Uncle Leona's Day Camp

Just one woman's opinion

I apologize in advance for being vulgar, but...

I feel much better now. My finger is numb, but I feel better.

Never fear...

...I'm still here. The snowblowing was an event, that's for sure. It was something akin to snowblowing clay. After an hour of effort, I managed to clear a pathway for the car with about an inch clearance on either side. I thought I may be able to cut a larger swath the following day (the day with a high of 15 and a low of -6), but after about 20 minutes with a pitchfork, I gave up. Thankfully, Mother Nature is supposed to melt this stuff this week.

I say thankfully only because I don't live near any small creeks or streams. This stuff is going to be a mess.

Christmas was quite a festive time. My niece dubbed it: "The Best Christmas Ever!" Of course, she says that every year. The kid loves presents. My nephew also enjoyed his poker chips, and proceeded to kill me in Texas Hold 'Em once all the gifts were open. I need practice, I think.

Gift wise, I did get a sweater kit from my parents, but otherwise just a lot of good stuff, like a slow cooker, a cookbook, a blood pressure monitor, and a Bernie Kosar jersey, among other things. I also got a CD from the Jingle Cats. You haven't lived until you've heard The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies meowed. Quite an experience.

I'm finishing up the final sleeve cap on FrankenCopley. Thought I should actually finish up a sweater instead of a small project.

Call it an early resolution. Or just a need to find my floor.

So you say you've never seen a blizzard?

We got clocked yesterday...

...and last night....

...and this morning.

Just a couple of photos to give you a feel of what's out there. First, my front yard (there is a driveway there somewhere):

And now, the back yard (complete with my snow gauge):

This all arrived in the past 24 hours. Amazing. And to think it could have been more--it did change to rain for a little while early this morning.

I'm getting ready to do some snowblowing. If I don't blog for a while, check the local snowdrifts.

As promised, a photo

The rainbow socks in all of their glory:

A couple dozen more pair like this and I might be able to keep the tootsies warm for next year's game.

So, how cold was it????

Try this on for size:

That is my nephew with his Mountain Dew. It is solid. Rock solid. Sorta like my toes by the third quarter. I feel like I've passed the ultimate test of a Browns fan. To sit through a 21-0 defeat in -10 degree wind chill with snow blowing all over your body is a religious experience.

You know, like "Oh my God, what am I doing here??"

The Knitting Meetup went swimmingly this evening. Five folks enjoyed latte and a warm fireplace at Starbucks. I'm looking forward to the next meeting.

I did manage to finish my rainbow socks. Just not able to put the photo up right now. I think my thumb just shattered.

Attack of the red velvet cake

Tomorrow marks the first of two family Christmas soirees. As it has been for the last 30-odd years, I'm in charge of dessert (I was pre-adolescent and stupid when I started this tradition, but it's still pretty entertaining). This year, for this gang (which is loaded with little kids, so forget the 50 proof rum cake), I decided on a Jello/Cool Whip/Ladyfinger cake (fairly boring, yet yummy) and Red Velvet Cake.

It's amazing what two full BOTTLES of food coloring can do to a chocolate cake.

You can really appreciate the red on the crumbs in the pan:

Once it's frosted with cream cheese frosting, no one will know what they're cutting into. I may just surprise them all by saying it's just chocolate cake. Once it's sliced into, I'm guessing it'll look very festive and bloodlike. I love the holidays.

And, no, I didn't just color up a boxed cake. This one was made by hand from the ground up, I'll have you know. I feel so Martha. I may have the red off my fingers by Christmas. All for the cause, right?

Knitting-wise, I've finished up a pair of gloves and a scarf in the past week. I'll post photos when I'm inspired. That all depends on whether I thaw out from the Browns game on Sunday. The latest forecast calls for snow with a high of 20 degrees.....

....at midnight. The bottom of the thermometer is dropping out to a low of 5. And that's in Fahrenheit for you Canadian types. I plan on dressing like that kid in A Christmas Story. Including foot warmers or electric socks. Should be a lot of fun.

Well, at least our Knitting Meetup is later that night at the local Starbucks. I may need to soak my toes in a latte.

I may have outdone myself this time

After a few weeks of frenetic knitting, my sister-in-law's Crayon Box is done!

I was hesitant at first to use that blue as a trim, but it really brought out the jewel tones in the jacket. She's going to go nuts.

Now, it's time to go back to knitting for myself. Turns out in the redraw for our family's gift exchange this weekend, I wound up with my lone male cousin, who wants tools or jeans. Where's the fun in that??

There are certain advantages to watching the Browns this season

I don't think I've ever finished so many small projects, start to finish, in several hours. This team blows on so many levels, it's mind-boggling. Anyhow, it turns out I found a skein of Kilim yarn on top of my Christmas tree box. It is now this:

I used Wendy's Transitions Hat pattern once again, but filled in a few more rows in the decreases at the top. It's really cute, and far nicer to look at than that team in orange and brown.

I have tickets for the game next week. I wonder if knitting needles can get past stadium security...

People movers

It's that time of year. When thousands of numbnuts who have no concept of people mover protocol clog the nation's elevators and escalators. Is there anything more annoying than the mob of dolts who insist on entering an elevator as soon as the doors open, even though there are innocents on board who need to get out of it first?

I know what's more annoying. It's those dimwits who pause IMMEDIATELY after they get off an escalator to look around and see where they need to go. Hello, people??? There are people behind you that need to get off, and if you don't move, the cranky pediatrician who can't find any ideas for her brother and is in dire need of a stiff drink is going to push your sorry ass into the Sunglass Hut!

I feel much better now. Love the holidays.

As for knitting, my sister-in-law's sweater production came to a screeching halt when I realized that I missed one whole column of squares before the opening for the first armhole. With a little bit of creative invisible seaming and cast-offs, the error was repaired. No one will be the wiser.

And if they are, screw 'em. It's the holidays, and I don't give a rat's ass.

And, of course, now that I'm talking up the Meetup next Saturday, my family decides that it's time for one Christmas celebration that afternoon an hour away from home. I may meetup, I may not. It all depends...

And after:

The windows are in, and they look great. At least I think they're looking great; right this minute I think I may be getting high on vinyl and caulk fumes. All I do know is that we're dealing with a high wind warning, and I can't hear it. That is one good window.

Of course, all of my old blinds no longer fit. Lose one expense, pick up another...

The gifts get knocked out, one by one...

There are certain advantages to being without plans on a weekend in December. It's just amazing how much knitting can be completed while watching nothing but football and basketball. First of all, my brother's Christmas gift requests are completed:

Left to right, you're looking at symbolic stripes for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indians. He now will have these alongside his birthday present, the driver cover with the Browns stripes on it. No one in his league will be able to compete with the coolness of his bag. Here's hoping it helps his game like my Browns headcover helped mine.

Not like my game had any place to go but up....but I digress.

I also rounded out the gift exchange present to my cousin. Inside her Kureyon Tote Bag, she'll find a travel mug and this:

I don't remember the yarn I used, but it was on sale, which is always a good thing. Basically, it's a railroad track with a blob of wool spaced here and there. Whipped up in no time flat, and it will be a hit with my cousin. My other gift exchange item is in progress, but I may have to switch gears if I didn't remember who I had correctly. I think it's my cousin's wife, but I'm not 100% sure. Hopefully, I'm right, because this scarf will be so pretty.

The saga of the windows will hopefully reach its peaceful end this week. The installers are supposed to do the job Tuesday into Wednesday (in the rain, of course; I guess it could be snowing...). Take one last look at my front window in my craft room:

I can't wait to see these things go. They're ugly and drafty. I also need this done so that I can block this window up with my Christmas tree. I'm so far behind the decorations on my block right now it's embarrassing. Of course, half of them put their trees up somewhere around Halloween, or so it seemed.

Cleveland West Knitting Meetup is in less than two weeks!! Cassie?? Mary?? I know you're out there.... Come on down! I'll spring for a coffee!

Snowflake 101

After seeing 25 kids in my office on Wednesday (pretty much all of them coughing their heads off), today was a welcome relief. It was dead. Must have cured them all. Anyhow, it turned out being a great day to get the office all decked out for Christmas, and that my nurses did. The capper every year is our snowflake display; we must have 50 hanging all over the office. Many of them are mine; I fine tuned my craft in college decorating the dorm room, then passed the skills along to my nurses. My office is beyond a winter wonderland; it's a winter storm warning.

Christmas gifts are in progress. Or should I say, "gift?" I haven't started my brother's golf club covers yet (they can be finished during two bowl games), but my sister-in-law's Crayon Box is in progress:

She asked for one with more blues, so there it is. Kato, of course, felt the "knead" to help:

You may notice that she is getting a tad chunkier. I'm not expecting her medicine to really help her bulk up; she's an inner city Cleveland cat, so I'm guessing the gene pool is a bit scraggly.

Of course, there's always BALCO...