No takers yet

     I'm still waiting for music (not necessarily original, needs to be in public domain if not) and lyrics for my new 'fridge song.  I finished the lace headband in two colors of Lornas Laces Shepherd Sport, and it's just dying to go to a good home.  I'll put up pics of the refrigerator and headband, just in case inspiration is needed:

     Actually, I could have done better on the headband, and I'm thinking I could make several out of the two skeins I used, so I'll go ahead and make another.  My songwriter could have a choice of either one.

     Chez Plaid has been a little subdued lately, as the Plaidman works his way through another bout of diverticulosis.  He cooked dinner a few nights ago, and woke up with pain the morning after.  I keep telling him he needs to watch think about what he eats.
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Heavens, I think I started this post two weeks ago....Since then, The Plaidman has been admitted to the hospital, had surgery, had some issues (!) that kept him in hospital, and finally got to come home. I dread getting on Facebook, his family will disown me for not letting them know his problems sooner.  I believe a good part of his problem was inactivity, he's in the habit of spending the day at the computer.  Anyway, he's patched up now, just suffering the aftereffects of surgery -- and making sure we know he is.
I've started binding off the EZ 100th Anniversary Camping Half-Circle shawl, with the lace bind-off in purl from the wrong side.  Seems like every time I pick it up I wind up falling asleep over it!  And I started a second skein on Miss A's halter top -- I love the yarn, and I should have one skein leftover with which to play.
I finally went for an eye exam.  Yes the tiny cataract is still there.  Something new is a very slightly elevated pressure in one eye, which they'll check again in a few weeks.  I have new sunglasses, new lenses in my office/computer glasses, and new lenses ordered for my regular glasses.  The sunglasses are huge, green & black frames -- very cool.

Goodbye and good riddance

We signed papers, closed the sale of the northern property, and got a modest sum for it.  I am thrilled, and so glad this could be done before another season passed.  The ugly little house will no longer be our concern.  I'll ask the Plaidman to turn off the ele ctric.
I did a lot of knitting on the Half Circle shawl last weekend, getting into the third repeat of the final lace section before the edging.  I haven't been able to knit the last several nights, because my hands are sore from lots of computer work. It's frustrating, but I know I'd better give it a rest.
I have found a knit pattern for a classic halter top, and it's free from Knitty!  It's the Diamond Halter Top; and I've even tracked down & bought the yarn called for in the pattern--discontinued since publication.  Thank goodness for Ravelry.  Work on the Half Circle shawl will be suspended until I get this halter done.  I've read the notes other Ravelers made on their Diamond Halter projects, and may just continue the top portion with the smaller needles.  I was also considering I-cord trim across the top of the back and up over the bodice, perhaps snugging up the edges of the bodice?  As there are still about 7.5" of ribbing to do before the bodice portion, I think I'll just mull over that idea.  It occurred to me that this is only the second Knitty pattern I've ever tried -- pretty odd, since I love the 'zine.  Oh, and yesterday I got the latest Interweave Knits!  Some nice stuff, but oddly some of it just looks so similar.  If you've seen the pullovers in the first section, you know what I mean.

 I took some pics as we were finishing up clearing out the ugly house, but haven't loaded them to the computer yet.  I think this is from one of the last times Disco posed for the camera at the old place.
Well, I have another Knitty project in mind, the Aeolian shawl.  I was thinking of Knits Picks Bare Gloss Lace, yes to beads though not too sure whether they should be clear or pearlescent, yes to nupps though I've never worked them before (!!) and oh BTW I might need to buy some Stilleto point needles from Signature Needle Arts.  Whew!  and this will be a semi-stealth project, for an unnamed party, but if she asks, it's for me.  Got that?

Is it fixed?

Big sigh.  We've been having recurrent frequent issues with both the cable service and internet service, for ...well, I guess it's actually been over a month.  The tech guy came out again yesterday morning, rearranged connections & oh hey -- found a cable incorrectly hooked up by the last tech guy that was here (on the 20th!  we like to keep them busy...).  So we are functional again.  I hope this lasts more than a few days.  Yesterday afternoon I finally got to see the Battle of the Bastards on GOT.  Hopefully, we'll be able to watch the finale tonight.  Oh, that is soul-crushing!  It's such a long wait to see more of this series!  Or even to read the rest of the story; George Martin needs to have his arse glued to the seat in front of his computer.  I'm sure he can afford to hire someone to attend to his food & drink while he's BUSY.  Quit goofin' off, George!
Knitting news:  I think I did some actual sleep-knitting on the Camping Half Circle shawl.  I was going over the last row 'coz I thought I'd missed a yarn-over (yep, I did), but then I found a dropped stitch about three rows down, and then I found four more dropped stitches further along that row.  So, I frogged back to the row before the doubling increase, and I'm on track again.  Lesson learned: when I start yawning over the knitting, it's time to put it down!  This morning I've been cruising Ravelry for some simple fingerless mitts.  One of the imagers at Box O'Docs has offered me some purple iris bulbs, and I'd like to make her some mitts in return.  It's pretty darn cold in Imaging, everyone working there stays wrapped up in blankies or ponchos, but none seem to have mitts.  I just happen to have some brilliant teal Caron Simply Soft, 2 skeins bought on an impulse, which could become several pairs of fingerless mitts, in several different patterns.  Team Imaging, FTW!
Disco went to another job fair during the week, and seems cautiously hopeful of becoming employed. She's got to get work, because she ran up a big bill at the dentist's office.  Her pay from working at Amazon is about gone.  Welcome to adulthood, Disco.

Can you hear me now?

Our internet access is borked, only operating intermittently -- which means when the tech guy gets here it'll likely be working just fine.  This stuff has been going on since Thursday (? I think, it's kinda hard to keep track of the days when your calendar is inoperative...) and today is the first opportunity for a tech visit.  I was so excited about it that I actually vacuumed yesterday.  I guess I'll clean the kitchen today....
I'm still banging away on the EZ 100th Anniversary Camping Half-Circle shawl, now in the Willow Leaves lace portion.  I need to get another picture.  I'm pretty sure I'll have some yarn left over, but probably not enough for a little hat.
I can still watch DVDs on the 'puter; I watched four hours of a current favorite series (VIKINGS!!) on Saturday.  I love this show!  The casting is wonderful, the costumes are wonderful, the storyline is fabulous -- if you're watching tell me how many times you've wanted to smack Rollo upside the head and ask him just WTF is his problem.  But please don't leave me any spoilers, I'm only on season 2.  And of course we're still watching GOT, gotta see it even though last week's episode just broke my heart.  Even the Plaidman thought it was about the saddest thing he'd ever seen on a TV show.
Well, I just wanted to let y'all know that we're still alive.  If we get access back on a regular basis, I'll have a Workday Outfits update later.

Fits and starts

We've had a time over at Box O'Docs, with a update to the billing system that failed to edit the way it was supposed to do.  A week after closing last month's books, we're finally getting a few tweaks in the system that are allowing some edits to be worked.  Whew!
I had been working on my Kara capelet, after finishing the Allotrope cowl and before finally biting the bullet and deciding on a pattern for the grand nephew's shawl.  But once again the Kara has been laid aside.  I cast on for the EZ 100th Anniversary Half-Circle Camping shawl, and I'm loving it.  It has just been flying along.  The only "problem" I have is putting it down, which I need to do because my hands are hurting.  So I'm trying to limit myself to just two rows, taking a break, and maybe coming back later for another two rows.  But look at it!

This is Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn, 75% superwash merino & 25% nylon.  It is lovely and soft, and don't those colors make you think of blue sky and piney woods?  I am quite taken with the pattern, the yarn, the colors...and I may have a hard time parting with it!
Last night I finally got around to watching the first two episodes of Vikings, dang but Rollo is a good-lookin' dude!  And little Beorn!  What a cutie.  I only started watching this series on TV in the third season, when Beorn is grown -- and still a cutie!  But as least as much of a badass as his daddy.
I guess that's to be expected from the shield-maiden's boy.
Well, I have been thinking hard about a halter top for a niece.  All the pictures she showed me were of crocheted tops, and I'm pretty sure I can find a pattern (although most seem to be swimsuit tops, very minimal and probably not meeting her Mama's standards), but I don't want to do even that much crochet.  So, how to knit one that will provide the required coverage?  I have an idea, which would allow me to practice a technique I haven't used much, and also allow me to try something new.  I suspect some maths may be involved, but if I can get it working the coverage will not be an issue.  Stay tuned for developments.

News of all kinds

We've certainly had both kinds this week.  Let's start with the good news:  The Allotrope Cowl is off the needles!  My favorite goofy knitwear model will display it's beauty:

Oh yes!

It's very soft & stretchy, not too difficult to wrap twice.  I carried to work to show to a friend there, who's been sharing her own handicraft adventures with me.  She's a quilter, and just recently learned to knit too.  So the only thing left to do with this object is a wash & block, then careful storage until the giftish holidays.  I've decided the Every Way Wrap can join the cowl in the gift storage, along with the wild colored cat's paw lace scarf.  

The other good news:  I'm free to think about casting on another lovely project, such as a shawl for my new grand-nephew.  I did find two hanks of solid color merino superwash wool in the stash, giving me about 860 yards of yum to work with.  I've been looking at scarf patterns, with an eye to making them wider and shorter -- there are a lot of lovelies out there, but I would have to work out some math to make them square.  Or I could just use a pattern for a half-Pi shawl, like the EZ 100th Birthday half-Pi shawls by Mwaa Knit.  I kinda favor the camping one.  The issue is using the yarn efficiently and evenly, so I don't run out of one color long before I run out of the other.  Also, could I stand to give it away?

Then there's the sad news, of Prince's passing.  I only became a fan a few years ago.  No more new Prince music, it's just devastating.  We had a work anniversary celebration in our super-dept on Friday, and of the 30 or so folks that came by, only two were not wearing purple.  Here's my Friday look:

And that's a purple purse behind me, stocked with the usual purse stuff plus a pattern and two balls of yarn.  You can't tell, but I wore my wildest looking underwire bra too.  Anything for you, sweet Prince!