It's the Year of FO...

No, not THAT "FO." (though..... just sayin...)

I mean "Finished Objects." I'm tellin ya - I'm on a ROLL. The Amy's Scarf was the first FO of 2026. Next was the Sophie Shawl, and right behind that was the Cold Snap hat. And I've got my (nearly) year-old Be Simple plain shawl on the needles and I'm chugging away at that. 

I also have an Emotional Support Chicken to repair...though depending on how that looks, I may just re-knit it. Dog got it. Not mine, but someone else's. Note to everyone: Emotional Support Chickens ARE NOT DOG TOYS!!! 

I have another Chicken to do (including one for myself that I never started...), and my mom has "ordered" another Sophie Hood. She loves her red one, but she says, "I need one in a neutral color for church." So I ordered more Friday Harbor (Cascade) in a lovely color called Macadamia, which is a silvery-grey (not sparkly) and I'll see how that looks. I hate ordering online, but my friend Kelly's shop is currently online only so we'll see. 

And then there's all the single socks that need mates. Maybe instead of starting new projects, I grab a project bag, figure out what I was doing and finish that? What a thought! 

The Knitting...

Sophie Shawl -- I'm addicted to the Sophie patterns. They're way more simple than they look and you look like such a boss when you're knitting them. This one is done with Cascade Friday Harbor in color 18, pumpkin. You can't tell from the pictures, but it's really a soft orange, with flecks of cream in it. And it's a Merino + silk blend that's just lovely on the hands. It really pops the stitch definition. 

I think it's bigger yarn - it's Aran-weight, and while the pattern calls for that, it also called for 2 hanks and I used just over 2... So either my gauge was off, or the yarn was bulkier than I thought. Either way, it was cozy this morning with our temps at 1 degree and windchill at -16 degrees.  

Yes, it is somewhat large. And it's not remotely "shawl" -ish. In the traditional sense, this is more a large scarf. You don't drape it round your shoulders like you'd think. You bundle it up much like a large cowl or ... large scarf! It was toasty without being heavy - to look at it you might think, "Good God, that's cumbersome." (or maybe it's just me...) But it's really not, and it was comfortable to wear for most of the morning, till the house warmed up. 

Our heat's fine. But my perch for the Zoom call was by my big picture window, which is old, and it's not the best at keeping out cold bitter enough to freeze a well-digger's belt buckle. 

Nerdy Nuggets: 2 and a bit hanks of Cascade Friday Harbor yarn. Size Large. Size 8 (24") Circular needles. Start date 11/5/25, finished 1/12/26. 

So that's FO #2. I recommend that you try this pattern, or if it's too much for you, start with the Sophie Scarf. It's easier to manage. 

The hat? I had the Bison Blend from Windy Valley Musk Ox to make the hat as a companion of the Amy's Scarf (also known as the Miss Marple Scarf), but it has a bit of a tricky crown configuration and I kinda wanted something simple. 

I did look for "simple cable hats" and seriously, people... What IS simple? I'm thinking one cable up one side and down the other, but I wasn't able to find anything that suited me. 

I did find the Cold Snap on Ravelry, and it was ok. I did try searching Ravelry and then I just did a general Google search. I don't know -maybe it's me. I ended up with this one because it was simple and I kind of wanted something brainless to knit, but with enough detail to keep my attention. 

The world is a scary place. Knitting is one refuge. I didn't want to over-complicate it because most of my stitching time is at night. But I did want something useful, and I have a hard time fitting hats to my head. 

Nerdy Nuggets: Remainder of the 3rd hank of Friday Harbor. Size 2 (there are 3 sizes to this hat), Size 4 (16") circulars for the ribbing and size 7 (16") circulars for the body -- same size DPNs for the crown. Start date 1/14/26, finished 1/18/26. 

The pattern called for DK weight, and Friday Harbor IS an Aran weight. Yes, I am RECLAIMING ORANGE.  I actually look good in it, and I refuse to allow a demented stooge to deny me a color I enjoy. Ahem. As I'm knitting I'm thinking, "What am I doing, this is a BARBIE hat???" But it turned out fine. I even got a little wild and made a small pom-pom for the top. It's a bit slouchy at the top, and I figured I had the yarn. Hubby told me to fold the brim; it's going to take a minute for me to -not- pull it down tight to my head, as I'm used to doing. I need to leave the slouch in there. It's going to be a barn hat. 

The Be Simple is an Opal project. It's got a ways yet, but I started that one on February 9, 2025, and I need to get it finished -- if only to reclaim my size 7 circulars for other projects. Not sure if I'm going to do the picot edge or just a plain one. The colorway is something that will go with most of what I wear, though now that I've lost a bunch of weight, I need to restock my basic t-shirts. 

I had gotten this yarn from my friend Kelly at Le Mouton Rouge and when I looked in my sock tote, I found that I had a bunch of blue-toned socks, so I figured I'd do this non-lace version of the Be Simple. Last year I did the orange version, using yarn that was custom-dyed for me. 

As much as you can, patronize your Local Yarn Shop. Mind you, Kelly is still 2+ hours from my house, but still - this is as good as it gets where I live, so do what you can to help them out! Kelly ships in the US, so go for it! 

Maybe I need a 2025 Retrospective of Knitting, since I didn't blog at all last year. 

Anyway, I really enjoy the asymmetrical shawls for office wear, so I'm not fighting the thing being around my shoulders, and yet it's warm enough. And these in sock yarn are perfect: they wash up like a dream and I have a nice stash of shawl pins to keep them in place, or I can just tie them. 

The Other FO... 

OK, still NOT that one. Found Objects. You know how, when you're decorating for Christmas or whatever holiday you're celebrating, you put things away, you bring things out, you shuffle stuff around? Well, in my house that's how that happens. 

I found a bag with fabric for a quilted table runner that I was going to make (which I didn't). I also found THREE circular needles. I think that I bought this when JoAnn's was closing. I also found in the bag the second of my pom-pom makers. I know I have another set - in a project bag somewhere. 

I had ordered small binders for my circulars. It makes it easier for me to have them handy, when they're not all stuck into unfinished objects (we won't go into that and I'm not feeling guilty). So these are size 8 bamboo needles, which are fine. They're 24" cables and my friend Sonda always said that 24" are all you really need to do anything from a scarf to a sweater. 

I also have become fond of Zings DPNs. They're color-coded which makes it nice. I use them for socks, but also for the tops of hats. The markings on the needles last nicely. That's the one complaint I have about the Karbonz - after a use or two, the numbers wear off the carbon part. Kind of annoying, really. 

I'm also still working on the Long Dog Samplers Pecadillo. I'm on the second quadrant of the one I'm doing, and it's coming along nicely. I do need to get the knitting out of the way first, so it'll be a while. I hope to finish this project in time for Christmas 2026, so that I can get it framed for its recipient. 

I think I need to do another one. We had a surprise at Christmas. Kid #1 eloped. So I also have an afghan to work on once I figure out what colors I need to get. 

THAT FO... 

Good Lord. I'm not really sure where to start. There are folks who are now in the "Find Out" stage and it's starting to get crazy. It was crazy at first, but now? 

So we have the Emperor with No Clothes posting crap at all hours, signing things he can't read, making stuff up and pulling "facts" out of his keister, and calling everything "fake" if it doesn't show him at the center of "The Last Supper" pushing Jesus to the side. (Sorry, God, but really...)

Since I last blogged about this, the Kennedy Center has been desecrated, there's no more East Wing of the historic White House, and the Oval Office is not only named like the wing of a dementia-care ward, but it's tatted up like a bordello the likes of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," just to name a few things. 

And we have the delusion about Greenland, the invasion of Venezuela, the bombing of fishing boats, the caving in of a Nobel Prize winner who - I don't care what she did for her country - debased herself for a fool. 

What am I missing? Oh, election fraud (well in front of the midterms), the ICE goons, the destruction of Tim Walz's political career. SCOTUS is bought and paid for - Mitch McConnell, on his way out, has grown one ball. Thom Tillis too. 

And a pox on Merrick Garland, who could've fixed this. A double pox on Glitchy Mitch, who prevented Garland from being safely ensconced in the Supreme Court and out of the way. 

But the cherry on top is the response of Bill and Hillary Clinton to the subpoena for the Epstein files debacle. I mean, you have Stephen Miller as a deputy Chief of Staff who thinks he's running things, and for all I know, he DOES have his hand up Mango Mussolini's diaper-clad butt, trying to demand that Minneapolis "withdraw" and stand down. And you have JD Maybelline trying to act "presidential." What a waste of an Ivy League education. And for what it's worth, Usha, girl - you need a good lawyer! 

And they think they can pull an end-run around Bill? Really. Notwithstanding the fact that he's a Rhodes Scholar and a lawyer. You have Hillary. Who's brilliant in her own right. Both of them are Yale Law School graduates. Both of them, very kindly, and very specifically and pointedly, said to James Comer, "show me yours before I show you mine." 

They pointed out that they don't HAVE to comply with that subpoena. My contention is, when Gym Jordan complies with the Congressional subpoena he received, then Bill and Hill can respond. 

The situation in Minneapolis is insane. The Black Panthers are coming out. And if the ICE goons think Chicago was rough? Minneapolis is no push-over. And they want to go to Philly? I mean... Philadelphia burned its own city down more than once. Their police chief already said, "We don't play." 

I have no idea what will happen. I do know this is not the world I wanted to age in, nor have my kids grow up in. 

Random Picture...

We have a tradition now. We make a Snow Folk Choir. This year, Hubby went above and beyond and I think we're done adding to the group. He's talking about using wine corks to make "choir risers." I think it's becoming an obsession. 

I must say, I added the rice lights and battery-operated candles. And I did make arms for our "conductor," the only salt-and-pepper shaker who's a singleton. All of these have been part of a collection I've had for years. 

Of all your holiday decorations, which is your tradition? Which is a must-have for the holidays? Share with me! 

Christmas Has Commenced...

 So, "White Christmas" is on the TV, I've got a cake and 2 batches of cookies baked. Hubby has the tree up...He's going to put one batch of Lemon & Cherry cookies in the oven this evening. 

It feels like we might have some momentum. I've got 4 gifts wrapped, and most of the shopping done. Though, to confess, in the past many years, I've just done shopping early and had it over with. That worked out especially well with Covid, of course, but lately, I'm not even in the mood to get out and "people" a lot with shoppers. 

I will say, however, that I'm a bit bummed that the local "Christmas Pop-Up Shop" which opened in one of the mall buildings has not decided to come back. That was fun, even though I certainly do not need one more ornament or decoration. Period. 

I finished a large editing project. I actually even caught up on the blogs I usually read regularly, but I let them slide. There's been a lot going on. 

I hate to jinx it, but I'm actually slightly ahead of myself at work, considering it's Advent and we're embarking on the busiest season for the next few weeks. Fingers crossed that I haven't just put a pox on the copier or something... 

The One Problem...

The fact that I still have just about ZERO taste & smell is particularly problematic. I can smell strong smells. I often misidentify them. Many times, I've said to Hubby, "Something's burning..." and it's not. But taste is the most elusive now, and it's hitting me funny. I don't want to eat. 

I was just kind of eating out of habit, even though (a) I couldn't taste it; and (b) with the hip injury I was certainly not moving a lot. That caused a pretty nasty weight gain. Now, I'm not a waif. I never have been, and I've not been obsessive about my weight. I'm pretty strong, and I have good (or HAD) muscle tone. Could I be thinner? Yeah, my cardiologist would like that, but I was active and  ate mostly clean, so he wasn't too fussed about it. 

But at my last check up he was not a happy camper. I don't know if that's what lit the lightbulb for me, or it's (which is where I'm tending to land on this issue) the anniversary of the last time I saw my sister alive that's hitting me between the eyeballs. 

I have to do something to re-create a sensible balance. I'm committing myself to introducing more plant-based meals into my cooking rota. Hubby is a definite carnivore, and that's fine. Dude never sits still...he's always doing something. So that's good on him. But for me, I find meat to be "heavy." I always have, apparently. I asked my mom to make sure I wasn't imagining it. 

So yeah, this is definitely a First World problem. I have a house to live in, I have food in the fridge, I have good health insurance. And I also have long-Covid. Which pretty much sucks. 

I really saw something disturbing on the socials recently. As you may have heard, Celine Dion said she has "Stiff Person Syndrome," and some people have linked that to the fact that she took the Covid vaccines (as did I - and I had Covid before we had vaccines...). 

The fact that these people are all, "She took the poison so she's paying the price"? That is inhumane. Unkind. Scurrilous unless you know for sure whether that's true, and reading it off a list of "side effects" doesn't count unless you know her medical history. I mean, honestly, I thought she was quite frail after her husband died. Who knows what she's been through?

And it's none of our business. 

Why can't people be kinder?

Knitting On...

I'm knitting apace with the baby blanket. I've got about a foot on the needles. It's 33" long, so I've got another couple feet to go. 

I'm enjoying how this is feeling. It's very squishy, and honestly, is going to be one warm blankie for the kid! 

I'm anxious to get on to the Baby Surprise Jacket, but a bit apprehensive, too. I mean, I've seen a lot of "genius, so easy" as well as a lot of, "OMG, I'm so confused!" And knitting on a deadline doesn't help that. I did see a version where they seamed up the front and made the neck wider - making it a jumper or pullover. That's an option. 

Anyway, it's going to be an experience. 

So my friend D sent me a note and said, "I have these socks..." They're adorable: red heels, cuffs and toes, and a grey background, with a motif of candy canes. I don't do color-work like that. I love the design, and I love the other colorwork socks I've seen, but frankly - self-patterning sock yarn is my jam. 

She said the sweetest thing: "You're a better knitter than you think you are..." That's quite a vote of confidence since she's such a great knitter herself. 

I'm also kind of getting my knitting mojo back, so I'm anxious to get knitting on some other stuff; finishing up Long Sands, finishing up at least another pair of socks. Perhaps starting something from my stash. I have a couple projects set aside: a nice beret, a cowl, and a vest. And maybe those colorwork socks that D wants me to try. 

The Baking...

First up was a Poppy Seed cake, which I put in a Bundt pan. I've sliced and double-wrapped it so that I can add the slices to the cookie trays. 

CPS Butter Cookies were next. I scrape in 2 vanilla beans, and I add 2 tsp. of vanilla (which is a tad more than they call for. These are family favorites, especially since I've added the vanilla bean. Those were a last-minute addition to the list - so Baking Kid told me there would be a vegan option. I just said go ahead and do them, and I'll keep mine for the cookie trays we're giving away. 

If we don't tell the carnivores that the baking is vegan, 90% of the time, they can't tell... 

These are great cookies if you're tired of shortbread. See, even though they ARE basically shortbread, they're somehow fluffier and not as dense as shortbread can be. One year, I dipped them in chocolate as a "half & half" cookie. 

It was gilding the lily and we didn't need to do that. The vote was to "do what you did before," and skip the chocolate. Heck, even I decided that doing that was a bridge too far... 

Next was Jewish Honey Cookies. This was a recent addition - as in, I only started adding these to the Cookie List a few years ago. They were an unexpected hit. 

But there are caveats. Apparently, the recipe should not be doubled...It's a dairy free recipe, and uses oil. I doubled it one year and the cookies sucked. Don't ask. I don't know. I figured it was easy enough to do them one batch at a time, since one batch makes about 36 cookies. 

(We make A LOT of cookies.) And -- I discovered that putting two pans at a time in my oven caused some issues. It looks like my oven may need a recalibration. 

To my eyes, the far left batch (I did 9 to a pan, because they do spread) is the darkest. That was at the full 12 minutes. The middle batch went in when the first pan was about 5 minutes in. And then the last pan was slightly too pale. 

This is one we'll do another batch of, so I have another shot at getting it right. 

The remaining cookies need chilling before baking, so we'll work on those in the coming days. As Hubby said, "It's only December 10." I have to have a large chunk of them done by the 3rd Wednesday, for a gathering, but I find that I can stand and bake, and manage to hobble my way from one end of the kitchen counter to the other, so it's not hurting me to do that. 

And he's a good baker - we work well together. 

Quick kitchen hack: Stick a chopstick in your sugar and flour canisters. Give them a stir before you use them. I rarely sift flour, but recently, I've been toying with stirring the flour a bit to sort of "fluff" it a bit. I've noticed that it not only makes the bread lighter, but it also helps the cookies rise a bit better. 

The chopstick also helps as a handy leveler - when you're dipping your dry measuring cup in there, you don't have to reach for a butter knife or spatula - you have your nifty chopstick which will help you without giving you another utensil to wash. 

The Ornaments...

The batch of ornaments this year was small. I hadn't realized that till I looked at the spreadsheet. Yes, I do have a spreadsheet - I need it to keep track of 18 years of ornaments per kid. 

And after the holidays, I'll have to order another 18 for the May Baby. 

The Joy and the Christmas Tree will go to Montana for the last of the Montana Kids... I think there's only a year or two left for one of them. 

The rest stay here in Illinois. 

Fun fact: I used to be able to pick these up at a local craft store. Gradually, they became harder and harder to find. One year, I ended up with these really crappy "ornament" looking things. No character at all. I had to really fiddle with them to give them some personality. 

But then I was lucky enough to find a website where they had the actual ornaments I was used to seeing. Some, of course, were no longer available (like a lot of the Santas, surprisingly). But I made do with what I could find, and each kid gets their own theme. 

It used to be more random when I had better access to the wider variety. 

Nice thing is: the kids don't care. I see my siblings' kids putting theirs up and it's really heartwarming. Makes me feel like this little thing mattered. 

The Tree...

This year, we did what we usually do: Tree on Table. It's the only safe way to have a tree with two dogs who masquerade as bulls in a china shop! 

Way back, my husky Topaz would sleep under the tree, and she was so graceful (even though she was huge) that she could get under and out of it without disturbing anything. 

Quinn & Raisa? Nope. Just easier to put a small tree on the table. Sometimes we do my Grandma's ceramic tree (my mom made it for her years ago). Sometimes we do the 4-footer. 

This year, Hubby found a different tree topper, and so we're kind of really bright. We have both colored and white lights on it, and mostly the Hallmark Frosty Friends ornaments on it. I've been collecting those for years. Since they first came out, actually. 

As you can see, too, we have them surrounding the tree. We haven't quite chosen a nativity set yet. That's another foray into the basement. 

I also got some Xmas cards out. Yeah, we send them. Shorter list, though. 

Random Picture...

My happy place. With my mixer. I have several happy places, to be honest: with a book, knitting, on my yoga mat, in my garden. But this time of year, I really do like to make time to spend in the kitchen. Whether it's baking or cooking, it's just a place where I can tune out the rest of the crap happening. 

I feel like I use an entirely different part of my brain in the kitchen. Even without a lot of sense of taste & smell, I can still cook. 

Recently, however, my good old Kitchen Aid has been making some oddball noises. Don't die on me now! First Kid has my avocado-green smaller Kitchen Aid from the 70s. That's when they were all metal. 

Now, they're not. We've already done "open heart surgery" on it once. I'm not sure what more we can do if it decides to crap out. Other than buy a new machine, which I don't know that I want to do. And if we do, it's likely to be another Kitchen Aid, because we have accessories for this one, like the grinder and pasta maker. 

But lately, nothing lasts like it used to, so I shouldn't be surprised. 

What's YOUR happy place? What does it feel like, sound like, look like? And if you've never thought about it, maybe it's time to do so!

You Can't Rush The Knitting...

 I know this. I know this like I know the back of my hand. I know this like I know my dog's bark from a thousand others, like I know when bread is risen, like I know my own heartbeat.

And still... I rushed the knitting. The sock, luckily vanilla, is too short and the heel is wrong. I tried it on again, hoping that, after ignoring it for a little bit a long time, somehow the Knitting Fairies would've fixed it. Or my foot magically got shorter. Neither of which happened, so once again, I'll be frogging yet another finished sock - though not all the way. Just to the leg, which is bad enough. It's a bit worse this time around because the LAST one I had to do (the green sock) was only to add about 1.5" to the foot. The rest of the sock was fine. I don't want this to become a habit. This is one skill I would want to not develop. 

You know you've screwed it up when you have an awful lot of yarn for Sock #2...and you look, again, at the first one, and you have that little "knitting nudge" that says, "you really screwed this one up, buddy..." But you don't listen to either. You happily cast on Sock #2, thinking you're really making progress, and "getting knit done," and then... 

WHOMP! Reality smacks you upside the knitting bag, and you realize that it's time to re-think what you were doing, and maybe -- just maybe -- use a measuring tape properly. "That looks like 2 inches" is NEVER going to work. I don't care how long you've been knitting. 

Knitting is dependent on multiple factors, and I'm not even getting into "getting gauge." That, for a sock, in my opinion, is irrelevant. A sock is a sock. If you have the basic recipe, it'll work. I know that, for me, anywhere between 68-72 stitches is a good cast-on, depending on needle size. I know that I usually like a 7" leg, and somewhere around 8.5" for the foot before I begin the toe. I know that I have to do a 6-row "knit" to give a slight roll to the cuff so that I can get it over my "biker calves." 

So, Bob's yer uncle, I can knit a sock. Except when I can't. You can clearly see in this picture that (a) the foot is too short...and (b) the heel flap is NOWHERE near 3" -- more like half that size. So it's frog, frog, frog till I get back to the leg. 

Thank goodness this is Opal yarn, which takes lots of ripping without any harm to the yarn. Unfortunately, it's got an absolutely spot-on, beautiful star toe. Well...so much for that. I guess I'm doing round toes on these when I re-knit Sock #1. 

Also, there was FINISHING to end the old year and start the new. 

A Few Fewer UFOs...

I got on a kick. Just needing to finish stuff before 2022 dawns, and I'm still whining about "too many UFOs." 

Here we have a scarf; a one-skein wonder from Lion Brand, which will go into the gift pile.

Since I'm multi-craftual, this one is in crochet. I can crochet like the wind, but I'm The World's Slowest Knitter. I have to like the process, because I'm so stinkin' slow that I would otherwise be driven crazy by the process...

I like this scarf because I like the gradient. It's acrylic, can't even remember which Lion yarn it is, but I know it's still available because I was recently in JoAnn Fabric, and it was there. 

It's a half-double crochet, which I like for a scarf. It's weighty enough to keep you warm, but not as stiff as some stitches where you feel like you're wearing a horse blanket. And it's not too lacy; there's "just enough" interest. And to crochet it, you get in this really cool groove where your hands just...move. 

Here we have a cup-guard. Boss Lady has, over the past couple of years, given me re-usable Starbucks Xmas cups. Well, those stinkers get HOT when you have a beverage in them. I made one cup-guard out of 100% wool, and I had more wool leftover (Lion again, or maybe Paton's? I can't remember). 

So I figured I could use another one. The first one was knitted; this one is, again, crochet. Single crochet this time. In about 15 minutes, I'm going to blast this with my blow-dryer. I soaked it in hot water, did the hand-felting technique called "scrubbing out the stain," and then squeezed, twisted, and generally beat up the yarn. Then I put it over the cup. Heating it, like I'd do in a dryer, will help the felting process, and since it's on the cup, it should -- SHOULD -- mold right to it. Maybe. Not sure. But it's a cup-guard, so it's not a huge deal if it won't fit 100% correctly. It'll still keep my fingers from scalding. And I have extra yarn; so if all else fails, I can do a drawstring along the bottom and tie a bow on it. It'll be odd, but it'll be mine. 

Next to me, in my various project bags, I have a few other UFOs, so I may dive in there and see what's what. Though I'm going to finish Sock #2, so that I can rip out Sock #1. 

It's a process. 

New Year's Eve...

I'll be watching a Dr. Who marathon, knitting, reading...Because if the snow storm we're supposed to get is just a piddly little thing, then the pyromaniacs in the neighborhood will be out in force. Thankfully, nobody's shooting off guns (though maybe they are and I just get that sound muddled with the M-80s and large boomers?). Mostly I worry because my knitting chair is right next to our picture window. 

Anyway. The point is, Quinn will once again be traumatized by the noise. We'll start dosing her early afternoon, beginning with hemp chews to take the edge off. Then, she'll get a lavender butt rub, and I'll time it (hopefully) so that I can give her at least 1 dose of Sileo when the real chaos starts. 

I've also got a headache because the barometric pressure is changing. That makes it even more fun. 

We don't go out on NYE. Just not party people, and with the Omicron variant of Covid running through our town like crap through a goose? Nope. 

Also, New Year's Day is my one-year "Covid-iversary." And I have to have another test tomorrow... One of my students was exposed at Christmas. I think I'm fine, but I'm not going to wing this. For a very good reason...

Family Health Issues...

After I got home, my sister said to me, "Call me." I was curious, because usually we chat while I'm driving. The last time she said that, she was calling to tell me that my neurologist had died (she used to work for her). 

I thought maybe she'd tell me that her youngest son + wife were having a baby and she didn't want me to crash my car. I was thinking, "They'd better give me knitting time!!" even though I've sort of already got a Feather & Fan afghan started (which I'm going to have to frog back a bit, because I should've used stitch markers, but I digress). 

"I have cancer." 

Oh dear Lord... I wasn't expecting that at all. At. All. 

There are 3 tumors, encapsulated (that's the good part). Her care team has "seen this before" (another good thing). But she's frail because she just came off a bout with pneumonia, and she's had IBS for about 30 years (the not good part). She knows she has to bulk up, but there's that dance between her belly and her brain. 

Part of me wants to be the snotty big sister who says, "Oh, so I have a heart condition and you've got to one-up me?" Believe me, she can take that kind of ribbing, but right now isn't the time. 

We've set up a system where my brother is the point of contact; no sense in all of us bombarding them for information. So far, it's working and she calls me when she feels ready to talk. Due to a complication with putting her port in, her voice still isn't 100% and she's still coughing, so we limit our conversations. 

I'm pretty gutted. 

The good news is that, when I tried to tease her about taking her bag of Xmas cookies home, she did threaten my life. That's a positive sign. 

The Big Blow...

We're anxiously awaiting a big winter storm. Some of us with happy anticipation, and others with dread. But it's December/January in Illinois. It's time. Past time, actually. We should have had snow sooner (thanks climate denying polluters), which has caused us problems with not only the water table, but also with some plants and crops. They need that blanket of snow, and they didn't get it. For reference, this picture is my Rosemary planter. 

Personally, I'm excited because I'm one of those odd folk who really like cold weather, and winter in particular. And I'm also happy because I want the idiots to stay home. I'm so over Covid. 

Tomorrow is my "Covid-iversary." Today, Dec. 31, 2020, I was at home, feeling like I'd been hit by a bus. I thought, "this is my usual cold/sinus thing," but I figured I'd get tested if I didn't feel better by morning. So Jan. 1, 2021, I got tested...and there you go. The beginning of my year-long journey with Covid. 

I recovered at home, but had long-haul symptoms through most of 2021. Honestly, I finally got my sense of taste/smell back after my heart procedure. Otherwise, who knows how long that would've lasted. Frankly, I was resigned to not ever having it back again. 

Which is why the following "big blow" of mine is something I've been mulling for a year. 

If you haven't gotten the vaccination and it's because "you don't know what's in it" or "what the side effects are" then you are being wilfully negligent, uncaring, selfish and mean. 

Do you know what was in your measles vaccination? Any idea what's in your annual flu shot? I didn't think so. Social media has spawned a whole community of amateur virology experts. 

How about we leave that to the people who've actually studied this stuff and not Fox News (which, by the way, required that their employees be vaccinated) and their stupid pundits? How about we care for our fellow humans? You want to profess Christianity as your religion, then maybe start acting like it. "Do unto others" and all that stuff. 

I was going to be sent home after a pretty intense pair of heart procedures because the hospital was being overrun by people with Covid, most of which are unvaccinated. Sorry, but if you're complaining that "the government is trying to tell me what to do" then can you even try to explain why you stop at red lights? Why you don't shoplift? Why you don't haul off and punch someone who's bugging you? (and if you do that last one, why you haven't been arrested is another good question...)

You know why? Because as a mostly civilized society, we obey certain rules. We stop at traffic lights, we wear seatbelts, we don't smoke in restaurants, we don't steal, we respect certain societal norms. 

OK, let's for the sake of argument say that civility has gone down the crapper, which it has by the way... Still. When I'm driving through the neighborhood, I can mostly reliably figure that the driver on my left is going to obey the stop sign. I can mostly reliably figure that the person in the grocery store aisle isn't going to boost a 6-pack of soda. I can mostly reliably figure that someone's not going to vandalize my yard and steal my holiday decorations. 

So why is the vocal minority squealing like caged squirrels about the vaccine? "My freedom." 

My keister. 

YOUR freedom ends when it infringes on another person's freedom. Your freedom to ignore a pandemic is actually not supported by law. When the danger to the public is so great, your own personal beliefs are irrelevant. 

Or, in the words of the great Mr. Spock, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." 

So. Get the shot. Get the booster. Wear a mask. 

And on the subject of masks? As my friend A. says, "I pushed a freakin' BABY out while wearing a mask!" 

And my friend T., a NICU nurse, says, "Wear the PPE that I have to wear for 12 hours and then complain about your little mask." 

Kudos, ladies. Well said. 

Random Picture...

This was when they all got along. When Raisa was in her first heat. She drove Tippi and Quinn nuts. She whined. She pawed at them. She tried to hump them (didn't go over well with either of them). She cried, she whimpered. 

It was pretty awful. But I'm glad she went through that one heat. I believe we should have let Quinn do that, instead of spaying her when we did; I'm almost convinced that doing it so quickly created some of her long-term health issues. 

I really believe in spaying and neutering your animals. What I don't believe in is doing it really early. A neighbor did it to their dog at 8 weeks -- which is incredibly early and caused issues with the dog's health for the rest of its life. 

Anyway, I remember this period in our house like it was yesterday. And it makes me miss Tippi all the more. 

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Birds, Bees...

...and knitting, of course... But first, another batch of masks. These will eventually be in the big bag that's going to the local hospital. I worked on ties today and pinning up a few more. And a friend asked me for 4 of the fitted ones. Hey, it keeps me occupied! 

Today was glorious outside so I spent a bit of time knitting on the porch. I had a few things "fall off the needles" into Finished Objects, which is always a good thing. 

I was mending some of my knitted wash cloths; I use them mainly for face cloths, because they're gentle on my skin, but they're really nice for exfoliation. But some of them are verging on ancient. So while I'm building up the "new" stash, I figured I'd just mend the old ones. Actually, after a few years of constant use, the 100% cotton kind of softens up a bit, and is even nicer on your skin. 

I did maybe 6 stitches (yeah, STITCHES) on the Simple Shawl, and I sit with envy looking on Facebook at people's knitting where it's some elaborate Estonian lace shawl and they're like, "Oh, I just did this in 18 days, it's my COVID project." Really? Or: "Oh, here are the 8 pairs of socks I've knitted since March 15..." Really???? Mind you, I'm mildly jealous only because (a) either these folks knit in their sleep; or (b) their needles are melting because of the friction because they're speed knitters. Which, maybe, should be an Olympic sport? 

My contribution to the COVID-19 Finished Objects compilation is this: 2 fresh wash cloths (well, actually FOUR of them; but I have to go dig the pics out for you). And one sock. In my defense, I'm going to count the "mended" blue cloth there. See the crochet added to the knitting? It just worked out that this seemed the best method. It doesn't have to be gorgeous; it's just the 2 of us and not like I'm taking them to the State Fair or anything like that. 

The one wash cloth is, obviously, crocheted. It's a simple "cast on about 25 stitches, then single crochet till it's about 6 inches high" thing. Crochet goes faster for me, but it does use a whack more yarn. On the other hand, this bias-knitted wash cloth was done this evening - about 3 episodes of Poirot. Maybe 4. Started it about 2:30 and just finished it, at 10:15 p.m. But I wasn't knitting steadily on it. I did cook dinner (see below). And eat. 

Also in my defense, I finished the Green Travelling Socks, so there's that. 

Dinner Plans...

Normally, lately, Hubby has been doing the bulk of the cooking. Since he works from home, it's easier. But - another benefit (?) of COVID and shelter-in-place is that I can cook more. And I do enjoy it; I just got out of the habit. 

So these beauties are from my friend C. I gave her a bunch of empty egg cartons, and I got 2 dozen of her hens' finest. They're lovely, aren't they? 

Frittata was on the menu tonight. So I layer potatoes in a pan, season with a little bacon fat, and this time I used some paprika, Penzey's Mural of Flavor, and Fox Point (which has salt in it). FULL DISCLOSURE: I get no $$$ for recommendations. I just love Penzey's spices. 

While the sausage and leeks were cooking in a separate pan, the spuds were browning nicely. I used the full dozen eggs (we'll be eating this dish for the next several days, so nothing gets wasted). Added a bit of skim milk and whisked the bejeebers out of it. Poured it into the pan then chopped up a tomato and tossed it in there with some roasted garlic, chopped up parsley (the first bit from the herb pots we did in April). And then I used a good handful + a half of Asiago cheese. And then, dotted it with some goat cheese that Hubby had gotten me. 

He's not altogether sold on actually EATING goat cheese himself, but he ate this... Under mild protest. It didn't kill him. But I bet he races me to make the next frittata... 

I had an avocado that was about 2 minutes from total destruction so I sliced it up. They're small; and I hate wasting them. Because you know they're rock-hard for about a week, and then just about the time your mind says, "Hey, there's that avocado"... they SENSE it. And they ripen in a flash. And then they die because you missed your nanosecond of opportunity. 

Anyway, eggs and avocado are delicious together. It's the perfect combo for when you want something sort of substantial but that doesn't take a day and a half to plan. It took about 45 minutes in the oven (just in that big saute pan there - it's oven-ready). And that's only because the tomato was pretty juicy. 



The Birds and the Bees...

Between Hubby and I, we've been enjoying the wildlife in the front yard. I have yet to get a good picture of the hummingbirds, but they are there! We have 2 female and one male rose-crested grosbeaks - they've kind of taken over the front yard. The blue jay is back! And we have goldfinches. And new this year: orioles! You can see the one pic where he's in flight trying to figure out my home-made orange + grape jelly feeder. 

The backlight from the sun today was nasty. We did the best we could without scaring everyone away. The bees are enjoying the hanging baskets as much as the hummers are. And we have a plethora of bunnies. Which are driving the dogs nuts. 

Oriole in flight

I'm hoping we get the indigo buntings back. The cardinals and woodpeckers have been frequent fliers. 

I think we may have a meadowlark hanging around, but I'm not sure. I haven't been able to spot it quickly enough with our Audubon handy. 

I hope you're getting time to look out at Mother Nature and really enjoy the show. It's not often we get the chance (forced on us or not - depending on your opinion) to really slow down. 

Rose crested grosbeak

So wear your masks (OVER your nose, please!), wash your hands, practice social distancing... 

The quicker we do what's right, the quicker we'll be able to get back to work and back to our families. 

PS: If you're looking for tools to help you work through some of the stress, connect with me and my teachers at Just Breathe Yoga Studio! www.just-breatheyoga.com -- upper left corner of the website: Livestream Yoga. Ten bucks a class... 

Starting Over...

Well. The downside of all this "organization" is that, even though I've found a number of projects that I want to finish or start, I've also managed to mislay several. Either the project, part of the project, or the directions. 

Not cool. 

The good news is that several things have been finished. The bad news is, now that I want to finish at least one of the "single socks," I can't find (a) either the sock; or (b) the instructions. Well. Crap. 

So, what's finished and what's still working... Here we go, kids...

MY Emergency One Day Hat is finished. I'm calling it my March Hat, because I'll be wearing it to the 2019 Women's March in Chicago. Yeah, I'm pretty sure we're going to have one. 

Encore Worsted, in a pink heathered colorway, and some of the Caron Purple Sparkle from a prayer shawl. 

This time, it worked better than trying to do the Fun Fur. I liked doing this in the larger size; it taxed the length of my 16" circulars, though. 

Once again, the stitch definition is great; this time, I think the decreases worked a bit better. Having to switch all of that to DPNs made it a little wonky - you had to keep track of which of the markers was the beginning of the round, which was easy this time because I put a different marker at Place #1. 

I actually haven't tried this on - I suppose I ought to. I did measure it, though, so it should fit. 

No, it doesn't match any coat I own. Even the purple coat I have. But wearing it for the march is the point. I really don't like the "cat ear" hats, though I wore one at the first march. Heck, I was freezing. I wore it!

I still have it. But I'm happy with this one, and I'm anxious to wear it even aside from the march. I thought to myself, "Self, you could, technically, make one of these for each of the kids for Christmas...since this one literally took you 6 days."

Self is still thinking about it, honestly. I have enough worsted weight yarn, and I could even make one for Kid #1's girlfriend. Though I'm not sure of her head size... 

So the other thing I finished was, amazingly, a Fun Fur mini-scarf. I say "mini" because it's not very long. Almost an "ascot" length, where I could poke a skewer through it to hold it on. I held the yarn double, and used size 10 needles. I could've gone to 11 or 13, actually. I probably should have. And maybe 2 or 3 stitches thinner. 

I finished it relatively swiftly, while doing more of the prayer patches at lunch breaks. And I got it to stretch a bit by whipping it - cracking it like a whip to fluff out the fur. The dogs thought I was nuts. 

I could keep this or hold it as a "stash gift" - which is a strong thought, though it's a tad bit too small for that, unless it's for a kid. Actually, I should see if it sort of matches the kid's hat I made, and then maybe make that a two-piece gift. That scarf may fit a 3-year-old! I think that's a plan!

I like the way the colors managed to match when I fold it in half. I'm sure it's just the yarn, and no special work on my part. 

What I've started: Well, I'm kind of over the 'big needle knitting' for a bit, so while I'll continue on with the prayer patches, because we need them for the installation of our vicar, I started looking for my single socks. 

Found Petty Harbour, but not the directions. Found the Green Sock, but not the mate. I went "once over lightly" in the office and couldn't find any of my other "pending projects." Well. Fudge. 

So I pulled out the Monkey Socks that I started...oh... I don't know. A long while ago. I can't figure out why it looks like I've marked some of the lace - I didn't have but 3 rows of knitting done on only 1 sock. 

I frogged it and started over. I'm doing my 6-row knit top, because it's done on 64 stitches, so I think they may be a bit taut on my leg. One more reason to start exercising more and get some weight off... 

I like the Monkey Sock. Now, lest you're thinking of the "work sock monkey toy" thing? Nope. This is a pattern (link there) from Knitty - one of the popular designers, Cookie A. It's a lace pattern, and frankly, the sock that got me started thinking about knitting lace. It's really a pretty 11-row repeat. 

I'm using bamboo needles, which worry me a bit. Toothpicks, indeed. I can always switch them to the Karbonz, if I need to. Here's the deal, though. It's something that we need to consider as knitters or even crocheters. Needle color + yarn color...

Think about it. This yarn, Opal's "Vincent" colorway. I chose it because Monkey reminds me of fall leaves. And this yarn just called out "autumn!!" 

But the bamboo needles are basically the color of that orangey-tan. And they're 1.5 - tiny, tiny... Not as bad as 00, but they match the yarn too closely. 

That's why I was thinking that, if it got awful, even with the OttLite, I'd switch to the Karbonz, because the black will at least pop the yarn color and I could see what I'm doing. 

I do remember my grandma telling me about this when she'd do an afghan. If she was doing a purple afghan and only had a purple hook, she'd buy or borrow a different color so that the yarn and hook didn't blend in together. 

I can see that now. And I should've thought of that. But as I sit here and just kind of meditate over the yarn, I seem to recall that I was mainly excited to be knitting with "real" sock needles. I don't think the color of the needles + color of the yarn even occurred to me. 

It does now. We'll see how this works out. 

Orchids Everywhere...

In a way, I'm kind of itching to talk about current events, but for right now - I think we need a break so I'll talk about something that's kind of my new obsession: orchids. 

It's not really a "new" obsession. I've just decided to get my act together and learn more about them, after killing off several of them. Including one given to me by Kid #2 (shhh!).

This is my "orchid altar." I did a little more research, and figured out how to pot them, perhaps, in a way that will better work out for the conditions I have: Midwest, southwest corner of the house, and probably too near the heat vent, even though I've got a device on there to direct the air across the floor instead of straight up, under those orchids. 

Left to right, the one in the little one in the bowl is from my former job. It's lasted about 2 years now - but she's got no roots!! What she DID give me, however, is a baby. 

If you see that little thing there at the left? It's a Keiki -- the vaguely Hawaiian-sounding name, meaning "baby." That Keiki came off the spike of the orchid where you see the large green leaf in the picture. 

I'm told, if the YouTubes are correct, that there's a chance to resurrect Mamma Orchid...If I keep her humidified, and sprits/soak her stem every few days, to encourage root re-growth. The problem with her was that I followed the advice on the label and "just added ice cubes." I burned the aerial roots. And then it got a bit drowned, because one of Kid #2's friends is an "orchid whisperer" and he told me (a) no ice; and (b) water. The bark on top looked dry. 

Classic rookie mistake: it was draining into the decorative pot and it was sitting in water. A big NO-NO for orchids. They don't like to swim. 

Orchids, basically, are air plants - in the wild, they hang off the trees! Look at this. Does it look like it should be crammed into a pot stuffed with sphagnum moss and overwatered in some chilly Home Depot?

Now, this is a wild phalaenopsis orchid. You can clearly see the silvery roots clinging to the bark of the tree. It looks pretty spiffy there, actually. Most of what we buy are in containers, and most of what I've seen in the "big box" stores are in moss, not bark. 

We have an orchid place sort of near us - it'll be a while before I can get up there with my crazy schedule. I just checked, and while it's "37 minutes via Google" from where I work, and I have a fairly decent lunch break? It's probably not a good idea to go up there during lunch. 

But boy, it's tempting!

So. Back to reality. I can't afford to buy fancy orchids; I don't even like them. I like a straight-up phal. The other ones kind of creep me out... 

I bought this one to replace the one I killed from The Kid. (Sorry) Even though I risk blossom drop, I took one of them and immediately put it into a glass container, taking all the moss out of it. It was soggy, as most of them are. 

This was one I bought pretty much because it was smaller, and while not a "mini" it's a bit petite. 

I got this one at the Jewel. Let's see how it does in the bark with most of it being "airy." 

I need to find some styrofoam. One of my sources, M.E.'s Orchids, suggests a thin circle of styrofoam - the theory being that you put that in the bottom of your vase, and water to THAT height. Bark or decorative rocks on top of that to hold the orchid, and that way, no roots should dip into the water. The styrofoam ends up acting like a "water brake" - where you know just how deeply to water. 

I have to get some decorative rock, too. The bark can break down and oxidize, something I learned with African Violets. Which I love, but I don't have a good space to grow them in this house. So if I can "sprinkle" a little bark for decoration, but have mainly stones, I think it'll keep them healthier. 

I have yet to repot the Big Boy there in the middle. That will come soon. I raided our church's Rummage Sale of a lot of their glass vases. For a buck or two, I have a nice stash for future orchids. Though, right now, the 3 + baby are fine for me. If I can make Mamma Orchid come back, I'll be really chuffed!! 

I put my crystals around them. Who knows? Maybe the big Selenite next to the petite one, and the bowl of amethysts near Momma + baby will help. The Gerosole Opal may give some great vibes to Big Boy. 

Random Picture...

The other day, this tree, in my backyard, was green. It's not now. As Autumn progresses, this tree should be getting more and more orange. The one in front is "lipstick red." This is a "pumpkin orange."

On good autumns, when the weather isn't so screwy, you can see these two trees from either end of the block because they're tall enough and the colors are pretty much the most vibrant ones on the block. 

But with climate change and the warming of the planet almost past the tipping point - if we haven't, indeed, passed that tipping point - it's hard to predict how fall colors will go this year. 

That's one reason why I love the Midwest: we do get 4 seasons (and 5 if you count "construction season" but I digress...). They used to be more distinct, but lately, we get the seasons melding together. I'm used to Indian Summer in the middle of fall, but this year, they're kind of confused. 

And so are we. We know what the seasons are supposed to be. But we've also screwed up our planet. All we can do now is individually try to help Mother Nature recover. If we can.