Monday Meanderings

This first picture is for Dave, who expressed amazement when I mentioned going out to pick a lemon or two to make Lemon Squares. I suppose there are a few perks to living in the winter-less depths of SoCal.

Lemons off the tree would be one. So would oranges.

It was a busy, very tiring weekend around here--not that you could tell from any results around here, but it definitely was an on-the-go experience. D2 came to town on Friday and we spent the day getting her admitted to the Local University Hospital for some testing. Since her husband had driven them down, and was also operating with an injured knee, I drove out there and back. Let's just say, I've known for a long time that the 10 West and the 405 are really busy freeways. When it takes you 2 1/2 hours to travel across town, though, the reality does hit with a smack.

We finally bailed off the freeway and took surface streets the rest of the way back.

Of course, yesterday I had to make the drive again, this time with D4 & D5. So far, the testing has not been very uncomfortable for D2, and she's taking it all like a trouper.

Super Bowl Sunday isn't one of my favorite "holidays" but it's definitely high on the list for the spouses of my Ds! D3's husband went to a big party and was quite happy to enter the football pool--and little Nate won! I guess that can be the start of his college fund--hey, every little bit helps! We already think he's a lucky little boy, and I guess this just reinforces it.

My knitting for the weekend was pretty much an exercise in frustration. I tried casting on for Nottingham, a cute little hat-- and, after the third botched attempt, I finally gave up and threw the whole crinkly mess back into the knitting bag. I'll try again tonight and see if the Knitting Goddess is in a better mood. I mean, 72 stitches? In the round? I just finished Shedir--how hard can it be to make a smaller version?

Apparently, a lot harder!

I need to make up a few hats--Shedir was a big hit with Jessica, and she asked me to make her a hat. Now, you know as well as I do, if I make her one, her sister will want one as well. And Shedir has found a home with D5, but the last ball of yarn is just enough to make a little Nottingham for Audrey--how cute is that, anyway? Then Nate is in need of hats to keep his little bitty noggin warm--very tiny babies need to conserve body heat, even when they live in a relatively mild climate like ours. Oh, and I have some Blue Sky Cotton that is just asking to be knit into a Baby Bolero (from One Skein) before he gets too big for it.

Hmmm. Laughing Carrots (from Knitty.com) for, who else, the Grandcarrot. And working on my Mission Possible '08 goals, too. I think I need some couch time--here's hoping the Tivo worked, and I have some choices for tonight! (I love Tivo. I still don't believe in it, though--but it hasn't failed me yet.)

I did get a bit of baby-holding and Grandcarrot-snuggle time, though, so the weekend's activity was all worth it.
Today I decided that, without any great knitting pictures, I should just feature a few of the cheerier aspects of life around here. I mean, if I can't have snow days, then I have to play Pollyanna and look for the brighter side of things. (Pollyanna was one of my childhood favorites. If all you know of her is the saccharine Disney version, do look up the books--she's a funny, feisty little person who's a lot like Anne of Green Gables.)

These little purple oxalis pop up all over the yard this time of year, and then when it gets hot they go dormant and disappear. The leaves look like clover and I'm sure they're related to the bright yellow oxalis that also pops up--except that I don't have any yellow right now. I've also got my first daffodil of the season.

Oh, you want to see it? Okay. Here it is! Not the greatest picture, but definitely and defiantly a daffodil! (I had to prop it up on the flowerpot, because I stepped on it trying to get the picture of the camellia that's up above there.)