pictures from home

I downloaded the recent pictures from my memory card.

Here's where I was with Dad's zucchini this morning. See the problem?

I ripped with the ladies at lunch, had to rip again on the train, but did manage to finish off the right front. I'll be heading for sleeve island durin CSI: tonight.


My knitting group at work is doing a secret santa. We picked names today. I've already got my gift ordered. No, I didn't buy yarn.

froggin' the zucchini

I have to rip out about 4 inches of Ddad's sweater. Don't feel bad for me. It's inches after the armhole shaping and it is only a couple of rows per inch. If only I could follow the simple cabling directions for this sweater. Oh well, it will be a quick fix. I should still have the left front done tonight. I'd show you a picture, but I'm at work and photos don't like to post for me here.

I'm wearing my recently finished Chickami with my CeCe today. I'd show you that but ditto the part about the pictures.

One thing to note. It's gotten much easier dressing Billy lately. For some reason he's been insisting on socks first (and we've been quickly picking a pair) and then the rest goes pretty smoothly. I know, it's going to blow up in my face tomorrow.

all the cool kids are doing it

Freaking out the muggles with the power of the knit blog-o-sphere, that is.

Julie did it. Jodi and Mamacate did it. I love Mamacate's saying we should unleash the knitters.

I think I've seen it elsewhere but can't remember where to track back for the links.

Anywho. Let's show them how we do it knitblog style.

Link this guy, who is measuring the speed at which a meme will travel across the blogosphere by having his blog linked, results to be presented at MLA, and ping at Technorati.

pictures

Not sure if anyone saw the misdated post yesterday. I was able to finally upload one measly photo. Here's the quick hat I did. I think the problem is not with Blogger but with me because I can't upload to flickr either. I guess I'll just have to start blogging from home.

So, Dad's birthday sweater is going along swimmingly. I'm knitting it in Rowan Polar (zucchini is the color). The pattern is Kirk from Rowan 38 or something. (I linked to it a while back.) The Polar is very loosely spun and sheds like my dog, but it makes such a yummy, smooshy fabric, I'm loving the knitting. I sure hope dad likes it. So far in a week and three days, I've finished the back and the right front. I cast on for the left front last night and hope to have it finished by the weekend.

WHY?

For the last week, I have been unable to upload photos to Blogger. this is ridiculous. I guess I'll have to start hosting pics over at Flickr.

still can't

post pictures.

See y'all after the holiday. Maybe by then Blogger will have it's stuff in order.

nothing makes any sense

Because everything I want to post requires pictures.

I can tell you we think we have an explanation for my itchies & hives. My psychiatrist thinks I may have developed an allergy to my anti-depressant. Fortunately, a regular and judicious dosing of benadryl keeps the hives and itchies away, but I can't take my meds until after I see him in early December. Can't wait for crazy lady to re-appear.

it doesn't count if it becomes an FO within 12 hours

(finally got the pic in here today and am posting on 11/27)
Honestly, I really wasn't going to buy any more yarn until I'd met those goals from a few posts back. But, I went to PURL to get a US11 Addi for Dad's birthday sweater (my boye needlemaster was killing my wrists, the needle part is way too short), and I saw a riot of swirly color in the sale bin.

40% off. I got two skeins. It's Lorna's Laces Bulky Swirl in Carrot.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for orange merino and silk.

But, since I finished a hat with it within 12 hours (which I wore a lot over thanksgiving weekend), I say it doesn't count against my countdown. I'd post a pic, but I'm happy to have just the yarn pictured. I want to make some fingerless mitts with the other skein and a half, and I nearly had a pair done, but they will have to wait.

I'm making much progress on Dad's birthday sweater.

TGIF

And I mean that.

Whoo boy what a week.

This morning was much easier with the B. A few no's about the pants, but no screaming or kicking and he picked out a pair. Same deal with the socks. And I got him to not whine after turning off Nemo by getting him to help feed the dog. I'm sure he'll kick my butt again next week.

Weirdo is actually excited to go see Docta Maggie today. I think it might have something to do with the lollypops. I'm hoping we can stop with the nebulizer. It will help cut down on my rushing around at both ends of the day.

We don't have any big plans for the weekend. Just hanging out at home, doing yardwork and housework, and laundry. I'm planting a ton of bulbs tomorrow. A friend of ours won 200 daffodil bulbs in a charity auction and can't use them. He gave us 100. I'm going to give some to M-i-L and her mom in SC (she'd asked for daffodil bulbs for their 65th wedding anniversary earlier this year), the rest are going in a raised bed in my back yard with some bulbs I'm going to try to rescue from our shady front yard.

Oh, and I'll be knitting. I will be starting the toe on my second zebra sock this afternoon on the way home. Maybe an FO for Monday. I'll probably keep working on my red scarves all weekend. Not sure if I'll pick up Hubby's aran or the crocheted purse.

What I really should do is finish my chickami. It only needs a few rows on one strap....

did you get the license plate?

I've finished the gusset on the zebra jaywalkers. Just about 15 rows to the toes.

I'm feeling totally run over today. Every morning this week the dressing of the B has been an ordeal. I can't take much more of this. It's a race against the clock in the morning and a rush at night to get him fed and give him his meds and to bed at a decent hour. Hubby's not been home before 8 much this week (I could kick him for changing jobs) so I've been doing the cooking and everything else.

Today I've got two more meetings (one which is right up against when I have to leave, I really hope it's not a problem that I'm leaving at 4:30 on the dot) and tons of stuff that needs to be done. It's going to rain again tonight so the commute will be another treat (I'm taking the train).

Fortunately, tomorrow is a half-day. I'm taking B for a re-check on his lungs and I hope we'll be done with the meds, for now I'm sure we'll need them again before cold season is over. I can't wait until Monday when I can stop putting peroxide in his ears. We went to the ENT on Monday. He removed one tube (it was just sitting in the canal stuck in some earwax, yes I know that's gross), but the other is obstructed with wax. So, the peroxide is to help clear up some of the wax while we wait for the tube to come out. If it's not out by February, he'll have to remove it.

so addicted

I couldn't stop knitting on the last ballband dishcloth yesterday on the train, even though I was really, really sick and heading home early. I've finished up all of M-i-L's buttercream dishclothes. I wove in the ends last night while Billy was doing his meds. I'll try to get a pic before I gift them on Saturday. The girls at knitting yesterday were very impressed with the dishcloths. Yes, I was fortunate in that I didn't get sick until after knitting.

I was also fortunate in that a couple of immodium and a nap had me in good shape for taking care of the B last night. He was pretty easy, though.

Poor hubby didn't get home until after 8. He did get to give B a quick kiss before he went to bed.

I was in bed by 9:30 last night. I wasn't having symptoms, but I was beat.

I'm back to the zebra jaywalkers as my commute knitting. Yes, the last dishcloth had supplanted the socks. I'm just about done the gusset. My goal is to be working the toe this weekend.

I've started thinking about what to take on our trip next week. I'm leaning toward Hubby's aran, a red scarf I cast on this morning (Patons Classic in Bright Red in the spiral pattern from the Knit stitch a day calendar), and yarn for a felted bucket hat and mittens for me. We'll see if any cotton jumps out of the stash at me between now and Tuesday night.

My current obsession

The one on the left is the second in that color combo. The first was gifted to M-i-L this weekend as a condo-warming gift (yay! they're buying a place down the shore). I'm going to give her the rest of them, too. I really liked the ombre as the main color, but now, I'm loving the natural as the main color. Love the diagonal rainbow effect. I'm using Sugar and Cream in Natural and Buttercream. I'm going to keep knitting on these until the yarn is gone.

Billy didn't want to wear pants again today. Eventually, I got some red sweats on him and then he insisted on wearing a belt. Hubby is still claiming it's my fault and is concerned about what this particularity means for the kid's future. Me, I'd just like to get out of the house without the screaming matches. I just don't know what to do. He can take his pants off now, so even if we wrestle and force a pair he doesn't want on him, he'll be naked in five minutes.

In other news, the itching definitely seems to be stress-related. I had a huge outbreak last night, hives and all, and my skin was nowhere near dry. (I recently switched to Eucerin lotion.) But, I did get a final notice in the mail from the hospital for that MRI I had in April 2005. Seems the hospital and my insurance carrier can't agree on how much an MRI should cost. Since my coverage for radiologic is 100% and the carrier insisted on the MRI when the doctor first prescribed a CT-scan, and since the hospital is in-network, we really should have no out-of-pocket expenses. Hubby's called the carrier twice (we've been getting bills since August, 16 months after the test), and they told him to not worry about it. Well, now that the hospital is threatening us with a collections agency, it's time to worry a bit, don't you think? Fortunately, my company has an account with Health Advocate and I've turned everything over to them. I hope there's a resolution that does not require a check from us and does not negatively impact my credit rating.

blah, blah, Monday, blah

What a morning. B did not want to get dressed. Well, he did. He wanted to wear two shirts but no pants. And his orange jacko'lantern socks as hand puppets, not as socks. Hubby's helpful hints: It's all your fault for giving him too many choices.

8 days out of 10 I let the kid pick his clothes and he gets dressed with the minimum of fuss. 2 days out of 10, he's a complete and utter brat about it and it's my fault for letting him exert some independence and express himself. Yeah, I see how that works.

It doesn't help that he's back on the nebulizer and didn't want to stop watching Nemo this morning. Yeah, the broncho-dialators, etc. I was home with him on Thursday because he was developing a really bad cough and didn't want to get up. Now, this is the kid who asks to see his teachers during the weekend, so he wasn't just looking to hang with Mom all day. Docta Maggie (that's how he says it) feels he's outgrowing the bronchial tendencies and we should only have to nebulize for a week, but I was just happy there was no ear involvement. We did, however, watch Nemo 3 times on Thursday.

A sick day with the B did leave to a new obsession. I'm addicted to ballband dishclothes, from Mason Dixon Knitting. I've already knitted 2 completely and nearly done the 3rd. I'm constantly fantasizing about worsted cotton in my stash. Not to mention trying to make a red scarf using the pattern.

I did turn the heel on the second sock, as planned. I'm diligently working the gussets as my commute knitting.

And work, it's just kicking my ass to no end these days. I'm so looking forward to the Thanksgiving break.

crocheting a better bag

This was my favorite purse for quite a while. Considering I got it for a mere pittance as a rebate for buying some off the shelf skin care products, I've gotten a lot of use out of it. It's larger than purses I used to carry, but I can fit knitting in it. See, my KSKS bag and jaywalkers fit just fine.

But, you can also see that it's seen better days. I've been thinking about felted bags on and off for quite some time, like everyone else. Nona's recent creation really caught my eye. I especially like that it's really square and thought that her piece construction would really do this boxy bag justice. And then Jeanie mentioned that she crochets her Noni bags and finds she gets a much stiffer fabric. I've been wanting to get a crochet project going for a while, but couldn't really find one.

Then I remembered I have five balls of Patons Merino classic in RED (yes, screaming red). The patons classic felts really well, I used it for Dad's mittens and hat. I bought this stuff cheap at Joann's a while back and was going to use it for Red Scarf '07 or for some felted mittens and a hat. I figured 2 skeins can got to a new purse (I bought all 5 skeins they had in this color).
So, last night, I started with an experimental piece to be the bottom. It took longer to felt, but the fabric is so much thicker than anything I've gotten from felting knitting. I'm stoked! It's not dry yet, so I'm not going to swear it's completely the right size, but it was looking good when I took it out of the washer last night.

And I've reached my blogger picture limit for this post. I'm really jazzed about this project and have some fun thoughts about linings. My fabric stash may come in handy yet. I actually couldn't sleep because I was thinking of this project and different ways I could take it.

exercise your franchise

Since it was such a struggle last century to secure the right to vote for my gender, I'm going to make sure and use it! Hey, with the "war on terror" eroding rights everyday, we can't think we're always going to have a say, can we?

I'll be taking B with me. Nothing wrong with a civics lesson.

go with the FO

Sorry for the super crappy photo. I finished up last night and then the sun wasn't quite up enough (or I wasn't) to get a daylight shot this morning.

Here she is, Ms. Go With the Flow, mom's 2006 birthday sweater, over a week late again.

The pattern is Go with the Flow from Fiona Ellis's Inspired Cable Knits. This is an awesome book and I'd knit anything in it. The pattern seemed error-free to me. The cables are both written out and charted.

I knit it up in Rowan 4-ply cotton, which I think is a slightly larger gauge than the called for yarn, Dale Stork. I really enjoyed it, except for the callous on my finger. It took me slightly longer than I expected, but it's knit on size 3s so I think a month is okay.

I'll be mailing it up to mom tonight. I hope she'll wear it a lot. She likes to wear tanks and it's a great color for her.

I finished up my first zebra sock on the way home last night and am most of the way through the cuff on sock 2. My goal is to get to the heel turn by this weekend. I knit about 4 rows on hubby's green aran. He really, really likes it. I need to find the pattern book, though. When I copied the pattern 6 months ago, I neglected to copy the abbreviation page. I think I know what they all mean, but I don't want the first 2 repeats looking completely different from the next four or so.

itchy, sleepy weekend

My zebra sock is not done. I haven't touched it since Friday on the subway. I slept on the bus home. I slept at home on the couch with Molly-Bo. I did housework and read Saturday. Then hubby and I went to the Knicks game. Yesterday, was church and some seaming on Go with the Flow. After B went to bed, so did I, with itcy skin and hives. Wine with dinner and two benadryl knocked me out cold.

I don't know what's going on with my skin lately. I've got no discernale rash, but I've been having these outrageous itchy episodes. Twice, I've had to shower with the allergy shampoo we got for the dog. Last night it didn't help so much. I know I should scratch, but it's driving me crazy. I think I need to seriously re-assess my skin wash and lotions.

I have it?

I showed Hubby and Billy my zebra sock this morning. Hubby thought it was cool. Billy asked "I have it?" I guess I should make some little zebra socks with any leftovers. Just a few more rounds until I kitchener the toe on this one. It was really hard to put it down this morning and get to work. I hope to cast on for #2 tonight on the bus.

Mom's sweater just needs side seams and ends woven in. I got the neckline and armholes done last night. I should be able to take some pics and mail it out tomorrow. Expect and FO report on Monday.

P.S. I thought my naked toes would garner some comments. Guess they look too normal. My sisters always gave me a hard time about how long my toes are.

footsie

The zebra jaywalkers have become my bus knitting, now that Go with the flow's blocking.

Not too much farther and I'll start the toe shaping. I hope to be kitchenering the toe tomorrow and casting on for sock two this weekend.

Although, hubby's aran was good company last night. It consoled me as I mourned the latest death on LOST. So, I might not do much sock knitting this weekend.

Tonight, if she's dry, I'll start seaming up mom's sweater.

caution hypocrite ahead

I'm feeling overwhelmed by my stash and know that for the next couple of months I should not start new projects other than gifts (what with my dad's birthday on 12/29 and B's on 2/2, then F-i-L's in March, I'm going to be busy for the next four months).

I also want to finish up the socks on the needles and Hubby's green aran is going to be back in rotation, hopefully completed in time for Christmas.

Plus, I have all this fabric I want to sew up and thoughts of making ornaments for gift tags this year after a 2-year break.

I need to take a little break from the rampant consumption.

So, my goal is to not buy any yarn after today (I've just bought more Polar and am in an auction for some koigu kersti) until I finish:

Hubby's aran
Dad's Kirk
Billy's birthday sweater
F-i-L's birthday sweater

Needles, notions, zippers, and items needed to finish these projects not included.

silky sock stash and Halloween with Mr B

I fell in love with these socks and had to have my own. I fell in love with them last week when Brynne posted a progress photo and , now I've got the yarn. Maybe after I finish one of my three pairs on the needles, I can cast on and have my own. Not sure I'll make them as matchy-matchy as Brynne did. But, I love them anyway. I got three colors on eBay really cheap because I'm a yarn hog and not particular about ball bands and dye lots on my socks. Yes, I know the two on the left don't look quite right together, but they're for socks.

Halloween was fun yesterday. B and I hung out in the morning and went to daycare for his parade and party. I had to walk in the parade with him or he was going to melt down. See, we didn't follow the normal drop off routine so he was freaked out. But, it was all good. He made a great Spider-Man and had fun. Then we went home and ate crap had a late nap and did trick or treating about quarter of five. B thought he could go in the car, so I had to push him in the stroller. It was beautiful day and I worked up a sweat pushing him around and lifting him in and out and up and down stairs. He had fun, though. Then we made sugar cookies for daddy and he kept sneaking candy out of our dish for the kids coming to our house. Little snot even left an open wrapper in the bowl one time. Sneaky guy.

Knitting on go with the flow is done. I'm washing and blocking tonight before LOST and will be seaming and finishing tomorrow and Friday. Looks good to have it in the mail Saturday. I'll be just over a week late again this year. Poor mom.