Quiet Day

Ever have one of those days where you don't leave the house? That would be me today, with the exception of walking the dog in the am I stayed put. I thought about leaving, certainly could use some groceries. But instead I did my "Walk away the Pounds" dvd. I'm doing the 3 mile routine while listening to podcasts. It goes faster when I'm listening to The Knitmore Girls, then Leslie Sansone's ever so cherry voice. My shoulder has been bothering me lately and these routines include some work with those jumbo elastic bands.

I also read a book. That makes 2 books in 3 days. I feel a bit anti social, but we've had a lot of company the past month and a few days by my self has been nice. Now I'm not only ready, but eager to be social again.

DD2 made her whirlwind trip to Denver for a grad school interview. She had to make a lot of grown up arrangements on her own to pull it off. All we did was pay for a plane ticket. Now we're just hoping for the best.

I spent several hours last night struggling with some cone yarn that I thought wanted to become a shawl. It did NOT want to become a shawl. I will be sending it to DD1 so she can use it learning to weave. On the plus side I started my Luna Cardigan and a pair of socks.

Startisits has struck

I finished the strong heeled socks.

My floor needs to be washed, furniture needs dusting so what am I doing...well roaming ravelry looking for patterns and diving into my stash looking for yarn. I have a patterns picked for a sweater, a shawl, and two pairs of socks.

The baby sweater I finished is for charity. It's the Pure and Simple Hooded Baby sweater, it's a free pattern. Definitely my "go to" pattern for a mindless baby sweater.

Motherbear

I enjoy knitting for the Motherbear project, a wonderful charity that gets hand knit or crocheted bears into the hands of children affected by AIDS/HIV in Africa. I belong to a group in MN and another in FL. The FL group has some devoted knitters, today for example one woman got her 100 bear pin, another brought in 50 completed bears, and a 3rd received pictures that the group leader had spotted on-line of children in Africa holding bears she had knit. How cool is that! Last month the group did theme bears, in African soccer team colors..here's a few

Today at the bears group I started my "something new". I've never knit in the round on two circular needles. Decided it was time I give it a try.

And finally, since I'm into posting nature pic's these days. Here is a shot of the alligator in the pond just off the tee box. Needless to say if I'd hit an errant shot I would not have thought about going after it.

a short heel and new project

I'm still struggling with my strong heeled sock. I'm comfortable with the short row heel concept, but guess I'm still a "flapper". I do like the look it gives with self striping yarn. I'm debating what my next big project will be. I'm leaning towards a short sleeve top down cardi. It works with the whole stash down theme of 2011. I have some nice off white that originally was intended for a wrap, but as they say I'm so over that. It really wants to be a sweater. I'm also thinking I want to cast on another shawl. I have some nice light weight coned yarn that was gifted to me last year. So many options.

My new thing for the week..I learned how to download pdf files, i.e. patterns to my ipod. Granted its tiny and I can't scribble on it like a paper pattern, but I do like the idea that I could keep loads of pattern possibilities on my ipod with me. Coupled with the knitting app I have downloaded for counting and taking notes it makes me feel like I am very techie. I feel like its setting the stage for moving to an IPAD some day.

All quiet on the southern front

We dropped DD2, SIL/BIL off at the airport today. It was fun having them but now time for a little catch up around the house. So tonight, laundry and frozen pizza...not all bad. The past week we've shopped, golfed, celebrated St. Pat's, did a little road trip to see FL wild life, line danced, looked at classic cars, and more. On the road trips I managed to finish a baby sweater and make some progress on the 2nd try at my 2nd sock.

And we managed to share a spectacular sunset with our guests.

back to the frog pond

I was feeling so smug about the progress of my second sock. I'd made it thru the short row heel, only frogging once. But then I tried it on. For some reason, could be because I'd lost my notes, I cast on fewer stitches on #2 then on #1. So back to the frog pond I went. That's why instead of posting a lovely pic of a completed pair of socks I'm posting this

Yesterday was St. Pat's, here in The Villages its a big deal. There is a golf cart parade, Irish music, dancers and of course green beer. We have house guests here for the FL weather so felt compelled to join in the fun. Not sure why but didn't take any pic's of the frivolity. But as you can see its spring here too.

Saturday Sky

A MN knitter whose blog I follow( redhatknitter) always posts a picture of the Saturday sky.  I have no intention of following her lead every Saturday, but the sunset from the restaurant last night was so lovely it deserved to be shared. 

Dinner followed a rather dismal round of golf. As DH said its never a good thing when you say "my 5th shot was good."  But the company was excellent, the weather superb.  DD2 arrived later in the evening so life is good.

I started the second of my Strong Heeled socks while waiting for her arrival.

I did it!

Well my "new to me" thing for the week was to post a photo in my blog.  Pretty cool when something is as easy as you've been lead to believe. 

So why you ask would I bother to post a picture of a random skein of sock yarn,  well because instead of cleaning bathrooms I took pictures of the stash that followed me to FL and posted them on Ravelry.  I follow the Pre-process knitters forum on Rav. The group members are attempting a serious stash down.  Which meant I really needed to confront the yarn tucked in Rubbermaid bins in the front closet.In the process I found a some yarn that will be donated to next years guild stash sale (a guild fund raiser), some that will be donated to charity knitters,  and yarn that I still love.  I didn't take pictures of the yarn that I've decided is just passing thru my stash en-route to someone else's bins. 


Another fun thing I did today was go to a beginning line dance class. I've been going Friday mornings for the past month.  With St. Pat's around the corner we "danced" a few songs with a distinctly Irish flavor.  Shades of Michael Flatly.   Needless to say there are no pictures of me in my "lord of the dance" mode.

new to me

I was listening to the Knitmore Girls podcast last night, my new can't fall asleep tv alternative, and she was talking about doing something new everyday.   I think I'll try that a form of that too.  It doesn't have to be something as grand as take up synchronized swimming, just something new to you.  So, I'm thinking that if I try something new, i.e. different at least once a month that would be good enough.  With that in mind  tip toeing into the blog-o-sphere would be new for this week.   But, it was suggested that photo might make it easier to blog as well as make the blog interesting and I'd have to to agree.  I enjoy looking at pic's of peoples knitting, their pets, and what ever in-sundry other stuff they include.   My next new to me thing will be taking some pictures and figuring out how to include them here. 

Of course I have to admit that with my occasional senior moments what is "new to me" may get repetative.  I spent 9 holes wondering what had happened to my sunglasses only to find them stuck on my visor when I went to put it away.  Seems that I put them there when I made my traditional "pit stop" before the round.  A wiser person probably wouldn't admit that to the world, but sometimes ya' just gotta laugh at yourself. 

On the other end of the spectrum, my DD2 just figured out how to get to the airport, make hotel reservations, find a shuttle,  and the related activities on her own.   As a college kid these are new to her tasks and clearly demonstrate that she is tip toeing into the world of independent grown-up tasks.  She graduates from college this year and is going out to CO for a grad school interview later this month. 

Entering the world of the web

After enjoying reading other people's blogs for years I decided to take the plunge and do a little rambling of my own. 

We're enjoying a glorious Florida morning. The incessant wind of the past week finally seems to have stopped.  Of course it stopped on a day I'm not golfing.  Although, I have to admit that hitting into the wind is an acceptable excuse for just about any bad shot.  Even if it's not the cause, everyone accepts that it is..gotta love it.

I've trying to expand my knitting skill set this year while participating in some stash busting.  So far I've knit two small lace shawls.  I'm working on a short row heeled sock, I've always been a heel flap kinda gal.  I know that this pattern is really not that difficult.  I know that the concept is clear.  I know that it can be done.  But right now it feels like I'm knitting into the wind.  I have done an excessive amount of frogging on this thing.  So, my excuse is the wind...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.