Still here

Hi. How are you? Good, good. Sorry I have been ignoring you lately. Things around here have just left me a bit frazzled.

Jess kicked off the new school year. She's loving it, I'm loving it. It's a good thing. She's been picking out her own outfits. This has been highly entertaining for all involved.

She is so cute. It makes me almost forget that her new method of communicating with me is screaming.

My sockapaltwo-za socks are done, blocked and ready to be sent to their new home. Hopefully, their new owner has better luck photographing them.

Silky wool, color 24
petticoat socks from Weekend Knitting (modified).

As for the slipper pattern, I have only heard from one of my test knitters so far. (check it out) I'd like to hear from one or two more before I put the pattern up for sale. Yup I'm sorry it won't be free, but I could really stand to make a few bucks right now.


My stepfather has been in poor health for quite some time. For the last couple weeks he has been hospitalized for various reasons. He has a very weak heart for one; so weak, that they have told us for quite some time now, that he cannot endure anymore surgeries. They have told us repeatedly that if he were to go under anaesthetic (I think I may have butchered that word. I apologize), he would most likely never wake up. So, of course in the past few weeks they have been considering and attempting numerous surgeries on him. A bypass or two...a possible amputation...maybe we'll throw in some dialysis in the mix. So, of course my mother has just been stressed beyond what anyone should go through. Meanwhile I'm trying to do as much for her and my stepfather as I can. But geez, I still feel like it's not enough. But there is some good news. They have decided that no more surgeries are required, and as soon as he's healed up, he can go home. So, we are all anxious for him to recoop.

Now, hopefully things can get back to normal, and I can dig out my knitting and give you all an update Wednesday. I think today, I may catch a movie.

26 hours 30 minutes 45 seconds...

...until the bell rings on the first day of school. Then I finish my year with three glorious hours to myself. Then I can have something I have not had in a very long time. Uninterrupted knit time. I will be able to actually complete a row without have to set my project down to: a) find something, b) wash something, c) feed something.

Jess is pretty excited too. Her bus driver lives a few doors down, and she had the bus pulled in her drive to clean it up. Jess was all excited. She wanted to get on the bus now. Tomorrow's going to be fun. Which reminds me, I have to charge the camera to get the first day of school shot. (maybe some wip's as well?)

Nate made me promise not to repeat actions taken last year on the first day of school. To catch you up, Jess cried while boarding the bus, (the noise, I forgot to prepare her for the noise.) And screamed bloody murder as the bus pulled away. ( to her credit she was only three years old.) Then I did what any rational person would do. I jumped in my car, and raced the bus to the school. Once there, I left my car and hid behind some bushes (at the time we were not sure what Jess could actually see, so why risk it?) And watched as she was escorted off the bus and to her classroom. Really once she realized that she was at school she was fine, and even excited. I then had to wait for all the kids to be unloaded from the buses and taken inside, before I could emerge from the bushes. (In retrospect, I was really lucky I was not arrested or anything.)

Anyway, I told Nate not to worry. This is all old hat now. So tomorrow I promise pictures.

2 Days until School starts.

Lemme tell you, I cannot wait. Well, I have already found an error in a couple of my numbers, and I'm still waiting for word from my test knitters. Today I need to run up to the LYS and buy some more reinforcement yarn for my sockpal socks, so I can finish those off.

Jess had a sleepover last night with her cousin. So Nate and I caught a movie. (The last movie he and I were able to go see was...Van Helsing, I believe.) We saw Wedding Crashers. It was way funnier that I thought it would be. I love Vince Vaughn.

For any of you who might be wondering, I had to take the Free pattern site down. It was SLAMMED with spams over the weekend. I'll have to set them up elsewhere.

Now back to cleaning like mad until Jess comes home.

Attn Test Knitters...

..The link I sent previously will no longer work, so if you still need a copy of the pattern, please let me know. Also, if you are interested in test knitting and I have not contacted you, it is because I do not have your email address. If you are still intersted, please email me at pinkerbell44ATyahooDOTie. Thanks, everyone. I am thinking I MIGHT make this pattern for sale (Hey I have a new car payment and no job) Would y'all still be interested in the pattern if it cost a few dollars?

A call out.

Ok, I have several of these in various stages , but I have yet to complete an entire pair.

I have the pattern written out, I'm just needing to verify some numbers. I have one volunteer to test knit. Would anyone else be interested?

Knitting Attention Deficit Disorder.

I most definitely have it. I'm not sure of the root cause, but it has become quite annoying.

So, as remedy I joing another Knit along.

Anyway, pictures of my weekend progress.

A new ballet Tee for Jess. She has hit a growth spurt and the old one now hits her above the belly button. This one is made from that last of the Jaeger Trinity. I really like this yarn, but my LYS only carries pastel and lame colors (although they have a limey green I kinda like.)

This is the first of 5 felted hats I need to make for Christmas gifts. I have a bunch of little girls who want hats. I have pink, blue, magenta, and two orange to make. I had borrowed Felted Knits to use one of the patterns, but tit didn't quite come out how I wanted to I started over with a pattern I made froma mish-mash of my felting hat experiences. I'm pretty pleased with it, but I am thinking I'll take all the left over yarn from all of these and make some felted flowers to tack on.

My boot sock progress. This has been my movie sock, although I have not worked on it much this weekend. I plan to finish it in the next couple weeks and send off to the lady collecting them for armed service personnel.

I have more than half of my second sockpal sock done, but no picture as it is sitting out in the car right now, and I'm too lazy to go get it.

Remember my rambling-ons about the maryjane slipper socks that Jen loaned me to figure out the pattern to? (Jen's pair are on top, the one I made on bottom.) I have one done in size small, out of Noro silk garden, and an oddball of cascade 220 for the strap. I really like it. I'm finishing the second one and then making a medium sized pair. These just might be the quick-knit Christmas gift everyone gets this year. I can get one pair out of one skein, unless I want to two to match, then I need to use two Noro skeins, But, damn, I am liking these. I have been having to work on them in secret though. Everyone who has seen it wants a pair.

Um, I'm hoping that we get a Carma post soon. I think I may need to drop out of the blog world for a week or two. I have some thinking to do. I might be able to resurface now and then, but I don't want to promise anything.

knitting updates.

There's nothing much of interest occuring around here lately. so we'll just do a bit of knitting updates...without pictures. (camera is charging.)

ok, A while back I started a "knit your own Rockstar Knit along." yup made a yahoo group and everything. Since I have seemed to abandon it. (Bad hostess, bad.) But, I have been working on my Morrissey doll. I have him figured, except for his hair. I have the pattern all written out (done in the round. I avoid seaming when possible) so, as soon as I figure out his hair, and proof the pattern, I will post it.

Speaking of patterns, I have not forgotten the maryjane socks. I have MOST of the pattern worked out, but I needed some elasticy yarn. Enter cascade fixation. We started out all nice and polite, but things went badly very quickly. Words were said, stitches were dropped. I cannot go back to that until fixation and I make nice, which I am not yet ready to do.

Speaking of maryjanes, Jen (who also bears a fondness for maryjanes) has lent me her knitted maryjane slipper socks, that she purchased last year. They are machine knitted flat, then sewn together. (Note the aforementioned seaming avoidance.) I have them figured and I am test knitting them now. They seem to be a quick littel knit and will share the pattern as soon as I am satisfied with it.

In other knit news, I have one sockapaltwo-za sock completed and the other on the needles. They'll be done in planty of time to make the deadline.

Speaking of socks, Carma had brought me some sock yarn from a lady she met at the sheep and wool fest she went ot in Iowa. (I do not remember the details.) Anyway, this lady gave us sock yarn, to make socks (any size, style you want, as long as they are long enough to be worn under boots.) to then send back to her. She is then going to box up all the donated socks to send to servicemen and women. Like I said, she gave us the yarn, and an envelope to send her the socks back. Carma has more details on this, so If any of you would be interested, leave a comment.

Markers, meme, etc

Ok, Let's catch up, shall we?

Friday (or rather very early Saturday morning,) *ahem, grin* Carma arrived here for the weekend. (If you are curious why she arrived around 2 am, ask her.) Saturday we all just hung out, and Saturday night, Carma blew off her high school reunion. (can't really say that I blamed her.) for more hanging out and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. By the way, I LOVED this movie. I'm trying to figure out how I can go see it again.

Anyhow, Carma left on Sunday, and My Mother-in-law and Brother-in-law arrived on Monday. Another very nice visit. They helped us celebrate Jessie's birthday. Then Tuesday we hopped the South Shore to CHicago, to go to the Museum of Science and Industry. Kind of a disappointing trip. The train was filled to capacity, the museum was VERY crowded, and on the train back, we found some scattered seats in the VERY LAST CAR. The day ended with a huge migraine, so I feel very badly that Yesterday did not fare better. Jess and I saw my in-laws off this morning and then we registered Jess for school. (YAY!)

But look at all the fun mail I have gotten! These came from Bente, in Germany. Danke shoen!

These from Katie along with a nifty little blanket pattern. Thank you.

I do have a finished object for you. A fall jacket for Jess. made from Rowan Polar and Lion boulce. The only problem is I guessed on sizing, since the four year old will not sit still long enough to measure, and instead of being somewhat oversized, like I had planned...It FITs. Oh well, she'll use it as long as she can.


Now, Jen has tagged me with a meme, so here it goes:

5 CDS in your player
(I have a 6 cd changer, hence the extra CD)
Matthew Sweet- Girlfriend.
Frank Sinatra- A Swingin' Affair
Soul Coughing- Ruby Vroom
Lisa Loeb- Tails
Piddleloop.com- Summer Jams 2K5
Cake- I forget which one. The one with "rock 'n roll lifestyle" on it.)

5 movies you have seen recently
I'm Not counting the endless sesame street videos I am subjected to.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Not another Teen Movie
Saved
The Incredibles
Finding Neverland

5 nice things that have happened to you recently
Visit from Carma!
A very nice visit with my in-laws. (I have pretty great in-laws)
My mother giving us a newer microwave.
My marker mania mail!
My new car (with Air conditioning!)


5 mp3s in your play list
Well, I do not have an mp3 player (On the Christmas List.)
I had a few on my computer, but they seem to have been deleteed long ago.

5 friends you are tagging.
Carma (duh)
hmmm. I don't know....anyone up for the challenge? Leave a comment.

Today...

...four years ago, my life changed forever. Four years ago I became a mother.

Happy Birthday, Babygirl.

markers, progress, and sci fi

Look what came in the mail yesterday, from Cj. The package also included some tootsie pops, but Jess has laid claim to them. (Isn't the litttle sheep just too cute.)


A progress shot of my NEW sockpaltwo-za sock. This one's out of silky wool with the same petticoat pattern. I like it a lot better. No fuzzing. No snags.

I think I may a have a problem with angora. Behold my one skein wonder. Made from artful yarns serenade, color 6002.(70% prima cotton, 30% angora.) It took two skeins.

It's REALLY soft, but you should have seen how much fuzz had been deposited on my shirt front, while working on it. It makes my nose itch and run. Knit a row, blow my nose, repeat.

A progress shot of the tablecloth that threatens my sanity. I estimate it's roughly eighteen inches in diameter, unblocked.


I'm excited. Well, Carma's coming out today, but that's not all. Not only was I told that the sci fi channel was airing Firefly, (man that makes me wish I had cable.) but there is a movie coming out September 30th.

Promised Party Pictures...

...well, at least a few. There's not much else going on around here. I have not finished anything lately (yeah yeah I'm slacking.) Today some very soft yarn has been whispering sweet nothings in my ear and coaxing me to make it into a One skein Wonder. I'm happily obliging.

Onto the photos.

Jess and cousin, Emily, enjoying some birthday cake. Jess is not actually eating hers. she had more fun just moving it around the plate.

The birthday girl opening her gift and enthusiastically announcing she has received, "BLUE PAPER!" It was actually clothes, but everyone had a laugh at the blue paper. She was very excited about it...didn't want us to throw it out.

On her new bike. She had been asking for this bike for months. She even got a new helmet too. She refused to take the helmet off.

Here is evidence that our hospitality comes at a price. Our Niece has been put to work mowing the lawn, as her baby sister rallies for her.

(Actually, Jenna was very intrigued by our "weird" mower and wanted to try it out. It was mere coincidence that Abby was watching, pom poms in hand.

Marker Mania

Well, I survived the weekend. The party went well and the houseguests seemed to enjoy themsleves. I did not take pictures, I left that to my father-in-law, but I have not received the pictures yet, so hold tight. Jess really got into the party this year. AND we were able to sing Happy Birthday to her without incident. (Jess has always gotten upset whenever this song is sung. I mean screaming, crying, frightened, upset.)

Saturday I got my first marker mania package from Cathi.

She writes that she noticed my fondness of Dr. Pepper and sent a Dr. Pepper flavored Lipsmacker. Also that she "cribbed" the packaging from Jen after seeing the markers she sent to Stacey.Here's a better shot of the markers. Aren't they great?