Month: July 2011

Knitting

The one where I’m waiting

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with bated breath for 5:30 p.m., at which time I’m officially on vacation.  I’ve several things to do after work that I’ve been putting off this week.  I have to go to Target and pick up sunscreen and maybe a new sun hat.  News Flash!  We got our yearly bonus checks today at work.  This means I can get the boots I’ve been lusting after sooner rather than later.  Here’s a pic

HYDE PARK BOOTS

Beautiful don’t you think?  They’re on the short list to do tomorrow.  It reads – buy boots.  So I am.  Doesn’t say much for my impulse control, does it?

These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do.  One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.  Nancy Sinatra

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Knitting

The one where my baby

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boy turns 27.  Oh, I know, he’s grown and has been taller than I am for at least 15 years, but he’s still my baby boy, about to become a parent himself next March or so.  How about that?  We raised two, count ’em, two responsible adults!  Life is still good!

Finally!  Constanze cowl is blocking.  Take a look –

Buttons will finish it up, wooden, I think.  Since we’re going to be on vacay in Destin and I know there’s a yarn shop there, I’ll probably splurge a little on them and call them souveniers.  Tomorrow is my last day before vacation and I’m getting very, very antsy.  Ten more work hours and then our trip.

Happy birthday, baby boy.  I love you!

Precision is not reality.  Henri Matisse (1869-1954) French painter, sculptor

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Knitting

The one where once again

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I comfort myself with a trip to Yarn Mart, which is having their once a year sale.  Work has slowed on the Constanze cowl, but continues.  I started a drop stitch shawl while in DeQueen last week and for right now, it’s getting the majority of my knitting attention.  Here’s are a couple of my newest aquisitions.

First up is Trendsetter Yarns Flamenco, colorway 200.  Here’s how the directions read: Spread open mesh.  Turn mest sideways.  Turn end back to hem.  Knit through open woven box at edge one hole to one stitch.  The sample in the shop was a really loopy and soft scarf.  This has potential, I think.

Up close and personal

Next is Sock-a-Licious Kollage, color 7808.  I love the soft grays in this

I have great plans for these babies; quite possibly Christmas stuff, but only if I don’t fall in love with the projects before then.  Odds are about 50/50 right now.  Mr. Iknead and I, along with the little Ikneads are headed for a week at the beach starting on Friday.  This means I have to make some decisions on which yarns and projects will be vacationing with us.  It’s so hard to choose!

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What!  You too?  I thought I was the only one.  C.S. Lewis  (1898-1963), British writer

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Knitting

The one where one entry may

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not be enough to cover what’s been happening in my life over the last several days.  To say I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster would be the understatement of the year.  My dad passed away Friday morning after a short but vicious battle with lung cancer.  We knew he wasn’t doing well, was less responsive, weaker and more short of breath every day, so when his caregivers called Wednesday evening (a week ago today) telling us that he was very close to the end, we weren’t surprised.  We were with him all day and all night Thursday; I told him over and over again how much I loved him and how it was OK for him to go, how we’d miss him terribly but his loving spirit would be with us always.  He slipped away from us at 11 o’clock Friday morning and I’m grateful that he at last is at rest.  He deserves it.  RIP Daddy, I love you.

OK, in a completely different direction, here’s my WIP Wednesday, Drop Stitch Shawl, Version 2, from Ravelry

The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

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Knitting

The one where once again she was ready

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for WIP Wednesday a little ahead of time.  Here’s the Constanze cowl so far.

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It’s a little more than half done, I hope to have it in next Friday’s FO post.

You can never step into the same river twice; for new waters are always flowing on to you.  Heraclitus (c.484-c.475 B.C.), Greek philosopher

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Knitting

The one where I finally remember

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to post a little about a to-die-for recipe I found here on WordPress, Nutella Cheesecake Layer Bars, from the blog of The Moonlight Baker.  Forgive me if I’m repeating a post, but they’re totallly worth revisiting.  Hard to not love anything made with Nutella and cream cheese.  I wish I’d thought of taking a picture, but didn’t, but you don’t have to think too hard to get a mental picture, they’re exactly what the name says, Nutella, cream cheese and a chocolate graham cracker crust.  I highly recommend them, you just might want to double up, that’s how fast they disappear.

Dishcloth progress here

Thinking ahead for a second week, amazing, I know.  Getting my WIP ready for its photo op for tomorrow.

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty in every age of life really never grows old.  Franz Kafka (1883-1924), Bohemian novelist

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Knitting

The one where she’s exactly

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one half and two rows finished with the Constanze scarf.  I’m trying to save posting it until WIP Wednesday.  I really like the way it’s turning out.  I also got a few rows done today on the feather and fan dishcloth.  This one’s not quite as fiddly as the scarf, so it’s a good project to work on at work when  I need a little break.

We got beach pictures of the Papoose today.  A bathing beauty without a doubt.  She and her mom and dad just got back from a week at the beach, DSIL’s family owns a beach house in Grayton Beach, Florida and they have a family reunion there every year the first week in July.  He is the youngest of five kids so with parents, siblings, spouses and kids it’s a crowd.  I think the Papoose is number 11 in the grandkid line up, so I’m sure she didn’t starve for attention while there.

Here’s all the grandkids

The Ikneads are planning on going there the first week in August for their vacay.  If you ask me, it can’t get here fast enough.
Always be a little kinder than necessary.  Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937)
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Knitting

The one where staying above

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the sniping and smart-assedness of others is becoming harder and harder.  I have a couple of good friends that just stay crossways (as my mother puts it) with each other, making snarky comments and just plain working to piss each other off at every opportunity.  I chaired my regular Sunday evening meeting and I thought I was going to have to put all of them in time out like a bunch of two year olds so the meeting could continue.  I’ve decided that I’m going to go to each and every one of them, separately, and tell them that if they can’t say something nice, then shut the hell up and I’m not going to tolerate their bad behavior when I’m in charge.  “Principles before personalities” is a big part of meetings, I suppose some need to be reminded more often than others.  All right, I’m stepping down from my soapbox now.  Carry on.

Here’s a little project I started to keep my hands busy this weekend, a feather and fan patterned dishcloth, from the back of the Sugar ‘n Cream ballband.  The colorway is Cool Breeze Ombre and boy, what I wouldn’t give for a cool breeze here in Arkansas right now.  Last night at 10:00 pm, the temp was still 100 degrees F.  The heat index in south Arkansas was 109.  Jeez Louise.   Almost forgot the picture, got so involved with talking about the weather –

I just might be catching on to this computer thing, first try, got it posted.  Yay!!  Here’s to learning a new skill!

Love is a great beautifier.  Louisa May Alcott, American novelist (1832-1888)

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Knitting

The one where I treat myself

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to a trip to my LYS, Yarn Mart, coming home with this

lovely Mini Mochi 80% merino and 20% nylon, color 113 and this

Manos del Uruguay, 60% baby alpaca and 40% pima cotton, color 2318, four skeins.  I’ve got big plans for the Manos, a shop sample was a Rav pattern, I think called Drop Stitch Shawl #2.

I’ve had a unspeakably huge challenge with importing the last few pictures.  I have to go through some Windows Viewer that I’ve never had to deal with before.  I’m sure someone even a tiny bit more computer savvy would have figured it out in the first few minutes 0f trying, but I’m not that person.  I am looking on the bright side though, it shouldn’t take more more than four hours next time, instead of today’s six.  One thing I am going to do, as soon as I get this posted, I’m downloading these pics into Flickr.  That I can do, I think.

On the dad front, I just got my fourth call in 24 hours from the nursing home, he keeps trying to get out of his bed and ends up falling.  No injuries yet other than scrapes and and bruises, but his skin is so fragile now that it doesn’t take anything to tear it and since he’s on a bloodthinner, he bleeds and bleeds and bleeds.

I must go console myself with soft yarn and pointy sticks.  Tomorrow will be better, I promise.

Never think that you’re not good enough yourself.  A man should never think that.  People will take you very much at your own reckoning.  Anthony Trollope, English novelist (1815-1882)

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Knitting

The one where she tempted

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fate gloating over her progress on the Constanze cowl, getting it going on the first cast on, so proud of herself.  Well, fate intervened, I got frustrated and ended up frogging the whole thing and starting fresh.  I’ll get a pic or two tonight so I’ll be ready for WIP Wednesday tomorrow.

I have to keep reminding myself that today is Tuesday, tomorrow is Wednesday; since Monday was a holiday and I was off work, according to me, myself and I, today is Monday and thus, tomorrow is Tuesday.  Don’t even ask me what happens when I’m off work for more than one day.  Totally lose track.

Here’s a photo of my dad and me, it looks like I was about 18 months old, we were living in Corpus Christi, Tx.  I’ve always thought my daddy was so handsome!

 

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.  Confucius

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Knitting

The one where she’s still

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undecided on her next project.  I have narrowed it down (I think) to some Jojoland Melody Superwash I unearthed a while ago from my stash.  Mind you, this is not set in stone, me being the fly by the seat of my pants kind of woman I am.

A few hours later….

OK, I think I’ve decided on the Constanze cowl and I’m going to give it a test drive with Jojoland Melody Superwash.  Here’s a little preview

I think it’s a keeper.  Also, surprisingly (I’ll probably jinx it, now), I’ve only cast on and started it this one time.  Usually, I have a couple of false starts before I settle into a new project.  A nice change, I think.

One more thing – here’s my FO Friday project for this week.  Announcing the Slippery Socks !!

Here’s a side view –

As usual, Josie has to be up in the middle of everything.  She hates to be upstaged!

Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.  Danny Kaye (1913-1987)

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