I haven't been going on daily walks, but at least a few times a week. It's been very wet here... and dreary. Finally, today, the clouds are breaking up a bit!

The photo above is from early last week on the Konkapot Creek Trail, which is just below our house. I used to walk down there all the time when we cared for Maddy's beagle. Lately, it's been with the kids... exploring (and sometimes getting wet)!

There areas in our part of town that have alleys and we enjoy walking the alleys almost more than the street. This was one of at least four "log cabin" birdhouses that I spotted in an alley the other day. They all had green trim and branch details -- including a little twig cross in each gable end.

The kids' grade school is no longer a school, converted to offices and business spaces now. It'll be 130 years old next year! I'm so happy it was still a school when my kids were little; it was a nice little walk (or bike ride) to-and-fro.

One thing that's turning green around here, with all the rain we've had, is MOSS! That blue spot is spilled house paint from last summer. It doesn't really bother me; in fact, I think it looks great with all the colors of the brick!

Like many, I've also been cooking a lot.

I roasted two chickens last weekend and then used the carcasses to make two batches of chicken/bone broth in my Instant Pot. We used one batch of that for chicken soup, and I've frozen the other for later use.

Otherwise, I've been rambling around the house, doing a little here and a little there. I finally made a little headway in my workroom the last couple of days, but it's just hit or miss... there are no deadlines and there doesn't seem to be any real purpose or pressing need to do anything. There's so much available time...

We did venture out to Home Depot the other day to get some plaster and paint. Rusty did some repairs in the apartment upstairs, and Kate's been painting. We're lucky to have a "change of scenery" and something to do just right upstairs. I canceled the only booking we had for April, and the next one isn't until late May -- and iffy, even then.

I finally sat down and got a little caught up on blogs this morning -- still a ways to go -- and can't believe I was three weeks behind already!

Maybe someday I'll feel more like writing about our vacation (or anything)... until then, a video place-holder. I haven't used my 1SE app in quite a while, but it came in handy today.

I hope you all are well.

This bright spot is 2 years old today!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MALINA!!

Junah left a two-part note under his pillow, instead of a tooth. Luckily, the tooth fairy understood and delivered some goodies, anyway!

_ _ _ _ _

Our governor has issued a "Safer At Home" order for the next 30 days. I may need to go to work on occasion, as I am in a support position for an essential business, but I don't plan to spend any more time there than necessary... and am a little bit grateful that I can do that. I have contact with a handful of co-workers, none who are vulnerable, and public interaction is extremely rare -- and should be zero if all follow orders!

Stay well, my friends.

I had a dream about my mom early this morning. I think it's the first time she's been in a dream (that I remember) since she died, almost six years ago.

She visited me at work, except that I was outside and it wasn't my real work, and I was so surprised and happy to see her!! She was the same but different -- definitely older, a bit more frail, but super stylish and as beautiful as always! I held her face in my hands and we smiled and hugged and... I was just so happy to see her!

And that was it. And everything. I think that's all the dream "meant" or was supposed to be... just me so very happy to see my mom.

And now I'm crying again.

I hope y’all are doing well. It’s weird being here right now, and not at home.

It usually all goes out the window when it matters, but...

After adding 60 days in a row, maybe something will stick! Yay Duolingo!

On Saturday, I worked on finishing the Alabama Chanin A-line Tunic that I made with fabric from Spoonflower.

This included learning how to take apart my sewing machine to dislodge stuck fabric. Turns out you're not supposed to "reverse" with a walking foot? I'm sure I did that all the time on my old machine. Hm.

Ali & I also went for our first pedicures of the season. I'm usually a bit more predictable/traditional with red polish, but this is fun! Ali declared, "That says 'VACATION'!"

And with that in mind, I cast on a project that's more portable for vacation. This is another Garter Yoke Baby Cardi for a new baby in the KC&T family. Sonny came a little early and spent his first week in the hospital, but he's home now... and I think he needs a sweater for spring! I love my little honeycomb stitch markers (and especially the cork-topped glass vial that they came in) that I got at Wool & Honey last October when I visited Kym in Michigan. I can't exactly remember the yarn right this second, but I realized that I bought the yarn there, too!

"Finishing" by A-line Tunic had mainly to do with the bottom edge. I didn't necessarily want to hem it, but it needed something. My in-seam pockets are the best I've done, so far, but are still an inch or so too low and I feared that if I actually put something in them, they'd peek out the bottom. I took my cue from an Alabama Chanin Alina tunic that I purchased a while back during a sale.

Basically, I cut 1.75-inch strips to add to the bottom, turning up the seam and top-stitching it in place. Essentially, it adds about 1.25 inches overall, gives a bit of heft at the hem and just looks more finished.

The sleeves (mine are elbow-length) are finished the same way on the Alina tunic, except it's a narrower strip and lightweight jersey was used there.

I still want to fell the seams of my A-line Tunic by hand. I did some and then took it out -- running into difficulty around those pockets, where the seam wants to go forward and I want it to go backward. I think I'm just going to have to go with the flow!

Ali & the kiddos came over for a last get-together before departure -- Kate to Scotland on Tuesday, and Rusty & I to Mexico on Wednesday -- and it began with a video chat with Maddy!

My girls all together at the kitchen table. Heh.

I hope you had a great weekend!

As an aside, "You know, that's short for 'Nona'?"

I don't know why, but that's one of the first things that popped into my head when I was waking up this morning. He slipped that in a couple of weeks ago and it still makes me laugh.

He's holding the bird feeder that he built using a "kit" that Rusty fashioned. It's going to be sunny & warm all weekend, with winds from the south, and I'm told we're to watch as the migratory birds will begin to return.

At this time last year, we were prepping for Spain & Cornwall. What a trip that was! Las Fallas is again underway in Valencia, as we speak, and Ann has a full house over the next couple of weeks. I've been following some hashtags on IG. I can't imagine anything that would top what we saw last year in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento for La Cremà... it will be spectacular, no doubt. Oh, I've been pining...

Luckily, it's only five more sleeps until we're on our way to Mexico... sunshine and upper-70s to low-80s. I'm a-okay with that.

It's going to be real hard not to cram this Nightshift project into my suitcase:

I'm following the section-by-section pattern (at the moment, anyway). And have just switched my "background" color.

I wasn't very in love with that lighter blue color, but now? Knitted up? With those other colors? I love it!!

Maybe Rusty will have some room in his suitcase...

Joining Carole & friends for Three Things on Thursday...

1 - Banner Image

2 - Badge Image

3 - Blog Image

I started a Ravelry Group for the Knit-along: Nightshift KAL 2020! I wasn't going to do it... so much on my plate, time's short, loose ship, blahblahblah. It's so quick to start a group! And I know that not all participants are bloggers, so it's a place to check in, share, post photos, and ask questions -- if you wish. It's optional!!

It looks like there might be 8 of us (so far) taking the leap! I'm the laid-back queen, so y'know, this is going to be a loosely run ship -- it's all about FUN (and knitting)!!

It was really nice to dive into this project over the weekend. I was thinking that I wanted to get a start on it before we leave for vacation because it might not come along... but who knows!

Big news over the weekend was the finish of a big ol' sweater!

On Friday, I soaked and pinned it out to block...

That's four layers of damp bulky knitting in some places and Saturday was the Bang Out deadline, so...

I tied my blocking mat to my drying rack and set it in front of a heat register overnight!

That did the trick. I sewed it up on Saturday and voila!

I have a whole bunch of terrible selfie bedroom photos! I wore it yesterday while running a few errands with Kate, thinking that I'd get her to take a few better ones... heh. Maybe later today. A proper FO post and details to come...