Well, my winter break is about over. I go back to work tomorrow. School isn't in session though, so I'm not really sure what I'll be doing. I have some filing to do, and probably some cleaning up to do in the office, but I don't think it is 8 hours worth of work! On the upside, I'm having lunch with my co-workers tomorrow and I'm looking forward to that.
Today was pretty slow on the knitting front. I delivered the Open Palm Mittens to my sister, who seems really happy with them, so I'm happy. They blocked out really well and I'm pretty proud of them. I didn't get to work on the Noro scarf today at all; we spent most of the day visiting friends.
I'm really going to miss these days off, though. The first semester flew by really fast though, and I'm sure this one will too. Probably faster, since at the end of it, John will be graduating and looking toward college. I swear it was just yesterday that he was born!
See you tomorrow.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
3. A Day In The Life
Today was a glorious day.
It began with a babysitter arriving at the door at 7:00 am sharp. Dad and I snuck (is that a word?) quietly out of the house for an early morning date...(wait for it).....
Butchering meat. Yes, that exciting time of year again. (Actually, this is lie. The meat was already butchered. We only go to the actual processing portion of the experience. The farmers we buy our meat from takes care of that other part which I don't really care to be a part of. Really, though, if you are a family of meat eaters, buying fresh is really the only way to go. You have absolute certainty that your meat grew up on a farm and was well cared for. And the price can't be beat, as well. I do think it is kind of a shame that Dad and I were so excited for some time to ourselves, that this morning felt almost like a date. It was nice though.
Then we came home in time for a nice nap while the boys were napping (R only really - C was busy playing video games and would not stop racing long enough to - gasp - nap. He's too old for that - just ask him. I, however, am not too old for a good nap. I will forever relish this experience - a nice short nap refreshes the mind!
Now comes the best part of the day - Dad took the boys with him to do some work/visiting a friend of his. Yes, the boys LOVE to go with their Daddy, and while I know it is more work for him to care for the boys than actual work gets done, I appreciate these times immensely. As I was readying the boys for the trip out the door, Dad says "Aren't you coming?" I said...
"Nooooo. I've got so much work to do around here this afternoon. You guys will have fun."
Dad looked a little scared, but I handed him a bag of snacks for the boys, ushered them all to the door and closed it firmly behind them. Ahhhhh..... the peace and quiet. There is not a TV on (or 3!!!!) in this house. Not a creature is stirring. Well, except for the Divine Miss M. She looks really annoyed in this pic, doesn't she?
Now, for some knitting content. I give you one complete set of Women's Open Palm Mittens, in Knit Picks 100% Baby Alpaca Andean Treasure, color: Midnight...
So soft...my sister is getting this pair. (These haven't been blocked yet, so ignore wonky look they have about them.)
Next is the beginning of the Noro scarf in Noro Silk Garden #'s 211 and 284...
Lastly, I never showed you my latest beanie. It fits R, but for some reason he doesn't like it as well as his first one. It will go into the gifts-waiting-for-recipients stash. This is done in Knit Picks Swish Worsted, Color Delft Heather. It took a complete 50 gram ball and fits an average size 5 year old head. Pattern is kind of one of my own doing, not really following a pattern, but more of a recipe.
I have no idea what I will show you tomorrow. Doesn't the excitement just about kill you? Don't let it. There is nothing exciting planned around here. I may have to resort to a fill-in.
It began with a babysitter arriving at the door at 7:00 am sharp. Dad and I snuck (is that a word?) quietly out of the house for an early morning date...(wait for it).....
Butchering meat. Yes, that exciting time of year again. (Actually, this is lie. The meat was already butchered. We only go to the actual processing portion of the experience. The farmers we buy our meat from takes care of that other part which I don't really care to be a part of. Really, though, if you are a family of meat eaters, buying fresh is really the only way to go. You have absolute certainty that your meat grew up on a farm and was well cared for. And the price can't be beat, as well. I do think it is kind of a shame that Dad and I were so excited for some time to ourselves, that this morning felt almost like a date. It was nice though.
Then we came home in time for a nice nap while the boys were napping (R only really - C was busy playing video games and would not stop racing long enough to - gasp - nap. He's too old for that - just ask him. I, however, am not too old for a good nap. I will forever relish this experience - a nice short nap refreshes the mind!
Now comes the best part of the day - Dad took the boys with him to do some work/visiting a friend of his. Yes, the boys LOVE to go with their Daddy, and while I know it is more work for him to care for the boys than actual work gets done, I appreciate these times immensely. As I was readying the boys for the trip out the door, Dad says "Aren't you coming?" I said...
"Nooooo. I've got so much work to do around here this afternoon. You guys will have fun."
Dad looked a little scared, but I handed him a bag of snacks for the boys, ushered them all to the door and closed it firmly behind them. Ahhhhh..... the peace and quiet. There is not a TV on (or 3!!!!) in this house. Not a creature is stirring. Well, except for the Divine Miss M. She looks really annoyed in this pic, doesn't she?
Now, for some knitting content. I give you one complete set of Women's Open Palm Mittens, in Knit Picks 100% Baby Alpaca Andean Treasure, color: Midnight...
So soft...my sister is getting this pair. (These haven't been blocked yet, so ignore wonky look they have about them.)
Next is the beginning of the Noro scarf in Noro Silk Garden #'s 211 and 284...
Lastly, I never showed you my latest beanie. It fits R, but for some reason he doesn't like it as well as his first one. It will go into the gifts-waiting-for-recipients stash. This is done in Knit Picks Swish Worsted, Color Delft Heather. It took a complete 50 gram ball and fits an average size 5 year old head. Pattern is kind of one of my own doing, not really following a pattern, but more of a recipe.
I have no idea what I will show you tomorrow. Doesn't the excitement just about kill you? Don't let it. There is nothing exciting planned around here. I may have to resort to a fill-in.
Friday, January 2, 2009
2. Oh happy day
Looky here at what Uncle-Stan-the-Mailman brought me today. Well, actually he didn't bring it. I sort of got tired of waiting and made myself a little trip to the post office. At first, they didn't think they had my package. So I drove dejectedly home. As I pulled in the garage, my cell rang with the news that they did indeed have the afforementioned package. I drove back to pick it up and I have to admit, the Noro is beautiful. It is softer than what I had imagined after hearing other knitters discuss it, but there is a LOT of vegetable matter in the mix. I am constantly picking at it. Can't wait to show you pics of the completed scarf!
The mitten isn't quite finished (thumb is done, but still need to steam and sew the edges of the flap. Better pics of that tomorrow!)
Thursday, January 1, 2009
1. Begin 365
I decided to follow Norma's lead and see if I have the stamina to blog every day in 2009. My worry is that I am an incredibly boring person, and therefore going to drive blog readers insane with this endeaver. Not that anyone is reading anyway (it is still so new). Here it is, day One, and I'm stumped about what to write, haha.
This is because it is a holiday at our humble abode and holidays are often spent just trying to keep the children from destroying the furniture/house/each other, etc. Today has been relatively calm in that respect. Very little destoying going on and the boys seem to be actually getting along today. Not that they fight all the time. It is Winter Break from school though, and the more time the boys are cooped up in the house, the more volatile their moods become. Today, we have played PS2, watched way too much Discovery channel (while Dad is watching way too much football - is there such a thing as too much football? Dad would beg to differ.), and continued knitting on The Number Two Mitten, which is almost finished. Just the thumb to go and need to sew the flap and weave in the ends. I think it will be done tonight (maybe!) I am hoping the Noro will be here tomorrow and I will post pics if it is.
Sorry for the quality of the pic - my camera battery was dead so I'm using my cell.
ps - who knew blogging could be so much work? Ha - day one and I'm stressing! It is what I do, after all.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
test
This is a blog test. If you can read this, then blogging from my BlackJack is a possibility and even a probability. Hmmmm....interesting.
goodbye '08
Well, well, well. So, I broke down and ordered the Noro yarn (with speedy delivery, I might add), so that I could cease my bad habit beginning tomorrow. Guess what? Uncle Stan the Mailman failed me today and did not bring my package (ok, so I know it isn't his fault, and I shouldn't shoot the messenger, but isn't it just easier?) Tonight at the stroke of midnight the leftovers in my pack will meet with the trashcan and I won't have my Noro to go to. Whatever am I to do? I'm a bit freaked out. I have been working on the second mitten I started on months ago (ended up trashing the original second one due to the mess Maddie made of my yarn - see old post). I will probably work on it when the 'smoking jones' hits me. Still, would be more exciting if I had a new project to begin when this awful habit ends!
Speaking of said second mitten, this one isn't go so well either. It looks a little wonky. Maybe I should frog it today while I still am a smoker because if I wait until tomorrow to fix the 'wonkiness', frankly, it may drive me over the edge.
Goodbye 2008, goodbye nasty habit. Hello 2009.
Oh Crap. 2009. I've kind of been dreading this year. My first baby graduates high school in May and will be going off to college (somewhere - that's a blog discussion for another day) this summer and I.AM.JUST.NOT.READY.
I'm going to go outside and have a smoke.
Speaking of said second mitten, this one isn't go so well either. It looks a little wonky. Maybe I should frog it today while I still am a smoker because if I wait until tomorrow to fix the 'wonkiness', frankly, it may drive me over the edge.
Goodbye 2008, goodbye nasty habit. Hello 2009.
Oh Crap. 2009. I've kind of been dreading this year. My first baby graduates high school in May and will be going off to college (somewhere - that's a blog discussion for another day) this summer and I.AM.JUST.NOT.READY.
I'm going to go outside and have a smoke.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Commit to Quit
I am making the commitment to quit smoking on January 1. Not for a New Year's Resolution, but because my friend, Natalie, tells me that the almanac lists it as the day to quit (according to the moon).
Here's why I'm going to quit:
1. I will live longer.
2. My children will live longer.
3. I will breathe better.
4. I will feel better.
5. My home will smell better.
6. I will no longer feel like a hypocrite when I encourage my students to stop/not start to smoke.
7. I will have fewer wrinkles than if I continue to smoke.
8. My Cardiologist will be happy.
9. My fingers will not be yellow.
10. My teeth will not be yellow.
11. Life will smell better.
12. I will be able to allow people who don't smoke to ride in my car. Right now the odor embarrasses me.
13. I will no longer go to work smelling like an ashtray and worrying about it.
14. I will save money and I can use it to buy yarn. (Think about it - a pack a day is around $4.00. I could buy two balls of sock yarn a week!)
15. I won't have to worry that my finished objects stink. (Like smoke, that is. They may very well continue to stink in the proverbial sense.)
16. When I stress out because I need a cigarette, I can knit; thereby increasing the amount of finished objects I turn out.
17. I will no longer scout any area, looking desperately for the smoking section.
18. Food will taste better.
19. My children will be proud of me.
20. I will be proud of myself.
And here is how I will quit:
I have wanted for a while to knit a beautiful Noro scarf. While I could never justify $45.00 for yarn for one scarf, my very wise friend Anita pointed out to me that I could use it to my advantage. She advised me to buy the yarn, but said that I should not start knitting the scarf until my 'quit day'. Every time I feel the urge to smoke, I should sit down and knit a row (or two. Or seven. Or 29. Whatever.)
By the time I have finished the scarf (which frankly, may get knitted up very quickly!), I will have a beautiful (although expensive) reminder of the feat that I have accomplished. The money I have saved on cigarettes will more than pay for the cost of the yarn I spent for the project. I will know that I can and will be able to break this nasty habit. And I will have a stunning scarf to show for it.
Thanks Nat and Anita for the encouragement. Everyone else, please bear with me.
Here's why I'm going to quit:
1. I will live longer.
2. My children will live longer.
3. I will breathe better.
4. I will feel better.
5. My home will smell better.
6. I will no longer feel like a hypocrite when I encourage my students to stop/not start to smoke.
7. I will have fewer wrinkles than if I continue to smoke.
8. My Cardiologist will be happy.
9. My fingers will not be yellow.
10. My teeth will not be yellow.
11. Life will smell better.
12. I will be able to allow people who don't smoke to ride in my car. Right now the odor embarrasses me.
13. I will no longer go to work smelling like an ashtray and worrying about it.
14. I will save money and I can use it to buy yarn. (Think about it - a pack a day is around $4.00. I could buy two balls of sock yarn a week!)
15. I won't have to worry that my finished objects stink. (Like smoke, that is. They may very well continue to stink in the proverbial sense.)
16. When I stress out because I need a cigarette, I can knit; thereby increasing the amount of finished objects I turn out.
17. I will no longer scout any area, looking desperately for the smoking section.
18. Food will taste better.
19. My children will be proud of me.
20. I will be proud of myself.
And here is how I will quit:
I have wanted for a while to knit a beautiful Noro scarf. While I could never justify $45.00 for yarn for one scarf, my very wise friend Anita pointed out to me that I could use it to my advantage. She advised me to buy the yarn, but said that I should not start knitting the scarf until my 'quit day'. Every time I feel the urge to smoke, I should sit down and knit a row (or two. Or seven. Or 29. Whatever.)
By the time I have finished the scarf (which frankly, may get knitted up very quickly!), I will have a beautiful (although expensive) reminder of the feat that I have accomplished. The money I have saved on cigarettes will more than pay for the cost of the yarn I spent for the project. I will know that I can and will be able to break this nasty habit. And I will have a stunning scarf to show for it.
Thanks Nat and Anita for the encouragement. Everyone else, please bear with me.
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