Thursday, August 6, 2009

I added a few inches to the bicycle sweater since I last took a picture of it. This shows the "steek" (vertical lines between the trees) where the armhole will be cut later. While I knit this all kinds of other charted designs are going through my head for the next sweater - I could use the same yarns (or more muted colors) to knit pictures of. . . you name it! I could knit a whole poem or song into a sweater, round & round. The possibilities go on and on, but now I need to get ready for work.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Stan and I have just spent a week in Maine visiting relatives - most especially our mothers. But first we went to Lake Placid to watch Scott Perschke: IRONMAN!
Then we traveled across VT (riding a ferry across Lake Champlain)and NH into Maine. It's always good to visit again with Kathy and Steve; they are taking SUCH good care of Mum. Dear, Sweet Mum is 91 this month. We love her so much!
We enjoyed doing puzzles and taking walks with my Mom - including a visit to Cadillac Mountain and the Carriage Trails near Jordan Pond, and a meal at our favorite and hers: Helen's Restaurant. Thanks Mom! It was also fun to communicate through technology with our girls in far-away countries (who turned 25 years old on July 30) while sitting at Mom's table, filling her in on their comings and goings.
And on Thursday we enjoyed a meal with Mom's siblings and their families. Always good to reconnect with those we love and hold dear. Since Leah couldn't be there, I stopped in to see her on the way to Charleston and left Stan to run from her house to Kathy's! He needed the exercise after the lunch we had!
On Saturday we left Maine and headed home. We had planned to take two days, but Stan got behind the wheel headed home and just couldn't stop! After a stop at L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine, we headed home and arrived around 2:00 AM Sunday. So we enjoyed the pleasure of being in our own church for Sunday School and Church this week.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

IC3 camp at Refreshing Mountain in Stevens, PA was great. It all began with a "Papa John's" pizza supper on Friday night.
We had Veggie, pepperoni, cheese, "chicken club", and more. That seems to be a great way to start off camp in a low-key, no stress way.

Stan and I were the oldest people there - the grandparents of the group, (along with professional Nanny Julie).
It was really fun to watch the children get to know one another and play. Alan and Dana M., Noah S., Abby & Josiah R. were all so fun to have around. Not to mention the older "kids" who are beginning to be seen more as being in the adult group - Amy R. and the Mellott kids, Elizabeth, Emily and Benjamin.

Janice never slacks - the first newsletter was on the coffee table ready for the campers when they came to the IC3 Cafe in the morning.
She takes pictures and reports on the camp events so that we do not miss anything.

Newcomers were the Mellott (John, Carol, Elizabeth, Emily and Benjamin) and Raymond (Jeff, Becky, Abby and Josiah) families with whom we look forward to many more rides in the future.
Families enjoyed a beautiful 6-mile ride around the lake, while Janice and Ceci took the extra loop for a much longer recreational ride. The men (hammer heads Keith McElhenny, Scott Perschke and Jeff Raymond) went on a 50 mile road ride in the afternoon, I don't know what they did in the morning. Stan and Ryan Patches went on a mountain bike ride in the afternoon.

Later on Saturday afternoon, club members enjoyed the high ropes and zip-lines course. Several braved the course, either on the "muscle intense" side or the "mentally difficult" side, or both, to be rewarded with a fun ride down the zip line over the pond and back.

Ceci came with praise and worship songs ready and led us in singing to help us worship and prepare our hearts to hear the Scripture messages.
Dave Sanchez was our speaker this year, challenging us to consider carefully what might be keeping us from a close relationship with Jesus.
What comes between me and my Lord that interrupts the fellowship? Thank you Ceci and Dave, for focusing us on God.

Julie surprised us Saturday evening by bringing Katie Chaddock for a quick visit! So while she was there we made sure to get our "group shot" taken.
Thank you Photographer Jeff Raymond!

There were so many Door Prizes given by our sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, and some goodies left over from previous years, that Stan and some others made up some trivia quizzes to test us. He called it Top Tube Trivia. Stan made a quiz about Hammer Nutrition and one about Bicycle Road Rules. Janice made one up about camp history and a notebook was provided with copies of all the newsletters she has published over the years. Dave made a quiz about his Bible lessons, Jim R made a quiz on bicycle mechanics, providing the Big Blue Book for answers.
At the end of camp the quizzes were checked and prizes were given out. Everyone took home a gym bag full of Hammer goodies besides any prizes they may have won.

Camp "broke up" after the Subway lunch on Sunday, except that Jim was doing some last-minute mechanics on our bicycles. Then, Sunday afternoon the Mellotts and Raymonds took one more family ride together on the rail trail in Mt. Gretna (and made sure to stop at the Jigger Shop!)
I can hardly wait for next year's camp - what a great time we had!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Newest knitting project


Well, I've joined the bloggers!
So what should my very first blog be about? How about my latest knitting project. . .

Tuesday I cast on 384 stitches to knit the "Bicycle Sweater" designed by Lucy Neatby. I bought this sweater kit back in 2004 at Stitches East at the Shelridge Farm booth and it's been patiently waiting in my yarn stash since.

Today I need to get packed for Bicycle Camp at Refreshing Mountain - looking forward to a great weekend chumming with Christian biking friends and their families there. It's supposed to be a really great weekend for weather, too. Yay!

Huge thanks to Hammer Nutrition for all the goodies they sent to give out as door prizes - they support the International Christian Cycling Club very well, and we are grateful.