Happy Thanksgiving!

Chocolate and Red Wine

What is it about that combination? The sweetness of the chocolate compared to the dry red wine? I'm not sure, but that's what I'm having right now. I am not a wine expert by any stretch of the imagination. Right now I am drinking a PA wine - Clover Hill Turtle Rock Red. And enjoying a teeny bit of chocolate along with it. yum.

Who are you?

You know it's bad when you go log into blogger and the computer says who are you?? First off, I am going to try to back track a bit and add some pictures into previous posts. I spent quite some time on the computer downloading and resizing pictures. Off I go!



What's your favorite way to drink hot cocoa? I'll confess to using an instant mix. But heat about 1/2 cup full of water, add a healthy glug of Bailey's Irish creme, and top with milk if there's any room left in the mug. Yummy!

All Hallows Eve Swap

What fun! I sent off my swap package and then left for Houston. And while my partner said she was ready to mail, I wasn't home to receive. And I had the best package waiting for me when I got home. But I'm afraid I may have waited a bit too long before opening the box! See.....it seems to have been taken over by spider webs!



All of these wonderful goodies were packed into the box -



See that adorable project bag in the upper left corner of the picture? It's got the cute pumpkins and stars. Well, there were so many goodies in the package that I was totally surprised when I opened the project bag and found a ball of dishcloth cotton and a dishcloth!

The candy didn't last very long at all. There are adorable stitch markers (I'm using one now as a matter of fact. They don't weigh a bit which is nice on the needles.), yummy soap, and the yummy yarn in grey and red. My swap partner was the adorable Alabama Fiber Dreams! Thank you so much for a wonderfully fun package!

In Honor

Today apparently all across North America, it is Veteran's Day. I am of the firm belief that all veterans should have today off from work. No matter what they do to earn their living. Everyone else? Should be the workers today.

I spent five peace years in the service - U.S. Marine Corps to be precise. I worked in an office most of the time. My favorite times were when I was working as a WSSI - Water Safety Survival Instructor. Trying to teach people how to survive for long periods of time (without life preserver or life boat) in the water. I am usually very comfortable giving public speeches. Once I was asked how on earth I could be that comfortable. My response has always been related to my experience as a WSSI. Any female who can instruct 100 Marines while wearing only her bathing suit can speak fully dressed in front of absolutely anyone.

My father served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. And to this day he does not speak of it. I know that he bought several sets of bone china while overseas. He worked as a corpsman - and that gave him some skills that really came in handy while we (his children) were young and accident prone. And I know that he served as a corpsman in a max security psych ward. And that has greatly influenced his attitude on mental health/suicide. In passing once, he said that he did not know if he could ever shoot another human - and that was why he chose to be a medic.

For my father. The men he tried to help. And all those who have served their country - no matter which country and no matter in which manner they served.

Today we honor you.

Bye Minneapolis!

This is one of only two pictures I took while here. We really didn't see any of Minneapolis. Had to be at the show no later than 9, left around 7 pm, got dinner, went to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Finally!

I am finally making positive progress on my Feb Lady Sweater thanks be. I put in bunches of markers between each 7 stitch repeat and haven't had a problem since. Other than no pictures of course. The body is finished and I have the first sleeve about half done.



Which could be a wonderful thing. We left Houston and are now in Minneapolis. I have a feeling I will want to be wearing this sweater before we leave here!

An Historic Day

No matter who wins this election, it will be an historic day. Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman selected as a vice-presidential candidate. Personally, I think she would have made a better vice-president than the current female option. But no matter who wins, history will be made today.

It's a travel day for us. Everytime we stopped (for gas, snack stops, etc) I made a point of asking total strangers for an update. They were as comfortable answering as I was asking. Which made for some very pleasant stops.

It's not even a Trick or Treat!

While the picture is a few days old, did you think we'd see this again??

Houston!

We're in Houston and of course, the weather is fantastic. For the first time since we started going there for Quilt Market & Festival, we did not go to Galveston. There were remnants of Ike all over the drive - mostly former windows covered in plywood or roofs covered in tarps.

Quilt Market wasn't as good this year as last. But Festival was fantastic. And guess who my next-door neighbor was?? In the booth next door was Tilli Tomas! Tracey and Tom were wonderful neighbors - very nice people. Who just happen to sell fantastic yarn. They had their new silk yarns - lace and dk weight silk with either beads or small sequins plus their new silk 6-ply embroidery yarns. I, of course, could not resist for long. I mean really! I was next to them for two weeks - just how long would you have been able to resist???