Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

Crazy Socks … Northward Ho!

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

An uneventful trip north this year. Orlando to Atlanta to Cincinnati to Belgrade!

Day 1- Atlanta and a brief overnight visit with the best “Roomie” in the world, my friend Carrie. She’s about the only brave soul who would have us visit with our four-legged brood. And especially with the crazy old Cushingoid cocker who is like having seventeen puppies all rolled into one – we’re never sure if he’s housebroken or if he’ll eat the paintings off the wall.

Day 2 – Cincinnati and a 21^st Birthday dinner with my son, my ex-husband and his boyfriend. Long story short, my ex had picked the dinner spot and it was obscenely expensive and not the most wonderful food ever. Over $500 for five and we only had a glass of wine and my ex’s boyfriend doesn’t drink. The plus side was, however, that I got to spend a few hours with my son. He is a very special kid and I was so happy to see him.

Day 3 – Rochester, NY which is on the way to Maine and there’s nothing special there. It was so windy, however, that the Hobie Cat was blowing away (and the sail wasn’t even up!)

This is a photo from the back seat on day 4 on the way to Marblehead, MA and my youngest brother and his family. Too bad my little boy isn’t getting relaxed in the back seat! He does make us laugh with his antics. We love to visit my brother and his family. My three nephews are growing taller and handsomer every time we see them. Ninth grade, sixth grade and fifth grade this year and they’re all involved in various sports, etc. Ski and snowboarding season is now over so it’s time for track and baseball. Max (our Cocker) got bitten by Caspian (my brother’s German shepherd) who he fought for a ball but still a fun albeit brief visit.

One more photo from day 5 when we stopped at LL Bean this is what I found in the back seat. My little boy, again, this time he’s chosen to sit in my computer bag instead of the seat … go figure. We had to stop in Freeport to get a warm jacket (we also found a jacket for poor old Max who’s losing his hair and shivers or shakes all the time, a couple of gifts for later this summer, and I found a great corduroy shirt that I’ve coveted … and it was on sale! Woo HOO!) After a quick lunch, on to Belgrade and “opening camp”. It’s a lot of work but it seemed like more this year. By the time we got the first floor of the house all wiped down and disinfected and swept out (not too much mouse evidence this year and no skulls), the furniture unwrapped, sopped up the puddle on the bed from the leaking master bedroom roof, and then unpacked the car and put away the groceries, we were beat! Thank God for the good old electric blanket. We climbed into bed and slept like babies and I didn’t get up until nearly 8 am which is unusual because we have no window coverings on the windows and it gets light early here! I did hear the loons calling in the middle of the night but it’s such a sweet sound, I smiled and rolled over.

I had a lot of fun knitting a second pair of stash-busting crazy socks on the way up here. They’re really cute. The first pair went to my sister, Kathy, for her birthday. This pair will likely be a gift for some lucky soul, too. I think they’re fun and they certainly are colorful! The best news is that I still have a ton more bits and pieces of sock yarn to make a few more pairs.

Another 1976 miles of road trip adventure … (ha! That was the year Ned and I first started dating. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not! Life is good!

Three Hours and Counting …

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

T minus three hours and counting …

We’re getting ready for another trip and I’ll be happy when all the stuff is in the truck and off. Atlanta tonight and dinner with a great pal, my old college roomie who always has room for us – even with three dogs (and one who’s crazy! I know it’s not his fault, he’s really sick but it sure looks on the outside like he’s kooky!) Since we’re going north, I have to think about wearing warm clothes because it’s nowhere near as summery there as it is here. Hopefully it’s warm enough that we can turn on the water and not have the pipes freeze (and I don’t have to use the outhouse!)

Life’s sure an adventure! I’m really lucky to be able to travel and blog and knit for a living … let’s hope my new designs are a big success and I can keep this up (and add a little bit of income to the picture!)

Gone knitting!

All My Bags Are NOT Packed

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Peter, Paul and Mary had it all … and they must have had some help if they always had their bags packed. I am not ready and here I sit at my desk, blogging away!

This little Yankee can’t waste a couple of rotting bananas so I had to bake some gluten-free banana blueberry muffins this morning. Killed two birds with one stone because I also used up the fresh Florida blueberries from Costco! And then I decided that a batch of “Mom’s Best” Granola was in order for the boy who’s turning 21 on Wednesday. His big gift will arrive on it’s own. I feel so lucky that we’re able to travel and that I can spend a couple hours with my “baby” on his special day.

All these years later, I’ve got some serious regrets that I didn’t wait until he was out of high school before I left Cincinnati. It would have only been a year … of course at the time, my head was reeling, my heart was wounded (and I was sure it was beyond repair) and I had this wonderful man who wanted me with him … or at least in the same town. I also thought that his father would “step up” and take the parenting seriously (since he hadn’t done too much of it when I was there). Not so much. What nobody realized – not me, not his/our therapist – was how much he was drinking and what a mess he really was. He could barely care for himself after my departure and he certainly didn’t do a great job of taking care of my son. I would never have left if I’d realized how poorly cared for my son would be – and that he was going to have to depend on friends on a regular basis. Neither did I realize how hurt he’d be when I left. I knew him as an independent kid who was seldom home. I was alone all the time in that big old house. Housing choices were not plentiful and it was expensive. But, today, looking back with my 20/20 hindsight vision, it would have been a good choice to stay for my son’s sake.

Over the course of the past four years, he’s graduated from high school, successfully completed (nearly) three years of an extremely competitive and demanding college curriculum and learned to brew beer in his apartment, cook like a professional chef, and dress to the nines. I’m really proud of the young man that he’s becoming and I hope he’s proud of himself.

I’m trying to do whatever it takes to rebuild a relationship with my boy. I love him more than life itself and I wish I could go back and un-do what I did. Sadly, it’s done and now I can only try to show him how much he means to me … even if it means spending an extra day or two in the car on an already long trip so I can have dinner with him on his 21st birthday. Happy Birthday (almost) Boy!

Queen Bee Bling

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Is this the best gift a Queen Bee could ever get?!

I’m loving my new bling from my friend Mandy … she liked it so well, her boyfriend had to gently nudge her to give it to me! I’m so glad that he (and she) did!

Decorating for Easter & Munchkins in my Atelier

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

So, we had a party last night to celebrate the fabulous new kitchen that we’ve just finished. It was fun to cook in a functional kitchen … and one that is more than a “one butt” kitchen, where we could both be doing things at the same time. While N. was making chili at the stove, I was chopping veggies … I had forgotten how sore my legs get when I’m standing in place for a long time!

Two friends brought their children with them and while it’s really not a problem, there was some mess to clean up from because directions given weren’t followed and I wasn’t paying attention. “Soup” was being made in the water dish in my Atelier … with the “sea glass” in two of my three sea glass ornaments on my (now) Easter tree. When I suggested to the kids that they shouldn’t touch things that belong to other people, the 4-year-old reply was “but I know how”. Great. The puddle of water in the corner of the room, the bits of glass all over the floor, the spilled essential oils (which were on the top shelf and can only be reached by inquisitive children who are standing on my work table, etc. just remind me that I’m way too old to want to be a parent again. Thank God my little darlings are grown and know better than to pick up dogs that go running away from you when you approach. Lola and Boq were hiding in their crates in our bedroom by the time the doorbell rang for the last time – they’d surely had enough of a good thing.

I’m grateful, however, for the beautiful kitchen that Pat and Roger and the other talented craftsmen helped us to create and I’m grateful for the friends who gathered around us to celebrate friendship and an end of a home renovation “challenge”.

Della Q Contest …

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

I love the little contests that are on different blogs. The one that I just entered is on the Webs blog and also on the Della Q blog. The prize is a Della Q circular needle case. It’s lovely and would make a great birthday present for my lovely … WAIT! I’m not telling, because maybe she reads my blog.

Anyway… thanks Webs and Della Q … if you’re a knitter and haven’t “found” these sites, you’re missing some really good knitting stuff! I adore my Della Q circs case that my lovely sister, Kathy, gave me!

Since someone didn’t remember to give me the winning ticket for the Florida Powerball lottery last week when it was over $125 million, maybe I’ll get lucky and win the case!

I’m crossing my fingers … well, I may be crossing my toes because it’s mighty difficult to knit with crossed fingers!

Gone knitting! 🙂

Scrappy Socks … and Low Socks

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Finishing some projects and it feels oh, so very good!

I’ve been making a concerted effort to use my stashed yarn to clean out the closet and while I’ve been knitting away, the closet doesn’t seem to have a lot more space. Oh well, it will!

I’ve finished Cousin Lisa’s cowl and all it needs is some buttons and it can be wrapped and mailed. Now that it’s warm up north, she will be able to put it in moth balls and wait to wear it in the fall/winter! It turned out to be quite pretty.

I made a pair of socks … well, I started to make a pair of socks ages ago for my daughter’s friend Peter (who collects socks). Got all the way to the tip of the toe and realized that I wasn’t going to have enough yarn to finish two socks. Ok. What to do in this situation? I searched my LYS to see if I could match the yarn and do a toe in a complementary yarn. No such luck. SO, I just frogged them and put the yarn back in the stash and used another different yarn to complete the gift for Peter. Last week, I made a pair of “low” socks with the yarn and then started a pair of “Scrappy” socks to use up the many bits and pieces of sock yarn that I’ve collected (because I can’t throw it away!)

Anyway, I’m knitting … and that’s a good thing!

Dear Friends (better than Old Friends)

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

I had the privelege of spending the weekend with my dearest (and oldest) friends … well, they’re almost my oldest friends and they’re certainly a very special group. Seven of us met at Barrie’s home in Sarasota, FL. We’ve been friends since our freshman year at Wells College in Aurora, NY. We were all in the same dorm that year.

I’m not sure how we really became friends but we did. Some were roommates freshman year, some shared classes, but we all shared Wells. I lived down the hall from Carrie who roomed with Bobbie who’s now deceased (breast cancer) who was in Spanish with Nell, who was roommates with Jennifer … and on it goes. We’ve been friends for (how can it be?) 36 years! Thirty-six years! That’s more time than some of our friends got on earth. Some of us have children who are older than we were when we met. We’ve been through a lot together. I told you already that I didn’t end up graduating with my class. We’ve been through rehab, AA, Al Anon, divorce, cancer scares, cancer (breast, colon, thyroid, throat, significant others with cancer, deaths from cancer, alcoholism, sobriety, depression, unemployment, heartbreak, boyfriends, girlfriends, children being born, children with addiction, entitlement, marriage of children, separations and reconciliations.

These are remarkably strong women. Accomplished women . Wonderful daughters, friends, wives, mothers. Business owners, consultants, stay-at-home moms, marketing whizzes (is that how you’d spell it?) Beauties inside and out.

We used to get “plastered” and “plowed” and “smashed” together and ride on the “meat wagon” back to school from Ithaca. It’s so much simpler now. A glass (maybe two) of wine and a seat around the kitchen counter or dining room table and we’re all good. We laugh until we cry. We remember our lost sisters and mothers and fathers … some of us are orphans, finally real adults after the passing of both parents. Some of us are struggling with our parents’ aging bodies and minds. Some of us are fortunate to have parents who are still (mostly) “with it”. Today we all love to sit on the beach or around a pool or wander around together while shopping, stopping to have our photos taken with the seven statues in the middle of Saint Armonds Circle in Longboat Key, critiquing the other people on the sidewalks, patting their dogs, having a coffee or a frozen yogurt or some fudge. (Did you ever get your fudge, Bets?) We can get locked out of our houses and sit together on the front porch texting silly messages to our husbands and reading them aloud. We find joy when we’re together and embrace it as sacred space and time, joyful and rejuvenating at the same time.

We had a great weekend together and I’m so grateful to have these women in my life all these years later … time picks up where we leave it after each gathering and then we look forward to the next time (which will be in August in Virginia Beach)… Woo! Hoo!

On the Needles

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

I started a new project last night. The “Munchkin Boq” sweater … chunky cables for my little boy. This is a new design using the Aran cables that I love so much. The idea for an Irish knit little dog sweater to add to the Prima Dogma line that I’m designing came to me the other day. I’m using some stashed wool for the first iteration and will find some lovely pure wool for the next ones made.

When there’s enough for you to see, I’ll post photos. It feels good to be knitting!

Update: May 19, 2011

Here’s the progress to date!