Knit 'n Spin

Non-knitting Fun

2011-07-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been baking. Something happens this time of year. The kids scatter to various camps and to Grandmother's and the house quiets. It's also the season for many of my favorite fruits, so I go picking. One day I will have my own fruits to harvest, but until then, I go to the local farms and orchards and pick. This year I picked strawberries, blueberries, black raspberries and sour cherries. And as soon as they were picked, but not pitted or otherwise prepared, the kids scattered, leaving me with 12 pints of blueberries and 5 pounds of cherries to do something with.

I started by making a blueberry pound cake that I took to work. It was wonderful. I got the recipe from All Cakes Considered (yes, related to All Things Considered on NPR) and it worked beautifully. I love this cookbook enough that if it does not turn up as a belated birthday gift, I will be giving it to myself. The berries were on the big side, so they tended to sink to the top of the cake despite being tossed in flour first. (Yes, the top, it was baked in a Bundt pan.) Next time I will either add a bit more than the 1 cup called for or I will pick through to find smaller berries.

The local kitchen gadget shop missed the boat on placing a timely order for cherry pitters, so it looks like I may be back to using either my DPNs or a new hairpin to pit them again this year. It worked well last time, but I had my short help assisting me. We'll just have to see how that works out this time. The cherries are destined for possibly some sort of pie or maybe just preserves. Both options worked pretty well in the past. The blueberries will be preserves, sauce, pies and/or frozen. I love having them available when the weather has cooled and I crave fruit that is neither imported nor an apple. There are plenty of possibilities to choose from. I think I'll contemplate them in the orchard as I pick some more summer days to sustain us through the winter.

2011-05-24T19:51:00.001-07:00

Life runs the show. You come up with ideas, you make plans and life says, "That's a nice thought, here's what I'm thinking" and before you know it, things have shifted. That's pretty much what's gone on around here. I intended to keep up with the blog on a more regular basis, but obviously that didn't work out as planned.

What did work out however was a spur of the moment job interview that landed me a part-time position in a job I enjoy, doing what I like, around people I would have chosen as friends. The kids are growing like weeds and I now have a pre-schooler, a first-grader and a very nearly teen.

They have argued and fought the way only siblings can, and every night when I go to check on them, they have huddled up like puppies, curled up together with an arm over another's neck or sometimes a foot in someone's ear. They fall asleep whispering to each other and wake each other with hugs and giggles in the morning. As much as they can get on each others' nerves, they don't like being separated for long periods and they watch out for each other. If being able to watch them share this close bond means I'm not writing quite as much as I hoped, I'm OK with life's altered plan.

It was a dark and stormy night

2009-11-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

I'm doing the NaNoWriMo challenge and having a blast with it so far. For some reason, my best time to write seems to be after the kids go to bed, naps don't seem to count for whatever reason. Anyway, I'm way behind where I should be in order to be done in time, but I hit my personal goal for today which is cool. When I get stuck I go to Write or Die to push myself and seem to do far better than I do otherwise. I'm not quite sure what that says about my psyche, but there you have it. So far this is my personal best. I gave myself 48 minutes to hit 700 words and this was the result...

I'm so excited. Well, back to my nameless novel...

Summer Vacation Brain

2009-07-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

How sad is this? I've been so inactive lately that I completely forgot my sign-in info. In all fairness, life's been pretty busy around here. DH went to Scout camp for a week and a half while the 10, 5 &2 yo's went nuts. Actually we had a pretty good time when we weren't cleaning. We picked sour cherries (note to self- when they say you might want to bring a small ladder, they're not joking, especially if you're only 5 ft 4 in.) We wound up with about 7 pounds of cherries of which the kids pitted over 4 pounds and I made into cherry preserves. It was supposed to be jam, but didn't gel quite enough. Judging by the two year-old's sticky face and hands, I'd say it passed her taste test.

We went back over the next couple days and picked both blueberries and black raspberries. So far I've made one blueberry buckle and lots of plans for other things. It looks like I'll be pitting the rest of the cherries myself (never underestimate the versatility of an old-fashioned hairpin) and baking a pie for the boys. I'm undecided about the blueberries, perhaps a Lemon Blueberry Poundcake, another buckle, a Blueberry Grunt (a kind of dumpling), some jam, or maybe just a trip to the freezer. I'm pretty sure the black raspberries are destined to become a cobbler when Mom comes back. Either way, the kids have had a fun time and we've all enjoyed being out in the fields and orchards during some really nice weather. Not a bad way to kick off our summer vacation. :)

There were rats and cats and elephants...

2008-09-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

O.K. perhaps that's not entirely accurate, but I do feel like our house has become Wildlife Central. For a while now we have been dealing with squirrels in our attic. Part of the charm of having an old house. I love the tin roof, but apparently when it was built, they didn't make the roof come all the way down. There is a slight gap around the attic perimeter. (I haven't actually braved the Ladder of Death, Doom and Certain Peril to see it firsthand, but I have it on good, corroborated authority.) I'm sure this is great for ventilation, but it stinks for squirrel control. We didn't realize the extent of the problem until we cleaned out the old nests, so until we can get the whole thing fixed, we have Squirrel Nutkin's Home for Wayward Rodents upstairs.

We also discovered earlier in the summer that the pretty little stray who had her kittens under our house and then disappeared when they grew up, has decided we have a wonderful environment for raising her young. She showed up again looking as if she were going to deliver any day. Sure enough, we were eating dinner one evening when we heard this strange sound each time the air conditioner came on. After a few times, I figured out that we were hearing wee kitten voices. Momma Kitty had made her nest under the house right next to the ductwork and the noise startled the babies, so marshmallow that I am, I turned off the unit. I figured we could handle a little more heat better than those poor babies could handle the extra stress. They relocated before the oppressive heat moved in, so everything was good.

I had just come to grips with the squirrels in the attic and the cats under the house when our trashcan got broken into. It was a lovely, pungent aroma that greeted us when we opened the front door and found the top bags delicatley ripped open and the contents lovingly strewn about the walkway. They must have been the kitchen bags that were tossed in when I cleaned out the fridge. My husband was quick to blame the aforementioned cats, but I pointed out that it looked more like raccoon damage to me. Our trashcan is the basic, town-issued garbage bin with wheels and a lid that flips closed, not exactly your toughest challenge for the local fauna. Dear Man came up with an inspired solution to the problem.

Now bear in mind that we live in the mountains. We are at the top of the Parkway and regularly have to wait for deer, raccoons, groundhogs, beavers, skunks and the occasional bear to clear the road, even in town. Every year my friend who lives a block away has to wage war with a bear over the contents of her own trashcan. The deer decimate her flowerbed while waiting for the twin fawns to finish napping. Her cats no longer have food and a litter box on the screened porch because the raccoons inevietably win that wrestling match. As a matter of fact, I have frequently seen a pair of raccoons scurry into the storm drain just around the corner from our own house. Raccoons are known for their problem-solving skills. They are clever and are able to use their front paws almost like opposable thumbs. Our next step to shut down the midnight buffet in our front yard? A half a brick on top of the garbage lid. I'm pretty sure I heard chuckling under the porch as we went back inside. Amazingly enough, when they were again desperate, they re-opened the snack bar.

A few nights later, one of the stray cats got back on the porch and were rummaging around, knocking stuff over. I startled him when I opened to door to retrieve something from the car. He headed for cover in the far corner and I saw just the tip of his fluffy tail as he scurried off. I said, "Oh, it must be offspring of the long-hair that I've seen around. I'll get a better look," and shone the flashlight in the corner to see. I found the fluffy tip of his tail and followed it up thinking, "Hmm... that's a little fluffier than I thought. It must be one of the black and white cats... ummm.... that doesn't look so cat-shaped... oh goody, stripes. OK, Pepe, you just enjoy that corner of the porch. See me? See how I'm easing down the farthest side of the steps in an extremely non-threatening way? You just take your time..." Great. Add one more to the local wildlife tally.

Odds and Ends

2008-08-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

I finally found a meme that I felt like doing. It was originally labeled as "50 things..." but a couple numbers were skipped so it's more like 48 things. Anyway, here you go.

4 dozen odd things about me

Do you like bleu cheese? Sometimes, especially with hot wings.

Have you ever smoked? Nope.

Do you own a gun? Just Nerfs and Super Soakers

What flavor do you add to your drinks from Sonic? Cherry, once in a while.

Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not usually.

What do you think of hot dogs? They're OK if I have sauerkraut or chili.

Favorite Christmas movie? Toss up between original Grinch and Christmas Story.

What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Chocolate milk

Can you do push-ups? The frozen treats? Absolutely. Oh you mean the excercise. Plural? Ha ha ha hah. Wait a sec. Let me catch my breath; I'm winded now.

Do you know the secret of a happy life? Not exactly, but I think it involves letting a lot of stuff go.

What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My love-knot necklace

Favorite hobby? knitting, crocheting, reading, cooking

Song you're listening to right now? One from Dr. Horrible, "Laundry day/ See you there./ Underthings/ tumbling..." Curse you, Joss Wheedon!

Do you have ADD? I don't think so...

What's one trait you don't like about yourself? When I get stressed, I get snippy. (I try to nip it in the bud, though.)

Middle name? Annette

Name three thoughts at this exact moment: Acckkk! why do I always find buggish formatting issues?!?... I wonder what I should fix for dinner... I hope I can get this Special Olympics scarf done in a timely fashion.

Name three things you bought yesterday. Nothing, the day before, however, I picked up school supplies and two skeins of yarn (for the aforementioned S.O. Scarf.)

Name three drinks you usually drink. milk, tea, soda

Current worry? I want our Cub Scout Fall Roundup to go well.

Current hate right now? I haven't figured out how to be in multiple places at once.

Favorite place to be? Library or in the park if it's nice out.

How did you bring in the New Year? Quietly with family and friends

Where would you like to go? England, Ireland and Canada

Do you own slippers? Yes, a few pairs. Now can I find any two that match? Well that's a different matter altogether.

Last magazine you read? Boy's Life (what can I say, we're a scouting family.)

Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No. I get too warm.

Can you whistle? Yes

Favorite color? I have an affinity for purple

Would you be a pirate? Perhaps.

What songs do you sing in the shower? Currently songs from Dr. Horrible... Laundry Day, A Man's Gotta Do, Brand New Day... Curse you again Joss Wheedon! You and your nefarious Ear-worm soundtracks. It's curtains for you! Lacy, gently wafting curtains...

Favorite girl's name? Ophelia

Favorite boy's name? I'm not sure.

What's in your pockets right now? ID, cell phone and the change my kids haven't discovered yet.

Last thing that made you laugh? My toddler's "mean face".

Best bed sheets as a child? Any of the ones fresh from the dryer.

Worst injury you've had? Severly sprained ankle. I swear it was much more obnoxious than either of the times I broke my arm.

Do you love where you live? All in all, I'm pretty happy with it.

Cat lover or dog lover? Yes. What can I say? I grew up surrounded by both.

Who is your loudest friend? I can't think of any... does that mean it's me?

How many fish do you have? Nary a one.

Does anyone have a crush on you? If they do, they're keeping mum about it.

What is your favorite TV show? Firefly, (also House, Bones, Psych, In Plain Sight, Numbers, Medium, Eureka, Stargate:SG1 and Terminator:Sarah Connor Chronicles.)

What is your favorite book? Any of Terry Pratchett's novels and the first four books in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Trilogy

What is your favorite candy? Hmmm.. Curly Wurly, Crunchee, Buttons, Malteasers (choc. and the white ones), Milky Bars

Favorite sports team? My son's soccer team. Professionally, DC United.

What song do you want played at your funeral? Right now I'd probably say "Brand New Day" because it's running through my brain. Otherwise I think it'd be cool to have "Finnegan's Wake".

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? What a strange dream...

I have returned

2008-08-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Wow! what a busy summer we've had. The kids start school next week, but it seems like they just got out. We had Cub Resident Camp at Camp Rock Enon, then we went to SC followed by a trip to Upstate New York. There was a brief hiatus and then it was off to WBC in Lancaster, PA. We had lots of fun meeting up with old friends and making some new ones. Now we're recovering from our hectic summer and getting ready for a slightly less busy Fall.

Back at the beginning of the year I signed up on Ravelry to make a square for the project that has become known as the Pratchgan (an afghan for Terry Pratchett, author of the Johnny Maxwell books and the Discworld series.) Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers and we wanted to show our support by giving him something warm and fuzzy. The result was the afghan below. The lady who organized it (and seamed it and backed it, bless her) had been in contact with Terry's agent who was thrilled about the whole thing. She wound up being able to attend an event in Scotland and give it to Terry in person. She said he particularly liked the Librarian square. I wonder what he'll say when he discovers the Luggage opens up and contains wee bits of clothing.

More pictures can be found here at Flickr. I actually got to do two squares, but didn't have my camera, so they're not in the individual photos. The first one is in the top row, fourth from the left. It is all white and is the bobble sheep I modified from a dishcloth pattern. The other square is the eighth row down, third square from the right. It's the apple from Equal Rites. The one that would allow only Esk to climb it and always had apples that went from green to wormy overnight. The odd thing leaning against the trunk is Esk's staff. It was a lot of fun to make and I actually stash-busted for it. You can just barely see the square near Terry's hip, below the "I Aten't Dead."

All in all, contributing to the project and following its progress has been loads of fun, but I'm glad it's been handed off. I hope it keeps Terry comfy and amused as he works on his newest novels. Now for my next project(s)...

0404

2008-04-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been four years already. It doesn't seem like it's been that long, but on April Fools' Day in the year of the monkey, Edison decided to make his first appearance. He debuted at 7:35 in the evening and nothing has been the same since. For his first birthday, he had his very own chocolate cake made by Grandma. As you can see, it was nearly as big as he was.
Needless to say, he was covered in chocolate by the time he was done. (No, he did not actually eat the whole thing.)

Last year he wanted to have a birthday in the park and the weather co-operated... mostly. It was a little chilly, but it was nice enough for the kids to run around and play.

This year, he wants to do the same thing. He wants to have a pirate ship cake and Spiderman favors. We even have a Spidey-head pinata that will be a surprise for him. Hopefully the weather will hold and all will go well. I still haven't found my camera, but I picked up some disposables and hope to post birthday party pictures this weekend.

Busy, busy

2008-03-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

I know I said I wanted to blog every day (or very nearly), but somehow that just isn't panning out right now. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things, but for right now, I refuse to stress out over it. As I'm typing, Annabelle is dancing around in her crib. I don't mean gentle swaying, I mean the child has turned her bed into a moon bounce, moving in circles the way her big brothers do at every street carnival we attend. I would be more concerned if she were taller, but she's still small enough to stay contained and slow enough to avoid any serious whacks to the head.

Just as I was trying to figure out why she won't settle down and take her overdue nap, I heard a rousing chorus of "A,B,C,D,E,F,B..." wafting up the stairs... along with the gleeful pronouncement that, "there's two B's in there," followed by hysterical giggling. Looks like Annabelle's not the only one overdue for a nap. The crooner will be four on Tuesday and is vehemently opposed to the very idea of napping... until he passes out right in the middle of playing.

Said nearly-four-year old has been wanting a pirate party for a couple months now complete with pirate ship cake. It's all he's talked about for the last couple weeks... until he had to get new shoes. The ones that were in his size and happened to be on sale were Spiderman. I'm sure you can guess what happened next. The last week and a half has been filled with excitement over all things Spiderman; videos, shoes, toys, puzzles, party favors... Looks like now we are going to have a Spiderman pirate party. He wants Spidey party favors and a Spidey pinata with a pirate ship cake. It's a cake I made for his brother's third and ninth birthdays, and now Edison wants one of his own. Hopefully his will turn out better than Iain's last one. It arrived at his party looking like it had been under attack. Oh well. I don't have to worry about it until Saturday.

For Tuesday, he has a couple April Fools' Day birthday surprises in store for his preschool friends and Iain's Cub Scout pack. For preschool he is taking in a Grilled Cheese Cake. He's excited about it and I'm hoping it will go over well with the Under-Four demographic. For Scouts he wants to take in little shamburgers. My boys love peppermint patties and are halfway hoping the others won't like them much so the leftovers can come home. I've got to have some way to take pictures by then, so I'm either going to get a couple disposable cameras and have the pics put on disc, or I'm going to have to pony up to send the pics via phone. I like my phone, but the camera is just not that great and it's a quarter a shot for so-so pictures. Oh well, I'm still searching for my digital camera, so perhaps it will surface in the next couple days. Looks like I have a little more shopping to do and then I can finish my chemo-cap (very,nearly done) and start on a couple other gifts.

Warm Up Winchester

2008-03-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned before, I am becoming a bit more involved with some local charities. I think it's important to be involved in doing something for other people. I mean, doing things for those you love is certainly important, but doing your part to help out in the community at large, people you may or may not know, is different. I think it helps keep you connected to the larger group and helps pull you out of yourself. It makes you more aware of what's really going on around you.

I spend a little time most days on Ravelry. Today while on one of the local groups, I discovered Warm Up Winchester. They have a Yahoo group and the Ravelry group can be found here. I enjoy making hats and I'm wanting to learn mittens and gloves. It's nice to know that I can crank out as many as I want and there will be somewhere good for them to go. Well, I'm off to listen to Fibber McGee and Molly while I finish up the chemo cap and start on a gift for the babysitter and some projects for Warm Up Winchester.

One birthday gift done... on time!

2008-03-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the camera is still out in the Great Unknown somewhere, so I'm digging through pictures to see if anything strikes me. I was hoping the camera would turn up by now, though.

I finished Edison's birthday gift. He asked me to make him a blue dinosaur with a long neck. After much digging I settled on the Bronty pattern I found on Ravelry. I showed him the pattern and he gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. I used slightly less than one skein of Plymouth Jelli Beenz in colorway 0133 (it's a deep royal blue plied with one strand of a rainbow variegated yarn.) The variegated strand looked really prominent when I was working, but it knits up as flecks of color, very nice.

I tweaked the pattern just a little, I changed the first decrease on the tail each time to look smoother and I moved the eyes a little further back on the head. The yarn I chose kind of hid the eyes, so at 3:30 in the morning, I was learning how to make a French Knot. If I had discovered this earlier, I could have had Mom teach me, but I didn't think she'd appreciate my waking her up in this case. Thank goodness for the internet. All in all, the pattern was very nice. It was easy to follow and the dino was simple to assemble, a little fiddly getting the legs on, but I think that was a user issue. I'm not a big fan of seaming and sewing up, but since I want to eventually make a sweater, I guess I'd better suck it up and deal with it. In the meantime, I have to figure out just how to wrap this little guy for my little guy...

In Search of...

2008-03-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

You know, I used to love watching that show, "In Search Of". It was so neat with Leonard Nimoy hosting (sorry, always Mr. Spock to me) as they searched for evidence of the mysteries of life, UFO's, poltergeists, Bigfoot. That show may have been singularly responsible for my closet light staying on all night on a regular basis! Anyway, I'm on a search of my own. I'm still in search of my camera. I've hunted through the cars and bags and am in the process of turning the house upside down. There is a slim chance it was lefet behind at the derby, so I'm putting a couple calls in tomorrow to see if anyone turned it in. I'm counting on the general goodness of folks and the Universe to help me out here. In the meantime, I can't stand having a photoless blog, so I'll just have to post about things for which I already have shots.

My eldest really enjoys knitting. He's currently working on a scarf, two inches down, twenty-eight more to go! We had gone out to dinner and everyone but the husband and the baby had knitting to keep us occupied. Turned out to be a good choice. We went to Outback and got there in the middle of the dinner rush.

As you can see, he is definitely my child. He carries his knitting everywhere. It gives him something to do on road trips and we never ask him to turn its volume down. Knitting- 2, Gameboy- 0.

Location, location, location...

2008-03-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

You know they really are right (whoever they are) location truly is the key. I have discovered location is much more important than I thought. Take, for example, the location of my digital camera. Doesn't seem like a huge thing, but I couldn't tell you where the heck the blooming thing is right now. I figured I would give myself a simple task before heading off to my next location; I would see if there was enough juice left in the camera batteries to download the most recent set of pictures. The battery capability was questionable because I previously was unsure of the location of the charger. I took approximately a gazillion shots of our Pinewood Derby on Saturday and the little warning light came on (the one in the camera, not the one in my brain. I've come to believe the cranial one has suffered a severe malfunction.)

I rose to the challenge of discovering the location of the USB cable and the location of the ever-wandering charger only to find that the present location of the camera itself eludes me. I have become an adult version of Nancy Drew or the favorite young sleuth of my childhood, Trixie Belden or perhaps more appropriately I have turned into a younger version of Dame Agatha's tricoteuse, Miss Marple. I have questioned all the usual suspects and of course, no-one claims any knowledge of the camera's whereabouts. For a split second, I thought I had found it in the diaper bag, then I recalled the bag had been nowhere near me at all the last time I took pictures. (Turns out that my Canon Elph feels remarkably similar to an Altoids mints tin when located in the bottom of a diaper bag pocket.)

Oh well, the game is afoot and the search will continue. As soon as I find it, I will post pictures of the chemo cap in progress. Until then it's back to p1, k2, p1, k2 ...

With love...

2008-03-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those times when things seem to really jump out at you? You know, when everything you see seems to be related? Maybe it's coincidence, perhaps serndipity, possibly something else entirely. Whatever it is, I've learned (finally) to pay attention. Too many time I've brushed these instances off only to smack myself later and wonder what in the world I was thinking. (much like the old V-8 juice commercials).

Most recently it's been charity knitting, more specifically chemo caps. The lady organising a local knitting group mentioned she wanted to do some knitting/crocheting for charity. That got me thinking. I had lots of fun making the Binary Cable Hat from Ravelry and had been wanting to make another one. I actually cast it on a few times, but it just wasn't right somehow. I couldn't get in the groove for some reason. I thought I might try a different hat or even a different project all together so I started to poke around on the site. I had a few ideas but on a whim I started to look for a group for chemo caps. I found one I really liked and through them discovered some neat blogs with nice patterns and plenty of info about chemo caps.

I decided to make a cap, but I had to find just the right yarn. The sites I had been checking out mentioned using a really soft acryllic for caps. I generally prefer knitting with wools, but there can be an issue with sensitivities and allergies from the chemo. I wasn't sure what I was going to use and them I remembered a scarf that I started quite a while back. I wasn't happy with it. It was a pattern I had heavily modified and it had issues. It was too wide. I always seem to forget when I am casting on that the item will grow exponentially once I get started knitting a few rows. It was my first attempt at holding three strands together. I was running a strand of worsted weight with two strands of eyelash yarn and in more than one place I dropped a strand. Due to the nature of the resulting fabric, I didn't notice the error until several rows later. Have you ever tried to frog eyelash and worsted fabric? I've had an easier time getting the 14 month-old to relinquish her blankie! Frankly it just wasn't worth the trouble... until now. I untangled the whole thing and started the cap.

Then I got an e-mail from the knit group commenting on knitting for charity. The organizer has set up a box at our library for afghan squares, which I think is a great idea. When I mentioned that I would be glad to assist once I finish the chemo-cap, she mentioned that she too had lost someone to cancer and wanted more info about the caps. A little while later I was on Ravelry again and a new thread popped up in an unrelated forum asking about... chemo caps. I recently posted about my friend Earl who passed away from liver cancer, but I had another friend slip away last year after battling cancer as well. She was born a year before I was and she and Earl have been on my mind a lot recently as has a cousin who died from a rare form of cancer a couple years ago. Maybe it's serndipity, perhaps it's coincidence, but I prefer to believe it's a message, a reminder to send out some comfort to other people who may be going through a dark time... some good vibes in memory of those who have been there. So I'm going to be sending out caps, with extra love from Earl, Kathleen and Craig.

Thanks, Earl

2008-02-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

My husband and I met over a gaming table. Actually it was a large, round table with a Robo Rally board on it. Every year I go to the World Boardgaming Championships. It's big, it's full of good competition and it's tons of fun. It's the one week we make sure to have off every year. You see, for years I worked in a game store. The guy I worked for had one night a week that he met up with his buddies and payed various boardgames. I'm not talking about Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit (although those are fine games.) I'm talking about Union Pacific, Successors, Up Front, Acquire and many more. Some of them are games published by the now defunct Avalon Hill (which has sort of been revived by Hasbro, but that's a post for a different day,) and some are newer games put out by German companies or independent American publishers.

My boss' group consisted of about half a dozen guys who had one week each year to go to WBC (née AvalonCon) by themselves and game non-stop. One year,one of the sweetest gamers in the group became terminally ill. He told his friends that he knew he wouldn't be able to attend, but as his spot was already paid for, they should send somebody else in his place. His one caveat was that they choose a person who would a.) really enjoy it and b.) otherwise be unable to afford to go. I had been playing games with them on Game Night for several months and they knew I could hold my own. The only concern was childcare for my two-year old. My mom stepped up and said she would be thrilled to take care of him, so I hopped the plane and took off toward a new adventure. I scheduled something for almost every waking moment and I had a blast. I played Robo Rally and thoroughly enjoyed myself... in spite of being blown to bits, driving off the board and being shoved into pits. (It was OK, the GM was pretty cute.) I had such a good time, I was invited to join the guys the next year. We found out on the way home that our friend had just passed away. I found out at Earl's funeral that he was glad to hear they had chosen me to take his place and his wife was thrilled that a female would be going along. She thought I might keep the guys out of too much trouble.

The next year I went back and played many of the same games, but I didn't try to schedule each moment. When I went to play Robo Rally, the same cute guy was running the show. He had the same cute friends hanging out with him and we seemed to show up at a lot of the same games. (turns out this is not uncommon. If you think about it, people who like one particular game tend to enjoy other similar games.) Over the course of the week, he and his friends dragged me to a lot of games that I had never played before. The good thing about being an active gamer is that it wasn't a problem picking up the rules just before the tourney. I had such a good time with these guys, that we kept in touch afterward and the GM and I began dating. Years later, I have not only the cute Robo Rally GM, but another son and a daughter to love.

Thanks Earl. Who could possibly have known what would come of your generous gesture?

Catching up...

2008-02-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a fair amount of knitting lately. I finished my square for the Pratchgan, a bobble sheep for the Tiffany Aching series of books. I wanted to do Mabel the Mock Cable Cow, but I couldn't get it to fit in the parameters I needed, so I went with Plan B. I finished blocking it and sent it out Priority to Scotland. I hope it makes it in time. The lovely lady running the show is looking for it and said it would be OK if it's a couple days late.

I also very nearly finished my first Jayne hat. It was supposed to be for my husband, but when I drew in the last few stitches at the top, it seemed to really pull the top in. I'm not sure it will fit him anymore, but both the nine-year old and three year-old have voiced their willingness to "take one for the team" and claim ownership of the hat. (Of course they like it, it's a cunning hat, quite possibly the sweetest hat ever...)
[I just had my husband try it on and it fits fine, at least as well as Jayne's did. Of course, he may still have to fight the kiddos for it.]

I swatched for Hat Attack and came fairly close to gauge. Actually for the first swatch, I figured I could measure the Jayne hat I had just finished to get some idea of which way to go. I used US 10's and needed one more stitch per inch so I figured I would try 8's. I picked up a pair at Never Enough Yarn (a lovely store with a fantastic proprietor. I really just can't say enough about these folks.) and came home to try again... and again... and again. After three tries, I finally admitted that I just wasn't going to get gauge with my new needles. A bit disappointing since I could have used that money elsewhere. Then I remembered that I wasn't sure I liked the way the Jayne hat came out with the 10's, so I'm going to use the new Plymouth needles for the next attempt. I finally dug out a pair of metal needles that I've had for donkey's years. I think they are US 5's, but I'm not positive. I don't really care what size they are, they are the right size for me to get gauge. Woo Hoo!!! I swatched this yarn so many times, I was afraid it would rebel at the thought of knitting into anything other than stockinette. As it turns out, however, it wasn't a problem. I had to cast-on three times, but once I got underway, everything was fine. I even got my hat finished and mailed before my assassin's hat reached me. Woot! I took someone else down with me!

While I've been knitting, I've been catching up on Prairie Home Companion broadcasts. One of my favorites is the joke shows and I've been going through the archives. Of course there are lots of laughs to be had, but one that struck me as particularly funny was this boat rental one...

"Boat 99, you'll have to return to the dock immediately or I'll have to charge you for overtime."
"Hey, Boss, there is no Boat 99. We only have 75 boats."
"Ummm... Boat 66, are you in trouble?"

Boy, oh boy!

2008-02-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

All I can say is , "Wow!" Actually that's not entirely accurate. If it were, this would be an incredibly short entry. My husband and I have had a busy couple months. In the Fall/Early-Winter, we dealt with a broken thumb (his), an appendectomy (his), a tonsillectomy (mine), pneumonia (daughter's), thumb pin-removal (his) and a trip back home (actually lots of fun). We figured January had to be better and in general it has been. Annabelle got over her pneumonia/ear infection wonderfully and is finally getting some teeth (at least, I think that's a positive. I'll let you know if I suddenlly break-out in bite marks.) She has also begun walking, I'm pretty sure this is a good thing too. It certainly means things have been moved to higher elevations.

On MLK Day, we got to go see some friends who we only see a couple times a year. This is always a fun get together for us. They open their house to friends to spend the entire weekend hanging out and playing games. As if that's not enough, they stuff us silly with homemade banana pancakes on Sunday morning. This year we had the added bonus of seeing their lovely daughter and adorable grandson as well. It's been way too long since we got to game with them. We had a pleasant, uneventful drive home with very little traffic and got plenty of sleep in our own beds. Mom went back home and we got back into our routine. Then, on Wednesday, I apparently decided to make the bottom stair optional. Turns out it wasn't. My foot immediately turned a lovely variegated shade of black, blue and purple. At least my eldest came down to make sure I was OK. (he's usually the one who skips the last step or two.) Fortunately nothing is broken, but it is badly sprained . Turns out there are three main ligaments that wrap around the ankle and keep everything in place. Most sprains are to the outside of the ankle, stretching one or both of the ligaments on that side. Not one to do things halfway, I managed to damage all three. The doctor asked if I heard a snap or pop when I went down. All I remember hearing was the colorful language when the step wasn't where I expected it and the thud of my butt hitting the floor.

All of this time off my foot has given me plenty of time to catch up on missed episodes of my favorite shows (House, Bones, Medium, Psych, Monk...) It has also given me way too much time to spend on Ravelry. I now belong to a bazillion groups and have a project queue that stretches around the block. The coolest thing though is that I bumped into Hat Attack. It is similar to Sock Wars, where you knit a predetermined pattern and send it to your target. When they receive it, they send their work in progress to you and you finish it a nd send it to their target and so on until you are eliminated. The pattern for the hat will be distributed on Saturday (while I am helping decorate for the Cub Scout Blue and Gold) along with the target assignment. I was kind of hoping my assassin would be a really slow knitter on the outer reaches of Mongolia, but it looks like there are a few folks in this area. They are matching people up by zip code, so my chances of someone of getting someone who lives in the middle of nowhere and relies on smoke signals and Pony Express are pretty slim. *sigh*

On the plus side, while I was heading out to look for supplies (my DPNs were too big and this time it's imperative I get gauge) I stumbled across a yarn shop I've been meaning to visit. Turns out the owner is super nice. He was getting things ready to move next door,so he had just inventoried and knew exactly what was in. He also carries Lamb's Pride which is the yarn used for the pattern and he even had some on sale. It's the last of a dye lot, but it's just what I need. I was hemming and hawing trying to decide what to get when he pointed out that this skein is a neutral color, should show off the cabling nicely and besides is on sale which makes it, in his words, a no-brainer. With customer service like that, I will certainly return to Never Enough Yarn!

Inching along

2007-12-20T06:18:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on Gran's sock. I'm not as far along as I would prefer, but I'm farther along than I thought I would be. Playing Florence Nightingale doesn't leave as much time for knitting as I would like. Fortunately, my mom has come up to help shuttle everyone around and dispense medications, hugs and smooches. Everyone was feeling a bit better and Mom was here to help cover all the bases, so she encouraged my husband to take me out for a quick bite. Because my life's schedule and my knitting schedule are refusing to synch up, I had Gran's sock with me. (I am knitting like a mad fool.) I made up my mind to get over my fear of the dark, well really it's more of a fear of knitting in the dark. I just know I'm going to be moving right along making record time and then while showing off my amazing progress, discover that there is a huge error two inches back, (Don't ask how I know this can happen. This is not the season for such a tale of woe and despair,) but I digress.

I was working on the sock while we waited for our drinks. I was knitting while we waited for our appetizer. I was still working when the entree came out. It was too much for our server. He could contain himself no longer. He refilled our drinks (again... I love that!) and asked, "So what is that you're weaving?" I smiled and told him it was a sock I was knitting for Gran. (I feel compelled to gently correct the slightly mis-informed youth.) I waited for his non-committal, "oh, that's nice" reaction. He looked at me and with a big grin said, "That's so cool!! So is it going to be a sock with a heel in it, or just a tube? She's going to like those." We spoke for a bit about how difficult turning the heel would be (not terribly) and how close I was to the deadline (terribly). He assured me I could make it and I mentally adjusted his tip a bit higher.

In lieu of having actual pictures of the second sock, I'll recycle the shot of the first sock. I debated using the rest of the first skein and pulling to the right spot to make the stripes match. Then I thought about it a bit more. I have to use both skeins anyway, so why match stripes up twice. I popped open the new skein matched up starting points (very nearly) and went to work. The benefit of this is that I can reference the first sock to show you my progress.

The second sock is currently at the first bright blue band (I've actually knit two rows of the bright blue.) I had to estimate where to begin, so the green part of the toe is a smidgen bigger on the second sock, but at least it gives you an idea.

I was enjoying my meal and entertaining the prospect of actually ordering dessert when it hit me.... my eldest's class party was today. Some genius had volunteered me to bring not just cookies, but brownies as well. (Just call me Einstein.) That's OK though, cookie batter and brownie edges make a fine dessert and I subscribe to the theory that goodies which are broken or used for quality assurance, have no calories. Now if I could just figure out how to bake and knit at the same time...

Derailed

2007-12-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I was right on track for a while there. I started Gran's second sock, but didn't get as much done on it as I would have liked. Winter weather paid us a visit, but at least it didn't settle in like it did for our friends Up North. Then over the weekend, the baby developed a beautiful ear infection which we found out today has turned into pneumonia and the three year-old (who was fine at the doctor's office) woke from his nap with an ear-ache. It's like that commercial, "Life comes at you fast..."

Oh well, I still have the chance to knit in the waiting room tomorrow and there's always the 8 hour trip back home. I'll have these knocked out in plenty of time. Besides, Gran always said, 'Loved ones are far more inportant than things any day. Keep your priorities straight." I bet she'd be OK with one and a half socks if need be.... as long as she gets to hold the baby.

Right on track

2007-12-12T22:56:00.000-08:00

Today, I celebrate... well just a little. It's not like I'm actually finished with Gran's socks, but I have cast on the second one. I showed the first one to Mom and it got her stamp of approval and I got the OK to declare it finished. Of course, in my true style, I have simply left the stitches "live" just in case I decide the leg should be longer. (This decision has resulted in my using the yarn for my provisional cast-on as a stitch holder for the leg stitches, so I now have three balls of yarn involved. What can I say? I apparently enjoy living on the edge.)

My brain feels bruised from working on a PTO agenda (two copies, one with notes and one without.) It's an issue every month, but is doubly important this time as I won't be running the meeting. I'm feeling a bit better after the procedure, but not well enough to tackle that. My throat still gets sore pretty quickly (My kids seem to be enjoying this a wee bit too much. I may have to come up with some extra housework for them.) Add to that the time spent creating a card for the students to stick a Polaroid inside (I hate fighting with my software to get it to do what I want it to do instead of what it will allow me to tell it to do. Aaaaargh.) and I'm ready for a big bubble bath and a giant bar of chocolate. Oh well, in lieu of that , I'll take a snuggly quilt and a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow, onward and upward with the second sock...

Very nearly halfway done...

2007-12-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post because I haven't figured out how to type and knit at the same time. Annabelle has kept me quite busy today. She and her brothers somehow worked out a schedule where each one of them needed me at a dfferent time. (She's only 11 months old but her powers are awe-inspiring.) I would finally get her down for a nap and then the three -year old would have some sort of earth-shattering emergency, then before I knew it, the clock demanded I go pick up the nine year-old from school.

Any other day,I could drive through the line and pick him up at the gym doors, but we (the PTO) decided to extend the Holiday Shop for the kidlets who missed a day and a half last week for snow. It worked out great for the kids who needed that last minute chance to spend the spare change in their pockets. (There are going to be some surprised faces on Mom and Dad when they open the 35 cent packet of glow-in-the-dark putty Christmas morning.) It didn't work out so well for the PTO end of things. We had fantastic volunteers all week last week, but our ~~possibly insane~~ devoted parent who spent way more time in the shop than is healthy, came up sick today. (Imagine that, helping most of our 600+ kids and she caught the bug that's going around. How's that for gratitude?) Fortunately, we were able to nab a couple of our faithful volunteers who filled in the gaps, allowing us to let the kids in for one last hurrah. Unfortunately, it meant the the other co-president and I spent a couple hours after school reconciling and packing up the leftover merchandise. It means I lost a couple hours knitting time, but it's for the kids after all.

Once I got home the kids resumed their rotating schedule and I resigned myself to getting my knitting done tonight before the meds kick in. As a result I only have about an inch left to go on Gran's first sock (completely do-able) and then I'm half done with that gift. Now the kids are all tucked in and it's just me, my librivox and my wool. I'm currently listening to Through the Looking Glass, (up next is one of the Jeeves and Wooster books) while I knit away.

On another note, I'm also halfway towards opening my own yarn shop. I went to the Courthouse today to begin the process of getting my business license. I applied for an Assumed or Fictitious Name. (it almost sounds criminal or at the very least a bit shady) The next step tomorrow is to go to the Zoning and Planning Board and fill out another form with them. By the end of the week, I should have my license. WooHoo!!! The whole licensing process will have set me back a whopping $20.00. Of course the yarn etc.... well, that's a whole different story.

KUI

2007-12-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

I'm just posting quickly because I'm in a bit of a tight spot. I'm still frantically working on my Gran's socks, but now I'm fighting two battles. First I have to fight the dreaded Single Sock Syndrome which shouldn't be too difficult, a single sock is kind of a crummy gift. The problem I usually have is that I like to try out new patterns and by the second sock, the pattern is no longer new. Oh well.

The other battle is a bit more challenging. My Gran's birthday is February 29 and every year I agonise over what to give her. This year I have already decided what to do the problem is that I have to force myself to finish the socks first. My aunt mentioned that Gran needs a white sweater, not off-white, not cream not nearly white, but really and truly white. Apparently there are no white sweaters to be had for love or money. If there are, I certainly couldn't find any, so I'm going to do the only logical thing. I'm going to put aside my fear of commitment to a large project, scour the internet and the yarn shops and crank out a handmade, white cardigan in two months' time. I've never knit a cardigan before. To date I have made socks, scarves, a couple hats and some teddy bears, but for some reason I seem to believe that it is perfectly sane and reasonable to expect to be able to make a sweater for my Gran who lives 8 hours away and for whom I have no measurements whatsoever.

My judgement may be somewhat clouded by the after-effects of my tonsillectomy. I have spent the last few days unable to do much of anything. The doctor gave me Lortab for the pain in my throat and while I typically have a hard time remembering to take pills once a day, the throbbing, burning ache in my throat has me keeping close track of my dosing schedule. Once I take my medication, I have about an hour to do whatever I can that requires any sort of attention span. I have actually caught myself dozing off with my knitting in my hands... more than once. In the past 24 hours, I have added approximately 10 rows to the first sock. That's barely one inch. And yet I remain confident I can finish both socks before Christmas and Gran's cardigan before the end of February.... and while I'm at it, I think I'll knit my step-dad a pullover (jumper) for his birthday (Feb. 17). If the Knitting Police catch up with me, I'm sure to be charged with "Knitting Under the Influence." I plan to blame the yarn fumes.

Say, "Ahhhhhh...."

2007-12-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

That's how I spent my Monday. I got up at 5:00 in the morning so I could go to the hospital an hour away and have my tonsils taken out. My tonsils and I have had a love/hate relationship over the years. When I was a child, I could count on getting strep throat at least once during the winter. I thought I had outgrown it until my first son was nearly two years old. That Fall, I came down with a case that just would not quit. I was working in a catering kitchen and had the dubious pleasure of explaining to my employer that I was missing lots of time during the Holiday party season due to... scarlet fever. Scarlet Fever! I mean really, who gets that these days?!? No wonder they looked at me skeptically. Anyway, I got over it and everything was fine until this summer. Two weeks ago, I finished the antibiotics for my fourth case of strep since Memorial Day. I was averaging a case every 4-6 weeks and the war with my tonsils was on. I'm not sure who the victor was. As is the case with most wars, there was attrition on both sides. On the one hand, my tonsils have been ousted along with their little bacterial followers, on the other hand, my throat is still really sore and I'm on a diet of liquids and mushy foods. That's right, my toothless 11 month old and I are eating off the same menu (but I think she has a few more options available.)

The plus side is that my mom came up to take care of the kids (and there's just something nice about having Mom around when you feel crummy, especially when she's also a nurse.) Because I knew the operation would have me out of commission for a couple weeks, I actually got a fair amount of my holiday shopping done in advance. With that out of the way, I can focus on getting my Gran's socks finished. She's 95 years old (sort of, that Feb. 29th birthday does make life interesting) and is prone to feeling a bit chillier than the rest of us. She always like to have warm, soft, fuzzy things so I decided to make her these.

I made sure I turned the heel before I went in for surgery. Honestly, I'm challenged enough trying to get my wraps straightened out without being medicated. When I got changed at the hospital, I asked if I could take my bag with me to pre-op. The nurse asked what was in it that I needed. I told her, "It's my knitting bag and quite frankly I'm freaked out enough about this procedure without having to leave my knitting behind. You really don't want me to leave my stress-relief in this locker room. It won't be pretty." She just laughed and agreed that it would be fine. Turns out she is interested in learning, but doesn't feel she has the motor skills for it. (If the I.V. she ran is any indication, she has the dexterity to knit lace in her sleep. She was great!)
This is how much I've done since I had my tonsillectomy. I have about 6 more inches of leg to go. The pattern called for stockinette stitch with a couple inches of ribbing at the top, but I think ribbed socks will fit Gran better. Since I don't actually have her available for fittings, I want to make it as adaptable as possible. Keep your fingers crossed for me. (I tried crossing my own, but it's a real bear to knit that way.) I'm on Lortab for the sore throat and it's wreaking havoc with my attention span. Seriously, I've never dozed off while actually knitting before and I must admit, my sleep-knitting leaves quite a bit to be desired. I have the rest of this sock and its mate to complete and 19 days to do it. I think I can...I think I can...

The answer is, "$434 439.41"

2007-11-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

The correct question is, "How much money will knitters give to Doctors Without Borders/Medicines Sans Frontiers when challenged to give $250,000?" For those who may not know the history, Stephanie Pearl- McPhee issued this challenge on her Yarnharlot blog a while back. It began innocently enough when she simply asked folks to give whatever amount they could spare, the price of a skein of yarn or so. In true knitterly fashion, the community went well above and beyond what was requested. To the tune of the aforementioned $434 439.41!!! All I can say is "Knitters Rock!" When asked what the new goal chould be, an overwhelming number of commentors replied, "A million dollars, of course."

I'm now trying to figure out what my next step should be. I really want to open a local yarn shop. I love where I live. It's a fairly small town, but it's growing. The local leaders are trying to revitalize the area and are currently encouraging craft based businesses (think pottery and quilting shops and the like.) Right now, there are no yarn shops in the area. The closest ones are nearly an hour away and while they are quite nice to visit, with gas prices being what they are and with no public transportation between here and there, it's a bit challenging to frequent them. My husband and I have discussed it, looked at it, talked it over, thought about it and darn near analysed it to death with the end result being that I believe it could really work. Now I just have to decide if the timing is right to go for it. What I would really like is to have the shop up and running and be able to donate some Karmic Balancing Prizes (KBP) for Knitters Without Borders. Any thoughts?

While I ponder the best course of action, I'm spending most of my free time working on my grandmother's Christmas gift, a pair of stripey socks knit from Wendy's Toe-up Sock pattern. I'm using Regia sock yarn in a kind of jewel tone colorway (Sorry I don't have pictures at the moment, but the camera got left in the car and it's freezing out there.) I still have one and a half socks to go. (I'm almost ready to turn the heel and then move up the leg.) I don't have Grandmother's measurements, but I inherited my lower limbs from her. Her feet and legs are not only the same size but the same shape as mine, so I get to try them on as I go. Of course the guy who runs the garage raised an eyebrow when I stripped my foot bare to try on the sock for a fitting, but I had just given a glowing recommendation to a potential new customer, so he just smiled. Trust me, a woman peeling off shoes and socks to try on a half a sock with needles poking out of it is not even close to being the oddest thing you'll see around here. I love our little town!

Inspiration

2007-09-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

What fun. I knew I was going to enjoy seeing the Yarn Harlot the moment I found out she was visiting the area. I started knitting (re-started actually) a couple years ago. A knitter I randomly encountered recommended Stephanie's books and blog to me, so I checked them out. I had such a blast, I began looking out for Stephanie's signing events. Thursday's was the first one I was able to attend.

I knew from reading her blog that there would be a good turnout. When I called Border's to find out the details, the fellow who answered the phone was unsure of the date and time. I waited while he verified the information and then I asked him if I needed to reserve a seat or anything. He assured me that it wasn't necessary as they always had plenty of room for these things and there would be an abundance of seating; the line for signing tickets however would begin at 6:30, an hour before she would start speaking. I decided to play it safe and get there no later than 5:00. As it turned out we got there about 4:30. The parking lot was busy, but not jammed and they were preparing the cafe area for us. I turned the corner and found a line of knitters sitting on the floor working on shawls, socks and whatever else they had with them.

As I spoke with folks in line, I discovered that the 6:30 ticket time had been bumped up to 5:30 and as the line grew (I was number 38) they announced they would be opening the table just as soon as they could get some help. All in all they handled the crowd fairly well. I think there may have been some slight lightheadedness and shortness of breath when the crowd really started getting there, but they rounded up some more chairs.

I'm not sure how many hats we collected, but it was fun seeing the different ones as we passed them down the aisles to the hat table. You can't really tell from the pictures, but there were some really cool hats. The lady in the pink sweater was the cross-aisle liason who ferried the hats across to the table.

Soon enough Stephanie showed up and cameras began flashing. In my defense, I am trying to get used to my new camera. At this point I had owned it barely 24 hours. I can usually get along fairly well with technology, but with digital cameras, my learning curve is a bit steeper. I don't know how I did it, but somehow I must have turned off the stabilizer or turned on the digital zoom or angered the tech gods, I don't know, but the one clear shot I had, didn't come out clear at all.

I have never had a camera with double vision before. I'm blaming the yarn fumes. I know they were getting to me and I was actively resisting. There were beautiful hats, delicate shawls and wraps, socks in every color of the rainbow (sometimes all in one sock), and at least one afghan made of leftover sock yarn in all blues and greens (absolutely gorgeous.)

There were people knitting, crocheting, spinning and just talking. The neatest thing was that all though there were groups of people who had travelled together, there were many more who just happened to meet while waiting around. And all of them were absolutely lovely.

There was even one who took this picture of me and the kids while we were sitting in line. My son was so proud of his "knitting ball and very own needles". Perhaps one day he'll create something like this...
She did this entire piece, start to finish in 16 days. You can't really tell from this picture, but take my word for it, there was beautiful cabling and detail all down the front and in the center of the back. Talk about being gobsmacked! There were so many lovely pieces of handiwork there, that I have decided to overcome my fear of large knitted items. I'm going to commit to making a sweater. Thursday night was fun, it was energetic, it was relaxing, it was an inspiration!

Holy Smokes

2007-09-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a crazy summer it's been. We packed in a trip back home, a week at Cub Scout camp, a week in Pennsylvania and another trip back home all between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Sprinkled in there were three cases of strep (none of which belonged to the kids),a couple sets of out-of-town guests, a record-breaking heat wave and a blown transformer on the air conditioner. Now that we are in the end of summer, the AC has been fixed... yesterday. Part of the joy of owning a hundred-year-old house is the daily guessing game, "What's Going to Happen Next?"

Our first contestant was the home inspector. He got to play a rousing game of "Did Someone Just Flush the Toilet?" along with "How Fast Can I Evacuate This Crawlspace." Apparently after the addition was completed, the toilet did not get properly connected to the sewer. I thought that would have been a pretty essential job to do and that it would have been painfully obvious if it weren't done correctly. I also would have thought that someone would have noticed the accumulation of... umm... personal waste products in the crawlspace, especially considering the toilet was installed approximately 25 years ago, but I was very wrong. A couple thousand dollars and a removal team later, the plumber (not the original one) was able to get under the house and fix the pipe and we were all able to breathe a bit better.

Once we got moved in, we earned the opportunity to play "What the Hell is Bubbling Up in the Bathroom We Just Fixed?" While it does get the heart pumping, this is not a game I would recommend for families with young, inquisitive children. Another call to the plumber while en route to the store to procure a cheap mop and bucket, a gallon of disinfectant and an economy-size package of rubber gloves. Sure I keep most of those supplies on hand, but if you think that mop and bucket was going anywhere but to the curb, you are horribly mistaken. I know the disinfectant did its job, but the mop still gave me the creeps. Turns out the next pipe down the line had worked loose and created a backup.

Our next exciting installment was "How Many Fans Does It Take to Make the House Bearable?" This game began at the beginning of the aforementioned record-breaking heat wave. Fortunately we have two large trees which shade nearly half the house. Unfortunately, despite borrowing some extra fans from friends whose AC was still functioning, we were unable to determine the final answer. All we know is that it is a number greater than ten.

The most recent episode I lovingly refer to as "How Many Tries Does It Take to Repair the Front Door?" I long ago decided that the house had apersonality of its own. That's a large part of the reason I fell in love with it in the first place. But like many other relationships, once the gloss and shine of new love wears off, you're left with the gritty, less than ideal reality. In this case it was the front door. Recently it had become difficult to close. Not in an obvious way. Not in a "you pull the door and it stops before it should" kind of way. No, this was much more subtle. We would leave and pull the door closed behind us... or so we thought. All too often I would remember some forgotten item and head back up the steps, keys in hand only to discover the door was open about half an inch. I'm sure it was closed, it felt like it closed, I even scraped my knuckles on the door jamb for Pete's sake! One afternoon, on my way to run a quick errand before my son's soccer game, the door began playing its little tricks. I understand it was just crying out for attention, but in my frustration and hurry I closed it a bit more firmly than intended. It was one of those time-stopping moments. I knew as it closed that the slightly wavy glass was history. Sure enough, it shattered. We were able to buy a new piece of glass at the local hardware store, but had to wait a couple days to install it. As we were trimming the glass (I was not responsible for the measurements on this one. That job I left for my husband) we encountered a weak spot and nailed the plywood back up until we could get a new pane cut again. I have a new window again and the kids have a vivid lesson in why we don't slam the doors, so I guess it worked out O.K.

On the plus side, we had a lot of fun this summer, we sold our old house in record time and I was finally able to purchase a new digital camera. (My old one bit the dust several months ago.) I now have a Canon Power Shot that I think I really like. Aside from the fact that I have set an option and can't seem to straighten it out, I'm pretty pleased with my purchase. Of course the camera I was using (on my phone) looked like it was on a three day bender if the picture quality is any judge, so whatever I bought would have to be an improvement. I got it just in time to see the Yarn Harlot as she visited Virginia. More tomorrow... with actual knitting and pictures...

What's up, Doc?

2007-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like my plan to journal regularly fell apart. So what has happened since early March? My PTO obligations climbed the priority ladder as the Spring fundraiser ~~reared it's ugly head~~ loomed on the horizon. We were hoping to get enough money to finish paying for Field Day (a day for the students to recover from end-of-year testing and generally have a bit of fun) and maybe spruce-up one of our playgrounds. Apparently no new equipment has been purchased for our 4th and 5th graders' use in at least the last decade and much of what was there needed some serious repair. Our Spring fundraiser is always smaller than the Fall one, so we adjust our expectations accordingly. This year however, our families came through and we raised enough money that after all other expenses were taken out, there was enough left over to buy four new pieces of equipment... big pieces... to give most of the kids something cool to do during recess! Woo Hoo! Our parents and students rock!

After the fundraiser was over, we began the move into our new house! We packed many of our boxes before the movers arrived so we could save a little money, but we still had plenty for them to do. We didn't want to hog up all the fun. The packing team was great. They were friendly and efficient and they did a fantastic job. The movers came the next day and hauled approximately 8,754,902 boxes to the new house. My figures may be off a bit; I lost count while swimming in a sea of cardboard. Just as I was going under for the third time, my dear husband rescued me and declared we had to go out to eat. "Great idea, honey. Where do you want to go?" "Anywhere that's cardboard-free!" I knew I married him for a reason.

While preparing for the movers, it dawned on me that I had to make sure my son's soccer stuff didn't get boxed up. Turns out my hubby had originally scheduled the movers for Opening Day... Iain's first game of the season... my hubby's first game as Assistant Coach... the day before my other son's birthday. Oh well, we needed the extra week anyway. Soccer went well, but somehow I wound up being the team mom. I'm not sure what happened. I asked the coach if he needed any help, he said "I think we're OK. Could you just make sure the other parents get this paper...blah...blah...blah...(something else innocuous)...Oh yeah! We could use ...team mom... blah... blah. You will? Great! Thanks a ton!" The details are a bit foggy, but as it turned out, I had a great time.

While soccer was underway, it dawned on me that my cub scouts were running out of time to finish earning their awards. The parents are responsible for helping the boys with their projects and achievements, but it's probably a good idea for their Den Leader to keep an eye on their progress. (Hence the Leader part) The boys and their folks were great. They finshed what they needed to and the parents helped pull everything together. It was great!

That just left Cub Scout Crossover, Field Day and 5th Grade graduation on the agenda (on May 29, May 30 and June 7) I heard the crossover went really well. I heard the food was great. I heard the skits were hilarious. I heard the kids all got the correct awards. I heard the scenery was gorgeous. I heard the doctor say "Eeew! Um... let's swab your throat, but I'm going to go ahead start writing you a prescription while we wait for the results." (The same initial reaction her assistant had when taking a peek.) Yes, I came down with a lovely raging case of strep, which my hubby caught as well, but the kids were unscathed. Go figure.

Field Day was a roaring success. The kids played, the kids ate cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones, the kids went home tired and exhausted with smiles on their faces. That just left 5th Grade graduation. I'm not a big fan of multiple graduations (pre-school, kindergarten, fifthe grade, middle school, etc.) but that's a topic for a different day. Tha biggest problem I had with this particular ceremony was that I was expected to get up and say something. My husband will say that his concern was whether I would stop talking once I got started, but what does he know? He's only known me for how many years? Let's see... well never mind.

The principal pointed out that the teachers would have a printout for me and she even reminded me that I have taught most of these kids for the three years I have been subbing. The PTO Vice-President mentioned that I get up and speak at every PTO meeting, so public speaking is nothing new. All good points. all true, all very rational, all completely irrelevant when I'm looking at a sea of faces belonging to parents whose baby is walking across the elementary stage for the last time. Whether I am a big fan of this ceremony or not, many of these folks are. It's their child's moment to shine and the last thing they want is for some PTO Co-President to get up there and muck up the procedings. Sure, they don't mind if I crack a joke at the monthly meeting, They laugh quietly when I drop my agenda or get a little tongue-tied while figuring out how to re-word a motion. But those are insignificant meetings, not some ceremony that they actually used a precious, rare day off from work (or worse had to beg to be able to squeeze into their schedule) to attend along with friends, relatives, baby-sitters and everyone else who has known this child since they were in diapers.

I got my folder from the teachers. I got my awards and gifts to present the kids. I got my butterflies under control... sort of. I got my seat on the stage (as close to the exit as I could.) I got through the whole thing without flubbing up and sent a group of some of the best ten-year-olds I have had the pleasure of knowing, off on the exciting journey toward becoming even brighter young women and men.

Soccer, Scouts and PTO are pretty much done for a while, so I should be able to squeeze in a little time for posting. I just have to discipline myself. Something along the lines of "after you unpack a half-dozen boxes, you can have some playtime." I think I'll play "where did the craft boxes hide themselves?" What's that sound I hear? I believe it's the sound of cardboard calling my name...

Eureka!

2007-03-09T21:25:00.000-08:00

I think I have discovered the secret to getting quick service at the tax office. My original plan was to take plenty of WIP's to work on while waiting and if all else failed, threaten to turn the kids loose at their tiredest, whiniest most impulsive stage. Apparently having projects to work on had the same effect as scheduling a doctor's apointment for a sick child. All problems suddenly clear up and the child becomes the picture of health... as you pull into the parking lot, leaving you to look like a paranoid parent.

Everything went really well this year. I was pleased to see a diferent set of women working in the office (much more confidence-inspiring than the last crew). There was no line, so as soon as they switched off we were able to get started. The woman doing our paperwork was fantastic. She knew about deductions and regulations I had never heard of and helped us tremendously. Not only did she help with the taxes, but she's a mom too and quickly whipped out clipboards complete with paper and pens and asked the boys to draw her some pictures. She came up with all the appropriate "oohs and ahhhs" and even gave them tape to post their artwork on the wall. Mega Kudos to her.

There were a couple sections that applied only to my husband, so I did have a chance to work on the dishcloth. It's a lace pattern that I've been wanting to try and I really do like it. Please don't be fooled by the language you may hear while I work on it. The pattern has an eight stitch repeat. That's all... eight little stitches. Why, that's not even a whole handful. I still have two fingers left over. I enjoy math, I like numerical puzzles, I have even been known to use algebra in real life. So perhaps someone can explain why I appear to be unable to count to eight. Eight is a nice number. It's about as round as you get (It's twice as round as zero.) I have nothing against the number eight. As a matter of fact, I always thought that "8" and I had a good relationship. Apparently, I was wrong. I only had time to knit a couple rows, but on row 17, I finally was able to work the row correctly the first time.

I thought I would post a couple pictures of my projects, but my camera had other ideas. It has an old war wound from a run-in with a tile floor a couple years ago. (I swear I was using the wrist strap! To this day I'm not sure how it fell.) If the damage weren't to the hinge that keeps the batteries in, it wouldn't be a big deal. However, my camera seems to think it needs these batteries in order to function. Oh well, perhaps a portion of the tax refund can go toward purchasing a new ~~toy~~ visual-image-storage-device. I'll keep my fingers crossed. If I finish my projects before I get a new camera, I'll just have to cast-on something else...

The tax man cometh...

2007-03-09T06:46:00.000-08:00

Ick. That pretty much sums up my feelings for this evening's activities. Ick. It's that time of year again. The time when we load the kids into the car, drive an hour or so to the mall, unload the kids and slog through the department store (please don't pull on the tags, Sweetheart), try to remember which side the toystore is on (No, guys, we are not here for toys. You already have wall-to-wall carpeting done in early-Lego. I'm sorry what was that? I'm afraid I don't speak "whine" and I think I already said "no".) and then try to find the tax preparer's new location. I'm not sure why they feel the need to grab a different place in the mall every year. I'm even less certain about their theory that an office in the middle of perpetual renovation will instill confidence in customers. It looks like they have set up shop for the night and may very well not be there if a problem pops up.

I probably wouldn't dread tonight's trip if it weren't our second attempt at getting our taxes done. The first time we finally got there only to wait in a line that moved at a glacial pace. The poor woman was working by herself and seemed a little overwhelmed. After nearly 45 minutes, her co-worker showed up. Yes co-worker... as in the singular form... as in, during the busiest season for tax preparers on one of their (apparently) busier days, there were only two people scheduled. I'm not sure who the other three desks belonged to but they worked nicely for holding jackets etc.

When it was finally our turn it turned out that we were missing one piece of paper that must have been fairly important. I found myself longing for the guy who did our taxes last year. We had a similar situation then, but he looked at the kids and either felt sorry for us or concerned for the condition of his office, because he went ahead and filled out everything else, saved the info and got the missing number from my husband the next day. We had to go back to sign the completed form, but it was quick and painless. Apparently, he was not in charge of training this year's crew. Oh well. At least we now know what we are probably going to be dealing with and I'll be more prepared. Last time I managed to leave part of my knitting at home. (I had yarn, needles and work-in-progress... everything I needed... except that pesky pattern. *sigh*) This time I'm taking the baby hat that is nearly finished (more on that later), the lace dishcloth that requires that I reknit each right-side row at least once to find the missing stitch and my drop spindle for calming my self when the re-knitting gets to me.

Oh, what a night!

2007-03-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the schools were closed because they thought we were going to have snow... again. I don't think the kids have had more than one full week of school since mid-January (which thrills them, but is rapidly driving the parents up the wall.) Having the kids home would have been fine if we'd had any sort of precipitation... at all.. in any quantity. What we had instead was a sky full of clouds... that's it, just big, fluffy, grey clouds that hung there refusing to drop anything at all. Finally, late in the afternoon the snow showers began and it was like people suddenly developed automotive amnesia.

"What is this white stuff? I'd better go two miles per hour." "Whew. That's better. Thank goodness I made it up that hill. Oh gosh! That hill has a side that goes down, too? With a curve?!? I know, if I push down hard on that long, vertical pedal. I can get past that tricky bit really quickly..."

Yes, yes, you can get past that bit quite quickly, and after they dislodge your car from those trees (which were the only thing that kept you from plunging to your certain doom), perhaps you'll remember that you are driving on a mountain road. You live in a town established in the mountains, we get snow every year, the shady spots are always the first to get bad and the last to clear and gravity is not just a good idea, it's the law. The laws of nature have not changed, and neither has the number of the guy who has to pull your car out of the ditch every winter. (By the way, his wife says thank you for providing them the means to take that cruise next week.)

The snow brought us not only the chance to bet on how many cars were going to wind up in the ditch, but also the chance to look at various animal footprints... including the set on our deck. I was enjoying the chance to squeeze in a little bit of education on a snow day right until my darling offspring said, "Oh, I know that one, it's a cat print. You know, I just heard a cat outside a couple minutes ago." A cat? On our deck? A couple minutes ago? But nobody we know around here has a cat. It's absolutely freezing out there (low teens). This can't be good.

I took a peek outside and sure enough, there was the cat. It's a beautiful, fluffy, ginger cat with a great personality. It's very friendly and playful and I'm sure it has just lost its way. My husband stated in no uncertain terms that the cat was not welcome to our spare bathroom, but he acceeded the garage after I pointed at the temperature. I checked with the local vets and the shelter, but either no one has missed our feline visitor yet, or the cat's playing me for a fool. My kids think the song "The Cat Came Back" is oddly appropriate for this situation. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that our situation is just temporary. Please keep all smirks covered and remember, I'm a knitter, I have lots of pointy sticks at my disposal.