Random Saturday Morning...

  Yesterday was "let's get this crap organized" day and I did ok. Ish. I can't see much floor in the office, but I can see desk space. I organized the yoga stuff, at least in the same pile. I filed the Estate stuff. I stuck the music sort of where it was supposed to be. And I plopped a bunch of knitting patterns into a separate pile. 

I also downloaded all the pictures off the Sky Drive onto the NAS at home. I still have to clear out the Sky Drive so that the new phone/camera has a place to store stuff. All that was left were the yoga videos from various trainings I've taken. I find it easier sometimes to watch the instructor and tape what's going on so that I can take notes later. 

Hey, organizing is what you make of it. I didn't get it completely where I want it, but it's coming along. 

Knitting...

Pink Sock Progress

But I didn't knit a blessed stitch. Anyway, this is what the Pink Sock looks like so far. It's about 2.5 - 3" along on the foot, so I have another 2" or so to go before I can even contemplate the toe decrease. I'm just taking it easy. 

I think that after I'm done with this, I'll plow along on the Blue Jacket for my "carry along" project. I will alternate it with the February Lady Sweater, which really, truly needs to be at home. You don't want to deal with lace when you're at work. 

I also think there's a frogging in my future. The blue lace scarf -- it's just not possible for me to figure out what I did wrong with it. So I'll frog it. Set the yarn aside to relax. Then re-start it WITH LIFELINES to help keep me straight.

And as always, there are socks, washcloths and the like to just get stash busted. 

Garden...

Actually, I had a really hard time concentrating yesterday. The seeds came in!!! And then it was all about do we get starter pots? Do we plant straight in the ground? What's the weather say? 

Veggie seeds

And that's even before we concentrated on the fact that we still have some herb PLANTS to get, as well as a couple of tomato plants. Not to mention the rest of the flowers to complete the floral part of the yard.

There's a farm locally that I found, but I need to know if they have non-GMO plants or are certified organic. If I want to buy "mystery" plants, I can go to the local big-box. But I'd rather get some stuff from the locals. I e-mailed them, and I'm awaiting their answer. I suppose I could call, but I'd rather e-mail. 

It seems more healthy to try to buy organic, and it's certainly better for their bottom line if I buy from a local farmer. I haven't even begun to contemplate the hanging baskets yet. We're concentrating on hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The birds will come because we have a whole "feeder complex" that we'll be stocking. Also have to think about what we'll be doing to keep the bird bath's bubbler going. We have a solar one, but the water is so gunky... Have to find a solution to the algae which is healthy for the critters. The garbage that floats in there (floaters from the trees)? We'll just have to skim more. 

By the way, all the seeds were from The Seed Exchange, and most are certified organic. I love the website; it's easy to navigate and you can actually participate in helping to keep heirloom varieties alive as well as helping people plant seeds that are good for the planet instead of the Monsanto-fied crap that you can get if you're not paying attention.

Flower packets

I see the seed packets for the flower garden look a little "purple-heavy" but like I said -- there are still the hanging baskets and some other stuff we want to put in. And we have to see what survived the polar vortex. We know for a fact that our Icelandic Poppy survived - it's already greening up nicely. And the Monster Bleeding Heart is back for its next year. That thing just loves that north/west corner. 

I haven't seen any lily of the valley yet, but I've seen a few randomly planted snow drops - thanks to the squirrels. We'd dug up all our bulbs years ago. But I think there are a few rogues on the south side of the house. 

Hubby bought us a planter called a "Herb Trough" which will be nice. I can get rid of the various pots I lined the sidewalk with, and this also has a nice net to keep out the pesky squirrels, too. It came in, so if he's on the ball, it might actually be full of dirt by the time I get home today. If not, we have plenty of time; the weather is set to get near-freezing (welcome to Spring in Illinois before Mother's Day), so I'm partly champing at the bit to get planting, but the common-sense side of my head tells me to just relax. We have plenty of time. 

I'm not even sure where we want to put the trough. It doesn't have wheels, which makes it something we really have to think about. 

My agenda for today is to work till about 1 p.m. (seriously - our Pathophysiology professor is amazing -- even I get what he's talking about and I'm not exactly conversant in this stuff!) And then if all is well, perhaps Hubby and I can drive out to the garden center a bit north of us? Not sure yet. Frankly, I need to be patient! I always get nuts about the planting, but we still have lots of bed prep to be done. So maybe I get my Vitamin D while digging up the dandelions.

I know - I should probably save them, since dandelion greens are now "gourmet" and about $3.99/lb! My great-granny would be rolling in the aisle at that. 

Miscellaneous Happenings...

Chocolate chip cookies

Kid #2 decided to bake. A new chocolate chip recipe. I had two. They were really good. He needs to stop... No, really, I'd rather he baked than wasted his money buying stuff he's perfectly capable of making himself. 

I'm starting on the Atkins program in May. I need time to finish the book, so I know what's going on, and stock the kitchen with me-friendly items. At least this gives me a similar plan to work on that I've had success with before. I think this will help get rid of the weight I gained back after my brother's death. I need to get rid of it. 

I have some of the protein shakes (the vegetarian powder ones) that I need to use, and I'll probably use this next week to clean out my system a bit. I not only fell off the wagon, I rather jumped off whole-hog. 

And I'm feeling it. Not happy, sluggish, the "fat pants" are back out. I really think I need to ditch those once the weight comes off. Let's face it: if I know they're in the closet, I always have something to wear, right? If they're not there, I have to pay attention to myself, which I haven't been doing. 

Since it appears that I'm going to Florida to our club's Convention, I really would like to go there healthier. Slimmer wouldn't kill me either, but just healthier would be nice. 

African Violet

I'm trying my hand at propagation again. No, not PROCREATION - propagation like I used to do with African Violets. I trimmed up the one in the office and I had 2 good leaves. Didn't want them to go to waste, so I clipped them, rigged up my little "propagator" device and we'll see what happens. I have several of the Texas Pots - they're a self-watering pot that works very well with the Violets. They've got fuzzy leaves, so it's important to water from the bottom. 

The Texas Pots have 2 parts and seem to handle the vagaries of this plant particularly well. I have enough sunny windows at the campus to have these in quite a few places, so why not?

The one that's blooming right now is a dark purple, very pretty. If this works out, we'll have 2 little clones. 

Way back in the dark ages, I used to grow and exhibit them. So propagation was a way of life; I always had a shelf of leaves sprouting. It's taking me back, but in a good way. It'll be nice to raise seedlings again. 

Random Picture...

Husky-cat

Not that this post hasn't been full of random pictures. Raisa's in heat. Finally. It's gross and messy, but I think the importance of the hormones will be seen later on in her life. 

Yesterday, she actually was contemplating getting all 4 legs up onto the bird's table. You could see the gears turning in her head. 

Unfortunately, Kid #2 gave Hubby a harmonica. And of course, Raisa sings to harmonicas. Loudly. And piercingly.

I told them both yesterday that I was taking away all the noisy toys. Then I asked Kid #2, "What were you THINKING???" 

At least he admits that the idea seemed "like a good one at the time." But not so much in real life, right?

Anyway, it's after Easter, so we're into "relax" mode for church, and I can just chill out this weekend. Maybe it'll finally be time where I can mark The Pink Sock at 100% and get them all done! That would be cool.

Mostly Knitting Today...

Just a few things to note today, mostly having to do with sticks and string, but some other stuff will inevitably crop up. It always does.

Working toward toe shaping

Knitting...

The Teal Socks are ONE-HALF done!! I finished the first one yesterday. It looks a bit long, but it's a rib - k3, p1 and the pattern called for the foot to be a bit longer than I'm used to. I haven't tried it on yet, but I will be casting on the second one in a day or so. 

I'm still having problems with my Kitchener Stitch - I get points at either end. I have to find an alternative toe - maybe a round toe? Or a star?? Something else. But that'll be for the next pair of socks.

Detail of cuff and ribbing on leg

Here are some shots of the yarn I purchased. Maybe I'll do another Franken-sock with the red, and utilize the star toe. That would be good seeing as I'm thinking of Christmas.

I will continue to work on the charity afghan tomorrow. It's going to be a particularly interesting day weather-wise, so it'll probably be in my best interests to just plug away at that. I do have to attend a board meeting tomorrow night, though.

Sock #1 done!

More about the yarn... As you can see on the sock picks, it's a very bright teal. I seem to be on a "bright" binge after lots of purples and darks. 

That's cool. Diversity in yarn is good. Wool and Company have so many lovely sock yarns, it's difficult to choose. But I made some choices that I think will be good in the long run; mostly in a weight that I'm used to working with. 

The Trekker that I'm working with on the Teal Socks is quite a bit thinner than normal - more like the Opal that I haven't started yet. 

Though I could use some of that Opal for a nifty tea cozy! 

Dream yarn

This blue is shot with silver; it'll make a nice pair of socks in perhaps a rib pattern on the leg. Most of the yarn I have for socks has at least 80% merino wool in it. The silver is not only for the sparkle, but silver is supposed to have anti-odor properties. So perhaps no stinkie tootsies?? If that's so, I may have to make silver socks for both kids!! 

I have a good pattern in mind for this blue. I love the play of colors in it and I think that if I work it right, doing a sort of simple rib will allow for the beauty of the gradient to play out. 

The Liberty Wool is a special impulse buy. Our church choir just got new robes, in what I call Cubbie Blue - and I figure that the Chicago Cubs need divine intervention. 

I did make mitts for myself. It's an old church - well over 100 years, and so old that there's not even a bathroom in the sacristy! And it's limestone. It gets chilly in the choir area. First, because we're by the door. Second, because we're by the stained glass window; and finally, because there's apparently a breeze coming in from near the organ pipes! 

Liberty Wool Light

Our old (and I mean OLD) robes were burgundy. The mitts I made matched them; so I bought this Liberty and will make some that match our new blue robes!

I guess I'll stagger the remaining pictures below so we're not "naked" at the bottom of the post!

The red Kraemer yarn is also shot through with silver. Since it's a solid red, though, it'll most likely be lace on the leg. I might do a "Strong Heel" on that. I figure it this way:

All this sock yarn just enables me to try different things. So I can Frankensock my way through a variety of techniques, see what works and what I don't like, and voila!! I get socks in the bargain! 

The denim blue below is a lovely merino + bamboo. It's so soft - I know the merino will help with the wear and tear a sock gets; the bamboo alone would be too fragile for feet. 

Politics...

So Ted (Cuban/Canadian) Cruz is STILL blathering on about how "the American people have spoken" and he thinks they're saying that he must continue tilting at windmills and CONTINUE to waste taxpayer money trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. 

For Christmas socks...

Yes, Ted. The American people have spoken. Can't you read polls? Or do you read nothing but Talking Points Memo or Fox News(?) reports???

The American people want Congress to DO SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL and stop screwing around. That's pretty clear. Republicans are now rated as lower than lawyers (sorry - Shakespeare reference) and whale crap. And that's saying something for both lawyers and whale crap. I apologize in advance for annoying lawyers and being disrespectful of whales and whale crap.

My assistant says he'd love to get a "Ted Cruz for President" campaign working - just to get him on the ticket so that the Dems can be ASSURED of a victory! 

As for the ACA website and the "debacle" about its inefficiencies, I do have a couple of questions: Why are we using a CANADIAN company? I have no beef with our friends to the north, but what? There wasn't an AMERICAN company that could've done this? 

And why is the CANADIAN company a hold-over from GWB??? Who said something to whom about using them? Since they were most likely used to do with something regarding defense, I would think that perhaps this website might be a little outside their scope?

Merino + bamboo mixture

I talked about the cost with Hubby, who works with these things. He's not surprised at the cost - it can take that much, apparently. What he's shocked at is that there was no "load balancing" -- or testing to see if it actually WOULD stand up to the amount of traffic. But hey - he only works for an AMERICAN tech company...

Halloween...

This year, we're doing All Hallows at our church; it's a prelude to All Saint's Day and we're doing an evensong service. That will be interesting. It'll be my first one, and I'm excited. 

We were told what the songs were, but I can't remember now. I guess we'll see them when we get there. I'd better sharpen my sight-reading skills. 

Garden...

So the weather situation I mentioned? Apparently, there's a "strong possibility" that there will be a snow/rain mixture tomorrow. That means my friends will get a load of green tomatoes, and maybe we should do something about the remaining carrots in the garden beds.

Yesterday, we took down the hanging pots and emptied the herb pots - all but a really good batch of tarragon that's still going strong. I don't believe the hummingbirds are going to be back, but we'll leave those feeders up for a few more weeks - we may get some stray birds flying past on their way south. 

African Violet

I can most likely cover the tomatoes, if we think we're in for a "false frost" that won't kill them off. 

Random Picture...

This African Violet normally resides on a table in my campus. It was taken when it was in bloom. 

I love them. They remind me of my grandma. 

Yoga...

I'm procrastinating about finishing my yoga homework. I can't imagine why. I just want it done. This coming weekend, it's a 2-day Yoga Therapeutics workshop, which I've been looking forward to. But I still have a bunch of stuff to do to finish the certification. And the homework has a definite deadline! And it's not all that much. It's all sitting here under my desk. 

I just need to get it done. I don't know why I'm procrastinating. Usually I don't. I'm ahead of myself. But this time, I'm just in a rut, I think. 

Anyway, time to clear out and get home. Speaking of yoga, I'm teaching tonight, and I haven't even decided on my sequence yet! Pushing my luck, I think.