Pet diary entries

I'm busy working my way through all the chore's that waited for me to return from RV trip. But I thought you might enjoy this while I'm dealing with the mountain of laundry, the accumulation of dust bunnies, and the paying of bills.

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!


10:30am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite
thing!

11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!




Excerpts from a Cat's Diary


Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little
dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat,
while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some
sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for
the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat
something in order to keep up my strength. The only
thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an
attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the
carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless
body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear
into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what
I am capable of. However, they merely made
condescending comments about what a "good little
hunter" I am. Bastards!




There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices
tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the
duration of the event. However, I could hear the
noises and smell the food. I overheard that my
confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I
must learn what this means, and how to use it to my
advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to
assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his
feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow
-- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are
flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special
privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be
more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him
communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain
that he reports my every move. My captors have
arranged protective custody for him in an elevated
cell, so he is safe.

For now...


Graphics from Free Animal Clipart

I did it!

I finally overcame my loathing of DPNs. I tried them about 20 years ago when I was still a novice knitter. They felt awkward and the stitches were sloppy (that much I remember). And since I had little patience, I gave them up quickly.

Luckily I found two circular needles easy for making socks. And I can even convert most patterns from dpn's to circulars. But really - I teach knitting and should have no fear. So I decided it was time for me to give DPNs another try.

It took a couple of false starts before I realized the root of my problem...casting on to 3 or 4 needles! I can't do it and get nice even stitches. My solution? Cast on to one of the needles, then slip the cast on stitches to the other needles. Dang. How simple. Am I the last to know this?! sigh.

You saw the finished results in this post (scroll down a bit). I didn't mention that the dishcloth was made on dpns just in case it was blind luck the first time. But look at this!!!



Socks on DPNs! Yippee skippee!

OK, I had to celebrate. I headed to the Yarn store while in Durango, Colorado and bought myself some Lorna's Laces and Rosewood DPNs.


The yarn is gorgeous! And aren't these needles BEEEE-utiful!??!!

Colorful Colorado

We left Texas on Saturday and decided to spend a couple of days in Durango, CO before heading home. This area is beautiful. And there is a yarn shop which is calling to me (if time allows). We want to take the train ride to Silverton and hubby wants to do some more metal detecting (his hobby).

I didn't get a large amount of knitting done while in Texas. There was so much to say to my Mother, older sister, and neice that I lost my voice in a period of 4 days hehe. But I did get the socks finished for SWTC and mailed them while in Henderson.



This picture shows the color more accurately then the previous picture. I love it - it says "spring time" to me.

On the drive to Colorado, I loom knitted a dishcloth. But I'm not entirely happy with the finished design and need to change it a bit. That's for later, however, since I'm going through needle withdrawal (socks! YAY!)

Howdy ya'll

Well, we made it. We're in Dallas. The drive here was really smooth....lovely weather. We pulled into our RV spot earlier this afternoon and spent some time "housekeeping" and settling in. A's job was to vacuum.



Most of this week will be spent visiting hubby's family and friends before heading to Henderson area (my hometown).

I have some FO to show! Round face cloth (knitted)



Pearl bangle bracelet (bead crochet)



And I'm ready to turn the heel on these models for SWTC knitted with one of the new colors of TOFUtsies



I love this color!

Since hubby prefers to do the driving during these road trips (and I'm just fine with that), I get plenty of time to knit, crochet, and/or read. Lucky me!

36 hours....

...and we're off to Texas to visit family. We're travelling in our motorhome which is a really relaxing way to travel.

Do you still call the place you were born "home"? Recently I realized that I do that from time to time. I wondered why since I haven't lived there since I was 18. Since I will be 50 this year, it's been a very long time! I guess it's because Mom is there. We'll be there for her 84th birthday, get to see old friends as well as family, have BBQ at Bob's, and catfish at the Duck Inn.

FO news! I've been loom knitting over the past week. One of the projects is a loofa soap bag. The e-wrap knit (twisted knit stitch) gives the cotton yarn just enough "roughness" that it really feels like a loofa.


I'm so ready for summer. So I did these flip flop toppers on the loom.



Both are scheduled classes at Michaels in June. If you can't make the class, check back for patterns. They'll be on my website as soon I get pictures added to the patterns.

Notice that they're quick and easy projects? The majority of my time recently has been spent test knitting cardigans for Knit Picks. The zippered cardigan is now on their website (go peek!) It's an easy pattern and the yarn is nice to work with.

We should have access to the web during the trip, so check back for patterns. CYA on the road!

Happy 25th Anniversary!

We met in the Philippines although we were both born and raised in East Texas. I was in the U.S. Air Force


and he was on a field assignment from his company (civilian!)


We dated...


fell in love, and were married in Hawaii on May 6th, 1982.


A few more pictures....

While the road to wedded bliss hasn't always been easy, and life hasn't been exactly what we planned....it really has been better then we ever dreamed.

Lost spoilers

Wesnesday means it's Lost nite! We're addicted and admit it. Hubby is always sending links for me to read. Here is a link for you to check out Lost Spoilers if you're interested.

Monday, monday

Yesterday (Monday) was a rare day at home with my daughter recovering from oral surgery to remove all 4 wisdom teeth. While she dozed and watched a movie, I spent my time catching up on paperwork.

Ugh...I always let it pile up. And I always swear that the next time, I won't wait...I'll get the class sign up sheets, supply lists, and patterns ready as I decide on what classes I'm teaching; that I'll type the pattern as I'm working on the new design instead of scribbling it on paper; that I'll balance the checkbook as soon as the bank statement comes in...etc., etc., etc.

But my reality is this.....


....when I'd rather be doing this....

Loom knitting hooks

I'm very protective of this particular hook....



...as it's the only one I have. It's the first style of hook that Provo Craft included with the the Knifty Knitter looms. The handle is smooth making it a nice grip, and the hook is sturdy. (I have no idea what the long needle on the other end is suppose to be used for.)

Then Provo changed the hook to this style.



I really dislike these! The plastic of the handle has a rough texture and is spongey so that there isn't a firm grip. My hands sometimes hurt when using this hook because of that. Also it's a crap shoot whether you will get a hook that has thin metal which bends, or if the hook will have a very pointy tip that can leave deep stratches in the loom pegs. My suggestion is to look at the tip before buying it.

Recently I found this hook on ebay.



I bought one and I love it! It appears to be an altered dental pick of sorts encased in a rubber tubing (hubby thinks it's a surgical tubing). The grip is firm and the texture is smooth which makes it easy on the hands.

Do you have a preference of hooks?

Hey or Hay!?

My daughter is having oral surgery tomorrow. Needless to say she's upmost in my thoughts today. And I thought I'd share one particularly cherished memory with you from when she was about 5...



...which was 13 years ago.




During one of our errands in the car, she said "hey!"
My response was "what?"
She repeated "hey!!"
I said "WHAT?!" somewhat louder.
She said "nevermind."

The little game (or so I thought) continued off and on for another few weeks...at which time I looked at her in the rearview mirror as I asked "what?" To my suprise she was pointing at....yep, you got it....HAY truck. We shared a huge laugh in this moment that has continued for many years.



And once in awhile, we all try to fool each other when on the road with a calm "hay."

A whole lotta knittin' going on

Whew! The needles have been flying as I finished up swatches for the Walker Treasury Project (pictures of the swatches can be found to the left side of the blog). If you haven't visited the Walker Treasury Project blog, go! This is truly a labor of love by knitters.

I've started another sweater test knit with a deadline of....well, soon!


This is my second sweater test knit in less then 2 months...and it has renewed my desire to knit sweaters for myself. Typically, I like projects that finish quickly and look for buzz words like "easy," "weekend knit," etc. But I've found myself eyeing this lace cropped cardigan. It's a challenge in that it's lace....and I've never knitted a top down sweater before. The fact that it's "no seam" is a huge plus. And I adore it! Yeah, I've talked myself into knitting this one during our yearly 3 week motorhome vacation. The question now is....do I have the yarn? Or do I have to go yarn shopping? Such a chore - NOT!

Three months to go!

At last....a cover....!!

And a sneak peak at the Order of the Phoenix movie.

P.S. I have been knitting just not blogging about it.

The woman has courage

As I browsed yahoo news today, the headlines Calif. grandmother blogs from Baghdad caught my eye. I thought you might be interested also. Her blog is here.

When the going gets tough....

....the tough go shopping!

Actually I never need an excuse to shop for yarn, beads, and books. And since I have finished not one damn thing no pictures of finished items to show you, I thought I'd show you the goodies I've purchased (other then yarn) since the beginning of the year.

I had Nicky Epstein's books on my Amazon wishlist for Christmas. No one took the hint (oh well). So as my congratulations to myself for finishing the loom knit booklet and getting it to the publisher on time, I ordered them for myself. (snicker)



In February I spotted this crochet pattern booklet in an Annie's Attic catalog.

Flip flop toppers! Love them. I've picked out the first one I want to do. I just need a free evening to do it.

Then there's the loom I've wanted for so long! When the new peg style was announced at Decor Accents, the urge became overwhelming. Here's my new baby....

It arrived a little over a week ago. Of course, I'm swamped once again with UFO that absolutely must be finished before I can start another project so I content myself with petting it.

March was a great month for new releases of books! This one....

....was written by a very talented loom knit designer and very nice lady. (Hi Isela) I've only had a few minutes to look at it. The instructional graphics are so good! I predict that this book will become a must have for loom knitters.

This book...


was a must have for me. I love Sensational Knitted Socks. My expectations for More Sensational Knitted Socks have been high. Thus far, I've only had time to glance through it so I can't give a review. However, I did note that the layout has changed. My first impression is that the change makes the patterns more difficult to follow. But as first impressions aren't necessarily accurate, I'll reserve my final opinion until I've had a chance to actually knit one of the patterns.

On Friday, I stopped by the post office to pick up a package of yarn for another test knit I'm doing. And guess what!? My co-op bead order had arrived too...yippee skippee!



I'm a member of a bead buying co-op which really saves me some $$ when putting together some of my designs to submit. I'm working on a few beadweaving designs that need multiple colors of delica beads I didn't have (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!)

Of course, as long as I'm ordering delicas, I might as well get a few hanks to do one of the bead crocheted snakes from Adele's book. (Forgot to mention buying that one in February hehehe) To top the order off, I just had to order some crystals because they're gorgeous! always needed.



I still do not like snakes but really want to do the memory wire bracelet in this book!

Buying frenzy aside, I noticed a new link on a friend's blog. Of course, I had to click on it. Here it is.....


At last! I can "forgive" myself for being an infrequent blogger.

Knifty Knitter beret pattern

Suprise! A mid-week post.

Endako Jo posted that the link from the blog for the Giselle beret pattern (Knifty Knitter) wasn't working. It's now fixed....and the strange thing is that it worked a week or so ago. You can find the pattern download information here.

More knifty knitter news....I'm now teaching at the new Michaels in Palmdale. Check that store's class schedule for upcoming classes!

Good news, bad news revisited

It's been a crazy week.

Bad news: UPS online is difficult to get a shipment prepared for finished test knit. Two hours and several bad words later, I gave up.

Good news: The local UPS store is fantastic! My finished test knit (a cardigan) was shipped and has been received.

Worse news: Elderly next door neighbor (in her late 70's), was in an auto accident. The car rolled a couple of times and is totaled. Her 80's plus husband called for us to help as he couldn't reach their son to meet her at the ER.

Blessing news: She had a few bruises - that's it! Counting blessings.

Horrible news: My 84 yo Mother was taken to the hospital (2nd time in March) with dangerously high blood pressure. She was admitted and was under observation over the past weekend. Admitting doctor thought she might be in the early stages of Alzheimer's. And the anxiety caused the rise in blood pressure.

The best news: Her regular doctor says not Alzheimer's. The medications that she is taking for blood pressure, high cholosterol, allergies and depression do not mix well and can cause anxiety....which in turn caused a rise in blood pressure which in turn causes the inability to relate to surroundings. Doctor changed meds and when/how they're taken. I talked with Mother this morning. She sounds better then she has since major stroke two years ago. (another blessing)

Uh oh news: My daughter's wisdom teeth need to come out. Oral surgery isn't cheap!

Relief news: It's a 30 minute procedure done in office. Dental insurance will cover most of it (whew!)

(reverse order)
Good news: I'm managing some knitting time.
Bad news: Nothing to show you yet.

But I will leave you with this on STRESS

I am not sure exactly how it works, but this is
amazingly accurate. Read the full description before
looking at the picture.

The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It
was used in a case study on stress levels at St.
Mary's Hospital.

Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The
dolphins are identical. A closely monitored,
scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact
that the dolphins are identical, a person under stress
would find differences in the two dolphins. The more
differences a person finds between the dolphins, the
more stress that person is experiencing.
Look at the photograph and if you find more than one
or two differences you may want to take a vacation.

No Need to Reply, I'll be on Vacation
I need a vacation!

Spring

Spring brought blooms to the desert (pear tree),



a beautiful sunset,



and a stomach bug to the family

(trust me, you do not want pictures of this!)

Counting

I always mean to blog more often but there are times when I'm busy with exciting stuff like doing laundry, dirty dishes real life stuff which really isn't fun to write or read about. I've also been busy with counting...

...stitches and rows for this test knit I'm working on.



...cholestrol in the dishes I'm making since my cholestrol count is up again. I found the recipe for this crab and pasta salad that is low cholestrol.



It tastes great!

...the amount of money I spent on yarn recently. The local Hancock Fabrics is closing and has marked yarn down so much that I finally talked myself into Lion Brand's cashmere blend.



...the number of projects I have going and patterns I need to write. Hopefully April will be the magic month for finishing touches on these!

....and I'm counting the number of days I have left before the article I'm writing will be due. Stay tuned for that!

Knitting Pattern Central and "white"

Loom knitters have been heard! The web home of free knitting patterns, Knitting Pattern Central, has added loom knitting to the list.

Thank you Knitting Pattern Central!

If you haven't read Yarn Harlot blog entry yesterday, buzz over there. Yeah...white hahahaha

Polymer clay

How many artistic outlets do you have? More then you have time for, right? Yeah, me too. I knit (needles and loom), crochet, weave with beads, and dabble with polymer clay. This post is all about claying.

I cannot do canes with polymer. When the clay was first on the market, I tried. I would get the cane put together and then start the process to reduce it....but obviously do not have the right touch as it became distorted. That has always frustrated me as polymer was meant for people to make canes with. Or so I thought.

Recently a friend sent me to this site. Wow. I can use it just to sculpt? Like this guy....



And that's OK!?!?! (happy dance!) I'm not a failure!

So I ordered Christi's books and they arrived arrived this past weekend.



This lady is so talented. I have clay and the tools. Now all I need is more time. Got any to spare?

A loom story

Today's Knifty Knitter class was a great group! We made easter bunnies and talked about how the pattern could be adapted for any number of other projects...including a skunk! What a terrific idea....I may have to try one. ;)

Here's a little loom history for you....
One of the looming ladies had experience with a knitting board as a child. She brought this board with her to class




and told us how someone had made the looms for the entire class so that they could knit scarves for armed forces during World War II.

Yep, knitting looms have a history!

Loom Knitters Circle Magazine

Check it out....a new e-zine has been born!



Welcome to the web world! Live long and prosper.