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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Mid-weekend update

Good day. It’s Saturday, the second day of my “usual” three day weekend. Kind of unusual, in that this is the weekend just before month-end closing, but I didn’t have to work! Huzzah! I was so stunned to have a Friday off, I didn’t even get dressed until the evening. Disco kind of wanted to go to the Threadfest, but I’d spent so much last weekend at the Flea Market, that I figured I’d better not get anywhere near yarn I didn’t already own. The Plaid Patrol rolled out about 5:30 p.m., headed to Opry Mills – the mall has just reopened! Some of the businesses weren’t quite ready for business, most notably several of the larger restaurants, and would ya look at that: there’s no bookstore on the directory. I’m crushed that Barnes & Noble hasn’t come back. I’ve heard there’s a bookstore at the Green Hills Mall; that’s got to be easier to navigate to & from, then the one out in Cool Springs. Perhaps I’ll visit soon; it’s been a year of Sundays since I’ve been to Green Hills.
Getting back to yarn I already own, I finished skeining & washing the last of the purple tweed. I got two big freezer bags of 3 skeins each, and I’m still thinking about what this might be in my wardrobe. Some of ththe ideas I’m considering are: from the Alpaca Vest from Fall 2004 Cast On, the Back To School vest from Universal Yarns, Bernat’s free Cable Vest, Takhi’s free pattern Brighton Vest, another from Universal Yarn Charlie Vest, a Grey Vest with Cables which I found for free on a site that I failed to note on my copy (since I can’t credit it, I won’t copy it here), and one from KnitPicks Slipped Cable Vest. Hmm, most of these have cables. What happened to my obsession with lace? As I intend this vest (whichever it winds up being!) as part of my work wardrobe, I’m inclined to think cables would stand up better to the wear & tear of working. And I’m still plugging away at the Every Way Wrap, just finished the 11th repeat of the 16 row main pattern—only 5 more to go! Woot! So I’ve got cables on the brain. Anyway, if you know of any free patterns for vests that involve cables (but not for “advanced knitters”) please feel free to send me a link.
Disco has been diligent about refilling the birdfeeder (the only “chore” she’ll do without prompting [by which I mean without having me yell & get red in the face]). Every cowbird & blackbird within 4 miles knows where to find us, which is too bad for the smaller birds – the blackbirds & their cousins being rather like a gang of toughs. We’re constantly popping out the front door to drive them off. The only other regular visitors that aren’t intimidated are the blue jays (small blue crows, meh) and the larger woodpeckers (pileated?). The woodpeckers don’t bother the little birds, chickadees & titmice & cardinals, but they’ll actively pursue the blackbirds right around the feeder. Woodies hang upside-down off the outer edge of the feeder tray, and tramp around the rim to wave their big pointy beaks at the toughs—just hysterical. This year we’re seeing another woodpecker, a bit smaller but still ladder-backed. We think it’s the cockaded woodpecker. In years past, we’ve seen flickers, but so far not this year.
I lost my cool Wednesday evening. I’d spoken with Disco on the phone, giving her some instruction about cooking a large pork roast – I wanted it for dinner that night, with a plan to use some of the leftover for a shepherd’s pie and for breakfast (I’m doing Atkins). I talked to her about 4 p.m., and expected to be home about 6:30, so this plan should have worked. When I walked in the door, she was sitting in front of the TV with a dish of ramen noodles. No roast in the oven, no dinner waiting on my arrival. I blew up, pretty much saying she might not be welcome in my home anymore if I couldn’t count on her to do a simple thing like putting a roast in the oven. I was h-o-t HOT! And the Plaidman was no help, didn’t bother to either join my rant or stop it. Disco got an apology later, after I’d had some dinner & cooled off a bit. Dammit, she’s going to be 29 in a couple months—she needs a life, or at least a job: some way to contribute to the household. The captains of the Plaid Patrol feed, clothe, shelter & entertain her (probably ¾ of what I spent at the Flea Mkt was for her!)—she needs to pitch in, stop behaving like a permanent house pest guest! I hear redheaded gals are real popular in Asia, also Abu Dhabi…..
I’m trying something different with this post, actually writing & editing it at home (where I have no Internet), then putting it on a thumb drive to carry to the library. We’ll see how that works out. So many times, I’ve headed to the library meaning to post, but had brain-freeze—don’t you hate when that happens?

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Not safe

If you're reading this at work, DO NOT go over to The Panopticon! Fair warning!
And that is all for today.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

She's alive!

Have you been as worried as I have, wondering if Crazy Aunt Purl fell off the planet? Or took a very wrong turn somewhere in the Hollywood Hills, or stepped out in the road & got flattened by a passing tour bus? Well, worry no more--she's back!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Nubs

The title refers to my poor feet, after more than 4 hours cruising around the Flea Market at the Fairgrounds. DiscoDame & I set out very early (about 7:15 a.m., an impossibly early time for Disco!) Friday, heading to the Threadfest -- but when we got there, the doors were locked, and it looked like nothing was set up inside. So both of pulled out our phones & checked calendars; I had it noted for Friday and again next Friday, and she had a reminder for next Friday. Well, what to do? Disco had seen that the Flea Market was on, so we scooted up the hill and proceeded to spend lots of dough while wearing ourselves to nubs. Concrete floors everywhere...but we had a good time and came home with goodies. However, I believe I'll have to skip the Threadfest, as I spent way too much for my fun. I did see one vendor's display of re-purposed old silver flatware, that had some handles worked into hairsticks, as well as other forms. My thought was,"Why not shawl sticks?" So, I mentioned that to the vendor--but since I didn't break down & buy one he might not change his sign.
I have finished unravelling the red-purple sweater, and discovered that my little swift (the "Almighty Reeling Machine") definitely has a weight limit. I had to pull the wound skein off, and rewind part of it, break the yarn, tie bits around that skein, and make another -- twice! The "umbrella" kept collapsing in slow motion, so the skeins were getting smaller around and developing bulges. It's good to know the limits of our equipment, I guess. So I now have three washed & dried skeins, and three unwashed. There's quite a bit of yarn here, and I've already looked at vest patterns. I'm thinking cables, with moss stitch and ribbing, and how lovely this crazy purple tweed will be in that form! And it will probably be a cardigan vest, though I've seen some nice slipover ones.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Hello stranger

Good grief; it's been almost a month since I posted. I'm sorry--I know how disappointed I get when my favorite bloggers go silent. There's been knitting, and knitting-related activity over here at Chez Plaid. I worked several more repeats on the EWW, a few more rows on Plaidman's slippers, and even another square on the 3rd Dolly Blankie. I took some vacation time, so wound up with five days in a row of goof-off time. I unraveled a thrift store sweater! I bought it for the wool, which is a terrific purpley-red tweed, and it looks like it's worsted too. I'm thinking "Vest" for this stuff. There are several more thrifted sweaters in the stash, just begging to be unraveled and reused--so I'll stay away from the yarn shops for a while. Not that I have a yarn buying moratorium per se--I'm going to a festival (well..two festivals, actually) next month, and will likely buy some goodies there. Pinching the pennies till then...
Chez Plaid is about to get a mini-makeover. A couple of my vacation days were spent (also some $ was spent!) in the hardware store (Ace on Charlotte Ave in [horrors!] West Nashville), getting the "stuff" we need to start a project. I bought two foundation vents to replace missing ones, two Tyvek-like coveralls, and a large humane trap. Yes, we're going into the crawlspace! So the feral cats have gotta go to the pound. Plaidman says there's lots of spiders under there...if you don't hear from me again before June, send the Orkin man.
We had the requisite corned beef & cabbage out of the crockpot, only I had a new recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking , for her Dijon corned beef. Yummy! Simple! I really need to use the crockpot more.