Krafty1

Pick a title, any title

Okay, so why is it that now that I want to write I can't seem to decide what to write about first!?!  Here are the blog titles/topics that are bouncing around in my head:

• “I Can’t Wait Till fill in the blank”
• "Orange you glad"
• "Caught Up...Sort of"  (the Bloglines version- “0 New 146 saved”)
• Sock Update: the previous 5 pair…10 this year
• "Christmas in July"
• "Mum, I'm fine but..."
• "Chicken Wraps"
• 'Give That Girl a (Knit) Tool Belt"
• "There’s something to be said about attitude (and new pumps)
• "Remembering purple socks"
• "Pink Vest Revisted"
• "Sock blocking"
• "It's the pits" (the promise of cherry pies)
• "Archeology 101: Unearthing the knitting basket"
• "Go for a walk…and don’t call it exercise!!"

I just can't choose which one to start with...thank goodness I have all day to think about it!

Wendy KAL

It's been a long time since I've signed up for a knit-along (KAL for my non-knitting readers).  Then along came the Socks from the Toe-up KAL on Ravelry in conjunction with Wendy Johnson's book.  Each month, there is one sock pattern chosen from the 23 in the book for everyone to knit.  Plus, there is a second pattern chosen from all of Wendy's free toe-up patterns.  Knit either or both and be entered in a drawing for prizes.  Seemed like just the "low key" KAL I could handle these days.

So, for June, we could choose between Lacy Rib socks (p48 from the book) or Sprucey Lucey socks.  Can you guess which one I chose? Yes, I own a copy of the book.  However, which one sounds more fun (and a lot like a nickname given to me by a substitute teacher in junior high: Lippy Lucy)?

Yep, these are my new socks.  Better known as Mum's School Spirits.  See what I mean about the striping?  In the past, I might've frogged it because of the striping.  However, since the striping also happens to be each of the girls school colors (purple & gold, blue & white), plus the colorway is Zen Yarn Garden's "Flaming June" what could've been a better color yarn to use for this first pair of KAL socks!?!

Low pressure...one (possibly two) pair of socks each month...can't beat that!  Now, on to July...the choices: On-hold socks (p61) or Nanner socks.  Any guesses which one I'll attempt first?

Out of the Whirlwind

Remember me?  I remember you.  In fact, I've been thinking about you a LOT over the past few weeks.  But, I've been stuck in another whirlwind, this time the good kind: graduation, parties, registration, orientation, neighborhood garage sales, house showings, packing for and sending kids to camp...there's been SO much going on!

When last I wrote, it was the day before graduation.  Almost 900 kids from both local schools were thrilled that the rain held off so they could be among the generations that have received their diplomas in The Bowl. (I got mine there...How about you, Mom?)

I have a great photo of Panda and me, but until I figure out how to watermark photos, it'll have to wait.  In fact, I'm sorry to tell you, a lot of things that I'd like to tell you about will have to wait.  Until the divorce is final, there are a number of things that will have to wait.  Sorry.  But I know you, my friends, understand.

There was a trip to college for registration and orientation with Panda. I took my knitting along.  But, if you read Knitorious, you already know that.  I recognized Vicki while we were having dinner in the school cafeteria.  Amazing.  It was so good to meet up with a fellow blogger in the real world!  And, yes, it's true that I sat in the top row of the auditorium to knit...but that's also where the a/c vents were! 

The school did an excellent job with kids and parents towards gearing us up and making the transition a bit easier.  By the end of the first day (yes, they have an excellent two-day program!), I knew that everything would be "in the pink".

Due to the divorce, there hasn't been a lot of time to think about the fact that my daughter will be heading off to college.  But, the two days made me realize that the biggest reason  (besides the "storm" we've been caught up in) I haven't thought about it much is because I'm so excited for Panda, know that she's heading out with the right (life)"tools" in her "toolbox", and know that our relationship is solid!  We've been through a lot of this past year but it has made us and our relationship stronger and more secure.

That's why, by the second morning, I was thrilled to cast on my new pair of socks: "Mum's School Spirits" is what I'm calling them.  The colors have pooled into a wonderful combination of each of my girls' school colors: Panda's purple & gold, Skyechild's blue & white.  As my girls have said time and again, they have no doubt about whose support they have.

As we all make our way out of the whirlwind, each of us is thankful for the love and support shown to us by family and friends including all of you who have left such wonderful comments and written emails off blog as well.  Soon, I'll be able to share so much more with all of you and on a regular basis again too.  PLUS, there's a new location for our little pow-wows coming.  LOTS to look forward to as we head out of the whirlwind!!

Busy, busy

Still here.  Not a stitch of knitting since the ride to Michigan a week ago!  Kai-Mei is now Kai-June (and hopefully won't become Kai-July!).

We've been a little busy around here with the final week of high school.  That's right, Panda is graduating.  I was proud of her academic abilities before our lives took a different direction, but I am SO VERY proud of what she managed to continue to accomplish in spite of everything.

This is one proud Mum!  I can't wait to watch her walk "for real" come Sunday afternoon!!!

What would "M" do?

This past weekend, the girls and I traveled to Michigan for a graduation party; complete with pig roast.  As we prepared and packed, it was easy for me to choose to take along my current pair of socks just in case an opportunity to knit would present itself.  (Pig roast, grad parties, and visiting with family generally doesn't present a lot of spare knitting time.) 

In this case though, a small amount presented itself.  Panda volunteered to drive the first leg of our trip.  Two hours of knitting opportunity. Cool!  I pulled the sock from my bag and proceeded to finish Kai-Mei’s heel flap.  Then on to turning the heel…and that’s when I remembered…the plan was to switch to one size smaller needles for knitting the foot of this particular sock.  Did I remember to pack another size of needles? Nope. What to do? This was twenty minutes into my two hour knitting window? What’s a knitter to do?

I could have knit on and just had the sock foot be larger than necessary.  I could have sat and not knit for the remaining time (sacrilegious as it would be).  That’s when it came to me…cast on the second sock.  It would mean working the pair of socks from both ends of the skein.  Why not?  The rest of my life these days seems to be running on a “working from both ends of the skein” type mentality!  

Not a problem. Just put the live stitches on a bit of waste yarn (because, of course, there weren’t any stitch holders packed on this trip).  Just get out the Chibi that is always neatly tucked in my purse…where it didn’t get replaced!  What to do!?! What would “M” do? (“M” could be that MacGyver-guy or maybe even that McPhee-lady!) So I spent a few minutes trying to come up with some ingenious way to get stitches onto waste yarn without the use of a needle.  I wish that I could tell you that I figured it out.  Instead, a miracle…a spare darning needle was tucked in with my traveling scissors. Phew!  Knitting emergency avoided.

The second sock was cast on and those two hours ended up being the ONLY two hours of knitting throughout the weekend. (A truly exceptional weekend it was, too!)  Now my knitting involves both ends of the skein.  Truly, what could be more appropriate for my current status!?! 

In the Pink

Remember last week when I told you I'd have to tell you about my amazing family?  well, the time has come to share.

Through all of the crap that has been thrown my way due to the divorce, my family has been there to be my rock and support.  Right from the beginning.  Last week was no different.

As you know, the house is on the market.  This past winter, you read while we worked on clearing, painting, and staging the house for market.  But, now that spring has sprung, the outdoors needed attention...and the (nearly) ex was supposed to take care of or hire someone for that.  But, that didn't happen.  My parents have been stopping periodically and helping but then my Michigan family surprised us with a "work day".

Weeds were pulled.

Edging and tall grasses were dealt with.

And mulch was moved.

Lots of mulch.

Look at how pretty the back yard looks now!

 

Sooooo inviting...or at least I hope someone will find it inviting!

Well, someone besides the neighborhood cat, who has now made my deck it's favorite spot to sit in the sun (when there's sun!).  Do you think she likes the new deck stain smell!?!

All I know is that, thanks to my family, I'm feeling a bit more "in the pink".  So much so that I've cast on a pair of CookieA's "Kai-Mei" socks.  Socks take a lot longer to knit these days than they did a year ago, but I appreciate even moment I actually get for knitting SO much more these days.  Even the kids are excited when they see me knitting because they know how hard everyone is working. (Plus, I think they figure that if Mom sits down to knit that the work for the day MUST be finished.)

Thank you to my wonderful family for being here through thick and thin.  Thank you to my friends and blog pals for your kind words and support.  I'm feeling "in the pink" because of all of you!!!!  I KNOW I couldn't do it with the love and support of so many!!!!

Oil, oil, toil and trouble

Thanks for all of your support.  Okay...so here's the story on my van.

It turns out that three fire engines showed up for my vehicle.  I wasn't even there to see them!  (Hard to believe for this particular "fire chaser". Yes, I'm one of those people who likes to see where the fire trucks go. When I was a kid I'd hop on my bike just to check out the fire!)  Three trucks, three police squads all for my van.

In the end, there was no "real" evidence of fire under the hood (other than the billowing black smoke).  The electrical tape on the wiring didn't even melt.  I'm sure that's only because some good Samaritan (thank you whoever you are!!!!) called it in right away and the police and fire trucks responded quickly.  However, no evidence did not lead for reassurance in the "what caused the fire" category.

For three days, my van was in the shop.  For three days, they took the engine apart.  For three days, they went through the electrical system.  For three days, my boss loaned me one of his vehicles.  For three days, my eighteen year old came home each night and pronounced it "one sweet ride".  For three days, I worried about getting a vehicle home that I'd have no idea if it'd spontaneously combust!  For three days, my mechanics experimented with my van to try to get it to set itself on fire.

And on the fourth day, I went to pick it up.  And that's when they went through the engine compartment (which looks spic and span clean!) to show me what they'd taken apart and what they'd examined.  And that's when they gave the engine a clean bill of health.  And that's when the head mechanic noticed something in the shadows that he hadn't seen before.

There, in the recesses of a "black hole" near the solenoid was the charred remains of a shop rag.  A shop rag that had been left behind by the oil change guys at the local "Jiffy Quick Mobile Lube" place.

Never again. 

Now I can take the remains, the police report, the service invoice and request they pay my service bill.  But, the good news is that my vehicle has a clean bill of health and I won't have to worry about the engine spontaneously combusting while I (or my daughters) drive down the road!!!

Overwhelmed

I'm still here.  I have a great family story to share.  As in, I have a great family! 

But the story will have to wait for another day...

Today has been a bit overwhelming...

I did manage to perform an EZ sewn bind off...

after finding my car with the hood up in the parking lot...

with a note...

from the police department...

asking me to call...

to talk about the fire department...

who doused my engine...

because of smoke...

where there may or may not have been fire...

under the hood...

but now the van runs...

the girls and I are unharmed...

but we don't know what happened...

or why...

so it needs to be checked...

and it's all a bit surreal...

but I managed to perform a sewn bind off...

so there would be a blog post.

Perks

No knitting content today...bear with me.

I have to tell you about one of my daily perks.  I love my job.  My day to day operations are handled in an office that faces the waterfront.  It feeds my soul.  Then, on other days, I get to visit one of our other facilities that has beautiful grounds and meadows...and go on walks in the woods with my boss...where she recited Wordsworth's Daffodils!

Today was one such day!  It was glorious!  One of the perks of being an accountant/grants officer/administrative assistant. Enjoy the scenery...I did!

Lucky Diamonds

First, THANK YOU...THANK YOU...THANK YOU...to all of my cheerleaders.  Your cheers made knitting this pair of socks especially fun!

I ended up finishing 9th...only 8 knitters per division move forward.  My division, For Whom the Ball Rolls (FWTBR), was filled with AWESOME knitters. (Kiwa, Dyveke...that means you guys...congrats on making it to Round 5!)  Not to disparage the other divisions, but historically FWTBR would fill the open spots LONG before the other divisions.  (Even now there are still openings in the other divisions.)

However, I'm not sad about not making it through.  In fact, I'm SO proud of finishing as well as I did when I look at the caliber of competitor within the FWTBR division!  There are some megastars in the group!!!

As I see it, I finished exactly where I needed to finish. Move forward or not...it's exactly where I should be.  Since I didn't move forward, maybe now the house will sell and I'll be too busy moving instead of knitting the future rounds. That sure would be nice. 

Lemonade out of lemons; that's how we like to look at things.  Or in this case, my very own pair of Lucky Diamonds.  (That's right, this round I knit for moi! What a nice souvenir!)