The Time Just Flies, That's My Excuse!

Sam's mom, Mary, and I flew to Portland the first of November.  She had yet to meet little Wilder, who was 6 months old on the 2nd of November.  Wilder thought his great grandma was just wonderful!  He is such a happy smiley baby.  Ian and Michelle are truly lucky.  

We were there for 5 days.  The weather was mild, cloudy one minute and overcast the next.  Ian and Michelle's apartment faces east and they have a view of Mt Hood in the distance on a clear day.  We were favored with a glimpse of it one day only.  The MAX (train) station is right across the street and Ian takes it to work downtown every morning.  And Wilder will be able to watch him coming home when he gets a little older.  It's kind of neat.  Mary and I babysat Wilder on Friday for a few hours while Michelle worked.  On Monday, Mary stayed at the apartment with Michelle while I took the MAX in to downtown and went to lunch with Ian.  So I got to experience what his commute is like and got to see the building where he works, if not his office.  Had it not been raining, we would have taken lunch to the rooftop deck area, but it is November in Portland.  All in all it was a very nice trip.  I already have plans to return in late February and this time my mom will accompany me.

 I made Wilder some "Monster Butt" pants.  
 



I also made him an adorable hat, but it is WAY too small for his noggin!   It may have fit him 6 months ago, but who needs a wool hat in May?  I have promised to make one just like it only bigger.   Sheesh.  Can you tell I am not used to knitting for babies?






Even going out to eat this kid is a delight.  

However, standing in line at Ikea for 45 minutes (!) was enough to test anyone's patience.  I have never had to wait so long in line there before.  It was a Sunday, but I have been there on Saturday before with no such trouble.   





 

 

He looks happy, right?

When last I wrote, Grover and I were heading off to our October agility trial in just a few days.  We had a successful 3 days, earning 2 more QQs towards our second MACH and a first place in Premier standard on Friday.  I even took a photo of the placement because we usually do not place and especially not first place!
In second place is T-Bo, who is one of the dogs who was in our beginner agility class 4 1/2 years ago.  T-Bo got his first MACH in March this year.  

Additionally, we earned enough points this trial to qualify for the AKC Agility Nationals in Tulsa,OK in March.  Plans are in the works to go!

 
Our fall turned cool and rainy.  Rainy.  Enough already.  My birthday was the 23rd and it was a gorgeous day.  A perfect fall day and I requested that Sam go hiking with Grover and me at Lamping Homestead.   It was the perfect way to celebrate my birthday.  I just wish we had had more days like that in October.  I feel like fall didn't really happen.  

off the loom

But the weather is a perfect excuse to sit and knit or spend time in my studio weaving.  Of course there are some secret things in the works this time of year, but I have mostly finished the Candy Cane towels that were on my loom last post.  Once off the loom they must be washed, ironed and hemmed.  3 are yet to be hemmed.

Hemmed

 

I have 6 towels and 2 little dish cloths.  These will be for sale at the Christmas Festival in Woodsfield on Dec 1st.

 I have a lacy beaded shawl on my knitting needles.  I have made little progress  because I had to finish stuff to take out to Oregon with me.  It doesn't look like much at this point, but it will be so pretty when it is done.  

I also made this hat for Michelle.  At least it seems to fit.....

But the main thing that kept me busy was this sweater.  I wanted to finish it in time to wear it to Oregon and I did.  I finished it 2 days before our trip and I was able to wear it on the plane.  It is so comfy!  I just love it.  You may have noticed I am wearing it in the photo at the top of the blog page.

Next week is Thanksgiving!  How can that be possible?  We will travel across the state to Mom's, once again leaving the truck in Zanesville because Grover and I will be dropped off there on Saturday to attend our agility trial Saturday and Sunday.  My aunt and my cousin Tracey will be at Mom's for Thanksgiving this year.  It has been a few years since they were there, so I am really looking forward to it.  

After Thanksgiving, gun season for deer starts in Ohio, so Sam will be out with the guys all week.  Then it will be December.   I have the Christmas Festival on the first, followed by the Dog Club Christmas party 2 days later.  I will likely manage to keep busy the rest of the month as well.

Hanging out on the deck in the fall.