Bucking the trend~

Shhh. Don't tell the knitting world. I, a perfectly competent knitter, just made a hat in a NOVELTY yarn. And it was fun.

Yesterday, I got in two balls of Elann's Marrakesh. I ordered them kind of for the hell of it. I finished up my DenMknit 'spearmint, and it's waiting a spin in the washer. So I cast on for a hat.

Novelty yarns were the knitting industry's one-night stand 24 months ago. Since then, they've done the walk of shame straight into the bargain bin. And I don't know why. Sure, you only need so many GS scarves, but let's face it, it's fun to race thru a hat every so often. I don't want to knit 1300 yards of cables or lace for EVERY project. This is strictly playing!

I used a US size 5 circ (yeah, I know the ball band says 6mm, but I was trying to calm the yarn's long lashes) and one ball of yarn. There's a row of dropped stitch in there somewhere, but the fabric is so dense, it's tough to see. I have one more ball, and I will probably throw more dropped stitch rows in there.

I am thinking about crocheting up some kitty ears and sending it off to DGD as a fun fall hat!

Adding insult to injury

The insurance company decided to accept liability for the accident. A spider's moved in.

Rut-Roh!

Right now, it's a little wider than I want it to be. Hope it shrinks in, just a little-maybe an inch, as well as up. I am scared to finish. You know I ain't froggin' it.

Less than a ball til 'the great DenMknit wash experiment.

Last minute add-Grace is having her bloggerversary, and holding a contest. Say I referred you, so I can get an extra point. Puhleeez?

Memorial barrel race to honor the life of Stacey Johnston

Lisa's DD has been hard at work, helping organize this event.


I recently discovered that women's abuse services in my area were not as good as I imagined. Matter of fact, I was shocked by the lack of certain services. I think I will talk to someone on the hospital board about it.

You might ask why the heck I care about what's going on in the Mat-su Valley. Fact is, if my DD has any trouble (and if the crowd she runs with is any indication, that's inevitable) she'll go there. So it matters to me. Take a look at services in your area. Are they fit for you to use?

Just follow the link for the whole story-



Event a fundraiser for AWAIC and Palmer's Women's resource center
By DARRELL L. BREESEAlaska Star



Tamie Vickers remembers her friend and long-time Chugiak resident, Stacey Johnston as a fun-loving, free-spirit with a passion for barrel racing and horses.


Vickers, along with other friends and family, are planning a memorial barrel racing fundraiser at the McCormick Farm in Palmer Sept. 15 to remember Johnston, 42, whose body was found beaten to death in the back of a car after a police chase July 28 in Chugiak.

“Proceeds from the event will be donated to AWAIC (Abused Women's aid in Crisis) and to the Palmer Women's Resource Center,” Vickers said. “This is the kind of event that Stacey would have loved. We want to celebrate her life and passion for family, friends and horses. Plus we hope to raise money to prevent other women being trapped in abusive relationships.”


To make the event special, Vickers said additional prizes will be provided.
“We're putting up a $1,000 added first prize purse to make the event special,” Vickers explained. “Stacey was an active part of the barrel racing community, and we believe it's important to honor her for her passion and commitment to the sport.


Reach the reporter at darrell.breese@alaskastar.com. This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, August 30, 2007.

We must be middle aged dorks....

An outing-

DH was supposed to drive 6 hours north to DMIL's Saturday morning, but the "Sudden Impact" event Friday left us uncertain about my car's road-worthiness. This morning, he was restless and wanted something to do. "I wanna go somewhere," he said.

This doesn't happen often. I flew out to my Road Warrior and got the state tourism book. We hemmed. We hawed. I took a shower and left him leafing thru the book. Finally, we settled on it-we decided to go to Floresville, drive to the old Polish settlement Panna Maria, the ghost town, a Japanese internment town. All right!

On the way outta town, DH stopped by the ATM. Of course we were behind a sllllowwww person. We saw a long line at the gas pumps, and wheeled around to the one vacant pump. Broken. Figures. Had to stop for a long freight train. I started laughing at DH then, because those things would make him absolutely bananas on any given day!

I didn't realized exactly how "out in the country" we were headed. We were on county roads. The speed limit was 35. I started to apologize for picking a dud route. "No," he said, "this is exactly what I wanted. I didn't want to spend two hours on the interstate."

We turned a corner, and saw Panna Maria. (This name confuses me. Panna cotta is a creamy gelatin dessert. Con Panna is espresso with whipped cream. How did Panna Maria translate into Virgin Mary?) We got out at the church to read the historical marker. Those poor settlers. They walked from Galveston! The sun was shining. It was absolutely still. Too still. "Doesn't this remind you of Children of the Corn?" asked DH. Absolutely, and I hustled back into the truck.

We drove on, thru Helena (not worth going to if the museum isn't open) then farther south. We drove thru Falls City, home of the Fighting Beavers (which prompted some giggling about maces being the weapon of choice), thru Karnes City (not a city, never was. More like a rail depot) and on to Kenedy. We searched and searched for the historic marker that mentions Kenedy as the site of a Japanese internment camp (Japanese men from Peru, but that's another story) but had no luck. Couldn't find it.

So we turned back toward home. I had my "see the world's largest ball of twine" moment, and demanded we eat at Pollack's Sawsage Farm, thinking that it would be good. Oddly, DH's "sawsage" looked and tasted for all the world like meatloaf in casing. His hot German style potato salad was a the saddest potato salad I have ever tasted. I had a reuben (on Texas Toast-yuck) but the kraut was really good.

We had fun. Right down to driving thru the rain. "Bet we got good rain out at the house," declared DH. "No, honey, you watch." The rain in town was pretty heavy in town, and he asked "You wanna reconsider that?" "No." As we drove to our neighborhood, it lightened, then turned into a sprinkle. As we turned up our street, I asked "So, you wanna reconsider that?" The rain turned to random drops.

Yes, I brought my knitting.

Dammit.

I was inside, just doin' my job. I'da been in trouble if the car had hopped the curb and come crashing thru my storefront, huh? Absolutely specfuckular.

Tiny bit cornfused.

There's really nothing new in the world of knitting. I keep telling myself that, and events keep reminding me that. What came first, the chicken or the egg? The morning or the night? The Torino or the Cobblestone?

The latest IWK has a men's pullover called Cobblestone. I raved about it all last month, because I thought the shoulder emphasis and the "slimming" side panels were really good ideas for a modern and flattering sweater.

I received Tahki Stacy-Charles' newsletter today and saw a free pattern for "Torino Bulky Circular Pullover". That is also a clever, modern pullover, isn't it? There's no way to tell if the designer is the same, or which came first.

Disconcerting, isn't it?

Lookie what I made!!!

A new knitter!

I was so excited when I looked in the mail yesterday. DH's childhood friend Jeff and his gal-pal Leigh Anne came thru town two months ago. I showed Leigh Anne how to do garter stitch, and look at what she's doing! Already! Way to go!

Stop your fussin', kid.

It's not fun to knit for myself. I have average body issues; everyone wants to be taller, thinner, have a better (fill in the blank). Every stitch is a reminder that (despite what my mother told me) I am NOT perfect.

The Turks hang small mirrors from chains on their walls; the mirror backs are ornately decorated, because they are flipped over after use. To them, like the Quakers, it is sinful and vain to spend a good deal of time looking in a mirror. I struggle with issues of vanity when I knit for myself.

On top of that, it's tough to produce thousands of stitches imagining how cute a garment will be, and then find it doesn't fit, the neck doesn't lay flat, the pattern is crap, or, as Heather put it in Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, "This dress exacerbates the genetic betrayal that is my legacy. " Every garment IS a crapshoot, and the one I linked to is a good example. Knitters gamble.

Mostly, though, I think knitting for myself is lonely. My friend Shui Kuen once said "When I knit for my mother, I think of my mother." I have no happy thoughts of surprising friends and family with a new garment, a hat, a pair of socks.

I know-I got issues.

What's that?

There, that oughta help. I am working on the same garment I made in 1986. I was so proud of myself when I finished, even tho I couldn't figure the pattern out very well.

It started with a K3P2 rib. On the 4th row, you are supposed to knit into the third stitch from the needle, then knit stitches one and two. That whipped my butt, so I just cabled every one of those stitches for four solid inches. Dang that was a lot of work. Dang, I still have that top, even tho it fits me like sausage casing these days. I was so incredibly proud of it, I thought I'd make it again.

Last time, I made it in red Femia (Schachenmayr) and this time I am working in Elann's black DenMknit (I figured out that cable, finally). My hands are a little sore from cabling all that cotton, but I haven't noticed a significant amount of color transfer. Aside from the obvious size differences, I have to make this longer, because of the denimy shrink tendencies of this yarn....I've read it shrinks up to 20%. So I made the stinking cables a little deeper (not much, because now, as 21 years ago, there is only so much cabling a person wants to do.) Me and my Addi lace needles are attacking the body now.

I will post a photo of both tops when I finish!

Does MBT

mean "my butt's toned?" (heh)

I bought a pair of MBT shoes last week from Naturalizer. They came in Friday. I wore them ALL DAY yesterday (9-7). The results? I ordered more. Two pair for DH, who has faciatis, and another for me. But not from Naturalizer. I feel like a big doofus, because I found them much cheaper, I mean, on sale at Bodytrends. I bought two different sizes for DH, figuring I will have to send one pair back.

They take a little getting used to, but so far, so good. I'll let you know about the toning part later.

Done that!

I thought I was making this in a much smaller size. What the hell, I never keep anything for myself anyhow, I'll keep this.

Here's the fabu Gwen top (notice the little end creeping into my jeans pocket?) seven colors/eight balls Tahki cotton classic, and a couple of skeins of embroidery floss. Knitted top down, in one piece. Hollaback!

Presto!

Rescued from the UFO pile (I really want to clear my Addi Lace needles)-should be done by Monday.

Books....

Interweave Knits had their hurt book sale last month. I picked up a few books. Knitting books are really limited at my library. There's one 'learn to knit' compendium, 'A Knitter's Stash', and a cable book by Alice mumble-more that I could probably 'lose', pay 25.00 for, and sell on ebay for a lot of yarn money. Except that I've looked at it, and just don't lust after it. Usually, I have to order knitting books on inter-library loan, wait two weeks, and keep it for three. And it's a buck a day if it's late.

So I shopped the books at IWK with that in mind. In my first shipment, I got a copy of "Men in Knits: Sweaters He Will Wear." Ehhh. So I donated it to my local library.

Sometimes my library sells old treasures and donations for 1.00 if it's a duplicate, out of date, or whatever, so I was a little worried that this new book would end up in the for sale bin. Which would suck, because I paid more than that to ship it.

Another shipment of books came in. "Hip to Knit" or some such came as part of a set. That's a good beginner book. I won't use it. I took it over to the library, ready to donate it. But first, I cruised the needlework section. "Men in Knits" was neatly labeled and perched on a shelf. I beamed.

My library used to have three knitting books. Now they have FIVE! I feel very civic-minded today.

I also finished and sent off an unending project today. I am taking the 600 yards mileage credit, photos will show up later.

Whatcha think?

What do you think of my back to school ad? That's DH as a kid.

Good morning!

Still sewing. Starting to itch for a new project. I rolled out a McCalls Crafts magazine from Oct 1984 and swatched a cable pattern. Didn't care for it.

Just keep moving, kids-

Evelyn and Lib both let me know that they loved 'Sit Down'. I think it's only natural that I follow THAT with 'The Only Way is Up.' Still working on my unending project, I worked on Holiday Gift exchange things last night, and worked on a UFO yesterday.

It's tax free weekend in Texas-which means back-to-school clothing is exempt from sales tax, and the malls are jammed. So I went shopping on-line. I bought shoes. Specifically, I bought MBT shoes. My little brother told me about them months ago-he said they were designed to get rid of his 'fat-ass'. Um, ok. I happened on them when I was checking out Naturalizer's sale earlier this week. I looked at them, looked at the promo clip, and waffled. I've been wearing Birks now for two years-I snap them up every time I find them on sale. But my feet hurt-I am on them all day. I looked at the MBT video. I asked Dean about his MBTs-do they work, does he wear them? "Um, they make me tired, so they must work."

I put the MBTs in my basket. I took them out. I got up to walk around the house. My metatarsals hurt when I went into the kitchen. I put them back in. And pressed 'Buy.'

Bow wackiness

Oh, let's hear it for Boy George-totally whacked, but what a voice!

Speaking of totally whacked, if sewing is the new knitting, why can't I find crap? I've heard Wallyworld is getting rid of their fabric department-ours is as sparse as usual.

Last week on my foray to Hobby Lobby, I tried to get ribbons and lace for a project. What an ordeal. That lady at the cutting table must have taken that 'Customer Service Handbook' with her name on it and memorized it. Especially the part with her name on it, because she sure wasn't sharing any customer service with me. I finally wrangled a yard of lace and three yards of ribbon out of her, and made it out the door. Unfortunately, I didn't like it with my project.

I had extra incentive going thru the floods the other day-I knew I'd pass by a Hancock Fabrics. Their lace and trim department was a mess. My pattern called for 1 3/8" lace. It all looked like they recycled it off underpants. Not what I had in mind. I finally found some I liked (wrong size, but right look). Oh, hell, I'll make it work. And some ribbon for bows. NOT what the pattern called for, but heck, I don't have access to the whole garment district.

Scenic stuff-round two-

The scenery is spectacular. Our scenery looked like this yesterday-

I watched the Weather Channel last night and saw storm clips-I knew EXACTLY where they were filming. They were snickering about stupid people who drive thru standing water. Bastards.

I've been waiting for an ENT appointment at the VA since MAY. It was a tough choice-do I go, or wait eons for another appointment? Figures, doesn't it? I have to go back again in 8 weeks. Hope this isn't anything serious. I already HAVE brain damage. ;-) Don't need more!

On the way in, (60 miles) I took the back streets that I didn't think would flood, because the loop is under construction. There were low spots filled with water. Of course, I drove behind a big pickup truck going 10, and he'd eaaaasssse down to 6 mph when he came upon high water. (Everyone knows your car stays drier if you ease it into big puddles in the pouring rain, right?) I slowed my little sedan down to 5 mph, and prayed I wouldn't stall. Honestly, I've been a 'grandma driver' since I was 17. If I say you are going too slow, buddy, you ARE.

I saw the most fucked up thing at my appointment. The ENT clinic shares its lobby with speech pathology and audiology. A tech popped his head in the door. "Mr. Gomez? Mr. Gomez?" He repeated himself a few times. Finally, someone caught an old fella's attention and pointed to the door. Mr. G swiveled around to see, then got up and toddled off to his appointment. I guess all the OTHER deaf patients in the clinic can hear the tech.

On the way home, I took the loop slowly. I passed a red Corvette like it was standing still....well, ok it was. Stalled in the right lane of a 70 zone, I snuck around him on the shoulder. A mile later, water from a neighboring field was POURING onto the roadway. Concrete construction barriers interupted its passage across the highway, creating a dam. A foot of water swirled in the highway's left hand lane.

Places that never flood flooded yesterday.

Scenic Stuff

There used to be a post here. If I knew where it was, you would see it. I will redo it in the morning.

An unofficial radio station-

I'm begging your pardon-for the next few days, I plan to post a lot of music videos. I've nominated myself for this job thru the 21st. The Shepherd could use some friendly thoughts and wishes, I think. I love this song. Annie sounds like an angel. The video is garbage.

I finished my mystery project (all will be revealed at a later time) yesterday, and it's pinned and drying RIGHT NOW. Whew. Sewing tomorrow.

What to knit now? (Not like I don't have three projects on the needles and a Wren that needs sewing.) I got home last night and there was a hugemongous box from Herrschner's on the doorstep. Like I need yarn. The Elann DenMknit is also enroute. I think I am grounded for the rest of the year. I REALLY don't need any more. For a long time.

A rallying cry-

I think this finale is wonderful.

Out of all 13 languages used, Polish is the one that intimidates me. I am pretty sure that I would be hopeless if I had to learn it.

You are familiar with the Japanese singer already. He's the host from the Japanese "Iron Chef". No kidding.

Hey-guess what???!?!!

I've been tagged as a Rockin' Girl, and I am asking YOU to help ME pay it forward!

I believe in the power of positive thinking. I believe in self-fulfilling prophecy. And I believe small kindnesses and cheerful conversation can make or break a person's day. So it shouldn't surprise you that I signed up for the Pay It Forward. I was over at Graceland yesterday, and Grace the Queen of Shawls was taking sign ups for her PIF. She had two, and needed three. The third person was ME! So here is how it works-

It’s based on this movie with Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey in it called ‘Pay It Forward’..How many of you out there have had a chance to watch it?

But anyway this is what the PIF Exchange is all about……(Copied from Grace's blog, which was copied from JenW's blog which was copied from Megan’s blog, which was copied from Pony Knits blog which was copied from…..you get the picture) “Here is how it works! I’ll send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week…LOL… but you will receive it within 365 days, that’s a promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog…”

No pressure, no hype. The first three people to sign up get a prezzie AND pass on a little kindness.

I'd also like to tag Marcia, la Lib and YOU as Rockin' Girl Bloggers!

Oh heck-let's all have a good week.

I am coasting down the last slope of my unending project, my cousin from Tokyo sent my kids a package, and I managed to reprogram the cash register. Smiles all around! This song is for my friend the shepherd, who's going thru a bit right now. I KNOW it's a cheesy clip-that's why I think it's funny.



Have a good week, all.

Waking up excited----

Status update-50 some-odd rows of torture left. At least I like the stitch pattern.

I woke up excited because I had Vanilla Creme Frosted Mini Wheats in the house.

I got to go to Hobby Lobby yesterday. God Bless 'em, but that Closed on Sunday thing means I never get to go. I LOVE Hobby Lobby-they have more specialty stuff. Michaels is too prissy. While I was there I found a Horocrux stamp on sale. Ok, and I have to quit on the rubber stamp thing for my HUGe project, because I spent a ridiculous amount on stamps. Yarn amounts of money.

The new VK was out. Liked it alot, but I am still taken with the men's sweater from the latest IWK. The Cobblestone pull is very simple, but (and don't say this tooo loudly) the man put dressmaker details in it. The shoulders are emphasized, there are slimming panels on the sides, and he short-rowed the back neck. This is a thoughtful pattern. Way to go Jared. I'll bet a lot of boyfriends get it for Christmas!

I also got to the mall and those assorted side shops that I never get to go to anymore. I stood in Marshall's for a long time with a marked down Kate Spade bag in my hand, wavering. Fifty bucks for DD? Then I remember that I just gave her a good bag, and spent the same money getting 1 pair of slacks, 2 blouses and a T for her. I am pretty sure she needs them more. I got to go to Christopher and Banks and buy myself clothes that are scaled to fit me correctly! Yay!

I entered thru Dillards, and saw Dooney Zebra bags there. They are ridiculously cute. I waivered. The new Giraffe pattern is out, that means the Zebra is going. On my way out, the sales girl showed me a bag. I examined it carefully ... fortunately for me, one side was black and white, the other was ivory and black. Looks like UV color changing, if you ask me. That made it easier to walk away.

It's a funny thing about the mall-the face of that mall is changing these days. I think a sure indicator of a mall's downhill slide is the Hallmark store, and stores such as that. When those stores close, and the replacements are things like the .50 cellphone kiosk, and others of that nature, pay attention. The mall is morphing.

Lastly, Elann has DenMknit coming back on Monday. Yippeee. I have come to the realization that I REALLY have too much yarn, so this is probably my last purchase FOR THE YEAR (and that won't even make a dent in stuff). Let's see, black for DH, Dark Indigo for me, light blue for Kristina, mmmmm-that's enough, isn't it?

64 rows-

Oh, man, the end of the endless lace project is in sight. Holy crap. Fortunately, half of the upcoming rows are just purled. Just. A few. More days. Can I do 10 a day? Can I get FIRED UP???



I was looking at Walk Score, which rates a neighborhood's accessiblity for people on foot (terrain not evaluated.) Dang. My cousin's house (it used to be my grandma's) rated an 89/100. Mine rates a 9/100.

'scuse me, hon, there's a teensy brown smudge by your nose....

I enthusiastically signed up for the Knitting Daily newsletters when I had the opportunity. I glanced over the August 3rd "Lots of socks" edition this morning. While extolling Ann Budd's new sock book, Sandi Wiseheart gushed-

How many socks did Ann knit for Getting Started Knitting Socks? I just did some quick math. Ann says that 26 pairs of socks made it into the book. She doesn't give exact numbers for the ones that didn't make it in, but let's make conservative guesses: let's say that two pairs that didn't come out as planned, and oh, maybe two pairs of toe-up socks had to be cut. That's at total of 26 + 2 + 2 = 30 pairs, or 60 socks for one book!!

Let's all take a moment and say: "THANK YOU, ANN!" for all those hours and hours of knitting so we could have so much sock wisdom at our fingertips. Ah, the things we knitters do for knitting knowledge...

Christ. I thought it was Ann's Jay Oh Bee to knit stuff for her book. Karin impresses me. Suzann impresses me. Either of them could kick Ann's butt using a roll of dental floss and a tooth pick. ONE toothpick. They knit socks for fun with their eyes closed. While practicing jujitsu, coding HTML, and making pizza from scratch. Singing.

Knitting 30 pairs for a book impressive? Not even a little.

Lizzie's Livin' Large-

DD's childhood chum has a new job. As a budding journalist, Liz's assignment is to live for 30 days spending 5.00 per day. I've pretty much made up my mind that no one actually has any money until they turn 25, and she's only 23. If you have frugal tips (and I know you guys do), help the kid out!

Woof woof-the dog days are here-

It's hot and my dog stinks. She really needs a bath! This evening!

The dog days of summer are here. I have been working on the cardi, but mostly I have been working on a very pokey commissioned lace project. I give myself a specific production amount every day-"This afternoon, I will work that pattern, it's only eight rows." Today, I am going to try for TWO pattern bands, a total of 40 rows. Eight in the morning, 32 this evening. I am anxious to be finished.

I want to knit something fun. Lisa just finished a skirt that is so entirely cute, I am enthralled. I want a fun project, I want a project that makes me smile, and gets me excited! Vogue Knitting AND Interweave Knits fall issues are on the horizon, and both have intriguing patterns. I have to clear my needles. It's about time we had some decent projects in the magazines!

I've been reading "Adios to Tears" which is the memoirs of a Japanese Peruvian who was traded by his government and ended up interned here during World War II. Interesting stuff. He ended up in Crystal City, which is about 60 miles south of San Antonio. It's an interesting read, but not an enthralling one.

Weird stuff flies from DH's mouth-

And it's not swearing!

Last Friday, DH picked up our next door neighbor at the ER, and took the man home. Twelve hours later, the next door neighbor expired.

This freaked DK out. He asked me if I wanted to go to the store with him, and mentioned that the last person in his front seat was dead. "Uh, no, honey, I don't want to go with you, but why don't you take Mr. Pain-in-the-Ass-at-work out to lunch?" DH spit coffee out laughing.

Mr. Pain ended up in the hospital this week. (Uh oh!) I didn't wish it, I promise.

Last night, we went out to dinner. I crawled up into the passenger seat. "Oh, honey, when did your travel charm break?"

The safe traveler's charm came from Kamakura years ago. The print is now a grey ghost, and the navy brocade sunfaded to silver. The harsh sun dried out the cord which hung from the rear view mirror, and now, the charm rests in DH's cupholder. The Buddha at Kamakura was one of my earliest memories. I remembered the green, green park, and steps. I remembered a looming disembodied bronze head-but I didn't know where I saw it. Chicago's Chinatown? I dunno. It was a mystery. Five years ago, we were in Tokyo. My little brother fussed about making plans and checking train schedules.
"Where are we going, Dean?"
"To Kamakura."
"What's that?"
"A big Buddha."
"It's really green there, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"I've been there."
So we went again. While I was there, I lit a candle to bid farewell to a miscarried child. I sent my brother and his friends around the prayer wheel twice (because they needed extra piety to save their souls) and bought charms at the little vendor's booth. One was the little brocade and pewter safe traveler's charm that traveled in Mark's truck.

"It broke in the middle of last week. We were all going out to lunch, and it broke. I told the guys it probably meant some bad Buddhist ju-ju. Then I drove next-door-neighbor around Friday night."

I was floored-he always teases me about superstitions!

Happy Friday!

Something's distracted me from my knitting!

It's true, it's true. I've been hanging out at an on-line reverse auction. That's right, the prices get LOWER. I bought DH a massage chair at 60% off for Father's Day (shipping was FREE, and that was a hell of a deal), some cologne, and some bits and bobs. It's enjoyable, and the site has a gameshow aspect to it.

If you go, please use me as your referral when you sign up. Follow this link-I get shopping bonuses for it! (or just put my email in the referral box when you sign up.) That's Betsy, at VallettaKafe, dotcom. Skip the commas, natch.

It could lure Marcia away from BubbleShooter!

Ok, well now what?

This top down cardi started off as a project to use up some wool that I really like, in a color I hate. That ashes of roses color isn't too bad when it's striped to beat the band! It's a fun knit, the kind of thing I like to work on when the dog wants to be in my lap, or snuggles up against me for attention. It's not a 'hard thinkin' project. Just a little something off the cuff. I started off with big bands of color at the yoke, and then went to alternating colors every row. You can see where I started slipping stitches to create some vertical lines at the underbust, and I put in more at the waist, to give this cardigan visual shaping, if not physical. You can see the waist faking in the photo below.

My knitting serendipity crashed into a wall today. I have about 14" of the body done, and I need to come up with a way to end it!! It's a V-necked cardi; the neckline isn't horribly deep. I think ribbing in either color would be discordant. I think EITHER I-cord edging in the Viva (the darker, self-striping yarn) or two color ribbing might be ok. (Or I suppose I could stripe it.)

Any opinions?

Song du Jour-

Reach-recorded by Orleans (blue-eyed soul!) in 1975.

Sometimes, I stop and wonder
Why I can't let myself enjoy
The space I'm in, and all the wonderful places I've been.
My eyes are on the future; I can't think about the past.
My aspirations always exceed my grasp.

You've got to reach
a little bit higher
When the light within becomes a fire
Hey, hey, whoaa-you've got to grow
You've got to reach a little bit higher
to get a hold of all that you desire
Stretch your soul and you'll never grow old.

When the habits of a lifetime
become a painful cage,
and you want to break out,
but you don't know how to change.
Well you may have a vision,
or you may have a friend,
Who will come to you
and say these same words again.

My pasta machine is here!

Heh. I looked at DH's machine-it's made by Marcato, the same company that makes the Atlas. I went to the company website, and found this ad. Yeah, I'll get right on that, Guido.

I also experimented with a different brand of clay this weekend. I feel a little better about my chosen project, and hope I can make it happen!

Fuckety fuck!

Remember that line? From Four Weddings and a Funeral? Hugh Grant woke up, and realized he was too late.

In DHLand, sleep is sacred. I was a bit nervous when his phone rang at 10:30 last night. It was the ER. The young woman wanted to speak to DH, because someone there needed a ride. "Who is it?" I asked, worrying about the kids. Our neighbor. I woke DH up.

After some swearing and locating of the pants, DH went to the ER to pick up Lady Eve's Dad. Since I completed Lady E and gave it to Eve the Dog's mom, Eve's been put down, Eve's mom had a seizure, my Dad died, and Eve's mom moved out. And left Eve's dad.

LED didn't take all this too well. Over the past two months, we've had conversations with LED, and LED's out-of-state son.

"My dad's an alcoholic-you knew that, right?" Not really, because the only settings I saw your dad in were settings where a beer was completely appropriate. We knew LED was sliding downhill rapidly-garbage cans not taken in, wearing the same clothing for days at a time, you name it. He called DH about 2 months ago to borrow an electric razor. (DH went out and bought a new one the next day.) THAT's when I looked up his son's number, and called to make sure he understood what was going on with his dad.

LED's son was here two weeks ago-tried to get his dad help, tried to get something to happen, and was blocked by his father's 'rights' at every junction.

Last night, LED wrecked his truck. Drove it straight into a ditch on a busy highway. He was a mess at the hospital...was he drunk or just written off as an old crazy? Who knows? Since he didn't spend the night in jail, he was probably handled as an old crazy. He refused treatment, but DH said he was barely coherent, and very confused.

(I'm a little hung up on this part-a drunk can't enter into a contract, right? So could the medical facility take a drunk refusing treatment at his word? What if he was hemmoraging and refusing treatment at the same time? What takes precedence, the refusal or the obvious medical problem???)

Just before noon, DH called me...EMS was at LED's house. The police suspected he was dead. Were they coming to ask him about his accident? I don't know. Maybe. What killed him? I'll find out soon enough. I made the appropriate phone calls to out-of-state son, and Mrs. LED, who moved out of town. DH called me back for phone numbers, so the authorities could notify next of kin. Too bad, I already did it. Ooops. I don't have any experience with this, how would I know I am not supposed to tell them??

I am confused and mad. I know CPS would be on my ass like a duck on a junebug if I smacked a kid in Walmart....but I could not find a soul to deliver meals to my dad twice a week before he died...payment wasn't an issue, and he lived less than 2 miles from a Walmart, a Target, an Albertsons AND a Safeway, plus that instant "corner-copia" of big box stores that's been springing up all over the US (Subway, Hallmark, Chili's, Home De-Pot, Mailboxes Up Your Butt....you know what that looks like). I could get my legs waxed, my nails done, go to Walgreens for a new Dora the Explorer toothbrush, ship it to any point on the globe, and buy a latte at 3 different Starbucks, but could find no one to deliver dinner to my dad twice a week. In damned Fullofoldpeople Arizona.

LED's son sought legal counsel to gather his dad up and dry him out....but he had no options. I spoke to Eve's mom today, and they had been trying to get Adult Protective Services to pay him a visit. I think they were supposed to come by last Wednesday.

I am going to need aging services in a few years, but the current system doesn't work! It took me two weeks to get an appointment at the VA. That's 'get an appointment' a month away, not make an appointment and be seen. And I get that, that's my right to recieve treatment, according to VA rules. Shit, what will happen when I am older and sick?? CPS barely works for some of the kids, and as many can tell you, doesn't work very well at all. I have seen some freaky stuff happen with older people, but don't REALLY want a CPS-style agency. I want stuff that makes sense. I don't see it happening.

WildThing!

This makes my heart sing! LOOK at those colors!!!! Yeehaw! A friend of mine just returned from an overseas trip, and found these at a street market. I think they are FAB-it's a two sided ribbon, nylon and rayon, made in Turkey. I like those Turks better every day. MMMwha!

I've been pondering a specific knitting pattern in a specific knitting project (anything that gives me hope while slogging thru my obligation knitting) and this might just be THE specific yarn that goes with it!

I BOUGHT a pasta machine!!!

I found one on ebay. Shipping kills the deal, but it was still cheaper buying it there vs. Michael's. I found several on ebay, and they were all reasonable, but shipping doubles the price.

Don't tell the relatives, but this one is actually nicer than DH's. It's an Atlas, so I COULD buy the cannelloni attachment. Or the angel hair, or the ravioli attachment. Or I could shut the hell up and pretend I don't know shit about it. Then I won't have to make pasta.

This project is starting to get a little out of hand, materials-wise. If the Atlas doesn't help me make a nice product, I am gonna chuck the whole polymer experiment, burst into tears, and use my little Guido pasta machine for PASTA. With olive oil, tomato, and a little sauted zucchini.

Burnt offerings-

Dang.

I checked out a library book last week, and found my HUGE craft swap project in the polymer clay pages. (HUGe is an annual craft swap that works like a cookie exchange-make 10 of something, send 9 to the organizer, she sends you 9 assorted little gifties for you to give to friends and neighbors, who are in turn awed by your largesse and buy you adult beverages. You hope.)

I was SOOO excited. I found my supplies online, and was impatiently waiting for them. I flung myself out the door on Sunday to drive drive drive to Michaels and pick up some clay, just because I wanted to 'spearmint.

This project didn't go well. DH won't let me roll out clay with the pasta machine (he hasn't actually made pasta in 10 years, but I will respect the Italian family connection and not use the pasta machine his mom and dad bought him), I couldn't make it look like the picture, and this clay business was certainly harder than it looked. I'm used to following the directions exactly in knitting, and getting a decent looking something.

These were not beautiful.

I made goofy burnt blue plastic cookies. (The adage dark cookie sheets=dark cookie bottoms applies for petrochemical products, too.) It took me two hours to produce them. I could have skipped rolling and shaping all together, and just slammed clay on a cookie sheet, and had the same result.

Sigh.

NNggh! Wham! Uff! Ngrrh! Thump....

I am struggling. I am in the middle of some obligation knitting. It's finicky obligation knitting. It's not necessarily FUN obligation knitting. It shouldn't even be DIFFICULT obligation knitting, but if I ever meet this pattern writer, I will kidney poke her with my size 17s. "Damn, girlfriend, were you freaking BLIND??? Could you make that simple thing any harder? Wait, let me help you scramble up those directions some more, you missed a spot."

No photos today, sorry. Just know that I am in the throes of an epic struggle between good and evil- I was trying to finish this obligation knitting when I was blindsided by --- a damned good idea.

Yow! Ka-Blamm! How can I EVER get this THING done with a good idea hanging over my head??? I know, I know. Call it my carrot. (Call me a dumb - uhm - bunny, yeah, that's it.)

BabySwag

Benne 0.810
Grace 0.950
Les 0.930
Sandra 0.953
Bri 0.864
Cate 0.957
Jamie 0.941
Trish 0.875
C.needles 0.882
Smarie 0.870
Lisa 0.976
Daryl 0.800
Kellygirl 0.864
T 0.800

I've spent the last hour trying to get a bundle of BabySwag together for the winner of our Libbypool. I've packed and repacked, and stuffed about as much into this envelope as I can.

Certain people have suspected our winner has a certain amount of insider knowledge (gasp!) They're just jealous, Lisa, it has nothing to do with you being a midwife.

Congrats, Lisa!

Doh! Put on your Harry Potter gear....

The sorting hat says that I belong in Slytherinr!

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest."

Slytherin students are typically cunning and hungry for power. Important members include Draco Malfoy (Harry's nemesis), Professor Severus Snape (head of Slytherin), and Lord Voldemort.

This would concern me, except Slytherin is mispelled in the title. Hah! It was a close race-Gryffindor at 57%, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin topping at 71%.




Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Baby Sir Prize!

I finished Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise for Enid's small guy several months ago. Well, almost finished, I had ends to tuck in, and edges to crochet. This past Sunday, the San Antonio SnBers came by to meet and greet the young lad.

We had a great time.

Unfortunately, the Baby Surprise fit His Royal Cuteness like a bathrobe. I think there are too many rows in the center segment, because the extra length gave the jacket a "PimpDeLuxe" air.

She is sick, she is sick, she is sick, sick, sick!

Or rather, my arm is. This happens every so often. I feel like generalized crap, and am going to bed. No knitting today.

Not THAT fugly-

Well, ok, it is just a little fugly.

I've been playing with a bag of ashy rose Elann Bag Wool, and a few balls of Nashua Wooly Stripes Tweed since yesterday noon. The rose is hidd-e-yus. I truly LOVE the yarn, tho, and can't picture giving it away just because it's ugly. I wish I'd bought that ugly ugly Nashua WST citrus tweed blend. THAT would have been the perfect color to go with this fugly pink. (It's a bad sign when I can come up with good matches for colors I hate.) I had to use SOMETHING with this rose. I only had 600 yards. (They should make Yarnburger Helper to help me stretch yarn when I don't buy enough.)

I ordered a new DSL box today. I called ATT tech support to consult with them before I ordered. Since the box is lifeless, we have no idea whether the power cord is the problem, or we have a dead box. It's kind of scary when the tech support answering recordings are malfunctioning. I heard two English recordings and a Spanish one. All at once!

Finally, I talked to a person. I almost fell off the chair trying to stick a paperclip into the back of our wall-mounted server. I'll do anything to get off of this pokey slow dial-up, which, incidentally, is what most of our town still has!

We interrupt this program with a special bulletin-

The wireless access point at work is Tango Uniform. Tits Up. Dead. Which means I am gonna get an awful lot of knitting done this week. And very little blogging. And no Gamesheep OR Jellyfish.com.

Damn.

Let me call you

Sweetheart! This is a just a news photo, but I was captivated by this little guy's big heart!

In other news, I finished the Solista top from Schachenmayr 68. I am a bit 'ehhh' about it-somehow, the armholes aren't even, so I have a wee amount of stitching up to do, which is much better than unstitching, I suppose. I was put off by its boxy, matronly appearance, and went to try it on. I told DH it would look a lot better if I weighed 30 lbs less. He just laughed. I was generally satisfied with this top, and like the things this yarn can do. It patterns so regularly, it's easy to come up with imaginative uses for it. I used a smidge over 7 balls.

Lunchtime addition: Look at the HEART on the puppy's fur! I know you are so captivated by his cuteness, you are blowing right past it!

The eyes of Texas are upon you...

I don't have a bit of experience with affairs of state. I can barely manage the state of my affairs. I was surprised today when one of my customers came in today and told me his daughter (a recent UT graduate, and UT band member) was called to play for Ladybird Johnson's funeral.

"But she's not dead yet, is she?" I asked.

"No, but they expect the funeral to be Friday or Monday."

We pondered that a little. Given the current state of the world, and such, pre-planning is necessary, I suppose, but a little creepy.

In other affairs of my world, IWK started their hurt book sale today. Traffic makes the site C R A W L. It's like watching paint wet.

Wednesday, 11 July Note: SK forwarded an lovely and informative article on the late Ladybird Johnson's life. Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away home.

All votes are in!

Let's wait and see exactly how big BetsyFaye Jr. will be! Might as well get the prize box ready NOW!

Schachenmayr #68

(What is it with Blogger and titles this week? I'm having trouble posting titles! And photos too!)

I tackled one of my UFOs and have been diligently working. The project came to a complete halt when I thought I would run out of yarn, and had to track down more Solista. (Notice that the time languishing was the square of the number of days needed to find, order, and receive three extra balls of yarn? ) Enough languishing, I have some new knitting on deck, and I need to finish this! (I also need to sew Wren together, but I am not going there right this second! For that matter, I have a shawl that requires blocking and pinning too....)

This is an entirely satisfactory project. I need some other good ideas that work well with directional yarns (I think I bought about 40 balls of this stuff in assorted colors! Don't frown, it was a buck a ball!) I had a small meltdown when I discovered that one of the balls was wound BACKWARDS...all other balls were wound white, to print, to silver. On the front panel, it doesn't matter, but the print on the sides had to flow similarly, or it will bother me for life. (I actually look at how prints sit on commercial clothing too---no one wants identical hydrangeas growing out of their breasticles, or leaves that point to cleavage or crotch, right? Or maybe they do???)

I am almost done-I have one side panel left. I've found myself wearing my handknits out to dinner lately. I hope I like this one! I can credit Libby and her Summer Olympic Training for restarting this project. Thanks Lib, for lighting a fire under my butt!

My brother and I play a game....I call it "What weird shit can you find on YouTube?" He was floored when I found Minami Haruo's Tokyo Gorin Ondo, my hunt inspired by a coin I got last weekend from my father's safe deposit box, and a vague memory of my mother practicing the fan dance to it.

It wasn't all that easy to find-I knew it was the Olympic theme for the '64 Olympics, and that was all. On-line, I found souvenir documentation from the Olympics, and watched Hirohito's speech. This image was vaguely familiar...you know 45 slipcases had a life expectancy of two months, especially with pre-schoolers in residence, and I had nothing but that memory to guide me. I had to play "match the characters" on a few sites to find the right version of the song. Sakamoto Kyu sang one very clear version, and I knew it was the right song, but the wrong voice. It's funny; when I was a little girl, Minami's voice scared me. Now, it is familiar and comforting.



This moved me to tears. The old oba-san in the front row touched my heart, she clapped so enthusiastically...the Olympics must have been a glorious sign of post-war recovery, and a source of great national pride and hope for her, and others of her generation. The end of starvation, no more waiting for neighbors and friends who didn't come home.

Of course, baby brother had to top me. Equipped with a better command of Japanese spelling, he found this:

which my mother owned. It was released in 1963, and I remember the 45 slipcase. (Isn't it a kick to hear a song with a xylophone in it?) Hearing this song reminds me of good intentions Mom had for us. I was a little startled to see the post date. Tsuko te hoshi noh? (What is it you want?) I wanted to hear the song again, Ma. Thanks.

Looky!

I was really surprised to see THIS this morning: elann.com - Knitting Yarn at Irresistible Prices

Poor Margaux. The top is WAY big on her!

Vote!

I've been trying to vote for the Seven New Wonders of the world for several weeks now, and always got an error page. Now that the last day is upon us, I finally got to the voting page. I chose to vote via the Internet, because it's free.

Vote! You only have one day left!

I chose the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge, The Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Petra, the Easter Island Statues, and the Kiyomizu Temple (one for the home team). What about you?

Happy 4th

I was on my first overseas tour when I connected with this song. I was unpacking and organizing, and flopped this album (a gift from my brother) on the turntable. That's right, the turntable. By the end of the song, I was a sniveling mess.

I don't know how this song, crafted in a divided Europe, and sung pre-Glasnost, can be more relevant today than it was when it was released. Somehow, it is. If we ever switch anthems, I'll vote for this one. Even if it is sung by a Swedish guy who obviously doesn't dance. And written by Abba.

Move over, Dancing Queen, you are hogging the floor.

Chess (Cast Recording)