Tid Bits

I have taken a break from my blog for the last week or so. The reason being, I have been over at my Grandparents much of the week helping out my Grandpa who is going through chemotherapy for his recently diagnosed lymphoma. It has been a joy and blessing to help him out. I've been able to spend a lot of time just sitting and talking with him. He has told me stories of days gone by that I had never heard before. We sit on the deck and watch the birds coming to the feeder while we talk. We have seen a huge variety of bird. To name a few, Orioles, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Pileated Woodpeckers,Gold Finches, a variety of small woodpeckers, Chickadees, Red-winged Blackbirds, and the rarely seen Indigo Bunting! We have had great fun bird-watching. Now that the weather is warmer Grandpa can sit outside for quite awhile and not get chilled. I normally have a knitting project to work on, but sometimes sitting and listening can be just as productive.
My birthday was this past week. My most favorite yarn shop has a special birthday sale they do, divide your age in half and that is the percentage you get off on your entire purchase. Granted 11% isn't a whole lot, but still.....every bit helps. I also was given a gift certificate to the shop from Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Sarah.
It was all rather sudden, so I was a bit flummoxed as to what to purchase.
I went with a few ideas in mind, top of the list being a lace shawl for myself. I browsed the shop for upwards of an hour before making my decision. I picked out a lovely,lace weight merino wool. Chocolate brown and soft as can be. I also found a lovely shawl pattern. And then, because it was my birthday, I splurged on five beaded stitch markers. I'll have to keep close track of them, I tend to loose stitch markers like they grow on trees. But my special ones will have to be kept an eye one. Come to think of it when the markers are not on a project, they should be in my tool container. So how on earth do they vanish? I have a feeling there is a conspiracy amongst my supplies. They have a tendency to up and vanish when I most need them. Stitch holders, markers, measuring tapes..... where do they all go? Probably holding a great convention in the attic or cubby holes of the house, determined to not fall into that "crazy knitter's" clutch again.
Oh well....I shall win the war against them yet! And from various readings on the subject I believe I am not the only knitter to have this problem.