Busy knitting needles!

Those knitting needles were really clicking this week! Barbara showed us the darling set she knitted for her granddaughter who should be born any day now. 

 The self-patterning yarn created little rosebud designs without even trying.

 The buttons worked perfectly with the yarn.

 Barbara also finished a cardigan for our inventory. It's hard to see the buttons but they are little white rosebuds. Really cute!

 Liz took some time to catch up on her pompom making...

and then started a top down collared cardigan. We had a good laugh at her bargain yarn that she purchased over the internet. Liz said she couldn't pass up the good price but neglected to notice the small print which stated the yarn was from the "seconds" batch. Luckily, the problem with the yarn had to do with the dye job. It was a little spotted but it made the yarn look heathered so it was no big deal! 

 Beth completed her roll-neck pullover and used up almost all the yarn. It was from a project that she shelved and has been using it on all sorts of projects just so it wouldn't be wasted. This sweater is the last of the batch.

 Carole's candle flame cowl is finished as well. Notice the dimensional flame stitch. It looks really nice.

Maureen finished the back and front of the sweater she was making and is now on to....

 knitting two sleeves at once. That's a good idea so you don't forget what adjustments you may have made to one sleeve by the time you knit the second.

I've been working on my grandson's blanket for his first birthday. I thought I had enough left over sock yarns but I was beginning to see where I might have too many repeats so, thanks to my knitting friends, I have some great yarns to intersperse with mine.

I have to have this finished for his birthday in August so since it takes about 40 minutes to knit one stinkin' square I better stop talking and get back to work! Have a great week!

Time for a vacation

For Moose's fifth birthday this past March his grandfather and I promised him a day at Hersheypark, Pennsylvania. He started the trip with a whispered prayer to Jesus to ask for nice weather so he could enjoy his adventure. You couldn't have asked for better weather Friday! Thanks for putting in the request Moose!

 Upon entering the park you size yourself up next to these candy columns to find out which rides you can take. Moose measured up as a Reese's Piece and a Hershey Kiss, but not the Hershey's Milk Chocolate!

 Our first stop was for some lunch. Leo must have been hungry because you couldn't shovel the felafel in fast enough. He took to grabbing it himself.

 It was pretty good felafel for amusement park food.

 On our way to the rides Moose said his hellos to Milton Hershey, the candy mogul.

We had to get the obligatory photo of the family with Milton too. Sorry Poppop! Someone had to take the picture.

 Moose's first ride was the balloon ride. You could tell by the expression on his face that he was having a great time already!

 Even Leo seemed to be enjoying the squeals and screams of the riders on the roller coasters. Or maybe he was worried!

 Moose wanted his Mom to accompany him on the Starship America and she would have been fine had it not been for Moose making the rocket go up and down and up and down so many times that she felt queezy. When he and I went on the same ride later in the day, Moose just drove the rocket up as high as it would go and stayed there almost the whole ride. I had to coax him to move it around a bit.

 The carousel is one of our family favorites.

 It was Leo's first time on a ride and he loved it. You should have seen him wiggle and laugh!

 The dino ride was cute. Moose could operate the levers to make the dinosaur's head look left and right.

 The jury is still out on whether or not Moose enjoyed the Tilt-a-Whirl. I could hear him screaming, over the din of the other rides, that he wanted to get off. But ten minutes later he was asking to go on it again.

 He definitely liked driving his own fire truck!

 And if you visit HersheyPark you have to say hi to the candy bars!

 Beyond the Boardwalk is the Water Park. Moose pulled his Mom and me right over to the dancing water fountains and water cannons while Poppop and Dad watched Leo in the shade.

The sand castle pool was lots of fun. It had water cannons (the kids were having a ball shooting at me) and rope showers and slides.

Moose was the first to try the water slide.

But I couldn't let him have ALL the fun!

We had dinner right beside the final entry of the giant water flume ride where Moose and Amanda rushed to see how wet they could get from the splashdown.

Then we all went on the kiddie version of the flume ride.

This was more my speed!

Leo fought his afternoon nap for as long as he could and then finally gave in. He just couldn't take all the excitement any longer.

As our day wound down we grabbed a treat of cotton candy and ice cream and headed for the exit.

The last stop was for a souvenir pressed penny. It took three strong men to turn that crank.

But out came a shiny flat pressed design and Moose was happy.

It was a very long day for us and we all had a very good time. It was a great way to celebrate Moose's birthday.

The following morning Ron and I drove to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I haven't been there in about 40 years so I was curious to see how it had changed. The beach and boardwalk are pretty much how I remembered it but the Coastal Highway on the way to the beach is a commercial shopping mecca, not at all the way it used to be.

We had beautiful weather and everyone seemed to be enjoying it.

The beach was crowded with sun worshippers and swimmers. The waves were about four feet high and we watched a couple of lifeguards save two people who were swallowed up by the undertow.

The best place for frozen custard so naturally we had to stop for an afternoon treat.

And I remember Dolles from way back when I used to live in the area.

Sunday on the beach was a little chilly but it was gorgeous just the same.

On Monday we took the Coastal Highway south a bit to Bethany Beach. This was the neatest bridge. Reminds me of the one in London.

If you find yourself in North Bethany you have to stop for lunch at Matt's.

This place was immaculately clean and the fried clams were the best I've had since I was a kid and had them for breakfast at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. Yes, I did say breakfast. My mother never liked to cook or eat fish so when my family vacationed there I would eat some kind of seafood for every meal hoping it would hold me over another year until I could have it again.

After lunch we headed down a little further to Bethany Beach, quieter and less kitschy than Rehoboth.

The totem greets you at the main entrance to the boardwalk.

They have some cute little shops and restaurants.

And a boardwalk like Rehoboth. The natives said it was still quiet because it wasn't quite the season yet.

Was Alfred Hitchcock filming "The Birds" here?

Oh! Someone dropped a slice of pizza and the gulls were on it immediately.

Severe storms had washed the beach away so in 2009 sand had to be shipped in to rebuild the dunes. The grasses were planted to help prevent erosion.

It was only about 70 degrees on Monday but that didn't stop the swimmers.

Monday night we took our last walk on Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk before our trek home. Someone was flying the cutest kites.

The caterpillar must have been 20 feet long, at least!

I couldn't figure out if this was a blowfish or a hedgehog but you can tell by the man sitting to the left, it's pretty big!

Now it was time to say goodbye Rehoboth.

This morning we awoke at six to be sure to get to the Lewes-Cape May Ferry on time.

The sky was a little overcast but the air was breezy and sweet.

There is the Cape May lighthouse.

And there I am proving once again, you can't worry about your hair at the beach.

Cape May is a darling little town filled with Victorian houses. The main street is open to pedestrian traffic only. It was a beautiful day for a leisurely stroll through the shops.

The window boxes were filled with beautiful flowers. They always seem to be prettier at the seaside.

We walked off the main drag to sightsee some of the architecture. Look at those hydrangeas in the front yard!

These were just some of the "Bed and Breakfast" houses.

This big old hotel was all purple and white with big purple flower baskets all around.

More Victorian architecture...

and more Victorians...

a whole stinkin' street full of Victorian houses! They were so pretty!

And I had to throw this in for my husband's cousin Alan, the Lafayette expert of the family.

We had a very relaxing time and lovely weather all four days. 

I couldn't have asked for a better vacation.