E and the Snowshoes

Once upon a time in a land far to the north a tiny woman decided to snowshoe for 13 plus miles. Yes it was E and yes she was in Duluth for what used to be called the John Beargrease Marathon Snowshoe Race, but is now called the Northwoods snowshoe marathon. E took it easy and only did the half marathon.

What a wimp.

Jon sent me this picture of her crossing the finish line last weekend. It isn't enough that she jumped in the damn lake two frozen weekends ago but now she has to go and run, er snowshoe a half marathon.

How is a sister in law supposed to keep up? Oh, that's right. WE CAN'T KEEP UP! That is why she is the racer and I am the quilter I suppose. Well when she slows down and takes a nap...Hmmm does E ever nap?.. well, if she did, she could do it under one of my quilts.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

Love to E

Nancy

'E' and the New Years Jump

OK OK I know it has been a long time since THE jump but I have been very busy procrastinating. (And very successfully too I might add.) Anyway I pupped out of the early morning jump this year. I mean out of viewing it, not jumping as I am not INSANE thank you very much, but E sent me these two pictures today and I thought they really needed to go in the blog. Insanity on this level needs to be recognized and applauded whenever possible.

Yah she looks happy doesn't she? I just went to youtube and reviewed the drewietube E video and oh my gosh I felt the insanity all over again. I heard myself say "oh E!" when she jumped in and I know I will always feel that way whenever she does something wonderful and crazy and just like herself. Oh E! We love you!

Love,

Nancy

Grandma Essie's Bag

Hi Mary and Jeni,

Cousin Mike sent us a package just after Christmas. He called to let us know it was coming and then checked to make sure we had received it. He spent 18.00 on postage!

In it were pictures from Aunt Josie's scrapbook. Many we had seen but some were new to us. There are several of Jeni carrying a big pail in the backyard of the cottage at Crystal that I had never seen before.

Also in there was an envelope or clutch style bag done in a sort of crewel embroidery that he said was started by Grandma Essie and finished by Aunt Josie. I was thinking that I would save it for Jeni unless someone else really wants it and then we can draw straws. I thought of Jeni as she is the one I know who really loves bags of all sorts.

Things have been going along here fairly slowly. We go to the doctors with great regularity but otherwise stay home. I am staying in the Transplant program this year, unlike last winter, so I get to go and have blood drawn with Mom.

Today I got to go to a HRBlock meeting and then go have a tooth drawn. I have just a little swelling and if I don't look at it in the mirror I am fine.

I am not supposed to swish, spit or suck for 24 hours so it will heal wet instead of making a 'dry socket'. They won't let me have hot or caffinated beverages for 24 hours too. And, of course, only soft foods. I am keeping fine with tylenol and books to keep me distracted.

Love to you both,

Nancy

I'm knitting something.

Hi Nancy,
  I'm knitting something from some knotted yarn I made about two years ago.  These pictures were taken in February of 2007:

 

  You were asking about the shawl in my profile picture.  You can see the silk/mohair blend yarn above that it was made from, in the teal color.

  Do you remember buying all these skeins at Lee Ward?  Circa 1990 or so?  Then years later you gave them all to me.  I made a few things, but mostly I just had a few skeins of each color, so I decided to make a knotted yarn out of them.  I clothespinned them to my music stand, and went in order from fuschia on through in the order you see.  I'd draw 14 inches from the skein, knot it to the previous strand, and wind it up on the old ball winder you gave me.  When I ran out of a color, I just continued on to the next until there was nothing left.

  I ended up with 5 balls of approximately 40 grams each.  I'm pairing a double strand of the knotted yarn with a dusty pine green loosely stranded Brown Sheep skein that I got at the yarn swap I had a couple of years ago.  When I get a new cable for my camera, I'll let you know what it looks like.  Love, Mary