we have a graduate!

My parents made it here on Tuesday night at 11:30. The bathroom renovation wrapped up at 8 pm and the contractor left. I barely had time to clean up, hang some curtains, and then run to the airport!

Today, we had High School graduation.

Congratulations from my dad.

My parents, Tall Son, Crafty Girl and me a little windblown, and Dear Husband.

Edited to add: Crafty Girl graduated from Elementary School on Tuesday. Except the poor thing had to miss it due to feeling awful with a stomach bug. She made it in for the class picture, then had to come straight home.

this cannot, cannot wait.

Here I thought that I am taking a break from blogging to see if I want to blog more.

Forget all that.

Go HERE.

I knew that little guy when he and his twin brother were babies. I was a member of their parents' gallery of crafters and jewelry makers in Troy. Stacey is an amazing potter and artist. I used to read their blog all the time, the blog that documents this family's journey and battle with cancer.

Please consider donating to the Ben Fund, the address is right there; or going to their cafepress store and buying something. These cancer treatments are super expensive.

Thanks, Gretchen, for re-directing my attention to this today. I'll see if they let me visit on Friday, when I have a day off.

Jody, maybe the Chicks can knit something for the boys. Or their mom! I really want to make a shawl for their mom...but I'll need help. This is not something I can do by myself, nor do I want to.

Thank you everyone for your comments. They mean so incredibly much to me.

Noelle, please write to me here: karinmaagtanchakATnycapDOTrrDOTcom - I want to hear what's going on.

So here we all are.

to blog, or not to blog?

Evidently, I am not the only one.

Do I continue to blog, or do I stop?

I have been tossing the question around in my head for quite a while. Through a bathroom renovation, a prom, knitting issues, health issues, every time I get ready to post, I am considering what it is I will say, and how. Do I mention IBS? Do I bring up my numerous WIPs? Do I show the world what my kids look like? Do I think that people are tired of looking at my flowers?

Am I boring everyone to tears?

Evidently not, because I get between 60 and 100 visitors (though I know full well that some of you come by a few times a day to see if I have anything new up here). But I'd never know it if it weren't for the little counter thingie I've installed. I also have a statcounter that tells me that I have readers from all over the world, which is so cool.

Why don't you take a minute or two next time you're here, and LEAVE A COMMENT (it's not hard) and tell me why you're here, reading this blog? Also, if you don't mind, give me one good reason to continue. It can be a general reason. Or a personal reason. Heck, make something up. :)

Also, if you have blog overload, or are spending so much time on ravelry that it could be considered a clinical problem, let me know about that too. I'll understand.

Last night, I finally took the time to read every single blog on my list. It was fun catching up with people. I left a comment as much as I could (not every time, but I plan on remedying that), because I don't want my fellow bloggers to come to the conclusion that they are talking at the wall.

My parents are due in next Tuesday, meanwhile the house is in disarray. It is 10:49 am, the contractor is not here, I have to go to work in less than an hour, I need to knit a second sock, I have to make a scarf for Tall Son's violin teacher, I am still waiting on the results of the biopsy and bloodwork for Cafty Girl, and I am trying to decide if it's worth it for me to keep blogging.

The poll will be up until June 23rd. Cast your vote, leave me a comment.

I'll see you next week.

PS: the contractor is here. Cross that one off the list.

WWKIP day

It's June 14th, Happy World Wide Knitting in Public Day!

Where will you be knitting today?

I thought about going to my friend Stephanie's yarn shop today, she has a big front porch on her house by the side of the road.

But I have to be good. Last night, I cleaned up the front yard, today I have to go get some more top soil and mulch, maybe a couple of plants.

I'll give you a glimpse of the backyard. The star dogwood is blooming very nicely this year. Please ignore the old garage with the flaking paint in the background. Tall Son will be commissioned to take care of it over the summer.

I took these pictures near dusk the other night:



Peonies under the dogwood canopy:

Roses are blooming in abundance; I do not know any variety names, though...

I hope you have a great weekend, also celebrating Father's Day! Of course you don't have to be a dad to love and support kids...all the best, and Thank You, to all the guys who make a difference in a child's life.

Knit Night Tonight!

This is for the locals (but hey if you want to fly in, we'd love to have you!):

Knit Night tonight

7-9 pm

Panera's in Glenmont



[You should see me over here. I am writing at my dining room table, which is in the living room.
The downstairs bathroom is almost done, the dining room ceiling is patched and ready for painting. The contractors are the ones you want to keep for life (I'm saying that now, while the job is not quite finished...we'll see where I am when they're done...): they are respectful, quiet, keep everything as clean as possible, try to disturb our routine as little as possible, and are doing a thorough job with the work they need to do.
I've taken lots of pictures, but I don't know where my USB cable is that hooks the camera up to my computer. One thing I forgot to take a picture of is a pair of socks I finished - the ones that only needed a toe, done, and given away already.
Tonight I'll be bringing the cardigan, as we'll be sitting in airconditioning and it won't bother me so much that I have three-quarters of a cardi sitting in my lap.]

See you then!

the state of my knitting

Thanks to Dear Husband, I am back online with my computer.

Here, now, is the current state of my knitting. A sad, sad, state.

At least for the poor neglected hexagons: I made a mistake in the last one and haven't gone to fix it. Just haven't taken, or had, the sit-down-and-concentrate time to get them back on track.



This is the little red vest and a kid's scarf I found last week during the major cleaning out.
They are both a few years old. I bet the kid who was supposed to get those is in middle school by now.



A pair of socks I started in January.

Another pair of socks I found last week, goodness knows how old...why would anyone stop short of a toe?? I AM in the process of finishing those.

Then yesterday, as I was waiting my way through Crafty Girl's procedure at the hospital, I cast on for a new pair of socks. Since I joined the new 52 pair plunge 2, and old unfinished socks don't count, I was forced to cast on for a brandnew pair.

When we got home, we settled down for a couple of movies, and I got this far with this sock by evening.

It seems like all I ever do is plain vanilla socks...no fancy patterning. I use socks as a mindless autopilot kind of knitting, round and round, to relax with...even to the point where I abandon them when I need to concentrate. I know, excuses, excuses. If you have a remedy for sock startitis, be sure to let me know.

This next one is a project I've not been telling you about, for now particular reason. It's the first project in the book a fine fleece by Lisa Lloyd. I keep advertising this book, sorry, I love it so much, I am hoping you will write to me and tell me you love it too, and then we can be friends.

I do love making sweaters. Especially when they are made in one piece. The yarn I am using here is Valley Yarns "Northampton", colorway merlot heather. This picture does not do it justice. I bought the yarn on "harlot special" when I was at WEBS during Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's visit and reading. $3.69/ball, ya can't beat that. And it's beautiful, giving good stitch definition. I took one week to make the whole body, but then I slowed down for the sleeves.

That's it for now, folks.

Soon, I'm going to need all my strength and resolve, because I have to put the stash in temporary hibernation.

But maybe that will help me stay focused and finish what's in front of me.

state of affairs

This morning, I meant to show you pictures of all my current knitting projects. I took a bunch of pictures. I turned on my computer, uploaded said pictures, and proceeded to hook up to the internet.

No internet.

I am on the family computer right now, just to give you an update, but the pictures aren't here. They're on my laptop. While I figure out what is going on with my connection, I'll just quickly tell you that Crafty Girl went through her endoscopy like a trooper and everything seems to be fine at first sight. We are awaiting the results of the biopsies and the bloodwork. We are trying to figure out if she has celiac disease like my mother, my grandmother, my aunt, and my cousin...
The doctor also ordered an allergy panel to see why she has trouble digesting milk/products.

In anticipation of Crafty Girl potentially being a celiac, I put myself on a gluten-free diet a couple of weeks ago, and lo and behold, most of my so-called IBS symptoms have disappeared. My tests at the time never showed that I have celiac disease, but I have been reading up on the subject (thanks, Kathleen!), and might very well have a gluten sensitivity, given my family history.

In other news, Tall Son received 3 awards/scholarships on Thursday. One for musical accomplishments, one for math, and one from GE Plastics. My husband and I feel like we should get the latter because we almost had to tie Tall Son to his desk so he would write the application essay. After MUCH late night cajoling, he finally did it, and got the award. Whew!

Going back another day in this week, remember how we were supposed to get a new bathroom floor on Wednesday? An early morning phone call from a hassled operator told us that the installer got hurt the day before and would not be able to put the floor in until later next week. Friday the 13th.

I take that as a good omen.
Meanwhile, the main contractor will come in on Monday and begin taking care of all the other stuff that does not involve putting in a new floor.

It's going to be very hot and muggy here today, I hope you are comfortable where you are. In anticipation of a new dining room ceiling, we are moving everything out of that room. Thank goodness we have an enclosed front porch, and will be able to enjoy our meals al fresco.
Have lemons, will make lemonade.

youth, and beauty

Yesterday, Senior Prom.







Today, last ESYO concert of the season at Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood.







Yes I had plenty of lumps in my throat.
But I was also grateful for a perfect weekend that ended with a perfect concert.