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Originally uploaded by purlingswine

Look what I found on the side of the road! It has been an long while since I have come upon a curbside treasure – but I may have outdone myself with this one. This could be The Find to End All Finds!

I can’t figure out what she might have been — some kind of weird Barbi head/make up toy? I thought she would be the perfect thing to model knitted hats etc. for Ravelry, but that molded hairdo may be problematic.

She is very creepy/scary, but I think in a cool way. Others disagree …… what do you think?

hello from my new iTouch! Providing yet another way to waste time.

watermelon sprinkled with salt!

Scrumtrulescent

based on extensive cartoon viewing, I believe the Tasmanian devil to be the more ruthless of the two.

I supposed an explanation is in order ……. I have been spending most of my online time over on Facebook (along with the rest of the blogging world). Mostly I am taking idiotic quizzes and playing their version of Scrabble. So that explains where I have been – now what about the wolverine vs Tasmanian devil? Last week’s NY Times had an article about about a site called Plinky. From what I can tell it gives you prompts with questions and I discovered that I can link not only my Facebook account to it, but also the blog! Even if you really don’t care what I think about the outcome of the Wolverine/Tasmanian grudgematch, at least you will know I haven’t fallen completely off the edge of the internet!

I was adding projects to Ravelry and realized my Thermis never made it to the blog! Here is a not so great pic of the project — and as per my usual, it is not quite done. I still need to stitch on the buttons! This is a great pattern for a very stylish neck warmer. I used some leftover stash yarn, which always leaves me with a smug feeling of self satisfaction.

We leave tomorrow to attend Daughter #1’s college graduation.  I simply cannot believe it.  When did all this happen?  What have I been doing?  Wasn’t it just weeks ago that I posted this picture of her freshmen dorm?

~sniff~

Mr. Boar and I recently made a trip up the Hudson to visit Daughter #2. We took her and some of her friends out to dinner in nearby Tivoli. We had a great dinner and enjoyed strolling through the town. Lo and behold they have a lovely yarn shop!

How funny is this picture? It was taken just outside of town – I wonder if there are so many people rushing to drive right into the Hudson that the railroad crossing gates were necessary?

pattern: kitty hat
yarn: blue sky suri merino

Wisconsin was full of surprises.

I grew up eating pasties. I didn’t really think anyone else did. Near Vicki’s house, they actually have a store devoted to them!

ps. check out my flickr page to see the menu!

I spent a wonderful weekend in Wisconsin with Vicki and her family. If you ever thought to yourself as you read Vicki’s blog, ‘wow, her house looks really cool, she seems so nice, her girls are gorgeous, her husband’s easy on the eyes too, and I wonder if she has a dog?’ The answer is a resounding Yes!!

Go to Vicki’s site to get the details on all the classes we took. She sums up our Cat Bordhi experience perfectly! The whole weekend was a delight, but the Houdini sock class was the cherry on top.

But really, which would you rather hear about all I learned in class or what Vicki is really like?

that’s what I thought, so let’s get right to it.

first off, her house. She really does live in a big old Victorian right on the edge of a ravine. She is so much on the edge of a ravine that she actually uses the ravine to help her hang her sheets on the clothesline. I witnessed her shaking her wet sheets and towels off of the edge of the cliff before she hung them on the line. The entire state of Wisconsin appears as flat as a pancake, except for the one ravine with a house on the edge of it where Vicki lives.

She is an excellent photographer, but her pictures don’t do it justice. Imagine a big, rambling Victorian house, filled with cool nooks and crannies, with so, so charming details. And then imagine that all updates that have been put in have been done by a tribe of talented craftsman with artistic vision and very good luck at finding the perfect antique piece for every possible spot. And that is Vicki’s house.

Nice? Vicki is as nice as she seems – nicer. She is cool, funny, laid back and wry.

Husband, girls? the family is loaded with talent – everyone’s art is everywhere and it’s all really, really good. Unbelievable – there isn’t a dud in the bunch. They are all so busy fulfilling all the godgiven talent and being busy with the business of living that none of them watch TV. And if that isn’t enough to send you over the edge of the ravine, Rusty cooks. And bakes pie. Have you had enough? does it make a difference if I tell you how flaky the crust was???

and as far as the dog Mickey? I slept with Vicki’s dog and I liked it!