The Year - in knitting

I have kept a written record of my FO's this year. Looking back on it, I now know why my house looks the way it does. In 2007 I resolve to knit only projects that test my ability and that I will learn from (with the exception of socks, which will always and forever be on my needles).

Finished 2006 items:

Brown Cashmere Socks
Valentine's Day Socks
Steeler Scarf
Large cable purse for Erin's friend
Wool Clapotis
Corie's intarsia sweater
2 prs of baby socks for Giorgio
2 prs of baby socks for Colin
Kepler Sweater
Charlotte's socks
2 baby hats for charity
Trekking multi color socks
Colin's hospital hat
Hand spun neck warmer
Emu Socks
Erin Bag for Kelly - navy
Koigu socks
Erin Bag for Erin - navy
Lady Eleanor entrelac shawl
Koigu baby socks
STR socks for me
Christina's Erin Bag
Meghan's mini Erin Bag
STR baby socks for secretary's baby
Multi color baby sweater for cousin's baby
Cascade 220 felted make-up bag
Colin's Highland socks
sister's birthday scarf
Boss's hunting socks
Colin's brown sweater
Colin's hat to match above
Kelly's STR socks
Trellis Wrap
Vanessa's skinny scarf
Vanessa's Erin bag
Michael's socks

I think that's it.

EDITED
Scarf from Shelley's Yarn (finished the day after Christmas)
Fingerless Mitts. (on New Year's Eve!)

New Techniques Learned: (and I'm proud of this....)

Entrelac
Intarsia
3 needle bind-off
Hand spinning yarn with a drop spindle
Mattress Stitch finishing
I-Cord

In 2007 I resolve to do more with lace and intricate cables. I will knit less easy and more difficult. Hopefully I will knit less altogether and try to complete some home fix-up projects. But at the end of a long day, isn't it just easier to get out the knitting and not the paint brushes and drop cloths?

Have you seen these???

Too freaking cute for words... and I collect corks!


Elliphantom Knits: Finished: Korknisse Ornaments

Be Safe and Have a....

MERRY CHRISTMAS

ONE AND ALL

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Rose... www.knightlyknitter.blogspot.com.... to post 6 weird things about myself. Choosing only 6 things is going to be very difficult in my case. But here goes:

1. I can't sleep without socks on. Ever.
2. I love everything that is watermelon flavored. I just hate watermelon.
3. I've been to lots of vacation spots far and wide, but I've never seen Niagara Falls. (which is only 5 hours away)
4. I can only eat (and enjoy) raw onion on a hot dog with ketchup. I can't eat raw onion any other way. I like hot dogs with mustard too, but I couldn't eat the raw onion on that. How strange is that???
5. I can't stand the feel of chenille or corduroy. It's like fingernails on a blackboard to me.
6. I can't stand to watch people being embarrassed. The movie "Meet the Fockers" was torture for me. My son is the same way.

But really, in every other way, I'm perfectly normal. :-)

Finally! Thank you Blogger!

Colin's Hat

Well, I hate Blogger. It's official. I use Blogger for this knitting blog and for my family blog. This morning, I posted a photo on my family blog.. no problem. Now, on this site, it's telling me that I must create a google account to post a photo, even though I have chosen NOT to switch to the new blogger. Why is it letting me do what I want on one site and not the other? So, ok, I go ahead and create a google account, with log on and password, and it still won't work. I can't post a photo on here. I think it's time I look for another blog host. And with my limited computer skills, this is just one big pain in the neck!

And, I gotta tell ya, that hat is CUTE!!!

On the home stretch....

I'm almost ready for Christmas...















I've been away taking another class but I've been knitting too! Here are Vanessa's skinny scarf and Erin Bag. Turned out really nice in a wool/alpaca aran weight. Handles from the "rip off" company, of course. (way too expensive, but DARN, they're nice)

And below we have STR baby socks for Colin with yarn left over from his mother's socks. I think each sock took about an hour to knit. I should make him more of these. (they're just tied together with the yarn. They're not little bows)

And, lastly, I did decide to make the hat to match Colin's sweater. It's been bothering me that I didn't do this because it was my intention all along. I think I can have it finished.

And now a mystery..... I knit this hat a few years ago using Shelly's hand spun. It's the Coronet pattern from knitty.com if anyone is interested. Anyhow, it disappeared out of my closet for a long time. I really can't remember the last time I saw it. On Monday morning, when I got in my car, it was on the front seat. (yes, I did leave the doors to my car unlocked accidently) I have no idea who had it. I have no idea why they just stuck it in the door of my car. I know that I didn't leave it anywhere because I never wore it. While I love the look of it, it looks terrible on me. Very strange.

Way Too Cute

Here's Giorgio in my version of Knitty.com's Trellis.

I knit this for him before he was born.

There was no way I could have ever known how adorable he'd

make that sweater look. He is way too cute.

Let's Try This Again...

This is the skinny scarf from the book One Skein. It is knitting up super quickly in an Aran weight alpaca/wool blend. I wrote an Erin Bag pattern to match the cable and rib pattern in the scarf and all I can do is pray that I get them finished in time for Christmas. These will be perfect for my son's girlfriend. Yeah, I know. I said one pair of socks and then I'm finished for Christmas. But what would Christmas be without a little nail biting, last minute knitting?































I'm off to State College for a few days for a real estate class. Tune in on Thursday for knitting progress. I wonder how the guy would feel if I sat in that class and knit. Nah...

Trying to squeek in a few more gifts...

Blogger.. not cooperating. Check in later in the week. Ugh.

Still knitting....

Michael's socks. These things are speedy. I love using worsted weight and big needles. And the warm factor is the best part. They look a little boring, I know, but he likes things plain and simple.

Things are slowing down for me. Thank goodness. It's feast or famine in this business and while feast is good, it's also extremely stressful. So I'm back to breathing and knitting again. I will hopefully be catching up on all the knitting blogs I haven't had time to visit lately and see what everyone's been up to.

Just got my mom out of the hospital again. She was there for 4 days this time. Pneumonia. She seems much better. My Dad is visiting his oncologist in Pittsburgh today. My mom jokes about what a team they are lately. At least they are keeping their sense of humor.

Finally Socks That Rock

Kelly's Christmas socks in the "County Clare" colorway. I picked that color because she spent some time in County Clare two years ago and I thought she'd like that. Knit with two balls of yarn at the same time... never again. Just a pain. I say let 'em pool from now on.

I started another pair of socks in superwash worsted weight for my son. I usually don't knit for him because he's famous for losing things but I broke down this year. I should knit some computer chip into them for tracking purposes. I know I'm going to regret this. But, he is in the middle of remodeling one of our bedrooms for Colin when he stays so he deserves another chance. I hate to paint and he volunteered to do it as well as repair the walls and strip and stain some of the woodwork. The least I can do is knit the kid a pair of socks.

This will be my last Christmas project and then I intend to dig into the lace shawl. Or Colin's hat. Or another Clapotis. Or socks for Colin.

I need to quit work.

Friendship

Such an interesting thing, friendship. When you think of your friends, you realize that your friends came into your life in so many different ways. Some were co-workers, some you have brought with you from childhood. Some friendships are formed as a result of having kids in the same school or dance class. I have a few very dear friends who were my kid's teachers. But no matter what, the people who you consider your true friends have earned that distinction in one way or another over time. If they have stood the test of time, they are worthy of being called good friends. You know who your friends are.

At least you think you do. I always thought I did.

When someone who you thought was a good friend does something that proves they weren't such a good friend, the disappointment that you feel is so incredibly intense that it's like someone just stabbed you in the heart. You can't imagine that your friends would use you. Not your good friends. I've had a friend use me before. But she wasn't such a good friend. I knew that going in. I wasn't so surprised. That one made me mad. Furious even. But this good friend thing that happened today makes me sad. Mad is bad. But sad is worse.

I guess when you can sit and think ..wow, I can't believe she did that me, I would have never, ever done that to her.. you know it's a friend worth losing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well it seems like yesterday I posted a photo of a turkey on my blog for Thanksgiving. Really... like YESTERDAY. And here we are again. So soon. Crazy.

I like Thanksgiving. I'm not such a huge fan of Easter. But I like Thanksgiving. Maybe because I don't do the cooking. I'll bake pies, and bake corn, and buy the wine. But I don't do the hard stuff. My daughter, for some reason, likes to cook. She has taken ownership of this meal. God bless her.

I was just sitting here thinking of all the things I have to be thankful for. There are many.

I'm thankful I got those kids back from Delaware just in time to allow me to spoil my first born grandchild.

I'm thankful I have good kids.

I'm thankful I still have my parents.

I'm thankful my family is close and there is no hostility. A lot of families deal with that.

I'm thankful I like my job.

I'm thankful I have good friends who don't knit and good friends who do.

I'm thankful my sister began to knit again this year. It gives us a reason to spend more time together.

I'm thankful for yarn. :-)

Holy Busy!

I've been working 12 hour days and totally crashing after walking in the door at night. No knitting lately at all. I did manage to finish these before the real craziness began. They look a little deformed in the photo but they actually look OK in reality.
















I even managed to put a few rows on Colin's hand spun hat a few weeks ago. I think I may put this thing in a frame and hang it on the wall when I'm finished with it. (just kidding) I'll really have a great feeling of accomplishment when it is finished though.

















Crazy weather lately. I forget what day it was last week that had a few hours of every season in the year wrapped up into one day... but I got this shot outside my front door that day.

















We had torrential downpours, snow flurries, sunshine and a rainbow. Weird.

I can't believe it's Thanksgiving and Holiday time again. Time is just flying. I think it's true that the older you get, the faster it goes. I wish it would slow the heck down!

I'm Still Alive!!!

Ok. I admit it. I've been a bad blogger. And a bad knitter. On the other hand, I've been a great realtor. This Howard Hanna thing has really taken off. It's keeping me too busy to knit, too busy to cook, too busy to clean... but how can you complain about success? On the knitting bright side, I am getting together tonight with my sister and a friend to knit. I have managed to finish the hunting socks and I have half of the second STR sock completed. So I have been knitting a little here and there. When I get the second sock finished, I'll work on Colin's hat to match the brown sweater. Then the lace... I can't wait to get my hands on that again. I miss it. Who would have thought??

I am also still spinning the wool with the drop spindle for Colin's other hat. What a slow process. And I'm almost out of wool. So, Shelly, if you're reading this, I'm going to need more!!!

Thanks to Jackie for the sock help. I will be making some little worsted weight socks for Colin. What's better for babies little feet than heavy, thick socks? I'm such a GRANDMOTHER!

single socks...

I have two socks finished for Christmas. Not a pair mind you, just two socks. I guess I'm suffering from the single sock syndrome. This is the hunting sock made with Kraemer superwash worsted. I'm tempted to keep these for myself. I won't, but I might just make myself a pair with this yarn to keep my feet warm in my barn of a house. They feel awesome. Actually the second one is almost finished. They whip up fast as I said earlier. I'd like to make Colin a few pair with this yarn but I've never seen baby socks made from worsted weight. If anyone has seen a pattern, let me know.

Lousy, yucky weather here today. Good knitting weather. I should have stayed home. I think I feel a headache coming on.... Yeah, right.

Nemacolin

I'm still trying to figure out what made me think I'd have time to knit. No knitting was accomplished. They kept us busy and entertained. I feel like I packed an entire week into three days. I'd love to go back to this place in the summer. It's awesome.

I did finish one of the hunting socks yesterday at an open house. If you haven't tried the Kraemer Yarns 100% wool superwash worsted weight yet, check it out. These socks are going to be so warm and comfy. And washable! And knitting socks with worsted weight is really instant gratification. So speedy. Photo tomorrow... hopefully.

We did a whirlwind trip to Grove City and Butler on Saturday to visit Cate. Now that she's a working girl she doesn't get home much so we have to go to her. The outlets in Grove City were NUTS. Let the Christmas shopping season begin I guess. We had to drive around to find a parking space and there must be a gazillion of them. We did get a few good gifts though so it was worth the madness.

Tomorrow is knitting night. I'm looking forward to it. I haven't had any real quality knitting time in a while.

Captive Knitting

Tomorrow I'm going to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort for three days. I will have meetings. I will also have free time. I will not be with close friends which translates into lots of "me" time. And, of course, we all know that "me" time is "knitting" time.

It just makes sense that I should take the project that NEEDS to get finished ASAP. Like either of the two pairs of Christmas socks or the scarf for Kelly made from Shelly's yarn. If you take only what needs to be done, you have no choice but to work on it. Right?

But right now, oddly, I'm all about the lace. It's summery. It's light. It's so June/July/August.
I just want to knit the lace. I'm finally enjoying the process. At the end of every row, I have the correct amount of stitches. It's a freaking miracle. I want to take the lace.

What will Holly do?

Finally! A sock!

I've been working on this sock forever. It's the Socks That Rock medium weight in the County Clare colorway. It's knit with two balls to prevent pooling which didn't happen. It still pooled. And I hated working with two balls of yarn so it's going to kill me to cast on for the second sock. Such is life.

We have Colin this weekend. My husband took the day off to watch him today and I'm sure he's counting the minutes until I get home from work. Babysitting is tiring work at this age!

Oh, the little orange poncho from Ladie's Home Journal.... It was from Gymboree. The nice people at LHJ did answer my email about it. So, no pattern. :-(

Happy Halloween everyone... from me and the Caterpillar.

Blogger is totally whacked out today. It won't print the font correctly no matter what I do. Makes me crazy.

Knitting Stuff

Ok... enough real estate for one day. Let's talk about knitting.
















This is Scarf Style's Misty Garden pattern done with Shelley's yarn. Very pretty and about half finished. It has very subtle sparkly stuff spun in but you really can't see it in these photos.


















Are you sitting down? Check out my lace! I'm stunned that I've gotten this far. There IS hope for me yet.

Next week, I get to spend a few days at Nemacolin Woodland Resort. It's for work. I'll have lots of time to knit... I think. I'm hoping to put a big dent in the Christmas knitting while I'm there.

Nemacolin AND knitting. Does life get any better?

They Know Not What They Did

In this issue of Ladies' Home Journal.....















They had this
















along with a little inspirational message on the last page.
It had nothing to do with knitting or children's fashion.
No mention of the clothing.
How many inquiries do you think they'll get about that pattern?
Other than mine, of course. I'd make that in a heartbeat and then
hope to find someone to give it to. Adorable.

I'm half way finished with the scarf from Shelley's yarn. It is turning out very nicely.
I'm stalled on the lace but only because I have too many other projects on needles. I may not get around to picking that back up until after the holidays. It's hard to get too serious about lace when it's 35 degrees out.

I still have the gift certificate to Kathy's Kreations in Ligonier. I'm wondering when I will find the time to go over there. It is taunting me every time I walk by my china cabinet and look at it. I think I know what I want though. Some noro for another Lady Eleanor shawl. Entrelac is on my mind again.

Vogue Knitting - Holiday Issue

I've never been a fan of bell sleeves. But there is something about this jacket sweater that I just love. I'd knit this. And if it didn't have bell sleeves, I'd probably be starting it tonight. The only thing about it that concerns me is the fact that it only closes with the belt. I'd really like it more if it buttoned. But isn't it gorgeous?




















This, too, is awesome (below). I wouldn't knit it though. I'd get in the middle of it and quit because it took so long. I know myself too well. Anyone want to make it for me? Probably not. Just a thought.

Lastly, I'm also crazy about this one. I'd attempt this. It's very similar to one they had in their holiday issue about two or three years ago. I bet if I did some research, I'd find it's by the same designer. I came close to starting that one but never actually got around to it. I think it was a turtleneck.

I think I'm seeing a pattern here. A cable -y pattern. What is it with me and cables???

project runway

JEFFREY????????????

Nooooooooooooooo..............

ugh.

Happy Birthday to my Dad

Here is great grandpap and great grandma and Colin at dinner to celebrate my Dad's 79th birthday. The two of them look pretty darn good for what they are going through.

I have been knitting... but nothing is worthy of photography. The lace is coming along, believe it or not. I'm stalled on the socks because I had to start a scarf with Shelley's yarn so the socks went on the back burner.

The new Vogue Knitting is out. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the scarf on the cover. I don't want to make it, but I'd love to have it. Talk about tedious knitting. You also have to wonder how that scarf would wear. I think before too long it would stretch into a thin strand. Something tells me that braid wouldn't stay all fluffy. There is also a cabled jacket in there with a belt that I'd love to have. I'd make that. Actually there are a few nice things in that issue. Check it out.

Off now to real estate hell. Yesterday wasn't good. I have a feeling today won't be much better.
When it's good it's really good. When it's bad, it's terrible.

Lacey Setback

Lifelines really are great. I had to rip back to the lifeline and I was so thankful I put one in. The only thing is, it's difficult to pick those stitches back up off of the lifeline. First of all, the dental floss is the perfect thing but I had trouble seeing the yarn on the floss. I think they do make green dental floss and I'll have to get some. Secondly, the yarn is so fine that it's just difficult to pick it up from the floss. Hopefully I won't have to do it too often.

Yesterday was the Bedford Fall Foliage Festival. Shelley was selling her yarn and of course I had to take advantage of that situation. I'll make another Misty Garden scarf with this. (yeah, I really needed to start another project) I love green! Check out Shelley's yarns.
Rose Garden Fibers
















I have two open houses today so plenty of time to knit. My only decision will be what to work on. Lace? Either of the two pairs of socks? Scarf? Colin's hat? There was a time not long ago I was down to one project. And I vowed not to do this again. Oh well. Good thing my commitment issues only apply to knitting.

Got Lace??

I do!!































Third time's a charm. That's how many times I started this. I finally got it. It's Estonia Garden... I think by Fiber Trends. I don't have it with me but I think it's a F.T. pattern. I love the look of it but I have to tell you the truth. I'm not really enjoying the process. It's slow knitting for me. Requires a LOT of concentration because I'm always forgetting the yarn overs. And the yarn is so thin it doesn't "hold" the needles like I'm used to. So you really have to concentrate on holding the needles tightly so you don't drop stitches. I don't know. Maybe it will grow on me and maybe I'll eventually enjoy it. But for now, I don't see a passion or future for lace knitting. I did learn through the process though that dental floss makes a great life line. I tried yarn and that wasn't so great. The pattern is an eight row repeat so I'm putting in the life line every 8th row. In reality, I shouldn't have started this now. I have too much Christmas knitting to do. But I'm afraid to stop since I'm on a roll.

Work is crazy. Crazy good. The Howard Hanna thing has already had an impact. I got two nice listings yesterday. I may get these kids through college yet.

Photos - Sea Island, Georgia

Trellis and Vine

If you click on the photos, you can see the detail.






























Trellis and Vine
Pattern by: Sauniell Connally for Magknits (www.magknits.com)
Yarn: 6 balls - Jaeger Matchmaker 100% merino wool DK (washable!)
note: Although 6 balls had the yardage that the pattern called for, it was not enough. I stopped at what seemed to be an appropriate place in the chart and added the last 8 border rows. The finished wrap is three inches shorter than it should be.
Needles: Denise circulars - size 5
Time to complete: 7 weeks
Comments: Easy pattern but I biffed up the lace insert about 3 times. This wrap really was the perfect traveling accessory for the air conditioning in the airports and the airplane. I love it. It will be great with jeans.

On to socks!

Trellis and Vine is finally finished! In true Holly fashion, I ran out of yarn to complete it as written. So it's 3 inches shorter than it should be. And I bought more yarn than the pattern called for. What is it about shawl patterns? The amount of yarn called for in the Clapotis pattern is not enough either. It is blocking on Cate's bedroom floor... so don't come home for a few days Cate! I went in there this morning and the dog followed me in and plopped right down on the middle of it. So, yes, the door will remain closed for a few days. I used the blocking wires for the first time. They are nice, but I noticed that they are difficult to pin in place. First of all, my pins are not the sturdy pins that you should use, and secondly, pinning things into carpeting isn't really the ideal situation either. And to complicate it even more, I think I stretched it a little more than it should have been stretched. But after I had half of it finished, I didn't want to start over. I hope it turns out ok.

I have two pairs of socks on needles so I will complete them, do a small pair for Colin, and then settle into some lace knitting which I have been itching to do for a long time. Must. Knit. Lace.

No Knitting... STILL!

No knitting... how about a cute baby photo?

On to TV commentary. Project Runway this week... I thought Jeffrey was finally going to go. Imagine my disappointment. For the first time I thought Michael really blew it too. I was worried for him. I liked Uli's dress for the first time. Loved Laura's. (as usual) Wouldn't wear it of course, but loved it. So they all get to go to Fashion Week or whatever it is. Of the four of them, I would only be upset if Jeffrey ended up winning the whole thing. I just abhor his personality.

Grey's Anatomy. So addicted. LOVE IT. Just keeps getting better all the time. After that, I watched Six Degrees. Now I don't know whether it was the gin and tonic I drank (and deserved) on an empty stomach after a 13 hour work day or if I'm just slow, but I could not follow it. I really do want to give it another chance next week without the mind altering fluid rushing through my veins. We'll see. Truly, I just sat there completely mind boggled.

Have a great weekend!

Stop the world. I want to get off.

No, not really. It's just been a little crazier than I'm used to. Thanks to everyone who sent email about my parents. They are hanging in there. Mom is doing better and and Dad is still doing ok with his chemo. Everything is a day at a time.

Son got rear ended at a red light and the van (from hell) is no longer road worthy. Thus I'm driving a borrowed car so my husband can drive mine and son can drive his. Craziness.

We have finally transitioned at work. We are now officially a Howard Hanna office. So that is a load off. Still a lot of work to be done with that but the big things are accomplished.

Knitting content?? Nope. Unless you want to consider the fact that I can't find my Clapotis knitting content. I tore the place apart this morning looking for it. I wanted to wrap up in that today and it's nowhere to be found. I'll find it eventually. I'd like to make another one of those. Something in blacks and greys. If anyone has any good suggestions for yarn, I'm all ears. I LOVE that pattern. If you haven't gone there yet, try it. It's so much fun.

Weekend Update

In between real work appointments, I worked furiously on this all weekend. I thought I was almost finished with it but I was wrong. I misread the pattern. I actually had two more repeats of the 59 row chart to do than I thought. Right now, I have about 100 more rows to do to finish it by Saturday and have it blocked and dry by next Thursday. It really is the perfect wrap for this chilly morning weather as well as for on the airplane. If you have the opportunity to buy this Jaeger Matchmaker yarn, do it. It's so soft you just want to wrap yourself up in it. There is an orange cable-y sweater in the Fall issue of Interweave Knits that would be awesome done in this yarn. Add that to my list.


Knitting fever has hit the family. I went to my sister's to visit my niece, home from London, and when I walked in, everyone went to get their knitting! My sister is making a cute sweater for Giorgi and Erin is making a baby scarf with pockets. (Debbie Bliss pattern... strange directions. I couldn't figure it out)

So what is the scoop with knitting needles on airplanes these days? Does each airline have their own rules? Surely I'd be ok with Erin plastic circulars? Right? I just don't want to have it taken from me at the last minute. But I also don't want to pack it in the big suitcase if I could be knitting on the plane. Right now, my other projects include two pair of socks, one pair on metal dp's and the other pair on bamboo dp's. I'm guessing the metal needles would be a no no, but i'm not sure about the bamboos. I'd have to start something new to work with the Erin circs and I really don't want to do that. That's just what I need. Another UFO.

Crazy Life

Work: Complete and Total Insanity

Home: A mess (I keep waiting for the Department of Health to show up at the door)

Kids:
daughter 1... enjoying motherhood.

daughter 2... home to see grandma and grandpa.

son: haven't crossed paths lately but judging from the clothes on the bathroom floor I'd have to guess he's still living here.

Knitting: What's that???

Mom: Home from hospital today (turns out dialysis is responsible yet again. they are bound and determined to kill her while trying to keep her alive)

Dad: tolerating Chemo well

Niece: visiting from London with hubby and Giorgi

Husband: wondering if I still live here

Me: exhausted and also wondering if I still live here

Please. Don't Let This Happen To Your Husband

Believe me, it looks worse enlarged. Day Off Pullover? How about Pull Down The Shades And Hide In The Closet Pullover??















Like I said before, this is the only knitting magazine I subscribed to. (in a moment of weakness...online...) I saw this issue in the supermarket yesterday and almost grabbed it and put it in the cart. Then I started thinking... don't I get this in the mail?? Once again, a magazine out on the news stand before a subscriber gets it in the mail. If it had been Vogue or Interweave Knits I'd have been perturbed. It was in my mail when I got home. I didn't see anything in it I would knit. There have been a few cute things in past issues though.

No knitting last night. Had dinner with a friend then got called to the hospital upon hearing that my mother was taken to the ER. She is now in ICU. Dad starts chemo next week. So, yeah, life is not so much fun at 50 something. However there are moments when you just have to crack up or you will crack up. Take this morning for instance. I go to the hospital at 6:45am to check out the overnight situation. Can't get into the ICU because something major is going on in there and no visitors are allowed in. I talked to a nurse. She gave me the scoop and I left. As I was exiting the parking garage, I notice that there is a new little toll booth thingy and new money machine to pay to get out. I'm thinking... THANK YOU GOD. The old one sucked so bad that you just almost had a nervous breakdown every time you tried to use it. So I have my 4 quarters in hand (being all smart about it because the dollar thing is always way too finicky) and I try to put the quarters in and they won't go. The quarter slot is not wide enough to accept the quarters. So I'm frustrated and there are cars behind me and I'm routing through my purse for a dollar bill that doesnt' look like it's been handled by 10,000 people in 48 states, and I finally find one and put it in upside down and the machine starts talking to me. OK. So I pretty much let the machine have it. I told the machine that this was just really great because I wasn't stressed out enough to begin with today and I really needed this right now, etc. etc. I'm pretty much just yelling at the machine at this point. And that's when I see it. The camera. Oy.

Tonight's TV 10 lead in: "Crazy real estate agent has mental collapse in hospital parking garage." FILM at 11:00.

Petrified Almonds

In an effort to lose weight and eat healthier (before the beach) I bought these yesterday along with a fruit salad and yogurt for lunch. Of course I was trying to re-create the McDonalds fruit salad that I love, only make it better with strawberries and other fruit besides just apples and grapes. I almost succeeded. I was really enjoying it until I bit into one of these almonds. It was like biting into a stone. The pain just shot up my face. Now I have a tingling and numbness around the affected tooth. I'm sure I'll end up at the dentist unless it's something like a nerve injury or something that will eventually go away. I don't know too much about dental problems. But the moral of the story is... dont' buy these things. The walnuts are ok but the almonds are deadly. (of course I had to try other ones just to see if they were all that way and they were)

I continue to work on Trellis and Vine. Although I am close to the end, it seems to be taking forever and now I am concerned that I won't have it finished before the beach. I know I could do it without the drying and blocking time. It's going to be tight. And I'm so tired at night anymore that I do a few rows and go to bed. Maybe I should consider taking the synthroid that I'm supposed to be taking to alleviate this problem. Yep. Add the pharmacy to my list of things to do. I'm such a bad patient.

Wow! Look what I got!

I got a late birthday gift last night from my sister. This thing is monstrous. It takes up my whole table. Now I just want to block something and I don't have anything to block! When I'm finished with Vine and Trellis (which should be soon), it's going to have to go on the floor. It's too big even for this board and I bought those blocking wires to do it with. They haven't come yet but I'm expecting them this week. The good news is that I will have that finished for the beach which was the plan.

I went shopping yesterday. Most of you know I hate to shop and I go only out of desperation in times of trouble. Our upcoming beach trip to Sea Island in Georgia requires some new attire so I had to bite the bullet. (try buying summer clothes now... ugh.) Waiting until the last minute always comes back to bite you but that's not what this particular rant is about. (you've been warned)... Our Kaufmanns store is now Macy's. You Pittsburgh people will already know that. I worked at Kaufmanns in between jobs once and for some reason, department store psychology is that they think their sales people need to use people's first names and be overly friendly with them. In theory, this sounds like a good idea. But in reality, when I go shopping, I expect the salesperson to be friendly, but I don't feel the need to have them act like we're long lost cousins. What I don't want, and what drives me crazy, is having a stranger act like she's known me all my life and call me by my first name (or any name for that matter) and then go into a canned routine about how much money I could have saved if I had used my credit card (I said I didn't want to use the card and then she said, well, you could use the card and then make a payment right away to get the savings.) What didn't she understand? And then, after that whole conversation she pointed out a website listed on the receipt that I could go to if I had any questions or if I wanted to comment on the service I received that day. What should have been a one minute transaction turned into a 4 minute transaction. Granted, 4 minutes isn't very long. But I didn't want to have that conversation. I just wanted to pay and smile and say thank you and go. I like people. I like talking to people. What I dont' like is forced conversation that you know is only happening because someone told them they had to do it. I wonder if I'm weird. Or anti-social. Is it wrong not to want to be BFF's with department store salespeople?

Crazy Yard Sale People

I had a yard sale this morning. Well, actually, my daughter and I had a yard sale at her house. I dragged about 3 car loads of stuff to her house and nearly broke my already broken back and when all was said and done, I made $27.00. Hmmn. Somehow I don't think it was worth the effort.

So I had 20 years worth of stuffed animals arranged on a plastic drop cloth, each 25 cents. None of them were cheesy. They were all good ones but as you know, a stuffed animal is a stuffed animal. Half of them sold. Only half! At 25 cents! I thought they'd go in a heart beat and I was giving them away just to get rid of them. And one lady, get this, brought one to me and asked if I'd take 20 cents for it. At this point I'm speechless. Yeah, let's negotiate over a nickel. Well I don't know... how's 23 cents sound to you??? Geez!!! Don't get me wrong. I'm used to negotiating. I do it for a living. But a nickel??? $$$ Thousands I get. A nickel I don't get. I wanted to say... let's do this... I'll pay YOU 20 cents to get it out of here. How's that? Would she have felt bad? or embarrassed? Probably not. People crack me up.

Random Blathering (just because it's funny)

BRAD PITT SAYS HE AND ANGIE WON'T MARRY UNTIL THE RESTRICTIONS ON WHO CAN MARRY WHOM ARE DROPPED.

Oh no. Say it isn't so. Do you think we can band together and implore the powers that be into changing how the world works for Brad and Angie?? I mean, really, I won't sleep. We should notify congress. Does the UN have any say? They're living in SIN people! For God's Sake! We have to do something!!

I'm sure their decision has absolutely everything to do with social reform and nothing at all to do with the ol' pre-nup discussion. Give me a break. But I guess you do have to give them credit. Nice save.

Project Runway

Since I have no knitting to discuss, you get Project Runway babble. (I did knit last night. Trellis and Vine. Do you want to see the progress for the 5th time?? I think not. Pretty boring stuff.)





















Re: Laura. This woman designs for me. I have loved every single thing she has created. Now, I wouldn't wear this because I'm too old for it. But lengthen it and I would love it. Like her or loathe her, Laura's got some classy taste in clothes. The other designer that I think is near genius is Michael. I wouldn't wear most of his things but I appreciate them for the younger generation. He has never designed anything that looked cheap or silly. Now, Jeffrey, on the other hand hasn't designed anything yet that I would classify as not silly . Just silly. How in the world could he have remained on the show after what he did last night???




















Why is he still there? There is ridiculous, and there is beyond ridiculous. What is that... thing... around her boobs? I can't stand his attitude and my 3 year old niece could come up with better designs. Personally, I think he's still there for the ratings. I'm sure there is a faction who can't wait to see what the next piece of crap from him will be. People love to hate him. And Bravo loves the hype. I can just picture all the Bravo execs sitting around the table saying... "Can you believe what they're going to be saying about this around the water cooler tomorrow??"

Ok.. I got that out of my system. Sorry for the rant.

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Organized

Okay I was kidding. My desk is total chaos. This is why not much knitting is getting accomplished. I'm sure the cleaning people are talking about me and flipping coins to see who has to come in here and deal with this. What is it they say... messy desk, brilliant mind...? Or did I just make that up?

My sister and I have been trying to get together to knit for two weeks and haven't yet found the time. She got me a blocking board for my birthday and it finally came. Now I can block things without towels laying all over the place. I've always wanted one of those. Now if I only had a ROOM for it! I need a knitting room. Like a sewing room. Hmmn... which kid can I throw out?

Couch Potato Monday

Last night I walked in the door at 5:30pm (totally unprecedented) and walked straight up the stairs and put a sweatshirt and pajama bottoms on. I went back downstairs, ate a salad, and told my husband that only fire would make me go back out that door before tomorrow morning. I sat in a chair and knit until 10:00pm on Trellis and Vine. I believe it was the first time I relaxed in about 10 days (or more). If ever there was an evening I should have had a glass of wine (and didn't) that was it. I feel much better for it today. Life isn't supposed to lived at 100000 MPH.
















This is a better photo of the hunting sock I knit at the golf tournament. Not bad for one day's work. The yarn is Summit Hill from Kraemer yarns. 100% wool superwash worsted. It's nice. Just another UFO for the basket. I keep starting them. Finishing them is always the problem.

So the new Knitty is up for Fall. (www.knitty.com) I have to say it's not bad at all. I liked a lot of those patterns. I loved the cover sweater (Viveka) until I took a good look at the sleeves. What's that all about? I'd knit it, but I'd modify those sleeves. That would just drive me (and most people) crazy. The pattern I was most impressed with was Avast. I think that has to be the most professionally and well designed piece I have ever seen on one of these amateur designer sites. I would make that for my son tomorrow if I thought he wouldn't lose it. He loses everything. I just couldn't take the chance. It's an awesome sweater. That designer, Jesse Loesberg, also designed the Danica Scarf (entrelac) that I loved in one of the previous issues of Knitty. All of the sock patterns are nice but I'm not a fancy sock knitter. I like sock knitting to be completely mindless. I like the yarn to do the talking with hand knit socks.

Ok, I better get back to the grind. Have a great day.