CarmelKnits, etc.

I'm a couple days late with this message, but seeing as how I arrived on your birthday I guess I'm good. Older is older you always say. Older looks good on you I say. I'm so glad I could arrive on your birthday. Big red bow, flamingo watering can& all! I'm sorry the carrot cake cooling on the counter looks like a deflated Jabba the Hut. Being here with you is absolute perfection. Happy Birthday Mama! Here's to funky carrot cake, grouper sliders and the best damn calamari this side of PG :) I love you to the moon & back always and forever... P.s. I'm well into the gin we bought yesterday ;) The Photos: Top: mom & I on Christmas Day 2016 Middle: mom, Rosie & I eating DQ after the Minnesota state fair Bottom: mom at a coffee shop in Beaune France on our trip six and a half years ago.

When we said good-bye to Mr. Brown it left a huge crack in my heart. Thank goodness for Phoebe the Pig because she has filled it and then some. The first Saturday as a single dog her and I got up early and just snuggled on the couch. Snuggle Time. We have it every Saturday & Sunday. It's my favorite part of the weekend. We get up at 5:00 a.m. I brew a pot of coffee, feed Phoebe, grab knitting, laptop, kindle and a fluffy blanket and we hunker down for a couple hours. I like to think that she looks forward to it as much as I do. She's come a long way in the 18 months we've had her and being a single dog has shown even more changes and growth. I miss Mr. Brown deeply but I love my little pig so much and love snuggle time.

All week I have been dealing with what appears to be the laziest cold ever. One day I have a sore throat, another day its a dry cough, yesterday evening it was a little stuffy in my sinuses, this morning, well we've kissed my voice goodbye. I'm used to more of a cold that body slams me with everything at once and takes me down for a day then I'm on the mend the following days. With all these changing symptoms day to day I'm like a squirrel at a rave trying to figure out which medicine to take for which ailment. So far it's tylenol for pain, delsym for the cough days, and chewing gum for sore throats. Honestly you know I'm in bad shape if you see me pop a halls cough drop I hate them, I hate everything about them ever since I bought a variety that numbs your throat as you suck on them, I was drooling all over the place, my whole mouth was numb. Peppermint chewing gum is my throat soother and if I'm a bit nauseous the peppermint helps with that as well.....

I planned a year of knitting. I know. I know. I've done it before and then gone off the rails immediately. However, new year, new plan. blah blah blah So here goes. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Jane Richmond and her pattern designs. In the past I've had the pleasure of doing test knitting for Jane. I love her patterns. I love the classic style. The simple construction. The complete wearability of them. So I've chosen 12 patterns from Jane Richmond Designs Some will be for me others I may gift or keep them all for myself. Who knows. The year is young. This was the photo I posted on my IG account. Row 1: Ladie's Classic Raglan Pullover , Climb , Spate Row 2: Cozy Bolero , Clark Pullover , Fireside   Row 3: Leg Warmers , Motley , Gemini Not pictured but on the list: Sedum , Welted Cowl , Elizabeth I'm currently working on Motley, the beautiful striped mohair scarf. My colors are a sparkly light grey and the palest pink you...

It's been a while.  I know. A lot has happened in the past seven months. A lot of processing A lot of growing I'm getting back in the groove. A new post is in the works. All is well. It's getting better. xoxo Carmel 

We knew it would happen someday. I secretly hoped you would live forever. You are my hoofer, my snuggle buddy, my messieurs le pew, my handsome boy. So many names for you. So many years with you. You have been our boy since we rescued you at 18 months. Now you are 14 and 1/2 years old. In case you didn't get the memo that's pretty old for a boxer. I thought I could write a glorious post about your life and how amazing you are but I can't. I'm not ready yet. I know you're ready. I know Gabby Girl is waiting. Thank you for being our dog. Thank you for being mine. I love you to the moon and back.

August. What can I say about August? It was crazy. Not in a good way. I haven't been knitting. The past two weeks I've been in a horrible headspace trying to wrap my head around events and consequences of people's actions. It's better. It's feeling better. Talking with D has made it better. Welcome to September Blog. I've missed you. Thanks for hanging with me while I work this shit out. Even the darkest times have a light to guide the way, you just need to find your light.