Leap Day

Go to work, come home, shovel snow. Repeat. So sick of snow. I wish it only fell on the grass.

I got the scarf for my daughter done. In order to get a good color photo, I took it outside in the snow. Not that we have a shortage of snow these days. I can't wait to give it to her.

Next up: The camo-along, the fingerless mittens made with camoflauge yarn. I got everything ready to start last night, but was just so tired, I didn't get any knitting done. I did finish the book I was reading, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Wow! What a book. An absolutely wonderful read. But what a sad story. I really admire the Afghan women, their strength, the hell they have had to live through. So glad I live in the USA.

Gorgeous Color!

Just look at that color will you! I had to go outside and take the picture in the snow as I knew the indoor lighting would not do it justice. I think the colorway is called Orchid. It's for the beret-along I'm going to do. I could stare at it all day. I also bought this from Sonny & Shear and she sent along a little sample yarn too. It's so cute! I'm loving the colors in that too.

And YES I am getting a tax refund, yay! I will be able to get a new little TV after all. No more smacking that piece of shit little TV any more. And I can get my kitchen faucet fixed, finally. I'm sure I'll find things to spend it on, get caught up on some bills, and stash some in the bank.

I'm hoping to get the scarf done tonight. I've got about 2 or 3 more inches to go, then add the fringe. Good mindless yarny activity while watching American Idol.

Here's my other cat, Mia. Just because I felt like taking her picture today.

Winter Weather Advisory . . . Again :(

The Very Cabley Mittens are done. Cables all over the place. I like how they turned out, and this yarn was nice to work with. I'm loving the color! I used Cascade 220. My first time using it.

Now I'm working on the scarf for my daughter. It's more than halfway done, yay! I'm working on it every spare minute. I'm going to go see her this weekend and I want to take the Finished Object with me so she can use it for the remainder of the winter from hell. It's 47 inches at this point, I want to take it to 65 inches, then add fringe. I rented the last 2 DVDs of Grey's Anatomy to watch while I knit. I'm making great progress while watching those DVDs.

Once I get this scarf done I can start on the knit-alongs I've decided to do, the camo-along which is one where we are knitting fingerless mitts with camoflauge yarn and the beret-along where I will be knitting a beret. Still waiting for my yarn to come for that one.

I had this Calla Lily kit which I won at our Block Party a year or two ago, forgot all about it. So I planted it yesterday. Let's see if it grows. Since I can't get outside and do stuff yet, I'll grow things inside. While watching the snow fall. Again. Another winter storm advisory for tonight and tomorrow. Sigh.

Tax time

I'm going to go get my taxes done today. I usually get a refund, but not sure how big that refund will be this year. My daughter turned 18, don't know the rules on if I can still claim her. She's still kind of a dependent since she's in college. And she was still 17 for part of 2007. We'll see what Mr. Tax Preparer says. All I know is, if I get a refund I want to buy a replacement TV for my bedroom. The one in there now is dying. I have to smack it and whack it constantly to get it to quit having a rolling picture, or a totally black picture, or lots of static. Very annoying.

I think it's ironic that tax refund time is right around Girl Scout Cookie time. I can buy some goodies, yum!

I Fell Off the Wagon

I bought yarn today. I didn't make it through February. I tried. I failed. So what. I have new yarn! I made my daughter a scarf at Christmas out of the Patons Classic Merino. It itches her like crazy. And since my car drove me to Joann's (yep, it did, must have been on auto pilot) and since I saw this yarn in the exact colors she wants, I had to buy it. Especially since it was the last skein in this color left.

She is so excited over it! That makes me feel really good that it's so appreciated. I'm going to start it tonight. Can't wait to get cracking on it. Yeah yeah, My Bad, it's acrylic, but it won't make her itch and that's all that matters.

So . . . while I was there and I'm going to be in a fingerless mitt knit-along which is using camo yarn I bought some camo.

Pink!

and one in browns

I just couldn't decide which color. That was the easy part though, now I have to decide on a pattern. Decisions, decisions. Not sure when this starts, so I have time.

Did you see the lunar eclipse? I opened the door and looked at it off and on last night. It was awesome to see. Very clear night. And around 10:00 p.m. EST it was totally covered, kind of orangey looking. I'm glad I saw it.

Lunar Eclipse

There's a lunar eclipse tonight. I'm going to try and peek at it off and on even though it's cold as ice out there. It's interesting to watch that. It's a clear evening, should be able to see it quite well.

Well we're more than halfway through February and I'm still knitting from the stash. I'm so antsy to buy some yarn. I may be starting a knit-along in March and just might (read that probably will) have to buy some yarn for it. It calls for fingering weight. So I've been peeking at yarns on line. It's for a beret.

The second Very Cabley Mitten is almost done. I'm at the top, at the shaping part, just decreasing along. Then comes the thumb and weaving in ends. Then I'm done. Not sure what I'm knitting next. I'm craving doing another pair of fingerless mitts, I love them, they are so addicting.

I went to the library last night. I've been in a reading mood but nothing that I had to read was keeping my interest. I checked out a book called "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. I am having a hard time putting it down. Really good so far. Once I get these mittens done, I'll really dig into it. There's nothing quite like cozying up with a good book when it's cold out. Or with a good pattern and some yarn. I need more hours in the day.

Lazy Sunday

Meet Katie. She didn't want to be a knitwear model like Pixie was last week. She wanted nothing to do with this.

I finished the first Very Cabley Mitten. All went well. I love love love this color.

Mitten #2 is now on the needles. I plan to sit on the couch the rest of the afternoon and knit. I've got a pot roast in the oven, mmmmmmmmm!!! It should start to smell yummy in here pretty soon. A good day to stay inside, very dreary out. There was freezing rain this morning, but that's now stopped, it's been raining off and on.

Random Thoughts

Why can't we buy hamburger or hot dog buns singly? Buying the whole 8 pack is just too much. I hate freezing them, they just get that "taste", that icky freezer taste.

I think I'm spending too much time on Ravelry lately. Lots of bickering going on in some of the threads/boards. I'm staying out of that crap. Too negative. I'm just going to stay in my own little corner and quietly knit and avoid the controversy.

This is my 101st post. I can't believe I've had 101 things to post about, lol! Some days I'll just write about anything just because I feel like writing.

Tomorrow is another government holiday. No mail, no bills, no day off for me. Still gotta go to work.

And now it's time to go get comfy on the couch and play with my yarn. I hope you have a nice Sunday!

Are we safe anywhere?

Another college shooting. So sad. It just breaks my heart. What the hell is this world coming to? I have a daughter in college, she lives on campus. Of course I worried in the fall when she went off to college after the Virginia Tech killings. I try not to think about it. Of course I worry when my family or I go to the mall after the mall killings. I try not to think about it. The amount of coverage these killers get is just sickening. They get more than enough of their 15 minutes of fame. Some stupid ass with a deranged mind follows this, and becomes the next killer and so on and so on. At times I hate the media. My daughter has been living in a dorm since fall. There have been numerous break-ins and thefts in her dormitory and others. Numerous. There has been a rape on the campus. That poor girl has left school. These crimes on her campus have been done by other students. Why?

So I try not to let this shit rule my life. It's hard. I can't lock myself and my family inside and never go out just because of "what if . . .?"

On the knitting front, I'm still working on the Very Cabley Mittens. I have the top shaping to go on the first one and then the thumb. I'm hoping to finish that one today. I'll be inside a lot this weekend, not because I'm scared to go out, it's just so cold and tomorrow some kind of snow/ice crap coming. Today, it's knitting, and errands while the sun is out. I'll just dress warm.

It's THAT day

It's THAT day. I wouldn't even acknowledge it because I hate it so much, but . . . I did a Valentine's Day swap in a singles group on Ravelry since we feel left out on this day. It was so much fun! I love the stuff I got from my swap partner, she spoiled me.

Look at all that stuff! SWS yarn, I love that stuff! Can't wait to cast on something with it. And goodies galore: colorful stitch markers, darning needles, lip shaped soap, a magnet, AND a candy bar! Thank you Nikki!

I bought this beautiful Cascade 220 yarn not too long ago from an on line store (Sonny & Shear, great customer service!) and finally took it from skein to ball the other night. I do not have a ball winder or a swift, so let me tell you, this was quite the little project. Stupid cats wouldn't help, so I had to do it by myself. I put the skein on my feet to hold it in place, and then started the winding process. It didn't take too long. It turned out like this:

Quite tidy. I'm proud of my little yarn cake. And the color is just gorgeous! I started knitting a pair of mittens called Very Cabley Mittens (pattern on Ravelry). I've gotten this much done so far.

I finally made it through all the cables on the cuff of the first mitten. Look at all those little cables I did.

Tonight I'll start the body of the mitten. While watching more episodes of Grey's Anatomy. I'm such an addict. To yarn, Grey's, knitting, chocolate. Life is good today! I think I have my knitting mojo back.

Slippery Roads

Yes, of course it's snowing again. Thanks for asking.

It only took me an hour to get home from work. Normally a 20-25 minute drive. So sick of this shit. I have the winter blues so bad. I'm crabby and cranky and just don't know what to do with myself. I don't even have anything on the needles. I've lost my knitting mojo. I tried to get interested in something last night, just couldn't. I'll try again tonight. Maybe knit up some of that nice Cascade 220 I got not too long ago. I have the perfect mitten pattern for it. It's just a matter of getting motivated.

I did a Pay It Forward thing. Put it in the mail today. I hope the person likes it.

Speaking of mail. I'm in a Valentine's Day swap in a Ravelry group. My person received their package yesterday and I got mine in the mail yesterday too.

I'm excited. I'll open it on Thursday. The dreaded V day. The made up by Hallmark day where guys are pressured to buy gifts for women. I don't know if it was always such an awful day, but it just seems to get worse every year.

OK, enough of my whining for today. I have a house, it's warm, I'm home from work, safely, I've got enough food to eat, and I have yarn! I'll be OK.

Winter Doldrums

It's freezing today. Again. So sick of it. It it's not freezing it's snowing or sleeting or freezing rain or windy or snowing. I know it's winter and I'm stuck inside, but I'm so darn tired of being cold and weather events every day. It's depressing.

My daughter loved the beret! Pixie was glad to give it up and just go on being a cat again instead of a model. Surprise surprise, my daughter came home for the weekend! Long story, but she's on her way back to school now. I can't wait for that phone call that tells me she's arrived safe and sound.

I've been sitting on the couch all afternoon since she left knitting. I love my couch, it's so comfy.

It's like my own little world there. Just watching DVDs and knitting. I'm still working my way through the seasons of Grey's Anatomy.

I got these two books from the library the other day:

The Vogue Vintage Knits has a pattern for two colors mittens I want to try. But I need some yarn for them, and this is knit from the stash month. Sigh. So I will wait. I've got some other things I want to knit first. I haven't cracked open the Elizabeth Zimmerman book yet. Maybe later when my wrists get sore from knitting. I'm knitting some mittens. No, not socks, remember, I don't do socks? I tried socks, didn't like socks, I don't want to knit socks, and if I don't fit in because I don't knit socks, so be it.

Pixie

Meet Pixie . . . she was my model last night.

I finished the beret, and since she was laying right next to me, I put it on her head, grabbed my handy dandy camera phone and snapped this picture. She didn't stay by me much longer after that.

All in all I'm pleased with how the beret turned out.

My daughter has a smaller head than me, so it should fit her just fine.

Now, onto a new project. Knitting from the stash of course.

I Wish I Was In Hawaii

Nasty weather here today. Just plain old wintry nasty weather. From rain to freezing rain to sleet to snow to wind and more snow and it just won't stop. I had a hell of a drive getting home from work. But I made it. Safe and sound. I'm in for the night. Not going anywhere in this crap. A good night to stay inside and knit.

This foreclosure crisis just sucks. My son is losing is house. It's in foreclosure. Today is moving day. In this sucky weather. I feel so bad for him. It breaks my heart. It's bad enough that he has to move but he has to move in this crud.

No pictures today. I'm still working on the pink beret for my daughter. I'm hoping to finish it tonight. I'm still knitting from the stash. I've made it to the 6th already without buying more.

So I will be on my couch tonight with my knitting. I've got one more episode to watch on the season 2 DVD of Grey's Anatomy that I rented. Then I can move on to season 2 disc 3. I didn't watch the program when it first came on the air, but lately have gotten into watching it. I'm really enjoying the DVDs. But first, some dinner. Easy and simple tonight: BLT sandwich. Yummmmmm!

Knit from the Stash Month

I finally finished the Braided Gauntlets. I have no idea what took so long, but they are done. The one on the left had so many mistakes and so much frogging in it. I'm surprised I kept going. I tried my best to match up the colorways, I think I did pretty well in that regard. I know one thing, I'll never use that yarn again. It was a pain in the ass.

So now onto another project. I started this beret for my daughter:

It's very plain and simple. I've never knitted a beret before. I did all the increases so it will be bigger after the band. I did the M1L increase. I'm so proud of myself, I learned something new! Yay me! I made her a hat and scarf for Christmas out of some merino wool. She says they itch her like crazy. So I'm using acrylic (don't throw tomatoes at me) for this hat and I'm sure it will work out fine. This yarn was in the big box of yarn I received not too long ago.

My daughter was home for the weekend and brought me a present!

Would you look at that! I got a Valentine gift. I absolutely hate that holiday and so does she. That was so sweet of her to get me something. She wasn't sure if we'd see each before Valentine's Day so she brought it for me. What a sweetie! The gift means the world to me, she spent her little tiny college budget on this for me.

I've bought so much yarn lately I need to quit buying for a while. I decided no new yarn this month (it's a short month, ha!) and I'm going to knit from my stash for a while. I bought yarn with projects in mind then would find new projects then buy more yarn and so on and so on. I need to quit browsing the patterns on Ravelry, ha, like that's possible. So let's see how disciplined I can be this month. But watch out in March!

Hookey

I played hookey today, heheheh

Big ol' storm was predicted, daughter was coming home last night equals ... take a day off! So I let them know yesterday that I wouldn't be in today. Got up this morning and turned the TV on, yuck, the roads looked horrible. Checked outside and it was snowing like crazy. We didn't get the 10 inches predicted, maybe 3 or 4 where I am. But it was blowing all over the place and cold. So I sat on the couch and knitted and listened to the TV. And didn't feel an ounce of guilt. Yay! My neighbors shoveled me out (Yes, I have some wonderful neighbors!!!) and another guy got his snowblower out and did my driveway. I didn't have to do a thing except say thank you. I will bake goodies in the near future and deliver them to these kind people. I did make a big pot of stew for me and the kid for dinner. It was so yummy. We also enjoyed some chocolate chip cookies that I baked ... from scratch!

All in all, a very good snow day. It felt good to be home. And it's wonderful to have my daughter here for the weekend.