He once was a calm boy.

Madison, Wisconsin, November 2003. Baci sleeps, and Pupa keeps one eye open.

Happy Birthday, Baci

Madison, Wisconsin, October 2003. Baci turned thirteen today.

Sleeping-Puppies Reunion

Monona, Wisconsin, September 2003. Everyone—except Baci (known at the time as  "Big Red")—naps.

Thanks to our friend Tom for making this photo available to us.

Forget-Me-Not

Door County, Wisconsin, June 2003. I'll be back.

Birthday Boy

Madison, Wisconsin, November 2003. Baci turned twelve today.

Early-Season Reunion

Madison, Wisconsin, June 2003. Things still look tidy.

Our Chirstmas Cards: Photo-Sheet Edition

Madison, Wisconsin, December 2003. We introduced the "photo summary" to our Christmas mailings in 2003. That year, we sent out the summary only, and we did not prepare separate photo cards. Since then, we've mailed both cards and photo sheets.

The 2003 sheet featured our acquisition of Baci and Žulė's passing (the two events may not have been unrelated: Baci's exuberance likely overwhelmed Žulė). The sheet also highlighted some knitting: Mr. Irene models a sweater I knitted for my boss, and Mom wears one I did for the wife of a former colleague.

Looking-Ahead Reunion

Madison, Wisconsin, June 2003. Last night's storms led me to think about summer gardening.

Related by Marriage: Expressions

Madison, Wisconsin, December 13, 2003. It's rare to capture them both smiling.

Happy Birthday, Mr. B.

Madison, Wisconsin, October 2003. Our Baci celebrates his tenth birthday today.

Pups on Footstools, in Three Takes

Suburban Chicago, February 1983. Meškė was the first pup to engage in our footstool tradition.

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Madison, Wisconsin, September 4, 1994. Pupa was very obedient on the stool.

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Madison, Wisconsin, October 25, 2003. Baci sat only long enough for me to get the snapshot.

Knitspiration

I'm usually on the lookout for weaving designs. Weaving graphs adapt easily into knitting graphs. Until recently, I've relied on this little gem, "Lithuanian Folk Decorations:"

Karvelis, a Chicago publisher, issued this pamphlet in 1957. Many in the Displaced-Persons community owned it. The pamphlet reproduces designs for woodcarving, embroidery, and weaving. The weaving graphs include illustrations for tableclothes, runners, and sashes. The pamphlet is in rough shape because I played with it when I was a child.

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I bought this book about twelve years ago at a a local shop that onced carried both knitting and weaving supplies. I adapted one tablecloth chart into a sweater in 2003. I won't post a photograph of it now because the sweater is a nightmare. I knitted it when a family member was hospitalized for three weeks, and we had an eight-week-old puppy, Baci, at home. My knitted "gauge" wasn't even because I was distracted, worried, and tired. I didn't focus properly on my knitting. Most knitters tighten up their gauge when they are stressed; I am the opposite. As a result, the sweater—which should have measured 40 inches around the chest—was a size 49. So I ran it through the washing machine on the "hot" cycle, and the sweater morphed into a boiled wool jacket.

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A few weeks ago, I aquired this gem. It's the motherload of graphs! My Toronto Cousin picked up the book for me at a parish rummage sale, and she brought it during her recent visit. Anastazija Tamošaitienė and her husband, Antanas Tamošaitis, wrote the book. After World War II, the Tamošaičiai settled in Canada, where Tamošaitienė exceled as a weaver.

Stranded

Do you enjoy stranded, or two-color knitting? If your answer is "yes," then here's a link you'll find useful.

Madison, Wisconsin, February 2003. This vest, an item I knitted for Mr. Irene, was the first fair-isle project I designed.

Amber Puppy Reunion

Madison, Wisconsin, November 2003. Beautiful Baci says, "Watch me."