Oh Bother!

Yesterday morning and early afternoon were lovely, warm and dry enough that the landlord was out mowing the grass.

I wash socks (and bras) by hand and hang them on a wooden drying rack.  Because it was so nice, they were outside drying.      

Weather started moving in.  I forgot about the clean clothes!   I unplugged the power bars  -- yes, I know they protect from surges, but Serena's house in Colorado lost power and then lightening struck nearby, sending a surge through the house, killing her tv.  We were told and have noticed ourselves that this place tends to lose power during storms.  So I unplug the computers.  But I forgot about the drying (probably dry by then) clothes.

Anyway, I was reading and knitting when the storm hit with a whoosh!  One of those downpours that limit visibility.  THAT is when I remembered the clean clothes.  I ran outside (I may have been saying something like "oh s**t, s**t, s**t!" fairly loudly...)  and grabbed the dry rack.  More than half of the socks had blown to the ground, picking up dirt and pieces of grass.  It was hailing, I was soaked from the first moments of stepping outside.  The dry rack and the first load of wet clothes came in and the rack was set up in the bathroom.  Ran back outside for what I could see, came back in and rinsed all of the socks and hung them up again.  Later, after the storm I remembered that there had been a bra on the rack. Back outside, it had blown under the car.  It too needed a fresh wash. 

Now all of the socks and that bra are in the bathroom, still drying.  I need to go through and pick out all of the grass they collected and then probably wash again, to make sure all of the grit is washed away.

BOTHER!

Weekends are nice.  They can accomplish a lot.  Sometimes you work and work and nothing happens.

Yesterday I went to a new friend's house.  I think we will become good friends.  We had a lot of fun trying to warp a loom.  We went up and down the stairs, trying to find things to make it work.  A lot of talking, not just about weaving or knitting, but life.

In the end, we decided that the loom isn't really a loom.  It tried, but no.  The person who designed it wasn't a weaver.  We couldn't, no matter how hard we tried, get it to make a good shed.  So, the almost 4 hours of work that we put into it were for naught.  But, at the same time, those 4 hours helped forge a friendship.  Priceless!

A lot of changes in the last year+!  TWO new grandbabies (one of each kind Serena and Justin had a girl, Nathan and Kim had a boy), Serena and family have moved to Guam, we are living in Wisconsin, Mom is living in Las Vegas...

I need to see if I can keep this blog going.

I knit up a Freddie Platypus for Justin.  I know there are times I really miss being able to hug him.  So each stitch was a way of showing him love, hoping that he will hug it when he needs a hug from me!  The coat is a mish-mash of the coat pattern for Phoebe Mouse and what I needed to fit the platypus.  I bought buttons today -- hopefully they will make the outfit. 

Crud!  I remembered while in Joann's that I needed to pick up jingle bells.  I was in the wrong section, told myself to go there as soon as I was done picking out the item I needed in that aisle.  By the time I did that, jingle bells had escaped my mind until just now.  Blast! 

My frustration level is pretty high these days, yesterday I was on hold for 40 (yes, 4-0!) minutes then talked with someone for a while.  The documents that I had faxed a week ago were not associated with my information, so I should fax again.  Oh, and by the way, faxing again means they have another 10 business days to process my documents.  Drove over to fax them and was told "don't bother, we have another week to process them, they just haven't been looked at yet."  Got home and there was a form letter, they will be processed by 9/27.  (10 business days from 9/5 is 9/27?)  Then to cap it off, there is a note at the bottom, "Please be prepared to fax your verification at that time."

sigh

So we are going through and doing a thorough turn-out - getting rid of a lot of things. As much as can is being recycled, but there is still stuff that goes in the trash. Yesterday Howard took out a load and said, "that's it until the trash is picked up." (This isn't just our trash in the dumpster, it is from 15 apartments and 2 offices - and is available to people in the neighborhood to drop things off. Just so you don't think I'm throwing away THAT much!) So today I thought, "I'm sure the trash has been picked up." and took out another load. Hm, the dumpster was still full, but I was able to squeeze this load in.

Stopped and chatted with someone else on the way back to the apartment. I asked about the trash being picked up today. "No, it is picked up on Wednesday. This is Tuesday."

I know this. But I really honestly thought it was Wednesday.

I guess I'll keep whatever else I gather up here until tomorrow.

Family

Justin took this of Grandpa.

Aunt Kim with Merri

Uncle Nathan and Merri

Aunt Serena, Uncle Justin and Justin

Merri

Justin

We like kisses

Both were having a grand time bouncing and laughing

Our sister-in-law Stacey came this weekend, we all got together in Madison so she could meet Merri and renew her acquaintance with little Justin (who was maybe 5 months old the last time?) The reality of taking pictures of the two little ones -- one of them is going to move during the shot. But you can see, Justin thought Merri was the greatest toy ever! Merri thought the same of him!

Happy Easter!

We had Easter dinner with the family. Justin has become very vocal - there are things he says that I KNOW he didn't pick up at home. LOL He loves his drampa! Howard and Nathan went fishing for a while, when they got back, Justin told me "It's your drampa!" I was trying to straighten him out, basically that while he is JUSTIN'S drampa, he isn't mine. Justin became impatient with me and said, "It's YOUR drampa! He's wearing his hat!" All righty then! Obviously I'm wrong! LOL

He got a package of Legos for Easter and was very happy putting it together with Kim's guidance. He didn't need much assistance, just direction. It looked really good.

Drat

So I was sitting in a chair in the hall yesterday. Suddenly the back leg broke and I went down. Landed on my right hand again. Looks as if I might have injured it just about the same place I did 2 years ago.

Color me very unhappy at this point!

Hey Blogger?

What is going on? When I click on "publish post" nothing happens. I have to click on "save now" then go to "edit posts" and click on the post then "upload now." Editing posts seems to be impossible. When I tried for 3 times, nothing happened. I tried to copy what I'd written and not a blessed thing happened! I'm not amused.

Drat

Minnesota is so ...interesting... in springtime. The grass has turned green, it is becoming nice outside. The chihuahua in the building enjoys going out and stays for a time. So what is supposed to happen tomorrow? sigh 4-14 INCHES of snow is projected through Wednesday. SHEESH!

Why is it? A slice of reality

I have kept track of my yarn in a data base for years now. Since before we left New York. I remember sitting in the dining room of the house and weighing each yarn, using the McMoran yarn balance to find out yards per pound then figuring out how many yards of each yarn was on hand.

I lost a good bit of the database recently, I believe I started it in 02. So I have had plenty of time to adjust to adding yarns to it.

So why is it that every so often I come across a yarn that isn't in the stinking data base? Hello? How did I miss you? Tonight it was 2 skeins of a Regia Kaffe Fassett yarn. Now I've knit up 2 pairs of socks in various colorways of this yarn. I knew I had a lonely skein that will become either sock tops or wristwarmers. But I didn't remember this yarn. I don't remember buying it. I don't show a record of it coming in. Where in the world did it come from? sigh Any such yarn counts as a brand new purchase. And it is added in the "yarn purchased this year", "yards added this year" etc. The only way I can figure to make it work. Otherwise I'd constantly be reworking prior years totals.

Occasionally as I cook I realize how time has passed. As in, when I need to pull one of the boxes off the top of the freezer. Why? The aluminum foil is from Wegman's - the WONDERFUL New York grocery chain. I miss their bread. It was the best! We left New York in 03. The waxed paper is from Hy-Vee - an Iowa grocery chain. We left Iowa in 08. There are 2 boxes of Press and cling wrap (or whatever it is called.) We bought those in Iowa when Howard had the surgeries. Yet I think I'm on the 3rd box of parchment paper since we moved here a year ago.

My space bar has been sticking. I couldn't figure out why. Tonight I hit one of the keys and realized -- a size 0 needle had dropped down in front of the first row of the keyboard. Funny, the space bar works fine now!

Sorry!

Sorry! I've been trying to decide if I have enough to say that people are willing to take time to read it. I have been knitting. And knitting. One of the ladies in the building remarked the other day that I don't look right without needles in my hand. I finished a sweater today and the recipient was thrilled. After I gave it to her I noticed 2 strands I hadn't woven in. I offered to take it back and finish, she quickly told me that she'd be perfectly happy doing it. Hm...afraid I'd not give it back? grin We are having a Minnesota spring. The snow went from several feet high to nothing in about a week and a half. The grass has been greening up, the birds have returned. Last night we had snow again. Not a lot, thank goodness, but enough to remind us that it isn't time to put away our winter gear. So, there are people from this area who are snowbirds in Arizona. We also have someone from Saskatchewan that snowbirds HERE! Perspective, I guess. She considers our winters to be mild. Hm...

Mom said there'd be times like this...

I started a sweater (jumper) for Rick in London UK. Ran out of yarn just before the hood, so no way I can fudge it. I'm waiting for more yarn to get here.

I started a sweater for Geina, his Mom. It looks as if I may run out of yarn just before the end. I'm going to knit fast to see if I can avoid it. (Why yes, if you need to know, I ascribe to the "knit faster and maybe the yarn will last" theory of knitting.") According to my stash spreadsheet, there should have been 8 skeins of this yarn, which would have been more than plenty. Why, then can I only find 6!!!!!!

I'm afraid to start anything else!

All of my works in progress were going down, until I only had 2 left - the pair of socks and Hanne Falkenberg's Solo (in different colors, but you get the idea.) I had finished the baby blanket and Stacey's sweater. The over item that had started the year with me will be frogged tonight. Bliss! Only 2 WIPs. The socks would take maybe 2 days max of intermittent knitting. But could I just complete those, and be down to NO WIPs? Noooo, I cast on for Rick's sweater. See paragraph 1. I cast on for Geina's sweater. See paragraph 2. Now I have four WIP's and there is great temptation to cast on more. SHEESH!

I even made a list of things that I'd like to knit up next. I think there are about 10 things on it!

Unburdened

After long thought, I put my spinning wheel up for sale on Ravelry. It was a hard decision, I loved it when I bought it.

The problem came after I'd flown out to Colorado and both parents came down with C Diff. They were so sick, and they were impaired mentally as well as physically while sick. I guess the best thing to say about it is: it was a very difficult situation. That misery attached itself to the wheel, since I had brought it along to destress while I was there. I was miserable every time I tried to spin on it.

Yesterday it sold. SUCH a feeling of relief! I will buy a different wheel at another time, and it won't have the misery attached. As for this one, the new, excited owner won't have the angst attached and will love it. Win-win!

Yay!

Yesterday was a GREAT knitting day for me! I finished the Sprog 3 blanket, well at least MY part - Howard needs to crochet around the edges before it is totally done.

I also finished Liquid Silver for my Sister-in-law. It had been on the needles for too long, I broke a bone in my hand in the middle of it, which caused the process to grind to a halt. I finally picked it up yesterday and was astonished to realize how very little was left to do! So, I did, then popped it in the mail today. I forgot to photograph it until it was already at the post office. Oops!

I waffled between working on the current socks or starting something else. I'll admit it, I looked closely at the socks, put them down and started a new sweater. Toddler size -- quick knit! Yay!

End of Year totals

So, this is when each of us looks back on the year, good, bad and ugly. It has been a momentous year. Not all good. Not all bad.

Birth of Merridyth Ann - highlight
Moving to Minnesota to be closer to Nathan and his family - highlight
Losing my job - low point

My knitting totals for the year:
Christening Gown 1
Hats 6
Potholders 4
Scarves 3
Scrubbies 4
Sweaters 1 baby
Sweaters 2 child
Washcloth 1
Wristers 2 pair

When I factor in having to move, I didn't do too badly this year! Tonight I'll frog the project that isn't working so it isn't on the needles in 2011. I'll only have projects on the needles that will be finished. Not a bad way to start the year! I'd prefer not to have ANY projects on the needles, so I can start the year with a clean slate, but that ain't gonna happen this year! I refuse to frog the projects that are working, that just aren't done!

I made a concerted effort to pare down the stash. Giving yarn away, using it up. I started the year with 1,118.09 ounces of yarn, or 69.88 pounds. That also translated to 119,464.64 yards of yarn, or 67.88 MILES of yarn. The stash was worth approximately $2,572.17 on January 1, 2010. I purchased 247.16 ounces 16,206 yards.

Currently I have 719.11 ounces or 44.95 pounds of yarn on hand (including the projects on the needles, they don't get to count against the totals until finished.) That is 73,718 yards or 41.885 miles of yarn. Current approximate value of stash is $1,659.61. Not bad! Actually, I'm pretty proud of that!

End of the year

Today I am taking a hard look at projects on my needles. One of the items on the needles isnot working. It is time to FROG! I'll do something with this yarn at a later date.

I do NOT want anything on the needles that I do not love or that will not be loved by the recipient.

As far as I remember, here are my projects on the needles:

• a pair of socks for me - one is to the heel, the other is on the heel flap
• Solo for Serena - about 1/2 of the body is finished - need the other half and 2 sleeves
• Liquid Silver for Stacey - so close to being finished - just DO IT!
• Sprog 3 baby blanket
• Cross-over Rib top for me - going to frog the colors are pooling

I would like to start working on the items that are closest to being finished. That would probably be Liquid Silver, then the socks, then baby blanket and finally Solo.

I have a whole slew of projects that I WANT to start. I don't want to list them, my goal is to knit away happily! Most of the projects are for others, which is fine.

I've been destashing - passing yarns on to others who want/need yarn. If I'm not going to knit it, why is it waiting here?

Here we are in cold Minnesota. And it is raining. Blech. Perhaps elsewhere that would be cause for rejoicing. Here, it is cause for great worry. Because it is supposed to change to freezing rain, and then snow. Which means all of this lovely rain is going to change to ice. Which may, perhaps, last most, if not all ,of the rest of this winter. There are some fragile people in this building. This will mean they are restricted to home until the ice is gone. For some reason, the mood in the building isn't excited. grin

Honestly, I'm not happy about the ice. I remember breaking my wrist on ice. It is 10 miles for Howard to get to work. That is a long stretch of road to be ice covered.

ETA: So, I must be perverse. I made that list above. Decided that to finish Liquid Silver made the most sense. So what did I pick up? The BABY BLANKET! sigh I really do NOT do well with to-do lists.

Perceptions

I wrote this at Christmas and didn't publish it. I don't know why not.

I was asked to bake rolls for the gathering at lunch on the 24th here in our building. I procrastinated (big surprise there, grin) and started them late the afternoon of the 23rd. We were going to leave first thing in the morning on the 24th for Nathan's so there wasn't any room for error. I did as I have done for years, threw in the ingredients until it felt right and called it good. Steel-cut oats, light rye flour, some potatoes, some molasses, some sugar, AP flour... It had a good hand as I kneaded it. It rose nicely several times. I divided it into rolls and set them to rise. Baked them and they looked great.

That night Howard and I had 2 for dinner. Too me, they were too sweet. If I had more time, I would have made more, but I didn't. I took them down with a note of apology.

When we got home the next day, I was stopped several times in the hall by people telling me how good the rolls had been. One couple had even taken some of the extras home, they liked them so well.

Sometimes, I guess, I need to step back from what I "know" and accept that I'm being too hard on myself. After all, Howard did tell me that he liked them. They just didn't fit what I expected. sigh

Oops

We have had just a bit of snow here...

I will need to get Christmas photos from others, I brought my camera, took 2 snaps and then forgot it the rest of the day!

Christmas

We spent a fantastic day with our family, 8 of us together loving each other. The almost 3 year old Justin had a great time, he opened almost everyone's gifts for them. What was inside wasn't nearly as important as getting the paper off! And he was helping! smile

I think everyone liked their knitted presents. Forgot entirely to take pictures as they were opening them! sigh I should have. Merri looks wonderful wrapped in her 3-generation blanket, knit by great-grandma, grandma, Mommy and a crocheted edge by grandpa. (No, I didn't remember to get a picture of that at all!) Just right! Big Justin and Nathan both seemed to like their hats. Kim and Serena each got kitchen items they had requested. I figure that gave the items the best chance of being what was needed and would be used. Little Justin seemed to at least tolerate his hat, but didn't want it on. Merri kept hers on, didn't seem to notice that it was there.

Whew!

The most important part, though, was sharing the time together. To be as one. Is this going to be a family tradition? I don't know. What a nice one, though!

Oops

And then I started thinking...I still have the top for DSIL on the needles. Stopped knitting it when I broke my hand. Rats. One more project. Did I remember everything now?

Um, and there is the vest I started just last month. How did I forget that? Sheesh!

The socks I mentioned: I have 4 that came in the swap. One has been finished. "Only" 3 more to go.

For pete's sake! I have a memory like a sieve for projects in process!