Happy Father's Day, Durwood!

I know he's not my dad but he's the dad of my beloved kids so I made him a gift.  Also a couple weeks ago he gave me a not-so-subtle hint about what he wanted--another wild "aloha" shirt.  Happily I had a length of perfect fabric in my stash (he actually picked it out himself, but I bet he won't remember it) so I took it and my trusty old (really old, the pattern is marked $3.50, not $15 like they are now) pattern (I'm so glad I saved the "basics" when we moved last time) to work last week, using the big tables in back to cut it out, then I sewed it up over a couple days.  He loved it!  He's already planning to wear it to Festival later when he goes to buy us a ribeye for supper and on Thursday to his pulmonary rehab workout.  That makes me feel fabulous and very proud.  Wanting to sew a shirt for Durwood ignited a drive to sew so I stepped up to the sewing machine and got cracking on my tardy BOM (block of the month) quilt blocks, finishing the last March block, both April blocks, and both May ones by bedtime last night.  It was a good idea to take the hexagons of April to knitting night on Friday to do the hand sewing with people around to talk to.  (I'll post the quilt block photos over on my crafting/knitting blog if you want to look.) Today's Photo A Day June's theme is "in your bag."  There's no way I've got the stomach to unload my purse today (no, no, not doing that) so I unpacked my knitting bag/basket.  First the bag itself was Mom's knitting bag that I've decorated with smart-ass buttons and a stick-on blue horse to remind me of our visit to Lexington.  There are two in-progress projects, one bag of finished project left-overs not yet put away, two quilted and zippered bags for knitting tools and stitch markers made by my friend Skully, a water bottle covered in a knitted sleeve (that I didn't make), a couple stitch markers that have turned feral living in the detritus on the bottom, a broken tape measure, a sheet protector holding a few poems just in case I'm motivated to join Open Mic night at Goodwill's Harmony Cafe where we knit on Friday nights, a couple Aqua Center pens and a quilted cover (also made by Skully) notebook so I look like a real grownup if I have to make notes, my Bay Lakes Knitting Guild nametag (that I keep having in the wrong bag when there's a meeting), a pair of fingerless mitts (self-made), a pair of elastic support mitts (that I rarely wear) for my trashed wrists, a random grocery list (???) and a couple ball bands, and a Mason-Dixon Knitting book to remember to take next Friday for Vicki because she wants to make a rug from fabric strips.  I think that's it.  Embiggen the photo to see if I've missed anything--if you're that interested.  This isn't "where's Waldo?", there's no pony if you find all twelve President's faces (what classic TV show is that from?), and I won't be checking back to see if I've screwed up and forgotten something, but knock yourself out if you lean that way.
 

June 17--Leonardo da Vinci, Head of a Man in Profile Facing to the Left.  Hold still, old man, hold still.  How can I draw you if you keep moving?  Don't change the shape of your mouth, I can't erase this ink.  Now I've made your nose wrong.  It's pretty big, what some might call a beak of a nose but I've made it too big because you keep moving it.  Old man, you're a trial as a subject.  Usually it is children who can't sit still but you are  by far the worst.  No, don't turn to look at me when you talk.  Yes, you can talk.  Santa Maria, I can no more silence you than I can still the wind, but just... here let me pose you again.  Keep your eyes on the crack in the corner.  Yes, I know I should have it fixed and I will, before winter, I promise.  Good.  Yes, I will contact your nephew.  Yes, I'm sure he is an excellent plasterer.  No, wait, don't eat that.  I was going to draw that apple next.  I think we are finished, signore.  Here, have a few coins for your time.  Yes, I'll be sure to call on you again when I need a subject.  Now, go.

Okay then, enjoy your Father's Day, even if you're not a father.  Stay cool.
--Barbara