Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

Super hot day today, as hot as any summer day. It was +30C today. One thing I realized is I'm getting older and can't stand the heat. I don't know how I'll make out this summer! It's better than snow, mind you, but I don't like it when it's too hot. It's not going to last yet. The rest of the week is supposed to be cooler but nice.

I finished a pair of socks, Ravelry details here. These ones were started on April 16, finished the 25th. I used Fortissima Socka Zebra, or something like that, in olive. Just a standard vanilla sock, 2.25mm needles, 68sts for these ones to make ladies large/mens medium, heel over 34sts, toe to 24sts.

Been working on some vanilla footies with leftover Patons Stretch Sock for my best friend. I am on the second sock of the first pair. I don't seem to be getting a lot of knitting time in lately. I work this weekend, so I'll make up for it then.

Anyone who read my previous post and may have been wondering about Hubs, well, we still don't know what's up. He went to work today, and I haven't heard anything yet from his ultrasound he had done yesterday. So far his stomach isn't bothering him, but he has been watching what he eats. Also an update on this post and the dog harnesses -- mine are both still pulling, but not as badly. Maggie is the worst. She loses all brain function when she goes for a walk. It's terrible, I'm going to video her sometime. She yips and yaps and bites at the leash, she pulls, she weaves and bobs back and forth, it's crazy. She got two spots on her chest where the harness chaffed her, and it kinda scabbed. The straps have pads, so I make sure the pads are pulled up all the way, but it's from her insisting on pulling. Jewel is much better, starts off pulling a bit, but then she slacks off. She didn't get any sore spots. At least now I can take them together without throwing my back out.

Anyhoo, gotta go do some other stuff, not that I want to.

Happy knitting!

Those Crazy Teenagers!

Oh, how old I feel today. I am now the mother of teenagers! Nala and Simba are 13 years old today. Seems like just yesterday they were two little imps terrorizing my houseplants in my apartment. I saw them for the first time when they were four days old with their Momma and three other littermates. These two were the only two bobtails in the litter, and all of the kittens looked like Simba except for Nala. My friend who I got them from said that of all the kittens Poopa ever had (yes, their biological Momma was called Poopa) none of them ever came out looking like Nala!

Nala:


Simba:


I haven't seen the birthday girl yet today, but the birthday boy is asleep in the kitchen window, sunning himself. I've always wondered what happened to their three brothers and sisters from that litter. They had an older half-brother also named Simba who looked just like my Simba, and I know he died about two years ago when he was fifteen. He got sick and had to be put down. :(

I finished a book tote, Ravelry details here. I used one full skein of Patons Classic Wool in harvest that has been in the stash for some time. It was originally going to be mittens. I had some leftover purple for the handles (there is purple in the harvest colorway even though it's hard to see) and the flower. I used leftovers in leaf green for the leaves.



I'd like to make two or three more of these for gifts. Next time I want to fiddle with some decreases at the top on the last ten or so rounds so it doesn't flare out so much. This one is for me, and it will do. I also made the handles longer than what it called for, and I wish I hadn't. The pattern says 8", and I think I went to 12-13". Should have kept it around 10".

Other than that I've gotten a fair bit done on my Zebra Vanilla socks. Spent two hours at outpatients yesterday and almost two hours there again this morning. (Saw your mother again today, Heddy. Showed her I had my socks with me again!) Hubs spent the other night in hospital in New Brunswick with severe abdominal pain. His sugar was high, blood pressure was high, white blood cell count was up, had a fever, severe pain in his stomach (but a couple of doses of morphine helped that). They couldn't find what was wrong but surmised gall bladder or ulcer. He got discharged the next morning and was told to go home and see his family doctor. He got home almost midnight, so yesterday afternoon he had more blood tests and xrays. This morning more blood tests. It is subsiding somewhat, so he has to have an ultrasound the beginning of the week. Our doctor is leaning towards gall bladder. Anyhoo, if he gets worse over the weekend he's to go to outpatients again, and they'll send him to the next town over to see a surgeon.

The forecast is for a gorgeous weekend, sunny and nice temperatures. I plan on doing yard work and start expanding my garden area. I would imagine sittin' and knittin' in the sun will happen at some point as well.

Happy knitting!

Spring

I guess spring has finally sprung here. We've been having nice weather lately, sometimes a little cool still, though, in the wind. Lots of outdoor playing for the kids, and I sat outside and knit for awhile yesterday. Went to our accountant's office on Friday, and they had a little vase of mayflowers on the counter. Lots of my flowers are up, and I've gotten some more leaves cleaned up and hauled away. (My yard is surrounded on three sides by hedges, prickly icky hedges, that gather all kinds of leaves and garbage. Got one side cleaned, the back isn't too bad, the far side will be the worst.)

Working on vanilla socks for the store. I'm on the gusset decreases now. Making these ones a little bigger, more for a ladies large/mens medium. Cast on 68sts on 2.25mm needles, twisted rib for 20 rows, heel over 34sts, and I'll work the toe down to my usual 20sts and graft. The yarn is a breed of Fortissima Socka.


The Oldest One flying his kite in one of the parks in town.


Hubs got the kids some more sand for their sandbox on Saturday. I'll get another three of four bags later on. It settles and gets packed down. I keep it covered with canvas so the neighborhood cats don't think it's a big litter box.

That's about it lately. Lots of yard work and nice weather cuts back on knitting time. The next couple of days after today are supposed to be wet, so knitting time will pick up. Got to take the Oldest One to the orthodontist tomorrow. He has a crossbite and was having a thing made to put in his mouth for three months to correct it. The piece arrived from the lab, and they won't use it. He has a small palate, and the doctor said there was "no way he'd do that to any kid". Apparently the way they made this thing it would hang way down in his mouth and would end up sticking in his gums as it was turned each day and cause great discomfort and pain. So now we had been there 2 of 3 times, now he has to go back 3 more times to try it a different way. At least it costs the same, I don't have to pay any more.

Must do some bookkeeping and a bit of housework so I can take the dogs for a walk. I bought new harnesses on Saturday for them that are supposed to stop pulling instantly. We'll see how they work.

Happy knitting!

Carolina

Carolina

Started April 4, finished April 16

2.5mm needles

Austerman Step in color 27

Nice easy pattern, four row repeat. The first row is the "pattern" row, the next two are just knit, fourth row is purled. Easy peasy. I love it when I don't have to keep looking at the pattern. Ravelry details here.

Got a call from the Littlest One's school on Tuesday. Another boy in his class hit him in the head with a rock at recess time, just above the left eye. They wanted me to come and take a look at it. When I got there he had an icepack on it, so the swelling had gone down a lot. It didn't seem to bother him any. I gave him some headache medicine, and he was fine. I took these pictures when he got home from school. The little guy who did it, "did it on purpose" according to the Littlest One. I don't quite know exactly what happened other than there seemed to be an argument over something or other. The other kid lost recess privileges for awhile since he, "broke one of the rules".

These two have been enjoying the weather lately. Lots of laying in the sun and going for walks.


That's it for today. Got a cold and feel like crap.

Check this out if you haven't seen this yet. Caught it on the news last night. She's amazing! They even started a Ravelry group. The look on Simon's face is well worth watching. This clip has almost 20,000,000 hits so far and is still rising. Definitely goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover.

Happy knitting!

Happy Easter

I trust that the Easter Bunny found everyone. He made it to our place.

He scattered eggs through the house.

The boys got Transformers kites. I hafta get another one cuz when we came home from Nanny's for supper they took them in the back yard. I said not to let hardly any line out cuz there are trees in the neighbor's back yard. Of course, the Oldest One let all of his line out, so now his kite is in the neighbor's tree, and I have to go get another one. Good thing they were only like $4. (They only had Bumblebee from the movie.)

Sugar crash for the Littlest One.
I finally finished my two pairs of Fetching fingerless mitts. I started these way back on January 4, finished April 12. Ravelry details here. I used two skeins of Diamond Yarn Alpaca Peru in moss. They are super soft, 100% alpaca. An easy pattern that knits up very fast, I really don't know why I didn't finish these sooner. I don't know what I'm doing with the second pair yet. One pair is mine, and by the looks outside I can use them today. The sun is peeking through now, but it has been flurrying off and on all day.

Got my new internet and phone service installed this morning. It saves me between $50-60 a month doing it in a bundle with my digital cable for the next year, plus the internet is faster than the other internet I had. Once it goes up to its regular price per month after the year special offer I will still save about $30 a month over what I was paying before. Hopefully I remembered to change my e-mail address everywhere. I sent it to all my contacts in my e-mail, but I have bills and statements from various places sent by e-mail now, hopefully I remembered to switch them all. The poor guy who did the install had two more big jobs to do today, and his van wouldn't start. He got another guy to pick him up and drop him off at his next place. The towing company came and got his van about half an hour ago.

Happy knitting!

Good Friday

Today feels like Saturday. I'll be all messed up now with the holiday. It's a nice, sunny day, kinda warm, very windy. I did some yardwork today and hauled a truckload of leaves out to the compost yard, the first of many. I'm doing my ham today cuz I have to work tomorrow, and Hubs doesn't know if he's leaving for work Sunday morning or not yet. Ma is making a ham on Sunday, so we'll go up there, Hubs, too, if he's home.

I started my first shawl the other day. I've had the yarn for a long time now. I wonder if I can finish it for the May 2 Annual Firemen's Banquet. The pattern is Sakura Cherry Blossom Shawl and is made with Noro Sakura (discontinued).

I've also got a pair of Austerman Step Carolinas on the go. Very easy pattern to remember, an excellent pattern for self striping yarn.

Knit Nite resumed last Wednesday now that Nova Knitter (our hostess) returned from her trip to Florida. We also had two newcomers -- my Oldest One took a hat that he has been working on. There are some twisted stitches and a couple increased stitches where there weren't supposed to be, but overall it's looking pretty good. He's doing a lot better this time around than he did before when he wanted to work on dishcloths. (The Littlest One has a dishcloth on the go, but he only does half a row or so and loses interest. He does very well, though.) The other newcomer was Marti's Pinta, and is she ever sweet! Never made a peep the entire time. I got to hold her and play with all that hair, twirling it around my finger. You would not believe the hair on that baby. Nova Knitter was an obs nurse for a long time and said she never saw a newborn with the much hair.

Popped into the store yesterday for a few minutes. The Arequipa and Lang Jawoll Silk Socks are selling really well. I'm happy -- that means I'll be able to expand into more colors. (And I was the one who wanted to get it in, so it didn't backfire on me.) I have to work tomorrow if anyone is around town and wants to visit.

Happy knitting!

Jumble

This is just a jumbled up post of different things. I finished one of the felted bags I needed for the Oldest One's school Spring Fiesta that was held on Saturday. It's made with Cascade 220 Heathers in a black/brown marl. Started March 30, finished April 1. Got the other one for the Littlest One's school's raffle draw done and is awaiting felting. It's the same thing as this one.

Finished another pair of vanilla anklets out of Patons Stretch Sock in licorice. These are for the store, Ravelry details here. Started March 31, finished April 4.

The Oldest One had an orthodontist appointment last Thursday, so we went to Wal-Mart. I was in the market for a new vacuum. My old one was probably almost 12 years old, a cheapy Kenmore upright that has lived its life. It won't stand up any more, one side is broken and flops loose, the cord is mangled and taped in a dozen spots, etc, etc. I'd love to have a Dyson, but I can't bring myself to part with that kind of money right now. We only have carpets in the bedrooms and hallway. Anyhoo, I found one at Canadian Tire that I liked the best, and it was pretty inexpensive. I had a $10 gift card and $6 in CT money, so that helped. So.... since I had alloted double of what I actually spent I got one of these I've wanted for awhile. I will make dehydrated apples and other fruits, Hubs had wanted it to make beef jerky. I also picked up a new pair of sneakers for Hubs. The Oldest One had some money and got another fish tank and a heater, so now we have some tropical fish. (And more work for me.)

I also got my seeds for the season. Since the weather is coming around I'll start tinkering in the garden days. I'm expanding this year. I added green onions, broccoli, turnips, and squash.

And here's my new baby. It's a sad life when a new vacuum cleaner brings this much excitement!

I knew the old vacuum wasn't working well, but MAN, look at this! This was just half of the hallway and the Oldest One's room. Crazy!

Fur, fur, and more fur.... I guess my carpets haven't really been "clean" in a long time.

Back at almost the end of February the Littlest One won a dvd of Journey to the Center of the Earth in his milk at school I sent the claim ticket in like three or four days before the deadline. I forgot all about it til it arrived in the mail the other day. One side of the dvd is just the regular movie, the other side is 3D, and it came with four sets of 3D glasses. He's watched it twice so far. We watched it one night already on pay-per-view, but it wasn't 3D. They love it.

And lastly, I was cleaning the bathroom the other day. I went into the kitchen for maybe one minute and came back to find Maggie and this mess in the hallway. Total little ball of evil but so sweet along with it. Sigh.

Happy knitting!

PS We got our order of Estelle Arequipa in stock as well as Lang Jawoll Silk Sock and Invicta Sock Yarn. It's really nice. We've got quite a selection of sock yarn now. We'll also be ordering more James C Brett Marble DK. That's selling really well. I haven't used it yet, but everyone so far says it's really nice to work with.