A chocolate'ty update

Absent from blog-dom yet again. I just haven't had enough uninterrupted time to spend on the computer to upload pictures for blog. Too busy with house and settling into community stuff. No wonder really...it's only been 2 months since we closed on the property (yet seems so much longer). So just to let you know I am still trying to blog, here's a quizz-thing...

What Your Taste in Chocolate Says About You

You are sweet, mellow, and easily satisfied. You don't like anything too intense and dramatic. Deep down, you're a kid at heart... and you're nostalgic for the past. You are a whimsical person prone to daydreaming. Artistic and creative, you're always in the middle of a project. While you are an inspiration to others, you can come off as flaky. You love to be the center of attention. You enjoy entertaining your friends. You feel lost when no one is interested in you... You're too interesting to be ignored.

The Chocolate Oracle

I am still able to knit a little in the evening while family watches a little TV (love Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs - really missing LOST). OTN: A sample project for Knit Picks and a simple rib stitch scarf for Special Olympics). On the loom - nada, nothing as I just finished another pattern for upcoming issue of LKC...but I'm planning a project! ;-)

Knitting for Special Olympics

The Special Olympics need scarves for their participants. The goal is 5,000 scarves by January for the 2009 Special Olympics. This link gives further information including the pattern for both knitted and crocheted scarves.

As a parent of a young adult with developmental disabilities, I know this is a worthwhile cause. Can you help?

Did you get one?

Opal Harry Potter sock yarn? I managed to catch the email from Allison at Simply Socks Yarn Co early enough to score a skein of color 2355-Harry. I know, I know...what's the big deal. But knitter's who are addicted to Harry Potter and knitting socks understand.

I wanted to buy more, but (confession) the release of the yarn came on the heels (pun intended) of unpacking sock yarn and swearing I wouldn't buy another skein until knitting what I have. Silly me. ;-P

A month after closing on the house and we're still settling in. With most of the unpacking completed, we're doing the mundane things...like registering cars, new drivers license, bank accounts, doctors, etc. I had forgotten how time consuming this kind of stuff can be.

Pictures? Oh yeah...where did I put that cable and the camera?

Making a new home, almost there

Good news! We have only about 50 book size boxes left to unpack! About half are actually books and will have to wait until we have bookshelves put into the den. We've contacted a contractor/carpenter/crafts person (whatever he's called) and will have a quote tomorrow. Hopefully it's not out of our budget as I'd love to have the books out.

The remaining boxes are supplies from my studio. Beads, clay, and (of course) yarn. I'm trying to put together the studio but no longer have my built-ins from the house in California. It's going to take a lot of creativity to store supplies. But I have found the sweater I was working on right before the move. So I'm knitting something other then dishcloths now. More about that later.

Speaking of budgets...We still need to have a storm shelter put in. That was my one requirement for a move to Oklahoma as I'm in the category of people that are frightened of tornadoes. Earthquake? Been there, done that. And while it's not fun, it's usually over with by the time your brain thinks "an earthquake." Tornadoes seem to go on forever. Luckily the local folks say we won't need it until May (THE season).

Nature is abundant in the little neighborhood we live in. As a matter of fact, woods border our backyard fence. I've spotted deer in a neighbor's yard and some type of hawk sitting on our fence. And this morning I woke up when I heard noises. At first I blamed it on the dogs. Nope, they were snoozing still. So I followed the sound to the office, which has 3 skylights. I looked up and there were 2 blackbirds - huge! - pecking at the skylights with a screw. Trying to get in? Who knows. Silly birds.

Remembering...

9-11

Making a new home, the beginning

No pictures yet. The cable to hook the digital camera to the computer is in one of about 400 boxes in the garage. However, we are managing to settle into our new home.

Movers delivered household goods on Thursday. We've managed to place the big furniture items, put beds together, and get the WiFi installed (my husband's priority).

Issues (aka "pains in behind") were abundant on Friday and Saturday. Can't find a waterbed heater and had to buy a new one. Dryer was busted and had to buy a new one. Loveseat has a huge oil stain and a broken leg. I shudder to think of what awaits me in the approximately 400 boxes...broken china? dang

On today's agenda? Must buy food. I have to find a grocery store other then Super Walmart. I hate buying food there...ugh. And hopefully get the kitchen in some working order.

Knitting? What knitting?

Welcome to Oklahoma

Did you notice I've been away? A little over two weeks ago, a thunderstorm moved through Oklahoma City. What a welcome to Oklahoma show it was! I had forgotten what real thunderstorms were like.


One of the lightening strikes was close enough to shake the motor home and it took out some piece of equipment that downed the RV park's wifi. So for two weeks we've been without internet connection except when I could find a wifi hot spot (not as easy here as it was in Southern California).

We close on the house today and move in next week after household goods are delivered.

Have a safe and fun Labor Day!

We have an accord....

...as Captain Jack Sparrow would say. If all goes as planned, we should close on this house...

...no later then August 29th. See the RV barn in the picture (next to the garage)? It was what sold us on the house. We need a place to park our motor home. Of course, the fact that it has a pool...
...won't hurt. It would appear our quest for the right property is at an end, and we can begin to make our home in Oklahoma.

Now, where's the nearest yarn shop? ;-)

Offer pending and check this out!

We've put an offer in on a house and are waiting for sellers to respond. (Hey Denise...it has a salt water pool!) I would add a link for you to look at pictures but I don't want to jinx it. Once we hear if they've accepted, I'll show you. ;-)

In the meanwhile, check this out! I'm on Leisure Arts designers page.

More Knitting Wheel Fashions

Oklahoma residents

Oklahoma residents...that's us. We arrived yesterday, and have settled into the Twin Fountains RV Park in Oklahoma City until we close on a new property.

Tomorrow we meet our real estate agent, and look at 3 properties we've found online. This one in Mustang, this one in Choctaw, and this one in Harrah. My personal favorite (DD loves it too) is the house in Harrah but the formal living room looks like it's a narrow room. I hope the picture is just a lousy shot of the room. Or that it's possible to make it work with creative furniture arrangement. DH favors the property in Mustang since the rooms are huge.

OTN: An adaptation of this dishcloth to make a larger kitchen towel.

And we're off

The coming week promises to be chaotic. As a result, this will be the last blog post for awhile.

We check into a hotel this evening, and will have a week of packers, movers, final walk through with buyers, and real estate closing. We leave California in the motor home on the 26th.



While I won't miss the traffic of Southern California, I will really miss my house/property. Yet I'm looking forward to being closer to family and having a larger house in Oklahoma.

If you email me, give me a day or so to respond. We should have WiFi access on a regular basis.

OTN: Yet another dishcloth for sanity purposes.

Knitting content

I found the camera! It was hiding out where I couldn't find it - right beside the computer. Sneaky!

Last week I blogged about inspiration, swatching, designing a new project. This is the progress as of a week ago...



A week later...

Some progress is better then none, eh?

Do you remember my post about buying yarn for the move? Well, I finally got my hands on the box earlier this week. The post office evidently decided to hold my box from Knit Picks hostage until I rescued it. They didn't bother to send a ransom note though. I had to call to find it. Makes me wonder if someone at the local station knits and knows just what goodies a Knit Picks box can hold.


Only a 4 days left before packers and movers arrive. Oh joy! Three fun filled days of watching our possessions being disassembled, wrapped, boxed, and carted away.

Wordless Wednesday (laundering money)

Loom Knitter's Circle Magazine...

... summer issue is LIVE!

Still here

The move has picked up speed. We have dates! At last!! I have a ka-zillion things to remember to do between now and the 21st when the packers arrive. And I've made lists, and more lists.

The house is in shambles as we sort through the drawers, closets and book shelves. I've made enough trips to Goodwill lately that they seem to know me by name. And I have more ready to take over. It's amazing what you hold onto "just in case."

Escrow is in full swing as we fill out yet more paperwork. Selling a house can make you as crazy. I just keep reminding myself of how lucky we are to have sold it in today's horrible market. (Taking a moment to feel lucky.) Just think! I get to be THE BUYER next month. hehe

And through it all, I'm finding a small amount of time to design and knit. About two weeks ago, I had an inspiration. I charted and swatched. Then pulled out paper and drew the design complete with the math. Last weekend I had a chance to start knitting, and have managed to knit about 2 inches. Not a lot but considering everything else going on, that's dang good! I'd post a couple of pictures but I can't find the camera. Ah well....

E.V.I.L.?

How evil am I? Here's a little blog thing I saw on Isela's blog and Denise's blog.

It would appear I'm not as evil as my daughter thinks I am. And what is the "C" word anyway? I know what the "F" word is but "C"???

You Are 20% Evil

You are good. So good, that you make evil people squirm. Just remember, you may need to turn to the dark side to get what you want!

How Evil Are You?

Happy 4th of July

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill In #78

1. Birthdays are special when it's your child's birthday. Today is my darling daughter's 20th birthday! Happy Birthday Darlin' !


2. Fall is my favorite season because leaves turn such beautiful colors!
My favorite season use to be Spring when the plants are blooming. But our family has had rotten luck for the past three Springs. I'm seriously tempted to hibernate during next Spring. Stay tuned.

3. I feel my best when I'm not stressed. Constant stress makes me sick...literally.

4. Ice cold watermelon is my favorite food during the summer. Yummy!


5. First impressions are not always accurate...except for liver. My first impression was YUCK! and that has never changed.

6. The best piece of advice I ever received was from a good friend who said "you have to meet this guy." I did. And we've been married for over 26 years.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to celebrating DD's birthday, tomorrow my plans include torturing giving the dogs a bath and Sunday, I want to finishing purging the filing cabinets and shredding old paperwork (getting ready for the move)!

hahaha

Ready for more...

....more yarn, more books, more knitting...

Knitting up a few dishcloths must have been just what I needed as a warm up to start bigger projects. I'm itching to knit a sweater. But this time the sweater won't be for a book or for a sample knit...I've decided I need to have special "ME" projects to work on. Not only will Oklahoma be colder then California (so says DH) but it's good therapy during the move (hehe good excuse for buying yarn.)

I saw this pattern in April's Simply Knitting


and just love it! It's a simple knit with basket weave type of pattern. And since the pattern calls for a bulky weight yarn, it's a quick knit. Perfect project for the days in July while the packers are boxing up household goods, while the movers are taking everything out, and for the days during the drive to Oklahoma City in the RV.

As any good knitter knows, you never have just the right yarn in just the right amount. I had to shop for yarn (oh the agony....not!). Off to Knit Picks website I went. And dropped some Wool of the Andes into my cart.

While shopping for the right yarn for this pattern, I saw Shimmer. Oh. My. Hand dyed baby alpaca and silk blend? I can't resist! Plus I really should have a special project for August house hunting, right? I see a lace shawl in my future. So I ordered two hanks.

Of course special yarn deserves special pattern, right? And since Knit Picks is having a book sale (40% off until August 8th), I ordered Wrapped In Comfort by Alison Jeppson Hyde.


Then I saw the great price on Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters and snagged a copy since it's on my wish list anyway (and I'm a sucker for a book sale).
This move is starting to look good to me. ;-)