Creative revenue for the Government and staying on the road

So as of last week we were on a work stoppage for this week however, I was missed in a mass email t bring the team in to deploy a truck load of printers that came in. I will be going in next week. 

 I went into the grocer to pick up a few things, when I entered I had stopped to think about my plan of action inside and noticed a man pushing a cart and leaning into it. I think I was in a daze, Thinking he looked exactly like my dad who had passed away a few years ago and how he always talked about noticing people he thought looked like his father after he passed. Suddenly the man winked at me and startled me back to reality, I moved on a bit embarrassed. Dad used to wink at us, don't think this was the same though. 

I have been spending time at Linden Hills knitting. I was in on Saturday and Yesterday with Kimberly. I took back a few sweaters I repaired for a woman who knew someone else in the shop. There were four sweaters with several holes, she had pinned the holes she found, I found more while we were looking them over and more still when I went to repair them. The woman's friend kept saying in reference to the holes, put a butterfly on it. This was funny at the time but the last hole I repaired was on the cardigan and it was too large to really selvage, so taking a cue from the conversation, I did the best I could with the hole, crocheted a butterfly and put it on it! It was about three hours of work all together and the butterfly was the only way to save the cardigan. 

While in the knitting shop on Tuesday, we talked about the state shutdown and other things going on, started to get a bit punchy as does happen and thought of some creative revenue streams for the state and federal government.

-How much would someone pay to be able to drive the presidential limo onto air-force one? There are those who would pay quite a bit, if I had the money, I would.

-How much could be charged to have dinner with the president or the governor?

-How much would people pay to be able to sleep in the white house, or the governors mansion?

-How about page for a day to the governor or president?


-Pay to work out, walk or jog with the president, vice president, governor or first ladies of the country or state?


-Holy cat fish! do any of them knit???? would people pay to knit with them???


Okay, yeah, I'm getting a bit crazy. Time to back away.


I went to get an Arnold Palmer from Cafe 28 next door to Linden hills yesterday and noticed that Wild Rumpus had some more preview books for grownups sitting in the basket for free, I grabbed two. The first is called "Disquiet" by Australian Julia Leigh. It is a book on coming to terms with life and its tragedies in a family in the French countryside, and coming back to life as you overcome the darkness inside. A good read, I devoured it this morning, not a large book, but would recommend.

I have finished the bolero for Brianna and a small kerchief shawl.

I love how these turned out and as soon as I finish Connors Sweater I am starting Tia's bolero.

Time to go,


Happy Stitching trails to all
 

Work stoppage

I have been installing printers with a team of techs downtown. It has been slow, the printers had not been coming in on time and there was no solid plan to speak of and we are not getting a new shipment of printers for over a week. We are off work without pay until then, I can get a few things done around the house, but even though they say they want us back, people could get cut in the mean time. I will remain hopeful that I will not be one of those who are let go before we get back to work.

 I am working on the bolero for Brianna, I have completed all but the last sleeve and there is putting it together. I am very happy with this project as it is going quickly and is helped by having the loan of a pair of size 17 circulars; now I do not have the long klutzy needles to work with. I am very thankful that Ruth cam e to knitting Wednesday night and had the needles with her when I asked if any one had such a needle to borrow. 

The little green cabled pull over for Connor is still coming along, I continue to work up the front, getting close to decreasing for the sleeves now, so it will not be long until I am able to sew that together and be finished. At the same time I continue to add a few rows to the front piece of my lace blouse, where I am near to decreasing for the sleeves there as well. 

I am making small bits of progress on a hose project, moving things around. I am trying to make some progress on that in the next two days. 

As always there is knitting afoot and I am feeling a trip to Linden Hills tomorrow.

Happy Stitching trails to everyone.

Stitchinghermit

 

Holiday weekend and yarn road trip

Yeah for a long Holiday weekend! So far the weekend has been lots of fun. I started Christmas gifts, beginning with a Green cable sweater for Connor. I have both sleeves and back finished and I am working on the front, figuring I would finish soon, I picked out my next few present projects. I like hanging out at Linden Hills, I just have to watch out so I don't start drinking too much kool-aid and get pulled into group projects or get too much help from my yarney co-dependents. It's all good advice, but you can head down a spending path fast. They not only helped me pick out yarn, but the button to go with the project as well. I picked up yarn for a couple ornament presents and a pair of felted slippers for one of my sisters.

Saturday Sara Jane helped me find a lovely Bolero designed by Kim Hargreaves, which uses Rowan big wool, I started that to see how far I could get on it this weekend. I have the back and left front complete, I began the right front today. This is a lovely quick project and I decided to make two; the first is for my niece Brianna and the second will be for my niece Tia (they don't read my blog), I made that decision On the Sunday road trip. 

Sunday Kathy and I went on a yarn shop road trip, the original goal was to Lindstrom and expanded from there. We left form Kathy's about mid morning and headed up 35 North, can I just say long crazy drive for those who commute to work downtown! 

As you can see the water tower is shaped like a coffee pot and what you cannot see is that it offers words of welcome on the side.We arrived in Lindstrom before the shop we were seeking opened, so we went next door to a Minnesota ethnic restaurant called "Swedish Inn". This place was hopping and had a breakfast buffet which we partook in. The buffet had many options and came with a choice of pancake, french toast and crepes off the grill. topped off with coffee it was a great brunch and the wait staff was very friendly; I recommend this restaurant, besides the buffet and some average menu choices, they offered some traditional Swedish fare as well.


The yarn shop in Lindstrom is called Miss Elsie's Yarnery. It carries yarn and gifts, it has gaming and books in the back. We did not ask, but I do believe Miss Elsie herself was working. There are a couple of larger seating areas, one is a table with chairs and the other is a seating area with two couches and about four nice chairs. This was where I decided to make a second bolero for Tia's Christmas gift. I walked in and saw Cascade yarns version of big wool for half the price of the Rowan brand and made the Christmas budget easier, the bonus was I found Tia's color! 

The color made the decision. I think it will be really pretty, I just need to find the right button for this one.


After the yarn shop we walked down the street to the antique shop which had a lot to offer, many lovely things to see and buy. This is where I found a treasure! a child sized sock blocker, I was so surprised and happy, I picked it up as soon as I saw it.

It looks aged, I don't know ans don't care how old it is. Mine, mine, mine.



After Lindstrom we went to Forrest Lake to Shelley's Yarns and Fiber Shoppe. A small shop, but has a bit to offer. The owner hand dyes a line of yarn named after songs. I picked up a slipper pattern and a couple of skeins of brown sheep yarn.


We thought next time we should make a road trip with a group and go on to Cottage Grove where there is a yarn shop and quilt shop then come back and go through Stillwater to Darn knit anyway to get home. 


A great day and a lot of fun! 


Happy Stitching trails to all,
Stitchinghermit

hard at work

The printer contract job I have been working is going well. We are close to being finished in the first building and will be moving on to the next building early next week. Our bodies are definitely feeling it! un-boxing big standing printers, setting them up, moving them to the floors, setting up and moving out the huge old cannons. It has been a lot of work my feet feel like they are on fire or have glass in my heels most of the time. I got new shoes and insoles, it was better today. 
The building we have been in has two very slow service elevators and people are so crabby about having them filled with printers, but there is not much any of us can really do about it, we are maxing at two printers per elevator instead of three to make more room, but these are freight elevators and when the pallets are coming off trucks and we are not allowed to leave anything on the dock, and the truckers have a time limit on the dock, we have fewer options. The printers are heavy, everything is accessible by security badge; the two sets of double doors coming off the dock are automatic and I thought of Dad today. He was a bit of a joker and would have had a bit of fun with the doors, I kept thinking of him going up to them and saying "open says me" as he stepped and they opened. just something to smile about to myself.
This morning a couple of the people and I were talking, the one guy offered me his chair and I talked about how when you work hard and your body hurts like ours do, you don't want to sit, stand, lay or anything and the only thing that does help in a small way is to keep moving. I commented after that "Now I know why babies just cry for seemingly no reason". Tell me what I need, because apparently I don't know.
In the past two weeks I have finished two sleeves and part of a sweater back for a child's sweater. The sweater is cabled and I am making it in green, it's from the St. Denis Nordique Spring 2011 collection. I am making the Nicolas' school sweater by Veronik Avery, in a 4T.
should have it finished in two or three weeks. Follow link below.

http://stdenisyarns.com/current-issue.php


Because my lace sweater is not as portable to work on the but I am making slow progress, but I am looking forward to finishing.
Today I bought a small pet yard for the girls, my little dogs Sadie and Abella. I still need to assemble, I think in the yard between the neighbors and us, near the patio, I am hoping they enjoy it.


Back to the knitting!


Happy stitching trails to all


Stitchinghermit

Trying and Doing

I have come to realize that, I will not be able to finish my lace blouse by the end of the lace challenge, that's ok though, I am working on it and I have been busy.
I have a temporary contract job installing printers again, my mother in law passed and there have been things to do with the house, then my niece Heather was married June 4th.
Tazsmonn is doing well, he was extra stressed at the funeral running back and forth to the cities for finals, exceptions and arrangements could have been made, but everyone thought it best, including him that he get them over with. They have been finding so many things with so many memories, toys, pictures and such, he and his sisters are doing well with it all and I am glad.
I performed the wedding ceremony for Heather and Justin, it was lovely, she was very happy. I  stayed for part of the wedding dance, which was not easy with so many people, but the colognes, perfumes and such were at a minimum, I stayed strategically in ventilated spots and kept away from the smokers as much as possible. There was one mishap, her dress came unhooked and unzipped as she was dancing, she caught it and was quickly surrounded and put back together.

A Pic of a kiss at the dance, can you believe she has had 5 kids? 

Working is quite hard on me, my environmental problems make it difficult, but it is temporary, I can pace myself a bit and take something for pain which I have a lot of; I do need part time so I don't get so beat down. I think that the online payroll systems for this job are so much easier than the last ones, I got it done easily without a lot of hassle. My first paycheck came on Saturday and I will have direct deposit from now on, or until the job is over in three months. Yeah me!
I tried  pretzel and coconut M&M's as well as coconut twix. They were all interesting, somewhat good, but nothing to get excited about and probably will not go looking for in the future.
I learned how to steam something open this week. We found an old pattern book for Barbie clothes at my mother-in-laws and it was stuck together from having been wet, it looked as if someone had tried to pull it open, so it is not perfect, but I was hoping to salvage it. I went to my friend Barb M. and she taught me how to steam it open, it did take a bit of finesse, but I am happy to report that I did it!
I have a couple of sweaters in the works for Connor, one of which is a cable using St. Dennis Nordique. I really like working with this yarn, it really knits well.I am using a sort of apple green color and the cables should pop really well.
I was sad to learn that The Tangled Skein in St. Peter has closed as well as Smitten with Knitting in Waseca, they were close to go to whenever I travel to Mankato, Mary Lue's is still open in Mankato so I still have a place to go when I am there. Kristen's Knits in Rochester is closing as well by June 20th, so trips should be made there as soon as possible.
My friend Lisa had helped me get some fiber from someone she worked with a few years ago, it had been stored since the 60's I think and was in need of cleaning, I recently took it to the woolen mill in St. Peter, I have the white back but I am still waiting on the brown, which is the one I really want to get my hands on.
The dogs are well, snugly and happy as ever, they have been traveling a bit lately which they like, dogs and car rides you know.

Happy Stitching Trails until next time.
Stitchinghermit

Cathching up with news

Its a lovely day here on the breezeway, I have a lot of work to do to make it NOT a catch all, but it is getting there. I have been busy and up to a lot in the past month or so, I had another knit repair job; I repair knitted items. I normally get these jobs through Linden Hills, which is where I pick up and drop off the item(s). I charge a $15.00 minimum and $15.00 per hour for the work plus the cost of supplies. Its interesting, I do not get a lot of work as people do not always know where to go to have this work done, but I find it rather sweet that they have been leaving me tips. I only had one job go over $30.00, most are under $20.00.

I spent two weeks in Mankato, helping out with day care for Connor. What a smart little guy, after the third time he was working hard to pull his own pants up and shirts on. Connor is also potty training, which I suspect may be hampered by the fact that Heidi is the only one who works with him on it. GOOD NEWS! Connors father is back from wherever he was and is willing to sign over custody, letting Heidi and Jim raise him; no court costs for that bit.

I spent a week in Austin as Tazsmonn's mom passed away. Ellie went peacefully while napping in her chair, she remained at home and active until that day. Ellie is remembered as being very loving, kind and a good person. I was able to get some copies of some of her recipes.

My niece Heathers wedding is coming up June 4th. I am officiating and knitting a silk lace garter for her. She is of course stressed and excited, still things to do.

I am taking printer tests for a job I hope to start on the 31st of this month, I really have a lot left on that, not as far as I wanted to be, a few glitches held me up and I downloaded all the service manuals I will need last night, so I am set now.

We have sparrows nesting in our old light pole outside, they are a joy to watch.

I hope your knitting is always a sweet meditation in your day!

Happy Stitching trails to all.

Enter the French Canadian house elf or she who keeps to the shadows.

For a week now I have been in Mankato. My sister Heidi's Day care provider had surgery for ovarian cancer and is starting chemo therapy and this created a need for someone to help out providing care for Connor. Here I am and if you know me, you know I do not do housework. When I come to Mankato I am followed by a French Canadian house elf who takes care of those undesirable house hold duties from the shadows, I may admit to the occasional load of laundry or floor sweeping but the little French Canadian creature is quite busy.

I tried to be organized when preparing for my trip here, however the best laid plans can fail; I forgot my KNITTING! No one, not even I could believe it, thank God for Mary Lues. I picked up some needles and a small bit of yarn. Saturday Heidi, Connor and a couple of the boys made a trip to run a few errands in the cities and pick up my knitting.

The house elf has been busy, while I share Connor duties, he likes to be chased, starting to work on potty training, uses his finger to shoot people and does a very dramatic death scene at times. He was introduced to the fun of squirt guns yesterday and got a bit wet. Connor is not so gentle with dogs, we need to help Bella stay out of his grasp so she is not crushed. The other day I went up stairs, the dogs normally follow me everywhere but failed to follow me up that time, Connor grabbed Bella, Heidi heard the jingling of Sadie's tags on her collar, she went into the hall to see Sadie dancing around Connor who had a tight grasp on Bella and she told him to put her down. Needless to say Connor dropped Bella and both dogs ran for all they were worth up the stairs to find me.

The house elf has been washing dishes, doing some laundry and sweeping floors. Heidi loves the little
French Canadian elf and hopes it sticks around, I am sure she will stay around as long as I am here. Heidi's glasses were getting a lime build up and the house elf went off the deep end this morning, pulled all the glasses out of the cupboard to soak them in lemon juice dishwater, most of the lime build up came off, another soaking should do it, the little elf is quite happy with herself.

I got a dose of nature yesterday and was brutally reminded that outside cats hunt and not just mice; poor little birdie soldiers are now in heaven. He is not my cat so I will no get away with putting a collar with a bell on him.

I am working on a top down raglan sweater for Connor, a pair of socks and my lace sweater. Tia finished a narrow scarf that I seamed into a mobius for her today, and she is working on a lace scarf as well. Heidi is finishing her mohair sweater.

May all your stitching trails be happy ones.

Stitchinghermit