The Pink Baby Outfit is Finished!!!

Hooray! I finally sewed the buttons on and added the ribbons! Another UFO finished! I have no idea who this is going to. I just made it because I found some yarn at Dollarama for $1 and I wanted to try it out. I was pleased with the way it worked up. It's Phentex Merit. I wasn't expecting much, but I think the outfit turned out very well. The pattern is from the Leisure Arts booklet, called "Layettes". Now all we have to do is wait for someone to have a baby girl!

Sorry!

I am having one of those days. Get back to you tomorrow!

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful.........

But inside, my Christmas cactus are starting to bloom!

Pedicure, Anyone?

Cherry Tree in Autumn

This is a photo of our cherry tree. Very pretty, wouldn't you agree? Blossoms in spring - cherries in summer - colourful leaves in fall! Wow! What a great little tree! This winter I will hang a bird feeder in its branches and it will have served me well all year round!

We had a severe frost last night. The water bags holding the pool cover in place, froze solid! So everything in my garden is now finished for this year. I was able to dig up a few dahlia tubers this afternoon, but the tuberous begonias were not salvageable. They were sitting in the shade and the soil in their pots was frozen solid, so I could not dig them out. Too bad. I will have to replace them next year.

The winner of Mimi's 'comment draw' is Keiko! But Mimi thought that Rika should get a prize too! I think she remembers how nice it was when Rika was here last summer, petting and stroking her! So I will check to make sure that I have both of your snail mail addresses and send something off to you as soon as possible. Congratulations! And thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! Please, everyone, continue to leave comments. I love your comments!!! And you never know when Mimi will want to hold another draw!

Mimi and the Spirit of Christmas

Is it too early for Christmas?

My owner asked me that question this morning. What the heck is this Christmas anyway? It doesn't concern me! Meow!! As long as I have a nice bowl of Fancy Feast and some clean drinking water, a soft, warm place to sleep and maybe a pot of catgrass or better still, some catnip, I am a Happy Cat! But this Christmas thing seems to drive humans crazy! They start thinking about it for weeks in advance. As soon as Halloween is over, they bring out the Christmas decorations and start putting them all over the house. I don't really mind, as long as nothing sits on my favourite napping place! So far, so good.

There is not much new around here, but I am sure my owner would love for me to show you the Christmas pillows she has begun to work on. Yes - in anticipation for the day that the jolly fat man comes down the chimney! Crazy humans! The red one is finished and the white one just needs a red bow. There will also be a green one with a white bow and maybe a white one with a green bow. I must admit, meow, they are kind of pretty. The inspiration for them came from the magazine, Crochet Today! There was also a black one with a nice white bow, which I really liked. I guess that is because I like white! Maybe I can convince her to make one of those for me! Meow!

Only 42 days to go until the Ho, Ho, Ho season, but I certainly am not the one doing the counting! Oh, and by the way, speaking of counting, this is the 100th post on this blog. So leave my owner a comment and your name will go into a draw. My owner wants to see more comments - go figure! The winner will receive a nice prize, like a catnip mouse or something! I will personally pick the winner, so, Happy Commenting! Meow! Love, Mimi

Mimi and Oscar are Friends!

Mimi - NO way! Can't you see that glare in my eyes? I may have to call him my 'brother', but I don't want to be friends with this big ball of fur! I was here first!

Completed Socks!

Sitting, as I have been, in my recliner for the past five days, has given me lots of time to knit! I finished this pair of socks using some discontinued Bernat Sox yarn. At least I think it is discontinued! Too bad, because I really enjoyed working with it! It's a very thin fingering yarn - 60% acrylic and 40% nylon. I bought it on sale last year. This pair of socks cost me less than $4 to make! The colour is called 'hot tamale'. The pattern I used was 'lace panel socks' from the Patons book, "Pull Up Your Socks". These will keep my feet warm this winter! I have two more balls of this same yarn in a darker, purple colour, so I may just have to make another pair!

Sometimes Things Don't Turn Out the Way You Want

I know Halloween is over, but I am sort of stuck in a time warp! I realize that I last told you that I was getting ready to fly around on my broom, scaring kids and painting Mimi black and eating chocolates, carving pumpkins and decorating the front porch and just making a complete and utter fool out of myself on Halloween! But, sadly to say, all of that never happened - except for the part about making a fool of myself. That I did! Big time! And after that, time stood still - for 5 days now! There are still uncut pumpkins sitting on my kitchen table! Unstuffed, old clothing and a smiling scarecrow's head lying on the floor. Lots of Halloween stuff that didn't get put out for anyone to enjoy! Only the bowl of candy is almost empty. I feel as if Halloween has not happened yet! It's like I'm still waiting for it! I was not able to take part in much of what went on this All Hallow's Eve! I could not do much more than sit in my recliner, with a bag of frozen peas on my feet! But now it is time to put everything away for another year and hope that next year will be better than this one was. It is time to get on with my life!

I think I am on the mend. At least I hope I am! Perhaps I should back up a bit and tell you what happened on that fateful day last week - Halloween day.

I fell that day - not once, not twice, but three times. The first fall was not too bad and I was able to get up and walk away. The second fall was a terrifyingly humiliating experience! I was going through the doors at the Y, into the parking garage. The door closed on me and knocked me off my feet. I leaned back against the door as I fell, but it opens inwards and I just slid to the ground, cane, heavy bag containing wet towel, wet bathing suit, wet pool shoes and all. The humiliating part was that I couldn't get up again! There was nothing to hold onto or pull myself up on. Luckily for me one of the aquafit instructors was just leaving and was able to help me back up onto my feet. She was terrific! Such strength! I didn't think anyone would be able to just pick me up and set me on my feet! I guess that's what working out at the Y can do for you! Incredible, isn't it? But before she was able to come to help me up, a dozen people converged on me and offered their help. I even heard a voice over the PA system calling for all employees to go to the parking garage to help out! How utterly humiliating! I wished I could just disappear! I don't know my rescuer's name, so I can't thank her personally in this post, but when I find out, I will let you all know who my hero is! She walked me to my car after she got me onto my feet. I was soon on my way home. There was not much time left before the ghosts and witches were coming out. And I still had lots of decorating to do. I was in a hurry! Too much in a hurry it seems!!!!

I still wanted to make a couple of scarecrows out of old clothing and newspaper before the evening started - a couple of scarecrows to sit on my porch and maybe scare the little trick or treaters! I was looking for a straw hat, which I knew I once had, but couldn't find. As I went down the front stairs to look in the hall closet, I lost my balance and fell for a third time. This time I knew it was serious! I heard my ankle 'tear' or something like that. Maybe it was more like a 'pop'. I felt a sick feeling in my stomach. My toes sort of curled up and I could not put any weight on my feet. The pain was excruciating! I managed to crawl and slither my way up the stairs. Luckily for me there were only four steps! I crawled to the nearest couch in the living room and tried to pull myself up, but I couldn't. My feet hurt too much and my ankle felt as if it was broken! So I spent half an hour on the floor, waiting for my husband to come home and help me. After he got me to my feet, I still was not able to do much! No more decorating! No more pumpkin carving. Those thngs were out of the question! Dinner was a half cooked 'Transylvanian Ghoul-ash'. We ate it 'as-is' and miraculously, it was quite tasty! But my feet were a mess and I could not walk. My husband put the uncarved pumpkins on the front porch and turned on the light. The little ghosts and goblins came by the dozens - about 180 of them before the night was over - more than we have ever had at our house before! He handed out chocolate bars, while I sat with a bag of frozen peas on my feet and felt sorry for myself! I ate painkillers by the handful all night long and when I got up in the morning, my feet, toes and ankles were black and blue. Every bone and muscle in my body ached! I have been confined to my favourite reclining chair since then! Stairs give me anxiety attacks! I don't even want to walk past them, never mind use them!

So, I did not get any Halloween decorating done! I did not even start my broom! My DH handed out the candy to the kids who came to the door. I didn't even hollow out a pumpkin and carve a face in it! But I did have this lovely wooden scarecrow, which I painted several years ago. It served its purpose nicely. Isn't he cute? Mr. Scarecrow saved the day! He was put by the front entrance too! Not to scare anyone, but to welcome them to our house!! I have never posted a photo of him before, so I am glad to be able to do so now! He was the best thing that happened to Halloween! I love this guy and put him out on the porch every year! Oscar likes him too. Especially the raffia that hangs down. He likes to play in it - or just sit under it. Mimi likes it too! She was very happy that she didn't have to dress up as a black cat and ride on the back of my broom! So now that Halloween is over, I am going to put this guy back into a cupboard until next year. Then I will clean up and put away the other Halloween things. Halloween is 360 days away and I don't need these reminders! Next week, when I am feeling better, I will cut the pumpkins and get them ready for some serious baking! I think I will make a pie, some cookies and muffins. I also want to make some delicious pumpkin soup. But until then, I just want to get out of this time warp! Halloween is over - thank goodness! And I survived it, even if just barely.