i have returned

Hello all,

I have returned from my vacation. I spent the entire week with family and it was lovely.

I went home on Friday to help prepare for Russian Christmas. Readers Digest Version. My great Grandmother was Russian Orthodox. She married a catholic, raised her children catholic, but the family always celebrated the holidays. This tradition has been going on for many years and it is always such a great time. On Friday night we fill the pierogies. This yar there was over 400 pierogies to stuff. It is always a great time with lots of laughs and wine all around.

The evening was a subdues this year by the loss of our great uncle. It was rather sudden. he had been sick since bout thanksgiving. He had started doing very well, so well in fact that they were going to be transferring him out of the rehab facility and he was asking about getting his permanent hndicapped stitcker. Alass, he ook a sudden turn and very quickly passed on.

Dinner was on Saturday and it was great. So much fun. Of course the hit of the day was Patrick James. He was a doll the entire day.

He is such a great baby.

Sunday was rather lazy. Dad was resting his knee after over-doing it on Friday and Saturday (Oh, did I mention he had surgery before having 36 people over for a sit down dinner. Yup, gotta love that stuburn New England Mentality)

We had a lovely dinner on Sunday to celebrate My Step Mothers birthday. Lobster for her and rebecca, lobster pot pie for me. It was great.

I took the night shift with young Mr. P on Sunday night. He did great. I was happily woken up to his content little face.

DId I mention he is a completely sweet baby.

So Monday was spent laying low and relaxing. We did, however, head out to a party light apretiation party. (Aunt Christing is a cunsultant, if you ever want to place an dorder just let me know)

So on Tuesday it was on to the yarn crawl. As adorable as the lorax is, and we love her dearly, she stayed with Grammie while Becca and I went out shopping.

Our first stop was Sit and Knit Too. It is a bit out of the way for us, bu they have a good selection, attentive staff, and the bridge. Know great deals this time, but of course lots of good ideas.

We saw the greatest sign on the Wethersfield green.

Can you see it?

We also went to Saybrook Yarn. I was slightly dissappointed with their customer service. I got a Gift Certificate for chirstmas and could not find it. I asked them if they had record of it. THey did. Unfortunately, they didn't have record of it being used, so they could not replace it. Had this been a large chain retail store I would say, sure. But honestly, this is a yarn store and I have been a customer of theirs for many years (Thankfully my sister found the gift certificate, so I am good)

We then went to Madison Wool. This is now my favorite LYS, The owner is fantastic. She is always asking questions about the yarns that we are using, why we like them and such. She has great patterns, great yarns, and now she carries roving. She is even willing to spend a bit extra money and buy yarns that aren't wholesle yet so that she can have some local farms in her shop. She also makes sure to keep the "bargain hunters" in mnd. Lets be real, knitting a sweater takes lots of yarn. She keeps some good acrylics that are really inexpensive for us folks.

I got to have dinner with the Huben family on Tuesday night, and got some great play time with Lorelai. She is such a fun little girl. Going to be a trouble maker before we know it. She is giving big wet sloppy kisses now. Those kinds of kisses couldn't be better.

The week kind of blurs at this point. Days blend together and such. WE took Patrick o the doctors and we weight 8lb 12 oz .The docter wanted to weigh him again because she did not believe he gained that much.

It snowed.

We went to a funeral, which was a lovely service. Got my sisters car stuck at the cemetary. (seriously, they knew there was a service and they did not plow the cemetary?)

Went to SNB with Becca. Those New Hven knitters are awsome. I bought Mason Dixon knitting for mom, I think it will be a great first knitting book for her.

I of course got a surprise for myself as well. . . . The Knitters Handy Book of Pattern

I am pleased with it so far. It gives great instructions for basic sizes to the every day things that you will knit.

On Friday night I went to the movies with mom. We saw bride wars. It was great. Very cute.

Saturday we went out to get Rebecca stocked up on formula, diapers, and to get her a snap in stoller base for her car seat.

Today I headed back to boston. I was thrilled to find out that the commuter train runs on sundays now, and even runs in the direction that I need. I hopped the train and picked up my knitting. I got to the train station and went in to grab my ticket.

I headed to the platform to enjoy the snowy morning.

While waiting for the train tere was an announcement.

"To the passenger who was on the shore line east that is waiting for htis train. The conductor found your knititng on the train (DOH) She will be bringing it back to this station. "

Thankfully, the conductor asked me where I was going when I got off the train, as I was the only passenger on it. She knew where I was headed. Also, thankfully, step mom works very close to the train sation and she can get the knitting for me. I also let my pattern on the train, grrrr.

So I am back in snowy Boston. Not feeling so great, but I head into work tomorrow. I will be getting a new computer tomorrow. While mine is lovely and great, I unfortunately can't run I-tunes. So sadly it is time for the upgrade.

I found one that I really like and is on sale. WOO HOO

It even has a number pad on the keyboard.