Plath’s Adventures

Stolen from Rox

10 Random Things about Me…
* I hate talking on the phone
* I have acquired a nasal Michigan accent that I don’t like
* I’ve never had chicken pox
* I love camping
* I hate to be tickled and don’t find it funny at all
* I drink my coffee black
* The darker the beer, the better
* I love animals and don’t eat them
* There is, quite possibly, nothing better than fresh homemade bread with butter

9 Places I’ve been…
* Windsor, Ontario
* Hollywood, California
* Gatlinburg, Tennessee
* Macon, Georgia
* Mackinac Island, Michigan
* Traverse City, Michigan (home of the National Cherry Festival)
* Mitchell, and Wall, South Dakota (home of the Corn Palace and Wall Drug–stop in for their famous 5 cent coffee)
* Evansville, Wyoming (home of Independence Rock)
* Fairborn, Ohio (home of the Wright Pat Air Force Museum, possibly Jason’s most favorite place on Earth LOL– I went to school at Wright State)

8 Ways to Win My Heart…
* Clean up the house
* Make me laugh
* Cook me dinner
* listen
* give me flowers
* be silly
* make me a gift
* send me mail (unless it’s a bill! LOL)

7 Things To Do Before I Die…
* learn how to sew
* have children
* be more patient
* complain less
* see my family more
* travel travel travel
* iceskate

6 Things I’m Afraid of…
* heights in tall buildings
* drowning
* not having children
* not being able to say goodbye to a loved one
* big bugs
* being deeply in debt

5 Things I don’t like…
* mosquitos
* bills
* meat
* the blankets on the bed messed up
* fake people

4 Ways to Turn Me Off…
* men being sexist!
* call me a name
* make a mess and expect me to clean it up
* act like you’re the $hit when you’re so not

3 Things I Do Everyday…
* Tell Jason I love him
* drink coffee
* daydream

2 Things That Make Me Happy…
* our animals
* family

1 Thing on My Mind, RIGHT NOW…
* The fact that I spent WAY too long filling this out

TAG; you’re it!

Snow day!! Yippeee! I was supposed to work today, but we had about 7 inches of snow fall last night, so schools were closed

No major knitting news. I’m halfway done with my dad’s present, and all the way done with my mom’s. Now I just have to do my sis and her bf’s present. I don’t think I’ll knit anything for MIL & SIL, but perhaps I might knit up an ornament. I’m really happy with how quickly and nicely these knit up, so I’ll probably knit up a pair for my mom first, and then if I have time, SIL and MIL.

I do have new vacation news, though! Jason’s work booked the hotel we’re staying in at Stratford!
The Alveston Manor The legend is that the very first performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was performed there on the Cedar Lawns! I can’t even imagine staying somewhere so old. It’s amazing!

Here’s some more info on it taken from their site, if you’re interested (I know I am!).
“The Macdonald Alveston Manor has a long and interesting history dating back from before the Norman Conquest. The name Alveston is derived from Aeuulfes a Saxon mans name and Tun meaning town.

The first building on the site is thought to have been an Anchorite cell, circa 960, and later a small monastery was built by monks from Worcester who erected the first wooden bridge on the site of the original ford. The Monks Walk also dates from this period and it is said that the front lawn is the same width as the nave of Worcester Cathedral, while the gardens themselves cover the same area of ground as the Cathedral.

Alveston Manor was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book and in 1086 it was seized from Wultan, Bishop of Worcester, but was bought back in 1090 for ?15. In 1100, Henry I excused all taxes on five out of fifteen hides of ground for the good of his soul and that of his wife, Queen Maud. In 1392, John Green, Prior of Worcester granted the Manor to
John Att Hall de Alveston at a rent which included 10 quarters of wheat, 30 quarters of barley, 8 hogs (value 24s), 20 geese (value 6s 8d), 20 hens (value 3s 4d), and 200 eggs (value 10d)

In 1542, Alveston Manor was granted by Henry VIII, at the dissolution of the monasteries, to the Dean and Canons of the new Church of England at Worcester, who gave it back to the Crown in 1545, in return for being released from the obligation of maintaining 12 divinity students at Oxford which cost ?6 7s 41/2d each per year.

In 1562, during the reign of Elizabeth I, it was sold to Sir Ambrose Cave for ?1007 3s 6d who then sold it to Ludovic Greville. His son sold it in 1603 to Richard Lane whose fathers effigy is affixed to the walls of the remains of the old Saxon church at Alveston. It passed into the Brown family and then in 1767, into the Knottsford family. At one time, the grounds were famous for bowling alleys and in fact both the Nut Walk, in the orchard, and the Monks Walk are thought to have been bowling alleys at one time.

The Present building has been erected at different periods. For instance, the bar contains 16th century panelling; the centre of the house is Elizabethan; the gable nearest the road is William and Mary; and the windows in the centre of the building are Queen Anne. The Elizabethan Gazebo facing the bridge is of considerable interest.

Underneath the lounge is an interesting vaulted cellar leading to an underground passage that was at one time used by the monks.

The first performance of A midsummer Nights Dream is said to have been given on the Cedar Lawn and in fact the original stage directions relate to the garden as it was before it was altered at the beginning of this century. “

The Mad December Rush

Why do I do this to myself? Is it the knitter’s curse? I decided way back in July that I was NOT, repeat NOT going to knit gifts this year. The endless knitting I did last year went far less appreciated than I would have hoped, so I decided that I wouldn’t put myself through the stress this year.

Fast forward to mid-November when I decide that what my non-handknit wearing brother needs is a pair of socks. (what am I thinking?) So I dash off and knit a pair in a week. No problem, right? I’m done. Well, then I decided that if I’m knitting him something, I should knit my sis something. Then I decide I should knit something for her and her bf as a together gift instead of a separate one. Then I think of something I could make my mom. And dad. ARG. I’m sure I’ll have decided that MIL and SIL will need something by the time the big day rolls around, as well.

Not to mention the fact that we just got back from vacation (we had a fabulous time!), and had barely gotten started shopping, I mean as in one gift had been purchased so far. We don’t have a tree yet, no goodies have been made; we haven’t even decided where we will be spending Christmas day yet–my family or his. Oy. So, I’m a little stressed. Please don’t tell me you’re finished with all your gifts and decorating and baking. I may just have to stab you with a size 1 bamboo.

I do need to share what my sp sent me for my second gifty (sorry no pic!):
a really cool beaded bracelet knitting kit, an issue of Knitting magazine from the UK, a wonderful scented candle, a great novel set in Britain (looks like it might be good airplane reading!), and a London Travel Guide. Thank you so much sp

So, in an attempt to divert your attention from the fact that there are no new knitting pics:

1. The winter knitty is up!
2. Family Circle Easy Knitting magazine has changed hands and is now Knit Simple. See my rant about it here.
3. Here’s two more pictures from our vacation:

The view of the sunrise from our hotel in Orlando:

Jason walking on the beach at St. Pete Beach:

4. A cartoon that made me giggle:

I’m back from Florida!

I’m too pooped for a regular post, but here’s two pictures to tide you over.

A goofy one of me at Cocoa Beach:

Totally didn’t see the wave coming.

One of the palm trees in front of our hotel in Orlando:

SP: I got your gift– thank you so much. I’ve already read through the magazine and will copy down the addresses of yarn stores close to where we’re traving in England

I’ll try to post a pic sometime after Jason gets back. He doesn’t fly back until Sunday. I would post a picture of our weather outside, too, but he has the camera. Flew back from 80 degree weather and now it’s snowing!