I picked up #1 son yesterday from college. After numerous phone calls about how much stuff he had, and whether I needed to bring boxes, I decided to borrow my brother's panelled van for the journey. My explorer needs a new front end and since I am hoping to trade it in this weekend, did not want to risk it breaking. #2 son has a Grand Am. #1 son assured me that all his stuff would fit, but in the meantime the Grand Am's dreaded Service Engine Soon light came on, and I really wasn't sure how much room there was in that vehicle.
So.....I ventured off in the panelled van which allegedly had new tires and brakes. Not sure what the old brakes were like but the new ones were nothing to get excited over. As I am driving up to Michigan in the pouring rain, I note that there are no dials on the heater/AC or fan selector. BRRRRRRRRRRRR! I had been instructed not to open the side door. Ever. IE I think its held shut with a bungy cord.
I arrive at Michigan. I discover what my son means by he has packed. All his crap thrown into a pile on the floor. I kid you not. The smart mommy probably would have gone right to the nearest Meijers or Target and picked up a bunch of Rubbermaid totes but nobody ever accused me of being the smart mommy. We threw it all in the van. Trust me - this stuff would not have fit in the Grand Am. Or the Explorer, for that matter. I cannot believe how much CRAP that kid had. Seriously. I should have taken a picture of it.
At lunch my brother called and told me how to jury rig the heat (and defrost, which had become critical). You move the dial from one spot to the other. Presto!
So, after numerous critical errands (including a detour to a LYS where I fondled some bulky merino and picked up a few extra needles - see my previous post), we head off for home. The van sputters. Sputters again, and dies. Out of gas. So off we go to the gas station. #1 son sprinting. Because its raining, don't you know, and because thats the pace college students walk at. We get to the gas station, somehow I don't have a heart attack, get the gas, and some good samaritan takes us back to the van. In the process of dropping us off, she backs into this planter thing and knocks it over - no damage to her car but much horrors on everyones part, including the shop owners. I pay for the broken styrofoam pot, clean up the dirt, we gas up the van (one gallon and it swings to full, do you see a problem?), and we go back to the gas station. Now the service engine light is on. The van greedily sucks up 40 some gallons of gas, we head off to the local quick lube, who very nicely inform us that all the fluids are fine, our best bet is to drive home, so we did.
But no, the story doesn't end there. A few more FUBAR's for the day. As I am backing the heinous evil van into my driveway, WHAM! Right into my garage door frame! No damage done, except to my pride. #2 son comes out and said "Wow, sounds like something just slammed into the house". Yes, dear, that would be your mother.
And one last one - we go out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner because oh boy I have a gift card......well, I knock over my very full water, and then determine that my gift card is for FREAKING OUTBACK! Ah I love my life!
So my living room is now filled with #1 son's crap. I went to Wal-fart and picked up several gimongous totes - and suspect we will need a few more. Otherwise, #1 son will leave the crap lying in the living room until its time to go back to school. Because thats how they live. Like PIGS!!!!!!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
What to do what to do?
I am almost done with my lovely STR sock #1. The smart girl would cast on sock #2 immediately upon completing sock #1. But I have so many lovely yarns - I would love to start another instead! Perhaps in some of the pretty fixation I have! I have not worked with this yarn (or its Elann counterpart, which look identical) but I am ready to give it a try!
I really need to beef up my selection of needles - I just cannot see the two socks at once on two circulars working in my life style - between kids, dog, and work my stuff gets moved around alot - and I just see that as being a tangled mess. However, i can see huge advantages to working on both socks on DIFFERENT sets of needles!
I really need to beef up my selection of needles - I just cannot see the two socks at once on two circulars working in my life style - between kids, dog, and work my stuff gets moved around alot - and I just see that as being a tangled mess. However, i can see huge advantages to working on both socks on DIFFERENT sets of needles!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
April 17th
I survived. It was a rough evening - and no doubt I will have to edit this post - many coronas, jaeger-bombs, redhaired sluts and other weird shots....hoping that tomorrow I will NOT have a hangover, and that I can go buy a new car!!! I was responsible and did not drive myself home. I was not the first to leave but certainly not the last. Maybe at 47 years old, I am finally growing up.
I did have a client today inform me that "car dealers were the enemy" and that I did not HAVE to buy a car - that I could actually leave a dealer without purchasing one. So glad to know that!
I did have a client today inform me that "car dealers were the enemy" and that I did not HAVE to buy a car - that I could actually leave a dealer without purchasing one. So glad to know that!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Forgiven
I have officially been forgiven by my beautiful Socks that Rock yarn. It permitted an easy and flawless cast on last night. After 8 rounds, I did yet again start to knit with the tail (ok so I was watching 24 and got a little distracted) but realized only a few stitches into it and was able to fix the problem.
I really LOVE having a mindless piece of knitting for after a long 12 hour day at work. Something that requires no thought. Part of the reason I like socks.
Yesterday whilst hard at work I fell into the mason dixon warsh cloth black hole. After seeing several of these beauties, I was anxious to scuttle home and see if I had the pattern. I DO I DO! Unfortunately all of my peaches/cream or sugar/cream yarns are variegated, so I will have to brave the local wal-farts and get some plain colored yarns. I envision myself making these for everyone. Housewarmings! Christmas! Mothers day! (well maybe Mothers day, next year!)
These would certainly be less time consuming than the fiber trend clogs I plan on making for all my nieces and nephews.
Here is a picture of my first completed clog from last Christmas. Modeled by #1 son. Made in University of Michigan colors. Overall I was pleased with how they turned out. He has smaller feet, so I did a women's large, using Cascade 220. This stuff took flipping forever to felt. #2 son's clogs were made with WOTA and Patons and they took half the time to felt.
I really LOVE having a mindless piece of knitting for after a long 12 hour day at work. Something that requires no thought. Part of the reason I like socks.
Yesterday whilst hard at work I fell into the mason dixon warsh cloth black hole. After seeing several of these beauties, I was anxious to scuttle home and see if I had the pattern. I DO I DO! Unfortunately all of my peaches/cream or sugar/cream yarns are variegated, so I will have to brave the local wal-farts and get some plain colored yarns. I envision myself making these for everyone. Housewarmings! Christmas! Mothers day! (well maybe Mothers day, next year!)
These would certainly be less time consuming than the fiber trend clogs I plan on making for all my nieces and nephews.
Here is a picture of my first completed clog from last Christmas. Modeled by #1 son. Made in University of Michigan colors. Overall I was pleased with how they turned out. He has smaller feet, so I did a women's large, using Cascade 220. This stuff took flipping forever to felt. #2 son's clogs were made with WOTA and Patons and they took half the time to felt.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Why we don't knit until after tax deadline are past
Last night I got home just in time for House (9 pm). I decided to cast away on my ill-fated STR sock (socks that rock). Cast on 56. Split the cast on onto two lovely and slippery circulars. Knit a round of K2p2 rib. No twists, go me. Do it again. No twists, go me, now I can do some seriously mindless knitting......one more round, and I run out of yarn. RUN OUT OF YARN. I was knitting with the freaking TAIL! And from way back! Reverse knitting simply was not an option.
It is punishing me, I swear, for trying that stupid heel on it. I gently ripped it out and promised to try again tonight. If it continues to punish me, I will place it aside until April 18th (or maybe the 19th if I have a hangover from the post tax season accounting festivities). Maybe by then all will be forgiven.
On another note, #2 son asked if I was planning on grocery shopping any time soon. I handed him a credit card and said "knock yourself out". Hoping he gets lots of sugar and things that will sustain me through the next week. When I went to bed, my Cooper put his big sea-turtle head on top of me so that I would not move. He only does this when he is feeling very grumpy and neglected.
It is punishing me, I swear, for trying that stupid heel on it. I gently ripped it out and promised to try again tonight. If it continues to punish me, I will place it aside until April 18th (or maybe the 19th if I have a hangover from the post tax season accounting festivities). Maybe by then all will be forgiven.
On another note, #2 son asked if I was planning on grocery shopping any time soon. I handed him a credit card and said "knock yourself out". Hoping he gets lots of sugar and things that will sustain me through the next week. When I went to bed, my Cooper put his big sea-turtle head on top of me so that I would not move. He only does this when he is feeling very grumpy and neglected.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Musings about gauge
Sock gauge, in particular.
I had two sock-tastrophe's this weekend. I have several friends who generally do a "plain vanilla" type sock - they do a few inches of ribbing and then stockinette for the rest of the sock. So I thought I would give it a try. Save some time on that pesky ribbing.
I was using some STR that I had received from a knittinghelp.com buddy. Beautiful stuff. Unfortunately label is long gone, so I am not dead sure whether it was lightweight or medium weight. Nonetheless, I bravely went forth using size 2 needles (inox), and casting on 56 sts. The fabric looked good, at a decent weight, and looked like they might fit....until I got to the heel. I was using the basic opal pattern heel and perhaps that was my problem. It looked gee-normous. Quite wide. Anyway, after I did the heel, the picking up of stitches and some gusset decrease rows...I tried it on.....it was NOT RIGHT..... Perhaps I ripped it out too fast. But I did. IT JUST WASN'T RIGHT, and I knew I would be unhappy with the end result. Then I tried to recast it on....but the yarn was displeased with me so it just wasnt working. Sigh. I still believe the needle size was correct and number of cast on's were correct. I either need to use my normal heel or do some sort of ribbing. So I put the yarn aside and started sock-tastrophe #2.
Plymouth sockotta. Pattern normally calls for #2's, but I am a bit of a loose knitter, so I cast on 56 on addi size ones. Did an inch of ribbing and wouldnt you know THIS one is clearly going to be too small. So now the dillema is this. Do I cast on 56 on 2's? Or do 64 on 1's?
So.....I asked some questions about ribbing on the sockknitters forum. Received many posts suggesting that I should have done gauge swatches. Gag. To me, the sock IS the gauge swatch. Like in sock-tastrophe #2. Lots of math too. I guess I need to do some measuring but I HATE math! Anyway, there was alot of heated discussion over my question (not directed at me). Dang, those ladies KNOW THEIR STUFF! I know they are right but I HATE MATH.
There are no socks in the immediate future for me anyway. It is one week away from tax deadline. The house is degenerating into piles of laundry, clutter and dog hair. No time to fiddle with starting a new pair of socks - which is my least favorite part due to the above issues of size and pattern.
I had two sock-tastrophe's this weekend. I have several friends who generally do a "plain vanilla" type sock - they do a few inches of ribbing and then stockinette for the rest of the sock. So I thought I would give it a try. Save some time on that pesky ribbing.
I was using some STR that I had received from a knittinghelp.com buddy. Beautiful stuff. Unfortunately label is long gone, so I am not dead sure whether it was lightweight or medium weight. Nonetheless, I bravely went forth using size 2 needles (inox), and casting on 56 sts. The fabric looked good, at a decent weight, and looked like they might fit....until I got to the heel. I was using the basic opal pattern heel and perhaps that was my problem. It looked gee-normous. Quite wide. Anyway, after I did the heel, the picking up of stitches and some gusset decrease rows...I tried it on.....it was NOT RIGHT..... Perhaps I ripped it out too fast. But I did. IT JUST WASN'T RIGHT, and I knew I would be unhappy with the end result. Then I tried to recast it on....but the yarn was displeased with me so it just wasnt working. Sigh. I still believe the needle size was correct and number of cast on's were correct. I either need to use my normal heel or do some sort of ribbing. So I put the yarn aside and started sock-tastrophe #2.
Plymouth sockotta. Pattern normally calls for #2's, but I am a bit of a loose knitter, so I cast on 56 on addi size ones. Did an inch of ribbing and wouldnt you know THIS one is clearly going to be too small. So now the dillema is this. Do I cast on 56 on 2's? Or do 64 on 1's?
So.....I asked some questions about ribbing on the sockknitters forum. Received many posts suggesting that I should have done gauge swatches. Gag. To me, the sock IS the gauge swatch. Like in sock-tastrophe #2. Lots of math too. I guess I need to do some measuring but I HATE math! Anyway, there was alot of heated discussion over my question (not directed at me). Dang, those ladies KNOW THEIR STUFF! I know they are right but I HATE MATH.
There are no socks in the immediate future for me anyway. It is one week away from tax deadline. The house is degenerating into piles of laundry, clutter and dog hair. No time to fiddle with starting a new pair of socks - which is my least favorite part due to the above issues of size and pattern.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Life after April 17th
I am anxiously planning to resume my life as soon as this year's tax season is over. Many plans and ideas - on the home front, and on a personal level. In an effort to prepare myself for the metamorphosis, I actually came into work late today (GASP!) and went and had my hair highlighted and cut for the first time since December. Lets just say the difference is hugely noticeable. Perhaps this new and vastly improved look will help me to lose a few excess lbs!
After tax season - I get to jump wholeheartedly into the #2 son project - "lets find a nice university to attend". He is currently a high school junior, but I learned with #1 son that postponing the visits is not a great idea. #2 doesn't know yet where he wants to go - or what he wants to be when he grows up (and why should he, I am still trying to figure that out). He may want to swim in college competitively - and based on this year's performances, would be an asset to many schools. We are not talking Olympic caliber but he is definitely a strong athlete, and it doesn't hurt that he has great grades. Other extra curriculars are a bit weak, but I think he will do fine.
#1 son will be home for the summer on April 25th. He goes to the University of Michigan - they get them around Labor Day and then send them home in late April. He is trying to get a high-paying internship this summer, also hoping to take some advanced calculus horror oops I meant class at University of Akron, so that he can pick up an Econ minor. If the internship doesn't work out, he can lifeguard and coach summer swim team. Not as prestigious or high paying but it will be good. Hoping he can help with some of the above-mentioned college visits.
Also on the agenda is purchasing a new car. I am one of those overly analytic people who has to look at every option....10 times....its a wonder I ever make a decision, quite frankly. Leaning toward the Rav4 right now. #1 will inherit the rusty Explorer, or the trade-in value there of. #2 is driving his cousins old Grand Am - really a sweet little car.
House-wise - I need to do a major cleaning after this past tax season. I spent several hours putting all excess knitting paraphanelia away last week. It had taken over a whole corner of my room. I would like to replace the flooring in my family room and perhaps my front door. And a new hot water heater.
Knitting - lots of projects and ideas. In no particular order:
1. Socks that rock socks on circs - about 1/3 complete on this project (just turned the heel on sock #1)
2. Block a month afghan - working on block one. Using Encore Chunky. My life is not conducive to using alpaca for an afghan with a lab and two teenage boys.
3. Numerous other sock yarns. Too many and too embarressing to elaborate.
4. Summer sweaters. Likewise.
5. Felted clogs. Lots of them for gifts. Maybe even a pair for me!
No pictures, of course. Because I am slacking at work right now. But soon. Any day now!
After tax season - I get to jump wholeheartedly into the #2 son project - "lets find a nice university to attend". He is currently a high school junior, but I learned with #1 son that postponing the visits is not a great idea. #2 doesn't know yet where he wants to go - or what he wants to be when he grows up (and why should he, I am still trying to figure that out). He may want to swim in college competitively - and based on this year's performances, would be an asset to many schools. We are not talking Olympic caliber but he is definitely a strong athlete, and it doesn't hurt that he has great grades. Other extra curriculars are a bit weak, but I think he will do fine.
#1 son will be home for the summer on April 25th. He goes to the University of Michigan - they get them around Labor Day and then send them home in late April. He is trying to get a high-paying internship this summer, also hoping to take some advanced calculus horror oops I meant class at University of Akron, so that he can pick up an Econ minor. If the internship doesn't work out, he can lifeguard and coach summer swim team. Not as prestigious or high paying but it will be good. Hoping he can help with some of the above-mentioned college visits.
Also on the agenda is purchasing a new car. I am one of those overly analytic people who has to look at every option....10 times....its a wonder I ever make a decision, quite frankly. Leaning toward the Rav4 right now. #1 will inherit the rusty Explorer, or the trade-in value there of. #2 is driving his cousins old Grand Am - really a sweet little car.
House-wise - I need to do a major cleaning after this past tax season. I spent several hours putting all excess knitting paraphanelia away last week. It had taken over a whole corner of my room. I would like to replace the flooring in my family room and perhaps my front door. And a new hot water heater.
Knitting - lots of projects and ideas. In no particular order:
1. Socks that rock socks on circs - about 1/3 complete on this project (just turned the heel on sock #1)
2. Block a month afghan - working on block one. Using Encore Chunky. My life is not conducive to using alpaca for an afghan with a lab and two teenage boys.
3. Numerous other sock yarns. Too many and too embarressing to elaborate.
4. Summer sweaters. Likewise.
5. Felted clogs. Lots of them for gifts. Maybe even a pair for me!
No pictures, of course. Because I am slacking at work right now. But soon. Any day now!
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Lost in cyber-land!
My old blog appears to be lost in space. I can see it, but I can't edit it. User error, I am sure! I think I posted a link to it. Where else can you go to find the exciting pictures of Cooper wearing diapers after eating a bottle of fish oil capsules?
Speaking of Cooper - he continues to be a wonderful dog, except for when it comes to what he will eat. Anything, really. Recent adventures include just this week, a box of Thin Mints. A few weeks ago, he ate a bottle of multi-mega sports vitamins for men that my college aged son left on the floor. We had to call poison control over that one. Two days before that, he ate a bottle of kitty vitamins that same son left on the counter. We were glad when he went back to college.
Knitting - been very busy but I am at work now so will post pictures later. After April 17th later. It is tax season until then. And I love those pesky taxes, I do! They are what help pay for the yarn!
Speaking of Cooper - he continues to be a wonderful dog, except for when it comes to what he will eat. Anything, really. Recent adventures include just this week, a box of Thin Mints. A few weeks ago, he ate a bottle of multi-mega sports vitamins for men that my college aged son left on the floor. We had to call poison control over that one. Two days before that, he ate a bottle of kitty vitamins that same son left on the counter. We were glad when he went back to college.
Knitting - been very busy but I am at work now so will post pictures later. After April 17th later. It is tax season until then. And I love those pesky taxes, I do! They are what help pay for the yarn!
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