Cold, cold cold! Did I say COLD!?

I know it is cold when Sweetie Boy stays dressed!!  7 degrees here with a wind chill of -15!  That is a little cold!!  We are being asked to conserve electricity today.  Dont you love the bed head/ hat hair!

I am snuggled in a nest on the couch sipping my hot tea and nibbling a warm muffin.  Even with preheating my car and my LL Bean thinsulate lined boots and wool socks my toes are still painful and cold.  

I fed the birds ( we fill 2 feeders every day right now) and put out shelled peanuts and chopped apple and oranges for the squirrels.  My so called "squirrel proof" feeders dont stop these squirrels.  Ozzy and Riley enjoy watching their antics.  They hang upside-down to nibble from the tiny holes in the feeders.  Crazy rodents!

Ozzy loves to snooze on this table with his head on the window and heat coming out of the radiator below the window.

This "ozzy kitty" is visiting today and bouncing about.  This was the 2 seconds he was quiet and still.  

All the buddies that go in this basket are now covering my feet and lap, on top of my nice warm soft llama and wool blanket.

We are not going to the library this morning.  Too cold even for me. Pandas are attacking me now.

Refueling with warm chai tea.

The buddies are warming up my feet.  When I move my legs the buddies all fall down on the floor and he has to pick them up.  I was just scolded for hurting the buddies.  He is threatening to take one of them to the hospital. 

This sweater is mostly finished.  I need to sew on 3 more buttons and weave in ends then wash and block it.  I did wear it as is to work on Sunday.  It is very warm!!

Here are the KAL Kate Shawls from our first night.  I am thrilled to be in the lead, but it wont last!  I started early so I could show what it will look like. We had 2 more knitters start this over the weekend and one fairly new knitter has given up the tiny needles and fine yarn and exchanged the not used skeins for a thicker yarn and bigger needle.  

We just used the stapler and made some little books.  He is fetching supplies as I sit and give instructions!!

Planning to snuggle on he couch with my knitting for the morning!  

Cooking Marshmallows

He built a lovely fire in the living room to "cook marshmallows."  He warned me that "some of these have wheat in them, but these (blue blocks) are the gluten-free ones.

Then he spread out some yarn so he can jump over it.

Minutes ago he was busy trying to knit.  "I am going to knit a sweater for Uncle John,"He told me.

I am working on a cardigan, so close to the end it is hard to put it down. Sorry for the dark photos, but I don't want to move from my cozy nest of warm blankets. It has warmed up to a sunny 5 degrees!

I am also working on this lovely shawl, because, yes, peer pressure is alive and well.  Since July a small group of knitters have been after me to have a KAL (knit along) of the lovely Princess Kate Shawl.  My reluctance stemmed from the idea of knitting 2000 plus yards of lace weight yarn on teeny tiny needle. I finally agreed and found a scrumptious cashmere blend fingering weight yarn (only slightly thicker than lace weight)?hand dyed in Maine.  This is the equivalent of knitting about 18 socks???  The pattern is not difficult, but tedious and the pattern changes ever so slightly by repeating a sequence of 16 pattern rows. The KAL begins tonight and I have a good start.  At last count we had 6 knitters already working on this.  This is at least a six month project and with my tendency to become bored may become a 6 year project.  

Time for lunch !! 

Knitting Fever

There is a funny boy in his "fire coat and boots" aka LaLa's down jacket and snow boits.

The fire crew.

There qas also some track building and a terrific farm (destroyed before camera was reached.)

There us a snoozy kitty.

And lots of crazy knitting on this,  a fair isle cardigan of sorts.

And loving this mystery series from a Canadian author!!  

-3 degrees

Record cold here.  All the schools are closed.  My car said -3 but the official low was 0.   

This sweetie is still in his warn red jammies. 

He danced around the kitchen chatting with John during breakfast.   Today's discussion was Riley's future career choices.  

John was trying to convince Riley that college is the way to go.

Right now I have a red "snuggle kitty" on my lap.

Before heading to the foundry John did a "spearmint" (experiment).  

John tossed a cup of water against the front window and we watched it freeze.   Riley said Mommy did did a "spearmint" at home.  She put frozen ice (is there another kind of ice?) in the oven and it turned into steaming water that went into the air. This explanation wAs given with lots of arm gestures and jumping around.

Yesterday we took a short walk, but today we are staying in!

Time to settle in with some knitting and hot tea!

Blue Monday

Today is apparently the "official" most depressing day of the year.  Who knew!

I am actially happy to be getting back into routine.  A few more holiday items must be carried to the basement, but soon I am ready to settle into winter!  I love it more every yesr.  Soup simmering, cozy knitting and reading time!

Happy to see this sweetie again!  

We had our usual Monday busyness: credit union, Giant, laundry.  Also filled the bird feeder and put out peanuts for the squirrels.  Chopping carrots and celery for John's snacks.  Sipping lots of tea. Preparing for bitter cold.  Temp of 0 expected tonight!

And of course watching Caillou!  

Happy Monday here!