Mud, Yarn, Mourning and a Sighting

The ground is coming out of its seized up state. The yard is still a safe harbor for a 10' x 20' island of snow, but the rest of it is mud or dirt hiding a mushy subsurface. Grape hyacinths are poking up as are the frighteningly large populations of irises and white onion-y things. Go to sleep, fellas. This is Nevada. This is the land of Memorial Day snows after February 'springs'.

Took advantage of the 60 degree temperature to trim the hedges so they no longer scratch at the windows like a gnarled fairtale monster. Made a lovely bowl of soup and some of the best bread I have ever baked. Also, baked some chocolate chip cookies for our Sunday morning guests.

And I spent a lot of time screwing up my knitting. I finished my Jaywalker sock. I wove in all the ends and then tried it on my right foot. Too long for my foot, strange bunching about the ankle and too tight around the calf. And my calves are not that big. I went to bed, woke up for a couple hours in the middle of the night and tried to assess the situation. What do I do? Start over? Make a second ill-fitting sock? I am honest with myself and decided that I'm so sick of this yarn and pattern, I will rip it out in the morning and make a scarf out of the yarn a few years in the future when I can stand to look at the yarn again. In the morning, I try the sock on my left foot. It fits better, but the calf is still stretched thin. I decide to not rip out the sock right away and I start working on my Mom's birthday present. I am groggy (note that I said I was awake for a couple hours during the night). A few wrongly placed yarn overs later and I'm cursing my knitting. Sigh. It took me about an hour to 'fix' it, but it's not the perfectly knit item that it once was. I work on Clapotis and as I am about to start the meat of the pattern, I realize I did some seriously funky yarn joining. At least that was easily remedied. Oh, Clapotis! Have I told you how much I adore you?

And mourning? Yes, but nothing too serious at the moment (although I did feel choked up when I was sweeping under the couch and found about a dozen of Nora's tennis balls). Kidlet has officially given up her nap. My two hours of peace in the middle of the weekend have been rudely and abruptly stripped away.

The sighting: spotted towhee. I love bird watching. It feels good to get back to it. I used to be obsessed with birds when I was very young. I would pour over the bird section in the encyclopedia, memorizing the birds and the motions required for flying. No, I didn't not stand on a chair in the spare room trying to move my arms in the same manner as the birds in the hopes I would fly. Nope, that wasn't me. Ok, it was.

Design Element

You probably can't see it, but there is a mistake. A few rows away from finishing sock 1 and of course, we have a misaligned pattern. Now the question comes, do I drop 6 stitches down to the offending row and attempt to knit back up, even with all the decreasing that needs to go on or do I just soldier on and hope no one (including myself) ever notices it? I am tempted to fix it, but my dropping/fixing skills are...well...null. What if I completely mess it up? I usually 'unknit' all rows back to the problem and fix it that way (or just rip the whole thing apart). The problem is so far back that unknitting isn't an option this time. Shall we just call the offending pair of stitches a 'design element'?

Everything has been pretty mundane. I've only taken about 1/2 dozen photos in the past week. I've been reading my school assignments and knitting Clapotis. Planning Kidlet's birthday (still over a month off). Finally watched the Herzog documentary that has been lounging about the house for over a month. Started reading The Dharma Bums. Trying to decide if I want to make the (longish) trek to Stitches West. Did the taxes. Paid the bills. Planning the summer Disneyland vacation with the tax refund. Made a veggie pie. Curry tonight.

Is it just me or is February made for slogging through as quickly and painlessly as possible? They even made the month shorter because it feels like it's a million years long. Ok, that's not true but I just feel so uninspired by February. I was going to try and come up with a February project but...well, it's the 6th of February and still nothing. I guess I've got a million years left to go.

A Baker's Dozen plus 5 more

I've been tagged by Ms. Cathy for "6 things you may not know about me". You all probably know a whole lot about me since I've been spewing a lot about myself for almost two years in this virtual journal and from a couple of other tags. But as I've been a weak bloggger as of late, a framework assists me in the writing department. So, 6 more things about yours truly...

1. If I wake up for even a moment during the hour of 2 a.m., I'll be up for at least the next two hours. I (inadvertently) tested this last night when Kidlet cried out for me to be her potty escort.

2. A perfect day starts with one of the following combinations: coffee and a bearclaw, coffee and a maple bar, or coffee and yogurt with granola and honey. Of course, pancakes are in the mix too (but not made from a mix. The horror!).

3. I like to pick towns and 'shop' for early 20th century/late 19th century houses. A few towns I have recently 'researched': Portland, ME, Sacramento, CA, New Orleans, LA and Albuquerque, NM.

4. I am painfully shy. I'm getting better at hiding it.

5. I wish I needed glasses for reading because I think I look cute in glasses.

6. If I knew how to sew, I'd make myself 'uniforms' that were kind of like apron dresses or smocks. They'd be kind of like these or the beloved smocket. And yes, these are for todders but really, I think I could pull it off. Really! Now to find a pattern for someone my size...now that's another story.

Your mission should you choose to accept it: continue the meme. Or just have a nice weekend, k?

Dreams

Sorry I'm so quiet. I've been caught up in my head again which seems to happen before a flurry of activity. Not sure what that activity will be but I hope it will be good.

Dreams I've had lately....

--Hubby got a tattoo of a big old oceanliner and it had 'Terran' written across it
--Nora visited but as she was 'on the other side' her eyes were sealed shut (horribly sad)
--Brioche stitch! Two nights ago, I kept waking up thinking about brioche stitch. I know it's because I covet this sweater but brioche stitch seems impossible to my wee skills.

I'm having daydreams of moving into an old house (impossible in this market).

I'm dreaming of new careers. Got any ideas that don't require me to finish school? Ha ha.

Spring. This spring will be a gorgeous riot of full blooms and bright, juicy green due to all the precipitation we've been receiving. Makes me wish I had done a lot more fall prep so I'd have bushes with a good head start. But I'm still dreaming of planting with Kidlet all the seeds I just ordered and watching their daily progress from the warmth of the kitchen.

Sleep well!

Reflective

Been quiet here in Pancakeland lately. I've been thinking (too much, probably). I have been in my semiannual 'I feel like I'm soaking up too much from flickr' mode. I'm taking photos and when I go to process them I say "Huh? This isn't me. This isn't mine." I need some space, but I'm not sure how I want to achieve it. I was thinking of forbidding myself to look at flickr for the month of February. Then I thought, 'Hmmm, maybe I glean too much from blogs'. Maybe I need to ban myself from the internet for the month of February (aieeee! the horror!). Maybe I need a project to work on? Still thinking...

School started this week and it looks like it may be less intrusive than I had anticipated. It starts an hour after I drop off Kidlet so I get a little bit of time to knit and sip a coffee before the class starts. It's a 'geology for dummies' class and I'm almost wishing it was a little more intensive so I could learn more, but I'm certainly not complaining. Easy is a good thing at this point in time. The hard stuff will come soon enough with the graduate level classes. Sigh.

Thinking about the weekend. What do you have going? Me...I'm hoping to knit on my CLAPOTIS (hearts and butterflies, smooch smooch). I started it and it's just a tiny little triangle of softy bliss. I am so very, very happy with the Malabrigo silk-wool blend. I can't wait to wrap myself in it (most likely in about a year, when I'm able to actually finish it!). Still working on the secret project and it's about 35% done and looking oh-so-nice. Jaywalker number 1 is about 2 inches away from the toe and I'm getting nervous about running out of yarn. Ahhh, the 'pleasures' of having size 11 feet. I'm already making some tentative plans to do the toe in a different color. Oh yeah. Gotta do schoolwork. And if I can find 'pretzel salt', I'd like to try my hand at pretzels. Maybe make some sort of stew or chile on Sunday night? Hope your weekend is full of softy bliss and yummy food too.

Little Mama Homemaker and Sparkling Snow

She helps with the baking. She washes the floor. She folds laundry. She scrubs the bathtub walls while she takes a bath. However, she resists straightening up all the toys that she drags out during the day.

Some days, she doesn't nap.

This makes big mama kookoo.

My weekend was full of emotional turbulance, baking (pie and failed bread), cooking (curried pumpkin soup, muffaletta mix, corn fritters, pancakes), errands, some sock knitting, and watching the Packers lose (poor Brett Favre).

I awoke this morning to a dusting of snow that sparkled brightly and covered the grey, dirty leftovers from two weeks ago. I need a little snow dusting in my head to cover my stress with something sparkly to distract me from my worries. Don't you worry...I'll snap out of it as soon as I can get my car into the shop to find out what is wrong with it and make it through my first week of class.

Thinking about some new projects, details to be worked out while I daydream during data entry.

Sweet dreams!

The Rambler

I've been wanting to post something, anything, to move on from my previous post. A huge thank you to all of you that commented, emailed about Miss Nora. She is definitely missed.

So in the interests of posting something, here's a long rambling account of some sock knitting. Feel free to skip it.

We are photoless but I've had intended to take a photo of the cute little heel portion of my Jaywalker sock, but the sock and I are rarely in natural light together. That sock and I are starting to have a bit of a tumultuous history. See, I'm such a slow knitter that I actually get to have a history with a sock. Since I've restarted them, I had a mistake here and there, but nothing worth fretting about ("nothing that you could see while riding by on a galloping horse" as my Mother-in-Law would say. Thank goodness for Mother-in-Laws.). Well, I've been working on some troublesome computers at work and while I wait during the endless rebooting, I thought it would be a keen idea to do a little knitting while I waited. Sounds good, right? I think I've made more mistakes on this tiny portion of sock than...well, I don't know what. I've had to unknit rows when I knit the wrong pattern on the wrong needle. I somehow forgot how to do the double decrease (hence, there are still a few wonky double decreases that I'm trying to ignore). I had to pick up a mysteriously dropped stitch from 8 rows back and do lots of snugging up of stitches. Yeah. These socks better fit like a dream and make me feel like I'm floating on little clouds. That being said, I'm still in love with the little heel.

The weekend is rapidly approaching and I look forward to it with a bit of dread. Next week, I start school. I did not do even a quarter of all the things I wanted to do on my break. Once school is in session, even though it's only one class piled atop my other responsibilities, I can pretty much say goodbye to most of my knitting and movie watching opportunities. Sigh. And the caucus? I still don't know who to pick! Aieee!

Ok, enough rambling. Maybe I'll be a little less prickly and a little more cheerful tomorrow. And I'll think about pie. Yes, I will make pie this weekend and that will make everything better. Right? Right? I thought so.

It was almost 6 years to the day from when this skinny little dog put her head in my coat when I bent down to greet her at the SPCA to when she left us. Excuse me for a few moments while I babble on about my Squizzy-Roo...

We brought her home and in the first week, she managed to find a trove of mini airplane-flight-sized booze bottles (some glass, some not) that we had received as a gag gift for our housewarming. We came home to the reek of booze, the detritus of broken glass and chewed up plastic and a wiggly pointer dog. I still don't know how she didn't cut herself with the glass bottles.

We gave her the back story of a washed up movie actress from the 20's and 30's who made some appearances on the Love Boat in the 70's.

She'd only come when you called her in a high-pitched sing-song manner.

She loved to daintily eat tomatoes off the vine and roll in the catmint.

She was a champion snuggler.

She was always cheerful, a comedienne, and quite the dancer.

I'm glad that we were able to make her acquaintance and give her a good life until the end. And mercifully, the end was brief.

An ear skritch, tennis balls, filets and martinis to Nora...cheers!

The Thaw

The weekend has arrived along with sunny skies. This means last weekend's pure snow has now melted into a sludge-y, muddy mess and the streets are covered in gravel and dust. It also means that I won't be confined to the house. Already I've made a list of imaginary errands that really don't need running. We'll see if I can keep the spirit of hibernation going and make some more progress on my knitting and bake something with the giant can of pumpkin that is taking valuable shelf space in my cupboard. I also need to settle on a recipe (or two?) for Vanessa's cookbook project. So many possibilities!

I'm feeling the need to get as much 'pleasure time' in as possible since next weekend is the caucus (I just gave away where I live, eh?) and then it's back to school...not online but in the REAL WORLD. I have to go to a giant classroom with people half my age. Not looking forward to this but if I want to continue my scholastic career, I have to finish up these basic requirements that I've put off for close to 20 years. And I'm not exaggerating on the 20 years part either.

Fit in as much 'pleasure time' as you can this weekend too, k? And if you have a yummy recipe utilizing much pumpkin puree, let me know.

Hibernation

This weekend was wonderful. While I did not hibernate in the 'go to sleep for a long time' sense, I was snuggled down in the house, knitting and baking, broken up by walks out in the snow and games with Kidlet. There was no rushing about here and there, running errands of dubious importance. It was all about the small things. The shadows of the drifting snow. Figuring out the best way to shore up the snowman so he wouldn't fall over. The scent of yeasty bread and chili. Meanwhile, the snow piled up outside and I was happy in the hopes that our usual drought conditions might not be quite as desperate this summer.

There are a couple more days of snow in our future, according to the forecast, but then it is back to our typically mild winter conditions. And back to our usually scheduled program of running around. I'm hoping that the lure of my latest knitting project (yet another secret project) will keep me home, hibernating.

Fresh

I love the feeling a new year brings. It comes to me in colors: cold, clear sky blue, seafoam green, lemon pie yellow. Being a list maker and organizer by nature, I revel in brushing off the darkness of the longest night of the year and the clutter that the holidays seem to drag along with them and putting everything in its place.

The resolution? Same as last year. Simplify and sit/stand up straight. I failed miserably at the latter but did pretty well with the first through about July.

The new tradition? I'm going to make pie on New Year's Day from here on out. This year's edition was lemon meringue. I think it went pretty well, particularly since I've never made it before and only half followed a recipe.

We are swimming in meyer lemons over here, fresh from California trees that belong to the family of one of my mom-in-laws. Love! Lemon Cranberry scones. The pie. Soon, pudding cake. And crepes with blueberries and lemon sauce. Sigh. Suits my mood perfectly after all the ubersweet chocolates and candies of the holidays.

Ready to brush myself off and start all over again. How about you?

See You Next Year, M'dears...

Going to take a little bloggy vacation, even if I'm not taking a 'real life' vacation.

I'll be thinking about new books, new knitting projects, the start of my seasonal 'I gotta organize this house' busy bodyness, watching documentaries and films, and starting a new New Year's Day tradition (baking pie).

And a belated thank you for all the birthday wishes and for sharing your thoughts with me over the past week. Sending you hugs across the miles (or just across town!).

Stay warm next to the fire and have some tea, cocoa or hot toddies.

Three Little Birds

Woke up this morning
Did not smile at the rising sun

I was feeling most melancholy about my Dad not being here to enjoy Kidlet and Christmas. When opening presents, he was always the one who would say or do some silly thing that had you laughing until your belly hurt. Luckily, he was here for Kidlet's first Christmas so at least I have the memory, even if she doesn't.

I poked my head outside, as I do every morning to take a few deep breaths of the cool morning air. This morning, there was a lovely breeze that made my Dad's wind chimes sing gently. A few raindrops fell and the yard started to turn rosy. I looked up. The sky was a brilliant pink and powdery blue. I looked to my right. I saw three little birds on the power line. Behind them, a rainbow. The rainbow got brighter and bigger, reaching all the way across my yard. It was almost ridiculous how perfect the display was; it felt as though it all for me.

So in short, every little thing is going to be all right.

38...and 39. The Birthday.

I was going to try a Hula-esque list of "39 things to do before I'm 40" but I topped out around number 17. And then I also realized it conflicted with my New Year's resolution to 'Simplify'. And so...this year I will eat more pie, go camping, grow more plants from seed and read more poetry. There. I think that just about covers it.

My sweet hubby threw a birthday party for me today (my first!) and it was nice to catch up with folks I haven't seen in a while. Another old friend will be stopping by tonight with a bottle of wine and after I put Kidlet to bed...if I can manage to keep my eyes open, I will do my annual watching of my favorite movie, The Thin Man.

I'm sure this will be my last post before the holiday so Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Just had to let you know...

I've been reading Orient Express by Graham Greene (one of my fave authors) but I've had such trouble making any headway in this slim novel. I feel like I've been reading the same half dozen pages over and over again until I hit page 140. My eyes drift across the bed to the wall of books (our bedroom seconds as a library). I see a Christmas collection, a pair of books by Charles Dickens. I start right in on A Christmas Carol. Really enjoying it!

Oh yeah, it's THAT time of year.

The tree has arrived to much celebration on the part of the tot. There was crying at the nursery when we were trying to pick out our live tree (why the crying? why?) and absolute jubilation when we arrived home. Kidlet even kissed its prickly needles. She launched a full ornamental attack upon me, attempting to put the ornaments upon the branches and then two seconds later passing them to me ordering me to "do it", followed by her rounding up another half dozen ornaments passed over to her by her Daddy. I finally had to say "enough" and "let me finish what I already have." But the halls are now officially decked.

Now as for what goes under the tree, that's another story. I had a small(ish) freakout this morning when I was trying to consolidate the presents in to one place so I can attack the wrapping operation tonight. Missing present: the lace for my Grandma. Yeah. Something small, dark and featherweight went missing. Something that could not be easily recreated in the week. But it was found in a zip lock DEEP in the craft (crap) closet. Deep breath. And I'm now second thoughting my minimal-Christmas-present philosophy for Kidlet. I have two presents for her and a few stocking stuffers. To add to this number, the Grandmothers all have presents for her. I don't want to overwhelm Kidlet with a bunch of junk. Also, I want to teach her lessons of non consumerism, of finding plenty in what you have. However, in the past week Kidlet has told me all the things she wants for Christmas, none of which are what I have for her. I don't want to disappoint. But I don't want to run around like a lunatic either. And I definitely don't want to just throw money (that I don't have) at my insecurities. So we will see what happens this week. If the giant snowstorms that have been promised us do not appear, maybe I'll go out and buy a couple small things to round out the selection. But if that storm comes, well, someone will learn a lesson, but I'm not sure who that person will be.

The Rush to Quiet

I'm feeling the wheels spinning faster and faster, pushing me toward the holiday and I'm trying to find quietude wherever I can. Now when I get into the car after I drop Kidlet at school, I turn off the radio and drive in silence, hoping to calm my mind from its endless litany of 'to-do's'. Late at night, after everyone else has gone to bed, I work at my desk, listening to the sound of the heater kicking on and off and tinny classical music coming from my laptop. I admire my tidy seaming. I pop a treat into my mouth. I am making progress. I awaken in the morning and the 'to-do's' crowd my head once again and I think up more projects I'd like to do ("Oh no! Kidlet says she wants a baby doll? How will I pull that off?"). I'm looking forward to meeting the night with yarn and needle in hand.

Now back to the list-making...

FO's (that's finished objects, for you non-knitters)

I made a little table scarf for my Grandma. I'm feeling wishy-washy about it since it's really just a little section of a shawl that I adapted to make something table-toppy. I wanted a zig zag out of it, but I only got a zig. Although if you look at it from this angle, it almost looks like a pine tree (which is good).

I also finished up another project (the project that shall not be named until post-Xmas) and I'm pleasantly pleased with it. I thought I was going to have an awful time with the seaming and while it is not perfect, it's pretty darn good. It's funny, I realized while I'm working on the 'finishing' of all these projects (seaming, pressing and pinning, weaving in ends) that I choose the majority of my projects according to the level of 'finishing' skills required, ie. none. I make socks, hats, scarves and they all do not need this level of care. Last year's lacy scarf got me to be unafraid of lace and to try more complicated patterns. This year, I think I'm conquering my fear of seaming. Woot! Bring on the sweaters (maybe)!

Here's the only other photo I can show at this point, the cabled arm portion of a pair of fingerless gloves I'm making for an old friend. Love this pattern. So easy and it looks pretty fancy when finished (I made a pair for myself last year).

Well, that's about all I'll be able to show for the knitting until after Xmas. But after I try my hand at a felted bowl (for the other Grandmother), then I'll get to start thinking of knits for me.

Snow Day (Sorta)

I never could get an answer at Kidlet's school today so she is enjoying the day with an old friend. Me, I'm at work, wishing I was sitting by the fire, working on the holiday knitting, cocoa within arm's reach.

But before all that, at 7:30 this morning, after a half-assed breakfast ("Mama, can I have a snowman Peep?"), we bundled up and built a muddy little snowman. The dogs were bounding around, even our little shorthaired-always-chilly cancer patient. Cold air in the lungs is so refreshing.

Not looking forward to the drive home tonight, with the possiblity of these slushy roads turning to crunchy ice. But once I get there, I'll start a fire and snuggle down with my little family. Hope y'all have a cozy, sparkly, chocolatey weekend.

Good Morning, Gorgeous

Amazing morning. Cool, damp air cleansing the lungs, fog hanging about the mountain tops. Wish I was staying home today, opening the windows to let it all come in, despite the fact its chilly.

Been making my lists, checking them twice, and picking myself up off the ground when I realize how much I need to do before the holiday. At least I found the yarn that I purchased this weekend and thought I had lost. But another trip to the yarn store is in order (darn...ha ha) as the stash yarn I thought I had oodles of, I have only skimpy amounts. Tonight, this elf is about to jump into production mode. Mattress stitch, anyone?

I've been receiving swap goodness and it's wonderful. Unlike the postcard swaps in which I have participated where everything comes in a glut, this swap is coming (beautifully) bit by bit. Liz's sage bundles tied with red string (smelled so good when I opened the envelope) and the red road, Nina's fantastic cards and my fave yellow door and boots (and that bike photo, eep!), Cathy's uplifting tunes and a favorite spot...it's wonderful. Thanks for sharing yourselves.

And hey, if you get a minute, send a few peaceful, loving thoughts toward my Mom. She's having to work 7 days a week for the next few weeks and she's tired.