We're Back

We got home late yesterday afternoon. Our visit with the kids in Bend was very fun. This time we didn't do a lot of running around - it was just too hot for that. We spent a great deal of the visit at their house, sitting on the deck and well, visiting. Both our grandsons have iPod Touches so we ended up playing endless rounds of Draw Something on our devices, which produced a lot of silliness and laughter. We also went with the boys to see Hugo at the dollar matinee - loved the movie!

This shell was my trip knitting. It's yarn from the pirate fiber gift exchange at Spindle Camp and is 100% cotton. I used Stitch Wizard to do the math part of the sweater, with some changes in shaping and finishing. I'm really happy with it.

I had to get over to the Ranch House for the Association meeting and election of board members this morning - I had neglected to mail our ballot. I slept late so I thought I'd just take it over and also buy their pancake breakfast. However, I got sucked into the meeting and by the time they took a break, breakfast was over.

I drove to Mim's just a mile away for the CSSW guild meeting, since it was being held right here in our valley. I was starving but really enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new members. I finished knitting the shell there and by the time I got home at 2:30, was absolutely starving.
I decided it would be a good day to do nothing - so worked on some odds and ends of knitting. I've dreaded picking up the stitches for the cowl collar on this sweater from the very first stitches I cast on. I made that my priority and am glad to have that out of my hair. It's entered in the fair and needs to be done and ready in the next couple of weeks - I have a ways to go!
Angela invited us over to Red Rock Ranch for dinner tonight. I don't think there was a special occasion. Ian was there yesterday evening to pay Kerry, our house sitter, and she said to come if we were free. As you can see, the ever present wind unset two of the tables.
Red Rock Ranch is one of the old ranches in our area, originally dating to the early 20th century. You can tell by the size of the cottonwood trees that they've been there for a while.
Look at the size of that tree! Look at the size of that dog!!!
Granite walked up to Kerry, just as she was getting ready to pop a snack. You don't have to speak dog to know what he's thinking.
Apple was making the rounds. She's a sociable 40-year-old cockatoo who doesn't want to miss out on anything.
Ian called my attention, saying he was doing a Dr Doolittle impression. Apple had worked her way around the table and it was his turn.
That visit promptly ended when someone offered Apple a drink of wine. She loves wine. She loves food. She loves attention.
And when everyone walked away, she helped herself to Myrna's Pepsi. Define birdbrain!
It was an absolutely golden evening, fantastic food, fantastic friends. I still marvel that it wasn't until we moved to the country that we acquired neighbors.

And I wore my new shell for the evening.

Tomorrow is grandson Kiernan's 13th birthday party and afterwards we'll come home with Alexia for the last week of her school break. Third grade starts next week! Meanwhile, she and I have to get ready for the Zombie Invasion next Saturday. More on that later.