Happy 20!

   There were quite a few milestones at this last Rocky showing.  We celebrated the fact that there has been a cast at the University Mall Theater for 20 years now and that The Transylvania Concubines as a cast are turning 18.

  Back when we were in college, Bill knew some people on a cast up in Ohio, so that's how I was first introduced to it.  I remember going to see the show at University Mall back in 2007 after graduating from college and seeing how different the callbacks were at times between the two shows.  However, we started going more regularly around 2017.  Enough time had passed, and it didn't feel too different anymore.

  I was just thinking about how crazy things could have been if things had just gone a bit differently.  If I had gone to college closer to home and known about the show as a general thing, there is a chance I could have been there when they first started performing at University Mall.  I've been going to the theater since the 90s and I went to go see other movies there frequently enough that I remember when a car drove into the front of it.  I wasn't there for the event, but it was a big deal.

  The energy at the show was great and I loved it.  There were some technical difficulties, like the computer they use to play the movie didn't want to work at first, and then one of the stage lights I use went out, but we all had so much fun.  It's great to have regulars in the audience because then I'm not the only one trying to do most of the callbacks with cast helping when they can.  Someone had printed pictures of various years of the old cast, and everyone had fun looking at those.  Some of the alumni have performed since their time being regularly on cast, and it was fun seeing them again.

  I have been unofficially part of the cast since 2021, but now I'm a signed member in 2023.  It'll be interesting to see what happens as the years go by.

Back at The Cabin Already

 First trip out:

  The first night was fun, we got in too late to feel like cooking, so we just ate some of the snacks we brought instead.  I found out that the Whippoorwill is my favorite bird.  Their song has a good rhythm and is fun to dance to.  We saw some deer on the road and startled them when we got back from a quick trip to get signal.  Most made it over the fence but two had problems.  We slowly followed them and while the one was looking for a way to get back to their friends, the other took a few bites of grass.  Eventually the one found a point to hop over and the other squeezed through to follow.

  We brought the wrong size of sheet, but were able to find one that worked.  The bed Bill and I used was way too firm for my taste and I had trouble getting to sleep.  The previous owners asked for more time to let everyone get over to get what they wanted, and we weren't sure if they had finished when we got there.

  Once my parents got there the next morning we got them unpacked and went to The Factory Antique Mall.  It was a lot of fun to walk through and I could see going back a few times to see what new things some of the booths may have put out or what new booths have moved in.  I'm considering contacting them about one of the cases to try and sell some things.

  We decided on Rackem Smackem Ribs for late lunch.  I got the fried bologna sandwich because I've tried to make them before but haven't been impressed.  To see how I really feel about them I figured I'd get one from someone who knows what they are doing.  Turns out the thickness of the bologna makes a big difference.

   Since it had rained the tree frogs were really loud and the Whippoorwills didn't come out until later.

  I slept much better the second night on a softer mattress and surprised everyone by having breakfast with them.  Normally I don't eat until lunchtime.

Second Trip out:

  We got a later start than we had planned, but we actually cooked this time when we got in.  I was tasked with finding a colander and while I didn't find one of those, I did find some frogs to take pictures of.  We also figured out that we are going to have to make or get something to block off the tops of the windows if we open them to put the screens in, otherwise bugs can come right in and try to fly into your wine.  I've recently been watching YouTube videos on how to make hand embroidered and beaded moth/bug brooches, and it might be interesting to make some based on the moths and other bugs that come into the cabin.

  It was midnight by the time we got done eating and cleaning up, but we played Doomlings anyway before heading to bed.  I had a lot of fun reading the flavor text on the cards and looking at the cute art.

  We went on a hike to see if we could find the old foundation.  We started by following an ATV trail which got pretty muddy at one point and that wasn't ideal, but we kept going.  At the end of the trail we found a really old tree stand.  Since it would be easier to see things, and we were told the old location had been on top of a ridge, we headed upwards.  I saw a bunch of cool mushrooms and bugs along the way.

  Once on top of the ridge we found a game trail.  It was nice and dry and easy to walk.  At one point there were fallen trees blocking the path, but I the found a bunch of wild succulents behind a tree right off the path there!  I'll need to go back there and grab some.  As we kept going we saw a turkey.  There had been a turkey walking in the side yard early and I wondered if it might have been the same one.

  As we kept going we found a lot of cacti.  I would have to thought that it would get too cold for them, but they were growing nicely and a few were either going to flower or grow fruit.  I ended up with some of their pokers in my finger and had to use some blue tape to get them off.

  We ended up finding the old foundation and it is pretty close to the road. We had been told that it was easy to walk to, and it probably was at one point, but it's overgrown currently.  I think it would be really fun to make it easily accessible again.

  After that we went to the gas station and Family Dollar to get supplies for less fun things.  We did a quick stop in to check out Riverside Grocery.  I don't think I'd call that a grocery store, especially since the Family Dollar felt more like a grocery store.  I cleaned out some of the mouse nests in drawers while Bill played with the mower.  Bill had to get the biggest nest because it was too high up and too far back for me to reach.

  Before we left Bill was taking some pictures and found a bee hive inside of the tree that I like the most.  Hopefully it isn't too harmful to the tree.  We said hello to some of the neighbor's cows who came over to the fence when we stopped.  On this trip we also discover that one of the other cabins in the area is called Lonesome Dove.

  We have a five star island (cabin).  If you have been playing Animal Crossing New Horizons then you know that these only grow when you have a top rated island.  I have no idea how it got between the porch and the step, but I'm going to have to figure out how to get in there to move it and where to move it to.  It was a shorter trip this time, but I'm looking forward to heading out there again before too long.

Cabin Fun!

  We were invited to come down to the cabin because a lot of the family was going to be there to get the things that they had said they wanted years ago.  As we looked around, we also got to meet the family and we got some fun stories about the property.  The main cabin was built somewhere between 1800-1820 and they have no idea where the listing agent got the 1764 from.  They said that 1958 is when the Christmas tree farm was started.

  Jim was the guy to ask about anything having to do with the cabin, even amongst family.  He is the most local, being only about half an hour away.  The cabin has actually been moved from where it was first built.  They had first built it on the ridge, since the main area is pretty rock free and good for farming.  It was disassembled back around 1964-65.  Each log had been labeled, so it was pretty easy to put the walls back together in the new location.  However, the floorboards didn't get labels, so it was like a jigsaw puzzle to put them back in their correct places.  The floorboards that are in there now at all original to the cabin.

  Just off of the kitchen of the first addition used to have bunk beds, but now it holds the extra cook wear and decorations.  The second addition to the main cabin gives us two more rooms to work with.  The floors in those rooms aren't as nice as the rest of the rooms.  They had possibly thought to add carpet to those, but it's hard to tell now.

  Before people started heading out, they held a toast for Katherine and Walter.  There were a lot of tears, and it was interesting that there were three generations there.  One girl was especially sad, and I think it will be interesting to see if she contacts us in the future about possibly getting the property back.

Some General Updates

Pattern: Textured Cat Hat Recipe - Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red 9924 and Bone 9703 - Needle: US 6

  I had enough from the first hat to make another, similar one.  I like how the texture looks and I'm thinking of writing it out as a pattern.  The other hat looked a bit snug on Marguerite's head and I wanted to see how it would look when the fabric isn't being stretched as much.  It's a pretty easy pattern to work because it is just moss stitch or extended seed stitch.  The color changes are what make it look more interesting.

Pattern: Textured Cat Hat Recipe - Yarn: Lion Brand Hometown USA in Oakland Black and Los Angeles Tan - Needle: US 11

  I think I had figured out the pattern wrong before.  I was trying to figure out the pattern stitch reading the knitting upside down.  Now that I take a closer look at it with the bulky yarn, it looks like the fabric on the one from AliExpress was made from the top down.  I think I like how this way looks better, so when I type out the pattern, I will be using this one.  I also tried a new grafting stitch that I kind of made up on the spot.  For the front needle stitches I went into them with the yarn needle like I was going to knit them, and for the back needle like I was going to purl them.

  We took a trip out to the cabin for the home inspection.  It took us a bit, but our inspector, Josh, was able to figure out how to turn the water on.  He was a really nice guy, he even said that he should have brought us some honey from his bees.  Though speaking of bees, there were a lot of carpenter bees buzzing around.  Another new thing was that it looked like the family had been around and had put stickers with names on them for the furniture items they wanted to claim.

  We have been going back and forth and have come to an agreement.  There was nothing on the report that was a big shock, but since it has been so long since the yearly maintenance has been done they are willing to knock some of the price off and to also get a pest inspection and to pay to get any pest damage fixed.

  Some background on the older cabin was that it has been in the family for such a long time that they are probably the original owners.  The listing says that it has been in the family for over 70 years, but a census was found from the late 1700s and their last name was listed there at that address.  It's a bit sad that they are not still passing it down in the family, but I will also admit that it is a win for us.

Our first cabin warming present, some 12' sunflowers

  Shane and I have found out that banks can be really strange.  It seems that if you have not written a check to someone who has had a Wells Fargo account that the nice bank teller will not be able to find the information she needs to easily deposit the check and it will take a few days to clear.

It's How Many Now?

  Bill and I recently celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary at The Bourbon Boulevard a day early.  We had gone there previously to celebrate my dad getting off chemo.  We got a tomahawk steak and it was really fun to see them wheel it out and cut it in front of us.  The fingering potatoes were very good as well.  The bread pudding was very smooth, which Bill really liked, but I like mine to have a bit more texture.  I joked with Bill that now we have had the tomahawk steak here, we need to try it at other locations to compare it.  See who does it the best.

  I think this describes us pretty well.  A burrito bowl from Chipotle and some wine.  This is the dinner we had on our actual anniversary.  It doesn't feel like it's been 10 years.  We've been having a great time so far, and here's to hoping we keep it up.

A Butterfly's Tale and Some Turtles

Pattern: Boyfriend Hat by Stephanie Nicole Bennet - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Multis in 997 Sage Mary - Needle: US 8

  Since we are going to put a bid on one of the cabins, I thought it would be a good idea to see what pattern I want to use for the Safety Hats.  If we are going to have a cabin in the forest where people might want to take a stroll during hunting season, I want to have something that they can grab easily to stand out.  I don't think everyone would think to bring something neon to wear, so I figured I'd provide it.  The ribbing let's the hat fit many sizes and I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like.  I had to make a few changes to the decreases, but otherwise this pattern works out really nicely for me.

Pattern: Waves of Hope by LMJ Designs - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Multis in 997 Sage Mary and Red Heart Super Saver Heather in Grey Heather - Needle: US 8

  I don't know why but recently I remember something that happened to me during a Girl Scout outing many many years ago.  We had hiked through the woods and found a beach area.  Everyone was looking for shark teeth and I spotted a butterfly that was being battered around by the cold wind.  I picked it up and put it on my sweatshirt so I could block the wind with my hands.  I carried it for the rest of the time we were on the beach like that.  Once we got back to the woods where the wind was a lot calmer and the air felt warmer the butterfly managed to warm up enough and flew off.

Pattern: Saw it on AliExpress - Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red 9924 and Bone 9703 - Needle: US 6

  That reminded me of some turtles I've helped fairly recently.  One I spotted sitting in the middle of an intersection near where I work.  The intersection isn't super busy, but it was busy enough that the turtle was just huddled in its shell.  I turned on my hazards and jumped out of my car to take it to the nearby woods.

  The other turtle was trying to cross a fairly busy road.  When I saw it I turned off on the next small street and parked as close as I could.  I then hurried back and hoped that it was still okay.  Someone with a truck had also seen it and had stopped to try and block traffic.  I saw a huge truck coming that would have probably hit the turtle, but the person in the smaller truck opened their door to stop it.  I grabbed the turtle and took it across the median and to the other side where it had been heading.

Rainbow Hat Experiments

  I want to start out this post by announcing that the numbers are in from the Hatathon!!

Boston Marathon 31 out of 26

• Meanicequeen - 2 out of 1

• mere2012 - 4 out of 4

• MinnieMay9 - 9 out of 7

• Rsm6 - 6 out of 4

• Sulwen - 4 out of 4

• nettietheknitter - 6 out of 6

  I'm so proud of my team!  We came in second to the Chicago team who got 34 done.  I know it's not technically a competition, and everyone is on different teams than last year, but it's still fun to make it a friendly competition in my mind.

Pattern: Side To Side Ribbed Hat by Sally L.M. - Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue Ombre 2720 dye lot 046414 504 and Red Heart Eco-Ways in 3372 Petal - Hook: 5 mm

   You've seen this one before, but it was one of the first ones in the experiment.  I did the color changes at the top because I was thinking that I then wouldn't have to worry about anything showing on the bottom where I had to weave in the ends.  It looks fine, but the colors aren't as crisp at the top as I would like them to be.

Pattern: Side To Side Ribbed Hat by Sally L.M. - Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red 9924 and Bone 9703 - Hook: 5 mm

  I like the color changes on this one a lot more.  I was hoping to avoid having so many ends at the bottom, but the wedges look a lot crisper this way.  I just chained at the beginning and started working on my version of row 2.  That means that I had three chains just dangling off the top until I worked the full row using the gather stitches.  I feel like this made the wedges more uniform in size.

Pattern: Side To Side Ribbed Hat by Sally L.M. - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Multicolor in 997 Sage Mary and Red Heart Super Saver Heather in 400 Grey Heather - Hook: 5.5 mm

  I had planned to do 14 rows of each color to see how it would look in case I needed more than seven wedges for the hat.  However, with this yarn and the gauge I was getting, each wedge is going to be 2.75" if I follow her short row instructions and 3.5" if I add my extra short row.  That means that it would work out that each color will get its own wedge.

  Since I'm still experiencing anyway, I decided to go a bit wild with this one.  I rolled a 20 sided die to see how many rows to do.  Since I liked the look of the color changes being at the bottom, I rounded up if it was an odd number expect for the very last chunk.

    12 • 6 • 10 • 14 • 10 • 3

Pattern: Side To Side Ribbed Hat by Sally L.M. - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Heather in 400 Grey Heather - Hook: 5.5 mm

  The seam always looked funny to me, no matter if I used the back loops like she said to or the front like I have been doing.  There is a good chance that that is because of how I've started skipping the first row.  So for this one I decided to end on the bottom instead of the top.  I also experimented with having only 8 sc top stitches, so my short rows went: 6, 4, 2.  I cannot explain why it has taken me this long to make an experimental hat that is a bit shorter.

  For me, this one had the best seam.  I went through the loop farthest away from the seam and then the entire chain on the other side.  I held the hat with the beginning chain close to me, so that meant that I was going through the back loop of the last row worked.  This pushed the Vs towards the front.  I continued the same on the top sc area.  If you look really closely, you can see where the seam is, but otherwise I almost lost where it was when taking the picture.

  I'm really excited to start the rainbow hats, but I need to get some more yarn out of my stash before I run off and buy more yarn for a new project.  With all the yarn I already have, you would think I would already have everything I would need for rainbow hats, but somehow, I do not.