My Birthday Present! Thanks Mom and Dad. Um, I kicked in some too, because it is so gorgeous. I'm thinking a sweater for me, and then socks! YUM!

This is the brown yarn from Uruguay. If I have it figured out correctly, there are 1780 yards here. Feels just as good as the green! YUM!

Isn't this yarn gorgeous! Yarn from Uruguay, bought by my cousin Larry's wife Dora's sister. I think. There is 1.8 pounds of wool here, at 950 yards per pound. If I figured it right, there are 1660 yards. Worsted weight, and OH! it feels good! Bought at Mercado de Lanas.

I'm not sure what went wrong, this was a RUSSET dye! Sure looks dusty rose to me. What about you? Whine. Now I have to figure out what to dye it with to get the rust/russet I really want. Suggestions?

My birthday present from Howard! That is a hummingbird, copper wind chimes below. The color is a faded example of our hall and dining room walls. Really, they are much brighter.

Okay, this baffled me for a long time. I guess it baffled the ladies too, until they were working on the quilt, because the sewing machine seams do NOT go through to the front. The backing piece was taken from something else, which had been well used. The repairs were done to it BEFORE it was quilted in. The backing is in 2 large pieces (common for the day). As I said, this quilt was a everyday quilt, to use every scrap of fabric they had.

the new edging on the backing

some of the damaged pieces taken out of the quilt. you can see how much it was used! The darker green at the top is a tiny strip from the inside, showing what the backing color was originally. The piece at the bottom is the new fabric, which matches the way the backing color has faded.

Look at the piecing just above the top right corner of the square, that lighter bit of fabric is actually 3 little bits sewn together, to finish out that piece. That diamond has 4 pieces in it, to complete it. The next diamond has 3. Use up, make do!

The is Great Grandma Bryant's quilt. Not a great picture, but you can see part of the intricacy.

gives you a better idea how the colors evened out... WHEW! The yarn is from http://www.kpmcornerstone.com/kpmff/html/yarn_for_sale.html and is yarn #3, Border Leicester, Shetland, and llama, according to the label. A very nice, yarn against the skin, and you can see that it liked being knit into this! There is a gold metallic carry-along thread in there too, doesn't show in this picture, though.

This is the "new version of Clapotis, don't you think it looks MUCH better? I do. The colors are more even, and richer. Thank goodness the metallic didn't melt!

More pictures tomorrow, I promise!

A wonderful thing happened today -- Howard's great-grandmother's quilt returned home! Repaired! It isn't a pretty quilt, it was a scrap quilt, making the best use of every single scrap they had available. The colors are well worn, and it has been patched. But you know, it is special. I had tears leaking down my face when the lady explained how the quilt had attached itself to her heart too, as she realized the work, the care, and the effort that had gone into it. For a miracle, she was able to find some fabric that looks exactly like the way the backing has aged, so you can't tell where the new pieces are. She also covered the corner blocks with tulle, because the stress was really telling on it. I'll do pictures tomorrow, including some of the tattered pieces removed.

Then, she asked to take the quilt that MY great-grandmother pieced and tied for my Great-Uncle Charlie home for repairs. It is a wool quilt, bowtie pattern, that has been hit by fraying fabrics and bug bites. Again, it was made for warmth, not showing off. But, it is special to me.

I also forgot to take a picture of the birthday present from Howard. Oops.

Today I:
did 8 loads of laundry
overdyed my Clapotis (pictures tomorrow)
dyed some yarn with the leftover dye in the pot
dyed some gorgeous grey alpaca
forgot to pick up my knitting or spinning
"discussed" with Howard what I'm going to place the dollhouse upon
and spent a lot of time on the computer.

Oh look, you can almost tell what it is! From just this much I know the chess table was NOT one of my smarter ideas for this! I'm going to need to find a new "home" for this before I get much further along. Have also "proven" to myself that "yes", I do need to paint and paper before putting it together -- how else will I reach inside some of the corners!

Just getting started, I find it interesting that the detailing is cut into the wood, yet, from the pictures, gives the impression of stnding out!

This is my Doll-House-to-Be The start of the doll project!

TGFK!

Thank Goodness for Knitting! We wound up driving to the doctor again today (about 4 hours all told), and I was able to get up to the underarms on my jacket. Otherwise, I would have been going nuts! Why is it that so many doctors' offices have the tv on, loud, playing soaps during the day? Today, the tv had duct tape on it, so the channels couldn't be changed. So the staff could watch their soaps?

And why do they think it is good to be using "fragranced" "air fresheners"? The one in that office complex is bad enough to cause me to wheeze. I'm surprised the pulmos there haven't complained! Someone on the elevator said that some of the employees like that scent so much, they spray it on themselves! EEK!

The snow is melting. The streets and sidewalks are damp, and it is all because of snow melt. There are city trucks trundling up and down the streets, lopping off broken/bent branches so they don't endanger people. The lawn is strewn with lots of little branches, from the wind the other night.

Today is the type of day that gives you the false sense that spring has arrived. We probably have 2 more months to go before that happens, but it was great today! It might have hit 50! REALLY high, as opposed to the cold temps we had earlier.

I really want to start putting my doll house together, but there is a strong part of me that wants yellow brick. Anyone know, is that period for a Victorian? As that is what I have. Of course, I've not SEEN anyplace that HAS yellow brick either. I guess I rejoice in being different.

Still haven't heard from Serena about the socks transmogrifying into wristers, but she hasn't felt good the last bit. The afghan is staring at me downstairs, I've not gotten further than casting on. STILL have socks that need the toes grafted. hm... with a list like that, perhaps it is time to go to bed!

I don't know what it is, but I don't like it!

Today has been one of "those" days -- there seems to be something going on in my body, and it isn't happy. General feeling of malaise, and the memory is iffy. As in, I put a needle in a zipper, and then spent the next 5 minutes (immediately after) looking for it!

Sewed a new zipper into my Lind, it is lighter, and works better. Also, by sewing it by hand (ick spit!) it doesn't give the impression that I am reproducing toward the lower end. Really, sewing it in was restful (except for losing the needle!) Wonder why I resist so STRONGLY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER! Yes, per our conversation, you are 57 today. Just because neither of us could remember for sure.

Just for fun, continuing yesterday's post:

Rooing Me

Several years ago, my mother told me something. I know, that's what Moms are for! But, Moms sometimes have to plant a seed and leave it, because it needs to internalize, and grow.

Mom had read an article about the way we look at things. When we lose money, we try to find it, or regain it. When I lose a book, a skein of yarn, or whatever, I look until I have found it. But then, we talk about losing weight. If I "lose" weight, shouldn't there be a directive, deeply buried in my mind, that I should retrieve it?

This time around, it isn't about losing for me. It is about regaining. Regaining health, shape, fun. Regaining time with my adult children.

Older breeds of sheep "roo". When the time is right, their body sends a signal, and the fleece breaks. As they wander around, the fleece catches on rocks, on trees, on bushes -- until the sheep is free of that encumbrance. I suspect, watching other animals shed their winter coat, they also roll in the dirt, trying to get that heavy weight off.

This time is right for me. I am rooing my excess poundage. As I move around, the weight will slowly drop off. Not all at once, life isn't like that. Not easily, I put in on and am responsible for each step that will take it off. Just as a sweater is knit one stitch at a time, so my health will knit back together.

I do NOT claim that rooing excess will cure my asthma, food intolerances, whatever. I am planning on increased cardiovascular health for my body. Less work for my heart and lungs. Blood pressure normal. Whatever gifts come from this, I will be happy.

does "I can't think of a good title" count?

Today has been difficult. I need to call the pharmacy, right now I have 3 different meds to be taken before I eat, each at a different time, with an obligation not to eat (or drink with one of them) for a time after. I could handle it when it was 1/2 hour, followed by 1 hour. But now it is 1 hour, 1/2 hour, 1 hour! The morning is gone! Not really, but by the time I can eat, it seems that it isn't long before Howard comes home for lunch! Not practical!

The new sweater/vest is coming along, probably 12" along. If I don't have enough yarn, it will be a vest, if I do, it will be a sweater. How is that for easy decision making? I'd prefer a sweater, but there are only 10 skeins of the brown. I'm on the third. That is setting off alarm bells in my brain.

We had WIND last night, luckily the only thing that came down was a bunch of small branches. No bigger ones this time, I guess they came down in the last one. We had sustained winds of 30-40 mph for hours, gusts to 60 mph, blew up in the night, and lasted the rest of it. Just for more interest, the power kept flickering. Kind of an interesting combination!

WHEE!!!!!

I am SO THRILLED! I had the BEST news from my doctor today. NO celiac sprue! Monday the doctor told me that one of my blood tests showed a strong possibility of gluten intolerance. I wasn't happy. I would have dealt with it, but sheesh! I really didn't want to take anything out of the diet. So, this was dancing in the street excitement for Howard and me!

This is my newest project, The yarn on the left if a rust/brown alpaca. The one on the right is a grey brown superwash. Together they make (hopefully) a nice jacket for me. I am planning to make Lind again, but we will see. Not sure if I'll have enough yarn for the sleeves. Stay tuned for future announcements. One of the yarns is moth nibbled. This is not happy. First skein was fine, second has been -- difficult. We'll see how it progresses.

Thursday Thoughts

Setting up a new computer for someone else can be frustrating. 'Nuff said.

I realized part of my frustration with all of the lace weight yarns. Right now, I want to knit, but not with that fine of yarn! Still thinking, but I came up with 3 cones of 2/28 merino from Silk City (ice green and seafoam-- I think) that look great knit together. The darker color has 2 cones, the lighter 1, together they make a light green tweed that will be gorgeous in our bedroom. So, I'm going to make a light-weight afghan -- face it, how heavy can 3 strands of this be! On top of which, I only have 3 pounds total. So, I'll be casting on for that tonight. As in, gauge swatch.

I have some gorgeous lace-weight (2/20) wools from Australia, courtesy of the wonderful Belinda Daniels. We have enriched each other's stash over the years. I'd thought about weaving them into something, but since that is out, I am back to the idea of a lot of lace with it. And it will be MINE, as she picked them out with me in mind (colorwise.)

Then, I put together 2 sport weight yarns, one a brown wool (from Dianne at some unknown time), the other the rust/brown tweed alpaca from Dianne for Christmas. Gauge swatch coming up on that one too! Dianne and I have this odd relationship, we are knit buddies from the knitlist -- have been since 96, I believe. Anyway, we seem to send stash each other's way. After all, we didn't BUY it, but it is new to the other. Actually, Dianne MIGHT have bought this yarn just for me at Christmas... Isn't it nice that we like the same family of colors?

It is Wednesday?

Howard's laptop arrived today. I'm going to have to buy a wireless hub so he can get his mail here at home, I think. Rats. I had thought his office was wireless, but they aren't.

Hm, still not started any knitting projects. Too much happening this week? I think I'm at the "I could do...what?" stage. There is this lovely rust/brown Alpaca yarn from Dianne, made in Peru. It is 1325 ypp. So a sportweight. I have 1450 yards...

I have this lovely alpaca (Dianne and I went in to buy this) silver, I'm planning to overdye it rust when the dye arrives (plus the ball bearing for my Susi Spindle -- Thank you WoolRoom! I appreciate your fantastic service!)
It is ALSO 145 yards per skein, she got 6 sts/ 8 rows per inch with it. I have 1595 yards...

What I WANT to knit:
Dale Tuja -- rewrite it for new gauge? Is the alpaca (either one) going to pill too?
Another Lind, as the first one is pilling so badly. rude grumble I have a bunch of Bartlett 4-ply, I'll bet THAT would make a comfortable jacket. Mainly for around the house, I seem to be cold most of the time in winter.

Seriously considering changing Howard's eternal socks into wrist warmers for Serena -- you would wear black long wrist warmers, wouldn't you? Think over-the-calf socks, I've knit to the heel. Wouldn't take too much to "finish" them, and have a long UFO project DONE! Thoughts?

I need ideas -- I have all this wonderful lace-weight yarn. POUNDS of it. Suggestions?

Musing on differences, why is it that most of the men I know, when they need laundry, if they do their own, they don't do anyone else's? Yet every woman I know (please let me know if you know of others who don't fit the pattern) when doing her laundry checks to see if anything else needs to be done.

Just for fun, a post I saw recently, author's name and info is withheld for reasons of privacy:
"I live with people who have the social graces of dead cows, and I believe I'm insulting the cows!"
I have to admit I laughed out loud at that one.

Final totals for 2004

I forgot, when I made the list of completed items in 2004, to finish off the information.

I have been keeping an Excel spreadsheet for my yarns. So:

at the start of 2004, I had 45.94 pounds of yarn.
I added I used up 58# (knitted, wove, sold, or gave away)
At the start of 2005, I had 76.11 pounds of yarn. Now, since this was a tremendously DECREASED purchase year, I have to figure several things:

1. I screwed up somewhere in my figures
2. A lot of that came in earlier, but wasn't logged in
3. I don't know where a lot of this came from! LOL
4. Stuff left, and wasn't logged out

So, I started 2005 with a clean/er slate. I know I had 76.11 pounds logged in when the year started. The things that came in before the end of the year (there aren't that many, but Dianne is to blame!) are being logged in and considered to be THIS year. Hopefully, that means I can get the record straight. Although, I do know there are yarns that left last year, that didn't get logged out. That means I need to pull out my trusty scale, and weigh sock yarns. Eventually.

This house is COLD! So I've given up and brought an afghan upstairs, to throw over my legs while I'm on the computer. Now, if I could warm up the REST of my body!

Dishwasher is repaired! Yes! One of those intermittent problems that was driving me nuts. One time it worked. The next, the water didn't circulate and baked all the dirt on. Next 2 times it worked... You get the idea. Drove the repairman nuts for a while too, until he could figure it out. A valve was on its way out, not enough to fail constantly, but enough to be a problem.

Howard's new laptop (work provided it) is here. I'm being good, he can unwrap it. Then I'll check it out.

I detest Fair Isle

Well, another cold day has gone by, it is supposed to start warming up Tuesday. Whee! I frogged the second attempt at Princess Line. darn it. Gorgeous sweater, but I do NOT like Fair Isle. Not, not, not. I went so far as to decide that I might as well sell all my Fair Isle knitting books -- why keep them, using up space, if someone else could use and enjoy them! Pulled out a stack to go. Checked with Serena, she doesn't want them. So, more things that can be let go without a qualm. While I was at it, I also pulled out Handwovens. They might as well go too. Sheesh, I had better be careful, or I'll start spring cleaning early! Nah, I doubt it.

finished (almost) Clapotis. I noticed after the picture was snapped that there is one line of stitches that hadnt 'been dropped. It has now. I think you can see why I need to do an overdye job. The cream really stands out, doesn't it. As in "I ran out of yarn!" I made it a bit wider than originally called for, I think it is going to be too big for a scarf. But it will be a great shawl, and it has already proven useful as a lap robe!

Howard's finished sweater. I am HOPING/Praying that there really isn't a difference in dye lots between the 2 cones.
The wash water had a LOT of blue in it, as did the rinses. When it was first laid out to dry, there were splotches where it looked much lighter than the surrounding area. Not sure why, as I don't USE bleach. My asthma doesn't like it. Whatever, I really hope the problem disappears as it dries! This picture was an attempt to see if the colors really varied, but, as it is very difficult to see the v-neck on this side, I don't think it will.

As usual, it was much easier than expected to sew up the hem and the neck. I just needed to DO it. A shame I hadn't done it earlier, as Howard COULD have been wearing it during this freezing cold snap! Oh well.

Oh Baby, it is COLD outside!

My title says it all -- -6 with a -20 windchill at 9 in the morning.

Second day of wheezing, so no working out today. But I know what caused it, so improvement is in sight. I wonder if there IS an osteoporosis medicine that doesn't cause damage esophagus.

Do you have some words that insist on being consciously spelled? There are some that nimbly jump off my fingers onto the page. Others need close attention to get out correctly. Some, alas, almost always come out wrong, and need to be corrected. I do not know why my fingers insist on typing "teh" instead of the. But they do. They don't resent then or there. What is their hangup with teh?

My Lind is so comfortable, but pilling. I want to make another, out of sturdier wool. Suggestions? 3.5 sts an inch. Thought of the wool on Elann, Gjestal Naturgarn No. 1, it looks as if it is a lot like Lopi or Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride. I need to check Wiseneedle. Just did, Thank you Kim! and good reviews. One said not immediately next to the skin, but hey, that's what long sleeved turtlenecks are for!

Ice, Snow!

Yesterday afternoon the ice started falling. Okay, it wasn't ice, it was rain, that froze as it landed. In other words, SLICK! Today we were supposed to get nailed by it, fortunately it decided we aren't THAT interested, and hit further south. So, instead of 1/2" of further ice, then 2 inches of snow, the weatherpeople are kind of scratching their heads going, "we think we're still going to get some ice, then snow, but we aren't sure." Schools all around are closed, they stayed open here.

This week I exercised for 159 minutes, going 10.5 miles on a Gazelle Edge. I'm listening to Anne McCaffrey's "Gift of Dragons" as I do, because just exercising without listening is boring. I'm sure I'll go through other books, next on the list are the Jasper Fforde "Tuesday Next" series, for pure giggles. Right now, as a personal encouragement to work, I don't listen unless I'm exercising. Takes a LONG time to get through a book! But, if I start listening while knitting, will I get on the machine? Probably. Actually, I get more knitting done while I listen to a book, instead of reading it. Hm... I would like to finish Clapotis, it has hit the stage of "won't this EVER get done?" Almost finished with 3rd skein, which seems to be smaller than the others. 2 more skeins, and I'm out of yarn. rats. This row marks the 7th dropped stitch out of the first 13.

Look what came in the mail today! Absolutely gorgeous yarn from Artyarns. The one to the far left is more denim-y, the one at the top and the one at bottom left are both more purple/lavender. I don't know why the colors are off, but I wasn't able to edit them to correct.

Sunday evening

Evenings go better with Blogs. Howard is having his second test with a CPAC machine, to see what settings he needs. I didn't promise to go to bed, but plan to do so. I hope he has a great night sleeping! It would be great to have his apnea under control! Just think, if he stops waking up with headaches, how much better he'll feel! I admit, there is a thought in my head that if HE sleeps better (i.e. without snoring and waking himself up because he stopped breathing) I'll sleep better. Selfish, I know, but there it is.

Clapotis is moving along slowly. Very slowly, darn it. I'm on section 3, the straight part, and it feels as if I'm toddling along. 4 dropped stitches out of how many? 13 alone on the straight portion. Second skein of yarn finished tonight. The DARKER end of that skein wound up at the wrong end. Once again proving that you can plan all you want, but the universe doesn't always agree!

see my nicely striped Clapotis? Hard to tell, but there is actually one line of dropped stitches (per pattern) there. The yarns are going to get paler each skein.

This is Lucy, my Louet S-10. She was painted by a great friend, Candy, in upstate New York. We did a trade, I knit her grand-daughter a sweater, she painted Lucy. I like her portability. She fits easily in the back seat, and is seat-belted in for safety.

This is one end of the living room, with the little stained glass window, and two wheels. The great wheel and I are trying to come to grips with each other. The yellow door is a cupboard, my Nativity figures are in there.

Clapotis

I am in the what the ??? stage" with Clapotis. Thanks to having to look up the web address to copy it for here, I've found out the problem -- a missing [ in my printout. According to my printout, row 8 of section 3 doesn't have the start of a repeat, just the end. A tad confusing. sniffle

Remember how the directions usually say to work with 2 different skeins of hand-dyed yarns, to prevent striping? Guess who didn't? Guess who has a "nice" line on her Clapotis where one skein stopped and the next began? Oh well, it is a design feature, eh? sigh. I got tired of the pattern after I'd been at it for a while, so it isn't going to be nearly as wide as I'd orignally thought. Oh well.

My Lind is pilling. Already. Bad words. I wasn't happy with the weight of the zipper on it, but I really can't blame the zipper for this. It has already become a very comfortable sweater that I enjoy wearing. So, I'll probably make another out of other yarn, and search until I can find a lighter separating zip. But what am I going to do with the nearly a pound of yarn left? EEK! Can't be a sweater, it isn't going to hold up to the wear. grumble

Would anyone like to explain why we've had a light snow all day (woke up to the sound of snow plows going by) with a forecast of clear? whimper And COLD! Oh well, grumbling over.

I'll try to get a picture of Clapotis up tomorrow, as I've just done the first row that ravels. That is fun, for an occasional delight. Not too often, I'd hate to get into the habit.

Must pull out Lucy, my Louet S-10 and give her a spin. She is so nicely painted, she goes well with the plants in the living room! Mom and Dad want pictures of the house, I really should show them at least part of it, right? Hey, you saw the OUTSIDE now!

looks as if we have a tree that's been damaged by the snow on the south of the house. What do you think? The part that is near the ground USED to be even with its partner.

I like this view of the church better. Isn't the sky BLUE!

This is the north side of the house, from across the street.

isn't our house (okay just one side, I didn't want to stand in the snow to show all of it!) look pretty with it's white cover?

piles of snow in the middle of the street. That is what the trucks and "snow blower" are picking up. The plows went down both sides of the street, making a gorgeous pile in the middle. Do NOT attempt to drive over!

It took 6 of the trucks you see to gather just the snow in the street right before our house! The Yellow machine is a huge snowblower -- blows the snow into the trucks who carry it off somewhere to melt. Eventually. A truck is filled, and drives off, the next truck pulls in right behind and the process starts again.

This is the church from our side yard, with LOTS of nice clean snow!

I refuse to look outside!

Okay, the windows upstairs all have been visited by Jack Frost. It is 14 degrees F right now, somewhat miraculous as it was 9 at 4 o'clock. Wind chill is -5F. That means, sitting in the fiber room (here at the computer), I'm cold!There is a lot of snow outside. Supposedly we had 5-6 inches around 10 this morning, and it has continued most of the day. I don't want to go outside to measure. Take my word for it, cold and white fits the situation. Very little traffic outside, most things have been cancelled.

I've spent the day reading, exercising, knitting on Clapotis, and on the computer. I spent a bit of time trying to find progress charts to put on this, to show how I'm coming along on projects -- no luck so far. Checked the knitting bloggers group, no info there that I can find. Oh well.

The Lull Before the Storm

We are supposed to be nailed by snow for the next few days. The ground is already covered by last night's "clear sky" which decorated everything white on top of the ice. Right now, projecting 8-12 inches, but we all know that is anyone's best guess at this point. We'll have a better idea when the storm is over.

I've joined the ranks of Clapotis lovers! While Serena was here, I overdyed a cashmere twin set of hers from grey to -- I thought -- purple. Well, the cardigan is navy, the pullover is dark purple. Okay, we can live with that. They still look as if they go together. It is still here, waiting for darts, so it will fit better. Same dyepot had 2 qiviut scarves, which seemed to come throught the experience wonderfully. Well, there was dye left over, which seems a TERRIBLE waste! So, I had some blue-faced Leicester/alpaca/Shetland which came in a trade. Dyed 5 skeins of it, and the dye hit in various ways across the skeins. So, that will become my Clapotis. Just as an afterthought, I added a strand of gold metallic that Dianne had sent to me, challenging me to see what I could do with it. In the ball, it is gorgeous! We'll see how it knits!

While I'm thinking about it, why does the doorbell ONLY ring when I'm tangled up with yarn? I was winding the first skein (and I did NOT use enough choke ties) and the doorbell rang. Luckily I was in Serena's room, which meant I could hear it. It isn't the loudest bell in the world. In fact, a train whistle in the distance is better able to be heard throughout the house than the doorbell. Anyway, I was untangling. And had to answer the door. Which tangled my mess even more. Could lead a person to frustration! After all, maybe once a week does someone come to the door. Is there a sign that says "Mary's Occupied, ring now!"?


This is my Clapotis yarn.

Monday Cold!

The stores seem to be about out of ice melt (or so I understand), and we are in for a big snow. How "exciting". I spread a 5# bag on the back stairs and concrete pad, Howard used up almost 50# between our sidewalks and the church's. That is a LOT of salt, but also a LOT of territory to cover. Until the house walks are safe, we are trying to flag the mailman and the paperboy to deliver at the church, so they don't get hurt. Just too slippery!

That being said, we had a UPS delivery today, and the poor man almost lost it just before he got back to his truck! The paper boy slipped across the street, trying to get up a wheelchair ramp. It is just that slick out. The main streets are clear down the center, the side streets haven't had enough traffic to clear them.

Hm, the Lind is starting to pill already. Not a lot, but considering this is only the second day of wear... The leftover yarn will have to be a shawl or something that won't show pills!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

I spend a lot of time online. A LOT of time. This is my main method of communication, as I am very sensitive to chemicals, and cleaners, perfumes, diesel fumes, pollens (you get the idea) start an asthma attack. I'd been looking at asthma as a thing to be gotten over. When the doctor told us a bit ago that I won't, I went into a depression.

Today, in chatting with a dear friend from England, she made a very simple statement to me. "Welcome to Holland." With those 3 words, it felt as if light came back into my life. She was referring to the gem "WELCOME TO HOLLAND" byEmily Perl Kingsley. I will not copy it here, because of copyright constraints. It was written by a mother trying to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability. But it fits my life. I had made many plans for "Italy", and haven't adjusted to being in "Holland." As she says, if I spend my life mourning the loss of "Italy", I'll never adjust to Holland. Rachel is also in Holland, because of her asthma. She understands. THANK YOU RACHEL!

Today was good. I frogged the Princess Line last night, and started, oh so slowly, with a transmogrified "Navajo" from "Meg Swansen's Knitting". As in, I have kept her chart (with my own variations) for the Navajo pattern. From there, I am taking off on my own. I think I'll use the 2 main colors I had for the Princess Line. At this point, too much is up for grabs. But, to my astonishment, I have been able to do corrugated ribbing with one color in each hand! Well, I'm doing the purl when you can for all the dark color, and it is working! Two colors of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport. I'll post pictures when any progress can be actually seen. At 360 stitches a round, it may take a while!

Doesn't that look as if it is wet with rain? I wish!

Here you can see a bit of the ice on the trees, as well as how icy the streets and sidewalks still are!

Our own ice rink! Stairs, sidewalks, yard, and street, all covered in ice. Didn't that low spot fill in nicely with ice?

Okay, I find this odd. This is the EAST side of the house, that seems to have gotten the brunt of the ice storm. Isn't that a pretty drip pattern? The coloring isn't quite on, think of it as more of a faded mustard.

Back stairs (wooden) down to concrete pad under them then concrete walk. funny, we haven't even ATTEMPTED these stairs. The white is ice, not paint!

This is the "hill" where the sand truck started to slide. I wish you could see the gorgeous ice on the trees! See how shiny the street is? That is ice. Happy New Year!

This is my completed Lind. I'm still thinking about removing the zipper and trying again. At the moment, though, I'm wearing it, because the house is cold, and it is warm! If I make it again (and I might) I'm going to make it longer.

I surrender!

Howard's birthday (11/29) sweater has been languishing, waiting for the hems. Which I do NOT like doing. So, today, I picked up sts all the way around, and knit up a hem for it. The problem? Getting the hem to attach, without showing on the "public" side. Several hours later, several attempts down, and Howard said, "I thought you were going to have me do that." Fine. Frogged the attempted hem, and he is sitting in comfort, watching the bowl games, crocheting his hems. Around the bottom of his pullover, the sleeves, and the neck. That should take him through the Fiesta Bowl, right? That also gives me the opportunity to hopefully write another project off my "to do" list soon!

Need to look at my lists to see what should be done next.

My Lind is drying at the moment, I'm really hoping that blocking will help the bubbling of the zipper. If not, I'll think of something.

We had freezing rain in the night, several times during the day, and more expected tonight. Whoopee. There has been VERY little traffic on our street. The sanding truck started sliding down the very shallow hill beside the house, and put down the plow to stop the slide. Scared me, because there were several cars parked nearby that could have been hurt. Not ours, thank goodness, it was in the garage. I wonder why they salted the end of every driveway, and not the street itself? Seems a bit odd to me. I'll try to get pictures of some of the windows tomorrow, the ice coated the window and looks as if it were done that way where manufactured. Think the old windows that were deliberately bumpy to prevent people from seeing through them. Clear, but impossible to see details.