I know, I know… you want to see what I bought on Saturday, and you want to see Gretchie’s dress. Well, you’re just going to have to wait, because yesterday didn’t go according to plans. Th Knight’s plans changed, so we had the day together, which means I didn’t have a chance to blog.
Baby Mugsy
Today’s a special day in the history of Haddon Wood. This is the anniversary of Mugsy’s birth. He would have been 14 today.
Adult Freddy
Today is also the second anniversary of a very dark day… Our sweet hooey hound Fred died on Mugsy’s 12th birthday after a very brief battle with cancer. The poor boy fought it alone though, because… well, never mind. I’ll just say that I’ve learned that I do have intuition, and I’ll use it next time. If your pet or child or whomever just doesn’t seem right to you, you might be onto something.
The boy dogs at rest
I cried as I told the boys good-bye this morning, as I do every time I leave the Woods. That is… each time I leave, I tell them ‘bye and ask them to take care of the girls. Instead of blubbering all day (well, I might anyway, but…), I figured I’d honor the boys and all of our abundant blessings with a month of special stuff.
A favorite photo of Mugsy and Sissy snuggling me
You see, October is just one celebration after another for the residents of Haddon Wood. We’ve already skimmed over my paternal grandfather’s death, my aunt & uncle’s anniversary and National Pizza Month. Today is also a cousin’s anniversary. My brother inlaw has a birthday later this week, Kathy has a birthday this month, and then near the end of the month… pay attention, because these dates matter:
October 23rd – The first anniversary of Lady Gretchen Greer’s arrival at the Woods.
October 24th – The Princess Sissy’s second birthday.
October 25th – Our 12th anniversary of wedded bliss.
Baby Gretchen & Sissy at play
The contest is going to span the month. All prizes will be awarded on the 26th, because I don’t know all the details for our anniversary weekend, but I won’t be online much, I’m pretty sure of that.
One yarn prize...
I’ll be teasing you with prizes as we go along too, but I’m still finalizing details with a few folks, so you’ll just have to trust me… they’re GREAT, special prizes. Here’s what I know so far:
The grand prize will include a hank of fingering weight yarn, a project bag, stitch markers and a tape measure. I believe there will be TWO grand prizes, but don’t hold me to that. (Contents will vary in those two lots.)
Other prizes will include Pampered Chef items to honor Pizza Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and some of our favorite products from Haddon Wood. There will also be a couple of surprises.
Rules:
- Count your blessings! Leave me a comment telling me about what makes you feel lucky/blessed. One entry per person.
- Blog about your blessings! Link to this post and share the joy. One entry per person. (Please let me know if you do blog about it, just in case I miss something.)
- Give from your bounty. Donate time, talents, something that has become clutter at your house, or of course, money, to the charity of your choice. A photo documenting the donation would be nice. One entry per person.
- Celebrate! Have a pizza party or some other fete in our honor (or for your own good reason). One entry per person, one bonus entry if the party features PANK or royal purple.
- Help ME out. There’s a special family in my life that is facing another crisis. Send me a handmade hat to fit a roughly 21″ head, made in pretty little girl colors. (Those of you already working on special items for the family will get extra entries for the blankets.) FIVE entries per hat, with a limit 10 hat credits per person. (Feel free to donate more, but I don’t want a speed knitter or crocheter to run away with the contest.)
- Have your own birthday or anniversary this month? Tell me about it, and you get one entry.
- Only one win per person. I’ll draw for the grand prize(s) first, so once you win something, you’ll be ineligible for the rest of the drawings. I want to share the blessings with as many of you as possible.
- There will be other bonus entries announced here and there…
Last but not least, I want to thank my dear friends who have (or are going to) donated these prizes. The Knight and I are supplying the Pampered Chef and will pay for a few of the other prizes, but the VAST bulk of the prizes were given from the goodness of dear hearts. Each vendor will be getting her own moment in the sun as the month goes on, because it’s the least I can do.
Good luck!
Chan Knits 
October is a big month for us, too. Our 23rd anniversary is November 1st but we always celebrate the day before. We’re found that you get very good service in restaurants on Halloween. Our pups will be celebrating their third birthday on the 26th and we’re having a party for that and of course Fudge plans to get his title on the 16th. Stay tuned for that one.
Well I must have known – I cut out 4 little double pointed needle rolls and matching project bags yesterday. I was planning on sending you a set for you – would you like an extra to gift?
So blessing – mine really are many, you want them here?
*hubby who loves me
*respectful, responsible, healthy, adult children
*healthy dogs and the financial ability to fix them when the need arises
*good friends – near and far
*turning 46 no matter how much it hurts, it’s good 🙂
there’s plenty more, but I won’t take all your space.
Birthday celebrations —
*mine – 22nd
*JB – 25th
I will most likely have a friend over for a pumpkin celebration, but I can’t promise pank or purple.
Happy October! g
Now that’s a contest we’ll all have to work for. I’ll post more about it later…but my 10th anniversary is this Friday! October anniversaries are special!
Narry a birthday or anniversary to be found in this household for October. I love seeing ‘old’ pics of the boys n girls from your place.
Blessings? Too many to enumnerate, but here’s a start.
Loving spouse, in it for the long run (26+ yrs)
Four healthy ‘adult’ children…mostly doing well
Friends enough far and near to cover most any need (fun or serious)
My two little doggie girls and the joy they bring
Freedom to school and worship as I feel led.
And many, many more!
I’ll be watching…
Love your doggie pictures. The baby picture of Mugsy is just adorable, but you knew that.
Blessings: My dearly beloved and all we have, including 9 healthy children and Thor.I am the luckiest girl on the planet.
Birthdays: Me! Sissy shares my birthday (I was here first, after all)! My baby on the 29th.
Donations: Outgrown (or out of favor) clothes go to goodwill every quarter. Yes, I have the space to store, but why?
Celebrations: My baby’s birthday, of course. He would be indignant if I used PANK or purple. Maybe I’ll make myself a birthday dress in one of those colors.
Sorry I can’t make a hat. I’m not competent.
Wonderful pictures! 🙂 And wow, what a wonderful contest! I’m more than happy to be a part of the donations!
Now for some entries, because you know… we all love a contest!
My blessings….
~ my kids/dogs (need I say more of the unconditional love they give 24/7)
~ my other half
~ 2 cancer surviving parents and 2 more “inlaw” cancer surviving parents (4 different types of cancer at that)
~ amazing friends
October is a wonderful month around here as well… my bday Oct 7th, Mom’s Oct 15th and Tut’s Oct 25th (a great day!). I have an Aunt on Oct 18th and a friend’s boy child on Oct 9th as well.
As you know, I’m ongoing with time donation to my favorite doggy rescues… just this past Saturday I had the pleasure of pup-sitting Woody until his adoptive Mom made it to pick him up! Photos to be blogged this week… 🙂
I’ll be working on a special hat to send your way this week…
Oh and we began clean-sweeping the sunroom/diningroom/work out room yesterday and have loads to go to Goodwill…. next up is the clothes for Goodwill!
I need to get a couple of chores done around here so I can get back to my VIP knitting, but will take a minute to say that my “baby” turned 21 yesterday, which was also the Feast of St. Francis, who was all about the animals. Thus we had all sorts of animals at church yesterday for blessings.
Great idea for a contest. It’s good to remind us to concentrate on the blessings in life. I’ll do a blog post, etc., but probably not until after I get back from Vermont.
Anyway, my blessings in a nutshell:
#1 My dogs. My happy, healthy, wild, crazy, funny dogs. They are the light of my life and the reason why I get out of bed every morning.
#2 My parents. I still have them both in my life, and they are in relative good health.
#3 My health. I’m blessed to have good health, especially so I can take care of #s 1 and 2.
#4 My job. So many are not working, and I am thankful to still have a job that I like and that works for my dogs.
#5 My friends. I’m so lucky to have a wonderful support system in my bloggy and non-bloggy friends.
Channon, what a great idea and terrific way to get people motivated to do things that recognize and share the bounty in all our lives.
I feel most blessed these days for the state of health care in this nation – which has prolonged the life of dear ones – including Mr Puffy; Steve’s cousin (stage 5 bowel cancer); and my cousin who just had a double mastectomy.
I’ll look forward to hearing about all the fun things that are shared in this month long revelry!
Wow, that got me teary-eyed. RIP Mugsy and Fred, what sweet boys they seemed to be. I like that you finished with the positive and that was a great picture of baby Gretchen, what a freakin’ cutie pie!!! Your heart must be HUGE!
Awesome pics of the boys:). They were so blessed to have you and the Knight to care for them.
Blessings:
1) Friends. Near, far and bloggers:)
2) Life in the mountains with hubby
3) Four children who are healthy
4) Of course, Mr. Bettis, Gypsy and the Little Witch (Molly) who make me laugh and cry (sometimes at the same time)and a sprinkling of cats
Birthdays:
Well you just had to mention mine, didn’t you. LOL
Oct 13: the eldest son
Oct 17: mine
This is a fun contest, Chan.
I’m having a pizza party now in honor of you all at Haddon Woods while sitting in the hotel working on a process flow.
And I’ll get you the surprises for the contest before I leave for Rhinebeck. I’ll be on Pantops on the 14th for a podiatrist appt.
As for blessings? Family, friends, health, and enough yarn to keep me knitting for decades… 🙂
Well, after a very tumultuous year, I’m very blessed that 1) my husband has his job (he’s the only one of 52 employees they kept) and I was able to transfer with my company to our new state – Ohio, 2) we were able to sell our house when we moved in September, 3) I have healthy parents, sons, and grand-daughter, 4) many more blessings too numerous to mention.
Before and after our move, I have donated about 8 carloads to Goodwill, Salvation Army, and the Vietnam Veterans. I also monetarily support the Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the Red Cross whenever I need to send a memorial instead of flowers for a funeral.
Sheila makes me feel lucky, having found a vet that is perfect for working with her is a blessing…
Having a job that I love going to each day makes me feel lucky. Having an awesome family and mom especially that will help me anytime I need!
I could go on and on about friends, and the networking I’ve been able to do through my knitting group and blogging, but I know you know how much I love all my friends and family. I love everyone that is surrounding me, and I feel blessed to be surrounded by such great people!
Does telling you about my mom and Mr Jay’s birthday’s count… my mom is the 22nd, and Mr. Jay is the 25(same as your anniversary.. must be a great day!), I also have 2 aunts with October birthdays, one is halloween, and another is the 9th (or the 6th I always get confused).
As far as the pizza party, I’ve been looking for an excuse to have a few friends over… what better reason than a pink pizza party and game night! I will blog about all of this too don’t worry!
Awesome contest though!!
And sad happy birthday to the pups. It’s always hard.
I loved that you shared the pictures I know what it means to lose family members fur babies are precious and give us such unconditional love.(((Hugging You)))) Darcy
3. give from your bounty donate time and talent:
This Summer I gave away 15 bags of clothes and 5 bags of toys and half of everything that was in our garage to the Airman’s attic here on base.
This part is hard
I have a girlfriend back home in Idaho who is battling Cancer this Summer I took to her my clapotis shawl and urchin and prayed over the shawl all the way there.
I sent her the book cancer smancer and she says it has really helped.
I knit her a tankini keyring size it was an yellow poka dot bikini she says these things mean so much knowing people care.
I’m starting some Toast in cashmere for her as well she gets so cold and they will feel soft against her skin.
I cant take away her pain but I can send her some hugs and prayers here is a link to the post I wrote after my visit home.http://darcyknottyknitter.blogspot.com/2009/07/trip-back-to-idaho.html
I dont want her to suffer but I dont want her to go We were pregnant with Alora and Hailey at the same time the girls were born 1.5 months apart and were best little buddies and then there is her 2 yr old Jack.Samantha has been battling this for so long she is tired but keeps going for the kids and her husband.Please say a prayer for Samantha.Hugs Darcy
It is a blessing to list a blessing list!
I feel blessed to live in the midwest where the fall colors are just as extreme as the winter weathers!
thanks for reminding me that i need to come up with some prizes for yoooooou
i loved seeing the pictures of fred and mugsy today. While i know it is sad that they are no longer here with you, they remain in not only your heart but others as well. I just gave mugs a little smooch on my photo card today. Lucy is mooing a little hello to you as i type this too as she stretches from napping.
i guess i have no excuse for not blogging this month! you’ve given me lots to blog about. (thanks!!!)
but i’ll start with a few of the things that bless my life
– my two lovely sons who drive me crazy when they bicker but that i love more than words can express
– my husband of 15 years who is pig headed to a fault but that means that we have some good things in our life that i wouldn’t have fought for quite so ardently
– for a very good job and an excellent team who puts doing the right thing ahead of being popular
– for living in a democracy with many safety nets
– for the quietness of the dawn over the river of my country home (broken only by the occassional gun blast during hunting season!)
4. I’m going to celebrate I’m flying to New York for my birthday celebration going to Rhinbeck with my Friend Sandrasingh and her Hubby.
6.My 42nd birthday is October 25th 2009
Hugs Darcy
Hmmm…. that’s quite the list there, let me see…
Blessings
1) Wonderful friends
2) A wonderful husband
3) A wonderful selfless step-son
4) A charming & silly furbaby, Jasmine
5) I also feel blessed to still have our home with the economy the way it is….
I’ll shoot you an email when I get some of the others done. 🙂
Those are lovely photos of your boys and girls!! I’m certainly thankful for my Henry-pie. I’d get quite lonely without his snuggles. But of course that’s not the only thing in my life I’m thankful for, so I think I might have to blog!
This Saturday I will be stylin the purple.
I will be wearing the Isabella set on Saturday at Rhinebeck loaned to me by Sandrasingh my host for the day to keep me toasty warm so I will be wearing lots of purple here is the link to the Hat Gloves And Scarf set I will be wearing https://id306.securedata.net/sandrasingh.com/merchantmanager/product_info.php?cPath=76_590&products_id=2693 I leave Thursday for New York It will be an awesome trip.
I will take alot of pictures:)Hugs Darcy
I’ve been so busy with the soap for the retreat I keep forgetting to do this….
I have so many blessings that I give thanks to everyday…having God in my life, an awesome hubby, a beautiful son, furbabies, a house, food, my health, family, things that bring me joy, friends…
I’m always making chemo hats to donate and preemie hats. Last month donated dog sweaters to a shelter (which I did post on my blog) I try to do something everyday also to make someone smile, you never know what kind of day they’ve been having.
Thanksgiving and counting blessings is a daily thing for me…time is sooooo precious.
Love and hugs
oh my goodness! how did i miss this?!
i’m always happy to join in on a contest – and this one has such good intentions!
here we go, my blessings:
*kids are mostly happy and healthy.
*mr. melly has a great job.
*warm woolen socks on blustery fall days
*enough. i’m grateful to have enough. enough money, enough food, enough clothing…enough.
and for my other entries – sadie girl and i go to the nursing home. we haven’t been in months and months. i’m thinking about finding one closer to home. but that’s part of how i’m sharing.
and to heck with meatloaf! we’ll have a pizza party tonight! i’m not quite sure how i can infuse pizza with PANK or purple, for that matter but i’ll try! 🙂
if you send me your address, chan, i’ll send you a hat! i’ve got plenty of leftovers from gig’s sweater – perfectly girlie and perfectly pink!
and one very special date this month – saturday, the 17th my nephew tim would have been 20. we lost him two months ago in an accident. but my sister is celebrating his birthday BIG TIME and i love it. the day he was born was one of her very best days. it’s hard sometimes, remembering those we’ve lost. but it’s important to celebrate them. so pizza and beer for everyone! 🙂
October, October . . . my birthday was on the 4th. Didn’t do much, feeling a little old 🙂
What am I thankful for? My boyfriend, he’s the best thing that ever happened to me. We are just enough different and just enough similar. It works out the best it possibly could. My nieces, who are the best little girls anywhere. My health.
No pizza, lactose intolerant. Maybe I’ll dye some french fries pink and purple in the girls’ honor.
I’d love to make a hat, just let me know where to send it.
Wow, you go off the grid for awhile and you miss alot.
October birthdays- my mom on the 6th bro in-law on the 8th nephew on the 3rd and my middle child, my only girl will be 10 on the 29th.
Right now I feel extremely blessed to have found the perfect school for my 12 year old bipolar son.
I forgot to tell about things I do.
We try to purge monthly and take things to the good will. I am enjoying volunteering my time at the new school. And I have spent 9 years as an LLL Leader, encouraging and supporting new moms breastfeeding their babies. I visit moms in the hospital right after giving birth and later when they go home.
Love your blog and the photos of the pups are terrific. This month has been difficult around here too. Today is the one month anniversary of my mother-in-law’s death. This has meant numerous trips to her apartment (about three hours driving time) to go through stuff, sort it all, pack it up and do something with it. We have donated huge quantities to the Salvation Army, both household goods and clothing. Hopefully it will be useful to someone else.
On a more positive note, my darling Winnie (the Shar-Pei and my running partner) turns two tomorrow. She has brought me such joy and helped me through the loss of Misha, who passed away at 16.5 years in February. I can’t imagine a life without dogs.
Other things I am grateful for? My extraordinary good health and that of my family. My wonderful husband, with whom I celebrated 26 years of marriage last month. That he has a good job that provides well for us and that we have enough to live comfortably. My two terrific sons. My sweet granddaughters. There is so much more.
Blessings!!??!!! OMG! I have too many to describe but here are the top few
1-a husband that loves and provides for me
2-my 3 canine pals
3- wonderful vets and staff
4-virtual friends, you are so dear to me
5- the means to share our blessings with others
6-and #1 my dear darling Sunny
Pop over to my blog to read more about it
I finally did my “Count Your Blessings” post, and tonight was pizza night, but I’m saving that for this week’s Dogs on Thursday post. 🙂
I feel lucky to have a wonderful family (extended family included… and I don’t know too many people who can say that) and some great friends, to live in a really nice part of the world (not just Canada, but a pretty part of Canada), to be healthy, and to have a local library.
Blessings:
Having had and loved my Golden HUCK for 11 1/2 years .
TIme to nap
Time to knit
time to laugh
I am blessed to have family and friends that support and encourage this great passion I have for knitting and gifting those items, My wonderful master blocker has no problem with me buying skein after skein and then sending the shawls to organizations or giving them to friends in need. I recently sent 2 boxes of prayer shawls 9 altogether to Hope Lodge for cancer patients, they have a group on Ravelry and Pam Roach is on Facebook, she is the minister who supervises the program. My birthday was the very last day of September and we celebrated with pizza but if that doesn’t count that is fine, I had several friends who have birthdays this month and my sister in CT just celebrated her 25th wedding anniversary–we are going there this weekend to celebrate. Today I finally got to massive closet restructuring and have a bag of coats and clothes for Good Will and I will be making something for your little friend soon, I would love to send her one of my stuffed cats, would that be okay?? Its acrylic and non allergenic! I love reading the comments and blog posts about your contest. what a truly wonderful idea!!! Many hugs, and much love—_Grace
I miss some great stuff when I’m off line, don’t I! I just blogged about current blessings. But in short – wool to knit with (and new silk/cashmere yarn), responsible adult children, and good health. An aunt who just turned 85 – and is as healthy as they come, so I’ve got my fingers crossed I’ll be just like her!
A bag just dropped off at the local Salvation Army store.
And a new lathe. To share my blessings, I’ll turn and donate a needle case (it’s big enough for darning needles and much better looking than a plastic chibi). Email me (or I’ll email you) for your address and I’ll send it to ya this week.
We had a pizza party over on the skein. Check is out!!
Wow…I am truly thankful for so many things it is hard to choose the one that means the most!!
I am so blessed to have family (warts and all)….to have so many wonderful friends, to have the freedom to be at home at this particular time in my life!!