My complements to Michelle Hunter!  Once again her instructions and videos are fantastic.  I finished knitting my Independence Pillow (which should probably have been done in red, blue or white) last week, but haven't got it sewn together.  I just reviewed the videos for the mattress stitch--both for vertical and horizontal seams-- and they are excellent.  Everyone who participated in this knit along is going to be very pleased with the results.  The next knit along with Michelle will be in October.  This Progressive Needles KAL we will be doing seasonal projects so we will have a knit along every 3 months.  Unless something comes up, we will be using the Hikoo Simpliworsted again.  The project hasn't been announced yet.  
Those of us working on the Building Blocks Afghan (designed by Michelle) will be meeting at 3:00 this Friday, July 27.  We are all moving along beautifully.  I have six blocks done and most everyone has at least 3. The seventh block is stymieing me, because I can't decide what color I want to use.  Maybe I will skip to #8.   We will officially be starting the 4th block on Friday.  Everyone is welcome to join us, we have mostly devolved into a knitting circle, since most of us already know the techniques.  We do enjoy the socializing--or at least I do!

Finally, I am back to writing blogs.  First I apologize for being so remiss for the last few weeks.  I had planned a post on June 30, but we had the terrible derecho storm so had no electricity from the afternoon/evening of June 29 through July 2 (at the store) and July 4 (at home).  The extra exertion caused by no water and no electricity included hauling water for our livestock and to run our house and lugging around on a generator, watering troughs etc.  There also was some cleaning up to do both at home and at the store.  Doing all the extra lifting, I did something to my right hand and for some reason wasn't able to grip something long enough to set it down.  When we got to the point we could heat water and I could have a cup of tea, I wasn't able to grip the handle of the cup and dropped everything I tried to pick up.  For some reason, I was able to knit,  but unfortunately it was either too hot during the day or too dark at night.  but everything is better now.   Things are going back to normal.  I drew some conclusions that I hope to learn from and act upon--(1) I am very spoiled (I think most of us are) and (2) Mack and I weren't very well prepared.  We are making some changes at home, which I hope will make things better if there is a next time which, of course, there will be.