Family

I took a week off from blogging due to family events and a serious virus. First, Sister Gretchen arrived. She visits every summer about this time. She has been a catholic nun for close to 50 years, I think. She was one of the first sisters to wear street clothes and live in an apartment, and have a television. So Brazen! We lost track of her for a few busy years and then she visited Minnesota a few times and contacted the family. About 15 years ago she arrived at St. Catherines and we invited her over to hour house. My husband, (now ex-husband) Dan went to pick her up in his Black corvette convertible. Sister Gretchen is really his cousin. Well, she came strolling out in her full black habit and got into this convertible. It was quite a shock for us and quite a ride for her.

Since then she has come back quite often and attends a family reunion in the southern part of the state each year. We have become quite good friends and enjoy each other's company. She usually wears her white habit in the summer but this time chose street clothes. She works with refugees in South Carolina and found that wearing the habit gave her more leverage with school and government officials. She does great work down there with Mong families.

Sister Gretchen thinks Nicole's baby, Ellie, looks like her cuz she has red curly hair, blue eyes and porcelain skin. Gretchen had red hair as a child, now is white. She is enamored with this baby.

My sister arrived last Thursday around Noon from Phoenix. Stopped to get her hair cut and pick up a gift for Ellie's 1st Birthday and headed over to see the Grandchildren. Josh calls her Tia! (special Aunt) and his eyes got so big when he saw her at the bottom of the stairs. We had a great time with them, a nice supper and then I went home because I worked on Friday. Sandy stayed at their house and I soon became chopped liver next to Tia.

I've feverishly tried to finish the sweater I started for Sandy last year. I'm using Kris Olson's City Sheep Pattern, The Bulky Cardigan, which she made with Colinette's Pt. Five but I'm using "Paint box". My sister picked the yarn. I'm also making it longer for her. Kris's is a cute short waisted cardigan but my sister likes her sweaters to be a jacket. At any rate I'm nearly finished, just to add the collar and sew it together. Good timing. I also finished Ellie's green sweater for her birthday.

My son, Dan, is complaining that he is low man on the totem pole these days. The grandchildren are getting priority and he feels neglected so I guess I start his sweater next. (before he graduates in the Spring).

Ellie's birthday was adorable. She was dressed in white linen with pink embroidered flowers and a bow in her hair, and barefoot. She quickly got into the party mode with her brother and cousin Maddy running around with the balloon boquets. She also stood for quite a long time while punching balloons. Josh started singing the Happy Birthday song to her so we all stood and listened to him sing it for her. It was adorable! It came out as Hap..birth..to...you, etc. We then had cake! Each child had his own individually decorated cake. The guests had green and the Birthday girl had pink. Her high chair was skirted in pink netting and a pink hat with pink fur trim. She received adorable gifts and everyone had a great time.

Thank you to Catherine and Shelley for filling in for me this last week. I really appreciated the time I was able to spend with my sister.

We saw the movie, Scoop! Don't bother unless you love Woody Allen. We did some knitting, crocheting and just kicken' back on the deck.

I'm at the shop today and had the air conditioner repaired. What a pain that was. It should be working top notch now.

Summer is coming to an end, I could smell it in the air this morning.
Think Fall and Holiday Projects everyone. Happy Knitting, spinning, felting and weaving.