WIP Wednesday

It's another gone by and it feels like a month.  Sadly, not much has been added to my shawl.

A few repeats were added to the border.  I should have more to show you next week. (crosses fingers)

No cross stitch this week.  PBS is having their telethon, so no Saturday night British Shows.  It's for three weeks.  I would be more apt to give them money if they left my British shows on and said, "Hey you, sitting in that rocking chair cross stitching."

I would look up.

"Yes, you. Is that a Mirabilia?"

I look around for the hidden camera.

"If you want to keep watching more of  these British shows every week, then send us some money."

Instead, they put on stuff I have no interest in and say, "If you want to see more programming like this, then send us money."  That's the only time they show that stuff is when they want money, and no I don't want to watch more of them.

I ordered Netflix.  Just have to figure out how to balance the laptop, pattern and stitching all on my lap.

After last weeks events, Duane and I sort of became a couple of vegetables.  The tremendous weights lifted, we were both exhausted.  I hate rollercoasters.  Only three times have I rode them and each time a frightening experience which it was said I could be heard screaming in terror all through the park.  That's what it feels like, I just stepped off the worst rollercoaster ride ever, and have been just staggering around in a daze.

This is the oldest baby bird.  Duane named him Yertle (hope I spelled it right) because his body is the deepest green blue.

At first this one was named Whitey.  Then his soft powder blue feathers came in.  He's looking more like his Dad, Mr. Bird.  Now, we call him Jr.

Until this evening, this baby was known as #3.  Tonight, Duane named him Normal or Norm for short.  Norma if it turns out to be a girl.

Number 4 looks like it's going to be yellow for the most part.  It has like two light green feathers in it's tail.  This one was named Tweety.

Number 5 doesn't have an official name yet.  I call it Baby.  Maybe that will be it's name, as it is the last one.

It was suggested I might sell some.  Not so much.  For one thing, I see parakeets for sale on Craigslist all the time, here.  I don't think they are big sellers.  Two, I had a bad experience when I had a ton of kittens I needed to find homes for.  One allowed their toddler to abuse the kitten and it died.  They tried to say I gave them a defective kitten and wanted another one.  I was just No. NO!! You don't let a two year treat a tiny kitten like a stuffed animal.  Another couple took two of my kittens and when the kittens grew up, they dropped them off at the pound.  A few other incidents happened.  Anyway, I'm a firm believer when a person takes on a pet it's for the life of the pet, unless circumstances happen beyond anyone's control.

So, I'll just remove the house when Baby is big enough.  I'll be the weirdo with 18 parakeets.  I can live with that.

Lastly.  SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!  I got a job!!! A real job!!  It was the one I couldn't say too much about, lest I jinx it.  The call came in today.  It's the same company Duane worked for.  Except he was with the department for a major internet provider.  They are putting me in with a national drugstore chain and will be paying for me to get my pharmacy tech licence.  I start at the end of September.

I pm'd a few people on FB.  I just didn't want to put it to my status just then and announce to the world.

The only thing that could top this week is if I take Duane up to the Shell station to get that lottery ticket, (We still haven't done that.) and he wins the Mega Million jackpot.  You know since he's faced odds that were greater than being struck by lightening this year.  Then he would have to come here and post, "I'm sorry but Denise can't come to the blog right now.  She fainted and I'm still trying to revive her."

Thanks for stopping by.

I have to add my celebration video for when I'm headed in the right direction. I wore this out when I graduated nursing school.

WIP Wednesday

It's just 10:30 pm Tuesday night here in the desert SW and suddenly I'm very tired.

I started the edging for Dayflower Dreaming today, just as I hoped.  Started it on the wrong needle and had the front of the edging facing the back of the shawl.  Luckily, I noticed this just ten rows in.  After a few more false starts, I finally have it going in the correct direction.

I took all the baby parakeets out of the nest to clean it.

This little one decided to be by himself.  I think it's around two weeks old.

The green one on the right, is three weeks and three days. The white one is just three weeks and be darned if I can remember how old any of the others are.  Especially, the littlest one.  So, with these five babies that will make 18 parakeets total.  We are done, finished, caput with letting them hatch anymore.  Poor Emily, even if she does decide upon a mate, she won't have a chance at adding to the bunch.

Duane made homemade cream of asparagus soup for dinner.

Monday night, I hinted at storms brewing and job possibilities. The storms:

 Last Wednesday, I received a shut off notice for the electric a few weeks earlier than I expected.  I called and was able to get them to hold off until September 20 at the most.

Then Friday night, the boarder came home early from his job all upset.  Told Duane he was going to take off back to the little podunk town from whence he came.  Just great, five days notice and he knew we really needed his share of the rent to stay here.  He left for his brother's this afternoon.

My neighbor said that the call center she worked at was hiring and to go this past Monday at 2pm and they will probably start me the next day. It's just a hole in the wall type place. As I said Monday night, I went out in 106F and walked a good half mile from the bus stop and around the office park til I finally found the place.  I was wearing a heavy linen, navy blue skirt, satin shirt and heals.  No pantyhose, thank goodness.  I figured this is Tucson, in August, who in their right mind would wear pantyhose?

I get there and it's a hole in the wall type place.  Old fashioned cubicles with phones and computers.  I don't know why, but it reminded me of the old hole in the wall bowling alley my mom bowled at, back in the 70's.  I half expected them to all have ashtrays and the place be thick with smoke.

The woman told me she wouldn't be hiring for a few weeks, that she's currently over-booked with the people had.  Then she walked out front and lit a cigarette.  I followed her out and said, "May I please fill out an application, since I came all this way."  I wanted cry then and there, but I just went back inside and sat in a chair near the door.  She had some girl come in and bring me an application.  Which I sat trying to fill out using my little purse for a desk.  It was so hot walking around out there, that's when I started dripping sweat all on the application.

References, crap, I forgot to grab the paper with my references phone numbers.  I brought it back to her and apologized that I forgot to grab that information, but I could bring it when she called me for an interview.  She said, "Oh don't worry about it.  I never call them.  I just want to know if you have any felony charges of stealing a hat.  Then I just want to hear the story."  "I'll probably call you sooner, rather than later."  Then I went home in the heat.   Duane and I discussed what we were going to do about the landlord and the electric bill.  The tiny bit I get from the state doesn't even cover the rent.

Today, a call came for Duane.  Blessed be, he was approved for his disability, finally.  In a few weeks he will get a deposit with just enough to cover the rent and electric.  Now, he can relax, not having to worry about us getting evicted, and going back to the nursing home. He is slowly getting better, trying to take daily walks.  The heat does make it hard for him to get out and about very much with his breathing.

I still need to find a job, but not as desperately. As in I don't have to throw myself on the mercy of some convenience store manager, begging for a job.  Which was my next idea.    Hopefully, I will hear from another company this week that will be starting training in the middle of September.  I'm not allowed to say too much about it, lest I jinx myself.

Here ends hopefully the last chapter of this terrible saga that has just gone on way too long.  Thank you to all of you who have hung in there with me and helped me get through this.  I don't think I could have made it without you.  There were days you were holding me together when I didn't think I could do it myself.

WIP Wednesday

I tried to get to the edging on Dayflower Dreaming.  Sadly, there is five more rows to go.

Even though there is about ten more rows added, it looks the same so no new picture.  The problem with letting a WIP languish too long, I forgot why I was making this.  I have no idea what to do with it once I'm finished, other than block it, fold it up and put it someplace safe.  I think I might have wanted to use it on one of those small round decorator tables, however that no longer interests me.  Too far into this to rip it out and re-use the yarn.

Same progress on Villa Mirabilia as I posted on Saturday.  This was started before the above project and I still have the same plan to frame it and hang in the living room.

After I posted on Sunday, Duane went in to assemble his pizza.  I wasn't able to get into the kitchen until around eight that night and by that time I was too tired to mess with the cake like I said I was going to. Monday, I felt fluish with body and head aches.

That's ok, his pizza was delicious.  The crust was so buttery and yummy it could have just had melted cheese on it and it would have been wonderful.  The beef brisket was tender and tangy with his homemade sauce.

I made the Black Forest cake tonight while watching Fried Green Tomatoes for the third time in a week.  It was the only thing on tv those nights.  My kitchen is about as big as a postage stamp.  The top layer of the cake broke in three pieces when I placed it on top.  Chocolate ganache then a layer of cherries.

Heavy whipping cream was on sale, so I got that.  While whipping it up, I thought how did they whip cream before electricity.  Those women must have had one heck of an arm.  I just put a few dollaps on the cake because there wouldn't be any room for the cake in the dollhouse sized refrigerator.  Postage stamp kitchen, dollhouse refrigerator and an oven the size of an Easy Bake. (sigh)

It didn't matter to Duane that my sad cake looked so pathetic.  He said it tasted better than the Sara Lee version.  He even sat in here and watched some of Fried Green Tomatoes with me while he ate it.  It was the part where Idgy and Ruth get into a food fight.  I was thinking about that scene while I was whipping cream and thought about coming in the bedroom and tossing a spoonful at someone.  Just to be funny.  He said, that would be better than a glass of water.

Speaking of Duane, he wrote two new posts on his blog.  One is his progress and the other is his cheesecake recipe that I posted a picture here.  Stop over and ask him for that great pizza crust recipe.  I can't rave enough about that crust.



It's late Tuesday night here, and no call back about the job. I had a feeling the lady before me would get the job as she knew other people in the facility.  I'm feeling a bit depressed and disappointed.  Every morning I still continue to fill out at least 5 applications a day. Today, I spent eight or more hours sending resumes and applications.  I'm down to grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, housekeeping, laundry and convenience stores. I don't care what it is, as long as it's something I can do.  I just need a job.  I know there's nothing you can do unless you know an employer in Tucson and call them up say give that lady a job and send positive thoughts.  It's just so disheartening.

We made a decision last month. It will be awhile, but we plan on moving to Fresno, Ca.  I've made a few really good friends here, but I'm just not happy with Arizona. If you have first hand experince of Fresno, give me a shout.  I've been doing a ton of research online.  There seem to be more jobs listings in Fresno and I was attempted to apply to some, except I have no way to get there.  Until then I will dream of the day I can ramble on.

WIP Wednesday

It's been a quiet week here.  Shhh, don't let the dark forces know I noticed.

I'm half way through the last repeat of Dayflower Dreaming, then I will start the knitted on edging.  I haven't made anything with a knitted on edging so this will be a new experience.  For a re-cap, I'm using some of my first handspun laceweight from 2006 and I believe this was started around that time.

Summer is usually when I work on cross stitch, piecing quilt tops and seed beading projects. Even with the AC set to 75F there are days my hands sweat and itch when I work with yarn.  I pulled Villa Mirabilia  out of the box and put several more stitches on her.  This was also started sometime around 2005 era.  There is still quite a ways to go on this.

I'm pulling out old projects to cure my terrible case of the wants, as we all have at times.  I'm still drooling over Cupcake Fibers SW BFL/nylon batts.  Duane was going to buy one for me for a late Valentine's Day but just couldn't manage it from the ICU.  I've been eyeing Crown Mountain Farm BFL Walpurgis for quite awhile now.  What are some things that have been giving you a case of the wants?

As promised on Friday, here's my picture of bright spots a midst chaos.  I think the doily goes well with my Venetian Lady cross stitch.

An update picture on our last batch of parakeet babies. The darker one next to Mama Myrtle is one week and two days old.  They start getting down feathers at about a week. We are very curious what the colors will be.  Mama is green and yellow with a bit of teal and the Daddy is a powder blue.  An egg has hatched about every other day.  We are up to four babies and I think there are two or three more eggs.  Am I a bad bird mama for hoping the other eggs don't hatch?  I will post updates more often since this is the last batch of babies for quite a long while.

The rehab center called and rescheduled my interview for Friday morning.  Paws crossed I get the job.  They are the only one out of the hundreds of applications I've been filling out to call for an interview.  I'm down to applying to convenience stores and fast food restaurants.  I'm almost as sick of filling out applications as I am the oppressive heat.

WIP Wednesday

I know on Monday, I said I would post on Tuesday about the birds.  When I came back with Duane from the SSD Dr. I was both tired and stressed.  So, since it's now Wednesday on the east coast, I'll just write a two for one.

Even though I've put an additional 30 rows onto Dayflower Daydreaming, the progress really can't be seen, so no new picture.  I am determined to get this very old wip finished so I can use the needles for the project I really wanted to work on. I'm using some of my very first handspun lace weight merino from 2006, which is when I started this.

Dammit is being very naughty in the closet with the carpet.  One way to dissuade him is to put a throw rug over the area.  For some reason, he doesn't have an appetite for throw rugs.  I'd remembered in the 90's it was the rage to crochet doilies out of heavy yarn for throw rugs.  Looking at it, I'm afraid he'll probably catch a paw in one the holes.  I guess this one will end up in front of the kitchen sink or beside my tub.  I'm using Simply Soft acrylic Dark Teal.  I think for Dammit's rug, I'll afghan stitch a rectangle (boring) and maybe cross stitch a design on it.

The pattern (free) is one of the first doilies I ever crocheted.  It was a favorite of my late ex-MIL's.  We made tons of these which she gave many sets as presents.  Except to me, because I could make my own damn set if I really wanted one.  They were always size 30 white cotton with the final round in a variegated colored border.  Her favorite being DMC's variegated golds.  When DMC stopped making size 30 in variegated colors was when I figured out how to dye my own thread.  I could never get an exact match to the gold that would satisfy a certain person.

The birds. We are up to 13 fully feathered birds.  Some of you may remember, when the first four babies hatched on Christmas and New Years.  January was the most hits ever as many came to watch the progress pictures of the babies. Then Meanie hatched on that awful Saturday.  Shortly after Duane came home from the nursing home, another three were hatched.  Can't remember if I posted about them, as I was a bit distracted.

Last month, I talked the next door neighbor into letting me borrow the cage that the boarder found in the garbage awhile back.  He wants a cockatiel, but isn't in the position to take care of one.  We are borrowing the tall cage until I can afford to buy a bigger one.

Poor Myrtle has been wanting a family so bad, these long months while waiting for Ladybird to be finished with the house. Myrtle is the green and yellow bird in the left side cage.  This last batch, we told Ladybird and Huey they were finished and snatched the house out before they could repopulate it with eggs.  Myrtle now has the house.

One of the last three birds, has a bum leg.  His left leg sticks straight out to the side.  He has to hop around on the one good leg.  What were we to do?  Duane said he couldn't see putting a little bird down just because it has a bad leg.  So, we named him Cassidy.  He's the dark blue one, holding onto the bars with his bum leg. Meanie is in the back.  Meanie turned out to be such a sweet little bird.  He loved helping to take care of his younger siblings.  We decided that since Meanie helps Cassidy, we would keep them together and put them in with Mr. Bird and Myrtle.

There on the right is Cassidy's two brothers.  Duane named them Pete and Repeat.  They like to argue over the swing, knocking the other off.  I say, "Pete and Repeat sitting in the swing. Pete fell off. Who was left?"  Duane says, "I'm not falling for the joke that never ends."

Myrtle, oh my, that little lady.  It's like she knew this was her only chance.  There are two babies there, one hatched on Saturday, the other on Monday.  You'll notice there are still five, yes five, more eggs unhatched. *heavy sigh*  If they all hatch and survive, that'll be...... You do the math.  The house will be coming up missing, just as soon as these are ready to leave the nest.

Monday's grocery shopping trip, Duane was able to get something he's been wanting for over a year.  A beef brisket.  He roasted it that afternoon in the oven.  He has planned barbeque brisket sandwiches and a deep dish barbeque brisket pizza.  Oh and his famous chilli.

The appointment went ok today.  The Dr. was a very old Jewish man.  I answered most of the questions in the beginning, as Duane doesn't have much recollection of the ICU and what happened.  Then the Dr. checked his hands and ankles, listened to his lungs and heart.  Shuffled some papers, looked at a couple medical journals and asked when was the last time someone really listened to his lungs.  I couldn't remember if the Dr. did when we saw him in June or not.  He then said, he highly suggested we have someone listen to his lungs, a chest x-ray and have him checked out by a pulmonologist.  He said, he heard something and he's not sure if it's old or something new.  He is concerned about that with the recent joint pain Duane has. He said, he wasn't allowed to advise, but it was hard to break old habits.  I'm hopeful that the Dr's report will be on our side, but now I'm worried.  Luckily, I already have a follow-up appointment scheduled for this Friday with his Dr.

It was just last night as I was going to sleep, I was thinking about cooler temps coming in a few months. I'm quite sick of high 90's and 100's in temps.  Then I thought, come winter, comes the FLU!!!  I had a panic attack at the thought of the flu season coming.  After this past February, I think anyone in my shoes would.

Oh well, as with everything else going on in my life, we shall wait and see what comes next. I'm also quite tired of this waiting and uncertainty about the future.   

 Thank you for stopping by.

For other probably more interesting WIP's click on the button below.

We Haven't Dried Up and Blown Away

yet..... I've been meaning to post for awhile.  Until this past week, I haven't much concentration for any fiberly.  After last months, crisises I've been rather on edge and didn't want to sound whiny/whinging about things.

While trying to find needles to start a new shawl, I found them attached to an old project I started the summer of 2006.  Dayflower Daydream, in some of my first handspun laceweight, two-ply merino.  No idea of the yardage. I'm using size 1, Susan Bates circular Silvalume 16 inch needles and am quickly running out of room.  I guess I'll add some size 1 double points as needed to finish.

The past few weeks, I've been filling out several job applications a day. A discouraging task. Then also helping the French lady across the way move to a new apartment at a complex close by. An interesting task, even though she had movers coming on August 1, we moved things by grocery carts almost daily for two weeks before. Then I've been reading, easier to get my mind off things. Most of the novels I've been reading are either during the fall or winter up North and with our heat, I find myself wanting to dive head first into a huge snow bank.

As I said, I've been wanting to post and have had some small things I could have wrote about. While I'm usually not superstitious, it's times like these I get a bit funny.  I had just finished that mountain of paperwork and was about to celebrate when the next the manager brought that five day notice. I've been afraid if I start relax even for a moment, the gods or Murphy's people will come and take major crap right in the middle of my living room.

It's happened several times in the past. 1997 is one of those many times that come to mind. In January that year, my husband left us, my three children went off the deep end, and my father who had been out of my life for years came back into and was trying to take over and not in a good way. I told a friend back then, that I felt like I was living with a pack of dogs and everyone was fighting for the place of alpha. By summer, I had my father's visits to almost nothing, and the children and I called a truce. Things seemed to settle down and get better, I started to relax. Then one day in the middle of July, my daughter calls me at work saying the house we were renting was on fire. A whole new, big heap of crap to deal with.

Our boarder has been something else. While we are grateful to be able to pay the months rent, he comes with added stresses. A 38 yr old man, who acts like a whiny, immature 12 yr old. I can't stand it when people, even children talk in a whiny voice. GRRRRRR He's a nice guy and means well, but just doesn't think things through.  I could go on an on about all the unnecessary annoyances, but I won't. Maybe I will tell the story later when I'm not experiencing it on a day to day basis.

Mr. Dammit is doing better. He holds his upright for the most part, but still has a tendency to tilt his head to the left. Most especially when we lecture him for being bad. He flops his head to the side, like a broken neck broken bunny. He's getting back to his old self, as he pounces my hand when I stick it in his cage to give him fresh food. Last night I was holding him for a bit after I gave him his medicine and he bit my finger to get me to put him down. Not hard, just a tooth scrape. Enough to let me know the next nip won't be quite as pleasant.

For some good news, please be sending "get the job mojo" asap. Out of all those applications, on Friday, I finally heard back from one. This Monday (tomorrow) I have an interview at a rehab center for dietary aide. Not a great job, but I'll take almost anything right now. I'm sending out the application for to take the CNA exam this week.

Duane wrote part two of his experience with this awful illness this week. For those of you who have been following along and might want to read about his side of things. His wireless mouse died a couple weeks ago, so we've sharing mine. It's almost as bad as sharing computer, but not quite.

I'll leave you with this song that came across my FB page this week.

WIP Wednesday-Last One Of 2010

I missed last week, however, I couldn't miss the last WIP wuh of 2010.  Even though I did have to force my lazy self to pull out the camera, battery dead, of course.  Sorry for the late night pics.  It wouldn't have made much difference during the day as we had NO sun.  That's right, one of those rare no sun days here.  Tomorrow they are calling for 1-4 inches of snow here in the valley.  Last time they had snow in the valley was a decade ago on Easter Sunday.  I of course have to go out in it and do our New Year's dinner shopping.  I'm expecting the locals to be in a state of hysterics if there is snow.

All weekend, I watched with the Weather Channel with envy at the storm up northeast.  They kept comparing it to the Super Storm of March 1993.  I lived in Rochester, NY and walked two miles to the store and back during that storm.  This weekends didn't even come close by looking at the pictures on TV.  It happened on my daughter's 10th birthday and she couldn't understand why her party was canceled.  I mean why would 6 feet of snow stop her friends from coming to her party.  I love me a good blizzard.  Now, I would probably need a roaring fireplace and a bottle of good brandy to get through it.

I've been just dabbling at things this week.  Still really burnt out from Hat Hell 2010.  I did work on the Christmas tree skirt, but a 2 inch square of cross stitch isn't very interesting to look at so I didn't bother taking a picture.

The thing I dislike about making presents for Christmas is there isn't time to make ornaments.  I've had so many ideas in my head that I'll have to wait til next year.  I did work on a tatted snowflake this week.  I'll make a few ornaments and put them away for next year.

From Knitting Kitties

The pattern is from a May 1986 Workbasket magazine.  I love that magazine and the old McCalls Needlecrafts.  I'm using size 30 DMC Cebelia thread.  Size 30 is my favorite size thread for tatting instead of the size 80 tatting thread.  It's so much easier to pick out knot mistakes with the the size 30.

Now for a bit of luxury that I take out every once in a awhile and savor.  My grandmother who helped raise 9 siblings during the Depression taught me how to savor luxury and make it last.  I'm the only one I know that can eat just one M&M and make a little bag last a month.

From Knitting Kitties

This is a Golding Featherweight spindle and a bit of cashmere/silk I bought at Rhinebeck two years ago.  I ran across it this week and thought maybe I should work on it before the local insects figure out where the steak house is.

From Knitting Kitties

If some of you don't hate me enough already.  Here's a comparison picture to show you how fine I'm spinning this.  The thread on the right is the size 30 from my tatting.

My spinning wheel and I have been wanting to get reacquainted. I finished half of the BFL that was started around Thanksgiving.  Hard to remember much before Hat Hell.  I had split it half lengthwise and planned to Navajo ply each half, to make hopefully two alike skeins.  Navajo plying and I don't like each other very much so that has been slow going.

From Knitting Kitties

I do need to finish it, so I can have my bobbins.  Somewhere in a box. (It seems every thing is somewhere in a box around here)  There is a McCalls Needlework magazine with a cable sweater that I've been wanting to make for years.  It call for a pound of needlepoint wool. That's it, no yardage.  I have a pound and half of undyed BFL that I plan on dying a deep violet and spinning just for this sweater.

The baby birds are doing well.  They are keeping Papa Huey very busy eating and feeding them.  The daddy parakeet feeds both the mother and the babies.  We'll take more pictures and keep you updated on their progress.

The sound of baby peeps have the other three birds all horneymonal.  Mr. Bird (the gigolo) has been at both Emily, Myrtle and ringing his bell toy.  They don't have a nesting box in that cage, so I'm hopeful that no eggs come of it.  If this keeps up I'll need to put a Paypal donation button on my sidebar to buy more cages and birdseed.  Too bad we can't neuter/spay birds.  Now I know why the lady I got the cage from on Craigslist had almost 1000 birds of four different species.  Boy, can you imagine what it sounds like at her place?

I tried for 6 hours yesterday to get the comments link to show on the main page. Intense Debate ended up giving me an intense headache, so I gave up.  If you came to the main page and want to comment, click on the title of this post and the comments will show up at the bottom of this post.  I'll e-mail Intense Debate Support in the next couple of days and see if we can find a fix.

FO Friday

It's me that crazy catlady in Tucson sitting in hat hell. I bet you didn't think I would be posting a FO today. Me either.  I had something I finished last year that just needed blocking but I couldn't find it.  So rather than make place look worse than it already does, I blocked the stole I finished last month, but didn't show you the finish.

From Knitting Kitties

sorry for the blurry photo. The sun only shines in the bedroom very early in the morning to wake me up. Grrrr

The truth is I was quite disappointed in how it turned out.  The yarn I used on the ends didn't match as well as I thought it would.  This was going to be a gift but now, I just don't know.  Maybe I'll find something I can drape it over and hide the ends.  Or I'll rip it out when I'm in fit a boredom from everything else., like that will ever happen.

From Knitting Kitties

The other end that I had started in provisional cast on, didn't work out with the feather and fan pattern.  I should have realized that when I started, but there you have it.  Sometimes even those of us who've been knitting since the very dark ages don't always think things through.  So after two rows and a some cursing, I just bound it off.

From Knitting Kitties

I didn't take measurements as I was so disgusted with the thing. It's about 12 inches wide and the length of a queen size mattress minus pillow space.  Knit with alpaca lace weight that I dyed and spun.

From Knitting Kitties

I finished the first hat at 4am.  Blame FB, I went on to check messages and got enticed by a new game Cityville.  Gah, I need to banned from that place.

From Knitting Kitties

Two more to go.  I really might end up back in a corner of my closet sitting a tote crying and pulling my eyelashes out before this over.  Be sure that either the cats or the bunnies will be all to happy to come and report back to you.  I'll need to hide the camera so they can't video the evidence.

All comments of encouragement will be greatly appreciated or brandy.  Brandy will be good for when I'm in the closet.

Oh, that skein wasn't as badly tangled as I had feared.  I was able to fix it and wind it up rather quickly.  No, melbatoast the bunnies don't bother my yarn, except to nudge a ball on the floor when it gets in their way.  Bootsie and Butterscotch like to go tote diving for balls of yarn but they just carry it around for awhile.  They are past the yarn stringing stage. Thank goodness.

WIP Wednesday

I don't usually do holiday stitching, the stress of deadlines makes my ulcers flair and I lose sleep.  I usually just make fudge for the adults and buy some toys for my granddaughter.  Due to last years stress of the movers and apartment complex taking all our money, I didn't get to send anything home.

This year they are all getting something handknit and the fudge.  I hope there will be fudge.  I haven't made fudge down here yet.  The low humidity, warmer temps and higher elevation really threw a wrench in my attempts to make pie crust last year.  I fear how it will affect the candy making that I can usually do in my sleep back home.

No worries about posting the holiday knitting as my family doesn't ever visit my blog. I'm making socks for my daughter.  She's working evenings in a convenience store so I'm sure some nice warm, wool socks would appreciated.  This picture is from yesterday.  It now has the foot finished and I'm starting on her twin sister.

From Knitting Kitties

I had experimented with a sock blank and dyed it in splotches hoping it would knit up that way and be camo looking.  As you can see the splotches turned stripey in the knitting. Because it was a double strand knit blank some of the dye didn't get to the innermost parts of some of the stitches and it gives it a mottled appearance in the re-knit.  At a glance the sock looks like terry cloth instead of superwash merino.

From Knitting Kitties

I finished all the alpaca lace in Peaches on the feather and fan stole, it measures about 36 inches long unblocked.  I have another skein of alpaca lace weight in variegated dusty rose that I had spun a couple years ago. The pink is the same dye in both yarns.  There is still another 4 oz of dusty rose alpaca I have yet to spin.  I had a feeling there might not be enough of the first yarn so I started with a provisional cast on.  I'm going to use the dusty rose at both ends and hope it will look ok, like I planned it that way. Which I sort of did.  I still have the dyes I used for both, so I could do some touch ups to blend it if necessary.  We shall see next week if it all works out.

From Knitting Kitties

I hope to dye some superwash merino for hats for my sons.  I'm going to use the fornicating deer pattern that was so popular on Ravelry last year.  They will get a kick out them. 

My WIP that I can't photograph, well, I suppose I could but I would look very much like a tourist.  I've gotten my twice weekly walks to Target down to just a little over an hour.  A couple weeks ago I told D I'm pretty sure I can finally make the walk he does twice daily from the bus stop to his job.  Unfortunately, when he asked his supervisors he was told they are taking applications but won't doing any hiring until after the New Year.  

Melbatoast asked in the comments of yesterday's post if I had been to Hemmingway's House in Key West, Florida. No, I haven't but I would like to someday.  I've known about his house and his love of poly-dactyl cats for some time.  He is one of my favorite authors. 

Yesterday was D's day off, so he did the changing of the bunny guards.  Nippit doesn't get along with Dammit and Betty so they have to rotate time out of the cages.  When I do the bunny exchange I top off there dishes and give them carrots.  D has been forgetting to do this when it's his turn.  A few hours after he did the exchange the bunnies reminded of him as he passed the cages.  Betty clanked on the empty water bottle.  Right in front of the water cooler area he found their dishes.  Was it Betty or Dammit who stacked the empty dishes and placed the toys inside?

From Knitting Kitties

For more posts to see what others are up to go to Tami's Amis,  she hosts a Mr. Linky every week. 

Reading over this post it sounds really disjointed, which is kind of how I'm feeling today.  Not sure as to why.