Last night I

Linked up with Today's Creative Blog to show what I have been working on lately. I was a bit late getting my post up though and I hope I have not missed to many of you who may have come to see. Much of what I am showing here is what I have been working on in the past couple of weeks. A couple of things went to my grandchildren, but the rest to my Charity knitting. Enjoy.My Grandsons Ben ( #5113) and Cooper (#5216) who live in Dillingham Alaska wearing the hats I made them. They are 100% wool and my daughter reports they stay very warm in them.
Matching mittens for Ben, going in the mail today. Cooper already has his.
Just some cute little green acrylic socks. I will sell these as well as the rest of what I am showing you and donate the proceeds to my Charity which is to help build a church for my friends in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
This is an adult sized hat made from Plymouth Yarns Boku and Cascade wool. It works up like Noro.

A Noro, Cascade wool hat.
This hat is from Cascade wool and silk.
Just a cute little hat from my stash. This is a very fast knit. Took about two hours at the most to complete.
Acrylic Penguin hat. Still needs a pom pom on the top. I do not usually add them, but I think this one needs it, as well as eyes on the penguins. (Sold the Penguins today, December 30th. $25.00)
This is the Plymouth Yarn Boku again. It is 95% wool and 5% silk.
Cascade wool and silk. The silk in this hat and the blue one is from the same skein. It comes from Nepal. A woman there figured out how to take scraps of silk from a dress factory and spin it together to make yarn. She now receives proceeds from its sale.

This is an acrylic baby hat and mittens.

My thanks goes to my little model, Olivia. She is always so willing to help me.

On Saturday Evening

Stan and I went to dinner at our friend Sue's house. Sue is the blogger Homestay Mama. Her blog is called Home to the World. She has hosted dozens of international students in her home over the years. Even giving our son in law Sebastian a place to rest his head before he was a part of our family.Our friends Mansur and Nahid were there also with their family. Pictured above is Sue, Mansur's mother Marji and their daughter Rebecca. They are from Persia. His mother just arrived two weeks ago for an extended stay (visit). Can you imagine being a Persian and trying to get a visa to visit? Luckily she had obtained a green card on an earlier trip here so she is able to come and go at will.
In this picture are Nahid and Sue. Sue was taking a picture of our delicious meal. We had salmon, coleslaw, green beans and endamine salad. Nahid prepared a delicious Persian dish of rice (in the picture) and a stew type mixture you put over it. It was beef with many greens and an herb that is not easily available here in the US. I love trying ethnic foods and truly enjoyed the dish Nahid prepared. We had a great dinner, becoming re acquainted with Mansur, Nahid and family. They have been gone for a couple of years. The family had converted to Christianity several years ago and Mansur is a Pastor. He is currently without a church because they have been living in New Jersey while Mansur continued with his education. I had a great time picking his brain on doctrinal issues. He is a very learned man and knows the Bible frontwards and backwards.

After dinner we played a great game of Mexican Train, which is a domino game. It is easy enough to learn that even Mansur's mother was able to join in. The kids were much fun also and kept us on our toes during the game.
As we were leaving, we decided we would like to make this a monthly get together. Time for fellowship, good food, Bible Study and some game time too.

In the picture above are Nahid, Marji, Rebecca and Sue. Sitting on the floor are Mansur holding Matthew, me and Stan.

Thanks Sue for a great evening of fun and fellowship, along with great food!!

The Perfect Gift

Was given to us 2000 years ago. Born in a Stable, we have to look no further for Peace on Earth or Good Will towards Man than the stable.

God's richest Blessings on all of my Blog Friends and Family.

There is absolutely nothing better

On a dreary, rainy day than a good fort to while away the hours.
Darius #1419 and Olivia #3317

There are times when

Gramma and Papa could use a King sized bed.

He (Darius #1419) often comes before we are ready to get up.

It is a sad day

On Friday night a young man in our town was jumped, beaten and strangled. He has been on life support all week, the family finally coming to terms with the fact that he is brain dead, made the decision to take him off tonight.

Our town, as I have mentioned earlier, is a very small town, just recently experiencing growing pains. If you have lived here for any length of time, you know most of the people here. This person went to school with my children and we have maintained a relationship with most of the children in the family. We are all devastated that this has happened to him and that something like this has happened in our pristine little town.

The rest of the story is that I have a niece who is dying of Kidney disease. The family contacted us to see if it could be arranged for her to receive his kidneys if they are a match. After multitudes of phone calls between here and Oregon where my niece lives, we just found out that the hospital the young man is in has already arranged for a recipient here. My heart is breaking because my nieces chance is gone at this time, and because this family is losing their son, brother tonight. I am rejoicing because he will go on living in others who need him so desperately in order to continue to live. It is so hard to know one person has to die so another can live. (Just thought of Jesus as I wrote this. He did die so we can have eternal life.)

Prayers tonight for the family especially. For whomever will receive his organs, and for a donor for my niece in time to save her life.

P.S. I cannot donate because of having had hepatitis as a child.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

My dear sweet mama.

Please Please Please

Go read my post at Gramma's Right Again!!!!!!!!

I have this really good friend

Who can read me, even when I do not know what I need. Today, she sent me this.

Thanks Barb, I love you!

HANDY LITTLE CHART - GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER:

You say: 'It's impossible' God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired' God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me' God says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: 'I can't go on' God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out' God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it' God says: You can do all things ( Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able' God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it' God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself' God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I can't manage' God says: I will supply all your needs ( Philippians 4:19)

You say: 'I'm afraid' God says : I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried

and frustrated' God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I'm not smart enough' God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: 'I feel all alone' God says: I will never leave you or forsake you

(Hebrews 13:5)

Roz asked me

in a comment this week if we had solved our mold problem. Thought I would show you what we have been up to this week.

Downstairs bath getting new tile. We discovered the mold went under the wall into the laundry room so we will have to replace the floor in there also.

Bryan should be back this weekend to finish the tile job.

Dang, I loaded the bathroom sequence of pictures backwards, but I think everyone is smart enough to figure it out.

After the floor is finished, we

definitely will need to paint this room.

Also did some work in the kitchen.

The island Stan built a couple of years ago, just was not right so we decided to paint it.

Here it is all sanded down.

Getting ready to spray. I left at this time cause I did not want to inhale the fumes.

The first color we chose. It is a really nice red, but our granite is a green. It just did not compliment. I was sad because I really wanted some red in here.

The final color. Leather Brown by Glidden. It has a green cast to it so it compliments the granite much better than the red did.

We also decided to replace the builder grade molding with a larger paintable molding.

Today, we are looking at paint chips for the walls. Since our house is the open concept in the living room, dining room, kitchen, and stairway, it needs to be something that will flow smoothly from room to room.

We are also looking at paint colors for the rest of the cabinets. Everything is builder grade and we just do not want to put the extra dollars into the kitchen here. We are at the verge of upgrading beyond what our neighborhood will support value wise.

Changing out the molding is also going to run into changing out doors and window trims. Once you start something, it just leads to another project and it goes on and on. Does work to get ones mind off of the state of the country for a while though.

For some reason unknown to mankind, blogger is not letting me write between my pictures.

I think

I have blog clog. Just cannot come up with anything wise or witty to write about.

I am tired of all the same old dribble political wise. Nothing changes there. We are being governed by a bunch of Socialists and complaining for the next three years is not going to change that. I will remain vigilant, but sometimes I feel like I am preaching to the choir, so I am just going to quit for a while. Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe just an hour. But nothing more tonight.

Chelsea Hacked GRAMMA's Page only cause i knew she would approve

=)

Thanksgiving is

The turkey and all its trimmings

Getting to eat the drumstick

Pies and birthday cake

Aftermath of the dessert table

Siblings. One of my 9 remaining sibs. Kevin. There were 12 of us.

The "D" Cousins. Darius and Darian

Visiting with Great Grandma

Sisters

Around the table

Cousins having fun

Children and their spouses

Games together. Two games of Phase 10 going at once

Having one more holiday with your mother.

Thanks to all who have prayed for her all of this year.

The only thing missing from this wonderful day was Trish, Dave and the boys.

If I say to much,

They might cut my service, but I have a question.

Why the $#%^ when unemployment is at 15% in the United States, is Verizon paying someone in India, who I might add barely speaks English, to do the job someone here would be delighted to do?

Oh, silly me, it is the 2 rupes a day there as opposed to the $75.00 a day to pay someone here.

That being said, I have been on the phone since 8:30 this morning. It is now 11:30 and we still are not resolved. I finally asked to speak to someone in the United States. It is frustrating beyond being able to vocalize.

Better call them back now and see if I can get any satisfaction.

An Award

From my friend Lindsey @ Meet the Falkers. Usually I forget to pick them up and post them. I am always delighted to see that someone is reading me.

I think I am suppose to pass this on to some of my favorites now, but that is so hard because I have so many favorites. Usually, I play it safe and pass my awards on to my children because I love them so much and they are great bloggers. If you care to check them out and you have not, go to :

CanDarBry Gardens for crafty inspiration from my daughter Karyn

What's Next to visit with my ever so talented daughter Kris

It's my Crazy Life and I Love it, for a few chuckles with my daughter Tricia

A Handful of Life for the crazy goings on in the life of my daughter Gina

And The Only Son to meet my favorite son Bryan

I have one more daughter Angie, but she tells me she is to busy to blog. Silly her:)

Since they all know how much I love them and that I read them the moment they post, I will pass the award on to some of my other favorites.

Henya @ Chicken Stitches. Henya is a Russian immigrant. Once in a while she regales us with stories of the country of her birth. Personally, I think she should be writing a book, but right now she is busy raising six children and knitting up a storm. That is how I found her, by looking for other knitting blogs. Not only does she knit, she and I share very similar political beliefs. Big shock huh?

Namaste @ My Voice on the Wings of Change. Whom I linked up with by searching out other Women Conservative Bloggers. She writes what I think, but she knows how to put it into words.

Owais Zargar A young man living in India. He is a photo journalist and will take you on a tour of his country like none you have ever experienced in your life. He shows the pretty as well as the ugly in the part of the world he lives in. Sometimes I marvel that he is able to post some of the pictures he does.

This is just a sampling of my favorites. If you want to get to know most of the others, just scroll down my blog roll on my side bar. Everyone is not listed there because there is not room.

So once again Lindsey, thank you for thinking of me while you were handing out awards. It is always nice to be remembered.

Why is it that Papa gets nervous when we use this

To do this,

And all he uses it for is this

And it is a great place for this?

Maybe, just maybe

we have discovered why I have been so sick since July.

Yesterday when I used a little used bathroom in the downstairs I noticed what looks like mold under the flooring. I actually knew something was there, but it is growing and spreading across the floor. It is between the flooring and the cement, but it is discoloring the flooring. Lights snapped on in my brain and a connection was made.

Stan and I both remembered a time the toilet overflowed down there. Water must have seeped in between the floor and the cement at that time. It also flowed into the family room. Now we thought we had cleaned it up well enough, but perhaps we didn't. I spend many hours each week down there. It is where the tv is and I do much of my knitting down there.

Time to tear up the flooring and perhaps the carpet. We had purchased tile for the bathroom earlier this year, just had not taken the time to install it. The plan has been to tile the bathroom, entry into the house, hallway to the family room and the laundry room. Now it looks like carpet may be on the agenda also. Not that I wouldn't mind new carpet. Stan chose the carpet we have down there without consulting me. But the $$$ that I see in this project (carpet) that we had not planned on spending.

Oh to feel normal again.

I have been knitting.

For the past few days. Getting some hats ready to put into my friends Christmas store. If I sell any, the proceeds will go to my Refugee project. Most are running in the $20.00 range since the yarn costs an average of $10.00 per skein. With the exception of the bottom blue one. That yarn was a bit more costly, thus a little higher price tag for it. All are 100% wool. I plan to make some mittens also. Will probably start them next week. I do have a few other hats made, but my model has not been available for a photo shoot.

If anyone is interested in making a purchase, contact me. I will be happy to work out the arrangements. If you want something different than what I am showing, I will be happy to work that out also.