Friday, June 22, 2012

Eye Surgery

I started the eye drops for my second cataract surgery today. The misery is from the dilating drops that have to be instilled four times a day for three days before the surgery. I'll be wearing dark glasses for the duration.
Musings
On the way to work this morning I was thinking about my tote bag. It's really more of a tote sack I bought it at Costco of all places from one of the guest vendors. It was made in Rwanda and the bag is signed by a woman named Eugenie. I think about her sometimes and wonder how her life is and if she ever thinks about what happened to all the bags she has made. I know she has made lots of them because the sewing is perfect. Putting in a  zipper on a curved edge is not easy.
Knitting
I'm currently working on October Frost from A Fine Fleece. I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I love the patterns and I feel I'm an experienced enough knitter to substitute yarn but the gauges in this book really throw me for a loop. I am a loose knitter and always try swatching with a needle size smaller than the pattern suggests. With these patterns I'm either using the suggested size or a size larger.
I'm knitting my October Frost from "Orchid" an unfortunately discontinued yarn from Harrisville Designs. It's a blend of wool, mohair and cashmere in a heavy worsted/ Aran weight. The color is Juniper which is a wonderful shade of blue green. Pictures this weekend I hope.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

There were very red clouds early this morning. I hope the huge snow stays south of us as predicted.
My husband was once again nagging me this morning about continuing with my swimming lessons. I know that my feelings are irrational and not something he can understand but I am just not ready to start again with a new teacher. I liked Caitlin a lot and she understood my fear of being underwater and was very patient with me. I was very upset when the YMCA changed the time of the adult class from 5:45 to 5:00. That seemed to me to be very silly in a facility that is in the downtown office building area.
My dental issues are improving at least the infection is succumbing to the antibiotic. Hopefully I can get the unsalvageable tooth extracted and whatever restoration done before mid April when I'm supposed to go to Palm Springs.
Now that my husband has a couple of weeks under his belt at the new job we are relaxing on the spending. We put a much needed slipcover on the cat mutilated sofa last weekend and this weekend we are going to the Guthrie Theater to see "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". I have really missed going to the theater.

Knitting:
  February is almost over and I have only one sock and the beginning of the second of the pair. Still 6 days to go so maybe. I don't have a camera with me but the pattern is Leafling and the yarn is Socks that Rock medium weight  in Bella Coola.
Also on the needles is a cabled cardigan from Fall 2011 Vogue Knitting.
Olga loved her At the Market stole

Friday, February 10, 2012

The wind was from the north on the way to the bus stop this morning and I was grateful to have a huge shawl to wrap around my face and the Brioche stitch hat from the Fall 2011 VK on my head. I'm even more grateful that my husband is finally employed again and no longer available to drive me to work.
Last night I washed and severely blocked the At the Market shawl. I used Fleece Artist Woolie Silk the color is Masala. It's wonderfully bright and springy.
I wasn't up to fixing the dropped stitch on my husband's hat last night; not enough light I will have to wait until the weekend when I have natural light. So I picked up a WIP; a chunky cardigan on big needles (7.00 mm). It grows amazingly fast.
In mid January I put together three sock kits in the hopes of doing a pair a month; I only have a half sock to show for my efforts but It's not quite mid February so there is still hope.

Lost and Found

I did run out of yarn for the Round the Bend Jacket or so I had thought. Last weekend while sorting through some abandoned projects I found another skein. That should be more than enough to finish.
In the meantime I have started a cotton/tencel blend sweater for my husband from some stash yarn. I am very pleased with it so far. Pictures this weekend hopefully.

The garden has been started. The Greek oregano from last year is not only up but is huge. The lemon balm is coming back also. On Sunday we planted three tomatoes, parsley, rosemary, and a bush cucumber.
At Farmer's Market yesterday I purchased sage, lavender, thyme, french tarragon and sorrel to be planted this weekend. there are also a lot of flowers and bulbs to get in the ground if it is dry enough to get the little garden tiller out. I need to expand the circular bed in the front to 9 feet in diameter for the layout I want.


I had a very nice conversation with my new bus friend this morning. I discovered she likes all kinds of music and bowling. Neither of which are great interests of mine but I like listening to others talk about their enthusiasms. Besides it's nice to know some people who you feel you can sit next to on a crowed bus safely.

Home from Vacation with a Mountain of Laundry

Sunday afternoon and I'm paying bills and any other task I can think of to avoid the mountain of laundry.
We were away 10 days so there is a considerable amount.
Fiona the 9 year old meezer was isolated from the three younger ones while were away. The three younger ones, Merlin, Claire and Lily can be little hooligans and harass Fiona. Today Fiona is talking to them while sitting under the bed. Apparently it is a hate-love-hate thing.
Knitting
 I'm on the second half of the Round the Bend jacket and eyeballing the ball of yarn nervously. I don't know if there is more left in stash or not. After the long winter of knitting the wedding sweaters I'm so ready for a fun project like a shrug form fashion yarns or a lacy shawl.
I will persevere on the Round the Bend jacket though and hopefully there is enough yarn.