It's The Weekend Again!

Rather difficult to believe that in a couple of days, it will be the new year...you know, the year the Mayan's said we would self destruct on December 21, 2012. Yep, it's that year.

And while there might be some great big disaster coming in the middle of the winter on the solstice, you know? Who knows what might be around the corner? It's better not to think about it too hard, and remember the happy times.

The weirdness visited upon me by my hubby has apparently resolved. I reminded him that he had told me that Wednesday was the day for me to do all the running around because he was going with his buddy for most of the day. After that, he started talking to me again. Then today, we worked on the chair covers and the fireplace mantel--that puppy is cleaner than clean now. Except of course, I have lots of knick-knacks that I have to figure out a place to go, because he doesn't want them on the mantel where they are supposed to go...my little memories. He keeps trying to make deals:

"If you don't put all that 'STUFF' up there, I might keep the mantel dusted once in a while, but if you put anything other than those candles and those hurricane lamps up there, deal's off."

Yeah, that kind of stuff.

Then he wants to put a great big mirror on the same wall as our television--which will look pretty stupid--because the mirror is nearly as big, but in the opposite orientation--aka, portrait, instead of landscape...if you get my meaning. The result would be an off balance wall, that would totally destroy the room's chi. Or something like that. The mirror is too much of a focal point, to put next to the television. Ideally, it should go on the wall next to him. Perfect place for it. Then there's the matter of the clock he got when he retired...there's no real good place for that either. I'd like to put the clock above him, and the mirror above our bed, but he wants it in the room where everyone can see it. I get that part. Then he's telling me "it's too bad that we can't get another one just like it to put on the other side of the television." To which I reply "Okay Mr. Monk!".

Long story.

So we're still trying to work through all the issues with the living room, and at some point (probably in the spring), I'll have to take a lot of my yarn and toys back downstairs, to go with my other yarn and toys and patterns and--and--and...I don't even want to think about it. The shelving that I put up on milk crates has fallen over, and there is glass broken all over the floor. I have to carefully go in and clean before I can get in to organize and let me tell you, organizing is not going to be easy...mainly because he THINKS that I'll be getting rid of some things.

HA!

Well, what he doesn't know now won't hurt him, right?

But there will be some dealing with his attitude in the spring. We'll see how it goes.

In the meanwhile, I'm knitting another shrug, this time in a bright jewel-tone blue and green, with a little rust tossed in there occasionally, and it really is quite beautiful. I'll likely have it done in a couple of days, and there will be pics when I'm done. In the meanwhile, the pattern for it is HERE, and it's REALLY easy. If you stay with it, you can have it done in 5 or 6 days. I substituted Lion Brand Homespun, which seems to work quite well, and the end result is a really warm, slip on your shoulders and go type sweater with no buttons, one size fits most, and if you LIKE buttons, you can add one, without too much trouble, because the stitches are not so fine that you can't make a buttonhole of one of them.

That said, I'm going to head over to Ravelry and see if anyone has responded to my postings on the forums. I'll let you know when I'm done with the shrug!

The Week is Passing

It's snowing outdoors. It's cold. I've got my jammies on with my woolen slippers. I'm not cold in the house, but outside it's just too cold. I don't want to go anyplace today, even though I really need to get out and return hubby's Christmas sweater (slightly too small) and my robe (extremely too small) for exchanges for a larger size. I had no idea that my upper arms were that big, but guess I'm a big girl now.

I swept the stairs that lead to the basement and once at the bottom of the stairs, found a hairball the size of Rhode Island. I graded all the cat upchuck from the floor that had turned into cement, and dumped it all in an empty bag of cat food, spiders and all. Then I took my new handheld Shark vacuum and vacuumed all the little nooks and crannies (what's a crannie?) and sat down to type it all down.

Interesting blog fodder, eh?

I ran out of Christmas gifts at the end of the giving part, and parted with the crochet shrug I'd made when hubby's sister turned up and I had no gift for her. I didn't really get much for the guys, because most of the guys don't appreciate that sort of thing anyhow, but everyone of the women and girls got SOMETHING. I think. I hope I didn't miss anybody.

So, I'm in the process of making another shrug, this time in blue/green, and after one skein, I can see it's going to be very jewel-toned, and probably too pretty to wear about the house....however, it doesn't wear well under a coat--as the sleeves come to about the elbow.

The urge to go shopping is really strong, but the snow is discouraging me. I expect that from here on out we won't see much of the ground anymore. Sigh. I'm starting to miss the color green again.

It's Finally Here!

Christmas Morning and none too soon!

Santa brought all sorts of things, including some that we have to deliver....(we're a hub, you see?). Santa got my hubby some new underthings, a new wallet, a cardigan (courtesy of Younkers Meridian Mall) and hand-made gloves. He's pretty happy.

Tenna got a fuzzy robe and jammies, a Shark Vacuum Cleaner, cordless and handheld, and still hoping for the Addi Lace Interchangeables, but they aren't here yet. Santa had to go all the way to Germany to get them, I suppose, so they are taking longer.

Gifts for delivery are a couple of hats and scarves, a cowl, a Hello Kitty and one of those new sew fleece blankets. Which had technically been intended for one person, but it's going to have to go to a different one. Not that Santa forgot about that someone, but because hubby is sending the family to a fun-park, and well, that's just going to completely change things entirely.

But the food is on, cooking. Hubby's made his signature baked beans, and I've made my signature meatballs, and we're going to be leaving pretty soon, I hope.

I finished my shrug. I've gained a bit in "girth" apparently, especially around my upper arms--and the robe didn't fit, but the shrug wasn't quite big enough around my belly. So I added a ruffle. And if you can overlook the sleepy-eyed woman in the picture, and just look at the shrug, you'll see what I mean!

I know, I know. Pretty frumpy in my new jammies. The shrug is perfect, though. Now I have to buy the perfect button--I was thinking a toggle would work best.

Now, on to the next project!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot

Like Christmas...Reindeer hat in tow...
Everyone loves it, but nobody will pay $30 for it, and that's all SUPPLIES, believe it or not.

But the crowning glory is my latest hat, also pattern by the same person who patterned the reindeer hat....
Check this out...

Now, if you don't like this, you really are a Scrooge.

This one is for my brother's step daughter--who wanted a panda instead of a reindeer, which I suppose is more "wearable" throughout the year, but it's still pretty cute.

Ya'll have a Merry One, hear?

I Should Have Stayed Home

I arrived at the office and logged in this morning, before the normal "wake up" time for all the IT people, who reset things...

So when I logged into one program, I was fine, but when I logged onto a different program (associated with the first program), it told me that my password expired and to enter a new one.

Well, idiot moi. I didn't realize that when I changed the password in the second program, it would blow up the first program, so when I changed back to the first program, things didn't quite work the way they were supposed to.

End result, I locked myself out of both programs.

And I can't do anything until I get a password reset. Yukko!

So I'm pretty bored.

But it's lunchtime now, and I think I'll head over to JoAnn's and get some googly eyes for my new creation. Pictures later.

Excitement Aplenty--Too Much!

Such an exciting day at the office today.

First, there was a fire drill that wasn't a fire drill, but just a hot transformer of some sort in the conference room.

Then there was another fire drill that wasn't--it was just the test of the same transformer, and it didn't go well, I guess.

Then, they locked down the building. And they locked down the Police Department next door, and there was rumor of a shooter in the area, and everyone is flocking to the windows (they have a name--they are called TARGETS), to watch the State Troopers with rifles all around our building and theirs. They nabbed a couple of people and took them to the State Police building for questioning, but not before they stuck rifles in their faces and scared the bejesus out of them!

Then, the police called an all clear, while they were still searching the building. I left before they got to my floor, and stood outside with some of my office pals, who said that NO, the guy with a gun was INSIDE the building, and they were looking for him...so it was good that I got out when I did, I suppose.

I took a little walk to the pizza joint, sat down, shaking like a leaf, told everyone on Facebook, and then someone comes and says "No, it was a hoax."

Really? A hoax? They take my office buddy to the State Police building at gunpoint, and question her? On a hoax? I still don't believe it. As I've always said, the stuff you hear before the authorities get hold of it, is probably more true than what you read in the paper a few hours later.

And sure enough, Communications wrote us all an email that it was all contrived, and here's how it went down, and all this, but police don't stand outside their building with guns ready to shoot somebody if there's trouble for a 'maybe' thing.

When I got back to work, the troopers had gone inside, our doors were open, and I simply said "I don't feel safe here, anymore." There are lots of ways that a shooter could get into our building if he wanted to--not all doors are carded, and all they have to do is wait for someone to walk out, while they slip in. They have a guard only at the front of the building--the back and sides are, while not "completely" unprotected, it's enough that a bad guy could get in unperceived and take the elevator, and no one would ever know. None of us knows everyone, and with all the new positions in Information Technology--it's just not safe. Knowing this causes me to have concern about us all for tomorrow, when the State closes down for the holiday.

But if I happen to make it through tomorrow without incident, I'll be sure and blog so you all know that I lived through it.

Reindeer Hat

Here it is. I thought I had submitted it via my Android phone, but apparently, it didn't post.

I have to make another....
And another for next year....

It's going to be a long week before Friday finally comes.

They have added to my responsibilities at the office and I'm doing mostly what I was doing before the new boss came on the scene. I'm not sure what that means, other than more work, but it's keeping me busy, and making the days go by quickly. It's a short week this week, too, and after Thursday is over, I'm off on vacation until next year.

That makes it sound like a long time, but really, it's only 10 days.

Ten solid days of nothing but kicking back and relaxing.

Ten solid days to count on my fingers and toes.

And this hat to keep my brains between my ears. Merry Christmas, one and all!

Coming Apart at the Seams

Well, that's how it feels anyway. I'm on my lunch break, and the boss happens by. He's going to give me extra work to do, and I'm caught up with my regular stuff, which is just fine, but I figure he's going to give me a big job to do, and it's going to throw off my "plan".

I'm working on the reindeer hat. I got the ball for the hat done, and then realized I'd need some fiberfill before I can go any further.

Funny how that sort of thing happens. Just when you think you've got everything together for taking to the office, you forget the ONE thing that you REALLY NEED. Like the fiberfill. Or your cell phone, where all your phone numbers are stored, and then you can't call your dentist because your cellie is at home.

It's a real bummer when this sort of thing happens to me.

Now, yes, I can wait and buy more fiberfill at JoAnn's when I get there for my class tonight, but I HAVE fiberfill (a whole bag of it) at home, and really don't want to spend the extra for something that's just going to sit and collect dust in my room. All of this means NOT MUCH PROGRESS at all on the hat, and I was really hoping to have it done tonight so I could wear it to my knitting circle on Tuesday.

But now, that's just not going to happen.

And my brother, who is currently on Facebook, won't respond to me with his address so that I can send him and his wife their Christmas pressies. That irritates me, too. In fact, there are lots of things that irritate me these days. I suppose it could be hormonal.

Maybe I can find some stray fiberfill at JoAnn's tonight. I'll look around. In the meanwhile...

Hubby's Gloves and...

Another hat. Made half at JoAnn's in class, and the rest at home. I think it took a total of 5 hours.

The recipient of the hat...remains a secret...a Christmas present to someone far away.

My son's Christmas Present is safely in the car, boxed and ready for Tuesday. I'll take a pic of him. He is going to be SO surprised.

And then I will post it here...so stay tuned!

In the meanwhile, I leave you with a pic of the gloves and hat...

A Cardigan for Christmas

He wants himself a cardigan for Christmas...
Only proper cardigans will do.
He wants it knit by me
And plainly I can see
There's only twenty days to knit, impossible decree!

But he wants a simple cardigan for Christmas
One that doesn't sag or bag or zip.
With buttons on the band
And sleeves that reach his hand
And covers up his belly, keeps him warm and right to plan.

So I started shopping stores, and more and more and mores
And not one simple cardigan to find.
I looked into goodwill, and got my searching fill
And 'tis quite plain, I'm right as rain, and flipped out of my mind.

Cus he wants a simple Cardigan for Christmas
And a Cardigan is just all that will do!

The Elegant Universe

I'm going to try to read a book, but not just any book. Being a total nimrod about physics in general and astro-physics in particular, I thought it might be a fun time to read a book by Brian Greene called "The Elegant Universe", which is about a number of theories, starting with some of Einstein's stuff, of which I only know E=Mc2, which I couldn't begin to elaborate on--other than E=Energy, M=Mass, c=hmmm....foggy foggy dew? and the 2 is supposed to be squared, but I couldn't figure out how to make it move up a notch on blogger using html code....that's how stupid I am.

Well, really, I'm not stupid about everything, just about SOME things. I'm pretty smart about lots of stuff--just ask my boss. Or my therapist. Or my MOM.

Okay, hush.

Anyway, I was so impressed by the series on PBS that I decided to get the man's book and try to read it, if not understand it, and see if it takes me into realms of my imagination (as things scientific always do). I thought, if I can just get past the first page, maybe I could get past the second.

So far, I've read 2 credits. I don't remember what they said, but they sounded positive, smart and enlightening. I thought perhaps this book might cater to the ignoramusses of our day (that's usually me, but you may join me if you like--you'll be in good company, trust me), and therefore be a nice readable book that I might put down after 24 pages and say "Whew! That was a BITE!" as if my mouth wasn't full enough already.

And then..

"What does it MEAN?"

But I'm willing to give it a go, and let you know if I make it past the first 24 pages. If I do, it means I wasn't as stupid as I thought. Maybe simplistic is a better word.

So I'm home from my first day at work this week, and holy cow, am I beat. I'm only 3 days behind in my work, and I've got 3 special projects going at the office. It was pretty good getting away at lunch time, and even though I got a lot accomplished (including 34 voicemails), I don't feel like I was quite up to par on getting things done. Since it's going to be at least 20 minutes or more before supper, I have a little bit of time, either to read, knit, blog, catch up on Ravelry...whatever. I decided to blog.

You lucky devil, you!

I received my first Christmas card today, from my friend Ray. That man is such a character. I get cards practically year around from him, some just because he wants to keep in touch. It was a nice card, and I'll have to return the gesture. I don't usually do Christmas cards, but he makes such a concerted effort, that I feel it wouldn't be right if I didn't respond. He can get really blue when snow flies.

I suppose now, I'll go check Ravelry. It's been a nice update.

Sick Days Off

Well, I decided to take another sick day. Still not quite on top of things with this sinus infection, but getting better. Taking 2 pills out of that Z-pack really knocked the legs right out from under it. But I coughed, wheezed, sneezed, dripped and snuffled my way all through yesterday. Today, things seem much improved, thanks to the addition of chicken noodle soup and mandarin oranges from a can.

However, outdoors, it is cold and wet, and by the end of the day they are saying that nasty four-letter word again. I am eating my oatmeal, thinking about taking my next doses of morning medication, so that I can get myself on the mend faster.

I need to go to the increase evenly site to figure out how to do some increases for the stealth project which is darn near done, and I might actually finish it today. That means I would be able to start on a couple of other things, and well, that just gets me all excited. I'm not sure what's coming next, but you can be sure it will be exciting.

So off to that website.

Sunday/Monday

Sunday was a bad day. I had a sore throat. It simply destroyed my whole weekend. Today (Monday) I'm headed for the doctor. I have been in bed for the last 12 hours sleeping off and on, sometimes with a cough drop in my mouth.

I don't sleep well with a cough drop in my mouth. I used to try that when I was a kid, and somehow it would end up stuck in my hair. My mom used to comb my hair when I was little, and I had long hair. She got tired of combing cough drops out of my hair. I can't say I blame her. I seemed to be sick a lot as a kid, and I get sick when the season's change from fall to winter and winter to spring. Some say it's allergies. I just think it's the most horrible thing. I truly hate being sick. I'm such a whiner.

I'm about 3/4 done with my stealth project. That's a blessing. I haven't worked on it at all today. It's weird, because I am always knitting. Today, I'm not sure I'm going to attempt it. It's not like I'm feverish or anything--just a sore throat and stuffy nose, but I know if I don't kick it in the butt right away, I will be sick for months. First, it develops into bronchitis, and then pneumonia. I can't get that sick.

And my friend at work emailed me wanting to do lunch, but I couldn't seem to get myself around until an hour later to let him know that I can't.

Being sick is a sad state of mind.

See? I told you. Whiner.

I'll miss my class tomorrow night, too. That's not nice. It's okay. Boss wants me to get better and not pass this bug around to others. I understand that. If I feel better, though, I might just head over to Lake O to knit night--because they will get the other gal to take my place or reschedule.

All because I'm sick. Boo Hoo.

I feel like I'm not going to live, even though my husband said that I would. Of course, he's not SICK. Even so, he's asking me to tell the doctor go give me extra antibiotics FOR HIM. Um, yeah, right. The doctor will be all for that, I'm really sure of it. I ought to just go into the living room and spread my germs all over him, just for the heck of it. Just touch my itchy eye and put my finger in his mouth. Nothing like spreading germs the sneaky way. But I won't. I have a conscience. Then, he takes my WI-FI hub out of our room and puts it elsewhere so that he can get 100% connection speed, while I only have 78%. Now, this is not good, because frankly, I pay for the darn thing, it should be ME at 100%. So I'm irritated, on top of being sick.

Just a bad day all around.

Well, it's getting close to time to go, and I want to check out the new patterns on Ravelry, so *cough*. Bye.

Turkey Weekend

Amidst guns and firecrackers, my dog, Mandy, did not enjoy the holiday in the slightest. She is still hiding out behind the throne, which seems to be the only safe place she can find.

Hubby is fast asleep and snoring, still at 10:30am. I don't know how he does it.

Our Thanksgiving holiday was happy and at the end of the meal, everyone was stuffed, except the turkey. Mom bought a 22 pound turkey, and the bones were basically picked clean. There were some new dishes, which will likely be on the table next year--a corn dish made with corn, jalapenos and cream cheese and a little something else, but I can't remember what it was. It was spicy, but it was SO tasty. We also had some Greek food to eat/sample. Grape leaves and another dish that looked a little like pumpkin seeds, but was some sort of pasta in a light marinara--it was spicy, but not hot, and I think I would have liked it much better if there had been a little more sauce--then of course, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans (not the traditional green been casserole, but beans with craisins and almonds), gravy and biscuits (Grands). After supper there was 2 cakes and 3 pies, and there was a lot of dessert left over.

I think that was the hardest part to believe.

There were about 20 people to eat the bare-nekkid bird, and everyone was in or out of the kitchen back and forth for this or that tasty treat. Black and green olives, pickled green beans and cheeses of nearly every flavor. It was pretty amazing how much food 20 people can put together! I gave my mother-in-law two hot pads that I've recently made, then sat down in a chair and prepared to continue to knit on my son's Christmas present. It's coming along nicely. I expect that I have another 2 or 3 full days of knitting before it will be done, and next week is going to be quite busy. I'm not worried any longer about getting it done before Christmas, but I am concerned about other things with respect to the project, and I may have to do some major grafting, but we'll see how things go.

Friday, I got the shock of my life. I had been out Christmas shopping most of the morning and was on my way home when my cellie rang. I almost dropped the phone when I saw who was calling! My SISTER called me! She wanted to know what I was doing and would I like to go to lunch? After I picked up my chin off the floor, I said yes, and then called my hubby to ask if he'd like to join us at a Chinese place. He declined, so I picked him up a sub sandwich and went home, dropped it off, then headed to meet my sister.

We had a great time at lunch, and I asked if she'd like to join me for some Christmas shopping, to which she answered in the affirmative. So we pulled out of the restaurant and headed to Walmart.

Now on Black Friday, I expected Walmart to be swamped, but there was hardly anyone there! Surprise for me. I think we spent about 3 hours just roaming the aisles, and then the shopping began. I bought two more gifts for my husband, she bought four or five. I bought a candle warmer and a couple of magazines for myself, and she bought some items for her house, too. I lost track of her two or three times. She found a gift for her husband that I thought would make a perfect gift for my son-in-law. My total haul-$50. Her total haul-$70. Time spent together doing stuff we love-priceless.

So I'm getting cold, and thought I would put away the knitting for a little while land warm up in bed with my snoring husband, but saw that the computer was trained on my blog, so figured I would stamp out a couple of words.

There are just times when I can't believe how blessed I am.

Monday's Almost Over

It was a real Monday today. Too much work, and not enough time to do it in...that's because I didn't get to work until 9:41, because someone I sleep with, (who shall remain nameless) woke me up by taking all the covers off of me at 2am, and then proceeded to snuggle and snore in my ear.

The result?

No sleep from 2am to 5:30am, which is when I normally wake up. And so, instead of rising at 5:30am, I simply turned off the alarm.

Hubby continued to snore, while I called in to the office to let them know I was going to be late, because of my husband.

At that point, I promptly fell into deep sleep, and didn't waken until he turned over, all excited, saying

"Hey! Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

This at 8:30am.

And when I told him why I didn't go in, he looked at me as if I had spoogers all over my face and denied every word. But it was true. I'm considering separate beds.

But the 2 1/2 hours that I lost, I'd sure like to have had back. There was too much work to do for 5.3 hours. I really only needed another hour, but I simply wanted to go home and work on this scarf--

The Popcorn Scarf.

Which has sort of up-ended the stealth project for Christmas present that I've been working on--feverishly. I've got this scarf going, and I really like it.

 The fact that it really looks like popcorns is what makes the whole scarf...even if it is a little too wide. But what really upsets me is that the whole thing biases to the left. This is because the popcorns sort of lean leftwise.

It's a simple pattern, made simpler by taking away two strands of yarn and the huge-mongus crochet hook to use one strand at a time, carring the unused inside the stitches and a size H hook. I end up with a green background and white popcorns--the perfect scarf for a Spartan fan! Of course, it's not to plan, but an alternative, and when people see this, they are going to want to make it. That's how cool it is.

In fact, it's so cool that I told the manager about it, and she seems really thrilled about the prospect of showing something similar, but different to show what you can do just by altering the pattern a little.

And here I was thinking I was being clever! Durn!

So for now, I need to run into the living room and get started on the stealth project. I'm just not certain how I'm going to proceed. I'd like to work it a la magic loop, but I have a thought that it will get too be too much for that, so perhaps I'll just do one at a time and let it be like that. In the meanwhile, Knit or Die!

I Want to Make the Very First Sweater...

On this video:

Still Working on the Stealth Project

But getting closer to being done. It seems to take forever. Of course, tonight is the night that hubby and I watch the bulk of our television viewing, so there'll be no knitting this evening. In fact, I have but an hour before the next show pops up. I have to measure, and of course, I have no measurement to compare to--so it's a guess by gosh project, and I really hate those.

But on to describing the next project. JoAnn's wants me to make a popcorn scarf.

I think I want to make a popcorn scarf--just not the way THEY make a popcorn. I want to make one that I can sell to a Spartan fan to wear to a game. I thought "green and white", and things started snowballing from there. So I'm going to try my hand at it this evening while watching "A Gifted Man", to see how it works out. Think white scarf with green popcorns? Green scarf with white popcorns? I'm thinking the latter. It might turn out more interesting than I think. We shall see.

In the meanwhile, I'm struggling for stuff to chatter about in my blog. I did inter-library loan the book by Brian Greene. I thought it might be fun to see if the book is so far over my head that I find myself equal to a zero on the simian intelligence scale...if there is one.

Usually, I don't bother myself with things that are so far out there, but imagine being able to sit down for a moment or so with Albert Einstein or any of the other great thinkers of our day? Tossing out ideas, trying them on for size, coming to conclusions that change the world. There was a line in "Close Encounters", where the government men were talking, and one said "Wouldn't it be great if Einstein was here?" and the other government man said "Hell, he was probably one of them!"

Which just totally blows your mind to consider, and maybe pokes your brain onto imagination mode enough to say:

"hm."

And then decide that it's too far out there to consider, and it becomes just one of those things that you really can't spend a lot of time thinking about, because there is just too much going on in life to wonder about something that seemingly has so little significance on your own life. As the Bible says: Sufficient unto the day, is the grief thereof...meaning there's so much to worry about going on today, why worry about things that have little impact on your life? Like Tomorrow--or the future or what happened yesterday.

It's cold tonight, and the wind has picked up. I had hoped for the Silver Bells in the City to have moderate weather for the lighting of the tree. It is so cold, in fact, that even Mandy didn't want to go outside--preferring sleeping in front of the fireplace. She might be having trouble with her joints, perhaps her hips--as many line bred doggies do.

Well, it's time to get going, so I'll say goodbye for now. Find some knitting to keep you warm. It's going to get really chilly tonight.

The Meaning of the Universe

Hubby and I watched Nova on PBS last night. It was about the relationship between time and space, physics and string theories and TOTALLY over my head. The only string I worry about is my yarn in my hand. The show was interesting, and especially mind-boggling, but I noted right away, that there was a problem with the model that the narrator, Brian Greene, was using.

When a star explodes, as in a big bang, it doesn't just explode left or right, up or down--it explodes in an infinite different directions--all around the star. Spacially, and relationally, the star explodes toward me, but MOST of the star PASSES me and goes away from me--like a sphere around a rubber ball. In fact, half of the exploding star is between neither closer or farther from me or farther from me entirely. The rest comes close or not at all. UNLESS the star only explodes out from ONE POINT--like a tennis ball comes apart at the seam, more or less. Which might explain the emissions from our sun--mini explosions that happen all the time, that are more like a burp or a queef, rather than total annihilation. Whatever, it was intriguing, and caused me to think about Biblical things and the end of the world and such.

Then came Thursday, and it was all about Friday and the day off for a three day weekend. Wow.

I did some traveling on Friday. I was pretty much on the road most of the day--first because I wanted--no--sincerely desired this new yarn by Berroco--called Lacey. This stuff is like lace, but makes the most magnificent frou-frou scarf! You can go to Berroco's website and look up Lacey, and you'll find the yarn AND the pattern. It more for decoration than keeping warm, so not a lot of use for around here, but it might make a pretty spiffy Christmas present for someone who is feminine and doesn't necessarily live in a frozen tundra.

Then, later in the day, I found out that my Addi Turbo interchangeable set does not have a size 10.5 in it. Since it's from Germany (UK), I can see how they might use different sizes according to what's used in the UK most often, but over here in the hinterland, we don't use a 10.75--so whatever made them put that size in the box is a mystery to me. Maybe one of my readers will come up with the answer. Perhaps its a very popular size in the UK--unknown to me. Or perhaps it was just a manufacturing accident. Indeed, while the other needles pass through the needle sizer quite easily, the 10.75 is so tight as to be almost a 10.8--which would be really confusing to me. All of this resulted in another trip to town to find the 10.5 that I needed, so I stopped at Hobby Lobby, who didn't have ANY but the thinnest double pointed needles (DPN), but they did have the most delightful colors in Sugar and Cream--which I fondled for a while and then moved on. I decided that I didn't want a set of bamboo needles, even though they would have done the job, I would use them once and then be done, so I opted instead to go to Sticks and String, a delightful little store owned by a couple of the ladies that worked at Threadbear before the horrible accident. I stopped in and found a couple more frou-frou scarf yarns that just about knocked me over, the 10.5 interchangeable that I needed AND some hand balm in Lavender flavor.

Talk about heaven. And I knew the minute that I smelled it, that I would have to have it. So I searched down in the depths of my pockets and came up with $10 I didn't know I had, and bought some. Then, when I got home with my prizes, I rubbed the stuff all over my hands and under my nose and well, let's just say I smelled good all night, and it really helped me sleep. Lavender is known for it's relaxing qualities, and this was no exception. I'm not sure what balm is in the tin along with the scent, but it smooths your hands, but doesn't leave them greasy AT ALL, so you can keep knitting or sewing or whatever handwork you're doing!

Today, the plan is to work on my son's Christmas present. If I tire of that, I may switch over and do some crochet on the Reindeer hat, or work some on the Scrappy do. There's a lot going on in the house today. It's so cold in here, one must keep moving, and that is why things in here seem so rushed. I need a drink in my glass and some knitting on my lap to help keep me warm. So signing off for now. Pictures later of the scrappy do, because it's getting SO BIG--it covers my lap now quite well!

I'm Thinking a Couple Days...

Rest, and relaxation, tarnation!

It's the weekend. I didn't think it would ever get here, and do you realize that you have less than 2 months before Christmas?

It's just too much for my mind to fathom. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that we were shoveling snow out of the drive--and to think it was at least 6 months ago!

I haven't got ANY of my Christmas knitting done. It's boggled my mind. I can't think straight.

I did finish a pair of gloves for my winter wear. I have to make a pair for my hubbo--he lost the last pair. They only needed a little mending (big hole in the palm--easy to fix). And I started a pair of pink fingerless gloves--which I'm considering giving to my grand-daughter for Christmas, along with a puffy scarf I made last month. Otherwise, that's IT.

I have a special present in mind for my son, but can't talk about it here, because he reads my blog (nyah, nyah), and it's going to take me a while. So I suppose I should at least start it...and soon.

My hubby's side of the family isn't drawing names this year. I think it means that we're buying a little something for everyone. I assume that means some major bending of the credit card this Christmas, because I like giving nice gifts. Things that took some thought. Things that match the giftee--for instance, the fingerless gloves I made for my son two years ago, and the matching hat last year were both wonderful. The Nurse Kitty for my sister in law was a really cool gift. But this year, I'm at a loss. I suppose I could take a handful of dishcloths and pass those around, but that's more of a birthday gift than a Christmas gift. I've got an idea for my step daughter, but I'm pretty sure that she already has one. Her husband is as easy to buy for as I am. My mother in law likes clothing and jewelry. My other sister in law, her husband and their children are coming up from Florida--and they don't use knitted wear much down there--not that I would have time to do it anyway.

And so I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to start. I've had a bit of a sagging interest in knitting. Not that I'm losing interest, but because I'm always so tired when I get home from work. I simply don't feel like doing anything except sit down and watch television. It's very likely the chill in the air and the cloudy days and the lack of sunshine that's causing my intrigue to wan. Even though I'm still knitting, my productivity has gone WAY down.

It's cold in the house, and I'm a little uncomfortable, so I'm going to sign off and crawl under the covers to get warmed up. Hubbo says he can't mow lawn until the grass is dry which may be late in the afternoon considering the amount of frost we got this morning. That's another thing--having to scrape the windshield. Sigh. It's going to be a long winter.

Knit and Crochet in the Dark

I hear a huge snowstorm hit the east coast from Pennsylvania to Vermont, and that some areas got as much as a foot of snow. I also hear that over 300,000 people are without power.

I feel for these folks--especially women. There's just about nothing you can do without heat and lights in the cold weather--except go to bed, and some people are okay with that at two in the afternoon, but there's only so much time you can spend in bed before your back starts to scream "ENOUGH ALREADY!"

Of course, my thoughts turn to knitting and crochet--and I've tried knitting in the dark before. It doesn't work really well, even by candlelight--even by lamplight--even by FIRE light...which if you get too close to the candle or the lamp, things are prone to catch on fire...

I purchased four balls of kitchen cotton--one of them in the Christmas colorway, and made one of those diagonal potholders. It turned out really pretty. The other balls are slated for potholders, too, and the leftovers will go on the Log Cabin Scrappy Do, because I'm running out of colors in my scrap bag. I also got out my stash of Dazzleaire, and started a Mile a Minute crochet afghan. Sadly, I only have light colors at the moment. I need some dark stuff to set it off. I'm almost afraid it's been discontinued. I'll give the search a good college try, and then I'll just make it a scrappy afghan to use up what I have.

This morning it's cold--inside and out. We have electric--as we're not in the snow belt this morning, but there was a hard frost, and everything looks like it's covered in snow--the cars, the grass, the leaves. I allowed my dog outside this morning, and the frost chilled her sensitive little feets, and she asked to come back in within record time. She doesn't like cold feet. I have footies for her, but she tends to flip them off pretty quickly. She's comical to watch walking about with slippers on...something like a crab...one foot at a time. I'll have to find them and put them on her and take a movie to show you, because it's quite something.

I also purchased a crochet afghan book with 66 patterns in it, and they are all just scrumptious throws. As cold as I am today, I think it wise to get started right away. It's what prompted the mile a minute, and getting started back on the Scrappy Do, as I've been sort of resting from both knitting and crochet for a little while--trying to decide what to make and when to make it. The doctor put me on some new medication, and I don't think it's working for me, because instead of going gun-ho with everything, most everything is slowed WAY DOWN, and I've pretty much lost a lot of interest in life in general, which isn't what the medication is supposed to accomplish. In a word or so, I think I have SAD.

Not that I'm unhappy, but seasonal affective disorder is almost as bad. You get to a point where you think everything is dying and you just can't bear to watch it anymore. Sigh.

Okay, enough of that. Where's my sweater? Brrr.

Since I finished the potholder last night, I have a bit of scraps to put on the scrappy do, and I can be warm while I work on that. This guy is HEAVY, and he's not my brother. He'll make a wonderful addition to the bed this winter. He might even be too heavy. We'll see.

I had a flu shot on Thursday, and like clockwork, I paid homage to the porcelain god Friday night. I keep telling people that the flu shot makes me ill, and they keep telling me that it's a dead virus. Do you know how small a virus is? What if just one is playing possum?

Well, enough random thoughts. Hubby is awake and out of bed, and may want to go to breakfast. That's a resounding YES for me--even though my chest still hurts from the heaving on Friday night.

But you know, it could have been the pizza.

Burning Down the House

Okay, so we aren't quite ready to do that just yet, but my instincts are telling me that the flu has holes in it, and that we are going to come close--not my idea of fun.

We are, however, cleaning the stove and getting it ready for another burning season today. It's a lot of work, and takes a bit of tear down, vacuuming and cleaning to get things ready. I know that if hubby goes first (he seems to think so, I'm not so sure), I won't be able to deal with that stove by myself, and even though the house has boiler heat as well, I understand so little about it--and the cost is pretty prohibitive for me on my salary alone.

So you see, I have to "go" first. There's just no getting around it.

I've been working on Scrappy Do most of the weekend, and it's finally of sufficient size that I can use it for a lap cover to keep the tops of my legs warm. It hasn't been freezing in the house yet, but the chill from outdoors seems to seep right through the walls. I told hubby that this blanket would be heavy and warm, to which he said

"Good."

A man of few words, I suppose.

And so for the last two hours we've been working on the stove and the fittings. We need a new cap for the pipe on top of the roof. The old one has pretty well rusted right away. I suppose that corn creosote is more corrosive than wood creosote, though I have no idea what the difference might be. Hubby says according to his research on our stove, we not only heat more efficiently, we also are more environmentally friendly.

Well, right now, the stupid thing is growing meal-worms and sending little millers (small meal-worm moths) into the living room. The cleaning out business is mostly for dust and rust and creosote--oh my! But slowly, things are coming to. Hubby says we'll start her up November 1. I'm told we're to have snow before Halloween. Whichever actually is the case, I'm sure there will be heat in the house when he gets cold enough to turn it on...because that's how it works, and until then, I cower under my knitting.

Lazy Days...

It's been so balmy the last week. It's been great. Even thought I've had to spend most of the time indoors working, it's still better to see sunshine than grey days and rain.

Which is coming tomorrow, I understand. It sounds like a drizzle in the morning and rain in the afternoon. I might decide to park across the street, just to avoid the rain. But then what would I do on Friday.

I like to get home as early as I can on Fridays. It gives me more time to relax. Last weekend was just too short due to working on Saturday. I really need my weekends. Yes, I know it's almost an extra $200 on my paycheck, but...well, I guess when I put it that way, I can take a little inconvenience, but it does hurt me when I don't get enough rest.

Today, I ate far too many peanuts. I love dry roasted peanuts. I can eat them by the half pound. I haven't had any in a long, long while, and so I bought some today. A half pound isn't quite "on my diet list", and so I probably WAY overdid it. The fact that my tummy is still upset a little tells me "Yes, oh yes, you did overdo."

So I'm not making dinner right away, because I don't feel well. I need to eat something, but I don't know what I want, because nothing sounds good. It's too bad that you can't eat yarn. I have a lot of it, and I could probably feed a small country for a couple of years if yarn was edible. However, I am more apt to take a nap than eat--I feel tired and sleepy. It's Wednesday, and there's nothing on television to watch tonight. Knitting in front of the tube might not happen. Calling it quits and turning in early sounds like a real plan to me, but then hubby would come home and wonder why I hadn't made supper for him. On the other hand, he has been helping his friend all day again today while I slaved at the office, so he might well stop off on the way home and eat something, since he knows I'll be home, he might not do so.

I hate the not knowing for sure. It's very confusing, and I never seem to make the right choice. And no matter which I do, I end up called on the rug for it:

"What did you make dinner for? We could have gone out!"

or

"You knew I'd be home tonight! Why didn't you make supper?"

It really doesn't matter either way. Whatever I do, it's wrong somehow.

So last night I drove to Lake O and sat and knit with the gals in the knitting club. We had a pretty good time. Nancy has redone the store. It's quite a bit smaller than it was, because they are planning on renting to a tattoo place--and we all decided that we should get knitting needles tattooed on our wrists. Someone mentioned the name for the tattoo that goes on your back, just above the top of the hip-hugger jeans, and the conversation devolved into laughter from there. I did another section on the scrappy do (everyone thought it was a pretty cool idea and very pretty), and I finished another potholder, and gave it to my mom after knit night. She spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out how I made it . Then my son came in, and he looked at it for 10 minutes trying to figure out how I made it . It's so cool to be able to make something that just mystifies people.

So, I think that now I'm going to go to my chair and do some knitting before hubby gets home. I hope your day is knitterly fun!

Hi Honey! I'm Home!

Just got the pizza re-warmed. Lunch and Dinner. Pizza. Stuff lasts forever around here. Today, I got an email (though I read it 10 minutes after I was supposed to read it), and it said "Meet me at the Pizza joint." This is my friend at the office, so I literally RAN to the pizza joint, and sat down, huffing and puffing, while he munched away telling me how great his 3-day weekend was.

I'm jealous. I had only 1 day. But I'll get even. Christmas is coming, and I always take off the week between the holidays. It makes a nice vacation, and I don't have to drive in bad weather. Come to think of it, maybe I'll do the same thing sometime late January, too.

Knitterly, it's a big zero so far today, though I did crochet a few rows on another of those diagonal potholders...They are excellent for using up scraps, which I have lots and lots of--even in the cottons. But they are so easy to make, it's odd that I didn't think of it. Just a chain, then you sc around that chain doing increases in the ends. Once that row is done, you just sc around and around in a spiral, fold, origami-style, and sew up the seam. I usually chain a few after the sides meet in the middle, and my crochet hook is at the peak--I'll do about 15 ch, then join to the body, cut a generous length and sew up with that. I found that crocheting it together left a hard seam, so now I just sew through the back loops. If you want a scrappy one, you just add in new yarn when you have 2 loops on the hook--and crochet on, holding the short ends within the sc row to hide them. You can use up even the shortest leftovers--anything 10" and above--it doesn't have to go all the way around--in fact, I think one that had a different color every 10 stitches or so would look really cool.

I don't know, but it really works for me. I'm getting rid of a lot of scraps, and my scrappy do is getting bigger and bigger. Soon, however, I will need to start something different. One person only needs so many potholders and dishcloths. Maybe I'll make an oven mitt? It's a thought.

Beyond that, not much has been going on. I'm going to check Ravelry and some other knitting sites, and then I think I will go knit or crochet--maybe cook--since hubby just arrived, and said one slice of pizza isn't dinner. Sigh. A woman's work...

OdoBan Saves the Day!

I climbed into the car this morning with my husband. He was *not* happy. The spoiled milk that apparently sprayed all over the carpet soaked into the nooks and crannies in the car, and so the "stink" of soured milk remained.

So I told my husband about the tip that was given to me on my blog, and he replied quickly,

"Go get it!"

So I did. I just now returned from Sam's Club, having requested a one-day pass, and bought this stuff. It came with a spray bottle full, plus a gallon refiller for $10. I walked straight out to my car and opened the trunk. I tore into the package, took the spray bottle and twisted the cap to spray, and then I gave the trunk the once over, and then the twice over.

You see, I wanted to make sure the "stink" was gone. Gone. GONE.

When I climbed into the car, there was no sour milk smell. I turned off the a/c, and sniffed DEEPLY. No sour milk smell. I stopped at Michael's afterward, went into the store for 20 minutes (because they had a sale on Sugar & Creme 5 for $5 and Vanna's Choice, 2 for $5), came back to the car, expecting the worst, but all that came back was the smell of the OdoBan.

I warn on this count only. I think one spray would have done it. The smell is a little over the top when you use too much, and it gave me a slight headache, but I expect that problem to resolve itself in time. It also slightly burned in my nostrils. I just think I used too much. Otherwise, I'm a believer.

So, when I returned home, I sprayed the carpet with the stuff--LIBERALLY, and left it out to dry. Tomorrow morning, I should be able to put it back in the car.

All in all, not a bad haul. I also scored some sale yarn at JoAnn's. The Sugar & Creme is for potholders and the leftovers will go on the Log Cabin Scrappy Do. The Bright Bernat is for a cowl. The Black Paton's Wool is for gloves for hubby, and the goldenrod Vanna's Choice is for an afghan (multi-colored squares). So all of this is spoken for, already. So now, having scored all this yarn, I need to get busy knitting! TA!

Roasting...

It is a breezy 83 in Michigan today. That's about 20 degrees HOTTER than normal for this time of year. I understand that Colorado is having a snowstorm, and that it is headed our way.

Well, let it come. I'm not afraid of a little snow.

I am, however, afraid of the guy in the car next to me on the highway--yes, been there, and done it, and we both bought the t-shirt.

But seriously, people. Snow? In October? It's unheard of! Downright blasphemy! Rain, yes. Take down the rest of the leaves so that my hubby and I can knock ourselves out one more time, raking leaves and picking up sticks, and dumping them in the sheep pen for a nice big bonfire sometime this fall--yes, roasting. Marshmallows and hotdogs, mostly.

I finally figured out what to do. I cleaned the kitchen a little bit and then I cleaned and dusted my computer desk. All clean and spiffy now! Of course, the rest of the room is a pit, and I have a stack of papers THIS HIGH to go through and pull out patterns and projects that I'll probably never do. Plus I have to find a special spot for my laptop. So I still have a little bit of cleanup work to do. I also decided to do a load of laundry. It's rinsing now. Soon, I'll make it even warmer in the house.

And it's only 6:00! My, where does the time go?

They Let Me Out Early

For good behavior, I guess.

I had expected to work until 4pm, but I was getting a little tired of it all, and it sounded like the supervisor wanted to go home, too, so I took off and headed home.

Not that I got a TON done, but it surely felt like it. The paperwork said I did a lot, but when it came right down to brass tacks, I only got 2 boxes prepped for records center. That's not a lot, considering I have 8 more boxes waiting in the wings for review.

And review I will. They're never "done". It's like dishes in the sink...or cat hair on the floor...you never quite get it all done at any given time. You walk about the house, you find a spoon on the living room floor, or a coffee cup in the car. It's like that.

My husband is apparently still helping his friend move, so the animals and I have the house to ourselves. It's a warm one outside, too, which makes me want to get outdoors and spin, but I have not the energy for it. There's nothing on the television on Saturday (except baseball or football, and I'm no sports fan). I could sit down and get some more knitting done on the scrappy do--but I'm sort of bored with that. I could start the swatch for Catkin, but I'm really not much up to knitting at all today.

I SHOULD do the dishes (or at least clean the kitchen). Hubby left something in the sink, and it's gotten quite a stink to it the last few days. My energy meter is in the red, I think....running on fumes.

So I'm blogging. At least that's something. What I could really use is a couple of glasses of red wine, which I can't have, but it would be nice if I could. Maybe I would take a nap. One thing that's got me wondering is why I am gritting my teeth of late. Actually it's more like my whole jaw is clenched up tighter than Scrooge's purse, and it kept me awake half the night last night (which didn't help keep me focused at the office today, that's for sure). My doctor put me on a lightweight anti-depressant to help with the stress, but I seem to be resolving the stress by clenching my jaw. The end result is my whole head hurts a bit, but my teeth are hurting me, too. I've got one here that I would like to pluck right out if it would make my mouth feel better, but I know it's not the problem. Outwardly, I seem pretty much on top of things. Inwardly, I'm just about catatonic. Just one more thing, and I'm going to explode (or implode, depending on your perspective).

At these times, I'm really glad that I have a blog that I can tell my troubles to now and then. I worry sometimes, that my readers will get tired of my grousing and find fodder elsewhere--it really matters not so much to me, since this is more of a journal for me--and if you enjoy it, be my guest. Laugh and cry along with me if you desire. Commiserate and imbibe of the juice from the vine--in my stead, since I can't. It's okay, perhaps I can live vicariously through you and your drought.

It is nice, once in a while, when people comment, or leave a little bit of encouragement now and then. I do appreciate knowing that someone likes what I have to say. Things like "Never EVER a Mormon in the White House", or "OJ did it. You and I both know it." (giggle), or "We're tired of it, and we're just not going to take it anymore!" (I hope that phrase isn't licensed...) But I like my blog. It's good therapy for me.

I hope you like it too.

Since I Am On the Way...

I'll be heading in to the office Saturday to work some overtime.

Funny how that works out.

Thank you, Talena for the tip about Odo-Ban. I will see about picking some up tomorrow. Since I'll be in town ANYWAY. It won't hurt me to take a little side trip on the way home to get some.

Ideas that I found online were less than desirable...shaving cream and baking soda made for cement...or a cement-like substance that stuck like glue. I used a curry comb to get most of it up, but it's still quite the mess. It still smells in the car, too. I'm thinking that the jug sprayed while it leaked as it jostled in the trunk while I drove down the road. So I'll try the Odo-Ban. Again, thank you for the tip.

I got a goodie bag in the mail today...see???????????
This is Madeline Tosh Light, in the colors for my Catkin. Aren't they so yummy and autumn-y and I can't contain myself--I want to knit with them RIGHT NOW! But as you might guess, life gets into the way, and I will be working overtime tomorrow, so it will be SUNDAY before I can knit my swatch! Boo hoo! So I'm hiding them in this little blue bag (It has little sheeps on it.) And I allowed them a few moments to breathe outside the bag, just long enough to snap a pic, and then RIGHT BACK into the bag they go so that they don't tempt me this evening.

Speaking of tempting, it looks like my husband is going to be very late tonight. I knew he was helping his friend move, but thought he would be home by now. I'll have to check the messages. I'm probably on my own for supper tonight.

And with help from my guru, I found out that my husband's hard drive has died (click, click, click goes the hard drive), and so a new drive is on the docket for my hubby--we'll set the old drive up as a slave and set up the new drive. I'm hoping that Windows will at least allow us to access the drive so that he can get all his files he needs. In the meanwhile, I had to set up a guest account on my machine so that he doesn't accidentally break my machine, too. I can't afford to replace my computer again so soon, and because he's not the computer genius that I am (see? I call my guru when I have problems...that makes me WAY ahead of some other people who shall remain nameless---though certainly not faceless....), I have to set up my computer so that he can't make changes--such as install software and run programs, because it could be a while before HIS guru (different guy and thinks that there's just a bad driver, ya right! Just like my memory stick is good--I'll let you know where you can stick this particular memory stick....) gets around to fixing his computer (which won't work, because the drive is going "click, click, click", and we all know what that means, right?)

So it could be a while.

I'm going to check messages, and then go to dinner. There may be a post tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled.

No Use Crying..

For the last two days, I've been curious about a very bad, yet very odd smell in my car. It's been really warm the last few days, after a short cold snap, so I thought perhaps a mouse had crawled into the engine, and died there--no such luck.

Yesterday, the smell was SO BAD, that I literally poured half a bottle of lavender oil into the back seat, which did not much more than to cover it over. At this point, I had a VERY BAD SMELL, with a hint of lavender.

Today, I decided to investigate. WHEW! Smell was really strong in the back seat. I moved the floor pads. I removed and tossed what little trash I had, and still, even with the DOORS OPEN, the smell was so strong that my eyes were watering.

I moved the seats forward and back, checked under the floor pads in the front...still nothing.

And then I checked the trunk.

And from within, this rank, malodorous, lethal brew wafted out of the trunk and assaulted my nose. Snapped it a good one! No, not some small decomposing mouse...no, not even animal, vegetable or mineral.

It was a gallon of milk.

A spoiled gallon of milk. In a Meijer bag, no less, and probably missed the time before last time we got groceries, which put it in the trunk about 2 weeks ago, I would guess. I pulled out the bag and tossed it into the trash. I wasn't about to open it and dump it in the field.

And then, because the carton had leaked a bit, I had to pull out the liner AND the little mesh-thing that trunks have these days--and my trunk is now carpet-less.

It looks funny that way.

But I left the carpet on the driveway in hopes of airing it out (fat chance) that perhaps husband will know what to do about it, because I SURELY do not know...outside dusting it with baking soda or washing it (but it's a hard one, so I can't just, you know, stick it in the washing machine). So I'm waiting for him to get home to discuss it with him. It cannot go back in the car in its current state. Not a chance. I also left the trunk open to help it air out. I might just put some lavender back there, not that it would do much good. Perhaps I'll hunt the internet and google for "how to get rid of the smell of spoiled milk in a carpet". I remember once my mother telling me to never spill milk on the carpet because it never comes out, but that was years ago, and I think that by now, someone has come up with a fancy cure.

If nothing else, I could try the pet deodorant. Cows are pets, aren't they?

So off I go to hunt for a cure. No use crying over it. Spilled milk, that is.

Another Long Day...

I don't know how my husband managed to work at General Motors for 30 years. I've been working for my employer for 22 years, and I've just about HAD it. I am looking for a different position with the company, and I hope that I'm able to find one. It was another long day today, and I've pretty much had enough long days at this place.

I know, I know. At least I *have* a job. And this is true. I just wish that now and then it was FUN. Now I know that work is work, and fun is fun, and usually the two don't mix well, but I'm tired of being promised the moon, and then having the moon and the stars taken away from me, only to find out that I have to sit in HELL for another 8 years.

It just doesn't seem fair.

But I'm home now, and that's a good thing. My knitting group isn't meeting tonight, so I am staying home to knit this week. She's doing inventory (and not much happy about it, either), and we both wish we could have the knit night, but it's okay that we aren't. I'm home, by myself, since hubby is gone helping his sister prep her house for winter, and I get to do as I please while he's gone. THIS IS SO GREAT!

Oh, and did you know that Verizon updated it's Android Phones? I think I like the new platform--although it's really not much different. I think it's a little prettier--not as cluttered, and seems to make a little more sense. Things have been updating on the phone all day, rebooting several times. Each time, something different. I'm sure that will go on for a while.

So I guess I'll leave you now for a visit to Ravelry. Not much going on knitterly, really. Just working more on the Log Cabin Scrappy Do. The more rows I put on it, the wider it gets, and the more stitches on the rows. There are about 120 stitches on each row, and I try to work at least 10 rows a night--sometimes I get 20 rows. Every section gives me another 10 stitches--and at last count, I had 112, so I know it's quite a bit more than that now. That's a lot of stitches. I'd almost like to pick up all the way around now, and start working it in the round, but then it would seem like it never gets done. We all know how I am with big projects that drag on forever...

Nice Day Today

And I'm stuck doing work in the yard, on the roof, etc. We pulled out the air conditioner and we're sort of sitting back for a bit while we try to get up the ambition to pull out the corn stove to clean it.

Quite a job, that.

I need a drink.

But we've gotten quite a lot of things done that needed doing this weekend. Right now, I'm pretty sore, and think we should leave the corn stove for another weekend, but I'm betting that my hubby is wishing we could get busy on it now so that we don't have to do it during a rain storm or something similar (like a cold front, for instance). Up on the roof during a cold blast can really make you wish you had a little heat in the house.

And it's nearly 6 pm now. If we're going to do it, we best get ON it.

Later!

Five Long Days

Makes a long, long week, but it's finally over, and the weekend is HERE! YAY!

I haven't much to say, except that I can't wait for my yarn to arrive for Catkin. I ordered it the other day, and I'm expecting it either tomorrow or Monday at the latest. I'll let you know when that arrives.

In the meanwhile, I'm more or less waiting for my husband to get home. He's been playing Spider Solitaire on my computer because he cannot use his own machine (broken). Know why it's broken?

Well, I will tell you why it's broken.

He doesn't know how to weed out spam, he clicks on all sorts of things that he shouldn't because he believes his machine should work faster than it does, and he's always getting some sort of virus or malware because of it. And so his computer breaks down.

Right now, it's in a continuous boot loop--I'll probably call my computer guru and ask him what to do. HIS friend said that it's probably a bad driver. Right.

So I'll get my computer guru over here to check things out and get him up and running, because I can't take the possibility of him putting malware/virus files on MY computer. And he's been all over the internet with my machine, even though I told him NOT to do so. So I have to get my guru over here quick.

So tonight, I knit, and finish up the fingerless gloves for JoAnn's, and then I can knit myself a pair of lavender gloves. I'm rather looking forward to that. I may make some slip stitch mittens instead--they would be really warm. But for now, stay focused.

You see, I wondered why my fingerless gloves turned out so long for the finger part--and come to find out that I totally misread the pattern...it starts from the top and works to the cuff--I was so focused on it being a bottom/to/top thing that I completely missed the fact that it starts at the top, and misread 2" for 4". So it made no sense, and I made them WRONG.

So now, I'm making them right, and ripping out what I had. With that in mind, I can use the extra yarn for longer cuffs (as I might please) or just make them as written and use the extra yarn for some other thing. Which will make my husband happy.

I also have to reknit his gloves, as they grew a big hole last year. And he really needs his gloves, so I might just knit them back up this weekend. He's not home right now, and I don't know where he is. I'm hoping that he didn't go to the grocery store, but I am completely mystified where he might have gotten to.

(Hush! I know you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition! Bad writer! Bad!)

I think I'm going to go knit now. One fingerless glove is done, and I have to the thumbhole done on the second, so it won't take me but a few hours to finish this last one, and get started on the next project.

In Which I Beat My Head Against The Wall...

Yesterday, I had a doctor appointment.

I didn't have to go for a stress test (didn't want to anyway). But doctor says perhaps an anti-depressant is in order.

Another pill?

What is it about these doctors these days? Since when does an anti-depressant help with stress?

So I'm feeling like I'm beating my head against the wall. Stress is wanting to choke the life out of someone else and not being able (or truly willing) to do so. That's the "beating your head against the wall" part.

So, a friend of mine, who is infinitely more "employable" than *I* apparently am, and who really is a good friend of mine, is looking for a new position. I told him to TAKE ME AWAY (sort of like Calgon bath salts, but really a lot better). So we'll see what happens there. The positions that are open for me are either things where they take advantage of you, or it's all phone, or all typing. Honestly, this job wouldn't be so bad, if there weren't SO much to it. So much to know. So much to remember.

I've already made a mistake and I don't have any idea how to fix it, beyond redoing it, but I'd like to know WHERE THE HECK DID IT GO!!! I mean, it just simply disappeared!

So there's that. The pills will be here in a few days. I'll take them through the fall and winter, and then hopefully, by spring, I can STOP that nonsense. Perhaps she's guessing that I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. Gee, you think? It's only been raining for a week!

I Am SO Not Excited

And it would appear that I just can't hide it either.

I have a doctor's appointment today, and from thence, a stress test.

It's the stress test that my dreams are telling me--

You are NOT looking forward to this. Because if they do to you what they did to you the last time, you are doomed. Doomed, I tell you.

The dream was about talking with personnel, and getting told that if I behave like this again at the office, that I'll be fired. Just like that--no care, no concern--just lots and lots of undeserved stress and freaking out, and then freaking out about losing your job, and then freaking out because you're being followed by some strange man because you have no clothing and you're walking around, hunting for your car, wearing nothing but a tarp over you, scared that this guy is a serial killer or something.

And crying...lots of crying. And now, shaking like a leaf as I write this.

And my chest is just bursting--all because I'm worried about this stress test and I'm not talking about the test where they put you on a treadmill and make you walk uphill for a while to get your heartbeat up to so many beats per minute. The last time I did this test, I couldn't complete it. I got my heart rate up, but not high enough, so they did a chemical test on me.

And THAT'S the stress test I cannot do again. I simply cannot. So I MUST do the treadmill, or I might just die right there on the table.

I am stressed out. I am shaking. Physically shaking. Terrified.

And of course, the work situation doesn't help matters. Yet no one even notices that I REALLY NEED TO RETIRE. I REALLY NEED TO GO ON A MEDICAL RETIREMENT.

My husband thinks I'm acting stupid. My therapist thinks all I need is an anti-depressant. My doctor thinks I need anxiety medicine. I think I need to get away from the stress, and everything will settle back down to normal.

And of course, dwelling on it all is making it worse, but what else could I think about? Oh, gee, let's see. I could think about how my social security isn't so secure anymore. I could think about how my 401K is dropping like a stone and lost more money than I've been able to put in. I could think about my family, and how their situation is. I could think about how Jesus is coming, and I'm not ready. I could think about how the house needs a good vacuuming, and because of the stress, I can't do much by the time I get home except to sit quietly and knit. I could get angry that I didn't put enough milk in my oatmeal this morning, and so it's sticking to the roof of my mouth. I could think about the walk to work in the rain. I could...well, you get the picture. Top to bottom, I am stressed. A big rubber ball on the rocky precipice, just waiting for the next breeze.

Big, deep breath. Another.

Nope. Still not ready to go in to the office. But go I must.

The Cowl

I know it looks like I can't get it over my head, but it makes a pretty cool hat, don't you think? Every one is different. I made a second one, and the colors are all totally different...just in how they come off the ball. A pretty cool technique that I think I might try on some other items.

Loving Things That Are Bad for You...

It seems I've spent my entire life, loving things that are bad for you. It sometimes makes me wonder if life is worth living at all--and then something comes along that's really good for you, and well, you just can't get enough of it.

Take oatmeal, for example.

It really is good for you. The real stuff is easy to make in almost any amount, so you can cater to your diet accordingly. It's heart healthy. It tastes pretty good, and if you add some cinnamon, it can taste even better.

And today, because we left the milk at the grocery store yesterday, I had to run in to get said milk this morning before breakfast, because I was literally CRAVING oatmeal.

Sadly, though, oatmeal doesn't stay with me for more than 3 hours, I find. By that 3 hour mark, my tummy is rumbling angry and loud noises. As "stick to your ribs" as oatmeal is, you would think it would last longer--at least to lunchtime! But alas, I am usually munching on something else before lunch, between my meals. Sigh.

Diets Suck.

And so, I knit. My latest:

A pair of these. The pattern calls for 4" of 1x2 ribbing on 38 stitches, but these are pretty snug--next time, I'll cast on 40, repeat for 4" (I did 5") then cast off a 2 stitch buttonhole (I think 3 would have been better), and then cast those 2 back on again, and 1x2 ribbing for another 4 inches (which I did).

The entire thing is an inch too long, and not because I made the 5" change. 4" beyond the buttonhole is TOO LONG for the negative ease to "take up". So my next pair will be only 3" above the buttonhole, which will take me to my first knuckle on my hand. I had to fold these down inside. Then I snapped the picture, not realizing that Mandy decided to get in on the action. So it looks like I'm about to grab her, but really, I am several feet from her. Look how she plays for the camera! (Actually, she doesn't like the flash, so she turns all wary or shies away.)

And then, I began work on a cowl for JoAnn's. This thing is a really simple pattern, but the coloring is what makes it. The pattern is here and the yarn is held double throughout, giving the look of variegated yarn. There are some ends to weave in, but the result is pretty stunning. I made mine on 70 stitches, instead of 64. The pattern is free. The yarn is at JoAnn's and during Coupon Commotion, you can get all 4 skeins for under $12. You can then make one for you and one for your sister, slightly changing the colors around so that the two aren't so much ALIKE--or you can make both the same if you happen to have a twin (I don't, but I do have a sister--a couple of them in fact, and this turned out so pretty, I may decide to make one for every female member in the family!) So I'm off to weave in ends, and then will post a picture. I'm not the most beautiful model in the world, but my husband takes terrible pictures...check out this one:

Too close to the light source, I suppose, and horribly over exposed, but you can see that I folded them over. I might just undo them when I get them back from JoAnn's to make them the proper length. That won't hurt a thing. Or I can just make another pair, as I'm sure there's plenty of yarn left--even so you can make them out of anything. Use almost any "insertion" pattern (say, for instance a cable, or a lace panel), of course, placement is key if you're going to try something like that, and I think I'd make the wrist another inch longer and increase (gusset) near the thumb, but that's just me. I don't like the way these stretch where the buttonhole is. I think the pattern needs modification, but for someone who would like a quick, easy gift, this is the pattern. It took just a few hours to make both. The cowl took me an evening, and it was FUN to watch the colors change in the fabric. I even "liked" it on Facebook. Not many patterns get that kind of attention from me.

So eat your oatmeal and get ready for church. It's that time again. Happy FALL!

I Didn't Think it Could Happen...

But Friday finally showed up. And it's a short day, too, so I get to leave at 4 and be home at the normal time. I think I might have a rider to ride to work with as welll, and that might even make things a lot better.

But as my brother-in-law put it so succinctly:

A bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work.

True. So True.

Nearly done with the second "glovelet". It will be done this afternoon/evening. They go pretty quick, even though they are ribbing. I knit continental for ribbing, which makes it go all the faster, but I would really like some instruction on how to move the stitches, and control them, because as I near the end of the row, the stitches like to pop off that left hand needle, and I have to fiddle with the yarn and the last of the row to maintain control.

Once done with the glovelets, I have to check the JoAnn's patterns again. I believe there's a cowl to make out of a few skeins of Vanna's, but that should go pretty fast, too.

Then CATKIN! I can hardly wait to bite into this pattern. I'll wait until Saturday to take a really GOOD look, because as I looked at it on Tuesday, I thought "OMG". I'm a little worried that it might be too much to keep track of on this puny little fried brain of mine.

And the ramps are FINALLY done at the corner, so I can shave 15 minutes off my travel time. Still have to be at Speedway at 6:30, but other than that, I'm good to go. I'm seriously excited about having a rider, because she's going to be the person I ask if she'd like to live in our basement. She's good people, and we get along really well. Since she lives alone, and SO far away, she might be willing to move 30 minutes closer. It's an option that she can choose or not, but I think she's the one I'd offer it to, if I offered it to anybody.

Well, she just messaged me a no for today's ride. So I'm going to pop into my car and head out. I hope everyone has a good day, and as Red Green says: "Keep your stick on the ice." It's a hockey reference, but with the colder weather coming, it seemed somewhat appropriate!

It Gets Better...

I crocheted a hat recently for JoAnn's. Now working on a pair of "Glovelets", which is a fancy-schmancy way of saying "fingerless gloves", because they indeed---have no fingers--not even a thumb! Just a hole.

They are knit flat, and seamed. There's a little 2 stitch buttonhole. But other than a knit 1, purl 2 style rib, there really isn't much to them.

So they're sort of boring.

As soon as I finish this, I have another JoAnn's project to do--perhaps two. Then I can move on to Catkin, which is maybe a little beyond my skill level. If that turns out to be so, I might head into the knitting shop and ask for help, but I think if Yarn Harlot can do it, I can do it.

But for the glovelets, I would...do it that is.

If only not for the overtime, I might actually get some of these things done. Our office has offered 500 hours of overtime to the staff. I'm trying to get in 27 hours by next Friday. So far, I have 5. I'll do a fair number of hours on Saturday, which will cut down my WEEKEND considerably, but since I don't have a class this weekend, it's not a problem.

The only thing I don't like about overtime is that it makes me tired, which makes me ornery, which causes me to get a little "mouthy" with my husband. He doesn't understand how fried my brain gets on STANDARD time, never mind overtime. Sigh. The extra money will be nice--especially for Christmas, but the extra money for Christmas won't be necessary if my husband divorces me because I'm such a shrew for not getting enough rest!

Well, off to knit the other glovelet. Wish me luck. At least I don't have to work overtime on Friday!

As You Can See...

Unblocked, my shawl looks like so much of a lump of knitting...No form, not enough lace to believe it even *is* lace. Which is sad...

You can click to embiggen. Theer's a little more detail that way, but the lace doesn't show up. Persica is a circular pi shawl, very easy and looke wonderful blocked. The pic shows it folded somewhat in half.

Wait until you see it blocked! I have to find a place to do that, and then PICTURES. Until then, I'm working on a hat for JoAnn's class.

Ho Hum.

It;s Nearly Bedtime...

But you should know that I was able to finally finish the shawl. Tomorrow, I will soak it and refrigerate it, until I can locate a place to block it.


I will show you a pic of it, pre-blocked, perhaps tomorrow. Right now, I have things I need to do, and since it's almost time for bed, I have to hurry.

Hope you enjoy the pictures to come.

Keep Me Warm Cowl

Here's a really quick pattern I made up while I was at Joann's today, teaching a 9 year old to knit.

Keep Me Warm Cowl.

Materials:
2 skeins Lion Brand Hometown USA in Cambridge Tweed or any color that suits you.
1 pr straight knitting needles size 11

You can substitute any yarn that has a "6" on the label--this is classified as Super Bulky.

Cast on 23 stitches with the Knitted On Cast On.
Knit every row for 4"
(about 20 rows)

*Purl next row
Knit next row
Purl next row
Knit next row
Purl next row
Knit 3 rows

Repeat from * 6 times, then Knit every row for 4" again. Put right sides together, and bind off as follows:

*Put right hand needle into the first stitch AND ALSO into the first cast on stitch, yarn over and bring through both stitches, and remove the stitch from the left hand needle. Repeat from * once. Now bind off one stitch from your right hand needle. Repeat from * once, and bind off one stitch from your right hand needle. Continue in this manner until all the stitches are bound off.

Weave in your ends.

Just 2 Rows!!!

I only have 2 rows left to do, and the bind off. I should be done today and ready to block my shawl. The anticipation is just killing me. It's only 6am, and I'm just about ready to head to the kitchen for my breakfast. I want to finish it before I head to JoAnn's for my class today.

Today's class is a little different. Today, I'm teaching children. Well, child, actually. I think there's only one signup. I hope it works, because I'm not really a good baby sitter. A good teacher, yes, but not a good baby sitter, which makes me wonder if I was a good mother at all--I think I was, but I don't think my son thinks so. At least I tried really hard to be a good mother. It was difficult, because I wasn't home most of the time due to work. Being a stay at home mom wasn't my strong suit. And I'm not much good at being close to people or animals.

I suppose I should have opted for "hermit" when they passed around the tests to score you for what you wanted to do when you grew up, instead of "Accountant". But how do you know that you absolutely can't stand being around angry people if you've never been around angry people before?

Which makes it difficult to be in close relationships, because THOSE are the ones who get angry with you (for this or that minor reason), and it's "safe" for them to do so, UNLESS you're me. Because I shut down at a certain point--you know, BEFORE you say something you're going to regret--something that MIGHT get you knocked down--something that MIGHT get back to the supervisor and get you FIRED, something that just ASTOUNDS you to the core and makes you wonder if that person is just a wee bit NUTS.

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, and THEN WORE IT for a week without washing.

I'm not good in a fight, is what I'm saying. It bears repeating. I'm not a CHICKEN, mind you. If I don't have to worry about my livelihood (divorce, fired, things like that), I'll duke it out. No problemo, seniorita. (Sorry, if I spelled that wrong.) But if it's going to kill me? Well, I will run like the devil was after me, and while you might be holding my bag, I'm gone, chicken feathers flying in the breeze--or I'll just STAND there, mystified as to why you did it--because I'm so darned analytical.

"Why did you DO that?" I'll ask.

Incredible. That kind of behavior just shuts me right down into DENIAL.

"You're supposed to love me!? Why are you treating me so badly?" Then I won't talk to you. In some cases, I won't talk to you EVER again. That doesn't mean that in a group setting (such as at the office), that I will treat you like persona non grata, but you will certainly come away with the idea:

"She doesn't seem to like me."

I can't help it. I'll shove you as far away from me as I can so that you can't hurt me again--either physically (though not usually) or mentally/emotionally/psychically (this is the norm). This isn't a good idea in familial relationships. Close relationships are too close, and are supposed to teach you the most--things like "how to GET OVER IT" and "GET OVER YOURSELF" and forgive, because that person might not be there to help you tomorrow. Bouncing back is more like being pulled back in, kicking and screaming that you don't want to go there again, because it is just too darn scary.

Yes, been thee, done that, bought the t-shirt, wore it for a week without washing it, washed it and hung it on the line to dry.

You might think I'm not good at relationships. I am. In the beginning, I am GREAT at relationships. It's the maintaining them that doesn't come easy for me. Maybe it's the dedication that I'm not so good at--or maybe I am good at it, just the other person isn't as good at it as I am, or maybe they are, but they're just better at being themselves and being "heard", sometimes LOUDLY. This of course, causes me to feel like I'm being YELLED at, which I also don't do well. Perhaps I need to be more dedicated to myself, and not quite so "scaredy-cat"? Which takes me full circle to being a chicken, because if I'm too dedicated to myself, I'll end up a hermit.

Yes, vicious cycle there.

So it shouldn't surprise me, that I draw the 3 of pentacles, marked "dedication", and of course, it's reversed. It's telling me that my dedication is going to be tested today in some respect, and I need to be careful, or things will fail. Which is how things usually work out in the end for me, when the dedication meter swings too far in my favor or in yours...the happy medium is what you want, and it doesn't always happen. At least not well, for me...

Yes, been there, done that, yada yada, and now the t-shirt has lots of holes in it from the shots people have taken at me in vengence.

Standing up for yourself is a very thin line that I don't cross often, but when I do, it's a disaster for both parties.

Almost There...

Progress on the circular shawl, Persica has been slow--mostly because to knit a row, you have to knit two, and that's only 2100 stitches. And once the eyes go, you might as well hang it up.

But today, I managed to get about 5 rows done while waiting for my class to start, and then another row when my class was finished. The student and I sat down and she practiced while I worked one more resting row, and then I headed for home.

Now the problem is that my chair is "stewing".

"Okay," I hear you saying, "what does she mean by 'stewing'."

Well, this morning, I doused both of our chairs with pet deodorizer. I washed the cushion for my chair and doused the cloth cover for the spring set, and doused hubbies chair quite heavily, because it's one of those "poofy" style chairs--so you know that the deodorizer has to go quite far down into the foam rubber, so I put quite a lot (almost the whole bottle) on it.

And so they are still wet, while the deodorizer is working. So 'stewing'.

But we have no place to sit (either of us) in the living room because the chairs are both "stewing". So we are in the bedroom, watching Monk.

And while my chair stews, I can't sit in it to knit. So now you know my problem.

But I'm just about to get the cushion out of the dryer (that is, if it's dry--another "almost there" situation most likely), and then I can sit in my chair to knit and watch television. I hope that hubby's chair is dry tomorrow, but the likelihood is pretty much nil. So I got him a chair to sit in from the kitchen, but he's not fond of that idea, so he decided to crawl into bed.

I'm outta here.

Finally Home

And finally Friday. Something stinks.

No, really--in my house. I think a mouse died somewhere. I've taken out the trash, cleaned the snake pit and the house still stinks just when you walk into the door. I can't make out exactly where it's coming from, but it's enough to really knock you over.

And the cat urine/ammonia smell coming from my husband's chair is enough to burn my nose! So I have to take care of that tomorrow--VERY SOON--I don't know why they have chosen his chair--because the litter box gets cleaned every time I feed them...It's getting really bad. I wonder if there's something I can put in the chair that will discourage them from jumping into the chair in the first place. At least then I can use some pet urine deoderizer. However, my husband can't sit in it until it dries. It's one of those overstuffed cushion type chairs. When he sits in it for a very long time, I can still smell it on him when he comes to bed.

And that's bad. And he doesn't like it, and neither do I. I'm not sure how he can stand it.

So I got the snake pit cleaned out, and gave the snake a little bath in the tub. She doesn't especially care for it, because I like to pet her in the tub, and she's not really a petting type pet. I like to get her completely wet, it gets her clean, and gives her a chance to swim a little bit. That part she does like. Afterward, to keep her calm, I put her in a pillow case and tie the top while I clean out her pit. Then I add fresh aspen and a new hide for her. Then I untie the pillow case, and coax her out. She didn't want to get out, this time. I think she was feeling pretty safe inside the pillow case.

But she's installed in her pit again, and getting accustomed to the surroundings. I have to get her a new hide, but temporarily, I'm using a box. She should like her new hide when I get it inside the pit. Then, she'll settle down to a nice hibernation.

And I plan to do that myself, a bit earlier than usual tonight, because I am tired. I finally got to a point where I felt like I was ready to start in on some of the work at the office, and then it was time to go home. Go figure.