Not so thrifty Thursday.........

Not so thrifty month either.  Everything is due in October.....property taxes, vet appointments, my doctor appointments, annual termite service........AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  On top of that my pharmacist keeps giving me 3 month refills.  I told him I only want 1 month at a time!  I'm on a budget or trying to be anyway.
Today I took Nitty to the vet for her allergy shot and she has an ear infection and she had to get her nails trimmed and I needed Frontline.....$154.00!  Yikes batman!  They also charge $42.00 for an "office call".  I called them on that and they said they've always done it and I said no they haven't.  She said all the vets do it but I will be calling around.  They've evidently formed a "coalition" with the only other vet in the area.  Do you get charged an "office call" and if so how much?  I'd really like to know.  My vet is a husband and wife team and they have 4 children and I think the oldest started college this year.  Coincidence?  I don't think so. But Nitty is resting comfortably and no more itching...poor Nit!  When her allergies flare up she bites her feet and tries to scratch but with her arthritis she can't even get to spots that itch.  It's not easy getting old....in this house we all know it firsthand except for the cats...they're still fairly young.  On top of that the kids are coming from who knows where (we don't have any in our neighborhood) selling things for school and the grands are hitting me up also! LOL!
Yesterday I mowed and the day before that I did some Fall decorating and cleaning up around the old homestead outside.......... this mum has 3 different color mums in it....white, purple, and yellow.  I've never seen that before..........

I had to get some pumpkins.............

Love this one..........

and of course a wreath for the front door........

 Here's the night time view with the lights on..........

 I got them at the Dollar store....I love the little white lights all year round!  I need more for inside now.

I've been up since 2:30 this morning....what is up with that?  Is this something to do with getting older?  I go right to sleep and then wake up after about 4 hours! But I must admit I did get a lot done today and I really don't feel any more tired than usual at this time of day so maybe it's a good thing?
Just think how much more I could get done each day!
Happy Trails!
 

It's Tuesday.... what are you reading, watching and listening to?

I finished this book and it was fantastic!  I highly recommend it!  This was an amazing memoir written by a very gifted writer.  The fact that he ended up at Carville was no coincidence in my mind.  This was a spiritual journey he was meant to go on and his life will never be the same.  There was also great historical background and information about Carville and it's residents . ***** 5 stars!

 

I'm still reading this one.  Very well written and very good but very sad and not really what I like to go to sleep thinking about.  This book is so well written though and the emotions are so realistic that it makes me think that parts of this book have been experienced by the author. 

I'm on tape 2 of 2 on this audio and these are great.  I wasn't sure I would like them but I have.  It's not really comedy although some of it is funny but it is more great stories of human predicaments.

I'm still reading this magazine............there was a good article on finances that I just read.

This is the new non-fiction I'm reading and WOW is it a great one!  Katie from Inside Number 23 podcast recommended it.  In fact, she was ecstatic about this book and now I know why.  Elizabeth Gilbert is a great writer and I think I would enjoy reading anything she wrote but aside from that this is not your usual 'self-help' book it is more about the creative process and how we are all creative beings.  I can't even describe it.  Here's Amazon's take on it...

"The instant #1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller

Named a Hot Fall Read by USA Today, Vanity Fair, Newsday, O Magazine, the Seattle Times, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Mashable, Pop Sugar, and the San Antonio Express-News
Named a Best Book of the Year by Brainpickings and Book Riot

"A must read for anyone hoping to live a creative life... I dare you not to be inspired to be brave, to be free, and to be curious.” —PopSugar

From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you’ve dreamed of.

Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work,  embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy."

I am not even halfway through this book and yet I cannot recommend it highly enough!

My James Herriot double volume book arrived (with Big Magic which I had forgotten I'd ordered) so it will be my next read along with Brideshead revisited.

My next book order will be Halloween books!  The next Harry Potter for sure!  Any Halloween type books you would recommend?  I would recommend the Agatha Christie mystery named aptly "Halloween".  I don't like anything too violent or gross like anything that has chainsaws in it....just good old fashioned scary.  Maybe I should read Dracula as I've never read the book and also Edgar Allen Poe?  I'm going to look for a "cozy mystery" too with a Halloween theme.  

As for what I've been watching.....I started Gilmore Girls series and love it!  A few pod casts this week but not much as I've really been busy.  No movies lately either.  I hope you are reading, watching and/or listening to wonderful things this week!

Happy Trails!

YOP Week #13

Moving right along....I think these are my first "finishes" this year........the 3 Halloween cloths for the "grands".....the ghost for Grayson......

the witch for Uriah..........

and the SPOOKY spider for Sam...........

I haven't blocked them but really?  Why?  They're washcloths and they're going to get wet and used and any blocking will not remain right?  Or should I be blocking everything?
My yarns came.........from Love Knitting
and yes, they are in the U.K. so I might as well just order from Deramores who I ordered from previously unless there is something one or the other doesn't have that I need/want.  The yarns did come in reusable organza bags with a silk ribbon drawstring but their prices might be higher too so we'll see. 

So now I can continue with my other projects and I have...........the Giant Granny Square blanket is getting bigger and bigger and each round takes longer and longer but it is THE perfect t.v. watching project!

My most recent rounds....I should use a "progress keeper" of some sort as I really don't have any official ones.  Really, I think I ran out with the soft peach, and then the yarn came so I finished that round.  Now I'm working on the meadow color round which is round 52 of 68 not counting the border.

I worked on it last night and started watching The Gilmore Girls....there's 36 episodes on Netflix.  I think I was working full-time,  going to school full-time in Computer Science and had the 4 children and the husband at the time this series came on the t.v.  That just might have been why I missed it....lol!  But I'm loving it now!  I watched the first 3 episodes last night.  It just seems like the perfect Fall series to watch.  There will be more "giant grannies" in my future as it has so few ends to weave in yet you still get a variety of colors....LOVE!

I also started joining my Maybelle Flower squares and that is when I noticed that the cream/off-white colors did not match yet they are the same yarn but different skeins.....glaringly different!  Oh well, I am not going to back out now but it definitely will be staying with me....no gifting of that one!  I still love it though and I was able to learn the JAYG (join as you go method).  I'm not sure if the JAYG is the same for all patterns but they must be the same general idea.  So happy I learned this...finally!
There are 5 squares across and 6 down for a total of 30 squares for a baby size blanket but now that I have the pattern down and the JAYG there is no stopping me! LOL!  

I started a "stash busting" project that I have been wanting to start for awhile and it seems every podcast I watch they are making one if not more!  Usually they are made from leftover sock yarn but since I don't have much of that I decided I would use up my old worsted weight acrylic....here's my progress so far on my version of the famous Cozy Memory Blanket.....this will probably get set aside now that my yarn has arrived but it's nice to have something to turn to when other projects get stymied or to have a backup 'mindless' project for watching t.v. and this one is a winner for that!  I can see why everyone is making them.....another really fun project.

I also acquired a few more 'maybe' future projects (like I need any...lol!).  This is a free pattern from Riley Blake and can be found on Lori Holt's blog  too, I think?  I may have grabbed it off FB but it is a Quilt-Along for Christmas.  I've always wanted to make something for each holiday that comes along but that is way easier said than done! LOL!  But some of you may be faster than I am and I like to share freebies and other "treasures" that I come across. 

These next patterns I purchased from Wild Olive who has a blog and an Etsy shop and I needed these for some ornaments and embellishments on items that I am sewing or will be sewing (ahem...)....big plans for someone who's energy level resembles that of a slug.  These patterns are small doable simple embroidery projects and I am all about small, doable, and simple right now.  She has the cutest patterns and they are very reasonable (until you figure in the printer ink as all the ones I got were pdf's).  It is nice to not have to wait for the post though.  There are multiple designs in each packet and I mean multiple!  Also, full instructions and color coded with DMC floss colors.  This is I Like Autumn....

This one is the Autumn Stitching Club........

and this one is The Winter Stitching Club....these "clubs" ran in the past and are done so you get all the patterns without having to wait.  I can think of a zillion uses for these little patterns. Please take a look at her blog and shop as I am certain you will not be disappointed and you can see her patterns.  I did not feel comfortable showing them as they are for purchase but you can see what you are buying in her Etsy shop.  There are also ideas for how to use them and some really cute EPP (English Paper Piecing) projects. 

Sadly, I  did no work on my socks or my Multnomah shawl and my other hundreds of WIPs but there are only so many hours in a day and days in a week.  Progress was made though albeit slow but I do love the process and seeing things take shape and working with colors and thinking about next projects and learning new techniques so it's all good!  I watched a new podcast that only has 4 episodes so far and I love it.  It is Sew Sweet Violet and her name is Jules.  She knits, sews and quilts and also has an online shop.  She is in the U.K. and works on  some lovely projects.   I will be watching her from now on.  I hope you had a great week and I wish you the same for the coming week!
Happy Trails to you until we meet again.......Happy Fall!