Thursday, June 30, 2005

We have a decision

Nate came home early today, and since we had not heard from the repair shop yet, we jumped in the truck and headed down to see what was going on with my car.

The only thing the guy had to say was that there's a hole punched in the coolant reservior and until he fixed that he couldn't tell us amymore. Personally, I think he's looking at my car as a cash cow. Little does he realize we just want it running well enough to drive it down for a trade in. If it's even worth doing so has yet to be seen.

Nate and I (finally) agreed on a car. Nope, not telling yet. Care to guess? They are asking a heck of a lot more than the other cars I've been looking at, but Nate assures me that it's do-able. That, and Nate wants it paid off in 3 years. Again do-able. It'll still be a bit less than his truck payment was, and we managed then.

Still...


Hey, before y'all duck out to celebrate the 4th, (or should a say those who have not already done so) you need to wish Carma a Happy Birthday. She'll be celebrating her 28th on the 4th. Happy (early) Birthday, Sweets.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Waiting for the Word



Das Auto ist weg. It's actually been towed to the shop. They are to call me this afternoon with a damage report.


Yesterday, Jess and I had to run a small errand. I noticed on the way back things were running hotter than normal. We pulled off and let the car cool down. I then noticed a coolant leak. After letting a few obscenities fly we started for home, hoping to make it. We did not.

The car died In the middle of the Route 6/Highway 149 intersection. Some very nice, burly men pushed me into the gas station parking lot, and, thank my lucky star, my neighbor just happened by. He picked us up and brought us home.


So, now Jess and I are stuck in the house for the day. We'd go outside to play but it's friggin hot! So it's going to be an indoors day. Jess is not pleased. Stuck inside with an unhapy three year old and no escape. There is a reality show in there somewhere.


I've linked my yarn stash in the sidebar. It does not include works in progress. I can think of at least half a dozen. But I do have a couple to show you.





This is a baby blanket for Jill's shower in mid-July. I had four skeins of bernat cotton tots and no plan. I decided to start it from the center out and do random stripes. How random? I've dug out my D&D dice and I am using them to determine the number of rows per stripe. Now I just have to figure out how I'd like to edge it.






I've cast on my my sock pal. I'm going toe up, because I find it much easier to custom fit a sock than cuff-down.

Our sweet neighbors have offered me use of their car while they are away for vacation. I was so taken aback by their generosity, I just might have to knit them something.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Monday, June 27, 2005

Splitting headache.

The guitar strap is completely done.

As soon as I can get Nate to pose with it I will submit it for your viewing pleasure.

Progress shot of the Trinity flowerbasket shawl in Denim.

purdy, no?...well, it will be, I promise.

Stash documentation starts today. As long as Jess remains pleasant.

We've had a rough morning. It involved the lobbing of a toy cash register at my head. To make matters worse, the register no longer works, which was a whole 'nother fight this morning. When does school start back up??

Ok, see that great big gap between the post title and the actual post? How does one get rid of that? I vcan't seem to find the problem.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

The yarn speaks its mind

Dear Erin,
We never plan these things, I know you were so counting on a pair of "Denim" socks, but socks were just not me. Oh how I long to be something lacy. Listening to that snotty bamboo yarn go on and on was almost unbearable. "I'm going to be a Flowerbasket shawl, I'm going to be beautiful." I was jealous I admit.

I'm telling you I need flowerbasket. I promise to be good, to behave, to be beautiful. Aunt Ida needs a handknit shawl. I can make her very happy.

I know how disappointed you must be to not have socks, but don't forget my kin in that yarn bin. "Lipstick" is ready and waiting.

Yours,
Trinity in Denim.

Friday, June 24, 2005

short post.


Look what Erin made! Feel free to join your fellow Yarn Hos.
I'm hoping to redo some things here in the next couple of days, so *Excuse my dust*, so to speak.
If you'd like to see some pictures of our little farewell to Kristen, jump over to Jen's site.

YHA

Hi, My name is Erin...and I'm a Yarn Ho.
I seriously NEED TO STOP BUYING YARN. So, my solution is setting up a chapter of YHA (Yarn Hos Anonymous)*

*this is meant stictly as fun.
I respect the Anonymous programs and the good that they do. Please no hate comments*


1. We admitted we were powerless over yarn
—that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than
ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives
over to the care of the Yarn Goddess as we understood Her.

4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of our stash.

5. Admitted to the Goddess, to ourselves and to others
the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have the Goddess remove all
these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Her to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became
willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible,
except when to do so would require gifting discontinued yarn.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we could use yarn from our stash and not buy any new, promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through meditation to improve our conscious contact with Yarn Goddess as we understood Her, praying only for
knowledge of Her will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to Yarn Hos and to practice these principles in all our affairs.


So, No more yarn purchases, until all my yarn fits in one storage container, stash documentation coming soon, and maybe even a contest or two to liberate some yarn from my stash.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Any ideas? Anyone?

Ok, this is my sock yarn:

It's self-striping, but I'd like to make them a bit more exciting. I cannot decide on a sock pattern. Maybe y'all can help. (Please?)




I finished another ballet top. This one is made from some very fun ribbon yarn (called Jungle?)I bought at Sit n Knit. The only piece of advice I have if you decide to run out and buy some to play with, Blunt needles. My pointy 15's snagged a bit.

Speaking of Sit 'N Knit, Jess and I are meeting Jill and heading up there today. Then we are having Kristen's going away party tonight. Kristen is moving to California and, although I'm happy for her, I kind of hate to see her go. She cracks me up.


Today I will be leading another naive knitter down the felted purse path. *head thrown back* Mwhahahahaha! I'll be helping Jill with her first Sophie bag. Gosh, it's fun corrupting others *fingers tented* Excellent.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Midweek catch-up

I know I promised camping pictures, but after looking at them, I don't think I would like to ssow them to the world. Sorry.

I can tell you we had a good time. Jessie loved it. She learned to squat outside, and that to only do that WHILE CAMPING.

I feared she might try that one at home. I do not think the neighbors would approve.

We drove home on Saturday. The trip was pleasant, but I was happy to be home. I have spent this week trying to get caught up with everything.

I did knit on Monday night with the girls. We had fun, as we always do. Except for inadvertantly offending a group of elder women who had the unfortunate luck of sitting at the next table, it was a good night.

Tuesday, Jess and I had lunch with Tara. Again fun as usual. Tara gave me a gift certificate to Sheep'sfor helping her fix a dropped stitch and twisted cast on in her capelet, which she REALLY did not want to have to frog again.

Jess and I went to the knit shop and bought the sock yarn for my Sockapaltwo-za. Now it's just a question of what I want to sock to look like.

The car search continues, I have found a car that meets all my requirements, and I like. Nate has now decided to be difficult. (Hey, Carma, Boys =PU)

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

"Yup, still dragging the vacation out, Folks."


Ok, Monday and Tuesday were spent with the whole Vaughan clan at Spring Mill. It was mostly rainy with some sun. This meant we could not go into the caves, but we did spend some time at Pioneer village.

The Mill:

Tuesday, Nate and I walked back down to the village, just the two of us. While there he took the following pictures for me.








Tuesday afternoon we headed back to Ohio and spent some time with both my in laws. This gave me plenty of time to finish my flower basket shawl, and re teach my niece to knit, and aslo teach my SIL to crochet.

Promised Knitting content:
(sorry for the crappy pics.)

Finished Flowerbasket shawl made with Bamboo yarn from the Southwest Trading CO.

Mom's socks.

Peaches 'n cream knitted dishcloth.Actually I made the dishcloth Thursday, when we camped out at the "Big E" which is my FIl's place in Connersville. It pretty much consiss of a one room "cabin" a barn and a pump in the woods, by the river. we did not use the cabin, we opted instead for camping riverside.

Camping pictures tomorrow.

Monday, June 20, 2005

Spring Mill and the Bedford ER

ok, now where was I? Oh yes, I remember.

Sunday.

Sunday we all piled in the car and headed out To Spring Mill State Park. Lunch was at a Frisch's Big Boy. I had no idea that these restaurants still existed, so lunch was a happy little nostalgic trip for me.

We arrived at the Park, got our rooms, and unloaded the car, before the rain started. Then we waited.
See, travelled with my FIL and BIL, and we were to meet my MIL and other BIL and family. (Note to Self: Young children bore easily in lodge lobbies.) It was raining, we were all waiting in the lobby and I was doing my level best to keep Jess entertained. It was not working.

I had bought her some pick-up sticks in the gift shop and that had seemed to appease her. She sat quietly on the couch and played with them. I then decided to head up to the room and grab my knitting.

Now before I go on, I would like to show you something.

Please ignore the bewildered Brother-in-law. I want you to look at the couch. They were pretty nice, comfy, but please note the wood frame and top trim. Thank you.

Anyway, I headed to the room, grabbed my knitting and took a pee. As I was just about to push the down button to the elevator, when I heard it. Imagine being three floors up and hearing your baby scream like she was in mortal danger.

I was about to bolt down the stairs when I realized the screams are getting louder. They were in the elevator. The doors opened and Nate was cradleing Jess, who is still screaming, and he is holding her head. We enter our room, when I see the blood.

Jess had thrown a fit in the lobby and when she lunged back to throw herself down for a proper temper tantrum, she had hit her head on that top wood trim of the couch. As we cleaned her up, we see that, along with a pretty sizeable goose-egg, she has a 2 inch cut on the back of her head.

Nate gets his Dad, who gets directions to the nearest ER (Bedford) and pulls the car around. We pile into the car and leave Jon behind to wait for the rest of our party.

The people in the Bedford ER were great. Jess only needed stitches. They brought in three nurses and Nate to hold her down while the Doc sewed her up. Jess was pretty peeved about that until they gave her a Safety pop, then all was forgiven.

Not too bad for our first ER visit. Stitches didn't slow Jess up a bit, but she was plenty mad when we told her she could not go swimming. Hopefully she's learned her lesson.

Knitting content to come...promise

Sunday, June 19, 2005

It's good to be home.

I've decided to break the trip up in parts or I will forget a bunch of stuff, and spend far too long trying to decide what pictures to include. Plus this way you will all realize when I actually remembered that I did bring a camera along. (For those of you who are wondering, it was Tuesday morning. Yup, I'm a dork.) Luckily, my FIL took loads of pictures.

Friday...
...was spent at home. Friday afternoon Jess and I dropped Animal off at Gegee's and came home to waitd for Nate to get off of work. He was expected by four-ish.

Nate arrived at home at 6:30 pm. Jess was screaming about how she wanted to go see Pataw (Nate's Dad), and I was at my wit's end. (Note to self: Do not inform a three-year-old of plans to see a grandparent until you are five minutes from said grandparent's house. It's just easier that way.)

We decided that since the wedding was a 5:30pm, we would just leave in the morning.

Saturday...

...Jess awoke at 6am and proceeded to get our lazy butts out of bed and on the road. A five hour drive resulted in arriving at Pataw's house and spending a very nice afternoon visit. We changed for the wedding and Pataw insisted on taking our picture.

Mind you, it was 90 degrees and so humid it was hard to breathe. Normally, we are far more animated.

After a lovely wedding ceremony, we attended the reception, caught up with some relatives of mine that I hade not seen in at least ten years, and then cut out early.

Jess does not seem to care for Shania Twain dance remixes, nor the Electric Slide. Really, who can blame her for that?

The 11th was Knit In Public day. I worked on my Mom's second birthday sock. Pictures to come.

Next post: Spring Mill and the Bedford ER.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

A bit of catch-up

oh, where to start?

Shell's shrug...

...Sent home to her through my Brother, who stopped by Monday to talk.

I had two skeins of this (lionbrand suede) So, I made a smaller version for my Kid Sister.

(No photo. Picture the top photo, only smaller.)

Tuesday I dropped off a bouquet of flowers and a card to Shell's while they were at the services.

Then I made an orange shrug out of some chunky alpaca for which I am having a severe case of yarn lust. It's beautiful stuff.

I've got a couple more in the works. I won't bore you with more shrug photos, when I finish them, maybe I'll do a group photo.
Why all the shrugs? ONE skein, easily memorized pattern, and a lot of things on my mind.

It's been hot and sticky here (What a perfect time to knit with chunky alpaca, huh?) I have not yet begun to open our pool, so I dug out Jess' baby pool out of the shed and we've been playing in the back yard.

We've had a blast.

Look what I got in the mail yesterday. My Bead It Two person sent me these adorable mice stitch markers, In honor of "Miss Gengis". She writes that, yes, they are mice and not hamsters but it was the closest thing she could find. They are very cute. And she included some notecards.

I have to admit that as the Bead It folks finished their partners markers I would pop over to their sites to check things out.
Yes I'm a total slacker and have not posted pics of those I have made. That is because, dork that I am, I packaged them up and sent them out before I even thought of it.

I had popped over to Christina's Attic last week and thought these markers were too cute, not knowing they would find their way to me.

Remember how I said I was giving this to my mother-in-law? The more I've looked at it the more I have decided that she would prefer one like this instead.

This purse has been done, felted, and awaiting handles for some time now. I had forgotten it completely, until I unearthed it yesterday.

So I'll be keeping the red one and giving her ths blue one. If you are wondering, the red one is Joann brand Licorice, and the blue is one strand of lamb's pride with one strand of silk garden.


Yesterday was Jess' last day of school. She is NOT too happy about that. Friday we'll be leaving for our Ohio/Spring Mill/Ohio trip. We'll be back on Father's day. Maybe Carma could throw out a post or two before her canoe trip. (ahem) :)

Monday, June 06, 2005

Worrisome.

"Nana" Smith was not my Nana. Nor was she Jess', although she was thought of and treat as if she were. She was actually my sister-in-law's mother. She lost her battle with cancer.

My sister-in-law, Shell, is an only child, and has always kept her mother's health to herself. She didn't want to talk about it, I never pushed her. I just occasionally asked how she was, if I had not seen her recently and left it at that. (In fact, when I asked last week, I was told she was doing "fine", so the news of her passing was a bit of a shock.)

Shell doesn't want to talk to anyone. She doesn't want us to attend the service. I cannot even pretend to imagine what she is going through. I am worried for her. I have offered any help that I can. I have not heard from her. Have I mentioned that I'm worried?

Ok, I need a bit of distraction. I have posted the bonnet pattern in the sidebar. I am missing one number. It isn't crucial, it's the number of picked up stitches around the bottom. I gave the bonnets away already, or I would count them out. Once I finish another bonnet, I will put that number in.

I finished my Ballet Tee.

It's still far too holey on the 11's. Oh well, I can wear a flesh-colored undergarment and make'em stare.

I have a SNB meeting tonight, that I am hoping to make.

I decided Friday that a week is plenty of time to start and finish a Flowerbasket shawl, and a top for my OTHER sister-in-law. Yes, I know I am delusional.

I am just about finished with the shrug I promised Shell. (The one skein wonder) I'm hoping to finish it today and stop by to deliver it tomorrow. (Not checking up on her, just dropping off something. Not too imposing, I hope.)

Sunday, June 05, 2005

------

I was going to post a picture of my Ballet Tee today.
I was going to update my sidebar.
I was going to post the bonnet pattern.
I was going to blog about my self-imposed, impossible deadline.
But I'm not.

"Nana" Smith passed away Saturday morning.

Friday, June 03, 2005

To a Tee

Yesterday, I cast every other project aside, to start a ballet tee from Loop-d-loop. THe pattern is easy as pie, but I hit a snag. The way the pattern is written, the little girl directions are the same as the women's. The only differenece is the girls is worked with 2 strands of cotton fleece on 10.5 needles, and the women's is 2 strands of cotton fleece on 15 needles.

As I swatched for the women's (I was getting spot on gauge) I realized there would be no way I could wear this thing by itself. I would need to wear a tank under it, and if I'm making a tee shirt to wear this summer, why do I want to layer it?

I instead made Jess a tee yesterday. It came out quite cute, and she seems to like it. The fabric is far more ideal when knit with the 10.5 needles, so I think I'll just have to adjust the pattern.

I'm heading out for lunch with Tara and Ilikelimes Lisa this afternoon. It should be a blast. It always is. Afterward it'll be *dum dum dum* swimsuit shopping. I might need to stop off somewhere for a good stiff drink before I do that though.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

For a loop

Ta-da.

Two bonnets same pattern, different yarns (The red one needs to be blocked) I will be posting this pattern in the next day or so.


Also, one (nearly) finished sock, for my mother. Her birthday is in July but I figure I should finish these before starting my own so I am not rushed.

I've decided to just buy a top to wear to the wedding. No point in making myself crazy by trying to crank out another top before then. Although This top is calling my name. I bought the book tonight. Although there are a few things that really make me scratch my head in bewilderment, there are still quite a few items I would make. Some just because they look like a very enjoyable knit.