Boys - Toys - Hobbies

November 29th - Monday - First Day of Deer Season - Coldest day of the month thus far.

We were up bright and early this morning, so the hunter in the family could be in the woods by day break. It didn't matter that he had spent the majority of the night coughing with little sleep and awoke coughing this AM, nope! I fixed him a hot breakfast, gave him cookies to add to his lunch that Preston was packing for him and thrust the Nitro spray into his hand with a warning to use it if he needed it and to remember he was putting extra stress on his body by going when he didn't feel well. I know ladies, you know what I am talking about, something odd happens to these men in Northern PA the Monday after Thanksgiving. I fashion it to what happens to teen-agers.....

The hat that is in the picture is one that I worked on while riding in the RV last winter. I had just finished a scarf and wanted the hat to go with it. I used double strand virgin - washable wool. This is the first hat I have knit in the round, but Susie assured me, it was a piece of cake and indeed it was until I got to the flowers. I couldn't keep the stitches on the needles while traveling, so put it away to try at a later date after we returned home. Maegan told me that Abby had learned to crochet and was getting very good at it and had made flowers for all of their family members, so I remembered my unfinished hat, so I attempted the flowers again, knowing if I couldn't work the pattern, little Abby would be glad to do them for me, well, I did figure it out and the hat is complete.

I now have a huge felted purse that I need to knit a handle for and felt that down and it will be another project complete. I need to come up with a project to do this year as we are riding along. I like to knit that way I can still help Lou watch the road and communicate with him, where some of the ladies read, I always felt that was rude, what company are you to your partner, if you are engrossed in your reading.

We spent the majority of the afternoon and evening at Lou's house on Saturday with two of his children and their spouses and two grandsons. The one son-in-law has always supplied Lou with a Hess truck each year, all of which he still has in the original boxes. This year not being an exception, he arrived with said truck and it was received with much delight. Once the batteries we added we all had to admit it was another show piece. Lou and I had seen the replica in the Macy's Parade, so knew what it was going to look like. Having his hands on it made it very special and was placed on the mantel in the family room.

Yesterday Lou and I attended church and had a special treat by having our pastor sing one of Ray Bolt's songs. He sang Feel the Nails with as much gusto as Ray himself puts into it. Lou and I had just watched the DVD of Ray's called The Concert of a Lifetime, one which I had the honor of attending. This type of music is new to Lou, but he is finding that he does enjoy some of it.

After church we hurried home to remove casseroles from the oven to take to his house, as his family was all meeting for a late Thanksgiving. Michelle came down to tell both of us goodbye as she set off on her journey back to college in Elizabethtown.

Lou also has a granddaughter by the same name that will be graduating from college with honors in mid December and we are making plans to attend that special occasion.

After a meal of all the traditional foods and some additional dishes, the dirty dishes and such were carried back to the kitchen, a variety of desserts were offered with more hot coffee and soon it was time for everyone to depart to their various homes. Lou was desperately looking for his hunting clothes, of which he could not find, so I told him I would go home and see if they were stored with Scott's clothes here and sure enough, all washed, everything together and sealed in plastic. He drove over to one of his buddies to plan strategics for todays first hunt. I thought this was a good time to clean my oven, so I spent the evening finishing that chore. I did have time to watch part of the new Hallmark movie with Sam Elliott, while I finished up knitting my mittens. Great movie.

Today I am doing the bedding and hanging it all outside again and plan on doing the rest of my shopping and will have dinner prepared for Lou and Preston when the hunters return.