He says his name is Oreson (spelling intended)

Today I went to the sink and found a reddish brown rock about the size of two fists, sitting in side. My first reaction was to say "What is this"? No response from DH, so after putting the coffee on I went to the Living room to find out. I said " He says his name is Oreson and he wants to know why he is not in his natural habitat". DH grinned and said, "your not following the drug policy". No other explanation.

He collects rocks, but up to this point they have been small rocks, about the size of your pinkie nail, found in the washer, on the dryer, in pockets and on the counter. He used to talk about getting field boulders, I thought he was kidding, now I think it could be possible. I could come home and find huge boulders in the yard, it won't end, but how is this going to go? I know its just one rock, still I worry on a deep level about stone fences and the lawn becoming a rock garden. We could name our house like they do in England, we live on a corner so it could be called Corner Stone Cottage. There could be rock garden lawn with a stone fence and rock siding. OK, my sometimes overactive imagination has gotten ahead of things, but will there be more rocks like Oreson showing up? Where did he find it?

Yeah, Oreson doesn't really talk to me, I was bringing up the subject and hoping he would then be moved. Nope, Oreson is still in the sink, I guess I will have to move him/her, it? I know, I will knit the rock a cozy with a face and put it on the couch with a sign that calls for freedom for enslaved rocks.
yes, he may quote the drug policy again, but it really is my drug free imagination.

I turned the heel and picked up the gusset of my sock I began Saturday, so I should get back to it.

Happy Stitches.

Sock Club, After sock club excursion etc.

Sock Club

It was nice to be back at the keewaydin park building for sock club and we had fun, talking and sharing. It was a nice group showing, taking pictures of finished socks, playing with yarn, catching up, just a good time.

Our pattern for this month is from SWTC, by Deby Lake and is called Toe Jam. The sock is cuff down, has an 8 stitch, four row repeat, twisted stitch pattern with a separated big toe.

I swatched during sock club and then started the cuff, I am about an inch into the pattern going down the leg and I have to say the pattern goes quickly; it gets in your head fast and you don't have to pay it much attention until you get to the heel. the patter can be repeated down the top of the foot, to the toes.

D. brought yarn from the March Hair Etsy shop she runs. the yarn is dyed by a friend of hers in Idaho and comes balled into 455 yd cakes.; the yarn is composed of 75% Superwash wool and 25% nylon, in fabulous colors.

My knitting friend J. W. gifted me with a cake of the yarn for my birthday, in a lovely soft seafoam. J. is so sweet and wonderful, and what a surprise, she is always doing sweet things for people.

After Sock Club Excursion

After sock club a few of us have been making it a yarn excursion day. On this fun outing we went into White Bear and visited the Sheepy Yarn Shoppe, where I found some smaller chibi needles for socks, these will be great for grafting toes of socks. We felt very welcome in the shop, the people were quite helpful and seemed to engage easily in conversation. The Sheepy yarn Shoppe is well lit, has a table and chairs near the back, which was convenient for looking through books and patterns before making a decision on which to buy. The variety of yarn is good and there is seating near the front that looked like a welcoming spot to sit, knit and maybe chat for a bit.

We had lunch near by at a bar and grill, the food was fabulous and about average for price.

Borealis yarns was our nest destination stop and again the people were lovely, asked if you needed anything and backed off. very accommodating if you did want help, which I was happy for, I wanted to try the HiyaHiya needles and specifically wanted a size 0 circular in a 36 to 40 inch length for making socks. It can be a bit daunting sometimes to search through all the needles for the ones you want and having someone more familiar with the stock help you, is well appreciated.
Lovely yarns, lovely selections, large store, a couple of cramped spots near the front but the experience overall was quite wonderful.
Borealis had two table with chairs for sitting to look through books or knitting, one up front and one in the back room where I found a skein of hemp on sale, in a teal green to make soap covers with.
I found a section of Louisa Harding yarn which drew my attention for a bit, there is a large selection of needles and notions, Lucy Neatby DVDs, and they are conveniently located next to a coffee shop for a bit a caffeine or something decaf and a treat.

It was the last day to use the coupons we had for the shops we went to.

Next month we are headed south of the cities to a cottage industry farm where we will see either Alpacas or Llamas, I do not remember which. There is a shop as well, I will let you know what is there. I know there is spinning and fiber so it must be good.

I should take pictures next time, I had my camera with me, I don't know why I did not think of it. I really need to remember, perhaps someone will remind me.

Oh, the forms are completed and I have everything together to send in my socks for the contest. I need to do that after my meeting tomorrow morning, I am so excited I can't stand myself at times, I am sometimes amazed that I thought of the pattern. I may try to do another one, but I have so many things started and cued up to make already, I won't rule it out if an idea strikes me though.

I have been up since about 5 and busy, busy, some house work, some knitting and of course ravelry and blogging, now it's time for lunch.

Happy Stitches!

Busy day and the definition of insanity

We have been busy girls this morning. Sadie went to the groomer first thing, her groomer Kiera is due with a baby boy the 21st of this month. I want to make her something from Sadie and I, I'm not sure what though. Babies grow so fast when they are first born, booties would be a quick and easy gift, perhaps a hat, maybe a quick sweater. I don't know.

I came home checked email and ravelry, I had to get Sadie at 10:30, They always let her run around behind the counter when I come back to pick her up and go pay. Maria (another groomer there) wants to groom Sadie while Kiera is on maternity leave. I was talking about waiting and just having her with one person, but Maria does like her and does small dogs as well, she is there when Kiera is there and I don't think she is one of the ones who left burns on her face, so we will see.

I have chili on simmering and laundry going, I am going to knit a bit then empty the dishwasher so I can put in the stuff I have been using to cook the chili with.

It has gotten a bit warmer out, I am going to open some windows and let some fresh air in.

Has anyone ever told you you were not mentally right because you spoke out? Well if you have a family that is putting more energy into hiding things that healing you have and maybe you have anyway.
Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".
I have looked at some relationships that way, including my relationship with my mother.
The evil and unpredictable behavior that she exhibited toward people through the years, at some point, all the forgiving, for those years. comes down to the definition of insanity and you have to forgive and walk away for good. She is being taken care of and after all she proved she did not owe me, including love and caring (Saying and showing love and care are not the same thing) just making sure that she is cared for is all I feel obligated to do. Some think that is a horrible way to be and it is not forgiving, and they could be right, but at this point in my life it is the healthy thing for me. This is a bit raw and revealing for me to put on the blog, maybe too much information and such. I am looking at is as part of a healing process.

The smell of chili is starting to permeate the house, mmmmmmmm, smells good.
I finished one of my campanula socks this morning and am working on the second one, which was already at the ankle, these are toe up socks so I have the leg and cuff to do.

I have not used videos, but thought I would see about using them in my blog, I am not completely tech savvy but I am going to investigate. I was a blog this morning and the guy does all of his posts by video, which I don't think I will do, but would like to have the opportunity, like when something cute happens. It looks like he does the videos through a you tube account, I think I might try to upload from my hard drive.
I don't know if you would be interested in a look, he is very open and kind of funny, I just found him today through ravelry but he is on (queerknits.blogspot.com) and he is a really good knitter.

Have to go tend to chili and try some.

Happy Stitches!

World, Life and Moving Forward

The world as we each, and perhaps collectively know it, ends, changes, moves forward in many ways. There are endings, beginnings, world conflicts, family conflicts, but life goes on and we bound around in the ocean in which we live. I don't put up with junk if I see it, even if the truth is denied.
That being said I have to say that time does heal and we can only move forward, and sometimes people don't go with us. What was it, a line from a song, "nobody's right, if everybody's wrong".

Life is moving on, this week one of my paternal aunts has passed away, and I found out a second cousin will be married at the end of the month. More of life moving on and choices to make in direction, as well as share with those around.

The chill in the air is cooler today than it was yesterday, a sign that fall is really here, but it will warm up again before the leaves turn.

Projects :)

I am finishing the paperwork and getting a picture together to send with my sock contest socks. I am so proud of them and really hope to get in the book.

My campanula socks have been back on the front burner to work on. They are toe up and I had worked them both to the ankle, then focused on one before they were left to nap for a bit. Last night I worked one to the cuff and as soon as that one is done it is on to the second one, yeah!

I have sock yarn balled up for socks like crazy and sock club again this Saturday. It will be a fun day, new pattern, yarn to see. Ok, fun for a knitter or crocheter, we tend to be tactile people and love to touch yarn.

I am not casting on new projects, just trying to work through the ones I have going. I would really like to get one of the shawls I have on needles completed, so I can wear it. It is chilly enough to wear one now, I woke up cold and had to pull the covers on, that's a change from the past few weeks.

Oh, I can not wait until we do not have to watch political ads! I am so tired of them, I'm not the only one tired of them, I hear people moaning about it from time to time. On a brighter note, the fall TV line up is starting and we can watch "Ugly Betty" again at craft night.

Need to move forward with a few stitches, go for a walk and get busy.

Happy stitches

Oh what a difference a shade makes and the lighter side of life

First of all, my brother in law evidently does not have cancer, thank God. I have to say emphysema is bad enough. He went home to recuperate and get more rest. More prayers and good wishes for my sister and him.

Ah, what a difference a shade makes, or in this case a lighter color of curtain. My kitchen is small and regardless of the light colored wall paper has always seemed so dark (the Green curtains did not help). Light Yellow cafe sheers and valances has made a world of difference, I almost feel happier when I go in there and like I have a new kitchen. Perhaps the brighter kitchen will inspire me to bake more this winter.
I will try to get better pictures, the ones I took did not turn out.


My beautiful Pink ribbon socks. This is a pattern by Laura Spradlin and you can find this pattern for sale on ravelry, or you may contact her on her web site, sugar bunny boulevard.

This pattern may look a bit complicated, but really goes quite quickly, most people have reported making their socks in a week or two. Before you know it you are done with the leg and working the heel then quick as a bunny you find yourself done with the foot and working the toe. I was fortunate to have gotten a kit and the Katherine yarn is so soft and lovely with a bit of loft to it.

I completed a Calorimetry head warmer, using up the leftover ella rae yarn from the slippers I made for my niece Brianna. It is brightly colored but a bit plain; it's one of my goal projects. I am going through my leftover yarn from projects and trying to use it up, or give it away, too much stuff and I need to always be mind full of how these leftovers can turn in to a mountain.
This was completed in one day, great pattern, easy project, just takes a few hours.


Now I just to keep working through my works in progress, see what else I can finish. Occasionally I consider not sleeping and just knitting through the night to get stuff done, but it sounds a bit obsessive or something.

Saturday was the fourth one of the month, and normally a gathering day at one of the knit night ladies house, she has two dogs, a toy poodle and a Golden. Sadie loves to go there and visit with everyone. It was a fun outing for both Sadie and myself, a few of us may get together and have our own little yarn spinning study group, that should be fun.

Today we had a tree root problem in our pipes, thankfully a sewer service was available and took care of our problem. We used Alto sewer service, their shop was right behind a duplex we used to rent in Minneapolis and we were familiar with the gentleman in his 50s who came out; he did a great job.

I have sock club next Saturday, I have not started the socks from the last two or three months, I only bought for two of those months. I am not sure I will buy yarn this time, I want to finish what I have, and eventually make a funky pair of socks from all the left over sock yarn I have and I am starting to get a collection of that.

Knitting and spinning are such meditative refuges, I am gald I am able to do these activities and have them as a hobby.

Happy Stitches

Serious stuff

Serious Stuff

One of my brother in laws went into the hospital this week, he was having breathing difficulties, he found out he has a slight case of pneumonia and emphysema, not good. There are more test results to come, still waiting to hear if it is cancer. I always get a sick feeling in my stomach when I hear that someone is ill, it is no fun to be in the hospital or sick, least of all have something bad that will not go away.

To top that off, his job moved out of state and there is very little in the way of health insurance. I am praying for them, praying that there is no cancer and sending what I can spare for money, which is not much.

Smoking is so bad for you, and I am fortunate that I am not addicted to them. I have known people with addictive personalities and it is so hard for them to change things and give them up. I have a friend who is easily addicted to things and on top of that she was on Maripex for a few years for her Parkinson's; that was a recipe for disaster. she used to sneak out to the casino at midnight and would blow whole paychecks, thankfully her Dr. changed her meds, but that was not the only thing she was up to.

I have blessings to count!

What I finished during the Olympics and more

The Olympics ended on Sunday, I completed the pink ribbon socks for the Ravelympics and a pair of footie's because I could but, did not go put my name in a second time for the drawing at Linden Hills Yarn. If the weight of the left over yarn and finished socks and footie's is accurate, I will be able to make a second pair of footie's with the Hundertwasser yarn and a smaller pair of pink ribbon socks with the left over Katherine yarn, how fabulous is that?

My poor secret socks did not get finished by Sunday, I found them whimpering for attention. I am giving them some knit time now and they are coming along well, the heel is finished as well as the decreasing for the gusset, I am now working down the foot and hope to be finished this week. The secret socks are happy and giggling with delight at getting some one on one time. I am calling them Azti for short.

Saturday I went on a little excursion with one of my knit night friends. Lisa picked me up and we went to an estate sale, I found a few little knitting goodies, they had two spinning wheels which were sold. Lisa picked up a drop spindle and some fiber, she will be trying to do a bit of hand spinning with it.

Instructions for hand spinning can be found on the Interweave press website here.

http://www.interweave.com/spin/Getting_Started.asp

We followed the Estate sale up with a visit to The Knitters' Palette in Lakeville, and then The JoAnn's in Lakeville, where I picked up a skein of their Sensations Bellezza Collection Dolcetto Pink. I wanted to play with it to see what I thought of it, it is very soft and works up nice. The yarn is a wool, nylon, and cotton blend, I have yet to wash it, but will do that as soon as I finish the booties I am making with it; the label says to hand wash with similar colors. I am making a pair of cuff down booties and finishing the cuff on the second one. I think they will be nice and warm on little feet and the pair of feet I have in mind will be born in January I believe, to another knitting friend.
If the booties turn out nice (which I think they will) I may make a pair of hand mitts as well. It would make a lovely sweater. I have so many projects I want to do for Christmas.

First things first, secret socks and booties, then slippers, hats and WIPs (works in progress).

A couple of our knit night crew went to Stitches and recently returned, I look forward to seeing what they brought back. Should be interesting.

Back to my needles for now.

Happy Stitches