Dog days...and nights!

It seems that I am forever busy of late......I had forgotten how much work young dogs are.   Mojo and Ginger were old and although not lethargic by any means, I now realize, they weren't very active.

They had routines and with 4 people living in the house, they had 16 hands to pet them and lots of additional people coming in and out playing with them.  It wasn't much work for me....

Dean works later now, Matt is in college and Kaela seems to be out of the house more than in it! We no longer have loads of kids coming in and out at random times, creating excitement.    So Osa falls to me, which I love, but I do feel guilty when she is full of energy and I'm exhausted.

This last week, the weather was so nice that I took her to the park after getting home from work. Three times.
It is a 25 minute drive but worth the effort as she gets so much more energy out than mere walking on a leash....

On Monday we met our first corgi at the particular park.   She was a fluffy one and fairly tall.

They hit it off right away and played for quite a while....until someone's tongue was slobbery....

Once we got home, Osa was content to sleep the rest of the day!

Later that evening, I began a Christmas present and she continued in her lullaby, snuggled up to me...

What a happy pooch!

Glasgow walkabout....

I thought it would be nice to share some photos Matt has sent to me via phone.    This first set was taken in and around his campus as he walked everywhere.   I don't really know much else...just thought they were lovely. 

Especially love this selfie as he was excited to finally be able to wear his "cold weather" clothing!

He went on a walking tour of Glasgow the first week there.  He sent me loads of photos but it most photos were taken from a distance using a cell phone so I just posted a few.

Now, THIS is a fountain y'all!  Yes, please!!!!

So far, this is my favorite...I love the green roof!

Oh, and a walking tour included pubs so here is his first "legal" beer.  Drinking age is 18 over there.  Lucky boy!

I asked him to go into a yarn store and get me some soft yarn.   He laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed....and.....then told me I'd have to come over and get THAT myself!

Artful cigar box

I love it when Kaela paints cigar boxes.....check this one out....the colors are even more vibrant in person but you get the idea.

Of course, I tried hard to steal it but she kept taking it back.......sigh.

little catch up....

A little baby hat I whipped up and mailed off to Tennessee.

a FRESH strawberry cake in January?  Yep.....made it for Matthew right before he left for Scotland...

Osa trying hard to snuggle with Suki.....almost there.  She just wants "someone with fur" to sleep next to her!

A mural on Strathclyde's campus.  This made Matt feel right at home!

Matt out with new friends:

Beginning of the night....

End of the night.....

Nope, doesn't look like ANYONE had fun, does it?

Where is he?

Osa waiting patiently for Dean when he went into a store for a few things....

Homecoming

This post is SOOOO late.   I had it in a draft and didn't realize it never posted.

Kaela and her friends before the homecoming dance.    Ready to leave

Trying HARD to leave as I insisted they take another photo...

With Landon while saying sweetly "WE GOTTA GO!"

They all had a great time...

good friends....

You know that saying about great minds think alike?    

Well, I bought this for the "bar" this Christmas

A girlfriend of mine hadn't come over in months.....she presented this to me for Christmas the other night...

Apparently, great friends think alike too!

Off he goes.....

Matt left for Scotland today....for 6 months.   He is doing his study abroad and is super excited.

I took the day off to take him to the airport with Dean.  I keeping a "stiff upper lip...." but I'm a wreck.  

I know he will be fine, I know he will be fine, I know he will be fine, I know he will be fine.  

Right?

more arm knitting

Last week was my first week back to work and it was a busy one.   One good thing was that Osa wasn't left alone all at once.   Dean was off a couple more days and Matt is still home for 2 more days.

We have had too much going on to take down holiday decorations so instead of trying, I just relaxed a little and made a few more scarves using the arm knitting technique I learned.

I made 3 of them while watching Tombstone....we love that movie!

Here is a cream one

and a pretty butter colored one

and lastly, a multi colored one using some yarn I've had in my stash for about 10 years!

I took a close up of this one so you can see the colors....it is beautiful.

Most of these are gifts so I have a headstart for the year!

A year of crafty challenges....

Last year, I hosted a craft along.  I posted a challenge each month and then participants would post what they made.  

Here are the things I made:

I am so glad I hosted this event, it wasn't my most successful, but I made a lot of things I could either use myself or as gifts!