We interrupt the binding off...

...for a photo. I am very close to binding off the bottom of my "Sprout" and then starting on the arms. I decided to do some of the cabling in the ribbing at the bottom like the cable on the sleeves.

Yes, I am posting for a second time in one day. Normally I would be hanging in my "knitting" chair in the dining room but some noxious paint fumes have driven me out. Since I am a creature of habit I am sorta ambling about now trying to find a spot to settle in. I haven't quite got the knack of being in the living room yet. I'm not sure if I'd rather go back to my spot and risk passing out or continue roaming until bed time. Eric is snoring on the couch so I need to figure something out soon.

I started to paint the kitchen a while back. I admit it was a long while back. I finally decided that it needs to get done and I'm not giving up my knitting to do it, so we hired someone. It felt a little weird at first letting someone come into my house while I'm not home. Once I realized that even the greatest snoop in the world couldn't dig any good dirt up on me, I felt better (and a little disappointed in my less than gritty existence). Now all I have to do is survive a few days of paint fumes and appliances in the dining room. I think I can, I think I can. My son put some candy in the toaster oven, which is on top of the microwave next to my chair. I can sit in my "knitting" chair and just grab out candy whenever I want. That's not so bad. Now where can we put the fridge?

Blah!

In the past week or so I have discovered a few things about myself. I am not exactly excited about these discoveries because as they say, "ignorance is bliss". I'm not going to pretend I was living in a state of bliss, but I will say it had it's finer points. So, what did I learn?

1. I have feelings. Blah. I hate feelings. Double blah. I was sooooo content to live in my little world of Detachment and Denial. I was PROUD of it, actually. I even told myself I was doing so well with it, I was just one Uncaring act away from being a complete DUD. I let the little voices in my head chant the virtues of apathy and hid my face from the problems in front of me. And then, I started crying because someone is ill. And I kept crying. And on day 3 I think I was crying because I was crying and I didn't think I could care that much. Damn. Then, we move on to the next discovery...

2. I kinda like how some feelings feel (but I still hate them). Having, and expressing, feelings is like opening up a world to other possibilities I wouldn't have normally risked finding out about. The dam has broke. Once you let one of those stupid tears through it's like they all want to start coming. And with tears of sadness comes tears of joy and all those other mixed up feelings in between. A really sad moment turns into an amazing discovery about kindness and giving that makes your heart full of love at the same time it's aching all over. Pretty soon you start writing all kinds of sappy bullshit on your blog and sounding like a blubbering idiot. You can already start to see why feelings can be bad, leading us to discovery #3...

3. I have "other" feelings too (like bad ones). Well, I already knew I had bad feelings. But, when it comes to sharing feelings I am closed tighter than a jar of pickles left to rust in the snow. I would often admit that I didn't even KNOW how I felt about things because I was so good at detaching from the "stronger" ones. My ability to maintain silence on what I am feeling has been a very important survival skill at work. However, I am only now realizing that there is a difference between open honest discussion about thoughts and one about feelings. I'll gladly share my thoughts with you, but feelings will cost ya. So, I have learned that on occasion I should ask myself (in my little stern voice), "How does that really make you feel?" "Now, be honest, no one else can ever know what your answer is if you don't say it out loud." "You're lying, tell the truth, even if it hurts. It's only hurting you."

Okay, I do that sometimes already. But now, I need to tell the truth, even if it's just to myself.

In my final discovery, I have come to realize that I am going to hell for having angry feelings and calling karma to pay a visit on a few folks. However, this is a price I am willing to pay if a certain stupid cashier at Wendy's chokes on a chicken sandwich and a certain old lady is seized and tried by a band of 16th century witch hunters.

It's starting to look like spring...inside

The winter weather has definitely overstayed it's welcome, in my opinion. With the first day of spring now having come and gone, I am declaring all out war on winter. First, I made a pair of socks in spring colors, light green and blue w/ lace, then I made camping reservations for Memorial Day weekend, and lastly, I transplanted some grass in a pot to gaze at while I knit. Today we went to the annual Maple Syrup Days, another spring tradition in Maine. It was really cold! I am only semi-confident that we'll get enough thaw to get the camper out of the snow in time for camping. It just doesn't seem possible that we'll be camping in 2 months. Eric and I are speculating how much snow is on the campsite right now. Just in case, I am working on a wool sweater to keep me extra warm. Actually, I am working on the sweater because it's been in the closet since October and I am not having much luck with any of my other projects. I'm just telling myself that knitting a wool sweater a week before April is useful because of the camping. My shrug is a mess, waiting to be ripped out, and my three attempts at "Sprout", a short cardi have been less than successful. I needed something mindless and since the wool sweater is already well into the boring knit a row, purl a row stage, I figure I can do that without too much trouble. I am not sure why I can't seem to knit lately without chaos. I thought it might be the painkillers I was living off of (thanks to a little sledding incident), but I finally don't need those anymore. That hasn't fixed the knitting. Perhaps I am rushing things, getting too cocky. Perhaps it's because I am trying to read directions, another thing I don't do well. Who knows, but I need to figure it out soon before all of my fingernails are chewed off!

It's A Man Thing!

Eric's sweater is done!!! I never thought that freakin', convoluted thing would ever be done. Ahh, but now he's happy and we'll pretend this wasn't all as bad as it was. It all seemed to be going well (for the third time with this yarn) until I got all confused last night and made the neck too small. I took a deep breath, did a load of laundry and within 20 minutes had pulled back the bind-off and fixed it. I guess it was more the trial and error of the whole "man" sweater thing than the time or energy involved. Next time I'll use a pattern.

Now everyone in the family has a sweater handmade by me. What a lucky crew.

What's even better, tonight I can work on my Angora/Silk shrug without the guilt. I admit that I started it last week and worked on it for 3 days straight before I was able to regain consciousness and put it down. It's just so soft. Really really soft. I am not sure I can wear it without making an utter fool of myself, rubbing it over my face and caressing it. Thing is, I don't even care and I know I should. This yarn is like a gateway drug and it's taken hold of me! Too soon it will all be over and I am not sure if I'd rather wear it or knit it. It may just have to be something else after it's a shrug.

Ooh, it's my lucky day, the Girl Scout cookies have arrived. Must be the lucky green streak I have in my hair today! Gotta go nibble. Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Mullet Head

"#1 on the side and don't touch the back

#6 on the top and don't cut it wack, Jack"

[Beastie Boys, "Mullet Head"]

Okay, time to get my head outta the fiber! My 9 year old son has been working on a mullet for over 2 months now and the reality didn't actually hit me until just this morning. I honestly can't say I didn't "know" he's been doing this. Denial is just a really beautiful thing sometimes, and boy it's been working for me. I missed all the obvious signs. It started with him coming home with Eric a couple months ago with the first telltale signs, cut in the front, longer in the back. Then it's been the refusals to get it cut, the saying outright that he is growing a mullet and so on. Why, even last week he told me he has suggested to his friends at school that they should all grow mullets. I have dutifully scoffed when it's been discussed and told him it's ridiculous. But then immediately after these conversations I have happily minded my own business (and fiber) without actually worrying about it further. I mean, really, who could believe my child would do this? Well, my denial was brought to a painful end this morning and with a bone shuddering shock, revealed the truth of what was before me.

My son got into my car with a bright orange Moxie hat on and all this crazy hair sticking out. My daughter said, "Boy, your hair is long."

To which my son replied, "Yep, Business in the front, party in the back baby"

I swear to God, the sound of screeching brakes went zipping through my head. I turned around and saw what I have been denying for so long. A mullet in a bright orange mesh Moxie hat! (See the pic above, it's like that) What do I do????????? I have scoffed, really, it shouldn't have gotten this far. He knows this is bad. He's torturing me. That's it, he's not going anywhere except to school and back for a very long time! And by the way, I blame ERIC for this. He should have stopped this instead of finding it humorous or dare I say, encouraging it. Is it possible for my son's hair to cause me to have an identity crisis? My head hurts and I need meds. MAKE IT STOP. Oh I just need to touch my angora silk blend and it will all go away.

Angora/ Silk Yarn

Angora/ SIlk Yarn
Originally uploaded by timbertot

The yarn that makes me dizzy with desire. I want to touch it and knit with it. Alas, I am regaled with the should's and works in progress. I should finish Eric's sweater, some baby things, the list goes on. But soon enough , oh yarn of my dreams. I have been dreaming and plotting my hopes for you. I can't focus on work, knitting, or anything right now without thinking about you. I think I've dreamed up the perfect project for you. Maybe I'll just swatch you for now, and then finish those other things...

What kind of dinosaur am I?

A friend of mine has had a bit of a laugh at my expense with the whole hurt bum thing. She asked me what kind of dinosaur I would be. A Mega-Sore-Ass! At least it doesn't hurt as much to laugh now. I am beginning to think I'll never be able to sit properly again.

Finally, finally, finally, I am wearing my Knitter's Ring. I received the ring as a sweet surprise from Eric on Christmas day. We have finally gotten it the right size so I can talk with my hands without having it fly off and impale someone. Since I am still rather steamed about the whole wrong size thing and in no mood to rehash that, I'll just save that story for another time. I am posting a pic of the one from the jeweler's website. I am not saying where I got it, since I am also in no mood to give advertisement to the one stinking joint that sells the ring (hence the long story I refuse to tell about why it's taken more than two months for me to wear my new ring!!!). If you really want to know where to get one, drop me a line and I suppose I'll tell you.

Last night I bound off the body of Eric's sweater. I tried it on him, sorta, and it seems to fit so far. He got a bit excited and said, "So I could be wearing my sweater by this time next week?" Ha ha ha, his birthday isn't for another 2 weeks. I think I may just finish my other Trekking sock before starting the sleeves of his sweater. Then again, my oldest has been asking me to knit his gecko a sweater. I could waste, like 20 minutes doing that. Bottom line, If I don't finish Eric's sweater early then I won't have the whole dilemma of deciding whether to let him have it early or not. I am so smart, sometimes I scare myself.

What a pain in my...

On Sunday we all went sledding. Too bad I didn't realize that I am getting too old for that kind of fun until the 3rd trip down. I took a 3 foot jump w/ my son on an inch of foam and the landing ruffled my tail feathers, so to speak. I can't walk or sit normal because I messed up my tailbone. Man, why couldn't I hurt something that isn't terribly embarrassing to admit to. I couldn't even hide it today with all the gimping around and grimacing I was doing. Let's not even get started on trying to drive the car, yeeeooow!

The latest pics are of the sweater for Eric and my trekking socks. After what seems like the umpteen millionth time starting it over, I think I have the measurements for the sweater right. I even managed to twisted the damn thing from the get go once, only discovering it after about 7 rows (more than 650 stitches but who is counting?). I love the yarn but I am really starting to hate this whole man sweater business. I can't give up though, because he sits there watching me and wanting it so badly to be finished. He's gone from praising me to wondering if he'll be able to wear it before spring comes.

The second of my Trekking socks is started but is on hiatus while I work on the sweater. I modeled the first one to show off my new shoes! Since I knit socks I need the perfect shoes to both model them and enhance the comfort of knit socks. I searched no less than a dozen places before finding these. By then I was able to easily justify the high cost of the shoes, having proven to myself that there were no better ones to be found. I laughed today wen I realized that I spend more time and money on outfitting my feet than the rest of my body put together. I live on the theory that if your feet are comfortable, you can pretty much weather anything.

Yup, no high heels for me, ever!