This morning, I had what I thought was a good idea for an entry.  There hasn’t been too much knitting going on around Chez Swine lately, so I figured I would put together a photo album of the new puppy and blame it on him.  This really isn’t all that far from the truth.  As I am sure you are aware, having a puppy is a lot like having a toddler running around.

And that is where the trouble began.  After a couple of frustrating hours of getting nothing accomplished, I took my spinning wheel and headed to Peggy’s.  She plied me with soup, cinnamon buns and good company and I felt much better about things.

Home I trotted.  All seemed right with the world.  Mr. Poe didn’t even mess in his crate while I was away and did all of his ‘business’ in the back yard!  I came in and sat down to have another go at Typepad. 

I prevailed!  Direct your attention to the left hand side bar and you will see a new photo album of Mr. Edgrrr Allen Poe.

So engrossed was I in the task, that I failed to notice Mr. Poe up to no good.  He managed to knock Proud Mary over!  Thankfully, he was not hurt, but I wish I could say the same for her ….. the brake pin has cracked!!  She will still work (at least I think she will), but I need to check into good sites for replacement pugs, I mean, parts.

Mr. Poe is in the doghouse.

Here is the number one reason why I bought a digital camera:

I will never again have to put pictures in photo albums.

We have had a digital camera for the past eight years –  it has been very liberating.  No longer to feel the pressure of putting pictures into little plastic sleeves, the unending guilt when I don’t.

It’s 8:28 am and I have already had it.  I have spent the last hour and a half attempting to put together a photo album on Typepad.  Until this moment in time, I have been very pleased with Typepad’s service.  Their photo album situation could use some help.

Does anyone know how to control which picture of the album shows up on your site?? I have tried the whole cover picture thing and that doesn’t seem to work ….. ergh.

so frustrating …. I am taking Proud Mary and leaving ….. the question is, do I take the camera with me?

Vicki opened up my Peepers!  As I posted earlier, she and I have been exchanging emails regarding antique sewing machines.  She is specifically interested in the decorative center piece between the drawers and asked me about it.

I have lived with this machine for 41 years.  It never occured to me that it was anything other than a fixed, decorative piece designed to hide the machine when it is stored inside the cabinet.

I was going to reply to Vicki from the comfort of my chair with the convenience of my laptop telling her this very thing.  I don’t know why I decided to get up and go check it out ….

it’s a drawer!  a narrow, secret drawer!  how cool is that?!

No, it was not hiding away an original copy of the Declaration …. but it does have a small, permanent little block of wood with holes drilled into it, probably a thimble holder or something like that ….

I’m going to take pictures of all my stuff and send them to Vicki!

Pictures are wonderful, they keep a site fun and interesting.  Recently I posted some pictures of my Thanksgiving table. 

My SiL teased me ‘No one wants to see your table!’

Au contraire, ma SiL!

Vicki and I have agreed that we love to see pictures of finished products – the yarns, the patterns, the talent!  What we also agree on is that often we are far more interested in the background of the picture – not the FO so much as the room, garden, table …. where ever the picture was taken!  Just like the blog, it’s a peek into a life ….

Vicki also has a sewing table like the one in my dining room and has asked for a closer look.  In my childhood, it always sat in my parent’s bedroom – but I know it came from my great grandmother, Agnes.  Perhaps one of my wise aunts can give us a little more background.  Recently, the leather band that drives the wheel disintegrated, and needs to be replaced …. other than that, it is in great shape. 

I took a quilting class once where the teacher was raving about antique machines.  She told us that since they started putting zig zag on the ‘newer’ models, it has compromised the number of stitches per inch that the machine can achieve.  She advised to buy one if you ever have the opportunity.  I had some heavy sewing to do, that my modern machine couldn’t handle and sure enough another one of my antique machines did the job, with no coddling whatsoever.  I just got it out, and started it – no oil, no nothin’!  This Singer tabletop model also came from my mother, she was a real packrat collector, and my own home is full of her ‘treasures’!

I have finished my Hayden! I would highly recommend this pattern – fairly fast, fun and quick.  It would have been faster, but I insisted on burning the midnight oil and knitting and ended up having to frog a goodly portion the next day.  I would like to think I have learned a lesson, but if anything I will simply try to be more careful while burning the midnight oil!