Sunday, August 24, 2008

On My Mind

Hello. Welcome to my world. The rambling side of it, anyway.

Less than a week left, and I’ll be on the road back to Omaha. In those few days, I have to figure out how to load all the stuff that I bought into a car that was already pretty well loaded down. Hmmm. I may have to ship some books back. And some yarn. What am I saying?!? I have to have my yarn with me!

Ring around the rosies, a box full of cozies. Mom is so excited that I have relaxed a little and am enjoying reading cozy mysteries that she sent me a boxful from her own library. A few of them were on my list for when I got back to the library, so bonus. I already have so many books on my list to read, and now I have even more physically on the “to read shelf.” I’m going to have to get a “to read” bookcase [she says with girlish glee].

The last couple of mornings, guys from the marine base were running on the beach while I was walking Cosette. That’s right. Starting the day with a little man candy. They would run, then stop and do sit ups or push ups or something else, then run a little further. Cosette wanted to sit and watch them run by, and being the over-indulgent owner that I am, I let her and kept her company.

I’ll miss the morning walks that we go to the park and are joined by Gracie and her owner Gail. Gracie is the cutest little beagle, and when she sees me, she runs up baying and barking so loudly that she sounds like she is in pain. It cracks me up every time.

I’m not sure how Cosette is going to adjust to not having her nightly walks on the beach. What started out as a run through the sand and water, turned into a hunt for crabs to eat, and is now a passion for digging for live crabs.





Which really wears her out



I’m ready to get home and back into what passes as normal for me. We’ve enjoyed it here and saw as much as we could. We got really lucky and the weather gods graced us with cooler weather. Everyone keeps telling me that this is not normal for this time of year. It was really hot and humid there for awhile, but it’s been gorgeous the last week or so. It’s as if the weather gods looked in on me and said, “Alright, if we give you some nice weather, will you get out and have some fun instead of staying in here feeling sorry yourself?” Yes, I will.

But it’s not like I wasn’t productive while I was pouting. Look at the cool market bag I made.



The handles are on the wrong side, but it still works


It was fairly easy, so I’m thinking of making them for Christmas gifts. Now that I’ve made one with the pattern, I can play around and change the size, stripes, colors, that kind of thing. This one is really tall, tall enough to hold boxes of cereal from the grocery store.

We went to another delightful town the other Saturday. Ever eat or hear of Smithfield Country Ham? Well, we went to the town where it started. It's a pretty little town that is very proud of its Victorian heritage and is trying to build its place in the tourist trade with a million-dollar restoration of Main street with lots of shop/cafes and creating a walking tour of houses. It's a nice day trip.



Christmas shop




A note about country ham--Calling something a "country ham" doesn't mean a good ol' Southern ham. Country ham is very very salty; you have to soak it in water, even pre-sliced out of a package, for at least 15 minutes, maybe more. It's cured in salt and if you buy a whole ham, you have to clean off the mold and salt before soaking then cooking. It also has a kind of moldy smell to it, and honestly, I can't get past the smell to enjoy it. Many people compare it to prosciutto, but it's not as mild and the taste isn't quite as clean. If you could slice it as thinly as prosciutto, that may help, but I'd rather spend the money on prosciutto.

While in Smithfield, I had another "duh" moment. While walking around the shops, I noticed there where lots of little pigs every where for sale. Pig Christmas ornaments, pig-shaped dishes, pig notepads, you get the idea. In the Smithfield Country Ham Shop, I actually thought and almost said, "What's with all the pigs?" Sometimes, it's amazing I make it through the day.

Saturday morning, we took our coffee out to the upstairs balcony and watched a sailboat regatta. I counted 50 sailboats.







Later that day, there were kite boarders. I think we're getting some residual effects of Fay, so the kite boarders had a good time.





And a couple of more pictures. The first one shows you a storm that came in very quickly. You probably can't see it, but there is a sailboat in the center about to get hit by that storm. The next picture is Cosette waiting for us to take her to the beach. I would say "waiting patiently" but I can't even type that without say, "pffft, yeah, patiently."





This is the time of year when I say that I’m ready for fall, because I am. I’m ready for pumpkin patches and apple picking. I’m ready to bake pies and shake out my sweaters. I’m ready to walk Cosette early in the mornings and listen to the drums of the high school band as it practices. I’m ready to drink beer at Octoberfest and plan our own pumpkin-carving party. I’m ready to walk up and down the aisles of every craft fair and partake of every free sample offered me. And I’m ready to start planning for Thanksgiving visitors. I’m just ready.

But I gotta get back home, first, which means I gotta get packing and making lists. And I’ll get right on that as soon as I knit a couple of rounds on this next market bag.

Thanks for stopping by.

8 comments:

fiwa said...

lol... I love the picture of Cosette up to her haunches in the hole she is digging - and then passed out in the chair afterwards.

I really like the market bag you made - specially the colors.

I'm ready for fall too - it's my favorite time of year.

Good luck packing up and getting home.

fiwa

Kimmie said...

Hi Kell!
Oh this was a wonderful post! I loved the photos. Cosette looks hysterical with her behinder up in the air while digging for crabs! LOL! She is a cutie pie for sure.

I have to tell you this, I would swear that your paragraph about Fall could have come straight from my own typing! We think so much alike right down to the list making. I am such a "list" person. It is the only way I can remember things. Well actually, I just added post it notes to my routine yesterday! LOL! I just have no brain cells anymore...just goldfish bumping around up there.

I love your market bag, I would love to buy one of them if you ever put them up for sale. I have crocheted (sp?), but only know two stitches, the chain stitch and a popcorn stitch. Now, I am not sure if you crochet or knit, I can't tell. So, if you would, maybe you could fill me in on that. :-) I am a folk artist, and I love all types of crafting. I appreciate the time and creativeness that artists put into their handmades.

Have a safe trip home!

Hugs,
Kimmie

Kell said...

Fiwa--hi there! I'm behind on your blog, but I'll catch up soon.

Kimmie--thank you. Al would love for me to sell things I knit, but I'm so busy giving them away, I don't know when I'd have time! I am a knitter and have done a little crochet, but I'm a better knitter. I've been to your folk art site--I love your witches' hats. I sat up a knitting blog but haven't done anything with it yet.

Dianne said...

I love the fall!

I think Cosette is going to need a sandbox built for her at home! Imagine that lol

Good luck with the packing!

Anonymous said...

did you have to give Cosette a bath after her hard work digging?

I'd love to sit on a beach and watch me some man candy, you lucky girl! Spot would chase them, Marines might be tough but I can see them running from Spot's jaws!

That's a great bag you made, is it made of cotton?

Thanks for the info about Smithfield ham, I always wondered about that.

Have a safe trip back and blog when you get back so we know you made it OK!

Kimmie said...

Hey Kell,
Thanks for letting me know about your bags being knitting instead of crocheting. I say sell them if you get a chance to sneak some in. Everyone is going green and would love them for their groceries. They make such pretty purses also.

I just finished my Witches Hats, and will be posting new photos of the finished product tomorrow. Stop by and take a peek, you won't believe how different they look now. I really primmed them up to look old, then sprinkled german glass glitter on them to make them look like they have frost on them.

Talk to you soon sweetie!
Hugs,
Kimmie

Anonymous said...

I so love Cossette
the bag is wonderful and I too think you should get knitting and get selling!
hope the packing is going well, don't envy you that one!

Kimmie said...

Hey Kell,

I have something for you over at my blog.

Blessings,
Kimmie