It's a New Month

November 1st.  Really?  Can it be November already??

Before I go too far with this whole "where has the year gone?" theme, let me post a couple of photos I took as October wound down to a close.



Ghosts and Houndz on Halloween

 This one (left) is of our front door, with the 30+ year-old ghosts adorning the porch lights and the dogs behind the glass (see Gus and Duchess down at the bottom, looking out, with Elmo sneaking up behind them?).  Behind the glass, guys.  Stay!  Yea, like that was going to work with all those kids-in-costume coming up the steps...obviously here just to pet the houndz, right?  I had both door and dog duty on Sunday night...something I didn't think I'd be able to handle by myself.  But, I employed a system that worked surprisingly well.

I kept the fence up at the top of the steps.  Fence, you say?  If you've been to our house, you know we have about 6 or 7 steps leading up from the front walk to the front door.  At the top of the steps is a wide front porch that is about 8 x 25 feet.  Mr. T...inventive man that he be...came up with the idea to create a removable "fence" at the top of the steps, re-purposing (love that word...:) one of the "old" wire closet racks (remember...from the Master Disaster in our closet when we'd first moved into the house?), turned on its side and fitted into a rack-anchor attached to the bottom of the hand-rails on either side of the steps.  Clever, isn't it?!  Fence up:  dogs can go out the front door and see what's happening in their front yard, but can't get off the front porch...safe and sound.  Fence down:  people can come and go without ever knowing it was there...unless you notice the anchors and wonder what they are for.

So, with the fence up, I left the wooden front door open, with just the glass storm door shut.  That way, I could see the little ghosts and goblins as they approached the front steps, even from where I was sitting in the great room.  Then, before anyone could get past the fence and ring the doorbell (which just sets the dogs to barking without stop), I could go out the door, saying:  "Don't worry about the dogs; they just want to greet all of our guests."  The dogs were contained, but happy to be able to interact with everyone that came to see them.  And, almost all of our Trick or Treaters got excited to see the puppies.  One or two exceptions to every rule, of course.



Christmas UFO Being Blocked on Halloween

 Anyway, while I was working my system and waiting for the next visitor to come trooping up the steps, I was putting the finishing touches on one of my UFO's...that red vest I'm making for someone's Christmas gift (right).  It wasn't detailed work...or anything that required me to concentrate on a pattern or a complicated stitch...I'd done all that already.  Mainly stuff I could work on, put down quickly when someone came up the steps, and then pick up and return to where I left off.  Just K1, P1 ribbing; then some binding-off and weaving in of ends; and then finally a little steam-blocking.  Technically, it's still in the UnFinished Object column, since I haven't sewn on the buttons...haven't even purchased them yet.

I was flying solo this weekend because Mr. T had gone to Louisville last week to work for his company in a trade show.  Of course, since that's where Missy M happens to live, he was happy when they asked to work there.  Sure, no problem.  And, since he had already made the trip there, he might as well do a little DIY while in town, right?  Oh yeah...the Daddy Do list was both long and color-coded.  Am happy to report they got a lot of stuff checked off that list.

It was touch-and-go whether he would actually get to go.  On the eve of his departure (as well as my own planned business trip to Atlanta), my back locked up with one of the worst spasms I've had since my car wreck in late '05.  L-o-n-g story short, he went and I survived.  Better now, thank you.

So, back to that "It's November!"  I tried to get a lot of stuff out of the way (like catching up on emails, paying bills, etc.) today so that I could get started with the National Novel Writing Month:  NaNoWriMo.  Good news:  I did get started.  Better news:  I was able to write 2,336 words before the clock ticked over to a new day (which it has while I'm writing this post)!  Yee ha!!  Since the math says that to reach a goal of 50,000 words in 30 days (i.e., To Win), you must write 1,667 words a day, I'm thrilled at my count for the first day.  Plus, I got the file/document all set up in Word without saying too many of those words that I probably would be shame-faced to include in my novel!

I'll just say it here and now:  I'll probably neglect my blog over the coming days and weeks, because...although I treasure my time to write, I do occasionally require a bit of sleep.

Like now.  It's time to go recharge the batteries.  Too tired to spell-check or edit...hope this post makes some sense.  [Yawn.]

Pause for News from the Homefront

It's time for a little break in the Chronicles of Maui for a post from the Real World.  Since I last reported from HPNC, it has gone from Summer to Fall....at least on the calendar.  After several weeks of unseasonably hot, dry weather, we got over 3 inches of rain last night...although nothing like they received Down East in Wilmington (nearly 9 inches of rain...and still coming down at last report), and the temps have dropped from the 90's to the 70's.  Gee whiz...feast or famine.

Go Panthers! 

Mr. T and I have been to three football games since my last report...with no joy generated by any of them.   We have season tickets to Duke (a lot easier to obtain than basketball season tix, for sure...:), and so far we've watched the Blue Devils get whomped, first by Alabama and then by Army.  Then, Sunday we headed to Charlotte for our first of two Panthers games this season, with this one against the Bengals. That's a photo of us (right) at the beginning of the game...and yes, we are wearing rain gear and trying to stay dry...an almost impossible task.  As one of the other fans muttered "It hasn't rained here in over a month, and it has to rain like this today?"  Oh well, we've enjoyed tailgating on all three occasions.

A Peck of Picked Peppers

Back here at Casa 3917, the garden has been surviving on sprinkler-applied moisture...until this week, that is.  The tomatoes are still producing, although the fruit is smaller.  The peppers have just gone wild, with the cayennes on a rampage in the heat...and the green peppers producing loads of smaller, firmer fruits. Even after sharing some with our neighbors, I put up three freezer bags of diced, sliced, and whole green peppers (for stuffing) yesterday, and packed three quart jars full of the cayennes before pouring hot vinegar over them and sealing them.  Oh, yeah...they will be good in chili...and veggies...and those greens...and just about anything that needs a little kick this Winter.

The Greens are Growing in the Garden

We cleaned up the last of the summer squash and re-worked that section to put in lettuce (3 different kinds) and 57 onion sets (!).  I've got another row all ready to put some spinach in, too, hopefully this weekend if we get a break in the weather.  Across the center path where the corn used to grow, I've got a nice stand of turnip greens (Seven Tops, right, grown just for the greens) and some broccoli.  The Purple Hull peas are almost finished for the season, but the English peas are just starting to produce...hooray!  The lima beans have had a difficult time surviving the heat and lack of rain, but I still hold out hope for a limited crop.  The strawberries continue to produce a bumper crop of runners and will soon be ready to be moved to a more permanent location in a week or two. And, the sweet potatoes continue to grow larger and larger; I hope they can stay in the ground until the first frost, so they'll be even sweeter. 

I read somewhere that Fall was some gardener's absolute favorite time of the year.  While you can't grow corn, melons, cukes, or summer squash then, there are so many things that like the cooler temps, like lettuce, spinach, broccoli, greens, peas, etc.  Plus, and this is a big plus in my book, the pests are at a minimum this time of the year.  Well, this is the first year that we've put in a Fall garden, so I'll keep you posted on how it's going.  So far, so good!

And, in response to a faithful reader's comment that I haven't mentioned my knitting in ages, I'll add a report in this post.  Over the summer, when it was just too hot to work with wool, I did manage to finish a pair of socks for Nana's BFF AW.  She's such a good friend to our whole family really.  I hope she'll enjoy wearing them when the cooler weather arrives.

I called these Chasing Cables...and if the yarn hadn't been so scrump-dilly-icious, I may never have finished 'em.  I got this hand-dyed yarn called Princess Rose on etsy.com, and I loved it from the moment I first touched it.  But, I did a foolish thing by casting on just one sock...instead of the two-at-a-time that I've been doing.  I almost developed Second Sock Syndrome, an affliction that knitters get, causing the inability to complete the second sock after the first one has been bound off.  But, I finally managed to get that second one done, thank goodness.  Whew!  And that's it for my Finished Objects (FO) report.  [Actually, I've finished a couple more projects, but as they are going to be Christmas gifts, I can't mention them here.  Ask me about them in a few months...:)]

Now, for the Unfinished Objects (UFO) line-up...as usual, this list is much longer than my FO list:

1. A pair of socks using the Plum Tones Panda silk yarn by Crystal Palace that I got in Hillsborough, NC.  These will be for CW, BFF AW's daughter, who has reportedly threatened to "borrow" her mom's new socks (above, left).  I'm making her a pair of her own.
2. A vest in a really red Savoy yarn by Tahki Stacy Charles...which is a lovely blend of 52% silk and 48% merino wool...so soft.  It's another gift, so I won't say any more about that yet either.
3. A lace wrap using a Feather-and-Fan pattern, size US4 needles, and Andrea yarn by Schaefer.  This is yet another silk yarn, so it appears I'm on a silk kick this Fall.  [I must say that this is my least favortie project at the moment, as I find lace-weight yarn to be "fiddly" to work with.  Is that a word?  It certainly should be.]
4. Oh, and lest I forget:  a sweater in Blueberry Mix Ultra Alpaca by Berroco, using a pattern called Picchu-Picchu.  This one is for me (!), so I can talk about it all day long.  The yarn is so soft (although not as soft as that Savoy silk blend!), and the pattern is really different.  You knit the back and the back of the sleeves, all at the same time; then, you knit each front and the front of each sleeve; then, you three-needle join the tops of the sleeves and add cuffs.  Can't wait to see how this one turns out!  Right now, I'm on the back/sleeve portion, with 267 stitches on my needles...whew!  Thank heavens for Addi Turbo circulars!!

OK, that's all the projects that I'll admit to, for the moment.

Before I close this post, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Nana/Momma/Edith.  Many of you have asked about her latest health issue (torn rotator cuff in her right shoulder).  She has the proverbial good days and bad; fortunately today is a pretty good one.  While the heat and humidity of Summer are hard on her, making her breathing difficult, she says she's not looking forward to the cold, damp days of Winter, with those stiff joints.  Could we just have Spring and Fall, please?

Ah well, so much for the Real World report.  Come back in a few days and join me back in Maui, when I post some more about our trip and eventually get us back to the Mainland.

Start of Something New

I really don't want to jinx anything ("You're not superstitious, are you Leon?"  "No, I'm just a little 'stitious."**), but has anyone else noticed a touch of Spring in the air?  I trimmed some branches off our one forsythia (side yard, under our bedroom window...:) and popped them into a vase of warm water...along with some King Alfred daffodils that had opened this weekend...all for the dining room table.  Of course, about an hour after I did that on Saturday, it started to HAIL (English pea-size).  Ah yes, the joys of Spring:  flowers, rebirth, and changeable weather.  It's always something new at this time of the year.

Last Friday brought another "something new" into my life.  I started my volunteer job with the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), a part of Old Salem in Winston-Salem.  It was raining and dreary outside (as you can see in that photo over there that I captured with my phone), but I fell in love with all the beautiful things...and the lovely people...that were inside.  I received such a warm welcome...I got the Grand Tour by two enthusiastic staff members...and I was shown all the "off-Tour areas," too. 

I love that part, don't you know?  When we lived in the Memphis area, I used to be a docent for the Mallory Neely house in Victorian Village (which is closed now, I'm sad to see), and my favorite part was to explore the off-Tour areas (although it was sometimes spooky).

Anyway, I'm excited about helping with the Textile Seminar that starts this week.  I'll also get to attend all of the workshops and sessions, so it's best of all worlds.  I have a coverlet that was woven by my great, great grandmother, Nancy Elizabeth Dudley Holland, who lived in middle Tennessee in the mid- to late- 1800's, and I'm hoping to get some more information on it from the instructor of the session called:  "From Home Looms and Store Shelves: New Considerations of Southern Backcountry Textiles".

An update on Elmo's eye...

He's doing remarkably well, thank goodness.  He keeps both of his eyes open now, even though he only has sight in the left eye.  That means that the pressure in both of his eyes is under control and not causing him pain just to open the lids.  He continues to "get lost" sometimes, walking behind an open door and bumping his nose on the wall.  He just adjusts his journey...sorta like a Roomba...and retraces his steps!  Still doing the drops daily (different kinds in each eye, three times a day.)  Amazingly, he looks "normal" when you look at him, as you can see in this photo of him enjoying the rest of Gus' breakfast.  One thing's for sure, he hasn't lost his appetite!

Have I told you about my new March Madness committment?  No, this has nothing to do with the NCAA Tournament, starting this week.  I doubt I'll even do a bracket since my own Memphis Tigers didn't make the cut...they'll be heading into the NIT, playing St. John's on Wednesday...sad to say.  Anyway, I joined other About.com knitters in making a commitment to resolving our UFO's this month...and not starting any new projects until April 1st. 

So, how's that going, Patricia?  It's killing me!!!  I've recently unpacked all of the boxes of yarn that we moved from MO (...whoa!...:), so I was keenly aware of just how many projects I had on the needles...and just how many were in the wings.  Seemed like an excellent idea at the time I read about it.  But, now, that I'm holding myself to it?  Painful. 

BTW, "resolving" means to either finish the thing...or frog it.  I've finished knitting N/M/E's Entwined Shawl (still have to weave in the ends), and an I-cord necklace with buttons (I'd done the I-cord/knitting...I just had to sew about 20 buttons on it for decoration).  I'm working diligently on a belt for Missy M (sock yarn on US 1's...going slowly).  I also have a baby blanket that I'd started crocheting a couple years ago that I've been working on.  Actually, I have two of these baby blankets started; but, in the spirit of things, I'm trying to finish one before I pick up the other one again.  I've yet to frog anything, as I'm putting the ripping out off until the last week of the month.

And, where are the pictures of these things, you ask?  Well, it appears I've misplaced my camera...yikes!  I wish I could ring it up like I do my cellphone when I "lose" it temporarily.  No such luck.  Soon as I can put my hands on it, I'll be back in business.  Until then...stay tuned.



**A great line from NCIS...Special Agent LeRoy Jethro Gibbs to Director Leon Vance, followed by his response.**

Ready, Set, Go!

Let's see...where was I?  Oh yeah.  We had a houseful of dogs (four...count'em, 4).  That all changed last weekend when Mr. T and I made the "mad dash" to meet up with Missy M  at the half-way point...a Subway parking lot in Charleston, WV.  We still had snow on the ground here, but we'd already put this little trip off a couple of times due to the weather...and with more snow on the way, well, we were afraid that we may not get there until the Spring thaw.  So, we loaded up the Endeavor with Ella Rae and all her stuff:  donut-shaped bed, blanket embroidered with her name, and a bag full of toys...and off we went.

Snow?  You ain't seen snow until you've been up I-77 through Fancy Gap, VA to Ghent, WV.  Mr. T asked one of the toll booth operators (yes...it's a toll road through that part of WV) how much snow they had on the ground.  She said 27 inches.  And, snow was falling at the time.  It snowed on us...well, mostly flurried on us for almost the entire trip.  But we made it just fine.

Needless to say, Missy M was thrilled to see her pup...and, oh yes, her parents, too.  We hugged, we kissed, and then it was time to go again. Ella Rae jumped out of our car...did a little business...and raced back to "her" car.  This one!  This blue Honda right here!!  Let me in, let me in, let me in!!!  She was ready to roll. 

That photo up there, left is from the Tamarack Travel Plaza on the WV Turnpike (I-77) where we stopped on our way back home to take a break and get some coffee.  It was still snowing on the return trip...a little harder, a lot colder.  We were so glad to get home again.  The Drool Gang sniffed us up and down...Elmo searched in vain for his buddy, Ella...but they finally seemed to be appeased with the ham bites I brought back from our supper stop at Cracker Barrel.   Time to write a new chapter in our lives in NC.

Elmo continues to receive the three types of eye drops, three times a day for his primary glaucoma.  Our next appointment is March 8th, and we imagine that we will hear the pressures in his right eye are still off the chart too high.  Sigh.  We are spending this in-between time helping him get used to his "new" environment, so that he won't be lost when he loses his eyesight.  So far, so good.  He seems so happy to be here, and he's made himself right at home...reestablishing himself as a member of the Drool Gang.  I'll keep you posted.

Missy M got home just in time for another huge snowstorm.  She sent this photo (right), showing her deck and backyard, looking out her back door toward the garden shed.  She used her cellphone to take the photo, but maybe you can make it out.  The little black fluffball to the right of the shed is Ella Rae, running through the fluffy white stuff; the snow-covered blob to the right of Ella is actually an Adirondack chair!  Can you say Snow Day? 

Through it all, I've been knitting.  I finished Mr. T's Shawl Collared-Sweater, which I've been working on for 18 months or more.  No, it wasn't that difficult, although I've never done a shawl collar before...or a pocket in the manner the pattern directed.  It was almost a casualty of The Big Move:  I "lost" the second sleeve I'd been working on at the time everything got packed up.  Finally found it...finished it...and dedicated 3 days to sewing it all up.  Whew!  That's a photo of it over there on the left.  To recap, I bought this scrumptious Alpaca With A Twist Highlander yarn in colorway 3016 Tartan Red in Scottsdale, AZ at Arizona Knitting and Needlework.  Yeah...went all the way to AZ to buy a yarn made in IN.  Ah well.  Glad it is finally a FO.

And did I ever show you a photo (right) of the Waikiwi "Possum" yarn socks I knit for Missy M's Valentine's Day?  Can you see what the side cable forms?  I hope you can make out the XOX.  I found this fabulous pattern for Tickled Pink socks on a blog called Island of Misfit Patterns.  It was difficult to tell from her photos what the cable pattern formed, but I think it came out better in that photo on the right.  Missy M said she wore them during that Snow Day...and that they kept her feet warm and toasty.  I'll bet...

Possum yarn, you say?  Yes.  It's a New Zealand yarn which blends NZ Merino Wool, nylon, alpaca, and possum fibers.  Paradise Fibers says:  If you aren't familiar with possum fiber, it is known for its softness, lightness, and warmth."  I guess I've never seen a cold possum, now that I think about it.

Anyway, I needed to get those projects off my needles, so that I could cast on my Ravelympics 2010 project.  For those of you not familiar, Ravelry (a social networking site dedicated to knitters and crocheters) has teams that start a project (or more than one in some cases) during the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics, and aim at completing that project by the end of the Closing Ceremonies.  I'm competing on Team Charlotte Purls (no local team was organized when I was setting up my project) in the Sweaterboard Cross and Nordic Colorwork Combined...tee hee.  I cast on my Fair Isle Collar Jacket (from a Vogue Knitting pattern) at exactly 9:00 EST (Opening Ceremonies started at 6:00 PST in Vancouver, you know).  I've got the body of the sweater completed after one week; that's a photo of it on the left, when it was nearing the bottom border color change.  I'm currently working on the collar, which is going a bit slower because of all the colorwork involved.  As this pattern is a top-down raglan cardigan, I should have few seams to finish...just a couple tiny ones under the arms...and only 3 buttons.  Much better than the pattern I chose for Ravelympics 2008...too much sewing in that one.  I was racing the clock to finish and earn my Badge!  I hope I won't be working on this come Closing Ceremonies next Sunday...that I'll be wearing it instead!  Stay tuned...

Two To One...and the One, Won!

Yep, it's the morning after the Big Game.  Lots of Monday morning quarterbackin' going on.  We were a house-divided around 3917:  Mr. T and N/M/E were wearing blue (for the Colts), and I showed up in my black and gold (for the Saints).  Missy M phoned in her ambivalence...she was probably going to yell for Peyton (the quarterback, not the coach) she said, but she wouldn't be unhappy if New Orleans pulled it off.  Well, they sure as heck did!  New Orleans 31 - Indy 17.  They are probably still dancing on Bourbon Street.

Truthfully, I was hoping to be wearing purple on the first Sunday in February, but my quarterback (Brett Favre) didn't make it out of the Big Easy two weeks ago a winner.  So, I transferred my allegiance to the Saints, who have been favs since we lived in Shreveport in the mid-70's (back when they were called the NO Ain't's...:).  I've usually adopted whatever team of whatever city/region of wherever we were living at the time: the Falcons when we were in ATL..and now, the Panthers since we are near Charlotte (where fellow University of Memphis alum De'angelo Williams plays).  Liked the Packers while Favre (fellow University of Southern Mississippi alum) was there; now cheer for the Vikings.  Never could like the Rams when in STL, even though I tried while Isaac Bruce (UM alum) was there.  But, have always had a soft spot for the Saints.

When the final second clicked off the game clock, I felt like a winner in more ways than one.  I had just finished my newest FO:  the Woven Rattan scarf (weaving in the last end with 1:46 to go in the 4th quarter...:).  I started this scarf (see photo, left) last year during the play-offs, but couldn't m-a-k-e myself finish it.  The Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica handspun, kettle-dyed yarn is yummy, and I love the colorway 107 (purples, burgundies, pinks...what's not to love?)...and it was created to become a beautiful, warm scarf.  When I spotted the shop sample at Knit and Caboodle in St. Charles, MO (still my fav LYS, although I now live 5 states away...sigh), I thought "gotta knit that!"  The pattern was free with the yarn purchase, so what could be more right?  Hmmmm.

I really struggled with finishing this...not because the pattern was difficult, but because the pattern was, well, irritating is the only word I can think of.  I enjoy knitting, but this pattern was more about slipping stitches, wrapping yarn overs, and passing the slipped stitches over the (very few) knitted stitches on right side...all of which creates that beautiful woven rattan look...and which requires constant attention to where you are in the pattern.  Not good for relaxing and catching up with my shows.  The wrong side was even more painful (and I mean that literally and figuratively): it required purling two stitches together, and then without removing the completed stitch, purling into the first stitch still on the LH needle.  With fat-to-thin yarn and size US11 needles, I felt like I had to wrangle the wrong side.  My hands actually hurt after a session with this project.  I'm happy to have finally finished it, I will thoroughly enjoy wearing it...and I will file this pattern away, never to be done again.

I also finished my Possum XOX Socks on Friday, but I'll wait until another post to show you a picture of them.  They are a gift, so...well, you know. 

I'm trying to clear out my UFO's so I can focus totally on my Ravelympics2010 project.  Here's a pic (right) of the yarn (Baby Alpaca Grande Tweed color 2229 by Plymouth) and the swatches.  Can't start the project until the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics on Friday. More on that later.

All's well weather-wise here in the Piedmont of NC today.  We have a bit of snow lingering ("waiting on the next round"?), the Weather Channel is predicting both snow and rain for tonight, but as of right now...it's just cold.  I'm getting ready for Elmo's appointment with his new NC opthalmologist.  Will let you know how that goes.  Fingers crossed...toes, too!

Round Two

What a mess outside!  We got another round of snow in the night...which has now turned to a cold rain, with the temps just above the freezing mark:  32.7 degrees on the digital thermometer.  I was going to post a photo of it, but how do you take a picture of "melting?"  Ugh.  Let's see if I can find another one from the previous round of winter weather...there, over on the right:  that was looking out our front door, toward the street.  The magnolia tree was weighted down with powdery snow (which has since melted off...and been replaced...and now been washed off again).   After a day of continuous rain, we will get re-freezing and more snow tonight.

It's definitely a good day to stay inside, with the fireplace going...a pot of stew on the stove...a cup of tea by my chair...and needles clicking in my hands.  I love a snow day...even if it's not as pretty as the last one was.

Here're a few photos of my latest FO, with the finished object shown on the left.  I completed my Argyle Country Silk sweater while I was in Louisville, and then wore it home.  Love it!  Feels so soft and warm...goes great with jeans and a turtleneck.  I changed the Cleckheaton pattern (naturally...:) to a V-neck, as I prefer that style, with deeper ribs on the sleeves and hem; also, I used different colors of yarn, which I think turned out looking better than the pattern-model.  I even received some favorable comments on Ravelry...always a welcome experience.  I don't know if this pattern is technically an argyle, as most argyles have outlines of diamonds of different colors superimposed over the solid diamonds to create a feeling of "dimension" ...but, even if you want to call this my Harlequin Sweater, I won't mind.  I still like the way it feels.  And that it is finished...:)

Of course, getting it finished required weaving in all those color-ends on all of those diamond patterns you see...and *even Equitorial Pygmies know how I feel * about weaving in ends..  An argyle is knit using the intarsia method of changing colors:  you use a different "ball" of yarn for each patch of color, since you would have to carry yarn on the wrong side over more than 5 stitches in the same row (like you can do in Fair Isle knitting), and that won't work.  I rolled six bobbins of yarn for each "set" of diamonds, then working from the bottom toward the top, I could knit blue and white in the same row, then blue and red, then red and green, and finally green and white...before I finally knit with "just white."

I made some photos of the project in the beginning (right)...and one of the reverse side with the green bobbins in action.  As Missy M made note:  I won't be doing any knitting with bobbins again any time soon.  A real pain.  And, woe unto the one who has to frog a mistake...all the wraps at the points of color changes = a great deal of fussing while frogging.  Spoken by one who would know about such things.

I'm still working on the Entwined Shawl for N/M/E with the Water Hyacynth rayon yarn.  I don't like working with this (beautifully colored) stuff, as it splits and sticks to my bamboo needles...but slides completely off my (metal) Addi Turbos.  I've knitted the back to the front; divided for the neck; and finished one side of "fingers" that will create the basketweave "entwine" pattern on the front.  Sigh.

I worked on my Woven Scarf a little more during a recent episode of Top Gear (I am definitely not a gear-head, and I still love that show...:), but have to pay too much attention to the pattern stitches to enjoy knitting while watching TV.  It requires slips and wraps and passing slipped stitches over on the right side; then, purling twice into P2tog stitches on the wrong side.  Double sigh.

Thought I'd take a break from both of these UFO's by starting yet another project:  two socks on two circs.  I'll tell you more about this UFO soon.  Just know...the yarn is from New Zealand, and contains 10% possum-fur (hair?)...!

I've got my yarn ready and swatched for my upcoming Ravelympics2010 entry.  I plan on knitting a sweater with Plymouth's Baby Grande Alpaca in a blue heather colorway.  I think I'm going to use a Vogue Knitting pattern that combines a simple Stockinette stitch for the body of the sweater (which is knit with a bulky-weight yarn for speed) with a lovely Fair Isle collar (which will provide the Wow! factor).  I originally had thought I'd do a vest, but then found this pattern that really spoke to me.  We'll see.  I have to make up mind soon, as I have to cast on my project during the Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver, which will be 9:00 p.m. EST on February 12.  Stay tuned...

Meanwhile, time to mind my knitting.  And, maybe to make some chocolate chip cookies to go along with that cup of tea, hmmmmm?



*Borrowed that phrase from an episode of NCIS.*

Winter's Upon Us

I've really been enjoying my view from my office-et-keeping room, which overlooks the back yard.  With three 48" wide x 72" high windows forming a bay across the back wall (as shown in the '09 photo to the right), I can see lots of wildlife when I'm at my desk.  The photo to the left is just one of about a thousand (OK, I'm exaggerating a tad...:) that I have taken of the Eastern Bluebirds that are frequenting our feeders this month.  Oh, we've seen them at other times of the year, but not nearly as prominently as in the past few weeks.  There seem to be three that are in a family group that appear at the same time.  Am I seeing different groups of 3 at different times of the day?  Not sure.  We also have at least four different kinds of woodpeckers at the suet feeders:  Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, and Flickers.

Then, when I turn the other way (looking into the room/house), I see the fireplace...which I've kept going almost constantly during the current Cold Snap. Makes it hard to do any actual w-o-r-k at my desk, don't you know?

I've been concentrating lately on planning N/M/E's upcoming 90th birthday celebration.  We'll be gathering in Nashville in mid-April to raise a glass of punch in her honor, hopefully with family and friends in attendance. I'll add updates in my posts over the next few weeks.

Weather update:  we are still in the mid-30's here, with a bit of snow falling this morning.  The local weatherman called it "a novelty item."  Hmmm.  I guess he was trying to say that we shouldn't be expecting any more?  At least not until the weekend.  Anyway...we have beautiful blue skies, making it appear to be warmer outside than it actually is.  I walked to the mailbox without a sweater or coat earlier and had to hurry back to the warmth of my fireplace.  I think I'll make some Brunswick Stew and a loaf of yeast bread for supper...that should be just the ticket.

Before I get started, I'll pull out the Family cookbook, using N/M/E's recipe for the Stew (which is similar to that link from Southern Living, but which does NOT use baked beans).  I'll also try that link to the bread recipe as I'm always on the lookout for a good/new one.  I'll let you know how it comes out!

Then, later on this evening I'll get back to my latest knitting project (of which I have started about 4 since the first of the year...:).  I lucked into a fabulous sale at the Stitch Point the other day (when I went back to get a couple more skeins of the yarn I'm planning on using for my Ravelympics project in February...more on that in a later post).  I literally stumbled across a sale basket of Country Silk (85% wool, 15% silk) and project booklet #949 by Cleakheaton (an Australian yarn company), all of which had been marked down 40%.  They had a shop sample done of one of the sweaters in the booklet (an argyle pattern) that I had already noticed on my previous trip...but I hadn't asked about it because I truly didn't need another yarn or project in my queue.  Well, I couldn't pass this one up now, could I?  When I sat down to swatch the yarn on the day I bought it, I just couldn't stop knitting!  I have finished one of the sleeves (which I did as my swatch...:) and started on the second one already.  Since there is no pattern stitch to the sleeves (just knitting and purling and increasing then decreasing), I can knit while watching basketball games...no problem.  When I entered my new project into Ravelry today, I noticed that this yarn had been discontinued.  Always seems to happen when I fall in love with a fibre.  Sigh.

OK...it's 4:00.  Gotta get the Stew going and the bread rising.  I'm hungry already!

Let's Begin Twenty-Ten

It's the first full week of the New Year.  As is most of the country, we are experiencing a Cold Snap here in the Piedmont of NC.  As I write this post, the Magnificent Seven Squirrels are having a fab time in the feeders (yes, there are 7 of them at once in the backyard...:), storing up for the predicted evening snow that is currently making its way across the mountains.  That photo to the left is from Missy M, who writes that she still had to go to work this morning anyway.  B-r-r-r-r-r.

I think this is one of my favorite times of the year.  The Holidays are behind us...along with severely hectic schedules.  Spring, with all its wonder and work, is far ahead of us.  This lull before Lent is just right for catching my breath and doing a little catching up.  So, let me get started already!  (I can't even do s-l-o-w slowly...:)

Before I get going with what's happenin' now, I should close the files on the Finished Objects for 2009.  As I said in an earlier post, my needles were clicking on several gifts (pictured to the right).  I knitted up yards and yards of 4-stitch I-cords for 8 Knitted Necklaces.  The knitting was really easy (almost boring) and could be done mindlessly while the football games were on TV.  I purchased pretty metal, wood, and glass pendants and got silver clasps and charms for accents.  The hardest part was attaching the findings, which I didn't have to do, but which I wanted to add for a little more pizazz. No fingernails left after that.

I also knitted a belt for SIL J, using tee-niney US 1 needles (think:  tooth picks) on sock yarn, then attached D-rings and a brass-toned charm, following a pattern from a box of To Go knitting patterns she had given me last Christmas.  Turn about is fair play, right.

And, then, the "fun" stuff.  I made these neat Ice Scraper mitts for the Men in My Life (T, J, and T) + one for Missy M and one for moi.  The Encore yarn (75/25 blend and in "school colors") is a much better choice than the recommended all-wool yarn, because...hey, news flash:  Ice Scrapers get wet!  The hardest part of this gift?  Finding enough ice scrapers; I bought all that the local Ace Hardware had.  Cornered the market.  Good thing too, since the Weather Channel says we're gonna need'em.

And, last but not least.  Missy M's Ripple Waves Afghan in her new furniture colors of cream, olives, and teal (the red is from the afghan draped on the chair)...and the Duck, Duck, Goose Socks.  That's a shot of her and Ella Rae (right) enjoying the new fu (our family name for an afghan...don't know where it came from, altho N/M/E says that's what I called my blanket when I was a tot) when they were still here at Christmas. She's gonna need that blankie and those socks (left) tonight, too, as she just called to say that she now has about 3" of snow, more or less, and still falling.

OK...that's about it for the FO Round-up.  As for what's on the needles now, I just finished the second sleeve on Mr. T's Shawl Collar Sweater.  It was the last piece left...and I'd lost it in the move...yikes!  Found it the other day...whew!!  Now, it's all about the blocking and assembling.  So, I guess you can still call it an Unfinished Object (UFO)...technically.

Other UFO's:   I did a few rows on my Woven Stitch Scarf (which I also "found" recently).  That one required more thinking than I was able to muster, as I was recovering from a particularly nasty bout with an intestinal virus.  Virus 1 - Patricia 0.  I was fine when I got up last Friday morning...queasy by noon...and KO'ed by three.  Took a day to get the fever down...and several more for me to be able to face solid food again.  But, right as rain now, thank goodness.

After yarn crawls to High Point, Greensboro (see photo, left, of Stitch Point), and Charlotte with Missy M over the Holidays, my stash is bulging with new and intriguing yarns and patterns.  Which to choose?  I decided on a rayon-with-copper-thread yarn called Water Hyacynth and a shawl pattern called Entwined Shoulder Shawl that I got at Charlotte Yarn.  I really fell in love with that shop, located in the Dilworth historic neighborhood, and will return...if I can borrow the GPS to help me find my way there again. And, I think this will be the perfect shawl for N/M/E to wear at her 90th birthday party...more on that later.

OK...gotta run to the store.  Bread and milk, you know.  Snow's a'coming!

Look Who Found Us in KY

N/M/E's good friend from Cincinnati, Rose and her daughter Carol stopped by Missy M's house for a bit this week. What a nice treat that was! And don't those two octogenarians look fabulous in that photo on the left?

Mom and Rose have been good friends since the "West Tennessee Days," when Daddy and Rose's husband worked together in Covington. Mercy...that must be 35 years ago! As I've said before (and will hopefully say again), there's nothing like enduring friendships.

Carol, who does amazing counted cross-stitch work on linen, brought her latest project for us to see. Of course, I need a magnifying glass just to look at the eensy-weensy, teeny-tiny stitches. How she has any vision left is beyond me! She also brought along some tasty cookies...which I had no trouble whatsoever in seeing...and devouring...:)

Carol and "the Moms" headed off for a nice lunch at Applebee's, but I had to hang around the house to take care of some details with the contract on the NC house. Never fear...I put in my order for my favorite, Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad. Yummy! I think it's the dressing that makes me drool for that particular dish. Whatever...I know that if I haven't had one every couple of weeks, I start craving it!

New house update: I completed all the mortgage loan papers online last night...in just under 2 hours. I love Quicken Loans! Never heard of them? Well, I'm certainly one of their satisfied customers. This will be the third time we have used them (fourth, if you count when Missy M bought her house), and I believe it has gotten even quicker. You have one "point person" who makes sure the process goes smoothly, and then you do almost all of your "paperwork" online, by email, by phone, and/or by fax. Ah, technology. Perfect way to do business, if you ask me.

UFO update: Because I worked on the loan stuff, I didn't get to work on the previously-mentioned socks much. Maybe today, after all the laundry's done. How can 4 people (one of whom is only here on the weekends) generate so many dirty clothes? Never ceases to amaze me...

We Have a Contract...Finally!

Here's an appropriate quote for today's post:

"The work was like peeling an onion. The outer skin came off with difficulty ... but in...time [you're] down to its innards, tears streaming from your eyes as more and more beautiful reductions became possible."

-- Edward Blishen in Donkey Work, (1983).

Behold a photo (right) of our new home in High Point, NC. As I said in my previous post, we found it listed on Realtor.com, after we had to give up on finding a new home that would meet our family's specific needs and began to look at resales; we shared it with Realtor Bob, asking if he was familiar with the subdivision, Sailing Point.

On paper/online, it sounded perfect for us in that it had both the master bed and bath AND another large bed and bath (necessary for N/M/E) on the main level. He thought it would be a good one for us to include on "our list," and it went to the Number 1 Spot as soon as Mr. T toured it a couple of weeks ago. I flew to NC this past weekend, and as soon as I drove up to it, I just knew..."this is it." Although I looked at all the others on the short list that Realtor Bob and Mr. T had narrowed down for me (because I don't do very well with too many options...:), I kept referring to this one as "our house." As they say, the rest is history.

Of course, the in-between story was that it was a long and exhausting negotiation process, but we'll forget that in a short time. We'll be too busy enjoying our screened porch overlooking our treed backyard, where we'll have our 13 bird feeders stragically placed for optimal viewing. (The sellers are leaving the birdbath that is already set up amongst the azaleas and daylilies.) Closing is set for May 27th. Can't wait...but I'll have to, won't I?

Meanwhile, all's going well with the progress toward closing on the MO house next Thursday. Biggest problem there: the grass keeps growing and growing and growing, due to the warm weather and an abundance of Spring rain. We've hired out the mowing chore, as we don't intend to be back there...if we can help it. Realtor Sue is a jewel, who keeps an eye on the property for us, so we are comfortable with being 2 states (or more) away.

Almost forgot...FO/UFO Report. I finished that pair of Heart & Sole socks in "Green Envy" colorway on the plane to/from NC...and during my extra-long lay-over in Baltimore (er, I missed my connecting flight to Raleigh on the way last Friday). Thank goodness for knitting! Grafted the toes as we were descending into the Louisville airport on Monday. Couldn't wait to get started on my next pair of socks...which are a gift for a very special young lady...in a very special sock yarn...using a very special pattern. I got them on the needles...2 Socks on 2 Circs...yesterday. Question is...will I really be able to keep this pair a secret until I finish them? Odds are against it...but you never know.

Stay tuned...

Is That Really Snow? No...April Fools!

OMG...it looks like it has snowed at Missy M's house! She has 5 or 6 large Bradford Pear trees in her front yard which were in full bloom last weekend when I was there...and when the wind began to blow on Sunday, the white petals began to fly all about, like snow flakes. Gorgeous!

Yes, I'm still traveling back & forth, to & fro, from KY to MO. I'm thoroughly sick of Interstate 64. I've listened to more books-on-CD than you can imagine...almost every one of Agatha Christie's mysteries.

I especially like to listen to Hugh Frasier's voice (he is the actor who played the definitive Capt. Hastings in the definitive David Suchet-versions of Poirot on BBC/PBS/A&E TV). He does all of the characters' voices so well...even the female, even the "foreign" accents! Suchet is also a reader on a few of the CD's, and he can make his voice sound just like an American woman speaking...or a French man...or Russian woman...or...you get my drift. Amazing talents. I guess I'd better get on the St. Charles County Library's website and reserve me another couple of books to listen to on my next 6 hour ride (3 there, 3 back). Sigh.

Still, I do have good news to report on the home front(s). Here in MO (where I am at the moment), we've had the home inspection and the termite inspection...and there are only 4 things that the buyer is requesting. Three are what I would term "minor," with only one in the "major" catagory...meaning we will have to get someone else to complete it. The home inspector found that 2 of the plumbing vents on the roof have "deteriorating" seals, and the buyer wants us to replace them. Of course, this is not something we will attempt to do (go on the roof), regardless of how dyed-in-the-wool-DIYers we might be. (And, of course, the inspector "found" something that we cannot check out ourselves...but I digress.) We've already signed off on the request, so the next step in the sales process is the appraisal...which should happen soon, maybe as early as tomorrow. After that, it's all over except the actual closing on 5/7/09. Banner day!

In NC, where Mr. T is, there is also good news. He is meeting the Realtor there tomorrow to start the "real" house-hunting. By "real," I mean that they will be visiting properties with an eye for purchase (sooner rather than later), instead of what we were doing, which was to visit properties to get a feel for neighborhoods, etc. Ours was a weeding out process; theirs will be a selection process.

Of course, we are all currently grieving the loss of the Memphis men's basketball coach to the University of Kentucky. Coach Calipari really lifted the program from the doldrums 9 years ago and breathed life back into the Tigers. He's a marvelous recruiter and is able to bring top talent on board...at least until they leave for the NBA. Double sigh. Got to get over it and move on. Still, as I said in my Twitter to the Commercial Appeal, Alan Graf (a top FedEx exec and big Tiger booster) put it best: “Now, [UK]'s the same university that (drove away) Tubby (Smith) after a national championship..." I guess we'll just have to see how this decision plays out. Hopefully, before too very long, we (UofM) will have a new coach in place...and renewed enthusiasm for next year's run at the Final Four!

Meanwhile, I have to keep the stress of waiting and anticipating under (some) control. I started a sweater for friends' new grandbaby on Saturday, using some CotSoy yarn in Missy M's stash and her Queensland Collection book with the Juniperus pattern as my guide. I knitted almost constantly through Monday night, stopping only to eat and to drive back to MO (and if I could figure out how to knit and drive...safely...I would do it...:). I finished the sweater on Tuesday and the little hat (a made-up pattern that mimics the Juniperus color changes) on Tuesday night. There's a photo on the right of the two pieces. The other photo (left) is a picture of the pile of "ends" that I had to weave in on all of the color changes (stripes)!

Have I told you how very much I hate to weave in the ends? Well, just in case you missed my previous rant(s), I HATE TO WEAVE IN ENDS! Hate. to. Still I love how the stripey little sweater looks, don't you? Worth it. And, then I put all the little yarn cuttings out for the birds to use in building their nests. Recycling at its best!

My current project is completing a pair of Sockotta socks that I started way back in October (see photo to the right). I had completed the cable patterning for the cuff of Sock #1 before I put this project down to work on Christmas presents. Last night, I was able to turn the heel, finish the instep, and start the toe decreases. Should be able to finish up Sock #1 today and get started on Sock #2 by tomorrow. I'm hoping to get them finished in time for N/M/E's upcoming birthday. I do find that a deadline always makes me knit "on purpose." No stress...

Status: Pending

From the Houghton Mifflin online dictionary:

pend·ing

ADJECTIVE:

1. Not yet decided or settled; awaiting conclusion or confirmation.



2. Impending; imminent.

And, there we are. We got an offer on our MO house on Saturday; countered on Sunday; and ironed out the (very few) issues on Monday. The reason that it took so long was that we weren't in MO, and the buyer's real estate agent was apparently on the road as well...and everything had to be done by email and fax with cellphone follow-ups. Thank heaven for technology, right?

That means that instead of being in an ACTIVE status on MLS, our house is now in a PENDING (closing) status. I happen to prefer either the definition of "awaiting conclusion" or the one of "imminent," don't you? Sounds like it's really going to happen.

The closing date is set for May 7th...good Lord willin' and the inspectors don't find much of anything wrong when they come next week. Then, we can turn our eyes toward the East...to the Piedmont of North Carolina...to High Point. Can't come soon enough...

Mr. T and I were actually in NC when all of this took place, so we were able to set up our initial meeting with our Realtor there. We told him about the houses and subdivisions we are interested in and gave him an idea of what we need...and what we'd like to have...in our next home. He seems to be a calm person...and we figure we'll need that to balance, well, one of our personalities. No names, here.

We are using an American Airline Advantage program partner called American Home Miles, to help us coordinate our realty services on both ends of this move...which means we will ultimately earn airline miles for both the sale and the purchase of our homes. Which means that I'm already planning where I'm going for vacation before I even get settled in our new abode. SOP. For me, at least.


Meanwhile, we wait. Just like Wilson (our Pot Person, pictured above, right...who will stay here in MO to guard all the flowers we planted, like the ones on the left called "Rip Van Winkle" daffodils), we wait. I hate to wait. Hate. To. Wait. But, waiting for the closing date to arrive is better than the in-limbo state of waiting for a buyer to make an offer. Infinitely better. Now, we have an end-date to the waiting. Thursday, 5/7/09.

So, to help with the tension, I've started another pair of socks (right), using a Red Heart sock yarn Missy M got me. This is a new kind of sock yarn, made with aloe vera, called "Heart and Sole," in colorway "Green Envy".

Lest you think I may have more UFO's than places to put them, please know that I finished that second Harry Potter sock...ta-da. And, I am almost half-way done with my Woven Scarf and maybe 1/4 of the way through the crocheted Prayer Shawl.

Alas, I found out the hard way that I need to have a simple knitting project on hand (say, socks) when watching the Tigers play in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Yeah! They made it to the Sweet Sixteen round and will play Missouri on Thursday. Too much excitement to pay attention to any detailed pattern changes, like the scarf has, or to doing something slowly (like I have to do with crocheting versus knitting). The scarf that I had to frog all the way back to the beginning, not once but twice, when I made a mistake due to inattention to detail. Twice. I must have something to do...and socks are the answer.

I Have Had Enough of This*

*...with compliments to Bill Cosby's wife for that line...

OK...on the last post, I wrote about the wonderful things that happen on a Snow Day. You bake bread...you make hot stew...you enjoy a video with your family in the warmth of your home while the white stuff falls gently on the land. Right.

That all changed rather quickly on Tuesday night. The lovely snow changed to ICE about mid-day, and by early evening trees, lines, and almost all surfaces were thickly coated, as you can see on the bird feeders in the photo to the left. The satellite dish was rendered inoperable about 9:00, leaving us with only the local channels for our information, along with Missy M's iphone connection to the Internet (wonderful invention, that!)...and all reports were that it was going to get worse before it got better. No truer words...


Just as the Drool Gang was doing the last potty call romp in the yard around 11:00ish, the transformer on the pole at the rear of Missy M's back yard EXPLODED spectacularly into the night. I cannot believe they aren't totally traumatized about the backyard now. Nana/Mama/Edith said it sounded like World War II documentaries of canon fire. The sparks shot up and out...and brought back memories of firecrackers at a July 4th celebration. OMG. Then, the lights cycled back on...and the following boom was deafening. More sparks. A red-hot wire broke (see arrows in the photo to the right, the circle in the photo below) and snaked through the side yard, winding up looped menacingly across Franelm Road. And, all went dark. And cold. And eerily quiet.

Missy M made the report of the outage to LGE...and a report of the downed power line across the road to 911...and we began to try to figure out what to do next. We had a gas water heater...would we have hot water? Yes, thank goodness! We had a gas stove and cooktop...could we light the burners with matches? Yes, TG!! We had flashlights galore, which we gathered into the kitchen to determine whether all batteries were good or needed replacing...and did we have replacements? Yes, for the flashlights, but not for the big portable radio. And, candles...and the butane lighter...and matches? Check, check, and check. The weather radio had batteries, but would not work, even with a set of replacements. Drat. Our communications link became the telephones (Missy M has two "wired" phones, which worked, in addition to the portable, which needed electricity...and therefore was useless now) and the cellphones, which would need recharging before too very long. Now, what would we do for heat? It was in the teens outside and dropping. The house was in the low 60's according to the thermostat (which was battery-powered, and thus remained on throughout the ordeal).


We called Mr. T to report our predicament...and then settled down to try to get some sleep. We each piled lots of blankets and afghans on our beds...and claimed at least one dog to sleep with and keep us warm (bless their little 101 degree body temps!). N/M/E also got a knitted cap and gloves. And, I fired up the gas range with pots of hot, steamy water to create a radiator effect. We made it through Night 1 OK, with the indoor temp dropping to 56 degrees.

Day 2 revealed just what a pickle we were in. Missy M worked long and hard to dig at least one car loose from the the driveway, but was unable to drive it anywhere once released...the ice and snow in the street were too deep for my PT Cruiser to clear (as it has a low body clearance, to begin with). On top of that, we could see where the crews had "police-taped" the street where other downed lines were...or possibly downed tree limbs...or both. It seemed impassable. And the outside temps were dropping with more snow and ice falling. More importantly, the indoor temperature had dropped to 54. We had reservations at a local Hampton Inn, but they weren't answering their phone, so we assumed (rightly, as it turned out) that they were without power, too...so we couldn't chance getting N/M/E out on the slippery ice to take her to a location that might be worse off than we were here.

Riding to our rescue in the middle of the night...Mr. T! He drove 650 miles from where he'd been working in NC (where it was 70 degrees, I might add). And, he brought a kerosene heater to keep us warm, too! Hooray! Our hero!!

Day 3...and a co-worker of Missy M's offered one of their generators, when their power was restored. Yeah! Now, we could power up the refrigerator...and one other item. Now, there's a new party game for you. If you can only choose two items to power up, which two do you choose? We settled on the fridge and on powering N/M/E's portable heater in her room, most of the time. On Saturday, we did use that second line to recharge Missy M's computer, which we used as a Video Player at night (after she'd recharged it at work during the day on Thursday and Friday), and on Sunday, we did get a portable TV working, using the antenna to receive a local channel, with hopes of being able to watch the Super Bowl. The only problem was time...the generator ran about 3 hours on a full tank...so, we knew we'd have to "fill up the TV" in order to watch the whole game! Cheese dip and chips...and chili...all stove-top items...were on the menu, along with No Bake Cookies**. Game on!

Fortunately, at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday evening, after nearly 115 hours without power...and rapidly running out of clean towels and clothing...we were restored! Woo-hoo! Thanks to the crews in the neighborhood, one of which was from Mt. Airy, NC...one of which was from SC. We really appreciated all you did! As Mr. T. said, he has a new-found respect for how-in-the-world people in developing countries do it...how do they live without power, or with unreliable power sources? It's such a challenge to come up with ways to do the things we take for granted. And, we were luckier than most...we had a gas stove and gas water heater, and reliable city water and sewer service...and with the kerosene heater and the gas-powered generator, we were able to fill in most of the gaps...but I wouldn't want to live like that for much longer than we did.

We've kept in touch with Brother T in Northern KY, and were glad to hear that they evacuated their power-less home to move in with SIL's dad...his house had power and served as homebase for all her family. Good to know they are safe and warm.


Of course, I had to do something in addition to trying to survive. Missy M and I got our pointy stix clicking by candlelight...she's working on a hat; I tried to work on a pair of socks, but switched to a scarf when I found I couldn't SEE the tiny stitches on the tiny US1.5 needles for the socks.

I'm calling the pattern my "Snowed In Scarf." I borrowed some SWS soy-wool from Missy M's stash...in two different colorways to give it some pizazz. It's a combination of two patterns I knew about, so I didn't have to look it up in the dark: Mirabellis, from the One Skein Wonders book, for the end-ruffle effect, and a fabulous rib that Missy M introduced me to. CO 144 stitches on US11's. Change to US9's for the rest of the scarf. Row 1...K2tog across the row, decreasing to 72 stitches. Row 2...K2tog across the row, decreasing to 36 stitches. (The next two rows set up the ribbing.) Row 3...(K3, P3) across the row. (I placed a stitch marker after the first 3 stitches to help me know which row I was on in the dark...by touch, I'd know I was supposed to do K3, P3.) Row 4...(K1, P1) across the row. Repeat Row 3 & 4 for the length you want (I like 60+ inches). Next-to-the-last-row: Change back to the US11's. K1f&b of each stitch, increasing to 72 stitches. Last row: K1f&b of each stitch, increasing to 144 stitches. BO in K stitch.

During the daylight hours, I was able to finish a pair of socks and cast on another pair, again with some borrowed stash yarn. Both are destined as gifts, so I'll hold off on pics or descriptions 'til then. And, truth be told, I had to re-start my Snowed In Scarf not once, but twice...as I found that I'd made some mistakes in the dark. Oh well.

Ah...knitting and blogging again. Back to normal.

===================================================================================

**No Bake Cookies Recipe, a favorite of my cousin Pannie Baldy**

2 cups sugar

2 T. cocoa

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup milk

Put the above in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, stirring to keep from sticking. AFTER it has come to a rolling boil, let boil for 1 full minute without stirring. Remove from heat source.

Add 1/2 cup peanut butter. Let melt. Stir until smooth.

Put 3 cups quick cooking oats in a large mixing bowl. Pour hot mixture over the oats and stir until thoroughly mixed. Drop by teaspoonsful onto waxed paper. Chill until set. Enjoy!