Birthdays and in-laws and all

I had a very nice birthday. My mother and father in-law came to visit. They drove in and stayed about an hour away, but we saw them on my birthday, the next day (Monday) and Wednesday. They've taken to estate sales and brought us a crazy brass dinner gone and other interesting thing. For my part, I loved the 30s sewing box; it's dark wood on a stand, perfect for moving around from room to room.

I have also found that I really like crewel embroidery. I found a pre-printed pattern on linen at a local thrift shop (crewel wool, as well) and finished it yesterday. At this point its final destination is unknown...pillow, bag, footstool...who knows?

Most local yarn shops don't carry embroidery supplies, but we were in Tiverton/Sakonnet on Sunday and Sakonnet Purls does; I found the last few colors I needed there. Today I also found a book on crewel embroidery. It's a good mix. History and how-to are mixed together almost seamlessly.

Other than that, not much. We did finish the bath and bedroom; pictures soon. They need uploading. (I'm lazy.)

Oh---last night DH & I went to see Star Trek,. It was very good. Lots of interesting back-story, and the casting exceptional.

Sheepy Weekend

...coming up!

Tomorrow we're going to the fiber festival at Coggeshall Farm, next to Colt State Park, in Bristol. It's a lovely little festival--a postcard of a New England farm. A Colonial farm, at that. We had a fine time last year. The vendors were very personable, and I got yarn (alpaca and some wool) and wildflower honey.

Stitch 'n Pitch at the PawSox (Boston's AAA team) happens on Sunday. Game time is 1:05 P.M. There's a "family" event after. I'm not sure what it encompasses, but it sounds like fun.

The sad part is this...I have no knitting to take! Jimmy's cabled socks have about 20 minutes left in them, the rest is either finishing, or work that needs a fair amount of concentration. I think I need to dig out some sock yarn and make another pair of Plain Vanilla socks. It's just as well; several pairs of socks have hit the trash can in the last couple of months.

Paint Fumes

Ugh. I've been painting the upstairs bath (finally!) and using an oil-based primer. It didn't bother me yesterday but it does today. At least the second coat of primer (yep) is on...tomorrow or Monday I'll be putting on the paint. Then to the curtains, which I have to design and make. Probably something simple. They will need to disguise the fact that the idiot who made the other unimprovements put the wrong sized window into the frame.

We have the bedroom furniture in now, too. I've ordered a mirrored glass top for the dressing table (it's two small tables to be connected by the glass). That should be ready for pick-up next week. After that I'll iron the vintage draperies & spread, and except for artwork and a decent rug, the bedroom will be set.

Just the guest room remaining, now. We do need to paint most of downstairs, the hallway, and the upper hall as well. Otherwise, though, we'll be fairly well settled.

Time for home repair--the silver lining of being unemployed.

FOs, here and there

I haven't posted many photos, especially lately. My old laptop went to the scrap heap in the sky (metaphorically speaking) and my new one doesn't have the photo software installed yet.

But I moved a few over from DH's computer.

Here is the Frankencozy I gave to my former boss for his birthday.




These are the silk mitts I made for the receptionist. I still haven't given them to her; I was laid off the Friday before her birthday:



I'll find more, and maybe they'll be posted this year. Maybe not....

The Providence Athenaeum and archy

Providence is an old city, as cities go in the United States. Benefit Street, one of the prettiest streets you'll see in this part of the world, has, among its Colonial beauties, this lovely membership library. The library was founded in 1753, by the citizens of Providence, and it was then named the Providence Library Company. The present building was designed by a Philadelpia architect, William Strickland, and opened in 1838. I can vouch for its marvels. As soon as you walk in, something inside says to you, "Now, THIS is a library."

I think it's a wonderful place, and am very glad we decided to join. There are glorious old books, rareties that can't leave the building, and others, still lovely and in good bindings, that can. But for me, the profusion of 1920s and 30s books are the most enticing thing. And downstairs, in the Reading Room (you can sit there all day in an old chair, surrounded by the lovely mustiness of old books, looking across at an "Egyptian" library table, reading, or sitting, or thinking), I found books, plays, poetry and more from my favorite time frame.

Don Marquis is down there. That is, his books are. I have a few volumes of his collected poems, but many are out of print, and difficult to find. The Old Soak is one of the books I borrowed. Possibly, I should read it with a pitcher of martinis at hand, and so, probably won't start it until after 5. But I have just finished the book I mention below.

I also discovered Archy Does His Part. The earliest of these poems and stories was published in 1916, and the latest in 1934. The book itself (a first edition) was published in 1935. This is the title of the last poem in the book:

"what the ants are saying". Here are some excerpts:



...it wont be long now it wont be long
man is making deserts of the earth...

...america was once a paradise
of timberland and stream
but it is dying because of the greed
and money lust of a thousand little kings...

...men talk of money and industry
of hard times and recoveries
of finance and economics
but the ants wait and the scorpions wait...
drought and erosion and desert
because man cannot learn

...dear boss i relay this information
without any fear that humanity
will take warning and reform
--archy