Bossygirl

Do over.

2009-03-16T18:19:00.003-04:00

I think I'm moving into a new (blog) place...please visit www.bossygirl.wordpress.com. Let me know what you think.

Slowly, slowly.

2009-03-14T16:22:00.002-04:00

So. After neglecting this blog for almost a year, I think I'm ready to reboot. Apparently something had to go sometime last summer, and I've been guilt-ridden ever since. I really had enjoyed blogging, cruising other knitting blogs, joining Ravelry (a spot I have squandered until recently)...then I just got busy-er. Just like everyone else, I suppose. Yet, bossygirlknitter.blogspot.com has waited silently and patiently until I found time and motivation to kick it all back into gear. I've neglected her, a faithful friend standing quietly by just waiting for me to come back...and I think I have.

Have been knitting, though...a few stops and starts here and there (most recently some socks that I started from stash yarn of which I didn't have enough. Nerts.) I've decided to try some fingerless mittens from some Berroco Sox yarn I bought at Hill Country Weavers on my recent trip to Austin, TX. Pictures and pattern details to follow, assuming I'm off and running after a few more inches on the first cuff.

Slowly, slowly.

Even though this might jinx it...good to be back. Onward.

It's Go Time.

2008-06-15T20:27:00.004-04:00

Ok, ok, OKAY! School's out, summer's here, and I'm itchin' to get back to blogging...stay tuned. I told HG that Wednesday's my deadline...that's my plan. More to come.

Spring Break....whew

2008-03-25T16:29:00.013-04:00

Next to snow days, teachers relish forced vacation days--aka Spring Break--as manna from heaven, the oasis in the desert, the proverbial rescue from the jaws of...well, you get the idea. I'm on Spring Break this week. My husband and my boys are not.

This means:

I miss them.
But I have the house to myself.
I miss them.
But I can watch any movie I want whenever I want. (By the way: Miss Potter just totally made my cry. Who knew?)
I miss them.
But I can sleep in while everyone trudges off to school so early in the morning.
I do miss them.
But I am happily very, very quiet all day.
I really do miss them.
Really.
Really?

So, one of the treats of the week is having the chance to update the blog for the 2 or 3 of you that read it every now and again. *s* Here goes...

In the interest of self-preservation and mere sanity, I have been continuing to knit in the midst of all that's going on:

Here's sleeve #2 of the CPH. It is brought to you courtesy of March Madness, during which I knit cables like a woman possessed. (By the way, I only dropped 3 teams from the Sweet 16, a causing my 18-year-old son--and fellow bracketeer--to tear his hair and rip his clothing. Moms aren't supposed to know jack about basketball playoffs. "Fie!" I say. It's a gift.)

I've also started this:

Knit Ruana from Oat Couture. I see it looks pretty fire-engine red in the photo, but it's a little more subdued in real life (at least that's what I'm telling myself.) The yarn is Alpaca Boucle from Plymouth. It's knitting up quickly and nicely, though I'm a little concerned about Boringus Garter Stitch-itis once the long stretches start in the middle. However, it will be perfect knitting during the outdoor track season, kicking off this weekend: mindless pattern and warm on the lap. After I'm done here, I'm hopping over to Ravelry to enter the new project. (I think I'm really going to love that site. I just need the time to play!)

A couple more updates:
First--for the archives. Since Feb. 12 post led off with snow in the backyard a while back, I also need to add the same shot taken a few weekends later, when the now-infamous "Blizzard of 2008" hit Columbus. We got 20" in about 24 hours, which is more than I've ever seen here (since I was an undergrad at OSU in 1981, anyway. Yes, I am that old.) So, here's that shot, with a couple more tossed in there.

This represents a shoveling festival we had that day just to get the car out. Oy.

And this picture, just because it's funny...this is how Izzie likes to rest(in hour-long intervals or so) by the fire.
See? It's just funny. And she really does do this. A lot.

While the cute cat pictures are out, here are the gals checking out the blowing leaves on the patio while I'm sitting here working.

Cat TV.

2 days down, 5 to go.
What to do, what to do?

I'm just a little nervous.

2008-02-29T18:34:00.006-05:00

I'm a rule-follower. Not that I'm always proud of that, but it's the truth. Ask anyone who knows me. I have always been the one who avoids stepping out of bounds, the one who stays back and risks being caught...and sometimes, the one who doesn't have any fun (but that's another conversation.) Since I'm wired this way, I tend to work very hard to follow directions carefully so as not to rock the boat. (Yes, I know it defies the Bossygirl persona, but, in my defense, I'll say I've made great strides since turning 40). Because my heart tends to beat a little faster when I stray off the beaten path--leading to an adrenaline rush I find less than enjoyable--I trust the intrepid authors of knitting patterns, believing that, if I follow their carefully-designed formula, I will end up with a perfect garment.
Naive?
(I know, I know. But I can dream, can't I?)

So here's what's making me feel the faintest hint of an oncoming knitting panic attack:

This is the first of two Central Park Hoodie sleeves:Right? I'm happy with the cables, which match the rest of the sweater so far, and I love the yarn (Highlander, from Alpaca With a Twist).

Here's an enhanced photo, showing you the actual length of my actual arm (to the wrist):OK, so yes, I have successfully knit sweaters with sleeves before. But you know how it goes...you rock along, following the directions carefully (see above), wondering how you're going to get the increases in before it gets too long, but wait! if I decrease faster then will I have enough room under the arm or will it be too choppy? it says that I should have 9 cables there but wow this is looking long let me look at the drawing oh crap it's alreadyalmost25inchesandI stillhaveaways togosoI'll just... finish it and see what happens...

I wonder how much cuff I can live with.

Lighten up, Frances...start the other one and at least make it match. It's knitting, for Pete's sake...

But, even on my puffy days, I don't think I look like this:

This may be a problem.

Updates, we have updates.

2008-02-12T17:06:00.001-05:00

This update is brought to you courtesy of the latest weather pattern crossing the Ohio Valley: it may not look like much out the back door--just a couple of inches so far. However, what you can't see is the freezing rain / sleet (what IS the difference, really? I know, it's a science thing) that is falling like a polar mist over Columbus and vicinity. This translates into that rare thing we teachers and students look forward to with lumps in our throats and tears of joy in our eyes:

SNOW DAY!!!!!!!

It's a beautiful thing.

Because they are few and far between for us here in Central Ohio, I treasure and savor every one. It's a true day off...no school work. (In fact, planning ahead by taking home school work at the first "Hark!" of those panic-inducing weatherpersons the day before ensures that you have, indeed, jinxed the whole deal). Today's "Get Out of School Free" card meant sleeping in, catching up on exercise, hanging out in sweats most of the day, not blow-drying my hair, no make-up, cooking real oatmeal for breakfast, cornbread to go with chili for lunch, a long call with my dad who lives far away, and (drum roll) updating this long-neglected blog.

First up: The New Kids.
Here they are in December, when we got them. From L-R, sisters Izzy Belle and Lucy Lou @ 6 weeks.
This is how the little girls spend much of their day while we are at school (we assume this because this is what they do on weekends after breakfast.) Presenting the Circle O'Cats.
Here's a shot of the darlings from this morning. You need to know that Lucy is a dear-heart, and Izzy is a little more bipolar, swinging from "Kitty Kitty Kitty" to "Spawn of the Devil" in a heartbeat. Love these little cats.
Part 2: Trial and Error. This is the great knitting book I got for Christmas. This is the bag I attempted to knit from hemp that I ordered in a beautiful cornflower blue. Here is the finished bag:

(Do not adjust your sets. There is no bag, as apparently I was too spastic to handle the lace pattern over more than 2 rows. This was not a pretty scene, not pretty at all. )

Finale: What IS working.

Here is my progress of the Central Park Hoodie since Christmas break. I am making this from Alpaca with a Twist "Highlander". Very soft and easy to work with. Purrrrrr.

Looks like I'll be using the waning hours of my free gift to cast on some sleeves.

Happygirlknitter. :-)

This is what it comes down to...

2008-02-03T20:07:00.001-05:00

...me sitting here with my laptop in front of the...what am I watching?...oh yeah--the Super Bowl (number 80 million or something). A fan? Not so much. Yes, like many Americans, I watch not for the clash of the titans, but aye, the commercials. (I like the dancing lizards so far). And Tom Petty? Nothing against him, but wow. How many 20-somethings did they have to pay to rock out to the oldies down there on the field with their little fiberoptic lighters? (And how many 40-somethings are hacked that they couldn't get in?) Sorry, Tom...wouldn't be one of them. Geez, those guys look old.

So it's been awhile...again. Guess I never realized how much free time I used to have B.P. (Before Phoenix). No, it's not so much a time issue, but the energy I lack at the end of the day. Happily, I've been reserving some for knitting most evenings until I'm too tired to sit up straight and petrified I'll really make the mother of all mistakes. I've started the Central Park Hoodie from the Interweave Knits blog out of a forest green alpaca-blend tweed. I get a lot done during American Idol...not so much during last week's premiere of Lost (but hey, wasn't it awesome?)

The two new little kitties are getting bigger (and my camera needs new batteries, so no pics at the moment). Izzie and Lucy (nee Bucky the boy cat, we thought...oops) are so cute and full of cat-like hi-jinks. Big entertainment value for the buck. Hobbes has found his maternal side (?) and spends lots of time grooming and licking them--I thought maybe he was tenderizing them at the beginning--but now he really seems to relish the role of Super Cat. They lo-o-o-o-o-ve him, and spend most sleeping moments nestled up next to him, resting their heads on his belly like a big orange furry pillow.

Phoenix Middle School is an amazing experience, still. (Here's a shout out to any of my students who have found my blog. Told you I had one! If you're reading this Sunday night, be sure to bring your flash drives to class tomorrow. Got your paragraphs done? Hee hee.) In Global Cultures, we're deep into researching African countries. I have a webquest I'm working on, which is turning into an interesting task. It's a lot of fun to have the tools to work with now that I didn't have when I left the classroom for the library 9 years ago.

Back to knitting...I've been making some Yarn Harlot hats out of Noro yarn, have an Oat Couture ruana ready to start, and as mentioned, The Central Park Hoodie. I got some great new books for Christmas, including Bag Style. I tried and tried to make the hemp shopping bag using the pretty open lacework pattern, but muffed it up every time. After 4 tries and 4 frogging parties, I put it aside for another time...or another variation on the pattern. Apparently didn't have enough brain cells for that one. Too bad...the hemp yarn is pretty cool.

(Salesgenie.com with the stupid pandas? Really? But the Shaquille O'Neill as jockey commercial was worth a giggle.)

Apologies for the bare-bones post--no pictures or links. I'm just glad to get one up and running since the last one. Actually, you should check out my sister Jane's site: www.bluestarartworks.com
Fun stuff from a wonderfully creative mind. :-) (Guess who got a big share of the creative DNA? Visit the site and you'll know how to answer that one.)

Tah.

Wow.

2007-11-26T21:22:00.000-05:00

So, SO sorry you've had to look and listen to PeeWee for almost 3 months. When I fell into the wonderfully exciting vortex...or black hole...that is starting Phoenix Middle School, I really didn't expect the blog to fall into disrepair for days on end. Therefore, for the 1 or 2 of you who actually check in once in awhile, please forgive me. I do have news to report, though, both on the knitting front and otherwise: Let's see...finished the brown sweater from the cover of KnitScene (Spring 07), adopted 2 darn cute kittens, started / frogged / a new sweater, ordered Chinese Red Alpaca Boucle to make the Knit Ruana from Oat Coture (sp.?), have survived 1st quarter + of our new school (going great, by the way--BUSY, but great), have not started buying Christmas gifts yet (forget knitting any), and still have frosty mums and decaying pumpkins on the porch (hey, that was ok until last Friday.)
There--pretty much caught up. The boys are home from volleyball, so it's time to tune into the fall finale of Heroes.
Sayonara.

A little song for you.

2007-09-04T21:01:00.000-04:00

(Some of you will get this. Some won't. Giggles or not, it makes me happy.)

Sing with me:

Con-NECT the dots. LA la la la.
DO lots of schoolwork. LA la la la.

Phoenix updates coming your way this weekend, I hope. How's it going?
In a word:

WOW.

Drum roll, please.

2007-08-26T14:52:00.001-04:00

It's here.

After planning day in and day out (really.) since last November, we are hours from opening our doors to the first class of 81 7th graders at Phoenix Middle School. Phoenix MS is an alternative school that a group of us teachers pitched to the district last year and were lucky enough to put into place. (If you're really interested, you can check out our link www.phoenixms.org; the site's in good shape, but still needs a few things here and there. Many of you bloggers / knitters out there know how the whole website thing goes...talk about a big WIP.) I'll be teaching Global Cultures, a big change from my position of library media specialist. Change junkie? Maybe. Excited? Absolutely.:-)

Anyway, we're pretty hyped up. We had a big parent meeting last week covering all the thousands of details we've been hammering out this summer. We have found that, for every one decision we have to make, there are at least 5 decisions that have to precede it...each requiring various amounts of discussion time. Fortunately, the parent meeting went very well *whew*. The 6 of us full-time teachers each will be conferencing with 14 students / parents Tuesday to set up goals for the year, then--FINALLY--the kids come through the door Wednesday morning. In the meantime, there are i's to be dotted, t's to cross, folders to read, classrooms to finish, lessons to tweak...

...so, I'll be back, with photos asap. Oh yeah, since part of what we emphasize is Creative Arts, I will be packing that cute new Old Navy messenger bag with some knitting to take to school. Don't know when it will happen, but I want to be prepared to spread The Good Word of Knitting to any student who's willing to pick up needles. It's all about the indoctrination, you know.
:-)

Phoenix, here we come.

Par-tay at our house.

2007-08-19T21:51:00.000-04:00

The Maryland clan came to town this week...

Here's nephew S with his birthday accordion. He gets to play it ALL THE WAY back home. Heh, heh.

Mom and S's dad, E...and DS#2 channeling Kermit the Frog.

Cutey-patooty nephews B and J (and DS#2).

S's sibs, D and G (and DS#2).

Oh yes... you need to know that Miss G was the original Bossygirl. The phrase was coined for this little gal at the ripe old age of 3. Love her!

The boys again.(and Dad, aka DH.)
Hmmm. DNA?

So we're trying another photo...and, what a surprise. Now it's sis #3 back there.
It's madness, I tell you. Madness.

This would be my boys. They are very pleased with themselves for this.

Sis#2 with her cutie-pie. Good pic.

Cousins gone wild. Caught on tape.

Grandmother and kids, just before the wheels came off the wagon. Note large boys about to fall off the wall...S's about to explode with giggles...B (lapsitting) has. Had. It. Did I mention it had just started to rain? :-) Our family is all about The Perfect Photographic Moment.

Knitting this weekend? Not so much.
(Got a new messenger bag on sale at Old Navy, though...$15. The newest in the parade o' knitting bags in my house. That counts, doesn't it?)

Goobers and Raisinettes.

2007-08-13T20:01:00.000-04:00

I was a woman possessed. I had to update the Summer of Socks blogs, which meant I needed to update my own blog, which meant I had to make some serious progress on my new Cat Bordhi sock so I'd have something to talk about. So, late Sunday afternoon, I planted myself in my favorite big blue chair, summoned the fledgling sock, and didn't really move for I-don't-know-how-long. ( I lost track somewhere in the middle of the heel turn.) The pattern is called Fountain Foxgloves. Here' s where I am now:

The first picture is supposed to be showing the pattern along the top of the foot. Let's just say that I got a little confused by the directions (in brief, it's about understanding whether she means to continue the pattern on the chart while increasing the gusset area, or just knit rounds 2-3 of each cycle as she says to...). And there it is. Hmmm.

The next photo is the right side of the heel. This makes me smile and feel like a competent knitter.

Then...

...there's this side. I did something funky on the left side. I know not what. Maybe it was during "The 4400". Maybe it's because my butt fell asleep.

Maybe I can blame Dubya.

In the meantime, here's the next stripe or two of Kauni. I know it's not significant in the big scheme of things, but it makes me happy to see it inch along:

At this point, I feel the need to digress and show a photo of our big orange cat, Hobbes, an action shot if you will.

We call this an action shot, as it's a departure from this, his usual fitness regimen:

Don't you think this cat needs a little friend? We've all been discussing this possibility, but have yet to run it by Hobbes. (It's hard to pin him down long enough to chat...as you can see, he's schedule's pretty packed.)

Last shot: I never posted a photo of this year's musical, "The Pirates of Penzance" (last year, it was Oklahoma--July 2006, if you're interested). Evan's another year older, and moving up the seniority ladder of the summer acting troupe. Last year, Will Parker; this year, the Major General (as in, "I am the very model of a modern major general...") . Did a bloody bang-up good job, but I'm his mom and therefore biased. So here's the boy, in most of his make-up during dress rehearsal (he's on the left).

Jolly good.

(Oh yeah...the post title? I dunno. Temporary insanity. Can I blame that on Dubya, too? )

Home from the wilds.

2007-08-05T19:18:00.000-04:00

Band Camp: a week of living with 89 teenagers in the woods, supporting them in their quest to create a decent halftime show with some instruments, a lot of drums, and girls with flags. Did I mention the sweat? Lordy. The weather turned into uber-summer last week, which meant 95 degrees and about 120% humidity. We adult chaperones were puddles...and we weren't the ones on the field every day. Regardless, the week was a booming success. The kids are a great group, most of them good-natured and armed with a collective wicked, joyous sense of humor. We had a bit of girl drama (it's not a good trip if someone's not crying at some point). My boys and I kept our professional distances from each other; it can be tough to have your doggone mom there, for Pete's sake. Ethan and the seniors seemed to have a good time moving into their leadership roles. Evan, the freshman, cashed in on knowing many of his brother's friends...and therefore was cool... and had a blast. We adults got along famously, the food was great, and the kids say they had a great time. No cell phones, no internet, no tv, no a/c--forget the music; it's just so wonderful to take a group of teenagers into the forest and away from technology, if only for a little while. They really need that...I think we all do. As we rode into civilization on the buses yesterday, I realized how much I hadn't missed the traffic, the shopping, the skyline full of buildings. I'm no granola girl, but I really enjoy being in nature. (It's probably a throwback to all those summers at YMCA camps--it's a part of who I am.)

I will also admit that I enjoyed the most excellent shower I had yesterday afternoon with plenty of hot water and spider-free walls.

Here's a photo of me with my charges for the week. I had the Junior girls (sprinkled with a sophomore or two). They were a delightful group. I will say the cabin was astoundingly, atrociously messy all week, but get this (and some of you will faint): the night before we left, I told them that the next day we would have to get everything packed and out of the cabin before we could sweep under every bed, blah, blah, blah. The next morning, we finished breakfast--I got hung up with something or other and didn't make it back to the cabin for about 20 minutes. No lie: when I got back, every duffle, suitcase, pillow, and sleeping bag was piled neatly in little groups outside the front door, bags of trash were filled and ready to pitch, and the girls were already sweeping...and the floor was really clean! I didn't have to say a single word to get them going. I almost had a stroke, right there in front of Cabin 3. If their mothers could have only seen that in action...

For this reason, I have dubbed them The Best Cabin in the Universe:

Look how cute they are (and they are just as nice). Love those girls.

As for the knitting...still in a sock slump, but the new Cat Bordhi book came to my house while I was away, so I'm inspired to try something new. I made her Coreolis socks awhile back, and really like the way they came together. This should be fun, if I can find the time to get back on the wagon.

As for Kauni, I was able to get a couple of strips done:
It's not a lot of progress, but it was hot, and I was...am...easily distracted.*g*The cast-on ribbing at the bottom is still rolling a bit, even with the Twisted German method. I'm hoping it'll steam out. I do like the color progression better than the first time.

I did wake up this morning in "Oh, Sh**!" Mode, as we are opening the doors to our new school three weeks from Tuesday. I said, "three weeks from Tuesday".

Oh, sh**.

Lil' Ole Update, Y'all.

2007-07-27T16:48:00.000-04:00

Not much time to chat, but here's an update:

Just got back from a college visit with the elder son to Vanderbilt in Nashville. Wow--what a great show they put on there. Ethan is sold--and I was pretty impressed as well. I'm glad the first visit out went so well. Because of that, this afternoon we were able to schedule 3 morevisits to other universities in the next few weeks without anyone arguing or fussing or nagging or rolling their eyes. Yay us. :-)

While in Nashville, Ethan and I went to the Loveless Cafe, where the name of the game is Southern comfort food. It was the best meal I've had in ages: country ham (in all its salty, leathery goodness), red-eye gravy, biscuits, black-eyed peas, and the most wonderful creamed corn ever created...plus, they actually offer "sweet tea"...and mean it! (I've been a Northerner for most of my adult life, but I was born and raised a Southerner. ) Thought I'd died and gone to heaven...cholesterol? What's that, y'all?

The Kauni is going better. Pictures promised soon. I like the new cast on--Twisted German Cast-On--the ribbing's smoother, but it's still curling a bit. Haven't tried steaming it yet. I'm finally back to the body of the sweater, without a big mess-up...yet.
S*%#.
Probably just jinxed myself.

We all finished The Book by Tuesday am. *whew* Well done, Ms. Rowling.

Haven't ventured back into the sock world yet...got a little gun-shy and busy as well. However, on Sunday, I'm (cue appropriate marching music) off to Band Camp with the high school band. Kauni is going, but if it's as gosh-awful hot as it was last year, she'll be resting un-comfortably in the cabin while the yet-to-be-started socks come out to play.

We'll be gone from Sunday to next Saturday...that's Ethan (his last year), Evan (his first), and me. I'll be the chaperone in the senior girls' cabin (I think). DH will be holding down the fort at home with Hobbes the cat. More than likely, the two will sit around shirtless, watching big tv and eating all meals out of bowls with big spoons. (Well, one of them will, anyway. *g*)

And now, here comes a big ol' thunderstorm, bringing much-needed rain. I love summer.

It's Twisted, Sister.

2007-07-18T18:43:00.000-04:00

This is what you would call my second attempt at the Kauni sweater. (For those keeping score, this is the same one I just frogged.)

New ribbing was going great. Beautifully, actually. I was knitting so happily on my circular needles, knitting, smiling, happy, happy...

3 inches later--when it was easier to see--I discovered that instead of a sweater, I was really knitting a Mobius garment with lovely ribbing.

There are not enough expletives.

(This is saying a lot, as I have two teenage boys and teach in a middle school.)

There are also no pictures...I was in a state.

Any room in the frog pond?

2007-07-15T09:19:00.000-04:00

*sigh*
After a week of knitting...a LOT...here's a photo of the next pair of socks I'm working on:

Four times. I have started over. Four. Times.
There are gauge issues, pattern issues (as in, I'm trying to adapt one), tangling issues, and...surprise, surprise...focus issues.

OK, so if I'm sucking at socks right now, maybe the Kauni sweater is moving along...right?
Here's my progress:

Ooohhh, ahhh....pretty.

Here's my issue:

Did I say pretty? Not so much. Lesson learned: crocheted cast-on was not a good idea. So noted.

Here's my solution, completed just minutes ago:

Must...have...better...plan:

Tomorrow's a new day. Back to Weight Watchers journaling (like I mean it), new cast-on, and....simpler socks.

This is a No-Frog Zone.

For now.

Baked Alaska, anyone?

2007-07-06T07:49:00.000-04:00

Here's the first pair of socks for the Summer of Socks KAL:

The yarn is from Cider Moon, a local yarn company near Columbus, up in Utica. The colorway is "Baked Alaska", and I used a size 5 circular needle (32", Addi Turbo). The yarn is doubled through the heel, and I added the 2 x 2 rib around the cuffs. The pattern design, which is toe-up, creates a great fit. I'm in love. As I mentioned in the last post, a friend designed them, so I can't share, as she is deciding how she wants to distribute the pattern. If you are curious and would like the directions, let me know, and I can direct you to the author. :-)

In the meantime, I'm going to pull out the skein I bought from last year's SOS KAL:

I think I may try adapting a more intricate pattern with the toe-up /one circular method. May take some thinking...hmmm....thinking? In summer? *g*

I'm a step closer to the Kauni. After I finished the socks, I swatched for the sweater. I know, most of us don't like the swatch step, but last night into this morning re-convinced me that it's important. I made my swatch, and did take the time to wash and dry it. Last night, it looked like my needles were going to be too big...today, the dry swatch indicated that, no, I'm just fine.
*whew*
I've also measured a favorite sweater and translated the inches to centimeters so I can follow the pattern and (hopefully) get the size I want. You'd think I'd never knit a sweater before. Maybe it's getting the yarn from overseas...maybe because I love the colors so much, I don't want to screw it up and hate the thing when I'm done. (Anyone been there????*L*)

Onward.

Socks Rock!

2007-06-28T16:46:00.000-04:00

Tap, tap, tap, shuffle, shuffle, slide
step, ball-change, step, ball-change
Hop Kick Hop Kick
T-w-i-r-l and splits!

Tah-dah! It's Summer of Socks, Week One! I am dancing because I have just finished Sock#1 from the easiest pattern I've ever used!!!!! Looky!

(This is The Sock and Sock 2B).

It's basic, yet elegant; toe-up construction means great fit; the yarn is luscious (Cider Moon, "Baked Alaska" colorway) ; it's done one one circular needle; and, the best part is: I didn't muck it up!!!!

(Well, I did a little at the start when I multiplied the wrong two numbers together while watching late night tv and ended up casting on enough stitches to create a sock for Herman Munster---a BIG sock for Herman Munster. The sad part is that I actually worked on the damned thing for a little while until it dawned on me that it was looking more like my head would fit into it better than my foot would. Alex, I'll take "Things that make you say *&%#$" for $100, please.)

(And while I'm confessing , I made the splits part up. Just in case you were wondering.)

But I digress.

I would share the pattern...but it's not mine to share. I would share the author's name so you could ask her for it , but I don't think the author is ready for stepping into this kind of public arena...yet. (And no, it's NOT me. Seriously...I'm way too low on the knitting food chain to think up my own pattern, much less make one work well. ) Suffice it to say that the pattern is wonderful, and my hat...er, sock....goes off to its creator. If I get any indication that she's willing to share at some point, I'll let you know how and where.

Digression #2:
My baby has been on a mission trip in the mountains of Jamaica with his youth group since last Saturday. They went to build a house for a family of 5 and will come home Sunday night. Here's Evan, at 4:45 AM last Saturday, before we met everyone at the church to head to the airport.

Look at that big grin (this is one of the first photos taken of him post-braces. ) He was so pumped to go!!!! I admit, it's been kind of a long week for us without him here.*sniff* but I know he's been having an amazing time.
Love him. Miss him.
Please say prayers for a safe return. :-)

My other knitting news involves the Kauni sweater that I'm almost ready to start.

(This photo comes from Margaret Velard's blog--apparently, she's one talented knitter!)

The yarn arrived from Denmark via NYC (Knitty City), arriving in MEGA skeins.
(The Beanie Baby is for reference, of course. See, they are circus-big!)
I've wound one already, and need to do the other. I did think about making smaller balls, but I wanted to make sure I was keeping the color progression intact. That may come around to bite me in the butt in the long run. Time will tell. I'm kind of sneaking up on this project, much like I would tackle getting up the nerve to venture off the high dive at summer camp: right now, I have ventured onto the ladder, both feet off the cement. Next step? Determining how big to make the sweater--oh yeah, I can stall that out for a day or two. Then comes learning how to knit Fair Isle designs. (Not even talking about the steeks yet. That's under "Things that make you say *&%#$" for $200, please.) Looks like that board is wa-a-a-a-ay up there...

I did join the Kauni KAL, hosted by Brenda, which I'm pretty excited about. Lots of great ideas and slow starters, like me. Good advice, too. I think I can breathe now and think about that next rung...

I'm goin'. I'm goin'.

First things first.

2007-06-22T17:35:00.001-04:00

I'm not gonna lie. In order to officially start Summer of Socks, I had to finish my Coreolis socks (by Cat Bordhi). I tried to photograph them so you could see the swirl that goes around the foot and up the ankle.

You can kind of see it here. The pattern is toe-up, and I used Austermann Step yarn. It's double-stranded, and you use size 7 needles, so they work up very quickly. I'll do them again one of these days.

Now, I'm free and clear to start my SOS socks.

Whew.

In the meantime, I really need to prove that I'm working against type this summer, and am actually able to keep some plants among the living.

For those of you who are avid gardeners (read: every other person in my genetic history), this would not be a Big Deal. However, if you listen closely, you can hear all those little blooms in one collective sigh...

"Whew."

Finally, I just have to show you this lovely tree that we inherited with the new house. It's on the patio, and absolutely beautiful.

I take no credit whatsoever for its survival.

"Summer's here...

2007-06-14T16:37:00.000-04:00

...I'm for that. I got my rubber sandals, got my straw hat...". And with a tip of my straw hat to James Taylor, I'm chillin' into one of the best times of the year. As any teacher knows (or anyone who knows a teacher knows), there's nothing sweeter than the first day after the last day--or the first week, for that matter. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Time to catch up. I'm ready to roll on Summer of Socks when Jessica gives the high sign. I'm almost finished with the Coriolis socks, but won't be counting them of course. That's ok, though, as my new knitting buddy Lisa and I ventured to downtown Columbus last Friday to the Knitter's Connection conference. Our goal? Yarn-petting and a quest for sock yarn. Mission accomplished? Oh yeah. We got things autographed by Cheryl Oberle (I got Folk Vests, and Lisa got a new pattern--I must admit I was holding out until Lisa realized Ms. Oberle was nestled in the corner of her booth area, quietly autographing books. An autographed book for a librarian is not unlike crack to a junkie. Lisa's a smart woman.) She bought some of Ms. Oberle's yarn for a jacket, but I had to talk her down from going nuts on a display of buttons made of art glass; she returned the favor by steering me away from a drop spindle and roving--for now, anyway. I think it's my new next thing to learn, but it has to wait a bit (more on that later). Of course, we couldn't leave without sock yarn. Thanks, Cider Moon. Lisa's in DC now, chaperoning an 8th grade trip, but boy do I have news for her when she returns...ok, ready?

Anyone been on Yarn Harlot's blog in the last few days? (Who am I kidding? It's required reading for any knitter I know). To show you what I'm talking about, here's a photo from Ms. Pearl-McPhee's posts:

I am completely and utterly infatuated with the new rainbow cardigan she is knitting from the Kauni yarn and free pattern from Denmark. (Check out the blog for more info on the pattern and yarn.)So much so that I tracked down a US source for two mambo skeins of Kauni rainbow...and ordered the yarn today!!!!! I'm so pumped--which must be clouding my thinking, as I have never done Fair Isle knitting nor steeks before, both of which make me break out in a sweat just thinking about it. (Crap. What did I do?) I tell you, the yarn had me at hello. I mean, LOOK at it!!!!!!

Oh, I'm so in for it.

So, aside from socks and diving into the cardigan, the other rapidly-approaching spot on the horizon is Phoenix Middle School...a brand-new alternative middle school opening in our district in August.
(Our nifty logo.)

The long story will have to wait for another time, but the headline is that I'm on team that will be opening the doors in a few weeks! I'm moving out of the library media position back into the classroom--I'll be teaching Global Cultures. The story's too big to tell, but suffice it to say that I'm thrilled and a little overwhelmed at all we're getting into in very short order.

Oh, I'm so in for it.

Oh yeah--the site's under construction, but here's the link: www.phoenixms.org.

Now, because I'm a sucky gardener trying to prove that I don't kill everything I plant, I'm going out now to water the 4 containers of blossoms on the patio. I just can't stand it when they start crying and gasping for air.

I have issues...

2007-05-21T21:31:00.000-04:00

...apparently with the comment feature on my blog. This is a test. This is only a test.

A Knitting Post? What a good idea!

2007-05-19T18:13:00.000-04:00

(Is she back in the swing or not??? Time will tell...)

In the meantime, here's the Coreolis Sock Redux. I like it better already. Note the little coreolis swirl up a the top of the photo. It swirls around the foot like a little garter snake o'yarn or something. (How's that for a technical description?) I was working on it during the track meet this afternoon. I could hear the whispers of a conversation right up over my shoulder among girls (later known as college freshmen), there to root on their old high school team at districts. First I heard ,"What's she doing?" "Knitting, I think." A while later, "What is that she's making?" "I think it's a sock...". It was very cute. I finally turned around and we chatted for awhile. Sadly, none of them knit, and two of the girls were convinced they didn't have the talent nor the patience for such a thing.
I remember feeling that way once. Glad it passed.

Speaking of socks, Jessica is busily preparing the second annual Summer of Socks! Check her blog for details. I hope to help as a reader again this summer...that was a blast! Get that sock yarn bought and those needles gathered. Sign up to sock and roll!
(Huh?)

Finally, a tip of the hat to the boys in my house and their endeavors--Evan high jumping at one of his meets:

Ethan and 4 X 200 relay team members today after they placed fourth in the district meet to move on to regionals next Thursday:

Evan's b'day cake from Graeter's (ice cream cake) after it rode home on the floor of the van near the heater. (Nope, wasn't me...that was DH and his errand, not mine.) We all got a good giggle out of it, anyway. Rather free-form, don't you think?

Here's a photo of our beautiful yard we have worked on so hard this spring.

Oh, wait, that's right... it's in my mind.
;-)

Well, it was worth a try.

Are you kidding me?

2007-05-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

A month? My last post was a month ago?

I got nothin'.

No, actually, I got busy. (Surprise, surprise.) Track season descended upon us with both boys running at on different teams. so we've been hitting 3-5 meets a week. Love the meets, as it's our only sports season during the year, but the sport from the bleacher perspective is a time-sucker. I battle this by knitting when it's not too cold or rainy, but most often, we spend the meet working as volunteers, which makes the time fly. As I write tonight, middle school season is over, and we're into the district/regional/state season for the high school. It's just not spring if there's not a stopwatch and a Gore-Tex jacket involved, I've decided.

On the knitting front...I'm almost done with the brown sweater on the cover of Knit Scene (click here)--of course, by the time I wrap that up completely, it'll be flippin' hot...so I'll have it ready to go by fall. I promise photos soon. I really like how it has come together. My latest project is a pair of Coreolis socks I saw Cat Bordhi make on a recent Knitty Gritty. I saw the show, downloaded the pattern from DIY, made a sock very quickly, then watched the show again. As you would guess, it made so much sense seeing it again after making it...my sock was just ok, so I frogged it last night and started over using the tips Ms. Bordhi offered on the broadcast. I. Love. TiVo. The socks are made on two circular #6's using double strands, so it's a thick sock, which will be nice when it's cold. I used Step by Austermann. As I said, hopefully photos will be added this weekend.

I had originally hoped to go through the list of stuff on my docket from a few posts ago, but, ironically, it got away from me. The biggest news from that list is relevant even more now that we are coming to the end of the school year. Here goes...and this is the headline from a long story I won't bore my 3 readers with now...I'm leaving the middle school librarian job I adore to help open an alternative / community middle school next fall in the district. I'll be the Global Cultures teacher at Phoenix Middle School. "Huh?" you say? Yep. You read it right. 6 of us full time teachers (and 4 part-timers) are creating a middle school from scratch, as it were, taking the traditional program and turning it on its ear to try and make a difference for our pioneer class of 82 7th graders. If you want to see more, our website is here...Robert is still working on the bios of the instructors, and my stuff isn't entered yet--no matter...it's the FAQ's that tell the most. That's the short story... more to come, as this new adventure will no doubt be a big factor in my summer activity.

Cool, huh?

More later...I'm fadin' fast. We teacher-types tend to turn into pumpkins around 10 or so.
'Night-'night, all.

Going once, going twice...

2007-04-15T17:54:00.000-04:00

SOLD! Here's the short story: With the endless creativity, tireless effort, great attitude and amazing organization of my partners-in-crime, Ann and Lynn, amazing energy from cashier sargent Patti, church chef extraordinaire Jean (and crew), and my wonderful family, the auction from the last posting came to fruition last night, despite pouring rain and raging winds. Made over $12,000, which is a lot for our modest church. Let me just say...

WHEW!!!!!!!!!

Lynn, Ann, and I are quite sure that we will never take this on again...but we have to admit that there is 1% in each of us that would like to try it again, now that we know more of what we're doing. However, should any of us speak up to volunteer again, the other two are to to track down the offender immediately, hog-tie and gag her, and, I don't know, stuff her in a closet with nothing but celery, beet juice, and Jerry Lewis movies until she takes it back. Seriously.

So, in the dogs barking at my heels category, I've got 1 down, a few more to go.

Dog #2:
(This is kind of a little dog)--back last spring...again, when I working part time and p.m. (pre-moving), I gave the answer, "yes" to the question "Would you be willing to organize the high school track parent volunteers to work at the home meets next year?" (Where were my hog-tying friends then, huh?) No, really, it's not too bad. Excel spreadsheets and email make the job pretty workable, plus...again...I'm blessed to have a crackerjack corps of dedicated volunteers stepping up. (Apparently, they have no friends to hog-tie them, either. Thank goodness.) With both boys running track this season--one in high school, one in middle school--we find our refrigerator calendar filling up with "Track Meet" in the 4:30 slot 3 or 4 times a week. Don't get me wrong--I love watching the boys and their buddies compete, especially since I know these years will fly by...but, for anyone not familiar with track as a spectator sport, all I can tell you is that one needs to block about 4 hours a whack. Not bad if the weather is nice; read: lots of good knitting time! Not so much fun on cold rainy days. (On a fashion note: when it comes to where my dollar goes, it's Good bye Victoria's Secret, Hel-loooo Gore Tex.) So, I organize the volunteer force and work the high school meets, and keep score for the middle school meets--guess what? Scorekeepers stay in the press box. My momma didn't raise no dummies.

A) Church Auction

2007-03-31T20:19:00.000-04:00

So, last spring when things were a little calmer, my buddy Ann and I agreed to organize a proposed auction at our church to take place in early December 06. Sure, we'll organize it, we said bravely. After all, there was a group already committed to item acquisition (that's the hardest part, we thought). Well, it seemed like a good thing to do, and we had all summer...

Fast forward a few months to October. Ann and I had our plans in place, after many hours spent with my laptop on breezy tables at Starbucks all summer. Let me say right now that Ann's awesome...it was me with issues. Since giving the nod in the springtime, I had taken on the full-time job at Perry, we were living amongst many, many moving boxes...and the item acquisition group? Vaporized. Forge ahead we did, with a bit of trepidation, but bravely all the same. Lynn joined our efforts as the one-woman clearinghouse of donations, and the marketing committee was fired up, but unfortunately, the response from the congregation was lukewarm. Too much going on, apparently. OK then.

Fast forward again to today. Wisely, we all decided to postpone the Jingle Bell Auction...now the Spring Fling Auction...to April 14. Which means it's GO time. Of course, for reasons I'll be explaining soon, I've been relying on Ann, Lynn, and a few other wonderful people to plug along with plans as I have cheered them along from afar, helping a bit here and there. Awesome women, each one. Let me say that again: AWESOME women! So, Spring Break for me = time to devote to make this show fly.

Going once....going twice...

Out of the frying pan.

2007-03-30T11:21:00.000-04:00

You're right, Jessica...where the *** have I been???? (I miss you, too!!!!)
Obviously not blogging lately. I intend to get back on the horse, though. Spring Break started today, which is good, but it will be a busy one. Until I can post a respectable entry--which I fully intend to do in short order--I'll leave you with these words. (I suppose they are the Jeopardy categories of my life right now.)

Church Auction
Track Season
Trip to Austin
Marian the Librarian
Knitting Joys
Back to the Treadmill
(and finally...)
I Wasn't Really Doing Anything, So I Thought I'd Help Open Brand New Alternative Middle School Next August.

(Oh, yes...there will be prizes.)

Alex Trebek, eat your heart out.

Back soon. :-)

It doesn't take much to impress me.

2007-02-19T15:27:00.000-05:00

Look what I found on the Knitty blog! (Click here.)

Tah!

Random notes.

2007-02-17T14:33:00.000-05:00

No big agenda. Jus' chillin' with my bad self in the middle of a snowy Saturday afternoon watching "Drumline" (because it's on), knitting, and blogging (because I can). So here are a few thoughts weaving their way onto the keyboard...

1) Why is it, why is it, why IS it that knitting black holes always end with overshooting the correct measurement? There I was, knitting row after row on the left front of my sweater, not making a bit of progress (welcome to the black hole). You knit, you measure, knit, measure again...same measurement. So I buck up, forge ahead to finish the last 2 inches and SUDDENLY, I've gone 3. One of the mysteries o'knitting, I presume. Fascinating (read: hope I don't do that again on the right front.)

2) Many of our 8th grade knitters--now meeting in the library every Friday--are moving on to bigger fish: hats, scarves with stitch patterns, experimenting with novelty yarns, etc. They're just awesome. My favorite moment yesterday was Tom, a reluctant yet persistent knitter, held up his lime-green --I don't know exactly what it is yet, and I don't think he does either, but that's not the point, is it? Let's say "swatch"-- and announced to the group: "Look at this! This is what they call 'free-form' knitting!" Indeed.

3) One does not accomplish much in hibernation mode.

4) On a related note: it's almost MARCH!

5) Got a flyer in the mail yesterday from our LYS, Knitter's Mercantile: they are planning a big knitting conference here in Columbus for the first week of June!!!! It's the last week of school, but there's got to be a way to get down there. Field trip, anyone??? (Hee hee.)

6) This may be old news, but Knitty Gritty is now on HGTV every day. (Didja hear that? That was the choir of knitting angels.)

7) My sweetie had red roses and Godiva chocolates delivered to school Thursday. Yes, Thursday. When school was called off Tuesday night for Wednesday--Valentine's Day--Jim turned to me and said, "So, there's something I have to tell you. There's something coming to school tomorrow...and you won't be there!" Poor guy. FTD did its job, though, and showed up with a big red box on Thursday. What a nice guy I live with. *s*

E-b-d-b-d...that's all folks. Back to the sweater. May the force be with me.

Lovin' the brown sweater.

2007-02-11T18:56:00.001-05:00

In the flurry of all that is my life right now, I have been finding...making....time to knit my latest Object D'Wool. Eventually, it will be this:
(More photos from the magazine can be found here.)

Working with texture in this way is new for me. I love the striping being created by the moss stitch (LOVE the moss stitch!), reverse stockinette, ribbing, etc. And the front edges---ohhh, ahh! It's a unisex sweater, so I'm adapting the body length and sleeve length just a bit so I won't be swimming in it. So far, so good...I'm partway through the right front. Sleeves next. I'm thinking I'm going to work the sleeves on the needles at the same time to make it go even faster. (Of course, me and my spastic ways will ensure that I will eventually, inadvertently knit those sleeves together while I'm trying to work on them and watch "24" at the same time.) I'm hoping to have it finished before the weather gets warm (remember warm weather?*s*)

I almost took my knitting bag to school when we had a professional day full of workshops on Friday. Thing is, I'm just not feeling like I can mix work with knitting that way. Maybe sitting in an auditorium would have worked, but these workshops were in classrooms...and one was with my principal. Hmm. I felt kind of guilty, and kind of wanted to apologize to my yet-unfinished sweater for not having the cahones to KIP...KIW (w for workshop?). OK, so here's the question: would you have been braver than me?

So many ideas, so little time...want to try a lace shawl to take to Austin in March for a wedding, a textured pillow for said-wedding present, the Mason-Dixon washcloths, a felted tote bag...*sigh*

Maybe a snow day this week will give me the extra knitting time. To-Do lists be damned; I've got plans!

(And, oh yeah--so I have the day-by-day Stitch'n Bitch calendar given to me by my good buddy Terri E. sitting on my dresser--and Friday's project was a Valentine THONG. Not surprisingly, I think that's the first time Jim has ever stopped to read it.*L*

No. Not even goin' there. Sorry, honey... it's not on the list.)

Checking in.

2007-02-04T16:31:00.000-05:00

So I see my knitting buddy, Bobbie, at church this am...looking quite lovely in her slate blue tweed suit, I must say...and the first thing she says to me, with a twinkle in her eye: "Hey!!! You're alive!!!! You gotta dust those cobwebs off that blog of yours..." And right you are, my friend. *s* Still haven't gotten the hang of blog management in the midst of everything else, commonly known as life in the fast lane of a full-time job. Well, maybe it's not the job so much as the collapsing I do at about 9:00 or so every night (if all goes according to plan), when all I really want to do is curl up in the overstuffed chair, pull the comforter over my lap and knit away to mindless tv before I fall asleep. (The good news is that I'm making progress on the brown sweater. The back and most of the left side of the cardigan is finished. Maybe I'll be done with it before summer????? *L*) I'm still trying to strike The Balance. Thanks for the kick in the pants, Bobbie. I needed it! :-)

In the meantime, another group has learned how to knit at school. I venture to guess that about 40 or so 8th graders are converts. Some are moving on to hats, one wants to make a doggie sweater, and we also have a request for a handwarmers pattern. The "official"daily classes are over, as the teachers have to move on to other things, but we have established a lunchtime group on Friday where anyone can come to knit away to their heart's content. Wow. It's just so darn cool that they want to come and hang out with each other...and knit! I mean, it ranks right up there on the top of my list, but for 8th graders? Cool.

As it is mucho freezing-o here in Columbus today, we're spending time indoors today. Evan's replaying the TiVo'd "The Office" from Thursday night, I'm (obviously) blogging, Jim and Ethan are working on school stuff, homework, etc. Just a quiet, cozy Sunday afternoon. I think I'll be rousing myself out from under the aforementioned comforter to head to the kitchen to make Ethan's birthday cake--big 17 on Tuesday--and maybe some homemade vegetable soup and/or mac and cheese from scratch. Whaddya think? Comfort Food Mode?
Yup. All over it.

On a related note...I've only lost a few pounds since the last blog entry. Hmmm. Wonder why?

*s*

First things first.

2006-12-28T11:20:00.000-05:00

It didn't seem so bad back in July, making that appointment for a physical in late December. However, sitting my hospital gown this morning in the freezing-cold exam room made me wish I had put a bit more thought into it 5 months ago. No, I don't think stepping on the scale 3 days after Christmas was too good for my self-image (I need to insert here that I have conveniently neglected (?) to replace the batteries in my scale since we moved. Ain't just a river in Egypt. ) Anyway, maybe shivering in my gown, near tears, and still reeling over the emailed Christmas photos taken this week (photo begrudgingly to follow--it's for my own good) AND learning that my always-low blood pressure is up for the first time EVER is the freakin' wake-up call I need. So, if a public declaration is working for Lolly, God love her, I'm going to give it a shot. (I kind of did this in July--hmmm, would that be after the last doctor visit????--but this time, we have photographic accountability in the mix. Vanity, thy name is Bossygirl.)

First the photo with Jim and me, looking merry by the fireplace at my sister Susan's home. I've put this one in to remind me that life is good and I am lucky. :-)

Now, the little dose of reality. No, it's not especially flattering, but that's the point. Call it the proverbial 2 x 4.
(Incidentally, I was talking with other sister, Jane, in Baltimore, obviously enjoying the call. Always do!)

'Nuff said. I go back to the md at the end of March for a follow-up, so now it's serious. Let's see what I can do with counting calories, watching fat, keeping up the exercise, and writing it all down for awhile. When it's all said and done, eventually I would like to be about 25-30 lbs. lighter (Not by March, but I'm planning on a good running start by then.) Thanks for indulging me, no pun intended.

Now, on to knitting...

(How many calories can you burn in an hour of quality knitting? Just wondering.)

Here are the two watch caps made for Ethan and Evan for Christmas, done in record time (for me)...and they say they like them. Yay!

Pattern: Encore Colorspun Ribbed Watchcap
Yarn: Plymouth Encore, Acrylic / wool blend; charcoal gray and burgundy (don't know the acutal names... labels are AWOL.)
Needles: Addi Turbo #7 16-inch circular needles. Oh, I love these needles.
Knitted: 11/30-12/23, 2006. Ok, the gray one got started on 12/21.
Notes: Great, easy pattern, though twice I ended up with more stitches at the end that the pattern said I should, so something funky must happen with the decrease. No matter. FYI, the pattern is free with purchase of Plymouth Yarn at our LYS. Couldn't find it anywhere online.

Got two great books for Christmas from the guys...

Love them already, and I haven't even gotten too far in either. (This is where the librarian a/k/a bibliophile and knitting worlds collide, reducing me to drooling and babbling almost immediately.)

I've also been attempting to start a cute sweater from Interweave Knit's Knitscene (Spring 2007) cover--the Kenobi Jacket. The problem is not the pattern...it's the yarn I chose and the ensuing gauge issues. Arrrgh. More on that in the next post.

You must excuse me, as I hear some carrot sticks calling me.

Owwww.

2006-12-17T20:03:00.000-05:00

If you were going to make a list of adjectives to describe me, "video game player" would not fall anywhere on the list. Not interested. Not good at it. Don't enjoy it. Glaze over when my boys talk about it. Ick.

Then the Nintendo Wii showed up at the house yesterday.

In 30 words or less, I'll tell you that you that it's physically interactive, which means you stand up and swing your arms to really feel like you're bowling, hitting a home run, or...(drum roll, please) hitting a tennis ball.

Be still my heart.

I don't think I'll ever achieve geek status in the video game arena by any means, but I could find myself in the other camp very easily as long as Wii is there. Hey, I actually woke up with a stiff shoulder and achy upper arm after kicking some little virtual behinds all over the tennis court. Imagine. *sigh*

Anyway, more to the subject at hand--or perhaps 48 of them. I saw this on Jessica's blog recently and thought I'd give it a shot. I've never tried such a list, and I always think I won't like it when I see it on a blog, but I always read it and enjoy the experience immensely. (Not that this will happen to you when you read my list--no pressure. It's mostly for my own entertainment anyway. Everyone deserves a little spotlight now and then, even if we flip the switch ourselves. Isn't that one reason we blog in the first place? *g*)

48 Things You Could Care Less About

1. FIRST NAME? Beth (short for Elizabeth)

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my mom, Inez Elizabeth, and my grandmother Inez Graben (Graben is my middle name.) Mom was called Elizabeth as a child, and it was shortened to Liz in high school; she always hated it. So, when they named me, they made sure I would be a "Beth".
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? About an hour ago.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes. It's half printing and half cursive, and tempered by a few years of teaching D'Nealian handwriting in elementary school. Now that I word process so much now, however, I find I make more errors in my penmanship. Out of practice, maybe?
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Turkey.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Usually.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? You're reading it.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Would rather light my hair on fire and put it out with a hammer.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Puffins if I'm being healthy, Lucky Charms if I'm not. Also a big Frosted Mini Wheats fan. No matter what, I've gotta have raisins in the bowl somewhere.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No. And when I'm hurrying to untie them later, I always regret it a little.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Absolutely. (Bossygirl...hello.) However, it's one of those "it's a blessing and a curse" kind of thing.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Easy one: black raspberry chip at Graeter's.
14. SHOE SIZE? 8-1/2, I think.
15. RED OR PINK? Red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I'm way too quick to pass judgment. However, I'm also likely to say it out loud, which doesn't always go over well, and often blows up in my face.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My sister, Jane, who lives happily but far away in Baltimore. Hi, Hon!
18. HAVE YOU EVER MADE A PRANK PHONE CALL? No, but I recall witnessing a few at a 6th grade slumber party. I didn't want to get in trouble (and, if you know me, you are laughing.)
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Navy pajama pants, polarfleece socks, white Wickertree Tennis Club long-sleeved t-shirt.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? A really good orange.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The dishwasher. Really.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Spring green, I think.
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Campfire smoke.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? The customer service rep at RealSimple magazine. (OK, so it's a slow Sunday night.)
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?How quick they are to smile or laugh.
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM? Absolutely!!!! *Hi, Jessica!*
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Brewed Iced tea with lots of sugar (a Southern thing, y'all).
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Tennis.
29. EYE COLOR? Light brown.
30. HAT SIZE? No idea whatsoever.
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? I did for awhile, then tried them again in the last year or two. Can't really see indoors too well with them in, which is a real buzzkill to the whole librarian thing. Looks like I'm 4-eyed for life.
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Caramel corn. (But there's probably something I haven't thought of.)
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Doesn't have to be a happy ending, but don't like the scary stuff at all. (Saw a cowboy vampire movie when I was a kid that scared me to death. Scarred for life.)
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall.
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Yes.
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? No vegetable desserts, please (like - ewwww - pumpkin pie). Love chocolate, love lemon, love orange...I'm pretty easy to please.
38. WHAT SIDE OF THE BED DO YOU SLEEP ON AND WHY? The right if you're lying in it. (This is good, because I sleep on my right side, so Jim is spared the icky morning breath thing. I hope.)
39. IF YOU HAD TO PICK ONLY ONE COLOR TO WEAR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Charcoal or black (the whole I think it makes me look thinner thing.)
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Lordy. There's a stack of middle school novels by my nightstand and a stack of knitting books and magazines right next to it. Last night: Boy2Girl.
41. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't own one.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Probably a TiVo of The Daily Show.
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The ocean. Nature sounds. A really awesome choir.
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles.
45. THE FURTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME? This is pitiful...Hawaii, but it was 22 years ago.
46. WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? When it comes to people, I have a pretty good sh*# detector (this is the upside of #16.)
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Oak Lawn, Illinois.
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I saw it on Jessica's blog and borrowed it. Give it a shot yourself...it's fun!

As promised...

2006-12-11T20:41:00.000-05:00

So here are the little projects I've got going:

These are nifty little itty bitty stockings I saw at the LYS (Knitter's Mercantile, here in Columbus). I LOVED them when I saw them, and had to try them myself. The green / silver Christmas yarn is lovely, but I love the Buckeye yarn. You know, for those of you outside of Columbus, you need to understand that our Ohio State Buckeyes is The Hot Topic around here (our football team is playing for the national title Jan. 8), so Buckeye Fever is hotter than usual.

O-H!

I'm also trying some felting (the intentional kind, not the husband tossed the sox in the washer and dryer by mistake kind). I'm using the book Knit Christmas Stocking s (Steele) and am trying the star, tree, and heart ornaments usint Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn. I'm having a little trouble with the heart pattern, as it seems really lopsided. I need to take another run at it. The other ones seem to be working well, though:

I'm looking forward to felting them and sewing some pretty beads in the eyelet holes. Soon. In my spare time.

Uh-huh.

Rolling on...(these kids at school are inspiring me):
I like to make something for each of my two boys every Christmas. It was easier when they were younger, of course, but as they get older it gets just a bit harder every year to match my creative skills with something they would actually like / use. So, I'm trying to whip out stocking hats--it's a Plymouth pattern that is oh-s0-easy so far. The one in the photos below looks very much like the one Ethan wears a lot, so I might have a shot at success on the 25th. Of course, getting them both finished is the goal (in the aforementioned "spare time", I need to pull out the Yarn Harlot's essays on Christmas knitting...):

Finally, more tales from the middle school knitters:

This is Devon, owner of the pink Knitted Learning Curve from the last post. She GETS it. She's ripped through a scarf, started on a hat, started another scarf, got a little bored with the same knit stitch, put scarf #2 aside in favor of a "famous" dishcloth pattern from her late aunt that includes YO's and K2Tog's. After 20 minutes of starting that today, she was well on her way with 6-7 rows and a big smile. Whaddya think...is this girl hooked or what?

This is John,

the "frickin' knitter". He has just completed a hackey sack (his second project), which, if you know middle schoolers, went flying through the library minutes after its completion. *sigh* He's looking at his buddy Patrick's needles. Why?

These are Patrick's needles.

We don't really know the story, but understand from Patrick that they were shut in his locker. Believe it our not, the straighter one comes to us courtesy of Patrick's social studies teacher who was able to coax it back into submission using his desk and something heavy, I think. I don't know. The other one was of concern to our young knitter Patrick, as he didn't know if his bent needle would be a problem.

This is Dara,

valiant seminar teacher who got this endeavor off the ground in the first place. She and I concurred that Patrick's bent needle was still workable. No raining on that parade, we decided. (This is a kid that NEEDS to be busy.*g*)

Finally, here's Richie.

He's NOT in the seminar class currently meeting in the library, but is one of two students assigned to me for Study Center every day. He's a new student, and spent the first 2 weeks of 4th period reading "Road and Track" and watching everyone learn to knit. Finally, he came to me and asked what he needed to know to try "this knitting thing". He's in deep now...even to the point of helping the young lady next to him untangle a nasty mess o' yarn. What a guy.

Last note: Christopher Guest's new movie, For Your Consideration...a must-see.

Alive and kicking...a month later!

2006-12-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

HI, EVERYBODY!!!!!! I'm back!!!! Boy, have I missed checking in! I think things are down to a simmer now, though...I'm adjusting to the job, we're completely out of the old house as of last week, we're (kinda) settled in the new place...AND I'M HAVING TIME TO KNIT AGAIN!!!!!! All is right with the world, it seems.

So, while I could absolutely bore you to tears with the details of everything since I last posted, I'll sum up (Thanks, Inigo): Job's still great; the boys are rebelling less--well, the younger one is, anyway; football season is over (14 games later---they made playoffs, much to the marching band's delight and chagrin); our outside Christmas decorations are up (can you believe we found them?); and, appropriate to the purpose of this forum, I've helped start a knitting group at Perry (new middle school). Check it out...

Look at 'em go! It started with another teacher, Dara, wanting to teach her seminar kids a new skill (most teachers have a half-hour class everyday with a mix of students and open curriculum; usually project-based). The day she checked out a new knitting book from the library, we started talking, which led to taking the leap with the kids the next week. That was three weeks ago. Now, the students are starting to finish their projects (bean bags, headbands) and are moving on to other things, depending on their interest level. Some are planning to knit for charity, some are making gifts, and I think we'll be able to continue a knitting group once or twice a week after this class moves on to other curriculum. This is good, because I think another seminar group is standing in the wings, waiting to start knitting as well.

We are having so much fun, and there are a couple of success stories are right out of a Hallmark movie...you know, the troubled, quiet child (a boy, in this case), who has picked up knitting like a duck to water and now actually smiles when we see him; two other young men who are typically knuckleheads in class who are now "frickin' knittin'!"*LOL* as one of them exclaimed the other day--and they are!; a girl, a cheerleader who "has it all", but struggles with fine motor skills and low frustration level, almost in tears when she started--she has already finished her first headband and ready to start her next project...it goes on and on. My favorite photo is Devon's first knitting, which she proudly displays as the progression of her knitting skill (so I HAD to take a picture of it, she said):

And here's Shannen, who showed up in the library the last 10 minutes of school one Friday afternoon so that I could show her how to sew her headband together before she went home. (She was only halfway done with the whole thing at lunch the same day.) Don't know exactly when she got all that done, but we heard no complaints from teachers...whew. :-) She already knits with lightning speed and perfect stitches (yes, she'll be one of those knitters whom many of us envy at the LYS *g*):

These middle schoolers are just awesome! Selfishly, the best part for me is that it made me dig through the boxes here at home to fish out the needles and yarn to take in--and now, I'm frickin' knittin', too. I've found my way back to the LYS, bought some yarn for some quick Christmas projects--which I've started (is that the Hallelujah Chorus I hear????) I promise...pictures in the next post.

Life. Is. Good.

If you have a chance, please check in and let me know how you are. The next step in my 12-step knitting blog recovery program is to begin blog-surfing again...I've missed that so much! Hope you're still out there, my knitting cyber buddies...

Boo-YEAH!

2006-10-30T20:40:00.000-05:00

Hey to all 3 of you still checking in to the blog. I have officially moved. We're on the backside of Stress World a/k/a The Big Move--finally--with 98% of our stuff under a new roof. (The rest awaits us at the old house; a few more trash trips and a box or two of odds and ends should do it.) There are booooo-coups (get it? For Halloween!) boxes everywhere, but we know what's in each of them. We spend a few hours most nights after dinner sorting through or putting together something else, putting up shelves, etc. It's not fast, but it's progress. I figure after Christmas break we'll be fairly settled in. Ok, all three of you, with me...breathe in deeply, and *whew*!

Boy, do I feel better. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I'm actually feeling blog entries creeping back into my consciousness...one in particular has to do with a parking ticket I got on Friday, Oct. 13 from a local police officer a/k/a Barney Fife. Let's just say it didn't end well. More about that soon. (Be assured, that, lucky for me, I'm not wearing a big orange jumpsuit while I'm writing this. It was close. Again....*whew*). Knitting's just around the corner for me as well...as soon as I can find my stash box and needle box...hmmmm.

So, Happy Halloween to all (3 of you), and may you get lots more treats than tricks...my favorite is the candy corn, but I think I'm in the minority--but have you tried them with peanuts mixed in????*sigh*

11 days...

2006-10-09T21:15:00.000-04:00

To my cyber friends out there who are sure that I've been abducted by aliens or something...
I'm still here living amongst the boxes, dust mice, piles of paperwork, catalogs, and Subway napkins (I know, kind of random, but it's what I can see at the moment from where I sit. ) An alien abduction, quite frankly, while it would be interesting, would really put a cramp in what I'm trying to accomplish right now.

We move the 21st. OK, that's when the guys with the truck get here. We're actually out of school the 20th (did I mention that I have a book fair that week in the library that was scheduled last spring before I took the job? Now there's a little bit of serendipity that the pessimists among us might see as downright sadistic. Just sayin'. "Bring it," I say.*L*) So, the 20th will be spent throwing the rest of our belongings into boxes to cart them over to the new house. Nothing like a deadline, huh? Hopefully, my sweetie and I will not kill each other in the process. We're doing well, but we are living life on the marital edge from time to time. How much more fun can we possibly take???!!!! (Read that last sentence kind of manically, and you've got it.)

We took possession of the new house last Tuesday. We closed on our current house the week before. The painters are already done (I only made one HORRIFIC mistake with a bathroom color which was quickly remedied, thank goodness...ay yi yi), the place was steam-cleaned Saturday,the new carpet comes the 18th. We have our list of purchases to make, which is kind of fun and kind of terrifying all at the same time. Hey, it's not every day one can say that she bought a piano on her lunch break. Well, I can say it today.

Next?

Oh yeah...knitting????That thing I used to do with sticks and yarn? That whimpering I hear from the basket by my chair in the evenings isn't the cat, but the beautiful skeins that have been waiting patiently to be knitted into socks since, I don't know, August. We look wistfully at each other with the tacit understanding that I'll see them in their new home, nestled close to the fireplace by the overstuffed chair we bought yesterday. The thought of this keeps me going as we slog through this fall, treading water in a sea of to-do's. Soon, little skeins, very soon...

11 days and counting.

All together now...

2006-09-17T19:27:00.000-04:00

So where has Bossygirl been hiding? She hasn't been hiding...she's been loving her new middle school librarian job, packing up her house (and making many more piles than she needs to), and trying to get rid of the stuff crammed in every nook and cranny for the last 15 years (or so...you know that we brought some of that c-r-a-p from the first house. BTW:found my Social Security card! Not gonna say how long it's been, er, missing.)

Here's my Moving Sale song (a la Frances in "Bedtime for Frances"--librarians? Are you with me? )

The 72 Hours of the Moving Sale

At the end of our moving sale, my true love showed to me:
12 Christmas tins
11 children’s books
10 plain wood switch plates
9 CD-ROMs
8 satin ornaments
7 picture frames
6 roller blades

5 bo-ring games

4 rolled up rugs
3 old pots
2 Pine Factory couches
and a cupboard from I-KE-A.

(Helll-oooooooo! LOSING it!!!!)

Yeah, with a little poetic license here and there, that's about what's left for Volunteers of America to come take away. Not too bad.

What? Am I still knitting, you ask? Funny you should mention it. To my true love's delight, we got people to come to the sale just by me picking up my long-neglected socks and trying to concentrate long enough to turn the heel. Yes, Murphy's Law is alive and well in central Ohio. Every time I tried to pick up where I left off, more people would appear in our driveway. Good for the profit margin; not so much for the poor little sock with a sad little heel. (What's that I hear? Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit...)

So...
Start school - check.
Get into contract with Abercrombie&Fitch and also find a new house - check.
Be anxious about loan paperwork, getting the contract stuff wrapped up by the end of Sept., think about getting painters lined up - check.
Love new job - check.
Burrow through attic and basement - check.
Throw out / donate / set aside mountains of stuff I refuse to move to the new house - check.
Turn 45 Sept. 15 - check.
Have moving sale - check.
Try to be a good mom in spite of impending insanity - check.
Try to be a good wife (ditto) -check.
Realize my dad is coming from Minneapolis next weekend...and we don't have a table and chairs any more - sh$# - I mean, check.

Next up...Pack, pack, pack, knit, pack, pack, knit, read, pack, pack, pack, pack, knit, cook dinner (aka order pizza), find a table to use for a couple of weeeks, pack, read,pack, pack, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Kind of me these days:

Just sayin'.

I love blogging. *hee hee*

If it's not nailed down...

2006-09-02T22:30:00.000-04:00

...I'm packing it! That's right. Were you to walk into our home at this very moment, this is what you would find in various rooms in my house:(This photo represents the things going to Goodwill tomorrow, OR out to the trash guys on Thursday); or, you may see this:
(Especially in our attic. See, it's a giant walk-out attic, bigger than the width of our garage, which you'd think would be great...until you find yourself filling it over 15 years with an amazing amount of...well...ok, forgive me...crap. I did make a dent today after about 8 hours up there. But then, there's (dun, dun, DUN) The Basement.)

Of course, we are getting ready for this:
(Happening in two weeks.)

Which will clear the way, in short order--say, by mid-October-- for this:Meanwhile, my cute little band socks wait patiently for me. *sigh*

Sadly, Peanut, our grande dame of our two kitties, won't be moving with us to the new house...she fell quite ill a week ago (probably old age and kidney failure...when you're a cat and you're 18 years old, these things happen), and we had to make the decision to let her go last Sunday afternoon. Very sad, lots of tears, but she's much happier now, I'm sure. Ultimately, we know the move would've been very hard on her...it's almost like she knew. Turns out she went downhill very quickly--and ironically--the day we signed the contract to sell the house we're in now. How very feline of her. Her much younger partner in crime, Hobbes (a/k/a Bad Kitty) misses her very much, especially now that we're all back to school all day, every day. We may think about a new kitten friend for him after we move...and probably after Christmas...you know, that kitten-in-the-Christmas-tree ordeal is a little stressful on everyone. *L*

SoS updates are due by tomorrow night...I told Jessica that I'm looking forward to taking a break from the boxes and bags to check out my bloglist. Yay!

Let's not forget that the US Open is trying to get underway (the rain's not helping). Did you SEE the match between Agassi and Bagdahtis????? Oh. My. Gosh.

OK, last thing--just saw the preview for "Lost". Gettin' psyched! (Just sayin'.)

Welcome to Panther Country!

2006-08-23T21:46:00.000-04:00

So I thought it would be a good idea to stop by for a moment. How did I get from the long, slow days of summer when I could knit and blog to my heart's content to running at breakneck speed from dawn to dark? This does happen to us at the end of August every single year; "back to school" means piles of laundry, meals on the fly, stacks of mail, unmade beds, cats that feel neglected, tired Dad, crabby Mom, boys hanging on to the last few mornings of sleeping in...we usually function in this mode until Labor Day weekend when we have a chance to catch our collective breath. Jim and I do love our teaching jobs--but as elated as we are in June when the school doors swing shut, it's doubly hard to drag our sorry, summer-lovin' behinds back to the classroom in the fall. Ahh, a career in public education--not for the faint of heart! *L*

Speaking of said career, my middle schoolers show up tomorrow. I think I'm ready for them to roll in..."I think" works in this case as it's a brand spanking new job for me, here a little past the midpoint in my career. The posters are up in the library, the computers re-connected, the laminator running, new books and magazines checked in...now all I need are the kids. I'll keep you posted. Go, Perry Panthers!!!

Knitting? What's that? I worked on the pretty Band Camp socks over the weekend when we went in-law visiting in Kentucky, and I'm about ready to turn the heels on them. Haven't had the energy to work on them, as it would require a little concentration. I got nothin'.

BTW--looks like the house selling / buying is progressing... we're thinking the closings will be done by mid-October, latest...soooooooo that's about 1-1/2 MONTHS to pack, pitch, price or pass on (you like that? I made it up) . I've brought home about 35 boxes from school in the last couple of days. We're hitting the basement this weekend, I think. (Ooooo, scary.)

I promise...in all the upheaval, I promise to carve out time to knit more on the socks both Saturday and Sunday. Knitter's Honor.

It's nice to be back, even for a brief visit.

Still here...stay tuned.

2006-08-16T23:12:00.000-04:00

Just to let you know...still here, just up to my eyeballs in a variety of ventures. Film at 11. (No, not really, but it sounds cool. Kinda.)

Ah'll be bock.

Quick Recap

2006-08-06T18:10:00.000-04:00

Well...since I could write for days and days about how AWESOME band camp was, I am forcing myself to edit, edit, edit, just offering some of the highlights. (BTW, yes...It. Was. Hot.)

Here are some of the girls on the bus ride down. Notice how their faces glisten...it was a 2-1/2 hour ride in about 95 degrees and at least 1000% humidity. (This trend continued all week. We finally chose to ignore it.)

Our accomodations. I was with the senior girls in the cabin on the left. Check out the windows held open with props. This housing feature begs to be used in the (in)famous "Run And Knock Down The Props At Night Making The Flaps Slam Shut" prank. Real funny if you're the prank-er. Prank-ee? Not so much (especially in the wee hours of the morning...but still kinda funny regardless. Hey, I'm a camp counselor from wa-a-a-a-y back. FYI: one of the newer twists to pranking at camp involves Saran Wrapping one to one's bunk while one is sleeping. Damn. Wish we had thought of that.)

First day on the practice field. The guy on the ladder is the new band director, hired about 3 weeks ago to replace a 37 year veteran who announced his retirement on the last day of school, surprising everyone. Our new director did a great job with the kids, many still reeling from the shock. We chaperones were so impressed by everyone's efforts: Mr. Smith won them over slowly with organization, kindness, and good humor; the kids were receptive, polite, and respectful.

These are the goats from a neighboring farm that appeared in the middle of practice. They ended up eating some music, chewing on a Bible (it was a church camp) and peeing in the middle of the trumpet section before they were herded away (no small task). Good for some screaming, jumping, and great belly laughs.

Drummers are known to be a little eccentric, and this drumline was no exception. Here are a few of them. Wow...can they play!

A bit of down time during the last field rehearsal. These kids worked very hard...and played hard, too. Evening activities included a shaving cream fight (planned), scavenger hunt, senior olympics, an impromptu talent show and a bonfire / awards. Add a bit of pranking here and there, and you can well imagine that not much sleep was to be had all week.

Our group of chaperones...what a great team. (That was me in the white chair.) We really enjoyed listening to the kids rehearse every evening.

Had to include a shot with Ethan--the sax player with the aviator shades on. We ended up having a great time there together. He didn't talk to me until Wednesday; I think he had to make sure I wasn't going to follow him around camp all day and night (are you kidding???)

My senior girls. What a wonderful group of young women!!!! (I'm on the top left...yeah, like you couldn't tell where the person over 18 is.) I absolutely loved living with these girls all week. What a gift!

And, finally...look what I worked on all week!!!! These started many conversations during breaks (especially when I started them and they looked like a teeny-weeny bikini top), and brought the knitters in the group out of the woodwork.

Loved, loved, LOVED band camp!!!!! (Sleeping 12 hours straight when I got home yesterday was wonderful as well. ) Can't wait for next year. :-)

Off to Band Camp!

2006-07-28T21:46:00.000-04:00

So, will this be us next week?

(Haven't seen it, and hopefully, the band kids haven't, either...yeah, right!*L*)
Anyway, my 16-year-old saxophone player and I (one of several chaperones) are headed to band camp for the week. Being the first week in August, we were guessing it would be hotter 'n' heck...and the Weather Channel concurs. Taking the new pair of socks to knit, though, so I hope to have some good progress to report after Aug. 5th or so. Have a good week, everyone--send us some good thoughts for a wonderful--albeit sweltering--trip!

Well, it's about time.

2006-07-25T12:29:00.000-04:00

Finally! My first Summer of Socks pair o' socks!

Pattern: Queen Kahuna's Crazy Toes & Heels Socks
Yarn: The Plymouth Italian Collection: Sockotta--45%Cotton, 40% Superwash Wool, 15% Nylon-1 skein
Color: 5616
Needles: Addi Turbo US #2, 24 " (2 circular needles)
Knitted: 6/28-7/24/06
Notes: The learning here is not so much about the sock pattern but the Winding Of The Yarn. Repeat after me: When you're using self-striping yarn AND you want the stripes to match AND you're knitting two socks at once, do not think you are being clever and saving time by winding one ball from the center of the skein and the other from the end. The stripes will be going in two different directions. IMPORTANT: if you forget, you use adjectives such as "funky", "eccentric", "purposely mismatched"to describe the socks.

Now, believe it or not, I have found myself in the very unusual place of having nothing going on my needles at this moment. (Well, that's kind of a lie, as I have a sweater from my past that I had to frog and restart, but I'm not feeling the wool-and-90 degrees-vibe). Actually, I've been shopping lately and am breathlessly awaiting the arrival of 2 skeins of sock yarn from The Knitter.com, and my own skein of the new Summer of Socks yarn (as yet unnamed) from Mama E. I'm in the sock mood, so I want to ride that wave as long as I can. Besides, I am planning to take my next PIP (Pair In Progress) off to band camp with me.

That's right...I said "band camp". I'm a chaperone, meaning I will be living with a bevy of teenage girls in a cabin for the next week. (As an aside, this pleases my son Ethan to no end...it finally dawned on him that his mom will spend most of the week not anywhere near where he will be at camp. Of course, I told him the only reason I was going was to have fun with my friends, so I'd appreciate him not cramping my style. *L* For the record, that rendered him briefly speechless, a rare occurrence.) We--as in the high school band and the chaperones--are headed off to camp Sunday afternoon and returning the following Saturday. (So, of course my head is filled with thoughts like "Do I have batteries for that flashlight? Where IS that flashlight? Do I own enough pair of underwear...the kind I would feel ok wearing if I had to run from a burning building...or in front of teenage girls (oh, help!) for a whole week? Will they have skim milk for breakfast?" and so forth. Since I spent my high school and most college summers as a YMCA resident camp counselor in the Missouri Ozarks, I am truly looking forward to the opportunity to get back to camp. But, being a chaperone instead of a counselor (as in, I don't have to teach swimming, archery, riflery, etc.), I'm thinking there may be some down time during which a little sock knitting would be poifect. Here's hopin'. (And, FYI, I do have some friends going as chaperones as well...we will be having fun. Remember...it won't be us marching every day in the hot sun. We'll just be there to mop the kids off the practice field when they're done. Poor babies.)

And, as a follow-up:
Dixie Chicks TOTALLY rocked!

(This is the obligatory concert photo of the stage, taken over a sea of big hair and cowboy hats. BTW, although this shows my age, I didn't know that people now wave their lit-up cell phones instead of lighters at concerts. See? I bet at least one of you out there didn't know that. )

Oh, yeah!

2006-07-23T13:46:00.000-04:00

7:30 tonight...Erin and I are off to see these ladies at the Schottenstein Arena:
Say what you will--I'm all about great music, and am a big fan of the Chicks. (I'm also about free speech for everyone, but that's quite another discussion--and another blog.)

Woo Hoo!

WIP's

2006-07-19T16:10:00.000-04:00

Time has come for an update on a myriad of projects around here. I'll start with the most concrete:

Funky-Striped Socks.
About 3 inches of ribbing left to finish. This is not only good for the socks' sake, but to make room on the needles for some new goodies that will be coming to my door in the very near future via this guy:

More on those in future posts.

New Projects: Thanks to Carole, I've got a nifty little project to try. Click here to look at EarthFaire's Bead Soup bracelets--you string a boatload of beautful little beads then knit the string into a bracelet. Actually, Carole's July 13 post sports some great pictures of the one she has made, which is what got me all fired up to order a kit in the first place. Perfect for someone (like me) who's been jonesin' for something new to try. Here's what came in the mail today:
The Pursuit of Physical Improvement: This is a little tricky to quantify. I've been Jazzercizing like a maniac 4 times a week, power-walking with my neighbor for an hour after dinner most evenings, playing tennis matches 1-2 times weekly, going to a 2-hour team practice every Monday and (except for the last 24 hours) have been counting Weight Watchers points religiously for 2 weeks. This is all MUCH more energy poured into my physical well-being than I've exerted for a couple of years (which, to no one's surprise, has caused the scale to creep up ever so steadily since fall of 2001). So, one would think the pounds should be melting off, yes???? As a matter of fact, NO. OK, so three the first week I started points, which got me all fired up...then this week, I have actually gained half of that back. Now, I know that this small amount is no big deal in the grand scheme of things; hell, I can think about Snickers cheesecake and put on 5 pounds. It's the mental battle...and anyone who fights it knows exactly what I mean. Therefore, in a nutshell, the update is this: my legs are looking great, I have much more stamina, my tennis game is improving (though my friend Mari totally kicked my butt yesterday playing singles, but I'm going to ignore that fact for a moment), I am...or have been...eating more healthy, and that's all good. However, when I saw yesterday that the scale had turned on me, I spun into a little candy attack which led to a Chipotle tortilla chips attack today (Damn! Those things are sooooo good), which has ended--I hope-- with a big handful of chocoate chips and raisins just now. Confession done...moving on.

Summer Fun: Jim and I took the boys to COSI, Columbus' science museum, today. We ran into this dude:
That's right. We entered the world of Star Wars, a place where we can come out of the closet and be the geeks we truly are. The Storm Trooper (yes, I knew that before I read the little placard) is part of a blockbuster traveling exhibit displaying models of ships used in the 6 films, actual costumes ( Carrie Fisher was teeny tiny!) and other robotic-type things appealing to the Star Wars fan in each of us. Here's my librarian fun fact of the day:
Choose the correctly-spelled word to complete this sentence: Chewbacca is a ________.
a) Wookie
b) Wussie
c) Wookiee
d) Big hairy smelly creature
(Answer at the end of the post.) (Because I'm a little anal that way.) (So there. Check the title of the blog.)

Middle School Reading: Hear that? That screeching halt you hear represents how many novels I have read in the last week or so (I remind you that I was slamming down about 3 a week to start with). I have no good excuse, so I'll deflect with this: I am currently in love with She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel, sequel to A Girl Named Zippy. So, as an homage to my soon-to-be middle school patrons, let me say this: Ok, like I've been like sooooo busy,and I have been reading you know, so like get o-ver it, OK? Wasn't Orlando Bloom like SOOO hot in that pirate movie?

Calling Erin Brokovich: This last item is the first of what will surely be periodic posts about a battle the people on our road are about to incite. Surely you have heard of Abercrombie and Fitch, the homey little clothing company who brings us all-American gear for our all-American teens...at Rodeo Drive prices. Why, here's an Abercrombie ad right here! (How'd THAT get here?)
A&F's headquarters are here in Columbus, Ohio...more specifically, New Albany, Ohio...more specifically, about a half-mile over these trees: Oh, and that swingset? That would be ours, as this would be our backyard. We've all existed peacefully together for a number of years, Abercrombie and those of us on our street. But now, about 8 acres behind our homes are for sale, and we understand A&F wants it rezoned so new office buildings (and parking lots...with lights) can be built..maybe right up to 50 feet of our property line. We've gotten rezoning letters, rumors are flying, meetings at the Village Hall are starting tomorrow night...and all we really want to do is stay here on our little acre of farmland with our neighbors. The problem is that, true to The Corporate Way of Doing Things, no one can seem to give us a straight answer on Abercrombie's future plans... and, apparently, by law they don't have to. (Sidebar: Les Wexner, a millionaire / philanthopist that started The Limited companies--including A & F, Lane Bryant, Bath and Body Works, etc.--built a grand estate out here about 17 years ago, and, with his development company, has turned sleepy little New Albany into a mass of million-dollar homes comprising an elite country club community. Corporate sprawl is not new to us out here.) We understand some homes near us have been bought out, but we all haven't been approached yet. We hear it's a matter of time, but again, no firm answer. Jim's all over this one, preparing documents and maps for tomorrow night's meeting. Stay tuned.

Whew. That's all for now. If you're still here, thanks for sticking with me. I feel better.

Oh yeah...wookiee with 2 e's.
Who knew?

Yee Haw!

2006-07-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

Been a busy weekend (more about that in a moment). Meanwhile, here's the Summer of Socks update du jour...I've turned the heels on the Queen Kahunas. Since I have long since given up on the stripes matching, I didn't even break a sweat over whether the heels matched. Remember...the word is eccentric. Yeah, I know I'm a bit on the slow side, but life keeps interrupting my knitting. What's up with that? *L*

Speaking of life...it was all about cowboys this weekend. Evan a/k/a "Will Parker" was in a local production of Oklahoma! Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The kids did such a great job, and Evan sang and danced his little heart out. Here's a still photo of some of the fellers ("Will" is in the black hat in the back.)

O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Okla-HO-O-O-O-MA!

Hopefully I can carve out some time in the next few days for a meatier post. Who'd have thought my summer would be so busy? (Yeah, like I'm complaining...NOT!)

Guess what we did this morning?

2006-07-12T13:27:00.000-04:00

Here's the boy at the Ohio DMV moments after earning his driver's license. Note the big smile on his cute little face.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

Viva la Yarn Harlot!

2006-07-11T22:05:00.000-04:00

First of all, you need to take a side trip over to Yarn Harlot's blog and read the July 10 entry. It's all about karma and the universe's perpetual search for balance. (Disclaimer: it's doubtful my post will be as witty as that one, but isn't that why we visit the Yarn Harlot daily??? The woman's gifted.) The thing is that I'm all over that theory. My close friends will tell you that when good things happen that are wonderful, it always make me a little nervous...I tend to wait for the other shoe to drop. It's really not a fatalistic way to live, honestly. Understanding the ever-present need for balance actually keeps me rolling along more evenly through life--the old taking-the-good-with-the-bad idea. You know how many of us are...women tend to mentally rehearse for life's little ups and downs. One can never be too prepared.

But I digress.

To put it simply: Tank=Good. Socks=Oh Crap.

I've worn the new tank twice already. (See the last post). I'll just say it: I'm proud of myself. I finished it quickly without any major screw-ups (that's a big thing for me, a/k/a Spastic Knitter Girl). It fits well. I'm not already sick of looking at it after knitting on it for days. For these reasons, I'm calling it a Knitting Success. Tah-dah! I tell you that to tell you this...

Here are the socks just a day or two ago:

And here they are now:

Hmmm. Do they look shorter to you, too? Funny. Maybe it's because THEY ARE!!!!!

Why? Because I had to RIP OUT THREE INCHES OFF EACH ONE LAST NIGHT!

Again...why?
Because I had become a cocky, too-sexy-for-my-shirt- kind of knitter after finishing the tank and forgot to start the gusset increases three inches ago. On TWO socks, not just one...a fringe benefit(!) of double-socking. So I've been happily knitting away during Wimbledon and the World Cup, having recovered from what's now known as The Striping Incident...and I completely spaced off the gusset thing. (For Pete's sake, who needs gussets anyway??? Hmph.)

So, rest assured...there is balance in the universe once again.

You're welcome.

*S*

In the meantime, since I've got about 28 novels left to read before school starts in August, I thought I would make a trip to the library and come home with these:

Golly. These don't look like middle school books, do they? (OK, one does--the Sharon Creech book- -but I think that was a checkout driven by a guilty conscience.) For fans of Haven Kimmel out there, please note her sequel to A Girl Named Zippy. Woo-hoo! Mostly, I'm feeding my addiction to knitting books. That's right. My name is Beth (Everyone: "Hi, Beth") and I'm a knitting book-aholic.

(I am so busted.)

In the meantime, my wonderful husband has TiVo'd Jon Stewart and The Daily Show (back from vacation) and Pee-Wee's Playhouse started running again last night (side note: the last time Jim and I watched it was PRE-kids, about 17 years ago. Both surreal and big fun to watch it with the boys last night...and to hear them laugh!)

Can you feel it? Can you feel the balance?

*happy sigh*

Ze tank, she's a done.

2006-07-09T14:33:00.000-04:00

Here's the promised photo:

Pattern: "Tank You Very Much" tank from The Yarn Girls' Guide to Beyond the Basics
Yarn: Lana Grossa New Cotton Print 0201; Lana Grossa New Cotton (solid--used for edging; lost the label)
Needles: Bamboo #7, Crochet hook size H
Knitted: 6/5-7/7/06
Notes: I like the fit very much, though the arm holes may be a bit too large; the yarn is a cotton / microfiber blend, which gives nice elasticity and softness. Does block well, even with the microfiber content--I was worried when the neck still curled up after I put the crocheted edging on it. VERY easy to whip up; would like to try another.

I'm in a good place...I Jazzercised this am before church and will be walking with my neighbor later this evening. In the meantime, there is the World Cup final AND my TiVo'd Mens' Championship at Wimbledon between Nadal and Federer. So, if I'm going to have my hiney glued to the couch, I a) will not feel guilty and 2) at least I can be working on my Summer of Socks updates and making sock progress. (FYI--3-1/2 days and I've been sticking with my Weight Watchers points. No, it's not a long time, but we take one day at a time in this venture. OK, now where the hell are my carrot sticks?)

Speaking of World Cup--have I mentioned the idea my family had for me as I head into Middle School World? They think I should have a little referee wallet with my own yellow and red cards inside. If I need them in the library this year, I can simply point at the offending player...er...student... and flash the appropriate card in their direction. No fussing, no arguing...how awesome would that be?? Easy, quick, no room for negotiation...you commit a foul, you get a yellow card. Two yellows make a red, then off you go to the Dean of Students. This has potential. ;-) GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phone's ringing...

(30 minutes later)

Just got off the phone with my awesome sister Jane--thanks for the laughs and continuted reassurance that I'm not (completely) crazy...yet.

Back to "Afternoon of Being a Couch Potato Watching Sports".

Saturday? Already???????

2006-07-08T10:29:00.000-04:00

Where did the week go??? Yikes. Guess we were busy. I've been playing lots of tennis, reading, knitting, grocery shopping, Jazzercising, taxi-ing the boys, blah, blah, blah...nothing monumental, but it's amazing how the time flies. Oh, yeah...I guess the 4th was in there, so maybe that's why the week felt short. Love this laptop; I'm getting to watch the ladies' championship at Wimbledon AND work online simultaneously. I'm a lucky girl.

Here's the knitting update: finished the tank last night (photo in the next post, I hope) and the socks are rolling along.The reversed striping is growing on me, as is the two circular needle method. I miss the dpns but love the speed (and I'm slow in comparison to many of the Summer of Socks participants I'm visiting online. Holy cow!)

Ethan is counting down the days until he takes his test to earn his driver's license. He is scheduled for Wednesday at 10:45 am.

That's all I have to say about that.

*s*

OK, so I've totally NOT lost a flippin' pound since summer started, even though I've been working out like a maniac. Gotta be the eating. (Doesn't it always come down to that??? It does for me, anyway.) So, I've pulled out my Weight Watchers books from 6 years ago and I'm going back to the writing down everything and counting those points. I've made it for two days, even surviving at trip to the movies yesterday, after which Jim bought a Cinnabon and Evan bought Graeter's ice cream. I had a small bite of each and put it in my own little "win" column. (One day at a time, right?) The next gauntlet I'm running is a wedding this afternoon. Wish me luck.

Last thought for this post: Go see this movie--Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. If you're a fan, it's big fun, full of great effects, lots of Johnny Depp and a good cliffhanger. Aaaarr-tily recommended.

11:16: Oops--I lied. THIS is the last thought for this post: Amelie Mauresmo just won Wimbledon! She played a great match and kept her wits about her. What a great win! :-)

I meant to do that.

2006-07-01T14:28:00.000-04:00

So I'm working on my Summer of Socks socks. I'm being so very careful to get the striping right, measuring out and matching the colors before I start knitting. Feelin' good, confident. The knitting begins and before I know it, the colors are already not matching. Hmmm. How did that happen? I ask myself. Maybe, I think, maybe there are two different strips of yellow and I wasn't paying enough attention. Oh well, I decide, it'll be close.

Wanna see "close"?

Yep, that's right. Backasswards. The stripes are going in two freakin' directions.

OK, so in the scheme of things, we're not talking catastrophic here. I'm sticking with the funky striping and calling it "eccentric". BUT here's the kicker... Jessica unwittingly helped me figure out where I went wrong (thanks for the insight, by the way) and THAT'S what's bugging me. See, when I divided the skein into 2 balls, I thought I was being really clever in winding one from the center and the other from the outside yarn. That way, I thought, if the balls were connected, they would be easier to balance out --you know, in the interest of symmetry and all.

So I can practically see you all shaking your heads. I know, I know. Why didn't I see it coming? My little trick gave me a ball with a pattern going front to back and the other going back to front...and it never even occurred to me! Hence, funky striping.

*sigh*

You know, it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't do other little things like that on a unnervingly regular basis...like drop the flattened Kleenex box into the laundry hamper in the bedroom on my way to the mudroom, where I was fully intending to dump my dirty clothes into the recycle bin. (That was yesterday.) I keep telling Jim how much fun retirement's going to be in about 15 years or so: he'll be hooked by reality TV and the Coin Channel and I'll be bopping around the house looking for the bottle of mustard that I put away underneath the bathroom sink.

In the meantime, I leave you with this image: If I on-ly had a brain.

You can all come out now. It's safe.

2006-06-28T11:17:00.000-04:00

Whew! No rants this time...only knitting progress, of which there is finally something to report.

I've (finally) put aside the tank for a few minutes to cast on the first official Summer of Socks socks (didn't I promise this a week ago????) I'm using Queen Kahuna's Crazy Toes and Heels again, and I'm happy to report that it's going easier the second time around. After a couple of false starts (hello...do I knit any other way? Sheesh!), here are the little dudes.

(I still think they look like a little bikini top on the needles like that. I tried to angle the camera to flatter them, rather than go for the saggy boobs-looking shot that I published of the last pair. Apparently, I'm very easily entertained.)

Just for some validation, I need to show the progress on the tank as well. The trip to the in-laws' afforded lots of time for stockinetting (????? Ok, we'll go with it.) This is the front (the back is done). Gee, I'd like to try to get it finished before the first snowfall...

The good news is that Wimbledon has started, and we're huge fans at my house. Sounds like some quality knitting time on the horizon.

Jack Bauer or Rachael Ray?

2006-06-25T15:18:00.000-04:00

(Written Friday, June 23rd)
"The following takes place between the hours of 10:00 and 11:00 am."

Great Salad Recipe!

Some discoveries are just too good not to share with everyone. Here’s a meal that I developed just this morning while we were getting ready to leave for a trip to the in-laws.

Ingredients:
1 whole-wheat tortilla
freshly washed spinach leaves
chopped tomato
1 green onion
shredded carrots
broccoli slaw
string cheese
½ of the cooked chicken breast from last night’s dinner, cut carefully into strips
Dijon mustard
Miracle Whip Lite
Plastic Wrap—get it out of the cabinet, but you won’t end up using it
Plastic bowl with lid; leave it hidden out of sight for now, and be sure the lid is not with it.

Note#1: Before preparing the salad, be sure that the morning mail has arrived and that your eldest son’s report card is not in the mailbox as promised. Instead, there is a letter from the high school telling his parents that he owes money for textbook fines, fees or athletic equipment of some sort.

Note #2: The World Cup should be on tv, and your son must be watching it.

Note #3: The success of this salad will be enhanced if you are currently suffering from acute PMS, and sealed if you throw in the fact that you are working diligently to get everyone ready and out of the house by sunset. (Begin salad prep at about 10 am).

Procedure:
Begin pulling all ingredients from the refrigerator while you are asking your son about the letter you have received. (For discussion, said son will temporarily be referred to as “Damien”). As you work harder to get an answer from him (he IS watching the game, Mom), slightly accelerate the force with which you are placing items on the counter.

On a cutting board, lay out the tortilla and spread it with the mayo and mustard. Pull out the sharp knife and begin slicing the chicken, the cheese, the green onion, etc. Mid-slicing, go into the living room and determine from Damien that indeed, the warm-up pants that he might owe the athletic department may be locked in the locker in the locker room under the stadium, where they have been for at least 3 weeks. Before leaving your position squarely in front of the tv, confirm that these are the pants you reminded him to turn in several times at the beginning of June to avoid such a situation. Storm back into the kitchen, avoiding the rolling eyes that no doubt are following you all the way back.

Begin piling generous amounts of remaining ingredients in the middle of the tortilla. Loudly request from the kitchen that Damien call the high school office number indicated on the letter. Hearing nothing, wipe hands on kitchen towel, grab the phone and take it to your son, who will continue to ignore you. Be grateful for husband who enters the room and assists Damien in turning off the World Cup. Ask son again to call the high school, then, upon hearing something that sounded like, “This is NO BIG DEAL and I’m NOT gonna do it!” (I think that’s how it went, but I was seeing stars by this time), start noting the rising pulse rate in your neck and wonder, in kind-of a panicking way, exactly how this is going to progress. (Realize, of course, that you are the adult and should be able to diffuse this escalating situation, but decide to walk on the wild side and go after that brass ring.)

On the way back to the kitchen to continue the salad, strongly resist the urge to run your knife through your dear husband who, as he’s following you, reminds you that you may be PMS-ing.

At this point, you should be almost ready to roll that tortilla into a great wrap to enjoy later on the car ride. Plan to roll it, slice it, and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Mid-roll, however, leave your post, march back into the living room, and threaten Damien that, if he doesn’t call and you have to, then he will be forfeiting a 3-day leadership camp he is planning to attend Monday upon your return. Shoot husband a look when he asks you (out of Damien’s earshot) if you are going to follow through with that. Prepare for standoff by noting that shaky-adrenaline-is-coursing-through-your body kind of feeling.
Against what is sure to be your better judgment, go full-steam ahead. Enjoy the rush.

As son leaves the room to call, resist the urge to follow him and make sure he’s not faking it. (For a second, step away and watch yourself continue to unravel.) Head once again into the kitchen and try to roll that overstuffed tortilla, ripping the bejeezus out of it, spilling its contents all over the counter. Unleash a number of well-chosen expletives. Dump everything back onto the cutting board, grab that sharp knife like there’s no tomorrow, and chop very quickly with strong, random motions. Almost slice your finger off.

When chopping is completed, tear the big hunks of tortilla that you missed with your random acts of carving into small pieces with your hands. Quickly rinse hands on the way to the cabinet where the plastic bowls are; find the bowl, then spend a lot of heated energy sorting through the lids to find one that fits. Slam the cabinet door.

Note that Damien has returned with the phone. Overhear husband learn from son that he found out nothing from the high school office, because no one was there, and he just left a message but it really doesn’t matter anyway because why is she making SUCH A BIG DEAL? As you are scraping the salad into the plastic bowl and sealing it, insist that he call the athletic department secretary immediately. Enjoy the golden moment you have with Damien as you step back into view and meet his lovely icy stare borne of teenage angst…realize that nothing can make you light up faster than a power struggle you weren’t planning on this morning.

And….scene.

Postscript: After an hour or two more of deep breathing and some much-needed stockinette stitching in the car, the adrenaline rush subsided, sight was restored to my left eye, and I had my salad. Pretty good, really.

No...kind of soggy, now that I think about it. But I was hungry. Damien…er…Ethan didn’t get too far with the a.d. secretary, either, who suggested he contact the track coach. Post-Mexican-Showdown, I quietly encouraged him to email the coach immediately before we left town or there would be “issues”. He may be a stubborn young man, but we didn’t raise a stupid one.

So, here I am in the back seat of the van on the way to Louisville, KY. I’m back here because these are the people in the front seat.
That’s Ethan on the left…driving on a family trip for the first time…and my husband on the right. This is the truth: my husband Jim (whose birthday is today) is one of the best drivers in the world. Really, really, really. No tickets, no accidents, nothing. Very careful, very safe, and I say this with all the love and respect I have in my heart…very judgmental of every other driver in the world as we know it. All of you. Each one. Including me. ESPECIALLY including the 16-year old new driver. Still, after this morning’s maelstrom that will be forever known as Hurricane Warm-Up Pants, he thought it would be a good idea for me to ride shotgun with Ethan on the highway, with him in back to coach as needed.

Hello.

The nice thing about being married for almost 22 years is that one look can often cover a multitude of verbal responses. So, that’s how it turns out now that I’m back here typing, Jim and Ethan are up front, and we haven’t died in a fiery crash yet (did I mention it started pouring down rain, which seemed to bring out armies of semi’s almost immediately?) Evan’s back here with me, listening blissfully to his CD player, and I’m able to tune out much of the well-meaning instruction and rebuttal in the front seat. However, this blog post has found its end and we still have about 30 minutes left.

Where’s my knitting bag?

Clean Slate.

2006-06-21T09:59:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Queen Kahuna's Crazy Toes & Heels Socks
Yarn: The Plymouth Italian Collection: Sockotta--45%Cotton, 40% Superwash Wool, 15% Nylon-1 skein
Color: 5613
Needles: Addi Turbo US #2, 24 " (2 circular needles)
Knitted: 5/17-6/21/06
Notes: Lots of detailed directions may seem overwhelming, but hang in there (thanks, Jessica !); Learned a bit about self-striping yarn; almost got it right; didn't really know how careful I needed to be about starting the socks AND didn't know what the stripes were going to do. Live and learn.

Now, to be clear, these are NOT counted in the Summer of Socks KAL...I had to get them off the needles to start my official pair today, June 21. (Anyone who knows me knows what a little rule-follower I am...not something I'm happy with all the time, but I think it's a hardwiring issue. Not my fault). I'm very happy with the way they turned out, and they feel great on. Note: I would have modeled them myself for the photo, but to do that, I would have to bandage the poision ivy attack on the top of my left foot. In the interest of giving far too much information (hey, it's my blog--be glad there wasn't a photo, but I did think about it for a minute), when I get PI, it's usually considered epic, and always ends in steroids. This would be how I was up reading until 12:00 last night, wide-awake at 4:18, and off to Jazzercise at 5:45 am.

OK. Yes, I just reread it, and sounds like I'm still a bit revved up. Did I mention I came home from Jazzercise and colored my hair at 7:15 this am?

Holy crap.

I digress...I'm going with the next Sockotta skein for the first, official, Summer of Socks socks. The other two balls are the Lorna's Laces I've had since January. I'm heading to the in-laws in Louisville this weekend, and may have two secs to head to a yarn shop. Yeah, right.OK, maybe the trip would take a little longer, but remember, the Prednisone will still be coursing through my veins. I'd love something in blue...I think Lolly's Project Spectrum has inspired me.

Tough Call.

2006-06-17T14:15:00.000-04:00

I know, I know...I promised a tank update, but it got superceded by the long-neglected socks. With the Summer of Socks KAL start date looming next week, I decided I'd better get them off the needles to start fresh on the 21st. Thank goodness for the World Cup...perfect for ribbing. (I must mention here that karma caught up with me; about 10 minutes after I pulled out the socks last night after a 3-week absence, the phone rang. In my rush to answer it, I did indeed drop about 5 stitches, but didn't realize it for a bit, which gave the little suckers time to slip down a row or two without me seeing them escape. See what happens when UFO's go unattended for too long?) Here they are today, back on track: My GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL (get it? World Cup reference???) is to finish the puppies by Wednesday. Stay tuned.

Aside from shedding 15 pounds (and by the way, I'm exercising my fanny off, eating well and not losing squat, thank you very much), I have a stack of books to tackle in preparation for the middle school library media specialist job I'll start in the fall. I picked them up from our library Thursday, and I'm happy to report that I've read 1-1/2 so far. It's a start. I believe there are about 30 or so in the stack, and I'd like to make it my first of two such stacks at least, to be finished by the end of August. Click here for a list of books I've chosen to start with; if you're a middle school LMS, you're welcome to stay and toss in your two cents. Much obliged.

So regarding the post title...this is why I love summer: how shall I fill my day? Knitting? Reading? Playing tennis? Walking? Biking? Watching World Cup? *sigh* If you're not a teacher, I know it totally bites to hear us go on like this...I used to feel badly about it, but after 20+ years, I write it off as a MAJOR perk. Just think of me next fall, when it's me vs. a room of 7th graders at 3:00 on a Friday afternoon, and I have to tell hold their attention with something riveting, like, say, MLA citations. Yin and yang, that's all I'm sayin'.

Sooooo good!

2006-06-15T22:29:00.000-04:00

How happy am I? My sweetie of a husband worked out a great deal with Dell and bought me a laptop!!!!! So, here I sit in my living room, working away on all sorts of little computer projects--get to hang out with the family (ok, with Jim...the boys drift in and out), I get to watch The Daily Show, AND work on my blog at the same time. Life is gooooood.

So, in keeping with the orange theme I apparently have stumbled upon, here's what showed up in my driveway Monday afternoon:

(The short humans are a neighbor and her friend, obviously delirious with the sight of a real live celebrity. Don't tell them, but Tony's really Michael, who lives across the street).

Michael was trying on his costume to get ready for the "Circle of Friends Run for the Rainbow" 5k Run/Walk in our community Tuesday night. His mom, Cindy, and I, walking partners most nights after dinner, decided to jump in. Here's my number, proving we were legit...though we walkers were in the minority compared to the dedicated runners, God love 'em. As people who know me have heard me say, the only way I would be seen running (off the tennis court, anyway) is behind an ice cream truck.

No, really.

Here we are, just before the start of the run...er...walk,

and here is the crowd at the starting line.

I'd like to say we walked our butts off (but then, I'd have a hard time using my new laptop, wouldn't I? Nyuk, nyuk).No, the hineys are intact, but we did walk pretty fast for us. As you can see by the photo, I clearly have a bit of height on Cindy, so pretty fast for me is hyperspeed for her.

Unfortunately, there is not photo documentation of me really wishing I had visited the little girls' room one more time before we started walking, nor of Cindy and I bolting --nay, running!--for the finish line so that we would make our 3 miles in under 50 minutes. (That, and the Starbucks bathroom was within sight. Whew!)

Update on the tank will be coming soon. As the Yarn Harlot talks about regularly, there is a black hole of knitting that happens when you knit and knit and knit to get to the required number of inches, and nothing seems to happen...then, suddenly, you've overdone it. I'm in the middle of that black hole as we speak, and just know that the back of the tank is about to grow to the length of a dress, and I won't even know it happened. And then there will be great cursing, gnashing of teeth, and the like.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Finally...to my sister Jane:
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
You're as cute as a sock monkey...
And you smell like one, too! (?)

Hey--it's late. Hope you had a sock monkey kind of day!

Summertime!!!!!!!

2006-06-12T12:47:00.000-04:00

The magic word in every teacher / librarian's vocabulary!!!!
It's here, it's here, oh joy, oh joy!!!!!
School's out!
Wahoo!!!! Yee-haw!!!!! Whooppee!!!
(Click here to see how excited I am!!!!)

*whew*

Never mind that I was a little sidelined over the weekend with some mysterious laryngitis / throat / jungle fever kind of malady. Not to worry...more time to chill out, watch the French Open and knit my face off.
Here's the tank.

At this point, the pattern said I should be knitting 6-7 more inches.The pencil and tape measure indicate how far I need to go.It just didn't seem right to me, so I got out another favorite tank of mine and compared the length.

Well, ok then.

I'm happy with the hand of the fabric. It's cotton / microfiber, and very soft and drapey. I'm also happy with the nuttin'-but-stockinette stitch, as it made it much easier to gaze at...er...watch Rafael Nadal play tennis.

*sigh*

The socks are patiently waiting for me to get over my new crush on the orange tank and come back to them. Summertime's here, I tell them...never fear.

(Yes, that was me, talking to the socks. Yikes.)

Under Construction

2006-06-05T18:03:00.000-04:00

I'm inspired. Everywhere--and I mean everywhere--I drive, this is what I see:It's the Orange Barrel Polka season here in Central Ohio. And not just road repair...ohhhh, NOOOOOooooooo! Question: just how many new little shopping areas can one 'burb handle? Sheesh.

Anyway, making the proverbial lemonade, I decided to use the color as an inspiration for my next project.
I chose the "Tank You Very Much" shell from The Yarn Girls' Guide to Beyond the Basics (haven't made a project of theirs yet), and a lovely soft cotton / microfiber yarn from Lana Grossa called "New Cotton". If you look real closely on the shell, there's a contrast edging crocheted on the neck and sleeves; this will be made from the solid color in the bunch (sporting, I hope you notice, the swatch I knitted before I started...I make a big deal of this because I HATE doing it, but, like all the other knitters out there, know I must. So, I'm giving myself an "atta girl". Remember, I live in a house of males.)

This is how far I've gotten since Saturday:

(Come to think of it, I went to the LYS Saturday after watching the French Open for awhile, red [read: orange] clay and all. Subliminal? Naaaaah.)
Knitting goes oh-so-much faster on size 7 needles than on size 2.
I'm just sayin'.

Speaking of said socks, I haven't abandoned them...I just needed a diversion. You know how it goes.
Here they are, cuffs started:
Keeping with the under construction theme, I'm also officially announcing that the 15 pounds I am more-than-begrudgingly carrying around is also under construction, slated for removal by the end of the summer. I've HAD it!!!!! So, I was at Jazzercize at 5-freakin'-45 this morning, at my tennis team practice from 9-11, then went on a 25 minute walk with Cindy before dinner. Now, every day won't be like this (for one thing, I'm back at work tomorrow and it's a marathon to the end of the week--last day with kids on Thursday), but if I can keep the activity ramped up and stay away from the junk and supersized portions I seem to be able to put away, maybe I've got a shot at it. I'm hoping that putting it on the blog will help, too. Ah, but no "before" photo...are you kidding me?

Last track entry--nice photo of the boy in the local paper last week:

And now:

Ya had a bad day...

2006-06-02T18:02:00.000-04:00

See all that green slowly creeping away from Ohio? That lovely green was responsible for dumping buckets of needed rain over Columbus all day long. Farmers loved it. State track competitors and their families...not so much. Yet, they came in droves from all over the state to swim, er, run their way to state medals.
So how did our boys do?

Everything looked great as the boys got into position for their 4x200 relay. Ethan was there as the alternate, warming up with the guys, holding sweatshirts in garbage bags to be out of the rain. The gun sounded and they were off and running. Only 100 meters into the race JJ, our first runner, pulled up short and fell down in great pain...from what we now know is a partial tear in his hamstring. The team said he had seemed strong in warm-ups, so no doubt he was as surprised as anyone by the injury. Absolutely heartbreaking for him, his family...and the other three boys poised to run. (Two of them were first-timers at the state meet.)

And there it was...the season over in a split second. The guys jogged over and stayed with JJ until he was carted off the track, then stood in the rain a little longer to console each other and start talking about next year. Standing there, they watched our girls' 4 X 100 miss the finals by seconds. We parents know they all have so much to be proud of, and days like this brillantly illustrate the fragile nature of the sport, but...what else is there to say?

Sing with me...ya had a bad day.

Viva La Queen Kahuna!

2006-05-29T17:51:00.000-04:00

Here's the promised update on the Queen Kahuna socks. The picture below is before the dreaded turn o'the heel--which went very well, I'm glad to report. After I do the other one this evening, I'll be ready to continue to cuff / ribbing, etc. The hard part will be over and I will have two socks at once...no orphan! It is worth noting my page of calculations and measurements laid across the bajillion instructions in the book. However, I do admit that, once you get the hang of it, the instructions fly by--the photos are extremely helpful, and Ms. Beattie is all about the no-panic, no-stress, all-will-be-well kind of knitting. The socks fit amazingly well so far, much more snug than any I've made before: The yarn is Sockatta, a cotton / wool combo that I bought at The Celtic Knot in Ellicott City, MD this spring. For the upcoming Summer of Socks knitalong, I am glad to report that I have another skein of it, plus more Lorna's Laces (the fiery red yarn in the photo) to work on. Although I don't think I'm fast enough for the "most socks knitted" competition, I really do think I can turn out a few pair with ease this summer. This method is growing on me, to be sure, but I'm not ready to give up my rosewood dpns yet. :-) There is so much about the art of knitting that appeals to me--I especially love the idea that, no matter what method or pattern I try ...and hopefully find success with (you know how that goes) ...there are so many more out there to learn. I LOVE that!

You just never know.

2006-05-28T21:12:00.000-04:00

So I haven't posted in almost a week, which would indicate that my time on the family computer(s) has been pretty brief. Just one of those weeks. I think everyone's having the same kind, from what my friends and colleagues report. There was a recent plea from the editors of our local paper, calling for readers to submit lists of all they are doing this time of year--the theory is that it's as busy as, or busier (!) than the holidays. I think I'm buying into the theory, though it baffles me. How can it be busier than the Thanksgiving to Christmas marathon? Maybe it just seems more stressful knowing that we'd rather be doing anything than what we have to do, given the weather, outdoor activities, etc. Kind of like senior-itis (a strain of which my sophomore seems to have caught. HAH, I say, torn between pushing him back into the fray and joining him, as I feel exactly the same way.)

Speaking of outdoor activities...can I just say how much I hate to weed? I mean, I really, really hate it. I had to do it this afternoon, as the area in front of our house was getting so bad that we were getting ready to haul a washer, a couch--or both-- out there just to make it look better. (OK, so it's not THAT bad. It's just that ...did I already mention this?...that I really hate to weed.) It's a little better now, but note that a big bottle of Roundup is top priority on my to-do list for the week.

The Queen Kahuna socks are coming along nicely, except that I think I started the gusset increases a little too early--thought I had the measurements just right, so I'm not sure what I did. It really doesn't matter, as I'm permitted to knit more rows until they are long enough to turn the heel. I tried them on and BOY do they fit beautifully so far! If this works, I think it's a terrific way to make socks. (No picture at the moment...coming tomorrow, I hope. As I've got certain people in my house [read: Ethan] waiting anxiously for Mom to finish her blog on the computer so he can get back to more important(?) things...like reading other people's blogs and IM-ing his friends...I'm not going to take the time at the moment for a photo shoot. Forgive me. Although the passive aggressive part of me wants to

really

take

my

time

(hee hee).

The news of the weekend is aforementioned-son's results at the regional track meet Thursday and Saturday. Here are the boys, pre-finals yesterday. Note the tough look. (As an aside, I must point out that on the drive to the high school, I told Ethan I would like to take a photo of him and his teammates, a request met OF COURSE with great hue and cry. However, when we arrived, a lovely young lady from the girls' team requested that the boys line up so she could take a shot of them for her scrapbook. Amazing how fast those boys lined up!) Ethan's on the left.(Can I just say that I LOVE this picture?)

The other four in the photo ran in the 4 X 200 relay and came in fourth place,qualifying them for the big state meet at Ohio State next weekend. Yahoo! Ethan had run with that team in the prelims, but was pulled for a slower split time. He and three of the same boys ran in the 4 X 100, and, sadly, came in 5th...they needed a 4th place finish to go on. (Ethan and the two guys on the right went to state last year in the 4X 100 relay, so they have already had a taste of the big time... and really, really wanted it again.) Here they are, getting their medals for 5th, trying to be good sports. This was tough.

So, whether our fleet-footed young man will actually run at OSU is questionable; looks like, for the moment, he's an alternate. We're so proud of him and the team, though. They're a young squad, so they can only get better. The challenge for Ethan is to take the high road and support his team, even if he ends up not stepping into blocks next weekend. Keep him (and his parents!) in your thoughts.

Stay tuned...more tomorrow, I hope. The weeding's done, the laundry's done, and I've been to the grocery store in the past few days (as in, there's enough milk for tomorrow.) Surely there's computer time in there for Bossygirl. You know...'cause I said so.

Wait…what?

2006-05-22T12:41:00.000-04:00

I’ve read about this. I’ve even seen a cartoon or two about it. But until yesterday morning, I don’t think it would ever happen to me.

Here’s the short version:

Jim: “I think your knitting has gotten out of control.”

(Huh? I see his mouth moving, but I’m not sure I get what he’s saying.)

“What are you talking about?” I ask, trying not to sound manic too soon in the conversation.

“Well,” he says, “what time did you stop last night?”

“I don’t know…” (taking a page from the 16-year-old’s book on that one).

“When did you get up this morning?” he asks.
(What’s he looking at? So I’ve been hanging out here with Lester and Campbell, curled up in my chair, knitting since 8 am…is there a problem?)

Finally, I go for the deflection: “I just wanted to see how this was going to work.” I hold up the Queen Kahuna socks on two circular needles*, at which time I note, in a kind of out-of-body way, that they currently resemble a pair of striped, saggy boobs. This makes me giggle a little, not helping my case in the least. “Isn’t this cool?” I say.

Jim sighs, shakes his head, rolls his eyes a little. And....cut!

(Whew. Got outta that one.)

*In the interest of full disclosure, I probably should mention that I spent the latter part of Saturday afternoon into Saturday night finishing the Track Season Sweater (hard to stop that process once it’s started, right?), then launched into (finally) tackling the socks. All the exhaustive, detailed directions came together and Eureka! I got it! So, again, hard to quit there…I’m not sure, but maybe, just maybe this would be why we were having this conversation in the first place. Could be. Maybe.

But I digress.

Feeling good about the way I passive-aggressively navigate the inquisiton…(continuing to knit all the way through our little chat, confident in that “I Am Woman Hear Me Roar” kind-of way we feel knowing we can successfully multi-task), I settle in for a little more knitting. I notice my thoughts are more defensive now …gotten out of control? What IS this? I mean, I didn’t even take my knitting bag to the track meet yesterday morning. He was napping on the couch all afternoon anyway. What’s he talking about? That big baby—just because he doesn’t have a hobby. That's right. I was hanging out here in the living room with him all last night before we went to bed. Yeah, ok. I mean, it could be worse…I could be spending my free time on the computer surfing…knitting sites and…um…working on my… blog. (crickets)

Oh, hey...look at the time.

The hell with it. I’m blaming Queen Kahuna.

Getting there.

2006-05-17T19:18:00.000-04:00

Several items on the agenda:

1) The Track Season Sweater is almost done. Just an inch or so on the sleeve, then on to the button bands and buttons. Note the funkiness in color on the left sleeve, too, in about the same spot. Cool. (Note: I will apologize in advance for the amateur photo...like the couch in the top of the frame. Long day, brain cramp, don't care at the moment. )
2) Sock Practice: I'm trying to practice my uber-sock-making in preparation for Zarzuela's Summer of Socks knit-along...and Queen Kahuna's kicking my behind. This would be the more-than-thorough explanation of knitting socks simultaneously on two circulars. I thought I was as muchof a "learn by reading" chick as a" learn by doing" chick (I mean, hell, I'm a librarian, for crying out loud!) ...but I'm on page 19 or so of the book and I'm overwhelmed and a little befuddled by the directions. Here's how bad it is...I was actually reading the book again this morning with my bowl of cereal. Come ON! Obsessed? Paralyzed? What do you think???? So this is all I've gotten done so far:

That would be a skein wound into 2 balls and dutifully put into ziploc bags, and a swatch. ( I did swatch!!! Yay me.)

Check out these directions--this is page after page after page after page just like this:...all great info, mind you, but it makes me tired. Part of the problem is that I'm not tackling it until after school / taxi-ing / dinner / etc., when I don't quite have access to all the brain cells I think I need for this endeavor. I'm not giving up by any means, but I think it's time to call the whambulance, 'cause I be whinin' just a bit. (I know, I know! I'll get it! But in the meantime, it's my blog, I'm Bossygirl, and I'm sayin', "Waaaaaah.")

3) Middle School World: Yesterday was my second transition visit to the library I'll be in charge of next school year. It's great to have this time to work with Cathy, the retiring LMS, who has more knowledge about the job in her little finger than I'll ever hope to have. One of those "librarian's librarians". She's awesome, gracious, professional, going above and beyond to get me up and running by next August. The first visit didn't impact me as much as yesterday, and I don't know why...but it hit me between the eyes that this will be a big change for me!(OK, like duh.) First time with middle schoolers (which I'm looking forward to), first time working as a librarian on my own (without a job-share partner, which I've had for 7 years)...a collection I don't know yet, teachers I don't know...I did find out where the bathroom and coke machine was, so that was good. There was a class of 7th graders working in the library while I was there, so I was holding down the circ desk for awhile...it went great, but it will all be NEW! I like change, but it's giving me the willies at the moment. (PMS, maybe?)

4) Equal Time: Though I wasn't "allowed" to take a photo, this is the other son at his recent band concert on Mother's Day. Ha. Got him anyway.
5) And finally...speaking of Mother's Day. One of the funniest things I've seen in a long time...like pee-your-pants funny. Check out this link--Shorts--Mother's Day. HiLARious. Really, really, really.

(Did I mention it's season finale season and we're all caught up in American Idol, Lost, 24, and Amazing Race???? What is the matter with us??????)

Bossygirl out.

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

2006-05-13T21:34:00.000-04:00

If there's one thing you can say about my dad, it's that he is addicted to gadgets. A man of many interests and talents, my sisters and I have long-suspected that part of the thrill of each acquired hobby is the opportunity to own the gadgets that go with it. Take fishing, for example: since moving to Minnesota years ago, Dad has gone through a series of GPS fish-finders (so that he not only knows the location of every fish in the lake, but exactly where he himself can be found in the universe at any given point in time); a parade--nay, flotilla--of fishing boats; and, probably taking the prize for the largest gadget, a metal house on wheels that's supposed to sit on the ice while he fishes in central Minnesota in the dead of winter. I use the words "supposed to", as he has yet to use it...but he says he does have a pretty nifty, teeny tiny tv that will work perfectly in there when the time comes.

As much as we poke fun at his gadget obsession, it's hard to ignore the role genetics plays in our lives. Being a renaissance woman myself, I share with my father a wide range of interests and hobbies, and understand, because I am his daughter, the concept of "the right tool for the job." Fortunately, the gadget gene is a little more recessive in my DNA, which is a good thing for my bank account. However, I have been known to purchase some items along the way--particularly of the knitting persuasion--that I consider darn good buys. Two of these tools (ok, gadgets) are a swift and ball-winder. These have brought me incredible joy over the past several years... you knitters out there understand this...and I haven't once regretted forking over the bucks to own them. Their inventors were geniuses, and I often wonder how I ever got along without them. *sigh*

So why, I ask you, did I think it would be a good idea to wind my last skein of Track Season Sweater yarn in the frickin' van last night...by hand?

a) I thought it would be good for me to do things the old-fashioned way, just for the hell of it.

b) I didn't have time to wind it before we left for (yet another) track meet, and I was afraid of running out of yarn in the stands (even though my current ball of yarn is still adequate AND it was pouring down rain, so how would I be knitting anyway?)

c) Temporary insanity ...maybe brought on by too much Power Point (see previous post).

(Pick any answer...sadly, they are all true.)

We were in the parking lot an hour ahead of time, sitting in the van, breathlessly (!) counting the minutes until we could put on ponchos and baseball hats and slog down to the track to watch teams of runners turn into swimmers before our very eyes. Smugly...because a knitter should never go anywhere unprepared... I pull out my twisted skein, unwind it, place it carefully around my knees and start winding it into a center-pull ball. 20-30 minutes later:

Looks ok, doesn't it? What you also need to know is that I had wound it so tightly that the center yarn was stuck fast in the middle of the ball. It was not going to budge for anything. For all the yarn balls I have wound by hand before, this has never happened to me. This should have been a sign.

What is also invisible in the above photo is the yarn at the other end...which looked like this:

Yep, that would be a nasty tangle...no, wait...many nasty tangles of yarn that later required cutting from the mother ball to sort them out. (I hate when that happens.)

And, because by now I was a little frustrated and in need of a distraction, I also documented Jim in the seat next to me, watching me with great interest, and lending his moral support:

(Exhibit A of what a teacher looks like on Friday afternoon at about 5:30.)

30 hours later, I'm happy to report that all is well: the ball is re-wound, the tangles history, and the boys ran well last night, in spite of the downpour. Balance has been restored to our little universe... for now.

I was so motivated to make this a blog-worthy experience that today, Jim helped me install the software that allows me to get the pictures off my phone and onto the PC. Yes, I'm sheepishly (because it's a knitting blog...get it? OK, it's late...) admitting that I have had the phone for over a year and haven't ever figured this out, but I'm all over it now, baby.

And, just this moment, I have had the revelation that I now am in possession of...
another gadget.

Apparently, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Click. Click. Click.

2006-05-11T18:30:00.000-04:00

I wish my post title represented the happy clicking of knitting needles...but sadly, no. (That will be later on this evening as we get caught up on our TiVo'd Amazing Race from the last two weeks. Yahoo! ) No, the clicking has been imprinted on my brain after a week or two of teaching Power Point and nothing but Power Point to all of our 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. Actually, we work on Power Point off and on during the year, but, as everything has its season, so do Power Point projects in elementary schools. By about April, intermediate teachers get itchy to "do something with technology", so they come to us library media specialists to help make it happen...which, I hasten to add, we are more than happy to do. The rub is with the timing, as in, EVERYBODY is doing it at once! This translates into many, many, MANY mouse clicks by our eager techno-beavers, and lots and lots and lots of this:I wish I could also highlight the most-used animation sounds for everyone (zooming car sound, applause, laser gun, glass shattering), but if I do, I might go blind in one eye.

Of course, when I do any demo slides for the kids, I work in knitting Clip Art images as much as I can. This mystifies most of the students, but the knitters in our lunchtime group get a kick out of it. :-)

19 days left, if anyone is counting...and we all know that I am (hee hee). I haven't told my elementary kids that I'm leaving yet; I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do that, or when for that matter. A number of the kids I've known since they were 5 years old, and now many of them will be in 5th and 6th grade next year. Wow. Where does the time go? (And me, not getting any older. How cool is that?) Yesterday, I went over to the middle school library I will be inheriting next year. I'm really looking forward to the job, and I think the older kids will be a blast. So I wonder how many knitters we can pull together over there...

And speaking of getting itchy...I'm still looking around for a cute summer shell to knit, maybe in a bamboo yarn? Meanwhile, the other sleeve to the Track Season Sweater beckons, as do the next pair of socks (still putting off the Queen Kahunas now that I've sort-of set a deadline for the cardigan).

Yeah, like I need another project...click. Click. Click.
Click.

More, more, more.

2006-05-09T12:33:00.000-04:00

"Track Season Sweater" Update: One sleeve almost done! I now see the light at the end of the tunnel . I don't think it'll be done by this Sunday BUT I have plans to wear it to the high school track awards program in a few weeks; after all, I've knitted most of it in the stands this spring, so I kind of feel like I owe it to the parents that have watched its progress over the last month or so.

Do check out the big pink / magenta splotch (that's the technical term for it) on the sleeve. Believe it or not, I haven't started a new ball there; it is about where I switched to dp needles, which, last time I checked, doesn't usually produce a change in yarn color (hee hee). Kind of interesting. You gotta love the hand-dyed stuff.

The sweater is coming along so quickly now that I dashed into the fabric store yesterday to start the Button Hunt. I actually walked right up to these first on the Giant Wall 'O Buttons, which made me nervous. It shouldn't be that easy! I made myself look around a little more, but stuck with these. Wow. I was already planning a grand search to include the 'net, three LYS, catalogs, magazine ads...but, here they are. Yay!

The boys and I played in a city-wide handbell festival on Sunday. 21 bell choirs were invited, which translates to about 250-300 ringers. In the evening concert, we were accompanied by a brass quartet and an African percussion ensemble. There were 6 massed pieces and numerous selections played by individual choirs. As I sat at our bell table, nestled in among the other groups on the gymnasium floor, I gazed up to the bleachers at the good-sized audience. Granted, many had come to listen to family members play ( so some folks "had" to be there); however, the beauty of the music was played out on the face of just about everyone there. There's something bewitching about listening to handbells, I think; even the most pedestrian music is transcended when played by a bell choir. I looked around beside me and could see the rows and rows of polished brass handbells of all sizes...a visual feast, even under the gym lights. Behind each row sat groups of choir members, all volunteers, no doubt representing a wide range of musicianship . The youngest among us was 10 years old; I also spotted a number of seniors, no doubt well into their 70's. Regardless of our own experiences, we all came together to play Sunday, perhaps because we, too, are enchanted by the handbells, drawn in by the magical music we are learning to create. And the audience members...drawn to the high school gym that night, they were smiling and clapping while perched on those hard wooden bleachers, their souls touched by the rhythms and tones of the hundreds of bells playing just for them. Life in today's world may push us to places we'd rather not be...but, in the end, we still seek the haunting melodies, the delightful harmonies, the soothing pulse of music to make us feel whole again. (Tell that to those that are itching to pull arts education out of the schools...)

*sigh*

From the sublime to the ridiculous...

I also went to see Mission: Impossible 3 this weekend. Ah, don't worry about the sagging box office numbers. Who really cares about that? And, you can say what you want about Tom Cruise --just remember that there are MANY more goofballs just like him in Holllywood; unfortunately, we have the privilege of knowing too much about what goes on in that knotty little head of his. He may have one wheel in the sand, but the guy does put on a good show. Holy cow! And, I'm sorry, there's no rule that says a nutcase can't still be big fun to look at on screen. Go see it. It's FUN...and FUN is GOOD.

Movin' Right Along

2006-05-05T12:19:00.000-04:00

(Thanks, Kermit and Fozzie.)

For as busy as our family has been this week, I'm pretty happy to report more progress on the sweater. The body, bottom ribbing, and neckband are done. One sleeve is started, and it's going quickly. Looks like I'm going to have to get out and start searching for The Perfect Buttons to go on it; maybe something in a mulberry color? Maybe olive? Don't know, but I should start soon; I'm picky about buttons (a throwback to my sewing maniac days). The photos here are for accountability only--I don't think the camera does the colors justice. Here's the good thing--it fits so far! Always a postive in sweater-making.

Though hard to comprehend, other activities have gone on this week besides track meets. Evan got confirmed at church on Sunday. Mom took a nice photo of the four of us, and since these are rare, I thought I'd post it:

It's always nice to have a moment frozen in time when everyone is reasonably happy. Thanks, Mom.

Track meet again tonight (surprise!!!). This is a big meet about an hour from Columbus.
Ethan (tall one in green) is running the 100 m dash and in the 4X100 relay. I've got my quilt, my stadium seat, and my knitting ready to roll. Should get a lot done on that sleeve. If Jessica is shooting to finish her aran sweater by the end of the weekend, I'm thinking I'll set a (very flexible) goal, too. Mother's Day?

As I was finishing this post, I was doing some surfing (some call it short attention span; I call it multi-tasking) and found this quote in a review written about the new movie, Akeelah and the Bee; the article was in the Movie Mom's column on Yahoo. It struck me as something worth considering as a parent, a teacher, and for myself.

Families who enjoy this movie will also enjoy Spellbound, the outstanding documentary about the national spelling bee. And every family should read the wonderfully inspiring quote from Marianne Williamson:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we subconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Some big ideas there, no doubt... but in the spirit of Bossygirl and what she stands for, the quote demands to be here. Just a little food for thought.

Props due.

2006-05-02T20:28:00.000-04:00

Follow-up to needle emergency: When I got home from school Monday afternoon, there was a message on my machine from Yarnmarket.com in response to the email I (sadly) had sent the day before. Turns out they1) cancelled my new order for #2's; 2) are sending me the correct #2 Addis gratis (!); and 3) are asking only that I send the misplaced #4's back with their postage-paid label. Well, heck...they've got a loyal customer now. Givin' a shout out to Yarnmarket.com!!! (This means I have to start the Queen Kahuna socks now, right?)

Like a Hoover.

2006-04-30T16:40:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday afternoon. It's a little cool outside, I've got a touch 'o cramps, so I have my sweats on, and I'm ready to curl up on the couch and start unravelling the mysteries of knitting two socks on two circular needles a la Queen Kahuna. (I'm at a transition point in the cardigan and need just a little break before I tackle new horizons there.) Since I just finished the chapter on gauge and swatching in Knitting Rules, I'm motivated to really make an honest swatch so all will go well with my new project, because, obviously, I'm just a little anal about it.

Foot measurements. Check.

Yarn divided into two balls. Check.

Needles out of package. Check.

Wait. These look kind of big for size 2's, I think.

Read label on Addi package. Size 4, it says. AAAUUUUGGGHHHHH!

Kick self for not matching the needles with the packing slip when I got them last week. Check.

Call all 3 LYS to see if they have them, because I want them so badly, I would actually drag my sorry behind off the couch to find them this afternoon...Out of stock everywhere. Crap.

Wanting to shift blame away from myself, I silently curse Phyllis and the smiley face above her signature on the packing slip. Ha!

Feel guilty and still kind of pissed, but resolve to reorder the #2's, then email Yarnmarket.com to find out how to return the wayward #4 Addi's. Look at the packing slip again (should make that a habit, it seems), and see that Yarnmarket.com originates in a suburb about 20 minutes from my freakin' house. *Sigh* This means the needles I need are within a few miles of where I sit right this minute, and there's nothing I can do about it. Like I said...like a Hoover.

More time to read my new Yarn Harlot books. Always a silver lining.

Ready, Set....No, Wait.

2006-04-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

As of this moment, I am a knitter with one project on needles. (That Damned Sweater doesn't count [see 3/28/2006 entry]; I think I'll be knitting on that into my golden years.) Later in today's post, I will show progress on the cardigan, but for now, there are more pressing matters.

Since buying that sock yarn at The Celtic Knot in Elicott City, I have been wanting to learn how to knit two socks at a time on two circular needles. So, somewhere in all my blog-surfing, I found Queen Kahuna and her book on the technique. It came in the mail Monday, and my new Addi Turbo No. 2 needles came yesterday (it's been like Christmas around here; Knitting Rules got here Wednesday--woo wooo!!!!). I have just about everything I need to start, including a little anxiety. I mean, I like to think I'm a woman of reasonable intelligence; that being said, I should be able to figure out how it works.

Laying it all out on the table for the blog shot made it look official and exciting--I'm addicted to the high I get from starting something new--but I kind of feel like I did the first time I stood on the high diving board when I was around 9. I want to jump in, but I think that it's highly likely there will be pain involved at some point.

Film at 11.

Meanwhile, I'm loving Knitting Rules by the Yarn Harlot. I really enjoyed Stitch-n-Bitch, but this is even better. Stephanie Pearl McPhee's style is so breezy, familiar, and FUNNY! When you look at it objectively, it 's a pretty tall order to write about an art form with so much wit and originality. I agree with Jessica of Zarzuela Knits and Crochets (4/23/2006 entry) ...instead of a round of applause, knitting-needle clicking in unison is defintely in order.

On a non-knitting note, I've also started The Partly-Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell, fast-becoming another favorite writer of mine. My sister Jane urged me to check out her book, and it's a jewel. Highly recommended.

(I might need to mention here that I have a stack of new novels sitting on the bench at the foot of my bed that I should be reading for school...just sayin'.)

Quick update on the cardigan...it probably doesn't look a lot different from the last photo, but that's why the tape measure is there. Blogging makes me a bit more accountable to my knitting projects. . Just the photos alone keep me motivated to stay the course. Digression--I've really given a lot of thought to Lolly's knitting philosophy and the unique aspects of blogging as discussed by Jessica (4/25/2006). I can't believe how much more connected I am to my own knitting by not only posting my own journal, but reading others' knitting journeys as well. More on that in another post, I hope.

Anyway...I need to get to 21 inches on the sweater before the sleeves get underway. Several upcoming away track meets are on the docket, which suits me just fine. Give me a water bottle, sunglasses, and a cushy place to sit, and I'm golden. :-)

Finally, a word on temptation and decorum...and a thank you to Ms. McPhee. Last night, we attended Evan's middle school Jazz Band's spring concert. That's Evan, my 13-year-old, on the piano. (Tell me that isn't the face of a kid mortified that his mom is pointing a camera at him in public.)

The concert was great--lucky thing, because it was being professionally recorded. To see Evan well, I arrived early (as parents like to do), and planted myself on the far left side of the stage. I settled into my chair, saved seats for my family, and pulled out Knitting Rules to read until the concert began. (It's important to note that I had my knitting with me, but the book proved more advantageous in the long run.) The seat in front of me was taken by the sound technician, obviously a dedicated professional, judging by the equipment he was meticulously setting up and testing.

I'm sure Mr. Sound Guy is a nice man. He probably has a lovely wife, and maybe a gaggle of terrific kids at home. I bet he even votes in every election--I'm guessing Republican. Looking at him, one could immediately conclude that he doesn't miss many meals, and may have a particularly affinity for beer. He was wearing a sport shirt that may have been a shade too short, and jeans that were definitely more than a shade too low on his girth. I tell you that to tell you this: after about 15 minutes of scurrying about, he came over to plant himself at his station in front of me... (Wait for it...) in his SHORT shirt. Barely (a crucial term) meeting his low-riding Levi's. Yep. I am NOT kidding. Big as all outdoors.

I sure was tempted. It was truly a blog-worthy moment. I had my camera right there...but I just couldn't do it. I choked. I'll have to leave it to your imagination (and I'm immediately sorry for that.) But I will say that, like not meaning to stare at roadkill, that thing and its big vertical smile was amazingly distracting. Enter Knitting Rules. With careful placement of the book, I blocked out the offending cheeks just perfectly and could read in peace. Trying to do the same with my knitting might have kinked up my shoulder.

Cardigan report and and a cool link.

2006-04-23T15:16:00.000-04:00

Don't know what prompted that rant from yesterday. Apologies to Rowan and that poor model who had to sit through that photo session wearing that annoying sweater (oops...doing it again.) Usually I'm of the "live and let live" mindset. Yikes. Bossygirl and PMS...not a good combination, it would seem.

I'm back today with an update on the sweater. Thanks to endless hours at track meets this month, I've had lots of time to stockinette stitch to my heart's content. Looks like about 5-1/2 inches left on the cardigan's main piece before I take on the sleeves. The sunlight was so plentiful yesterday that I felt obligated to use it for the photo. Maybe it was a bit too much??? (Ya THINK???)

Still loving the Addi Turbo needles and don't see going back to bamboo unless I'm forced to do so (which leads one to imagine the occasion that would actually combine knitting and threat of personal harm--maybe a mob of angry knitters camped outside of my house one evening, all wielding torches and bamboo needles, chanting "YOU! YOU! USE BAMBOO! YOU! YOU! USE BAMBOO!" Oh dear, I have now officially lost it.)

Onward...
The cool link I'm referring to is A Greater Gift, a site connected with SERRV / Church World Service and their Free Trade products. I travelled with our church's confirmation students to their center this winter, located in New Windsor, Maryland. One of the items I purchased was this cosmetic bag from Guatemala, which I use to keep all of my little knitting accessories and doodads in place inside my knitting bag. The great thing about A Greater Gift is that the Third World crafters making these items are paid fairly for their work, providing them with a decent income. Check it out!

Busy week coming up--6 track meets, a jazz band concert, bell choir rehearsal, etc., etc....

O.K....seriously?

2006-04-22T18:48:00.000-04:00

So I'm thumbing through the Spring & Summer 2006 catalog from Woodland Woolworks, dreaming of soft summer sweaters, when THIS pops up on page 22:OK, so are you KIDDING me????? Yeah, yeah, I know it's haute couture or avant-garde, or something just as pretentious, but come ON! Can anyone out there imagine knitting the thing then giving it to a man to actually wear? My dad always used an expression that began something like, "If I had a dog that ugly..." that involved shaving and walking backwards. I dunno, maybe it's just me. For anyone interested, the pattern from Rowan Magazine 39. Knock yourself out. Eeeeeesh.

(You know, I didn't even address the kilt issue--seems to complete the ensemble just perfectly, does it not? And what are those things on his ears?)

Lots to say.

2006-04-20T15:08:00.000-04:00

As any philosopher worth her salt will tell you, spring is a time of transformation. Here in Ohio, buds are bursting on trees, flowers are blooming, and the dingy gray forest that lines the highway is turning into the greens, whites, and magentas of a Bob Ross painting. What the philosopher may not acknowledge--unless she is a teacher--is the transformation that happens in every school across America. This is the time of year that 1st graders morph from tentative, clingy kindergartners into amazingly self-sufficient little scholars. This is the time of year that 6th graders, once amazingly self-sufficient little scholars themselves, turn into a swirling abyss of hormones. This is also the time of year that every school staff finds themselves in one of two camps: those who count days left until the end of the year, and those who don't. I am of the former (and, incidentally, it's now about 7-1/2 weeks.) The truth is that I enjoy my job very much, get a huge kick out of the kids, love the children's literature and technology skills I teach...but you know what? I LOVE summer! There it is. Many of us feel as antsy as the kids do, and after 21 years, I'm not afraid to admit it.

I've been thinking about this phenomenon since Monday when I spoke briefly with a colleague on our way into the school. We don't know each other well, but maintain a professional relationship (which is significant, as I think we annoy each other a bit...ok, more than a bit on my part.) So, being pleasant and looking for a way to bond, I cheerily greeted her and brightly added, "Hey! Only 8 weeks left!"
Silence.
Look of slight confusion, followed by a withering smile and slight tilt of the head.
"Oh, really? Huh. You know..." as she leveled a gaze at me, "I never count."
Clearly, we are in two different camps.

It was hard to know what to do next. After abandoning my first reaction (firing back with "Liar, liar, pants on fire"), I settled on something lame, like mumbling "Oh. Well, I guess I do. Have a nice day." Oh, I know it was the right way to go, but I really wanted a "High Fidelity" moment: you know, when John Cusack's character dreams of all the ways he would take down Tim Robbins there in the record shop? I think I missed my window. It was kind of early in the morning.

I wish I had some significant revelation to share about how this reminded me to live in the moment, enjoying each little part of my day so much that I lose track of time. I'm sure I should be wrapping up this anecdote with a thank-you to my colleague for refocusing me and my waning dedication to my career.
*sigh*
Ain't gonna happen.
Summertime means sleeping later, more tennis, more time to knit, more time to read, more time to exercise, time to travel, time to cook like Racheal Ray (EVOO!), and time to run to Graeter's for ice cream at 9:00 at night. What's not to like? I'll be ready to go back at the end of August, but if you are a teacher in the other camp that "never counts", I have only one thing to say to you:
Liar, liar, pants on fire.

So, speaking of knitting (I did, just for a minute there) ...the sweater's well underway. I'm loving this top-down technique. You're looking at the back of the cardigan, with the sleeves started and "on hold" with scrap yarn. I'm a little worried about the weight of the fabric, as it is cotton / rayon, but I think it'll be ok. The yarn shore is purty.
Last thought: here's what we woke up to in Columbus on Easter morning! No kidding...I can't remember the last time I've seen a) a full rainbow, b) a double rainbow, and c) both of these at 7 am...and on Easter! It was awesome. Naturally, I had to wake up Jim and the boys to check it out. I tried to capture the sight with the camera, which doesn't begin to do it justice, but it's worth a look:

Now, there's a sight that inspires.

Trumpets, please.

2006-04-15T17:50:00.000-04:00

The socks are DONE!
All I have to do now is keep them away from Jim and his Evil Dryer of Death.

Bossygirl in Baltimore

2006-04-14T16:28:00.000-04:00

The Baltimore trip was indeed an awesome time! Big laughing, good eating, not much sleeping, and TWO yarn shops! Is life good, or what?
Went to A Good Yarn in Fells Point and left with a gorgeous cotton / rayon hand-dyed yarn from Wool in the Woods to make the v-neck neckdown cardigan sweater #994 from Knitting Pure and Simple. I chose "Napa Valley", a blend of 80% cotton and 20% rayon. It's absolutely beautiful fiber, and knits up with a lush, soft texture. Lorraine, owner of A Good Yarn, is warm and friendly, and dedicated to using yarns spun and dyed by regional fiber artists. She's expanding the shop soon; I know I'll be back on my next visit. (For the photo below, I tried to artfully arrange the new yarn with the scarf I got for $8 at the American Visionary Art Museum. Didn't want the scarf to feel neglected.)
Before we drove back to Columbus on Sunday, we made a quick tour of Ellicott City, which led me to The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop. First of all, I must say that Ellicott City requires MUCH more time than the hour we had to go through all its nooks and crannies. The Celtic Knot is found on the second floor of its home building--lots of charm and a great selection of yarn. I walked away with two skeins of cotton / wool sock yarn and and a great window sticker they put in my bag for free:

I do have to include a few random shots from the trip:

We took this photo as we blew through Hagerstown...what do you think? A little over the top???
Here's part of an outside wall of the American Visionary Art Museum near the harbor in Baltimore:Three chicks in Ellicott City, at a funky home shop called Su Casa--my sister Jane, me, and Terri:

The cardigan sweater is started--I bought Addi Turbo needles for the first time and LOVE them!!! Where have they been all my life??? And...the socks are finished! Celebratory photo coming soon. Ahhhh, closure!

Knitting 101

2006-04-05T13:31:00.000-04:00

What a great time Nonie and I had together yesterday! We started at the LYS near her house, Temptations. What a gorgeous shop! It's a must-see if you are planning a trip to Columbus. For her first project, Nonie picked out 2 white yarns, a silk blend and a viscose/rayon blend with some sheen to it.

The two will be combined to make a simple garter stitch scarf that should be elegant and have a beautiful drape to it. (Any yarn addicts out there would be proud of me for not breaking down and making a few purchases at Temptations myself...talk about jones-ing for new yarn! However, I used some serious self-control, as I am waiting to check out the LYS's in Baltimore. Whew!!! That was close. )

We went to the Morgan House for a wonderful lunch (another must-visit place) and back to Nonie's house to dig in.

We cast on 14 stitches on size 11 needles;

she's planning to work the scarf to at least 70 inches to allow for some nice long fringe.
I tend to like my scarves really long, so I would go longer, but she's going to see how it goes.
As I knew she would be, Nonie was an exceptionally fast learner, and had that garter stitch down in no time. I'm so proud of her!

I left her with my first knitting book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting (the one I bought on my trip to Florida to teach myself to knit 5 years ago) , and I'm going to send her a few knitting instruction sites in case she gets stuck before I see her next week. I think another knitter is born. Nonie's already got her sights set on making her 3 girls scarves for Christmas--and knowing her, I think it'll happen. The best part of the whole day was getting to spend so much time talking instead of our usual 3-5 minutes snippets per conversation in the hallway at school. What a treat!

We did have some help during the knitting lesson--Buddy, Nonie's St. Bernard, was staying close by and helping his mom when he could.

Being a cat person myself, I couldn't help gawking at the sheer mass of his head, much less his 175-200 pound body!

He's a good dog, though, and was very interested in what we were doing. Maybe a sweater for him is next, right Nonie? *L*

After Nonie got her scarf underway, I worked a little more on the sock:

Next stop: Bawlmer, hon!

It's all about the knitting.

2006-04-02T15:38:00.000-04:00

A road trip to Baltimore is in the works! One or two friends and I may be on our way Friday to see my sister Jane in Baltimore for a weekend of eating, laughing, shopping, laughing, (did I mention eating?), more laughing, more shopping ... Jane's been doing some concierge work behind the scenes. . Then there's (do you hear the angels singing?): IKEA!!!! The closest one to us here in Columbus is over in Pittsburgh, so an Ikea pilgrimage will be in order. Since some of us knit, we will have to work together to force (ok, bribe?) Jane into taking us to a good yarn shop in town, too. It looks like there is one in Fells Point (A Good Yarn). I guess this means I have to pull my wish list together before we leave (and make some more progress on That Damned Sweater--see 3/28/06 post). Hope it comes together! With families and schedules, you never know...

My good buddy Nonie and I are getting together Tuesday so I can teach her to knit. :-) We are finally making good on my birthday promise to her in January for a Knitting Day (to include a trip to a great LYS, lunch, then back to her house to get her scarf started). I'm so excited! Nonie's quite the craftster, but doesn't knit...and wants to. We have taught together for years, and she's been watching our lunchtime sessions at school, anxious to jump in herself. I'm sure she will take to knitting beautifully. I'm really looking forward to our time together.

Looking around to find a link to stores we may go to tomorrow, I found "the blue blog archives" which includes nice descriptions of Columbus' LYS's (can I get away with that, grammatically-speaking???) Coming to Columbus? Check it out.

Sock progress: moving toward the toe! Photos coming soon...

More Pattern Ideas

2006-04-01T17:06:00.000-05:00

I was just checking out more blogs on the Librarians Who Knit ring list--found pjbknit, who has listed some great links to patterns; one for Chickami (she's working on it--rich color!), and the other for knitting bags / accessories to sew from Simplicity 4542. Consider me inspired!

It's the little things...

2006-03-31T17:25:00.000-05:00

So, check out my button down there on the sidebar under the links. It looks like this:
I'm sure there are people and software out there that can make the process a breeze, but it's taken me a couple of days and consulting with my techno-mate to pull it off. As usual, my amount of patience was smaller than my learning curve, but Jim's used to that by now. So, there it is, tra la, tra la!!! Hallelujah! Wahoo!!!Yippee!!!! (OK, I'm done now. BTW, feel free to use the button on your site to link back here. Please download it to your server first. Thanks!)

Moving on...I'm getting ready to turn the heel on the sock.

Jim's brother, Brian, and his family are coming from Louisville to visit this weekend, so I'm not sure how much time there will be to work on it. I go back to school April 10, so that's the deadline I'll set--surely I can find some time over spring break to finish it...if I don't get caught up in another blogging project (but I do want to add a picture to the header...) AAAAUUUGGGHHHHHH! I'm addicted!

Does Recycling + Recovery = Redemption? (or "The Return of That Damned Sweater")

2006-03-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

Because I'm thinking so much about my knitting lately (due, I'm sure, to the new Blog Phase I'm in), I actually went into my stash last night and pulled out the albatross of a sweater-in-progess I started 2 years ago. It started its life, full of promise and excitement, as most new knitting projects do. I had just read the first Sally Melville book, and fell in love with the "Best Friend Jacket". The asymmetry in the sweater spoke to me, so I bought a boat-load of red Lopi yarn and set to work. Months later, I finished the jacket pieces, put them together...and, well, let's just say that Ms. Melville would NOT have been proud. Obviously, I hadn't become one with the pattern, and the thing hung on me like a big, crooked tarp.

One of the things that I love about knitting is always having the option of starting over, no matter how badly I've botched things up (I always try to say that to the people I teach to knit..after all, it's supposed to be fun, right? A little liberation is good for the knitting soul). So, over that Christmas vacation, I frogged the hell out of that mess, rewound the yarn into balls, and put it away for awhile. (I'll never forget the looks on the faces of my kids at school in the lunchtime knitting group when I showed them what had happened...and that I had taken it ALL apart!)

That spring, I hauled the yarn out of the closet and decided to make the "Old Friend Pullover" from Peace Fleece with it. (I made my first sweater from this pattern several years ago and *surprise!* had been successful!) Well, as spring seems to do every year, the cool days gave way to warmer--then hotter--ones, and working on a wool sweater lost its charm. Besides, I'm nothing if not a fickle knitter, flitting from project to project as the mood strikes. I moved on to experimental scarves, several pairs of fingerless mittens, socks, baby gifts...

Fast foward to last night in my extra bedroom, as I unearthed the ill-fated, neglected bag of yarn. I pulled what turned out to be the front of the sweater from the knitting bag, and found--to my surprise--that I was about an inch shy of starting the decrease toward the neckline. On the backside--to my dismay--I found the many ends that need weaving in already, courtesy of the yarn's recycled, frogged past. I'd like to say I felt a Velveteen Rabbit-kind of compassion for the thing, and believing that it just needed to be loved again, carried it gingerly down the stairs to my favorite knitting chair. I'd like to say that I settled in with it, feeling the warmth of the sweater front on my lap as I knit, filled with the spirit of renewal and the dream of completion...

But here's the truth: if I don't tackle and finish this project--or, at least, make a good attempt at it on a regular basis, I'll never be able to justify my next sweater project. Besides, that project will be forever cursed (kind of a My Name is Earl-karma thing. Again, the Balance of Nature rears its ugly head). So, now that I have a place to keep myself a bit more accountable, I will indeed tackle more of the sweater each week... while the weather is cool, anyway. As I said, I'm nothing if not fickle; well-intentioned, but fickle. (I'm hoping even the Knitting Gods would forgive me for putting it aside in the summertime.) I'll post my progress on a regular basis. Here, then, is the first installment of (enter doom music...duhn, duhn, DUHN) That Damned Sweater.

Stay tuned.

Sock Obituary

2006-03-26T08:44:00.000-05:00

I'm married to a great guy. After 22 years, there is a list of truths I've come to know about my husband Jim that will be forever etched in my heart. Here's part of that list:
1. Jim is funny and smart.
2. Jim is a great dad.
3. Jim is loving and kind, loyal and true.
4. Jim is a computer wiz.
5. If you need to get the DVD, CD, and VHS players aligned with the TV and TiVo, Jim's your man.
6. Jim is always on time.
7. Jim is thrifty and wise with money.
8. Jim doesn't mind doing laundry, usually spending part of his weekend doing so.
9. Jim is good at doing laundry.
10. Jim does not knit; therefore, Jim has never made a pair of handknitted socks.
11. Jim doesn't understand the concept of felting.

Because I love this guy, I will resist the urge to go on a rant about the beautiful pair of socks I knitted this summer from a delicious skein of Mountain Colors wool that perfectly matched the bright blue cardigan I finished last February--did I mention they were my first pair of knitted socks?--and everytime I put them on and slipped on my clogs, I felt like my feet were walking on marshmallows...giant royal blue, magenta and purple marshmallows...

Like I said, I won't rant.

The poor (now miniature) pair of socks suffered their first bout of trauma this fall when, on my husband's watch, they landed in the dryer. Luckily, I found them in time, fished them out, and stretched the damp twosome back to something close to their original size. Since then, I have proudly worn them, even though the cuffs were just a bit shorter and the fit a bit tighter than before. However, tragedy struck again at about 10:30 last night as my beloved tentatively asked me if "those blue socks should've gone in the dryer." So...

The sock on the left is *sniff* the right size.

One of my own personal truths is that I never turn down an opportunity to go yarn shopping...and now I have one. I mean, the demise of these socks leaves such a hole in my wardrobe!

On the upside, I also took the time to give a visual update of yellow sock #2:

Yin and Yang, The Balance of Nature, The Circle of Life... I'm all over it.

Next project?

2006-03-25T17:31:00.000-05:00

How cute is this?????? I was browsing through blogs and saw it on Knit With Me. It's from KnitPicks.com. Looks like it might work up quickly. Goin' on the list, and will begin the Official Search for the Perfect Yarns. (Hey, Jane...are there any good yarn shops in Baltimore????)

Blog-Mania Strikes!

2006-03-25T14:41:00.000-05:00

Like with anything new, I'm getting sucked into the world of blogging, blogrings and html code. It's amazing how much time can pass when I'm checking out other knitting blogs, joining groups, and figuring out how to save buttons to my server and paste them to my page! I'm having a blast. I think my husband Jim is a little befuddled by my sudden interest in having a blog of my own...especially one primarily dedicating to knitting! :-) (Then again, I'm sure he's been wondering about me a little ever since I picked up knitting needles on a long drive to Florida...and haven't put them down since. )

I'm looking to my knitting passion (and newfound sub-hobby, blogging!) to help me through a big transition coming my way. Currently, I'm a school librarian in a K-6 building (and have had this job for almost 7 years--after 12 in the classroom). I've been lucky enough to job share the position with another librarian since I began. It's been terrific, especially with two growing boys. However, next year, she needs to go full-time to get her highest-paid years in before retiring...so I'm taking the leap back to full-time as well. I've been placed in a middle school in our district (grades 7-8), replacing another retiring LMS (Library Media Specialist) for the fall. Except for leaving the people I've been working with for almost 20 years, I'm very excited about the move--for you LMS out there, we're on a fixed schedule at the elementary level, which I'll be all-too-glad to leave behind. Plus, I think the older kids will be great.:-) Here's where I think knitting will help...Erin (art teacher) and I have hosted a knitting group for kids once a week for about a year now. We've taught a number of kids to knit, and have marveled at the camaraderie that has grown among the kids who maybe wouldn't have interacted otherwise. I'm so starting a knitting group next year in the middle school (if there isn't one already there). One thing that will help next year are the connections I can make with kids, even a few at a time. (And learning more about blogging through the summer won't hurt my street cred with them either!!!)

Knitting Fever

2006-03-23T13:39:00.000-05:00

I just got the latest flyer from my favorite LYS here in Columbus--Knitter's Mercantile--and am ooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the list of classes. There are so many projects I want to try. I'd love to make a great felted tote bag, learn how to make socks on circular needles, try a summer cardigan, maybe another poncho/shawl/wrappy thing...because both boys are running track this spring ( in 2 different schools) I know my time is definitely limited (no doubt I will have a small project with me at all times in the stands when I'm not helping with the long jump). As usual, I'll keep looking at the flyer over and over and over and over...then not signing up for anything. In fact, I've never taken a real knitting class. Being a librarian, I tend to find what I want to do out of a huge stack of borrowed knitting books, then teach myself and/or ask more experienced knitters for guidance if I get stuck. However, the Type A in me (aka Bossygirl) wants to keep getting better...so maybe a class is in order. Stay tuned.

This time of year in Ohio always puts me in kind of a funk. I'm PMS-ier, weepier, sillier, less focused, easily un-motivated...and I don't think I'm alone! Obviously, it's connected with the weather (read: gray, cold, damp), but I think it's the transition to the last leg of the school year that's the key. So I'm 44 and have been in this school year cycle for 39 years or so...no wonder I'm in a rut. Sounds like a good argument for a new knitting project to me! *LOL* I was looking through the Spring 2006 Interweave Knits (again) and have found some good sites and ideas to pursue. I think the Oat Coature knit ruana looks intriguing.

I am making progress on the yellow sock, though...it's been going everywhere with me, most recently to a 7th grade orchestra / choir / band concert last night and the doctor's office this morning.

Taking the Plunge

2006-03-22T21:00:00.000-05:00

So I've watched my savvy 16-year-old son run his blog for over a year, and decided it was time to try one myself. Mostly, I want to connect to the ever-growing web of knitters that are out there online. There are a lot of us, huh? Here goes...

I'm currently working on a pair of socks from a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern, using Lorna's Laces yarn dyed in bright yellow, green and turquoise. I've finished one, and in keeping with "tradition", have had to focus my energies away from starting new projects (ok, I got a couple of little things going) and more toward giving that orphan sock a mate. Thank goodness for American Idol!

Bossygirl

Do over.

Slowly, slowly.

It's Go Time.

Spring Break....*whew*

I'm just a little nervous.

Updates, we have updates.

This is what it comes down to...

Wow.

A little song for you.

Drum roll, please.

Par-tay at our house.

Goobers and Raisinettes.

Home from the wilds.

Lil' Ole Update, Y'all.

It's Twisted, Sister.

Any room in the frog pond?

Baked Alaska, anyone?

Socks Rock!

First things first.

"Summer's here...

I have issues...

A Knitting Post? What a good idea!

Are you kidding me?

Going once, going twice...

A) Church Auction

Out of the frying pan.

It doesn't take much to impress me.

Random notes.

Lovin' the brown sweater.

Checking in.

First things first.

Owwww.

As promised...

Alive and kicking...a month later!

Boo-YEAH!

11 days...

All together now...

If it's not nailed down...

Welcome to Panther Country!

Still here...stay tuned.

Quick Recap

Off to Band Camp!

Well, it's about time.

Oh, yeah!

WIP's

Yee Haw!

Guess what we did this morning?

Viva la Yarn Harlot!

Ze tank, she's a done.

Saturday? Already???????

I meant to do that.

You can all come out now. It's safe.

Jack Bauer or Rachael Ray?

Clean Slate.

Tough Call.

Sooooo good!

Summertime!!!!!!!

Under Construction

Ya had a bad day...

Viva La Queen Kahuna!

You just never know.

Wait…what?

Getting there.

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Click. Click. Click.

More, more, more.

Movin' Right Along

Props due.

Like a Hoover.

Ready, Set....No, Wait.

Cardigan report and and a cool link.

O.K....seriously?

Lots to say.

Trumpets, please.

Bossygirl in Baltimore

Knitting 101

It's all about the knitting.

More Pattern Ideas

It's the little things...

Spring Break....whew