I took this photo last night right before I went out the door to plants some mums.  The days are definitely getting shorter.

The Halloween decorations are up.  The nights are cool and crisp.  It was still dark when we started the walk to school today.  I am wearing a new corduroy skirt and a cozy sweater.  I thought about boots, but it's not time quite yet.  The girls are snuggled up on the couch, watching a movie.  School's out until Monday so we are going apple picking tomorrow.

Thanks for showing your face,  Autumn.  I have been waiting all year for you.

I didn't forget about the book giveaway.  I know you all understand that the electricity went out and - kapow! - so did my access to any web-based random number generator.  I used the next best thing:  Fatty.  I told him to pick a number between 1 and 529 and he said.....

437

I really want a copy of this book. Thanks for the generous offer. I just found your blog and am really enjoying it.

Posted by:Rain |September 12, 2008 at 02:38 PM

So, Rain, please email me your mailing address and I will get this off to you a.s.a.p.

Back tomorrow with crafty things.  Really.  I actually knit something and, no, it is not the tangled yoke cardigan.  And it's not a ripple blanket.   This one is from Jane's book.  It makes me think I should get back to my own crochet afghan in progress.  I'm slowly working on it, one square at a time.  Maybe it's time for an inventory.  I think I'm about half done.  I don't think I will be checking it off the list this year.  But next year?  Uh huh.

The power is back on.  It came on almost exactly 8 days after it went out.  Last night at dinner, Fatty asked each of us what we what we had missed most while it was out.  Right away, I chimed in with vegetables - oh how I missed having fresh veggies to roast and snack on!  Kate said she missed toasted bagels and Jane said she missed lights.  All of us then nodded and said, yeah, lights are good.  Notice no one said TV or computer.  I was happy about that.

The forced computer break was good for me.  I think I really needed it.  Everything was so quiet and lovely without the hum of electricity.  We went to bed at sundown and got up with the first light.  I did some knitting, read some books, played games with the girls and had impromptu dinners with friends.  Now it's back to daily life.  School started up again yesterday.  I have laundry to do and groceries to buy.  The upside is that my refrigerator and freezer have never been so clean.  I have some crafty things to share - I just need to charge the camera battery and snaps some pics.  First things first, though.  I'm off to the grocery store.  Roasted asparagus, anyone?

Ahoy.  Just checking in.  Still no power and it doesn't look like it's coming anytime soon.  Oh well.  We are doing just fine.  Especially because we have nice friends that do have power and are letting us use their internet and have fed us dinner twice.  Oh, and it's Talk Like A Pirate Day.  Go on, you know you want to.

Have ye a hearty good weekend, me mateys!

Or really, a medium decaf and 2 Jones sodas.  I felt compelled to buy something in order to use the coffee shop's free wi-fi.

We lost power yesterday at about 1:00 p.m.  A huge wind storm came flying through our city, courtesy of Ike, I think.  Anyhow, there are trees down everywhere and it doesn't look like we will have our power back for about a week.  There wasn't school today and it's been called off for tomorrow.  Everyone we know is safe and, besides some downed trees, unharmed.  The weather is mild - cool temps, no rain - so there is little to complain about.  House on Hill Road has a gas stove and a gas water heater so we are really holding up just fine.  I feel really blessed and thankful that we are ok.

I'll be away from the computer until the power is on and the phone is working so if you are waiting to hear from me, sorry!  I will get back to everyone just as soon as I can.

Until then, friends, take care.

Saturday night was magical.

It was breakfast for the kids' dinner, old signs, local brews, pretty skies, a new-to-us biergarten, party lights and serendipitously meeting friends for dinner.

The best kind of unexpected and simply wonderful.

Hey there.

A couple things:

1.  I didn't take any photos of the items I received at the craft swap on Tuesday night, but Caroline did.  Pop over to this post if you want to see how talented my friends are.  Psst....she's having a giveaway too!

2.  I changed the links that are over in the top right side bar.  It had been a long time since I changed them.  So now you have some fun and some new blogs to check out.

Aren't these dahlias pretty?

I'm off to knit in the carpool line.  It's Friday which means the girls and I are going out for ice cream.   A nice way to end the school week, if you ask me.  Have a great weekend!

Hmmm....I kind of disappeared there, didn't I?

I don't really have much to report.  It's been a busy week - the kind where I seem to have lost a huge chunk of time, but don't have anything to show for it.

I started knitting this sock in the Portland airport on Monday.  I got all the way to the heel and put it down.  I would really like to finish it this weekend, but my wrist is giving me issues.  Remind me not to go bowling without the brace, ok?  My family was in town and we had a lot of fun at the bowling alley, but I am paying for it now.  I have figured out that time is the best medicine I can give my wrist when it is hurting so probably no knitting for awhile.

School starts on Wednesday and there are lots of little errands and tasks to accomplish.  We've got uniforms to alter, shoes to buy, supplies to label and on and on and on.  I'll check in sometime next week.  Until then, have fun!