Blog Fading?

Nope, not me! I know I haven't met the goal of posting everyday, or at least several times a week. But I haven't faded. I'm still here in all my colorful glory! Granted, there's less of me now. I'm still working the diet, and am down 81 pounds. Go me!

This past weekend, I was in Scottsbluff, NE for the Scotts Bluff Valley Fiber Arts Fair. I had a blast! Of course I didn't take pictures. That would be evidence. LOL  Seriously though, the amount of fiber and yarn I came home with is evidence enough. My friend Kat came home from knit night on Wednesday with me and we set out early Thursday morning.

We got to Scottsbluff and then to Mitchell, NE with an extra hour to shop at the Brown Sheep Woolen Mill because of the time change. Western Nebraska is in Mountain time. So that was awesome. The mill has a "seconds" shop. Some of the yarn that's in there is seconds because maybe there was something wrong with the label. Maybe it has some knots in the yarn. Maybe the color wasn't quite right. Whatever the case, the handpainted yarns are $26 a pound and everything else is $13 a pound. They have mill end rovings and "spinning bells" or "dryer lint" that is mostly superwash. But there is some 100% wool and some that has mohair in it. That is all $5.75 a pound. 

Let's just say that I have enough to keep me busy through the winter! LOL I did buy some yarn to make my hot water bottle a Perry the Platypus costume! And, I bought some burly spun (which is thicker than a bulky weight) in Black and Elderberry Wine, which is a varigated purple.   Hmmm. Me? Buy Purple? Who would've thought?! LOL

Then on Friday, it was time for the classes. I took a class called "Warp, Weave, Wrap It Up!"  It was taught by Liz Gipson, and was very informative. We did a space woven scarf. When we warped the looms, we left big gaps so that there were 8 lengths of yarn, then a space (that would accomodate 8 lengths of yarn) and then more yarn. So, there were 4 groups of yarn with 3 spaces. Then when we wove it, we would leave spaces in the weft.

Saturday was the Fiber Arts Fair itself. There were a bunch of vendors there selling all kinds of fibery goodness. There were llamas and alpacas and cashmere goats. There was someone selling goats milk soap, which, if you haven't tried it... do, it is phenomenal!!!  There were people there demonstrating different fiber crafts. There was a guy demonstrating tatting which is one way to make lace. There were "learn to knit" and "learn to crochet" tables, and a "learn to weave" table. Someone was demonstrating how to use a kniting spool, and I sat there for about however long it took to make myself a belt! I had gone to the Target earlier in the morning and looked at belts, but couldn't make myself pay $26! I figured someone was bound to have some yarn somewhere in the building where I was going to spend the day. LOL

Sunday, we slept in a bit and then got on the road headed home. It was sooooo good to sleep in my own bed with my own pillows last night.

When I take a picture of the stash enhancement that took place, I will post it. Until then, you will just have to imagine.... 10 skeins of burly spun black, 8 of the purple, 2 cones of lace and 4 bags that have rovings and spinning bells...

family

So, so sorry that there has been this huge gap in the posts. Life has kinda gotten in the way of blogging, but has given me some great fodder. Blog fodder.


I have recently undergone a name change. While I am still Gina, and Honey and Darling and whatever else Duane calls me, I am now also known as Grams.

Yep. There has been a little one added to our family. D3, "The Boy," has a daughter. While this little one has been added to our family in a non-traditional way, and doesn't bear the Swigert name yet (that is in the works... he needs to be added as the father on the birth certificate,) she is now a part of the fabric of our lives.

We found out about her when she was 5 months old. So, as you can see, I am seriously behind in my knitting for her!!! But, I have started to make up for it. I knit her this bunny from Debbie Bliss's "Knit Toys."

I finished it at knitting last week, and she got it when she was with us last weekend...

At first, she was not too sure of it, but then we had her down on the floor for floor and tummy time. She really liked it!


She is a really sweet baby. Let me show you a couple of other shots of her...

This was her first day with us. Chance doesn't quite know what to think... here, he's trying to get my attention and Miss A can't take her eyes off him.

Here she is with Daddy and Grandpapa....


Well, that is that update... let's get the update on the diet. 58.6 pounds!!! I did take a break for my birthday so that we could go out to dinner. Mmm, Red Lobster. I did have a bit of a set-back because of it, but man, it was so worth it!  I know some people believe that saying, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." Really? Then you're not eating the right things! LOL

Speaking of eating something really yummy. Blue Bunny's Red Velvet Cake Icecream! OMG!!! So freaking delicious. Duane said that it's the best ice cream he's eaten. Ever! I'd have to agree.

That's this episode in the tin! Until next time...

Les AndelysChateau Gaillard

We took a day and went to Les Andelys. It consists of two towns... Grand Andely and le Petit Andely. We really wanted to see Chateau Gaillard. Looking at the map, it seemed straight forward, and easy to get to. Yeah, not so much. We found the street, but it had a "no entrance" sign posted on it. So, we followed the signs through town and out and around and finally got there. It's on a VERY narrow one-way road. Apparently tour busses travel this road!.

The ridge about 1/2 way up the photo is part of the walking path up to the castle. It was very steep.

Duane and I in the same window... It was an almost sheer drop to the valley below. One of the reasons for the bar across the back of the opening. The another reason is, possibly, to keep the wall together!

Another shot of part of the castle.

This is a shot of Duane at the gate to the main castle. It would usually be open this time of year, but there was a notice saying that it was opening late due to ..... (I forget their excuse. Construction, maybe)

A look back at the part of the castle where we took our pictures sitting in the window.

The castle's well.

Duane in front of the well.

Me, by the well.

Checking out what's down there!

We were up there for a good hour or so. It was cold and misting and breezy. If not for the company and the view, it would've been miserable.

It was much easier walking down to the car than it was going up. By the time we got done, it was time to do some exploring in town...

We went into Saint Sauver's and looked around. I will post pics from the church separately so that I don't overload this one. LOL

After that, we tried to get some lunch. We went to a place that seemed to be really popular and sat down. They brought some water and bread. While we were waiting for a menu, we saw the size of the plates they were bringing the people around us. It was a set menu (with choices) that included an appetizer buffet, entree plate (with meat and pasta and veggie), fruit and cheese and a dessert. It was a CRAZY amount of food. I'm sure before we started our diets at the beginning of the year, we could've eaten most of what was served. But now? Yeah, not so much. So, we begged off and just had a coffee. Then we drove clear across town (less than 2 minutes' drive) to a patisserie/boulangerie. A pastry shop/bakery. We got something called a fougasse. We got one with brocolli and artichokes. It also had an alfredo-like sauce and cheese. So, think thick, rustic-type pizza/focaccia bread without the tomato sauce. It was soooo good!

Until next time...

Retreat, refresh, regroup...

I just (a couple of hours ago) got back from a weekend fiber retreat. It was really nice, but I'm glad to be home and done with the retreat until next year.

This year, like last, it was held at Duane's work. There is a huge kitchen in the chowhall, a decent sized dining area, a very, very large dayroom with an enormous TV. There was plenty of room for us to drag mattresses down from some of the old dormrooms, lay them out around the room and still have space for 7 or 8 spinning wheels!

The retreat-ers were told they could start showing up after 4. I was there a bit earlier, 2:30, and got some things set up and arranged. Then I waited and waited, and at about 5:30 I made Duane leave and said that I'd be okay by myself until the first person showed up.

So, supper was supposed to be at about 7, and didn't happen until after 8. No biggie.  It was a Swiss Cheese and mushroom quiche. After the dishes were done and breakfast was prepped, we went into the dayroom and started spinning and watched a couple of movies. The last one we watched before we went to sleep was "Joe vs The Volcano" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The only thing I can say about that movie is... I want his luggage! Some of us didn't go to sleep until after 1.

Saturday morning, after breakfast, (oven baked apple french toast), we watched Judith McKensie McCuin's "Popular Wheel Mechanics." Great teaching tool! Then it was lunch. The video is only two hours, but with stops for questions and rewinds to get them answered... It was closer to 2:00 when lunch was over. Lunch was tacos. There was a choice of beef or shrimp, and there was enough for several tacos apiece.

The afternoon session brought the choice of chart reading or Judith Mc Mac's "The Gentle Art of Plying." I chose that one as I'm trying to get through a couple of bobbins of red angora from Flipper. The teacher for the chart class was also going to teach a beading class after supper, but some got a head start.

After supper, Chicken fettucine and garlic bread, and the beading class, we went back into the dayroom and spun and watched some TV and generally chatted and enjoyed each other's company. I don't know what time everyone else went to bed, but I told them where the light switch was located and they are bright women who figured out how to turn the TV and sound system off and went to sleep.

Sunday morning brought another breakfast, waffles with a sweetened cream cheese spread/drizzle and strawberries topped with whipped cream. (I had a spinach omelet)

It also brought clean-up. And carrying the mattresses back upstairs to the dorms. And vacuuming. But, it also brought watching "Popular Wheel Mechanics" again for those who didn't get to see it the day before. While they were doing that and spinning, I was making my bracelet!

It's made with black and "carnival" beads. I thought about making it with black and purple beads, but I thought these others would go with more things. They kind of change colors depending on how the light hits them.

Then, because we had been there long enough, it was time for lunch again... It was leftovers and there was plenty to eat for those who were still there.

I will admit that being on a strict diet this weekend sucked! I was so tempted by everything they had to eat... The only time, really that I didn't stick around was Saturday night when they were eating the pasta. It smelled so good and really took the shine off of my chicken with lettuce and tomato salad. There was a popcorn/peanut/m&m mix, chocolate cookies, snickerdoodles, and peeps, and, and, and....  My friend Connie is the best! She kept saying things like, "The cookies are stale," and "The chocolate has bugs," and "the strawberries taste kinda musty."  "You wouldn't like it... it's really not that good," was said a lot, too. This coming from a woman who was breaking her diet for the weekend, working so hard to keep me from breaking mine!

On that note... let me bring you up to speed on this round... I'm down 42.6 pounds total from when I started this whole thing in January!!!

Oh, and for those who were wondering how we fared in France, I can say that I only gained about 4 pounds in that two weeks and most of it came off within two days of being home and drinking the proper amount of water daily. (I didn't drink all of my water everyday, because bathrooms were few and far between.) I will say this, though... in most of the restaurants, if you're a patron, the bathroom is free. So, I would make sure to order something before asking about the bathroom!

Okay, that's enough about my weekend. Sorry there were no pictures, but what happens at The Site, stays at The Site!

I will be posting more pictures from my trip soon!

Until then...

Who knew wrought iron was soooo beautiful?

So this is going to be a picture heavy post! Deal!! LOL

On one of our trips to Rouen, we went to the wrought iron museum. It holds pieces from the 3rd through 19th centuries, which means from the year 200 through 1899. It boggles the mind. The phrase, "They don't make 'em like that anymore" kept running through my mind. And you'll see why!



A gorgeous lock and its key...





I can't believe how intricate the keys were!



Church Keys.... but these won't open any bottles!

I thought these keys were especially intricate.

I wonder if I could get onto the airplane with either of these? Somehow, I'm thinking I could... but definitely NO KNITTING!!!

Why doesn't Schlaag or Kwikset make deadbolts like these?

This is an offering box from the St. Claude Abbey.

I want door handles like this in MY house!!!

A sign that hung outside a locksmith's place of business.

My idea of a bed!! I Told Duane I want one just like it. He laughed at me.

3 keys together for person who is always losing their keys

No way you could press these keys in some supertack and copy them!

When two keys are just too jangly! Have the locksmith combine them with a filigree slidy thing that acts as the leverage thing... (where is the diagram that shows the names of the parts of a key?! I don't remember ever learning them, but obviously, there should be one!!!)

I thought this was really pretty. LOVE the dogs! What are those, greyhounds?

The best translation for "cabinet au chiffre" I can come up with is upright cabinet, which would be an armoire or closet. That Marie-Antoinnette.... always stingy with her stuff. Locks up her clothes and won't share her meat... No wonder she lost her head!

This is an embroidery scissor collection to kill for!!! Man, some of these were SOOOOO tiny. There are even some that are still made today, check out the stork scissors!

These are either castles or cathedrals... Which ever, they are amazing!

For the tatter in your life... a shuttle!!!  It looks big here, but was probably no bigger than "modern day" tatting shuttles.

Duane sitting in a chair he probably shouldn't be. But, I checked and that's not what the sign says, so... Oh, and check out the soup ladles over his shoulder! Those would definitely get to the bottom of the pot.

 LOVE these knives! Do Swiss Army knives have anything on these? I don't think so. Gerber and Leatherman can't even touch the one above!

No trip to the barber would be complete without getting your hair "waved" or "crimped." A friend of mine's mother was a hairdresser back in the day and used something like these. Apparently, where ever she lived, they were behind the times and didn't have electricity yet. Crazy.

Man, I could've used these last night when we went to see "Lord of the Dance"!!!! Much more classy than modern binoculars.

One last shot of a GORGEOUS key!!!

I must tell you that I could've spent a lot more time in this museum, and didn't take half of the pictures I wanted to, as my phone was dying. Yes, all of these shots were taken with a phone's camera!!!!

So, what do you think? Do "locksmiths" have it easy in this day and age?

Sorry Senneville... it was really Bonnemare!

Okay, so I saw so many manor houses and chateaux (that's how they pluralize it there) and castles, I got confused!

So, this was really Chateau de Bonnemare. I was right in that it is now a hotel! The web address, in English, is www.bonnemare.com/EN_index.html and will tell some of the history and show how a couple of the rooms are appointed.

Thank you for you understanding of  how this overloaded brain works/breaks down. LOL

Have a great day! Oh, and Thanks, Juli, for making me look at the map again and realize my faux pas.

Rouen

This is an abby (former) that wasn't open on the day we drove by.

This is what's left of a "factory" where they wove fabric. There were 4 towers and only the two walls in this picture. There are no windows left and there are metal rods through the wall, holding it together. There is a stream that splits around it.

This is the outside of Manoir Senneville, which is a 16th century manor house. It has been turned into a hotel. At least some of the rooms have. We couldn't get in because it wasn't open for the season yet. I am trying to remember what the website is, and when I do I will post the link.

the manor is well guarded!!! The "fine print" says- enter at your own risk and peril! YIKES!

This is one of the doors at the gatehouse. There are two and they were HUGE! The detail carved into them was amazing.

This was our car. It's a cute little Renault Clio. When I say little... the trunk could only fit my suitcase, and part of Duane's! We had to put down one of the backseats so that Duane's suitcase could be partially in the trunk. It was a manual transmission, as most of the cars there are.

This is a picture of the Manor house from the gatehouse. Since it wasn't the season, the inner gate was barred, but there was a car there, so someone was getting ready to open for guests.

So, that takes care of part of that day! More pics to come, so stay tuned.

Oh, and I promise, there will be knitting!