Monday, September 26, 2011

foggy Sunday

One last weekend "up north" as we say in MN. The last of the cabin close up chores.
Woke up Sunday morning to this....

The fog on the lake was so thick you couldn't see the water. Actually you couldn't see to the shore from the cabin. Like something from the start of a "B" horror film or a BBC murder mystery. About an hour later, it was clear. The colors by us were like a muddy version of fall.

I CO a slouchy hat out of Berroco Sock yarn. The first of a collection of hats for a friend who is about to begin chemo. She is allergic to wool so that narrows the field of soft yarns. DD2 finished a worsted weight one over the weekend and CO a second. DD1 is yarn shopping in CT today. The sock yarn slouch hat is a good use of fun colored sock yarn, mine is purple. Unfortunately, sock yarn hats are not speedy. I'll keep plugging away on it, but I am going to go and look for something soft in a worsted weight. I think an adult version of a pumpkin hat would be perfect for Halloween.

A tech note. I can't seem to post pictures from Flicker to blogs or ravelry. I know its just me. So I took the pictures with my ipad, then uploaded them to Dropbox. Then on my laptop I downloaded from dropbox to my desktop. Then they can be inserted with ease. Perhaps a bit convoluted but it works well for me.

Monday, September 19, 2011

bowing to peer pressure

Yep, I confess I have bowed to peer pressure. No I didn't get feathers in my hair or buy jeans with bejeweled pockets to draw attention to my behind. But bow I did. I am knitting a moss stitch shawl for a dear friend who just had a lumpectomy. We went to lunch on Sat. and stopped at a LYS in her area. Much to my surprise she picked up a skein of hot pink trendy yarn and said I love this.

So on the way home, even though I swore I would never knit with it, I bought a skein of the new pink Bernat Rufelina yarn for breast cancer yarn. You know the stuff that knits up like a pink poodle.

There ya' have it. I'm not proud, but if it brings a smile to her face when the surprise scarf arrives in the mail then I'm happy to have knit it. As long as I don't have to wear it I guess its not all bad.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

finding pennies


Years ago I read a charming story about a woman who believed that when you find a penny it means an angel is watching over you or thinking of you, I forget which. I think she was recounting it to a child to comfort them over the loss of a beloved grandparent. Ever since when I find a penny, whether in the street or in my dryer, it makes me stop and think that an angel is thinking of me. Sometimes, its one of my grandmothers, other times one of my parents. No doubt whoever is stirring closest in my sub-consious. It doesn't matter, it almost always makes me smile and gives me a sense of connection to someone I've loved and lost.

And that is why I always stop and pick up pennies that other people leave behind.

and now for something completely different.

I was a big Monty Python fan in the 70's. One of their not to subtle segues was to have one of the Python guys pop up in the skit and say "and now for something completely different" That's how I feel about starting the "Just a Whisper Wrap" and knocking out a baby hat.
I found some Douceur Swirls by Knit One Crochet Too deep in my stash that was crying out to be knit. I could hardly ignore it, could I? Lovely jewel tones on size 11's.



One skein of Lionbrand Kool Wool in a really pretty geranium color. Bought it on clearance years ago. It was a joy to knit with, if you ever stumble across some grab it.

Meanwhile, back at the original skit....I do love the moss stitch shawl I'm knitting for a friend who just had a lumpectomy.

But endless moss stitch on small needles with drapey yarn wears on my hands and my heart. So to make sure I only knit good feelings into the shawl I went looking for something different yesterday. Besides finding the yarn for the whisper and the baby hat I boxed up for mailing some roving style wool for DD1 to use with her loom. This is yarn we bought years ago as new knitters smitten by color with no thought to FO. I'm counting on the fact that she's at the same phase with her new loom. She can squeeze the yarn and imagine making something soft and warm. Later, when the loom honeymoon is over and she still doesn't have a clue what to do with the yarn she can pass it on to someone else.

For now she can have the fun of getting a surprise package in the mail. Because even though I am a huge fan of technology in general, the wonder of the internet and the joy that is my ipad there is still nothing quite like getting an unexpected box in snail mail. As Martha would say "its a good thing!"

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Let the sun shine in...

Cleaned windows this am while listening to the Glee Cast Radio. Station on Pandora. We have Pandora loaded on the computers and have it as a feature on our DVD players. What a way to bring a smile to your day. I'd add a picture, but somehow I think looking at a clean window is akin to looking at a picture of paint drying. Trust me, it is lovely.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Fall is in the air

Another milestone moment. Walked the dog this morning in long jeans, a hooded sweatshirt, real shoes not flip flops, and my hands got cold! Whats up with that? The sun is shining and it looks to be a lovely day.

I have a new favorite, FAGE Greek yogurt. I really like Chobani but COSTCO, my favorite store next to TARGET, didn't have it. Instead they had FAGE, IMHO it is yummy. My Dr. told me if I ate a yogurt everyday I could skip taking calcium pills for now. Can't argue with that, although admittedly I don't eat a yogurt everyday. But, there is always some in my refrigerator.

Finished my Blue Baby sweater

Sewed on the buttons at my knitting group and turned it in. Another WIP for charity finished before I leave MN. Yahoo! This sweater had a "something new" for me. It had the option of using a i-cord button band vs. just a garter stitch button band. I think I'll be using the i-cord approach again. Made a very clean looking edge, so I also did an I-cord bind off on the other side and on the sleeves.

Still working on my mossy red shawl. I moved the project to knitpicks Harmony needles, the rayon/acrylic blend was just to slippery for me on my metal needles.

Today I'm going to delve into my "closet of good intentions" and see if there is anything that I can pass on to some crafting friends. They are part of a group that puts on an annual craft sale with all proceeds going to hunger relief. Sadly, the needs are so great and everyone's funding has been cut. I'm no longer an active part of the group, but I love the cause.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Grandma's Colander


I took my Grandma's colander from the top of a garage sale box as we left my Aunt's house. Out of the many colanders and strainers it was the only one that she decided she could possibly part with....I'm not convinced at the time of a sale she might have changed her mind about that. So I took it. Both because it was something that belonged to my Grandma and I have very little that was hers, and because it would be one less thing that could find its way back into the piles of stuff that will no doubt be accumulating in the new house.

Last night I used the colander to rinse some veg and then to drain the noodles. I thought fondly of my Grandmother who truth be told wasn't a great cook and I never actually remember her using the colander. But I did remember something last night. Aluminum is a great conductor of heat. One would be wise to use this particular colander only for rinsing fruit and veg. Because picking it up after straining hot water and noodles is a terrible mistake. Good that I already own a plastic colander or I might feel the need to buy another. That would not be a good thing.

Monday, September 12, 2011

summers end

It used to be summers end was marked by the start of school. Now that both DD's have graduated from college that marker is no more. Now it is marked by taking the docks out. The boats came out this weekend and the docks will be out next. Then our cabin world is ready for snow and ice. Difficult to comprehend when the days were high 80's.

DD2 spent the weekend back in town. She had to work at her short term job on Friday and Saturday. She is struggling with this first fall of not going back to school. Hearing from friends back on campus of the fun they are having. The downside of picking a college so far from home is you can't pop back for a visit and none of your graduated friends are nearby. It has been lonely. It is however motivating. She started working on her grad school apps this weekend.

After doing laundry, cleaning toilets, etc. to prepare for the guys golf and dock out weekend I watched BBC Midsommer Murders on Netflix. What a wonderful technology! Watching delightful English country men and women knock each other off only to be caught in the end by the charming detective and his young lieutenant. And I knit. All well looking out at the lake. Talk about a life is good moment.



That is the great FAKE ISLE Hat pattern. Free on Ravelry. The yarn is a mystery grey that must have some mohair or angora in it..I was covered in fluff. And some color changing Plymouth that is much like Noro. It is really pretty. Going to a local charity.

And I kept working on the red shawl. A dear friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is not a pink kinda gal, so red is a better choice. Luckily she will only have a lumpectomy followed by radiation. In the grand scheme of things a terrific diagnosis.
I'm using the Mossy shawl pattern from Knitpicks. Not free, but very reasonable.

Today, since the yard didn't get the memo about fall, I have to mow. And then since my DH and DD both enjoy having food in the house I will go buy some. Some days the fun never stops.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Knitting soothes the soul.

After the stress/insanity of my hoarder experience I sent the day knitting and frogging. While watching wonderfully civilized murders being solved in Netflix BBC mysteries. It brought peace to my soul. Funny how even just handling this lovely hand painted yarn is calming. Even if it never becomes- completed object it was money well spent.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Back

I'm back. Nothing more could be Thrown, or donated, or earmrked for a garage sale. There is no letting go.

Emotions were too near the surface. It was time to leave. My new mantra is, if everything is special....then nothing is special. We worked packing and person moving had so many scheduled events that she wasn't able to participate or make decisions, so everything was just to be packed.

It was time to leave. So we did. Leaving behind a mess. And hard feelings. And a whole lot of denial about the issue and the quantity of things to be moved. The elephant in the room just breathed a sigh of relief knowing that it would not be budged.