Slither Socks

I can't believe it's March, and I've got a Christmas gift knit already! These are plain old 60st vanilla socks on 2.5mm needles, started March 19, finished the 27th. The yarn is Dyeabolical in the slither colorway. I had hoped that they were going to look similar to these, they were going to be for me. However, I decided that since they weren't exactly what I thought they would be I'd keep them for the Oldest One for Christmas. Green is his favorite color, and the weather is starting to warm up, so he doesn't really need any more hand knit socks at the moment. Ravelry details here. The photo taken inside is the closest to the true color. I have enough leftovers that I started a small child's pair for charity. I'm going to soak them together, the yarn turned my bamboo needles greenish.

I think these made pair #25 for the 52PPiii. I'm obviously not going to make it to 52 pairs since it ends May 31. (An extra month -- I thought it ended on May 1.) I did the first 52PP and ended up knitting 29 pairs, I believe. I'll be happy if I can crank out 30 pairs, just so I can say I did better than my first time around!

Happy knitting!

Here, Chickie Chickie

I decided that I'm not a toy maker. Even though he's cute, I did not really enjoy knitting Which Came First. The pattern is well written, nothing to do with that, I just didn't like knitting it. He's a little portly, I overstuffed him a bit, but he still turns easily inside out. I just wanted it DONE and over with. I used Patons Astra. (That could have been some of the trouble -- I don't really care for it. The yellow was soft, but the white was like working with string.) Started March 20, finished the 23rd, I made it for the Littlest One's school's Easter raffle draw. Ravelry details here.





So last weekend we were in the city for the Oldest One's curling tournament. They had 43 teams entered this year from across Nova Scotia. Here he is in action. (He's the skip.)

They did better than they did last year. We sent two boys teams and one girls team. Some of those kids are like watching professionals, some of them curling together as a team for 3-4 years. Two of the kids on the Oldest One's team had never curled in the tournament before, and the girl was supposed to be the 5th like she was last year, but one of the boys decided he didn't like curling any more and quit. Then on Sunday one of the boys was a no-show, so we borrowed the 5th off of the girls team. (After the other boys team from our rink refused to help. We were not impressed with their poor sportsmanship. It was the parents, not the kids. Anyhoo...)

It was a gorgeous weekend, so between games on Saturday we went for a walk in Point Pleasant Park, never having been there before. It was a super busy spot.

Old barracks.

Hubs is a huge fan of the Trailer Park Boys. The guy who plays Bubbles was co-owner of this place, and we've driven past it several times, never been in. Guess we'll never know now, a few days ago on the news it said they closed up. Figures.

The dogs were ever so happy when we picked them up Sunday from the kennels. This is how Maggie sat pretty much the whole way home. Jewel tried to get in the front a couple of times, but I think though she was happy to go home she was mad at me. After her initial excitement she started giving me the cold shoulder. That didn't last very long, I think she was just making sure her dislike of the whole situation was clear.

I'll leave you with a video clip the Littlest One did at one of the curling games.

Happy knitting!

PS I also finally got to see my doctor yesterday and got a prescription for a sinus infection. Never had one of those before, not very pleasant.

Two

Tomorrow it's back to school for the kids. Last week was March Break, and it sucked for us. I had a rotten cold before March Break even started, the Littlest One missed three days the week before March Break, and the Oldest One missed one. The Littlest One woke up at 10:50pm on that Thursday, screaming blue murder, his ear hurt. It was a rough night. Our doctor doesn't work Fridays any more (unless he decides to, then he only sees previously booked appointments, they won't answer the phone if you call, you get the machine). So I called the hospital and couldn't get him seen til 2:30. (And the lady was very suspicious when she asked who my doctor was and that I couldn't get in on Fridays.) I was sooooo glad I called and got an appointment, they were crazy busy up there, but we got right in. He was getting really crabby, and both ears started hurting. One of his classmate's father was on call, and he said both ears were infected. So he was on antibiotics for seven days. Wednesday of last week I was off, and I felt sick all day, and the puking started at 11pm. I had the flu, and Friday morning 9am we were supposed to be heading for the city for the Oldest One's curling tournament. I ended up missing work on Thursday, and luckily Hubs got home early in the morning that day, his truck left in the city, so he drove in Friday cuz I still felt rotten. (I'm still coughing up a lung like I smoke two packs a day, and I've never smoked in my life.) Anyhoo, the next post will be about the tournament. They didn't win, but they had fun, and they did better than they did last year.

I finished up two pairs of socks. The first one are Traffic Island Socks in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the bittersweet colorway. Started March 9, finished the 14th. Ravelry details here.


The second pair is Harris Tweed socks in Patons Kroy FX clay colors with cadet colors for cuffs, heels, and toes. These were started March 14 and finished the 17th. I just HAD to have them finished for the 18th so they could be gifted, it was the last time I could arrange to have the recipent pick them up. How I finished them as sick as what I was I'll never know. All I can say is I didn't touch a needle the next day at all. Ravelry details here.

And this is Maggie's new favourite place to lay. I find her here all the time in the sunshine now.

The dogs were ever so happy to get home from the kennel today, but the cats were mad that I brought them home.

Happy Knitting!

Grey Ribbed Socks

Last weekend we took the dogs to a place where we could enclose them so they could run around. One corner of the fence is still torn apart, so Hubs took some bungies and made it so no one could escape. The little buggers had lots of open area, but they still insist on hovering in the cruddy corner, peeking out to see where they could escape to. (They run away, so they have to be totally enclosed or tied.)



Someone left a tennis ball there that had a handle on it. Maggie has it here, you can see the handle part hanging out of her mouth, running away from Jewel. We took some other toys, too, but this one was the most popular.

Jewel doesn't have a lot of stamina, she's kinda portly. Scrawning, crow-poor-looking Maggie can outrun her no problem. Jewel was content to lay around with the boys after the initial frenzy.

We're not sure what happened. Jewel was fine while we were there, but when we got home she was limping. In the evening she was limping quite badly. She never fell or cried out or anything, so it's a mystery as to what she did. We felt all around her legs, and nothing felt swollen or broken or out of place, and she didn't growl or fuss when we did this, either. The next day was Sunday, and she didn't limp nearly as bad, and she didn't play with Maggie likes she usually does, either. Monday morning she was barely limping at all, so I figured she pulled something and was healing up, hoping there wouldn't have to be a vet appointment. I went to work, and when I got home at suppertime she was still good. But in the evening she started raving with Maggie, and she jumped off the back of the sofa and started limping again. (Still nowhere near as bad as the first night.) Knock on wood she isn't limping any more, and I've been keeping an eye on her when she plays with Maggie. I've yelled at her a few times when she's jumped up on the back of the sofa, and she jumps down to the seat then the floor instead of right to the floor.

I finished up a pair of plain socks for a friend who is moving away on the 21st. Started these on March 4, finished on the 9th. They are made with two skeins of Invicta sock yarn on 2.25mm needles, a basic 3x2 rib. Ravely details here.

I've got a rotten cold, thanks to the Littlest One. I had to miss Knit Nite last night, I was not impressed. I think the Oldest One is getting it now. He missed school today, but it was just the morning anyways, parent-teacher day. He's hoping to get there tomorrow as there is a hockey game between the teachers and the grade six team, and he wants to watch it. Next week they're off for March Break.

Happy knitting!

I'm a Winner!

For the first time in a long time I've won something off of an on-line knitting contest! Click here to see a picture of what I've won. I lucked out and got picked by the random number generator in the draw for prizes from Team Canada for the Ravelympics. My prize was donated by OhSussanah. I'm looking very forward to it -- I've never knit with handspun, and I've always wanted to! (Kinda cool, too -- Heddy from our local knitting group was a winner as well!)

I finished up the baby sweater that the Boss Lady asked me to make. I had just enough for a hat to match, there was barely any left over. Would have been nice to make a little pair of socks to match. She said she may have some leftovers in the same colorway at home, she made a pair of socks with it. If so I may be able to make a pair of baby socks with the whitecap cuff, heels, and toes. This little set was started on February 8, finished on March 4, slow going since I was doing Ravelympic knitting as well. The cuffs and neckband are Kroy whitecap, the stripey yarn is Fortissima in the yucatan colorway. The hat is a made-it-up-as-I-went pattern, and the sweater pattern is found here. Ravelry details here.

T at work was over to the local SPCA Thrift Shop the other day and spied some sock blockers. I ran over the other day to take a look, they were closed, but a guy we know who has a key had to go over, so he let me in to see them. I snatched up both sets -- can't go wrong for $3/pair. My birthday gift to myself. There was one pair left last I saw, they put it out after I got mine. Well worth $3 if any local knitters are interested. Jewel is checking them out.

Lastly I'll leave you with some kooky Maggie pictures. She's not ashamed to let it all hang out, lol!

And now she has four of my old slippers. Hopefully these ones with the soles won't make the dog pile any time soon!

Happy knitting!

Charlie

Yesterday was my birthday, and work always buys us a cake for our birthdays. The bosses were both away yesterday, so we got it today. T had one of my words put on it - Noottoot (which is part of my Pogo name). I call people noottoots from time to time, but depending on how I say it, it can be good or bad. (pronouned like chimney soot)

Charlie, a local character, comes into the store pretty much every day, and he's always looking for something to eat. He doesn't forget, either! He arrived yesterday, singing Happy Birthday, but I had to disappoint him and tell him to come for cake tomorrow. (Last week was W's birthday at work, but we didn't get his cake til last Friday. Charlie arrived at 10am looking for cake, and he stayed for two-and-a-half hours, waiting for us to go get it at lunchtime.) He's funny, hard to understand a times, he always tells me, "Me luv you. You good woman." Here he is, singing for his cake. He tries to get rid of Hubs all the time, too, saying he's too big, he eats too much, he's no good, lol!



Happy knitting!

Flooded!

It was an adventure getting to work today. I had to take several detours for flooded roads and/or fallen trees and branches. When I finally could find a bare spot to get into the parking lot and park my car I had to walk up one alley, across Main St, and down another alley in order to get to the store. (It's the one to the left of the building with the mural.) T measured, and the water was 4' from our front door. Crazy. I've never seen it that bad before. During Juan the owners came over and sandbagged the door, and a little bit of water got in, but only in the entryway.

This is from our front door, you can see it open on the right to get an idea of how close it was. Luckily there is a little sidewalk there that helps keep it back a little bit.

I did manage to complete my Ravelympics project in time. This is a Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl, started during the opening ceremonies on February 12, finished on the 26th, Ravelry details here. I used one skein of Trekking XXL. The only thing I did differenly was a single crochet edge instead of double crochet (or at least I think that's what I did -- I found a YouTube tutorial, looked good enough for me).

Finished size was 50" from tip to tip and 20" from the centre of the neck to the bottom tip. Would have liked a bigger shawl, but that's okay. This is for a friend who is moving away on March 21.

I will miss watching the Olympics, but I'll be happy to have regular tv programming back! Working today, then to my parents' place to pick up the kids and have some birthday cake. I had bought a mix to whip and let the kids put the icing on, but we'll save that for the weekend when Hubs is home. The bosses are both in the city today, so cake at work will have to wait til tomorrow. A customer brought us in an apple pie, though, so I'll have a slice of that for dessert at lunchtime.

Happy knitting!