Weekend To-Do's

I'm hoping Disco & I can go over to the costume shop today, and get some medieval gowns for All Hallows.  I don't want to do a lot of walking and/or standing around to accomplish this!  And I would prefer not spending a small fortune for these -- I'm hoping to rent rather than buy! 
Well, that plan has already hit a snag -- the shop closes super early on Saturday.  I will have to go after work next Tuesday & get the family to meet me there (I have a feeling I'll need a dresser).
This week I've been digging deeper into the jewelry boxes, for some oldies but goodies.  The Plaidman & I went on a canyon vacation out west many, many years ago.  One of the mementos I've kept is a little choker of bugle beads, turquoise chips, and a shell -- it's older than DiscoDame!

And, appropriately, I wore it with paisley!  The earring featured in the middle pic is one (of a pair, of course) that Disco made for me, I just love them.  And check out the sweater chain!  I found that in an antique shop, and boy howdy was it a rare find.  I'd been looking at antique shops, yard sales, and just wherever I thought I might find one.  I can't wait till November...when I can get a haircut!
The Plaidman & I went over to the library, to verify that he can pick up held books I've requested.  While there, I found French Girl Knits Accessories.  Some nice stuff...makes me wonder why I haven't already bought it!  I mean, accessories are just perfect for giftables -- tiny, portable, not much of an investment in yarn...Although I think the yarn buying moratorium has expired.

White (after-)Christmas

When I left the house this morning (about 0 dark thirty, which is an expression I've used FOR YEARS and I should so sue somebody....), the rain was slight to moderate & spotty.  Of course, I don't rate a window or even an outer wall, so I never know what the weather gets up to while I'm stuck in my cubicle.  Anyway, I called the Plaidman to review his plans for the day, and he told me the snow (Snow!?!) was already melting.  No snow fort this year!  Boy that brings back a memory:  I know I was pretty young, not yet out of elementary school so this had to have happened in Pennsylvania.  Dad used to watch for the snowplow to come down the street, and slip the driver some cash to plow our driveway.  We'd have these two huge mounds of snow across from each other at the end of the driveway; instant snow forts!  Just climb to the top and level it a bit, them back down a few steps and stomp that area flat, then make a slough of snowballs and the war was on!  We'd hollow out small snow caves on the backside (where did ya think the snowballs came from?); Mom used to worry that one or all (5) of us would be buried in a collapsing mound. It never happened, but I did lose a boot that wasn't found until spring.  Snow suits, we hadz them.  Disco hears this kind of story from both her parents, and she seems to think it must have been fun, but she'd rather not go outside in "serious" snow.  Just a southern belle, she is. 
ETA: I just realized I forgot to mention the "progress" on Pup's Steelers socks.  It's sorta two steps up & 1 back:  I'd started over, as reported earlier, and had about 4" done for these men's size 10.5, when I had a thought.  Why not get the Plaidman to try on what I had done, just to make sure it would go over his size 8.5 heel?  No sooner thought, than done!  Unfortunately, it would just barely go over his heel.  Back to the frog pond it went.  I wound the yarn into a hank on the swift, and washed it the next day to relax the kinks.  In the meantime, I wound up a whole new ball of the yarn (I have 6 skeins!) and started over with an increased cast on.  It's now about 3" long, and will go over the Plaidman's heel quite well.

At last

The dearth of knitting has come to an end (I hope). I picked up the slippers I'm working up for the Plaidman, knit a row or three, and put them down again. Didn't knit for another week, then this past weekend I worked up an entire 16 row repeat on my Every Way Wrap -- I'm back, baby! And back in business.
The daffydillies suffered only a little from the frost & snow of this past freaky weather week. I have them mounded beneath the maple tree. Lawks, we've been in this house a long time: I used to be able to reach all the way 'round that maple, now it takes two people to hug that tree. And it survived having a lot of it's roots dug up when the septic field needed re-digging. Right after that event, a pair of woodpeckers took up residence there -- I get such a kick from watching them at the feeder! They hang almost upside-down from the edge of the feeder tray, and will stomp their way around it to find what they like -- and to chase away blackbirds & jays! They don't bother the littler birds, just the big greedies. If only I could get a picture, but they're very shy of people.
Lord help us, the entire Plaid household (well, excepting the cats) has been caught up in the Malazan Tales of the Fallen, which is a fantasy series by Steven Erikson. There are many, many very thick books--the first few of which are largely responsible for the lack of knitting lately. Plaidman & I are taking turns requesting the next two in the series, from the library. We love our library! Speaking of which, I've a return notice in the email--three other books are due back this weekend.
I have one more Friday to work, before my coworker returns from her extended trip. She's adopting some sisters from a foreign land--I won't say more here. But I know these little girls are going to be blessed, to be in their new home! Easter is going to be terrific in her household; her own kids are all boys, so I'm guessing she'll have a ball dressing her daughters for church. Nana (my dear departed mother) used to dress all five of us kids, for Easter Sunday. She made a lot of the dresses we four girls wore, but didn't sew for our brother--dresses = easy, trousers = hard to make! I have a photo of us, with girls in bonnets and "spring" navy cloth coats, and Brother in his little suit. Put that on the to-do list: find the family photos & scan some of them so y'all can take a look!