonder what I was thinking. It is going to be difficult to leave this baby next week. I wonder if United Airlines will be canceling flights around the 19th of April?

Who am I?

I may be changing the blog name soon. I haven't knitted a stitch in 4 days!! Who has time when they are struggling to remember how to speak to adults. I am loving this day time job with such a great lookin guy to spend a quiet day with in my room. Sounds good huh? Brunch out on Sundays. Shopping with a bunch of grand kids. Life is great! I went for an hour walk tonight just looking at all the houses on the Capitol Hill. Most are way over a 100 years old. This place just brings out the history buff in me, and I am so lucky to have a son who has taken the time to know the city he lives in and can tell me about most old places we see as we are riding around, taking kids to soccer, piano lessons or what ever. The family here is watching a series on HBO called John Adams. I am now hooked on it and of course the last in the series is the day after I leave to go home. Another good reason to stay here. LOL. We have had some great family dinners this weekend with all 5 grandkids here. They are the best ever kids. H. is doing so good at school he got an award for outstanding grades. S. always excels at every thing she does. and M is such a good looking guy, driving his own car now. I can't believe he is old enough but he is. L. is just about the same. She holds my hand as we walk along, but never says my name anymore. I think I have only recognized about 3 words she said this time. All in all A GREAT FAMILY!!!!

Day 3 & 4......oh gawd they are bleinding together

Oh I realized I did not write this morning, and I know some of you are unable to start your day with out coffee and an update of my life. The thrills and chills of it all. Day 3 started out very much blending into day 2. I fed Jack about 3 in the after noon and he appeared to not be much interested in a nap so I put him in the Sling bag, which looks like a large Messenger bag. Jeff went out one time and was chatting with a friend when Jackson let out a yowl in the bag, and the guy Jeff was talking to jumped back and asked what he had in his bag. Jeff showed him and he was startled to see a baby!! Ok, back to me, I thought how hard can it be to carry a 7 1/2 lb baby in this lovely man messenger bag, and wander up to Eastern Market and buy a few groceries and fix dinner? Its only 2 1/2 blocks... So off we went. The left shoulder was carrying the weight, with the neck helping. And snug in his bag wrapped in a cozy blankie his Grammie made for him, Jack went out like a light. Well folks the 24 lb kid really started getting heavy about a block out. Now this is disgusting. I can't be in that bad of shape, can I? On I marched, Jack snoozing in his nest... and by the time I reached Eastern Market, that kid had to weigh in at 47 lbs. I wanted to purchase some stuff that wouldn't weight a lot to carry back. 4 chicken breasts, l 1/2 lbs of stew meat. A few small red taters, and a couple small scones. I stashed the wallet back in the bag with the baby, knowing it was weighing in lighter now and started home.. I beleive this kid must be big enough to start Kindergarten now. And dayum who knew 1 1/2 stew meat could weigh up to 9 lbs or more. After the 11 mile hike back home, up hill both ways, I was glad to see the front door of the house and hear the dayum dogs barking at me even. I started dinner. I fed Jack his last bottle. His mother was due home soon. SURPRISE! The Senate was in session till very late last night and his mother/father and couple brothers and sisters didn't show up till 10:30 PM. Yeah I told Jack, the milk supplier was going to be a no show for his dinner. He didn't believe me, so at the appointed time he was to have a bottle still no Mom and milk. He let me know how mad he was at them all wasting tax payers money, and let go with a good healthly lung excercise. I made one of them thar Executive Decisions. (Lots of those happen in DC, believe me) and I searched and found a can of formula.... yes Jack had a meal in a can..... not a boob. So far he has survived this trauma!

Today was the day I had all 5 grandkids, son and daughter in law at home. I cooked, I baked I acted like a real Grammie!! Imagine that.

Day 2

Day 2 was much more organized!! I finally am caught up on time zone and sleep. Showered, dressed and had breakfast before Jack arrived down in my part of the house for the day. He is bathed and smelling so sweet and looking so darling, dressed in the cutest little outfits all matching right down to his socks. Stack of diapers, and bottles also arrived. I seem to be getting ahead of this somewhat. He can now focus on you and even give you little smiles and 'ooooo' back at you. He holds complete 'oooooo' conversations with his father. We had a great late morning nap and then Mom came home and fed him lunch. After a short afternoon nap, his father came home to take Dogs, Grammie and Jack all for a walk. Where did we walk you ask? Down 8th Street to DC Stitches, A YARN SHOP, of course. Then stopped back at Eastern Market for some groceries for dinner. Home and had a great meal. Dad is a super cook. I managed to knit about 10 rows on a sock yesterday. Full time knitting doesn't happen when you have a choice of holding a sweet little one or some knitting needles!!

Day 1

Wow, I survived. Flight was crowded. I had this wild idea that a red eye on a Monday night would not be crowded and there would be a slight chance I could sleep. Even with a couple of Tylenol pms..... no sleep. Landed in rain here and son was there waiting. Home in commute traffic. Its worse here than Sacramento's. Just glad I am not driving in it. Held the baby and had my first cup of coffee. He is so tiny and so adorable. Very snuggly, and I love snuggly babies. My little world is like a studio apt of my own down here. One window allows me to see outside at the world walking by, the trees, the sky. I have a computer of my own even. The only thing this little world is missing is a microwave and coffee pot and I would be staying here. I also forget how much I love Washington DC, till I return each time. I could live here and love the life. You don't need a car, when you have the Metro system, (so clean and easy to use). Yarn shop within 5 blocks, Market places all around on the hill. Son, Grandson and myself loaded up the stroller and walked over to Eastern Market so I have what food I need, back home and his parents were gone to work 2 hours after I got here. We were on our own!!!! After a few bottles, a few diaper changes, we both crashed for a 2 hour nap. I slept 10 hours last night and am ready for my second day as a Grammie/Nanny. Could this be a full time job for me??? will let you know after 3 weeks.