Month: July 2012

Knitting

Citius, Altius, Fortius

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WHAT I LEARNED TODAY SO FAR

English translation – Swifter, Higher, Stronger.  This is part of the Olympic creed.  I had heard this phrase before but didn’t know if it was a part of something or if it stood alone.  So, with a little research (thanks Wikipedia), I learned the Latin translation and where it originated.  I think it’s pretty cool myself and it reminds me that even if I’m not an Olympic athlete, I can still work toward a higher goal.  I love the Games. 

ON THE NEEDLES

I’m nearing the finish line of the 9 to 5 socks, very happily I might add.  I like the stitch pattern and how easy it’s been to memorize, which means that I can whip it out anywhere with no fuss, no muss.  Not to mention that to a non-knitter, it’s apparently too cool for school, judging from the looks I sometimes get.  Here’s a peek at sock #2.

HOW HOT IS IT?

 

 and now, 90 minutes later:

My car is going to be like a blast furnace when I get off work this evening, even with the shade in the windshield.  Unbelieveable.   Fall is a long way off.

The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Knitting

One Down

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ON AND OFF THE NEEDLES

Hurray!!  The first sock of the 9 to 5s is finished, here’s proof –

and the second one cast on with two pattern repeats finished.

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I didn’t see the Papoose over the weekend; we worked to get caught up with house chores we let slide the past few weekends to spend time with the grandbabies.  Here’s the Papoose immediately after chocolate ice cream.

 

I think Big-Mommy was running a bath even while she was still enjoying her ice cream.  Gotta say, she’s a girl after my own heart.  Don’t think I’ve every had ice cream where I didn’t end up wearing at least a tiny bit when I was finished.

Here’s one of the newest pics of Babydiva – She loves that Bumbo Seat!

IN THE OVEN

It’s been so hot here (108F on Friday) that the last thing I want to do is fire up the oven and bake.  I did fix supper on Friday for Babymama, Babydaddy and Babydiva and it took hours to get the house cool again.  Ice cream is about all I’m excited about right now (see above).  

The cure for boredom is curiosity.  There is no cure for curiosity.  Ellen Parr

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Knitting

Taken Hostage

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BY THE BOOK

OK, what’s up with The Christian Science Monitor?  I’m a reader and always enjoy reader recommendations/reviews and TCSM has always been one of my “go to” sources to check out what others are saying about books I’m interested in.  The last few times I’ve visited their reader recommendation page, a survey has to be completed before the review can be seen.  I can’t find a “no thanks” or an “ask me later” button so it really pisses me off and makes me feel like I’ve been taken hostage by whoever is doing the surveying.  Yeah, I know, it just takes a minute and yeah, I know that “they value my opinion” and “want to serve me more effectively”,  but it’s the principle of the thing.  I hate it and won’t visit their site again.  Can you tell that I’m a little irritated and that my desire for instant gratification is showing?  Maybe just a little?

ON THE NEEDLES

The 9 to 5 socks are ripping right along, with the heel flap finished, heel turn accomplished and gusset stitches picked up. 

9 to 5 sock #1

THE GRANDS

Babydiva had some medical tests run today, nothing major really, although when it’s your kid, everything is major, a swallow study and an upper GI series.  She has had some issues with reflux and her doc wanted to get look at what’s happening with her when she eats.  I don’t have the details, but early texts from Babymama said everything was fine.  Big relieved sigh.  Here she is at the birthday celebration Saturday.

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Isn’t she beautiful??

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Cousin Love

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.  But without it, we go nowhere.  Carl Sagan

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Knitting

Weekend Recovery

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I COULD GET USED TO THIS

We spent another weekend basking in the grandma and grandpa nirvana, celebrating DD birthday with family.  DSIL’s parents have a lovely home here in Little Rock, complete with a pool and are more than generous.  They split their time between the beach house in Florida and the palace here in Little Rock, they’re in Florida at the moment but like I said, are more than generous and let us enjoy their home and pool even when they’re out of pocket.  So, mix me, Mr. Iknead, the Papoose, Babydiva, corresponding parents, DD’s BFF, her husband and their three kids and what happens?  Everyone gets waterlogged, tired and hungry while at the same time having a blast, eating junk food until burgers are ready, more than wired on Coke, then almost falling asleep in their plates when it’s finally supper time and that’s just the grownups.  : )

Mr. Iknead took about a million pictures, here’s a few:

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How sweet is the Papoose’s bathing suit?  Pretty sweet!

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View of the golf course from the pool

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Cutest back view ever!

ON THE NEEDLES

So far (don’t want to jinx it) the newest version of the 9 to 5 socks is going well.  Here’s a quick peek –

BY THE BOOK

Still sitting on go for The 36 Hour Day, I’ve not had time to do any real book browsing, again, I still can’t make up my mind about a Nook book or a paper one.  I do love real books but love the convenience of my Nook.  Maybe I should flip a coin?

When spiders unite, they can tie down a lion.  Ethiopian proverb

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Knitting

Well that sucks take 2

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AS AN ASIDE

I seem to be having challenges in other areas, not just the 9 to 5 socks.  So, I hit publish instead of scrolling down.

ON THE NEEDLES, TAKE TWO

Where was I?  I frogged the whole sock and recast on, intent on this being the last time.  This is what I have so far-

Nine to Five Socks Take Two

BY THE BOOK

I’ve been sort of in a rut as far as my reading is concerned, I’ve just not found anything that really piques my interest, but I am getting ready to start The 36 Hour Day, a recommended read from a friend.  This book deals with dementia, my mother is in a nursing home suffering with this; the past couple of months or so, she’s had a more rapid decline.  My friend has gone through the same thing, she said it’s a really easy, informative read, so it’s gone to the top of my reading list.

COMING UP

Yesterday was my daughter’s 32nd birthday and they are coming to Little Rock today to officially celebrate.  As usual, I can’t wait to see the Papoose.  Today is dinner out at her fav restaurant, tomorrow is swimming and a cookout with friends.  So, Mr. Iknead is taking the afternoon off from work and we will spend a fun couple of days with all our chicks back in the nest.  Love having them an hour away instead of three.

Life is good.

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.  William Butler Yeats

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday

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ON THE NEEDLES

So, I finally got the heel flap on the 9 to 5 socks under control yesterday and was merrily knitting along, patting myself on the back for finally getting it going, looked down to check my progress and saw that I’d dropped a stitch about two inches ago. 

 

Nine to Five Socks

My Sock of Shame

Then, I put it in time out for a few minutes, gathered my nerve and once again, frogged the heel flap.  Sigh.  Maybe the third time really is a charm.  Another sigh.

We don’t love qualities, we love persons; sometimes by reason of their defects as well as of their qualities.  Jacques Maritain

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Knitting

Got Back

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WHAT WE DID

Our trip to Stuttgart aka the Duck and Rice Capitol of the World to check out the Papoose’s new digs was amazing.  The parsonage was really nice, if a little dated, with big rooms and a great backyard, the Papoose is really loving it, lots of running room.  It’s right across the street from the church, so they can just walk over.  The congregation was very welcoming and warm and put on an awesome potluck after church.  I suppose I should mention that the church I’m going on about is Grand Avenue United Methodist, in Stuttgart, Arkansas and my best son in law, Clefton Vaughan, is the new pastor.

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Susannah Grace aka the Papoose

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Babydiva aka Harper with her Uncle Clefton

As usual, when we all get together (forgot to mention that Babydiva and her entourage was also there), a good time was had by all, with everyone talking at the same time, someone looking for a snack most of the time and, of course, paying homage to the Papoose and Babydiva, the prettiest and smartest girls ever.

It was hot so Mr. Iknead and the Papoose took a dip in the pool, where the Papoose made sure that her Papa was well watered, pouring water over his head from a watering can.  Cutest thing ever!

ON THE NEEDLES

I don’t really want to talk about it, it’s painful you know, but I frogged back about four inches of heel flap and sock leg on the 9 to 5s.  I still haven’t a clue where the wheels came off, I looked and looked, and counted and counted, never figured it out.  Fresh start on the heel flap tonight after work.  Frustration doesn’t look good on me, so I hope to get it straightened out so I can move on.

Failure is instructive.  The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.  John Dewey

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Knitting

July 5

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ON THE NEEDLES

I’m happy to report that Wingspan is finished and I can stop feeling guilty about the Nine to Five socks that have been on the “as soon as I finish ________” list and they’re now first in line.

Here’s Wingspan

And to prove that yes, it does take just one skein, here’s what is left after binding off

This quite possibly could be the only green grass in Little Rock.  It’s been something like 22 days since we’ve had any measurable precipitation, according to Barry Brandt, weatherman whiz and if lawns don’t get watered every day, they get brown and crunchy.  As far as I can tell, we have no real chance 0f rain until Saturday or Sunday, if then.  But I digress…

I think I’ll block it tomorrow since Mr. Iknead and I are making a trip to see the Papoose (and her mom and dad, of course). 

A quick look at the Nine to Fives –

HAPPYS

Coffee with fancy creamer, Josie the Pug, books and babies.

BY THE BOOK

I’m nearly finished with Inconceivable, an excellent, excellent book, and have Tom Franklin’s Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter waiting to be started.  Looks like a really great read and I’m excited to get into it.

I have the simplest tastes.  I am always satisfied with the best.  Oscar Wilde

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Knitting

Monday

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ON THE NEEDLES

I finished the seventh of eight triangles on Wingspan and got started on the eighth.  I’m having a little anxiety about running out of yarn but this is normal for me at this point in WIPs.  I’ve promised my languishing sock project that it’s next in line, but I also have a baby hat that’s halfway to the finish line that I’ve made promises to, is it odd that I talk to my projects?  It’s not like I expect them to answer or anything…..

BY THE BOOK

Will finish Song of Susannah, Book VI of the Dark Tower series, with a Lawrence Sanders novel, The First Deadly Sin, next in line.  Mr. Iknead’s father got me hooked on Lawrence Sanders years ago, he passed 20 years ago, but when I go back and revisit books that he and I shared with each other, he feels very close.

IN THE OVEN

Nothing, of course, at this very moment.  I don’t cook really during the week, by the time I get off work, exercise and stop on the way home to visit my mother, it’s close to 7 p.m. and I don’t have the energy.  I make up for it though by cruising recipe websites and checking out cookbooks, with a little bit of Food Network for good measure.  I made a Lemon Blueberry Cake on Saturday.  It tastes good, but has an odd texture.  I’m suspicious that my oven thermostat is off, it’s been taking 10 to 15 minutes longer to cook than the recipes say.  That may be the cause of the texture issue, maybe not quite done in the middle, but nice and brown on the outside.  I think I’ll get a oven thermometer and check it out further in the next few days, now I’m curious.

I ran across this on Pinterest.  I’ve been a little obsessed lately with pot and pan storage – I’m rapidly running out of it and short of buying a new home and designing a house around a kitchen, it’s going to continue to be a challenge.  Here’s what I dream of –

Baking pan drawer so you don't have to get EVERY pan out EVERY time...

Nice, huh?  OK, I’m officially weird, I fantasize about kitchen storage.

You ain’t gonna learn what you don’t wanna know.  Jerry Garcia

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