Above are examples of a few garlands I knitted last year. Each one is a bit different. They are fun, fast and easy to make. Finding the right yarn is sometimes a challenge. I wish I had kept the label wrapper from my favorite, but it doesn’t matter since I haven’t been able to find it here in New Jersey this year. You’ll need three skeins of yarn: two of the background color [a shaggy eyelash yarn works well], and one “fun” yarn like Lion Brand Fancy Fur that has bobble-like things that look like tiny ornaments when knitted up. Another good yarn is a paper flag novelty yarn, like one from Crystal Palace. Just use your imagination when choosing yarn varieties. To knit, use size 19 [26 inch] circular needles, cast on about 100 stitches with all three yarns [I know, I know, it’s a lot] and then just knit two rows of garter stitch for an almost instant garland. I got the idea from the Crystal Palace yarn website last year. So please, don’t use this pattern except for your own use. Here is their link.

Merry Knitting!

A few weeks ago I went with my neighbor Kim to the Holiday House Boutique at Lambert Castle in Paterson. This holiday fundraiser for the Passaic County Historical Society is a big favoriite. The castle is decorated festively with craft items for sale. Each year they decorate the rooms differently. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.

Built in 1892, this impressive landmark is made of sandstone and granite quarried from the surrounding hillsides. It belonged to Paterson’s silk baron, Catholina Lambert. It’s an interesting story, and if you’re interested you can read more about the castle and its history here.

I was a good girl and didn’t spend too much money. I bought a unique bracelet and this adorable hand-stitched felt sheepie ornament. I thought it would make a good knitting totem.

In an effort to lift my mood and get in the spirit of the Holiday Season, I am starting a series of posts with a Christmas theme. So, I’ll let my Advent Calendar Santa kick it off. Sam helped with the photo shoot. Note: He’s the one that bit me. Hmm…I guess I lost a day somewhere since Santa still thinks it’s the 5th. Oh well…I don’t think Sam will cooperate again, so it will just have to do.

I am so sad. Last evening we had to put our Bode to rest. He had done okay over the weekend, but yesterday took a turn for the worse. He was having so much trouble breathing he could not lay down comfortably any longer. He wasn’t eating, nor drinking. His belly was distended and causing him much discomfort. We had to make the difficult decision not to let him suffer any longer. It’s hard to make that decision. Should we wait another day? But if we do and he’s much worse, is that fair to him? We did not want to see him suffer total distress, so we let him go. I will miss his sweet, smiling face.

When I find the words I will write him a tribute. I just can’t do it now. I feel emotionally and physically drained after the stress of watching him go up and down over the past two weeks, and over the past few days especially. Pretty much numb.

Rest well, sweet JoJo. We’ll miss you so.

Note: This blog entry is long, so I’ve divided it into two parts. If you want to read the whole entry, click on MORE as this entry ends below.
As many of you know, Rick and I celebrated our 25th anniversary on October 17th. We decided to do it up in style since we are so close to New York City. We had tickets [orchestra, 3rd row center] to WICKED and planned to go to our little restaurant off Fifth Avenue afterwards. We had hired a car to take us in, pick us up after the show, take us to the restaurant, and finally to bring us home. We could have driven ourselves, but for this special occasion we didn’t want to worry about where to park or driving after having some anniversary wine. We thought it would be simpler. Easier. After all a driver would know exactly where they were going and we wouldn’t have to worry about anything. Or would we?

The Getting There

It was a rainy day. The driver was due to arrive to pick us up at 5:00 p.m. since on Tuesday nights, the shows all start at 7:00 instead of the usual 8:00. We were certain that a two hour window would get us there in time even with heavy traffic.  About ten minutes before five, the phone rang. It was the driver saying he might be about 5 minutes late. Okay, we can handle that.
5:20
and he still isn’t here. We’re starting to panic a bit at this point since it is a rainy night and we have no idea what the traffic is going to be like going in to the city. Rick calls him on his cell phone and he tells Rick where he is; about ten minutes away at this point. It’s going to be close. He finally arrives [it’s 5:35] and we hurry into the car. He tells us that he Googled our address and he didn’t believe the route it told him to take, so he took a different way. DUH! Then he proceeds to ask Rick the quickest way to Manhattan from here. Hello! Isn’t he supposed to know? Why does he think we hired a car and driver?? The good thing is that he appears to be a good driver and he’s driving fast but not recklessly.

tick, tock…tick, tock…

Traffic appears to moving and we relax a bit. Maybe it won’t be so close after all. We settle back into the comfy seats of the Lincoln Town car. Until that is, we come to a dead stop in traffic and we’re not even to Paramus yet. Not a good sign. Our driver doesn’t think it’s a good sign either. Stop and go traffic continues for a few miles, then opens back up and we’re moving pretty good again. The driver takes a cell phone call from his daughter and proceeds to chat to her for the next ten minutes. He tells us his family woes and how he can’t afford to fill up his fuel tank, so right now they don’t have any fuel oil. His wife is mad because for two days she hasn’t been able to take a hot shower. [Do we really need to know this?] We hit another pocket of barely-creeping-along traffic. After we get through that bad patch it’s
6:40
as we finally reach the G.W. [George Washington bridge].

tick, tock…tick, tock…

Our driver is starting to sweat. He says, “Well, it’s not looking too good. I guess I’m going to have to buy you some theater tickets if we don’t make it.” Trust me buddy, you don’t want to have to reimburse us for these tickets, they were mighty expensive, I think to myself. Rick is looking a little green at this point. Or maybe he was just getting into character for the show? At this point it wasn’t looking good for us to make it to the theater by 7:00. If we don’t make it, not only are we out the cost for the tickets but it would kind of ruin the whole evening that we had planned for so long. Bummer. And traffic on the Henry Hudson was not helping. He goes several blocks further then he needs to, so we end up backtracking.

It’s 6:55.

tick, tock…tick, tock…

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