Weekend at Cooperstown, NY!

Gary's work conference this year was held at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, NY about 4 hours south of us. What an amazing hotel and it was the second time we had stayed there! I can't imagine a nicer place! The food was fabulous, the bed was made everytime it got a wrinkle, chocolates on the pillow, huge bathroom with freebies, a copy of the newspaper every morning at the door, lovely robes to wear, an outstanding view from the windows of the lake...sigh...coming home to dirty dishes was sort of a letdown!

The view from our windows as well as the huge porch in the back of the hotel where I sat and rocked and knitted for hours while Gary was in meetings. Sooooo relaxing... and in the afternoon in the lobby they serve tea and cookies while someone softly plays the piano in the background.

OK, here I am playing "lady of the manor" in my new hat that Gary bought me in the gift store. And behind me is the my favorite porch in the world. What's not to like!

xo Cait

Felted Hats!

I've been knitting hats again--something quiet to do when I'm tired and I'm also knitting during my chemo on Mondays since it takes several hours just sitting there in the infusion room at the hospital. My Mom taught me how to knit when I was young but I really didn't like it until I grew older--now I find it very soothing as well as portable. I haven't been weaving as much as I would like but I'm trying to cut myself some slack here and heal. So knitting brings me to a good place in my head. I'm still creating and I love seeing the flat hats become 3-dimensional felted wonders when I throw them in the washing machine! I will be selling them at the Clayton Craft Fair the end of August. I find that people love trying on hats and it helps bring in people to my booth. We are hoping for a feeding (and buying) frenzy! :D

I also just heard from a friend who I knew all through grammar school and high school. She is right now sailing on the St. Lawrence and wants to see me! I'm so excited! I haven't seen her since we were 18 yo! So I think I will see her Monday! YAY! I can't wait and hopefully they can stay overnight at least and we can visit! So I'm off to clean at least the worst of the grunge in the bathrooms! And recruiting Noah to help since Alex is at work!

xo Cait

Buttons from Mary Harding!!!!!!!!!

I got the mail yesterday and found these beautiful buttons from Mary Harding!!! What a lovely present! I will have to think of something very special to weave for these beauties! They are so delicate and impressed with botanicals and the color of the glaze is amazing! In my next life I want to work with clay and maybe Mary can come back as my teacher! YAY! Please check out Mary's Etsy store for more goodies at www.MaryHardingJewelry.etsy.com . Meanwhile, my Mom and sister (Maureen) and her best friend (Janet) from high school are visiting so I will take more pictures...Janet and I already went riding early this morning!

xo Cait

Soooooo Tired!

Phew...I feel like I am wearing one of those lead aprons the dentist puts on you for x-rays. Last night I slept for 13 hours and today I already took a three hour nap and got up at 8:00 PM. I just finished my third round of chemo out of 6 (YAY) but it's beginning to take a toll. Hopefully I will be able to get up early tomorrow and ride Dommie and refresh my spirit! And my Mom, oldest sister, and her friend are coming to visit on Monday for a few days--that should be wonderful, too. I have a CAT scan on Monday morning! Wish me luck!
xo Cait

More Triangle Scarves

I'm on a roll with greens these days! This scarf is made with everything I could find that had green in it. Some hand-dyed threads, some commercial and every fiber you can think of from silk to rayon to cotton and tencel and more! I'm very happy with it!! Hopefully I'll finish it during the next couple of days and get it photographed on Katie and loaded on Etsy by the weekend! YAY for creativity! I've also started knitting at chemo which is such a good use of the time there and since I have my port it frees up my hands and arms for making! (oh yeah, the new hat I'm knitting is green, too) :D

xo Cait

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Happy Birthday to my 21-yr-old, Alex!!!! And what was the first thing he did after dinner? Went to the liquor store and bought blueberry vodka! sigh... I can't believe that he is that old! Alex is moving back home for this year and maybe next year, too. He just finished his Junior year at SUNY Potsdam and is transferring to Clarkson for another two years. When he finishes that he will have both his engineering degree and a degree in physics. phew. Where in the world did he come from????? Anyway, his package at Clarkson wasn't enough for room and board soooooo looks like I'm sharing my van. AGAIN. I'm happy right now that two of my boys are back home (not that they are here very much!).

Noah LOVED Hawaii. OK what's not to like? But he came back all crazed (after talking with Adam) about my diet or lack of. So he has become the food police around here and I have to hide my mac and cheese. He has been doing research on line and he is VERY serious about it! Though I know it comes from fear and love it is a little hard to take! When is school starting??

So we are adjusting to all this maleness in the house! Thankfully Katie (model) came over for a visit and we got a couple of hours of photographing in. Will post the triangle scarf soon and I've started another! WooHoo!! Creativity is getting better. Maybe all I needed was some people around!

xo Cait