New Year's Sweater

    Ahhh, a new year. Kids are off to school, hubby off to work, I kind of have the day off since I don't have to be at the salon until later this afternoon, but until then I am thinking about all the things that I would like to do this year.  Of course the same as many people, I want to get in better shape, be a better parent, don't swear so much, fold the laundry as it gets done in the dryer, blah, blah, blah.  But the things that I feel like I have better control of are my knitting and sewing.   Like finally putting together the sweater that I made for myself that is sitting in 4 pieces in a basket in my room.  It is a beautiful orange/red staghorn cabled pattern. I will be honest, the getting fit goes along with this.  I started it about 2 years ago when I had lost a good amount of weight and in the last few months put some of the weight back on (not all, thank God, but some) so I fell like all my hard work may be in vain.  Knitting work that is.  And we all know what it's like to put on something that doesn't quite fit the way we want, depressing.  So I guess it's a mental block that is keeping me from blocking it. LOL.  If I lose some more weight then I will put it together, right????  UGH.  So I guess with that sentiment I leave you all to go get on the treadmill.  Maybe I will find some very mindless telly to watch.

New Year

          It has been proven that odd numbered years are better for us.  I know that sounds stupid but all the best things in our lives have happened in odd numbered years, married:1999, baby boy:2001, baby girl:2003.  There is more but no need to go on about that.  So I look forward to 2013.
           
          In the rest of the world there are a couple of things to look forward to this year.  A new season of Downton Abbey starts January 6th.  What's not to like about that???  Of course I can't forget to mention the impending arrival of the Royal Baby.  I am predicting that if a girl, they will name Elizabeth. 
           
         So to all of you, Happy New Year!!! My wish is for all of you to have a happy, healthy, and peaceful year.

Winter is here!

So it has happened.  The first real storm of the winter is upon us.  I don't really love the snow but I don't really hate it either.  As long as I don't have to be anywhere or it doesn't interfere with any plans, the snow and I get along quite well.  Today has been a VERY lazy day, a great deal of knitting and television watching and yes.... eating has taken place. 

The Brook

 

There were some visitors this morning, about 16 wild turkeys.  Once the dogs caught sight of them it was GAME ON!  Poor George just kept looking at us with a look that was just so sad, as if to say "please, please can I go see what they're doing."  Of course I'm sure all that would happen would be that we would end up with turkey for dinner.  And I'm pretty sure that's not quite a legal way to get it. Needless to say the bird dogs were very sad and excited for several minutes.

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat.....

All 3 geese are getting fat to be more precise! Lexie, Hector, and even Molly, our transgendered goose.  That's what I said, transgendered.  When she hatched we were sure she was a girl but as she got older the grey on her back stopped coming in and she is pretty much white.  Hector, our male Pilgrim goose is the typical all white, and let's just say HUGE.  Lexie, I got her from a friend/neighbor that hatched her, she is the grey Pilgrim, beautiful bird.  The problem is that Molly does seem to be a bit smaller like Lexie but mostly white like Hector, and has yet (in the almost 2 years here) to lay an egg.  So since she knows her name we call "her" Molly and continue to refer to her as a "HER."

Anyway, knitting projects seem to be finished for the holidays and I have now started to do a few things for myself.  I am sure none of which will get done in a timely manner.  I finished a sweater for myself in September and have yet to block it.  UGH! 

Shopping is done and the baking should be started soon but that little thing called work is in the way. Family is starting to arrive.  My new niece, Kimberly, arrived in town last night, she brought her parents with her too.  She was born in September in Alaska so we have yet to meet her which to me means I have yet to get my hands on her!!! My brother should arrive Friday and then the fun shall begin.  My father's birthday Saturday, my nephew Parker and niece Kimberly will be baptized Sunday with myself as the Godmother to handsome Mr. Parker. Monday bringing Christmas Eve and my family Christmas, and of course the day itself Tuesday.  So the next week shall be a little busy, but really it would seem odd if  wasn't.

I would just like to mention that our hearts and prayers are with all that have been affected by the horrible events of Friday the 14th in CT.  God Bless.

Looking for Bullwinkle

I know I have been gone from the blog world for a while but here I am.  One of the things that happened this summer was my son got a moose permit.  Now this might not sound like a big deal or very exciting but for sportsmen all over the US it is a VERY BIG deal.  In order to get a Maine Moose permit you must apply (and pay) to be in a lottery style drawing to get the permit.  Then if choosen you have to pay for the permit and your regular hunting license and take a week off of work in the fall to hunt these creatures and there is no garuntee that you will get one.
The state gave out 3,725 permits this year, some for bull (boys with antlers) and some for cows (girls). The state is broken up into zones and you are assigned to a specific zone to hunt in.  People from all over the United States apply to get these permits and many Mainers apply their whole lives and never get one.  With this being said, I, yes me the Duchess of Fabulous Fowl, has gotten not 1 but 2 permits.  My husband on the other hand, never a one.  Come to think of it no one in his entire family has ever gotten one.   I had no interest in ever doing it again but this year I applied once again because my son is now legal hunting age.  (There are 2 people on each permit and if I had got one he would be able to shoot it if I let him.)  So on a rainy Saturday night in June thousands of people waited by their computers to see if they were one of the lucky 3,725.  Low and behold there was my little boy's name.  He had a bull permit for the zone that we have a hunting camp in, thank goodness. 
So begins the months of prep, new gun, new boots, another freezer, the list goes on and on.  Those who say that it's great because of all the meat you get and it costs almost nothing, is DEAD wrong.  I can buy a lot of meat for what it costs to hunt moose.  (You do get a huge amount of meat and it is soooooo good.) I make it sound bad but really it is a very exciting thing.
 This moose season started Monday morning at 6:12 am.  It ends Saturday night at around 6:25pm.  The first day of the hunt was unsucessful for us but there are 5 more to bag the big one. 

Big George and the Boys



boy 1

boy 1

Daddy George

boy 2

boy 2

DID YOU KNOW??????

So here is a little of the useless knowledge that rolls around in my brain.....About 20% of Sweden's police stations are closed in the summer because most people are on vacation.