Argh!

I have complained about the back burners on our stove not working since we moved in. Supposedly someone came and said that they work, but are slow. I tried an experiment today. I put the right back burner on high, put a pan with boiling water on, and waited. 2 hours later, it was cool enough I could put my finger in and leave it in (remember I gave the stupid thing a head start -- it was started with BOILING water.) I tried changing it to the next level down on the burner. An hour later it is a bit warmer. How is anyone supposed to cook on this!

Next experiment will be with the left-hand burner. I'll update here. sigh

ETA Half an hour later and the left hand burner is not hot. I'd say that whoever looked at the stove was a tremendous optimist. I know that we live in a people with older people, many of whom no longer cook. But I do. May I please have a working stove? As in, 4 burners working?

Hm

My camera was among the missing for almost a week. I have no idea why it was hiding in the bathroom. All I can do is roll my eyes (I am sure I was the culprit, but why? Perhaps it is better NOT to know!)

This month I decided in a fit of insanity to join in NaKniSweMo, National Knit a Sweater Month. The idea is to knit 50,000 stitches in the month of November, at the end the knitter will have a sweater to show for the effort. I didn't want to be working on a sweater, but had two projects that would make my total. I started a hat for Big Justin and picked up my portion of the 3 generation baby blanket for Merri. I finished BOTH on the 24th. 87,442 stitches between the two projects. I am no longer counting stitches for the month. I did make and finish a hat for someone else, and still have knitting time this month. Do I finish projects on the needles? Probably. But how nice to get these out of the way!

Pictures will have to come at Christmas, after the presents have been gifted.

Testing

I'm trying to post via my phone.

Knitting away at Christmas presents. LOTS of stitches!

I realized a few minutes ago that I somehow deleted my list of stitch patterns and stitch counts for all three baby blankets. Now I don't know which pattern I was going to use for the other two baby blankets is gone! Tears!

NaKniSweMo

Okay, I admit it. I'm a glutton for punishment.There is another side to NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month. That is NoKniSweMo - National Knit a Sweater Month. Knitters pledge to knit 50,000 stitches during the month of November, most planning to knit a sweater, starting November 1 and finishing before the of day November 30.

I wasn't going to do it, really truly! But then I started doing the math for a hat for DSIL - 3 ply yarn on 0 needles. I realized that it would take pretty close, if not more than 50,000 stitches. So, I signed on to the bandwagon November 8th. You will notice that I was already behind the eight ball, eh?

I decided to add Merri's baby blanket (the three generation one) to the mix, to give my hands relief, worsted weight for a while, then sock weight. Back and forth, forth and back. So, I started a spreadsheet, to track the stitch count on both projects. The other night I realized that I was close to the 50,000 stitches, but neither project was close to completion. My current goal is to finish both projects by the end of November. Insanity? Probably. I'll let you know the final stitch count at the end of the month. Can I do it? Dunno. But next year I will plan the project ahead of time!

Advertising sigh

So, it is what, 36 days until Christmas, right? Why are we still being "treated" to ads talking about layaway programs where the payments are spread out for 8 weeks? Or the ads that speak of "it's summer, so I want to clear up my skin for my bikini." Hello, we are 5 weeks away from Christmas and it is late autumn. Reality check here, don't the advertisers think we can do the math? Do they think that we can suspend reality enough to believe them?

Ads on tv take up more and more program time. They are louder than the program. I find myself muting the ads, just so I don't have to hear them. I'd rather miss part of the program than listen to their drivel!

Eek!

I was sitting in the hall today, knitting with another lady that lives in the building. Over the years, people have brought lawn chairs to this end of the hall, so people can sit and chat, while enjoying the sunshine (when there is such a thing!) and looking outside. She had been so sure that she wasn't able to knit, because her hands shake. She was finishing her second dishcloth today. Yay!

I heard a crack as I sat in my chair. It was one of a pair we purchased in NY. The chairs were very comfortable. But, as I sat there, there was suddenly a second crack and I was sitting flat on the floor! Not sure how the arm brace breaking would cause that, but it certainly did! I tossed both chairs out. It was questioned as to why I'd throw the second, whole chair. My thought process (if I actually can be said to have one!) was that if one broke, the second was probably not far behind from doing the same. I really do NOT want to be responsible for one of the residents of the building being hurt because of a chair collapse!

Phooey

Two months ago repairs were done to our apartment, involving a plumber and a roofer. The plumber was supposed to also fix our shower, but, despite having a month lead time, hadn't ordered the shower part. Hm, a month's notice and didn't get the part ordered. This morning the building maintenance man told me that the plumber was going to come by, if he had the shower part. He told the maintenance man that he wasn't sure it was in stock, he may have to order it. Now, do you blame me that I didn't believe it? I went ahead and showered, I didn't wait for him to arrive. No, he didn't arrive. I have a difficult time accepting that after 3 months the man has not been able to order/keep in stock the piece to repair our shower. I'm not sure that even if the appointment is made for the repairs, that I will actually believe that the repair is going to be made. Cynical, aren't I! In this economy he can afford to blow off repair jobs?

Hm

I have been thinking that Merri looked more like Justin than Serena. But then I saw these two photos next to each other. What do you think?

This and that

Justin and Grandpa. Justin was asked to hold Grandpa's hat, he is certainly keeping it safe for him! Under Grandpa's hat he is wearing the bear hat that Aunt Serena and Uncle Justin gave him at Christmas. Welcome to Minnesota, where it is considered normal to have snow on Halloween! We drove up Halloween morning.

Unbeknownst to either set of parents, BOTH grandkids were bumble/honeybees this year! Merri was almost to big for her costume, Justin obviously enjoyed buzzing around!

This is Tutti-Frutti #4, she'll have to grow into it, hopefully this year!