Pick Up Sticks

We had a lovely Thanksgiving - so quiet and peaceful - but so much fun.  It was just me, my hubby and our youngest son.  Dinner was so good - if I do say so myself!  The day was spent watching football, relaxing, knitting for me of course and playing trivial pursuit.  This was hilarious - it was the original version so probably form the 80's - and we had so much fun.

Friday we had a houseful - our oldest son and his wife spent the day along with my niece.  Doesn't sound like a houseful but in our tiny house with two dogs thrown in - take my word for it - it was a houseful.  We laughed and gabbed, ate a yummy dinner of shrimp and pasta and watched Elf last night and laughed our heads off - such a cute movie!

Crowded dinners like Friday make me long for our addition to be done.  Our addition is moving along - we should be almost done before Christmas - so Christmas dinner may be in the new room - which might only have the subfloor and need some paint on the walls - but will still be useable.  The room will be 16 x 20 with lots of windows facing south so it will be a bright room.  It will have room for our dining table to be used with both leaves and will have a closet - our house has very little closet space - and a small sitting area - two club chairs and a table under the large windows.  The room will have 11 32 x 64 windows and french doors opening onto a patio/deck.  We have had so much fun picking flooring (cork) and doors and windows and siding.  We still need to make choces on lighting and paint colors.

Loving the Sweaters

I have fluctuated greatly in weight for the past 15 years.  I have always found that when I am a larger size I hate to wear bulky clothes - like sweaters - since it just made me look wider.

Since losing weight it has opened up a huge new realm of clothing shopping.  First - I can shop in the normal sizes again - no more old lady looking plus size clothes.  Second - I am trying out some new styles.  I am really into cardigan sweaters right now.  I have queued so many on Ravelry - have two on my needles and finding inspiration for new ones all over the place.  Here is a gorgeous one from J Jill.  It's out of my price range right now - I refuse to spend that much on something that hopefully won't fit me next winter.  I have never tried to knit a sweater with out a pattern - hey I'm new to sweater knitting as it is - but this may be one I try.  Love it!

A New Room

We live in a tiny cape Cod style house...it is really tiny.  But I love it and it never seemed too small.  While our kids were growing up -even with a household of kids and their friends it always worked.  Well now we have a daughter-in-law and hopefully someday another one and of course grand kids.  So despite the fact that it is just the two of us most of the year, we are adding on a room.  We have wanted to do this for a long time but the timing was never right.

Well we bit the bullet and contracted to have a 16 x 20 addition added to the back of our house.  Thye started yesterday.  Today - I am off -  and they were here bright and early and poured the contrete foundation and delivered 4 skids of croncrete blocks.  We have picked out windows - huge ones to add lots of light - siding and are still working on a flooring choice. It is exciting and scary  -  to write a check for that huge amount...but it will be worth it in the long run.  Until then our back yard looks like this:

Changes

Back in July I made some huge changes in my life - the biggest leaving a comfortable job - although a hated job - and moving on.  This change brought with it lots of other changes in my life.  I have more time as I really went from two jobs to one.  It brought me much more happiness and satisfaction in my life.  It brought me better sleep habits.  And the most important thing it has brought me is weight loss.  This weight loss is due to lack of stress eating/bingeing.  I have not had the urge to binge since about 2 weeks in to the new job...this is miraculous!  I have been eating whatever I want - but have made better choices...plus I walk nearly everyday on my lunch hour. 

In May I had reached my all-time high in my weight - won't share that number - but since May 1st I have lost 43 lbs!  Now granted I still have some more to lose - but it is so nice to be able to purchase clothes in the regular size department instead of the plus size.  I was this size about 5 years ago - so I have a whole other wardrobe that has been in storage.  It's like shopping in my own house.  Every time a pair of pants gets too big my hubby definitely lets me know - tells me it's time to throw those out.  He has much more faith in my ability to keep this weight off...me...I just have been packing away the 'fat' clothes...just in case.

With millions of people voting in today's election, I am so proud that our youngest son will be voting for the first time.  He has taken the time to become knowledgable about the candidates - he actually has become a political junkie - and will cast his vote today while away at college.

No matter the winner today, it is amazing to see the younger voters energizing the politics of our country and exercising their right to vote...letting their voice be heard.

Loving Fall!

I have always loved Fall...it is my most favorite season.  But in recent years we have not had very "Fall-like" weather.  It has stayed warm until November or even later and then winter hits us.

This year has been different.  We have had glorious Fall weather in central PA.  The days have been brisk and just gorgeous.  Fall makes me want to make my house cozy and warm...to cook fabulous meals...and to make a pot of tea and curl up with my knitting or reading. 

This Fall has found me taking advantage of the beautiful days and walking everyday on my lunch hour along Riverfront Park in Harrisburg. 

We spent Saturday travelling to visit our youngest son at college for parent's day.  The weather was overcast but the drive along the Susquehanna River was glorious!  We had fun visiting and meeting our son'd friends - he seems to have really made a good choice of schools as he fits in really well and loves it there.  We also stopped at Spyglass Winery in Sunbury and sampled a few of their wines - so good.

Sunday was spent with our oldest son and his wife who just bought their first house.  We helped strip wallpaper, tear up carpet tacks, etc.  I can't do much since my back is still on the mend but I brought them some easy meals to heat up for the next few days since they will be doing a lot of packing and painting.  Again we had a beautiful drive and some some fabulous Fall foliage.

But today I am tired...since we spent the whole weekend running around...nothing got done at my house...sigh...oh well...there's always next weekend.