November | 2007 | Up a Creek in Lower Slower Delaware

Archive for November, 2007

Pickle Run

November 16, 2007

Monday, Jenn and I went on our annual “Pickle Run”. We didn’t get any pickles this time. A friend of hers wanted some pickled beets and it seemed like a good excuse. We also got chow chow, peaches and cranberry applesauce to fill up the case. Allgyer’s in New Holland, PA make the best bread and butter pickles and pickled beets I have ever tasted. When the local market stopped carrying them, my daughter wrote to the address on the label. Mr. Allgyer replied with directions and asked that she call before coming. He said to let it ring for a long time. I assume the phone was in the basement where the business was and not in the house. It was sold to the Smuckers a few years ago, but Mrs. Allgyer assured me that they would be using the same recipes. And she was right.

We went to Gap to the Mennonite Thrift Store. I got some Christmas fabric and Jenn got some decorations. We always find something there. Then we headed back to Intercourse. I bought strawberry rhubarb preserves, red raspberry jam, black bean salsa, apricot scone mix, cranberry nut muffin mix and buckwheat pancake mix at the canning store. We crossed the street and went to the meat market where I got dried beef, German bologna, Lebanon bologna, smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, smokey cheesers and pretzel crackers. We decided it was time for lunch and went to a little restaurant nearby. I had a hot turkey sandwich and Jenn had pork barbecue on a roll, our usual. We stopped at two quilt stores, but I didn’t buy any fabric, just books. We also did some antiquing. I found an embroidered hankie which I will use on a blouse. Jenn got an embroidered doily. That’s it for now. My cupcakes might burn.

Tags:beets, Intercourse, pickles, quilts
Posted in Sewing, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Girls Day Out

November 15, 2007

I went up to Hampstead to have lunch with some of the “girls” I used to work with. We have been doing this for several years. It started out with three and now it is up to seven of us. We are mostly retired now except for Diana and she’s goingout at the end of the year. We talked about all the usual bull crap that you would expect.

I was a bit surprised when Joan talked about the one thing she would never forget about me. A man from another division asked me if he might look at my files. I told him, “I don’t give a shit.” I don’t remember this incident, but it certainly sounds like me. This was probably the last thing he ever expected to here from me. I am sure I did it just to see his reaction. It’s good to be remembered.

I made everyone key chins with “Girls Day Out” on the backs. I was going to take pictures, but I forgot. I guess I am becoming senile. Here are pictures that I took earlier of the chains.

I started this entry last Friday, but the computer I was using began to act weird. Also, in order to add pictures, I would have had to climb under the desk, and I wasn’t about to do that. I tried to call my friend, Deb, but no one was home. I left a message, but she never called me back. I think she is mad at me again. She has been mad at everything and everyone lately. She stopped seeing her shrink a few months ago and it has really started to show. I can only take so much and I get depressed, too. I have had depression and been through it with family and another friend. I hope that her family and friends can help her. On to more pleasant things—

I spent a lot of time with my son on Saturday and Sunday. He has to take care of the house on his own now and there are a lot of little things that he needs to be aware of. He has really grown up since he started college and I will be extremely happy to see him graduate this year. We went to Cheeberger Cheeberger. I had the best burger and the fries and onion rings were excellent! I regretted it the next day, but what the hey. We had a good time and we talked a lot.

Tags:friends, key chains, son
Posted in Sewing | 3 Comments »

Renewed Elvis

November 6, 2007

My old man is feeling better. He hardly sneezed at all last night and he even went out into the front yard this afternoon. It is full of pine trees and a great place to do what needs to be done. He does not care for standard time. By the time he gets around to sunbathing on the deck, there is only about one hour of sun left.

I can’t decide what to do with my daughter’s tunic. I do not have enough yarn. I had substituted yarn, but I do that often. I reran my calculations and I still should have had a ball left over. I do have more of this yarn in three other colors so I am going to take all of it back with me. There are a few options that we can go with so I want Jenn to decide which idea she likes best. It is so aggravating. The pattern was in a magazine that I was unfamiliar with, but Jenn really liked the design. In case you are wandering, my gauge has been right on.

Tags:cats, Elvis, Knitting
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Elvis

November 6, 2007

I took Elvis to the vet today. It took both of us to get him in the carrier. By the way, Elvis is a 17 year old cat who has never been sick a day in his life. He says it is because he does not believe in jumping or running. The end of my son’s bunk bed has scars to prove it. Elvis and his siplings were bottle kittens. I always fed Elvis last because I could put him on my bed while I fed the others and he wouldn’t go anywhere. Now, he is the only one left. He ain’t no dummy. He got a shot of penicillin and liquid antibiotics to take. He peed on the way home. My cat carriers all have thick fleece pads that I made so there was no real mess. Elvis, however, was embarrassed and hid under the bookcase until after the others had eaten. I hope Doug will be able to give him his medicine when I go back to Reisterstown for a few days. If not, I will have to take him with me. That means no stops for me along the way.

Tags:cats, vet
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Tired Hip

November 4, 2007

We walked all over the horse farm yesterday morning and went out for another walk late in the afternoon. We didn’t walk nearly as much today. My groin muscle started to holler so I just walked around the first paddocks. I also knew exactly where my new parts were. I really don’t mind. This time last year, I could barely make to the end of my street. I have had bad knees for years, but when my hip started to go, I was devastated. I am really happy with my new hip and I am really trying to take care of it.

I finished the scarf so that’s one finished Christmas present. I used a simple one line pattern. Cast on an odd number of stitches. I used 23 stitches on size 10.5 needles. Purl one, then (yo, P2tog) to end.

Tags:hip, horse farm, scarf psttern
Posted in Hip Rplacement, Knitting | Comments Off on Tired Hip

Cold Afternoon

November 2, 2007

This morning, we went for a walk with the dog as usual. It was sunny and breezzy and Gus (my dog) was stepping along at a good pace. He knows how much he can pull me, but today he really wanted to get down to the horse farm. When we got to the track, we let him go. There must have been 200 geese in and around the pond in the middle of the track. I love to see him run like that. He is so happy and the geese react so well. Some head for the water and some for the air. They make quite a racket and carry on for several minutes. Gus comes running back with such a self satisfied look on his face. Today, he just had to run around us before sitting for his leash.

He is a great dog. I tried to take his picture for you, but he wouldn’t cooperate. I found an old one taken with Prince, who died last year. He had been sick for a long time. Gus would lay perfectly still when Prince lay beside him. He is a great dog.

It has gotten so cold this afternoon, I have been entertaining thoughts of turning the heat on. It’s something I hate to do. When the heat goes on, it is definitely winter—not my favorite season. Fortunately, I am a knitter and have plenty of sweaters, scarves, hats, gloves, socks, etc, etc. I should bake something, but I did that this morning and I can’t think of a single thing that I want to bake. Oh, well. I know Doug will make a nice fire after supper. I’ll get out my knitting, little Maudie cat will curl up in lap and we will watch mindless TV together.

Tags:cold, dog, walk
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Stitches East

November 1, 2007

I drove back to my old house for a few days to visit friends and relatives and go to the market at Stitches. My son is staying there to finish college. I took the subway downtown on Saturday morning and met some friends at noon. I had a great time wandering around and looking at everything. I looked at an awful lot of books, but none of them said “Buy Me”. I have so many anyway. Next on my list were needles. I love to make gloves and I can go through zeroes and ones. I either lose them, they get eaten by the dog or cat, or I break them. I also wanted double and triple zeroes to make Scottish Sanguhar gloves. I found all the needles I needed so I started looking at yarn. My first purchase had to be something soft that matched the gloves I made another friend. Out of that whole market, I only found one small skein in like colors. The colors were turquoise, pink and purple. I expected to see more. I just what to say thank you to Ellen’s 1/2 Pint Farm. I’ll post a picture when I finish the scarf. here are the gloves. It is Lorna’s Laces that I have had for a few years so I guess the colorway is no longer “in”. But, it’s my girlfriend’s favorite colors and that’s what really matters. I only bought two other skeins of yarn: 100% silk sock yarn from HPKYsales and 100% merino wool from Seacoast Handpainted Yarns. The latter was a happy colorway that I could not resist. As a matter of fact, it was called “Joyful”.

I saw so many beautiful things. I got some great ideas. I actually took notes. I saw several kits that I wanted to buy, but I already have a roomful. It’s my own little store. I have two things in mind that I definitely will be making and I know that I can find just what I want in my little yarn room.

Tags:gloves, Stitches, yarn
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Up a Creek in Lower Slower Delaware