I can’t believe that it has almost been an entire week since my last post. I really meant to write every day! I actually compose blog posts entrys throughout my day. Most of them sort of sound like this “Knit blogger gets stuck in traffic…” or “Knit blogger pays $6.50 a pound for American cheese…” It is probably good that most of these in-my-head-posts do not make it on my actual blog.
Today, as you can probably tell from the post title, we went blueberrry picking. We brought Grandma and Grandpa too. Agents J and B combined picked 5 pints, I picked 5 pints, and Grandma and Grandpa combined picked 20 pints. They were raised picking berries so it is hard to get them to stop, But at $2.00 a pint there has to be at some point, some stopping. When I say that they were raised picking berries, it is really no exaggeration either. For example, the children in my dad’s family would be sent out to the blueberry fields to pick a certain amount (probably at least over 50 quarts) and not allowed to return until they had done so. And back in those days the berries were tiny, not the huge ones that we have now. Today, I was “reprimanded” several times for not picking more than I did. Grandpa grumbled to me in his low gruff voice, “What are you doing taking pictures, don’t you know you are here to pick berries!” I better include (with much love and fondness) his photo for you to get the full effect.
Now, if you have been reading my blog for a while, you may remember that it was just about a year ago that my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma. Well, she just had a whole round of testing and a new checkup and is officially in remission. AND, her hair is back and it just as full and healthy as ever! She doesn’t really do photos, so I just have her back and all her hair is under her hat. She would really like me to wear a hat too, as she reminds me all the time, but I’m not really a hat person.
As for other things going on – I think I will do a list update…
Knitting – Still working on Spring Forward socks. I hope there is still time left in the Summer of Socks to enter.
Spinning – I’m working on plying some roving from The Painted Sheep. It is bfl and it is just lovely!
Blogging – My 2 year blogiversary sort of just passed without much fanfare. I never got my act together to have a contest or anything, but I do have a new blog upgrade and this nice new theme!
Etsy – I’ve been dyeing every little chance that I get. I’m working really hard on learning the business part to this and I’m currently working on making spreadsheets and paying taxes. I also just had an Etsy-anniversay with my first sale being July 14, 2007. Today I hit 364 sales. I’m not really sure what I expected when I started, but I think 364 is pretty respectable. Etsy is a pretty good venue for me as it is flexible and fits with my crazy life with kids. Although I have flirted with starting my own website, I think for now, I am going to stick to Etsy and see what happens as the girls grow older.
Girls – Agent K is doing field hockey camp this week. She is going to play on the high school team in the fall and can you believe this? They practice everyday from 3 to 6. That means that she will leave the house in the morning at 7 and get home after 6. Long days – she better start eating and sleeping more right now! Agents B and J are just hanging out this week working on making videos to show to the LLamaFarmAuntAndUncle when we visit this weekend.
IHA – He hurt his back this weekend doing some *heavy lifting*. Hopefully some PT will get him feeling better before our long drive to Michigan in the middle of August.
Work – I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately since it was last July that I stopped working at the yarn shop and started working at the library. Though I miss some of the customers and my coworkers from the yarn shop, I do very much like working at the library better. No one complains about the prices, people are more respectful, and it is child friendly. It doesn’t have yarn, but it has books and I can take them home with me and not lose half of my paycheck in doing so.
Well, that is is for now as I have some more paperwork to do before going off to work tonight (where I will do paperwork). Have a great day and thanks for reading!
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I used to love working at the library! If it paid enough to let me work there instead of in the business world, I don’t know that I would have ever left…
Thank you for all the updates! It is good to see (the back of )your mom and know that she is doing well. I also had to chuckle at your scolding for slacking off the picking.
Althought I said it last comment I must say again I am loving the new look! The sidebar is very interesting and I enjoyed the quote from the Host. Quite impressive. Along with your Etsy shop you should consider blog design/redesign. I know some people do this and get big bucks for it. If you’d like a volunteer customer let me know!!! First dibs people, first dibs!
We too got some blueberries this weekend, although way less then you did, and your post reminded me that I better get to freezing them. We wash first, then air dry, then freeze in a single layer on cookie sheets. Is that how you do it? I have heard that you shouldn’t wash at all before freezing – but I’m not comfortable with that and the single layer freeze method has seemed to work for me in years past. We hope to get some more to freeze after this batch. We find about 20lbs is enough to take us through until next summer. We have blueberry pancakes every Sunday all winter long.
On a berry note, and since you mentioned your trip West, I would love to see a jam/jelly post with tutorial or directions. Your jams looked very interesting when I saw them. I never saw that wax method before. Hope i’m not being too cheeky requesting a subject – but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. If not, perhaps you can help make some with me soon!
Can’t wait to see you!
Enjoyed your updates, but most thankful to read about your Mom’s remission. That is simply awesome! We are heading to Michigan too a week from today. We are flying though because those driving days are O.V.E.R. for us. Plus, how in the world would I entertain a 4 year old for 13 hours??? Hope to see you soon.