Reducio Sock Swap

My package arrived today from Celestina Pettigrew (aka Sherry Harrison). It is so amazing.

Everything was neatly packaged in this beautiful cardinal tin. I love cardinals. I think they are the prettiest birds. I miss seeing them. I grew up in upstate NY and we had them at the feeders all winter long. So pretty against the white snow!
Inside was some vanilla chai tea, some Harry Potter Blood Pops, Harry Potter trading cards, Reeces lip balm (I don't need to eat chocolate ... great fix, less calories!), a tiny tin of mints, and three wonderfully knitted items. I think my absolute favorite is Molly Weasley's knitting basket! I LOVE it. Is there enough yarn in each skein for a wee pair of socks I wonder? Next she made me a mismatched handmade sweater with my initial on it ... complete with holly decoration! How cool is that??? Lastly, a fantastically knitted Gryffindor sock ... with a gorgeous lace/cable pattern on the side.

Thank you, Celestina/Sherry!

What am I thankful for?

Because Neila has given us this challenge, I am going to try to attempt to complete it ... but sometimes I just don't feel like I'm very original!

I am thankful my Lord and Savior died on the cross to save me.

I am extremely thankful we have a roof over ours head, heat in our home, running water for showers and a bathroom, and a loving husband who is willing to work at a job he doesn't always love in order for me to be able to stay home and educate our four children.

I am thankful for a car that can get us where we need to go.

I am thankful for the children's blessed dance teachers.

I am thankful for small talents given by the Lord which ease my daily stress burdens (knitting, crocheting, reading, photography, etc.)

I am thankful for my online Ravelry friends whom I've never met but who are always there to offer an "ear" and advice ... so many friends I've never met, but I know I can turn to them :)

Miss Wartbobble's Sandy Misfortunes

Methinks Winnie has made it to the Middle East and Africa.

Winnie wrote about a fascinating public library whose architecture rivals that of an open book. She is most likely in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The plans for this building were set into motion in 2006. She also writes of sand (lots and lots of sand) and pyramids, so my guess is that she is also visiting the Giza Plateau just outside Cairo, Egypt.

I am still questioning her odd placement and use of capital letters. This time the letters DOTEOU stand out. I wonder if we are supposed to do something with these letters? How strange?

Happy vacationing, Winnie! We hope you return back to us soon and share more pictures of your travels!

Winnie's World Wanderings

It seems Miss Wartbobble is doing to Central America to celebrate the Day of the Dead ... more specifically, she would be in Mexico for that.

First she visited the capital city of Mexico City, located on dried up Lake Texacoco (or Texcoco depending on which reference you read!).

As for where she landed next, I'm not quite sure. I originally thought perhaps she was in Ocean City, Oregon, but then remembered "northeastern" so I then I thought Ocean City, Maryland. THEN I remembered the first part of her missive said she was heading south, to THAT leaves out North America, so I think I shall have to investigate kite flying in South America.

In that case, she probably went to Chile. I can't be more specific than that, but they celebrate with kites on Independence Day there, which is mid-September, so maybe they are still flying kites in November? Perhaps it's Brazil? They seem to do quite a bit of kite-surfing on the northeastern coast of Brazil!

Lastly she visited another northeastern coastal city, which I haven't yet been able to figure out. Pink library? Multicultural Carnival? I'm thinking Brazilian Carnaval in Brazil. Did you stay at the Pink House in Brazil, Winnie? It didn't say it was a library, but it was listed as an alternative place to stay instead of a hotel!

Tracking Miss Winnie

Well, Miss Wartbobble is certainly getting her flying in, isn't she? First one continent, and then another! She has flown back across the ocean and is now writing to us about talking with ghosts, well, one in particular, Cyprian Youdle. But, I am wondering if she has made an error in her writings. In my research about Mr. Youdle, I found he perished during a friendly game of Quidditch in 1357, not 1857, as noted here http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Cyprian_Youdle . Mr. Youdle was born in 1312, so if he died as she said in 1857, I either have the wrong Youdle, or he died VERY old, or there is an error in the missive, as pondered above earlier.

Again, Miss Wartbobble has purposefully made some distinct letters stand out in her missive, DNT. I'm not sure as to their reference yet, but am wondering if I need to start putting these letters together to see if they will eventually spell out something? Hmmmm ...

But, I digress, as I need to state where she is located.

Now, in my research about the unfortunate Youdle, I found he was from Norfolk. As I have no way of getting to Norfolk to check it out, I'm pretty sure she's referring to the Norfolk in Great Britain, and not Norfolk, Virginia! Either way, both are tremendously far from where I am located, and I'm not able to visit them at this time.

Conversely, I checked on the Appleby Arrows, and they were formed in 1612 ... almost 300 years from the unfortunate death of Mr. Youdle.

Now, I ask you ... is there more than one Youdle?

Will have to continue reading between the lines before I come up with my official locational answer.


***** Later in the week ****
Okay, so earlier in the week I began this blog entry, and today I shall add to it my thoughts as to the whereabouts of Miss Wartbobble.

I'm still a wee bit confundled as to her exact location, but I'm going to take on the Appleby Arrows hint and suggest perhaps she has been resting in Appleby Village (in Lincolnshire), occupied by little more than 500 residents with 177 homes. Sadly, there are no shops or public houses here. http://www.appleby-lincolnshire.co.uk/aboutappleby.html However, I think, if she has a bit of free time on her hands, she may like to take a peek at St. Bartholomew's Church, with it's carved gargoyles and dragons. At least, I would. Makes me want to take a bit of a trip myself and see what I presume is a picturesque and charming little village.

More specifically, I can't state her EXACT location with Youdle, because all research I've done concerning the location of the game he was refereeing has become invisible. It just mentions the year and the match, no location.

So, that's what I say. She's been in Appleby Village. I can't get more specific than that!

Winnie's Wingings = Week 2

Wow, Winnie is sure getting around! She's had some distance on her broom this week, unless she apparated ... hope she brought her repair kit with her!

It looks as though she has flown out to the spring climates of New Zealand and is staying in Dunedin near the only castle in New Zealand, Larnach Castle. It's located on the Otago Peninsula. The views must be breathtaking. Did she take her camera?

And then she must have used the winds to help her, because she had a very long trip across the big pond ... unless, of course, she apparated! It appears she has visited/is visiting the Sugar Shack in the heart of the Laurentians in St-Donat in Quebec, Canada. This cute little shack is situated with two neighboring lakes ... Lake Archambault and lake Ouareau. Quite breathtaking, actually. It's almost like looking at an old picture postcard! Beautiful snow in the winter! I hope she remembers to get herself some maple sugar leaves!

Where to next, Winnie?

PS: Incidentally, what's with the cryptic green letters CLR and CLS? I haven't figured those out yet. I think they are important, but I can't figure out how they figure in!

Where is Winnie?

Okay, I have come across a conundrum. I know many feel Winnie wrote from the Ministry of Magic, and more specifically, St. Mungos. However, there is one bit of information I glommed onto which throws me for a loop, and that's her salutation, where she wrote Ciao.

So, my question is: Is there more than one Ministry of Magic (one for each country)? Because, if there is, then I'd say she wrote from the Italian Ministry of Magic.

Now, I could very possibly be reading FAR more into this and making it much more difficult than it really and truly is ... therefore really making my answers way out there!

So, for this particular post, I'll take a leave of faith in that I am going beyond what is right in front of my eyes, and I'm going to say:

Winnie is at the Italian Ministry of Magic.

As for more specifics ... well, she could have been visiting the 75 wayward wizards who splinched themselves, as she did mention the rude bedside manner of some officials. Of course, she could have visited any other number of places, possibly several ... you know, killing two birds with one stone. Maybe she was called in for interviews about how she taught these students? Poor Winnie, being questioned by the Wizengamot!

We shall have to keep our eyes wide open for more owls to find out what really happened there!

More later ...