Monday, June 23, 2008

What?! Another Storm?

Okay, we had a wacky snow filled winter. Now we are being pounded with thunderstorms and though I love them, they're causing damage. We're talking power outages (three hours yesterday) Trees down. House on fire. No, not mine but the next street over. NOT GOOD. Repeat of storms again today. So dark you can't knit. We've had 2 and another just announced over the weather radio. Oh, let's add flooding today. Geesh!
In between storms I finished Happy Feet #12Started Happy Feet #1. I do like this sock yarn. The socks are heavier but my gauge is the same.


During a break in the weather Beau was consumed by the garden ivy.

Then laid on his back to sun himself. Odd cat...

...while Andrew stayed in this position for a couple hours just waiting for a bird to suddenly drop out. It never happened. In fact, we have babies. Cheep! Cheep!

Beau took up the position and went one step further. Climbed up the door casing, grabbed the birdhouse with a paw on each side and stuck his nose in. (a picture would have been better but for the sake of the the birds I ran over to peel him off.)Took all my strength to wrench that cat off the bird house. No one was hurt. Well, maybe the boys pride as I shortened their leads to stop that from happening again. I'm no fun.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Rut, Indecision, Inspiration

I don't know if it's a rut or indecision. I've got stash but no inspiration. I've started oodles of projects that begin as vests or sweaters just to frog them the next day. What to do? I've not been in this predicament in ages! The only saving grace is a sock-in-process in a new yarn for me called Plymouth Happy Feet color #12. (insert photo that doesn't exist here. You can log onto WEBS and search Happy Feet, though I must say my hanks have less yellow and more green/red in them.)
I have an appointment in the Northampton area today so a stop in to WEBS will be the therapy I need for sure. If for nothing else to pick up more Happy Feet yarn. I'm feeling better already!

Monday, June 09, 2008

Southern Belle I Ain't

90's
Humid
Whining
Nova Scotia's looking just fine right now. They have to be cooler, you can't get more north east coast. No, I don't want a geography lesson so save it. Yes, you can add crabby to whiney.
Though I can't pictorially prove it at the moment I did finish Turtle Dove. No idea if it fits as I refuse to try on a wool worsted long sleeve turtleneck sweater. I'm funny like that. I have a "before blocking" pic but the humidity is refusing to upload it.
I have a mood adjuster outside my office window. Mr. & Mrs. Grey Squirrel are out collecting snacks and Baby Grey is testing his mother's patience. She says something to him and he scoots back up the tree. Red Squirrel is doodling around doing what red squirrels do. Pleasantly amusing.
Well, until I can upload pics I guess that's all I have to say about that. Keep cool ya'll on the east coast!

Update: Here is Turtle Dove in it's unblocked state. Resembles thermal underwear don' it?

Pattern: Top Down Drop Shoulder Double Broken Rib Mock Turtleneck

Gauge: 4.5 spi 6.75 rpi

Needles: U.S.8 circulars, 32"

Material: Casacade 220 Grey Heather, White

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

It Makes a Mother Worry

When you send your little one outside to play first thing in the morning you've already taken the precautions to ensure their safety as best you can. You check on them often to see what they're up to. When you go to the door and find your little one is nowhere to be seen your heart immediately slams into your throat. You throw on whatever is close and fly out the door. Not in the yard, not in either one of the neighbors yards. You look up in trees because it's a possibility given their nature. You walk the neighborhood calling their name intently scanning yards and open garages. You probably look like a stalker but who cares, my little one is not safe any more. Trying to be logical is laughable. What were they wearing? What color are their eyes? What interests them?

After two hours of walking the neighborhood you head for the house to call the police. As you get to the door you look over and there sits your little one, pleased as punch with himself on the neighbor's front walk. The brick on your heart lifts. If you call to him he'll run in the other direction. Play it smart. Get a treat. Damn! he's out of sight again. Go to the open garage. Offer the treat. Darn if he doesn't come from behind you. Grab him, give a big hug and tell him what a naughty boy he was for leaving the yard.
Andrew snapped his lead this morning. Not only was he loose but he was wearing a harness, leash and 6ft of rope lead attached to the leash with metal connectors. I was more afraid he would get all that extra baggage caught and be stuck somewhere I couldn't reach him.

When he showed himself he was wearing nothing but the fur he was born with. Someone in the 'hood has a harness and rope and won't know why or how. I would hope no one would release his harness and just let him free. I prefer to think he Houdini'd out of it. My baby is in the house and just itchin' to go back outside. I locked him and his brother in tight and went to work. Breathing a sigh of relief.

I may have another gray hair.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Squooshy Knitting

The past two projects have been DK or fingering weight yarn. I cast on for a drop shoulder sweater in Cascade 220 worsted with size 8 needles. Gigantic in comparison to the 2's I've been working with. Needless to say progress is much faster. Here we see the back to the under arm complete and the front to the center join. The pattern is a double broken rib. Being a rib it has plenty of stretch where I need it and hugs in where I don't. No need to do much shaping.

I joined back to front and continued in the round until I ran out of the working yarn. Picked up the sleeve, knit to 18" and put it on hold. I'm on the second sleeve and will put that on hold at 18".I had to stop myself from knitting several times over the weekend to attend to other duties. I also stop and squeeze it because its so gawl darn squooshy.

Rumor is the temps are to go up to the 90's with humidity this weekend. Not good squooshy knitting weather but I should be done with it by then. Woolie vest is on the blocking board and I found some interesting buttons for finish. Yeh, I shoulda taken a picture of the buttons-I am never going to get the hang of this blogging thing.