I sent the DD up to Idaho to spend the holiday with my folks, since I have to work. I don't mind working so much: we get double pay, we get catered lunch/dinner, it's usually very slow, and we have been asked to come in an hour early and so we get to leave an hour early as well.
What am I thankful for today? Mostly that RP's DD is okay. She had a serious health scare earlier in the week, but that has de-escalated and so all is well. Out of respect for privacy I will not say more, but suffice it to say: I rejoice along with them.
I am also thankful that the weather has been mild. It has been 60* here again the past few days, and I like that.
Gas prices are going down. I am making serious inroads in the gift-making department. Will add more as I think of them throughout the day.
*ETA*
So let me tell you how my whole TG weekend went.
I had to go to work for 5 hours, but it was fairly quiet and the catered dinner was yummy. Afterward I waffled between staying home and being miserable, or driving down to stay with friends in Ogden. I decided to go down, and I am glad that I did. They have a very open and welcoming house, and I always feel very loved and accepted there. The DD calls her Nana, and sometimes I do, too. I sat and cracked walnuts for the pies, and I watched while she cooked, and we talked, and we had supper, and we watched CSI (yay Roger Daltrey) and went to sleep. The next morning I hung out for awhile, but when people started showing up, I decided to go back home. I stayed home Friday, and my friend NN came down from Idaho and stayed the night on my couch, and we went back to Nana's on Saturday for "another Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat" and had a great time. NN wasn't quite so sure what to think of my friends, but he didn't fight too much about it.
Sunday I got up and went to church, and as it was Fast Sunday it was Testimony Meeting. I arrived a lilbit late so I didn't know what was going on. The bishop got up and informed us all that this was going to be a musical testimony meeting. If you felt so inclined, please come up, give the page number to your favourite hymn, and say a few sentences about it and we will sing one verse. At least a dozen songs were sung in this manner, and it was so amazing and wonderful. I wish we could do this a few times a year.
The DD came home shortly after I did and it was so good to see her. She had fun up in Idaho. My brother had stood in line at Wal-Mart for 24 hours to get the new Nintendo Wii so they spent the whole weekend playing video games.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Scout's Meme
I like Scout. I like her blog, and her sense of humour, the fact that she works at a LYS, and that she dyes the most awesome yarn I think I've ever seen. She has this nice and short meme that she posted a day or so ago, and has invited us all to participate. Here goes!
Scout’s Meme:
1. How and when did you learn how to knit/crochet? Who taught you?
I learned in February of this year (2006). I began taking my daughter to SCA meetings (Society for Creative Anachronism) in January, for fencing lessons as a Christmas gift. I sat around and got to know the other ladies there, and a couple of them were knitting. I had an unfinished cotton dishcloth stuffed into a drawer at home, and they inspired me to get it out and at least finish it. I had been shown how to knit garter stitch and YO increase Continental style, but I found that it hurt my hands and I couldn't knit for more than a couple of dishcloth rows. So at SCA, they taught me English-style, and I have been off and running ever since! It helps that the LYSO brings her kids to fencing practice, too.
2. How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!)
I have become good friends with the afore-mentioned LYSO, and we see each other outside of the store for various social functions. And I am a very high-strung person, easily prone to freak-outs. Knitting helps me get in a calmer place. But if I am someplace where I am told I cannot knit, the freak-out liability increases exponentially.
3. Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy.
If you mean bloggers, I haven't met any face-to-face. But I read lots of knitting blogs, and I tend to read all the blogs that THEY read too, at least once. I have commented on a few, and even gotten replies back. That always makes me feel special.
4. Comment and let me know when you post this in your blog so I can read them all.
You will be duly notified!
Knitting content:
I finished my second Mega-Boots snock. I only had to do the toe decreases and graft it closed and now I have a lovely pair of squishy snocks! I made the leg part 70 rows and I have gobs of yarn left over. This leads me to believe that with the leftovers of this, and the other whole ball, I could do knee snocks a la JanuaryOne. She emailed me to tell me that she would help me figure out the formula, because I have tried it several times and just got ten kinds of frustrated. But these look so nice, they have a subtle stripe effect like Trekking does, and it's lovely.
Scout’s Meme:
1. How and when did you learn how to knit/crochet? Who taught you?
I learned in February of this year (2006). I began taking my daughter to SCA meetings (Society for Creative Anachronism) in January, for fencing lessons as a Christmas gift. I sat around and got to know the other ladies there, and a couple of them were knitting. I had an unfinished cotton dishcloth stuffed into a drawer at home, and they inspired me to get it out and at least finish it. I had been shown how to knit garter stitch and YO increase Continental style, but I found that it hurt my hands and I couldn't knit for more than a couple of dishcloth rows. So at SCA, they taught me English-style, and I have been off and running ever since! It helps that the LYSO brings her kids to fencing practice, too.
2. How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!)
I have become good friends with the afore-mentioned LYSO, and we see each other outside of the store for various social functions. And I am a very high-strung person, easily prone to freak-outs. Knitting helps me get in a calmer place. But if I am someplace where I am told I cannot knit, the freak-out liability increases exponentially.
3. Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy.
If you mean bloggers, I haven't met any face-to-face. But I read lots of knitting blogs, and I tend to read all the blogs that THEY read too, at least once. I have commented on a few, and even gotten replies back. That always makes me feel special.
4. Comment and let me know when you post this in your blog so I can read them all.
You will be duly notified!
Knitting content:
I finished my second Mega-Boots snock. I only had to do the toe decreases and graft it closed and now I have a lovely pair of squishy snocks! I made the leg part 70 rows and I have gobs of yarn left over. This leads me to believe that with the leftovers of this, and the other whole ball, I could do knee snocks a la JanuaryOne. She emailed me to tell me that she would help me figure out the formula, because I have tried it several times and just got ten kinds of frustrated. But these look so nice, they have a subtle stripe effect like Trekking does, and it's lovely.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Snow!
WTH????? Yesterday it was hovering near 60* all dang day. Today all it did was be ugly and snowy. "If you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes." *sigh*
So I am definitely not in love with this colourway of Boku I got. I am 40 rows into the body of the bag (64 rows is what the pattern dictates) and I stopped at the NSLYS to show them how it's working up. They ooh-ed and ahh-ed over it, and I agree that it looks nice, with even tension, and correct gauge, etc. But this amalgamation of colours just isn't for me. I hope it felts down into something I can handle, but if not then it will be a gift for someone who I know won't be as critical of it as I am.
I finished my nephew's SpongeBob blanket. It's not too bad, considering I stash-busted every bit of it. Apparently I have Too Much Fleece if I can do that!
The squares are 12", which makes the blanket 48x60. That's a nice size for a 4-year-old boy who has extremely tall parents.
And I have declared this FaeryKnits' De-Lurking Day! If you happen to read this post, PLEASE leave me a message, or send me an email at tola dot faery at gmail dot com. Here I am, thinking only Gina reads this because she's almost always the only commenter! I am greedy, I want to know how many friends I have. Terrible personality trait, but at least I admit it!
So I am definitely not in love with this colourway of Boku I got. I am 40 rows into the body of the bag (64 rows is what the pattern dictates) and I stopped at the NSLYS to show them how it's working up. They ooh-ed and ahh-ed over it, and I agree that it looks nice, with even tension, and correct gauge, etc. But this amalgamation of colours just isn't for me. I hope it felts down into something I can handle, but if not then it will be a gift for someone who I know won't be as critical of it as I am.
I finished my nephew's SpongeBob blanket. It's not too bad, considering I stash-busted every bit of it. Apparently I have Too Much Fleece if I can do that!The squares are 12", which makes the blanket 48x60. That's a nice size for a 4-year-old boy who has extremely tall parents.
And I have declared this FaeryKnits' De-Lurking Day! If you happen to read this post, PLEASE leave me a message, or send me an email at tola dot faery at gmail dot com. Here I am, thinking only Gina reads this because she's almost always the only commenter! I am greedy, I want to know how many friends I have. Terrible personality trait, but at least I admit it!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tech Training Part Deux
It's bad enough that our interim team lead is a Soup Nazi, but my 20-something tech trainer (I am old enough to be her mother) is offended that I would like to knit while listening to her go On and On about nothing which interests me in the least. Consequently, only 10 rows have been accomplished on my second MegaBoots snock. Although I must confess to unfaithfulness because I have casted on for another felted Booga bag. My LYS doesn't carry Noro Kureyon, which is the brand specified in the pattern (click on Scout's blog and then go to BoogaJ) so yesterday after work I wandered up to the not-so-LYS in Smithfield to see what they had. They do carry Noro Kureyon, but only 6 colourways and none were particularly inspiring. So I chose some Plymouth Boku which is very similar and $2.50 cheaper. I am still in the experimenting stage, you see. Not so in-love with the colourway I chose, so this will probably become yet another gift. Odd that the first bag I made seems to be the one I enjoy the most.
I hate this tech training thing. But if I say too loudly that I dislike my job, the universe will see to it that I have no job at all to complain about. I don't like scary, uncertain things in my life. I like exciting, good things . . . . . but not the other. I hate being at a crossroads.
I hate this tech training thing. But if I say too loudly that I dislike my job, the universe will see to it that I have no job at all to complain about. I don't like scary, uncertain things in my life. I like exciting, good things . . . . . but not the other. I hate being at a crossroads.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
11 1/2 Weeks
No, that's not the name of the sequel to a perfectly awful movie. It's the length of time that's passed since MCM left. Coincidentally, it's also the same amount of time that he quit smoking the first time. If he had stayed quit, he would most likely still be here. If you use tobacco, please please stop. That is all . . . . . . . .
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Back From the Abyss
Okay, it wasn't the biggest abyss I've ever been in, but the past few days have been "challenging". And I am having a hard time describing exactly why, which is frustrating as well. And I'm not about to say that I won't feel that way again tomorrow, but for today, I feel great!
I decided to work a couple of extra hours this morning, so I went and did that. Only two hours talking to the Stupid People wasn't so bad, in fact the time just kinda flew by. I finished the cuff of my second Lana Grosse MegaBoots snock and then it was time to go home! I went to church and knitted another 30 rounds on the snock, which always makes me feel productive. And then we came home to the yummy smell (and taste) of dinner from the crock-pot. My friend told me about a new recipe last night and I decided to try it. It was very yummy, although there are a couple of tweaks I would make to it. I can barely boil water, so for me to actually cook something edible is quite the accomplishment.
After lunch, I decided to tackle a sewing project. I make felted handbags out of recycled wool sweaters, and I had a huge box full of unused sweater parts that were starting to get on my nerves. So last night I ran them through a wash cycle and this morning I laid them all out to dry and block. When we came home from church, some were still a bit damp, so I threw them all in the dryer to finish. And then I sat on the living room floor and cut out blanket squares. I have made many many polar fleece scrap blankets, and I used the same blanket square pattern as I use for those. I wound up with 30 squares, and some bits left over for the next go-round. Every 12" square is pieced in either two, three, or four pieces. My next step is to lay them out on the floor and decide how I want them to go together. The stitching-up part is always the part I hate the most though, because wrangling a growing pile of squares is a bit tricky. And as I've never done a wool one before, I reckon this one will be even more so.
I also dived into the fabric stash (yay stash-busting!) to get polar fleece blanket squares for my nephew. My mom mentioned that he likes SpongeBob, and I actually found a 3/4 yd piece of SpongeBob fleece. Well, that's not big enough, so I went looking some more and came up with three matching solids to put with it. I've cut out as many squares as each piece of fabric would yield, and now comes the fun part of piecing it all together. I do both 12" and 6 1/4" squares. Obviously the smaller ones make a 12" square when 4 of them are pieced together. I've never photographed any of my fleece patchwork blankets although I've made over a dozen of them. I gave one to MCM two years ago for Christmas, and that's the only one I'd really like a photo of. I'd like to have it back, but I have the feeling it's already been thrown away, along with the wool snocks I made him earlier this year. *sigh*
My house is still a mess. My kitchen needs serious cleaning, and all my piles of projects have taken over the living room. I haven't folded this week's laundry yet, and the only reason the trash got taken out is because I asked the DD to do it. But I am still happy. I've gotten things done, I've gotten things started, I actually cooked food that was edible and hasn't made anyone sick yet. I worked two hours today so that I can leave early another day this week, and it feels so good! I never know how long these good feelings are going to last, so I have to really enjoy them, and try to analyze how they come about. Life isn't always crappy. I wish I could remember that . . . . . .
I decided to work a couple of extra hours this morning, so I went and did that. Only two hours talking to the Stupid People wasn't so bad, in fact the time just kinda flew by. I finished the cuff of my second Lana Grosse MegaBoots snock and then it was time to go home! I went to church and knitted another 30 rounds on the snock, which always makes me feel productive. And then we came home to the yummy smell (and taste) of dinner from the crock-pot. My friend told me about a new recipe last night and I decided to try it. It was very yummy, although there are a couple of tweaks I would make to it. I can barely boil water, so for me to actually cook something edible is quite the accomplishment.
After lunch, I decided to tackle a sewing project. I make felted handbags out of recycled wool sweaters, and I had a huge box full of unused sweater parts that were starting to get on my nerves. So last night I ran them through a wash cycle and this morning I laid them all out to dry and block. When we came home from church, some were still a bit damp, so I threw them all in the dryer to finish. And then I sat on the living room floor and cut out blanket squares. I have made many many polar fleece scrap blankets, and I used the same blanket square pattern as I use for those. I wound up with 30 squares, and some bits left over for the next go-round. Every 12" square is pieced in either two, three, or four pieces. My next step is to lay them out on the floor and decide how I want them to go together. The stitching-up part is always the part I hate the most though, because wrangling a growing pile of squares is a bit tricky. And as I've never done a wool one before, I reckon this one will be even more so.
I also dived into the fabric stash (yay stash-busting!) to get polar fleece blanket squares for my nephew. My mom mentioned that he likes SpongeBob, and I actually found a 3/4 yd piece of SpongeBob fleece. Well, that's not big enough, so I went looking some more and came up with three matching solids to put with it. I've cut out as many squares as each piece of fabric would yield, and now comes the fun part of piecing it all together. I do both 12" and 6 1/4" squares. Obviously the smaller ones make a 12" square when 4 of them are pieced together. I've never photographed any of my fleece patchwork blankets although I've made over a dozen of them. I gave one to MCM two years ago for Christmas, and that's the only one I'd really like a photo of. I'd like to have it back, but I have the feeling it's already been thrown away, along with the wool snocks I made him earlier this year. *sigh*
My house is still a mess. My kitchen needs serious cleaning, and all my piles of projects have taken over the living room. I haven't folded this week's laundry yet, and the only reason the trash got taken out is because I asked the DD to do it. But I am still happy. I've gotten things done, I've gotten things started, I actually cooked food that was edible and hasn't made anyone sick yet. I worked two hours today so that I can leave early another day this week, and it feels so good! I never know how long these good feelings are going to last, so I have to really enjoy them, and try to analyze how they come about. Life isn't always crappy. I wish I could remember that . . . . . .
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