Picture Time!

Hello, hello.

I've spent the last 3 weeks back home in Michigan, so pardon the lack of blogging. However, you are in for a treat because I have not one. Not two. Nope, folks, not even three pictures for you. I have four! Oooh! Actually, if I wanted to post it, I'd have five.

Pictures 1-3 are of a cute little stuffed toy I knitted right before heading home. It came from knitty.com (check for the link in my "links" sidebar). It was the perfect project to use up some yarn I'd purchased simply because it was: (a) discontinued, (b) on clearance, and (c) I'd read rave reviews of it on my knitting boards.

I originally had intended to let my mom and sisters fight it out for who would get to keep it. They're all suckers for cute stuffed toys. However, I showed it to my lil' brother who had come along with my dad to pick me up at the airport and that was the end of it. I asked him to help me name it and he said "Bob." And then he said, "Amy, when you look at him, don't you just think 'Bob'?" Haha, he's a weird kid, I know. I love him. He proceeded to hold him for the ride home and then wouldn't give him up to anyone. He slept with him every night while I was home and I'm sure he's continuing to do so. Without further ado, then, I present to you, Bob!

Cute, no? I like him. And so does Nick. And the rest of my family. Cool. :)

Ahh picture number four. What an exciting time. This picture comes from my Saturday night adventure. I was driving home from my sister Mary's new house in Kentwood with my sister Laura. It started out like a routine drive across the state (Kentwood is about 3 hours west of my home in Harper Woods). However, I had gotten an ominous phone call from my dad upon just entering the freeway. Apparently the Detroit area was getting freezing rain and driving conditions were not good. Yeah, yeah, I know how to drive, though, so I just disregarded it (sorry, Dad, had I known the car I was in better and the actual suckiness of the driving conditions, I would have turned right around). I had borrowed my sister Lucy's car which my dad bought from our friend, Sean. Hmm...Sean, I think I'm gonna blame this one on you and your damn car. Haha. Sorry, buddy. So yeah, Laura and I were about 45 minutes from home and I thought I was finally in the clear. Visibility had been awful and now I finally had street lights to help me out. Well, the car in front of me braked. No big deal, I braked. Big deal. The car fish-tailed and swerved and slid across the freeway right into a ditch. In this case, the lousy tip you get from driver's training to turn the wheel into the swerve and not in the opposite direction proved useless. Amazingly, I managed not to get hit during this swerving adventure. I was in the middle of three lanes. That was really my biggest worry because the last thing I wanted was for Laura or myself to be hurt. Or for the car to be damaged. I couldn't afford to fix it and God knows my dad couldn't either. When the car stopped sliding, I turned to my sister to ask if she was all right (she was) and we both let out a huge laugh. Might seem weird, but having lived through it, it really was a bit of an adrenaline rush. Besides, imagine what it must have looked like! I wish I had it on video to watch back. Anyway, I got out of the car to look at. Fine. Drivable. Not damaged. Awesome. Tried to drive out. Not gonna happen. With the snow and ice, the slight hill was not gonna let me up it. This is when I found out about the kindness of strangers. I got out of the car and walked up towards the next exit so I could tell the tow truck where I was. This is when the first person pulled over. It was a girl, probably about my age. She offered me a ride, which I declined, but she supplied me with the name of the next exit (I still couldn't read it, it was too far off). I thanked her, she drove off, and I walked back. I called AAA and another car pulled over. I told him I was in the process of getting a tow, thanked him, and off he went. AAA couldn't find anyone to take my call. She was going to keep trying and call me back. Car number 3 stopped to check on us. Again, I thanked them and sent them on. Waiting, waiting, waiting. No phone call from AAA. Car number 4 stops. I get out and tell him I've been waiting on AAA with no luck. The car's drivable, I just can't get out of the ditch. He calls a friend who has a truck (tow truck?). Just then, a tow truck pulls up. Not from AAA, but because someone called the State Police about us. Yay! I was going to get home afterall. Well, car number 4, Kelly (I heard him say that to his friend on the phone), pulled up and waited for us to get out and drive away. Nice guy. But here's the car in the ditch:

So there you have it. My lovely pictures. For those of you who are curious, mystery picture number five is me in my wedding dress. I bought it while I was home and Laura took a picture of me in it in the dressing room. It's beautiful and I love it and the most amazing part is it fits me as is! Well, it needs to be hemmed, but other than that, no alterations! Woohoo! So yeah, I'd post it, but Mike reads my blog and he can't see it, so I have to say I'm sorry to my few readers who will be anxious to see it. You'll just have to wait till after the wedding! Heehee...the suspense! Trust me, though, if I could I would show you. In fact, if I could, I would be wearing it right now. Haha. It's fun and pretty and I feel pretty in it. Fancy dresses are so great.

Happy Trails...