But What Shall I Pack?

First, here are the promised pictures of the big blizzard a few weeks ago. We had over 20 inches in about 12 hours! Si, as you can see, is covered. LOL He had so much fun running around our yard and over in the nearby playground. He doesn't even seem to mind getting wet.

This is a picture of our paper delivered on Saturday. Do you see that little spot of the paper, stuch straight up in the snow about 1/3 of the way up the drive? I can't blame our delivery person at all. It was nasty! I was surprised, frankly, that we got the paper at all. We never did get mail that day (so much for the mail always getting through!).

What to pack?
I'm leaving for Minneapolis tomorrow for PLA (Public Library Association's Conference). I'll be gone Tuesday through Sunday. What knitting shall I pack? I have several projects:
Baby Surplice Sweater - I"m doing this with size 10 needles and chunky yarn. It's going to end up about size 2 or 4, Toddler sizes. I just had to get some more colors for the striping today as I'm running low on the main ones. It'll still look cool, though, I think. This is a pretty good candidate for the plane because it's easy to follow and stuff, but as I probably only have another 2-3 hours of knitting I could finish it on the plane and then be bored.

This is my clapotis! I've finally given in and decided to try one. I've cast it on specifically so that I can travel with it to PLA . . . but now I've realized that I'll want to switch colors several times throughout the 4-6 hours I'll be en route tomorrow, and I am nervous about cutting implements and airport security. Ack! This is great in all other respects, though, since the pattern is simple but not mindless, and colors are pleasing and calming, and it's silky wool that doesn't take up much room in the computer bag.

My third project for the road is my socks. You can't tell from this awful picture, but the yarn is really bright and wonderful. A cachophony of colors! Trouble is, socks can get really tedious if they're all you have to knit on at any given time. Maybe I could pack the iPod and use that to amuse myself while knitting and traveling. I wonder if anyone I know will be on the same plane. I have a vague idea I will run into someone.

Snow, WIPs and FOs

I've tried to upload photos about 6 times today, and I'm still getting some kind of server error. Since I am still able to upload to my Flickr account, I can only assume this is a Blogger problem.

At any rate, here is a recap of my day . . . in lists for those of you who enjoy such things.

Beautiful Sights:

1. The snow across the world makes everything look like part of an alien landscape.
2. Some of the houses are losing the snow from their roofs (rooves?) in nearly solid sheets, so it is draping off of them like thick frozen curtains. Many look like arctic gnomish bungalows.
3. Young men making money by shoveling snow (thank goodness for the men who came here to the Heart Attack House!). My driveway is completely clear and dry.
4. People helping others to get out of being stuck (thank goodness, again, for the kind folks who helped me get out of the unshoveled entrance to my bank - I didn't really need that money, anyway!)
5. The cleaned-outed-ness of our fridge because DH got bored and actually cleared out the old food stuffs.

Fantastic and Wonderous Things:

1. The snow . . . see above.
2. My son enjoying real history shows on TV.
3. DH's homemade meals - 2 dinners in a row were head-on hits! Excellent chili lastnight, and tonight a pot roast with potatoes, carrots and celery. COMFORT FOOD!

Stuff I've accomplished, having had 2 days when I couldn't do much else:

1. Finished my lavendar legwarmers.
2. Posted to blog - more than once!
3. Made brownies (boy, do they smell good!).
4. Knit on DH's sweater, my new socks, the legwarmers, and cast on for a new child's sweater (I'm aiming for Toddler/Preschool size, but you never know with this pattern).

I've also managed to get some Knitting-Related-Injuries:

1. Sore upper arm muscles from wrestling with the yarn of the leg warmers - it has acryllic in it and doesn't give much.
2. That scratch thing on my right pointer finger is back. Ouch! I think it's the sock needle that does it.

Follow links to Flickr and Ravelry for pics.

Snow Day!

The library is closed today! I was scheduled to work, but everything is closed and canceled and we are all hiding away in our homes. hehehehehe! Simon went out for a frolic - he even went bounding over to the playground to roll around in it. One pic of the snow monster himself . . .

and one of our garage (yes, I am aware that the siding has blown off in one bit). Note to the right, the huge 50 gallon trash can buried in drifting snow! I better go make some hot cocoa!

Pics of Sock Exchange!

Check out these pictures from KB's flickr account. They tell the story of our Sock Exchange meeting pretty well! We had fun! Only that that was needed to make it perfect would have been if Jen had been able to come. :-)

Knitting as an obsession?

I nicked this animated short from Jen's Blog because it really made me laugh! It also makes me think that I'm not nearly as obsessive as some other people about knitting!

These are the socks I made for the Sock Exchange - and Kay says they fit perfectly!

This is the Ice Princess scarf I made for my former boss who just retired last week. I gave it to her on her second-to-last day of work when we went to lunch. She is a magnificent woman, and has been a mentor to me for a long time. I'll miss having her around, but thankfully she's still in town. I've told her she can't escape me!

3 Beautiful Things

I love this blog, 3 Beautiful Things and go there often to be uplifted. Today's post is quite delightful.



My 3 things so far today:

1. We're all home today, on a Friday! DH doesn't feel well, but he's functional and on the mend. Kiddo is off school for the snow, and I'm off because I work tomorrow. It's really quite cozy.



2. My skittish cat, Rosie, napped on my lap today for about 2 hours as I snuggled with DH. Towards the end, her brother, Samwise, joined us. Simon got a picture. You can see DH, and my hand and torso. Rose is the black one, Sam is grey.

3. The new snow on the ground is so sparkley and bright. It's the kind of snow that makes it look like midday in the middle of the night.

Wednesday Night Knitting!

This is the Ice Queen That I've started, now, twice. Obviously I need to use more stitch markers and not watch TV while knitting it. Sigh. I don't know if I'll make my Feb. 29 deadline for this gift! If I ever finish it (or even make it) I'm sure it would look wonderful.

This is Mike's sweater. If you click on the picture and look closely you can see the cable pattern up the middle. He loves it. I can see that the cables don't show as well in the camo yarn, but I like the effect, and in person you can see it better than in a picture.

I've gotten far enough that I feel confident casting on the sleeves. I'm knitting 2 at once, magic loop, and they should go quickly. Mike doesn't want cables on the sleeves, so it should be easy!

I totally ignored VT day this year, at first. Mike, though, actually got me flowers and DARK chocolates and a sweet card, so then I was feeling a little guilty. So, while he was camping with Si and the other Boy Scouts this last weekend, I knit him his very own Diabetic-Friendly cupcake. yes, that's even a heart on top. Next time I do one, I'm going to put catnip inside for my babies.


Personal Narrative:

I love my knitting buddies! We just had a loverly time at Crimson Cup tonight. I've known Yarmando for many years, and it's so comfortable to just sit near him and share our knitting. Also, he is truly a genius about knitting, and it's great to get his opinions on things and to see what he's working on. Knittingbrow and KnitsB (do you have a blog of your own?) feel like old friends, just like Yarmando. I mean, it feels like I've known them both forever, and it's a sweet and wonderful thing, I tell you! I can't even quantify it, you'll just have to trust me. It's relaxing and intellectually stimulating. Great combo, if you ask me! KB and Y are the reason I'm knitting today, as it was reading their blogs and seeing the socks they'd knit that got my fingers itching to try it. The rest is herstory.

Over-Ravel'd

I've finally joined Ravelry. It's a great site! I can't seem to pull myself away from it, though!

I found out, for instance, that the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklinburg Cty have craft programs! Look!

My name at is Caterwaul1 - add me as a friend!

I also have been knitting, believe it or not. I've been making good progress on DH's sweater, but pics won't show much - more when I get the sleeves going or something.

I realized I'd never posted finished pics of Simon's socks. The yarn is called Evolution and supposed to be washable, etc., but someone told me that theirs is pilling and shedding, so I've been hand-washing these. I'm sure he'll grow out of them in the next year, but for now they're perfect. He loves them, too! See the double helix cable? Big thanks to Don for gifting me the extra yarn I needed for them. Very generous friend, eh?

I'm also still working on a scarf thing for my friend who is soon to retire . . . but I've switched to a new ball of the yarn and am doing an actual pattern, Ice Queen with beads and everything!

Also of note was a visit here from my friend, Laura and her family. We went to the Franklin Park Conservatory for the trains and orchids. It was fun!

Keeping My Mind off the Stomach Virus

Mike had it last week. I've been sleeping 6 extra hours a day, trying to avoid it. Simon has it now. Being home, I figure I'll update the blogs!


Sammy likes my yarn all the time, but this particular kind is now his favorite. It is Kidsilk Night, color: Thunder, by Rowan. It is mohair and silk, and has a thin thread of bling shot through it - in a midnight blue color. I love the stuff! I'm knitting it up on size 11 circulars to make a long tube scarf for a friend who is retiring soon.
It looks fairly solid in this picture, but trust me - it is like a cloud! I was concerned that the bling would make it scratchy, but the mohair shields your skin from the scratch nicely. It weighs next to nothing. Looks like lots of folks are doing lace with this, but I think that might just drive me batty. That is a project for some other time of life, I'd say!

I finished up this little lace neck scarf a week or 2 ago. Isn't it loverly? I am pleased with how it blocked out, but if I make one for myself I'm going to make it larger. We bigger girls like larger scarves. I'll find a skinny friend to gift this to.

At my MIL's request, I've made a fluffy pink baby sweater to send to DH's cousin in Texas. Let me tell you - THIS is a big bargain in both money and time! I bought the yarn from a friend who was having a stash reduction sale. It is Cascade Bollicine Revolution in a very bright pink color. It knit up on size 17 needles, and only took me about 4 hours from cast-on to bind-off. Can you believe it??? I have some blue yarn, too, and will be knitting it up soonish for another baby. I also have enough, probably, of the two colors to mix them in a third sweater. I got 3 balls each of the yarn. I can't lay my hands on the pattern at the moment, but when I do I'll link it.

Last year I gave DH yarn and a big book of cable patterns for Xmas with the promise of knitting him the ultimate sweater. Well, I ended up being so overwhelmed by the idea of knitting a great big adult sweater that I chickened out, bought cheaper, bulkier yarn, and made him a plain sweater. He likes it and wears it, too, but I still wanted to do better. This year I didn't even tell him he was getting it, I just cast on. I went back to the book of cable patterns and chose a very cool one that he'd picked out - 27 stitches wide and 40 rows long. I added a small cable on either side and charted the whole lot of it in an excel document. You can see the chart on the cookie sheet, held by some of Simon's architectural magnet doodads. I'm about 4 rows shy of being done with the first repeat. I love it! This is not knitting I can take out, as the cookie sheet would be awkward to carry around . . . but I do love working on it of an evening while we watch TV. We've been re-watching all of the Nero Wolfe series we have on DVD. Simon is enjoying them, too, which delights us all. We love enjoying great shows together.

One quick essay:
Knitting-Related Injury #1
I have often been injured in the line of duty - papercuts while framing were terribly painful, muscle cramps while Shaking My Sillies Out in Storytime were hard to bear, and laryngitis when I was supposed to be working the phones was challenging . . . but a small cut on my right index finger is nearly excruciating! I don't know how I got cut, but I suspect a particularly difficult circular needle which shall go un-named! I often knit Continental Style, holding the yarn in my left hand and just looping the right needle through and around, pulling the looped yarn out and up. It's quick, it's effiicient, and it's lovely to do. I can knit without light in this method, and just feel my way through a long bit of knitting, particularly if I've got the right size circular and the yarn is ammenable. I do, however, need to poke the end of the left needle down every other stitch or so when the stitches are needing to be slid closer to the end of that needle. Whenever I poke that needle . . . OUCH! The tip of the needle goes right into this small cut on my right hand index finger. It's an outrage! I've had to knit with a band-aid for a week, and put anti-biotic ointment on it. Each night I go to bed, my right fingertip throbbing. I can see the subcutaneous bruise growing. I try to find ways to rest during the day, but my needles and yarn keep beckoning me! I can't stop knitting, of course, because that would be . . . well . . .unthinkable!

Knitting Christmas

My mom with her vest. Lovely alpaca from my good friend, Nancy, at Peru Hollow Farms near St. Louis, MO.

My brother's hat.

My assistant manager's cap.

My brother-in-law with his hat on (with my sister).

My son and quasi-cousins, Andrew and Jay.

Yea, yea, {Insert here the usual apologies for neglecting my blogosphere public}, but I'm here now! Check back soon for some rants and more pictures. LOL

Crafty and Sneaky

Well, my loyal readers, I have been neglecting you. I feel the cold breath of Christmas on my neck and I fear it will arrive before I've finished all the gifts! I can't show you any more pics, either, because it's too close and what's left is for people who read the blog! Yikes!

So, to entertain you, I have pictures of our annual GBH construction! (Ginger Bread House, you silly.)

Here is my lovely sister Linda and her confectionary abode. Her classic use of green piping for the roof treatment, green chewy holley over the front door and marshmallow snow person make this a treat for the eyes.

Next, we have Andrew, Jay and Vicky with their cookie carnaval! I don't know if Andrew actually adhered any candy to the house (most of what touched his hands went directly into his mouth), but he and Jay, with Vicky's help, have made a great house, and you can see how proud they all are! I particularly like the snow person, even though he needs some assistance standing. Oh, and the jelly garden is quite enchanting.

Finally, you have Simon and myself displaying our 2007 entry. This is the first year we've done the cereal/thatched roof, and I do like it! Also note the coconut snow and the lovely jelly stained glass window on the end of the house (completely conceived and created by Simon). That mass of red frosting and chocolate covered peanuts is supposed to be a fireplace and chimney. Jay declared the chimney "really, really beautiful," so I feel appreciated.

I don't know how many years we've done these, but we always have a great time. I can't wait to do another one!

Oh, and a shameless plug here for the Wilton GBH kit. I can't believe we used to make the cookies ourselves! It would take at least an entire day to get the cookies made, and then we'd invariably have a damaged one or three, and have trouble putting them together because of unevenness or something. Don't do it! For $9.00 you can get one of these kits, complete with frosting mix and candy. We usually add more candy and stuff, but even if we didn't we'd end up with great houses. You can't even buy the baking stuff for $9.00 a pop, and frankly, our time is much better spent doing other things . . .like decorating! One tip - buy them early, early, early in the season. Last year I didn't get them til late and we ended up having to buy the huge size houses. This year I got them way back at or before TG, and it was EXCELLENT!

Class Reunion

I am old, but I don't have to act it! I decided to add some of that purple dye to my hair for our 25th HS class reunion last weekend. Sorry it's taken me so long to post the pics!

I also had it all put up, and it was fun.

Between the fancy do, the purple, and the cool Batik blouse from Marketplace India (my favorite catalog!) , I looked pretty good!

The night after the reunion, Laura had our old gang over for a bit. It was nice to get together. These women have been my friends for a long, long time!

I did finally make a button out of Sculpey , sew it on the belt pouch and mail it up to Santa. I think he'll like it - I just hope the postal service gets it there quickly! SOME of us don't have elves to do our every bidding!

Thanksgiing

I finished and gifted the Santa Vest to my Dad. He loves it! It fits perfectly, and it looks great on him. He has requested a matching belt pouch for carrying mini candy canes for when he's visiting with children at the hospital, etc.

Here is the requested pouch, knit and felted and ready for a button. I should have it in the mail to him by Wednesday, if all goes well. I think I'll make a button with polymer clay - something that will look like a mint or something, don't you think?

I've also gotten lots of good "notes" and tips on what makes a good knit hat from "the boys". Dad, my brother, and my brother-in-law all coached me one morning while my brother made breakkies (wearing the hat I made for him last year). I even have a "perfect" hat, according to my brother, to use as a guide. I've now purchased appropriate yarn for his hat (he is the pickiest one because he needs things that are historically accurate for the 1840's), and will start his hat soon. I've gotten him some great reddish stuff that I'll knit to spec.s in a very tight gauge. Also, I've been overestimating his head size, so with this sample hat I'm more likely to get that correct.

In the meantime, I'm doing some mindless knitting. I've started a "more perfect" hat for my b-i-l. He's a rabid Buckeye Fan, hence the red and gray. I had already purchases this gray - baby alpaca grande - and have the red leftover from Santa clothes. My change is that I'm using smaller needles (9 instead of 10.5) so it'll be a denser gauge, and I'll knit it longer so he can roll it up more and be able to cover his ears with several layers if needed.

I've also decided to knit up some washcloths for quickie gifts for folks like my boss and hostesses of holiday parties, etc. They're easy, quick, and turn out lovely. I have a friend who makes soap that I might hit up for some bars to add to the gifts.

The long weekend at Mom and Dad's was really wonderful (despite having horrible intestinal problems as a result of my long-term dosing of heavy antibiotics), and despite hubby having a terrible toothache that has turned out to be a terrible infection requiring a root canal. Poor thing! Since we've got home, I've made 8 batches of jello and 2 kinds of soup, just to get him some nourishment until he can be worked on.

I'll be reporting on my fancy hair and my 25th HS reunion and meet-up with old friends in a subsequent post. I can only upload 5 pics a day, and I've already reached my quota.

I spent a great hour this evening at Starbucks. I used a gift card I happened to have, so it seemed like free, and it was enjoyable. I get a sick satisfaction out of ordering my coffee in the wrong order. Tonight I said "I want one of those peppermint mochas, but can you make it decaff? Oh, and I'd like it to be lowfat. I'll take a super large." LOL The Barristas had to repeat it in the correct order several times hoping, I'm sure, to teach the uninitiated what it should rightly be called. Blah to that! I will continue to call it Extra Large! I will continue to say it in whatever damn order I please! So there! Mike says I'm evil. (mwuahahaha).

Santa Vest

No fair showing this to Dad before he opens his gift, Mom!

If you can see, there is a cable running up the front. The yarn is Harrisville Heathered Bulky. I don't really see any heathering . . . but there were a lot of little bits of twig and grass in the yarn - some of it really pokey! It knits up quickly, though, on size 13 needles (thanks for letting me borrow, Gerald!)

I just hope it fits my dad!

See Spot Run

Well, the truth is finally here. My writing is for the masses . . . the little darlings . . .

Go figure.

My intelligent Sensei, Yarmando found the quiz. Sigh.

Various Topics

First, I was tagged by Yarmando in the Random Book Quote Meme! Yay! I love being picked, too!
Instructions: open the book you’re currently reading to page 161 and read the fifth sentence on the page, then think of 5 bloggers to tag.
I am reading 3 books at the moment:
I just started The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien. Don't have any idea how it will be. It is for one of my book groups. Page 161, sentence 5: The window jerked open, suddenly filling the kitchen with outside insect hum and the hell-deep boom of Pietros's voice, "Hello, Madam . . ."

I have renewed resolve to finish the last book group book (because now we're reading it for my other book group), Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Page 161, sentence 5: Richard calls it "The Geet". (Hey, I didn't make the rules! I know these don't make much sense, but isn't it fun anyway?)

Book 3 is a graphic novel I'm reading because it looked intriguing, was listed on many "greatest" lists, and then the first few pages of the story totally hooked me in (a hazard of my work). The Runaways: #1-18 by Brian Vaughan. Page 161, sentence 5: Heck, this book isn't numbered. I'll just pick a random "that looks like 161 pages" page: Topher, I cut myself because shedding my own blood is the only way to free the ancient magical weapon that my witch of a mom somehow trapped inside my body. (Now, who can resist that, I ask you!)

Tagging: Now, I get to name 5 other people to do this whacky book tag! Cycholibrarian, Cat (my Brit Twin), FightingLibrarian, Gotta Book , and Sock Princess, and just to keep things even, Aunt Gerry. If anyone else wants to post their sentence, that's great, too - those of you w/o blogs of your own (you know who you are!) can post them in my comments!

Second, Very Sad News - our pet snake, Jack, has passed away. Poor Jack. We loved him well. These pictures were taken this past Summer.

We've all cried, but I couldn't let it go without sharing the sad news. I know lots of folks don't like snakes at all, but he was really a good pet, and we loved him.

Now my uplifting news - what's on the needles!
First, a chemo cap for the collection at the Merc. I have to finish this and get it in! I already put one kid's sized one in the basket. We're competing with an LYS in Michigan. We'll win! Go Buckeyes! (omg, did I just say go buckeyes? Well, it's knitting, so it's ok).

And I've swatched (yes, sometimes I do swatches - don't get used to it!) the yarn for a sweater vest for Santa. I can post the particulars because Santa doesn't have time to read blogs this time of year!

Christmas Knitting Begun!

Well, I think I've figured out why I'm not posting as much. My son has been on the computer! Darn him! Anyway, he's at school now, and I've taken some time (rather than going immediately back to bed for a nippy-nap) to take some WIP pics so I can fill you in on my recent knitting escapades.



I've started a sweater vest for someone very special - and it's lovely wool, but I think it is sort of exacerbating my sinus problems, so I'm going to have to limit myself to just an hour or so a day on this.

I've finished another Baby Surprise Jacket. Love it! This pattern is so easy and so fun, it just flows off the needles. I also have to admit to some sick pleasure in seeing someone else trying to figure out how to make the glob of knitting turn into a smooth, cool sweater - my husband hates me for this teasing!

This is another update on the socks for my son. I'm just about out of yarn, and I'm waiting for some more yarn from my buddy, Don. He purchased the same yarn with me at the knitter's connection, and said he'd score me some more of it. You can kind of almost see the cabling going up the sides. I really hope these still fit the little (not so little!) monster at Christmas!

And finally, some slippers for another person very special to me. I like this pattern - it's exactly what Gramma used to use. Don't be surprised when you see more of these little ditties on the blog (and under the Xmas tree!).