Today we received a postcard from my 2nd or 3rd (?) cousin, Helena. Helena lives in Finland and the card's greeting is in Finnish. This is one of the many occasions that I wish I wasn't monolingual. Even my translation dictionary isn't helping this time. The message reads, "Puput tuovat tullessaan iloa paasiaistunnelmaan!" I'm pretty sure it's an Easter message based on the picture. Thank you Helena! Helena is a wonderful knitter and she has two beautiful children, Sonja and Jyrki. She has been here to visit our family, but we have never been to Finland. The airfare is quite expensive and there is that embarrassing language barrier. My Grandpa speaks Finnish, but he never taught any of us anything but cuss words and a few songs.

Back when my Mother-in-Law was alive she shopped... a lot. After arthritis settled in her back and she couldn't walk or drive far she still shopped, but via television and catalog. QVC's phone number was programmed on speed dial and the UPS truck stopped 3 or 4 times a week at her home. Because Brian's Dad worked her discussions with the ordering operators and the delivery people were some of the only company she'd have throughout the day (which probably prompted some of her ordering). ANYWAY, we have lots of Bradford Exchange collector's plates (mostly Star Trek and the 3 Stooges), Fenton glassware and other "treasures" we don't want to keep. Heck, even if we did there isn't enough room in our house. So I spent a good portion of the day photographing items to list on eBay. After the photography session I went out to eBay. According to recent sales the plates we have re-sell for approximately .99 to $4.99 each. The packaging would cost more than I'd make selling them. So now the question is what to do with them. I wonder if someday my daughters will go through all of my knitting paraphernalia and yarn and wonder what to do with the "useless junk". Ha!

Not much knitting progress today but the molding and trim for Ashley's room received their first coat of paint.