Home again, home again

I'm ba-a-ack! The Plaid Patrol returned to base this past Wednesday, from the great state of Texas. We were there almost a week! ALL of us! My poor sister, bless her, mortgaged the farm (practically!) at WalMart just to feed us all. She had her troop (BIL & the nieces two), the Plaid Patrol (Plaidman, Boss Lady & DiscoDame) and the patriarch himself (aka Pup) for dinner Thursday thru Saturday. Pup left for San Antonio after breakfast Sunday; he was a little antsy about leaving Mrs. W alone for so long. We didn't play tourist, but boyoboy DiscoDame (chronological age 26, going on 7) sure did play with her cousins! The three of them were joined at the hip almost the whole time. This gave Sis some time to get a few things done, since she didn't have to entertain the 4 year old (aka Princess T). So we sorta vegetated...which may be just what we needed. The Plaidman smoked his VERY LAST cigarette while backing the car out of the driveway, on the way to the airport! He'd equipped himself with some Commit lozenges; he's officially been a non-smoker for 8 days now! Start the fireworks! Well, maybe not. The nieces weren't too sure what to make of Uncle Plaidman; he wasn't saying much since he had a lozenge in his mouth most of the time, and was trying to keep his hands busy by working on a crossword puzzle book. He got his props though: Sis found a toy castle she'd bought years ago for the older girl, that had never been assembled--but Uncle Plaidman got to work & soon the girls had a second castle playset! That same afternoon one of Sis' clients came by the house for a treatment, with her own two little (about 3 yrs & 5 yrs) girls in tow. The five girls (you're keeping up? no? ok, two nieces 4 & 11, two visitors 3 & 5, and DiscoDame!) were all on the floor playing. How cute!
Probably the most interesting part of the visit, for me, was going to Sis' salon for a treatment. She's got a skin care salon, which is so tiny that it looks like a large closet with it's own exterior entrance. I have visible capillaries, and she treated them with a tiny electric current. There was a little pain, but I can definitely see a difference. And this is one of the few "defects" in my appearance that I've always thought I'd do something about if I had the money--only I didn't need money! Sis said she normally charges about $300 (US) for the treatment I got, for free. Next time I visit, we'll treat a few more of 'em.
Monday, Sis & the nieces carried the Plaid Patrol down to San Antonio, where we met up with Pup. Then we all went to El Mercado/Market Square, and had a terrific lunch at Mi Tierra, followed by a cruise through the Market (shopping!!) and then Sis & her family went back to Austin. Pup took the Plaid Patrol back to his house, where we all went back to vegetable mode. Tuesday, Pup & I visited with Mrs. W, then he went back to his house (two doors away!), collected the rest of the Plaid Patrol & his car, and we all went out to the Olive Garden for lunch. After lunch, we went to the San Antonio Shoe factory outlet, which is a fun destination even if you're not shoe shopping. They have a little "country store" & gift shop within the outlet, and outside they've got a fabulous collection of antique cars & trucks. I'm wearing my new shoes right now...and Plaidman wore his to work yesterday & today. DiscoDame got some nice black sandals, sort of semi-dressy. I have no idea why she thought she needed them. Anyway, we dropped Mrs. W at her home & pretty much returned to slumping, with intermittent packing. Wednesday saw us out the door by about 7:15 to catch a flight just after 10 a.m., and here we are all safe at home.

Hey, y'all! Watch this!

Whew! that last post was a doozy, but sadly lacking in knitting content. The sun came out today--I know, I'm surprised too!--so I went outside to take some pics of finished objects. These are three dropped stitch scarves, two of which will go with me to Texas for my super Sis, and one of which will go in the Xmas box for the office. I call them the Good, the Bad, and the Fugly; see if you can guess which is which:




And I have some loveliness in progress too. Behold, the Drops Design lace tank top:


I suspended work on the tank top to get some scarves made up for Sis, as that's the only thing that caught her eye at Bluebonnet Yarn Shoppe. I'll still "owe" her an afghan, but that's for later. So, what do you think? I think I've been having fun!

Ketchup soup...

...or, A Long & Winding Road. My plan for today's post is to catch y'all up with what's happening at Chez Divine, which is lots. Some of it's good news, like finally hearing from the insurance company representing the goofball that ran his truck into my car, way back in June. They've accepted liability! We may actually see some $ coming in for repairs! The Purl will be patched up & stylin' again. Then there's bad news: The Plaidman has had a pain in his back (and my backside!) for a couple of weeks, which he thought was due to all the overtime he was working. Last Friday, he stayed home from work because he got dizzy & nauseous when he tried to back out of the driveway. We made an appointment to see a doctor on Monday. He got a bit better through the weekend, until 4 a.m. Sunday. He woke me up so I could carry him to the ER. The five hours we spent there were in vain. His blood pressure was very high, which concerned the ER staff (notice I don't say "the doctor") and us, since he's always thought his pressure was normal. They treated his blood pressure, and gave him meds for a back sprain/pulled muscle. He had a chest Xray and a CT scan of his chest, & the NP said to follow up with his physician regarding the blood pressure. So home we went. DiscoDame & I went off to the laundromat without him. Monday morning Plaidman went to the doctor, who got the CT scan faxed over from the hospital, and diagnosed pleurisy with bronchitis -- so NOT A PULLED MUSCLE, and with the CORRECT TREATMENT our patient was feeling much better by the time I got home from work. But he's off work at least until next Tuesday, per the doctor's orders. We're hoping he's got enough vacation time to still get paid for the week, plus for our excursion to Texas. Which brings us to more good news--we're ALL flying to Austin next month, and we'll run down to San Antonio while we're there. I have been working on some drop-stitch scarves for Sis, and I've got one (of five) dolly blanket ready for Princess T, and I sure hope I can get something together for Miss A as well. I had bought some books for her, but one of the furballs we live with puked on one, and the other has gone missing--it's probably hanging out with the missing library book, under the couch or behind the computer hutch.....I'm afraid to look, in case Jimmy Hoffa's there too.
Yesterday was my birthday! I love birthdays, just can't get enough of 'em. The Plaid Patrol went out to Red Lobster last night, and I got birthday swag consisting of a large handful of knitting notions & two nice books. I got Color Style by Pam Allen & Ann Budd, and The Best of Interweave Knits also by Ann Budd & Pam Allen. I think there's a hint in the first one; I suspect Plaidman would like a "plaid" sweater or kilt socks. Plaidman got one of these books, and DiscoDame bought the other; it wasn't until I showed them the covers that they realized both books were by Pam Allen & Ann Budd. I had a phone call Wednesday at work, from DiscoDame, requesting names of some of my favorite authors--I only gave names from the world of knitters! And I'm not sure I even mentioned Pam Allen, though I did mention Ann Budd -- and I spelled her name. LOL.
Friday the 25th DiscoDame & I went to Threadfest, over on Knowles. I found out about this event on Ravelry, and attended last April's event. This time we got there early enough to find some yarn! So I got a bit of that, then checked out the fabric samples, with the idea of making some roll-up needle cases. I'm really not much into sewing, but the patterns I've seen for them look pretty straight forward. I've seen examples using fancy linen napkins, which already have the edges hemmed, and found a lot of samples with edges already whipstitched. Most of what I bought was upholstery weight; some had smaller samples of other colorways attached, which I think might be used as pockets. Anyway, DiscoDame is interested in the idea, and we'll probably work together on them. I'd like to make one for myself, and another for a knitting coworker. Well, that's for another day! I also found a terrific stash of knitting & other craft magazines, including some from 70's & 80"s, and one Christmas craft magazine from the late 50's/early 60's which is about 3 kinds of crazy kitschy! Some of the stuff in it looks like the kind of thing my Mom used to make for the holidays. Kinda brings a tear. So, after Threadfest, DD & I headed home for a brief rest, then went to the TACA Fall Crafts Fair over in Centennial Park. Plaidman had an appointment over at the hospital (NOT the same one that mis-diagnosed his back pain!) for a heart CT scan, to check for plaque. So the ladies went unescorted--and probably saved some money that way! It was raining, but just barely. Still, the crowd was pretty thin. I did buy some handpainted yarn, and even stepped outside the aqua/teal/turquoise/green range (I know, shocking!) for a change. My new addition to the stash is a lovely combination of camel, burgundy, and navy. Wow, I just realized: this used to be one of my favorite color combos, when I did a lot of crocheting. I guess I'm reverting?
One thing both the "bad" ER and his doctor agree on: his blood pressure's too high. Plaidman's going back to the doctor on Monday, to follow up on the bronchitis & pleurisy, and get the results of the CT scan done Friday, to check for heart disease. He's offically been diagnosed as having high blood pressure. We've had a talk about his need to cut back on sodium, possibly on fats, and those coffin nails he uses. We'll know more Monday evening.
DiscoDame is done with her schooling, and just needs a signature or two to graduate! She'll have an Associate degree! And a huge loan to pay off! Welcome to the American dream, kid. We'll have to work out new terms for her to continue to live with us; the most educated person in the household should be expected to hold up her end of the household expenses. Boy, will there be a meltdown!

Whooo are you

I love quizzes, don't you?

You are Lively and Inspiring

You approach the holidays with lots of energy and enthusiasm. It's definitely your favorite time of the year. You are quite social during the holidays. You go to lots of events and get in touch with everyone you know. While so much activity would make most people exhausted, it only energizes you more. Of all the types, you are the most likely to treat your friends and family to expensive gifts. You're also the most likely to wrap your gifts elegantly and simply.

The Wrapping Paper Test

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

I'm pretty sure we can find lots more of these out there on the Innerwebs. On the same site I found one to tell me what I already knew:

Your Soul Is Connected to the Fall

You are a somewhat sensitive soul with a tough exterior. You are street smart and wise about the world. You have the heart of a poet, but you're not too eager to let anyone else see it. You are very creative and deeply talented. You are still looking for the perfect outlet for your expression. You embrace change and think the cycles of life are beautiful. You don't shrink away from the darker elements of life.

What Season is Your Soul Connected To?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

Startitis

I have it. I want to cast on about 3 more items. I have cast on for a tank top in Cotton Bam Boo, lacy enough to be a nice camisole. Took several swatches to find gauge, but I'm glad I swatched. I believe I'll keep the swatches, as I really like the yarn & could definitely see knitting with it again. But I'm not really very far into this tank, and I'm yearning to cast on for a sweater for the Plaidman--I've got a pile of Blue Sky Alpaca's Alpaca Silk in three colors. Boy is it soft. And way too pretty (*snif*)! Anyway, I'm looking at pullover patterns for gentlemen, which you'd think would be pretty easy to find on Ravelry. Not so much, dudes! Pickings are slim. I bought a book about knitting for men; there a some ganseys in there I rather like. Ok, so that's one new cast on item, one still in development with yarn already bought, and I'd like to knit some hats for Christmas in the office.

We actually cooked today, even though we don't plan to eat our cooking until tomorrow night. We (DiscoDame & I) chopped veggies, browned pork sausage, measured broth/wine (!),tomatoes, etc & threw it all in the slow cooker to make Italian Sausage Soup. Then we went to the Music City Barbecue Festival, where we ate no barbecue...DD & I ripped into a turkey leg instead. Go figure.

Two steps up, one. . .

Hoo,boy! I have been busy, worked the last two Fridays, & will probably work the next one. Can't complain about the $, just the fact that I don't get to spend most of Friday lazing on the futon & knitting.
****One week later: Yes, I had to work again today (8/14). I somehow managed to start a new project just after finishing one. I give you Dolly Blankie #1 (of 5!) that is completed & washed & ready to send to Princess T in Texas.
And of course, we have to have an artsy shot of it:

I can't decide if it reminds me of sherbet, or of an explosion at the cotton candy factory. It's a very simple feather & fan stitch pattern, in many colors of acrylic baby yarn, held 2 or more strands together. Some of the yarns were "pompadour" style, with a shiny nylon thread twisted around the rest of the yarn. I was combining one or two matte yarns with one shiny, so the whole thing has a little glitter & lots of pastel. As I mentioned, this is the first of five Dolly Blankies; I do have patterns picked for the other four, but lordy I need a break from pastel acrylic. So, I've started another project, just pour moi, a Classic Elite free pattern in their cotton bamboo. It's light blue, but not pastel, and thank you lord not acrylic. I had to go up a needle size to get gauge, and fiddled with the math (watch out world) to make it extra grande, and I hope I can wear it when it's done. No in progress pic just yet. I'm not sure I've even put this one on my projects page in Ravelry.
We still haven't put my car in the shop. I really think the insurance company should go after the guy that hit me! What a creep; he told me he wouldn't have a front-wheel drive car because when you go over 80 mph it pulls to the right, so you can't outrun cops. Kind of a red flag right there. The Redneckius Hillbillikin in the flesh.

Finito! Bella!

It's all done...my lovely unbirthday surprise for my longtime buddy, T2daL! However, it was not without its problems: somehow I got a few extra stitches in the back (just knit a few together), and the ribbed cuffs were both large with one being very much larger than the other. The pics here are "before" frogging the cuffs & reknitting with a smaller pair of needles. But now she's done:


Tonight, I need to make a smaller box out of a business forms box, pack 'er up & label it for delivery, via our interoffice courier system. She's gonna flip. I hope she remembers her "inside voice" when she calls me!
I'm still working on the first of FIVE (count 'em, FIVE) doll blankets for Little T in Texas, but I'm nearly done -- about 4 more rows & the bind off, and off the needles! No pics yet, but when you see them you'll probably think of sherbet. Or an explosion in the cotton candy factory...

OK, that was the good news. Now for the bane of modern existence, car talk! Late last month, DiscoDame..erm, The Intern & I were returning home from the grocery (about $250.00 US poorer) along Clarksville Hwy in The Purl (my black Malibu [which at one time I considered naming Barbie--get it? Barbie Malibu?]). There's an exit ramp from Briley Pkwy, and someone was pulled off the ramp into the opening in the median on Clarksville Hwy, when a white Ford pickup joined them there briefly then came right out practically on top of the Malibu! I swerved, he swung, and he still managed to remove the back bumper and warp the frame on the back end of the Malibu. No one injured, thank the Lord, but the asshat may have given the responding officer of the law an invalid address, and almost certainly did not have insurance, and we've got a $500.00 deductible---so my grocery trip costs us $750. And look at my poor car!

The other end looks sooo much nicer, especially with the vanity plate I received as a Mother's Day gift; check it out:

Plaidman has discovered a whole new vein of giftables for his old lady. I got a team jersey, a lanyard, and a t-shirt for wedding anniversary gifts, all with Steelers logo all over 'em! I'm just tickled. Here's Dis..erm, The Intern modeling my Roethlisberger jersey:


It fits me. Too damn bad, right? And hey, I really wanted a Holmes (#10) jersey, but it wasn't available in my size (Gigantor). Still, I'm styling!