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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

White (after-)Christmas

When I left the house this morning (about 0 dark thirty, which is an expression I've used FOR YEARS and I should so sue somebody....), the rain was slight to moderate & spotty.  Of course, I don't rate a window or even an outer wall, so I never know what the weather gets up to while I'm stuck in my cubicle.  Anyway, I called the Plaidman to review his plans for the day, and he told me the snow (Snow!?!) was already melting.  No snow fort this year!  Boy that brings back a memory:  I know I was pretty young, not yet out of elementary school so this had to have happened in Pennsylvania.  Dad used to watch for the snowplow to come down the street, and slip the driver some cash to plow our driveway.  We'd have these two huge mounds of snow across from each other at the end of the driveway; instant snow forts!  Just climb to the top and level it a bit, them back down a few steps and stomp that area flat, then make a slough of snowballs and the war was on!  We'd hollow out small snow caves on the backside (where did ya think the snowballs came from?); Mom used to worry that one or all (5) of us would be buried in a collapsing mound. It never happened, but I did lose a boot that wasn't found until spring.  Snow suits, we hadz them.  Disco hears this kind of story from both her parents, and she seems to think it must have been fun, but she'd rather not go outside in "serious" snow.  Just a southern belle, she is. 
ETA: I just realized I forgot to mention the "progress" on Pup's Steelers socks.  It's sorta two steps up & 1 back:  I'd started over, as reported earlier, and had about 4" done for these men's size 10.5, when I had a thought.  Why not get the Plaidman to try on what I had done, just to make sure it would go over his size 8.5 heel?  No sooner thought, than done!  Unfortunately, it would just barely go over his heel.  Back to the frog pond it went.  I wound the yarn into a hank on the swift, and washed it the next day to relax the kinks.  In the meantime, I wound up a whole new ball of the yarn (I have 6 skeins!) and started over with an increased cast on.  It's now about 3" long, and will go over the Plaidman's heel quite well.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Save a life

If you have a few minutes, and can spare just a few dollars/euros/rubles (whatever..), won't you please visit the Susan G. Komen Foundation (http://www.komennashville.org/make-a-donation/) to save a life?  You could be making more and merrier holidays for many families.  What a wonderful feeling that would be!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Why is that?

Miss HinkyBoo aka That Fat Cat tried to become a parrot twice (!!) on Sunday morning.  It's not bad enough that she waits till my back is turned before launching herself from the end table to the back of the computer desk chair (where I was goofing on the computer).  No, she then has to ooze down the frnt of my housecoat to my lap, preen for 10 minutes, and then climb back to my shoulder.  Folks, fifteen pounds of kitteh won't fit on the shoulder of a gal only 5'1".  She pretty much has to lean on my face to make it work.  I couldn't even think about taking a sip of coffee -- it would have been coffee-laced cat hair!

The knitting mojo wandered off somewhere over the weekend, I didn't touch the needles until late Sunday.  So no actual progress to report on any of the projects I've planned. 

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Picture Time -- check yer cowlick, honey

The sun came out for a few minutes, so we have picture time! I recently restarted a pair of socks in my size, in a very citrusy colorway. This is Red Heart’s Heart & Sole, but as the ballband is long gone I couldn’t tell you a color # or name. I’m working Mellis’ Socks from Kristin Benecken/Wollkistchens Pattern, and I think they look great in this colorway:



I also restarted the Steeler’s (Claudia’s Hand Painted) socks for my Dad, using a pattern called Cenotes by Linda Jo Park aka The Bead Knitter, because the 2X2 ribbing was just too boring for words. I haven’t gotten very far, but already like this pattern a whole lot better:



And I kinda fell down the rabbit hole, agreeing to make a woolly headband for a coworker’s niece. I’m “winging it” as far as a pattern, having only a picture of something the niece admired. The yarn is called Bazinga, by Patons. It’s very bright! The first pic was indoors, at night, and doesn’t do the yarn justice:





Hmm, I just realized that I didn’t get a picture of the button that will close this headband. Maybe next time; the clouds have already rolled back overhead.

Plaidman & I have had another discussion about his unilateral decisions, and the benefit that might be derived from running his ideas past another adult with a stake in the outcome, like his wife, and maybe he’ll remember that the next time he wants to make a major change in our financial or mental health status. Nothing like stressing the wife to the near-breaking point is to occur, ever again (dream on….).

So far, I’ve bought 3 Christmas presents for DiscoDame and none at all for the Plaidman, but there is a plan. Disco & I did go shopping last night at Stein Mart, and I found some shoes I liked, and I bought them. Don’t look at me that way; I needed some dressy brown heels.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Almost there

It's December already?!?!?  What the heck happened to November?  Oh yeah, I remember: I worked through most of it.  Thank Dog for a job & a steady paycheck; but I sure could have used a little more downtime.  I have five new pairs of trousers, birthday swag (I'm a Libra), that still haven't been hemmed.  I haven't even started on all the armwarmers I meant to make for the coworkers.  BUT! I do have one commission  --  a fluffy, bright colored, warm super wide headband for a niece (no, not one of mine -- I don't think they'd have much use for it, in South Texas).  I'm using a Plymouth bulky yarn called Bazinga.  It's freakin' awesome!  What colors!  I bought two balls, and wound up both right away.  Right now, I'm alternating pulling the yarn from the outside and the inside of the ball.  I think I can get this done with just one ball, if one layer is enough, but I won't mind using the other if I have to -- I'll just knit the thing twice and sew them together.  And I bought the sweetest button for the back fastening, it's got a swirl of colors very similar to the yarn's, on a creamy background.  AbFab, I tell ya!
The citrus-colored sock is going pretty well.  I've turned the heel, and finished the gusset.  Now to push on thru the foot, then cast on another.  I will be stunned and amazed if I get these done before Christmas, or even before 12th Night.  Pup's Steeler's sock is also in progress, tho not so far along -- after being ripped back (from a 7" long leg!) and restarted in another pattern, I've got about 3" knit.  And land's sake, it had to be frogged -- that yarn in a 2 X 2 ribbing was just making me weep from boredom.  I have a much better pattern working now!
We went to the movies a couple of weekends ago, and saw the new James Bond flick, Skyfall.  Loved it!  James Craig & Javier Bardem are both terrific.  Bardem goes over the top, but in just the best way.  I still get jazzed thinking about Craig's part in opening the Olympics; didn't you just love Her Majesty?  What a trooper!  But then there's the sad news: one of the Corgis that participated in that skit has passed on to the Rainbow Bridge.  He was getting on, so it's not too surprising, but I'm sure he's missed.