CarmelKnits, etc.

Based on the fact that Friday night was full of laughing, catching up, some new revelations and a lot of cosmos, we got a bit of a late start on Saturday morning... But no worries, we were in plenty of time for the lowest tide of the season along the Puget Sound and lucky for us Mukilteo is right along the Puget Sound. So after a loungey breakfast of pancakes, *a visit from the police, and a shower we were on our way to the waterfront. It couldn't have been more perfect. There were nature guides there explaining what we were seeing and Z got a chance to see the stuff in the wild that he saw at the aquarium the day before. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that after living in Mukilteo for 10 years I've never explored low-tide. I had a blast and intend to drag D down there next time. Mukilteo also has a light house. It's out of commission but is a huge tourist attraction and once again, first time in 10 years that I've ever gone into it. We were allowed to climb to the ...

This will be a 3 part series only because of the amount of photos I took (nothing compared to what M took but still a fair amount) Friday Morning my best friend from Minnesota and her son Z arrived in Seattle. They quick cabbed it to my office and we were off and running after a trip to the bank machine and gas station in the dodgy end of town... (dodgy because shootings, muggings and stabbings have occured there) We headed for the waterfront! Luckily the weather was perfect. Not to hot, not to cold and not raining at all. Z was very focused. He wanted to go to the aquarium and so we headed straight there. Post Aquarium we hit 'Ye Olde Curiousity Shop' so Z could meet Sylvester the Mummy. The same mummy that was there when I was Z's age. I love sharing that bit of continuity and history with him! We had lunch along the water then did the Pike Street Stair Climb... ugh! A quick cruise thru Pike Place Market, grabbed some fresh fish for dinner. Z was able to see th...

as soon as I finished my fingering weight cream & sugar cowl I immediately cast on a dk/light worsted one. I've wanted to do one in a bigger weight yarn for a while now and I must say I'm pretty happy wtih how it's looking. that being said, I've only finished the second cable twist and have three more repeats to go. I bought the yarn I'm using in Scottsdale at Jessica Knits off of McDowell Mtn Road.... go there, she's wonderful and her shop is pretty much an Alana Dakos fan club as far as shop samples go! I think the yarn I am using is a Manos silk blend. I bought it to make Ebb. I tried twice to knit Ebb with it. I gave it my best shot and ended up ripping it both times. I like the pattern. I like the way it looked on the model. I don't like knitting it, maybe I'll find a yarn that will work better for it but I gave up using this gorgeous Manos. I'm happy I have it around. I have enough that I can make a beret or two as well.....

It's been crazy since last Thursday. Friday I had a wee bit of oral surgery and was down for the count for the rest of the day. I'm finally getting back to more solid foods and I'm done with the heavy pain killers and just on ibuprofen. I had the surgery at 8:00 a.m. Friday and was home by 10:30 in the morning after a stop at the pharmacy and grocery store. D is still laughing about the trip to the Pharmacy. We dropped off the prescription and then wandered over to QFC to grab all manner of things that count for soft foods. Then we wandered back to the pharmacy (apparently I was weaving because D kept grabbing at me). At the pharmacy they asked my last name and I just sat there and stared at the pharmacy assistant like he was speaking Portuguese. D answered with a chuckle. Then the assistant asked my date of birth, again, blank stare until D answered correctly which earned him a huge crazy smile from me and a nod of approval. I would say after that display that...

me, just about a year old circa 1975 I never had trouble finding stuff to do whether is was right or wrong never factored into the equation and if you look carefully you'll see something I just saw for the first time ever looking at this photo in the lower right hand corner, my older brother, probably whispering encouragment in my little baby ears.

It's my birthday today and last night I was thinking back to the day I was born... I don't know what was going on that day, I suppose I could do a google search and find out, maybe I'll do that later. I do know this. I was adopted and I know that on this day my mom got the phone call that I was on my way. I know that her and my dad and my older brother flew to Wyoming to meet me and bring me home. I know that hours after I was born I was in my mom's arms for the first time. I can imagine what she was thinking then I can imagine her joy. I can imagine her tears at discovering not only did she have a healthy new baby with black hair but that she had a daughter. I can imagine her talking to me, telling me all her hopes and dreams for me. I can hear her whispering "this is your big brother" and "welcome little one" I can imagine when she said my name for the first time. Carmel. Her favorite town in California. But the best part is of this s...

If you know me. If you know me really well, then you know that I love chocolate milk/hot chocolate. I don't talk about it obsessively, I don't rhapsodize about variations and the multitude of flavors. I'm a simple girl and I like things in their pure basic form. That especially goes for my chocolate milk and hot chocolate. I've always been a fan of Nesquick. I remember getting the cans of Nesquick as a child (it was a treat in our house) I remembering the tight squeak of the tin lid that you had to use your spoon the pry open. The crunch powder. Don't get me started on Strawberry Quick... That stuff makes my heart sing. But back to my love of chocolate milk/hot chocolate. The instant variety made with water will get me thru in a pinch but I vastly prefer it made with milk. The milk should be slightly scorched and wicked hot. It should also be served in my mug that I reserve for hot chocolate consumption. Plus I prefer a less chocolatey hot chocolate over ...

Cream & Sugar Cowl by Alana Dakos in Oopsie Daisies by Blue Moon. Almost ready for the next cable twist! Even though the past few days have been in the 70's and 80's I know Seattle weather and we'll take a temperature drop again. When that happens this will be perfect to throw on with a tee and light sweater.

  Mr. Brown

yesterday I was trapped inside all day at a coding (work) conference. It was gorgeous outside. The view from the top of the Edmond's library didn't help. It's a sweeping view of the Puget Sound, the Kitsap Peninsula and further out the Olympic Mountain Range. By the time it was over it was 76 degrees and pushing 5:00 p.m.   I hit the store on the way home picked up a couple T-Bones, some iceberg, blue cheese, bacon and some more tonic water... By 6:00 that meat was on the grill, The iceberg wedge salad was ready and I had a full V&T out in the sun. It was perfect. D had done some work in the bedroom yesterday while I was gone and I took advantage of the furniture being shifted to vacuum where the sun don't shine in there... That's where the allergies really kicked up... So I took two Benadryl and settled in to watch a movie... when I woke up this morning (man that Benadryl knocks you out fast) still a bit stuffy sun shining brightly ...

Two things happen once a year. - The Man (D) has a birthday. - I make potato salad That these happen around the same time is no coincidence. He loves potato salad. I hate to make potato salad. However... I believe I've got my recipe down to a science so that when I do make it, it's something to look forward to. So, just for fun, here I'd my recipe! 1 5lb bag of red potatoes boiled and chopped 1 dozen eggs hard boiled, cooled, peeled and diced 1 bunch green onions sliced 4-5 stalks of celery diced 3-4 kosher dill pickles diced Mayo - as much or as little as you like Same goes for salt and pepper. Mix it up Eat it up You're probably thinking '5lb's?!?' I make it once a year, i make the batch count, we ususlly try to coincide a bbq and then we eat it all weekend! Happy Birthday D! Carmel Creager

Yesterday I read a post on Facebook by a friend of my niece who said the very first hand knit lace project she ever made was taken from her bag at a big box store... She looked everywhere, in case it had fallen out. Talked to the people at customer service to see if it was handed in, nothing. It was gone. Into thin air. What a horrible, sickening feeling. To discover something you made, love, and carry with you, snatched without a clue as to who took it. A hand-knit, whether made by you or gifted to you, is a precious, treasured item. It's more than an object. It's a piece of love. They carry the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the person who made it. If you steal a hand knit from someone, you steal a little piece of the heart of the person who made it. Every single item I knit for someone else absorbs the happy thoughts, the good wishes for the recipient, the love I feel for each of them and it's in every single stitch. Knitters aren't sweatshops, we knit bec...