Knitting

DITD, Book Love, Birthday Girl, FO Friday


WHAT’S UP

I’ve been a tad down in the dumps the last few days or so, nothing spectacular and nothing that makes me want to stay in bed with the covers pulled over my head, just a mild case of long sighs and dysmotivation*.  I should tell you that there’s no real reason for this dumpy mood, except maybe that my calendar says spring, the clothes catalogues say spring and last week one day it was 70 degrees, but the last few days have been cold and windy.  Windy to the point that power was out in some parts of the city.  Thankfully, we didn’t lose power, that might have pushed me right over the edge and I would have been forced to go buy a pair of sandals or a new pocketbook or something.  Dodged that bullet.

BY THE BOOK

I’m continuing my love affair with the writings of John Steinbeck with Travels with Charley. I’m late to the party with this particular one and am thoroughly enjoying this travelogue. This affair all started with East of Eden, first in a Reader’s Digest condensed book, so long ago I can’t remember the year or my age. I’m pretty certain it was junior high, around 1968 or so. Later, I filled in the blanks (it was a condensed book, remember) with a paperback from some school book club, probably Scholastic. Remember the Scholastic book club?  I lived for the days they handed out the new Scholastic book catalogues and would study them for days, making lists of the ones I wanted.  Even so many years ago, it was always “so many books, so little time”.  I got into trouble more than once for hiding a book inside another book in class, just because I needed to finish “just one more page, I promise”.

Travels with Charley in Search of America

YOU BET I’M PROUD

I usually am tooting my own horn over the grands and I will, later in this post, but I want to share how proud I am of my big girls, my daughter and my daughter in law, Bigmommy and Babymama.  They’ve both started blogs and mentioned me as their inspiration.  Teared me right up, it did.  So, pop over to The Mommy Life 101: Welcome to Motherhood and wife*mother*disciple and see why I’m usually awestruck by these two young women and their accomplishments.

IT’S BABYDIVA’S DAY

Three hundred sixty five days ago, Mr. Iknead and I were up in Labor and Delivery, anxiously awaiting the birth of another precious granddaughter.  Needless to say, we weren’t disappointed and happily added Babydiva to the growing roster of grands.  So much happens in a year and I forget how quickly babies grow and change,

from this

to this

to this

Happy First Birthday Babydiva!

FINALLY FO FRIDAY

Lolita Vest

Lolita vest

I think it turned out nicely.  I wearing it today, again.

Don’t forget to check out Tami Ami’s blog for more FO Friday treats.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.  For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.  Albert Einstein

*Dysmotivation – a word I made up to describe the feeling of not wanting to do anything resembling most definitions of productivity and being compelled instead to read, watch trash TV and surf Rav.

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Knitting

Just Call Me Tinkerbell


BY THE BOOK

Not reading/listening much at the moment.  There are a couple of books that have piqued my interest, Mary Coin by Marisa Silver and Fever by Mary Beth Keane.  As far as I can tell, neither one is in my local library’s collection yet, frustrating for me due to our (Mr. Iknead’s) austerity plan.  I’ve requested them, but this takes time, which I have a lot of, but unfortunately I’m continually short on patience.  Could this be a sign that I need to finish the books I’ve started to make room for those I want to start?  Possibly.

JUST WHEN

I think winter is really over and begin to anticipate spring with warmer temps and greener everything, Mother Nature brings another surprise.  After a couple of days of short sleeves and sunshine, the weather turned cold again with snow in the northern part of the state and rain and sleet for the rest.  I’m tired of sweaters and long sleeves and am finding myself thinking more and more about swimsuits, sandals and the beach. Our August vacation seems soooo far away!

ON/OFF THE NEEDLES

I cast off Lolita last night, all she lacks is a light blocking and then sewing the shoulder seams.  I’ll get a picture when she’s officially finished.  Still working on the first Olivia Petit sweater.  I ended up tinking back even more when I noticed a dropped stitch about ten or 12 rows back.  I tried to convince myself that I could totally live with it, that with a little blocking it would be next to unnoticeable.  You know how far that got me.  Bit the bullet, tinked back and redid and am much happier.  Two more buttonholes, then separating for the sleeves and I’ll be ready to start knitting the peplum.  Suddenly, knitting two more of these doesn’t seem like such a great idea.  Hmmm, wonder why?  Here it is so far:

Sorry the pic sucks.

Off to start blocking Lolita!

Love life and life will love you back.  Love people and they will love you back.  Arthur Rubinstein

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Knitting

A Good Report, It’s Here and I Can’t Wait to Get Started


I’M FREE I’M FREE

I had my first postop visit this morning with McDreamy (Bigmommy’s word, not mine) and he released me to my normal life.  Like, I can drive and everything!  Who would have thought that I’d have fantasies of grocery shopping??  Who would have thought that Mr. Iknead would have fantasies of me grocery shopping – alone???  The things we take for granted, right?  I’m doing really, really well according to McDreamy, which I knew already, and after one more follow up next month, this whole hitch in my get along will be officially over.  Yay!!

LOOK WHAT CAME TODAY!!

My new Knitpicks yarn!!  I love it, I can’t wait to get started, so sorry Lolita and former Spring Pools socks, this baby is moving to the head of the line!  Oh my gosh, it’s so springy and green and pretty and is crying out to be on the needles as I blog this.  See for yourself –

Olivia Petit Will Not Wait!

Am I right or what?

THE GRANDS

In keeping with the new beginning, first green of spring theme that seems to have developed today, I present the Sprout’s first ponytail:

The Sprout’s First Sprout!

I know I’ve played fast and loose with exclamation points today, please forgive me, I think Spring is springing!! (sorry)

One today is worth two tomorrows.  Benjamin Franklin

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